We don’t see cold fronts very often in early June but there’s a chance for a front and drier air arriving later in the week which could knock our highs down into the middle 80s with a few days of relatively lower humidity by Thursday and Friday. Don’t forget hurricane season begins tomorrow although there’s nothing in the tropics to be concerned about yet. Be prepared for the season!

U.S. Southern Command announced the strike with its usual language that the vessel was “engaged in narco-trafficking operations” and operated by a designated terrorist organization. It provided no evidence for the allegation.

It's the latest in a monthslong campaign against alleged drug boats traversing the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific.

Video released by the military on social media shows a small vessel floating in the ocean before it's hit and engulfed in a fireball.

The attack brings the death toll to 205 in a series of U.S. strikes that began in early September, with other attacks announced on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The Trump administration has declared that the U.S. is at armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels, saying they are behind the flow of drugs into American communities.

U.S. Southern Command said in its post on X that the strike came at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the top U.S. commander in Latin America.

Adm. Frank Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, told attendees of a recent annual special forces conference in Tampa, Florida, that troops “have to be very careful about how we come to (AI’s) employment and its inspiration into the delivery of lethality.”

Bradley said he can see a future where AI determines what targets to hit but that “we, as humans, have to have the confidence that ... it's going to deliver violence only where we intend it to be delivered.”

The remarks from Bradley, who oversees the units that handle the military’s most difficult and dangerous operations, about the need to ensure safeguards come as his boss, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is pushing to rapidly evolve the military through AI. It is a push that has led to clashes with some tech companies worried about safety measures.

Hegseth has insisted that the Pentagon be allowed to use the technology any legal way it sees fit. He told an audience of SpaceX employees in January he would reject any AI models “that won’t allow you to fight wars” and that his vision for the technology was systems that operate “without ideological constraints that limit lawful military applications.”

AI's use in the military is part of the Republican administration's larger push to grow the capability it sees as a unique American advantage even as it faces pressure to ensure responsible safeguards.

President Donald Trump abruptly called off plans to sign a new AI executive order hours before an expected White House ceremony over concerns the measure could dull America’s edge on AI technology.

“We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” Trump told reporters.

Two differing AI worlds within the military

When asked about Bradley's remarks, a Pentagon official said efforts are focused on using AI to create “functional battlefield tools” that can help troops come up with and identify targets more quickly and, as a result, speed up strikes on those targets. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to offer more candid remarks.

Officials at U.S. Special Operations Command talked about AI not as something that will help eliminate targets but rather as a tool that can offer troops more time to focus on their mission.

Sgt. Maj. Andrew Krogman, the top enlisted official for U.S. Special Operations Command, said at the conference that he sees AI handling administrative tasks to free up operators or helping modernize how the command does business.

Melissa Johnson, the top acquisition official for the command, said AI should be “reducing the cognitive workload on mundane tasks.”

“We’re leveraging AI more and more, but it’s not to replace operator judgment, it’s to enhance it,” she added.

Helen Toner, interim executive director at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, said those differing descriptions about AI in the military are both true.

“There are a huge number of potential uses for AI in these kinds of bureaucratic settings, which the U.S. military is actively exploring,” Toner said.

Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, told a congressional committee in May that his troops used AI “bots” to convert top secret intelligence down to a secret classification within seconds to make it easier to share with drone operators on the ground during the Iran war.

However, there is no doubt that AI also is helping the military find and strike targets.

The center that Toner oversees published a case study two years ago on how the Army's 18th Airborne Corps used AI to target artillery strikes “just as efficiently as the best unit in recent American history" and with 2,000 fewer service members.

“Human operators are still the ones making crucial decisions, but AI ... is making it possible to operate with a new level of speed and scale,” she said.

AI safety has created a public dispute between the Pentagon and Anthropic

The clash over the integration of AI into the military, who ultimately controls the technology and the ethics behind its use has played out in unusually public fashion during the Trump administration.

Hegseth and Anthropic are embroiled in a bitter contract dispute over the company's concerns about unchecked government use of its technology, including the dangers of fully autonomous armed drones and of AI-assisted mass surveillance that could track dissent.

After CEO Dario Amodei refused to back down over concerns about how the chatbot Claude is used in classified Pentagon networks, both Trump and Hegseth accused Anthropic of endangering national security.

The Pentagon formally labeled the San Francisco-based company a supply chain risk — ending its $200 million defense contract and prohibited other government contractors from working with the company.

Anthropic sued, claiming the Pentagon is illegally retaliating by stigmatizing the company with a designation meant to protect against sabotage of national security systems by foreign adversaries. The Pentagon has since emphasized its turn to Anthropic rivals — including Google, OpenAI and SpaceX — to secure AI technology that can “augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments.”

Toner, a former OpenAI board member ousted after a clash with CEO Sam Altman, said “the general public often seems to underestimate the caution with which the U.S. military approaches new technologies.”

“Commanders want their missions to succeed, which means both being able to create lethal effects at scale, and avoiding unintended effects like friendly fire, civilian casualties, or simply identifying targets incorrectly,” she said.

“While not curing the cancer, it is a very large step forward,” said Dr. Zev Wainberg, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who helped lead the study.

The drug is called daraxonrasib and it blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases — a target that had eluded treatment for decades.

The daily pills nearly doubled survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned the experimental drug or more chemotherapy to 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented Sunday at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.

Those taking daraxonrasib lived for a median of 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy recipients. While that may seem like a small improvement, Wainberg said it marked the first drug to show a substantial advantage over chemotherapy.

“Having treated pancreatic cancer for 16 years, I actually started crying" when first seeing the study results, Dr. Rachna Shroff of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, who wasn't involved with the research, said from the ASCO meeting. She was struck by how “patients stayed on this treatment because it was providing durable and meaningful benefit to them.”

The pills’ effects eventually wane but recipients used them for significantly longer than the comparison group stayed on chemotherapy, reporting less pain and a better quality of life as their tumors shrank. Many still were using the drug after the data was analyzed, which Wainberg said means the survival gap may widen as researchers continue tracking them.

Dr. Brian Wolpin, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, presented the findings Sunday. He said the drug should become “a new standard of care” for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, adding that researchers also will explore its use earlier in the disease, including to see if tumor shrinkage might let more patients qualify for surgery.

Side effects most likely to affect pill usage were a rash that can be severe and mouth sores, he said.

Maker Revolution Medicines funded the study and the Food and Drug Administration plans to expedite review of the drug. Meanwhile, the agency is allowing what’s called “expanded access” to the experimental drug for patients who meet certain criteria. The drug garnered public attention when former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse described on “60 Minutes” how he's had less pain while taking it. Oncologists are being flooded with requests as the special access program gets started.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly forms in large part because it’s hard to detect before it starts spreading to other organs. The American Cancer Society estimates about 67,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and more than 52,000 people will die from the disease. The five-year overall survival rate is 13%.

Unlike with other cancers that have benefitted from a variety of chemotherapy alternatives, pancreatic cancer has been harder to tackle.

Cancer specialists not involved in the new research expressed optimism that this may be a turning point in the quest for new options, with dozens of experimental drugs in development.

The new drug targets mutations in the RAS gene family that normally regulates cell growth. So-called KRAS mutations are especially critical in fueling pancreatic cancer. But a structure that made it hard for drugs to stick to the mutated proteins meant this cancer driver was long considered “undruggable.”

Revolution Medicines’ drug uses what’s essentially a molecular glue to bind with multiple KRAS subtypes. Wainberg said researchers next will probe whether the drug worked better in certain of those subtypes.

The drug will change pancreatic cancer treatment, said Dr. Andrew Coveler of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who wasn’t involved in the research.

“This thing works drastically differently,” he said.

Wainberg said other drugs in development target specific KRAS subtypes. Other approaches in earlier stages of testing include vaccines designed to prevent recurrence after pancreatic cancer surgery by teaching the immune system to recognize the mutated protein.

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

The French team, built with Qatari riches and styled by a Spanish perfectionist, looks capable of setting all kinds of records in European club soccer's biggest competition. And after triumphing 4-3 in a penalty shootout against Arsenal in Saturday's final, there is no indication that PSG is ready to relinquish its position of dominance.

“Of course we’re going to go to the market,” president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told TNT Sports while celebrations were just getting started in the center of the field at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Those words will ring ominously around Europe. When Qatar-backed PSG goes to the market, it goes hard.

That was the case when signing the world's biggest stars during its Galactico era of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. And the same is true in its current incarnation, where it has amassed a remarkable array of young talent that has swept all aside and taken a stronghold on the Champions League in a manner only bettered by Real Madrid in the modern era.

The team that started against Arsenal had an average age of 25.8 years. Ten of the starting XI was in the starting lineup that won the trophy 12 months earlier.

In other words, Spanish coach Luis Enrique has built a squad that looks capable of dominating for years to come.

“It’s whet our appetite,” said man of the match Vitinha. “You always want to win again. Never give up. Never stop. Luis Enrique is probably guilty of that and I hope that he will continue to push us so we can win more and more.”

How to make the best better

The best don't stand still and Luis Enrique demonstrated his ruthless side when discarding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma last year and promoting back-up Matvey Safonov as his replacement.

The 20-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery could have more of a prominent role next season and potentially break up the central trio of Fabian Ruiz, João Neves and Vitinha. Luis Enrique made a point of saying how unfortunate Zaire-Emery was not to start the final.

Perhaps a long-term successor to 32-year-old captain Marquinhos will be sought, but it is difficult to see how PSG can improve on a team that, even when it was not at its most fluid, totally dominated Arsenal.

"What they are able to do with the ball, individual actions, I haven’t seen it (before),” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said afterwards.

And while the usually lethal Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué were subdued by Arsenal's suffocating defense, PSG still found a way through when trailing to Kai Havertz's early goal.

Its incessant pressure paid off when Kvaratskhelia's dribbling forced Cristhian Mosquera into a rash challenge in the box to concede the penalty that Dembélé converted to take the game to extra time.

As mesmerizing as PSG’s attacking talent is, maybe a more consistent back-up to Dembélé than Goncalo Ramos would add depth. Bradley Barcola still has room to improve as demonstrated by his errant touch when given the chance to score a late winner at the end of regulation time.

Only the best will do

“We are going to follow the same line. We do not need a lot of players because it is very difficult to find the right players to play in our team,” Luis Enrique said. “We already have a great squad and we need some players to change some different positions. But we are the champions of Europe the last two years.”

It is an important point. Not only is PSG the best team in Europe, but it is also unlike any other team in Europe.

Luis Enrique's insistence on high-intensity, high-pressure soccer with electrifying forwards that dribble through defenses has created a rare blend — arguably even improving on Pep Guardiola's two-time champion Barcelona. It has expanded on the possession soccer of Spain's best teams with the addition of the risk-taking and attacking approach.

It is perhaps uniquely suited to such a young team and PSG's shift away from Galactico signings has seen it become an industry leader in identifying emerging talent, albeit still at a great cost.

Doué is a two-time Champions League winner at the age of 20. João Neves is 21. Nuno Mendes is 23.

"We are really hungry. We are a young team, and we know we are really ambitious. So next season we have to go again,” said Doué.

A question of longevity

How long the players can cope with the demands of Luis Enrique and an overloaded schedule is not known.

Last year, PSG was one game away from winning a quadruple of trophies, but ran out of steam in the final of the newly expanded Club World Cup.

While it has the benefit of playing in a relatively weaker domestic league in France compared to Europe's other top teams, the Champions League final was its 56th game of the season and came after a 65-game campaign the previous year.

Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé has not quite hit the same heights as last year. Ruiz has had an injury-disrupted campaign, which has given Zaire-Emery room to emerge. When Luis Enrique talks about the need to add to his squad, it may be in acknowledgement of the strain on his players.

PSG has the power to keep hold of its best talent

PSG is not the first team to amass such an array of young talent. Ajax, through its famed academy, has repeatedly done as much. The Monaco team of Mbappé did likewise.

Those teams were broken up when European giants came calling.

That should not be a concern for PSG, which has been owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, and can withstand any approach from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester City. And that is what makes this team different and gives it the potential to emulate or even better Madrid's three Champions League titles in a row from 2016-18.

“It’s normal that big clubs want PSG players because they are at the top right now,” Vitinha said. “Today we can say we are the best in the world, the best in Europe and we take a lot of pleasure being here to play in this incredible group.”

The biggest signing of all

Maybe the biggest challenge will be to keep hold of Luis Enrique, who has joined an elite group of coaches including Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola by winning three European Cups.

He has done what the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino could not in Paris, by leading it to the summit of European soccer. Keeping it there may be dependent on keeping him in the French capital.

“I want to thank all the managers, ex-managers who trained Paris Saint-Germain, but he’s very, very special as a coach, as a human being, as a person,” said Al-Khelaifi. “He’s fantastic. He’s the best coach in the world.”

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

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

Undefeated this season on clay, the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday.

None of the players still in the draw have yet lifted the trophy in Paris, following Coco Gauff’s elimination on Saturday and Swiatek's exit. It's the same in the men’s draw, after the defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic and with Carlos Alcaraz absent because of an injury.

Kostyuk had lost her three previous matches against Swiatek and never taken a set against the former top-ranked player, who turned 25 on Sunday.

“I’m still in shock. To beat such an unbelievable player, who won four times here," she said.

Kostyuk has been the best player of the clay-court season. She defended extremely well, chasing Swiatek’s shots all over the court, and also produced some stunning groundstroke winners while her rival was also undone by her own mistakes.

An intense baseline battle unfolded from the outset and Swiatek earned the first break when she overwhelmed Kostyuk after a long rally with a backhand winner. Kostyuk broke back immediately, though, only to drop her serve again and hand Swiatek a 5-4 lead.

The Polish player showed signs of nerves as she double-faulted, shanked a forehand wide and then missed a volley at the net, allowing Kostyuk to level at 5-5. Swiatek hit two more double faults in the 12th game and the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player sealed the set with a backhand passing shot.

Swiatek then briefly left the court. Meanwhile, Kostyuk kept herself warm by stretching and hopping beside her chair, then received some applause as she did a few dance moves to the music playing in the stadium.

Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday.

When play resumed, Swiatek broke, but yet another double fault coupled with more unforced errors brought her opponent back at 1-1. Kostyuk then won the last five games.

Kostyuk had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2021, losing to Swiatek.

The 15th-ranked Ukrainian is in a strong run of form and extended her winning streak on clay to 16 matches. Ahead of Roland Garros, she won in Madrid — the biggest title of her career — after she claimed another clay-court title in Rouen, France.

“The most important thing that I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy,” she said. “It’s helping. I want to keep enjoying. I try not to focus at all on winning or losing because I’m not playing tennis to win, I’m playing tennis because I love it."

Swiatek has not won a title on clay since the 2024 French Open.

17 years later

Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, beat Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach her second Roland Garros quarterfinal, 17 years after first making it to the last eight.

The gap between Cirstea’s first and second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris is the longest at a single major by any woman in the Open Era.

“There is no expiration date for ambition and for dreams,” Cirstea said. "And I have so much passion for this sport. I absolutely love tennis and to be able to play to still play at this level, have my family, my team, the closest people watching me.

"It’s an absolute joy. Sometimes society puts us in certain groups because of the age, but I think in life you are free to do whatever you want and I want to play. And here I am.”

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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf contributed to this report.

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

“Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the provinical capital of Ituri.

“Of course, we’re still working on vaccines and treatments but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola,” he added.

The WHO said Friday a patient had recovered from the Bundibugyo virus, the current kind of Ebola, which has no approved treatment or vaccine. It was the first documented recovery of a confirmed Bundibugyo patient during the current outbreak.

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

The virus continues to spread faster than the response despite better-organized health facilities and new aid arrivals, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, said Saturday, calling for the immediate expansion of testing, faster deployment of aid workers and sustained access for medical supplies.

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

Tedros stressed the importance of involving the community in the outbreak response during the opening of the new treatment center on Sunday.

“If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover, so the key is to come forward as early as possible and to get the necessary support," the WHO chief said.

“We can stop this Ebola and anyone who has it can also recover. But the rule ... is this thing is everybody’s business and every citizen should be involved,” he added.

Attacks in the region by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response.

ADF fighters killed seven people Saturday in Beni, North Kivu province, an area also affected by the outbreak, the Congolese army and civil society groups said.

The illness also has been reported in both North Kivu and South Kivu, south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls many key cities, including Goma and Bukavu.

“The final message we would like to share with the Ituri community is that there is hope,” Pierre Akilimali, Incident Manager at Congo's National Institute of Public Health, said during the inauguration on Sunday.

“With the symptomatic treatment that we are currently providing, we are seeing patients recover,” Akilimali added.

“We truly have hope. The virus here is not as complicated as those we have dealt with in the past, and with the support of all our partners, we believe we will be able to bring this outbreak under control as quickly as possible,” said Davin Ambitapio, another doctor at the treatment center.

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Sturgeon told the BBC that she felt betrayed by the actions of her husband, Peter Murrell, who last week pleaded guilty to stealing more than 400,000 pounds ($540,000) from the SNP to fund a lavish lifestyle when he was the party’s chief executive. She consistently denied having any knowledge of his crimes.

“I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed,’’ she told the BBC. “I’m not going to apologize for somebody else’s crimes.”

Sturgeon’s comments came as she pushed back against widespread disbelief about her previous statements that she knew nothing about Murrell’s crimes. The case has heightened concerns about the accountability of U.K. politicians after a series of scandals that has eroded trust in government at all levels.

Many critics have also questioned why Murrell was allowed to remain chief executive of the SNP after Sturgeon became party leader in 2014. Sturgeon acknowledged that this was a mistake.

“Of course, with hindsight, I wish that I could go back and take a different decision,” she said.

Murrell’s plea capped a five-year police investigation of the SNP, which has led Scotland’s semiautonomous government for almost two decades while campaigning for the country to break away from the United Kingdom.

Turmoil within the SNP exploded in 2023, as questions swirled about the party’s finances and dwindling membership numbers.

Sturgeon led the Scottish government for almost a decade but abruptly resigned as first minister in February 2023. Observers were bewildered by her statement at the time that she knew in her “head and in my heart” that it was the right time to go.

The following month, Murrell quit his job after two decades as SNP chief executive and took responsibility for misleading the news media about the collapse in party membership. In April, police arrested him at the couple’s home in Glasgow.

Sturgeon was arrested in June of 2023 and l ater cleared by police.

Los centros de votación abrieron sus puertas a las 8:00 de la manaña y cerrarán a las 4:00 de la tarde (21.00 GMT), en una jornada con 41,4 millones de colombianos habilitados para votar —de una población total de 53 millones—, de los cuales 1,4 millones lo harán en el exterior.

La Registraduría Nacional iniciará el domingo el conteo de los sufragios, sin horarios fijos para entregar el resultado inicial, que tiene una función informativa y que en los días posteriores será verificado durante el escrutinio en el que se declarará la elección.

Antes de la apertura, Petro formuló un llamado a cuidar el voto durante un acto en la Plaza Bolívar de Bogotá.

Entre una baraja de 11 aspirantes presidenciales, las encuestas han mostrado una reñida carrera entre tres punteros: el oficialista Iván Cepeda y los opositores de signo conservador Abelardo de la Espriella y Paloma Valencia, dejando atrás a otros candidatos que representan a sectores más moderados.

“Colombia es un país que permanece profundamente dividido en temas sociales, económicos y políticos”, aseguró a The Associated Press el analista político Sergio Guzmán. “Petro es una figura polarizante, pero no es impopular: cuenta con cerca del 40% de aprobación, según encuestas, y también tiene un muy alto rechazo entre algunos sectores”, agregó.

Petro, quien militó en su juventud en una extinta guerrilla, logró hace cuatro años una victoria histórica para la izquierda. Una vez en el poder, ha buscado que su legado continúe porque asegura que cuatro años no fueron suficientes para un “cambio” que favorezca a los más vulnerables, alegando que la oposición no le permitió ejecutar todos sus proyectos.

Su gobierno logró que la pobreza monetaria —que se mide a partir de un mínimo de ingresos mensuales de 127 dólares— disminuyera pasando del 36,6% en 2022 al 31,8% de la población en 2024, según el último dato oficial disponible. Mientras que el salario mínimo mensual pasó de 309 dólares en 2022 a 554 dólares en 2026.

Para Sandra Borda, profesora de Ciencia Política de la Universidad de Los Andes, no se trata tanto de un escenario de polarización, sino de un panorama político más amplio del que tuvo Colombia antes de que la izquierda fuera un jugador importante en las urnas, en un país gobernado tradicionalmente por la derecha y los moderados.

La campaña electoral ha transcurrido en medio de una preocupación por la violencia y el constreñimiento a los electores. La Misión de Observación Electoral, conformada por organizaciones de la sociedad civil, calcula que un tercio del país es susceptible de sufrir actos de violencia asociados a grupos armados ilegales. En el último mes múltiples ataques con explosivos causaron más de 20 muertos y decenas de heridos entre la población civil y las fuerzas de seguridad.

Propuestas antagónicas

Cepeda, senador y candidato por el oficialista Pacto Histórico, ha prometido profundizar la agenda política de Petro —su padrino político y amigo— ampliando programas sociales que den “vida digna para millones” de personas y continuando con la reformas del sistema pensional, laboral y de la salud.

“Que el cambio se dé definitivamente en Colombia y que las propuestas lleguen a las personas más necesitadas, en este caso en nuestro territorio que sufre mucho... mueren los niños de desnutrición”, dijo a AP Rubén Antonio Díaz, oriundo del departamento de La Guajira, en el norte del país.

Entre los punteros, Cepeda es el único que continuaría con la política de “paz total” con la que Petro inició diálogos paralelos con grupos armados, a los que aún no ha logrado desarmar. Aunque aseguró que les exigirá que cesen ataques a la población civil.

Terminar con la inseguridad

Valencia, del Centro Democrático, y De la Espriella, del movimiento independiente Defensores de la Patria, han centrado su propuesta en “enfrentar la crisis de seguridad” combatiendo delitos como el narcotráfico, la extorsión y el secuestro para así “recuperar” el control territorial por parte del Estado en sitios donde operan los ilegales.

Con más seguridad, dice Valencia, también se impulsaría un mayor crecimiento económico beneficiando a las empresas con menos impuestos y reactivando la explotación de combustibles fósiles. Es una política contraria a la de Petro, que ha buscado acelerar una transición energética.

De la Espriella haría ajustes fiscales que reduzcan el tamaño del Estado en una “cuarta parte” y también reduciría la carga tributaria para el sector empresarial.

“Los negocios están de capa caída, no hay credibilidad y la situación laboral del país es increíble con la inflación”, aseguró a la AP Víctor Julio Rodríguez, un comerciante de Bogotá que votará por De la Espriella.

Los analistas señalan que ambos candidatos opositores compiten por un mismo sector del electorado, pero se podrían unir para un eventual balotaje en caso de que ninguno obtenga la mitad más uno del total de los votos en la primera vuelta.

Ukraine’s General Staff on Sunday said Ukrainian drones had struck the Saratov oil refinery in southwestern Russia, causing a “large-scale fire.” It said the extent of the damage was being clarified, and claimed the refinery has been supplying Moscow’s war effort.

The refinery belongs to Russia’s state oil enterprise, Rosneft, and produces diesel and gasoline among other types of fuel. The Russian local governor, Roman Busargin, said Ukrainian drones had damaged “civilian infrastructure”, but did not immediately give details. Astra, an independent Russian news channel, said an oil refinery was on fire in the city of Saratov.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russia’s oil and gas facilities in recent months, arguing the energy sector both funds and directly fuels Moscow’s more than 4-year-old invasion.

Drone debris also set fire to a fuel depot in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, which borders Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, local Gov. Yuriy Slyusar reported on Telegram on Sunday. He said residents of nearby homes were evacuated.

Ukraine's General Staff on Sunday confirmed its forces were behind the strike on the facility in the town of Matveev Kurgan. Local authorities there earlier said a drone strike on the depot caused a massive blaze.

According to its General Staff, Ukraine ​also struck the Lazarevo pumping station in Russia's Kirov region northeast of Moscow, more than 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled land. The station helps ship Russian oil ​from Siberia to Belarus.

Local Gov. Alexander Sokolov said drones had hit ​a facility in the Kirov region, but gave no details.

Kyiv denied a Russian claim that a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest.

Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, said on Saturday that the drone exploded after tearing a hole in the wall of a turbine hall. Rosatom’s CEO Alexei Likhachev accused Ukraine of a “deliberate” attack.

“This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a detonation,” Likhachev said. He added there was no damage to main equipment.

Ukraine’s military said it did not target or strike the plant, and described the Russian claim as “yet another propaganda ploy.” A military statement said that it adheres to international humanitarian law and is aware of the "consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities.”

“Along the relevant section of the front line, there was no active fighting at the time of the incident, and no weapons were used,” it added.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, voiced “serious concern” in a post on X following the incident.

Russian forces captured the plant in the early weeks of the war, and it remains close to the front lines in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, one of four Russia has formally annexed despite lacking full military control or international recognition for its actions.

Ukraine’s state nuclear supervisory agency said the damage claimed by Russia must be verified by IAEA experts present at the Zaporizhzhia plant as part of a long-term monitoring mission.

The nuclear plant has repeatedly come under fire since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, sparking fears of a nuclear accident. Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for targeting the plant on purpose.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday that it had shot down 212 of 299 drones launched by Russia overnight. It said 14 drones had reached their targets, while drone debris fell in five locations.

Russian drones struck the city of Dnipro and an oil refinery in Ukraine’s Rivne region, causing fires, authorities said.

Oleksandr Koval, the head of Rivne’s regional administration, said no one had been injured at the refinery, and that emergency services were at the site.

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Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 57 officers were wounded, with most suffering minor injuries, as football fans set off fires and vandalized shops. One small group even tried to storm a Paris police station.

Nuñez said at a news conference Sunday that “the situation has been largely brought under control."

“Most of the celebrations took place peacefully” across the French capital, he said, noting most incidents happened in the Champs Elysees neighborhood and close to the Parc des Princes stadium in western Paris where fans had gathered to watch the match.

Police also intervened five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris, he said.

Nuñez said incidents took place in about 15 cities in France, describing “one to two” shops vandalized in each other than Paris. He said 780 people were detained in all, with 480 of them in the Paris area alone.

The Paris prosecutors’ office said 277 people have been formally placed in police custody, including 82 minors, for alleged offences. Most were for assault of police officers while other allegations include theft, vandalism and disturbing the public order.

One serious accident involved a driver losing control of a car that rammed into a restaurant's terrace, leaving two people wounded including one seriously, Nuñez said.

But Nuñez said that planned celebrations for the team's win on Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower, would go ahead as scheduled. He warned that police would respond with “firmness and determination” to any potential violence.

The PSG team will then be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace.

Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle Saturday evening in Budapest, Hungary, where Paris Saint-Germain won by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final.

Fans marched along the avenues near Paris' Arc de Triomphe monument, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, where police worked to contain the crowd.

The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires to garbage and self-service bicycles in the streets. Cars were also set ablaze. Those who attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood were dispersed, police said.

In May last year following PSG’s first title, 201 people were injured in the French capital and police made more than 500 arrests across France.

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Finnish diver Mikko Paasi, one of the first international rescuers to arrive at the site, told The Associated Press that rains had filled the cave up to the second chamber, preventing divers from entering the cave until pumps can lower the water level.

Making the situation even more difficult, a drainage pump broke down, said fellow diver Yoshitaka Isaji of Japan.

The cave saga began with a quest to find minerals

The seven villagers reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals such as gold before being trapped by a flash flood that blocked their way out. One other villager escaped and alerted the authorities.

Rescue teams from Laos and neighboring Thailand have been working together in the past week at the site in a rugged area in the central province of Xaisomboun, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital, Vientiane. They were joined by divers from countries including Finland, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, France and Australia.

Several of the rescuers previously took part in the complicated 2018 cave rescue in northern Thailand that saved 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave.

The rescued men are being treated at a local hospital and are doing well, Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie, who’s taking part in the operation, told the AP on Sunday.

“We interviewed them about how the deeper part of the cave looks like. We will continue to search based on the information we have, and perhaps we will be able to get to the other two,” he said.

According to rescuers, they have navigated more than 200 meters (650 feet) into the cave and discovered five chambers in the system. The five people rescued so far were found in the fifth chamber.

The 2 missing may be in a hard-to-reach chamber

Paasi told the AP that the survivors said there’s a narrow crack in the fifth chamber that could be a passage leading to a deeper part of the cave system.

“This was the only place that we haven’t checked in the mine, where the two lost miners could still be,” he said during a video interview.

“Now there’s a theory that, through that small crack, it still continues, and there’s a sixth chamber, which gives us hope now that, if we could penetrate that small restriction, we might be able to reach the sixth chamber and then see what is there.”

Isaji explained the difficulties of such an endeavor.

“The area between the fifth and sixth chamber is extremely narrow, and no one has seen its shape yet. Furthermore, it’s a narrow space, and of course, it’s muddy water, so visibility is absolutely zero. I’ve also heard that the shape is such that you have to twist your body to get through."

He suggested that even if rescuers could get through and find another trapped person, it would be extremely difficult to bring them out. In such a case, he said, a plan would probably involve getting food and water to those trapped and waiting for the passage to be drained.

Isaji also mentioned the possibility that the two missing villagers are not actually in the cave at all, since they were said to have moved separately from the five rescued people.

The five who were rescued were first found Wednesday. They were identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen.

The trapped men took the initiative when the water level dropped

The first man was safely extracted on Friday, guided through a narrow flooded passage by an expert diver. The remaining four left the cave on Saturday, after the water receded enough for them to walk out on their own, rescuers said.

The divers had been preparing to help with another extraction when the trapped men apparently saw that the water level dropped and decided to seize the opportunity, Paasi said, adding that he would have done the same had he been in their situation.

He and other people waiting at the cave entrance were taken by surprise, and when they emerged the atmosphere was like a party, he said.

Videos posted online Saturday showed emotional moments as the men emerged one by one from the cave. Some collapsed on the ground at the cave’s entrance, and were hugged by a group of workers who cried in joy. Later moments showed them lying on a stretcher, wrapped in foil blankets and fitted with an oxygen mask before being transported out of the site.

A pitch to the A's Tyler Soderstrom in the fourth inning was confirmed as a strike even though the replay showed it missed the zone by a little less than an inch.

The call in question came in the fourth inning of the 6-4 win by the Athletics when Ryan Weathers threw a 2-0 pitch that was called a strike. Soderstrom immediately challenged the call because he thought the pitch was low.

After a short delay, home plate umpire Adam Beck announced that the pitch was confirmed as a strike and the A's lost their challenge. But the replay on MLB.com showed the pitch was 0.8 inches low and should have been called a ball. It ended up being mostly moot as Soderstrom eventually drew a walk although the A's did lose one challenge.

“The explanation on the field was the umpires were told from the communication upstairs, the controller of the ABS, that the call was confirmed,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said after the game.

Kotsay said the A's got to see the replay at the end of the inning on the iPad in the dugout, which is standard, and saw that it should have been called a ball. Kotsay went out to talk to the umpires between innings but was unable to get the challenge back.

“Obviously, they don't have access to the iPad,” Kotsay said. “They only have access to the information they're being told through their ear piece. That's something we need clarified through the league and we will have that conversation with the league.”

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This story has been corrected to show that it was Tyler Soderstrom, not Shea Langeliers, who challenged the call.

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

His latest collection is called “Calados del Alma” or “Cutouts of the Soul.” It draws inspiration from ancient Mexican beliefs and papel picado, the delicate cut-paper ornaments commonly used during local celebrations and holidays.

“We try to create concepts that resonate with us and convey traditions that make Mexicans feel proud,” said Rosas, who has run a workshop with his brother Andrés near Mexico City since 2022. “The country’s best is reflected in papel picado, colors and town celebrations.”

The first jersey sketched by the brothers portrayed Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent deity revered by several pre-Hispanic civilizations. That garment remains Andrés’ favorite to date.

“Quetzalcoatl represents a balance that sees the world as a system, not as something extractive that human beings can simply benefit from,” said Andrés, who oversees the brand’s marketing. “I connect with that pre-Hispanic worldview, which is why most of our products are deeply rooted in that vision.”

Ancient beliefs, modern jerseys

Hugo’s World Cup collection builds on an earlier set of designs he called “Ofrenda Viva,” or “Live Offering.”

Its aesthetics and concept are rooted in Mexico’s Day the Dead — that the living remember and honor their dearly departed with celebration instead of sorrow.

“It’s a garment resembling papel picado so that a person can offer their actions, thoughts and passions as an homage to those who are already gone,” Rosas said.

The jerseys are made of polyester so the fabric can be cut like papel picado without becoming vulnerable to tears or rips. Rosas and his team once experimented with natural fibers, but the material could not withstand the weight and structure required after production.

Designing each jersey can take up to three weeks, while sewing and cutting requires between eight and 10 hours of work.

Rosas’ first step is deciding the symbols he wishes to depict. He then determines the size and shape of each figure so the stitching aligns with his vision. Once a design is ready, the team’s seamstresses patiently cut and sew each piece of clothing.

A modern armor

The Rosas brothers operate on a modest scale and are proud of that approach. They value the care and time devoted to each jersey, keeping the process as artisanal as possible.

Since the World Cup garments went on sale in April, their Mexclart brand has crafted about 30 jerseys. Hugo Rosas expects demand to increase as the opening ceremony approaches.

Among his other collections is one devoted to pre-Hispanic gods. His favorite portrays Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec ruler of the underworld, who is often depicted in skeletal form.

“Putting on a garment like this is like wearing a modern armor through which we can carry that pride and passion for our roots and show it to the world,” Rosas said.

He sometimes turns to books about Mexico’s history while developing his designs. However, the source of inspiration he enjoys the most is traveling to Indigenous communities where ancient ceremonies and customs remain alive.

“If it were up to me, I’d use gold or another material that could accurately represent our gods the way our ancestors did,” he said. “All the garments we create are meant to give Mexicans the chance to bring those deities into the present.”

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

La consigna mayoritaria en la céntrica plaza de San Martín rechazaba la opción de Fuerza Popular representada por Fujimori, hija del expresidente Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), quien fue sentenciado por el asesinato de decenas de campesinos durante un conflicto armado en su gobierno. El fallecido expresidente fue indultado.

“Rechazamos la candidatura de Keiko Fujimori por lo que representa” y por haber impulsado leyes “procrimen” e irrespeto a los derechos humanos, señaló a The Associated Press Gisela Ortiz, familiar de una de las víctimas del gobierno de Fujimori padre.

Hans Mejía, docente universitario, afirmó que “Keiko representa la continuidad de una dictadura”.

“Los peruanos tenemos memoria, Fujimori nunca más” se leía en varias pancartas que exponían los manifestantes en medio de decenas de fotografías de víctimas del gobierno fujimorista.

“Justicia y dignidad” coreaban los asistentes al son de tambores y con megáfono en mano, mientras ondeaban banderas de Perú en un recorrido que avanzó hasta la sede del Congreso nacional.

La candidata de Fuerza Popular no se pronunció tras las manifestaciones del sábado, pero en otras ocasiones se ha desmarcado de las críticas que la asocian con el gobierno de su padre. “De mí se habla mucho, pero todavía no he sido presidenta", dijo en el reciente cierre de campaña.

De acuerdo con los resultados oficiales, Fujimori obtuvo el 17,19% de votos en la primera vuelta electoral, seguida de Sánchez, de Juntos por el Perú, con el 12,03%. Ambos se medirán en el balotaje del 7 de junio.

A sus 50 años, la ex primera dama durante el gobierno de su padre y excongresista busca romper su racha de derrotas presentándose como la mejor opción para imponer orden en un país agobiado por la creciente delincuencia. Este es su cuarto intento por llegar al poder y promete un gobierno de “mano dura” al estilo del presidente salvadoreño Nayib Bukele, así como implementar jueces sin rostro como ocurrió durante el gobierno de su padre.

Sánchez, quien fue ministro de Comercio Exterior del expresidente Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), pasó a la segunda vuelta tras ganar votos de los Andes y la Amazonía con promesas que incluyen la renegociación de contratos de explotación de recursos naturales y el aumento del salario de los maestros.

Sobre Sánchez pesa una acusación de la Fiscalía por el presunto delito de declaración falsa ante autoridades electorales, aunque no se conoce una fecha para el inicio de un eventual juicio. El postulante ha rechazado esa y otras acusaciones periodísticas que lo vinculan con el supuesto uso de un vehículo empleado para actividades ilícitas.

La fragmentación electoral en Perú se evidencia en la suma de los votos de ambos candidatos en la primera vuelta la cual no supera ni el 30%. Esta cifra es la más baja en al menos 36 años de elecciones en Perú, según datos oficiales.

But the pale pink birds — called “fenicotteri” in Italian — are now flocking to Venice in record numbers, as ecological efforts to restore damaged wetlands could help expand their habitat and possibly induce them to nest in the lagoon.

Flamingos — which most famously nest in Spain and France — started showing up in the vast Venetian Lagoon in the early 2000s, mostly in fishing valleys and mudflats in the lagoon’s furthest reaches, with only rare sightings in the canaled historic center of Venice that is most frequented by global tourists.

Venice Lagoon becomes an unlikely flamingo haven

Environmentalists say their arrival in Venice as the European flamingo’s range expands is a sign of the lagoon’s health and suitability as a feeding ground.

Last year, the number of wintering flamingos in Venice peaked at a record of nearly 24,000. That is 8,000 more than the previous year, numbers “that position the Venetian Lagoon as one of the most important wintering spots in its entire habitat range,” said ornithologist Alessandro Sartori.

Sartori surveys the lagoon weekly by boat for signs of nesting, which would indicate a self-sustaining Venetian colony. So far there are no fresh signs after two nesting attempts, in 2008 and 2013, in northern lagoon fishing valleys suffered serious setbacks, including violent hail that killed dozens of birds.

More than 90% of the birds counted in last year’s census were in the northern lagoon, which contains a large area of natural salt marsh. The flamingos are also attracted by the traditional fishing valleys, semi-natural embanked wetlands that provide abundant food but can also bring them into conflict with human activity.

Venice seeks to recover its lost marsh

A project to reconstruct salt marshes in the more isolated southern lagoon — past the historic center and the industrial port — raises prospects that flamingo numbers will increase there as well by offering a new habitat in an area of the lagoon where wetland erosion has been especially severe. It could also draw the birds away from competing human uses in the north.

The Venetian Lagoon, covering an expanse of 550 square kilometers (more than 200 square miles), was originally nearly half salt marsh. Today the area of salt marsh — or “barene” in the Venetian dialect — is just about 7%, about half of it reconstructed, said Jane da Mosto, the executive director of We Are Here Venice, the local partner in the EU’s 23.6 million euro ($27.5 million), 5-year WaterLANDS project to restore wetlands across Europe.

The damage is especially stark in the central and southern lagoon, due to the combination of natural erosion and the dredging of shipping channels to access the Marghera industrial port in the 1960s.

“And since then, there’s been much more widespread erosion and loss of sediments from the lagoon to the point that Venice is now on a trajectory to becoming a marine bay,” said da Mosto. The wetlands reconstruction project “is specifically to show that it’s possible to address this trend and change the course of history.”

Rebuilding the salt marshes increases the lagoon’s ability to capture carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas and driver of climate change, and mitigates the effects of rising sea levels. But da Mosto said much larger areas would need to be restored to produce meaningful climate benefits. The goal of the EU project is to make salt marsh reconstruction scalable.

Flamingos can also benefit as biodiversity increases.

Da Mosto’s team is researching ways to increase biodiversity on the reconstructed marshes, including planting species that can help reduce erosion and make the wetlands more resilient.

The mudflat where they are working contains signs of flamingo activity, chiefly stray pink feathers. On a recent day, a flock of some 30 were perched in the distance — scattering when a pair of squawking oystercatchers alerted them to visitors.

Already, Sartori believes that the reconstruction has begun to draw more flamingos to the area. Over the last three years, he has seen their numbers in the southern lagoon grow from just a handful to as many as 300 to 400 in certain periods.

“The hope is that they can find — as they have found in other parts of the Mediterranean — right here on these barene, places where they can nest,” Sartori said.

Venice’s pink newcomers could draw a different kind of visitor

The flamingos' presence in the lagoon underlines the importance of the Venetian ecosystem and offers a new way for visitors to interpret the canaled city and outer islands through their ecological — and not just historical and artistic — significance.

Still, visitors to Venice who hope to casually spy flamingos will probably be disappointed, and AP reporters recently had to travel by boat for an hour to spot any. The flamingos inhabit shallow, difficult-to-access reaches of the lagoon where navigating safely requires close attention to tides and channels. Even at a distance, the birds are easily disturbed and quick to take flight.

Sartori predicts flamingo spotting — already a possibility from the shores of the small lagoon islands of Murano and Burano but rare in the historic center — could become more common as their numbers continue to grow.

“Obviously this should always be done with respect for the animals, keeping a safe distance and not interfering with their daily lives,” he said.

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The capture of Beaufort castle, near the city of Nabatiyeh, came after days of airstrikes and intense fighting in nearby villages where Israeli troops fought Hezbollah members in the rugged area.

Its capture marks a major development in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, which began on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked its main backer, Iran.

Israel has since launched a ground invasion, capturing dozens of Lebanese villages and towns close to the border. Hezbollah has launched thousands of missiles and drones at Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

The Israeli push came despite a nominal ceasefire that has been in place since April 17 and just days before Lebanon and Israeli hold their next round of direct talks in Washington starting Tuesday.

A historic and strategic fortress

The Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted photographs on X showing Israeli troops walking outside the castle, and Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that they raised an Israeli flag over the castle. Israeli troops previously captured the castle in 1982 and held it until they withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.

“Twenty six years after the withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, the Israeli flag has returned to fly on the peaks that overlook the Galilee towns,” Katz said Sunday at a memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers killed in its previous occupation of southern Lebanon.

Katz said Israel intends to hold the castle as its troops work to destroy thousands more homes that he says were used by Hezbollah and other military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for centuries.

Built as a Crusader castle around the 12th century on top of previous fortifications, it has also been used by Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamluks, Ottomans, the French mandate, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Israeli military until 2000, when it was partially restored and opened to visitors. The Crusaders named it Beaufort, which is Old French for “beautiful fortress.”

The 1982 capture of the castle from the PLO was a major victory for the Israeli military that was led at the time by Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, who later became prime minister. At the time, the Israeli army pushed all the way north and occupied Beirut.

During the previous Israel-Hezbollah war in 2024, UNESCO gave enhanced protection to 34 cultural sites in Lebanon including Beaufort Castle to safeguard them from damage.

The castle is a few kilometers north of the Israel border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon and northern Israel. In Arabic, it is called Al-Shaqif castle, an old Syriac word referring to the formidable rocky area.

Beaufort is symbolic across the region, including in Israel, where it was one of the most well-known places Israel controlled during the 18-year occupation. One of Israel's most well-known war films, “Beaufort,” explores the moral questions and reservations and the futility of war, in the last days before the military withdrew.

Israel expands invasion in Lebanon

In recent days, Israel has expanded the scope of its operations in Lebanon, sending troops across the Litani River, which previously served as a de-facto boundary, and demanding that residents leave much of southern Lebanon.

“The occupation of Beaufort is a dramatic stage, and a dramatic shift in the policies we are leading,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, citing the military occupation of security zones in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza along Israel’s borders. He said Israel has killed 3,000 Hezbollah militants since the start of the war. Hezbollah has not disclosed the number of their casualties.

Israel has designated the area from the Litani up to the Zahrani River a combat zone. Some residents have already left the area due to intense strikes in recent days, but people remain.

Israeli troops have been advancing for days in villages close to Beaufort castle. They are now about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the city of Nabatiyeh, a major center in southern Lebanon, and have called on residents to leave, as well as the residents of the coastal city of Tyre, the country’s fourth largest city, and its surroundings.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government on the Israeli push.

The expanded operation would give Israel an upper hand in the upcoming talks with Lebanon in Washington, said Beirut geopolitical analyst Joe Macaron.

“We are at a tipping point,” Macaron said, adding that it is still too early to say how Hezbollah will react to the loss of land. “The more land they (the Israeli military) can grab before the ceasefire, the more they can impose conditions on Hezbollah before their withdrawal.”

Exchanges of fire across the border continue

Israel has continued striking near Tyre, including near the Hiram Hospital. Lebanon's Health Ministry said 13 health workers were wounded in the strike. Elsewhere, a strike in Deir al-Zahrani near Nabatiyeh killed eight people and wounded 16 others, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.

Hezbollah overnight claimed two attacks targeting Israeli troops and a Merkava tank in the southwestern town of Bayada near the border. In recent days, the group has said it has clashed with Israeli troops in several towns just north of the river near Nabatiyeh and the strategic castle. It also claimed attacks deeper into Israel near the northern city of Haifa, Nahariya, as well as border areas.

Hezbollah on Saturday fired salvos of rockets into northern Israel, including Kiryat Shmona, the largest city in the area.

Hezbollah's use of hard-to-detect fiber optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond. There have been nearly 200 alerts for Israeli civilians across northern Israel warning of drones and missiles in the past 24 hours, according to Israel's military.

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,350 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people.

According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 25 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon, including one on Saturday. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.

The Oklahoma City guard — the back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player — was great in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. The San Antonio Spurs were greater. And that meant there won't be a repeat champion in the NBA this year.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and was his normal brilliant self with an array of mid-range scores, paint attacks, even stepbacks over San Antonio's 7-foot-4 wall named Victor Wembanyama. It wasn't enough and Gilgeous-Alexander made no excuses.

“So many things go into it," Gilgeous-Alexander said when asked about the difficulty of winning a championship — and trying to go back-to-back. "Sometimes it’s like things you can’t control, sometimes it’s things you can control. Yeah, it’s a hard task to do one time, so to do it twice will only make it even more challenging.”

The Thunder played all season to have home-court advantage in Game 7 and got it by two games, winning 64 to San Antonio's 62. But the Spurs beat the Thunder four out of five in the regular season, then got four more out of seven in the West finals. And Oklahoma City, to be fair, was not at its best — with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell out with injuries.

“Not to make any excuses, but they’re a really good team over there," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "And losing Ajay and Dub the way we did in the midst of a series, you would think it would be a lot harder for us.”

Oklahoma City looks like a team that is built to contend for years. So, too, do the Spurs. A rivalry seems very much born.

“Yeah, they’re young, they're talented, well-coached," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Play the right way, play together, seems like they like each other. They have the makeup, for sure. You don’t beat us without the makeup and they beat us. They have the makeup to go get one.”

The Thunder will have some roster decisions to make and have multiple first-round picks to either use to add talent — or perhaps combine in a trade if they want to move up for a chance to draft a specific person.

Those decisions aren't for Gilgeous-Alexander to make. Canada is hoping he'll play a little bit of World Cup qualifying this summer — basketball's next World Cup is in 2027 — and he'll be looking to add to his game, as elite players always do.

“We just have to take it one day at a time from here on out,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Try to get better this summer, be a better team than we were this season — and try to get back over the hump.”

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

U.S. President Donald Trump has been extremely harsh about NATO, and the comments at the Shangri-La conference came the day after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth again chided Western European allies at the forum for not devoting enough resources to defense.

Japan pushes for unity, saying it strengthens deterrence

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi praised Hegseth for his commitment to the Indo-Pacific, but at the same time stressed the continued need for strong coalitions globally.

“Division weakens deterrence, unity strengthens deterrence,” he told the conference, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“If gaps emerge among the United States, Europe, and allies and like-minded countries, forces which take it as an opportunity will surely come in,” he said. “We must prevent such a situation. We must keep our cooperation going on. Now is the time to make our cooperation even stronger.”

Philippines, Japan remain critical of China despite softer US approach

As China has been rapidly expanding and modernizing its military, Japan has been reshaping its own defense policy. Last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet scrapped a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change in its postwar pacifist policy.

China criticized the change, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying China would “resolutely resist Japan’s reckless moves toward a new type of militarism.”

Koizumi scoffed at that accusation as ironic, coming from China.

“Think about it, there is a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers,” he said, speaking in English. "Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labeled new militarism. Isn’t it strange?”

He said that transparency comes from “discussion and dialogue” and lamented that China had not sent its defense minister to the conference.

At this year's conference, Hegseth toned down his comments from the previous year on China, when he had warned of rapidly developing threats from Beijing and cautioned it was “actively training” for a possible invasion of Taiwan.

This year's conference came only about two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump visited Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, however, where Hegseth said the two had agreed to “build a constructive relationship of strategic stability.” His comments were met with praise from China’s delegation in Singapore.

On Sunday, Philippines Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro Jr., whose country has clashed repeatedly over competing maritime claims with China, told a small group of reporters that he wasn't concerned with the change in tone from his most important ally.

“The situation with the United States is different than that from the Philippines,” he said. “They can talk to China that way in a position of parity, if not superiority, while the Philippines cannot.”

He added, however, that he had no intention of following suit.

“If China doesn't change its behavior, my tone won't change,” he said.

Australia defends need for rules-based approach to defense

In his speech Saturday, Hegseth applauded many Asian partners for their efforts to step-up defense spending, while reiterating criticism of European allies, who he suggested got “distracted by empty globalist rhetoric about the rules-based international order, while European capitals threw open their borders and hollowed out their militaries.”

“You can have all the rules you want and rules are great,” Hegseth said. “But if you can’t back them up with hard power, the rules are not worth the paper they are written on.”

Many NATO countries failed for years to meet alliance defense spending commitments, but since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many dramatically increased military expenditures and plan more in the future.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the conference Sunday, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, said he agreed with Hegseth's point that “the rules based order needs to be underpinned by power,” but at the same time said strong rules were “more important today than they have ever been.”

“We are all committed to a rules based system, because that is actually what gives middle powers like Australia or smaller countries agency,” he said.

He also said alliances remain critical to the region's defense.

“This is a collective challenge and it demands a collective response, which is actually what the rules based order is all about,” he said.

Dutch defense minister pushes for shared response to global conflicts

Netherlands Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius said the current conflicts have global implications and demand a shared response.

“A war in Europe involves drones from Iran, soldiers and ammunition from North Korea and various types of support from China,” she said. “The lesson is clear: regional tensions are no longer regional. Our security is interconnected.”

She said that if middle powers do not work together, they risk becoming spectators or the “subject of conversations,” but with coalitions they can help preserve stability.

“The fact that international rules are being violated does not mean we should abandon them,” she said.

"On the contrary, it means we must defend them more constantly and more courageously. International law may be imperfect, but history teaches us that the alternative is far worse.”

Wembanyama left the series with an MVP trophy of his own — and a whole lot more.

The French standout — in just his third season — has led the Spurs to the NBA Finals. The newly crowned Western Conference finals MVP had 22 points in a Game 7 win at Oklahoma City, one that gave San Antonio a chance to play for the NBA title for the first time since 2014. It'll be San Antonio vs. New York in the NBA Finals, starting Wednesday night.

“Winning the Larry O’Brien, it’s a childhood dream,” Wembanyama said, referring to the name of the trophy given to the NBA champions. “And having a real shot at it, having a chance, a tangible chance at winning it and realizing a dream … it’s a lifetime chance. You never know when it’s going to happen again.

“It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life now.”

He averaged 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds in the series, scoring at least 20 points in every game. He set the tone with a 41-point effort in a Game 1 win, then did a little of everything — dunks, blocks, playing point guard even — to keep control on the way to the Game 7 win. He was the unanimous pick as series MVP, which should be no surprise. He carried that trophy into the locker room after the game, screaming in joy at supporters and teammates.

“You work all these hours, it’s for these type of emotions,” Wembanyama said. “I want to win so bad. It’s like my life depends on it.”

On the night he was drafted, Wembanyama talked about all the things he knew about San Antonio. Breakfast tacos, which he couldn’t wait to try. Spanish, which he said he wanted to learn. The culture, which he said he wanted to embrace.

And, of course, the winning.

“The ring,” Wembanyama said that night.

The ring. The championship ring. Not even three years since leaving France and coming to the U.S., Wembanyama is about to get his first chance to play for it.

“The best player in the world,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson yelled at no one in particular, but making clear everyone knew who he was talking about.

He didn’t get that NBA MVP trophy. But it wouldn’t be difficult to say Wembanyama indeed is the best player in the world. Or at the very least, will be soon. He might not even be near his prime yet. The Spurs are young and built for the long haul.

Translated: This may just be the start.

“When you step into a game in regular season, you don’t even look at the big picture of the season. You look at what you need to do tonight, what you have to do in the first half, on the first possession,” Wembanyama said. “And when you lay a brick like this every time you get a chance and you lay it perfectly fine, at the end of the day you get a big castle — a beautiful house and we just did. This, it’s just like the entry hall of our castle right here.”

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

While Belarus has not contributed troops to battle, Lukashenko has backed President Vladimir Putin’s war effort by hosting Russia’s nuclear weapons and military infrastructure, as well as producing components for Moscow’s military industries. Earlier this month, the countries held joint drills of nuclear forces involving Russian weapons deployed in Belarus.

Lukashenko, in power for over three decades, has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist, relentlessly cracking down on dissent and relying on its close ties with Russia, as well as subsidies from the Kremlin's coffers, to counteract repeated Western sanctions.

Military cooperation between Moscow and Minsk is increasingly worrying Ukraine’s allies.

Belarus’ role in Ukraine

When Putin began the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Russian troops that gathered in Belarus under the guise of drills dashed toward Kyiv, only about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the border.

Putin’s hope of capturing Kyiv quickly was shattered by staunch Ukrainian resistance, and convoys of Russian tanks stretching along narrow roads became easy prey.

A little over a month after the invasion, Russian troops that suffered heavy losses and struggled to maintain their supply lines pulled back from Kyiv and other areas they captured in northeastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin cast as a “goodwill gesture.”

When Moscow tried to negotiate a quick end to the conflict weeks after its start, Belarus hosted the first talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. The talks moved to Istanbul but failed to produce a deal.

As the conflict became a war of attrition, Belarus has played a key role in supporting Moscow’s war effort. Belarusian plants have produced important components, including microchips and other electronics, optical guidance systems, artillery munitions and heavy trucks that carry Russian ballistic missiles.

Ukraine’s presidential envoy on sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said fragments of an Oreshnik ballistic missile that Russia fired at Ukraine on May 24 contained microchips from Belarus. He urged Western allies to tighten sanctions enforcement against Belarus.

Belarus also provided training grounds for Moscow's troops, hosted joint drills and offered its hospitals to treat wounded Russian soldiers.

BELPOL, a group of former military and law enforcement officers who oppose Lukashenko, said the Belarusian industries have effectively been integrated into the Kremlin’s war machine. It says that over 500 Belarusian industrial plants are involved in manufacturing weapons and ammunition, repairing military equipment and providing logistics.

“Lukashenko’s regime is quite seriously involved in the war,” BELPOL head Uladzimir Zhyhar told The Associated Press. “Lukashenko is helping Russia in every way he can.”

In the Gomel region that borders Ukraine, construction has begun of a big firing range and barracks for large numbers of troops, Zhyhar said. Ukraine has been forced to maintain many forces at the border with Belarus, he added, keeping them from fighting Russian troops along the more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

Under Russia's nuclear umbrella

Belarus, which also borders NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, has hosted some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. In December, Russia announced that its latest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system entered service in Belarus.

Russia has used a conventionally armed version of the Oreshnik to strike facilities in Ukraine three times — in November 2024 and then again in January and earlier this month.

In 2024, the Kremlin revised its nuclear doctrine, placing Belarus under the Russian nuclear umbrella. Putin has said that Moscow will retain control of its nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus but would allow its ally to select the targets in case of conflict.

Earlier this month, Russia and Belarus held massive drills that included the delivery of nuclear warheads to missile units and launch preparations. As part of the exercise, a Belarusian missile crew test-fired a nuclear-capable Iskander missile from a range in southern Russia.

“Belarus lacks military sovereignty, and as soon as Moscow sees it as necessary for its strategy, Moscow will naturally use Belarus as a launchpad for a new invasion of Ukraine or some kind of armed conflict with NATO countries,” Zhyhar said, noting that Belarus offers a “very convenient springboard” for such an invasion.

Zelenskyy warns of an attack from Belarus

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his intelligence services had learned Moscow recently stepped-up efforts to “draw Belarus much deeper into the war and launch additional aggressive operations precisely from Belarusian territory." He said the target could be along the Chernihiv-Kyiv area or against a NATO country bordering Belarus.

Zelenskyy said he ordered the military and security agencies to prepare a response and strengthen northern defenses.

Lukashenko has denied any aggressive plans, declaring Belarus will not enter the conflict unless attacked.

Sergei Shoigu, Russia's former defense minister and now secretary of its Security Council, also rejected Zelenskyy’s claim, describing it as a scare tactic to attract more Western aid for Kyiv.

But in a sign of growing Western concern, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Lukashenko on May 24 to underscore the risks for Belarus of being dragged into the war, their first call since the invasion began. Lukashenko said that next week he will host a French envoy for talks on European security and prospects of easing EU sanctions.

Andrii Demchenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, said last week that while intelligence data indicate that Russia has increasingly pressured Belarus to directly enter the war, Ukrainian forces haven’t yet spotted any buildup of troops and weapons near the border.

Belarus’ opposition leader-in-exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, visited Kyiv last week and emphasized that “Belarus must never again become a springboard for aggression.”

“Russian tanks must never again march through Belarus to Chernihiv, Zhitomir, Rivne, or Kyiv,” Tsikhanouskaya told AP. “Ukraine is fighting for itself and for all the peoples who have lived in the shadow of empire for too long. It is fighting for the right to live in peace. And the fate of my country, Belarus, also depends on Ukraine’s success.”

According to official data, Belarus' armed forces have 48,600 troops, a tiny force compared with Russia's 1.5 million. In case of war, Belarus is prepared to mobilize 290,000, but they would need weapons and training to become combat-ready.

“The Belarusian army is unfit for offensive action,” said Alexander Alesin, a Minsk-based military analyst. “An attack from Belarus would require ... mobilizing up to 500,000 troops."

That would mean taking all the men from the national economy and then finding arms for them, he said, adding: "I consider this option unlikely.”

Ukraine has built heavy fortifications on the border with Belarus and planted mines that would easily stymie any attempted incursion, he said.

“Even with a small force, the Ukrainians can easily defend themselves and inflict heavy losses on the Belarusian army,” Alesin said. “From a military perspective, it’s impossible to launch an attack from Belarusian territory without suffering heavy losses.”

Lukashenko is comfortable with Belarus’ position as a key supplier of military equipment and would strongly oppose direct involvement in the war, he added.

“The last thing Lukashenko wants is to fight, and he’ll cling to his current position at any cost, so he can avoid fighting while profiting handsomely from the war,” Alesin said.

Voters are looking for a replacement for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, and their decision will help determine the future of a state government that is a testing ground for progressive ideas and a punching bag for Republican President Donald Trump. California is not only the nation's most populous state, it has one of the world's largest economies and is home to Hollywood tastemakers, Silicon Valley disrupters and Central Valley farmers.

The race was upended in April when Rep. Eric Swalwell, who had been consolidating support among establishment Democrats, was accused of sexual assault and dropped out.

California eliminated partisan primaries in 2010 in favor of a “ jungle primary.” All voters will get the full list of candidates, and the top two finishers will advance to the general election regardless of party.

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

Among the 61 names on the ballot, money and attention have accumulated around a handful of candidates with track records in politics. Here's a look at those top contenders.

Xavier Becerra, Democrat

Becerra has a 35-year history in California and national politics. He was a member of Democratic leadership in the U.S. House when then-Gov. Jerry Brown picked him to be California attorney general after Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He used that perch to aggressively fight Trump and his agenda in court during the president’s first term.

He later served in President Joe Biden’s cabinet as secretary of Health and Human Services.

That experience is at the core of his pitch to voters as a steady hand to guide California and stand up to Trump. It has also invited scrutiny.

Some Biden administration alumni have disparaged his record as health secretary, and he has faced persistent questions since a former top aide was convicted of stealing his campaign funds.

After Swalwell dropped out, Becerra consolidated support from many of California’s Democratic power players, including major labor unions, Planned Parenthood and the LGBTQ rights group Equality California.

Steve Hilton, Republican

Trump’s endorsement gives Hilton a leg up with Republicans and perhaps the clearest path of any of the candidates into the general election. But it could be a liability in November in a state that voted overwhelmingly against the Republican president. Hilton largely avoided mentioning Trump unless prompted during a series of debates.

Hilton is a conservative commentator and former Fox New host. Originally from England, he advised former British Prime Minister David Cameron.

In a nod to the dominance of Democrats in California, he is urging voters to elect a Republican as a check on the majority in Sacramento. In contrast with Bianco’s focus on cultural issues, Hilton’s message is tied more closely with the traditional Republican focus on lower taxes and smaller government. He has pledged to make people's first $100,000 of income tax free and to dramatically lower gas prices.

Tom Steyer, Democrat

The billionaire founder of a San Francisco-based hedge fund, Steyer — or his face, at least — is everywhere ahead of the primary. His record-breaking spending, mostly from his personal fortune, has made his advertising inescapable. That has helped him become one of the race’s frontrunners.

Steyer, who has never held elected office, first made a name for himself as a donor to Democratic politicians and groups committed to fighting climate change. He bankrolled a campaign calling for Trump's impeachment during his first term, and he later financed his own campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but dropped out after a disappointing showing in early-state primaries and caucuses.

Steyer is running as a progressive populist, railing against the political power wielded by special interests and corporations. His message has endeared him to unlikely allies for a billionaire financier, including the Bernie Sanders-aligned group Our Revolution.

Matt Mahan, Democrat

As mayor of San Jose, Mahan is a moderate Democrat rooted in the pro-innovation ethos of Silicon Valley. His business-friendly pitch and his own background as an entrepreneur have made him a favorite with some in the tech world.

Mahan says California should get “back to basics,” emphasizing technocratic problem solving over factional skirmishes. He entered the race late as an outsider to Sacramento leadership, building a statewide profile mainly by criticizing Newsom and the Legislature’s response to homelessness and crime.

His backing from tech executives — and their millions of dollars — has been controversial in some corners of the party, particularly among labor unions and populists worried Silicon Valley elites wield too much power.

Still, he has struggled to consolidate support on the pro-business left, and even some of his benefactors are hedging their bets. Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale also gave to Republican Steve Hilton.

Katie Porter, Democrat

Once a college professor, Porter made a name for herself with a whiteboard and simple policy messages during three terms representing Orange County in Congress. Her verbal sparring with business executives testifying on Capitol Hill went viral.

Porter is leaning on her populist, anti-corporate background, arguing that she can fight on behalf of normal Californians against powerful interests. Before running for office, she was California’s independent monitor of banks in the national mortgage settlement following the 2008 financial crisis.

Her grasp of policy has helped her amass support from newspaper editorial boards. But she has battled an image as a mercurial leader. Leaked videos showed her berating an aide who could be seen behind her in a Zoom video and threatening to walk out of a television interview. She has apologized and pledged to treat people more respectfully.

Porter ran for Senate in 2024, but she failed to make it through the primary.

Antonio Villaraigosa, Democrat

The former mayor of Los Angeles and speaker of the state Assembly has struggled to gain traction after more than a decade out of public office.

A one-time union organizer, Villaraigosa was the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in more than a century, a role he filled from 2005 to 2013.

Villaraigosa is pitching his experience in LA and the state Capitol, running as a pragmatic, centrist problem solver in an implicit contrast with his Democratic rivals emphasizing their commitment to a progressive ideology.

Villaraigosa’s roots are in the Southern California political ecosystem, which would be a contrast after four terms of Brown and Newsom, both governors from the San Francisco Bay Area.

He ran for governor in 2018 but finished third in the primary.

Chad Bianco, Republican

Bianco is the sheriff of Riverside County and is emphasizing his three-decade career in law enforcement, pledging to tackle crime and homelessness.

A staunch Trump supporter, Bianco stoked national notoriety when his office seized 1,000 boxes of election material including more than a half million ballots from a 2025 special election on redistricting. He says it is part of a legitimate criminal investigation, but critics see it as a nod to discredited conspiracy theories that have motivated Trump’s base. The state Supreme Court in April ordered him to halt the probe.

The seizure put him at odds with California's Democratic attorney general and raised his profile among Republicans.

Though it has gone by different names over the years, the Israel Day parade has always been a must-attend event for mayors, governors and other political leaders eager to win over the throngs of flag-waving revelers who congregate on Fifth Avenue to celebrate the birth of the Jewish state in 1948.

Not so for Mamdani. Two weeks ago the mayor's office released a video commemorating the Nakba, an Arabic word for “catastrophe” that is used to describe the displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment.

“I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” Mamdani said at a news conference Thursday.

But he also promised a robust police presence to make sure it went off “seamlessly and peacefully.”

“While I will not be attending, our administration has been preparing for weeks to ensure the parade is safe for all those who take part," he said.

The city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, told reporters she would attend.

“It is the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly,” she said as she stood alongside Mamdani at police headquarters.

The mayor's absence, though long expected, has given fresh fuel to opponents who view his criticism of the Israeli government as antisemitic.

Rabbi Marc Schneier, founding senior rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue on Long Island and president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which advocates for better relationships between Jews and Muslims, called Mamdani’s decision to not attend the parade “a slap in the face to all Jewish New Yorkers.”

“Do us a favor, stay home,” he said. “We don’t need you. We don’t want you.”

Schneier also slammed Mamdani’s Nakba video as “propaganda,” echoing concerns from other Jewish leaders who said it excluded context about Jewish peoples’ displacement during the period.

The video, which appeared to be the first such recognition from a sitting New York City mayor, featured the story of a woman who was displaced at 9 years old, interspersed with text about the Nakba, as she described a feeling of missing home, saying “it’s the soft hills of Palestine that actually touched me.”

“I’ve lived in different places, and I’ve always been an outsider,” said the woman, Inea Bushnaq.

Supporters of Israel were outraged, saying the video should have acknowledged the mass displacement of Jews from Muslim-majority countries or the role that the mass slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust played in the drive to establish a Jewish state.

Mayors in New York City, which has America’s largest Jewish population, have long been visible supporters of Israel, often visiting the country.

Support for Israel among Americans has deeply eroded in recent years, though, a trend that accelerated amid the outcry over Israeli military action in Gaza..

Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, has remained steadfast in his pro-Palestinian advocacy.

He has said he believes Israel has a right to exist but not as a hierarchy that favors Jewish citizens. Simultaneously he has pledged to protect Jewish New Yorkers and highlighted the work of the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.

The vote, seen as a referendum on outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s policies, comes 10 years after Colombia signed an historic peace pact with guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

That agreement offered hope to break the nation out of a vicious cycle of fighting between rebel groups and the government but violence has roared back since then, coming to a head in the lead-up to the presidential vote. Criminal groups have increasingly launched drone strikes, armed attacks have plagued the race and last June, 39-year-old politician and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was fatally shot at a political rally.

In a country where the fight for peace has long been a part of the political ethos, the question of how to address the conflict is once again dividing the country.

Three top candidates have starkly different approaches

There are 14 candidates on the ballot, but the election has basically turned into a three-horse race.

Senator and peace-builder Ivan Cepeda — a Petro ally — has led the polls and promises to carry on with Petro's “total peace” initiative to negotiate with the country’s remaining rebel groups and sign peace agreements with them in an effort to resolve the persistent crisis.

While the peace plan has largely failed as criminals have taken advantage of ceasefires with the government, Cepeda and Petro have maintained strong support among many because of progressive policies pushed forward under Petro, such as boosting the minimum wage.

Running against Cepeda are Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, who have vowed to come down on armed groups with a heavier hand.

De la Espriella — a bombastic lawyer known as “The Tiger” — has particularly gained traction among voters in recent weeks for pitching himself as an outsider keen on emulating the heavy-handed tactics used in El Salvador’s war on gangs, which sharply reduced gang violence but fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

Valencia is considered the political protege of Colombia's former president and strongman Álvaro Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States and whose government beat back FARC rebels in an offensive that took a massive civilian toll.

Both de la Espriella and Valencia have touted their affinity for U.S. President Donald Trump even as he has taken a more aggressive stance toward Latin America than any U.S. president in decades and has pressured nations like Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico to more forcefully crack down on criminal groups.

If no candidate wins at least 50% of the vote — something extremely rare in Colombia — the two top vote-getters will face a runoff in June.

Colombians also disagree on how best to tackle the violence

Maria Eugenia, a 57-year-old seamstress who was stitching a pair of jeans on Friday in downtown Bogotá, Colombia's capital, said she welcomed an all-out offensive on an expanding slate of criminal groups, regardless of the human cost.

While she approved of Petro’s pushes to improve the country's medical infrastructure, she said she was voting for de la Espriella because violence in rural areas of the country has gotten out of hand.

“Of course, whenever you come down with a heavy hand, there’s always going to be debate,” she said. “But some people are going to have to fall to clean up what needs to be cleaned.”

Others, like 26-year-old Cristian Morales, who strolled outside her shop, shook his head.

While Petro’s peace plan has failed on many fronts, he said, making changes to a plan seeking to break the country out of cycles of violence was far better than swinging to another extreme.

He said he planned to vote for Cepeda, placing the candidate’s push to protect Colombia’s biodiversity and expand access to education over bold promises to unravel the country’s deeply entrenched conflict. That would be something Morales said he thinks is “impossible” to do in just four years of a president's term.

“The solution to this conflict isn’t aggressive confrontations. It will only end in more bloodshed,” he said. “It’s so difficult because it’s either dialogue or arms, and an internal conflict isn’t good for anyone.”

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

Déjà vu.

Back then for the Spurs, it was Tim Duncan. This time for the Spurs, it's Victor Wembanyama. Here they go again: San Antonio vs. New York is the matchup for the 2026 NBA Finals, a Spurs team looking to return to basketball's mountaintop for the sixth time and a Knicks team looking for its first championship in 53 years.

Game 1 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

It's an appealing matchup for so many reasons — among them, it's a rematch of this season's NBA Cup championship game won by the Knicks. It has appeal of a global capital like New York, it has the international element with a French superstar like Wembanyama and it extends an era of parity the likes of which the league has never before seen.

No matter who wins this series, it'll be the eighth different franchise to win a title in the last eight seasons — extending the longest such stretch in NBA history. Toronto won in 2019, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, then Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023, Boston in 2024, Oklahoma City last year, and now either New York or San Antonio will be added to that list.

The Spurs' win in Oklahoma City on Saturday night extended another part of the parity puzzle, that being no defending champion has even gotten back to the NBA Finals since Golden State won in 2018 and returned in 2019.

The Knicks are trying to do something not done since the days of Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe and Phil Jackson — that being, win it all. There have been 17 different franchises (18 if the Thunder and Seattle SuperSonics are considered separately, as some fans prefer) that have celebrated championships since the Knicks last won the title, with the Los Angeles Lakers having won 11 crowns in that span, Boston winning seven, Chicago six and Golden State five.

They're the talk of New York right now, after earning their first finals trip since 1999. The mood was quite different a month ago, when New York trailed Atlanta 2-1 after back-to-back one-point losses in Games 2 and 3 of their first-round series.

New York is 11-0 since, winning almost all those games by blowout. And if the team didn’t hear the negative noise from Round 1, it can’t hear all the effusive praise coming now, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said.

“When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them,” Brunson said. “When there’s positive things about you, it’s easy to be able to read them to make you feel good. But you can’t do one and not the other. Just block it out as best you can.”

The series

Technically, the teams went 1-1 against each other. New York won two of the three meetings, but the NBA Cup final matchup — essentially an 83rd game in an 82-game season — doesn't count in any league records or statistics.

Both teams won their home game against the other this season. Julian Champagnie made 11 3-pointers and Wembanyama scored 31 points to lead the Spurs to a comeback 134-132 win over New York on Dec. 31. The Knicks pulled away in the fourth to a 114-89 win on March 1 to snap San Antonio's 11-game winning streak, plus won the Cup final in Las Vegas.

The odds

As would be expected, the Spurs — who have home-court advantage — are the early favorites to win the series. They were listed with odds of -210 on Saturday night, meaning bettors would to wager $210 to win $100.

The Knicks had odds of +170.

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

Exclusive surveillance footage shows two people pulling up to a home, loading a large package into the trunk of a gray Ford F-150 and driving away.

“Why do you need to steal from somebody else in broad daylight in the middle of the week, when people are coming home especially. No fear at that point,” said Zoe Lazcano.

Lazcano has been a swimwear designer for more than a decade. Her brand, Zoe All Over, has tens of thousands of followers on Instagram. She sells bikinis and swim trunks with designs she creates herself.

“I only make 50 of everything and I don’t restock anything so it’s very exclusive and they’re all designed by me,” Lazcano said.

Lazcano said she had been waiting months for a bulk order that arrived around 2:30 p.m. Friday, just in time for summer.

About two hours later, surveillance video shows a gray Ford F-150 pulling up and backing into her driveway.

Two people got out, walked up to the porch and took a large box containing dozens of items.

“It’s a big blow, delay. This is gonna set me back for months,” Lazcano said.

The thieves also took another package.

“There was a small box which happened to be a case of Celsius. That they also took,” she said with a laugh.

The theft happened in a neighborhood near the intersection of Davie Boulevard and State Road 7.

One of the suspects is seen wearing a scarf around their head, while the other appears to have their face covered.

“Definitely dressed in a way that they do this often to kind of cover up and not show too much skin,” Lazcano said.

Fort Lauderdale police confirmed they are investigating.

Lazcano said she plans to monitor whether any of the stolen merchandise is resold online. She hopes someone recognizes the people seen in the video.

“That would be a miracle. But I also really wanna hold these people accountable cause now it’s like a safety concern, now I’m wondering, are they casing my neighborhood?” she said.

Anyone with information or who recognizes the people in the surveillance footage is asked to contact Fort Lauderdale police.

Lemieux died of suicide at age 60 on Thursday, according to authorities, after earlier in the week serving as the Montreal Canadiens' torchbearer prior to a playoff game. He played nearly 1,500 NHL games with six teams from 1983-2009 and was known for his hard-hitting style and ability to perform in big games on the way to winning the Stanley Cup four times.

The family said it gave the CTE Center permission to publicly share any findings with Lemieux's name, adding that no conclusions should be drawn regarding any diagnosis.

“Claude dedicated his post-playing career to helping the next generation,” the family said, referring to Lemieux becoming an agent. “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

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

Maria Almonte said she knew something was wrong when authorities asked her to sit down.

“They tell me to sit down. When they tell me to sit down I already knew that they killed my baby. My baby died,” she said.

Maria Almonte said her son was killed after a standoff with deputies.

“But he was a good kid. He just had mental issues, but he was a helpful, kind person,” she said.

Investigators said deputies responded to the Racquet Club community in Oakland Park on Friday night after receiving reports from neighbors about a man armed with a knife.

According to Maria Almonte, her son had argued with a neighbor before the incident.

“He had an argument with a neighbor and that neighbor always antagonized him,” she said. “And I guess he kind of just went off and came out chasing with a knife, but he went back in the house. And that’s when the neighbors are calling the cops.”

Deputies evacuated the area and spent several hours attempting to negotiate with the barricaded man.

While barricaded, investigators said Almonte threaten that he had guns, propane tanks and bombs inside the apartment.

That prompted deputies to evacuate nearby neighbors.

BSO says at some point during the encounter, Almonte armed with knives advanced toward the deputies.

Investigators said the situation escalated at one point, and a deputy opened fire.

“They shot him four times and he doesn’t even have a gun. You’re going to shoot somebody with a knife?” Maria Almonte said.

She said she is still searching for answers and has not yet been allowed to see her son’s body.

“But I want to see it for myself. Just to have some closure that I see my baby. That it is him,” she said.

BSO says the deputy who fired their weapon is on administrative duty.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting. No other injuries were reported.

The unsettled weather pattern will continue through the week, with showers remaining in the forecast each day.

The event featured first responders from both departments showcasing their skills on the field in what officials described as a community-building exhibition ahead of the global tournament.

Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins said she was simply happy to see the departments come together.

“I will be very happy no matter who wins!” she said.

Karla Fortuni, who is part of the World Cup host committee, said city public safety agencies will play a key role during World Cup events, including fan gatherings at Bayfront Park.

“City of Miami Fire and police are really going to be in the bulk of it,” she said. “They’re going to be protecting all of our residents at our fan fest in Bayfront Park.”

Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez said firefighters have been preparing for increased responsibilities tied to the tournament.

“They’ve been training quite some time and getting ready for it,” he said. “They take a lot of pride and passion into it.”

Organizers say the match is intended to strengthen relationships between first responders and the community ahead of the international event.

Higgins also highlighted the collaboration between the departments.

“It’s especially fantastic to see the collaboration, the camaraderie between these two departments that literally save our residents’ lives when we are in danger or in trouble,” Higgins said.

Firefighters won the match 4-1.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows, but I have decided to take the rest of the year off from touring to focus on my health,” the 92-year-old singer wrote on social media Friday.

Valli, the frontman and only original member still performing with the Four Seasons, launched an extended farewell tour billed “The Last Encores” in October 2023. Shows scheduled for April of this year were rescheduled to dates in summer and fall. Now, all eight performances remaining for 2026 in cities from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Detroit have been called off entirely.

The Four Seasons found fame in the 1960s, but the band’s hits –- from “Sherry” to “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” –- span decades. The Four Seasons sold 100 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Valli, who also established a successful solo career, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026.

Known for keeping a rigorous touring schedule even as he has aged, Valli appeared to leave the door open for future performances.

“I’m looking forward to getting healthy and seeing you all again soon,” Valli concluded his Friday message.

Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle earlier in the evening in Budapest, Hungary, where PSG won by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final.

Fans marched along the avenues near the Arc de Triomphe, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, with police working to contain the crowd.

The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires. Cars were also set ablaze. One police officer was injured. Those who attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood were dispersed, police said.

It said that by 10 p.m., 45 people were taken into custody.

The main ring road surrounding Paris was briefly blockaded by a crowd before police dispersed it. Police also said one bakery and a restaurant were damaged.

Officers also contained about 1,000 people gathered near the PSG stadium in the 16th Arrondissement and cleared barricades made from bicycles.

In May last year following PSG’s first title, when 201 people were injured in the French capital and police made more than 500 arrests across France, Paris was on high alert, with 8,000 police officers deployed across the city.

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

Las cámaras de Local 10 News captaron a un equipo volteando la aeronave de Blue Sky Aviation tras el accidente.

“Poco después de despegar, sufrió una falla en el motor”, dijo el alcalde de Pembroke Pines, Angelo Castillo.

Alrededor de las 11:30 a.m. del viernes, la aeronave Cessna 172 cayó del cielo momentos después de salir del Aeropuerto North Perry.

“No tenía suficiente altitud, golpeó un árbol, cayó en una zanja aquí y se volcó”, dijo Castillo. “Fue algo bueno que ocurriera así porque iba directamente hacia un edificio donde viven pacientes que reciben atención de salud mental y médica”.

Sky 10 sobrevoló el lugar del accidente, mostrando la aeronave siniestrada severamente dañada y aparentemente partida en varias secciones. Tanto la piloto como la pasajera sobrevivieron.

“Este tipo de incidentes están ocurriendo una y otra vez, y ya estoy harto”, dijo Castillo.

La aeronave estuvo a punto de impactar un hospital estatal del sur de Florida.

El incidente está lejos de ser el primer accidente relacionado con el Aeropuerto North Perry, donde operan varias escuelas de aviación.

“En los últimos cinco años, hemos tenido más de 35 accidentes de aeronaves que despegaron del Aeropuerto North Perry”, dijo el abogado Zach Gorwitz.

El aparente aumento en el número de incidentes ha llevado a muchas personas a cuestionar la seguridad de las escuelas de vuelo.

“Estamos pidiendo al Condado Broward que haga lo necesario para que este lugar sea seguro. Si no pueden hacerlo seguro, entonces deben cerrarlo de una vez y trasladarlo a otro lugar donde esos aviones no representen una amenaza para las personas”, dijo Castillo.

El accidente continúa bajo investigación de la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte (NTSB).

Leer en español

The crash happened just before noon along Southwest 32nd Avenue near Hallandale Beach Boulevard.

Video from the scene showed what was left of the Tesla after the impact, with the vehicle reduced to crumpled, burned metal.

It is not clear how fast the driver was traveling.

Police are working to determine how and why the driver lost control before slamming into the tree.

The Tesla also knocked down a mailbox and damaged part of a fence in front of a nearby home.

After the collision, the vehicle burst into flames.

The man behind the wheel was taken to the hospital as a trauma alert.

Residents in the area said they were grateful the car did not strike any homes and cause even more damage.

Authorities have not released the driver’s name. Officials are also working to provide an update on his condition.

El accidente ocurrió poco antes del mediodía en Southwest 32nd Avenue, cerca de Hallandale Beach Boulevard.

Videos del lugar mostraban lo que quedó del Tesla tras el impacto, con el vehículo reducido a una masa de metal retorcido y quemado.

No está claro a qué velocidad viajaba el conductor.

La Policía trabaja para determinar cómo y por qué el conductor perdió el control antes de estrellarse contra el árbol.

El Tesla también derribó un buzón y dañó parte de una cerca frente a una vivienda cercana.

Tras la colisión, el vehículo se incendió.

El hombre que conducía fue trasladado al hospital como paciente de trauma.

Residentes del área dijeron estar agradecidos de que el vehículo no impactara ninguna vivienda ni causara daños mayores.

Las autoridades no han divulgado la identidad del conductor. Los funcionarios también trabajan para ofrecer una actualización sobre su condición de salud.

Leer en español

Local 10 News cameras captured a crew flipping over the Blue Sky Aviation aircraft after the crash.

“Shortly after it took off, it experienced engine failure,” said Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo.

Around 11:30 a.m. Friday, the Cessna 172 plunged from the sky moments after departing North Perry Airport.

“Didn’t have the altitude, hit a tree, went into a ditch here and flipped over,” Castillo said. “It’s a good thing for that because it was headed right for a building where patients receiving mental health and medical care live.”

Sky 10 flew above the crash site, showing the downed aircraft mangled and appearing to be in pieces. The pilot and passenger both survived.

“These kind of occurrences are happening over and over and over and I’ve had it,” Castillo said.

The aircraft nearly crashed into a South Florida state hospital.

The incident is far from the first crash connected to North Perry Airport, which is home to a handful of flight schools.

“In the last five years, we’ve had over 35 accidents with aircraft taking off from North Perry Airport,” attorney Zach Gorwitz said.

The seemingly growing number of incidents has many questioning the safety of the flight schools.

“We’re calling on Broward County to do what they have to do to make this place safe. If they can’t make it safe then they need to close it the hell down and go put it somewhere else where those planes don’t threaten people,” Castillo said.

The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Misick fue arrestado en Brasil en diciembre de 2012, después de que allí se rechazara su solicitud de asilo político. Fue acusado de corrupción, de hacer uso indebido de fondos públicos y de beneficiarse de la venta de terrenos propiedad del gobierno a promotores inmobiliarios.

En el veredicto, dictado el viernes, Misick fue condenado a cuatro años y 26 días de prisión. A principios de febrero, el ex primer ministro fue declarado culpable de tres cargos de soborno. Ha sostenido que todas las acusaciones en su contra tenían motivaciones políticas.

El ex ministro del gabinete McAllister Hanchell y el abogado Thomas Misick —hermano del acusado— también fueron condenados el viernes en el mismo caso. Hanchell fue sentenciado a tres años y Thomas Misick a cuatro. Los tres quedaron bajo custodia y se espera que apelen sus condenas.

Michael Misick renunció como primer ministro en 2009, poco después de que Reino Unido asumiera temporalmente el control del gobierno del territorio y suspendiera su constitución tras denuncias de corrupción generalizada. El periodo de administración directa terminó en noviembre de 2012, cuando se celebraron nuevas elecciones.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

El diplomático de 76 años fue reconocido por varios países como legítimo ganador de los comicios de julio de 2024 en medio de una crisis postelectoral y protestas callejeras luego que la oposición alegó un “fraude”.

Las actas electorales expuestas que le daban la victoria a González sobre Maduro fueron consideradas por observadores internacionales como “creíbles”.

En un mensaje difundido en redes sociales, González consideró que es el momento de “construir las condiciones para realizar unas elecciones presidenciales que sirvan de instrumentos ciudadanos para el cambio” y que contribuyan a la reinstitucionalización del país y a sentar las bases de un gobierno estable.

Rodríguez asumió el poder el 5 de enero tras la captura de Maduro y de su esposa, quienes fueron llevados a Estados Unidos para enfrentar procesos judiciales.

La otrora aliada de Maduro fue reconocida por el gobierno de Donald Trump como presidenta, y han avanzado en una serie de acuerdos que han incluido el levantamiento de sanciones y negociaciones en el ámbito energético, además de lograr la normalización de las relaciones diplomáticas, rotas por varios años.

Ni el oficialismo ni Estados Unidos han dado señales de que las elecciones estén próximas a realizarse en Venezuela.

Según el líder opositor, un proceso electoral debe contar con “árbitros independientes”, observación nacional e internacional y pluralismo político, entre otras condiciones, siendo innegociable la liberación de los presos por motivos políticos y “el fin de la persecución”.

Finalmente, González aseguró ser “custodio” del mandato de sus electores que decidieron por la “libertad” de Venezuela, aseveró.

Desde septiembre de 2024, González se exilió en España tras conocerse una orden de detención levantada en su contra por cargos de supuesta conspiración, usurpación y falsificación de documentos públicos, los cuales ha refutado.

La figura del exdiplomático tomó notoriedad al ser nombrado candidato sustituto de la líder opositora María Corina Machado —laureada con el premio Nobel de la Paz—, quien fue inhabilitada para participar en esos comicios.

Recientemente desde Panamá, la líder política, en una reunión con dirigentes de la oposición, defendió una transición democrática en Venezuela e insistió en que regresará antes de que termine el año para postularse a la presidencia.

“I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance,” Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social Saturday, adding that he was thinking of bringing “the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate 'Artists.'”

The group organizing the June fair on Washington's National Mall, Freedom 250, confirmed the billing in a statement, writing, “we are excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24.”

Trump's social media post twice referenced him holding a rally “Wednesday," without a specific date. The White House did not immediately clarify the discrepancy.

Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, emphasized the broader fair that is scheduled from June 25 through July 10 includes an array of exhibits, family friendly attractions, musical performances, flyovers and more.

Trump was dismissive of the acts that backed out, suggesting in a follow-up post that the solution is to “Cancel it.”

“We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain,” Trump said on social media.

Freedom 250 is billed as nonpartisan, but was launched last year by Trump and is led by a former State Department appointee from Trump's first term. Several artists, including Bret Michaels, the Commodores and Martina McBride dropped out last week.

Michaels and other artists have said that they were misled about the theme of the shows or were otherwise wary of being caught up in a political fight. McBride, in a statement on Instagram, said she had been “presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.”

Other artists plan to attend, including Flo Rida, Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli and Vanilla Ice. The latter's representative previously said that the “Ice Ice Baby” rapper was “proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary!”

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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

Yet even though Moulton cleared a key hurdle to continue his Senate bid, it was Markey who won the party’s endorsement after winning more than 50% of the delegation’s support.

“You have a choice, you have to decide what the future looks like and what you’re going to demand,” Markey said Saturday in front of more than 4,000 delegates.

Markey won nearly 73% of the delegates' support, while Moulton won nearly 27% of the vote. Massachusetts Democratic Party rules require statewide candidates to get at least 15% of delegate support to appear on primary ballots.

In heavily Democratic Massachusetts, the Senate primary contest is one of the most closely watched in the country as Moulton, 47, has centered his campaign on changing the status quo and demanding a generational shift in leadership.

If reelected, Markey would be 80 before his third six-year term would begin. While Markey has touted his stamina and embrace of progressive policies, questions about age have continued to swirl around Democratic candidates as they fight to take back control of Congress.

In his nomination speech, Moulton argued that the Democratic Party needed more than “incremental change” and needed to start anew.

“It’s time for the generation that grew up with the internet, and will have to live for decades with AI, to lead our way through it,” Moulton said.

Moulton only addressed his opponent briefly during his nomination speech, giving a passing nod on not waiting another six years for generational change and later calling on Markey to participate in multiple debates before the September primary. Currently, the two candidates have agreed to participate in one debate later this summer.

Markey, instead, took a more critical approach by attacking Moulton’s previous comments about transgender kids and accepting corporate PAC money.

“Massachusetts deserves better than a senator who scapegoats trans kids,” Markey said to loud cheers.

In 2024, Moulton caught flak from some members of his party for saying he didn’t want his daughters playing in sports against transgender girls. Critics said Moulton echoed Trump’s talking points against allowing transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

Moulton has since said his intent with that statement “was to point out that, as a party, we need to be willing to have difficult conversations.”

Moulton, who enlisted in the Marines after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and served four tours of duty in Iraq, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. He briefly launched a 2020 presidential campaign, but he dropped that bid after a few months.

Markey served as a Massachusetts congressman for nearly 40 years before winning the Senate seat in 2013. He fended off a challenge in 2020 from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in the Senate primary by turning to his progressive allies to overcome a challenge from a younger rival from America’s most famous political family.

The Massachusetts primary is Sept. 1.

The family wedding will go forward Sunday in South Carolina, but it also will be a time to mourn the loss of Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their two children, Emily and Mark, a relative said Saturday.

“A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us,” Carolina Bublik said.

The Doncevs were killed when a motorcoach caused a chain-reaction crash with vehicles that had slowed down for a work zone on Interstate 95 in Stafford County around 2:35 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

The bus struck a Suburban, which then hit an Acura carrying the Doncev family, police said. Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was in the Chevrolet SUV and also died.

More people were treated for injuries, including one who was in critical condition, though most were discharged, Mary Washington Healthcare said.

The bus driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and additional charges were likely, Virginia State Police said. The prosecutor's office in Stafford County said Dong was arrested and would be in custody while he is treated for his injuries at a hospital.

Prosecutors said in a statement that Dong's first court appearance will not be scheduled until he is discharged but a magistrate approved holding him without bond until that time. It also said prosecutors saw enough probable cause to believe Dong was “driving in a criminally negligent manner.”

It was unclear whether Dong has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The case did not yet appear in the state's online court records, and a call to the area's public defender went unanswered at a closed office Saturday.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, a monthslong task separate from the work of state police. NTSB board member Tom Chapman revealed few new details but said the bus was moving at a high rate of speed.

“It seems fairly clear that if there was any braking there wasn’t much, because of the speed and severity of the collision,” Chapman said.

The bus, which was taking people from New York to North Carolina, was operated by E&P Travel Inc., based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

Chapman said the driver's language proficiency would be part of the NTSB investigation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, citing police, said on social media that Dong, a native of China, does not speak English.

Dmitri Doncev, 45, was a nurse who worked at Holyoke Medical Center. Ecaterina Doncev, 44, was a hairstylist who spent days making desserts for the family wedding, Bublik said.

They emigrated to the U.S. from Moldova in 2008 and settled in Greenfield, Massachusetts, she said.

Dmitri and brother Iuri tried to stay together while traveling in separate vehicles to South Carolina.

“At some point they ended up getting separated,” Bublik said. “Dmitri said, ‘You go ahead. I’ll catch up later.' It was a big shock when Iuri arrived at the house. Dmitri should have arrived around the same time. When his car did not show up, and he wasn't picking up the phone — that’s when the family started panicking.”

The champions are dethroned. Wembanyama and the Spurs are headed to the NBA Finals.

Wembanyama scored 22 points, Julian Champagnie got 18 of his 20 off of 3-pointers and the Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 on Saturday night — bucking heavy odds to win a Game 7 on the road.

“This feeling, I can't explain it,” Wembanyama said. “It's so powerful.”

Stephon Castle scored 16 points and De’Aaron Fox had 15. Dylan Harper added 12 and Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell each finished with 11 for the Spurs, who are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.

They will host the New York Knicks in Game 1 on Wednesday night.

“Back in October, we knew we had a chance to be pretty good,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.

Correction — the Spurs have a chance to be great. Championship-level great.

A huge moment came midway through the fourth, when San Antonio’s Luke Kornet blocked Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein at the rim — denying a fast-break score that would have gotten the Thunder within four.

It felt like the last gasp for the Thunder. Kornet played six minutes, missed all three of his shot attempts and finished with only two points, but the block was an epic moment.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 35 points and nine assists, but for the eighth consecutive season the NBA will have a new champion. Cason Wallace scored 17 points, while Jared McCain and Alex Caruso had 12 apiece for the Thunder.

“You have to grow from every experience, including the tough ones,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “And it's the NBA — there are tough ones. We can also be really disappointed. ... There's nobody that we don't think we can beat, respectfully.”

After four straight games that were largely decided going into the fourth quarter — the Thunder led Game 3 by 11, the Spurs led Game 4 by 18, the Thunder led Game 5 by 10 and the Spurs led Game 6 by 26, those leads all holding up with relative ease — this one was different, worthy of a Game 7.

Spurs 80, Thunder 77 was the score going into the fourth, a bit of a back-and-forth contest where the Spurs led by as many as 14 in the first half and then by as many as 11 in the third, only to see the Thunder come roaring back both times.

“The players did what they've been doing all year and they met the biggest moment,” Johnson said.

The Spurs pulled away in the fourth again, daring the Thunder to try to come back one more time. The champions — short-handed, with Jalen Williams sidelined with a bad hamstring — just didn't have anything left.

“Winning an NBA championship is very hard in itself to do one time," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “So to do it all over again would just only make it harder.”

San Antonio won eight of the 12 meetings against the Thunder this season — and in the end, the only matchup that really mattered.

“We want four more,” Wembanyama said. “We're not done.”

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

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump fumed about the Friday decision from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper who also ordered Trump’s name removed from the center. Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly,” tying Cooper's ruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court’s rejection in February of his sweeping tariffs.

His post aimed to make the case for the project even as he says he's giving up on it. Hours after Cooper's decision, Trump said he was backing away from the renovations and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president's second term, had been known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In another post on Saturday, Trump invoked the Kennedy Center episode as he addressed a spate of musicians backing out of a celebration for the country's 250th anniversary.

"Cancel it,” Trump wrote, “just like I canceled my involvement with the failing and unsafe to be in Kennedy Center, because a Highly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge, said that I should not be allowed to spend my time and money in order to MAKE THE CENTER GREAT AGAIN.”

The White House did not immediately say whether Trump would keep serving as the center’s board chairman.

Trump's signal that he's retreating from the center gave hope to artists who had been alienated by his takeover, said Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics lawyer who is involved in a lawsuit challenging Trump's Kennedy Center plans.

“I have already heard from artists and from audience members alike who are excited about the Kennedy Center returning to non-partisan normality,” Eisen told The Associated Press in a text message on Saturday. “It’s early days yet but as and when the court’s order is implemented, including Trump’s name coming off the building and the Board otherwise complying with the law, I’m optimistic that the Center will begin the long journey back.”

Trump cites judge's wife

Without offering evidence, Trump suggested that Cooper’s wife, lawyer Amy Jeffress, was to blame in part for the ruling. The president noted that Jeffress, a partner at the Hecker Fink law firm, is a former federal prosecutor who served as a counselor to Attorney General Eric Holder during the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama. Cooper was nominated for the bench by Obama.

Trump also noted that Hecker Fink is representing former President Joe Biden in a lawsuit against the Department of Justice to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts from the Democrat's interviews with a ghostwriter that were obtained in an investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents from his time as a senator and as vice president.

Trump asserted that the Kennedy Center, named for the late Democratic president and opened in 1971, was “rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested” and that the ”new Building would have been incomparable."

Cooper said in his ruling that the center board’s March 16 vote to close the venue was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations. The administration had announced the work would begin in July and last approximately two years. Cooper’s ruling halts those plans for now.

The judge also found that the board “overstepped its statutory bounds” by adding Trump’s name to the center. Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it, he said. Cooper ordered that Trump’s name be removed within two weeks.

President defends adding name to the center

Trump on Saturday said it was the board, not him, that added the Trump name to the center. "They thought it would be good for this dying Institution,” he wrote.

Shortly after returning to office in January 2025, he ousted the center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a handpicked board of trustees that named him chairman.

Cooper held hearings in late April for parallel lawsuits challenging the project. One lawsuit was filed by a group of cultural and historic preservation organizations. The other was brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves as an ex officio member of the board through her position in Congress. He ruled in favor of Beatty’s request but rejected the other challenge.

Trump, in his post, also noted that Jeffress' firm represented E. Jean Carroll, the longtime advice columnist whose claims against Trump won her a $5 million award in 2023 for sexual abuse and defamation after a jury agreed that Trump sexually abused her in a New York department store dressing room in 1996. Another jury in 2024 awarded Carroll an additional $83 million for defamation. Both awards are under appeal.

Jeffress did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling near the Crusader-built Beaufort castle that is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Israeli border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon. The strategic castle was held by Israeli troops for 18 years until they withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000.

Separately, an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip killed a nurse, the latest death since last year’s shaky ceasefire.

Israel’s military issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen villages in southern Lebanon, a day after Lebanese and Israeli military officials held their first direct talks in decades at the Pentagon.

The situation in southern Lebanon was discussed during a meeting on Saturday between Lebanon’s president and prime minister who later said in a statement that they will intensify their contacts to make Israel stop demolition and bulldozing of homes and historical sites as well as its evacuation warnings.

Later on Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam used a televised speech to criticize Israeli airstrikes and its invasion of Lebanon. He accused Israel of “implementing a policy of total destruction of cities and towns” and of carrying out mass displacements.

He said Israel is trying to “uproot Lebanon’s memory and erase the people’s history,” adding that the government will do all it can to achieve a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and the return of displaced people to their homes.

Salam said the direct negotiations are not guaranteed to produce results and at the same time they don’t mean a surrender for Lebanon. “They are currently the least costly option,” Salam said. Another round of talks are scheduled to take place in Washington on Tuesday.

Israel will not gain security and stability through the “scorched earth policy,” Salam said.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange strikes despite ceasefire

Israeli troops have been advancing for days in villages close to Beaufort castle, including Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sharqieh, near the city of Nabatiyeh, after they crossed the strategic Litani River, which the Israeli military has used as a de facto boundary.

The incursion is the deepest by Israeli troops since the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.

Large areas to the south are under Israeli military control, despite an April 17, U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

The National News Agency reported airstrikes on different parts of southern Lebanon, including in the village of Ansar that killed three people. A drone strike on a road linking the village of Ebba with Nabatiyeh wounded two Lebanese soldiers, the army said in a statement.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said its fighters fired rockets at northern Israel’s largest city, Kiryat Shmona, on the border with Lebanon. The group said its attack was in retaliation for airstrikes that killed civilians in Lebanon. Hezbollah later said it also fired rockets toward the northern city of Safed.

Among those killed in southern Lebanon on Friday was Qais al-Bakir, his pregnant wife and their six children. The Syrian family died in an Israeli airstrike on the coastal village of Adloun, north of the city of Tyre.

The family, which belonged to Syria’s minority Alawite sect, had fled to Lebanon from the central province of Hama after the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria in December 2024. Some members of Assad’s Alawite sect have been subjected to revenge attacks by members of Islamist groups who removed the former president from power.

The family had been living in a sheep farm and they received no warning in advance of the strike on the village, said Ali al-Bakir the brother of the man killed. He said the family plans to send the bodies for burial in their hometown in Syria.

“He worked in farming and all he cared about was to feed his children,” his brother said.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran.

It has left 3,350 people dead in Lebanon and over 1 million people displaced.

Further strikes in Gaza

In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian nurse was killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday, hospital authorities said. The strike hit a Hamas-manned police point in the central city of Deir al-Balah. At least three other people were wounded, according to the city’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which received the casualties.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The nurse was identified as Jamal Abu Aoun, who worked at Yafa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His funeral was held at noon in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital’s courtyard.

He was the latest fatality among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since a fragile October ceasefire deal attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the shaky ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing at least 929 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. But it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

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Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.

“I’ve had this happen before in my career," he said Saturday, a day before the U.S. faces Senegal in the Americans’ next-to-last warmup match. "There’s difficult times and then sometimes one will bounce off your knee and go in and then it seems like everything goes in after that.”

Pulisic had 10 goals in his first 15 matches for AC Milan this season but went scoreless in 19 games after Dec. 28. He has has gone eight U.S. matches without a goal since November 2024.

“He is going to score in World Cup. Yes, I really trust in that,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “He has very good attitude, very good commitment. He’s trying so hard to get his best level and I think he will achieve it for sure.”

A 27-year-old attacker from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Pulisic has 32 goals in 84 international appearances. His goal in the 1-0 win over Iran at the 2022 World Cup advanced the Americans to the round of 16.

He has the most international experience among the 26 players on the U.S. roster and is the lone holdover from group that played in the 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago, which ended the Americans' streak of seven straight World Cup appearances. Pulisic is among 13 players returning from the 2022 roster.

“Guys have just gotten a lot more experience at club level, international level," Pulisic said. “Going through that World Cup as a team, going through the really good performances and getting through the group and then having a tough loss against a big team, it all helps you grow. It all helps you learn.”

At the 2022 World Cup, Pulisic was injured while scoring against Iran, then returned for the 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the round of 16.

“Most of the guys are going to go into this World Cup a lot — yeah, just a bit more relaxed, ready for these big moments," he said. "Every game and every big moment just feels just a little bit easier and you feel a little more comfortable going into it.”

Milan finished the Serie A season with two wins in its last eight games, wasting a lead on the final day and missing Champions League qualification. Coach Massimiliano Allegri and CEO Giorgio Furlani were fired.

“I don’t try to place blame or figure out the problems,” Pulisic said. “There are moments where I could have done a lot better and it was a difficult time for our team. It was a difficult time for me, and that’s what it comes down to. I haven’t changed the way I train, the way that I prepare, the way that I continue to move forward and try to improve every day. I’m still doing that every day and that's why I can keep my head high. Obviously, I’m disappointed but now I have to look forward on what’s in front of me.”

Sunday's game against 14th-ranked Senegal and a June 6 friendly against No. 10 Germany will be the last prep matches for the 16th-ranked Americans before their World Cup opener against No. 40 Paraguay on June 12. Defender Chris Richards, recovering from two torn ankle ligaments, won’t play Sunday.

“I’m sure we’re going to test a couple things, move some guys around,” Pulisic said. “Maybe it won’t look exactly as it will in the games.”

When the Americans last gathered in March, they lost 5-2 to Belgium and 2-0 to Portugal.

“Just getting a little bit of rhythm and a good feeling with the team going into the tournament,” Pulisic said. “These are two really strong opponents, so we have a great opportunity to test ourselves going into the World Cup. Obviously, we want to get good results, but most importantly, just feeling confident.”

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

El evento, organizado por Debris Free Oceans en colaboración con el Departamento de Manejo de Recursos Ambientales de Miami-Dade y Miami-Dade Animal Services, reunió esfuerzos de adopción de mascotas, educación ambiental y actividades inspiradas en el fútbol.

La actividad gratuita se llevó a cabo de 9 a.m. a 12 p.m. en Haulover Park.

Los organizadores dijeron que el evento fue diseñado para combinar la expectativa por la Copa Mundial con iniciativas comunitarias enfocadas en el bienestar animal y la tenencia responsable de mascotas.

“World Pup se trata de divertirnos con nuestros amigos peludos mientras aprendemos sobre la importancia de la adopción de mascotas y de recoger los desechos de los animales”, dijo Caiti Waks, cofundadora y presidenta de Debris Free Oceans.

Explicó que el evento comenzó con un desfile de perros disponibles para adopción representando a distintos países.

Inspirados en el Puppy Bowl y programado antes de los partidos de la Copa Mundial en Miami, equipos de perros compitieron en una versión miniatura de fútbol, intentando empujar balones hacia las porterías para sumar puntos para los países que representaban.

Camiones de comida, vendedores de productos para mascotas y Miami-Dade Animal Services también participaron en el evento, incluido un centro móvil de adopción con perros disponibles para adopción el mismo día.

Funcionarios del Departamento de Manejo de Recursos Ambientales señalaron que el evento también destacó preocupaciones ambientales relacionadas con los desechos de mascotas.

“La Bahía de Biscayne y la belleza natural de Miami-Dade servirán como escenario de la Copa Mundial este año, por lo que su protección es más importante que nunca”, dijo Loren Parra, directora del departamento y jefa de resiliencia.

Parra destacó que recoger los desechos de las mascotas ayuda a evitar que bacterias lleguen a los drenajes pluviales y a los cuerpos de agua que desembocan en la bahía.

Perros de todas las razas y edades fueron bienvenidos, siempre que estuvieran bien comportados y socializados con otros animales.

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The event, hosted by Debris Free Oceans in partnership with Miami-Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management and Miami-Dade Animal Services, brought together pet adoption efforts, environmental education and soccer-themed fun.

The free event ran from 9 a.m. to noon at Haulover Park.

Organizers said the event was designed to combine World Cup anticipation with community outreach centered on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.

“The World Pup is all about having fun with our fur babies while learning about the importance of pet adoption and picking up pet waste,” said Caiti Waks, co-founder and president of Debris Free Oceans.

She said the event opened with a walk-in parade of adoptable dogs representing different countries.

Inspired by the Puppy Bowl and timed ahead of Miami’s World Cup matches, teams of dogs competed in a miniature soccer setup, trying to knock balls into goals to score points for their assigned countries.

Food trucks, pet vendors and Miami-Dade Animal Services were also at the event, including a mobile adoption unit featuring dogs available for same-day adoption.

Officials with the Department of Environmental Resources Management said the event also highlighted environmental concerns tied to pet waste.

“Biscayne Bay and Miami-Dade’s natural beauty will serve as the backdrop of this year’s World Cup, making its protection more important than ever,” said Loren Parra, department director and chief resilience officer.

Parra noted that picking up pet waste helps prevent bacteria from entering storm drains and waterways that lead to the bay.

Dogs of all breeds and ages were welcome, provided they were well-behaved and socialized around other animals.

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Jail records show Xavier Tyson, 15, was taken into custody Friday afternoon.

Authorities say he was 14 at the time of the alleged attack that occurred on June 18, 2025, at the Green Haven Project community garden near Frederick Douglass Elementary School.

Tyson joins co-defendant Nelson Nunez in custody at the Metrowest Detention Center. Nunez, now 14, was 13 at the time of the incident. Records show both boys are being held without bond.

A third defendant, Jusiah Jones, was placed on house arrest following a court hearing in March.

According to Miami police, the three boys assaulted the victim at the garden at 1160 NW Second Ave., an attack investigators said lasted about 30 minutes.

Prosecutors allege Nunez acted as the ringleader, while Jones is accused of forcing rocks into the victim’s mouth to keep her quiet and Tyson is accused of helping restrain her.

Court records show Tyson had previously been released pending proceedings before his latest booking.

Según los registros penitenciarios, Xavier Tyson, de 15 años, fue detenido el viernes por la tarde.

Según las autoridades, tenía 14 años en el momento del presunto ataque, que tuvo lugar el 18 de junio de 2025 en el huerto comunitario Green Haven Project, cerca de la escuela primaria Frederick Douglass.

Tyson se une a su coacusado Nelson Núñez en la cárcel del Centro de Detención Metrowest. Núñez, que ahora tiene 14 años, tenía 13 cuando ocurrió el incidente. Los registros indican que ambos jóvenes están detenidos sin derecho a fianza.

Un tercer acusado, Jusiah Jones, fue puesto bajo arresto domiciliario tras una audiencia judicial en marzo.

Según la policía de Miami, los tres jóvenes agredieron a la víctima en el jardín ubicado en 1160 NW Second Ave., un ataque que, según los investigadores, duró aproximadamente 30 minutos.

La fiscalía alega que Núñez actuó como cabecilla, mientras que Jones está acusado de introducir piedras en la boca de la víctima para silenciarla y Tyson está acusado de ayudar a inmovilizarla.

Los registros judiciales muestran que Tyson había sido puesto en libertad provisional antes de su última detención.

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

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

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

The administration revealed its appeal preparations while objecting to a demand by Judge Richard K. Eaton for CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to appear in the U.S. Court of International Trade on June 9. The judge said he wants to know how long it would take to repay all 330,000 importers that might be eligible for refunds and whether he should require the government to speed up the process.

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

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

Eaton responded that he needed to hear directly from Scott whether the government would return all of the money it collected between April 2025, when Trump put what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries, the Supreme Court's decision in late February.

“It is undisputed that the remedy for this unlawful collection is for the United States government to refund the unlawfully collected duties," the judge wrote.

Refunds coming in phases

Customs and Border Protection is handling refund claims in phases, focusing first on payments that weren't finalized before the Supreme Court handed down its 6-3 decision. CBP officials said those later, estimated payments were simpler to process because they remained open in its system.

In Friday’s filing, the Justice Department said the agency required technological upgrades to its refund portal and “importer-specific orders” in each lawsuit that businesses filed before it could recalculate the final tax bills for older “liquidated” accounts.

More than 1,000 companies filed lawsuits in the trade court to recoup their tariff costs. It was not immediately clear how many importers that paid the tariffs did not sue and might not receive refunds if an appeal of Eaton's blanket order succeeds.

Ryan Majerus, a partner on the international trade team at law firm King & Spaulding, said he thinks "it’s definitely a fraction of the total in terms of folks who paid” the defunct duties. An appeal would likely affect only imported merchandise that was in the U.S. for 314 days, a time when CPB issues its official determination of the duties owed, he said.

“This doesn’t cover everybody, only those really old entries,” Majerus said about a potential appeal.

But filing an appeal could slow the refund process even if the government “already lost the war” before the Supreme Court, according to Barry Appleton, a professor at New York Law School and managing partner of Appleton & Associates International Lawyers.

“If the government can freeze the refund machinery while it litigates, it buys months, and every month of delay is a month the Treasury keeps the money,” Appleton said.

Price cuts promised

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

Costco intends to return the tariff costs that it passed on to members, CEO Ron Vachris said. How much of its refund the big-box retail chain redistributes, when and in what form, depends on factors such as the size of the refund, when it arrives, and developments in a lawsuit seeking tariff compensation for Costco customers, Vachris told investors Thursday.

Consumers may see refunds first from shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS and DHL, which acted as customs brokers when they delivered products ordered from overseas.

The companies charged either the sellers that shipped the packages or the buyers who received them and submitted the collected tariffs to CBP. All three promised to transmit any refunds they get to the customers that paid the import taxes.

Putting refunds back into the business

The Supreme Court invalidated only the country-by-country tariff rates Trump set by citing the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The president also has moved to introduce new tariffs since the court’s Feb. 20 ruling.

Some smaller companies told The Associated Press that the tariff refunds they’ve received so far would go toward paying remaining or future tariffs or getting back on solid financial footing after more than a year of uncertainty and additional costs.

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

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

Men’s grooming brand Manscaped has received about 30% of the $12 million in refunds it applied for, President Kevin Datoo said. The San Diego company deferred investments and took on debt to pay tariffs on imports from Indonesia, China and elsewhere in Asia, he said.

“We need to shore up the balance sheet because there’s still a whole second chapter here,” Datoo said.

Melkon Khosrovian, who owns Greenbar Distillery in Los Angeles, said he applied for a tariff refund of about $90,000 for 17 different shipments of herbs, spices and packaging that are hard to find domestically. To date, he said he received $18,000.

Khosrovian invested in automating his bottling system last year to reduce personnel costs while his import expenses grew. He recalled how the White House had argued the tariffs would create more U.S. manufacturing jobs.

The tariffs were “painful,” he said. “Our choices were bad and worse: raise prices and lose customers, or keep prices the same and not make any money.”

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AP writers Anne D’Innocenzio and Stan Choe in New York, and Lisa Leff in London contributed to this report.

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Shortly before 6 p.m., Broward County Regional Communications received a report of a man armed with a knife in the 800 block of West Oakland Park Boulevard.

BSO deputies and Oakland Park Fire Rescue responded to the scene. Authorities said the suspect retreated into an apartment and barricaded himself inside.

As a precaution, surrounding apartments were evacuated. BSO’s K-9, SWAT and Violent Crimes units also responded, authorities confirmed.

Deputies said they spent several hours attempting to communicate with the suspect and persuade him to surrender peacefully. At some point during the response, deputies made contact with the individual and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.

They said Oakland Park Fire Rescue personnel transported the suspect to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment. No other injuries were reported.

Deputies later conducted safety sweeps to ensure residents could safely return to their homes.

A neighbor told Local 10 that she noticed that something wasn’t right the night before.

“He was literally unloading his entire apartment into the bulk trash at 12 o’clock, and I was like, ‘That’s kind of weird,’” said Alana Pruitt, who was evacuated from her home. “And this morning, I heard him screaming, which woke me up. I walked outside, and he was emptying his house out. I guess, basically, he threatened my neighbor with a knife, and here we are.”

Nathaniel Peer, another resident who was evacuated, said the situation quickly escalated as information about the suspect spread among neighbors.

“I heard knife ... then he talked about threatening with a gun. Then he said, ‘I had a bomb.’ I don’t know, it was just kind of crazy,” Peer said. “My mom came from work. As soon as she got here, there was an evacuation order, but I just got here as fast as I could.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. BSO’s Internal Affairs Unit will also conduct an internal investigation.

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Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said crews responded to the scene at 28790 SW 217th Ave., where they found the aircraft overturned.

Greg Chin, the communications director for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, told Local 10 News that a student pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was not injured.

Chin said the plane flipped over after landing when the brakes were applied.

The incident comes one day after a separate small plane crash occurred on the campus of a psychiatric hospital near North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines.

Authorities said that plane was carrying two women who were pulled from the wreckage and transported to a nearby hospital as trauma alerts. No additional details on their identities or conditions have been released.

No other details about Saturday’s incident were immediately available.

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Funcionarios de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue informaron que las unidades respondieron al lugar, ubicado en el 28790 SW 217th Ave., donde encontraron la aeronave volcada.

Greg Chin, director de comunicaciones del Departamento de Aviación de Miami-Dade, dijo a Local 10 News que un estudiante piloto era el único ocupante de la aeronave y no resultó herido.

Chin explicó que la avioneta se volcó después de aterrizar cuando se aplicaron los frenos.

El incidente ocurre un día después de que otra avioneta se estrellara en los terrenos de un hospital psiquiátrico cerca del Aeropuerto North Perry en Pembroke Pines.

Las autoridades informaron que esa aeronave transportaba a dos mujeres, quienes fueron rescatadas de los restos y trasladadas a un hospital cercano como pacientes de trauma. No se han divulgado más detalles sobre sus identidades ni sobre su condición.

No hubo más detalles disponibles de inmediato sobre el incidente del sábado.

The Gambia-flagged cargo ship Lian Star ignored more than 20 warnings from U.S. forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, the military said. The ship remained adrift in the Gulf of Oman and U.S. forces have not boarded it, said a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

With the latest action, U.S. military has stopped six ships trying to breach the blockade. One was allowed to proceed. Another 116 ships have been redirected, the military said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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HSBC’s Cherie Wachter on Saturday said Hunter weighs about 23 to 24 pounds and still has some growing to do, likely reaching around 40 to 45 pounds.

She says his short legs suggest he may have some basset hound in him, meaning he’ll get a bit bigger — but not much taller.

Wachter describes Hunter as a sweet, energetic pup who loves toys and attention, but says he is still learning. Like many puppies, he will need training and appropriate chew toys. He also appears to be a bit nervous on walks when loud vehicles pass by, but builds confidence in quieter settings.

She adds that Hunter may do well in a home with another playful dog, though he could be unsure around cats.

Also available for adoption is a 7-month-old rabbit named Cinnamon, who is already neutered and ready for a home. Staff say rabbits require daily exercise, Timothy hay for digestion, and fresh greens. Some rabbits can even be litter trained.

Those interested in adopting a pet can fill out a pre-adoption application at humanebroward.com. Adoption kennels open at 11 a.m.

Cherie Wachter, de la HSBC, dijo el sábado que Hunter pesa entre 23 y 24 libras y todavía tiene algo de crecimiento por delante, por lo que probablemente alcanzará entre 40 y 45 libras.

Explicó que sus patas cortas sugieren que podría tener algo de basset hound en su mezcla, lo que significa que crecerá un poco más, pero no será mucho más alto.

Wachter describe a Hunter como un cachorro dulce y enérgico que ama los juguetes y la atención, pero señala que todavía está aprendiendo. Como muchos cachorros, necesitará entrenamiento y juguetes adecuados para morder. También parece ponerse un poco nervioso durante los paseos cuando pasan vehículos ruidosos, aunque gana confianza en entornos más tranquilos.

Agregó que Hunter podría adaptarse bien a un hogar con otro perro juguetón, aunque podría mostrarse inseguro alrededor de los gatos.

También está disponible para adopción un conejo de 7 meses llamado Cinnamon, que ya está esterilizado y listo para encontrar un hogar. El personal indicó que los conejos requieren ejercicio diario, heno Timothy para la digestión y vegetales frescos. Algunos conejos incluso pueden aprender a usar una caja de arena.

Las personas interesadas en adoptar una mascota pueden completar una solicitud de preadopción en humanebroward.com. Las áreas de adopción abren a las 11 a.m.

La Fuerza de Defensa de Guyana indicó en un comunicado que una lancha patrulla en el río Cuyuní fue atacada a tiros el viernes por la noche.

Venezuela denunció a través de un comunicado de cancillería “la nueva operación de manipulación promovida por el gobierno de la República Cooperativa de Guyana, orientada a fabricar una narrativa falsa de conflicto mediante la difusión irresponsable de supuestos incidentes armados ocurridos en algunos segmentos del río Cuyuní, sin presentar una sola evidencia verificable que sustente sus acusaciones contra Venezuela”.

Las “autoridades guyanesas pretenden construir escenarios artificiales de tensión y promover operaciones de falsa bandera con el objetivo de victimizarse, desacreditar a Venezuela”, añadió.

Se trata del más reciente de varios enfrentamientos sangrientos en los últimos años, mientras las tensiones se mantienen altas por la reclamación de Venezuela sobre el Esequibo, un territorio que conforma dos tercios de la superficie de Guyana. Un ataque previo dejó heridos a ocho soldados guyaneses.

Los dos países comparecieron a principios de este mes ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia en La Haya para presentar argumentos en una disputa por el Esequibo, un territorio de 160.000 kilómetros cuadrados (62.000 millas cuadradas) rico en oro, diamantes, madera y otros recursos naturales. También se ubica cerca de enormes yacimientos petroleros mar adentro que actualmente producen un promedio de 900.000 barriles al día.

La presidenta interina de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, ha dicho a los jueces en La Haya que la disputa centenaria se resolverá mediante negociaciones políticas y no un fallo judicial.

Venezuela considera que el Esequibo es su territorio porque la región estaba dentro de sus límites durante el periodo colonial. Sostiene que un acuerdo de Ginebra de 1966 entre Venezuela, Gran Bretaña y la entonces Guayana Británica, hoy Guyana, anuló una frontera trazada en 1899 por árbitros internacionales.

___________________________________

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

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

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

Mitchell had been the starter that replaces Williams in the lineup, until he too got hurt. Oklahoma City has been starting Jared McCain in that spot since, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren. They went to Cason Wallace as the starter for Game 7, with McCain off the bench.

The Spurs reported no injuries going into Game 7.

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

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

La ceremonia designará oficialmente la Northwest 206th Terrace, entre la 45th Avenue y la 47th Avenue, como Frederica S. Wilson Boulevard. La vía se encuentra junto a la escuela primaria Dr. Frederica S. Wilson/Skyway Elementary School, un campus que ya lleva el nombre de la congresista demócrata.

Se espera que Wilson, quien representa al Distrito Congresional 24 de Florida, asista al evento junto al concejal de Miami Gardens Reggie Leon, funcionarios electos locales, educadores, estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad.

Los líderes de la ciudad afirman que el nombramiento de la calle reconoce el compromiso de larga trayectoria de Wilson con el servicio público, la educación y el empoderamiento de los jóvenes en todo el sur de Florida.

El programa incluirá comentarios de funcionarios electos y líderes comunitarios, seguidos por la develación ceremonial del nuevo letrero de la calle.

Estudiantes y educadores de la escuela Dr. Frederica S. Wilson/Skyway Elementary School también participarán en oportunidades fotográficas conmemorativas para celebrar la ocasión.

Wilson ha construido una reputación como defensora de la educación a lo largo de su carrera, desempeñándose como educadora, directora escolar, legisladora estatal y miembro del Congreso. Su labor se ha enfocado en ampliar las oportunidades educativas y apoyar a los niños y familias en todo el condado Miami-Dade.

El evento está programado para comenzar a las 10 a.m. del viernes.

Los registros carcelarios en línea muestran que Basil Billings, de 63 años, enfrenta cargos por delito contra estudiante por figura de autoridad y tocamiento lascivo de ciertos menores.

Billings figura en el sitio web del Distrito Escolar Público del Condado Broward como maestro de lectura en Dillard High School en Fort Lauderdale.

La policía informó que la víctima es un estudiante de 16 o 17 años.

Local 10 News se comunicó con las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Broward para saber si se ha tomado alguna medida contra Billings.

También hemos solicitado su informe de arresto.

Billings compareció ante la corte la mañana de este viernes, donde un juez fijó su fianza en $35,000 USD y ordenó que no tenga contacto con la víctima ni con ningún menor, además de mantenerse alejado de todas las escuelas.

Vea Local 10 News o actualice esta página para obtener información actualizada.

Funcionarios informaron el sábado que el refugio actualmente tiene más perros bajo su cuidado que espacios disponibles en las perreras y están instando al público a ayudar mediante adopciones, hogares temporales o asistencia para reunir mascotas perdidas con sus dueños. Actualmente, las tarifas de adopción han sido eliminadas, aunque las tarifas de registro de mascotas siguen aplicando.

“Code Home sigue activo porque cada perrera y cada acto de apoyo importan”, dijo el director de Animal Care, Doug Brightwell. Señaló que la agencia, como refugio de admisión abierta, continúa brindando servicios críticos mientras maneja la sobrepoblación, incluidas investigaciones por crueldad y negligencia animal, casos de perros peligrosos y respuestas relacionadas con la seguridad pública.

Funcionarios de Animal Care están alentando a los residentes a adoptar mascotas para crear espacio, ofrecer hogares temporales para brindar alivio temporal y verificar si hay mascotas perdidas para ayudar a reunirlas con sus propietarios.

Más información y una lista de animales disponibles pueden encontrarse en Broward.org/Animal.

Sky 10 sobrevoló la escena alrededor de las 11:45 a.m. y observó la aeronave volcada en el campus del South Florida State Hospital, ubicado en 800 E. Cypress Drive.

La policía de Pembroke Pines informó que todos los ocupantes de la avioneta están conscientes y respirando, y que no se han reportado lesiones adicionales. No se espera que el tráfico se vea afectado en el área.

Las autoridades aún no han divulgado detalles adicionales sobre la aeronave ni sobre las circunstancias que rodearon el accidente.

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Health experts recommend exercising regularly, maintaining a skincare routine and prioritizing sleep, but some are asking whether attitude and mindset may play an even bigger role in staying youthful.

Supporters of that idea say a positive outlook, deep breathing and living in the moment can be just as important as traditional self-care habits.

Others agree that rest should not be sacrificed for constant activity.

Local 10 wants to know: Does mindset or lifestyle matter more when it comes to staying young?

Let us know in the comment section below.

Los expertos en salud recomiendan hacer ejercicio regularmente, mantener una rutina de cuidado de la piel y priorizar el sueño, pero algunos se preguntan si la actitud y la mentalidad podrían desempeñar un papel aún más importante para mantenerse joven.

Los defensores de esa idea afirman que una perspectiva positiva, la respiración profunda y vivir el momento pueden ser tan importantes como los hábitos tradicionales de autocuidado.

Otros coinciden en que el descanso no debe sacrificarse por mantenerse constantemente activo.

Local 10 quiere saber: ¿Qué influye más para mantenerse joven, la mentalidad o el estilo de vida?

Déjenos saber su opinión en la sección de comentarios.

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According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna 172P crashed around 11:30 a.m. after departing from North Perry Airport.

Authorities said the plane, registered as N96100, was carrying two women who were pulled out and then transported to a nearby hospital as trauma alerts.

Sky 10 flew over the scene around 11:45 a.m. and observed the plane overturned on the grounds of the South Florida State Hospital campus near 800 E. Cypress Drive.

Pembroke Pines police said all occupants were conscious and breathing following the crash, and no additional injuries were reported. Authorities said traffic in the area is not expected to be affected.

“It’s a good thing for that because it was headed right for a building where patients receiving mental health and medical care live,” said Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo.

Castillo said the small plane experienced engine failure before striking a tree and overturning near an empty retention pond on the hospital campus.

Records show the aircraft is registered to Blue Sky Aviation, a South Florida-based flight training company. It is operated by Pembroke Pines Commissioner Jay Schwartz.

“These kind of occurrences are happening over and over and over and I’ve had it,” Castillo added. ”The residents of the city of Pembroke Pines have had it, and so I’m calling on Broward County to do what they have to do.”

Schwartz did not immediately respond to Local 10 News request for comment. A spokesperson for the airport says earlier this month, it passed an annual inspection with zero discrepancies.

The mangled plane was towed from the scene on Saturday morning as authorities continue to investigate.

Local 10 has covered dozens of crashes in recent yers involving planes going to and from North Perry airport, which houses multiple flight schools.

Some have crashed into neighborhoods.

“In the last five years, we’ve had over 35 accidents with aircraft taking off from North Perry Airport,” said attorney Zach Gorwitz. “What could be hte root of the problem with the amount of the crashes that we’re seeing at North Perry is the volume of flights taking off form this airport.”

The airport plans to work with authorities as they conduct the investigation.

“We’re calling on Broward County to do what they have to do to make this place safe,” he said. “If they can’t make it safe then they need to close it the hell down and go put it somewhere else where those planes don’t threaten people.”

A Broward County spokesperson said the county is cooperating with investigators, adding that “while the county will not speculate as to the cause or causes of this accident, we will be cooperating with authorities as they conduct their investigation.”

5 p.m. report

12:30 p.m. report

Noon report

11:45 a.m. breaking news report

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Officials on Saturday said the shelter currently has more dogs in its care than available kennels and is urging the public to help by adopting, fostering, or assisting with reunification of lost pets. Adoption fees are currently being waived, though pet registration fees still apply.

“Code Home remains active because every kennel and every act of support matters,” said Animal Care Director Doug Brightwell. He said the agency, as an open-admission shelter, continues to provide critical services while managing the overflow, including cruelty and neglect investigations, dangerous dog cases, and public safety responses.

Animal Care officials are encouraging residents to adopt pets to create space, foster animals to provide temporary relief, and check for lost pets to help reunite them with their owners.

More information and a list of available animals can be found at Broward.org/Animal.

Poco antes de las 6 p.m., el Centro Regional de Comunicaciones del Condado Broward recibió un reporte sobre un hombre armado con un cuchillo en la cuadra 800 de West Oakland Park Boulevard.

Agentes de la BSO y personal de Oakland Park Fire Rescue respondieron al lugar. Las autoridades dijeron que el sospechoso se refugió en un apartamento y se atrincheró en el interior.

Como medida de precaución, los apartamentos cercanos fueron evacuados. Las unidades K-9, SWAT y de Crímenes Violentos de la BSO también respondieron al incidente, confirmaron las autoridades.

Los agentes dijeron que pasaron varias horas intentando comunicarse con el sospechoso y persuadirlo para que se entregara pacíficamente. En algún momento durante la respuesta, los agentes tuvieron contacto con el individuo y ocurrió una balacera con participación de un agente.

Las autoridades informaron que personal de Oakland Park Fire Rescue trasladó al sospechoso al Broward Health Medical Center para recibir tratamiento. No se reportaron otras personas heridas.

Posteriormente, los agentes realizaron inspecciones de seguridad para garantizar que los residentes pudieran regresar de forma segura a sus hogares.

Una vecina dijo a Local 10 que notó que algo no estaba bien la noche anterior.

“Literalmente estaba sacando todo lo que tenía en su apartamento y tirándolo a la basura a las 12 de la noche, y pensé: ‘Eso es bastante extraño’”, dijo Alana Pruitt, quien fue evacuada de su vivienda. “Y esta mañana lo escuché gritar, lo que me despertó. Salí afuera y estaba vaciando su casa. Supongo que, básicamente, amenazó a mi vecino con un cuchillo, y aquí estamos”.

Nathaniel Peer, otro residente que fue evacuado, dijo que la situación escaló rápidamente a medida que la información sobre el sospechoso se difundía entre los vecinos.

“Escuché que había un cuchillo, luego hablaron de amenazas con un arma de fuego. Después dijo: ‘Tengo una bomba’. No sé, todo fue una locura”, dijo Peer. “Mi mamá venía del trabajo. Tan pronto llegó aquí, emitieron la orden de evacuación, pero yo vine lo más rápido que pude”.

El Departamento de Cumplimiento de la Ley de Florida investiga las circunstancias relacionadas con la balacera. La Unidad de Asuntos Internos de la BSO también realizará una investigación interna.

La investigación continúa activa y en curso.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘We're expecting him back here soon’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I hope he’s not sick,” he said.

What if Kean steps down?

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

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

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

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

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

Democrats are waiting in the wings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Push for accountability scrambled political lines

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

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

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

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

Different continents, different standards?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will survivors be heard?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rioters seek compensation payouts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fund faces legal and political challenges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rioters emboldened by Trump's Jan. 6 recasting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ukraine did not immediately comment on the incident.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How to tell if postpartum sadness is more than baby blues

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

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

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

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

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

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

Signs of postpartum depression to watch out for

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

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

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

They may even have thoughts of harming themselves.

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

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

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

Postpartum depression can be treated effectively

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

___

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Online jail records show Basil Billings, 63, faces charges of offense against student by authority figure and lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors.

Billings is listed on the Broward County Public School District’s website as a reading teacher at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale.

According to a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Billings was arrested “as result of an investigation into a series of incidents with a student at Dillard High School.”

The spokeswoman said in an email to Local 10 News that Billings “attempted to have an inappropriate relationship with a student, including inappropriate comments, notes, and physical touching.”

She said he was taken into custody Thursday at a Broward County Public Schools Administration office.

Billings’ arrest report states that the female was 16-year-old student when the inappropriate contact began in October 2025.

It states that Billings “squeezed the victim’s body against his body,” then “released the victim from his over aggressive hug” and when he did so, he “used his hand and intentionally grabbed her breast for a few seconds.”

On Jan. 7, Billings passed a note to the victim telling her to stay after class, and after class was over, he “made her take his cellphone number” so that he could save her number but she never did, according to investigators.

Dillard High School student Javious Tafari told Local 10 News that he was shocked to hear about the allegations.

“Just shocked, surprised,“ he said. ”Never really thought he (Billings) would be arrested for that or arrested in general.”

While students expressed shock and disgust over the allegations, records indicate Billings has no prior arrests. The school district’s website identifies him as a reading teacher at Dillard High School, where he has worked since 2004.

Billings appeared in court Friday morning where a judge set his bond at $35,000 and ordered that he not have any contact with the victim or any minors and to stay away from all schools.

“Broward County Public Schools takes all matters involving student safety seriously and is deeply disturbed by the allegations involving this individual,” the school district said in a statement to Local 10 News. “On May 1, 2026, Basil Billings was placed on administrative reassignment away from the school and students, due to the ongoing investigation. The District will take all appropriate future actions, up to and including termination, based on the outcome of the case.

“Broward County Public Schools continues to work closely with law enforcement regarding this matter and defers to Fort Lauderdale Police for any additional information.”

He didn’t have anything to say to Local 10’s Samiar Nefzi after he was released from jail on a $35,000 bond.

A judge ordered Billings to stay away from the victim and any school.

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More cloud cover on Saturday will limit instability and keep rain chances around 40%, as there won’t be as much sunshine to fuel storm development. On Sunday, however, less cloud cover will allow for greater instability, increasing rain chances to 50% or higher during the afternoon and evening hours.

A typical rainy-season pattern remains in place Monday, with mainly afternoon thunderstorms expected. Rain coverage is forecast to increase Tuesday and Wednesday as a disturbance moves south down the Florida Peninsula.

There is some hope for drier weather later next week, but confidence remains low due to continued uncertainty in the forecast.

The bottom line: If you have outdoor plans, the morning and midday hours look favorable, with the best chances for storms arriving later in the day. Be sure to stay hydrated and take breaks in air-conditioned spaces when possible. High temperatures will reach the lower 90s this weekend, with the humidity making it feel even hotter.

Recipe from: simplyrecipes.com/orange-creamsicle-icebox-cake-recipe-11747093

For the cake:

one recipe prepared creamsicle pudding (recipe below)

1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 sleeve graham crackers (9 to 10 full crackers)

orange slices for garnish, optional

For the creamsicle pudding:

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg yolk, slightly beaten and set aside

¾ cup milk

¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate

zest from half an orange

1 ½ teaspoons butter

Equipment:

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook, constantly stirring over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce the heat and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Temper the hot liquid into the egg yolk by adding a little of the hot milk into the bowl with the egg yolk and stirring constantly so as not to cook the yolk. Pour the yolk and milk mixture back into the pan while whisking and return to medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and add in the butter, orange juice concentrate and orange zest. Cook for 1 additional minute while stirring, then remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap over the pudding touching the service to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely in the refrigerator before using.

Prepare the pan:

Line the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.

Make the cream cheese layer:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer fitted with beater attachments, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together and mix until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Assemble the cake:

Place a layer of graham crackers on the bottom of the prepared pan, breaking them to fit if necessary. Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture over the graham crackers, followed by half of the orange pudding mixture. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers, 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture, and the remaining orange pudding mixture. Finish with a final layer of graham crackers and the remaining cream cheese mixture on top.

Chill the cake:

Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the cake to set.

Unmold and serve the cake:

To serve, remove the cake from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to thaw slightly. Then carefully remove the plastic wrap and invert the loaf pan onto a serving platter. Remove the pan and garnish the cake with the orange slices, if desired. Slice and serve cold.

Recipe from: olivemagazine.com/recipes/baking-and-desserts/crunchy-nut-and-milk-chocolate-tart/

For the tart base:

75 grams milk chocolate

75 grams dark chocolate

50 grams unsalted butter

150 grams cornflakes cereal, crushed with your hands into smaller pieces

30 grams roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped

For the tart filling:

4 tablespoons dark roast peanut butter

3 tablespoons salted caramel spread or sauce, purchased or homemade

7 tablespoons heavy cream

200 grams of milk chocolate, chopped

Equipment:

9-inch tart pan

To make the base, combine the chocolates and butter in a bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt the chocolate. Stir together until smooth. Add the cornflakes and peanuts, and mix well, continuing to crush the cornflakes as you mix them. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch tart pan. Form the bottom of sides of the base, using the back of a spoon or a measuring cup to help form an even layer on the bottom and push the mixture up the sides of the tart pan. Chill for 1 hour or until solid.

Gently warm the peanut butter on the stove or in a microwave safe bowl to help make it spreadable. Spread the peanut butter over the base. Chill for a few minutes to help set the peanut butter. Warm the caramel (you can use the same pan or bowl you used for the peanut butter. Spoon the caramel over the peanut butter layer. Chill again while you make the ganache filling.

Heat the cream in a clean pan until just simmering then pour over the milk chocolate in a bowl and stir until smooth. Leave to cool a little then spoon into the tart case. Chill for 2-3 hours or until solid, then serve in thin slices.

Our Favorite Salty Caramel Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

¾ cup heavy cream

3½ tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.

2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed and patted dry

4 cups heavy cream

2-3 tablespoons strawberry syrup, recipe below

2-3 tablespoons strawberry powder or freeze-dried strawberries, ground into a pound and sifted (OPTIONAL)

2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar, if desired

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Goya Maria cookies or your favorite vanilla cookie

freeze dried berries for garnish, if desired

springform pan

piping bag, if desired

Make and cool the strawberry syrup:

Line the bottom and sides of a springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Hull the strawberries and cut them into ¼-inch thick slices.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry syrup and 2-3 tablespoons strawberry powder, if desired, for more strawberry color and flavor. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until medium-firm peaks form. Taste for sweetness, add powdered sugar to taste if desired. Transfer the strawberry whipped cream to a piping bag, if using.

Spread or pipe a thin layer of whipped cream down into the bottom of the pan. Top the whipped cream with a slight overlapping layer of cookies. Top the cookies with another thin layer of cream then a layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the springform pan. Finish with a layer of cream on top. You can place a round of parchment paper over the final layer of cream and use an offset spatula to gently smooth out the cream.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the cookies have softened completely. Carefully remove the cake from the springform pan and remove the parchment paper, serve immediately.

For the strawberry syrup:

8 ounces strawberries, stems removed and sliced

¾ cup water

¾ cup granulated sugar

Combine the strawberries, water, and sugar in a saucepan set over medium high heat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until the liquid is deeply red and the strawberries are soft.

Strain the strawberries out from the simple syrup and discard. Chill the strawberry simple syrup in the refrigerator until cold.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The link between wild meat and Ebola

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A need for education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

___

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

___

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

___

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turek says he can win independents and GOP voters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wahls says he will stand up to leadership in both parties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Iowa will be a tough win for either Democrat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra has called for “hot competence summer" in his bid for governor, promoting his decades of public service as evidence he has what it takes to lead the nation’s most populous state.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is vying for reelection against critics who question her leadership of the nation’s second-largest city, and had several stops planned Saturday to try and pull ahead of her competitors.

Those include Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican who gained a name on the reality TV show “The Hills," and Nithya Raman, a progressive city councilmember. The race is officially nonpartisan.

Candidates for governor make their final pitch

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

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

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

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

Hilton has been selling himself as someone who would bring a fresh set of eyes to state government, reduce regulations, and bring down housing and energy costs. In a social media video posted Saturday night, Hilton warned Republican votes to unite behind him or risk a “doomsday scenario” of losing a spot in the general election. He urged Bianco to suspend his campaign in the race's final days.

“If we don't get together as a party, if we don't unite, then we could have Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra in the general election and that is a disaster for California — it means no change,” Hilton said.

He's pushed a message he has said is not ideological but commonsense, with a focus on cutting prices. Hilton held a town hall Silicon Valley on Saturday night. Hilton has been cautious not to emphasize Trump’s endorsement. If he advances to the November election, he will need to appeal to voters outside his party to win in the Democrat-dominated state that hasn’t had a Republican governor since 2011.

Steyer is a billionaire who, on X Saturday, said he's the “only candidate who would support the billionaire tax in November." The candidate has framed the race as a contest between three candidates: himself, Hilton and Becerra. Steyer has described Hilton as “a hard-right Republican who’s endorsed by Donald Trump.”

Steyer on Saturday focused several social media posts on Becerra, repeating an argument he recently told a crowd of supporters at a sports bar in Berkeley. Becerra, “to my surprise, is a corporate Democrat," he said, referencing Becerra's acceptance of campaign contributions from Chevron.

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

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

Mahan, meanwhile, mingled with voters in Los Angeles, Porter motivated campaign volunteers in Orange County, and Bianco will laid out his vision at a church in San Jose. He didn't immediately respond to Hilton's social media plea for him to exit the race.

“Knock loud, be proud," Porter urged her supporters as they set out to encourage voters to turn in their ballots.

Los Angeles' mayoral candidates jostle to get the final words in

Bass is pursuing her second term after a tumultuous first, which included devastating wildfires and a rebuilding process that critics say is too slow.

The mayor has focused her reelection on the progress that has been made, such a decrease in street homelessness, which she leaned into on a livestream on Instagram Saturday before going after her opponent, Pratt.

“You have a failed reality TV star who wants to be famous,” she told two actresses on the livestream, before seemingly referencing President Donald Trump. “We know what it means if you put somebody who is a reality TV star in a seat of power.”

Pratt, who loss of his home in the wildfires became central to his campaign against Bass, is running a buzzy, social media driven campaign with populist messaging with promises to rid the city of disorder and dysfunction. On Saturday on X, Pratt threw out a few attacks at Raman, the city councilwoman, who both Pratt and Bass have, in different ways, tried to paint as too progressive.

Raman's campaign is partly focused on affordability and infrastructure. Both Raman and Pratt have attacked Bass for her response to the wildfires, though their recent posts have been directed at each other.

In a video posted to Instagram Saturday, Raman cited a recent poll. “After millions of dollars of spending against us, we are still here and we are still competitive," she said, before asking people to vote ahead of Tuesday.

A November runoff appears likely because there are more than a dozen names on the ballot.

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

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

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

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

Shock in heavily Chinese community

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feds crack down on Chinese espionage

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beijing seeks influence overseas

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

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

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

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

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

Some fear political repercussions for Asian Americans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Russia seeks high-end research, defense technology and software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Intelligence officials say Russia cares less about getting caught

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

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

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

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

Problems are mounting for Russia's economy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But that does not mean there will be political change.

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

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

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

The chemical disaster, one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in recent decades, has struck at the heart of a community where generations of families have worked in local mills. Authorities announced Saturday that they recovered and identified the last of the victims from the site.

Longview itself was founded by a timber baron to support the first mills established there, and over its roughly century-long history, residents’ lives have become intertwined with the lumber and paper industries.

Supporting victims and worrying about the future

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

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

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

Residents who spoke with The Associated Press similarly highlighted how important those jobs are for the city.

”If you’re a waitress, a grocery store worker, a teacher, a paraeducator as I was for 30 years — every walk of life here knows somebody and is related to somebody from these mills,” Cindy Stiebritz said in the antiques store where she volunteers.

Generations in the mills

Stiebritz said her husband’s parents met while working at the lumber company owned by the city’s founder, Robert A. Long.

“Those mills, that is the backbone of this town,” Stiebritz added. “You feel like you’ve lost part of your family.”

Longview’s industrial zone lies along the Columbia River and hosts timber, paper and chemical businesses. Many residents in the city of nearly 40,000 can see the facilities or the steam from the boilers from their homes, or smell the sulfuric odor of the pulp and paper industry.

The city’s mill history is also imprinted on its downtown, where R. A. Long Square serves as a central landmark and gathering place, including for the vigil held after the disaster. A park around a man-made lake, another project of Long, features a burst of greenery where pedestrians enjoy its walking paths or the nearby tree-lined streets.

Authorities said the cause of the tank's collapse is still under investigation. The facility, which dates to 1953 and employs about 1,000 people, makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other goods.

According to fundraisers organized for the victims’ families, those who lost their lives include a grandfather who was always willing to help anyone; two brothers, one of whom was the sole provider for his partner and three children; and a husband who left behind two children and a wife with a baby on the way.

Brianna Pesio, a server at the Mill City Grill downtown, said her father has worked at the plant for over 30 years. She described the fear Tuesday morning when her brother, who works at the lumber mill next door, told her he couldn’t get a hold of him.

“I just didn’t know if I lost my dad or not,” said Pesio, whose husband also works in a paper mill. “I drove over to my dad’s house and pounded on his door until he did wake up. He had just gotten off shift at 5 a.m.”

At the nearby Country Folks Deli, longtime server Gayle Leavitt said her in-laws also worked at the mill for decades, adding: “That’s how this town has survived.”

‘This is not the virtual world’

Officials representing the area echoed the pride residents take in the mills and the economic importance of their good-paying jobs in a region where other areas have been hit hard by the decline of the timber industry.

“This is a place where real people make real things. This is not the virtual world,” state Rep. Jim Walsh said at a news conference at the plant on Tuesday. “Real things and real industry always carries risks. But it’s our job to make sure that risk like this is well managed and, to the extent it can be, controlled.”

Stiebritz, the antiques shop volunteer, said she hopes authorities find out the cause “so it never happens again.”

“If anything comes out of it, I hope lives can be saved,” she said, tearing up as she thought of the children who have lost their parents.

“This town is family. It’s one big family,” she added. “But we’ll make it though. We’re strong. We’ve got a lot of love.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US praises countries that spent more on defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UK, US and Australia announce new undersea drone initiative

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

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

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

A report from Dr. Sean Barbabella, released late Friday, says Trump underwent a CT scan and other heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists.

Trump, 79, said after the three-hour visit Tuesday that everything checked out “PERFECTLY.”

The president weighed in at 238 pounds (108 kilograms), up 14 pounds (6 kg) from a medical exam in April 2025. His doctors gave him guidance on his diet, physical activity and weight loss, but concluded his “cognitive and physical performance are excellent.”

With his 6-foot, 3-inch (1.9-meter) frame, Trump has a body mass index of 29.7. An index of 30 is considered by doctors to be obese.

The report also documented bruising on Trump’s hands, explained as “minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking,” and said it was “a common and benign effect of aspirin therapy." Among the recommendations was a switch to low-dose aspirin.

Last year the White House said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a fairly common condition for older adults that causes blood to pool in the president's legs. The report from his latest exam noted “slight lower leg swelling” but said there was “improvement from last year."

His doctor reported nothing abnormal, saying Trump demonstrated strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall health.

“His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements, and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being,” Barbabella wrote.

Trump was again given the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment. Trump’s doctors reported he scored 30 out of 30, the same that was reported last year and in 2018.

His cholesterol levels have improved significantly with the help of medication. Trump's total cholesterol came in at 143, down from 223 in 2018. It had been down to 140 last April. He takes rosuvastatin to help lower his bad cholesterol, known as LDL, and to raise his good cholesterol, or HDL. He also takes ezetimibe to help lower his LDL.

The exam, which Trump described as a six-month physical, was his fourth publicly disclosed medical exam since he returned to office for a second term. It comes as he tries to project strength ahead of midterm elections.

Past administrations have also released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public a glimpse at the commander in chief’s health.

But there is no law requiring presidents to disclose their full health records, and the degree of transparency has varied by administration. Trump’s past reports have been criticized for offering scant detail and for providing statistics that some medical experts have viewed with skepticism.

Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. president. His immediate predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race because of widespread concerns he was too old for the job.

Trump has tried to fight off public concern over his age and stamina. He often appears with makeup covering bruises on his hands, and photographs have shown the president with swollen feet, ankles and calves.

He has recently talked about how good he feels, even as he jokes about his fondness for fast food and his minimal exercise beyond frequent golf outings. At recent public appearances, Trump has said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago.

Three years later, Tarver’s murder during a shooting on March 19, 2023, in South Beach, resurfaced in a 92-page affidavit about a gang in western Palm Beach County’s Belle Glade, an agricultural town.

On June 29, 2024, Danny Tarver shared “Paint the City Red,” a rap song about grief on YouTube that included a picture of a vigil in honor of Dan’Vonte Tarver, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office deputy’s affidavit.

“The majority of the subjects in the pictures are wearing black and red clothing, along with masks and face coverings,” a PBSO deputy wrote, according to the affidavit. “Several of the subjects are displaying the Nawf Way gang’s hand sign.”

During a news conference on Thursday, PBSO Capt. Michael Ott said the Four Way crew had started in 2020 in the area of Northwest 11th Street, and in a few years, it had grown into the Nawf Way gang.

The PBSO deputies’ affidavit also included the murder of 15-year-old Xavier Hatcher during a shooting on Oct. 21, 2023, near Glade View Elementary School in Belle Glade. The South Beach murder was solved, a felon was arrested, and he was awaiting trial without bond. Xavier’s murder remained unsolved.

The affidavit mentioned the gang’s rivalry in the Belle Glade area included the Skutta Green Team, Only the Zoe’s, Family Over Bulls--t, and the 1700.

“There are other gangs in our western community, but this one was significant,” Ott said about the aim to arrest Nawf Way gang’s members.

During the news conference, Ott stood near a poster that included a picture of Danny Tarver, now 21, whose Instagram post taunting rivals and a “Bad Mood” rap song on YouTube also made it as evidence in the affidavit.

The poster also included 16 other pictures of Black men between the ages of 18 and 26, and listed two boys, ages 16 and 17. Sheriff Rick Bradshaw identified all 19 suspects arrested as “bad guys.”

Ott said deputies also arrested a 20th suspect, but he wasn’t included in the poster, because it was after PBSO staff had printed it for the news conference.

Ott, of the PBSO’s violent crimes division, said the gang was linked to drug trafficking, over 100 firearms, more than 60 shootings, homicides, burglaries, and robberies.

“They think they own the streets, they don’t own the streets,” Bradshaw said. “The community owns the streets.”

Several PBSO units worked with the FBI and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, as they arrested gang members, also known in local streets as “The Sharks,” according to Ott.

“This has been a one-year enforcement initiative aimed at dismantling this gang’s enterprise,” Ott said about PBSO’s “Operation Shark Bait.”

Ott said law enforcement teams had executed 13 search warrants, including 10 on May 21 in Lake Park, Riviera Beach, and LaBelle.

“We recovered seven additional firearms,” Ott said, and he added, deputies also seized “approximately $10,000 in currency, large amounts of trafficking weight narcotics, to include fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.”

Ott estimated the Nawf Way gang has about 50 members. Bradshaw said he had a message for the “bad guys” who haven’t been arrested.

“It’s not a matter of if, we’re going to get you! It’s a matter of when because we have a room reserved for you right back here at my hotel,” Bradshaw said.

The poster listed Danny Tarver, also known as “DT,” and 12 other suspects who faced charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

According to inmate records, Tarver was booked on May 21, and he remained at the county’s Main Detention Center on Friday night. His bond was $2 million.

The list of 12 other RICO cases

Donnell Johnson, known as “Doo Doo Bug,” is 18.

Khanye Bullard, known as “K7,″ is 18.

Derrick Salter, known as D3,″ is 18.

Marterrius Jean, known as “Fat,” is 19.

Larryun Johnson, known as “Bay Bay,” is 21.

Devonta Ward, known as “YGD,” is 22.

Tavaris James, also known as “TJ,” is 22.

Trevanta Holton, known as “TJ,” is 23. Corrections booked him on May 21 at the Main Detention Center, and a judge set his bond at $2 million for the RICO charges and $5,000 for a charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Eddie Holland, known as “Reyo,” is 24. Corrections booked him on May 22 at the Main Detention Center, and a judge set his bond at $2 million.

Daequan Kennedy, known as “Tony Hawk,” is 24.

Devonte McKay, known as “YG,” is 25.

Anthony Bradley, known as “YB,” is 26.

The list of related cases

An unidentified 16-year-old boy faced a charge of possession of ammunition by a delinquent.

An unidentified 17-year-old boy faced a charge of possession of a firearm by a gang-related delinquent.

Jadarrious Tyler, known as “Baby J,” is 18. He was arrested on May 21 and faced charges of drug trafficking and marijuana possession.

Rashad Miller, known as “Bear,” is 18. He was arrested on May 21 and faced a charge of unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon.

Joehanson Singleton, known as “PJ,” is 18. He faced a charge of possession of a firearm by a gang-related delinquent.

Kenneth Sistrunk, known as “Kenny,” is 24. He was arrested on May 21 and faced a charge of possession of a firearm by a gang-related felon.

PBSO did not release the identity of the 20th suspect arrested after the poster was printed.

Watch the news conference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From prompts to convincing demos

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

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

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

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

A bittersweet guitar duet

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

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

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

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

New possibilities and perils

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Show us what you can do’

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

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

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

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

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

En un mensaje en la red social X, Noboa apareció conciliador con el candidato Abelardo de la Espriella, con quien expresó “su voluntad de impulsar una lucha real y conjunta contra el narcoterrorismo”, por lo que anunció: “he dispuesto eliminar desde el 1 de junio la tasa de seguridad”.

De la Espriella representa al movimiento político Defensores de la Patria y figura entre los punteros de las encuestas.

El 31 de mayo, los colombianos acudirán a las urnas para elegir al sucesor del presidente de izquierda Gustavo Petro y decidirán entre la continuidad de la tendencia o dan un giro a otra corriente.

El mandatario ecuatoriano, quien ha mantenido fricciones y una tensa relación con Petro, no aclaró si mantendrá su decisión en caso de que gene las elecciones del domingo el candidato del oficialismo, Iván Cepeda.

Ni Petro ni funcionarios del gobierno colombiano han reaccionado de inmediato al anuncio de Noboa.

La disputa comercial entre Ecuador y Colombia surgió en enero cuando el presidente ecuatoriano impuso una denominada tasa de seguridad a las importaciones colombianas alegando la falta de control de su lado de la frontera y quejándose de una balanza comercial deficitaria en al menos 1.000 millones de dólares.

Dicha tasa comenzó en 30% y fue escalando al 50%, luego al 100%. Hace unos días Noboa había dicho, antes del reciente anuncio, que desde el 1 de junio se reduciría al 75%.

El gobierno de Petro, que ha negado el supuesto descuido de la frontera común, respondió con medidas recíprocas: aplicó tasas de hasta 75% a los productos ecuatorianos y prohibió la venta de energía a Ecuador.

Los permanentes roces derivaron en el llamado a los embajadores de ambos países.

La Comunidad Andina de Naciones dispuso hace poco a las dos naciones miembros eliminar los aranceles impuestos. Actualmente el organismo resuelve las apelaciones a dicha resolución.

Gremios productivos, principalmente de la zona fronteriza, han pedido la eliminación de las tasas que han afectado el fluido intercambio comercial bilateral y han puesto en jaque a transportistas, comerciantes y otros sectores económicos.

U.S. Southern Command announced the latest strike in the monthslong campaign against alleged drug boats traversing the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific with its usual language that the vessel was "engaged in narco-trafficking operations" and operated by a designated terrorist organization. It provided no evidence.

While the military's social media announcements always include video of the attacks, this appears to be the first with the footage in color instead of black and white. The video shows a small vessel floating in the ocean before it's hit and engulfed in a fireball. It cuts to what could be the boat in flames, surrounded by a large plume of parcels or some other objects spread around it in the water.

The attack puts the death toll at 202 people from the series of U.S. strikes that began in early September, with two other attacks announced Tuesday and Wednesday. The Trump administration has declared that the U.S. is at armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels, saying they are behind the flow of drugs into American communities.

U.S. Southern Command said in its post on X that the strike came at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the top U.S. commander in Latin America, who on Friday also met with Cuban military leaders near the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay.

An executive order from Trump directs federal agencies to align their policies behind the study, which recommended an overhaul long called for by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The study found that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines than many peer nations.

The Trump administration previously moved to narrow the number of recommended childhood vaccines in response to the report, but the move was blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts. The administration is appealing the decision.

The study recommends vaccinating all children against 11 diseases. Several others would be recommended only for high-risk groups or when doctors recommend them in what’s called “shared decision-making.” That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.

Trump's order adds weight behind the study at a time when the administration had appeared to be trying to shift focus away from Kennedy's more contentious vaccine policies and toward more mainstream topics like healthy eating.

The order directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the study and “take any appropriate steps” to update its vaccine recommendations. It says the CDC should “provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors" and directs agencies to make sure all actions, regulations and funding are aligned with the study.

The order adds that any changes should ensure that Americans retain their current access to vaccines.

States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration’s guidance on vaccines.

Trump directed HHS to carry out the study in December.

Kennedy is a longtime activist against vaccines and has sought ways to inject his skepticism about the shots into national guidance. Last year, he announced the CDC would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a move questions by public health experts who saw no new data to justify the change.

Last June, he fired a 17-member CDC vaccine advisory committee and later installed several of his own replacements, including multiple vaccine skeptics.

The January report found that vaccine recommendations for American children had increased in recent decades. It also highlighted countries where no vaccines are required to attend school.

The headliner is right-handed pitcher Eury Pérez, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right gracilis strain.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Pérez is expected to miss eight weeks, sidelining him until the final days of July.

Pérez was cruising through four scoreless innings in his May 27 start against the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out a season-high nine batters.

However, after stretching in the dugout to prepare for the fifth inning, he exited the game with the injury and had to be helped down the steps.

Miami also reinstated infielder Leo Jiménez from the seven-day injured list, recalled right-handed reliever Josh Ekness from Triple-A Jacksonville and optioned infielder Graham Pauley to Triple-A Jacksonville.

The Marlins (26-31) won’t return to loanDepot park until the June 5-7 weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The oil industry, meanwhile, said the program will still hinder efforts to bring down energy costs in the notoriously expensive state.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature last year reauthorized the state’s cap-and-trade program through 2045. The program sets a declining limit, or “cap,” on total greenhouse gas emissions in the state from major polluters. Companies must reduce their pollution, buy allowances from the state or other businesses, or fund projects aimed at offsetting their emissions. Similar programs exist across Europe and Asia, and California's system is linked with others in Quebec, Canada and Washington state.

Under the changes approved Friday, the state will now give away up to roughly $3.5 billion worth of allowances to companies — mostly manufacturers and oil refiners — for free if they build projects that help them reduce their emissions. State regulators said it is designed to ensure major businesses don’t leave the state, but environmentalists say it runs counter to the purpose of the program, which is aimed at incentivizing companies to reduce pollution so they can spend less on allowances. They also say it will mean there is less money to put toward programs designed to mitigate or reduce the impact of climate change.

California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez, formerly Newsom's chief climate adviser, says the changes will allow the state to remain a climate leader.

“Moving forward shows that we can be responsive to affordability concerns, new legislative direction, while also setting a clear signal for Californians, other states and global partners that we remain committed to driving long-term investments in clean energy jobs and reducing pollution in communities,” she said.

Changes to the program

California law requires the state to reduce its planet-warming emissions 40% and 85% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 2045, respectively. Supporters of cap and trade say it will help the state reach those goals.

Newsom signed laws aimed at better aligning the declining cap on emissions with the state’s climate targets; setting aside money generated by the program for various climate, housing and transit initiatives; and potentially boosting carbon-removal projects. The legislation also changed the name to “cap and invest” to emphasize its funding of climate programs.

But how to achieve those goals has been the subject of months of discussion by the air board and intense lobbying campaigns by both environmental groups and the oil industry. An initial proposal largely focused on aligning the program with the laws passed last year, but it was changed to focus more on trying to reduce the program's costs.

California leaders have faced increased pressure to center affordability when shaping climate policies after two oil refineries announced their plans to close in the last couple of years. The Democratic-led state has also grappled with federal challenges to its climate agenda, including a measure Republican President Donald Trump signed last year blocking a first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The newly approved updates also increase funding from allowance sales by $2 billion from 2027 through 2030 for a program providing utility bill credits to Californians and set aside about $800 million to help businesses participating in cap and trade limit the program’s costs on Californians.

Before the changes, about $4 billion the state received annually from allowance sales helped pay for climate-change mitigation, affordable housing and transportation projects through a pot of money called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

Newsom and state lawmakers decide which programs receive money from the fund, and last year they agreed to allocate $1 billion annually for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project.

The updates will likely halve annual revenues for the fund, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. That is largely because of the new incentive program for manufacturers and refiners, said Danny Cullenward, a climate economist who is critical of the changes, though board staff disagrees with that.

Intense debate over the updates

This week’s deliberations by air regulators stretched into a second day after hours of public comment in which climate advocates, legal experts and fossil fuel industry leaders debated the rules’ impacts on pollution and people’s pocketbooks, with many urging the board to delay its vote to bring the regulations more in line with state priorities.

Environmentalists, Democratic lawmakers and other critics of the changes say they hinder the state’s efforts to reduce planet-warming emissions. Cullenward said the new incentive program for manufacturers and refiners is untested and lacks sufficient guardrails to ensure it is not abused.

“The state is not on track for its climate goals,” he said at a media briefing Wednesday. “Cutting our climate funding does not help address consumer cost concerns, and it doesn’t accelerate emission reductions.”

The board agreed Friday to hold off on issuing allowances from the new incentive program until the agency’s executive officer takes a closer look at the program and reports back to the board with any proposed amendments.

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund cuts will deal a huge blow to wide-ranging programs benefiting communities across the state, said Michelle Pariset, director of legislative affairs for social justice law firm Public Advocates.

“These are investments that determine whether a student can afford to take transit to school, whether a senior can get to a doctor’s appointment, whether a family can live near reliable transportation instead of enduring long commutes and higher costs,” Pariset said at the Wednesday briefing.

Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association, meanwhile said the updates move the state in the right direction but fail to adequately address energy affordability concerns for the future.

“California refineries need long-term certainty to make the investments that keep energy reliable and affordable for consumers –- and right now, that certainty stops at 2030,” she said in a statement.

The changes will increase California’s reliance on oil imports to meet its energy needs, said Rock Zierman, CEO of the California Independent Petroleum Association.

“That means high GHG emissions, fewer jobs, more expensive gasoline, and lower tax revenue for schools, police, fire, and parks,” Zierman said in a statement, using an acronym for greenhouse gas.

Rivera, un líder del pueblo miskito —que desde hace décadas han estado enfrentados con el gobierno sandinista en el poder—, está encarcelado desde el 29 de septiembre de 2023, parte de una represión de años contra la disidencia. Su familia ha dicho que está preso por motivos políticos y que el gobierno no ha presentado cargos formales.

Al menos un puñado de presos han muerto bajo custodia del gobierno nicaragüense en los últimos años. Las autoridades han encarcelado a cientos de periodistas, activistas y opositores políticos.

El gobierno de Nicaragua indicó en enero que liberaría a algunos presos, luego de la presión que enfrentó a raíz de la operación militar de Estados Unidos para capturar al entonces presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Pero ha habido poca transparencia por parte del gobierno después del anuncio.

“Esta represión, violencia e inhumanidad es aborrecible”, publicó el viernes la Oficina de Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental en la red social X. “Reiteramos nuestro llamado a su liberación incondicional y a la de todos los presos políticos ahora”.

El gobierno de los copresidentes Daniel Ortega y su esposa Rosario Murillo publicó un informe el miércoles sobre la salud de Rivera, en el que indicó que su salud es “delicada”, se encuentra conectado a un respirador mecánico y presenta falla multiorgánica. En las fotos puede verse a Rivera demacrado, conectado a múltiples tubos en una cama de hospital.

Un comunicado del jueves de una coalición de grupos indígenas nicaragüenses criticó al gobierno por encarcelar a Rivera de manera arbitraria, y por “distorsionar la narrativa” al afirmar que ya tenía mala salud cuando fue detenido.

“Sabemos que el responsable de la gravísima situación en la que se encuentra, de las violaciones de sus derechos humanos, es el régimen sandinista Ortega-Murillo”, señalaron en el comunicado enviado a The Associated Press.

Al menos 47 personas están encarceladas actualmente en Nicaragua por motivos políticos, según un grupo que da seguimiento a estos casos, conocido como el Mecanismo para el Reconocimiento de Personas Presas Políticas. Cientas fueron encarceladas tras un levantamiento en 2018, el cual derivó en una sangrienta represión gubernamental que dejó cientos de muertos.

Lo que comenzó como una protesta contra una reforma al sistema de seguridad social se amplió para exigir la renuncia de Ortega, quien ha gobernado el país durante casi dos décadas después de cambiar la Constitución para permitir ser reelegido repetidas veces. La represión se intensificó antes de los comicios presidenciales de 2021, en los que todos los candidatos competitivos fueron encarcelados previamente a que Ortega declarara su victoria. Washington no reconoce su presidencia.

Más de 200 presos políticos fueron liberados y enviados a Estados Unidos en 2023, y describieron haber estado recluidos en aislamiento y sometidos a tortura física y psicológica. Muchos desarrollaron problemas crónicos de salud debido a las condiciones allí, y ahora viven en un precario limbo migratorio bajo el gobierno del presidente Donald Trump. Otros 135 presos políticos fueron liberados y enviados a Guatemala en 2024.

La población miskita ha sido una espina particularmente incómoda para el régimen de Ortega, según Manuel Prado, representante internacional del partido indígena Yatama, al que Rivera representó en el Congreso.

Rivera desempeñó un papel clave en la resistencia al gobierno sandinista de Ortega a finales de las décadas de 1970 y 1980, al participar en el movimiento armado de la Contra respaldado por Estados Unidos y ayudar a establecer el área de la costa norte como una región autónoma.

Rica en recursos, incluidos oro y plata, la región miskita es importante para el objetivo del gobierno Ortega-Murillo de atraer inversión internacional, particularmente de China.

Prado pidió la liberación de Rivera y manifestó su preocupación por su estado físico actual.

“Sí sentimos que Ortega va a dejar que se muera”, expresó.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

Lucas, who was married to “Star Wars” creator George Lucas from 1969 to 1983, died Wednesday from metastatic cancer, attorney Deidre Von Rock said in an email to The Associated Press. She died in Rancho Mirage, California, surrounded by loved ones, Von Rock said.

Marcia Lucas was the editor on 1983's “Return of the Jedi” and the pre-“Star Wars” George Lucas-directed films “THX 1138” and “American Graffiti.”

She was also part of the editing team for director Martin Scorsese's 1970s films “Taxi Driver,” “Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore” and “New York, New York.”

Editor was a rare senior creative position where a woman could find a foothold in Hollywood. Marcia Lucas became one of several women whose work in the editing chair made sense of the work of the overwhelmingly male directors of the New Hollywood of the late 1960s through the early 1980s, including Dede Allen, editor of “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Dog Day Afternoon”; Verna Fields, editor of “Paper Moon” and “Jaws"; and Thelma Schoonmaker, editor of most of Scorsese's films starting with 1980's “Raging Bull.”

Lucas was often called the unsung hero of “Star Wars,” the original film that after sequels, prequels and spinoffs has come to be known by its subtitle, “A New Hope.”

She convinced her then-husband that he should have Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by Alec Guinness, die in his lightsaber battle with Darth Vader and become a spirit guide to Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker.

And she had to make sense of raw footage that could have been a mess in the wrong hands, including the climactic rebel attack on the Death Star.

“It was extremely complex and we had 40,000 feet of dialogue footage of pilots saying this and that. And she had to cull through all that, and put in all the fighting as well,” George Lucas told Rolling Stone in an interview a few months after the film came out. “Nobody really has ever tried to interweave an actual plot story into a dogfight, and we were trying to do that."

Lucas was born Marcia Griffin in Modesto, California shortly after the end of World War II. She moved to Los Angeles with her mother after her parents divorced when she was a small child.

She began working as a film librarian and moved into working as an editor on commercials, trailers and promotional films. She was an assistant editor on the documentary “Journey to the Pacific” for Fields, who also hired George Lucas, then a film student at the University of Southern California.

The couple became engaged soon after. Their marriage would essentially end in 1982, but they kept their divorce under wraps until after the release of “Return of the Jedi” in 1983. Marcia Lucas was then married to Tom Rodrigues, a production manager at the Skywalker Ranch production center, from 1983 to 1993.

She is survived by her daughters, Amanda Lucas and Amy Soper, and grandchildren Felix Hallikainen, Aeliana Hallikainen and Knox Soper.

"Her influence on film is indelible, but those who knew her best will remember the way she made life feel more vivid, more beautiful, more fun, and more full of love,” a family statement said. “Her work was known for its emotional intelligence, rhythm, and humanity — a rare ability to find the truth of a scene and bring heart, momentum, and clarity to the screen.”

Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he was looking to make a “final determination.” A senior administration official later said the roughly two-hour meeting with national security aides had concluded without a decision.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump would only sign a deal that “satisfies his redlines” and curbs Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump confirmed the high-level talks the day after The Associated Press and other news outlets reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had come to terms on a tentative agreement. The deal would extend the fragile ceasefire by 60 days as new talks are held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Trump wrote on social media that “Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb.” He said the strait must be reopened for international navigation and all sea mines destroyed.

Iran’s main negotiator said Friday that it has “no trust in guarantees or words,” only actions, underscoring lingering distrust after the U.S. and Israel have twice attacked Iran over the past year while it was engaged in nuclear negotiations.

“No step will be taken before the other side acts,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote on X. “We do not gain concessions through talks, but through missiles.”

Nuclear issues remain unresolved

Later, but before Trump’s meeting concluded, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told a state broadcaster that the agreement “has not been finalized yet.”

On Thursday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance suggested negotiators were trying to strike general terms on Iran’s nuclear program, with the specifics to be hammered out in the ensuing talks.

Baghaei, however, said Friday that Iranian officials were “focused on the end of war and are not discussing the details of the nuclear plan at this point.”

Iran also wants any deal to include a truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, where fighting has intensified despite a nominal ceasefire. And the Islamic Republic has been seeking the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission and is close to top leaders, posted on social media Friday that Iran “sets the terms: cash for cash, credit for credit, nothing for nothing.”

The Islamic Republic has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful and has not publicly committed to giving up the stockpile. It’s believed to be buried under three nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last year.

Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal. The material would be unearthed by the U.S., in coordination with Iran and the IAEA, “and DESTROYED,” he posted.

Deal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz

The proposed memorandum makes clear that Iran would not be able to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz and that it would have to remove all mines from the vital waterway within 30 days, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. would gradually lift its blockade on Iranian ports and would also agree to relax sanctions, allowing Iran to sell more of its oil.

Baghaei said Iran and Oman, which lie on opposite sides of the strait, would manage it and “adopt mechanisms” for transit through it, “based on their own national interests and the interests of the international community.”

The two nations’ foreign ministers discussed the issue by phone earlier Friday, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who wrote on X that he had expressed solidarity “in the face of any threat.”

On Wednesday, Trump had warned Oman — a U.S. ally — not to enter into any agreement with Iran to share control of the strait or the U.S. will “have to blow them up.”

Iran has effectively closed the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader and other top officials. Before then, the waterway was open to international traffic, and around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passed through it.

The closure of the strait has caused the price of fuel and other goods to soar, with the effects felt far beyond the Middle East.

Iran has said it lets some commercial vessels pass — about two dozen daily in recent days, compared with more than 100 a day before the war. But the Islamic Republic also has charged tolls for at least some ships and established a formal gatekeeper agency earlier this month, spurring a new round of U.S. sanctions this week.

The agency, called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, condemned the sanctions Friday but deemed them a a sign of its own “positive performance.”

Since the ceasefire began about seven weeks ago, the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes and accusations of ceasefire violations. But they have not returned to full-scale hostilities and have kept negotiating.

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Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and Farnoush Amiri in New York, and Matthew Lee in Washington, contributed.

Trump has warned that Cuba “is next” after U.S. military forces captured Venezuela's autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, in a January raid. In the months since, the Trump administration has imposed an oil blockade on Cuba, maintained warships in the Caribbean Sea and indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on federal charges.

Gen. Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, met with Lt. Gen. Roberto Legrá Sotolongo and other Cuban military officials.

Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces said in a statement that both sides viewed "the meeting positively because it addressed security issues along the perimeter separating the military enclave, and they agreed to maintain communication between the two military commands.”

Top Trump aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA chief John Ratcliffe, also have met with Cuban officials to explore possible improvements in relations. But the U.S. side has come away unimpressed from those talks, leading to even more sanctions imposed on the Cuban government.

Besides the meeting, Donovan also assessed the security of the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay and discussed the “safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials,” U.S. Southern Command said in a post on X.

The U.S. maintains the base despite decades of friction with Cuba's socialist leaders, whom Trump wants removed from power.

The U.S. military has a handful of Navy ships, including at least one amphibious assault ship, in the Caribbean, a much smaller force than was present at the time of the Maduro raid.

On Friday, the Pentagon announced that a new unit of 1,300 sailors and Marines would be replacing the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which deployed to the region last summer.

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Associated Press writer Andrea Rodríguez in Havana contributed to this report.

Scattered showers and storms will dampen parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties Friday evening.

Saturday will feature a sun/cloud mix with the potential for spotty showers and storms, especially late-afternoon/early evening.

Sunday also brings the potential for afternoon/early evening storms.

Temperatures are forecast to reach the low 90s both days, with heat indices peaking in the upper 90s to just over 100°F.