PSG is looking to win Europe’s elite competition for a second straight year while Arsenal is bidding to become European champion for the first time on its return to the final after a 20-year wait.

Both teams are coming off winning their own domestic leagues, in France and England, respectively.

Here's the latest:

The second half has started

PSG is pushing forward and Arsenal is trying to slow things down. Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera is dragging his feet a bit too much at a throw-in and receives a yellow card for time wasting.

What can PSG do to turn this around?

They do have potentially game-changing options on the bench, notably in France forward Bradley Barcola and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos.

Ousmane Dembélé has been quiet – is he fully fit? – and has been snuffed out by Arsenal’s big center backs.

There’s also Senny Mayulu, a 20-year-old attacker who scored as a substitute for PSG in last year’s 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final.

A perfect half for Arsenal

Arsenal has done a very good job of keeping PSG’s wide players quiet. Désiré Doué, the star of last year’s final, has been ineffective. So has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

PSG is having lots of possession, but keeps coming up against a red wall with so little space around the box.

PSG’s players also look unusually nervous on the ball. Perhaps a little too afraid to get caught on the break again after falling behind early in the first half.

It's Arsenal 1, Paris Saint-Germain 0 at half-time

An early goal, then defend the lead.

This final is going just how Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might have dreamed.

There was an element of fortune about Kai Havertz’s goal. But Arsenal fans won’t care about that.

PSG has had one shot on goal – a speculative long-range effort in the final minute of the half.

The defending champions need to improve drastically.

PSG has the possession but no shots on target

We’re past the half-hour point in the final, and PSG still hasn’t had a shot on target.

The French champions have, though, had more than 70% possession. But it’s not getting them anywhere.

Spanish coaches competing for the title

The coaches of the two finalists – PSG’s Luis Enrique and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta – are both Spanish. And they go way back.

They were together at Barcelona in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Arteta was starting his professional career and Luis Enrique was coming toward the end of his.

Arteta has said he “learnt a lot of things” from Luis Enrique as a player and now as a coach, saying he has “this unbelievable power” and an approach to life that he really likes.

Arteta had a spell on loan at PSG in 2000-01, when he played alongside Ronaldinho and Nicolas Anelka.

Safonov attended by medics

PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov needs attention from team medics after receiving a blow to the head.

Backup keeper Lucas Chevalier is warming up but Safonov remains on the field for now. Chevalier lost his starting spot in favor of Safonov earlier this season and, due to his limited playing time, was not selected for the French national team for the World Cup.

Drinks break

The teams are taking a break for drinks at the midway point of the first half.

Things are going just as Arsenal would like, still leading 1-0.

Kai Havertz joins an exclusive club

The Germany forward becomes only the third player – after Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Real Madrid) and Mario Mandzukic (Juventus and Bayern Munich) — to score in a Champions League final for two different teams, according to stats supplier Opta.

Arsenal’s players happy to defend the lead

Arsenal is sitting deep and PSG has all the possession.

Expect that to be the case while Arsenal leads.

There’s even a bit of time-wasting from Arsenal on goal kicks -- to the annoyance of PSG fans.

Arsenal take an early lead

Kai Havertz makes it 1-0 for the Gunners in the sixth minute.

Marquinhos’ attempted clearance rebounds off Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard and into the path of Havertz, who strides through on goal from near halfway. His shot from a narrow angle goes into the roof of the net.

We are go! The final is underway

The players emerge from their huddles and the Champions League is underway with Arsenal taking the kickoff.

Fan sneaks away from hospital after serious injury

An English fan was taken to hospital Saturday afternoon after suffering what police called a “life-threatening” injury in an electric scooter accident, but wasn’t willing to let the injury keep him from the final.

Budapest police said the man “left the hospital without permission because he was adamant about going to the match.”

They added that they are looking for the man and trying to contact his family “because he requires immediate medical attention.”

Going back-to-back is not easy

Only Real Madrid has successfully defended the Champions League title since the competition was rebranded in 1992.

Can PSG be the second team to do so?

The Madrid team of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale won the Champions League three times in a row (2016-18), under coach Zinedine Zidane.

Since then, no defending champion has reached the final until this PSG team, which beat Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich last year.

Get ready for clash of styles

PSG and Arsenal have reached the title match adopting vastly different playing approaches.

PSG is the top-scoring team in the competition with 44 goals -- that’s an average of more than three per game.

Arsenal has the Champions League’s best defense, letting in just six goals in 14 games and keeping nine clean sheets, three more than any other team has registered.

▶ Read more

Non-World Cup referee in charge

The man entrusted with being the referee for the biggest match in club soccer won’t even be going to next month's World Cup.

German ref Daniel Siebert was left off FIFA’s list of match officials for the World Cup – after going to the 2022 edition in Qatar – so handling the Champions League final is a consolation prize in a sense.

This will be the third straight round Siebert will have worked an Arsenal match.

Video review – or VAR, as it’s known in soccer circles — will be in operation for the final.

Here are lineups for Champions League final

PSG: Matvey Safonov; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, João Neves, Fabian Ruiz; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué.

Arsenal: David Raya; Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Piero Hincapié; Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard; Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka.

NYC Mayor Mamdani urges beloved Arsenal to ‘enjoy moment’

Zohran Mamdani is a big Arsenal fan and the New York Mayor was seen wearing club-branded clothing when he joined residents across the city for Eid al-Adha prayers this week.

In an article he has written for The Athletic ahead of the final, Mamdani said he started supporting Arsenal from the age of 9 after his uncle “introduced me to a team with a cannon on its shirt.”

He says supporting the team “increasingly became an exercise in nostalgia” until the recent uplift under Mikel Arteta.

“Over these past two years, no matter how chaotic life became, Arsenal remained the constant,” he writes.

Mamdani acknowledges PSG is “brilliant” and “frustratingly well-managed” by Luis Enrique, but has a message for Arsenal and its fans: “Enjoy this moment, because they don’t come around often.”

Rivalry extends to fans’ chants

Fans are making their way to the stadium under a cloudy, threatening sky in Budapest, and they’ll have a role to play in the final.

Not least with the rival chants that you might get to hear in your TV broadcast.

PSG’s most notable song will see their passionate Ultras bellow “Tous ensemble on chantera” (All together we will sing).

Arsenal fans have their own chant that has grown in popularity over the last few seasons in manager Arteta’s 6 ½-year reign, with a chorus taken from “The Angel (North London Forever)” -- written by singer and Arsenal fan Louis Dunford in 2022.

▶ Read more

Hungary and soccer

This is the first European Cup final to be staged in Hungary and it comes at an interesting time for the Central European country, a few weeks after right-wing populist leader Viktor Orbán‘s heavy defeat in the elections.

Péter Magyar is the prime minister and is set to attend the match at the 67,000-seat Puskas Arena, a stadium that opened in 2019 and was built on the same site as the previous Ferenc Puskas Stadion — named after the Hungarian and Real Madrid great who won three European Cups as a player.

Orbán is a massive soccer fan and attempted to bring back the glory days of the 1950s, when Hungary had one of the world’s top teams.

To that end, the arena, located a few kilometers east of central Budapest, has become a well-known host for European games. The stadium staged the UEFA Super Cup in 2020, as well as a slew of Champions League group games and four European Championship matches in 2021. In 2023, it hosted the Europa League final won by Sevilla.

Somebody told me The Killers are playing...

Pre-match entertainment is being provided by American rock band The Killers, who are best known for songs like “Mr. Brightside,” “Smile Like You Mean It” and “Somebody Told Me.”

It differs from the Super Bowl, where artists perform in a halftime show.

The Killers, who hail from Las Vegas, predicted an “epic match” when they were announced to be performing – though at the time, they didn’t know who the finalists would be.

In previous years, Linkin Park, Lenny Kravitz and Dua Lipa have been headliners in Champions League finals.

Big gathering at Parc des Princes

Some 48,000 fans are expected to fill PSG’s stadium in Paris, the Parc des Princes, to watch the match on giant screens.

PSG said Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire is among the officials expected to attend.

Former players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Claude Makélélé and Ronaldinho, have been invited to Budapest for the final.

Capital clubs go head-to-head – and that’s rare

It’s the first time in 55 years that clubs from two different capital cities are competing in the final of Europe’s biggest club competition.

The last was Ajax (of Amsterdam) vs. Panathinaikos (of Athens) in 1971.

There were only two before that: Benfica (Lisbon) vs. Real Madrid in 1962 and Real Madrid vs. Partizan Belgrade in 1966.

This is also the first major European final featuring teams from France and England.

The World Cup is coming. No injuries please!

It’s the last match of the European club season – and World Cup coaches will be watching on with a mixture of intrigue and nervousness.

The World Cup begins in 12 days, and the squads of both PSG and Arsenal are bulging with players heading to the tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Any injuries sustained in the final could be devastating so close to the big kickoff.

Arsenal has “taste” for trophies now

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says winning the Premier League has whetted the players’ appetite for more trophies.

Nothing comes bigger than the Champions League.

“The ambition is bigger,” Arteta said in his pre-match news conference. “We have one, and we want the second one ... there has to be a platform to reach bigger destinations.”

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was the first player in the squad to get his hands on the Premier League trophy, and he liked it.

“When you get the taste of winning and lifting a trophy,” Odegaard says, “you know how nice it feels. And we want to do it again.”

Dembélé, Doué, Saka ... a bunch of world’s best are on show

Many of soccer’s superstar players will be taking the field at Puskas Arena – not least PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, the most recent world player of the year.

Désiré Doué, the 20-year-old forward who lit up last year’s final with two goals in the record 5-0 win over Inter Milan, is still a shining light for PSG along with Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and three of Cristiano Ronaldo’s top teammates with Portugal – Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves.

Arsenal has England stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice in midfield and the striker who has just sent Sweden to the World Cup – Viktor Gyökeres.

Fans brawl in central Budapest

Groups of fans got physical late Friday in Budapest’s frequented party area, leading police to launch an investigation over disorderly conduct.

Videos on social media showed several dozen people throwing punches and kicks, driving another group down Király street in the capital’s District 7.

One fan held a burning red flare before throwing it toward the other group, which was retreating down the street. Budapest police said in a statement that the violence erupted shortly after midnight, and that it was using surveillance footage to try to identify participants.

__ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The process could grind to a halt, however, after the Trump administration said Friday that it intended to appeal a federal judge’s order to allow all companies that paid the invalidated duties to seek refunds, not just the ones that filed lawsuits.

Until the Department of Justice informed the judge of its planned appeal, the refund system overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection had been working fairly smoothly. Refunds reached the bank accounts of the first successful applicants on May 12, about three weeks after importers and their customs brokers could start submitting claims through an online system, according to CBP.

Applications for refunds totaling $85 billion — more than half of the $166 billion the agency estimated the government owes to companies that paid the tariffs on imported goods — were accepted for processing as of May 22, CBP reported in a legal filing earlier in the week. It said it had so far directed the Treasury Department to issue $20.6 billion in refunds.

The administration revealed its appeal preparations while objecting to a demand by Judge Richard K. Eaton for CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to appear in the U.S. Court of International Trade to answer questions about how long it would take to repay all 330,000 importers that might be eligible for refunds. The judge has scheduled a June 9 hearing on why he shouldn't require the government do whatever it takes to speed up the process.

Justice Department lawyers asked Eaton to allow one or two of Scott's deputies to appear in his place, arguing that as a high-ranking presidential appointee, the CBP chief could not be compelled to testify in court. They also argued that Eaton exceeded his own authority when he determined in March that the Supreme Court's ruling entitled “all importers of record’’ to refunds.

“For that reason, defendants intend to appeal the court’s universal injunction," the lawyers wrote, adding that CBP would continue to move “as quicky as it can to process refunds in a phased approach” for businesses that filed some 485 pending trade court complaints to assert their rights to refunds.

In a terse reply Friday, Eaton said he needed to hear directly from Scott whether the government would return all of the money it collected between when Trump put what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries in April 2025 and when the Supreme Court struck them down in late February.

“This case involves $166 billion,” the judge wrote. “It is undisputed that the remedy for this unlawful collection is for the United States government to refund the unlawfully collected duties."

Some national retail chains said they planned to use their tariff refunds refunds to lower customer prices on some items. Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey told analysts last week that the company would implement price cuts even though the maximum refund it might be eligible for represented less than half of 1% of Walmart’s $483 billion in annual U.S. sales.

Some smaller companies told The Associated Press that the partial refunds they’ve received so far would go toward paying remaining or future tariffs, reducing debt or just keeping the lights on after more than a year of uncertainty and additional import costs.

Jay Foreman, CEO of toy company Basic Fun, said he received about $450,000, or 7% of his total claim, over two consecutive days this month. He took the initial repayment as a positive sign but said that after having less than $10,000 refunded since then, the process seemed like a “total slow roll.”

“It’s time to release the funds back into the economy, especially given how much we and others need these funds to support our businesses and fund our operations,” Foreman said.

On Saturday, road crews tested out the technology along a mile stretch of road at Oakbrook Drive and Northbrook Place.

“My hope is that it will last a lot longer and we can use this technology moving forward,” said city engineer Nick Hutchinson.

If this road holds up , you could see more rubberized asphalt across Ann Arbor.

While it is pricier, experts say rubberized asphalt offers some serious advantages.

“We have pavement’s down in the UP and we’ve had them down in the state for 15 years. They’re behaving well in cold climates and heavy trafficked roads,” said the president of Asphalt Plus Dr. Redmond Clark.

The city is collaborating with Michigan Technological University, finding ways to reduce its environmental footprint.

Ann Arbor generates more than 70,000 scrap tires every year and almost half are burned or disposed.

This option could be a win-win.

“The road might last longer and resist cracking,” Hutchinson said.

A $61,000 dollar grant is covering the additional costs of placing rubberized asphalt.

What remains to be seen, is if the additional money spent will pay off for drivers.

“This sort of technology is going to give you the ability to resist potholes in the future,” Clark said.

Some just haven’t decided which of the two state lawmakers in the race fits the bill.

“I am having a lot of trouble,” said Mike Lazere, a 65-year-old Democrat who always votes on Election Day.

State Rep. Josh Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls are seeking the nomination for the seat held by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst in the state where Republicans have an advantage but Democrats think they could have a chance.

It means the primary choice carries high stakes for Iowa's Democratic voters, who haven't had many recent examples of successful statewide candidates to help guide their decision. The last Democrat to win federal office statewide was President Barack Obama in 2012. All six members of the federal delegation are Republicans, and the GOP has had a statehouse trifecta for nearly a decade. Iowa's most recent Democratic senator, Tom Harkin, was elected to his fifth term in 2008 and retired from office six years later.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is running for the GOP nomination, and a Republican-aligned political group has already pledged $29 million to defend the seat.

Turek and Wahls say the differences between them are clear, but voters still weighing their options disagree.

“They both have strong legislative records. They both have compelling stories. I think they both share my values,” Lazere said Thursday outside of the Ames public library, where Story County Democrats had just held their monthly meeting.

“Since they’re so close, I just want the candidate who is more likely to have a chance,” he said. “It’s an uphill battle, probably, in Iowa still.”

Turek says he can win independents and GOP voters

At the Des Moines Farmers' Market last weekend, where both candidates waded through the crowds, Sundie Ruppert shouted her support for Turek as he passed by her tent, saying he had her vote.

Ruppert called the race an “embarrassment of riches,” something that’s been rare as of late. She said the two stand for “virtually everything the same,” so for her, it’s a matter of who can win the crossover support to get over the finish line in November.

Turek, a four-time wheelchair basketball Paralympian born with spina bifida, says his story of overcoming adversity and his politics appeal to independent and moderate Republican voters. He represents a state House district that supported President Donald Trump.

Turek said he’s laser-focused on securing a livable wage, health care access and drinkable water, not the culture-war issues that he said Republicans use to distract voters from the core problems they are facing.

“I’m not gonna get dragged down the rabbit hole of worrying about these distraction issues,” Turek said in an interview.

“I think that if we are going to win again in a state like Iowa, it is going be a message of economic populism,” he said. “It is going to be that we as a Democratic Party stand for the workers and for the middle class. That’s the way forward.”

Ruppert said she thinks general election voters are more likely to vote for Turek, even if they “have to hold their nose.”

“We’ve got to get the independents,” she said. “I do believe that Josh in a red district has better pull than Wahls.”

Wahls says he will stand up to leadership in both parties

About 37 miles (60 kilometers) north in Ames on Thursday, Shellie Orngard said she’s heard that logic and doesn’t buy it.

Orngard said both are good people and strong candidates, but Wahls strikes her as “somebody with real character behind his convictions.”

“I think that whether you’re Democrat or Republican or independent, you appreciate authenticity and real values,” Orngard said. “I think Zach Wahls just seems to have the character that I feel he’s the person that I want to put my vote behind.”

Wahls says he's the candidate willing to defy leadership in both parties, and he has criticized Turek for not rejecting Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer as caucus leader.

He says his anti-establishment message is winning back the working-class voters, especially common across eastern Iowa, who supported Obama before they pivoted to Trump.

“We’re not just talking about building a coalition that can win in November, we are already doing it,” he said. “These are voters who are not hardcore MAGA Trump Republicans. A lot of them are just really frustrated with both parties, they don’t trust Washington, they don’t trust the establishment.”

“And what we hear from people all the time is, ‘Even if we don’t agree on every issue, if you are willing to take them on, you’ve got my vote,’” Wahls said.

Iowa will be a tough win for either Democrat

Iowa has shifted considerably since Obama’s win in 2012, voting for Trump in the last three presidential elections. Democrats lag Republicans by roughly 200,000 registered voters statewide.

Rob Sand, state auditor and candidate for governor, was the only Democrat to win statewide in 2022.

Nearly 30,000 Democrats have already cast their ballots as of Friday, according to data from the secretary of state's office. Still, in Ellston on Wednesday, many of the two dozen southwest Iowa Democrats waiting to hear from Turek said they’d rely on a gut feeling.

“As far as I’m concerned, Ashley Hinson has got to be beat,” said Lynne Wallace, a 67-year-old from Mount Ayr. The staunch Democrat said she’d support either candidate in the general election, already eager to make calls and knock on doors, but added that she's got “shaky faith” that either Democrat can pull it off.

Lois Rose, 77, and her 79-year-old husband, John, said at the Des Moines farmers' market that they might not vote in the primary at all since they, so far, hadn't been able to make up their minds on whether one candidate is stronger than the other.

She suggested the pair could also coordinate their votes, each casting a ballot for one of the two. John liked the idea.

“They’re both so qualified,” said Lois Rose of West Des Moines. “They’re both very genuine, hence the difficulty.”

A federal judge in 11th Judicial Circuit received a “private reprimand” after a court investigation found that the judge had sex in the courthouse with a high-ranking uniformed police officer within earshot of staff, attended a partisan event and then initially lied to deny the allegations.

The court's investigation did not publicly identify the judge or the court location within the 11th Circuit's jurisdiction, which includes Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The Justice Department is relying on media reports that identify U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta as the judge in question.

The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the judge’s identity. A person who answered the phone in Ross’ chambers Friday said the judge was unavailable and referred questions about the allegations to the court’s media office which said, “Judge Ross has no comment right now.” The media office did not immediately respond Saturday to a second email seeking comment about the Justice Department motion seeking Ross’ recusal.

Federal judges are appointed for life but can be subject to disciplinary action, including censure, public or private reprimands and temporary withholding of cases. They can only be removed through impeachment by Congress.

Ross was nominated in January 2014 by then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and she was confirmed by the Senate in November of that year. She had previously served as a state court judge in DeKalb County, which includes a small part of the city of Atlanta, since 2011. Prior to taking the bench, she had worked as a state and federal prosecutor, mostly in Atlanta, for more than a decade.

The election records fight

Ross is overseeing the election records case filed by the Justice Department against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

The Justice Department has sued multiple states seeking statewide voter lists. Raffensperger has said that Georgia law prohibits the release of voters' confidential personal information unless certain qualifications are met and that the federal government hadn't met those conditions. He has said that he sent the public part of the voter roll to the Justice Department in December.

Ross has scheduled a hearing in the case for Wednesday, though the Justice Department has asked to delay that hearing because of its request for the judge to recuse herself.

The judicial discipline case

In the disciplinary case against the unnamed federal judge, the Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit chose in a February order to impose a private reprimand that kept the judge’s name secret. The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States on May 22 affirmed that order.

An investigation report attached to the order says the judge went to an event hosted by a district attorney's campaign. The judge acknowledged having gone to the event to visit with former colleagues in the district attorney's office at a private mixer but said it was held in the same place but was separated from the prosecutor's victory party. The investigative committee found that the mixer was part of the larger partisan event that was sponsored by the district attorney's campaign or donors and that the judge should not have attended the event.

Ross previously worked in the Fulton County district attorney's office and overlapped with Willis there before Willis was district attorney.

The 2020 Georgia election case

Willis began investigating Trump and others for possible interference in the 2020 election in Fulton County soon after becoming district attorney in January 2021. Among the things she looked at was a January 2021 phone call in which Trump urged Raffensperger to help “find” the votes needed to overturn Democrat Joe Biden's win in Georgia in the 2020 presidential election.

Willis in August 2023 obtained an indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results. That case was ultimately dismissed in November after an appeals court found an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship Willis had with the outside lawyer she had hired to lead the prosecution.

The Justice Department's arguments

“A judge who attended a party celebrating the election of a Democrat best known for prosecuting a Republican President for alleged election interference cannot then preside over a case concerning that President's efforts to ensure election integrity,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in their filing Friday.

The Justice Department argued that any “objective reasonable observer” would see Ross' presence at Willis' election night party as an endorsement of her election and her actions in office.

“If Judge Ross is indeed the Subject Judge, that conduct gives rise to an appearance of bias, which requires Judge Ross to recuse herself from this election-related case,” the Justice Department filing says.

The Justice Department filing makes passing mention of the allegations of improper sexual activity with a police officer in the judge's chambers and the subsequent false statements the judge made to deny those allegations, but says “those are not the subject of this Motion.”

Separately, the Atlanta Police Department has said it has opened an investigation to determine whether the “high-ranking law enforcement officer” found to have had sex with a federal judge in the judge’s chambers is a member of their department.

On the verge of becoming the oldest U.S. player to appear in a World Cup, the 38-year-old defender was picked by coach Mauricio Pochettino to captain the Americans next month.

“Wow,” Ream said during a news conference Saturday, seated alongside Pochettino. “This is more than a dream come true. I’ve done everything possible to be a part of this group, to help this group along. I’m just really, really grateful to be sitting here, to have this honor."

Ream was not aware he was going to be appointed captain until Pochettino made the announcement during a news conference on an indoor field at the new U.S. National Soccer Training Center.

“It’s the highest honor for me in this group,” he said, his voice echoing in the gym-like room. “I’m not going to take that for granted."

A St. Louis native who plays for Charlotte in Major League Soccer, Ream will be 38 years, 250 days on the day the U.S. plays its opener against Paraguay on June 12, older than defender Fernando Clavijo when the U.S. was knocked out by Brazil in 1994. Clavijo was 37 years, 162 days or 38 years, 162 days — his birthdate was listed at Jan. 23, 1957, when he played and Jan. 23, 1956, at the time of his death in 2019.

Ream started all four games for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup, when Tyler Adams at 23 was the youngest captain among the 32 nations and the youngest for the U.S. since 1950.

Adams said Thursday that he didn't care whether he would return as captain.

“It’s a privilege and honor, anyone that gets to wear the armband,” he said. “What I represent and how I lead, I think anybody that plays with me knows that I’m a leader. That’s just how I’ve been my entire career whether I’m wearing the armband or not.”

Ream has 80 international appearances and has captained the U.S. in 16 of 23 games since Pochettino took over in October 2024.

“A great captain, not only on the field, maybe more important off the field,” Pochettino said. “He has the experience, he has a capacity to be the leader that we want, the positive leader.”

Ream played college soccer for Saint Louis University, then joined the New York Red Bulls in 2010. He moved to England with Bolton in 2012, then signed with Fulham in 2015 and spent 10 seasons at Craven Cottage. He returned to MLS with Charlotte in 2024.

Previous U.S. World Cup captains include 24-year-old Mike Windischmann in 1990, 25-year-old Tony Meola in 1994, 37-year-old Thomas Dooley in 1998, 28-year-old Claudio Reyna in 2002, Reyna again in 2006, 31-year-old Carlos Bocanegra in 2010 and 31-year-old Clint Dempsey in 2014.

“So lucky to have a player like him with his personality and his character involved and helping the young players and the players also that have lesser experience,” Pochettino said. “Playing or not playing, he is the captain. It’s not now he’s the captain, he’s going to be sure in the starting 11.”

___

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

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of building community trust, ensuring safe burials to prevent the spread of the outbreak and urged countries to reconsider travel bans and border closures, saying they “discourage transparency.”

“The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola before, 16 times, and has ended every outbreak. This is the 17th. That history gives me real confidence,” Tedros said during a news conference Saturday alongside Congo’s health minister.

The health organization said Friday latest official figures showed 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. Neighboring Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, the Ugandan Health Ministry said Friday.

The Bundibugyo virus, the current species of Ebola, has no approved treatment or vaccine.

Medical aid donated by the European Union arrived in Bunia in Ituri province on Thursday. More shipments are expected in the coming days. The U.S. announced $80 million in additional aid on the same day, bringing its total commitment to more than $112 million.

Response efforts at Bunia's Rwampara and General hospitals appeared more organized, with additional staff, protective gear and medical supplies, though patients continue arriving around the clock, according to an Associated Press reporter.

The response has not kept pace with one of the fastest-spreading outbreaks on record, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, warned on Saturday.

“Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration,” Dr. Alan Gonzalez, MSF’s deputy director of operations, said in a statement. “Nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak.”

Gonzalez called for an immediate expansion of testing, faster deployment of aid workers and sustained access for medical supplies.

The dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for handling the victims’ bodies, which clash with local burial rites. Residents have launched at least three attacks against health centers.

“We are not here to tell people what to do, we are here to listen,” Tedros said Saturday. “Building trust takes time, and it starts with listening."

“I understand how painful it is to lose someone, and how much it means to honor them properly, but certain practices, including touching the bodies of those who have died from Ebola, can spread the virus further,” Tedros said.

Attacks in Ituri by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response. The illness also has been reported in the Congolese provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls many key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The rebels have reported two cases.

Uganda and Rwanda have closed their borders, while the Trump administration last week banned entry of non-U.S. passport holders who had recently visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan.

“I would also ask countries that have imposed travel bans or border closures to reconsider,” Tedros said, saying such measures "discourage the transparency that saves lives.”

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Saleh Mwanamilongo in Bonn, Germany, contributed to this report.

Lao and Thai rescue groups posted about the successful operation on social media, along with photos of the men lying on stretchers, wearing oxygen masks and being wrapped in foil blankets.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out. One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind.

Lao organization Rescue Volunteer for People said on its Facebook page that the water level inside the cave receded low enough for them to leave with divers who had gone in to deliver food and water. They said they will continue their search for the two who remain missing.

A video posted online by a Thai rescuer at the scene, Chakkit Taengtang, showed the men being assisted one by one out of the cave's entrance, bodies covered in mud. After they got out, some collapsed on the ground and were hugged by a group of rescuers who cried in joy.

The first of the trapped group was safely evacuated on Friday. According to rescuers, that operation took about 30 minutes. Videos showed the moment he emerged from the water alongside a diver, catching his breath before struggling to crawl through a narrow, flooded passage and rising unsteadily to his feet.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out. One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind.

Five of them were found alive Wednesday. They were identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen.

Rescue teams from Laos and neighboring Thailand were joined by Japanese and Malaysian colleagues. Indonesian, French and Australian specialists also reportedly arrived at the site in a rugged area in the central province of Xaisomboun, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital, Vientiane.

Several of them had taken part in the complicated 2018 cave rescue in northern Thailand of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach.

Rescuers are also preparing to search for the two villagers who remain missing.

Kengkaj Bongkawong, head of the Thai rescue group Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin, said Friday that the team plans to explore an area deeper inside the cave, about 20 to 25 meters (yards) beyond where the survivors were found. However, he cautioned that the section is heavily flooded.

The Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star ignored multiple warnings from U.S. forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, said. The ship was disabled by U.S. aircraft in the Gulf of Oman and remains adrift there, the official said, adding that U.S. forces have not boarded it.

With the latest action, U.S. military has stopped six ships trying to breach the blockade. One was allowed to proceed.

The U.S. launched the blockade on April 17 in response to Iran effectively closing the strait after the war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. A fragile ceasefire has held since April 7. Now the region and wider world await word on whether a deal is being reached to extend it by 60 days while new talks would be held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Events in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman have shaken the global economy, with shipments of significant amounts of oil, natural gas and related supplies like fertilizer largely stranded, increasing the strain on consumers and food producers.

The U.S. blockade seeks to limit Iran’s own shipments and further weaken its access to cash, creating more pain for its long-weakened economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump met with advisers on Friday but has yet to decide on whether to move ahead with a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has said the deal had not been finalized.

Commercial traffic has quietly continued to flow through the strait, despite Iran's assertions that it must approve any transits, though at a much lower volume than before the conflict.

“Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk,” Iran's joint military command said Saturday in a statement carried by state TV, warning that any military vessels trying to interfere with that would be targeted.

Iran has even charged tolls for transit as high as $2 million, which experts have called a violation of a principle of international maritime trade: freedom of peaceful navigation.

Qatar's deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, on Saturday said the Gulf nation opposes charging fees to transit, “but for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage.”

The U.S. official previously told the AP that the U.S. has not found or destroyed any mines in the strait.

Authorities in Russia’s Rostov region said falling drone debris sparked a fire that damaged an oil depot and tanker in the port of Taganrog, while officials in the neighboring Krasnodar region reported a fire breaking out at an oil depot in Armavir for the same reason.

“Another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached — Armavir,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, referring to the Krasnodar attack, and noting that Armavir is “500 kilometers from our state border.”

“We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from,” he wrote.

Ukraine has expanded its mid- and long-range strike capabilities, deploying drone and missile technology that it has developed domestically to battle Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Attacks on Russian oil assets that play a key part in funding the invasion have become almost daily occurrences.

For its part, Russia has used its long-range ballistic missiles to damage Ukraine’s power grid and hammer its cities. The Ukrainian capital is bracing for further heavy bombardments after what the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this week would be upcoming “systemic strikes” on Kyiv.

Zelenskyy said Thursday that he’s being “very persistent” in pressing the United States to provide his country with more Patriot air defense missiles that can counter devastating Russian ballistic missile attacks.

The attacks on Russian oil infrastructure came a day after a Russian drone that was part of an attack on Ukraine struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people in the NATO member country. The incursion added to concerns that the war could spread across the alliance’s borders, and drew strong condemnation across Europe.

Meanwhile, Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom said Saturday that a ​Ukrainian drone struck the Russian-controlled ‌Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

There was no damage to key equipment, but the attack left a hole in the ​wall of a turbine hall, Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said. He was quoted as saying by Russian state media that the fact that the drone was controlled via fiber optics “completely rules out the possibility of an accidental impact.”

Ukraine did not immediately comment on the incident.

The plant is in an area under Russian control since early in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is not in service, but it needs reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed alarm about the nuclear plant, Europe’s biggest.

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

Township officials say residents have 30 to 45 days to leave following recent court action and eviction notices served to the park. For many residents who have called Long’s home for years, the news has been devastating.

“Half of us haven’t even been sleeping. We don’t know what to do anymore,” said Lori Gauthier, a resident of the park. “You know I just started to get to know these people, so I still feel like I’m alone.”

Most residents are on fixed incomes and say they don’t have the financial resources to start over. Some are also questioning the accuracy of the eviction notices themselves.

“They don’t even put my name on here. They got me under a squatter somewhere. I’m so mad right now. I’m trying to read where I’m a squatter at,” said Brian Armstrong, a resident.

Township promises help, but residents say support is lacking

The township previously said it would assist with relocation by providing resources, but residents say that help has been largely nonexistent.

“We’re all just scared and we don’t know what to do. They claimed they were going to help us but they’re not,” said Holly Liller, a resident.

In response to questions about what support is being offered, Adam D. Bonarek, the township’s director of central operations, said in an email that each household received a list of resources when the eviction notice was posted and that public services plans to follow up the next week to remind residents of their options.

Residents, however, say that level of outreach falls far short of what’s needed.

“There’s a guy down there on oxygen, he has nowhere to go. He’s been here 12 years — all of us people here, we all own our homes,” Armstrong said. “It’s just a huge mess and I don’t know what everyone is going to do.”

Some residents moving, others still searching

The township says several residents who had court hearings recently have already made plans to move or have already left the park. But those who haven’t yet started the process of finding a new place say they feel mounting pressure with the clock ticking.

The township plans to eventually redevelop the site once residents have moved out.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says it has already contacted residents at Long’s Mobile Home Court to connect them with housing assistance and other support services, adding that helping families find a safe place to live is a priority.

The champions of France and England face off at Puskas Arena.

Titleholder PSG can become only the second team in the modern era to retain the trophy after Real Madrid won three in a row from 2016-18.

Arsenal, meanwhile, heads into the final on a high after ending its 22-year wait to claim the Premier League. The Gunners' only previous Champions League final was lost to Barcelona in 2006.

Here’s what to know about the Champions League final.

Time of kickoff

Kickoff has been brought forward to 1600 GMT, having traditionally been played in the evening. UEFA made the change to enhance the matchday experience for fans and to optimize logistics, such as public transport, in Budapest.

Where to watch

The final is being shown live on CBS and Paramount+ in the United States.

In Britain, the match is on pay-TV channel TNT Sports and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — an Arsenal fan — lobbied for it to be free-to-air without success.

Killers are pre-match headliners

American rock band The Killers will perform. In recent years, Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz have headlined the pre-match show.

PSG on brink of greatness

Only Madrid has retained the European Cup since it was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.

AC Milan, Ajax, Juventus and Manchester United all lost in the final the year after winning the trophy, so PSG is on the brink of greatness.

New name on trophy?

Despite being one of the most storied teams in England, Arsenal has still to be crowned champion of Europe. Twenty years on from its only previous final, Arsenal aims to complete the greatest season in the club's history by winning a Premier League-Champions League double.

Most successful coaches

Victory would see Luis Enrique become only the fifth coach to win three or more Champions League or European Cup titles.

5 Carlo Ancelotti

3 Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola

About Puskas Arena

The 67,000-seat stadium was opened in 2019 and built on the same site as the previous Ferenc Puskas Stadion — named after the Hungarian and Real Madrid icon who won three European Cups as a player.

Recent winners

2025 PSG

2024 Real Madrid

2023 Manchester City

2022 Real Madrid

2021 Chelsea

Most titles

15 Real Madrid

7 AC Milan

6 Bayern Munich, Liverpool

5 Barcelona

4 Ajax

3 Manchester United, Inter Milan

The 2027 final

The 2027 final will take place at Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano. It will be the second time it stages the final after the 2019 showdown between Liverpool and Tottenham. The city of Madrid has hosted the final on five previous occasions.

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

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

Before Oliynykova answered any questions at her post-match news conference, after losing to Shnaider 7-5, 6-1, she read out a statement. This was two days after she made critical comments about Shnaider.

“I know that some people disagree with my actions. I know that some people would prefer that I stay silent. But what I do is not about politics, it’s about humanity,” Oliynykova said. “When people are being killed, while children are dying, when violence is justified or celebrated, we cannot pretend that nothing is happening. We cannot look away.”

Oliynykova added that it was impossible to talk about this with Russian players on the women's tour because, she said, they “have these horrible beliefs.”

Speaking on Thursday, ahead of their third-round match, she accused Shnaider of liking Russian propaganda posts on social media and vehemently criticized her for playing in a Gazprom-sponsored exhibition tournament in Russia.

Oliynykova called Gazprom a company which has been "financing the war crimes," and added that "my home is being attacked by Gazprom money.”

After Saturday's match, the No. 25-seeded Shnaider said she had not been aware of Oliynykova's comments.

“I haven’t heard anything. I don’t know anything about what she said," she said. "Wasn’t interested at all.”

Shnaider was then asked about having participated in a Gazprom-sponsored event.

“I’m traveling all year round. I’m not seeing my family or my friends,” she said. “I have only one opportunity to play in front of my family, in front of my friends, just to spend a little more time at home.”

Kostyuk's tears

After her first-round win, Marta Kostyuk fought back tears when she described how she found out on the morning of the match that a missile almost hit her parents’ home in Ukraine.

Kostyuk said she was feeling exhausted after speaking out against the war for so long, but would continue being outspoken and stating her opinion.

Oliynykova said she has no choice but to continue speaking out.

“This war, it defines my life, because my future is in Ukraine,” she said. "My father, he’s coming back to the army. My boyfriend, he’s a soldier. Everything in my life is defined by war.”

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

Speaking to a group of world leaders, diplomats and top security officials at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth said that the region “has profound implications for U.S. security and prosperity” and that Washington's priority was to “achieve a lasting and favorable balance of power in the Pacific.”

It was his second time addressing the forum, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Last year, he raised the ire of Beijing by warning of rapidly developing threats from China, particularly its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. He said China is no longer just building up its military forces to take Taiwan, it’s “actively training for it, every day.”

This year, however, the meeting comes only about two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump visited Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, following which Trump called Xi a “great leader” and said that they were going to have a “fantastic future together.”

Hegseth says China won't be allowed to dominate the region

Hegseth, who was with Trump in Beijing, said the two leaders had agreed that China and the U.S. should “build a constructive relationship of strategic stability, based on fairness and reciprocity, reaffirming that while our nations will vigorously protect our respective interests, we can secure practical, mutually beneficial agreements where our interests align.”

However, he said it was still an American priority to ensure that China is not allowed to dominate the Indo-Pacific.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.

"We share a clear-eyed assessment of that security environment and a mutual understanding that a Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve.”

Later in the day, Chinese Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing praised Hegseth's remarks about the meeting between Xi and Trump, saying the consensus the leaders reached “should provide strategic guidance for China-U.S. relations over the next three years and beyond.”

“During his meeting with President Trump, President Xi Jinping made it clear that such constructive strategic stability should be a positive form of stability centered on cooperation, a healthy form of stability in which competition remains within reasonable bounds, a normal state of stability in which differences are managed and kept under control, and a lasting form of stability that offers the prospect of peace,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, part of a congressional delegation to the conference, accused the Trump administration of “cozying up” to China.

“I worry that this administration is being distracted into wars that they’ve started in other parts of the world at the expense of our commitment here in the Indo-Pacific,” the Illinois Democrat told reporters on the sidelines.

“I am concerned that it seems like our president is entering into, you know, policies where he’s doing what Beijing wants him to do,” she added.

After the meetings between Xi and Trump, the American president raised questions about Washington’s willingness to defend Taiwan, calling a new $14 billion arms package that he has yet to greenlight “a very good negotiating chip for us” with China.

China claims the democratic self-governing island as its own, and Xi has not ruled out using force to take it. The U.S. is required by law to help provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though follows a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would intervene militarily if China were to attack the island.

Hegseth told the forum that there was “no change in our status” toward Taiwan, but would not comment on the arms deal.

“Any decision about future Taiwan arms sales, as the president said, will rest with him,” he said.

US praises countries that spent more on defense

He underscored the Trump administration's insistence that allies increase defense spending, saying “we need partners, not protectorates.”

He lauded several countries in Asia for their efforts, while reiterating criticism of European allies, without naming names, who he suggested got “distracted by empty globalist rhetoric about the rules-based international order.”

“Our partners in Asia have long understood that the bedrock of a durable partnership is not based on idealistic values but on the concrete alignment of national interests,” he said.

“When our interests diverge, we adjust pragmatically, without the drama or the moralizing,” he added. “I think Western Europe might take note — this is a mindset we fully embrace.”

Hegseth did not mention either the war in Ukraine or Iran war in his speech. When asked about Iran, he only said that Trump had assured him that when negotiations with Tehran had concluded, “any deal will be a good deal.”

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, whose country was among those Hegseth praised for increased military spending, said that while the international rules-based order is not perfect, the “task before us, all of us, including the great powers, is the renovation of that order, not its dismemberment.”

“When the rules apply, smaller states have agency,” Marles said in a speech that followed Hegseth's. “When the rules yield to power, sovereignty becomes, as others have put it, the purview of the powerful, and no state in this room today, whatever its size, is well served by that outcome.”

UK, US and Australia announce new undersea drone initiative

At an event held outside the conference, Hegseth, Marles and British Defense Secretary John Healey announced a new initiative in their AUKUS partnership, whose primary focus has been the development and construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

Under the so-called second pillar of AUKUS, the three said they would together invest in the development of improved capabilities for underwater drones.

“Together we produce a range of cutting-edge sensors or weapons systems for undersea drones,” Healey said, adding it will help detect threats including to underwater cables and pipelines.

Richards tore two left ankle ligaments while playing for Crystal Palace on May 17. He arrived at U.S. training camp Friday and was assessed by the medical and performance staff.

“We need to see,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Saturday. “The next few days are going to be key, to see the possibility to be ready or not on the World Cup.”

Pochettino said he has been anxious to learn whether Richards will be available and repeatedly inquired of Richards' status with Jesús Pérez, his first assistant coach.

“I was asking ... 100 times, what do you think?” Pochettino said. “The answer was wait, wait, wait, wait.”

Twenty-six man rosters must be submitted to FIFA by June 1 and the U.S. can replace injured players until June 11.

Central defender is among the least-deep positions in the U.S. player pool and Richards is considered the best American at that position. Captain Tim Ream, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson are other central defenders on the roster.

Vancouver's Tristan Blackmon and Toronto's Walker Zimmerman, a member of the 2022 U.S. World Cup team, would be possible replacements.

Richards, 26, missed the 2022 World Cup because of a hamstring injury. He was going to remain in Fayetteville and not travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, for Sunday's game.

“I think he needs to keep doing his rehab and I think it’s much better to stay here and plan to train and re-evaluate next week how he is,” Pochettino said.

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

“United flight 2005 from Chicago to Minneapolis landed safely in Madison, Wisconsin to address a security concern with an unruly passenger,” an airlines spokesperson wrote in an email.

Law enforcement officials on the flight restrained the passenger quickly, according to Carrie Springer, a spokeswoman for the Dane County Regional Airport.

Deputies with the Dane County Sheriff's Office met the flight when it landed and removed the passenger. Springer said federal authorities are handling the investigation.

The Boeing 737-900 had 147 passengers and six crew aboard. No injuries were reported, according to the airline.

The flight continued its journey and landed in Minneapolis early Saturday morning.

Williams has been dealing with a strained left hamstring for much of the playoffs. Mitchell has a strained right soleus.

Williams missed 49 of Oklahoma City's 82 regular-season games with wrist and hamstring issues, and Saturday will be the 10th playoff game he's missed this year with new hamstring problems. He played in five, including about 10 minutes in Thursday's Game 6 loss to the Spurs.

Mitchell had been the starter that replaces Williams in the lineup, until he too got hurt. Oklahoma City has been starting Jared McCain in that spot since, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren.

The Spurs reported no injuries going into Game 7.

Marc Davis, John Goble and Josh Tiven were selected by the NBA as the referees for Game 7 of Spurs-Thunder. It's the second Game 7 in these playoffs for Davis and Tiven; Davis worked the final game of the Cleveland-Detroit series in Round 2, and Tiven had Game 7 of Orlando-Detroit in Round 1.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Osaka beat 18-year-old American opponent Iva Jovic 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4 over nearly three hours on Saturday — in her 100th Grand Slam match — to set up a Round-of-16 meeting with top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.

Once again, Osaka wore a metallic gold bomber jacket over her sequined gold playing dress during her walk-on. But this time her outfit was offset by a tannish-gold colored train that stretched all the way down to the red clay on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

For her opening match, Osaka walked on in a ceremonial black skirt and sleeveless beaded bodice before revealing her gold dress, which she said reminded her of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. Then she had on the bomber jacket and an ivory-colored train for her second match.

“It’s a surprise every time,” Osaka said of her fashion choices.

“For me, it would be weirder to wear a normal tennis kit, almost, at this point. It’s the fun of it. For a long time, I didn’t have fun for a little bit. And you guys know that period of time in my life," Osaka added, referring to how in 2021 she withdrew from the French Open due to issues over anxiety and depression.

"Now I just want things to be fun, and I want to make it exciting for myself.”

Osaka's outfits are planned a year and a half in advance and require at least four fittings.

“We have so many fittings throughout the year because your weight can fluctuate or the fabric can change a little bit," she said. "There is a lot of effort that goes into it.”

For the seventh straight day of the tournament, it was hot and humid, with the temperature forecast to rise to 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit). The heat is expected to break for Sunday and the second week.

Midway through Osaka’s victory, a spectator was carried out of the stadium on a stretcher due to an apparent illness.

Sabalenka beat Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5.

In the same half of the draw, defending champion Coco Gauff was playing 28th-seeded Anastasia Potapova.

Russia’s Diana Shnaider beat Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-5, 6-1 after Oliynykova accused her of being a propagandist for the war between their countries.

In men’s action, Felix Auger-Aliassime plays American opponent Brandon Nakashima. At No. 4, Auger-Aliassime is the highest-seeded player remaining in the top half of the draw after Jannik Sinner’s stunning defeat two days ago.

Also, 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame plays Alejandro Tabilo attempting to become the youngest man to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros since Bjorn Borg was 16 in 1973.

Flavio Cobolli beat Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 and will next meet Zachary Svajda, who defeated Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3.

Svajda, an 85th-ranked American playing in the main draw at the French Open for the first time, had never been past the second round at a Grand Slam.

Organizers moved the small advertising boards at the back of the court to behind the line judges after complaints about safety. Turkish player Zeynep Sönmez had to retire from a doubles match after tripping over an advertising board on Friday.

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AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.

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

What is clear, though, is that the top-ranked player has had a series of issues with heat and cramps in big matches throughout his career.

Sinner said after wasting a two-set and 5-1 advantage in his five-set loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo that he didn’t feel well when he woke up the morning of Thursday’s match.

Amid a week-long Paris heat wave, the temperature on Court Philippe-Chatrier rose to 32 C (90 F) during the match, and Sinner was clearly having a tough time cooling himself down as he reached for multiple ice bags and used a hand-held fan.

Still, he said the heat wasn't the issue.

“I think many things together caused this problem,” he said. “I just need my time now to process what went wrong here.”

It was Sinner’s 12th loss in 18 career five-set matches.

Here’s a look at some other matches during which Sinner had physical issues:

Pickle juice remedy in Rome

Less than two weeks before his French Open defeat, Sinner leaned on his racket bent over in exhaustion during an Italian Open semifinal against Daniil Medvedev.

Sinner had his right thigh treated by a trainer midway through the second set and drank pickle juice to relieve cramps. He was seen vomiting or spitting something out in the corner of the court in the night match, which was held in humid conditions.

Still, he had regained control of the match before it was suspended overnight due to rain, and he came back the next day and finished it off in three sets and went on to win the title.

Saved by roof in Australia

In the third round of this year’s Australian Open, Sinner was limping and desperately trying to stretch out cramps in his arms and legs amid severe heat against Eliot Spizzirri.

Sinner acknowledged he was lucky when the extreme heat rules saved him and the roof was closed just as he went down a break in the third set. He won it in four sets.

The Italian star, who was the two-time defending champion in Australia, was beaten by Novak Djokovic over five sets in the semifinals.

Retirement in Shanghai

Amid extreme humidity in the third round of his title defense at the Shanghai Masters in October, Sinner retired midway through the third set against Tallon Griekspoor.

He limped between points and frequently massaged his right thigh in the deciding set. On a changeover, he didn’t sit and instead put his legs up on his bench to try and ward off a cramp.

Abandoned final vs. Alcaraz in Cincinnati

Sinner retired 22 minutes into the Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz last year because of illness, amid extreme heat.

He put an ice pack on his head during a changeover but was clearly having trouble from the start.

“Didn’t feel great from yesterday,” Sinner said. “Also during the night, I thought I would recover a bit better, but it was not the case. I just tried to go out for the fans, trying to give a match. But it was not meant to be for me today.”

It was the first time in his career that he retired during a final. After he stopped playing, Alcaraz went over and put his arm around his rival as Sinner sat in his chair.

Trembling vs. Rune in Australia

In the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open against Holger Rune, Sinner advanced in four sets as both players struggled with the heat.

In the third set, Sinner’s hand was trembling during a changeover. He asked for a trainer, and told a ball kid to bring him something to drink from his team. The player’s pulse was checked, and then he trudged off with a towel draped around his neck and a bottle in each hand.

Sinner went on to win the title.

Dizziness in 5-set loss to Medvedev at Wimbledon

During a five-set loss to Medvedev in the 2024 Wimbledon quarterfinals, Sinner felt ill and dizzy and said he hadn’t slept well the night before.

He was treated by a trainer and left the court during the third set, then briefly surged before faltering again.

(corrects from cucumber juice in Rome section of previous story to pickle juice)

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

Fenway Sports Group, the club’s American ownership, said it made a “difficult” decision after Liverpool finished fifth and trophy-less in a disappointing title defense.

“We have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward,” the ownership said in a statement. “Again, it must be stressed that this is not a decision which has been reached lightly, anything but.”

Slot replaced club icon Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2024 and led Liverpool to a record-tying 20th English league title.

Liverpool spent an unprecedented $570 million to strengthen the squad for his second season but most of the expensive signings, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and injury-hit striker Alexander Isak, underwhelmed.

The club also was affected by the death of Portugal forward Diogo Jota last summer.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the decision did “not sit easily” with Liverpool and “on a human level” did not “feel entirely fair."

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the club had already issued a public statement.

The person said it was increasingly inevitable that a change of coach was required and it was better to act sooner to avoid disrupting preparations for next season.

The process to assess Slot’s replacement has begun, with Liverpool seeking a manager who will play a more “aggressive and urgent” style of soccer. Andoni Iraola, the Spanish coach who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, would fit that description and is the frontrunner to come in.

Slot, 47, appears to have paid the price for failing to emulate a debut campaign that exceeded expectations.

Filling the boots of a club icon was always going to be an arduous task. So, for the Dutchman to match Klopp's one Premier League title at the first time of asking was a remarkable feat and emulated the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte by being crowned champion in his first year in the league.

While a fifth-place finish that secured Champions League qualification does not represent a terrible campaign, Liverpool's slump in form was notable and prompted boos from fans.

A public fallout with the legendary winger Mohamed Salah did not help either.

Slot was adamant there would be an improvement in the third and final year of his contract, but Liverpool's hierarchy was unconvinced.

“That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying,” the club statement said. “The contribution Arne has made to Liverpool FC in the time that he has been with us has been significant, meaningful and — most importantly of all to supporters and ourselves — successful.

“As such, our appreciation for everything he has achieved could not be greater, particularly as it was underpinned by a work ethic, a diligence and a level of expertise which further underlined our view that he is a leader in his field.”

Liverpool joins Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea as another top English team to make a coaching change ahead of next season.

Michael Carrick has been given a long-term deal to replace the fired Ruben Amorim at United and Pep Guardiola has left City after 10 trophy-laden years, with Enzo Maresca favorite to take over. Chelsea has appointed former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso.

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

"What’s the word?” Steve McCabe, an 80-year-old retired lawyer, asked Jon Bramnick, a GOP state senator.

Bramnick had no answer for Kean's unexplained medical absence that has stretched over nearly three months. But he told the audience how Kean hated to miss votes when they served together in the Legislature, even if that meant driving through a snowstorm.

“I said, ‘Tom, we should really turn around,’” he recalled.

Now Kean has missed more than 100 votes in Congress, and he has not been spotted in Washington or in his district. It is a political mystery with potentially national consequences: Kean represents a district that is among Democrats' top targets as they try to retake control of Congress.

Kean's office insists he is still running for reelection. He is not facing any challengers in Tuesday's primary while several Democrats are running for their party's nomination.

Harrison Neely, Kean’s campaign consultant, said the congressman was dealing with a medical emergency. He promised that Kean would be transparent about the issue and would return to a full schedule “very soon.”

“This was an emergency, you don’t get to plan these,” Neely said. “There’s no good timing for this.”

To Bramnick, it seems like it must be something serious.

“For him not to be there, that’s a big deal," he said.

‘We're expecting him back here soon’

Kean represents the 7th Congressional District, a mix of suburbs and small towns. It includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.

Despite being redrawn after the most recent census in 2021 to become more favorable to Republicans, the district has seesawed between the parties in each of the last two midterm elections. Republican Leonard Lance lost to Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2018. Malinowski lost to Kean in 2022.

Kean's last vote in the House was March 5. Since then his absence has drawn escalating attention.

“We’re expecting him back here soon," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., recently. “He’s going to be fully transparent."

Kean comes from a storied political family. His father served as governor. An ancestor was New Jersey’s first leader after the United States declared independence.

The New Jersey Globe, a local political website, said it received a call from Kean this month. He did not explain his condition, only that “my doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery.”

McCabe, the voter who asked Bramnick about Kean, said he wanted an update after reading the news about the congressman's absence.

“I hope he’s not sick,” he said.

What if Kean steps down?

Bruce Paterson, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Garwood, described himself as a “regular Democrat, not like the crazy Democrats they have today.” He attended the town hall with Bramnick and plans to support Kean in the general election.

“I hope he comes back,” he said. “I mean, will I vote for him? Probably only because we need a nice balance" in a state otherwise dominated by Democrats.

Another voter asked Bramnick if Kean steps down after Tuesday’s primary whether he would accept the Republican nomination for the 7th District. If that were to happen, party leaders in the district's counties would hold a convention to choose a replacement.

Bramnick repeatedly noted Kean is running for reelection and questioned whether his own candidacy would be a good fit in today's Republican Party. While Bramnick has criticized Trump, including during Bramnick's failed campaign for governor last year, Kean has embraced the president and features his endorsement prominently on social media accounts.

“I’m not considered the biggest fan of Donald Trump,” Bramnick said. “I don’t think that the Republican Party is interested in sending someone to Washington that may vote yes or no depending on how I feel about the issue.”

Democrats are waiting in the wings

Some Democrats running in the primary have criticized Kean over the failure to tell constituents about what is going on.

“Tom Kean disappeared from the job,” said Michael Roth, a former Small Business Administration official.

Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy pilot also in the race, wished Kean a speedy recovery but criticized his record in Congress, including the battle over money for a new railway tunnel connecting New Jersey with New York City.

“He was nowhere to be found when funding got cut for the Gateway Tunnel, which is a critical infrastructure project in our district,” she said.

Candidates Tina Shah, an intensive care unit doctor, and Brian Varela, a marketing agency founder, have also been critical of Kean during debates.

Kean, who has a cash advantage at this point over his potential Democratic opponents, still has time before the November election to connect with voters, said Benjamin Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship.

“The issue is not going to be that he was out for a hundred plus votes in the spring,” he said. “The question is really, how effective is he going to get once he returns?”

Yet even after interviews with some of the highest-ranked officials to ever appear before a congressional investigation, including a former president, lawmakers have little to show in terms of criminal culpability for Epstein’s crimes or a definitive acknowledgment of government failure.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who sponsored legislation to force the release of case files on Epstein, told The Associated Press he is still asking, “Why there has not been a single investigation of people who have allegedly abused or committed financial crimes?”

Lawmakers hoped to get some answers to those questions during a transcribed interview Friday with Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump's former attorney general who oversaw the release of the files.

But the interview left Democrats fuming at Bondi's decision to defend the Trump administration's handling of that material, as well as her refusal to answer questions about the Republican president's involvement. Democratic lawmakers also singled out Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, saying he has allowed administration officials to dodge tough questions from Congress.

For survivors of Epstein's abuse, including several who traveled to Washington to confront Bondi, it was a frustrating development at a time when many are weary of pleading their case before government officials. They say the Department of Justice's chaotic release of the files, which included nude photos and personal information of potential victims, has only added to a wider failure by the criminal justice system to believe or protect them.

“The government’s refusal to acknowledge the failures that were there have led to so much harm,” said Annie Farmer. “And I think whenever you’re thinking about things from a perspective of justice or healing, without acknowledgment, it’s really hard to move forward.”

Push for accountability scrambled political lines

The committee's investigation has been remarkably bipartisan at many moments, with Democrats and Republicans joining to issue subpoenas and force witness testimony. Besides Bondi, lawmakers have interviewed former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Trump's commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick.

That effort shows lawmakers are willing to cross political lines when there is overwhelming public pressure to act. Dozens of women have accused Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier, of sexual abuse and rape, including in the years after he reached a deal with federal prosecutors in 2008 to dispose of a federal investigation in exchange for pleading guilty to state level sex offense charges in Florida.

Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.

His case has captured the public imagination as an example of how the rich and powerful escape accountability for wrongdoing. Lawmakers took up the cause last year after the administration failed to meet promises to provide transparency on the case.

Different continents, different standards?

Despite the investigation originating in the United States, the reckoning over Epstein has been relatively mild in the country compared with Europe. There, senior figures in governments including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Slovakia have all been forced to step down over their ties to Epstein.

In its investigation, the House committee spoke to some of Epstein’s closest associates, including his former financial client Les Wexner, his lawyer Darren Indyke and his accountant Richard Kahn. The Clintons, Lutnick and others were also called to testify.

All have said more or less the same thing: They knew nothing about Epstein abusing underage girls.

Still, the release of Epstein files has had consequences. At least eight American academic and business figures have been forced from positions of power, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from teaching at Harvard University and Kathy Ruemmler from her post as the chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs.

Bank of America and Epstein’s estate have reached multimillion-dollar settlements with women who have accused the institutions of facilitating Epstein’s sex-trafficking operations.

Comer, R-Ky., said last week that the names of three people allegedly involved in abuse had come up in an interview with Epstein’s former personal assistant, Sarah Kellen. The congresswoman plans to interview six more people with connections to Epstein in the coming weeks, including billionaire Bill Gates, private equity investor Leon Black, the former CEO of Barclays Bank Jes Staley and Ruemmler.

“The government has failed the survivors. There’s no doubt about that," Comer said, adding, "What we’re trying to do is connect all the dots and see if there is a way to hold people accountable.”

But it has stung lawmakers to see a reckoning over Epstein for figures such as Britain’s former Prince Andrew at time when the administration has tried repeatedly to move past the issue.

“A prince has been taken down and here in the United States, our Department of Justice, which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., pointing to unreleased case files that the Justice Department is withholding on the grounds that they are duplicative or illegal to make public.

“That is not a failure, that is a choice,” Stansbury said.

Survivors and Democratic lawmakers have also taken issue with the administration's decision to move Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant and former girlfriend, to a minimum-security prison camp. She is serving a 20-year sentence for luring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Will survivors be heard?

Scattered across the country and busy with lives of their own, survivors of Epstein's abuse have made repeated trips to Washington to push for government action. After years of fighting in court and sharing traumatic stories privately, they have become increasingly outspoken in their quest for accountability.

“It is very taxing to be continually focused on this case,” Farmer said. She added that even if the government's response has not met her hopes, she has seen a wider cultural movement to address sexual predation.

To Marina Lacerda, another survivor, “Accountability is kind of hard right now. But we are looking for saving the next generation."

But they also want the administration to listen to their stories. Pressing for the president's ear, several victims spoke this month at a hearing just miles away from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that was organized by Democrats on the House committee.

For some of the survivors, the return to South Florida was also an opportunity to finally be heard. Jena-Lisa Jones told the panel that she was 14 years old when she was abused by Epstein in Palm Beach.

She implored the lawmakers: “Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein to allow survivors and this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day, and I pray soon, Jeffrey Epstein’s name is no longer something we are forced to hear every single day.”

He'll do it for a 10% cut of any award, capped at $5,000 apiece.

“I think the narrative is changing” about how the history of that day is being told, Johnston said in a video he posted to social media. “I think good things are happening for us.”

Hundreds of Trump loyalists pleaded guilty to storming the Capitol, admitting under oath that they broke the law. Now pardoned by Trump, many hope to capitalize on their crimes by tapping into the $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate the Republican president's allies who believe they were politically prosecuted.

A bipartisan backlash to the fund and a legal roadblock have not dimmed the celebratory response from Jan. 6 rioters clamoring for a share of the taxpayer money. Some are staking claims even though the government has not established an application process and a judge has frozen the fund's formation, at least temporarily.

Rioters seek compensation payouts

The fund's critics see it as another vehicle for Trump and his allies to whitewash the events of Jan. 6, retroactively justify the mob's assault on a pillar of American democracy and reward some of Trump's most loyal followers.

Jason Riddle, a military veteran from New Hampshire who was sentenced to 90 days behind bars after pleading guilty to riot charges, publicly rejected a pardon from Trump. Likewise, he said it would be “ridiculous” for him or any other Jan. 6 rioter to get government compensation.

“I'd love money, but I can’t accept that. That would bother me for the rest of my life,” he said. "We weren't innocently persecuted just because of who we are or who we vote for. We were persecuted for committing criminal behavior in the Capitol of the United States."

Plenty of other “J6ers” do not share Riddle's reluctance.

A Florida man who posed for photos with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s podium argued on social media that he deserves to be compensated for the cost of his infamy. A rioter from New Jersey described by prosecutors as a Nazi sympathizer hailed the fund as “good news not just for J6ers but all victims of weaponization.” A Texas man who received a seven-year prison sentence for storming the Capitol with a metal tomahawk celebrated the fund as “payback” for “victims of Biden’s tyranny,” referring to Democratic President Joe Biden.

Oregon resident Pamela Hemphill, sentenced to 60 days in jail for her conviction, rejected a pardon from Trump but has drafted a written claim for compensation from the fund. Unlike scores of rioters who claim to be victims of a government weaponized by Democrats, Hemphill blames Trump for her legal troubles. Her claims letter says she is seeking $5 million in compensation.

“I wouldn't have been through all of this if Trump hadn't lied about the election being stolen," she said during a telephone interview. "It's a direct result of his lies that I was even there that day.”

Fund faces legal and political challenges

It is an open question whether anyone convicted of a Capitol riot-related crime could be eligible for payments from a fund created to resolve Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not ruled out that possibility. Blanche said there are no limits on who can apply, but he noted that the fund’s five commissioners — all yet to be named — will decide who deserves to be compensated and why, based on factors such as “what the person did, his sentence, how much time he was in jail.”

“That's up to the commissioners,” Blanche told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about his position on whether violent Jan. 6 defendants should be eligible for payments.

“You have to define something and then stick to it. That’s something I’ve been hesitant to try to do, because it’s very fact-intensive,” Blanche said. ”Me sitting here and talking in hypotheticals is something that I don’t think is fair to the process.”

It is unclear whether Congress would block payments to Jan. 6 defendants. Senate Republicans who are angry about the settlement have said they want to place parameters on the fund as part of a Department of Homeland Security spending bill. They abruptly left town earlier this month after a tense meeting with Blanche and will return on Monday with the situation unresolved.

A federal judge in Virginia has frozen the fund's establishment and temporarily blocked any processing or paying of claims. The judge issued that ruling Friday in one of at least three lawsuits challenging the fund.

Brendan Ballou, a former prosecutor who tried several Jan. 6 cases before leaving the Department of Justice last year, sued on behalf of two police officers who helped defend the Capitol from the mob. Ballou views the fund’s creation as part of a broader Trump campaign to undermine democratic institutions and rewrite the history of Jan. 6.

“And if the president is successful in that effort, if he’s able to get people to either forget or condone that day, he knows that he can get people to accept any attack on democracy,” Ballou said.

Rioters emboldened by Trump's Jan. 6 recasting

Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump issued mass pardons and ordered the dismissal of all pending Jan. 6 cases. Trump also freed far-right extremist group members who were imprisoned for plotting to attack the Capitol to keep Trump in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Biden.

The self-described “J6 community” isn’t the only pro-Trump constituency angling for cuts of the money.

Meshawn Maddock, who was charged as being a fake elector for Trump in Michigan before a judge dismissed the case last year, said she and her husband, state Rep. Matt Maddock, “absolutely” plan on making a claim. She believes the fund’s use of taxpayer money is justified because it “paid for the prosecution and investigation of the years that I was being hunted down.”

“I want vengeance and I want retribution,” Maddock said.

Trump's campaign to recast Jan. 6 as a peaceful protest seems to have emboldened many convicted rioters.

Johnston's eagerness to help other Capitol rioters with claims contrasts with his remorse at sentencing in 2022. He apologized for his “terrible lapse in judgment” before a judge sentenced him to three weeks in jail and three months of home detention. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor trespassing charge.

“It was a dumb, dumb thing to do,” Johnston told the judge. “I am 100% responsible for what I did that day.”

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Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Mary Claire Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

Now, the London-based singer-songwriter is using artificial intelligence tools to help him continue making Americana music after Parkinson's disease largely took away his ability to play guitar.

Smith, who was diagnosed with the progressive neurological disorder in 2020, recently released his second album, “The Art of Letting Go.” For one of the eight tracks, an instrumental piece titled “Horizon,” he relied on platforms that use AI to generate music to create demo arrangements that would convey his vision to the musicians who recorded the song.

The demos he created by humming rough melodies into his phone and uploading the recordings into song generators like Suno and Udio weren't for mixing into the final studio version of “Horizon,” Smith stressed. But tremors, stiffness and fatigue, which are common symptoms of Parkinson’s, caused his guitar skills to deteriorate during the more than a year he worked on the album, he said.

“So then I’m faced with a question,” Smith, 49, said. “‘Don’t play, don’t be creative, or find a way out, find a route.’ And for me, this was the route.”

Generative AI has divided the music industry, whose artists and record labels have complained of their copyrighted work being used to train the models behind AI-powered music tools. Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Records sued Suno and Udio in June 2024, although Universal later reached a settlement and partnership deal with Udio and Warner did the same with Suno.

Less discussed is what those platforms can do when employed by a serious musician like Smith, whose disease affects the tools central to his songwriting and identity as a guitarist: his hands. He released his debut album, “In the Springtime,” in 2023, saying he wanted to give his two sons a way to remember when he could perform and record music himself.

“I’d always written, I’d also played, I always sung," he said. "And immediately it became clear to me that I was in trouble, that my music was going to be seriously compromised.”

From prompts to convincing demos

AI music generators use systems trained on large datasets of recorded music and audio. The platforms analyze patterns in melody, harmony, and rhythm before generating new audio based on prompts or uploaded recordings. Users don’t need musical talent to end up with a serviceable song, or even a popular one.

Smith said producing convincing demos from the synthetic tracks the apps generated often required “50, 100, 150 attempts” and extensive editing "to get something that sounds close to my music.” After humming a song into his phone and uploading the recording, he gives prompts describing instrumentation, mood and style. .

“AI is not replacing anything for me,” he said. “It’s unlocking, it’s enabling. It’s allowing me to keep writing. I upload my lyrics; AI doesn’t create my lyrics. I upload my music; AI does not create my music.”

He added: “It then brings it to life in a way that I can play to session players and say, ‘Here, that’s what I’m thinking, that is what I’m hearing.’”

A bittersweet guitar duet

The album was produced by Grammy-winning pianist and producer Matt Rollings, who assembled a group of established roots and bluegrass musicians for the project. They included dobro player and 16-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas, Grammy-winning banjo player Alison Brown, fiddler Stuart Duncan, guitarist Bryan Sutton, bassist Viktor Krauss and singers Jonatha Brooke and Glen Phillips.

For Smith, the experience of singing in a Nashville studio alongside musicians he had admired for decades was "an extraordinary moment.”

Grammy-nominated guitarist Julian Lage, known for his jazz and acoustic recordings with Blue Note Records, performed on the album’s title track and on “Horizon.” The latter recording became a bittersweet high point in Smith's career; despite the progression of his disease, he managed to play a guitar duet with his friend.

“I hadn’t been able to play for months, but I kept telling myself that if I wrote something to take to the studio, perhaps the clouds would part for a few minutes," Smith said. “That’s what happened. I had a window of about 10 minutes in the studio when my arm freed up. ... So in the end, I was able to capture the last breath of my guitar playing.”

New possibilities and perils

Experts said AI-assisted music tools could benefit other people with disabilities or illnesses.

Ruaidhri Mannion, a composer, music producer and sonic artist who teaches at Brunel University of London, said technology like affordable digital recording software "effectively democratized the making of music” in recent decades. By helping songwriters and musicians communicate ideas and collaborate more easily, AI tools that generate polished-sounding material from voice or text prompts could work in the same way, he said.

“If these tools are able to enable people to be able to participate with other creative groups and encourage more people to feel confident to be able to reach out to an ensemble or an orchestra or something, then I think that is all for the better,” Mannion said.

But an overreliance on technology could intefere with the trial and error, frustration and synergy that are necessary parts of a musician's artistic development, Mannion said.

“What makes a lot of music-making meaningful is the collaborative element,” he said. “There’s a lot of experimentation and development and failure that’s part of musical discovery.”

Udio and Suno have denied copyright infringement allegations and said they wanted to work with the music industry, not in opposition to it. Some musicians are unconvinced. A group of recording artists and activists, including singer-songwriter Tift Merritt, David Lowery of the bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, and ECR Music Group President Blake Morgan, published an open letter in February under the heading “So no to Suno.”

“Many in our community are embracing responsible AI as a tool for creation, and as a means for fans to explore and interact with our artistry. That’s wonderful,” the letter read. “But it’s not the same as creating an environment where AI-generated works sourced from our music are mass distributed to dilute our royalties or, worse yet, reward those actively seeking to commit fraud. Artists need to know the difference.”

‘Show us what you can do’

Smith said he thinks his experience demonstrated how AI could benefit society and expand creative access, if it's developed responsibly.

“My message would be that if these companies want to show they’ve got a place, a role in society, then step up,” Smith said. “Engage with health professionals, engage with music therapists, engage with society and show us what you can do.”

On May 21, Smith collaborated with the Berklee Music and Health Institute for an event in New York that brought together music industry leaders, researchers and clinicians to examine how music can support people living with neurological conditions. Smith discussed his experience living with Parkinson's and sang again alongside musicians who played on “The Art of Letting Go.”

Creating music is crucial to the legacy Smith hopes to leave for his children, ages 4 and 17.

“My 4-year-old is probably never going to remember me playing, and it’s heartbreaking,” he said. “But I’ve been able to pull this into something and refuse to be defined by this disease.”

“I felt a disconnect right away,” she recalled.

At home, the Orlando, Florida, mom was exhausted and anxious and cried every day. She was eventually diagnosed with postpartum depression — a potentially dangerous condition that can fill a typically joyous time with deep despair.

The mood disorder has been on the rise. A 2024 study in the journal JAMA Network Open found that U.S. rates more than doubled in just over a decade, climbing from 9.4% in 2010 to 19% in 2021, partly due to improved screening and diagnosis.

It can be hard to differentiate the disorder from the much milder and more common “baby blues” brought on by plummeting hormone levels. But recognizing and treating postpartum depression is crucial, said OB-GYN Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School.

Moms who go untreated may have problems bonding with and caring for their babies. And they're at increased risk of suicide.

“A healthy you will ultimately be important for a healthy baby,” Moore Simas said.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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How to tell if postpartum sadness is more than baby blues

Baby blues affects about 8 in 10 new moms, striking shortly after delivery.

“Moms will feel kind of more emotional than normal,” said Dr. Jennifer Payne, an expert in reproductive psychiatry at the University of Virginia.

But the crying jags and feelings of sadness aren’t severe enough to interfere with normal life. Moms should still be able to care for themselves and their babies.

Screening tools can help discern if the problem is more serious. A commonly used 10-item questionnaire, often given at a postpartum checkup, asks how often a mom has experienced feelings such as sadness, panic or worry. A high score points toward the need for further evaluation.

Experts say there's no single cause of postpartum depression. Genetics, physical changes and emotional issues may contribute to it.

“We’re pretty sure that having a case of the baby blues doesn’t increase your risk of postpartum depression,” Payne said. “But it does seem that both conditions can develop in the same person.”

Signs of postpartum depression to watch out for

If sadness lingers for more than two weeks, that’s one sign.

Others include intense feelings of despair, anxiety, loss of interest, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, low energy and decreased concentration and appetite. Moms may worry constantly about their babies, be unable to sleep, or stop showering for days.

They “feel negatively and badly about themselves. They’ll feel that they’re a bad mother. They might not feel attached to the baby very much,” Payne said.

They may even have thoughts of harming themselves.

Carberg, who gave birth to her daughter in 2016, had such thoughts a couple of times — once while driving with her daughter. She went to a psychiatric facility for a few days and did better for a while.

But she later had a severe breakdown. She sent text messages to her husband, Chris, saying she was sorry, then turned her phone off. Chris desperately tried to reach her, worried she'd hurt herself.

“She luckily went to the hospital ER,” he said.

Postpartum depression can be treated effectively

Ultimately, finding the right medication was the key to Jenna Carberg’s recovery.

“I felt like myself again,” she said after taking the stimulant Vyvanse.

Other medications include antidepressants such as Zoloft or Prozac, or Zurzuvae, the first pill approved for postpartum depression. Talk therapy is another common treatment, and experts also stress the importance of getting enough sleep and support from family and friends.

To help others, the Carbergs started an online information resource — postpartumdepression.org — to provide support and connect patients with professional help.

Doctors advise anyone who thinks they or a loved one may have postpartum depression to reach out to their OB-GYN, primary care doctor or mental health provider.

If necessary, be persistent, said Dr. Kerry Hudson, an OB-GYN at Newport Women’s Health Services in Rhode Island. When she suffered postpartum depression two decades ago, she said, her doctor told her she was just an overstressed medical resident. She finally got help after breaking down in front of colleagues during a presentation.

After therapy and medications, Hudson went on to have a second child. So did the Carbergs. All are doing well.

“When we get people help, I think they can have a good future ahead of them,” Hudson said. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”

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

SATURDAY NIGHT: Mainly clear skies. Low: 51.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny skies. High: 77.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mainly clear skies. Low: 54.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny skies. High: 80.

After plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures to end the week, a cold front moved through late last night, and while we keep the dry weather around to start the weekend, we will cool things down, just a bit, looking ahead into the start of the weekend on Saturday as well.

High pressure will continue to control the forecast looking ahead into the start of the weekend on Saturday. High temperatures remain seasonable, a few degrees below where we should be for the end of May. Expect high temperatures to warm into the low 70s by Saturday afternoon.

Mainly clear skies will be the rule the forecast overnight Saturday night and into early on Sunday morning, and it will be another cool overnight as well. Overnight lows are dropping into the lower 50s in the city, and we will see some mid-upper 40s outside the metro.

The Sunshine continues looking ahead to the end of the weekend on Sunday, but we will warm things up a little more than we were expecting at the start of the weekend on Saturday. High temperatures are warming into the mid- to upper 70s by Sunday afternoon.

The Omega block will continue to control the forecast, looking ahead into the start of next week. With high-pressure and control of the forecast, we are expecting plenty of sunshine for the first half of the week. Mostly sunny skies can be expected Monday through Wednesday. With temperatures continuing to warm up as well, expect high temperatures into the upper 70s and lower 80s all three days.

Sunshine continues into the second half of next week as well, and temperatures look to get even warmer. High temperatures in the lower 80s on Wednesday will warm into the mid-80s by the second half of next week. Our next chance of rain doesn’t move into the forecast until the end of next week, and it is just a chance of showers. Those move in by Friday afternoon and into next Friday evening.

Speaking on Friday (May 29), Agnew echoed head coach Dan Campbell‘s assessment that the Lions have assembled one of their deepest and most competitive rosters since the current regime took over.

“Nothing breeds winning better than competition,” Agnew said. “Either you step up, or you get left behind.”

Rebounding from a missed postseason

The Lions are looking to rebound after missing the playoffs in 2025, ending a streak of three consecutive postseason appearances.

While Agnew acknowledged the disappointment of last season, he said the organization’s approach to evaluating and acquiring talent has not changed.

“We take it serious every year,” Agnew said. “Obviously, you don’t like not making the playoffs. But we didn’t change the approach. We still want the same tough, competitive guys that fit us.”

Agnew said the front office focused on adding talent and creating competition throughout the roster during the offseason.

“You want to build competition at every position, get everybody on their toes, so that won’t happen again,” Agnew said.

Defensive growth on the horizon

One of the players Agnew expects to take another step forward is defensive lineman Tyleik Williams.

Agnew said Williams became more consistent as last season progressed and believes further growth is coming.

“I thought at the end of the year he got more consistent as a player,” Agnew said. “I think he’ll get better as a pass rusher, also.”

Agnew also expressed optimism about defensive tackle Alim McNeill, who is entering another season removed from a major knee injury.

“Usually, that ACL, it’s the second year you come back where you’re fully healthy,” Agnew said. “I expect great things out of him.”

The assistant general manager praised several offseason additions on defense, including veteran edge rusher D.J. Wonnum and rookie defensive end Derrick Moore.

“D.J. has some rush ability,” Agnew said. “He’s a power rusher. He’s a high-effort guy.”

As for Moore, Agnew believes the former Michigan Wolverines standout fits Detroit’s culture and style of play.

“I think Derrick Moore will bring a lot to the table,” Agnew said. “He plays the game like we play the game.”

OTAs about mental reps, not evaluations

While the Lions selected several offensive and defensive linemen in April’s draft, Agnew cautioned against drawing conclusions from non-contact spring practices.

“You can’t find out about a player in pajamas,” Agnew said with a laugh, repeating a phrase commonly used by Campbell.

Instead, Agnew said the focus during OTAs is on mental preparation, learning schemes, and refining technique before pads come on during training camp.

“You’ll find out when you get the pads on what they truly are,” Agnew said.

Agnew grateful for GM opportunity, committed to Detroit

Agnew also addressed his recent interview for the Minnesota Vikings’ general manager opening.

While grateful for the opportunity, Agnew said he remains happy in Detroit.

“I was very grateful for the opportunity,” Agnew said. “Do I want to be a GM? Yes, I do. But I’m very satisfied and happy here in my job.”

Agnew credited general manager Brad Holmes for building Detroit’s roster and noted the difficulty of evaluating prospects before the draft.

“Brad’s got the hardest job there is,” Agnew said. “Everybody looks back afterward and says who should have been picked, but nobody knew that at the time.”

Sewell among easiest evaluations Agnew has made

The longtime personnel executive also offered high praise for All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell, whom Detroit selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

“Evaluating Penei was one of the easiest evaluations you’ve ever done,” Agnew said. “After five or six plays, you knew this guy was special.”

Agnew said Sewell has met every expectation the organization had when it drafted him and expects the lineman to transition smoothly as Detroit experiments with different offensive line alignments.

“I think he’ll be fine,” Agnew said. “I’m not worried about that.”

The Lions will continue offseason workouts through June before reporting for training camp later this summer.

Speaking after organized team activities on Friday (May 29), Fipp said the spring practice period offers coaches a unique chance to focus on individual player development before the demands of game preparation take over during the regular season.

“I love this time of year,” Fipp said. “You get a chance to work with individuals and try to build players and make guys better. During the season, it’s more about the next opponent. Right now, it’s about how can I make this guy a better player.”

Kick return takes center stage

The emphasis on player development extends to Detroit’s search for contributors in the return game, a role that has regained significance under the NFL’s revised kickoff rules.

“The kick return is obviously a huge play,” Fipp said. “It’s definitely more important than it’s ever been.”

Among the candidates to replace departed return specialist Kalif Raymond is veteran receiver and returner Greg Dortch, whom the Lions added this offseason.

Fipp sees similarities between the two players.

“Dortch has done it,” Fipp said. “He’s probably similar to Kalif. You want a guy who’s durable and able to take some hits because at that position, you’re going to.”

Raymond’s departure leaves a high bar

Replacing Raymond will not be easy. Fipp praised the veteran’s five-year tenure in Detroit, noting his development into one of the NFL’s top punt returners.

“He left here as probably the best punt returner in the game,” Fipp said. “The things you’re going to miss about him are all the things you don’t appreciate right now.”

Fipp pointed to Raymond’s reliability, decision-making, and ball security. Raymond never recorded a turnover during his time with the Lions while also contributing offensively.

Rookies face learning curve

As Detroit evaluates its roster, Fipp said many rookies will have opportunities to earn roles on special teams, though he cautioned that several draft picks and newcomers are still adjusting to responsibilities they did not handle extensively in college.

“These guys are green. They’ve got to grow,” Fipp said. “But that’s my favorite part of the job, trying to get a guy to do something he’s maybe never done before or play at a level he hasn’t before.”

Fipp highlighted rookie wide receiver Kendrick Law as one of the newcomers with significant special-teams experience entering the league, but emphasized that all young players face a learning curve.

The veteran coach said roster turnover is one of the aspects he enjoys most about the profession because it creates opportunities to develop new contributors each season.

“You start from scratch every year,” Fipp said. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past. It only matters today.”

Lions look to rebound in 2026

That philosophy extends throughout the organization as the Lions attempt to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season that ended without a playoff appearance.

Asked whether the coaching staff has changed its approach this offseason, Fipp said the team’s standards remain unchanged.

“I had a lot of emphasis on it a year ago. I’m going to have the same emphasis on it this year,” Fipp said. “There’s a bunch of young, hungry guys coming to try to get your job. That’s what you love about this business.”

Fipp also praised second-year running back and special teams contributor Sione Vaki, calling him one of the most talented special teams players he has coached at the position.

“As a running back, he’s as good as any running back I’ve been around playing on special teams,” Fipp said. “The big thing for him is he’s got to stay healthy.”

Projecting talent to special teams

When evaluating rookies before the draft, Fipp said his process often involves projecting how a player’s traits at another position might translate to special teams responsibilities.

“Football’s football,” Fipp said. “A lot of things relate.”

That projection process, he said, is one of the most challenging aspects of roster building, which has given him an appreciation for the work of general manager Brad Holmes and the scouting department.

“Brad’s got the hardest job there is,” Fipp said. “Everybody looks back afterward and says who should have been picked. But nobody knew that at the time.”

The Lions will continue offseason workouts throughout June before reporting to training camp later this summer.

Federal housing inspectors visited the Sycamore Meadows apartment complex Tuesday morning following a township notice of non-compliance last week, and a wave of resident complaints about mold, flooding, and other damage.

Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) walked through 10 units at the complex, accompanied by Superior Township Supervisor Emily Dabish Yahkind and the court-appointed receiver, or management team.

One of the units inspected belongs to Sharon, who said HUD staff photographed multiple problem areas in her home.

“They looked at the mold in the bathroom, they came down to check the basement, which I already cleaned up,” Sharon said. “They took pictures of my railing, pictures of the flooring.”

Last week, residents at Sycamore Meadows described basements with sewage, walls with what appeared to be mold and holes in ceilings. The township issued the property a non-compliance notice, citing those conditions and the complex’s failure to join the township’s rental inspection program.

Township and federal officials reached out to HUD, prompting Tuesday’s site visit.

“I want to make sure that what comes of this is not a band-aid for our residents,” Dabish Yahkind said. “That we have a long-term programmatic solution with effective timelines so that we can give folks something they can count on.”

Several residents who were not part of Tuesday’s walkthrough said they hope inspectors will come to their units next, adding their repair requests have gone unanswered for a while.

“I have a hole in my wall ‚” Lakita Guyton, a resident said. “I haven’t had inspections in years.”

Sharon requested that her face not be shown publicly to not be identified by management. She said that since she spoke out about the conditions last week, she has been threatened by management, allegations she has reported to federal and township officials, who she said have put her in contact with legal help.

“I became aware of that potential retaliation issue, I believe on Saturday, and since then I made sure that information has been relayed to HUD,” Dabish Yahkind said. “She shared that information as well, and she has quite a few allies to make sure she’s being taken care of as well.”

Local 4 tried to speak with the court appointed receiver about the non-compliance notice and the allegations from Sharon. They didn’t open the door for us, but minutes later they opened the door for someone else.

We also called to speak with management, were directed to another number and left a voicemail.

They have not returned a call yet.

Dabish Yahkind said she expects to meet with HUD officials Wednesday to discuss a plan for next steps at Sycamore Meadows.

Car washes are booming nationwide. Industry analysts point to a wave of private equity investment, the rise of subscription memberships, and the relatively low labor costs and high margins that make modern car washes appealing to owners and investors.

Michigan is an especially strong fit for the trend because of its “dirty-weather” driving conditions. Road salt, slush, rain, and seasonal grime mean many drivers are regular customers, and winter salt removal is a key selling point for operators marketing unlimited wash plans.

Developers and investors have flocked to car wash projects in recent years, drawn by business models that often require fewer employees than traditional retail. Automated systems can move a high volume of vehicles with relatively small staffs, and monthly memberships help keep revenue steady even when customers are not washing every week.

Real estate and land-use dynamics also help explain why new washes seem to keep appearing on prominent corners. Car washes can often be built on visible, high-traffic lots with a simple building footprint and straightforward site plan, then operated as steady cash-flow properties that some investors view as attractive long-term holdings.

The factors behind the boom are straightforward: demand, financing, subscription models, relatively cheap staffing, and Michigan’s winter weather. For drivers, the salt and grime of the state’s long cold season make unlimited wash plans an easy sell, while for investors, the predictable, membership-driven cash flow and resilient real estate appeal continue to fuel new development.

The man won the first prizes from $2 Blackjack tickets. He then used those winnings to buy the ticket that led to the second prize -- from the $2,000,000 Bonus Scratch Multiplier.

The 45-year-old man chose to remain anonymous.

He bought his winning tickets at Clyde Park Fuel, located at 2354 Clyde Park Avenue Southwest in Grand Rapids.

“Every once in a while, I’ll buy a $2 ticket, but I typically don’t play the $20 games,” said the man. “While my gas was pumping, I won $20, so I went back inside to cash it. I debated using my winnings on two $10 tickets, but the $2,000,000 Bonus Scratch Multiplier ticket caught my eye, so that’s what I went with.”

He recently visited Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim the prize.

The man chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $1.3 million rather than annuity payments for the full amount.

With his winnings, he plans to buy a house, take a vacation, and then save the remainder.

Ameera Hashwi, who wears a hijab as part of her Muslim faith, faced a wave of negative comments on social media following her appearance.

The backlash, she says, is nothing new. She said it started the moment she was crowned Miss Wayne County.

“I try to disconnect myself from those comments as much as possible,” Hashwi said. “I recognize a lot of people are uneducated. They don’t know what Islam is, and they’ve been fed a certain narrative of Islam.”

When hateful comments appear directly on her page, Hashwi says her response is consistent.

“I just delete them, not even for myself, just for other people because I don’t want a young impressionable girl to see that comment hating her religion,” Hashwi said.

Despite the hate, Hashwi says she is focused on what her visibility means to others, especially young girls.

“I had a little girl scream to her mom, ‘Look mom, it’s a princess, and she wears a hijab,’ and I just felt so happy in that moment because that little girl had representation,” Hashwi said.

That sense of representation is what keeps her in the spotlight, even at a cost.

“I’m not the first Muslim woman to do the parade. I’m just the first visibly Muslim one,” Hashwi said.

Hashwi hopes her presence makes it easier for those who come after her.

“Hopefully, whoever is next it won’t be that big of a shock, so they don’t have to deal with the same level of hate, things that I’ve gotten because I have encouraged other people who wear the hijab to enter,” Hashwi said.

Federal workplace safety officials have issued citations and fines for Acker’s 2025 death.

Acker, 36, of Trenton, worked on the mail processing equipment at the United States Postal Service’s Detroit Network Distribution Center in Allen Park.

He was found stuck in a machine Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, and had reportedly been dead for hours before firefighters arrived.

According to the medical examiner’s report, Nick’s body was found wedged in between a guard rail and the conveyor belt of a sorting machine.

The official cause of death was listed as Mechanical Asphyxia, which occurs when a heavy object – in this case, the mail machine – compresses or crushes the body.

When Acker didn’t return from work, his fiancée, Stephanie Jaszcz, said she began to panic and went to the Allen Park facility and waited outside the gates watching emergency responders arrive, before she was notified of his death.

The OSHA investigation has been ongoing since his death, and is still not marked as closed. Currently, there are three violations and five citations listed on the inspection page for this case.

OSHA and the USPS currently have an informal settlement listed, bringing the fine amount to $26,481.

“It is disgusting and infuriating that a company can hide behind a program like OSHA — a system that’s supposed to protect workers and make sure people come home alive — only to walk away with slashed fines, meaningless citations, and zero real accountability. What’s the point of a safety agency if the companies who violate the rules get a discount for killing someone.”

Stephanie Jaszcz

The citations listed on the inspection page include the following:

• On Nov. 8, 2025, employees were exposed to caught-in hazards while the conveyors were running or if a conveyer were to unexpectedly start-up due to USPS failing to conduct periodic inspections of the energy control procedure at least annually.
• On Jan. 28, 2026, USPS didn’t make sure maintenance employees working to repair equipment had adequate Lockout/Tagout training for group lockout when they were working on a conveyor belt.
• On Jan. 28, 2026, maintenance employees were exposed to caught-in and fall hazards when repairing a hotel conveyor belt without the use of a group lockout device.
• On Jan. 28, 2026, USPS didn’t make sure the proper procedures were used during shift changes to ensure the continuity of lockout protections -- this exposed employees to caught-in and fall hazards.
• On Jan. 28, 2026, and times thereafter, USPS didn’t ensure that energy control procedures were used when maintenance employees were repairing a hotel conveyor belt -- again, exposing them to caught-in and fall hazards.

A common theme in these citations is failure to provide adequate training and utilize Lockout/Tagout procedures. These procedures are meant to prevent death or serious injury by preventing the unexpected startup or release of stored energy in machines and equipment.

“Nicholas Acker’s death was a tragic and unacceptable loss, and my thoughts remain with his family and loved ones as they continue to grieve.

The findings from OSHA’s investigation at the Allen Park facility are deeply troubling and make clear that the Postal Service must strengthen safety standards, improve accountability, and ensure tragedies like this never happen again.

That is why I requested that the USPS Inspector General investigate specific elements of USPS safety protocols and policies, including those related to Mr. Acker’s tragedy and visit postal facilities in Michigan.

USPS workplaces must be held to the highest safety standards, and I will continue using my oversight responsibilities to push USPS to implement the reforms necessary to protect workers and fully address the failures that led to Nicholas’ death.”

Senator Gary Peters

--> Previous coverage: Investigation into USPS facility in Allen Park

Here’s a deeper look at the OSHA citations issued in this case

Here is each citation exactly as OSHA has them posted on the inspection page:

Citation 01001: The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed: On or about November 8, 2025, the employer did not ensure periodic inspections of the energy control procedures for the Alpha conveyors were completed at least annually. Inspections of the energy control procedures needed to include an inspection of the energy control procedure and a review with each authorized employee, their responsibilities under the energy control procedure. Employees working on and near the Alpha conveyors, when performing mail search activities, were exposed to caught-in hazards while the conveyors were running or if a conveyer were to unexpectedly start-up.

Citation 01002: The employer did not provide training to authorized employee(s) on the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control: On or about January 28, 2026, the employer did not ensure maintenance employees tasked with performing equipment repair work and oversight were provided with adequate authorized employee LOTO training covering the requirements of group lockout. Employees and supervisors were not fully trained on the specific methods and means to control energy sources while they performed and over saw work on hotel conveyor belt #40 in the facility.

Citation 01004A: Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device before working on the machine or equipment: On or about January 28, 2026, and at times thereafter, the employer did not ensure that when maintenance tasks were performed by multiple employees, each authorized employee affixed a personal lockout device to the energy isolation device device before working on the equipment. Maintenance employees were exposed to caught-in and fall hazards when performing repair work on hotel conveyor belt 40 without the use of a group lockout device.

Citation 01004B: During shift or personnel changes, specific procedures were not utilized to ensure the continuity of lockout or tagout protection, including provision for the orderly transfer of lockout or tagout device protection between off-going and oncoming employees, to minimize exposure to hazards from the unexpected energization or start-up of the machine or equipment, or the release of stored energy. On or about January 28, 2026 and at times thereafter, the employer did not ensure procedures were utilized during shift and personnel changes to ensure the continuity of lockout protections to minimize exposure to hazards from the unexpected energization or start up of equipment such as hotel conveyor belt 40 during work such as, but not limited to repairing the metal lacing on the belt, exposing employees to caught-in and fall hazards.

Citation 01004C: The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6): On or about January 28, 2026 and at times thereafter, the employer did not ensure that the company’s energy control procedures were utilized to control hazardous mechanical movement of hotel conveyor belt 40, when maintenance employees conducted repair work such as, but not limited to repairing the metal lacing on the belt and replacing the belt or shortening the belt, exposing employees to caught-in and fall hazards.

Three-time champion Novak Djokovic was the most experienced contender left in the field, chasing a record 25th major title. But the 39-year-old Serb will have to wait until Wimbledon after losing a five-set thriller to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca on Friday.

The result may not have been so surprising because Djokovic came into the tournament with questions over his form after losing to a Croatian qualifier at the Italian Open, his only clay-court warmup event after two months out with a right shoulder injury.

Here is a look at some of the favorites still in contention for the title:

Alexander Zverev

He will likely think this is best chance of winning his first major title. The 2024 runner-up to Alcaraz has also advanced to three semifinals and another quarterfinal in Paris. The 29-year-old German is in excellent form after reaching the final in Madrid and the semifinals in Monte Carlo and Munich. The second-seeded Zverev advanced to the fourth round with a four-set win late Friday over Frenchman Quentin Halys.

Felix Auger-Aliassime

At No. 4, the Canadian is the highest seed left in the top half of the draw and will take on Brandon Nakashima in the third round. Auger-Aliassime was two points away from defeat in the first round before rallying past Daniel Altmaier in five sets. He then got past Roman Andres Burruchaga in four sets. Auger-Aliassime’s best result at Roland Garros was the fourth round in 2022 and 2024.

Rafael Jodar

He is the latest tennis sensation from Spain. The 19-year-old Jodar is into the fourth round at a major for the first time after his five-set win over Alex Michelsen. Jodar claimed his first ATP title in Marrakech last month then made it to the semifinals in Barcelona and the quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome. His tour-level record on clay is 18-3. By comparison, 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal and Alcaraz both went 13-7 through their first 20 tour-level matches on clay.

Moise Kouame

Can the French teenager create a major surprise and emulate Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win at Roland Garros in 1983? Kouame reached the third round after a five-set, five-hour thriller that delighted the French crowd. The No. 318-ranked player next faces Chilean Alejandro Tabilo. Kouame beat Marin Cilic in straight sets in the first round, becoming the first man born in 2008 or later to win a Grand Slam match.

Casper Ruud

Ruud lost the 2022 final to Nadal and the 2023 final to Djokovic. The Norwegian has struggled in the Paris heat this week and needed five sets to prevail in the first round. Ruud also recovered from the loss of the opening two sets against Tommy Paul to reach the the fourth round.

Joao Fonseca

He has to be added to the list after a brilliant comeback win against arguably the best men’s player of all time. Fonseca became the first teenager to defeat the Serbian at a Grand Slam event. He is into the fourth round at a major for the first time.

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

Veteran forward Jordan Martinook gave Andersen a hearty hug, tapping the goalie on the helmet the entire time. Then came defenseman Jalen Chatfield. And coach Rod Brind’Amour followed with a long hug and shared some words, with Andersen pausing afterward to bend forward and collect himself before going through the traditional handshake line.

Andersen was steady again as the Hurricanes beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 on Friday night in Game 5 to send the Eastern Conference’s top seed on to the Stanley Cup Final to face Vegas. It came after an emotionally wrenching 36 hours for Andersen, whose agent — former NHL playing great Claude Lemieux — took his own life Thursday.

”It’s been a difficult couple days, but the way we showed up today and the last couple days for the team for each other, it’s been incredible," Andersen said in a postgame interview with TNT. "I can’t talk enough good things about this team and the way they’ve supported me. It’s been awesome.”

Andersen's play has been one of the biggest stories in the Hurricanes' return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since hoisting the Cup in 2006, back when coach Rod Brind'Amour was the captain. He overcame a shaky start to the year as waiver-wire wonder Brandon Bussi seemed ready to run away with the starting job, had a rejuvenating stretch of playing for Denmark in the Milan Cortina Olympics, played well down the stretch of the regular season and has been a leveled-up version of himself throughout the postseason.

Now the 36-year-old veteran is headed to the Cup Final for the first time in his career.

He was coming off his third shutout of the postseason with Wednesday's 4-0 road win as the Hurricanes asserted a tighter and tighter grip on control for the series. And that had come just two days after Lemieux had been the Canadiens' torch bearer before Carolina's 3-2 overtime win in Game 3.

Andersen didn't mind Lemieux participating in the pregame Montreal mojo for the franchise where he won one of his four Stanley Cups in 1986 as a rookie.

“He's like family,” Andersen told North State Journal afterward.

By Thursday, news had broken of Lemieux's death, with Andersen set to start as the Hurricanes led 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“To be honest, wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to play,” Brind'Amour said. "You just don’t know how that was going to shake out. Obviously, he shook it off and battled through it. You saw the emotion after the game. Yeah, that’s a tough time for him. But he made us all proud, that’s for sure.”

Andersen finished with 23 saves and, as he has throughout the entire playoffs, came up with just about every timely save the Hurricanes needed against a skilled but desperate Canadiens team. And just as in the previous three wins, the Hurricanes were largely on their game to play a suffocating style that routinely won puck battles and kept the pressure on Montreal in its own end rather than giving up chances going the other way or shots attempted at Andersen.

He carried the shutout well into the third period before finally giving up a goal to Cole Caufield on the power play, though with Carolina already up 5-0.

Andersen continues to lead the postseason in goals-against average (1.41) and rank among the leaders in save percentage (.931).

“I know we were playing for him as best we could,” captain Jordan Staal said. "And it's a tough couple of days here for him. We're just family here, and we all felt that hurt. We tried to share as best we could and playing well in front of him as best we could do tonight.

“I thought he played unbelievable.”

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

Others occasionally sell in the open, like the women who preside over impossibly large baskets of squirming caterpillars at the market in Kinshasa.

For many in Congo and elsewhere in Central and West Africa wild meat is a craving and a key part of the cultural milieux. Even a disease as punishing as Ebola, currently ravaging a remote part of eastern Congo, has failed to stem demand for wild meat from the Congo Basin, an expansive forested ecosystem sometimes called Earth’s second lung.

The Congo Basin is rich in all kinds of wildlife, from great apes to serpents — both of which are hunted for their meat. One consequence for locals is exposure to zoonotic diseases such as Ebola.

Although Ebola is generally not spread by food, cases in Africa have been associated with hunting, butchering and processing meat from infected animals, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

“Once there is human, animal and environment interface, we have these kinds of outbreaks on a frequent level,” said Dr. Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “And this is why one health approach in dealing with virus outbreaks is important, because we still interact with the bats, and our hunters are still killing monkeys, and we are close to the environment.”

The link between wild meat and Ebola

The Congolese government has confirmed more than 1,000 suspected cases, with at least 220 deaths, since it declared an outbreak of Ebola on May 15. It appears the virus spread undetected for weeks, and the World Health Organization suspects it is much larger than what has been reported.

Ebola, named for a tributary of the Congo River, was first discovered in 1976 in simultaneous outbreaks in Congo and present-day South Sudan. Outbreaks are believed to start with the virus spilling over into humans from an infected animal such as a fruit bat. These cross-species infections often happen when people handle and eat wild meat, experts say.

But since Ebola outbreaks happen only sporadically in communities that regularly eat wild meat, some people “don't believe the linkage” and others are “totally ignorant” of the health threat from eating wild meat, said Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a microbiologist who advises Uganda's Ministry of Health on epidemics.

“It is very difficult to change some of these core practices,” he said.

Locals have paid a heavy price for occasional outbreaks of Ebola, whose bloody symptoms can terrorize entire villages and cause many to believe they are under an evil spell.

The Ebola virus is responsible for 17 outbreaks in Congo and many others elsewhere in the region. The deadliest outbreak, in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, infected an estimated 28,000 people and killed more than 11,300.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization — which studied the Ebola risk stemming from the eating and handling of wild meat after West Africa’s epidemic — animal-to-human spillovers of Ebola are rare, but "their consequences are nonetheless disastrous.”

Once Ebola has infected one person, the virus then spreads through close contact with sick or deceased patients’ bodily fluids, such as sweat, blood, feces or vomit. Health workers without sufficient protective gear are seen as highly vulnerable.

The current outbreak in eastern Congo is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola that has no approved medicines or vaccines.

The outbreak is occurring in a part of Congo that also faces armed violence by rebel groups and the displacement of large numbers of people fleeing the violence.

A need for education

While Congolese authorities have prohibited hunting endangered wildlife, including great apes sent to the brink of extinction by poachers, there is no blanket ban on the wildlife trade and illegal hunting persists for totemic creatures like the bonobo.

Many in and around the Congo Basin have wild meat as their primary source of animal protein. The yearly extraction rate of wild meat from the Congo Basin is estimated at 4.5 million tons, according to the Center for International Forestry Research.

Viande de brousse, as wild meat is known in French, is a popular food, even served in trendy restaurants. That's intensified pressure on the dwindling resources of the Congo Basin. Despite the ongoing biodiversity losses, the Congo Basin remains the world's largest carbon sink, surpassing the Amazon in its ability to capture and store carbon.

Public health campaigners need to step up education campaigns on how Ebola starts and is spread among communities that face recurring outbreaks, said Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of the Uganda-based Conservation Through Public Health group.

People need to be told that “eating meat from an unknown source, or a dead animal, is a no-no,” Kalema-Zikusoka said. “It’s a very cultural thing.”

Some fruit bats are believed to be natural hosts of the viruses that cause Ebola, according to the WHO. Yet bats are known to be a delicacy in many parts of Central and West Africa. The soup of a roasted fruit bat is highly sought after, as are the parts of a wide range of monkeys.

In Kinshasa’s Masina Market one recent morning, before the latest Ebola outbreak, traders said they sold antelope, rodent and snake meat sourced from the Congo Basin.

They said they long ago stopped selling the meat of monkeys, possible reservoirs of the Ebola virus.

One vendor, Guyva Mputu, was selling python, whose frozen flesh started to steam in the humid weather.

Another, Charles Ntanga, wielded a flywhisk to swat flies that settled on the rancid carcass of a giant rodent, with a kilogram going for about $17. Ntanga said he gets clients from all walks of life.

“We sell wild meat," he said. “We make our lives through this business.”

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Associated Press writer Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed to this report.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

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The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. 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.

It took eight years, but the Hurricanes have finally broken through their Eastern Conference Final roadblock. Now comes the chance to play for the Stanley Cup for the first time in two decades.

Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Eric Robinson scored in a dominating first period that helped push the Hurricanes past the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 on Friday night, closing a five-game series that sent the East's top seed on to face Vegas for the Cup.

Three times before under Brind'Amour, the Hurricanes had reached this round, only to win just a single game.

This time, they shook off an ugly series-opening loss that harkened back to those past struggles by winning four straight, steadily asserting control of the series and dominating the last two games to earn that on-ice celebration in front of a rowdy home crowd.

“I wasn't prepared for media (interviews) and I'm probably going to start crying,” veteran forward Jordan Martinook said in the locker room. "A lot of years with a lot of pain. ... It's been a crazy journey in my time here, but this team, it's been really special.”

Jackson Blake and Shayne Gostisbehere added second-period goals that pushed the Hurricanes to a 5-0 lead entering the final period, while Seth Jarvis scoring into an empty net with 3:41 left. Frederik Andersen carried a shutout until midway through the third in net, an emotional performance coming a day after his agent and former NHL player Claude Lemieux died after taking his own life.

Carolina swept through the first two rounds of the playoffs, then regrouped from a 6-2 loss in Game 1 after an extended between-rounds break to win four straight. That included a run of 10 straight goals going back to Andrei Svechnikov’s overtime goal in Game 3 before Montreal finally got on the board with Cole Caufield’s power-play score midway through the third.

That made the Hurricanes the first team to reach the Stanley Cup Final with only one loss since 1983, according to SportRadar, and the only team to do so since the league went to best-of-seven series in all four postseason rounds in 1987.

It was a long-awaited moment for the franchise, even for the new arrivals. That included defenseman K'Andre Miller — a summer trade addition as a missing piece — sitting near the ice afterward, holding his newborn son and shaking his head in an emotional moment of taking it all in.

“It's kind of hard to unpack right now,” Brind'Amour said. “It's a weird feeling because it's kind of where we all thought we should be.”

The Hurricanes have been a perennial contender in the East, yet they entered this series having gone 1-12 in the Eastern Conference Final under Brind’Amour — falling in sweeps to Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023 before losing in five games to the Panthers in last year’s rematch.

But they were tested, and wounded, from those past postseason failures. Throw in their depth and talent, and the Hurricanes were finally ready to punch through for their third shot at the Cup since the former Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina before the 1997-98 season.

The last time the Hurricanes reached this point? Brind’Amour was the captain on a team that hoisted the Cup in a seven-game series against Edmonton in 2006.

After regrouping from a 6-2 loss in Game 1, the Hurricanes took control of the series from the young and skilled Canadiens — who had arrived at this round ahead of schedule after Game 7 road wins against Tampa Bay and Buffalo through the first two rounds.

“As close as it feels, we’re so far away still,” Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson said. "So much more to do to battle to get the ultimate goal. Even when you win two rounds, you still got to find another level for the next round.”

Carolina won consecutive 3-2 overtime games, then took Game 4 in a 4-0 road romp Wednesday.

Beyond the score, Carolina was getting to its smothering game in pressuring the Canadiens in their own end or shutting off most high-danger chances they could muster going the other way.

By midway through the second period, the festive and rowdy crowd was offering “Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé!” chants in a mocking nod to Canadiens fans with Carolina up 4-0. By the final two minutes, they were chanting “We want the Cup! We want the Cup!” as the Hurricanes closed this one out.

“They’re a good team, a lot experience," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "You’ve got to give credit to how well they’ve played. They made it really hard on us.”

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

Uribe is appealing the suspension so he was able to pitch Friday night, getting the win in a 10-inning 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros.

The suspension comes after Uribe's behavior Tuesday night following an inning-ending strikeout in a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Uribe retired Alec Burleson on a called third strike with two outs and runners on first and second in the eighth, the only inning he pitched. Uribe then made three WWE-style crotch chops while facing the Cardinals dugout.

The Cardinals challenged the call, which was close, but narrowly confirmed to be at the bottom of the strike zone.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game that he was embarrassed by Uribe’s antics and that it was unacceptable. He reiterated that point Friday after the suspension was announced.

“We accept the fact that the MLB has a job to do and I’ll be the first one to say what Abner did is unacceptable,” Murphy said. “I’m not going to make any other statements about what’s fair and what’s not fair. I don’t have a full view of everything and how it works or what all goes behind it. But Abner has the right to appeal. He’s done that and I support him on that.”

Uribe said through an interpreter on Tuesday that he apologized to his team. But he did not apologize to the Cardinals.

“Everyone here knows me and knows who I am, and knows I have a bit of a history of being emotional out there,” Uribe said. “I think first I owe an apology to the Brewers. I owe an apology to my teammates, to my manager, all the bosses of the team. I understand that’s unacceptable, to go out there and react in a way like that.”

Uribe pitched for the first time since the incident in the ninth inning on Friday night with the game tied. The Astros loaded the bases with one out, but he struck out Brice Matthews before retiring Isaac Paredes on a popout to send it to the 10th.

Uribe wouldn't discuss his suspension or appeal after the game but did talk about his overall mindset with everything that was going on Friday.

“No, the mentality was the same as it is any other day,” he said in Spanish through a translator. “Go to the bullpen, do my routine and prepare myself to be ready for the game.”

Murphy said Friday that they have dealt with the matter internally and added that Uribe was not available to pitch Wednesday.

“He clearly understands,” Murphy said. “He’s clearly made the apologies he needs to make. It was sincere. I know the kid very well and am happy with that.”

Uribe was stoic on the mound Friday night and was asked afterward how he can manage his emotions moving forward to avoid situations like the one on Tuesday.

“I think a lot of it just depends on the game situation,” he said. “The game will dictate a lot of those things. I’m the type of pitcher that I like to have a lot of fun out there and I like to enjoy pitching out there. So there’s some times I like to have a little bit more fun than others, but I think the game will let you know.”

Uribe was suspended for six games and fined following a benches-clearing brawl against the Tampa Bay Rays in April 2024.

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

Former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra has called for “hot competence summer," promoting his decades of public service as evidence he has what it takes to be California's next governor.

Republican Steve Hilton pledged an end to a “bloated, nanny-state bureaucracy” during remarks outside the state Capitol on Wednesday.

Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer told reporters this week in Berkeley, California, that he's made it his life's work to advance progressive causes, a mission he'll bring to Sacramento.

They're seeking to stand out in a field of roughly 60 candidates on a single ballot, regardless of party, under California's top-two primary system. The two candidates who receive the most votes will face off in the general election to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who can't seek a third term.

The crowded race includes Democrats Becerra, Steyer, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, and Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose. Hilton, a former Fox News host backed by President Donald Trump, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are the most prominent Republicans in the race.

As of Friday afternoon, 13% of voters had cast their ballots. That included 13% of Democrats and 18% of Republicans, according to a tracker by Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell. The breakdown is unusual because Democrats in recent years have tended to vote early while many Republicans wait until Election Day.

Some Democrats have been waiting to cast their ballots to see if a candidate breaks away from the pack in the final days, or because they're unimpressed with the crowded field.

Two polls conducted in mid-to-late May suggested that Becerra and Hilton each have the support of about 2 in 10 California likely voters. In one poll, Steyer landed closer to Becerra and Hilton, with Bianco and Porter trailing further behind, but similar shares of voters were supporting Steyer, Bianco, and Porter in the other poll. None of the other candidates were in the double digits in either poll.

Candidates make their final pitch

The contenders have been traveling across the state that includes roughly 23 million registered voters as they seek an edge over rivals. Becerra, Hilton, Steyer and Bianco will all be in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. Fresno and Los Angeles have also been popular campaign stops.

Becerra has been highlighting the more than 35 years he's spent in state and federal office.

“This is not a place for on-the-job training,” he said on a podcast hosted by political commentator Ana Navarro. “You better know what you’re doing.”

He’ll hit a text-banking event with Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta in San Francisco and rally with the Service Employees International Union in San Jose.

Hilton has been selling himself as someone who would bring a fresh set of eyes to state government, reduce regulations, and bring down housing and energy costs. He thinks it'll be a unifying message, he told reporters this week in Sacramento.

“It's not ideological," Hilton said. "It's just simple, practical commonsense — $3 gas, cut your electric bills in half.”

Hilton will host a town hall in Silicon Valley on Saturday night. He has been cautious not to emphasize Trump’s endorsement. If he advances to the November election, he’ll need to appeal to voters outside his party to win in the Democrat-dominated state that hasn’t had a Republican governor since 2011.

Steyer, a self-described “billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires," said the race was a contest between three candidates: Himself, Hilton and Becerra.

“There is a hard-right Republican who’s endorsed by Donald Trump,” he told a crowd of supporters at a sports bar in Berkeley.

“The second candidate is Xavier Becerra, who, to my surprise, is a corporate Democrat,” Steyer continued, referencing his acceptance of campaign contributions from Chevron.

“And the third person’s me,” he said. “And I am running because Californians can’t afford to live here anymore.”

Steyer’s headed to a campaign rally Saturday in San Francisco to put a finer point on his message to voters.

Mahan, meanwhile, will mingle with voters in Los Angeles, Porter will give a speech in Orange County, and Bianco will lay out his vision at a church in San Jose.

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Associated Press journalist Terry Chea in Berkeley, California, contributed to this report.

Now, one of those politicians has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government. Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang's plea, entered in federal court Friday, continues a saga that some residents of the area worry could bring unfair scrutiny on the broader Chinese and Asian American community.

Arcadia has gone under rapid demographic change in the last two decades as immigrants from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong flocked to the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles. After Wang's case was made public May 11, the news made national headlines and filled the unassuming suburban city with anger, disappointment and murmurs of quiet concern. On social media, fears about spies and Chinese Communist Party influence abounded.

“We cannot allow this moment to become an excuse for people to paint entire communities with one brush or weaponize ethnicity for political gain,” acting Mayor Paul Cheng said in a statement.

Shock in heavily Chinese community

Wang agreed in April to plead guilty to doing the bidding of Chinese officials by sharing articles favorable of Beijing on a news website she ran, without notifying the U.S. government as required by law.

The 56-year-old was elected in November 2022 to a five-person City Council, from which the mayor is selected on a rotating basis. She was born in Chengdu, China, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1995.

The San Gabriel Valley is home to the largest concentration of residents of Chinese and Taiwanese descent in the United States. Beginning in the 1970s, real estate developers marketed the region as “Chinese Beverly Hills” to woo affluent immigrants. As the population grew, it became a haven for newer immigrants who could go about life without needing English, access business opportunities, and avoid putting their children through China’s intensely competitive education system. Arcadia's population of about 53,000 is majority Asian, like many other cities in the region.

Ted Tseng, 52, arrived in Arcadia from Taiwan nearly 40 years ago with his parents, who emigrated because they feared potential conflict between Taiwan and China.

Tseng was concerned Wang's indictment would deepen animosity against Asian Americans and discredit their contributions to the region. Fears of anti-Asian racism, though hate crimes are down since the COVID-19 pandemic, still linger.

“I'm just worried our image has been damaged,” Tseng said.

Feds crack down on Chinese espionage

The U.S. Department of Justice has escalated efforts in recent years to combat Chinese espionage. In April, a man accused of running a secret Chinese spy outpost in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood was convicted of acting as an illegal foreign agent.

Wang has suggested that she was misled by her former fiance, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, who pleaded guilty to the same charge last year and is now serving a four-year prison sentence. Sun was the treasurer for Wang’s 2022 election campaign.

A statement shared by Wang's lawyers references her "trust and love for apparently the wrong person who ultimately led her astray.”

April Verlato, a former City Council member who served with Wang, said Wang and Sun lived together, and Sun accompanied Wang wherever she went.

Verlato said Wang should have stepped down as soon as she came under investigation.

“She was being selfish, getting sworn in as mayor and not resigning when she knew she was going to be pleading guilty to something,” Verlato said.

Gene Sun, a long-time lawyer in Arcadia, agreed.

“I don't understand how she could have continued being a City Council member,” he said.

Beijing seeks influence overseas

It is not surprising that the Chinese government would attempt to exert political influence in the region, especially given the increased political tension and economic rivalry between China and the U.S. in recent years, said Wei Li, a professor of Asian Pacific American Studies at Arizona State University.

“A lot of countries, if they have the will and if they have the means, will try to influence their diaspora,” Li said.

According to his federal criminal complaint, Sun was in contact with John Chen, who also pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government, regarding local politicians that Beijing could influence. In reports to Chinese officials, Sun and Chen called Wang a “New Political Star” and bragged about her contacts with mainstream U.S. politicians.

They also wrote of combatting “anti-China forces” such as Taiwan independence and the Falun Gong, an exiled anti-communist spiritual movement.

In a January 2023 message from Chen to Wang referenced in Sun’s criminal complaint, Chen said: “You are doing a good job, I hope you can continue the good work, make Chinese people proud.”

Some fear political repercussions for Asian Americans

Not only was the news of her guilty plea like a “slap in the face," the reaction from some community members has also been painful, said Cheng, the acting mayor.

Some residents at a May 19 City Council meeting blamed remaining council members for enabling Wang and called for their resignations.

“I’ve been called more names, been told to go back to China although that’s not where I’m from,” said Cheng, who came to the U.S. from Taiwan at age 2.

For many Arcadia residents and workers, life was as usual the day after the news broke. Many smiled apologetically when asked about the issue, saying they don’t pay attention to politics.

Aliza Mo, who emigrated from China six years ago for her children's education, said she first thought the headlines must be exaggerated.

“A lot of people wondered if it was discrimination," she said.

When she learned what Wang pleaded guilty to, she changed her mind.

“I think it would be improper for anyone to be doing something like that,” she said.

Moscow's agents are building fake companies, recruiting middlemen and deploying cyber spies and hackers who are gathering information that could also be used to attack key infrastructure, they said.

Four years of international sanctions have hampered Moscow's ability to procure machinery, technology and research from Europe, while the grinding war in Ukraine has taxed key industries and pushed the country toward a potential financial crisis.

“They really know what they need,” and are putting “serious effort” into acquiring advanced machine tools, factory equipment, research and dual-use technology, said Christoffer Wedelin, deputy head of operations at the Swedish Security Service.

Russia seeks high-end research, defense technology and software

In Sweden, Russia is targeting the defense industry and high-end research on the country's most advanced weaponry, such as the Gripen fighter jet, Wedelin said. It is also trying to procure camera and laser technology developed for civilian purposes that could be integrated into Russian weapons systems, he said.

Moscow is also trying to steal technology to help it keep pace — or give it an edge — against the West in the decades ahead, said Juha Martelius, the director of Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service.

“We're talking about space technology, quantum ... arctic technology, marine technology,” he said, adding that space technology is something Russia needs “right now," without elaborating. Countries use such technology for satellite imaging, communications and navigation.

Russia also needs sanctioned computer technology and software updates for machine tools, Martelius said.

On Wednesday, Anne Keast-Butler, the director of the U.K’s signals intelligence agency, accused Russia of “relentlessly targeting” the U.K. and its European allies, by stealing technology and plotting sabotage and assassination attempts.

In May, Swedish police arrested two people on suspicion of violating sanctions relating to a company in Turkey that has made dozens of shipments of metalworking and metal-turning machine tools to Russia.

As the schemes to acquire technology grow more complex, companies need to be more aware they could unwittingly become part of Russia's war supply chain, Wedelin said.

“All of the security and intelligence services in Russia are helping out on the state’s efforts to get this," he said.

Intelligence officials say Russia cares less about getting caught

Moscow is also deploying cyberattacks against European firms and critical infrastructure in an attempt to gather information, which it could exploit “when they get the chance and when it serves their purpose,” Wedelin said. He pointed to an attack on a Swedish power plant last year.

Russia-linked actors tried to “destroy” the plant but failed because the system detected the intrusion, Wedelin said. He said the attack was partly aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine.

Before then, Sweden's security services had mostly observed reconnaissance for potential attacks, intelligence gathering or activity linked to cybercriminals. The attack marked a “switch” in Russia's modus operandi, Wedelin said.

“They’re no longer caring as much about potential attribution after their activities, so they are taking greater risks to achieve their goals,” he said.

Problems are mounting for Russia's economy

Russia's increasingly aggressive tactics may reflect mounting internal concerns about its economy, which “is not doing well at all,” said Kaupo Rosin, the head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

About a third of Russia's gross domestic product currently goes to the war effort, Martelius said. The war and ensuing sanctions have slowed growth and fueled stubborn inflation.

Russian officials planned to have a budget deficit of 3.7 trillion rubles ($52.1 billion) for the whole of 2026 and had already reached about 3.4 trillion rubles ($47.9 billion) by the end of February, Rosin said.

The Iran war that erupted on Feb. 28 has provided a boost by causing oil prices to soar. The U.S. has granted sanctions waivers for the sale of Russian oil and the U.K. watered down its sanctions in an attempt to lower global fuel costs.

Increased revenue since then has likely improved Russia’s budget, but “it doesn’t save them,” Rosin said, adding that if Western pressure persists, Moscow could face a financial crisis toward the end of the year.

Rosin said intelligence seen by his agency shows a gloomier outlook among Russian officials over the past six months, with the narrative of “total victory” in Ukraine having vanished. Keast-Butler, of British intelligence, said almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Russia and Ukraine have mostly kept their combat casualty figures under wraps.

Stalled progress on the battlefield and economic woes have many Russian officials privately asking “what is this all for,” Rosin said, citing the intelligence reports.

Martelius, of Finland's intelligence service, said that while some reports on the war in Ukraine may have been “sanitized” before reaching President Vladimir Putin's desk, he believes the Russian leader has a fairly clear picture of the economic challenges.

But that does not mean there will be political change.

It is “very dangerous ... to start analyzing Russia as if it is some country like ours," Martelius said. “It is not.”

“I personally have been inside that tank and near that tank many times,” said Wilson, who has lived in Longview for 56 years. “I can assure you that we all know somebody there. … The casualties are our friends and neighbors.”

The tank, which contained more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of a mixture used to break down wood for making paper, collapsed Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. The rupture expelled a flood of caustic chemicals powerful enough to overturn pickup trucks and damage buildings at the site.

The chemical disaster, one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in recent decades, has struck at the heart of a community where generations of families have worked in local mills. Longview itself was founded by a timber baron to support the first mills established there, and over its roughly century-long history, residents’ lives have become intertwined with the lumber and paper industries.

Supporting victims and worrying about the future

Amid immediate concern about supporting grieving families, there is also worry about what the accident could mean for the future of the plant: It provides crucial jobs in an industry that once powered the forested region but has dwindled in recent decades.

The plant's parent company, Tokyo-based Nippon Paper Group, said in a statement that it was assessing the accident's impact on its financial performance.

“Last night at the vigils, people who work in mills told me that they're proud of their jobs and they're proud of their work, and they don't want to lose it,” U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, whose district includes Longview, told reporters Wednesday.

Residents who spoke with The Associated Press similarly highlighted how important those jobs are for the city.

”If you’re a waitress, a grocery store worker, a teacher, a paraeducator as I was for 30 years — every walk of life here knows somebody and is related to somebody from these mills,” Cindy Stiebritz said in the antiques store where she volunteers.

Generations in the mills

Stiebritz said her husband’s parents met while working at the lumber company owned by the city’s founder, Robert A. Long.

“Those mills, that is the backbone of this town,” Stiebritz added. “You feel like you’ve lost part of your family.”

Longview’s industrial zone lies along the Columbia River and hosts timber, paper and chemical businesses. Many residents in the city of nearly 40,000 can see the facilities or the steam from the boilers from their homes, or smell the sulfuric odor of the pulp and paper industry.

The city’s mill history is also imprinted on its downtown, where R. A. Long Square serves as a central landmark and gathering place, including for the vigil held after the disaster. A park around a man-made lake, another project of Long, features a burst of greenery where pedestrians enjoy its walking paths or the nearby tree-lined streets.

Authorities said the cause of the tank's collapse is still under investigation. The facility, which dates to 1953 and employs about 1,000 people, makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other goods.

According to fundraisers organized for the victims’ families, those who lost their lives include a grandfather who was always willing to help anyone; two brothers, one of whom was the sole provider for his partner and three children; and a husband who left behind two children and a wife with a baby on the way.

Brianna Pesio, a server at the Mill City Grill downtown, said her father has worked at the plant for over 30 years. She described the fear Tuesday morning when her brother, who works at the lumber mill next door, told her he couldn’t get a hold of him.

“I just didn’t know if I lost my dad or not,” said Pesio, whose husband also works in a paper mill. “I drove over to my dad’s house and pounded on his door until he did wake up. He had just gotten off shift at 5 a.m.”

At the nearby Country Folks Deli, longtime server Gayle Leavitt said her in-laws also worked at the mill for decades, adding: “That’s how this town has survived.”

‘This is not the virtual world’

Officials representing the area echoed the pride residents take in the mills and the economic importance of their good-paying jobs in a region where other areas have been hit hard by the decline of the timber industry.

“This is a place where real people make real things. This is not the virtual world,” state Rep. Jim Walsh said at a news conference at the plant on Tuesday. “Real things and real industry always carries risks. But it’s our job to make sure that risk like this is well managed and, to the extent it can be, controlled.”

Stiebritz, the antiques shop volunteer, said she hopes authorities find out the cause “so it never happens again.”

“If anything comes out of it, I hope lives can be saved,” she said, tearing up as she thought of the children who have lost their parents.

“This town is family. It’s one big family,” she added. “But we’ll make it though. We’re strong. We’ve got a lot of love.”

A report from Dr. Sean Barbabella, released late Friday, says Trump underwent a CT scan and other heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists.

Trump, 79, said after the three-hour visit Tuesday that everything checked out “PERFECTLY.”

The president weighed in at 238 pounds (108 kilograms), up 14 pounds (6 kg) from a medical exam in April 2025. His doctors gave him guidance on his diet, physical activity and weight loss, but concluded his “cognitive and physical performance are excellent.”

With his 6-foot, 3-inch (1.9-meter) frame, Trump has a body mass index of 29.7. An index of 30 is considered by doctors to be obese.

The report also documented bruising on Trump’s hands, explained as “minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking,” and said it was “a common and benign effect of aspirin therapy." Among the recommendations was a switch to low-dose aspirin.

Last year the White House said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a fairly common condition for older adults that causes blood to pool in the president's legs. The report from his latest exam noted “slight lower leg swelling” but said there was “improvement from last year."

His doctor reported nothing abnormal, saying Trump demonstrated strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall health.

“His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements, and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being,” Barbabella wrote.

Trump was again given the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment. Trump’s doctors reported he scored 30 out of 30, the same that was reported last year and in 2018.

His cholesterol levels have improved significantly with the help of medication. Trump's total cholesterol came in at 143, down from 223 in 2018. It had been down to 140 last April. He takes rosuvastatin to help lower his bad cholesterol, known as LDL, and to raise his good cholesterol, or HDL. He also takes ezetimibe to help lower his LDL.

The exam, which Trump described as a six-month physical, was his fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office for a second term. It comes as he tries to project strength ahead of midterm elections.

Past administrations have also released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public a glimpse at the commander in chief’s health.

But there is no law requiring presidents to disclose their full health records, and the degree of transparency has varied by administration. Trump’s past reports have been criticized for offering scant detail and for providing statistics that some medical experts have viewed with skepticism.

Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. president. His immediate predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race because of widespread concerns he was too old for the job.

Trump has tried to fight off public concern over his age and stamina. He often appears with makeup covering bruises on his hands, and photographs have shown the president with swollen feet, ankles and calves.

He has recently talked about how good he feels, even as he jokes about his fondness for fast food and his minimal exercise beyond frequent golf outings. At recent public appearances, Trump has said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago.

A person familiar with the matter confirmed the visa had been revoked. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter involves visa privacy. A State Department official confirmed there was a plan to revoke the visa.

The tit-for-tat move by the Trump administration has followed the expulsion by Beijing of Vivian Wang, a China correspondent for The New York Times, apparently over the appearance of the Taiwanese leader in a DealBook event in which Wang had no role. It was a rare occasion of the U.S. government directly retaliating against Beijing's expulsion of American journalists.

The Times, which first reported the reciprocal move by the Trump administration, said the newspaper does not ask governments to revoke media credentials or otherwise interfere with the work of any journalist. On Friday, the paper issued a statement calling for Wang to be reinstated as a credentialed journalist in China and urging both governments to “reverse this deterioration in journalist access."

“The Chinese government’s decision to expel Vivian Wang is wrong,” Joseph Kahn, the paper's executive editor, said in a statement published on the Times' corporate website. “Her expulsion will make it even harder for our global audience to get accurate, independent and in-depth reporting about the world’s second largest economy at a critical time.”

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US media presence in China already dwindled

Wang is leaving China when the presence of U.S. media is already thin after previous rounds of disputes over journalistic credentials, leaving several U.S. news organizations with skeleton staffing in their China bureaus.

“The number of correspondents from American media outlets allowed to work in China has now fallen to an alarmingly low level, at a time when the need for people everywhere to understand China is greater than ever,” Kahn wrote.

Beijing moved to expel Wang, a China correspondent for the newspaper since 2020, after the media group's DealBook Summit 2025 featured Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in a recorded interview with host Andrew Ross Sorkin. Sorkin called Taiwan a country, and Lai warned of Beijing's aggressive behavior in the Taiwan Strait and vowed that “Taiwan will do everything necessary to protect itself.”

The Chinese government claims sovereignty over Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 after Mao Zedong's communists won a civil war. In the latest summit with President Donald Trump in Beijing, in mid-May, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that China and the U.S. could “collide or even clash” over Taiwan if the issue is not handled properly.

Other Western media watching closely

The decision against The New York Times also has created unease among other Western media that might interview Lai, giving the self-governed island a voice, at the risk of losing their abilities to report within China.

All foreign journalists must be accredited by China's foreign ministry to report in China, and Beijing has used the accreditation and visa policy to expel or keep out foreign journalists whose work has upset the Chinese leadership or to show displeasure with what Beijing views as unfavorable or malicious coverage of China.

In 2020, for example, the Chinese government expelled three Wall Street Journal correspondents after the financial newspaper ran an opinion piece titled “China is the Real Sick Man of Asia” following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As U.S.-China relations soured, the U.S. State Department in 2020 designated some major Chinese news groups as “foreign missions". Xinhua, for example, is tasked by the ruling Chinese Communist Party to serve as the mouthpiece of the party and the government, which includes distributing their official news.

Beijing in turn drastically limited visas for journalists working for U.S. media.

In total, at least 18 foreign journalists working for The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal were expelled in the first half of 2020, according to the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China. Many others were given short visas ranging from one month to three months, according to the group's annual survey.

The two governments later reached a one-time agreement that allowed U.S. media to send in a small number of correspondents to mainland China. Wang was one of them.

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An earlier headline on this story said the expulsions happened days after Trump visited Beijing. The New York Times says its reporter was expelled from China in February.

Just days ago, the Republican-led state Senate shot down an effort backed by President Donald Trump to redraw the House map to oust Rep. Jim Clyburn, South Carolina's only congressional Democrat and a party powerbroker who has been in office since 1993.

With his district still intact, Clyburn spent Friday night hosting his signature event, the “World Famous Fish Fry,” which followed the Blue Palmetto Dinner, an annual Democratic fundraiser.

"You have delivered for the people of this state and this nation in an unbelievable way,” Clyburn told a sold-out crowd at the dinner as hundreds of attendees burst into thunderous applause.

The back-to-back events often showcase potential presidential contenders. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spoke at the dinner, and he paid tribute to Clyburn.

“I am so proud to be here with the one and only Jim Clyburn, the man so strong that South Carolina Republicans said, ‘no thanks’ to Donald Trump on redistricting,” he said.

Beshear and California Rep. Ro Khanna joined Clyburn at the fish fry as well, where thousands chowed down on hot fried fish and sipped cold drinks.

Democratic candidates from around the state wore blue “Clyburn for Congress” T-shirts as they pitched themselves to the crowd, a political ritual that showcases his influence in South Carolina. He's running for his 18th term this year.

South Carolina's primary is June 9. Voters will choose nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. Had Republicans in the state Senate not rejected the plan pushed by the White House, those congressional votes would have been canceled and a new primary scheduled under revised districts.

Republicans rebuked redistricting with voting underway

The state Senate vote on redistricting failed Tuesday, the first day of early voting, with some senators saying it was simply too late to change district lines.

Clyburn, who is Black, condemned the White House-led effort, which he said had been aimed at “zeroing Democratic voters, zeroing African American voters out of the process.”

“I know the state, and I am embarrassed that so many people in our legislature will allow strangers in Washington to tell them what to do, when to do it and how to do it,” Clyburn said as he cast his vote in Orangeburg on Tuesday.

The political drama in South Carolina is part of a Republican strategy to redraw voting districts to the party's advantage in an attempt to hold on to a slim House majority in the midterms. Republicans have moved quickly to try to leverage a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act.

Clyburn keeps his kingmaker role

At least for now, Clyburn's 6th congressional district has been preserved, as has his place as the Democrat to whom White House hopefuls look for guidance in navigating the state's electorate.

During the 2020 primary, Clyburn provided a crucial endorsement to Joe Biden, helping him demonstrate strength among Black voters and catapulting him to the Democratic nomination. On Friday night, Clyburn told reporters he was “open” to endorsing a presidential candidate in 2028.

But Clyburn, among the oldest Democrats serving in Washington, has called it an “open question” as to whether his next term could be his last. Whenever he leaves office, the Democratic field looking to replace him is anticipated to be massive.

South Carolina angling to reprise leadoff primary status

The conclusion of November's midterm elections will mark the unofficial start to a 2028 presidential primary season. Although the order of states for Democrats' primaries won't be set for months, the battle for attention has already begun in a variety of places that could play a pivotal role.

On Thursday, Democratic chairs in five southern states wrote a letter to Democratic National Committee officials urging them to again pick South Carolina to go first.

However, party leaders here have braced for a different spot on the calendar, saying they wouldn't see it as a loss if another state got the leadoff spot.

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

Now the hottest teams in hockey will meet for the Stanley Cup.

Vegas swept Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado in the Western Conference Final and has won 19 of 24 games since John Tortorella took over as coach in late March. Carolina has won 12 of 13 the playoffs, including four in a row to put away Montreal to reach the Cup final.

“I probably would give an edge to Vegas, but I don’t feel that secure in that,” former player-turned-NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp said. "Both teams are just playing this demonstrative way right now that it feels like it’s the right matchup here in the finals.”

The Hurricanes actually go into the series as a slight favorite, perhaps because they have home-ice advantage and have looked especially dominant. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Raleigh.

How they got here

Carolina was 8-0 through two rounds with sweeps of Ottawa and Philadelphia. A wakeup call of a loss to the Canadiens could easily be attributed to rust after an 11-day layoff, and the Hurricanes have not lost since.

Vegas had some bumps getting through Utah and Anaheim, then had no trouble with the banged-up and battered Avalanche. The Golden Knights will have a full week off between rounds.

“I worry about, just you lose your edge just a little bit, that’s a big disadvantage,” Tortorella said Friday. “That’s the key for us. As a coach, you’re always worried about that. I think our players, the group is good, and I think they understand that because they’ve been in this before, most of them.”

While Carolina is in the final for the first time since 2006, when coach Rod Brind'Amour was captain, this is nothing new for the Golden Knights. They've reached the final for a third time in less than a decade of existence and a second time in the past four years, having won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Vegas has 12 players back from that title run.

“That feeling, you want that feeling back,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, who has been with the team since the inaugural season in 2017-18. “It feels different, but I think the feeling in the locker room with the guys and how we are with one another, it feels very similar to that — that group in ’23 — how close we are, and it’s just exciting to be back.”

What to expect in the Vegas-Carolina Stanley Cup Final

Mostly, a low-scoring affair. The Golden Knights and Hurricanes have allowed some of the fewest goals of all the teams in the playoffs.

“Both these teams defend at a high level,” former goalie and now NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider said. "They work at a high level. They don’t give you much room and space and time. I don’t want to say it’s going to be a boring final, but it’s definitely going to be a bit of a grind and whoever comes out on top is going to be the team that can sort of survive that grind.”

Brind'Amour's hard-working style has finally paid off in his eighth season in charge. Carolina won at least a round in each of the previous seven but had consistently failed to get over the hump.

The Hurricanes have gotten to this point despite not being an offensive powerhouse.

“So far, it’s worked, but this where they run into trouble,” Schneider said. “This is why in years past they haven’t quite broken through to the finals is because they play such a high-intensity style that it emphasizes shot quantity over quality, so that doesn’t always lead to goals. They’ll possess the puck and throw a million pucks on net, but they don’t always get great looks and high-end scoring chances and they don’t have a ton of elite finishers.”

___

AP Sports Writers Mark Anderson in Las Vegas and Aaron Beard in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The four were members of a Latvian mountaineering expedition, the group said. They were part of a seven-person team traversing a route known for its exposed sections — where many injuries and deaths have occurred over the years — when they fell Wednesday, the National Park Service has said.

McKinley stands at about 20,310 feet (6,190 meters), and the climber who was rescued was brought off the mountain from about 17,200 feet (5,240 meters) by Denali National Park and Preserve search and rescue personnel late Thursday afternoon. A long line from a helicopter was used in the rescue because the terrain and conditions prevented the helicopter from landing, the park service said Friday. The climber was later airlifted to a hospital.

The fall happened during the climb near Denali Pass, which is about 18,200 feet (5,550 meters), the park service said. It provided few other details. The three others in the climbing group helped with the rescue work and started experiencing “declining physical conditions," the park service said. Crews evacuated them from the mountain Friday.

The group was on the West Buttress route, the most popular path to the summit. It’s known for crevasses, steep ice and exposed ridges.

Over the years, many climbing injuries and deaths have occurred on the traverse between an area known as high camp at around 17,200 feet (5,240 meters) and Denali Pass, mainly resulting from unprotected falls, according to the park. Most of the deaths along the pass have happened while climbers are descending.

Park rangers and mountain guides install and maintain snow pickets — which are used to help build anchors for extra protection on areas like steep slopes — between the high camp and Denali Pass, the park has said. That area also is known as the Autobahn, a snow and ice slope that can be marked by conditions ranging from deep snow carrying avalanche risk to hard ice, the agency said.

Climbers can put in their own pickets if needed, but “you might have to bash it in through very, very dense snow and ice even,” said climber Clint Helander, who has summitted McKinley and been on the mountain numerous times.

Intense glaciation, rapid weather changes, altitude and the sheer scale of the peak make climbing McKinley “a huge undertaking," he said. Climbers also must carry a significant amount of gear for what can be long expeditions, he said.

“It’s immensely easy for something to happen and turn an otherwise straightforward trip into an epic,” Helander said.

Only about 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt to reach the top of Mount McKinley each year, mostly during May and June. The trip usually takes about 17 days, and less than half made it to the summit last year, according to park statistics.

More than 130 people have died on the mountain in the history of the park, including two deaths last year, according to park statistics. In 2012, four climbers from Japan were killed after a shallow avalanche pushed them into a crevasse.

There were 516 climbers on the mountain as of Thursday, said Scott Carr, a park service spokesperson.

Two others climbers who were not with the group that fell were evacuated from the mountain by helicopter Wednesday, according to the park service.

___

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

The reigning U.S. Open champion believes he's getting both lined up just about right three weeks before he tries to defend his first major title.

Spaun surged with four birdies on his front nine before a couple of late bogeys in a 2-under 68 that put him at 8 under Friday, two shots behind Englishman Jordan Smith and one back of Hideki Matsuyama and three others after 36 holes at Colonial.

Smith took the lead by himself with a 31-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th, saved par from a bunker on 17 and missed a 9-footer for birdie on 18 to finish at 10 under with a second consecutive 65.

“It’s going to be a new experience for us out here leading for the first time,” said Smith, a 33-year-old PGA Tour rookie who qualified through the DP World Tour and had his best finish at third in the Valpar Championship. “Not going to force anything, not going to rush anything, just going to see what happens and enjoy it.”

Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion with 10 other tour victories, and Michael Thorbjornsen had matching 65s. They were at 9 under with Ryan Gerard (67) and 2023 Britisn Open champion Brian Harman (66).

Spaun was joined by Akshay Bhatia (65), Russell Henley (66), Brice Garnett (66) and Alex Smalley (67).

A.J. Ewart had the second hole-in-one two days at the 195-yard, par-3 16th — Brandt Snedeker aced it in the opening round — and followed an opening 70 with a career-best 63, the low round of the day. He was at 7 under with Michael Brennan (66) and Mackenzie Hughes (67).

Gary Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, was among 11 players at 6 under at Hogan's Alley, where light winds and still-soft conditions led to 154 sub-par scores through two rounds. That tied the previous high from 2010, when Zach Johnson set the 72-hole scoring record of 21-under 259.

Temperatures reached the mid-90s with a heat index approaching 100, and conditions are supposed to stay that way through the weekend. There is almost no chance for rain.

“It’s drying up just like it probably did a little bit yesterday afternoon,” Harman said. “The fairways will get firm and these fairways will get tougher to hit, and that’s how this place protects itself.”

Defending champion Ben Griffin shot a second consecutive 68 and was 4 under along with Justin Thomas, a stroke above the cut line.

Spaun, who was among six players tied for the lead after an opening 64, missed the cut in six of his first 13 events this year, including the Masters and PGA Championship. He said he changed putters because he was losing confidence on the greens.

The highest-ranked player in the field at No. 9, Spaun kept his hot front nine going with a 15-foot par putt at 17 and was still without a bogey for the tournament before missing a pair of par putts outside 15 feet on the seventh and eight holes.

“It’s nice to see that the putter switch was a good change,” Spaun said. “I found myself kind of resenting my putter at times when I’m out on the course. That’s been the only issue all year. My ball striking’s been pretty solid. The weeks that I putt just slightly better than average, I contend.”

Spaun's other two wins are both at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, including last month. He figures the 27 holes on Sunday in a rain-altered event might have contributed to a 74-75 at the Masters, and he shot 70-76 while playing a third consecutive week at the PGA.

After playing the Memorial next week, Spaun will skip the Canadian Open before going to Shinnecock Hills.

“It will be nice to have a week off and then get to Shinnecock and kind of feel fresh, but not like I’ve taken too much time off,” said Spaun, who skipped Colonial's neighboring event, The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, last week.

Smith made 181 feet of putts, including a 40-footer from the fringe on the par-4 12th. The long putt at 16 came two holes after his only bogey of the tournament at the par-4 14th.

“The putter’s been hot the last two days, which is nice to see,” Smith said. “Swing still hasn’t felt 100%, but we’ve been hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, which is key out here.”

___

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

After a warm finish to the workweek, a cold front will usher in noticeably cooler air for the weekend.

The front will not bring rain, though. Instead, it will provide a refreshing break from the recent warmth, with afternoon temperatures settling into the 60s and lower 70s across much of Southeast Michigan.

For Grand Prix spectators, that means comfortable conditions for spending hours outdoors along the riverfront and race course.

The cooler temperatures should make walking between viewing areas more pleasant, especially compared with the hotter summer days that are still to come.

The forecast is equally favorable for anyone planning outdoor activities away from downtown Detroit.

Whether it is a bike ride on area trails, a picnic at a local park, gardening in the backyard, or a trip to the golf course, dry weather and abundant sunshine will be the dominant theme through the weekend.

Boaters will also find plenty to enjoy. While the cooler air moving across the Great Lakes may create a brisk breeze at times, the overall weather pattern favors an extended stretch of fair conditions.

Sunshine and dry skies should provide excellent opportunities to get out on the water and enjoy the start of the summer recreation season.

The reason for the prolonged stretch of pleasant weather is a large-scale weather pattern setting up across North America.

High pressure will remain firmly in control over the Great Lakes, keeping storm systems well away from Southeast Michigan through at least the middle of next week.

That means umbrellas can likely stay tucked away for several more days.

The cool weekend air will come to an end.

Temperatures are expected to gradually climb through next week. By midweek, many communities will once again be reaching the lower 80s, bringing a more summerlike feel back to Southeast Michigan.

For now, however, the weekend offers something many people can appreciate: sunshine, comfortable temperatures, and an opportunity to make outdoor plans without worrying about the weather.

Share your weather photos now and throughout the weekend with Local 4 at MIPics.

The incident occurred around 1 a.m. on Friday (May 29) at a home on Powell Avenue near 9 Mile Road and I-75, where they found a 20-year-old man from Detroit dead and a 19-year-old woman from Pontiac hospitalized with injuries, police said.

Investigators said the shooting took place during an after-prom gathering at a property that operates as a short-term rental.

City officials said the home appears to have been in violation of occupancy restrictions.

--> Hazel Park suspends short-term rental license after deadly after-prom party shooting

Authorities also said the incident has prompted the city to impose a six-month moratorium on new short-term rental licenses while it reviews its ordinance and enforcement practices.

Police did not immediately release the suspect’s name or provide additional details about a possible motive.

Officials are asking residents who attended the party to contact them to help with the investigation.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Update: Travelers describe panic after car crashes into Detroit Metro Airport terminal

Authorities said the man was “very disoriented.”

The man reportedly drove the wrong way down the street before going around cement barriers and through Door 4.

---> Car crashes into terminal at DTW for 2nd time in 4 months -- what we know

As we stated during our media briefing, this morning’s incident at the Evans Terminal remains an ongoing investigation. Upon further review of the surveillance video, it was ascertained that the vehicle did not enter through the ADA-accessible area as originally believed.

Rather than entering through the ADA-accessible curb cut area, the vehicle was driven over the curb, in a gap between the barriers protecting the doorways.

The original plan following January’s incident was a temporary solution designed to protect against a 90-degree turn into the terminal doorways, as opposed to what occurred today.  

The Airport Authority is currently in the design phase of a permanent barricade system and will be using these additional lessons learned during that process.

For the time being, we are once again adding additional barricades to fortify the sidewalks and the entryways into the terminals. 

Wayne County Airport Authority

It happened just after 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 29, prompting a rapid response from airport police, fire, TSA, and the FBI. The driver was taken into custody.

Police said there were no weapons or explosives found and that there was no evidence that the driver intended to hurt anyone.

The only injury was a woman who suffered minor injuries while avoiding the vehicle, but she refused medical treatment and made her flight.

The crash disrupted airport operations, which returned to normal by 11 a.m.

The driver, only identified as a 67-year-old man, reportedly told authorities that he was there to meet Tom Cruise and save his dad.

The Hollywood actor’s dad died in 1984.

Someone who reportedly went through a security checkpoint while fleeing was briefly detained and released without a citation.

The investigation is ongoing.

After the first round — and even the second — was full of newcomers who hadn't played postseason hockey in a long time, the conference finals featured some of the usual suspects.

The Vegas Golden Knights swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado in the West final, and the Carolina Hurricanes got past Montreal in five games. They'll meet in a final matchup of the two hottest teams in hockey over the past two months.

There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final. In fact, both finalists are new after Edmonton got knocked out by Anaheim.

What’s happened so far

WESTERN CONFERENCE: Vegas got through Utah and Anaheim in six, then won four in a row against the Avalanche.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:Carolina swept Ottawa and Philadelphia, then responded from a Game 1 loss to the Canadiens to advance to the final for the first time since 2006.

The matchups

The top three teams in each of the four divisions make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division. All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

— Carolina vs. Vegas vs., Game 1 Tuesday night.

The favorites

Carolina is a slight favorite at just over even money.

How to watch

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of best-of-seven series, the final starts Tuesday night. If it goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 20.

What to know

WEST: No-nonsense John Tortorella took over coaching the Vegas Golden Knights in late March, and they've been rolling since. Mitch Marner, who was maligned for a lack of playoff success during his time in Toronto, has been arguably the best player in the postseason.

EAST: The Carolina Hurricanes have rolled through the East, getting dominant goaltending from 36-year-old Frederik Andersen and do-it-all play from 2018 league MVP Taylor Hall. After so many disappointing playoff exits, they are hoping to win the franchise's second championship and first since 2006.

Canada's Stanley Cup drought will extend one more year. No team north of the border has won it since Montreal in 1993.

___

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

Airport officials released an updated statement Friday (May 29) evening, saying the man drove onto the sidewalk through gaps in the concrete barriers around the airport entrances.

Police said the driver, a 67-year-old man, was unarmed and appeared disoriented, telling officers he was “there to meet Tom Cruise and save his dad.”

By Friday evening, crews were putting up new barriers around airport entrances as travelers walked past the boarded-up doorway in disbelief and frustration that it was the second time a car had driven into the airport in just four months.

“We were in Seattle waiting to board, and I got the text that came in that said a car drove into Evans Terminal,” Rebecca Ortiz said.

“Wild, I’m shocked, I can’t believe this is apparently this is the second time this has happened in the last year,” said Arlis Jones.

Alexandra Fettig, who was flying from Chicago to Detroit to visit family, said she landed minutes after the crash and quickly realized something was wrong.

“I remember we landed at 9:30ish, got off at 9:37, and within like two minutes or so, I just hear the fire alarm going off,” Fettig said.

She said the baggage claim was sectioned off, and crowds formed as people were not being allowed in or out of the terminal. Fettig said she was stuck inside for about an hour before security allowed people to leave.

“They kind of just said there’s been a security incident, everything is on pause,” Fettig said. “People were concerned about, ‘I need to get my bag, I’m going to miss my flight,’ and they said everything is nothing is being processed right now.”

Airport officials said they are still working on a permanent barrier solution following both crashes.

“Things that we still have to reevaluate is our system and how fast can we get a system in which will be a permanent fix to what we have,” said Senior Vice President of Emergency & Support Services Tadarial Sturdivant.

For some travelers, the back-to-back incidents have shaken their sense of safety.

“It’s kind of scary because it feels like now with public settings like you really, it just doesn’t feel as safe anymore,” Fettig said. “For this to have happened only in January and then again be happening now just feels very, very close together.”

“As we stated during our media briefing, this morning’s incident at the Evans Terminal remains an ongoing investigation. Upon further review of the surveillance video, it was ascertained that the vehicle did not enter through the ADA-accessible area as originally believed.

Rather than entering through the ADA-accessible curb cut area, the vehicle was driven over the curb, in a gap between the barriers protecting the doorways.

The original plan following January’s incident was a temporary solution designed to protect against a 90-degree turn into the terminal doorways, as opposed to what occurred today.

The Airport Authority is currently in the design phase of a permanent barricade system and will be using these additional lessons learned during that process.

For the time being, we are once again adding additional barricades to fortify the sidewalks and the entryways into the terminals.”

The Wayne County Airport Authority

The boy was last seen on Friday (May 29).

His information has been removed from this article.

READ: More Missing in Michigan coverage

After missing the playoffs in 2025, snapping a run of three consecutive postseason appearances, several of Detroit’s veteran leaders said the sting of last season has fueled a renewed focus as the team ramps up preparations for 2026.

“We were a fourth-place team last year,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “We need to come out and play a lot better this year.”

New faces, same culture

The Lions enter the offseason navigating several changes, including the arrival of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and a revamped offensive line.

Players say the organization’s culture remains intact, but so does the urgency to grow.

Goff has been encouraged by Petzing’s early approach to the job.

“He’s been awesome,” Goff said. “He’s got a lot of his own ideas, and he’s also very open to listening to everything that we want to do. It’s been a fun synergy between him and I, our offense and our offensive staff.”

While acknowledging that some schematic changes are already being implemented, Goff said it’s too early to predict how Detroit’s offense will look when the regular season begins.

“Some things are different than last year, and some things are the same,” Goff said. “We’re always trying to improve the things we did well and certainly the things we didn’t do very well.”

St. Brown healthy, motivated after knee surgery

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said last year’s finish has sharpened motivation throughout the building and offered the team a hard lesson about complacency.

“I think everyone’s excited, everyone’s motivated,” St. Brown said. “Last year was not a year that any of us wanted or expected. Going into this year, I feel like we’re doing everything we can to get back to what we are and what we were.”

“When you win a lot of games, you can kind of become numb to winning,” St. Brown said. “Your target only gets bigger on your back. Teams know you’re a good team. They want to beat you.”

St. Brown is also returning to full health after knee surgery limited his participation in organized team activities in 2024.

“To be back out here during OTAs healthy feels great,” St. Brown said.

Hutchinson eyes Defensive Player of Year

On the defensive side, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson enters his fifth NFL season with lofty goals after one of the league’s most productive campaigns last year.

Asked whether he has his sights set on Defensive Player of the Year honors, Hutchinson didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah,” Hutchinson said. “The mentality is always that.”

Hutchinson said he feels fully recovered and more complete as a pass rusher than at any point in his career.

“I feel like I have an answer for everything now,” Hutchinson said. “The knowledge of the game, knowledge of pass rush, my own development, it’s at a point where I feel really, really confident.”

Hutchinson is already seeing early chemistry form in the edge rushers’ room, and he says the presence of former Michigan Wolverines national champion Derrick Moore is helping the group come together during organized team activities.

Hutchinson highlighted second-round pick Moore as one of several newcomers who have blended into the room quickly, praising the rookie’s quiet, work-focused approach.

“It’s great,” Hutchinson said. “Derrick, D.J. Wonnum, Payton Turner, I mean all those guys, we’ve been gelling early, which is good to see.

Derrick’s like a quieter rookie, which I appreciate. He’s about the work, and you know what you’re going to get from him every day.”

Moore played at Michigan before joining the Lions, continuing a pipeline of Wolverines talent to Detroit’s roster.

Hutchinson joked that the trend is becoming noticeable.

“Not bad having another Michigan man on the other side either,” Hutchinson said with a smile. “Michigan is starting to become the pathway to the Lions, I guess.”

Hutchinson, who also played at Michigan before being drafted by Detroit, said he had not known Moore well prior to OTAs, but the two have begun building a relationship on and off the field.

“I never really met him before he came to OTAs,” Hutchinson said. “We got some work in back at Shambechler Hall, actually. It was fun talking pass rush, seeing his mentality, and how it might complement mine.”

The Lions are continuing offseason workouts in Allen Park as they evaluate a revamped roster heading into training camp later this summer.

Hutchinson said early impressions of the rookie class have been positive, even as players continue to adjust to the professional level.

“I’m hoping he can be a good addition for us,” Hutchinson said. “We’ll see how it all comes together.”

McNeill: ‘I’m me again now’

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill said he finally feels like himself after spending much of last season working his way back physically.

“It’s night and day difference between last year and now,” McNeill said. “I’m me again now.”

McNeill said regaining full explosiveness and trust in his body required time, but the connection is back.

“My brain has been able to know that this leg is good and I can step and plant here,” McNeill said. “I have that connection now. It’s easier now.”

Like his teammates, McNeill said the sting of 2025 is still fresh, and he’s not sugarcoating it.

“We know exactly what time it is,” McNeill said. “There’s no sugarcoating nothing. We know what type of players we have, what type of coaches we have. We have a high standard for ourselves here, and we didn’t live up to that.”

Championship window remains open

Despite last season’s disappointment, the Lions remain confident that their championship window is still wide open.

“We know we’re in a window,” Hutchinson said. “Every year is the same intensity with the guys we’ve got.”

Head coach Dan Campbell noted on Friday (May 29) that May results won’t make or break the season.

But judging by the locker room’s tone, Detroit’s players are intent on making sure 2025’s outcome doesn’t become a trend.

“We’re motivated,” St. Brown said. “We know what we’ve got to do to get back, and I think we’ve got the right guys to do it.”

Rookie OL Blake Miller embraces steep learning curve

Lions rookie offensive lineman Blake Miller said the team’s early offseason practices have offered a steep learning curve, especially with veterans on the field during organized team activities.

Unlike some rookies who ease into the NFL through a separate rookie minicamp phase, Miller said he has benefited from being thrown directly into work alongside established starters.

“It’s so awesome to have those guys, those veteran players out here,” Miller said. “Even just watching them go through Indy, sitting on the iPad, clicking through their film, and seeing how they do things, you really get a vision of what it’s supposed to look like.”

Miller said the opportunity to observe veterans up close has helped accelerate his adjustment to the professional level, particularly in terms of the game’s speed and detail.

“You see it out there in person, the speed of it,” Miller said. “Just having those guys out here is awesome. The knowledge they can impart between plays, you really learn a lot.”

The rookie offensive lineman said his development process mirrors earlier stages of his career, when he had to earn playing time at the college level.

“When I first got to college, I had to work my way up,” Miller said. “It’s similar now. I’m just trying to learn from older guys, put my head down, and be the best version of me every day.”

Miller also addressed the competitive mindset inside the Lions’ locker room following a 2025 season in which Detroit missed the postseason.

He said the focus has been clear from the start of offseason workouts.

“There’s not a lot of outside noise creeping in,” Miller said. “The goal is very clear. Everybody’s got their head down, and they know what we want to accomplish. We’re going to do everything we can to achieve that.”

Miller said he is eager to test himself against veteran edge rushers, including Hutchinson, whom he said he had only recently met.

“I definitely think iron sharpens iron,” Miller said. “Going against him, no matter the outcome, I’ll be able to learn a lot from those reps and get tested against the best.”

The Lions continue OTAs in Allen Park as they evaluate their rookie class and prepare for training camp later this summer.

--> ‘Nobody’s going to win a job in the spring’: HC Dan Campbell urges patience as Detroit Lions open OTAs

It turned into a defining moment, maybe even the most memorable of his 40-plus years in baseball.

On the eve of his induction into the Mets Hall of Fame, Valentine reveled in that clandestine act Friday night when the former manager again wore sunglasses and a fake mustache while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to a similarly disguised Mr. Met.

The 76-year-old Valentine, who will be honored Saturday alongside ex-Mets teammate Lee Mazzilli, emerged from the New York dugout and received a warm hand from a Citi Field crowd that included fans already adorned in the ballpark giveaway — sunglasses and a fake mustache.

Valentine moved a few steps in front of the mound and tossed a pitch to the team mascot, whose hat read: Not Mr. Met.

Moments later, local children from John Lewis Childs grammar school on Long Island sang the national anthem — with several of them wearing fake mustaches. Another group of kids in disguise then pushed a button to activate the Home Run Apple beyond the center-field fence.

“Great memories for me,” Valentine said through vice president of alumni public relations and team historian Jay Horwitz. “At the time I did the mustache, we were struggling and I wanted to let the guys know I was behind them.”

Valentine donned the disguise — using eye black to make the mustache — three days after general manager Steve Phillips fired three New York coaches. Valentine responded by saying the Mets, who were 27-28 at the time of the dismissals, should fire him if the team didn’t go 40-15 over its next 55 games.

The Mets won their next three and were locked in a tie game with Toronto when Valentine got tossed for arguing a catcher’s interference call on Mike Piazza. Encouraged by Orel Hershiser and Robin Ventura, Valentine put on the sunglasses, constructed his mustache and crept back into the dugout, where television cameras immediately spotted him.

Any chance Valentine had of pleading innocence evaporated when he led the charge onto the field to celebrate Rey Ordoñez’s game-winning single in the 14th inning. Valentine was fined $5,000 and suspended two games.

“It was made a big thing because things were kind of big at that time,” Valentine told ESPN in 2019. “I was supposed to be fired.”

Instead, the Mets went 40-15 in the 55 games following the coaching changes and eventually reached the National League Championship Series. Valentine managed New York to the World Series against the crosstown Yankees in 2000 and ranked second in team history in wins and games managed when he was fired following the 2002 season.

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

Lucas, who was married to “Star Wars” creator George Lucas from 1969 to 1983, died Wednesday from metastatic cancer, attorney Deidre Von Rock said in an email to The Associated Press. She died in Rancho Mirage, California, surrounded by loved ones, Von Rock said.

Marcia Lucas was the editor on 1983's “Return of the Jedi” and the pre-“Star Wars” George Lucas-directed films “THX 1138” and “American Graffiti.”

She was also part of the editing team for director Martin Scorsese's 1970s films “Taxi Driver,” “Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore” and “New York, New York.”

Editor was a rare senior creative position where a woman could find a foothold in Hollywood. Marcia Lucas became one of several women whose work in the editing chair made sense of the work of the overwhelmingly male directors of the New Hollywood of the late 1960s through the early 1980s, including Dede Allen, editor of “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Dog Day Afternoon”; Verna Fields, editor of “Paper Moon” and “Jaws"; and Thelma Schoonmaker, editor of most of Scorsese's films starting with 1980's “Raging Bull.”

Lucas was often called the unsung hero of “Star Wars,” the original film that after sequels, prequels and spinoffs has come to be known by its subtitle, “A New Hope.”

She convinced her then-husband that he should have Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by Alec Guinness, die in his lightsaber battle with Darth Vader and become a spirit guide to Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker.

And she had to make sense of raw footage that could have been a mess in the wrong hands, including the climactic rebel attack on the Death Star.

“It was extremely complex and we had 40,000 feet of dialogue footage of pilots saying this and that. And she had to cull through all that, and put in all the fighting as well,” George Lucas told Rolling Stone in an interview a few months after the film came out. “Nobody really has ever tried to interweave an actual plot story into a dogfight, and we were trying to do that."

Lucas was born Marcia Griffin in Modesto, California shortly after the end of World War II. She moved to Los Angeles with her mother after her parents divorced when she was a small child.

She began working as a film librarian and moved into working as an editor on commercials, trailers and promotional films. She was an assistant editor on the documentary “Journey to the Pacific” for Fields, who also hired George Lucas, then a film student at the University of Southern California.

The couple became engaged soon after. Their marriage would essentially end in 1982, but they kept their divorce under wraps until after the release of “Return of the Jedi” in 1983. Marcia Lucas was then married to Tom Rodrigues, a production manager at the Skywalker Ranch production center, from 1983 to 1993.

She is survived by her daughters, Amanda Lucas and Amy Soper, and grandchildren Felix Hallikainen, Aeliana Hallikainen and Knox Soper.

"Her influence on film is indelible, but those who knew her best will remember the way she made life feel more vivid, more beautiful, more fun, and more full of love,” a family statement said. “Her work was known for its emotional intelligence, rhythm, and humanity — a rare ability to find the truth of a scene and bring heart, momentum, and clarity to the screen.”

U.S. Southern Command announced the latest strike in the monthslong campaign against alleged drug boats traversing the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific with its usual language that the vessel was "engaged in narco-trafficking operations" and operated by a designated terrorist organization. It provided no evidence.

While the military's social media announcements always include video of the attacks, this appears to be the first with the footage in color instead of black and white. The video shows a small vessel floating in the ocean before it's hit and engulfed in a fireball. It cuts to what could be the boat in flames, surrounded by a large plume of parcels or some other objects spread around it in the water.

The attack puts the death toll at 202 people from the series of U.S. strikes that began in early September, with two other attacks announced Tuesday and Wednesday. The Trump administration has declared that the U.S. is at armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels, saying they are behind the flow of drugs into American communities.

U.S. Southern Command said in its post on X that the strike came at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the top U.S. commander in Latin America, who on Friday also met with Cuban military leaders near the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay.

An executive order from Trump directs federal agencies to align their policies behind the study, which recommended an overhaul long called for by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The study found that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines than many peer nations.

The Trump administration previously moved to narrow the number of recommended childhood vaccines in response to the report, but the move was blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts. The administration is appealing the decision.

The study recommends vaccinating all children against 11 diseases. Several others would be recommended only for high-risk groups or when doctors recommend them in what’s called “shared decision-making.” That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.

Trump's order adds weight behind the study at a time when the administration had appeared to be trying to shift focus away from Kennedy's more contentious vaccine policies and toward more mainstream topics like healthy eating.

The order directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the study and “take any appropriate steps” to update its vaccine recommendations. It says the CDC should “provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors" and directs agencies to make sure all actions, regulations and funding are aligned with the study.

The order adds that any changes should ensure that Americans retain their current access to vaccines.

States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.

Trump directed HHS to carry out the study in December.

Kennedy is a longtime activist against vaccines and has sought ways to inject his skepticism about the shots into national guidance. Last year, he announced the CDC would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a move questions by public health experts who saw no new data to justify the change.

Last June, he fired a 17-member CDC vaccine advisory committee and later installed several of his own replacements, including multiple vaccine skeptics.

The January report found that vaccine recommendations for American children had increased in recent decades. It also highlighted countries where no vaccines are required to attend school.

In a trio of social media posts, Trump gave his backing to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra and former Oklahoma state senator Mike Mazzei as primary elections approach.

Iowa’s primary is Tuesday, South Carolina’s is on June 9 and Oklahoma's is on June 16. All three states are having their first competitive Republican gubernatorial primaries in years.

For two terms, Evette has served alongside Gov. Henry McMaster, one of Trump's earliest backers during his first presidential campaign. Earlier this year, the long-serving governor endorsed his No. 2, telegraphing to some that Trump's backing could be next.

On Friday, Trump expressed both appreciation for Evette and the state she represents, noting that she stumped for him in 2024. He also said “A BIG added plus” for her campaign is that Henry McMaster Jr. — the sitting governor's son — may be Evette's running mate.

In the deep red state of South Carolina, the competition for the president’s support has been the most intense part of the primary race.

In a separate post, Trump described Feenstra as "MAGA all the way” and said he would “fight tirelessly” for the state on issues including the economy, border security and support of law enforcement.

Evette and Feenstra have been vocal about wanting Trump's endorsement, in the hopes that it would carry weight in states that helped propel Trump's return to office in 2024. Feenstra said earlier this year that he asked for Trump's support, and much of Evette's campaign media has featured photos of her next to Trump.

Along with Feenstra, four other Republicans — state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen — are in the primary to replace outgoing Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who opted out of a third bid.

Evette is competing for the South Carolina nomination against Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and state Attorney General Alan Wilson.

Mazzei is running to replace Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is finishing his second term. He's competing against state Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former state House Speaker Charles McCall and former state public safety secretary Chip Keating.

"Mike Mazzei has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Governor of Oklahoma — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" Trump wrote on social media.

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Hannah Fingerhut contributed reporting from Des Moines, Iowa.

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

Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she sent in state police to bring order outside Delaney Hall as the demonstrations have intensified, with violence and arrests increasing as night falls.

“It has grown unsafe, and that’s completely unacceptable,” the Democratic governor said at a news conference announcing the new measures. “We need to take this opportunity to lower the temperature.”

As police erected protest barriers, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who had formed an line in front of protesters moved inside the building’s perimeter fence.

New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz said ICE officers agreed to stand down with state police assuming responsibility.

Demonstrators had mixed reactions. Some staged a sit-in and refused to move into one of the new protest areas police set up using metal barriers and concrete blocks.

Rachel Cohen worried that demonstrators exercising their First Amendment rights were being silenced.

“It is not helpful to quell protest for the sake of a false peace,” she said. “There is no peace while we are torturing our neighbors on government dime inside this facility.”

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, on social media, called the measures a “win for law and order" and noted that Sherrill had resisted sending state police for days.

The protests began a week earlier after immigrant advocates said detainees inside launched a hunger strike over poor living conditions at the 1,000-bed facility, which opened last May.

Demonstrators have been attempting to block people and vehicles from entering and exiting, linking their arms in a human chain and using trash cans, umbrellas and other items as makeshift shields and barricades.

ICE officers wearing helmets and tactical vests have used pepper spray and batons to try to disperse the protesters and clear the roadway for vehicles.

At least six demonstrators were arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers Wednesday night, and more have been arrested on other nights, according to DHS.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche shared images online Friday of bloody wounds and bruises sustained by ICE officers.

“These riots are clearly not ‘peaceful protests’ as you can see from the photos of these horrific wounds,” he said. “Assault a federal officer, you’ll be held accountable.”

Another demonstrator, Lisa O’Dwyer, said she was fine with the designated protest areas.

“I like to get my point across and stay safe at the same time,” the Westfield resident said.

Eyesha Marable, pastor at Mt. Zion AME Church in Millburn, agreed even while acknowledging that there were “different schools of thought” among protesters.

“There are people here who are angry. Their family members are inside. Their friends are inside. People have been taken off the streets, out of their communities,” she said.

“We have to keep the peace,” Marable said. “The goal is to get our people free, to get them liberated, and we cannot do that if we’re fighting out here.”

State Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said it was important to “de-escalate” the situation as “violence, either against protesters or by protesters, is unacceptable.”

Sherril said she did not want to give ICE a “pretext” to expand operations in the state.

“We all need to do everything we can to cool things down now,” she said.

The governor and other Democratic officials tried to visit detainees on Monday but were denied entry.

Democratic members of Congress from New York City, however, were able to tour Delaney Hall the day after that. They reported dire conditions, with detainees being fed small portions of often spoiled food and their varied medical needs going ignored.

Families and supporters of detainees also say their loved ones have also been subjected to pepper spray and physical force in retaliation for their hunger strike and the protests outside.

___

Marcelo reported from New York.

The oil industry, meanwhile, said the program will still hinder efforts to bring down energy costs in the notoriously expensive state.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature last year reauthorized the state’s cap-and-trade program through 2045. The program sets a declining limit, or “cap,” on total greenhouse gas emissions in the state from major polluters. Companies must reduce their pollution, buy allowances from the state or other businesses, or fund projects aimed at offsetting their emissions. Similar programs exist across Europe and Asia, and California's system is linked with others in Quebec, Canada and Washington state.

Under the changes approved Friday, the state will now give away up to roughly $3.5 billion worth of allowances to companies — mostly manufacturers and oil refiners — for free if they build projects that help them reduce their emissions. State regulators said it is designed to ensure major businesses don’t leave the state, but environmentalists say it runs counter to the purpose of the program, which is aimed at incentivizing companies to reduce pollution so they can spend less on allowances. They also say it will mean there is less money to put toward programs designed to mitigate or reduce the impact of climate change.

California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez, formerly Newsom's chief climate adviser, says the changes will allow the state to remain a climate leader.

“Moving forward shows that we can be responsive to affordability concerns, new legislative direction, while also setting a clear signal for Californians, other states and global partners that we remain committed to driving long-term investments in clean energy jobs and reducing pollution in communities,” she said.

Changes to the program

California law requires the state to reduce its planet-warming emissions 40% and 85% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2045, respectively. Supporters of cap and trade say it will help the state reach those goals.

Newsom signed laws aimed at better aligning the declining cap on emissions with the state’s climate targets; setting aside money generated by the program for various climate, housing and transit initiatives; and potentially boosting carbon-removal projects. The legislation also changed the name to “cap and invest” to emphasize its funding of climate programs.

But how to achieve those goals has been the subject of months of discussion by the air board and intense lobbying campaigns by both environmental groups and the oil industry. An initial proposal largely focused on aligning the program with the laws passed last year, but it was changed to focus more on trying to reduce the program's costs.

California leaders have faced increased pressure to center affordability when shaping climate policies after two oil refineries announced their plans to close in the last couple of years. The Democratic-led state has also grappled with federal challenges to its climate agenda, including a measure Republican President Donald Trump signed last year blocking a first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The newly approved updates also increase funding from allowance sales by $2 billion from 2027 through 2030 for a program providing utility bill credits to Californians and set aside about $800 million to help businesses participating in cap and trade limit the program’s costs on Californians.

Before the changes, about $4 billion the state received annually from allowance sales helped pay for climate-change mitigation, affordable housing and transportation projects through a pot of money called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

Newsom and state lawmakers decide which programs receive money from the fund, and last year they agreed to allocate $1 billion annually for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project.

The updates will likely halve annual revenues for the fund, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. That is largely because of the new incentive program for manufacturers and refiners, said Danny Cullenward, a climate economist who is critical of the changes, though board staff disagrees with that.

Intense debate over the updates

This week’s deliberations by air regulators stretched into a second day after hours of public comment in which climate advocates, legal experts and fossil fuel industry leaders debated the rules’ impacts on pollution and people’s pocketbooks, with many urging the board to delay its vote to bring the regulations more in line with state priorities.

Environmentalists, Democratic lawmakers and other critics of the changes say they hinder the state’s efforts to reduce planet-warming emissions. Cullenward said the new incentive program for manufacturers and refiners is untested and lacks sufficient guardrails to ensure it is not abused.

“The state is not on track for its climate goals,” he said at a media briefing Wednesday. “Cutting our climate funding does not help address consumer cost concerns, and it doesn’t accelerate emission reductions.”

The board agreed Friday to hold off on issuing allowances from the new incentive program until the agency’s executive officer takes a closer look at the program and reports back to the board with any proposed amendments.

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund cuts will deal a huge blow to wide-ranging programs benefiting communities across the state, said Michelle Pariset, director of legislative affairs for social justice law firm Public Advocates.

“These are investments that determine whether a student can afford to take transit to school, whether a senior can get to a doctor’s appointment, whether a family can live near reliable transportation instead of enduring long commutes and higher costs,” Pariset said at the Wednesday briefing.

Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association, meanwhile said the updates move the state in the right direction but fail to adequately address energy affordability concerns for the future.

“California refineries need long-term certainty to make the investments that keep energy reliable and affordable for consumers –- and right now, that certainty stops at 2030,” she said in a statement.

The changes will increase California’s reliance on oil imports to meet its energy needs, said Rock Zierman, CEO of the California Independent Petroleum Association.

“That means high GHG emissions, fewer jobs, more expensive gasoline, and lower tax revenue for schools, police, fire, and parks,” Zierman said in a statement, using an acronym for greenhouse gas.

The NFL unveiled its full 2026 slate leaguewide, setting the stage for a season in which Detroit will once again play a central role in the NFC North race.

The Lions finished 2025 at 9-8, placing fourth in the division in a tight standings battle that included the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and division champion Chicago Bears.

Step back after dominant 2024 run

That finish marked a step back from Detroit’s dominant 2024 season, when the Lions went 15-2 to finish atop the NFC before being eliminated in the NFC Divisional Round at Ford Field by the Washington Commanders.

Despite the uneven finish, Detroit enters 2026 with roster continuity and key contract decisions already shaping its future.

Gibbs’ option exercised, Campbell’s declined

The team exercised the fifth-year option on running back Jahmyr Gibbs but declined the option for linebacker Jack Campbell.

Gibbs’ option is valued at $14.29 million for the 2027 season.

Campbell’s option was projected at $21.925 million, a figure that would have ranked among the league’s highest salaries for off-ball linebackers.

Backfield reshuffled after Montgomery trade

Gibbs is expected to carry a larger role in 2026 following the offseason trade of running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans.

In return, Detroit received offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and draft assets that were later involved in additional roster moves.

The Lions also traded up in the 2026 draft, sending picks to the New York Jets to select former Michigan Wolverines star, Derrick Moore.

Detroit used its first-round selection on offensive tackle Blake Miller, further investing in an offensive line expected to support Gibbs and the team’s quarterback.

The Lions also signed Super Bowl champion running back Isiah Pacheco to add depth in the backfield.

→ Detroit Lions trade up to select Michigan football star Derrick Moore with No. 44 pick in NFL draft

Gibbs chasing history

Through three NFL seasons, Gibbs, a former Alabama Crimson Tide standout, has totaled 49 touchdowns, the most by any player through their first three seasons in league history.

In 2025, he rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 616 receiving yards and five scores.

Campbell’s future still in focus

Campbell, 25, is coming off a standout 2025 season in which he earned first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl selection.

He led the team with 176 total tackles while adding nine tackles for loss, five sacks, and four passes defended.

Campbell earns All-Pro honors despite uncertain future

Linebacker Campbell is coming off a standout 2025 campaign, earning first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl selection.

He led Detroit with 176 tackles while adding nine tackles for loss, five sacks, and four passes defended.

General Manager Brad Holmes said after the draft that discussions continue regarding a long-term extension for Campbell, even after the team declined his fifth-year option.

The Lions are also working on potential extensions for other members of their 2023 draft class, including tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch.

The team is also pursuing extensions for other members of its 2023 draft class, including tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch.

→ Detroit Lions General Manager Brad Holmes explains trading up for Michigan football’s Derrick Moore

Favorable schedule sets stage for deep run

Head coach Dan Campbell enters the season with what is projected to be one of the NFL’s most favorable schedules, based on opponent win projections.

Detroit will also benefit from an additional home game at Ford Field under the league’s 17-game schedule format.

Here’s what the full 2026 season looks like for Detroit:

• Week 1, Sept.13: vs. New Orleans Saints -- 1 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 2: Sept. 17: @ Buffalo Bills-- 8:15 p.m. -- TNF -- Prime
• Week 3: Sept. 27: vs. New York Jets -- 1 p.m. -- Fox
• Week 4: Oct 4: @ Carolina Panthers -- 8:20 p.m. -- SNF -- NBC
• Week 5: Oct. 11: @Arizona Cardinals 4:25 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 6: Bye Week
• Week 7: Oct. 25: vs. Green Bay Packers -- 4:25 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 8: Nov. 1: Minnesota Vikings -- 1 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 9: Nov. 8: vs. Miami Dolphins -- 1 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 10: Nov. 15: vs. New England Patriots in Munich, Germany -- 9:30 a.m. -- FOX
• Week 11: Nov. 22: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- 1 p.m. -- CBS
• Week 12: Nov. 26: vs. Chicago Bears (Thanksgiving) -- 1 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 13: Dec. 6: @ Atlanta Falcons -- 1 p.m. -- CBS
• Week 14: Dec. 13: vs. Tennessee Titans -- 1 p.m. -- FOX
• Week 15: Dec. 20: @Minnesota Vikings -- 8:20 p.m. -- NBC
• Week 16: Dec. 28: vs. New York Giants -- 8:15 p.m. -- ESPN
• Week 17: Jan. 3: Chicago Bears -- 4:25 p.m.-- FOX
• Week 18: Green Bay Packers -- TBD

Mark your calendars pic.twitter.com/uZP6ECbXYr

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 14, 2026

This season, the Lions will play two Monday Night Football games, two Sunday Night Football games, one Thursday Night Football game, a game on Christmas, and their annual Thanksgiving Day games.

🚨 THE FULL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL AND NFL NETWORK SCHEDULE IS HERE 🚨@nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/JktF4FtRbq

— ESPN (@espn) May 15, 2026

Here’s a quick look back at the Lions’ 2025 schedule and outcomes:

• Week 1: @ Green Bay Packers Loss 13-27
• Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears Won 52-21
• Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens (MNF) Won 38-30
• Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns Won 34-10
• Week 5: @ Cincinnati Bengals Won 37-24
• Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs (SNF) Loss 17-30
• Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Won 24-9
• Week 8: Bye
• Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings Loss 24-27
• Week 10: at Washington Commanders Won 44-22
• Week 11: @ Philadelphia Eagles (SNF) Won 9-16
• Week 12: vs. New York Giants Won 34-27
• Week 13: vs. Green Bay Packers (Thanksgiving) Loss 24-31
• Week 14: vs. Dallas Cowboys (TNF) Won 44-30
• Week 15: @ Los Angeles Rams Loss 34-41
• Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Loss 24-29
• Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings (Christmas) Loss 10-23
• Week 18: @ Chicago Bears Won 19-16

Trump has warned that Cuba “is next” after U.S. military forces captured Venezuela's autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, in a January raid. In the months since, the Trump administration has imposed an oil blockade on Cuba, maintained warships in the Caribbean Sea and indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on federal charges.

Gen. Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, met with Lt. Gen. Roberto Legrá Sotolongo and other Cuban military officials.

Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces said in a statement that both sides viewed "the meeting positively because it addressed security issues along the perimeter separating the military enclave, and they agreed to maintain communication between the two military commands.”

Top Trump aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA chief John Ratcliffe, also have met with Cuban officials to explore possible improvements in relations. But the U.S. side has come away unimpressed from those talks, leading to even more sanctions imposed on the Cuban government.

Besides the meeting, Donovan also assessed the security of the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay and discussed the “safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials,” U.S. Southern Command said in a post on X.

The U.S. maintains the base despite decades of friction with Cuba's socialist leaders, whom Trump wants removed from power.

The U.S. military has a handful of Navy ships, including at least one amphibious assault ship, in the Caribbean, a much smaller force than was present at the time of the Maduro raid.

On Friday, the Pentagon announced that a new unit of 1,300 sailors and Marines would be replacing the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which deployed to the region last summer.

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Associated Press writer Andrea Rodríguez in Havana contributed to this report.

Meanwhile Trump held a White House Situation Room meeting with his advisers as he looks to make a “final determination” on moving forward on a deal to extend a ceasefire with Iran. Trump confirmed the high-level talks a day after the AP reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had reached a tentative agreement to extend the fragile ceasefire by 60 days and start new talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

And former Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to answer questions on Trump’s involvement in the release of case files on Jeffrey Epstein as she defended the administration’s actions in a closed-door interview before House lawmakers. Lawmakers have scrutinized the Justice Department’s release of the files, which was delayed and revealed the personal information of potential victims.

Here's the latest:

Trump claims he’s making food more affordable, but his examples ignore the big picture

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, the president proclaimed “TRUMP’S MAKING FOOD AFFORDABLE,” and cited falling prices for a range of groceries, including avocados, fresh berries, and a variety of pantry staples. Yet just two weeks earlier the Labor Department had released inflation figures showing grocery prices up nearly 3% in April from a year earlier.

So where’s the reality?

The graphic shared by Trump may be correct about the specific items he listed. It’s hard to know because he used data that isn’t publicly available and he didn’t specify what time frame he used.

But specific grocery items go up and down all the time, and his post ignores the broader reality consumers are facing at the supermarket: Overall, food prices have risen since his inauguration, and at a faster pace than they typically did before the pandemic. Most economists expect them to continue to do so in the coming months as a spike in diesel fuel prices lifts the cost of shipping groceries to stores around the country.

▶ Read more

Pentagon-led talks between Israel and Lebanon conclude

The Pentagon said the security-related talks were “productive” but stopped short of noting any accomplishments or achievements.

The statement released late Friday said the “military-to-military talks focused on building practical frameworks for regional security and stability” and “tangible outcomes” from the discussions will directly inform negotiations with political leaders conducted by the State Department next week.

Talks between senior Israeli and Lebanese officials have been going on since last month but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah, Israel’s target, is not participating and has refused to accept their results.

ICE officer arrested in shooting during Minneapolis immigration crackdown

Christian Castro, who was wanted in the shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Trump administration’s crackdown, was arrested Friday in Texas, authorities said.

Castro, 52, was taken into custody 11 days after Minneapolis prosecutors charged him with assault and falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 nonfatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minnesota, said the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located Castro in Texas, and the Texas Rangers said they assisted in the arrest in Cameron County, which borders Mexico.

Online court records did not list an attorney for Castro, and it was not immediately clear if he has one.

Castro is the second federal agent to be charged over conduct during the Minnesota crackdown and one of two agents that ICE Director Todd Lyons said lied about the circumstances of the incident.

Prosecutors say Castro fired through a home’s front door and shot Sosa-Celis in the thigh after Castro and another officer chased a different man to the Minneapolis apartment duplex where he and Sosa-Celis lived.

Tomatoes become latest symbol of America’s affordability squeeze

Tomatoes, ubiquitous in everything from fast-food burgers to haute cuisine, are taking on a new role beyond the plate: A nagging reminder of rising costs.

Prices for those red orbs have soared more than any other food product over the past year to cement a spot as one of the consumer headaches du jour.

Tomato prices are up about 40% over a year ago, according to the latest Consumer Price Index, dwarfing increases for other groceries, including coffee (up 18.5%), beef roasts (up 17.8%) and frozen fish and seafood (up 12%), among other products that have become symbols of America’s affordability squeeze.

Alongside crop yields, experts blame price increases for tomatoes, in part, on two pillars of President Donald Trump’s second-term policies: the Iran war and tariffs. The war spiked gas prices and increased shipping costs. Meantime, the U.S. withdrew from a deal allowing duty-free imports of tomatoes from Mexico, which grows most of America’s supply.

▶ Read more

Trump jumps into GOP governor primaries in South Carolina and Iowa

The president waded into primary contests that have pitted allies against each other in a fierce competition for their party leader’s blessing. In a pair of social media posts, he gave his backing to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra.

Trump expressed appreciation for Evette and her state, noting that she stumped for him in 2024. He also said “A BIG added plus” for her is that Henry McMaster Jr. — the sitting governor’s son — may be Evette’s running mate.

Separately Trump described Feenstra as “MAGA all the way” and said he would “fight tirelessly” on issues including the economy, border security and support of law enforcement.

Both Evette and Feenstra have been vocal about wanting Trump’s endorsement, in the hopes that it would carry weight in states that helped propel his return to office in 2024.

What to know about the artists backing out of the Trump-linked Freedom 250 concerts

“The Great American State Fair” is a series of concerts, exhibits, tributes and other programs scheduled for June 25 to July 10 on Washington’s National Mall. It was organized by Freedom 250, which is billed as a nonpartisan organization but was launched last year by the president and is headed by a Trump State Department appointee from his first term.

On Wednesday, Freedom 250 announced that Bret Michaels, the Commodores and Martina McBride would be among the musical performers. But by late Thursday, all three dropped out, as did Morris Day and Young MC.

Michaels and others have said they were misled about the theme of the shows or were otherwise wary of being caught up in a political fight.

Freedom 250 organizers have yet to respond to AP requests for comment. Spokesperson Rachel Reisner told The New York Times that “Freedom 250 is focused on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans.”

▶ Read more

US and China trade journalist expulsions days after Trump visits Xi in Beijing

The Trump administration has revoked the visa of a Chinese national working for state news agency Xinhua, an apparent reciprocal act to Beijing’s decision to expel a New York Times reporter.

A person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because it involves visa privacy confirmed the visa had been revoked. A State Department official confirmed there was a plan to revoke it.

The move followed China’s expulsion of Times correspondent Vivian Wang, apparently over the appearance of the Taiwanese leader in a DealBook event in which Wang had no role.

The Times, which first reported the reciprocal move, said it does not ask governments to revoke media credentials or otherwise interfere with the work of any journalist. It called for Wang’s reinstatement and urged both governments to “reverse this deterioration in journalist access.”

The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

— Didi Tang and Matthew Lee

US commander meets with Cuban military officials as Trump continues pressure on island nation

The top U.S. military leader in Latin America and the Cuban officials met Friday in what Southern Command characterized as a “brief exchange on operational security matters” near the U.S. Navy base on Guantanamo Bay.

Gen. Francis L. Donovan also “led a perimeter security assessment of the naval base and discussed force protection, safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials,” Southern Command said on the social platform X.

The meeting comes as the U.S. military maintains a presence of warships in the Caribbean Sea and the Trump administration applies pressure on Cuba with an oil blockade. Trump has warned that Cuba “is next” after capturing Venezuela’s autocratic leader in a January military operation.

Trump says he’s backing away from Kennedy Center renovation and returning control to Congress

Hours after a federal judge ordered his name removed from the arts institution, the president said the judge “should be ashamed of himself” in a social media post.

“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,’” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump also said he has instructed his administration to “make all necessary arrangements” to have the center transferred to Congress.

Federal judge says New Hampshire must loosen requirements to prove citizenship to vote

New Hampshire must make voter registration easier by allowing applicants to attest to their U.S. citizenship if they don’t have the documents to prove it, the judge said.

The case was seen as the first major legal test of an election reform that has been pushed nationally by Trump and has gained favor among many Republicans, although U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliot said she was not deciding whether requiring proof of citizenship itself is constitutional.

Her ruling late Thursday night on a narrower question of New Hampshire law was significant, however, because it underscored the potential perils of implementing strict requirements for voters to document their U.S. citizenship so they can cast a ballot.

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Kennedy Center board broke the law putting Trump’s name on the building, judge says, and blocks its closure for renovations

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper concluded Friday that the board “overstepped its statutory bounds” by unilaterally adding Trump’s name to the center. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, he said, and only Congress can change it.

The judge also ruled that the board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations.

“The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,” he wrote.

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Iran’s nuclear issues remain unresolved

A deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz “has not yet been finalized,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told a state broadcaster on Friday.

On Thursday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance suggested negotiators were trying to strike general terms on Iran’s nuclear program, with the specifics to be hammered out in the ensuing talks.

Baghaei, however, said Friday that Iranian officials were “focused on the end of war and are not discussing the details of the nuclear plan at this point.”

Trump’s Situation Room meeting on Iran ceasefire has concluded

Trump has finished his meeting with national security aides to weigh a framework of an agreement that would extend the U.S. ceasefire with Iran by 60 days and kickstart new talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a senior administration official.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on whether Trump had made a decision to sign off on the tentative agreement following the roughly two-hour meeting.

— Aamer Madhani

Kennedy Center board broke the law putting Trump’s name on the building, judge says, and blocks its closure for renovations

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper concluded Friday that the board “overstepped its statutory bounds” by unilaterally adding Trump’s name to the center. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, he said, and only Congress can change it.

The judge also ruled that the board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations.

“The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,” he wrote.

Rubio calls Lebanese president as Israel-Lebanon security talks begin at the Pentagon

The U.S. secretary of state had a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to praise him for pursuing peace talks with Israel, as Israel and Lebanon held their first security-related meeting in Washington at the Pentagon.

Rubio “commended President Aoun’s courage and vision in pursuing direct negotiations with Israel, even as Hezbollah continues its attempts to derail those talks at the expense of the Lebanese people,” the State Department said in a statement Friday.

Talks between senior officials from Israel and Lebanon have been going on since last month but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah, Israel’s target, is not participating in the discussions and has refused to accept their results.

Rubio told Aoun that Hezbollah “is entirely responsible for the ongoing fighting and emphasized the need for Hezbollah to immediately cease its attacks and provocations to enable de-escalation.”

Trump administration grants a rare reprieve, shielding 11,000 Lebanese from deportation

The decision on their Temporary Protected Status allows them to stay and work in the United States for another six months.

Unusually, the decision was automatic, meaning the administration missed the deadline to decide on whether to extend TPS for Lebanese people covered by the program.

The Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday that officials “were unable to make an informed determination on Lebanon’s TPS designation.” It comes amid ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants.

Republicans have harshly criticized the TPS program, which was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.

White House moves to give political appointees more power over federal grants

Scientists say this would put critical research funding into the hands of partisans without relevant expertise. It would be the most sweeping change to the federal grantmaking process in years.

The proposed regulations would require senior appointees to review funding to see if it complies with the law and the president’s priorities. The rules would also give administration officials more freedom to terminate grants that have already been awarded, a process that could jeopardize millions of dollars in ongoing research.

The Office of Management and Budget claims the reforms are needed for greater accountability. It says the Biden administration wasted taxpayer dollars on “woke” programs.

Published Friday, the plan will enter a public comment period before a final rule will be issued.

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Ex-Iowa school district leader who was arrested in Trump’s immigration crackdown gets 2 years in prison

Ian Roberts pleaded guilty in January to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and illegally possessing firearms, which together carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

He would serve the sentence before he is likely deported to his native Guyana in South America.

His lawyers had proposed that he be put on probation “to facilitate his removal from the United States.” Prosecutors recommended a sentence of more than three years, saying his likely deportation should not be a factor.

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Louisiana lawmakers pass a new congressional map designed to pick up a Republican seat

The new map is also likely to leave the state with just one of its two majority-Black House districts represented by Democrats.

Approval of the new House map came a month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state’s current map as an illegal racial gerrymander, weakening the landmark 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. That decision intensified a national redistricting battle fueled by Trump’s efforts to protect the Republicans’ slim House majority in the midterm elections.

Louisiana Republicans had considered drawing a map giving the party a shot at winning all six of the state’s U.S. House seats. But that would have required adding more Black voters to Republican-held districts, potentially backfiring with losses. Some Republicans said a 5-1 map better protects U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from facing a difficult reelection.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to sign the new map into law.

Bondi interview concludes after 4 hours

Democratic lawmakers say former attorney general told them she would not answer questions about Trump’s involvement in the release of case files on Jeffrey Epstein.

She also said Todd Blanche, her former deputy who is now the acting attorney general, had overseen the publication of case files.

Bondi refuses to answer lawmakers’ questions about Trump’s involvement in Epstein files release

Bondi was on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview in which she defended the administration’s actions before House lawmakers who are scrutinizing a process that was delayed and included personal information of potential victims.

Democratic lawmakers said Bondi told them she would not speak about the president in Friday’s interview and, accompanied by a lawyer from the Department of Justice, cited her ability to decline questions because she agreed to appear before the committee voluntarily.

“It’s a sham in there. They are not answering any questions,” said Democratic Rep. Dave Min during a break in the interview.

Trump says only the US and China are capable of removing Iran’s enriched uranium

The president in his online post also turned back to his on-and-off demand that the highly-enriched uranium buried under nuclear sites badly damaged during last year’s U.S. air bombardment of Iran be removed as part of a deal.

“The enriched material, sometimes referred to as ‘Nuclear Dust,’ which is buried deep underground with virtually collapsed mountains, caused by our powerful B2 Bomber attack 11 months ago, sitting on top of it, will be unearthed by the United States (which, it is agreed, is the only Country, along with China, with the mechanical capability of doing so!), in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and DESTROYED,” Trump said.

Trump has offered mixed messages over the course of the three-month conflict on the importance of removing the enriched uranium. Earlier this month, he told Fox News’ Sean Hannity he’d “just feel better if I got” the uranium, but that “it’s more for public relations than it is for anything else.”

Louisiana Republicans are poised to pass new US House districts in wider redistricting fight

The state’s Republican-controlled Senate is poised to pass a plan Friday to help the GOP maintain control of the U.S. House in November, potentially becoming the latest Southern state to eliminate a majority-Black congressional district that elected a Democrat.

The state Senate is set to vote on a redistricting plan that would give Republicans a chance to pick up an additional seat in response to late April’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Louisiana’s congressional district map constituted an illegal racial gerrymander.

An amended map overwhelmingly passed the House on Thursday. Once the final map clears the Legislature, Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to sign it.

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Hegseth meets with leaders of Vietnam and Singapore at Asian defense conference

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has met with leaders from Vietnam and Singapore to discuss shared security interests, the Pentagon said Friday.

The separate meetings occurred on the sidelines during the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s annual defense and security forum in Singapore.

Hegseth praised Vietnam’s decision to join the Board of Peace and for committing troops and police to the International Stabilization Force in Gaza. Hegseth also applauded the modernization of Vietnam’s military and discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation, including on unmanned naval capabilities.

Hegseth and Singapore’s leaders discussed expanding the U.S. military’s presence in Singapore with rotational deployments from the Navy and Air Force. Meanwhile, Hegseth reaffirmed the American commitment to support advanced training for Singapore’s military in the U.S.

Pam Bondi defends administration’s release of Epstein case files as she testifies before lawmakers

The former attorney general stood behind the Trump administration’s release of the case files on Jeffrey Epstein as she testified Friday before House lawmakers scrutinizing a process that was delayed and included personal information of potential victims.

Bondi, who arrived Friday morning on Capitol Hill for her closed-door interview, was defiant in previous public testimony when she was confronted by lawmakers about the Epstein investigation. In her opening statement, she kept to the same tack.

“The bottom line is: justice and transparency in this matter have been delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration,” she said, according to a written copy of her opening statement.

The transcribed Bondi interview gave lawmakers a chance to dig for information on the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files and other related matters, including the prison sentence of Epstein’s former girlfriend and confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell.

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Trump meeting with aides to make ‘final determination’ on moving forward with Iran deal

The president says he’s holding a White House Situation Room meeting with his advisers.

Trump confirmed the high-level White House talks Friday, a day after The Associated Press and other news outlets reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had come to terms on a tentative agreement.

The deal would extend the fragile ceasefire by 60 days as new talks are held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

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White House declines comment on judge’s ruling blocking payouts from ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

The White House referred all questions to the Justice Department, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys from the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward are seeking a court order halting the fund’s implementation and preventing the Trump administration from disbursing any payouts from it. The federal suit claims there’s no legal basis or accountability behind the fund.

At least two other lawsuits, both filed separately in Washington, also are challenging the fund’s creation.

The company fueled the hulking New Glenn rocket Thursday night, hoping to briefly ignite the engines ahead of a satellite launch next week. But the 321-foot (98-meter), rocket blew up, taking part of the pad with it.

Aerial views on Friday revealed heaps of crumpled structures on the ground, with just one tower and the water tank still standing. Emergency officials warned the public to avoid any wreckage that might wash ashore and to instead call 911. There were no reported deaths or injuries.

It’s a major setback for Blue Origin, coming just one month after the entire New Glenn fleet was grounded because of an upper-stage engine issue that dumped a satellite in the wrong orbit.

Named after John Glenn, the first American in orbit, New Glenn is the rocket that Blue Origin plans to use to launch landers to the moon under NASA's Artemis program that aims to build a sprawling base near the moon's south pole. The goal is to land the first Artemis moonwalkers as early as 2028. Earlier this week, the space agency awarded a new contract to Blue Origin worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

One of the biggest rockets to reach orbit, New Glenn has seven first-stage engines fueled by liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas, which is essentially methane. It has flown three times.

None of the assigned 48 Amazon Leo satellites were on board the newest rocket when the blast occurred. Another batch of Amazon Leo satellites — competing with SpaceX's Starlinks to provide internet service to remote locales — lifted off from another pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday night, courtesy of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket.

It was the second launch of the day. SpaceX launched more Starlinks to orbit Friday morning, within 12 hours of the explosion. CEO Elon Musk has two Florida pads in action, one on the Space Force side where the latest Falcon 9 lifted off and the other at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Blue Origin has just one Florida pad: Launch Complex 36 dating back to the early 1960s. NASA's Mariner and Pioneer interplanetary probes rocketed away from there, as well as the moon-bound Rangers and Surveyors. The Washington state-based Blue Origin spent more than $1 billion rebuilding the launch complex — taking it from double pads to a single — after leasing it from the Air Force in 2015.

The company's smaller New Shepard rockets soar from Texas, skimming space for a few minutes with tourists and science experiments. Those suborbital hops were paused in January so the company could focus on New Glenn and upcoming moonshots. All that is now on hold, pending the investigation into the explosion.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said late Thursday that the space agency will evaluate near-term impacts to the Artemis program, which saw four astronauts fly around the moon in April. That Artemis II mission was hoisted by NASA's Space Launch System rocket.

Before the explosion, Blue Origin was on track to launch a prototype lunar lander to the moon on a New Glenn this fall, with another lander due to rocket into orbit around Earth in 2027 for docking practice by the soon-to-be-announced Artemis III crew.

A touchdown by two astronauts on Artemis IV — using a Blue Moon lander or SpaceX's Starship, whichever is ready first — was targeted as early as 2028.

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

A tank containing more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of a mixture used to break down wood for making paper collapsed Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, a city of 40,000 along the Columbia River.

The collapse expelled a flood of caustic chemicals powerful enough to blow out building walls and overturn pickup trucks at the site. The liquid, called white liquor, causes severe burns on contact and lung damage if vapors are inhaled.

What happens during the recovery process

The recovery of victims has been slow and methodical, complicated by the dangers posed by the remaining chemicals and other industrial hazards, said Matt Amos, Longview fire battalion chief.

Six bodies were found on Thursday. That night, crews used vacuum trucks to siphon away much of the remaining liquid, allowing search teams to look farther into the site on Friday, Amos said.

Crews were steering clear of a zone closest to the tank and they've been working with engineers to determine which damaged buildings near it are safe to enter.

As they collect the remains, crews must decontaminate them before turning them over to the coroner’s office for identification. The searchers also must decontaminate themselves.

The cause of the disaster is under investigation. Eight people were injured, including a firefighter who was treated and released from a hospital. Authorities did not have an update on the condition of those still hospitalized.

Who was killed in the chemical tank disaster

Authorities have not released the names of those who were killed, but friends and relatives had begun confirming their names and posting online fundraisers to support their families.

Among the victims were brothers Tyler and Brad Covington, who worked together at the plant. An online effort to support Tyler Covington's family noted he “leaves behind his wife and their three beautiful children, who are now trying to navigate a future without the man who was their rock, protector, and greatest source of love and support.”

Gilbert Bernal, a grandfather who was an electrician at the plant, was the first confirmed death, his friend Todd Cornwell said.

“He was one of the most genuinely good people that you’ve ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it,” Cornwell said.

John Forsberg, who also died in the collapse, was witty, kind and “wicked smart,” said friend Kole Musgrove, who hosts a trivia night at Ashtown Brewing in Longview where Forsberg regularly competed. The brewery is renaming its trivia trophy the Forsberg Cup to honor him.

“It seemed like there was never a fact he didn't know,” Musgrove said. “He was also a tremendous sport — he was always the first to cheer for another team when they won.”

A GoFundMe post sought donations for Forsberg's two children.

CJ Doran, 26, was “the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider,” according to a GoFundMe post verified by the crowdfunding site.

Other victims included Jared Ammons, who had two children and another on the way, and Braydon Finkas, an electrician at the plant, who, along with his longtime partner, Kaitlyn Kincaid, hosted exchange students and others in need, according to their friend Rex Czuba.

Finkas moved to Cathlamet about four years ago to build a house and start a farm, Czuba said. He always was willing to help other farmers cut hay or load equipment, or buy a beer for a new face in their small town, he said.

“He really jumped in and became a part of the community so quickly,” Czuba said.

The tank failure also injured eight people, including a firefighter. Some suffered burns or inhalation injuries, authorities said.

The mill’s Japanese parent company, Nippon Paper Group, said in an updated statement Friday it was offering its “heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.”

What's the impact of the spill on the area

At a press conference Friday, officials said the city’s drinking water remained safe.

The community, which was founded at the confluence of the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers by a Kansas City timber baron in the 1920s, has deep ties to paper and lumber industries.

Generations of families have worked in the mills, and many residents who spoke with The Associated Press had family members or friends connected to the Nippon Dynawave plant. The sprawling facility, which employs about 1,000 people, makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates and cartons. It sits along the Columbia River next to other timber, paper and chemical businesses.

Fishing and recreational activities in the Columbia River are safe, said Courtney Serad, on-scene coordinator with the state Department of Ecology. However, the agency has collected 23 fish that died in drainage ditches following the initial chemical release and anticipates that any dead fish found in the Columbia River will be from those ditches.

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Johnson reported from Seattle and Rush from Portland, Oregon. Associated Press writers Martha Bellisle and Hallie Golden in Seattle and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

Trump said in response that he’s backing away from his proposed renovation and returning control of the arts institution to Congress.

“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND,’” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations. The administration had announced the work would begin in July and last approximately two years, but Cooper's ruling halts those plans for now.

“The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,” he wrote.

Cooper also concluded that the board “overstepped its statutory bounds” by unilaterally adding Trump’s name to the center. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it, he said.

The judge, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, ordered the defendants to remove Trump's name from the institution's façade and any “official materials,” such as digital or physical signs, within two weeks.

"May the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts be renamed absent Congressional authorization? The answer, plain from the face of the statute, is no. Nor can any other individual be memorialized on the front portico of the building," Cooper wrote.

Trump said the judge “should be ashamed of himself” in a social media post hours after the decision was issued.

The Republican president said he instructed his administration to “make all necessary arrangements” to have the center transferred to Congress.

Trump determined to leave his mark on DC

Trump has made it a priority of his second term to leave his personal stamp on some of the most historic spots in Washington. He demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom. His name or image has been added to government buildings, including the U.S. Institute of Peace and Justice Department headquarters. He is pushing for a triumphal arch overlooking the Potomac River.

Opponents have challenged other Trump construction projects in court — and won favorable rulings. But the district court judges likely won't have the final say as the administration pursues appeals.

Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, said Friday the institution is “confident that on appeal the court will uphold the Board’s will to recognize President Trump’s historic contributions to our nation’s cultural center.” She said the decision would be reviewed “carefully.”

“Though the reality remains — the Center requires an urgent and significant restoration – a truth that even the plaintiff acknowledges,” Daravi said. “With $257 million secured by President Trump and approved by Congress, the resources are in place and we remain committed to pursuing every lawful avenue to ensure the Trump Kennedy Center is restored as a national cultural landmark for all Americans to enjoy.”

Cooper held hearings in late April for parallel lawsuits challenging the project. One was filed by a group of cultural and historic preservation organizations. The other was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board. He ruled in favor of Beatty’s request but rejected the other challenge.

Beatty called the decision a win for the Kennedy Center and the performing arts. “Now hopefully people can come back to work, we can continue to be the Kennedy Center that we were intended to be,” she told The Associated Press.

Justice Department attorneys said renovation plans for the building are limited in scope and well within the board’s authority to make without needing outside approvals.

How much of an overhaul is needed?

The plaintiffs worry the president and his board allies will flout preservation rules designed to maintain the building’s historic fabric. In earlier statements in court hearings, attorneys for Beatty and the preservation groups raised doubts about the limited scope of the project, pointing to Trump’s statements that he would “fully expose” the building’s steel skeleton.

Beatty has said she was “very fearful that we’ll see what happened with the East Wing and what happened with the Rose Garden” if the center is closed and the renovations allowed unsupervised, referring to major changes the president has made at the White House.

Mike Floca, the Kennedy Center’s executive director and chief operating officer, spent several weeks during the spring walking a bipartisan group of lawmakers and their staffs, along with journalists and Washington city officials, through the expansive building that sprawls across 1.5 million square feet.

The tours were intended to show that the Kennedy Center, which began construction in 1965, was in genuine need of an overhaul. The walkthroughs showed severe water damage, apparent in some places through discoloration and pooling. Some pieces of equipment, including several 800-ton chillers that help cool the building, are decades old and in need of replacement.

Floca told reporters in April that he considered doing the repairs individually but insisted it was his recommendation to Trump to close the building and move forward with the renovation all at once.

Trump has taken a keen interest in the Kennedy Center’s operations since he returned to the White House last year. He installed a handpicked board that named him chairman. His name was added to the façade of a building that is considered a living monument to Kennedy.

The Kennedy Center has kept up performances ahead of the closure, though at a much slower pace than in previous years. Trump attended the premiere of the musical “Chicago” in March and other shows, including “Moulin Rouge,” are slated for June.

Bill Maher, the comedian who has had an up and down relationship with Trump, is expected to be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on June 28, an event that was anticipated to be one of the final big moments at the Kennedy Center before the closure.

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Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Collin Binkley and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Nearly 24 hours after Jacob Baker was arrested, residents were struggling to understand what happened and were eager for answers on why authorities zeroed in on the 36-year-old as their suspect in the killings of the men who were all nearing or in their 70s.

Baker remained jailed on suspicion of murder, burglary and other charges.

Court records show Baker having repeated run-ins with police for a variety of offenses. And people who live in Puna told The Associated Press that their concern about Baker in recent days accelerated, portraying him as increasingly threatening.

Baker is accused of being involved in the deaths of three men: a 69-year-old man found partially submerged in a cement pond, a 79-year-old man who was found just a few hundred feet (meters) away, and a third man, also 69, whose body was found about 19 miles (31 kilometers) away. As of Friday, prosecutors had not yet filed charges.

Police identified the first victim as Robert Shine and the third victim as John Carse. The name of the 79-year-old man was pending positive identification but friends identified him as Chitta Morse.

Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna said investigators had not found any connections among the victims, other than two of them lived near each other.

Fixtures at drum circles

Friends of Shine and Morse say the men moved to Puna for its off-grid, tropical and communal lifestyle.

Shine enjoyed dancing and swaying to the beat at drum circles, usually on Sunday afternoons, said Donald Hyatt, a drummer.

Hyatt last saw Shine at a party last month. A local rock-and-roll band was playing and Shine was dancing around.

“He was dancing like he loved life,” Hyatt recalled. “Bob had a permanent smile. Always in good spirits.”

Morse moved from Van Nuys, California 40 years ago “to live off-grid and to live in a warm tropical place, and to eat fruit,” said friend Jezuz Cinderland. “For 40 years he only ate raw food. Since he got to the island he just went completely raw and this was just the right environment for him to do it.”

On land rich with volcanic soil on Papaya Farms Road, Morse had what Cinderland called a “fruit forest,” growing things like coconut, avocado and durian.

“He would just share all the fruit he had,” Cinderland said. “The most fabulous abundance that you can imagine.”

While Morse had previously been a member of the raw-food commune Cinderland moved to Puna to join, in recent years Morse was a loner, Cinderland said.

Shine was a member of Cinderland's commune, which has been shuttered by the county for various code violations, Cinderland said.

Work-trade life

Janelle Honer, who also grew fruit on Papaya Farms Road, seems to be what connected Baker to the men, who often attended pot luck dinners and parties on Honer's property.

Baker had been living on Honer's property in exchange for climbing and trimming coconut trees, her ex-husband, Stephen Shaffer said. Trading work for living accommodations is common in Puna.

Hyatt said Baker left the cabin he was living in on Honer's property months ago but returned recently claiming “squatter’s rights" and threatened Honer. Hyatt said he urged her to seek a restraining order.

The slayings happened just days after two women requested temporary restraining orders against Baker, saying he had threatened and harassed them at a farm. One woman was staying there and the other co-owned it. A judge denied both applications, saying there was not enough proof of harassment.

No attorney was listed for Baker, who had 20 other cases in the court record in the past two decades, many of them traffic infractions. In most of those cases, Baker represented himself.

Honer, who Shaffer said was traveling out of the country, couldn't be reached for comment.

A memorial for the men was planned for Saturday next to Honer’s place.

Puna is one of the few places in Hawaii where there's affordable land, and the area's infrastructure hasn't kept up with its growth, said Ashley Kierkiewicz, who represents Puna on the county council.

While Puna has a reputation as a quirky frontier, it's also a place rich in culture where people are resilient and lean on each other, she said.

Puna, with its landscape that's a mix of lush jungle and barren lava-rock fields, also struggles with drugs, poverty and limited resources, said longtime resident Tiffany Edwards Hunt.

“People have this mistaken impression that they can come to Hawaii and heal,” she said. “Hawaii can either really be kind to you or it can chew you up and spit you out.”

Surveillance cameras aid capture

Mark Wyatt and Richard Valdez played a key role in Baker’s capture, calling the police when their surveillance camera system pinged Valdez’s phone and it showed Baker on their property on Thursday. Their property is about a half-mile from Carse's home, but they didn't know him well.

The videos show Baker, shirtless and barefoot, with a dog walking near a road and getting down on the ground as cars went by, in an apparent attempt to avoid being seen.

“He was ducking from the traffic, so it was pretty obvious" that he was trying to avoid being found, Valdez said.

Authorities arrested Baker a short distance away after finding him in a small cave, police said.

Wyatt said he believed Baker had been hiding near his property in a small, makeshift camping spot over a bluff overlooking the ocean. He said Baker stole couch cushions from a container outside his home and some charcoal, and Baker used coconut tree palm fronds to cover the site.

Valdez said he hadn’t seen Baker in about two years. Back then, he said, Baker was living next door to them, renting space from their neighbor while trimming coconuts from trees and selling them just off the area’s main road. He lived next door for about six months, Valdez said.

“He told me he was from Maui and that he had just had a newborn baby and his girlfriend had left and that he was trying to get his life together,” Valdez said. “So he seemed pretty normal and conscientious, so it’s hard to fathom that this happened.”

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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut.

In two years with the University of Michigan, May has turned an 8-24 program into banner central, winning the Big Ten Tournament championship in 2025, the 2026 Players Era Men’s Championship, the regular-season Big Ten championship in 2026, and reaching the Final Four in Indianapolis before bringing home the national championship.

But May said some of the old banners will be raised to the rafters in the future.

On Wednesday (May 27), May was part of a four-person panel to discuss the Final Four returning to Detroit for the first time since 2009, when it was held at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions.

On the panel was Michigan State Spartans head basketball coach Tom Izzo, Detroit Pistons lead color commentator, and 1979 national champion Greg Kelser, May and Fab Five legend Jalen Rose, who was joyful about his alma mater bringing home the title for the first time since 1989.

May hopes the Wolverines’ future success can reconnect one of the program’s most iconic eras with the present.

While sitting next to Rose, May suggested members of the Fab Five could be included alongside them.

“We look forward to adding another banner in Crisler with Jalen and the guys on it,” May said. “Sooner than later.”

He spoke glowingly about building relationships with former Michigan stars, particularly the Fab Five, who transformed college basketball culture in the early 1990s.

“It’s been tough because I was a super fan,” May said. “I grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, and one year when they were the Fab Five, we convinced the director to change our AAU team name for one year to Bloomington Blue.”

May joked that he and his teammates copied the Fab Five’s black socks and style while following the Wolverines during their back-to-back national title game appearances in 1992 and 1993.

He later described an emotional moment when assistant coach Aheem Miskdeen met former Michigan standout Ray Jackson during the NCAA Tournament.

“I’ve never hugged a man longer than I just hugged Ray Jackson,” May said, laughing about Miskdeen.

The Fab Five, consisting of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Rose, and Jackson, helped revolutionize college basketball with their style, swagger, and cultural impact.

The Fab Five 〽️ pic.twitter.com/TXwKhptsWx

— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) April 5, 2026

However, their Final Four appearances and records were later vacated by the NCAA because of rules violations tied to booster Ed Martin.

Michigan removed the banners associated with Crisler Center in 2002.

Rose praised May for embracing former players and continuing to build connections across generations of Michigan basketball.

“Thank you for not only bridging the gap, but delivering the goods,” Rose said. “The way you handle yourself with class and intellect is something we can all embody.”

Rose also emphasized the significance of Detroit hosting the 2027 Final Four, pointing to the city’s sports resurgence and downtown revitalization.

“When we talk about the Final Four being in Detroit, it really talks about the growth of a city and how sports can be an anchor of a town,” Rose said.

Reunion

The Fab Five were together on-site at the Final Four on April 4 for the first time in almost 30 years, alongside host Adam Lefkoe, to share live reactions and timeless stories with their unique perspectives on the (no-so) heavyweight matchup as Michigan destroyed the Arizona Wildcats 91-73 before advancing to the title game against the UConn Huskies.

Following the Wolverines’ Elite Eight blowout victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, May highlighted the cultural impact of the Fab Five, who helped reshape college basketball in the early 1990s.

“The Fab Five did as much culturally for our sport as anyone since I’ve been alive, other than MJ (Michael Jordan),” May said.

May also spoke about the Fab Five getting their banners back following their blowout victory, taking down the Gonzaga Bulldogs 101-61 in Las Vegas, while on the set with Yaxel Lendeborg, Webber, and Rose, telling them, “We want to make you guys proud as you put Michigan on the map. We’re as recognizable as we are because of guys like you, so tip of the cap.”

Regarding the banners, May said during the postgame with Rose and Webber, “It’s going to happen. We’re going to find a way.”

The entrance of Israel’s troops into the village of Dibbine, near the town of Marjayoun, came as Israeli airstrikes killed at least six people. Five were killed in an airstrike on the villages of Deir Qanoun al Nahr and Abbasiyeh, while a municipal policeman was killed in the village of Ebba, state media reported.

In Washington, a six-member Lebanese military delegation met Friday with Israeli military officials in the first direct military talks between the two countries in decades.

The Pentagon, in a statement released late Friday, said the talks were “productive” but stopped short of noting any accomplishments or achievements. It said the talks "focused on building practical frameworks for regional security and stability” and the “tangible outcomes” from their discussions will directly inform the negotiations with political leaders being conducted by the State Department next week.

Talks between senior officials from Israel and Lebanon have been going on since last month but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah, Israel’s target, is not participating in the discussions and has refused to accept their results.

A nominal ceasefire went into effect on April 17. A senior Lebanese military official told The Associated Press earlier on Friday that the Lebanese delegation, led by the army's head of operations Brig. Gen. George Rizkallah, would aim to make it comprehensive.

The official added the Lebanese delegation will request the reactivation of the committee monitoring the enforcement of an earlier U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted the war between Israel and Hezbollah in late 2024.

Another Lebanese official, who was briefed throughout the day about the talks at the Pentagon, also said the delegation would seek the comprehensive implementation of the ceasefire and a stop to ongoing hostilities.

He said implementation would be followed by talks at a later date on matters such as deploying the Lebanese army along the border and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the ongoing talks in Washington.

President Joseph Aoun's office said he received a call Friday from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they discussed the situation in Lebanon and the latest developments in the Middle East. Aoun's office said the president told Rubio that efforts should concentrate on implementing the ceasefire as it is “the essential entry point for transitioning to any other issues.”

In April, Lebanon and Israel held the first direct talks in Washington in more than three decades.

The Israeli military issued several evacuation warnings for southern Lebanon on Friday, forcing hundreds of families to flee to safer areas further north.

Israeli troops fought Hezbollah fighters inside the villages of Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sahrqieh near the city of Nabatieh after they crossed the strategic Litani River, which the Israeli military has used as a de facto boundary. Large areas to the south are under Israeli military control, despite the April ceasefire.

Hezbollah, whose members have been fighting Israeli troops for days in the area, said in statements that its members struck Israeli troops inside Yohmor.

The two villages are close to the Crusader-built Beaufort castle that is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Israeli border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon. It was not clear if Israeli troops are trying to capture the castle, which lies north of the Litani.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the northern front Friday where he spoke to members of the military. “I must tell you that there are very impressive results here. Our forces have crossed the Litani; they have advanced to controlling positions,” he said.

“We are operating in Beirut, in the Bekaa, across the entire width of the front, and we are dealing Hezbollah a crushing blow,” Netanyahu said referring to Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs where Israel's air force struck on Thursday.

The violence in southern Lebanon came as U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement Thursday to extend the ceasefire in the 3-month-old war by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

Iran did not immediately confirm any deal. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday evening confirmed there was a tentative agreement, but said it was unclear if President Donald Trump would approve it.

Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah said Friday that any deal between Iran and the U.S. would stop Israel’s offensive in Lebanon. Officials in Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, have said that they insist that a deal with Washington would stop the latest Israel-Hezbollah war that started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after Israel and Iran attacked in Iran.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war has left 3,200 people dead in Lebanon and over 1 million people displaced.

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Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Kareem Chehayeb contributed to this report from Beirut.

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca beat 24-time major winner Djokovic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 in the third round to follow Thursday’s huge upset, when No. 1 Sinner — last year's runner-up lost to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

“Ten minutes after the match I could realize a little bit what I did, what I achieved," the 19-year-old Fonseca said. “How difficult it was and how amazing it was for me."

Djokovic’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title was ended and it was just the second time he lost from two sets up, the other also coming in Paris in 2010.

Along with Daniil Medvedev, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka, all the men's major winners are out, thus guaranteeing that a new pair of hands will raise the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy aloft on June 7 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“Of course, Jannik and Djokovic out, there’s more chances,” said Fonseca, who next faces two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who beat Tommy Paul 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 7-5.

Second-seeded Alexander Zverev, the 2024 runner-up, also advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win late Friday over Frenchman Quentin Halys.

The 39-year-old Djokovic faded as the court slowed in the evening cool.

“Tough one for me to lose,” Djokovic said. “I was barely standing on my legs toward the end of the match."

In the final game, Djokovic had a break point for 6-6 but Fonseca served out with three consecutive aces and became the first teenager to beat Djokovic at a Grand Slam tournament.

“I just enjoyed being on court and what a pleasure it was. It’s my first stepping on court against him,” Fonseca said. “We still think he’s 20. At the end of the match I think he was more fit than me, that’s crazy.”

Fonseca wished his mother in the crowd happy birthday and thanked all the Brazilians who turned up to watch.

Djokovic doubts

This wasn't as big an upset as Sinner's loss because Djokovic came to Paris with doubts.

After he lost the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, a shoulder injury limited his clay-court buildup to one competitive match and Djokovic labored for at least three hours in each of his previous two rounds before facing the full fury of Fonseca's booming forehand.

“Taking everything in consideration and all the circumstances, I think the level was really good," said Djokovic, whose last major title was the 2024 U.S. Open.

The heat that stressed Sinner also got to Djokovic, who applied ice packs on both sides of his face during changeovers. Djokovic snapped at a television camera operator for getting too close to his face at one point.

By the fifth set he couldn't hide his fatigue: He hunched over the advertising boards, his forearms dangling; slumped back in his chair with a towel on his head; grabbed his head with his hands.

He was gracious in defeat.

“I told him (after the match) that he deserved to win and he should be proud of himself," Djokovic said. "We’ve all seen today why there is hype around him."

Djokovic said he was unsure if he would play at the French Open next year, although he said the same after his semifinal defeat to Sinner last year.

Kostyuk keeps going

Still unbeaten on clay this season, Marta Kostyuk reached the fourth round for the second time and set up a big match against four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the women's draw.

The 15th-ranked Ukrainian extended her winning streak on clay to 15 matches with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Viktorija Golubic on yet another hot day in Paris.

She lost to Swiatek in the fourth round in 2021. A rematch is coming up next after Swiatek defeated fellow Polish player Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4.

Swiatek has won in straight sets all three times against Kostyuk and boasts a 43-3 record at Roland Garros.

Seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina was another Ukrainian woman to advance. She beat Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-3.

A dominant win

Also advancing was 36-year-old Sorana Cirstea, who routed Solana Sierra and became the oldest player in the Open Era to claim a 6-0, 6-0 win in a Grand Slam tournament. She next faces China's Wang Xiyu, who has still not dropped a set.

Eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva progressed with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova and leads the women’s tour with 32 victories this season.

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

The crash happened around 10 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2026.

• Employee was 10 feet away when car crashed into DTW terminal. Here’s what he saw

The Evans Terminal was closed after the crash, but reopened before 11 a.m. Operations have not been affected at the McNamara Terminal, officials said.

Pictures from a witness show police detaining a person at the scene.

UPDATE: What witness saw as driver crashed into Evans Terminal

A witness told Local 4 that the driver went up on the sidewalk to avoid the cement barriers. A woman fell and hurt her knee, so the driver yelled at her, “Get out of my way, b----,” according to the witness.

“As he pulled in, (he) just kept revving his engine,” the witness said.

Local 4 is already on the way to DTW and is working to get more information confirmed.

January crash at McNamara Terminal

This crash comes about four months after a car was driven into the McNamara Terminal at DTW.

On Jan. 23, 2026, a man was driving a black Mercedes-Benz in the far-left lane near the McNamara Terminal before making a sharp right turn, cutting between two cars, and driving straight through the terminal, taking out metal bollards.

He got out of the car, yelling incoherently before being taken into custody.

New barriers were installed outside the McNamara Terminal following that crash.

The crash happened at about 2:35 a.m. on southbound I-95 in Stafford County, near Quantico. All five of the people who died were in vehicles hit by the bus, and 44 people were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition, police said.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that traffic was slowing southbound for an upcoming work zone,” state police said in a news release. “A bus failed to slow for traffic and struck six vehicles."

Police said there were “approximately” 34 passengers on the bus.

“We’ve got patients in multiple hospitals. We’ve got the driver at a hospital here,” said Peyton Vogel, a Federal Transit Administration spokesperson who was on the scene. “I’ve got to say, this is one of the most tragic things I’ve ever seen. Absolutely tragic.”

Four of the fatalities were in one car, which caught fire. State police said the victims were a 45-year-old male, a 44-year-old female, a 13-year-old female and a 7-year-old male, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts. Their names were not released by police, but a statement from the school the children attended in Greenfield said they were Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their daughter, Emily, and son, Mark.

“The Doncev family was a cherished part of our school community, and their loss is being felt deeply by our students, families, faculty, and staff,” Providence Christian Academy said.

The fifth victim, an unidentified 25-year-old female from Worcester, Massachusetts, was in an SUV that was struck by the bus.

State police identified the bus driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York. Charges are pending, authorities said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on the social media platform X that Dong was an American citizen originally from China who got his commercial driver's license two years ago in New York.

Mary Washington Healthcare said it received 19 patients from the crash. It posted online that seven of the patients were taken to its trauma center in Fredericksburg, where four were being discharged and three remained in treatment — one in serious condition and two in critical condition. Twelve were taken to its hospital in Stafford, where they were later discharged in good condition.

The National Transportation Safety Board posted online that it was sending a “go-team” to conduct a safety investigation into the crash and that it would have a spokesperson at the scene.

The southbound lanes had reopened by noon, but traffic was still backed up for a couple of miles, according to a state transportation advisory.

Bus company had satisfactory record

The bus was operated by E&P Travel Inc., based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. A compliance snapshot from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration showed only one injury accident involving the company’s vehicles in the previous two years and listed its safety rating as “satisfactory.”

The company was incorporated Nov. 24, 2023, by Shuo Liu, according to records from the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office. Liu is also listed as the registered agent. The FMCSA site said the company operated four vehicles and had 11 drivers.

While it is too soon to say what caused Friday's crash, federal authorities have been grappling with interstate passenger bus safety issues for decades.

Following a series of passenger bus crashes in 2008 that killed 41 people, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a Motorcoach Safety Action Plan.

The NTSB investigated 16 fatal motorcoach crashes between June 1998 and January 2008, finding that driver-related problems such as fatigue, medical condition and inattention accounted for 56 percent of the accidents. The agency said driver-related problems were responsible for 60 percent of the fatalities in those crashes.

Among the actions recommended were creation of a pre-employment driver history screening program and a national drug- and alcohol-testing database “to enable motorcoach operators to determine if drivers have a history of violating DOT alcohol or drug rules.”

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Breed reported from Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Verduzco from Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Associated Press journalists Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, Michael Casey in Boston and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Carter called the situation “bigger than football" and explained he felt the need to call out Dart publicly for the decision.

“He not only represents himself and what he does, but he represents all of us and that goes for anybody who wears a Giants uniform,” Carter said Friday after an offseason workout practice. "If he chooses to align himself with a man like President Trump, it’s my responsibility based on what I believe and what I stand on to not only show my teammates that I’m against that — but to show the world.”

Carter took to social media on Saturday to criticize his teammate after realizing a video of Dart on stage with Trump was real. Hours later, Carter said he and Dart spoke and were fine. Those posts have since been deleted.

“It doesn’t mean that me and Jaxson hate each other or we have beef,” Carter said. "I sit next to Jaxson every day, every team meeting. We’re close. We talk. As long as we make sure we’ve got the same goal as a team and our goals align, which they do, then I feel like that’s all that matters.”

Trump has targeted the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that helped many Black Americans find jobs in both the federal government and a variety of private industries. He has called DEI programs “discrimination,” and he has pushed to eradicate them from the government and put pressure on the private sector to do the same.

Earlier this year, he posted and then deleted a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle.

Dart in his 562-word statement never invoked Trump's name and said he valued the office of the president. Dart called it “a unique opportunity, being asked and given the opportunity to introduce the president of the United States.”

Asked if he understood why the situation might bother teammates and if he thought he made a mistake, Dart referred back to his statement. Carter said Dart did not apologize for being at Trump's event.

“I don’t want him to say he’s sorry,” Carter said. “Stand on what you believe in. But it can’t be a problem when I stand on what I believe in. That’s all that matters to me. As long as we have that understanding, it’s all good.”

Dart said he addressed the situation with teammates, including Carter, as part of “honest conversations” over the past week. That included a meeting at the Giants' facility Tuesday when Carter was not present, as well as a conversation Saturday between the two players going into their second NFL season.

“We just talked," Dart said of Carter, who was also drafted in the first round last year. “Me and him are one of the closer guys on the team with each other. We’ve had a lot of conversation, and he’s my brother. I know that I’m a brother to him.”

Coach John Harbaugh and veteran backup quarterback Jameis Winston attempted to put a positive spin on going through the situation at a tense time in the U.S.

“We’ve got a blond-haired, blue-eyed white kid and a Black Muslim religion, Black kid, who are coming together and showing y’all, showing the world that we can come together,” said Winston, who is also Black. “I think this is an excellent opportunity for those two young men to realize what they represent, the platform that they have, and how they’re going to go about navigating that and standing on what they both believe in.”

Harbaugh, who has expressed support for Trump over the years, said he had no concerns about a rift in the locker room and said “it’s not going to affect what kind of football team we are.” He deferred to players about what kind of guidelines they want to set.

“I think it’s made us better, honestly,” Harbaugh said. “I’m kind of grateful for the opportunity that we had to have the conversation. But if you do things the right way, you confront everything all the time that have to do with your football team and your ability to be successful, and that was something to confront and talk about. Rather than ignore it or rather than dictate something, let’s just talk about it."

Gunner Olszewski carted off with injury

Receiver/return specialist Gunner Olszewski went down with a noncontact injury grabbing at his right leg late in practice, and teammates went down on one knee while he received medical attention. Olszewski was put on a cart and driven off the field, and it did not look good.

“We’ll find out what the situation is with that,” Harbaugh said. “That was a noncontact change-of-direction kind of a deal there in the grass, so that was disappointing.”

Arvell Reese signs his rookie contract

No. 5 pick Arvell Reese, a linebacker out of Ohio State, signed his rookie contract on Friday, becoming the final member of the draft class to do so. No. 10 pick Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa signed earlier this week.

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

“This time of year is about communication, man,” Campbell said after the Lions’ third OTA practice Friday (May 29). “Working your craft, getting better at what you do, and then learning to work with the guy next to you. Nobody’s going to win a job in the spring.”

Campbell cautioned against drawing conclusions from the limited-contact workouts, which have featured walkthroughs, jog-throughs, and seven-on-seven drills. He said no player will earn a roster spot or starting role based on May practices.

Injuries, Sewell transition headline early updates

On the injury front, Campbell said safety Kerby Joseph, defensive back Brian Branch, and tight end Sam LaPorta are all making progress in their recoveries.

Campbell emphasized there is no rush to return any of them to the field.

“The most important thing is to continue to let them improve, rehab, all that,” Campbell said. “That’ll take precedence right now.”

Campbell also confirmed offensive lineman Penei Sewell has shifted to the left side during offseason work.

He expects the transition to be smooth, given Sewell’s experience at left tackle.

“It’ll be like riding a bike for him,” Campbell said. “That’s muscle memory. He’s played left before. He’ll do whatever we ask him to do.”

Campbell praised Sewell’s versatility, calling the All-Pro lineman a rare combination of talent, athleticism, and work ethic capable of excelling in multiple roles.

‘New season, new year’ mentality drives Lions’ offseason

With several new faces on the roster, Campbell said the organization is focused on evolving rather than simply replicating past success.

“When you’ve been able to hold a group together for a significant amount of time, and then you don’t get the results that you want, it’s probably time to shake it up a little bit,” Campbell said. “This is a new season. It’s a new year.”

Campbell said the Lions conducted a thorough organizational review following the 2024 season and are working to return to a more focused, businesslike approach.

“Let’s get back to the business of what it is,” Campbell said. “It’s about football first and foremost, and it’s about the guy next to you.”

Competition level expected to be highest yet

While Campbell declined to single out standout performers from the first week of OTAs, he expressed confidence in the team’s overall depth and predicted this will be Detroit’s most competitive offseason yet.

“This will be the most competition we’ve had, in my opinion,” Campbell said. “Top-tier competition. This is going to be good across the board.”

Campbell also praised several newcomers along the offensive line, but was quick to temper any early excitement.

“I’m done with the hype of the pajama party in May,” Campbell said with a smile. “We’ll find out in training camp who’s who.”

The Lions will continue offseason workouts through June before reporting for training camp in late July as they prepare for the 2026 season with championship aspirations.

--> Detroit Lions 2026 schedule released: Full game list, key matchups with season outlook

The right-hander and closer Kenley Jansen both left the Tigers’ 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday with injuries. Jansen went on the injured list Thursday due to pelvic inflammation.

Mize was placed on the injured list Friday, retroactive to Thursday, as the Tigers prepared to open a series with the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers activated right-hander Beau Briske from the 60-day injured list and put him on their 26-man roster.

The Tigers also transferred left-hander Brant Hurter to the 60-day injured list.

Mize is 2-3 with a 2.27 ERA in nine starts this season. He has struck out 49 batters over 47 2/3 innings.

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

Demetra C. Kazanis, 55, was arraigned Wednesday (May 27) in 54B District Court in East Lansing on 43 felony charges, including one count of conducting a criminal enterprise and 42 counts of Medicaid fraud.

According to prosecutors, Kazanis allegedly billed Medicaid for more extensive dental fillings that were either not performed or completed as less invasive preventive resin restorations, commonly known as PRRs.

Kazanis practiced at New You Dental clinic in Livonia, officials said.

Authorities allege the PRRs involved treatment limited to the tooth’s enamel and did not require drilling into the dentin or the use of anesthesia.

Fillings, by comparison, are considered more extensive procedures and are reimbursed at a higher rate by Medicaid.

The charge of conducting a criminal enterprise carries a possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

Each Medicaid fraud charge is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a fine of up to $50,000.

Kazanis was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond at arraignment.

She is scheduled to return to court on June 5 for a probable cause conference.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed the plan hours after it overwhelmingly passed the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature.

Approval of the new House map came a month after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s current map — with its two majority-Black districts — as an illegal racial gerrymander, weakening the landmark 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. That decision intensified a national redistricting battle fueled by President Donald Trump’s efforts to protect Republicans’ slim U.S. House majority in the midterm elections. Louisiana is one of several Southern states now redrawing their maps to help Republicans.

Louisiana Republicans had considered drawing a map giving the party a shot at winning all six of the state’s U.S. House seats. But that would have required adding more registered Democrats to Republican-held districts, potentially backfiring with GOP losses.

The map approved Friday in a 28-10 state Senate vote along party lines reflected Republican arguments that a 5-1 map is safer for the GOP and better protects U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from facing a difficult reelection. Republicans currently hold four of Louisiana’s six congressional seats.

‘Vicious race to the bottom’

Democrats contend that the new map is racially gerrymandered to squeeze more Black voters — who tend to be registered Democrats — into a single district.

Democratic state Sen. Royce Duplessis pointed out during floor debate Friday that some other Southern states, such as South Carolina, had refused to redraw their maps in the middle of an election year, and said Louisiana is participating in a “vicious, vicious race to the bottom.”

The bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jay Morris, repeatedly insisted that party affiliation, not race, drove district boundaries.

“I purposely put more Democrats into District 2 to make the remaining districts better performing for Republicans,” Morris said at one point.

Morris said he told the map demographers to avoid including any data on race or including those statistics in information shared with lawmakers before the vote.

Democratic state Sen. Sam Jenkins told Morris, “I think it’s a racially gerrymandered district that's going to get us into a lot of trouble here."

“Agree to disagree,” Morris told Jenkins.

More litigation expected in Louisiana

Louisiana is currently using a map ordered by a lower court in 2024 to comply with the Voting Rights Act by including a second district with a majority-Black population.

That map, however, was challenged in court, and the Supreme Court responded on April 30 by striking it down as an illegal racial gerrymander.

Landry postponed the state’s closed U.S. House primary slated for May 16. He later signed a law making the U.S. primary open and shifted the date to Nov. 3 to allow time for Republican lawmakers to draw and pass a new map. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will be on the ballot for voters in their district.

The new map redraws Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields' district, clustering it around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana. It also adds part of Baton Rouge to a heavily Democratic, majority-Black district based in New Orleans currently represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter.

More lawsuits were expected over the new map.

Democrats say the map could draw a legal challenge over racial gerrymandering, and the ACLU of Louisiana suggested Friday that it could sue, calling the map a “racial gerrymander hiding behind the thin veneer of partisanship” and warning that "this fight is just beginning.”

Meanwhile, the victorious plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision criticized the Legislature's map earlier this week for leaving a majority-Black district in place.

Nationwide battle over district lines

In the weeks following the Supreme Court’s decision, several other Republican-controlled Southern states have seized upon a weakened federal Voting Rights Act to try to redraw their own congressional districts.

So far, Republicans are winning the redistricting contest. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they will win a narrowly divided U.S. House in November. Republicans think they could gain as many as 15 seats from their redistricting efforts so far, while Democrats think they could gain six seats from new districts in California and Utah.

Meanwhile, a court decision in Wisconsin on Friday could give Democrats a new avenue to pick up seats in 2028.

The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court said it would hear an appeal of a case filed by a bipartisan coalition of business executives that seeks to redraw the state’s Republican-friendly congressional districts. Republicans hold six of the state’s eight House seats, but only two are considered competitive.

A three-judge panel dismissed the case in April. Those who filed the lawsuit weren't seeking a ruling in time for the 2026 election. Instead, they are asking the state Supreme Court to send the case back to the lower court for a trial on their claims, which would likely not take place until 2027.

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Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show that Landry ultimately postponed Louisiana's closed U.S. House primary elections to Nov. 3, not “later this summer” after signing a law making the primary election open.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he was looking to make a “final determination.” A senior administration official later said the roughly two-hour meeting with national security aides had concluded without a decision.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump would only sign a deal that “satisfies his redlines” and curbs Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump confirmed the high-level talks the day after The Associated Press and other news outlets reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had come to terms on a tentative agreement. The deal would extend the fragile ceasefire by 60 days as new talks are held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Trump wrote on social media that “Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb.” He said the strait must be reopened for international navigation and all sea mines destroyed.

Iran’s main negotiator said Friday that it has “no trust in guarantees or words,” only actions, underscoring lingering distrust after the U.S. and Israel have twice attacked Iran over the past year while it was engaged in nuclear negotiations.

“No step will be taken before the other side acts,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote on X. “We do not gain concessions through talks, but through missiles."

Nuclear issues remain unresolved

Later, but before Trump's meeting concluded, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told a state broadcaster that the agreement “has not been finalized yet.”

On Thursday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance suggested negotiators were trying to strike general terms on Iran’s nuclear program, with the specifics to be hammered out in the ensuing talks.

Baghaei, however, said Friday that Iranian officials were "focused on the end of war and are not discussing the details of the nuclear plan at this point.”

Iran also wants any deal to include a truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, where fighting has intensified despite a nominal ceasefire. And the Islamic Republic has been seeking the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission and is close to top leaders, posted on social media Friday that Iran “sets the terms: cash for cash, credit for credit, nothing for nothing.”

The Islamic Republic has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful and has not publicly committed to giving up the stockpile. It's believed to be buried under three nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last year.

Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal. The material would be unearthed by the U.S., in coordination with Iran and the IAEA, “and DESTROYED,” he posted.

Deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz

The proposed memorandum makes clear that Iran would not be able to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz and that it would have to remove all mines from the vital waterway within 30 days, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. would gradually lift its blockade on Iranian ports and would also agree to relax sanctions, allowing Iran to sell more of its oil.

Baghaei said Iran and Oman, which lie on opposite sides of the strait, would manage it and “adopt mechanisms” for transit through it, "based on their own national interests and the interests of the international community.”

The two nations' foreign ministers discussed the issue by phone earlier Friday, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who wrote on X that he had expressed solidarity “in the face of any threat.”

On Wednesday, Trump had warned Oman — a U.S. ally — not to enter into any agreement with Iran to share control of the strait or the U.S. will “have to blow them up.”

Iran has effectively closed the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack on Feb. 28 that killed Iran's supreme leader and other top officials. Before then, the waterway was open to international traffic, and around a fifth of the world's oil and gas passed through it.

The closure of the strait has caused the price of fuel and other goods to soar, with the effects felt far beyond the Middle East.

Iran has said it lets some commercial vessels pass — about two dozen daily in recent days, compared with more than 100 a day before the war. But the Islamic Republic also has charged tolls for at least some ships and established a formal gatekeeper agency earlier this month, spurring a new round of U.S. sanctions this week.

The agency, called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, condemned the sanctions Friday but deemed them a a sign of its own “positive performance.”

Since the ceasefire began about seven weeks ago, the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes and accusations of ceasefire violations. But they have not returned to full-scale hostilities and have kept negotiating.

___

Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and Farnoush Amiri in New York, and Matthew Lee in Washington, contributed.

The operation occurred on May 23 and 24 at the annual electronic music festival in downtown Detroit.

Police said they seized a variety of suspected narcotics, including 94.8 grams of suspected cocaine, 282.5 grams of suspected MDMA, 167 grams of mushrooms, and 206.2 grams of marijuana.

Officers said subsequent testing determined the substances believed to be cocaine and MDMA were actually imitation drugs.

Authorities noted that counterfeit substances can pose significant health and safety risks to users because their contents are often unknown.

In total, officers made two felony arrests and issued citations to two individuals during the operation.

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has authorized felony charges of possession with intent to distribute against the two individuals arrested during the investigation.

Police did not immediately release the names of those charged or provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the arrests.

The Movement Festival, one of Detroit’s largest annual events, draws thousands of electronic music fans from around the world each year to the city’s riverfront.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Update: 21-year-old in custody after deadly prom after-party shooting in Hazel Park

Hazel Park police responded around 1:15 a.m. Friday to a home near Powell and Orchard avenues, just off I-75 and 9 Mile Road.

--> Dispute at ‘after-prom’ party leads to deadly shooting in Hazel Park

Officers arrived to find a 20-year-old man from Detroit dead and a 19-year-old woman from Pontiac injured.

Investigators are still searching for a suspect.

“It’s not something that typically happens over here, so I don’t want to see this,” said Rhiron Tolentino, who lives in the neighborhood.

Short-term rental under fire

Neighbors say the home has been used as a short-term rental and has had problems before.

A search of the VRBO platform confirmed an active listing for the property.

The VRBO listing itself explicitly states that on-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited.

Local 4 attempted to reach the property owner by phone, but there was no answer.

A notice posted on the front door from the city indicates the owner’s short-term rental license has been suspended.

Hazel Park’s ordinance caps short-term rental licenses at 30 citywide, limits occupancy to 10 people per property, and strictly forbids house parties.

“Condolences to everyone because one way or another, multiple families are affected,” Tolentino said.

Neighbors say they don’t necessarily oppose short-term rentals but expect renters and owners to follow the rules.

“It’s as simple as just having cameras. You won’t have a party if you have cameras,” Tolentino said.

Investigators were working to obtain search warrants as of Friday (May 29) morning.

No cameras were visible on the outside of the home, and the property owner was not present at the scene.

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the incident that occurred at our rental property in Hazel Park.

Our hearts go out to the victims and everyone affected by this tragedy.

We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy for illegal activity and disruptive events at our properties.

This reservation was booked through a major third-party platform, and we are currently cooperating fully with the Hazel Park Police Department and local authorities in their ongoing investigation.

Because this is an active police matter, we cannot provide any further details at this time.

All further inquiries should be directed to the local police department.

Joe Rohrhoff, owner of the short term rental

Cristian Roldan tucked a phone into his pocket during a Seattle Sounders team meeting.

“I just wanted it to feel and vibrate,” he said.

American players dispersed across North America and Europe were told notification of coach Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup picks would arrive via WhatsApp at 1 p.m. EDT on May 22.

Chris Brady, hoping to earn the No. 3 goalkeeper spot, was in the Central time zone and waited nervously with Chicago Fire teammates.

“When 12 struck, nothing came. ... What does that mean?” he remembered thinking. “But, yeah, eventually got the message.”

Gathered now at the new U.S. National Soccer Training Center and a nearby hotel in Trilith ahead of their June 12 World Cup opener against Paraguay, players relaxed after making the cut for their sport's pinnacle event.

“It was just sheer elation,” 27-year-old defender Mark McKenzie said. “Four years of hard work, sacrifice. It was obviously heartbreaking not making '22 but turned it directly into just motivation to make sure the next time around my name would hopefully be on that roster.”

In the rush to get to the U.S., McKenzie left his film camera back in France, where he plays for Toulouse.

Robinson, still the first-choice left back at age 28 after starting four years ago, hadn't allowed himself to think too far ahead during a season in which a difficult recovery from May 2025 knee surgery delayed his first Premier League start this season for Fulham until mid-December.

He was on the 13th hole of Pyford Lakes in Woking when his phone buzzed.

“I was playing bad, played bad after but I was a lot happier,” he said. “It was a massive relief just because the year I’ve had and the ups and downs personally.”

Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, was notoriously almost sent home from the 2022 tournament by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for lack of hustle during training. His status was uncertain because of an unimpressive club season with German club Borussia Moenchengladbach, which didn't start him after Dec. 19.

He was outside Barvida in Norwalk, Connecticut, alongside wife Chloe and Melo, his 1-year-old Cavapoo, when Pochettino's video message flashed.

“I was sitting in the car," the 23-year-old midfielder recalled. “We didn’t want to go home because we were both a little bit nervous.”

Roldan, a member of the 2022 roster who didn't get into a match in Qatar, received an emotional hug from his brother Alex, a Sounders teammate. Cristian didn't play for the U.S. between July 2023 and his first call-up under Pochettino last September.

“There was a lot of doubt in my mind, but there was a glimmer of hope,” he said. “When your name isn’t called each and every camp and you get further into the cycle, you feel like your chances are dwindling down. So, absolutely, I started to doubt myself a little bit. And then it made me play a little more free.”

Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, a son of the former coach, didn't make his national team debut until last June. After getting the WhatsApp video, Sebastian called his dad — now coaching the Chicago Fire — and then his mom and his sisters.

“It was barely a conversation. My mom started crying right away, and then my sister started crying, and I started crying," Sebastian said. “I was just telling them I love them, and thank you so much for all the sacrifices over the years, especially my mom. Yeah, I was crying for probably 45 seconds.”

Auston Trusty was in a Glasgow hotel with Celtic teammates ahead of the next day’s Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline and fellow defender Alex Freeman was in an apartment in Spain with his father, Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman.

“I was definitely checking my phone like every minute,” Alex Freeman said. “We were kind of just waiting on the couch. When we got the call, it was kind of a good moment with family bonding.”

Alejandro Zendejas, a 28-year-old forward, was picked after not playing for the U.S. since September. He learned of his selection while in San Antonio with his family and girlfriend. His father, Alfredo, burst into tears.

“When he hugged me and stuff, I could feel shaking in his voice,” Zendejas said. “He started tearing up and that makes me tear up.”

Zendejas was among the players on the roster bubble.

“We joked around about his number being number 26,” Roldan said of Zendejas. “Him and myself, we were probably one of the later guys on the roster and we kind of share that kind of sentiment together.”

Richards arrives

Defender Chris Richards arrived after going to Leipzig, Germany, with Crystal Palace for the UEFA Conference League final Wednesday, won by the Eagles over Rayo Vallecano.

He traveled from London to New York on Thursday, then to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday morning. Richards, who hasn't played since tearing two ankle ligaments on May 17, went straight to the training center for medical evaluation and is to join practice on Saturday.

___

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

Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball said the first group of four firefighters arrived within two minutes of the call reporting the gas leak on Thursday.

“Right before they were going to enter and evacuate, it exploded,” Ball said.

Firefighters had been on scene for about 10 minutes, conducting necessary safety protocols that include blocking off the street, finding the leak, donning protective gear and setting up a water supply, he said, describing their actions as “heroics.”

“No time was wasted,” Ball insisted. “That takes time to put all the safety protocols in place. I would be criticizing them if they had not done that."

The explosion shook nearby homes and the resulting inferno razed the two-story complex. A child and two other people were killed and at least five people were injured and sent to hospitals. No firefighters were injured, Ball said.

The building's 23 units were occupied by 19 families. Ball said authorities searched the charred wreckage late into Thursday night and early Friday morning with drones, cadaver dogs and specialized urban rescue teams, and did not expect to find any more victims.

“There is nobody unaccounted for or we’d still be searching,” Ball said.

Authorities have not released the names of the people who were killed. The local Democratic Party said one of its members was missing.

The cause of the gas leak before the explosion is still unknown and Ball said he would not speculate.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates gas pipeline accidents, is leading the probe into what happened with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The NTSB said initial reports indicate a contractor damaged an underground gas pipeline.

Atmos Energy, a natural gas provider in the area, said service to the neighborhood remained shut off, and company officials were working with investigators on-site.

An attorney for the apartment owner said the building was being sold to a buyer who planned to build a new housing unit. He said an engineering firm hired by that company struck the gas line while doing soil testing.

“The owner is shocked by this outcome and likewise mourns this outcome,” attorney Geoff Henley said.

Phone and email messages left with an engineering company that the complex’s owner said was doing soil testing were not immediately returned.

Jerry Knapp, the founder of the Explosive Gas Academy, which provides training for fire academies and fire departments about handling natural gas and propane leaks, said the protocols described by Ball appeared to be “100% proper.”

Gas leaks are unpredictable and firefighters must work quickly to find the leak and assess how long it has been going on, he said. Gas can be ignited suddenly and without warning.

“You go from, ‘Doesn’t look too bad,’ to 'Bang!” Knapp said.

Several blocks of streets around the explosion site were still closed off by police cars and police tape Friday.

Sherry Woods, who lives in an apartment across an alleyway from the fire site, said Friday she was sitting outside her front door when she and her boyfriend smelled what they believed to be gas.

Moments later, the explosion nearly knocked her down.

“All you heard was ‘boom.’ I shook like something was hitting me. It was scary to hear something like that. I felt the building shake,” Woods said.

Trish Thompson surveyed the site from across a grassy field Friday morning and could see the gap on the block where the apartment complex stood just 24-hours earlier.

Thompson, who lives nearby, described hearing a “loud rumble, something more like a train to me” and seeing smoke and fire.

“Pray for them,” Thompson said.

___

Associated Press journalists Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas contributed.

Crews are putting the finishing touches on the Obama Presidential Center ahead of the official public opening on Juneteenth, more than a decade after the site was chosen. But the design of the roughly $850 million campus — particularly the conspicuous 225-foot high rise at its north end — still divides the city celebrated as the birthplace of the modern skyscraper.

For some, it’s a jarring choice in Barack Obama’s hometown after a grueling battle over its location in a lakefront park where classical style buildings are more common. To others, it’s a bold addition that will shape Chicago’s iconic skyline for decades to come.

Residents have compared it to a grain elevator, ship from “Star Wars” and a mausoleum.

“It doesn’t fit in at all,” said Brenda Nelms, who has lived in the area since the 1970s and leads a group that advocates for nearby Jackson Park, which spans more than 500 acres.

Leaders of the Obama Foundation, which has raised private funds, say they’ve heard it all. They enlisted “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill for cheeky promotional videos on May the 4th, a day celebrated by fans of the movie franchise.

“Part of the joy of the center is everyone is going to have their unique experience,” said Valerie Jarrett, foundation CEO and a former Obama advisor. “The design of the building was intended to be inviting and opening to people whether they live across the street or around the world.”

Chicago’s architecture is ‘spectator sport’

The bar for architectural design is high in Chicago, from Louis Sullivan’s modern skyscrapers after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 to Helmut Jahn’s post-modern office buildings.

Discourse around design is so fierce in the nation’s third-largest city that Chicago Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey calls it “a spectator sport.” His initial impression of the Obama Presidential Center was that it looked more suited to a cemetery.

The striking design has few windows, all selectively placed. Foundation officials say that decision also helps protect the artifacts inside from sunlight, including an Oval Office replica.

Bey said the museum design makes more sense in context with the other low-lying buildings on the campus, which includes a basketball court, children’s playground, public library branch and works by prominent artists.

Mixed public response has greeted other renown Chicago buildings, he said. The former John Hancock Center, a black 100-story building marked by giant X’s, was compared to an oil rig soon after it was built in the 1960s. Renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in recent years for its address, the building houses stores, condos and offices.

“As we begin to experience buildings, we begin to imprint our own impressions,” Bey said. “The John Hancock becomes less of an oil derrick and more of the building that has your doctor’s office.”

Edward Keegan, a Chicago Tribune architecture columnist, has called the presidential museum “an un-Chicago building” because of the few windows and unusual shape. Still, it offers a unique perspective of the city.

Atop the building is a glass-enclosed “Sky Room,” with panoramic views of Chicago, including north-facing perspectives of downtown, which are uncommon from that height.

“It doesn’t feel like any other place in Chicago,” he said. “It does feel unique and unexpected.”

After fights over the location, some worry about future

The road to the museum was bumpy, even though support for Obama has remained vigorous in the Democratic stronghold.

Lawsuits to stop construction started after its location was announced in 2015. Concerns about displacement of low-income and Black residents living in pockets near the museum grew. Community groups lobbied for housing protections, but area residents say they don’t go far enough as prices for homes near the museum have soared.

Construction of the museum involved tearing up nearly 20 acres of park land and scrapping a section of major thoroughfare, which residents say was critical to connect residents from other parts of the city and suburbs with downtown.

On a recent walk through a bird sanctuary near the center, activist Robin Kaufman, 82, said she couldn't fully enjoy the wildflowers by the secluded ponds as she once did. She watched as ducks paddled through a lagoon but couldn't ignore the center's tower poking out above the tree line.

“Everywhere I go, you can see it, so you’re reminded of what’s going on and that’s distressing,” she said. “I’m very distrustful of anything they say.”

She and others have anxiety about what else might come to the area because of Obama's presidential center.

“It’s a Trojan horse,” said Shannon Bennett with the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. “It’s an extreme version of a scheme to transform these communities for another population.”

Obama advisor says facility outweighs costs

Several design choices were made by the former president with New York-based architects, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. Obama chose a stone design and wanted a high tower for city views not far from where he raised his family and taught law at the University of Chicago.

The tower’s design is meant to depict four hands coming together in solidarity. Wrapped around one side are 5-foot concrete capital letters, an excerpt of Obama’s 2015 speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. It begins, “You are America.”

The Obama Foundation said they have widened some roads, added a new field to the area that local schools use and the campus has a new public library branch, basketball gym for community use, a playground and gardens that have been landscaped to blend in with the park around it.

“The benefit of having this extraordinary facility far outweighs any costs,” Jarrett said. “It’s a symbol to the community of how important they are to us.”

Adam Rubin at the Chicago Architecture Center called it a successful project so far, but added that questions linger about whether the tradeoff of park land for the center was worth it.

“It really does have a sense of place,” he said of the museum. “Time will tell how people utilize it.”

Christian Castro, of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, was taken into custody 11 days after Minneapolis prosecutors charged him with assault and falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 nonfatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

Hennepin County, Minnesota prosecutors said the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located Castro, 52, in Texas, and the Texas Rangers said they assisted in the arrest in Cameron County, which borders Mexico in the southernmost part of the state.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General said its agents were not involved in or present for Castro’s apprehension, denying the Hennepin County Attorney’s office’s claims in press statements about the arrest.

“Any characterization that DHS OIG agents participated in or led the arrest operation is inaccurate,” the Office of Inspector General said in a statement.

Messages seeking comment were also left with ICE and the Texas Rangers.

Online court records do not list an attorney for Castro, and it wasn't immediately clear if he has one.

In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty heralded the arrest as “a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro.”

Castro is the second federal agent to be charged over their conduct during the Minnesota crackdown, which was known as Operation Metro Surge. He is one of two agents that ICE Director Todd Lyons said lied about the circumstances of the incident.

According to prosecutors, Castro fired through a home’s front door and shot Sosa-Celis in the thigh after Castro and another officer chased a different man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, to the Minneapolis apartment duplex where he and Sosa-Celis lived. Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were legally in the U.S., Moriarty said.

Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and Aljorna of beating an officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. A federal judge later dismissed the charges, and ICE and the Justice Department opened an investigation into whether the officers lied about what happened.

In a statement after the charges were announced, ICE said the U.S. attorney’s office was investigating statements made by the officers, who could face disciplinary action including being fired and prosecuted. ICE called the Hennepin County attorney’s action “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt.” DHS's Inspector General's Office, which Moriarty credited with assisting in the arrest, is separate from ICE and is meant to serve as a watchdog for DHS agencies, including ICE.

Minneapolis last month released video showing the moments before Sosa-Celis’s shooting, captured from a distance by a city-owned security camera.

The video appears to show a person standing with a snow shovel outside the house, near the street, then retreating toward the house and tossing the shovel into the yard. This happens as a person being chased by another person runs up from the street, falls on the sidewalk, gets up, and keeps heading toward the house.

The three appear to scuffle near the front steps for about 10 seconds. The exact moment when Sosa-Celis is shot isn’t clear. A car with flashing lights pulls up, and another person walks up.

The Trump administration sent thousands of officers to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area as part of President Donald Trump’s national deportation campaign and considered Operation Metro Surge a success.

But tensions mounted during the weekslong campaign, and the shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers sparked mass unrest and raised questions about officers’ conduct.

Minnesota leaders and the Trump administration have clashed over who has the authority to investigate and prosecute federal officers for on-duty conduct.

Moriarty’s office last month charged immigration agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. with assault for allegedly pointing his gun at people in a car on a highway. He turned himself in last week, and his lawyer disputes the charges.

The county is also investigating Good’s and Pretti’s killings and sued the Trump administration in March to gain access to evidence in those cases and the Sosa-Celis shooting.

Seniors reached out to Local 4 for help.

The apartment management company tells Local 4 one of the elevators has been out since November and they are working hard to expedite the process and parts. The management company also tells Local 4 they are meeting with local emergency services to address safety concerns.

They say they share in residents’ frustration.

St. George Tower in Clinton Township has 11 flights and residents say about 200 seniors live inside the building.

“They should fix the elevator,” one resident said from their balcony when Local 4 showed up.

If one was to walk inside, they’d see seniors packed and pressed into the only elevator that’s functioning, at least for today.

Residents say there’s supposed to be multiple working elevators.

“If you were to go inside – people, older people, are having to walk up flights and flights of stairs?” Local 4 asked one senior.

“They can’t – that’s the problem. Most of them are on walkers or canes. They can’t,” a resident, who asked not to share their identity out of fear of retaliation, said.

The resident said the elevator issue has been a problem for a long time. It’s common for both elevators to be down, especially lately.

“There are people sitting all in the lobby saying ‘we can’t go up the stairs, we have to spend the night here.’ So, some of their families came and got them, but EMS arrived because a lady couldn’t breathe. Her oxygen was broken,” the resident said.

The resident is referring to a woman having a medical emergency on the fifth floor.

Local 4 asked what EMS’s response was to the elevator being down.

“They were pretty upset – they said, ‘are you kidding me?’ So they got their flashlights and tilted the gurney and went all the way up the stairs,” the resident said.

It’s creating other issues, too.

“There’s been a lot of fights in the elevators – people screaming, because somebody will take cuts and they start screaming,” the resident said.

“When you go to management, or anyone goes to management about the elevator issue – what’s the response?” Local 4 asked.

“We’re doing our best,” the resident said. “People are losing their patience and I can see the animosity.”

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, scheduled a June 12 hearing for arguments on whether to extend her order barring the government from moving forward with its “Anti-Weaponization Fund” while pending litigation challenges it. The administration created the fund to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.

A Justice Department spokesperson said it's “extremely confident” that the fund is legally supported “by ample precedent,” including from settlements during the administration of President Barack Obama, a Democrat. "We will not allow the policy preferences of judges to interfere with our efforts to provide restitution to victims of lawfare,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

The White House declined to comment on the judge’s ruling, referring questions to the Justice Department.

The judge, who was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, gave the government another week to respond in writing to the plaintiffs' arguments in favor of freezing the fund's creation and operation, including any payments in or out of it.

The fund has generated a fierce backlash since it was announced last week, with even Republicans pressing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the eligibility considerations and the possibility that even violent rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, would be free to seek compensation.

Also on Friday, the federal judge in Florida overseeing Trump's lawsuit against the IRS ordered Trump's attorneys to respond to “grievous allegations” by settlement critics that the president abandoned his claims to avoid the court's scrutiny of an illegal deal. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams gave them until June 12 to respond in writing to allegations of collusion and whether the case should be reopened because the court was the “victim of a fraud.”

The Justice Department hasn’t formed the five-member commission that will decide on payout criteria, so there has been no money paid out yet or claims accepted.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys from the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward are seeking a court order halting the fund’s implementation and preventing the Trump administration from disbursing any payouts from it. The federal suit claims there is no legal basis or accountability behind the fund.

“President Trump and his allies have long accused Democrats of using the government and the legal system as political weapons,” plaintiffs' lawyers wrote. “In doing so, the (Trump) administration fails to acknowledge the unprecedented campaign of targeting individuals and entities for retribution on personal and ideological grounds that it has carried out.”

Brinkema said it’s important to maintain the status quo — for at least the next two weeks — and to ensure that no funds are “irreversibly disbursed” from the fund. Her order temporarily prohibits the Trump administration from transferring any money to the fund, considering any claims or disbursing any money from it.

The Virginia lawsuit's plaintiffs include a fired prosecutor and a college professor acquitted of assaulting federal agents at a protest.

“The unlawfulness that has imbued the Anti-Weaponization Fund from its inception requires that it be wholly dismantled,” the suit says.

At least two other lawsuits, both filed separately in Washington, also are challenging the fund's creation. A lawsuit filed by the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington refers to the fund as “a jaw-dropping act of presidential corruption.” Two police officers who helped defend the Capitol from a mob of Trump supporters sued last week.

During a congressional hearing, Blanche wouldn’t rule out the possibility that rioters who assaulted police on Jan. 6 could be eligible for fund payouts.

Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump handed out mass pardons, commuted prison sentences and ordered the dismissal of every pending Jan. 6 criminal case last year.

One of the plaintiffs in the Virginia case is former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Floyd, who prosecuted Capitol riot cases in Washington before he was fired last year by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. Floyd believes his firing was retaliation for his Jan. 6 work.

“The President’s targeting of me and others involved in January 6 prosecutions leaves our country in a very dark place, sending a message that insurrection and sedition will be protected (and even encouraged) as long as it is on behalf of this administration,” Floyd said in a court filing.

Another plaintiff is California State University Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, who was acquitted of an assault charge. He was accused of throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents during a 2025 protest against an immigration raid at a Camarillo, California, cannabis farm.

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

WAYNE COUNTY – Seasonal allergies, insect bites, rashes, stomach viruses.

Dr. Ayed Mahmoud -- Trinity Health Livonia Emergency Medicine Physician

“We are seeing an increase in cases of gastroenteritis this week, with patients presenting with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dehydration. Fortunately, most cases are self-limited and improve with rest, hydration, electrolyte replacement and a bland diet at home. Patients should wash their hands frequently, avoid sharing drinks or utensils, and seek medical attention for severe dehydration, persistent fever, bloody stools or worsening symptoms.

“In addition, with severe thunderstorms expected in the area, we encourage everyone to stay weather aware, avoid flooded roads, secure outdoor items, and seek shelter indoors during lightning and high winds.”

Dr. Daniel Ridelman -- Emergency Department Vice Chief, DMC Harper University Hospital

“Respiratory viruses are definitely not going around anymore. Our positivity rate for both COVID and flu last week were 0% for the first time in a while. We keep seeing significant injuries from unrestrained patients in car accidents, including children, many of which are devastating and completely preventable. We also saw a small child who sustained scald burns after heating ramen soup in its original Styrofoam container. This is a bad idea on many levels, including microplastic ingestion, and is actually a common source of pediatric scald burns in our community.”

Dr. Kevin Dazy -- Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital of Michigan

“I would say there’s less going around, meaning flu/rsv/cold virus season is winding down. We’re still seeing some asthma exacerbations brought on by seasonal allergies and weather changes. And there are still some stomach bugs causing vomiting and diarrhea, but that seems to be on the decline as well. School is coming to an end, so it’s a good time to think about end of school checklists, like picking up medications from school and making sure summer physicals are getting scheduled for next year.”

Dr. Ali J. Bazzi -- Pediatrician, Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital

“We are continuing to see viral gastroenteritis. Patients are also coming in with extensive bug bites. We are reminding patients as the temperatures get warmer to use bug spray and sunscreen.”

Dr. Christopher Loewe -- Emergency Department, Henry Ford St. John Hospital

“We are seeing seasonal allergies, which are sometimes hard to distinguish from the common cold, insect bites and contact dermatitis from environmental exposure outdoors.”

OAKLAND COUNTY – Respiratory viruses, asthma flare-ups, stomach viruses, dehydration, sunburns.

Dr. Evelyn Laskowski -- Division chief, Corewell Health Children’s in Royal Oak

“We are seeing some viral respiratory illnesses causing asthma. It’s also the time of year where we start to see muscle and kidney injury from kids being outside working out and pushing themselves hard in the heat, especially without adequate hydration.”

Dr. Josh Newblatt -- Pine Knob Urgent Care

“We are seeing GI illness with nausea and vomiting. The rising temperatures has led us to start seeing heat related illness like dehydration and sun burns.”

WASHTENAW COUNTY – Upper respiratory infections, outdoor injuries, stomach viruses, asthma flare-ups.

Dr. Brad Uren -- Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine

“We are still seeing some upper respiratory infections and mild GI infections this week. Warmer weather has caused a few warm weather injuries and burns as well.”

Dr. Stuart Bradin -- Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine

“We are seeing some viral respiratory illness and several cases of asthma and orthopedic injuries.”

MONROE COUNTY – did not report this week.

MACOMB COUNTY – Seasonal allergies, asthma flare-ups, outdoor injuries.

Dr. Erin Cuddeback -- Emergency Physician at McLaren Macomb

“While there has already been a steady volume of patients seeking care for orthopedic and soft tissue injuries, the holiday weekend and improved weather has increased that volume, with the majority of those receiving treatment being pediatric patients. The rise of allergens and other environmental irritants has caused exacerbated symptoms in some asthma sufferers.”

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – Outdoor injuries, poison ivy, tick bites.

Trinity Health Livingston Emergency Department and the Brighton Medical Center

“We are seeing a trend with outdoors injuries from bicycles and ATVs, as well as poison ivy and tick bites.”

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and it’s long been considered the leading cause of preventable death.

The preliminary findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were based on survey responses from more than 24,200 adults. In the survey, CDC officials defined current cigarette smoking as smoking at least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and now smoking every day or some days.

In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, public education campaigns and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.

In 2024, the percentage of current adult smokers fell below 10% for the first time. Last year, it was 9%, according to the new survey.

The use of electronic cigarettes has been inching up among adults, but has held about steady in 2025, at about 7%.

“The continued decline in smoking is a monumental public health achievement that has saved millions of lives and billions in healthcare costs,” said Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy and research organization.

Richardson said current smoking-prevention efforts have been set back by cuts President Donald Trump's administration made that eliminated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health and its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.

She cited estimates that the “Tips” campaign alone helped more than 1 million Americans quit smoking and saved over $7.3 billion in healthcare costs.

“This critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death and healthcare costs nationwide,” Richardson said.

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

The Detroit Police Department presented badges to 42 men and women, marking what DPD called its largest graduating class of the year.

Chief Todd Bettison praised the recruits’ work after months of training.

“You have worked so hard for this,” Bettison said during the ceremony.

Graduates described the past six months as challenging, both physically and mentally, and for some, the path to graduation came with major life hurdles.

“Standing here today, I can say this journey has changed all of us,” said Officer Sharon Thompson, who, at 43, was the oldest recruit in the class. “This academy tested me and all of us in ways we didn’t expect.”

For officer Ahmed Said, the milestone was shaped by a loss that still resonates.

Said mentioned he decided to become a police officer to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Melvindale police Corporal Mohammed Said, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2024.

“I’m doing this, one, to honor my brother,” Ahmed said. “Second, to finish a career that he didn’t have the chance to finish.”

Ahmed mentioned he once hoped the two brothers would serve together.

“One of the dreams was me and my brother become partners,” Ahmed said. “Sadly, it didn’t happen, but I’m here to finish the career.”

Members of the Melvindale Police Department, along with family and friends, attended the graduation to support him.

But even with the celebration, Ahmed said grief remains close, especially for his mother, who chose to watch from home.

“My mom couldn’t show up today because she said if she’s going to show up, she’s going to see my brother in my face, like when she attended his graduation,” Ahmed said. “And she didn’t want to cry, so she’s watching it from home.”

Ahmed also referenced the case tied to his brother’s death.

Last month, a Wayne County jury found Michael Lopez guilty of murdering Mohammed.

Lopez is expected to be sentenced next month.

Looking ahead to his first days on patrol, Ahmed hopes the community will support officers as they work to serve and protect.

“My message to the community is, show love to the police officers,” Ahmed said. “And we are here to serve them and protect them.”

Ahmed’s first official day on the job is Monday (June 1).

The annual tradition gives fans access to the track and a rare, up-close look at the cars that typically race through the city’s streets at high speed.

“I think my past life was a race car driver, so I’m loving it. I’m loving every inch of it. I’m loving the energy,” said Stachia Safford, a fan in attendance.

The event drew a wide range of attendees — from first-timers to those who have been coming to the race for years.

“I remember being down here 4, 5, 6 years old and it was always a good time even when it was on Belle Isle, but now it’s back here and I’m bringing him just keeping the tradition going,” said Rayshon Cotton, a fan at the event.

A tradition four decades in the making

Free Prix Day is a tradition that stretches back more than four decades. For younger fans and racing newcomers, the event serves as an accessible entry point into the sport.

“I think it’s awesome to bring everyone into the sport. I think a lot of people don’t know what racing is all about and I think it’s great that people come together,” said Jackson Olson, a student at Detroit Catholic Central.

Fans sat in designated seating overlooking the two-sided pit lane and finish line along the 1.7-mile course — putting them right in the middle of the action.

“It’s insane. I’ve never seen any of them in person before. I’ve just driven them in the sim and it’s like 20 times louder than I actually expected,” said Cole Martin, also a student at Detroit Catholic Central.

Free viewing areas available all weekend

For those who missed Free Prix Day, free viewing areas remain available throughout the weekend, giving fans another chance to experience the race without cost.

“If you love to race on 75, the Lodge, 96 … come down, bring the kids, you’ll have a great time,” Safford said.

Police identified the victim as Nicholos Hatcher, 34, of Detroit.

The incident occurred on Thursday (May 29) afternoon when officers were dispatched at approximately 4:32 p.m. to the area of Middlebelt Road and Orangelawn Street after reports of a man lying on the side of the road.

When officers and paramedics arrived, they said they found Hatcher suffering from a single stab wound to the upper chest.

Officials said emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures, but Hatcher was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, detectives later determined that Hatcher and two suspects were seen earlier at a BioLife Plasma Services center on Plymouth Road in Livonia.

Police said one of the suspects allegedly stole Hatcher’s backpack at that location.

Investigators said Hatcher later followed the suspects to a nearby area, where a confrontation occurred that escalated into a physical altercation.

During that encounter, Hatcher was stabbed once in the upper chest by one of the suspects, according to police.

Police said the suspects then fled into a neighboring city.

At approximately 9:20 p.m. Thursday, detectives identified, located, and arrested a person believed to be responsible for the stabbing.

A second individual who was present during the incident was also identified and taken into custody, police said.

Additional details about the suspects have not been released.

Middlebelt Road between West Chicago and Elmira streets was temporarily closed during the investigation but has since reopened.

The case will be submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine formal charges.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Bondi, who spent roughly four hours on Capitol Hill for her closed-door interview, was again defiant when she was confronted by lawmakers about the Epstein investigation. In her opening statement, she stood behind the Department of Justice's handling of the case files and said that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, now the acting attorney general and Trump's former personal attorney, had overseen the process to publish them.

“The bottom line is: justice and transparency in this matter have been delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration,” she said, according to her opening statement.

Bondi's transcribed interview presented lawmakers with an opportunity to question a Cabinet official who was central to the political firestorm over Epstein that at times has rattled Trump's Republican administration. She initially raised expectations for the full release of the Epstein case files, only to later backtrack. That reversal prompted Congress to step in and pass the law requiring the release.

But Democratic lawmakers said that Bondi told them she would not speak about the president in the interview and, consulting with a lawyer from the Department of Justice, said that she could decline those questions because she agreed to appear before the committee voluntarily.

“It's a sham in there," said Democratic Rep. Dave Min of California during a break in the interview. "They are not answering any questions.”

Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia said he asked Bondi whether Trump had any knowledge of Epstein's crimes before they became public. Reading from his notes of the exchange, Walkinshaw told reporters that Bondi's response was, “I'm not certain of the extent of his knowledge.”

Epstein killed himself in a New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls. Trump was friends with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s but has said he cut ties with him years before Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida state charges in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Survivors tried to confront Bondi

Several survivors of Epstein's abuse gathered outside the Capitol office where the interview was taking place. They tried to make their presence known to Bondi as she entered the room, but several said they were shoved aside by police officers.

“I just hope that she does have a moment where she remembers her own humanity and our humanity and finds her compassion and remembers that this is a bigger story than political rhetoric,” said Danielle Bensky, one of the survivors.

The survivors also implored lawmakers to hold Bondi accountable for the handling of the Epstein case files' release, which included the personal information of potential victims.

They confronted the committee chair, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, and he told them that he would press for the complete release of case files mandated by law.

“We want justice for the survivors, we do,” Comer added.

Bondi told lawmakers in her opening statement that releasing the Epstein case files was “an enormously complicated and labor-intensive process” and conceded that the Justice Department had made redaction errors. But she mostly defended the department’s work, saying that it had complied with the law and demonstrated “an unprecedented commitment to transparency.”

Even after being ousted as attorney general last month, Bondi has stayed within the Republican president's orbit.

Trump appointed Bondi, who revealed this week that she is being treated for thyroid cancer, to a White House panel on artificial intelligence this week, and she was be accompanied Friday by Justice Department officials, including Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the department's Civil Rights Division, acting as her counsel.

Democrats called that arrangement a conflict of interest.

Dhillon told reporters after the interview that she had been there to “represent the interests of the Department of Justice” because Bondi was answering questions about her time as attorney general. She said she had advised Bondi to only answer questions that were within “the ground rules laid with the committee” and not on other topics.

Interview was not videoed

Friday's interview was only the latest clash between Bondi and Democrats.

Bondi was subpoenaed by the committee in March in a bipartisan vote, but she tried to head off that demand by holding a closed-door meeting with lawmakers. The maneuver only added to the enmity between her and Democrats on the committee.

Bondi's departure from the Justice Department also raised doubts about the enforcement of the congressional subpoena. After the committee's Democrats maneuvered to press for a civil contempt of Congress resolution against Bondi, she agreed to sit for a transcribed interview rather than a sworn deposition.

Democrats on the Oversight panel criticized that arrangement, saying it allowed Bondi to decline to answer questions. They also objected to Comer's decision not to video the interview.

“We continue to be incredibly disappointed of the decision to not have this interview videotaped and then released to the American public,” said Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the panel.

Comer has said he allowed Bondi to sit for a transcribed interview rather than a deposition as an incentive to cooperate. Previously, he had enforced a subpoena on former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after they resisted the demand. Both of their depositions were video-recorded.

Comer said that Bondi could face prosecution if she lies to Congress and that the committee would release a transcript of the interview.

Meanwhile, Democrats suggested they could still press to enforce the subpoena for Bondi. They also said they wanted to subpoena Blanche. Both actions would need Republican support.

“It's important that we continue to keep this pressure on them,” said Democratic Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania.

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Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow the AP's coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case at https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein.

Update: Detroit man fatally stabbed following dispute over backpack theft in Livonia

At approximately 9:20 p.m., detectives said they identified, located, and arrested a person believed to be responsible for the fatal stabbing, according to the Livonia Police Department.

Additional details about the suspect were not immediately released.

The incident occurred on Thursday (May 28) as officers were dispatched around 4:32 p.m. to the area of Middlebelt Road and Orangelawn Street after reports of a man lying on the side of the road.

When officers and paramedics arrived, they found a man suffering from an apparent single stab wound to the upper chest area, police said.

Officials said paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they have not yet released the victim’s identity pending notification of family members.

Middlebelt Road between West Chicago and Elmira Street was closed around 5:30 p.m. during the investigation, but has since reopened.

No motive has been released, and police have not provided additional information about the circumstances surrounding the stabbing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Livonia Police Department at 734-466-2470.

The investigation remains ongoing.

The climate-disclosure rule has been on hold since last year, after the Republican-led commission said it was pausing its legal defense after legal challenges by business groups and Republican state attorneys general.

The SEC said in a statement that it is now moving to rescind the disclosure rules “in their entirety because they exceed the scope of the agency’s statutory authority." The rules, finalized in 2024, “impose substantial costs on public companies and their shareholders that are not justified by the informational benefits they may provide to some investors,” the commission said.

Eliminating the rule will “avoid the practical effect of dictating corporate behavior” and ensure that agency rules will "be imposed only when the expected benefits justify the likely costs and burdens,” SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said in a statement.

Environmental groups said the action would leave investors without data they need to accurately assess financial risks and other hazards related to climate change.

“The SEC’s mission is to protect investors and the public by ensuring they have access to material information,” said Kathy Fallon, director of land systems at the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force. “While imperfect, the rule was an important step toward giving investors consistent information about financially material climate risks, including the use of carbon offsets.”

She urged the commission to retain the rule and enforce disclosure requirements "that give both investors and the public the transparency they need.”

Repeal of the climate-disclosure rule is among dozens of environmental rollbacks imposed in President Donald Trump's second term. The Environmental Protection Agency has eliminated major climate change programs, promoted deregulatory efforts that Trump calls the largest such move in American history and canceled billions of dollars in Biden-era environmental justice grants.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has focused on weakening or eliminating regulations perceived as climate-friendly, including revoking a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

Zeldin has said his actions will put a “dagger through the heart of climate change religion.”

The SEC, an independent agency whose members are appointed by the president, approved the climate rule in March 2024 on a party-line vote. Three Democratic commissioners supported it and two Republicans opposed.

The commission currently has three Republican members, including Atkins, and no Democrats.

The 2024 rule was one of the most anticipated in recent years from the nation’s top financial regulator, drawing more than 24,000 comments from companies, auditors, legislators and trade groups over two years. The vote brought the U.S. closer to the European Union and states like California, which have imposed similar corporate disclosure rules.

Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who long pushed for the disclosure rule, said the SEC announcement “is the result of years of work by corporate polluters to delay, defang and decimate rules meant to protect people’s investments from risky and reckless business models.”

Americans’ retirement security, union pensions and savings should be protected by the SEC, “not put in harm’s way by companies that are exposed to climate risks or that depend on an unfettered ability to pollute in order to make money,” Markey said in an email to The Associated Press.

Tom Zimpleman, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the SEC is shirking its responsibility to protect investors. “Climate risk is financial risk,” he said.

A public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the proposal in the Federal Register, expected in the next few days.

The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, notching its seventh consecutive gain and ninth straight winning week — the longest such streak since 2023. The benchmark index set an all-time high for the fourth day in a row.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.7% and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2%. The Dow and Nasdaq also reached new heights after posting record highs earlier in the week.

Big technology stocks have been behind much of the market’s record-breaking streak. Their pricey stock values give them more influence in directing the market higher or lower. In May alone, technology stocks within the S&P 500 rose more than 15%, while most of the sectors in the benchmark index actually lost ground.

“The rally has been largely tech-led and supported by resilient earnings, but the key question is whether it can be sustained,” wrote Angelo Kourkafas, senior global strategist at Edward Jones, in a research note.

Tech stocks also powered the market higher Friday. Microsoft rose 5.4% and Broadcom gained 4.7%.

Dell Technologies surged 32.8% to lead all stocks in the S&P 500 after delivering profits that blew past expectations. The company also raised its outlook, citing powerful demand for AI computing.

Most other sectors in the S&P 500 lost ground Friday. Among the decliners: Paramount Skydance fell 1.9%, Amazon.com dropped 1.2%, and Costco Wholesale closed 3.9% lower.

Wall Street has been gaining ground despite worries that the U.S. war with Iran is worsening inflation and jeopardizing economic growth.

The U.S. and Iran are reportedly working toward a deal to extend a ceasefire. That eased pressure on oil prices. The price for August delivery of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 1.7% to settle at $91.12 per barrel. It is still well above the $70 per barrel level in late February before the war began. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil for July delivery fell 1.7% to settle at $87.36.

Treasury yields held relatively steady as oil prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.44% from 4.45% late Thursday.

Still, high oil prices remain a key concern for Wall Street. The war has stifled the flow of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas is shipped through the waterway.

That has pushed up prices for gasoline and a wide range of goods, feeding inflation and squeezing consumers and businesses. Prices were already rising before the war began from the ongoing impact of tariffs.

Several reports this week reflected inflation’s rise and impact on consumers. A measure of inflation preferred by the Federal Reserve accelerated in April to its highest level in three years. Consumer confidence is slipping amid the squeeze from rising inflation.

Wall Street’s worries about rising inflation have been somewhat muted by the latest round of corporate profit reports. Companies in the S&P 500 have reported profit growth of 28% overall for the most recent quarter, according to FactSet. The overwhelming majority of companies in the S&P 500 have already reported their latest results. That could mean investors’ focus may shift back toward inflation, consumers’ behavior and the Fed’s path ahead for interest rates.

The Fed has been holding its benchmark interest rate steady as it closely watches rising inflation. It is expected to continue holding rates steady at its next meeting in June and through the year, according to CME’s FedWatch tool. Cutting interest rates could help lower borrowing costs and give the economy a jolt, but it could also worsen inflation at time when prices are already high and rising.

Despite the market turbulence caused by the conflict in the Middle East, stocks notched further gains in May. The S&P 500 closed out the month with a 5.1% gain. It’s up 10.7% so far this year.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 16.43 points to 7,580.06 on Friday. The Dow gained 363.49 points to 51,032.46, and the Nasdaq added 55.15 points to finish at 26,972.62.

Markets in Europe and Asia mostly rose.

Gordon's transfer announcement comes seven months after the NCAA's decision to eliminate the spring football portal window, opting instead for a 15-day period in January in an effort to corral offseason chaos and give programs a clearer picture of their fall roster.

Track and field athletes have two windows, one at the end of the fall and another 30-day period that begins the day after selections for Division I track and field championships are announced. This spring, the window opened on May 28 and will close on June 26.

“I am very thankful for my time as a dual-sport athlete at UCLA," Gordon wrote on social media. “I have made relationships here that will last me a lifetime. I am officially in the transfer portal as a dual sport QB/ATH and Triple Jumper. I have not committed to a school yet.”

Gordon initially signed with UCLA as a three-star quarterback out of Missouri City, Texas. He's now listed as a receiver on the Bruins' roster. He has not yet seen game action at either position.

The redshirt sophomore did not compete in the 2026 track season due to an injury. He competed in two indoor meets during his true freshman season and set a personal record in the triple jump.

The NCAA and UCLA did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

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

Deputies with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 100 block of Barbara Street after receiving a report from a woman who alleged that her boyfriend was assaulting her teenage children and was armed with a handgun.

Police said the caller was not at the residence when deputies arrived.

Authorities identified the suspect as Bryant Hall, 44, of Mount Clemens.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies attempted to take Hall into custody, but he became combative and actively resisted arrest. Investigators said Hall continued fighting with deputies after being handcuffed and later kicked and struck the windows and doors of a patrol vehicle while being transported to the Macomb County Jail.

No injuries were reported among the teenage victims during the incident.

During their investigation, deputies discovered a black-and-silver Ruger handgun hidden in the basement rafters inside a flexible air-conditioning duct.

The firearm was loaded with a full magazine and matched the description provided during the assault investigation, police said.

Investigators later determined the handgun had been reported stolen in Roseville.

Hall was arraigned in 41B District Court on multiple charges, including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, three counts of felony firearm-second offense, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer causing injury, three additional counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, and one count of domestic violence.

A judge set Hall’s bond at $250,000 cash or surety.

If released, Hall will be required to wear a GPS tether and have no contact with the victims.

Hall remained lodged in the Macomb County Jail following his arraignment.

The case was seen as the first major legal test of an election reform that has been pushed nationally by President Donald Trump and has gained favor among many Republicans, though U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliot said she was not deciding whether requiring proof of citizenship itself is constitutional. Her ruling late Thursday night on a narrower question of New Hampshire law was significant, however, because it underscored the potential perils of implementing strict requirements for voters to document their U.S. citizenship so they can cast a ballot.

Elliot found that changes in 2024 to the state voter registration law unconstitutionally removed one method of proof -- namely, a voter’s sworn affidavit attesting to citizenship.

“The evidence shows that this is the only method of proof available to a significant number of New Hampshire voters,” she wrote.

The changes took effect last year, after former Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, signed the bill two years ago. The attorney general’s office said it plans to appeal the judge’s ruling, calling the citizenship requirements a “common-sense approach to voter registration and election administration designed to protect the integrity of our elections.”

The ruling was a win for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire and other plaintiffs who argued that the changes that took effect last year were burdensome and unnecessary.

“New Hampshire’s elections have always been safe, secure, and accurate — and this law could have unconstitutionally and needlessly prevented thousands of eligible voters from casting a ballot,” said Henry Klementowicz, deputy legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire.

In her ruling, Elliott said eliminating the affidavit option created a significant burden for voters and did little, if anything, to further the state's interests. She noted that an expert on voter fraud found only 47 instances of wrongful voting out of roughly 8.3 million votes between 1998 and 2024. During that time, only eight noncitizens may have cast ballots, she said.

“If wrongful voting is rare in New Hampshire, wrongful voting by noncitizens is essentially non-existent,” she wrote.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Coalition for Open Democracy, the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, the Forward Foundation and five voters, called the state’s voter registration law one of the most restrictive in the nation. During town elections last fall, some voters had trouble gathering passports, birth certificates or other proof of citizenship.

New Hampshire is not the only state with a proof-of-citizenship law for voters. Arizona, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming have similar laws already in effect, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Florida passed a law this year requiring documentary proof of citizenship to vote, but it won’t take effect until next year.

A similar law in Kansas, which required proof of citizenship for state and federal elections, was found in 2018 to violate both the U.S. Constitution and the National Voter Registration Act after it prevented more than 31,000 citizens from registering to vote.

Arizona established a two-tiered system after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the state could not require citizenship documentation for federal elections. In August 2024, the court allowed some parts of the state’s proof-of-citizenship law to be enforced as the legal fight continued in lower courts.

The ruling comes as Trump is trying to push a proof-of-citizenship bill, the SAVE America Act, through Congress. Voting rights advocates say such a federal requirement could disenfranchise millions of people. A 2025 University of Maryland study estimated that 21.3 million Americans who are eligible to vote do not have or have easy access to documents to prove their citizenship, including nearly 10% of Democrats, 7% of Republicans and 14% of people unaffiliated with either major party.

New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said he will reimplement the use of voter affidavits for registrants to prove citizenship, but noted the ruling doesn't affect other 2024 changes to the law, including a requirement that those registering to vote provide documentary proof of identity, age and address. Voters also will continue to be required to show proof of identity on Election Day.

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Carr Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio.