More than 70 people were injured in the Sunday night tragedy, with 24 of them still in critical condition, according to a statement by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Initial details about the victims, which have not been updated since Monday, said 18 of the dead were women and nine were men, all Thai except one bar employee from Laos. The injured included 41 women and 34 men.

The blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, the city’s deadliest in 17 years, broke out shortly before midnight in a northern part of the Thai capital. Firefighters needed half an hour to bring it under control.

The bar, which in Thai calls itself a brewery or beer hall, claimed to accommodate as many as 600 customers. It was not clear how many were present Sunday night.

An investigation into the cause of the fire and whether the bar was following safety regulations is ongoing. Most of the people who were killed were found trapped in windowless bathrooms where they may have sought to escape the flames, police said.

Bangkok governor orders safety survey and better enforcement

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said Tuesday he has ordered the city’s administration to conduct a sweeping survey of such establishments to assess risks. The city will also step up enforcement of existing laws to improve safety standards, he said.

Former patrons of the bar and other mourners visited the site Tuesday, adding to the growing pile of flowers leaning on the guardrails cordoning off the location of the blaze.

Handwritten messages in Thai and other languages, including Korean, were left alongside white flowers, expressing condolences to the victims.

Debris from the bar, including melted musical instruments and blackened chairs, lay scattered along the sidewalk, moved there Monday by officials investigating the cause of the fire.

University student Thanakon Phoklang said he was passing by and wanted to pay his respects.

“It was regrettable,” he said. “It’s impossible to feel anything else.”

The public clamor for answers and action concerning the tragedy has included relatives of the dead who went to Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine to collect their bodies on Tuesday.

Families weep as they retrieve bodies

Gathering at a loading area for vehicles, family members wept as they walked with coffins that were then loaded into an ambulance and taken away.

Namthip Tubsuk, a mother of two and teacher nicknamed “Ice,” died in the fire, according to her aunt Jittiya Phaiklaw, who focused on reports alleging exit doors had been locked.

“They shouldn’t have locked the doors,” Jittiya said. “If they were afraid the customers would get away, they could have had the security guard staff minding them away.

Jutatip Surakumhang, a friend of Namthip, said an apology was owed.

“I feel there must be someone coming out to apologize to everyone who died. There were deaths deserving an apology. It was heartbreaking,” Jutatip said.

The bar issued an apology and condolences Monday on Facebook and vowed to cooperate with investigations into the fire.

The relatives and friends of another deceased victim, 35-year-old Bangkok native Top Sarobol, also came to the forensic institute to accompany his body. They wept as his coffin was brought out and loaded into the van to be returned home.

“For his family, it is hard to accept it. His grandmother is old. She always said let her grandson cremate her,” his friend Nuttakarn Sevoy said. “But the reality is opposite of what we wanted.”

Speculation about the causes of the tragedy has been rampant but mostly unconfirmed, while experts have drawn general conclusions about fire safety in Thailand.

Engineering expert suggests problems should be probed

On Monday, the president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, Amorn Pimanmas, told reporters outside the bar that, while he had not inspected the venue, he observed some risk factors that could worsen fire hazards.

He said the building is enclosed, has low ceilings and may have used foam as decorative materials, without adequate flame-retardant treatment. Combined with limited air ventilation, smoke would accumulate quickly, he said, creating toxic air that could be the main cause of death for many victims.

He also noted that officials said the bar was licensed as a restaurant with a live music venue rather than an entertainment venue because it was located outside the designated zoning for such businesses. Amorn said that would exclude it from the stricter fire safety requirements for entertainment venues.

“There must be some kind of revolution regarding fire safety procedures, and I think law enforcement is also very important,” he said. “It’s not that we don’t have the law, but it’s the problem of how the law could be strictly enforced from now on. I think the government should answer this question.”

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Pimuk Rakkanam in Bangkok contributed to this report.

The nation's largest bank by asset size, JPMorgan said that revenue in every line of its business hit record levels in the quarter, including its markets division, where revenue grew 35% over the same period last year. Revenue in its equity markets division skyrocketed 86%.

JPMorgan earned $6.14 per share in the period, beating analyst estimates of $5.59 per share and 2025's $5.24. Managed revenue came in at $58 billion, also topping the estimates of analysts surveyed by FactSet.

CEO Jamie Dimon said that revenue from the New York bank's investment banking division rose 30%, accelerating to the highest level since 2021 as the thirst for initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions remained strong.

Investment research analysts are forecasting that both merger and acquisitions and IPOs to continue at a blistering pace through 2026.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to sign an executive order Tuesday morning imposing the country's first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers, which house thousands of computer servers and require massive amounts of energy and a steady supply of water to keep cool.

“As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement.

The order will pause state permitting for new large data centers and direct state regulators to create standards that address environmental impacts, energy demand, water usage and other factors, the governor's office said.

Tech companies and other backers have argued moves to block the construction of data centers hurt job growth for local communities and cede ground to China in a race to lead in the rapidly growing AI industry.

Earlier this year, Maine seemed poised to establish a similar moratorium. But the measure was vetoed by the state’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills because it would have blocked a proposed data center in a town that has struggled following the closure of a local mill. Moratoriums have been proposed in at least a dozen states but have not gotten far, though some counties and municipalities have imposed their own temporary bans.

The decision in New York also carries political significance for Hochul's reelection campaign and the state's tight congressional races this fall, as Democrats move to address affordability concerns over high utility bills and other pocketbook issues. The governor this year softened New York's ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gases, citing rising energy costs for consumers.

Hochul’s Republican opponent in the governor’s race, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, opposes a statewide moratorium and says local governments should be allowed to strike deals with tech companies for data center projects that promise enough economic benefits.

The state Legislature this year approved its own moratorium bill, but Hochul's office described the legislation as complex and said it needed additional work. Instead, the governor is opting for an executive order that would take effect immediately once signed.

New York, at this stage, has not been a destination for the biggest hyperscale data centers.

The shooting occurred near the food court around 5:20 p.m. One man was killed — later identified by family members as 20-year-old KeShawn Emery, of Pontiac — and a 19-year-old woman was injured.

The alleged shooter, identified as a 22-year-old man from Detroit, remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement. Police say he has a valid Concealed Pistol License.

The sheriff’s office say the altercation began at the mall earlier in the day, and when they crossed paths again in the food court a fight broke out. Police say the shooter told investigators he was jumped by the victim who died and another unknown man before the shots were fired.

Police are still asking that anyone who may have witnessed the incident reach out to the Auburn Hills Police Department at 248-370-9444.

The government's latest inflation report, to be released Tuesday, is forecast to show that consumer prices dropped 0.2% in June, according to a survey of economists by data provider FactSet. It would be the first monthly decline in nearly four years. Compared with a year ago, prices probably rose 3.9%, down from a 4.2% annual rate in May.

Gas prices have fallen a bit more in July, suggesting inflation could dip again in next month's report. Still, the better numbers aren't likely to unwind concerns about affordability that have become a political liability for the Trump administration as the midterm elections near. Inflation is still higher than before the Iran war, when it was just 2.4%.

And the situation in the Middle East continues to change hour to hour. On Monday, the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed 9.6% to $83.30 after the United States and Iran each said the Strait of Hormuz is under its control.

Gas price spikes have also raised air fares. And by pushing up diesel prices, they have lifted shipping costs for groceries and other goods.

Yet analysts will be looking at more than gas prices. World Cup matches in 11 U.S. cities likely boosted hotel prices, economists forecast. New and used car prices are expected to have fallen. But prices for many services — restaurant meals, entertainment, healthcare — are still rising more quickly than they did before the pandemic.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices are forecast to have risen 0.2% in June from the previous month, and 2.8% from a year earlier, according to FactSet. Monthly increases at that level for the rest of the year would bring core prices — which the Fed pays close attention to — nearer to target.

A slowdown in inflation could take some pressure off the Federal Reserve to raise its key rate, which it typically does to cool spending and price increases. Chair Kevin Warsh, who took over May 22, has underscored that the Fed is tightly focused on getting inflation back to its target of 2%, though he has declined to signal what the Fed's next steps will be.

Other Fed officials, however, have warned that inflation has been above their target for more than five years, and unless there are clear signs it is declining, a rate hike might be needed. John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said last week that core inflation increasing at 0.2% a month or less for the rest of this year would be consistent with falling inflation.

Many of those officials have said massive investments in the buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure could also worsen inflation by pushing up prices for memory chips and other semiconductors, as well as electricity. As a result, companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Dell have announced price increases for laptops, tablets, and video game consoles.

On Monday, Fed governor Christopher Waller said he was worried about core inflation, which he noted had risen from 3% last December to 3.4% in May, according to the Fed's preferred measure, which uses data from the consumer price index. He pointed out that the cost of more than two-thirds of services have risen by 3% or more compared with a year ago.

Waller had favored cutting rates early this year, but is now warning a hike could be needed.

“If we get another hot reading on core inflation this week, then the (Fed) will need to consider tightening monetary policy in the near term,” Waller said in a speech in New York.

Gas prices have fallen nearly 20% from their peak in late May but have rebounded in the past week, likely in response to renewed fighting in the Middle East. Gas prices averaged $3.87 a gallon nationwide Monday, up 7 cents from a week earlier. They averaged $4.09 a month ago, according to AAA.

Other signs of where prices are headed are mixed. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said last week that a survey found that nearly half the companies in its region that have paid tariffs still plan to lift their prices further.

Separately, Walmart last week said it was rolling back prices on thousands of items, including ground beef, potato chips, toys, and clothes. President Donald Trump praised the move on social media and sought to take credit for the reduction, though the company did not mention Trump in its announcement.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced at a news conference at the Statehouse on Monday that Nordone would serve the remaining months on Graham's current term, which expires in January. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said afterward that she will be sworn in Tuesday afternoon.

Nordone will be the first woman to represent the state in the Senate.

“It is such an honor,” she said, as dozens of Graham staffers and campaign advisers stood behind her, some with eyes glassy from welling tears. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”

Graham died on Saturday at age 71. He never married or had a family of his own, but Nordone was often by his side for the political touch points of his career, speaking at events and appearing in some of his campaign ads.

After their parents died at a young age, Graham was left to raise his sister, for whom he later became legal guardian. They were very close, and she was there as he filed reelection paperwork earlier this year, along with her children and grandchildren.

“To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words," Nordone said, emotion rising in her voice. "But I'm going to do this. I got it.”

Introducing Nordone, McMaster said the two had spoken “in the wee hours of Sunday morning” after Graham's death, and he asked her to serve.

“I had wondered what you would say, and I was humbled by your quickness to see the duty that you had to serve,” McMaster said. He added that President Donald Trump “thought it was a great idea” when he later told him of his pick. Trump announced his support for Nardone to fill the seat earlier Monday.

Nordone has worked as an optician and at various state agencies, including the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and the Department of Employment and Workforce. She lives in Lexington, is a graduate of the College of Charleston and has a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling.

How will a special primary work?

A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee in the general election for Graham’s seat. He had been seeking a fifth term this year.

The rare open Senate seat has ignited a scramble among South Carolina’s most ambitious conservatives, who have been eager to climb the political ladder.

Republicans just finished a sprawling and bruising contest to figure out their nominee for succeeding McMaster, who is wrapping up his second term. State Attorney General Alan Wilson won the nomination, overcoming a field that included Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — all of whom are now eyeing Graham’s seat following his death over the weekend.

According to South Carolina law, a one-week filing period for a special primary election begins on the second Tuesday after the candidate’s death, or July 21.

The special primary election would be held on the second Tuesday after that filing period closes, or Aug. 11. Any necessary runoff would follow two weeks after that, or Aug. 25.

From that point, the new nominee would have just over two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.

All of this is problematic according to federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before any federal election. For the special election primary, that would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials didn’t immediately return a message seeking clarity about the process.

Who could replace Graham?

Graham died on Saturday night, and a preliminary medical examiner report said he suffered a tear in his aorta, known as an aortic dissection.

In the hours after Graham's death was announced, South Carolina’s Republican circles were already swirling with rumors about possible replacements.

Evette, who has served nearly eight years alongside McMaster and received his endorsement in the governor's race, is one possibility. She lost the June 23 runoff to Wilson.

Mace and Norman could run in the special primary as well. Neither of them are running for reelection to their House seats.

But another Republican from the state, Rep. Russell Fry, could be a possibility. The two-term lawmaker represents the growing area around Myrtle Beach, and he's been a top Trump ally.

Businessman Mark Lynch, whom Graham defeated in the primary, may jump into the race. So could Mark Sanford, the state's former governor who served two separate stints in the House.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who lived in South Carolina before joining the Trump administration, has fielded calls about potentially replacing Graham but doesn’t have interest in the role and enjoys working for the president, according to a person who insisted on anonymity to describe private conversations.

How does Graham's death affect the general election?

No Democrat has won a Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double digits. When Graham last ran in 2020, he defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin.

So while history suggests that Graham was en route to a fifth term, Republicans are carefully surveying the landscape.

Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews won the Democratic nomination last month and has raised more than $8 million in the race, and she had just under $3 million cash on hand at the end of May, according to federal filings. Graham had taken in $6 million, with just over $4 million on hand.

In a statement Sunday, Andrews called on South Carolinians to join her “in setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude" to Graham for his service.

Harrison, noting that he and Graham “had our share of political disagreements,” wrote on social media that he “always appreciated that even in our fiercest political battles, we could still share a conversation, a laugh, and a mutual respect for South Carolina and the institutions we were both privileged to serve.”

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Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.

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Kinnard reported from Charleston, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.

The process that top athletes go through to heal physically, mentally and emotionally highlights what a recovery might demand of athletes at all levels, as well as people experiencing chronic pain, recuperating from surgery or facing other setbacks. Because progress is rarely linear, patience and the ability to reset expectations can be as valuable as perseverance, consistency and motivation, according to experts.

“Sport has always mimicked life," said Ross Flowers, a sports and performance psychologist in Los Angeles. "You’re going to face challenges, bumps and bruises. You got to figure out how to work through them and overcome them.”

Here’s what some sports psychologists and former athletes say about confronting the unknown and coming through injuries:

Learn to recognize your body's physical limits

Fans are accustomed to watching athletes compete at the Olympics, the World Cup and other sporting events with broken bones, torn ligaments and dislocated joints. Comeback stories like Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn 's, after multiple injuries and another serious injury this year at the Winter Olympics, are an enduring element of sports.

While discomfort is expected during intense training, and pushing through pain becomes more critical during competition, even seasoned competitors need to know when to listen to their bodies, experts say.

“There’s a relationship with pain and understanding how to work with it, if it’s possible to work through it, but also knowing how to back off of it so the pain does not persist," Flowers said, adding that training to the point of physical fatigue or in conditions that build endurance is the sweet spot for improvement.

Liv Paxton, 28, learned this lesson firsthand after dealing with shin splints, quadricep strains and a partially torn Achilles tendon. As a runner at Winthrop University and the College of William & Mary, she pushed herself until her body forced her to stop. Since recovering from Achilles surgery, she said she has a better understanding of when to slow down.

“I’m so much better about keeping in tune with my body,” Paxton said, explaining that she prioritizes eating and sleeping well. “That’s not something that I focused on in college. I just thought I was bulletproof.”

Injuries can happen suddenly or develop from a nagging but manageable nuisance into a debilitating condition over time. Whether it’s a soccer player sidelined after a collision or a worker who can’t stand after months of chronic back pain, the outcome is similar: a forced pause and learning to heal once pushing through pain no longer works.

“So how do we know our limits? It is definitely an experimental process,” said Lisa Miller, a health and sport sciences professor who teaches at the online American Public University System from her home in Columbus, Ohio. “We have plenty of athletes who still don’t know. But we have also had more examples of athletes saying this is too much, I’m burned out and I’m going to take a break, bringing much more attention to the psychological side of sport.”

Honestly assessing whether an injury is affecting daily life and long-term well-being is part of recognizing one's physical limits. Miller said she has seen athletes of all levels return to competition thinking they are ready to excel, but not all can or do.

Tennis great Serena Williams made the difficult decision to withdraw from a doubles match this month because of a knee injury.

Take time to grieve losses and adapt to new challenges

Even after bones heal and surgeries succeed, experts say recovery can mean coming to terms with what injuries have changed and giving yourself permission to grieve those losses.

Former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Kyle Arrington, who is now a community activist in Maryland, spent nearly two decades with every hour of his day organized around football. After a severe concussion ended his career, that structure disappeared almost overnight.

“I knew what everything looked like year in and year out for the past almost 20 years,” said Arrington, who was a Super Bowl champion during his tenure with the New England Patriots. “To have that stripped away in a blink of an eye was a real upheaval.”

Grief and depression are common after season- or career-ending injuries and other life-altering experiences. People making a physical recovery may also mourn lost friendships, missed opportunities, unmet goals and a sense of purpose. The emotional pain can be especially acute when someone’s self-identity rested on excelling in a sport or a professional role.

Arrington, 39, said his post-concussion retirement took him to a dark place. He credits family and friends with helping him through the transition; with their encouragement, he committed to healing mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Arrington said he now puts his energy toward the E.V.O.L.V.E. Foundation, which he founded to mentor young people.

Experts say a support system can help people stay grounded when they have to make major medical and career decisions.

“Having a team around you is incredibly important to get good advice, be objective, but also positively push you, not just for your sport and your performance, but for life,” Flowers said.

Look beyond returning to who you were

Sports psychologists say recovery often turns a corner when people stop trying to reclaim the past and begin building a new future.

American freestyle skier Jamie MoCrazy, who at the 2013 Winter X-Games became the first woman to land a double backflip during a slopestyle ski run, confronted that reality after a traumatic brain injury left her in a coma at age 22. For her, recovery meant letting go of elite competition and accepting a new future.

“I realized that I didn’t want to compete if I wasn’t at the level that I had previously been competing,” said MoCrazy, 33, who is now a motivational speaker and lives in Salt Lake City.

She still chased the exhilaration she got from sports. Few things compare to the applause, trophies and recognition, but public speaking gives her a taste of that adrenaline.

“I take some deep breaths and then walk out on stage,” she said. “That’s the closest of a mimic for me.”

Former professional boxer Patricia Alcivar, 46, also had to rethink her next steps after suffering injuries that included a hyperextended elbow, broken toes and multiple stitches above her eye. She now runs marathons and climbs mountains to stay active. She said despite the physical challenges boxing put her through, she wouldn't change the experience.

“I will never regret boxing because it taught me that I am a fighter inside and outside the ring,” Alcivar said, adding that climbing Utah's Mount Superior was the first time she felt equally challenged. She recalls smiling during an arduous hike up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania because “nobody’s punching me in the face. Nobody’s trying to kill me.”

When returning to the life you had before isn't possible, experts recommend exploring goals and sources of meaning that could become the foundation for a new sense of identity.

“There is hope that something else can replace this,” Miller said. "And when we can find that daily rejuvenation of hope, we can also find new sources of happiness as well.”

The actions leave in tatters an interim deal meant to pause the fighting, reopen a waterway that is a crucial passage for the world’s energy supplies, and give negotiators time to hammer out a permanent end to the war. Instead, fighting has once again engulfed the region and threatened the global economy. Unless a diplomatic solution is found quickly, it could intensify into all-out war.

The focus of the conflict now is the strait, through which a fifth of all traded crude oil and natural gas passed in peacetime. Iran effectively shut the passage during the war by attacking and threatening ships — a tactic that proved its greatest strategic advantage since it sent the price of oil, fertilizer and other goods soaring at a time when world leaders were already struggling to address a rising cost of living.

The interim deal was supposed to reopen the waterway, but Iran has attacked some ships moving through the strait.

The U.S. has now threatened to reopen the strait by force — but experts say that will require a much bigger armada if not tens of thousands of American troops on Iranian soil. It’s possible Trump will back down, as he has previously.

Attacks resume across the Mideast

The U.S. military’s Central Command said it struck several areas in Iran, targeting “coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites and maritime capabilities.” Iran acknowledged the strikes, but provided no immediate casualty or damage assessments.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. military said.

Moments after the military announced the new strikes, Trump called it “another major attack” and said the U.S. was "putting the blockade back.”

Iran responded with attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers that traveled through the strait.

Two of the ships were associated with the United Arab Emirates and were set ablaze for a time. The Emirati Defense Ministry said the attack on the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah killed one mariner and wounded eight others. The Emirates threatened to retaliate.

Dutch shipping firm Stolt Tankers said that one of its ships came under attack around the time. The attack on the Stolt Magnesium off Oman in the Arabian Sea sparked a fire in the engine room, but the company said all the mariners aboard were safe.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack on the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, saying the vessels “ignored repeated warnings.” Iran has targeted ships that use a route through the strait that passes near Oman outside of its territorial waters.

Hours after the U.S. said it ended its campaign of strikes, the Iranian city of Bushehr on the Persian Gulf was hit in at least four locations, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. It again raised the possibility that Gulf Arab states were launching unclaimed attacks on Iran to try to deter it from targeting them.

Bahrain also came under renewed attack early Tuesday morning as Iran retaliated over the latest round of U.S. airstrikes. Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, sounded its missile alert sirens three times, urging people to seek shelter.

Jordan’s military separately said it intercepted four missiles from Iran. Jordan hosts U.S. forces and has come under attack by Tehran in recent days.

Interim deal is in peril

Exchanges of fire in recent days had already cast doubt on the interim peace deal — now almost halfway through the 60-day period in which negotiators were supposed to agree to a final accord, which also was meant to address Iran’s disputed nuclear program and other issues.

But Trump's vow to impose a blockade further imperils it. Washington lifted a blockade it imposed in mid-April as part of the deal. The U.S. military said it will resume it at midnight in Dubai.

“We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE,” Trump said on social media. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

But the president said the U.S. would impose a fee for protecting other ships: 20% of the value of cargo to help cover “any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security.”

That's a change to longstanding U.S. policy. The U.S. Navy has fought for freedom of navigation on the seas since the Barbary Wars in the early 19th century and the War of 1812. It's also a departure from recent U.S. promises that the strait would remain open to all without tolls — recently offered by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a trip to the region.

Under the interim deal, Iran agreed that passage through the strait would remain free of charge for 60 days — but the agreement left open what would happen after. Iran asserts it has the right to manage traffic through the strait and potentially charge fees. The U.S. has disputed that.

Any attempt by the U.S. or Iran to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and raise tensions, likely causing further economic disruption far beyond the region.

The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose to a one-month high of over $87 in trading Tuesday, still well below the nearly $120 reached at the height of the war but threatening to make costs everywhere higher.

Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will resume

Lebanese and Israeli delegations were expected to meet in Rome on Tuesday to continue U.S.-mediated negotiations. Shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah joined the conflict in support of its ally, Iran, and began attacking Israel. Israel responded with a ground invasion of Lebanon.

Last month, Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” outlining the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of Hezbollah. On the ground, however, the agreement has stalled.

Before the fighting around the strait intensified, Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon repeatedly threatened to derail the interim deal. A truce now exists in Lebanon, but it remains unclear whether it will hold if the U.S. and Iran return to full-scale war.

Ali al-Zaidi, a businessman with no political background, emerged as a consensus candidate in Iraq after months of deadlock over the premiership following last year’s parliamentary elections. When al-Zaidi was formally installed as prime minister-designate in April, Trump said in a social media post that it was the “beginning of a tremendous new chapter between our Nations — Prosperity, Stability, and Success like never seen before.”

But Trump’s interest and involvement in the next leadership in Iraq began long before that statement.

Iraq’s dominant parliamentary bloc, the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite parties allied with Iran, initially said it would back former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whom the Trump administration views as too close to Tehran. The Republican president publicly announced his opposition to al-Maliki and threatened to cut off aid to Iraq if he was appointed, adding that “if we are there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.”

The issue of Iran is likely to loom large in the discussions Tuesday. Iraq has been under pressure to disarm a network of Iran-backed militias operating in the country, some of which launched attacks on U.S. bases and diplomatic facilities after the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran in February. Officially, the Iraqi government has given non-state armed groups until the end of September to disarm, but some of the most powerful militias have said they have no intention of doing so.

A Trump administration official said ahead of the Oval Office meeting that the U.S. will make “informed” decisions based on Iraq’s efforts to disarm Iranian-backed militias inside its borders. The official was granted anonymity to discuss the administration’s strategy ahead of al-Zaidi’s visit.

Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Chatham House think tank, said he expects that “the U.S. will put significant pressure on al-Zaidi” to move ahead with disarmament during his Washington visit “and Zaidi will respond by saying, ‘But I need support — intelligence support, technical support, armed support.’”

“There is a scenario in which, if the Iraqi government starts going after these groups, they will also go after the government,” Mansour said. “And this is a scenario that I think that the Iraqi government is apprehensive about.”

Al-Zaidi received Trump’s blessing, despite the fact that he was chairman of a bank, Al-Janoob Islamic Bank, that was among the financial institutions banned by Iraq’s central bank in 2024 from dealing in dollars amid pressure from the U.S. to crack down on money laundering and funneling of funds to Iran.

Since taking office, al-Zaidi has made a public show of cracking down on corruption. His government has conducted raids and arrested dozens of current and former lawmakers and government officials accused of corruption, including some affiliated with former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The Iraqi premier’s delegation to Washington includes a number of Iraqi businessmen and government officials, and al-Zaidi’s office said in a statement that the aim of the visit is to “strengthen economic and development partnerships, attract investment, and expand the role of U.S. companies in implementing infrastructure projects” and to further develop the oil-rich country’s energy sector.

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

🍇 Grapevine

🌅 Good morning! On this day in 1969, the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury Department discontinued circulation of the $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 bills due to lack of use. Although they were issued until 1969, they were last printed in 1945.

Here are a few things to know about for Tuesday, July 14, 2026:

🥵 4Warn Weather: Afternoon temps will soar into the upper 90s, while oppressive humidity will push heat index values above 100 degrees, creating dangerous conditions for anyone spending extended time outdoors. Check out the 10-day forecast.

🥬 Tracking Cyclospora: Michigan health officials say the ongoing outbreak of cyclosporiasis has sickened 2,640 people, with early evidence pointing to lettuce or salad greens as a possible source. Read more.

⚖️ Chris Partridge Files Lawsuit: Former U-M football coach Chris Partridge has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, its Board of Regents, and Athletic Director Warde Manuel, alleging that his 2023 termination was unlawful, politically motivated, and permanently damaged his career. Read more.

🚗 Bill Targets Engine Noise: Several Michigan lawmakers are backing new legislation to quiet some of the state’s noisiest roads by cracking down on loud and illegal exhaust systems. Read more.

🎀 End of an Era: Opal’s Hallmark Shop in St. Clair Shores is preparing to close its doors after nearly five decades, prompting a rush of customers to stop in one last time to shop and share memories. Watch more.

🏊 Morning Dive

Good morning ☀️

The five major candidates running to become Michigan’s next governor include Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, U.S. Rep. John James, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, and businessman Perry Johnson.

Swanson and Benson are running as Democrats, while James, Johnson and Cox are running as Republicans. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, and cannot run again.

Each candidate had a chance to talk to Local 4 about their priorities and visions for the state if they were to be elected as governor.

Watch the full interviews here.

🗞️ Other headlines to know today

• Warren homeless shelter closes after funding runs out, CEO blames lack of city support
• Extreme Heat Watch: Cooling center list for Metro Detroit
• Michigan governor candidates offer competing plans to improve education outcomes
• Legislation announced with goal of improving protections for Michigan’s mental health patients
• 12-year-old girl, woman seriously injured in Michigan dog attack
• Michigan basketball national champion PG L.J. Cason enters transfer portal following Dusty May’s departure
• Detroit People Mover suspends service due to software issue
• Fly like an Eagle: How Eastern Michigan revamped women’s golf to compete for a championship
• Accused ex-Southfield teacher barred from contact with kids listed with youth-facing choir
• US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed responds to Peters’ endorsement for Haley Stevens
• Local memorial planned for Emily Barker — Metro Detroit native killed while battling Colorado wildfire
• FBI offers $15K reward in investigation of Michigan newborn found dead inside portable restroom at festival
• Brighton man sentenced for falsifying water safety reports at Michigan mobile home parks
• ‘Like a bomb going off’: Fireworks launched at Macomb Township homes in the middle of the night
• AAA: Michigan gas prices down slightly, hovering below $4 per gallon
• Isle Royale campground closed through July due to wolf activity, National Park Service says
• 3 years, $3 million, and a name change later, Pontiac Oaks Park is open
• Protecting yourself against alpha-gal syndrome
• Find more Local News headlines here
• Find more Entertainment headlines here
• Find more Health headlines here
• Check out the latest ClickOnDeals here
• Introducing the ClickOnDetroit Help Desk: How it works and how to use it

🌎 Meanwhile

News from around the world via the Associated Press:

Federal prosecutors turned over key evidence long sought by Minnesota investigators in their ongoing probe into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during pitched protests against an immigration enforcement crackdown earlier this year, state prosecutors announced Monday.

The progress came as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a motorist in Maine on Monday, and Houston prosecutors complained the administration was still withholding critical information in their investigation into a fatal shooting by an ICE officer last week.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the evidence turned over by U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen’s office included previously withheld hard drives containing statements, police body camera video and other materials in the Minnesota killings. (Read more)

----

The European Union has coordinated efforts to raise 900 million euros ($1 billion) in pledges of aid for Gaza’s rebuilding following two years of Israeli bombardment that left much of the Palestinian enclave in ruins, a senior EU official said Monday.

How much of the money will be delivered, and when reconstruction of Gaza can begin, is unclear. The ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group that took effect in October is effectively stalled.

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica announced the fund after a meeting in Brussels of the Palestine Donors Group, which includes EU and Middle East nations along with international organizations and financial institutions. (Read more)

----

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport on Monday in response to airstrikes they blamed on Saudi Arabia that struck Sanaa International Airport earlier in the day.

No casualties were reported, but the attacks marked an escalation not seen since a Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi-controlled areas several years ago. Saudi Arabian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the airstrikes in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a video statement on Telegram, warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace, saying these warnings should be taken “seriously until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.” (Read more)

---> Find more headlines from around the world right here <---

📝 Word Up

Today’s Word Up is: Maudlin / ˈmȯd-lən / (adjective) — defined as “tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental.”

Example: ”The film’s ending, though intending to be heartwarming, came across as overly maudlin, eliciting more eye rolls than tears from the audience."

🧹 Housekeeping

Hey, if you like this newsletter, let us know. We’d love your feedback. We also offer several other newsletters, including 4Warn Weather, All 4 Pets and more. Hopefully, we have one that caters to your interests — unless you’re only interested in prehistoric animals. We don’t have one for that, sorry.

✍🏽 Written and curated by: Jenny Sherman (Have something to say? Feel free to send an email here.)

The extreme heat will continue through Wednesday, with another day of temperatures in the 90s and heat indices approaching 100 degrees. Additional heat headlines, including another Heat Advisory, could be issued for Wednesday if forecast conditions remain on track. The combination of intense sunshine, high temperatures, and humidity will increase the risk of heat-related illness. Try to limit strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the afternoon, drink plenty of water, wear lightweight clothing, and check on vulnerable family members, neighbors, and pets.

The heat begins to ease later this week as the weather pattern becomes more active. The next chance for showers and thunderstorms arrives late Friday into Saturday, bringing the potential for locally heavy rain and a temporary break from the hottest temperatures.

🍇 Grapevine

🌅 Good morning! On this day in 1969, the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury Department discontinued circulation of the $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 bills due to lack of use. Although they were issued until 1969, they were last printed in 1945.

Here are a few things to know about for Tuesday, July 14, 2026:

⛅ 4Warn Weather: Expect partly sunny skies today with afternoon highs in the mid-80s, accompanied by noticeably lower humidity. Check out the 10-day forecast.

🥬 Tracking Cyclospora: Michigan health officials say the ongoing outbreak of cyclosporiasis has sickened 2,640 people, with early evidence pointing to lettuce or salad greens as a possible source. Read more.

⚖️ Chris Partridge Files Lawsuit: Former U-M football coach Chris Partridge has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, its Board of Regents, and Athletic Director Warde Manuel, alleging that his 2023 termination was unlawful, politically motivated, and permanently damaged his career. Read more.

🚗 Bill Targets Engine Noise: Several Michigan lawmakers are backing new legislation to quiet some of the state’s noisiest roads by cracking down on loud and illegal exhaust systems. Read more.

🎀 End of an Era: Opal’s Hallmark Shop in St. Clair Shores is preparing to close its doors after nearly five decades, prompting a rush of customers to stop in one last time to shop and share memories. Watch more.

🏊 Morning Dive

Good morning ☀️

The five major candidates running to become Michigan’s next governor include Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, U.S. Rep. John James, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, and businessman Perry Johnson.

Swanson and Benson are running as Democrats, while James, Johnson and Cox are running as Republicans. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, and cannot run again.

Each candidate had a chance to talk to Local 4 about their priorities and visions for the state if they were to be elected as governor.

Watch the full interviews here.

🗞️ Other headlines to know today

• Warren homeless shelter closes after funding runs out, CEO blames lack of city support
• Extreme Heat Watch: Cooling center list for Metro Detroit
• Michigan governor candidates offer competing plans to improve education outcomes
• Legislation announced with goal of improving protections for Michigan’s mental health patients
• 12-year-old girl, woman seriously injured in Michigan dog attack
• Michigan basketball national champion PG L.J. Cason enters transfer portal following Dusty May’s departure
• Detroit People Mover suspends service due to software issue
• Fly like an Eagle: How Eastern Michigan revamped women’s golf to compete for a championship
• Accused ex-Southfield teacher barred from contact with kids listed with youth-facing choir
• US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed responds to Peters’ endorsement for Haley Stevens
• Local memorial planned for Emily Barker — Metro Detroit native killed while battling Colorado wildfire
• FBI offers $15K reward in investigation of Michigan newborn found dead inside portable restroom at festival
• Brighton man sentenced for falsifying water safety reports at Michigan mobile home parks
• ‘Like a bomb going off’: Fireworks launched at Macomb Township homes in the middle of the night
• AAA: Michigan gas prices down slightly, hovering below $4 per gallon
• Isle Royale campground closed through July due to wolf activity, National Park Service says
• 3 years, $3 million, and a name change later, Pontiac Oaks Park is open
• Protecting yourself against alpha-gal syndrome
• Find more Local News headlines here
• Find more Entertainment headlines here
• Find more Health headlines here
• Check out the latest ClickOnDeals here
• Introducing the ClickOnDetroit Help Desk: How it works and how to use it

🌎 Meanwhile

News from around the world via the Associated Press:

Federal prosecutors turned over key evidence long sought by Minnesota investigators in their ongoing probe into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during pitched protests against an immigration enforcement crackdown earlier this year, state prosecutors announced Monday.

The progress came as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a motorist in Maine on Monday, and Houston prosecutors complained the administration was still withholding critical information in their investigation into a fatal shooting by an ICE officer last week.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the evidence turned over by U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen’s office included previously withheld hard drives containing statements, police body camera video and other materials in the Minnesota killings. (Read more)

----

The European Union has coordinated efforts to raise 900 million euros ($1 billion) in pledges of aid for Gaza’s rebuilding following two years of Israeli bombardment that left much of the Palestinian enclave in ruins, a senior EU official said Monday.

How much of the money will be delivered, and when reconstruction of Gaza can begin, is unclear. The ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group that took effect in October is effectively stalled.

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica announced the fund after a meeting in Brussels of the Palestine Donors Group, which includes EU and Middle East nations along with international organizations and financial institutions. (Read more)

----

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport on Monday in response to airstrikes they blamed on Saudi Arabia that struck Sanaa International Airport earlier in the day.

No casualties were reported, but the attacks marked an escalation not seen since a Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi-controlled areas several years ago. Saudi Arabian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the airstrikes in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a video statement on Telegram, warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace, saying these warnings should be taken “seriously until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.” (Read more)

---> Find more headlines from around the world right here <---

📝 Word Up

Today’s Word Up is: Maudlin / ˈmȯd-lən / (adjective) — defined as “tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental.”

Example: ”The film’s ending, though intending to be heartwarming, came across as overly maudlin, eliciting more eye rolls than tears from the audience."

🧹 Housekeeping

Hey, if you like this newsletter, let us know. We’d love your feedback. We also offer several other newsletters, including 4Warn Weather, All 4 Pets and more. Hopefully, we have one that caters to your interests — unless you’re only interested in prehistoric animals. We don’t have one for that, sorry.

✍🏽 Written and curated by: Jenny Sherman (Have something to say? Feel free to send an email here.)

Assess spending rate

People who have just retired or are about to are particularly vulnerable to sequence-of-returns risk, which means that a bad market shows up early in your retirement. Not only does that early retirement sell-off feel bad, it actually is bad because it imperils your portfolio’s ability to last throughout your retirement years. In  Morningstar’s 2025 retirement spending research, we found that the people most likely to run out of money in retirement were  the ones whose portfolios lost value in the first five years of their retirements.

Retirees who are pulling cash flows from their portfolios can address that risk by adjusting their spending down to ensure that more of their portfolios are in place to recover when the market eventually does. And those adjustments don’t need to be radical to make an impact. In  our retirement income research, we found that even small tweaks like forgoing an inflation adjustment following a bear market help ensure that spending lasts over a whole 30-year period and can lead to more lifetime income than a strategy that ignores market movements.

If you haven’t yet retired, assess your planned in-retirement spending and identify where you would be willing to make cutbacks. Turbocharge savings if you can afford to do so. Catch-up contributions are available to all retirement savers over age 50. And if you’re between 60 and 63, you can make a “super-catch-up” contribution to your company retirement plan, for a total of $35,750 in 2026. High-income heavy savers may also be able to take advantage of after-tax 401(k) contributions, which enable them to stash even greater amounts in their company retirement plans.

Pull cash flows from safer assets

In a turbulent market environment in which equities have declined, it’s best to pull any portfolio cash flows from safer assets and leave your stock positions undisturbed. That’s the general logic behind  the Bucket approach to portfolio construction. In good years for the stock market, like 2023-25, you’d be harvesting appreciated equity assets to supply your income needs. In bad ones, like 2022, you’re not touching stocks but instead sourcing cash flows from high-quality bonds, cash, or a combination of the two.

If your portfolio is riskier than it should be, it’s not too late to shift into a more situation-appropriate asset allocation.

Play the long game with Social Security

Social Security is a secure, inflation-protected source of income, much like a paycheck. But the lifetime benefits of delaying Social Security are hard to ignore: a higher income stream that also happens to be fully inflation-protected and will last as long as you do. Delayed filing can be particularly impactful if you’re the higher earner in your family and you have a younger spouse who will receive that higher benefit for their lifetime.

In  our retirement income research, we found that delaying filing up until age 70 did enlarge lifetime income, but the benefits are greatest if you have some other source of funds to draw from until your benefits start. And the benefits are also obviously more valuable for people with above-average life expectancies, in that they stand to receive those higher streams of inflation-protected income for a longer period of time.

Revisit inflation protection

Inflation is a key risk for retiree portfolios because the income from your safe investments is going to buy you less and less as you age. Moreover, retirees tend to spend more on healthcare, where prices have historically increased faster than the general inflation rate.

Many retirees focus on nominal bonds and underrate the value of inflation-protected bonds as a component of their retirement plans. You can address that by adding an inflation-protected bond fund to your portfolio; most of the better target-date series allocate roughly one-fourth of their bond portfolios to inflation-protected bonds. Alternatively, you could build a laddered portfolio of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities that will mature and supply you with living expenses throughout your retirement.

Investigate tax-saving strategies

The early retirement years are typically an excellent time to consider strategies like converting traditional IRA balances to Roth or accelerating withdrawals on traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. Without income from work and because you won’t be subject to required minimum distributions until you’re 73, your income, and in turn the taxes you’ll owe on those conversions and withdrawals, will be lower.

_____

This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more retirement content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/retirement.

Christine Benz is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar and co-host of The Long View podcast. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Improving Your Finances.

Related Links:

Your Retirement Countdown, With Christine Benz

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/your-retirement-countdown-with-christine-benz

5 Things You Need to Know About RMDs This Year

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/5-things-you-need-know-about-rmds-this-year

Retirees Don’t Need to Fear a Lost Decade. They Need a Plan

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/retirees-dont-need-fear-lost-decade-they-need-plan

Intergovernmental conferences were being held in Brussels to ceremonially open or close negotiating tracks for the top four candidates to join the 27-nation EU: Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and war-ravaged Ukraine. But it could still be years before any of them join.

“We have not seen this in more than two decades. The last time, it was in 2002. This is a Super Tuesday for EU enlargement and Ukraine is part of it,” Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told reporters.

While holding four meetings in one day is a rarity, 10 countries — most of them from central Europe — joined the EU in 2004. Croatia, the last country to be welcomed into the world’s biggest trading bloc, joined in 2013.

Changing times force a change of policy

Tuesday’s move is a sign of the important political and geostrategic changes happening in Europe. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that he would block any attempt at enlargement until the EU itself had undergone deep reforms.

But Europe’s biggest land war in decades and its fallout have altered that calculus. The EU has sought to encourage reform in the candidate nations, fearing the growing influence of Russia and China.

Ukraine’s progress has been impressive. It only applied for membership in 2022, four days after Russia launched a full-scale invasion. Moldova too has been under heavy Russian pressure.

Ukraine sees EU membership as one “security guarantee” for a stable future once the war ends. Its best guarantee would be NATO membership, but the Trump administration insists that cannot happen, and other NATO members are wary of it joining while fighting continues.

European countries see the war as an existential threat, and fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin could target them in coming years, especially if he wins in Ukraine.

“The case for Ukraine’s EU membership is very strong,” Kos said.

“The future security architecture of our continent is unimaginable without Ukraine,” she said. “Ukrainians have turned their country into a military powerhouse with capabilities few other nations can match, especially with its rapidly evolving drone technologies.”

The benefits of EU membership

The prospect of EU membership is a powerful driver for pro-democratic reform, and joining has boosted trade and creates jobs, notably in the volatile Balkans region, where a series of wars in the 1990s tore apart the former nation of Yugoslavia. Most candidates for EU member are Balkan states.

Countries hoping to join the EU must complete negotiations in 35 policy areas, known as chapters, from agriculture to taxation and energy to trade. That process can take years.

Last month, Ukraine and Moldova opened negotiations on a cluster of five chapters linked to the values and principles on which the EU was founded, such as the rule of law, respect for fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions.

They each opened a second cluster on Tuesday focused on foreign relations, security and defense policies, as well as trade policy, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

Albania’s meeting will serve to provisionally close negotiating tracks on science and research, education and culture, and external relations. Montenegro – which hopes to join in 2028 – is doing the same with competition policy and customs rules.

Hungary's Orbán leaves and things start moving

An important factor that has led to the EU's new-found speed is a change of government in Hungary.

Ukraine’s accession process was long stymied by Hungary’s stridently nationalist former prime minister Viktor Orbán, who was considered Russia’s strongest ally in Europe and possible threat to the EU project. The candidacies of Ukraine and Moldova were linked and neither could progress.

But U.S. President Donald Trump's friend was ejected by voters in April in spectacular fashion after 16 years in power.

Orbán routinely exploited voting rules that require all 27 member countries to agree on certain rules, sanctions and even political statements. Unanimous agreement is required for each negotiating chapter to be opened, and then again for it to be closed.

Nine countries are officially candidates to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. Accession talks for Georgia and Turkey are on hold due to concerns about democratic standards.

Kosovo has also applied to join but has not been granted candidate status.

The complaint, filed March 11, 2026, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses the defendants of violating Partridge’s constitutional rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and seeks damages for lost employment, reputational harm and emotional distress.

What sparked the lawsuit

The suit centers on events surrounding the NCAA’s 2023 investigation into an alleged sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by former Michigan football staff member Connor Stalions.

Partridge was fired Nov. 17, 2023, the same day Michigan and then-head coach Jim Harbaugh dismissed their lawsuit against the Big Ten Conference and Commissioner Tony Petitti.

According to the complaint, Partridge’s termination had nothing to do with the sign-stealing scheme itself.

Instead, the lawsuit alleges he was fired after advising a Michigan football player to consult an attorney before being interviewed by NCAA investigators, advice his own supervisor had suggested in a staff meeting days earlier.

“Contrary to misinformation communicated by the University’s Athletics Department following Partridge’s termination, Partridge was not fired for destroying evidence or interfering with the NCAA’s ‘sign-stealing’ investigation,” the complaint states. “Nor was Partridge fired for telling a player to be dishonest in an NCAA interview.”

The NCAA’s own investigation, which concluded with a Public Infractions Decision issued Aug. 15, 2025, issued no punishment against Partridge.

The only infraction noted in the report was that he had sent text messages to a recruit before it was permissible.

The alleged backroom deal

The lawsuit paints a detailed picture of what it describes as a high-pressure political maneuver in the days leading up to a scheduled Nov. 17, 2023, injunction hearing in Washtenaw County Circuit Court.

According to the complaint, Big Ten Commissioner Petitti approached Manuel on the afternoon or evening of Nov. 15, 2023, with what the lawsuit describes as uncorroborated, second-hand information about Partridge.

The suit alleges Petitti threatened to present that information in open court, potentially embarrassing Michigan and sinking its chances of winning the injunction.

The complaint alleges Manuel then offered to fire Partridge and dismiss the lawsuit in exchange for Petitti agreeing not to disclose the information publicly.

On Nov. 16, 2023, Michigan and Harbaugh announced they had resolved their litigation with the Big Ten and accepted the three-game suspension.

The following day, Manuel terminated Partridge.

“Partridge was a scapegoat who was wrongly fired simply because he told a player he had the right to have counsel, something the University should have told the players themselves if it had been protecting their interests instead of trying to curry favor with the NCAA,” the complaint states.

The termination meeting

According to the suit, when Partridge arrived for the meeting with Manuel and Athletics Department Chief of Staff Doug Gnodtke on Nov. 17, 2023, Manuel immediately told him he was being terminated.

The complaint says Manuel told Partridge he had been informed that Partridge advised a player “not to be forthright” with NCAA investigators, a claim Partridge denied.

The suit alleges that Manuel refused to allow Partridge to respond before the decision was finalized.

It also alleges that Manuel told Partridge that Michigan would not issue a public statement about his termination.

Hours later, the university issued one anyway, the complaint states.

The suit further alleges that one or more Michigan Athletics Department employees and at least one Board of Regents member falsely told sportswriters that Partridge had been fired for destroying evidence on Stalions’ computer.

Those reports were picked up by multiple national news organizations.

“Michigan’s senior officials took no such action” to correct the record, the complaint states, calling the university’s inaction a deliberate choice that caused “permanent, lasting, irreparable damage” to Partridge’s reputation.

The November 13 staff meeting

Central to Partridge’s account is a Nov. 13, 2023, staff meeting called by Michigan Senior Assistant General Counsel Debra Kowich.

The complaint says the meeting was held the Monday after Michigan and Harbaugh filed their lawsuit against the Big Ten.

According to the suit, Kowich directed coaches not to discuss the NCAA investigation with anyone, including players.

When Harbaugh asked Kowich to put the directive in writing twice, she refused.

When Harbaugh stated that anyone being interviewed by the NCAA should have a lawyer, Kowich disagreed.

The complaint alleges Kowich and Gnodtke never told the coaching staff that NCAA bylaws explicitly permit individuals being interviewed by NCAA enforcement staff to be represented by an attorney.

After the meeting, a Michigan football player approached Partridge, told him he was nervous about his upcoming NCAA interview, and asked for advice. Partridge told him to speak with his parents about getting a lawyer and to be honest, according to the lawsuit.

NCAA hearing testimony, investigation findings

The NCAA conducted a hearing on June 6 and 7, 2025. Partridge, Manuel, and Michigan’s Chief Compliance Officer Elizabeth Heinrich all testified.

Harbaugh did not attend or participate.

The complaint says Manuel testified that he “loved” Partridge, thought he did a great job, and acknowledged he was under immense pressure when he decided to fire him.

The suit says Manuel told Partridge after the hearing, “I’m sorry you had to go through this.”

The NCAA’s Public Infractions Decision, quoted at length in the complaint, described the relationship between Michigan’s football staff and its compliance office as “challenging at best,” noting that football staff members regularly questioned compliance staff authority and viewed them as a “roadblock.”

The decision concluded that Michigan’s failure to monitor violations was Level II, noting that the school’s chief compliance officer “faced an insurmountable challenge with Harbaugh and his football program.”

Career fallout, alleged blacklisting

Despite being cleared by the NCAA, the lawsuit says Partridge has been unable to return to college football.

The complaint alleges that Manuel personally intervened to prevent at least one Division I program from hiring Partridge, contacting that school’s athletic director and recommending against the hire.

The athletic director then overruled his own head coach’s decision to offer Partridge the job, according to the suit.

Following his termination, Partridge joined the NFL and won Super Bowl LX as outside linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

He was subsequently promoted to run game coordinator.

But the complaint says Partridge’s true goal has always been college football, and he believes Manuel’s actions have permanently closed that door.

“Throughout the entire two-and-a-half-year ordeal, Partridge has acted with dignity and restraint, complying with all requests made to him by the University and the NCAA, and never commenting publicly despite being repeatedly publicly disparaged, humiliated, and defamed,” the complaint states.

Legal claims, relief sought

The lawsuit brings three counts against the defendants under 42 U.S.C. § 1983:

• Denial of due process against the university and the Board of Regents, alleging that Partridge was fired without notice, without an explanation of the evidence against him, and without any opportunity to respond, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
• Failure to train and supervise Manuel individually and to properly oversee staff, including Stalions and Harbaugh, created the conditions that led to Partridge’s wrongful termination.
• First Amendment retaliation against Manuel individually, alleging Partridge’s advice to the player was protected speech as a private individual on a matter of public concern, and that Manuel fired and blacklisted him in retaliation for that speech.

Partridge is seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and all other relief the court deems appropriate.

The case has been assigned to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The University of Michigan, the Board of Regents, and Manuel have not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit.

It was the first time in almost two weeks that Ukraine claimed to have downed Russian ballistic missiles, which are harder to stop than drones or cruise missiles.

Ukrainian air defenses likely used the U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air guided missile system that is the most effective way of countering ballistic missiles, but ammunition for it has been in short supply amid the Iran war.

In Kyiv, the attack caused fires at two warehouses, while a school was also damaged, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the attack targeted military manufacturing facilities in the Ukrainian capital that produce long-range missiles and drones.

Moscow wants to choke off Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities deep inside Russia that have caused critical fuel shortages, frustrating the public and, Western analysts say, hindering the Russian army’s advance on the front line inside Ukraine.

Ukraine’s air force said one ballistic missile and 25 drones struck 17 locations, while falling debris was reported in 10 locations.

Ukraine seeks to bolster air defenses ahead of winter

Ukraine urgently needs to improve its air defense shield as another winter looms. Much of the country is at the mercy of Russian missiles that, since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor, have hammered the power grid.

In an important step forward for Kyiv’s air defense effort, nine other countries joined Ukraine in a coalition announced Monday to build a shared ballistic missile shield for Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its partners could, within the next 12 months, jointly develop a mass-produced, low-cost system.

Zelenskyy was still in Paris on Tuesday where he attended France’s annual Bastille Day celebrations.

President Donald Trump said at the NATO summit last week that the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot systems itself. However, Patriots are expensive, in high demand and take a long time to produce, so it will be at least a few years before any Ukrainian-made systems are ready to deploy.

Ukraine keeps its sights on Russian oil production

Ukraine, meanwhile, kept up its long-range onslaught on Russian targets, especially oil facilities.

In the Krasnodar region in southern Russia, the attack caused a fire at the Afipsky Oil Refinery that was later put out, local authorities said.

Unconfirmed media reports said an oil refinery in the city of Salavat in the Bashkortostan region, some 1,400 kilometers (900 miles) from the Ukrainian border, was also hit by the attack. Bashkortostan head Radiy Khabirov confirmed an attack on an industrial area in Salavat, but didn’t specify what was hit.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses overnight intercepted 288 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions, as well as the illegally annexed Crimea peninsula and the Azov and the Black seas.

___

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

The price of Brent crude climbed 4.1% to $86.73 a barrel after soaring nearly 10% on Monday. U.S. benchmark crude was up 3.1% at $80.55 a barrel.

Oil prices are still below their wartime peak of nearly $120 a barrel, but uncertainty over the future stability of supplies has deepened as the U.S. and Iran each assert they control the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. futures slipped as the U.S. launched more strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump said Washington was “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the strait.

Fighting in the region has kept oil tankers from using the waterway to deliver crude to customers from the Persian Gulf, driving up fuel prices worldwide.

In early European trading, Germany's DAX lost 0.6% to 24,967.19, while the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.9% to 8,286.35. In Britain, the FTSE 100 gave up 0.6% to 10,431.63.

The future for the S&P 500 was down 0.1% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%.

In Asian trading, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.7% to 67,743.50.

Shares in SoftBank Group Corp., which has huge investments in AI, jumped 3.3% after its chairman, Masayoshi Son, gave a speech at a company event in Tokyo where he derided the idea that there is a bubble in investments in capacity for AI.

The Kospi in South Korea climbed 0.7% to 6,856.83.

The Shanghai Composite index gained 1.4% to 3,967.13.

The government reported that China's exports jumped 27% in June from a year earlier as adoption of artificial intelligence drove strong demand for computer chips and other technology. China is due to report its economic data for the last quarter on Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng picked up 0.5% to 24,340.73, while in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was unchanged at 8,805.00.

On Wall Street on Monday, the S&P 500 fell 0.8%, coming off its fourth winning week in the past five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%.

Chip stocks like Micron Technology helped lead the way lower. Micron fell 4.4%, eating into what had been a stellar rise of 243.1% for the year so far.

Worries are rising that stock prices have shot too high and that the demand may not be sustainable if AI doesn’t deliver as much profit and productivity as expected.

Nvidia fell 3.5%. Because it’s the largest stock on Wall Street by value thanks to the euphoria around AI, it was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500.

“The market is effectively saying that the profits may be real, but the durability, margins and valuations are still open to argument,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

Attention is turning to profit reports for the spring. On Tuesday alone, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo all are releasing their latest quarterly results.

Analysts are forecasting that companies in the S&P 500 index will deliver overall growth of 23.6% from a year earlier, according to FactSet. If they are right, it would be the second straight quarter of growth better than 20%.

Companies across industries will need to deliver strong growth to justify the big moves their stock prices have made. Indexes are near records despite their sharp recent swings due to worries around AI stocks.

More costly oil would push inflation higher, potentially leading the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates. Higher rates can keep a lid on inflation, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for all kinds of investments.

In other dealings early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar slipped to 162.23 Japanese yen from 162.46 yen. The euro rose to $1.1402 from $1.1382.

Michael Joseph Caillouet, 47, on July 9 was convicted of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Caillouet was charged by the Wexford County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in September 2025, crimes were reported earlier that year.

In November 2025, Caillouet was extradited to Wexford County by the U.S. Marshals Service from Butler County, Kansas, under Operation Survivor Justice.

The Operation is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local county prosecutors, and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and return to Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants.

The investigation into this matter was conducted by the Michigan State Police.

“It takes immense courage for survivors, especially at such a young age, to come forward and confront their abusers,” said Attorney General Nessel. “Operation Survivor Justice was created to honor that courage and deliver the justice and closure this victim and others deserve. It continues to demonstrate how vital this partnership is in bringing these fugitives back to Michigan to face accountability.”

Caillouet is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 14 in the 28^th Circuit Court in Wexford County by Judge Jason Elmore.

According to Waterford police, dispatch received a call around 5 p.m. on Dec. 26 about a shooting at the River’s Edge Apartments in the area of Pontiac Lake and Airport roads. When officers arrived, they found a 23-year-old man on the exterior steps of the apartment building with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The victim, a resident of the complex, told police that he was shot by a friend of his roommate. He was transported to McLaren-Oakland Hospital for treatment.

During the investigation into the incident, police determined that two suspects — identified as Ricardo Johnson and Carmelo Buckles — acted “in concert,” forcing entry into the victim’s bedroom. Police say the victim returned fire, striking Buckles in the hand and leaving DNA evidence at the scene. Both suspects reportedly fled the scene before police arrived.

While both suspects were located and arrested the night of the incident, they were both subsequently released, pending results of forensic testing and further investigation.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office charged both individuals on April 7, 2026, with one count of assault with intent to murder and a felony firearm charge.

Police say Buckles was arrested on June 4 with assistance from the Detroit Police Department, and Johnson was arrested July 8 with assistance from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team.

Both were arraigned before 51st District Court Judge Todd Fox and issued a $5 million cash/surety bond.

Buckles and Johnson are expected back in court for a probable cause conference on Tuesday, July 21.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police Jackson Post responded around 9 p.m. July 10 to the 1400 block of Mosherville Road in Scipio Township for a reported dog attack.

Officials said the attack happened after three mixed-breed pit bull/mastiff dogs escaped from their kennel.

According to the preliminary investigation, a 12-year-old girl and her 13-year-old friend were riding scooters along Mosherville Road when they saw the dogs in the front yard of their owner’s home.

The 12-year-old told investigators the dogs suddenly ran toward her.

She jumped off her scooter, but the dogs knocked her to the ground and began attacking her, police said.

The 13-year-old ran to get help and was not injured.

Authorities said a 31-year-old woman heard the girls screaming and rushed to help. As she tried to pull the dogs away from the child, the dogs turned and attacked her.

The dogs’ owner intervened and pulled the animals away from the woman, remaining with her until emergency responders arrived, according to police.

The owner’s son later secured the dogs in their kennel.

The 12-year-old’s mother picked her up and took her home to await emergency medical services.

Police said both victims suffered severe lacerations but were conscious and alert when troopers arrived.

The 31-year-old woman was taken by Reading Emergency Medical Unit to Henry Ford Hospital. She is expected to survive.

The 12-year-old girl was airlifted to Henry Ford Hospital before being transferred by helicopter to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor for additional treatment.

She is also expected to survive.

The three dogs were returned to the custody of their 44-year-old owner pending the outcome of the investigation.

Michigan State Police said the investigation remains ongoing. Once completed, the case will be submitted to the Hillsdale County Prosecutor’s Office for possible criminal charges against the owner.

Authorities also will determine the disposition of the dogs as part of the investigation.

Police have identified the suspects as Ricardo Johnson and Carmelo Buckles, both 18.

The shooting

Officials said officers responded around 5 p.m. Dec. 26, 2025, to River’s Edge Apartments in Waterford Township on a report of a shooting.

When officers arrived, they found a 23-year-old resident suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest on the exterior steps of an apartment building.

Police said the victim told investigators he had been shot by a friend of his roommate.

He was treated at the scene before being transported to McLaren Oakland Hospital by the Waterford Regional Fire Department.

Police allege Johnson and Buckles acted together to force their way into the victim’s bedroom, where the shooting occurred.

Officials said the victim returned fire after being shot, striking Buckles in the hand.

Police said Buckles left DNA evidence at the scene before both suspects fled.

Arrests, charges

Officials said Buckles was located at a Detroit-area hospital the night of the shooting and taken into custody.

Police said Johnson was also found and interviewed by detectives later that night.

Officials said both were released while investigators awaited forensic testing and continued the investigation.

On April 7, 2026, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office charged both men with assault with intent to murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison, and felony firearm, which carries a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively with any sentence imposed for the underlying felony.

Buckles was arrested on June 4 with assistance from the Detroit Police Department.

He was arraigned in 51st District Court, where his bond was set at $5 million cash or surety.

Johnson was arrested on July 8 with assistance from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team.

He was also arraigned, and his bond was set at $5 million cash or surety.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear in 51st District Court on July 21 for a probable cause conference.

The increase in exports in June was much better than economists had expected. Exports rose 19.4% year-on-year in May.

Imports in June surged 36%, better than May’s 27.4% year-on-year growth, with analysts attributing the expansion in part due to the Iran war driving up import costs.

China recorded a trade surplus of $125.6 billion in June, widening from $105.4 billion in the previous month.

“With the rapid growth of AI, our imports and export of products in this field are robust," Wang Jun, vice minister of China’s General Administration of Customs, said at a news conference in Beijing.

He said trade in electronic components, computer spare parts, and other computing hardware jumped nearly 57% to 5.1 trillion yuan ($760 billion) in the first half of the year. Other products such as AI glasses, AI translating devices, powered exoskeletons and other smart products are also evolving.

“Trade values took another big leg up in June,” Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China Economics at Capital Economics, wrote in a note Tuesday. “This predominantly reflects the recent surge in semiconductor prices on the back of the AI boom. But even putting that aside, foreign demand for Chinese goods remains robust.”

China's exports of vehicles, especially EVs, and other tech-related products have boomed as rapid adoption of AI increases the need for semiconductors and other electronic equipment.

The strength in export manufacturing has helped to offset prolonged weakness in domestic spending and investmentdue to a prolonged downturn in the property industry.

In January-June, China’s exports climbed 17.6% from a year earlier, while imports jumped 26.6%, according to the customs data.

Policymakers including those in the U.S. and in Europe have express alarm over rising trade deficits with China. In order to bypass barriers such as higher tariffs, Chinese businesses have been moving factories to regions like Europe. China has also been exporting more to Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Wang, the customs official, acknowledged the threat from rising trade barriers.

“We still face serious risks and challenges in the second half of the year,” he said.

While China's export growth is likely to continue, it is becoming increasingly fragile, said Wei Li, head of Multi-Asset Investments at BNP Paribas Securities (China). Robust shipments in autos and AI-related items will remain dependent on global demand and regulatory barriers, he said.

Exports to Southeast Asia in June surged nearly 35% from a year ago, while those to the European Union and Latin America increased more than 18% and 28%, respectively.

Exports to the United States climbed almost 14% from a year earlier. China's shipments to the U.S. have risen in recent months, partly due to declines in shipments a year earlier after President Donald Trump returned to office last year and implemented higher tariffs.

China is set to announce its economic growth data for the April-June quarter on Wednesday. Chinese leaders have set an annual growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, slightly lower than the 5% growth in 2025.

Last week, the International Monetary Fund raised China’s annual growth forecast by 0.2 percentage point to 4.6%. But it said it expects China’s economy to expand just 4.1% in 2027.

Chinese leaders have sought to boost consumer spending through various initiatives, including trade-in subsidies for autos and home appliances. But many ordinary Chinese have been feeling the pressure from a slowing economy and avoiding big-ticket purchases.

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AP Videographer Borg Wong contributed from Beijing.

The report identified the men as Mohieddin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani. It said they belonged to an Islamic State cell that formed after the group’s territorial defeat in Iraq and Syria and had planned attacks inside Iran.

According to the report, Iranian security forces identified the cell’s hideout in the Bamo mountain area near the Iraqi border before it could carry out its plans. Several militants were killed and others arrested during the operation, in which three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard were also killed. Authorities said they also seized weapons, ammunition and other equipment.

The two men were convicted of armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic, and were hanged after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences. The judiciary did not disclose where the executions were carried out.

Alexander, who signed a two-way deal with Utah last week, made contact with the Bulls' Caleb Wilson while driving toward the basket and, after tossing the ball toward the hoop, went behind the basket clutching his side or abdomen. He then dropped to the ground, seemingly in great pain.

The 23-year-old Alexander was taken from the Thomas & Mack Center court on a stretcher. The incident occurred with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

There was no immediate word from the Jazz on Alexander's injury.

Alexander played three seasons at Creighton and skipped his final year of eligibility to turn pro. The G League rookie of the year for the 2024-25 season played 24 games for the Denver Nuggets the same season and nine game for the New Orleans Pelicans last season.

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

Reaction in the media world has been swift and severe to the issue of subpoenas to five New York Times journalists who reported on security questions involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One — a legal maneuver seen as a troubling escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign to control and intimidate independent media outlets.

“The subpoenas are an extraordinary escalation in President Trump’s efforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations, and have a chilling effect on the work of journalists across the country,” said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Media advocates and analysts expressed dismay at the tactic, even after months in which news organizations drawing President Donald Trump’s ire have been attacked both in courtrooms and in the court of public opinion; media access to corridors of power has been blocked; and a Washington journalist’s home has been searched by federal agents.

“They have used the levers of power to intimidate and demonize professional journalists who report stories that are unfavorable to the administration’s desired narrative,” said Frank Sesno, a former CNN White House bureau chief who is now a media and public affairs professor at George Washington University.

He called Friday’s subpoenas “dangerous and uncharted territory, but merely an extension of what we have seen from this administration and president.”

“Don’t like a poll? Sue the Des Moines Register. Don’t like the way an interview is edited? Sue ‘60 Minutes.’ Don’t like the coverage of the gifted Air Force One? Order the FBI to investigate and subpoena the journalists for what is, by the way, a story that is in the public interest.”

Some of the subpoenas were delivered to reporters at home

Some of the subpoenas were delivered to reporters at their homes, the Times said. Sought by Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, they seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan this week.

The new jet in question, a present from Qatar that the administration spent $400 million to retrofit and upgrade, entered service last week. But Trump used an older model Air Force One jet to leave a NATO summit in Turkey.

The Times, citing anonymous sources, reported the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service, and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. On social media, Trump denied security concerns.

The subpoenas were issued after FBI Director Kash Patel and other Justice Department officials met at the White House on Friday to talk about the matter, according to a person familiar with the discussions who was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Times said the meeting lasted around eight hours.

The fact that the operation was conducted from the White House itself was particularly egregious to analysts like Sesno, who called the coordination “unprecedented.”

“This graphically illustrates the pressure and influence the White House and president have brought to bear on law enforcement that is supposed to be independent and driven by facts, not politics,” he said.

The National Press Club called on the Justice Department “to immediately withdraw these subpoenas and reaffirm a principle that has long distinguished the United States: a free and independent press serves the people, not the government.”

“Every American should understand what is at stake,” Mark Schoeff Jr., the club’s president, said in a statement. “When federal agents arrive at the homes of journalists with subpoenas, it is not ordinary law enforcement. It is an extraordinary assault on the freedom of the press that strikes at the heart of the First Amendment.”

The Trump administration has initiated multiple lawsuits against media outlets

Trump’s animosity toward news outlets whose agenda runs counter to his own isn't new. But in his second presidential term, he has launched an escalation, often harnessing the levers of the federal government or attempting to do so. These efforts has taken place both in actual courtrooms and in the court of public opinion.

The president has sued various news organizations whose coverage he dislikes. He has also threatened to revoke TV broadcast licenses. His FCC chairman is seeking to penalize shows like ABC’s “The View,” where some hosts speak out against Trump, by having the FCC explore revoking its exemption from equal-time rules.

The legal skirmishes include an escalating dispute between the media and Trump’s Defense Department over reporters’ access to the Pentagon. The Times has filed two lawsuits over a policy requiring journalists to be accompanied by escorts at the military complex.

The White House has also battled with The Associated Press over the news organization's refusal to follow Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico. And it has battled with The Wall Street Journal over reporting about Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to the president — including an article that described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Trump’s signature.

Last month, the Justice Department issued and then withdrew subpoenas that sought to compel reporters at The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal to testify before a grand jury, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Post confirmed that one of its journalists received a subpoena from the Trump administration as part of a broader crackdown on media leaks that in January also included the extraordinary step of an FBI search of the home of another journalist at the newspaper and the seizure of her electronic devices. The media world was stunned by the search of the home of reporter Hannah Natanson, who was covering Trump’s transformation of the federal government,

The Times is now gearing up for battle against what its lawyer, David McCraw, has called “this brazen act.”

In an internal memo seen by the AP, the paper's executive editor, Joseph Kahn, criticized the subpoenas and said: “We expect to prevail. We have the best legal team in the business. ... The law protects news gatherers from this sort of retaliatory abuse of prosecutorial power. It is essential that the courts reaffirm that protection and quash this overreach. We are confident they will in this case.”

Kahn praised the work of the five journalists — Tyler Pager, Eric Schmitt, Eric Lipton, Adam Goldman and Julian Barnes — and said they should know “that all of us as their colleagues, and the full resources of The Times, are behind them and that we will fight this legal abuse together.”

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Jocelyn Noveck covers the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press.

The justices are appearing before a House appropriations panel as the court seeks millions of dollars to beef up security amid a rise in threats to the judiciary.

Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of violence and intimidation, including a fake swatting call to police about Barrett’s home in May.

The hearing comes two weeks after the conservative-majority court finished handing down a series of major opinions, including a decision that increased President Donald Trump’s power over federal regulatory agencies and another that rejected his wide-ranging tariffs, sparking harsh personal criticism.

It's the first time justices have testified before Congress since 2019, and the two justices could face wide-ranging questions as they seek to keep focus on the budget.

Security is central to the Supreme Court's budget request

The Supreme Court requested a total of $228 million for next fiscal year, a roughly 10% increase over the year before. Nearly $15 million of that would go to expanding personal protection for justices, with six more agents for each.

Another $2 million would fund an off-site residential security post aimed at making emergency responses faster, as well as increasing the number of Supreme Court police officers.

The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for protecting judges, reported 564 threats in the government fiscal year that ended in September, an increase from the year before.

That total includes threats to the hundreds of federal judges around the country, though the nine-member Supreme Court has not been immune.

In May, Barrett’s security detail worked with police to quickly deal with the call determined to be swatting, or a fake 911 call designed to provoke a police response. Last year, her sister was the victim of a bomb threat in Charleston, South Carolina, police said. No bomb was found.

In 2022, shortly after the leak of a draft opinion overturning the Roe v. Wade abortion decision, a would-be assassin was arrested near the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh with weapons and zip ties.

Chief Justice John Roberts has condemned the threats to all U.S. judges, saying during a speech in March that criticism of judicial opinions is understandable, but personally directed hostility is “dangerous, and it’s got to stop.”

Iran responded with attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan and two tankers associated with the United Arab Emirates traveling through the strait, killing one mariner and wounding eight others. The Emirates threatened to retaliate against Iran, potentially drawing the nation home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai back into fighting with Tehran.

The attacks come as Iran and the U.S. both vie for control of the strait through which a fifth of all traded crude oil and natural gas once passed in peacetime. The price of benchmark Brent crude oil rose to a one-month high of over $84 in trading early Tuesday, still well below the nearly $120 reached at the height of the war but threatening to make costs everywhere higher.

Trump insists strait will be open

The U.S. military's Central Command said it struck areas around Abu Musa, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chahbahar, Jask and Konarak, targeting Iranian “coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites and maritime capabilities.” Iran acknowledged strikes around those areas, but provided no immediate casualty or damage assessments.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. military said.

Moments after the military announced the new strikes, Trump called it “another major attack.”

“We’re hitting them very hard. And it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability and we’re controlling the straits. We’re putting the blockade back.”

Trump also provided new details on his administration doing an about-face and suggesting it will charge tolls for ships going through the strait, after previously suggesting that it wouldn’t.

“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” he said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”

It's a change in U.S. policy that, until now, said the strait should remain open to all without tolls — as it was before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Any attempt by the U.S. or Iran to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and raise tensions, likely causing further economic disruption far beyond the region.

The U.S. Navy has fought for freedom of navigation on the seas since the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.

Attacks resume across the Mideast

The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said early Tuesday that Iran attacked two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one mariner and wounding eight others.

The Emirati Defense Ministry said Iran launched two cruise missiles at the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah.

The attacks set both tankers ablaze, though the fires were extinguished.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack on the tankers, saying the vessels “ignored repeated warnings.”

“They chose to pass through a minefield and were subsequently targeted and disabled,” the Guard said.

Bahrain also came under renewed attack early Tuesday morning as Iran retaliated over the latest round of U.S. airstrikes. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens twice, urging the public to seek shelter. There was no word on any damage or casualties from the attack.

The Emirati Defense Ministry said the attack on the tankers killed one Indian national and wounded six Indians and two Ukrainians.

“The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents,” the Defense Ministry added.

The Emirates used similar language before launching attacks against Iran during the war. Fighter jets could be heard overheard Tuesday morning in Dubai.

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate in Dubai alerted Americans early Tuesday that consular appointments had been canceled through Wednesday “due to the regional security situation.”

Jordan’s military said it intercepted four missiles from Iran, according to a statement carried by the kingdom’s state-run Petra news agency. Jordan hosts U.S. forces and has come under attack by Tehran in recent days.

Trump says Iran failed a test

Earlier Monday, Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the agreement reached last month was “built to test” Iran, adding that “when you’re dealing with sleazebags (agreements) don’t mean much.”

“They didn’t honor the test,” the president said.

Iran asserts it has the right to manage traffic through the strait and potentially charge fees in accordance with the interim peace deal. The U.S. has disputed that.

The American military and the United Nations' International Maritime Organization have tried to establish a route through the strait along the coast of Oman that would be outside of Iranian control. Iran has attacked ships using that route, saying the U.S. is violating the interim peace deal. The U.S. has attacked Iran in response, drawing Iranian attacks on U.S.-allied Arab states.

Exchanges of fire in recent days had already cast further doubt on the interim peace deal. Washington had lifted a blockade it imposed in mid-April as part of that deal, which also called for the strait to be fully reopened.

“We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE,” Trump said on social media. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

The president said the U.S. would be “reimbursed” by 20% of the value of cargo to help cover “any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security.”

The U.S. military said it will resume its blockade of Iranian ports at midnight local Wednesday in Dubai.

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Boak, Weissert and Toropin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Mae Anderson in New York, Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Stella Martany in Irbil, Iraq, contributed to this report.

Fire managers try to anticipate nature's next move, placing thousands of firefighters, hundreds of engines, batteries of bulldozers and fleets of helicopters and air tankers where they'll make the biggest difference.

This year, they're dealing with persistent drought made worse by record-low snowpack levels and consecutive days of hot, dry and windy weather. Hundreds of homes have burned, three firefighters were killed battling flames in Colorado, and most recently a helicopter helping with another Colorado fire crashed into a reservoir, killing the pilot.

National preparedness has yet to reach its highest level, but resources are getting stretched as new fires pop up daily.

“The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is prioritizing pre-positioning of crews, engines and aircraft in areas with the highest likelihood of wildfire activity,” the agency said in an email to The Associated Press when asked about available resources. “This allows for quicker initial attack when new wildfires ignite, which is often the most effective way to keep fires small.”

US preparedness level ratchets up

The National Interagency Fire Center, a collection of federal and state agencies that supports on-the-ground wildfire firefighting efforts, sets the preparedness level at 1 to 5 based on fire activity, resource demands, weather and conditions on the ground that can be fuel for a fire. By late June, a surge of wildfire activity prompted coordinators to move the needle to level 4 and begin funneling more crews to the hottest spots.

More than 2,000 fires have been confirmed by the national fire center since the beginning of July alone. The explosion of fire activity across the West has resulted in more highly skilled and experienced incident management teams being assigned. Some have traveled from Alaska and California to help with fires in the Great Basin region.

As of Monday, there were 16 such teams overseeing nearly 17,000 people spread across more than a dozen states.

It’s typical to see preparedness increase in July and August, but fire managers are hopeful they can keep juggling resources to avoid maxing out.

Over the past decade, fire managers have reached the top preparedness tier an average of 25 days per year, with the longest stretch happening in 2021, according to federal statistics. The earliest the designation ever occurred was June 21, 2002.

Firefighters hit the road to help

The nation has 10 geographic area coordination centers — or GACCs — that handle the mobilization of firefighters and other resources.

Mike Morgan, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, noted during a news conference in early July that his state was getting help from an Alaska-based team.

“Thank God that they have the ability to free those resources up,” he said. “So I think at the moment I would say I feel pretty good about where we’re at. But I’m very concerned about where we go.”

In Utah, more crews arrived to help with the Babylon Fire, the largest active blaze in the U.S. at 166 square miles (430 square kilometers). That's larger than the size of Seattle.

In all, more than 5,600 square miles (14,504 square kilometers) — more than the size of Yellowstone and Grand Canyon national parks combined — have burned in the U.S. so far this year, outpacing the average for the past decade.

Sharing resources requires balance

The most recent outlook shows above normal wildfire potential in July from the Four Corners Region — where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet — north to Oregon, Idaho and Washington. It's not expected to simmer down until September.

Christopher Dunn, an assistant professor of wildfire risk science at Oregon State University, said these outlooks form the basis for determining how and where to mobilize resources. Those resources are shifted as the fire season moves from region to region.

In a busy year, states have to weigh whether to free up resources to help elsewhere or pressure federal officials to keep crews in reserve in case of increased risk. That's what Dunn described as hoarding resources.

“So there is sort of this delicate balance that has to be walked there, where you share, they share, everybody shares,” he said, “and everybody benefits from that sharing while not overextending your resources so much that you find yourself in a losing position.”

But along with sharing comes added exposure for firefighters who are in the field longer. That means more overtime and greater opportunities for burnout.

“With all this sharing and all of this increase in fire everywhere, we’re just going to see increased pressure on them to work more and work harder and essentially burn out quicker,” Dunn said.

Each fire season reignites the debate over public investment in a permanent wildland firefighting workforce and what agencies can do to retain their most experienced personnel.

“More experience is critical when dealing with extreme conditions,” said Camille Stevens-Rumann, a former wildland firefighter and an associate professor at Colorado State University.

Red flag warnings determine strategy

Even with more resources, there's not much firefighters can do when facing multiple days of strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures. Stevens-Rumann said that's where the strategic positioning of resources in advance comes in.

“They can be available for when those conditions die down, like in the evening,” she said. “But when we have day after day of red flag warnings and high winds, it’s really hard to control a fire.”

Even though Stevens-Rumann has been on the front lines and studies wildfires, it's unsettling when flames are close to home.

“There’s no denying it. It’s easy to disassociate that when you’re on a fire crew and you’re arriving to a place that you don’t have a connection to per se to fight a fire. You know, you’re there to do a job,” she said, “but when you see it in your own backyard, it’s definitely a totally different experience.”

This year, firefighters are being directed to attack every blaze as quickly as possible to limit growth, reversing a decades-long trend in which managers let some fires burn to clear out brush and dead vegetation to reduce future risks. Stevens-Rumann said there are concerns about what that means for firefighter safety and work done on the landscape to slow the flames.

“It doesn’t do us any good to build miles and miles of line that just get burnt over, over and over again,” she said, noting that newer strategies are helping managers figure out where best to take a stand.

Volunteers watch for smoke

Having eyes on the ground — or rather above the tree canopy — can help spot fires early. Despite once numbering in the thousands, there are some 350 lookout towers left in the U.S., with many staffed by volunteers due to dwindling budgets, said Michael Guerin, chairman of the Forest Fire Lookout Association.

They're not just in the West. New Jersey opened a new one just this year, and they're also used in Pennsylvania, Maine and other eastern states.

The recent fires have forced the evacuation of some towers in Colorado. Meanwhile, Guerin and fellow volunteers in California are ready for things to pick up in their state when the Santa Ana winds arrive.

They could be getting help in the future from satellites. Officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced in early July that the first satellites have been launched into orbit as part of what will be a space-based wildfire detection system.

For now, the lookout volunteers use a map, compass and their familiarity with landmarks to pinpoint the location for initial attack crews. But their job isn't done, Guerin said.

“We then become the overwatch — the people that keep them safe while they’re doing the hard work on the ground.”

Graham, who had turned 71 just two days before passing away on Saturday night, was far younger than many of his Senate colleagues and appeared to have been in good health. He suffered a tear in his aorta, according to a preliminary report from the medical examiner.

It was the second time in less than a month that emergency personnel were dispatched to the home of a U.S. senator. In early June, Mitch McConnell, the former Republican Senate leader, was hospitalized for undisclosed reasons.

After weeks of increasingly dire speculation about his health, he finally revealed on Sunday that he had fallen and suffered from mild pneumonia. He released a photo, complete with a copy of the day’s newspaper.

Graham’s death and McConnell’s hospitalization have come amid an ongoing reckoning about the nation’s aging leaders, two years after the disastrous presidential debate that sparked widespread panic among Democrats about then-President Joe Biden’s capacities and accusations of a cover-up.

Some politicians have continued to obscure details about their health challenges, asking for privacy despite their public positions, and fueling conspiracy theories.

“I think we need some transparency,” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said Monday. “I wish Sen. McConnell and his team would have done that earlier, I think it would have resolved a lot of questions.”

Mitch McConnell

McConnell, who at 84 is only the third-oldest member of the Senate, was admitted to the hospital on June 14 with barely any explanation. Aides said he was “receiving excellent care," but offered no details about his condition.

The dearth of information fueled a wave of speculation about his prognosis, with Laura Loomer, a Trump ally and conspiracy theorist, claiming on social media that a "high level source close to the White House” had told her he was “officially brain dead.”

But McConnell, who will retire from Congress at the end of January after serving as the longest-ever Senate leader, said in a statement that he is on the mend. He said a fall had led to his hospitalization and that he was “briefly unconscious" and treated for mild pneumonia.

“You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older," he said. “Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct – I can’t help it.”

That wasn't enough to put speculation to rest. On social media, many refused to believe the veracity of a photo his office released that included the front page of the “Sports” section of The Washington Post.

Conspiracy theories about McConnell’s health are “a symptom of our times," said Sen. Rand Paul, who is also from McConnell's home state of Kentucky. Paul said people should “give him a break.”

“People think they have a right to know everyone’s medical problems," he said, "but I don’t know, where does it begin and where does it end?”

Donald Trump

The oldest person ever elected president has long offered only the rosiest picture of his health.

“Everything checked out PERFECTLY," he boasted after his last physical in May, adding that he took yet another cognitive test aimed at detecting early dementia and has “aced them all.”

His past medical reports have been criticized for offering limited detail and including statistics that some health professionals have viewed with skepticism.

When he first ran for president in 2016, Trump declined to release his health records, breaking with longtime precedent. He instead offered a four-paragraph note from his doctor declaring that he would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Rep. Ronny Jackson, White House doctor during Trump's first term, later drew headlines when he extolled the president's “incredibly good genes."

When he was infected with COVID-19 in the midst of his 2020 reelection campaign, Trump's doctors and aides withheld key details of his treatment and tried to downplay the severity of his illness.

And after an attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania rally, Trump aides kept the public in the dark for days, declining to discuss the extent of his injuries or release medical records after assuring he was “fine.”

Thomas Kean Jr.

The obfuscation extends beyond the septuagenarian and octogenarian set. New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. spent four months missing without explanation before he finally disclosed late last month that he had been in treatment for depression.

He said in a brief floor speech after his return that he had remained silent about his condition because he is a “private person by nature."

He won an uncontested primary during his absence, despite missing more than 100 votes in the House, and is running for reelection.

The approach stood in contrast to Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, who disclosed his hospitalization for clinical depression the day after he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment. He also suffered a stroke while running for office.

Joe Biden

Biden's halting gait, frail appearance and frequent verbal stumbles eventually doomed his 2024 reelection campaign. After a debate in which he frequently lost his train of thought, he chose to withdraw from the race, sparking an unprecedented swap at the top of the Democratic ticket that ultimately paved the way for Trump's return to office.

Many others have refused to retire. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, died in office in 2023 at the age of 90, after years of declining health, including a bout of shingles. Though she returned to the Senate after her illness, she appeared frail and confused at times. It was later revealed that her office had failed to disclose in real time that she had contracted encephalitis while recovering.

Longtime Republican Rep. Kay Granger of Texas spend the final months of her more than two decades in Congress suffering from “unforeseen health challenges” that made travel to Washington difficult.

Eleanor Holmes Norton, 88, the longtime House delegate for the District of Columbia, announced earlier this year that she would not run for reelection amid questions about her competency.

___ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

Dennis Sochor, who has been on death row since the 1980s, would become the oldest inmate Florida has executed in history — at least for now. Later this month, Florida is also set to execute an 80-year-old prisoner who would be the state’s first octogenarian to receive the death penalty.

The executions highlight the nation’s aging death row population and the busy death row chamber in Florida, which has already carried out nine executions this year, more than every other state combined.

Sochor is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of killing a woman on Jan. 1, 1982, just hours after meeting her at a New Year’s Eve party.

Just weeks earlier, Florida executed another 74-year-old inmate, Dusty Ray Spencer, over the killing of his estranged wife. He is currently the oldest inmate to ever die by lethal injection in Florida, and Sochor will be exactly one week older if Tuesday’s execution is carried out as scheduled.

It’s unclear why Florida set the executions for the three prisoners consecutively.

Maria DeLiberato, legal director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, noted that in Florida, the governor has practically sole discretion when it comes to the scheduling of executions. In many other death penalty states, the scheduling is up to the courts.

The office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, did not respond to an email seeking comment about the state’s recent executions.

A New Year's Day killing

According to court records, 18-year-old Patricia Gifford was celebrating the upcoming New Year with a friend at a Fort Lauderdale area bar when they met Sochor and his brother.

The four spent several hours talking, but after the friend became ill and went to sleep in her car, Gifford left with Sochor and his brother to get breakfast. But instead of going for food, Sochor stopped his truck in a secluded area and attacked Gifford when she refused to have sex with him, according to investigators.

Sochor was later arrested in Georgia in 1986 on unrelated charges and extradited to Florida. Sochor’s brother told police that Sochor was responsible for Gifford’s disappearance, and Sochor himself confessed on tape to choking Gifford and disposing of her body, which was never found. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping in 1987, and he was sentenced to death.

Last week, the state Supreme Court denied Sochor’s appeals. His attorneys had argued that the state violated his right to a fair trial by failing to disclose a 2022 letter sent to Sochor’s brother from a South Florida detective asking for information about the location of Gifford’s body. The attorneys also claimed that the execution drugs wouldn’t effectively keep Sochor sedated.

A final appeal was still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Oldest inmates executed in Florida

According to Florida Department of Corrections records, the oldest inmates previously executed by the state were both 72: Samuel Lee Smithers on Oct. 14, 2025, for the 1996 killings of two women and R. Charlie Gifford on Feb. 21, 1951, for the 1950 shooting of a state representative, Charles Schuh Jr.

Nationwide, the oldest U.S. inmate executed in modern times was Walter Leroy Moody Jr., 83. He was put to death in Alabama in 2018 for a wave of Southern mail bombs that killed a federal judge and a Black civil rights attorney in 1989.

A total of 16 executions have been carried out this year in the U.S., with Florida, so far, carrying out more than all other states combined.

The picture of Cardinals cool, Walker chased down Kyle Schwarber, shut up a rambunctious Philly crowd and introduced himself to a much wider baseball world.

Walker used six swings to swat six homers, besting Schwarber in a dramatic final round that silenced all those boo birds and made him the first St. Louis Cardinal to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night.

Schwarber hit 11 homers during his 15-swing turn in the final round. Philly fans, who jeered everyone but Schwarber and Bryce Harper throughout the night, quietly headed toward the exits when Walker’s winning shot soared over the left field wall.

“I was once told you don’t boo nobodies,” Walker said. “So it feels pretty good.”

The 24-year-old Walker sported the Derby champions' chain, slipped on a leather jacket and still wore his batting gloves as he broke down what it took to take down Schwarber on his home turf.

“My thought was Philly is brutal,” Walker said. "I mean, honestly. But I think it’s pretty special because they love their players and that’s what you want from your home, like, where you play. I mean, I’d never hear people cheer so loud for, like, Schwarber and Harper. And those guys did their thing, for sure.

“But, you know, I can’t hate them, because that’s their guy, so I just got to play the game.”

Walker played a pretty great game in the first half for the Cardinals.

Walker is a first-time All-Star and having a breakout season in St. Louis. He already has a career-high 22 homers this season after struggling with a combined 11 over the previous two years.

Those final six in Philly all flying high with Iron Man on his bat are now stamped on the Derby highlight reel.

His cap backward just like Hall of Famer and Derby great Ken Griffey Jr., Walker celebrated with his family immediately on the field. His father rejoiced in recalling how Walker started hitting long home runs when he was 6 years old.

“When things got tough, they were always there in my corner to talk to them about it,” Walker said of his family. “They kept the energy levels high. They kept the feelings high.”

He fulfilled this childhood dream in striking fashion. Walker hit his seventh homer with two swings remaining and his eighth on the next swing to earn bonus swings. Needing to hit four straight homers to win, the right-handed Jordan knocked one off the top of the center field fence 401 feet away. He reached 10 homers and Philly fans booed with all their might, only for Jordan to finish the sensational surge and celebrate as fireworks shot off around him.

"You can’t say enough about how he was able to kind of slow the moment down, too, and lock it in,” said Schwarber, a Derby runner-up for the second time. “All of our fans were we’re raring and trying to will me to it.”

A revamped Derby format delivered great drama

MLB ditched its timed clock this season and returned to a swing format, with each hitter continuing to swing if he went deep on his final one.

The extra time between swings gave hitters time to track their home runs — and Philly a smidge more time to unleash those throaty boos at Contreras and Walker.

Each player had 20 swings in the first round and the top four advanced. Hitters were seeded for the second round, where No. 1 faces 4 and 2 meets 3.

Each player got 15 swings in the second round, with batters homering on their final swings continuing until not homering.

Boston’s Willson Contreras, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, New York's Ben Rice and Kansas City's Jac Caglianone, and Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami also participated.

Philly came ready to celebrate its slugging stars

Phillies fans were wildly optimistic that Schwarber and Harper could somehow reach the final and crown the franchise's third Derby champion.

Harper hit only eight in the first round and was the final slugger to try and advance. Schwarber could only watch as Harper failed to join him. Schwarber, then with the Chicago Cubs, made the finals in 2018 at Nationals Park before losing to Harper when he played with the Nationals.

Schwarber and Harper — the first pair of teammates to participate in the Derby since 2018 — received roaring ovations when famed ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced them ahead of the competition.

As for the other six sluggers in the field, all wearing their home jerseys with red, white and blue uniform numbers?

Yeah, they were about booed out of the ballpark, with the loudest jeers saved for Rice. He gamely laughed as he walked out of his Liberty Bell entrance.

Harper — who said earlier Monday this would be his last Derby — waved his arms and exhorted the crowd to get louder as he walked to the home plate platform placed at second base. Harper about broke the ring ropes as he shook them like a pro wrestler, and the Philly crowd went bonkers for the star known as The Showman.

The ball-shagging kids in the outfield were even booed.

The Derby’s public address announcer implored the fans to cheer during some quiet stretches when homers — non-Phillies edition — were hit.

The fans did get a rise when Caglianone smoked one into Ryan Howard territory into the third deck in right field. Contreras socked ’em into the rarified air of the left field upper deck. One homer cleared the last row of stands in that section and bounced off the concourse in front of a bar. His 490-footer was the longest of the first round.

This was the first Home Run Derby and All-Star Game held at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004 and the first derby in Philadelphia since Barry Bonds outslugged Mark McGwire in 1996 to win an afternoon event in front of thousands of empty seats at Veterans Stadium.

This derby was sold out and aired on Netflix for the first time, with the streamer getting into the game this season with a three-event package. Netflix already aired the opening night game, and the third attraction is the Field of Dreams game between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 13.

___

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

But restoring oil tanker traffic in the vital Middle East shipping corridor to prewar flows likely will require a much bigger armada of U.S. warships if not tens of thousands of American troops on Iranian soil, experts say. Despite on-and-off fighting, Iran can still target vessels in the narrow Persian Gulf waterway with drones and missiles that have been hidden in a country a third of the size of the continental United States.

“Iran has been preparing for this type of asymmetric conflict for decades now,” said Jason H. Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former Pentagon official. “I think they’re starting to demonstrate why no other U.S. president since Reagan has elected to engage at this level of conflict with Iran, because they have that ability to completely disrupt the Strait of Hormuz.”

Trump said Monday that the U.S. is reimposing its blockade on Iran's ports and will charge other ships for safe passage through the strait. Iran has insisted it controls the waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil normally flows, while both sides have exchanged fire over the past week in a series of skirmishes that threaten a return to all-out war.

It underscores the bind that Trump is in as commercial shipping remains stifled in the strait, oil prices are rising again and Iran has shown no sign of capitulating. The war has been unpopular with many Americans and could factor into the upcoming midterm elections with gas prices high.

“They thought the situation was under control, and now they’re seeing renewed escalations, and the markets responding negatively to this,” said Eric Lob, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Middle East program and a professor of politics and international relations at Florida International University.

“It's really a kind of test of wills to see how much economic pain the Iranians are willing to absorb and then how much economic pain and even political liability this could be for Trump and the Republicans heading into November," Lob said.

Securing the strait could require ground troops

Before he was a scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, Campbell was a researcher at RAND, where he worked in coordination with the U.S. military to simulate war-game scenarios against Iran.

“The things they’re doing now are precisely the types of things that were discussed and came up in really all of these types of situational scenarios,” Campbell said.

Iran produces parts for its weapons across different facilities to reduce their risk of being attacked, Campbell said. Its military units are often allowed to operate without waiting for orders from Tehran. They don't often mass in one place, making airstrikes less effective.

“It's very difficult to envision any scenario where you could satisfactorily secure the Strait of Hormuz absent ground forces,” Campbell said.

Doing so would require tens of thousand of troops, Campbell said, not only to take out Iran's hidden munitions but to secure hundreds of miles of coastline and large swaths of inland territory. The U.S. troops would likely face insurgent attacks.

Standing up that kind of force would take a few months and include “very high costs," Campbell said.

Trump insisted Monday evening that “the strait is open. It will be open,” and that the U.S. has made significant progress degrading Iran's capabilities in just a few months. Iran vowed to fight back against any U.S. interference in the strait.

Risk of US losses goes up with an increased presence

Another way to facilitate commercial traffic safely through the strait would be the continuation — and escalation — of U.S. warships guiding civilian vessels, experts say. But it comes with its own challenges and costs.

The U.S. conducted an escort operation in the 1980s when Iran had targeted shipping as part of its war with neighboring Iraq. The U.S., which supported Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with intelligence, weaponry and other aid, escorted Kuwaiti oil tankers — which were reflagged as American.

Such an effort today would require a substantial number of U.S. warships at a time when the fleet is smaller than it was in the 1980s, said Michael Eisenstadt, a former U.S. military analyst.

“You’d still need a very large chunk of the U.S. fleet being dedicated to this on an open-ended basis,” said Eisenstadt, who now directs the Military and Security Studies Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

He said it is a much more complicated environment today as Iran has amassed advanced capabilities, including its ability to launch drone and missile strikes.

“If we were to do what we need to do in order to make this work, which might involve putting people ashore in order to clear anti-cruise missile and drone launch sites, the losses of U.S. service members can go up, and if you’re going to do an escort operation also, the losses can potentially go up,” Eisenstadt added.

Iran's threats alone can scare away ships

Commercial vessels have been avoiding traditional routes through the strait out of fear of Iranian mines. Iran has demanded that ships use a route near its coastline and that it can potentially charge fees under an interim deal to end the war. Ships have been increasingly navigating a southern route along the coast of Oman under a U.S. overwatch operation that guided them using drones and aircraft.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, U.S. Central Command spokesman, said mine clearance operations are ongoing for some traditional routes through the strait but that “alternative pathways have been open.”

The southern route hasn't stopped Iranian attacks on ships, leading the U.S. military to strike Iranian air defense systems, radar sites, missile and drone equipment, and small boats.

But Iran's threats alone can be enough to halt commerce in the strait, said Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy focused on energy and maritime risks in the Middle East.

“They don’t need to launch drones and missiles — they can just use the marine radio channel to make some threats,” Raydan said. “And this in itself is enough to scare off a lot of seafarers.”

Clayton Seigle, a nonresident scholar in energy security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Trump administration has not followed through on promises it made early on in the war to militarily assist shipments that became a liability of the conflict.

“Those naval escorts, U.S. warships, larger commitments like boots on the ground never came because I think that the rhetoric got a little ahead of our risk tolerance,” Seigle said. “And when push came to shove, the United States was not ready to deploy its Navy, to deploy its other military forces in the capacity that would be needed to even have a shot at neutralizing those threats.”

___

Amiri reported from New York.

Cason played an important role in Michigan’s national championship season, providing a spark off the bench before suffering a torn ACL in February.

The sophomore guard averaged a career-high 8.4 points per game during the 2025-26 season and helped the Wolverines capture the Big Ten regular-season title.

Cason appeared in every game off the bench before suffering the season-ending injury and posted career highs in several categories, averaging 2.4 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

He also shot a career-best 50.3% from the field and made 33 3-pointers, up from 15 during his freshman season.

The guard’s production increased during Michigan’s championship run, as he became a key reserve in the Wolverines’ rotation before his injury.

Cason’s decision comes after May left Michigan to become head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Wolverines have since added former Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton Jr. as May’s replacement.

Cason will now explore transfer options while continuing his recovery from the ACL injury.

Temperatures reached 90 degrees Monday afternoon at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), marking the first day of what is forecast to be at least three consecutive days of 90-degree or hotter weather. That meets the meteorological definition of a heat wave in Southeast Michigan.

The first heat wave of the month occurred June 30 through July 3, when heat index values climbed to nearly 110 degrees in some communities under an Extreme Heat Warning. While this week’s event is not expected to reach that level of intensity, it will still bring several days of dangerous heat and little overnight relief.

Warm Monday Night

Skies will remain mostly clear with southwest winds around 5 to 10 mph. Overnight temperatures will only fall into the middle 70s, leaving homes, roads, and buildings with little opportunity to cool. Those warm nights can increase the risk of heat-related illness because the body has less time to recover before the next hot afternoon.

Tuesday: Peak of the Heat

Tuesday is expected to be the hottest day of the stretch.

Afternoon highs will climb to around 98 degrees, while humidity pushes heat index values between 100 and 104 degrees.

Because of the combination of hot temperatures and humidity, the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Southeast Michigan from noon until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Temperatures will rise quickly through the morning:

• 6 AM: 72°
• 8 AM: 74°
• 10 AM: 84°
• Noon: 90°
• 2 PM: 95°
• 4 PM: 97°
• 6 PM: 97°

Even after sunset, it will remain uncomfortably warm.

Heat Advisory vs. Extreme Heat Warning

Some people may wonder what separates the two heat alerts.

A Heat Advisory is generally issued when:

• Heat index values are expected to reach 100 degrees or higher for at least three hours, and/or
• Other factors such as consecutive hot days and very warm overnight temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illness.

An Extreme Heat Warning is generally reserved for:

• Heat index values of 105 degrees or higher for at least three hours, and/or
• Dangerous overnight conditions, including lows around 75 degrees or warmer, that prevent adequate overnight cooling and significantly increase cumulative heat stress.

Although this week’s forecast falls just shy of the extreme heat warning warning criteria, it is still dangerous enough to warrant a Heat Advisory, and precautions should be taken.

Wednesday and Thursday

The heat continues.

Wednesday remains very hot with highs in the middle to upper 90s, while Thursday stays hot with highs in the lower 90s. A stray shower cannot be ruled out north Thursday, but most communities remain dry.

Rain chances return late week

The upper-level ridge begins to weaken by Friday, allowing a better chance for showers and thunderstorms. The arrival of clouds and rain should help ease the heat heading into the weekend.

Heat Safety

Heat is one of the nation’s deadliest weather hazards. Take precautions if you’ll be spending time outdoors.

• Drink plenty of water before you become thirsty.
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.
• Take frequent breaks in air conditioning or shade.
• Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
• Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle.
• Check on older adults, neighbors, and anyone without air conditioning.
• Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If someone becomes confused, loses consciousness, or stops sweating despite the heat, call 911 immediately.

The 4Warn Weather Team will continue monitoring this developing heat wave and provide updates as conditions change.

Share your weather photos with Local 4 at MIPics.

It was shortly after the 2012 presidential election and Republicans had lost badly to President Barack Obama.

Graham was calling with an outlandish proposal — “getting the band back together” — on a bipartisan plan for immigration reforms.

The move was classic Graham.

He has been called the “bridge.” The “dealmaker.” The senator at the center of all the action. And, more recently, “the Trump whisperer.”

Graham embodied a sort of institutional secret sauce that kept the Senate moving — and talking and arguing and laughing — with his hyperkinetic insistence on doing something when the place would otherwise seem destined to grind to a halt of atrophy and dysfunction.

After Graham’s sudden death over the weekend, it is unclear who, if anyone, will fill his role.

“Few have been able to frustrate and anger, amuse and engage me in a single conversation the way Lindsey could,” said Sen. Chris Coons, the Democrat from Delaware, who celebrated Graham’s birthday over dinner after the NATO summit in Turkey just days before the South Carolina senator died.

“I will miss having him as a partner in the Senate.”

Graham stayed at the center of the action

Many lawmakers like to see themselves as central to the action, but Graham was among the few actually positioned squarely at the heart of virtually every debate. With his relentless ability to adapt to the political times, he gave voice to issues at home and abroad, and insisted on drawing others into the arena.

There was almost no bipartisan gang in Congress that didn't count Graham as a member — from the gang of eight he hatched with Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to pass immigration reform through the Senate in 2013, to his recent effort with colleagues to impose sanctions on Russia over its war against Ukraine.

“We didn't agree on everything in our bipartisan immigration proposal,” Schumer said Monday, “but we agreed it was worth trying, because doing nothing was worse.”

At a time when Congress is increasingly broken, with lawmakers unable to carry out its basic legislative functions, let alone act with civility toward one another, Graham played a unique role in bringing the sides together.

The heartfelt statements and stories shared on Graham's passing, from other prominent senators as well as the back benches of the House, reflected the breadth and depth of his partnerships.

“We talked at all hours of the day or night, and traveled through all kinds of weather, meeting dictators and democracy defenders,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who joined with Graham on the Russian sanctions bill.

Blumenthal said their views often differed, “but he listened to me,” the senator said, "and sought to bridge our differences.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., opened the day's session noting Graham's empty desk in the chamber, covered with a black drape and white flowers.

Graham's friendship, he said, “made this job richer and its burdens lighter.”

His political shapeshifting drew criticism

Not that Graham was always successful. There have been plenty of times when GOP senators walked out of their private lunch meetings during a particularly stalemated time in Congress, simply shaking their heads at the latest plan from Graham to break the gridlock.

Graham’s political shapeshifting brought his detractors, to be sure, as did his unbridled pursuit of military intervention abroad.

His bipartisan immigration work with Schumer and the Democrats left Graham almost permanently outcast by the nativist and anti-immigration flank of his party.

And most decisively, Graham’s rapprochement with Trump, after having declared their relationship finished following Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the Capitol, damaged the senator's credibility among some would-be partners.

Still, Graham’s proximity to Trump during the president's second term kept him central to the action, the one senators of both parties would lean on to understand the White House's view.

“Many of us consider him the Trump whisperer,” said Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who served as a manager in Trump’s first impeachment. Trump was later acquitted by the Senate.

“If we wanted to know what the president’s thinking was, or how he might be moved on something, you would go to Lindsey to discuss it,” Schiff said.

Graham's “voice is going to be really, really missed in terms of the relationship that Senate Republicans have with the president and his team,” Thune said on CNN, because "he was so good and so effective at talking to the president.”

Senators say Graham's humor lightened the load

In the chamber of 100 senators, with big personalities and bigger egos, Graham's self-effacing humor made it more bearable, helping to smooth the edges and bridge the divide.

He had “a wonderful sense of humor that he used to cut through the tension,” Schiff said.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in her own statement, told a story of seeking Graham’s support for her bill to ensure visas for Afghan refugees.

“I remember standing outside of a little phone booth in the Republican cloakroom last year as he spoke with the Vice President, holding up a sign that said ‘Save the Afghans’ and he put the phone on hold and said ‘OK OK I will go on your bill even if it gets me in trouble,’” she said.

“I will miss him.”

Officials said service for the Detroit People Mover would remain closed for the rest of the evening while maintenance crews work to identify the problem.

Officials said maintenance personnel will conduct overnight diagnostics and test system components to safely restore service as quickly as possible.

Officials said updates on when service for the People Mover will resume will be posted on its social media channels as they become available.

No additional details about the software issue were immediately released.

It was among several wildfires in western Europe as the region bakes under its third red-alert heat wave this year.

In Spain, 10 people were still unaccounted for Monday from a fire that ripped through a remote southern expatriate community last week, killing 13 people in one of the country's deadliest blazes.

The Fontainebleau forest fire is unusual for its proximity to the French capital — about 70 kilometers (42 miles). The region hosts the Fontainebleau Chateau favored by Napoleon and is popular with visitors from Paris and beyond.

French President Emmanuel Macron said all necessary means were being deployed to fight the fire of ″exceptional scale.”

Two water-dumping planes were deployed over the area along with hundreds of firefighters, regional fire service spokesperson Paul Laurain told public broadcaster France-Info.

The head of the regional administration, Pierre Ory, told French media that an investigation is underway and that arson was being considered a possibility.

A new fire has broken out in another section of the forest, Ory said. The initial fire is still not contained and was continuing to spread at a moderate rate.

“Winds are turning, which is significantly complicating the work of the firefighters," he said.

Trains to and from the bustling Gare de Lyon train station were disrupted late Sunday but were returning to normal Monday morning. A section of the busy A6 highway leading southeast of Paris was shut down because of fire risk.

Large fires in southern France have already scorched thousands of hectares (acres) since last week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources.

France is experiencing the peak of its third heat wave of the summer, with temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across western and central areas and around 37 C (98 F) in Paris.

Spain reeling from deadly wildfire

A 93-year-old British national died Sunday in a hospital from injuries sustained in the Los Gallardos wildfire, elevating the death toll to 13.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was expected to visit the site of the fire on Monday. Regional authorities said the blaze was contained Sunday after affecting some 70 square kilometers (27 square miles) of forest and farmland — larger than the size of Manhattan.

Spain is experiencing extreme heat, which combined with wind and little rainfall is creating the ideal conditions for small wildfires to grow unchecked.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Homes evacuated in UK due to fires

In the U.K., people were evacuated from several dozen rural homes in north Wales after a wildfire broke out across a mountainside on Sunday, British media reported.

Wildfires also burned in several locations across England as another heat wave — the third this year — brought hot, sunny and dry conditions.

The Met Office said record heat waves since May have led to 2026 becoming the first year to record temperatures of 35 C (95 F) or higher on six separate days. That broke the previous record set in 1976 and 2020, when five days were recorded with such temperatures.

Natural England’s fire severity index has put much of England at “very high” risk of wildfires, with some areas in southern England and the Midlands at “exceptional” risk.

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Naishadham reported from Madrid. Eva Van Dam in Paris and Sylvia Hui in London contributed.

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A previous version corrected the age of a British national who died Sunday.

Congo since May has been battling the outbreak of a type of Ebola with no approved treatment or vaccine. Last week, the Congolese health minister, Roger Kamba, said the virus had spread to two more provinces.

The striking staff at Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, includes epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers and gravediggers who say they have not been paid by Congolese authorities. The protesting staff shut the hospital and blocked the road leading to it, even burning a tire outside.

“We don’t know how it is possible to not have been paid for two months,” Bahati Claude, a health worker at the hospital told The Associated Press. “We don’t want to give up the job.”

The treatment center is different from the one in Ituri where a study of two badly needed treatments began earlier this month.

Congolese authorities declared the Ebola outbreak on May 15, after the disease had been transmitting for weeks without official detection, according to the World Health Organization. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, and the delay in confirming the outbreak came in part because tests were done for a more common type of Ebola.

During a visit to Ituri last week, Congo's health minister said the government is verifying a list of those working to control the outbreak, as some unrelated names have been added to the payroll.

“We must ensure that these payments reach the right people,” Kamba said. “We have faced a few challenges, notably changes to the lists, which have led to complaints from people saying they are not being paid even though they are working. We have the means to sort this out.”

There are 1,926 confirmed cases in the country, including 702 deaths, according to Congolese authorities.

Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted Monday on X that a second U.S. citizen, a humanitarian worker in eastern Congo who had contracted Ebola, was transferred to Germany. The first American to test positive for the virus was a doctor working in Congo during the early weeks of the outbreak.

Neill achieved his highest level of fame in “Jurassic Park” playing paleontologist Alan Grant, who is summoned to an island off Costa Rica where a theme park has been built to house herds of cloned dinosaurs. He co-starred alongside Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough.

Neill earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the title role of the 1998 miniseries “Merlin” and another as narrator of 2017’s “Wild New Zealand.” Neill also earned three Golden Globe nods — for “Merlin,” “One Against the Wind” and “Reilly: Ace of Spies.”

Some notable reactions:

Steven Spielberg

“Sam was exceptionally collaborative. It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children. I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him. Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world.” — in a statement.

Laura Dern, actor

“Sam was my beloved lifetime friend… He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness, and love, always with the driest of wit. He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.” — via Instagram.

Richard E. Grant, actor

“Knew @samneilltheprop for 3 decades and finally worked with him on ‘PALM BEACH’ in 2018. An officer and a Gentleman in the truest sense. Guided and helped me through a very difficult time in my Life … Sail on, kind Sir. — via Instagram.

Cillian Murphy, actor

“Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure. He was one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors … RIP.” — in a statement.

Nicole Kidman, actor

“Sam was one of the greats, a joy to be around,” she said. “We met when I was just 18 and he took me under his wing and we stayed friends for life. He was charming, kind, funny and intelligent. He will be greatly missed, and my heart goes out to his family.” — in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Billy Zane, actor

“I’m deeply saddened by the untimely loss of my dear friend, @samneilltheprop. We first crossed paths years ago through our work, but what I came to treasure most was the man himself—funny, endlessly curious, wickedly intelligent, generous, and always able to make you feel at ease. ... He carried himself with grace, humility, and a wonderfully mischievous sense of humor that made every conversation a pleasure. ... Rest peacefully, Sam. You’ll be missed more than words can say.” — via Instagram.

Colin Trevorrow, director

“Sam Neill was a deeply soulful and beautiful man. He was a friend and collaborator at a challenging time, and his strength gave us all strength. I’ll remember him for his tranquility, his love of wine, and for the calm assuredness he brought to his characters. It’s not every lifetime you get to befriend a legend. Forever grateful.” — via Instagram.

Christopher Luxon, prime minister of New Zealand

“Sir Sam Neill was one of the greats. He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today — one of our greatest cultural exports.” — via X.

Jacinda Ardern, former prime minister of New Zealand

"It was just a few weeks ago that I had the profound joy of sitting with Sam Neill, talking about life, politics, and home. He was such a thoughtful, curious, and decent person. Someone who was principled, unafraid of speaking his mind, and willing to take up a fight when he saw injustice. ... We’ve lost another incredible kiwi, and I feel profoundly sad. All my aroha to his whanau and friends. And to you, Sam, you have our gratitude and admiration. Rest easy. Moe mai rā" — via Instagram.

Anthony Albanese, prime minister of Australia

“Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts. Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.” — via X.

Laura Tingle, Australian journalist and Neill’s former partner

“I think Sam Neill was the greatest theatrical creation of little Nigel Neill, a little boy with a stutter who was sent off to boarding school at eight years of age and spent his life in flight ever after that and showing off to make friends in new places. And I think that the humanity of that is what made him so approachable and so loved by so many people who saw all his work in television and movies.” — in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Sharon Lawrence, actor

“My condolences and appreciation for the immense joy and mastery Sam Neill brought our industry. Do yourself a favor and find ‘DEAN SPANLEY’ on a streamer- he’s wonderful and it will soothe someplace in your spirit that needs it now. — via Instagram.

Joel Tobeck, actor

“This man made me feel like I could fly. Even when I was all over the place in his presence he made it ok. We loved to talk rugby. RIP my old mate. Sam Neill, a true gentleman.” — via Instagram.

Rachel Griffiths, actor

“Such a shock — loved by so many — I’ll be cracking two paddocks tonight,” referring to wine from the actor’s vineyard, via Instagram.

Kylie Minogue, singer

“Vale Sam,” a Latin term for “farewell” that’s often used in Australia and New Zealand, via Instagram.

Toni Collette, actor

“I love you, dear Sam. You hero. You legend. You sweetheart. Our great friend. You are already missed so very much. Continue in peace wherever you are.” — via Instagram.

Lesley-Ann Brandt, actor

“Sending love and condolences to your family. A remarkable man and artist. NZ loses a giant and one of its greatest gifts.” — via Instagram.

Kate Mulvany, actor

“It was the greatest of honours to shout at Sam onscreen and to laugh ourselves silly offscreen. He was truly the most wondrous human. Not was. Still is. Will always be. Such is his incredible legacy of life, art, advocacy and love.” — via Instagram.

Immigrant rights groups identified the man who was killed in Biddeford as a 26-year-old native of Colombia. The Colombian Embassy said it was in contact with U.S. authorities about the Colombian national's death and “is providing the necessary consular assistance to his family.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, said in a post on X that agents were surveilling an address for a person with a final order of removal from the country. When ICE tried to stop a vehicle driven by someone coming from that address, the "vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” the department said.

Prior to the brief ICE statement on the incident, Maine U.S. Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him the officer opened fire after the man tried to use his vehicle as a weapon against ICE agents in Biddeford, a coastal city roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland. The agents involved didn’t have body cameras, he said.

When asked about the contrasting statements, King told CNN that that's what the investigation is all about.

“Did this young man actually try to run over an ICE agent or was he in danger of running over other people in the street?" he said. “Was there a reasonable expectation of bodily harm or deadly force to justify this shooting?”

DHS did not immediately respond to an email seeking clarity on what led to the shooting.

King, an independent, said Mullin also told him the officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant but that it was not for the person who was shot. King said Mullin told him that earlier information that the man was the target of an enforcement action was incorrect.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said Mullin told her the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Inspector General is investigating in cooperation with the FBI.

Messages seeking comment were left for the inspector general’s office and the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The Maine attorney general’s office, which is also investigating, said initial statements suggest the motorist was trying to flee in the direction of the agent. The office said the agent who killed him has been placed on leave.

Witness says he heard driver say, ‘I tried to stop’

Daniel Boucher said he looked out his third-floor window after hearing a “pop, pop, pop” sound and saw a small car “turned 90 degrees to the curb” with an SUV behind it. The driver was wounded and the car started moving down the street until the SUV hit it, Boucher said.

“His face was bloody. His head was bloody,” Boucher said, getting choked up. “I clearly heard the victim say, ‘I tried to stop.'"

Boucher said he saw an ICE officer bring a medical bag to where the man was lying before an ambulance and fire truck arrived. At one point, Boucher said, the agent who shot the man walked close to him.

“I was emotional and I just let him have it, and he looked at me and said, ‘He tried to run me over,’ or something to that effect," Boucher said. "I don’t remember his exact words.”

Video from a security camera at a nearby business, obtained by the AP, shows a white vehicle approaching an intersection at a modest speed before making several slow circles. A law enforcement SUV blocked its path and two officers open the driver’s door and dragged out a limp body.

It was not clear from the video at what point shots were fired.

The man was authorized to work in the US, advocates say

Two advocacy groups — the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! — said the man who was killed was authorized to work in the U.S.

After the shooting, his family contacted the Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, but they weren't ready to speak publicly about the shooting, said the group's executive director, Mufalo Chitam.

Mary Hayes, who lives close to where the shooting happened, said the man lived nearby with his wife and daughter.

“I watched a wife fall to her knees looking at her husband’s dead body on the ground,” Hayes told the AP as she held a piece of cardboard with “No ICE Stop ICE” written on it. “I watched a little girl crying with a little pink backpack on because she’s never going to see her father again.”

Sadie Dilboy said the man killed in the shooting regularly came to her laundromat and would bring his daughter, who he'd give quarters to buy candy from the vending machine.

“He was such a good person,” she said. “He was always cleaning up.”

Anti-ICE protesters gather near the scene

Several hundred demonstrators gathered in Biddeford on Monday night to wave anti-ICE signs and call for the agency to be abolished.

“We will always be a city of immigrants,” said Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat from Biddeford.

A handful of pro-ICE and pro-Trump protesters demonstrated across the street.

Some demonstrators had gathered in the city within hours of the shooting. Amy Goodman arrived with a sign that said “Stop Killing Us” and directed it toward police working at the scene.

“Sadly, it’s something we’re seeing a whole lot more often lately, and I’m mad about it,” she said.

A recent uptick in Trump's immigration crackdown

On July 7, an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, of Houston, after federal agents driving unmarked vehicles pursued him while he was taking his construction crew to a job site.

The shootings come amid a Trump administration push to carry out its mass deportations agenda. During the five-day period at the end of June, ICE arrested more than 10,000 people.

The figures indicate that while the administration is no longer cracking down on individual cities, the arrests are surging. The administration’s enforcement efforts were widely condemned last winter after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota.

Hundreds of Maine ICE arrests since Trump’s return

ICE had a significant presence in Maine earlier this year, which prompted several protests. Immigration officials later said in late January that they had ceased “enhanced operations” in Maine after hundreds of arrests.

A Homeland Security spokesperson said at the time that some Maine arrests were of people “convicted of horrific crimes" including aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Court records show that while some had felony convictions, others had unresolved immigration proceedings or had been arrested but never convicted of a crime.

ICE arrested 546 people in Maine between the start of Trump’s second term and March 11, 2026, the most recent data available, according to ICE arrest data provided to the University of California, Berkeley Deportation Data Project and analyzed by the AP.

About 45% of arrested people had criminal backgrounds. During the equivalent 416-day period before Trump took office, roughly 69% of those arrested had criminal backgrounds, the data shows.

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Willingham reported from Boston and Brook reported from New Orleans. Associated Press reporters Michael R. Sisak in New York, Aaron Kessler in Washington, Kate Brumback in Atlanta and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

Raymond Deloatch said the shelter recently began taking in more people referred by other organizations, which he said contributed to the nonprofit falling behind on payments to the building’s owner.

He said the shelter served around 150 people weekly on average.

“I got families that was here with their kids, I had to send them to hotels because I didn’t have the funding to take care of them,” Deloatch said.

He also said the closure displaced people he had been helping get back on their feet.

“I had to release several individuals that just got jobs. I just helped them get their jobs, this is a major bus line for them. Now they got to figure out where they’re going to sleep at night,” Deloatch said.

Deloatch said he went to the Warren City Council for help.

Warren City Councilman Jonathan Lafferty said council members directed the city attorney’s office in January to draft a contract allowing nonprofits to apply for city funding in exchange for providing homeless services.

“City Council had directed the city attorney’s office to draft a contract that would permit the city to enter into contractual services for homeless care,” Lafferty said.

But Lafferty said Mayor Lori Stone hasn’t approved the proposal, so it hasn’t moved forward.

“I didn’t ask for anything. I just wanted to make sure the bill on the building was paid. That’s all I asked for. Nothing else,” Deloatch said. “It’s been sitting there for six or seven months, and no one has said anything else about it.”

In a statement issued Monday, Stone said she was “deeply disheartened” by the closure and noted that the city does not own or operate a municipal homeless shelter.

“The Fiscal Year 2027 budget adopted by the Warren City Council does not include funding for the operation of a municipal homeless shelter,” Stone said, adding that Warren and other Macomb County communities are served by nonprofits that provide emergency shelter and related services.

Stone also criticized some council members in the statement, saying that while several council members have spoken about the challenges of serving Warren’s unhoused population, “their actions have failed to match their words”.

Lafferty disputed that claim, saying the mayor proposes the budget and that City Council could amend it if a contract were brought forward for approval.

“The city cannot just issue a check to a nonprofit for homeless care,” Lafferty said. “There has to be an exchange of services under terms and conditions, liability, insurance, certificates of occupancy, permitting, inspection; all of those things have to be taken care of to ensure safe care of the homeless.”

Deloatch said he is calling on the mayor to help find a solution.

“All I ask for is a little bit of help,” Deloatch said. “If you can reach down and say, let’s work this out, we can; if not, the shelter will remain closed until otherwise.”

Stone said her hope is that the shelter’s board can reevaluate operations, secure sustainable funding and reopen.

She pointed to the WAVE Project shelter, which closed in March 2024 due to funding shortfalls but was reorganized and reopened in December 2025.

Friend of the Father Foundation is trying to raise money independently and hopes to reopen the shelter in the fall.

The nonprofit has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds.

Local 4 reached out to Stone’s office regarding the contract proposed by the City Council but did not receive a response.

Warren homeless shelter closes after funding runs out, CEO blames lack of city support by brandon carr

He couldn’t cover it. Now, he’s staring down an eviction notice. With the help of his tenant union, Mr. Mike’s Neighborhood, he reached out to Local 4.

Local 4 has been tracking water-billing issues at manufactured housing communities across the region.

Albert Speier showed Local 4 his water use ledger that dates back years. In April, he was charged $41.03 for water and sewage.

Then suddenly, in May, it went up to $581.26.

“How many swimming pools would that be?” Local 4’s Kyla Russell asked Speier.

“Anywhere from five, four to five, 16 foot, 5.5 feet swimming pools of usage of water,” he said.

Speier has lived at his Lafayette Place home for six years. He says he’s paid his water bill on time for years. That’s until May.

“$581.26,” he said when asked what May’s bill was.

“Describe the moment you saw that?” Russell asked.

“I was like, this is totally wrong,” he said.

He asked how a bill could rocket from around $40 to $581.26 in four weeks. That’s about $540 more than April.

He says they told him there was a leak.

“They said it was on my behalf. They didn’t say where,” he said. “With that amount of water, the whole front of my house, or the back of my house, or my whole yard would be a swamp.”

“What would cause this issue?” Speier said he asked. “He said, ‘All your faucets in your house and your outside spigot would have to be on to generate that much water.’ … 24/7 for the month.”

But, he says he couldn’t get straight answers and he couldn’t afford to pay it all at once.

So, he paid half, hoping the rest would be resolved and that his money would come back.

Instead, he says another letter showed up. This one came with a different demand.

“And they had, ‘you can either pay it or you and your occupants can move out,’” he said of the letter he received.

“What does that do to you financially?” Russell asked about the $580 bill.

“Well, it made me resort to I had to get rid of stuff I had,” he said.

Since then, he also hasn’t gotten June or July’s bill.

Local 4 reached out to Sun Communities on Thursday to ask for any response and have not heard back.

“Great if they credit my account. I would be happy,” Speier said.

For information on Mr. Mike’s Neighborhood Tenant Union, click here.

For previous stories done on water billing issues at manufactured housing communities, click here.

The blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar was the city’s deadliest in 17 years. It broke out late Sunday in a northern part of the Thai capital, and firefighters needed half an hour to bring it under control. The fire left 25 people hospitalized in critical condition, city officials said.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said most of the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation.

By daybreak Monday, the site had been cordoned off as dozens of forensic officers sought clues about what caused the fire. The bar's street-facing windows were blown out, and debris littered the sidewalk, including charred television sets, speakers and an electric guitar. Associated Press journalists looking through the shattered windows could see empty beer bottles still sitting atop burned tables.

The bar, which in Thai calls itself a brewery or beer hall, claimed to accommodate as many as 600 customers. It was not clear how many were present Sunday night.

According to Bangkok’s Erawan emergency services center, 73 people were hurt. The Bangkok city government said there were 28 dead, one more than Erawan’s tally.

The dead were trapped in bathrooms

National Police Chief Kittharath Punpetch said most of the dead were found trapped in windowless bathrooms near one of the rear exits, where they may have sought shelter from the flames.

He said the exit was not used, and people may have been blocked from reaching it by a table set up in a hall to sell candy, or because it was too dark to find the way out.

Access to another exit near the kitchen might also have been narrowed by shelving units and lockers, said Kittharath, who visited the scene Monday. There were signs that at least some of the exit doors might have been locked, he added.

Investigators focused on the ceiling above a performance stage, where they found materials that may have been used as decorative elements, he said. Police will examine whether flammable materials were used in the interior and how electrical wiring was installed across the ceiling.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that a musician who was performing at the bar told him he saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out. Then an explosion was heard, and thick smoke quickly filled the place.

Video posted on social media showed people fleeing as flames shot out of the single-story building and black smoke billowed into the sky.

Buddhist monks prayed for the dead

Several Buddhist monks visited the site Monday to pray for the victims, while nurses handed out face masks to help protect people from lingering smoke and fumes from the building.

A registration site was set up to gather information from relatives looking for loved ones.

Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she was performing nearby when she heard about the fire and rushed to the scene because several of her bandmates were performing at the bar. She said one of them died, three were hospitalized and one had not been located. Her band later announced on Facebook that the missing member was also found hospitalized.

“From what I heard from people who were inside when the fire started, everything went dark. The power was out, and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn’t locate other people,” she said.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the bar offered apologies and condolences and said it was cooperating with investigators. It said the bar’s owner suffered serious injuries and was in an intensive care unit.

Mourning family members identify the dead at a morgue

Family members gathered at Bangkok's Institute of Forensic Medicine to identify the dead.

Keo Oudone Poungpany, 24, was at the institute to identify his younger brother's body. Both of the brothers, migrant workers from neighboring Laos, were working as bar employees when the fire broke out.

Poungpany said he was using a restroom outside the bar when the fire began.

He described walking back toward the bar and encountering dozens of people running away from the flames and hearing loud noises.

From the outside the bar, he began shouting for his brother. “The heat was unbearable, I couldn’t get back in,” he said.

“For now, I want to bring my younger brother’s body back home,” Poungpany said. “I want to bring him home to my parents. My parents are waiting for their kids to come back together, but now one is gone.”

In 2022, 14 people were killed by a fire at a music bar in the eastern part of the country. And more than a decade before that, 67 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire during a Jan. 1, 2009, New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Thailand's capital. That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.

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This report corrects the total number of dead from the 2009 fire at Bangkok's Santika nightclub to 67. The number 66 in previous versions was based on an earlier story that had not been updated.

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Sahatthaya Kraikhunthot contributed to this report.

Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah have ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and scenic canyons, as well as coal and uranium deposits that state officials want made available for development.

Trump, a Republican, issued proclamations under the Antiquities Act to reduce their size by about 90% each. He took similar actions during his first term, but those were reversed by President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

The latest move comes as Trump and other Republicans have drastically reshaped the management of vast taxpayer-owned lands concentrated in Western states. Trump administration officials and congressional Republicans have sought to expand drilling, mining and logging on public lands, while removing protections for imperiled species and rolling back rules for conservation.

“They took the land from the people quite honestly,” Trump said at a signing event at the White House Monday. “We’re giving it back.”

President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, established Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 1996, and President Barack Obama, also a Democrat, created Bears Ears National Monument in 2016 under the Antiquities Act. The 1906 law gives presidents the powers to protect sites considered historic, archaeologically significant or culturally important.

Davina Smith-Idjesa, a citizen of the Navajo Nation and co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, said tribal leaders had braced for a reduction since Trump was elected to a second term. She said it was “heartbreaking” and accused federal officials of sidestepping their legal responsibility to consult with tribal nations that would be impacted.

“From a Navajo perspective, Bears Ears is not simply a piece of federal public land,” Smith-Idjesa said. “This is a living cultural site that holds our histories, our ceremonies, our traditional foods and medicines and our ancestors’ footprints.”

‘Big day for Utah’

Utah officials had long fought against the monument designations and argued that the state should be in charge of controlling its own lands. Trump in his first term reduced their size, calling their creation a “massive land grab.” Combined they spanned more than 3.2 million acres (13 million hectares), an area nearly the size of Connecticut.

Trump reduced them Monday to less than 303,000 acres (123,000 hectares) combined.

That's a greater reduction than his first term, when he left Grand Staircase Escalante at 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) and Bears Ears at 213,000 acres (86,000 hectares).

“This is a big day for Utah,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox as he stood next to Trump at the White House. “These monument designations are supposed to be the smallest area as possible to protect the antiquities.”

Bears Ears was the first national monument created at the request of tribal nations that consider the land sacred. The landscape contains ancestral villages, ceremonial and burial sites and features in some tribes’ creation and migration stories. Its designation honored five tribes in the region — Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute and Uintah-Ouray Ute.

Home to hundreds of thousands of objects of cultural and scientific significance, Bears Ears is jointly managed by an agreement between tribal nations and federal agencies.

Grand Staircase-Escalante consists of cliffs, canyons, natural arches and archaeological sites, including rock paintings. It holds large coal reserves, while the Bears Ears area has uranium.

The national monument designation provides sweeping protections not just for significant geological features or artifacts but also for the surrounding landscape, banning drilling, mining and new construction nearby. Proponents of Trump’s move to downsize say the protective boundaries stretch too far and hinder mining for critical minerals.

Trump asserted Monday that people can not hunt, fish or “virtually not even walk” on the monuments. That's false: Hunting, fishing, camping and other recreation are permitted under state and federal regulations, said Steve Bloch, legal director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, a conservation group.

Biden designated or expanded more than a dozen monuments and had a goal to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

Trump’s policies are largely the opposite: He wants to tap into the natural resource wealth of federal lands that total more than 100,000 square miles (260,000 square kilometers) and offshore areas under federal control, such as in the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska.

That’s drawn backlash from Democrats who warn of the wholesale disposal of treasured landscapes for commercial gain.

“Today’s executive action is another chapter in this administration’s war on the West," Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico said Monday. He added that Trump was “turning the Antiquities Act on its head."

Land sale proposals fell flat

Trump Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said last year that federal officials would review and consider redrawing monument boundaries as part of a push to expand U.S. energy production.

Trump in his current term has used proclamations to lift commercial fishing prohibitions within expansive marine monuments in areas of the Pacific Ocean and in the Atlantic Ocean off the New England coast. Those monuments were created by Democratic and Republican administrations. The effort to boost the fishing industry, which has been challenged in court, marks a dramatic shift in federal policy by prioritizing commercial interests over efforts to allow the fish supply to increase.

Some Republicans have tried to sell or transfer federal lands to states or other entities. Those efforts have largely fallen flat: A push by some GOP lawmakers in the House to sell public lands ran into bipartisan opposition, while another proposal by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah to sell more than 3,200 square miles (8,300 square kilometers) of federal lands was removed from Republicans' big tax and spending bill.

The U.S. Supreme Court last year turned back a lawsuit from Utah officials who sought to wrest control of vast areas of public land within the state from the federal government.

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Hannah Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.

Bukele's party Nuevas Ideas, which holds a supermajority in the legislative assembly, held its internal elections Sunday and announced the results on Twitter on Monday. Vice President Félix Ulloa will once again be Bukele’s running mate.

Bukele, 44, took office in June 2019 as the region's youngest president and has continued to enjoy high approval ratings.

His February 2024 reelection — with nearly 85% of the valid votes — was highly criticized by constitutional scholars for violating a ban on consecutive reelection. They accuse Bukele of illegally replacing the country's constitutional Court judges and attorney general to concentrate his power.

“Remaining in power is to avoid accountability for grave acts of corruption and crimes against humanity,” said Ingrid Escobar, lawyer and director of Salvadoran group Humanitarian Legal Aid, who called seeking a third term unconstitutional.

A September 2021 ruling by the constitutional Court allowed presidential reelection “for one term only.”

The ruling-party controlled Legislative Assembly then approved a constitutional reform in July 2025 to allow indefinite presidential reelection. The reform eliminated the penalty of loss of citizenship rights for those who promoted presidential reelection and the ban on presidential candidacy for those who had served as president in the previous term.

This constitutional reform also extended the presidential term from five to six years and moved up the presidential elections to 2027. The constitution previously allowed reelection of a past president after 10 years out of office.

The president has defended the constitutional reforms approved by the legislative assembly.

Bukele stated that “90% of developed countries allow the indefinite reelection of their head of government and nobody bats an eye.” He added that when a small, poor country like El Salvador tries to do the same, “it suddenly becomes the end of democracy.”

Salvadorans credit the president's security policies, including a four-year state of emergency that has imprisoned more than 90,000 Salvadorans, for drastically reducing homicide rates and making them feel safer in the country.

In 2015, El Salvador registered one of its most violent years, with 6,656 murders and a homicide rate of 106 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The country ended 2025 with a record low in homicides — 82 cases — according to government statistics.

More than 500 people have died in prison since the state of emergency, mainly for health reasons but some related to violence, according to human rights organizations.

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

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week that a fan named Terry Thompson had wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel and was eventually rewarded with a personalized video from Harper.

In the video, Harper addressed the fan by name and even mentioned the man's young son. Harper shared a screenshot Monday of the request on Cameo, an app that allows users to pay celebrities to record custom videos. FanDuel obtained the video through a partnership with Cameo.

“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper said. “The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”

The Inquirer reported Thompson lost $1.5 million, according to a lawsuit that the Public Health Advocacy Institute filed in March in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia on behalf of Thompson and against FanDuel and DraftKings. Thompson also was reported to have lost money to DraftKings.

The video was marked with FanDuel's logo. Harper said in the video he reached out at the request of Thompson's VIP manager on the site, “your host Bryttanni at FanDuel."

Harper addressed the situation on a social media post Monday, hours ahead of his scheduled participation in the Home Run Derby.

“I did not know FanDuel would do this,” Harper wrote. “I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.”

Asked for comment, FanDuel said it was "committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers.

"Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry’s strongest consumer protection initiatives.”

Cameo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

___

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

The University of Michigan announced the hire Monday (July 13), bringing Martin to Ann Arbor after a 14-year run at Brown, where he became the winningest coach in program history.

Welcome to Ann Arbor, Mike Martin!

One of the Ivy League's most respected coaches and Brown's all-time winningest head coach is joining Mike Boynton Jr.'s staff as an assistant coach.

📰 https://t.co/UfmeF3bH50#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/DZ6Tu5uZeu

— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) July 13, 2026

Martin’s record-setting tenure at Brown

Martin compiled 171 victories at Brown, surpassing the school’s previous coaching wins record in February 2023.

He was hired in 2012 at age 29, making him one of the youngest head coaches in Division I men’s basketball at the time.

His best season came in 2018-19, when Brown finished 20-12, the program’s first 20-win campaign.

The Bears earned a berth in the College Basketball Invitational, won their first postseason game, and Martin was named Ivy League Coach of the Year.

During his tenure, Brown produced four consecutive first-team All-Ivy League selections from 2022-25, including three-time first-team honoree Kino Lilly Jr.

Bears players also earned five Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year awards, one Rookie of the Year honor, and multiple Academic All-America recognitions.

From Brown to Ann Arbor

Before taking over at Brown, Martin spent six seasons as an assistant at Penn, helping the Quakers win the 2007 Ivy League title and reach the NCAA Tournament.

He also served as an assistant at Brown during the 2005-06 season.

A 2004 Brown graduate, Martin was a four-year starting guard and co-captain.

Martin later played professionally in Ireland before entering coaching.

He also serves on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional Advisory Committee and has been inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as both a player and coach.

But through her brother's decades of public service, Nordone has been by his side, supporting him in speeches, appearances and even campaign ads.

Besides being a frequent attendee at Graham's political events, Nordone is woven deeply into her brother's personal and political biography. After both of their parents died in just over a year, Graham, then age 22, became legal guardian for his 13-year-old sister.

Now, after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tapped Nordone to serve in Graham's seat until January, Nordone is heading to Washington, tasked with representing the interests for which her brother advocated with passion.

A special primary held next month will sort out what Republican moves forward in the general election to face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

From brother to legal guardian, Graham raised his sister

While Graham was in his early 20s, his life — and that of his sister — was turned upside down. Their mother died in 1976 after battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. Fifteen months later, his sister, then 13, discovered their father after he suffered a heart attack in his sleep and died.

Graham was just beginning law school at the University of South Carolina. With both parents gone, he pivoted, saying that his chief goal was to ensure his sister was cared for.

“I can remember the day my father passed away, standing in the living room of that house, absolutely scared to death,” Nordone told NPR in 2015. “Lindsey wrapped his arms around me and promised me he would always be there for me and always take care of me.”

Making regular treks from school in Columbia to Seneca, where his sister was being looked after by relatives, Graham kept tabs on his sister from then on and became her legal guardian. After he became a military lawyer in the Air Force, he adopted her, to ensure that she would receive his military benefits.

Graham’s bond with his sister was indelible

Graham, who never married or had children of his own, once joked as he ran for president in 2016 that his sister could be among a “rotating” cast of White House hosts standing in as first lady.

But the bond between the two, aside from being integral to Graham’s own biography, was evident in their public appearances. When Graham filed his candidacy paperwork in March for this year’s election, Nordone was by his side, along with her children and grandchildren.

“What have I learned in this life I’ve led? I take nothing for granted. I count every blessing, every day,” Graham said then, going on to recount how he and his sister forged through life together from that point. “I understand what a blessing my life has been and the only way I can pay you back for the blessings I’ve received is to be the most thoughtful, relevant, aggressive senator.”

Nordone married, had children and ultimately grandchildren and has worked with people with disabilities. Talking to C-SPAN in 2015, Graham said of his own life that his sister's success “is the highlight of it, by far.”

Bob McAlister, a former consultant to Graham on several campaigns, reflected on how the difficulties in their growing up bonded the siblings in a way that most would not understand.

“He grew up with nothing,” McAlister said. “The back of the bar where he and his sister grew up was always kind of top of mind to him. ... And I think the way he and Darline grew up just had an indelible impact on him, and for some reason, it gave him the drive that he had to do what he did.”

“A lot of people have different ideas about Lindsey from what they’ve seen on TV and all that, but everything about him can be traced back to his boyhood, the way he grew up, the way he took care of his sister," McAlister added.

Graham's sister played a political role in his life, too

Graham often talked about his background, and the plight he shared with his sister, in campaign appearances, and she was there for many of them.

She also popped up in a 2014 campaign ad, as Graham sought a third Senate term, saying he brought assurances after their parents' deaths that he would take care of her.

“He never let me down. Never. I don’t see how he did it, to take on the responsibility of raising a little sister,” Nordone said. "That came from within for Lindsey.”

Trump recommended Graham's sister as interim appointee

Hours ahead of McMaster's announcement, President Donald Trump said on social media that he had recommended that the governor pick Nordone, calling the selection “a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.

The progress came as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a motorist in Maine on Monday, and Houston prosecutors complained the administration was still withholding critical information in their investigation into a fatal shooting by an ICE officer last week.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the evidence turned over by U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen's office included previously withheld hard drives containing statements, police body camera video and other materials in the Minnesota killings. Federal prosecutors also turned over Good’s badly damaged SUV, she said.

“The wonderful thing now is we have all the evidence,” Moriarty said. “Any time the government is responsible in whatever way of taking the life of a community member we need to have a full and thorough investigation.”

Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed in her vehicle while leaving an anti-immigration enforcement protest in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

Her death and that of Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse shot and killed days later during a Jan. 24 protest, sparked outrage across the country and calls to rein in immigration enforcement.

The Minneapolis immigration crackdown, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” ended in February after being billed as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever.

At least nine people have been killed nationwide since the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign began last year. No one has been charged in connection with the deaths, and the federal government has suggested state prosecutors don’t have jurisdiction to investigate federal officers.

Lawyers for Good’s family said the transfer of evidence represented “an important and meaningful step towards justice and accountability.” The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which took custody of the evidence, declared that “great strides have been made” to ensure a “thorough and complete review” of the shootings.

But a lawyer for Pretti's family said Rosen's office, in a meeting Monday afternoon, wouldn't confirm any cooperation agreement between state and federal agencies.

“No family should be required to beg federal authorities to do their job,” Steve Schleicher said in a statement. “Without a public commitment by federal authorities to cooperate with the state, it is difficult — if not, impossible — to pursue justice that holds the individuals accountable for Alex’s death.”

Spokespersons for Rosen's office, as well as ICE and the federal Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday.

Legal wrangling in another ICE-related shooting may have led to evidence release

Moriarty on Monday declined to provide details on what prompted the federal government to turn over the evidence.

But documents recently filed in a lawsuit brought by state and local officials suggest the breakthrough came after federal officials sought evidence state investigators gathered in the investigation of ICE agent Christian Castro.

Castro, 52, was charged with assault and falsely reporting a crime in connection with the Jan. 14 nonfatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Prosecutors say Castro fired through a Minneapolis home’s front door and shot Sosa-Celis in the thigh while in pursuit of another man.

State and local prosecutors said they would provide evidence in Castro's case as soon as the federal government agreed to share its evidence in the shootings of Pretti and Good.

“We are willing to share evidence with you if the exchange is reciprocal,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans wrote in a legal filing to federal officials.

Moriarty and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison later amended their lawsuit to add details about the federal government’s refusal to share the evidence collected in the fatal shootings.

Days later, they said in a court filing that the FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office and state officials “have recently re-engaged in discussions about the prospect of mutual information sharing.”

Ellison, in a statement Monday, said he remains “deeply troubled” it took more than half a year for federal officials to hand over the materials.

“It should never have taken this long,” he said. “I hope that this is the beginning of a major course correction on the part of the federal government.”

Moriarty added that she's not yet prepared to drop the lawsuit against the Trump administration, which seeks access to evidence in the three shootings.

Houston investigators complain feds are leaving them in the dark

Prosecutors in Houston, meanwhile, echoed similar concerns about obtaining critical information from federal officials as they look into last week’s death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who had lived in the U.S. for decades.

DHS has acknowledged officers stopped Salgado Araujo while looking for someone else, but maintains the homebuilder rammed an ICE vehicle while attempting to leave the scene. The agency says that prompted an officer to open fire in self-defense, though it has yet to provide evidence to back up that claim.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Monday that his office doesn’t even know the identities of the ICE officers involved or where they are nearly a week later.

“The federal government has not invited us in,” Teare said. “The federal government is not collaborating with us with this investigation.”

The man killed Monday in Maine was from Colombia. Federal officers claimed he tried to use his vehicle as a weapon against officers pursuing him for deportation. The shooting took place in Biddeford, a coastal city of about 23,000 people roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

____

Associated Press reporter John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this story.

Following Monday’s (July 13) announcement, Rice joins a six-member class that includes former Villanova coach Jay Wright, former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, former Kansas coach Ted Owens, former BYU standout Danny Ainge and the late UCLA great Walt Hazzard.

The Class of 2026 will be formally enshrined during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Celebration on Oct. 22 at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, Missouri.

Rice’s record-setting Michigan career

Rice starred for the Wolverines from 1986 to 1989 and remains one of the program’s most accomplished scorers.

He capped his collegiate career by leading Michigan to its first NCAA national championship in 1989, earning NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 30.7 points over the Wolverines’ six NCAA Tournament victories.

Rice finished his career with 2,442 points, the second-most in Michigan history, while his 949 career field goals remain a program record.

During Michigan’s 1989 championship run, Rice set NCAA Tournament records with 184 points and 75 field goals, marks that still stand today.

Rice led the Big Ten in scoring in each of his final two seasons, averaging 27.7 points per game as a senior to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors.

A two-time consensus All-American, Rice earned first-team honors as a senior after averaging 25.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, following second-team recognition as a junior.

Michigan later honored his legacy by raising his No. 41 jersey into the rafters at Crisler Center in 2005.

A decorated NBA career

Selected fourth overall by the Miami Heat in the 1989 NBA draft, Rice went on to enjoy a 15-year NBA career, becoming one of the league’s premier scorers.

A three-time NBA All-Star, he earned 1997 NBA All-Star Game MVP honors, was named to the 1996-97 All-NBA second team, and helped the Los Angeles Lakers capture the 2000 NBA championship.

His legacy has also been recognized with induction into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 2010.

Michigan’s Hall of Fame legacy

Rice becomes the third Wolverine inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, joining Cazzie Russell (Class of 2011) and former Michigan head coach John Beilein (Class of 2022).

Michigan’s National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame honorees

Glen Rice — Class of 2026

• Led Michigan to the 1989 NCAA national championship
• NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1989)
• Two-time consensus All-American
• 1989 Big Ten Player of the Year
• Second all-time leading scorer in Michigan history (2,442 points)
• Holds Michigan career record for field goals (949)
• Set NCAA Tournament records with 184 points and 75 field goals during 1989 championship run

John Beilein — Class of 2022

• Michigan’s all-time winningest coach (278 victories)
• Two Final Four appearances (2013, 2018)
• Two national championship game appearances
• Four Big Ten championships (three regular season, one tournament)
• Coached 829 career collegiate victories across six schools

Cazzie Russell — Class of 2011

• Three-time consensus All-American
• 1966 National Player of the Year
• Led Michigan to three straight Big Ten championships (1964–66)
• Guided Michigan to the 1965 NCAA championship game
• First overall pick in the 1966 NBA Draft

Previous report

Reports on Monday (July 13) indicated the board could discuss a possible buyout of Manuel’s contract during its Thursday meeting.

Manuel, however, told Yahoo Sports there are no current plans for him to leave his position.

“The president and I have had several great conversations over the past couple of days,” Manuel told Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. “There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”

Reached for comment Monday, Warde Manuel told @YahooSports, “The president and I have had several great conversations over the past couple of days. There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 13, 2026

Investigation into athletic department culture

The potential review of Manuel’s future comes as Michigan investigates the culture within its athletic department.

Details of the investigation have not been publicly released, but a report related to the review is expected to provide more information about the university’s findings.

John U. Bacon reported on X that, according to his sources, Michigan is preparing a buyout agreement with Manuel that he expects Manuel to accept.

Bacon also said some version of the university’s investigation could be released by the end of the week. The university has not confirmed those details.

I must say no story I've seen at UM has had more twists and turns, over more years, than this one. More than once, strong sources told me Manuel would be out soon, only to have circumstances change. This time seems truly different, but wait until the ink dries. https://t.co/NXJtniWGuk

— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) July 13, 2026

A tenure marked by success, controversy

Manuel has served as Michigan’s athletic director since 2016, overseeing significant success across the Wolverines’ athletic programs.

Michigan won national championships in basketball in 2026, football in 2023, men’s and women’s gymnastics in 2025 and 2021.

Manuel has also overseen major facility projects and helped guide Michigan through significant changes in college athletics, including conference realignment, name, image, and likeness opportunities, and the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

His tenure, however, has not been without controversy.

The athletic department has dealt with the fallout from the NCAA investigation into an advanced scouting operation involving former staffer Connor Stalions.

--> Ex-Michigan football coach Chris Partridge sues university; claims he was ‘Scapegoat’ in sign-stealing case

The case resulted in penalties against Michigan, including probation, financial penalties, and a show-cause order for former football coach Jim Harbaugh.

--> Ex-Michigan football coach Matt Weiss breaks silence, seeks dismissal of default ruling in hacking case

Manuel also has faced scrutiny over the department’s handling of former football staff member Matt Weiss' firing and federal indictment related to unauthorized computer access, as well as the university’s response to the Dr. Robert Anderson sexual abuse scandal.

--> University of Michigan to pay $490M to Anderson survivors

The department also navigated the departure of former football coach Sherrone Moore, whom Manuel promoted after Harbaugh left for the NFL.

Moore was later fired following allegations involving an inappropriate relationship with a staff member and was arrested after a confrontation related to the situation.

→ Paige Shiver sues University of Michigan over Sherrone Moore investigation records

Manuel’s background

Before returning to Ann Arbor, Manuel served as athletic director at the University of Connecticut and the University at Buffalo.

He is a former Michigan football player.

Manuel signed a five-year contract extension in December 2024.

The Board of Regents meeting on Thursday is expected to provide additional clarity on the university’s plans for leadership of the athletic department.

Previous report

No casualties were reported, but the attacks marked an escalation not seen since a Saudi-led coalition struck Houthi-controlled areas several years ago. Saudi Arabian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the airstrikes in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a video statement on Telegram, warned airlines against flying through Saudi airspace, saying these warnings should be taken "seriously until the blockade on Sanaa International Airport is lifted.”

The internationally recognized government in Yemen said earlier that the strikes that hit Sanaa International Airport were meant to prevent an Iranian plane from landing.

The Houthis vowed to retaliate for the strike, which marked the first major escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia following a period of relative calm.

The U.N. Security Council, in an emergency meeting on the developments Monday afternoon, officials expressed concern about the risk of a wider escalation.

“Yemen and the wider region cannot afford another cycle of escalation,” U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for political affairs Khaled Khiari told the 15-member council. “We call on all actors to constructively engage in negotiations under UN auspices.”

For years, a Saudi-led coalition based in Yemen’s south has fought the Houthis in the north.

Saree said on Telegram earlier on Monday that Saudi Arabia launched the airstrikes in what he called the end of a period of “de-escalation.” He warned that “this aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished.”

In the latest Telegram update, Saree said the strikes in Sanaa were aimed at “closing it to humanitarian flights carrying patients and stranded individuals to and from Sana’a International Airport.”

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened the following year to try to restore the government to power. Tensions rose earlier this year between U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE as their yearslong partnership in the war in Yemen broke down, leading to the UAE pulling out of Yemen.

The official spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said Monday evening on X that air defenses dealt with ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the southern region without providing further details.

The attack on the airport in Sanaa comes after tensions between the two sides flared earlier this month. The Houthis alleged that Saudi planes violated their airspace to try to prevent an Iranian plane from carrying a Houthi delegation to Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Yemen's defense minister, Gen. Taher al-Aqili, said in a post on X that the airport’s runway was struck Monday to stop an Iranian plane transporting the Houthi delegation from returning from the funeral.

In a video statement released shortly before the strikes, al-Aqili warned against infiltrating Yemeni airspace with Iranian aircraft.

“At this moment, we say that our patience has run out. Accordingly, we will respond appropriately to this treacherous and brutal act, and we will confront and deal with the hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace and sovereignty by all available means,” he said.

The Houthis said the plane was diverted to Hodeida Airport, where it landed.

Video footage by the Houthi-controlled al-Masirah broadcaster appeared to show a missile striking a runway at Sanaa airport followed by a loud explosion.

A statement from the government in the south said that all airports in Yemen were “closed until further notice, with immediate effect.” The Yemeni defense ministry issued orders to evacuate the airport and surrounding areas.

Rashad al-Alimi, who leads Yemen's ruling Presidential Leadership Council, said Iran had made a request to operate a flight by Iranian airline Mahan Air from Tehran to Sanaa to return the Houthi delegation.

The council, which denied the request, said in a statement Monday that Houthis had insisted on receiving the Iranian flight “outside the legal and sovereign frameworks governing civil aviation.”

Hans Grundberg, the U.N.'s special envoy for Yemen, said in a statement that his office is monitoring Yemeni airspace developments and expressed concern about the risk of wider escalation. He called on involved parties to engage in dialogue that preserves the “relative calm Yemen has experienced since 2022.”

Houthi-controlled areas were last targeted by the Saudi-led coalition before a U.N. brokered truce to cease hostilities came into effect in 2022.

Legislation will be introduced this week that addresses specific problems discovered in a state audit.

The Investigators at Local 4 have been following this story closely since first exposing issues at the Hawthorn Facility in Northville -- that’s the state’s only psychiatric hospital for children. The goal of this legislation is to better protect children.

---> Find full coverage of the Hawthorn Center here.

In 2022, Local 4 uncovered that an active shooter drill was held at the Hawthorn Center without warning patients or employees. Many people believed there was a real gunman, and several called 911 fearing for their lives.

Since then, the facility has closed, has been torn down, and a new facility is being built in its place. The new Hawthorn Center is expected to open this fall.

Michigan Senator Michael Webber is introducing this legislation. He said he has some concerns about the transition period to the new facility. That when kids were moved to Walter Reuther initially, the rooms weren’t ready, the beds weren’t right, and the kids had to stay in the lobby until it was ready for them.

Last fall, the state’s auditor general dropped its report, finding that:

• Nearly 30% of complaints alleging abuse, neglect, serious injury, or death, were not retrieved or acted on until two to 12 days after being filed (the state is supposed to respond within 24 hours).
• More than 10% of complaints lacked a date stamp, meaning it was impossible to tell if the state’s actions were timely.
• Video surveillance and audio recording systems were often missing or not working.

The legislation addresses those problems specificially.

“Since joining the Senate, I’ve heard heartbreaking stories from families who believed the system would protect their loved ones but instead felt abandoned,” Webber said. “These reforms are about restoring trust, making sure complaints are taken seriously and providing families peace of mind by knowing someone is watching out for those who can’t always protect themselves.

Senate Bills 1115-1122 are expected to be formally introduced on Wednesday, July 15.

If you need something investigated you can reach out to the Investigators at Local 4 through the ClickOnDetroit Help Desk or by emailing us directly at Local4Investigators@wdiv.com.

You can contact Investigator Karen Drew directly at kdrew@wdiv.com, and Kayla Clarke at kclarke@wdiv.com.

The bipartisan bill would give law enforcement broader authority to ticket drivers with modified or excessively loud exhaust systems and significantly increase fines for violations.

It was introduced after some of the bill’s sponsors State Reps. Jason Hoskins, Natalie Price, Carrie Rheingans, Sharon MacDonell and Matt Longjohn, received complaints from constituents about the issue.

Hoskins also added that this bill is similar to one Price filed previously.

Under current law, drivers cited for an illegal exhaust face a $100 fine.

The proposed legislation would raise the penalty to $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for a second offense.

The bill would also remove the requirement that officers measure the loudness of an exhaust system before issuing a citation.

State Rep. Jason Hoskins, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the goal is to deter modifications that amplify engine noise and disturb nearby residents.

“We worked with our friends and stakeholders in law enforcement, and they told us the law needs more teeth and the penalties right now just aren’t deterring people from making these modifications to their cars,” Hoskins said.

Hoskins acknowledged the proposed fines are steep but said the bill includes a provision that would allow first-time offenders to have their fines waived if they remove the illegal modification.

The proposal is drawing mixed reactions from drivers and residents.

Some argue that noise is simply part of urban life and that the bill goes too far.

“I don’t mind it,” Raya said. “I mean, it’s a city; if you live in a city, you’re going to hear the noise.”

Another opponent, Chauncey Price, said that while loud engines can be irritating, additional enforcement feels unnecessary.

“Leave people alone, let people live their life,” Price said. He added that he frequently hears loud vehicles at night near the freeway but doesn’t support harsher penalties for people who customize their cars.

Others support the effort.

“I find them kind of obnoxious, a little bit annoying when you’re a pedestrian sitting around,” said Nathan Cenovski, who described the modified exhausts as unnecessary and appearing attention-seeking.

Hoskins said he believes the bill would improve day-to-day life for many Michigan residents frustrated by persistent noise.

The legislation has been recommended to a committee and must still advance to a full vote in the state House.

No date has been set for when that vote might take place.

Community members alleged that he is now involved with choirs again, including The Willis C. Patterson Chorale, which Local 4 is told works closely with children.

Local 4 began looking more closely into The Willis Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale (OOTC) and learned that Lamar Willis is listed as the Accompanist and, in other areas, as an Assistant Director and Conductor, reinforcing the concern.

The OOTC also lists that it offers an Instructional Program for youth.

A flyer from 2025 offered “Free music lessons” for children aged 5-18. It also allegedly offers lessons for piano, strings, guitar, winds, and voice.

“The safety of children is our primary concern,” David Williams, Oakland County’s Chief Assistant Prosecutor, told Local 4. “Lamar Willis’ bond conditions prohibit him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18. When our office became aware of his possible involvement with a youth choir, we alerted investigators to his potential bond violation. We intend to work with the court to ensure there are appropriate consequences for any bond violation.”

Background and charges

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office told Local 4 that Willis is still facing multiple charges, including four counts of second-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and three counts of Accosting Children for Immoral Purposes, underscoring the seriousness of the case.

Records show Willis is scheduled for a pretrial conference next Thursday, July 23, before Circuit Judge Anderson. The trial date is tentatively scheduled for August 10, keeping the case moving toward trial.

Previous bond conditions barred Willis from having any contact with children or going within 100 feet of any school, emphasizing the restrictions at issue.

The charges stem from encounters that happened on school grounds during the 2022-2023 school year, according to authorities. Police spoke to 15 children throughout the course of the investigation, and those interviews led them to believe that there were five victims, making the allegations more concrete.

A few months after Willis was charged, he officially resigned. Officials don’t believe he has had any contact with the school since his resignation, which narrows the timeline of his involvement.

Willis began working with the Detroit Public Schools Community District in the fall, but he was placed on administrative leave when school officials were notified of pending charges, showing the immediate response.

Police said they first learned about the allegations against Willis from the district, which started the investigation.

Attempts to reach Willis, the choir, his attorney

Records show Willis is the President of Willis Entertainment Group, LLC, and a LARA search shows the address in Detroit. His biography on the OOTC’s website under “Our Own Thing Accompanist” says Willis is “currently the Minister of Music at Derrick Memorial Baptist Church, Music Director for the Legendary Martha Reeves and a member of ‘Notorious,’ a notable Detroit entertainment music ensemble. “

“Lamar Willis was under contract as assistant director and accompanist with the Willis Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale for the 2025/2026 season.

Mr. Willis’ contract term ended June 30, 2026, and he is no longer associated with the Chorale.

The Our Own Thing Chorale is for adult membership only.

The Instructional Program provides music lessons for youth.

It is separate and distinct from the Chorale. Mr. Willis was never associated with the Instructional Program in any way.

Respectfully,

Sharon Vaughters

President, Willis Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale."

Local 4 spoke with Willis’ attorney, Tyron S. Rucker, who still represents him. Rucker said that he was unaware of Willis’ involvement in the choir and thus could not comment on it.

When Local 4 reached out to Willis directly, the phone went to voicemail.

The mailbox was full, so we could not leave a message. After further attempts to reach Willis, he told Local 4 “no comment.”

The allegations against Willis

Prosecutors said multiple former middle school students reported that the teacher used his classroom as a “hangout room,” tried to get hugs from girls, and crossed boundaries in ways that made students uncomfortable.

In a notice filed Dec. 30, 2025, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said it intended to introduce evidence under Michigan laws that can allow juries to hear about other alleged acts in cases involving sexual offenses against minors.

The alleged conduct, prosecutors wrote, involved students at MacArthur School (K-8), where Willis worked as a teacher.

It outlined additional allegations investigators said they gathered in police reports and interviews.

‘Hangout room,’ hugs, and alleged ‘cool teacher’ reputation

Multiple students allegedly described Willis as the “cool teacher” and said his classroom was a place students would go during the school day.

One student testified that she attended MacArthur and had Willis as a music teacher for several grades. She said Willis would allow couples to come to the classroom and “make affection” toward each other “kissing, rubbing up on each other, touching each other, things like that.”

On one occasion, the girl testified that Willis touched her butt and said: “Oh, yeah, your butt’s firm, you’re strong.”

She testified that Willis would routinely hug female students, not male students.

The girl also said Willis “grabbed his hand around my back and put his hand, like by my butt cheek.”

Willis also allegedly told students that his private parts were big, referring to his genitals.

Another student testified that students would go to Willis’ classroom to have PDA (public display of affection).

On one occasion, she testified that Willis took her into the storage room that was inside the classroom.

She said Willis took “our hands and pulled us in there.” While in the storage room, she said Willis tried to make them kiss. She testified that Willis “grabbed our heads and pushed them together.”

She also testified that Willis would force hugs on girls and “wrap his hands around my lower waist area.”

She said Willis’ hand “would be on the top of my butt.

This happened more than once.” Willis allegedly tried to put her hands in another child’s pants.

Willis ‘treated girls differently than boys’

Another child testified that they were in the eighth grade at MacArthur, where Willis was a teacher. They also testified that Willis had a reputation as the “cool teacher.”

The student testified that he spent a lot of time in Willis’ classroom and that Willis “treated girls differently than boys.”

“When it came to the girls, he had a natural, it’s like he had a natural instinct to touch them in certain places, as if it was, like, their hips, and then for the boys it would be a hand on a shoulder and then tell them whatever he wanted to tell them.”

On one occasion, Willis allegedly summoned six students to his classroom, and they went into a smaller room where he talked to the group about “sexual actions with females.”

“He listed us a number of pornography websites and listed us some experience stories that has happened with previous classes,” the student testified.

“He was giving us physical instructions of how you should properly make a female feel good and how you need to (explicit) and when you’re doing such activities you must (explicit) so you can (explicit),” the child said.

The student said Willis invited him and a female student to his class, and they had a private ballroom-dancing lesson.

Willis allegedly positioned them so the female student’s buttocks were touching the boy’s crotch area, leaving the boy feeling “very disturbed.”

‘He would grab your behind”

Another student testified that she was an 8th-grader at MacArthur and had Willis as a teacher.

She testified that “if you run into Mr. Willis or see Mr. Willis, or leave being with him, you had to give him a hug.”

She also testified that “couples would go to his classroom” if they just wanted to talk or “do anything.” She said, “They would like to touch on each other or do other things such as sexual intercourse.”

The student further testified that when she gave Willis a hug, “we would give him a hug and he would go under and he would grab your behind.”

The student also testified that Willis would offer private dance lessons.

During one private lesson, she said, Willis “spun me around and then my back half was on his front.”

She said she could feel “his belt and I could feel his private part.” When Willis spun her away, she testified that there was “a spot on his pants,” and she just “looked away.”

She also testified to an occasion where Willis allegedly pulled her into the storage closet with another student.

Another MacArthur student who testified said she used to be close to Willis. She referred to him as the “safe teacher.”

She said he was the teacher with whom you could get away with anything in his classroom.

She said couples would go to his classroom to do “whatever.”

She said Willis would always ask for a hug, but she would tell him that she had to get to class and leave. She testified that she felt “so uncomfortable that she stopped going for a while.”

In one incident, the girl reported feeling very uncomfortable; she said she went into his classroom during free time.

She said Willis came over and started running his fingers through her hair several times. She said she had to get up and walk away.

Willis ‘had a temper’

Another student testified that during “passing hour,” she and her friend approached Willis and asked him about puberty and other issues they were experiencing as they grew up.

She said he was usually approachable in these types of conversations, but this one got uncomfortable.

She said Willis asked if she had a removable shower head at their home.

She didn’t know where he was going with the line of questioning.

She said Willis told her to use the removable shower head to masturbate by placing it on her private area.

Another student testified that Willis was the “cool teacher” before everything happened.

She said everyone would go to his room and talk about their relationships.

She said he always had the curtains closed, and his room was “chill.” The student testified that Willis ‘had a temper’ and said he would frequently lash out at other students when they got on his nerves.

She said she remembered a time he had an adult temper tantrum at a choir show and began stomping his feet in anger in front of everyone. She testified that Willis referred to the students as a “waste of sperm” for horsing around.

Prosecutors said the girl also testified that Willis touched another girl’s butt and that Willis encouraged another female student to go into the closet to perform oral sex on her boyfriend.

The female student allegedly did not want to do it.

In the past, the top four teams in a conference would be placed in different regions to protect them from playing each other until the Final Four. For example, the tournament this past season had four SEC teams in the top eight overall seeds. Texas was third, South Carolina fourth, LSU fifth and Vanderbilt seventh. LSU was dropped down to seventh and Vanderbilt eighth in the bracketing to avoid having them be in the same regions.

Now if that happened going forward, the teams would remain where their seeds should have them.

“We put a lot of time into establishing those top 16 teams in the order they go in,” NCAA women's basketball committee chair Amanda Braun said in a phone interview. “You're splitting hairs to decide who has the edge and some of that is undone by those principles. To all of us, the work we did and the work those teams did justifies keeping them where they are in that group of 16.”

The men's selection committee will still separate out the top four seeds in each conference and put them in different regions.

The change would potentially only really affect the SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 as those were the only conferences that had four or more teams in the NCAA field.

The women's tournament has started giving financial incentives — units — to teams for each round they advance in the tournament the past two seasons. Braun said that it wasn't brought up at all during the entire week of meetings that the committee had.

The change comes on the heels of the NCAA expanding its tournament field to 76 teams starting in 2027.

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Despite years of increased education spending, Michigan students continue to struggle on national assessments. The state ranks 44th in fourth-grade reading and 34th in fourth-grade math, according to the latest Nation’s Report Card.

The five major candidates running to become Michigan’s next governor agree those results must improve. However, the two Democrats and three Republicans offer sharply different approaches to addressing the problem.

Democratic candidates Jocelyn Benson and Chris Swanson argue that schools need additional resources, although they differ over whether Michigan residents should expect higher taxes.

Republican candidates John James, Mike Cox and Perry Johnson say Michigan’s education challenges are driven less by funding than by a lack of accountability, effective literacy instruction, and parental options.

Jocelyn Benson (D) calls for a new funding model

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democratic candidate for governor, said Michigan has increased education funding but still is not providing schools with enough money.

“We have seen increased funding, but it’s not enough. We have to redo our one-size-fits-all funding model and replace it with a weighted, equitable model,” Benson said.

Michigan provided $10,050 in per-pupil foundation funding during the 2025-2026 school year, the highest amount in state history. And the legislature passed an even great education budget, raising per-pupil spending to $10,250 for the 2026-2027 school year.

When asked whether Michigan residents should expect a tax increase to pay for her education proposals, Benson said she does not intend to raise taxes on middle-class families. However, she did not categorically rule out other changes to the state’s tax structure.

“I have no intention or plans to raise taxes on the middle class in particular in Michigan,” said Benson. “A lot of what we can do is close other loopholes that are antiquated in our revenue streams in Michigan and prioritize putting that increased revenue into our schools. I think the big thing that you’ll see shift in my budget process as governor is an increased focus and priority on funding public education.”

Mike Cox (R) proposes school grades and reading requirements

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, another Republican candidate, also cited Mississippi’s improvement in fourth-grade reading.

“Mississippi went from 49th in fourth-grade reading to ninth,” Cox said. “We went from a mediocre 31st to 48th in the past 10 years. That’s a moral stain upon our state.”

Cox said Michigan has a results problem rather than a spending problem. His proposals include assigning letter grades to public schools and requiring students to demonstrate reading proficiency before advancing beyond third grade.

“We’re top five in spending, bottom five in outcomes, so some more accountability,” Cox said. “That’s what grading every public school is about right? That’s what making sure every third grader can read before they move on.”

Cox said advancing students before they can read proficiently makes it more difficult for them to catch up in later grades.

“Because if you push them on, what happens? Then they always feel behind, and then they start dropping out and they start causing problems,” Cox said.

John James (R) emphasizes accountability and school choice

U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican candidate, said Michigan does not need to spend more money on education. He said the state must ensure existing funding is being used effectively.

“I’m going to make sure that we have fiscal responsibility to ensure that, as we are losing school-age population, we are not overspending on overhead and waste in our school systems,” James said.

James’ plan includes expanding phonics instruction, providing education tax credits and giving parents more choices over where their children attend school.

He has also called for restoring Michigan’s former third-grade reading retention law, which generally required students who were significantly behind in reading to repeat the grade. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation repealing the retention requirement in 2023.

“Bringing back the third-grade standards that I mentioned that Gretchen Whitmer repealed, and also by putting forward my education tax credits that we passed last year in the working family tax cuts,” James said when asked how he would improve reading and math performance.

James has pointed to Mississippi as an example of a state that improved literacy outcomes while spending less per student than Michigan.

Perry Johnson (R) calls for performance incentives

Businessman Perry Johnson, the third major Republican candidate, said Michigan should return to basic literacy instruction and operate schools more like private businesses.

“We decided that we’re just going to throw money at it,” Johnson said. “But what happened is we eliminated phonics. You can’t do that.”

Johnson’s plan includes restoring phonics, placing a greater emphasis on vocabulary, and encouraging parents to become involved in their children’s education before kindergarten.

He also supports offering financial incentives to teachers whose students meet certain performance goals.

“In my companies, we always reward on the basis of performance,” Johnson said. “And I think that we’ve lost sight of the fact that we have to have something like that. If we incentivize teachers for actually achieving certain levels of performance, we’ll change the focus.”

Chris Swanson (D) disputes national rankings

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, another Democratic candidate, also said Michigan’s record per-pupil funding has not kept pace with inflation.

“Ten thousand fifty dollars, as I said, is the highest it’s ever been, but not quite where it needs to be based on inflation,” Swanson said.

When asked if taxes would go up under his administration to pay for increased education funding, Swanson responded:

“Definitely not go up,” Swanson said. “I myself am taxed enough, and I bet everybody out there watching could feel the same way. But we’re going to be efficient and effective on how we spend our tax money.”

Swanson also questioned whether Michigan’s national rankings accurately reflect what students are learning in the classroom. He said the assessments used to compare states might not align with Michigan’s curriculum.

“That is not accurate with the curriculum that they are teaching,” Swanson said when asked if he thought the metrics to rate Michigan school was off. “So, we’re going to do another assessment to figure out where we are with it. I think we’re much higher than what people think, especially even in math literacy.”

Astronomers have detected a type of sugar in space that's also found in raspberries and self-tanners. The sugar, called erythrulose, lurks in what's called the interstellar medium: thin clouds of gas and dust littered between stars.

Sugar does more than sweeten tea and powder doughnuts. Different varieties fuel our cells and even make up DNA. Scientists are itching to know how sugars form because they're a key ingredient for life as we know it.

Using two dish-shaped radio telescopes in Spain, researchers collected data from a large gas cloud near the center of the Milky Way. They identified the sugar in gas form by comparing telescope signals to samples in the lab. It's the latest kind of sugar detected in space — in a region crossed by NASA's twin Voyager, the farthest spacecraft to ever travel from Earth.

The results were published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Scientists have found interesting chemistry in our galaxy, including building blocks for genetic material and parts of the cell. They spotted a cousin to table sugar near the center of the Milky Way about 25 years ago, and black grains from asteroid Bennu retrieved by NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft yielded other sugars, including a key DNA ingredient.

The latest sugar isn’t essential for life, but can easily convert to a form that’s thought to be crucial to kick-starting life on Earth. And it’s one of the most complex sugars spotted so far, said astrophysicist Erika Hamden with the University of Arizona.

It's “a pristine example of the stuff that’s just floating out in the galaxy,” said Hamden, who had no role in the new research.

These interstellar investigations are all about understanding how life got started. Did faraway comets or space rocks deliver the essential ingredients to us? Or were the essential components already here that eventually gave rise to our solar system?

The new sugar lends evidence to the latter theory. Researchers want to look for more sugars in space and learn about how they convert to different forms.

Finding them in one spot means they're likely also hiding in distant corners of the galaxy along with other important bits, said study author Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrobiology in Spain.

“The key ingredients for the origin of life could be present in other regions across the galaxy, opening the possibility for life to develop elsewhere in the universe,” Jiménez-Serra 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 U.S. military then began another round of strikes against Iran on Monday.

Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, has been named as her late brother’s temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate. Graham, one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress and an advocate for U.S. military aggression in Iran, died Saturday at 71 after a tear in his aorta.

The Latest:

Trump says US will seek Strait of Hormuz tolls as reimbursement for ‘protecting’ other countries

Moments after the U.S. military announced a new round of strikes on Iran, Trump called it “another major attack.”

“We’re hitting them very hard. And it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.

The president added: “We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability and we’re controlling the straits. We’re putting the blockade back.”

Trump also provided new details on his administration doing an about-face and suggesting that it will charge tolls for ships going through the Strait of Hormuz, after previously suggesting that it wouldn’t.

“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” he said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”

Trump scales back 2 Utah national monuments

The move to shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments unravels protections established by former presidents for areas with unique archaeological and historical features.

It comes as Republicans under Trump have sought to drastically reshape the management of vast taxpayer-owned lands concentrated in Western states. Republicans have moved to expand oil and gas drilling, ramp up logging and remove habitat protections for imperiled species.

The altered monuments had been designated under the Antiquities Act, a 1906 law meant to preserve important sites. Democrats and conservationists warn of the disposal of treasured landscapes for commercial gain.

US military has begun another round of strikes against Iran, US Central Command says

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the command said on social media.

The strikes are just the latest volley between the two nations that began last week after Iran attacked a series of merchant vessels off the coast of Oman.

Trump offers no details on Thursday night address

When asked in an interview with Hugh Hewitt what his Thursday address will be about, Trump made it sound like nothing out of the ordinary.

“It’s just going to be a speech like a lot of my speeches,” he said, without offering any more detail.

Trump says memorandum of understanding was ‘built to test’ Iran

“Memorandum of understanding when you’re dealing with sleazebags don’t mean much,” Trump said during an interview with Hugh Hewitt.

Trump said he questioned why the U.S. was entering into a memorandum of understanding to create a ceasefire with Iran rather than moving toward a full deal first. Trump last week declared the ceasefire was “over.”

“They didn’t honor the test,” Trump said.

Trump promises at least 2 more rounds of strikes on Iran are coming

“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow — and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it,” Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “They have nothing. They have nothing going, other than they have big mouths.”

The president did not elaborate but him saying that more strikes were coming previously preceded a new round of U.S. military strikes on targets in Iran.

Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Lindsey Graham, picked to fulfill remainder of his US Senate term

Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, has been named as her late brother’s temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced at a news conference at the Statehouse on Monday that Nordone would serve the remaining months on Graham’s current term, which expires in January. A person familiar with the appointment process but not authorized to speak about it publicly said Nardone would be sworn in Wednesday. She will be the first woman to represent the state in the U.S. Senate.

“It is such an honor,” Nordone said. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”

Graham died over the weekend at age 71. He never married or had a family of his own, but Nordone was often by her brother’s side for the political touch points of his career, speaking at events and appearing in some of his campaign ads.

Senators deliver emotional tributes to Lindsey Graham after his sudden death

Graham’s desk was covered in black cloth and a vase of white roses as the Senate opened Monday afternoon.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune eulogized Graham as a friend and a statesman, saying he “died with his boots on” because he had just returned from his 10th trip to Ukraine.

One day “we will laugh together again,” Thune said, tearing up during his opening remarks.

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the seniormost Senate Republican, said he was used to being the butt of Graham’s jokes. He “always brought a smile to your face and levity to the halls of Congress,” Grassley said.

Grassley said the Senate could “show our appreciation” for Graham by passing a bipartisan package of Russian sanctions that Graham introduced on Friday, just before his death on Saturday.

US military’s tally of deaths in the Iran war has risen to 14

That’s after a Navy pilot died in a helicopter crash on July 1 in the Arabian Sea. The Navy initially called it an emergency landing and said there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.”

The Pentagon’s war casualty count added one non-hostile death in July. A U.S. Central Command spokesman confirmed it was the pilot.

It’s the first death since 13 service members were killed in two separate incidents in March at the beginning of the war.

A total of 414 service members have been wounded, including a U.S. Air Force member added Monday.

While Iran and the U.S. have resumed strikes, it’s unclear if that’s what led to the injury. U.S. Central Command and the Air Force wouldn’t offer details. Most troops were wounded in March, while 34 were wounded in April and three in June.

Trump to address the nation on Thursday

The president posted on social media that he would be “making a Speech to the Nation” at 9 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

Trump appeared to refer to himself in the third person in the post.

He did not disclose the details of his planned speech, but the announcement comes after Trump said he would block Iran-related ships from traveling through the Strait of Hormuz and that the U.S. would charge a 20% fee on all cargo going through the waterway.

US military to resume Iranian blockade

The U.S. military says it will resume its blockade of Iranian ports Tuesday at 4 p.m. EDT.

U.S. Central Command said on social media that it “will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas” and will “support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade.”

A notice to mariners released Monday by the U.S. military warned of using force if ships don’t comply. It also said the military will let through humanitarian shipments.

The statement follows Trump declaring that the U.S. would be reinstating the naval blockade and charging a 20% toll on eligible cargo.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, would not say whether the military would be collecting tolls as part of the blockade and referred questions on Trump’s post to the White House.

UN maritime organization is against charging fees for passage through international straits

The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency which oversees safety and security measures in international shipping, said the group was waiting to find out more about Trump’s proposal but said its stance on tolls remains unchanged.

“We have always been consistent on its stance on fees – IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation. There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait,” the organization said in a statement.

Rubio has previously said the US wouldn’t allow tolls in the Strait of Hormuz

Trump’s announcement comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf leaders late last month and said the U.S. would not support Iran charging fees for ships to go through the Strait of Hormuz.

“That’s international waterway. There isn’t a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the Straits,” Rubio told reporters in Bahrain on June 25.

Rubio also said there was “zero support among the Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees or anything that charges for the use of international waters. The president’s made it clear that’s not going to happen. It’s not going to be a part of this. It cannot be a part of this.”

Judge blasts Trump’s IRS lawsuit as filed for ‘improper purpose,’ recommends attorney discipline

A federal judge said Monday that Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns was filed for an “improper purpose” as she referred attorneys for disciplinary actions.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams amounts to a stinging rebuke of the Republican president’s lawsuit, characterizing it as an exercise in self-dealing in which he sued an entity that is effectively under his control.

The suit concluded in May with a settlement agreement that created a since-abandoned $1.776 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president, as well as immunity from tax audits.

“This was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law,” the judge wrote.

US military uses drone boats in a first-of-its-kind attack

U.S. Central Command says it used drone ships to hit an Iranian ship maintenance facility and submarine, calling it first.

“Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations,” the command said on social media Monday.

The post featured video of the drone boats approaching a dock that had a submarine sitting on top of it followed by aerial footage of the explosion on Sunday.

The strike comes despite the Trump administration’s claim that it has completely destroyed Iran’s navy.

The Corsair drones also were used to help rescue a pair of Army aviators from the waters off Oman early in June after their Apache helicopter was struck by an Iranian drone.

ICE involved in fatal shooting in Maine, state House speaker says

Democrat Ryan Fecteau posted on Facebook that the shooting Monday in Biddeford, outside Portland, involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that the State Police and Maine Department of Public Safety were at the scene, and that he expects the FBI to investigate.

Few details are available. ICE, the FBI and the Maine Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Project Relief, an immigrant rights advocacy group, posted that “a young person” from its community was killed “during an encounter with ICE in Biddeford.” Protesters have already begun gathering at Mechanics Park in Biddeford.

This would be at least the ninth death from an encounter with federal immigration officials since the start of the Trump administration’s mass deportations agenda and the second in a week, following the killing of a Houston man.

EU rallies dozens of nations to pledge $1 billion for recovery fund in Gaza

The European Union coordinated efforts to raise 900 million euros ($1 billion) in aid for Gaza, working with 65 governments and organizations including the White House and the United Nations, the bloc’s top diplomat said Monday.

Kaja Kallas announced the fund after a meeting of the Palestine Donors Group in Brussels.

“The EU is the most credible supporter, for the Palestinian people. We are the largest donor and the strongest backer of the two-state solution,” she said.

The meeting was the second gathering of the Team Gaza Initiative, an effort by the EU to rally support for recovery projects like sanitation and farming in the destitute and war-ravaged coastal enclave of some 2 million people.

Ukraine fears Graham’s death leaves weaker link to Trump

Just days before his death, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham was standing in Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Square, giving Ukrainians reason for optimism: He said new hard-hitting bipartisan economic sanctions against Russia were within reach back in Washington.

Now Ukraine’s leaders are devastated. Graham had been one of Kyiv’s closest allies in Washington and a trusted intermediary with Trump, who had a strained relationship with Zelenskyy. They fear that without Graham, Ukraine’s ability to influence could be diminished across a broad range of issues.

“Huge and absolutely unexpected loss,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy’s party. “He was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump,” he added. “Our position in Trump’s entourage might be weaker.”

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Ukraine and nine other countries announce a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles

Ukraine and nine other countries have formed a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles. The 10 countries announced the agreement at talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris on Monday, taking advantage of Kyiv’s experience of fighting Russia.

“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,” their statement said.

Zelenskyy went to France seeking help against Russia’s ballistic missiles, which have pummeled his country in the more than four years since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion.

Putin was unyielding after Kyiv’s long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals have caused widespread fuel shortages. “Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told pro-Kremlin activists.

Trump says all but Iran will have ‘fair and open’ use of strait — after paying US a 20% toll

A fifth of the world’s oil and gas passed through the strait without paying any fees before Iran asserted control over it after the start of the war.

Iran says it has the right to manage traffic through the strait and potentially charge fees in accordance with an interim peace deal reached last month. The U.S. and others dispute that, citing international law on freedom of navigation, and the American military has tried to establish an alternative route outside of Iranian control.

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called for the strait to be open, as it was before the war. “Freedom of navigation has to be respected,” she said.

Trump says Gov. McMaster should appoint Graham’s sister to finish his term

Trump says he’s recommended that Lindsey Graham’s sister be named as his temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate.

Trump posted on social media Monday that Gov. Henry McMaster should appoint Darline Graham Nordone to fulfill the rest of Graham’s term, which expires in January.

Graham died over the weekend at age 71, and McMaster is expected to announce his pick later Monday afternoon.

After their parents died at a young age, Graham was left to raise his sister, whom he later adopted. The pair were very close, and Graham’s sister was by his side as he filed reelection paperwork earlier this year.

The Democratic Party’s direction also is at stake in Michigan and Wisconsin

Following the downfall of Graham Platner in Maine, progressives view the Upper Midwest Senate races as their last chance to shape the Democrats’ Senate caucus and prove their theory of the case in the midterm elections.

In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens is running against progressive Abdul El-Sayed for the state’s Democratic Senate nomination in a race Democrats must win to hold the seat held by Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring and has endorsed Stevens.

In Wisconsin, democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong has surged in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary against more conventional Democratic lawmakers, including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez.

Michigan voters choose nominees on Aug. 4. The primaries in Minnesota and Wisconsin are Aug. 11.

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What happened to Minnesota nice?

In Minnesota, the two leading Senate candidates have clashed over electability, their ties to corporate interests and willingness to fight Trump’s administration.

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, backed by progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, says her opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, is backed by “secretive dark money groups.”

“The very folks who are standing in the way of the things that people need to be able to afford their lives, who are Democrats, are funded by these corporate special interests,” Flanagan told The Associated Press.

Craig counters that Flanagan has raised campaign funds from major companies, and that if she becomes the Democratic nominee, Republicans would focus on her ties to an ongoing fraud inquiry into the state’s Medicaid programs. “To stop Donald Trump, we’ve got to win elections,” Craig told the AP.

The next big races between moderates and progressives are in pivotal Midwestern states

Progressives hope to prove economic populism resonates beyond deep blue enclaves. Democratic Party leaders worry progressive candidates could damage their brand and imperil their chances of retaking either chamber of Congress.

August primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota will be another gauge of Democratic voters’ frustration with the establishment. The Upper Midwest is a battleground for progressives and moderates. The outcomes could impact Democrats’ chances in the upcoming midterms and shape their party’s future direction.

How will a special primary work?

South Carolina law requires a one-week filing period beginning July 21, for a special primary to be held on Aug. 11. A runoff if necessary would be held on Aug. 25, leaving the nominee just over two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.

All of this is problematic according to federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before any federal election. For the general election primary, that would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials didn’t immediately return a message seeking clarity.

“Both sides kind of have their line that they’re not going to cross," Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace who is also a member of the union's eight-man negotiating committee, said Monday. “Whether that results in missing games or missing a season, we’ll see.”

Baseball's five-year labor contract expires Dec. 1 and MLB is expected to immediately lock out players. The more consequential deadline is in late February or early March, when Major League Baseball would announce whether it was postponing opening day.

Owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off MLB's cap plan with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that caused the first cancellation of the World Series since 1904. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says a cap is needed to lessen payroll disparity.

Soto, who signed a record $765 million, 15-year-old contract with the New York Mets as a free agent after the 2024 season, would be limited to a $265 million, six-year deal under MLB's proposal.

“Yeah, that sucks,” Soto said. “It shouldn’t be there.”

MLB’s proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing some teams to spend more.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year. MLB has not made a proposal on how to phase in a cap, a process that would be key for high-spending clubs such as the Dodgers.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, at 34 in the eighth season of a $426.5 million, 12-year contract, said players are aware of the proposal's intent.

“It’s trying to minimize the years and obviously the totals. For sure, we see that,” he said. “I think baseball's in a good spot right now and we can’t mess this up."

Harper, in the eighth season of a $330 million, 13-year contract with Philadelphia, said he couldn't conceive of any scenario in which the players' association would agree to a cap.

“The opportunity for players to get paid is what this is all about,” Harper said, citing the union's legacy of fighting MLB since Curt Flood helped unite players in the 1970s. “We owe it to the guys that have come before us to do the same thing.”

Harper, who signed his first major league contract at age 17, also vowed to fight MLB's proposal to ban a player from signing until he was at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his high school class. MLB says college baseball provides a better development path.

“If you’re in the top three rounds as a high school kid, I think you should be able to do whatever you want,” Harper said. “It would really be tough for a guy like Jackson Holliday to not be the number one pick and not get the chance to go to the big leagues at 19 or 18 if he’s able to.”

Bargaining began in May and is expected to resume after the All-Star break. The union has asked for expanded free agency and salary arbitration rights along with almost doubling the major league minimum.

Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft viewed the early negotiations as “back-and-forth proposals that may or may not be unrealistic.”

Skenes, a 24-year-old right-hander in his second full big league season, could see a sharp decrease in potential contract offers under MLB's system. He currently is on track to become a free agent after the 2029 season and has a $1,085,000 salary in his last season before arbitration eligibility. He also has earned nearly $5.6 million from the pre-arbitration bonus pool that started in 2022.

“MLB is kind of presenting their perfect-world offers and we’re kind of presenting our perfect-world offers," Skenes said. “So there’s a lot of time before there’s any real movement, I think.”

San Diego's Mason Miller, baseball's top closer, also could become a free agent following the 2029 season. A 27-year-old right-hander, he is earning $4 million this season.

“I still have some optimism,” he said. “The place that the game's at right now, I think killing that momentum is kind of fruitless for everybody.”

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AP Assistant Sports Editor Jake Seiner contributed to this report.

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

“You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” the Boston Red Sox manager said. “Back in the day, it was you'd get a lead and you'd get to the lower part of a bullpen and you’d see some guys coming out throwing 88.”

Heading into the All-Star break, velocity is on track to set a record for the sixth straight season.

Four-seam fastballs averaged 94.7 mph through Saturday, up from 94.5 mph last year, 93.7 mph in 2021 and 91.9 mph when Major League Baseball first started tracking in 2008. The average was 94.4 mph for the first half of 2025, and this year's final figure could increase by a tick.

“Definitely expecting anybody you’ve never heard of to throw a 95-plus,” said the New York Mets' Marcus Semien, a three-time All-Star who made his major league debut in 2013, when four-seamers averaged 92.7 mph. “Before you'd know who the guys were who were throwing 98. Now, you just expect that this new guy is probably throwing 98. So that shows how everybody’s trained.”

Expectations have changed. In David Auburn's “Proof,” which won the 2001 Pulitzer Price for Drama, a mathematical research work is described as “streamlined: no wasted moves, like a 95-mile-an-hour fastball. It’s just ... elegant.”

That figure no longer is notable.

Right-handed pitchers are averaging 95.2 mph in 2026, up from 95.0 mph last year. Right-handed relievers are averaging 95.6 mph.

The Triple-A average of 93.6 mph is up from 92.7 mph when tracking started at that level in 2022.

“People are learning the biomechanics of the body a lot better and it’s easier to figure out why people are throwing hard,” said Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris, whose four-seam average has increased from 92.6 mph as a rookie in 2023 to 95.0 mph this year. “There’s so many young kids throwing hard now and then you see a lot younger people in the big leagues, so my thought is they see a guy that’s throwing 100 when he’s 22 and, boy, he’s not going to throw 100 when it’s 30, so let’s get in there now.”

Six pitchers are at 100 mph in average four-seam velocity led by a pair of relievers, the Athletics' Mason Miller (101.3 mph) and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Edgardo Henriquez (100.6 mph).

Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, a 24-year-old starter, is averaging 100.5 mph, up from 99.3 mph as a rookie last year. He has thrown a big-league high of 670 pitches at 100 mph or higher. The Brewers skipped his start Sunday because of arm fatigue.

“I think it’s always been there,” Misiorowski said. “Jumping up that next tick was really cool, so I think I’m happy where I’m at and I think is free and easy.”

As velocity increases, so does pitch mix among fastball types.

Four-seamers are 30.4% of pitches this season, down from 31.8% last year and 35.8% in 2019.

Sinkers increased from 15.5% last year to 16.6% and cutters from 7.5% to 7.8%. Offspeed pitches rose from 13.6% to 14.3%.

“It is exponentially harder to hit and I hit .200 in my career, so that should show you how well I would do in the game today. The thing that I think gets me when I watch games is it’s not just one fastball anymore," said New York Mets interim manager Andy Green, whose last big league season with extensive playing time was in 2006. “It’s easy for us that played a couple of decades ago to malign the offensive players for not hitting from a batting average perspective what used to be hit, but there’s so much to contend with, so much information, so much awareness of what hitter handles what fastball shape. The game’s gotten harder, there’s no doubt about it."

Big league batters are hitting .244, just below last year’s .245 and above the .243 in 2024.

"At the end of the day, us as hitters have to find a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it," Chicago Cubs star Alex Bregman said.

Hard-throwing has become part of youth player development, according to San Diego closer Mason Miller, who leads all pitchers with a 101.3 mph average for his four-seamer.

“It’s kind of just been that trajectory,” he said. “But it’s hard to be successful for a long time and healthy for a long time doing it.”

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AP Baseball Writers Jay Cohen and Janie McCauley contributed to this report.

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

The National Weather Service is predicting that more than 90 temperature records across the U.S. will be tied or broken this week through Wednesday — and most of those will be overnight heat records.

Health experts say overnight temperatures that fail to cool down are even more dangerous than daytime temperatures that soar.

It has already been a sweltering start to the summer across much of the U.S. due to the long-lasting heat dome expected to blanket much of the country this week. The blistering temperatures over the past few weeks have caused heat-related deaths in New Jersey and helped fuel wildfires in the West.

No relief from the heat at night this week

Temperatures were not forecast to drop below 80 F (27 C) at night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Miami; Tampa, Florida; Galveston, Texas; and Charleston, South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

Over the next few days, places in the Midwest and Northeast known for frigid winters will see nighttime temperatures remain above 70 F (21 C), including Fargo, North Dakota; International Falls, Minnesota; and Portland, Maine.

Hot temperatures at night pose a bigger danger

Health experts say that high overnight temperatures are particularly dangerous because there's no time for the body's core temperature to cool down and recover from daytime heat.

“That’s where the health outcomes are amplified, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable communities,” said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd.

Just a few degrees of increased body temperature can lead to heatstroke or put too much strain on the heart.

Dangers of heat can sneak up on you

If temperatures at night don't cool down your body, the health risks more often show up the next day, said Kristie Ebi, a public health and climate scientist at the University of Washington.

“Mortality starts the second or third day" because the body's unable to cool, she said on Monday.

Being proactive is crucial during a heat wave

Early warning signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps and headache. “It’s hard to know you’re getting in trouble with the heat. This is why we need to be more proactive," Ebi said.

It's important to find a way to cool off, whether stepping into air conditioning or wrapping a cold towel around your neck.

And health experts say don't forget to check in on friends and family members, especially those who are older, pregnant or who have health challenges that might make it more difficult to handle the heat.

How to beat the heat without air conditioning

Even without air conditioning at home, there are ways to find relief.

Stop by a library or a mall. Sit in front of a fan and spray water on your skin. Put your feet in cold water. Soak your clothes in water. And of course, drink plenty of water.

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Associated Press reporter Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed.

By saying that an interim ceasefire gave it the right to establish the terms under which ships traversed the strait, and threatening and firing upon vessels that did not use its preferred route, Iran has sought to exert control over the waterway and gain negotiating leverage with the United States.

On Monday, President Donald Trump sought to tip the scales. He reimposed a blockade on Iran and said the U.S. controls the strait and would charge fees to ships for safe passage — essentially borrowing from the Iranian playbook.

The announcement came as the U.S. and Iran have been ramping up attacks against each other to assert control over the strait, threatening a return to all-out war.

The world has long considered the strait — which passes the coastlines of Iran and Oman — a free-to-use, international waterway. But soon after it was attacked by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28, Iran claimed sovereignty over it, disrupting world energy markets and driving up prices.

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

Both Iran and the US say they control the Strait of Hormuz

In a posting on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said the U.S. "will be, from this point forward, known as THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT."

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile arsenal, says Tehran controls the strait. "We will not allow a rogue and child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference in it,” the Guard said Sunday.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, established in 1982, no country has the right to claim international waters and all ships have the right of unimpeded passage.

Even though the U.S. and Iran haven't ratified the convention, “that doesn’t matter, because this has become part of universal custom, so all states can rely on it under all circumstances,” said Marc Weller, director of the International Law Program at the University of Cambridge.

Still, both Iran and the U.S. have been using tools to exert control over the strait and constrain traffic.

“You have two nations, both of which are very capable — the U.S., because it has the most powerful Navy in the world, and Iran, which is geographically well positioned to disrupt commerce throughout the Strait of Hormuz — (and) can exercise a significant degree of control,” said Raymond Waid, who leads the maritime industry group at law firm Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans and a former Navy officer.

Maritime data agency Kpler said crossings declined by around 52% between Friday and Monday compared with the same period a week ago. About 14 ships passed through the strait on Sunday; before the war, about 130 ships passed through the strait daily.

Iran says it has made ‘sincere’ efforts to ensure safe shipping

The ability to disrupt shipping in the strait gives Iran leverage over the global economy.

Tehran used this leverage early in the war by attacking transiting ships and demanding payment in some cases to allow vessels through. Just the fear of being attacked by Iranian drones or speedboats was enough to deter ship traffic.

After an interim ceasefire was announced last month, Iran insisted that ships register with the recently created Persian Gulf Strait Authority to have their crews and cargo vetted.

Iran also is demanding that ships only use a route near its coastline instead of a southern route along the coast of Oman, where the U.S. military had started guiding ships through. The central part of the strait has been mined by Iran, so few vessels have tried to pass using that route.

Tehran is suspected of attacking ships that have used the Oman route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center, which issues maritime security alerts, said it received reports of six ships attacked in the strait near Oman since June 25.

Iranian officials assert the right to manage traffic through the strait

Washington and Tehran have debated what they agreed to regarding the strait. U.S. officials say the interim agreement signed last month called for the strait to be reopened while a more permanent resolution to the war was negotiated.

Iranian officials have said a clause in the interim deal gave them the right to manage ship traffic and that, so long as they didn't charge fees for 60 days, it was up to them to decide operating conditions.

The interim agreement stated that Iran will “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa.“ It also called for Iran to ”conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the strait.”

The US now says it will charge a fee for safe passage

The U.S. said Monday it will charge a 20% toll on cargo shipped through the strait “for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.”

That's something the U.S. previously opposed, and any attempt by the U.S. or Iran to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation.

The new U.S. plan echoes an earlier Iranian claim — which it opposed — that said it might charge tolls that could reach as high as $2 million per vessel.

Countries can levy fees on ships for a specific service when passing through an international strait, said Weller, the international law professor. For example, Chile collects fees in the Strait of Magellan for pilotage and other services that ensure safe passage, he said.

“A fee would be possible, but it has to be a fee commensurate with the actual service granted,” he said. “So it’s not anything Iran should earn money off. It’s not $2 million per vessel or something like that.”

The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency which oversees safety and security measures in international shipping, said the group was waiting to find out more about Trump’s proposal but said its stance against tolls for passage remains unchanged.

Late Monday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi used Trump's support for tolls to mock him and legitimize Iran’s position.

“POTUS is absolutely right," he posted on X. "Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service ... 20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

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AP Writer Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York contributed to this report.

Mariano Rajoy, a member of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, made the comment in a column for Spanish outlet El Debate ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal match between the European neighbors.

“They’ve won every match they’ve played at this World Cup and are currently top of the FIFA rankings. They also have an exceptionally strong squad. That said, one thing they don’t have is any French players," Rajoy wrote on July 10.

On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told French broadcaster BFM TV that “France has no skin color. Any contrary claim stems from stupidity, racism or a combination of the two."

A day earlier, French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo wrote on X that “Mariano Rajoy’s remarks about the French team carry intolerable whiffs of racism,” adding that “they also raise questions about the deplorable climate that gives rise to such sentiments. Our players do not need a certificate of nationality from a former Spanish prime minister.”

A spokesperson from Rajoy's Popular Party on Monday said the remarks were sarcastic and made without malice.

“These columns are written without ill intent,” spokesperson Borja Sémper said. “This expression is used without ill intent.”

Spain's ruling Socialist government swiftly condemned the remarks by Rajoy, who was prime minister from 2011 to 2018.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez referenced the comments without naming his predecessor, writing on X: “There are those who still measure belonging by surname, place of birth, or skin color. Others measure it by our roots in a country and our will to contribute to it. Playing soccer. Caring for our elders. Or opening businesses. France, we’ll see you in the semifinals. May the best one win and may racism lose."

France will face Spain on Tuesday at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. France midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery was asked about the comments the day before the game in a news conference at the venue and said he hadn't seen them.

“This French team has players from different backgrounds and origins,” Zaire-Emery said through a translator. “So does the country. We are a united group, a united team, and that’s all that matters.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares also spoke out Monday, saying the Popular Party's leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, needed to disavow the remarks.

It's not the first time France's team has faced racism during this year's World Cup.

Earlier this month, France captain and star player Kylian Mbappécondemned a Paraguayan senator over remarks she made following Paraguay’s loss to France in the round of 16.

Celeste Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, posted a series of comments on X mocking the French player’s origins, upbringing, education and appearance after France won on July 4 with a penalty by Mbappé.

The statement released Monday was signed by top economists, along with computer scientists and some executives at tech companies including Anthropic, Google and OpenAI.

“AI may become radically more powerful over the next 10 years,” says the letter organized by Stanford University's digital economy lab. “This could drive an unprecedented transformation of our economy, larger than the Industrial Revolution, but unfolding over a vastly shorter time frame. It could bring risks, including large-scale job displacement, as well as opportunities such as major gains in living standards.”

The letter, which has only four sentences, says leaders must “build the incentives, guardrails, and institutions needed to steer AI in a direction that complements humans and benefits society.”

The Stanford lab says the letter has so far been signed by more than 200 economists and AI researchers, including 16 winners of a Nobel Prize.

Computer scientist and AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio was among the signatories and said in a separate statement that based on the trajectory of AI development, “it is highly plausible that AI will drastically transform our economies.”

“We must be intentional and make collective, democratic choices, rather than letting market forces play out and risking leaving most citizens behind,” wrote Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal.

Opal’s Hallmark Shop, located at 24311 Harper Ave. in St. Clair Shores, has been a familiar stop for generations looking for cards, gifts, and seasonal items for life’s biggest moments, from graduations and birthdays to sympathy cards.

“It’s like the grocery store,” customer Tracey Moro said. “You know, it’s where you go to get your cards and your gifts. It’s going to be different, not being here.”

For years, customers described the store as more than a place to shop, a “home away from home” where staff knew regulars by name and helped people find the right words when it mattered most.

“If the walls inside Opal’s Hallmark shop could talk,” employee Lisa said. “Oh, they’ve seen some stuff.”

Shoppers, including Jacqueline Migan, said they were saddened to learn the St. Clair Shores location will permanently close at the end of the week.

“The people,” Migan said when asked what she’ll miss most. “I feel really bad for them. The people that worked here have always been very, very nice. Very helpful. And you hate to see a business close.”

Store owner Steve Beskange said the business has deep roots in the community.

He said his father started Opal’s Hallmark in 1955, when the shop was about half its current size.

“Every card was handpicked by my dad,” Beskange said. “This was one of his three stores.”

Beskange said he purchased the shop from its previous owner in 1977 and has operated the Harper Avenue location for 49.5 years. As for the decision to close now, he said simply, “It’s time.”

“I appreciate all the years of wonderful companionship between us and our customers and the city,” Beskange said. “Yeah, it’s been wonderful.”

Employees said the goodbye has been emotional, especially as longtime customers stop in to express how much the store has meant to them.

“We have so many that are so sad,” Lisa said. “They share their sadness, which brings it back to our sadness. It’s kind of hard. It’s kind of emotional, a little bit.”

Beskange said after the store closes, he plans to focus on spending time with family and traveling.

The Opal’s Hallmark location on 23 Mile Road in New Baltimore will remain open.

The St. Clair Shores store’s last day is Saturday, July 18.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams accused Trump and his lawyers in a scathing ruling of having manipulated the court system when he sued a federal agency under his control, bypassing a requirement that parties in a lawsuit must have adverse interests. The lawsuit ended in a settlement that granted the president immunity from tax audits and established a $1.776 billion fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been unjustly persecuted.

The judge stopped short of explicitly voiding the deal shielding Trump from tax scrutiny but said the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement was the result of a legitimate legal process.

“Whether Executive Branch actors can privately agree to give themselves and their former clients blanket immunities and billions of dollars in tax monies for legally undefined grievances was never an issue advanced to this Court,” said Williams, an appointee of President Barack Obama. “The question is whether the Parties could do so by claiming to be adverse and engaging the legitimacy of a court proceeding. The answer is a resounding ‘no.’”

The ruling comes just ahead of a key confirmation hearing

Though the practical impacts of the ruling may be limited since the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed months ago and the administration has already abandoned the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that came out of it, the order nonetheless amounts to a scathing rebuke and tees up a politically uncomfortable line of questioning for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as he faces the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

“The nature of the suit itself and the conduct of the Parties and counsel from its filing make plain that this was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law," Williams wrote in her ruling.

She added: "Ensuring that our courts are used only for the express purpose created by the Constitution is the obligation of every judge and an obligation that this Court must discharge in light of the matter before it.”

The $10 billion suit against the IRS and Treasury Department in January accused the agencies of a failure to prevent a leak of the president’s tax information to news outlets between 2018 and 2020.

In May, however, the administration announced that it was settling the case and creating a fund to compensate people who believe they've been mistreated by the criminal justice system. The fund was quickly shelved amid bipartisan backlash, though the Trump administration has said it intends to proceed with a separate element of the deal affording Trump and family members protection from tax audits.

From the start, the judge had appeared skeptical of the complaint and assigned a group of attorneys to determine whether there was a conflict in the case since, as sitting president, Trump was suing “entities whose decisions are subject to his direction.”

Even after the settlement was revealed, she directed Trump attorneys to lay out their positions on whether the parties in the case were truly adverse to each other, whether the dismissal of the lawsuit was premised on deception and whether the case should be reopened.

She made clear in her ruling that she was not satisfied by the lawyers' answers.

“After a review of the record, and the Parties’ statements, the Court declines to adopt or accept the credulous exercise of divorcing President Trump’s current job title from an understanding of what happened here,” she wrote.

The ruling also raises the possibility of disciplinary actions

The judge referred Trump attorney Alejandro Brito, who filed the case, for possible disciplinary action before the state bar in Florida and said another lawyer, Daniel Epstein, will not be granted permission to file within the Southern District of Florida for up to a year.

A spokesman for the Trump legal team responded to a request seeking comment from Brito with a statement that blamed the IRS for allowing the president's tax returns to be leaked.

The judge also ordered that her ruling be sent to the state bars in New York and the District of Columbia, where ethics complaints have been filed against Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.

Williams pointed to Blanche’s congressional testimony in early June in which he revealed that the fund was no longer moving forward. Though nothing had been filed in court, Blanche appeared confident in his testimony that he “could speak for, and bind, both sides of this matter,” Williams said.

“Acting Attorney General Blanche’s apparent capacity to speak for both Plaintiffs and Defendants, sign a ‘settlement’ document on behalf of all Parties to this action, and then repudiate part of that agreement, demonstrates that there was only one party whose interests were being represented throughout this case,” the judge wrote.

The judge also raised ethical concerns about Blanche and Woodward’s involvement in the settlement given Blanche’s past representation of Trump as well as Woodward’s previous defense of Jan. 6 defendants and a co-defendant in Trump’s classified documents case.

“Instead of either recusing because of their previous representations or vigorously defending this lawsuit as required to do so by DOJ policies and procedures, these lawyers agreed to a ‘settlement’ involving a staggering amount of money potentially benefitting former clients,” she said.

Blanche denied in a CNN interview last spring that he had developed the settlement terms, saying, “The president has outside counsel, and their counsel, the Department of Justice, not me."

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Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Mattingly passed on a guaranteed spot in the AL dugout when he left his job as Toronto's bench coach to manager John Schneider after the World Series, which the Blue Jays lost in seven games to the Dodgers.

A six-time AL All-Star, Mattingly thought at the time he was finished with baseball.

He's not only still in the game — he's now the interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies and has them back in the thick of the playoff race.

He'll also coach against Schneider and his Blue Jays staff at Tuesday's All-Star Game played in Philadelphia's home Citizens Bank Park.

“It is weird being on the other side,” Mattingly said Monday. “I was kind of torn a little bit. But then I go home and my 11-year-old asked me, ‘Do we get to go on the field for Home Run Derby?’ It's like, OK, well, I'm done with that. He made that decision.”

Mattingly is taking directions from a pair of his sons in Philadelphia.

Mattingly originally took the job in Philadelphia to serve as former manager Rob Thomson's bench coach at the urging of his young son, Louis.

"He was kind of like, ‘Dad, you can’t stop. You’ve got to keep going,”’ Mattingly said in January.

Mattingly kept going and joined a Phillies organization where another son, Preston, is the general manager.

Mattingly said in November he left his role in Toronto after reaching his first World Series because of a desire to spend more time with his family.

It's one big family reunion in Philly.

Blue Jays All-Star second baseman Ernie Clement said Mattingly was missed in Toronto.

“It's awesome that he teamed up with Preston,” Clement said. “They're just doing a great job.”

Mattingly is 45-24 with the Phillies since he took over when Thomson was fired in late April after they had lost 11 of 12 games and were tied for last in the majors. Led by All-Stars Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Jhoan Duran, Jesús Luzardo and NL starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez, the Phillies are just two games back of Atlanta in the NL East.

Mattingly has said he would be interested in having the interim tag removed and possibly returning for a second season as manager. He said Monday he wanted to table that discussion until the offseason.

Mattingly is in his 23rd straight season as a major league manager and coach, having managed the Dodgers and the Miami Marlins.

Mattingly played 14 seasons as a first baseman in the major leagues, all for the Yankees, from 1982-95. The 1985 AL MVP, he captained the Yankees in his final five seasons. He never reached the playoffs until 1995, when he hit .417 with a homer and six RBIs in the five-game Division Series loss to Seattle.

The 65-year-old Mattingly said he feels “as grateful as can be” for his career, even if it ends without a World Series ring.

“I've been in this game for a long time," Mattingly said. “I've done a lot of tremendous things for my family. I don't feel unlucky at all.”

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

“Audiences on every sofa and in every movie (theater) seat would feel the impact of this unlawful merger,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the case, said in a news conference from Los Angeles. He said the deal would result in higher prices, fewer movies and TV shows and lower quality of content overall.

A Paramount-Warner combo would bring together two of Hollywood's last five legacy studios. It would also mean putting Warner's HBO Max, libraries filled with fan favorites like “Harry Potter” and even CNN under the same roof of Paramount-owned CBS and the Paramount+ streaming service.

In Monday's complaint, the states said such a tie-up would also “inflict substantial harm” on movie theatres and basic cable distributors. Bonta's office said the states are asking Warner and Paramount to not close this merger “until after the judicial process concludes." And if the companies do not agree, the coalition would then file a temporary restraining order.

Paramount said Monday's lawsuit “distorts settled antitrust law" and maintained that its merger would instead create a "stronger competitor against dominant streaming and technology platforms who have harmed the market for theatrical exhibition and jobs in the entertainment industry.”

The company, which was bought by Skydance just last year, vowed to “vigorously defend” the transaction.

Warner deferred to Paramount for comment. Beyond California, states joining Monday's lawsuit include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Where Paramount's takeover of Warner stands

Monday's antitrust case arrives at a pivotal time for the Paramount-Warner transaction — which, after months of what became a very public bidding war with Netflix, received shareholders’ stamp of approval in April and then a blessing from President Donald Trump's administration just last month.

The companies have hoped to close their deal sometime in the third quarter of this year, recently signaling an effort to complete the process in the coming weeks. The states’ lawsuit could throw a wrench in those plans, at least for now.

The clock is ticking. Paramount also pledged to give shareholders some compensation if that process isn’t complete by Sept. 30 — in the form of a 25-cent per share “ticking fee” for every quarter past that date. And it’s agreed to a regulatory termination fee of $7 billion.

Beyond the U.S., Paramount has touted additional regulatory clearances it says it’s received in a handful of other countries, including China, Canada and Australia. Meanwhile, other reviews remain in progress, including in the European Union and the U.K. — which has separately suggested it may intervene.

Including debt, Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner is valued at nearly $111 billion (or $31 per share) based on current outstanding shares.

Critics decry merger

Warner and Paramount argue that merging will be good for growth in the industry and give consumers access to more content, especially if HBO Max and Paramount+ libraries are combined. But critics have decried what further consolidation could mean in an industry already controlled by just a few major players.

Monday's lawsuit from the states pointed to movies that make their way into theaters and the wider TV landscape — noting that a combined Paramount-Warner could control nearly a third of both the theatrical film distribution market as well as basic cable programming.

Such a combination would create “a massive company with unprecedented power and influence over news and entertainment across the globe,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is among those challenging the deal. Beyond consumer impacts, she also said the merger would “put jobs and businesses nationwide at risk.”

Thousands of actors, directors, writers and other industry professionals have already voiced “unequivocal opposition” to the deal. Monday's challenge garnered applause from groups like the Writers Guild of America, who warn that consolidation would result in "fewer jobs, lower wages for entertainment workers, less variety of programming, and higher prices for consumers”

Paramount argued on Monday that delaying the merger “will only harm entertainment workers who have already suffered over recent years as technology has disrupted their livelihood."

The company added that the states' case would “shield” larger streaming rivals like Netflix from meaningful competition.

Political questions

Throughout Paramount's quest for Warner, questions of political influence have also piled up — with criticism falling largely along party lines in Washington. No Republicans signed on to the states’ case on Monday.

Democrats have long expressed skepticism about whether regulators working under Trump would scrutinize the deal as heavily. Several attorneys general joining Monday's lawsuit took aim at the Justice Department's decision to not challenge the deal — pointing in particular to the president's close relationship with the billionaire family of Paramount CEO David Ellison.

“Something happened and perhaps that something had to do with a mega-billionaire named Ellison," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told reporters on Monday. “We are seeing more and more instances where the Trump DOJ is just rolling over for corporate consolidation," she added.

Last month, DOJ leadership released a lengthy statement in support of the deal — maintaining a Paramount-Warner combo would “increase competition across the media and entertainment ecosystem, with benefits for American consumers and workers.” The Justice Department had maintained that politics would not play a role in its review.

Trump himself previously made public comments about Warner’s future, despite backpedaling on what he once suggested his personal role would be in approving a merger.

Many eyes are on CNN, a network that has long attracted ire from Trump and his allies.

Paramount’s CBS has already seen significant turmoil and shifts in editorial leadership since coming under Skydance ownership last year — and if Warner merger goes through, the reach of that could grow. Several Trump administration officials have also been far from shy from sharing their hopes for CNN under Paramount ownership, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters in March that “the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

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Mikella Schuettler contributed from Phoenix.

The incident happened near 22 Mile Road and Card Road.

No one was injured, but neighbors say the outcome could have been far worse.

‘Like a bomb going off’

Diyan, a neighbor who did not want her last name used, said she and her husband were asleep when the blasts began around 2 a.m.

“They were literally like a bomb going off; our house shook. It was bad,” Diyan said.

When she opened her front door, the damage was already done.

“Sure enough, we open up the door, and there’s firework debris everywhere,” Diyan said.

The fireworks damaged part of her home’s exterior and an American flag.

She said she’s thankful they didn’t hit her windows.

“If those windows would’ve shattered, our daughters’ rooms would’ve been set on fire,” Diyan said.

Caught on camera

Surveillance video shows the suspects running down the street before appearing to throw fireworks at the nearby homes.

These were not small firecrackers; neighbors described them as aerial explosives capable of causing serious damage.

Neighbor Tony Schepke called the incident alarming.

“It could have been a disaster to anybody’s home. It’s just totally uncalled for,” Schepke said. “That’s the kind of stuff where people get hurt, fires start.”

Diyan said she hopes whoever is responsible faces consequences.

“It’s really sad. It’s not funny because, honestly, someone could really get hurt,” Diyan said. “To the parents that have their kids out at 2 o’clock in the morning. Shame on you.”

Investigation ongoing

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and took a report.

They are actively investigating the incident.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Monday (July 13) that while the investigation is ongoing, no specific type of lettuce, grower, or supplier has been identified.

Other food items also have not been ruled out.

“Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the department’s chief medical executive. “Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation.”

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclospora is a parasite that infects the intestines and can cause watery diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.

The illness is typically spread by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.

Michigan usually reports only 40 to 50 cases of cyclosporiasis each year, making the current outbreak unusually large.

What investigators know

State health officials said they have completed more than 1,000 interviews with infected individuals while working with local, state, and federal partners to trace the source of the outbreak.

“We really need that kind of coordination to happen at the national level,” Bagdasarian said. “As soon as other states get their numbers to the CDC, we hope they can take a broader look to see whether these outbreaks are related.”

Because symptoms can take up to two weeks to develop after exposure and food distribution networks are complex, officials said the investigation could take time.

Officials emphasized there is no evidence linking the outbreak to swimming or other recreational water activities. Instead, investigators continue to focus on contaminated produce as the likely source.

Previous cyclospora outbreaks in the United States and Canada have been linked to bagged salad mixes, fresh cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas, and green onions.

Health officials said the investigation has been complicated by cyclospora’s long incubation period, with symptoms often taking up to two weeks to develop after exposure.

“That means investigators have to ask people about foods they ate, restaurants they visited, and grocery purchases from two to six weeks earlier,” Bagdasarian said.

How to protect yourself

As a precaution, the department is urging residents, restaurants and commercial kitchens in affected counties to take extra care when handling lettuce and salad greens.

Health officials recommend purchasing whole heads of lettuce instead of bagged, pre-washed lettuce or salad kits, discarding the outer two to three leaves before preparation and thoroughly washing the remaining leaves under clean running water.

When possible, greens should be cooked to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), which kills the parasite.

The department also recommends washing all fresh produce under running water and peeling fruits and vegetables when possible.

People at higher risk of severe illness or dehydration, including older adults, young children, organ transplant recipients and people undergoing chemotherapy, are encouraged to take extra precautions.

“Produce may have been grown on the other side of the country, possibly even in other countries, then processed somewhere else before coming into Michigan,” Bagdasarian said. “Many suppliers also distribute produce to multiple grocery stores and restaurant chains, making it harder to pinpoint the source.”

When to seek medical care

Anyone experiencing frequent watery diarrhea should contact a health care provider and specifically request testing for cyclospora, as routine stool tests may not detect the parasite.

The illness is typically treated with antibiotics, along with rest and fluids to prevent dehydration.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it will continue providing updates as the investigation progresses.

Graham, 71, died Saturday evening after a tear in his aorta, according to a statement from his office Sunday. The shocking news came as another prominent Republican senator, former Republican leader Mitch McConnell, has been hospitalized for almost a month. McConnell broke a weekslong silence about his health Sunday, saying he was still recovering after suffering from pneumonia and falling in his home.

The continued absence of McConnell, R-Ky., and the surprise death of the South Carolina senator have shaken Republicans who were already at odds with Trump and stalled on several priorities as they return from a two-week recess. And the reduced Republican numbers in the 53-47 Senate are sure to add confusion to what was already expected to be a chaotic and difficult few months before the November midterm elections.

Despite consolidated power in Washington, Republicans have been unable to move much of their legislation forward as the Senate, House and White House have disagreed on legislative priorities and as Trump has criticized Senate Republicans, in particular, for not passing his legislation to require proof of citizenship for voters. Graham, who was one of Trump’s closest friends in the Senate, often served as a pivotal intermediary.

“He was a great — like a gauge, a temperature gauge of the Senate,” Trump said of Graham on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, noting he had talked to Graham on Saturday. “He could go in and get something approved. He would just get people on his side.”

As the Senate convened Monday, Graham's desk was draped in black cloth and held a vase of white roses, as is customary when a senator dies in office. In his opening remarks, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said “it's difficult to count the ways in which Lindsey's friendship made this job richer and its burdens lighter.”

Graham "was as loyal as they come and a trusted adviser,” Thune said.

Republican priorities are stalled

The Senate left town two weeks ago after a rough few weeks for Republicans. Trump blocked senators from confirming one of his own nominees, asked them to fund parts of his White House ballroom project despite opposition and forced them to defend the Iran war even as they questioned the strategy and endgame.

He also refused to sign a bipartisan, election year housing bill that had passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, arguing that they should pass his bill to require proof of citizenship, the SAVE America Act, instead. The housing bill became law Friday at midnight after he declined to sign it but did not veto it.

The alliance between Trump and Senate Republicans has also been weakened after the president endorsed the opponents of two Republican senators who had been reliable votes, John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Cassidy challenged Trump directly on the Iran war in a Capitol meeting between Trump and Republicans just before they left town.

Senate’s agenda is uncertain

Republicans return to a number of important agenda items, including the confirmation of Trump’s pick for attorney general, Todd Blanche, and the confirmation of Jay Clayton, whom Trump selected to be director of national intelligence and later temporarily blocked. Both will testify in confirmation hearings this week.

Senate Republicans also must find a way to navigate Democratic opposition and Trump’s continued ire to keep the government open and prevent a government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Graham was a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, as is McConnell.

Graham also sat on the Judiciary Committee that will consider Blanche’s nomination and is the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, which has been under pressure from House Republicans and Trump to move a budget package with increased defense spending for Iran.

There is also bipartisan legislation to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions that Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut had announced on Friday after an agreement with the Trump administration.

Blumenthal told The Associated Press on Sunday that Graham was “absolutely focused on this moment” as they announced the sanctions package after months of negotiations. He said he hopes Graham’s memory will inspire the Senate to move forward.

“We’ve really reached this moment where all of the stars are aligned and we will be lacking Lindsey’s spectacular advocacy,” Blumenthal said.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also urged passage of the sanctions bill as they spoke about Graham on the Senate floor Monday.

Graham’s death came after a trip to Ukraine

Senate leaders have not announced how they will honor Graham, who died after a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, called an aortic dissection, related to hardening of Graham’s arteries, according to his office. An official cause of death will be disclosed after toxicological and microscopic testing, his office said.

Graham, a prominent South Carolina Republican and former Air Force lawyer who served in Congress for more than three decades, had just returned from a trip to Ukraine. Thune said it was Graham's 10th trip to the country, and he “died with his boots on.”

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, as his temporary replacement in the Senate. She will serve for the remainder of his term, which ends in January.

A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee in the general election for Graham’s seat. He had been seeking a fifth term this year.

Possible candidates include three Republicans who fell short for the party’s nomination for governor this year — Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Also in the mix is Rep. Russell Fry, who was elected to the House in 2022.

McConnell not expected to return immediately

McConnell’s Sunday announcement revealed for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking the silence about his condition after weeks of mounting speculation about his health.

The Kentucky Republican, who is retiring in January, said in a statement that he was “briefly unconscious” around the time he was first taken to the hospital in June and has undergone a battery of tests to try to determine what led to his fall. He said he was also treated for mild pneumonia and has been moved to a rehabilitation facility.

“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages,” McConnell said, adding that he is now “regaining my strength.”

He said he cannot return to the Senate “quite yet.”

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office spokesman Ivor Pine confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday that Jackson's case has been assigned for a pre-filing diversion available to eligible individuals. The City Attorney Hearing is an alternative to misdemeanor criminal prosecution.

Though charges will not be filed against Jackson at this time, the case remains open and can be re-evaluated if there are more developments.

At the time of the arrest, the Los Angeles Police Department said officers were called to Jackson's home in the West Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. NBC4 reported that Jackson allegedly attempted to take a phone away from a woman when he thought he was being recorded, and the woman had scratches on her arm.

Jackson has been the Rams’ starting left tackle for the past three seasons, starting 45 regular-season games and six playoff games. The former undrafted free agent re-signed with the Rams on a three-year, $57 million deal in February 2025.

The Rams issued a statement following the arrest saying the team was aware of the incident "and we take these matters very seriously. Due to this being an ongoing legal situation, we cannot comment further at this time.”

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

The festival features vendors, food and a safari experience — a major expansion from previous years.

“We had a few animals last year but now we have over 100 animals that call the safari home this weekend here at Hart Plaza,” said Desirae Tolbert, vice president of marketing and communications.

The event is designed to be both a cultural celebration and an educational experience, drawing visitors who want to learn more about African history and the African diaspora.

“We are intentional about celebrating the culture of all walks of the diaspora, so there’s no one monolithic you know culture,” Tolbert said.

Among the vendors at this year’s festival is B&B African Prints, a business focused on bringing traditional African fabrics into a modern American context.

“My business partner and I really wanted to bring African prints, truly African prints to modern American culture,” said Dawnyel Verrett of B&B African Prints. “We’ve been really inspired by sort of African meets Asian.”

For some vendors, the Detroit festival holds a special personal significance.

“This one in Detroit means a lot to myself because of the people in Detroit. They are very very interested in not only the artifacts but the culture itself, so whenever these three days a year comes for me it’s like visiting home, from home,” said Omar Sillah of African Arts.

Now in its fifth decade, the festival has cemented itself as a Detroit summer staple.

“This is actually our 43rd year doing the African World Festival, so we’re not new to it but it’s just become a staple. It’s just what you do every summer,” Tolbert said.

The African World Festival runs through Sunday night, wrapping up at 11 p.m. at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit.

From fast-paced races to packed cheering sections, the energy is loud, proud and deeply personal.

“When I come here I feel complete really because I’m not alone,” said Beth Ilanan, an athlete competing at the games.

At the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, hundreds of athletes arrive with unique stories — but one thing they all share: their wheels.

Athletes compete in a wide variety of events, both individual and team-based. For many, the games are about more than medals.

“It’s all about camaraderie, bringing people together,” said Freddie Smith, another competing athlete.

The games take place every year and rotate from state to state — but organizers say this year’s Motor City stop holds a special significance.

“We love the Motor City, we came here because it’s a city of resilience,” said Jennifer Purser, co-director of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

That resilience is exactly what the athletes here embody.

None of it happens without partners, families and friends cheering on the competitors throughout the week. Jamie Minor, Target’s senior director of stakeholder engagement, spoke to the sense of community the games create.

“They come together they see each other sometimes just that one time a year and they have this like community within a community and you can just feel the love and support throughout this whole environment,” Minor said.

For athlete Rickey Riley, the message is simple — and meant for everyone.

“Never give up,” Riley said.

The games continue through Tuesday in Detroit.

Update: Michigan reports 2,640 Cyclospora cases; Lettuce identified as possible source of outbreak

On July 13, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported 2,640 cyclosporiasis cases since June 22, up from 1,562 on July 10. Of those reported cases, 44 were hospitalized.

“Anyone experiencing gastrointestinal illness, such as sudden and ongoing diarrhea, should contact their health care provider and their local health department,” MDHHS said in a statement last week.

The cases remain the highest in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland and Livingston counties. MDHHS and local health officials are still working on identifying the source of the outbreak.

Related --> Precautions to take as cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan exceed 1,500

What is cyclosporiasis?

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite and infects the small intestine.

Healthcare providers can diagnose the illness by testing a stool sample.

If infected with cyclosporiasis, people may experience watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.

The illness can last from a few days to over a month if the illness is not treated. Symptoms could relapse.

The timeframe from becoming infected to becoming sick usually takes about one week but can range from two days to two weeks or more.

In the US, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce. People can get infected with Cyclospora more than once.

Anyone who experiences symptoms of cyclosporiasis should see their healthcare provider.

Read more --> What is cyclosporiasis? Know the signs, prevention as Michigan health officials investigate outbreak

Produce linked to previous outbreaks

Health officials said the following foods have been previously linked to Cyclospora outbreaks in the United States and Canada:

• Bagged salad mixes and kits (pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, carrots)
• Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
• Fresh basil
• Raspberries
• Snow peas
• Green onions (scallions)

Produce recommendations

MDHHS provided a list of recommendations on July 6 on preparing, processing or serving raw produce, including restaurants and other commercial kitchens.

Health officials said to take the following steps to reduce risk of exposure:

• Lettuce/leafy greens: Buy whole heads of lettuce (rather than prewashed, bagged lettuce or salad mixes), throw away the outer 2–3 layers of leaves and wash the inner leaves under running water. For leafy greens that can be cooked, cooking is the safest option.
• Cilantro, basil: Wash thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves. Safest when cooked.
• Green onions: Trim the root end and remove the outer layer, wash thoroughly under running water. Safest when cooked.
• Raspberries: Their bumpy surface makes them especially hard to clean; the parasite can hide in the tiny crevices. Safest when cooked (pies, jams etc.). Consider frozen raspberries as an alternative (freezing may reduce but does not guarantee elimination of the parasite).
• Snow peas: Wash under running water and rub the surface. Safest when cooked.

MDHHS said the recommendations are essential for people who have a higher risk of dehydration or weakened immune systems, such as patients on chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, infants and young children and elderly people.

General rules, routine food practices

Health officials said general rules of thumb to reduce the risk of getting the illness are to cook food -- when you can -- to 158 degrees or higher to kill cyclospora, and wash all fresh produce under clean running water, even if you plan to peel it.

Food safety reminders

Here are some reminders on food safety practices, according to the MDHHS:

• Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing food.
• Scrub firm fruits and vegetables, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
• Wash and sanitize utensils and surfaces before and after handling food. Wash and sanitize display cases and refrigerators where fresh produce is stored.
• Wash and sanitize cutting boards, surfaces and utensils used to prepare, serve or store fresh produce.
• Refrigerate cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables as soon as possible. 

Voters in Virginia and Nevada — both states where abortion is already legal through at least 24 weeks of pregnancy — are considering state constitutional amendments to create a right to abortion.

And in Missouri, which in 2024 became the first state to use a constitutional amendment to undo an abortion ban, voters are being asked to override that to bring back an abortion ban, with limited exceptions, and to write into the state constitution a ban on some gender-affirming care for minors.

Here's a look at the situation.

One of the most conservative states could undo its ban

The measure put on Idaho's ballot through a volunteer-run petition drive would create a law, not an amendment to the state constitution.

Idahoans United for Women and Families, which is leading the campaign, shared with The Associated Press a letter from state election officials Monday verifying that it has qualified for the ballot.

It would allow abortion until fetal viability, which is generally considered to be somewhere past 21 weeks into a pregnancy, though there’s no fixed time frame. The change would make the state's law similar to what it was before the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion.

Idaho now is one of six states where an abortion ban at all stages of pregnancy does not include exceptions for the health of the girl or woman. Like most other bans, it does allow abortion to save the life of the woman or in pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

It also became the first state, in 2023, to make it a crime to help a minor obtain an abortion without the consent of their parents. Despite a court challenge, most parts of that law have remained intact.

David Ripley, the CEO of the anti-abortion group Idaho Chooses Life, is preparing to campaign against the measure.

“This is going to have a profound impact on Idaho,” he said, “and will basically invalidate virtually every pro-life law that the legislature has enacted over the last 30 to 40 years.”

Missouri is considering a turnabout

Whichever way the ballot measure vote goes in Missouri, it's already a state with several firsts after Roe was overturned.

It was the first state to begin enforcing a ban on abortion throughout pregnancy. And in 2024, it became the first state to use a ballot measure to roll back a ban. Even after that, though, abortion access was deeply limited by state regulations until a court ruling in June blocked enforcement of many of them.

In the state, where Republicans dominate the government, there have been legal battles surrounding the language of the constitutional amendment. The one before voters, unlike the previous ban, would allow exceptions in the cases of medical emergencies and fetal anomalies. Like the earlier one, there would be exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

Two states are considering amendments to preserve the right to abortion

Both Nevada and Virginia currently allow abortion through at least 24 weeks of pregnancy. That means amendments to preserve the right to an abortion would likely not have a major impact on access to abortion in either state.

The amendments could be factors, however, in driving voter turnout in states where both Democrats and Republicans have prevailed in statewide elections in the last five years.

Nevada voters already approved the amendment in 2024 by a nearly 2 to 1 margin. But the state constitution calls for amendments to pass in public votes twice before they take effect.

The measures could be a test for abortion-rights groups

Some groups want to see state laws that go further than Roe v. Wade did and lift restrictions on abortions throughout pregnancy.

In June, the National Abortion Federation, an organization of abortion providers, opposed “rigid legal cutoffs that ban or restrict abortion care at viability or arbitrary gestational lines.” The organization does not raise money for political campaigns, but its positions may indicate what some other groups are thinking.

In 2024, a South Dakota measure called for banning abortions during the third trimester and allowing some restrictions in the second trimester, while protecting the right to them in the first trimester. Voters rejected it.

Most national abortion-rights groups did not support it either. Since Roe was overturned, abortion rights advocates have lost four statewide votes on reproductive rights. Their side has prevailed in 14 referendums over the same period.

Melanie Folwell, executive director of Idahoans United for Women and Families, says national groups that sit out these votes are thinking narrowly.

“I would encourage them to get out of their bubbles of activism and actually begin to engage with the public on where folks are at,” she said.

The FBI’s Detroit Field Office announced it is assisting the Michigan State Police in the investigation into the infant’s death.

Officials said the newborn’s body was found June 28 inside a portable restroom at the Electric Forest Music Festival in Rothbury.

Investigators are seeking information from the public that could help identify and apprehend those responsible.

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The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual or individuals involved in the infant’s death.

Michigan State Police continue to lead the investigation with assistance from the FBI.

Officials have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death or identified any suspects.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Michigan State Police or the FBI Detroit Field Office.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed 9.6% to $83.30 after the United States and Iran each said the Strait of Hormuz is under its control. Fighting in the region has kept oil tankers from using the strait to deliver crude to customers from the Persian Gulf, which drives up fuel prices worldwide.

The gains for oil prices accelerated immediately after President Donald Trump said he’s reinstating a blockade to prevent tankers carrying Iranian oil from using the strait. He also called for 20% payments on all cargo shipped through it to reimburse the United States for providing protection in the area.

Brent’s price, though, remains well below its wartime peak of nearly $120 per barrel for its most actively traded contract.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 fell 0.8%, coming off its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 138 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%.

Chip stocks like Micron Technology helped lead the way lower. Micron fell 4.4%, eating into what had been a stellar rise of 243.1% for the year so far.

Real profits are behind the rise because the AI rush has created surging demand for computer memory and other computing building blocks. But worries are rising that stock prices have shot too high and that the demand may not be sustainable if AI doesn’t deliver as much profit and productivity as expected.

Nvidia fell 3.5%. Because it’s the largest stock on Wall Street by value thanks to the euphoria around AI, it was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500.

The day’s losses began in Asia, where South Korea’s Kospi index dropped 8.9%. That included a 15.4% plunge for SK Hynix’s stock in Seoul, the worst since it began trading in 1997.

The South Korean tech giant just launched shares of its stock trading in the United States on Friday, raising roughly $26.5 billion. Those shares jumped 13.1% in their first day of trading, but they fell 9.3% Monday.

Other areas of the AI industry held up a bit better, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s shares in Taiwan rose 1%. The chipmaker said its revenue in June soared nearly 68% from a year earlier, bringing its total revenue growth for the first half of the year to 35.6% from a year earlier.

But TSMC’s stock that trades in the United States fell 2.9% later in the day.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 60.06 points to 7,515.34. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 138.37 to 52,498.64, and the Nasdaq composite sank 408.43 to 25,873.18.

Much of Wall Street’s attention this week will be on profit reports from companies saying how much they earned during the spring. On Tuesday alone, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo are all releasing their latest quarterly results.

Analysts are forecasting that companies in the S&P 500 index will deliver overall growth of 23.6% from a year earlier, according to FactSet. If they’re right, it would be the second straight quarter of growth better than 20%.

Companies across industries will need to deliver strong growth to justify the big moves their stock prices have made. Indexes are near records despite their sharp recent swings due to worries around AI stocks.

Companies usually turn in results that top analysts’ expectations, including in 37 of the past 40 quarters, according to FactSet. If they do so again by the usual margin, earnings growth for S&P 500 companies in the latest quarter could end up being the best since 2021.

In the bond market, Treasury yields rose with the price of oil. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.61% from 4.56% late Friday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran began.

Yields have risen worldwide on worries about expensive oil and high inflation, which could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates. Higher rates can keep a lid on inflation, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for all kinds of investments.

In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly in Europe.

In Asia, the swings were sharper, beyond South Korea’s plunge. Stocks fell 2.1% in Shanghai, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.9%

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AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

The government said it is banning the group behind the attacks, the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, or IMCR, also known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.

It also banned Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which it said is a threat to national security. The move makes it illegal to support the groups. Committing sabotage on their behalf will be punishable by up to life imprisonment.

Parliament must approve the bans, which the government expects to take place by the end of the week.

Security Minister Angela Eagle said in a statement that the IMCR has claimed seven attacks in the U.K. The group had said online that it was responsible for a string of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London in recent months, including fires at synagogues and Jewish charity ambulances, as well as a Persian-language media organization critical of Iran’s government. No one was injured in the blazes.

“Sitting behind IMCR were members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, who almost certainly directed IMCR attacks across Europe,” she said. The Quds, or Jerusalem, Force is the Guard’s expeditionary unit.

Britain also imposed sanctions on the IMCR that will allow authorities to freeze any assets it has in the U.K.

The IMCR sprang up online earlier this year and has also claimed responsibility for synagogue attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Law enforcement officials and intelligence experts say Iran-backed proxy groups are behind a growing number of attacks in Europe, most targeting the Jewish community and opponents of Iran’s Islamic government.

They typically work by recruiting members of criminal groups to carry out sabotage and other attacks.

Earlier this month, two Romanian men were given prison sentences over the stabbing of a journalist from a Persian-language television station, an attack the judge said was carried out on behalf of the Iranian state.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Monday she had summoned the Iranian ambassador to “condemn Iran's malign behavior” and stress Britain's commitment to protecting the Jewish community.

A group under Russian military intelligence also designated as a threat

Authorities said Monday that Britain is also designating the GRU Volunteer Corps, a group controlled by Russia’s military intelligence agency, as a national security threat. The U.K. says the group conducts foreign intelligence collection and hostile covert operations on behalf of the GRU.

Authorities said the new measures will make it easier for police and intelligence agencies to tackle what they call “thugs for hire," or anyone supporting the proxy groups.

“We have already taken tough action against the Iranian regime and those linked to it, and against Russian operatives and networks targeting our country. These new powers will make it easier to prosecute and lock up anyone carrying out their dirty work here in Britain," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from Iran. Tehran long has denied orchestrating attacks abroad, despite such cases stretching over the decades since the 1979 revolution.

The U.K. banning the Revolutionary Guard came after it has been declared a terror group by the United States and the European Union.

Britain has resisted following suit, though it has sanctioned people it says are members and supporters of the Guard.

The bans announced Monday are not under counterterror legislation, but under a new law giving the government powers to tackle proxy organizations carrying out hostile activity on behalf of foreign states.

The aorta is our largest artery, like a highway that arches up from the heart and then curves back down through the abdomen — carrying oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body as other arteries branch off from it.

What doctors call an aortic dissection happens when a tear in its inner lining lets blood rapidly leak between its other layers, according to the American Heart Association. That reduces blood flow to vital organs, and sometimes can lead to a rupture that pours blood into surrounding tissues. It often can be caused by an aortic aneurysm, a weakened spot on the artery that can bulge like a balloon.

Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol that in turn stiffens arteries — called atherosclerosis — and smoking. It's more common in older people but also can be caused by certain genetic conditions in younger people.

A preliminary medical examiner's report shared by Graham's office said the aortic dissection was related to artery hardening.

Symptoms tend to be sudden, with severe stabbing-like pain, often in the chest or back but sometimes in the neck, jaw or abdomen depending on where in the aorta the tear happened. According to the heart association, people also may suddenly lose consciousness, have clammy or sweaty skin, experience stroke-like symptoms such as sudden weakness on one side of the body, or show signs of shock, including rapid heart rate or confusion.

Fast treatment improves the chances of survival. Depending on where the tear occurred and its extent, surgeons may try to repair it or patch the torn section of the aorta.

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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.

Watch the video above to learn about her upcoming concert on July 18 and to see Mary Wynn perform the song “Make It Personal” during her appearance on the Music Monday segment on “Live in the D.”

“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,” the 10 nations said in a statement in Paris at talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He was asking two dozen leaders for help in developing measures against Russia's missile attacks that have pummeled his country and made the rest of Europe wary of Moscow’s wider ambitions on the continent.

Zelenskyy and the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom said they recognized “the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles,” which are harder to stop than cruise missiles or drones.

“We believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralize future missile threats,” the statement said. “We recognize Ukraine’s unique experience, gained through its defense against the war of aggression waged by Russia.”

The statement gave no time frame for setting up the defense system and said the plan remained open to other countries.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine and its partners could, within the next 12 months, jointly develop a mass-produced, low-cost system with missiles that would let Europe supply itself with new antiballistic capability and provide it to others around the world who need protection.

Putin shows no sign Russia is backing down

Russian President Vladimir Putin was unyielding, vowing Monday emphatic retaliation to Kyiv's recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages.

“Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.

European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels where they discussed Ukraine’s needs and Russia’s threats to the continent.

Zelenskyy is keen to accelerate efforts with European countries to develop its air defenses ahead of winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water.

Ukrainian officials were in Paris to present a proposed Anti-Ballistic Program and meet with government leaders, national security advisers and defense companies who might take part, Zelenskyy said.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge last week to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense systems to counter the ballistic missiles could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv. However, experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into reality would probably take years. It was unclear how quickly a European system could be built.

Ukraine wants to push Putin into negotiations

Kyiv and its European backers want to press home Ukraine’s recent successes and compel Putin to negotiate an end to the fighting, although Moscow has shown no willingness to compromise despite peace efforts by the Trump administration.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will closely follow the Paris meeting but dismissed its aspirations.

“This is a coalition of warmongers,” Peskov said. “They are driven by the profound delusion that it’s possible to inflict a strategic defeat on our country, so this is a coalition of the deluded, a coalition of those who incite the war.”

Ukraine’s advances in drone technology have given it an edge recently, analysts and Western officials say. Its strikes on supply routes behind the front have robbed the Russian army of momentum and made its progress slow and costly, they say.

Ukraine says it hit 105 Russian vessels in 8 days

Ukrainian forces struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula between July 6-13, said Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

The vessels included tankers, dry cargo ships, a ferry and tugboats, Brovdi said on the Telegram messaging app.

The campaign is part of a broader Ukrainian effort to isolate the Crimean Peninsula, which is enduring its worst fuel crisis since it was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, and disrupt Russian logistics. Crimea is a key rear base for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine.

It was not possible to independently verify the claims, and Russian officials made no immediate comment.

European leaders demonstrate their commitment to Kyiv

The Paris meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, which brings together more than 30 countries and about 25 heads of state and government, appeared to be a demonstration of a long-term commitment to Ukraine and a warning to Russia, as Moscow tests Europe's resilience.

Zelenskyy’s trip to the French capital followed the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters in Washington. Lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko called Graham "the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump.”

The trip also comes amid a major reshuffle of Zelenskyy's government that saw Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko step down Sunday.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he would summon the Russian ambassador to France and impose sanctions against Russian hackers. He told BFMTV-RMC that the issue is about “a vast cyber campaign aimed at sabotage and espionage, carried out by Russia in about 10 European countries.”

Ukraine's neighbors have also felt the war's impact.

In the latest incident, a drone launched during Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine’s Odesa region crashed and exploded on Moldova’s territory, Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. It said the incident was “serious and unacceptable.”

Ukraine fires over 300 drones toward Moscow

Ukraine has aimed at targets deep inside Russia with its domestically developed long-range drones and missiles.

Russian air defenses downed 350 Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow since late Sunday, including 50 near the capital, the capital's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 81 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight, adding that three people were killed and three were injured by the attack in the Pionersky settlement in the western part of the Moscow region.

The Ukrainian air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 134 long-range strike drones and three guided aviation missiles at Ukraine.

A strike on port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa region set fire to a docked merchant vessel carrying fertilizer under the flag of Togo, killing five crew members and wounding 10, said regional military administration head Oleh Kiper.

Russia says it thwarted a major Ukraine drone operation

Russia’s Federal Security Service said it had thwarted a Ukrainian plan for a drone attack on the Ukrainka air base in the far eastern Amur region and the Shagol air base in the Chelyabinsk region in the southern Urals.

Small drones were smuggled into Russia’s Bryansk region using air balloons and bigger transport drones, then taken by car near the air bases by Ukrainian agents, who were arrested, the security service said.

A covert Ukrainian operation a year ago, dubbed Operation Spiderweb, destroyed or damaged nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet with drones carried secretly into Russia, according to Ukrainian officials.

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Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Lorne Cook in Brussels and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

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

The shooting came less than a week after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a Houston man after an altercation with agents while he was driving to work.

Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him the agent opened fire after the man “weaponized” his vehicle against ICE agents.

Authorities have released few other details about the shooting. The FBI is leading the investigation. Gov. Janet Mills said the Maine State Police are working with the state attorney general’s office, chief medical examiner’s office and federal officials to determine what happened. ICE didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Maine death follows Houston shooting

Department of Homeland Security officials said in a statement that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, ignored commands while trying to evade arrest during an enforcement operation on July 7. The department said he attempted to ram his car into an agent, who opened fire in self-defense.

Araujo's family said he was on his way to work at a construction job. He died on the way to the hospital.

The shooting drew immediate criticism from immigrant rights groups and some Democrats, who called for an independent investigation.

Video footage in several previous shootings has contradicted the accounts of federal officers. No immigration officers have been charged in those fatal encounters.

Man shot during vacation trip traffic stop

A fatal late-night traffic stop in Texas in March 2025 marked the earliest deadly shooting by federal officers during the nationwide immigration crackdown. It took almost a year for records in the fatal shooting of the 23-year-old U.S. citizen to be disclosed.

A Homeland Security Investigations team was conducting an immigration enforcement operation with local police when agents stopped Ruben Ray Martinez on his way from San Antonio to South Padre Island. Family members said he had just turned 23 and was with his best friend on his way to celebrate.

DHS officials said Martinez was told to exit the vehicle, refused and instead “intentionally ran over” an agent. Another agent fired shots through the open driver's window, striking Martinez, who died at a hospital. The HSI agent was treated for an undisclosed knee injury.

Martinez's mother said she was contacted by investigators with the Texas Rangers who told her there was video that contradicted the account given by federal agents. Federal and state authorities have declined to comment on potential discrepancies.

Nurse shot during Minneapolis protest

A Border Patrol officer shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, during a Jan. 24 protest against the Metro Surge immigration operation in Minneapolis.

Federal authorities immediately described Pretti, a U.S. citizen, as an armed agitator who was a threat to officers. But bystander video showed Pretti was on the ground and had been holding a cellphone during the interaction with officers.

The video showed an officer appearing to pull a gun from Pretti's waistband and step away before the first shot was fired by another officer, followed by more shots. Pretti had a permit to possess a firearm.

State and local officials pushed back against the federal officials' initial characterizations of Pretti, with Gov. Tim Walz calling the comments “despicable.”

Driver shot behind the wheel of an SUV

Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, was repeatedly shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Videos show she was turning the wheels of her car away from officer Jonathan Ross when he opened fire. Trump administration officials have repeatedly defended Ross, claiming his life was at risk from the moving vehicle.

Good’s death caused a firestorm across the country. The U.S. Justice Department said it wouldn’t share information on the shooting with state authorities.

State and local officials subsequently sued to try to stop the immigration sweeps. Protesters with whistles trailed officers who, in response, deployed tear gas and other chemical irritants.

Cook from Mexico shot during a traffic stop

ICE agents fatally shot Silverio Villegas González during a traffic stop Sept. 12 in suburban Chicago. Relatives said the 38-year-old line cook from Mexico had dropped off a child at daycare that morning.

At the time, DHS officials said agents were pursuing a man with a history of reckless driving who was in the country illegally. They alleged Villegas González evaded arrest and dragged an officer with his vehicle.

Homeland Security said the officer opened fire fearing for his life and was hospitalized with “serious injuries.” However, local police videos showed the agent walking around and dismissing his injuries as “nothing major.”

DHS has said the death remains under investigation.

Farmworker fell from greenhouse roof during ICE raid

Authorities were arresting dozens of farmworkers July 10 at Glass House Farms in southern California when Jaime Alanis fell from the roof of a greenhouse and broke his neck. The 57-year-old laborer from Mexico died at a hospital two days later.

Relatives said Alanis had spent a decade working at the farm in Camarillo, about an hour east of Los Angeles. Officials said he fell about 30 feet (9 meters) from the greenhouse roof.

Homeland Security said Alanis was never in custody and was not being chased by immigration authorities.

Man struck on California freeway after running from officers

A man fleeing from immigration officers outside a Home Depot store in southern California died after being hit by an SUV as he tried to cross a freeway on Aug. 14.

Police in Monrovia, northeast of Los Angeles, said ICE agents were conducting enforcement operations when the man was hit while running across the eastbound lanes of Interstate 210.

The man, identified by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network as Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez, 52, of Guatemala, died at a hospital.

Homeland Security said Montoya Valdez wasn’t being pursued by immigration authorities when he ran.

Gardener from Honduras killed on Virginia interstate

A pickup truck fatally struck Josué Castro Rivera on a highway in Norfolk, Virginia, as he tried to escape authorities during a traffic stop on Oct. 23.

Castro Rivera, 24, of Honduras, was heading to a gardening job with three passengers when ICE officers pulled over the vehicle, according to his brother, Henry Castro.

State and federal authorities said Castro Rivera ran away on foot and was hit by a pickup truck on Interstate 264.

Homeland Security said Castro Rivera’s vehicle was stopped as part of a “targeted, intelligence-based” operation and that Castro Rivera had “resisted heavily and fled.”

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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, and Lauer reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; Leah Willingham in Boston and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed.

Give Merit Co-Founder and Executive Director, Kuhu Saha, along with graduate Martz Rich, shared how the event inspires students as they prepare for what’s next.

Watch the segment above to learn more!

We also discussed how disruptive behavior from children can affect everyone else’s dining experience and whether families should be asked to leave if the behavior continues.

Watch the segment above to see more!

Recoup and Recover, an outpatient behavioral health clinic in Wyandotte, has built its model around that reality. The facility offers medication-assisted treatment, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization, and therapy services designed to meet patients where they are - without requiring them to leave their families or responsibilities behind.

“A lot of people have children. They can’t leave. They have pets at home that they can’t leave,” said Safaa Elmessiri, Behavioral Health Program Coordinator at Recoup and Recover. “Intensive outpatient is a great option, and partial hospitalization is even better for someone who’s ready for treatment - the most extensive therapy.”

The clinic’s partial hospitalization program runs five days a week and represents its highest level of outpatient care. Intensive outpatient typically involves three days a week of four-hour sessions. Both differ sharply from once-a-week traditional therapy.

Central to the clinic’s approach is treating substance use disorder and mental health conditions simultaneously. Elmessiri said the two are almost always linked.

“We really get to the root of the problem, and that’s what we need - what people in recovery need - to understand exactly what’s going on with them so they can have a solid foundation of the recovery process,” she said.

That means exploring co-occurring disorders, examining why substances are being used, and building coping skills that address the underlying causes rather than the symptoms alone.

Elmessiri said the clinic identified a need in the downriver area before opening. “We did a lot of research and we see a gap in certain areas, and we just wanted to fill that gap of services for the individuals who are struggling,” she said.

For anyone on the fence about seeking help, Elmessiri offered a simple message: don’t wait for certainty.

“If you think, ‘I have a problem,’ and you don’t know if you should reach out or not, just reach out - because you never know. A conversation is all it takes,” she said.

She added that the ongoing addiction crisis makes their work urgent. “Recovery is possible, and we are here for whoever’s struggling. You know, you’re not alone.”

Recoup and Recover is also offering a scholarship for one individual to receive services at no cost. Those interested can submit their story at recouprecover.com.

For appointments, call 734-570-2900.

In 2023, Neill disclosed he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He died on Monday in Sydney, according to a statement posted to the actor’s social media page.

His death was “sudden and unexpected,” the statement said, adding that he “remained cancer free” when he died. A cause of death wasn’t specified. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” his family wrote.

Tributes were paid by fellow actors and directors, including Steven Spielberg, who helmed the first “Jurassic Park” movie.

“I adored making all the ‘Jurassic’ movies with him. Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world,” Spielberg said in a statement.

Actor Sharon Lawrence wrote on Instagram: “Condolences and appreciation for the immense joy and mastery Sam Neill brought our industry."

Actor came to world's notice with ‘Dead Calm’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’

Neill was one of a host of actors and directors who achieved international fame after an explosion of Australian films that began in the late 1970s, along with Paul Hogan, Mel Gibson, Geoffrey Rush, Russell Crowe, Jane Campion, Peter Weir and Gillian Armstrong. His range was remarkable, playing opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the Alan Ayckbourn comedy “Sweet Revenge” to chopping off Hunter’s finger in “The Piano” to poking his own eyes out in the sci-fi horror “Event Horizon.”

He portrayed both saintly and sinner: In “Omen III: The Final Conflict,” he played Damien the Antichrist, and he also played Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in “The Tudors.”

The actor first came to the attention of international audiences in Armstrong’s 1979 film “My Brilliant Career,” which also introduced Judy Davis. He later appeared in Phillip Noyce’s “Dead Calm,” a classy thriller set at sea and co-starring the then-relatively unknown Nicole Kidman.

Neill twice co-starred with Meryl Streep, in Australian director Fred Schepisi’s “Plenty” and — again for Schepisi — in “A Cry in the Dark,” a film about the sensationalized aftermath of a dingo killing a baby in the Australian Outback.

He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the title role of the 1998 miniseries “Merlin” and another as narrator of 2017’s “Wild New Zealand.” Neill also earned three Golden Globe nods — for “Merlin,” “One Against the Wind” and “Reilly: Ace of Spies.”

Richard E. Grant, a longtime friend who co-starred with Neill in 2019’s “Palm Beach,” described him in a post on Instagram as “an officer and a gentleman in the truest sense.” Grant said Neill had “guided and helped me through a very difficult time in my life.”

‘Jurassic Park’ was his best-known film

Perhaps Neill achieved his highest level of fame in “Jurassic Park,” playing paleontologist Alan Grant, who is summoned to an island off Costa Rica where a theme park has been built to house herds of cloned dinosaurs.

His character was thoughtful and reasonable, a scientist who warned the mastermind of the theme park before the chaos: “Dinosaurs and man, two species separated by 65 million years of evolution have just been suddenly thrown back into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea what to expect?”

Grant survived the harrowing events when the creatures get loose, but didn’t return for “The Lost World: Jurassic Park II” in 1997. He came back for the third episode in 2001 and “Jurassic World: Dominion” in 2022.

“It’s probably a little late to learn these things,” he told the New York Daily News in 2001, “but I finally feel I’ve worked out how to be an action hero. I’m happier with Grant this time. He’s gnarly and grizzled, but he looks like he knows what he’s doing.”

Early life in Northern Ireland and New Zealand

Born in 1947 in Northern Ireland, Neill emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 7. He was born Nigel Neill, but told interviewers he started to go by Sam because there were too many Nigels at his school.

His family settled in Dunedin on the South Island and he was sent to boarding school in Christchurch. After college, he took the lead in “Sleeping Dogs” in 1977, the first feature made in New Zealand in more than a decade.

Neill’s other film roles included playing a Soviet submarine officer who memorably dreams of a home in Montana in “The Hunt for Red October” and an investigator in director John Carpenter’s “In the Mouth of Madness.”

On the small screen, Neill played the malign Chester Campbell in TV’s “Peaky Blinders” and Thomas Jefferson in the four-hour CBS miniseries, “Sally Hemings: an American Tragedy.” On Apple TV+, he was on “Invasion,” playing Oklahoma Sheriff John Bell Tyson, a man late in his career searching for his purpose. In 2024, he starred opposite Annette Bening in the Peacock series “Apples Never Fall.”

Beloved in New Zealand as an unassuming celebrity

The actor became known in New Zealand as a modest and unassuming person who didn't embrace celebrity. On social media, he often posted images of his farm animals, many of them affectionately named after celebrities and friends, like Laura Dern the chicken, Kylie Minogue the duck and Helena Bonham Carter the cow.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon mourned Neill as “one of the greats” in a statement posted to social media.

“He started out when there was barely a film industry to speak of,” Luxon wrote. “For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today.”

Neill was also a vintner and under his Two Paddocks brand, he produced pinot noir and riesling wines from his winery in the Central Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island.

His memoir “Did I Ever Tell You This?” came out in March 2023 and he was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his “outstanding contribution to film,” a title approved by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” Neill told The Guardian in 2023, referring to his cancer diagnosis and treatment. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends.”

He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.

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Kennedy reported from New York.

The Buffalo Bills' franchise player was voted the NFL’s top quarterback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

The 2024 AP NFL Most Valuable Player beat out Patrick Mahomes, who earned the top spot each of the three previous seasons.

Allen received five first-place votes from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five quarterbacks entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Allen appeared on all eight ballots and also got one second-place vote, one third and one fourth.

Mahomes finished second just ahead of reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. Lamar Jackson came in fourth and Joe Burrow was fifth.

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen followed up his MVP season with another excellent campaign in 2025, but the Bills had their streak of five straight AFC East titles ended by New England and were knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round against Denver, costing coach Sean McDermott his job.

Allen threw for 3,668 yards, 25 TDs and had 10 picks for a 102.2 passer rating. He ran for 579 yards and 14 scores, making his fourth Pro Bowl and finishing third in MVP voting.

Allen and the Bills are still seeking their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1993 season despite seven straight playoff appearances.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes finished his worst season in the NFL on the sideline after suffering a torn ACL in Week 15. The Chiefs were 6-8 with Mahomes and lost all three games without him.

Still, the three-time Super Bowl MVP — a unanimous choice for No. 1 in this survey in 2023 and 2024 — commands enough respect to earn two first-place votes and finished second behind Allen. He had 3,587 yards passing for 22 TDs with 11 picks before going down with his first significant injury in the NFL. Mahomes is aiming to be ready for Week 1 as Kansas City tries to rebound from its first losing season under Andy Reid.

3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Stafford earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career, and beat out Drake Maye for his first NFL MVP award last season.

He got one first-place vote, two seconds and appeared on all eight ballots in this year's preseason survey. The Rams went 14-6, including a pair of playoff victories and a loss to Seattle in the conference championship.

Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards passing and 46 TDs. He threw eight picks and finished second to Maye with a 109.2 passer rating.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Jackson, a three-time All-Pro and two-time NFL MVP, had his first losing season as a starter, going 6-7, and the Baltimore Ravens missed the playoffs.

Jackson threw for 2,549 yards, 21 TDs and seven picks, posting a 103.8 passer rating. Jackson had a career-low 349 yards rushing and two scores.

Jackson got two third-place votes and appeared on six ballots.

5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow played only eight games last season because of a toe injury, leading the Bengals to a 5-3 record. It was the third time he played 10 or fewer games due to injuries.

Burrow bounced back the following season to win the AP Comeback Player of the Year award the previous two times.

The three-time Pro Bowl QB threw for 1,809 yards, 17 TDs and five picks with a passer rating of 100.7. Burrow appeared on five ballots with one third-place vote.

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

Thunder Over Michigan returns with a theme tied to America’s 250th anniversary - and a roster of performers that reflects the occasion. The centerpiece is the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, the British aerobatic team making a rare stateside appearance. The nine-jet formation act hasn’t performed in the United States since 2019 and is only touching down at five shows nationwide.

“They came all the way over to the United States just performing five shows in America this year in honor of America 250,” said Jordan Hanhilammi of the Thunder Over Michigan marketing team. “They haven’t been here since 2019, and so this is one of only five shows that they’re performing at, and it’s going to be really, really cool.”

Hanhilammi, who has worked in the air show industry for years, said he has never personally seen the Red Arrows perform - until now.

Joining the Red Arrows on the bill is a USAF F-16 demonstration jet painted in special red, white, and blue livery for the anniversary. But perhaps the most historically significant aircraft on the flight line won’t be moving nearly as fast.

“The Privateer is an aircraft of World War II, and this is literally the only one that’s flying in the entire world that’s going to be at the event,” Hanhilammi said.

Michigan’s own role in aviation history is part of the show’s DNA this year, he added. “Michigan is an instrumental part of that and has a really exciting, rich history tied with aviation,” Hanhilammi said. “Bringing that aviation life to life at the show is going to be a really exciting segment.”

The event isn’t limited to what’s happening overhead. Gates open at 3 p.m. daily, with flying beginning around 6 p.m. and programming running until 10 p.m. On the ground, attendees can browse aircraft up close, interact with pilots, and explore a Meijer-sponsored Adventure Zone featuring STEAM exhibits for children.

Performers are also accessible after their flights. “People that come to the show have the chance to meet them,” Hanhilammi said. “These folks, they perform these incredible performances in the sky, and then they come out, and they meet fans, and they sign autographs, they do pictures. They’re there for the fans, and it’s really exciting.”

A smoke-and-thunder jet truck and evening pyrotechnics round out the ground-level entertainment. “It’s as photogenic an event as you can go to, for sure,” Hanhilammi said.

Proceeds benefit the Michigan Flight Museum, based at Willow Run Airport. “The proceeds from tickets and stuff, they go back into the museum, which just celebrates aviation history, has all kinds of ever-evolving exhibits and things going on there year-round,” Hanhilammi said.

Tickets and more information are available at thunderovermichigan.org.

Perhaps even more astonishing? He has only two PGA Tour victories since. He has played in the final group at a major only once.

What hasn't changed is his optimism that he can get back to his best golf, now matter how far away that looks for a player who is No. 51 in the world, who has not been to the Tour Championship the past two years, who has not been in the conversation at a major in five years.

“If you give up on reaching your ceiling, then I don't see a point in playing anymore,” Spieth said Monday. “So for me it's always about I'll do everything I can to be trying to be at the very best in the world, because I know that I can be. I have been. It's nice to have the blueprint.”

The blueprint was nearly a decade ago — the pursuit of the calendar Grand Slam that ended with a bogey on the 17th hole at St. Andrews in 2015, his British Open title two years later, and playing in the final group at Carnoustie in 2018 as he tried to keep possession of the claret jug.

He feels he is on the right track and keeps getting a bad hand. The analogy he used earlier this year was having a bad shoe at the blackjack table, staying put because as soon as he walks away, fortunes surely will turn.

He's still at the table.

“I'm quite frustrated with the results considering I know where my game is at,” Spieth said. "It’s better than it was four or five years ago when I got back to top 10 in the world. It’s without a doubt better than it was then. It’s just not quite showing up in results.

“At the same time, it’s a stay-the-course mentality,” he said. “Sometimes you get rewarded right away, like I did back then maybe in a bit of a lucky fashion, and I understand that sometimes it’s delayed. And that’s how it feels like it is right now. ... So I'm just waiting for that opportunity.”

The return to Royal Birkdale at least allows him to remember how it felt to walk up to the 18th green with victory secure, sitting on the edge of a pot bunker with the claret jug as dozens of photographers captured the image of a 23-year-old often referred to then as “Golden Child.”

What he can't relive is the finish. He lost the lead on the 13th hole even though his bogey felt like stealing a shot — he took a penalty drop from a dune covered in high grass, hit a blind shot from the driving range and limited the damage with a chip-and-putt for bogey, just like always.

Then came the 6-iron he nearly holed on the par-3 14th and the 50-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th hole — “Go get that,” he famously said to caddie Michael Greller — and two more birdies.

“Maybe the best shot and best putt I've ever hit don't exist anymore,” Spieth said with a smile.

The par-3 14th is gone now. The R&A instead wanted the 15th hole to play as No. 14, and it built a new par-3 15th that measures 241 yards and has yet to get many positive reviews.

“Undecided,” Rory McIlroy said last week.

“As is always the case in par 3s, you have to wait until a tournament plays to see how the par 3 plays,” Tommy Fleetwood said on Monday.

Perhaps the biggest change for Spieth are the conditions. It was wet and green and lush in 2017, the wind coming out of the opposite direction. Now it is mostly yellow, brittle and firm, and much of England is coping with a heat wave.

Players were in shorts for the Monday practice round, which followed a “Last Chance Qualifier” that Joe Dean of England won with a 68 to secure his spot in the field.

“It’s going to play quite different than the last time we were here,” Spieth said. “We’ve had an opposite wind, too, the last couple days. ... Holes that are close to being drivable become mid- to long irons, and just with the wind switch, the difference into and down are so dramatic over here that picking a strategy is going to be key.”

A change of scenery might not be the worse thing for Spieth. He arrived over the weekend and relived some of those shots in the closing stretch, at least on the holes still there. But at this stage in his career, it's more about looking forward.

“I'm always comparing myself a bit to myself at my best, but not to try to be the exact player, just more so that I know that I can do it," Spieth said. “I know my ceiling is where that level was, and so I’m going to strive for it with the type of player that I am now.”

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

Looking on from the stands alongside his father, Eastern Michigan women’s golf coach Josh Brewer had a moment of inspiration.

“It can really happen at a place that’s kind of a doormat,” he said.

Brewer, 1998 IU alum and college golfer himself, went on to coach 12 seasons at the University of Georgia. But it’s at Eastern Michigan—by Brewer’s admission, a doormat in the women’s game—where his team has authored its own unlikely title-contending story.

Ranked 226th in Division I when Brewer took over as coach two years ago, Eastern Michigan did what seemed impossible: make the national match play semifinals in May despite having never previously qualified for an NCAA Tournament at all.

“I’m scared to death, like I’m in some coma in a hospital somewhere and this entire year did not happen,” Brewer said with a smile. “It’s just been a magical year and a magical journey here at Eastern.”

The Eagles’ run to a MAC Championship, through powerhouse Texas in the quarterfinals, ultimately meeting and falling to powerhouse Stanford, prompted two reactions:

Wow…and…how?

Their turnaround begins with a vision and a bankroll emblematic of the modern era in college athletics.

After being let go at Georgia in 2024, Brewer needed some convincing success was achievable at EMU.

“I was literally laying on the guest bed doing the Zoom. That’s how much interest I had [in taking the job],” Brewer recalled of his hiring process in 2024. “Keith [Stone] at GameAbove probably doesn’t want to hear that. The one thing I took from the whole thing: he said, ‘I want you to think different if you take this job.’ And I go, ‘okay, I get a schedule and he goes, ‘no. I want you to think different.’ I saw the lake, saw the golf course, and I’m like, ‘oh…we might have something here.’”

Eagle Crest Golf Club, their home course overlooking Ford Lake, might be the only thing that hasn’t changed since Brewer took over two years ago.

GameAbove, an investing organization chaired by alumnus Keith Stone, has gone above and beyond to give both the men’s and women’s golf teams a facelift.

The group gifted $8 million for a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility which opened just prior to Brewer’s arrival in May 2024. An additional $6.5 million was pledged to coincide with the head coach’s hiring.

“Schools are constantly flying, flying private, staying in all these luxury hotels, playing in these big events,” Brewer explained. “GameAbove helped us get to that level, just being able to compete equally.”

As is becoming standard in high-level athletics, Eastern Michigan hired a golf general manager, Dan McLean.

“Michigan or Alabama, obviously their number one is football,” Jordan Young, Director of Golf Operations at GameAbove said. “At Eastern Michigan, we chose golf to be number one.”

Of the $35 million GameAbove has pledged across the board to EMU Athletics since 2019, Young estimates nearly $20 million has been directed towards the golf teams.

“We wanted to get into the game as far as being competitive and NIL is one way we were able to do that,” Young continued. “Now let’s be honest. How many people want to play golf at Eastern Michigan? It’s in Michigan.”

Now? More players are enticed to commit from more places on the map.

Two seasons ago, all but two athletes hailed from within 215 miles of campus in Ypsilanti. This year, only three were Americans and two were twins.

Eastern built a competitive roster by luring top 200 amateurs Janae and Jasmine Leovao from Long Beach State. They added Thailand’s Baiyok Sukterm, the top ranked NAIA player from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Brewer also brought Belgium’s Savannah de Bock along when he was fired at the University of Georgia.

Jarring to outsiders—or those used to business as usual at a middling mid-major—Brewer argues the team’s approach mirrors other competitors.

“Oregon is fortunate to have (Nike co-founder) Phil Knight. I think Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU, and Texas A&M are all fortunate to have billionaire oil men,” Brewer said. “Every university or athletic department has someone who has funded it. We just catch a little more grief about it because we’re Eastern Michigan and not the University of Michigan. If it was the University Michigan, no one would say a word about it, but they’re scared this little upstart might not be going away.”

During their Cinderella run through the NCAA field, the Eagles were met with newfound scrutiny and accusations. Some folks, ranging from national sports talk radio pundits to anonymous social media commenters, ran with a notion the Leovao twins did not attend the school at all.

Janae and Jasmine hail from Oceanside, California. According to Brewer and Young, both players took online courses in the spring and sometimes traveled separately to four events in their home state, but they spent fall in Ypsilanti and walked at graduation.

“The team actually trained in California and competed in California almost as many as eight weeks,” Young said. “Everything we ever did, we knew people were watching over us and we had to make sure everything was under compliance rules.”

“We only had, I think it was 24 or 25 days of classes before March 9th this year and they were in class for 15 of them,” Brewer added. “And you know what they were doing the other days? We were traveling as a team. It’s funny. I should shut it down. It’s kind of made me mad now because it’s a discredit to them for how hard they work.”

For a school with just six top five finishes in any Division I sport since 1940, the investment and execution which led to this season’s result is almost unbelievable.

By all accounts, it is legitimate.

But is it repeatable? Has Eastern Michigan found the blueprint to level the playing field in the modern era of college sports?

“I feel like we have a pretty good idea, but it’s also you’ve got to be humble,” Brewer said. “The transfer portal opened 48 hours after the national championship. There are plenty of kids and families in there that reminded me of Eastern Michigan and where we’re at. Such disrespect. So yeah, I carry a chip on my shoulder every damn day.”With the regional trophy over his shoulder, Brewer grinned again.

“They don’t want to see us at the national championship, I promise.”

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and two New York Yankees, first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Cody Bellinger, gained American League starting spots because of injuries.

Rice, third in the major leagues with 29 home runs behind Schwarber (32) and the Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (31), starts at first because Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is skipping the game to rest a bad back. Guerrero's initial replacement, the Athletics' Nick Kurtz, sprained a thumb.

Bellinger replaced Yankees teammate Aaron Judge, who hasn't played since May 31 because of a fractured rib. Greene took over from Minnesota Twins outfielder Bryon Buxton, sidelined by a hip injury. Bellinger will be in right and Greene in left.

Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez and Toronto right-hander Dylan Cease were announced as starting pitchers on Sunday.

Even without Ohtani, NL manager Dave Roberts of the two-time champion Dodgers has three of his players in the starting lineup along with two Phillies and two Braves.

New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto bats second, followed by Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, Washington shortstop CJ Abrams, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies, Phillies right fielder Brandon Marsh, Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin.

AL manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays has Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout leading off, followed by Alvarez at designated hitter, Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Bellinger, Rice, Green, Rice and Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement.

Sánchez will be the 14th pitcher to start an All-Star Game in his home ballpark, the first since the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw in 2022. He will be the Phillies' first All-Star starting pitcher since Roy Halladay in 2011.

Cease will be the Blue Jays' first All-Star starting pitcher since Halladay in 2009.

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

How much of the money will be delivered, and when reconstruction of Gaza can begin, is unclear. The ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group that took effect in October is effectively stalled.

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica announced the fund after a meeting in Brussels of the Palestine Donors Group, which includes EU and Middle East nations along with international organizations and financial institutions.

“The ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, and the situation on the ground for civilians is not getting better," Šuica said. She said the money will move through “trusted partners" but didn't give details.

Few places in the Palestinian territory of over 2 million people have been left unscathed, and the United Nations, World Bank and EU estimate that reconstruction will cost $70 billion.

The U.N. has said Gaza has more than 60 million tons of rubble, enough to fill nearly 3,000 container ships. It will take over seven years to clear, with additional time for demining.

The meeting also brought together Nickolay Mladenov, the head of the Board of Peace set up by U.S. President Donald Trump to lead Gaza's reconstruction; Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner; Ali Shaath, the head of the new Palestinian committee meant to administer Gaza’s daily affairs but still unable to enter; and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.

Mladenov has made clear that the next steps in implementing the ceasefire are stalled over the difficult issue of disarming Hamas militants in Gaza.

“We are investing not only in the Palestinian future but also in the regional stability, shared security and just and lasting peace for everyone together,” Mustafa said, calling for “a resilient, sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state" — something Israel's current government has opposed.

The Palestinian Authority seeks a role in Gaza’s reconstruction, but the U.S. 20-point plan only makes a reference to the possibility of a future Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, EU ministers discuss the West Bank

Separately, top diplomats from the 27-nation EU debated how to respond to increased Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

The bloc's executive, the European Commission, has tabled options including cutting off trade with Israeli settlements in the territory.

Nations like Ireland and Spain are calling for forceful action. The Czech Republic, Germany and others alongside the commission are more cautious, seeking to apply incremental pressure. Some nations have signaled they would veto sanctions.

Do sanctions “have a meaningful impact or not? What role could they play as a political message, and would this be escalatory in a wrong direction?” said Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the European Council's legal service had found that severing trade ties with Israeli settlements in the West Bank — not technically sanctions — would require a majority vote and not total unanimity from bloc members.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said a clear majority in the EU agrees on severing commercial ties with the settlements. He dismissed arguments that tough action would boost Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances in an election in October: “I hope that now it’s time for decisions.”

U.S. Rep. John James, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Perry Johnson, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and Mike Cox are running for governor.

Swanson and Benson are running as Democrats, while James, Johnson and Cox are running as Republicans.

Current Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited and cannot run again.

Local 4’s Ty Steele sat down with the five candidates on the ballot for Michigan’s next governor in the upcoming primary election and asked them a series of questions that voters are most concerned about, including education, affordability, economic growth, public safety and data centers.

Michigan’s primary election is on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

You can watch the full interviews below:

Jocelyn Benson (D)

Mike Cox (R)

John James (R)

Perry Johnson (R)

Chris Swanson (D)

The heat dome is already impacting areas to the west of us. Check out the difference in today’s forecasted temperatures for areas near Montana and North Dakota verses closer to Georgia and Florida.

High temperatures here in Metro Detroit this afternoon will be above normal, in the low 90s, under mostly sunny skies.

We won’t see much relief from a breeze, as winds will be westerly only around 5-10 mph. Winds will stay light tonight with overnight low temperatures mainly in the low 70s.

Tomorrow looks to be the hottest day of the week with highs near 100°. With additional humidity, heat index values will be near 105° at times. For this reason, from noon until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday all of Southeast Michigan will be under a Heat Advisory.

It’s not just us - multiple states will be under some sort of heat advisory or warning this week. Approximately 90 million people across the country will be impacted by the heat.

Temperatures overnight Tuesday only drop to the mid 70s. We’ll have another sun-filled day Wednesday with highs in the mid 90s. Highs Thursday will be in the lower 90s.

In heat like this, remember to stay hydrated, take breaks in the shade or air conditioning if working outdoors, check on those who are sensitive to the heat, and don’t leave your kids or pets in a vehicle.

We’ll finish out the workweek with partly cloudy skies and highs near 90°, bringing the next chance of rain in Friday night.

Chances of rain linger this weekend with afternoon temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.

“Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please God!” McGregor wrote on Instagram on Monday.

McGregor’s first fight in five years lasted only 1 minute, 9 seconds because of a knee injury sustained while attempting an opening roundhouse kick on Saturday.

McGregor’s return to the octagon was highly anticipated but ended in disappointment when he awkwardly landed on his right knee in the opening seconds. McGregor went to the mat two more times in failed attempts to continue before the scheduled five-round match was halted by the referee.

On Sunday, McGregor's manager, John Kavanagh, said his client did not have a previous knee injury.

“That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warmup. Never an issue,” Kavanagh wrote on Facebook. “Knee went when he (threw) the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this.”

Following the fight, McGregor also said he had no previous injury.

“I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight,” McGregor said on X. “I had no injury / injuries going into the fight."

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

Peters, who will retire this year after serving in the Senate for 12 years, announced the endorsement on Monday, stating that Stevens will be “ready on day one to fight for Michigan.”

The endorsement marks a reversal for Peters, who told The Associated Press in late May that he intended to stay neutral in the race.

Roxie Richner, a spokesperson for El-Sayed’s campaign, called the endorsement “expected” but “disappointing to watch Sen. Peters succumb to the Stevens’ campaign’s desperation after committing to let the voters decide.”

“This is the establishment backing the establishment,” Richner said in a statement issued by the campaign on Monday. “Ultimately his entry emphasizes the stakes of the race, it’s the politics of the past vs. the politics of the future, the politics of corporate power vs. the politics of worker power, the politics of cynicism vs. the politics of hope. Nothing says change like the last two senators trying to pick the next one.”

Democratic leaders have increasingly rallied behind Stevens as the Aug. 4 primary approaches — especially after Michigan Democrat Mallory McMorrow opted to exit the race, abruptly reshaping the Democrats’ upcoming primary into a two-person contest between Stevens and El-Sayed.

Stevens, a four-term House member, has campaigned as a more moderate Democrat focused on manufacturing issues in the critical battleground state. El-Sayed, a former public health official who has never held elected office, is running on a more progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He’s also been outspoken about the war in Gaza, which has become a major fault line within the Democratic party.

Peters won two Senate races in Michigan and led Senate Democrats’ campaign arm during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.

His endorsement adds to Stevens’ growing support from the Democratic establishment, with the race being viewed nationally as a broader fight over the party’s direction.

“Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense,” Stevens said in a statement. “I am honored to have his support.”

The Democratic winner will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former member of the U.S. House running uncontested for his party’s nomination, in what is expected to be one of the country’s most expensive and closely watched Senate races.

Police said the baby, believed to be less than four weeks old, was found on June 28 near the camping area at the Electric Forest Music Festival in Rothbury, according to police. The body was found by an employee of the portable restroom vendor during routine maintenance.

Michigan State Police has been investigating the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.

On July 13, police said the FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Michigan State Police said that while they are not able to provide many details into the investigation, they can confirm that preliminary autopsy findings determined that the infant was viable and was born alive.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Michigan State Police by calling 1-855-MICHTIP. You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

The series of executions, due to be carried out by the end of this month, highlights the nation’s aging death-row population. One of Florida's prisoners scheduled to die in July, a man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 1986, is 80 years old and would be only the second known octogenarian to be executed in the U.S.

For some, it renews questions about the humanity of administering capital punishment to inmates who might soon die from natural causes. For others, it illustrates how lengthy appeals designed to ensure constitutional protections and prevent innocent people from being executed can also delay justice.

“Is this intentional, as though to say, we’re not going to let a natural death help you escape executions?” asked the Rev. Dustin Feddon, a Catholic priest who has been ministering to Florida death row inmates since 2013. Noting the church's opposition to capital punishment, he added: "To execute those that are the most frail and elderly is even more cruel and unusual.”

Marilyn Gifford, whose sister's killer is set to die Tuesday, doesn't see it that way.

“I’m just happy it’s ever happening in our lifetime,” she said. “I wish my mother was alive to see it.”

Death warrants follow decades on death row

On June 25, Dusty Ray Spencer, who was convicted of fatally stabbing his wife in 1992, became the oldest person executed in Florida in modern history. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the 74-year-old's appeal that his liver disease rendered him susceptible to excruciating pain from lethal injection.

Dennis Sochor, convicted of killing 18-year-old Patricia Gifford just hours into 1982 after meeting her at a New Year’s Eve party, would be just a week older if his execution is carried out on Tuesday. Marilyn Gifford said she and her family plan to be there.

Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, has spent nearly four decades on death row after being sentenced in the murders of his ex-girlfriend's parents. He is scheduled to die July 28 and would become the second oldest prisoner known to be put to death in the U.S., after 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. Moody was executed in Alabama in 2018 for killing a federal judge and a Black civil rights attorney.

There are three inmates older than Occhicone on Florida’s death row.

The scheduling of executions is up to the governor

It's unclear why Florida set the executions for the three prisoners consecutively. Maria DeLiberato, legal director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, noted that in Florida, the governor has practically sole discretion when it comes to the scheduling of executions. In many other death penalty states, the scheduling is up to the courts.

About half of Florida’s 242 death row inmates have exhausted their appeals and could see their death warrant issued at any time. The family of Michael Sheridan spent a year calling and writing to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, requesting he sign a death warrant, before Sheridan's killer was executed earlier this year.

DeSantis' office did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment. He oversaw a record 19 executions in 2025, more in a single year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The state has executed nine inmates so far this year.

DeSantis said last year his goal is to bring justice to victims’ families who have waited for decades.

“Some of these crimes were committed in the ’80s,” the governor said last year. “Justice delayed is justice denied."

Death row gets older

The average age of inmates executed in the U.S. has crept up from the 30s to the 50s over the past half-century, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. While some inmates committed capital offenses later in life, lengthy appeals and mandatory reviews have resulted in many spending decades on death row, sometimes developing medical conditions that can complicate efforts to execute them.

Occhicone has several age-related ailments, including kidney and prostate problems, according to his attorneys. He needs help getting in and out of the shower, they noted.

Under Supreme Court precedent, those who were under 18 when they committed their crimes cannot be put to death. But advanced age alone doesn't provide a legal case for avoiding execution, said Gerod Hooper, an attorney with Florida’s Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, a state agency that provides post-conviction legal representation.

“You’d have to say it’s unconstitutional to execute this 80-year-old because he’s mentally deficient, he doesn’t have capacity to be executed," Hooper said. "Or because of some underlying medical condition, the drug cocktail they inject would cause undue pain and suffering.”

Death row inmates with dementia in Utah and Alabama have avoided execution and later died of apparent natural causes. An inmate in Idaho received at least one stay of execution because of cancer and other health problems, but state officials continue to push for his death.

‘He could live another 20 years’

At the time of Gifford’s disappearance, Sochor was free on probation from a 1980 rape conviction.

“I knew him as a child, and he was a bully,” said Frank Frandel, who grew up as a family friend in Portland, Michigan. “I could believe he could be violent like that.”

Frandel offered no sympathy for Sochor's advanced age, pointing out that Sochor’s father will turn 99 this year.

“He could live another 20 years,” Frandel said. “So no, I don’t feel sorry for him being at that age.”