More people have favorable views of China than the U.S. in 25 out of the 36 countries and territories that were surveyed, including Canada and Mexico. The poll was conducted from February to May, a period when the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.

In only six countries do people still see the U.S. more positively than China, according to the findings released Wednesday.

Views in 22 out of the 36 countries and territories also are more favorable of Chinese leader Xi Jinping than U.S. President Donald Trump, including in Canada, Mexico and major European powers including France, Germany and the U.K. However, people in many of the countries have low confidence in both men.

It marks the first time in the roughly 20 years Pew has been tracking global opinions that China has been viewed more positively than the U.S., said Laura Silver, associate director of Pew's Global Attitudes Research and one of the researchers on the study. Views of Beijing and Washington have been very similar at some points in the past but have not been significantly more favorable for China until now, she said.

The shift follows the COVID-19 pandemic becoming a distant issue and as global views of the U.S. have soured, Silver said.

“There was just an actual relationship between the outbreak of the war and the sense that the U.S. is just not contributing to peace and stability and that people have less confidence in Donald Trump," she said.

Trump's demands to control Greenland, the American military raid that captured Venezuela's then-leader Nicolás Maduro, and the U.S. handling of the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza also have led to low approval in many countries, Silver said.

“The U.S. has done a lot in terms of global engagement in recent months to years that is not being perceived positively internationally,” she said.

Aside from benefiting from the fading memory of the pandemic, China appears to have gained from comparison with the U.S., Silver said.

“By comparison, we know that China is seen to be a more reliable partner in many places. It’s more likely to be seen to contribute to global peace and stability,” the researcher said.

Olivia Wales, a White House spokesperson, said, “President Trump has done more for global stability than anyone else,” listing Trump's achievements as having “obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities” and “eliminated hundreds of narcoterrorists.”

“President Trump is the leader of the free world, and thanks to his bold leadership the United States of America has never been stronger," Wales said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington said the latest poll “demonstrates that China’s governance achievements and development progress are widely recognized.”

Notably, those in some U.S. allied countries have drastically shifted their views in recent years, such as Canada. In the new survey, only 33% of Canadians have positive views of the U.S., down from 57% in 2023. Over the same period, their favorable opinions of China rose from 14% to 44%.

Trump slapped a barrage of tariffs on Canadian goods last year, and even claimed that Canada could be the “the 51st state.”

Major European countries — including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Italy — all have switched their opinions toward the world's two largest economies.

People in the U.K., where about 6 in 10 held positive views of the U.S. in 2023, now view China and the U.S. similarly. Three years ago, the spread was 32 percentage points in Washington's favor.

Of the six countries where people have more favorable views of the U.S., Israel leads the way. About 8 in 10 Israelis view the U.S. positively, compared with 19% for China.

The other five countries are Japan, India, South Korea, the Philippines and Poland. Still, even their views of the U.S. have dimmed over recent years.

The U.S. is still ahead of China when it comes to government respect for personal freedoms, though the gap is shrinking, the Pew report says.

While China's standing has improved somewhat, the narrowed divide is “driven largely by the fact that people in nearly every country surveyed have become less likely to say the U.S. government respects its people’s personal freedoms” since 2021, when Pew last asked the question.

For the new study, Pew surveyed more than 42,000 people across 35 countries plus the West Bank and east Jerusalem, with margins of error ranging from 2.3 to 5.5 percentage points depending on the country.

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Associated Press journalists Linley Sanders, Emily Swanson and Kevin S. Vineys contributed to this report.

Ruemmler in her opening remarks told members of the House Oversight Committee that “it was a mistake to deal with” Epstein, but she insisted she never witnessed criminal activity. She said Epstein “used me and other respectable people to legitimize his standing.”

Democrats emerged from questioning Ruemmler saying she was not being forthcoming about her ties to Epstein.

“It is difficult to see how she’s being completely truthful in there with the answers she’s given the committee,” Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, told reporters.

Jennifer Connelly, a spokeswoman for Ruemmler, said in response that Ruemmler had "testified openly and truthfully for six hours and answered every question the committee asked.”

Ruemmler is the latest prominent figure called before the House Oversight Committee as lawmakers investigate the network of powerful people connected with Epstein. The bipartisan inquiry has already included testimony from more than a dozen high-profile witnesses, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former President Bill Clinton, as lawmakers examine how Epstein's wealth and influence may have helped shield him from scrutiny.

Ruemmler served as White House counsel under Obama from 2011 to 2014 and was briefly considered for attorney general. She served as Goldman Sachs’ general counsel for six years before announcing in February that she would step down amid backlash over her correspondence with Epstein. Although she said she would step down on June 30, she remains employed by Goldman Sachs.

Lawmakers have focused on Ruemmler’s close relationship with Epstein in the final years of his life, pointing to affectionate communications between the two.

“For her to deny that there was any type of real relationship there, I just don't buy it,” Garcia said. “And so, again, the fact she is not under oath is very problematic.”

The two were

close years after Epstein's 2008 conviction on sex crimes

While Ruemmler has tried to downplay their relationship in more recent statements, thousands of documents released by the Justice Department showed that Ruemmler and Epstein had an extensive relationship. The files included personal emails, social plans and gifts that extended beyond formal legal work. Documents showed she had called Epstein “Uncle Jeffrey” in emails and said she adored him.

Ruemmler said in her opening remarks that she first met Epstein in 2014 regarding potentially working with him and Gates “to set up a large donor-advised fund.” Soon after, according to Ruemmler, she learned about Epstein’s 2008 conviction on sex crimes, when he became a registered sex offender.

She said Epstein expressed remorse about it, and that he did not know the women were underaged. She said she “relied on the resolution reached by federal and state prosecutors and validated by a judge as being a proportionate and final resolution of his criminal conduct.”

House Oversight Chair James Comer told reporters Wednesday that the “most concerning” part of Ruemmler's communications with Epstein is how she “tried to rehabilitate his image after he was convicted of solicitation of a minor.”

Ruemmler's interview is part of a broader investigation

Comer said Wednesday that Ruemmler is the 18th person to testify as part of their broader investigation.

Billionaire investor Leon Black was subpoenaed last month after lawmakers said he refused to answer some questions about his yearslong relationship with Epstein.

Comer said Wednesday that Black will appear for a formal deposition on Sept. 3 but that he expects to have Black's nondisclosure agreements by “the end of the week.”

The committee has also expressed interest in questioning acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whose nomination to permanently lead the Justice Department is pending before the Senate. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi identified Blanche as the department’s point person on the release of the Epstein documents, a process that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny.

“Hopefully Blanche will come in as soon as his confirmation is over,” Comer said.

During a lengthy podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said the administration “absolutely” mishandled the communications surrounding the Epstein files and its contents. Vance pointed largely to Bondi, who infamously stated that an alleged “client list” of Epstein’s was “sitting on my desk right now.”

U.S. Coast Guard Captain Jared S. Toczko said rescuers have cumulatively scoured 950 square nautical miles (3,260 square kilometers) and will continue searching until sundown Wednesday before ending rescue efforts.

Toczko would not dismiss the possibility that those missing could still be alive, though he also said some could have been trapped inside the three-deck, 49-foot (15-meter) cabin cruiser.

“We do know individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck," he said.

One person was pulled from the water but later died, and 16 others were rescued Tuesday afternoon after the boat took on water, listed heavily to one side and then rolled over before sinking, Toczko said.

The passengers on board were all close friends and family members, he said. A dog also died.

Crews have identified the location the boat sank but have yet to determine how deep it sank, Toczko said.

Once the boat is located, officials will send either divers or an underwater drone to determine if it's feasible to salvage it, said San Francisco Police Commander Brien Hoo. If the boat is under 120 feet (37 meters) of water, it would be difficult for divers to get to it, he said.

Witnesses reported “rough seas,” San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said, and rescuers said swells reached up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Marine weather conditions, however, didn't warrant a small craft advisory from the National Weather Service.

Fire department spokesperson Lt. Mariano Elias said the vessel, named Volare, was registered out of Stockton, California, which sits at the eastern edge of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Tockzo said there were life jackets onboard the boat and that some people were rescued wearing them, though witnesses said several people were in the water without them.

Kirk Miller, an experienced local sailor with a master mariner license, said an uneven distribution of passengers could have caused the Volare to tip.

“As it rocks in the waves, it leans over a little bit,” Miller said. “And as it leans over, the stability would decrease. If you had weight down below it acts as ballast. There was nothing in the conditions that were extreme in any regard. There was no massive gust of wind, no huge wave.”

Like a ‘Titanic’ scene, rescuer says

Two rescuers who jumped into action while fishing for halibut said the boat that sank was more than capable of being out in the bay. Justin Marceline and Michael Montoya said they saw what they thought was smoke and arrived to find the vessel halfway submerged.

“We just started yanking people out,” Marceline told The Associated Press. At least two people bobbed in the water without life jackets, while others clung to a windsurfer’s board.

Marceline could see people trapped inside the rapidly sinking boat through its windows. He threw lead fishing weights to survivors in the water, hoping they could smash the glass, but they were too weak.

“It was like Titanic in real life,” he said. “There was stuff everywhere. People were banging on the glass.”

Montoya estimated they pulled eight or nine people aboard, including the captain, before first responders arrived.

Initial callers reported what appeared to be smoke coming from the boat, but San Francisco police officers who first reached the vessel said it was steam.

Sudden immersion in water under 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) can lead to cold water shock, a condition where people lose dexterity in minutes. That can be dangerous or deadly when trying to escape a sinking watercraft.

The person who died was identified as Clifford Boisa, 79, from rural Sutter County in the Sacramento Valley, the San Francisco medical examiner said.

The owners of the boat are John Boisa and Miriam Boisa of Stockton, Coast Guard records show. They did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Boisa declined to answer questions from reporters about the victims or why they were on the boat.

“All of us are grieving during this time,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

High-tech tools used in search

A Coast Guard cutter named the Barracuda, other vessels and a fixed-wing aircraft were involved in the search, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Petty Officer Kenneth Wiese said. Teams were using thermal imaging, tide prediction and modeling to guide their efforts, the fire department said.

The boat departed a San Francisco marina, passed under the Golden Gate Bridge twice and visited Angel Island State Park, the largest natural island in the bay. It was on its way back to San Francisco when it sank near Alcatraz, according to the ship-tracking website VesselFinder.

“The wind was coming underneath the Golden Gate and blowing toward Alcatraz,” said Lt. Joseph England of the Richmond Police Department, who responded to the scene. “If you have a smaller vessel and you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re hitting those swells sideways, it can lead to disaster.”

The maximum-security federal prison at Alcatraz Island, which closed more than 60 years ago, was infamously inescapable due to the chilly waters and strong currents that surround "The Rock.” It is now a popular tourist attraction, about a mile (1.6 kilometers) off San Francisco.

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Associated Press writers Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Ed White in Detroit; Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles; and photographer Noah Berger in San Francisco contributed to this story.

Twenty-three of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff position heading into the season's second half, which opens Thursday with the back-in-contention Philadelphia Phillies hosting the woeful New York Mets.

“You’ve got a lot of really good teams that were on the bubble that have gotten in and kind of made it,” Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said. “Anybody that has an opportunity to get in, anything can happen and that’s what makes our sport great.”

Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who can become a free agent after the World Series, is the most prominent possible trade bait. The 29-year-old left-hander is 2-3 with a 3.62 ERA in six starts for the Detroit Tigers since surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow.

He returned to a big league mound on June 13 after Dr. Neal ElAttrache operated with a NanoNeedle scope 2.0, a miniaturized, flexible version of the traditional arthroscope.

Detroit was 22-38 at the start of June — at 16 games under matching the 1914 Braves (12-28) as the most under .500 of a team that rebounded to reach the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Tigers are 22-14 since and trail by 3 1/2 games for the last AL wild card, needing to overcome six teams. Their performance in 16 games before the deadline will help determine whether they are buyers or sellers.

Minnesota's Joe Ryan and the Mets' Freddy Peralta also could become available. The Mets also could deal left-handed relievers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter to contenders and San Francisco may try to jettison second baseman Luis Arraez.

Baseball’s only division leads of more than three games are held by the Los Angeles Dodgers (11 1/2) and Milwaukee (five).

“There are some middling teams that are potentially going to finish stronger and some teams that are front-running right now that might fall back to the pack,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s what the fans wanted. It keeps everyone involved through September, as many teams as possible.”

Just seven teams of the 30 teams are more than four games out of a wild-card berth: the Athletics (6 1/2), Cincinnati (eight), Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels (10 each), the Giants (10 1/2), the Mets (12) and Colorado (13 1/2).

“I think having more teams involved and more fan bases feeling like there’s something to play for later in the season is always good,” said Toronto pitcher Dylan Cease, the All-Star Game winner.

Phillies rebound after Mattingly becomes manager

Philadelphia fell to 9-19 when Rob Thomson was fired on April 28 and replaced by Don Mattingly. The Phillies are 44-24 since and trail NL East-leading Atlanta (55-40) by two games.

Harper thinks a key to the turnaround was when Zack Wheeler rejoined the rotation on April 25 after surgery last August for thoracic outlet syndrome. Wheeler is 10-1 with a 2.13 ERA.

“Once we got Wheels back, I think everybody kind of took a deep breath,” Harper said. “That helped a lot of our other starting pitching kind of just fall into place.”

Red Sox hottest team going into second half

Boston fired Alex Cora after a 10-17 start and the Red Sox are 36-31 under Chad Tracy, ending the first half with their first 9-0 road trip since 1977.

Despite a 46-48 record, the Red Sox trail by just a half-game for the last wild card in an AL that has just five teams with winning records.

“We've done a much better job overall with our approach,” Tracy said. “We’re taking more pitches. We’re seeing more pitches against starters. We are getting starters deep in counts earlier in games. We're scoring runs in the first five innings of the game and letting our starting rotation pitch with a lead.”

If the Red Sox struggle in the next few weeks, closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Sonny Gray could get dealt.

First-round byes at stake

Three of the four teams that had first-round byes last year advanced to League Championship Series: Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Seattle and Toronto. Among the teams emerging from Wild Card Series, only the Dodgers won their Division Series.

Having the bye allows teams to reset their rotations and assure opening the Division Series with their best starters.

Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler thought back to New York losing the AL East title and the bye to Toronto on a tiebreaker last year.

“Every game matters,” he said.

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

Instead it was the hallowed feet of Lionel Messi and the unbreakable spirit of a team that has repeatedly fought back at this year's World Cup that is now one step away from back-to-back titles.

Trailing 1-0 going into the 85th minute, Argentina rallied for a 2-1 victory over England on Wednesday with goals from Enzo Fernandez and substitute Lautaro Martinez.

“I dreamed it, I swear. I told Alexis (Mac Allister) that I was going to score. I told him that I was going to come on and I was going to win it," Martinez said. "I can tell you this team keeps showing what it’s made of.”

At the final whistle, Messi fell to his knees in celebration while England players collapsed in disbelief — again.

Add 2026 to 1986 and 1998 on the list of games when Argentina has extinguished English hopes at the World Cup.

“I’m gutted for the team, the staff, the fans," England captain Harry Kane said. “We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat and tears. To fall short like we did is just gutting.”

The defending champions will take on European champion Spain in the final on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The best that South America has to offer against the best of Europe.

The loss for England will hurt a new generation of fans in a similar way to Diego Maradona’s infamous handball goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals and the penalty shootout loss in 1998 when David Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone.

The difference is there can be no sense of injustice this time, even if England had victory in its sights after Anthony Gordon scored the opening goal in the 55th minute.

The English were hanging on as the game wore on. England goalkeeper Jordon Pickford made vital saves while Mac Allister sent a header off the post as wave after wave of Argentina attacks came.

Messi had largely been kept quiet. But when he’s on the field, anything seems possible.

He fed the ball to Fernandez to sweep in the equalizer from outside the box in the 85th minute. And two minutes into stoppage time, Messi sent in a cross for Martinez to head in the winner.

It almost felt inevitable. Especially given the amount of times Argentina has simply refused to give in at this year's World Cup. From Cape Verde to Egypt, Messi and Co. always seem to find a way.

“It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in, the fight to the very end that we’ve got,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “We were ready to go home, sad, knowing that we had left everything on the pitch, but after they scored we really proved ourselves.”

England, in contrast, came up short in the World Cup semifinals for the third time after losses to Germany in 1990 and Croatia in 2018. And it's another occasion in recent years when England’s players have squandered a winning position in the later stages of a major tournament.

They led 1-0 against Croatia in the semifinals eight years ago and lost 2-1. They were up 1-0 against Italy in the European Championship final in 2021 and lost on penalties.

On Wednesday, England coach Thomas Tuchel's substitutions seemed to be more intent on holding on, rather than killing the game off with another goal.

“Argentina played with more risk, played with more rhythm, played with the feeling maybe that they have nothing to lose anymore, which freed them up and held us back because we played suddenly with a feeling that we have a lot to lose,” Tuchel said.

Argentina is now one step away from history. Messi, now 39 and likely playing at his last World Cup, is one win away from further strengthening his case to be considered the greatest soccer player of all time.

“We’re going to try to win, we’re going to leave everything out there,” Scaloni said. “It’s very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It’s incredible. We are unique, truly, and it’s not arrogance, it’s from the heart. We are unique."

___

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

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

According to the team, Yzerman will remain in his current role to facilitate day-to-day hockey operations until his successor is named.

Then, he will continue working with the Red Wings as senior advisor to the governor and CEO Chris Ilitch.

“I didn’t have Dylan Larkin wanting out on my bingo card, but that happened, and I didn’t have Steve Yzerman moving upstairs, out of the GM role, but these are things that’ll happen.”

This marks the end of what was once an exciting and promising tenure. Yzerman isn’t only one of the most legendary and beloved players in franchise history; he also returned to Detroit directly after building the Tampa Bay Lightning into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

It felt like a given to many that Yzerman’s return would mean the Red Wings’ return to prominence. But after seven years, those expectations turned into disappointment and frustration.

To demonstrate the scope of fan disappointment, we took a look at some of the comments we received when Yzerman was hired and compared them to the responses following the announcement on Wednesday.

“I’m still under the impression that when it gets right, it’ll be good like it used to be. But until then, something’s gotta happen. We need guys to step up.”

Before

NOTE: These comments were left on Local 4’s social media post announcing Steve Yzerman‘s appointment to GM over seven years ago.

Commenters said:

• “I am so happy Steve is home - just where he needs to be. Best wishes for a long tenure with his beloved Red Wings”, Martha Hudson.
• “The Spirit of Hockeytown has returned!!”, Cindy Baran.
• “So excited about Stevie is back”, Marlee Prater.
• “Let’s face it he will be ran out of town just like every other superstar that tried to be GM when they came to Detroit”, Nick Poturica.
• “Just what we need, his leadership and hockey IQ will bring us back to the cup again!! Welcome home!!”, Cassidy West.
• “Haven’t been this happy since 1983...” James Smith.
• “About time one of our crappy pro teams did something right”, Matt Fullington.

After

NOTE: These comments were left on Local 4’s July 15 post detailing the end of Yzerman’s tenure as GM.

Commenters said:

• “I guess the Yzerman was a bust”, Jay James.
• “A blind man saw that coming.”, Paul Agosta.
• “Cool, but who out there is worthy of the role???”, Heather Marie.
• “Ummmm, I’m just wondering why it took so long”, Dedraw Hanserd.
• “I blame Chris Illitch 00% nothing is ever going to change when he is in charge”, Kim Ehresman Rowlett.
• “He will be missed”, Karen Om.
• “Not his fault they have no talent”, Phil Vermeulen.
• “That’s ok, HE WILL ALWAYS BE THE NUMBER 1 CAPTAIN!”, Taylor Cronenwett.
• “Thank you Steve Yzerman for everything you have done for Detroit. Too bad folks concentrate only on ‘what have you done for me lately’. I’ll remember all the good times!”, Cynthia Beaufort.
• “We had such high hopes.”, Steve Sorensen.

More than 100 inmates were rewarded with a special viewing of the World Cup semifinal match Wednesday between England and Argentina because of their model behavior behind bars.

The inmates, dressed in tan uniforms, took seats at tables facing a large projection screen set up in a gymnasium. The jail has hosted about 90 such watch parties since the tournament kicked off last month, with about 4,500 of the roughly 6,600 inmates incarcerated on the 400-acre island participating, correction officials said.

“Programs like this equal safety in our jail,” said Stanley Richards, the city’s correction commissioner and a former Rikers inmate. “What we say to them is that your humanity is seen, heard and valued.”

The scene Wednesday was in sharp contrast to complaints about Rikers Island that have been so bad in recent years that a federal judge appointed an outside manager to help improve the facility.

On Tuesday, that federal overseer, former Vermont Department of Corrections head Nicholas Deml, submitted a plan for reforms that underscored the continued dysfunction at the facility, which opened in 1935.

The report described one instance when inspectors arrived at a housing unit to find it filled with smoke from fires set by prisoners, blaring alarms and people pounding on their cell doors. In another incident, prisoners streamed through an unsecured door and brawled after a guard abandoned his post.

“Violence remains pervasive, basic correctional practices remain unreliable, and unconstitutional conditions persist,” the report said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to honor a 2019 city law mandating the closure of Rikers, paid a short visit to Wednesday’s watch party.

With his white shirt sleeves rolled up, the Democrat took a seat at a table and immediately started chatting about the tournament.

One of the inmates said he expected Argentina to prevail over England and go on to face Spain, which had defeated France the day earlier.

“You never know,” said Mamdani, a professed Morocco fan.

At another table, an inmate told the mayor he was going home later in the day. “That’s amazing,” Mamdani said, patting his back.

The jailhouse crowd erupted in a mix of groans and cheers as England struck first with a goal early in the second half.

Ralph Veal was among the minority of England fans who raised his arms in celebration as Argentina supporters grimaced and looked away dejectedly. The 53-year-old Mount Vernon resident, who has been incarcerated since November, said he’s rooting for England because it’s his 20-year-old son’s favorite team.

“I’m sitting at the table with Argentina fans, but it’s all right,” Veal said shortly before the England goal. “The energy is real positive in here.”

Victor Caldas was among the legion of Argentina fans who jumped out of their seats hugging and clapping and banging the tables as the team took a decisive 2-1 lead in stoppage time, and then went on to win a spot against Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.

The 39-year-old, who has been incarcerated for four months, has been rooting for Argentina since his home country of Ecuador was knocked out of the tournament.

Caldas said he appreciated being able to watch the game uninterrupted among fellow soccer fans and not having to compete with other inmates for use of the television in his housing unit.

Thomas McCoy was among those simply relishing a rare treat: a catered meal. The buffet spread included salad greens, salmon, penne alla vodka and chicken parmesan, along with Snapple drinks.

“It’s not a sports club, we can’t get our drinks on and stuff like that. That’s OK though,” said the 52-year-old Brooklyn resident. “I’ve been locked up 21 months, so it’s been a long time since I had real food like that. It was a wonderful experience.”

The National Weather Service office in Detroit/Pontiac issued the warning through 7:45 p.m. EDT for northwestern Oakland County and southern Genesee County.

At about 6:51 p.m., radar indicated a severe thunderstorm near Lake Fenton moving southeast at 25 mph. The storm was capable of producing wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail as large as 1.25 inches in diameter, about the size of a half-dollar.

Forecasters warned the storm could cause damage to vehicles from hail and damage to roofs, siding, and trees from strong winds.

The storm was expected to impact Fenton, Holly, Linden, and Lake Fenton around 6:55 p.m., followed by Ortonville around 7:15 p.m. and Clarkston around 7:20 p.m. Other areas affected included Holly State Recreation Area, Rose Center, Davisburg, Rankin, and Waterford.

People attending the Oakland County Fair were urged to seek shelter immediately.

The National Weather Service advised residents to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building during the storm. Officials also warned that torrential rainfall could lead to flash flooding and urged drivers not to travel through flooded roadways.

The warning was based on radar-indicated conditions, with no immediate ground reports of severe weather at the time of issuance.

Click here for the latest forecast from our 4Warn Weather team.

Here’s a list of the alerts by county.

Wayne County

• No active weather alerts.

Oakland County

• Thunderstorm warning in effect until 7:45 p.m.

Macomb County

• No active weather alerts.

Washtenaw County

• No active weather alerts.

Monroe County

• No active weather alerts.

Livingston County

• No active weather alerts.

Lenawee County

• No active weather alerts.

Lapeer County

• No active weather alerts.

Genesee County

• Thunderstorm warning in effect until 7:45 p.m.

St. Clair County

• No active weather alerts.

Sanilac County

• No active weather alerts.

Texas Game Wardens have participated in rescues of more than 40 people so far in the flooding, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.

Forecasters warned that already dangerous conditions were likely to worsen in some hard-hit communities. The deluge dumped nearly a foot of rain in some counties and put people in dozens of counties under flood watches, including parts of the Texas Hill Country where last summer’s devastating floods killed more than 100 people. Some of the flood watches were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.

The National Weather Service said a tornado touched down in the northwestern part of San Antonio near Interstate 10. Videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be a small twister. Apartment buildings and other properties were damaged, local officials said.

There have been no reports of deaths or injuries from the tornado or the flooding.

As much as 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimeters) of rain was possible in some places before the storms move out, the weather service said.

As of Wednesday evening, just over six million Texas residents in 57 counties were under a National Weather Service flood watch that was scheduled to continue through early Thursday night. Watches for 34 of those counties were scheduled to expire Friday evening.

More than a foot of rain has fallen with more to come

The highest rainfall totals so far — up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) — have been in Uvalde County, where officials tallied 25 rescues as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, and said more people needed help as river levels rose. Highways and roads were closed across the region because of high water.

The county normally gets about 23 inches (58 centimeters) of rain a year, according to the Uvalde County Extension Office.

The Uvalde Police Department said on Facebook at 1 p.m. that a dam in the northern part of the county was still intact, but the Leona River was still expected to rise another 15 feet (about 4.6 meters). Police warned people along the river to get to higher ground.

State Rep. Don McLaughlin said that despite a “little lull,” the rainfall wasn’t done and waterways could become more dangerous. “The rivers and the creeks are going to be coming up, and they’re going to be coming up again with a vengeance,” McLaughlin said.

Frances McNamara and her 10-year-old son, Everett, watched the bloated Leona River in Uvalde sweep southward Wednesday as she considered possible evacuation routes. She pointed to a solid line of dirt, branches and twigs about 8 feet (2 meters) above the river where the water reached the day before.

“We’ve seen the water rise, but not to this extent,” she said, describing how it rushed through a ditch next to her home with enough force to sound like a river on Tuesday.

This week's severe weather brought back memories of last year's deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country.

“It scared me,” said McNamara, her eyes wet with tears as she recalled the 2025 floods. “Cause I have a son, and to know what those parents went through.” Her son reached up and patted her back.

Some mandatory evacuations ordered in Uvalde

Uvalde police ordered mandatory evacuations for some parts, with first responders notifying people affected directly, the department said on Facebook. Others were asked to stay vigilant in case more evacuations are needed.

Some folks walked out of their homes onto the street to see the water growing closer every hour, their faces worried. People living along the river scrambled to pack cars and head out, though many did not yet know where they should go. One man threw two kayaks into his truck bed, just in case.

Bailey Luckman, 26, was getting ready to evacuate with her dog Wednesday afternoon. The floodwaters are close to her house, she said, and authorities recommended that she leave.

“I’m very worried about my things,” Luckman said.

She gestured to an inundated road nearby, saying she normally drives that route to get to the gym. It looked more like a river than a road.

“I’ve never seen it flow the way that it is right now, so that’s pretty terrifying,” Luckman said.

Lightning flashed as clouds darkened the landscape, and brown water created large rapids in the typically calm Leona River. The river was pushing up against the town's high bridge and into neighborhoods by Wednesday afternoon.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations for dozens of counties.

Authorities posted videos on Tuesday showing a rescue crew in a boat navigating flooded streets and a vehicle being swept away by fast-moving waters. Five people were rescued by the Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue Team and four were rescued by a local game warden, said Maggie Berger, a Texas Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman.

Other areas of Texas could see dangerous flooding

Forecasters warned that hilly terrain in other parts of the region could be especially vulnerable to heavy rain.

The highest level of concern for potentially dangerous flooding Wednesday was for areas west of San Antonio and north of Route 90, Weather service meteorologist Monte Oaks said.

In Boerne, a city of about 24,000 northwest of San Antonio, residents of several areas were told by officials to either evacuate voluntarily or prepare to shelter in place as waters rose. City spokesperson Chris Shadrock said in a video post on Facebook that high-water rescues were ongoing and that the city’s busiest intersection was “completely underwater.”

“This is a life-threatening weather event, I don’t want to mince words about how serious this situation is,” Shadrock said.

He said the water was rising even in areas that don’t usually flood.

First responders helped a woman escape after a car was swept off Boerne's River Road by the fast-rising Cibolo Creek.

People in about 20 vehicles were stranded in a nearby gas station parking lot when every surrounding street quickly flooded. Police officers blocked the exits to keep people from trying to ford the roads.

Kendall County is home to nearly 53,300 people, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. About 45% of them live in the southern portion of the county in Boerne, where the Cibolo Creek reached 22.47 feet (about 6.8 meters) as of 1 p.m. according to a USGS gauge, about 19 feet (about 5.8 meters) higher than just two days before.

Oaks said the rain is being fueled with tropical moisture, mostly from the Gulf of Mexico and some from the Pacific Ocean.

“This is called a typical midsummer tropical weather pattern that happens in Texas,” Oaks said. “About once every five years, we’ll get socked in with a daily recurrence of heavy rain chances that’s generally produced by a stagnant kind of a pattern with a low-pressure center that’s just not moving very fast.”

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Stengle reported from Dallas. Associated Press journalists Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; and AP freelance photographer Darren Abate contributed.

The 84-page report issued jointly Wednesday by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union also says men and women held at Camp East Montana, located at the U.S. Army's Fort Bliss in El Paso, recounted being denied necessary medical care, forced to live in filthy conditions and fed inedible meals. Detainees also said they were prevented from contacting their lawyers or family members.

Of the 71 detainees contacted over a five month period, 64 — about 90% of those interviewed — said they had either personally been assaulted by the staff or had seen others physically abused, according to the report.

“ICE’s Camp East Montana is a human rights disaster,” said Angélica César, a fellow at Human Rights Watch and the ACLU who was a lead researcher for the report. “The U.S. government should shut it down, conduct independent investigations into all abuses and deaths in custody, and put an end to mass deportations and mandatory immigration detention.”

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying reports of inhumane conditions at its desert tent camp were “categorically false,” that no detainees are being beaten or abused, and that “ICE takes seriously the health and safety of all those detained in our custody.”

The new accounts of violence and substandard living conditions inside Camp East Montana are consistent with earlier reports by The Associated Press and others. At least three detainees held at the facility since it opened in August have died, including a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who was handcuffed and stopped breathing earlier this year after being held down by guards.

A local medical examiner later ruled that death a homicide and a federal report issued last month said evidence in the case was “missing or destroyed." That report by the Government Accountability Office found mismanagement by the Department of Homeland Security had created unsafe conditions that contributed to detainee deaths and suffering even as millions of wasted tax dollars enriched contractors.

In March, ICE replaced Acquisition Logistics, LLC, the prime contractor that had been awarded a deal last year worth up to $1.3 billion to build and manage the camp, which was originally intended to hold up to 5,000 people. The Virginia company had no prior experience running an ICE detention facility, had never won a federal contract worth more than $16 million and lacked a functioning website.

The change came as an internal ICE review documented 49 deficiencies, which it defines as violations of detention standards or policies, in areas including the use of force and restraints, security and medical care.

Despite the change in contractors, interviews conducted by Human Rights Watch and the ACLU as recently as last month found serious problems at the camp have persisted.

Detainees recounted degrading and inhumane living conditions that included bathrooms covered in feces, flooded housing units and no access to soap or other basic hygiene supplies, according to the report. They also reported being held indoors for weeks without meaningful access to recreation, sunlight or fresh air.

People also described receiving spoiled food and inconsistent meal schedules, with delays of up to 12 hours between meals.

The report recounts detainees saying that guards beat detainees in response to hunger strikes, requests for medical attention and complaints regarding detention conditions. Several people said that guards imposed collective punishment, striking or assaulting multiple people after accusing one detainee of violating rules, according to the report.

Researchers found that staff pressured and coerced those held there into abandoning immigration claims and accepting removal to third countries if they could not be sent back to their own country. The detainees said they were threatened with violence, criminal prosecution, and indefinite detention if they refused deportation.

In some cases, the report concluded, the circumstances of ICE detention could amount to enforced disappearances, a potential violation of international human rights law.

Human Rights Watch and the ACLU called on the Trump administration to close Camp East Montana and to allow independent investigations into deaths in custody, excessive force, medical neglect and enforced disappearances.

“The abuses documented at Fort Bliss are the predictable outcome of the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, its brutal expansion of immigration detention, and the erosion of federal oversight mechanisms,” said César, the lead researcher. “People at Camp East Montana are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity and protected from harm.”

Argentina and Lionel Messi simply kicked it down.

England led 1-0 late in the second half before Messi assisted on goals by Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez in the second minute of stoppage time to give Argentina a wild 2-1 victory Wednesday and a spot in the World Cup final against Spain.

Tuchel's tactical choices in one of the biggest matchups in one of soccer's biggest rivalries will likely be scrutinized and criticized for years. England missed its chance to return to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.

“They won every header. They kept crossing and crossing. So we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air,” Tuchel said.

“Straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances. So we tried to help,” Tuchel said. “But of course the responsibility is on the coach. And … if it doesn’t go well, it’s easy to say that it was wrong.”

Tuchel’s chess moves couldn’t contain Messi, the maestro of Argentina’s attacks. In the 38 minutes between England's goal and Argentina's winner, Argentina held a whopping 88% of the possession, according to Opta.

It was only the second time this century that a team scored first in a World Cup semifinal and failed to reach the final, according to Opta. The other blown lead was also by England, in 2018 against Croatia.

England took the lead on Anthony Gordon's goal in the 55th minute. But Argentina quickly switched the momentum with furious pressure on England's defense.

To protect the lead, England drew closer and closer to its own goal, hoping to build the sort of impenetrable wall it had when it held on to beat Mexico in the round of 16 despite being down to 10 players.

Tuchel swapped defender Reece James for Dan Burn, and midfielder Declan Rice for defender Nico O’Reilly in the 82nd minute.

“It’s disappointing to give up the space that we did in those final 20 minutes,” England captain Harry Kane said. “It allowed not just (Messi), but the other players to grow into the game and feel more confident and ping balls into dangerous areas. In the end, it was too much for us to stop.”

Fernandez struck barely three minutes after the England substitutions, scoring on a precise right-footed strike from just outside the penalty area. Messi set up the play with a pass to his teammate, and England defenders failed to close him down before he ripped the shot that curled past diving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The defending champion kept coming and England's wall kept crumbling. Argentina hit the crossbar and missed another header across the mouth of the goal before Martínez sealed it with a close-range header when England defenders lost him on a cross from Messi.

“They got tired,” Martínez said. “They pressed for 60 minutes and then just ran out of steam. They got their goal and then sat back. That gave us more composure to move the ball around and stretch the pitch.”

England’s defense had earned plaudits after previous matches, especially for how it hunkered down during the second half of a 3-2 win over Mexico in the round of 16, as El Tri peppered their opponent's back line with cross after cross. But that came as England was down a player due to a 54th-minute red card on Jarell Quansah.

Burn, the 6-foot-7 (2-meter) defender who shined during that stand in Mexico City, said Wednesday's approach did not work out.

“Off the ball, we defended probably a little bit too deep,” Burn said. “With the quality of chances that Argentina were creating, I felt like it was a matter of time. ... To be 10 to 15 minutes away from the World Cup final — we really probably should have seen that through.”

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Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

John Merrone, 53, pleaded guilty just as his trial was about to start in Brooklyn federal court. He admitted that he had sexual intercourse with the cadet without her consent “on the ship, in the middle of the ocean” after knocking her out with an intoxicant in 2019.

A jury had been picked and the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, was in the courthouse waiting to testify. Prosecutors were also planning to call as witnesses several other women who have accused Merrone of sexual assaults over the last three decades.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, unless they agree to be identified.

Merrone was previously convicted of false imprisonment and battery after a Florida Keys waitress accused him of having sex with her against her will, but an appeals court overturned the verdict and prosecutors didn't retry the case.

Ex-cadet says ‘It’s over' after a six-year wait for justice

The former cadet, who still works in the maritime industry, watched through tears from the courtroom gallery as Merrone impassively said “guilty” to each of five charges, including aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact.

Her lawyer, Ryan Melogy, said she turned to him afterward and said, “It's over.”

“Sex crimes are notoriously difficult to prosecute in general,” Melogy said. “When they occur in the middle of the ocean aboard a ship, the level of difficulty involved in prosecuting them probably increases exponentially.”

Merrone faces up to life in prison, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Kayla Bensing said federal sentencing guidelines call for about 15 to 19 years behind bars. Merrone's lawyers said they think that estimate is too high. The guidelines are advisory and the judge, Ramon E. Reyes Jr., could sentence him to more or less time.

Merrone will remain free on bail until sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 22. He and his lawyers, Bruce Barket and Nicole Aloise, declined to comment as they left court.

A message seeking comment was left for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

“It is my hope that today’s guilty plea will give the survivor of this attack some measure of closure knowing that the defendant has been held accountable for his despicable conduct,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement.

Captain raped cadet after inviting her to his room for ‘soda’

According to prosecutors, Merrone began sending the cadet and another student Facebook messages a few weeks before they boarded his ship, the 623-foot-long (190-meter-long) Liberty Glory, for a voyage from Bahrain to Corpus Christi, Texas.

On Sept. 9, 2019, after more than a month onboard and with a little more than a week left in the journey, prosecutors said Merrone messaged the cadet and her friend asking that they come to his room for a “soda.”

“Captain you know I stay away from soda !” the cadet wrote.

“U may like my soda!?!?” Merrone replied.

The women acquiesced, prosecutors said, and the captain poured them each a drink from an already open bottle of alcohol, then opened a new bottle and poured a drink for himself.

Soon after having some of the drinks, the women “lost recollection of the remainder of the evening,” prosecutors said.

The cadet awoke the next morning in her bed wearing only a shirt and bra but not pants or underwear, feeling nauseous; she had a headache and felt vaginal discomfort, prosecutors said. Her friend awoke with stomach cramping and a debilitating headache, prosecutors said. She did not accuse Merrone of sexual assault.

Merrone called the cadet to his room and told her he had “fun last night,” that “one thing led to another” and asked her to do it again, prosecutors said. After the cadet told him she didn't remember what happened and that the encounter was not consensual, Merrone offered her money, which she declined, prosecutors said.

Merrone later sent the cadet a photograph of herself holding money on what she believed to be from the night of the assault, along with a message: “lol. That how u make a woman happy!!!!” She didn't recall the photo being taken, prosecutors said.

After that, prosecutors said, the captain went to the cadet's room and pulled from his pocket the underwear she had been wearing the night of the assault.

Sea Year program has been plagued by sexual abuse concerns

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Point, New York, trains students to work in the commercial shipping industry. It has an enrollment of about 1,000 students. It is one of five military service academies, and the only one under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

In 2016, the academy temporarily shut down the Sea Year program, which sends cadets to work on container ships, oil tankers, passenger liners and other vessels, amid sexual abuse and bullying concerns. The program resumed in 2017 on vessels operated by three companies that the academy said had implemented new preventive policies.

The academy suspended the Sea Year program again in 2021 after another cadet said a cargo ship supervisor got her drunk and raped her. It resumed after more safety protocols were put in place.

The controversy comes after ICE wanted to scale back on non-urgent traffic stops after two people were killed in separate ICE-related encounters in less than a week.

However, Trump criticized the agency’s decision to limit some traffic stops, writing on Truth Social that ICE “cannot give up” what he described as one of its most effective crime-fighting tools.

Liz Jacob, lead staff attorney at the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, said the brief pause could have prevented injuries suffered by some of the organization’s clients.

“I want to underscore that if a policy like this had been in place even a few weeks ago, our clients here at the Sugar Law Center , the communities that we’re representing in Detroit and Michigan, would be safer,” Jacob said.

Jacob ‘s law firm represented Detroit residents Yerlys Moreno López and Mohamd Salim Abdessamed, both of whom were involved in encounters with ICE that escalated into vehicle pursuits. She said her agency fought for each client’s civil rights in federal court.

Moreno López said she injured her knee after a pursuit in May.

In June, Abdessamed crashed after fleeing from ICE agents and was impaled by a fence post.

Jacob said in both instances her clients were approached by agents in unmarked vehicles.

Local 4 reached out to ICE about Moreno López and Abdessamed. Their accounts of each accident are below:

“On May 19, 2026, ICE arrested Yerlys Moreno Lopez, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, in Detroit. This criminal illegal alien was wanted for a previous hit-and-run involving a law enforcement vehicle on April 9, 2025. On May 19, officers attempted to initiate a standard vehicle stop, when this illegal alien refused to comply and sped from officers at a high rate of speed—in the process, nearly striking an ICE vehicle. The subject collided with a parked car and fled the vehicle on foot—she was apprehended shortly after. At the scene, Detroit Fire EMS evaluated Moreno-Lopez, bandaged her right knee, and prepared to transport her to the hospital. She refused further medical treatment at the scene and was taken into ICE custody. While in custody at the field office, Moreno began complaining of knee pain and officers called EMS to transport her back to the hospital.

“Moreno Lopez Yaquby entered the U.S. from Mexico, at the Calexico, California point of entry, and was RELEASED into the United States on April 15, 2024, by the Biden administration, using the disastrous CBP One app. She will receive full due process and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.”

“The Biden Administration abused the parole authority under the disastrous CBP One program to allow millions of illegal aliens into the U.S. which further fueled the worst border crisis in U.S. history.”

On Mohamd Salim Abdessamed:

“On June 4, 2026, ICE officers attempted a lawful vehicle stop on the west side of Detroit during a targeted enforcement operation. As officers attempted the stop, Mohamd Salim Abdessamed, an illegal alien from Mauritania, immediately and dangerously tried to evade arrest and struck three government vehicles, pinning an ICE officer’s leg in the car door. Abdessamed continued on before losing control of his vehicle and crashing through a fence and a garage before the vehicle came to a stop on top of two other vehicles. An ICE officer and the suspect were transported to area hospitals for treatment. This incident remains an active and ongoing investigation, and we will update the public as more information becomes available.  As of June 8, Abdessamed remains in stable condition.

DHS Spokesperson

Jacob said that when it comes to ICE, it’s sad that two people died recently after interactions with them.

“That is devastating,” Jacob said. “We should never see that kind of action from law enforcement leading to people losing their lives.”

The temporary pause also came about a week after three Detroit officials sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security urging the agency to end dangerous vehicle pursuits in the city’s residential neighborhoods.

Jacob said that when it comes to ICE, it’s sad that two people died recently after interactions with them.

“That is devastating,” Jacob said. “We should never see that kind of action from law enforcement leading to people losing their lives.”

The temporary pause also came about a week after three Detroit officials sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security urging the agency to end dangerous vehicle pursuits in the city’s residential neighborhoods.

“I don’t see why it would be necessary to do a vehicle stop for someone regarding simply an immigration matter at all,” said Victoria Camille, Detroit’s District 7 police commissioner, who signed the letter. “These are matters that can be handled through court systems and offices with paperwork.”

Camille said she hopes the department changes its policy.

Local 4 reached out to ICE before noon on Wednesday (July 15) and asked:

1. How long did the agency plan to have the pause on non-urgent vehicle stops in place?
2. How long had they been thinking about making this a reality?
3. What was the deciding factor?

Then Local 4 saw reports of the president reversing the decision, so Local 4 emailed ICE media back and asked:

1. Can they confirm President Donald Trump wanted a reversal?

They sent the same statement attributed to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, twice. Local 4 posted the reply below.

“Our #1 goal is to keep our officers safe and get criminals OFF our streets. Illegal aliens will be arrested and deported wherever they are. If you are here illegally, LEAVE NOW. As our officers carry out operations to enforce our nations laws, they are facing a more than 1,300% increase in vehicle attacks.

“We remind illegal aliens attempting to evade arrest is dangerous. This reckless illegal alien activity comes after sanctuary politicians held webinars and shared resources for how to openly defy ICE:

▪️Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a webinar providing tips for illegal aliens to evade arrests at homes, workplaces, or in public.

▪️Dan Goldman posted a video online calling on illegal aliens to make a plan for ICE encounters.

▪️Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued multilingual flyers and online resources advising illegal aliens on how to evade arrest.

▪️California Governor Gavin Newsom released guides and sanctuary laws advising illegal aliens how to recognize ICE, block entry, and defy arrest.”

Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin

“His goal is to remain with the Saints,” Kamara's agent, Bradley Cicala, told The Associated Press after confirming the agreement.

Kamara's future with New Orleans became cloudy in March, when New Orleans signed free-agent running back Travis Etienne to a four-year $52 million contract. Kamara, who'll be 31 this season, was entering the final season of a two-year, $24.5 million extension he’d signed before the 2024 season.

Cicala and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis did not disclose specific financial terms of the new agreement. But Loomis had foreshadowed some sort of pay cut when he stated in May that there was a “resource management element” to Kamara fitting in on this season's roster.

While the new deal is expected to reduce the burden of Kamara's contract under the 2026 salary cap, it does not preclude the Saints from trading him.

Struggling through a knee injury last season, Kamara posted career lows in games played (11), yards and touchdowns rushing (471 and one), and yards and touchdowns receiving (186 and zero).

That was a far cry from the start of Kamara’s career in 2017, when he was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in what was the first of four straight playoff campaigns for the Saints under coach Sean Payton and Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees.

But the Saints haven’t made the playoffs since Brees retired after the 2020 season and are on their second coach since then. Kellen Moore was hired after winning a Super Bowl as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator during the 2024 season.

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

An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewed the fenced-off Reflecting Pool on Wednesday from the top of the Washington Monument. The new liner appears grayer than when the pool was repainted and refilled with water in early June. Debris that had been visible earlier this week after the pool was drained is now largely gone, after work crews removed it.

Trump’s problem-plagued effort to revamp the landmark has stretched well past his initial goal of having the Reflecting Pool ready by July 4 for the nation’s 250th birthday.

The president at first suggested his renovations would cost $1.5 million, but the bill ballooned to more than $16 million by June.

Trump had said the repairs would last a century, but within days of the project's initial completion last month, the water was beset by an algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom.

Ohio-based Green Water Solutions, also known as Greenwater Services, was given a $1.7 million contract to install a water-purification system in the Reflecting Pool, while Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded $14.7 million to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.

Vandalism charges were levied against a former Olympic canoeist

Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for the peeling paint, though critics allege it’s from shoddy repair work.

Trump has said, without citing evidence, that vandals made a “350-foot gash” in the liner and caused other problems. No large slash marks were immediately visible Wednesday from the Washington Monument view. It was not possible to do a more up-close inspection of the entire pool due to a dark fence surrounding the perimeter.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, said that after the water is drained and debris is cleaned from Independence Day fireworks, the plan for the pool is straightforward: “Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again." He was speaking with conservative podcaster Katie Miller.

Court documents show that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor was said to have cut the pool’s new liner.

Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty last week in D.C. Superior Court to deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool. Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker.

His attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided the case as an abuse of prosecutorial power and maintain he is being scapegoated for the poor job done fixing up the Reflecting Pool.

At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the pool, court records show. All three pleaded not guilty during initial court appearances.

The work on the Reflecting Pool is just one of a number of projects Trump has spearheaded across the nation’s capital. Most prominently, he demolished the White House’s East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom and plans to build a towering arch. between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

Wells' family had previously alleged that messages seemed to have been erased from his phone before they got it back, just one of a slew of concerns they've raised about the circumstances and investigation surrounding his death. They met with District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath on Wednesday largely to discuss the inquiry process. But attorney Ben Crump said McIlrath also committed to presenting the investigation to a grand jury once it was completed.

Messages seeking comment from McIlrath’s office were not returned.

Attorneys hope a grand jury will bring an impartial decision

“The hope is when this is presented to the grand jury, all relevant witnesses and evidence will be presented to them, so we can have a fair and impartial investigation into the death of Nolan Wells,” Crump said. “Our lived experiences tell us that we must question everything, everybody’s role, law enforcement’s role. That is the lived experience as Black people in America.”

Most felony cases go to a grand jury in Mississippi, said Ronald Rychlak, a professor of law at the University of Mississippi. A grand jury is typically comprised of 15 to 25 citizens who listen to the prosecutor’s evidence and then decide whether there is enough evidence for an indictment, Rychlak said.

Wells had traveled to the island on a boat with friends on July 4, but did not return with them when they left around 3 p.m. Wells had been spending the weekend with friends before returning to college for football training. Conflicting accounts have been given as to whether he planned to stay on the island, about 7 miles (11.27 kilometers) off the Mississippi coast, to talk to a girl or to return with those friends.

His mother reported him missing shortly after midnight on July 5. The next day, boat and rescue crews launched searches in the water and around the island. Wells’ body was recovered in the water near Horn Island, off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, on July 6.

Speculation and suspicion about the teen’s death have been rampant online, as people grapple with the state’s history of racial tension and what it means to be a Black person in a majority-white space. Family and attorneys have said from photos and videos of the July 4 celebration on the island, where nearly 200 people gathered, that Wells was one of very few Black people present.

The Congressional Black Caucus also weighed in Wednesday, adding to calls for an independent investigation into Wells' death.

Authorities with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies were quick to say they did not suspect foul play in his death. Results of an official autopsy are still pending, and the investigation is still open, officials said.

Both the family’s attorneys and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department investigators have asked witnesses or anyone with video from the popular beach island to come forward as they seek answers about the moments before Wells’ disappearance and death.

Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the football team. His family has urged a deeper investigation, saying he could swim and questioning why his friends would leave him behind but take his keys and phone.

Questions remain around teen's recovered cellphone

Family members retrieved his phone from the home of one of Wells' friends the evening of July 4 after using a locator app to find it. His family said their son was an avid Snapchat user, but there were no posts or messages from the 24 hours or so before they gained possession of it.

Crump previously said he planned to hire an expert to determine whether data could be recovered from the phone or social media. Wednesday, he said that process will move forward in cooperation with the prosecutor's office investigators.

Rychlak, the law professor, said mutual inspection of evidence between the police and victim’s family is not typical.

“Evidence is secured and not usually shared,” Rychlak said, adding that cooperation between the family and police could speed the investigation.

Wells’ death has galvanized the Black community. Actor and producer Tyler Perry is helping pay for Wells’ funeral. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is helping pay for his independent autopsy, and filmmaker Spike Lee attended a news conference last week in support of Wells’ family.

Wells’ mother Christine Wonsley said Wednesday that they want the funeral Monday to be a celebration of their son.

“He would not want us to be sitting around crying and eating, and so what we’re gonna do is kind of have a party to celebrate him,” she said. —

Lauer reported from Philadelphia and Turbay reported from Little Rock, Arkansas.

The World Cup final is set, and fittingly, a clash of styles awaits. Lionel Messi — the most prolific goal scorer in the tournament's history — and defending champion Argentina will take on Spain's defensive juggernaut on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Spain beat France in one semifinal on Tuesday; Argentina, the comeback king of this tournament, rallied to beat England 2-1 in the other semifinal on Wednesday.

Argentina is seeking its fourth title and is looking to become the first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1962. Spain is looking for its second title, after winning in 2010.

Argentina leads the tournament in goals scored — 19.

Spain leads the tournament in fewest goals allowed — one.

Something will have to give on Sunday, when the biggest World Cup ever — a 48-team, 104-match extravaganza spread out over the U.S., Canada and Mexico — comes to an end.

It's not Finalissima. It's going to be better.

South American champion Argentina and European champion Spain were supposed to meet in Doha, Qatar, in late March in Finalissima, a showdown between the teams led by Messi and Lamine Yamal in a prequel of the World Cup.

That game never happened. Security became an issue because of unrest in the Middle East, with Iran intensifying its attacks on neighboring countries at that time in retaliation to the aerial attacks by United States and Israel in a war that is still ongoing. The game was called off.

So, instead of playing at Lusail Stadium, the site of the epic 2022 World Cup final where Messi and Argentina won on penalty kicks over France and Kylian Mbappé, they'll play just outside of New York in soccer's biggest game.

It'll be a showdown of soccer's present versus soccer's future, not to mention a showdown of the teams that held the top two spots in FIFA's world rankings entering the World Cup — Argentina at No. 1, Spain at No. 2.

There was a famous photo taken in 2007 when Messi was part of a UNICEF program and posed with a baby.

Yamal was that baby. Like Messi (who now plays for Inter Miami), Yamal would become a left-footed star for Spanish club Barcelona. It is the most improbable of stories: From a photo together two decades ago, the two stars are set to be together again to end this year's World Cup.

A picture-perfect finish.

How Spain got here

— Record: Six wins, one draw, zero losses.

— Goals for: 13.

— Goals against: 1.

— Group stage: drew with Cape Verde 0-0, beat Saudi Arabia 4-0, beat Uruguay 1-0.

— Knockout stage: beat Austria 3-0, beat Portugal 1-0, beat Belgium 2-1, beat France 2-0.

How Argentina got here

Record: Seven wins, zero draws, zero losses.

Goals for: 19.

Goals against: 7.

Group stage: beat Algeria 3-0, beat Austria 2-0, beat Jordan 3-1.

Knockout stage: beat Cape Verde 3-2, beat Egypt 3-2, beat Switzerland 3-1, beat England 2-1.

Streaking

Both teams enter the final with impressive unbeaten streaks.

— Spain is carrying a 37-match unbeaten streak across all competitions and friendlies into the final, having won 28 of those matches with nine draws. Its last loss was 1-0 to Colombia in March 2024.

— Argentina is unbeaten in its last 13 World Cup matches, with 11 victories and two draws since falling to Saudi Arabia to open group play at the 2022 tournament.

The odds

Spain (+120) has been installed as the early favorite over Argentina (+275). Odds for a draw were quickly set at +200, and it's reasonable to think all those numbers could change considerably before the title matchup.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said testing on July 13 pointed to lettuce and salad greens as a potential source, though other produce has not been completely ruled out, and investigators have not yet identified a specific grower or supplier.

The outbreak is not limited to Michigan.

The CDC and state health departments are investigating a nationwide surge, with clusters of cases linked across Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

What is cyclosporiasis — and why is it so hard to avoid?

Cyclosporiasis is a disease caused by a parasite.

Symptoms include explosive diarrhea, cramping, and nausea and can show up anywhere from two days to two weeks after exposure.

Food safety expert Marler Clark says the parasite is stubborn.

“The little parasite is a tough little guy. It’s got a hard shell. It’s sticky. It’s really impossible to wash off fresh fruits and vegetables,” Clark said. “But it does die when you cook it.”

He said the bottom line: think before you order.

“Instead of ordering a salad, I would order cooked vegetables,” Clark said.

Detroit restaurants are making real-time changes

The outbreak is hitting some businesses hard.

At 7 Greens in downtown Detroit, employee Nyrianna Kelly said customer traffic has slowed noticeably.

“It’s been really slow. Usually, we are busy throughout the week,” Kelly said.

To keep customers safe, 7 Greens moved from double-washing to triple-washing all produce.

Kelly said one thing is working in their favor: their greens come straight from local farmers, not pre-bagged.

“From farmer to fridge,” Kelly said.

Aaron Schmit said the outbreak crossed his mind, but not enough to change his routine.

“I mean, yeah, there’s a thought of, ‘Oh man, am I going to regret this?’ But not enough to change my behavior,” Schmit said.

Some restaurants pulling salads entirely

Other restaurants are making more dramatic changes. Clinton Hometown Pizza said on Facebook that it removed salads from its menu. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1J2qK1PNZu/

The Ivy Table in Brighton is avoiding pre-cut lettuce altogether, choosing to wash and chop greens in-house instead. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BmGKGERhG/

What health officials are recommending

The MDHHS is urging restaurants and commercial kitchens in southeast Michigan to take extra precautions with fresh produce, including washing it under clean running water and cooking it whenever possible.

If you can cook it or peel it, health officials say it’s much safer.

Investigators say they are confident that with the growing number of reported cases, they will eventually identify a specific source.

Houston agreed to pay Milwaukee $4,227,273 to offset most of McCullers' remaining salary, leaving his cost to the Brewers at $2.5 million. Astros general manager Dana Brown said they created flexibility in payroll and the roster for a team currently three games back of Texas in the AL West.

“Make no mistakes, we are still trying to improve this team," Brown said. "We are still actively talking about acquiring a left-hand bat.”

Milwaukee cleared space on the 40-man roster by placing left-hander Rob Zastryzny to the 60-day injured list.

Milwaukee went into the All-Star break with a five-game lead in the NL Central and trailed the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for best record in the NL. The Brewers' 3.48 ERA ranks second in the majors behind only the New York Yankees but injuries to their starting rotation left them seeking depth.

Two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff is on the 60-day injured list after an MRI exam revealed a new injury to the anterior capsule in his shoulder, which was surgically repaired after the 2023 season. Left-hander Kyle Harrison was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with tightness in his throwing forearm.

McCullers, 32, is son of former big league reliever Lance McCullers. He helped Houston win the World Series in 2017 and 2022, and has spent his entire career with the Astros.

McCullers Jr. is 53-40 with a 3.85 ERA over 154 games. He was an All-Star in 2017, had Tommy John surgery in November 2018 and missed the 2019 season. Surgery in June 2023 kept him out through the 2024 season, and Brown said McCullers was an inspiration for grinding through the injuries.

“He was battling to come back," Brown said. "I think Milwaukee having a few injuries right now made sense that he can get some opportunity there.”

He has $6,727,273 remaining of his $17 million salary in the final season of an $85 million, five-year contract. The Astros will pay Milwaukee $914,005 on July 31, $1,770,885 on Aug, 31 and $1,542,383 on Sept. 30.

McCullers, is 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in eight starts. Inflammation in his right shoulder landed him on the 15-day IL on May 19, and he has been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sugar Land.

Gordon, 27, made his major league debut in 2025. He went 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA and a save in 20 games. Gordon has started one of his four appearances with Houston this season.

Fielder, 21, the son of former Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and grandson of Cecil Fielder, made his professional debut in 2025. He was in Class A before the trade. Brown called Fielder a true professional and patient hitter with good plate discipline.

“Most likely will play the outfield, although he’s played some first base and second base. But you know good bloodlines, of course,” Brown said. "And you know just the opportunity to acquire a young bat”

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

In Florida on Tuesday, a third man in roughly a week died during an encounter with immigration officers. The 28-year-old was killed after he was hit by a tractor-trailer while running from immigration and other federal officers, authorities said.

Here's the latest:

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin says he and Trump ‘are on the same page’

Mullin said on the social platform X that he and the president both want ICE officers “to have all options available to keep them safe while executing our mission.” But he did not directly say whether ICE officers will be allowed to carry out traffic stops.

His post came hours after Trump said ICE should continue traffic stops.

Texas Rangers to investigate Houston ICE shooting

Gov. Greg Abbott, a staunch supporter of Trump’s immigration crackdown, said the state’s top law enforcement division will work “alongside federal officials to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.”

Democrats and local leaders in Houston have called for the Texas Rangers to investigate since Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by an ICE agent while driving a van on July 7. Attorneys for three other men who were inside the vehicle say their clients dispute the Department of Homeland Security’s account of the shooting.

“I fully expect our immigration laws to be enforced, but it’s proven that immigration laws can be enforced and stopping illegal immigration from coming across our border can be achieved without shooting people,” Abbott told reporters at a campaign event in Houston.

The Texas Rangers also investigated a fatal shooting last year involving a federal immigration agent on South Padre Island. A grand jury declined to file criminal charges.

Residents cast doubt on ICE declaring Maine shooting was necessary to protect public safety

DHS said Monday that an officer, “fearing for public safety,” shot and killed Durán Guerrero while officers were watching the home of someone they believed was in the U.S. illegally and facing a final order of removal from the country. But some of Durán Guerrero’s neighbors said the Biddeford, Maine, neighborhood tends to be fairly quiet on workday mornings.

“There wasn’t any threat to the public until they started shooting at a car in the street at 7 in the morning,” said Mary Hayes, who lives nearby.

Hayes and others described the community as a working class neighborhood where Monday mornings typically consist of residents rising to go to work. They disputed the characterization that the public was facing a threat at the time of the shooting.

“We’re a working town, we’re a mill town, we’re the heart of Maine,” Hayes said.

Minnesota authorities sue ICE for obstructing investigation into arrest of US citizen

Minnesota authorities are suing the Trump administration for not cooperating with their investigation into the January arrest of a U.S. citizen by immigration agents.

Officials in Ramsey County said the Department of Homeland Security failed for months share information about the arrest of ChongLy “Scott” Thao, a Hmong American who said federal agents broke into his St. Paul home and forced him out in sub-freezing weather.

“I don’t think there’s a question that there was a law broken,” Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said at a Wednesday news conference announcing the lawsuit.

Officials at the news conference said DHS had never responded to a formal request for information, despite granting the agency multiple extensions.

“We all stand before you today hearing nothing. We do not have any information,” said Hao Nguyen, the county attorney leading the case.

Durán Guerrero’s partner posts family photo: ‘Please watch over me’

Durán Guerrero’s partner, Karolina Rojas, the mother of their toddler daughter, shared a photo of the three of them hugging and smiling together on Instagram.

Advocacy groups helping the family have cited the Instagram account as belonging to Rojas and it appears consistent with other publicly available information about her.

Rojas captioned the photo with: “I love you, my darling, my life. I love you. I have no words for this pain. You were my everything. Please watch over me. Help me find the strength to carry on. Stay with me always. Don’t leave me alone. I’m begging you, my love.”

Prosecutors in Houston are trying to get special visas for eyewitnesses to ICE shooting

Three other men who were also in the van when Lorenzo Araujo Salgado was fatally shot last week are being held at an immigration detention center in Texas.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press it has signed off on special visa certifications that describe the men as witnesses in local prosecutors’ ongoing investigation into the shooting. The visa applications would still need approval from federal immigration officials.

Attorneys for Daniel Tirado Pantoja, Jose Rojas and Victor Salgado, the victim’s brother, say their clients have disputed the Department of Homeland Security’s account of the July 7 shooting. The temporary visas, known as U visas, are intended to protect from deportation witnesses who are assisting law enforcement.

In May, a federal court temporarily blocked ICE from detaining immigrants with pending U visas.

Maine governor says ICE must be reformed or abolished after shooting

Maine’s governor said Wednesday that ICE should be scrapped as a federal agency, if it can’t be fixed in the wake of a fatal shooting in her state.

Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, said in a letter to the state’s congressional delegation that Congress must act to “require ICE to respect the rule of law and honor our collective security.”

Mills had criticized ICE before, including in January after a surge of enforcement activity in Maine that she said was marred by “lawless, dangerous conduct” by the agency. She said Wednesday the agency must be fixed “before more families are robbed of a loved one.”

She added: “ICE needs to be fundamentally reformed, and if not, then it is time to abolish it.”

Houston Mayor John Whitmire calls for Texas Rangers to investigate fatal shooting there

“We need DHS to allow independent authorities to investigate,” Whitmire told CNN on Wednesday. “The jurisdiction is federal. They control the evidence. We’re asking them to release that to the Texas Rangers.”

Lorenzo Araujo Salgado, who had no criminal record and had lived in the U.S. for 35 years, was shot last week while driving his construction crew to a job site in Houston. His death sparked protests in Houston and demands for an independent investigation from Democrats and Salgado Araujo’s family.

On Tuesday, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz, Jr. formally requested that the Texas Department of Public Safety’s investigative agency conduct an independent and transparent probe.

Mayor Whitmire also told CNN the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should pause ICE vehicle stops for 90 days to review its policies.

Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain calls for a permanent ban on ICE traffic stops

In a statement, he also questioned why the ICE officers involved in the fatal shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero weren’t wearing body cameras. LaFountain pointed out that his city’s police officers have been equipped with body cameras for nearly a decade.

“The fact that ICE is swimming in billions of taxpayer dollars and can’t perform a basic function like properly equipping their people is a severe indictment,” LaFountain said. “Corrective action is required immediately.”

LaFountain added that the city is offering mental health services to Durán Guerrero’s family and all residents affected by the shooting.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin: ‘If you are here illegally, LEAVE NOW’

In response to questions about President Trump’s Wednesday morning social media post, Mullin said in a statement that the department’s “#1 goal” is to keep officers safe and get criminals off the streets.

The department didn’t respond to specific questions about whether ICE officers are now able to do traffic stops but Mullin’s statement said people in the country illegally would be “arrested and deported wherever they are.”

“If you are here illegally, LEAVE NOW,” said Mullin. “We remind illegal aliens attempting to evade arrest is dangerous.”

Man fatally shot by an ICE officer in Maine had illegally entered the US, officials said

Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national, had illegally entered the U.S. on Sept. 1, 2023, through the southern border, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.

He was killed Monday in Biddesford, Maine, a coastal city roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him Monday that ICE officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant but that it was not for the person who was shot.

The Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, said 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.

There have been at least 10 deaths involving immigration agents since Trump began deportation push

At least four of those deaths involved people in vehicles, including the one last week in Houston, a trend so troubling that U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Tuesday that she had urged Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin “to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops.”

John Sandweg, who was acting director at ICE, which is part of DHS, during President Barack Obama’s Democratic administration, estimated recently that there have been roughly 18 traffic stop shootings during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Questions surround the Maine shooting

Photos showed bullet holes in Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero’s car windshield, but the officers involved in the shooting didn’t have body cameras, leaving many questions. Among them are how close the officer was to the vehicle when shooting, whether officers told Durán Guerrero to stop and why ICE believes he had put the public in danger.

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters Tuesday the investigation needs to play out and that officers will be held accountable if they’re found to have acted inappropriately or illegally.

Maine’s attorney general’s office, which said it is working with federal agencies to investigate, said initial statements suggest the driver was trying to flee in the direction of the officer, whose name hasn’t been released and who was placed on leave.

Fatal shooting during immigration operation angers Maine

Hundreds of people in Maine protested Tuesday over the fatal shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national. Advocacy groups said Guerrero, who had a wife and a young daughter, was authorized to work in the United States.

DHS said Monday that an officer, “fearing for public safety,” shot and killed Durán Guerrero while officers were watching the home of someone they believed was in the U.S. illegally and facing a final order of removal from the country. It said in a post on X that when ICE tried to stop a car driven by someone who came from the home, the person attempted to flee in the vehicle and the officer fired.

In a scathing post on X, outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the shooting a targeted killing “at the hands of the U.S. government.”

Lindsey Graham’s Senate Judiciary Committee spot draped in black

As the committee convened Wednesday for a confirmation hearing, the late South Carolina Republican’s seat at the rostrum was also marked with a vase of white roses.

Graham had been set to chair the panel in the next Congress. He died over the weekend of a tear in his aorta.

On Tuesday, Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, was sworn in to serve out the remaining months of his term, which expires in January. South Carolina Republicans are standing up a special primary election to pick a new nominee for this fall’s midterms.

High-stakes attorney general confirmation hearing getting underway

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is expected to face bipartisan scrutiny as he seeks the chance to serve out the duration of Trump’s term.

Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, when Pam Bondi was fired after struggling to bring successful cases against Trump’s political foes.

Since taking the reins at the Justice Department, Blanche has accelerated investigations into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a maligned fund meant to compensate the president’s allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an aggressive pursuit of news media leaks.

Senate to hold hearing for Trump’s pick to head intelligence agencies after weekslong delay

Jay Clayton, President Trump’s pick to head the nation’s intelligence agencies, will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, weeks after Trump abruptly delayed his nomination.

Republicans and even some Democrats have been eager to quickly confirm Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as they’ve expressed concerns about Trump’s interim appointee for the intelligence post, Bill Pulte. Pulte, who has been in the job since June 19, is a former housing official with no known intelligence experience and who used his previous administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, a Republican, expressed frustration when Trump delayed Clayton’s nomination in a social media post last month, allowing Pulte to take office. Cotton said then that Clayton had been instructed not to appear at a scheduled confirmation hearing, but he rescheduled the hearing three weeks later, with apparent approval from the White House.

▶ Read more

Blanche faces Senate scrutiny with Republican support key to his confirmation as attorney general

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will confront questions Wednesday about his brief but turbulent tenure atop the Justice Department during a Senate confirmation hearing that will test President Donald Trump’s grip on Republican lawmakers whose support the nominee will need for the job.

Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, during which time he’s accelerated investigations into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a maligned fund meant to compensate the Republican president’s allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an aggressive pursuit of news media leaks.

Those actions will receive fresh scrutiny at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as Blanche testifies for the opportunity to serve out the duration of Trump’s term.

▶ Read more

Seated at a roundtable with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Republican Pennsylvania Sen. David McCormick, Trump said the gathering would generate around $10 billion in pledged investments from domestic defense and technology companies, without providing details.

“The talent and innovation in this room will keep America safe for many years to come,” Trump said.

He spoke shortly after the U.S. military launched another round of missile strikes that Trump had previously promised against Iran as a ceasefire to end that war remains in tatters. Trump made brief references to the war and a January military operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying, “We’re really doing well with Iran.”

“Iran is unhappy right now," he said.

But his lengthy speech spent more time drifting into themes Trump repeats during his political rallies, boasting about — and sometimes exaggerating — his administration's accomplishments. Trump also diverted into a broadside against the use of windmills in Britain, questioned having steam catapults on U.S. ships and pondered the Battle of Gettysburg.

“What a war that was, when you read about it,” the president said of the Civil War.

Trump suggests he had stored up frustrations over catapults

Trump suggested that oil from Venezuela would eventually pay for what the U.S. spent toppling Maduro some 50 times over — though he also said private oil companies would profit more than the country. After a long aside about the use of magnets to improve catapults on vessels, Trump finally offered, “I hope I'm not boring anybody.”

“I'm getting it all out now," he added. "All the anger I have when I hear about electric catapults that don't work.”

Later, Trump advised, “I’ll tell you how to make money: Do magnets." At another point Trump declared, “I watch more tractors than any human being on earth.”

The gathering in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was organized by McCormick and also featured Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; and Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Summit attendees included JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Blackstone President Jon Gray, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, SpaceX director Antonio Gracias and artificial intelligence firm Palantir chief technology officer of analytics Shyam Sankar.

“I’m in a world where I’m shaking hands with celebrity business people, mostly,” Trump said.

Another presidential stop in Pennsylvania

Trump has come to the critical swing state seven times during his second term, including last month, when he went to a Mack Trucks facility in Macungie.

Trump carried Pennsylvania in 2016 and 2024, and McCormick is not up for reelection this cycle, but Republicans are increasingly concerned about the war and the persistently high cost of living as well as the president's low approval ratings as they look to maintain control of Congress during November's midterm elections.

As he frequently does, however, Trump complained Wednesday that affordability and the rising cost of living that have increasingly worried voters were issues the Democrats have fomented for political purposes.

“That’s a fake word that they use, they caused the affordability problem," he said, before referencing one of his friends, whom he didn’t name, having bought a private plane just for the tax benefits.

Trump spoke at a similar gathering organized by McCormick last year in Pittsburgh that sought to make the city a hot spot for advancement in energy technology and robotics. Then, the senator announced $90 billion in pledged investments in those sectors across Pennsylvania.

Before Trump's arrival, multi-analytics threat detection leader ZeroEyes, which is based in Conshohocken, outside Philadelphia, announced a planned $10 million investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning research and development.

Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics says it plans to open a new 10,000-square-foot (930-square-meter) manufacturing facility designed to boost integration of robotics into defense manufacturing processes and better expand the nation's defense industrial base.

Shortage of Tomahawks and Patriots may take years to make up

Unmentioned during Trump's appearance was an analysis released in May that found that U.S. military contractors will need at least three years to replenish stockpiles of Tomahawks, which are used to strike targets deep inside enemy territory, as well as Patriot and THAAD interceptors, which defend against incoming missiles and drones.

Stocks have dwindled as the U.S. has repeatedly fired strikes on Iran, adding to concerns that American forces would have limited firepower in any potential future conflict with China.

Trump also recently pledged to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems, which could be a major development in its war with Russia, though turning the idea into real weapons is also likely to take years.

Trump has sought to correct the shortfall by seeking a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal for 2027. But a package authorizing such spending levels is stalled in Congress, and, even if it eventually moves forward, loads of additional time will still be required to expand production capabilities to accommodate such weapons systems.

Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, said U.S. defense companies have "got to supercharge supply chains” to reduce how long it takes for new technology to be ready for widespread production.

“President Trump uniquely understands the importance of pragmatic impact today,” Loosararian said. "He also understands big, beautiful things for tomorrow.”

It's not clear whether ICE will quickly reverse course and resume most stops, which have been a key tool in Trump's immigration crackdown.

Ending those stops, Trump wrote, would be “playing right into the criminal’s hands.”

“We CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media site.

Hours after Trump made his views known, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued his own statement saying people illegally in the country would be “arrested and deported wherever they are.” While Mullin didn't directly say whether ICE officers will be allowed to carry out traffic stops, he later said in a statement that he and Trump “are on the same page," and that they want ICE officers “to have all options available to keep them safe while executing our mission.”

ICE's enforcement tactics are coming under renewed criticism after three people died during encounters with federal officers within a week. In Florida, a 28-year-old man was killed Tuesday after he was hit by a tractor trailer while running from immigration and other federal officers, authorities said.

Before that, two motorists were shot and killed by ICE officers — one in Texas last week and another in Maine on Monday.

Policy change for ICE traffic stops

After the Maine killing, Trump administration officials told ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops, people familiar with the decision said Tuesday.

Since the immigration crackdown began, federal officers confronting drivers have opened fire several times, saying the drivers’ vehicles had posed a danger. Policing experts have long said that shooting into moving cars presents a danger of its own and should almost always be avoided.

There have been at least 10 deaths involving encounters with immigration agents since Trump launched his deportation campaign. At least four of them involved people in vehicles, a trend so troubling that Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine urged Department of Homeland Security leaders “to cease all non-urgent vehicle stops.”

Two shootings in a week, she said Wednesday, “raise very serious questions” and warrant a halt in that approach for the time being.

ICE has been under pressure to beef up arrest and deportation numbers. It says people being sought are increasingly staying in their homes, and it often blames immigration advocates who advise immigrants to stay in homes unless ICE produces a warrant signed by an independent judge.

ICE officers say that means they’re forced to find other ways to make arrests.

DHS says the man killed in Maine came to the US illegally

More protests are planned after hundreds gathered Tuesday to remember Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, the 25-year-old Colombian national who was shot in his car Monday.

Karolina Rojas, his partner and the mother of their young daughter, shared a photo on Instagram of the three hugging and smiling.

“I love you, my darling, my life. I love you. I have no words for this pain. You were my everything. Please watch over me. Help me find the strength to carry on. Stay with me always. Don’t leave me alone. I’m begging you, my love," she wrote.

Durán Guerrero illegally entered the U.S. on Sept. 1, 2023, through the southern border, DHS said Wednesday. Advocacy groups said that when he was killed, he was authorized to work in the U.S.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said the Homeland Security secretary told him on Monday that ICE officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant but that it wasn't for the person who was shot.

When ICE tried to stop a vehicle driven by someone who came from a home under surveillance, the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” the department said.

In its statement Wednesday, DHS said Guerrero was released into the U.S. after crossing the border.

The department didn't answer questions about the agent who shot him.

Photos showed bullet holes in Durán Guerrero’s car windshield, but the officers involved didn’t have body cameras, leaving many questions.

Maine shooting puts a spotlight on ICE

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the shooting of Durán Guerrero a targeted killing “at the hands of the U.S. government.”

In Wednesday’s social media post, Trump told ICE to be “judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job.”

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters that the investigation needs to play out and that officers will be held accountable if they are found to have acted inappropriately or illegally.

Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, said ICE should be scrapped as a federal agency if it can’t be fixed.

Mills, who has criticized ICE before, said Wednesday that the agency needs changes “before more families are robbed of a loved one.”

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Whittle reported from Biddeford, Maine. Associated Press reporters Jack Brook in New Orleans, Michael R. Sisak in New York, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Elliot Spagat in Park City, Utah, and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

Blanche insisted that the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was scrapped after fierce bipartisan backlash, was “not moving forward.” But lawmakers, including Republican Sen. John Cornyn, conveyed concerns that the Trump administration has yet to commit in writing that the fund is dead and could therefore conceivably be resurrected.

“Just to be clear, the president of the United States, who's a plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund and there’s no guarantee that he or one of the other plaintiffs" won’t raise the issue in the future, Cornyn asked. Blanche replied that Trump has no power over the fund, which was to have been administered by the Justice Department but was never launched.

Cornyn's questions were closely watched since Blanche requires the backing of all Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and the Texas senator has not committed his support.

The hearing arrived at a tumultuous time for the Justice Department, with mass firings and resignations having hollowed out the workforce and Democrats and other critics raising alarms that Blanche is still functioning as Trump's personal lawyer. He has led the department on an interim basis since April, functioning as the public face of the maligned fund and accelerating investigations into perceived Trump adversaries. Even as he said the fund was shelved, he made clear that immunity from tax audits afforded to Trump this year remained in place despite a congressional outcry.

Those actions, plus the flawed release of files from the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation, received fresh scrutiny Wednesday.

“You’re in charge of a Department of Justice I don’t recognize, prosecuting the president’s political enemies, firing rank and file prosecutors and FBI agents,” Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware told Blanche. “These are some actions that in your previous confirmation hearing before us, you said you would not take.”

Blanche, for his part, pointed to investigations into Trump during the Biden administration to argue that he had inherited a politicized Justice Department.

“In recent years, we watched the Justice Department turned against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public’s faith in justice,” Blanche argued. “We are fixing that."

Blanche will need the support of each Republican on the panel

Key to Blanche's confirmation are Cornyn of Texas, who in May lost his primary, and Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who has opted not to seek reelection. In the final stretches of their Senate career, both are seen as more likely than before to split from Trump and both have been outspoken critics of the fund the Trump administration created to compensate people who feel unjustly persecuted by the criminal justice system.

After questioning Blanche, Cornyn told CNN he continues “to have some concerns” and is not “going to make any decisions at this point.” Tillis, meanwhile, indicated during questioning that he is likely to support Blanche, even as he said he wanted “to stick a fork in this turkey of a 1776 fund."

The death of South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was a member of the committee, left 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats on the panel. With Democrats united in solidarity against Blanche, =a no-vote by even a single Republican on the panel would scuttle Blanche's nomination.

Blanche insists the fund is dead. Lawmakers aren't so sure

The fund emerged from a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over his leaked tax returns. Blanche had initially defended the initiative only to later reveal that it was being scrapped amid fierce bipartisan backlash.

The judge handling the case said in a scathing ruling Monday that Trump had effectively engaged in self-dealing through the lawsuit. She said she was troubled Blanche had signed the settlement given his prior representation of Trump and was concerned the acting attorney general had given misleading testimony. Blanche said Wednesday that he disagreed “with the judge's insinuations about me.”

Blanche also defended a separate element of the settlement that afforded Trump and members of his family protection from tax audits and that, he has said, remains on track. He said the deal covers any existing audits but does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.

“Nobody is above the law,” Blanche said. Such a settlement "doesn’t make any of those individuals above the law.”

Epstein files are also under scrutiny

Blanche was also pressed on the department's staggered release of the Epstein files, a process beset by problems, including redaction errors that left exposed nude photos showing the faces of potential victims.

During a podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said the administration “absolutely” mishandled the communications surrounding the files, including when then-Attorney General Pam Bondi distributed binders of Epstein documents at the White House to far-right influencers that contained already-public material.

Blanche acknowledged that “mistakes were made" in the release process but nonetheless defended the work.

“I want to make sure that the American people know that this administration, when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein, has been more transparent than any administration,” he said. The Justice Department only released additional files after Trump bowed to bipartisan pressure to sign a law forcing the department to do so.

A former federal prosecutor and key member of Trump's defense team as the Republican battled four indictments, Blanche arrived at the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general. At one point, under friendly questioning from Republican Sen. John Kennedy about whether he and Trump are friends, Blanche responded: “I’m his lawyer,” before quickly correcting himself to say he “was his lawyer.”

He ascended to the top job in April after Trump ousted Bondi, who had frustrated the White House by struggling to bring successful cases against Trump's political opponents. Blanche has tried to satisfy Trump in that regard, including with an indictment of ex-FBI Director James Comey, another Trump adversary, on charges of threatening the 47th president by posting a social media photograph of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.”

Comey has said the numbers were not a call to violence.

Blanche was also asked about Jan. 6 violence

Tillis, who has said he would not support for attorney general anyone who equivocates on the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, asked Blanche if he agreed that any Capitol Police officer assaulted that day was the “victim of a heinous crime.” Blanche said he agreed.

Democrats, meanwhile, pressed Blanche on the violence and Trump’s sweeping clemency action benefiting more than 1,500 people, including those convicted of violently attacking police.

Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse criticized Blanche for comments at a political conference this year where he appeared to characterize the Jan. 6 pardons as an administration accomplishment. Blanche replied that he has “never said that any sort of violence against law enforcement is appropriate.”

“He has the absolute right to pardon anybody for any reason he sees fit,” Blanche said of the president. “I am not celebrating that. It is a fact.”

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Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard and Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.

The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members' required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary.

In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for hormone irregularities.

The move comes as other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate for men to have easier access to testosterone replacement therapies, but the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader, and less substantiated, claims.

Testosterone use in the military has previously come under scrutiny

When asked what conditions Hegseth was looking to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth’s remarks in the video that mentioned keeping troops “strong, resilient and capable” and that the rigors of the modern battlefield demand “maximum psychological and mental readiness.”

Over the past several years, special operations troops — and specifically Navy SEALs — have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar substances to enhance performance.

The death of a SEAL recruit during training in 2022 led to a discovery of substances in his possession, including testosterone, and revealed far more rampant drug use among the elite program than was previously acknowledged.

A year after the recruit's death, the Navy said it would begin a drug-testing program to screen for “any hormonal substance, chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone, that promotes muscle growth.”

Hegseth said his new initiative is "not about artificial enhancement.”

The Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move. It also didn’t say if female troops would be able to be evaluated for estrogen-based therapy as they entered perimenopause.

RFK Jr. has touted testosterone, but medical experts are wary

Testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age and have long been linked to issues like erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain. But experts have debated for years how to diagnose those problems and whether they should be treated by replacing the hormone.

Hegseth’s announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump administration officials are moving to make it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.

The current FDA label specifies that the medications are only for men with hypogonadism, a medical condition that causes drastically low testosterone.

But many influencers and proponents of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement tout testosterone as a way to look younger, build muscle and stay mentally sharp — although those uses aren’t accepted by most medical experts.

Still, recent studies have bolstered the case for testosterone’s benefits, for certain conditions, while allaying worries about its safety — particularly concerns about heart safety.

Last year, the FDA removed a boxed warning about possible risks of heart attack and stroke from the drugs.

Separately, a series of studies by the National Institutes of Health in older men found that taking testosterone improved erectile dysfunction, libido and other sexual measures and had a small effect on mood. But there was little or no improvement in other measures like fatigue, memory or overall well-being.

Other studies have shown potential improvements in muscle-building, strength and bone density.

However, current medical guidelines generally recommend against blanket testing of testosterone levels. Typically, doctors are advised to discuss testosterone therapy with men who have troubling symptoms and documented low levels of the hormone on two separate blood tests.

Testing for testosterone is challenging because levels of the hormone fluctuate throughout the day. Accurate testosterone readings are typically measured in the morning after fasting.

Some female Democratic lawmakers with military experience blast the new policy

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and Iraq War veteran, said the announcement sounded “like gender-affirming care to me," referencing Hegseth's stance against transgender troops.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Air Force veteran, said it “proves that Secretary Hegseth takes direction from the far corners of the manosphere.”

Both lawmakers called on Hegseth to make hormone testing available for both men and women.

"Let’s extend hormone screenings for all of our brave servicemembers to help us identify fertility issues early — since studies show that both women and men in our military disproportionately face higher rates of infertility than the general population,” Duckworth, who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

Hegseth has previously said he does not believe women should hold combat roles and that those positions should be based on the “highest male standard.” He has blocked some military promotions for women or fired female leaders since becoming Pentagon leader.

He has made other changes related to the medical treatment of troops.

In April, he announced the repeal of the military’s long-standing flu vaccine mandate, citing “medical autonomy” and religious freedom. In June, a flu outbreak at the U.S. Air Force’s boot camp sickened at least nearly 300 people.

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Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

All 83 Michigan counties are under an Air Quality Alert.

---> Canadian wildfire smoke triggers statewide Michigan air quality alert

So how can you stay safe?

The main goal is simple: reduce how much smoke you breathe, especially on days when air quality is poor.

Fine particles in wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen heart or respiratory conditions.

Check the air quality

Monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) before spending time outside. If the AQI is unhealthy, limit outdoor activities, especially strenuous exercise like running or cycling.

Stay indoors when possible

Keep windows and doors closed during smoky periods. If it’s too hot to do so safely, seek out a location with filtered air, such as a library, shopping mall or a cooling center.

Keep inside air clean

Run a portable HEPA air purifier or use a central HVAC system with a high-efficiency filter. Don’t burn candles or fireplaces, smoke tobacco or cannabis indoors, or vacuum without a HEPA filter. All of that can worsen indoor air quality.

Creating one “clean-air room” in your home can make all the difference.

Maybe mask up

If you must be outside in smoky conditions, a well-fitting N95 or KN95 respirator can help filter fine smoke particles. Cloth masks and standard surgical masks aren’t great at filtering smoke particles.

But before you mask up, usage during a heatwave (like we’re experiencing), can cause its own problems, especially for people with vulnerabilities.

It’s best to stay inside.

Check yourself

Smoke exposure can cause coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, chest tightness, headaches and irritated eyes. People with asthma or other lung conditions should follow their treatment plan and keep rescue medications readily available.

Take extra precautions if you’re at higher risk. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with asthma, COPD, or heart disease are more vulnerable to wildfire smoke and may need to reduce exposure even when air quality is only moderately degraded.

You should seek prompt medical attention if you experience severe trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, or symptoms that don’t improve after getting to cleaner air.

In September, Santos will appear on the fifth season of Fox's “Special Forces: World's Toughest Test,” a grueling contest where participants will be subjected to chemical gassing and other military themed challenges in a Malaysian jungle, the network announced Wednesday.

“I took my fat behind off the coach and tried something new!,” Santos wrote in a post on X along with a promotional image of himself standing next to a tree with a stern expression on his face. “And it changed EVERYTHING! I can’t wait to share this experience with y’all!”

He will go up against more than a dozen other contestants — including former NBA player Matt Barnes and actor Ruby Rose — in a show Fox has billed as the “ultimate test of physical, mental and emotional resilience.”

Santos was elected to the House from New York in 2022 as a Republican, but he wound up serving less than a year in the office after it was revealed he had fabricated much of his life story. He was expelled from Congress while facing criminal charges over stealing from donors and his campaign, fraudulently collecting unemployment benefits and lying to Congress about his wealth.

He pleaded guilty but had his sentence commuted by President Donald Trump after serving around 84 days in prison. He later tried to reboot his political career with another run for the House but quickly abandoned the run after raising no money.

Last month, Kalshi, the online prediction marketplace, reported him to federal authorities after he boasted he would be going to Trump’s State of the Union address, then allegedly bet against his own attendance. That caused Polymarket, another online prediction platform where he was working in an influencer capacity, to end its paid relationship with him. Santos has said the allegation is "preposterous."

He did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday.

Among the challenges on Fox’s “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” according to the network, were a claustrophobic search of an underground bunker and a supply load retrieval while suspended high above the jungle floor.

The new exhibit was installed in the same area where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.

“Overnight, under the cover of darkness, the federal government removed panels at the President’s House that told a thorough history of Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said. “It was allowed to do this by the decision of the federal court, but that it did so at night shows it understands this action is shameful, that it violates community trust.”

The original panels were put in place in 2010 and told the story of how nine slaves lived in the home along with George and Martha Washington in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was briefly the nation’s capital.

The changed exhibition comes as President Donald Trump has made dismantling diversity and inclusion initiatives a priority in an aggressive campaign to overhaul some of America's most sacred cultural, historic and educational institutions.

Trump issued an executive order in 2025 that called for federally owned or controlled historic sites to not display information to “disparage Americans past or living” and to focus on the “greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”

The directive has raised concerns about sanitizing and erasing dark sides of American history.

Trump has continued a broadside against culture he deems too liberal. In March, Trump revealed his intention to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution with an executive order that targeted funding for programs that advanced “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology." He has also pressured organizations outside of the government, including universities, to take similar actions with the stated aim of eliminating what he says are discriminatory practices.

The Trump administration first installed the new panels earlier this year, but a lower court forced the federal government in February to remove them. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit of Appeals reversed that and ruled July 3 that the work could continue.

The three-judge panel praised the plans for the replacement installation, writing that they were “full of historical context,” despite objections from historians and city officials that the content appears whitewashed.

The Interior Department told The Associated Press Wednesday in a statement that the new “panels are full of historical context and highlight the momentous events that took place in the President’s House and the other sites at Independence National Historical Park.”

“They acknowledge the evils of slavery, including its injustices and hypocrisies, and, by telling the stories of the nine slaves that Washington kept in the President’s House, remind us of their essential humanity,” the statement said.

A government website with images of the new panels showed they would still have information on enslaved people who lived in the home. It would also include details on the abolitionist movement, how the Constitution treated slavery, the end of slavery in Pennsylvania and how Washington and his successor, John Adams, viewed and treated slavery, as well as information about the 20th century Civil Rights movement.

However, the replacement panels do not include some of detail in the earlier ones, such as a map of slave trade routes and a timeline on slavery. They also avoid critical headlines such as “The Dirty Business of Slavery.”

The city of Philadelphia had sued the federal government over the removal of information previously included in the panels. It argued that the federal government must consult with the city before making changes to the President’s House Site. Justice Department lawyers argued the administration alone can decide what stories are told at National Park Service properties.

Parker said the city intends to seek a rehearing “on serious legal issues” presented in the appeals court decision.

Michael Coard, an attorney and founder of Avenging The Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), said the Philadelphia-based history preservation group continues to work on legal strategies opposing the Trump administration’s changing of the panels.

ATAC joined the city’s lawsuit.

Trump is attempting to rewrite history, Coard told reporters Wednesday near the site.

“What if there’s a president next time who doesn’t like the Liberty Bell because the Liberty Bell was used by abolitionists to support the end of slavery?” he said. “What if there’s a president who doesn’t like the Statue of Liberty because too many immigrants come in? Do we remove the Statue of Liberty?”

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Williams reported from Detroit.

More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, where a train crew in northern Ontario filmed themselves surrounded by flames before being safely evacuated. Winds are carrying the smoke southeast.

Warnings about unhealthy air conditions Wednesday extended from Minnesota through Toronto and into New York. Unusually hot summer temperatures were expected, too.

The best advice is to stay indoors to avoid both the smoke and the extreme heat, said Tyler Hasenstein, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

“Those two things coinciding with each other is not good from a health perspective,” he said.

Rangers try to get thousands of campers out of remote Minnesota wilderness

In far northeastern Minnesota, rangers were trying to warn people that the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was closed Tuesday because about 17 fires caused by lightning more than a week ago were spreading through the vast wilderness accessible primarily by canoe.

Rangers estimated anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 people were inside the 1.1-million-acre (445,000-hectare) wilderness, which is almost the size of Delaware, Superior National Forest spokesperson Joy VanDrie said.

“It’s an arduous job,” VanDrie said of rangers and campers having to canoe for hours or even carry their boats over land to evacuate.

No injuries or deaths have been reported. Rangers were going through every lake and waterway and officials estimated they had about 90% of the people out Wednesday.

Campers rescued this week said skies quickly darkened from smoke and they could feel the heat as they paddled or were taken by boat to safety.

Jan Bailey was camping with her husband, daughter, son-in-law, two grandchildren and three dogs when they noticed wispy smoke on the horizon. Two hours later, they could see a raging firestorm. A paddleboarder with a satellite phone fled to their campsite and they called forestry rangers who sent a boat to rescue them and others.

“We had fire on both sides of us at that time,” Bailey told Minnesota Public Radio. “So we’re just weaving between the lakes. It’s a little smoky. Campsites are going up."

Even authorities in Canada pitched in. They rescued two groups of youth campers Wednesday who had crossed the border. One group was stuck on an isolated sandbar, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said.

VanDrie didn’t know when the area might reopen. Minnesota officials said some fires in the Boundary Waters will be allowed to burn indefinitely but will be monitored to ensure they don’t threaten people or property.

Severe drought and heat have led to a busy wildfire season

Dan Westervelt, associate professor at Columbia University’s Climate School, said severe drought conditions combined with heat in Canada and the U.S. have created “a perfect storm for really dry conditions to provide a lot of fuel for these wildfires to burn.” Research shows warming temperatures from burning coal, oil and gas are making fires more frequent and intense.

High levels of fine particulate matter in the air from wildfire smoke may be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children and people with heart or lung conditions. The particulates can cause shortness of breath, coughing, dizziness or fatigue and aggravate heart and lung diseases and other chronic health issues.

Experts suggest wearing a N95 mask if you have to be outside and keeping your indoor air cleaner by closing windows and running an air purifier or air conditioner.

It's been a particularly busy and deadly fire season in the U.S. About four dozen large fires are currently burning across 15 states, from Minnesota and North Carolina to Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and California, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Prolonged drought and record low snowpack levels combined to make conditions ripe for rapid fire growth.

Smoke spreads as officials warn wildfires could burn for months

In Minnesota, officials warned large fires could burn for months. In Minneapolis, the high Wednesday was expected to be 96 degrees F (36 C) and temperatures above 90 F (32 C) were expected the rest of the week.

“It could well be we’re having significant fires throughout the summer until we have snow. Snow would be a good thing,” said Patty Thielen, director of the state Department of Natural Resources.

The smoke was so thick that the sky turned orange like Mars in northern Minnesota, said Matt Taraldsen, supervisory meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Part of the danger of the heat and smoke there is that only about half the buildings have air conditioning, Taraldsen said. Residents usually would open windows to keep cool “but when there’s dense smoke, you can’t do that,” he said.

Taraldsen's mother said she woke up in her Duluth, Minnesota, home Wednesday morning and everything smelled like a campfire. When she opened her door, her eyes watered and she had to use her inhaler to ease her asthma.

Typically, Theresa Taraldsen said, she can see the St. Louis River from her yard but it was all a white wall of smoke Wednesday.

“You literally couldn’t see nothing,” she said.

Officials in Michigan and Wisconsin warned residents about air quality issues that could last for days. People in New York reported smelling smoke Wednesday afternoon and the problems extended even to Maine, where residents were reporting a yellowish and brownish color in the sky.

The most intense smoke could spread as far south as Washington, D.C., by midday Thursday.

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Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan and Jeffrey Collins contributed to this report.

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

But the 291-241 vote in the lower house of parliament doesn’t mean the bill immediately becomes law. There will be a review to determine if it complies with the French Constitution.

The National Assembly approved the measure after backing it in three previous readings. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the legislation more than three years ago.

“In 2022, I committed to opening this path with the French people,” Macron said in a message posted on X. "With seriousness, with humility, and with full respect for our democracy, that commitment has been fulfilled.”

According to various estimates, assisted dying is available to around 300 million people worldwide, with euthanasia legal under certain conditions in some countries and assisted suicide allowed in others and in several U.S. states. France has an increasingly aging population, with growing numbers of patients in the country who require care for chronic illnesses.

France, a traditionally Catholic nation, has grappled with legal, medical, moral and religious questions about end-of-life options, including existing legislation that allows doctors to keep terminally ill patients sedated before death, but stops short of allowing assisted suicide and euthanasia.

“The national representation has risen to the occasion during these debates. This has been the longest debate since the 1980s,” said Yael Braun-Pivet, the president of the National Assembly.

Many French people have traveled to neighboring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia are legal. Medically assisted suicide generally involves a patient voluntarily taking lethal medication prescribed by a doctor. Euthanasia involves a doctor or other healthcare professional administering a lethal injection at the patient’s request.

End-of-life options are also being debated in the United Kingdom. A bill to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales will formally return to Parliament on Sept. 11, five months after it ran out of time in Parliament’s last session.

The bill sets strict conditions

The proposed measure in France primarily provides for medically assisted suicide, by allowing patients to receive and self-administer lethal medication under strict conditions. Only people whose physical condition prevents them from doing so would be allowed to receive assistance from a doctor or a nurse.

Patients seeking to end their lives would have to be at least 18 years old and either French citizens or legal residents of France.

A doctor would first have to consult a team of healthcare professionals and then confirm that the patient has a serious and incurable illness that is life-threatening. The patient must be in an advanced or terminal stage, experiencing pain that can't be relieved or is unbearable, and seeking lethal medication of their own free will.

Lawmakers specified that psychological suffering alone wouldn't qualify a person for medically assisted dying.

People with severe psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s wouldn't be eligible.

Patients would initiate the request, to be reviewed by health professionals within 15 days, and then confirm it after a period of reflection lasting at least two days.

If approved, they could take the lethal medication at the time and in the place of their choice, including at home or in a healthcare facility, in the presence of their loved ones if they wish.

On the chosen date, the doctor or nurse would have to verify that the person still wishes to proceed and remain nearby to intervene if complications arise.

France’s national health insurance system would cover all associated costs.

Many French people support the changes

A 2023 report found that most French people are in favor of legalizing end-of-life options, and opinion polls have shown support increasing over the past two decades.

The Association for the Right to Die With Dignity said that the law would allow people “to choose to end unbearable suffering, freely and with full awareness.” Its president, Jonathan Denis, said in a statement that “a law that creates a new right never forces anyone to exercise it. It does, however, ensure that every person … can remain at the heart of medical decisions that concern them and have their wishes respected.”

Opponents argue the measure could put pressure on older people and those living with illness or disabilities.

In an open letter to Macron, the anti-euthanasia group Alliance Vita said that “every effort must be made to ensure that people who are suffering have immediate access to palliative care and support. Presenting death as a desirable solution can never be an acceptable response to suffering and is contrary to human dignity.”

The vote caps a lengthy parliamentary process

The Senate, the upper house where conservatives hold a majority, rejected the bill. But under France’s legislative process, the National Assembly has the final say when the two houses of parliament disagree.

Senate President Gérard Larcher and Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that they would refer the bill to the Constitutional Council, which will have up to a month to determine whether it complies with the French Constitution. The law will only take effect once that review has been completed.

“Extensive debates have taken place in the National Assembly on this bill. However, discussions in the Senate did not allow for such an in-depth examination, in order to produce legislation that addresses both the aspirations of its supporters and the concerns of those who are worried about how it will be implemented,” Lecornu said.

In the U.K., opponents of the bill to legalize assisted dying prevented it from passing in the House of Lords, the upper house, by filing more than 1,200 amendments on a range of concerns, including potential coercion of vulnerable people and a lack of safeguards for those with disabilities.

That was in April, after elected representatives in the House of Commons passed it.

The bill that is expected to be presented again proposes allowing adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death subject to the approval of two doctors and an expert panel. One aim is so people no longer go to other countries, such as Switzerland, for an assisted death.

In Germany, parliament’s lower house, the Bundestag, in 2023 considered two proposals to regulate assisted dying and rejected both of them.

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John Leicester in Paris, Pan Pylas in London and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report.

The incident occurred on Wednesday (July 15) around 5:30 a.m. in the 15300 block of Hartwell Street, in response to reports of a carjacking.

During the incident, police said the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim before stealing the vehicle.

Officials said the victim, an adult man, was transported for medical treatment and is listed in stable condition.

At about 9:30 a.m., officers said they located the suspected carjacker.

Police said the man fled, leading officers on a pursuit through the city before crashing into a building at the corner of Waverly Avenue and Livernois.

The suspect, a man believed to be in his 40s, was taken into custody following the crash.

Police have not released the identities of the suspect or the victim, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Dr. Erica Schwartz told the Senate health committee she "will never betray the science” and pledged to use “radical transparency” in a bid to rebuild public trust in the agency. But several senators questioned how she might handle pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly moved to alter U.S. vaccine and CDC policies. Schwartz repeatedly declined to dissent from some of those actions.

Schwartz, 54, is up for director of the Atlanta-based CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats.

Her career has largely been spent in military uniform, including in a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard where she oversaw the organization’s system of 41 clinics and 150 sick bays — as well as policies promoting vaccinations of service members. She later served as deputy surgeon general, where she helped lead uniformed medical and health professionals posted at the CDC and government health agencies that serve the general public.

The CDC long enjoyed a sterling international reputation but has been in turmoil since Trump returned to office last year. Largely due to layoffs and resignations, the agency has lost more than 3,000 employees, or more than a quarter of its workforce. Morale has plummeted as a succession of mostly temporary leaders have come and gone — the front office filled with political appointees, many of them with little or no training in medicine or public health.

“There’s still really good people who work there (at the CDC). They are doing their best to navigate choppy waters,” said Dr. David Margolius, director of Cleveland's health department and a leader in a U.S. coalition of big city health departments. But CDC no longer seems to the authoritative and communicative lead that it was on outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

“Basically everybody’s got to kind of choose their own adventure, as opposed to being led by a national public health department,” Margolius said.

CDC has had several leaders

The agency is overseen by Kennedy, who was a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before he was tapped to lead the CDC and other federal health agencies. Kennedy had promised not to change the nation’s vaccination schedule. But shortly after taking office, Kennedy said he was going to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and went on to attempt a substantial rewrite of vaccine recommendations for kids. Some of those efforts were put on hold earlier this year by a federal judge.

The administration’s first pick to run the CDC was former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon, but his March 2025 Senate confirmation hearing was canceled an hour before it was to begin. Weldon said at the time that he’d been told not enough senators were willing to vote for him.

The White House then moved on to Susan Monarez, who had been serving as the CDC’s acting director. Monarez was confirmed by the Senate, but she was ousted in less than a month. Trump administration officials said she wasn’t aligned with their agenda so they terminated her.

Several key CDC scientific leaders resigned in protest, saying Monarez’s dismissal dashed their hopes that a CDC director would be able to guard against political meddling in the agency’s scientific research and health recommendations.

Since then, there’s been a revolving door in agency leadership, with the short-term role of acting director being passed from one Washington-based HHS official to another. National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya has been overseeing the CDC most recently.

Schwartz said she was unaware of actions that hurt the CDC

On Wednesday, some senators suggested Schwartz should follow Monarez's example, and they asked her about actions Kennedy has taken that have affected CDC.

Schwartz said she was unaware that CDC programs that worked to prevent smoking and promote vaccinations had been curtailed. She declined to commit to taking down a CDC website that suggests there’s a link between childhood vaccines and autism (she said she had not seen it), though she agreed existing medical evidence has not found a link.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, asked if she would — if Kennedy ordered her — suspend promotion of a flu vaccination campaign during a deadly flu season.

“Senator, I don’t speak in hypotheticals,” Schwartz responded.

“It isn’t hypothetical. It happened,” said Hassan, referring to internal CDC emails, released by Sen. Bernie Sanders last month, that documented such a directive from Kennedy to CDC staff last year.

Schwartz said she agreed that CDC should prioritize responding to infectious diseases. “I think over time, the CDC has had some mission creep, and it’s trying to be all things to all people,” she said.

But she also agreed to requests from Republican senators to — if confirmed — look into whether AI data centers cause health problems and into the possibility of establishing a World Trade Center Health Program clinical center in Florida.

Senators also heard from nominee overseeing health emergency preparedness

In April, Trump nominated Schwartz, calling her “incredibly talented.” In a congressional hearing in April, Kennedy said he approved of the choice, but refused to commit to supporting whatever vaccine guidance she might issue.

Last month, Schwartz filed letters with the government that address her finances and potential conflicts of interest. She wrote that if confirmed, she will leave her current job with UnitedHealth Group, where she's making about $850,000 in salary and bonus money and cash out her stock options. She also will resign from the board of directors of Butterfly Network Inc., a Massachusetts company that makes ultrasound devices; from the board of Atlanta-based Aveanna Healthcare, a medical home care provider; and from the board of the Florida-based Searching for Solutions Institute.

At Wednesday's hearing, senators also considered the nomination of Sean Kaufman as the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, or ASPR. That job entails overseeing preparations and response to public health emergencies and disasters.

Last year, the Trump administration announced a plan to bring those responsibilities under CDC, but the dramatic HHS restructuring has not happened.

The assistant secretary's office is involved in decisions about funding next-generation vaccines against pandemic flu or other infectious disease threats. In postings on LinkedIn, Kaufman has made comments cheered by vaccine skeptics, arguing against hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns and saying he served as an expert witness to advocate for people who refused the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Wednesday, Kaufman faced questions about past social media posts, including one in which he expressed hatred for the CDC. He also repeatedly was asked about his support of a Trump administration decision last year to cancel 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines using mRNA technology.

Infectious disease experts say the mRNA technology used in vaccines is safe, and they credit its development during the first Trump administration with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Future pandemics, they warned, will be harder to stop without the help of mRNA.

Kaufman said he supported mRNA technology and believes COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, but said it made sense to study work that's been done so far before, including learning more about any side effects.

Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said such evaluations are the responsibility of other federal offices — not ASPR. He also said it may slow the nation's ability to respond to emerging new infectious threats.

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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.

During a lengthy podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Wednesday, Vance pointed largely to former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who infamously stated that an alleged “client list” of Epstein’s was “sitting on my desk right now.” Epstein was a convicted sex offender who was known for his wide web of connections to the world's elite.

In addition to those comments, the Justice Department under Bondi had also offered conservative commentators and influencers binders that were called “The Epstein files: Phase 1″ and “Declassified.”

“I know Pam. I like Pam. I don’t think there was anything malicious going on,” Vance told Rogan. “I think Pam was trying to respond to the political moment. I think she overstated what we had and what we didn’t have.”

As a result, Vance said, Bondi was “roasted” publicly for it and led people to “mistrust” the administration’s transparency efforts on the Epstein files.

“We absolutely screwed up the comms of the Epstein files. Like, we just did,” Vance said. “But do I think the reason we screwed up the comms is because we were trying to hide something? No.”

The controversy over the Epstein files dogged the administration for much of last year, with lawmakers eventually passing a measure that compelled the release of a massive trove of documents in the government's possession related to its investigations of the disgraced financier. The Justice Department began releasing the documents in late December, which included photos, call logs, grand jury testimony and interview transcripts.

The vote tally, 104-314, was not enough to attach the amendment to a broader national security spending bill, but stands as a stark accounting of the shifting attitudes that are dividing the Democratic Party and the nation over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war strategy, now approaching its third year.

The House's Democratic leadership split over the issue in what was largely seen as a test vote ahead of the U.S. midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. More than 100 Democrats voted for the amendment to strip the foreign military aid money, and almost as many voted against. Most Republicans voted to preserve the Israel aid.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who announced he opposed the measure that would zero out the aid, insisted “that for the good of Israel and the Palestinian people, American policy in the Middle East must change.”

Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues, ahead of a private caucus meeting this week where the Israel issue dominated the debate, that he believes “there are more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary when it comes to the far-right Netanyahu government.”

Democrats divided over US support for Israel

The deepening divide over Israel threatens to upend the Democratic Party as it faces an energized left flank that is promoting self-proclaimed democratic socialists in a handful of marquee House races, particularly last month in New York.

While more traditional Democrats have stood with U.S. support for Israel, a growing number have distanced themselves from Netanyahu's strategy since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

The Democratic Whip, Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, announced she would support the measure to withhold the funds.

Republicans have seized on the divide to portray Democrats as being overtaken by their more radical far-left elements, even as House Speaker Mike Johnson faces divisions within his own ranks as President Donald Trump's most ardent America First Republicans lean toward less foreign military spending.

According to an AP-NORC poll this month, about one-third of U.S. adults — including roughly half of Democrats — believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation that’s been leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the U.S. government.

Amendment pushed forward from Rep. Thomas Massie

The amendment to strip Israel's foreign aid was offered by Rep. Thomas Massie, the libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republican who lost his own bid for reelection after Trump backed his challenger.

During the floor debate, Massie said the $3.3 billion could be better spent at home on U.S. roads, bridges and veterans' needs, especially as national deficits are on the rise. He said the American weapons were used on “oftentimes innocent civilians.”

“I think we should stop it — we should put them on a diet,” Massie said.

But Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, himself a former party leader, championed longtime support of Israel and warned against withdrawing U.S. aid.

“I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, which would dangerously undermine American national security," Hoyer said. He said it would limit the United States' ability to confront terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, which he said “expressly target American citizens and military personnel.”

Lawmakers under pressure as midterms near

The lawmakers were feeling pressure from all sides as they prepare for midterm elections this fall.

The powerful American-Israel group AIPAC encouraged its supporters to contact members of Congress to register their opposition.

"We must ensure his dangerous amendment is defeated," AIPAC said in a statement ahead of the vote.

At the same time, the progressive advocacy organization J Street gave lawmakers more leeway to express their views, as Jeffries did, even as the group opposed the amendment as poorly drafted and overly broad.

President Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement that J Street recognizes “that, for many Democrats, this is one of the few opportunities to cast a recorded vote expressing opposition to the way American military assistance and American-supplied weapons have been used by the Israeli government in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere.”

He said that what unites the majority of Democrats “is far more significant” than this vote as they work to support “the security and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.”

Crews worked both above and below ground, testing cable section by section to locate the damage and make repairs, DTE’s operations director, Jerry Tullio, said. “It can be quite complex and laborious,” he said.

Residents described a frustrating return to life without power after outages during the Fourth of July weekend.

“The situation has been dire two weeks in a row, Fourth of July weekend, now this weekend, especially with the stifling heat,” said Irvin Posey, a northwest Detroit resident whose home on Sussex Street had power while neighbors did not.

Cynthia Hepburn, who lives across the street, said she had been without power since Tuesday (July 14) night.

“I’m in here suffering, you know, suffering,” said Hepburn. “And now here we are again.”

Hepburn said the earlier July 4th outage caused damage to appliances when the power came back on.

“It started with brownouts. I lost my washing machine, my dryer, and my dishwasher,” she said.

DTE said two cables that feed a nearby substation failed, initially knocking about 7,800 customers offline.

About 5,300 customers were still without power late Wednesday afternoon, the utility said.

The company said crews have been working since the outage began and are testing the cable, piece by piece, to identify and repair the damaged equipment.

Officials said they are checking on vulnerable customers and installing 15 utility-sized generators to restore electricity and air conditioning where possible.

“People faithfully pay their bills, and they expect service,” Hepburn said. “I understand that things can happen, but this is too much.”

DTE says they’re checking on their most vulnerable customers, providing water and ice to those who need it.

The Adams Butzel complex is operating as a cooling center while the utility says it hopes to have power restored by Wednesday night.

The 47-page outline, called a budget resolution, is a long-shot undertaking designed to supplement Pentagon funding for the Iran war and address Trump’s top priority of changing voter registration requirements. A more ambitious effort was narrowed to address concerns from some conservatives about adding to the deficit. The plan does not seek any offsets to pay for the new spending.

House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed ahead after meeting with Trump at the White House this week in what will be the Republicans’ calling card to voters this fall heading into the midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.

“Safeguarding American elections and strengthening our national defense are the most basic responsibilities of Congress,” Johnson said in a statement.

Johnson welcomed the chance to again use a legislative process that would allow Republicans to overpower Democratic objections and eventually approve legislation on a party-line vote, saying the Democrats won’t be able to block the GOP's priorities “any longer.”

Democrats, however, have argued against the sharply partisan path, particularly for matters of war funding.

The Budget Committee is expected to consider the outline Thursday, ahead of floor action in the House next week.

Billions of dollars for the Iran war

The bulk of the $95 billion that Republicans will seek would go for the U.S.-led war against Iran, reflecting the White House's request for supplemental spending to rebuild stockpiles and fund classified programs.

The resolution calls for the House Armed Services Committee to craft legislation that will not increase deficits through 2036 by more than $60 billion; the Select Committee on Intelligence, $13 billion; the Agriculture Committee, $12 billion; and the House Administration Committee, $10 billion.

The latter funding would be focused on enacting aspects of an election law overhaul that requires those registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship and is a top Trump priority. Republicans have said their focus is on enhancing election integrity, but Democrats say it's about suppressing voter turnout, particularly among married women, seniors and minorities who don't have ready access to the documents they would need to present when registering to vote.

Overall, the plan for defense spending is on par with a request the White House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months. But it falls far short of the $350 billion increase the White House proposed earlier this year to boost defense resources.

Approving extra war funding will be difficult, even among Republicans supporting the Iran effort, as the nation confronts staggering annual deficits reaching nearly $2 trillion this year.

Trump pushes Congress for voting law changes

Both the House and the Senate would have to pass the same budget resolution to launch the crafting of the party-line bill, which is politically difficult in a Congress where Republicans hold a narrow majority.

Along with the war funds, the package Republicans are pursuing would include $10 billion for the GOP's effort to impose strict proof of citizenship requirements in line with provisions of the SAVE America Act, which has been a top Trump priority.

Trump has insisted that Republicans approve the elections overhaul bill, which has passed the House but does not have the votes to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. So Republicans are looking to get parts of it through the arduous reconciliation process that allows both chambers to pass a bill with a simple majority.

Overall, passage of the package would be a lengthy process, with much of the action taking place after lawmakers return from their August recess and during the heart of election season. Johnson told reporters his goal is for both chambers to pass the budget framework before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.

Vice President JD Vance met with House Republicans in the afternoon, saying he wanted to give them a message of unity. He said they've accomplished a lot, but needed to stick together to get “one very big thing” done.

“We've got a good piece of legislation to support the troops, support the farmers and get SAVE America Act passed,” Vance said.

Democrats mount opposition to the GOP package

The additional aid for farmers dealing with higher gas and fertilizer prices has become an election year priority for many lawmakers with rural constituencies.

But even the addition of farm aid is unlikely to be an incentive for Democrats to lend support for what is essentially a Republican-only bill. Democrats are expected to overwhelmingly oppose whatever final product emerges and force Republicans to take votes on scores of difficult amendments.

Rep. Brendan Boyle, the lead Democratic lawmaker on the House Budget Committee, said the GOP’s budget plan would lead to tens of billions of dollars in additional debt to fund what he called the most unpopular war in American history.

“I’m going to fight like hell to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used to lower costs and make life better for American families, not to bankroll Trump’s giveaways to billionaires and endless wars overseas,” Boyle said.

Johnson, of Louisiana, applauded Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and others on the panel for moving swiftly to tee up the resolution and unlock what would be Republicans' third reconciliation bill this Congress.

Trump's big tax breaks bill last year and the Homeland Security funding bill this year both passed largely along party lines.

Arrington said several factors contributed to the decision not to offset some of the new spending Republicans will seek. First, the Trump administration’s call for more defense spending was winnowed to just meeting replenishment needs during a time of war. Second, he was concerned that some of the savings generated in last year’s party line bill could be relitigated and stripped out if the Senate Finance Committee had been instructed to find offsets.

Republicans could have tried to work with Democrats to pass more defense spending through the regular budgeting process or through an emergency spending bill, but that would require bipartisan support to get through the Senate. And Democrats likely would have sought commensurate spending increases for non-defense priorities.

“There’s no doubt that Democrats would exact a big price,” Arrington said. “… We avoided that, so I would say in this moment, with this scenario, that’s a win.”

Update: Michigan cyclosporiasis outbreak tops 3,700 cases, and restaurants are changing how they operate

On July 15, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported 3,762 cyclosporiasis cases since June 22, up from 3,309 on July 14. Of those reported cases, 44 were hospitalized as of July 9.

The cases remain the highest in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland and Livingston counties.

The CDC said cases have been identified in 34 states and expects illnesses to continue increasing through the end of August, when the typical Cyclospora season ends.

“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.

While MDHHS and local health officials are still working to identify the direct source of the growing outbreak, they said lettuce or salad greens could be a possible source.

No specific type of lettuce, grower, or supplier has been identified.

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. People can also experience symptoms like fatigue, nausea, stomach cramps and loss of appetite.

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.

Related --> 6 things Michiganders are getting wrong about the cyclosporiasis outbreak

Precautions with lettuce, salad greens

MDHHS said, based on early information in the outbreak investigation and the historical link to Cyclospora and pre-packaged salad greens, they recommend people practice the following safety measures with lettuce:

• Purchase whole heads: Buy whole heads of lettuce rather than pre-washed, bagged lettuce or pre-mixed salad kits. 
• Discard outer layers: Before preparation, throw away the outer two to three layers of leaves. 
• Wash inner leaves: Thoroughly wash the remaining inner leaves under clean running water. 
• Prioritize cooking: For any greens that can be cooked, cooking to a temperature of at least 158 F (70 C) is the safest option, as the parasite is resistant to routine chemical disinfection and washing alone cannot guarantee its removal. 

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 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:

• 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. 

Days of back-and-forth strikes by the U.S. and Iran across the Middle East — and renewed threats to the waterway crucial to global energy supplies — have shredded the interim deal to end the conflict and the region could tip back into all-out war.

The U.S. first imposed a blockade in April and lifted it last month after signing the interim deal that paused the fighting and set a 60-day period for negotiations over issues such as Iran’s nuclear program. Those talks have stalled as fighting over the Strait of Hormuz has intensified.

When the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran effectively closed the waterway to shipping traffic — a move that sent the price of oil, fertilizer and many other goods soaring far beyond the region and gave Iran major leverage in negotiations. Those rising prices pose a particular challenge to U.S. President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, which hopes to retain control of Congress in November elections. But Washington has struggled to successfully reopen the waterway.

About 24 hours after the blockade went into effect, the U.S. military opened fire on and disabled a merchant vessel Wednesday.

Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iran was prepared for a fuller military confrontation if the U.S. does not live up to the terms of the interim deal, and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the blockade.

“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” the Guard said.

Soon after the U.S. launched its third wave of strikes in 24 hours, Trump said Iran was ready to strike a peace deal, but he did not elaborate.

“They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off,” he said Wednesday at a defense summit at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania.

Both the US and Iran launch attacks as the blockade is reimposed

The U.S. carried out a wave of strikes, hitting dozens of targets overnight, the military’s Central Command said Wednesday, and then resumed striking Iran during daylight — an unusual move that further signaled the increasing tempo of the attacks. Another wave of strikes began late Wednesday.

Central Command said it spotted Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma sailing toward Kharg Island and, after the ship “ignored multiple warnings,” a U.S. aircraft disabled the merchant vessel by firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack.

In addition to the now-disabled Belma, the U.S. military said it also had to speak with two other commercial vessels, but they complied with their instructions to turn away.

The U.S. military disabled at least eight merchant vessels during the first round of the blockade, including one strike that left three sailors dead.

Among the U.S. military's targets this week was Greater Tunb Island, which is viewed as a strategic point in the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command said the attack targeted Iranian defense and missile sites.

Iran took control of three islands — Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb — from what would become the United Arab Emirates in 1971. The UAE has sought to reclaim them.

Some analysts have suggested that if the U.S. seized the islands, they could allow it to control the strait.

The U.S. military said its bombing campaign hit targets along Iran's southern coast in Bandar Abbas, Khormuj, Ahvaz, Qeshm, Bushehr and Kuh-e Stak.

Another strike targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state television reported. The report said Americans fired at least 13 missiles in the attack and the seven dead included conscripts and career soldiers. A number of troops were wounded.

More than 35 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded by U.S. airstrikes in recent days, said Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for the Iranian Health Ministry. At least 72 people are hospitalized, he added.

Kermanpour did not break down the figures between civilians and combatants.

The announcement marked the first overall toll given by Iranian authorities for this round of fighting. The number of wounded was far larger than for any other recent violence between Iran and the U.S. The army said it would make “a decisive response,” according to state TV.

U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads Central Command, said in a statement that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf Arab countries.

Missile-alert warnings sounded Wednesday in Bahrain and Kuwait as they faced incoming Iranian fire — a daily occurrence recently. In a post on X, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged people to “head to the nearest safe place.”

Jordan said it shot down three incoming Iranian missiles. Iran claimed attacks on the three nations, all of which host U.S. forces.

In a statement published online, Qalibaf said the United States had not lived up to the terms of the interim peace deal, which he said included “Iranian arrangements” over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Now that we have entered the implementation phase, the United States, having exhausted its legal and diplomatic options, is trying to undermine those Iranian arrangements through force,” he wrote.

Qalibaf's comments appeared aimed at critics within Iran who oppose negotiations with the U.S. He argued that negotiations should not be equated with compromise or surrender, but as part of a broader strategy of resistance.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the heart of the fighting

The latest fighting is focused on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas trade passes during peacetime. How to reopen the strait has bedeviled the U.S. since Iran choked it off in the early days of the war.

During the interim deal, some ships began moving through the passage using a route near Oman overseen by the U.S. military that is outside Tehran’s control.

In recent days, Iran attacked ships using that route — and back-and-forth attacks ensued. The U.S. has threatened to reopen the strait by force — but experts say that would require a much bigger armada if not tens of thousands of ground troops. Imposing the blockade is another way to put pressure on Iran.

But in the meantime, oil prices are rising. The price for Brent crude oil, the international standard, traded above $85 a barrel on Wednesday — more than 15% higher than the price before the war, but still well below the nearly $120 reached at the height of the conflict.

Analysts with the International Monetary Fund warned Wednesday that while a surplus of oil had kept prices low, “much of that room has now been used up.”

“Unless inventories are replenished, the world will start from a weaker position when the next shock comes,” Azim Sadikov and Jean-Marc Natal wrote in a blog post.

___

Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin, Will Weissert, Collin Binkley and Fatima Hussein in Washington, Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

Buffett told CNBC that Gates' association with Epstein was “distasteful," but the 95-year-old investor suggested that Gates' actions weren't much different from mistakes he himself had made over the years in hiring the wrong person or in choosing friends.

“No one bats a thousand in the business of choosing people," Buffett said on CNBC.

Buffett read up on Gates' ties to Epstein

Buffett said he “read a great deal since Jan. 1 in terms of what happened with Bill and Epstein. And I have read his remarks to Congress given under oath, and I read the cross-examination.” He noted that Gates eventually ended his relationship with Epstein.

Buffett said Gates wasn't surprised by the decision Buffett announced Tuesday to eventually donate all the rest of his $140 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to foundations associated with his family and his three children, Howard, Susie and Peter. Gates flew to Omaha a few weeks ago and spent several hours talking with Buffett. The two hadn't spoken much since before additional details about Gates and Epstein started to come out when the federal government began releasing files from the Epstein investigation.

Gates has said that he only met with Epstein because he thought it might help him raise money for charitable causes, and he didn't know about Epstein's ongoing crimes.

Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, was found dead at the Manhattan federal lockup in August 2019. His death was later ruled a suicide by New York City’s medical examiner.

Gates called Buffett “one of the greatest philanthropists of all time, and a dear friend” who he hopes to spend much more time with in the future.

“His wisdom, generosity, and deep sense of purpose have defined both his life and his philanthropy. His support for the Gates Foundation, at nearly $50 billion over the past twenty years, has been unprecedented, and it has helped save millions of lives,” Gates said in a statement.

Buffett said in 2024 that he planned to cut off donations to the Gates Foundation after he died and let his three children decide how to distribute the rest of his fortune.

The Gates Foundation will still have tremendous resources: its endowment was worth nearly $90 billion at the end of last year and Gates has promised to donate nearly all his remaining fortune to the foundation.

In other news from the CNBC interview, Buffett revealed that he recently broke his leg and underwent surgery for it, but he said he is recovering well.

Drastically increasing donations to give away his fortune by 2034

Buffett said he wants his own Berkshire shares to be distributed even quicker than he has previously indicated: by the end of 2034. To do that, he will have to drastically increase the amount he donates every year, to more than $17 billion annually.

Right now he is giving roughly $6 billion to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and the foundations his children run: the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the Novo Foundation. Buffett filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday afternoon that showed he had donated a total of 12 million Class B Berkshire shares a day earlier to those foundations.

The majority of that is going to the foundation named in honor of his late wife, which may quickly become one of the world's largest such organizations. Buffett also traditionally gives additional gifts to his family foundations around Thanksgiving each year.

He has said that after his death, a new foundation will be created to distribute the rest of his shares and that his children will have to agree unanimously on where to donate them. He wants his children to be able to make those decisions before they die or become senile, and his oldest daughter will be nearly 81 in eight years.

Buffett's donations may affect his successor's support

The accelerated pace of Buffett's plan to give away his fortune over the next eight years rather than doing it over the 10 years following his death will mean that his successor at Berkshire Hathaway, Greg Abel, won't be able to count on the support of Buffett's family as the company's biggest shareholder for as long as he thought. Buffett currently controls nearly 30% of the voting power with his 188,290 Class A shares.

Nevertheless, Buffett said he believes it's clear that Abel is the right man to lead the conglomerate he built, and “that becomes more evident by the day.”

However, Buffett did note that Berkshire's big investment in Google's parent company, which has grown in value considerably over the past year, is one he initiated and not an investment Abel picked, though Abel did agree on it. Just last month, Berkshire agreed to invest another $10 billion in Alphabet after previously tripling its stake in the company. ___ A previous version of this story misspelled Warren Buffett's last name in the headline.

With one more win, he'll be delivering another World Cup trophy for Argentina.

Messi didn't add to his tournament-leading goal total, but the 39-year-old assisted on two late strikes that carried La Albiceleste to another stunning comeback for a 2-1 victory over England in the semifinals Wednesday.

Eight days after an improbable rally against Egypt in the round of 16, Messi returned to Atlanta to produce another stellar moment in a career that might already be the best ever.

England was surely envisioning going for its first World Cup title since its only one six decades ago after a 55th-minute goal from Anthony Gordon.

But Messi and his blue-clad teammates, as they have shown over and over again, are never done. Now it's on to face Spain in the final on Sunday with a chance at becoming the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

In the 85th minute, with England hanging on for dear life, Messi pushed out a short corner, immediately got the return pass and spotted Enzo Fernández lurking in the middle of the field, 25 yards from the goal. Fernández ripped a curling shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to even the score.

At that point, it seemed inevitable that Argentina would pull out the victory.

And that's just what happened, with Messi again the orchestrator. Two minutes into stoppage time, he sent a pinpoint cross into the area, Lautaro Martínez slipped between two defenders and effortlessly headed home the winning goal.

From there, it was just a matter of protecting the lead.

When the final whistle blew, Messi dropped to his knees in the middle of the field, pumping his fists.

He remains even with Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot, both stars having scored eight goals in the tournament.

Messi is also the all-time top scorer in World Cups with 21 goals.

But what he really wants is another title.

He's one win away.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The final design for the commemorative coin, being released in the fall, was approved earlier this year by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump. But the finished product unveiled Wednesday differs from that version in a few aspects, including that it is not made of gold but rather has a gold finish.

The coin is intended “to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X. “Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all."

The president on Wednesday told Fox Business Network that the move to put his face on a coin is “very unusual, but I was honored by it,” adding that “it's very cute they gave me a coin.”

Trump, a Republican, has a penchant for putting his name and likeness in the historical record, following his renaming of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and a new class of battleships, among other tributes. The move to put his face on the gold coin has drawn criticism in particular because federal law prohibits the depiction of a living president on U.S. currency, though the treasury secretary has the authority to authorize the minting and issuance of coins in some circumstances.

The front of the coin features an image of Trump in a suit and tie and with a stern look on his face. Lettering on the top half of the coin's arc spells “LIBERTY," with the dates 1776-2026 on the bottom half of the arc. The words “IN GOD WE TRUST” are in the middle.

The reverse side depicts the traditional image of the bald eagle in the Great Seal of the U.S., with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” on the top half of the coin and the Latin phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” meaning “Out of many, one,” on the shield emblazoned on the bird's breast.

Among the other differences from the design approved earlier this year is that Trump doesn’t have his fists resting on top of what is supposed to be a desk as he leans forward. The Treasury Department did not specify Wednesday why the final product diverged from the originally approved design.

The Treasury Department announced in March that it would be putting Trump's signature on all new U.S. paper currency.

Traditionally, U.S. paper currency carries the signatures of the treasury secretary and the treasurer, not the president.

___

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Democrats asked Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, over and over again whether former President Joe Biden won the election and defeated Trump. Echoing many of Trump's nominees, Clayton said many times that the election was “certified" for Biden, declining to say outright that the Democrat won.

“I'm not going to get into this with you,” Clayton told Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, the last of several Democrats on the committee to grill Clayton on the 2020 election. Clayton appeared frustrated and flustered as Ossoff repeated the question several times. “I've answered it," he said.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who had praised Clayton’s nomination when Trump picked him for the role last month, expressed exasperation with him at the end of the hearing. Democrats say they are concerned that Trump will try to direct intelligence agencies to influence U.S. elections as the president has repeated his false claims that the 2020 contest was stolen.

“I’ve known Mr. Clayton for some time, I worked with him closely when he was at the SEC,” said Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel. “But I am bitterly disappointed.”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said after the hearing that he thought Clayton’s performance was “abysmal,” and that “makes it much less likely that he will get Democratic votes.”

While Clayton has broad support among Republicans, the acrimony with Democrats could be a blow to GOP leaders who had hoped to gain their consent for a quick vote to replace temporary intelligence director Bill Pulte, a former housing official with no known intelligence experience and who used his previous administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president.

Senators in both parties have criticized Pulte, and Republicans had hoped to confirm Clayton immediately after he was nominated in June so Pulte did not take over when Gabbard left office. But Trump delayed Clayton’s nomination before the Senate left for a two-week recess, allowing Pulte to take the job temporarily.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the committee will vote on Clayton's nomination next week.

Clayton emphasizes national security experience

Clayton did not mention Pulte in the hearing. But he emphasized his own government and national security experience, attempting to assuage senators in both parties.

“I saw firsthand how a strong national security apparatus depends on decisive judgment, discipline, integrity, and effective communication and cooperation across different branches of the government,” Clayton said in his opening statement. “If confirmed as Director of National Intelligence, I will commit to upholding these principles every day.”

Cotton, who expressed frustration last month when the hearing was delayed, said in his opening statement Wednesday that Clayton has a reputation for operating with “morality, decency and integrity” in his previous positions and that he hopes his nomination will win bipartisan support.

Democrats press Clayton on Gabbard's election activities

Democrats also pressed Clayton on former National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard's visit to a Georgia election office earlier this year during an FBI search related to the 2020 election. Trump administration officials have given varying explanations for Gabbard's involvement in the search, which appeared to be outside of her intelligence role.

Clayton declined to say whether Gabbard's visit was appropriate or how he would handle the same situation. At one point he said he wasn't aware of Gabbard's visit before this week, then later appeared to backtrack, saying “it wasn't something on my mind” before he started to prepare for the hearing.

Warner said it “strains credibility” that Clayton wasn’t aware of Gabbard’s election activities.

Democrats also asked Clayton about Trump’s announcement that he will deliver a primetime address on Thursday with a focus on elections, after the president suggested he could revisit long-debunked conspiracy theories about his 2020 defeat. Clayton said he had has no involvement with that speech.

As US attorney in Manhattan, Clayton oversees vast portfolio

Clayton is currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the most prestigious of the Justice Department’s prosecution offices. His cases have ranged from terrorism and espionage cases to security fraud and public corruption.

Democrats pressed Clayton on subpoenas of four New York Times journalists after they reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called the subpoenas “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."

Clayton said he was not able to discuss the details of the subpoenas and declined to elaborate on whether he spoke to the White House before they were issued. He said he is “confident in procedures we have in place to protect freedom of press.”

Under Clayton, the office also facilitated the unsealing of thousands of pages of court records from the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell — documents that were made public as part of the Justice Department’s release of records related to the late sex offender and his longtime confidant.

Clayton has also overseen the prosecution of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, on drug trafficking charges.

Confirmation vote could unlock renewal of surveillance authority

Clayton’s confirmation could potentially clear the way for bipartisan legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, which stalled last month when Democrats had said they would not provide the necessary votes to pass the bill unless Pulte’s temporary appointment was withdrawn.

The law, which aims to prevent terrorist attacks by monitoring the communications of targeted foreigners located outside the United States, expired in June.

Even if Democrats relent, it is unclear if Trump would sign the bill. He said in his June social media post delaying Clayton’s nomination that he would not sign the FISA renewal without his legislation to require proof of citizenship for all voters. The voting bill does not have enough support to pass the Senate.

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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

Residents across the state are already noticing the effects.

The smell of smoke and a hazy sky were noticeable across the Detroit area Wednesday (July 15), with conditions expected to worsen after sunset.

“You can smell it; you can taste it. It’s just so hot and muggy,” said Joshua Williams, a concerned resident.

The smoke is currently hitting the Upper Peninsula hardest, but the haze is slowly making its way south toward Detroit.

State officials say the alert, in effect for Wednesday and Thursday, could be extended if wildfires in Canada do not slow down.

“All of us here in the region are being impacted by this smoke,” said Alec Kownacki, a meteorologist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE.

Wayne County leads state in air quality monitoring

Wayne County was the first in Michigan to deploy air quality monitors, placing sensors in 43 communities that serve approximately 1.7 million people.

“Right now, we are yellow, and so that means the air quality it’s not bad, but it’s getting to that next level, which is orange,” said Kennyle Johnson, director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services.

That monitoring data feeds into a public database, allowing residents to check conditions in real time and adjust their plans accordingly.

“I received notifications that those barbecues and family functions are being moved from outdoors to indoors,” Johnson said.

For some residents, the concern goes beyond simple discomfort.

“It’s not good for the babies. On top of everything else that’s going on, like the parasites in our food. It’s just too much,” said Asia Newson, a worried mother.

According to the state’s website, Michigan has seen unprecedented levels of wildfire smoke in recent years.

Officials are encouraging residents to monitor air quality updates and limit outdoor activity as conditions evolve.

Previous coverage

Update: Thousands still without power as DTE tests failed cables in Detroit heat wave

In a brief press conference held outside the substation on Wednesday afternoon, a DTE official shared more details about the outage and how the company plans to restore power to approximately 5,000 residents who are still in the dark.

“Through the night we were able to restore about 2,300 customers, just shy of 30%, and we continue to work around the clock to restore the remaining customers that have been impacted,” said Jerry Tullio, operations director for DTE Energy. “We have dedicated teams working around the clock to quickly restore power to the entire community.”

The outage spans from Rosedale Park, north of Grand River Avenue, to Seven Mile Road, and reaches all the way east to Sussex Street in some areas.

Tullio said the company is addressing the outage through two “parallel paths” due to underground cable failures being “exceptionally complex” to fix.

The first path involves finding where the damage is in the underground lines and repairing that damage, he said.

“[There’s] over a mile of each stretch of cable that we have to go test, piece by piece, and as we do that we narrow it down, and we’re still in that process.”

DTE is also deploying 15 utility-sized generators — each approximately the size of the back end of a semi-truck — spanning eight unique locations throughout the area to aid in restoration efforts.

Tullio didn’t specify the exact cause of the cable failures, however he noted that the grid has gone under a lot of stress over the last few weeks between the extreme heat and storms. “Those are all factors,” he said.

In the meantime, the company has set up cooling centers at the Adams Butzel Complex and at the Cromwell Recreation Center, where Tullio says DTE representatives will be handing out ice and water and answering any questions residents may have.

“Especially in this heat, we know how difficult it can be without power, especially for our most vulnerable customers,” Tullio said. “We will be reaching out to our most vulnerable customers and providing them with any assistance that we can.”

View the latest restoration estimates on DTE’s Outage Map here.

A poll conducted by WDIV/Detroit News asked Democratic voters from across the state about their opinions on various topics in the 2026 primary election. A portion of these questions focused on the Democratic candidates in the 2026 gubernatorial race.

The Democratic nominees for the Michigan gubernatorial race are Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Here’s the exact wording of the question that was asked over the phone: If the Democratic primary for Governor was held today, would you vote for Jocelyn Benson or Chris Swanson to be the Democratic nominee for Governor?

Benson: 71.7%

Swanson: 11.9%

Undecided: 16.4%

• Definitely Jocelyn Benson -- 51.5%
• Probably Jocelyn Benson -- 20.2%
• Definitely Chris Swanson -- 6.9%
• Probably Chris Swanson -- 5.0%
• Don’t Know/ Refused/ Other -- 16.4%

Name recognition of candidates, favorability

Here’s the exact wording of the question that was asked over the phone: I am going to read you the names of some people. For each, please tell me if you have ever heard of them and if you have heard of them, please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of that person.

Jocelyn Benson

Name recognition: 88.9%

• Favorable -- 69.5%
• Unfavorable -- 8.1%
• No Opinion -- 11.3%
• Never heard of -- 10.7%
• Don’t Know/ Refused -- 0.4%

Chris Swanson

Name recognition: 48.5%

• Favorable -- 15.0%
• Unfavorable -- 9.1%
• No Opinion -- 24.4%
• Never heard of - 50.7%
• Don’t Know/ Refused -- 0.8%

Poll methodology

WDIV and the Detroit News commissioned a survey of likely Democratic voters in the August 2026 primary election in Michigan. The poll was conducted by The Glengariff Group, Inc.

It was a 500-sample, live-operator telephone survey that was conducted on July 8 through July 11, 2026.

The margin of error is +/-4.4%, and there is a 95% level of confidence.

Of the respondents, 17.4% of respondents were called via landline telephone, and 82.6% were called on a cellphone.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after flipping between modest gains and losses through the day, and it's back within 0.5% of its all-time high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 150 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6%.

BlackRock helped lead the market with a rise of 6.6% after the company behind some of the most popular investment funds reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Laurence Fink said its iShares funds topped $6 trillion in assets under management during the quarter, roughly doubling in three years.

Bank of New York Mellon rose 5.1% after adding to the spate of strong earnings reports from many of the biggest U.S. banks a day earlier. Cintas climbed 4.4% after the provider of office uniforms, restroom supplies and other products likewise delivered a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts forecast.

They helped offset a drop for Elevance Health, which fell 8.5% even though it reported stronger profit and revenue than analysts expected.

Expectations are high for U.S. companies’ profit growth during the spring. They’ll need to beat them to justify the big moves their stock prices have made, with indexes near their records.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 28.81 points to 7,572.40 and is within 0.5% of its record set early last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 150.37 to 52,658.64, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 162.22 to 26,269.23.

The broad U.S. stock market got a lift from another report showing inflation slowed last month. It said inflation at the wholesale level slowed to 5.5% from 6% in May, and it was much better than the acceleration that economists expected.

The day before, a separate report said inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling was also not as bad as economists expected last month.

Such numbers take pressure off the Federal Reserve, which is considering raising interest rates. Higher rates would keep a lid on inflation, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for all kinds of investments.

Following the inflation report, traders see just a 10% chance that the Fed will raise its main interest rate at its next meeting in a couple weeks. That’s down from the nearly 42% probability they saw on Monday, before the inflation reports, according to data from CME Group.

Also helping to pull down expectations was a speech from John Williams, president of the New York Fed. He said that “there are encouraging reasons to expect that inflation has peaked and should edge down in coming quarters.”

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, meanwhile, gave few clues on what to expect in testimony before a Senate committee. “Any central banker would be happy to have data going in the right direction,” he said about this week’s encouraging inflation reports, but “these are all imperfect measures of the state of underlying inflation.”

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.55% from 4.58% late Tuesday and from 4.62% the day before.

Upward pressure on inflation remains because of the war with Iran, which has seen days of back-and-forth strikes by the United States and Iran across the Middle East.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude briefly topped $86 in the morning before falling back to settle at $84.95 per barrel, up 0.3% from the day before.

In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi index jumped 6.2%.

Seoul’s market is dominated by two huge tech companies, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and its main index has already had drops of 8.9%, 7.9% and 5.3% so far this month because of sharp swings for stocks caught up in the artificial-intelligence boom.

In Amsterdam, ASML reported stronger revenue growth for the latest quarter than it had forecast. CEO Christophe Fouquet said continuing progress in AI has customers accelerating their expansions, and the maker of chipmaking machinery gave a forecast for upcoming revenue growth that topped analysts’ expectations.

ASML’s stock in Amsterdam slipped 0.4%, but its stock that trades in the United States rose 2.2%.

Its strong forecast helped calm some of the worries that have sent AI-related stocks spinning recently. Chief among them is the possibility that their prices shot too high in the euphoria around AI.

In China, stocks rose 1.4% in Hong Kong but fell 0.3% in Shanghai after the government said the world’s second-largest economy expanded at a 4.3% annualized pace last quarter, down from the 5% growth rate at the start of the year.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

Acting as honorary general managers, WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon each drafted All-Star teams Wednesday from players that previously were either voted as starters by fans, media and fellow players or chosen as reserves by the league's coaches.

Previously, the top two fan vote-getters would serve as captains and draft their own teams. This year that would have been Dallas' Paige Bueckers and Indiana's Caitlin Clark. Instead, they were each assigned to a team, with Bueckers headlining Cooper's team and Clark atop Weatherspoon's squad.

Joining Bueckers in the starting lineup were New York's Breanna Stewart, Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell, Minnesota's Natasha Howard and Golden State's Gabby Williams. Weatherspoon picked Las Vegas' Wilson, Minnesota's Olivia Miles, Indiana's Aliyah Boston and Dallas' Jessica Shepard.

Cooper had the first pick of the reserves and chose Atlanta's Angel Reese. She'll play against her two Dream teammates Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, who were chosen by Weatherspoon.

Cooper also drafted Toronto's Marina Mabrey, Seattle's Dominique Malonga, Los Angeles' Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas' Jackie Young and Washington's Sonia Citron as reserves. Weatherspoon also took New York's Jonquel Jones, Minnesota's Courtney Williams, Washington's Kiki Iriafen and Los Angeles' Nneka Ogwumike. Ogwumike, an 11-time All-Star, was chosen with the final pick of the draft.

Las Vegas' Becky Hammon will coach Cooper's team and Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve will be in charge of Weatherspoon's squad. Las Vegas and Minnesota had identical records through July 10, but the Aces had a tiebreaker with their victory over the Lynx. That put Hammon in charge of Bueckers' squad because she was the leading vote-getter.

Portland, Chicago, Connecticut and Phoenix have no All-Stars.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton announced during Wednesday’s (July 15) Board of Directors meeting that the authority has canceled its request for proposals (RFP) for a bar lounge concept at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

The RFP, issued Oct. 1, 2025, sought proposals for a concession featuring food service, retail cigar sales and an enclosed cigar-smoking area.

The proposal required bidders to include a state-of-the-art air-handling and ventilation system designed to minimize smoke exposure.

Newton said the decision came after airport executives completed an extensive review of the proposed concession.

“I have accepted the recommendations from my key executives tasked to conduct due diligence on the cigar lounge concession concept,” Newton said in a statement. “After extensive analysis, they concluded that in light of the temporary financial and economic uncertainty caused by the closure of Spirit Airlines, now is not the time to promote novel or untested concessions at DTW.”

Newton said he agreed with the recommendation and directed that the request for proposals be canceled.

The airport authority did not announce whether it plans to revisit the cigar lounge concept at a later date.

The organizations say in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that they have been forced to censor their own advocacy work to avoid scrutiny from the White House, which in an executive order last year not only targeted the Hague-based criminal court but prohibited providing or receiving services to or from entities that have been sanctioned.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan against top administration officials by DAWN and Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide, seeks a court order that would strike down the restrictions on their advocacy and their ability to interact with Palestinian human rights groups and other sanctioned parties.

“The Trump administration is using the blunt instrument of economic sanctions not only to punish human rights defenders but to police the political expressions of millions of Americans,” said Omar Shakir, the executive director of DAWN, a U.S.-based group advocating for democracy and human rights in the Arab world that was founded by Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in 2018.

“The government is violating the constitutional rights of American citizens in order to shield officials of a foreign government who have committed a genocide," he said in a statement.

The White House did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the lawsuit.

The Hague-based ICC has been investigating allegations of war crimes in Gaza during the war that began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. A panel of judges issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu has called the warrants “absurd.”

The U.S. and Israel are not among the court’s member states, and neither nation recognizes its authority.

In response to the arrest warrants, President Donald Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order last year that accused the ICC of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel” and warned of “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC’s “transgressions.”

The U.S. over the last year has slapped sanctions on Palestinian human rights groups, a series of ICC judges and staffers — including the court’s former chief prosecutor — and Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza. Her family sued in February, saying the penalties violated the First Amendment.

Already, the lawsuit says, DAWN has halted work on submissions to the ICC about Israel’s conduct during the war, stopped exchanging evidence and legal analysis with sanctioned non-government organizations and abstained from collaborating with them on advocacy campaigns. It has also been forced to “discontinue its professional engagements with Albanese.”

“The chilling effect on Plaintiffs has been profound,” the lawsuit states. “They now face prison terms and ruinous fines if, in their interactions with the designated parties, they provide or receive anything that Defendants could plausibly characterize as a ‘service’— an extraordinarily capacious term that potentially reaches any act that confers a benefit on its recipient. Fearing liability, Plaintiffs — and countless others like them —have turned to self-censorship.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is among the defendants in the lawsuit, denounced the court as recently as this week, pledging in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that Trump's administration would “dismantle the ICC — brick by brick, if necessary.” He warned that the court's “overreach,” if left unchecked, could subject Border Patrol agents, federal prosecutors and U.S. Marines to the tribunal's jurisdiction.

“The ICC’s interfering with American military and law enforcement operations isn’t only a grave overreach of its purported authorities. It would mean the death of the U.S. as a sovereign and independent nation,” Rubio wrote. “Our decision and our people would be at the mercy of the ICC and its collaborators in the 'international community.' To accept the ICC is to surrender control of our national destiny.”

The State Department said the campaign against the court could include additional sanctions or visa revocations and travel bans for ICC employees as well as “increased scrutiny” of nations that don't reject ICC authority.

Hall was found guilty after jurors deliberated for less than two hours following a five-day trial on Wednesday (July 15).

Hall was convicted of second-degree murder, a felony punishable by life in prison or any term of years, and felony firearm, which carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence to be served consecutively to the murder sentence.

Hall is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 19 at 8:30 a.m.

According to prosecutors, Warren police responded to a home on Oct. 2, 2025, after receiving a report of a shooting.

Officers found 63-year-old Roger Willie, Hall’s partner, lying unresponsive on the floor with apparent gunshot wounds.

Police provided life-saving aid until Warren firefighters arrived.

Willie was transported to Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said the verdict holds the defendant accountable for a “senseless act of violence.”

The Mozarteum Foundation on Wednesday unveiled 300 gold-colored statuettes of Mozart, which are barely 50 centimeters (less than 20 inches) tall. They were designed by German concept artist Ottmar Hörl.

Mozart was born on Jan. 27, 1756, in the Austrian city, where the Mozarteum Foundation offers concerts, maintains Mozart museums and supports research on him.

“I didn’t want to do a monument of Mozart. There are already enough of these. But I wanted to show his human side, that he was a normal human being despite his genius,” Hörl told The Associated Press.

To give the statues a human touch, Hörl depicted the composer with his favorite dog, Pimperl. Mozart and his family were known to take long walks with their dogs in the Mirabell Garden, next to where they lived.

The mini-Mozarts populate not only the garden, but also Mozart’s former living quarters as well as several pavilions. In all, 400 statues were made, but only 300 are on display at present. The rest are being kept in reserve in case of theft.

"Two already got stolen within the last few hours,” Linus Klumpner of the Mozarteum Foundation said. But the statues are meant to attract a broader range of visitors and get them hooked on Mozart’s Music.

“You come here, maybe you see the small golden heads shimmering in the sun on the horizon. And people become curious," Klumpner said. "And then a process begins which is very much in our interest. That is to bring new people in contact with Mozart."

For Hörl, the theft of his artworks in nothing new. At an installation in Bayreuth, Germany, a complete array of statues of Richard Wagner was stolen within 10 days.

“That’s just the nature of public space. That means when you work as an artist in a public space you mustn’t complain about what is happening there," Hörl said. "It ranges from destruction to theft. That’s just how it is.”

The Mozart statues are scheduled to remain on display until Aug. 30. People who would like to own one but would prefer not to steal it can purchase one for 100 euros ($114) – while supplies last.

Hörl is known for his sculptures made from polymer. In 2010 he displayed 10,000 plastic owls in Athens. A “Homage to Dürer” showcased oversized plastic copies of Albrecht Dürer’s hare at the Daegu art museum in South Korea.

In 2009, German prosecutors decided against investigating Hörl over a series of golden garden gnomes doing the Hitler salute, under a law that forbids using insignia forbidden by the German constitution. Hörl himself intended the gnomes as satire against the Nazis' ideology.

The Chicago-based carrier announced plans this week to roll out a new row of its “Economy Plus” seats with no neighbor in the middle spot — and instead use the space for a shared table (and more elbow room) between the aisle and window travelers.

The offering is only set to be available in one row on United's new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with pricing and sales expected to be disclosed later this year. But United suggested it could expand the no-middle-seat option to other planes down the road.

The move arrives amid a broader push from airlines advertising more and more special tiers and separate add-ons to their flights — particularly when it comes to courting passengers who are willing to pay more for comfort.

United is following the footsteps of a handful of European airlines, including Lufthansa and Finnair, already offering empty middle seats to business class passengers. And other carriers have also allowed travelers for years to pay extra or buy additional tickets to keep seats near them empty.

United said Tuesday that it expects to be “the only U.S. airline” to have these kind of rows. The middle seat has long been bemoaned by travelers — both those in the aisle and window seats that have to share an armrest or more with whoever is occupying the middle seat, and for those passengers stuck wedged in a middle seat between two others.

The latest no-middle-seat option also arrives just months after the airline announced the “United Relax Rows,” which, starting early next year, will allow passengers in economy class to turn a row of three seats on some wider Boeing planes into a couch they can sleep or lounge on after takeoff.

“We’re investing nose-to-tail across our fleet,” Andrew Nocella, United’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement Tuesday. She said both of these new offerings give customers more “choice and value in every cabin.”

Across carriers, passengers on the same flight can still have strikingly different travel experiences. And while there's demand for roomier seats and other perks, some budget-conscious travelers may feel a widening gap between the back and front of the plane — or frustration over new fees for services that were once free and added tiers to juggle when comparing fares.

A handful of big-name airlines, like Delta, have embraced strategies to provide “the best” — not the cheapest — offerings. Meanwhile, United executives have pushed back on the idea that the industry has become solely focused on chasing big spenders, maintaining that premium investments are part of a broader strategy to improve every traveler's experience.

Mariah Williams left her residence on the 20500 block of Salem on June 28 and failed to return home.

She was last seen wearing a black wig, black hooded sweatshirt and white shorts.

Williams is 13 years old, 5 feet 7 inches, 121 pounds, has brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information should contact the Detroit Police Department’s 8th Precinct at 313-596-5840.

Dana Guy left her residence on the 20000 block of Hickory on June 3 and did not return home.

She was last seen wearing a brown hijab, long brown dress and sandals.

Guy is 35 years old, 5 feet 7 inches, 170 pounds, has brown eyes, brown hair and a tattoo of an elephant on the front of her neck.

According to her mother Guy has bipolar disorder and may be in Ohio.

Anyone with information should contact the Detroit Police Department’s 9th Precinct at 313-596-5940.

The request follows the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston. Since the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, 17 Mexican migrants have died during immigration enforcement, 14 in ICE custody and three in agency operations.

Mexico's Foreign Ministry had previously said it would make the request, which was formalized on Tuesday, according to the ministry. It said a similar request will be also sent to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The United States is not legally obliged to act on the requests.

Also, the Mexican government said it has started sending letters to U.S. detention centers where Mexican migrants have died, demanding they “immediately cease the actions or omissions that resulted in these deaths, such as preventing access to prompt and expedited medical care, as well as the application of policies incompatible with medical and penitentiary standards.”

The first center to receive the letter was Adelanto, in California, where four Mexican migrants died.

The letters are a first step toward “the eventual filing of civil lawsuits” against the companies that operate the detention centers to stop human rights violations, according to the ministry.

Last week, Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said his country would go directly to U.S. authorities to request criminal investigations in cases of Mexicans killed in ICE custody or enforcement operations.

Salgado Araujo, who had no criminal record and had lived in the U.S. for 35 years, was shot last Tuesday while driving his construction crew to a job site in Houston. His death sparked protests in Houston and demands for an independent investigation from Democrats and Salgado Araujo’s family.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said the 52-year-old Salgado Araujo had rammed an ICE vehicle, and that a federal agent fired a weapon in self-defense.

Velasco also sent a letter to Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, requesting that U.S. authorities gather information on the deaths of the Mexican migrants in ICE custody and analyze the “compatibility of these events with international human rights obligations.”

The foreign minister also asked Türk to seek the opinion of the Human Rights Council, a U.N. intergovernmental body that promotes human rights, on the cases and offer recommendations.

The developments mark an escalation in Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s response to Trump’s immigration crackdown. Sheinbaum earlier this year ordered Mexico's diplomatic missions across the U.S. to regularly check in with ICE detainees, and her government even lodged a complaint with Türk.

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

The winner will meet Spain, whose defensive prowess and swagger allowed them to clinch a spot in the World Cup final with a 2-0 win against France on Tuesday.

Follow along for live updates, highlights and analysis as the second spot in the World Cup final is decided.

Match is scoreless at first-half hydration break

Referee Ismail Elfath has perhaps been working the hardest trying to keep control of a physical and emotional match.

Neither team has created much in the way of goal chances, but players have been hitting the ground after hard fouls and hard play. Those include stars Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham.

Game gets off to a chippy start

England and Argentina wasted no time raising the temperature of their semifinal with tough, physical play.

Several players had to be separated after a hard foul by Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez on England midfielder Elliot Anderson. The fouls kept coming and referee Ismail Elfath had to stop play briefly in an effort to calm things down.

Argentine fans chant ‘Whoever doesn’t jump is English’

Regardless of the opponent, Argentina fans often enjoy chanting “Whoever doesn’t jump is English.” So, for obvious reasons, they’ve been singing it a lot as a dig at England fans.

The full chant is “Y ya lo ve, y ya lo ve, el que no salta es un inglés” – meaning: “And you can see it, and you can see it: whoever doesn’t jump is English.”

The melody comes from a catchy 1970s tune by the Argentine duo Juan & Juan.

The Argentina-England semifinal has started in Atlanta

Lionel Messi leads Argentina’s pursuit of a second consecutive World Cup title. His eight goals are tied for the most in this tournament.

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham lead England as the Three Lions seek their first World Cup title since 1966. Each has scored six goals so far.

The intercontinental rivalry carries a lot of history, most notably Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal against England in 1986.

The winner advances to Sunday’s final against Spain, which beat France 2-0 on Tuesday.

The loser plays France on Saturday for third place.

NYC’s Rikers Island jail hosts World Cup watch party for inmates

More than 100 inmates at the sprawling Rikers Island correctional facility gathered in a gymnasium at the complex’s main intake center to watch Wednesday’s semifinal between England and Argentina.

Arriving inmates dressed in tan uniforms took seats at black cloth tables facing a projection screen showing the game.

Colorful balloon towers topped by soccer ball balloons framed the screen. The special event is for inmates who have shown good behavior, including being incident-free at least for 30 days.

The jail has been hosting watch parties since the World Cup kicked off last month.

There have been 90 such events, with about 4,500 of the roughly 6,600 inmates participating.

David Beckham cheers on England

David Beckham, the former England captain who could “bend” a ball like no other is at the match in with his wife, Victoria.

Beckham owns a notorious piece of the Argentina-England rivalry history. He was sent off in the second half of a 1998 World Cup elimination match after kicking out at Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone. That left England short-handed and Beckham shouldered a lot of blame when Argentina ultimately won on penalty kicks.

Beckham got a measure of revenge four years later by scoring a penalty in a 1-0 win that contributed to Argentina being eliminated from the group stage.

Starting lineups

England: Jordan Pickford, Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Djed Spence, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico, Giuliano Simeone, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Lionel Messi, Julián Alvarez

England and Argentina make lineup changes for semifinal

England coach Thomas Tuchel has selected Morgan Rogers to start in place of Noni Madueke on the right wing. Defenders Reece James and Djed Spence also will start, replacing Ezri Konsa and Nico O’Reilly.

For Argentina, coach Lionel Scaloni picked Gio Simeone in midfield over Rodrigo De Paul.

Argentine soccer federation president attends match despite investigation

Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia posted a photo on Instagram of himself sitting next to Argentina stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul.

Tapia is under investigation over his assets and the organization’s financial management. He received judicial authorization to travel to the World Cup despite the ongoing probes.

“Here we go again, with hope as our guiding principle, representing an entire nation. More united than ever,” Tapia wrote.

Argentina fans banned from carrying Falklands flags into World Cup match

Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva has said fans won’t be able to carry some of their flags and banners that incorporate images of the Falkland Islands into the World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and England.

Monteoliva cited FIFA’s code of conduct, which bans politically divisive content. But her comments led to a social media backlash in Buenos Aires.

England reasserted control of the Falklands in a 1982 war with Argentina. Argentines claim the British protectorate as the Malvinas and consider the South Atlantic islands essential to their national identity.

FIFA’s code of conduct also says fans cannot “curse or chant in a political, offensive and/or discriminatory manner.”

But Britain’s top representative in Atlanta has said she expects Argentines to continue with their chants that reference the Malvinas along with soccer greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Consul General Rachel Galloway told Atlanta First News that although fans might sing about those issues, “we find a way to work together.”

Toronto’s World Cup fan festival canceled because of wildfires

Wildfires in Canada forced officials to call off Wednesday’s planned FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto. Thousands of people were expected to be there to watch the England-Argentina match.

“The health and safety of attendees, staff, volunteers, and emergency personnel remains our top priority,” organizers said.

More than 100 wildfires were burning in Canada on Wednesday, with wind pushing smoke southeast. Warnings about unhealthy air extended from Minnesota through Toronto and into New York.

The World Cup final will be in East Rutherford, New Jersey — just outside of New York City — on Sunday.

Argentina’s vice president calls England ‘usurping pirates’

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has tried to play down his country’s clash with England as nothing more than a soccer game.

But some Argentine politicians have not been shy about bringing up longstanding tensions between the countries.

Argentine Vice President Victoria Villarruel described the match as a fight against “usurping pirates.” That’s a reference to England’s control of the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas.

Villarruel shared a photo of an Argentine jersey draped over the grave of a soldier killed in the deadly 10-week Falklands War of 1982. She also made references to Argentine greats Diego Maradona, who led a World Cup quarterfinal victory over England in 1986, and Lionel Messi.

“This isn’t just another match. … It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s putting the brakes on the invaders,” she said.

The race for the Golden Boot

Kylian Mbappé, one of the biggest stars of this year’s World Cup and one of the game’s greatest scorers, just couldn’t generate many chances in France’s 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Through Tuesday, Mbappé and Lionel Messi remain tied atop the leaderboard with eight goals each. Mbappé, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup four years ago in Qatar, holds the first tiebreaker with the edge in assists. Messi has a chance to pull ahead in the race on Wednesday as Argentina faces England.

Both players will then have one more match before the award is decided. France will play the loser of the other semifinal match in the third-place game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spain will take on the winner in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the final.

The battle of No. 10s

It’s England vs. Argentina in the World Cup semifinals. It’s also Lionel Messi vs. Jude Bellingham.

The battle of the two No. 10s could be pivotal to deciding Wednesday’s match in Atlanta.

“We know how good Messi is,” England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said of the Argentina great, whose enduring brilliance has been on show again even at the age of 39.

Messi and Bellingham have been inspirational in their teams’ respective runs to the final four. And Wednesday’s match may well be determined by which one has the biggest say on the day.

A first for Lionel Messi

He is already considered by many to be the greatest of all time — the GOAT — and his performances at what is likely his last World Cup, aged 39, have only strengthened that argument. This will be Lionel Messi’s first ever game against England.

If Messi can lead Argentina to the title, he would surpass the great Maradona by winning two World Cups for his country.

Argentina would also become the first back-to-back champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Soccer great Pelé was part of those Brazil teams and also went on to win a third World Cup in 1970.

Spain awaits the winner of Argentina-England

Spain’s Pedro Porro, right, and Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrate after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Spain’s defensive prowess and swagger were just too much for an attacking trio led by France great Kylian Mbappé, and just enough to get the 2010 champions into another World Cup final.

The Spanish team managed a record sixth shutout in seven games so far, winning 2-0 in the semifinals Tuesday against one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history.

Spain will face the winner of Argentina-England on Sunday at New York New Jersey stadium.

Argentina and England resume their fierce rivalry

Argentina and England have plenty of beef on and off the soccer field coming into today’s World Cup semifinal game in Atlanta.

The off-the-field tensions go back to the 1982 conflict over the Falkland Islands while the soccer rivalry also has been intense for decades.

Argentina captain Antonio Rattin, whose death was announced on Saturday, was sent off in a bad-tempered quarterfinal match against winner England in 1966. England manager Alf Ramsey tried to stop his players from swapping shirts with their opponents after a 1-0 victory.

Twenty years later in 1986 Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal helped Argentina to a 2-1 win against England in the quarterfinals on the way to lifting the trophy.

David Beckham was sent off in 1998 for kicking out at Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone, who was predictably criticized by the English media for his reaction to what appeared to be light contact. Argentina won the round of 16 match on penalties.

Beckham got his revenge four years later by scoring a penalty in a 1-0 win that contributed to Argentina being eliminated at the group stage.

How to watch today’s match

Today’s Argentina-England matchup in Atlanta will be at 3 p.m. EDT and available in English on Fox or FS1.

For those who prefer the Spanish broadcast — Telemundo has been a very popular option.

The World Cup’s viewership in the U.S. has been strong throughout the tournament.

Fox reported more than 21.7 million tuned in to watch England’s 3-2 victory in Mexico City on July 5. That topped the previous record of the final between Argentina and France in 2022, which was seen by 16.7 million.

Every match of the tournament has been available for U.S. viewers in English on Fox or FS1, on Telemundo or Universo in Spanish. Streaming options include Fox One and Peacock.

Warsh has said since taking office seven weeks ago that he would provide less guidance about the Fed’s next interest rate moves than his predecessors. Yet he has frustrated many Fed-watchers by largely avoiding explanations of how the central bank might respond more generally to potential economic changes.

“I don’t view a one-time change in prices as necessarily being inflationary, because I think there’s a supply response,” he said in answer to a question on the impact of massive investment in AI infrastructure. “Will it increase measured prices over the course of the next 12 months? I suspect it will be. Whether that’s inflationary or not, that’s up to the Federal Reserve, and we’re going to have something to say about that.”

The cost of computer memory and processing chips has soared as high-tech firms have spent hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers and computing equipment. Companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Dell said they have had to raise prices on laptops, tablets, and video game consoles as a result.

According to the minutes of the Fed's last meeting June 16-17, “many” of the 19 officials on its rate-setting committee said that the “ongoing strong demand for AI infrastructure would likely sustain upward pressure on prices for technology products and electricity.” The committee has been sharply divided over whether to raise rates later this year.

Inflation data downplayed

In his second day of congressional testimony, Warsh also downplayed positive inflation data released Tuesday and Wednesday that could make his job as Fed chair easier. As inflation fades, it reduces pressure on the Fed to raise its key interest rate to cool borrowing and spending.

The government said earlier Wednesday that wholesale inflation slowed in June, a day after consumer prices were reported to have fallen from May to June for the first time in six years. On a yearly basis, inflation cooled to 3.5% last month from 4.2% in May.

“Any central banker would be happy to have data going in the right direction,” he said, but “these are all imperfect measures of the state of underlying inflation.”

Instead, Warsh said he would look to a task force he has created to study the sources of data the Fed uses. He suggested the task force could come up with ways that government statistical agencies “could do a better job in an evolving economy.” Warsh announced the formation of five task forces last week, which will also consider the Fed's inflation framework, the impact of AI on jobs and productivity, and the Fed's ownership of trillions of dollars of government bonds.

Warsh did sketch out one standard the Fed would use when evaluating whether inflation was becoming a persistent problem: It will consider whether prices are rising in more than a just a particular category, such as oil and gas, and affecting “the generalized price level.”

Yet when asked by Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, how the Fed will determine whether inflation is “temporary or permanent," Warsh said, “You use five task forces to get to the big and hard questions.”

Questions about whether Warsh has spoken with Trump

Separately, Warsh reiterated that he would act independently as Fed chair and resist any political pressure from Trump, who has often demanded lower interest rates. But he did not directly answer whether he has communicated with Trump since his appointment.

“I don’t want to be in the business of sharing discussions that the president and I have," Warsh said in response to a question from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland.

“I will tell you what I’ve said to the president repeatedly and said to the Treasury Secretary: They chose an independent guy to do the job and that’s exactly what I plan on doing,” he added.

Trump repeatedly attacked Warsh's predecessor, Jerome Powell, for not cutting interest rates deeply enough, and his administration even pushed an investigation into brief Senate testimony by Powell on a building renovation by the Fed, raising widespread concerns about the future of the Fed's independence.

No surprise he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

Smith-Njigba received four first-place votes, three thirds and a fourth from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five receivers entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Ja’Marr Chase got two firsts and Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua each received one.

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

The 24-year-old set a team record for yards receiving (1,793) and receptions (119) last season. He received a four-year, $168.6 million extension that averages $42.15 million annually and includes over $120 million in guaranteed money.

Smith-Njigba, a unanimous All-Pro selection, had nine 100-yard receiving games during the regular season and was a key to Seattle winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history.

2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase, a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2024, tied Justin Jefferson for first place in voting last year in this survey.

He had 125 receptions, 1,412 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season after earning the receiving triple crown in 2024.

Chase got two first-place votes, three seconds, two thirds and was left off one ballot.

3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Nacua was a unanimous All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 TDs.

Nacua has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 yards receiving and six TDs over his three seasons in the NFL, giving Matthew Stafford a top target and the Rams an elite passing attack.

He got one first-place vote, three seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

In a down season, Jefferson had 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two TDs while catching passes from three different Vikings quarterbacks.

The two-time All-Pro has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards and seven TDs over his six seasons in the NFL.

Jefferson still received one first-place vote, two seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown was a second-team All-Pro after earning first-team honors the previous two seasons.

He had 117 receptions, 1,401 yards receiving and 11 TDs last season for the Lions. St. Brown has four straight seasons of more than 100 receptions and more than 1,100 yards receiving.

He appeared on seven of the eight ballots.

___

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

Blanche, according to prepared remarks released before the hearing, is expected to tell lawmakers that he and his team are “restoring trust” in the Justice Department. It’s a nod toward complaints from Democrats that he has weaponized the law enforcement institution by pursuing criminal investigations into Trump’s perceived adversaries.

Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April. During that time, he has accelerated investigations into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a maligned fund meant to compensate the Republican president’s allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an aggressive pursuit of news media leaks.

Here's the latest:

Blanche’s confirmation hearing has ended

After about five hours, Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing is over.

Blanche tried to make the case that he would serve as an independent attorney general if confirmed, bidding to counter accusations from Democrats who say he’s been doing President Trump’s bidding while leading the Justice Department in an acting capacity.

Blanche was repeatedly questioned over the deal to settle Trump’s IRS lawsuit, including by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, whose vote Blanche needs to be confirmed as attorney general.

Blanche says Justice Department is ‘not targeting reporters’ with subpoenas

The acting attorney general was pressed about subpoenas issued on Friday that seek to force New York Times reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan after they reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One.

The subpoenas, some of which were delivered to reporters at their homes, were swiftly condemned by free press advocates as an effort to intimidate media organizations and chill news gathering.

Blanche said the Justice Department is “not targeting reporters.”

He said investigators want to question the reporters on “who provided them with classified national security information,” which, he added, “everybody in this body should want to protect.”

“They’re material witnesses, just like a reporter would be a material witness to a car crash,” Blanche said.

Blanche defends Trump’s audit immunity deal

Democrats have repeatedly asked Blanche about part of a deal to resolve Trump’s IRS lawsuit, which granted the president and members of his family protection from tax audits.

While the administration says it has shelved a separate part of the lawsuit deal — a $1.8 billion fund to compensate allies of the president — Blanche has previously said the audit immunity remains on track. That’s despite outrage over it, even from Republicans.

Blanche defended the immunity deal again during the hearing. He denied that it placed Trump above the law.

Key Republican says he’s still undecided on Blanche

After questioning Blanche, Sen. John Cornyn said he still hasn’t made up his mind over whether he will support his nomination for attorney general. If Cornyn votes against Blanche, it could scuttle his nomination.

Cornyn, who in May lost his primary, pressed Blanche during the hearing about the creation of a fund to compensate the president’s allies and a tax immunity deal for the president. Cornyn told CNN afterward that he continues “to have some concerns” and is not “going to make any decisions at this point.”

Another closely watched Republican senator, Thom Tillis, indicated during questioning that he is likely to support Blanche.

Tillis, a key vote for Blanche, criticizes Democrats in his remarks

Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina opened his questioning by telling Blanche he “appeared to be doing very well.”

He then launched into a lengthy criticism of Democrats for not speaking out against what he viewed as politically motivated prosecutions under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

“It’s almost as if they weren’t here when the Biden administration did the indictments against President Trump,” Tillis said of Democrats.

Tillis said he wanted “to stick a fork in this turkey of a 1776 fund,” referring to the administration’s shelved “anti-weaponization fund.” He pressed Blanche to commit to helping with language to put into law that the fund cannot be resurrected.

Blanche said he “absolutely” would.

Blanche says he hasn’t been ‘celebrating’ Trump’s mass pardons for Capitol rioters

Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, told Blanche that it was a “shameful slap in the face” for Trump to pardon supporters who assaulted police officers during a mob’s Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Coons asked Blanche if he was proud of Trump’s decision.

“I wasn’t celebrating it,” Blanche said. But he added that he believes it was “very generous” for Trump to issue the blanket pardons to Capitol rioters.

Coons asked Blanche if he knew why Trump fired his predecessor, Pam Bondi, in April.

“I have no idea,” Blanche said. “We all serve at the pleasure of President Trump.”

Coons also asked Blanche whether he would resign if the president asked him to do something unethical.

“That would never happen, but yes: If it were to happen, I’m not going to violate my oath to the Constitution,” Blanche replied.

Whitehouse asks how long Blanche will ‘put up with that Kash Patel character’

Enumerating criticism of Director Kash Patel ’s use of the FBI plane and his global travel, blurring professional responsibilities with leisure activities, Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse asked if the trips were “a pretext for activities like snorkeling and girlfriends.”

Blanche called the question “extraordinarily obnoxious,” going on to say he has “full faith” in Patel.

“Great, you get to own that,” Whitehouse quipped.

According to government emails obtained by The Associated Press, the FBI took pains to note Patel wasn’t on vacation when he visited Hawaii last summer, highlighting his walking tour of the bureau’s Honolulu field office and meetings with local law enforcement.

Left out of the FBI’s releases was an excursion Patel took days later when he participated in what government officials described as a “VIP snorkel” around the USS Arizona, an outing coordinated by the military.

‘I’m his lawy

er,’ Blanche says of Trump, before correcting himself

Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, asked Blanche a string of questions about the nature of his relationship with Trump, including whether he considered the president a friend. Blanche represented Trump in multiple cases, including the election fraud case in Washington, before joining the Justice Department under Trump’s second term.

Blanche referred to himself as Trump’s attorney in the present tense, saying, “I’m his lawyer” before correcting himself to say that he “was his lawyer.”

Kennedy also asked Blanche if the president had ever asked him to do something illegal. Blanche said Trump had not.

“Would you do it if he asked you?” Kennedy asked.

“Absolutely not,” Blanche said.

Questioned by Cornyn, Blanche says $1.8B weaponization ‘fund is dead’

That came during an exchange with Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who is among the Republicans concerned about Blanche’s nomination and who asked about the status of the settlement fund set up by the Trump administration for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.

“I never started. No money went from the Treasury to any other account,” Blanche said. “There’s no commissioners. It’s not moving forward.”

Last month, a federal judge agreed to extend a court-ordered block on the fund indefinitely. Blanche previously told Congress the government was scrapping its plans in the face of fierce bipartisan backlash.

But plaintiffs’ attorneys haven’t been satisfied with Blanche’s assurances that the fund won’t move forward.

As Cornyn questioned that the agreement notes it remains “enforceable,” Blanche said he had discussed with Cornyn and others “about potentially codifying, so there’s no weaponization fund, which is certainly something that could be done.”

Blanche: ‘I don’t question President Trump’s authority’ on Jan. 6 pardons

Blanche didn’t endorse Trump’s move specifically, but said the U.S. Constitution gives presidents “the authority to pardon anybody for any federal crime.”

Just hours after returning to the White House last year, Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the riot.

Durbin took issue with the decision, saying that “someone should have grabbed him by the arm and said, ‘Stop, you can’t release all of those rioters.’”

“For the president to give a blanket pardon to these individuals is something that I don’t think you can explain to the American people,” Durbin added.

Blanche defends the settlement that granted Trump immunity from tax audits

Durbin pressed Blanche over a deal to end Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over his leaked tax returns. The Justice Department has faced intense scrutiny over part of the settlement that granted the president immunity from tax audits.

Blanche said such an agreement is “typical” in settlements like that one.

“Nobody is above the law,” Blanche told Durbin. “And when we enter the settlements like that … It doesn’t make any of those individuals above the law.”

Blanche says his heart ‘breaks’ for Epstein’s victims

Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, repeatedly pressed Blanche about whether he would commit to meeting with Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.

Durbin noted that 10 victims of Epstein were in the room for Blanche’s confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

“I appreciate them being here today,” Blanche said. “I have never said I wouldn’t meet with survivors.”

“I hope you would do it immediately, or we’re going to hold you to it,” Durbin said.

Blanche said he would be willing to prosecute “anyone who did any harm to any of these victims.”

“My heart breaks for every survivor,” he said.

Blanche defends DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files

Under questioning from the committee’s Republican chair, Blanche acknowledged that the Justice Department made redaction mistakes when reviewing and releasing millions of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation.

Blanche said he takes responsibility for the mistakes that were made, but also said department lawyers who reviewed the documents took pains to protect victims and quickly fixed any errors.

The fallout over the department’s handling of the Epstein files continues to plague the Trump administration.

Blanche said the administration has been “extraordinarily transparent” in releasing the files, despite the department agreeing to release more records only after Congress passed a law forcing it to do so.

‘We are restoring trust’ in the Justice Department, Blanche says

Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, alluded in his opening statement to the criminal cases brought against Trump in the last administration.

Blanche said that “in recent years, Americans watched the Justice Department turn against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public’s faith in justice.”

He added: “We are fixing that.”

While the Trump administration has said it is determined to end the “weaponization” of law enforcement that it said occurred under the Biden administration, critics argue it has instead turned the agency into a tool of retribution against Trump’s political opponents.

The department under Trump has opened investigations or brought prosecutions against numerous foes of the president, including former FBI Director James Comey.

Blanche highlights the Justice Department’s shifting priorities under Trump

In his opening statement, Blanche touted the Trump administration’s efforts to lower violent crime, stem the flow of illicit drugs, prosecute dangerous cartels and take down fraudsters taking advantage of American taxpayers.

The Justice Department under Trump has moved aggressively to prioritize immigration enforcement and turn up the pressure on cartels. It also created a new division dedicated to tackling fraud in taxpayer-funded programs.

Florida senator highlights Blanche’s pre-Trump career

As a counter to Democrats’ narrative portraying Blanche as loyal only to Trump, Sen. Ashley Moody reminded the committee that the acting attorney general began his career at the Department of Justice as a paralegal.

Moody also detailed Blanche’s years with the Southern District of New York, where she said, “He prosecuted drug traffickers and violent criminals.” She also detailed various awards and commendations he received while in that role.

Watch these 2 Republicans on the committee

The stakes are high for Blanche, who needs the support of every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee for his nomination to advance.

Two of those Republicans — Sen. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn — haven’t committed to supporting him.

Tillis has been an outspoken critic of a $1.776 billion fund that the Trump administration created to compensate people who feel unjustly persecuted by the criminal justice system and then quickly withdrew.

Tillis and Cornyn are expected to grill Blanche over a separate element of the settlement that afforded Trump and members of his family protection from tax audits.

Durbin says Blanche still acts like Trump’s personal attorney

In his opening statement, Sen. Dick Durbin railed against actions taken by the Justice Department under Blanche’s watch, including a move to create a $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president.

The top Democrat on the committee also condemned the purging of Justice Department employees deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump and the department’s handling of millions of investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation.

Durbin accused Blanche of still acting like Trump’s personal lawyer, pursuing investigations against the president’s foes while taking steps to aid his allies.

“In less than 18 months at the Department of Justice, you’ve shown you’re still President Trump’s personal attorney,” Durbin said.

Attorney general confirmation hearing getting underway

Blanche is expected to face bipartisan scrutiny as he seeks the chance to serve out the duration of Trump’s term.

Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, when Pam Bondi was fired after struggling to bring successful cases against Trump’s political foes.

Since taking the reins at the Justice Department, Blanche has accelerated investigations into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a maligned fund meant to compensate the president’s allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an aggressive pursuit of news media leaks.

Blanche faces Senate scrutiny, with Republican support key to his confirmation as attorney general

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will confront questions Wednesday about his brief but turbulent tenure atop the Justice Department during a Senate confirmation hearing that will test President Donald Trump’s grip on Republican lawmakers whose support the nominee will need for the job.

Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, during which time he’s accelerated investigations into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a maligned fund meant to compensate the Republican president’s allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an aggressive pursuit of news media leaks.

Those actions will receive fresh scrutiny at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as Blanche testifies for the opportunity to serve out the duration of Trump’s term.

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The man, a 28-year-old Mexican national whose name wasn't immediately released, was sitting in a vehicle with three other people outside a gas station near St. Augustine on Tuesday when they were approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcements officers, officials said. The man then darted across the busy thoroughfare and into the path of a semitrailer, according to a highway patrol spokesperson.

The deadly encounter came a day after an ICE officer fatally shot a motorist in Maine and a week after one shot and killed a driver in Houston, officials said.

The deaths have stirred renewed criticism of the agency’s tactics.

On Wednesday, Trump said ICE agents should continue making traffic stops, pushing back on reports that most stops would be suspended.

Demands for answers about the Maine shooting

As news of the Florida death spread, immigration authorities were already facing questions about the fatal shooting Monday of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine.

Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombia native, was fatally shot in his car by an ICE officer after officials said he left an address that immigration authorities had been surveilling. In a social media post, the Department of Homeland Security said he had "attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon."

The brief description differed from one provided hours earlier by Maine Sen. Angus King, who said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's told him that the driver had “weaponized” his vehicle against the ICE officers.

Maine death follows Houston shooting

DHS 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.

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 that 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 Justice Department said it wouldn’t share information on the shooting with state authorities. But federal prosecutors later shared some key evidence.

State and local officials sued to try to stop to try to stop the immigration sweeps. Protesters with whistles trailed officers who, in response, deployed tear gas and other chemical irritants.

Gardener from Honduras is killed on a 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.

Cook from Mexico is 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.

Man is struck on California freeway after running from officers

A man fleeing from immigration officers outside a Home Depot 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.

Farmworker fell from a greenhouse roof during an ICE raid

Authorities were arresting dozens of farmworkers July 10, 2025, 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 LosAngeles. Officials said he fell about 30 feet (9 meters).

Homeland Security said Alanis was never in custody and was not being chased by immigration authorities.

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.”

Man on vacation is shot during a 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 to be disclosed in the fatal shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez, who was a 23-year-old U.S. citizen.

A Homeland Security Investigations team was conducting an immigration enforcement operation with local police when agents stopped Martinez on his way from San Antonio to South Padre Island.

DHS officials said Martinez was told to exit the vehicle, refused and instead “intentionally ran over” an officer. Another officer fired shots through the open driver’s window, striking Martinez, who died at a hospital.

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 officers. Federal and state authorities have declined to comment on potential discrepancies.

The 22-year-old man suspected in the deadly shooting has since been released from jail pending further investigation, as the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office continues reviewing the case.

The shooting occurred Saturday in the mall’s food court. Police say the suspect, a valid Concealed Pistol License holder, told authorities he was attacked by two people before opening fire.

A 20-year-old man was killed, and a 19-year-old woman was shot but is expected to survive.

Video could be key in self-defense argument

Local 4 showed six seconds of video to longtime Detroit attorney Lillian Diallo. She believes the footage could be central to the case.

The video shows two people punching and kicking a man on the ground before he pulls a gun and fires.

“It’s two against one. He is getting kicked in his face, and head area. These are all areas that could seriously injure, if not kill you,” Diallo said.

Diallo said prosecutors likely have access to additional video, but based on what she reviewed, she believes there is a strong self-defense argument.

“This right here—this would be a defense attorney’s dream case if there is such a thing as far as self-defense. It’s textbook,” she said.

Self-defense standard: Imminent danger must be proven

Under Michigan law, a self-defense claim requires proving the individual faced imminent danger of serious injury or death. Diallo said the video speaks to that standard.

“It speaks for itself. You see it unfolding. Unfortunately, it might only be those six seconds, but those are some impactful six seconds right there,” she said.

Police say the altercation did not begin in the food court — the two parties reportedly had an earlier encounter before crossing paths again inside the mall.

Weapons-free zone unlikely to affect criminal case

Great Lakes Crossing is designated a weapons-free zone, but legal experts indicate that designation may have little bearing on the criminal case. While carrying a firearm on the property violated a private policy, it did not constitute a violation of criminal gun laws.

Diallo emphasized the legal responsibility that comes with firearm ownership.

“As a gun owner, you have to make sure you only pull your weapon if you have to. You are not pulling your weapon to show it off or brandish it; you are pulling it to stop a threat. That is textbook. You pull the weapon to stop the threat,” she said.

Father of CPL holder comments

Family of the shooter told Local 4 that the shooter is a rapper in the Detroit area, but they initially declined to comment further on the case.

On July 15, the father of the CPL holder released a statement to Local 4. Here’s the full statement:

“We are deeply saddened about this tragic event that took place that Saturday evening. My son, whose name is Amuri, is a good person who would never want to hurt anyone; he is a father, a loving son. An older sibling to his many brothers & sisters. After high school, he pursued his musical talents and has since given back to his community, even leading a food drive this past Christmas that fed over 1,000 homeless people. We send our sincerest condolences to the families of the victims. Violence as a whole has to stop. Too many young people losing their lives. We must get back to loving one another and coexisting together.”

The man killed has been identified as 20-year-old Keshawn Emery of Pontiac.

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office has not yet announced a charging decision.

Lawyers representing YouTube filed a notice of appeal Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, less than a week after Meta, which was also a defendant in the case, filed its own notice of appeal. The lawyers are expected to provide their arguments related to the appeal in later court filings.

The case centered on a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child and that it worsened her mental health struggles. The jury found that negligence by both Google-owned YouTube and Meta was a substantial factor in causing harm to the young woman, identified in court only by her initials, KGM, and her first name, Kaley.

The jury awarded her $3 million in damages and recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages. Her lead attorney, Mark Lanier, said in a statement last week following Meta's appeal that Kaley's legal team is expecting the appellate court to “continue the careful application of the law to this case, affirming the verdict of the trial court.”

José Castañeda, a spokesperson for Google, said in a statement last week that YouTube was planning to appeal and that “these are standard motions for this case to move forward.”

Meta and Google had each filed post-trial motions seeking a new trial. The trial judge, Carolyn B. Kuhl, denied those motions in early June.

One of YouTube's core arguments during the five-week trial was that its platform, which offers video sharing and streaming, is not a social media platform.

Lawyers for both YouTube and Meta also consistently posed questions throughout the trial about whether the evidence and arguments encroached on legal protections for tech companies around content posted by third parties. Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act shields these companies from legal responsibility for such content. The plaintiff's lawyers instead focused on the design features like autoplay functions that they argued could lead to more long-lasting, less intentional use of the platforms.

Kaley’s case was a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, and the verdict could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately causing harm. TikTok and Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. were also initially named as defendants in the case, but each settled for undisclosed sums before the trial began.

And on Wednesday, soccer's governing body said American rapper-singer Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony.

The ceremony will take place 90 minutes before Sunday's final. The show is meant to “celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey” through 16 host cities across three countries, FIFA said in a statement.

IShowSpeed — who has streamed multiple matches — is listed as a performer, while Cruise — who's also been spotted in the stands and performed a stunt at the Paris Olympics' closing ceremony — is billed as making a “special appearance.” The ceremony will also include performances from Laura Pausini, the Italian singer who helped open the Milan Cortina Olympics in February; Tony winner and Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger; and Robbie Williams, the British singer and former Take That member.

Jennifer Hudson, who boasts the coveted EGOT title with an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, will perform the U.S. national anthem.

“Echoing the spirit of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the world to the greatest stage in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the closing ceremony will bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 full circle through music, culture and football, before we kick off the highly anticipated match that will crown the champions of this groundbreaking tournament,” said Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup's chief operating officer.

While Sunday will also feature the tournament's first halftime show, with a bevy of additional A-list performers, closing ceremonies are not exactly new to the World Cup. The closing ceremony is being produced in partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, led by Marco Balich, who orchestrated the 2022 World Cup's opening and closing ceremonies in Qatar.

FIFA has encouraged ticketholders to arrive early, promising that fans “will have an active role to play in the show.” The show begins at 1:30 p.m. at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and kickoff is at 3 p.m.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

It's not how far shots are going in the air. It's what happens when they get on the ground. And with links golf, that's not always easy to control, especially this week.

“You can't judge every single bounce perfectly,” Justin Rose said. “But you have to accept the nature of a links golf course. There's going to be some good bounces, bad bounces. Just keep playing with a big of freedom and creativity, especially this week.

“You're going to get a few funny bounces here or there,” he said. “That's all part of it.”

The 154th Open begins Thursday with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. For those who love links golf, there's no greater colors than brown and yellow that indicate crispy conditions in which the fairways can run faster than some of the greens.

Rarely has the forecast been filled with warm sunshine — slightly cooler on the weekend — with a cloudless sky that will be a challenge for the R&A to keep the turf from getting too fast.

Rory McIlroy came to Royal Birkdale a few weeks ago and saw what seemed to be a different course. It was greener. The rough was more lush. It's no longer like that. Yes, it's harder to control shots running along the fairway But the rough, while still having some thick patches in which players are up to their knees in grass, is more burned and wispy.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword,” McIlroy said. "I think all this dry weather and sun and a little bit of wind is obviously great for the course in one way, but when I was here a couple weeks ago, the rough was a lot more penal than it’s going to be this week. It’s definitely burnt out a lot.

“The big thing, especially off the tee here, is the fairway bunkers and avoiding those,” he said. “You might see some guys being more aggressive off the tee, taking driver, trying to take the fairway bunkers out of play. OK, it might be in the rough, but it’s not that penal, so you get a wedge in your hand and you can figure it out from there.”

Every hole seems to have options.

The redesigned fifth plays 321 yards and enough shrubs have been removed that it's no longer a blind shot from the tee. What players see now is a pond — an unusual hazard for links golf, but it's always been there — and a row of pot bunkers leading to the green.

Marcus Plunkett, the U.S. Army veteran playing in his first British Open, arrived Thursday and smashed driver to the edge of the green. Even with that shot, he's planning on a 7-iron off the tee.

The wind is out of a different direction than usual, making the 393-yard 16th hole play downwind and running fast. Most players were hitting no more than 5-iron off the tee to avoid the bunkers. The other option is a driver than can get close to the green.

It's like that all over, and it could lead to brilliance and blunders.

“From what I’ve learned in the past, if you start pulling out drivers in an Open Championship, you can do a good job,” Jon Rahm said. “You can maybe get away with it one round. Over four rounds, you’re going to start finding spots you don’t want to be in, and you’re going to pay the price.”

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, trying to become the first repeat winner of golf's oldest championship since Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale in 2007 and 2008. The world's No. 1 player has played only five times in the Open, but he probably spoke for many when he said, “This is the first forecast I remember seeing it had no rain in it for the week.”

“If it holds, it should continue to firm up, and we’ve got some warm weather as well,” he said.

It's a different Royal Birkdale from when Jordan Spieth won in 2017, particularly the new look on the fifth and the par-3 seventh, and a brand-new par 3 at the 15th (the old par-3 14th was removed). Scheffler offered a not-so-subtle jab at the chances, even though he hadn't seen the course before.

“The one thing I found interesting is it’s so obvious as to which holes had been redone," he said. “They look like they’re not even on the same golf course.”

Scheffler had to return the claret jug on Tuesday. Someone else takes possession Sunday night when he is introduced as the “Champion Golfer of the Year.” And then it's eight-plus months until the next major at the Masters in April.

The four majors are over quickly.

But it's only fitting the British Open with its unique brand of golf is the last major of the year. It's unlike anything players see all year, especially in dry and firm and fiery conditions like this.

“The ball is just going to run forever,” Scheffler said.

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

Festival Producer, Scott Kusmirek, and the owner of the Roostertail, Michael Schoenith, joined us on Live in the D to preview the can’t-miss summer event and share what attendees can expects during the two-day festival.

Watch the segment above to see more.

Dr. Charles M. Boyd, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Boyd Beauty, says the shift is unmistakable.

“Natural is the new beauty standard,” Boyd said. “It’s not the overfilled, over plump look.”

He calls the emerging philosophy “prejuvenation” - a proactive, less-is-more approach to aging that blends surgical and non-surgical options rather than leaning hard on any one of them.

“Everything we do now is really incorporating all the things,” Boyd said. “It’s not just surgery, it’s not non-surgery, it’s not just rejuvenation products, but you really need to know all of them to get the best result.”

The approach is a direct response to what many patients describe as filler fatigue - the cultural hangover from a mid-2010s era when bigger lips and fuller cheeks dominated beauty culture. Boyd says the pendulum has swung back.

For patients trying to decide between injectables and a surgical procedure, Boyd offers a simple framework. Fillers address volume loss in areas like the temples, under the eyes, cheeks, and lips. Surgery addresses what gravity does over time.

“They’re not competitors, they’re complementary,” he said.

Modern facelift techniques have also moved well beyond the pulled, wind-tunnel results that once defined the procedure. Boyd says the key is working beneath the skin’s surface.

“A real natural face has volume, the skin is tight, it’s not pulled,” he said. Surgically, he explained, “we’re really pulling the structures below the skin - it’s the muscles, it’s the fascia, it’s understanding the anatomy - and then the skin is just gently redraped.”

For patients on the fence about timing, Boyd pushes back against the instinct to wait until a problem feels urgent.

“The right time is not when you look in the mirror and you’re like, I need a facelift,” he said. “You probably needed it before that.”

Advances in technique have also shortened the on-ramp. Boyd says many patients today are opting for procedures with “shorter incisions, shorter recovery time” - as few as seven to ten days - and results subtle enough that no one can pinpoint exactly what changed.

“When it doesn’t look like you’ve had anything done, you just look refreshed,” he said.

Boyd Beauty has locations in Ann Arbor, Birmingham, and Detroit. More information is available at BoydBeauty.com.

“Remember, earnings drive the market, and now we’re in earnings season again. Financial earnings are reporting very double beats,” said Vitale, owner and investment advisor representative at Vitale Wealth Management. “It’s amazing.”

With equities up more than 10% on the year and inflation showing signs of cooling, Vitale told Live in the D viewers that the fundamentals remain solid despite noise from overseas.

“You have to look at the fundamentals and you just got to keep the faith and stay invested and don’t let the emotions get involved,” he said.

On interest rates

The Federal Reserve has held rates steady, and Vitale said he doesn’t expect dramatic movement before year’s end. “I would love to see a quarter point cut by year end,” he said, adding that he’s not counting on it.

For retirees navigating the rate environment, he cautioned against defaulting to bonds. “Bonds can still lose money and they’re not performing that well because interest rates high mean bond values are down,” Vitale said.

Instead, he pointed to fixed annuities as a compelling alternative, noting that some products are currently offering guaranteed returns of 5.5% for five to ten years. “You’re actually still finding fixed annuity rates at 5.5% guaranteed for 5 to 10 years, which is super strong,” he said.

Tax planning before year’s end

Vitale urged retirees - particularly those over 65 - to review their tax brackets and consider Roth conversions while rates remain favorable.

“If we can do it at a lower bracket, let’s do it at a lower bracket and make it all tax-free down the road,” he said.

He noted that a $6,000 tax credit for seniors, combined with the elimination of taxes on Social Security income, creates a meaningful planning window before December 31.

For more information or to request a complimentary consultation, visit VitaleWealth.com.

The shipwreck occurred on Tuesday near Bardaa Island, off the coastal city of Tobruk, according to Coast Guard authorities in eastern Libya. They said 10 survivors managed to swim to the island to save themselves. The search for others continues, the Coast Guard said.

It was the latest tragedy off Libya, one of the main departure points for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea and reach European shores for a better life there. Last month a shipwreck off eastern Libya left 51 migrants dead or missing.

Even though Libya was plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed its longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, the country has over the years emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

Smugglers usually pack Europe-bound migrants into small and unsafe boats, with thousands dying during the perilous sea journey.

More than 800 migrants were reported dead or missing in the central Mediterranean route between Jan. 1 and May 16 this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. Last year saw more than 1,300 migrants perish or go missing on that route, it said.

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Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration.

Ann Arbor’s mayor, Chris Taylor, and Detroit artist, Collyn Debano, joined us on Live in the D to showcase some amazing art and share details about the upcoming event.

The fair runs from July 16-18.

Watch the segment above to learn more!

Instead, Les Bleus had no answers in a 2-0 semifinal loss at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday in what is presumably coach Didier Deschamps' final appearance on soccer's biggest stage.

Deschamps, who has said this would be his last World Cup, won a title as a player in 1998 and again as a coach eight years ago in Russia before leading France to the final in 2022 in Qatar. Argentina won that championship in a penalty shootout.

“I’ve been lucky as a player to enjoy happy moments,” Deschamps said through a translator, while also saying it wasn't yet time to discuss his future. “Today is not such a moment. But I think we must accept it without forgetting everything that we’ve experienced so far. But today’s feeling is that I am not happy.”

The disappointment reverberated from Texas across the Atlantic Ocean. A number of clashes reportedly broke out in Paris, with incidents between law enforcement and young people also reported in Lyon.

French media lamented that their team had been unable to reproduce the exhilarating performances it had delivered while never trailing in its first six World Cup matches.

L’Équipe, France’s leading sports newspaper, noted that Deschamps’ players had been outplayed in every aspect of the game, “unable to live up to their dreams and to the hope they had inspired.”

Those players didn't disagree, although Mbappé was quick to defend his coach, and said he would play hard for Deschamps in the third-place match against the Argentina-England loser on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.

“Nothing changed about what Didier means to us as a French people. As a manager, as a player, he wrote an amazing story,” said the France captain, who got a quick hug from his coach on the sideline after the final whistle. “There’s one game left for him, so we’re going to try to play the best game for him because he deserves it, and also the fans deserve to have a win and finish third in this World Cup.”

The dangerous playmaking of Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise never showed up in what ended up being Spain's sixth clean sheet in seven World Cup appearances this year.

Mbappé's best chance came in the 67th minute when his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. La Roja already had a two-goal lead at that point.

The 27-year-old Mbappé, who entered the day level with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi for the tournament lead in goals with eight, showed some frustration with a yellow card in the 86th minute. He rushed toward Unai Simón just as the Spain goalkeeper was bending over to pick up the ball. The two collided, sending Simón to the grass.

“In so many ways, France was missing everything today,” Rayan Cherki said through a translator. “We’ll be back in four years, and we won’t make the same mistakes.”

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Associated Press writer Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Jaylen Lee Robinson pleaded no contest on Monday to two counts of first-degree murder and two felony firearm charges in connection to the fatal shootings of Martin Clay, 32, of Davison, and Maria Jenkins, 34, of Highland Park, at a Marathon on Puritan Avenue in July 2025.

A 28-year-old woman and 39-year-old woman, both of Detroit, were also shot, leading to additional charges against Robinson that were later dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Both women survived.

According to police, the altercation began as an argument between Robinson and Jenkins, who was shot multiple times in the incident.

Robinson’s sentencing has been set for 9 a.m. Aug. 20 before Judge Wanda Evan in Michigan’s 3rd Circuit Court. First-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Starmer, who leaves office next week, bid farewell to the boisterous weekly Prime Minister’s Questions sessions where he has traded barbs with opposition politicians and defended his government’s record. On Monday, he will step down as prime minister after losing the support of his Labour Party, handing over power to a new Labour leader, Andy Burnham.

“Every prime minister knows when they take up the torch that the day will come when they have to pass it on,” said Starmer, who has spent six years as leader of the Labour Party and two as prime minister.

“This is the end of my political journey,” he said, though he plans to remain a backbench lawmaker for now.

Britain’s parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders, and thus prime ministers, without the need for a general election. The next national election doesn't have to be held until 2029.

PMQs is a weekly ritual in British politics, where the prime minister answers questions, from opposition party leaders and others, on topics they don’t know in advance. A test of leaders’ ability to think on their feet, it is derided by some as political pantomime that generates more noise than insight.

Starmer's valedictory session was a gentler affair, mixing seriousness and political criticism with personal tributes and jokes about an upcoming special election pitting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage against the comedy candidate Count Binface.

Starmer opened by saying he was “horrified” at the killing last week of the former lawmaker Ann Widdecombe. Counterterrorism police are investigating it as murder.

Starmer called it “chilling” that three serving or former members have been killed during his 11 years in Parliament, and urged politicians to “do more to defend our democracy.”

Instead of mentioning upcoming meetings with ministers, as he has every other week, Starmer said that he had “an important appointment with the television” later when England faces Argentina in a World Cup semifinal.

Kemi Badenoch — the fourth leader of the opposition Conservative Party since 2022 — cautioned Labour that changing leaders is no “silver bullet,” and recalled how Starmer had predicted she wouldn't last a year in charge.

“Life comes at you fast,” Badenoch said.

Starmer went from landslide to ouster in two years

Starmer was elected in a landslide in July 2024, but is quitting after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.

He struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. And he was hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as U.K. ambassador to the United States.

After Labour was hammered in May’s local elections, Starmer gave in to mounting pressure from the party and announced that he would step down. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is the only candidate in the contest to replace him and will be announced as the new Labour leader on Friday.

On Monday, Starmer will go to Buckingham Palace and announce his resignation as prime minister to King Charles III, who will then ask Burnham to take over.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer said that he was proud of his government’s domestic policy achievements, including stronger protections for working people, a reduction in child poverty, a law designed to stop official cover-ups after tragedies, and higher defense spending.

“I am proud to leave this country in better shape than I found it,” he said.

He got praise for supporting Ukraine

Starmer has been lauded for his role on the world stage, especially in repairing relations with Britain's European Union neighbors after Brexit and galvanizing international support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's full-scale invasion.

On Tuesday, Starmer attended Bastille Day celebrations in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, who awarded him the Legion of Honor in recognition of his work with France on European security. The two countries have led efforts to assemble an international coalition to underpin peace in Ukraine if there is a ceasefire.

Ukraine's cause has wide political support in Britain, and Badenoch praised Starmer for inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to London immediately after the Ukrainian leader was berated by U.S. President Donald Trump and other administration officials in the White House last year.

Starmer recalled how people had gathered at the gates of Downing Street to see Zelenskyy, and “the moment he got out of the car and hugged me, they cheered from the top of their voices, the British people, to tell President Zelenskyy exactly what they thought of him and the way he had been treated” in the Oval Office.

The rambunctious House fell silent as Starmer ended by thanking colleagues, staff, civil servants and all those “who struggle to be seen or heard — you’re the reason I came into politics.”

He said “I love you” to wife Victoria and two teenage children, who were watching from a viewing gallery, before a final: “Goodbye.”

Lawmakers from all sides of the chamber applauded, with many rising for a standing ovation. That drew a reprimand from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who reminded them that cheering is allowed in the House of Commons, but clapping is against the rules.

Summer Sips will feature a “Camp” theme that includes lawn games and access to the zoo’s new Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails.

Summer Sips presented by KeyBank runs from 6:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday, July 17.

Watch the video above to learn more about the event and click here to get your tickets.

Waerenskjold finished just ahead of Olav Kooij, Jasper Philipsen and a host of other riders in a sprint finish that seemed inevitable on the relatively short and flat 161.3-kilometer (100.2-mile) route from Vichy to Nevers in central France.

Pogačar, who stretched his lead to more than 3½ minutes with his third stage win of this Tour on Tuesday, finished among a bunch of riders with his main challenger Jonas Vingegaard to maintain his advantage.

For the 26-year-old Waerenskjold, it was his first stage win, and no one seemed more surprised by it than himself.

“It means everything, it’s my biggest win so far and like I said when I came here, I knew that there are two or three guys that are faster than me but if I’m lucky and I have a good sprint like today then it’s possible,” he said.

From last to first

Waerenskjold finished last among the 175 riders after a crash on the hilly stage to Le Lioran the day before. Early on Wednesday's stage, the Uno-X Mobility rider called the race doctor for treatment on his right hand.

“Sometimes I have really good confidence and I believe in myself, but there’s many, many times where I feel super tired and like it’s impossible to win here," Waerenskjold said. "So yeah, it’s crazy that it happened today.”

Fastest stage ever

With an average speed of 50.9 kph (31.6 mph), the riders set a record for a road stage on the Tour.

Mathieu van der Poel and Valentin Paret-Peintre attacked from the off and were reined in before four riders managed to get away – Julian Alaphilippe, Mathis Le Berre, Nelson Oliveira and Anthon Charmig.

They reached Moulins with 100 kilometers to go with a lead of 1 minute, 15 seconds from the peloton.

Alaphilippe fell behind when they reached the category 4 Côte de Billy-Chevannes, a 1.4-kilometer climb at 5%, leaving three leaders with a gap of 45 seconds going into the last 20 kilometers.

That gap shrank to 19 seconds with 10K remaining, the rest of the riders gathered ominously in a huge bunch just behind, and it was no surprise when the leaders were finally caught with 5.5K remaining.

The peloton slowed with the breakaways back on board as the riders positioned themselves among teammates for the looming final sprint.

Waerenskjold was quickest to react when it got going.

“I thought I was too far back and then it opened up on the right side like it usually doesn’t do, but it was a bit same feeling as my first big win in (Belgian race) Omloop het Nieuwsblad,” the Norwegian said. “That was also like I was too far back and suddenly I’m at the front, and then, yeah it’s unbelievable.”

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that its producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — dropped 0.3% from May, biggest decline since April 2025 and a reversal from a 0.6% uptick the month before. Compared to a year earlier, wholesale prices were up 5.5% in June, decelerating from a 6% increase the month before. Gasoline prices plunged 12% in June but are still up nearly 43% from June 2025, pushed higher by the Iran war. Food prices also dipped in June.

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core wholesale prices were up 4.7% from June 2025 and 0.2% from May.

The producer price report came out a day after the Labor Department said consumer prices dropped 0.4% from May to June, the biggest monthly drop in four years. Compared to a year earlier, they were up 3.5% last month, down from 4.2% in May. The June inflation numbers were much cooler than forecasters had expected, reducing pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year. Still, inflation is running above the Fed's 2% target.

In his first appearance before Congress since becoming Fed chair May 22, Kevin Warsh said Tuesday that the central bank has "no tolerance for persistently elevated inflation.''

Energy prices have ratcheted higher since President Donald Trump on Monday announced a new blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes. Many Americans are already frustrated with the high cost of living, dimming the prospects of Trump's Republican Party in November's midterm elections.

“There’s no near-term pressure on the Fed, but oil is in the driver’s seat over the longer term,” said David Russell, global head of market strategy at the online brokerage TradeStation. "Energy saved the day in June, but that might become ancient history if the Strait of Hormuz doesn’t open soon.''

Wholesale prices can offer an early look at where consumer inflation might be headed. Economists also watch it because some of its components, notably healthcare and financial services, flow into the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, index.

Daysiana Lachell Powell, 31, was charged with one count of concealing the death of an individual. She faces up to five years in prison.

Detroit police said officers found the child in a blue tote wrapped in a white sheet inside a dumpster in the 11300 block of E 7 Mile Road on July 8 just before 11 a.m. The child was later identified as Powell’s son.

Powell is accused of concealing the death of her newborn and not reporting it to authorities. She was arrested on July 10.

She was arraigned in court on July 12 and was given a $50,000 personal bond.

She is scheduled to return to court on July 21.

The all-Czech final, during which Noskova wasted five match points and a 5-2 lead in the second set before eventually winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday, averaged 1.9 million viewers. That was an increase of 48% compared to last year’s women’s final: Iga Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 rout of Amanda Anisimova in 57 minutes.

ESPN began its coverage of Wimbledon in 2003 and has had exclusive rights since 2012.

Jannik Sinner’s four-set victory over Alexander Zverev in the men’s final on Sunday averaged 2.4 million viewers, down 16% from 2025, when Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.

Overall, it ranked as ESPN’s second most-viewed Wimbledon, with an 18% year-over-year increase, averaging 853,000 viewers per day, the network said. This year’s numbers trailed only the 2019 edition – when Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a memorable five-set final and Simona Halep beat Serena Williams for the women’s trophy.

Also this year, William’s return to Grand Slam tennis after nearly four years away earned ESPN its biggest audience for a Day 2 at Wimbledon, with an average of 1.8 million viewers — despite being played on a Tuesday afternoon in the U.S.

Italian TV

In Italy, where Sinner has become the country’s most popular athlete, the final in which he earned his fifth Grand Slam title was watched by an average of 4.2 million viewers and earned a 33.8% share, Sky Italia said.

Sinner’s victory over Alcaraz last year had an average viewership in Italy of 5.7 million.

The finals started at 11 a.m. ET in the U.S. and 5 p.m. in Italy.

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

They are among the 8,000 employees, or about 10% of its workforce, Meta said it would lay off in May. The lawsuit filed late Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, claims the company used internal AI systems, keystroke and activity-monitoring data, AI token-usage dashboards and algorithmically assisted performance rankings, among other methods, to determine who would be laid off.

Many of these scores and ratings “by design, cannot be accumulated by an employee who is on protected medical or family leave, or whose output is reduced by a disability,” the lawsuit says. Meta, according to the lawsuit, did not account for protected leave when taking employees' scores into account and “did not pause the system for the individualized, leave- and accommodation-neutral review that the law requires.”

As a result, people on protected medical or family leave were disproportionately selected for layoffs, the lawsuit says. Each of the 26 anonymous employees in the lawsuit took protected leave, or requested or received a reasonable accommodation for disability. Though they have been notified of their layoffs, all 26 remain employed by Meta, with separations set to begin July 22.

Many workers were on parental leave

Many of the employees in the lawsuit took pregnancy or parental leave, during which time they wouldn't have worked and thus had their measured output reduced. Others took medical leave — one disclosed a “serious health condition and disability” that was approved by Meta's own provider. But according to the lawsuit, he was “discouraged and deterred from taking that leave by a manager” who warned that doing so would result in his selection for the anticipated layoffs. Meta offered no accommodation for his disability, the lawsuit says.

Meta said in a statement that the claims "lack merit and are not based on facts. Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI.”

About half the plaintiffs had taken leave for caregiving or pregnancy-related reasons. Eight are women who had taken maternity or pregnancy-related leave, four are men who had taken parental leave and one is a woman who had taken leave to care for a family member and later bereavement leave.

The lawsuit says the layoffs violated several state and federal laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Lawsuit cites ‘disparate impact’

The complaint also references “disparate impact liability,” a longstanding civil rights concept that President Donald Trump's administration moved to abandon. Disparate impact, codified in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, holds that facially neutral policies or practices can be discriminatory if they disproportionately burden a protected class of workers and aren’t necessary for the job.

The Trump administration has ordered federal agencies to deprioritize disparate impact liability enforcement, arguing that its use undermines “meritocracy” and encourages the assumption that any racial or gender imbalance in a workforce is the result of discrimination. The order has led the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to drop discrimination cases on behalf of some workers.

However, the lawsuit against Meta underscores that companies remain vulnerable to disparate impact litigation in the age of AI despite the Trump administration’s efforts to stamp out its enforcement. Workers are still free to pursue such lawsuits on their own if the EEOC rejects their complaints, and several state laws specifically prohibit disparate impact discrimination.

In the case against Meta, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the company’s “algorithmically assisted selection process, by systematically recording such absences as reduced performance, falls more heavily on women than on men.” That’s because women disproportionately take pregnancy and caregiving leave, according to the lawyers. The lawsuit cites Title VII’s prohibition on employment practices that have a disparate impact, as well as a landmark 1971 Supreme Court ruling that recognized the doctrine.

The plaintiffs' lawyers said in a statement that the lawsuit asks for one thing — preserving the status quo to keep the workers employed pending arbitration. That's because “once these separations are final, the harms are irreversible: employer-subsidized health coverage lost during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and active medical treatment; time-bound leave rights extinguished; unvested equity forfeited; and immigration consequences triggered.”

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The Associated Press’ women in the workforce coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The fate of the Totsakan band has been a key focus in Thailand's coverage of the blaze, and as residents expressed their sadness, confusion, outrage and demands for compensation on Wednesday, the sister of the group’s late keyboard player struck a particular note of grace.

“If I can be his representative, I think he would say he doesn’t want to see everyone sad and cry,” said Chanyanuch Pudmon, the sister of keyboard player Preutthipong Pudmon, as she and other family members retrieved his body from Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Science. “He would not want everyone to see him as he is now, but please remember his smile on stage, playing music that he loves.”

The fire that broke out Sunday night killed at least 33 people and injured dozens, with 17 hospitalized in critical condition, Erawan emergency services said. Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, chief of the forensic institute, told reporters Wednesday that most of the victims died from smoke inhalation, while a few died from burn injuries.

What set off the blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in northern Bangkok and why it caused so many casualties is under investigation. Authorities are looking at whether the venue’s ceiling had especially flammable soundproofing foam, whether its exits were accessible and unlocked and whether the venue was legally registered.

The band played good-time music every Sunday

Totsakan was a house band at the bar, and every Sunday they played the kind of good-time roots music that is popular especially in rural areas where traditional beats are played on modern instruments.

The band’s members were among the first to spy a spark from a circuit breaker that may have set off the blaze that roared across the ceiling, which experts suspect was covered with highly combustible material. People rushed for the few and narrow exits in what they said was total darkness.

The chaos was such that even after the blaze was put under control by firefighters and the injured taken to hospitals, it was unclear who had survived and who had perished. However for the band’s leader and singer, Atipat Wijan -- nickname “Ice” -- a big blow came right away.

In an interview with Thai TV Channel 3 just hours after the flames were extinguished, he recalled how the band’s bass player called him to tell him that Nahatai Sajjalert, the lead female singer nicknamed “Breeze″ — who was also his girlfriend — was undergoing CPR in back of the still-smoldering building.

Ice said he tried helping the EMS team resuscitate her, but she could not be revived.

“She wasn’t burned at all. Her body was completely intact. She just looked like she was peacefully asleep,” he recalled.

Ice said it was originally believed that keyboardist Puttipong -- nickname “Kwang” -- had been found and hospitalized, but that was a misunderstanding. He never made it out of the bar. Nattapat Thamnita, or “Biw,” the band’s drummer, was evacuated in critical condition, but also did not survive.

A fourth band member died Wednesday

Misery extended to Wednesday when the band announced that its other male singer, Thitiwat Kaewkanha, had died in hospital. He was initially feared dead, but had then turned up hospitalized after a day of frantic searching. According to Thai Rath, Thailand’s most popular newspaper, Thitiwat, whose nickname is “Din,” had burns over 80% of his body.

Other survivors and family members of victims of the fire visited a police station on Wednesday to seek compensation, gather belongings and give their testimony.

Natthaphong Lakhorn, 26, was at the beer hall on the night of the fire with four companions. He was sitting near the stage when the fire broke out. He recounted seeing white smoke coming from the stage, which he at first thought was an effect from dry ice before realizing it was the start of a fire.

“When the fire broke, I just ran, and then all power went out,” said Natthaphong, who said that one of his companions, a relative, died in the fire. “It was so hectic."

Natthaphong said he escaped through the back door of the bar near the bathrooms and that there was a security guard there who was using a flashlight to lead people out, contradicting reports from police that the door was not used. He said he did not recall hearing a fire alarm.

Bandages covered both of Natthaphong’s ears and part of his forehead. Before registering with the police, he said that he plans to seek compensation for his injuries.

Kanticha Singkhon, 25, was at the police station to pick up a handbag and other personal belongings of her mother, who died in the fire. With her mother gone, Kanticha said she is now responsible for her younger brother. She said she wanted the bar owners to be the one who reach out to the victim's families “because they would be going back to their hometowns by now. They won’t have time because each victim came from far away," she said.

A lawyer representing the bar owners told local media that survivors and family members will initially receive 10,000 baht (approximately $300) in compensation.

“It’s not enough money for a funeral — I had to take a loan to arrange my mom’s funeral,” Kanticha said. “I have not had any financial arrangements, and no one has contacted me."

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A previous version of this article included an outdated figure of 24 people in critical condition. It has been corrected to use the updated figure of 15.

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Khemmapat Rojwanichkun in Bangkok contributed to this report.

The online auctions, planned for Aug. 4-28, will include 97 properties located across Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas — including a few in Metro Detroit — which range in size from less than an acre to 120 acres.

Most properties on the list were designated as “surplus” during the DNR’s latest state land review, which isolated parcels that are 200 acres or smaller with a substantial private-public boundary.

Kerry Heckman, forest lands and special projects administrator with the DNR, says the parcels being auctioned have “severely limited” public benefits due to various factors, including size limitations, a lack of public access, and adjacent private properties negatively affecting public use such as hunting.

“The proceeds from our surplus-land sales are deposited into the Land Exchange Facilitation Fund,” Heckman said. “Those dollars are specifically used to acquire other properties that are more usable by residents and visitors, protect important natural resources and provide accessible, quality recreation opportunities throughout the state.”

Several of the properties included in the auction have river frontage, lake frontage, or forested acreage surrounded by privately-owned land, according to the DNR.

Surplus sales are a regular part of the DNR’s public land strategy, with public input helping to determine which parcels to auction off.

“When we’re making decisions about what happens with DNR-managed public lands, we seek out public involvement as early as possible, sometimes a year or two in advance, and through a variety of channels,” said Scott Whitcomb, acting DNR Lands and Facilities chief, in a statement. “That public feedback, the local stories about favorite places and the suggestions on how to improve challenging sites the DNR inherited — we make every effort to hear it all and then make decisions that best serve the resources, residents and future generations.”

Available properties will be auctioned off throughout the month of August on a county-by-county basis, for a total of 12 auctions. “Interactive” bidding will begin at 10 a.m. on each date and close at 7 p.m. Absentee bids can also be made up to 30 days before an auction.

See the date of each auction below.

• Aug. 4 – Lapeer County
• Aug. 6 – Allegan and Berrien counties
• Aug. 7 – Livingston County
• Aug. 14 – Alger, Chippewa, Delta and Luce counties
• Aug. 18 – Baraga, Dickinson, Houghton and Menominee counties
• Aug. 19 – Crawford, Kalkaska, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego and Roscommon counties
• Aug. 20 – Antrim and Charlevoix counties
• Aug. 21 – Alpena, Cheboygan, Iosco and Presque Isle counties
• Aug. 25 – Oakland County
• Aug. 26 – Oceana County
• Aug. 27 – Lake County
• Aug. 28 – Jackson County

Interested bidders must register before the property’s auction date, with pre-registration and more information available at tax-sale.info.

More detailed information about each property can be found here.

Amazon, which was founded by Jeff Bezos, said that it would partner with South African internet provider Herotel to launch a new service in the country of 62 million people. Amazon said that it was its first satellite internet agreement on the African continent.

No financial details were initially disclosed.

Amazon's announcement follows Musk's bitter criticism of the government in his country of birth. The world's richest man has said that South African regulations have prevented him from launching Starlink there because he's white, and has accused the government of racism.

He was referring to South Africa's affirmative action policies, which require foreign companies operating in the communications sector to give a minority share of their local entities to Black or other non-white owners in order to acquire a license.

The regulations are meant to provide opportunities that were denied non-white people under the country's previous apartheid system of white minority rule.

The South African government has backed the Amazon deal, with Communications Minister Solly Malatsi joining Amazon and Herotel representatives to announce the agreement.

Amazon launched its first low orbit internet satellites last year and says it has more than 390 currently operational.

Starlink's first operational satellites were launched in 2019 and it now has more than 10,000 in orbit. Starlink's satellite internet has launched in around two dozen other African countries, but Musk has refused to follow South Africa's affirmative action regulations.

Amazon said Wednesday that the South African deal was the start of its effort to roll out across Africa, where it would also partner with Vanu Inc., a Lexington, Massachusetts-based company specializing in mobile internet in developing countries.

There’s a large potential market for satellite internet in Africa, a continent of more than 1.5 billion people where many live in rural and other areas without fixed internet connections.

Amazon Leo, which was previously called Project Kuiper, has already signed deals to launch in Thailand, Kazakhstan, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, according to announcements from the company and local operators it's teaming up with.

Starlink, though, is well ahead and says it's now operating in more than 160 countries.

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AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan contributed to this report from Toronto.

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

The memoir is scheduled to come out Nov. 17, publisher Little, Brown and Company told The Associated Press. The timing of the book — two weeks after midterm elections in which Democrats seek to regain control of Congress — could raise concerns within Biden's party by putting him back into the spotlight.

Democrats remain divided on Biden’s legacy, with many blaming his ill-fated determination to seek a second term for Republican President Donald Trump's return to the White House. Leaders hope to keep the fall campaign focused on Trump and his record, and any leaks or promotional efforts before votes are cast could draw frustration.

“'Promise Me, America' is about the challenges we faced as a nation. It’s about the decisions I made and why I made them,” Biden said in a video statement accompanying Wednesday's announcement. “It’s about why I chose to run for reelection and why I chose to step aside."

Reports of Biden's book have circulated for more than a year, and the former president himself has referred to it during public remarks, appearing to suggest at one point that it would be released before November's election.

Biden, who will turn 84 three days after the publication of “Promise Me, America," has long presented himself as an upholder of standards and traditions; presidential memoirs are one of them. With a handful of exceptions, modern presidents since Harry Truman in the 1950s have published books about their White House years. Like virtually all of his predecessors, Biden did not work on the book alone but was helped by a “small editorial team,” according to the publisher. Little, Brown declined to release financial details for ”Promise Me, America," although presidents have usually reached deals worth at least seven figures.

The book's title echoes a 2017 memoir by Biden, “Promise Me, Dad,” which centered on the death of his son, Beau Biden.

Vowing as a candidate to “restore the soul” of his country, Biden was sworn into office in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters seeking to stop his certification as president. Biden's term was defined by a wide range of conflicts and achievements, from his handling of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to the passage of ambitious infrastructure and economic aid bills. But many readers will likely want to know more about his health while president, including the disastrous debate in June 2024 against Trump that led to his giving up his reelection bid. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran instead, lost decisively to Trump.

Former first lady Jill Biden wrote in her own book that her husband seemed so weak and disoriented during the debate that she feared he was having a stroke. In “View from the East Wing,” published in June, she noted that the White House had initially said he was suffering from a cold.

“The biggest lesson for us, I think, was that if you don’t explain something well enough then the question won’t go away,” she wrote. “There was never a satisfying enough explanation offered for Joe’s debate performance, and a lot of people never got over it.”

Biden was the oldest man to serve as president and his health was a source of speculation for much of his term; Biden and his White House advisers have faced intense criticism from Democrats and Republicans for allegedly concealing the extent of his problems. A notable book release from 2025, Jake Tapper's and Alex Thompson's “Original Sin,” was subtitled “President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.”

That year, Biden announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Biden's previous books also include “Promises to Keep,” a campaign work published to boost his run for president in 2008, when Barack Obama was the eventual nominee and Biden his running mate. ”Promise Me, America" comes out during a year when nonfiction sales have declined and few political books have caught on, although recent bestsellers have included Vice President JD Vance's “Communion” and an inside account of Trump's second term, by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, “Regime Change.”

A Little, Brown spokesperson said that Biden plans to tour on behalf of the book and give interviews. In his video announcement, Biden said that many people had been asking him how he was doing.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time with my family. I’m dealing with a cancer diagnosis, been getting treatment, and it’s going really well,” he said. “I want to thank all those who have offered their prayers and support and well-wishes. It’s meant the world to me and to Jill.”

Health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region's largest medical center, went on strike Wednesday and are the latest group to walk off the job at the epicenter over payment issues. Health professionals and other front-line workers barricaded the entrance to the hospital, claiming they have not received pay despite working under difficult conditions.

The World Health Organization says more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the beginning of the outbreak.

The Central African nation has been battling the Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus since May 15. A total of 753 patients remain in isolation or in hospitals, while 366 have recovered so far, according to data from Congo’s Ministry of Health.

The outbreak continues to spread faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response. At least 80% of new cases are emerging from unknown chains of transmission, the WHO said Tuesday.

A key challenge is that health authorities have yet to identify the outbreak’s patient zero, while displacement from armed conflict and mining-related movements have made it difficult to trace thousands who have come in contact with infected individuals.

The authorities have been able to trace 67% of the contacts of those exposed to confirmed cases, Congo's health ministry said.

Many of the newly reported deaths are of people who died in their communities without ever reaching a health facility and without receiving care, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the WHO emergencies chief, said Tuesday after returning from Bunia in Ituri, the worst-hit province in the outbreak.

The response is being hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centers, an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, and mistrust among local communities.

Dozens of healthcare workers at an Ebola virus treatment center in Rwampara, another hard-hit city in the Ituri province, went on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses on Monday. On Tuesday, they agreed to resume work on condition the government pay them within 72 hours.

Some have told The Associated Press they have not received any payment since they started work at the onset of the outbreak.

Response efforts have also been challenged by the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike the more common Zaire virus for which there is a vaccine and which was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.

Enrollment in a highly anticipated study of two possible Ebola treatments recently started in Ituri.

The man was held on Tuesday on suspicion of sending threatening communications to a member of Parliament, the Metropolitan Police said. He was held overnight and later released on bail.

“I am going to shoot you in the head if you win,” the man allegedly told Farage in a post on X in May, according to the Telegraph newspaper.

The July 8 killing of Widdecombe at her rural home in southwest England shocked the political establishment and the public. The 78-year-old, who was Reform’s immigration and justice spokesperson, was long known for her blunt-spoken socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.

Farage said her death showed that “things have become even more dangerous” for people in public life and his party has called for better protection. Other Reform politicians have suggested their party members are at greater risk than other politicians.

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a tribute to Widdecombe in the House of Commons, said it was “chilling” that three sitting or former MPs had been murdered during his 11 years in Parliament.

“We must do more to defend our democracy” Starmer said.

Security has been tightened in the past decade after Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was fatally shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.

The alleged threat to Farage came during local and regional elections in May that saw his relatively new anti-immigration party win big and raise its hopes he could become prime minister after the next election, due in 2029. The poll results were so poor for the ruling Labour Party that its members forced Starmer to resign.

Police said the threat was reported May 8, but the arrest only came after they received information they requested from the social media company about the user’s identity.

Farage has recently been embroiled in a scandal over a 5 million pound ($6.7 million) donation he received from an overseas cryptocurrency billionaire that he said helped pay for his private security.

The Reform leader resigned his seat in Parliament this month but is seeking reelection to show he still has voters’ support. Opponents have criticized the move as a ploy to dodge a parliamentary probe.

The investigation into Widdecombe's death is being handled by counterterror police. A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and terror crimes. He remains in custody but was not named because he has not been charged.

Devon and Cornwall Police have been criticized for originally saying the killing was not believed to be a terror-related crime and there was nothing to suggest it was politically motivated.

Widdecombe served in Parliament from 1987 to 2010, and was prisons minister in Prime Minister John Major’s 1990s Conservative government.

She later found fame as a contestant on the reality television shows “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother.”

She joined the Brexit Party, briefly serving as a member of the European Parliament before Britain left the European Union in 2020. She had recently joined Reform.

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Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this report.

A poll conducted by WDIV/Detroit News asked Democratic voters from across the state about their opinions on various topics in the 2026 primary election. A portion of these questions focused on the upcoming presidential election in 2028.

Here’s the exact wording of the question that was asked over the phone: Thinking ahead to 2028, I am going to read you a list of potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for President in alphabetical order. Please tell me, at this point, who you would support to be the next Democratic candidate for President?

• Cory Booker -- 8.3%
• Pete Buttigieg -- 19.4%
• Alexandria Ocasio Cortez -- 11.5%
• Kamala Harris -- 25.1%
• Mark Kelly -- 8.3%
• Wes Moore -- 1.6%
• Gavin Newsom -- 10.1%
• J.B. Pritzker -- 2.2%
• Josh Shapiro -- 4.4%
• Someone else -- 1.6%
• Depends/ Don’t Know/ Refused -- 7.5%

Poll methodology

WDIV and the Detroit News commissioned a survey of likely Democratic voters in the August 2026 primary election in Michigan. The poll was conducted by The Glengariff Group, Inc.

It was a 500-sample, live-operator telephone survey that was conducted on July 8 through July 11, 2026.

The margin of error is +/-4.4%, and there is a 95% level of confidence.

Of the respondents, 17.4% of respondents were called via landline telephone, and 82.6% were called on a cellphone.

Yet there he was Wednesday on the range, pounding drives with his athletic 6-foot-5 frame on the final day of practice before his debut in the British Open.

A few spots to his left was Jordan Spieth, a three-time major champion and the last Open champion at Birkdale. Down a ways to his right was two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau with a stationary camera behind him. It was a lot to take in.

“It's awesome,” Plunkett said. “As cool as it gets.”

Plunkett, a 32-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, was among the 20 players who made it through 36-hole qualifying in the U.K. a few weeks ago, holding steady on the last four holes at Dundonald Links to grab the final spot.

He has been all over the world, and not just his Army stops in South Korea and Afghanistan. He made it through Asian Tour Q-school last year and already this year has gone from the Philippines to Malaysia to Singapore and Morocco. He is 20th on the Order of Merit.

Plunkett getting a card anywhere — the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025, the Asian Tour in 2026 — came about when he least expected. All it took was one impromptu round of golf, and the COVID-19 pandemic certainly played a part.

Plunkett finished his college career at Army by helping the Black Knights to the Patriot Conference title with brother Matt a freshman on the team. That would have seemed to be the end of his golf. He was a logistics officer during his five-year Army stint, specializing primarily in convoy maneuvers, either moving personnel or cargo. His golf clubs stayed home.

But one day after he returned to Fort Carson in Colorado, he decided to play golf with his dad.

“I shot 69 and thought I was the best golfer in the world,” Plunkett said. “And I played the next day and probably shot 95. But I stuck with it. My last few months in the Army, COVID was a thing and the DOD (Department of Defense) took it seriously. We had a lot of limited personnel office hours. I had a lot more free time on my hands and played a lot of golf.”

A career as an Army officer was on his mind until he fell back in love with golf.

“It was either time to re-up or go a different way,” Plunkett said. “I was enjoying golf so much that I decided I wanted to give it a go.”

And so he went. Plunkett qualified for a Korn Ferry Tour event each of the next two years after getting out of the Army in 2021, and at the end of 2024, he did well enough in Q-school to earn a Korn Ferry Tour card that guaranteed him eight tournaments. He didn't come close to keeping his card, and then tried his hand in Asia. The next step might be European tour Q-school.

It's a big world in golf, and Plunkett realized it can also be a small world.

He played a practice round Tuesday with Sahith Theegala, who has played on a Presidents Cup team and reached as high as No. 11 in the world ranking.

They were making small talk when Theegala realized one his high school teammates in California, Dean Sakata, also went to West Point and played with Plunkett.

“I didn't realize that until I asked him on the second hole,” Theegala said. “Dean was a super nice guy. Everyone loved him. And they were pretty close at West Point, so that shows me a lot about Marcus' character.”

It was a good day for Plunkett, who could see how a player of Theegala's pedigree approached a practice round at a major. And there was no small appreciation from Theegala.

Military veterans in golf are not new. Billy Hurley, a Naval Academy graduate, spent a decade on the PGA Tour and won once. Kyle Westmoreland became the first Air Force Academy graduate to make the cut in the U.S. Open in 2021. He currently is on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Plunkett would love to be next in line.

“He's been all over,” Theegala said. “It just awesome that he was serving our country and making such a big sacrifice for everyone and is still able to do what he loves. It shows a lot that you have one life to live, and now he's out here grinding. Hopefully, this will be a good week.”

It will be a long day, for sure. Plunkett is in the penultimate group, meaning his first tee shot in his first major will be about 4:10 p.m. local time. But he's at the British Open, a victory in itself at his stage of his second career. Also in the field is Austen Truslow, another American on the Asian Tour.

Asked what he wanted out of the week, Plunkett kept it simple: "Probably giving my mom and dad a hug when I walk off 18 every day.”

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

Yzerman’s transition to an advisory role to owner and CEO Chris Ilitch comes several weeks after captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin’s trade request came to light. The Red Wings' decade-long playoff drought is the longest in the storied history of the organization and the longest active drought in the NHL.

The team said its search for a new head of hockey operations has begun and that Yzerman will continue to be in charge on a day-to-day basis until his successor is determined.

“Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization,” Ilitch said in a statement. “Steve’s lifetime of contributions to the Red Wings has meant more to this franchise than words can truly express, and I have the highest level of respect for his continued commitment to our organization.”

Yzerman spent his entire 22-year Hall of Fame playing career with Detroit from 1983-2006, captaining it to the Stanley Cup three times. He has the three highest-scoring seasons in franchise history and is second only to Gordie Howe on the Red Wings' all-time points list.

“This organization has given me incredible opportunities, from my time as a player to the privilege of returning as general manager,” Yzerman said. “My commitment to the Red Wings and this community will never waver, and I look forward to supporting the organization in whatever role is needed to achieve our collective goals.”

But he did not get hired just for his on-ice performance. Yzerman was an accomplished GM with Tampa Bay, building the core group of players and leadership that eventually won back-to-back championships. He took over in Detroit in 2019, where success on the ice has not materialized.

Yzerman’s moves or lack thereof have contributed to the struggles, including failing to adequately address goaltending. Trading Tyler Bertuzzi to Boston and Filip Hronek to Vancouver for draft picks at the trade deadline in March 2023 and giving up a second-rounder to unload Jake Walman on a deal with San Jose 15 months later are among the questionable decisions.

Larkin also criticized Yzerman for not doing more at the 2024 deadline, and the team struggled down the stretch without reinforcements. Acquiring Justin Faulk and David Perron this past season also was not enough to get the Red Wings into the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

Larkin asking to be traded — with Minnesota, Florida and Vegas initially the only teams on his list — threatened the direction of the team at a time when it looked like Yzerman's position was safe. Yzerman last month said he could not guarantee granting Larkin's wish because the player is signed for five more seasons at an average annual salary of $8.7 million.

Figuring out that situation will now be someone else's call, as will improving a roster that has perennially underacheived expectations.

“I’m looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization (Detroit) deserves," Ilitch said.

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

The center, The Hawk, will be a dedicated home field for the university beginning the 2026 season.

Madonna University aims to have the partnership enhance the home-game experience for Madonna student-athletes, recruits, alumni, and fans.

“We’re grateful to partner with the Hawk Community Center given its unique resources,” said Madonna University President Chris Dougherty when signing the agreement.

In recent years, the university’s program has expanded its roster, recruiting reach and secured its first win.

The Hawk, located at 29995 W. 12 Mile Road, is a 245,000-square-foot entertainment, recreation and cultural facility.

The facility, centrally positioned near Madonna’s campus is planned to serve a multipurpose destination supporting health, wellness and creativity.

According to Madonna University, details on game times, ticketing, parking and promotional events for the 2026 season will be announced at a later date.

The theatre plans to begin showings at 12 p.m. July 30.

Phoenix Theatres will be the only known theatre circuit in Southeast Michigan that will keep the doors open all night long.

The theatre says the event aims to cater to those who miss out on the first showing and can’t wait to watch the movie.

The showings will run into the early mornings and on into normal rotation of shows on Friday for the 36 hours of showtime.

According to the theatre, employees came up with the idea.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at Phoenix Theatres Laurel Park Place’s box office or online here. 

Click here for more information visit.

Usually the parasite enters the body through contaminated food, symptoms have been reported to happen about two weeks after digesting the food.

Michigan is suffering with a major outbreak, previously the state got about 50 cases a year, cases as of July 14 have reached over 3,300 infected.

Cases have spread across Monroe, Wayne, Oakland and several other counties.

According to the Washington Post, Taco Bell is being investigated as a possible source of the disease.

Since the outbreak was reported some Taco Bells have stopped serving select ingredients.

The chain told the Washington Post “Public health officials have not confirmed a link to taco bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer.”

According to the Washington Post, Taco Bell says pulling any ingredients was voluntary, temporary and a precautionary measure.

Wayne Professors, Dr. Joel Kammeyer, associate professor and division chief of infectious diseases and Dr. Diane Cress, an associate professor and chair of the department of nutrition and food science in the college of liberal arts and sciences joined Local 4 Live to tell us what people may not realize about the disease.

You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the incident remains under investigation, and leads are still being pursued.

Police say there doesn’t appear to be any threat to the public.

The Sheriff’s Office has said at this time they will not be releasing any additional information.

A report for a man shot came from a 911 call on July 12 at around 7 a.m.

Allegedly, the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle and were last seen traveling westbound on S. Huron River Dr.

The man was transported to a local hospital; police say the man died of his injuries shortly after arrival.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 734-240-7738.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP or online at www.1800speakup.or

Over the course of the war, Ukraine has gone from pleading for foreign military support to providing its cutting-edge and battle-tested weapons know-how to Europe, the United States and Middle East countries. But it still needs help expanding its domestic production, especially sophisticated air defenses that can stop Russia’s ballistic missiles.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, attending ceremonies marking Ukraine’s Statehood Day, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a new EU-Ukraine Defense Industrial Partnership.

The move reflects European worries about Russia’s broader intentions on the continent.

“Today, Ukraine’s fight is not only a fight for your own freedom. It is an existential fight for Europe’s freedoms — for its values, its self-determination,” Von der Leyen said in a speech in Kyiv's St. Michaels’ Square, where she received Ukraine's Order of Europe, a state honor.

“You are not only fighting for your own future but for the security of our entire continent,” she told a crowd.

The EU and Ukraine signed a letter of intent that aims to establish joint drone and anti-drone production by the end of this year and joint anti-ballistic missile production by 2028, as well as broader support for defense manufacturing.

Ukraine wants to bolster its security by joining the EU. It has started that process, which could take years to complete.

U.S. President Donald Trump said at the NATO summit last week that the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to build its own Patriot air defense systems, essential to countering ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday he expects Ukraine will have the technical capability to produce the sophisticated missiles by the end of the year, even though experts say it could take years.

Ukraine celebrates its sovereignty amid Russia war

Von der Leyen and other dignitaries, including the presidents of Moldova and Romania, marked Ukraine’s Statehood Day, which celebrates the country’s sovereignty and is a public holiday.

Ukraine has been under threat since Russian forces illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, followed eight years later by the all-out invasion in 2022. Statehood Day, celebrating the country’s self-determination, is a public holiday in Ukraine.

The war has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced some Ukrainian cities to rubble, and has fueled fears the confrontation could slide into an open conflict between Russia and NATO, whose member nations have supported Kyiv. No peace settlement is in sight.

Senior officials from southeastern European countries also were in Kyiv for a gathering focused on Black Sea and regional security. Last year’s meeting in the southern city of Odesa reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy has recently won important pledges of further support, including from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations and the so-called Coalition of the Willing countries.

EU official says the ‘tide is turning’ in the war

Von der Leyen said her trip to the Ukrainian capital was her 11th in wartime. The EU has provided billions of euros to Ukraine as well as diplomatic support.

She promised EU help in preparing Ukraine's air defenses for the colder months. That's when Russia, often launching ballistic missiles, usually tries to knock out essential services like electricity and heat in what Kyiv officials call “weaponizing winter.”

"Energy remains an unwavering priority,” Zelenskyy said.

Western officials and analysts say Ukraine’s drone and missile attacks are hitting high-profile targets deep inside Russia, severely disrupting Moscow's supply lines and causing civilian fuel shortages.

“It’s a special moment,” Von der Leyen said on social media. “Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning.”

Washington appeared poised to increase economic pressure on Moscow as a proposed Russia sanctions bill was unveiled in the U.S. Senate following Saturday’s death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of its chief backers.

The bill, which its authors had hoped to pass last summer but was held up by White House reservations, would impose steep tariffs on goods from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports.

Wednesday's official ceremonies came at a delicate political moment for Zelenskyy as he manages a major government reshuffle.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s Moscow-friendly president, Aleksandar Vucic, was taking part in the Southeast Europe Summit in Kyiv. Serbia, which relies almost fully on Russia for its energy supplies, has refused to join Western sanctions on Moscow, although it officially supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Russian attacks kill 9 Ukrainian civilians

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that at least nine civilians were killed and 13 others were injured in Russian aerial attacks.

Russian forces dropped six glide bombs mostly targeting infrastructure in the Sumy region of northern Ukraine, killing three people and wounding seven, said Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration.

Three people were killed and three others wounded in a Russian attack on Odesa, according to Serhii Lysak, the head of the city’s military administration.

In the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, Russian drones killed two people and seriously wounded an 18-year-old, while one person was killed and two injured in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, officials said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses overnight intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions, as well as over Crimea and the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

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Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Associated Press reporter Justin Spike in Budapest contributed.

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

In June, at the same time, the national blood supply dropped by 25%, while demand from hospitals rose to 3,500 units higher per week than expected.

The American Red Cross says that summer often means no school blood drives, busy schedules and seasonal illnesses.

Blood cannot be stockpiled and has a shelf life.

According to reports, a blood transfusion happens in the U.S every two seconds.

Deandra Smith with the American Red Cross Michigan Region joined Local 4 Live to talk about the shortage.

You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.

Miami, which had been the ACC's most dominant team during the regular season, wound up being selected for the playoff and went on to reach the national title game, where it fell short to No. 1 Indiana 27-21.

Duke beat No. 20 Virginia in the ACC championship game last year for its first outright ACC title since 1962 but was not selected for the CFP, much to the dismay of Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz.

The new football championship tiebreaker policy will take effect beginning with the 2026 season, reflecting the league’s transition to a nine-game conference schedule and ensuring a fair and equitable process for determining participants in the ACC championship game, the league said.

The updated tiebreaking procedure is built on three guiding principles:

— Head-to-head results always will matter most.

— No team will be overly rewarded or penalized based on the number of conference games it played.

— When head-to-head competition cannot separate tied teams, the team with the strongest overall body of work will earn the opportunity to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the College Football Playoff.

“Our game will feature the two most deserving teams,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said at ACC Kickoff on Wednesday in Charlotte.

Phillips said the third tier of that tiebreaker will be based on a SportSource Analytics metric used by the CFP.

The updated policy was developed to reward head-to-head results and account for the league’s teams playing an alternate number of conference games while also identifying the two most deserving teams to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic berth into the CFP.

The conference said the evaluation included more than 10,000 simulated season outcomes to ensure the model fairly addressed a wide range of championship scenarios.

The revised policy was approved following a comprehensive review by the ACC’s athletics directors.

In December, the ACC announced that 12 of its 17 football-playing members would be playing a nine-game football schedule beginning in 2026 while five teams would play eight games. That made the head-to-head tiebreakers even more complicated than in the past.

The policy will operate as a bridge to accommodate conference games already on the books, with the plan to have 16 of 17 teams playing nine football games regularly by 2027.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

“Hallowed turf,” is how a young, wide-eyed Fleetwood viewed the course in this golf-crazed corner of northwest England that, every few years, would welcome the world’s best players for the British Open.

His dream of making it there himself one day and lifting the claret jug — a scenario which, who knows, might just happen on the 18th green at Birkdale on Sunday evening — began a 10-minute drive down the road in more humble environs.

Southport Municipal, a club that proudly labels itself as England’s oldest municipal links course, staged a junior program on Monday nights and it was there where Fleetwood’s golfing journey launched around the age of 6.

And it’s why Will Burke, a 40-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, pitched up there on Wednesday with his father, Randy. They paid 19 pounds ($25) each to play 18 holes under a gorgeous blue sky.

“We’re here for the golf this week,” Will said, “and we met with some locals who were really complimentary about the place and said it’s right down the street from where we’re staying.

“When you hear the story about Tommy Fleetwood’s origins and how he got started in the Southport area, that’s the cherry on top.”

Nothing inside this muni’s modest club shop, or indeed anywhere at the course, points to Fleetwood being its most famous son. Strangely, there's not a mention of him anywhere.

Look further afield around these parts, though, and it’s clear this popular golfer with distinctive flowing locks and a forever-friendly manner is a hometown hero.

Fleetwood sees huge support as ‘really positive fuel’

There’s a mural of Fleetwood — pumping his fists and wearing his blue Team Europe Ryder Cup uniform — on the wall of Southport & Birkdale Sports Club.

There’s the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at nearby Formby Hall golf club, where he first became a member and won his only club championship as a kid. Youngsters from the academy have lined up for autographs from Fleetwood next to the practice putting green this week.

There's been no bigger buzz during the practice days than when the 35-year-old Fleetwood has been on the course.

“It’s very rare to have an opportunity to play a tournament, let alone the Open, in the town where you grew up in front of fans that were all there to support you,” Fleetwood said.

“To see people emotionally invested in you … I think it’s very special. It definitely doesn’t go unnoticed by me.”

The natural question is, will it heap too much pressure on him?

Fleetwood sees it as “really, really positive fuel.”

“If I just go back to the original me being an 8-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at Birkdale was unbelievably special,” he said. “So if you’re not going to enjoy it, then you’ve kind of let yourself down.”

Fleetwood has already had experience of playing in the Open at Royal Birkdale, in 2017 when he shot a first-round 76 to essentially drop him out of contention. He described a bounce-back 69 to make the cut as “one of the best rounds I ever played” and finished tied for 27th.

Fleetwood was tied for the first-round lead at the 2023 British Open staged nearby at Royal Liverpool, where he also was billed as the home favorite. He faded to a tie for 10th, nine shots back from champion Brian Harman.

Rory knows the feeling

Rory McIlroy knows what Fleetwood is going through. McIlroy was the guy most in the crowd were rooting for when the Open Championship made an emotional return to Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland in 2019 — after an absence of 68 years — and again last year.

McIlroy missed the cut the first time after a nightmarish first-round 79 but said he handled things better the second time, when he tied for seventh.

“You feel like you’re trying to play well for everyone else and not for yourself,” McIlroy said. “I think there’s already enough pressure on anyone in this field to play well for themselves, so to add that extra layer on top of that is always pretty difficult.

“But,” he added, “I feel like Tommy’s more level-headed than I am and won’t fall into that trap like I did in 2019.”

Away from the lofty expectations of the locals in this seaside town, Fleetwood comes back home under pressure to end his wait for a first major title.

Winning the Tour Championship last August was celebrated beyond English shores because it was his first PGA Tour title and he'd come so close so many times, handling each near-miss with dignity and grace.

Now it's time for Fleetwood to capture that elusive major and there'd be no more popular winner on Sunday, especially to the people of Southport, who keep welcoming back with open arms.

“Everybody loves him, everybody respects him, whether they've met him or not. We own a little bit of him,” said Patrick Hodgson, a 71-year-old member at Southport Municipal who has followed Fleetwood's rise from talented local kid to one of the world's best players.

“If he wins, it would be celebrated here for days and months and years.”

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

No one has died in the outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side, but 49 patients have required hospitalization, though 34 so far have gone home, city Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said. City data show two new cases were diagnosed from samples taken Sunday and Monday, compared to as many as 11 per day from earlier samples.

“All of these things together paint an encouraging sign,” Martin said at a virtual news briefing.

It came a day after City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Democrat and Upper East Side resident, complained that the Health Department wasn't doing and disclosing enough. Menin said Wednesday she plans a Council hearing to examine the city's handling of the outbreak and “demand accountability.”

Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and can spread in building cooling systems, hot tubs and showerheads. In many cases, people contract the disease by inhaling tiny droplets of contaminated water; Legionnaires’ disease doesn't spread person-to-person.

The illness is treatable, but it is fatal in about 10% of cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seven people died and more than 100 were sickened during an outbreak last year in New York's Harlem neighborhood. The sources turned out to include cooling towers — devices sometimes used for cooling large buildings — at a city-run hospital and the site of the city's public health lab.

Health officials are working to identify the origin of the Upper East Side outbreak, which was first identified on July 2 from two cases in close proximity. The investigation expanded to encompass three heavily residential ZIP codes.

The city said Tuesday it has inspected all 183 cooling towers in the area, and about 75 of them came up positive on first-round tests that don't distinguish between live and dead bacteria.

Those buildings include the Metropolitan, according to a list the city released Tuesday. The storied museum said it was working on the required cleanup and follow-up testing. It's normally closed Wednesday and canceled the day's few activities to ease the cleaning.

City officials said last week that they got positive tests at the Guggenheim Museum, private schools, Park and Fifth Avenue apartment houses, and more.

Most already finished the required cleanups, which entail draining and disinfecting the cooling towers, Martin said. The remaining buildings are to be done by Thursday.

Martin said the city acted with unprecedented speed in ordering cooling tower cleanups after the first-round tests. In the past, he said, officials awaited results from second-round tests for live bacteria. Those tests take about two weeks.

Menin, the Council speaker, contends the city should have demanded cleanups throughout the area right away, without waiting for any tests.

President Gitanas Nausėda said that authorities were monitoring the risk of attacks that could disrupt the country’s energy and transport systems, including facilities supporting Lithuania’s connections with the European electricity grid.

“I cannot deny that we have such information and that it concerns limited kinetic operations likely targeting critical infrastructure,” Nausėda told Lithuania's BNS news agency.

Nausėda said that the intelligence didn't identify a specific location or timing for the potential attacks. He said that such provocations could involve conventional or other means.

Russia dismissed the claim as an excuse to justify NATO’s military buildup in the Baltics.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs similarly warned on Wednesday that, with Ukraine increasingly effective at putting pressure on Russia, Moscow might respond with provocations against NATO’s eastern flank.

“Even without a total Ukrainian victory, Russia may indirectly test Article 5 and response mechanisms at the Alliance and European Union levels,” Rinkēvičs said, referring to NATO's common defense guarantee.

“The next few months, or even the next 12 months, will be crucial for Baltic security,” he said.

The three Baltic states — Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — and Poland, all located on NATO's eastern flank, have strengthened security around key transport and energy infrastructure in recent months in response to the Russian threat.

The countries say they have long been targets of Russian hybrid attacks, a threat that has intensified since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Poland intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea that, according to the Polish government, were conducting surveillance of Poland’s air defense systems, despite remaining outside Polish territorial waters.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Lithuanian intelligence warning about Russia’s purported plans to launch attacks on infrastructure in the Baltics and elsewhere in Europe.

“It’s a fresh batch of bugaboos intended to continue the brainwashing and prepare the population for further militarization,” Peskov told reporters.

“To do this, they need to create an enemy image on the other side, our side in this case,” he said. “And use it as a pretext to continue moving NATO military infrastructure in all its forms into the Baltic states.”

Poland sent similar warnings

Nauseda's comments echo warnings issued in recent weeks by Polish politicians, following multiple media reports that Russia could carry out a limited military or hybrid provocation against Poland in the near future.

In late June, leading Polish outlet onet.pl reported that U.S. intelligence had warned its Polish counterparts about the possibility of a Russian attack. Citing its own sources, the outlet said that potential scenarios could include attacks on critical infrastructure, incursions by Russian soldiers near border areas and drone operations.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on July 3 that the warnings should be taken seriously and noted that he had been issuing similar alerts for weeks.

“Poland is preparing very intensively for various scenarios,” Tusk said. “I don’t want to scare anyone, but the coming months, also because of the changing nature of the war in Ukraine, could be critical.”

Tusk said that concerns were particularly pronounced in the Baltic states.

“We are not afraid; we are preparing for various scenarios, but we cannot take this lightly,” he said. “We are conscious of the dangers also because of information coming from our allies.”

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that Poland had a message for Russian President Vladimir Putin: “We know what you are planning. Don’t do it.”

Countries deploy additional troops to protect infrastructure

Gen. Raimundas Vaikšnoras Lithuania's chief of defense, recently confirmed that the military had deployed additional forces to help protect strategic infrastructure in response to concerns over possible Russian provocations.

Vaikšnoras told reporters that Russia’s recent rhetoric targeting the Baltic states and Poland appears to serve a broader purpose, warning that Moscow has long sought to erode public trust in state institutions, the military and the government.

Poland had similarly intensified protection of key infrastructure following a November attack on rail infrastructure blamed on Russia.

On Monday, the European Union said that Russia’s FSB Center 16 had conducted cyberespionage and sabotage against defense industries and critical infrastructure across Europe, including a December attack against a Polish combined heat and power plant supplying heat to almost 500,000 customers.

A recent report from the International Institute of Strategic Studies think tank said that Russia likely used shadow ships to launch drones over Europe that repeatedly disrupted civilian aviation between 2024 and 2026.

The Baltic region is under additional strain from stray Ukrainian drones that have reached Baltic countries as Ukraine ramped up attacks on Baltic Sea ports used for Russian energy exports.

In mid-May, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa resigned over the government’s handling of multiple incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine crossing into Latvian territory.

In late May, for the first time in a NATO and European Union capital, Lithuanians were pictured sheltering in underground parking garages in the capital, Vilnius, as authorities warned of unidentified drone activity.

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Claudia Ciobanu reported from Warsaw, Poland.

The direct-to-consumer genetic testing company announced the breach in October 2023, saying it exposed a wide range of data about 23andMe customers — including in some cases genetic ancestry information — which were subsequently published for sale on the dark web.

The settlement, filed on Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, awards $150 million in allowed claims for states.

Still, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, only $18 million is expected to be paid out due to limited funds after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025. 23andMe also agreed to a $46.75 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy to provide relief to affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims in the case, which closed in February of this year, Nessel said.

Read more: 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy. What does this mean for your DNA data privacy?

“Protecting the personal information of Michigan residents has been one of my top priorities during my time in office, and we will not stand by when companies fail to safeguard consumer data,” said Nessel in a news release announcing the settlement. “I am proud to have worked with this coalition to secure this settlement. We remain committed to defending the privacy of Michiganders and ensuring that corporations that fail their customers are held accountable.”

23andMe reportedly learned about the breach months after millions of customers’ personal information was made publicly available. According to Nessel, the company first denied the breach and then, once confirmed, blamed consumers for how their accounts were set up or how passwords were used.

Nessel called the company’s denial “particularly egregious” considering its partnership with MyHeritage, which — years prior — suffered a data breach that exposed the passwords of 92 million accounts.

In the case of 23andMe, the latest settlement cites multiple failures by the company that resulted in unreasonable data security practices, including failure to monitor, identify and remediate known vulnerabilities and failing to employ safeguard against attacks.

As part of the bankruptcy settlement, 23andMe’s consumer data was sold to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit formed by 23andMe founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki, now registered as 23andMe Research Institute. The terms of that agreement were designed to ensure that TTAM be a safer custodian of the genetic data going forward.

Other participating states in the settlement include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

On Wednesday, three members of a family were killed in central Gaza, Al Aqsa Hospital officials said.

On Tuesday, woman and six police officers were among those killed in an airstrike on a police station in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, hospital officials said. A man died in the bombing of a tent camp in Khan Younis in the south, Nasser Hospital officials said. And Israeli forces shot and killed a child in the Muwasi area outside the southernmost city of Rafah, according to hospital officials.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes in central and southern Gaza. In a statement on the attack in Jabaliya, it claimed that four of the slain police officers were Hamas militants, without providing evidence on how those killed were involved in planning or carrying out attacks.

One of the officers, Col. Mohamad Marwan Salem, was a senior police commander and head of the Jabaliya police station, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry said.

Hamas, which ruled Gaza for years, maintains an armed wing as well as civilian police and security services that are overseen by its Interior Ministry. Throughout the war, Israel has targeted local police, including those guarding humanitarian aid convoys.

Israel's military has claimed it considers police stations legitimate targets if they're “being used to advance military activities, or if those present are military operatives involved in advancing terrorist activities.”

It did not say what military activities it believed were taking place at the Jabaliya police station, nor did it provide evidence that attacks were being planned. Hamas says the police force is engaged in maintaining law and order.

Israeli attacks on Gaza’s police have been condemned by the United Nations human rights office, which said last month that police personnel had been attacked at least a dozen times in 2026, including “during ordinary law enforcement operations, including directing traffic and patrolling streets and markets.”

“The pattern of attacks raises concerns that Israeli forces apply no distinction between police personnel and fighters belonging to armed groups in Gaza,” it said in a June 3 statement.

Ofer Guterman, a researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, said Israel’s targeting suggests that it regards parts of Hamas' policing apparatus as closely integrated with its military infrastructure, including through dual-role personnel and the use of facilities for weapons storage, operations and logistics.

The fragile ceasefire deal in October attempted to halt a two-year-long war between Israel and Hamas.

The heaviest fighting has subsided but at least 1,123 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which has been part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants but says women and children make up most of the dead.

Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,264 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. ___

Magdy reported from Cairo and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank.

Monroe County Central Dispatch says they received a 911 call reporting that a male had been shot on July 12th around 7 a.m.

Allegedly the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle and were last seen traveling westbound on S. Huron River Dr.

According to Monroe County Sheriff Deputies they responded to the scene and began the initial investigation. Monroe Community Ambulance and Berlin Township Fire Department assisted on scene by rendering medical aid to the man.

Police say, the man shot has been identified as a 54-year-old male resident of the Downriver Marina.

The 54-year-old was transported to Corewell Hospital in Trenton, police say the man died of his injuries shortly after arrival.

The case is active at this time and under investigation.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 734-240-7738.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP or online at www.1800speakup.or

The official opening at midnight on Tuesday, after a border fence was removed, allows a new freedom of movement under a historic treaty between the European Union and the United Kingdom. It came after years of post-Brexit wrangling.

The contested British overseas territory of 38,000 people is perched at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, in a strategic location mere miles from Morocco where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea.

Soon after midnight, crowds crossed freely between La Línea de Concepción in Spain and Gibraltar in both directions. Many wore Spanish soccer jerseys after Spain’s victory against France in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, adding to the celebratory mood.

“What you feel here is the brotherhood between the two people,” Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told Spanish broadcaster RTVE.

A deal that took years to realize

When Britain left the EU in 2020, the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc had been left unresolved.

Previous talks on a deal to ensure people and goods could keep flowing across the border had made halting progress. In 2025, the EU and U.K. announced an agreement on those issues, with the two sides and Gibraltar’s government signing a treaty Tuesday that eases border crossings.

The U.K.’s Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty said Tuesday that the agreement secured Gibraltar’s long-term economic future and interests.

Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s trade representative, praised the agreement, too.

“It has taken four years of patient, complex negotiation, but the outcome speaks for itself,” Šefčovič said. “It is a very special feeling to see a fence come down.”

Without a deal, Gibraltar could have a faced a hard land border with full passport checks, posing economic risks for the territory deeply dependent on some 15,000 Spaniards — almost half Gibraltar’s workforce — who cross the frontier every day for work.

Mendez Segura, 51, crossed into Gibraltar from Spain on Wednesday for work, unused to the newfound freedom of movement.

“I’ve been crossing over and working in Gibraltar all my life with my identity card,” the home care worker said. “I know you’ll be able to cross without it, but it’s just what I’m used to.”

Leisure visits by people crossing both sides of the border would have been affected, too.

“People who are visiting family in Spain, or whose Spanish family is visiting them in Gibraltar. Children who are going to football matches and extracurricular activities, either in Spain or in Gibraltar. They will be able to do that without having to worry about frontier queues,” Picardo told The Associated Press in an interview.

The deal in effect brings the territory into the EU’s Schengen free travel area. At Gibraltar’s airport and port, entry and exit checks will be conducted by both U.K. and Spanish border officials. The arrangement is similar to what’s in place at Eurostar train stations in London and Paris, where both British and French officials check passports.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713, but Spain has maintained its sovereignty claim ever since. Relations between the two countries on the issue of Gibraltar have had their ups and downs over the centuries. The treaty that removed the border fence doesn't resolve the territory’s contested status.

In Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, 96% of voters in the Rock, as the territory is popularly known in English, supported remaining in the EU.

Travelers to Gibraltar from countries outside the Schengen Area, including the U.K., will have to contend with the EU Entry-Exit System, or EES, which was rolled out in Europe in April and replaced passport stamps with biometric data collected through photographs and digital fingerprints.

Facial recognition cameras at the Rock

With the border fence gone, Gibraltar officials have set up live facial recognition cameras at entry points and throughout the territory.

Chief Minister Picardo said the territory will have many more closed-circuit television cameras and that it has increased its police presence as well as resources for customs and coast guard agencies.

“The fortress has become a digital fortress now,” Picardo said.