Yusiel Lopez Insua will not be going to trial in the case of the deaths of 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich, 10-year-old Arielle Buchman, and 13-year-old Erin Ko Han, according to his defense.

Lopez Insua had been charged with seaman’s manslaughter after the July 28, 2025, collision off Hibiscus Island as the girls participated in a youth sailing camp.

“The case will be worked out,” Walter Reynoso, Insua’s defense attorney, recently told Local 10 News. “My client will not put the families through a trial and expose them to relive this terrible tragedy.”

A 19-year-old camp counselor and two children, including 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber survived.

Federal prosecutors allege Lopez Insua was operating a tug pushing a construction barge when it struck the stalled sailboat in Biscayne Bay. Investigators said the sailboat had lost wind and drifted into the barge’s path.

Authorities have said Lopez Insua was using his cellphone around the time of the crash and that data “indicated activity on internet marketplaces, including at the time when the collision occurred.”

Prosecutors also allege the tugboat’s pilothouse view was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane on the barge, and that the vessel lacked adequate lookout systems such as cameras or radar.

“INSUA’s cellular telephone was unlocked during the transit time leading up to the collision and indicated activity on internet marketplaces, including at the time when the collision occurred,” according to an indictment obtained by Local 10 News.

Court filings previously stated Lopez Insua had operated the vessel for years and had prior “near-misses” in the same area.

The crash is also the subject of at least one lawsuit in Miami-Dade County court.

La mayoría del Senado votó la víspera en contra de Alfredo Deluque, candidato apoyado por el conservador De la Espriella para ser presidente de la cámara alta, el cargo más importante en el Congreso. En cambio, eligió a Honorio Henríquez, congresista del Centro Democrático, partido que contó con el apoyo del Pacto Histórico, del mandatario saliente Gustavo Petro.

“Respeto plenamente la autonomía del Congreso de la República y la independencia de las ramas del poder público. Por eso no llamé a ningún congresista para pedir votos, ofrecer cargos, contratos o prebendas", aseguró De la Espriella en la red social X. "Hacía más de 30 años no se elegía la mesa directiva del Senado mediante una votación libre, sin repartos burocráticos”, agregó.

La elección de los presidentes del Congreso suele ser una negociación política que usualmente coincide con el apoyo que otorgue el gobierno electo, lo que hace más sencilla su gobernabilidad en el primer año.

Sin embargo, en la instalación del nuevo Congreso hubo una división entre el sector conservador que lidera De la Espriella y el Centro Democrático, dirigido por el influyente expresidente Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2010), que decidió ser oficialista pero aclaró que no pretende perder “independencia” frente al Ejecutivo.

El Centro Democrático fue durante los últimos cuatro años opositor de Petro. Sin embargo, la alianza de opuestos para escoger al presidente del Senado fue celebrada por el petrismo como la “primera derrota” para De la Espriella.

De la Espriella, un abogado sin experiencia en cargos de elección popular, defendió el martes que nunca estuvo “obsesionado” por influir en la votación para la presidencia del Senado.

De la Espriella venció en el balotaje presidencial del 21 de junio al oficialista Iván Cepeda con el movimiento de ciudadanos Defensores de la Patria y rechazando el apoyo explícito de los partidos tradicionales, con los que ahora lidiará en el Congreso.

El gobierno electo deberá tramitar iniciativas clave como el presupuesto estatal y el plan de desarrollo donde quedarán consignadas sus principales propuestas, entre ellas construir grandes cárceles al estilo de El Salvador.

Además, en los próximos días el Congreso también deberá decidir si permite que De la Espriella se posesione el próximo 7 de agosto en una guarnición militar fuera de Bogotá, rompiendo la tradición de que sea en la capital del país.

Petro consiguió al inicio de su mandato las mayorías en el Congreso, lo que facilitó su agenda política, sin embargo, la relación se tensó con el tiempo y varias de sus reformas clave, como la del sistema de salud, fueron rechazadas en varias ocasiones.

Según la Policía de Fort Lauderdale, alrededor de las 2 a.m., agentes respondieron al llamado tras recibir un reporte sobre un accidente de tránsito que involucraba a un peatón en el 400 de Southeast 32nd Street

La policía indicó que los agentes llegaron al lugar y descubrieron que el conductor y la peatón se conocían y habían protagonizado un altercado físico en un hotel de la zona.

Según la policía, el hombre intentó salir del hotel en su vehículo, pero la mujer saltó sobre el capó del auto y cayó mientras el vehículo estaba en movimiento.

La policía informó que la mujer sufrió heridas de gravedad, mientras el hombre detuvo su vehículo y llamó al 911.

La mujer fue trasladada por paramédicos de Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue al Broward Health Medical Center, donde murió, informaron las autoridades.

La policía indicó que los detectives investigan el incidente y que la identidad de la mujer no ha sido divulgada por el momento trabajan para notificar a sus familiares.

Las autoridades no confirmaron por qué ambos presuntamente comenzaron a pelear.

Cualquier persona que haya presenciado algún hecho relacionado con el caso debe comunicarse con el Departamento de Policía de Fort Lauderdale.

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Temporary Protected Status is set to end Friday for around 350,000 Haitians as well as around 4,000 Syrians.

Democratic State Rep. Marie Woodson, of Pembroke Pines, is someone who’s lived the American dream after being born in Haiti.

In 1981, when she was 21, Woodson moved to the U.S. in search of a better life.

She now says her heart is aching for people like her who could soon be deported.

“It’s really heart wrenching what the people are going through,” said Woodson. “And as a Haitian American serving in the state Legislature, I felt it could’ve been me because I’m also from Haiti.”

Woodson represents parts of both Miami-Dade and Broward counties and says she is constantly hearing from Haitians in need who are asking for help.

“They want to know what we are doing,” she said. “Even though immigration is a federal issue, I’m a state legislator, but they still want to know, ‘You are elected. What are you going to do about it?’”

This all comes after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Department of Homeland Security to end TPS for these groups, with the DHS claiming Haiti is now safe enough for people to return to.

The United Nations and the U.S. State Department, meanwhile, continue to warn of frequent gang violence and kidnappings in Haiti.

“When you look at what’s going on in Haiti, the gangs, everything, those people have nothing to go back to right now,” said Woodson.

Many South Florida Haitians work in hospitality and healthcare, and advocates have said that will hit those industries that are already dealing with staffing shortages hard.

“A lot of business owners, they come to me, their employees are mostly immigrants right, with TPS, so if they don’t have immigrants in their job, over 90% of their workforce will no longer be there,” said business owner Dinah Escarment.

Woodson is asking the president or Congress to do something before it’s too late.

“I’m just asking for compassion. I’m asking for humanity for my brothers and sisters,” she said.

While Woodson said she understands criminals being deported, she said most of the people impacted by this are hard-working, decent human beings who are just trying to have a better life.

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According to Fort Lauderdale police, at about 2 a.m., officers responded to the 400 block of Southeast 32^nd Street after receiving a report about a car accident involving a pedestrian.

Police said officers arrived at the scene and discovered that the driver and pedestrian knew each other and had gotten into a physical altercation at a local hotel.

According to police, the man attempted to leave the hotel in his vehicle, but the woman jumped on the hood of the SUV and fell off as the vehicle was in motion.

Police said the woman was critically injured and the man stopped his car and called 911.

The woman was then transported by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue medics to Broward Health Medical Center, where she died, authorities said.

Police said detectives are investigating the incident and the woman’s identity is being withheld as they work to notify her next of kin.

They did not confirm why the two were allegedly fighting to begin with.

Anyone who witnessed anything related to the case is urged to call the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

El Estatus de Protección Temporal está programado para terminar el viernes para alrededor de 350,000 haitianos, así como para alrededor de 4,000 sirios.

La representante estatal demócrata Marie Woodson, de Pembroke Pines, es alguien que ha vivido el sueño americano después de haber nacido en Haití.

En 1981, cuando tenía 21 años, Woodson se mudó a Estados Unidos en busca de una vida mejor.

Ahora dice que su corazón está dolido por personas como ella que podrían ser deportadas pronto.

“Es realmente desgarrador lo que están viviendo estas personas”, dijo Woodson. “Y como haitiana estadounidense que sirve en la Legislatura estatal, sentí que podría haber sido yo porque también soy de Haití”.

Woodson representa partes de los condados Miami-Dade y Broward y dice que constantemente recibe mensajes de haitianos necesitados que piden ayuda.

“Quieren saber qué estamos haciendo”, dijo. “Aunque inmigración es un tema federal, soy legisladora estatal, pero ellos aún quieren saber: ‘Usted fue elegida. ¿Qué va a hacer al respecto?’”

Todo esto ocurre después de que la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos permitió al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional poner fin al TPS para estos grupos, con el DHS afirmando que Haití ahora es lo suficientemente seguro para que las personas regresen.

Mientras tanto, las Naciones Unidas y el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos continúan advirtiendo sobre la frecuente violencia de pandillas y secuestros en Haití.

“Cuando uno mira lo que está pasando en Haití, las pandillas, todo eso, esas personas no tienen nada a lo que regresar en este momento”, dijo Woodson.

Muchos haitianos del sur de Florida trabajan en la industria hotelera y en el sector de salud, y los defensores han dicho que esto afectará fuertemente a esas industrias que ya enfrentan escasez de personal.

“Muchos dueños de negocios vienen a mí, sus empleados son en su mayoría inmigrantes, ¿verdad?, con TPS, así que si no tienen inmigrantes en sus empleos, más del 90% de su fuerza laboral ya no estará allí”, dijo la empresaria Dinah Escarment.

Woodson está pidiendo al presidente o al Congreso que hagan algo antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

“Solo estoy pidiendo compasión. Estoy pidiendo humanidad para mis hermanos y hermanas”, dijo.

Aunque Woodson dijo que entiende que los criminales sean deportados, afirmó que la mayoría de las personas afectadas por esto son seres humanos trabajadores y decentes que simplemente intentan tener una vida mejor.

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According to North Miami police, the crash occurred in the area of Northwest 135^th Street and Seventh Avenue.

Police said a motorcycle and SUV collided in the area, and the motorcyclist died from his or her injuries.

A witness told Local 10’s Jeff Derderian that the motorcyclist was at fault.

“Didn’t look,” Steve Antoine said. “The guy in the white car had the green light -- he was clear to go. The other guy must have been late for work or something -- jumped out into the road and he actually hit the car.”

Antoine said the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. It’s unclear whether speed was a factor in the crash.

North Miami police confirmed that they are “handling the traffic crash,” while the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is conducting a traffic homicide investigation.

No other details were immediately released.

Joel Lemiz, a former youth pastor at the New Covenant Church in Broward County, was driving an Audi Q7 at 104 mph in a 40-mph zone before crashing into a pole on Jan. 17 in Greenacres, according to Palm Beach deputies.

Lemiz, of Margate, had a blood alcohol level of .083, just slightly above the legal limit in Florida, after attending a church concert with his daughters, according to Palm Beach deputies.

Lemiz told an investigator that he was traveling southbound on Military Trail when “there was a car in front of him and he swerved right to avoid a collision and he lost control,” a deputy wrote, records show.

Lemiz’s daughter Zoë was pronounced dead at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

Lemiz faced one count of vehicular homicide and another of DUI homicide, records show.

On Monday, Lemiz appeared in bond court before Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Donald Hafele set his bail at $150,000, or $75,000 for each of the charges, according to Palm Beach deputies.

Lauderhill police said officers responded to an apartment complex in the 6800 block of Landings Drive just before 10:15 p.m. Sunday after receiving reports about gunfire and found Sean Blake suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Neighbors described hearing a barrage of gunfire.

“It was about 12 to 15 rounds,” one neighbor said. “It was like ‘bam, bam, bam, bam.’ All of us were hitting the deck. Super loud. I’ve heard shotguns before so I knew it was right outside because they were that close and that loud.”

Another resident said she heard voices before the shooting.

“At first I heard like talking and then screaming, and then there were a lot of gunshots,” she said. “We turned off the TV and stuff, and then a couple minutes later we heard the police and ambulance and everything.”

Lauderhill Fire Rescue medics pronounced Blake dead at the scene, authorities said.

Detectives have not identified any possible suspects, and a motive remains unclear at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477). Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Según la policía de North Miami, el accidente tuvo lugar en la zona de la calle Northwest 135 y la Séptima Avenida.

Un testigo declaró a Jeff Derderian, de Local 10, que la culpa fue del motociclista.

“No miró”, dijo Steve Antoine. “El conductor del coche blanco tenía luz verde, podía avanzar sin problemas. El motociclista debía de llegar tarde al trabajo o algo así, se metió en la carretera de golpe y, de hecho, chocó contra el coche”.

Antoine afirmó que el motociclista llevaba casco. No está claro si la velocidad fue un factor determinante en el accidente.

La policía de North Miami confirmó que está “ocupándose del accidente de tráfico”, mientras que la Unidad de Homicidios de Tráfico de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade lleva a cabo una investigación por homicidio de tráfico.

No se han dado a conocer más detalles por el momento.

Today, the first humanitarian aid will arrive in Cuba as part of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s offer to help the Cuban people as they experience the worst economic situation since the early 1990’s. Today’s cargo includes 700 hygiene kits and 700 food items to be distributed directly to the Cuban people by Catholic Relief Services Caritas Cuba and other faith-based organizations.

Secretary Rubio wants to let the Cuban people clearly know that the U.S. stands behind them and is willing to continue to help them as part of the U.S. commitment of $100 million in humanitarian aid.

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July 20 update: Cuba releases artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara

This past Saturday, Cuba released artist and opposition leader Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara after serving five years in jail. Otero Alcantara was one of the leaders of the San Isidro movement that led to large protests across the island nation five years ago.

Upon arriving in Miami, Otero Alcantara thanked the Cuban American community for its support and asked Cuba to release all political prisoners in jail.

July 16 update: US Department of Defense pays $3 million to US personnel affected by Havana Syndrome

The U.S. Department of Defense has paid $3 million in compensation to U.S. personnel affected by the mysterious condition known as Havana Syndrome, making the first payment under the 2021 Havana Act.

Havana Syndrome first appeared in 2016 when U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers in Havana, Cuba reported unusual symptoms, including intense head pressure, dizziness, nausea, hearing disturbances and memory problems.

July 14 update: New U.S. sanctions increase pressure on Cuba’s military-run economy

The United States on Monday introduced new sanctions targeting companies controlled by GAESA, Cuba’s military economic conglomerate, as well as some of the military brigades responsible for suppressing protests like the ones we saw the other day.

How much longer can the Cuban government hold on? Information continues to reach U.S. officials indicating that there are sectors within the Cuban government that are increasingly concerned about how much longer they can survive without negotiating with the U.S. government before facing a complete collapse of their system.

July 10 update: Does Raul Castro’s grandson have the full authority to negotiate for the Cuban government?

As I expected, there seems to be a small crack within the inner circle of the Cuban government. Some have criticized Raulito (Raul Castro’s grandson) for offering to negotiate directly with President Trump. The criticism comes as to whether he has the full authority to negotiate for the Cuban government or is he just negotiating for the Castro family?

Yesterday, the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) backed Raulito’s efforts, but the military leadership has remained quiet.

July 8 update: United Nations has no legal right to lift U.S. embargo on Cuba

Every year, Cuba argues in front of the United Nations that the U.S. economic embargo is the cause for their economic problems. Each year, Cuba loses more support for their argument. The United Nations has no legitimate or legal right to lift the embargo. The U.S. Congress can only lift the embargo.

The Cuban government propaganda machine has failed. Most Cubans on the island, including economists on the island, blame the Cuban government for their current poor economic conditions.

July 6 update: Raul Castro’s grandson says Cuba is willing to negotiate with US

Reuters reported earlier this morning that Raul Castro’s grandson Raulito, known as “El Cangrejo,” announced that Cuba is willing to negotiate with the U.S. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether Raulito is negotiating on behalf of the Castro family or the Cuban government?

We know that Cuba has been selling some of their assets, including some belonging to the military economic conglomerate GAESA in the last couple of weeks. Cuba’s attempt to invite foreign investment has not attracted many takers for the fear of losing their money.

July 2 update: Cuba’s culture of fear complicates a Democratic transition

When we talk about Cuba, we usually concentrate on their centralized political and economic system. However, we fail to recognize that individuals that have lived under totalitarian regimes have had to survive under a culture of fear. Such system of government creates a psychological set of attitudes and values that help define the daily behavior in order to align the people’s wants and needs to the restrictions imposed by the government.

To break such behaviors could take years of psychological training and change. Therefore, transitioning a totalitarian state to support a transition to some form of a Democratic government could take time.

Dr. Andy S. Gomez’s June updates can be viewed by clicking here.

Dr. Andy S. Gomez is Local 10’s Cuba Analyst. Gomez is considered one of the leading scholars on Cuba. He worked in higher education for 32 years before retiring from the University of Miami in 2012.

Hoy, la primera ayuda humanitaria llegará a Cuba como parte de la oferta del secretario de Estado Marco Rubio de ayudar al pueblo cubano mientras atraviesa la peor situación económica desde principios de la década de 1990. La carga de hoy incluye 700 kits de higiene y 700 artículos de alimentos que serán distribuidos directamente al pueblo cubano por Catholic Relief Services Caritas Cuba y otras organizaciones religiosas.

El secretario Rubio quiere que el pueblo cubano sepa claramente que Estados Unidos está de su lado y está dispuesto a seguir ayudándolos como parte del compromiso de Estados Unidos de brindar $100,000,000 USD en ayuda humanitaria.

Actualización del 20 de julio: Cuba libera al artista Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara

El pasado sábado, Cuba liberó al artista y líder opositor Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara después de cumplir cinco años en prisión. Otero Alcántara fue uno de los líderes del movimiento San Isidro que encabezó grandes protestas en toda la isla hace cinco años.

Al llegar a Miami, Otero Alcántara agradeció a la comunidad cubanoestadounidense por su apoyo y pidió a Cuba liberar a todos los presos políticos en prisión.

Actualización del 16 de julio: Departamento de Defensa de EE.UU. paga $3 millones USD a personal estadounidense afectado por el Síndrome de La Habana

El Departamento de Defensa de Estados Unidos ha pagado $3 millones USD en compensación al personal estadounidense afectado por la misteriosa condición conocida como Síndrome de La Habana, realizando el primer pago bajo la Ley de La Habana de 2021.

El Síndrome de La Habana apareció por primera vez en 2016, cuando diplomáticos y oficiales de inteligencia estadounidenses en La Habana, Cuba, reportaron síntomas inusuales, incluidos intensa presión en la cabeza, mareos, náuseas, alteraciones auditivas y problemas de memoria.

Actualización del 14 de julio: Nuevas sanciones de EE.UU. aumentan la presión sobre la economía controlada por los militares en Cuba

Estados Unidos impuso el lunes nuevas sanciones dirigidas a empresas controladas por GAESA, el conglomerado económico militar de Cuba, así como a algunas de las brigadas militares responsables de reprimir protestas como las que vimos el otro día.

¿Cuánto tiempo más podrá resistir el gobierno cubano? Continúa llegando información a funcionarios estadounidenses que indica que hay sectores dentro del gobierno cubano cada vez más preocupados por cuánto tiempo podrán sobrevivir sin negociar con el gobierno de Estados Unidos antes de enfrentar un colapso total de su sistema.

Actualización del 10 de julio: ¿Tiene el nieto de Raúl Castro plena autoridad para negociar por el gobierno cubano?

Como esperaba, parece haber una pequeña fisura dentro del círculo interno del gobierno cubano. Algunos han criticado a Raulito (nieto de Raúl Castro) por ofrecer negociar directamente con el presidente Trump. La crítica se centra en si tiene plena autoridad para negociar en nombre del gobierno cubano o si solo está negociando en nombre de la familia Castro.

Ayer, el Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) respaldó los esfuerzos de Raulito, pero el liderazgo militar ha permanecido en silencio.

Actualización del 8 de julio: Las Naciones Unidas no tienen derecho legal para levantar el embargo de EE.UU. a Cuba

Cada año, Cuba argumenta ante las Naciones Unidas que el embargo económico de Estados Unidos es la causa de sus problemas económicos. Cada año, Cuba pierde más apoyo para ese argumento. Las Naciones Unidas no tienen un derecho legítimo ni legal para levantar el embargo. Solo el Congreso de Estados Unidos puede levantar el embargo.

La maquinaria de propaganda del gobierno cubano ha fracasado. La mayoría de los cubanos en la isla, incluidos economistas residentes en Cuba, responsabilizan al gobierno cubano por las actuales malas condiciones económicas.

Actualización del 6 de julio: Nieto de Raúl Castro dice que Cuba está dispuesta a negociar con EE.UU.

Reuters informó temprano esta mañana que Raulito, nieto de Raúl Castro, conocido como “El Cangrejo”, anunció que Cuba está dispuesta a negociar con Estados Unidos. La pregunta que debemos hacernos es si Raulito está negociando en nombre de la familia Castro o del gobierno cubano.

Sabemos que Cuba ha estado vendiendo algunos de sus activos, incluidos algunos pertenecientes al conglomerado económico militar GAESA, durante las últimas semanas. El intento de Cuba por atraer inversión extranjera no ha despertado mucho interés debido al temor de perder el dinero invertido.

Actualización del 2 de julio: La cultura del miedo en Cuba complica una transición democrática

Cuando hablamos de Cuba, normalmente nos concentramos en su sistema político y económico centralizado. Sin embargo, no reconocemos que las personas que han vivido bajo regímenes totalitarios han tenido que sobrevivir bajo una cultura del miedo. Ese sistema de gobierno crea un conjunto psicológico de actitudes y valores que ayuda a definir el comportamiento diario para alinear los deseos y necesidades de la población con las restricciones impuestas por el gobierno.

Romper con esos comportamientos podría tomar años de entrenamiento psicológico y de cambios. Por lo tanto, la transición de un Estado totalitario hacia alguna forma de gobierno democrático podría tomar tiempo.

Las actualizaciones de junio del Dr. Andy S. Gómez pueden consultarse haciendo clic aquí.

El Dr. Andy S. Gómez es el analista sobre Cuba de Local 10. Gómez es considerado uno de los principales especialistas sobre Cuba. Trabajó en educación superior durante 32 años antes de retirarse de la Universidad de Miami en 2012.

It depends upon who you ask within a Democratic Party that is undeniably locked in a tug-of-war between emboldened progressives demanding radical change and the party's pragmatic establishment.

Progressives expect their newest candidate in Maine, former state lawmaker Troy Jackson, will clinch the Democratic nomination Saturday to replace Graham Platner on the November ballot, giving the party a chance to recover from Platner's downfall earlier this month. Next up will be August Senate primaries in Michigan and Minnesota — contests that put the intraparty divide on clear display less than four months before the midterms are decided. All three states will be important in the fight for Senate control, raising the stakes over who Democrats should nominate.

“We’re seeing the pendulum shift from right to left. That’s ultimately what this midterm election is about,” said Joseph Geevarghese, who leads Our Revolution, the progressive organization founded by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders a decade ago. “We're in a transitional moment in national politics.”

On the other side of the same party, establishment leaders, including the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, believe that the progressive movement's momentum this summer will ultimately hurt the party's chances in the general election this fall. Democrats are in position to win control of at least one chamber in Congress given President Donald Trump's low approval ratings, the unpopular war in Iran and surging costs.

Count Matt Bennett, co-founder of the centrist Democratic group Third Way, as those fighting to stop his party's ascendant progressive wing from undermining their midterm chances.

“It is an enormous mistake and an enormous risk for them to be engaged in an effort to push the party to the left,” Bennett said. Sanders' brand of far-left politics, he added, “is not what America is asking for.”

Voters will ultimately decide who is right this fall — and the results could shape policy and politics inside the Democratic Party for years to come.

In the meantime, as establishment Democrats worry from Washington, Sanders and his allies like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are barnstorming through key swing states to harness the energy of the party's grassroots.

Republican officials were watching with glee.

“Socialists have gone from a sideshow in the Democrat Party to the main event," said Bernadette Breslin, spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Sanders rallied for progressives in Michigan and Minnesota

On Monday night in Minneapolis, Sanders railed against billionaires and corporations as he campaigned for Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota's lieutenant governor who has aligned herself with his populist movement in Minnesota's contentious primary for U.S. Senate.

“When you stand up to these billionaires, as you will, and when you defeat them, you will bring hope and inspiration to people all across our country and in fact, all over the world,” Sanders said.

Flanagan faces U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who is backed by much of the party's establishment in a race that has brought in millions of dollars from super PACS and other independent groups backing both candidates.

“I want you to know that we have an opportunity to change the way that Washington works,” Flanagan said.

When they were done, Sanders, Flanagan, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and retiring Sen. Tina Smith locked arms as John Lennon's “Power to the People” thundered from the speakers.

The scene was similar a day earlier in Michigan, where Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives campaigned with Abdul El-Sayed, whom many centrist Democrats worry is too far left for a must-win seat for Democrats in a battleground state.

The progressive movement has also seen setbacks

Dozens of progressive candidates up and down the ballot aligned with Sanders, including more than 30 backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, have won Democratic nomination contests in recent weeks — in some cases defeating sitting members of Congress.

There have been setbacks, however, none more painful for the progressive movement than Platner's implosion in Maine.

Platner, a Sanders acolyte and political newcomer who dominated Maine's sitting governor in the Democratic Senate primary, was forced to drop out barely a week ago after a sexual assault allegation emerged from his former girlfriend. Platner has denied the accusation, which many allies deemed credible.

Geevarghese described the situation as “a bump in the road” that would not cause any lasting damage for the broader progressive movement.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a 2028 presidential prospect aligned with the progressive wing, acknowledged that he made a mistake by supporting Platner when so little was known about his background.

“It’s an important lesson of being more aware of the red flags of candidates,” Khanna said, while insisting that the progressive movement “is so much bigger than any individual.”

“Despite a very flawed candidate, the platform of Medicare for all and no foreign wars and taxing billionaire wealth was so strong that he did well,” Khanna said of Platner. “No one candidate is a test for the progressive movement.”

But the fallout from Platner’s campaign renewed a long-running debate among Democratic establishment figures over whether the party’s progressive wing is hurting its chances of winning competitive general election races.

The divide has been especially apparent in the Senate, where some rank-and-file senators have backed progressive candidates at odds with Schumer and other party leaders. Platner’s collapse sparked behind-the-scenes finger pointing and prompted some establishment figures to more actively step into other competitive primaries.

In Michigan, for example, Sen. Gary Peters endorsed Haley Stevens last week after previously saying he wouldn’t get involved.

“We do want to have candidates who are fully vetted running in these high-profile races,” Peters said.

Bennett, of Third Way, says that it's all about winning in November. That's not to say he thinks it's impossible for Democrats to win with a nominee like El-Sayed on the ballot.

“In this cycle, with the war raging again, anyone might be able to beat a Republican in a place like Michigan,” he said. “But it sure as hell is going to be harder.”

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Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed.

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The video shows Jeanne and Richard Korman entering a business near 1000 Fifth St. on April 20 when police said Thalia Rodríguez approached them from behind.

According to an arrest report, Rodríguez called 80-year-old Jeanne Korman a derogatory name before striking her in the face.

The video shows Richard Korman immediately stepping in to defend his wife.

“She wasn’t going to get to swing another time,” Richard Korman said.

Jeanne Korman said the attack left her with injuries to her face.

Police said Richard Korman intervened after his wife was struck, leading to a struggle with Rodríguez.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer described the allegations during Rodríguez’s first appearance hearing.

“She smacked the victim in the face, walked up behind them, called the wife a wh--e and smacked her in the face with an open hand,” Glazer said.

Authorities say Rodríguez was arrested on April 20 and charged with two counts of battery on a person 65 years or older.

Investigators said the couple’s injuries were minor.

They said Jeanne Korman suffered a cut to her lip, while Richard Korman had scratches to his face. Both were treated at the scene and declined to be taken to a hospital.

The motive for the attack remains unclear.

Jail records show Rodríguez was released in April on a $20,000 bond and placed on house arrest.

Jeanne and Richard Korman said they do not know why they were targeted but are grateful they are OK.

En las imágenes se ve a Jeanne y Richard Korman entrando a un negocio cerca de la cuadra 1000 de Fifth St. el 20 de abril, cuando, según la policía, Thalia Rodríguez se les acercó por detrás.

Según el reporte de arresto, Rodríguez llamó a Jeanne Korman, de 80 años, con un insulto despectivo antes de golpearla en el rostro.

El video muestra a Richard Korman interviniendo de inmediato para defender a su esposa.

“No iba a permitir que la golpeara otra vez”, dijo Richard Korman.

Jeanne Korman dijo que el ataque le causó lesiones en el rostro.

La policía indicó que Richard Korman intervino después de que su esposa fue golpeada, lo que provocó un forcejeo con Rodríguez.

La jueza del Tribunal de Circuito de Miami-Dade, Mindy Glazer, describió las acusaciones durante la audiencia de primera comparecencia de Rodríguez.

“Abofeteó a la víctima en el rostro, se acercó por detrás, llamó prostituta a la esposa y la golpeó en la cara con la mano abierta”, dijo Glazer.

Las autoridades informaron que Rodríguez fue arrestada el 20 de abril y acusada de dos cargos de agresión física contra una persona de 65 años o más.

Los investigadores indicaron que las lesiones de la pareja fueron leves.

Señalaron que Jeanne Korman sufrió un corte en el labio, mientras que Richard Korman presentó rasguños en el rostro. Ambos fueron atendidos en el lugar y rechazaron ser trasladados a un hospital.

El motivo del ataque sigue sin estar claro.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que Rodríguez fue puesta en libertad en abril tras pagar una fianza de $20,000 USD y quedó bajo arresto domiciliario.

Jeanne y Richard Korman dijeron que no saben por qué fueron atacados, pero agradecen haber salido bien del incidente.

“Estaba luchando por mi vida. El barco se hundió en minutos, en segundos”, relató Helena Moonsammy y contó que le cayeron cajas encima mientras intentaba salvar a sus nietos. “Les dije a mis nietecitos que se aferraran a cualquier cosa mientras yo les gritaba. Recé toda la noche y estuve en el agua durante nueve horas”.

Al menos 69 personas fueron rescatadas después de que el MV Barima se hundió el sábado en la noche frente a la costa de Essequibo, y hasta ahora se han encontrado 27 cuerpos —cuatro de ellos de niños—, informó el primer ministro Mark Phillips. Se espera que la cifra de muertos aumente de forma drástica.

Aunque el manifiesto del barco registraba 116 pasajeros y 17 tripulantes, las autoridades creen que hasta 179 personas iban a bordo, indicó Phillips.

Está en marcha una investigación sobre el vuelco del ferry, de 87 años de antigüedad. Empezó a entrarle agua durante un viaje el sábado desde la capital, Georgetown, hacia Port Kaituma, en el noroeste de Guyana, cerca de Venezuela.

“Prepárense para los próximos días”, señaló el presidente Irfaan Ali en un mensaje nacional. “Va a ser un periodo difícil para nosotros como pueblo y como país. Que Dios cuide a Guyana y nos ayude a superar esta horrible experiencia”.

Moonsammy estaba entre decenas de amigos y familiares de los desaparecidos que se han reunido en un hospital de la localidad costera de Charity para identificar a sus seres queridos. Llevaba un cubrebocas, como muchos guyaneses a su alrededor: “Tengo que ver los cuerpos antes de irme a casa”.

Funcionarios han señalado que el capitán rescatado y al menos otro miembro de la tripulación dieron positivo a marihuana y permanecen bajo custodia policial como parte de la investigación penal.

Países vecinos han enviado embarcaciones, aviones de reconocimiento y personal de rescate, incluido un contingente de buzos de la Guayana Francesa, mientras las autoridades se preparan para pasar de una operación de rescate a una de recuperación.

El ministro de Obras Públicas, Juan Edghill, manifestó que todo el personal vinculado con la gestión y la carga del MV Barima fue suspendido ante la sospecha de que podrían haber cargado ilegalmente el ferry con personas y carga adicionales sin incluirlas en el manifiesto.

Pasajeros se han quejado durante años de que los empleados que venden boletos colocan asientos de manera extraoficial para amigos o conocidos a cambio de dinero en efectivo sin añadir esos nombres al manifiesto, una práctica que ha persistido durante décadas en las terminales de ferry administradas por el Estado.

El MV Barima estaba en dique seco, fue reacondicionado en 2024, y tenía programadas reparaciones importantes en octubre.

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Wilkinson informó desde Georgetown, Guyana.

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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.

Según las informaciones más recientes del Servicio Nacional de Prevención y Respuesta ante Desastres (Senapred), la contingencia también ha dejado hasta el momento 16 heridos, 3.281 personas damnificadas y otras 1.031 albergadas.

En los últimos días, el organismo ha enviado sendas alertas de evacuación en diversas regiones del país ante el riesgo de deslizamientos de tierra, crecida de los caudales de ríos, intensos vientos, tormentas y nevascas, en lo que ya se considera como una de las peores emergencias climáticas en el país.

Los aguaceros son los más fuertes registrados en las últimas décadas en Chile. Están potenciados por El Niño, un fenómeno climático cíclico que consiste en el calentamiento de las aguas oceánicas y que altera los patrones de viento y clima a nivel mundial, provocando olas de calor, sequía o inundaciones extremas.

Una decena de las 16 regiones de Chile permanecen en estado de alerta. Las de Coquimbo y del Atacama, en el norte, son las más castigadas, lo que llevó al gobierno de José Antonio Kast a decretar la víspera el estado de excepción por catástrofe. Desde la madrugada, la situación se recrudeció también en la costera región de Valparaíso, ante el aumento de marejadas y subidas de los niveles de agua en ríos y embalses.

"Los cauces de los ríos no necesariamente aumentan al mismo tiempo que se está sintiendo la precipitación. La acumulación de agua en los sectores precordilleranos hace que estos cauces aumenten incluso horas después de terminado el sistema frontal”, explicó en una rueda de prensa la directora de Senapred, Alicia Cebrián.

El gobierno determinó la suspensión de las clases el martes en todas las comunas de Valparaíso e instó a la población a redoblar los cuidados, elevando a casi 70 las zonas con actividades escolares suspendidas.

El subsecretario de Interior, Máximo Pavez, dijo a periodistas que se tomó la medida debido a la intensidad de precipitaciones que cayeron durante la noche y la dificultad para los traslados en dicha región, entre otros motivos.

Un total de 104.271 personas se encuentran aisladas, principalmente entre Atacama y Coquimbo, al tiempo que 81 viviendas han resultado completamente destruidas y más de 20.000 presentan daños de distintas magnitudes.

El aislamiento, según explicó Cebrián, es una “situación circunstancial”, pues "en la medida en que se logre llegar a ciertos lugares, reponer algún camino o que baje el cauce de algún río, esa condición se va levantando”.

Frente al avance de los temporales, el presidente chileno viajó al norte del país para evaluar los daños y acompañar los labores de emergencia, que incluyen la entrega de ayuda humanitaria a los afectados, ya que miles de personas se han visto sin suministro eléctrico ni agua potable en medio de la catástrofe.

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The crime was caught on camera around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday outside her Hollywood apartment.

In a matter of minutes, crooks pulled up in a white van with a Comcast sticker on the side and stole Isabella San Juan’s $7,000 motorcycle.

San Juan is a third year medical student.

“Everything I spent on the bike is pretty much everything I’ve saved working before medical school,” she said. “So I don’t have any way of replacing it.”

She posted about what happened on social media in hopes someone might know something.

That is when she connected with Aiden, who had his $15,000 motorcycle swiped from outside his Miami apartment building around 2:45 a.m. Saturday.

Turns out, he had a tracker on his bike, which led him to a home in North Miami.

North Miami police found his motorcycle in the back of a van at the home, releasing a statement about the incident that read, in part:

“The motorcycle, which had been reported (stolen) from the city of Miami was recovered at the residence along with a white van. No arrests were made.”

“I was more so just shocked and just so, like, disappointed that it comes down to that,” Aiden said. “When it’s actually they think it’s their job or something, or it’s their way of making money to just steal other people’s property.”

The license plate on the van matches the one in San Juan’s surveillance video, and she is hopeful her motorcycle will be recovered too.

“I don’t think criminals care much about the feelings of people they steal things from,” she said. “I just want the bike back. They could just leave it somewhere. I’ll pick it up, no worries.”

El robo quedó grabado por una cámara alrededor de las 16:45 horas del miércoles frente a su piso de Hollywood.

En cuestión de minutos, unos delincuentes llegaron en una camioneta blanca con un adhesivo de Comcast en un costado y robaron la motocicleta de $7,000 USD de Isabella San Juan.

San Juan cursa el tercer año de la carrera de Medicina.

“Todo lo que gasté en la motocicleta es prácticamente todo lo que había ahorrado trabajando antes de entrar a la escuela de Medicina”, dijo. “No tengo manera de reemplazarla”.

Publicó lo ocurrido en redes sociales con la esperanza de que alguien supiera algo.

Fue entonces cuando se puso en contacto con Aiden, a quien le robaron su motocicleta de $15,000 USD frente al edificio de apartamentos donde vive en Miami alrededor de las 2:45 a.m. del sábado.

Resulta que él tenía un rastreador instalado en la motocicleta, lo que lo llevó hasta una vivienda en North Miami.

La Policía de North Miami encontró su motocicleta en la parte trasera de una camioneta en esa vivienda y emitió un comunicado sobre el incidente que señala, en parte:

“La motocicleta, que había sido reportada como robada en la ciudad de Miami, fue recuperada en la vivienda junto con una camioneta blanca. No se realizaron arrestos”.

“Lo que más sentí fue sorpresa y mucha decepción de que esto llegue a ese punto”, dijo Aiden. “Como si realmente pensaran que ese es su trabajo o su forma de ganarse la vida: robar la propiedad de otras personas”.

La placa de la camioneta coincide con la que aparece en el video de vigilancia de San Juan, y ella mantiene la esperanza de que su motocicleta también sea recuperada.

“No creo que a los delincuentes les importen mucho los sentimientos de las personas a las que les roban”, dijo. “Solo quiero recuperar la motocicleta. Pueden dejarla en cualquier lugar. Yo iré a recogerla, no hay problema”.

Las negociaciones se prolongarán hasta el jueves. El anuncio de Trump contra Canadá demuestra que, pese a la imagen de unidad que quisieron dar los tres líderes norteamericanos el domingo en la final del Mundial de fútbol que organizaron, los asuntos económicos se mueven al margen.

Estados Unidos justificó los aranceles anunciados contra Canadá en lo que Trump considera un trato discriminatorio contra automóviles, alcohol y productos lácteos estadounidenses.

México no solo aspira a bloquear cualquier nuevo gravamen por parte de Washington sino que disminuyan los aranceles ya existentes al acero y los automóviles. Trump, por su parte, insiste en endurecer las “reglas de origen” para que aumente el porcentaje de autopartes fabricadas por Estados Unidos.

La revisión del tratado tripartito se está realizando en conversaciones paralelas. México ha tenido la mayor parte del diálogo de forma bilateral bien con Estados Unidos o solo con Canadá.

Sheinbaum decidió acudir a la final de fútbol entre España y Argentina de forma imprevista, después de unas semanas de relaciones marcadas por polémicas en temas de seguridad y por las muertes de migrantes mexicanos en territorio estadounidense vinculadas a operaciones de ICE, el Servicio de Control de Inmigración y Aduanas estadounidense.

En este último tema, México pasó la semana pasada del plano diplomático al penal presentado denuncias formales y pidiendo que se presenten cargos contra quien resulte responsable de esos fallecimientos. Pero el viernes la Oficina de Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental del Departamento de Estado informó en su cuenta de X que devolvió al embajador mexicano en Washington, Roberto Lazzeri, las cartas que pretendían dar instrucciones a funcionarios estadounidenses y pidió tratar cualquier inquietud por la vía diplomática.

También el viernes, Sheinbaum y Trump hablaron por teléfono. “Me dijo ‘¿Claudia, vas a venir’ (a la final de la Copa)? Y le dije, ‘bueno, si usted me invita, presidente Trump’. Dijo ‘sí, sí, estás invitada, ven, vas a estar sentada ahí con junto a nosotros’. Y entonces dije bueno, pues hay que ir”, explicó la mexicana el lunes.

En el palco de honor estaba también el primer ministro canadiense, Mark Carney.

La mexicana aprovechó para decirle a Trump que debían hablar de “varias cosas pendientes” en una nueva llamada o en persona, pero no en el estadio de fútbol y, según dijo, platicó brevemente de comercio. También intercambió algunas palabras con el secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio; el de Comercio, Howard Lutnick, y el representante estadounidense en las negociaciones sobre el T-MEC, Jamieson Greer, a quien verá esta semana en Ciudad de México.

Greer estará en la capital mexicana hasta el viernes y entre los temas que tratará con el secretario de Economía mexicano, Marcelo Ebrard, están el acero, el aluminio, los automóviles, la seguridad económica, asuntos laborales, de agricultura y los servicios de pago electrónico, según un comunicado de su gobierno.

México aspira a poder llegar a acuerdos con Estados Unidos que den estabilidad a ambos países y cuyo cumplimiento pueda revisarse cada año sin tener que abrir de nuevo cada tema del tratado trilateral.

Según la policía, el departamento recibió una llamada alrededor de las 8:15 a.m. sobre un cuerpo hallado en la cuadra 2600 de West Commercial Boulevard.

Los detectives dijeron que descubrieron que el hombre identificado como Dario Alejandro, de 20 años, había fallecido en un atropello con fuga y señalaron que el vehículo implicado en el accidente ya ha sido recuperado, aunque el conductor sigue en libertad.

Sky 10 sobrevolaba el lugar de los hechos poco antes de las 10:30 de la mañana, cuando se pudo ver una bicicleta eléctrica dañada en la hierba, cerca de la calzada.

El cadáver de Dario fue hallado a poca distancia de allí.

La policía ha informado de que la Unidad de Homicidios de Tráfico de la Policía de Fort Lauderdale (FLPD) está investigando el caso.

Se pide a cualquier persona que tenga información que llame a la FLPD o a Broward Crime Stoppers al 954-493-8477.

“As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,” director Anthea M. Hartig told a House Oversight subcommittee. “There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.”

Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a report on July Fourth arguing that the museum, a centerpiece of the sprawling Smithsonian complex on the National Mall, doesn't tell history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.” The report reflects a broader effort by President Donald Trump and his supporters to use the power of the federal government to reshape the way the nation's history is told, often de-emphasizing the role of slavery and racism along with stories about LGBTQ and other marginalized communities.

Republicans on the panel reiterated some of those concerns on Tuesday.

“In the museum’s current telling, history is just an ongoing power struggle between oppressors and the oppressed,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “The report makes clear that the museum’s woke exhibits and materials reflect a broader vision held by the museum leadership.”

Hartig, the first woman to serve as director of the National Museum of American History, said the institution “does not take sides in America's political debates.” She described the museum's presentation of the nation's story as an evolution intended to add voices, not erase history as detractors sometimes argue.

“When historians talk about reframing a traditional narrative, we don’t mean erasing it,” she said. “We mean adding the evidence, the voices, the objects, that earlier tellings left out, so that more Americans can see themselves reflected in the national story.”

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Jail records show Daniel Edward Niemiec, who turns 21 on Sunday, was arrested Monday by the Margate Police Department on one count of vehicular homicide and four traffic-related charges involving damage to a person or property.

According to his arrest report, the crash occurred Feb. 2 in the 4900 block of West Atlantic Boulevard in Margate.

Investigators said Niemiec was driving a 2025 Lexus NX350H eastbound on Atlantic Boulevard when a Kia began making a left turn.

They said the Lexus struck the passenger-side doors of the Kia before the vehicles collided a second time, with the driver’s side of the Lexus hitting the Kia’s passenger-side rear quarter panel.

Police said the second impact caused the Kia to spin multiple times before coming to a rest on a nearby median. They said Niemiec’s Lexus then crashed into an electrical light pole.

According to investigators, the male passenger in the Kia, whose name and age were redacted from the arrest report, had to be extricated by the Margate Fire Department and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Kia’s driver was also hospitalized with injuries to her stomach and legs, police said.

“Prior to the crash, multiple witnesses described the Lexus driving erratically at a high rate of speed and weaving in and out of traffic,” investigators wrote in the report.

Police said investigators determined Niemiec was traveling about 90 mph with a 22% accelerator input just before impact in a 45- mph zone.

After reviewing surveillance video, investigators concluded Niemiec was “operating the Lexus in a reckless manner,” resulting in the passenger’s death and injuries to the Kia’s driver, the report stated.

The arrest marks Niemiec’s second this month.

Coral Springs police arrested him July 2 after accusing him of choking his ex-girlfriend and dumping a backpack filled with feces, urine, hot sauce, soda, ketchup and other fluids at her home as “payback” over suspicions she had been unfaithful.

Investigators alleged Niemiec admitted to filling the backpack with the substances because it would be “payback for her cheating.”

In that case, Niemiec is facing two counts of domestic battery and one count of domestic battery by strangulation, according to jail records.

As of Tuesday morning, he was being held at the Broward County Main Jail on a $100,000 bond. A judge also ordered him to wear a GPS monitor.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que Daniel Edward Niemiec, quien cumplirá 21 años el domingo, fue arrestado el lunes por el Departamento de Policía de Margate y enfrenta un cargo de homicidio vehicular y cuatro cargos relacionados con infracciones de tránsito que ocasionaron daños a una persona o propiedad.

Según el reporte de arresto, el accidente ocurrió el 2 de febrero en la cuadra 4900 de West Atlantic Boulevard, en Margate.

Los investigadores dijeron que Niemiec conducía un Lexus NX350H modelo 2025 en dirección este por Atlantic Boulevard cuando un Kia comenzó a girar a la izquierda.

Indicaron que el Lexus impactó las puertas del lado del pasajero del Kia antes de que ambos vehículos chocaran por segunda vez, cuando el lado del conductor del Lexus golpeó el panel trasero del lado del pasajero del Kia.

La policía informó que el segundo impacto hizo que el Kia girara varias veces antes de detenerse en el separador central de la vía. Agregaron que el Lexus de Niemiec luego chocó contra un poste de alumbrado eléctrico.

Según los investigadores, el pasajero del Kia, cuyo nombre y edad fueron censurados en el reporte de arresto, tuvo que ser rescatado por el Departamento de Bomberos de Margate y fue trasladado a un hospital cercano, donde fue declarado muerto.

La conductora del Kia también fue hospitalizada con lesiones en el abdomen y las piernas, informó la policía.

“Antes del accidente, varios testigos describieron al Lexus conduciendo de manera errática, a alta velocidad y zigzagueando entre el tráfico”, escribieron los investigadores en el reporte.

La policía indicó que los investigadores determinaron que Niemiec conducía a unas 90 mph con un 22 % de presión sobre el acelerador justo antes del impacto en una zona con límite de velocidad de 45 mph.

Tras revisar videos de vigilancia, los investigadores concluyeron que Niemiec “operaba el Lexus de manera temeraria”, lo que provocó la muerte del pasajero y las lesiones de la conductora del Kia, señala el reporte.

Este arresto marca el segundo de Niemiec en lo que va del mes.

La Policía de Coral Springs lo arrestó el 2 de julio tras acusarlo de estrangular a su ex novia y arrojar una mochila llena de heces, orina, salsa picante, refresco, kétchup y otros líquidos en la vivienda de ella como “venganza” por sospechar que le había sido infiel.

Los investigadores alegan que Niemiec admitió haber llenado la mochila con esas sustancias porque sería una “venganza por haberle sido infiel”.

En ese caso, Niemiec enfrenta dos cargos de agresión física en un caso de violencia doméstica y un cargo de agresión física por estrangulamiento en un caso de violencia doméstica, según los registros de la cárcel.

Hasta la mañana del martes, permanecía detenido en la cárcel principal del condado Broward con una fianza de $100,000 USD. Un juez también le ordenó usar un monitor GPS.

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According to police, the shooting was reported at The Mirage at Sailboat Cove complex in the 1800 block of Northwest 143^rd Terrace.

Police said the victim was shot once in the leg after several unknown males approached him and tried to rob him.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics responded to the scene and treated the victim.

Police confirmed that OLPD’s Criminal Investigation Unit is investigating the incident.

No other details were immediately released.

Anyone with information about the attempted robbery and shooting is asked to call the Opa-locka Police Department or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

“We urge all residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or emergencies promptly to local authorities,” OLPD said in a news release. “The safety and security of our community are paramount, and we appreciate the cooperation of all residents in maintaining a safe environment for everyone.”

District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said in a Monday ruling that the class-action settlement provides “meaningful relief” to affected authors and publishers.

About 91% of the more than 482,000 books covered by the ruling have been claimed by authors or publishers who are now due payment.

Plaintiff attorney Justin Nelson said in a statement that the settlement was "the largest known copyright recovery in history. We look forward to making distributions to the Class as promptly as possible.”

U.S. District Judge William Alsup issued the preliminary approval in San Francisco federal court last September and has since retired. Alsup had dealt the case a mixed ruling last summer, finding that training AI chatbots on copyrighted books wasn’t illegal but that Anthropic wrongfully acquired millions of books through pirate websites.

Bestselling thriller novelist Andrea Bartz first brought the suit with two other authors in 2024.

Según la policía, la balacera fue reportada en el fraccionamiento The Mirage at Sailboat Cove, ubicado en la cuadra 1800 de Northwest 143rd Terrace.

La policía indicó que la víctima recibió un disparo en una pierna luego de que varios hombres desconocidos se le acercaran e intentaran robarle.

Paramédicos de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue respondieron al lugar y atendieron a la víctima.

La policía confirmó que la Unidad de Investigaciones Criminales del Departamento de Policía de Opa-locka investiga el incidente.

No se dieron a conocer de inmediato más detalles.

Cualquier persona con información sobre el intento de robo y la balacera debe comunicarse con el Departamento de Policía de Opa-locka o con Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

“Instamos a todos los residentes a mantenerse vigilantes y reportar de inmediato cualquier actividad sospechosa o emergencia a las autoridades locales”, indicó el Departamento de Policía de Opa-locka en un comunicado de prensa. “La seguridad de nuestra comunidad es primordial y agradecemos la cooperación de todos los residentes para mantener un entorno seguro para todos”.

McNulty, a teammate of overall race leader Tadej Pogačar, was confronted by an angry motorist who overtook him on his way to the start of stage 16, Mauro Gianetti, the CEO of UAE Emirates XRG, told broadcaster Eurosport.

Gianetti said the driver of the car was furious and that he stopped his vehicle after overtaking McNulty, who then collided with the vehicle.

“Nothing so big, but it was not nice,” said Gianetti, who said the driver was a member of the public and not affiliated with the race.

McNulty was unhurt and scheduled to race later Tuesday.

Pogačar had a commanding 5-minute lead over Remco Evenepoel before Tuesday’s technical 26.1-kilometer time trial beside Lake Geneva on the boarder with Switzerland.

Evenepoel won stage 15 on Sunday when Pogačar’s main rival Jonas Vingegaard crashed out.

The race ends July 26 in Paris.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The incidents delayed play for 15 minutes last Thursday when CSKA won 2-1 at Derry City in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.

UEFA’s urgent disciplinary ruling prohibits the Bulgarian club selling tickets for one away game for “throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.” CSKA plays Thursday against Qarabag in Azerbaijan.

On the charge of “racist and/or discriminatory behavior” for the Nazi salutes, UEFA imposed a further one-game ban on ticket sales suspended for two years of probation.

Video clips on social media showed a CSKA fan making Nazi salutes when Derry fans raised a banner with an anti-fascist slogan.

CSKA fans advanced across a neutral area of the stadium to confront a line of security guards while Derry fans backed away. Some home fans including children got on the playing area to move toward a safer part of the stadium.

UEFA said a CSKA official was fined 5,000 euros ($5,700) for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct” and the club must pay Derry City for damage to the stadium.

The League of Ireland club was fined 20,000 euros ($22,800) for fan disorder including an “effective invasion of the field of play by its supporters.”

Derry City lost 5-3 on aggregate score and dropped down to the third-tier Conference League qualifying rounds. It faces Rijeka in Croatia on Thursday and hosts the second leg next week.

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

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On average over the past 30 years, the second named storm has formed on July 17 in the Atlantic basin.

Bertha’s disheveled appearance a sign of its struggles

Hurricane Hunters flying Bertha Tuesday morning found pressures down slightly from earlier missions with thunderstorms trying to build near or over to its earlier exposed center, which could give the storm a brief window to organize further today. That said, wind shear is high and is forecast to only strengthen in the days ahead, which should mean any strengthening will be short-lived and limited.

The strong upper-level winds from the north responsible for the high wind shear will also keep the storm lopsided, with a relatively dry north side and the heaviest rainfall and worst weather to the south of the center.

Heaviest rainfall to remain well offshore

The lopsided nature of Bertha means its highest rainfall totals exceeding a foot will remain well offshore and widespread flooding isn’t expected as it skirts westward along the northern Gulf Coast this week.

Locally heavy rain is possible in outer bands near and north of the center, however, and some parts of the Florida Panhandle, coastal Alabama, and southern Mississippi and Louisiana could see localized flooding through Thursday.

Bertha not so big and full of bluster

Overall, the threat Bertha poses to the coast is low. The storm is likely peaking or will peak today as a mid-tier tropical storm (highest winds in the 50-60 mph range; hurricane winds start at 74 mph) and weakening should commence in earnest by tomorrow.

Although Tropical Storm Warnings are posted from extreme southeastern Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border for the likelihood of tropical storm conditions, Bertha doesn’t pose a widespread damaging wind threat and sustained tropical storm winds (winds of 40 mph or higher) should be contained mostly to rain squalls and periodic gusts over the next few days.

High surf along the north Florida and Alabama shoreline will lead to treacherous beach conditions and life-threatening rip currents. If you’re on a beach vacation in these areas, this is a week you’ll want to stay out of the water.

Deafening crickets across the Atlantic

Elsewhere, the Atlantic appears closed for business for the rest of the month. As we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, we’ll keep an eye to the subtropics this season (like the zone in the Gulf where Bertha formed), but for now, we’re not seeing any candidates for at least the next few weeks.

En promedio, durante los últimos 30 años, la segunda tormenta con nombre se ha formado el 17 de julio en la cuenca del Atlántico

La apariencia desorganizada de Bertha refleja las dificultades que enfrenta

Los “Cazahuracanes” que sobrevolaron Bertha la mañana del martes encontraron una ligera disminución en la presión con respecto a misiones anteriores, mientras las tormentas eléctricas intentaban desarrollarse cerca o sobre el centro previamente expuesto del sistema, lo que podría darle una breve oportunidad para organizarse mejor durante el día. Dicho esto, la cizalladura del viento es fuerte y se pronostica que seguirá aumentando en los próximos días, por lo que cualquier fortalecimiento será breve y limitado.

Los fuertes vientos en los niveles altos provenientes del norte, responsables de la elevada cizalladura, también mantendrán la tormenta asimétrica, con un lado norte relativamente seco y las lluvias más intensas, así como las peores condiciones del tiempo, al sur del centro.

Las lluvias más intensas permanecerán mar adentro

La naturaleza asimétrica de Bertha significa que los mayores acumulados de lluvia, superiores a un pie, permanecerán bien mar adentro y no se esperan inundaciones generalizadas mientras el sistema avanza hacia el oeste a lo largo de la costa norte del Golfo de México durante esta semana.

Sin embargo, son posibles lluvias localmente intensas en las bandas exteriores cerca y al norte del centro, y algunas zonas del Panhandle de Florida, la costa de Alabama y el sur de Mississippi y Luisiana podrían registrar inundaciones localizadas hasta el jueves.

Bertha no es muy grande ni muy intensa

En términos generales, la amenaza que representa Bertha para la costa es baja. Es probable que la tormenta haya alcanzado o alcance hoy su máxima intensidad como una tormenta tropical de intensidad moderada, con vientos máximos de entre 50 y 60 mph (los vientos con fuerza de huracán comienzan en las 74 mph), y se espera que comience a debilitarse de manera sostenida a partir de mañana.

Aunque se han emitido advertencias de tormenta tropical desde el extremo sureste de Luisiana hasta la frontera entre Alabama y Florida debido a la probabilidad de condiciones de tormenta tropical, Bertha no representa una amenaza generalizada por vientos destructivos y los vientos sostenidos de tormenta tropical (de 40 mph o más) deberían limitarse, en su mayoría, a bandas de lluvia y ráfagas ocasionales durante los próximos días.

El fuerte oleaje a lo largo de la costa del norte de Florida y Alabama provocará condiciones peligrosas en las playas y corrientes de resaca que ponen en riesgo la vida. Si está de vacaciones en la playa en estas zonas, esta es una semana en la que deberá mantenerse fuera del agua.

Silencio absoluto en el Atlántico

En otras partes, el Atlántico parece permanecer tranquilo durante el resto del mes. Como hemos comentado en boletines anteriores, esta temporada seguiremos atentos a las zonas subtropicales (como la región del Golfo de México donde se formó Bertha), pero por ahora no observamos ningún sistema con potencial de desarrollo durante, al menos, las próximas semanas.

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According to an arrest report by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Ada Caballero, 44, of Homestead, was arrested Sunday on charges of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery.

St. John’s Episcopal School’s website lists Caballero as a first-grade teacher at the Homestead school, who has more than 10 years of experience working in education and “loves to teach and shape young minds with love.”

Deputies said she didn’t show any love to her boyfriend, however, on Saturday when she allegedly attacked him.

According to her arrest report, Caballero and the victim got into an argument and the victim began recording with his cellphone, at which time Caballero grabbed her boyfriend by the shirt and reached for his cellphone, scratching his chest in the process.

Deputies said a struggle ensued for the victim’s phone and Caballero eventually snatched it from his hand.

The victim then “bear-hugged” Caballero to stop her from attacking him, but she pulled out a knife and “took a swipe at the victim but missed,” the report stated.

According to the report, the victim pushed Caballero away from him, and his phone and the knife fell to the floor.

Deputies said another brief struggle ensued for the victim’s cellphone, but the victim was able to take his phone back and call 911 for assistance.

According to the report, Caballero invoked her rights and did not make any statements to detectives.

Details about what she and her boyfriend were initially arguing about were not mentioned in the arrest report.

As of Tuesday morning, Caballero was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $6,000 bond.

Local 10 News has reached out to St. John’s Episcopal School for comment on the status of her employment following her arrest.

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving at least 26 million lives since its inception in 2003. But last year, it was impaired by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and cuts to thousands of global health grants.

“The disruptions were very widespread,” with services for young women, orphans and children impacted, said Elise Lankiewicz, policy associate for the nonprofit amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, which released the report.

Researchers contacted groups that got PEPFAR funding to deliver HIV services last year. Nearly a quarter — 166 groups from 46 countries — responded to an electronic survey conducted between last November and April, providing information on their funding, staff and services.

The survey didn’t reach all PEPFAR groups and certain types of organizations — like those that were most severely disrupted or still receiving U.S. funding — may have been less likely to respond. That could result in an underestimate or an overestimate of disruptions, depending on which organizations were missed. Nevertheless, the findings are a window into the struggles that some groups faced last year.

Some key findings were:

—Most organizations had at least one award terminated or payment delayed last year. Terminations led to the closure of more than 1,700 clinics, drop-in centers and other service delivery sites, and to the loss of more than 16,000 full-time staff members.

—Even though the U.S. government directed services providing HIV treatment, testing, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission to continue, a majority of partners still reported a disruption to those services.

—Cuts were concentrated on services for populations most impacted by HIV. Most organizations previously serving groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, and people who inject drugs reported permanently ending a service for these groups. Even among organizations that didn’t lose funding, some reported stopping a service for one of these key populations to comply with U.S. policy.

—HIV prevention has been sharply reduced, with many organizations stopping condom programs or services offering what's called PrEP, preventive medicines to guard against sexually transmitted HIV. From fiscal years 2024 to 2025, prevention spending fell 51%, according to PEPFAR expenditure data.

—Locally-based partners were much more likely than international organizations to have an award terminated and to close service delivery sites. Funding disruptions also destabilized interconnected HIV service systems.

“Taken together, these results describe widespread degradation of the infrastructure built to deliver HIV services worldwide, with the deepest damage falling on the populations and partners most essential to controlling the epidemic,” the report says.

The survey doesn’t provide data at the country level, but amfAR officials point out that the majority of responses came from African countries.

When asked about the report, a State Department spokesperson said in an email that the Trump administration has “strengthened PEPFAR through clear, strategic direction.”

“As a result, the number of children testing positive and on treatment for HIV has continued to decline,” the spokesperson said.

In April, the U.S. State Department released PEPFAR data for one quarter in 2025: July through September. Officials said PEPFAR-supported programs provided standard HIV treatment for 20.6 million people in more than 50 countries, which they said is stable from the same reporting period in 2024. They also said PEPFAR started 103,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women on PrEP, up from 43,000 the previous year.

The data from that quarter “demonstrates the resilience and strength of the program,” the spokesperson said.

But researchers from amfAR and the International AIDS Society combined that quarter's data with another data release that included all four quarters and found substantial disruptions across PEPFAR services.

Other research, published in the journal Nature Health in June, specifically examined treatment globally using PEPFAR data. It found that nearly two million fewer people living with HIV were receiving PEPFAR-supported antiretroviral treatment in fiscal year 2025 as compared with the previous fiscal year — about a 10% decline.

“That does raise really important questions about program stability," said Ramona Godbole, an author of that study who wasn’t involved in the latest report.

AmfAR's report made numerous recommendations to help restore care. It said the U.S. government and PEPFAR leaders should reinstate support for all HIV services, not just treatment. It also called on other national governments to spend more on HIV services and contract with nongovernmental organizations, including those led by people in key vulnerable populations.

But Jennifer Sherwood, amfAR’s director of research and public policy, said even if money is put back into the system, it will take time to get the services up and running and regain the trust of communities.

“And unfortunately, with HIV and infectious disease, each day is deadly,” she said. “Each day that we don’t have those systems in place, you see new infections.”

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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.

Según un reporte de arresto de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, Ada Caballero, de 44 años y residente de Homestead, fue arrestada el domingo y enfrenta cargos de robo a mano armada con un arma mortal, agresión agravada con un arma mortal y agresión física.

El sitio web de St. John’s Episcopal School identifica a Caballero como maestra de primer grado en la escuela de Homestead, con más de 10 años de experiencia en educación y señala que “le encanta enseñar y formar mentes jóvenes con amor”.

Sin embargo, los agentes dijeron que el sábado no mostró ese amor hacia su novio, cuando presuntamente lo atacó.

Según el reporte de arresto, Caballero y su novio comenzaron a discutir y la víctima empezó a grabar con su celular. En ese momento, Caballero lo sujetó por la camisa e intentó quitarle el teléfono, arañándole el pecho durante el forcejeo.

Los agentes indicaron que se produjo un forcejeo por el celular de la víctima y que Caballero finalmente logró arrebatárselo.

La víctima entonces abrazó con fuerza a Caballero para impedir que continuara atacándolo, pero ella sacó un cuchillo e “intentó lanzar una cuchillada contra la víctima, pero falló”, señala el reporte.

Según el informe, la víctima empujó a Caballero y tanto el celular como el cuchillo cayeron al piso.

Los agentes dijeron que hubo otro breve forcejeo por el celular, pero la víctima logró recuperarlo y llamar al 911 para pedir ayuda.

De acuerdo con el reporte, Caballero invocó sus derechos y no hizo declaraciones a los detectives.

El reporte de arresto no menciona qué originó la discusión entre Caballero y su novio.

Hasta la mañana del martes, Caballero permanecía detenida en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza de $6,000 USD.

Local 10 News se comunicó con St. John’s Episcopal School para solicitar comentarios sobre la situación laboral de Caballero tras su arresto.

Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, of Fayetteville, will receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and will be promoted posthumously to staff sergeant. The Army said it was investigating the circumstances of his death Sunday at an air base in Irbil.

He leaves behind a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter, his mother said.

“I will never recover from this, you should be home,” his wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted Monday on Facebook. “We had so many plans for when you got back, I’m sick to my stomach.” She said she was notified Sunday that he had been killed.

Two U.S. Army soldiers were also killed in Jordan last week while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

Swinton’s mother, Christel Swinton Andujar, told WRAL-TV on Tuesday that her son's family was “the center of his world.”

“Every decision he made and every sacrifice he endured was with them in his heart,” she told the television station from her home near Fort Bragg.

Swinton enlisted in the Army in 2017 and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

“Sgt. Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him,” said Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber, commanding general of the Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication.”

Renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran is now in its 10th day, with both sides launching barrages of strikes. Iran has attacked U.S. allies in the region, and American soldiers are stationed across the Middle East.

The Defense Department identified the soldiers who were killed in Jordan as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. They were also with Army Air and Missile Defense Command units.

A third service member was reported missing after the attack. U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said “unidentified remains” have been found and were being examined.

Iranian authorities say U.S. strikes in just the past three weeks have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500 others.

Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. Workers on ships, as well as foreign workers and others in Gulf nations, Israel and Lebanon have also died in the conflict.

The U.S. State Department said in a new warning to Americans that “Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the war is necessary to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Trump, a Republican, now faces political pressure to bring the war to a close and avoid the kind of prolonged Middle East conflict he had campaigned against. The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks.

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This story was corrected to show Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton died Sunday, not Saturday, as earlier reported by the military.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the conflict's next phase. The intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, killed more American troops and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up, posing more problems for Republicans hoping to get reelected.

The Latest:

Trump says he’ll pay his respects to fallen service members at Dover

The president is expected to attend the dignified transfer on Wednesday. It’s a ritual considered to be one of the most somber duties of the commander-in-chief.

“I’ll be going to Dover for something that I feel is — it’s a great honor for me to do it,” Trump told reporters.

Two soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan will be returned during the dignified transfer, according to an administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The remains of another soldier killed in Iraq during a detonation of an Iranian drone will also be returned, the official said, as well as a fourth service member whose remains have not yet been identified but who is believed to be a soldier missing after the Jordan attacks.

—- Collin Binkley

Biden disagrees with the decision to expose his private discussions

Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo said the former president disagrees with the ruling but “respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy.”

“President Biden’s conversations for a book a decade ago that discussed his late son are private, and were provided to the Department of Justice on the express condition they stay that way,” Ducklo said in a statement. “Reversing course and making them public is just the latest example of this administration weaponizing the (Justice Department) for political retribution.”

Trump says US will ‘take care of business’ if Houthis impose blockade

Asked about his level of concern about a blockade of the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Trump suggested it wasn’t an immediate problem.

“So far, it hasn’t happened,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think that if there is something like that, we’ll just have to take care of business.”

The Houthi-run SABA news agency said six ships were forced to reroute on Tuesday after being warned by the rebels, a day after they announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.

But Trump said “we’ve had no problem with the Houthis” recently, and “they’ve had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict.”

Vance is in the Oval Office for Lebanon meeting days after son’s birth

Vice President JD Vance sat with other top administration officials for Trump’s meeting with Aoun.

Vance’s wife, second lady Usha Vance, gave birth on Sunday to the couple’s fourth child.

Alec Neel Vance is the first baby born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years.

Trump says he’s looking at a tariff on Canada over wildfires

Days of smoke from wildfires in Canada drifting into the United States contributed to poor air quality in cities from Detroit to Washington, D.C.

“They’re not managing their forests properly. And the wind has a tendency to blow right over New York City,” said Trump, once a longtime resident of the city. “Michigan was really affected,” he added.

Asked about the issue during an Oval Office appearance with the president of Lebanon, Trump said Canada seems unable to manage the problem.

Trump says US has ‘no interest’ in Iran talks for now

Speaking in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump gave a dim view on possible talks with Iran to end the war.

“I will tell you, they want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting,” Trump told reporters.

He said that in dialogue behind the scenes, Iranian officials have said “they want to meet desperately to try and end it, because they’re getting decimated.”

Iran and the U.S. have escalated attacks recently as their interim deal to end the war falls apart.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels say their Red Sea blockade is working

The rebels have opened a new front against Saudi Arabia by declaring a naval blockade of the kingdom, threatening the flow of global oil supplies and trade through the Red Sea.

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil to market.

Six ships in the Red Sea were forced to reroute on Tuesday after they received warnings from the rebels, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.

Separately, three Houthi officials told The Associated Press that the rebel group warned international shipping companies on Monday to avoid transiting in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

— By Jon Gambrell and Munir Ahmed

Report says Trump administration has harmed global efforts to prevent and treat HIV

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving at least 26 million lives since its inception in 2003. But it’s been impaired by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and cuts to thousands of global health grants.

These disruptions to the global AIDS relief program have forced organizations to close clinics, lay off staff and cut services, seriously impeding efforts to prevent and treat the disease in dozens of countries, according to a report released Tuesday by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

Other research, published in the journal Nature Health in June, found a 10% decline in antiretroviral treatment — nearly two million fewer people living with HIV — getting the life-saving treatment through PEPFAR.

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Trump administration pushes ahead with plans to reopen US embassy in Libya

The State Department has informed Congress that it plans to move ahead with the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Libya. It’s proposing to allocate nearly $41 million to restore America’s formal diplomatic presence in the North African nation.

The effort comes amid new warnings of Iranian-related attacks against U.S. facilities and interests around the world, particularly in the Middle East.

The department told lawmakers that the money would cover “a range of security-related activities associated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya.” The embassy in Tripoli was shuttered in July 2014.

The Trump administration reopened the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela following the ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro in January and is also seeking to reopen the closed embassy in Damascus, Syria.

AI stocks keep rising, even as Brent oil’s price tops $90

More gains for makers of computer chips and other winners of the artificial-intelligence boom are carrying Wall Street higher on Tuesday after tumbling the week before.

After rocketing higher because of the boom in investment in AI chips and data centers, they’ve come under pressure in recent weeks on worries that they shot too high. Concerns are also weighing that AI investments may fall off if they don’t produce as much profit and productivity as promised.

The gains came despite more climbs for oil prices, and Brent crude oil topped $90 per barrel because of continued attacks between the United States and Iran. It rose 2.2% to $91.17, up from less than $72 early this month.

The oil price hikes threaten a reacceleration of inflation, just as it was slowing more than economists expected. That in turn could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

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Rubio will meet with Chinese counterpart in Manila

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday in Manila, the State Department said.

The top diplomats from the world’s two largest economies are attending annual talks of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week in the Philippine capital.

The ASEAN summit comes amid unfolding crises led by renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran as well as a violent skirmish in the disputed South China Sea.

The Rubio-Wang meeting could help set up the next sitdown between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Rubio said ahead of the summit that he expects Xi to visit the U.S. in September and that “it’s incumbent on powerful, important countries like ours to continue to talk and have a relationship.”

Secret Service agent injured at White House correspondents’ dinner will be honored at make-up event

Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales will be given a special award for exceptional service at a rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the association said Tuesday.

Gonzales was at a security checkpoint during the April dinner when it was interrupted by a gunman who prosecutors say was trying to assassinate Trump. The Secret Service said Gonzales was struck in his protective vest as he engaged the gunman, who was tackled outside the ballroom.

“His swift and decisive actions assisted in deterring the gunman from proceeding any further,” the Secret Service said.

A make-up event being held Friday at the Waldorf Astoria hotel at Trump’s encouragement will also honor Washington Hilton hotel staff who helped guests in the aftermath.

Soldier’s widow says she’ll ‘never recover’

Swinton’s wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted on social media that she was informed of his death on Sunday. The couple have a young daughter.

“I will never recover from this, you should be home. We had so many plans for when you got back, I’m sick to my stomach,” she wrote in a Facebook post Monday.

US military identifies soldier killed while disarming a drone in Iraq

The military said it was investigating the death of Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Fayetteville, North Carolina, during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone on Sunday at an air base in Irbil.

Swinton, 30, will get a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be promoted to staff sergeant, the military said in a statement.

He enlisted in the Army in 2017, and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg.

Two U.S. Army soldiers were killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

Seeking calm for his country, Lebanon’s president will meet with Trump at the White House

The landmark meeting between Joseph Aoun and Trump comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington in a bid to bring about long-term calm in Lebanon after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.

Lebanon hopes the talks will lead to Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon, and for the Lebanese military to receive support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.

Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, setting a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Aoun is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 11 a.m.

Trump’s Justice seeking phone records of reporters’ mother and spouses

Subpoenas for phone records of New York Times reporters now include the mother of one journalist and the spouses of two others as the Justice Department seeks to unmask the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.

The Times’ lawyers have moved to quash the subpoenas, noting that the mother in question is a mental health professional with confidential client relationships and that one of the two spouses is the general counsel of a law firm.

The Justice Department has previously said that the reporters are not the targets of the investigation and asserted in a new legal filing Tuesday that it had followed its own protocols in issuing the subpoenas.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday.

Appeals court rejects Biden’s bid to withhold recordings and transcripts of ghostwriter interviews

The appellate panel’s 2-1 ruling late Monday found “substantial” public interest in disclosing what former President Joe Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions to the recordings would help protect Biden’s privacy, the majority noted.

The judges suspended their decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal.

Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs, interviewed the Democrat at his home in 2016 and 2017, before his presidency. Biden’s lawyers say the conversations were candid, personal and intended to remain private.

The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents from his time as a senator from Delaware and as vice president. Republicans demanded the material after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.

Civilian infrastructure now targeted by both the US and Iran

Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.

Kuwait’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said Tehran struck desalination and power plants for a fourth straight day on Monday night, causing fires and damage. Some 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from desalination, making the attacks a matter of life and death for the tiny nation.

U.S. strikes have been hitting electrical equipment in Iran as well, and Iranian officials also have said Americans targeted water facilities.

US command says its broad strikes are in response to Iran’s attacks on shipping

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the command said.

Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in across six different provinces.

Tanker attacks expand, forcing crew to abandon ship

Traffic through the strait has slowed to a crawl during the latest violence. Lloyd’s List Intelligence said only three ships transited the strait on Sunday.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The UKMTO separately reported Tuesday that another previously unknown attack on a ship took place early the previous day.

Iranian official meets mediators in Pakistan as attacks rage

An Iranian official began meetings Tuesday with mediators in Pakistan as diplomats sought to salvage the collapsed interim deal between Iran and the United States, even as both countries continued to launch attacks for a 10th day of renewed fighting.

The visit by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni comes as Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the deal. However, it remains unclear just what new arrangement could be reached to end the fighting.

Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Momeni later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan’s political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defense forces, have worked to persuade the United States and Iran back to resume negotiations.

— By Munir Ahmed

The limits of intensifying attacks emerge as US and Iran dig in

The U.S. and Iran are back to bombing every day in a bid to control the Strait of Hormuz. And neither is backing down, showing the limitations of President Donald Trump’s reliance on escalating airstrikes to bend Tehran to his will.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

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Police officers reported finding the woman, identified as Lucrecia Cardozo, 56, dead outside a house in the 21000 block of Southwest 176th Avenue.

The investigation remained active on Monday afternoon, according to police.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases who wants to remain anonymous to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Mariana Ortiz contributed to this report.

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According to the report, Thalia Rodriguez was taken into custody by the Miami Beach Police Department following a disturbance call near the 400 block of Euclid Avenue.

The report states officers initially responded around 1 p.m. to a call about a “suspicious person causing a disturbance outside a business.”

When Miami Beach police arrived at the scene, they said the individual had left the area, but they recovered belongings, including a wallet containing a Florida driver’s license identifying Rodriguez.

While canvassing the area, an officer spotted a woman matching the description involved in a physical altercation with Jeanne and Richard Korman near 1000 Fifth St., according to the report.

Officers then separated the individuals and detained Rodriguez pending an investigation.

According to the report, the victims told officers they were walking into a business for an appointment when Rodriguez approached them from behind, called 80-year-old Jeanne Korman a w----, and then slapped her in the face.

Police said Richard Korman intervened to protect his wife, and a struggle with Rodriguez ensued, the report states.

“She (Rodriguez) wasn’t going to get to swing another time. I figured the easiest way to get her down was to grab her by the hair,” he said.

Investigators said Jeanne Korman suffered a superficial cut to her lip, while Richard Korman had minor scratches to his face. Both were treated at the scene and declined to be transported to the hospital.

Jeanne Korman told Local 10’s Rosh Lowe on Tuesday that she was heading to the lab for blood work when she and her husband of 55 years were attacked.

“She took her fist and hit me right in the face,” she said. “My husband said he saw my head move.”

A witness and surveillance video from the building corroborated the victims’ accounts, according to the report.

A motive for the attack remains unclear at this time.

Jail records show Rodriguez is facing two counts of battery on a person 65 years or older.

Records show she was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $20,000 bond. A judge also placed her on house arrest.

A divided three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit suspended its decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal.

The panel's 2-1 ruling late Monday found there is a “substantial” public interest in disclosing the material that Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions to the recordings would help protect Biden's privacy, the majority noted.

“We conclude that any remaining incursion on personal privacy from disclosure of the now-redacted materials likely does not outweigh the public interest in disclosure,” the ruling says.

Judge Florence Pan, who was nominated by Biden, a Democrat, wrote a dissenting opinion in which she said Biden has shown a “substantial privacy interest” in keeping the material hidden.

“The conversations at issue took place in Biden’s home, and the recordings of them were obtained by the government in the course of a criminal investigation that did not lead to an indictment,” she wrote.

The appeal also was heard by D.C. Circuit Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judge Gregory Katsas. Srinivasan was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat who chose Biden as his vice president. Katsas was nominated by President Donald Trump, a Republican who lost to Biden in 2020 but was elected again to the White House in 2024.

Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on two memoirs, 2007’s “Promises to Keep” and 2017's “Promise Me, Dad,” interviewed him at his home in 2016 and 2017. Biden’s lawyers say the conversations were candid, personal and intended to remain private.

The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents from his time as a senator from Delaware and as Obama's vice president. Republicans in Congress demanded the material after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.

Biden sued and sought an injunction to prevent the Justice Department under Trump from releasing the recordings to Congress and the conservative Heritage Foundation. The department previously argued that the recordings were exempt from disclosure under public records law.

Biden appealed after U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated by Trump, ruled in June that the public interest in the material outweighed whatever privacy rights Biden had.

Pan noted that the majority is effectively ruling in favor of immediately disclosing the material by denying Biden's request for an injunction pending appeal.

“That, of course, will moot this case,” she wrote.

Pull into the small town of Luverne and the figure — a nearly 66-foot (20-meter) tall nutcracker, decked out like Uncle Sam — comes into full view.

Luverne, which thanks to a local collector claims to have more of the decorative figurines than people, now boasts the world's tallest nutcracker too. And yes, the star-spangled behemoth has a working jaw.

Outside a quirky rock shop in the town's center, hundreds of people gathered for a weekend ribbon cutting where the nutcracker's name and exact height were revealed to a crowd that was later served red, white and blue cookies and slushies.

“Please welcome our newest Luverne resident, Verne the Patriot,” Katie Walgrave announced to cheers.

It stands 65 feet and 7 1/2 inches tall, with the pedestal pushing Verne an additional 9 feet (2.7 meters) over the surrounding prairie, according to Walgrave. That's almost twice the height of a 33-foot (10-meter) tall nutcracker in Neuhausen, Germany, that Guinness World Records currently has ranked as the largest.

Walgrave, who runs the rock shop called Those Blasted Things with her family, said that since the nutcracker was completed in mid-June, customers have quadrupled. Other local businesses have reported more traffic too.

“Our goal is to have something that’s different and that you won’t see anywhere else. And so that’s what we have here,” she said.

Given the association between nutcrackers and Tchaikovsky's namesake holiday ballet, the July unveiling seemed a bit out of season. But nutcrackers are a year-round obsession in Luverne, which also hosts a “Nutcracker Fest” every summer.

It all traces back to Betty Mann, 96, and a trip that she made to a Cracker Barrel in January 2001 after her daughter and husband had recently died.

“I said to my daughter-in-law, ‘I had a hard Christmas and I’ve always wanted a wooden nutcracker. I’m buying myself a belated Christmas present,’” she recalled.

She got her first in the Cracker Barrel’s gift shop. She kept buying them, and Mann's collection eventually ballooned to more than 2,500 nutcrackers. In 2016, she donated them to the town’s historical society, where she was president, hoping to draw more visitors to its museum.

Others also started donating and today, Luverne’s 7,554 nutcrackers outnumber its roughly 5,000 residents. No two are the same.

A few years ago, when the city brought in a tourism expert to figure out how to lure more visitors, he concluded “we’re crazy if we don’t utilize the nutcracker collection,” Mayor Patrick Baustian said.

A city committee came up with the idea of building the world's tallest nutcracker, and so Verne was conceived. It was timed perfectly to arrive as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The nutcracker was several years in the making, with the pieces crafted in Utah and assembled in Luverne. The head and hat had to be lifted on with a crane three weeks ago, completing the structure.

It cost around $600,000, and was funded by donations and grants, Walgrave said.

John Hawkinson of Lakeville, Minnesota, surprised his wife, Francine, with a trip to Luverne (nearly 200 miles, or 321 kilometers, away) after a house fire last month destroyed her collection of nearly 300 nutcrackers. Many represented times from their life together — a nutcracker resembling a sailor for John’s time in the Navy, and matching bride and groom nutcrackers for their marriage.

“Betty started her collection as a way of dealing with grief,” John Hawkinson said Saturday. “We came down here out of loss as well. … I thought that was kind of a full circle moment.”

Luverne is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and about 200 miles (322 kilometers) from Minneapolis. One of its other claims to fame is being a setting for the second season of the TV show “Fargo.”

Both are hoping to take on incumbent Republican Maria Elvira Salazar in November’s election.

Local 10’s Jeff Derderain caught up with Rodriguez at the Miami home he grew up in.

“The people who grew up here, they are leaving,” he said. “They can’t afford to live here, and we need someone who is in Congress focused on these economic realities.”

He says he’ll fight for federal housing dollars.

“I will tell you when I’m elected to Congress, I will vow not to trade individual stocks,” he said.

Peguero told Derderain that Rodriguez refuses to debate.

“Will you debate him?” Derderain asked Rodriguez.

“I’ll run that by my campaign,” Rodriguez replied.

“That’s a half an answer, Eliott,” said Derderian.

“That’s what you’re going to get,” replied Rodriguez.

Peguero met with Derderain at a public library in Hialeah not far from where he grew up and was asked why he decided to run.

“To advocate for the people of this community who are suffering,” he said.

Peguero agreed with Rodriguez on term limits and stock trading.

“My plan says no stock trading while you’re in Congress,” he said.

He plans to host sloth encounters in Margate, but he faces plenty of obstacles not limited to just permits and licensing.

That man, Larry Wallach, showed up to the May 6 Margate city commission meeting with a sloth in his arms.

Animal activists are outraged that anyone would attempt a sloth encounter after the atrocities that just took place in the transport of wild-caught sloths from Peru to Orlando, which caused the death of 55 sloths.

“Commissioner Tommy Rizzano brought in a guy with a sloth -- just seemed incredibly tone-deaf considering what just happened in Orlando,” said James Wildman, with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida.

Added animal activist Ana Campos: “The last thing that we need is a Sloth World in Broward County. Nothing like that should ever open up here.”

Plans ended for the now defunct Sloth World in Orlando after 55 sloths died due to improper housing in a warehouse without heat, water, humidity or electricity.

“It just blew my mind that we learned nothing from what happened in Orlando and that they are even considering it,” said animal activist Ronald Roberts.

Margate City Commissioner Joanne Simone spoke publicly against Wallach’s plan to bring his wildlife adventure business to her doorstep.

“I personally do not want this store to open up in Margate. It’s unfortunate that this is happening in our city,” Simone said.

Wallach’s proposal for his new storefront was denied at the meeting due to code-related issues, but he was told he can resubmit.

PETA has filed local and state complaints while working to keep his business out of Florida.

“For years he’s disregarded city ordinances, court orders and even federal animal welfare laws in order to exploit sloths and other animals,” said Amanda Brody, with PETA. “Larry Wallach has a decades long rap sheet of over 60 animal welfare violations from the (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and he has been cited by them for improperly caring for sloths.”

After first not wanting to talk with us, the Animal Advocate team was invited inside for a sit-down with Wallach.

“They want to say violations, they are absolutely inspection reports. If I had 60 violations, like bad, I wouldn’t have any animals,” he said. “Fifty some odd years, 60 violations, I could live with it -- broken hose, water bowl.”

There is, however, an undercover video of his sloth encounters store in Long Island that was filmed by Humane World for Animals, showing what could have been a dangerous situation.

Wallach downplayed that too.

“She was bopping Chewbacca on the head, and I’m going to tell you right now, that did not hurt him. The only way we got them apart was me grabbing him by the nape of the neck and moving him,” said Wallach.

His New York location was shut down by the courts, which may be the reason he wants to make a move to Margate.

“Brick and mortar is closed,” he said. “Because I wasn’t zoned for that at that location.”

Wallach says he plans to renew his USDA license for the South Florida move.

There is no denying Wallach is a character. He claims he loves his animals and he does not believe in the bad publicity he has been receiving, but at a time when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is cracking down on sloth imports from the wild, and many sloth species are endangered or threatened, he claims his are merely exotic pets.

“Not one (came from the wild),” he said. “I get them from breeders.”

No evidence was provided to that end, but he did show Local 10 scrapbooks containing 50 years of his life spent with animals. It’s not a done deal that his life will continue with them here in the Sunshine State, though.

“There’s still a chance the Margate commission could vote no,” he said. “There’s a chance for everything, but I could always go to Loxahatchee, which is designated agricultural. I can do whatever the hell I want.”

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews responded to the flaming truck, which was parked in a spot near Northeast Sixth Street and Fourth Avenue.

Once the flames were out, crews began to get a real sense of the damage.

The vehicle was a total loss for a mobile pet grooming business.

Investigators said the groomer left the vehicle to grab a client from a nearby business and returned to find the truck already on fire.

Officials said there was a lot of equipment inside, from the truck’s generator to essentials needed in the pet grooming process, all of which were destroyed.

There were no injuries reported, human or animal, authorities said.

A Honda that was parked behind the truck was damaged by the fire, with its front end partially melted down because of the intense heat.

Those are the house rules of the 40+ Double Dutch South Florida subclub, where your age is your ticket in.

Growing older gets you access. Growing old is optional. The club is part of an international sisterhood that’s turning a childhood pastime into something much bigger.

“We take care of everyone. We continuously pour out into others,” said South Florida subclub captain Adrienne “Asia” Philpart. “Our kids, our pets, our spouses, our significant others. We need a time and a place where we can get poured back into us.”

“Take that break from adulting and let go of the cares,” she continued.

CLICK HERE to find a subclub near you.

That need is what sparked the global movement in the first place. Women 40 years and older can walk into any group and start jumping right away.

Founder Pamela Robinson launched the 40+ Double Dutch Club in Chicago in 2016 while searching for the woman she was before adulthood took over. She returned to the game she loved as a child — one that reminded her of life before responsibilities consumed it. Nearly a decade later, that personal journey has grown tremendously into an international sisterhood with more than 100 chapters in place.

CLICK HERE to find the 40+ Double Dutch Club on Instagram.

“We have women that are taking care of parents with Alzheimer’s, special needs children,” said Philpart.

Philpart learned of the movement through social media and worked fast to bring that energy to South Florida, launching the subclub in 2019 with a few close friends.

Membership has since grown quickly, jumping rope at community events and getting together twice a week to practice and “play.”

For co-captain Natasha “T Boogie” Hendricks, joining the chapter in 2020 came at exactly the right time.

“There were a lot of times where I just felt I was losing myself,” Hendricks said. “We know exactly who we are when we’re young. When we’re in our 20s. But then we get married and it’s not that we don’t love our families, but we do so much - we’re running here, we’re running there and we never take time out for ourselves.”

While balancing work, family and caring for her nonverbal daughter, Hendricks said the club became an opportunity to make connections while staying sharp and active.

Today, members proudly wear their ages across their backs — the club’s favorite humble brag.

Ages range across all groups from women starting in their 40s and jumping well into their 90s.

Double Dutch may be the draw, but hula hoops, jacks and plenty of laughter are all part of the experience. Philpart said women can simply walk up and join. Before long, they’re part of a sisterhood built on friendship, fitness and fun.

To submit an idea for What Connects Us, email whatconnectsus@wplg.com.

The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime outlines how transnational crime that used to be concentrated in Southeast Asia has expanded to other regions, while global criminal groups are increasingly engaging in drug, human and wildlife trafficking in Asia.

Criminals are using new technologies to launder money through global financial systems and using artificial intelligence to steal from victims worldwide, said the report, released Tuesday.

Children are increasingly at risk

One key finding of the report is the threat to children both from AI and from online gaming, as hundreds of scam compounds scattered across Southeast Asia provide venues for sex trafficking and selling of child sexual abuse content.

“There is a huge jump in AI-generated child sexual images ... communicated through encrypted communications platforms,” said Inshik Sim, UNODC researcher and coordinator for the report, told reporters at a briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand.

East Asian crime syndicates are running businesses that use malware, generative AI and deepfakes for sexual extortion and exploitation in a trend that increases risks of in-person abuse as well as livestreamed abuse and grooming of victims. Apart from outright trafficking for the sex industry, victims can be sold into domestic servitude, forced begging and forced labor, among other forms of exploitation, the report says.

Social media and online gaming and gambling also pose dangers for children, the report notes, citing surveys showing that hundreds of children and teens across Southeast Asia are engaged in online gambling, some to the extent of addiction.

Trafficking in drugs, guns tobacco and wildlife is expanding

The report estimates the combined annual sales of illicit drugs in Southeast Asia and nearby countries at up to $109 billion, with seizures of illegal shipments soaring. That includes methamphetamines, heroin and ketamine.

It points to the Sulu-Celebes maritime “triangle” between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines as an increasingly important corridor for shipments of cocaine from Latin America to Asia, with illicit cargoes sometimes embedded in legitimate shipments such as Chinese tea.

The area is also often used for smuggling of wildlife and small arms, the report says.

Meanwhile, Thailand and Vietnam increasingly are the source of cannabis sent to Japan, where it is illegal, and to Europe, it says.

Earlier this year, authorities in Malaysia's Sabah seized more than 3 tons of methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy in the largest such seizure for Sabah so far.

Money laundering and other tools keep criminals in business

The report outlines how cross border financial and technology networks are supporting what it calls a “criminal service infrastructure” that facilitates global organized crime.

The tools used include cryptocurrency, encrypted and private communications platforms and generative AI to create convincing phishing content, deploy real-time deepfake videos and voice calls. Using AI-powered translations, they can target victims across many languages at the same time, the report says.

Satellite communications also enable scam compounds to operate in places that are remote or subject to close surveillance.

To counter this growing criminal ecosystem, authorities need a coordinated, cross-border strategy that integrates enforcement across data, communications and financial systems, and online services and marketplaces, the report said.

Crackdowns drive scam centers offshore and underground

As authorities in Thailand, China and elsewhere have raided industrial-sized scam centers mostly located in border regions of Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, criminals have responded by shifting to other parts of the world or operating on a smaller scale.

“They were destroyed, but none of the operations stopped,” said Seong Jae Shin, an analyst and counter-terrorism office at the UNODC.

Scam centers moved to villas and other properties, he said, going underground.

“It's much harder for the Cambodian authorities to crack down now,” he said.

The U.N. food security report, released Tuesday, found global hunger has eased modestly in recent years, but projected more than 500 million people could still face chronic hunger by 2030. Africa is expected to bear the largest share of that burden.

In an interview with The Associated Press on July 10, IFAD President Alvaro Lario said geopolitical tensions and potential disruptions to shipping and energy supplies, including uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war, could leave an additional 9-18 million people facing hunger if the shocks persist.

“We are in a current era where we have the highest number of conflicts and are still increasing,” Lario said. “Whenever there is a conflict, also hunger, displacement, refugees increase.”

Conflict fuels food insecurity

Conflict remains one of the biggest obstacles to reducing hunger worldwide, Lario added.

Wars and geopolitical tensions can disrupt shipping, energy supplies and agricultural inputs, increasing costs across food systems already strained by inflation. Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.

Higher energy prices are already affecting fertilizers and agricultural production, he said. The impact is especially significant for small-scale farmers, many of whom rely on diesel fuel to pump water, harvest crops and transport goods to market.

Rising fuel costs increase production expenses and can feed directly into higher food prices.

Climate shocks add pressure

The new report identifies affordability as one of the world’s biggest food security challenges. While food production continues to grow, roughly a third of the global population still can't afford a healthy diet. In low-income countries, that figure rises to about 77%, according to Lario.

“The biggest challenge is no longer simply producing enough food, but making healthy diets affordable,” he said.

Climate change is adding further pressure to food systems and rural livelihoods.

Lario noted that floods, prolonged droughts and extreme heat are increasingly disrupting agriculture around the world and have become a common reality for many communities.

Governments should focus on resilience and adaptation before disasters strike, rather than relying solely on emergency responses afterward, he said.

“This is just becoming the new normal,” Lario said. “We are seeing floods in many countries. We’re still seeing droughts that have been expanding for four or five years.”

The fund is increasing investments in climate-adaptation programs aimed at helping rural communities withstand floods, droughts and extreme heat, he said, arguing that support is urgently needed for the millions of small farmers who produce much of the world’s food.

Africa emerges as the epicenter

The report highlights Africa as the world’s most pressing food-security challenge. For the first time, the continent has overtaken Asia as the region with the largest number of hungry people, and nearly 60% of the world’s chronically undernourished people could live there by 2030.

Lario attributed the shift partly to rapid population growth and slower economic gains than in parts of Asia, and he called for greater investment in agriculture, infrastructure and food systems.

African countries currently import nearly $100 billion worth of food each year, he said, underscoring the need for stronger local production, storage, distribution and regional trade networks.

Conflicts, energy-market disruptions and climate extremes threaten to derail progress unless governments invest in more resilient food systems, Lario said.

Rescue teams with oxygen gear raced to find survivors Tuesday as toxic levels of gas were detected at the disaster site in Samardung village near the Chinese border.

The blast had ripped through the tunnel Monday while 21 laborers were inside working on the 500-megawatt Teesta hydroelectric project, officials said. Two of them managed to escape. Six power utility officials later entered the tunnel to help in the rescue, but became trapped themselves, officials said.

The explosion was believed triggered by a buildup of methane, said State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who visited the site Tuesday. Survivors told authorities they heard a loud explosion before debris came crashing through the tunnel, civil official Anupama Tamling said.

Officials had recovered 12 bodies on Tuesday while rescuers from the National Disaster Response Force, or NDRF, raced to reach the 13 people believed to be still trapped.

“We found toxic gases such as methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide inside the tunnel,” NDRF official Nitin Kumar said at the scene.

The conditions late Tuesday were so dangerous that, although equipped with oxygen gear, the rescuers could enter the disaster site only for shifts of about 15 minutes at a time, officials said.

Construction accidents are not uncommon in India, where rapid infrastructure growth often collides with fragile geology, construction lapses, extreme weather and safety standards.

In the Himalayan region, fragile mountains, seismic activity and unpredictable underground conditions make tunnel projects especially risky. An explosion inside a coal mine in neighboring Meghalaya state in February killed at least 18 workers. In 2023, a tunnel section in northern Uttarakhand state collapsed, trapping 41 workers for 17 days before they were rescued.

Experts say the Teesta River basin, where the hydropower project is being built, lies in a seismically active region marked by young, fragile rock formations riddled with fractures and underground pockets that can trap ancient gases.

Dr. Devesh Walia, a geology professor at North-Eastern Hill University in Meghalaya, said the area contains relatively young rock formations, some associated with coal-bearing strata.

“It is quite possible that methane along with other gases accumulated underground and may have triggered an explosion,” he said.

The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met behind closed doors in Manila before issuing a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to fighting in the Middle East and the full and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for energy shipments.

“We expressed serious concern over the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, particularly the renewed hostilities involving the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ASEAN ministers said.

The ministers said they reaffirmed the obligations of states to peacefully resolve their differences and respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Southeast Asia, a bustling region of more than 680 million people, relies heavily on Middle East oil and gas and was severely hit by the global supply and price shocks sparked by the Iran war. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency in March to ensure the availability of fuel, food and other basic goods and prevent hoarding and profiteering.

Rubio to meet his Chinese counterpart

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila on Tuesday morning for an annual meeting with his ASEAN counterparts on Wednesday, where the Middle East crisis will be high on the agenda along with other security and economic issues.

Rubio plans to join regional security talks called the ASEAN Regional Forum, which also will include the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Rubio will meet Wang on the sidelines on Wednesday, the State Department said. It will be the highest-level contact between the U.S. and China since President Donald Trump flew to flew to Beijing in May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping that focused on the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, trade and the status of Taiwan, among other issues.

Rubio, Wang and Lavrov will attend a final forum Thursday called the East Asia Summit, where 18 Western and Asian countries, including the 11-nation ASEAN, will tackle geopolitical, economic and security concerns.

Tensions have grown in the South China Sea

ASEAN ministers were scheduled to meet Wang on Wednesday with an agenda that includes a discussion on the status of negotiations between China and the regional bloc on a proposed pact called a “code of conduct,” which aims to prevent territorial disputes in the South China Sea from spiraling out of control.

A new clash in the disputed waters underscored the urgency of the proposed nonaggression pact, which has been negotiated by the two sides for about two decades. They aim to conclude talks within the year.

The Philippine military accused China’s coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor during an altercation Monday in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

Chinese coast guard personnel aboard a motorboat repeatedly struck the sailor on the head with a wooden baton, injuring him and damaging his smaller vessel, the Philippine military said.

Philippine officials condemned the Chinese coast guard, which blamed the Filipinos for starting the high seas confrontation. Marcos called the Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan for a meeting Tuesday afternoon, his spokesperson said without providing details.

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry said the Philippine ambassador was summoned on Tuesday to protest his country’s actions in the confrontation.

___

Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Manila, Philippines, and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

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La Autoridad Nacional de Gestión de Desastres de Afganistán informó el martes que 23 personas habían muerto, 80 habían resultado heridas y más de 100 estaban desaparecidas después de que las inundaciones golpearan el lunes la provincia oriental de Nuristán, lo que provocó el derrumbe de un número indeterminado de edificios. La capital provincial, Parun, estuvo entre las zonas afectadas, indicaron las autoridades.

Se han pronosticado más fenómenos meteorológicos extremos, con lluvias intensas, tormentas eléctricas, vientos fuertes acompañados de polvo y arena e inundaciones repentinas en 10 de las 34 provincias del país, señaló el lunes por la noche el departamento de meteorología del Ministerio de Transporte y Aviación Civil. El ministerio advirtió a los residentes que eviten las riberas de los ríos y otras zonas con riesgo de inundación.

Afganistán es altamente vulnerable a los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos, con nieve y lluvias intensas que desencadenan inundaciones repentinas, que a menudo matan a decenas o incluso a cientos de personas de una sola vez. En 2024, más de 300 personas murieron en inundaciones repentinas de primavera. A principios de este año, al menos 110 personas murieron por inundaciones generalizadas y deslizamientos de tierra en varias partes del país.

Décadas de conflicto, junto con una infraestructura deficiente, una economía en dificultades, la deforestación y los efectos cada vez más intensos del cambio climático han amplificado el impacto de este tipo de desastres, particularmente en zonas remotas donde muchas viviendas están construidas de barro y ofrecen una protección limitada frente a aguaceros repentinos o fuertes nevadas.

___

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

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday that 80 people also were injured when floods struck the eastern province of Nuristan on Monday, causing an undetermined number of buildings to collapse. The provincial capital city of Parun was among the areas affected, authorities said.

Video footage from Parun showed scenes of utter devastation, with piles of mud, rocks and rubble where buildings used to be. Bulldozers helped clear mud and smashed concrete while local residents used shovels to dig away at piles of earth.

“The flood came through here. We saw bodies being swept away in the floodwaters with our own eyes," said Parun resident Zubair Ahmad, who said homes and shops were destroyed. “The flooding caused extensive damage and heavy losses for the local people.”

Forecasters predicted more extreme weather, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds accompanied by sand and flash floods in 10 of the country's 34 provinces, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation’s meteorology department said Monday evening. The ministry warned residents to avoid riverbanks and other areas at risk of flooding.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods, often killing dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods. Earlier this year, at least 110 people were killed by widespread flooding and landslides in several parts of the country.

Decades of conflict, along with poor infrastructure, a struggling economy, deforestation and the intensifying effects of climate change, have amplified the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.

La tormenta se encontraba unos 177 kilómetros (110 millas) al sur de Panama City, Florida, y 274 kilómetros (170 millas) al sureste de Mobile, Alabama, y se desplazaba hacia el noroeste a 8 km/h (5 mph) con vientos máximos sostenidos de 80 km/h (50 mph), según informó el martes por la mañana el Centro Nacional de Huracanes, con sede en Miami.

La velocidad del viento aumentó 16 km/h (10 mph) desde que Bertha se formó la noche del lunes. Una alerta de tormenta tropical —lo que significa que se prevé que las condiciones se presenten dentro del área bajo advertencia en un plazo de 36 horas— estaba vigente a primera hora del martes desde la frontera entre Florida y Alabama hasta la línea entre las parroquias de Jefferson y Plaquemines, en Luisiana.

El centro de huracanes indicó que se emitió una vigilancia por marejada ciclónica —que señala el aumento del nivel del agua, potencialmente mortal, que puede avanzar tierra adentro desde la costa en un plazo de 48 horas— desde la frontera entre Alabama y Florida hasta la desembocadura del río Mississippi, informó el centro de huracanes.

Bertha se mantendría cerca de la costa

Bertha es la segunda tormenta tropical de la temporada de huracanes del Atlántico, después de que la tormenta tropical Arthur llevó fuertes lluvias al sureste de Estados Unidos en junio.

Se esperaba que la tormenta se mantuviera cerca de, o a lo largo de, la costa norte del Golfo esta semana, dejando lluvias intensas en zonas costeras de Florida, Alabama, Mississippi y Luisiana, mientras avanzaba hacia el oeste en dirección a Texas.

El centro de huracanes advirtió de posibles marejadas ciclónicas potencialmente mortales de hasta 1,2 metros (4 pies) en partes de Luisiana, Alabama y Florida, y advirtió que Bertha podría generar uno o dos tornados aislados sobre la región de Florida Big Bend.

Los meteorólogos añadieron que también podrían producirse inundaciones repentinas hasta el viernes a lo largo de la costa desde el oeste de Florida hasta el centro de Texas, y que la lluvia podría sumar de 7 a 12 centímetros (entre 3 y 5 pulgadas) de agua a lo largo de la costa de Luisiana, con cantidades mayores en algunas zonas dispersas.

Banderas rojas en la playa de Orange Beach, Alabama, advirtieron a los nadadores sobre el fuerte oleaje y las corrientes. En el condado de Escambia, Florida, funcionarios de emergencias ofrecieron arena para que las personas que viven en zonas propensas a inundaciones la usaran para llenar sacos de arena.

El huracán Fausto se agita en el Pacífico

En el océano Pacífico oriental, el huracán Fausto se agitaba lejos de la península mexicana de Baja California y no representaba ninguna amenaza para tierra firme, informó el centro de huracanes.

Fausto alcanzó la categoría de huracán la noche del lunes. Se encontraba unos 1.191 km (740 millas) al suroeste del extremo sur de la península de Baja California, con vientos máximos sostenidos de 129 km/h (80 mph), y se desplazaba hacia el noroeste a 19 km/h (12 mph).

Se esperaba que la tormenta se fortaleciera el martes y el miércoles. No había avisos ni alertas costeras en vigor, aunque el oleaje generado por la tormenta podría provocar condiciones de oleaje fuerte y corrientes de resaca potencialmente mortales en la costa de Baja California, indicó el centro.

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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.

Burnham told his top team that he would lead a “cost-of-living government” focused on easing the economic burden felt by millions of people.

“We need to think every day, what can we do just to take that little bit of pressure off people’s shoulders, to give them that little extra sense that help is coming, so they can have that bit of hope that things are getting better,” Burnham said.

He made a small down payment on that pledge by announcing a tax cut on energy bills that will save the average household about 45 pounds ($60) a year. The cut will take effect Oct. 1, Burnham said, with the funding coming from scrapping a plan for digital ID cards announced by Starmer.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester entered Downing St. on Monday after replacing Starmer as leader of the governing Labour Party, becoming Britain’s seventh prime minister since 2016. Starmer resigned just two years after winning a landslide election victory, forced out by his party after missteps and U-turns.

In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham pledged to ease the cost of living, decentralize political power, revitalize industry and end street sleeping by homeless people — a tall order, especially given Britain's sluggish economic growth in recent years.

Burnham acknowledged at the Cabinet meeting that the government would have to make difficult financial decisions and “take a really hard look at what our priorities are.”

Starmer loyalists removed from office

After taking office Monday, Burnham set about remaking the government.

Starmer’s finance minister, Rachel Reeves, was ousted, replaced by John Healey, a former defense secretary who resigned in June and accused the Treasury of failing to spend enough on the military at a time of rising threats. In an interview after he quit, Healey called the Treasury “a dead hand on dynamic government” and “in denial.”

Healey has said defense spending, due to be 2.6% of GDP next year, should rise to 3% by 2030. Now he will have to find the money.

Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary in May helped topple Starmer, took over the defense portfolio.

Other key Cabinet appointees include Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who has an expanded brief that includes innovation and science.

Louise Haigh, a key Burnham ally who helped engineer his rise to the top, was named First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, effectively the deputy prime minister.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has overseen contentious rules designed to reduce immigration, kept her job.

Burnham has huge support from the party that is desperate for a new leader to reverse its decline in popularity under Starmer. But there is some grumbling after Burnham removed several of Starmer’s senior ministers including ex-Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, former Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Starmer’s chief secretary, Darren Jones.

Foreign policy challenges lie ahead

Burnham has little experience of foreign policy and faces a stack of challenges including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and managing relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who first warmed to Starmer before souring on him.

Burnham’s office said he spoke to Trump in one of his first calls as prime minister and “underlined his commitment to defense and security.” Trump posted on social media that the men had “a very good conversation” and would be “meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest.”

The prime minister also spoke to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and leaders of the European Union and NATO.

Burnham told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that putting former defense chief Healey in charge of the nation’s finances “was a signal of his intent.”

In a reminder of the growing international tensions Britain faces, a Russian warship carried out a live-fire weapons exercise in the English Channel on Monday, the day Burnham took office.

The Ministry of Defense said the frigate Neustrashimy was being shadowed by the Royal Navy when it conducted the exercise in international waters about 46 miles (74 kilometers) south of Plymouth, off southwest England. It said the navy “continues to track the vessel’s activity closely and stands ready to protect U.K. national security.”

Streeting, the new defense secretary, said the Russian ship's actions were “performative and irresponsible.”

“Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government and this prime minister, our resolve to stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine but also Russian aggression against all of our allies,” he said at a news conference.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian warships always acted “in strict accordance” with international and maritime law.

Asked whether the Russian government felt relations with the U.K. would improve under the new prime minister, Peskov said it had “no such hopes.”

The storm was about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida, and 170 miles (274 kilometers) southeast of Mobile, Alabama, and moving northwest at 5 mph (8 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph), the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning.

The wind speed increased by 10 mph (16 kph) since Bertha formed Monday night. A tropical storm warning, meaning the conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours, was in effect early Tuesday from the Florida and Alabama border to the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line in Louisiana.

A storm surge watch, indicating rising, possible life-threatening water moving inland from the coast within 48 hours, was issued from the Alabama and Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River, the hurricane center reported.

Bertha is expected to stay near or along the Gulf Coast

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season after Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern U.S. in June.

The storm was expected to stay near or along the northern Gulf Coast this week, dropping heavy rain on coastal areas of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana while pushing west toward Texas.

Potentially life-threatening storm surges of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) are possible in portions of Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, the hurricane center said, warning Bertha could spin off an isolated tornado or two over the Florida Big Bend region.

Areas of flash flooding also will be possible through Friday along the coast from western Florida to middle Texas, forecasters said, adding that rainfall could total 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) along the Louisiana coastline, with higher amounts in some scattered areas.

Red flags on the beach at Orange Beach, Alabama, cautioned swimmers about high surf and currents. In Escambia County, Florida, emergency officials offered sand for people living in flood-prone areas to use for sandbags.

Hurricane Fausto churns in the Pacific

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Fausto churned far from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and posed no threat to land, the hurricane center said.

Fausto gained hurricane status Monday night. It was about 740 miles (1,191 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, had top sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph) and was moving northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).

The storm was expected to strengthen Tuesday and Wednesday. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, though ocean swells generated by the storm could cause life-threatening surf and rip tide conditions on the Baja California coast, the center said.

The movement, now attracting professionals and families beyond students, represents a rare public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s government, reviving criticism over its handling of dissent and use of force to respond to protests.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and dozens of his Congress party lawmakers showed their support Tuesday with a sit-in outside Modi’s residence before police forcibly removed them in a dramatic escalation.

Footage showed Gandhi, who had urged “every patriotic Indian who believes that our students should get justice” to join, resisting. Government minister Jitendra Singh said Gandhi was told the location was not “suitable for a sit-in."

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters remained camped at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, under heavy police presence, saying they would stay until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns over alleged failures in India’s examination system.

“We are going to continue our protest,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, which emerged just two months ago as a satirical protest after a Supreme Court judge described India's youth as “cockroaches” but quickly evolved.

It gained momentum over the weekend after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose three-week hunger strike became a symbol of the protests, was forcibly taken to a hospital by police.

Video of police beating protesters and dragging them away spread on social media, fueling public outrage. Footage showed young protesters crying and pleading with officers not to hit them, while others stood their ground and endured blows.

Delhi Police said nearly 180 people were injured, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters.

Sona Bisht, a 20-year-old student who was part of the protest, said the confrontation strengthened her resolve.

“If the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z, they can stop us, then that won’t happen. We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here,” she said.

After nearly a month of silence, the government made its first apparent move to engage with the protesters Monday, when a senior minister held talks with movement representatives. The outreach failed to ease tensions.

Movement leaders said they wanted action rather than assurances, including Pradhan’s resignation, examination reforms and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after alleged exam irregularities.

Dipke accused authorities of breaking their word, saying police resorted to a baton charge after protesters were invited for talks.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement late Monday that the police action showed “how peaceful dissent is being suppressed in India," noting that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is recognized under the Indian constitution.

More people have joined the movement after seeing the confrontation.

Rabina Kashyap, a 26-year-old working professional, said she joined the protest on Tuesday.

“I have nothing to do with this protest," she said. “But this is India, this is my country, and these are my people. So I will stand by them.”

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Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal contributed to this report.

Engelbert, the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner, helped negotiate a transformative collective bargaining agreement this past spring that gives the WNBA its first core of million-dollar player salaries.

“There’s not a lot of jobs where you can make over 30-plus millionaires instantly, right?” Engelbert said in a phone interview with The Associated Press heading into this weekend's WNBA All-Star festivities in Chicago. “It just doesn’t exist in most companies, except if you’re like a stock-option company, and your stock does really well. Most of them are under the age of 30 and there are more to come.”

Even with the financial gains, the WNBA’s growth has come amid a strained partnership between the commissioner and players. Engelbert has been criticized for how she has handled various situations, including for being out of touch or not doing enough to help combat social media vitriol.

Engelbert will meet with the executive committee of the players’ union on Tuesday to discuss the recent uptick in online hatred and threats directed toward players.

New York Liberty All-Star Breanna Stewart, vice president of the WNBA players' union executive committee, said there is a respect for Engelbert among the players, just not much of a relationship.

Her Liberty teammate, Sabrina Ionescu, said she talks more to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver than Engelbert.

WNBA business is booming

While the commissioner continues to try and strengthen her relationship with players, the business of the WNBA has thrived.

Engelbert was involved in talks that led to a record media rights deal worth over $3 billion. The league has had record ratings, attendance and team valuations, and will expand to a record 18 teams by 2030.

“We’ve been in hypergrowth mode now for two or three years and companies, if you look back in time, you are not in hypergrowth mode forever,” Engelbert said. “We’re preparing ourselves now for the next version of ourselves, which probably isn’t as hypergrowth.”

From a business standpoint, though, the league has grown, including navigating the coronavirus pandemic that could have crippled the WNBA.

“Give Cathy credit, as she advocated for the season,” Seattle Storm owner Ginny Gilder said. "We had no idea what was going to happen. People had to make decisions. Cathy pushed the Board of Governors to not only have a shortened season, but to fully pay the players. Don’t bicker. We were going to figure out the finances.”

Expansion fees have gone up five-fold over the past few seasons. Golden State paid $50 million to join the league and Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — all joining the league over the next four years — each paid $250 million.

“Look at the financial side in such a short period of time — Cathy with all the work she did and the staff she hired deserves a tremendous amount of credit for that,” Gilder said. “If you look around the league from 2015 to 2020 to now, you know it is a completely new day.”

Valuations of teams were around $5-10 million a decade ago and now the average is around $460 million, Engelbert said.

“When you’re CEO, when you’re commissioner, you’re going to have good days and bad days. But if you just looked at the overall scorecard, you’d have to say we’re doing great,” Washington Mystics owner Ted Leonsis said.

More endorsements for WNBA players

It's nearly impossible to turn on a major sporting event over the past few years without seeing a WNBA player featured in a commercial. From Gatorade to State Farm, Nike and CarMax, product ads feature some of the league's top newsmakers, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.

Engelbert said when Clark was drafted, it created a "domino effect, because they started seeing the value of putting players in their ads and then separately endorsing the players. I’m really proud of that because when I came to the league, absent a few sneakers ads, I don’t remember any players in spots. Maybe there were a few.”

The commissioner has seen the trend continue with younger players coming into the league, including Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles.

“Everybody sees the W is here to stay,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner's future and what's next for the WNBA

Engelbert deflected questions about her future other than to say she's turning 62 this year and that was the mandatory retirement age at her old job at Deloitte, where she was the president.

“I haven’t given it a ton of thought. We’ll think about it,” Engelbert said of how long she will stay in her current role, adding she is "focused on the whack-a-mole that is our season. I always tell people don’t focus on me, focus on the rest of my team.

"You always want to leave an organization better than you found it. Internally we’re proud of the team we’ve built.”

Silver said in Las Vegas that he supports what Engelbert is doing.

“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” the NBA commissioner said. “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”

With media rights stable for the next decade as well as labor peace achieved and expansion finished for the immediate future, Engelbert said her list of priorities includes a look at officiating, with WNBA referees finding themselves at the center of questions from frustrated players, coaches and fans. She also wants to help teams with lower attendance improve those numbers, and expand the league's international footprint.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The next World Cup, the women's edition, is set for next summer in Brazil. Just as Spain won the men's trophy in the recently concluded tournament, that nation's women were the champions three years ago.

Currently the top-ranked women's team in the world, Spain topped England 1-0 in the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney. That squad was loaded with talent, including Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, as well as young star Salma Paralluelo.

In a television interview following the men's final, Spain star Rodri paid Bonmati the ultimate compliment: “I'm trying to see if I can get to her level.”

The memories of 2023 aren't so sweet for the United States, which was knocked out of the tournament in the round of 16 by Sweden. Still, the U.S. has won four World Cup titles and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

The United States will host Spain twice in October, serving as a tuneup for CONCACAF qualifying to start in late November in Texas. The friendly matches against Spain could provide a glimpse of what both teams might look like next summer.

“We know Spain is an amazing team, and I think we’re just really looking forward to having this prep. Especially before qualifying,” said U.S. midfielder Lily Yohannes. “And yeah, I think it will be a really great opportunity for us. Playing these players, I played against them in the Champions League, and I know how great they are.”

The road to Brazil

Qualification for the World Cup is well under way, with 14 teams already securing berths. Brazil, which has an automatic spot as host, has never won the women’s tournament.

“Some time ago the opportunities for men and women were not equal. But that’s changing. This World Cup has tremendous potential to make that change truly happen,” said former Brazil defender Aline Pellegrino, now executive director of legacy and stakeholder affairs for Women’s World Cup in Brazil. “So there’s a great deal of excitement and expectation that we’ll have the best possible atmosphere in our stadiums, just as we recently saw in the two matches between the Brazilian national team and the United States. FIFA, together with the federal government and the host cities, have been working very hard to ensure that we’ll have full stadiums and that everything runs as efficiently as possible.”

The biggest question around the Brazilians is the status of veteran captain Marta, the nation's all-time leading scorer with 122 goals. Marta retired from international play following Brazil's 1-0 loss to the United States in the gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics, but returned the next year for the Copa America Femenina. She will be 41 when her nation hosts the World Cup.

The United States visited Brazil for a pair of matches in June, falling 2-1 in Sao Paulo before a 1-0 victory in Fortaleza. U.S. coach Emma Hayes said the team needed to embrace those “moments of chaos” in a hostile environment.

Who's in so far?

Australia, the Philippines, Japan, North Korea, China, South Korea, Argentina, Colombia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain and Denmark are among the nations that have qualified. Germany, the 2003 and 2011 world champions, are ranked No. 3 globally.

Brazil previously hosted both the men's World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. All eight cities that will host women’s matches next year also hosted men’s games in 2014: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador.

Next year's tournament will be the last with 32 teams before jumping up to 48 teams like the men’s tournament. The 2031 Women's World Cup is expected to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. The formal decision will likely be announced in November.

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

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict that is seeking to rejuvenate diplomacy, but it was unclear what new arrangement might be reached to end the war. Speaking from the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump gave a dim view on possible talks, saying the U.S. had “no interest in meeting.”

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled, and as the fight for control over the waterway intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure in the region relied on by millions of people.

A barrage of U.S. strikes hasn’t compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas was shipped before the war. The U.S. continued its airstrikes on the Islamic Republic early Tuesday, and Iran attacked a tanker in the strait, forcing the crew to abandon the ship.

Iran also kept up attacks against U.S. allies in the region. Sirens in Bahrain and Kuwait warned residents on Tuesday afternoon of incoming projectiles.

In the Red Sea, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have opened a new front against Saudi Arabia by declaring a naval blockade of the kingdom, threatening the flow of global oil supplies and trade. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked up, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market.

A news agency in Yemen that is run by the Houthis, SABA, said Tuesday that six ships in the Red Sea were forced to reroute after they received warnings from the rebel group. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the claim.

Three Houthi officials said the group warned international shipping companies on Monday to avoid transiting in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.

The escalation has pushed oil prices higher. Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $90 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans’ wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.

Iranian official begins meetings in Pakistan

Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Momeni later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement, Sharif expressed deep concern over the recent escalation between the U.S. and Iran, and he urged all sides to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further destabilize the region.

Pakistan’s political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defense forces, played a key role in brokering last month’s interim agreement between the United States and Iran. Islamabad has been working to persuade both sides to return to the negotiating table to resolve outstanding issues under the June memorandum of understanding.

Trump told reporters that Iranian officials "want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting.” He added that Iran was “getting decimated” by U.S. attacks.

A deep level of mistrust persists on both sides. Iran came under a surprise attack in June 2025 and again in February while it was engaging in nuclear negotiations with the U.S. The interim deal unraveled when Iran resumed attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which was supposed to be reopened under the agreement.

US strikes come as ships attacked

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the command said.

Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in Fars, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control.

Iran strikes US allies around the region

Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East.

Jordan's military said Tuesday that Iran targeted it with five drones and three missiles, all of which were shot down. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Tuesday afternoon as another Iranian barrage targeted the island kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The Kuwaiti government said Iran had struck desalination and power plants for a fourth straight day on Monday night. Authorities said the attacks sparked fires and caused damage.

Some 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from desalination, making the attacks a matter of life and death for the tiny nation.

U.S. strikes have been hitting electrical equipment in Iran as well, and Iranian officials also have said Americans targeted water facilities.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Fatma Khaled in Cairo, and Collin Binkley in Washington, contributed.

But in retrospect, a lot of things went right.

The United States, Canada and Mexico spent nearly six weeks hosting soccer's biggest showcase and — at least for the most part — the action stayed on the field.

Star players like Argentina's Lionel Messi, France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland became household names across North America, television ratings remained high in the U.S. even after the Americans were eliminated and despite high ticket prices, most games featured packed stadiums.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave effusive praise to the host countries on Sunday after Spain won the final by beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time.

Attendance was good, so were ratings

Fox broadcast all 104 games in English on its platforms and American viewership remained strong even after the U.S. was eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16.

Spanish broadcasts on Telemundo were also a popular option — even for non-native speakers.

Fox hasn't yet released its viewership numbers for Sunday's final, but Telemundo's preliminary numbers show the Spain-Argentina matchup had a total audience of 22.6 million, putting it on track to become the most-watched World Cup final in Spanish-language media history.

The US-Belgium game on July 6 was watched by more than 45 million, including 33.1 million on Fox and 12 million on Telemundo.

And despite a few early hiccups, stadium attendance was strong throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“We have had a record number of spectators in the stadiums, almost 7 million," Infantino said. "We will have had, I mean the official figures will come out soon, but probably over 6 billion people watching it from home."

The weather cooperated — usually

Fans and players from other countries found out what Americans, Canadians and Mexicans have known for a long time — it can get pretty hot here in the summer. Climate change isn't helping matters.

But Mother Nature could have been a lot meaner than she decided to be.

Even so, there were a handful of games that featured particularly hot and muggy conditions. The best example was a knockout-round game between Paraguay and France on July 4 in Philadelphia when temperatures hovered around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

The World Cup final on Sunday also dodged a potential problem when smoke from Canadian wildfires that wrapped the Northeast in haze mostly cleared from the New Jersey area just in time thanks to some well-timed thunderstorms.

Size doesn't matter

This year's 48-team World Cup field was the biggest in the tournament's history and many thought it would water down the competition.

That wasn't the case.

Cape Verde held eventual champion Spain to a draw in its opening game, advanced to the round of 32 and gave Argentina a scare before losing 3-2 in extra time in a World Cup classic. Congo also advanced beyond the group stage and pushed England before eventually losing, while Curaçao was still in with a chance of making the knockouts going into its final group match.

After those Cinderella stories, fans eventually got to enjoy semifinal games full of heavyweights. England, Argentina, Spain and France were the top four in the world rankings.

Politics can't be ignored

The World Cup is famously a petri dish for political conflict, and this year's version provided its share of strife.

Iran's participation in the tournament amid the war in the Middle East was a particularly thorny issue and the team had to move its base camp from Arizona to Mexico. The Iranians' participation was overshadowed by travel complaints and visa issues, with the U.S. refusing visas to several members of Iran’s delegation.

U.S. President Donald Trump's relationship with Infantino was scrutinized after American striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban for a red card was suspended ahead of the team’s round of 16 game against Belgium.

Travel restrictions for a series of countries prevented some fans from traveling to the U.S., but there were no reports of the aggressive immigration enforcement that some human rights groups had feared could take place around World Cup stadiums.

Infantino brushed aside most of the controversies, instead focusing on the positives. While the FIFA president has a vested interest in painting a rosy picture of this year's World Cup, there's little doubt the tournament was a hit from a soccer perspective.

“I think we have to invent a new vocabulary, new words to define the success of this World Cup,” Infantino said.

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AP Soccer Writer James Robson and AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this story.

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

The assailant, identified only as a 60-year-old Greek man, attacked a Greek American couple with a knife on a pedestrian street near an entrance to the archaeological site and near the entrance to the Acropolis Museum, which lies at the foot of the Acropolis hill.

The 53-year-old male victim suffered a serious wound to his arm which required a tourniquet to be applied, while the 48-year-old woman was more lightly wounded in the leg, police said. Both were transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Neither of their injuries was reported to be life-threatening.

The attacker was detained at the scene and was to appear in court before a prosecutor later Tuesday to be formally charged, police said. Authorities did not provide further details on his identity, in line with Greek law regarding the identification of suspects. The motivation for the attack was not immediately clear, but police said the assailant appeared to have been suffering from psychological problems.

The incident did not lead to any closure to the sites, which continued operating as usual. Greek media reported that the assailant had allegedly been randomly threatening passersby with a knife, and that police had been alerted by a member of the public.

The attack occurred shortly after 8 a.m. local time, just as the ancient site opened. Early morning visits to the Acropolis are popular as they avoid the intense midday summer heat on the exposed hill, where there is little shade. Greece is currently experiencing its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Athens and 41 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country.

Violent street attacks are rare in Greece. In April, authorities arrested an 89-year-old man who allegedly opened fire with a shotgun in a social security office and a courthouse in central Athens, wounding at least four people, reportedly over social security grievances.

The Acropolis hill in Athens hosts the nearly 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple as well as other monuments, and attracts millions of tourists. Last year, about 4.6 million people visited the site.

More than 23 kilometers (14 miles) have been constructed in recent months, running through Palestinian communities demolished by the military. That is equivalent to more than half the length of the coastal strip, which is some 40 kilometers (25 miles) long and 11 kilometers (7 miles) wide, and home to over 2 million Palestinians.

When presented with the satellite images, Israel’s military confirmed to The Associated Press it has built a physical barrier in the area of the so-called yellow line, the boundary to which Israeli troops withdrew under the October ceasefire deal with Hamas. The line was envisioned in the U.S.-backed agreement as a temporary division of the territory pending a fuller Israeli withdrawal.

But as the truce stagnates, it appears Israel is digging in, heightening Palestinian fears that the line is morphing into a border. Neither U.S. Central Command, which is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire, nor the Board of Peace, the body led by U.S. President Donald Trump meant to eventually oversee Gaza, would comment on the barrier.

Along with the barrier, the military told AP it has developed a “security zone” around the line, equipped with intelligence and technological assets. It declined to give details on the route of the barrier when asked how far it would be extended. It said the barrier aimed to prevent infiltration and protect Israeli troops and Israeli communities near Gaza.

Construction of the barrier is proceeding rapidly

Since the ceasefire deal took hold, Palestinians in Gaza have feared Israel would not return the area of Gaza it controls. But few appear to be aware of the berms now being built around them — because of the danger of even approaching that area.

A portion of the berm network in southern Gaza was extended by more than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in two weeks this month, according to the satellite images provided by Planet Labs PBC.

The berm was about 500 meters (0.3 miles) long on July 1. By July 15, it was about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles), splicing the Israel-controlled ruins of the city of Rafah from Muwasi, site of some of the largest Palestinian tent camps.

If construction continues in its current direction, it will join up with the longest stretch of the barrier, which runs nearly unbroken for around 17 kilometers (10 miles) from the southern city of Khan Younis to near Gaza City, in the north.

Construction began on that stretch in February, and it appears work to extend it further south is continuing, according to the satellite images. More than a kilometer (0.6 miles) was added between June 21 and July 7, running close to an Israeli military base built on the ruins of the town of Bani Suheila, near Khan Younis.

In the far north of Gaza, several unconnected stretches of berms run just outside the largely leveled town of Beit Lahia.

The height of the berms in each place remains unclear. In some places, the barriers appear to run outside the yellow line.

Israel has mostly destroyed and depopulated the half of Gaza it controls

Gaza’s population has been crowded into the coastal area west of the yellow line, most living in squalid tent camps and dependent on aid.

On the other side of the line, satellite imagery shows that Israeli forces have leveled the vast majority of buildings using bulldozers and explosives, virtually erasing several towns and Rafah, once home to more than a quarter million people.

They have carved new road networks and erected new bases on the ruins of Palestinian towns. Agricultural land has also been destroyed. The Israeli military says it is demolishing infrastructure used by Hamas.

The yellow line was never precisely defined, whether in the ceasefire deal or by Israeli or U.S. officials, and it has been inconsistently marked on the ground. The military told AP it is working to clearly mark the route of the yellow line to “reduce friction and prevent harm to uninvolved individuals.”

Israeli forces have killed Palestinians who came close to the line or crossed it. The Israeli military says it fires on those believed to be militants threatening its troops. But those killed have included children and other civilians seemingly unaware of the line. Some soldiers have said they don’t always know who they are firing on and have orders to kill anyone crossing the boundary.

Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Palestinians since the ceasefire

Israeli forces have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, most in airstrikes and drone strikes around Gaza. Militant attacks have killed five Israeli soldiers in the same period.

Early on Tuesday, an Israeli strike in Gaza City killed Firas al-Masri, his wife and their four children, ages 6 to 13, according to Shifa Hospital. Israel's military only said that they conducted a strike on Hamas militants in the area at that time.

Firas' brother, Ahmad al-Masri, lives nearby and said he heard the children's voices at the moment of the blast.

“They were calling out to me, ‘Uncle! Uncle!’” he said. “But the fire was raging, and we couldn’t do anything.”

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel is eventually supposed to withdraw its troops further to the very edges of Gaza, to be replaced by an international security force. But implementation of the deal has been stalled for months.

A former U.N. diplomat now in charge of coordinating the ceasefire has blamed Hamas’ failure to disarm. Sporadic talks to reach a formula for decommissioning its weapons appear to have made little progress, and Hamas accuses Israel in turn of violating the ceasefire.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with a punishing military offensive that has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry, which was part of the recently dissolved Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.

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Frankel reported from Jerusalem.

“It’s been a very badly treated place and country and we’re going to have it properly treated and treated with the respect it deserves,” Trump told Aoun during a meeting which wrapped up the Lebanese leader's four-day visit to Washington. “We’re gonna help it a lot," he said, without giving concrete details.

The U.S. has pushed for peace in Lebanon but been increasingly distracted by a new round of escalation with the war in Iran, which has destabilized much of the Middle East. On Wednesday, Trump said he had little interest in talks with Iran's leader to end the war — at least for now.

Lebanon and Israel have held rare direct talks mediated by Washington. Aoun's White House visit was the first by a Lebanese president since 2009.

Lebanon hopes the talks result in Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon that they currently occupy, and the Lebanese military receiving support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.

Trump said of Israel’s army fully withdrawing from Lebanon, “They’re in the process of doing that. They’re in the process of redeploying” but didn't elaborate.

Aoun told Trump, “Your vision is peace,” calling it Trump's “legacy.”

The U.S. president responded by joking, “I do agree with that" and said Aoun was handsome and “knows how to get to me,” adding, ““Now he can have anything.”

Framework agreement is being tested

Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, setting a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw and for the disarmament of Hezbollah, which for decades had a strong presence in southern Lebanon.

It also lays out steps toward an eventual peace agreement between the countries, which have never held formal diplomatic ties and have been nominally in a state of war for nearly 80 years after Israel’s establishment.

Trump noted Tuesday of Lebanon, “There’s a Hezbollah problem” and suggested that he personally could speak with Hezbollah if Aoun wanted him to. He also floated the idea of having Syria intervene to fight Hezbollah — though didn't fully commit to that.

Such a concept would be highly unpopular in Lebanon and potentially embarrass Aoun.

Meanwhile, the State Department announced Monday that operations in three villages deemed part of a “pilot zone” had begun, without giving details. Two of the villages, Froun and Srifa, are not under Israeli military control and the Lebanese army is present, while Israeli forces are in part of Zawtar al-Gharbieh.

The Lebanese army in a statement said it was preparing for Israel to withdraw from Zawtar al-Gharbieh and that it had begun deploying troops Tuesday. The Israeli military said it “will adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas in order to enable the Lebanese Armed Forces to carry out their mission,” without specifying the location.

The Lebanese military later said Israeli troops fired near that area in Zawtar al-Gharbieh, without giving details, and warned it could delay deployment.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with military guidelines, said the withdrawal had not yet begun.

Village mayor waits for safety to be confirmed

Abed Ezzeldine, mayor of Zawtar al-Gharbieh, said they were waiting for the Lebanese military to say whether it's safe for residents to check on their homes after they fully deploy and patrol the area. He was concerned about safety, given that the Israeli military is still present in a village next door, while Israeli strikes continue nearby.

“The villages are intertwined, so we don’t feel safe because the Israelis are present there, they’re on our borders and are not very far from us,” Ezzeldine told The Associated Press, who said Zawtar al-Gharbieh is uninhabitable.

“Once the army gives us permission to enter Zawtar al-Gharbieh, we as civilians will go in, but only to check it out and see how things are and then we will leave,” he said. "We can’t stay because the infrastructure is completely damaged and houses have been leveled. They (the Israelis) have bulldozed the roads.”

The Lebanese military last week increased its presence in some of the areas expected to be included in the pilot zone, including the three villages, with troops patrolling and setting up checkpoints.

Rubio says US will support the framework agreement

Aoun on Sunday met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Washington will continue to endorse the Lebanese agreement and support its full implementation. Rubio described the meeting as “very positive” and warned that Lebanon will “never be fully at peace” as long as the Hezbollah issue is not resolved.

“How do you replace Hezbollah? You defeat and replace them with a government that is strong enough to be the sole force of arms in the country,” Rubio said.

Skeptics in Lebanon fear that a military confrontation with Hezbollah could lead to a civil war.

Government officials have urged investment in the country's battered infrastructure to empower the weakened state, which Rubio echoed.

“This is not just about military stuff," he said. "This is about how can we attract more U.S. and international investment into Lebanon.”

Israel plans on a long-term presence

Israeli officials, meanwhile, have said they plan to keep military forces long-term in a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has dismissed the U.S.-brokered direct talks and instead backed Washington’s talks with its key ally and patron Iran to end their war, which includes ending the war in Lebanon as a condition.

Lebanon’s government came to power on a reformist platform in early 2025, vowing to disarm all non-state groups including Hezbollah. It blames Hezbollah for dragging the country into another war with Israel in March, when the militant group fired several rockets toward northern Israel two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Beirut's leadership, however, has condemned Israel’s subsequent ground invasion and massive aerial campaign in the country, which has killed over 4,000 people and displaced 1.2 million others.

While grappling with stark political opposition from Hezbollah and allies within the deeply divided country, Lebanon's leadership insists that Israeli withdrawal and international financial support for Lebanon’s cash-strapped army is crucial for a sustainable security solution.

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Chehayeb reported from Beruit. Associated Press writer Giovanna Dell'Orto in Jerusalem contributed.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 352 points, or 0.7%, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.3% higher.

AI stocks once again were at the center of the action, and they rose for a second straight day after tumbling the week before.

After rocketing higher because of the boom in investment in AI chips and data centers, they’ve come under pressure in recent weeks on worries that they shot too high. Concerns are also weighing that investment in AI may fall off if it doesn’t produce as much profit and productivity as hoped.

Micron Technology jumped 10.1% and added to its 1.9% gain from the day before, coming off its 13.3% drop from last week. Nvidia added 1.6%, and they were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

The gains came despite more climbs for oil prices, and Brent crude oil topped $90 per barrel because of continued attacks between the United States and Iran. It rose 2% to $90.99 and briefly got near $92 for the first time in more than five weeks. That's up from less than $72 early this month, which is roughly where it was before the war with Iran.

Rising oil prices are threatening a reacceleration of inflation, just as increases for prices were slowing more than economists expected. That in turn could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates to keep a lid on inflation, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.62% from 4.60% late Monday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran began.

On Wall Street, several stronger-than-expected profit reports from big U.S. companies helped stocks to strengthen despite the added pressure.

3M climbed 9.3% after topping analysts’ expectations for both profit and revenue in the latest quarter. It also raised its forecast for profit over the full year of 2026.

Hasbro rallied 7.1% after the toy maker said its Magic: The Gathering game topped $500 million in revenue for a quarter for the first time. It also raised its revenue forecast for the year.

General Motors cruised 4.1% higher after the automaker's profit and revenue for the latest quarter beat analysts' expectations and CEO Mary Barra said demand in North America remains strong.

They helped offset a drop for Danaher, which slid 13.8% even though it likewise topped analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue. Analysts pointed to its forecast for an underlying measure of revenue growth for the summer, which was weaker than Wall Street expected.

Homebuilder D.R. Horton slipped 0.7% despite also topping profit and revenue expectations for the latest quarter. Executive Chairman David Auld said it's still feeling the effects of affordability concerns in the housing market and caution among potential home buyers.

Mortgage rates have already climbed to their highest level in nearly a year because of higher Treasury yields in the bond market. That could force D.R. Horton to offer more incentives to homebuyers in the current quarter, which would cut into its profits.

Companies broadly are under pressure to deliver strong growth in profit and revenue because of how high their stock prices have shot. Indexes are near their records, even with the recent shakiness for AI stocks.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly in Europe. The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 added 0.4% as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosted his first Cabinet meeting.

In Asia, stocks swung more. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.6% on strong gains for its two dominant stocks. Both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been big beneficiaries of the AI boom, and the Kospi has soared 60% so far this year even with its 20% drop for July so far.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 climbed 3.3% after returning from Monday’s holiday, while indexes rose 1.8% in Shanghai and edged down by less than 0.1% in Hong Kong.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

Lesotho's high elevation and mountainous terrain combine to make it the coldest country on the continent, with temperatures in the highlands typically plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August.

The Afriski Mountain Resort, some 3,200 meters (10,499 feet) above sea level, nestled in the northern Maluti Mountains, is Lesotho's single fully operational ski resort — and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa.

The majestic snow-covered landscape is ideal for skiing, and both seasoned and new visitors enjoy the slopes that are spread over 17 hectares (42 acres) surrounding the resort — about the size of 24 standard soccer pitches. The resort opened 25 years ago, a short bus or car ride from the nearest major town of Butha-Buthe, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.

Last year, tourism contributed about 7% to Lesotho's annual GDP of some $2.6 billion. For its part, Afriski provides a chunk of needed cash in a country cited by the World Bank as one of the poorest in the world — and its artificial snow machines ensure it stays open throughout the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.

Thousands come to a country Trump says no one's heard of

U.S. President Donald Trump may have joked in 2025 about Lesotho being a country that “nobody has ever heard of” but just a year earlier, the kingdom, bordered on all sides by South Africa and with a population of 2.3 million, celebrated 200 years of the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from British rule.

Located in its entirety at and over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level, Lesotho sees a lot of snow — and skiing is growing in popularity here from a rare sport previously mainly associated with North America and the European Alps.

Most people drive into Lesotho from neighboring South Africa but international visitors can also fly in to the airport in Maseru, the country's capital.

Afriski's CEO, Theo Ferreira, says almost 70% of the visitors come from South Africa; the rest are mostly from Lesotho or elsewhere in southern Africa. The resort now has 227 full-time and seasonal employees, nearly all Lesotho nationals, with about 30 South Africans, working mainly as skiing instructors, he said.

While the resort has rooms for 420 overnight guests, the nearby Butha-Buthe and Mohlokong towns can offer extra accommodations in peak season. The busiest day so far this year saw over 1,400 visitors while in 2025, the record was over 1,600 day visitors and those staying overnight or longer, Ferreira said.

Because unreliable weather patterns can make natural snow scarce, the resort relies on artificial snow to make skiing possible all winter long.

Lesotho's snow may not be how you imagine Africa

The resort has played role in helping ski tourism emerge as another attraction in southern Africa, known for its wildlife and scenic coastlines along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

For many visitors, Afriski is where they had their first ski lessons, braving falls and dusting themselves off before having another try, and another — until making that first, full glide down without falling.

Janco Smits, a student from Cape Town, South Africa, describes it as "an amazing slope to learn on.”

“At the start it was a little discouraging because you fall, and you fall hard,” he said. “But the people here, they gave me one lesson and after an hour, honestly, I felt confident.”

“When you think of the African continent, you don't think of snow. You think about ... the sun and the Sahara (Desert),” said Thato Ramaphoko, a first-timer at the resort from Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. "But that you can actually go to all that and also come here and it also snows at the same time, it is just mind-blowing, so I just had to see it for myself."

Visitors at Afriski can also sample a taste of Lesotho in the form of traditional sausage rolls and Maluti Lager, the country's proudly home-brewed beer.

As for a souvenir to take home, try the colorful Basotho blanket, which comes in vibrant colors and patterns that also pop up in local garments and are creatively integrated into various skiing jackets and gear.

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This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Janco Smits's name.

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

Both benches and bullpens emptied after Caballero bounced into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Santana got angry following the play, gesturing and shouting a few times at Caballero on the field.

“Just don’t (take) that long (at) home plate and that’s it,” Santana said when asked what he said to Caballero.

The right-hander was restrained by teammates Rafael Flores and Bryan Reynolds before order was restored after a few minutes without any punches or ejections.

“Dennis just got frustrated by something,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “Thankfully it didn’t end up being a big deal.”

Since the pitch clock was implemented in 2023, hitters are required to be in the batter’s box and facing the pitcher with eight seconds remaining on the clock. Caballero was trying to wait until the last second available during his at-bat, which lasted three pitches.

“I just grounded into a double play, turning my back to the coach at first base to give my guards to him, and he was chirping at me,” Caballero said. "I was a little bit surprised about it.”

Caballero had two hits, including a two-run double, before his at-bat against Santana, who has a 6.05 ERA in 44 appearances and gave up a game-ending two-run homer to Cleveland rookie Travis Bazzana on Saturday.

“At this point, he’s lucky he doesn’t get a ball right away because at this point, it’s been four years with the same rules, which we all should know about the rules,” Caballero said. “The whole league should know who I am, what I do (in) the box, and they should be aware of it. For you to get mad at something that the league’s implementing — you shouldn’t be mad at me, you should be mad at someone else.”

During New York’s 8-3 win in Toronto on June 14, Caballero was issued a warning for intentionally delaying an at-bat. He was warned by plate umpire Stephen Jaschinski that he would get an automatic strike called if it happened again, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to Major League Baseball officials about it the following day.

“I know he does it every pitch. It’s his thing,” Reynolds said.

Caballero’s deliberate style in the batter’s box has periodically irked opponents, including the Yankees, who acquired him from Tampa Bay on July 31 last year.

As a rookie with the Seattle Mariners in June 2023, Caballero annoyed Yankees ace Gerrit Cole so much the right-hander threw a 97 mph fastball to him that landed high up on the backstop.

Cole’s pitch was in response to Caballero stepping out repeatedly during his first two plate appearances until the pitch clock was down to the eight-second requirement to be in the batter’s box and alert.

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

Prosecutors have said the evidence will show that 21-year-old D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, brought Celeste Rivas Hernandez to the Hollywood Hills house he was renting, stabbed her multiple times then cut apart her body in his garage using chain saws.

The preliminary hearing in Los Angeles is expected to last about four days and will look much like an abbreviated trial. There is no jury. Judge Charlaine Olmedo will decide whether the prosecution offered enough evidence to demonstrate probable cause to proceed to trial.

The hearing will resemble a mini trial

It will be the first public presentation of evidence against Burke, who was arrested in April and pleaded not guilty to murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. His attorney, Blair Berk, has said Burke is not responsible for Rivas Hernandez's death.

The defendant, who has been held without bail in a jail near the courthouse since his arrest, will appear in court in his jail clothes, after the judge rejected a request that he be able to wear a suit as is usually allowed at a jury trial. No cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.

Soon after his arrest, prosecutors filed a memo, which the defense unsuccessfully tried to have sealed, outlining what their evidence would show at this hearing.

The defendant and the victim had known each other several years

The filing said Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11, began sexually abusing her when she was 13 and he was 18, and killed her when she threatened to report him.

She was reported missing multiple times in the years before her death, and prosecutors said they have evidence she was with Burke for long stretches, including a trip to Texas where she met his family. Detectives had contacted him about her, but authorities say he lied and said he had only met her once and didn't know she was a minor. Prosecutors said they have sexual text messages and photos the two exchanged.

A court filing said he sent a car to pick her up on the night of April 23, 2025, from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California, some 80 miles (129 km) outside of Los Angeles. The two exchanged messages until she arrived at his Hollywood home, after which her phone went dead.

“Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out,” the document said.

Prosecutors say they have evidence linking Burke to girl's death

Prosecutors said they have records showing Burke ordered chain saws and wading pools that he used to dismember her body in his garage, and that her DNA was found there on blood stains discovered when police served a search warrant.

They said he then drove around for months with the body in the trunk. About four months after her death, her decomposing body was found in the Tesla registered to Burke that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills in September.

Prosecutors said the car was parked around the corner from his house, and surveillance video will show he was the last person to drive it.

It's not entirely clear why it took seven more months to arrest Burke — though uncooperative witnesses had to be subpoenaed and the final autopsy report showing she was stabbed was not released until December.

The defense has not publicly provided its version of events.

Preliminary hearings like this one serve a similar function to that of grand jury proceedings. Prosecutors generally present only as much evidence as they think they need to, and witnesses are kept to a minimum — mostly police and other investigators. For defense attorneys, it can provide ways to explore potential weaknesses in witness testimony that they can exploit at a trial.

D4vd had budding music career

D4vd began making music for YouTube videos he created of the video game Fortnite when he was a teenager.

The songs he wrote and recorded on his phone were a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. The music made him a phenomenon on TikTok, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify, where his top songs, including his 2022 breakthrough “Romantic Homicide,” have more than a billion plays. In 2023, he released two EPs and opened for SZA on tour.

He performed at last year's Coachella music festival just a few weeks before prosecutors said Rivas Hernandez was killed, and his album was released. Five months later, he was on tour promoting it when the body was discovered.

The expansion, first announced in April through an agreement between the Multi-State Lottery Association in the U.S. and Allwyn UK, will mark the first time a lottery outside the U.S. contributes to the Powerball jackpot. The expansion will allow U.K. players to play for much larger jackpots than are now available at lotteries in the country and Europe.

Wednesday night’s drawing will be the first Powerball drawing open to players in the U.K.

The largest Powerball payout was just over $2 billion (about 1.5 billion pounds) from a ticket bought in 2022 in California. EuroMillions, a lottery offered across nine European countries and also operated in the U.K. by Allwyn, awarded the maximum 250 million euros (about $285 million) to players from France, Ireland and Austria over the course of 2025.

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are a minuscule 1 in 292.2 million. Those odds will be the same for U.S. and U.K. players, lottery officials say.

U.S. lottery officials say the expanded player base will allow Powerball jackpots to grow more quickly, likely increasing sales as more people are drawn to larger grand prizes.

Powerball tickets cost $2.

Tickets purchased in the U.K. will only go toward the Powerball jackpot — not lower-tier prizes. Players in the U.K. will have a different lower-tier prize structure.

The estimated jackpot amounts in each country will differ due to currency conversion rates and because the U.S. advertises prize amounts pretax, unlike in the U.K.

U.K. Powerball jackpots will also be paid over 30 years, whereas in the U.S. jackpot winners have a choice between taking their winnings spread over years through an annuity or in cash — nearly all winners opt for cash.

Powerball is played in 45 U.S. states, and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In the game, players choose five white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. Drawings will continue to be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs and David Schweikert, who represent neighboring districts in metro Phoenix, offer a clash of styles in the race to take on Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, considered the most endangered Democratic governor in the country this election cycle.

With President Donald Trump's endorsement and support from the grassroots turnout machine of the conservative group Turning Point Action, Biggs says he can unite the party going into a general election.

Schweikert says his low-key, pro-business, fiscal conservatism can win back voters turned off by a string of Trump loyalists like Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for governor four years ago.

Both parties have hotly contested primaries to replace Schweikert in the highly competitive 1st Congressional District.

Republicans also are picking nominees for secretary of state and attorney general, key posts with power over elections in a state that was pivotal for Trump's efforts to overturn his loss in 2020.

Biggs and Schweikert responded differently to Trump's GOP takeover

Biggs built a national profile as chair of the House Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2022 and as a staunch defender of Trump. He assisted the president’s attempt to block the certification of his loss in the 2020 election, voting against accepting Electoral College votes from Arizona and other battleground states after the Jan. 6 riot.

He has always represented safe Republican seats and is a veteran of factional brawls within the GOP. Before going to Congress, he nearly lost his post as state Senate president during a confrontation with then-Gov. Jan Brewer, also a Republican, over her push to expand Medicaid.

Schweikert has walked a tightrope with Trump, carefully keeping his distance without antagonizing him. That has helped him win a string of tough races in a competitive House district — a track record he says will help him win over swing voters and beat Hobbs — but has left him isolated from Trump's “Make America Great Again” base.

Democrats have focused their attacks on Biggs, whom they plan to portray as an extremist focused on helping Trump and not Arizonans.

Primaries will set the field for a top House battleground

Schweikert’s 1st District is a top battleground in the fight for a congressional majority. Anchored in Scottsdale, it is home to many of the white, highly educated and affluent voters who have soured on the GOP under Trump.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee controversially threw its support behind Marlene Galán-Woods, a former television news anchor who used to be a Republican. Her late husband, Grant Woods, was the Republican attorney general in the 1990s and later became a vocal Trump critic.

Galán-Woods’ chief opponent, Amish Shah, is an emergency medicine doctor and former state legislator who was the nominee in 2024 but lost narrowly to Schweikert.

On the Republican side, former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feeley has Trump’s endorsement. But he has been dogged by criticism for living outside the district — he resides in Biggs’ district and originally was running there until Trump endorsed a rival in that contest.

Feeley faces Joseph Chaplik, a former state legislator popular with many of the GOP’s grassroots activists, and businessperson John Trobough.

In Tucson, retired Marine drill instructor JoAnna Mendoza is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to challenge second-term Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who also has no primary opponent. The seat is perennially competitive in general elections and is a top pickup target for Democrats in November.

Meanwhile, the GOP primary for the safe Republican seat Biggs is vacating has turned salacious: Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is endorsed by Trump, came under scrutiny for alleged sexual misconduct and abuse of power.

The county attorney cleared him of criminal wrongdoing, and Trump reiterated his endorsement this month. Lamb dismissed the allegations as “slander and lies.”

He faces Daniel Keenan, who owns a construction company.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

The renewed escalations reflect "a fundamental misreading of the Iranian psyche and a lack of learning” from previous fighting, said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“I think it’s driven by a calculus on either side that they can double down on military escalation as a way of breaking the impasse and getting the other side to relent,” Yacoubian said. “The danger, of course, is that the more escalatory it becomes, the harder it will be to seize any potential opening back to diplomacy.”

The Trump administration says the door to diplomacy is open

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is still open to negotiating, telling reporters Sunday night that Iran continues "to send signals that they want to talk, that they want to negotiate, but their behavior is what we’re responding to. And their behavior is they’re launching missiles and drones at ships” in the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil normally passes.

“The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution, and we’ve tried multiple times with Iran, and we’ll continue to try," he said. "If that door opens, we’ll be happy to see it open.”

Trump is focused on making Iran pay for the recent deaths of U.S. troops, violations of the interim deal reached last month and attacks on ships in the strait, according to a U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official said that military strikes on Iran would continue until Trump decides otherwise, but that talks between the countries also would go on.

For some outside observers, the administration appears to be struggling to find an off-ramp, both militarily and diplomatically.

“This administration currently is flustered,” said Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat once involved in past nuclear negotiations with Tehran and now a fellow at the Middle East Institute. “It really doesn’t have a coherent and consistent strategy as to how to extricate itself from this quagmire.”

There are some limitations to Trump's air war

The U.S. military can only accomplish so much as it ramps up attacks on Iran, experts say.

The conflict has demonstrated the limits of relying solely on air power, said Christopher Preble, a scholar at the Stimson Center think tank focused on U.S. foreign policy. But he noted that sending in ground troops would be unpopular with many Americans and members of Congress.

“It seems that President Trump certainly has the capability to continue to bomb, and Iran will have the capability to continue to keep the strait closed — or closed well enough,” Preble said.

David Schenker, a former official in the first Trump administration who is now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the renewed strikes on Iranian infrastructure are a repeat of attacks during the early weeks of the war. And those did not result in Iran’s capitulation.

“The U.S. hit 13,000 targets in the first 6 weeks of the war, and this didn’t sway Iran to take a knee,” he said.

Retired Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, said previous wars such as Vietnam showed the limitations of air power alone.

“Generally, you have to couple air power with ground operations, sometimes naval operations as well, and certainly space today,” he said.

When launching the war on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel struck many fixed targets identified before the conflict began. But Iran had a long time to prepare for the attacks by concealing and dispersing weapons.

“So the easy targets are pretty much gone,” Kendall said. “They can hide ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and small air vehicles pretty easily. So it’s a very hard job to try to suppress that kind of a threat over a period of time. And that’s why they’re still able to attack not just ships in the Straits, but also our bases in the region and so on.”

Diplomacy has struggled with a lack of trust between the US and Iran

A diplomatic solution also could prove elusive.

Eyre, of the Middle East Institute, said the Trump administration has shown no preference for “actual diplomacy,” relying instead on close advisers with little international relations experience while outsourcing some of the work to mediators such as Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt.

“We’ve got a tough road ahead of us, but it theoretically could be done,” Eyre said of potential negotiations to end the conflict. “Unfortunately, there is so little mutual confidence in the other side. There’s so little bilateral trust between the U.S. and Iran that it makes everything so much harder.”

Both Schenker and Yacoubian said recent comments from Trump, Rubio and their Iranian counterparts reflect some openness to diplomacy.

Yacoubian pointed to the “measured” response from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the recent killing of U.S. service members in Jordan, indicating a possibility for an off-ramp. Iran’s release last week of an Iranian-American woman who had not been allowed to leave the country also showed a sign of goodwill from Tehran, she said.

But these small, positive signals could quickly become moot if the decision by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels Monday to announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia expands to a complete shutdown of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

That, Yacoubian says, could constitute “a perfect storm of disruption” for the already precarious global economy.

___

Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

The first example of that came Monday night.

Misiorowski worked just four innings in an 8-3 victory over the New York Mets that marked his first appearance since pitching seven innings in a July 7 victory at St. Louis. The Brewers scratched Misiorowski from a scheduled July 12 start in Pittsburgh due to arm fatigue, and he didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game last week despite getting selected to the team for a second straight year.

“I think we take that as kind of a reset,” Murphy said before the game. “Now I think we have to build him back up and make sure that we are mindful of it.”

Misiorowski struck out six Monday while allowing one unearned run, four hits and a walk. Twenty-six of his 65 pitches went at least 100 mph, and he topped out at 104 mph on a first-inning fastball to Juan Soto. He reached 102 mph on 12 pitches, though all but one of them came in the first inning.

Murphy noted after the game that limiting Misiorowski to four innings wasn’t simply a matter of being careful with the flamethrowing right-hander. He said it was more a matter of “just being mindful of when a guy’s not right.”

“We would have probably let him go further if his delivery and his legs felt great,” Murphy said. “I think he was a little bit out of it. The long layoff kind of affected his delivery and everything else. I think it was important to notice that and get him out of there then. The velo dropped. He couldn’t find the rhythm on his heater and went to off-speed stuff.”

Misiorowski acknowledged that it felt a little more difficult than usual pitching Monday after such a long layoff.

“Of course,” Misiorowski said. “I felt like I wasn’t in my legs as well as I should have been, but I felt halfway decent. Good enough.”

The Brewers have reason to be careful with their star as he makes his way through his first full season in the big leagues.

Misiorowski already has pitched 115 innings this season. He worked 141 1/3 innings last year, including his regular-season totals in the majors and minors plus his 12 postseason innings during Milwaukee’s run to the NL Championship Series.

The Brewers (63-37) have the best record in the major leagues and lead the Chicago Cubs by seven games in the NL Central. Misiorowski has been baseball’s best pitcher, and the Brewers’ chances of making a deep postseason run likely depend on him staying healthy and effective.

Misiorowski hasn’t allowed an earned run in eight of his last 13 starts, and he owns a 9-2 record and 0.87 ERA during that stretch. He has a 1.57 ERA and 173 strikeouts this season to lead the majors in both categories.

The 24-year-old said after Monday’s game that he’s hopeful he can go longer in his next start and can ramp his way back up quickly after this recent time off. Misiorowski had spent the offseason preparing for the greater workload he expected to encounter this year.

“The offseason last year, we focused on legs and doing all that stuff to get myself ready for this track of the year,” Misiorowski said. “I feel good where I’m at. Ready to go.”

___

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

On Tuesday night, the Red Sox can match that mark set by the 1946 club.

Caleb Durbin hit a tiebreaking homer over the Green Monster with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Red Sox extended the second-longest winning streak in club history to 14 games, beating Baltimore 6-5 on Monday night to snap the Orioles’ season-best win streak at seven.

“I’m trying not to, but I want it,” Durbin said about the possibility of tying the club record. “I can’t speak for anyone else. We really haven’t talked about it, but I want to make history here.”

Durbin, who had a miserable start to the season after being picked up in an offseason trade with Milwaukee, connected on a 1-0 cutter from Tyler Wells, setting off a celebration by his teammates in front of Boston’s dugout.

“It would mean a lot, for sure,” first baseman Willson Contreras said. “We are trying to play the same way every day. … If it happens, that would be great for us. We can celebrate that. If it doesn’t happen, you have to keep going.”

Boston was 37-48 when the streak began and is now in position for a wild-card playoff berth.

The Red Sox overcame three deficits on Monday.

“I can’t imagine it being more electric than tonight,” Durbin said. “It might be. Tonight was awesome, though.”

What was he thinking as he rounded the bases, heading toward a handful of players who were jumping up and down in front of the dugout?

“There’s not a lot of times that you black out -- as they say,’’ he said. “I think that was one of the moments where I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t tell you what I looked like running around the bases.”

Contreras was one of the first players to jump over the railing onto the field after Durbin’s shot.

“I felt like (the) playoffs, going to the World Series, to be honest,” he said. “Hopefully it happens. We’re on the way, but there’s a lot of season left, a lot of games to be played.”

___

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

That includes many in South Florida households that have found themselves struggling in recent years.

United Way Miami President and CEO Symeria Hudson spoke about the ongoing situation with Local 10’s Calvin Hughes and Nicole Perez, and their discussion can be seen at the top of this page.

Leer en español

According to police, the department was called at about 8:15 a.m. about a body being found along the 2600 block of West Commercial Boulevard.

Detectives said they discovered the man, identified as Dario Alejandro , 20, had been killed in a hit-and-run crash and said the vehicle involved in the crash has since been recovered, although the driver remains at large.

Sky 10 was above the scene shortly before 10:30 a.m. as a damaged e-bike was in the grass near the roadway.

Dario’s body was spotted a short distance away.

Police said FLPD’s Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FLPD or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

They finally got it Monday night.

The Guardians hit seven home runs in a 13-4 victory over Minnesota Twins, one short of the franchise record and matching the record for a home game.

It was an unlikely power surge for the Guardians, who came into the game tied with Tampa Bay for the third-fewest homers in the majors with 94.

“A really fun night,” Vogt said. “The coolest feeling in the world is hitting a home run in the big leagues. So to see our guys keep doing it, obviously we’re getting good pitches to hit and we’re not missing them. I think that’s more telling than anything.”

Five of the longballs were by players who came into the game batting under .200. Petey Halpin and Rhys Hoskins each went deep twice and Patrick Bailey's shot in the seventh made it the sixth game in the franchise’s 125 seasons with at least seven homers. Cleveland hit eight home runs at Milwaukee on April 25, 1997, and at Seattle on July 16, 2004.

“We’ve been talking a lot about how both good and bad things are so contagious in this game and we feed off that as a team,” said Hoskins, who came into the game batting .177.

It was the first time two Cleveland players homered at least twice in a game since José Ramírez and Carlos Santana did it in 2019 against the Yankees.

Brayan Rocchio and Travis Bazzana also went deep for Cleveland, which also homered seven times at home on April 30, 2013 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

It’s the fourth time this season a major league team has hit at least seven homers. The Chicago Cubs had eight in their 23-3 win over the San Diego Padres on July 1.

Twins starter Joe Ryan became the 11th starting pitcher in major league history to give up six homers in a game. It was also a franchise record for homers allowed. Ryan, who pitched in his second All-Star Game last week, left too many of his 78 pitches over the middle of the plate as the Guardians took advantage of an off night by the right-hander.

“It’s a tough one, right, because I’m the one that’s wearing it. It’s definitely all on me,” said Ryan, who allowed eight runs and a career-high 10 hits in four innings, raising his ERA from 2.85 to 3.38. “It’s definitely frustrating and not the way you want to start a series against this team. They beat me to the spot more times than I got them.”

Vogt was happiest for Halpin, who hit his first two major league homers with drives to right-center in the second and fourth innings.

“It feels incredible. I think that my role and what I try to do is get on base for the guys that do hit home runs. And today I was able to connect on a couple of them,” Halpin said.

Halpin's homer in the fourth extended Cleveland's lead to 8-2. According to Sportradar, it was the first time since 1974 — when innings data started to be tracked — that Cleveland had six homers in the first four innings. It had five on July 22, 1994, against the Chicago White Sox and on Aug. 15, 2019, at the New York Yankees.

It was the 24th time that has happened in the majors during that span. The last was by the New York Yankees on Aug. 27, 2025, against the Washington Nationals.

Rocchio hit a two-run homer to right in the first. Two pitches later, Hoskins followed with a drive down the line in left to make it 3-0. It was the second time this season that Rocchio and Hoskins have gone back to back. They also did it against the Twins on July 8.

Bailey led off the seventh with a solo shot to center off Woo-Suk Go. The Guardians also had three other balls that went off the wall for doubles.

“I think it was just a great commitment on our part to really not be sold out, but be really confident about what we’re trying to do with the fastball,” Hoskins said. “I also think it gives you some conviction on which ones are balls. And I think we just did a really good job of that today. Ready to hit on the ones that weren’t up. And I think a lot of those are the ones that we did damage on, those are the pitches that you can’t miss against a guy like that and we just didn’t do that tonight.”

___

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

El anuncio canceló de facto los próximos comicios en el país, previstos originalmente para noviembre de 2027, luego de que en enero de 2025 el Congreso controlado por el gobierno votara ampliar un año el mandato presidencial de cinco años.

Ortega habló el domingo durante el aniversario de la Revolución Sandinista, la cual derrocó la dictadura de Anastasio Somoza en 1979 y lo llevó por primera vez al poder. Regresó a la presidencia en 2007, y desde entonces ha reescrito la Constitución, aplastado a la oposición política y consolidado su control sobre prácticamente todas las ramas del gobierno nicaragüense.

Desde las protestas masivas de 2018, que derivaron en una sangrienta represión gubernamental que dejó cientos de muertos, Ortega y su esposa y copresidenta, Rosario Murillo, se han aferrado al poder.

Ortega se declaró ganador de las elecciones de 2021 —una votación que la comunidad internacional considera ilegítima— después de encarcelar a todos los candidatos que podrían haberlo derrotado. Estados Unidos no reconoce su presidencia.

“Aquí no volverá a haber elecciones”, declaró Ortega en un discurso en el que arremetió contra Washington, su adversario de larga data. “Aquí se acabó la historia de que los partidos puestos por los yanquis, puestos por los somocistas, volverán a llegar al gobierno”.

“Jamás, jamás, jamás”, expresó al referirse a cualquier elección futura.

Opositores y grupos defensores de los derechos humanos señalaron que el anuncio del domingo representa una intensificación de las maniobras, a medida que Ortega afianza aún más su control sobre Nicaragua.

Juan Sebastián Chamorro, candidato en 2021 que estuvo preso hasta que fue enviado a Estados Unidos en 2023 junto con más de 200 presos políticos, dijo que el anuncio deja al descubierto el plan de larga data de Ortega de concentrar el poder en manos del Partido Sandinista, en forma similar a otros países de partido único como China y Cuba.

“Es evidente que Ortega y Murillo temen la idea de que la más mínima apertura política pueda crear las condiciones para que se manifieste la disidencia y amenace su control del poder”, sostuvo Tiziano Breda, analista sénior para América Latina de ACLED, monitor independiente de conflictos.

“En lugar de montar una elección amañada, han optado por eliminar por completo la competencia electoral”, añadió.

Danny Ramírez Ayérdiz, abogado nicaragüense y fundador del Centro Interamericano para la Asistencia Legal en Derechos Humanos, que investiga abusos del gobierno de Ortega y Murillo desde Argentina, dijo que el anuncio “termina evidenciando el rostro de una dictadura que ya sin ningún tipo de de pudor se enraizó al poder”.

“También da cuenta de un nivel posible mayor de represión contra personas que exijan la salida del poder, o la realización de procesos electorales”, agregó.

Al menos 46 personas están encarceladas en Nicaragua por razones políticas, según el grupo Mecanismo para el Reconocimiento de Personas Presas Políticas, que da seguimiento a los casos. Nicaragua niega tener presos políticos.

Tras la operación militar de Estados Unidos en enero que capturó al entonces presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, el gobierno nicaragüense anunció que liberaría a más presos, aparentemente en un intento por evitar presiones sobre sí mismo.

Pero no ha habido continuidad, y hay poca transparencia sobre el tema. Al menos un activista encarcelado ha muerto desde entonces.

En años recientes, el gobierno ha liberado a cientos de activistas, líderes religiosos y políticos encarcelados —incluidos varios candidatos presidenciales de 2021— hacia Estados Unidos y Guatemala, despojando a muchos de su ciudadanía nicaragüense y de sus pertenencias.

Quienes fueron liberados describieron que estuvieron recluidos en aislamiento y dijeron que fueron sometidos a tortura física y psicológica.

Desde 2018, Nicaragua también ha clausurado más de 5.000 organizaciones, en su mayoría religiosas, y ha obligado a miles a huir del país. Previamente en julio, el gobierno de Ortega y Murillo despojó masivamente a abogados de sus licencias para ejercer, en lo que expertos de la ONU calificaron como una “purga de la profesión jurídica”.

___

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

Michael Waltz, a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer, told the U.N. Security Council the gangsters took over the main port.

“They are exporting their crime far beyond Port-au-Prince,” Waltz said. “What was incredibly disturbing, amongs many things, is that they are valorizing it, they are celebrating it on social media sites like TikTok and Facebook and Instagram.”

Waltz said the U.S. will be working “in the very near future” to stop the Haitian gangsters from earning an income from the traffic on their social media posts.

The gangsters are “portraying themselves as revolutionaries as they recruit children to their cause,” and “move guns and drugs and terror,” Waltz said.

Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, a former elite police officer wanted by the FBI, is the leader of the “Viv Ansanm” or Living Together, a gang alliance in Port-au-Prince.

“There will be hell to pay,“ Waltz wrote on X in a message for gang leaders in Haiti about the U.N.-backed multinational gang suppression force commanded by Mongolian Maj. Gen. Erdenebat Batsuuri.

The U.N. estimates that the gangs have internally displaced about 1.5 million people.

Related social media

Haiti is only a few hundred miles from Florida.

What happens there does not stay there.

Gangs are moving guns, drugs, and terror through the Caribbean—to our shores, at our border, and in our communities. pic.twitter.com/6oiU9uPcPg

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) July 20, 2026

The Gang Suppression Force will do EXACTLY what it was named to do: suppress the lawless thugs causing chaos in Haiti and threatening the entire region.

My message to the gang leaders, like ‘Barbecue’: There will be hell to pay. pic.twitter.com/1uBVqwRyaa

— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) July 20, 2026

Messi, whom many consider soccer's greatest player, was photographed holding Yamal, then an infant and now a 19-year-old rising star. The two met in Sunday's final, with Yamal and Spain defeating Messi and Argentina 1-0.

That game was a potential changing of the guard with the 39-year-old Messi perhaps playing in his final World Cup.

Playing for Barcelona at the time of the initial meeting with Yamal, Messi took part in a fundraising drive for UNICEF and wound up holding the player who could be the future face of the sport. Yamal has followed in Messi's footsteps by becoming Barcelona's standout player.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The new report accused Cuba’s communists of operating as a “vector for Iran and Russia” and China; of using spies to infiltrate the “highest reaches” of the federal government; and of growing and supporting a “wave” of left-wing terrorism.

“For more than six decades, the Cuban regime has been the leading sponsor of radical leftism and Third Worldism in the United States,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement on X. “The State Department is exposing the full history of Cuban espionage and subversion in our country.”

President Donald Trump reinstated Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism in 2021 and again in 2025, both of which resulted in reinstating sanctions.

The new report described an alliance that included access to “attack drones,” as Cuban military officials “consulted with Iranian advisors on asymmetrical drone warfare for a potential conflict” with the U.S, and links between Cuba’s intelligence agency, the Dirección General de Inteligencia, or DGI, and the “Islamist militant axis,” which includes Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

“The regime in Cuba exploits every opportunity to undermine America & any suggestion otherwise is a gross underestimation of their capability,” U.S. Rep. Carlos A. Giménez wrote on Monday about the report on X.

CUBA’S ‘SPRAWLING ECOSYSTEM’

While “overriding resentment and fundamental hatred,” Cuba influenced “a disproportionate share of America’s most famous and influential extremist movements” to “turn America against itself,” according to the report.

The report cites the late Fidel Castro’s efforts to associate with “American Black radicals,” including Huey Percy Newton, the founder of the Marxist–Leninist Black Panther Party, which embraced armed self-defense, and JoAnne Deborah Byron, better known as Assata Shakur, a member of the Black Liberation Army, a Marxist-Leninist urban guerrilla.

The report also cites Castro’s idea that “the same racist Yankee imperialism victimizing Africa, Asia, and Latin America” was targeting minorities in the U.S. and describes the Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos, or ICAP, as a Havana-based foreign intelligence operation that is connected to more than 2,000 “solidarity groups.”

The Cuban regime’s “sprawling ecosystem” has been using left-wing activists “less as a vehicle for the interests of ordinary Cubans – who are subject to brutal repression and often unable to freely work, assemble, speak, travel, or provide for their families” but as a part of a ”one-stop shop political service,” according to the report.

“Cuba has been oppressing its people, stifling freedom,” said U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, who met with Cuban exiles on Monday at the Bay of Pigs Museum, also known as the Brigade 2506 Museum and Library, in Miami’s Little Havana.

The Ernesto “Che” Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade, a Havana-based state agency founded in 1993, and the Canadian Network on Cuba, or CNC, a Toronto-based organization, are ICAP collaborators, according to the report.

Baptist Rev. Lucius Walker Jr., the founder of the New York-based Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, who died in 2010, was part of the ICAP’s U.S. network and Castro’s ally, according to the report.

Other leaders Cuba used as allies, according to the report, included Robert F. Williams, who was born in North Carolina and died in 1996; Trinidadian-American Stokely Carmichael, who died in 1998; and Puerto Rican Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, who died in 2005.

Dominican-American Manolo De Los Santos, the founder of Manhattan-based nonprofit People’s Forum; Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles; and organizations Code Pink and the Democratic Socialists of America are allies of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel against, according to the report.

After George Floyd died during his arrest in Minneapolis and protests and riots followed, Díaz-Canel, who the U.S. accused of “repressing and imprisoning” Afro-Cuban dissident artists, delivered a speech in 2020 at the United Nations criticizing police brutality in the U.S.

‘UNCONVENTIONAL’ SPYCRAFT

For espionage purposes, the Cuban government recruited and “cultivated” students at elite U.S. universities to groom them into spies to infiltrate the U.S. government, according to the report.

The report cited the cases of Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia who admitted to acting as a secret agent for over 40 years, and Ana Montes, a former FBI analyst who admitted to passing U.S. secrets to Cuba.

The report alleged the ICAP had also infiltrated the National Lawyers Guild, an association of lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers, and NLG International, which advocated for the “Cuban Five” intelligence officers.

The report also cited The Wasp Network, which the FBI dismantled in 1998 after identifying several agents, including Juan Pablo Roque, a former Cuban MiG-23 pilot who was behind the Cuban Air Force’s fatal 1996 attack at sea of two planes from Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit behind rescue flights.

The attack resulted in the recent U.S. Department of Justice’s indictment of Raúl Castro.

GUERRILLA WARFARE

The U.S. has accused Cuba of supporting Marxist-Leninist guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC; the National Liberation Army, or ELN, in Colombia; the Ejercito Popular Revolucionario, or EPR, in Mexico; the Tupamaros in Uruguay; the Montoneros in Argentina; the Sandinistas in Nicaragua; the Ação Libertadora Nacional in Brazil; and the Maoist-aligned Shining Path in Peru.

Colombia’s outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla fighter known as “Aureliano,” shows that the “fingerprints of this era of Cuban-backed terror are still imprinted on Latin American politics today,” according to the report.

Andy Gomez, the former director of the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, said on Monday that the report didn’t establish any new connections.

“It keeps some of the members of the Cuban American community pointing the finger at Cuba and asking for regime change,” Gomez said about the likely strategic purpose of the report.

Related story: Read Gomez’s latest analysis on Cuba

Ortega, 80, has been in power for three decades. First, he was in power for 11 years, from 1979 to 1990, and he reassumed the presidency in 2007.

“Forget about it! There will be no more elections here for them,” Ortega said in Spanish during a televised speech. He said this was to prevent the opposition from attempting “to seize the government, to seize power.”

The former guerrilla commander stood alongside his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, also known as his “co-president,” during a ceremony in Managua.

U.S. diplomats have condemned Ortega for repressing protesters, imprisoning candidates, persecuting Catholic clergy, and changing the constitution to weaken his opposition.

Earlier this year, human rights activists denounced the death of Brooklyn Rivera, a Nicaraguan lawmaker of the Indigenous Miskito people who was imprisoned in 2023 after fighting the ruling Sandinistas for decades on land rights.

Rivera, a political prisoner, founded Yatama, a political party that aimed to represent the rights of Afro-Nicaraguans from the Miskito, Mayangna, Rama, and Creole communities.

Related social media post

Costa Rica reafirma su compromiso con la celebración de elecciones libres en Nicaragua.

📎Más detalles: https://t.co/ElcHsxxPRZ pic.twitter.com/LzuA7RU3Rp

— Cancillería Costa Rica 🇨🇷 (@CRcancilleria) July 20, 2026

The panel that sets the party's voting order could make that determination as early as Friday when it meets in Washington, two people with knowledge of the party's process but not authorized to discuss it publicly told The Associated Press on Monday.

The Rules and Bylaws Committee has been holding monthly meetings as it considers the order in which states will vote during the 2028 primaries. The panel has heard presentations from a dozen states hoping to kick off the party's primaries and caucuses, including Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

The calendar isn't considered set until it's approved by the full DNC, which is scheduled to meet in August. The DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Democrats upended their process for setting their calendar after Iowa's 2020 Democratic caucus debacle, which led to days of uncertainty over who had won. The party since then has favored more diverse states.

For the 2024 cycle, President Joe Biden led a DNC effort to have South Carolina — which for years has held the party's first Southern contest — go first overall in the party’s primaries. He cited the state’s more racially diverse population compared to the traditional first-in-the-nation states of Iowa and New Hampshire, which are overwhelmingly white.

Four years earlier, Rep. Jim Clyburn, South Carolina's lone congressional Democrat and for a time the top Black Democratic lawmaker on Capitol Hill, helped Biden revive his flagging primary campaign and win a resounding victory in the state. He then went on to secure the party's presidential nomination.

South Carolina's Democratic leaders have pushed for the state to lead off again, lobbying for support and getting buy-in from Democratic Party chairs in five Southern states. In May, they pressed for South Carolina to reprise its role as the party’s first-in-the-nation contest holder, arguing that the state best represents the initial playing field for presidential candidates to build the coalitions needed to win.

A quarter of the state's population is Black and about 9% is Hispanic, according to the Census Bureau.

___

Cappelletti reported from Washington. Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Justice Department officials announced the new review Monday, saying Harvard’s foreign funding disclosures “raised concerns” about possible discrimination against U.S. students. The agency did not specify which scholarship programs are being targeted and emphasized it “has not reached any conclusions.”

The investigation is aimed at Harvard’s “China-based financial aid programs,” the Justice Department said. The agency said Chinese donors have given money to Harvard to support financial aid programs limited to students from certain countries. That restriction could amount to illegal discrimination based on country of origin, the department said.

“Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens — doing so is illegal, and we will stop it wherever we find it,” said Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the department’s Civil Rights Division.

Harvard said it was reviewing the Justice Department notice.

“Harvard follows the law for required reporting of donations and, consistent with our legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid," the university said in a written statement.

In a statement, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said China-U.S. education cooperation is mutually beneficial. “China maintains that normal education and academic exchange should not be disrupted for political purposes,” Liu said.

Like many U.S. universities, Harvard accepts foreign funding through direct donations or contracts. The Trump administration has pushed for greater transparency around outside money, warning that accepting funding from foreign adversaries is a national security risk.

Federal disclosures from Harvard show it has accepted $630 million from Chinese sources over a period of decades. Overall, it has reported about $4.5 billion in foreign funding. The Justice Department cited those figures but did not single out any donors or programs being reviewed.

The investigation is a compliance review, meaning it’s initiated by the federal government rather than responding to an outside complaint.

Unlike the vast majority of U.S. universities, Harvard and a small number of other schools provide need-based scholarships to international students on the same basis as U.S. students. Grants and other aid from the federal government are reserved for American students, but Harvard “has its own job and scholarship money available to foreign students,” according to a Harvard financial aid website.

In some cases, foreign donors have given money to be used for international students.

In 2014, Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin, a Chinese couple that co-founded the real estate company SOHO China, donated $15 million to Harvard to provide financial aid for Chinese students. Their gift drew blowback from critics in China who said it was a betrayal to give money to foreign schools instead of Chinese universities.

The Justice Department’s announcement makes the unusual legal argument that steering private funding to students of certain countries amounts to a civil rights violation for U.S. students.

“Harvard appears to be accepting these funds and, in adherence to their restrictions, providing student financial aid to foreign students, presumably Chinese, based on their national origin — to the potential detriment of students of other national origins, including American citizens,” the agency said.

The Trump administration has repeatedly opened new federal investigations against Harvard in its battle to win obedience from the nation’s oldest university.

Harvard has been a prime target in the administration’s push to end “wokeness” and fight alleged antisemitism in American higher education. A federal judge has blocked the White House from cutting billions of dollars in federal research funding from Harvard amid the feud.

Even as the legal battle continues, the government has sought new lines of attack, seeking to limit Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students and U.S. military members, and launching investigations into the school’s admissions process.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Heritage Auctions announced the results of its Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction on Monday.

The lightsaber, used onscreen by Mark Hamill in the climactic Cloud City fight where Darth Vader declares “I am your father” in the 1980 “Star Wars” sequel, included a severed hand effects rig used for when Vader sliced it off.

Heritage said the price was the highest ever fetched for a prop used in a “Star Wars” film.

A Wicked Witch of the West hat worn by actor Margaret Hamilton in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” brought in $550,000 at the auction, and the cocoa-colored top hat worn by Gene Wilder as the title character in 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” went for $350,000.

Daenerys Targaryen's chest with dragon eggs inside from the first season of “Game of Thrones” brought in $312,500.

Two rugs essential to the convoluted plot of “The Big Lebowski” also sold. The one belonging to Jeff Bridges’ the Dude that “really tied the room together” and is soiled at the beginning of the 1998 film went for $350,000. And the nicer one that he takes from his wealthy namesake outdid it with a price of $375,000. The rugs went for far more than expected. Bidding began on each at $15,000.

The items' buyers and sellers were not identified.

Tuesday will feature ample sunshine and a southeast breeze (winds sustained around 10 to 15 mph). Temperatures will make a run for the lows 90s-- humidity will make it “feel like” 100°+F. Rain chance remains low.

In an alliance that takes immediate effect through 2029, the PGA Tour and European tour will partner with the Asian Tour to help provide commercial and playing opportunities and establish a path for Asian Tour members to join European circuits.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour -- as it is known commercially -- have a separate alliance that has yet to be renewed, which includes 10 top European tour players earning PGA Tour cards. Officials from both tours met at the British Open. The alliance with the Asian Tour, along with the PGA Tour's involvement with the Australian Open, is seen as progress on a new deal.

The announcement was a blow to LIV Golf, which has had a relationship with the Asian Tour since before the rival league launched in 2022.

LIV invested $300 million in the Asian Tour to create the “International Series” with purses of up to $2 million. They have been won by LIV players such as Peter Uihlein, Carlos Ortiz and David Puig.

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the financial muscle behind LIV Golf, has said it will no longer fund the league after this season. Scott O’Neil, the CEO of LIV Golf, has been trying to find investors to keep the league alive for 2027 and beyond.

The European tour had an alliance with the Asian Tour from 2016 until 2021. It stopped co-sanctioning Asian Tour events in 2022.

Now that’s back in play under the alliance that is expected to have at least two co-sanctioned Asian Tour events each of the next three years. Other details, such as Asian Tour players having access to European and Challenge Tour events, are still being worked out.

“We feel the time is now right to collaborate with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to enhance the Asian Tour for our members, fans and partners,” said Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour. “Bringing the three tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia.

“Not only will co-sanctioning events see our members competing regularly on the global stage, but we are excited to welcome players from the other Tours to our pinnacle events.”

The announcement comes one day after reports that Canadian-based Mobii Systems Group has sued LIV Golf in U.S. District Court in Miami, alleging LIV has not paid $925,100 in fees to the company that supplies the league’s “Any Shot, Any Time” technology during the LIV broadcasts.

Mobii Systems also claims $209,531 in lost revenue for the remaining six events in 2026.

ESPN reported that Nick Connor, LIV Golf’s senior vice president of technology, wrote in a May 25 email to Mobii Systems that LIV would no longer use the technology after the South Korea event that ended May 31 or the remaining events on the schedule as it evaluates its business model.

The PGA Tour recently announced a commercial partnership with the European tour involving the Australian Open as golf makes a push to recognize more national opens. The Masters this year added to its invitation criteria the winners of six national opens.

Christian Hardy, the senior vice president of international for the PGA Tour, said the three-tour alliance was an example of collaboration by tours “with a shared vision for the future of professional golf.”

“Through our strategic alliance with the DP World Tour, we have worked to build a more connected global golf ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome the Asian Tour into that effort,” Hardy said. “Together, we are creating new opportunities for players, enhancing key national opens around the world and continuing to evolve and strengthen pathways to identify and develop the next generation of elite talent.”

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

The warning comes after the U.S., early Monday, launched its ninth night of airstrikes on Iran after announcing the death of another American service member killed in Iraq during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. The U.S. military also identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Seventeen U.S. troops have been killed since the start of the war.

The renewed exchanges of fire, now in their second week, have seen the U.S. target Iranian bridges, electrical facilities and, as of Monday, the city believed to host its underground missile bases, as the countries inch closer to a return to full-scale war. Iran on Monday retaliated with attacks on American allies Kuwait and Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The Latest:

More US strikes start up against Iran

The U.S. military says it’s carrying out its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in a push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command said on social media that the strikes “are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The strikes have escalated as the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the crucial energy shipping route, with Tehran retaliating by launching attacks on American allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.

Two soldiers were killed in Iranian attacks on a base in Jordan on Friday that left a third service member missing. Separately, another died in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone.

President Trump earlier warned on social media that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”

Trump signs executive order on supply chains for US military

Trump on Monday signed an executive order that would expand the Pentagon’s ability to track the raw materials and equipment used in software and gear — with the goal of strengthening domestic supply chains.

The order would require government contractors starting in 2027 to prove their need for waivers when domestic materials are not available, Peter Navarro, the president’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, said during a call with reporters.

The Defense Department would also require contractors to map their critical supply chains from raw materials to the products delivered to the military.

Jordan says Iran launched another missile attack

Jordan’s armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties.

There was no immediate word from Iran.

Trump will visit Delaware to honor service members killed in Iran war

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will be at Dover Air Force Base on Tuesday evening for the dignified transfer of U.S. service members.

“The President and the entire White House are praying for their families,” Leavitt said on social media Monday.

Two service members were killed Friday in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, the U.S. military said. A third service member was missing after the attack.

Another American service member was killed Saturday in northern Iraq in what was described as a controlled detonation of an Iranian ordnance.

Trump, in apparent pushback on Mamdani, says Netanyahu won’t be arrested in US

The president offered the assurance to Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told the New York Times that the Israeli prime minister “belongs in The Hague” and that he was in “active conversation” with the city’s legal department about potentially arresting him if he comes to New York City for the U.N. General Assembly in September.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump said in a social media post in which he made no direct mention of Mamdani.

During his mayoral campaign last year, Mamdani said he would order the city’s police to arrest Netanyahu under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over Netanyahu’s role in the war in Gaza.

Trump threatens harsh response against Iran for targeting of US troops going forward

The president took to social media on Monday to warn that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

Trump offered no further details but said his directive has been relayed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other U.S. military leaders.

Trump’s warning came after the U.S. earlier Monday launched its ninth night of airstrikes on Iran after announcing the death of a U.S. service member, killed in Iraq during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. Seventeen American troops have been killed since the start of the war.

British military says a second ship was attacked off the coast of UAE

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Monday evening that a second ship had been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, this one off the coast of the United Arab Emirates

Earlier, a vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait.

Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Monday morning, while Kuwait said its air defenses were firing at an incoming Iranian barrage.

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country’s air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians.

Ontario’s premier says he’s frustrated with Trump’s wildfire comments

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told a news conference Monday he is frustrated with Trump’s threats to place tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke.

Ford said Ontario has contributed to fighting fires in the U.S. and offered assistance when Georgia was struck with a hurricane in 2024.

“Rather than criticize and threaten Canada, your closest friend, maybe one day you’re going to need our help,” Ford said. “I get frustrated just listening (to) that bunch of rubbish.”

Ford noted one of the largest fires started in Minnesota.

“Maybe President Trump would offer his closest allies and friends some support rather than sit there and threaten tariffs.”

Nearly 200 wildfires are currently burning across Northern Ontario, with 57 out of control.

Trump talked about wildfires with Carney at World Cup

Trump said he told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney he needs to do more to stop wildfires when they talked during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.

“I told them you got to stop these fires from coming in and poisoning our air. Our air has been poisoned,” Trump told reporters on Sunday when he returned from the game.

“If we can help them, we’ll help them. But maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or we should do some tariffs.”

Trump last week accused Canada of neglecting forest management. It is unclear under what authority Trump would rely on to impose new tariffs on Canada.

Sen. Jon Ossoff fuels reelection campaign by accusing Trump of corruption

The Democrat from Georgia is making full-throated broadsides against Trump as he runs for reelection, calling the president a “national disgrace” leading a “Mar-a-Lago mafia” and “the most corrupt administration of all time.”

The 39-year-old senator’s approach is being noticed across the Democratic spectrum, from activists hungry for the right message in the 2026 midterms to those pining for viable presidential candidates.

And now he has a 20-1 fundraising advantage against Rep. Mike Collins, who won a Republican primary runoff after Trump’s last-minute endorsement. Collins argues that Ossoff is “weak” and “woke,” just another “out-of-touch, far-left liberal.”

“The senator is definitely having a moment,” Democratic strategist Lis Smith said, adding that tying Trump’s personal financial gain to his performance on the economy is a strategy “more Democrats should adopt.”

Justice Department activates untested ‘alien terrorist’ deportation court

The Justice Department has filed a first-ever petition to a secretive and dormant court created 30 years ago to weigh government requests to deport so-called “alien terrorists” from the United States.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established in 1996 but had never received a petition until the Justice Department filed an application last week seeking the removal of an individual whose name is withheld from the single-page document posted on the court’s website.

A written response from the chief judge of the five-member court — all appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts — indicates that a hearing was held and that the Justice Department was directed to provide more information on Wednesday.

The chief judge of wrote that “the Government could benefit from the opportunity for more thoughtful consideration.”

Trump urges review of climate change report used by judges

Trump complained that a report on climate change National Academy of Sciences included “discredited” information that created “huge losses” across the country. The report is used by the Federal Judicial Center as a resource to assist judges in considering scientific evidence.

Trump ordered “federal suspension and debarment officials” to review the research organization’s conduct, adding that taxpayers should not be funding ″climate fraud” and judges should not rely on the report.

It was not clear what officials Trump was referring to and what, exactly, he wants them to investigate.

Earlier this year, the judicial center withdrew a chapter on climate change from the newest reference manual on scientific evidence after Republican state attorneys general complained it was biased against fossil fuel companies.

The Vances are doing their part to reverse declining birth rates

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, are celebrating the birth of their fourth child.

Born Sunday, Alec Neel Vance joins older siblings Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4. The Vances said Usha and the baby are happy and healthy. They also thanked the doctors and staff at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the White House medical team.

The Republican vice president has passionately advocated for Americans to have more children. He repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career in 2021, and told the 2025 March for Life anti-abortion rally, “I want more babies in the United States of America.”

The story behind the Freedom Fuel Trump loves to promote

Trump and his White House have enthusiastically promoted the Freedom Fuel Network, a chain of star-spangled convenience stores selling gas at $3.47 per gallon to honor the 47th president.

Untangling exactly who is behind the Philadelphia-area venture has proven difficult. Records indicate the chain was launched last month by a collection of businessmen including an NFL kicking coach, a GOP fundraiser and a New Jersey entrepreneur who was ordered along with his brother to pay civil damages for unlawfully taking more than 200,000 gallons of fuel.

None of them want to talk about it. How the stations got Trump’s attention remains a mystery. Experts say they’re likely selling the gas for a loss.

What is clear: Trump has loved the idea of cheaper gas with average costs per gallon rising above $4 again as the war with Iran continues.

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Olympian accused of damaging Reflecting Pool gets a trial date

David Hearn, 67, has pleaded not guilty to deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid a troubled multimillion-dollar renovation project championed by Trump.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman set the date for Sept. 28 during a Monday hearing, Hearn’s second since a grand jury indicted him on a single felony count of property destruction.

Trump has claimed without providing evidence that damage to the pool’s lining was caused by vandals.

David Hearn, 67, a canoeist who competed in three Summer Olympics, told The Associated Press that he reached into the water to see what the peeling new coating felt like — “very rubbery” — and let go of it when a park worker told him to. At least three others have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of the paint.

Tate brothers to appear in Miami court. UK wants them extradited

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate are scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate in Miami on Monday after they were arrested to face rape and sex trafficking charges in the United Kingdom.

Their attorney Joseph McBride said the charges are “filth and slander” and that he’s confident the extradition request would be denied.

He also said he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department, without input from leadership. But the Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.

The Tates’ social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.

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Why Yemen seeks to close Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea access

There were few details, but the deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, said on X that the Bab al-Mandeb strait will be closed to Saudi vessels in response to what he called Saudi Arabia’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years.”

The Houthis are key to Iran’s regional influence and they have a large stockpile of drones, but several Houthi members previously told the AP that the group’s weapons stockpile is running low after its attacks during the Israel-Hamas war. The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the officials, who at the time spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

Gulf nations warn of incoming Iranian fire

Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Monday afternoon to warn of a possible Iranian fire, while Kuwait said its air defenses were responding to incoming Iranian missiles and drones. No damage was immediately reported in either country.

Senators want answers on ICE policies

Dozens of Democratic senators and Maine’s Independent Sen. Angus King want more details on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s vetting practices and vehicle pursuit policies following more deaths in ICE shootings.

In a letter spearheaded by King and sent to the Department of Homeland Security, the senators listed new measures to increase accountability at the agency tasked with carrying out immigration enforcement.

They said ICE should immediately start wearing uniforms or vests that clearly identify them as “ICE” instead of the more generic “POLICE” or “POLICE ICE.”

The senators also want to know whether ICE considers records of domestic violence or abuse when vetting new recruits. In Maine, the AP reported that the ICE officer who opened fire and killed a man from Colombia had a history of violent behavior detailed in family court records.

As student loan defaults surge, Trump is making borrowers pay more

Defaults are reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to pay.

The numbers have spiked since payments came due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning their wages or Social Security payments could be garnished. The Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections for now.

And still another wave of defaults could be coming. The Trump administration eliminated the most generous income-driven repayment plan, Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, as part of its overhaul of the federal student loan system. Millions who had been enrolled in SAVE now must pay more each month.

▶ Read more

Yemen’s Houthis announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia

A Houthi military spokesperson described the embargo on Monday, effective immediately, as an “eye for an eye” response.

Attacks by the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen last week damaged Sanaa International Airport and Abha airport in Saudi Arabia, threatening a truce that began in 2022.

Imposing an embargo could put new pressure on Saudi Arabia, which is sending oil through pipes to the Red Sea as a way of avoiding the chokehold in the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthis attacked more than 100 ships over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. It’s unclear whether the Houthis will keep up that level of attack now against Saudi Arabia.

Global rates of road injuries and deaths each fell more than 30% between 1990 and 2023, according to the study published in Lancet Public Health, which noted the progress varied from country to country.

Pedestrian and vehicle occupant deaths rose over that time in six countries — including the United States. However, more recent data shows road deaths fell in the U.S. in 2024 and 2025.

The World Health Organization put out its own numbers Monday, finding that road traffic deaths declined by 21% between 2011 and 2025. However, traffic crashes still claimed more than 1.1 million lives last year, and they remain the leading cause of death among children and youth aged 5 to 29 years, the WHO said.

Road deaths involve fatal injuries that happen to pedestrians, cyclists and people riding in cars, trucks and other vehicles. Complete data is lacking in some countries, so the researchers behind the new report made estimates based on what data is available.

The researchers, from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, found that road injury rates are higher in high-income countries, but 90% of road deaths occur in low-income countries.

In many low-income countries, safety measures have not kept up with rapid growth in cities and use of motorized vehicles. For example, seat belt mandates are more common in high-income countries, as are car safety features such as air bags.

“Road injury outcomes are shaped not only by crashes, but by the systems designed to prevent them and protect people when they occur,” said Liane Ong, the new paper's senior author, in a statement.

However, there have been conflicting trends in the U.S., including the proliferation of taller and larger passenger vehicles, the authors wrote. U.S. officials also have said thousands of deaths each year can be attributed to “distracted driving," including drivers looking at their phones.

In the U.S., motor vehicle traffic fatalities rose in the last decade and peaked at more than 43,000 in 2021 before beginning to decline, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency estimated the count fell to about 36,600 last year.

Meanwhile, the Governors Highway Safety Association recently reported that U.S. drivers hit and killed 7% fewer people walking on U.S. roads in 2025 compared with the year before. It was the largest annual reduction since pedestrian deaths began falling three years ago, but it was still higher than what the numbers were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO identified road safety as an international public health priority more than two decades ago. The Lancet report's release coincides with the start of a two-day United Nations high-level meeting on improving global road safety, being held in New York City.

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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 Tates have been held in federal detention following their arrest on Saturday. In the coming weeks, a U.S. district judge will consider whether they meet the conditions for extradition.

An attorney for the brothers, Joseph McBride, has blasted the charges as “filth and slander,” as well as “salacious and defamatory.”

Prosecutors in Britain said the new charges relate to four new victims and were brought after authorities received evidence from Bedfordshire Police in southeastern England. The allegations, spanning 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.”

The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the U.K. between 2012 and 2015.

Their lawyer said in a statement Saturday that he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department without input from leadership.

But the Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.

McBride, outside of the Miami federal courthouse, said he plans to fight extradition on the Tates’ behalf.

“We are going to fight them at every turn, and at every corner, because they are American citizens,” McBride said.

McBride claims the new allegations are politically-motivated.

“I’ve never seen evidence that indicates these guys are guilty of anything,” he said. “They are being punished and attacked for what they say and not for what they have done. You can love them, you can hate them, but nobody should go to jail for free speech.”

Taking a swipe at the U.K., McBride said, “We will make sure that we exhaust all remedies before they are sent over to the communist regime previously known as the free place of the United Kingdom.”

McBride, explaining his ties representing people in Jan. 6 cases, implied that he believes President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be sympathetic to the case.

“I believe that Marco Rubio and the rest of the trump administration are not fans of communism, for prosecuting people for free speech, this is one of the reasons why they were elected,” he said, noting that after the Jan. 6 prosecutions, “I would just think as a matter of principle, based on the reasons why they were elected, that they would not want to see two free citizens go to a country where they are going to be thrown in jail for political reasons.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “If the court finds the fugitive to be extraditable, it certifies the extradition and sends the record to the Secretary of State, who decides whether to surrender the fugitive.”

Former federal prosecutor David Weinstein said even though the charges the Tates face are not considered “political offenses” by definition, under the extradition treaty, “the executive branch of the U.S., including the president, can block the extradition request if they determine that the request was politically motivated.”

“So yes, President Trump is able to help prevent an extradition to the U.K. if he wanted to,” Weinstein said.

The new allegations are the latest in a long-running international legal saga involving the Tates that has spanned the U.S., Britain and Romania. The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Their social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.

The dual U.S. and British citizens moved to Romania in 2016. They were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations and the Romanian case hasn’t gone forward because of legal and procedural problems.

Last year, they were allowed to leave Romania and flew to Florida.

Ohtani had been scheduled to start against the Phillies in the finale of the three-game series in Philadelphia on Wednesday. But left knee irritation that kept him out of last week’s All-Star Game scrapped those plans.

The four-time MVP last pitched on July 3. He received a lubricant injection in his balky knee, which does not bother him while batting.

Manager Dave Roberts said the injection, bypassing the All-Star game and skipping the scheduled start is not because the issue is worsening. Rather, that it has “not gotten better.”

“All that stuff is trying to give us the best chance to be out of the woods entirely,” Roberts said before Monday’s game against Philadelphia.

Roberts indicated that Ohtani would try to throw off the mound later this week, saying it could happen on Thursday or Friday. The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers are scheduled to visit the White House on Thursday, an off day. They begin a three-game series at the New York Mets on Friday.

Asked if Ohtani could return to the rotation sometime in the near future, possibly as early as next week, Roberts said, “I don’t know. He’s got to play catch again and then we’ll see.”

The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers have the best record in the majors at 63-37 and an 11 1/2-game lead in the NL West.

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

Según la Oficina del Alguacil de Broward (BSO), los agentes que acudieron a la cuadra 2500 de East Atlantic Boulevard encontraron a la víctima con múltiples heridas de arma blanca. Los equipos de rescate la llevaron de urgencia al Broward Health North Hospital, donde fue declarada muerta.

Los investigadores hablaron con una testigo que dijo estar esperando en una parada de bus cuando la víctima —que no ha sido identificada públicamente— y el sospechoso, David Edward Rice, comenzaron a discutir.

La testigo les dijo a los agentes que los hombres “estaban discutiendo por crack” antes de que Rice, de 67 años, empezara a apuñalar a la víctima, que estaba desarmada.

Los agentes dijeron que la testigo explicó además que Rice intentó irse del lugar, pero primero le entregó el cuchillo a otro hombre que trató de subirse a un bus. La mujer contó que le avisó al chofer lo que había pasado para que no lo dejara abordar.

Ese segundo hombre fue detenido inicialmente por los agentes.

Poco después, las autoridades dijeron que se recibió una llamada al 911 indicando que el sospechoso del apuñalamiento estaba en un Publix cercano, ubicado en el 2500 de E. Atlantic Blvd., con una mano ensangrentada.

Los agentes acudieron al Publix y detuvieron a Rice, mientras los investigadores revisaban las cámaras de vigilancia de un estacionamiento administrado por el supermercado. Según dijeron, las imágenes mostraban a Rice caminando por el mismo trayecto donde los investigadores notaron un rastro de sangre, que iba de un extremo al otro del estacionamiento y luego cruzaba la calle hasta el Publix.

Las autoridades dijeron que, durante el interrogatorio, “Rice dio versiones inconsistentes sobre su cronología y su paradero antes del incidente y antes de su captura”, y que además “contradijo sus propias acciones captadas por las cámaras de vigilancia de Publix”.

Según el reporte, Rice afirmó que estaba en el Publix “para comprar fresas”.

Hasta la tarde del lunes, Rice permanecía recluido sin derecho a fianza en la cárcel principal de Broward, bajo cargos de asesinato premeditado en primer grado e invasión armada de una estructura o vehículo.

El teniente del Departamento de Policía de Miami (MPD) Thomas Carroll, de 49 años, fue arrestado bajo un cargo de manejar bajo la influencia (DUI) e ingresado en la cárcel la madrugada del domingo, informó un portavoz de la agencia.

Los registros de la cárcel mostraban que también enfrentaba un cargo por negarse a una prueba de alcoholemia tras la suspensión de su licencia.

Carroll salió rápidamente de la cárcel bajo fianza.

Un portavoz de MPD dijo que el teniente “ha sido relevado de sus funciones a la espera del resultado” de una investigación interna.

No había más detalles disponibles sobre su arresto la noche del domingo.

Carroll acaparó titulares a finales de 2024, cuando fue arrestado en un caso de violencia doméstica.

Ese caso ya no aparece en los registros judiciales de Miami-Dade.

“Escuché un ruido fuerte y sonó como si hubiera explotado una bomba”, contó Terry. “Mi esposo me dijo: ‘Alguien acaba de chocar contra la casa’”.

Tres hombres iban dentro del auto. El video de vigilancia muestra que las bolsas de aire se activaron mientras intentaban salir. Uno de ellos agarró un bolso antes de que, según Terry, todos huyeran del lugar.

“Me sorprende mucho que hayan podido salir caminando, porque el impacto fue tan severo que la casa tembló”, dijo Terry. “Se me cayó la puerta del ático”.

El accidente ocurrió alrededor de las 3:30 a.m. El Tesla arrancó el buzón antes de chocar contra una Range Rover estacionada en la entrada de la casa y, finalmente, contra la vivienda.

“Ahora tengo que averiguar ¿quién? ¿por qué? Es frustrante”, expresó Terry.

Terry dijo que agradece que ella y su esposo estén bien, pero ahora espera que alguien pueda ayudar a atrapar a los responsables.

“Los carros en realidad lo frenaron, porque si no, si no hubiera habido nada aquí, se habría metido hasta mi habitación”, afirmó Terry.

Se pide a cualquier persona con información que llame a Broward Crime Stoppers al 954-493-8477.

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According to Hallandale Beach police, the collision happened near Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Dixie Highway.

Police said eastbound lanes of Hallandale Beach Boulevard are experiencing traffic delays as officers investigate what led up to the incident.

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue officials confirmed that one person was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area for the time being.

“Please use caution when approaching railroad crossings. Never drive around lowered crossing gates or attempt to cross when warning lights are flashing,” HBPD posted on social media.

No other details were immediately released.

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According to the MPD report, Lt. Thomas Carroll had rear-ended a Mercedes-Benz on U.S. 1 a few blocks south of the Dadeland Mall; a witness followed him nearly six miles before the longtime lawman crashed the Ford F-150.

Authorities said Carroll, 49, nearly sideswiped a Tesla Cybertruck during the intervening drive between Pinecrest and Coconut Grove.

Police said after crashing at the Bird Road intersection at around 6 p.m., Miami Fire Rescue crews “were forced to break the rear window to gain access” to Carroll.

Carroll came to and “was groggy and uneasy on his feet,” according to the arrest report.

Police said medics took him to HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, where he refused treatment “and waited outside with police.”

According to the report, while waiting outside, officers smelled alcohol on Carroll’s breath and he had slurred speech with “very poor balance.”

Authorities said Carroll refused to perform a field sobriety test and officers took him into custody. They said he later refused a breath test and officers took him to jail, where he quickly bonded out.

Carroll, who has been with MPD since 1999, is facing charges of DUI and refusal to submit to DUI testing.

It’s not his first time in trouble as Carroll, once an assistant chief with the department, has had a highly-publicized run-in with the law.

He was previously arrested in 2024 after allegations of domestic violence. That case no longer appears in Miami-Dade court records.

After his latest arrest, an MPD spokesperson said Sunday evening that Carroll “has been relieved of duty” pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

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According to Coconut Creek Fire Rescue officials, the fire was reported just before 4:15 a.m. in the 900 block of Palmetto Drive.

The flames tore through the garage before spreading to the roof, leaving extensive damage behind.

Officials confirmed that a man who lives at the home was transported to a local hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and at least seven cats were killed in the fire. A dog did make it out of the home safely, they said.

The fire has since been extinguished.

“It’s like scary -- it’s like, what the heck is going on?” one neighbor said. “I walk here every morning -- every morning. So this is unusual, very unusual.”

First responders said a family of three lives at the home and is now displaced. That family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Detectives accused Edgar Olivas of fatally shooting Walter Castañeda during a robbery shortly after 8:10 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2021, at 443 NW 12 Ave., records show.

Castañeda, 62, who was armed with a .38 revolver, was pulling down shutters after closing his Boost Mobile store when Olivas ambushed him, police reported, according to an arrest warrant.

“Let everything go,” Olivas, then 36, ordered Castañeda, a witness reported to police, according to the arrest warrant.

Olivas, of Orlando, stole Castañeda’s black bag, and Castañeda pulled out a revolver and fired at Olivas, who then returned fire and fled, according to the warrant.

Miami Fire Rescue personnel took Castañeda to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where a doctor later pronounced him dead, records show.

A Miami homicide detective tracked Olivas’s getaway car, a white 2022 four-door Honda Civic that was reported stolen on Oct. 3, 2021, according to police.

The owner of the Honda Civic reported renting the car on Sept. 29, 2021, to a woman who police later identified as Megan Hester-Villalobos, according to the arrest warrant.

The Honda’s GPS helped detectives to find evidence at a motel at 148 NW 167 St., near North Miami Beach, a gas station at 744 NW 12 Ave., in Little Havana, and an apartment at 2523 N. Alafaya Trail, in Orlando, according to the arrest warrant.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies helped Miami homicide detectives find a video of the Honda that was published on an Instagram account that Hester-Villalobos used, according to the arrest warrant.

Miami-Dade corrections booked Olivas, 40, shortly before 8:55 a.m. on Friday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral, according to county inmate records.

Olivas faced two charges: First-degree murder and armed robbery with a deadly weapon, according to county court records. A judge denied him bond.

Related story: A grieving family says the way police responded to a robbery in Little Havana cost their loved one his life

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According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, deputies responding to the 2500 block of East Atlantic Boulevard found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds and rescue crews rushed him to Broward Health North Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Investigators spoke to a witness who said she was waiting at a bus stop when the victim ― who has not been publicly identified ― and suspect David Edward Rice got into an argument.

The witness told deputies the men “were arguing over crack” before Rice, 67, began to stab the unarmed victim.

Deputies said the witness further explained that Rice attempted to leave the scene, but first he gave the knife to another man who tried to board a bus, but the witness said she told the bus driver what happened so the man wouldn’t be allowed to board.

The second man was initially detained by deputies.

Soon after, authorities said a 911 call was received stating that the suspect in the stabbing was at a nearby Publix, located at 2500 E. Atlantic Blvd., with a bloody hand.

Deputies responded to the Publix and detained Rice, while investigators viewed surveillance footage of a parking garage managed by Publix that they said showed Rice walking along the same path that investigators noticed a trail of blood, leading from one end of the garage to the other, then across the street into the Publix.

Authorities said that during questioning, “Rice provided inconsistencies on his timeline and whereabouts leading up to the incident and leading up to his apprehension” while he also “contradicted his own actions which were captured on Publix surveillance cameras.”

According to the report, he claimed he was at the Publix “to buy strawberries.”

As of Monday afternoon, Rice was being held at the Broward Main Jail on charges of first-degree premeditated murder and armed trespassing of a structure of conveyance on no bond.

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Police suspect that Justin Ramirez, 24, of Sunny Isles Beach, opened fire from a moving Audi SUV, shooting into a green rented BMW near Northwest 22nd Avenue and 36th Street at around 8:10 p.m. on July 5. A 2-year-old boy was in the BMW but was unharmed, according to police.

Authorities said the victims, who sought treatment at Jackson Memorial Hospital, had been traveling from Broward County toward Brickell. An arrest report from the Miami Police Department does not provide an alleged motive for the shooting.

According to police, detectives viewed video footage of the shooting and were able to identify the Audi Q8. Police said it was registered to someone else, but they were able to tie it to Ramirez after he got a traffic ticket in Lauderhill while driving the vehicle.

Additionally, they said license plate reader data showed the Audi near Bayfront Park on July 1, the same day Ramirez posted photos on social media of himself attending FIFA Fan Fest ― and a photo of himself in the Audi “holding a bottle of Sprite with purple liquid consistent with promethazine codeine syrup,” a concoction often known by the street name “purple drank.”

The report states that detectives recovered multiple latent fingerprints from the vehicle matching Ramirez after executing a search warrant on July 9.

Police said they later got a warrant for cellphone data that placed Ramirez at the crime scene.

They took him into custody just after 12:45 p.m. Friday in a North Miami Beach neighborhood.

Ramirez, who’s previously spent time in state prison for armed robbery, now faces several charges: most notably, four counts of attempted murder.

Records show he was released from jail after posting a $90,000 bond.

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Michael Mobile, better known as Mobile Mike, shared the video showing “The Determination” motor superyacht along the New River in the Riverwalk neighborhood.

“A yacht was being towed down the river at an incredibly high speed,” Mobile wrote, according to a post on X. “Right away, I knew something didn’t seem right, so I pulled out my camera.”

Mobile reported he witnessed the crash, which damaged the dock and the roof of a two-story building near Southeast First Avenue and Riverwalk North, and he saw police officers and fire rescue personnel responding.

The crash damaged a stormwater pump station, according to city officials.

Mobile’s cellphone video shows a small boat marked as owned by Steel Towing and “The Determination,” a 112-foot Westport motor yacht, marked as based in Sarasota, Fla.

City crews closed the adjacent sidewalk, placed barriers around the property damage, and a structural engineer was set to assess the building and the seawall, according to city officials.

City employees notified the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s marine unit and the U.S. Coast Guard, according to city officials. A representative for the towing company couldn’t be reached for comment.

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🚨 Another Crazy Day in Paradise… 🇯🇲#MobileMike I had just gotten back from a trip and was out for a walk when something caught my attention. A yacht was being towed down the river at an incredibly high speed. Right away, I knew something didn’t seem right, so I pulled out my… pic.twitter.com/JOMtgu9dth

— Mobile Mike (@MOBILEMIKE_) July 20, 2026