Discussion

At 900 PM GMT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Fay was located near latitude 29.8 North, longitude 43.9 West. The depression is moving toward the south near 2 mph (4 km/h), this motion is expected to continue for the next several days with a gradual increase in forward speed.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast over the next several days.!

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1009 mb (29.80 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

Discussion

At 800 PM CVT (2100 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Gonzalo was located near latitude 19.3 North, longitude 23.3 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the north-northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h) and this general motion is forecast to continue through the weekend, with a slow down and turn to the west-northwest expected by early next week.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast, and the post-tropical cyclone is expected to dissipate over eastern Subtropical Atlantic by the early to mid portion of next week.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km) from the center.

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

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

SURF: Swells generated by Gonzalo are expected to affect portions of the Cabo Verde Islands this evening before diminishing Sunday. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

Security checks on the stadium's perimeter went relatively smoothly with Tennessee officials opening the stadium 30 minutes earlier than normal. Fans got half-price off concessions as a reward for showing up early, and Tennessee faithful had the stands half full 90 minutes before kickoff and nearly packed an hour before.

Those in their seats were treated to a low-altitude flyover by Air Force One as the president came into town with the Volunteers and Longhorns warming up on the field below. Trump landed at 11:28 a.m. EDT ahead of the noon kickoff, according to reporters traveling with the president.

Trump's motorcade arrived at Neyland Stadium just as the national anthem was being sung at 11:59 a.m. Trump pumped his fist a couple of times when shown in his seat on the videoboards with Tennessee's U.S. senators on either side. One of them, Marsha Blackburn, is running for governor of Tennessee.

The president's motorcade left at 2:07 p.m. with the game in the second half.

The president's visit didn't appear to affect communications between coaches and players on the field thanks to some coordination before Saturday's game.

Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said earlier this week that teams had to be ready to lose all communication on their headsets between coaches on the field and the players “anytime (Trump) enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium.”

ABC/ESPN reported Saturday that both schools worked with the Secret Service on audio channels in hopes of keeping communications clear, noting an official timeout for a serious disruption could be an option.

The Southeastern Conference matchup between the No. 1 Longhorns and No. 14 Volunteers in Knoxville already was one of the biggest games in the country this weekend. Trump came to watch Texas quarterback Arch Manning play for the first time in the stadium where his uncle Peyton became famous.

How a presidential visit can affect radio communications

Trump has attended more college football games than any recent sitting president, and he arrived in Knoxville in the midst of a midterm election season and a heated debate over the role of money in college sports that Congress is trying to resolve. He has attended national championship games and regular season contests in the SEC and Army vs. Navy.

He also attended Game 3 of the NBA finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in June, went to the 2025 Daytona 500 car race, and presented the World Cup trophy to Spain at the final in July. And last year, he was the first president to attend a Super Bowl. He left the Super Bowl after halftime.

Headset communications emerged as the latest subplot surrounding this presidential visit. Coaches communicate with each other on their headsets throughout the game and also call in plays to the quarterback. Disruptions to those communications, from a deafening crowd, technical glitch or presidential security measure, can present problems for coaches and teams.

Coaches involved in last season's College Football Playoff championship between Miami and Indiana in New Orleans cited that game as an example of how Trump's movements affected them.

Trump left in the fourth quarter of a tense Indiana 27-21 victory. Sarkisian said Miami coach Mario Cristobal told him Trump's leaving at that point disrupted communications on the Hurricanes' final possession, which ended with a game-clinching interception.

Indiana coach Curt Signetti disputed Sarkisian's version of events around the final drive. But Cignetti noted communications briefly cut off in a key moment of the fourth quarter as Indiana was trying to protect its lead.

In his weekly radio show on Thursday, Cignetti recalled that when Trump left the game “around the 7-minute mark ... there were two or three plays we couldn't hear at all.”

That included a misdirection touchdown run by Miami's Malachi Toney.

“Communication device came back right after the (Toney’s) touchdown,” Cignetti said. “And we had no problem the rest of the game.”

According to the media pool report of Trump's movements at the game, the president left the stadium with “with just under 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter.”

The White House on Friday insisted Trump’s departure caused no problems for the teams.

“No, President Trump’s departure from the CFP championship in January did not cause headset or comms issues for the teams,” the White House posted on X.

It's unclear if Trump's presence at other games like the Super Bowl have created issues. An NFL spokesman declined to comment Friday when asked if league officials work with the Secret Service when a president attends a game like the Super Bowl to minimize any impact on team communications.

Trump's visit to Neyland Stadium

University of Tennessee officials sent a midweek advisory encouraging fans to arrive “significantly earlier” than for a typical game. Neyland Stadium has an official capacity of 101,915 with this game the 30th consecutive sellout.

Fans were warned of the Secret Service conducting enhanced screening at the stadium gates and to “expect increased wait times as kickoff approaches.”

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Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas.

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The Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) went 91 yards on the final drive — boosted by an unnecessary roughness penalty against Michigan on a third down at midfield. Brown's 29-yard pass to Addison Ostrenga set up the final play with 2 seconds on the clock.

Bryce Underwood threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan early in the fourth quarter — their second scoring connection of the game — but the Wolverines (3-1, 0-1) could not make enough plays on both sides of the ball to hold on for the win.

Iowa took its first lead early in the fourth quarter on Brown's 16-yard touchdown pass to Vander Zee.

Then Underwood dropped back, stepped up, rolled right and threw a long touchdown pass to Buchanan for a 19-14 lead. His 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.

Iowa lined up to go for it on fourth down at the Michigan 28 late in the game and left guard Leighton Jones was flagged for a false start. Facing a fourth-and-6, coach Kirk Ferentz chose to have Caden Buhr attempt a 51-yard field goal and it was wide right with 2:33 left to play.

Iowa's defense forced Michigan to punt again and its offense took advantage.

On Underwood's first touchdown pass to Buchanan, he converted a third-and-7 from the Iowa 18.

The lead didn't last long because Braeden Jackson, son of former NFL running back Fred Jackson, returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a score.

The Wolverines went back ahead early in the second quarter on Trey Butkowski's 41-yard field goal.

Instead of kicking another field goal later in the quarter, Kyle Whittingham went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Iowa 18 and Underwood's sneak was stopped.

Underwood was picked off Deshaun Lee, a former teammate at nearby Belleville High School, at the Iowa 2 early in the third quarter.

Injury report

Michigan running back Jordan Marshall appeared to aggravate an injury in the second half.

Right tackle Blake Frazier left the game in the third quarter, trying to keep weight off his right leg. Frazier was shifted from left to right tackle to fill in for Andrew Sprague, who missed a second straight game with an injury.

The takeaway

Iowa: The Hawkeyes beat a ranked Big Ten team on the road for the first time since 2015.

Michigan: The Wolverines had won 47 straight when leading at halftime in what was the longest active streak in FBS.

Up next

Iowa: Hosts No. 7 Ohio State next Saturday.

Michigan: Plays first road game at Minnesota next Saturday.

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The decision to halt development came just hours after the company disclosed Friday that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted in unexpected ways beyond what was asked of them while gathering and distributing information.

Separately, AI evaluator Transluce said agents that appeared to come from OpenAI tried unsuccessfully to hack into a Department of Education website, a detail that OpenAI has not confirmed.

OpenAI said in a statement that it will resume training “only when we are confident that we have additional safeguards” in place, adding that it expects it will have to “hit pause” again as AI develops and other issues emerge.

AI labs are facing pressure from lawmakers and tech experts to slow development so they can build guardrails to stop agents from acting on their own, hacking websites and disclosing nonpublic information. The heads of both OpenAI and rival Anthropic have called for a slowdown too.

It is the second time in three months that OpenAI has halted development of its models. The first came in July after disclosure of a cyberattack targeting AI startup Hugging Face, a now notorious incident that raised fears the industry was losing control.

In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, President Donald Trump agreed to share information on AI dangers and coordinate efforts to keep it safe. Trump believes AI fears are overblown, though, and later suggested that he plans no crackdown of his own.

The U.S. is not going to be “putting on brakes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “They want to stop our progress because we’re leading China by a lot, and we’re going to keep it that way.”

The latest OpenAI incidents did not appear to involve the disclosure of any nonpublic information but were concerning enough for the company to warn the federal agencies involved.

In the Department of Education incident, OpenAI agents found API “developer keys” to access government data, though ultimately only publicly available information was gathered.

In another case involving the Securities and Exchange Commission, agents found information freely available to all but then posted it elsewhere on the internet, an act that went beyond what they were instructed to do.

SEC spokesperson Kurt Hopfenspirger said Saturday that “no nonpublic information was accessed.”

The Department of Education said earlier that it found “no evidence of any impact to our website or databases.”

Several other AI companies have disclosed incidents of their models going rogue and even hacking websites.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a social media post Friday that the Hugging Face incident “is still the most severe event we’ve seen.”

OpenAI previously shared six other reports of “unexpected or concerning” behavior in AI models and introduced a framework for tracking, probing and disclosing instances.

It was only the fourth time since these matches began in 1994 that the Internationals — with only one victory in the Presidents Cup — have led going into the decisive 12 singles matches.

Min Woo Lee was part of both comebacks. He teamed with Sungjae Im in fourballs, going from 2 down against Justin Thomas and Jackson Koivun to earn a halve in the morning. Lee and Ryan Fox overcame an early deficit to blow past Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark in afternoon foursomes.

The final stroke of a long, loud day at Medinah was Corey Conners holing a 6-foot par putt on the 18th green with both teams gathered around. That was the final touch as Conners and Nick Taylor rallied from 3 down after 10 holes for a 1-up victory over Jacob Bridgeman and Russell Henley.

Among was watching was Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world whom U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker chose to sit out in the afternoon. Scheffler had played all five matches in the last two team competitions.

“As I said at the beginning of the week, Scottie Scheffler is not going to go out there and win us 15 points, so we’ve got to go out there as a team and do this together,” Snedeker said. “I challenged the guys this afternoon to go out there and be that team that we need them to be.”

And that's what he got — at least for a while.

The Americans were ahead in every match at one point on the front nine, just like they were in the morning, only for the plucky Internationals to fight their way back.

Even in fourballs in the morning, when the Americans wound up winning the session 2 1/2-1 1/2, it almost felt like a win for Geoff Ogilvy's squad.

“Both sessions having all red on the board, down in every match, and to come back and get 1 1/2 points out of this morning we felt like was a little victory,” Ogilvy said. “The U.S. team played so well all day. They played some really high-level foursomes especially this afternoon. For the boys to somehow come back and pinch two points out of that and split the session was amazing.”

The lead was the largest for the Internationals since 2003 in South Africa, the Presidents Cup that ended in a tie. They last led at Royal Melbourne in 2019 until the Americans rallied behind Tiger Woods, the playing captain that year.

Singles typically favors the Americans, and the Internationals have two players — Nico Echavarria and Christiaan Bezuidenhout — who sat out all of Saturday. Echavarria last hit a meaningful shot at Medinah on Thursday.

The Americans found their spark from the Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup — Young from New York, Gotterup from New Jersey — who were unstoppable. They won the first four holes in fourballs against Conners and Taylor in a 2-and-1 victory, and they were 5 up through seven holes in blowing out Im and Adam Scott, 6 and 4, the shortest match of the week.

Clark got the noise he wanted from Chicago fans, and Snedeker was on the seventh green raising his arms for even louder cheers when the Americans holed putts — and the Internationals missed.

Lee made his Presidents Cup debut at Royal Montreal in 2024 and was asked how this experience was different.

“I guess the crowd is different, not getting cheers for holing putts. It’s a bit different than any tournament, really,” Lee said. “We just had to be there for each other. I think that was a big part.”

The crowd was so boisterous that a volunteer had to retrieve one fan's dentures that had come out of his mouth from the upper deck of a hospitality tent on the 10th hole.

The Internationals have been at their best closing out matches. Now they have to find a way to close out a Presidents Cup the Americans have won the last 10 times.

“The goal at the start of the week is to be leading going into singles. That’s sort of what the first four days are all about,” Ogilvy said. “There’s still 12 points on the board, though, so we’ve seen in these team events all sorts of different things can happen.

“We’ve got to put our heads down and play for a big opportunity tomorrow.”

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Nolo was churning very slowly south of the Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). Its center was about 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Hawaii's southernmost point, and it was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane through the weekend while traveling westward to the south of the islands.

While direct landfall by the storm's center was not expected, forecasters said it could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island expected to see rainfall totals up to 20 inches (51 centimeters). Heavy rain also was expected on the other islands.

“Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down,” said Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center.

The humanitarian nonprofit group CORE and other partners spent the week packing and shipping supplies like camp stoves and hygiene products by air cargo from Oahu to the Big Island for a community relief hub that has been active since August's Hurricane Lala.

Residents are still recovering from Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

Hawaii prepares for northern edge of Nolo

About a dozen people were in the water Saturday morning at Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo on the Big Island, despite signs saying the strand was closed. Andrea Gill was out for her regular swim before heading back home to hunker down with family.

“I hope it stops just sitting there and moves and goes somewhere else,” Gill said of the slow-moving storm.

Shop owners boarded up businesses, and events were canceled. Gill said storms are common, but hurricanes are rare. She was holding out hope that the islands might not get the full impact.

“We're used to lots of rain. We're not used to wind. So it's always a blessing when we don't get the wind from the hurricane,” she said.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for the state Friday, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support.

Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members.

Hawaii County authorities on the Big Island urged people in flood-prone areas to consider taking refuge at shelters or elsewhere.

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews helping restore power in Kauai after this month’s Hurricane Lowell returned to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in preparation for the storm.

The Pacific has been unusually active this season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season. He said that pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.

Powerful Polo on forecast path toward Mexico

Meanwhile Mexico was under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it headed toward the Baja California Peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast. Polo had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph), making it a Category 4 storm, but it was expected to weaken somewhat before making landfall Monday.

One of the towns in the hurricanes projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja’s Pacific coast where access to basic needs is already fickle.

“Our people are concerned about this event,” said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel. “We haven’t faced such a worrying situation in many years.”

The town has only had full-time electricity for a couple of years, and it still experiences frequent outages. Without power, residents can’t refrigerate food or pump water. The closest gas station is so far away that fuel is stored in and sold from tanks, and supply frequently runs out if there is high demand.

Robles Meza said the community feels left to brace itself for the storm without the help of authorities.

“We must prepare on our own — each of us protecting our homes and belongings,” she said, adding that she wished officials would preposition heavy machinery for clearing roads, along with emergency generators.

For now, she said, the only plan is to convert the local elementary school into a shelter.

“While this is important, we also have other impacts to consider,” Robles Meza said, like what the town will do if it is cut off from help.

San Juanico has experienced late-summer storms, but Polo feels different, said Jeffrey Westman, an American who was first drawn to the town’s world-class surf break 40 years ago and owns a property there.

“During the last couple of years, the storms have felt big and strong and scary,” said Westman, 63, who was in Europe at the moment but worried for the locals, particularly about their ability to receive food deliveries or reach larger grocery stores if road access is cut off.

Washed-out roads could also block access to the closest medical facility, about 80 minutes away in Ciudad Constitucion.

Westman said hopes Polo behaves as some past storms have, losing intensity before reaching the peninsula.

“A lot of times they do start petering out,” he said. “I’m hoping that’s the case.”

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Associated Press writers Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Starting her second round on the back nine at Pinnacle Country Club, Coughlin began with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole and didn't make a par until the par-4 first. She made the turn in 9-under 26, hitting a wedge to about 3 feet on the par-5 18th for her ninth birdie.

Coughlin made only one birdie the rest of the way, closing with six straight pars for a career-best 61. After shooting a 2-over 73 in Friday's opening round of the 54-hole event, she moved up 106 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for 21st.

The LPGA single-round scoring record is a 59 by Annika Sorenstam in the second round of the Standard Register PING in Phoenix on March 16, 2001.

A three-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Coughlin is coming off a strong performance for the U.S. in a losing effort at the Solheim Cup. She played all five sessions, going 3-1-1.

The former Virginia player turns 34 on Sunday.

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Nola (7-11, 4.54 ERA) struck out eight over six innings in his last start Wednesday and took the loss as Philadelphia fell to Milwaukee 4-1.

The Phillies lost the next two games headed into Saturday and saw their NL wild-card lead over Arizona whittled to one game. Arizona plays Saturday night against San Diego.

The Phillies are 9-13 in September. Their magic number remained at two headed into Saturday.

Philadelphia had a 6 1/2-game lead over Arizona for the third NL wild card on Sept. 1 before going into a tailspin. The Diamondbacks got hot and took a six-game winning streak into Saturday's game.

The Padres and Chicago Cubs have clinched wild-card spots.

Should the race come down to Sunday, the Phillies will be forced to throw ace Zack Wheeler, which would burn him for potential Game 1 or 2 starts in the NL Wild Card Series.

Mattingly said the Phillies only briefly flirted with the idea of bumping up Wheeler a day.

Nola skipped his usual bullpen session Friday so he could take the mound against the AL East champion Rays. Mattingly said the right-hander throws 40-to-50-pitch bullpen sessions between starts and might not go much longer than that Saturday.

“If anybody's built for this,” Mattingly said, “it's probably Nola. He's a guy that's probably more old-school than anybody.”

The Phillies are in a bind with All-Star lefty Jesús Luzardo still on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation. Luzardo can be activated on Sunday and would be available to pitch if the Phillies need him.

The Phillies were shut out for the 12th time this season in Friday's 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay and have scored two runs over the last 27 innings. They have homered only once in their last 55 innings.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto entered in an 0-for-32 funk that’s dipped his average to .206.

NL batting leader and starting second baseman Luis Arraez is out indefinitely with a severely sprained left ankle. His absence sparked some lineup shuffling the last two games, with Bryce Harper back at first base and Bryan De La Cruz starting in right field. Bryson Stott was again at second base.

The Phillies could have clinched a wild card as early as Wednesday. They started Saturday — where heavy rain had a tarp on the field — suddenly in the conversation on the Philly sports scene as a team potentially poised to join the short list of worst collapses in franchise history.

Trea Turner was moved to the leadoff spot while Kyle Schwarber was dropped to second in the order.

“I just think there's pressure all the time,” Mattingly said ahead of the game. “I've always felt if you put pressure on yourself all the time to perform and hold yourself to a standard, this game is really no different than any other game. Obviously, we know there's a lot at stake. That's the beauty of kind of playing at a level all the time.”

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Tens of millions of people were in the path of the nor'easter, which was forecast to affect the mid-Atlantic area and New England throughout the weekend. Electricity was knocked out to about 100,000 customers in the region at one point.

The forecast showed no immediate reprieve. There will be “a lot of high winds, a lot of high tides and heavy rain possibility over the next few days for the northeastern U.S.,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

The highest tides were likely to occur north of Atlantic City, New Jersey, from Saturday night into Sunday, creating the potential for widespread road flooding in coastal and bayside communities, the National Weather Service said.

“Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

High waters overtake roads and businesses

In Long Island, New York, some people kayaked down flooded streets.

In the coastal New Jersey borough of Surf City, Kenny Formica sat at home watching surveillance cameras showing water rising inside the marina he owns. Water getting inside the building is rare, Formica said. The last time he remembers it happening was during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which he said caused more than $4 million in damage to his business.

Ahead of the storm, workers secured dock lines, moved loose items and equipment out of harm’s way and parked the marina’s trucks and forklifts at the highest point of the property.

Formica said he awoke to messages from customers reporting missing boats and Jet Skis. One customer sent him a video around 4 a.m. showing his 25-foot (7.6-meter) boat after it had blown off its lift.

“This is like an 8,000-pound boat and, you know, a $150,000 boat — just gone,” Formica said.

In Ocean City, Maryland, heavy surf caused beach erosion and washed out fencing by the dunes.

“In all the canals, the water is up really high and coming into people’s backyards,” Jay Boyd said by telephone.

Farther south in Norfolk, Virginia, Ellie Hodge watched from her front stoop as passing vehicles left wakes. The coastal city saw isolated flooding all week because of the nor’easter.

“We've seen cars get stuck on the road, going up the sidewalks,” Hodge said. “It's been pretty bad this time around.”

Flights, concerts and sports events scrapped

The storm forced a change of plans for many people. Hundreds of flights were canceled at Boston Logan International Airport, as were the vast majority of flights at the popular Massachusetts tourist destinations of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

The Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs — both gearing up for the playoffs during the final weekend of the regular season — shuffled the schedule for their three-game series, playing a doubleheader Friday in Boston to try to avoid the storm. Then the league rescheduled their Sunday finale to be played in Florida at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ed Sheeran canceled his high-profile concerts Friday and Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Also canceled: an Ironman triathlon in New York and the three-day Oceans Calling Festival in Ocean City, Maryland, which had been promoted online as “a wave of music.”

Farther south, a flooding-related highway closure on North Carolina’s Hatteras Island scrambled Jayden Sink and Kimberly Laprad’s wedding plans. The Virginia couple made it onto the island before the storm, but most of their roughly 45 guests were stranded on the other side of the closure, the Island Free Press reported.

A local campground offered a new venue, cabins and an officiant, and a DJ volunteered to provide music. Organizers invited anyone on the island to come celebrate with the couple Saturday afternoon.

The road to the island remained closed as state transportation workers assessed the situation.

“To folks on Hatteras, you are not on an island all alone,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a social media post. “North Carolina and county emergency responders are working hard to keep you safe and reconnected as quickly as possible.”

Officials urge caution

Nor’easters are not unusual as New England moves into the fall, but “this might be a little earlier than average for a big storm,” said Oravec, of the National Weather Service.

The storm’s slow movement could worsen beach erosion by subjecting the coast to a prolonged period of strong winds and waves, he said.

State officials along the East Coast urged people to use caution. Hochul said coastal flooding was the biggest threat, but heavy rains, powerful winds and waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters) were also expected.

In Long Island, ferry owner Stephanie Sherman paused operations between Patchogue and the barrier island of Fire Island.

“It’s been a pretty wild storm,” Sherman said. “But nothing that we haven’t experienced in the past. These happen every so often.”

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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press writers Allen G. Breed in Norfolk, Virginia; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; Annika Hammerschlag in Seattle; and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, contributed.

The Vatican estimated that 800,000 people attended — about 200,000 more than the number who had registered in advance. The turnout testified to the church’s lasting influence in France despite declining attendance and secularizing trends that have emptied churches across Europe.

The American pope greeted the flag-waving, cheering throngs from his popemobile during a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) parade along the grand boulevard leading to the Place de la Concorde for Mass, essentially the heart of Paris and a symbol of the French republic.

In his homily, Leo asked the crowds not to keep their faith to themselves, but to instead “let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied.”

“From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France,” he said.

Although a security blanket shut down central Paris to road traffic, the partylike atmosphere drew people of multiple faiths and no faith at all. The fervor spanned generations. People brought dozens of babies and young children from the crowd for Leo to caress on the head as he rode slowly past aboard the popemobile.

“The message of Pope Leo goes well beyond Catholic people; he speaks about social justice, for example,” said Leontine Joseph, 42, a fervent Catholic who came with two friends of Moroccan origin who grew up in Muslim culture.

An appeal to persevere against the trends

Leo has sought to encourage French Catholics to persevere in their faith “even amid the thorns” of a secular world during his four-day visit. It began on Friday with his arrival and prayer at the restored Notre Dame, the first by a pope since the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire. It continued Saturday night when Leo arrived in Lourdes in southern France, one of the Catholic Church’s most-visited shrines.

At the Catholic Institute of Paris on Saturday morning, the pope said he was surprised by the number of new converts in recent years.

“We must recognize, welcome and protect the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night, the tiny seed that strives to grow even amid the thorns,” he said.

Adult baptisms in France each year have tripled since 2016, hitting 13,000 this year. But statistics and experts caution that the uptick, which has also been recorded in secular Spain, doesn’t counteract the overall downward trend.

In 1980, there were 513,000 baptisms in France; in 2024, a total of 186,000.

The pope is a crowd-puller

The rivers of people who crammed central Paris and their joyful enthusiasm rivaled other communal but non-religious moments of celebration that marked France in recent decades. Huge crowds celebrated on the Champs-Elysées when France won the soccer World Cup in 1998 and again in 2018.

Many on Saturday didn't identify as Catholics, but came to hear the pope's message.

“People are seeing a lot of really terrible images. This kind of event reminds people of what is really important in life,” said Thierry Chen, a 40-year-old Parisian startup entrepreneur who is not Catholic. “You see a lot of different people here, so it’s not just about one race, religion or nation, but about a common belief in humankind.”

Sylvane Le Goff, 68, who lives in the Paris region, came with her 10- and 12-year-old grandchildren to “give them unforgettable memories.” Le Goff, who was raised Catholic but is not practicing, said she wanted to open her grandchildren’s minds.

“It’s not only about seeing the pope but it also is about his message of peace and unity, values I’d like to share with them,” she said.

Leo has clearly been impressed by the numbers and enthusiasm, especially at a Friday night vigil that kept the 71-year-old pope out until nearly 11 p.m. after a packed first day.

Some 80,000 young people filled the national stadium for an extravaganza of fireworks and a theatrical retelling of French Catholic history.

“Thank you for your courage! Thank you for your presence,” Leo said to raucous cheers, speaking off the cuff in French. “Thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!”

Mass adds a new chapter for historic Paris square

The imposing stage erected for the Mass, capped with a golden cross, and rows upon rows of choir singers, clergy and others who prayed under the pope’s gaze on Place de la Concorde marked a new chapter for the history-steeped square.

It was an execution site during the French Revolution. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were guillotined there. For many in France, it embodies the Republic and traditionally stages Bastille Day celebrations. In 2024, the Paris Olympics gave it a blast of modernity, using it for break dance, skateboard, BMX and 3X3 basketball events.

Organizers of the Mass said it was the only area in central Paris that could accommodate such crowds.

But the choice was criticized by supporters of France’s strict form of secularism in public life based on a 1905 law separating church and state. They argued that the site represents the Republic, and that other places such as the Invalides, a complex of buildings where Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass with 240,000 people in 2008, would have been more appropriate.

Leo’s Mass came as a birthday present for Jean-Claude Farnabe, who turned 63 on Saturday and spent the morning securing a spot.

A lifelong Catholic, Farnabe attends Mass in the Paris suburb of Suresnes every Sunday.

“There are more and more converts,” he said. “Many youngsters are interested in faith and in God. Every Sunday, I see new people, people aged between 25 and 40, who are getting baptized.”

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Fritz’s only career victory over Alcaraz came during Team World’s win over Europe in last year’s Laver Cup and the American had his chances to beat the Spaniard again.

But Alcaraz served an ace on Fritz’s first match point and then used a drop shot to save another, and Alcaraz finally won it on his third match point when Fritz got to his drop shot but couldn't get it back.

“The drop shot is part of my game,” Alcaraz said. “So in those moments, in those really close and important moments, I tried to use it because it was a really good weapon for me in this match and obviously I’ve been practicing the drops since I was a little kid.”

Fritz played a clean match with only nine unforced errors to Alcaraz’s 30. But Alcaraz led 42-20 in winners — often bringing the O2 Arena crowd to its feet, as Roger Federer and Andy Murray applauded from the front row.

It was Alcaraz's first singles match since he lost to Ben Shelton in a U.S. Open quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m. He won a doubles match with Jakub Mensik on Friday.

Earlier, it was all Team World — which is captained by Andre Agassi — as Alex de Minaur had a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 11-9 comeback victory over Alexander Zverev and Learner Tien outlasted Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.

In the final match of the day, Zverev partnered with Casper Ruud to beat Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-6 (7) in doubles.

Wins are worth one point on Friday, two points on Saturday and three points on Sunday. The first team to reach 13 points wins.

De Minaur draws blood

De Minaur had blood trickling down his right leg after a diving volley he produced in the match tiebreaker against Zverev.

“If you can notice, my blood is red as well,” De Minaur said, referring to the color of Team World's shirts. “It was a very tough match. A tough battle. I left it all out there and got fortunate in the end to get the job done and happy to give some points for Team World.”

Europe had led 3-1 after Friday's play.

“We were in the same position last year and it worked out pretty well for us,” De Minaur said. “We know we can do some damage. We know we’re the underdogs, but we also know that we can step out on this court and light it up.”

Zverev wasted a match point

Zverev served for the match in the second set but double-faulted to hand De Minaur a break and the Australian stormed back into it.

Early in the match tiebreaker, De Minaur leaped for a volley and ended up sprawled on the black court before popping back up as Zverev's reply sailed out.

A few points later, Zverev also went down in a worrisome moment but appeared uninjured after his feet slipped out from under him as he hit a backhand.

Zverev then wasted a match point when he played passively and chipped a forehand wide.

There was more caution from Zverev on De Minaur's first match point as the French Open and U.S. Open champion hit a weak overhead to let the Australian back into the point. De Minaur then produced a backhand up the line that Zverev couldn't get back.

How did De Minaur keep believing?

“Keep asking questions. Give yourself a chance. And you never know if you put the ball in the court, you might get lucky," he said. "So that’s what I did today.”

Zverev's defeat ended his nine-match winning streak after the second-ranked player had followed his U.S. Open title with two Davis Cup victories for Germany last weekend.

Tien's stamina

The day's opening match also had drama.

On Tien’s first match point, he produced a blistering forehand passing shot that Cobolli could barely get his racket on to conclude a 34-shot rally.

The 13th-ranked Tien was making his Laver Cup debut.

Europe has won the Laver Cup five times while Team World took its third title in last year’s edition of the Ryder Cup-style event.

Yannick Noah is Europe's captain.

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Simmons had the first sack in the first quarter for top-ranked Texas against No. 14 Tennessee. He had another in the second quarter. Simmons then had sacks on back-to-back plays in the third quarter. His final sack came in the fourth, forcing a punt that led to the clinching touchdown drive in a 20-17 win.

By the end, Simmons tied the program record with five sacks in a game, first set by Shane Dronett in 1990.

“He’s the best defensive player in the country,” Cryer said.

Simmons also made another highlight that was going viral by halftime. He sacked Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon in the second quarter, then started celebrating in a way that drew an immediate flag. The official announced the unsportsmanlike penalty for “simulating” using the restroom.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and some of Simmons' teammates made clear to him immediately that the edge rusher crossed a line.

“We took him out, we addressed it and put him back in,” Sarkisian said. “At that point, I’m not going to give the guy a death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct. We got to fix it though. That can’t continue.”

The 6-foot-3, 246-pound junior was remorseful after the game.

“I also do want to say I apologize for the celebration,” Simmons said. “I was definitely in that mode feeling myself. But it happens.”

Simmons more than doubled the two sacks he had coming into the game. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Brandon, a freshman, could have helped himself getting rid of the ball faster and the offensive line could have been better.

“You combine all of that together, and you play a good person on the other side, you just cannot win that way,” Heupel said.

Simmons has 28 sacks in 33 career games at Texas. He set the tone for a defense that piled up 10 sacks to open the Longhorns' Southeastern Conference schedule.

“Five sacks was pretty cool,” Sarkisian said.

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Public jail records do not specify the date of Misael Ramos' alleged rioting, but Ramos' attorney said that his client was accused of “engaging in a riot on the 20th of September," the day of the protests over the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin.

Ramos denies any wrongdoing and will contest the charge, his campaign said in a news release.

“I didn't see any riots,” said Ramos' attorney, Edmund Skip Davis. “I saw people out there chanting and protesting.”

The arresting agency didn't immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press, and the details of the allegations against Ramos aren't yet clear. Ramos, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is running for city council in Austin.

Ramos was released during a news conference outside the county jail Saturday, with the crowd erupting in cheers. Ramos thanked those for being there, saying it was “one of the craziest mornings I have had in a long time.” He spoke of his surprise arrest and against federal immigration raids in the community.

“When we fight,” he said, to which those gathered replied, “we win!”

Garces Perez was shot and then taken to a detention center after an encounter with an immigration officer. An attorney for Garces Perez has said he was an asylum seeker and had a valid work permit.

Some Democrats have criticized the shooting, and the encounter has sparked protests in Austin, including a gathering outside the Texas Capitol on Monday night.

“Like the hundreds of Austinites who were shocked to hear news that an ICE officer shot someone in the back, Misael quickly joined people at the scene of the incident to offer his condemnation of the incident and show solidarity by holding the line in the protest, chanting, and amplifying the incident through campaign channels,” Ramos' campaign manager, Jeffrey Clemmons, said in a statement provided to AP.

Kristen Dark, a spokeswoman for the Travis County Sheriff's Office, confirmed in an email that Ramos was booked into the agency's custody around 9:30 Saturday morning on a charge of participating in a riot.

Dark said additional details would have to come from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which conducted the arrest. The agency didn't immediately respond to calls or emails from the AP.

Garces Perez was making a DoorDash delivery Sunday afternoon when ICE officers in an unmarked truck sideswiped his car twice, his attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch has said. He was shot and taken to a hospital, then released into ICE custody with a bullet still in his back, she said.

ICE and DHS haven’t said what led to the shooting beyond that Garces Perez was “the subject of a targeted vehicle stop.”

No. 16 Louisville wasn't up to the task against Wake Forest when it became engaged in a second straight back-and-forth scoring contest.

With President Donald Trump looking on from a suite at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Texas held off No. 14 Tennessee 20-17 after Colin Simmons recorded five of his team's 10 sacks of freshman Faizon Brandon and the Longhorns survived a Hail Mary after the Volunteers recovered an onside kick.

Jeremiah Smith stole the show in Columbus, tying the Ohio State record with four touchdowns and a career-high 12 catches for 217 yards in a 42-19 victory over Illinois.

Texas Tech linebacker Austin Romaine returned interceptions for touchdowns on back-to-back defensive plays early in the second quarter — something that hadn't been done by a major-college player since 2013 — and the Red Raiders pulled away for a 49-14 win over Sam Houston.

Simmons led a huge defensive effort by the Longhorns. His five sacks were most in the Football Bowl Subdivision since Ivan Pace Jr. of Miami (Ohio) had six against Akron in 2019.

Tennessee had just 136 total yards and was averaging 2.2 per play before Brandon led an 80-yard drive that pulled the Vols within three points with 1:22 to play. Brandon was sacked twice before Texas broke up his desperation throw to the end zone on the game's last play.

“Shoutout to our defense,” quarterback Arch Manning said in a postgame television interview. “Colin Simmons, that’s a real player right there.”

Ohio State's Smith made defenders look silly on two of his four touchdown catches. On his second, a 72-yarder, he made two quick moves to shake Mac Resetich on his way to the end zone. On his fourth, he completely turned around Juice Clarke while getting open on his 26-yarder.

Texas Tech broke away from Sam Houston thanks to Romaine. Brock Gowlas, his teammate, leaped to deflect a pass thrown by Brett Holloway. Romaine, who had also jumped, then grabbed the ball out of the air and ran 15 yards for a touchdown with 14:54 left in the first half.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Bearcats starting quarterback Landyn Locke was back in the game, and his pass on first down was picked off by Romaine. That 31-yard return made it 21-0, only 7 seconds after his first pick-6.

Louisville's loss

The Cardinals have been vulnerable on defense through the first month of the season, and they paid the price against Wake Forest. They likely will have to win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship to make the College Football Playoff. An at-large bid with two losses before October is a big ask.

Louisville came into the game near the bottom of the ACC in total and scoring defense, and the Demon Deacons came away with points on six of their first 10 possessions.

The Cardinals had two chances to get the game to overtime, but Carson Hilbert's 42-yard field-goal attempt was wide left with 2:29 left and Gabe Kirschke blocked Nick Keller's 57-yard try with 15 seconds left.

Best of the rest in SEC

— No. 4 Mississippi, coming off its emotional win over LSU, was made a surprising underdog by oddsmakers for its game at No. 21 Florida.

— No. 19 Missouri visits No. 24 Mississippi State in a game featuring quarterbacks Austin Simmons of the Tigers and Kamario Taylor of the Bulldogs.

— No. 23 Texas A&M visits No. 10 LSU for a game between teams in bounceback mode. The Aggies are coming off a home loss to Kentucky and will be playing the Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the second year in a row. The Aggies won easily last year.

Oregon-USC tops Big Ten schedule

No. 20 Oregon, which entered the season ranked No. 2 and a trendy pick to win its first national championship, finds itself in a near must-win situation at No. 12 Southern California.

Oregon went to Oklahoma State two weeks ago and left with a shocking loss, and that was after the Ducks held off Boise State in their opener. The defense gave up a combined 66 points in those games and shaky offensive line play has led to seven sacks of Dante Moore so far.

The Trojans' defense also has had problems. USC shut out Fresno State in its second game but otherwise has been unimpressive. Last week, the Trojans didn’t put away winless Rutgers until the final four minutes.

The co-main event in the Big Ten has No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan. The Hawkeyes have the top defense in the nation and an offense that has put up uncharacteristic big numbers, albeit against light competition. Michigan is looking for a more complete performance after tussling with UTEP through the first half last week.

K-State faces Big 12 road test

Kansas State has been better than expected under first-year coach Collin Klein. Now the Wildcats go on the road for the first time to play their first Power Four opponent and Big 12 opener against Cincinnati.

Avery Johnson is averaging 290 yards per game in total offense and the defense, second nationally, has held opposing passers to 44% accuracy, one touchdown and 86.7 yards per game.

Cincinnati had to make up a 21-point halftime deficit to beat Miami and get to 3-0 and would love to be 4-0 before playing back-to-back road games and then a slew of ranked opponents.

Group of Six marquee game

The key game among the Group of Six teams sends Boise State of the Pac-12 to Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference.

Boise State played Oregon close on the road and picked up a solid victory over Memphis before surviving against South Dakota of the Football Championship Subdivision last week.

Western Michigan has beaten Monmouth and Rice since its heartbreaking and controversial loss at Michigan.

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This story has been corrected. A previous version reported erroneously that Ohio State was unbeaten.

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Romaine, the senior transfer from Kansas State, became the first FBS player in 13 years with such quick pick-6s. They came seven seconds apart in the opening minute of the second quarter in the No. 11 Red Raiders' 49-14 win over the Bearkats on Saturday.

“Coach McGuire sent me a message just saying cut it loose and play free,” Romaine said. “And I just did a lot less thinking this game.”

The Red Raiders led only 7-0 before fellow linebacker Brock Gowlas leaped to deflect a pass thrown by Brett Holloway. Romaine, who had also jumped, then grabbed the ball out of the air and ran 15 yards for a touchdown with 14:54 left in the first half.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Bearcats starting quarterback Landyn Locke was back in the game, and his pass on first down was picked off by Romaine. That 31-yard return made it 21-0.

Navy’s Dashaun Peele returned two interceptions for touchdowns against Charlotte in 2024, but Romaine is the first FBS player with pick-6s on consecutive throws since 2013.

DeVon Edwards returned two interceptions for scores on consecutive throws late in Duke’s 38-20 win over North Carolina State on Nov. 9, 2013. Edwards also had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in that game.

Romaine had 184 tackles (110 solo) the past three seasons with the Wildcats. His only interception for K-State came in a game against Texas Tech last season when he had a cast on his left hand.

After winning their first Big 12 championship and going to the College Football Playoff last season, Tech had six defensive players taken in the NFL draft. That included All-America linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

McGuire, who felt that Romaine had been pressing, sent him a couple of texts and then spoke to him before the game.

“I said, ‘Man, I don’t need Jacob Rodriguez. He’s not coming back. I need Austin Romaine. There’s a reason we brought you here. Go out and be Austin Romaine, go be that guy,’” McGuire said. “And he showed up today, I thought he played free.”

When Gowlas batted the ball straight up in the air, Romaine went up and got it. On the next play, the Bearkats put a receiver in a motion while Romaine stayed where he was supposed to be on that play.

"I was in disbelief that I did it twice in a row,” Romaine said. “I just saw that slant coming across, and the ball was right there.”

The last time the Red Raiders had two pick-6s in the same game was when Kevin Curtis and Antwan Alexander both had one in a 58-0 win over Oklahoma State on Nov. 11, 2000. Romaine is the first Tech player with two in the same game.

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The collection treated the house's Sicilian codes as an inheritance to be updated rather than abandoned: a trousseau passed from grandmother to granddaughter, including nubby tweed suits updated with leopard trim and skirt, youthful bloomers and bra tops cut from checked tablecloth print worn with sheer stockings, and lace slips embellished with fringe and beads.

Crocheted doilies, which if not inherited can be easily found in Italian markets, became demure skirts and dresses.

Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana courted younger customers with the generational exchange, mixing glammed-up denim with gardening boots, while preserving their signature black dresses, lingerie looks and animal prints.

Outside the showroom, fans waved signs for K-pop star Choi San and Japanese actor Hikaru Iwamoto. But it was “J-Lo” that they chanted in anticipation as guests streamed out of the runway show.

Lopez, who has a decades-old relationship with the fashion house, joined the designers at Vogue World earlier this week wearing a Dolce & Gabbana strapless black tulle gown with sequin detailing.

During the runway show, the singer and actress watched the models attentively, where one glam piece stood out as worthy of a diva: a trailing animal print hooded cape with gold detailing and trimmed with faux fur and worn over baggy jeans.

Substitute Mikel Oyarzabal came back to haunt England with his 74th-minute winner at Wembley.

Oyarzabal also scored the winning goal when Spain beat England in the final of the European Championship in 2024. On this occasion he calmly chipped goalkeeper James Trafford from close range to complete the world champion's comeback after trailing 2-1 at halftime.

England was punished for missing a penalty — to go 3-1 ahead — and for mistakes that led to Spain's first two goals.

“We couldn’t unfortunately convert the penalty, that may have been the decisive moment because I think then Spain would have maybe for the first time believed that their long run of unbeaten games ends here,” England coach Thomas Tuchel told broadcaster ITV Sport. “The third goal, I think, was the only goal that they really scored. The other ones there were too many individual big mistakes.”

In Spain's first game since beating Argentina in the World Cup final, its long-running unbeaten streak was put under serious threat. But Luis de la Fuente's team responded like champions to make a winning start to its Nations League campaign.

Lamine Yamal got Spain off to a flying start, needing less than two minutes to score when he dispossessed England defender Marc Guehi and fired low past Trafford into the far corner.

Spain dominated the chances and the scorer of the winning goal in the World Cup final, Ferran Torres, twice failed to make the most of opportunities when through on goal.

After surviving those scares England leveled through Antony Gordon after a swift breakaway in the 36th, combining with Jude Bellingham and sliding a low shot past Unai Simon.

England went ahead only four minutes later through Kane, whose header deflected off Marc Cucurella.

Early in the second half England had the chance to extend its lead when Rodri brought down Kane in the box and after VAR review was awarded a penalty. But Spain was let off the hook when Kane slipped during his run.

That miss proved even more costly when, on the hour, substitute Alex Baena curled a low shot into the corner to level the game again, with Nico O'Reilly guilty of losing the ball close to goal. Spain completed its comeback as Oyarzabal coolly converted from Baena's assist.

“We had a terrible start, the worst start possible. It makes it so difficult to be behind against this kind of team,” Tuchel said. “There will always be moments where you suffer against a team like this, the details matter. It matters that you take your chances and you reduce the decisive mistakes. This was not in our favor today.”

Modric's enduring class

Even at the age of 41, Luka Modric is still delivering for Croatia.

The veteran midfielder scored his nation’s opening goal in a 2-1 win away to Czech Republic.

Spain tops Group A3 ahead of Croatia on goals scored.

New Scotland coach Sebastien Pocognoli started with a 0-0 draw against Slovenia.

Zeki Amdouni scored two goals in Switzerland's 3-0 win away to North Macedonia, and Joel Pohjanpalo scored a hat trick as Finland routed bottom-ranked San Marino 7-0.

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Break out the victory cigars.

“It's just kind of a little bit of a tradition here at Tennessee, so we had cigars or somebody had cigars in there,” coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I’m not certain. So my suit’s probably going to stink whenever I get on the plane.”

Colin Simmons tied the program record with five sacks as Texas held the 14th-ranked Volunteers 20-17 on Saturday with President Donald Trump on hand.

The cigar tradition stems from the Alabama-Tennessee rivalry, which Arch Manning's uncle Peyton played in for the Vols in the 1990s.

“It’s not about me,” the Texas quarterback said. “I didn’t play very well, but our team played great. Defense played well.”

Raleek Brown ran for 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and his 4-yarder with 5:41 left gave the Longhorns (4-0) the winning margin in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Giannis Spetic kicked a pair of field goals.

“We win big games around here, we do,” Sarkisian said. “I know we don’t win them all, but we won a lot of them. And what an incredible performance by our defense.”

Texas dominated defensively with 10 sacks, led by Simmons. The linebacker's day for the record books also will be remembered for his vulgar celebration after one sack. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct with the referee saying Simmons was “simulating” using the restroom.

“We took him out, we addressed it and put him back in,” Sarkisian said. “At that point, I’m not going to give the guy a death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct. We got to fix it, though. That can't continue.”

Tennessee quarterback Brandon Faizon made it interesting late, capping an 80-yard drive with a 30-yard TD pass to Mike Matthews with 1:22 left. Linebacker Arion Carter recovered the onside kick, and Jelani McDonald batted away Brandon’s Hail Mary pass to Travis Smith Jr. in the end zone on the final play.

Sarkisian called it a crazy finish to a game in which Texas also gave up a 57-yard punt return by Qua Moss for a TD. Sarkisian took a timeout that gave Tennessee a second chance at the onside kick after sending the first out of bounds.

“Next thing you know you're fighting to finish a game, which we were able to do,” Sarkisian said.

Manning threw for 201 yards while being sacked six times. He also was intercepted once with the Longhorns needing the smothering defensive performance on a day with too many penalties, including two illegal forward passes by Manning.

Tennessee (3-1) hadn't beaten The Associated Press' No. 1 team since 1985, and that drought continues.

“Up front we weren’t good enough,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “Quarterback was not good enough. We didn’t play smart enough, but I’ll take the effort.”

Record performance

Simmons matched the five sacks by Shane Dronett for Texas against Texas Tech in 1990.

The takeaway

Texas: The Longhorns have lots to clean up, particularly when it comes to penalties they can control. They piled up 11 for 115 yards with seven of those in the first half. Jermaine Bishop Jr. wiped out his own 22-yard punt return in the third quarter with a fair catch signal that officials noticed.

Tennessee: The Vols came in 14th nationally in total offense at 516.3 yards per game. They came nowhere near that with Brandon surviving a beating in his SEC debut. Brandon finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards. He didn't talk to reporters after the game.

Heupel said the freshman “didn’t get rid of it when he needed to get rid of it.”

Up next

Texas has a week off before playing Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 10.

Tennessee hosts Auburn on Oct. 3.

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After Brandon Lowe hit a foul popup starting the sixth, Hinch walked from the dugout toward the plate and pointed toward the seats. Genevieve Verlander, wearing a Tigers jersey with her dad's name and number, sprinted to the mound and hugged her father, who reached down to embrace her and started shaking and sobbing.

Hinch joined them about 25 seconds later for another hug, and then Verlander was surrounded by Tigers teammates who came to the mound. The 43-year-old right-hander, a 10-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner over 21 major league seasons, left the field for the final time, holding his daughter's hand, as the Comerica Park crowd gave him a standing ovation.

His wife, model Kate Upton, held 1-year-old son Bellamy while joining Justin and Genevieve for a group hug on the warning track in front of the Tigers dugout, and Justin high-fived teammates and doffed his cap to the crowd before descending the dugout steps with his family.

In all, there was a 5 1/2-minute wait until reliever Tyler Kinley threw his first pitch.

Verlander allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and six strikeouts in his 91-pitch outing. He was making his second start of the year and first since March 30 in a season derailed by a sore hip and hamstring injury.

He entered 266-159 in his career and finished with a 3.33 ERA and 3,560 strikeouts, eighth on the career list.

Pittsburgh's fifth batter, 20-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin, had not been born when Verlander made his debut for the Tigers on July 4, 2005.

Verlander received a standing ovation when he headed to the bullpen to warm up, and a longer one when he returned to the dugout before the first pitch. Academy Award winning J.K. Simmons, a longtime Tigers fan, announced him as part of Detroit’s starting lineup.

Verlander took the field for the first inning to another ovation — this one alone on the field as his teammates stayed in the dugout to give him the spotlight.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead against Verlander on solo homers by Lowe in the fourth and Nick Gonzales in the fifth, the first on a 89.7 mph fastball and the second on a curve.

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Meanwhile, Iranian media outlets said the country's president has left New York after the United Nations gathering of world leaders that included Iran's indirect talks with the United States. And Saudi Arabia says it has intercepted another missile it blames on Iran -backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen.

Here is a look at the latest news from the Middle East on Saturday. More coverage of the U.N. General Assembly is available here.

Trump rejects Iran proposal to reopen the Strait

Iran offered this week to reopen the strait and resume talks on its nuclear program in seven days if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that would include Lebanon.

But on Saturday, Trump rejected the proposal saying Iran wanted to make a deal because it was “losing so badly.”

“They want to make a deal and I think that’s fine,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before leaving for a college football game. “I’d like to make a deal, too. But that deal would not be acceptable.”

Iran effectively closed the strait after the U.S. and Israel attacked the Islamic Republic in late February, and the number of ships passing through has dropped significantly because of Iranian threats and attacks on vessels in the waterway.

Iranian outlets say the country's president has left New York

Semiofficial media outlets in Iran reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian has left New York for Tehran after the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders.

Pezeshkian's speech to the gathering pushed back against Trump's latest threat to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic, but he ended by saying Tehran remains open to diplomacy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told journalists Friday night that under Tehran's proposal, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks on its nuclear program in seven days if the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that would include Lebanon.

Iran's president says supreme leader, still unseen in public, has no health issues

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told CBS that, from his viewpoint as a physician, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has “no specific ongoing health issues” despite not being seen or heard in public since the war with the U.S. and Israel began in February.

The interview will air Sunday.

In the transcript CBS released, Pezeshkian described his most recent meeting with Khamenei as lasting over seven hours. “But, of course, he was healthy enough to be able to withstand those hours of that situation. From a medical standpoint, he’s completely healthy,” the president said. When asked whether the supreme leader’s face and legs have recovered, Pezeshkian responded, “Yes.”

Khamenei’s father and other family members were killed on the opening day of the war.

Saudi Arabia says it intercepted a missile fired by Houthis

Saudi Arabia’s military spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, claimed early Saturday that a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen was intercepted and destroyed. He said it was fired toward the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait.

The Associated Press couldn’t immediately verify that independently. There was no immediate statement of responsibility, though it can take days for the Houthis to issue one.

A regional body representing Arab Gulf states, the Gulf Cooperation Council, condemned the latest Houthi attacks as a “grave escalation and threat to regional security” and urged the international community to respond.

Iraq seeks exemptions to US sanctions on Iranian airlines

Iraq said it is in direct contact with the U.S. to secure exemptions from sanctions on Iranian airlines as Washington continues economic pressure on Tehran.

The Iraqi prime minister’s office said the aim is to get exemptions for certain airports, noting flights for humanitarian reasons such as medical treatment, education and religious pilgrimages.

Many pilgrims in neighboring Iran visit sites such as Karbala and Najaf.

Trump again posts a map calling key waterway ‘Trump Strait’

Before rejecting Iran's proposal Saturday, Trump posted an image on his Truth Social platform of the Strait of Hormuz labeled “Trump Strait." It is not the first time he has tried to antagonize Iran in this way.

The White House on Friday said only that U.S. officials were having positive and constructive conversations with mediators on the Iran war. Earlier in the week, Iran and the U.S. participated in hours of indirect talks.

Israeli settlers seize more water sources in the West Bank

Israeli settlers have intensified efforts to seize natural springs and heritage sites in the occupied West Bank. The springs are vital for drinking water, tourism and agriculture and increasingly inaccessible to the 2.8 million Palestinians living there.

In the Jordan Valley, settlers cut a water pipe to a Palestinian village, redirecting it to a pool they named after Herod, the Roman-appointed king of Judea. Israeli rights groups say the move is part of a broader effort to claim heritage sites.

The struggle for water access highlights the ongoing contest for control of the West Bank, where Palestinians have faced shortages since 1967.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

In a letter from the city’s director of HR, it’s announced that Interim City Administrator Radley Williams and Finance Director Blanche Sherman were “separated from employment” due to a reorganization.

The letter goes on to say the separation is effective Oct.1st, and that each is on paid administrative leave until that date.

HR Director Joe Patton continues, saying each has received the option to accept a six-week paid severance package; however, they have chosen to take time to review that package.

In recent months, News 6 has looked at controversial rate increases in the city.

One of those increases is the city’s millage rate. Earlier this month, a rate jump was approved. The increased rate is expected to bring in approximately $2.1 million more than the previous rate would have. While the rate jump will bring in more money for the city, that tax will have to be paid by homeowners.

This also comes after the city raised the rate on water, sewer, and garbage the day before the millage rate. Again, this rate increase will fall on the backs of homeowners.

A notice sent to residents earlier this year tied the increase to anticipated operating costs, capital expenses and continuing cost increases.

Mayor Nick Nesta commented saying ““We didn’t want to raise rates, but we gotta get these projects done,” said the mayor. “At the end of the day, if you want quality water and water that has the right pressure... these projects have to get done.”

We’re asking the city multiple questions, including what exactly led to the new job cuts, and if the jobs will be replaced.

We’ll let you know what we learn.

“Does Berlin understand what this could lead to?’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asked in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders. “Didn’t they not learn the lessons of World War II?”

Lavrov was dismissive after the German and Russian foreign ministers met Saturday on the sidelines of the meeting, holding what’s believed to be the first such tête-à-tête since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“He simply reiterated his official public position condemning Russia,” Lavrov said. “You can judge for yourself whether that counts as dialogue or not.”

The meeting, at German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s request, came just before Lavrov addressed world leaders, where he also criticized the militarization of Japan. He made clear that Russia will veto any attempt by Germany and Japan for permanent seats on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. The two nations fought Russia, Britain and the United States in World War II.

A German delegation official said that during their meeting Wadephul called on Russia to abandon its “dangerous path of escalation” toward Germany, Europe and the NATO alliance. Ties between Russia and Germany have soured in recent weeks, following an attempted drone attack last month at Leipzig airport — Germany has blamed the incident on Russia — and tit-for-tat responses that followed it.

Wadephul expressed openness to a better relationship but said it required a genuine willingness from Russia’s leadership to end the war in Ukraine, according to the official.

The German news agency dpa reported that the roughly 20-minute meeting took place in a room provided by the Russian side and ended with both ministers shaking hands.

Later, Lavrov said at a news conference that “nothing new" came from the conversation.

Then, Lavrov denounced the West in his speech

After the meeting, Lavrov went on to take the rostrum at the General Assembly, where he defended his country’s war in Ukraine and lobbed barbs at the West — including Germany. He made a point of blasting the notion of Germany or Japan gaining a permanent seat on the powerful U.N. Security Council. The United States has long supported permanent seats for those countries and India.

Criticizing NATO and the U.S. — though not President Donald Trump by name — Lavrov complained that the West “continues to try to maintain its privileges and to impose its own rules on everyone else” even as the geopolitical ground is shifting.

“A fairer, multipolar world order is emerging before our very eyes,” said Lavrov, whose country is part of the BRICS group of leading developing nations and other organizations that he portrays as more forward-looking and constructive.

Moscow has repeatedly sought to stress that it maintains a strong position on the global stage despite its 4½-year war on Ukraine and isolation from the West.

Writing on her personal Telegram channel, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said that “tens of diplomats” had come to meet Lavrov to “shake his hand and thank Russia.”

An overwhelming majority of General Assembly member nations have repeatedly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Wadephul noted in his own address to the assembly Saturday.

“Russia’s war targets the lives of millions of innocent people, the existence of the Ukrainian state and culture and the European peace order,” he said, urging Russia to negotiating toward ending the fighting.

Lavrov's speech came amid an intensifying aerial war. With front-line positions largely unchanged since last year, Russia has hammered Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles, powerful glide bombs and jet-powered drones in recent months, while Ukraine’s long-range drones have targeted Russian oil refineries and businesses.

Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks killed four people Saturday, as Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack killed three.

Since Russia launched the war — which Moscow describes as a “special military operation” intended to ensure Russia’s security and the rights of Russian speakers — Western analysts have estimated that over 500,000 Russian troops have been killed and that Ukraine has recorded more than 500,000 military casualties, including up to 140,000 deaths. Neither country discloses its own casualty totals.

The backdrop has a wide impact on fuel, fertilizer and grain shipments

The war has had global repercussions for fuel, fertilizer and grain shipments — and for geopolitics, widening divisions between Russia and the West.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his assembly speech Wednesday to press other countries to keep choking Russia’s revenues and impede its war efforts, and he echoed that message on social media Saturday morning.

“It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day,” he wrote, adding that “the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further.”

U.S. lawmakers passed a powerful sanctions bill aimed at Moscow last month. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law last week but hasn’t enacted the measures yet.

Now back in Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters in voice mail messages Friday that Washington is pushing for three-way, technical talks involving delegations — but not top leaders — from the U.S., Ukraine and Russia. He said Ukraine is waiting for the U.S. to propose a date.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, during a call earlier this month, discussed holding such a meeting in the near future, but there were no specific plans yet.

Speaking to reporters in St. Petersburg on Friday night, Putin decried recent Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and on Russian-held areas of Ukraine. He said “proposals to resume the talks are all on the table,” but Moscow “will think carefully about what we need to do.”

Representatives from the three countries held three rounds of three-way negotiations early this year but achieved no significant breakthroughs.

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Keaten reported from Geneva. Katie Marie Davies contributed from Manchester, England.

CNN, a member of the U.S. network video pool that rotates duties shooting and sharing video coverage of the president, reported it had been scheduled to fly aboard the president’s plane Saturday for a visit to a midday game between the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the University of Texas. But White House guidance issued Friday night instead included Real America’s Voice, a conservative outlet.

The White House guidance was issued after journalists from CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, which Trump banned last week from the White House grounds, returned to the executive complex with TV cameras in hand after a judge handed the organizations a reprieve.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily struck down the president's ban in an overnight ruling early Thursday, but his decision dealt with “hard passes” to the White House grounds and didn’t directly address pool duties.

The judge’s temporary order also said nothing directly about Air Force One.

The spot meant for CNN on the flight has long been saved for a member of the U.S. network video pool; Real America’s Voice is not a part of that group. The White House did not respond to emails from The Associated Press requesting comment about the decision.

CNN declined to comment.

A written pool report Saturday morning confirmed there was “no TV pool” for the travel, though Real America's Voice celebrated its inclusion in the trip and said it would make feeds available to other news outlets.

“CNN is not here; we have taken over that responsibility. We are so excited to be here,” correspondent Taylor Mitchell said in a video that the outlet posted on social media.

On Saturday morning, the president addressed the broader debate in a post on social media, writing: “FAKE NEWS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!! IT HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG, AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO OUR COUNTRY."

Fans at the game caught a low-altitude flyover as Air Force One came into town while the teams were warming up. The president’s motorcade arrived just as the national anthem was being sung, and the president was later shown on a jumbotron and greeted with cheers, according to a text pool report.

Media organizations believe the court decision covers the ‘pool’

Theodore Boutrous Jr., an attorney for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, did not respond to phone calls or emails Friday evening or Saturday morning. Earlier Friday, on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Boutrous said the plaintiffs believe the recent court ruling also covers the issue of pool access.

For a while Friday, the U.S. network video pool for the White House was back in operation for the first time since Trump banned the three news outlets in an extraordinary showdown over media access.

At noon on CNN, viewers could see Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping touring the National Archives, along with Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan, Xi's wife. The banner along the bottom of the screen read: “Trump and China’s Xi Visit National Archives.” It was a routine report from a state visit — except that CNN had not aired live video of Trump in several days.

“As of now, all systems are go,” said a person familiar with the pool, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the fluidity of the situation.

Pool participants showed solidarity this week

The TV pool consists of five major U.S. broadcast outlets. When the White House banned CNN from the White House grounds, along with MS NOW and Politico, the other four pool providers declined to participate in a show of solidarity.

CNN did not comment directly Friday, referring instead to its editorial coverage. It did the same Saturday. But Brian Stelter, the network’s media analyst, posted on X Friday that CNN had a pool assignment at the National Archives event and that the White House had approved the network’s credentials.

The outlet on Saturday covered its exclusion from Air Force One, writing that the move “represents the Trump administration’s latest salvo against CNN and the broader White House press corps.”

Throughout his second term, Trump has increasingly targeted media outlets whose coverage irritates him, taking administrative or legal action against several. Early last year, he banished AP reporters from White House events because the organization wasn’t abiding by his executive order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” The AP’s guidance says to acknowledge the new name when relevant.

The case is on appeal after a federal district judge ruled in AP’s favor.

The press pool was created decades ago by the White House Correspondents’ Association, a group of journalists who cover the president, to make sure a rotating roster always travels with the president. The pool distributes in-person reports and imagery to the broader press corps and is designed to hold the nation’s chief executive accountable on behalf of the American public.

The association did not respond to emails requesting comment.

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AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed.

Ireland is due to play Israel in Debrecen, Hungary in the first of those games Sunday, but the team’s press conference and training session Saturday were delayed by more than five hours as the players again held discussions among themselves in the team hotel over whether they should play.

Bazunu takes a stand

Gavin Bazunu later confirmed on social media that he had left the squad. He said he felt it would be “wrong to participate” in the games “based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”

The 24-year-old reserve goalkeeper stressed his stance was “not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region. There are few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.”

David Courell, the CEO of the Football Association of Ireland, said at a long-delayed press conference earlier that an unnamed player's “discomfort with fulfilling this fixture” had caused deliberations for the rest of the squad. He said a vote was taken among the players and that “a significant majority” favored continuing with the games.

“Based on that, the association took the decision on behalf of Irish football that this fixture would continue as we have always intended to fulfill the fixtures,” Courell said.

Bazunu, who reportedly told the team Friday night that he did not want to play, was not mentioned in the press conference, but Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said a player was leaving.

“All the rest of the players are training today,” Hallgrimsson said. “It’s an ongoing discussion and we haven’t come to a kind of conclusion on this, but we are going ahead, the game is going ahead, we’re going to train. And there will be more discussions tonight and probably tomorrow."

Black armbands

Courell said the players were uncomfortable dealing with questions “that are not about football” so they had requested not to have to deal with media obligations around Sunday's match.

“They also have the intention of wearing black armbands in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict," Courell said. "And also there will be elements of the pre-match ceremony that will not be partaken in.”

He added that both the players and the FAI will be making a “significant contribution” to charity from both match fees – neither of which is open to Irish fans – and from Ireland's game against Austria in Dublin on Oct. 1.

Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ said last week it will only provide stripped-back coverage of the games vs. Israel to meet contractual obligations — with no studio presentation, commentary on the international feed, or analysis — while it will also not accept advertising or sponsorship around either game.

RTÉ also announced last week that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year over Israel's participation.

Pressure builds

The Ireland team has been coming under increasing pressure at home, where affinity with Palestinians is strong, to boycott the two games against Israel — Israel's “home” game Sunday and Ireland’s “home” game in Backa Topola, Serbia on Oct. 4.

The FAI said in June that Ireland's home game was moving to a neutral venue for “operational reasons” and that no fans will be present. That followed widespread calls to boycott the match, and the FAI's own motion the previous November calling on UEFA to ban Israel from club and international competitions.

“There’s a huge support – probably in Europe the biggest support – for Palestine in Ireland,” Hallgrimsson said. “And there’s been protests since the draw (in February) not to play this fixture. There’s been a protest from day one not to play the fixture in Ireland and that’s the pressure that the players will feel and the association will feel. I felt that pressure growing day by day and it’s getting almost to a breaking limit now.”

Ireland midfielder Jason Knight said after Thursday’s 1-0 loss in Kosovo that the players were in a difficult situation and that he didn’t think the matches should be going ahead.

Hallgrimsson previously said “we’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel” — drawing a furious reaction from the Israeli soccer federation, which accused the Icelandic coach of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy.”

The FAI had resisted calls to boycott the matches, arguing the team could be hit with punishing sanctions by UEFA. Ireland is co-hosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland.

More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the fixtures.

There were protesters outside the team hotel in Dublin last week calling on the players to boycott the games. The SIPTU trade union displayed a huge poster in central Dublin beside the River Liffey asking the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don't play with genocide” beside an image of a blood-splattered ball.

Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr said the FAI had “lost the respect of the Irish people” for going ahead with the games.

“The Irish people and the soccer-going public don’t want the games to be played,” Kerr said. “I think they’ve made their opinions clear over the last year. The FAI back in November actually went to UEFA and requested that Israel be put out of the tournament on a principle. And yet they went against that principle.”

UEFA did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday's developments.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned that the deluge, which has been pouring since Thursday afternoon, would continue in most parts of the country through Sunday.

Accumulated rainfall in many areas of Bangkok since Thursday exceeded 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), officials said. Floodwaters spread across the city, particularly in the central and eastern parts, blocking roads and stopping traffic.

Although not all parts of Bangkok were submerged, the city declared all 50 districts a flood disaster area to help authorities respond quickly. More than 200 shelters were set up across the city and about 4,200 people have moved in, according to Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt.

More than 84,000 people in 21 provinces nationwide were affected by flooding as of Saturday, especially in the central region. Authorities sent emergency warning messages through cellphones, the government said.

Hwang Hwan-chung, who flew from South Korea and has visited Bangkok a dozen times, said he had never seen such “crazy” weather, adding that he couldn’t find a taxi.

Sukanya Tongsuk, a resident, said the current flooding was similar to the last time Bangkok was hit in 2011.

Meanwhile, Dutch resident Bjorn Franken, who has lived in the capital for two years, said he was able to cope although one event he wanted to attend had been canceled.

Many businesses in Bangkok closed on Saturday due to flooding.

Cars crawled along waterlogged roads in parts of Bangkok, and bikers were seen pushing their motorcycles. Authorities said some regional bus services from Bangkok to the eastern provinces were suspended.

Phetchaburi Road, one of the capital’s busiest, was unusually quiet as vehicles were turned back by floods. Some were left partially submerged.

Residents made their way through murky waters, carrying fresh water and food. Some were barefoot and others wore rubber waders, while several wrapped plastic bags around their feet to keep dry.

Air traffic control authorities confirmed flight operations were normal, but some flights might face delays.

Chadchart said despite the heavy rain, flooding should recede once the rain subsides, as city officials work to drain floodwaters as quickly as possible.

City has reportedly been found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges against the club, which could result in punishments such as a huge points deduction or even expulsion from English soccer's top division.

The club has always denied wrongdoing and Al Mubarak restated that stance in a letter to fans.

“The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he wrote.

“There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position."

Confidentiality conditions, he said, prevented him from revealing that information.

“While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed,” Al Mubarak said. “We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared to add his voice to the issue Friday when posting on X “114” seemingly in reference to the charges.

Mamdani is a fan of City rival Arsenal.

The Premier League accused City in February 2023 of providing misleading information about its finances over a nine-year period from 2009-18.

Questions about the Abu Dhabi-backed club's financial dealings have hung over City after supposed leaked emails and documents, likely hacked, were published starting in 2018 by German magazine Der Spiegel. The documents allegedly showed City tried to mask the source of revenue from deals tied to Abu Dhabi, whose ruling family bought the club in 2008 and has overseen the spending of hundreds of millions of dollars on some of the world’s best players over the following two decades.

In 2020, UEFA ruled City had committed “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play regulations from 2012-16. But a two-year ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport because allegations were either rejected or found to have happened too long ago to be investigated.

The Premier League's case, which accused City of more than 100 breaches including providing misleading information about its finances and failure to co-operate with the investigation, has run for more than three years.

City has been the most dominant team in England over the last 15 years, winning eight Premier League titles since 2012 as well as the Champions League in 2023. Over the period in question — 2009-18 — City won the league three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

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

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The intensifying aerial war between Moscow and Kyiv came as U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would “settle” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has struck Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles, glide bombs and jet-powered drones while front-line progress has slowed, some 4½-years after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

“It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day. If the Russians have chosen to make their strikes even more brutal, the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further,” Zelenskyy wrote on Saturday.

He listed “numerous strikes on residential homes” in the cities of Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, and the Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.

Two women in Zaporizhzhia died when they were trapped beneath the rubble of their home, Zaporizhzhia’s regional military administration said. A separate Russian attack on the city of Sumy also killed two people, local officials said.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, two people were injured overnight in the Kyiv region after a Russian drone strike sparked a fire at a warehouse in the Boryspil district. Russian drones also struck several districts of the capital, injuring four people and damaging residential and office buildings, officials said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that the attack on Kyiv damaged a data center supporting mobile internet services and Starlink satellite communications.

Drones target Russian refineries

Separately, Ukraine continued to target Russian oil refineries and industrial sites with long-range drones. A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region killed three people and wounded two, local officials said Saturday.

Regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said in a post on Telegram that the attack sparked fires at two industrial sites but provided no further details.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said that Kyiv had damaged the region's Ilsky oil refinery.

Ukrainian attacks also killed three people overnight in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Moscow-installed regional head Yevgeny Balitsky said Saturday, according to Russian state media.

Trump says he hopes Zelenskyy will ‘settle’ with Putin

Trump commented on Saturday on his meeting with Zelenskyy at the U.N. General Assembly, saying that he hoped the Ukrainian leader would “settle” with Putin.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Zelenskyy told journalists that he trusted the White House could help end Russia’s invasion of his country, even as attacks by both sides intensified.

While campaigning for reelection in 2024, Trump claimed he could broker an end to the war almost immediately. The conflict has continued, but Trump said Saturday that Zelenskyy and Putin were “going along” and that “someday, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, maybe before the heavy winter, they’ll make a deal.”

“You know what I want him to do? Make a deal,” Trump said, referring to Zelenskyy. “I want him to settle with Putin, and I want Putin to settle with him.”

While in New York, Zelenskyy also appealed to the United Nations for countries to deprive Russia of revenue through sanctions and trade restrictions, denying Moscow the money it needs to prolong the war. Despite years of diplomatic efforts, however, there has been no breakthrough toward ending the conflict.

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

They also agreed to continue cooperating through a Board of Trade focused on selected bilateral issues. The White House said the board began operating this week.

The summit produced no major breakthroughs, but analysts said the steps toward greater cooperation were important because they established working groups that could help prevent disputes from escalating.

Xi returned to Beijing on Saturday, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. During the visit, Trump displayed unusual warmth toward Xi, despite having escalated a trade war with China the previous year that had global repercussions.

The two sides agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding on strengthening crisis communications and preventing crises between the two militaries, China’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday in its readout. The one-page statement from the Chinese side was light on details.

Both sides will set up a communication mechanism for artificial intelligence -related incidents, to discuss related risks and benefits, with an AI-specific dialogue scheduled for November.

Trump indicated on Saturday that there would be limits on what the U.S. would share with China and said that Washington would not slow its AI efforts.

The “United States of America is not going to be putting on brakes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “They want to stop our progress because we’re leading China by a lot and we’re going to keep it that way.”

He added: “I would rather not integrate because we’re leading by a lot. When you’re leading, you don’t open it up to each other. We’re leading by at least a year, maybe a year and a half. Some people say two years. I’m not looking to open it up.”

The statement from China said both sides will continue to work together on the pledge to reduce reciprocal tariffs on roughly $30 billion worth of goods. During the summit, the two leaders agreed to extend a trade truce by two months. The White House statement said China agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of coal from the U.S. in 2027 and 2028.

Most of the reduction in tariffs is aimed at non-sensitive goods, such as agricultural products or holiday decorations.

The statement from the White House also said the two sides continued to work on American concerns about rare earths supply, “with the goal of ensuring shipment levels return to appropriate levels.” China put export controls on rare earths last year in response to the U.S. tariffs, cutting the supply sent to the U.S. and other countries.

Both sides agreed to meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November, and then later at the G20 at the Trump National Doral Miami golf club in Florida.

Both governments said Iran should honor its stated commitment not to develop nuclear weapons. They also said no country should charge tolls on international waterways, an apparent reference to the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has fallen significantly since the U.S. war with Iran began.

The U.S. statement welcomed China’s decision to impose export controls on two additional precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl. Both sides also noted recent arrests in fentanyl-related cases.

Although the summit did not resolve the countries’ fundamental differences, analysts said the incremental progress was noteworthy.

“Personal diplomacy between the two leaders is important, but the emphasis on working-level engagement, military-to-military dialogue and crisis-management mechanisms suggests an effort to make that stability more durable and institutionalized,” said Wang Zichen, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization.

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Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

The center’s executive director and chief operating officer, Matt Floca, did not treat the roofing issues as priorities and in April halted a funded plan to address them, according to the letter Thursday signed by David Seide, a lawyer representing the anonymous whistleblowers.

Floca denied their allegations, saying recent investigations of the leaks exposed new hazards at the building.

In a September court declaration, Floca noted there were “acute risks to public safety" when the aging building temporarily closed its doors after an inspection of a deteriorating roof terrace canopy and a partial ceiling collapse. The former employees, however, claim those “acute” issues were known previously by Floca, who joined the Kennedy Center as vice president of facilities in 2024.

“More than one year ago, Mr. Floca had requested and received the needed funds to remediate the New Problems he references," Seide wrote, citing President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill that he signed in the summer of 2025. “Yet six months ago – with the funds in hand – he stopped the remediation process from moving forward.” In the legislation, Congress earmarked $257 million for the Kennedy Center.

The letter, first reported by The New York Times, is the latest in a series of tensions over an iconic Potomac River waterfront building that has become a focus of the Republican president in his remaking of the nation's capital in his second term. Trump has installed his own leadership to the center's governing board and had his name placed on the building before a judge ruled the new lettering was illegally added and ordered it removed.

The Trump-aligned board voted earlier this month to close the center indefinitely for repairs hours after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked its plans to return Trump’s name to the building.

Cooper has told the center that it must give 30 days' notice before making any major physical changes to the building, including demolishing it, as Trump has threatened. The Kennedy Center leadership also must file a status report no later than Friday on the temporary closure and emergency repairs.

Asked for a response to the whistleblowers' claims, a Kennedy Center spokesperson sent a written statement from Floca, who said the safety of patrons, artists and staff is his priority.

“The Kennedy Center has known for years that the roof overhang leaked," he wrote. "What we did not know until this summer was how far the damage had spread inside it.”

Floca added that rather than halting design plans in April as the whistleblowers alleged, he had reassigned the work to a more comprehensive plan because the contractor’s quote for the initial plans were nearly three times the expected cost.

“That was a change in the approach to procuring and delivering the work, not a determination that the work was unnecessary,” Floca wrote.

Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, wrote Floca on Thursday after receiving the whistleblower letter. Whitehouse said the documents showed Kennedy Center leadership had “hoarded” congressionally appropriated funding for repairs “while blaming previous leadership for the state of repairs.”

“My initial investigation into misconduct at the Center focused on cronyism and corruption, with documents demonstrating considerable excessive and self-serving spending under President Trump’s chairmanship," Whitehouse said. “The documents that I attach today seem to reveal deeper financial mismanagement.”

A spokesperson for the committee's Republican majority did not immediately reply to a request for comment Saturday.

The astronauts are expected to land at Kennedy Space Center soon.

The crew is set for liftoff Thursday from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on their way to the International Space Station.

NASA Astronaut Jessica Watkins will be the spacecraft commander, while NASA astronaut Luke Delaney will serve as pilot. They are joined by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, who will serve as mission specialists.

The crew will conduct scientific investigations and look at how technology could work on future exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.

A live webcast of today’s events is right at the top of this page.

Check back with us later today and throughout the week for much more on this mission to space.

The undertaking is as robust as it is daunting, spanning several House committees. With majority power comes bigger budgets and staff, and the ability to investigate, subpoena and potentially course-correct what the Democrats say are widespread corruption and abuses of power. Impeachment of the Republican president and Cabinet officials is not off the table.

“There is a cost to the American people of the out-of-control corruption,” said Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is in line to become House speaker if Democrats win control at the Capitol.

“If folks have been stealing from the American people, shortchanging the American people or screwing over the American people,” Jeffries said, “we are going to hold the crooks accountable.”

Congress has enormous ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch as part of its power as a coequal branch of government, and a road map for the Democratic-run investigations has already been set by the almost daily letters lawmakers send to the administration and in amicus court filings.

Democrats are asking about the money-making by Trump and his family, whose wealth has grown dramatically since he returned to the White House in January 2025. They are investigating the potential civil rights violations of Americans killed protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and of detained immigrants being deported to faraway countries. They have fought the closing of the Kennedy Center, launched investigations into private funding of the America at 250 celebrations and tracked the shuttering of federal operations, including the U.S. Agency for International Development.

New questions emerge daily, including the Trump family’s recent acknowledgment that a weekend wedding party for the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. was partly funded by a Russian oligarch, with reportedly close ties to the Kremlin.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who is in line to become the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, characterized the issues involved as “gargantuan."

“We need to zero in quickly on the forms of systemic corruption that have cost the public huge amounts of money," Raskin told The Associated Press, “and where there are legislative cures available.”

Trump impeachments made history then. Could it happen again?

Jeffries will almost certainly be under pressure from the far left to move more swiftly to articles of impeachment against Trump, who during his first became the first president to be twice impeached by the House. Both times, he was acquitted by the Senate.

Impeaching the president a third time may not hold the currency that it once did. Democrats will more likely focus their impeachment efforts on Cabinet members. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth already faces articles of impeachment from a Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, over his leadership at the Pentagon and his management of the Iran war.

“We haven’t ruled anything out,” Jeffries said recently about the tools available to Congress, “and we haven’t ruled anything in.”

The White House is likely to play hardball if confronted with investigations, and Democrats are bracing for an administration that potentially ignores subpoenas or refuses to turn over paperwork that lawmakers are demanding.

The Democrats are also reaching beyond the administration into various corporate and business entities for potential wrongdoing.

‘We’ll act like the Congress,' says one Democrat in line to lead a committee

Ranking Democratic lawmakers who are in line to lead committees if power shifts are beginning to chart the investigations they plan to tackle.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat now on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has outlined five priorities, including Trump family business dealings, the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and ICE operations.

“We’re already doing work,” Garcia told the AP.

He also mentioned the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as broader allegations of corporate corruption.

The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, whose jurisdiction includes the State Department, said the committee plans to investigate Trump's international dealings, including around the Iran war.

He expects the committee will also look into the administration's Venezuela operations — from the military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific waters to the U.S. partnership with a private company to develop and access the South American country's oil.

Rep. Jared Huffman of California, the ranking Democrat at the Natural Resources Committee, which overseas the Interior Department and its National Park Service operations, has begun digging into Trump's “vanity projects,” including the demolition of the White House's East wing for a new ballroom and the president's proposed arch.

Huffman and other committee members have also been eyeing the Trump family's role in various minerals deals.

At the committee's last session before lawmakers recessed to campaign for the midterm elections, Huffman said that if Democrats take charge, he plans to call witnesses, put them under oath and follow the evidence where it leads.

"When people ask what will we do," he said he responds, “My answer is simple. We’ll use those tools. We’ll act like the Congress.”

The students raised their bicycles in the air as they arrived in Kragujevac, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital Belgrade. The crowd waved Serbian flags and many cried as they lined up at the entry route for the students.

The students entered the Oct. 25 election race after leading nearly two years of protests triggered by a train station tragedy on Nov. 1, 2024, that killed 16 people in northern Serbia. The protests shook Vucic more than at any time since his party came to power in 2012.

The October vote is seen as a major test for Vucic. It will be held against the backdrop of heightened political tensions as the governing populists seek to remain in office despite widespread popular discontent.

Before coming to Kragujevac, the cycling students in the past 10 days traveled the country, each carrying a copy of Serbia's Constitution to symbolically insist on the rule of law.

Vucic plans to step down so he can run for prime minister

Vucic, who has been Serbia’s prime minister or president since 2014, has announced that he would resign the presidency on Sunday so he can formally pursue a bid to become prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party wins the October vote.

Vucic on Saturday said he spoke on the phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin about a gas deal for Serbia, and organized a small farewell party for the employees in the presidency building. He plans to host a national boxing team on Sunday morning.

In Kragujevac, the joyful crowd danced, sang and cheered to show support for the youth-backed “Students' List” of experts, university professors, teachers and other non-partisan individuals who are running against Vucic's SNS party.

Ilija Srdanovic, a physician and university professor who tops the student-backed election ticket, said that “this country must never again have a boss.” He was referring to Vucic's increasingly authoritarian rule in Serbia.

During the protests, the students demanded accountability for the concrete canopy collapse in the city of Novi Sad, alleging that corruption led to flawed renovation work on the building. Their struggle for justice has morphed into a nationwide drive for change.

Vucic has pushed back hard against the protesters, sparking international concern over police violence and arbitrary detentions. He has accused the students and their professors of intending to “destroy the state” under unspecified foreign guidance.

“They (authorities) treated us as enemies,” one student told the crowd in Kragujevac. “They spied on us and accused us of being enemies.”

Serbia’s bid to join the European Union has stalled under Vucic, who has maintained close ties with both Russia and China. Previous elections in Serbia have been marred by multiple irregularities and violence.

Some were using scissors to level the high grass, an effort that should end hours before the game.

The Maracana's turf has been a concern for almost two weeks due to its poor shape amid a long season in Brazilian soccer. Local clubs Flamengo and Fluminense play there at least once a week.

Maracana workers were using mows and scissors, big and small, to perfect the turf for the game.

On Friday, the executive director of the NFL Players Association said both the NFL and the players union have had experts monitoring the field conditions for Sunday's game. The union’s experts are worried about loose turf leading to too much slipping.

Concerns are about the turf's traction and stability, which made the NFL reinforce its stitching. Earlier this week, field director Nick Pappas said he was confident players will have no trouble.

On Saturday, Pappas told reporters that the NFL made additional improvements since the union's concerns were raised.

“Things check out,” Pappas said. “No need to worry.”

The NFL has been playing in Brazil since 2024, but the two previous games were at the 48,000-seat NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo. In the first year of the Brazil game, its turf was also criticized and forced players of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers to change their cleats to stop slipping.

The Maracana field is 100% natural grass, while the NeoQuimica Arena has a mixture between natural and synthetic that players in Brazil deem to be the country's best pitch.

The Cowboys and Ravens began their preparations in Rio on Friday following roughly 10-hour flights. Dak Prescott, his Cowboys teammates and their cheerleaders had their visit to the stadium in the morning.

Fans from Texas involved in a stadium tour were more worried about going to a Brazilian steakhouse for lunch than the turf conditions for Sunday's game.

“These boys have played in very bad conditions growing up, I am sure they will handle whatever challenges come,” said George Smith, 72, wearing a cap with the Cowboys' blue star and a Brazilian national team soccer shirt. “What concerns me now is making sure I get my beef today rather than tomorrow before the game.”

Throughout Rio’s glitzy southern end, where Copacabana beach lies, there were clearly more Cowboys than Ravens fans roaming around. Many fans were still arriving from other South American nations, as Brazil is for now the only country of the region to host NFL games.

Their game Sunday will be one of a record nine international contests on the NFL schedule this season.

Outside the Maracana, locals and tourists seem to be keener to go to the beach at 80 Fahrenheit degrees (28 Celsius) on Saturday than preparing for Sunday's game. Unlike Sao Paulo, Rio has a more touristic atmosphere that has drawn a new batch of football followers from South America.

“I came because of the NFL game, but I also came because of Rio,” said Chilean tourist Juan Olmedo, 61, a fan of the Denver Broncos. “This game being here has that extra element it didn't have in Sao Paulo. Those who went to Sao Paulo were there for the game and not much else.”

Tourist spots such as Sugar Loaf Mountain and the statue of Christ the Redeemer also welcomed American and local fans who are attending the game on Sunday. Maracana metro station was decorated with NFL themes.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The WNBA postseason begins Sunday with four first-round matchups. Clark's Fever face A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces in a rematch of last season's semifinals. Reese and the Atlanta Dream will play the Washington Mystics. Bueckers' Dallas Wings will take on the Golden State Valkyries, and New York will face Minnesota in a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch.

Reese spent the first two years of her career in Chicago before going to the Dream in an offseason trade. She flourished in her new surroundings, once again leading the league in rebounding and continuing her emergence as one of the top defenders in the WNBA.

Bueckers has put together a solid season to help the Wings get back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023. She was fifth in the league in scoring and eighth in assists.

Here are others things to watch this postseason:

Building a contender in Golden State

The Valkyries have taken the WNBA by storm in their first two years of existence. Golden State became the first expansion squad to make the playoffs last year and is now the No. 2 seed in the postseason. The Valkyries have gone 17-5 at home this year, best in the league, in part because of the average crowd of over 18,000 they draw for games at Chase Center.

Golden State has done it with stellar defense. The Valkyries led the league in defensive rating, points allowed and 3-point defense. They also shoot the 3-point extremely well, making the most 3s on the season with 10.4 a game.

Playoff expansion

The first round of the playoffs is just a best-of-three. It's undergone a few iterations, including having the higher-seeded team host the first two games. Now each team is guaranteed at least one home game with a 1-1-1 format. The coaches would love to see the first-round series expand to a best-of-five format. As of now, only the semifinals is a best-of-five and the WNBA Finals is a seven-game series. Last season was the first the league had gone to a best-of-seven and Las Vegas swept Phoenix in four games.

“I just love the idea. I mean, look at these eight teams that are in the field. Great basketball, and you should go as long as you can. Like I said, that’s where the money is. So I would like to see that. Get a new commissioner and kind of get the competition committee on that type of thing, I think we’re all in favor of that,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “Obviously there’s a lot of chatter about the three-game series. Actually this season it’s kind of rather disappointing to have just three games for these teams that are going to be playing each other, for sure. But that’s maybe the next step, the evolution of our league.”

Where to find the games

With the new media rights deal that began this season, the playoffs will be broadcast across ESPN, NBC, USA Sports, Amazon Prime and Peacock. From 2016 to last season, ESPN had the rights to all the postseason games.

ESPN, Prime and USA Sports will have the first round. ESPN, NBC and Peacock will have the semifinals. NBC and USA Sports will broadcast the WNBA Finals with games also streaming on Peacock. ESPN had shown every WNBA Finals from 2003-25.

Officials working the postseason

Roy Gulbeyan will be working his 27th consecutive playoffs this season dating to his postseason debut in 2000, according to the website “thewhistlewire”. The WNBA doesn't release how many postseason appearances officials have. Gulbeyan has been part of the league for 29 of its 30 years.

The league will have 17 officials work the postseason as well as three alternates.

“We are pleased to recognize this group of officials for their on-court achievements and their dedication to their craft with a selection to work the 2026 WNBA Playoffs,” said Bethany Donaphin, Head of WNBA League Operations. “Qualifying for the postseason and serving the game at this important part of the season is a goal for WNBA officials just as it is for players and coaches.”

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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Officers say the crash happened on Palm Bay Road near Arlington Lane around 9 p.m.

Police say the agency requested the Florida Highway Patrol investigate the crash.

Officers say preliminary information suggests the bicyclist was riding against traffic, and swerved into the way of the patrol vehicle.

Officers say witnesses corroborated those facts.

The officer was not injured, the department says. The department says its prayers are with the bicyclist to make a full recovery.

Officers say this is an on-going investigation, and more information will be released when available.

The attack involving an explosives-laden vehicle occurred in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the provincial emergency service. Local police chief Safdar Baloch said most of those killed and wounded were security personnel and passersby.

The blast destroyed the sprawling checkpoint, and witnesses said gunshots were also heard after the attack.

Faizi said gunmen opened fire on an ambulance as emergency crews transported victims to a nearby hospital, killing a rescue worker and wounding two others. Two women and a child were among those killed in the suicide bombing, he said.

The Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it claimed by the TTP and the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group primarily active in neighboring Balochistan province.

The TTP is separate from but closely allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, which returned to power in 2021.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, offered condolences to the victims’ families.

Zardari described the targeting of civilians and law enforcement personnel as “highly condemnable” and called for intensified action against the Pakistani Taliban, which he accused of carrying out “heinous and brutal acts” with foreign support.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing TTP members to operate from Afghan territory and have demanded that Kabul prevent cross-border attacks. Afghan authorities deny permitting their territory to be used for attacks against other countries.

Saturday’s bombing came two days after fighting along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border killed at least 13 Afghan Taliban fighters, according to Pakistan’s government. The clash followed Pakistani strikes this week on suspected militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.

The renewed hostilities threaten mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia aimed at securing lasting peace between the neighboring countries.

Dera Ismail Khan is near South Waziristan, a former militant stronghold where Pakistan’s military has conducted several operations in recent years.

Militants frequently target security forces in the region. In December 2023, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the main gate of a police station in Dera Ismail Khan, killing at least 23 security personnel in one of the area’s deadliest attacks. Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a small militant group believed to be an offshoot of the TTP, claimed responsibility.

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Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

A hopper is a large, funnel-shaped industrial container used to store and discharge materials such as grain, sand or concrete. They are commonly found at construction sites and industrial facilities.

Fire crews responded to the scene and found the worker inside the hopper after he fell from a ladder. Officials said he suffered a leg injury.

The incident commander requested help from Orange County Fire Rescue Department’s technical rescue team because of the height and complexity of the rescue.

Crews from both agencies worked together to secure the worker, remove him from the hopper and lower him more than 40 feet to the ground. The rescue took about 45 minutes, officials said.

The worker was designated as a trauma alert patient and transferred to the hospital. Further updates on his condition were not immediately available.

“For us, it's devastating,” Whipps told The Associated Press on Friday, 40 years after his previous visit. “It doesn't mean we should give up.”

In the global power game of the United Nations General Assembly, small island states, like Palau, are often on the sidelines, offering moral advice to the mighty who don't always listen. After all, their countries are tiny. Nearly 11 Marshall Islands, or about 30 Tuvalus, could fit inside New York City, where the United Nations is housed.

Now, some of the little land they do have is disappearing.

“Sometimes," Whipps said, “you get drowned out.”

He was referring to unequal power dynamics, but it also applies physically. When it comes to climate change, many of the world's island nations have banded together to be heard better. Their voices play the role of a conscience to a warming world, pleading to stop carbon pollution before it's too late.

Warming world imperils small island states

In 2015, when the world was on the verge of signing the landmark Paris climate pact, it was small island nations that got the goal to limit global warming tightened from 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) to 1.5 degrees (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. At the time, island nations said it was a matter of survival.

Now, scientists and the United Nations have conceded that the world is blowing past the 1.5 degrees mark — a temperature averaged over many years — in the next year or two. The best hope to keep this from happening permanently is for the world to reduce coal, oil and gas use to zero in coming decades, so that sometime this century, temperatures will go back down below the 1.5 degrees threshold, they said.

“Each fraction of a degree of warming increases the risk of irreversible sea level rise,” said Anna Rasmussen, chief negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States. “We absolutely cannot surrender our pursuits of 1.5.”

What does breaching 1.5 degrees mean? “Death,” said Joyelle Clarke, environment minister for the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, standing outside the U.N. Security Council.

This is unfair because small islands didn't cause climate change, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said during her speech to the General Assembly on Friday; big industrial nations did.

“We’ve seen schools destroyed by rising seas, salt water poisoning our wells and disease outbreaks linked to environmental change,” Heine told her fellow leaders. “This injustice must be addressed. Our communities deserve restitution.”

Small island states band together at U.N.

Earlier this week, the U.N. adopted a resolution that called for small island states to keep sovereignty and marine rights no matter what rising seas do. One of the major messages nation after nation gave: Despite rising seas, they are not going anywhere.

“The survival of our nations cannot be negotiated,” said Adão Soares Barbosa, special envoy on climate affairs for the Southeast Asian island nation of East Timor and chair of the Least Developed Countries Group on Climate Change. “We cannot absorb another year of promises without delivery.”

Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said his country may only have 26 square kilometers (10 square miles) of land, but it's responsible for 750,000 square kilometers (nearly 290,000 square miles) of oceans.

“Tuvalu's nationhood is not negotiable,” echoed Teo, who called climate change the “single greatest existential threat” to his country. “Our people should never be forced to choose between their homeland and their future.”

Marshall Island Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko said his people "have no other choice but to finally stay home, raise our own people, speak our own language and protect our own identity. We're not giving up.”

Clarke, from Saint Kitts and Nevis, said the rest of the world doesn't feel or see what island nations are going through.

“For many folks that look at the islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific, they see paradise. They see the two-week getaway — sun, sand, sea, adventure,” Clarke said. “The very beaches that you travel thousands of miles for and save up for your holiday, those beaches are disappearing.”

Clarke, who also works with her nation's youth, said “We’re seeing a generation that’s losing hope, that’s constantly facing despair, that are questioning, ‘Why should we care? Why should we do anything, when you all don’t care enough, and the world doesn’t care enough, about our future?'”

This issue hits home for Whipps from Palau, who has adult children but no grandchildren.

“The sad part is, some of the kids, you talk to them, and they don’t want to have kids, because they think, 'Why do you want to bring them to a world that’s faced with these problems?” he said. “That’s also something that we need to take responsibility for.”

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Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott contributed to this report from New York.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The 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.

Tens of millions of people are in the path of the storm, which was already beginning to lash the region. Dangerous flooding is expected along the Mid-Atlantic coast, particularly near New Jersey and Delaware, according to the National Weather Service.

“This storm is expected to bring major coastal flooding to the Mid-Atlantic Coast over multiple high tide cycles through the weekend,” the weather service said Saturday. “Prepare immediately for significant inundation in low-lying areas near the shore, including roads underwater and impacts to homes and businesses.”

In the coastal New Jersey borough of Surf City, water — with waves rippling along its surface — flooded the streets, inundating some homes.

Kenny Formica, owner of Surf City Marina on the Jersey Shore, was trying to keep busy Saturday as he sat at home watching water rise inside his marina through surveillance cameras.

Water getting inside the building is rare, Formica said. The last time he remembers it happening was during Hurricane Sandy, which he said caused more than $4 million in damage to his business.

Ahead of the storm, Formica said workers secured dock lines, moved loose items and equipment out of harm’s way and parked the marina’s trucks and forklifts at the highest point of the property. By Saturday morning, even those were nearly surrounded by water.

Formica said he woke Saturday to messages from customers reporting missing boats and Jet Skis. One customer sent him a video around 4 a.m. showing his 25-foot (7.6-meter) boat after it had blown off its lift.

“This is like an 8,000-pound boat and, you know, a $150,000 boat — just gone,” Formica said.

Cancellations are widespread in the Northeast

Concerts were canceled, along with dozens of flights going into airports in Boston, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard on Friday and Saturday. Several airlines were offering to waive some change or cancellation fees for some East Coast flights through the weekend.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged people to use caution. She said coastal flooding is the biggest threat, but it will also bring heavy rains, powerful winds and waves as high as 20 feet (six meters).

“The rain is underway and while it’s only half an inch or so thus far, mark my words: Much more is coming,” the governor said.

New Jersey communities prepare for major flooding

Brian Kelly, the mayor of the tiny New Jersey beach community Sea Bright, said the borough is bracing for winds up to 50 mph (80 kph) and flooding that could reach up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) on some streets. Officials expect the flooding to start Saturday and worsen by midday.

“It’s going to be worse than average. We do have probably one or two flooding events a year, sometimes more, sometimes less, but I think this one will be closer to an Irene-scale flooding event,” Kelly said, referencing the 2011 storm that caused major flooding in the Northeast. “I hope I’m wrong, but that’s my gut feeling.”

Kelly hopes hundreds of residents living in low-lying areas will consider evacuating. He said the town will open its recreation center for evacuees.

Damaging winds threaten coastal New England

Peak wind gusts could approach 60 to 65 mph (97 to 105 kph) on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket on Friday night and Saturday, compared with about 50 to 55 mph (80 to 89 kph) around Boston and 35 to 40 mph (56 to 64 kph) farther inland, according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with NWS in Norton, Massachusetts.

“It’s definitely going to be a case of the closer to the coast you are, the more impacts from the storm you’re likely to see,” Belk said.

Belk said nor'easters are not unusual as New England moves into fall, but one concern this early in the season is that leaves remain on the trees, creating more wind resistance. That could increase the risk of downed limbs, which in turn can cause power outages and leave debris in roads, he said.

Along the Atlantic coasts of New Jersey and Delaware, wind gusts could reach 60 mph (96.6 kph), according to NWS. In southeastern Connecticut and eastern Long Island, New York, gusts could get almost as high, potentially downing tree limbs and power lines.

Storm disrupts concerts, baseball and flights

Air travel was also being disrupted, with Boston particularly hard hit. Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported 39 cancellations at Boston Logan International Airport between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Saturday, compared with 22 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Another 12 flights were delayed at Logan.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox announced their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs would be adjusted. The team moved the Sunday afternoon game to Friday to create a split doubleheader. Separately, Ed Sheeran announced that his high-profile Friday and Saturday shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, would be canceled due to the storm.

The public ferry service connecting Cape Cod with the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard was experiencing widespread cancellations due to strong winds and choppy water.

In Rhode Island, ferries were also canceled for Block Island. The disrupted ferry service was expected to also spill into Saturday.

For people who regularly travel to and from the islands, the possibility of getting stuck on one side or the other is “part of life,” said Sean Driscoll, a spokesperson for the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority. Most people have backup plans in place for when boats are canceled.

“It’s a nuisance, but you know, we know what to do with this kind of stuff at this point,” he said. “This is not out of the realm of ordinary.”

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Willingham reported from Boston. Associated Press writers Michael Casey in Boston; Rodrique Ngowi in Gloucester, Massachusetts; and Anthony Izaguirre in New York contributed to this report.

Han Zheng's speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday landed somewhat anticlimactically after Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trump for a state dinner and a visit to the National Archives. Most noteworthy about the address was the presence of Han himself: China has often used high-profile public events to position its rising leaders on the global stage.

“China has created two miracles at home, namely fast economic roles and long-term social stability,” Han said.

The closest he came to a pointed statement was when he mentioned protectionism. China and the United States have been engaged in a tariff spat for more than a year, though that has ebbed as the Trump administration delayed implementations, court battles played out and Trump seemed to soften his approach to Xi.

“Both history and reality prove that countries can hardly achieve development without an open and cooperative international environment," Han said. "Protectionism produces no winners.”

The lack of direct mention of Taiwan, something that often comes up in China’s U.N. speeches, was noteworthy, particularly given tensions between Washington and Beijing about the self-governing island's fate and defense. Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China.

Development positioned as the most important principle

Typically for China, Han put development at the top of the global agenda, saying much of the world order should be built around it to raise living standards everywhere. He also repeated a familiar refrain of the Chinese government: that development helps create peace.

China's signature initiative of the past decade, known as “Belt and Road,” is an effort to foster development in nations across the world — and, in the process, increase China's influence and soft power. Han said China has worked with three-quarters of the nations through Belt and Road projects.

China has long touted multilateralism as a cornerstone of a stable world, though it hasn't always followed that path in its own relations. The nation's constant refrain — stay out of our internal affairs — reflects its history of trying to secure the edges of the country that are distant from Beijing. That's a longstanding philosophy that dates to the construction of the Great Wall hundreds of years ago and continues today in the pressure points of Xinjiang and Tibet in its far west and Taiwan and Hong Kong off its east coast.

That refrain was reflected in Han's speech Saturday.

“Multilateralism is a choice made by humanity after going through scourges," he said. “We should settle the differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and oppose unilateral military actions that violate the U.N. charter and circumvent Security Council authorization.”

In terms of Iran, where the U.S. and Israel have been waging war since early this year, Han had this to say: “China holds that the sovereignty and security of countries in the Middle East, including the Gulf, should be respected.”

“We should safeguard the postwar international order," he said, but — in a statement that could be considered contradictory — he said the world should “reject the Cold War mindset and block confrontation.”

Han also spoke about empowering the Global South, a term used for emerging and economically struggling nations — many of which sit below the equator. Some larger nations have positioned themselves in recent years as leaders of the Global South, including China and India.

Han's presence has meaning, but perhaps not a lot of it

Given Xi's presence in the United States this week, many on-air pundits spent time ruminating about why he wasn't speaking at the U.N. It's not that unusual, though — particularly since Xi, in the grand scheme of things, had bigger fish to fry in Washington.

Wang Zichen, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, said there has never been “a convention” requiring the Chinese president to attend the U.N. General Assembly. Xi’s predecessors, including Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, attended major U.N. meetings only selectively, and Xi himself last addressed the body virtually during the pandemic in 2021.

Last year, Premier Li Qiang represented China. Senior diplomat Wang Yi has also spoken several time in recent years in various capacities; he was accompanying Xi this year on the Washington trip. And Han spoke in 2023.

“Both the premier and the vice president are sufficiently senior representatives that I would be cautious about interpreting the choice between them as a diplomatic signal in itself,” Wang Zichen said.

He added that China portrays the U.N. as an important global institution, so “it would be difficult to argue from the level of representation alone that China is becoming less interested in the U.N.”

Unlike Li's 2025 speech, which ventured into some personal observations about arriving in New York, Han played it straight. The closest he came to being flowery was in the context of multilateralism, and he quickly pivoted back to diplomatic language.

“Diversity has created splendor in the world,” he said. “Condescension and the self-centered mindset have no place in the interactions among different cultures. Promoting mutual trust, mutual respect, solidarity and harmonious coexistence is the right approach to take.”

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Associated Press writer E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing contributed to this report.

In one of the closest finishes in years, Russell held off Max Verstappen by just .196 of a second to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday, ending a three-month wait for a victory.

Russell cut Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli’s standings lead from 81 points to 66 as the Italian recovered from 16th on the grid to finish fifth.

“My teammate’s had an incredible season. He’s been pretty flawless throughout, but now we’re getting to crunch time,” Russell said. “If I continue delivering performances like I’ve done this weekend, no matter what happens towards the end of the season, I’ll be happy."

A dramatic finish with the checkered flag in sight

Russell started on pole, built a big lead and it seemed like he'd cruise to victory from there, given his vast margin over the field in qualifying the day before.

But then mayhem erupted behind him. Russell had to defend on two safety-car restarts before facing a dramatic late challenge from Verstappen, who charged through the field from eighth to second and nearly chased down Russell on the last straight.

“Every race since the (mid-season) break I have gone from strength to strength and I feel more like myself again,” Russell said.

A last-lap crash by Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas forced Russell and Verstappen to slow and the Dutch driver hunted down Russell right after that, closing fast as the finish line approached.

Verstappen ultimately was less than two-tenths of a second behind as he remains winless this year for the first time since his rookie 2015 season.

“I lost the boost, I had no power. Thought he was going to get us,” a relieved Russell said after securing his third win of the season.

Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar was third on his return from a wrist fracture which had been causing him pain earlier in the week. “I am completely satisfied even if it is a bit numb,” he said.

On a miserable day for McLaren, defending champion Lando Norris was taken out in a crash started by Franco Colapinto before Oscar Piastri went off-track defending third place and ended up 14th.

Antonelli helped by a fast car and good luck

Antonelli started 16th after a qualifying crash but ended up fifth as he limited the damage to his title lead, swerving to avoid a three-car crash ahead of him and later overtaking Lewis Hamilton.

The Italian had a lucky day as he benefited from a string of mistakes from drivers ahead, without being swept up in their incidents.

Antonelli swerved to avoid a three-car crash which took out Norris, caused by Alpine’s Colapinto plowing into his own teammate Pierre Gasly.

McLaren’s day got even worse when Piastri locked up his wheels while in third and defending from Hadjar. The Australian went off track and dropped all the way to 15th, helping out Antonelli in the process.

Ferrari lacked the pace to mount a serious challenge with Charles Leclerc fading to fourth from second on the grid, and Hamilton sixth.

Arvid Lindblad was seventh for Racing Bulls after he tipped his teammate Liam Lawson into a spin while reacting to the crash caused by Colapinto.

“I love getting taken out by my teammate, that’s pretty sick,” Lawson said.

Esteban Ocon was eighth for Haas, which appears set to drop him for 2027, with teammate Oliver Bearman ninth and Carlos Sainz, Jr. 10th for Williams.

F1 heads to Malaysia next week for a race still branded as the Bahrain Grand Prix. It's a replacement event after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were called off earlier this year because of the Iran war.

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See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Our NNE winds will still have a bit of a kick leading into our Saturday. A comfortable breeze will be felt as we wake up to temperatures in the mid 60s across the area! We will see mostly clear skies all day, allowing temperatures to reach the mid 80s. Humidity values will be low so the afternoon will be comfortably warm with our northerly winds persisting. Beach plans will be best near a lifeguard as the Atlantic waters will still be agitated due to the strong winds the last few days.

Sunday

Sunday morning will feature even cooler temperatures as our winds relax. We will wake up to temperatures in the low-mid 60s. A few upper 50s are even possible for northern Marion County! Our Sunday will once again feature mostly clear skies and high temperatures in the mid 80s.

The seventh-ranked Svitolina had plenty of emotions running through her mind after she beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 to seal a 2-0 victory over two-time defending champion Italy in the semifinals of the women’s tennis team event.

There was a semifinal match that Svitolina lost to Paolini in last year’s competition. And Svitolina has been one of Ukraine’s highest-profile athletes raising her political voice about Russia’s invasion of her country.

“Just a really special moment for us, for Ukraine,” Svitolina said. “We are going through difficult times back home — all the people. It’s just unbelievable to get for the first time in a final.”

At this stage last year, Svitolina was a set and 4-2 up before Paolini came back to beat her.

“It was a really tough loss for me last year here,” Svitolina said. “So I really had to be focused and really step up my game.”

Paolini was on a 10-match winning streak in the competition.

Earlier, Anhelina Kalinina had put Ukraine ahead 1-0 by beating Tyra Caterina Grant 6-3, 6-4 in Grant’s competition debut.

In Sunday’s final, Ukraine will face Czechia, which is led by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova and No. 1 doubles player Katerina Siniakova.

Czechia beat Spain 2-0 in their semifinal Friday and also shut out Britain 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

Ukraine beat Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

Against Belgium, Svitolina had lost in singles to 217th-ranked Greet Minnen before Kalinina and Lyudmyla Kichenok won a decisive doubles match.

“I was very upset after the first day against Belgium. ... I felt like I didn’t play at my best,” Svitolina said. “I really tried to use this chance, get better with my game, with my performance. Thanks to the team that they really supported me in this way. We practiced, we worked on few things. ... Such an historical moment for Ukraine.”

Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, stands second all time with 11 titles in the competition previously called Fed Cup. The United States, which did not qualify for the finals, has won a record 18 titles.

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See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Fortune was killed in a disagreement about drugs, and she fought hard with her attackers before she was killed, Jackson police Detective Samuel Dukes told the court. Citing the medical examiner's opinion, he also said the hanging was “staged.”

Fortune was Black, and the Aug. 3 discovery of her hanging body stoked fear and drew widespread attention because the scene recalled actual lynchings in the Southern state, which has a long and troubled history of racial violence.

Authorities haven’t disclosed the exact cause of Fortune’s death or said why they think her body was hanged afterward, but they ruled it a homicide and arrested two men, both of them also Black, on murder charges. A 45-year-old man turned himself in Friday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was charged with murder and will appear in court Monday.

Outside court, Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, told reporters that she had been aware that her daughter died before her body was hanged. But that step, she added, “brought all the attention to it.”

“What bothered me was they said Tasia fought for her life. I know she did. I know my daughter,” Spivey said.

The hearing was meant to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to send the case against the first man arrested, Jarques Ratliff, to a grand jury for a possible indictment. It will resume Sept. 30.

Ratliff, 51, was arrested in mid-September and has pleaded not guilty. He remains jailed without bond. Police arrested a second defendant, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., this week.

During Friday's hearing, Ratliff blurted out in court that he and Fortune were friends.

“It sounded sincere. Tasia had a lot of friends,” Spivey said later. “I hope if he is innocent that he can prove he’s innocent. We don’t want any innocent people going to jail.”

Ratliff’s stepdaughter, Lashuna Jones, was among her father's supporters at court.

“He didn’t do it, and I’m behind him,” she said.

Spivey has said her daughter, who had four children, struggled with homelessness in recent years, and that she wasn’t sure where Fortune was living at the time of her death. She said Fortune had talked about starting a cleaning business and was trying to get her life in order.

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This story was first published on Sep. 25, 2026. It was updated on Sep. 26, 2026 to clarify that Jackson police Detective Samuel Dukes said Tasia Fortune was apparently killed in a drug dispute before her body was hung in a tree in a “staged” scene behind an abandoned home. Dukes did not indicate whether Fortune’s alleged killers intended to make the scene look like a lynching.

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White reported from Detroit.

The reports could help provide a clearer picture on how consumers are handling higher prices on a wide range of products and services, along with whether employment and wages remain resilient.

Business group The Conference Board will release its consumer confidence survey for September on Tuesday. The survey has revealed shaky confidence from consumers throughout the year. In August, confidence slipped to its lowest level in seven months.

On Wednesday, the U.S. will release a key inflation report, the personal consumption expenditures price index, for August. The PCE is closely monitored by Wall Street and the Federal Reserve. Inflation remains stubbornly above 3% and the Federal Reserve recently raised interest rates in an effort to tame high prices. The central bank has a target rate for inflation of 2%.

High gasoline prices have been fueling a broader jump in inflation, squeezing household budgets and sapping consumer confidence. The U.S. war with Iran has stifled global oil supplies since late February. It has a direct impact via higher gasoline prices, but higher fuel costs also make shipping more expensive. That raises prices for everything from food to clothing.

The U.S. releases its monthly employment report for September on Friday. The jobs market has been among the more resilient areas of the economy, but it has started to show more signs of stress. Wage growth has been slowing, which makes it harder for workers to deal with the impact of rising inflation.

They were there to hear Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee for governor and the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama.

"Alabama has been under Republican control for almost two decades. We’re not getting any better,” said Jeff Scroggins, 61, a government contractor from Slocomb who was part of the crowd that came to Mural City Coffee Company and said he is voting for the Democrat.

Scroggins, who usually votes Democratic, called himself the “black sheep of the family” in supporting Jones this fall against Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, but said there are more Democrats and “stubborn independents” in the state than people realize.

Jones and other Democrats running in Alabama and neighboring states are banking on it.

“People want change," Jones said after an hour of talking with people who came to see him. “That is the real key. People are not satisfied with their government of Alabama.”

Democrats sense a shift among voters

Deep South Democrats, largely absent from statewide offices, are aiming for a comeback this year. They are seeking to mobilize Black voters who are angered about the Republican moves to dismantle minority congressional districts, as well as voters who are frustrated with high gas prices, the Iran war, data centers and other issues.

Jones is trying to win a rematch with Tuberville after the Republican ousted him in a 2020 Senate race. Jones would be the first Democrat since 1998 to win an Alabama governor's race.

In Mississippi, prosecutor Scott Colom is trying to unseat Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and become the state's first newly elected U.S. senator since 1946. In Georgia, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is trying to reverse a losing streak in races for governor that began for Democrats in 2002. Elsewhere, Democrats are trying to pull off U.S. Senate upsets in Louisiana and South Carolina.

In Alabama, Jones' town halls have attracted hopeful Democrats, some independents and even a few Republicans. Their concerns mirror those of voters nationwide: the rising cost of living, worries over data centers and the affordability of healthcare, issues they say have gone unaddressed by the Republicans who control the state.

Some said state policies, including an abortion ban that makes no exemption for rape, have been too extreme. Others said some comments by Tuberville, such as calling Islam “a cult,” are embarrassing to the state.

Still, the math across the Deep South has been difficult for Democrats. Other than Jones’ victory in the special U.S. Senate election, the last Democrat holding statewide office in Alabama was defeated in 2012. Statewide Democratic candidates have hit a ceiling of around 40% of the vote in recent elections.

The results are similar in most other Deep South states. In Georgia, U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who is seeking reelection this year, offer a bright spot for Democrats.

Jones noted that Alabama saw a surge in the number of people voting in the Democratic primary. While about 58% of primary voters were Republican, the Democratic primary vote doubled since 2022. Some counties, including a tech hub in north Alabama, saw more Democratic votes than Republican.

Optimistic about their chances, Democrats are running candidates in all major state races for the first time in years.

“The numbers are there," Jones said. "It’s a question of getting those voters out.”

Republican gerrymandering creates a backlash

In nearby Troy, a crowd gathered on the campus of Troy University to hear Jones speak alongside Shomari Figures, one of Alabama's two Black U.S. House members. The district was substantially redrawn by Republicans after the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year gutted the Voting Rights Act.

Figures said there is an excitement he has not felt since Jones’ 2017 Senate victory. Figures won election two years ago after a federal court ruled that Alabama had been illegally diluting the voting power of Black Alabamians and ordered new district lines. The Supreme Court's reversal this year allowed state Republicans to reshape the district and substantially reduce the percentage of Black voters who align with Democrats.

Figures said the goal of the redraw was obvious: to reduce Black representation.

"But we are going to win it in November,” he said.

Figures has often emphasized the economic needs of the district at a time when affordability is one of the main topics of the midterms. He noted that the individual median income in Alabama is $34,000.

“Let that sink in — $34,000 before taxes, before rent, before water, before lights, before gas, before cellphone, before health insurance, before car insurance, before childcare, before food," he said.

Alabama is one of 10 states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, a decision that Jones and Figures said leaves thousands of working people without access to healthcare coverage.

Figures faces Trump-endorsed Republican Rhett Marques, a state lawmaker. Marques framed the race as “common sense” versus “craziness.” Both have raised about $1.3 million so far.

In Missi

ssippi, Colom looks to make history

Colom echoes many of Jones' and Figures' arguments in his bid against Hyde-Smith.

“We’ve been gifted an opportunity,” he said, pointing to Mississippi’s large base of Black Democratic voters, Hyde-Smith’s relatively low profile in her first full Senate term and voters’ frustrations over the economy.

With the largest share of Black voters of any state, Mississippi’s general elections have been closer for years than its immediate Southern neighbors. Trump won by double digits in each of his three presidential contests, but in 2023 Republican Gov. Tate Reeves managed to win reelection by a margin of just 3 percentage points.

Colom insists he can close the gap by increasing Black turnout and peeling off enough disenchanted white voters from Republicans. It is the same kind of electoral math that propelled Ossoff and Warnock in Georgia.

“For me, it can’t be just about getting a Senate majority,” Colom said. “It’s got to be about having a party that represents rural America again, suburban America, urban America — a party that makes sure we actually deliver for voters in ways that make their lives better, and we don’t come up with excuses as to why we can’t do it.”

Republicans say they aren't worried

Alabama's Republican Party chairman, Scott Stadthagen, said Democratic priorities, in his opinion, “are far outside the views of conservative Alabamians.” He said there has been previous chatter of a Democratic resurgence, and “each election cycle, we remain the brightest red state in the decidedly conservative southeastern United States.”

Tuberville has declined Jones’ challenge to debate. Expressing confidence about November, Tuberville said he is running “against an ideology that’s not very compatible with the people of Alabama.” He will appear with Trump at a rally in Mobile next week.

“I’ve been representing Alabama for six years, and we’ll turn it over to the voters here in about six, seven weeks and see what they say," Tuberville told reporters.

As the November election draws closer, Democratic candidates are attracting impressive crowds.

To Sam Phillips, who attended the rallies in Dothan and Troy, the crowds and energy felt different from previous election years.

“It doesn’t get any redder than here, and there was a whole lot of excitement in both places," the 67-year-old said. “So I feel optimistic.”

Gwendolyn Davis, a 67-year-old retired special education teacher, left the town hall in Troy with an armful of yard signs for Figures and Jones. She said she is determined to reach people who have been sitting out elections.

"If we don’t get people out to vote, it will be kind of heartbreaking,” she said.

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Barrow reported from Atlanta.

U.S. vaccination recommendations have become splintered in the past year, with federal officials and doctors' organizations disagreeing over guidance and even battling each other in court. But both sides have been exploring revisions in longstanding HPV vaccine recommendations.

“This would be a significant shift in terms of what has been communicated for many years about the best way to protect adolescents against HPV,” said Jason Schwartz, a Yale University vaccine policy researcher.

Here's a look at HPV shots, which debuted 20 years ago and may now be approaching a crossroads.

HPV is linked to thousands of cancer cases

HPV, human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.

More than 40 HPV types can infect the genital areas of men and women, plus the lining of the mouth and throat. Certain strains are responsible for most cases of genital warts.

HPV also is a leading cause of the nearly 50,000 cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year that affect those parts of the body. Indeed, about 90% of cervical cancer and anal cancers are attributed to HPV infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2006, federal health officials approved the first HPV vaccine, Merck & Co.'s Gardasil. A second vaccine was approved in 2009, GlaxoSmithKline’s Cervarix.

Both vaccines are approved for use in males and females, available for kids as young as 9 to adults in their 20s. But they were prioritized for 11- and 12-year-olds, because the shots work best if given before someone is sexually active.

HPV vaccination recommendations have changed before

Initially, in 2006, HPV vaccinations were recommended only for girls and given as a series of three shots over six months. Boys were added in 2011, a move largely intended to stop them from spreading a virus to girls that could cause cervical cancer.

Ten years ago, the government changed the dosing recommendations. It dropped the number of recommended doses from three to two after studies showed that amount offered sufficient protection. Research also suggested two doses worked better when spaced six to 12 months apart, meaning they could be given at annual checkups.

Since then, studies in multiple countries have shown dramatic decreases in infections, genital warts cases and precancerous cervical lesions.

In 2020, the American Cancer Society updated its guidelines for women, raising the age at which screenings should start to 25, from 21. The organization attributed the change to data indicating vaccinations had led to a drop in rates of cervical changes that are seen as precursors to cancer.

Evidence has continued to be favorable.

The University of Minnesota's Vaccine Integrity Project this year published a research review that found that HPV vaccines had lowered the risk of genital-area cancers in women. And a study published in April in the journal JAMA Oncology found vaccinated males are nearly 50% less likely to develop cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, anus or penis.

What's more, “the duration of protection is long,” said Angela Ulrich, who led the Vaccine Integrity Project review. "We have people who are 20, 30, 40 years old who are seeing protection from the HPV vaccine.”

HPV vaccination rates are lower than for other vaccines

A recent CDC report found vaccination rates against HPV were lower than the rates for some other shots adolescents get, at least partly because most states don't require HPV vaccinations as a condition of school attendance.

Still, the HPV vaccination rate has been flat for four years in a row, with about 63% of teenagers getting both doses.

It doesn't help that HPV shots are known to have a sharper sting. (Doctors have noted fainting is more common after HPV shots.)

Questions about pain are common, said Dr. Scott Hadland, who works at a Boston clinic that treats adolescents and young adults.

“Some of my patients tell me it hurts more than other vaccines they've received, but only for a moment,” he said.

Also not helping lately, perhaps, is the elevation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to U.S. health secretary. Before he was appointed to oversee federal health agencies last year, Kennedy was an attorney and consultant in lawsuits against Merck over the Gardasil vaccine, and falsely claimed the vaccine increases cervical cancer risk.

Research suggests one shot may be enough for girls

In January, Kennedy ordered the number of recommended HPV doses to be reduced to one, as part of a unilateral reduction of the childhood vaccination schedule.

That change was blocked by a federal judge’s order, but it actually is something that medical experts had been considering for some time.

The idea gained attention late last year with the publication of a study in Costa Rica that tracked more than 20,000 girls over five years. It found a single HPV shot provided about 97% protection against cervical cancer, similar to two doses.

A year earlier, in 2024, research developments prompted a CDC advisory committee to form a work group to explore the possibility of a revised recommendation. That work was interrupted when Kennedy dismissed the members of the committee.

The American Academy of Pediatrics — one of the medical groups that sued Kennedy — makes its own vaccination recommendations. It has been considering a guidance change, exploring questions such as whether one dose is sufficient for at least some people and at what age vaccination should begin, said Dr. James Campbell, chair of the organization's committee on infectious diseases.

Should kids get one shot or two?

Recommendations are evolving. But right now, experts advise that kids get two shots.

While there is evidence showing one shot was sufficient for girls in preventing cervical cancer, there is less evidence about other kinds of cancer in girls. Also lacking is data on whether one shot is sufficient protection for boys against the HPV-related cancers they are at risk for, according to the Vaccine Integrity Project review.

Whether the recommendation remains two shots or is changed to one, it's important that kids get vaccinated, Hadland said.

“The benefits are very clear. It prevents cancer,” he said.

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The Associated Press’ health and science coverage receives financial support from the AP Fund for Journalism and 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.

“No comment,” the pontiff replied with a beaming smile when a reporter on his plane to France asked whether the surprise sprung Thursday by the long-suffering team was miraculous and “Do you have anything to do with that?"

But the Chicago-born and raised lifelong fan of the White Sox left no doubt that he was thrilled, by adding: “Great things happen in Chicago."

The pontiff's oh-so-diplomatic answer was perhaps because he's had experience of how perceived papal rooting for one team or another can land him in hot water.

In June, he said “the pope is for all teams" but rubbed soccer fans in Barcelona the wrong way by adding that he personally roots for Real Madrid, inserting himself into one of the biggest rivalries in club football.

Real Madrid proudly posted the video of the moment, and social media filled with comments about how the club is “the team of God.”

Again being careful not to overtly take sides, the pontiff also showed on the papal plane that he keeps a keen eye on basketball, too.

In response to another question, Leo said that “the voice of the people of God” will be cheering loudly for Villanova University — where he studied mathematics in the 1970s — when his alma mater and Notre Dame play a men’s and women’s season-opening basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1.

“They tell me that the people coming to the match, 90% are Villanova and 10% Notre Dame, so the voice of the people of God will be very strong on the Villanova side,” Leo said.

The Catholic schools are promoting the matchup as a celebration of their shared mission and heritage. Long before he became the first pope from the United States, Robert Prevost graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the Augustinian school near Philadelphia.

The 71-year-old pontiff's sporting interests extend to tennis, too.

“I consider myself quite the amateur tennis player,” he said in a 2023 interview with the Augustinian Order, although the newly made cardinal added that his church responsibilities weren't leaving him much time to get out on court.

As pontiff, Leo likes to spend Mondays and Tuesdays at the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo in the hills outside Rome — where he plays tennis with his secretary, Monsignor Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga, and goes swimming and horseback riding, too.

Last year, Leo granted a Vatican audience to top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner. But he declined Sinner's offer of a quick volley.

The pope looked around at the antiques and said, “Better not.”

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Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Paris contributed.

At issue is how someone can prove they are too medically frail to work. While federal regulations say the state can take the recipient's word for it for the first year, at least six states are requiring documentation immediately. There is a continuing push in other states to follow suit eventually.

Advocates say that could create problems, especially for new applicants to the joint state-federal health insurance program for lower-income people.

“Someone may not be able to work, but they can’t see a doctor because they can’t afford it. So they’re now applying for Medicaid,” said Jennifer Tolbert, director of state health policy and data at the research organization KFF. “But Medicaid is saying you need documentation from a provider.”

As some Republican-led states take a tougher-than-required approach to implementing the federally mandated changes, Democrats in 25 states are suing and asserting that the rules are too harsh.

Some say documentary evidence is necessary to avoid fraud

The Medicaid changes are projected to save the federal government $887 billion over the next decade and result in 7.5 million fewer people with health insurance, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s 2025 estimate.

The conservative Foundation for Government Accountability has been pushing states not to make it too easy for people to avoid work requirements, saying able-bodied adults are pushing enrollment and costs higher.

Jonathan Ingram, vice president of research and policy at the group, has been encouraging states not to take a beneficiary’s word for it, a process known as self-attestation.

“Self-attestation is fraud-by-design,” he said via email. “It is a policy developed by bureaucrats to maximize enrollment at the expense of program integrity.”

Self-attestation comes under penalty of perjury, so people who lie can be subject to criminal charges — though such charges are rare.

Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Ohio all have laws or policies that bar self-attestation to qualify for the work requirement exception starting next year.

Republican Missouri state Rep. Darin Chappell said he worked with the Foundation for Government Accountability to craft a proposed amendment that would have enshrined Medicaid work requirements in the state constitution. It would have required “documentary evidence” of work or reasons for exemptions, specifically prohibiting self-attestation.

The amendment passed the Missouri House but died without a vote in the Senate. Chappell plans to try again next year.

“If someone has a debilitating physical ailment — or mental ailment for that matter — something that prohibits them from working, that’s totally legitimate,” he said. “But we’re not taking anybody’s word for it. I don’t mean to shock you none, but people do tend to lie about such things.”

Most nondisabled beneficiaries under 65 already work

The new mandate applies to up to 20 million lower-income adults without children at home who are enrolled in Medicaid through an optional expansion in 40 states and the District of Columbia. The requirement does not apply in the 10 states, mostly in the South, that did not expand Medicaid.

Beneficiaries will have to work or volunteer at least 80 hours each month or be in school at least half-time to qualify, with exceptions for situations including medical frailty.

The law had said medically frail people include those who have substance use disorders, disabilities or serious medical conditions. But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a rule in June that went further and was stricter than states and providers expected, saying someone’s condition must “significantly impair” their ability to work, volunteer or attend school as required for an exemption.

Currently states generally decide once a year whether Medicaid recipients still qualify for benefits. The new law will require it to happen twice for most enrollees.

States will be allowed to accept self-attestation just once each time a person enrolls starting in 2028. After that, documentation would be required at least every 12 months to verify that they still have the condition and that it still prevents them from being able to work.

The government expects states to rely increasingly on third-party data — on things such as workers’ compensation claims or prescription information — to help make determinations. For conditions that do not show up in the databases, states can require a doctor's certification, a disability award letter or other proof.

While states have been ramping up the use of this information, the work requirements are still a big change, and many will first have to spend millions of dollars improving their computer systems.

States are already struggling in some cases to make changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance food program, or SNAP, that are required under Trump's law, including an expanded work requirement.

In Arizona, for example, enrollment plummeted by 55% from April 2025 to April 2026 — the biggest drop in the country — with more than 400,000 fewer people getting benefits now. Last month, the state said that was largely due to difficulties in putting in place new federal requirements that resulted in higher call volumes and additional verification.

Patient advocates worry aid will be denied to qualified people

Ingram said some of the concerns about ending self-attestation are overblown and people can get diagnoses to support their inability to work at many places, including charitable clinics and federally qualified health centers. He also noted that Medicaid allows retroactive coverage for doctor visits that happen before enrollment.

Patient advocates say it's not that simple.

“The added paperwork, the hoops you have to jump through lead to coverage loss,” said Nate Crippes, a lawyer at the Disability Law Center in Utah, where a law allows self-attestation to qualify for the work requirement exception on a provisional basis.

An added challenge is that most people in the Medicaid expansion group in his state have a mental health or substance use disorder diagnosis — or both.

“We’re choosing to make people with health conditions jump through a bunch of hurdles,” said Camille Richoux, health policy director at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

It can be tricky if states decide to rely partly on patient diagnosis codes to determine whether recipients are able to work.

Lucy Dagneau, senior director of the state and local campaigns team at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said the codes do not indicate the severity of a condition. For example, some patients with a specific cancer can continue working, she said, but others who are in more advanced stages cannot.

“Our fear is by that banning self-attestation, unfortunately, the state lawmakers who pass those laws are going to have a hand in more people losing coverage in their state than would have,” she said.

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Associated Press writers David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Laura Turbay in Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed.

The European Amputee Football Federation, or EAFF, inaugurated the new Conference League in Bucharest. The games were held Thursday and Friday, and the final concluded on Friday when Maccabi Haifa FC of Israel was crowned the winner after beating Scotland’s Ayr United 4-0.

The victory meant a lot to Ben Binyamin of the team from Israel. Back in 2023, the Israeli player had his right leg blown off during the Hamas attack on the Tribe of Nova music festival, which left him fearing he would never play soccer again.

“I am very happy that we won this tournament, we won without conceding a single goal,” he told The Associated Press. “Football itself for us is our physiotherapy, our life, and our second family. It helps us in life. It gives us strength.”

Four teams participated in the tournament: FCSB of host nation Romania, Maccabi Haifa FC of Israel, Ayr United of Scotland and Panathinaikos AC PwD of Greece.

“We are very satisfied, very happy to bring pride to the country,” Binyamin added.

Inspired by the European club competition model in able-bodied soccer, the EAFF described the new league as a “historic milestone” that represents “another important step in the development of European amputee football.”

“The Conference League creates an international opportunity for clubs from countries where domestic amputee football leagues are not yet established,” it says on its website.

Played in a seven-versus-seven format, on 60-meter (196-foot) by 40-meter (131-foot) fields, amputee soccer is a game for amputees and people living with limb defects. Players have one leg and a pair of crutches, while goalkeepers have both legs but one hand or arm.

Established in 2015, the EAFF aims to help people with amputations or limb defects gain access to amputee soccer throughout Europe. The World Amputee Football Federation was established in 2002 and a World Cup is held every four years.

The new league hopes to attract more spectators to amputee soccer and gives teams opportunities to build international relationships. The EAFF also organizes a Nations League, Champions League, Europa League, and holds other initiatives like women’s and junior camps.

Iain Matthew, manager of the Scottish team, told the AP that while his team’s 0-4 loss to Maccabi Haifa was disappointing, the league itself offered valuable experience for his players.

“The competition is great for smaller nations … to get European football experience,” he said. “I think we could have played better, we could have defended better, but you’ve got to praise your players for what they’ve done over the week.”

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McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.

The west-coast based Dockers dominated play in the third quarter but the Lions came back Saturday to beat the Dockers 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) before a capacity crowd of 100,023 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Brisbane made it consecutive Australian rules football titles last year with a a 47-point win over Geelong.

On Saturday, the teams were tied 43-43 at halftime, with each team kicking six goals worth six points each and seven “behinds” worth one point each in the opening half. The Dockers led by 10 points after three quarters.

Logan Morris put the Lions in front with a minute left, then kicked the sealing points.

Fremantle, a port city where the Swan River meets the Indian Ocean just south of the state capital Perth, joined the league in 1995. The Dockers are still seeking their first AFL title.

Two weeks ago, 100,021 spectators crammed the same stadium to watch the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia, won 27-7 by the San Francisco 49ers over the Los Angeles Rams.

Britain-based and Melbourne-born pop star Kylie Minogue provided the pre-game entertainment Saturday.

Australian Rules football is a often dynamic contact sport played by teams of 18 on an oval field and involves plenty of kicking. It was established in and around Melbourne in the 1850s and is one of the most popular sports in Australia. The top-tier national league, the AFL, features 18 clubs.

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See AP’s full sports coverage here

Nolo was expected to strengthen to a major hurricane on Saturday. Its maximum sustained winds increased to 105 mph (165 kph) Friday. The storm’s center was located about 145 miles (235 kilometers) south of Hawaii’s southernmost point.

Forecasters warned parts of the Big Island could see rainfall totals up to 15 inches (38 centimeters), with a possibility of up to 25 inches (64 centimeters). That was down from an earlier forecast that called for up to 35 inches (89 centimeters).

“People are going to want to kind of shelter in place on the Big Island, be in their safe place, certainly by later today, tonight, well into Saturday," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday. “Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down.”

Heavy rainfall also was possible on Hawaii's other islands, the hurricane center said. Maui also could see heavy rainfall and potential life-threatening flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.

Crews on the Big Island spent hours Friday trying to build berms to guide water and move large debris ahead of the worst of the rain, said Erika Kapu, Hawaii program manager for the humanitarian nonprofit CORE.

CORE and other nonprofit partners spent the week packing and shipping supplies like camp stoves and hygiene products by air cargo from Oahu to the Big Island for a community relief hub that has been active since August's Hurricane Lala.

Hawaii prepares as northern edge of Nolo is expected to barrel through

President Donald Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for the state of Hawaii, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance from across the federal government and provide funding support for emergency measures.

Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members. Schools were closed in some areas.

Hawaii County officials on the Big Island were urging residents in flood-prone areas to consider taking refuge at shelters being set up or other locations.

The heaviest rain from Nolo is likely to fall over the same southeastern region of the Big Island that was hit by Lala and where grounds are still wet from additional precipitation. The storm surge could hit 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 centimeters), creating large and dangerous waves and coastal flooding, the hurricane center said.

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews that had been helping restore power in Kauai after this month’s Hurricane Lowell would return to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in preparation for the coming storm.

Residents and tourists on the Big Island were busy preparing.

In Hilo, where light rain was falling Friday, residents filled bags with sand and gravel at Francis Wong Stadium, where authorities set up a sand distribution center.

Dean Taise said water was starting to get into his driveway from the street, so he decided to get a few sandbags ready ahead of possible floods.

“They say, prepare for the worst, right? Hope for the best,” Taise said.

Piles of sandbags lined the terminal at Hilo International Airport, where Daniela Mendoza was trying to get home to Oahu after Southwest Airlines canceled flights. Only Hawaiian Airlines was still flying out of the airport Friday afternoon.

“I hope I can leave,” Mendoza said. “My cats are waiting for me.”

Polo is strengthening after returning to Category 5 intensity

Meanwhile, Mexico is under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it heads toward the Baja California peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast.

The hurricane center said Polo gained significant force overnight into Friday morning and doused parts of Mexico's Pacific Coast. No major damage or flooding was reported along the coast overnight into Friday.

By midday Friday, attention turned to the peninsula, where the hurricane was slated to arch back and hit between Monday and Tuesday. Local authorities were preparing shelters, and Mexico’s government announced Friday afternoon that they were closing ports in the region as dark clouds swirled overhead.

The latest estimated sustained winds were 175 mph (280 kph).

Residents stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes in some coastal areas on Thursday. Mexican authorities opened shelters and cleared people from beaches, and 15,000 security personnel were deployed across the coast. Schools were closed.

In the port city of Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, seawater swept through homes and left wooden planks and furniture strewn on the streets. Locals and government officials were clearing debris and shoveling thick mud coating much of the town.

Alicia Contreras said the walls and roof of her restaurant had been severely damaged by 15-foot (4.5-meter) waves. She worried about how she would recover economically, saying she has no other source of income.

Brennan said some moisture associated with Polo will be pushed into parts of the southwestern U.S. by Monday, possibly producing scattered flash flooding in the Four Corners region, particularly portions of Arizona and New Mexico.

Biologists on Friday relocated eggs from two olive ridley sea turtle nests on Southern California beaches to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach over concern about high tides and hazardous surf as officials monitor Hurricane Polo.

Powerful storms come during the weather phenomenon El Niño

El Niño is prompting major environmental shifts across the world, fueling drought in some areas and flooding in others. It traditionally dampens the Atlantic hurricane season, while it tends to rev up tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific with moist air and little wind shear.

A third storm in the Pacific, Hurricane Odalys, was at Category 4 status and was still far from land Friday, roughly 955 miles (1,537 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Two other powerful storms were churning in the Atlantic Ocean but were not near land.

In the northern Atlantic, Tropical Storm Fay reformed early Thursday. As of Friday, it was about 1,040 miles (1,674 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores, the hurricane center said. Off Africa's western coast, Tropical Storm Gonzalo strengthened early Friday as it approached the Cabo Verde Islands.

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Associated Press reporters Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Leo raised existential concerns about scientific progress, life and human rights during his opening speech to President Emmanuel Macron and authorities at the Élysée Palace and then to diplomats and United Nations employees at the headquarters of UNESCO, the U.N. culture and education organization.

With wars plaguing Europe and the Middle East, he reaffirmed the Vatican’s opposition to nuclear weapons and said the nuclear deterrence doctrine was “mistaken” since it was just fueling a new arms race.

“Peace is not a balance of power; rather, it is built day by day through dialogue and justice,” he said.

Leo has an intense four days in France, where the Catholic Church has lost ground in influencing ethical issues given the strict approach to secularism that is enshrined in the French Constitution.

Yet thousands of people lined his motorcade route, waving French and Holy See flags, with some braving hours of the unseasonable heat to catch a glimpse of him. The turnout underscored the surprising level of interest in Leo’s visit, the first official state visit by a pope to France in 18 years.

“To see him, praying with us, it comforts us in our faith and on our path,” said Senegalese Sister Antonia Faye, who was glowing after her first-ever event with a pope, an evening prayer service at Notre Dame that featured angelic choirs and the cathedral’s booming organ.

“Being with the pope is different to being alone or praying alone. We felt the benediction that came down on us,” she said.

A capstone visit as Macron’s term ends

For Macron, who is barred from seeking a third term in May elections, hosting the American pope is something of a capstone. Pope Francis had refused repeatedly to make a proper state visit to France during his 12-year pontificate and pointedly refused to join the inauguration of the rebuilt Notre Dame cathedral in 2024 that Macron had championed.

“For a president of the republic as Macron, who is at the end of his mandate, it can be important to be aside the pope and to capture a part of his popularity,” said Charles Mercier, director of history and sociology of Catholicism studies at Paris EPHE university.

With seven months left in his term, Macron’s approval ratings are near record lows, driven by anger over the rising cost of living and criticism of France’s growing debt and deficit and deteriorating public services.

Smiling broadly as Leo spoke French, Macron thanked the pope for visiting, saying: “You are here with us for an extended visit, giving us your time, and that is moving.”

Leo calls for the French to mull lofty questions about life

Unlike Francis, who liked to travel to small Catholic communities far from Rome, Leo has been keen to emphasize and reawaken Europe’s Christian roots. He is seeking to push the church’s message about the value and dignity of human life in a country where the right to abortion was enshrined in the constitution in 2024, and where lawmakers recently gave final approval to a bill allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication.

The French Catholic hierarchy strongly opposed the measures, in keeping with Catholic teaching that human life must be protected and defended from conception until natural death.

In his speech to Macron and other government and diplomatic authorities, Leo reminded France of its “deep Christian roots” and called for the French to remember that the right to life is the “indispensable foundation of every other human right.”

His concern about the dignity of human life and humanity as a whole extended to the threats posed by artificial intelligence.

“The paradox has become increasingly evident: while ‘intelligence’ is attributed to computational systems, we struggle to recognize the inalienable dignity of human persons, whose lives are judged according to the criterion of efficiency and, when deemed no longer productive, are rejected and discarded,” he said.

From the very start of his pontificate, Leo has identified AI as one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. He dedicated his first encyclical to the topic, “Magnificent Humanity,” calling for robust regulation and for AI developers to work for the common good rather than profit.

Leo also appealed to AI developers and political leaders responsible for regulating them to slow down, an appeal that several top AI companies seem to have taken to heart recently.

“If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a ‘paradise of machines’ invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment and the capacity to acknowledge the moral good,” he said.

Leo earlier told reporters that he was pleased his message was being heard and said he hoped the dialogue that the Vatican initiated with tech companies would continue.

“And I think from their perspective, many of them, they’re very much open to looking for ways of making sure that AI does not displace or ultimately destroy humanity, but rather is a tool for human beings,” he said.

A visit to Notre Dame that Francis declined

Later on Friday, Leo presided over evening prayers in Paris' soaring Notre Dame cathedral, the first pope to celebrate there since the devastating 2019 fire that consumed the cathedral’s roof and toppled its spire.

After being mobbed by a crowd of eager nuns outside, Leo walked down the central aisle to the combined thundering of the organ above and cheers from the pews below. As bells tolled, he knelt in silent prayer in the same spot where, in 2019, flames brought down scorched roof beams.

Leo marveled at the brilliance of the stained-glass windows and restored cream columns and praised the artisans who repaired them. He urged the priests and nuns gathered in the pews to be inspired by the combined effort to bring the Gothic masterpiece back to life.

Francis had refused to visit France on a proper state visit, and explicitly refused Macron’s invitation to come for the 2024 reopening of the cathedral that drew dozens of world leaders.

He did make three short trips to French cities, however, including Strasbourg in 2014 and Marseille and Corsica in 2024, a one-day visit that became his last foreign trip.

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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.

Zelenskyy told reporters he has not yet received feedback from the White House about Trump’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping but expects to learn the outcome.

Zelenskyy, who is keen to muster more international support for Ukraine’s defense, was in the United States this week on a trip coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly. He met with Trump on Tuesday.

NATO countries have called China a “decisive enabler” of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

Zelenskyy shared more details of his U.S. trip in voice messages to a group of journalists.

Here’s what Zelenskyy also said:

Zelenskyy says the US wants initial technical talks

Washington is pushing for a three-way meeting involving delegations from the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, with officials holding technical talks in that format without the countries' leaders, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is waiting for the U.S. to propose a date for those meetings, he said, adding that American officials suggested the United Arab Emirates as the location for these talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Putin and Trump during their call earlier this month discussed holding such a meeting in the near future. “As of now, I can’t give you any specifics,” Peskov said.

Representatives from the three countries held three rounds of trilateral negotiations early this year, twice in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, and once in Geneva, but the talks achieved no significant breakthroughs.

Speaking to reporters in St. Petersburg on Friday night, Putin decried recent Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and on Russian-held areas of Ukraine and said that while “proposals to resume the talks are all on the table,” Moscow “will think carefully about what we need to do in response.”

The Kremlin will make its decisions, “including on the possible resumption of the negotiation process, based on the interests of the Russian Federation,” Putin stressed.

US passed hefty sanctions on Russia

Zelenskyy met with U.S. senators and Congress members during his U.S. trip and said he thanked them for their bipartisan support in passing a powerful sanctions bill aimed at Moscow last month. Trump signed the bill into law last week but hasn’t enacted the measures yet.

Sanctions are key in forcing Putin to the negotiating table, Zelenskyy said, adding that he hoped Trump would implement the measures.

“The sanctions are indeed strong … all of this is now in the hands of the president of the United States. He can use this tool to pressure the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy says he got Trump's OK for Patriot licenses

The Ukrainian leader said Trump confirmed he had made a final decision that Kyiv would get licenses to produce Patriot air defense systems.

Ukraine is desperate for more of the American-made air defense systems that are needed to stop Russia’s ballistic missiles, but they have been in short supply since the war in Iran started on Feb. 28.

Trump had said in July that he would allow Ukraine to make its own Patriots but later appeared to be reconsidering the move.

Countries urge free flow of food through Black Sea

Ukraine and Russia are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other food that developing nations rely on. However, wartime attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have choked that supply route, raising fears of shortages.

Zelenskyy said he held separate talks in the U.S. with the leaders of India, Turkey, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries that want unimpeded Black Sea shipping routes. He added that these leaders were also due to speak to Russian officials.

Kyiv wants Moscow to accept a Black Sea ceasefire that would allow full deliveries to resume, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine needs more money

Zelenskyy said he also spoke in the U.S. with the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission about plugging Ukraine’s budget deficit as its finances are strained by wartime expenses and drops in production. Russia's economy is also hurting.

The European Union will extend its financial aid for Ukraine, and the IMF will continue its financial support programs, he said.

Most of the funding gap relates specifically to weapons purchases, Zelenskyy said, and future financing for Ukraine could come in the form of deals for sharing technology and joint drone production. Ukraine is a world leader in military drones.

A boy is killed in a Kyiv strike as Russia also reports civilian casualties

Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight and into Friday killed five people and wounded 11, officials said, while Russian authorities reported one dead and 21 wounded in Ukrainian long-range strikes.

Zelenskyy said eight Ukrainian regions came under attack. Russia kept up its relentless round-the-clock attacks on the Ukrainian capital, hitting an office block where four people were killed, Zelenskyy said. A 14-year-old boy was also killed in a Kyiv apartment building strike and at least seven residents were injured, according to officials.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces hit a missile engine depot near Kyiv, among other targets.

Ukraine hit two refineries as part of its sustained campaign to damage Russia’s economy, Zelenskyy said.

Unconfirmed Russian media reports said Ukrainian drones also struck a Russian military electronics plant and a synthetic rubber producer.

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Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal.

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

The Dodgers are once again among the best teams in the big leagues, and they'll have several challengers in October, including the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays. Los Angeles is rolling into the postseason and four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani returned to the lineup on Wednesday after a stint on the injured list. He appears ready for playoff baseball.

It was a busy Thursday in the playoff race, with the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians all clinching invites to the postseason.

The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves have also previously clinched. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, a three-time AL MVP, is dealing with a right calf strain that could keep him out through at least the Wild Card Series.

The D-backs looked like a playoff long shot just a few days ago but a six-game winning streak has pulled them within a game of the struggling Philles in the NL wild-card race. Philadelphia has lost three in a row. Arizona has the tiebreaker if the two teams finish with the same record.

Here's some of what to watch as the season comes to a close.

Here's who can clinch a playoff spot Saturday

The Phillies can lock up the final NL wild card with a win over the Rays and a D-backs loss to the Padres.

The Astros can clinch the AL West if they can beat the Athletics and the Rangers lose to the Twins.

AL Central and West are tight, other division winners are set

There's quite a bit of mediocrity in the AL Central and West divisions this season, which has led to some fascinating pennant races and could lead to a sub-.500 team making the postseason.

The Guardians (84-76) have a narrow advantage over the White Sox (83-77) in the AL Central, but Chicago owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. Cleveland plays at Kansas City this weekend, while the White Sox host Colorado. Both teams have already clinched at least a wild card, but the division winner will get a bye into the Division Series.

The Rangers (79-81) and Astros (79-81) are fighting for the AL West, and Houston has the tiebreaker if the season ends in a tie. Texas is playing at Minnesota this weekend, and the Astros are playing at the Athletics.

In the National League, the Padres (89-71), Cubs (88-73) and Phillies (87-73) are jockeying for position in the wild-card race. The Diamondbacks (86-74) could still sneak past the Phillies into the bracket. Chicago holds the head-to-head tiebreaker for home field over Philadelphia and San Diego, and the Phillies own the tiebreaker over the Padres after sweeping that season series 6-0.

Chicago's series at Boston has already been impacted by a nor'easter hitting New England this weekend. The Cubs' Sunday finale was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Friday, and they are now scheduled to conclude their season Saturday.

MVP races, stats to watch

MLB's major awards probably won't have much drama this season.

Both MVP races have strong favorites with Chicago's Pete Crow-Armstrong running away with the NL honor while Houston's Yordan Alvarez is the probable choice in the AL, though Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero has also had a fantastic season. Alvarez had an outside chance at the Triple Crown a few days ago, but those odds have mostly diminished. His .315 batting average leads the league, but his 41 homers are two behind Baltimore's Pete Alonso and his 102 RBIs are 11 behind Alonso.

For the Cy Young Award, Milwaukee flame thrower Jacob Misiorowski and New York ace Cam Schlittler are the favorites in the NL and AL, respectively.

The Rookie of the Year races also look set with Cincinnati's Sal Stewart and his 110-RBI season the leader in the NL and Detroit's Kevin McGonigle the favorite in the AL.

What is the MLB playoff format?

There are 12 teams that qualify for MLB’s postseason, including six teams from both the AL and NL. The three division winners in each league get seeds No. 1 through No. 3, ranked by win-loss record. Then the three wild-card teams get seeds No. 4 through No. 6, also ranked by win-loss record.

The top two teams with the best record in both the AL and NL automatically advance to the Division Series. The other eight teams play in the Wild Card Series, which is a best-of-three format beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 29. In both the AL and NL, the No. 6 seed will travel to face the No. 3 seed while the No. 5 seed goes to No. 4. The higher seed hosts all three games.

The winners then advance to the best-of-five Division Series, followed by the best-of-seven League Championship Series and a best-of-seven World Series between the winners of the AL and NL.

What is the MLB postseason schedule?

Wild Card Series: Sept. 29-Oct. 1 (NBC/Peacock)

Division Series: Oct. 3-10 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)

Championship Series: Oct. 11-20 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)

World Series: Oct. 23-31 (FOX)

Who are the favorites to win the World Series?

The Dodgers (+200) are the favorites to capture a third straight World Series title while the Brewers (+550), Rays (+800) and Yankees (+850) are viewed as the top contenders.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

His thing is esports.

Meet Yuki Kurihara, the Japanese elementary school student who defeated Kang Dongshin of South Korea 10-2 on Saturday in the final of the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle game at the Asian Games.

He defeated Tanarak Wongkitikun of Thailand in the semifinals, 10-1. The Thai player is a relative old-timer at 28.

“I’m really happy,” Kurihara said. “The gold medal is really beautiful, shiny and heavy.”

He said he also liked the little mascot doll he was given for winning.

“The plush toy is super cute, and it’s cool that it is gold-colored too.”

Kang, the loser in the final, praised Kurihara,

“It’s obvious that my opponent was skilled and above my level,” Kang said. “His technical ability and accuracy are incredible.”

Kurihara is believed to be youngest-ever gold medalist in the Asian Games, which date from 1951 in New Delhi, India. And he’s certainly the youngest in these Asian Games.

Japanese media has reported he trains eight hours daily and still keeps up his grades in school.

Esports was held in the Asian Games for the first time three years ago in Hangzhou, China. It was so popular that tickets were sold by lottery. It's also an audience favorite in Japan.

Youth is being served at the Asian Games. Kamus Wong is a 12-year-old competing for Hong Kong in skateboarding, and 13-year-old Yu Zidi of China won three gold medals in swimming.

A relative senior citizen, 17-year-old Japanese swimmer Shin Ohashi set a world record on Thursday in the 200-meter breaststroke.

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See full AP coverage of Asian sports here

The news organization was replaced by Real America’s Voice, a conservative network, for the president's trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, according to White House guidance. Trump is scheduled to attend a college football game between the University of Tennessee and the University of Texas at midday Saturday.

The news came just after journalists from CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, which Trump banned last week from the White House grounds, returned to the executive complex with TV cameras in hand after a judge handed the organizations a reprieve.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily struck down the ban in an overnight ruling early Thursday, but his decision addressed “hard passes” to the White House grounds and didn’t directly address pool duties.

The judge’s temporary order also said nothing directly about Air Force One.

Media organizations believe the court decision covers the ‘pool’

Theodore Boutrous Jr., the news outlets’ attorney, did not immediately respond to an email and phone call from The Associated Press requesting comment Friday night.

Earlier Friday, on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Boutrous had said the plaintiffs believe the recent court ruling also covers the issue of pool access.

The White House did not immediately respond to an AP email requesting additional details on the decision.

For a while during the day, the U.S. network video pool for the White House was back in operation for the first time since Trump banned the three news outlets in an extraordinary showdown over media access.

At noon on CNN, viewers could see Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping touring the National Archives, along with Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan, Xi's wife. The banner along the bottom of the screen read: “Trump and China’s Xi Visit National Archives.” It was a routine report from a state visit — except that CNN had not aired live video of Trump in several days.

“As of now, all systems are go,” said a person familiar with the pool, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the fluidity of the situation.

The pool consists of five major U.S. broadcast outlets that take turns shooting and sharing video. When the White House banned CNN — which belongs to the pool — from White House grounds, along with MS NOW and Politico, the other four pool providers declined to participate in a show of solidarity.

The spot meant for CNN on this flight has long been saved for a member of the U.S. network video pool, which Real America’s Voice is not a part of.

CNN did not comment directly earlier Friday, referring instead to its editorial coverage. But Brian Stelter, the network’s media analyst, posted on X that CNN had a pool assignment at the National Archives event and that the White House had approved the network’s credentials.

Throughout his second term, Trump has increasingly targeted media outlets whose coverage irritates him, taking administrative or legal action against several. Early last year, he banished AP reporters from White House events because the organization wasn’t abiding by his executive order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” The AP’s guidance says to acknowledge the new name when relevant.

The case is on appeal after a federal district judge ruled in AP’s favor.

The press pool was created decades ago by the White House Correspondents’ Association, a group of journalists who cover the president, to make sure a rotating roster always travels with the president.

The pool distributes in-person reports and imagery to the broader press corps and is designed to hold the nation’s chief executive accountable on behalf of the American public.

The association did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

And with starting running back Turbo Richard out with an injury, Beebe gladly showed everyone what he could do.

On a night the Hoosiers looked nothing like the defending national champs, Beebe carried 24 times for 203 yards, scored one touchdown and his late 70-yard burst set up Josh Hoover's game-sealing 1-yard score with 1:56 to go as No. 5 Indiana held on for a 29-23 victory over Northwestern. Beebe was so good, he even earned the highest praise from coach Curt Cignetti.

“That guy’s got a lot of heart,” Cignetti said. “Boy, he’s got as much heart as anyone that’s been in this program the last three years. Not only didn’t he step in, he played and fortunately they couldn’t tackle him. It was all grit and heart.”

The Hoosiers (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) extended the Football Bowl Subdivision's longest active winning streak to 20 games and the longest home winning streak to 19 — barely.

Northwestern was within 15-13 early in the fourth quarter and had two chances to tie because of a pass-interference call on its first 2-point attempt. But the Hoosiers stopped quarterback Aidan Chiles on a designed run to preserve the lead.

Following a facemask penalty on third-and-19 that gave Indiana a first down, Beebe ripped off a 39-yard run and then ran for a 4-yard TD with 9:39 left to make it a two-score game. After Northwestern cut the deficit to 22-20, Beebe ran 70 yards to the Wildcats 5-yard line. Six plays later, Hoover scored.

Northwestern fell just short of beating a defending national champion for the first time since 1971 and a top five foe for the first time since 1959.

“Our guys kept battling, our coaches kept battling, but the frustrating thing was — I have all the respect for Indiana — but we beat ourselves,” Wildcats coach David Braun said. “We should be coming out of here with the win.”

They certainly had Indiana befuddled in the second half, right down to the final minute.

Jackson Kleather made a 42-yard field goal with 58 seconds left to make it a one-score game, but the Wildcats (2-1, 0-1) couldn't recover the onside kick.

Hoover was 19 of 29 for 201 yards and a touchdown, Charlie Becker had seven catches for 98 yards and Beebe had his second 100-yard game of the season after Turbo Richard left with a lower right leg injury in the first half.

Chiles was 22 of 29 for 293 yards and touchdowns. He also rushed for a score.

The Wildcats opened the game with a goal-line stand, but Chiles fumbled the snap on their first offensive play and Rolijah Hardy tackled him in the end zone for a safety.

Indiana made it 5-0 on Nico Radicic's 43-yard field goal early in the second quarter and extended the margin to 12-0 with Nick Marsh's 8-yard TD catch with 5:04 left in the first half.

But that's all the Hoosiers could muster in a half in which they held Northwestern to 51 total yards and minus-5 yards on the ground.

The takeaway

Northwestern: The Wildcats couldn't get anything right offensively in the first half, but coordinator Chip Kelly turned Chiles loose in the second half and it got them back into the game. The failed 2-point try and the defense's failure to get off the field coast them late.

Indiana: Poll voters penalized the Hoosiers last week, dropping them one spot after a 38-0 rout of Western Kentucky. And this was as vulnerable as Indiana's defense has looked in more than a year. Whether it's an aberration is unclear, but it's likely the Hoosiers will drop in the AP Top 25 again.

Injury report

Richard appeared to suffer a lower right leg injury when he was tackled out of bounds in the second quarter though no penalty was called. Indiana is also missing RB Khobie Martin with a broken arm. The Hoosiers also lost linebacker Hardy in the second half, and he walked from the field straight to the locker room. Cignetti did not provide any postgame updates.

Northwestern played without injured cornerback Braden Turner and lost cornerback Josh Fussell on the game’s first series. He was in street clothes and on crutches before the first quarter ended. Chiles also left for one play after he apparently suffered a dislocated finger on his nonthrowing hand.

Up next

Northwestern: Has another big test next Saturday, hosting No. 13 Penn State.

Indiana: Visits winless Rutgers next Saturday in its first away game of the season.

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But for the 2.8 million Palestinians who live in the territory, those springs and the stone reservoirs they fill are increasingly out of reach as Israeli settlers — encouraged by a hard-line government facing reelection — have stepped up efforts both to seize the springs and other heritage sites.

In one case this summer, water from a natural spring to the Palestinian village of Fasayil was illegally diverted to an ancient pool nearby. Whoever siphoned the water used it to fill up that pool, declaring it a new tourist attraction named after Herod, the Roman-appointed king of Judea.

Agreements reached in the 1990s indicate the pool is located in Area C, meaning it is under full Israeli military control. Research by Dror Etkes, who runs the settlement watchdog group Kerem Navot, determined the land was privately owned.

Palestinian farmer Saad Nemer, from Fasayil, said the water being cut off has devastated his fields, adding that his family has documents that prove ownership of the land. COGAT, Israel’s military body that oversees civil issues in the West Bank, acknowledged the water was diverted “without authorization” and said it would investigate.

Other swimming areas in the West Bank have also become sites of conflict. An Israeli father of six was shot and killed last week by a Palestinian at a spring in the northern West Bank, where he was bathing with his oldest son ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday.

Israel funds Jewish heritage projects in the West Bank

Israel has occupied the West Bank since it captured the territory, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, from Jordan and Egypt in the 1967 war. Since then, it has built a network of settlements for more than half a million Israelis on land Palestinians seek for a future independent state.

The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements illegal. Earlier this month, during a rise in settler violence and other actions that have displaced Palestinians, the British government accused Israel of turning “a blind eye” to what it described as “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank — perpetrated by settler terrorists.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the violence but blamed it on a “handful of rioters” in the occupied West Bank he said do injustice to the “law-abiding settler public.”

The push to take over and claim heritage sites is part of this wider effort, according to Israeli rights group B'Tselem, which said in a report this month that such designations are used to “elevate the historical, cultural, and religious ties of the State of Israel and the Jewish people to the West Bank.”

The decision by settlers to name the pool near Fasayil after Herod was an attempt to “brand” the site as part of Jewish history, said Alon Arad, executive director of Emek Shaveh, an Israeli group that opposes the politicization of archaeology in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Archaeologists have never studied the site, so it's unclear when it was built. Other ruins in the area date to Herod's reign in the first century B.C.E., according to excavations conducted by the archaeology unit of Israel’s Civil Administration, a branch of the military that manages day-to-day affairs in the West Bank.

At the beginning of October, after the Jewish holidays, the pool will be drained so that the administration’s archaeologists can complete a full survey of the site, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He praised the group that originally diverted the water and said about $1 million has been earmarked by the government to rehabilitate the site. That is out of at least $166 million he said is now allocated for excavations and infrastructure at more than 100 sites he claimed are connected to Jewish heritage in the West Bank.

“We’ll turn this place into the Garden of Eden,” Eliyahu said during a visit to the pool, which is near the Petzael settlement.

There is “no such thing as a Palestinian nation” he added, before leaping into the water.

Fields dry up as water is seized

The struggle for water access in this strip of fertile land reflects a wider contest for control of the West Bank, and in particular the Jordan Valley, which Palestinians consider the breadbasket of their hoped-for future state and Israelis view as key to protecting their eastern border.

Palestinians have faced water shortages and restrictions since Israel took control in 1967. Interim peace accords in the 1990s recognized their water rights but preserved a system that allocated some 80% of water pumped from the main aquifer for Israeli use.

Now, soaring attacks by settlers are exacerbating the problem. Settlers have damaged, destroyed or seized approximately 160 water and sanitation structures, including pipelines and cisterns, in Palestinian communities in 2026, according to a July report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The attackers are increasingly targeting shared water infrastructure and have disrupted supply to all or large parts of several Palestinian communities, the report said.

In Al Auja, in the Jordan Valley, the seizure by settlers of the local natural springs has forced some Palestinian farmers to abandon their fields.

Murad al-Juba, 53, once grew an abundance of fruit and vegetables, including cantaloupes, eggplant, bananas and tomatoes. But after settlers encroached, harassing residents and diverting the spring water, he said he has been unable to plant.

“All these farms depend on the spring, but today, the spring is gone, because the settlers took it,” Juba said.

More recently, “settlers have completely taken over” the spring's waterfall and turned “the area into a quasi-military zone,” said mayor Hani al-Njoum, adding it has been devastating for local tourism and agriculture.

“This land was bountiful,” Juba said. “Today, it is a desert.”

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Bwaitel reported from Al Auja, West Bank.

Last month’s floods have destroyed everything once more.

With his home in a designated danger zone and no clear idea of where his family will resettle, Prassan is staying with his wife and children at a relative’s house and mulling another stint overseas.

“This flood has taken everything,” he said. “I don’t know what to do.”

A month after devastating floods swept through parts of Nepal, thousands are displaced like Prassan and rescuers continue searching for thousands others missing, including many believed trapped in six hydropower project tunnels. The disaster has left the government facing a long and costly recovery, with families confronting the loss of loved ones, homes and livelihoods.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah used his first address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday to highlight the flooding as a warning about the growing climate risks facing the Himalayan region.

“The disaster was not just a local tragedy, but a warning to the world,” Shah said. “I ask you today: Have we really heard that warning?”

Shah also called for greater international support for Nepal’s recovery and stronger regional cooperation to prepare for climate-related disasters.

“Climate change does not recognize borders. Glaciers and floods do not travel with stamps and passports,” he said.

DNA testing delays final rites for some families

Nepal’s disaster management agency said 1,453 bodies had been recovered and 5,644 people remained missing. Only 112 bodies had been handed over to relatives, while 1,333 were temporarily buried pending identification. In neighboring China, officials reported 261 foreign nationals among the missing.

Tents have been set up at the Nepal Police Hospital in Kathmandu, where relatives can provide DNA samples to help identify the dead. Authorities are comparing the samples with DNA collected from recovered remains.

Laboratory officials declined to provide details, citing privacy concerns, but said experts from India, China, the United States, Singapore and South Korea were assisting with the work.

Rabi Kumar Thapa Magar, a hydropower worker who lost his wife, brother, sister-in-law and mother, said he identified his wife from a photo of the dead — but authorities had buried her body before the family could see it.

Authorities declined to release the body pending DNA matching, a process they said would take at least a month. The family later performed symbolic final rites using an effigy.

Families grieve children lost in the floods

Many others are still processing the grief.

Pasang Maya Tamang, 32, who lost her young son in the floods, said she still dreams of him pleading for help.

“The body of my son has been recovered but I was not able to see him for the last time. I am very sad about that. I hear in my dreams him saying why I left him alone,” Tamang said at a shelter home in the flood-affected town of Nuwakot.

Her son had gone to school with a neighbor when the flood hit. By the time she learned what had happened, the school had already been swept away. His body was recovered three days later in a southern district, but she was unable to travel there to see him.

The Aug. 26 flood hit in the morning, around the time students were arriving at schools or making their way there. Some children's bodies were later recovered still wearing ties bearing their school’s logo, said Asta Man Dangol, a resident in Nuwakot.

"The older students were able to run uphill and escape, but the little ones who were not able to run fast ... were swept away," he said.

Crews work to reconnect communities cut off by the floods

The Nepal government estimates reconstruction and recovery will cost $4.77 billion. Nearly 33,000 people have been affected, and about 7,500 homes were damaged or destroyed.

The recovery is now focused on restoring roads and bridges cut off by the floods, particularly in remote areas where damaged infrastructure has made it difficult to deliver aid.

Ishmita Shah, a roads engineer, said crews have been working with Nepal's army since the second day after the floods to reopen routes in affected areas.

Shah said bridges were being built to improve access to the worst-affected areas and make it easier to transport relief supplies. But the work remains difficult, with more bad weather expected in the coming days, she said.

“The upcoming few days are going to be very challenging because of the weather, but we are fully prepared for that too,” she said.

The AI giant's models accessed publicly available information on two websites operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as U.S. Census Bureau data, the company revealed Friday. OpenAI did not find any use of SEC credentials, access to accounts or nonpublic information, changes to SEC data or systems, or evidence of a compromise or vulnerability, the company said.

The disclosure comes at a time of heightened global concerns about AI systems escaping human control and hacking into external websites, as well as industry calls for a slowdown on AI development, which OpenAI has said it supports.

OpenAI spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said in a statement that the lab is continuing to conduct a review of “misaligned model activity" — meaning when AI systems behave in undesired ways — and is notifying organizations when it identifies potential impacts to their systems.

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman said on social media Friday that there is an “extensive and ongoing review related to our agents’ use of internet access during training and evaluation.”

AI evaluator and research lab Transluce said Friday that through an independent investigation it also found that agents appearing to originate from OpenAI attempted a rudimentary hack on a Department of Education website for the department’s civil rights office, which did not succeed.

The Department of Education's “system operations reviews" found "no evidence of any impact to our website or databases,” a department spokesperson said Friday.

A Transluce spokesperson said as part of its investigation, it came across data on the open web that revealed fresh details about some previously identified OpenAI agents' activities on U.S. government websites and brought it to OpenAI's attention.

Transluce found “additional rogue activity, some of which is not clearly attributable to OpenAI," targeting other government agencies, including the Justice Department and the Commerce Department, as well as some state government websites in California, Maryland, Illinois, Texas and New York. The models were “using sites in unintended ways and sometimes violating explicit usage policies,” Transluce said in a statement.

OpenAI said it is reviewing Transluce’s report.

If OpenAI notifies organizations it identifies as being impacted by unexpected model behavior, that does not mean there was a security incident, the company said, and could identify a design issue or security weakness that impacted organizations want to address.

Most of the activity OpenAI said it has reviewed so far has involved routine research tasks where agents accessed public web content to answer questions, including government websites seen as authoritative sources of public information.

Several companies have disclosed incidents in recent months when they say their models have behaved unpredictably or hacked into other organizations' websites or systems. OpenAI disclosed in July that two of its most capable AI models were responsible for the cyberattack targeting AI startup Hugging Face.

Altman said in his social media post Friday that the Hugging Face incident “is still the most severe event we’ve seen.”

That incident stirred widespread panic in the industry and beyond about AI models going rogue, and several competing AI labs made similar disclosures in the days and weeks that followed. OpenAI most recently shared six reports of “unexpected or concerning” behavior in AI models and introduced a framework for tracking, probing and disclosing instances of what it called misalignment.

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Huamani reported from Los Angeles.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the terms of Curry's contract. Curry was eligible to command up to $136 million, so he is giving his team a discount as he backs up his longstanding commitment to finish his career with the Warriors.

Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy said last month he was optimistic of getting something done with the two-time MVP and NBA career leader in 3-pointers.

“We couldn’t be more excited about reaching an agreement with Stephen and extending his historic career with the Warriors,” Dunleavy said in a statement. “There has never been a better face to a franchise in professional sports history, both on and off the court, than Stephen Curry with the Warriors. He embodies everything this organization strives to represent through his legendary play on the court, his unique leadership and sacrifice, and his unmatched impact in the community.”

The 38-year-old Curry will complete a $62.6 million extension he signed for the 2026-27 season in August 2024 before the new contract takes him through 2029 — which would be his 20th season.

If he plays that 20th year, he would join Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, the late Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Udonis Haslem of Miami as the only the players in NBA history to play 20 or more seasons with one franchise.

Curry averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals while playing 30.9 minutes but was limited to 43 games last season.

He missed more than two months with a nagging right knee injury before he finally came back in early April. He had initially hoped to return after the All-Star break.

Curry has won four NBA titles with Golden State, most recently in 2022.

“We’ve been incredibly blessed to experience 17 years of Stephen’s artistry and are thrilled that our fans will continue to have the opportunity to watch him perform and write additional chapters to his illustrious story,” Dunleavy said.

ESPN first reported Curry's new deal.

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

On Friday night, neighbors, faith leaders and city leaders including the mayor and police chief gathered in the Goldsboro community near the scene of last Saturday’s shooting for a vigil and prayer service.

Several people were moved to tears, and say gatherings like this should not be a one-time thing. Coming together, they said, is how the community heals.

During the event at Coastline Park, Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith said the shooting “didn’t start here,” telling the crowd the violence came into the neighborhood.

He also said the incident had nothing to do with Zy’erric Wynn or his family.

The 18-year-old died in a crash six years ago, and the shooting took place during a yearly celebration of his life.

Sanford native Ashley Pick, who sang at the vigil, said the community cannot allow fear to keep people from returning.

“Some people may be afraid to come back here, but we’re here as witnesses and as Christian leaders in that we are not afraid,” Pick said.

Smith said investigators are trying to piece together what happened. However, earlier Friday a police department spokesperson said they had only received eight Crimeline tips.

“I know that there is this perception of fear of wanting to work with the police department,” he said. “Look, if we want to make this community better, we have to be able to trust one another, we have to be able to talk to one another.”

Smith urged anyone who was in the area the night of the shooting to check their phones – including Snapchat and other social media – for photos or video that might show two BMW 530I Series 4-door sedans police say were seen driving recklessly near the area.

Smith said police have the cars and are working to identify the drivers.

“It’s like a thousand-piece puzzle,” he said. “Putting all of those pieces of the puzzle together to make a whole takes a little bit of time, it takes a little patience.”

Christopher Crawford, who lives in Sanford, said he hopes the vigil is a step toward getting investigators the answers they need to find justice for the victims.

“I think there’s a point in time where you have to just overcome your fears and just do what you need to do and say what you need to say,” Crawford said.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Crimeline. Tips can be made anonymously.

The city issued the latest advisory Friday after a software error caused pumps to shut down for about 30 minutes at the Sunshine Water Treatment Plant. City workers manually restarted the pumps, and officials said they will continue operating them manually until the software can be replaced.

The city said the advisory will remain in effect until at least Sunday.

Residents gathered at Cherry Lake Park on Friday to pick up free bottled water provided by the city.

“The people are mad. I mean, it’s water. It’s a necessity. I need it to be clean. I need it to be there,” one resident said. “I pay you every month, I need my service on point every month.”

The latest advisory follows several other water-related problems in Groveland this year.

Just last week, the city issued a boil water notice after a pump failure at the same water treatment plant. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2026/09/17/groveland-water-outage-affects-around-5000-prompts-boil-water-notice/

In June, the city instructed residents to run their faucets for 15 minutes before using the water after residents reported that their water appeared dark and rusty.

Then in July, the water treatment plant lost power after a lightning strike.

The repeated problems are occurring as Groveland moves forward with plans to replace aging water infrastructure.

In August, the Groveland City Council approved the Clean Water Facility Plan, which includes construction of a new wastewater treatment facility. The project is expected to cost more than $100 million and is not expected to be completed until 2031.

Some residents said they are frustrated that the planned improvements remain years away.

“It’s a long ways off yet, so I think there’s got to be potentially some changes in leadership in the community,” one resident said.

Residents are also scheduled to see a 10% increase in their water bills beginning Oct. 1.000

Following Friday’s advisory, Groveland Mayor Keith Keogh said he is calling on the City Council to pause the planned rate increase.

For residents, the latest advisory means another disruption to their daily routines.

“It’s with everything. I mean, we give dogs the bottled water. We have to do that. You have to think about brushing your teeth with it,” one resident said.

The city said it planned to collect a water sample Friday evening and another Saturday morning.

Officials said the boil water advisory will not be lifted before Sunday.

Airport Road, the designated detour route through Venetian Bay, winds past several subdivisions, a town center with businesses, parks and busy walking paths. Residents say the road is not built for semi-trucks and highway traffic — even during overnight hours.

“The amount of traffic going up and down Airport Road. This is a fairly residential area. They’re sending an awful lot of vehicles and trucks like major 18-wheelers. I don’t know if the roads [are] prepared to handle it like a state highway would,” said Devin Williams, a Venetian Bay resident.

Overnight I-95 closures tied to the Florida Department of Transportation’s Pioneer Trail project will push traffic onto local roads — including Airport Road — from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. over the next week. While neighbors say they support the new interchange project, they question why their community is bearing the brunt of the detour.

Resident Carl Scharwath hopes that if the detour route won’t change, at least the speed limit might be temporarily reduced to make the road safer.

“I just think the right answer is to lower the speed limit temporarily from 45 to 30 or 35. I know it’s only going on a couple more days technically, but the Pioneer Trail project will be going on for a long time,” Scharwath said.

“They’re going to go either 45 or 50 on a one-lane road with grass on the side, which neighbors are worried about getting torn up and accidents. We have Luna Bella, which is a main drag up the street because they’re starting at 9:30. So that’s a concern with kids on e-bikes and things like that,” he added.

News 6 emailed the city with residents’ concerns. The city manager said the city asked FDOT to potentially lower the speed limit temporarily — but was told a slower speed limit would actually make semi-trucks even louder.

Scharwath says his biggest worry is overnight truck traffic.

“Just think [about] 95 overnight. I think a lot of trucks do deliveries late at night, so I’m more worried about the trucks,” he said.

News 6 also reached out to local police about enforcement efforts. The police chief said his department will now have more officers working the detour to monitor speeds and traffic during those overnight hours.

The resolution would reaffirm the need to respect freedom of navigation in the strait, a flashpoint in the war in Iran, citing its importance for global shipments critical for food and energy security, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions on the measure have been private.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s top cleric issued a rare statement, calling on the kingdom’s troops to defend the country from neighboring Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

In New York, where the wars in Iran and Gaza have dominated the U.N. agenda, the leaders of Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt were scheduled to address world leaders later Friday.

Here is a look at the latest news from the Middle East. More coverage of the U.N. General Assembly is available here.

France overseeing new UN draft proposal to reopen strait

The proposed U.N. resolution would recall the need to respect the Law of the Sea and support peaceful initiatives aimed at ensuring safe passage in the strait, the U.N. diplomat said.

Iran’s disruption of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas transited before the war, has emerged as its main point of leverage. The effects have been felt far beyond the Middle East and pose political problems for U.S. President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections.

Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the topic on the sidelines of this week’s annual U.N. gathering of global leaders, the diplomat said. It also was discussed with Arab nations and Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Friday that Tehran put forth a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks on its nuclear program if the U.S. meets the conditions it has laid out.

Talking to reporters at the U.N., Araghchi said the plan was delivered to Washington through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

“If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” he said, adding that seven-day clock would begin when the U.S. accepts the plan. “The choice now rests with the United States.”

The White House said earlier Friday that U.S. officials are having positive and constructive conversations with mediators on the Iran war

Top religious figure urges Saudi troops to be ready to defend kingdom

With Saudi oil facilities, cities and ships off its coast coming under escalating attacks, the kingdom's top religious authority has called on soldiers to be prepared to defend the country from Iran-backed Houthis.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan, who traditionally avoids weighing in on politics in a country that holds enormous influence among Muslims worldwide, issued the strongly worded statement. Al-Fawzan addressed his message to soldiers defending the kingdom's borders and members of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen, peppering it with Quranic verses and religious edicts.

“Protecting this great nation, guarding its borders, defending against aggression and punishing those who want to harm any inch of it is one of the greatest duties,” he said.

The head of Yemen's internationally recognized government, Rashad al-Alimi, likewise urged Yemenis to rally behind Saudi-backed armed forces and allied groups in their fight with the Houthis.

Al-Alimi, who chairs the country’s Presidential Leadership Council, also called on Yemenis fighting alongside the Houthis to defect, announcing a general amnesty.

Al-Alimi says goal is to retake capital Sanaa from Houthis

Al-Alimi said the aim of the fighting is to restore his government’s control over Sanaa, the capital, which the Houthis seized in 2014.

His call to arms came during his first speech since his Saudi-backed forces were routed from the western Red Sea coast by the Houthis’ lightning advance on the city of Mokha and islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where 12% of the world's trade passes.

The swift Houthi advances raised questions about the effectiveness of the Saudi-backed forces in the face of the disciplined, well-armed Houthis. The Houthi assault exploited divisions among the Saudi-backed forces and distrust among its leaders, leading to a chaotic troop withdrawal before the fall of Mokha.

Al-Alimi’s speech came on the 64th anniversary of the military coup that ousted the monarchy ruling northern Yemen, rooted in the Zaydi Shiite sect to which the Houthis also belong. The Houthis battled Yemen’s central government for years before sweeping down from their northern stronghold and seizing Sanaa.

Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish military chiefs hold first joint meeting

The first joint meeting of the military chiefs of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey was held in Riyadh on Friday, following the signing of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement by the three countries, Pakistan’s military said in a statement.

The chiefs of defense forces and chiefs of general staff from the three countries reviewed the regional security situation and threats facing Saudi Arabia, according to the statement.

“They strongly resented the attacks targeting the Holy City of Mecca and civilian and economic infrastructure,” the statement said.

The military chiefs also praised the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi armed forces in ensuring the safety of the people and security of the kingdom, it said.

Iran's president says he supports Xi's call for return to MOA

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday in a post on X that Tehran supports Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call for a return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and renewed diplomacy between Iran and the United States.

Pezeshkian said he appreciated Xi’s “thoughtful and responsible support” for resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that Iran backed returning to the understanding and honoring previously agreed commitments.

The post came a day after Pezeshkian met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Sharif said Pezeshkian told him the Islamabad memorandum remained “fully acceptable” to Iran and that Tehran was ready to take it forward.

The 14-point memorandum, mediated by Pakistan and signed in June, provided a framework for ending the conflict.

UN Security Council demands halt to attacks by Houthi rebels

In a statement approved by its 15 members, the U.N.’s most powerful body condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The council called for “practical cooperation,” including with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, to prevent the Houthis from obtaining weapons, military material and training enabling them to carry out attacks.

It reminded all countries of their obligation to implement the U.N. arms embargo against the Houthis.

2 Israeli soldiers are killed in Gaza

Israel’s military said two of its soldiers were killed in northern Gaza on Thursday while inspecting an unexploded Israeli drone near a military post. They were the first Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza in months.

Five other Israeli soldiers have been killed since last October’s ceasefire that attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and the militant Hamas group.

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, almost daily Israeli fire has continued. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones and have killed 1,408 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

You’ve likely of heard it. It’s been the topic of the summer.

It’s played a huge role in keeping the Atlantic tame this hurricane season, but may have an even bigger impact on the Sunshine State this winter.

There is a strong correlation between a strong El Niño and the weather during the cooler months in Florida.

Long story short, during an El Niño winter, a very active storm track sets up across the Gulf.

This tends to bring more clouds, rain and an elevated threat for severe weather to Florida.

This El Niño could rival the strongest on record, which historically ramps up the severe weather threat.

While the threat for severe weather, including tornadoes, will be elevated from late fall to early spring, it appears to be greatest in December and February.

Wind shear tends to be much stronger during an El Niño, enhancing the threat for strong storms and tornadoes.

Tropical systems hate wind shear, but severe storms need it to organize and become strong.

Here’s a monthly look at how the winter of 2026-2027 could play out.

Outlook

The winter of 2026-2027 will likely feature wet and cloudy weather more often than not. The temperature outlook is harder to pin down as wild temperature swings will be likely, although the winter as a whole may end up below average, especially the second half.

The below average portion would come from cooler afternoons rather the deep freezes like last winter.

Here’s a monthly look at how the winter of 2026-2027 could play out.

The table below showcases the average precipitation across the 5 Central Florida climate sites.

The forecast below is the anomaly, above or below average for each month. Add or subtract the forecast to the average to get the expected outcome for the month.

November

The El Niño pattern starts to materialize. The best chance for above-average moisture will be in North and Central Florida.

It will be warm in November for Central and South Florida.

December

The El Niño firehose is expected to settle in, sending rounds of rain through Florida. The severe weather threat is expected to ramp up.

Overall, above-normal temperatures will continue for much of the state. Cold fronts will send the chill from time to time.

January

A battle between the warm tropical airmass and the cold polar one sets up this month. Frequent storms are expected to move in off the Gulf, resulting in above-average precipitation for the entire state.

The tug of war allows for warm days followed by colder ones.

February

This looks to be the wettest and most active month of winter. Central and South Florida should become the focal point for the heaviest rain and strongest storms.

This is the best chance for temperatures to average out below normal.

The below-normal temperatures would largely come from cool afternoons rather than harsh overnight/morning freezes.

March

The moisture surge continues, but may abruptly shut off later in the month.

Warmer air should start to surge back in, allowing March to end up warmer than normal. South Florida may finish well above normal.

How this outlook was made

The outlook weighed heavily on strong El Niños of the past.

Analog, or similar years, used in this outlook are 1972/73, 1982/83, 1997/98, and 2015/2016.

For this upcoming winter, a warm blob of water in the North Pacific may be a wild card in this season’s forecast.

The sea surface temperature pattern there, known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, is in its negative phase. Typically, when El Niño is present, it’s in its positive phase.

Oftentimes, this can counter the impacts of El Niño; however, with the potentially historic strength, it may have little effect on it.

The one thing the negative PDO can do is buckle the northern branch of the jet stream, polar jet, in the eastern half of the country. This will only enhance the storminess for Florida and is the reason for the likely large ups and downs in the temperature department rather than just a steady, cloudy and cool winter El Niño typically brings.

Long-range climate models were also considered.

Model forecasts show the wind shear anomaly to be maxed out through winter, enhancing the overall severe weather threat.

Now is a good time to download the FREE News 6 Weather app to stay updated on what could be a wild winter in Florida.

The soup kitchen serves lunch Monday through Saturday and is a critical lifeline for many residents.

“I’m going to tell you the truth, I come here six days a week. This is how I survive,” said Levi Sesler, who said he has relied on meals at the kitchen since 2010.

Leaders at the soup kitchen said the organization was forced to relocate after a rent increase and a lease dispute at the church where it had operated for about 30 years.

Sesler said losing the soup kitchen would have been devastating.

“I wouldn’t be able to survive. I wouldn’t of because stuff isn’t cheap anymore,” he said.

President Barbara McManus credited community support for the successful fundraising push.

“We raised over $2 million. The community came forward,” McManus said.

McManus said one anonymous donor gave nearly $800,000.

The fundraising success comes as other Central Florida charities report a slowdown in giving.

News 6 reported this week that Matthew’s Hope in Winter Garden, a ministry that provides food, clothing and medical care to people experiencing homelessness, is cutting back after some donors paused recurring contributions.

Even with new funding, McManus said the soup kitchen is feeling the pressure of higher prices, even taking ground beef off the menu.

“We buy stuff at Sysco when we don’t have enough donations and lately that’s been true. Last week, our Sysco bill was higher than it’s ever been,” she said.

Volunteers said even though rising costs could mean a menu change, they plan to keep serving.

“If I live 100 more years, I’ll be here every day,” Sesler said.

The Wildwood Soup Kitchen will hold an open house and ribbon cutting on Sunday at 2 p.m. Organizers said they are still seeking donations to continue updating equipment and the space.

Instead, he will begin October by stumping in Alabama and Oklahoma, two of the most Republican states in the nation. His events are sure to draw enthusiastic crowds of fans, but his choice of destinations is a reminder of his deep unpopularity in much of the country during a campaign season he's sought to make all about himself.

Trump will hold rallies next week in Durant, Oklahoma, and Mobile, Alabama, where he is sure to draw crowds, but he has also raised eyebrows.

While organizers insist the rallies are in locations with media markets that span state lines and they will help bolster broader turnout, Trump's itinerary is yet another sign of the uphill fight that his party faces. Republicans have already been pouring money into red states once considered safe as they try to shore up candidates facing an unhappy electorate that has soured on Trump and his policies.

Some Republicans have also been distancing themselves from the president in recent weeks as they try to appeal to voters beyond Trump's “Make America Great Again” base. They have removed or downplayed references to the president on their websites and increasingly voiced opposition to his unpopular war with Iran.

But Trump's events — Thursday in Durant and Friday in Mobile — are also likely to deliver something else he craves: adoring crowds. He is almost guaranteed to fill the venues with the kind of die-hard supporters who fueled his political rise, projecting excitement as he tries to bolster enthusiasm and rally Republicans.

“The President’s ability to engage with and activate low-propensity voters is unmatched. That’s why he’ll be barnstorming the country to activate the voters we need to win in November,” said Republican National Committee spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre, promising more October rallies to come.

Democrats, meanwhile, celebrated the announcement. “The political floor is falling out from underneath Trump and Congressional Republicans, forcing them to scramble to spend and campaign in deep red territory in the final weeks,” said Viet Shelton, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Republicans expect Trump's appeal to cross state lines

The RNC noted that Durant, Oklahoma, is on the Texas border and next to the Dallas-Fort Worth media market, and will draw Republicans in Texas, which has emerged as one of the most critical states on the map. Scandal-plagued Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Trump backed over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, is locked in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico. Gov. Greg Abbott is also facing a stronger-than-expected challenger in Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

Mobile is next to Florida’s panhandle, a Republican stronghold where high turnout can help bolster Trump-backed candidates running for Senate and governor. However, Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody is not expected to attend.

In Oklahoma, Trump will be stumping for Mike Mazzei, whom he backed as the Republican nominee for governor during a competitive primary. Mazzei is running against Oklahoma's Democratic House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson.

“This race continues to get more competitive — and national Republicans are right to be worried about Mazzei,” Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said in a statement.

Alabama, meanwhile, holds deep nostalgia for Trump and his early supporters. He held his first mega-rally in Mobile more than a decade ago, drawing some 30,000 people to a college football stadium. The crowd made clear to skeptics of his campaign that he was more than a celebrity novelty.

“I think it’s very natural that he would host a rally here as he is gearing up for the midterm elections,” said John Wahl, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor and former chair of the Alabama Republican Party.

Although Republicans remain the heavy favorites in Alabama's statewide campaigns, they face a more challenging political landscape this year.

Former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones is mounting a vigorous campaign for Alabama governor against one of Trump’s most vocal allies, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who said he welcomed the president's visit.

Republican Rep. Barry Moore, running to replace Tuberville in the Senate with Trump's backing, said the president's rally “will be the jet fuel we need to win big in Alabama.”

Mobile is also near Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, which leans red after its lines were redrawn but is not a slam dunk for Republicans as they try to dislodge Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures.

Figures has been criticizing the president's plan to lower import tariffs on foreign beef in an appeal to cattle ranchers as he tries to fend off a challenge from his Trump-backed opponent, State Rep. Rhett Marques.

Trump has promised to ramp up his campaigning in the election's final stretch and had said he would visit all of the most competitive districts.

“It’s all about 35 races,” he said at a recent Rose Garden dinner attended by Republican lawmakers. “I’m going to go to every one of those 35 places and we’re going to see if we can get everyone elected."

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou said he hoped Trump would visit his state, where he won in 2024 by 11 percentage points. Republican Sen. John Husted is facing a competitive challenge from Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown.

“We definitely want him here,” Triantafilou said. “He’s a turnout driver for us.”

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Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press reporters Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

Trump's Office of Management and Budget described the funding cut as focused on “the most harmful government spending.”

Most of the cuts are focused on Health and Human Services programs that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally. The administration says the funds are no longer necessary because illegal border crossings have diminished considerably.

Also targeted for cuts were a Department of Education program for migrant students, a Department of Justice office focused on reducing racial tensions, a business development initiative for minority entrepreneurs, housing counseling services from the Housing and Urban Development Department and a series of grants from the Health and Human Services Department that the administration called “outright harmful and blatantly ideological.”

A White House press release announcing the funding rescissions notes that some of the organizations are led by people who worked in the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama.

Trump’s move was condemned by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican in a tough reelection campaign and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Collins said in a statement that the action came without warning or consultation. She also said she would work to address with colleagues “these illegal actions.”

“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress’s appropriations powers,” Collins said. “OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding."

Under federal law, Congress has 45 days to review the president’s proposed spending cuts before they take effect. But Trump made that all but impossible by announcing them with just five days left in the federal fiscal year and the House out of session through the November election. The Government Accountability Office, which is an arm of Congress, says the maneuver known as a “pocket rescission” is illegal.

Collins called it the latest attempt by OMB to “undermine Congress’s Constitutional power of the purse.”

A year ago, Trump issued a pocket rescission for the first time in nearly 50 years by blocking $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block those rescissions, saying that Trump’s authority over foreign affairs weighed heavily in its decision. This year, Trump is targeting domestic spending.

The use of a “pocket rescission” fits into a broader pattern by the Trump administration to exert greater control over the U.S. government, eroding Congress’s power.

What was essentially the last pocket rescission occurred in 1977 when then-Democratic President Jimmy Carter rescinded it, and the Trump administration argues it’s a legally permissible tool, despite some murkiness, since Carter had initially proposed the clawback well ahead of the 45-day deadline.

The administration has also fired federal workers, imposed a historic increase in tariffs, and started the war in Iran without going through Congress, putting the burden on the judicial branch to determine the limits of presidential power.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, described the White House action as “theft from the American people, plain and simple.”

“These are funds Congress has delivered on a bipartisan basis and should be helping people—not cut off by a president more focused on building a ballroom than investing in families,” Murray said.

Murray said that in recent spending negotiations, Democrats fought to include language to prevent the administration from usurping Congress’ power on spending decisions, but Republicans have declined to go along.

“While Trump spends tax dollars on ads promoting himself, Congress needs to reassert its powers to help people, and it’s past time Republicans join us in that fight,” she said.

In addition to immigrant services, the White House said it was rescinding $70 million for what it called “woke” international education programs, $28 million in grant funding for Health and Human Services research programs, and $9 million in debt relief for foreign countries that fund climate change policies. Another $10 million was being withheld from a minority business development program.

The justices halted a federal appeals court ruling that would have revived the Republican-friendly map for the November elections, which will determine control of Congress. There were no noted dissents.

The Supreme Court instead let stand a decision by the Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled earlier this month that a citizen petition prevents the new map from being used unless first approved by voters in a November referendum. The decision means Missouri residents will vote under the same congressional districts used in the 2024 and 2022 elections.

“At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map in the midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos,” the high court wrote in an unsigned opinion. “The District Court and Court of Appeals should not enjoin or otherwise prohibit the use of the 2022 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri.”

Republicans had hoped the new House map — which already was used in the August primaries — could help them win an additional seat as part of a nationwide redistricting battle pushed by Trump to gain an edge in the midterms.

The new map had targeted a district held by longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

“I think my reelection prospects shot up significantly,” a jubilant Cleaver said after the Supreme Court ruling.

A panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled Monday that switching districts between the primary and general elections would violate the U.S. Constitution. The panel directed a district judge to bar Missouri from using anything other than the new map but delayed the order's effect until next Monday to allow time for an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Republican Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins described the high court's decision as “a disappointing blow to representative democracy,” but added, “I appreciate the final clarity.”

The legal wrangling has caused confusion for more than a million potential Missouri voters — nearly 1 in 4 statewide — who were shifted from one district to another, resulting in different candidates on their ballots. Absentee voting began Tuesday under the 2022 congressional districts. Thousands of ballots already had been mailed, and some already have been cast.

A decision from the Supreme Court is “a big sigh of relief," said Kansas City election director Shawn Kieffer. He added, "We just want it over, so we can do our job properly.”

Republican redistricting focused on Kansas City

Republicans currently hold six of Missouri's eight House districts. At the urging of Trump and Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe, Missouri lawmakers last September passed revised districts that were intended to help them win seven seats in the midterms.

The redistricting significantly reshaped a Kansas City-based district held by Cleaver. It shed parts of Kansas City to neighboring districts with Republican incumbents and stretched the remainder of Cleaver's 5th Congressional District far eastward into rural Republican areas.

The result was about 59% of potential voters were new to the district, according to an Associated Press estimate. The ripple effects also shifted some voters in most of Missouri's other congressional districts.

Cleaver was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin won a six-way Republican primary under the revised districts. They remain the candidates for the general election, even though the district boundaries have reverted to their prior lines.

Cleaver said the court ruling affirms the people's right to use to referendum petitions against state legislative actions they don't like.

“We just received a healthy dose of encouragement that the voice of people in the United States still matters," he said.

Brattin was a plaintiff, along with Republican Rep. Bob Onder and two other voters, in a federal lawsuit that led to the 8th Circuit's ruling and the last two appeals to the Supreme Court.

Brattin denounced Friday's decision as “a travesty,” calling the switching of districts after the primary “the most unprecedented form of voter disenfranchisement in American history.”

Missouri's redistricting prompted a big legal fight

At least 16 lawsuits have been filed in state and federal courts related to Missouri's congressional redistricting. The battle has been the longest and most complex among roughly a dozen states that sought to change their U.S. House districts over the past year.

Missouri's new map survived most of the lawsuits, including ones contending that mid-decade redistricting violated the state constitution and that the new districts ran afoul of requirements to be compact. In one case, the Missouri Supreme Court allowed the new districts to be used while election officials worked to verify petition signatures seeking to put the map to a statewide vote.

Hoskins waited until the legal deadline on Aug. 4 — the day the new districts were used in the primaries — to reject the petition. He asserted referendum petitions aren't allowed for congressional redistricting.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Sept. 3 that the referendum petition was valid. It ordered Hoskins not to use the new map and to instead use the districts adopted in 2022, after the last census. The U.S. Supreme Court let that ruling stand on Sept. 8. But minutes later, U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a conflicting order in favor of the new map.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 10 blocked Clark's order from taking effect. That day, the Missouri Supreme Court held Hoskins temporarily in contempt for telling local election authorities to use the new map after Clark's order.

But that wasn't the end of the matter. The 8th Circuit, hearing an appeal of Clark's blocked order, ruled in favor of the Trump-backed map Monday. That's what led to the latest decision from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians Missouri, said the group was pressing forward with its campaign to persuade voters to permanently reject the new map in the November referendum.

“We have said from the beginning, people, not politicians will be the final deciders on this DC power grab," he said in a statement.

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Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court and redistricting at https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting.

Not far behind him at Medinah, British Open champion Ryan Fox wasted no time — he never does — in making three big putts on the last four holes for another close win, another full point.

It was like that all afternoon, and the result was familiar but no less stunning.

The Internationals swept the foursomes session for the second straight time, taking a 7-3 lead and putting the Americans in a hole they haven't seen in the Presidents Cup since 1998. That also happened to be the only time the International team won this competition.

Adam Scott, who set a Presidents Cup record Friday by playing in his 56th match, recalls the sweep at Royal Montreal in 2024 and what followed — the Americans won six of the eight matches on Saturday and rolled to another victory.

“If we take something from Canada, it’s not to celebrate too hard at this point,” Scott said.

But there was a confidence about this International team the Australian found inspiring going into the double session of fourballs and foursomes on Saturday.

“From where I sit, if any of the guys were lacking belief, they should have it now,” Scott said.

Scott and Christiaan Bezuidenhout never trailed in a 3-and-2 victory over Justin Thomas and Cameron Young. Hideki Matsuyama holed two big putts as he and Sungjae Im beat Russell Henley and Jacob Bridgeman by the same margin. The fifth match was the first point of the day for the Internationals, Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim beating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, 4 and 3.

U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker kept reminding everyone there were 20 points still on the table and if it were a football game, it wouldn't even be halftime. He also recognized his Americans have never faced a deficit this large in the Presidents Cup.

“We’re not going to be able to get it back in one session. We’re not going to be able to get it back in one match. It’s going to be a slow, steady process to try to turn this thing around,” Snedeker said. “From where we are right now, we need to do it session by session, point by point.”

Taylor, in his first Presidents Cup at age 38, showed his clutch gene. This is the Canadian who chipped in for eagle to set up a playoff win at the Sony Open, who won a playoff in the Phoenix Open, and who most famously holed 72-foot eagle putt in a playoff at the Canadian Open.

He and Corey Conners were 1 up against Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns going down the 18th, where Taylor pushed his drive right into the rough and was blocked by trees. Conners could only get it back to the fairway, still farther away from the second shot for Scheffler.

“I wasn't sure if I could hit that close, to be honest,” Taylor said. “But it came out perfect. It was a nice feeling walking up that it was a kick-in.”

Burns had a chance to make birdie and halve the match, and he dropped to his knees when the putt rimmed around the cup.

Fox and Min Woo Lee were in an equally tight match, with the Americans taking their first lead on the 12th hole. Fox holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th to square the match, and he made a birdie putt from 20 feet on the par-3 16th to go 1 up. They halved the last two holes, with Fox making a 4-footer for par on the 18th.

“I’ve holed a couple of good putts this year, I think,” Fox said with a smile. “I felt it pretty early today with the putter.”

The other matches weren't close. Neither was the entire session.

“We obviously had a great day. Didn’t expect that to happen, but I guess we’ve got experience from 2024 having a Friday like that,” International captain Geoff Ogilvy said. “It’s obviously enjoyable to have a day like that on the golf course, but we reset tomorrow and start again.”

Saturday is pivotal in this format. After two days of one session each, there are four matches of fourballs in the morning and four matches of foursomes in the afternoon, and 12 singles to decide it on Sunday.

“There's no scenario where you ever want to get swept,” Thomas said. “But if we're going to do it, I would say Friday sounds a little bit better than any of the rounds tomorrow.”

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See AP’s full golf coverage here

Earlier in the day, the high court lifted restrictions on a controversial federal voter database, granting Trump a temporary win in his aggressive campaign against noncitizen voting.

Meanwhile Trump took Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the National Archives, showing off the sacred texts of U.S. democracy to the leader of the world’s most powerful communist country to cap off a three-day state visit criticized for being heavy on pomp and light on substance.

Here's the latest:

Trump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress

The White House announced the move Friday, using a rare and contested power to ax funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives.

The president’s Office of Management and Budget said the funding cut focused on “the most harmful government spending.”

The action was condemned by Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican in a tough reelection campaign and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. She said it came without warning or consultation and she would work to address with colleagues “these illegal actions.”

“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress’s appropriations powers,” Collins said. “OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.”

Typically Congress can review proposed cuts before they take effect. But Trump made that all but impossible by announcing them with just five days left in the federal fiscal year. The Government Accountability Office says the maneuver, known as a “pocket rescission,” is illegal.

▶ Read more

Appeals court appears divided in case over Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador prison

The court appeared to be divided on whether to reverse or uphold an order for the Trump administration to facilitate the return of dozens of Venezuelan migrants who were deported from the U.S. to a notorious prison in El Salvador last year.

The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit did not indicate how soon they would rule after hearing arguments from government attorneys and the migrants who were flown to El Salvador without any notice or opportunity to challenge their removals.

The Justice Department appealed after District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration in February to make arrangements for some of the migrants to return at the government’s expense. Boasberg said the administration has essentially told him to “pound sand.”

Two panel members appeared skeptical that the migrants have a right to return to challenge their deportations.

▶ Read more

A White House press ban was lifted this week. But the tensions and legal battle aren’t over yet

Journalists from three news outlets that Trump banned from the executive complex are back, with TV cameras, laptops and microphones in hand.

But the legal battle between the president and some of the media that cover him is far from over.

Here are some things to know about the White House press corps, lawsuits over access and the increasingly contentious relationship between Trump and the Fourth Estate.

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Congressional Democrats press Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on an ethics agreement change involving law firm fees

They want answers from the Health secretary over what they say is a previously undisclosed change to the ethics agreement he made before being confirmed, which they say calls into question his credibility and the integrity of his decisions.

Ahead of his confirmation vote last year, Kennedy told lawmakers he would not collect fees related to litigation he pursued before becoming a government official against the drugmakers of a cervical cancer vaccine, saying he would transfer his financial interests to his adult son.

The lawmakers say they recently learned, however, that shortly after his confirmation hearings, Kennedy quietly changed his ethics disclosures and transferred his stake to his former employer, personal injury law firm Wisner Baum, apparently contradicting his sworn commitments.

HHS Spokesperson Emily G. Hilliard told AP that the agency confirmed Kennedy’s compliance with his ethics agreement in May 2025 and “any claim that Secretary Kennedy maintained a financial interest in this litigation after taking office is false.”

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Nevada disputes Trump administration’s claim about noncitizens on voter rolls

Chief Deputy Attorney General Greg Ott sent a letter this week to the Department of Homeland Security saying 185 people it identified as noncitizens on the state’s voter rolls were, in fact, U.S. citizens.

It followed a call last month in which DHS officials said they made the identifications through “voter case numbers.”

Ott’s letter said multiple people can have the same voter registration number because of the recent transition to a new statewide registration system. He said the state’s own records review found that all 185 were citizens.

In a statement, Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said DHS has not provided any evidence to alter the state’s assessment.

“Repeating unsupported claims does not make them true,” he said.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote letters to Nevada and three other states in July claiming, without providing evidence, that up to 250,000 noncitizens registered to vote there.

Supreme Court rejects a Trump-backed Missouri congressional map for the third time

The high court turned away an attempt to use a new map backed by the president, potentially putting an end to a long-running legal dispute as absentee voting is underway in the midterm elections.

The justices halted a federal appeals court ruling that would have revived the Republican-friendly map for the November elections, which will determine control of Congress.

The Supreme Court instead let stand a decision by the Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled earlier this month that a citizen petition prevents the new map from being used unless first approved by voters in a November referendum. The decision means Missouri residents will vote under the same congressional districts used in the 2024 and 2022 elections.

Republicans had hoped the new House map — which already was used in the August primaries — could help them win an additional seat as part of a nationwide redistricting battle pushed by Trump to gain an edge in the midterms.

▶ Read more

Trump said he would campaign in midterm battlegrounds. He’s starting in deep red states instead

The president vowed to campaign in 35 of the most competitive battleground districts in the final sprint to November’s midterm elections. Instead he will begin October by stumping in Alabama and Oklahoma, two of the most Republican states in the nation.

His events are sure to draw enthusiastic crowds of fans, but his choice of destinations is a reminder of his deep unpopularity in much of the country during a campaign season he’s sought to make all about himself.

While organizers insist the rallies are in locations with media markets that span state lines and they will help bolster broader turnout, Trump’s itinerary is yet another sign of the uphill fight that his party faces.

Republicans have already been pouring money into red states once considered safe as they try to shore up candidates facing an unhappy electorate that has soured on Trump and his policies.

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Taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ad campaign grows with new spot, wider reach

The administration appeared to ramp up its use of government-funded political advertisements promoting the president Friday, airing its second TV ad in three days while expanding spending on the first to at least $443,000.

The White House maintains the ads are “public service announcements” like those used by past presidents, but multiple lawmakers of both parties have criticized the first one, questioning its legality and appropriateness given its political nature, proximity to November’s midterms and the use of taxpayer funds.

The new, minute-long ad features scenic videos of Mount Rushmore at night with quotes and clips from Trump’s Fourth of July weekend speech there honoring the country’s 250th anniversary.

“We know that this is not an ending,” Trump says. “This is only the beginning of the golden age of America.”

At the end, text appears: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”

The ad’s costs weren’t immediately clear but it was airing on Newsmax with a spot on at least two programs, according to AdImpact.

▶ Read more

Iran sends US plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Abbas Araghchi said Iran also would resume talks on its nuclear program if the U.S. meets the conditions it has laid out.

Talking to reporters at the U.N., Araghchi said the plan was delivered to Washington through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

“If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” he said. “The choice now rests with the United States.” The seven-day clock will begin when the U.S. accepts the plan, Araghchi added.

The White House said earlier Friday that U.S. officials are having positive and constructive conversations with mediators on the Iran war.

Idaho’s elections chief says a federal database has been useful for checking voter rolls

Secretary of State Phil McGrane, a Republican, said Friday all 1 million-plus Idaho voter registrations have been checked against a controversial federal database that the U.S. Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to use ahead of November’s election.

Idaho began checks in 2024, even before Trump’s second term began. Officials there ultimately referred 15 cases of potential noncitizen registrations or voting to federal prosecutors, McGrane said.

He said there are additional checks before officials move to cancel registrations, and voters have 20 days to prove their citizenship first.

“It being known publicly that we’re doing this work also has a deterrent effect,” he said.

Lawmakers from both parties question Trump inviting Putin to G20 in Florida

A bipartisan group of 14 senators is urging Trump to rescind the invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit to be held in Florida in December.

“President Putin bears sole responsibility for launching Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. Allowing him to participate in a G20 Summit in the United States raises serious concerns about legitimizing and normalizing a government that continues to attack Ukrainian civilian targets every day,” the senators wrote in a letter.

Among those who signed the letter are Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Chris Coons, D-Del.

Putin says Moscow ‘welcomes’ US-China talks

The reason is they are the world’s two largest economies, the Russian president told reporters in St. Petersburg.

“Depending on what they agree on regarding contentious issues, regarding those problematic issues that arise from the illegitimate sanctions imposed by the U.S., depending on how and what agreements are reached, this will affect the entire global economy, and our economy as well,” Putin said.

He noted that Russia’s ties and trade with the U.S. “are down to zero” but that Moscow’s trade with China amounts to $240 billion, with opportunities for further development.

“We welcome any positive agreements between China and the United States,” Putin said on the sidelines of a culture forum.

Asked if he would attend the APEC summit in China in November, Putin said he was “determined to take part” but noted that it “will depend on the situation in Russia.”

Schumer slams Supreme Court’s SAVE ruling as ‘putting its thumb on the scale’ for Trump

In a post on X, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the Supreme Court of bending to “Trump’s election-rigging agenda” with its Friday ruling on a revamped federal voter eligibility database.

“Elon Musk’s DOGE-overhauled SAVE database is ridden with errors,” Schumer wrote. “With this decision, thousands of American voters could be wrongly stripped from voter rolls and prevented from voting this election season.”

SAVE can be valuable if used as one of many tools, election experts say

Former election officials and other experts reacting to the Supreme Court’s SAVE ruling said the federal database is useful for election administrators — as long as it’s not abused.

Critics have pointed out the tool can wrongly flag eligible voters as potential noncitizens. But Stephen Richer, the Republican former top election official in Arizona’s largest county, said it can be a “win for the nation’s voter rolls if used responsibly.”

The SAVE program is the only “widely-encompassing nationwide tool” for election officials to confirm voter citizenship, he said on social media, adding that because it’s imperfect, administrators should “only use it as a starting point.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, agreed, noting the tool is voluntary.

“States may find this to be a useful tool used along with other tools to keep their lists up-to-date,” he said.

A wrongly suspended Texas voter is disappointed by the US Supreme Court’s latest election decision

Anthony Nels, of Denton, said Friday that a controversial federal voter database “harms people’s constitutional right to vote.” The Supreme Court said the Trump administration could use the database ahead of the November election.

When Texas ran its voter rolls through the database last year, Nels was flagged as a potential noncitizen, even though the South Africa became a citizen more than a decade ago. His registration was temporarily canceled while he replaced an expired passport.

“This just seems like another illegitimate way to affect upcoming and future elections,” he said in a text to The Associated Press.

There is no change in policy on Taiwan, US ambassador to China says

David Perdue, the U.S. ambassador to China, said “nothing has changed” when it comes to the U.S. policy on Taiwan.

“Of course, China has tried to coerce change in that regard,” Perdue said when speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Friday. “We’re not changing the language; we’re not changing our position.”

“We want peace across the strait. We don’t want coercion,” he said. “We don’t support independence.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping in private talks with President Donald Trump on Thursday urged the U.S. side to take one step further and “oppose” Taiwan independence, according to a Chinese official statement.

Taiwan is a self-governed island that Beijing considers as its own territory.

Gabrielle Giffords’ PAC pumps $700K into California US House battleground

A PAC founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is pumping $700,000 in ads into a central California U.S. House battleground where Democrats hope to oust Republican Rep. David Valadao.

The dairyman Valadao has frustrated Democrats for years, beating back challengers in his farm belt district despite its heavy Democratic tilt in voter registration. Democrats see an opening this year as the party looks to retake control of the chamber, with President Donald Trump’s popularity sagging and voters vexed by high gas and grocery prices.

Giffords PAC says it’s making the investment as part of its national push to elect gun safety advocates. Valadao is facing progressive Democrat Randy Villegas, who is backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The race is among the mostly costly House contests in the nation in terms of advertising. According to data from AdImpact, Republicans have spent or booked more than $15 million of airtime and digital messaging through Election Day, while Democrats are at about $13 million.

Trump hails Xi’s state visit as a success

“The meeting was one of Friendship, Strength, and Success, for both China and the U.S.A.,” Trump offered on social media shortly after Xi departed Washington.

Trump also confirmed he’ll meet two more times this year with Xi.

The two are slated to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November and again in December at the Group of 20 summit in Florida.

Trump asked Xi not to provide help to Iran, US diplomat says

U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue says Trump asked Xi during their visit to avoid providing help to Iran as the war stretches to nearly seven months.

“We made it very clear to them weeks ago that, you know, any help that they would give Iran — whether it be direct or indirect, whether it be intelligence or parts or military equipment — was totally unacceptable,” Perdue told CNBC on Friday. “President Trump made that very clear again yesterday.”

Perdue was asked whether China has helped Iran constrain traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway for global energy shipments.

“There’s been indirect support we think, but there’s no direct evidence,” Perdue said. “We’re very concerned about this indirect work, and we’ve made that very clear.”

Trump administration officials have played down the impact of any assistance that China may be providing to Iran.

Almost 40 million barrels of oil have made it through Strait of Hormuz in past 48 hours, White House says

The White House said Friday that U.S. officials are having positive and constructive conversations with mediators on the Iran war.

But the Trump administration does not feel like it faces a rush to resolve the war. The White House said in response to questions from The Associated Press that America is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz, saying that nearly 40 million barrels of oil have gone through the waterway in the last 48 hours.

Trade analysts question Trump-Xi summit accomplishments

“I can’t recall a U.S.-China summit that produced fewer deliverables,’’ said Scott Lincicome of the Cato Institute. “Normally, there’s Boeing purchases and soybean targets ... So far, it seems much lighter than that. A lot of pomp and circumstance or sound and fury but signifying nothing. There’s just not a lot there.’’

Trump’s tariffs drew retaliation from China, forcing the world’s two biggest economies into an uneasy truce. “It’s pretty clear at this point that China has fought the U.S. to a draw, that U.S. tariffs have not been successful in slowing China’s export machine and reversing Chinese industrial policy,’’ Lincicome said.

“Another summit without tangible results merely allows China to run out the clock on Trump’s second term without significant concessions,” said Jeff Moon, a former U.S. trade official and diplomat who runs the China Moon Strategies consultancy.

Protesters near Xi and Trump visit tear up Chinese flag

People carrying signs opposing China’s ruling Communist Party and Chinese President Xi Jinping protested at a plaza next to the National Archives.

Inside, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump showed the U.S. Constitution to Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, during their state visit to Washington.

Two men tore a Chinese national flag, and one of them sat down and used part of it to wipe his shoe.

The protesters held signs calling on Xi and the Chinese Communist Party to step down. They also displayed black-and-white photographs of Xi with large red Xs over his face.

Cattle industry groups protest immigration enforcement in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Kansas Livestock Association say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have delayed shipment of thousands of cattle, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue.

The industry groups say ICE operations have disrupted operations at feedyards, dairy processors, feed and grain companies, and transportation hubs. They say they are frustrated that business is likely to be affected for weeks.

Their joint statement says operations have had “a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving.” They anticipate higher beef prices will result.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Compared to China, Trump says US still a young country at 250 years old

Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping looked at a copy of the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives and discussed how old their nations are.

“We’re just comparing,” Trump told reporters. “Ours goes 250 years, which is great, and we’re proud of it. But theirs goes 6,000 years.”

By Trump’s math, China is 24 times older than the U.S.

“There’s a little difference between 6,000 and 250, but we’re very proud of our 250,” Trump said.

Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson to meet with tech CEOs on AI next week

The White House meeting set for Tuesday is something the House speaker has encouraged the president to do, suggesting the leaders should go behind closed doors to hash out a strategy as voices sound alarms about AI technology.

Johnson has dismissed concerns about AI as overhyped but the political leaders are under growing pressure from constituents and the tech executives themselves to chart a path forward. The meeting was first reported by Axios.

Xi calls the visit ‘very successful’ and says they are ‘very satisfied’

He expressed his thanks for the treatment he and his wife, Peng Liyuan, have received so far.

Xi thanked Trump and the first lady for “everything” they did for him and his wife.

“The highest courtesies, the most meticulous arrangements,” Xi said in Chinese. “This visit is very successful, and we also feel very satisfied.”

Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now

The Supreme Court on Friday lifted restrictions on a controversial federal voter database before November’s elections, granting President Trump a temporary win in his aggressive campaign against noncitizen voting.

The emergency order allows states, for now, to use the Department of Homeland Security program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, in their efforts to verify the eligibility of voters on their rolls. But because existing law blocks most states from systematically purging voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election, the immediate impact on the upcoming midterms is likely limited.

States’ use of the SAVE program is voluntary.

The court’s order puts on hold a federal judge’s June ruling that had deemed the Republican administration’s recently revamped version of SAVE illegal.

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Alabama sued the social media company in 2025 claiming that the platform had negative effects on the mental well-being of youths.

The lawsuit argued that TikTok's “addictive properties” — namely its algorithm that curates highly specific content catered to users' interests — were harmful to children and that the company knew of those harms.

Through the settlement, TikTok will make several platform-level changes for teen users in Alabama, including the option for teens to select a non-personalized content feed.

The platform will also bar cosmetic procedure filters for teens, implement a two-hour daily time limit and ban nighttime use from midnight to 6 a.m. Young users in Alabama will also be prompted to take a “productive pause” after 15 minutes of continuous use, and again at 60 and 90 minutes.

In addition to the platform changes, TikTok will pay Alabama $100 million in restitution and remediation, which will likely go toward funding youth mental health services and other programs. If enough other states reach qualifying settlements with TikTok within a specific time frame, Alabama could receive up to an additional $183.8 million.

The platform-level changes outlined in the settlement agreement are roughly similar to changes Meta agreed to make when it reached a settlement this summer to resolve similar claims that were filed by nearly every state, including Alabama. Meta had called on TikTok and its other chief competitor, YouTube, to join it in adopting similar standards, but TikTok had not publicly responded.

Katherine Robertson, chief counsel in the Alabama Attorney General’s office and the Republican nominee to be the state’s next attorney general, acknowledged the similarities with the Meta agreement and told The Associated Press on Friday: “There's been a war on childhood coming from a million different directions.”

“We recognize that parents and youth are fighting a battle against a bunch of different platforms,” Robertson said. “They’re manipulating kids to get addicted to their product, essentially.”

The settlement also outlines more robust and user-friendly parental controls, stronger age verification measures TikTok must take, and stronger content moderation protocols. Teen accounts will also be set to private by default.

A spokesperson for the TikTok USDS Joint Venture said Friday in a statement that TikTok’s priority has “always been fostering a safe and positive space where people can be creative, discover what they love, and connect with their community. This builds on our commitment and core objective to continually enhance our robust safety tools to protect teens.”

Alabama would have been the first state to argue its claims against TikTok in front of a jury. The trial was scheduled to begin Monday.

TikTok has settled several lawsuits with similar claims filed by individuals before they went to trial, most notably in the landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles earlier this year. The jury in that case found that YouTube and Meta designed their platforms to hook young users without concern for their well-being.

TikTok also reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in August, ending a 2024 lawsuit alleging the company violated federal children’s privacy laws.

———

Associated Press writer Kim Chandler contributed to this report from Montgomery, Ala.

In a scathing letter Thursday to Andrew Boutros, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg wrote that she was “retiring under protest.”

“You have forced me to choose between remaining silent while my professional reputation is destroyed and prematurely surrendering my cherished career," Mecklenburg wrote in the letter obtained by The Associated Press. "I choose the latter.”

Mecklenburg accused Boutros of “laying responsibility at my feet for a felony prosecution that you personally directed over my objection that the case was better suited to misdemeanor charges.”

“I was a convenient target to be scapegoated and publicly vilified,” she wrote.

Boutros’ office did not immediately return a request for comment on the letter. Joel Bertocchi, an attorney for Mecklenburg, declined to comment.

During protests last fall against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Chicago area, Boutros' office moved to press felony charges against six people for allegedly conspiring to impede an officer during a protest at an immigration detention facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview.

A grand jury twice refused to indict the group after Mecklenburg, an attorney on the case, presented them with evidence.

In the following months, the charges fell apart, and in May, Boutros dismissed the case altogether. It was among a string of cases in which the Trump administration leveled charges at anti-immigration enforcement protesters that did not ultimately stick.

The protesters, who have come to be known as the “Broadview Six,” have accused Mecklenburg of prosecutorial misconduct in her interactions with jury members, and have asked U.S. District Judge April M. Perry to consider sanctions on her. Perry is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case Oct. 1.

In a motion filed Thursday, Mecklenburg informed the court of her retirement and asked to appear as an independent party in the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office had previously barred her from filing “anything on her behalf” and told her she “could be disciplined or terminated if she did so," the motion read.

Terence Campbell, an attorney for Andre Martin, one of the former defendants, said Mecklenburg's “forced resignation letter raises a number of serious factual disputes" between her account and that of Boutros' office about why the case was brought.

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

Brian Schottenheimer, the Cowboys' second-year coach who's preparing for his first international game, said players were well aware their visit to Brazil would feel like a business trip. They will play 5,200 miles away from home.

“It’s a little bit different from other road games,” Schottenheimer said. “We were very up front with the guys early on. You’re not going to have the free time to do what you’d normally do.”

“We’re here to get better, grow, learn and we’ll keep putting the final touches on what’s been a short week,” he added.

The Cowboys practiced at the training grounds used by soccer club Flamengo in a remote part of Rio about 26 miles west of the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain. They'll get their first look at the city's historic Maracana Stadium during a walkthrough on Saturday.

The Ravens practiced at the training ground of another soccer club, Botafogo. Coach Jesse Minter has worked in Brazil before; he was the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator last season, when they opened against the Kansas City Chiefs in Sao Paulo.

Minter won't have much free time either, but he is already keen on seeing some of the fans from 2025.

“They might not be necessarily cheering for one team or the other. They kind of get excited when both teams make plays. Both offenses and defense have to deal with the crowd,” he said.

The teams arrived in Rio on Friday morning following roughly 10-hour flights. Their game Sunday will be one of a record nine international contests on the NFL schedule this season.

“We have a lot of time between now and (kickoff),” Schottenheimer said.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who will be playing in his first international game, also said the Cowboys are in a “strictly business trip” mode, though he noted he has enjoyed hanging out by the pool with his teammates and had tasted some of the local steaks at lunch.

“It is a place I want to return to as a tourist,” Prescott said, adding that he hopes to see the famous Christ the Redeemer statue from the bus when he heads to the game. “What we are looking for is a win.”

Prescott said he and his teammates expect to be fully rested by Saturday morning after their long trip.

“This is a first for the majority of the team,” Prescott said. “It is great to have an extra day to massage the game plan.”

“We’re excited about our game plan, we’ve got answers for whatever they’re going to do,” he added. “That just kind of goes into the rules of who we are, not trying to get outside of our box to combat anything they’re doing or counter them too much. We want to be the aggressors. We want to make them play on their heels and bring our best game to them.”

Prescott said even with the business trip mentality, his passion for football is the same.

“To be here in Brazil where there’s big fan group, big fan base and support, hopefully allow a lot of people to see me play and this team play for the first time in person,” he said. “It is something that I think about each and every game. ‘Who’s watching for the first time?’ Or ‘Who’s trying to pick up this game, and how can I inspire them?’ Just allows me to not take any play for granted, to be right where my feet are.”

The NFL has been playing in Brazil since 2024, but the two previous games were at the 48,000-seat NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo, a larger market where both games were sellouts. Some tickets remain for Sunday's game.

Teams involved in those other games — the Packers, Eagles, Chargers and Chiefs — had more activities in Brazil.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The lineup stretches across several of downtown’s largest venues, including Kia Center, Inter&Co Stadium and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The Orlando Farmers Market will also take place Sunday at Lake Eola Park.

With thousands of people heading into the same part of the city — in some cases at roughly the same time — Orlando officials are encouraging visitors to leave earlier than usual and plan their transportation and parking before arriving.

Construction associated with the DTO Action Plan and other projects could also affect normal travel routes through downtown.

When will downtown traffic be busiest?

The city identified three periods when it expects traffic to be heaviest:

• Friday, Sept. 25: 6 to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 26: 2 to 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 27: Noon to 2 p.m.

Saturday has the longest projected period of heavy traffic. The U.S. men’s national soccer team is scheduled to play Peru at Inter&Co Stadium at 4:30 p.m., followed by several evening performances downtown and another Garth Brooks concert at Kia Center at 8 p.m.

Where should drivers expect delays?

The city is specifically warning motorists about increased traffic in the following areas:

• South Street from the State Road 408 exit to Division Avenue, including the area around the ThreatLocker and City Commons parking garages
• I-4 eastbound off-ramp at South Street
• I-4 westbound off-ramp at West Anderson Street
• I-4 South Street Express off-ramps

Road closures related to construction and special events can change throughout the weekend.

The City of Orlando maintains an online list and interactive map showing construction and special-event road closures that may affect travel or access.

Check the City of Orlando’s active road closures and interactive map

Plan where you will park before arriving

For people who plan to drive downtown, the city is encouraging them to figure out where they will park before starting their trip.

Downtown Orlando’s official parking website includes an interactive map of public and private parking facilities. For garages and lots operated by the City of Orlando, the site also provides information about hours and rates. Some parking can also be reserved and prepaid ahead of major downtown events.

The downtown parking page lists facilities including the 55W Garage, Central Boulevard Parking Garage, Administration Garage and other parking options throughout the urban core.

View Downtown Orlando’s parking map, garages and parking options

Visitors should allow additional time to park and walk or connect to their final destination, particularly during the city’s projected peak traffic periods.

LYMMO offers a free option for getting around downtown

Visitors who make it downtown can also avoid repeatedly moving their cars by using LYMMO, the free downtown bus circulator.

LYMMO’s Grapefruit Line serves several locations directly connected to this weekend’s events, including Kia Center, Inter&Co Stadium, Lake Eola and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It also connects with other areas of downtown and Parramore.

The Orange Line travels through the downtown core and also serves locations including Church Street, the Dr. Phillips Center, City Hall and LYNX Central Station.

According to LYNX, both the Orange and Grapefruit lines generally arrive every 15 minutes on Saturdays and every 30 minutes on Sundays and holidays.

That gives visitors the option of parking in one location and using LYMMO to move between parking, restaurants and event venues rather than driving through the busiest areas multiple times.

View LYMMO routes and service information

What about SunRail?

SunRail is not a transportation option for the Saturday and Sunday events under its regular schedule.

SunRail operates Monday through Friday and does not provide regular weekend service.

That means SunRail can still be an option for people traveling downtown for Friday’s events, but riders should check the schedule carefully — particularly the departure time of the train they would need to take home.

Check SunRail maps and schedules

Longtime Orlando resident expects congestion

People who regularly travel through downtown are also preparing for the crowds.

Rusty Shackelford told News 6 he has lived in Orlando for more than 20 years. He said a weekend with this many visitors can have two very different effects: more customers and revenue for businesses, but more difficult travel for residents and other people trying to move through downtown.

Shackelford said downtown is already congested and expects the additional crowds to make conditions more difficult.

He described what can happen when traffic, construction and major events converge as a “universal collision,” saying different things can meet at once and become “all haywire sometimes.”

Shackelford also pointed to Saturday’s soccer match as an event he expects to draw significant attention, saying downtown can already become crowded with regular soccer fans and calling this weekend’s match “a whole different monster.”

What’s happening in downtown Orlando this weekend?

Here is the event schedule provided by the City of Orlando:

Friday, Sept. 25

• Santiago Cruz — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Little Big Town — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 7:30 p.m.
• Garth Brooks — Kia Center — 8 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 26

• USA vs. Peru — Inter&Co Stadium — 4:30 p.m.
• Charly Reynolds — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Pride: The Rhythm of the Chosen Hearts — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 7:30 p.m.
• Bonnie “Prince” Billy — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 8 p.m.
• Garth Brooks — Kia Center — 8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 27

• Orlando Farmers Market — Lake Eola Park — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Garth Brooks — Kia Center — 2 p.m.
• Opera X: Flights of Puccini — Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

What to know before heading downtown

For people attending one of the events — or simply traveling through downtown Orlando this weekend — the city’s message is to plan ahead and allow extra time.

Drivers can use Orlando’s interactive road-closure map before leaving, decide where they plan to park and, where available, reserve parking in advance.

Once downtown, the free LYMMO circulator provides another way to move between several of the major venues and destinations without getting back into a car.

SunRail remains an option for Friday travel, but regular SunRail service does not operate Saturday or Sunday.

With events spread across multiple downtown venues and tens of thousands of visitors expected, even people who are not attending a concert, soccer match or performance should prepare for heavier-than-normal activity throughout the weekend.

The court's three liberal-leaning justices publicly dissented from the decision.

The emergency order allows states, for now, to use the Trump administration's revamped version of a Department of Homeland Security program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, in their efforts to verify the eligibility of voters on their rolls. It's a program that has drawn scrutiny for its use of voters' sensitive personal data and its tendency to wrongly flag some eligible voters as noncitizens.

States' use of the SAVE program is voluntary, limiting the ruling's impact on the midterm elections. Existing law also blocks most states from systematically purging voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election, said David Becker, an election law expert who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research. He said DHS itself has admitted the data is not perfect.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat who has refused to participate in the SAVE program, said the ruling will have no effect in her state because it “does not force states to change the way we run our elections.”

The plaintiffs and their lawyers in the case called the ruling “profoundly disappointing” and said it puts “millions of Americans at risk of being unlawfully targeted by the administration’s unreliable voter purge database” before the midterms.

On X, James Percival, the general counsel for DHS, responded to a post about the decision with, “Yes, you read that right. We had to file an emergency petition in the Supreme Court just so we could use government data to help states stop noncitizens from illegally voting.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Ruling pauses a lower court's ban on the tool

The court’s order puts on hold a federal judge’s June ruling that had deemed the Republican administration’s recently revamped version of SAVE illegal. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan had blocked the use of the tool, saying it violated Americans’ privacy rights and could result in voters being wrongly removed from the rolls.

A federal appeals court let her order stand.

But the Supreme Court majority found that a 1996 law explicitly allows DHS to obtain information on citizenship and immigration from other federal agencies. The federal government also has “an obligation to respond” to states seeking to verify citizenship.

“The order below prevents the Federal Government from using the program it believes is best suited to the task,” the majority wrote in the unsigned order.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. The database has long been seen to fall under federal privacy laws, she wrote, and there are real risks that legitimate voter registrations could be mistakenly revoked.

“The harm caused by burdening or disenfranchising even a few lawful voters outweighs the nonexistent harm that the Government experiences when it is prevented from taking an action that it likely lacks the authority to take,” Jackson wrote.

The plaintiffs pledged to do “everything in our power” to ensure the district court decision stands.

Trump administration tool has wrongly flagged some legal registrants

The SAVE program was created under an immigration law mandating that DHS help federal, state and local agencies prevent government benefits from going to noncitizens. The Trump administration last year moved to significantly expand its search abilities. Since then, at least 67 million registrations have been scanned through the program, but critics worry it could purge valid voters from the rolls.

Some registrants have already been wrongly flagged. In Travis County, Texas, for example, officials said they investigated 97 voters flagged by SAVE as apparent noncitizens and found that at least 10% of them — and likely up to 21% — were U.S. citizens. The county urged the Supreme Court to reject the administration’s appeal, while the state of Texas submitted its own brief defending the database.

In Denton, Texas, north of Dallas, voter Anthony Nels was disappointed that the Supreme Court allowed the continued use “of a system that harms people’s constitutional right to vote.”

Last year, after Texas ran its voter registrations through the SAVE system, Nels, 29, was flagged as a potential noncitizen, even though the South Africa native had become a U.S. citizen more than a decade ago. His local election office temporarily canceled his registration while he obtained a new passport to replace an expired one.

“This just seems like another illegitimate way to affect upcoming and future elections,” he said in a text to The Associated Press.

Stephen Richer, the Republican former top election official in Arizona's largest county, said the Supreme Court's ruling could be a positive step “if used responsibly.”

“That being said, the SAVE program has been shown time after time to be a highly-imperfect tool, so election administrators should only use it as a starting point, not as a definitive indicator of citizenship,” he wrote on social media.

SAVE is one piece of the administration's crusade against noncitizen voting

Even though the use of the SAVE program was blocked for months ahead of Friday's ruling, the administration has said in court filings that it has continued using Social Security Administration data "in certain cases to verify information and help determine whether illegal voting may have occurred."

DHS in August launched its own investigation to find noncitizen voters on state rolls, according to a federal whistleblower statement that said the effort is rushed, filled with errors and potentially violates state laws. DHS has defended that investigation as being conducted “diligently and professionally.”

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also suggested over the summer that there could be as many as 250,000 noncitizens registered to vote across four states, an unsubstantiated claim that puzzled state election officials who said the numbers dramatically exceeded their own findings. In one of those, Nevada, DHS said it had identified 185 noncitizens on the voter rolls, but the state attorney general's office wrote to the agency earlier this week, saying a records check found that all of them were, in fact, U.S. citizens.

The effort to create a national voter list is one of the many steps Trump has taken during his second term to try to overhaul how elections are run. Most of those steps have been blocked by various courts, in part because the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, but provides no such power to the president. In mid-September, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s bid from Trump to restrict mail ballot procedures before the midterms.

Trump has remained fixated on the idea that massive numbers of noncitizens are voting in U.S. races, but all evidence says otherwise.

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Georgia’s secretary of state found that 20 of the state’s 8.2 million registered voters were not U.S. citizens. In Ohio, prosecutors secured indictments against nine people for voting as noncitizens over the span of 10 years. The state has some 8 million registered voters. Even with the Trump administration laser-focused on the issue in his second term, DHS said its investigations into potential noncitizens on voter rolls nationwide had led to 160 arrests.

Those numbers are supported by a mountain of research at the national and state level that has found the percentage of noncitizens on voter rolls is a tiny fraction of the nation's nearly 228 million registered voters.

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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas, and Whitehurst reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Jessica Hill in Las Vegas also contributed.

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Kansas Livestock Association said in a statement that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have prompted delays in the shipment of thousands of cattle, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue. The groups say ICE operations have disrupted operations at feedlots, dairy processors, feed and grain companies, and transportation hubs.

Scarlett Mabinger, the vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, said they have received multiple calls from their members reporting an increase in absences at their southwest Kansas businesses after these communities noticed an increase in federal immigration officers this week.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed their presence in Kansas but said they are not conducting worksite raids.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement that ICE has been “targeting heinous criminals,” but he didn't give a breakdown on the number of people arrested.

Several meatpacking plants in the Kansas cities of Dodge City, Liberal and Garden City typically process thousands of cattle every day, but Mabinger said some had to shut down temporarily and send cattle back to feedlots.

“So then they’re having to be returned back to the feed yard to wait, which, of course, causes an animal health issue, causes financial issues," she said.

The Kansas Livestock Association did not receive reports of arrests happening at worksites, but community members started noticing the arrival of officers on Tuesday.

Amy Soberanes, a 25-year-old community organizer in Dodge City, Kansas, has been helping deliver food to people who are afraid to leave their homes. She said cleaning crews stopped showing up at some locations, forcing plants to close.

“I have worked with so many moms who have told me that they don’t know what they’re gonna do because their provider has been taken,” Soberanes said. “I have seen kids cry to me because their mom and dad are gone. It brought a lot of hurt, and a lot of pain, and a lot of trauma for our community."

Several of the Kansas cities where ICE enforcement appears to have increased have large Hispanic populations. Their populations have risen in the last decade from new immigrant arrivals, mostly from Cuba and Haiti, according to federal data obtained and analyzed by The Associated Press.

Voters in these counties heavily favored Donald Trump in the last election, with more than 65% casting ballots in favor of the Republican Party.

Republican politicians, who typically have sided with Trump on immigration, are making careful pivots in their messaging.

Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican incumbent in a tight race against a Democrat, and Sen. Jerry Moran said they were both concerned and urged the federal administration to coordinate with local authorities. “Secretary Mullin assured me these warrants are only for the purpose of arresting individuals who have been charged with criminal activities,” Moran said in a statement shared on social media.

The administration has repeated claims of targeting immigrants with criminal histories, but recent data suggests more than half of those arrested in July had not been convicted of any crimes and were not facing any criminal charges. Less than a quarter of those arrested had been convicted of a crime.

Members of the Kansas Livestock Association are urging federal officials to conduct more targeted enforcement actions and provide more transparency.

Beef prices have soared to record highs in the past year, largely thanks to the smallest national herd in 75 years. The Trump administration has made efforts to bring down prices, like allowing some beef imports without high tariffs and reopening the border to cattle from Mexico, which had been closed because of an outbreak of a pest that can be deadly to cattle called the New World screwworm.

“If it continues for a long enough period of time, then it could therefore lead to increased prices, because we are not processing the amount of beef that consumers are currently demanding,” Mabinger said.

——————————

Gonzalez reported from McAllen, Texas.

Balogun's suspension for the red card was lifted after President Donald Trump spoke to FIFA leadership, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16. Balogun was the top scorer for the Americans with three goals when he received the red card in a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32.

“At the time, I didn’t fully understand the criticism,” Pochettino said Friday ahead of the U.S. match Saturday against Peru. ”But now, with the benefit of time and looking back on it, the truth is that you have to learn from things, from mistakes. And I think sometimes the things that happen during a tournament have to stay there."

FIFA lifted the suspension, allowing Balogun to play in the round of 16, an extraordinary move that triggered praise from Trump and outrage from Belgium. It appeared to be the first time since 1962 that a red card during a World Cup didn’t result in a suspension.

Pochettino said Friday that the entire energy changed after the suspension was lifted. Analyzing that game now is difficult considering "it was not the best environment to go to compete in a World Cup,” he said.

Belgium beat the U.S. 4-1 to reach the quarterfinals, and Balogun had little impact in the loss.

Pochettino signed a four-year contract to remain as coach through the 2030 World Cup. The first roster of his second term as coach was announced last week. Balogun, who hasn’t played for Monaco this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through, is not on the current U.S. roster. Pochettino cited a leg injury.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

An external review released by Utah Valley University found that the school failed to conduct a formal security assessment, did not create a written event action plan and deferred critical decision-making to Turning Point USA, the Kirk-led organization that scheduled his appearances on college campuses across the U.S.

A charismatic but polarizing figure, Kirk, 31, was killed on Sept. 10, 2025, by a sniper perched on a rooftop more than 400 feet (122 meters) away, authorities said. The conservative activist had been debating students before a crowd of thousands in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by tall buildings and elevated walkways on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. His appearances often attracted protests, further complicating his security.

Tyler Robinson has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in Kirk’s killing, a charge that could make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors say the 23-year-old defendant wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” No trial date has been set.

Kirk’s killing was a watershed moment during a wave of political violence in the United States. President Donald Trump has survived multiple assassination attempts in the past three years, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was gunned down in 2024 and a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were killed at their home in 2025.

Utah Valley President Jon Anderson said in a statement that the school has a responsibility to “learn from the findings of this review, and follow through on its recommendations.”

The report echoes complaints made by Kirk's family

Last week, Kirk’s family announced a wrongful death notice — a precursor to a possible lawsuit — accusing Utah Valley officials of hastening his death with a string of “reckless decisions.”

They included failing to conduct an adequate risk assessment, failing to establish a secure perimeter and failing to have first responders immediately available, which led to Kirk being taken to a hospital in a private vehicle instead of an ambulance.

The family’s lawyer, Brett Parkinson, said in a statement that the report reaffirms those allegations. By hosting the event, he said, Utah Valley assumed responsibility for the safety of all in attendance, including Kirk.

“The buck stopped with UVU leadership and law enforcement,” Parkinson said. “Justice for Charlie and his family requires true accountability for UVU’s fatal shortcomings that day.”

University officials had suggested other locations for the event

According to the report, which Utah Valley said was done independently by outside consultants, some university officials expressed reservations in an August 2025 meeting with Turning Point about holding the event in an outdoor space surrounded by tall buildings.

The officials suggested multiple other locations, including some that were indoors. But a Turning Point representative insisted that Kirk speak at a campus courtyard because he had been there previously and the organization was familiar with the location. The university ultimately allowed the event to go forward in the courtyard.

“In our assessment, those decisions were consequential,” the report said.

Turning Point USA deferred to Parkinson’s statement when asked for comment on the findings. The organization and its security team did not respond to several requests to participate in the review, according to the report.

The event location “created significant protective operations considerations,” the report said, but the planning process failed to include a documented line-of-sight assessment, pre-event briefing or walk-through with security stakeholders. Nor was there clear coordination with Kirk's private security team and external law enforcement partners, the report said.

An Associated Press review last year found that the campus did not use several public safety practices that have become standard at events around the country. Campus police did not fly a drone to monitor rooftops or coordinate with local law enforcement to secure the event attended by about 3,000 people. There were no bag checks or metal detectors.

The report notes a walk-through didn't happen the day of the event

The report also highlighted a lack of coordination and communication between campus police and Kirk’s private security in the days leading up to the event.

In foregoing a day-of walk-through and pre-event briefing, they missed opportunities to go over roles, assess staffing and equipment, add resources such as drones, and address any concerns or threats, the report said.

The university’s police chief sent a text message asking Turning Point’s security supervisor to meet at the event location a few hours beforehand, but no meeting ever happened, the report said.

Utah Valley University says it is making key changes

The report makes nearly 150 recommendations, including hiring a police sergeant to focus on campus events and creating clear criteria for when events must be moved indoors or to more controllable venues.

“This requires humility, an honest examination of our policies and practices, and a commitment to act on what we learn,” said Anderson, who took over as university president last month. He added that the university has made “meaningful progress in strengthening campus safety over the past year.”

That includes hiring a chief public safety officer to coordinate with emergency response agencies and hiring more campus police officers. At the time of the shooting, the university had just 13 sworn officers, which the report said was not sufficient for Utah Valley’s size and the types of events held on the campus. It’s the state’s largest university, with about 50,000 students on a sprawling campus in Orem, beneath the Wasatch Mountains.

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Sisak reported from New York. Associated Press reporter Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed.

In his first speech to the U.N. Security Council since his election as high commissioner for refugees last December, Barham Salih told its 15 members that they have “a unique responsibility to help make peace possible.”

“For the millions of people forced from their homes – and the millions more who should never have to flee – I urge you to use that responsibility,” the former refugee, who was president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022, told the meeting on the sidelines of the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders.

Salih stressed that humanitarians, like those working for the refugee agency known as UNHCR, deal every day with the consequences of conflict, but they can’t create peace. That responsibility under the U.N. Charter is entrusted to the Security Council which is charged with maintaining international peace and security.

The refugee chief ticked off conflicts that have forced people to flee.

The war in Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 12 million people inside and outside the country, he said. “As long as this war continues, people will continue to flee,” he said.

In Congo, Salih said, “generations have now lived through cycles of conflict and violence,” now compounded by an escalating Ebola crisis. In Ukraine, he said, war has displaced millions inside the country and sent millions more fleeing to other countries.

Generations of refugees from disputed Western Sahara, which Morocco claims, have grown up in camps near Tindouf in neighboring Algeria “facing uncertainty and limited prospects while awaiting a political solution,” he said.

In the latest Mideast escalation, Salih said, UNHCR has mobilized resources and staff to help more than 130,000 Yemenis who have fled recent hostilities and remain in the country, and over 3,700 who have sought safety in Djibouti.

The refugee chief acknowledged that a goal he launched earlier this year to reduce the number of refugees in long-term displacement who rely on humanitarian aid by half by 2035 “is ambitious.” But he stressed that “it must be, because keeping people alive year after year while they remain unable to rebuild their lives cannot be our end goal.”

Success can’t mean becoming better at keeping people caught in war alive for another year, or establishing a new camp in response to a 50-year emergency, he said, and it can’t mean having children inherit displacement from their parents.

“Success must ultimately mean creating the conditions in which people no longer need us,” Salih said. UNHCR’s ambition must be “to prevent displacement where we can, resolve it where it has occurred, and create the conditions in which people can rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.”

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Edith M. Lederer has been covering international affairs for The Associated Press for more than a half century.

But the General Assembly's leader and health officials sought Friday to make sure that the lurking possibility of another worldwide disease emergency stays on the agenda.

COVID—19 sometimes “feels like a fever dream” of lockdowns, overwhelmed hospitals, shuttered schools, economic disruption, personal tragedies and Zoom calls, General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman said as he opened a day-long meeting on pandemic preparedness, prevention and response. He recalled his own sleepless nights when his daughter, a physician, treated coronavirus patients during the crisis.

“Sometimes it is easier to pretend that it never happened,” Rahman said, but “we cannot erase COVID-19 from our memories. Quite the opposite. We have to take a hard look at that period, at where we succeeded and where we failed.”

It's all the more important at a time when history’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak is spreading in Congo, he noted.

Since the depths of the coronavirus pandemic, various new international funds, collaboratives, scientific programs and agreements have arisen to tackle pandemic threats better. But the international community is navigating divides about the issue — and they were clear Friday, when countries couldn't reach consensus on a declaration that was intended to cap the special pandemic meeting.

Rahman said General Assembly members would consider the document in future.

The draft declaration, obtained by The Associated Press, reiterates an intent to scale up preparedness and improve coordination within countries and among them.

The document calls for enhancing financing, boosting lab capacity and promoting increased medication and vaccine access. Other provisions of the wide-ranging draft endorse trying to counter vaccine hesitancy and health-related misinformation, making all policies gender-equal and ensuring universal access to family planning and sexual health services by 2030.

Proponents said the proposed document would improve much-needed collaboration, risk monitoring and preparedness for a threat that doesn't stop at any one country's borders.

“That declaration can help the world move forward,” said former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, co-chair of Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response, a group created after COVID-19 emerged. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference that the document “includes important commitments to concrete, measurable and urgent action to address gaps.”

Countries from South Korea to Cape Verde to Guatemala expressed support for the declaration, facilitated by Armenia and Rwanda.

It's “an expression of solidarity and international cooperation," said Burundian Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, speaking on behalf of a group of African nations. A Caribbean countries’ association also backed the document.

But it fell flat with some other nations.

In statements during Friday's multi-part meeting, the European Union said that the document didn't do enough to foster financing accountability and efficiency, among other complaints. Germany called for a stronger focus on prevention.

The U.S. objected to mentions of "divisive ideologies" and of a prospective separate arrangement for countries to share virus samples and in turn get tests, medicines and vaccines.

That potential deal is under negotiations as a follow-on to a pandemic agreement that WHO member countries approved last year. The United States has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and wasn’t part of finalizing the pandemic treaty.

The City Council voted unanimously after a special parking garage committee reviewed two possible locations: the existing lot behind City Hall and a site near Mineola Avenue and 7th Avenue.

The City Hall site currently has a little more than 100 parking spaces. City officials said a garage there could increase capacity to about 400 spaces.

A downtown resident identified as Bee said the location makes sense because it keeps the garage close to businesses while avoiding areas closer to the waterfront.

“I feel like this is a more ideal location because people have less to walk in order to get to any of the businesses that are in downtown,” Bee said.

Bee also said building closer to the waterfront could affect natural landscaping and biodiversity, while the City Hall area is already more developed.

Several residents and business owners supported the City Hall location, including Amanda Walsh, owner of Cheeser’s Palace Cafe, which sits next to City Hall.

“We can impact the whole community at centrally located here downtown,” Walsh said, describing the project as an opportunity to add multiple levels of parking in the heart of downtown.

The project is expected to bring short-term disruptions. Construction would temporarily remove parking used by Walsh’s staff and customers.

“We’ll lose those parking spaces during that construction time, of course, and that will be something that we’ll have to work out,” Walsh said.

The alternative site near Mineola Avenue and 7th Avenue would have included a five-story garage with about 300 spaces, but city leaders decided not to move forward with that option.

The next step is preliminary engineering for the City Hall site. After that, the city is expected to seek contractors for the project.

The jury found over 43 million violations of state consumer protection law and it is now up to the judge to determine how much the company would pay, with attorneys representing the state asking for the maximum $5,000 penalty per violation.

“The verdict marks a significant victory for New Mexico consumers and holds one of the world’s largest technology companies accountable for its conduct,” the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement.

The two-week trial in Santa Fe centered on accusations that Facebook, owned by Meta, deceived users about a data breach stemming from a third-party personality quiz that harvested data from roughly 87 million profiles and sold it to a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, to generate targeted ads. The now-defunct firm’s clients included the 2016 campaign for Donald Trump.

Jurors sided with prosecutors, finding Facebook made deceptive statements about protecting users’ data that affected New Mexico’s entire population of more than two million people. The jury also found Facebook misled the public about investigations into third-party app developers that harvest user data following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Facebook claims state's evidence was ‘outdated’

“We disagree with the verdict and will continue to defend ourselves against efforts to distort our record,” said Alex Burgos, a spokesperson for Meta in an email.

During closing arguments, lawyers for Facebook claimed the state’s evidence was outdated and that despite having five years to gather material, New Mexico found only one other instance of a data breach.

In one of the few wins for the defense, jurors found the state didn’t prove that Facebook made false claims about removing harmful content, including misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state claimed the company favored certain accounts and allowed for violent or inaccurate content to proliferate. During closing arguments, Randi McGinn, an attorney representing the state, argued that Facebook profited off harmful content.

Facebook denied the claims, arguing the company has adapted its policies since the state's lawsuit was filed in 2021 and that it removes 99% of content that violates standards. In a deposition played for jurors, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company had robust systems to determine whether content should be taken down.

“Meta’s platforms are forums for free expression. We have a First Amendment right to manage those platforms in a way we believe best serves the interests of our community. This means prioritizing free speech, protecting our users’ information and giving them control over their data,” Burgos said in a statement after the verdict.

Expert says impact on the company remains unclear

Despite jurors finding millions of violations, it's unclear how much of an impact the case will have on the company's bottom line, given how profitable Meta is.

"It's unlikely that this is going to be the case that effectively penalizes the company in a meaningful way," said Peter Ormerod, an associate professor of law at Villanova University.

Ormerod said the social media company has very high margins and previously skirted regulatory actions on its platforms.

If the state successfully persuades the judge to award the maximum civil penalties for every violation, the company could owe over $200 billion, with interest accruing if it decides to appeal. The judge will have to weigh complex arguments from both sides about what penalties are fair. In a previous case, New Mexico secured $942 million over the platform’s policies to protect minors.

Ormerod commended the state’s “dogged prosecution” of the social media giant, but isn’t sure the judgment will be significant enough to change Meta’s ways.

“There’s been a lot of criticism that none of these amounts of money are enough to discipline the company,” Ormerod said.

Judge will decide penalties at later date

The judge will decide on penalties during a hearing on Oct. 1. Attorney General Raúl Torrez told reporters following the verdict that all money awarded will go into a fund for the state's education system. The state is also seeking an injunction to stop similar practices in the future.

Friday's verdict follows several others against Meta recently.

In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a multistate lawsuit involving child safety issues. Buried in the 130-page settlement was an agreement to release Meta from future liability related to the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach, making New Mexico the only state to decide to pursue a case on its own. Florida was the only other state that did not sign the settlement, saying it was not tough enough on Meta, leaving the door open for future litigation.

Also this year, New Mexico won judgments totaling $942 million from Meta in a two-phase trial about the company’s safety protections for minors. The court ordered Meta to implement new safeguards, including age-verification technology and time limits on its platforms.

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Schuettler reported from Phoenix.

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

In the first season of the big deal, Guerrero said during an interview with the Dominican television program “Grandes Ligas” that he was being paid for what he had done in the past, not what he was going to do in the future. A clip of the interview for a show to be aired Oct. 4 became public on Wednesday.

“They didn’t pay me because I’m going to hit 40 every year,” Guerrero said. “They paid me for what I already accomplished. People are confused about that, but I think the same way they do. Like, sometimes I even say to myself ‘Bro, they gave you all that money and you’re out here doing nothing.’ I try.”

After days of criticism, Guerrero was contrite.

“The main reason I’m here is because I regret my comments the other day,” Guerrero said Friday through a translator. “I feel from my heart that my fans, my teammates, they needed an apology from me and that’s what I’m here for. Obviously, I’m also here because I’m just going to tell everyone that I’m going to continue to keep working hard to make my contract a great one.

“I just gave it some thought and I felt like the comments I made the other day is not what I really wanted to say, and I really feel that everyone, my fans, everyone deserves an apology from me and that’s the main reason I’m here today.”

A six-time All-Star, Guerrero entered Friday with a .285 career average, 192 homers, 647 RBIs and an .840 OPS.

He hit eight postseason home runs last year to help the Blue Jays reach Game 7 of the World Series, which it lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings.

Guerrero has slumped to a .263 average with nine home runs and 56 RBIs this year, slowed by a back injury, concussion and right hamstring tightness. His home run and RBI totals are career lows for a non-shortened season.

“It’s been a disappointing year for me,” Guerrero said. “I couldn’t help my team more to accomplish our goal, which is hard for me.”

Guerrero’s deal is the third-largest in total dollars behind Juan Soto’s $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets and Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Guerrero’s contract also includes a record $325 million signing bonus that protects the money from a possible work stoppage.

Guerrero said he had spoken to his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, and apologized to his Blue Jays teammates.

Asked about his comments after Wednesday’s loss at Baltimore, which eliminated Toronto from postseason contention, Guerrero had said he stood by his remarks.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, also a Democrat, had given Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell until Friday to resign, seeking to end a scandal that threatened to be a drag on her fledgling administration.

Republicans have hammered Sherrill for weeks about the investigation into Caldwell, who served as acting governor in her absence. He also oversaw elections as New Jersey’s secretary of state, and his resignation comes weeks ahead of midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress.

At a news conference announcing the resignation, Sherrill said she was committed to changing what she called a longstanding problem in state government of people turning a blind eye to sexual harassment.

“There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug,” she said.

“That is not the kind of government I’m running,” she added. “When I say there is a culture change taking place, I mean it.”

The governor had called for Caldwell to resign on Thursday after a law firm she hired released a report saying he behaved inappropriately around women.

In a statement Friday, Caldwell said he stepped down to keep the controversy from interfering with Sherrill’s important work, while maintaining that the matter had damaged his reputation.

“My decision to resign should not be interpreted as an acceptance of the report’s findings,” he said. His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, said they were looking into legal options to challenge the report.

Caldwell's resignation was far from certain

Sherrill picked Caldwell, a Methodist pastor and former president of Centenary University, as her running mate last year. They took office in January, but within four months, Caldwell had become the subject of an anonymous complaint about his behavior with women.

Caldwell at first showed no signs he would leave office willingly. In New Jersey, a governor can’t fire the lieutenant governor, but Caldwell could have been impeached and removed by the legislature.

Sherrill told reporters she'd spoken and texted with Caldwell in recent days, but wouldn’t say whether he expressed any remorse.

Sherrill faces questions about her judgement

Republican state Sen. Kristin Corrado on Friday questioned Sherrill’s judgment for allowing Caldwell to serve as acting governor when she left the state, even as his conduct was being investigated.

“New Jersey residents deserve leadership, transparency, and answers from their government,” she said. “So far, we have gotten none.”

The resignation probably won’t move the needle much in New Jersey’s midterms, said Matt Hale, a political science professor at Seton Hall University, but it gives Republicans fresh ammunition against the governor.

Still, he said, Democrats can contrast Caldwell’s swift dismissal with the Trump administration’s attitude toward controversy.

“This wouldn’t even make page six news if it was at the federal level,” Hale said.

The allegations went beyond inappropriate comments

The law firm’s report released Thursday said Caldwell committed several violations of state policy. It said Caldwell, 66, made an advance toward a staff member’s friend and when he was rebuffed told the staffer, “you young women are looking for young sperm.”

The report said Caldwell had tried to get a promotion for a state employee he was dating and brought personal guests to the opera and other ticketed events without paying for them, as required by ethics rules.

Caldwell’s lawyer said his client “categorically denies” making the sperm statement but acknowledged that Caldwell had recommended the woman for a promotion, although he denied ordering anyone to promote her. Caldwell denied other claims, including that he gave out his business cards to women for inappropriate reasons.

In a letter included in the report, Caldwell said he suspected his relationships with women were being subjected to extra scrutiny because he was a single Black man.

“This (resignation) might hurt her with some Black Democratic men,” said Richard Bensel, a government professor at Cornell University, “but I suspect that will be more than compensated by the approval of Black Democratic women.”

Until a new lieutenant governor is named, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari will step in as acting governor if Sherrill is away or unable to perform her duties. The secretary of state roll will be filled by the acting state comptroller, Shirley Emehelu.

Lieutenant governor turmoil isn't unique to New Jersey

In neighboring New York, a similar impasse has played out over the past year between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who launched a caustic primary challenge to unseat her only to withdraw from the race as the election neared.

Hochul is now running for reelection in November with Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, as her replacement lieutenant governor nominee.

Caldwell, the fourth lieutenant governor since the position was created in 2009, is the first to resign. But he’s hardly the first Garden State politician to be felled by scandal.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who quit in the wake of his 2024 bribery conviction, and New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who resigned in 2004 after coming out as gay as questions swirled about him appointing his one-time lover as the state’s homeland security adviser. Both are also Democrats.

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Marcelo reported from New York.

Across the world, communities are dedicating Friday to honoring the beloved country singer. The day is falling on Sept. 25, a wink at Parton’s hit song “9 to 5.”

Parton, who died of cancer last month at age 80, built an impressive legacy over the decades as a singer-songwriter, actor, philanthropist and entrepreneur — leaving big and small ways to honor the icon.

So whether it’s dusting off your rhinestones, donating a book or throwing back a pink-themed cocktail, here’s how you can celebrate Dolly Parton Day.

Join a celebration

In the U.S., a growing number of state and local leaders are establishing Sept. 25 as an annual Dolly Parton Day from California to the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The proclamations highlight Parton’s successful career and stress her lifelong commitment to promoting literacy.

In Nashville — where Parton had lived since she was 18 — the city will honor the singer with pink lights and posters and give away stickers, buttons and bookmarks. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines announced that it would hold a Parton-inspired karaoke Friday for travelers and employees. Tennessee state and local officials are currently in the process of renaming the airport after Parton.

“Dolly Parton’s impact on Nashville will be felt for generations, through the music she has given us, the people she has helped and the example she continues to set,” said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell in a statement. “She has shown us that caring for a community means showing up for one another.”

Over in New Orleans, the marching group Krewe of Dolly will lead a parade through the city’s French Quarter to honor Parton.

And in San Francisco, organizers are planning a public event in the heart of the city, called “Dolly Day,” designed to be a celebration of life that will include “singing loud, dressing up, and being a little kinder than usual in her honor.”

Donate a book to Imagination Library

For those chained to their actual 9 to 5 job on Friday, sneaking away for an event may be challenging. Instead, you can channel Parton’s giving spirit.

Parton made it her mission to improve literacy through her Imagination Library book giveaway program. The program has quickly expanded, resulting in more than a million books sent out each month to children in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

The Imagination Library is encouraging the public to give directly to their local Imagination Library Partner on Dolly Parton Day, or help establish a new program in their community.

Don’t know where to start? The Dollywood Foundation is directing people to ImaginationLibrary.com, where a ZIP code search can find nearby programs.

“For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart,” said Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, in a statement. “She believed deeply in helping people, especially children, and she always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help.”

Get inspired by Parton's style and songs

The Queen of Country was known for her over-the-top style, proudly wearing sequins with big hair and plenty of fringe in her signature color pink.

Parton especially adored butterflies, singing that “love is like a butterfly, as soft and gentle as a sigh.”

Dig into your closet and throw on something extra flashy, shiny or sparkly. Feeling adventurous? Some tattoo artists are offering Dolly-inspired tattoos on Friday, but a butterfly clip will also work.

Of course, there's no easier way to celebrate Parton than by playing one of her many, many albums throughout the day.

Known for her hits “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” and “I Will Always Love You,” Parton's catalog runs deep, and there's room to discover new favorites.

It was Parton’s wish that her songs would have a lasting impact, and that in turn, she would be remembered for trying to make the world a better place.

“I hope that a lot of my songs may last that long. And I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things,” she told The Associated Press in 2024.

The band ripped through a seven-song set including an encore of “With or Without You” for hundreds of students in the schoolyard of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin and a crowd of others who got word of the gig or — like a construction crew several floors up a nearby building — were lucky to be within earshot and have a bird's eye view.

“We escaped the lab — how’s the experiment going for you?” Bono said as he pointed to the science classrooms.

The band got its start at the school 50 years ago when a 14-year-old Larry Mullen posted a note on a message board reading: “Drummer seeks musicians to form band.”

Originally known as Feedback, the group consisted of singer Paul Hewson, now Bono, guitarist David Evans, known as The Edge, and Adam Clayton on bass.

The rest, as they say, is history, though it would be a couple of years before they settled on the name U2 and not until 1980 that their first album, “Boy,” dropped, featuring “I Will Follow,” the first tune they played for the enthusiastic children.

The 30-minute gig was not quite as secret as it may have seemed. A camera crew was rolling, international news media were gathered and a group of 32 students accompanied the band on stringed instruments for the hit, "One.”

It was part of a promotional push for their new album, “Carnaval De Luz,” which features a duet between Bono and Dolly Parton, who died of cancer last month.

They later performed from a balcony to a crowd of fans on popular Grafton Street in central Dublin.

Students, some sticking their heads out of classroom windows, screamed and cheered. They captured the moment on their phones and sang along to the familiar tunes. Some yelled, “I love you Bono!”

Bono thanked his captive audience but noted they had “nowhere else to go.”

As he counted down the signature start of “Vertigo,” with “uno, dos, tres, catorce” (one, two, three, 14), he quipped: “If you’re taking Spanish lessons, don’t take them from me."

In a tribute to teachers, he became philosophical about his time at the school, saying it was where the band began the “humblest and hardest lesson” of learning how much they needed to be taught.

“Part of that started here and the sense was that maybe all we needed was around us, just under our feet — if we could see it in our mates, our wider community that was going to help us get through the next 50 years," he said. "So we want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ‘n’ roll high school.”

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Melley reported from London.

Alcaraz and Mensik beat Alexander Bublik and Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the final match of the day at the O2 Arena.

Rafael Jodar had broken a 1-1 deadlock after the day session by defeating Bublik 6-2, 6-3 in the evening's singles match.

In the day session, Brandon Nakashima made the most of his Laver Cup debut by beating Mensik 6-1, 3-6, 10-7.

The 16th-ranked Nakashima was a late addition to Andre Agassi's roster after U.S. Open runner-up Ben Shelton withdrew last week.

In the event's opener, Casper Ruud beat Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-8 to give Europe an early lead.

There are four matches per day in the three-day event.

Wins are worth one point on Friday, two points on Saturday and three points on Sunday. The first team to reach 13 points wins.

Europe has won the Laver Cup five times while Team World took its third title in last year's edition of the Ryder Cup-style event.

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See AP’s full tennis coverage here

The 2026 World Cup's best passer Michael Olise threaded a fine pass and the World Cup's all-time leading scorer Mbappé rifled in a low shot in the 54th minute.

Mbappé then sat on the ground clasping his left leg and within minutes Zidane had to take him off.

The France camp said he suffered a knee tendon injury and would return to Madrid for treatment. A replacement was not immediately named.

“No, it’s not good. It’s not good, unfortunately,” Zidane told French television about Mbappé's injury. “We will not take risks.”

After failing to qualify for three straight World Cups, Italy’s rebuild under returning coach Roberto Mancini began badly with a 2-0 loss to Belgium in Rome.

Elsewhere, the Charles brothers combined to help Northern Ireland beat Georgia 1-0 in Tbilisi for a first-ever victory in League B.

Zidane's first lineup is a 4-3-3

Mbappé was on the left flank and fellow Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembélé through the middle, with Olise on the right wing and Manchester City's Rayan Cherki in midfield.

A scrappy opening saw lots of botched passes from both sides, although the bumpy playing surface at Kocaeli Stadiuma stadium in İzmit was a factor.

Near the end of the first half, Olise's dipping shot forced a fine save from Uğurcan Çakır and midfielder Adrien Rabiot scooped the ball over following fine work from Cherki and Dembélé.

France goalkeeper Mike Maignan matched Çakır's save with a stunning one-handed stop from İsmail Yüksek's downward header. Çakır was then sent off in the 87th for blocking Bradley Barcola's shot with his arm when he was outside the area.

Fans stay away from Rome

Only 47,155 spectators showed up in the 70,000-seat Stadio Olimpico as winger Mika Godts, signed by Paris Saint-Germain from Ajax in the offseason, scored for Belgium after 20 minutes with a low finish past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

A brilliant effort from Dodi Lukébakio following a run from the halfway line made it 2-0 midway through the second half.

Kvaratskhelia's slump continues

Shea Charles scored deep into stoppage-time for Northern Ireland after younger brother Pierce Charles had saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's penalty midway through the second half.

PSG star Kvaratskhelia has failed to score in the French league this season.

Other games

In League B, Ukraine won 1-0 at Hungary thanks to forward Danylo Sikan's goal, while Sweden beat Romania 2-1 on goals from Liverpool striker Alexander Isak and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres. Robert Lewandowski's Poland drew 0-0 at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Georgii Arutiunian and Artur Garibyan scored in Armenia's 2-0 win against Latvia and Montenegro beat Cyprus 2-1 in League C games. ___

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The runway was transformed into a luxury Gucci boutique, where Cardi B, wrapped in white faux fur, and Donatella Versace, wearing a stole from Demna’s first Gucci collection, sat on cushioned sofas. Brand ambassador Jannik Sinner took a seat beside Vogue’s Anna Wintour.

Models broadcast nonchalance as they strolled through the boutique, casting their eyes over jewelry cases, shelves of handbags and racks of ready-to-wear.

At a moment when the luxury business is struggling, the setting made the commercial imperative unusually explicit: These were clothes intended not merely to project an image, but to move from rack to wardrobe. And the runway offered flexible propositions for eager consumers.

“Gucci is about luxury that wants to be seen,” Demna wrote in show notes.

A bold silhouette made the first pitch, before the details became apparent. Men’s suits had exaggeratedly broad shoulders, while pagoda shoulders shaped women’s jackets and dresses. Collars were turned up, adding to the attitude. The styling remained Italian: cropped pants and elongated loafers with no socks for him, a cinched trench coat over a blouse and skirt for her.

References to Alessandro Michele’s eccentricity and Tom Ford’s sexualized silhouettes were less stark than in Demna’s debut. Instead of asking customers to embody one of his sharply drawn Italian “famiglia” archetypes, the collection proposes borrowing elements without becoming captive to them.

Layering made those identities harder to pin down. Low-slung trousers held precariously in place by three belts suggested the swagger of a maranza, or troublemaking urban youth. But a bourgeois tartan skirt of an impeccably groomed Milanese woman was destabilized by a leather bomber worn over a plaid shirt and finished with an oversized necklace.

The collection’s strongest looks had undoubted commercial appeal: A double-breasted navy peacoat paired with high-heeled equestrian boots — with spurs for a Demna flourish — and a rugby shirt with Gucci stripes for him layered under an Oxford shirt and Gucci logo jacket.

Moschino puts fashion back on the street.

At Moschino, Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo brought the cult credibility they built at Sunnei to their debut as creative directors, taking up founder Franco Moschino’s legacy of intellectual wit.

Their debut show was set on the top floor of a parking garage overlooking the 2026 Olympic ice hockey venue just as the setting sun created a pinkish sky in the background.

The runway was flanked by hundreds of people in their own clothes walking in the opposite direction throughout the show, creating a stream of personal styles that situated the collection among everyday wardrobes.

The house’s irony remained, but it felt less dependent on quirk and gimmick than in recent iterations. Grass fringe punctured the preciousness of luxury, while cartoonish graphics functioned more as art than as characters or caricatures.

Still, humor came through the clothes themselves: exaggerated side bustles brought Marie Antoinette proportions to skirts worn like denim, while padding turned the enhanced backside to suggest a female ideal. It was still recognizably Moschino, but the joke didn’t overwhelm the clothes.

Fans who look to Moschino for novelty bags shaped like milk cartons or cooking pots may be disappointed by the pared-down aesthetic. The bag of the season was a very practical, large bucket bag and the only nod to novelty was a bag shaped like a cat that perched on a model's shoulder.

The designers said they are forging a modern version of the fashion house that isn't stuck in previous decades.

“We want Moschino to become a cultural loudspeaker again,” Rizzo said. “We have the same urgency in terms of creativity and breaking walls, but it's 2026.”

Deputies said they responded to a 911 call at about 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in the 5000 block of Liming Avenue.

When they arrived, deputies found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and was listed in stable condition.

Investigators said the case is in its early stages and no additional details were immediately available.

Deputies are continuing to investigate what led up to the shooting.

News 6 is on the scene and will provide updates as we get them.

Saturday

Our NNE winds will still have a bit of a kick leading into our Saturday. A comfortable breeze will be felt as we wake up to temperatures in the mid 60s across the area! We will see mostly clear skies all day, allowing temperatures to reach the mid 80s. Humidity values will be low so the afternoon will be comfortably warm with our northerly winds persisting. Beach plans will be best near a lifeguard as the Atlantic waters will still be agitated due to the strong winds the last few days.

Sunday

Sunday morning will feature even cooler temperatures as our winds relax. We will wake up to temperatures in the low-mid 60s. A few upper 50s are even possible for northern Marion County! Our Sunday will once again feature mostly clear skies and high temperatures in the mid 80s.

But the legal battle between Trump and some of the media that cover him is far from over.

Here are some things to know about the White House press corps, lawsuits over press access, and the increasingly contentious relationship between the president and the Fourth Estate.

Trump said unfavorable press coverage prompted the ban

Last week, Trump said he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over what he called unfavorable coverage and “fake news.” Some journalists with those organizations had their White House press passes revoked, prohibiting them from White House grounds.

The affected news organizations sued, and several other news outlets and press associations filed legal briefs and released statements supporting them.

The president's attorneys later argued in court that the outlets' coverage threatened national security, but they didn't detail how the coverage put the nation at risk. Court filings cited letters the administration sent each outlet outlining stories it found problematic and dangerous, but the judge found that the standard they described was too vague to justify the ban.

Attorneys for the news organizations called the ban a blatant First Amendment violation and a clear case of ‘viewpoint discrimination’ — government action that penalizes speech because of the viewpoint expressed.

The news organizations scored a temporary win, but the case is not over

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order early Thursday, ordering the White House to reinstate the banned journalists' press credentials. That order lasts 14 days.

There will likely be another round of court filings and legal arguments over the next several days before the judge decides whether to issue a longer-lasting ruling called a preliminary injunction.

Preliminary injunctions are also temporary, often designed to last until a lawsuit is resolved one way or another.

Two constitutional rights are at play

Kelly’s temporary order focused less on whether the news outlets enjoy a First Amendment free press right to White House access and more on whether their Fifth Amendment due process rights may have been violated.

Existing case law is clear, Kelly wrote. Members of the press corps are entitled to fair notice from the government about why their credentials may be revoked, as well as an opportunity to state their case to the government on why their credentials should be preserved.

Kelly wrote that he issued the temporary restraining order because it’s likely the news outlets will be able to demonstrate they weren’t given proper notice or a chance to respond.

The press pool serves as the public’s eye on the president

The work of the president occurs around the clock and often in spaces too small to accommodate every journalist who covers the executive branch. The White House Correspondents' Association — a group of journalists who cover the president — created the press pool decades ago to ensure that a rotating roster of journalists traveled with the president wherever he goes.

The pool typically follows the president almost everywhere, including aboard Air Force One, at state dinners, in the Oval Office and on the golf course. The pool traditionally represents print and wire reporters, photographers and radio and television journalists.

The effort is designed to hold the nation’s chief executive accountable on behalf of the American public, providing information on the president’s activities and the work of the executive branch. The pool is always near the president so journalists can document unexpected developments.

The pool distributes in-person reports and imagery to the broader press corps. They also share their notes, video and audio with other news outlets, congressional offices and interested parties.

The White House video pool consists of five major U.S. television broadcasters that take turns shooting and sharing video. When the White House banned CNN — which belongs to the pool — the other four pool members declined to participate in a show of solidarity. For days, the pool provided no live video of the president. By Friday, the video pool was back in operation.

Trump's relationship with the pool has grown increasingly tumultuous

For decades, the White House Correspondents' Association selected the members of the pool, but that changed Feb. 25, 2025, when the White House announced its officials would pick the pool members — effectively giving the executive control over coverage of the American presidency.

The White House almost always selects journalists who are outwardly favorable to Trump as part of the mix.

To show his displeasure with a news organization's coverage, Trump has hurled personal insults at journalists or tried to exclude outlets entirely. In some cases, the news organizations sue in response.

During Trump's first term, the White House suspended the credentials of Jim Acosta, who was a CNN correspondent at the time. The same judge handling the lawsuit from CNN, MS NOW and Politico also decided Acosta's case, ordering the White House to restore his credentials.

Last year, Trump barred Associated Press journalists from some events and kicked the news agency out of the press pool after it refused to accede to the president's demands to change its style from “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.”

AP sued, and that case is ongoing, though a preliminary ruling from a federal appeals court said Trump could ban the wire service from some highly restricted areas such as the Oval Office or Air Force One.

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Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Associated Press journalists Jocelyn Noveck in New York and Laurie Kellman in London contributed.

“I wish it had healed a little quicker,” he admitted, “but it did not.”

The tension between Blaney and Carson Hocevar, who delivered the haymaker that left Blaney with the black eye last weekend, has apparently eased a little bit quicker. Blaney called the on-track incident that led to a pit-road fracas “just a racing” thing, upon further reflection, the kind of stuff that happens at a fender-to-fender track like Bristol Motor Speedway.

“It's kind of the opposite of how I normally am. I get fired up quickly but I calm down really quickly,” Blaney explained. “These things happen. The on-track, it happens really, really fast. You're making decisions in a split-second of a moment, and sometimes you can be skewed or not skewed on what you think happened, and then you know, watching the incident, pretty 50-50, I thought.”

The incident last Saturday night unfolded 41 laps before Joey Logano captured the checkered flag.

Blaney had just taken second with a pass around the outside of Hocevar, who countered by steering his No. 77 Chevrolet down the track. Blaney moved to block him, Hocevar stayed on the gas, and the result sent the No. 12 Ford spinning into the wall.

It was a big blow to Blaney, who had led a race-high 202 laps, and his hopes of winning a second Cup Series championship.

“It's just kind of built,” said Blaney, who now trails Kyle Larson by 52 points in the Chase for the championship. “A couple of rough finishes back-to-back and you realize, man, this is not going the way I thought it was going to go.”

Hocevar ended up third behind Logano and Larson last weekend.

But as he brought his car to a stop along pit road, Blaney was there waiting, and despite standing several inches shorter than the 6-foot-4 Hocevar, went right after him with a shove. Hocevar responded with two overhand rights, the first knocking Blaney’s hat off and the second connecting with his cheek, sending one of NASCAR's most popular drivers to the ground.

Blaney scrambled to his feet and threw a left hook that clipped Hocevar’s own hat before team members could intervene.

“We've been cool and stuff. I think Ryan is one of the coolest guys in the garage,” Hocevar said. “I didn't want to hit him, and looking back, I 100 percent see where he wanted to just throw a shove in there and yell. But in the moment you're not going to see that.”

Hocevar said he had no regrets over what transpired on pit road.

“I don't think so. My dad is probably the least controversial person I ever met in my life. He's got a local business so he freaks out if he gets a bad Google review. I texted him and was like, ‘Sorry about that.’ He was proud that I defended myself,” Hocevar said. “If we were racing anywhere lower than second, I think, you know, I maybe look at it differently, but I think Blaney does, too.”

With a brazen driving style, the 23-year-old Hocevar has made plenty of enemies — and, yes, quite a few fans — during his third full Cup Series season. It was just a few weeks ago he spun out Brad Keselowski during the Southern 500, leaving the frustrated former champion to declare: “His day is coming, and it's coming hard. Watch out, Carson.”

Turned out his day came at Bristol, only it was Blaney — not Keselowski — trying to deliver the punishment.

NASCAR seems to be leaning into the brewing feuds, too. Promotional posters for the race at World Wide Technology Raceway, which came on the heels of the Darlington dust-up, declared: “A Rivalry Worth Watching: Hurricane Hocevar vs. Bad Brad Keselowski.”

So it wasn't entirely surprising that NASCAR chose not to punish Blaney or Hocevar this week.

“We’re not going to encourage fighting, but what we are going to encourage is passion,” NASCAR chief executive Steve O’Donnell said during an appearance on Kevin Harvick’s podcast Monday. “Blaney’s showing his passion, showing his fire.”

Blaney called it the right decision by NASCAR, and not just because it kept the series from digging into his pocketbook.

“I would fully understand getting slapped with a penalty if I went over and initiated a punch or something,” Blaney said. “I initiated a confrontation, Carson defended himself. I'm glad they didn't do anything. They just let it simmer. I thought it was the right call.”

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See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Reports Friday said an independent panel had upheld nearly all of the 100-plus financial charges against the club in a case that was initiated more than three years ago.

City did not confirm the decision, saying its case with the Premier League was “ongoing."

City, however, would appeal a guilty decision and the process would take several months, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to respect confidentiality elements of the process.

The Athletic first reported that City has been found guilty of all but one of more than 100 charges laid by the Premier League, which accused the club in February 2023 of providing misleading information about its finances over a nine-year period from 2009-18. The report said the sanctions have not been decided and all possibilities remain open.

The BBC also reported the story.

In response, City said in a statement: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.”

City added that its position “remains consistent” with previous comments about the case. The club has always denied the charges.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years,” City said, “on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

City’s punishment could be a huge points deduction, and as extreme as expulsion from the Premier League.

When contacted by The Associated Press on Friday, the Premier League said it couldn’t comment on the reports.

City has always protested its innocence after supposed leaked emails and documents, likely hacked, were published starting in 2018 by German magazine Der Spiegel. The documents allegedly showed City tried to mask the source of revenue from deals tied to Abu Dhabi, whose ruling family bought the club in 2008 and has overseen the spending of hundreds of millions of dollars on some of the world’s best players over the following two decades.

City has been the most dominant team in England over the last 15 years, winning eight Premier League titles since 2012 as well as the Champions League in 2023. Over the period in question — 2009-18 — City won the league three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

Friday's news comes after Pep Guardiola stood down as City manager at the end of last season following an unprecedented period of success.

Guardiola always maintained the club's innocence.

“What people accuse us of, we do not agree with what they say,” he said in 2023.

And Spain midfielder Rodri, who played for City from 2019 until leaving this offseason for Barcelona, said he still believed the club has done nothing wrong.

“They always expressed the confidence that they never did something wrong, and we believe in that. That’s the thing,” Rodri said of City's ownership.

“Until the moment they are proved wrong, we believe in the club. I’ve been there, I know how they work, and how they co-operate.”

Speaking at Wembley Stadium on Friday night the day before Spain plays England in the Nations League, Rodri said nobody would be able to take away City's recent titles.

“It is something that is not paid by money, it is paid with effort, with partnership and with being shoulder to shoulder every day,” he said.

“We had a lot of success over the years, and here in Wembley, so I can tell you everything was deserved and I’m glad I could live one of the best eras of English football.”

Former Manchester United and England player Rio Ferdinand suggested City's titles should be expunged and awarded to the runner-up for each season in question.

“Another premier league medal to be added to the cabinet,” he posted on X in reference to City’s 2012 title win over United.

The Premier League competition has had financial fair play rules designed to ensure clubs essentially spend what they earn from deals that are assessed to determine if they are at legitimate market value. City had previously been accused by UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, of overstating sponsorship revenue to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

In 2020, UEFA ruled City had committed “serious breaches” of FFP regulations from 2012-16. But a two-year ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport because allegations were either rejected or found to have happened too long ago to be investigated.

The Premier League charges came subsequently, after a four-year investigation. City was accused of more than 100 breaches including providing misleading information about its finances and failure to co-operate with the investigation.

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Douglas reported from Sundsvall, Sweden

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

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

JC Tretter wrote in a lengthy post on social media that players union officials have been talking regularly with the NFL to make sure the field is safe and playable for the league's latest visit to Brazil. That included union experts suggesting better traction to make the field more stable.

“They recommended reinforced stitching to help the surface hold together and brought in equipment to reinforce as much of the field as possible before the game,” Tretter said. “Our experts will remain engaged and continue evaluating conditions through kickoff.”

Maracana Stadium has been hit by unusually heavy rainfall over the past six weeks. Nick Pappas, the NFL's field director, told The Associated Press from Rio de Janeiro that the league shipped a tarp there to help protect the turf. A crew has been on site since Monday preparing the stadium.

“We’ve got to have plans in place to ensure that you can mitigate the weather the best you can and, right now, we feel we’re in a good spot,” Pappas said.

The NFL has been playing in Brazil since 2024.

The two previous games were at the 48,000-seat NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo, a larger market where both games were sellouts. Some tickets remain for Sunday’s game in the considerably larger venue. The stadium made news this week after some soccer players raised concerns about the field conditions, though the NFL says it’s confident the playing surface will be fine.

The 78,000-seat Maracana Stadium has hosted two World Cup championship games, Olympic gold medal matches for men and women, and numerous clashes between South America’s biggest teams. Now the Ravens and Cowboys will play one of a record nine international contests on the league schedule this season.

Tretter said this week highlights bigger issues surrounding field standards for safety and performance, saying both the NFL and NFLPA have made progress. Tretter noted players' cleats melting in Nashville last week during Philadelphia's win over the Tennessee Titans or frozen fields creating “unnecessary risks.”

There have been field-related issues at two of the three games in Brazil, and Tretter said that's not a coincidence with the climate at this time of the year — it's early spring in South America — making it challenging to maintain the grass surface expected for NFL games.

“We owe it to them to provide the best possible opportunity to succeed,” Tretter said. “Players can overcome a lot. But they shouldn’t have to overcome the field.”

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi detailed the proposal to reporters outside the U.N. Security Council on Friday, saying it would also restart stalled talks with the U.S. on Iran's nuclear program.

“The seven-day timeline will start as soon as the United States accepts this plan,” he said.

Araghchi said initial steps would take about four to five days to complete, and the strait would be open on the sixth day. “And on day seven, the talks with the U.S. will be started for the final deal on mutually agreed subjects,” he said, referring to the nuclear program.

Iran's disruption of the strait — through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas transited before the war — has emerged as its main point of leverage. The effects have been felt far beyond the Middle East and posed political problems for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of November's midterm congressional elections.

The White House said only that U.S. officials are having positive and constructive conversations with mediators on the Iran war. In response to questions, it said the U.S. is facilitating significant oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

There was no immediate comment on the proposal from Gulf Arab nations, although a person familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations, told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia was skeptical of the latest push for a deal.

The proposal resembles a June deal that quickly crumbled

The proposal, conveyed to the U.S. by Qatar, strongly resembles an interim deal reached in June, but with an accelerated timetable. The earlier agreement, which called for a 60-day interim period, quickly collapsed as Iran resumed attacks on shipping in the strait.

Trump has said he is in no rush to reach a deal, even as high oil prices fuel inflation. On the Iranian side, there are questions as to whether the hard-liners who dominate the security forces would accept compromises championed by moderates like President Masoud Pezeshkian.

“If Trump calculates this arrangement is worthwhile and can bring political benefit before the midterms and reduce gas prices, perhaps we'll see flexibility not seen in previous weeks,” said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute think tank.

But he noted “deep suspicion,” especially around the prospect of Iran merely buying time to ship out more of its oil and ease its economic pain.

There are other signs of renewed diplomacy

In the latest sign of diplomatic movement, Pezeshkian hosted the prime minister of Qatar early Friday. Qatar has been a key mediator, including during indirect Iran-U.S. talks at the U.N. this week.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that “if there’s an opportunity to exchange ideas and messages, we will.”

After multiple failed attempts at a deal, however, suspicion is high on both sides. The U.S. and Israel have attacked Iran twice while it was engaged in nuclear talks, and the U.S. and Iran accuse each other of having swiftly violated the June agreement.

“The Iranians already know that the chances of this not being accepted by Trump are much higher than the opposite,” Hamidreza Azizi, senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank, wrote on X.

“They want to show that they were ready for diplomacy and that it was the United States that, for the third time, decided to attack in the middle of a diplomatic track — something that people within (Iran’s) strategic community have been anticipating over the past few days,” he said.

Araghchi said Friday that more than 5,000 people in Iran have been killed in the nearly seven-month U.S.-Israeli war.

It's unclear if the proposal would include the Yemen conflict

The proposal would include Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah have been mostly observing a ceasefire. It's not clear, however, if it would include the revived conflict between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, which has put even more pressure on global markets.

Iran appears to think the Houthis' newly enhanced ability to threaten the Bab el-Mandeb strait on the Red Sea — another trade chokepoint on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula — could push Trump to make a deal.

Araghchi met with his Saudi counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, as he and other Iranian officials held meetings that included representatives from other countries that Tehran has exchanged military strikes with over the last year.

With the Houthis' latest surge in attacks, Saudi Arabia was skeptical of Araghchi’s latest push for a deal with the U.S., according to the person familiar with the matter.

The kingdom, along with other Gulf states, had advocated over the summer for a return to negotiations, saying they could live with an agreement that gave Iran a temporary role in managing the Strait of Hormuz, the person said.

But the Saudi calculations changed as the Houthis seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea coast from pro-government forces and a vital Saudi pipeline came under attack.

Earlier this month, Gulf leaders planned to gather in Oman to discuss an emerging agreement between Oman and Iran on the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between the two countries. But the meeting was canceled after Saudi Arabia called for amendments, only some of which were accepted by Iran, the person said.

Iran's leadership has shown signs of divisions

Iran's leaders have sought to project unity, but some hard-liners want to continue or escalate the war to secure bigger U.S. concessions and have criticized Pezeshkian and Araghchi's diplomatic steps this week.

Firebrand lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei wrote on X that merely meeting with “the aggressor enemy” showed weakness. Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a panel of Shiite clerics who appoint the supreme leader, said “there is no path other than resistance.”

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who served as chief negotiator in earlier U.S. talks, provided a rare public acknowledgment of the internal divide.

“There is a view that speaks of war but offers no prospect or mechanism for bringing it to a powerful conclusion,” he wrote on social media. “At the opposite end is a current that makes the error of underestimating national capabilities.”

He added: “The first error keeps the country in a state of permanent crisis, while the second hands national resources and dignity over to the enemy.”

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Associated Press reporters Josh Boak and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.