In a release, deputies said they responded to a home on Wednesday evening near Bay Road in Mount Dora in reference to a missing person.

“The complainant reported that the victim could not be reached or located,” the release reads. “Upon arrival, deputies observed a bullet hole through the passenger-side window and blood inside the victim’s vehicle.”

Deputies searched the vehicle, eventually finding the victim dead in the rear hatchback area beneath a blanket, investigators revealed.

Per the LCSO, this discovery kicked off an investigation, during which detectives spoke with the victim’s family members and neighbors.

During this time, deputies said they learned that the victim had been in an ongoing dispute with the next-door neighbor regarding property lines, leading investigators to pin the neighbor as a suspect.

That neighbor’s vehicle was spotted in the driveway, and law enforcement consequently tried to make contact with him at home, though they were unable to do so, the release states. As such, deputies obtained a search warrant for the house.

Upon entering the home, the LCSO SWAT team found the suspect, who appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to detectives.

No additional information has been provided at this time.

Discussion

At 300 PM GMT (1500 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Cristobal was located near latitude 39.4 North, longitude 36.8 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 16 mph (26 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 km/h) with higher gusts. Cristobal is expected to dissipate later tonight.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1018 mb (30.06 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

The person, who was not authorized to talk publicly about the case and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that Mangione could change his mind. If he follows through, it would be a stunning development in a case that rattled business leaders while galvanizing their critics.

Mangione’s lawyers, and spokespeople for the Justice Department and Manhattan federal prosecutors, declined to comment.

Mangione is accused of traveling to New York City to ambush Thompson, 50, then shooting him outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024, as the executive walked to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.

Mangione is due in court on Friday for a hastily scheduled hearing in the federal case, which involves two counts of stalking. It wasn’t clear what charge or charges Mangione is expected to plead guilty to. The hearing, in Manhattan federal court, comes as his lawyers have been talking with federal prosecutors about a possible resolution to one of two criminal cases against Mangione in Thompson’s death. Previous talks in June broke down.

Mangione, 28, has been charged in both federal and state court in New York and still faces the possibility of a trial in his unresolved state case. Mangione’s state murder trial is set to begin Sept. 8. Both sets of charges carried the possibility of a life sentence.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty and has spoken out publicly against the prospect of two trials, telling a judge in February: “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition.”

Under New York law, a state prosecution could be barred if the federal case is resolved first, but it isn’t automatic.

The state’s double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea. Mangione’s cases involve different charges arising from the same course of conduct.

Once Mangione pleads guilty, his lawyers could then ask the judge in the state case to throw out those charges on double jeopardy grounds. State prosecutors argue their case is distinct and double jeopardy shouldn't apply.

Mangione’s federal charges allege that he traveled across state lines by bus to stalk and kill Thompson and that he used means such as a cellphone, the internet, interstate highways and staying at a hostel that serves out-of-state customers while planning and carrying out the attack. The state charges pertain to the killing itself, as well as firearms offenses.

In a letter last month, state prosecutors objected to the possibility of a guilty plea in the federal case wiping out the state case.

“Obviously, any guilty pleas in these matters must account for the seriousness of defendant’s offenses, the loss of an innocent life, the impact of those crimes on the victim’s family, and the other state interests that are implicated, including the sanctity of life principle that underpins the state homicide charges,” Seidemann wrote.

Mangione’s decision to plead guilty comes after a series of setbacks for his defense.

In January, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett took the death penalty off the table but ruled that prosecutors could use items collected from Mangione’s backpack during his arrest as evidence against him.

They included a 3D-printed pistol that investigators said matched the one used to kill Thompson and a notebook in which authorities say Mangione described his intent to kill an insurance executive.

In June, Mangione’s lawyers said they would pursue a psychiatric defense in the state case but reversed course a day later. The defense, involving claims that he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the killing, isn’t allowed in federal court.

Surveillance video of the killing showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan.

He has become a cause célèbre for people upset with the health insurance industry.

An online fundraiser for his legal defense fund raised more than $1.5 million, and several dozen supporters have shown up to his court appearances, some wearing green clothing — the color worn by the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi — and “FREE LUIGI” T-shirts.

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Durkin Richer reported from Washington.

What the case was about

Buc-ee’s accused Prometheus Esoterica — an Orlando-area oddities shop — of using Buc-ee’s branding on merchandise, including the well-known beaver logo, in a way that could mislead customers about an affiliation.

What the settlement document says (key points)

The parties stipulated in the filing that:

• Buc-ee’s has long used the BUC-EE’S mark and beaver logo and has grown to 50+ stores across several states, including Florida.
• Prometheus Esoterica sold items (including t-shirts and decals) featuring the beaver logo, both online and in-store, with prior knowledge of Buc-ee’s marks.

• The document characterizes the conduct as trademark violations, including infringement/counterfeiting and related claims.

What Prometheus Esoterica is now barred from doing

The injunction permanently prohibits the defendant from:

• Using Buc-ee’s trademarks (or anything confusingly similar) on merchandise or otherwise
• Assisting others in using the marks or attempting to evade the order through business or entity changes

What happens next (compliance + enforcement)

Under the settlement, the defendant must:

• Destroy all items and materials bearing the marks and remove related postings or ads.
• File a sworn compliance report within 30 days.
• Each side covers its own fees, but violations can trigger additional enforcement—including potential attorneys’ fees and contempt proceedings.

You can read through the full settlement below:

Buc Ees Settlement by Anthony Talcott

The Bears announced in June that they were moving forward with a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana. They have completed their review of what they are calling the Lost Marsh site, and they are doing their due diligence on the Wolf Lake Terminal site. They could merge the two options together in some way.

"Even though we’ve had occasional meetings with the state of Illinois, our sole focus at this point in time is working on a world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, Indiana,” team President Kevin Warren said Thursday.

The Bears also had been considering Arlington Heights — about 30 miles northwest of Chicago — as a potential location for an enclosed stadium. Wherever they end up, a name change is off the table.

“We will be the Chicago Bears whether we’re in Arlington or whether we’re in Hammond,” chairman George McCaskey said.

The Bears, a charter NFL franchise, have played in Illinois since the team’s founding in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys. They moved to Chicago in 1921 and called Wrigley Field home before they started playing at Soldier Field in September 1971.

The Bears’ lease runs through 2033, but they can pay a fee to break the lease early. Soldier Field is about 40 miles south of Halas Hall — the team’s headquarters in Lake Forest — and Hammond is about 20 miles south of the team’s lakefront stadium.

McCaskey acknowledged the “anxiety” of a move to northwest Indiana for the team's fans.

“But when I’ve driven that route, other than a sign telling me so, I wouldn’t know that I’ve just crossed the state border,” he said. “And as Kevin said, once people see the building, once they get in there, once they understand that our top priority from day one was a world-class stadium experience, we think we’ll make that adjustment. We think Bears fans are up for that.”

The Bears ramped up their focus on Indiana after a proposal to provide financial incentives for the team to build its new home in Illinois stalled in the state legislature. A committee in the Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill in February that established a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium.

The Illinois Senate passed a bill that would have cleared the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium. But the House adjourned without taking up the measure on the last day of the state’s spring legislative session.

McCaskey said the team has had minimal conversations with Illinois legislators since June. Asked if he was hopeful about Illinois coming up with a plan and building in Arlington Heights, McCaskey demurred.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “has said to us many times in league meetings, ‘Hope is not a strategy,’” McCaskey said. "We have to deal with the here and now. We have to deal with real circumstances, and these are the real circumstances.”

The Bears have been pursuing a new home for years, but the process has been hampered by repeated twists and turns.

The team announced in September 2021 that it had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights. The $197 million deal with Churchill Downs Incorporated was finalized in 2023.

In September 2022, the team unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that called for an enclosed stadium that could host Super Bowls and Final Fours. The conceptual illustrations also provided for a year-round entertainment district with restaurants and shopping.

But the Bears shifted their focus toward building a new stadium next to Soldier Field after Warren was hired as team president in January 2023, replacing the retiring Ted Phillips. The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson and a tepid reception from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.

The team switched gears again in May 2025, announcing it had made “significant progress” with local leaders in Arlington Heights.

Amid lingering efforts to secure tax incentives in Illinois, along with as much as $855 million in public money for infrastructure at the Arlington Heights site, the Bears began to take a closer look at possible options in northwest Indiana.

“We’re in regular, almost daily communication with the state of Indiana working on this,” Warren said. “We have an excellent deal, a win-win partnership together. And the cost of the significance of this decision from a stadium standpoint, we will make sure that we take our time to get this right."

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Platner won Maine's Democratic primary for the right to challenge veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins, but he dropped out in July after Politico reported that a former girlfriend said he sexually assaulted her. Platner denied the allegation but said at the time he left the race that he was stepping aside because of the importance of defeating Collins.

Platner will appear at an event organized by Hancock County Activists called “Labor Day Rally for Labor” at Ellsworth City Hall, near his hometown, according to a notice on Hancock County Democrats' website.

“The rally will kick off a series of events leading up to the primaries, with musical performances and featured speaker Graham Platner, who will talk about the history of unions and the important role organized labor has played in our communities and our country,” the notice states.

The event is not being hosted or organized by the Hancock County Democratic Committee and it has no affiliation with the Maine Democratic Party, a party source said.

Platner spoke at the rally last year, said Carol Leonard, who works with the community organization group Acadia Action, which is also helping to host the event. He’s not expected to talk about the campaign, but instead will focus on the history of the U.S. labor movement, she said.

The state party hastily called a special convention and nominated former state Senate President Troy Jackson after Platner dropped out.

Platner has kept a low profile since dropping out of the race and did not respond to requests for comment.

The Maine Republican Party criticized Democrats for the event.

“If Graham Platner is still a heroic leader for Maine Democrats, as this speaking event indicates, their party is out of touch with Maine," said Maine Republican Party spokeswoman Kristina Parker, adding that Maine voters were “disgusted” by Platner's actions.

Platner, 41, is an oyster farmer and combat veteran who filled theaters around Maine with his booming voice and progressive politics. He has no experience in elected office, but fashioned a campaign focused on working-class issues such as the high costs of housing and healthcare.

Platner’s campaign was beset with controversies for months. Among them, media reports emerged that the candidate had previously exchanged sexually explicit text messages with several women while he was married. He also had a tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol, which he said he didn’t realize until he was several weeks into the campaign. He later had it covered up with a different design.

Platner grew up in Sullivan, a tiny town near Ellsworth and about 170 miles up the coast from Portland.

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Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report from Providence, Rhode Island.

The 2026-27 NBA schedule was released Thursday, setting the dates for the two former NBA Finals MVPs to return to face the teams that traded them this summer.

The schedules for opening night and Christmas had already been unveiled earlier this week, so those two games were among the most intriguing matchups not yet known. Brown, who was dealt from the Celtics to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in a stunning move, will play his first game back in Boston on Jan. 21.

Antetokounmpo was expected to be traded by Milwaukee this offseason — at one point speculation was that he might be swapped for Brown — and was eventually dealt to Miami. The Heat will travel to face the Bucks for the first time on Jan. 28.

Both of those games, which will be on Thursday nights, will stream on Prime Video.

Other details about the schedule:

From start to finish

The season will open Oct. 20 with a tripleheader, highlighted by LeBron James, Brown and the 76ers visiting the Knicks, who will receive their rings after winning the franchise's first championship since 1973.

The regular season ends April 11. All-Star weekend is set for Feb. 19-21 in Phoenix.

Busy nights and nights off

Every team will play on Monday, Nov. 2, and there will then be no games the following night, which is Election Day in the U.S. The league is leaving that first Tuesday in November as an open day in hopes that fans and members of the NBA community will participate in the voting process.

No teams will play on Saturday, April 10, the second-to-last day of the regular season. Every team is then in action on the final day, with all the games matching Eastern Conference teams and the one interconference matchup scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The games involving West teams are set for 8:30 p.m.

Where to watch the games

There will be 90 regular-season games televised nationally on ABC or NBC, up from 79 last season.

Throughout the season, games will stream on Peacock on Monday nights, be shown on NBC and Peacock on Tuesdays, be televised by ESPN on Wednesdays, and stream on Prime Video on Fridays.

Saturday night primetime games on ABC begin Dec. 12 with the Knicks visiting the Heat, while NBC's “Sunday Night Basketball” returns Jan. 24 with Oklahoma City visiting Golden State.

Prime Video will begin streaming Thursday night doubleheaders in January and some Saturday afternoon games starting Feb. 6 with Portland at Memphis, when Ja Morant returns to face the Grizzlies for the first time.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

The parts that flew out of the engine after a fan blade broke the window and damaged the fuselage in several other places, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its report.

The incident happened shortly after the flight took off from the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on July 10. The NTSB said it found bird remains inside the engine, suggesting the plane may have struck birds as it took off.

The 61-year-old man who was nearly sucked out of the plane suffered neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns before his fellow passenger pulled him back inside the Boeing 737-800.

Panicked passengers helped the man after the window broke

The flight attendants told investigators that they heard and felt loud continuous vibration and saw smoke or fog inside the cabin before the oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling.

One of the flight attendants then noticed some passengers standing up and calling for help because the man who was sitting in a row 11 window seat was partially lodged in a damaged window. The other passengers managed to pull him back into the cabin.

The injured passenger was moved to row 12, where a passenger who is a doctor tended to him. Other passengers got a metal box from the flight attendants, which they used to try to block the broken window until the plane could land.

A series of short videos recorded from inside the plane and shared by Radio Thessaloniki showed passengers wearing oxygen masks after the cabin lost pressure. Another appeared to show the blown-out window, with a man seated nearby wearing an oxygen mask. A third video, apparently filmed after the aircraft landed, showed first responders working in the aisle.

The engine's fan blades were inspected in May

Last month, Ryanair said in a statement that the flight “returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window dislodged in-flight.”

International aviation rules allow Greece’s Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority to hand over investigations to the NTSB, which they did in this case, with Greece participating.

The NTSB reprimanded Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary after he told investors last month that the investigation was focused on foreign object damage and not the plane's age or maintenance history. The NTSB said investigators hadn't ruled anything out and O'Leary wasn't authorized to discuss it.

Maintenance records show that the fan blades on the right engine that failed had undergone ultrasonic inspections in May 2026 and November 2025 without finding damage. But the NTSB said that four suspected bird strikes to the same engine had been reported by the flight crews over the past year. Bird remains were found after two of those suspected strikes.

The Associated Press sent emailed requests for comment on NTSB’s findings to Ryanair, Boeing and CFM International, the maker of the engine.

There have been at least two previous incidents where parts of an engine made by CFM failed and breached the plane’s cabin. In 2018, a woman was killed on a Southwest Airlines flight after she was partially sucked out of a broken window. Another Southwest jet had suffered a similar blade-related engine breakup in 2016 over Florida.

Damage happened minutes after takeoff

The narrow-body plane that can seat up to 189 passengers was delivered new to Ryanair in 2008, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24.

Flight records show that the aircraft climbed past 15,000 feet (4,570 meters) about six minutes after departure and then immediately descended to about 6,000 feet (1,830 meters) “to burn fuel for 30 minutes” before returning to Thessaloniki about an hour after taking off, Flightradar24 said.

The flight was operated by Malta Air, a subsidiary of Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget carrier.

The plane landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal. One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki, the airline said in a statement at the time.

Also, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family. Leavitt, 28, called it a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced she would be stepping down.

Here's the latest:

Democratic senator calls for Hegseth to discuss civilian deaths from US strikes

The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee is calling out the number of civilian deaths from U.S. military operations under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island cited a recent Pentagon report to Congress that said 153 civilians were killed last year from U.S. airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Reed also said the Pentagon has yet to release a report into a U.S. airstrike in Iran this year that involved a missile hitting an Iranian primary school, killing up to 168 people.

“This did not happen in a vacuum,” Reed said in a statement Thursday, noting that Hegseth had “gutted” an office focused on reducing civilian harm.

Reed called for Hegseth to explain the incidents before Congress.

Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit alleging antisemitism at Harvard University

A federal judge in Boston on Thursday dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that accused Harvard University of turning a blind eye to harassment of Jewish students.

The decision from U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns said the administration failed to prove an ongoing violation of federal civil rights laws. The judge said the lawsuit, filed in March, mostly focuses on incidents during the 2023-24 academic year, with a few from March 2025.

The cases were “too isolated and episodic” to prove a persistent civil rights violation at the Ivy League campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the judge said.

The lawsuit accused Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations that roiled the campus after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. The Trump administration argued that Harvard officials did nothing as Jewish students were “harassed, physically assaulted, stalked, and spat upon.”

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New aircraft carrier heads toward the Middle East after reports of issues on long-deployed USS Lincoln

The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington has begun heading toward the Middle East, according to Navy statements and open-source information.

It comes as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose long deployment in support of the Iran war includes a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.

The Navy acknowledges the war has created an environment “where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted by combat actions.” That, in turn, led to shortages and loss of mail aboard the Lincoln.

“Leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail,” the Navy statement said, before assuring that sailors aboard the ship now have access to clean water and “healthy meal options.”

Several Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations, more information and greater visibility into conditions aboard the USS Lincoln.

Kennedy Center board votes to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade

The Kennedy Center board has voted to add President Donald Trump’s name to the facade of the performing arts building. That’s according to Rep. Joyce Beatty and lawyers.

The move Thursday comes after the board decided to move forward with a two-year closure to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue.

Kennedy Center board moves forward with a 2-year closure to allow for renovations, AP sources say

The Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The decision, made Thursday by a board largely composed of President Donald Trump’s allies, amounts to a doubling down on the institution’s initial plan so changes could be made that leaders said were necessary for safety. Critics have raised concerns that Trump could move ahead with more drastic renovations as part of his second-term effort to remodel Washington in his image.

The two people were not authorized to publicly discuss the board’s action before an official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in May blocked a closure set to take effect July 5. It was not immediately clear whether the board’s move would prompt another round of legal challenges. Cooper had ruled that the board’s March 16 vote backing the move appeared “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.”

In moving forward, board members may face pressure to prove they have thoroughly considered their options.

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Associated Press reporter Steven Sloan contributed to this report.

Trump White House says it’s losing $19B-$26B a year in revenue as countries dodge tariffs

The Trump White House said in a new report on Thursday that countries are routing their exports through third countries to avoid U.S. tariffs, estimating tax revenue losses of $19 billion to $26 billion annually.

The report specifically highlights that China responded to new tariffs in 2018 by sending its goods to other nations ranging from Mexico to Malaysia for packaging and limited assembly — a practice known as transshipping. That pattern made it look like U.S. imports from China had dropped, but enabled Beijing to continue growing its manufacturing sector in ways that could challenge U.S. factories and employment.

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Democrats are gathering to give final approval to their 2028 presidential primary calendar

Democrats are gathering to finalize their 2028 presidential primary calendar this week, setting the stage for a wide-open contest to succeed President Donald Trump and chart a path ahead as the party’s voters oscillate between progressive and more moderate candidates.

The Democratic National Committee is expected to vote at its summer meeting in Austin, Texas, on the new order that frontloads states with more diverse populations.

The meeting comes ahead of bitterly contested midterm elections that will decide control of Congress later this year. Democratic voters have delivered mixed messages on the direction they want to see the party go — backing candidates viewed as more left-wing as well as moderates in consequential primaries across several states.

The group also is convening at a time of internal turmoil, with some members calling for DNC Chairman Ken Martin to be replaced.

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Did you pay tariffs last year? You might be due a refund from FedEx or UPS

If you bought something from an overseas vendor last year, it might be time to check your bank account.

Shippers including FedEx and UPS that acted as customs brokers for imported packages and received tariff refunds from the U.S. government have started to pass on those refunds to the customers that originally paid the tariffs.

The refunds to consumers are the last step in a monthslong process that kicked off in February when the Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump in March 2025 under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act on goods from almost every country. The court ordered the government to return the tariffs it collected.

So far, about $100 billion in tariffs have been refunded to companies who paid them under a system set up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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US unemployment claims rise but remain at historically healthy levels

The Labor Department reported Thursday that 209,000 people filed jobless claims last week, up from a revised 200,000 the week before and higher than the 205,000 forecasters had expected. The four-week average of applications, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, was unchanged at 199,000.

The overall number of people collecting employment benefits the week that ended Aug. 1 dropped by 22,000 to 1.78 million.

Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and they’ve been at a historically low range of around 200,000 to 230,000 a week for the past year, suggesting Americans who have jobs enjoy unusual job security. The U.S. unemployment rate is low at 4.1%, as the economy has proven resilient despite a spike in energy prices caused by the fighting with Iran.

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US stocks rise toward records as oil prices drop and inflation gets less bad

The stock market is rising toward an all-time high Thursday following the latest sign that inflation is getting less bad. Stocks also got a lift from easing oil prices in their latest yo-yo move.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% and was on track to top its record set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 185 points, or 0.3%, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% higher.

Wall Street relaxed after a report showed prices at the U.S. wholesale level were 4.7% higher last month than a year earlier. While that’s still very high, it’s not as bad as June’s 5.5% inflation rate at the wholesale level, and it was slightly better than economists expected.

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House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says party is in a moment of ‘generation change’

During an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Atlanta, Jeffries said progressive wins in recent congressional races show generational change.

“I think transition, change, renewal will continue to be an important part of the story, and that energy is being brought to the House in a variety of different ways, including from our progressive members,” Jeffries said.

But he also highlighted his own ascent to Democratic leader and some moderate wins as part of the same trend.

“I think we’ll see what happens in terms of what the caucus looks like on the other side of the midterm election,” Jeffries said when asked if the party’s progressive wing would have greater influence. “Our focus right now is making sure that we win as many seats as we can in November.”

But Trump’s vaccine order is not legally binding

Despite the precedent-breaking nature of Trump’s order, some experts are skeptical it will result in meaningful changes.

Neither the White House nor the FDA can compel drugmakers to develop and seek approval for new vaccines. And from a business perspective, companies have little incentive to develop individual versions of vaccines they already sell in combination shots.

“They’d be competing against themselves, and there’s no reason to do that,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher and former government adviser.

While Trump’s order calls for more federal research and recommendations, only state governments have the legal authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. The order simply advises states to consider updating their laws to reflect the Trump administration’s approach.

“I think states will ignore this,” Offit said. “I think that bottom line is that we don’t need to look to Donald Trump for our medical advice.”

Trump’s vaccine plan would require manufacturing overhaul

Under Trump’s executive order, federal officials are instructed to develop within 90 days plans for breaking up the MMR shot and spacing out other vaccines.

But pharmaceutical scientists and former regulators say those changes would likely take years and require drugmakers to spend tens of millions of dollars on new studies and manufacturing facilities.

Currently, there are no individual vaccines in the U.S. for measles, mumps or rubella. All the vaccines approved for those viruses by the Food and Drug Administration are combination shots. That three-in-one approach has been the standard in the U.S. since the early 1970s.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former FDA vaccine chief, said companies would have to conduct large studies showing new individual shots produced immune system-boosting reactions in children similar to the current versions.

US ambassador condemns settler siege of Palestinian homes in the West Bank

Israeli settlers have besieged three homes in the occupied West Bank for several days, including one owned by a Palestinian American, in what the U.S. ambassador called a “horrific act of terror” on Thursday.

Mike Huckabee’s remarks on X represented an unusually sharp rebuke from the Trump administration of the latest episode in a surge of settler violence in the region.

Starting Sunday, settlers gathered around three houses in the village of Qusra, according to local officials, Palestinian American homeowner Loui Ridi, and Ridi’s brother. At times numbering dozens, the settlers threw stones, attempted to bring down a stone wall nearby, and prevented the occupants from leaving as their food and water dwindled.

Israeli troops have intervened to try to restore order. On Thursday morning, Ridi’s brother, Qusai Abu Rida, who had holed up in the house with his own teenage son to defend it, said they were moved by Israel’s military to another home but still cannot leave the area.

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USAID fallout: In Nepal, when the aid workers stopped coming, the women and babies started dying

One baby at a time, the world is marching toward a grim milestone: Because of global cuts to foreign aid, the Gates Foundation has predicted 2025 will be the first year this century where child deaths will increase.

And while global child mortality data for 2025 won’t be available for several months, health officials are already bracing for a surge in deaths among the world’s youngest and most vulnerable.

The decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to dissolve the United States Agency for International Development — once the world’s largest humanitarian donor — gutted maternal and neonatal care, decimated nutrition programs for millions of pregnant women and children and left scores of birthing centers devoid of equipment, medicine and staff.

The U.S. government has repeatedly insisted that no one — and, particularly, no children — have died because of its funding cuts. But The Associated Press has documented the deaths of women and children from Myanmar to Nigeria.

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Reflecting Pool’s botched repairs threaten to tarnish the National Park Service’s reputation

President Donald Trump’s botched repairs at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have landed the National Park Service in a political predicament.

The beloved federal agency, its iconic park rangers and other employees have been serving the public while managing controversial demands by the Republican president — from revising exhibits at parks and other sites to the demolition of important structures under its stewardship, such as the White House’s East Wing, to arresting visitors for alleged vandalism at the pool.

Critics say the monthslong Reflecting Pool saga and other demands by Trump risk undermining the integrity of a federal agency that’s long been held in high esteem by the American public.

“Never — not once in decades — have I witnessed such systematic degradation, disrespect and dismantling of the National Park Service as I see today under the thumb of President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum,” said Bill Wade, a former park ranger and superintendent.

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Rubio and Bessent stayed on decoy flight from Turkey as Trump switched planes, official says

The two most senior members of Trump’s Cabinet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, flew out of last month’s NATO summit in Turkey on what was effectively a decoy plane following an Iranian threat, while Trump was secretly moved to a smaller military jet, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.

The official, who was briefed on the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details of presidential travel, said Rubio was aware of the switch and details of the threat behind it but could or would not say why he had stayed on the plane. The official said Bessent was likely aware but did not know for sure.

The official, however, noted that security precautions for the president — especially one who has been the target of several assassination attempts — are more robust than those for even top members of the Cabinet.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the secretaries of State and Treasury follow the vice president and the highest ranking member of each chamber of Congress in the presidential line of succession.

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— Matthew Lee

Kennedy Center board set to vote on whether to move forward with closure

The Kennedy Center’s board is expected to meet Thursday to consider plans for the performing arts venue’s future after a federal judge blocked an earlier move for a two-year closure that would allow for substantial renovations.

Ahead of the meeting, the Kennedy Center’s management said it would present the board with three approaches for consideration.

The options would include a complete closure or a partial closure that would allow “some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected” by the work. A third option would “consider a highly limited series of phased closures to address only the Center’s most serious infrastructure needs while scheduling and maintaining a full slate of programming.”

In blocking earlier plans for closure, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the board’s March 16 vote backing the move appeared “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.” In moving forward, the board, which is largely made up of President Donald Trump’s allies, may face pressure to prove they’ve thoroughly considered their options.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving the Trump administration

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family.

Leavitt, 28, called it a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced she would be stepping down. She recently returned to the White House podium after the birth of her second child, a daughter named Viviana, in May. She also has a 2-year-old son.

“The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life,” Leavitt wrote.

Trump did not outline plans for who might replace her in the high-profile role.

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In a release, deputies said the incident was reported around 8 p.m. in the 2000 block of Rivertree Circle.

Upon arrival, deputies found a “young man with a gunshot wound,” who later died after being taken to a nearby hospital, investigators explained.

On Thursday, deputies identified the victim as 17-year-old Jackson Pharell Jones.

“Our detectives are on scene investigating this incident,” the release reads. “This is all the information we have at the time.”

No additional details have been provided at time of writing.

Trey Decloedt was arrested over the weekend in Leesburg by Lake County Sheriff’s deputies.

Deputies say Decloedt believed that his neighbor wasn’t cleaning up after his dogs.

“I’ve complained about the dogs sh***ing in my yard. I said something to his old lady about it. She said she would pick it up. Four hours later, it was still there. I set it on the edge of the driveway right there,” Decloedt told officers in bodycam footage.

The neighbor tells a different story. He says Decloedt opened the door to his home, shouted at him while holding the feces in his hand, then threw it — hitting him.

That led to a physical fight as the victim tried to get Decloedt off his property. According to an arrest affidavit, Decloedt struck the victim in the head, then Decloedt grabbed a scooter and lifted it over his head and threatened the victim.

Deputies say Decloedt claimed that he and the neighbor had an understanding that they could enter each other’s homes without knocking, and that when he went to talk to the neighbor about the issue, it was the neighbor who shoved Decloedt first, leading to the physical fight.

“I mean, he scratched my neck all up when he grabbed me. There’s two sides to this story,” Decloedt said on the bodycam, growing agitated with the responding officers.

Deputies say they spoke to the victim about the defendant’s claim that they had an agreement to allow them to walk into each other’s homes. The victim produced a recording he sent to Decloedt in which the victim reportedly told Decloedt that he was no longer welcome in his home.

Decloedt faces charges of burglary with battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and simple battery.

The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. in the 1900 block of Greenborough Loop in the Trinity Gardens neighborhood.

According to a news release, an altercation broke out between the trash truck driver and three individuals. The confrontation turned physical, and gunfire was exchanged, and the driver was struck by a gunshot. He was airlifted to a hospital, where his condition is listed as stable.

After fleeing the scene, officers found all three and took them into custody without further incident.

Investigators said there is no evidence anyone else was struck by gunfire and no threat to the public.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The bridge — known as Nero's Bridge, named for the former Roman emperor — once connected Rome’s city center with the Tiber’s right bank.

“Nero is the most famous person linked to this area, because precisely in Nero’s circus, where the Vatican is now located, the Apostle Peter was martyred,” said Antonella Bonini, an archaeologist at Rome’s cultural heritage superintendency.

“However, scholars consider the bridge to be older (than Nero’s era) — built by Caligula, Nero’s uncle,” she said, adding that it existed as early as 39 AD.

The Tiber’s flow has fallen below 80 cubic meters (2,825 cubic feet) per second, about half the historic average for the month of July, according to Giovanni Giganti, coordinator of the Rome civil protection service’s center for water management.

“We are facing a major water crisis. And it is a crisis that is also due to the fact that this winter we did have quite abundant rainfall, but then the dry periods ... were quite long,” Giganti said.

The decision from U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns said that President Donald Trump's administration failed to prove an ongoing violation of federal civil rights laws. The judge said the lawsuit, filed in March, mostly focuses on incidents that took place in the 2023-24 academic year, with a few from March 2025.

The cases were “too isolated and episodic” to prove a persistent civil rights violation at the Ivy League campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the judge said.

“We disagree with the ruling and are assessing next steps,” said Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice. Harvard did not immediately provide a comment on the decision.

The lawsuit accused Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations that roiled the campus after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. The Trump administration argued Harvard officials did nothing as Jewish students were “harassed, physically assaulted, stalked, and spat upon.”

In a statement after the lawsuit was filed, Harvard said it “cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community and remains committed to ensuring they are embraced, respected, and can thrive on our campus.”

Harvard President Alan M. Garber says the university formed a task force to combat antisemitism. The university also hired a new provost and new deans and reformed its discipline policies to make them “more consistent, fair and effective,” Garber has said.

The government's case sought to recover billions of dollars in federal research grants awarded to Harvard since October 2023. Trump officials argued they had a right to recoup the money under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law barring discrimination based on race or national origin.

The lawsuit is among several actions the government has taken against Harvard since the Ivy League university refused a list of demands made by the White House after Trump, a Republican, returned to office last year. Trump officials have separately sought to cut Harvard's research funding and limit its ability to enroll foreign students and U.S. military members.

In a separate legal case last year, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse more than $2.6 billion in federal funding cuts to Harvard. That decision found that the White House put unconstitutional conditions on federal funding, using antisemitism as a “smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault” on universities.

Despite their bitter dispute, Harvard and the Trump administration have held some negotiations, and Trump himself said the two sides had been close to reaching an agreement. But when the Justice Department filed this civil rights lawsuit in March, it pointed to an extraordinary impasse. When colleges are found in violation of federal civil rights law, they almost always reach compliance through voluntary agreements.

A representative for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The moves set up a test of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who ruled in May that letters affixed to the building and spelling out Trump's name were added illegally. The judge ordered them removed and at the same time blocked a closure that was set to take effect July 5, saying that an earlier board vote endorsing the move was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.”

“This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court’s ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed," Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio who is an ex officio board member, said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for this treasured national monument.”

During Trump's second term, the Kennedy Center has become an unlikely — and highly visible — metaphor of presidential power. While he largely ignored the institution during his first round in Washington, Trump moved quickly to oust the institution’s leadership when he returned to office in January 2025 and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman. His name was quickly added to the building, a move that Cooper also declared illegal.

The Republican's name came down from the building in June but the area where it once stood is now covered by a massive tarp.

Trump's push to remake the nation's capital

The Kennedy Center moves are part of Trump's broader push to reshape the physical landscape of the nation's capital in ways that have few modern parallels.

He demolished the East Wing of the White House and is building a controversial ballroom in its place, though an appeals court ruled last week that construction should stop because Congress didn't approve the project. Trump has said he will take the case to the Supreme Court.

His remodel of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also stumbled after algae returned and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro refuted his claims that a vandal was responsible for the damage.

Meanwhile, Trump is planning extensive renovations of a golf course in East Potomac Park, which could significantly reduce the public’s access to running and biking paths. He is also moving forward with a triumphal arch that will sit near Arlington National Cemetery.

Trump has derided the Kennedy Center as “rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested” and threatened to hand the building over to Congress after Cooper rejected the closure and the addition of the president’s name to the building.

The institution’s leadership has argued that it’s in genuine need of repair and updating.

Matt Floca, the Kennedy Center’s executive director and chief operating officer, guided a group of journalists through the building in April, highlighting severe water damage that he said corroded steel in some places as thin as tissue paper. Some pieces of equipment, including several 800-ton chillers that help cool the building, are decades old and in need of replacement.

At the time, Floca said he considered doing the repairs individually but insisted it was his recommendation to Trump to close the building and move forward with the renovation all at once.

“When the president asked: ‘How do you make these projects the best? How do you make them really excellent and deliver them efficiently?’ my recommendation was you close the building and you do everything over a definite period of time, two years,” he said.

More recently, the legal battles became the subject of barbs and jokes as comedian Bill Maher accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in late June. At the start of the program, Pamella Roland DeVos, a Kennedy Center trustee appointed by Trump, described the institution as a “national cultural center open not just for some but for every American patron who wants to experience the greatest art and expression the world has to offer.”

“The responsibility that comes with it is one our board takes very seriously,” she said.

The Tennessee man was executed for killing a maid at a motel in 1985 and the Oklahoma man for killing his girlfriend in 2003. In Alabama, a man is scheduled to die later for killing of a 5-year-old girl he paid her mother to abuse.

Having three executions is one day is a coincidence in scheduling, but it also reflects a trend of increased executions in the U.S. Eleven states executed a total of 47 people in 2025, the highest number since 2009. Twenty-one inmates have been put to death this year with nearly a dozen more scheduled.

The last time three executions were held on the same day was Jan. 7, 2010, when Louisiana, Ohio and Texas put inmates to death. Three executions were scheduled on the same day in 2018, but only one went forward after a Texas man was granted a reprieve and prison officials in Alabama had problems with the IV line.

Florida executed two men on the same day in July and has put 31 prisoners to death since the start of 2025.

Oklahoma prisoner said he regretted 2003 killing of girlfriend

Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez, 70, died by lethal injection at the state’s penitentiary in rural McAlester, Oklahoma. He was the third person put to death this year in Oklahoma.

Cuesta-Rodriguez turned his head to look at his two relatives who attended and mouthed “I love you” but said he had no last words.

His breathing was labored for several minutes before he was pronounced dead at 10:13 a.m. CDT.

Convicted of fatally shooting his girlfriend at their Oklahoma City home in 2003, Cuesta-Rodriguez had said he regretted killing Olimpia Fisher and told a board he didn't want clemency. His attorneys said he had a difficult childhood in Cuba and suffered from brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Fisher, 43, planned to leave Cuesta-Rodriguez when he shot her in one eye and then waited about eight minutes as she screamed for help before firing the fatal shot into her other eye.

Fisher’s daughters, Cinthya Allen and Katya Wallis, said in a statement they hope the execution brings awareness to preventing domestic violence and they honor their mother by "raising our families to reflect the love and faith in God that she taught us.”

Tennessee man challenged execution after previous one was halted

Anthony Darrell Hines was executed by lethal injection in Tennessee for the 1985 murder of Catherine Jean Jenkins. He was pronounced dead at 10:43 a.m. CDT.

Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs.

Hines said “not right now, thank you” when first asked if he had final words, then said, “Tell my son hello" before he died. Hines' son witnessed the execution. He reconnected with his father four days ago after not seeing him since he was 3 years old.

About four minutes after the curtain to the death chamber opened, Hines asked his spiritual adviser: “How long do I have?” Not long afterward, witnesses heard groans and heavy breathing as the spiritual adviser put her hands on his shoulders and prayed over him.

After the execution, Jenkins’ son detailed how his mother was killed to reporters with only a plastic spray bottle to defend against the knife attacks.

“I hope he did suffer. I hope he felt severe pain because what he did to my mother is nothing compared to what he may have just gone through,” Dennis Jenkins said.

Hines' execution comes just three months after the attempted lethal injection of another man was called off because of a problem inserting an IV. Hines' arms and hands were covered by a sheet.

Hines, 66, appealed unsuccessfully to the governor and the courts, saying that the doctor who oversaw a May execution that was stopped as medical staff couldn't establish a backup IV line for more than an hour was unqualified and likely to botch his execution as well.

Alabama inmate pleaded guilty to rape and killing of girl

Alabama is scheduled to execute Jeremy Williams by lethal injection for the 2021 rape and murder of a 5-year-old Georgia girl.

Williams, who pleaded guilty to killing Kamarie Holland, declined to appeal and asked for his death sentence to be carried out.

Williams, 42, raped and strangled Holland after offering her mother $2,500 for the child to perform a sex act, prosecutors said.

Williams filmed his attack on the girl and kept her body to continue to abuse, prosecutors said.

“To see on video what he did to this baby, what a grown man could do to a child, it’s shocking, it’s horrible, it’s disgusting,” Russell County District Attorney Richard Chancey said. “It’s just a level of evil.”

Williams also was a suspect in the 2005 death of his infant daughter in Alaska but charges were not filed until 2022.

Corey Holland, Kamarie’s father, said his daughter was an exuberant 5-year-old who loved princesses and made people laugh.

“She loved playing dress-up, all her little Halloween costumes and her princess stuff I got her. She liked anything girly,” Corey Holland said.

It will be Alabama’s first execution of the year if it goes forward. A nitrogen gas execution was halted in June after a federal judge ruled the method unconstitutional.

The girl's mother is serving a 20-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sex trafficking.

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Associated Press writer Jeffrey Collins contributed.

We’ve compiled a non-exhaustive list of upcoming Space Coast launches so you can know what to expect.

[RELATED: Best spots to watch a rocket launch]

Keep checking back, though, because as most space enthusiasts know, launch schedules are subject to change due to weather, technical reasons, and range restrictions.

I repeat: All launch dates and times are tentative!

• Date: Aug. 15
• Vehicle: Falcon 9
• Mission: Globalstar 2-R Launch 1
• Launch Time: 9:12 p.m. to 9:27 p.m.
• Location: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

• Date: TBD
• Vehicle: Blue Origin New Glenn
• Mission: Blue Origin will launch a Blue Moon lunar lander carrying NASA payloads on a demonstration mission.
• Launch Time: TBD
• Location: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Launch Complex 36

• Date: TBD
• Vehicle: Boeing Starliner
• Mission: An uncrewed Boeing Starliner will deliver cargo to the International Space Station and undergo in-flight validation of a series of system upgrades.
• Launch Time: TBD
• Location: TBD

• Date: TBD
• Vehicle: ULA Atlas V
• Mission: TBD
• Launch Time: TBD
• Location: Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

• Date: Q4 2026
• Vehicle: ULA Vulcan
• Mission: Sierra Space will launch its uncrewed Dream Chaser space plane atop a ULA Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
• Launch Time: TBD
• Location: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Launch Complex 41

The federal investigation also found that California's corrections department failed to provide victims with a safe way to report sexual abuse and harassment without retaliation. On top of that, staff who were tasked with investigating the misconduct were often themselves accused of sexual abuse or harassment.

The investigation, which began during the Biden administration, focused on two state prisons: the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino. It uncovered numerous instances where guards regularly sexually abused incarcerated women. In at least one instance, a guard was convicted of rampant abuse over roughly a decade and sentenced to 224 years in prison.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Women were told to report misconduct on an online system that wasn’t confidential and that the accused officers had access to, according to Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

Dhillon said that women are “fully aware of this gap in confidentiality, and this serves as a deterrent from women reporting this misconduct.” She named at least one sergeant whose job it was to investigate misconduct who was himself sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to receiving child sexual abuse images on the job.

“The upshot of our investigation is that California’s prison system, when it comes to women, has inadequate systems in place to deter, detect, and hold accountable rampant sexual misconduct and assault on female prisoners,” Dhillon said at a news conference held in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The Associated Press in previous years exposed similar patterns of rampant abuse by federal prison staff against women held in Dublin, California, a facility that at the time was nicknamed the “rape club.” The prison was closed following the AP investigation.

The federal government on Thursday gave California's prison system 49 days to remediate the conditions that enabled the rampant abuse, warning that a failure to do so could result in civil litigation.

The measures include expanded camera coverage, enhanced confidential reporting channels and strengthened investigative protocol.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who was appointed by President Donald Trump as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, said California has to take action.

“The State must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities,” Essayli wrote in a statement, “and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist.”

The Met Office said the temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in west London was a tenth of a degree higher than the previous record set June 28. It remained below the U.K.’s August record of 38.5 C (101.3 F), set in 2003.

Britain, like France, is experiencing its fifth heat wave of the year, with the first recorded in May. The latest extreme heat means 2026 has now had a record four days with temperatures of 36 C (96.8 F) or higher. It also has matched 2022 with two days reaching 38 C.

Temperatures in France, meanwhile, have gone even higher, approaching 41 C (106 F) in several areas, from Aquitaine in the southwest to the Rhone River valley in the east, according to the national weather service.

At least two new grass fires broke out in different areas of the West Midlands in central England, officials said. Multiple homes were burning in Stourbridge next to a golf course, Sky News helicopter footage showed.

Britain and France ill-equipped for this sort of heat

The most intense heat is forecast to move eastward away from Britain and France on Friday and then recede over the weekend.

This summer has shown that both Britain and France are ill-equipped to deal with these levels of heat. Air conditioning is a rarity outside of shops and offices, for example.

In Britain, nurses have collapsed from heat exhaustion while working in hospitals, many housed in aging buildings that lack adequate cooling, the Royal College of Nursing said Thursday.

“When nursing staff are collapsing, feeling dizzy, sick or even being admitted to the very hospitals they work in because their workplaces cannot handle the heat, it shows just how badly they are being failed,” said Nicola Ranger, the college’s chief executive and general secretary.

Unsurprisingly, drought conditions are spreading

Like many parts of Europe, Britain and France are facing widespread drought conditions that have shriveled crops and drained rivers, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment, and forcing governments and water users to seek both short- and long-term measures to mitigate the effects of human-caused climate change.

Britain’s Southern Water, which oversees supplies in the south of England, has applied for a rare drought order which would ban businesses from nonessential water use, including cleaning cars and filling nondomestic swimming pools, saying an “exceptional” lack of rain is threatening supplies. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006.

With temperatures soaring, many people headed to beaches and outdoor pools or found other ways to cool off. In Bordeaux in southwestern France, children and adults sought relief in the city’s iconic “water mirror.” Some frolicked in fountains, splashed their faces and filled up water bottles. Birds too quenched their thirst.

Wildfire fears remain a clear and present danger

With the land parched and no sign of any meaningful rain coming, authorities in Britain and France remained on high alert for wildfires – while major blazes broke out further south in Europe.

French firefighters were back in action too after a desperate summer and are threatening to go on strike to demand more staff and resources to cope with increasingly extreme weather events.

One broke out late Wednesday in the northern Pas-de-Calais region, and another in Brittany, far from the hotter, drier and more fire-prone regions in southern France. A historic fire devoured forests near Bordeaux last month and pushed a quarter of a million people from their homes.

In northern Greece, more than 300 vacationers and residents were evacuated by sea Thursday after a wildfire swept through a pine forest and threatened seaside homes, authorities said.

The Fire Service said nine water-dropping planes and seven helicopters were assisting 250 firefighters around the Siviri resort on the popular Halkidiki peninsula. There were no initial reports of injuries or serious property damage.

In Britain, which is increasingly looking sandy brown rather than its traditional luscious green, firefighters have been out in force this week trying to contain a wildfire in the New Forest in southern England.

Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data from the National Fire Chiefs Council, the same as last year’s record-breaking total.

Though not on the same level as those witnessed in France, Greece and Spain, they provide ample evidence of the need for the U.K. to adjust to a new reality.

UK prime minister mulls ban on disposable barbecues

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will consider imposing a ban on disposable barbecues amid the risk of further wildfires as extreme heat continues to grip parts of the U.K.

“I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear,” he said. “People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time.”

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Charlton reported from Paris. Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece contributed.

Monday’s announcement by the Republican president calls for separating combination shots — including the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine — into separate injections. Appointments for that and other vaccinations should be spaced out whenever possible, the order states.

To accomplish that, drugmakers would need to revive a slate of individual vaccines that have not been widely used in the U.S. for decades. They would also have to build new manufacturing plants capable of producing millions more vaccine doses than the nation currently uses.

For parents, unbundling the MMR vaccine and spacing out the shots would mean returning to the doctor’s office many more times than is currently needed. Those appointments could also strain pediatricians who typically administer the shots, while driving up costs tied to syringes and other medical supplies.

Studies in the U.S. and other countries have shown that combination vaccines increase the likelihood that children will be fully protected from infectious diseases before starting school.

Health experts say there is no scientific basis for changing course.

“We do things that are less convenient and more expensive if there’s a good reason to do it,” said Dr. Anna Durbin, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “There is no good justification for this. I think it’s very bad public health policy.”

Trump's plan would require vaccine manufacturing overhaul

Under Trump's executive order, federal officials are instructed to develop within 90 days plans for breaking up the MMR shot and spacing out other vaccines.

But pharmaceutical scientists and former regulators say those changes would likely take years and require drugmakers to spend tens of millions of dollars on new studies and manufacturing facilities.

Currently, there are no individual vaccines in the U.S. for measles, mumps or rubella. All the vaccines approved for those viruses by the Food and Drug Administration are combination shots. That three-in-one approach has been the standard in the U.S. since the 1970s.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former FDA vaccine chief, said companies would have to conduct large studies showing new individual shots produced immune system-boosting reactions in children similar to the current versions.

Companies might also have to demonstrate the safety of new manufacturing facilities and procedures, given that individual measles shots haven't been widely produced in the U.S. for roughly a half-century.

“The question is how much has changed since then and how comfortable will the FDA and the companies be relying on those comparisons?” said Goodman, who is now a professor at Georgetown University.

Designing, constructing and getting federal sign-off for new vaccine plants typically takes about five years, according to industry experts.

Additionally, Goodman said the FDA would have to review and license each unbundled vaccine separately, a process with no precedent.

“I don’t think there’s any comparable example of removing hugely effective public health measures that protect babies for no documented scientific reason,” he said.

Individual shots for measles and related diseases tend to be used by lower-income countries that can’t afford the MMR shot. Merck, GSK and the handful of other companies that supply U.S. childhood vaccines make only the combination shot.

In separate statements, Merck and GSK said they stand by the safety and effectiveness of their products. Neither discussed plans to unbundle their shots.

“To date, there has been no published scientific evidence that shows any benefit in separating the combination MMR vaccine into three individual shots,” Merck said in an emailed statement.

Parents would need to make many more trips to the doctor

The MMR shot is currently delivered in two doses — the first at the age of 1 and the second dose after age 4. Splitting up the shot into its three separate components would mean six office visits. Spacing out other shots for pertussis and other infectious diseases could multiply the number of visits many more times.

As the number of visits goes up, parents are more likely to miss appointments or stop making them, according to Durbin.

“It’s going to be less convenient, more expensive and you’re going to have fewer people getting vaccinated,” she said.

For well over a decade, Trump has expressed his view — against medical groups’ guidance — that childhood vaccines should be administered in smaller doses over a long period of time. Last year he called on called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to look at reducing the number. Kennedy and other officials have pointed to smaller countries, such as Denmark, that recommended slightly fewer vaccinations than the U.S.

But breaking up combination shots will result in kids receiving many more individual shots than other comparable nations, Durbin notes.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the Trump administration’s efforts on the MMR vaccine “will give parents more options on timing and frequency for their children, which ultimately will increase vaccination rates for all three diseases.”

Vaccine order is not legally binding

Despite the precedent-breaking nature of Trump’s order, some experts are skeptical it will result in meaningful changes.

Neither the White House nor the FDA can compel drugmakers to develop and seek approval for new vaccines. And from a business perspective, companies have little incentive to develop individual versions of vaccines they already sell in combination shots.

“They’d be competing against themselves, and there’s no reason to do that,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher and former government adviser.

While Trump’s order calls for more federal research and recommendations, only state governments have the legal authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. The order simply advises states to consider updating their laws to reflect the Trump administration’s approach.

“I think states will ignore this,” Offit said. “I think that bottom line is that we don’t need to look to Donald Trump for our medical advice.”

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AP videojournalist Mary Conlon in New York contributed to this report.

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

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Follow the AP's coverage of immunizations at https://apnews.com/hub/immunizations.

Qusai Abu Rida was holed up inside with his teenage son when settlers cut the water and electricity, leaving them to drink well water as dozens of Israeli settlers erected tents outside. His Palestinian American brother in Ohio, who owns the house, watched the siege unfold on security cameras and called for updates.

The standoff in the northern West Bank town of Qusra is the latest in a wave of settler violence convulsing the territory, which Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war and which would make up the main part of a future Palestinian state.

On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee referred to the settlers as “terrorists” — a word American officials usually reserve for Palestinian militants. It was an unusually sharp rebuke from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has given unprecedented support to Israeli settlement over the years.

Mounting criticism of Israel from the United States could pose a challenge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is trying to maintain good relations with his country's closest ally as he mobilizes ultranationalist voters ahead of a tough battle for reelection in October.

Settlers have remained in the area despite the army intervening

On Sunday, dozens of settlers arrived at the homes in Qusra, blocking doors and preventing occupants from leaving, according to the families.

Israeli troops have intervened multiple times, but the settlers keep returning, said Loui Ridi, the homeowner in Ohio who spells the family name differently. Rights groups have long accused Israeli forces of turning a blind eye to settler violence or of intervening to protect the settlers.

“It's a cycle,” Ridi said. “They need to be prevented from the entire area, not just removed and moved 100 feet away so when the (Israeli military) leaves, they come back.”

On Tuesday, Israel’s military condemned the siege as “illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable,” and declared Qusra a closed military zone. The next day, dozens of settlers returned, tried to block the road with rocks and clashed with Israeli soldiers, according to video shot by village residents.

On Thursday, the military said troops dismantled “two illegal outposts” in Qusra and a nearby village, and detained one Israeli. It said more soldiers were sent to “carry out defensive missions and patrols.”

Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi said that Israeli forces evacuated more than a dozen homes to take up positions in the village. The settlers, though removed from their outposts, remain in other parts of the village, he added.

Abu Rida said soldiers gave the occupants of all the homes 30 minutes to evacuate and move into one of the besieged houses. The military said the soldiers have been told to allow families to remain in their homes and not to operate in them, but families have not yet returned, Abu Rida said.

It's still not clear when families in the besieged area will be able to get basic supplies and what would happen to their homes. Israel’s military said the families had basic supplies like food and water when it checked in on them on Wednesday.

But Ridi said Thursday that after water and electricity lines had been reconnected, settlers cut them again.

Settler violence has surged in recent years

Netanyahu's government, the most ultranationalist and religious in Israel's history, has presided over a surge of settlement construction in the West Bank. It views the West Bank as the biblical and historical homeland of the Jewish people and is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

On Thursday, members of Netanyahu's Cabinet joined in celebrating the rebuilding of a settlement elsewhere in the West Bank that had been dismantled in 2005. "The era of withdrawals and expulsions has ended. The era of construction and Zionism begins,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said at the ceremony.

During Trump's first term, he signaled broad acceptance of the settlements, which most of the international community views as illegal and an obstacle to peace. At the start of his second term, he lifted sanctions imposed by the Biden administration on settlers accused of violence.

Huckabee, a longtime supporter of the settlements, has condemned the rising violence.

“Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting,” Huckabee said in his post about the events in Qusra. He said the embassy has been coordinating with the Israeli military and police.

Qusra has been a focus of settler attacks

The U.N. humanitarian office in April said it had recorded more settler attacks in Qusra than in any other West Bank community in 2026. A 25-year-old resident was shot and killed by an off-duty Israeli reservist in March, and eight others have been wounded in the attacks, according to the U.N.

Violence between settlers and Palestinians last month left two Israelis and four Palestinians dead in a nearby northern West Bank village. In the aftermath, a mosque in Qusra was set on fire and the word “revenge” was graffitied on its wall in Hebrew.

A total of 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year, according to the Palestinian Authority's Health Ministry. Israel says some were involved in terrorism, which it defines broadly to include militant attacks and rock-throwing. Palestinian authorities do not distinguish between militants and civilians when recording deaths in the conflict.

Palestinian officials have reported 1,476 attacks by Israeli settlers in 2026, including several instances in which settlers seized Palestinian homes and property.

The military says it works to maintain law and order in the territory, and Israeli Cabinet ministers have blamed the attacks on a small group of young extremists acting outside the law.

Some 2.8 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule in the West Bank, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited autonomy in population centers. The settlers, who now number over 560,000, are Israeli citizens. There have been no Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in over a decade.

“This is not a life that can continue this way,” said Wadi, the mayor of Qusra. “Too much pressure eventually causes an explosion.”

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This story has been updated to correct the first name of the homeowner to Loui.

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Metz reported from Jerusalem.

The man died in Buta, the capital of Bas-Uele, after traveling there from Isiro in Haut-Uele province, said Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

He was a motorcycle-taxi driver who had sought treatment at several hospitals before he died, Jean-Jacques Muyembe, head of Congo’s National Institute ​for Biomedical Research, said. His colleagues tried to forcibly take his dead body, prompting police intervention and concerns that more people may have been exposed to the virus, Muyembe added.

The outbreak in eastern Congo, considered the fastest-growing one yet, is on track to surpass the deadliest one in history, which erupted over a decade ago and killed over 11,000 people, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Bundibugyo virus responsible for the current outbreak.

It has killed over 2,100 people out of more than 4,500 cases, according to the latest government figures. This death toll has been reached almost three times faster than in the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa — the worst in history.

The outbreak is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable, with strikes by some unpaid health workers, threats by rebel groups, anger from long-traumatized communities and misinformation asserting that Ebola isn’t real.

Bas-Uele is a vast province in northeastern Congo that borders the Central African Republic, where there is recurring armed violence that has forced thousands to flee and take refuge in the province. Access can be difficult due to bad and poorly connected roads as well as limited communication networks, and there are frequent population movements related to gold mining and displacement from conflict.

As of Thursday, six out of 26 of Congo’s provinces have been impacted. About 90% of all cases and 80% of deaths are concentrated in Ituri province, the WHO said Wednesday.

Mercy Corps, an aid group, warned Thursday that Ebola cases have been reported along a major travel route about 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Congo's border with South Sudan, expressing concern over the outbreak's “widening footprint.” No cases have been confirmed in South Sudan so far.

Unpaid health workers' strikes and low contact tracing hamper response

Meanwhile, health workers at the Nizi Treatment Center in Ituri province, one of the most affected in the area, went on strike Thursday, leading to the temporary closure of the center after they said they have not been paid for three months.

Kaseya on Thursday called on the Congolese government to pay the outstanding salaries.

“We need to pay health workers,” he told reporters. “This is the responsibility of the government, not partners. And they told us that money is available.”

The real scope of the outbreak remains unknown. It was declared on May 15, but the WHO now says sequencing showed it began months earlier, in February.

Health authorities have said between 60% and 70% of new cases are recorded outside contacts being monitored, and that the disease is spreading at an “alarming” rate. Contact tracing helps break chains of transmission by finding exposed people early and reacting quickly if they show symptoms.

“We are chasing the virus; the virus is ahead of us,” the WHO regional director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, said this week.

On Thursday, Kaseya from Africa CDC said “the concept of contact tracing in DRC has become useless.”

Trials for treatments and vaccines are underway

Ebola is rare but highly contagious and can be contracted from bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and from contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing. The disease it causes is severe and often fatal.

Clinical trials of two possible treatments for this type of Ebola began last month in Ituri, the most affected of the five provinces in Congo where cases have been reported.

Two vaccines developed specifically for the Bundibugyo virus are now being tested in people for the first time, the WHO said Wednesday.

WHO also plans to test whether an existing Ebola vaccine could protect people against the virus after studies in animals showed promising results.

Kaseya said on Thursday that the Africa CDC supports the use of Ervebo, a vaccine authorized against the Zaire Ebola strain in provinces impacted by Bundibugyo virus. He said some studies show some cross-protection from the available vaccines.

“We are in a gray area,” he said. “And when you are in a gray area, you have to make strong decisions to stop seeing people dying."

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Associated Press reporters Constant Same Bagalwa in Bunia, Congo, Justin Kabumba in Goma, Congo and Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa contributed.

The outdoor shopping and dining district is going all-in on the season, with its Halloween décor, seasonal treats and new experiences around every corner.

“We have a lot of newness this season,” said Debbie Hart, vice president of Disney Springs. “We have over 150 shop, dine, play opportunities. But we decided we’re going to lean into fall in a very big way.”

World of Disney is a hot spot for fall merchandise this season. The store’s sweeping Halloween overlay sets the mood the moment you walk in, where shoppers will find a new Haunted Mansion line and the Headless Horseman collection.

“There really is something for everyone this year,” said Mason Perry, merchandise marketing strategy associate for Walt Disney World.

The fan-favorite Cutie Ghost Collection is also back, featuring apparel, plush and accessories with an updated pastel pink-and-orange palette.

Other highlights include a new Halloween popcorn mix at Goofy’s Candy Company, seasonal sweets, like the Haunted Mansion Chocolate Box, at The Ganachery.

Halloween Hangar Bar returns

The Halloween Hangar Bar at Jock Lindsey’s is back for its second year with an all-new seasonal menu.

Highlights include the returning Nashville Hot Alien Sliders — now served on a custom spaceship — plus new items like Candelabra Eggs, Midnight Mayhem Popcorn Chicken, the Dark Forest Dip and the Skull of the Dead Dip.

Festive photo ops

Guests looking for a memorable keepsake can stop by the PhotoPass Fall Studio Session, where PhotoPass photographers are on hand to capture high-quality fall-themed photos.

No reservations are required, and complimentary downloads are included with Memory Maker.

Fall into Magic festivities run through Nov. 9.

This comes as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose long deployment to the Middle East in support of the Iran war includes a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.

The USS George Washington left port in Da Nang, Vietnam, last week, according to a Navy statement. The carrier, along with a cruiser and a destroyer, have since been spotted crossing the Singapore Strait.

A Navy official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail sensitive ship movements, confirmed that the USS George Washington was in the Strait of Malacca, which links the Pacific and Indian oceans. That puts the ship on a course to head into the Indian Ocean. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the Washington would replace the Lincoln.

The Lincoln is one of two aircraft carriers now stationed in the Middle East as the conflict simmers and the Navy imposes a blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global oil and natural gas trade.

The carrier originally deployed Nov. 21 from San Diego, and it arrived in the region in January, ahead of the launch of the Iran war on Feb. 28. The Navy conceded that the conflict created a “highly contested environment where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted by combat actions." That, in turn, led to shortages and loss of mail aboard the aircraft carrier, the Navy said in a statement.

“Leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail,” the statement said, before assuring that sailors aboard the ship now have access to clean water and “healthy meal options.”

Several Democratic lawmakers have released statements calling for investigations, more information and greater visibility into conditions aboard the USS Lincoln.

“The Lincoln’s prolonged deployment is especially significant because it is occurring in the context of continuing military operations against Iran and the possibility that substantial US naval forces will be required in the region for an extended period,” Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal wrote in his letter to Navy leadership.

Navy leaders, including acting Secretary Hung Cao, last week held a tense town hall for families of the USS Lincoln at which the commanders of the Navy’s air and surface forces promised to do everything they could to relieve the aircraft carrier. MS Now reported earlier on the meeting.

When reports of food shortages aboard the ship surfaced in April, the Navy pushed back, calling those reports “false.”

Other carriers also have had long runs that have raised concerns about morale. The USS Gerald R. Ford returned home in mid-May after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that had it support the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The company operates a vast nationwide network of automated cameras that record the license plate numbers and other characteristics of all passing vehicles every day. Thousands of law enforcement agencies in 49 states can search and share Flock's data across jurisdictions to aid their investigations.

Police have credited the technology as an important crime-fighting innovation that has helped locate missing people and track suspects in violent crimes. But some critics say its pervasiveness amounts to unconstitutional warrantless mass surveillance. Dozens of cities and agencies have nixed their relationships with Flock amid concerns that the data can be accessed for immigration enforcement or used in unauthorized tracking, after a flurry of examples surfaced of law enforcement officers misusing the technology for personal searches.

CEO says changes will drive accountability

In an interview, Flock CEO Garrett Langley said many of the product changes will make what were once optional guardrails mandatory for its users to implement by Jan. 1.

Among them: All law enforcement customers will have to implement an audit tool that's intended to flag abnormal search behavior. When the system detects abnormal behavior, the user would be locked out pending an internal review, the company said in a description of the changes provided ahead of Thursday's announcement.

Flock, which says its customers own the data that the cameras record, is also shortening the standard data retention window from 30 days to seven. It said it will allow data to be preserved for longer when it is evidence tied to a case number.

Law enforcement users will now also be required to enter a code from their records management system tying each search to a specific case before it is run, something Langley said civil liberties advocates have long been calling for. Overrides for emergencies would be automatically flagged for review, the company said.

Customers will also be allowed to decide which offense types — such as homicide or arson — outside agencies can search their data for, which would allow a customer to block outside searches related to immigration enforcement, the company said.

Langley said that change will give individual cities and departments control to use the system in a manner “consistent with community values.”

Critics say updates still leave room for abuses, supporters urge balance

Critics of the company reacted skeptically to the changes, which they said appeared designed to address the growing bipartisan anger about the cameras but could still leave room for police to abuse the system.

The American Civil Liberties Union said in a blog post that the shortened evidence retention window could be “a step in the right direction,” but it characterized the other changes as “retreads” of inadequate safety measures.

Robert Frommer, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm that's led closely watched litigation over the technology, called the changes “window dressing” from a company in “panic mode."

“This is window dressing that doesn’t address the fundamental problem, which is that police officers are the ones deciding who and when to search, and that should be done by judges with real warrants,” he said.

Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, a professor at the George Washington University Law School whose scholarship has focused on policing, big data surveillance and the Fourth Amendment, said Thursday’s shifts were “better than the opposite” but called for further scrutiny of the technology in the form of “sustained democratic engagement with the rules and judicial checks on access at a minimum.”

Ferguson said he’s been surprised to see the “growing community backlash” against Flock specifically, given that the technology isn't new and other companies sell it as well. But Flock and the movement against it have “captured people’s sense that maybe they don’t want to be surveilled all the time,” he said.

More than 50 agencies or jurisdictions have canceled, suspended or rejected a contract or deactivated their cameras since the beginning of the year, according to a tracker maintained by DeFlock, a grassroots group formed to track the use of license plate reader technology and push back against it. Cameras around the country have also been vandalized.

In Congress, Republican representatives filed at least two bills aiming to restrict the use of the technology in July.

Ian Adams, an associate professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina currently working on a Flock-related research study, said many of the concerns raised about how the company's data can be used are not new concerns in law enforcement.

“Anyone with policing experience could have reasonably foreseen that what have been termed as ‘curiosity searches’ by officers, searches for private reasons not related to police work, were going to be a problem this technology faced,” he added, noting that other technologies and platforms like the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information had faced those issues.

Law enforcement experts said it's a common tension of “policing in a democracy” — balancing useful technology that officers say helps solve and prevent crime with the community's interest and right to privacy.

“It's a balancing act. A community has a legitimate interest in how information is used, but it also has a legitimate interest in the effectiveness of a police department in preventing crime,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank. “I think a balance can be struck, but it's more likely to come from department policy than company changes.”

Successes and failures have captured attention

Flock, based in Atlanta, Georgia, often posts to its website what the company deems to be everyday examples of success stories for its cameras, including finding missing seniors and catching car thieves. But the tech has also been used in high-profile cases that have garnered national attention, such as the search for a suspect in a fatal shooting at Brown University and in tracking and arresting a former North Carolina police officer who authorities say had made threats that he planned to carry out a mass shooting at a festival in Louisiana.

Abuses have also drawn widespread attention. The Washington Post reported earlier this month finding nearly 50 instances of police officers charged or accused of using the cameras for unauthorized purposes, many for tracking current or former romantic partners or family members.

Just this week, six employees — including four officers — of the Savannah Police Department in Georgia were fired after they were accused of searching for friends and family using the tool and allowing an officer from an outside agency to use the city’s cameras.

The Savannah department said it was made aware of the misuse through Flock’s voluntary audit function.

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Lauer reported from Philadelphia.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% and was on track to top its record set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 22 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 2:10 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher.

Wall Street relaxed after a report showed prices at the U.S. wholesale level were 4.7% higher last month than a year earlier. While that’s still very high, it’s not as bad as June’s 5.5% inflation rate at the wholesale level, and it was slightly better than economists expected.

If inflation continues to trend that way, the Federal Reserve could decide to hold off on hikes to interest rates. Higher rates would help keep a lid on inflation, but they do so by intentionally slowing the economy and making it more expensive for everyone to borrow money.

Fed officials are split on whether they should have already begun hiking interest rates. But Thursday’s report, following a similar update on inflation at the U.S. consumer level the day before, has traders now betting on just a 37% chance that the Fed will raise rates at its next meeting in September. That’s down from the roughly 50% probability seen two days ago, according to data from CME Group.

Any increase by the Fed would be the first in more than three years. It also could anger President Donald Trump, who has been lobbying for lower interest rates.

Treasury yields sank in the bond market, which eases pressure on stocks and other investments. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.64% from 4.68% late Wednesday and from 4.72% on Monday, though it’s still well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran sent oil and gasoline prices surging.

Oil prices eased back on Thursday, helping to limit worries about inflation. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 1.4% to $87.71.

It’s been swinging sharply recently and pinballed between $72 and $102 last month as hopes rose and fell that a deal in the war could allow oil tankers to freely exit the Middle East again and deliver crude worldwide.

On Wall Street, stocks in the real-estate industry helped lead the way. When interest rates are lower and bonds are paying less in yield, the dividends that many real-estate investment trusts pay look more attractive. Lower mortgage rates could also drive more activity in the housing market.

AvalonBay Communities, which owns apartments across the country, rose 2.3%. Builders FirstSource, which sells countertops and other building materials, added 1.7%.

Fossil Group rose 4.7% after the seller of watches and jewelry became one of the latest companies to report better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Such reports have helped drive Wall Street to its records because stocks tend to track the path of corporate profits over the long term.

They helped offset a drop for Cisco Systems, which fell 8.9% even though the tech giant reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than Wall Street expected. Analysts said investors may be worried about its profit margins going forward, and its stock has been shaky through the summer amid worries that AI-related stocks in general shot too high.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mostly lower in Europe and mixed in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi again had one of the world’s biggest moves and jumped 3.6%. Seoul has been home to the world’s sharpest swings for artificial-intelligence stocks because it’s dominated by two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Michelle Chapman contributed to this report.

The New York Times reported this week that Randall Lane was paid by RJ Shook, whose company, Shook Research, worked with Forbes since 2016 to publish rankings of wealth advisers. The payment was made after Shook sold a majority stake in the company to a private equity firm a year ago.

A internal email dated July 23 and reviewed by The Associated Press confirmed that Lane, who had been editor and chief content officer, no longer worked for the company. It provided no other details of his departure. Lane had worked for Forbes for nearly 16 years and as its top editor since 2017.

A person who works at Forbes and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue told the AP that the staff discovered the apparent reasons behind the firing by reading the Times story. A subsequent email sent out this week said the company could not comment on the matter further.

Former editor quoted as saying he ‘made a mistake’

The Times quoted a person familiar with Lane’s thinking as saying he considered the payment a gift in return for advice he had provided Shook over the years.

"'I made a mistake, and I take responsibility for it," Mr. Lane said in a statement to The Times. I should have disclosed the gift and failing to was a serious error in judgment. I deeply regret that, and I lost the job and team I love because of it."

Lane and a spokesperson for Forbes did not respond to requests for comment.

It's unclear why Shook paid Lane. But the company and Forbes apparently had a close relationship. On its website, for example, Shook Research lists 12 rankings of wealth advisers and management teams in partnership with Forbes.

Also unclear is why Lane thought disclosing the payment would have solved the ethical issues it may have raised. Traditional newsrooms typically forbid journalists from accepting payments from sources or business partners to avoid conflicts of interest — or even the appearance of conflict.

Forbes' statement of editorial values and standards says that the company "prohibit(s) all staff members and contributors from accepting compensation, privileges or favors of any kind from people, companies or groups featured in their coverage.

“Any real or perceived conflicts of interest or relationships at all (financial, professional, legal actions, personal or otherwise) must be avoided and/or discussed with the appropriate managing editor. If approved, it must be explicitly disclosed in the story to readers to maintain their trust,” it reads. “Any attempt to evade or failure to honor these solemn responsibilities is a serious offense and is subject to review and swift disciplinary action.”

Public trust in media is flagging

The Times report comes at a low moment for public trust in the media. A majority of Americans — 57% — said they have low confidence in journalists to act in the best interests of the public, according to a Pew Research Center analysis in February.

Forbes was founded in 1917 and developed into an influential biweekly account of corporate America, putting giants like Steve Jobs and Warren Buffett on its cover.

Lane was apparently aware of trust issues in the news business. In 2024, he published a column titled, “How Forbes Delivers Journalism You Can Trust.”

“Thomas Jefferson famously noted that we get the government we deserve,” he wrote. “That’s true of our media too.”

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Associated Press journalist Hannah Schoenbaum contributed to this report.

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

Yemeni soldier killed in clashes with Houthis

At least one government soldier was killed and another critically wounded in clashes with the Houthis in the mountainous province of Taiz, Yemeni military officials told The Associated Press.

The fighting came as part of a spate of recent Houthi attacks on government-held areas across the country. Dozens of government troops have been killed since last week, the Yemeni military said.

The Houthis also said they launched another drone attack on an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials did not immediately comment on the reported attack in the city of Jazan. Last weekend, the Houthis fired drones at the refinery, where the Saudi Energy Ministry reported a fire but no casualties.

The conflict dates back to 2014, when the Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia intervened the following year on the side of Yemen's internationally recognized government. Last month, the Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi shipping, threatening another key trade route in the region.

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, told the U.N. Security Council in a video briefing Thursday that Yemen is at greater risk of returning to large-scale conflict than at any time since a 2022 truce paused the fighting.

Yemen faces “catastrophe” from rising hunger and from health services crumbling amid the fighting, said U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher. He said 6 million people in Yemen face emergency levels of food insecurity bordering on famine, “the highest number globally.”

Iran and Oman working to clean oil spills off their coasts

Oil spills spreading off the coasts of Iran and Oman are raising concerns about environmental damage as oil shipments have come under fire in the Iran war.

Iran said Thursday it's working to clean up an oil spill off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Images distributed by Iran’s semiofficial news agency ISNA showed oil fouling the island's beaches.

While Iran hasn't said what caused the spill, the firm TankerTrackers.com says it appears to have started with an Iranian attack on a bulk carrier off Oman. Iran has repeatedly attacked shipping in the strait since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.

Oman is responding to another spill in the Arabian Sea, coming from a tanker grounded off its southern coast. The tanker Caroline Bezengi — a sanctioned vessel believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” — has been grounded since reporting an explosion in June. No party has claimed responsibility and the cause is unknown.

A British maritime risk and response company said Thursday it has been hired to salvage the tanker and stop the oil leak off Oman. Oil from the ship has been spreading for weeks, reaching shores hundreds of kilometers (miles) north of the vessel.

Israeli strikes kill 2, including a police chief, in Gaza

Israeli strikes killed at least two people in the Gaza Strip on Thursday and wounded several others, health officials said.

Jamal Abu Kamil, a Gaza governorate police chief, was killed when his vehicle was struck southwest of Gaza City, according to the territory’s interior ministry and Shifa Hospital, where his body was taken along with a person wounded by the same strike.

The Israeli military didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about that strike.

A separate Israeli strike killed a man and injured another person in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, where both were taken.

The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas company commander in Khan Younis who “planned to execute terror attacks” against troops.

American ambassador to Israel condemns settlers' siege of Palestinian homes

The U.S. ambassador to Israel condemned a siege by Israeli settlers of a Palestinian-American family’s home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, calling it a “horrific act of terror.”

Mike Huckabee’s remarks on X represented an unusually sharp rebuke from the Trump administration as settler violence against Palestinians has surged in recent years.

Starting Sunday, settlers targeted three homes in the village of Qusra, preventing occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies.

Qusai Abu Rida was holed up inside with his teenage son when settlers cut the water and electricity, leaving them to drink well water as dozens of Israeli settlers erected tents outside. His Palestinian American brother in Ohio, who owns the house, watched the siege unfold on security cameras and called for updates.

Israeli troops have intervened multiple times, but the settlers keep returning, said Loui Ridi, the homeowner in Ohio.

In the northern West Bank, Israeli settlers and members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet on Thursday celebrated Israel’s return to Ganim with a ceremony in front of new homes.

Ganim was evacuated in 2005 as Israel withdrew from settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Last year, Netanyahu’s Cabinet approved the return of settlers to Ganim and another former settlement near the Palestinian city of Jenin.

“The era of withdrawals and expulsions has ended,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said. “The era of construction and Zionism begins.”

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Click here for full AP coverage on developments in the West Bank.

Academy museum director and president Amy Homma said in a statement that the honorees,’ “extraordinary careers exemplify the creativity, innovation, and excellence that continues to move the industry forward.”

The event’s host committee includes Questlove, Judd Apatow, Teyana Taylor, Ludwig Göransson, Seth Rogen and Demi Moore. Co-chairs are Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw.

The gala raises money to support the museum, from its exhibitions to its public screenings. Theron and Carpenter will be participating in several of those public programs — Theron for a conversation with the museum’s teen council and a screening of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and Carpenter for three nights of screenings of his films, including “Halloween,” which ties in to the museum’s new exhibition entitled The Horror Show.

Last year’s edition honoring Bruce Springsteen, Penélope Cruz, Bowen Yang and filmmaker Walter Salles raised over $12 million.

City Manager Frank Martz has recommended closing the library in its current form and location as part of the upcoming proposed budget. Martz said the cost to operate the 66-year-old library on Maitland Avenue is no longer sustainable — and he has an alternative in mind.

“I will propose that some library services continue in a different format, and that some library services would transition from the standalone physical City library facility to a digital-first service model,” Martz said in a letter to News 6.

The proposal includes expanding access to e-books, audiobooks, research databases and online programming. Martz said the plan would also preserve in-person, community-facing elements.

“We propose to introduce some of these programs at Westmonte Park tailored to key user groups, including toddler storytime and early-literacy activities as well as technology-based, senior-focused programs,” Martz said.

In 2024, the city planned to close the Altamonte Springs library, but after an outcry from the community, the commission voted to increase the property tax millage rate, allowing the library to remain funded.

“I informed the Commission that it would fund law enforcement, officer retention, and keep the library open, but that it would not solve the problem for very long, and that we will be back here doing this again. And we are,” Martz said.

Sarah Kress, a parent who lives near the library, said she would be disappointed to see the building close.

“We love this small little family feel library,” Kress said. “We live around the corner and it would really be sad to see it close.”

The City Commission will hold a public hearing on the overall proposed budget — which includes recommendations for the library — Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.

The crash happened near Mile Marker 276 in Volusia County.

According to an FHP report, a 2022 International semi-truck with double trailers had been disabled in the outside southbound lane with its hazard lights on — the result of a prior crash with a deer. A second semi-truck, a 2023 International with double trailers, was traveling southbound in the outside lane when its driver was unable to slow down for the stopped truck ahead. The front of the moving semi struck the rear of the disabled truck. The impact caused the moving semi to engulf in flames.

The driver of the moving semi was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the disabled truck was not injured and remained on scene, troopers said.

The crash remains under investigation.

All southbound lanes on I-95 were closed in the area for hours, but have since reopened.

About 8 million people in the southern African country of 22 million were registered to vote at more than 13,500 polling stations in the one-day election. Voters were also choosing members of Parliament and local government councilors. The Electoral Commission of Zambia said results were expected Monday.

Voters bundled in thick jackets had queued in long lines before dawn outside polling stations across Lusaka, some huddling around makeshift fires as election officials prepared for voting.

European Union observers monitored voting at one polling station in Lusaka. Separately, a local election observer said poor voter direction, confusion over voter rolls and crowd management issues caused delays and frustration at some polling stations.

Mathias Ngoma, in his 70s, said he has voted in every election he could because “it’s the only voice I have.”

“I braved the cold to choose leaders I am hoping will make things better in our constituency,” he said.

Competing visions for Zambia’s future

The election is widely seen as a referendum on Hichilema' s handling of the economy. Elected in 2021, he is seeking a second term after restructuring Zambia’s massive foreign debt, stabilizing the economy and attracting investment.

Hichilema, one of 14 candidates, cast his ballot shortly after midday in Lusaka’s Kabulonga suburb. He described the election as a choice between continuing his government’s reforms or reversing course.

“This election is really about the people of Zambia and their future — progress as opposed to regression,” he told reporters.

Brian Mundubile, considered by analysts to be the strongest opposition candidate, cast his vote in the Olympia area. He assured Zambians that their “second independence” was imminent and encouraged them to cast their ballots peacefully.

Mundubile, who leads an alliance of opposition parties, has campaigned on promises to lower the cost of living, improve agriculture and restore democratic freedoms while accusing Hichilema’s government of undermining democratic institutions.

“This is a revolution,” he said after voting. “The will of the Zambian people will certainly prevail in this election.”

Many still struggle despite recent economic growth

Many Zambians say they don’t feel the benefits of recent economic growth as unemployment, food prices and an unstable electricity supply continue to strain household budgets.

Meki Mulota, 40, an entrepreneur, said she wanted better conditions for entrepreneurs.

“The cost of living has been high,” she said. “I want to see a government that will create an environment where entrepreneurs can sustain their businesses.”

Christopher Banda said he backed Hichilema because he believed the country was on the right track.

“I’m voting for stability,” he said. “There’s been a high cost of living ... but I think we’re heading in the right trajectory.”

A presidential candidate must win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Zambian copper production draws international interest

The election is being closely watched abroad because Zambia is a major producer of copper and is seeking to sharply increase production of the metal, which is critical to electric vehicles, renewable energy and power grids.

China is Zambia’s largest foreign investor and has extensive mining interests in the country, while the United States has sought a greater role as Washington seeks to diversify its critical-mineral suppliers and reduce its reliance on China.

Hichilema has courted investment from both China and Western partners, including the U.S., as he seeks to increase annual copper production to 3 million metric tons by 2031.

Security concerns shadow the vote

Security and political tensions rose in the final days of the campaign. Police deployed additional officers and warned against violence, disruptions at polling stations, and the circulation of false results.

Opposition parties and rights groups, including Amnesty International, accused Hichilema’s government of shrinking democratic space and using state institutions to target critics and political rivals, allegations the government rejects.

Hichilema spent four months in jail on treason charges as an opposition leader under former President Edgar Lungu, whom he defeated in 2021.

Lungu remained an influential political figure until his death in South Africa last year. A prolonged dispute between his family and the government over his funeral and burial added to tensions ahead of the election.

Zambia is regarded as one of southern Africa’s more stable democracies, with a history of peaceful transfers of power. Hichilema’s 2021 victory marked the country’s third transfer of power to an opposition candidate since multiparty democracy returned in 1991.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

His former sponsor should be along for the ride.

Take a look at pit road on NASCAR's brightest day and don't be surprised to see celebrities from the kitchen to the stage rooting on Johnson.

Even with the white flag about to drop on Johnson's racing career, he's still one of stock car racing's biggest stars — and by Daytona, he should have a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to prove it.

“I'm going out swinging,” Johnson said with a laugh.

Maybe new Legacy Motor Club investor and Phillies slugger Bryce Harper can offer some tips.

The 50-year-old Johnson is busy in the boardroom these days looking for investors and growing his race team as the majority owner of Legacy. Almost as busy as he was on the track, when he was one of three drivers to win seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Johnson is expected to make his 703rd and final — for real, this time — Cup start in February's Daytona 500.

Until then, the two-time Daytona 500 champion is spending his time sharpening Legacy's future.

Johnson growing into ownership role

Johnson used to spend his race weekends signing countless autographs in the garage. The fan requests are still there, for sure, only now his signature is needed more on the dotted line for deals including trying to back long-time sponsor Lowe’s to the 48 — a number Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman surrendered for the Daytona 500. Johnson also soon hopes to announce Legacy’s third driver for the 2027 season.

“I’ve approved press releases, rollout plans, all the elements have all been approved,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of slotting them all in.”

Johnson added some big-time winners to his race team last month as part of a strategic ownership group that includes championship athletes, Grammy Award winners, entrepreneurs, investors, motorsport greats and cultural leaders.

The Legacy investors include six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, a two-time National League MVP in Harper, Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan, former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker, celebrity chef Guy Fieri, and six-time MLB All-Star Chase Utley.

“Jimmie's a good friend of mine and I like what he's doing,” Utley said. “It's interesting and it's going to be a good experience.”

Johnson said his star-studded friend group are true investors who are equitable partners in Legacy. More celebrity investors are expected to be announced later this year.

“Sure, I did well racing,” Johnson said. “But I don't have an enterprise like Penske or Hendrick to activate and utilize and drive that success year over year.”

Johnson became the majority owner of Legacy under a restructuring ahead of last season in which investment adviser Knighthead Capital Management bought into the Cup Series team.

Johnson has about enough investors in Legacy to fill a Daytona 500 grid.

“I knew at some point I'd probably want an investor, but I didn't know what that would look like,” Johnson said. “There was a lot of thought around other franchises and leagues, how you create profitability. The stick-and-ball sport and the way they do it makes a lot of sense. It's just a different way to generate the income to win races and championships. From there, to bring investors on, you need a pathway to profitability.”

The roadmap for Legacy turning a profit took a bit of a detour when the organization decided to add a third charter team for next season.

“It's over the horizon,” Johnson said. “A very short horizon. With the strategic ownership group like this, the IP internally, the assets they can activate with and help with, it only helps our case there.”

Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek are expected to return with Riley Herbst widely expected to join Legacy in 2027.

Jones is 20th and Nemechek is 28th in the Cup points standings. The drivers are winless and have a combined three top-five finishes as Legacy has yet to break through into a franchise that can at least compete for checkered flags.

“Some days look good,” Johnson said. “some days don't.”

Johnson dedicated to turning Legacy into winner

Johnson only raced in Cup this season at the Daytona 500 and the debut race at Naval Base Coronado.

He has a few races on deck in other racing series, just as much for fun and without the competitive pressures of NASCAR.

“I've been slowly weaning myself off,” Johnson said. “Now that I've found something that's keeping me so busy and so invigorated in the sport, I'm still competing, it's the race within the race, I am fully ready and also very excited for that day and the build up for it and all the great collaborations that will be announced shortly.”

Johnson has won 83 career races in his NASCAR career and a record five consecutive series titles. He is the only racer to be selected The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

Johnson and his team sent a submission for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he was selected for one for next year.

“I sat and watched on YouTube and they announced my name and I was like, ‘holy smokes! It worked.’ So wild,” Johnson said.

Johnson is aggressively pushing for the Star to be unveiled on the Tuesday of Daytona 500 week.

Johnson found his comfort zone at Legacy

Johnson's last full-time season in NASCAR was 2020 and he spent the ensuing years chasing success in IndyCar. He even moved his family to England all while dealing with the aftermath of a family tragedy.

Johnson never had a podium finish in two years in IndyCar and wrecked out of his only Indianapolis 500 in 2022.

“That was really intentional for me go there and have fun and do it,” Johnson said. “As the two years went by, I was kind of shocked that I didn't ... I was having tons of fun, but I wasn't fulfilled. I was like, ‘what the hell is this?’ The opportunity with (Legacy) came about and I wasn't sure where it would go or how fulfilling it would be. While thinking through the two years of IndyCar, and slowing down my Cup career, what does it look like post-driving? What do I want to do?”

Johnson went on to compete in endurance races and worked in broadcasting. There was only one true calling for him and it was back at the race courses — even if not always behind the wheel — at Daytona and Dover and Darlington.

“I was going to end up back in NASCAR,” Johnson said. “I had no idea it was going to turn into this.”

He's ready for one final time — and one more win — at Daytona.

“Let's blow this thing up,” Johnson said. “Why not?”

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

This also comes amid concerns about hiring and the possibility of raising property taxes.

The city released a public notice about the hiring freeze on Wednesday.

The notice says the freeze will remain in place through Oct. 1 and is part of a “broader review of how City government is structured and how we can best position our employees and departments to serve our growing community as efficiently as possible.”

The city will also review responsibilities, leadership and reporting structures in the government’s departments.

The city says the only exception to the hiring freeze will be the search for a community development director.

The hiring freeze comes as Apopka considers a millage rate increase on property taxes that could go to 32%. The city says the money is needed to shore up struggling infrastructure. However, at least one city commissioner and some residents question the property tax increase amid the recent hiring of several city officials with large salaries.

[WATCH: Apopka utility bills could rise again this fall - and property taxes may climb too]

“$300,000 salary for a Chief of Staff — let that sink in,” one resident told commissioners at a city council meeting last month.

In a statement to News 6, a spokesperson said that when it comes to the millage rate, the highest it could increase to right now is about 10% above the city’s current rate.

The city also says the $300,000 salary figure that the resident quoted wasn’t accurate, and the expectation was that the pay for that position would be in line with comparable positions, and likely closer to about half of the $300,000 figure.

The hiring freeze also comes amid local government concerns about Florida Amendment 3, the constitutional amendment that will radically cut back property taxes if approved by voters in November. At least 60% of voters are needed to pass the amendment.

The call for quiet was part of last-ditch efforts to find survivors in the aftermath of the 7.4-magnitude quake that struck the South American country Monday. Aid agencies consider the first two to three days after a quake to be the prime window for retrieving survivors. But that time frame can be extended if those trapped have access to food and water.

“There might be two more people alive here, and I’m hopeful,” rescuer Daiana Rojas, 25, told The Associated Press. “We have been hearing sounds since 2:30 a.m., so our hope remains.”

Rojas and her family were unharmed by the quake, the most powerful to hit Colombia in this century. She has been working as a volunteer to help search for survivors in Cali, one of the most affected cities, along with Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó.

“I thought that was going to be my last moment alive,” she said, recalling the terror of the quake. “Seeing this situation in my city breaks my heart.”

Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.

“They are not a relative or a friend of mine, but it feels as they were,” she said of the survivors who have been found. “Whenever rescuers ask for silence, everyone stays still and tries not to move, speak or whisper. But when signs of life are found, all the teams start to applaud.”

The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, told reporters Wednesday that rescue teams continue to find signs of life under the rubble and race to save anyone within reach. “The next 20 hours are the most critical to find and rescue people alive,” he said.

But authorities recognize that the rescue effort is entering a grim phase as search teams begin shifting toward recovering bodies.

“The removal of debris begins now; more than 72 hours have passed,” Milton Castrillón, who works in the Cali mayor’s office, told AP, adding that the teams now lean on “miracles from God to find survivors.”

The death toll rose Thursday to 273, authorities said.

Over 3,800 people were reported injured, with nearly 12,600 homes destroyed and more than 74,800 homes damaged, according to David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.

The devastation has tested Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, and his government as they scramble to respond while aid groups seek to help the most heavily damaged communities.

De la Espriella said Wednesday that nearly 500 people were reported missing, though civilian-run databases put that number at more than 4,200. In total, more than 25,800 families have been affected, de la Espriella said.

Meanwhile, Colombia received more international aid from around the world.

A group of rescuers from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived Thursday to help with search efforts and structural engineering assessments. Other countries, including Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and Brazil, have also offered assistance.

De la Espriella announced on X that Colombia will receive a $10 million donation from the United Arab Emirates.

The South American Football Confederation and the Colombian Football Federation also jointly announced a $1 million donation to support reconstruction efforts.

“Soccer transcends the pitch and remains close to its people, especially in the most difficult times,” they said in a joint statement.

The Colombia disaster unfolded less than two months after neighboring Venezuela endured back-to-back earthquakes, and the contrast between the two countries' responses was stark.

In Venezuela, acting President Delcy Rodríguez waited nearly four hours before addressing the nation. In Colombia, de la Espriella announced an emergency command post to oversee rescue efforts barely an hour after the earthquake. For weeks, Venezuelan civilians were clawing through rubble by hand. Hours after the earthquake in Colombia, rescue teams were searching for survivors with cranes and excavators.

The contrast was a reminder of the differences between the nations — their political systems, resources and the strength of their institutions — and a demonstration of how those can take on life-or-death importance.

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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia. Batschke reported from Santiago, Chile.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that 209,000 people filed jobless claims last week, up from a revised 200,000 the week before and higher than the 205,000 forecasters had expected. The four-week average of applications, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, was unchanged at 199,000.

The overall number of people collecting employment benefits the week that ended Aug. 1 dropped by 22,000 to 1.78 million.

Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and they've been at a historically low range of around 200,000 to 230,000 a week for the past year, suggesting that Americans who have jobs enjoy unusual job security. The U.S. unemployment rate is low at 4.1%, as the economy has proven resilient despite a spike in energy prices caused by the fighting with Iran.

"The labor market has yet to show any sign of wear and tear from the surge in oil prices since the start of the war with Iran and the global energy supply shock,'' Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a commentary.

The story is less encouraging for those trying to break into the job market and for those who lost their jobs and are looking for new work. Companies, scarred by worker shortages that followed the end of COVID-19 lockups four to five years ago, are reluctant to let go of staff; but they aren't eager to take on new workers. Economists regularly refer to a "no hire, no fire'' job market.

Last month, in fact, companies, government agencies and nonprofits together cut 23,000 jobs instead of increasing them, the Labor Department reported last week. So far this year, employers are adding 61,000 jobs a month. That is an improvement on the 9,700 they averaged last year — the weakest hiring outside a recession since 2002. The lingering effects of high interest rates and President Donald Trump's erratic trade policies discouraged companies from hiring in 2025.

Still, hiring this year remains well below the 166,00 monthly jobs created, on average, in 2023 and 2024, let alone the 491,000 a month recorded during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed pandemic lockdowns.

The report specifically highlights that China responded to new tariffs in 2018 by sending their goods to other nations ranging from Mexico to Malaysia for packaging and limited assembly — a practice known as transshipping. That pattern made it look like U.S. imports from China had dropped, but enabled Beijing to continue growing its manufacturing sector in ways that could challenge U.S. factories and employment.

Peter Navarro, the White House trade adviser, told reporters on a conference call that China is laundering its exports through more than 40 countries, though he claimed that the issues raised in the report were really more about other nations enabling the avoidance of tariffs.

“For years, the great transshipment scam has let communist China launder its exports,” Navarro said.

The report comes ahead of a planned September visit by Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, who President Donald Trump described in flattering terms during his own visit to Beijing in May.

The Chinese government has described its relationship with the U.S. as one of “strategic stability,” yet its government policies that support exports of manufactured goods have destabilized the auto, metals and electronics sectors in America, Europe, Japan and elsewhere.

Navarro said that other nations such as India could also transship to avoid new tariffs and said that new trade frameworks pursued by the Trump administration are going to contain provisions that ensure trade partners that engage in the practice will be penalized.

The Trump administration has levied high tariffs on much of the world in hopes of protecting U.S. manufacturers, hitting allies and rivals alike with import taxes. At the same time, those tariffs have created new inflationary pressures at home.

The report includes a range of estimates for the scale of transshipments to avoid tariffs, citing government and private sector numbers to estimate roughly $34.2 billion to $303 billion of goods transshipped each year. It used a central figure of $75 billion worth of goods being transshipped to estimate how much in tax revenues have been lost.

To address the challenge, Navarro said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has started to use artificial intelligence in a prototype program to stop transshipments. Navarro said that when an importer has been found to have falsified the origins of a good, its imports can be retroactively tariffed going back roughly a year.

The president’s tariffs during his second term have faced an array of legal challenges, with the Supreme Court overturning some of them in February. America continues to import more than it exports to the rest of the world, but the trade imbalance so far this year at $371 billion is running about $189 billion lower that it did during the same period last year.

The Edgewater High School football team is once again hoping its pre-dawn practices will help lay the foundation for another successful run at an elusive state championship.

I spoke with second-year head coach Patrick Browning and a pair of upperclassmen as they gear up for the 2026 campaign, which kicks off with a signature preseason showdown against fellow powerhouse Armwood Friday, Aug. 14 at home.

Blanche's speech inside the storied Great Hall at Justice Department headquarters represented an effort to reassure lawyers and law enforcement officials on the heels of a tumultuous confirmation battle that exposed deep concerns about the direction of the agency under Republican President Donald Trump.

Blanche vowed to uphold the rule of law “without fear or favor,” and told staff he would welcome their ideas and encourage disagreement. Without mentioning specific moves that have raised alarms from critics that Blanche is still functioning as Trump’s personal lawyer, the attorney general acknowledged he would “not get every decision right.”

“Everything that I do will not be the right path or the right decision,” said Blanche, who served as Trump's criminal defense lawyer before entering the department last year as deputy attorney general. “No one does that, but I do promise you this: I promise you that I will work as hard as any of you. I promise that I’ll listen to you. That I will listen to the ideas that you have, or adjustments that we need to make, and if we need to make them, I will make them.”

Blanche is assuming control of the Justice Department at a turbulent time, with mass firings and resignations having hollowed out the workforce and a slew of politically charged investigations drawing concerns that the agency is being used as a weapon to target the president's perceived foes.

He was confirmed by the Senate early Saturday by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans who expressed concerns about what they described as the politicization of the Justice Department under Trump.

Blanche told the workforce he is proud of the department's work under the second Trump administration to tackle violent crime, illegal drug trafficking and violent gangs and cartels.

"It’s easy to focus on the negative or the news story that is critical of something we’re doing or something that we’ve done, or questions something that we're doing or something that we've done," Blanche said. “But do not forget that we have accomplished a tremendous amount of good, positive work in the past year and a half.”

For drivers already stretching their budgets, the combination of high prices and reduced fuel efficiency is creating a painful reality at the pump.

“Oh, my God. Where can I start? They are too high, and the income is too low. Honestly, I spend about $300 a month just on gas,” Estel Lopez, a Central Florida driver, told News 6.

Some drivers say they’ve had no choice but to rethink their daily routines.

“My mom has a smaller car, so she’s doing most of the pickups for me because it’s less gas,” Lopez added. “Instead of like, I used to go to work in the morning and on my break, go back home. Now, I don’t do that because I can’t. It’s a lot of money.”

Elvis Diaz, another Central Florida driver, put it simply.

“They’re a little too high. Very high,” Diaz said.

Traditionally, warm weather can actually improve fuel economy; engines heat up faster and run more efficiently. But extreme heat changes the equation.

Keeping the air conditioning running is a non-negotiable for most Central Florida drivers during the brutal summer months, even though it comes at a cost. Reports find that running the AC in extremely hot weather can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 25%.

“No way. I can’t not have the AC,” Lopez said.

Diaz, however, believes proper vehicle maintenance is one of the most effective ways to protect fuel efficiency, regardless of the weather.

“I don’t think it affects the vehicle as much as the maintenance does. Like inflating the tires and using the proper fuels and so forth,” he said.

Summer also brings another cost factor: gas stations switch to a pricier “summer blend” of gasoline, which burns cleaner but costs more to produce. That blend remains in effect until mid-September.

The U.S. Department of Energy offers several recommendations for drivers looking to get the most out of their fuel this summer:

• Roll the windows down at lower speeds; use the AC at highway speeds.
• Avoid setting the AC temperature lower than needed or running it more than necessary.
• Park in the shade or use a sunshade to keep the cabin cooler before getting in.
• Before turning on the AC, drive with the windows open briefly to let hot air escape — this reduces demand on the system and helps the vehicle cool faster.
• Don’t idle with the AC running before driving. Most AC systems cool more efficiently while the vehicle is moving.
• Review your owner’s manual to understand how your specific AC system works and how to maintain it.
• For plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle drivers, pre-cooling the cabin while still plugged into a charger can help extend range. Using a warmer AC temperature setting will also conserve battery power.

Brett Favre felt the same after Green Bay drafted Aaron Rodgers.

Montana and Favre wanted to keep their starting jobs as long as they could.

Kirk Cousins has a different perspective on mentoring rookie Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas.

“On one hand, certainly happy to be a resource, and he’ll learn — we’ll all learn from each other so much in the quarterback room,” Cousins said on the AP’s “On Football” podcast. “I’ve always said that the quarterback room is kind of a working force together, where we’re all giving each other feedback, giving each other thoughts, asking questions, wanting to get a feel from the pulse of the room.

“‘What do you think here? What should we do differently, or what are we doing well?’ So, there’s always good dialogue. You know, I’d hate to emphasize the mentoring thing too much in the sense that it makes it look like I know so much and he doesn’t, when I think, in reality, we all have something to share, we all can help one another, and that’s how the good quarterback rooms operate.”

The Raiders drafted Mendoza No. 1 overall after the Heisman Trophy winner led Indiana to its first national championship. Cousins knew the plan before he signed with Las Vegas in March, reuniting with new coach Klint Kubiak. The two were together in Minnesota when Kubiak was an assistant.

“I think it helps to kind of hit the ground running and have a shared history,” Cousins said. “I think any time you have continuity or shared history with coaches or players, it just helps you move faster and have built some trust. And so I think that’s a positive. But, you know, in today’s NFL, that’s more of a luxury than a common thing. It seems like there’s just so much turnover and so much change that you have to kind of be able to hit the reset button every spring. And so that’s part of it as well.”

Cousins, who began his career with Washington in 2012, is on his third team in four years. He spent six years with the Vikings and the last two in Atlanta before going to Las Vegas.

If the Raiders start slow or he struggles early, calls for the team to start Mendoza will be loud. Cousins has played long enough to know how to block out the noise.

“Well, you just go play football. You kind of insulate yourself,” he said. “You certainly listen to the voices that matter, your coaches, your teammates. When they’re telling you something, then that’s what we’re doing. But I don’t think you need to listen to outside voices. And then you just go do your job the way I’ve known to do it for 15 years. You do the best you can. And then, you kind of let outcomes go where they go.

“I think when you stay focused, you kind of stay in your lane, you keep blinders on. I think that’s when I play my best. And that’s kind of the process I’ve employed through every situation I’ve been in, every team, every season, no matter what the journey of that season brought on, you kind of keep a similar perspective, stay consistent, and that’s what we’ll do again this year.”

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

The beloved federal agency, its iconic park rangers and other employees have been navigating a new reality under Trump, from orders to revise exhibits at parks and other sites to the demolition of important structures under its stewardship, such as the White House’s East Wing, to arresting visitors for alleged vandalism at the pool.

Critics say the monthslong Reflecting Pool saga and other demands by Trump risk undermining the integrity of a federal agency that has long been held in high esteem by the American public.

“Never — not once in decades — have I witnessed such systematic degradation, disrespect and dismantling of the National Park Service as I see today under the thumb of President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum,” said Bill Wade, a former park ranger and superintendent.

Wade, who now serves as executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, wrote an op-ed for The Denver Post lamenting what he called the Trump administration's “assault on the people, the mission and the values that have made the National Park Service one of America’s most valued institutions.”

The park service has been at the center of some of Trump's most contentious actions during his second term. An executive order targeted funding and demanded reviews at national parks and other sites that Trump said advanced “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology,” resulting in changes to some exhibits on slavery or climate change.

The president has also ordered sweeping changes to historical monuments and buildings in Washington that fall under NPS' purview, including the creation of a White House ballroom and a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) memorial arch. The agency meanwhile has lost at least one-quarter of its permanent workforce since Trump began his second term, through layoffs, forced retirements and resignations.

Park service employees “are being politicized and drawn into the absurdities and corruption of this administration” on a regular basis, said California Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He cited the pool project, the proposed arch and the executive order on exhibit materials.

The ongoing political assault on the agency “is unlike anything we’ve seen in this country, and it makes life miserable at agencies like the National Park Service,” Huffman said.

Reflecting Pool saga continues

Trump launched repairs at the Reflecting Pool earlier this year, hoping to address longstanding problems at the iconic site ahead of the America 250 celebrations. But the $16 million project faced immediate problems, including peeling blue sealant and a fierce return of green algae.

Trump blamed the sealant issues on vandalism without providing evidence, and felony charges were brought against a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the pool.

The U.S. Park Police, a unit of the National Park Service, arrested Hearn, who denied wrongdoing and said he briefly touched a chunk of the coating.

Charges against Hearn were dropped on July 31 after prosecutors acknowledged that damage was caused by a bungled installation rather than vandalism.

The advice and counsel of career officials and rangers — instantly recognizable by their signature flat hats and green-and-gray uniforms — has been ignored or pushed aside as Trump and Burgum make decisions regarding the failed pool repair, according to an Interior Department employee who was not authorized to discuss internal discussions and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“It’s tragic,” said Ed Stierli, vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, another advocacy group. “The whole thing is a master class in how not to go about a public rehabilitation project.”

In the days since the dismissal of the charges, Trump has continued to lean on NPS in his repeated claims that vandals damaged the pool’s lining.

“A National Park Service career employee, a highly credible witness, saw David Hearn ... in broad daylight vandalize the Reflecting Pool by ‘violently’ ripping and tugging at the Pool’s somewhat delicate coating,” Trump posted Aug. 9 on his Truth Social site. Hearn's legal team said Trump “is continuing to attack an innocent man.”

Stierli, of the parks conservation group, called Trump’s reference to the unnamed park employee an example of the awkward position agency workers now face under Trump and Burgum, who has publicly backed Trump’s claims about vandalism at the pool.

“I think the public understands that unfortunately, you have the president of the United States directly driving decisions, both here in Washington and around the country,” Stierli said. The park service — and especially its career staff — “has very little control over this,” he added.

The White House and the Interior Department did not directly respond to requests for comment on the park service. The White House defended the pool project, saying Trump “promised to make D.C. safe and beautiful, and he’s delivering."

“For years, the Reflecting Pool sat neglected, plagued with algae and leaking millions of gallons of water,” the White House said in a statement. "Fixing it was common sense.”

Park service morale is at its lowest point, a former official says

Wade, the former park superintendent, called the pool repair “a comedy of errors” and “a continuation of the incompetence” shown by the Trump administration.

“Most people realize the NPS is under the gun and can’t do much about it, even though they’d like to,″ he said, adding that morale at the agency is at the lowest point he can remember.

Edicts from Washington have made clear that speaking honestly about what is going on could cost staffers their jobs, Wade said. “There’s a very strong fear among employees at NPS,″ he said in an interview. “It’s very frustrating for them, as you can imagine.”

Trump’s proposed memorial arch has faced some pushback. A recent report by park service staff warned that the proposed gilded arch could disrupt the historical significance of dozens of sites around its planned location near the Lincoln Memorial.

The arch, which last month received initial approval from a key federal commission, would impact the “integrity” of dozens of historical properties because it would change “character-defining visual and spatial relationships” between them, the report said.

Americans view the National Park Service favorably

The park service is popular with Americans. About three-quarters of U.S. adults — including similar shares of Democrats and Republicans — have a favorable opinion of the agency, according to Pew Research Center polling from 2025. Only about 1 in 10 have a negative impression, and about 15% are unsure.

A Washington Post/Ipsos poll from July found that about two-thirds of Americans say they are “dissatisfied” or “upset” about Trump’s Washington area projects, including construction of a new ballroom at the White House, painting the Reflecting Pool and building his triumphal arch. Republicans are more likely to be “enthusiastic” or “satisfied” with the projects.

About one-quarter of U.S. adults say Trump’s goal is to “make Washington more beautiful,” while about half say he has a “different goal.” In an open-ended question, many respondents speculated that Trump wants to glorify himself or leave his mark.

The pool and other recent controversies including the exhibit reviews jeopardize the agency's credibility, Wade said.

“Whether interpreting the Civil War, discussing climate science or describing the complex stories of Indigenous people, rangers have sought to present evidence, not political ideology,'' he said. ”That is now being lost.”

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Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this story.

Western officials have previously warned that Russia stepped up a campaign of targeted killings since President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, saying they have disrupted several plots across Europe. But Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said this incident was unprecedented.

The suspect, who was allegedly recruited by Russia's secret services, was detained by Polish authorities on Aug. 7. He will be held in custody for three months, the Warsaw police said in a statement.

The American Ukrainian citizen “was uncomfortable for the Putin regime,” Tusk said in a news conference, without elaborating.

The operation was carried out in cooperation with U.S. services, said Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s minister overseeing intelligence services. He said the targeted victim was a U.S. citizen “of Ukrainian origin.” Officials did not immediately provide further details.

The Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the reports but said it had no additional information.

Western countries believe Russia seeks to undermine Ukraine's allies

Russia has long been accused of targeting its enemies abroad, including by using rare poisons. But intelligence officials previously told The Associated Press that Russia’s security services are now more brazen in their choice of targets, going after Russian activists and foreign supporters of Ukraine as well as military defectors.

“We must assume that the Putin regime will try to eliminate people who are inconvenient for various reasons, in various places around the world,” Tusk said on Thursday. He said that Poland and others must be prepared to counter such actions.

Western officials see the campaign as connected to Russia’s broader efforts to undermine European countries that support Ukraine. The AP has mapped about 200 acts of sabotage, arson and other disruption across Europe since the start of the war that officials have linked to Russia. President Vladimir Putin told the AP in June that Russia is not waging a sabotage campaign against Europe.

In 2006, British authorities accused Russia of being behind the killing of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London with radioactive polonium. The U.K. also blames Russia for the attempted killing of former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018 with the nerve agent Novichok.

German authorities said Russia organized the 2019 killing of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen rebel commander who was shot in a Berlin park by Vadim Krasikov, a hitman who was later greeted by Putin after he was exchanged in a spy swap.

In June, a Russian artist who was critical of Putin was shot and killed at close range near his home in eastern Poland. Tusk said at the time that the killing of Robert Kuzovkov, known by the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, had the hallmarks of a political assassination. He suggested it was possible Russia was behind it but Polish officials have not yet attributed it to Moscow.

Last year French officials disrupted a plot which they believe was aimed at killing Vladimir Osechkin, a Russian exile who lives under police protection and works to help military defectors flee Putin’s war. Lithuanian officials also disrupted a plot last year to kill a Lithuanian supporter of Ukraine and another against a Russian activist. Officials in Germany have similarly broken up two plots: one to target the head of a German weapons company supplying Ukraine, the other against a Ukrainian military official.

Polish authorities arrested a man in 2024 in what they said was a plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain — with Russian operatives the prime suspects.

“This campaign is not by accident or chance,” a senior European intelligence official previously told the AP. “There is political authorization.”

___

Burrows reported from London. Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Dozens of mourners, including cabinet ministers, gathered at Kariba’s Nyamhunga Stadium, where coffins were laid out in the middle of the field under tents.

The ferry capsized on Zimbabwe ’s Lake Kariba on Tuesday. Police and the government agency responsible for the ferry have yet to give an official count of how many people were aboard or how many remain missing. Estimates have put the number of passengers as high as 153, while authorities say the aging ferry has a capacity of 90. The country's disaster management agency on Wednesday said that 77 people had been rescued.

State broadcaster ZBC News reported that some families lost several members in the disaster. The ferry was traveling from Kariba town to rural communities and fishing camps, where residents rely heavily on fishing and on the vessel for transport because roads are damaged and public transport is scarce or virtually nonexistent.

Among those grieving was Collen Ndandalika, whom the broadcaster said lost his wife and three children.

“My wife and children all drowned. Two children have been recovered, but my wife and the other child are still missing. I still can’t believe this is a real world I am living in,” he said.

His wife sold goods bought in town to people in rural and fishing communities. She had asked their children to help with the business during the school holidays, he said.

“I have my brothers who are checking on the bodies to see if they can identify my wife and child. I am too traumatized to keep looking at dead bodies,” he said.

The disaster has also triggered criticism of the continued use of the aging ferry and what some say was a delayed rescue response to the sinking. Some survivors on Wednesday said they pleaded in vain with the captain of the overloaded ferry to turn back from strong waves shortly before it capsized.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in a condolence message, acknowledged that the tragedy had “exposed serious deficiencies in our maritime capabilities which we have to address immediately so that our places of recreation do not become death traps to the innocent.”

Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster and ordered government agencies to mobilize resources to assist victims and accelerate recovery efforts.

Kariba is the largest human-made lake in the world by volume and was created in the late 1950s and early 1960s by building a dam on the Zambezi River. The huge lake is now more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) long and up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in places.

Florida’s only fully wooden roller coaster is set to reopen Sunday, following a comprehensive rebuild aimed at keeping the fan-favorite attraction running for another 20 to 30 years.

The reopening marks a significant moment for the resort, which chose to rebuild — rather than replace — the wooden coaster to preserve a rare piece of Florida’s amusement park history, a news release states.

Guests can expect a smoother, refreshed ride while still enjoying the classic feel that only a wooden coaster offers, officials said.

Little ones as small as 42 inches can join an adult for the prehistoric ride, while riders 48 inches and taller can take on Coastersaurus solo.

The Democratic National Committee is expected to vote at its summer meeting in Austin, Texas, on the new order that frontloads states with more diverse populations.

The meeting comes ahead of bitterly contested midterm elections that will decide control of Congress later this year. Democratic voters have delivered mixed messages on the direction they want to see the party go — backing candidates viewed as more left-wing as well as moderates in consequential primaries across several states.

The group also is convening at a time of internal turmoil, with some members calling for DNC Chairman Ken Martin to be replaced. Critics have questioned Martin's leadership decisions and the party's fundraising, which lags well behind that of Republicans just months before the crucial midterms.

Martin had his defenders, though, on Thursday. William Owen, a committee member from Tennessee, pointed to the victories in special elections that Democrats have won under Martin.

“I think all of us are working as hard as we can to elect Democrats across the country,” Owen said during a resolutions committee hearing. He added later: “I’m tired of people criticizing Ken Martin and criticizing the DNC.”

New calendar would cement South Carolina as first primary

The party is expected to give final approval to a calendar that has South Carolina's primary first on Jan. 22, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia would round out the early states, voting throughout February.

The overhaul shows Democrats’ effort to give greater influence to states reflecting the party’s coalition, particularly Black and Latino voters. It follows years of a calendar led by Iowa and New Hampshire, two states with overwhelmingly white electorates.

The proposed calendar would cement South Carolina at the start of the calendar, reflecting a change former President Joe Biden pushed for after that state revived his struggling 2020 campaign.

South Carolina has long been the first Southern contest and has served as a key test of candidates’ support among Black voters.

2 traditional early states aren't happy

Iowa and New Hampshire officials have expressed disappointment with the decision after the early approval at a committee meeting in July. Rita Hart, the Iowa Democratic Party chair, said it was a sign the party is “out of touch with voters.”

New Hampshire congressional leaders, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, said the decision was wrong for their state and the country. New Hampshire's secretary of state is required by law to schedule its presidential primary at least seven days before any other state holds a similar contest, setting up a potential conflict with the DNC calendar.

The GOP still needs to draw up its calendar. Republicans are expected to stick with their traditional early-state lineup led off by Iowa and New Hampshire.

Questions linger about Democrats' next steps

Democratic primaries already have been testing which direction the party is headed in, through races in states such as Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

While there's been a split between more progressive candidates who buck the party's establishment and those with more moderate views who have backing from party officials, the common thread is that Democratic voters have been looking for change.

Republicans, confronting high prices and the president's sagging approval, have been eager to cast the party as moving too far to the left.

Meanwhile, the DNC's leadership and financial concerns continue.

The gathering also coincides with financial struggles confronting Democrats, including lackluster fundraising and carrying debt. The DNC reported about $16 million cash on hand in its most recent Federal Election Commission filing along with more than $18 million in debt. The GOP, meanwhile, reported nearly $129 million cash on hand in its latest FEC filing.

Martin isn't expected to be replaced before the midterms, as the party has no clear alternative to take over. But members have said the most likely time for a leadership change may be the DNC’s winter meeting after the November contests — and before the 2028 presidential primary process begins in earnest.

Martin, desperate to save his job, has been avoiding media appearances, monitoring his critics’ social media posts and refusing — at least so far — to make any substantive changes at his troubled organization. He said in a recent Substack post the Democratic Party "will be ready to win — everywhere, at every level, in this election and for the decade ahead.”

___ Associated Press writer Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report.

“Coyote vs. Acme” was finished. Director Dave Green, inspired by “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” had completed the editing on the Looney Tunes blend of cartoon and live action. The whole project, which takes an Ian Frazier “Shouts and Murmurs” column from The New Yorker as its source material, was an audacious comic gambit that seemed to be paying off.

Hopes were high. Audience test scores were good. But days before Forte, who stars as Wile E. Coyote’s attorney, could see “Coyote vs. Acme,” Warner Bros. canceled it. Not just the screening — the movie. The studio hadn’t delayed it or sent it to streaming. They were canning it altogether.

“I just thought: ‘Well, they’re canceling the movie. It’s gotta be bad,’” Forte recalls.

Forte and his wife, suspecting the movie must have turned out poorly, joined the cast and crew to say goodbye to the film no one else was going to see.

“That was when the real emotions started,” Forte says. “It was everything I wished the movie could have been and more. It was so special, which made it so frustrating and so devastating. The confusion was amped up, then frustration, then just searing anger.

“Then it made even less sense,” he adds. “We all looked around, like, ‘What’s happening here?’”

The abrupt termination of “Coyote vs. Acme” sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Everyone in the movie business is accustomed to sudden, painful twists of fate. But the wholesale elimination of a finished film faster than you can say “Meep! Meep!” was something new.

David Zaslav, chief executive of Warner Bros., was intent on pivoting away from the straight-to-HBO Max projects of his predecessor. The expected marketing spend — roughly $30-40 million — for releasing “Coyote vs. Acme” wasn’t worth it to the studio. It was better, the studio said, to take a tax write-off on the $70 million production. Along with two other releases — “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt” — “Coyote vs. Acme” was put in mothballs.

But nearly three years after that “funeral screening,” the movie is, like its ever-undaunted protagonist, back from the dead. After an outcry, Warner Bros. put “Coyote vs. Acme” up for sale. Ketchup Entertainment, an independent distributor that last year released the Looney Tunes movie “The Day the Earth Blew Up,” picked it up for about $50 million. On Aug. 28, “Coyote vs. Acme” will finally see the light of day.

It’s been a dizzying turn of events for everyone involved. Eric Bauza, who voices Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and others in the film, didn’t really believe it until he saw “Obsession” at his local cinema.

“Upon exiting the theater, there in a little marquee box was the poster for ‘Coyote vs. Acme,’” Bauza says. “It hit me: This is going to be seen by people.”

In a recent interview, Green was still in disbelief.

“I must be dreaming,” said Green. “It’s a total surprise I’m sitting here talking to you today.”

Wile E. Coyote has his day in court

The filmmakers and their new distributor have leaned into the project’s tortured history, promoting it as “the film ACME didn’t want you to see.” More than that, “Coyote vs. Acme” now has a newfound meta quality. The premise of the film is that Coyote, after suffering years of defective products, takes Acme to court. Like the drama surrounding the film, it's an underdog victimized by a big corporation.

“I couldn’t help but look at the movie in a completely new way because there are meta crossovers between the story and what the movie had come to represent,” Green says. “It almost felt like we had written the movie after the news had broken.”

When “Coyote vs. Acme” was canceled, its fate became a rallying cry. Filmmakers like Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert championed it as too good to disappear. Even politicians, like Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, urged the Justice Department to investigate Warner Bros.'s decision.

Bauza, a veteran voice actor, pushed the hashtag #ReleaseCoyoteVsACME on social media. His most dramatic effort, though, was at the Annie Awards in 2024. There, he drew hearty applause for making that case from the podium — in the voice of Daffy Duck.

“He’s the go-to cartoon character above anyone else when it comes to begging and pleading,” Bauza says. “It seemed appropriate.”

So many people came out fighting for the film that Green never felt alone throughout the ordeal.

“I would open my phone one day and see someone dressed in a Wile E. Coyote costume outside of the studio protesting with a sign in the rain — these kinds of things you couldn’t believe,” says Green.

‘The pipeline has changed’

At the same time, the entire episode suggested a dark new chapter in the movie business that has left many involved with “Coyote vs. Acme” shaky. This wasn’t a young filmmaker getting turned down on their first film. It was two years of work on one of Warner Bros.’ most iconic franchises — a movie even produced by DC Studios chief James Gunn.

“I don’t know what their judgment was,” says Bauza. “Did they even know or were they just looking at numbers? It’s tough looking in from the outside, thinking: ‘If that’s how the Looney Tunes are being treated, what about my story?’”

“The pipeline has changed,” he adds. “How we get to the finish line is different.”

“Coyote vs. Acme” was greenlit when studios were trying to find their way through the pandemic and theaters were struggling to stay afloat. But Green’s film now arrives at a much different point in time. Theatrical is thriving thanks in large part to the visions of filmmakers, from Christopher Nolan to Curry Barker.

For Green, that “Coyote vs. Acme” is finally having its day in the court of public opinion is a sign of Hollywood returning to its foundations.

“The film business, as much as it might not feel that way, is led and dictated by artists and filmmakers and actors and writers wanting to create,” says Green. “There will be nothing able to take that want away from creators. As long as we keep creating, there will be a movie business.”

Forte is still struggling to find a happy ending. The movie’s initial cancellation felt, he says, “cruel and heartless.”

“The downside is: Trust no one,” says Forte. “And the positive is: Don’t give up hope. And that’s the one I think I will keep.”

This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent.

Posters bearing his image hang in hospitals, while billboards displaying his slogans — including his widely-known “Homeland or Death” — line the streets. His presence is so familiar that many Cubans refer to him simply as Fidel.

“I believe (Fidel Castro) leaves Cuba a legacy of dignity, morality, tireless work and concern for the poor,” writer and essayist Miguel Barnet, who also is a member of the National Assembly, told The Associated Press. “And a philosophy that was translated into concrete policies in areas such as culture, education and public health.”

Castro’s centennial comes as Cuba faces an ever-intensifying squeeze that began when the Trump administration imposed a fuel blockade in January and followed up with a series of sanctions aimed at pressuring the communist government to make political and economic changes. The measures have deepened a five-year economic crisis fueled by earlier U.S. sanctions and a failed domestic financial overhaul.

For Cubans, the effects have been far-reaching: prolonged power outages, shortages of fuel and medicine, declining industrial and tourism activity, flight cancellations, transportation restrictions and reduced work and school hours.

Castro governed Cuba for five decades, from 1959 until he handed over the presidency to his brother in 2008, holding massive rallies and making hourslong speeches. He remained influential until his death in 2016.

“Fidel left us everything, everything good that came from Cuba’s revolutionary process,” said Argelia Mustelier, a 61-year-old retiree who lives in Old Havana. “In these difficult times we’re living through, he would have found a way to bring some happiness to his country and his people.”

From guerrilla campaigns to leading a country

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba’s sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father first worked recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own. Shortly after graduating as a lawyer, he became politically active.

In 1953, Castro and more than 100 others attacked the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro was captured and later released, then went into exile in Mexico. He returned to Cuba with fellow rebels and launched a guerrilla campaign that culminated in Batista’s ouster in 1959 and Castro’s rise to power.

Castro took power and radically transformed Cuba through agrarian reform, a massive literacy campaign and the nationalization of private businesses, policies that put his government on a collision course with the U.S.

Across Latin America and developing nations, Castro became a symbol of anti-colonial and revolutionary movements. His policies also fueled deep opposition, first among wealthy Cubans, many of whom fled to the United States, and later among those who opposed the Communist Party’s monopoly on political power.

“He is a controversial figure,” said historian Manuel Cuesta Morúa, president of the opposition Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba.

“There was no justification for sacrificing freedoms … There was no justification for preventing the rest (of the Cuban people) — and the country’s political diversity and plurality — from expressing themselves,” Cuesta said. “That created a rift whose consequences we are still living with today.”

For many younger Cubans, Castro remains an icon, but his influence is less immediate for them than for older generations who lived under his leadership.

“Our generation didn’t experience him as an active leader. What we saw was a less visible Fidel, one who rarely appeared in public,” 27-year-old Cristian Cohello said. “What remains of Fidel Castro right now, of what he left behind, is nothing; absolutely nothing.”

Speaking of the island’s current crisis, Cohello said there is no solution: “Right now, even if they brought another Fidel, they wouldn’t be able to fix this.”

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

___

This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of historian Manuel Cuesta Morúa’s name.

In all, three ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthis struck the ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, just off Yemen’s coast, as it was coming into port, killing six people and injuring at least nine others, according to Yemeni authorities.

It was part of an escalating campaign by the Houthis and their first deadly attack this year on a vessel navigating the strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and accounts for roughly 12% of global trade.

“People were burning ... it was a strange scene of doomsday,” said Zaheer Ahmed, a Pakistani crew member recovering at a hospital in the port city of Mokha.

“I shouted for help and a Yemeni soldier came to my aid,” said Ahmed, who was injured in both legs.

All three of the crew members The Associated Press interviewed Wednesday at the hospital described intense fire, panic and damage aboard the ship, which was struck before dawn on Tuesday.

Muhammad Alteno, an Indonesian crew member, said he was in “complete shock” after witnessing another Indonesian crew member — a friend — die in the attack. Alteno said he had tried to rescue his friend, who was trapped inside the room they shared, after the first missile strike.

“But the flames were so intense that I couldn't breathe,” Alteno said. “I managed to escape with some of the (other) crew members.”

Two members of Yemen's government-allied National Resistance Forces were killed in the attack, as were three crew members from Pakistan.

The attack was one of many in recent weeks by the Houthis, who have killed government forces and civilians in an escalating campaign on the government-held city of Mokha and other areas, according to the Yemeni military. The rebel group has also intensified its attacks on troops and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government.

The attacks risk reigniting Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 U.N.-brokered truce, and could open a new front in the Middle East war.

The Houthis declared a blockade several weeks ago on Saudi-linked ships leaving the Bab al-Mandeb strait in retaliation for a yearslong Saudi siege on Yemen and recent attacks on the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa. The Houthis had said they would only stop vessels connected to Saudi Arabia or going in and out of its Red Sea ports.

During a similar blockade it announced during the war in Gaza, the Houthis attacked over 100 vessels before a punishing U.S. and Israeli air campaign put an end to the attacks in early 2025.

___

Ezzidin reported from Cairo.

The storm is forecast to bring rain to the Hawaiian Islands starting late Friday as well as high winds and dangerous surf, the National Hurricane Center said.

Lala was about 700 miles (1,127 kilometers) east-southeast of Hawaii with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph), the Miami-based center said. It's moving west.

Strengthening is forecast, and Lala could be near hurricane strength as it approaches the Big Island. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible, and it is typically issued 48 hours ahead of potential tropical-storm-force winds.

The system could bring rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) in the island chain, with up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) possible, forecasters said. That could produce flooding and mudslides, the center said.

Also in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Hernan formed Thursday but that storm wasn't threatening land.

Hernan was about 1,460 miles (2,350 kilometers) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, the center said. Maximum sustained winds were around 45 mph (72 kph) and it was moving west-southwest.

In the Atlantic Ocean, former Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened and degenerated into a post-tropical remnant low on Thursday, the center said. It was about 500 miles (805 kilometers) west of the Azores and didn't threaten land.

Shippers including FedEx and UPS that acted as customs brokers for imported packages and received tariff refunds from the U.S. government have started to pass on those refunds to the customers that originally paid the tariffs.

The refunds to consumers are the last step in a monthslong process that kicked off in February when the Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs implemented by President Donald Trumpin March 2025 under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act on goods from almost every country. The court ordered the government to return the tariffs it collected.

So far, about $100 billion in tariffs have been refunded to companies who paid them under a system set up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

That doesn't mean Americans will get anywhere close to what they paid in tariffs, since most were paid indirectly. In 2025, the Trump tariffs amounted to an average tax increase of $1,000 per U.S. household, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C., group that studies taxes.

But some consumers are getting some of what they paid directly back from shippers including UPS, DHL and FedEx. The refunds are being rolled out in phases based on what date they were paid. Shippers have said they'll return the refunds on a rolling basis as they receive them.

Tariff refunds from shippers will be directly refunded to credit cards or bank accounts

Most big overseas retailers paid the tariffs themselves and passed them along to retailers with a line item in their invoice that was part of the total bill, or indirectly by raising prices. But some smaller sellers left the tariff to be paid when it reached the U.S. In those cases, shippers paid the bill and charged the recipient of the package.

FedEx said it has begun the process of issuing $800 million in tariff refunds it received from the government back to the customers that paid them. Customers don’t need to apply to receive their refund, but they can enter tracking numbers for purchased items into a portal on the FedEx website to see whether or not they are due a refund.

UPS said in April it had paid $5 billion in tariffs on behalf of clients and would begin the process of applying to the government for refunds. In the first phase, it applied for $500 million in refunds and said customers should get refunds one to three months after it receives reimbursement from the Treasury.

DHL similarly said that it has filed claims for almost all eligible shipments where it served as the importer of record and is returning the refunds it has received.

“The volume and pace of refunds continue to depend on CBP’s processing of claims,” DHL said in a statement.

Major retailers say they could give back some refunds but mostly will use them to lower prices

Unlike shippers who collected tariffs directly from customers, most big retailers passed on tariffs in indirect ways, changing their product lineups or partly absorbing higher costs, making a consumer refund unlikely.

Amazon executives said last week the company received $600 million in tariff refunds in the second quarter.

In a call with investors, Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky said the company isn't the importer of record on most of the goods it sells and that it has absorbed some tariff costs. But he said the company has “identified a limited set of circumstances where we can trace that we pass specific import charges on to customers.” In those circumstances, he added, “we will proactively contact affected customers and automatically issue refunds to them.”

Otherwise, he said, Amazon will use tariff refunds to lower prices for customers.

That echoes what other large retailers have said. In May, Cori Barrie, outgoing CEO of Best Buy, the nation’s largest consumer electronics chain, said the retailer is an importer of record of only about 2% to 3% of what it sells and that the company would use any refund it gets to “deliver value back to our customers.”

And Costco CEO Ron Vachris said the company planned to return “in some form” the tariffs that were passed on to consumers.

“How much we return and when depends on a variety of factors, including how much refund money we receive and when it arrives as well as developments in the lawsuit filed against the company regarding the return process,” he said in a quarterly earnings call in May.

Dozens of class-action lawsuits have been filed

Some shoppers are suing to get the tariffs they paid in the form of higher prices back from companies. More than 80 class-action lawsuits have been filed by customers across the country against retailers including Costco, Nike, Amazon, Walmart and others.

The lawsuits will face difficulty because plaintiffs will have to prove they paid for price increases that were specifically tied to the tariffs, according to Lori Leskin, partner and co-chair of law firm Arnold & Porter’s Consumer Products Practice Group. None of the lawsuits have yet been certified as class action, which would mean they apply to all customers.

“It’s going to be very hard for anyone to establish that the price increase they paid was due to tariffs and not some other market force,” she said. “Most of them are just talking about price increases, and to be able to trace a price increase due to a single factor is going to be really difficult given the multifactorial approach that most companies take.”

“How can you assure us,” the 71-year-old pressed, “that you won't become another John Fetterman?”

As the crowd in the clubhouse of a manufactured home community for seniors jeered the mention of the contrarian Pennsylvania Democratic senator, Jolly, who once critiqued politicians as an MSNBC pundit, made the case for himself.

“Change is part of my journey,” he responded. “What I can tell you is that the values I speak of — that the economy should work, that government can do a little bit to improve our lives and that everyone should have the right to be protected — those are the guideposts for how I'll serve as governor.”

Doyle, an independent who said she's a registered Democrat mostly to participate in primaries, left impressed.

“I believe him,” she said. “I don't believe many.”

Florida spent a generation as America’s prized political battleground, where the interests of big cities, agricultural towns, freshly arrived retirees and diverse Latino communities collided in elections often decided by fractions of a percentage point.

Jolly is bent on proving those days aren't over.

In the course of a single day last weekend, he rallied a chandeliered ballroom in The Villages, a wealthy Republican-leaning retirement community. Then it was off to the fluorescent lights of the Leesburg clubhouse before ending with a rousing speech to Democrats in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, which backed a Republican presidential candidate for the first time in 20 years in 2024.

Democrats have collapsed in Florida

President Donald Trump's rise has coincided with a Democratic collapse in Florida. He won here three times, with ever-expanding margins. The 19-percentage-point win by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 cemented a GOP supermajority in the legislature.

Jolly's path to victory could be blocked by both math and money in his likely race against Rep. Byron Donalds, the Trump-backed candidate in Tuesday's Republican primary. Donalds, who would be Florida's first Black governor, has raised more than $100 million compared to Jolly's $10 million.

Donalds has cast Jolly as an out-of-touch liberal, blanketing the state this week with an ad featuring Jolly referring to “gender-affirming care” and backing communities painting rainbow crosswalks to show support for LGBTQ people. Jolly countered that Donalds is ignoring pressing economic issues.

In an interview over an Outback Steakhouse lunch while his wife and two young children busied themselves with coloring, Jolly acknowledged “there’s not going to be the political will” to reverse the state’s ban on transgender girls and women participating on female teams at public schools and universities.

He said he didn't think governors should decide who plays in what sports even as he described himself as a “girl dad” and noted “I don’t think we should have biologically born men playing in competitive sports."

“But look,” he added, “if a 10- or 12-year-old soccer league in the community has a coed team, I don’t think the governor should be throwing a flag on the field.”

Republicans face tests of their own

For all the headwinds confronting Jolly, Republicans may encounter their own turbulence.

The culture wars that have raged under DeSantis, including a feud with Disney and fights over gender and sexual orientation, have left some exhausted. Karen Kuhn, a 72-year-old resident at The Villages, described herself as in “despair.”

Democrats have won a string of special elections from Miami to Palm Beach and Tampa, adding to their optimism. Former GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo said Latinos who voted for Trump in 2024 might not support Republicans again, in part because of the administration's immigration enforcement tactics.

“I definitely can see a scenario where it’s a closer race, where it’s a competitive race,” said Curbelo, who narrowly lost his reelection bid in 2018, the last wave election year for Democrats.

A race with implications for 2028

Jolly is telling that to any Democrat who will listen, including those with potential presidential ambitions such as Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. If Florida can change, he argues, the national political landscape would change with it.

“All of a sudden the road to the White House looks dramatically different,” Jolly said. “It reshapes the House of Representatives. The structural change from winning Florida is a generational opportunity for Democrats.”

It’s a point echoed by other Democrats, including state Rep. Emily Gregory, who flipped the Palm Beach district home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.

“To abandon Florida was deeply, deeply unwise,” she said. “I hope that investment is coming back because it is a purple state and I feel very confident going into November."

Nikki Fried, the Florida Democratic Party chair, acknowledged “the bottom fell out” for Democrats. She has spent the past several years rebuilding the operation. Democrats charged with winning back state legislative and congressional seats are prioritizing some Florida races this year.

But Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association, isn't making a financial commitment yet.

“David’s working really hard," he said in an interview. “He’s a good candidate, and we’re watching it closely.”

Donalds' campaign remains confident. His communications director, Gates McGavick, said: “Florida voters will reject radical liberal David Jolly because he will make life more expensive.”

“Byron Donalds will make life in Florida more affordable,” he said. “Our campaign will make that case to voters every single day.”

A ‘Bush 41’ Republican's path to becoming a Democrat

Jolly is an unlikely figure cajoling Democrats to think about their future.

He first gained national attention in 2014 as the GOP winner of a Tampa Bay congressional seat that was seen as a bellwether. In a Democratic Party that emphasizes diversity, Jolly regularly refers to himself as a “53-year-old white former Republican with salt-and-pepper hair.” His time in Congress runs counter to voters elevating fresher voices this year.

During stump speeches, he says he was a “Bush 41” Republican. He left the GOP in 2018, spending several years as an independent before registering as a Democrat in 2025.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who challenged Jolly until suspending his campaign in June and announcing he had prostate cancer, acknowledged Florida Democrats have to appeal to independents. But he also said “people don’t want a chameleon.”

“That's the big challenge that he's had, is convincing people that he has stepped away from the Republican policies,” Demings said.

Others were more forgiving.

Sylvia Rieger, a 70-year-old resident at The Villages, said Jolly’s evolution showed “moxie.”

Steven Slyter, an 81-year-old retired handwriting expert, said it was “courageous” for Jolly to leave his party. “He made a decision about what he stands for,” Slyter said. “I like that.”

Florida's last Democratic candidate for governor, Charlie Crist, was also a former Republican. After his drubbing by DeSantis, several Democrats said Jolly was campaigning more effectively.

Facing minimal primary competition, Jolly has largely avoided debates over the party's ideological future. He's won support from progressives including Rep. Maxwell Frost while shoring up his centrist credentials by picking former Rep. Gwen Graham, the daughter of longtime Sen. Bob Graham, as his running mate.

Some Jolly supporters are hoping that his poly-party background will be an asset.

Jeff Adelman is running for a nonpartisan seat on the Coral Springs City Commission in Broward County. As he left a recent meeting of the Coral Springs Parkland Democratic Club, he described Jolly as a potentially unique fit for the state.

“We live in Florida,” he said. “I don't think you're going to get somebody like Bernie Sanders to run for governor in the state of Florida."

The ticket that won the jackpot Wednesday night was purchased at a Hy-Vee station in Quincy, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of the state capital of Springfield along the Missouri border, Illinois Lottery officials said. The winning numbers were 4-26-66-67-69 with the Powerball number of 9.

It wasn't immediately clear if the winner has come forward yet.

The prize comes in the form of either an annuity of $1 billion paid over 29 years or a lump-sum payment of $450.5 million. Winners almost always take the lump sum.

It was the first Powerball jackpot won since May 2, when the top prize was $20 million, and the first since ticket sales began in the United Kingdom last month. At $2 per play, the odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292 million.

The $1.04 billion grand prize was the eighth-largest in Powerball history, game organizers said. Another lottery game, Mega Millions has also had a $1 billion jackpot winner.

“Congratulations to our newest Powerball jackpot winner in Illinois,” Stephen Durrell, chair of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said in a statement. “For more than three decades, Powerball has shown that a winning ticket can be sold anywhere the game is played, giving every $2 ticket the chance to change not only a winner’s life, but generations to come."

Four tickets sold for Wednesday's drawing — in Arizona, California, Florida and North Carolina — hit five of the numbers but missed the Powerball number. They were worth $1 million apiece. A ticket sold in Massachusetts also matched all the numbers except the Powerball number, but won $2 million because of the “Power Play” multiplier option costing an extra $1 per play.

More than 3 million tickets won lesser cash prizes.

The Powerball jackpot resets to $20 million for the next drawing on Saturday.

The record lottery jackpot still stands at just over $2 billion, won with a Powerball ticket purchased in California in 2022.

Police said the blast at Europe’s biggest port happened late Thursday morning and that a crime scene has been set up to try to establish what caused it. In a post on social media, they said the explosion “appears to be a workplace accident for the time being,” without elaborating.

At the scene, Rotterdam police spokesperson Daan Valkenburg told The Associated Press that no definitive conclusions had been drawn and that “we are keeping all possibilities open.”

The explosion occurred at a refinery and fuel terminal operated by Gunvor Energy in an industrial section of the sprawling port. Dutch broadcaster NOS said that a maintenance team had been working on a section of pipes there.

Rotterdam's emergency services coordinator also reported a major power failure in another part of the port and said that a transformer had caught fire under unexplained circumstances. Several companies halted their operations and evacuated workers.

By mid-afternoon, power was fully restored to the area, where a number of oil and gas companies are based. Emergency services later ruled out any link between the blackout and the explosion.

Detectives say the group targeted cemeteries, breaking into niches that hold cremated remains and taking family heirlooms left with loved ones — items that can be priceless to grieving relatives.

Authorities have identified the suspects as Drake Lee Milam, 33; his girlfriend, Porsche Bancroft, 32; and Bancroft’s mother, Angela Garrett, 52. Investigators say all three have warrants and can be extradited back to Florida to face charges.

The alleged thefts have struck a nerve for families who believed their loved ones’ resting places were secure. Investigators say items taken may include jewelry and keepsakes placed inside niches — such as wedding rings — stolen for quick profit.

Statewide, officials say there are at least 20 reported cases in Florida, but detectives believe the number could be higher. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is handling the case.

Investigators say the suspects are believed to live in Indianapolis, but may have committed similar crimes in at least nine states.

Officials are urging families to check their loved one’s resting place to make sure items are still secure.

Central Florida Crimeline is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.Call 800-423-TIPS (8477).

Russia is one of the world’s biggest energy producers, with oil providing an economic mainstay as its military tries to push deeper into Ukraine in a slow and costly advance more than four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.

The attacks have dented Russia’s refining capacity, causing shortages at gas stations. Kyiv officials say the onslaught is meant to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek a peace deal, but there's no sign that strategy is working.

The targeted refinery is one of Russia's biggest

Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refining and petrochemical complex in Russia’s republic of Bashkortostan overnight, causing a fire at the facility.

The complex, located southeast of Moscow about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from Ukraine’s border, is one of Russia’s largest such facilities, the General Staff said in a Telegram post. The plant processes up to 74 million barrels of oil annually, producing gasoline, diesel fuel and other products, it said.

Bashkortostan Gov. Radiy Khabirov said only that a drone attack wounded two civilians and started a fire in an industrial zone of Salavat.

Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer whose giant warehouses have repeatedly been struck by Ukrainian drones, said a fire started at one of its facilities in the Salavat industrial zone after the overnight attack. The company said the facility was evacuated but that goods were not being stored there.

The attack came a day after Ukrainian missiles and drones blitzed a major Russian naval base on the Black Sea.

Elsewhere, four explosives experts from Russia’s Emergency Ministry and a security guard were killed Thursday after an unspecified Ukrainian weapon blew up in Sevastopol, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor for the port city in illegally annexed Crimea.

They were inspecting the site of a Ukrainian attack when “an enemy weapon detonated,” he said.

Also in Sevastopol, a Russian serviceman was killed by an explosion, and a Russian woman, allegedly acting on the orders of Ukrainian intelligence agencies, was detained as a suspect, the Crimean branch of Russia’s Federal Security Service said Thursday.

It was not possible to independently verify either side’s reports.

Russian official says refinery repairs could take 6 months

Meanwhile, a Russian refinery in Orsk that was hit by Ukrainian drones earlier this week has suspended operations, Orenburg region Gov. Yevgeny Solntsev said.

He said that “key infrastructure, which cannot be restored at this time” was attacked, including foreign equipment, and repairs could take up to six months because of international sanctions, Solntsev said in a rare public admission in Russia of the problems Ukrainian attacks are causing.

Ukraine’s General Staff had reported striking the Orsk refinery near the border with Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Russian drone hits a Ukrainian passenger train, killing 2

Russia has responded by hammering Ukraine with ballistic missiles, jet-powered drones and glide bombs, all of which are hard to intercept. The strikes have killed more than 16,000 civilians since the war began, according to the United Nations.

Russian attacks featuring 133 long-range drones killed at least four people and wounded eight others across Ukraine overnight, officials said.

A jet-powered Shahed drone struck a passenger train in the southern Odesa region, killing the engineer and his assistant, said Ukraine’s state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia.

A Russian drone killed two men Wednesday evening in the southern city of Kherson, regional military administration chief Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Ukraine makes little headway on obtaining Patriot missiles

Ukraine desperately wants more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles that can counter Russia's ballistic missiles, but stocks of the air defense system reportedly are low because of the Iran war.

Ukraine has two and a half times fewer Patriot interceptors than in 2025, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he makes calls every day to try to source some more.

He said he is asking the United States to sell 5% of the interceptor missiles they have in stock to help Ukraine make it through next winter, when Russia’s strikes focus on the power grid, according to an interview with CNN broadcast Wednesday, parts of which he posted online. So far, he said he has obtained only 1%.

In the first half of this year, European countries paid U.S. defense companies at least 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) for military equipment they sent to Ukraine, according to a report Thursday by Germany’s Kiel Institute, which tracks assistance to Kyiv.

The Trump administration won’t provide its own aid to Ukraine but is allowing other countries to buy U.S. equipment that is sent on.

Military aid provided to Ukraine in the first half of 2026 was close to last year’s level, the Kiel Institute said, but financial and humanitarian aid was 41% lower than in 2025.

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

Winter Park Police Chief Tom Volkerson presented an update on the city’s red light camera program to city commissioners Wednesday.

The city currently has eight red light cameras operating at six intersections. From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, Winter Park issued more than 25,000 red light camera violations. Of those, 18,443 were paid.

Those violations generated more than $3 million, according to the city. However, Winter Park did not keep the full amount.

Under Florida law, a red light camera violation costs a driver $158. Of that amount, $83 goes to the state and $75 is retained by the local government.

During the most recent year, about $1.6 million from Winter Park’s red light camera violations went to the state, while the city retained roughly $1.4 million.

Drivers approaching intersections with red light cameras are also required to be warned that the intersection is photo-enforced. Signs are posted ahead of the intersections in accordance with state law.

For now, Winter Park officials have not indicated plans to remove the cameras. According to the city, crashes have decreased at the intersections where the cameras are installed.

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 4.7% in July from a year ago, down from a much larger 5.5% increase in June. On a monthly basis, wholesale prices were unchanged from June to July, after they ticked down 0.1% the previous month.

The figures follows the government’s consumer price inflation report, released Wednesday, which also showed a modest cooling last month. Still, consumer prices have risen faster than wages for the past four months, underscoring the challenges many Americans have affording necessities such as rent and utilities. If prices continue to outpace wages, many consumers may be forced to dial back their spending in the coming months.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core wholesale inflation dropped to 4.2% in July compared with a year earlier, down from 4.7% in June. On a monthly basis, core prices 0.2%, down from 0.4% from May to June.

After falling in early July, gas prices then rose later that month and in early August, threatening to push inflation back up when August figures are reported next month.

“The soft (producer prices) reading for July points to reduced inflationary pressure for businesses in coming months,” said Ben Ayers, senior economist at Nationwide. “While the renewed rise in fuel costs is concerning, input costs beyond energy are cooling.”

Last month’s cooling gives Federal Reserve officials more leeway to avoid a rate hike when it meets next in September. Fed officials are debating whether they should raise their key interest rate to combat inflation, or keep it unchanged in hopes that inflation continues to cool on its own.

Wholesale prices can offer an early look at where consumer inflation might be headed. Economists also watch it because some of its components, notably healthcare and financial services, flow into the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, index. That price index will be released in about two weeks.

The PCE index uses data from the consumer price index as well. With both those reports now released, economists forecast that when the Fed's preferred gauge is issued Aug. 26, it will show yearly core inflation likely remained unchanged in July, at about 3.3%, unlike both the consumer and producer price indexes, which have slowed a bit. That could raise concerns among some Fed officials that inflation is too far above the central bank's target of 2% and showing little sign of easing.

Fed officials are considering whether to hike rates after leaving them unchanged so far this year. Last week, the government said employers actually cut jobs in July, a sign of economic weakness that could discourage the central bank from raising borrowing costs.

The systems include red “Wrong Way” signs with flashing lights and cameras monitoring ramps. When a driver enters a ramp the wrong way, CFX said three things happen instantly: lights begin flashing, cameras alert the regional transportation management center, and dynamic message signs activate to warn other drivers on the expressway.

CFX said the technology is designed to stop drivers before a potentially catastrophic mistake turns into a serious crash. In the past decade, the agency reports an 88% turnaround rate — more than 2,800 wrong-way drivers detected, with around 2,500 turning around before reaching the main lanes.

The systems are already in place along major corridors including State Road 408, State Road 417 and State Road 528.

But CFX says there are still five locations that need the detection systems — including on State Road 429 near Schofield Road.

CFX tells News 6’s Amy Russo that the two ramps without detection along Schofield Road should be in place by next spring. The other three ramps are expected to come online once widening work on State Road 408 near downtown is complete.

Putin visited a fish plant, a hospital and a school on Iturup, one of the volcanic chain's southern islands. He also briefly spoke to local residents and met with the governor of Russia's Sakhalin region, Valery Limarenko.

Japan asserts territorial rights to the four southernmost islands of the chain, which it calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union took them from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the dispute kept the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.

Decades of diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement haven’t produced any visible results. Moscow over the years has also bolstered its military presence on the Kurils in moves that appeared to underscore its firm stance in the dispute.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said his country “strongly protests” Putin's visit to Iturup, which Japan calls Etorofu.

“The Northern Territories, including Etorofu (Iturup) Island, are Japan’s inherent territory both historically and from the perspective of international law,” Motegi said in a statement.

He summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to the ministry in Tokyo and lodged a strong protest over the visit, requesting that he "promptly report the message back to Moscow,” the minister told reporters afterward.

Later Thursday, the Russian Embassy in Japan called Tokyo's protest “unfounded” and said Nozdrev had explained that “the southern Kuril Islands are an integral part of the Russian Federation and became part of it following World War II on legitimate international grounds.”

Putin's travels are “sovereign decisions of the Russian leadership and can't be subject to discussion with foreign states," the statement added.

Japan also protested in 2021 when Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Iturup.

Putin in recent days has visited several regions in Siberia and the Far East. Before coming to Iturup, he stopped on Sakhalin Island to attend the final part of drills by Russia's Pacific Fleet.

Speaking aboard a warship that was participating in the naval exercises, Putin said Wednesday that the current status of the Kuril Islands “is enshrined in international documents as a reality that arose following the outcome of World War II.”

“But even here, Russia was prepared to seek a solution with the goal of concluding a peace treaty with Japan,” he said.

Putin said that in the past, Moscow “had developed constructive relations with a number of Japanese leaders, including the tragically deceased former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who did much to bring Japan and Russia closer together, to align our positions.”

Japan imposed sanctions on Russia after it sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and “listed Russia as a source of primary threats,” a change in that constructive relationship, he added.

Russia remains ready “to cooperate with all its neighbors, including Japan and other states in the region,” Putin said.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Putin’s visit is “incompatible with the Japanese position on the Northern Territories” and is “absolutely unacceptable.”

She said the visit was a further blow to the already-strained ties between the two countries over Ukraine, and that Moscow should understand the consequences.

“We must say this visit has further hardened Japanese public sentiment toward Russia and has made it more difficult to restore bilateral relations in the medium to long term,” she said. “We hope the Russian side fully understands the seriousness of this.”

One of the reasons Japan has made the effort to maintain ties with Russia is to allow former Japanese residents to return to the islands and pay tribute at their graves as a humanitarian consideration.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and prime minister who now serves as deputy chair of the country's Security Council, responded to Takaichi's remarks on X by saying, “This chatter won't change a thing.”

The Kuril Islands “were, are, and will remain Russian land,” Medvedev, who himself visited the Kuril Islands four times as president and prime minister, wrote. “Anyone who fails to understand this will face the monstrous consequences of their delusion.”

——

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed.

It's the same for most runners, as the body can't cool down during exertion, and heat makes that even harder.

“One thing about marathoners is typically we're kind of stubborn,” said Grinvalds, 68, from West Des Moines, Iowa, who finds even temperatures in the 50s F (10 C) a bit warm. “So if we have a goal and it's hot, a lot of times we're still going to try to do that goal, which is just stupid because you're almost guaranteed to have a very painful experience.”

Such an experience can also be dangerous, a reality that marathon organizers are having to confront as climate change, caused mostly by the burning of fuels like coal and gasoline, pushes temperatures up. To improve the chances of having the 26.2-mile (42-kilometer) race in cooler weather, organizers are shifting race dates, starting earlier and even giving options for participants to cut their runs short.

Starting in 2027, the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-St. Paul will shift its more than 40-year tradition of holding the race on the first Sunday in October to later in the month. That decision comes after cancellation of the marathon in 2023 because of record heat and humidity, and starting temperatures near 70 F (21 C) for the 2025 race.

Organizers of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, marathon last year similarly moved their annual race from August to September after canceling the 2024 race due to hot conditions. And other races, including the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio, the Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas, and the Long Beach Marathon in Southern California, all moved their start times to earlier in the morning in search of cooler temperatures.

In Los Angeles in March, warm conditions prompted race organizers to give runners the option of stopping after 18 miles and still receiving a finishers medal. Less than 5% of participants opted for the shorter finish and only 14 of roughly 27,000 runners were treated at a hospital, with all released the same day. Still, the move led to some online derision.

“We welcome the feedback and it's certainly something that caused a lot of discussion, but when we're grading ourselves on it, it has to do with how safe our runners were on the day of the event and we're very happy with the outcome,” said Meg Treat, a spokesperson for the marathon.

At the Twin Cities Marathon, race director Ed Whetham called the decision to cancel the 2023 marathon “devastating” for runners and the organization. Whetham said it prompted an extensive analysis of weather patterns that resulted in the decision to permanently delay the race by a couple weeks.

That analysis showed that by holding the race later in October, runners would have a far greater chance of optimal conditions. Given that snow sometimes falls in the Twin Cities in late October, there is a greater chance of chilly conditions, but Whetham said, “We’ll take a 39-degree (4 C) start over a 70-degree (21 C) start.”

Temperatures are expected to keep rising

The contiguous U.S. just had its warmest July ever recorded, and the Earth had its hottest year on record in 2024. The World Meteorological Organization forecasts that between 2025 and 2030 the Earth's average global temperature will likely rise by more than 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) compared to the 1800s.

The warming is already making conditions worse for most marathons, according to a study of 221 races by the climate research group Climate Central. By 2045, optimal conditions for recreational runners — in the low 40s (6 or 7 degrees C) — would be less likely at 46 of the 51 U.S. marathons analyzed.

“The ability to go outside, to exercise, to take advantage of your human body and being healthy, that’s something that’s getting challenged by climate change,” said Andy Pershing, who led the Climate Central research.

Jessica Murfree leads a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill lab studying climate change's effect on sports. She said organizers of marathons, bicycle races and other competitions — from tennis to college football — increasingly must consider changing event dates and times and adopting other safety measures, as climate change makes the weather hotter and more volatile.

Murfree said the concern extends beyond organized sports to whether people can even get outside on increasingly warm days, pushing people to exercise indoors or opt for activities like swimming.

“If we can't walk, if we can't exercise or go for runs, it's too hot, can we still stay physically active while remaining cool?” she asked.

Marathons are especially hard in warm weather

Any kind of exercising in the heat can be challenging, but running a marathon in warm, humid conditions is especially difficult because it's hard to prevent overheating when a person keeps pushing themselves for hours. And the faster a person goes, the more heat their body produces.

Chris Minson, a University of Oregon professor who researches how people can adapt to extreme heat and other environmental conditions, said the optimum temperature to run a marathon is about 50 degrees (10 C). As the temperature creeps into the upper 50s and 60s, the body has a tougher time supplying blood to muscles while also keeping the body cool.

“As you get to warmer temperatures you end up having a bigger competition between blood supplying your muscles to keep running, to keep nutrition going, and blood flow to your skin for thermal regulation,” Minson said.

Minson said it takes a tremendous amount of energy to run quickly. But of that energy, only about 25% is used to move the body forward. The rest goes to deal with the heat that is created by rapid movement.

Even worse than high temperatures is high humidity, which prevents sweat from evaporating and cooling the body.

Minson adds, though, that by regularly exercising in warm weather, people can acclimate to high temperatures and perform better in the heat, though likely not as well as they would in cooler conditions. Athletes who acclimate to high heat also can perform better in lower temperatures than if they hadn't exercised in warm weather, he said.

Some athletes like John Seals even run in the midday heat and endure a sauna after a workout to acclimate their bodies. That all forms part of Seals' training for an annual 135-mile ultramarathon held in July in Death Valley, California.

“We had a heat wave this week and for me, that's a great thing,” said Seals, of West Des Moines.

Still, running in the heat can be dangerous without taking precautions.

Douglas Casa, a kinesiology professor who leads the Korey Stringer Institute, which studies sudden deaths in sports, said the Twin Cities Marathon's change was prudent, especially considering the way in which many runners approach races.

“If someone was smart enough to say, 'OK, it's a little hotter today than usual, I'm going to run a 7 minute mile instead of a 6:30 mile,' then they won't get any hotter than normal,” Casa said. “It's just that runners are sometimes very locked into what they normally do and what their goals are.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

But with the major parties refusing to field candidates in the election, voters in a small seaside resort outside London are choosing between a man with eyes on the prime minister’s office and a random assortment of candidates, led by a man wearing a trash can on his head.

Farage triggered the vote last month when he quit his seat in the hope that it would put to bed questions about his finances and result in a resounding victory over his main political rivals from the Labour and Conservative parties. He said he would let voters judge him in a “people versus the establishment” contest.

But his political foes described the move as a stunt and opted not to play ball. Farage is instead facing opponents like Count Binface, a political satirist posing as a comic space alien with a keen interest in earthly matters, including the positioning of a hand dryer in the men’s toilet in a pub in west London.

While Farage is widely expected to win the race, questions about the millions of pounds in donations that he had received will persist.

Record number of candidates standing in Clacton

The election is a novelty with a record 34 candidates, including Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party. They have pounded the streets of Clacton over the past few weeks as they seek to win the support of around 80,000 voters.

Given the numbers standing, Clacton residents will be presented with a ballot paper around 3 feet long (around 1 meter). That's not going to be easy to navigate.

Turnout is widely expected to be low as it often is in special elections. In the July 2024 general election, Farage faced eight rivals and garnered 21,225 votes, or 46.2% of the total. Turnout was 58.7%.

This election is taking place during the summer holidays when thousands of voters will be far away from Clacton. It's also taking place during another U.K. heatwave, which could prompt many to opt against making the trip to the polling station.

Election isn't the one Farage was planning

Farage, who in 2024 was elected to Parliament at his eighth attempt in the strongly Brexit -backing town, has for months been facing what he considers to be unfair scrutiny of his finances.

Parliament’s standards watchdog is investigating an undeclared donation of 5 million pounds ($6.7 million) to Farage in 2024 from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire. Farage says he didn’t need to declare the money because it was a personal gift he used to fund his security and came before he was elected.

However, newly elected lawmakers must declare gifts worth more than 300 pounds ($400) received in the previous year if they are related to political activities.

When he stood down on July 7, he described the scrutiny as an “establishment hit job” and a media-driven “witch-hunt.”

His decision to stand down put a pause to the parliamentary investigation, but if he wins on Thursday, as most pollsters expect, it is set to start again.

If he's found to have breached Parliament's rules, then he could face a recall petition in Clacton, which may lead to another special election later this year, costing the British taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds more. The difference is that in that one, the other parties would choose to stand.

Farage's decision came weeks after Andy Burnham returned to Parliament in a special election in the Makerfield constituency near Manchester. That campaign shone a positive spotlight on Burnham, triggering a chain of events that saw him become Britain's prime minister a few weeks later following the resignation of Keir Starmer.

Any hope that Farage had that the Clacton campaign would be similarly positive for him was dashed when the other political parties failed to play ball and he was left standing against the likes of Count Binface.

Binface leads the alternatives

Under Binface’s black cape, trash can and ample body armor that looks straight out of a low-budget sci-fi film, is a middle-aged comedian named Jon Harvey trying to keep his cool during a sweaty summer.

He has been a regular candidate in high-profile elections before, having previously stood against then prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

He says his repeated candidacies are aimed at promoting the beauties of Britain's centuries-old democracy where even the most high-profile politicians are above no one — including someone from his fictional native planet of Sigma IX.

Joke candidates are a long-standing and cherished tradition in British elections so long as they meet the rules and pay the deposit of 500 pounds ($675) required of all those standing. They only get it back if they muster 5% of the votes cast. In his most recent run, against Burnham in Makerfield, the 5,000-year-old Binface got 95 votes, or 0.2% of the total.

There is an expectation that he will do a lot better in Clacton. Many of the voters of the other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage.

Given the numbers standing, the result is not expected until breakfast time Friday.

But Flock cameras are increasingly becoming targets themselves — as critics question privacy, accountability and how the technology is being used across Florida.

The debate is now reaching the campaign trail, with candidates for Florida governor taking different positions on the controversial license-plate reader system.

What are Flock cameras?

Flock Safety is a private company that provides automated license plate recognition technology. Its cameras capture a vehicle’s license plate along with information such as the vehicle’s make, model and color.

The system also records the time, date and location associated with a vehicle and stores that information for a limited period.

The stated goal is to help law enforcement identify vehicles connected to crimes.

But critics argue the technology creates a widespread surveillance network that can track where people drive — raising concerns about privacy and how that information is accessed and shared.

Christopher Heath, News 6 manager and investigative reporter, says there have also been instances of law enforcement officers misusing surveillance systems.

“Time and time again we are seeing police have gotten into the Flock system to track down their significant other’s ex boyfriend,” Heath said.

Pushback and Vandalism

The concerns have moved beyond online debate.

In Port Orange, residents have taken matters into their own hands, cutting down Flock cameras installed along roadways.

Other incidents have made headlines outside Florida, including a 19-year-old in Jacksonville accused of spray-painting a camera.

There have also been reports of people using an electric saw to damage a Flock camera in New York and someone in Idaho ramming a camera with a truck.

The acts of vandalism have sparked another question: How far should residents go when they oppose government surveillance?=

While critics say they want accountability and transparency, damaging or destroying cameras can result in criminal charges.

Where the candidates for FL Governor stand?

The Flock camera debate is also becoming an issue in Florida’s 2026 Republican and Democratic gubernatorial races.

Republican James Fishback opposes Flock cameras, putting him on the side of voters who argue the technology threatens privacy.

Republican Byron Donalds also opposes the technology, making opposition to Flock cameras a position shared by two of the leading Republican candidates.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins supports Flock cameras, arguing the technology can be a useful tool for law enforcement.

Democrat David Jolly takes a more moderate position. He has indicated that he believes guardrails are necessary around the technology, but does not support an outright ban.

That leaves Florida voters weighing a broader question as they consider the next governor: How much surveillance is acceptable in the name of public safety — and what safeguards should be in place to prevent abuse?

As Flock cameras continue to spread across Florida, the fight over them is no longer just about technology. It is becoming a debate over privacy, policing, government accountability and the limits of surveillance.

“This is really hard, it’s like building a plane while flying,” said Maria Salamanca, Vice Chair and District 2 Representative of the Orange County School Board during a July board meeting.

From what students can and cannot do with tools, to how teachers are expected to handle AI-generated content, each district is drawing its own lines in the sand.

Here’s a breakdown of where nine Central Florida school districts stand on AI — and what it means for the students, parents and teachers inside those schools.

Brevard Public Schools

Brevard Public Schools recently updated Policy 7540.08 on artificial intelligence during the July 28 school board meeting. The Superintendent is authorized to support AI use when it is consistent with the district’s mission, goals and operational integrity.

What teachers can do: Employees may integrate AI tools into their instruction at their discretion. When using AI to create instructional materials, assessments or feedback, employees must maintain transparency by disclosing the role of AI in those processes. Employees are responsible for verifying the accuracy of AI-generated content before using it. AI detection software may be used as an inquiry starting point for academic integrity concerns — but not as definitive proof of wrongdoing. Employees will receive periodic training to ensure adherence to the policy, data privacy rules and district-approved AI tools.

What teachers cannot do: Sensitive student or staff data cannot be input into any unvetted AI system. Only closed-source, district-approved AI tools may be used — open-source tools are prohibited due to data security risks. Employees and students are prohibited from using AI to generate false or misleading representations of other students, staff, volunteers or board members — including AI-generated or manipulated images or videos — regardless of whether the content is distributed on or off campus.

What students can do: With prior teacher permission, students may use AI for research assistance, data analysis, language translation, writing assistance and accessibility support. Students with disabilities, for example, may use text-to-speech or AI-powered translation tools to access written materials.

“The district will keep a list of the software programs and everything on the district website,” according to Katye Campbell, District 5 Representative.

What students cannot do: Using AI tools to complete schoolwork without a teacher’s express permission is strictly prohibited and is treated as plagiarism. Students may not generate false or misleading depictions of others using AI.

Consequences: Students may be disciplined up to and including suspension or expulsion. Staff may face discipline up to and including termination. Illegal acts will be referred to law enforcement.

Flagler Schools

Flagler County’s AI policy — also numbered Policy 7540.08 — shares the same foundational philosophy as several other Central Florida districts: AI is not banned, but it comes with clear expectations for everyone in the building.

The official policy was adopted in July 2025 and was updated in May 2026. The current policy is also in the process of being reviewed and revised, according to the school district.

The School Board recognizes the positive impact AI technology may have in the district’s educational program and operations. The Superintendent is authorized to support the use of AI when its use is consistent with the district’s mission, goals and operational integrity.

What teachers can do: Teachers are not banned from using AI. The district encourages the use of district-supported and recommended AI tools, which are considered best practice over the wide range of publicly available, unvetted options. Teachers and staff are expected to acknowledge AI use whenever it occurs and validate AI-generated content for accuracy, appropriateness and potential bias before using it.

According to Don Foley, Communications Coordinator for the district, “Flagler Schools Faculty and Staff have access to Generative AI Enterprise accounts through Google Gemini and Chat GPT. We also use the education-focused AI platforms of MagicSchool, Brisk Teaching, and Khanmigo.”

What teachers cannot do: Teachers and staff may not share passwords or any confidential, proprietary or sensitive district or student information with AI tools. Student records, names, addresses or other personally identifiable information shall not be uploaded to AI tools. Staff are expected to understand that generative AI is not a substitute for human creativity, judgment and creation.

What students can do: Students are not banned from using AI but must operate within the district’s guidelines. Any AI use must be acknowledged — every time. AI-generated content must be validated for accuracy, appropriateness and potential bias before it is submitted or shared.

“Our students in grades 6-12 have student-level access to Student Gemini, Khan Academy’s Khanmigo, Brisk Teaching, Canva and MagicSchool,” said Foley.

What students cannot do: Students may not share passwords or confidential district or student information with AI tools. Uploading personally identifiable information — including names, addresses or student records — into AI tools is prohibited. All AI use must comply with the Student Code of Conduct.

The district developed a best practices guide for students with a group of secondary teachers. Information is also shared with families through the Digital Learning Handbook.

Lake County Schools

Lake County Schools does not yet have a formal, board-adopted AI policy — but that is about to change.

“The district is in the process of developing a comprehensive, formal AI policy,” said Ashley Salamon, Executive Director of MIS and Instructional Technology. “In the meantime, we have integrated flexible AI guidance into our Student Code of Conduct for the 2026-2027 academic year. This ensures that our standards remain adaptable as technology evolves.”

Salamon said the district anticipates presenting the finalized policy to the school board for formal adoption this fall.

What’s already happening in classrooms: While the formal policy is still in development, Lake County is far from standing still on AI. The district trained thousands of teachers on MagicSchool since the summer of 2024 and is now shifting toward Google’s Gemini platform — integrated natively within Google Docs and Drive — to enhance collaboration and data security.

“Unlike public models, this environment ensures that prompts and organizational data are never used to train public AI,” Salamon said. “Our implementation strictly adheres to rigorous privacy standards, including FERPA, CIPA, and Florida statutes, ensuring our digital workspace remains secure.”

Pilot programs: This past school year, the district piloted MagicStudent within several Career and Technical Education classes. MagicStudent is a controlled environment where teachers create “rooms” with specific, limited AI tools — allowing students to engage with AI without the risks of open-ended prompting.

“One specific tool that students use, for example, is the Writing Feedback tool where students upload their own writing to MagicStudent where teachers have included a specific rubric so students are able to edit and improve their piece,” Salamon said.

Teachers maintain full visibility into student activity, including real-time alerts for guideline adherence or inappropriate activity. In Professional Design and Entrepreneurship CTE programs, students used MagicStudent as a collaborative aid in a comprehensive project spanning from conceptualization to promotional marketing.

The district’s guiding philosophy: Lake County’s approach is grounded in the belief that AI should support — not replace — student thinking.

“Adherence to the LCS Instructional Framework emphasizes that AI or any other technology should serve to augment student inquiry rather than replace critical thinking, ensuring that students remain the architects of their own learning rather than passive recipients of generated answers,” Salamon said.

Staff training: Voluntary professional development focused on both Gemini and MagicSchool was available throughout the summer, with additional sessions scheduled for fall. Comprehensive training for all instructional staff will begin following the formal adoption of the AI policy.

“Our goal is to ensure that while we embrace these powerful new tools, the focus remains exactly where it belongs: on the ingenuity, curiosity, and critical thinking of our students,” Salamon said.

Marion County Public Schools

Marion County Public Schools has not only adopted a formal AI policy (7540.08) — it has paired it with an AI vision that sets the tone for how the district sees artificial intelligence shaping the future of its classrooms.

The district’s vision statement reads: “Marion County Public Schools will leverage artificial intelligence with intentionality to support high-quality teaching and learning, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and expand opportunities for all students, while preserving the central role of human judgment, relationships, and trust.”

What teachers can do: Employees may allow the use of AI for curriculum purposes. AI programs may assist students with clarifying information or explaining ideas and concepts. Teachers may use AI tools to improve teaching effectiveness, student engagement and personalized learning. AI-developed curriculum and assessments should align with adopted standards. Employees may also use AI-powered text-to-speech, speech-to-text and translation tools to support students with diverse learning needs and foster inclusive learning environments. The district’s vision calls for ongoing professional learning to ensure staff model and implement responsible AI practices.

What teachers cannot do: Employees may not use AI to make decisions about students that could have a significant impact on their lives — such as report card grades, graduation or disciplinary actions. Employees must comply with local, state and federal laws regarding student and staff privacy rights. Employees may not submit generative AI writing as original writing used for promotion, evaluation or completion of state or district programs to earn a certification or credential. Employees may not upload student or employee records, names or addresses into AI tools unless specified in a data-sharing agreement. Employees may not integrate AI tools with district software or allow AI to learn passwords or confidential district data. Employees may not use AI for employment decisions about applicants or current employees.

What students can do: Students may use AI to accelerate their learning. AI can be used for reviewing work to gain a better understanding, creating outlines and summaries for studying, organizing notes and brainstorming ideas. Students must acknowledge the use of AI related to their schoolwork — attributing AI-generated text, images and multimedia when using them in assignments. The district’s vision specifically calls for AI to support critical thinking and authentic demonstrations of learning — not replace them.

What students cannot do: Students must think critically and fact-check AI outputs using primary sources, as AI programs can have implicit bias and may present incorrect information. Students may not use AI as a substitute for their own original work. Any misuse of AI tools and applications — such as hacking or altering data — is strictly prohibited. AI use may be subject to consequences in accordance with the district’s Code of Student Conduct.

The bigger picture: The district frames its approach around 10 guiding principles — from human-centered design and ethical use to community trust and continuous improvement. Those principles are:

Human-centered: AI enhances, not replaces, employee expertise, student thinking and professional judgment

Ethical and secure: All use reflects an unwavering commitment to ethics, data privacy and security

Transparent and accountable: Users acknowledge sources, verify accuracy and take ownership of their work

High-quality outcomes: AI supports rigorous instruction, critical thinking and authentic demonstrations of learning

Opportunity and access: AI expands opportunities through personalization and support for all learners

Professional capacity: Ongoing professional learning ensures staff model and implement responsible AI practices

Responsible use: Clear expectations, approved tools and safeguards guide appropriate use

Data informed: AI supports analysis, decision-making and organizational effectiveness

Continuous improvement: Implementation evolves based on reflection, evidence and impact

Community and trust: Open dialogue builds shared understanding and trust with stakeholders

Orange County Public Schools

Orange County Public Schools adopted its AI policy on July 28, 2026, framing the entire approach around a “Human-in-the-Loop” philosophy: AI should enhance human potential, not replace it.

What teachers can do: Educators may optionally choose to use AI in the lesson planning process but are not required to integrate it. When a teacher determines that students may use AI for submitted work, that permission must be documented and posted in an easily accessible place — such as a syllabus, introductory letter or digital portal — so students, parents and administrators have a clear reference point if a dispute arises. The district will make professional learning focused on AI literacy, data privacy and ethical integration available to all staff.

What teachers cannot do: Educators may not use AI to make final high-stakes decisions. Grading, student eligibility for ESE/ESOL/504 services, disciplinary actions including expulsion, student promotion or retention, graduation eligibility and personnel evaluations must all be made by a human. Staff may not use open-source or unvetted commercial AI models. Inputting confidential data, sensitive student records or Personally Identifiable Information into any AI tool not vetted and approved by the district is strictly prohibited. The district reserves the right to monitor all AI activity on its network and devices.

A critical student protection: OCPS prohibits using AI detection tools as the sole basis for disciplinary action. Before issuing consequences, educators must employ secondary verification methods — such as reviewing document edit history, comparing a submission against a student’s baseline writing samples or having a direct conversation with the student.

What students can do: With documented teacher permission, students may use district-approved AI platforms and must disclose that use. When using authorized AI tools for submitted work, students must verify the accuracy of the AI-generated content. AI may be used during internet searches only for the limited purpose of identifying actual primary or secondary sources.

What students cannot do: By default, AI is prohibited from being used to brainstorm, outline, draft, revise or edit any submitted work. Students may not use AI to generate deepfakes, voice cloning or synthetic media to impersonate, harass, bully or mislead others. AI cannot be used on any assessment unless the assessment specifically requires it. Using AI to generate content that infringes on copyright, trademark or intellectual property rights is also prohibited.

School District of Osceola County

The School District of Osceola County adopted its AI Acceptable Use Policy (OCSBR 8.603) in December 2023 and revised it in August 2024. During a July workshop dedicated to AI implementation, leaders alluded to updating the policy again.

“AI is changing so quickly. You know, it’s changing on a weekly basis. So, we have to try and keep up in some ways,” Peter Thorne, Information and Technology Division stated to the board.

What teachers can do: Instructional employees may allow the use of AI for curriculum purposes — including lesson planning, productivity support, formative feedback and collaborative ideation. AI programs may assist students with clarifications of information, explanations of ideas and concepts, or generating ideas and topics for assignments. The district may require peer review of AI tools for accuracy, appropriateness or potential bias depending on the nature of the work. A five-tier professional learning strategy is in place to build AI fluency across all staff — from foundational AI literacy for every employee to leadership development and micro-credentialing for those who want to go deeper.

What teachers cannot do: All employees must receive approval from administrators, supervisors or course facilitators before using AI to complete assignments for professional development courses. Employees may not allow AI tools to learn passwords or access confidential district data, upload student or employee records into AI tools, use AI for employment decisions or use any AI tool not on the district’s approved list. Human review and validation are required before applying any AI-generated output.

What students can do: Students may use AI with teacher authorization, as long as they acknowledge that use in their schoolwork — including attributing AI-generated text, images or multimedia. Students must think critically and fact-check AI outputs using primary sources. Beginning in August 2026, students age 13 and older will have access to Microsoft Copilot Chat as an approved AI tool. Additional student-facing approved tools include Khanmigo, MagicStudent, Microsoft Reading Coach, STEMscopes Chatbot, TCI Social Studies, GenMusBot and Savvy Writer — all teacher-guided and age-appropriate.

What students cannot do: Students may not use AI to avoid doing their own original work and may not use AI tools when a teacher has expressly forbidden it. Hacking or altering data using AI is strictly prohibited. Students in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment college courses may face additional restrictions from those programs beyond the district’s own policy.

What’s next — the AI Fellows Program: The district plans to recruit and select 20 to 30 AI Fellows from across district departments, schools and grade levels, with a launch target of August 24. Fellows will test high-value AI use cases aligned to the district’s strategic plan, with approximately 50% focused on instructional impact and 50% on operational efficiency. Fellows are expected to present their findings to the district between Jan. 11-15, 2027 — ultimately becoming SDOC’s internal AI ambassadors.

A mandatory “Demystifying AI” orientation for all employees is also planned, covering policy, the district’s AI Implementation Guide, approved uses and risks.

Governance and privacy: Every AI vendor used by the district must meet FERPA and COPPA compliance standards, operate on closed systems and provide parental access. Digital citizenship instruction has been updated to include AI-specific dimensions — including explicit instruction on deepfakes, AI-driven cyberbullying and online harms. The district has committed to routinely evaluating its policies for impact and alignment, treating them as “living systems.”

Seminole County Public Schools

Seminole County Public Schools recently revised Policy 7540.08 on Jan. 20, 2026. Seminole is also one of the few districts to explicitly cite Florida’s own AI legislation — CS/SB 1344 (2024), which established Florida’s AI in Education Task Force — as a guiding framework for its policy.

What teachers can do: AI and related technologies may be used to enhance instruction, streamline operations and support decision-making, provided the use is authorized by the Superintendent or designee and includes appropriate oversight, validation and bias mitigation. The Superintendent or designee is responsible for establishing administrative procedures for evaluating and approving AI tools and training users on responsible use. Teachers also have access to an AI Guidebook that further outlines policy and acceptable use information.

What teachers cannot do: AI may not replace human judgment in critical educational or employment decisions. No confidential, proprietary or sensitive data may be input into AI systems unless the system has been reviewed and approved by the district’s Information Services Department. Students and staff must not use AI tools to generate or complete academic work unless explicitly permitted by instructional personnel.

What students can do: Students may use AI tools when explicitly permitted by instructional personnel. All technology use must prioritize the protection of personally identifiable information, academic integrity, equitable access and transparency.

What students cannot do: Students may not use AI to generate or complete academic work without explicit permission from instructional personnel. No sensitive, confidential or personally identifiable information may be entered into any AI system that has not been reviewed and approved by the district.

Behind the scenes: Seminole spent two years gathering data and survey information to assess the safety of various AI programs, a district spokesperson told News 6. The district piloted AI in elementary (grades 4-5), middle and high school last school year — using student, parent and teacher feedback to shape its districtwide rollout planned for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Families whose students participated in pilot programs were notified during the process. A broader districtwide communication plan for students, staff and families is currently being finalized ahead of the full rollout.

Consequences: Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action and, where applicable, referral to law enforcement.

Sumter County School District

Sumter County Public Schools adopted Policy 7540.08 in 2024, and its language closely mirrors Brevard’s approach — striking a balance between embracing AI as a learning tool while firmly protecting academic integrity.

The School Board recognizes the positive impact AI technology may have in the district’s educational program and operations. The Superintendent is authorized to support the use of AI technology when its use is consistent with the district’s mission, goals and operational integrity.

What teachers can do: Teachers have the discretion to authorize students to use AI tools in the classroom. Sumter’s policy outlines five specific approved uses teachers may permit: research assistance, data analysis, language translation, writing assistance and accessibility support for students with disabilities. AI tools are positioned as a supplement to — not a replacement for — traditional learning methods.

What teachers cannot do: The policy does not include a detailed standalone section on broader staff AI use restrictions, however, it states staff may be disciplined for policy violations up to and including suspension or termination of employment.

What students can do: With prior teacher permission, students may use AI tools ethically and responsibly for the five approved uses listed above. Students who have questions about whether AI is permitted for a specific assignment are encouraged to ask their teacher.

What students cannot do: Using AI/NLP tools to complete schoolwork without a teacher’s express permission is strictly prohibited and is considered a form of plagiarism. Students are encouraged to develop their own knowledge, skills and understanding of course material rather than relying solely on AI tools.

Consequences: Students may be disciplined up to and including suspension or expulsion. Staff may face discipline up to and including termination. Illegal acts will be referred to law enforcement.

Volusia County Schools

Volusia County Schools addresses AI use through its Student Code of Conduct and Discipline rather than a standalone AI policy. The district defines academic integrity in the context of AI as using tools ethically, responsibly and as intended — to support learning, not to bypass it.

What teachers can do: Teachers retain full authority to permit or prohibit AI use on any specific assignment. Teachers may explicitly forbid AI tools on any given piece of schoolwork, and students are expected to follow those instructions without exception.

There are no specifics on what teachers are not allowed to do with artificial intelligence.

What students can do: AI may be used as a supplemental aid for brainstorming ideas, understanding complex texts or improving grammar and syntax. If significant insights or phrases are borrowed from AI, students must properly cite that use — just as they would cite a human source. AI may be used as a feedback mechanism during the writing process, with full transparent citation required.

What students cannot do: Submitting AI-generated text as original work is strictly forbidden — including essays, poems, stories or any other creative writing. Using AI to complete assignments, tests or projects in place of a student’s own work is considered cheating unless a teacher has specifically sanctioned it. Using AI to fabricate or manipulate data in research projects is prohibited, as is using AI as an uncredited collaborator on any project or assignment.

Consequences: Unauthorized AI use falls under the district’s cheating and academic dishonesty category — a Level 2 offense. Consequences include parent conferences, detention of three to five school days, loss of privileges for up to 30 school days and, for repeat offenses, in-school suspension.

U.S. Magistrate Lauren Louis had been scheduled to hear arguments from both sides on Thursday before determining if the brothers, who have repeatedly denied wrongdoing, should stay in jail or be released during what could be a monthslong extradition process.

Louis granted a defense request to move the hearing to Aug. 27. Lawyers for the Tates said they needed more time to respond to prosecutors’ arguments.

The Tates have remained in a federal detention center in Miami since making a brief court appearance two days after their July 18 arrest. Their attorneys have argued the Tates’ high profile makes it nearly impossible for them to flee and that they regularly post updates about their locations on social media.

The Tates have become some of 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.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office filing, the Tates should be detained pending their extradition hearing because they cannot overcome the strong presumption against bail in international extradition cases.

The serious pending U.K. charges involving human trafficking and violent rapes and assaults against multiple victims, along with allegations in Romania that the Tates attempted to intimidate witnesses, present a clear public safety concern, prosecutors say.

While prosecutors call the brothers a flight risk, 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.

The U.K. has until mid-September to provide evidence to the State Department to support extradition, meaning the brothers could spend months in the Federal Detention Center in Miami before the proceedings are resolved, the defense motion says. No date has been set for an extradition hearing. They are being held in a special unit for their own protection.

Crews responded to the scene along Kaiser Avenue Thursday morning. It is not yet known whether anyone else was injured in the fire.

Additional details, including the cause of the fire and the identity of the victim, have not been released.

The State Fire Marshal is investigating.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The lawsuit alleges the service offering paying customers sneak peeks of his posts about U.S. policy on war, tariffs and other issues violates the Constitution and that official announcements should be made available to everyone at the same time. The new subscription service rolled out earlier this month is charging Wall Street firms as much as $100,000 a month to trade off the market-moving posts before others.

“A president selling priority access to news he himself generates for the benefit of a private company he controls is so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago,” said Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a plaintiff in the case along with news outlet The Intercept.

Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology, said selling fast access to traders is common in its industry, and that the plaintiffs are just trying to silence the president.

“Information from President Trump is disseminated by countless platforms and news outlets, many of which offer subscription APIs," it said in a statement, using the acronym for the fast access service. "Now, left wing activists are trying to wrongfully weaponize the courts to censor him again and harm our shareholders.”

The early access service comes as the publicly traded Trump Media loses hundreds of millions of dollars each quarter and its stock has dropped below $10 from $62 shortly after going public two years ago.

The plaintiffs allege the service violates two parts of the Constitution — the First Amendment right to access a president's comments on equal terms with other members of the press and public and the Fifth Amendment prohibitions on charging unreasonable conditions for government benefits.

The lawsuit asks that Trump Media be forced to end the new paid service, called Truth API, which offers access milliseconds faster.

Trump Media also benefits separately from a deal with Trump that gives its Truth Social six hours of exclusive access to his posts before he can distribute them elsewhere. The plaintiffs appeared to take aim at that, too, asking the court to stop him from “posting official government information exclusively” on his own site.

Trump is the largest shareholder of Trump Media, owning more than 40% of its shares through a trust.

Even before the new API service was started earlier this month, ethics watchdogs criticized Trump's posting on Truth Social as a brash attempt to profit off the presidency, similar to other money-making ventures, including ones related to cryptocurrencies. Earlier this year, the president filed a required annual financial disclosure report that showed he took in more than a $1 billion last year from new crypto businesses that his administration regulates.

Among other moves since he was reelected, Trump's digital finance company, World Liberty Financial, got a $500 million investment from a company tied to the government of the United Arab Emirates and sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of special souvenir Trump meme coins to his fans and possible federal favor seekers, including a billionaire fighting a federal lawsuit that was later paused, then settled.

In addition to the president, the lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York names his deputy chief of staff Daniel Scavino and his executive assistant Natalie J. Harp as defendants.

The headliners, announced Thursday, are a fitting choice. The annual gathering in New York's Central Park rallies attendees to pressure world leaders to fund a range of antipoverty initiatives at the end of the United Nations General Assembly 's yearly high-level meetings. Joining them on Sept. 26 are rocker Lenny Kravitz, R&B-pop singer John Legend, country music star Lainey Wilson, chart-topping Grammy winner Shaboozey and K-pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER.

The two Fugees are fresh off several performances marking the 30th anniversary of their landmark album, “The Score." They were in London, where Hill also brought her music festival celebrating the sounds of the African diaspora, and Rio de Janeiro, where they closed out Global Citizen's weeklong climate programming.

It's also the first festival since Global Citizen produced the World Cup's first halftime show. That collaboration helped raise more than $60 million for the education fund launched with FIFA. Global Citizen co-founder Hugh Evans hopes to leverage next month's gathering to shore up some outstanding commitments.

Festivalgoers gain entry by taking actions such as petitioning countries to dip into their international development budgets. This year's priorities include mobilizing $100 million to provide 2 million children with access to education, nutritious food and healthcare; gathering $100 million to improve food security for 1.5 million smallholder farmers; and moving $1.5 billion to expand clean energy in the Indo-Pacific region.

The countries facing asks this year include Spain, Norway, Ireland, Kenya, Japan, Denmark and Australia. Evans specifically called on France to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, Gavi, Education Cannot Wait, or any of their other education partners. “Macron will often talk a lot about their leadership on issues of education,” Evans said of the French president. "But I think, when the rubber hits the road, are they actually stepping up?”

One country that isn't on the list? The United States. Once the world's single largest aid donor, the U.S. now provides for Evans “an example of a country that should be a leader on the global stage that is such an incredible laggard at this point.” The U.S. wasn't worth targeting, according to Evans, given that the administration "butchered its entire foreign aid budget" and “dismantled the entire apparatus” of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Still, while acknowledging a “world of shrinking foreign aid,” Evans expressed optimism that the pendulum will shift.

“I believe that the future belongs to political leaders who are willing to understand the nuance of how power works," Evans said. "Power doesn’t have to be a negative thing. It can be a very positive thing if you’re wielding it for good. As Spider-Man taught us: with great power comes great responsibility.”

This year's festival offers a new way for people to gain admission. Fans can still enter the free ticket lottery by completing calls to action on the Global Citizen app. But they can also get automatic entry by making a $25 charitable donation. The funds raised will go toward New York's City Parks Foundation and organizations that serve those experiencing homelessness.

Evans hopes that artists such as Wilson and Shaboozey, both country music acts, can bring a new audience to his movement. He noted that Wilson, who expressed interest in the festival's support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, comes from a family of farmers.

“It’s been quite some time I’d say since we had this level of a country presence in our lineup," Evans said. “So, I’m super excited about that. I’m hoping that the fans are, too.”

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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits 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. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

The backing came from 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan, with four of the signatories being FIFA council members.

“We, the undersigned leaders of our respective football associations, express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide,” the statement read.

“We deeply appreciate Mr. Infantino’s sustained efforts to advance football globally, expand opportunities across all regions and strengthen the game’s role in bringing people and communities together.”

The statement said the signatories “look forward to continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football’s contribution to the global game.”

Infantino is facing a revolt after his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. He withdrew the $20 billion proposal after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA, which has warned of a boycott of all FIFA games and events.

UEFA teamed up with CONCACAF — the confederation for North, Central America and the Caribbean — and the AFC — the confederation in Asia — and issued an open letter Monday saying Infantino’s plan was a “fundamental breach of trust” and described it as “deception.”

And on Thursday, the Football Association of Ireland said in a statement it has withdrawn its support for Infantino to be re-elected as FIFA president in March, saying “recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”

The soccer federations in England and Wales did the same last week, while Northern Ireland said it was backing UEFA's stance.

Schism in Asian bloc over Infantino support

By expressing support for Infantino, Qatar and Lebanon aligned against the Asian Football Confederation. Infantino’s official Instagram account previously has posted letters of support from several member federations, including Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The four FIFA council members among the signatories were Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abo Rida, Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa and Mauritanian Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya.

The other two were Lebanese Football Association president Hashem Haidar and Moatasem Gafar, president of the Sudan Football Association.

Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and seemed sure to be re-elected unopposed next year in Morocco.

FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to come forward.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Save A Life Pet Rescue, Inc. currently holds adoption events at the mall on Fridays and Saturdays. The nonprofit has rescued more than 30,000 pets since its founding in 2006.

Tamara Marshall, president and CEO of Save A Life Pet Rescue, said the organization partners with shelters in rural, underserved areas to transport dogs to safety and into foster homes.

“A lot of those shelters have a lot of puppies that aren’t able to find homes,” Marshall said. “Just because they have such a high population of puppies in the area and not enough residents in the area.”

Marshall said the current process of moving animals back and forth creates unnecessary stress on the pets.

“We’re having to coordinate our volunteers and shuffle our pets back and forth and that’s very stressful on the animals,” Marshall said.

As the city has processed the rezoning request, questions have come up about noise, odor and the number of kennels. Marshall said the animals would be housed in an isolated area and the nonprofit is prepared to work with both the city and mall management to address any concerns.

“We’ve got carpeted walls, we’ve got acoustic ceilings,” Marshall said. “We want to make sure we’re respectful of the Oviedo community members, especially those tenants here in the Oviedo Mall.”

Marshall said the ability to house animals overnight at the mall would be a game changer for Save A Life Pet Rescue. She also said it would complement the mall’s ongoing transition into a mixed-use district for living, dining and entertainment.

“I think this is a great opportunity for people to find that special pet,” Marshall said.

The Oviedo City Council will vote on the rezoning ordinance Monday at 6:30 p.m.

For more details about Save A Life Pet Rescue, click here.

“Please secure the following three items,” Rios wrote in a July 13 email to one of his division chiefs that included links to Amazon products. “The first is a charger for the county phone, the second is for organizing the county badge and writing instruments, and the third is a cover for the hitch opening to prevent rust due to weather exposure.”

Two days after sending that email, Rios was questioned about his agency’s recent vehicle purchases.

“Don’t you have a new car too?” Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe asked Rios during a July 15 county budget workshop.

“I do not,” replied the fire chief.

In a letter announcing his resignation nearly two weeks later, Rios acknowledged his public denial about the vehicle “could only be perceived as inaccurate”.

Emails obtained by News 6 through a public record request show Rios had been heavily involved with the purchase of the new SUV since at least early June.

“I was also looking online for affordable options,” Rios wrote in response to a June 5 email from Division Chief Martis Mack that included links to two new Chevrolet Tahoes for sale at local dealerships. “Could we purchase a demo or courtesy vehicle? Those are typically cheaper but considered new. I’m fine with some low miles.”

Rios originally said he would be willing to delay the SUV purchase until October so he could custom order the vehicle but then indicated he wanted it sooner.

“Also, it would be nice to get one now versus having to wait until the end of the year,” Rios wrote. “See if (the dealership) would take 63. They offer $500 off for first responders.”

At the time he was shopping for a new SUV, county records show Rios was driving a 2024 Ford Explorer that had been assigned to him about two years earlier while he served as deputy chief. Maintenance records indicate the Ford Explorer had less than 30,000 miles on the odometer as of early June.

“As we are in hurricane season, this current vehicle, as it’s too low to the ground, presents limitations if I have to canvas the community,” Rios wrote. “Also, the cargo area is too small to accommodate my PPE [personal protective equipment].”

Despite those limitations, records show Rios intended for his 2024 Ford Explorer to be reassigned to a division chief.

“It appears the Expedition may offer the height, cargo, and safety features needed,” Rios wrote in a June 13 email.

One week later, records show Orange County Fire Rescue purchased a 2026 Ford Expedition for $61,234 from an Orlando dealership.

The SUV was delivered to Rios’s office at OCFR headquarters on June 23, emails indicate.

That evening, Rios thanked the agency’s assistant fleet manager for the work on the vehicle and then requested he follow up with the dealer on a list of items.

“B-pillar inside molding is significantly scratched,” Rios wrote. “There’s a chip in the paint on the front right fender. Please have them provide a touch up paint brush.”

Rios noted the Expedition appeared to be missing the owner’s manual, floor mats and window rain visors.

“This vehicle is supposed to have connectivity package – 1 year included with the Ford app,” Rios wrote. “Also, the MSRP shows this vehicle is equipped with BlueCruise for one year. How do I activate?”

BlueCruise is a hands-free highway driver-assist system available in some Ford vehicles for a monthly or annual fee.

While OCFR’s fleet management division was outfitting the new SUV with emergency lights and other equipment, records indicate Rios searched Amazon for “2026 ford expedition accessories”. He also received emails from the online retailer with suggested SUV accessories.

Records reviewed by News 6 indicate Rios forwarded some of the messages about the Ford Expedition from his county email account to his personal Gmail account.

Rios declined to answer questions from News 6 about the email messages and referred News 6 to a prepared statement.

“During a budget workshop before the Board of County Commissioners, I gave an incomplete response to a question regarding department vehicles,” Rios said. “At the time, I was still driving my previously county-assigned vehicle and had not yet been officially assigned or placed into service with the replacement vehicle.”

Hours after his presentation, Rios emailed Uribe saying he wanted to make sure his answer to the commissioner’s vehicle budget question “was clear and complete.”

Rios’s acknowledgment that “one of those vehicles is scheduled for me” appeared in the 17th sentence of his 19-sentence email to Uribe.

The day after the budget workshop meeting, News 6 submitted a public record request to Orange County Fire Rescue seeking documents related to the Ford Expedition.

Emails show Rios was personally involved with retrieving some of the information sought by News 6, which he forwarded to Orange County Deputy County Administrator and Public Safety Director Danny Banks.

“What is the status of the new Expedition that was purchased by the Fire Department? Have we taken physical possession of it yet?” Banks asked on July 20.

“Yes, the vehicle was received by fire rescue, and the lights were being installed the week prior,” Rios responded. “The registration is due this week and is scheduled to be put in service next week when I return.”

Rios resigned on July 28, ending a nearly 27-year career with Orange County Fire Rescue.

In his resignation letter, Rios noted that the SUV purchase complied with all county procurement policies and procedures.

“My decision to resign was not about the vehicle itself. It was about leadership,” Rios said in a statement. “When it became clear that the discussion surrounding my communication had become a distraction from the important work of Orange County Government and the Orange County Fire Rescue Department, I believed the responsibility of leadership required placing the institution ahead of the individual.”

Thursday

A mix of sunshine and clouds will help temperatures climb into the mid to upper 90s, with heat indices reaching 108 to 112 degrees. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A few afternoon and evening storms will develop as the sea breeze pushes inland, with a 30% to 50% chance of rain and storms. Most areas will stay dry, but stronger storms could produce frequent lightning, wind gusts up to 50 mph, and heavy downpours.

The drier air aloft from Saharan dust will keep storm coverage limited, and most activity should fade by around 8 p.m.

Friday Through Sunday

The heat remains the bigger story. Highs will stay in the mid to upper 90s, with heat indices again reaching 108 to 112 degrees. Additional Heat Advisories are likely through at least Saturday.

Storm chances will remain below normal, generally 20% to 40%.

A Major Heat Risk will continue, with some areas facing Extreme Heat Risk.

Early Next Week

Not much relief is expected Monday through Wednesday. Hot and muggy conditions will continue with below-normal rain chances, and a Major Heat Risk is likely across much of Central Florida each day.

Some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, swiftly began referring to the nominee by his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, while depicting him as a danger to America. “Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a Trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,'' said U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., in a post on X.

El-Sayed says such attacks betray a weakness in those who launch them.

“We all pray for the same things. ... We want what’s good for our kids and our families,” he told MS NOW after his primary victory. “They're going to use Islamophobia, because their ideas are tired.”

The vitriol extends far beyond the political class. Tensions related to anti-Muslim sentiment have heightened in several communities around the country, where some residents have bitterly opposed proposals to build new mosques.

“American Muslims have made incredible political and societal progress in recent years,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. He cited increased visibility in entertainment and sports and the election of Democrat Zohran Mamdani as New York City's first Muslim mayor.

“But there also is a very concerted backlash to this progress,” Mitchell said. “You've seen this in the resurgence of anti-Muslim hate and rhetoric, the targeting of mosques.”

A Dallas suburb is a flashpoint

McKinney, Texas, a large suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is one of the flashpoints. Despite angry anti-Islam remarks at a heated city council meeting on Aug. 4, the council voted unanimously to approve a site plan for the McKinney Islamic Association’s proposed new mosque, classroom building and gym.

Among those urging the council to give the plan fair treatment was George Fuller, a former mayor of McKinney, a nonpartisan position. Opponents of the mosque project booed him, and some shouted “traitor” as he left the council chamber. One woman could be seen on video physically accosting him.

“I have never witnessed so much hate, anger and lack of humanity in our beautiful community gathered in one place as I did today at City Hall,” Fuller later wrote on Facebook.

During the hearing, which lasted more than four hours, the speakers included U.S. Rep. Keith Self, a Republican whose district includes McKinney. To loud applause, he urged the council to reject the mosque proposal.

“I know you’re in the accommodation phase, but the intimidation phase follows quickly,” Self said. “Child marriage. Honor killings. Don’t tell me it can’t happen here.”

Fuller also went to the microphone, evoking the broader phenomenon of divisive political rhetoric.

“Sadly, we live in a time when some have discovered that the easiest way to gain attention or win elections is not by offering solutions but by manufacturing fear, dividing communities, demonizing neighbors and turning misinformation into a political strategy,” he said.

In North Carolina, anger flares over approval for a new mosque

The scenario was similar in Mooresville, North Carolina, when town commissioners held a public comment session on Aug. 3 about a proposed mosque that had already been approved, with early phases of construction underway.

Angry residents at the meeting voiced hostility to Islam and assailed the commissioners for not being more forthcoming about the project as it took shape over previous months. One speaker cited violence in Nigeria by Islamist extremists as a reason for concern in Mooresville. Another depicted Islam as “a political regime with the ultimate goal of takeover in regions and nations.”

CAIR’s regional manager, Al Rieder, issued a statement denouncing “the hateful and conspiratorial anti-Muslim rhetoric” that surfaced at the meeting and expressed concern about the safety of Muslims in the area about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Charlotte.

“Muslims are your neighbors, your doctors, your teachers, your local politicians, your police,” he said.

A few hours after the public meeting, the town commissioners released a summary of the mosque project, which calls for a two-building Islamic center on a parcel acquired in 2019 by a local Muslim organization.

The commissioners said that the parcel is in an area zoned to allow religious assembly and that the mosque proposal was handled the same way as a proposal for a new church.

“All decisions must be based on adopted ordinances, objective standards and legal requirements, which do not allow for different rules for different religious groups,” the commissioners said. “We encourage all members of our community to remain respectful in their discussions and interactions as this project moves through the appropriate processes.”

In Oklahoma, Muslim leaders fight against the rebuff of a new mosque

A mosque controversy has been raging for many months in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Tulsa's largest suburb.

Back in January, at a stormy meeting attended by hundreds of people, the city council voted 4-1 to reject a rezoning proposal by the region's Islamic Society to build Broken Arrow's first mosque. Before the vote, dozens of residents voiced anti-Muslim views while opposing the project.

Council members who rejected the mosque had raised concerns about its potential impact on infrastructure such as roads, sewers and flood plain management.

But the Islamic Society is persisting with its quest. On Aug. 3, it filed a lawsuit against the mayor and four councilors, alleging that the vote reflected “a wave of bigoted opposition from members of the community and local politicians.” The lawsuit contends that the council violated state and federal laws governing religious land use, treating the mosque proposal differently from other comparable rezoning requests.

“They did not want a mosque in their city. They did not want Muslims here,” said Meghan Murphy, an attorney with CAIR’s Legal Defense Fund, at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. ”So they made up a reason, and in doing so they violated the law.”

Some see a terrorism threat while others see baseless scaremongering

Opposition to mosque construction isn't a new phenomenon: In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, an effort launched in 2010 to block a mosque project dragged on for more than three years. The mosque was built anyway as the case moved through the courts, but members of the Muslim community faced public protests, vandalism, arson and a bomb threat during that span.

The latest anti-mosque campaigns coincide with a broad wave of anti-Muslim rhetoric from Republican officeholders over the past year. In Congress, several bills were introduced targeting sharia, the moral and spiritual framework that guides Muslims in prayer and ethical conduct. Some Republicans say they’re concerned about growing Muslim populations in major cities and potential ties to terrorism — fears that CAIR and other civil rights groups say are unfounded and being exploited for political purposes.

Republican governors in Texas and Florida have endorsed efforts to shut down CAIR, saying it has ties to terrorism. CAIR has denied the allegations and filed lawsuits calling the governors' efforts unconstitutional.

Muslim American leaders view the vitriol as political scaremongering.

“Every election year, we expect a rise in anti-Muslim hate,” said CAIR's Mitchell. “It's been worse this year than it has been in years.”

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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.

Proceeds from online donations and ticket sales collected during the “Unidos por Los Nuestros,” or “United for Our Own,” concert will address both immediate and long-term needs, including rebuilding homes, repairing schools and community spaces, supporting children and providing mental health support, among other initiatives.

“Uniting for a common cause — taking action and helping fellow human beings facing hardship — is a duty we all share,” said Anthony, a multiple Grammy Award winner whose nonprofit Maestro Cares Foundation will administer the funds along with the Univision Foundation.

Proceeds from the concert will support the nonprofit groups All Hands and Hearts, CARE, Global Empowerment Mission, Techo and World Central Kitchen.

The concert was expanded after Monday's disaster in Colombia

The event was initially created to benefit Venezuela after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes rocked northern areas of the country just 39 seconds apart on June 24, killing at least 6,300 people. Those plans changed Monday when western parts of Colombia were hit by a deadly 7.4 magnitude earthquake, spurring event organizers to include the neighboring country.

Authorities and residents are just beginning to comprehend the devastation in Colombia, where at least 265 people were confirmed dead and nearly 500 people were reported missing by Wednesday afternoon, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. Civilian-run databases put the number of missing at more than 4,100.

For Venezuela, the fundraiser comes at a crucial time as public and media attention fades on a humanitarian crisis that will last years, said Rodner Figueroa, co-founder and vice president of the I Love Venezuela Foundation, which channels resources to nonprofits working in Venezuela and is a Global Empowerment Mission partner.

“The biggest challenge right now is to keep the moment alive,” said Figueroa. “The need in Venezuela continues to be at a scale that is unbelievable.”

Tens of thousands of displaced survivors there need housing, clean water and sanitation and ongoing medical attention. More than six weeks later, people are still searching for missing friends and relatives, often without any official help.

Performers from across Latin America rally to the cause

The benefit concert will take place Sunday at 6 p.m. EDT at Miami’s Kaseya Center and will be shown live on Univision, ViX, WAPA and TelevisaUnivision radio stations, iHeartLatino and Venevision Play in Venezuela.

Viewers can donate by scanning on-screen QR codes, texting UNIDOS to 707070 or visiting univision.org during the broadcast.

Additional music acts include Piso 21, Gente de Zona, Elena Rose, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Ricardo Montaner, Mau y Ricky, Olga Tañón and others. The performers span Latin genres from salsa and reggaeton to pop and come from across Latin America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Dozens of Latin television personalities, journalists and other celebrities will help host the event, including Don Francisco, longtime host of the TV show “ Sábado Gigante ” and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.

“We have all witnessed the devastation that has affected our communities at some point — we have seen it happen time and again in many of our countries and across the globe,” said Anthony, who also advocated and raised funds after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017. “The need is immense.”

Some Colombian artists committed to the fundraiser well before Monday's earthquake. The Urbano Latino musician Feid, born in Medellín, has been reaching out to his more than 14 million Instagram followers this week to support aid groups there.

Latin music also shares a special connection with Cali, Colombia, one of the hardest-hit cities and a globally recognized hub for Salsa music and dance.

“Unidos por Los Nuestros” is being organized by Cárdenas Marketing Network, Maestro Cares Foundation, TelevisaUnivision and PIMIENTO Entertainment.

Additional benefits are also planned

Other musicians are also mobilizing relief efforts. The Venezuelan band Rawayana founded Fundación El After shortly following the disaster to support impacted young people. Shakira and other Colombian musicians, including Karol G, Ryan Castro and J. Balvin, rallied support for Colombia on Monday through social media. Metallica’s foundation donated $100,000 for Venezuela through the humanitarian organization Direct Relief.

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel will host a benefit concert for earthquake recovery Aug. 23 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, his last performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic before he joins the New York Philharmonic.

Proceeds from Dudamel's “A Concert for Venezuela” will benefit recovery funds of the United Nations Development Programme and the CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. Beck, Natalia Lafourcade and Carlos Vives will join Dudamel.

——

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits 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. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

It's the first time the music extravaganza is held in the Balkan country, which scored its first-ever victory in the contest in May, when Bulgarian singer Dara beat 24 other competitors with her infectious party anthem “Bangaranga.”

Bulgaria’s public TV broadcaster BNT, which will organize the largest live music event, and the European Broadcasting Union announced the location on Thursday. The two semifinals will take place on May 11 and 13, 2027, while the final will be held on May 15.

Bulgaria’s capital city, Sofia, also had applied to host the event.

Eurovision director Martin Green said “Burgas will bring something truly special to Eurovision.”

“It is a dynamic and welcoming city on the Black Sea coast with a strong musical and cultural identity, which possesses the ambition, infrastructure, and passion needed to welcome the big Eurovision family,” he said in a statement.

Milena Milotinova, head of BNT, told a news conference that together with the EBU and Burgas they “will face intensive joint work to organize a contest that will live up to the high expectations of millions of viewers around the world.”

Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said hosting the contest was a major honor for the city.

On Wednesday, Eurovision organizers introduced new rules barring countries affected by an armed conflict or other security risks from hosting the contest. Under the new rules, the winning broadcaster will be ineligible to host if an armed conflict, sensitive geopolitical situation or other circumstances threaten the security, safety or stability of the country or surrounding region.

The contest has faced security concerns in recent years as tensions rose over the participation of Israel over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere. Five longtime participants — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — boycotted in protest.

The new rules also raised the minimum age for competitors from 16 to 18. Organizers say the change aims to boost safeguarding and protection of younger artists from the pressures associated with competing.

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Valentina Petrova contributed to this report

But a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association says that for most adults, moderate caffeine intake — especially from coffee — appears safe and may be linked to cardiovascular benefits in some people.

“Caffeine has always gotten a bad rap when it comes to cardiovascular health,” said Dr. Kelley Chen, an interventional cardiologist at Henry Ford Health Genesys Heart Center, who reviewed the new guidance with me.

The AHA statement, published in the journal Circulation, concludes that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day — roughly up to five eight-ounce cups of regular brewed coffee — is generally safe for most adults.

The group cautioned that very high doses, including some energy drinks and energy shots, may raise the risk of high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.

“Up to four or five drinks of coffee a day was OK — and, in some cases, beneficial,” Chen said.

Researchers also emphasized that coffee is more than caffeine.

It contains a complex blend of antioxidants and other compounds that may contribute to potential health benefits.

And many studies of “caffeine” are actually studying coffee, which makes it harder to tease out what comes from caffeine versus coffee’s other ingredients.

What the AHA says is “safe” for most adults

The statement defines a typical upper limit as 400 mg of caffeine per day for most healthy adults.

A regular brewed, non-specialty coffee generally contains about 9.4 to 20.6 mg of caffeine per fluid ounce, meaning caffeine can vary widely based on the brew and serving size.

The authors note that evidence is strongest for plain coffee — and that added sugars and flavored syrups can undercut any potential benefit.

Blood pressure: An unexpected split by intake

Coffee can increase blood pressure in the short term. But longer-term patterns vary.

The statement highlights research suggesting that among people with optimal blood pressure, drinking 1 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee a day was linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

At the same time, drinking more than three cups per day was associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes: Black coffee showed the strongest association

For Type 2 diabetes, the statement points to evidence that drinking black caffeinated coffee — without cream, sweeteners or flavorings — was linked to a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers caution that caffeine can reduce insulin sensitivity in the short term, and that the protective association could be related to other compounds in coffee, not caffeine alone.

Cholesterol: Filtered coffee appears better than unfiltered

When it comes to cholesterol, how you brew coffee matters.

Data from randomized trials suggest cafestol, a compound present in coffee, can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Cafestol is found in unfiltered coffee such as espresso, French press, Turkish coffee and boiled coffee, but is largely removed by paper-filtered coffee and is not present in instant coffee, the statement said.

Heart rhythm: No added AFib risk at 1–3 cups, but PVCs may increase

The AHA statement says analyses found that drinking 1 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee a day was not associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) or abnormal heart rhythms.

However, randomized trials also found that caffeine in coffee was associated with a higher risk of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) — extra beats that are generally harmless but can be uncomfortable or worrisome for some people.

A key caution: Energy drinks and energy shots aren’t the same

Because coffee is the most commonly consumed caffeinated drink worldwide, much of the research focuses on coffee.

McGeorge noted that caffeinated energy drinks are not as well studied, and that caffeine recommendations aren’t necessarily meant to extend to every caffeine source.

The AHA statement also warned that energy shots may contain far more caffeine per ounce than standard coffee and have been associated with increased risk of high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms.

The bottom line

For most adults, the AHA says up to 400 mg of caffeine per day from coffee is generally safe and may be linked to lower risk of heart disease, stroke and heart failure in some people — particularly when coffee is consumed without added sugar and high-calorie mix-ins.

People who feel palpitations, have sleep disruption, are pregnant, or have uncontrolled high blood pressure should talk with a clinician about what’s appropriate for them.

The storytelling, that part was easy. He's a natural at that.

But what Rivers wound up learning during the trial-and-error process of speechwriting was that the words he'll say from a stage in Springfield, Massachusetts aren't going to be about him. They're going to be about everyone else who played a role in him getting to that moment.

“You go through this journey of writing it and you realize it has nothing to do with you in a very good way,” Rivers said. “People are happy for you, and I am happy for them because they got me there. You hear all your life, ‘You don’t do anything alone.' When you get in the Hall of Fame, you really understand that you don’t do anything alone. It's all the coaches in your life, your parents, the players. It's a thankful journey and that’s what the Hall of Fame should be about."

The numbers prove he's among the best

A winner of 1,194 regular season games as an NBA coach — and that'll be all, he insists, saying his retirement is a real one — Rivers ranks sixth in league history. The only others ahead of him: Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley, all of whom are Hall of Famers, so it was obviously a lock that Rivers would be joining them.

He won a championship with Boston in 2008, won 114 playoff games as a coach, played 13 seasons, was an All-Star once, has been a broadcaster and — if he goes back to work, and his family currently has a pool that he will — he'll be a broadcaster again.

But there's more to life now. The Illinois native and Marquette legend has seven grandchildren, a house on the water and can't play enough golf. He'll still be involved in the game, somehow. It just won't be as a coach. It'll be as a Hall of Famer.

“Doc is a proven, extraordinary leader and communicator during his renowned NBA coaching career,” Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst said when the Bucks hired Rivers in 2024. “As a championship coach, he’s widely respected as an established innovator, and the right coach to lead our experienced and talented team."

He was, until he wasn't.

Injuries derailed every chance the Bucks had at being a winner this past season, and when the season came to its dismal close Rivers was fairly certain it was the end for him as well — after 27 seasons on the sideline, and whole lot of missed moments along the way.

“The one thing that people have no idea about is the toll it takes on you and the family component," Rivers said. "It is rough. You’re never home. You make sacrifices and your family has to make them as well.”

That won't be an issue now.

A hit from the beginning

Rivers won coach of the year in his very first season, taking a team he called “the 301s” in Orlando and leading it to a 41-41 record. On the surface, there's nothing special about going .500. But the Magic were supposed to be bottom dwellers that season and Rivers used a preseason ranking of the league's top 300 players as inspiration — since none of those top 300 were playing for the Magic.

“That season gave me great confidence,” Rivers said.

He has some regrets, of course. Critics have long pointed to the 10 losses that Rivers-coached teams had in Game 7s, by far the most of any coach in NBA history. And his fans will retort by pointing to his 114 playoff wins, fourth-most in NBA history. But the biggest do-over, if Rivers had such an option, would be changing his mind about leaving the Celtics for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013.

Rivers got to the Clippers not long before the end of Donald Sterling's ownership of the team; Sterling made racist comments and wound up getting banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“I underestimated what a great situation I was in, and I took that for granted, like you can just go anywhere and create that," Rivers said. “I messed that one up. But then when I go to the Clippers, the team is pretty damn good. The organization, it was the worst organization in sports with the ownership problem. Within a week there, I remember telling my assistant, ‘We’ve got a lot to do here.'”

The championship with the Celtics in 2008 — Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the stars of that team, will be together again to present their former coach for his Hall enshrinement — was an obvious high point for Rivers' career. There were other moments he's particularly proud of as well, such as delivering on a promise that he made to someone who barely played for him.

Tyronn Lue succeeded Rivers as coach of the Clippers. Lue played 11 games for Rivers in Orlando during the 2003-04 season; that was all the time it took for Rivers to be convinced that Lue would one day be a coach. He told Lue to call him if he ever wanted a job and Lue took him up on it. Rivers wound up going to the Hall of Fame, and few within the game would be surprised if Lue joins him there one day.

“It's the stories like that that you think about,” Rivers said. "Rajon Rondo played for me in Boston. We had a very tumultuous relationship when I coached him and now, I probably talk to Rondo more than probably than any player that I coached.”

It's what the game does, Rivers said. The lucky ones get guided along the way. He played that role with players like Rondo — who coached with Rivers — and Lue, and in Rivers' own case, it was Riley who gave him the push he needed.

Riley and Rivers clashed at times in their player-coach relationship, and their biggest fights came when Riley was telling Rivers that he belonged in coaching.

Riley was right.

“When I was doing TV, he kept writing and sending me these freaking messages about getting into the fray," Rivers said. “He knew it. And here I am, going into the Hall of Fame.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Once the long days of filming had passed and the fantasy flick had shifted from movie theaters to video cassettes, the farmhouse and ballfield where those idyllic scenes were shot was naturally becoming a tourist attraction.

Rahe lived near the site on the edge of his native small town of Dyersville, with convenient access by way of a back road the Universal Studios crew had made just for the movie shoot. He and his neighbors began showing up to make sure the pitcher's mound and home plate were in place, mingle with the visitors, and play catch.

Then one summer Sunday afternoon in 1990, Rahe persuaded a handful of his friends to put on some old wool uniforms he'd found, walk through the cornfields with him, and see what happened.

The young girl standing nearby sure was surprised.

“Mommy! Daddy! It's the ghost players!” she shrieked as she retreated to her parents in the infield.

After playing catch with and pitching to the tourists for about an hour, Rahe and his pals doffed their caps, waved goodbye and disappeared into the corn. An enterprising newspaper reporter happened to be there, and in the next day's edition of The Gazette in Cedar Rapids there was a headline touting the magical appearance of the “Ghost Players” at the site. Just like in the movie.

The following week, Rahe answered a phone call from Al Ameskamp, the owner of one of the two farms the movie ballfield straddled. He was wondering if they were going to come back and play ball again.

“Well, not really. It was kind of a one-time deal,” Rahe said.

Ameskamp replied, “Well, would you? There are 400 people out here waiting for you.”

Rahe has retold that origin story of the Ghost Players countless times, and now at age 68 he's never been more in demand. His gregarious goodwill band of ballplayers is a recurring feature for the public at the site, which he runs as the executive director of Dyersville Events.

This has been an especially busy summer in this part of northeast Iowa, with the completion of a permanent ballpark next to the filming location that will host a Major League Baseball game on Thursday night between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies. MLB last staged a game at Field of Dreams in 2022, when the Chicago Cubs played the Cincinnati Reds in a temporary facility. The Chicago White Sox faced the New York Yankees in 2021 in the inaugural event.

“The first time it happened, when we got to go into the stadium, I got goosebumps and kind of teared up while walking through that corn,” said Paul Scherrman, another one of the original Ghost Players. “It's just a great place.”

Baseball has a rich history in Iowa

The Ghost Players have visited 28 countries and dozens of states, Rahe said, mostly by paying their own way and using their vacation time. There are currently about 40 members, with half of those making more regular appearances. Earlier this summer, they traveled to Chisholm, Minnesota, for the “Doc Moonlight Graham Days” festival in honor of the film's heroic physician who chose medicine over sport after getting in one major league game.

“A lot of the ghosts are much more loyal than some of the ghosts,” said Scherrman, who had a brief minor league career and had a cameo in the movie. “The ghosts that come to the events that aren't as popular as Major League Baseball games are the harder-working ghosts.”

The Ghost Player experience, which allowed Scherrman to befriend the family of Roberto Clemente on a trip to Puerto Rico, has been decidedly more rewarding than serving as an extra in the film. He and the other locals spent 21 days on the set for 12 hours at a time just waiting to be called into action. During one scene, Scherrman appears for a few seconds as the catcher in a game interrupted by Timothy Busfield, the disbelieving brother-in-law of Kevin Costner's character Ray Kinsella.

For a state without any major metropolitan areas or a year-round climate favorable to outdoor baseball, Iowa has produced its share of talented players on a list that starts with Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller and his 1936 major league debut at age 17 after training on the family farm in Van Meter. The state is serious enough about the sport to place the high school season in summer to avoid conflicts with spring sports and get better weather.

“I still see all my buddies from that team,” said Cubs pitcher Colin Rea, who's from Cascade, just 15 miles south of Dyersville. “We've loved baseball from the time we started playing, and I think that's how it is for most kids around there.”

Rea, 36, wasn't quite born yet when “Field of Dreams” hit the big screens, but he and his friends regularly watched their area's claim to fame while growing up. The ballfield itself seemed like a fantasy that was impossible to visit.

“Once I got older, I was like, ‘It’s 20 minutes from my house. Why haven't I been there?'” Rea said.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Keaton Winn is from Ollie, in the southeast part of the state. His brother will be at the game, and he knows people on the grounds crew.

“It's really sweet. Iowa's got a lot of baseball fans,” Winn said. “Having the game come there is really special to all of the people.”

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AP Baseball Writers Jay Cohen in Chicago and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed.

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Learning teamwork and reducing screen time are among the perceived benefits of youth sports, according to the AP-Ipsos survey.

About half of U.S. parents with K-12 school-aged children say their kids play a structured sport, but participation is higher among more affluent families. About 7 in 10 K-12 parents with a household income of at least $100,000 annually say their children play organized sports, compared to about 4 in 10 parents with a lower household income.

The findings point to a key problem in youth sports: parents almost universally see participation as an important part of kids’ childhood, but the out-of-pocket expenses can be significant, particularly for lower-income families.

“There's travel, the uniforms, pitching in on the lunches,” said Tanisha Curry, 51, who lives in Ohio. She has custody of her granddaughter, who plays volleyball through her school. It strains Curry's budget, but the whole family pitches in to keep the costs manageable.

“Kids don't go out and do things anymore,” she said. “Getting them away from a screen, at least for an hour — it's worth it.”

About two-thirds of K-12 parents with at least one child playing sports estimate spending up to $2,000 annually on equipment, fees, training and travel for youth athletics. More affluent sports parents spend about the same amount yearly as less affluent sports parents, which underscores the additional financial burden for lower-income families. Some parents hope the investment will pay off beyond the social benefits, with scholarships or other opportunities.

Despite the demands — and hefty cost — K-12 sports parents overwhelmingly say the benefits of youth sports outweigh the drawbacks.

Most see major benefits to kids playing youth sports

Jon Fassnacht, a 47-year-old dad in Pennsylvania, has seen his 9-year-old daughter push herself physically and mentally through competitive swimming. She got involved in the sport after taking swim lessons, and he has been thrilled to see her build her confidence over multiple seasons as she improves her swim times.

“It’s just so good for her self-esteem to have that goal setting,” Fassnacht said. “And then there’s the social aspect on top of it. She’s kind of shy, so to have these opportunities to meet new people outside of her school is big.”

Soccer, basketball and softball or baseball are among the most commonly played sports, the poll found.

Nearly all U.S. adults say learning to deal with adversity, improving physical fitness, learning teamwork, making friends, reducing technology time and learning about hard work and commitment are “major” and “minor” benefits for children playing organized sports, the poll found.

Some of that perceived benefit may come from adults’ own experiences. About three-quarters of adults who played organized sports as a child say playing sports had a “mostly positive impact” on their childhood, and about 6 in 10 say it positively influenced their adulthood.

About three-quarters of K-12 sports parents say their children have ever played on a recreational sports team, and about two-thirds say their kids have played on a school sports team. Around half say their kids have played in specialized youth sports camps or done independent sports training, while about 4 in 10 say their kids have participated in travel or club sports teams or done private lessons.

Scheduling and costs present challenges for some sports parents

Most K-12 sports parents face challenges when children play organized sports.

About 8 in 10 say that scheduling and logistics — or the time commitment — present a “major” or “minor” challenge for their household. Roughly 7 in 10 say the same about team or club fees, the amount of travel involved and the equipment or uniform costs.

In addition to the roughly two-thirds of sports parents who estimate spending up to $2,000 annually on equipment, fees, training and travel for their children’s athletics, roughly 2 in 10 spend more than $2,000 but less than $5,000. Only about 1 in 10 K-12 sports parents spend more than $5,000 annually.

Kathryn Stuczynski, 37, said she and her husband budget in order to make sure they can afford the activities their 7-year-old and 13-year-old daughters are passionate about, including karate, grappling and wrestling. Stuczynski, from New York, says their household skips buying the latest iPhone or a new TV in order to keep their budget manageable.

“Giving my girls life experiences, it’s priceless,” she said. “I’d rather have the old phone, you know? I’m fine with that.”

In general, more affluent sports parents — those in households that make at least $100,000 annually — spend about the same as sports households with lower incomes. Higher-income households are more likely to say they spend more than $5,000, though that is still atypical. About 1 in 10 households that make at least $100,000 spend over $5,000, compared to almost no lower-income households.

Despite the challenges, the vast majority of sports parents feel good about their children playing organized sports. About 8 in 10 sports parents say “proud” describes how they feel “extremely” or “very” well, and a similar share say that about “happy.”

Some parents hope youth sports will lead to athletic scholarships

Relatively few K-12 athletes will go on to play at the collegiate level or earn athletic scholarships, but the poll shows many sports parents have it on their minds. About 8 in 10 sports parents say the possibility of improving college acceptance odds is at least a “minor” benefit of kids playing organized sports.

Stuczynski has seen her 13-year-old daughter excel at wrestling and believes she has the potential to get a college scholarship in the sport if she sticks with it, but she and her husband are letting their daughter's passion and competitiveness drive her future with sports.

“We would never force it,” Stuczynski said. “We’ll go as hard as she wants to go, basically.”

About 6 in 10 sports parents say the hope of their child earning an athletic scholarship or improving their college acceptance odds plays either “a major role” or “a minor role” in the decision to enroll their kids in sports, though only about 3 in 10 say either played a “major role” in their decision.

Less affluent parents are more likely than more affluent parents to say the possibility of their child improving college acceptance odds, earning an athletic scholarship or earning NIL money played a “major” role in their decision to enroll their child in sports, while more affluent parents are more likely to say it played “no role.”

Fassnacht, from Pennsylvania, hopes his daughter will continue swimming through high school because of the physical and mental benefits, but he’s not expecting her to make a career of it.

“I’m more focused on the benefits to her,” he said. “If she ever stops enjoying it, then we’ll move on to something else.”

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The poll of 1,737 adults was conducted July 21-26, 2026, using a sample drawn from Ipsos’ probability-based KnowledgePanel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. It included interviews with 510 parents of school-aged children who play youth sports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2.7 percentage points for adults overall and +/- 4.9 percentage points for parents of school-aged children who play youth sports.

Of course, this isn’t a recent phenomenon.

In fact, the largest city in the state was utterly annihilated by one such storm nearly two centuries ago.

That city — St. Joseph — was picked over Tallahassee in 1838 as the site of Florida’s first Constitutional Convention so that Florida (which was still a territory) could officially become a state.

According to Gulf County officials, the city was a “bustling seaport,” making it a commercial hub with a population of around 11,000 people. Thanks to that, it was the largest city in Florida for its time.

Historian Dale Cox says that the city lost much of its population after rebranding as a coastal resort. But that was just the start.

A huge outbreak of yellow fever spread through the area in 1841, Cox explains. This reportedly dropped the population by around 75% as residents either succumbed to the illness or fled outright.

“The total death of the St. Joseph outbreak is unknown,” Cox writes. “Legend holds that there are mass graves in the historic Old St. Joseph Cemetery, which is all that remains of the original city.”

However, the outbreak passed shortly after it arrived, leading residents to push for recovery. Things seemed to be getting better, but they were actually headed for further disaster.

According to Florida State University, a strong hurricane blasted the panhandle just as the outbreak was dying down. As a result, the town was virtually decimated.

“And then, sometime within the fall of that year, there were wildfires that swept through the city...” said Joanna Lindsey, park ranger and historian at the Constitutional Convention Museum State Park. “It was virtually a ghost town at that point.”

Lindsey speculated that the fires could have just been a natural disaster, or potentially a method to try to “cleanse” the city of the yellow fever outbreak.

Afterward, she said, there were maybe a few hundred people left in the city. With so much of the area devastated, there wasn’t much point in staying, and so surviving residents opted to move elsewhere.

What little was left of St. Joseph didn’t stick around for long, either. As Lindsey tells it, another huge storm struck the area just three years later, clearing out the remaining buildings.

“They were pretty much washed away,” she told News 6. “There was a significant tidal surge that swept through the city... From all accounts, it was a significant storm. A lot of people in that time period referred to it as a tidal wave.”

With St. Joseph effectively extinct, the area was left unsettled until the tail-end of the 19th century.

Once people started trickling back into the region, they started building a new city: Port St. Joe.

The population isn’t quite as large as St. Joseph’s heyday — the latest figures pin the city at roughly 3,000 residents — but Port St. Joe still carries on St. Joseph’s legacy.

The local Constitutional Convention Museum gives visitors a glimpse into St. Joseph’s history. Meanwhile, the St. Joseph Cemetery acts as the last remaining piece of the old city.

Want to read up on more strange stories and places across the Sunshine State? Visit News 6’s Florida Fables page by clicking here.

Wednesday a spectacular total solar eclipse dazzled skies across the pond. Only a sliver the northeast U.S. saw a partial solar eclipse.

19 years to the day Central Florida will experience totality.

Central Florida observed a partial solar eclipse in 2017 and 2024, where only a portion of the sun appears to be blocked by the moon.

While a partial eclipse is certainly cool, it’s nothing compared to totality.

For a moment in the middle of the afternoon, the sky goes nearly dark, the brightest stars and planets become visible and the sun’s wispy atmosphere can be seen.

Most of Central Florida will be in the path of totality on Aug. 12, 2045.

Areas on and around the center line will be in totality for more than 6 minutes. Everyone in the black shaded region will experience totality.

The extreme northeast sliver of Flagler County is the only region of Central Florida not in totality.

To get the full effect you must be in 100% in the path of totality; 99.9% won’t even cut it.

What makes the eclipse even more special is the time spent in totality. the 2045 eclipse will feature an extra 90 seconds of the main event.

2045 Time In Totality:

• Kissimmee, Celebration, Poinciana, Groveland, Clermont: Greater than 6 minutes
• Orlando, Apopka, The Villages: Nearly 6 minutes
• Ocala: Approximately 5 minutes and 40 seconds
• Titusville: Approximately 4 minutes and 30 seconds
• Daytona Beach: Approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds

Totality is the only portion of a total solar eclipse where you can remove the approved eclipse glasses as the moon is completely covering the sun.

Glasses are needed to observe the portion of the eclipse leading up to totality.

You officially have 19 years to find yourself a pair.

Janse's farm on the fertile land of the Netherlands' southwestern Zeeland Province is drying out despite his efforts to make it more drought resistant as accelerated human-caused global warming and a supersized El Nino batter fields across Europe.

The drought that is roasting much of Europe this summer is taking a heavy toll on crops across the continent, from potatoes in the Netherlands to corn in Bosnia and grapes in Italy. Even when farmers try to adapt, the extreme weather is hitting their crops and water supplies.

Triodos, a Dutch bank that has a focus on sustainability, published an analysis this week that estimated the heatwaves and drought could reduce gross domestic product across the European Union by 1% for 2026 or around 180 billion euros ($208 billion). Farmers are among the hardest hit, with their crops set to be badly affected by soaring temperatures and lack of water. In large parts of the Netherlands, farmers are no longer allowed to use water from streams and drainage channels to irrigate fields and orchards.

Just add water? Dutch crops suffer from the drought

Another farmer in Zeeland, Hendrik Jan ten Cate, looks at a field full of withered potato plants that are almost all ready for harvest — a month early and with a significantly reduced crop. His potatoes are used to make French fries for companies including McDonald’s, but they’re likely going to be too small this year.

“People want long fries,” he says as he holds one of the potatoes. “That’s going to be tough this year.”

Ten Cate is one of the lucky farmers because he is allowed to irrigate his crops. But, even so, he estimates his harvest this year will be down by about one-third compared to average years.

“It's not just the drought that is the problem,” he says. “It is also the sun, the dry air and especially the hot days we have had this year. The potatoes just can't handle that combination very well.”

Bosnian agriculture, a key driver of the economy, is suffering

In Bosnia, where agriculture contributes roughly 5% of annual GDP and 10% of all employment, grain farmer Slavisa Lukic stood in one of his corn fields as stalks blew limply in the breeze. His crops have been hit by repeated heat waves and drought conditions. He said this year’s corn yield would be very poor, if he manages to harvest one at all.

Lukic remembers when he grew 6 to 7 tons per hectare on his farm. He expects this year’s corn yield will be around 1.5 to 2 tons per hectare.

Pointing to the drought-stricken land in northeastern Bosnia, Lukic said clover fields that once grew abundantly have all but disappeared. “Now they literally do not exist,” he said. “Nothing.”

Czech brewers fear bad hop harvest

The drought is even hitting one of the Czech Republic's most famous products: beer.

Plzeňský Prazdroj, the country’s largest beer producer, expects to incur losses this year due to a stunted hops yield.

Jakub Zaoral, the brewer’s sustainability manager, said that changes in rainfall patterns — characterized by long periods of dryness with occasional heavy storms — mean that when rain does fall, it runs off the dry soil. That results in inconsistent yields and increasingly low groundwater levels.

“There’s no choice but to simply accept the fact that one year will be great and the next won’t be,” he said. “If it were to happen three times in a row, that could very well become an existential problem for hop growers.”

Drought takes a toll across the Danube region

In Romania, some heat and drought-resistant crops like sunflowers have been less affected by the extreme conditions and yields have been plentiful. But the drought is still hitting home with record-low water levels on the Danube River disrupting grain transport, causing chronically congested terminals and an increasing pileup of crops with nowhere to go.

“In a short time, maximum 10 days, we will enter full blast in sunflower harvest, to be followed by corn,” Cezar Gheorghe, founder of grain consultancy firm Agricolumn, told The Associated Press. “Already farmers are in panic mode. They can’t find a place to store the corn and sunflower seeds.”

Cattle grazing plains in Hungary are turning to dust. No rain has fallen on Sándor Molnár's dairy farm since late May and he is having to buy expensive feed for his 130 cows.

“We’re trying to hang in there and hope for the best, hoping next year will be better,” he added. “To be honest, we’ve been saying that for a few years now, but maybe this time it will be.”

Huge UK farm that invested in irrigation is feeling the heat

Elveden Estate, with more than 10,000 acres of farmland on the Suffolk-Norfolk border in eastern England, has built a reservoir that can hold enough water to fill about 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Less than a year after opening, it's almost dry. Another reservoir is at about 20% capacity.

But the farm's water policy is paying off.

“The fact that we’ve invested significantly in reservoir storage and the infrastructure associated with pumping water has meant that we’ve been in a very strong position to continue to irrigate our crops through this growing season,” the farm's managing director, Andrew Blenkiron, said.

But every drop counts.

“We’re very concerned that we haven’t got enough water to see us through this season,” Blenkiron said. “We’ve got probably, if this weather stays as it is, six weeks of watering left to do.”

Diversify and feed the soil

Janse uses no-till farming on his fields — not plowing the soil, planting crops to cover the ground year-round and adding organic matter — to help cope with the whims of the weather as climate change triggers more extremes.

He has also diversified by running a popular campsite on his farm near the picturesque town of Veere. As he tends to his fields, guests walk by toward a lake where yachts and a river cruise ship sail past.

And as dry weather causes an increase in soil salinity in fields, Janse grows samphire, also known as sea asparagus, on a small patch of land. It's a crop that can thrive in salty conditions. But with no rainfall, even that is struggling this year.

“Samphire needs fresh water, and if there is only saltwater it doesn’t grow either,” he said.

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Nadja Lovadinov in London, Mustakim Hasnath in Suffolk, Stanislav Hodina in Prague, Czech Republic, Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, and Stephen McGrath in Leamington Spa, England, contributed to this report.

The slowdown Thursday for people in the capital, Taipei, and six other cities and localities was part of the last phase of the island's annual Han Kuang exercises, military drills that began last week and aim to model a response to a possible Chinese military invasion.

Telecommunication operators slowed mobile web traffic to 256 Kbps, making it difficult to exchange anything other than texts. Usually, residents can access 5G in major cities.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te apologized to the public for the inconvenience, “We ask for your understanding and support, as this is a necessary drill,” he said.

Taiwan has stepped up the intensity of the Han Kuang drills, incorporating reservists and more civilians into the exercises with a focus on real-world scenarios. Previously, urban resilience drills in Taipei went largely unnoticed as they were not disruptive. For example, air raid drills in the metro station didn’t stem the flow of passengers.

This year, integrating civilians and coordinating with local governments was a key part of the exercises, according to the Taipei Times.

At a Taipei metro station Thursday afternoon, passengers waited to be released after the station's gates were shut for the simulation as part of air raid drills.

Allen Hsieh, a tourist from Hong Kong who was among the passengers who waited 30 minutes to be let out of the station, said he found the exercises to be convincing.

“The exercise did not cause me any inconvenience. I know that Taiwan needs to conduct exercises, given the current situation. I can understand that,” he said. “I did not expect it to be so real. I thought I would only receive text messages.”

Lai also visited a hospital as it simulated how to relocate its critical operations to underground facilities as part of the drills.

Taiwan is ramping up its defense exercises and purchases in response to heightened tensions with China, which claims the island as its own. China sends military planes, as well as Coast Guard ships and other vessels towards Taiwan on a daily basis and carries out large-scale military exercises from time to time.

Between Wednesday to Thursday morning, 18 Chinese warplanes and 11 navy ships operated around Taiwan, the island's Defense Ministry said.

The 24-year-old Hunt won the 100-meter final and hopes it's not her only gold at the meet. She’s also competing in the 200 and is in contention to be in two relay teams.

Hunt will line up in the final of the 200 on Thursday night at Alexander Stadium alongside rivals including teammate Dina Asher-Smith.

The ever-affable Hunt likes to quote a “High School Musical” character when she says “I want it all” on the track. But the University of Cambridge alum can get more serious, too, like when she recently discussed the legacy of colonialism associated with the Commonwealth Games.

Here's what to know about her career:

Medals include silver in 200 at world championships

Hunt was the surprise silver medalist in the 200 at the world championships last September in Tokyo, where she ran 22.14 seconds in the final — U.S. sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden was the winner.

At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Hunt ran the third leg on the British women’s 4x100 relay team that won silver.

In the youth ranks, Hunt set an under-18 women's world best in the 200 when she ran a 22.42 in June 2019 in Mannheim, Germany.

Hunt juggled academics — studying English Literature — while training and overcame a leg injury to reach world-class levels. After her silver medal in Tokyo last year, she told the BBC she's glad she stayed in school: “You can be an academic badass and a track goddess.”

Hunt quotes ‘High School Musical’ character

When describing her goals, Hunt cites a “High School Musical” character Sharpay Evans and the song called “I Want it All.”

Hunt mentioned it in the pre-championships news conference and again after winning gold in the 100 on Monday night.

“That performance is one step closer to being like Sharpay Evans,” she said after the victory. “I really want to win it all and I’m so happy now I’ve got one out of four done. Hopefully I can take this momentum and the good vibes into the rest of the week.”

Hunt's issue with the Commonwealth Games

Hunt gives fans a behind-the-scenes view of her life as an athlete with video updates on her YouTube page. Her “vlog” touches on everything from meals to sightseeing to anti-doping tests.

The sprinter's most recent video was a review of her time at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she won a silver medal in the 100.

Hunt takes a few minutes in the video to discuss the history of the games, saying she doesn't “ethically or morally agree with the kind of notion of a Commonwealth Games.” The games, she added, “used to celebrate a colonial empire.”

“I think the Commonwealth Games provides the opportunity for us to reflect on ourselves and our history with colonialism, also the fact that England as we know it was rebuilt post-war by the Windrush generation, by immigrants,” Hunt said.

Athletes discuss this privately, she said, but that's where it stays.

“I think a lot of people are afraid to speak about it openly. I think as a white athlete, it’s important for me to speak about my thoughts on it. ... I just kind of wish there was more dialogue and more conversation about that.”

She concludes: “You’re more than free to disagree with it and you’re more than free to think that if I have these views it’s hypocritical for me to compete.”

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

The Bald Range wildfire erupted Friday near Summerland, a community of about 12,000 in British Columbia’s Okanagan region. By Wednesday, it had grown to about 184 square kilometers (71 square miles) after destroying homes and killing an 80-year-old woman.

"There’s an important set of lessons for us to take about how quickly this moved and that this may be our new normal for fire speed," Premier David Eby said. He said the blaze outpaced wildfire modeling and left some residents with little time to evacuate.

Officials have begun damage assessments, but the area remained unsafe Wednesday and there was no timeline for residents to return.

Crews were clearing vegetation to help slow the fire’s spread as officials warned that thunderstorms could bring erratic winds and increase fire activity. Highway 97, a major route through the area, remained closed.

Eby visited an evacuation reception center in Penticton, where he said he met people devastated by the loss of their homes.

“A lot of emotions in there, obviously,” he told reporters, calling the woman’s death a “tragic loss.”

Summerland pharmacist Jonathan Kiesman said he was worried about displaced patients getting their medications and said seeing the fire approach the community “almost brought tears to my eyes.”

Officials said they were withholding broader details on property losses until residents could be notified directly.

“The last thing that I would want is somebody to have the shock of finding out on social media or on television about their home being lost,” British Columbia Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said.

Eby said the province would review the response, including whether changes are needed to wildfire planning, building standards and vegetation management near communities.

Given the drought and summer heat, he warned, “this is very unlikely to be the last significant fire we see this summer.”

Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned that recovery would be long and difficult.

Canada has endured a series of severe wildfire seasons in recent years, with smoke repeatedly drifting into the United States. In record-setting 2023, fires burned more than 14.6 million hectares (36 million acres), an area roughly the size of Illinois.

Canada has warmed faster than the global average in recent decades, while the amount of land burned by wildfires has increased substantially. Much of the country’s forest is remote and dominated by spruce and pine, conditions that can make fires difficult to contain once they become established.

The crowds brought lawn chairs and umbrellas as they eagerly awaited the celestial spectacle, which began early in the evening. As the sky darkened, gradually at first and then quickly, people broke into applause and cheered. It was the country's first total solar eclipse in more than a century.

“It’s simply impossible to imagine,” Rosa Celiberti, a language teacher who watched from Medinaceli, a Roman-era hilltop town in northeast Spain, said with tears in her eyes. “No matter how many photos or videos you’ve seen, nothing comes even close to what it actually feels like."

Across a wide band of northern and central Spain and Portugal, millions of people enjoyed some of mainland Europe's best views of the eclipse. It also passed over slivers of Greenland and Iceland.

Totality — when the moon completely covers the sun’s light — was expected to last less than 2½ minutes, reaching its maximum duration off Iceland’s west coast. By the time it got to a small patch of Portugal and then to Spain, just before sunset, totality dwindled to a minute or so. The total eclipse then ended over the Mediterranean.

The eclipse was expected to draw at least a half-million additional visitors, Spanish authorities said. Demand for hotel rooms along the path of totality, including in the northern cities of A Coruña, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela, soared.

Rural areas prepared for an influx of visitors

The event unfolded against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, and Spanish officials rolled out a large public safety campaign.

Temperatures across much of Spain climbed above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in many areas where the eclipse was observed. Some 350 official viewing sites were set up across the sparsely populated interior, and more than 33,500 law enforcement officers were deployed to observation areas and access points, the Interior Ministry said.

Only weeks ago, the most destructive wildfire in Spanish history devoured 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Ávila, in central Spain. Several smaller wildfires remain active elsewhere in southern and central parts of the country.

Despite clouds, sky watchers in Iceland witnessed darkness

In Reykjavik, clouds did not prevent hundreds of people from gathering in bright raincoats in front of the landmark Hallgrímskirkja church as the skies darkened.

With rain falling, the disk of the sun was barely perceptible and then, suddenly, the lights went out. Only the glow of phones held aloft could be seen.

The crowd cheered the darkness as it rained harder and roared even louder when the first light returned. They did not wait to watch the remainder of the partial eclipse and quickly cleared out of the square.

Eclipse glasses sold fast

Special eclipse glasses were essential for safe viewing, even if only a sliver of the sun remained visible. The glasses are made with special filters that block solar radiation that can damage the eyes.

For months, supermarkets, department stores, museums and planetariums across Spain had sold or distributed the glasses, with many pharmacies running out of stock ahead of Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening in downtown Madrid, a long line formed outside a photo shop where a sign read, “We carry eclipse glasses.”

One woman emerged triumphantly and reassured those waiting: “He has boxes and boxes of them!”

A ship circles waters near Greenland hoping to catch a glimpse

Sverre Rud, captain of the MS Spitsbergen, was circling the waters of Rypefjord in eastern Greenland trying to make sure he was perfectly positioned for his 126 passengers to view the spectacle. All day, people came up to Rud to ask if he had nailed the right spot, with no clouds.

“I will do my best," Rud said. “I will pull out my superman powers."

The eclipse may have been startling for the passengers, who had been experiencing 24 hours of daylight on a 17-day cruise in locations mostly north of the Arctic Circle.

Suddenly, for two minutes it was dark.

Even so, the mood on the polar ship had been pure anticipation.

“Everyone is very enthusiastic,” Rud said. “When we were down for breakfast earlier, it was almost like a little bit of a Christmas Eve feeling here."

Hotel costs skyrocketed in Spain and Iceland

Rooms in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital, averaged more than $1,000 for Wednesday night as Icelanders prepared for their first total solar eclipse since 1954 and the first visible from the capital since 1433.

Prices were roughly double 2025 rates, according to data group Lighthouse Intelligence. Many tourists made bookings years in advance. But cloudy skies prevailed across much of the island.

Authorities expected up to 20,000 additional overseas visitors during an already busy peak tourist period. Iceland is home to fewer than 400,000 people.

The 70-room Hotel Keflavík in the Reykjanesbaer municipality was fully booked, with guests hoping to see around one minute and 45 seconds of totality.

“Eclipse time, of course, has been very demanding, and many people came to us early, like last year,” said Steinþór Jónsson, the hotel's owner and manager.

Jónsson said he had seen nothing like it since 1986, the year the hotel opened, when U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held a summit in Reykjavík.

“When I opened the hotel, we had Reagan and Gorbachev meeting. It was very hectic here,” he said with a smile. “Besides Reagan and Gorbachev, the eclipse is the biggest.”

Sun mostly obscured in Britain

Across Britain, where the sun was more than 90% obscured, people flocked to hilltop parks and anywhere with an open view of the sky to see the best eclipse since 1999.

In Greenwich Park, with views of the River Thames and central London, the sky turned an eerie gray as a sliver of light sat atop the moon like a hat.

Veronica Orozco popped open a bottle of champagne to share with neighbors as she witnessed the second eclipse of her life.

“I was in Venezuela and I was young and I thought that the sun would not come back. My dad said, ‘It is science, of course it will come back,’” she recalled. “Now sitting here at the age of 41, it is still magical.”

Aja Lilit, who turned 24 on Tuesday, said the eclipse was like a “birthday present from the universe.”

She said the rare event made her think of how small she was at a “cosmic level.”

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Associated Press journalists Teresa Medrano in Madrid; Danica Kirka and Brian Melley in London; Marco Di Marco in Reykjavik, Iceland; and James Brooks in Snæfellsnes, Iceland, contributed.

Freeman isn't sure whether he'll play when the Dodgers begin an important four-game series with the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, but he's grateful his freefall to the dugout floor wasn't worse.

“I didn't hit my head, so that was the key part there,” Freeman said. “I am sore. Kneecaps are sore. Shoulder is sore. Hand sore. Wrist sore. I mean, I fell. (But) I'm in good spirits.”

Freeman stayed in the game and finished the top of the eighth, but Tommy Edman pinch hit for him in the bottom of the inning before Los Angeles closed out a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals, its fourth in five games.

The right side of Freeman's body took the punishment, but the 2024 World Series MVP apparently didn't break any bones. He'll wait to see how he feels in the morning before he decides whether to play Thursday night when the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers welcome Milwaukee in a reamtch of last year's National League Championship Series.

Freeman said he simply miscalculated the location of the dugout railing while he tracked Isaac Collins' foul pop.

“I went to lean, like I was going to lean against the rail to catch the ball — and obviously there was no rail,” Freeman said with a smile.

Freeman, who turns 37 in one month, said he was fortunate to fall all the way into the dugout, missing the top flight of stairs entirely. That's because when he landed, his head stuck out into the open space above the second flight of stairs that goes down into the visitors' clubhouse instead of banging on the ground.

“Luckily, I was tall, so I missed everything else,” the 6-foot-4 Freeman cracked.

This wasn’t Freeman’s first fielding misadventure: He said he fell into the seats in Arizona roughly a decade ago while he was with the Atlanta Braves.

The Orange County native and childhood Angels fan also said he still remembers the infamous 1999 opening-day dugout fall by Mo Vaughn, who got hurt on the first play of his first game with the Halos.

The Royals rushed to Freeman's side after the fall, urging him to stay on the ground. Freeman decided to get up anyway, and the Dodgers' training staff rushed across the field to check on him.

“I think that we really dodged a bullet,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “Very scary visually. For right now, he's in good spirits, which I think is a good sign. Just kind of total body soreness.”

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

The U.S. concluded a dominant night with a world record in the 4 x 100 mixed medley relay.

Ledecky, a two-time Olympic champion in the 1,500, was under her own world-record pace in the early stages of the 30-lap race, with young fans holding signs at the outdoor pool in Irvine, California, on their feet cheering throughout.

Ledecky touched in 15 minutes, 36.09 seconds. Lani Pallister of Australia gave chase early before Ledecky opened a body-length lead over her closest pursuer. Pallister took silver in a personal best 15:38.62. Moesha Johnson of Australia earned bronze.

“Not quite the time that I wanted, but again, you can't complain with gold and getting my hand on the wall first," Ledecky said. “It's great to be in an environment like this.”

In the mixed medley relay, the American team of Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass won in 3:36.70. They beat the old mark of 3:37.43 set by the U.S. at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Modglin got it started with backstroke before Mathias took over for the breaststroke leg. Walsh handled butterfly and Douglass brought it home on freestyle.

“As we were sitting back there for two hours waiting for this race to come, we kind of threw out the idea of breaking a world record,” Douglass said. “I love anchoring relays like this. They kind of do all the work for me. I get to just give my all at the end.”

Australia took silver in 3:39.30. Canada earned bronze.

Walsh won the 50 butterfly over Douglass to lead four 1-2 finishes by the United States.

Walsh touched in 24.65 seconds, bettering her time of 24.91 from the morning preliminaries. Douglass became the third woman to break the 25-second barrier in the event with a prelim time of 24.99. In the final, she finished second at 25.06.

Walsh was already in the sub-25 club, with the American record of 24.51 seconds. The other member is Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, who holds the world record of 24.43 seconds.

Canada's Taylor Ruck took bronze in 25.23 in the first Pan Pacs held since 2018. It was the first of three bronzes she won Wednesday.

The once-every-four-years event was canceled in 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event was moved from Canada to Southern California to give the region a major international meet ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where swimming will be held at SoFi Stadium in front of nearly 40,000 spectators.

Luca Urlando won the 200 butterfly over U.S. teammate Carson Foster. Urlando finished in 1:53.11, breaking the championship record of 1:53.80 set by Michael Phelps at the 2006 Pan Pacs in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Phelps then presented medals to Urlando, Foster and third-place Harrison Turner of Australia.

“That was like a dream come true,” Urlando said.

American teammates Katharine Berkoff and world record holder Regan Smith finished 1-2 in the women's 100 backstroke. Berkoff won in 57.93. Smith was second in 58.11, slower than the time of 57.86 she swam in prelims.

Ruck earned her second bronze in 58.40.

U.S. teammates Luke Hobson and Gabriel Jett finished 1-2 in the men's 200 freestyle.

Hobson touched first in 1:43.85 with a stunned Jett second in a personal-best 1:43.96. Zhang Zhanshuo of China was third.

Pallister won the women's 200 free in a course-record 1:53.67, beating Canada's Summer McIntosh, who was second at 1:53.86. Erika Fairweather of New Zealand was third.

Ben Armbruster of Australia won the men's 50 fly in 22.75 seconds over Van Mathias of the U.S.

The Pan Pacs limit each nation to just two swimmers in every championship final as a way to ensure greater representation among countries. That means swimmers can’t afford to ease through the morning prelims since a full-on effort could be required to make the evening final.

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

Glaciers in Switzerland and around the Alps have been retreating rapidly in recent years, among other changes attributed to the impact of climate change caused by human activity. Snowfall has become less frequent and reliable over recent decades.

That's a big issue for a mid-altitude ski resort like the Adelboden-Lenk area, whose roughly 200 kilometers (125 miles) of slopes span an altitude between 1,000 and 2,300 meters (3,280 and 7,545 feet). These days, an estimated 70% of the snow on its slopes is made artificially.

Snow cannons and lances are the visible part of the snowmaking network. But much of it is out of sight: dozens of kilometers of underground water pipes that could prove useful beyond the winter months as the risk of wildfires grows even in places such as Switzerland’s Adelboden-Lenk ski area.

“We can help firefighters with our infrastructure," said Jürg Klopfenstein, who is responsible for the resort's snowmaking operations. "Not primarily with our snow cannons, which can mainly be used to water the fields or aim them at surrounding infrastructure. But firefighters can use our infrastructure, and helicopters can refill their tanks using our water reservoirs.”

Those reservoirs collect rainfall and melting snow in the warmer months, and the water is used to produce snow during the ski season. The pipes and pumps connect 210 snow cannons and 50 snow lances in the Adelboden-Lenk area. In case of fire, the system could be used to create wet buffer areas, slowing the advance of flames and buying time until emergency services and air support arrive.

So far this year, Switzerland hasn’t experienced large-scale fires, unlike some of its neighbors. But the country is suffering from drought and the authorities assess the risk of wildfires as high across almost the entire nation, including the Bern region where Adelboden is located.

Like many other mountain areas, the Bernese Oberland isn't just a winter destination but attracts many mountain bikers, hikers, runners and paragliders in summer.

Stefan Buchs, the operations manager at the Adelboden-Lenk resort, said that different types of vegetation and different levels of soil humidity mean the large and frequent forest fires seen in southern Europe can't be extrapolated directly into a similar risk in the Alps.

But even so, “widespread wildfires are a likely scenario," he said. “We discussed this with the firefighters, and they recognized it already. They see that humidity is a real problem. It gets really dry even in the spring. Not just in the summer.”

Adelboden Mayor Willy Schranz said that “we must be prepared, because I am sure it won’t be the last summer like this one.”

A climate change expert with environmental group Greenpeace, Nathan Solothurnmann, cautioned against overestimating what putting a snowmaking system to work against wildfires can achieve in the long run and in a wider context.

“This watering system that they’re planning in Adelboden might for sure help for a while," he said. “But of course the changes we're facing (are) much worse. All those types of adaptations, they just help for a while.”

"In most parts of Switzerland, there are no pipes buried underground that we can use when a forest is burning,” he added.

ESPN got a copy of the letter that was sent to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry and said Daniels’ decision stems from the school’s decision to allow cornerback D.J. Pickett to wear a No. 5 jersey. That’s the number Daniels wore during his two seasons at LSU.

This would mark the first time an LSU player has worn No. 5 since Daniels’ departure, though the school hadn’t retired the jersey.

“Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected,” the statement from Daniels' spokesperson said. “His Heisman Trophy-winning season and everything he accomplished on and off the field cemented his place in LSU history. To see his number given to another player is incredibly disappointing and feels like a failure to honor the significance of what Jayden accomplished at LSU.”

Pickett wore a No. 3 jersey as a freshman last year but is switching to No. 5 this season. The 6-foot-5 cornerback is a former five-star recruit who had three interceptions as a freshman last season.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin said last week that Pickett was promised the opportunity to wear No. 5 when he signed with LSU in December 2024, when Brian Kelly was coaching the Tigers. Kelly was fired in October 2025. and Kiffin was hired at the end of the regular season.

“When a kid’s promised something to come to a school, he should wear it,” Kiffin said during an Aug. 5 media session. “So at that point, I don’t think it’s really my decision. We should honor what he was told.”

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

According to an arrest affidavit from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, a deputy discovered a damaged Flock license plate reader along Pioneer Trail near Airport Road in New Smyrna Beach on Aug. 4.

Investigators said the pole appeared to have been cut near the base, causing the camera to fall to the ground.

Detectives later learned of similar vandalism cases being investigated by Port Orange police involving other Flock cameras that had also been cut down, including locations near Airport Road and Charles Street and Forest Preserve Boulevard and Taylor Road, the affidavit says.

Investigators reported that a camera near Forest Preserve Boulevard and Taylor Road captured an image of a black 2018 Chevrolet Suburban around 4:13 a.m. on Aug. 4.

A records check linked the vehicle to a Port Orange address, and detectives contacted the registered owner, who said the SUV was typically driven by his stepson, Jaden Joseph Brooks, the affidavit states.

A friend later told police he was with Brooks after midnight on Aug. 4 when Brooks drove into a neighborhood, retrieved a tool from the vehicle and walked toward the camera. The friend said he watched Brooks cut down the pole with a cutting tool before they returned to the friend’s home, according to the affidavit.

During an interview on Aug. 11 at the Port Orange Police Department, investigators said Brooks acknowledged driving the Suburban and admitted using a reciprocating saw to cut down the cameras.

Brooks told detectives he cut the cameras down because he disagreed with them and “was having a rough week,” the affidavit states.

Brooks was arrested Aug. 11. He now faces three counts of criminal mischief, though he was released later that same day on bond of $7,500.

The devastation has tested Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, and his government as it scrambles to respond to the disaster and civil society as it pushes to provide aid to the most affected communities.

De la Espriella said Wednesday evening that at least 265 people died in the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the country's west on Monday. The president said nearly 500 people were reported missing, though civilian-run databases put that number at more than 4,100. In total, more than 25,800 families were impacted, de la Espriella said.

“Our efforts are focused on the disappeared,” he told journalists in Colombia's capital.

Teams continued to pick through the rubble in the hardest-hit cities of Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, as time ticked away for victims to be found — and rescued — alive. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours crucial for retrieving survivors, though that threshold can be extended if those trapped have access to food and water.

On Wednesday afternoon, Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, told reporters that rescue teams continue to find signs of people alive under the rubble and are racing to save them.

“The next 20 hours are the most critical to find and rescue people alive,” he said. “Every minute is vital.”

Survival takes many forms in hard-hit areas

In Pereira, rescuers pulled Daniela Largo alive from the rubble late Tuesday, capping a complex 12-hour rescue in which crews carved a small opening in the debris to free her pinned arm and a doctor administered IV fluids to stabilize her. Wrapped in a blue blanket, the young woman was carried to an ambulance as firefighters embraced and onlookers cheered.

Another moment was marked by mourning, as a man was pulled from a building in the same city, lifeless and covered in a white blanket.

Across the coffee-growing region, among the areas worst affected by the quake, authorities have converted sports arenas, schools and other public buildings into shelters for thousands of displaced Colombians.

Ebert Jonathan Morales, a Cali resident, said his family lost everything in the earthquake.

“My house was completely destroyed. We can’t live there," Morales said. “It collapsed. The floor collapsed, the walls cracked. The roof came down.”

In Pereira and Cali, families have been sleeping in parks — some fearing aftershocks or the collapse of their damaged homes, others without homes to return to.

Colombia’s geological service has documented 130 aftershocks since the quake.

“We have the most important things: a roof over our heads, food, water and, in my case, medical care,” said Edith Penagos, 48, who was staying with her teenage son in one of the white tents set up in a Pereira park.

Rodrigo León Loya, a seismologist and geosciences professor at the University of the Andes, said the probability of an earthquake of a similar magnitude occurring in the same area is low but he would not rule out more seismic activity.

“Let’s remember that Colombia is full of active fault lines,” he said. “The question isn’t whether it can happen again. The question is rather when an earthquake of similar magnitude will occur at another of Colombia’s seismic sources.”

Aid groups provide humanitarian relief

In many areas, including the epicenter of the quake, Choco, the official response to the disaster has been complicated by the ongoing crises of deep poverty and civil warfare that has created waves of forced displacement for decades. The true impact of the earthquake in the jungled northwest remained largely unknown because cell service has been lost and many of the likely affected communities are remote, accessible only by river.

“This earthquake compounds an already severe humanitarian situation, and there is a need for increased support for the humanitarian response,” said Giovanni Rizzo, Colombia director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Many aid organizations were already on the ground in Choco supporting a 2016 peace accord between the government and leftist rebels, and responding to violence in the region involving other armed groups that has persisted since then.

Those humanitarian workers were able to quickly pivot to disaster relief, said María José Torres, the U.N. resident coordinator in Colombia.

“We have a presence on the ground. Therefore, our ability to be there, present with the people, I think, has increased exponentially,” Torres said in a statement Tuesday.

Regional partners promise to help

At the same time, aid from other countries and nonprofits abroad continued to roll in.

The State Department posted on its website that disaster response teams started to arrive in Colombia on Monday. The U.S. has also offered over $15 million in aid.

Mexico, meanwhile, said it had sent two military aircraft carrying 19.5 tons of nonperishable food and 19 members of Mexican security forces to Pereira, and it plans to send another 39 tons of aid in the coming days. A further 255 military specialists and 20 dogs are on standby to be sent to Colombia if needed.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele offered to send two planes loaded with 100 tons of aid.

On Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV thanked those contributing to recovery efforts and said he is praying for those killed, injured or otherwise affected by the earthquake.

“I want to express my solidarity with my Colombian sisters and brothers who have suffered the effects of the recent earthquake,” he said.

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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia, and Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Gabriela Aoun in San Diego and Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico City contributed.

The more than 80-acre site has been top of mind for residents in Eatonville, widely recognized as the oldest Black self-governing town in America. Dr. Phillips Charities assumed responsibility for maintaining the property earlier this year and says it has been working for months to officially close on it.

“There’s a few people in the town that have concerns,” said Ken Robinson, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities.

Robinson said closing on a property the size of the Hungerford site involves extensive due diligence, including environmental reviews and confirming easements.

“When you go to acquire a site as large as the Hungerford site you have to do due diligence… make sure the environmental is correct, make sure the easements are right,” Robinson said, adding the process typically takes about six months.

Dr. Phillips Charities acquired the property in February. July marked six months since the organization assumed responsibility for the site, and August is now month seven.

“So we’re coming to the end of it,” Robinson said.

Robinson also pointed to another complication delaying closing: a lawsuit tied to the sale of the site.

“There is a lawsuit,” he said.

The case — Association for Preservation of the Eatonville Community, Inc. v. Orange County School Board — was filed this year with support from the Southern Poverty Law Center. The lawsuit challenges Orange County Public Schools’ decision to sell the former Hungerford Prep site.

Robinson said multiple parties have had opportunities to weigh in during the process.

“Clearly everybody had an opportunity to speak… all of the parties involved sat at the table four different times,” he said.

Dr. Phillips Charities says its vision for the property includes a park-like setting with walking trails, shopping and entertainment, a festival space that could hold up to 3,000 people, affordable housing and a cultural museum. Robinson said the plan would be funded largely through tourism tax dollars.

As part of its agreement tied to the property, Dr. Phillips Charities has appointed a nine-member advisory board, made up of people the organization says have a strong interest in Eatonville’s future.

When asked about concerns that the board is “just for show” because it can advise but not enforce, Robinson pushed back.

“I would say they don’t know these people very well,” Robinson said. “Everyone on the advisory board has a very strong voice… we take their input very, very seriously.”

Advisory board member and attorney Bruce Mount Jr. described the group’s role as a connector between the charity and the community.

“Our role is to be that bridge,” Mount said. “We’re early on in the process, but what I’ve seen so far… I’m super optimistic.”

Both Robinson and Mount Jr. said they believe communication and relationships with the city are improving as planning continues.

Dr. Phillips Charities says it is hoping to close on the property soon. As for construction, the organization says it is aiming to break ground next year.

The rapid-fire developments came amid long-term questions about who will represent children in court amid President Donald Trump's push for mass deportations.

The administration last week announced plans to award the contract to the Burke Law Group, a Houston-based firm with little experience in immigration. The contract offer came after the administration let a key contract expire with nearly 100 providers through Acacia Center for Justice.

Unaccompanied migrant children in federal custody are being temporarily represented by another group, but it is unclear how things will shake out after its contract expires in December. A statement from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, which oversees the contracts, offered no insight into why Burke declined the offer.

“Burke Law Group has declined to apply and has not been awarded any grant," the agency, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement in response to a query about the contract.

Burke Law Group published a short statement on social media Tuesday night saying it had considered applying for a “small portion” of the contract. It did not explain why it decided against it.

Burke Law Group's founder, Marcella Burke, served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as a lawyer with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior.

Others on its roster include Justin Shubow, a supporter of Trump’s efforts to require federal buildings to adhere to classical and traditional architectural styles, and a former Trump appointee to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Prominent conservative legal scholar Ilya Shapiro is listed as senior counsel.

The administration awarded another contract worth up to $244 million to Our Rescue, an anti-child-trafficking organization based in Sandy, Utah. The group, previously called Operation Underground Railroad, was made famous by the 2023 movie “Sound of Freedom.”

Founder Tim Ballard resigned in 2023 amid allegations of misconduct. Women accused him in lawsuits of exploiting his position at Operation Underground Railroad and their desire to help combat child trafficking to abuse them.

Derek Benner, Our Rescue's current CEO, welcomed the new assignment.

“These are among the most vulnerable children in the world, and they deserve nothing less than the full weight of our experience,” said Benner, a former senior official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Migrant children who are detained after entering the U.S. without their parents are usually entrusted to federal government care. Congress created various legal protections for them, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which requires the government to provide legal representation for children put into deportation proceedings.

About 1,800 children were living in shelters and roughly 22,000 facing deportation were living with outside sponsors such as family members, according to the legal service providers whose contract expired.

The Burke Law Group, with fewer than 30 lawyers and only two with relevant immigration experience listed on its website, was one of two groups tapped by the government to fill in the gap.

A temporary contract for $20 million was awarded through the end of the year to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a legal aid group whose previous work with the government involved helping resettle Afrikaners.

Attorneys with USCRI started showing up in immigration court last week, unannounced, claiming to represent children they had not yet met and sparking confusion among judges and lawyers from the expired contract still providing representation.

Some legal aid providers whose contracts expired sued the administration after they went without payment since last year. On Aug. 6, a California federal judge ordered the federal government to pay the providers.

“These half-baked plans are not sufficient to comply with this court’s order,” Caelin Moriarity Miltko, an attorney representing the providers, told the judge last week, referring to the interim contracts the government is trying to set up.

“Plaintiffs have ethical obligations to the children they represent today, to continue providing that representation to the best of their abilities, and that representation cannot transfer instantaneously to a new group simply because defendants have changed the contract,” Miltko said.

Bilal Askaryar, director of communications at Acacia Center for Justice, the organization that handled the expired contract with the government, confirmed on Wednesday that the groups started to receive payments covering six out of nine months owed, with the rest in progress.

But for the people who spent days trying to escape the summer heat, protect medications and replace spoiled food, getting the lights back on has not erased what the outage cost them.

“It was stressful, very depressing,” resident Alfredo Sanchez said. “There was a lot of tension, the heat. You know, it was rough.”

Sanchez has lived in the community for six years. When News 6 returned Monday, five homes were still without electricity.

Sanchez said those remaining homes finally had their power restored late Tuesday night.

“We had the city inspector here yesterday,” Sanchez said Wednesday. “The electrician guy got here yesterday around 6:30, 7:00 at night to repair the damage with the power. He was done by 9:30. The five other people has power now.”

For those residents, the outage stretched from Wednesday until late Tuesday — nearly an entire week.

Sleeping in the car to escape the heat

For Sanchez, one of the hardest parts was simply trying to stay cool.

With temperatures climbing and no air conditioning inside his home, he said there were nights when he slept in his car so he could use its A/C.

“The hot weather,” Sanchez said when asked about the most difficult part. “The house being hot.”

He also had to worry about his insulin.

By Wednesday morning, Sanchez said he had been able to replace the medication. But another loss remains harder to recover from.

“I’m not behind on my medication now,” he said. “I’m behind on my groceries because I lost basically a $250 grocery I done.”

Fish, snacks and food he relied on for his everyday meals were among the items he said had to be thrown away.

Now, simple things inside his home feel different.

“The AC, able to open my refrigerator, get a drink, prepare a meal for myself that’s not spoiled,” Sanchez said when asked what he appreciated most after getting electricity back.

Neighbors helping neighbors

As the outage continued, Sanchez said some residents began helping one another get through it.

One neighbor relied on a generator. Sanchez said it cost about $23 each day to keep it fueled.

“I felt bad for the guy because he was putting, like, half of the money in the middle of the night,” Sanchez said. “He was staying with no gas. I personally filled it up for him myself with my own money.”

Sanchez described the community under normal circumstances as a place where neighbors spend time outside together, grill and share what they have.

“When it’s alive we all be outside, we be talking to one another,” he said. “We grill, we share it with one another.”

During the outage, he described a completely different scene.

“This was like a ghost town,” Sanchez said.

He described neighbors as “cranky, aggravated, frustrated, depressed” as the outage stretched on for days.

Medical equipment added another concern

Resident Oscar Bermudez, who has lived in the community for nearly three years, also spent several days without electricity.

Bermudez said his power returned Saturday, about three days after the outage began.

He is diabetic and also has sleep apnea, which requires him to use an electrically powered machine while sleeping.

“Luckily I have a small little generator, and I was able to sleep with that the first two nights,” Bermudez said.

If the outage had continued, he said he was considering taking an air mattress to the community center so he would have somewhere with electricity to sleep.

When his power finally came back, Bermudez returned home to check his appliances and refrigerator.

“The food in my fridge was already thawed out,” he said. “I had to throw a lot of that out.”

Residents say communication became another frustration

With the power now restored, both men say their attention has shifted from when the electricity would return to how the outage was handled.

Sanchez said he became frustrated as residents waited for repairs and repeatedly heard that delays were pushing the timeline back.

“I felt cornered because they was telling us a day, then they gave us another excuse,” Sanchez said. “Transportation delay, the mail delay, the delivery delay. Every day was a different excuse.”

When asked what residents should have been offered while they waited, Sanchez answered simply:

“Brought us water, food, got us shelter.”

He said he ultimately felt residents were forced to fend for themselves.

“I didn’t have no power, they didn’t help me find power,” Sanchez said. “I had no grocery, they didn’t help me to get grocery. I had no water, they didn’t offer water. So I had to go out there and try to survive on my own.”

Bermudez also said he wanted more communication from management.

“To be more responsive, to be there for the people,” he said.

He said he remained “kind of mad” even after getting his own electricity back.

Management office directs residents elsewhere

When News 6 returned to the community Wednesday, management was not working from the property’s office.

Instead, a sign posted on the office door directed residents to two phone numbers to reach management while staff worked from another property.

Residents told News 6 their concerns now extend beyond whether the electricity works.

Sanchez said he wants management to take responsibility for what happened and help residents who lost food or incurred other expenses during the outage.

“Accept responsibility for the problem that happened in the community,” Sanchez said, “and try to help people here that are really in need right now with food and drink, because everybody lost their food.”

Sanchez said that financial loss is particularly difficult for some residents who are waiting for their next checks before they can replenish what spoiled.

“I’m very angry about it and upset,” he said.

Bermudez said he has not been told whether residents will receive any reimbursement for what they lost.

He also worries the restoration may not be the end of the community’s electrical problems.

“Temporary fix that I know of because it’s gonna happen again,” Bermudez said.

He and Sanchez both told News 6 they have experienced electrical issues in the community before.

Power restored, but not everything feels fixed

For Sanchez, there is still a literal reminder of that concern near his home.

He installed a light outside to illuminate the area at night and help keep neighbors safe when it gets dark.

Sanchez says that light stopped working after the outage.

Even though electricity has now returned to every home in the community, he says the light still will not turn on.

It is a small problem compared with days without air conditioning, refrigeration or reliable electricity.

But for Sanchez, it represents a larger concern.

The outage may be over.

He does not believe everything here is back to normal.

“They just need to try to communicate more with the community,” Sanchez said. “And stop leaving us behind.”

Zhu died in Beijing at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the official news agency Xinhua reported.

Once sent into rural exile to do manual labor for praising reforms in other communist countries, Zhu pushed through a dizzying array of changes as premier, China’s top economic post, from 1998 to 2003 under former President Jiang Zemin.

Zhu clashed with Communist Party conservatives and state industry bosses as he pushed state-owned companies to become efficient and profitable. That cost millions of layoffs, but helped propel China to overtake Japan as the second-largest economy behind the United States in 2010.

Building on former leader Deng Xiaoping’s 1979 reforms, Zhu is credited with supplying the resourcefulness and tenacity to push through history-making changes such as China’s WTO membership, which helped to transform China into the world’s biggest exporter.

Those changes helped to keep economic growth above 8% a year from 2000 to 2010, peaking at 14.2% in 2007.

A spiky personality who fought corruption and conservatives

Named premier in 1998 at age 69, Zhu became a popular figure by criticizing official bungling and graft and accepting blame when the government fell short. His demanding style earned him the nicknames Boss and Zhu Fengzi, or Madman Zhu.

“I have prepared 100 coffins here — 99 for corrupt officials and one for myself,” Zhu said in 1998, according to the party newspaper People’s Daily.

Zhu ranked No. 3 in the party hierarchy behind Jiang and Li Peng, chairman of the ceremonial legislature, the National People’s Congress. But he was a technician without his own power base. Zhu complained that allowed officials to ignore his orders.

Zhu made his name as a deputy premier in the 1990s by crushing inflation. He enforced price controls and cut off loans to money-losing state companies, rebuffing resistance by local leaders — a pattern Zhu would repeat as he fought conservatives over the pace of reform.

Zhu led efforts to secure WTO membership following marathon negotiations that began in the 1980s. That status would enshrine free trade as a national commitment, giving Zhu a tool to force local officials to stop protecting favored companies.

Zhu’s campaign was nearly derailed when he went to Washington in 1999 with market-opening concessions to win U.S. endorsement of the WTO bid. The Clinton administration rejected the offer as inadequate, while his political enemies at home accused him of offering too much, but Zhu survived and China went on to join the body in December 2001.

Zhu launched China’s home ownership boom in 1998 with an initiative to sell apartments owned by state companies. Families rushed to buy, and within a decade the majority of urban housing was privately owned.

Still, Zhu was less an advocate of free enterprise than a skilled bureaucrat who carried out party orders to whip state industry into shape.

Zhu showed no interest in privatizing the economy. He played a key role in drafting plans in the 1990s to turn banks, airlines, oil companies and other enterprises into profit-oriented corporations but to retain government ownership.

Zhu stood out for admitting official failings

Born Oct. 23, 1928, in Mao Zedong’s home province of Hunan, Zhu paid an early price for his willingness to take risks and speak out.

After a start as an economic planner, his career went into a 22-year eclipse when he was labelled a “rightist” in 1957 for praising reforms in Hungary and Yugoslavia. He was banished to the countryside during the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution to do manual labor.

Rehabilitated in 1979, Zhu rose swiftly, becoming deputy Shanghai party secretary in 1987 and mayor the next year.

As mayor in 1989, Zhu gained a reputation for moderation when he placated protesters and pledged not to call in the military.

“He managed to defuse, with considerable subtlety, a tense political situation that could have developed into localized violence or worse if the military had felt it necessary to intervene,” wrote Australian diplomat Shelley Warner in the 1991 book “The Pro-Democracy Protests in China: Reports from the Provinces.”

Zhu’s boss, Jiang, would soon be called to Beijing by Deng and made party leader. Zhu was named deputy premier in 1991 and joined the party’s ruling Standing Committee in 1993.

Zhu broke with the leadership’s stance of infallibility by admitting and taking blame for official failings.

In 1998, after summer floods killed 4,150 people and officials were accused of embezzling money meant for anti-flood dikes, Zhu complained some barriers were no stronger than bean curd.

Three years later, he apologized on national television for his Cabinet’s failure to protect the public after an explosion in a schoolhouse in southern China killed at least 42 people, most of them children.

Zhu enlivened the party’s bland image by cracking jokes in public, sometimes at his own expense. Laughter erupted at a 1999 news conference when he said a recent photo “made me look like a dead man.”

One of Zhu’s proudest triumphs as deputy premier was to craft a tax system that required local officials to hand more revenue to Beijing. He said in 1996 that he deserved a Nobel Prize in economics for that.

Zhu rarely appeared in public after leaving office as premier.

Zhu was married to Lao An, a fellow Hunan native. Their son, Yunlai, also known as Levin Zhu, is a former CEO of China International Capital Corp., a government-owned investment bank.

Their daughter, Yanlai, led a charity organization supporting schoolchildren that was backed by Zhu Rongji.

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A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that Zhu died at 98. He was 97 years old.

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Leung reported from Hong Kong. McDonald, a longtime Associated Press journalist who retired in 2023, was the main author of this obituary.

Messi started the second half and received a loud ovation from fans at Miami's Nu Stadium. It was his first match since his father, Jorge, died Saturday at 68. Messi shared a tribute to his father on social media earlier Wednesday, saying he wasn't sure about his playing future.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you,” the post said in Spanish, shared on Messi’s Instagram. “I don’t know how to keep going. All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll keep doing it for much longer.”

Jorge Messi played a fundamental role in the soccer star’s career, serving as his agent and managing his business affairs. Messi returned to his native Argentina over the weekend, missing Miami's 2-1 loss to Monterrey on Saturday, but was dressed and on the bench before subbing in for Daniel Pinter at the start of the second half.

Juan Pablo Domínguez also scored for León, which used a three-goal second half to overcome a 1-0 deficit after Pinter put Miami ahead in the 42nd on an assist from Ian Fray. It was the second straight blown second-half lead for Inter Miami.

Arcila scored with a right-footed shot from the center of the box in the 50th, then whipped the go-ahead goal past Óscar García for his fourth goal of the tournament.

Yannick Bright also scored for Inter Miami, which was eliminated after winning the Leagues Cup in 2023 and reaching the final last year.

The Herons' chances of advancing were already bleak after entering the match 12th in the MLS standings following their loss to Monterrey. Only the top four clubs from the MLS standings and the top four from Liga MX will advance to the quarterfinals.

León, after winning its first two matches of the tournament, moved to first in the Liga MX standings.

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

A 4-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a home in Geneva, Indiana, during Tuesday's storms, the Jennings County Sheriff's Office said. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency when first responders, faced with flooded roads, couldn’t reach them. Officials in Portage, Indiana, were investigating whether the severe weather played a role in a reported house explosion that killed a person.

Lightning struck a prison complex southwest of Cleveland on Tuesday, injuring 16 incarcerated people who were hospitalized, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections. DeWine said four remained hospitalized as of Wednesday, including one with severe injuries.

Storm damage was reported from the Chicago area all the way to western Pennsylvania. Three tornadoes in counties south of Chicago were confirmed by the National Weather Service.

Flood warnings on Wednesday stretched from northern Illinois to eastern Indiana, and there were flash flood watches from Indiana to parts of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, the weather service said.

“Severe thunderstorm and heavy rainfall threats continue across the Plains, Midwest, Ohio Valley, and central Appalachians the next couple of days,” it said.

People had to be rescued from rising floodwaters

Authorities in Ohio and western Pennsylvania reported numerous water rescues. DeWine sent 40 Ohio Army National Guard members to help in two counties east of Columbus and he said dozens of local departments also responded to help, including from West Virginia.

Floodwaters barged into Kaitlyn Rodgers’ home in Crooksville, Ohio, early Tuesday morning, reaching knee deep as it stranded her and her husband and four children. With the currents too strong to make it out themselves, they were rescued by firefighters in a boat in the predawn darkness.

“Water just started pouring into the house,” she said. “Because of my house being very old, when the water was coming up I was very worried about the electric outlets that were on the floor, because there was water literally coming out of them, so I was afraid that my children were going to get shocked.”

In Athens County, Ohio, nearly 300 people called 911 for help on Tuesday, including 42 involving vehicles stuck in floods, with more calls Wednesday as high waters flowed toward the Ohio River, said the emergency management director, Teresa Fouts-Imler.

DeWine surveyed the hardest hit areas by helicopter on Wednesday and called the extent of the flooding “stunning.”

“These communities have been hit exceedingly hard in a historic way,” DeWine said during an afternoon news conference from Perry County. “They’ve been hit before with water challenges, but this is certainly the worst.”

The storms pummeled a wide swath of the Midwest

More than 650,000 customers were without power Wednesday afternoon in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to poweroutage.us.

Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power was still surveying the damage but had already identified more than 100 broken poles, some 650 downed wire spans and another 85 entangled with trees. About 76,000 of its customers remained without power, even after crews had restored electricity for 135,000, it said Wednesday.

To give Ohio's capital city time to grapple with power outages and cleanup, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther declared an emergency Wednesday.

Heavy rains and high winds damaged homes and inundated neighborhoods

Photos posted on social media from the Chicago area and across the state line in Indiana showed flooded roads, trees tangled in power lines and homes with gashes in their roofs.

“No power. It was very scary. We were down in the basement,” said Javid Jenkins of Homewood, a Chicago suburb. “We’re built for snow. We’re built for cold. We’re not built for this.”

Jenkins, 54, was driving around for gas to fire up a generator to preserve food in his refrigerator.

Forecasters said a wind gust of 99 mph (159 kph) was recorded in Gary, Indiana. Elsewhere there were numerous reports of gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more at personal weather stations.

Preliminary information indicated that the intense system that swept from Iowa into Indiana over several hours qualified as a derecho, the weather service's Storm Prediction Center said Tuesday evening. Derechos are prolonged straight-line windstorms that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far. The damage they cause is sometimes comparable to the destructive forces of tornadoes or hurricanes.

“Total devastation. No roof,” said Kerry Hourigan, standing outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. “Stupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It’s disappeared.”

Dayton, Ohio, set a daily rainfall record with 2.07 inches (5.25 cm), shattering a mark set in 1915, the weather service said.

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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press writers Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta and John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed.

The vote took place during a hastily convened meeting of Luxon’s center-right National Party lawmakers at Parliament in Wellington, which was held behind closed doors and ran for more than three hours. Luxon then emerged flanked by his lawmakers to give a brief statement and departed without taking any questions from reporters.

“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting,” he said. “I had the full support of our caucus and our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election.”

Luxon didn’t say how many lawmakers had voted for him to continue in the job, although such ballots are usually a secret.

Hours later, he said in a statement that the vote was prompted by a leadership challenge from his defense minister, Chris Penk, adding that he had removed Penk from his ministerial portfolios. On Wednesday night, Luxon's office distributed a statement from Penk, in which the challenger said he would quit Parliament altogether.

It was Luxon's second confidence vote since April

The vote was the second Luxon had called about his own leadership since April and leaves lingering questions coming so close to the election scheduled for Nov. 7.

The April vote followed drops in polling for National, while this week’s followed recent public remarks Luxon had made on various issues that some in his party saw as gaffes.

On Tuesday, the leader took the rare step of disclosing on social media that he faced renewed rumblings about his leadership, and announcing he would call a meeting of his lawmakers Wednesday to resolve it.

“It is my firm belief that division and disunity are a major distraction only 90 days out from the election,” he wrote on X. “I also believe this distraction is unfair to the New Zealand people, and dedicated National Party candidates, supporters and volunteers, when there is so much at stake.”

National has led a right-wing coalition government since New Zealand’s 2023 election. Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2020, had led the party since 2021.

Defense minister launched showdown

Details of who had prompted the leadership rumblings at first remained a mystery.

Nobody publicly confirmed plans for a leadership bid or expressed intentions to oust their leader, and those whose names were reported speculatively by news outlets denied it.

Several hours after the vote, Luxon named Penk as his challenger and said his now former minister’s position was “untenable.”

Penk, 47, was also the minister for building and construction, and responsible for the security services and space portfolios. A former lawyer who served in Australia’s navy, Penk entered Parliament in 2017.

He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, but in the statement Luxon's office attributed to him, Penk said he had “reflected on my political future with my family tonight” and would not seek reelection in November, effectively ending his political career.

“I am proud of the progress I have contributed to as a Minister this term,” Penk's statement said. “However, I have decided it is the time for me to seek other opportunities to serve New Zealand.”

The statement did not criticize Luxon or reference his leadership bid.

Meanwhile, Luxon’s political opponents lambasted him and his party.

“Backstabbing and infighting just means more delay and more distraction for New Zealand,” said Chris Hipkins, the opposition leader and leader of the center-left Labour party. “If National can’t govern itself, how can New Zealanders trust it to govern the country?”

Luxon’s remarks in recent weeks prompted fresh speculation

Among the recent remarks that appeared to prompt renewed leadership murmurings were comments Luxon made to a business audience earlier this month, when he said some business leaders in the country had a “parent-child mentality” and too often looked to the government for direction. Luxon, who was once an executive at Unilever when he lived in the United States, has always sold himself as a business expert and has sometimes pointed out where he sees New Zealand as falling short of global trends.

When elected, he pledged to use his experience to reverse New Zealand’s economic woes of recent years. This month’s remarks were lambasted, including by some in his own party, as being out of touch while the economy remained sluggish.

He later apologized for the comments. In another episode, he was forced to divulge that he had used a military aircraft to return to Wellington after a political party fundraiser.

Luxon also surprised his lawmakers this month when he promised a referendum on New Zealand’s electoral system if reelected – apparently without first telling his caucus. The episodes were seen among some in his party as an unwelcome distraction ahead of the election and revealing of Luxon’s relative political inexperience.

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This version has corrected that Luxon entered Parliament in 2020, not 2000.

The official, who was briefed on the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details of presidential travel, said Rubio was aware of the switch and details of the threat behind it but could or would not say why he had stayed on the plane. The official said Bessent was likely aware but did not know for sure.

The official, however, noted that security precautions for the president — especially one who has been the target of several assassination attempts — are more robust than those for even top members of the Cabinet.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the secretaries of State and Treasury follow the vice president and the highest ranking member of each chamber of Congress in the presidential line of succession.

Trump had flown to the annual gathering of NATO country leaders in Ankara, Turkey, in a new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet. But ahead of departing Turkey, he said he would fly partway home on an older-model baby blue Air Force One plane instead.

The president at the time said the new luxury jet was being flown out ahead of his departure from Ankara to give some U.S. troops based in eastern England a chance to check out the new Air Force One.

The Washington Post reported this week that Trump wasn’t on the old Air Force One on the return flight from Turkey and that he instead was smuggled onto another jet via a catering cart to avoid a possible Iranian assassination plot. The ruse was carried out as journalists and some White House staff members were led to believe they were on the same plane as the president as he began his journey back to Washington.

The New York Times and CBS News had reported last month that intelligence officials had raised concerns about a potential attack on the president or his jet, triggering additional precautions and the decision not to use the newly inaugurated aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar for the first leg of Trump’s trip home from Ankara.

Trump acknowledged the transfer late Tuesday.

“It’s only up to the Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military,” the president told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. “They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane, equal safety, but they wanted me to do it, so I do it, I do what they say.”