Now 19, Jah’Kobe Bessent awaits his fate for a crime spree in August 2022 that ended in the fatal crash. Investigators said Bessent, then 15, was driving a stolen vehicle and fleeing from police when he caused the wreck that killed 35-year-old Maria Tellez-Valderrabano.

State prosecutors said Bessent and 13-year-old Jacory Flournoy first broke into a Fort Lauderdale home while the residents were sleeping, stole their car and later crashed into another vehicle, killing Tellez-Valderrabano.

Tellez-Valderrabano’s family was in court Thursday wearing pendants with her picture on them as several of Bessent’s relatives testified in his defense.

“I saw it on the news. I had a feeling that he was involved in it,” one family member said.

During the sentencing hearing, Bessent’s aunt, Latonya Burns, described what she said was a difficult and traumatic upbringing that severely affected his mental state.

Bessent’s sister, who is also behind bars, testified that she and her brother were physically abused. She said there were times when their mother ordered her to hold Jah’Kobe down while he was beaten.

State prosecutors argued that the disturbing details of Bessent’s upbringing should not take away from the fact that a woman was killed and a family lost their loved one.

The victim’s family said they want justice for Tellez-Valderrabano’s death, but the judge will ultimately decide Bessent’s sentence.

At the time of this report, Bessent’s father was on the witness stand.

Paz dio un mensaje a la nación en la ciudad de Sucre por los 201 años de la fundación de Bolivia en el que pidió disculpas por sus errores y destacó el apoyo de la población a pesar de haber aplicado medidas económicas impopulares como el fin del subsidio a los combustibles.

El mandatario aseguró que todas las reformas “requieren de estabilidad política y continuidad institucional” por lo que convocó a “construir un gran acuerdo nacional” y apostar por el diálogo tras las movilizaciones impulsadas por sindicatos obreros, campesinos y seguidores del expresidente Evo Morales (2006-2019) que durante 53 días protagonizaron protestas y bloqueos que asfixiaron al país.

Adelantó que además del proyecto de ley de inversiones —que busca atraer capital extranjero— también enviará al Congreso un paquete de iniciativas que incluyen dos que buscan abrir el sector de los hidrocarburos y la minería a alianzas con privados.

Para que estos proyectos sean aprobados por la Asamblea Paz necesita negociar con todas las fuerzas politicas porque no posee mayoría.

Durante su discurso el mandatario reconoció que uno de los grandes males del país es la corrupción, por lo que anunció la creación del Alto Comisionado de Integridad Institucional y Transparencia en la administración pública.

Recientemente el secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos, Marco Rubio, ratificó el apoyo al gobierno de Paz y celebró la profundización de la cooperación para “brindar seguridad y prosperidad a ambas naciones”.

Tras llegar a la presidencia a fines el año pasado Paz dio un giro en la política exterior y se acercó a Estados Unidos para relanzar las relaciones diplomáticas rotas durante casi 20 años de los gobiernos de izquierda de Morales (2006-2019) y Luis Arce (2020-2025).

En marzo Paz se reunió con el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump y varios gobernantes de América Latina para combatir el narcotráfico y el terrorismo, entre otros delitos, bajo el denominado Escudo de las Américas.

They floated for around 15 minutes before a winner and runner-up were plucked from the water.

The annual event, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois, draws thousands of participants.

Becky Cavanagh, the Ducky Derby ambassador and a 13-year Special Olympics athlete, held up the winning duck to the cheers of crowds packed on both sides of the river.

Cavanagh said her favorite part about the Special Olympics was “making new friends.” Asked before the race how she felt about picking the winning duck, she cheered. “Woo!”

Special Olympics Illinois organizes competitions across the state for people with disabilities and special needs. It costs $10 to sponsor a “lone duck,” which will feed an athlete lunch at a competition, and $30 for a “quack pack” of six ducks, which supplies gold medals for a team. The competition has raised more than $480,000.

The sponsor of the fastest duck wins an SUV, and the runner-up will win $2,500 in cash, said Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president of Special Olympics Illinois.

“It really is a fantastic day for our athletes,” he said ahead of the race at an area next to the river, where derby attendees posed with inflatable rubber ducks and bopped along to a live DJ.

___

Mayes-Osterman is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Ocurrió a primeras horas de la tarde del jueves en el área de la cuadra 20300 de Northwest 35th Avenue en Miami Gardens.

Los agentes acudieron rápidamente al lugar tras recibir reportes de una balacera.

Según Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, una persona fue trasladada en helicóptero al HCA Florida Aventura Hospital como alerta de trauma.

SKY 10 sobrevoló el lugar alrededor de las 2:15 p.m., donde se podía ver a agentes rodeando un vehículo que quedó con la puerta del lado del conductor abierta y varios objetos esparcidos en el suelo junto al automóvil.

Las autoridades no han proporcionado información sobre las circunstancias que llevaron a la balacera reportada.

Esta es una noticia de última hora que será actualizada a medida que haya nueva información disponible.

Pero Bracamonte, una enfermera jubilada de 74 años de Tucson, afirmó que siente que el calor ha afectado más aspectos de su día a día: planes de verano con familiares en toda la región, encuentros con amigos, viajes por carretera y su rutina diaria de caminata matutina.

“He notado al menos una diferencia de 10 grados en el clima. Cada verano, parece que hace más y más calor”, aseguró.

Al igual que Bracamonte, los estadounidenses sienten cada vez más un impacto personal del calor extremo, según una nueva encuesta de The Associated Press y el NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

De acuerdo con el sondeo, los adultos en Estados Unidos tienen más probabilidades de afirmar que el calor extremo ha tenido un “gran impacto” o un “impacto menor” en sus planes de viaje o vacaciones, en sus facturas de electricidad, en su sueño, en las actividades al aire libre de su familia y en más aspectos de su vida cotidiana que en julio de 2024.

Gran parte de ese cambio se dio entre personas que viven en el oeste o en la región centro-norte del país.

Los demócratas también tienen más probabilidades que los republicanos de decir que el calor extremo ha tenido un “gran” impacto en cada uno de los aspectos analizados.

El calentamiento ha puesto en peligro al planeta, especialmente en los últimos años; los científicos calculan que la temperatura media de la Tierra en 2025 se mantuvo entre las tres más altas registradas, junto con 2024 y 2023. Estados Unidos ha sufrido peligrosos domos de calor en los últimos años, y temperaturas inusualmente altas incluso a comienzos del año.

El reciente clima abrasador ha influido en miles de muertes relacionadas con el calor al provocar la muerte de más personas cada año que todos los demás fenómenos meteorológicos combinados. Aumenta el riesgo de incendios forestales, tensiona la infraestructura pública, devasta la agricultura y causa estragos en reuniones como eventos deportivos.

Ahora, la encuesta muestra cómo el calor extremo transforma la vida diaria de los estadounidenses.

“Tengo que levantarme a las 5 de la mañana para caminar antes de las 6, porque para las 7 (la temperatura) ya está en los 80 grados (Fahrenheit, alrededor de 27 grados Celsius)... Pierdo un par de horas de sueño porque tengo que despertarme más temprano”, añadió Bracamonte, quien dijo que se identifica como una demócrata muy liberal. “No puedes quedarte afuera sin enfermarte, a menos que bebas agua todo el tiempo; hace muchísimo, muchísimo calor”.

Aumentan las facturas de electricidad

Alrededor de 8 de cada 10 estadounidenses dicen que sus facturas de electricidad han tenido un “gran” o un “menor” impacto por el calor extremo durante el último año, frente al 69% en julio de 2024, según la encuesta.

Casi la mitad (el 44%) de los estadounidenses que viven en la región centro-norte dicen que el calor extremo ha tenido un “gran” impacto en sus facturas de electricidad, frente al 29% de hace dos años.

El aumento de los precios de la electricidad en los hogares se ha convertido en un tema político cada vez más destacado en los últimos años. El clima extremo es solo uno de los factores que afectan las facturas de electricidad, pero implica que la gente usa más energía para el aire acondicionado, o en los meses fríos, para la calefacción.

“Siento que mis costos de servicios públicos probablemente se duplicaron en los últimos tres o cuatro años”, afirmó Daemien Williams, un inspector de puentes de 50 años que vive en Cahokia Heights, Illinois, y se identifica como demócrata. “Sí reviso mis facturas con bastante detalle y veo que los kilovatios y el consumo en realidad han subido, no solo el precio que cobran por ello”.

Impactos en planes de viaje y vacaciones, así como en las actividades familiares al aire libre

El calor extremo afecta la vida de los estadounidenses de otras maneras, de acuerdo con la encuesta.

Alrededor de 4 de cada 10 estadounidenses dicen que el calor extremo ha tenido un gran impacto o un impacto menor en sus planes de viaje o vacaciones, frente a aproximadamente una cuarta parte en 2024.

“Ha afectado a toda mi familia porque normalmente nos reunimos mucho durante el verano”, explicó Bracamonte. “Tenemos familia en Texas y en el norte de Arizona. Y hemos visto que ha habido muchos más incendios, muchas más inundaciones, todo eso. Así que eso, en cierto modo, frena nuestros planes de viajar”.

Las olas de calor extremo aumentan el riesgo de incendios forestales, y un mundo más cálido potencia las tormentas que, en última instancia, podrían traer más precipitaciones.

Alrededor de 7 de cada 10 estadounidenses dicen que el calor extremo ha tenido un gran impacto o un impacto menor en las actividades al aire libre de su familia, frente a aproximadamente 6 de cada 10 en 2024.

Sean Conway, un especialista en marketing directo de 41 años en North Shore, Massachusetts, dijo, por ejemplo, que los entrenamientos de fútbol de sus hijos podrían posponerse o cancelarse debido a temperaturas extremas.

Pero para Conway, que se considera un independiente moderado con inclinación republicana, esto es algo menor. “A veces, simplemente hay que estar afuera con el mal tiempo”.

No sorprende que muchos estadounidenses digan que perciben los impactos, afirmó Jennifer Francis, climatóloga del Woodwell Climate Research Center, quien no participó en la encuesta.

“Las olas de calor brutales y potencialmente mortales se han vuelto más frecuentes, más intensas y más persistentes en muchas partes del mundo, incluidos nuestros estados del oeste y de la región centro-norte”, indicó. “El calor extremo, combinado con largos periodos de sequía, ha afectado directamente nuestra salud, además de tener efectos indirectos en nuestros bolsillos”.

La creencia en el cambio climático se mantiene en gran medida estable

Aunque más estadounidenses dicen sentir un impacto personal del calor extremo, eso no significa que un número creciente crea en el cambio climático.

Aproximadamente dos tercios (66%) de los estadounidenses creen que el cambio climático está ocurriendo, una ligera disminución frente al 73% en septiembre de 2025. Cerca del 17% dice no estar seguro de si el cambio climático está ocurriendo, y alrededor del 15% dice que no está ocurriendo.

Williams, el residente de Illinois, atribuye su creencia en el cambio climático en parte a cambios extremos del tiempo, incluidas temperaturas muy altas y muy frías.

“Mi mayor indicador del cambio en el clima es que las inundaciones ocurren con mucha más frecuencia”, observó, y señaló que cree tanto en causas naturales como humanas.

John Hazel, de 33 años, de Waco, Texas, dice que ha notado cambios desde que era más joven.

“Cuando era niño, parecía algo muy raro cuando (la temperatura) llegaba a 100 (grados Fahrenheit, o 37 grados Celsius); todo el mundo decía: ‘guau’. Y ahora es todos los días”, afirmó Hazel, investigador de escenas del crimen. “Las estaciones se sentían un poco más equilibradas. Ahora se siente como si el verano se quedara más tiempo: empieza antes y dura más”.

Hazel, quien se identifica como un republicano conservador y cree en el cambio climático, dijo que planifica en función del calor.

“En cuanto sales, ya estás sudando aunque no estés haciendo gran cosa. Definitivamente, he notado que tienes que tomar descansos de estar afuera; tienes que bañarte, ducharte más seguido, añadió Hazel. “Sin duda es una consideración mayor”.

___

La encuesta, en la que participaron 1.165 adultos, se realizó del 23 al 27 de julio de 2026, utilizando una muestra extraída del panel AmeriSpeak de NORC, basado en probabilidades, diseñado para ser representativo de la población de Estados Unidos. El margen de error muestral para los adultos en general es de más o menos 3,7 puntos porcentuales.

___

La cobertura climática y ambiental de The Associated Press recibe apoyo financiero de múltiples fundaciones privadas. La AP es la única responsable de todo el contenido. Encuentra los estándares de la AP para trabajar con organizaciones filantrópicas, una lista de las fundaciones y las áreas de cobertura que financian en AP.org.

___

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

Leer en español

It happened early Thursday afternoon in the area of the 20300 block of Northwest 35th Avenue in Miami Gardens.

Officers rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a shooting.

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, one person was taken by helicopter to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital as a trauma alert.

SKY 10 was over the scene around 2:15 p.m., where officers could be seen surrounding a vehicle that was left with the driver’s side door open and several items scattered on the ground next to the car.

Authorities have not provided any information on the circumstances that led up to the reported shooting.

This is a breaking news story that will be updated as new information is made available.

El propietario y presidente de Voepass, José Luiz Felicio Filho, figura entre los acusados por el suceso, que ocurrió en la ciudad de Vinhedo, a las afueras de Sao Paulo. Los fiscales locales aún deben decidir si él y los demás serán imputados en una fecha por determinar.

La policía federal de Brasil también acusó a otros 15 empleados actuales y anteriores de Voepass de poner en peligro el tráfico aéreo resultante en un desastre mortal, un delito que podría llevarlos a prisión por hasta 12 años. Entre los cargos adicionales contra algunos integrantes del grupo figura la omisión de fallas técnicas en los libros de registro de las aeronaves.

El acontecimiento ocurrió cuando el ATR 72-500 turbohélice bimotor, que cubría la ruta desde Cascavel, en el estado sureño de Paraná, hacia el aeropuerto internacional de Guarulhos, se precipitó 3.900 metros (13.000 pies) hasta el patio trasero de un condominio cerrado, causando la muerte de 58 pasajeros y cuatro tripulantes.

Los investigadores añadieron que los registradores de datos de la aeronave mostraron que su sistema de deshielo falló repetidamente o fue activado y desactivado manualmente durante 136 vuelos.

El investigador de la policía federal André Ribeiro manifestó que se autorizó de manera irregular el despegue de la aeronave hacia condiciones severas de congelamiento ya conocidas, pese a que había presentado fallas del sistema de deshielo en tres vuelos anteriores ese mismo día.

“Esto marca un antes y un después en los desastres por accidentes aéreos aquí”, declaró Ribeiro. Sugirió que los fiscales deberían examinar nuevas acusaciones contra la agencia de aviación del gobierno de Brasil, la ANAC.

Los hallazgos de la policía federal se anunciaron en una conferencia de prensa tras una investigación de dos años. La fuerza concluyó que omisiones deliberadas, prácticas de mantenimiento inadecuadas y fallas organizacionales contribuyeron directamente a enviar la aeronave a condiciones meteorológicas peligrosas.

El mes pasado, una investigación de la fuerza aérea brasileña confirmó que una combinación de condiciones severas de congelamiento, así como fallas de sistemas mecánicos y distracciones de los pilotos, contribuyó al accidente aéreo más mortífero del país desde 2007.

__________________________________

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

La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum anunció el refuerzo de la seguridad en las zonas de producción de aguacates para impulsar la reanudación de las exportaciones lo antes posible y evitar cualquier impacto grave en la economía mexicana o en el mercado estadounidense.

Estados Unidos es un gran consumidor de aguacate mexicano: compró más de medio millón de toneladas en los cuatro primeros meses de 2026, unos 2.200 millones de aguacates. Pero antes de su importación verifica ‘in situ’ la calidad de la fruta para evitar que introduzca plagas al país. Si este control no se hace, detiene las compras y los precios pueden verse afectados.

Estas inspecciones se suspendieron el miércoles por motivos de seguridad en Michoacán, principal productor de esta fruta y región de alta actividad del crimen organizado.

No es la primera vez que se detienen las exportaciones. A principios de 2022, en vísperas de la Super Bowl, se produjo una interrupción que duró una semana, aunque no afectó al consumo de guacamole el día del partido porque los aguacates ya se habían enviado.

A continuación, las causas de esta nueva interrupción:

¿Por qué en ocasiones se paralizan las exportaciones?

En Michoacán operan muchos cárteles que, además de producir y traficar droga, se financian a través de extorsiones a todo tipo de sectores económicos, y el del aguacate es uno de los más importantes.

En las últimas dos décadas, los inspectores de Estados Unidos se han visto a veces afectados por ese escenario de violencia. En 2024 dos empleados del Departamento de Agricultura estadounidense (USDA por sus siglas en inglés) fueron asaltados y retenidos temporalmente.

En esta ocasión no se dio a conocer un incidente concreto y las autoridades de Michoacán dijeron que la suspensión fue “preventiva” por unas detenciones recientes ligadas a casos de extorsión.

El analista mexicano David Saucedo considera que la importancia de las exportaciones de aguacate a Estados Unidos es una de las razones por las que la administración de Donald Trump ha designado a cuatro cárteles que operan en el estado como organizaciones terroristas.

¿Cual es el proceso para exportar aguacates a Estados Unidos?

Los aguacates mexicanos representan más del 80% de las importaciones estadounidenses de este producto. En 2025 México vendió a Estados Unidos aguacates por 3.653 millones de dólares y solo en marzo de este año fueron exportadas casi 150.000 toneladas.

Pero como Estados Unidos también cultiva esta fruta, el Departamento de Agricultura de ese país envía a inspectores que vigilan las plantaciones y empacadoras en México para garantizar que el producto exportado no entre a su país con plagas.

¿Cuánto duran los paros?

Generalmente la situación se soluciona en cuestión de días porque los paros de las exportaciones dañan a todos. Este sector da empleo a unas 200.000 personas solo en Michoacán. Si se prolonga la interrupción de las ventas puede haber desabastecimiento en el mercado estadounidense. Y si no se mueve el aguacate, los criminales no pueden cobrar su extorsión, con lo que pierden dinero.

Un productor de Michoacán contaba a AP esta semana que él paga de extorsión 1 peso por kilo exportado y exporta unas 90 toneladas al día, lo que a él le supone pagos de más de 5.000 dólares diarios. Habló pidiendo el anonimato por miedo.

Cuando se detiene la verificación, las autoridades mexicanas suelen ofrecer más seguridad, como anunció el jueves Sheinbaum. La presidenta dijo que van a evaluar con la embajada que sean funcionarios mexicanos los que verifiquen el producto. Esta opción ya se manejó en el pasado, pero USDA siguió a cargo de las inspecciones aunque con fuerzas de seguridad mexicanas acompañando.

Pese a que el ambiente se tranquiliza generalmente pronto, los productores aseguran que eso no significa que las extorsiones terminen.

¿Se mantienen las exportaciones desde otros estados?

Sí. La suspensión de actividades de verificación solo afecta a Michoacán. Únicamente otro estado mexicano, Jalisco, está autorizado por la USDA para exportar a Estados Unidos pero su cantidad es mucho menor.

No, it's not quite rose-colored glasses. But the veteran quarterback is wearing red contact lenses during training camp this summer in his return to the team that drafted him in 2013.

Fashionable? Maybe. Functional? Definitely.

“It’s something that we’ve been doing,” said the 35-year-old Smith, acquired in the offseason from Las Vegas. “It blocks out the sunlight and all that, so it’s actually pretty cool. It keeps the glare from the sun out of your eyes.”

Smith was still wearing the UV protection lenses while speaking to reporters after practice Thursday, giving the quarterback's eyes an almost sinister look. One reporter joked that he was scared, causing Smith to break into a not-so-evil grin.

“As I got back here, I spoke to some eye specialists," Smith said, “and they suggested it and then we started doing it.”

The quarterback was asked if he was having eye issues or simply opted for the contacts over wearing a tinted visor on his helmet so there was less squinting and more seeing.

“It’s just something we’re trying out, just to see what it was like,” he said. “I like it, so we’ve been sticking with it.”

Several players around the league have tried wearing the glare-reducing contacts, including Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert last summer. Smith said he first saw them when then-Jets teammate Santonio Holmes wore them during the 2013 season.

Oh, and by the way, Smith isn't seeing red these days.

“The entire room is yellow, so it’s a yellow tint to everything,” he said. “But yeah, it’s pretty cool. You guys should try it.”

They seem to be working for Smith, who is off to a solid start to camp. He played his first four NFL seasons for the franchise before stints with the Giants, Chargers, Seahawks and Raiders. New York, looking for a veteran signal caller in the offseason, acquired Smith and a seventh-round draft pick in March from Las Vegas for a sixth-rounder.

He'll enter the season as the unquestioned starter and is feeling comfortable in new offensive coordinator Frank Reich's system.

“I’m excited about the schematic advantages that he’s able to create, but also the ways that he allows players to go out there and make plays and to have freedom to take ownership of the offense,” Smith said. “I think there’s a fine balance with X’s and O’s and also having great players and allowing those guys to be themselves. Coach Reich, he’s played in the league, so he understands that dynamic and that balance.”

The Jets play their first preseason game next Friday night at home against Tampa Bay and former coach Todd Bowles. It wasn't yet known if New York coach Aaron Glenn will play his starters, including Smith, at all in that game. Smith, who has played in the preseason the last several years, sounded open to the possibility.

“I love playing football.” Smith said. “Whenever coach tells me to go out there, I go play.”

—

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

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri spacecraft flew over the impact site soon after the Falcon 9 upper stage inadvertently plowed into the moon on Wednesday. Danuri made multiple passes, snapping photos from lunar orbit that were released by the space agency Thursday.

The terrain is noticeably darker where the rocket hit and carved out a crater, sending dust and rock everywhere. Korean space officials said Danuri gathered before and after shots.

NASA expects its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to fly over the crash site next week to view the aftermath.

Elon Musk's SpaceX launched Danuri from Cape Canaveral in 2022.

The company also sent a pair of private lunar landers to the moon last year. The upper stage from that launch is what crashed into the moon this week at 5,400 mph (8,700 kph), placed on an accidental collision course by solar activity and gravity, according to SpaceX.

___

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.

Leer en español

On Thursday, the Heat, in partnership with the Advocacy Network on Disabilities, hosted its annual back-to-school shopping spree.

Heat players and staff members helped children with their shopping at a Walmart in southwest Miami-Dade County.

Local 10’s Clay Ferraro was there for all the fun, and his full report can be seen at the top of this page.

Este jueves, el Heat, en colaboración con Advocacy Network on Disabilities, realizó su jornada anual de compras por el regreso a clases.

Jugadores y miembros del personal del Heat ayudaron a los niños con sus compras en un Walmart del suroeste del condado Miami-Dade.

Clay Ferraro de Local 10 estuvo presente para toda la diversión, y su reportaje completo puede verse en la parte superior de esta página.

Leer en español

An arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office states that TikTok tipped authorities off that Maylin Elena Viana, 29, had uploaded the illicit clip of herself and the victim.

The arrest report doesn’t state how Viana knows the child.

Deputies said Viana “admitted to recording the victim and his genitalia” and said they additionally found a video in an Instagram account of Viana engaging in further lewd conduct with the child.

Viana, who lives in the rural Redland area, was arrested on charges related to the promotion of child sexual abuse material and lewd and lascivious molestation.

As of Thursday, she was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Un informe de arresto de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade indica que TikTok alertó a las autoridades de que Maylin Elena Viana, de 29 años, había subido el video ilícito en el que aparecían ella y la víctima.

El informe de arresto no indica qué relación tiene Viana con el niño.

Los agentes dijeron que Viana “admitió haber grabado a la víctima y sus genitales” y señalaron que además encontraron un video en una cuenta de Instagram en el que Viana participaba en otros actos lascivos con el niño.

Viana, quien vive en la zona rural de Redland, fue arrestada por cargos relacionados con la promoción de material de abuso sexual infantil y abuso lascivo y libidinoso.

Hasta el jueves, permanecía detenida sin derecho a fianza en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight.

Speier is appealing the ban, according to the MLB Players Association.

Additionally, Mariners manager Dan Wilson was also suspended one-game and will serve his suspension in the series finale Thursday against the Tigers. Managers cannot appeal a suspension. Manny Acta will serve as the manager for the Mariners.

Speier had relieved Bryan Woo in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 4-2 win. After getting the first two outs, Speier threw two inside fastballs to Torres, with the latter pegging him on the upper left leg on a 96.3 mph pitch.

Torres and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh proceeded to have words with each other before the benches and bullpens cleared. There were no punches thrown, and Wilson was ejected in the aftermath after Speier was tossed from the game. It was the second time this season Wilson was removed from a game.

“It’s always frustrating when your guy’s the guy that gets thrown out,” Wilson said Wednesday. “I think, you know, their guy hits somebody and there’s no consequences.”

Torres was the fourth Tigers batter plunked after Woo hit three batters for only the second time in his career. Tigers rookie Max Clark took a pitch off his elbow guard leading off the third, Riley Green was hit by a pitch in the fourth, and Zach McKinstry in the fifth — both breaking balls on the back foot. McKinstry got first base only after a replay review showed that the ball grazed the front of his foot.

Raleigh had been plunked as well in the bottom half of the seventh by Detroit left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus with a 95-mph fastball in the bottom of the seventh.

___

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

Miller is facing a congressional ethics investigation related to domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife, and anxiety over his electability this fall is growing within his party. But the second-term, Cleveland-area congressman has continued to insist that he will hold the course.

In a post on X, Husted said he knows Miller, his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, and their daughter, and “I do not see how a campaign for Congress benefits any of them.”

“I believe Max would be making the right decision to step aside as a candidate and resign from Congress to focus on what is in the best interest of his daughter,” he wrote. “Years from now, I believe he will look back and know it was the right choice for her.”

A message seeking comment was left with Miller's spokesperson. He has vehemently denied all allegations of domestic abuse leveled against him by his former spouse.

Husted’s comments add to the increasing pressure on Miller from both Democrats and fellow Republicans. Sen. Bernie Moreno, the state's senior senator, reacted to Miller's livestream on X Sunday by saying that Miller is unfit to serve — though he never specifically urged Miller to resign or end his November campaign.

Under Ohio law, Miller would need to withdraw by Saturday to allow enough time for the replacement process to play out before the 4 p.m. Monday deadline.

Donovan O'Neil, state director of Americans for Prosperity-Ohio, an influential conservative organization, also labeled Miller “unfit to serve” in an X post Thursday.

O'Neil said Republicans just a month ago called out Graham Platner, a now-former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, over a sexual assault claim he denied and they “should be just as willing to call out Max Miller and exorcise our own demons from the GOP.”

President Donald Trump, for whom Miller was a senior aide during the first term, has cautioned Miller that he may face an uphill battle this fall but has stopped short of calling on him to leave the race.

Miller faces Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker and local councilman, for Ohio's 7th Congressional District.

Leer en español

On Thursday, the Boca Raton Police Department identified the woman, found two miles off the South Florida coast in the Atlantic Ocean, as Patricia Brennan.

Brennan, then 51, beat and stabbed her 76-year-old mother, Regina Suknaic, at a home in the 1900 block of North 38th Avenue on May 17, 2014.

After she was stabbed and beaten, authorities said Brennan held her hostage inside the home and Suknaic could not escape until the next morning when her daughter fell asleep. She later died.

Brennan spent more than six years in state prison after being convicted of second-degree murder.

A brief social media post from BRPD did not indicate whether authorities suspected foul play.

They asked anyone with information to call 561-620-6246.

El jueves, el Departamento de Policía de Boca Raton identificó a la mujer, encontrada a dos millas de la costa del sur de Florida en el océano Atlántico, como Patricia Brennan.

Brennan, quien entonces tenía 51 años, golpeó y apuñaló a su madre de 76 años, Regina Suknaic, en una vivienda ubicada en la cuadra 1900 de North 38th Avenue el 17 de mayo de 2014.

Después de ser apuñalada y golpeada, las autoridades informaron que Brennan mantuvo a su madre como rehén dentro de la vivienda y Suknaic no pudo escapar hasta la mañana siguiente, cuando su hija se quedó dormida. Posteriormente murió.

Brennan pasó más de seis años en una prisión estatal después de ser condenada por asesinato en segundo grado.

Una breve publicación de la Policía de Boca Raton en redes sociales no indicó si las autoridades sospechan que hubo mano criminal.

Pidieron a cualquier persona con información que llame al 561-620-6246.

El accidente fue reportado en el área de North Andrews Avenue y Northwest 29th Street.

Funcionarios de Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue informaron que el adolescente fue atropellado por el vehículo y sufrió heridas que ponen en peligro su vida. Paramédicos de Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue lo trasladaron al centro de trauma de Broward Health Medical Center.

La Policía de Wilton Manors confirmó que una parte de la vía fue cerrada tras el accidente, con solo un carril abierto en dirección norte y otro en dirección sur.

Local 10 recibió reportes de que el conductor del vehículo huyó del lugar después del accidente, pero la Policía aún no ha confirmado esa información.

Leer en español

The crash was reported in the area of North Andrews Avenue and Northwest 29^th Street.

FLFR officials said the teen was struck by the vehicle and suffered life-threatening injuries. FLFR medics transported the teen to Broward Health Medical Center’s trauma center.

Wilton Manors police confirmed that a portion of the roadway was shut down after the crash, with only one lane open going north and one open going south.

Local 10 received reports that the driver of the vehicle fled the scene after the crash, but police have not yet confirmed that information.

UEFA blasted Infantino and his organization again over his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, declaring it wants assurances that “attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.”

The reaction revealed the depths of animosity toward Infantino as he attempts to run for re-election next year while trying to quell outrage over the equity plan. FIFA issued an apology on Wednesday over the plan, and senior staff members at a crisis meeting in Rabat “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency.

The UEFA response shows how the apology will not be enough to satisfy his fiercest detractors, who want a change at the top of FIFA.

That process will play out in the coming months with a vote in March among the 211 national member federations. Each nation gets a vote, and he needs a simple majority to retain his presidency.

Infantino left New York with around 200 letters of support from those federations. That number is likely to be depleted now, but it is not clear how many of those individual federations would turn against him when it comes to the vote.

Continental soccer bodies in Europe, Asia and North and South America have voiced varying degrees of opposition to Infantino's plans. Crucially, however, confederations are not obliged to vote collectively and there are no guarantees of reaching the 106 votes needed to ensure a majority in a contested election.

The English FA has withdrawn its support, as have Serbia, Sweden and Wales. Many, many others have been noncommittal.

Infantino, whose expansion of the World Cup has opened it up to more countries, has a traditional support base in Africa, which has 54 voting members. Even among the tumultuous fallout from the plan, he has received pockets of support from individual federations including 2022 World Cup host Qatar.

UEFA maintained its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions and reiterated that it had lost confidence in Infantino.

"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favor) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

Infantino is fighting on

Wednesday's summit in Rabat was dubbed a crisis meeting after an internal backlash against Infantino's controversial plan.

His secretary general Mattias Grafström said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.” Chief of global football development Arsène Wenger distanced himself from the plans, while Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by the president’s lack of openness.

Infantino emerged from the meeting with a unified response from those in attendance — notably Grafström — confirming support for his presidency.

That was evidence of the Swiss-Italian's determination to resist the pressure on his position and win a fourth and final term in office through 2031.

The wording of FIFA's statement, however, was open to interpretation, saying “members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance” reaffirmed their support for him.

FIFA has not published a list of attendees, but it is reported Wenger, Lamour and chief football officer Jill Ellis were among those absent.

It would take at least 19 of FIFA's 37 council members to trigger an extraordinary general meeting where Infantino could be called on to explain his actions.

Finding a challenger

It's one thing wanting Infantino out, it's another finding someone who can drum up the support to take him on.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaïfi is widely seen as a good fit. He is the chairman of association of European Football Clubs, which represents the top teams on the continent including Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United.

He was unifying force in the wake of the failed European Super League project and may be seen as the type of candidate capable bringing national federations back together following Infantino's similarly divisive plan.

There's one catch — he doesn't want the job.

A spokesperson told The Associated Press Al-Khelaifi had “absolutely no ambition, no intention and no interest in the FIFA role."

Canadian FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani is another name to throw into the mix. The president of Norwegian soccer Lise Klaveness has been outspoken in her criticism of Infantino, and the president of the Asian soccer confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, also came out strongly in opposition of FFE.

Nov. 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote.

Pressure is growing

FIFA said it hoped Wednesday's meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s project.

Infantino's detractors had other ideas.

UEFA's response was scathing, saying it had made it “abundantly clear” that it had lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency.

"That position holds,” it said.

Key dates

As well as the Nov. 18 deadline for candidates, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5. would be the first potential target for UEFA's threatened boycott.

A potential boycott also raises uncertainty over the staging for the 2035 Women’s World Cup. The four British federations comprise FIFA’s only bidder to host the tournament and the decision is due Nov. 23.

___

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

___

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

Under the new rules, when a natural caution occurs with 10 or fewer laps remaining in Stage 1 or Stage 2, it will be deemed complete at the time of caution — with that same caution period serving as the scheduled stage break.

NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said Thursday on social media the change stems from the July 26 race at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis, where he said fans were unhappy about too many back-to-back laps run under caution near stage breaks.

“Long periods of caution laps and not enough green-flag racing,” O'Donnell said. “We heard you, and we want to make a change. ... No more back-to-back cautions. No more elongated cautions laps. More green flag racing. More action for you the fans.”

When the field returns to the start/finish line under yellow, the leader will receive the green-and-white checkered flag along with the yellow, according to NASCAR. At the time of the caution, the top-10 stage finishing order will be determined using all available resources, including scoring loops and video replay — similar to how stage points are awarded.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

Con estas palabras el presidente chileno José Antonio Kast presentó el jueves una batería de medidas con la que espera hacer frente al crimen organizado que incluye unas 30 iniciativas.

El mandatario encabezó en la mañana un operativo de seguridad en el que un centenar de policías realizaron fiscalizaciones para detectar a personas en situación migratoria irregular en el centro de Santiago, así como a individuos que tuvieran causas judiciales pendientes. La cifra de detenidos no fue divulgada hasta el momento.

“Juntos vamos a lograr que Chile vuelva a tener ese lugar que nunca debió haber perdido, de ser el país más seguro de toda Latinoamérica”, declaró Kast en una rueda de prensa.

Agregó que “tendremos que hacer modificaciones legales porque el crimen organizado, el narcotráfico, no respeta las leyes y nosotros tenemos que buscar cómo anticiparnos”.

Algunas de las propuestas impulsadas por el Ejecutivo promueven la creación de una nómina nacional de organizaciones criminales que operan en el país, un mecanismo para aumentar las penas a imputados que pertenezcan a esas organizaciones, el establecimiento de un régimen penitenciario especial y el congelamiento patrimonial de los acusados.

Según Kast, su administración igualmente buscará extender los derechos a la legitima defensa no sólo para el personal policial durante el ejercicio de sus funciones sino también para los que estén de franco e impulsar la aprobación de un proyecto que tramita en el Congreso desde 2023 y busca regular cómo y cuándo las fuerzas de seguridad y las Fuerzas Armadas pueden emplear la fuerza.

A estas medidas se suma el anuncio de una reforma constitucional para crear un nuevo estado de excepción en lugares donde se registre una “grave alteración de la seguridad pública” y en “territorios afectados por conductas delictivas”. Kast no detalló en qué condiciones se podría aplicar el estado de excepción ni qué medidas contemplaría.

El Ejecutivo también busca ampliar de cinco a 60 días el plazo de detención de quienes deben ser expulsados del país y tipificar como delito el transporte con ánimo de lucro de migrantes irregulares dentro del país.

El anuncio de la llamada Agenda contra el Crimen Organizado y el Terrorismo (ACOT) es el segundo mega proyecto presentado por el Ejecutivo desde que Kast asumió el poder en marzo y llega dos días después de que el Congreso aprobara una extensa reforma económica y tributaria que había concentrado la atención del gobierno hasta ahora.

Por su parte, el ministro de Seguridad Pública, Martín Arrau, destacó que la ACOT inaugura una nueva etapa para la nación sudamericana. “Se acabó el Chile que aceptaba que el crimen organizado mande a nuestras fronteras, que aceptaba que el crimen organizado mandara a nuestras cárceles, que miraba con más consideración al delincuente que a quienes mandatábamos hacer cumplir la ley".

Al asumir el poder el gabinete de Kast, el mandatario más conservador de la historia chilena desde el retorno de la democracia en 1990, prometió un gobierno de emergencia centrado en el combate al crimen organizado y la inmigración irregular.

Según los datos presentados por la presidencia el jueves, la cifra de homicidios bajó un 18,7% entre enero y julio en comparación con igual periodo de 2025, totalizando 486 víctimas —112 menos que el año pasado—.

Asimismo, los asesinatos el año pasado alcanzaron 1.091, un número que diversas autoridades han sostenido que consideran elevado pese a tratarse de una considerable baja respecto del récord de 1.330 de 2022, cuando Chile registró su máximo histórico de homicidios.

Leer en español

It happened just before 12:30 a.m. on July 27 at Round1, police said.

Bailey, 35, of Miramar, is accused of openly having sex with Karina Manderson, 35, of Pembroke Pines.

According to the Pembroke Pines Police Department, officers responded to Round1 after receiving reports of two people who were having sex at the bar of the establishment.

Police said they reviewed surveillance footage which showed Manderson “leaned over at the waist” while Bailey was behind her, and a witness told investigators that they observed the two having intercourse, and when asking the suspects to stop, Bailey pulled up his pants and the two slowly left the bar area.

When speaking to the suspects, police said both admitted to drinking multiple shots while at the bar, and investigators said Bailey admitted “they both had their pants down” and that he was exposing himself, but said “penetration never took place.”

Police said there was no evidence to suggest that either of the suspects’ drinks had been tampered with.

Both were arrested later that morning and charged with indecent exposure.

Bailey is a former NFL wide receiver who played three years for the St. Louis Rams from 2013 to 2015 after being selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

In 2015, Bailey was shot while sitting in a parked car in Miami Gardens. While he ultimately recovered from his injuries, the shooting caused him to retire from professional football.

Before attending West Virginia University, Bailey went to high school in South Florida at both Miami Carol City Senior High in Miami-Dade County and Miramar High School in Broward County.

Whether it’s your child’s very first day of kindergarten, their final first day as a senior, or a proud family photo before heading out the door, Local 10 is inviting viewers to submit their pictures for a chance to be featured on-air. All photos will be displayed in a gallery below.

Students across South Florida will return to the classroom on the following dates:

• Broward County Public Schools: Monday, Aug. 10
• Archdiocese of Miami Catholic Schools: Tuesday, Aug. 11
• Monroe County School District: Wednesday, Aug. 12
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools: Thursday, Aug. 13

Photos may be featured in Local 10’s newscasts, on Local10.com and across the station’s social media platforms as South Florida students kick off the new school year.

Local 10 wishes all students, teachers and school staff a safe, successful and exciting school year.

Submit your back-to-school photos below:

That's part of what makes it all so sweet.

The 26-year-old knows she could have walked away following her final season at Oregon State in the spring of 2025, with a resume stuffed with Olympic and world championship medals and her place in the history of the storied U.S. women's program secure.

She tried, kind of. The athlete who had been going nonstop for the better part of 20 years gave her body a bit of a break after her NCAA career ended. It lasted a handful of weeks.

Then one day, she popped into the gym and, in the words of her father and longtime coach Brian, “started playing again.”

Emphasis on “playing.”

If there's anything the two-time Olympic gold medalist has learned, it's that taking this too seriously can quickly rob you of the joy that brought you to it in the first place.

Asked if she feels the weight of living up to the standard she's set for herself as the Phoenix native prepares to salute the judges at the national championships for a seventh time when the women's competition begins at Mortgage Matchup Center, Carey shrugs.

“I just feel like right now I have one more opportunity to just have fun with it,” she said. “No expectations, no pressure."

Maturing means understanding who she was in 2021 is not who she is in 2026. There have been times she'll randomly come across a video of her gold medal-winning floor exercise routine at the Tokyo Olympics five years ago and think “that was pretty hard.”

Whether she can get back to that level as she makes a bid for a third trip to the Olympics is anyone's guess, Carey's included. Her body has held up remarkably well through the years, thanks in large part to the pragmatic approach she and Brian Carey have taken toward her training.

“I don’t know if that’s coming back,” she said. “But you never know. And I feel like training, getting back into it this year, was really hard. But I’ve kind of hit my stride, and it’s getting a little easier and feeling a little more familiar.”

Sticking with the plan

Carey finished second in the all-around to 17-year-old Reese Esponda at the U.S. Classic a few weeks ago in her first elite competition since leaving the 2024 Paris Games with a pair of Olympic medals. She did it with routines that are designed to serve as a foundation as she methodically builds toward the summer of 2028.

The plan is to add difficulty as she goes along, but only when she's ready. In her mid-20s, Carey is not the same gymnast who took a circuitous path to the Tokyo Olympics that ended with the floor routine of a lifetime and the most precious of medals around her neck.

The amount of time she spends in the gym on a given day depends on how she's feeling. She and her father have an understanding that as long as she hits her numbers — meaning, how many times she works on an assignment — it doesn't matter how long she's there.

Some days she can knock it out in three hours. Some days, it's more like eight. On the days she's not feeling it at all, they'll work on a plan that spreads the workload out over a longer period of time, though that remains a rarity.

“Normally, it’s like she’s so fine-tuned with her skill, she just gets up and knocks it out,” Brian Carey said.

That's kind of what she does. What's perhaps the most remarkable thing about Carey's career is the way she simply keeps going. While some of her Olympic teammates have opted to take time off and recover after a triumphant performance — Tokyo Olympic champion Suni Lee announced last month she is preparing for a return after a two-year hiatus — Carey largely has not.

The internal desire to excel still burns bright

Her father credits an internal “fire” that doesn't need much to be stoked. He ordered her to take a vacation after her senior year at Oregon State. It lasted a month. There was never any formal discussion about pushing toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It just sort of happened.

That doesn't mean slipping back into her routine was easy.

“I could tell my body was like, ‘What are you doing? You haven’t gone upside down in a while, like we don’t do this anymore,’” she said with a laugh. “But I’m like, ‘No, we’re going to, trust me.’”

She's well aware some of the skills she once mastered may never come back, so she'll need to evolve. That could mean opting for slightly easier (at least by gymnastics standards) elements and combinations, hoping to make up for in execution what she might lack in difficulty.

Brian Carey's job is to make sure she isn't in a rush to find out. Sometimes he still has to tell his daughter to “pump the brakes a little bit." There are days when Carey feels she's ahead of schedule. That doesn't mean the schedule is going to be adjusted. The short-term goal is to build toward earning a spot on the world championship team in October.

Yes, she understands the prospect of competing in a home Olympics is out there in the ether. And sure, it played a factor in her decision to give it a shot. The reality is, she probably would be here anyway, no matter if the Olympics were in Los Angeles or London or somebody's backyard.

The fire inside continues to burn brightly. She learned to respect it long ago. She has the rest of her life to not do gymnastics. Why douse the flames before she's ready?

“I’ve done so much that I just, I don’t know,” she said. "I just want to do this round again for fun and see how far I can push myself.”

___

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

Leer en español

According to Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies, prior to being found, Jacques Voltaire was last seen around 11 a.m. Wednesday, in the 7600 block of Kimberly Boulevard in North Lauderdale.

Deputies said Voltaire’s family informed them that he suffers from dementia.

Luckily, Voltaire was safely located Thursday and has been reunited with his family.

Según agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward (BSO), antes de ser localizado, Jacques Voltaire fue visto por última vez alrededor de las 11 a.m. del miércoles en la cuadra 7600 de Kimberly Boulevard, en North Lauderdale.

Los agentes informaron que la familia de Voltaire les indicó que padece demencia.

Afortunadamente, Voltaire fue localizado sano y salvo el jueves y ya se reunió con su familia.

Knox, now 39, said Thursday in a post on Instagram that her comedy show “honors Meredith Kercher’s memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.”

The show is called “Cartwheel,” a reference to a story that claimed Knox did cartwheels in the police station after her Meredith's death. It is debuting Friday evening and is due to run for 11 straight nights at the annual August mish-mash of standup, theater and musical offerings in the Scottish capital.

The show is being marketed as a woman “approaching forty, juggling motherhood and finally getting around to being furious about the whole wrongful-imprisonment thing. Especially when half the world is telling her to get over it, while the other half still thinks she’s guilty.”

Knox was a 20-year-old student in Perugia when Kercher was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007, in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women.

The case made global headlines as suspicion quickly fell on Knox and her boyfriend of just days, Raffaele Sollecito. She served nearly four years in prison during the investigation, initial murder trial and when she was freed by an appeals court in Perugia. The couple were acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015.

Another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was eventually convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. He was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence.

Knox returned to the United States in 2011, after being freed by the appeals court in Perugia, and has since established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a podcast with her husband and last year published a memoir titled, “Free: My Search for Meaning.”

Knox's post follows an interview that Meredith Kercher's sister, Stephanie Kercher, gave to the BBC during which she said the show “normalizes and trivializes violence against women.”

While insisting that Knox is “naturally free to continue with her life as she wishes,” she said “the problem with this particular project is that it is comedy.”

“It’s not about whether people think she’s guilty or innocent, if someone else was doing the show specifically against Meredith, I would still feel the same, it is obviously an added wound that it’s coming from her at the same time, but I do feel very strongly that it should be something that’s not given a platform," she said.

An online petition calling for the show to be canceled has been launched and so far has more than 4,400 signatories. It states that the show “mocks the horrific events surrounding Meredith’s murder and aims to somehow turn this tragedy into entertainment.”

Knox said "a petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against Cartwheel.”

The Edinburgh Fringe, she added, “is the perfect place for a show like this.”

Leer en español

But this year, they are prepping for more than just a new group of students.

“We’ve been preparing for this all summer long,” Irina Shearer, the principal of Silver Palms Elementary, said. “Right now, for us it’s the last last-minute touches.”

Under Broward’s “Redefining Our Schools” plan, Silver Palms will now welcome about 50 new students from Panther Run Elementary, one of six schools closed this year as the district consolidates campuses because of declining enrollment.

“We really want to make sure we’re embracing the families that are coming from Panther Run,” Shearer said. “One of my teachers is making a banner, their mascot was a Panther, we are the Dolphins, and really just showcasing those two schools coming together.”

District leaders say the goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“I think it’s fresh energy,” Kristin Kavanaugh, a third-grade teacher at Silver Palms Elementary, said. “We’ve got new parents, new kids. I have a few more students in my class than I’m used to having. I have about seven kids coming from the other school.”

Educators like Dina Linero, who teaches music, say they have been planning for months, knowing their classroom rosters will look a little longer this fall.

“There is a little more prep involved this year, just because there’s more instruments we received from another school,” Linero said.

The closures are part of a larger district effort to address thousands of empty classroom seats.

Last year, the district closed just one. This year, six campuses were consolidated or repurposed.

Because of that, for some students, the first day of class will also be their first day at a new campus.

Teachers here say their biggest goal is making sure every student feels welcome on day one.

“My staff and I really took our time building these classes. And what we did is when we built the classes, it’s really important to make sure they’re with a friend, so those new students are with other Panther Run students,” Shearer said.

Pero este año se preparan para algo más que un nuevo grupo de estudiantes.

“Nos hemos estado preparando para esto durante todo el verano”, dijo Irina Shearer, directora de la Escuela Primaria Silver Palms. “En este momento, para nosotros solo faltan los últimos detalles de último minuto”.

Bajo el plan “Redefiniendo Nuestras Escuelas” de Broward, Silver Palms recibirá ahora a unos 50 nuevos estudiantes provenientes de la Escuela Primaria Panther Run, una de las seis escuelas cerradas este año mientras el distrito consolida planteles debido a la disminución en la matrícula escolar.

“Realmente queremos asegurarnos de recibir con los brazos abiertos a las familias que vienen de Panther Run”, dijo Shearer. “Uno de mis maestros está haciendo una pancarta. Su mascota era una pantera, nosotros somos los delfines, y queremos mostrar cómo estas dos escuelas se unen”.

Los líderes del distrito dicen que el objetivo es que la transición sea lo más fluida posible.

“Creo que es una energía renovada”, dijo Kristin Kavanaugh, maestra de tercer grado en la Escuela Primaria Silver Palms. “Tenemos nuevos padres, nuevos estudiantes. Tengo algunos alumnos más en mi salón de los que normalmente tengo. Aproximadamente siete estudiantes vienen de la otra escuela”.

Educadores como Dina Linero, quien enseña música, dicen que han estado planificando durante meses, sabiendo que este otoño tendrán más estudiantes en sus clases.

“Este año hay un poco más de preparación, simplemente porque recibimos más instrumentos de otra escuela”, dijo Linero.

Los cierres forman parte de un esfuerzo más amplio del distrito para hacer frente a miles de asientos vacíos en las aulas.

El año pasado el distrito cerró solo una escuela. Este año, seis planteles fueron consolidados o destinados a otros usos.

Por ello, para algunos estudiantes, el primer día de clases también será su primer día en un nuevo plantel.

Los maestros dicen que su principal objetivo es asegurarse de que todos los estudiantes se sientan bienvenidos desde el primer día.

“Mi personal y yo realmente nos tomamos el tiempo para formar estos grupos. Cuando los organizamos, era muy importante asegurarnos de que estuvieran con un amigo, para que esos nuevos estudiantes estén junto a otros estudiantes de Panther Run”, dijo Shearer.

Leer en español

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the dirty deed happened at International Parts Service, located at 3770 NE Third Ave. in Oakland Park.

A BSO arrest report states that an Oakland Park Fire Rescue captain saw the employee dumping the car care chemicals and got deputies involved, who later determined that Gonzalo Javier Paul put the employee up to it.

State business records show that Paul, 42, of Pompano Beach, is International Parts Service’s registered agent.

Deputies said they counted 38 drums in total near the rear of the business.

Paul was taken to the BSO Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale, where he was being held on a $2,500 bond as of Thursday afternoon.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward (BSO), el hecho ocurrió en International Parts Service, ubicada en 3770 NE Third Ave. en Oakland Park.

Un informe de arresto de la BSO indica que un capitán de Oakland Park Fire Rescue vio al empleado vertiendo los químicos para el cuidado de automóviles y alertó a los agentes, quienes posteriormente determinaron que Gonzalo Javier Paul fue quien le ordenó hacerlo.

Los registros comerciales del estado muestran que Paul, de 42 años y residente de Pompano Beach, es el agente registrado de International Parts Service.

Los agentes informaron que contabilizaron un total de 38 tambores cerca de la parte trasera del negocio.

Paul fue trasladado a la cárcel principal de la BSO en Fort Lauderdale, donde permanecía detenido hasta la tarde del jueves con una fianza de $2,500 USD.

The U.S. State Department announced a new set of economic sanctions against Cuba on Thursday. At the same time, two of Cuba’s top generals were also sanctioned, Alvaro Lopez Miera, Minister of Defense; and General Roberto Sotolongo, head of the armed forces.

Leer en español

Aug. 5: CIA Task Force on Cuba created, per report

The New York Times has reported the creation of a CIA Task Force on Cuba with the purpose of putting additional pressure on the Cuban government to make political and economic changes to their system.

This news will probably be received by Cuba as an additional threat by the U.S.

Aug. 5: Cuban president confirms ongoing conservations between Havana, US

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed today that there are ongoing conversations between Havana and DC for the purpose of avoiding a military confrontation and trying to find solutions to the issues between both nations.

The Cuban government understands that they are running out of options and most likely will need to reach an agreement with the U.S. Will it include regime change?

Aug. 3 update: Rubio speaks about Cuba’s ongoing espionage activities in the US

This past weekend, in an interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio spoke about Cuba’s ongoing espionage activities in the U.S.

Rubio went on to say that Cuban spies continue to infiltrate the U.S. government, financial institutions, organizations, and academic institutions. Rubio claimed that Cuba continues to be a national security threat to the U.S.

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.

El Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos anunció el jueves un nuevo paquete de sanciones económicas contra Cuba. Al mismo tiempo, también fueron sancionados dos de los principales generales de Cuba: Álvaro López Miera, ministro de Defensa, y el general Roberto Sotolongo, jefe de las Fuerzas Armadas.

5 de agosto: Según informe, la CIA crea grupo de trabajo sobre Cuba

The New York Times informó sobre la creación de un grupo de trabajo de la CIA sobre Cuba con el propósito de ejercer mayor presión sobre el gobierno cubano para que implemente cambios políticos y económicos en su sistema.

Esta noticia probablemente será recibida por Cuba como una amenaza adicional por parte de Estados Unidos.

5 de agosto: Presidente cubano confirma conversaciones en curso entre La Habana y Estados Unidos

El presidente de Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, confirmó hoy que existen conversaciones en curso entre La Habana y Washington con el propósito de evitar una confrontación militar y tratar de encontrar soluciones a los problemas entre ambas naciones.

El gobierno cubano entiende que se está quedando sin opciones y que, muy probablemente, necesitará llegar a un acuerdo con Estados Unidos. ¿Incluirá un cambio de régimen?

Actualización del 3 de agosto: Rubio habla sobre las actividades de espionaje de Cuba en Estados Unidos

El pasado fin de semana, en una entrevista con Fox News, el secretario de Estado y asesor de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos, Marco Rubio, habló sobre las actividades de espionaje que Cuba continúa realizando en Estados Unidos.

Rubio afirmó que espías cubanos continúan infiltrándose en el gobierno de Estados Unidos, instituciones financieras, organizaciones e instituciones académicas. También sostuvo que Cuba sigue representando una amenaza para la seguridad nacional de Estados Unidos.

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

Leer en español

According to an MDSO arrest report, Julio Cordova, 21, who has worked as a sales associate at the BJ’s at 17250 NW 57th St. in Hialeah since November 2023, processed fraudulent road hazard warranty claims between May 3 and Aug. 2.

Investigators said Cordova allowed friends and associates to receive free replacement tires through BJ’s Road Hazard Warranty program, even though the original tires had not been purchased from the retailer.

The warranty covers only tires sold by BJ’s, according to the arrest report.

Authorities said Cordova knowingly approved multiple fraudulent warranty claims, with each replacement valued at up to $550. The total loss to BJ’s was estimated at approximately $3,789.

The investigation also found that Cordova allegedly received kickbacks in exchange for approving the fraudulent tire replacements.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Cordova agreed to speak with investigators, according to the arrest report.

Deputies said he admitted to processing the fraudulent transactions and acknowledged he knew the tires had not originally been purchased at BJ’s. He also told investigators he knew the warranty claims were false and violated the company’s road hazard policy, the report states.

Cordova was arrested on charges of organized fraud and third-degree grand theft.

As of Thursday afternoon, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,000 bond.

Según un informe de arresto de la MDSO, Julio Córdova, de 21 años, quien ha trabajado como asociado de ventas en la tienda BJ’s ubicada en 17250 NW 57th St. en Hialeah desde noviembre de 2023, procesó reclamaciones fraudulentas de la garantía por daños en carretera entre el 3 de mayo y el 2 de agosto.

Los investigadores informaron que Córdova permitió que amigos y conocidos recibieran neumáticos de reemplazo gratuitos a través del programa de Garantía por Daños en Carretera de BJ’s, aunque los neumáticos originales no habían sido comprados en la tienda.

Según el informe de arresto, la garantía solo cubre neumáticos vendidos por BJ’s.

Las autoridades indicaron que Córdova aprobó de manera consciente múltiples reclamaciones fraudulentas de garantía, con un valor de hasta $550 USD por cada reemplazo. La pérdida total para BJ’s fue estimada en aproximadamente $3,789 USD.

La investigación también determinó que presuntamente Córdova recibió pagos a cambio de aprobar los reemplazos fraudulentos de neumáticos.

Según el informe de arresto, después de que le leyeran sus derechos Miranda, Córdova aceptó hablar con los investigadores.

Los agentes dijeron que admitió haber procesado las transacciones fraudulentas y reconoció que sabía que los neumáticos no habían sido comprados originalmente en BJ’s. También dijo a los investigadores que sabía que las reclamaciones de garantía eran falsas y que violaban la política de daños en carretera de la empresa, señala el informe.

Córdova fue arrestado por cargos de fraude organizado y hurto mayor en tercer grado.

Hasta la tarde del jueves, permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza de $5,000 USD.

Founded by one man with a passion for flight, each has a unique origin story.

Leer en español

Local 10 goes sky high to show you Miami Springs, a city that sits adjacent to a bustling Miami International Airport and has played a major role in the aviation industry. Hear from historians, airline workers and business owners who make the city what it is today.

The city of Opa-locka was inspired by a collection of folk tales known as The Arabian Nights, filled with eye-popping architecture and a sense of determination. A Grammy-nominated artist, longtime residents, and preservationists help tell the story.

Join us for “Celebrating a Century: Miami Springs,” and “Celebrating a Century: Opa-locka,” starting Monday at 8p.m. on Local 10.

Fundadas por un hombre apasionado por la aviación, cada una tiene una historia de origen única.

Local 10 se eleva por los cielos para mostrarle Miami Springs, una ciudad ubicada junto al concurrido Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami y que ha desempeñado un papel importante en la industria de la aviación. Escuche a historiadores, trabajadores de aerolíneas y empresarios que hacen de la ciudad lo que es hoy.

La ciudad de Opa-locka fue inspirada por una colección de relatos populares conocida como “Las mil y una noches”, llena de llamativa arquitectura y un espíritu de determinación. Un artista nominado al Grammy, residentes de muchos años y defensores de la preservación ayudan a contar su historia.

Acompáñenos en “Celebrando un siglo: Miami Springs” y “Celebrando un siglo: Opa-locka”, a partir del lunes a las 8 p.m. por Local 10.

Leer en español

The city of Miramar is sending three truckloads of goods to those in the country who need it most.

The items collected in the city are headed to the Global Empowerment Mission warehouse in Doral, where they’ll be sorted and shipped to Venezuelan communities that are still recovering from the earthquakes.

“It’s a long-term effort and we want to continue to make a contribution as much as it needed,” said Miramar Vice Mayor Carson Edwards.

So far, GEM has sent more than 3 million pounds of goods worth an estimated $12 million, which is said to be one of the largest public-private humanitarian responses in Venezuela’s history.

“The community cares,” said Miramar Commissioner Yvette Colbourne. “Although we are diverse, we come together.”

City leaders said the response from the community has been incredible, with donations continuing to pour in over the last several weeks to help families who lost so much.

“We are one people, we are all one people,” said Miramar Commissioner Maxwell Chambers.

Officials say the city will continue to accept donations to help Venezuela for as long as they need to.

GEM provided the following updates to their Venezuelan donation collections amounts since the earthquakes:

Total Pallets: 3,177

Total Value of Aid: $15,108,946.89

Total Weight: 4,008,828 pounds

Total GEM Family Necessity Kits: 79,320

La ciudad de Miramar enviará tres cargas de camión con donaciones para las personas que más las necesitan en el país.

Los artículos recolectados en la ciudad serán trasladados al almacén de Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) en Doral, donde serán clasificados y enviados a comunidades venezolanas que aún se recuperan de los terremotos.

“Es un esfuerzo a largo plazo y queremos seguir haciendo una contribución tanto como sea necesario”, dijo el vicealcalde de Miramar, Carson Edwards.

Hasta ahora, GEM ha enviado más de 3 millones de libras de ayuda con un valor estimado de $12,000,000 USD, lo que, según la organización, representa una de las mayores respuestas humanitarias público-privadas en la historia de Venezuela.

“A la comunidad le importa”, dijo la comisionada de Miramar, Yvette Colbourne. “Aunque somos diversos, nos unimos”.

Los líderes de la ciudad dijeron que la respuesta de la comunidad ha sido increíble, con donaciones que han seguido llegando durante las últimas semanas para ayudar a las familias que perdieron tanto.

“Somos un solo pueblo, todos somos un solo pueblo”, dijo el comisionado de Miramar, Maxwell Chambers.

Los funcionarios dijeron que la ciudad continuará aceptando donaciones para ayudar a Venezuela durante el tiempo que sea necesario.

GEM proporcionó las siguientes cifras actualizadas sobre las donaciones para Venezuela desde los terremotos:

Total de palés: 3,177

Valor total de la ayuda: $15,108,946.89 USD

Peso total: 4,008,828 libras

Total de kits de necesidades básicas para familias de GEM: 79,320

“Nuestra familia quiere agradecer una vez más a todos los que nos han enviado oraciones, mensajes de apoyo y muestras de cariño para Perez. Su compasión y humanidad durante este momento tan doloroso han significado más de lo que las palabras pueden expresar”, dice el comunicado. “Esto ha sido increíblemente difícil y emotivo para nosotros, y se ha vuelto aún más complicado porque muy poca información ha sido puesta a disposición de nuestra familia. Mientras seguimos esperando más actualizaciones, mantenemos la esperanza”.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, agentes recibieron múltiples llamadas la noche del martes de personas que reportaban que Hilton aparentemente se estaba autolesionando con un cuchillo durante una transmisión en vivo en TikTok.

En el video, se escuchó a Hilton decir frases como: “Esto es lo que todos ustedes querían” y “Será interesante ver qué pasa después de que mueras”.

Los agentes dijeron que confirmaron con familiares que Hilton estaba solo dentro de la vivienda y trabajaron para reducir la tensión de la situación de manera segura. Las autoridades informaron que fue trasladado al Hospital HCA Florida Kendall para recibir tratamiento por sus heridas y posteriormente fue sometido a la Ley Baker.

La familia de Hilton dijo que la celebridad, cuyo nombre de nacimiento es Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., puede comunicarse, lo que “ha dado esperanza a nuestra familia”.

“Respetuosamente pedimos que continúen con sus oraciones, comprensión y apoyo mientras Perez sigue recuperándose”, continúa el comunicado. “Compartiremos información adicional a medida que recibamos datos confirmados y nos sea posible hacerlo. Por ahora, avanzamos un paso a la vez y mantenemos nuestro enfoque donde debe estar: en Perez y en su recuperación.

“Nuevamente, gracias, de verdad, por todo su apoyo y compasión. Estamos profundamente agradecidos”.

Hilton, cubano-estadounidense, alcanzó la fama gracias a su sitio web de chismes de celebridades antes de ampliar su cobertura a la moda y la música y convertirse en una conocida personalidad de televisión. Hilton tiene tres hijos: Mario, Mia y Mayte.

Si usted o alguien que conoce enfrenta una crisis de salud mental, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 988 para comunicarse con la Línea 988 de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis.

El hecho ocurrió poco antes de las 12:30 a.m. del 27 de julio en Round1, informó la policía.

Bailey, de 35 años y residente de Miramar, está acusado de mantener relaciones sexuales de manera pública con Karina Manderson, de 35 años y residente de Pembroke Pines.

Según el Departamento de Policía de Pembroke Pines, los agentes respondieron a Round1 tras recibir reportes de dos personas que mantenían relaciones sexuales en el bar del establecimiento.

La policía informó que revisó las grabaciones de vigilancia, las cuales mostraban que Manderson “estaba inclinada hacia adelante a la altura de la cintura” mientras Bailey se encontraba detrás de ella. Un testigo dijo a los investigadores que observó a ambos teniendo relaciones sexuales y que, cuando les pidió que se detuvieran, Bailey se subió los pantalones y ambos se retiraron lentamente del área del bar.

Al entrevistar a los sospechosos, la policía indicó que ambos admitieron haber consumido varios tragos de licor en el bar. Los investigadores dijeron que Bailey reconoció que “ambos tenían los pantalones abajo” y que estaba exponiendo sus partes íntimas, pero aseguró que “nunca hubo penetración”.

La policía dijo que no encontró evidencia que sugiriera que las bebidas de alguno de los sospechosos hubieran sido adulteradas.

Ambos fueron arrestados más tarde esa misma mañana y acusados de exhibicionismo.

Bailey es un ex receptor abierto de la NFL que jugó durante tres temporadas con los Rams de St. Louis, de 2013 a 2015, después de ser seleccionado en la tercera ronda del Draft de la NFL de 2013.

En 2015, Bailey recibió disparos mientras estaba sentado en un vehículo estacionado en Miami Gardens. Aunque finalmente se recuperó de sus heridas, el tiroteo provocó su retiro del fútbol americano profesional.

Antes de asistir a la Universidad de West Virginia, Bailey cursó la escuela secundaria en el sur de Florida, tanto en Miami Carol City Senior High, en el condado Miami-Dade, como en Miramar High School, en el condado Broward.

Leer en español

Lighthouse Point police said officers responded around 10:13 a.m. to a home near the 2600 block of Northeast 52nd Street following reports of an “animal bite.”

Police said the attack occurred after two dogs escaped from a fenced yard and began roaming the neighborhood. They said the dogs encountered a smaller dog on the front porch of a nearby home, where one of the loose dogs attacked it.

They said the small dog’s owner and neighbors tried to separate the animals but were unable to do so. The owner then retrieved a gun and fatally shot the attacking dog in an effort to stop the attack.

Police said the second loose dog fled and later encountered another resident nearby, biting the person in the leg and causing a puncture wound before leaving the area. The dog later returned to its residence, where it was secured by its caretaker.

Lighthouse Point Fire Rescue medics evaluated the wounded resident at the scene. The resident later chose to seek additional medical treatment independently, police said.

They said the small dog suffered serious injuries and was taken by its owner to a local veterinary hospital for treatment.

Neighbors told Local 10 News they heard screams and rushed outside to find the larger dog attacking the smaller dog’s neck. Residents also described the neighborhood as a popular area for families and dog walkers.

Police said Broward County staff members also responded to the scene and investigated the incident.

They are now working to determine where the two attacking dogs came from and the circumstances that led to the attack.

They said no charges had been filed as of Thursday. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident was asked to contact the Lighthouse Point Police Department at 954-942-8080.

La Policía de Lighthouse Point informó que los agentes respondieron alrededor de las 10:13 a.m. a una vivienda cerca de la cuadra 2600 de Northeast 52nd Street tras recibir reportes de una “mordedura de animal”.

La Policía indicó que el ataque ocurrió después de que dos perros escaparan de un patio cercado y comenzaran a deambular por el vecindario. Señalaron que los perros se encontraron con un perro más pequeño en el porche delantero de una vivienda cercana, donde uno de los perros sueltos lo atacó.

Indicaron que el dueño del perro pequeño y varios vecinos intentaron separar a los animales, pero no lo lograron. Entonces, el dueño sacó un arma y mató al perro que atacaba en un esfuerzo por detener el ataque.

La Policía informó que el segundo perro suelto huyó y posteriormente se encontró con otro residente cerca del lugar, al que mordió en una pierna y le causó una herida por punción antes de abandonar el área. Más tarde, el perro regresó a su residencia, donde quedó asegurado por la persona encargada de su cuidado.

Paramédicos de Lighthouse Point Fire Rescue evaluaron al residente herido en el lugar. Posteriormente, el residente decidió buscar tratamiento médico adicional por su cuenta, informó la Policía.

Indicaron que el perro pequeño sufrió heridas graves y fue llevado por su dueño a un hospital veterinario local para recibir tratamiento.

Vecinos dijeron a Local 10 News que escucharon gritos y salieron rápidamente de sus casas, donde encontraron al perro de mayor tamaño atacando el cuello del perro pequeño. Los residentes también describieron el vecindario como una zona popular para familias y personas que pasean a sus perros.

La Policía informó que personal del condado Broward también respondió al lugar e investigó el incidente.

Las autoridades ahora trabajan para determinar de dónde provenían los dos perros que atacaron y las circunstancias que llevaron al ataque.

Indicaron que hasta el jueves no se habían presentado cargos. La investigación continúa.

Cualquier persona con información adicional sobre este incidente debe comunicarse con el Departamento de Policía de Lighthouse Point al 954-942-8080.

Leer en español

“Our family wants to once again thank everyone who has reached out with prayers, kind messages, and support for Perez. Your compassionate humanity during this heartbreaking time has meant more than words can express,” the statement read. “This has been incredibly difficult and emotional for us, made even harder because very little information has been made available to our family. While we continue to wait for further updates, we remain hopeful.”

According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, deputies received multiple calls Tuesday night from people reporting that Hilton appeared to be harming himself with a knife during a TikTok livestream.

In the video, Hilton was heard saying things like, “This is what you all wanted” and “It will be interesting to see what happens after you die.”

Deputies said they confirmed with family members that Hilton was alone inside and worked to safely de-escalate the situation. Authorities said he was transported to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital to be treated for his injuries and was then Baker Acted.

Hilton’s family said the celebrity, who was born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., is able to communicate, which has “given our family hope.”

“We respectfully ask for your continued prayers, understanding, and grace as Perez continues to recover,” the statement continued. “We will share additional updates as we receive confirmed information and are able to do so. For now, we’re taking things one step at a time and keeping our focus where it belongs, on Perez and his recovery.

“Again, thank you, truly, for all your support and compassion. We are so grateful.”

Hilton, a Cuban-American, rose to prominence through his celebrity gossip website before expanding into fashion and music coverage and becoming a familiar television personality. Hilton has three children, Mario, Mia and Mayte.

If you or someone you know is facing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Investors in SpaceX have pushed the shares down sharply in recent days in anticipation of insiders possibly selling in the first of several so-called lockup expirations that free them up to trade. More than 900 million shares became newly available to buy or sell with Thursday's release, doubling what was available previously.

SpaceX shares rose 2.5% to $110.92 in noon trading Thursday. A day earlier they had one of their biggest routs in SpaceX's short history as a public company, dropping nearly 14%.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said the expiration of lockup provisions that bar employees and others from selling was an opportunity for others to get into the stock cheaply. He believes the stock could rise to $300 by the middle of next year, nearly triple its current level.

Morgan Stanley was one of the investment banks that earned big fees helping take the SpaceX public last month.

Earlier this week, SpaceX reported it had lost $541 million, or 9 cents per share, in the three months through June, less than half what financial analysts had forecast. Revenue jumped to $7.8 billion, up more than 90% from the year-earlier period.

The company also posted a massive increase in spending on R&D and infrastructure, particularly involving artificial intelligence, and other major projects. Investors are growing increasingly nervous with big capital spending figures in technology companies, triggering sell-offs.

In June, Musk sold SpaceX shares to the public for the first time in the biggest initial public offering ever. Shares jumped as high as $225 a share, briefly making Musk a trillionaire.

The plunge in the stock since has wiped out hundreds in billions in market value, leaving the shares trading at even less than its initial $135 offering price.

He won the starting job protecting the blind side of Patrick Mahomes in the offseason, and the former Ohio State standout held fast to it throughout training camp. He was a stalwart through the first five weeks of the season, not only living up to the expectations placed upon him but, at least to those watching from afar, exceeding every one of them.

Then things went haywire, much as they did for the team as a whole.

Simmons was gone for about a month for what the team would only call “personal reasons.” When he returned, he managed to play just a few more weeks before a fractured wrist in Week 13 landed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Well, the wrist is healed now. The ACL injury that ended his final season with the Buckeyes has long since healed. Simmons has put on weight, gone through an entire offseason at full speed, and he seems ready to finally step into a starring role on the offensive line.

“Yeah, I mean, I'm just trying to add off of last year,” Simmons said following a recent training camp practice on the steamy fields at Missouri Western State University. “Obviously I went against a lot of good defensive ends, and I have one year of familiarity with the playbook. So it was really just kind of stacking up on that, that way I can come into training camp ready.”

For the Chiefs to bounce back this season, there are few players more critical to their success.

The first reason is this: Simmons has the most important job in protecting Mahomes, who is coming off season-ending surgery of his own, albeit to torn ligaments in his left knee. Mahomes sped through his rehab, and has participated fully in camp, where his mobility seems to be unaffected — though he's also wearing the comfort of a yellow no-contact jersey.

If Mahomes is to feel safe back on the field, Simmons will be providing his security blanket.

“He's trying to work on all the small things right now. He's got all the tools and he knows that,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He got his weight up a little bit, and he's got strength, and now it's just a matter of being consistent with assignments and footwork and all that, which is so important on the offensive line. But he's working like crazy to make sure he homes in on all that stuff.”

Simmons is listed at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, but that's on the lower side of the NFL average, and may even be a bit generous. But the Chiefs would rather have an athletic Simmons than the alternative — “You don't want cheeseburger weight,” Reid said.

That ability to move in space funnels into the second reason the Chiefs have such high expectations for Simmons: They signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a big free-agent contract in the hopes of revamping their running attack.

The Chiefs averaged just over 106 yards rushing last season, putting them squarely in the bottom third of the league. It also put more pressure on Mahomes and a young group of wide receivers that struggled to break through. The result was an offense that barely resembled the high-flying, high-scoring groups that propelled Kansas City to five of the past seven Super Bowls.

But judging by training camp, the Chiefs fully intend to run the ball more. And when they do pass, Walker's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield — coupled with Rashee Rice's explosiveness in the screen game — is tantamount to a running play as well.

Making it all work? That falls on the shoulders of Simmons and the rest of the offensive line.

Notes: The Chiefs held a shortened practice without full pads on Thursday. They'll be back in pads for two more days before getting Sunday off. ... WRs Cyrus Allen (bone bruise) and Xavier Worthy (shoulder), LBs Drue Tranquill (back) and Jeff Bassa (groin), CBs Kristian Fulton (hip flexor) and L'Jarius Sneed (knee) and DL Ashton Gillotte (hamstring) were held out of practice. CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) continued to wear a yellow jersey.

___

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

RWE U.S. Offshore said its leases represented years of planning, investment and partnership with federal agencies, but it determined there was no path forward to permit the projects for the foreseeable future. In exchange for $1.22 billion, RWE is relinquishing the wind power leases that could have provided about seven gigawatts of power, enough for more than 5 million homes. It does not have any remaining U.S. offshore wind leases.

President Donald Trump, who often talks about his hatred of wind power, has said his goal is to not let any “windmills” be built. The Republican administration has been buying back offshore wind leases from energy companies as it seeks to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuels. Offshore wind produces electricity cleanly. Oil, coal and natural gas emit carbon pollution when burned.

RWE announced it is investing $900 million in a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana and spending $300 million on natural gas turbines. The company is developing 15 natural gas projects across the United States. RWE is headquartered in Germany.

The administration adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action. Roughly $3.9 billion has been spent. States that are losing offshore wind energy are suing. California intends to sue.

Separately, a coalition of renewable energy groups sued Pentagon officials over their failure to complete national security reviews for new onshore wind farms on private lands. A federal judge in Oregon ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on Thursday, ordering the Defense Department to resume its review process and provide status reports on the progress.

Commenting on the RWE agreement, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday that Americans “deserve an energy system built on common sense, not one dependent on costly subsidies or technologies that can’t meet our country’s current demand.” He said he welcomes RWE’s agreement and voluntary investment in projects that strengthen the nation’s energy security, provide dependable baseload power and help keep electricity affordable.

But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said the lease buybacks are effectively bribing companies to step away from clean energy that can displace more expensive fossil fuel plants, which in turn will raise costs for consumers.

“They are creating this enormous money pump, pulling billions of dollars out of consumers’ pockets,” he said. “That’s the real story of what is going on here. And that is both a cost story because of the billions in extra costs consumers pay, and it’s a corruption story because it’s Trump’s sneaky way of getting regular families to pay off his big fossil fuel donors. There’s method here, and it’s a real scam.”

Under the first agreement announced in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting nearly $1 billion — essentially a refund of its two offshore wind leases — if it invests the money in fossil fuels instead. Golden State Wind and Bluepoint Wind agreed in April to end their leases in exchange for reimbursements totaling nearly $900 million, provided it invests equally in fossil fuels. Chicago-based Invenergy agreed in June to end its four offshore wind leases that were very early in development in exchange for reimbursements of lease fees totaling $765 million.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental 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.

You might think it's 2020 again.

Six years after COVID-19 thrust the world into the fear and uncertainty of a global pandemic, Republicans in power aren’t leaving it in the past. Instead, they’ve returned its familiar political arguments to center stage for new scrutiny, demanding accountability for the scientists and media figures whom they feel deceived and mistreated Americans years ago.

The efforts ramped up last week, when a Republican-led Senate committee chaired by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul subpoenaed the now-retired, 85-year-old Fauci to testify about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former National Institutes of Health immunologist repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, after accusing the lawmakers of trying to coerce him to perjure himself to justify criminal charges. In response to his choice, on Thursday, the committee passed a vote to hold Fauci in contempt, a stunning move that could motivate the Justice Department to initiate an investigation.

Separately, Kennedy, a politically independent former anti-vaccine activist who now serves as the Republican President Donald Trump’s health secretary, spent part of his weekend in a combative live debate with CNN host Dana Bash about the pandemic's management and the media’s role.

Political scientists and historians say the focus on COVID grievances half a decade after the virus’ peak demonstrates how some wounds it opened have never been closed. Democrats, meanwhile, have slammed the federal government’s blaming of Fauci as a performative distraction that’s not based in facts.

While both Paul and Kennedy have spent years airing their frustrations about COVID, the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House last year created a new platform for them to steer how America remembers the pandemic, and who is held responsible for it, according to Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University.

It’s also allowed them to use the administration’s resources to surface new information.

“The response to COVID has become a touchstone for Trump’s Republican Party,” Dallek said. “They’re using their power now to argue they were right all along.”

Pandemic grievances have simmered for years

When the coronavirus began spreading widely in 2020, under Trump's first administration, groups of Americans revolted against requirements imposed by local authorities and businesses telling people to wear masks and stay at home to control the spread of the virus.

Vaccines supercharged those sentiments. Figures like Kennedy, then a leader of the anti-vaccine movement, accused the federal government of trampling on personal liberties by supporting vaccine mandates and social media takedowns of dissenting ideas.

While Trump has long expressed pride in his first-term Operation Warp Speed effort to disseminate COVID-19 vaccines quickly, saving millions of lives, his second administration has taken a different tone.

Under Kennedy's leadership, U.S. regulators have limited the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for Americans. Kennedy on CNN on Sunday questioned whether the COVID-19 vaccines protected children, even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that they “help keep children from getting really sick from COVID-19.”

Frances Lee, a Princeton University political scientist, said debates over COVID-19 have erupted on the fringes for years. Now that some of the leaders of those debates are in power, they're hashing it out on the national stage — something she said needed to happen eventually.

“There are aggrieved parties, people who have a sense that they were done wrong during the pandemic and that there’s never been an accounting for that,” Lee said. “Most people don’t want to think about this topic, but nevertheless there are constituencies – so Congress is speaking to those constituencies.”

Lee said Kennedy’s decision to surface numerous diary entries that Fauci had made on a government computer – and Paul’s decision to publicize them last week – created an opening for “the first real showdown” in years around the pandemic’s handling.

While some of the entries – including Fauci’s uncertainty in the pandemic’s earliest days about how best to curb the virus – already were reflected in a 2024 memoir and in interviews at the time, they have nonetheless drawn attention from people who blame Fauci for policies they believe infringed on their rights as hundreds of thousands of people were dying.

Also discussed at Fauci's hearing last week was whether NIH-funded research in China played a role in how the pandemic started. The day of the hearing, Trump's White House also directed social media followers to a federal website that used to feature information on COVID vaccines, testing and treatment that now promotes the theory that the pandemic originated with a lab leak.

Many scientists believe the virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to people, coming to light when it spread at a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There’s no new scientific evidence supporting the theory that the virus might instead have leaked from a laboratory, a theory Paul champions. A GOP-led subcommittee that studied the question in 2024 found no evidence linking Fauci to wrongdoing.

Fauci has long said publicly that he was open to both theories but that there’s more evidence supporting COVID-19’s natural origins.

Republican lawmakers aren't stopping at the contempt vote. Sen. Ron Johnson said Thursday that Kennedy's department had given a subcommittee he chairs a copy of Fauci's cellphone from his time in government. Johnson indicated he intended to investigate it.

“Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing,” he wrote on social media.

Many dismiss the idea that Republicans’ COVID fact-finding is genuine

As Republicans hold up scrutiny of Fauci as important accountability, Democrats have called it disingenuous. Paul said Thursday he'd invited Fauci to appear for a private, transcribed interview, but Democrats accused him of not allowing the full, bipartisan committee to be present for it.

Paul also referred the committee's contempt vote directly to the Justice Department, instead of to the full Senate. He said he did not “want to waste time” with that route, while Democrats insisted all senators should get a chance to vote.

Last week’s hearing, at which Fauci pleaded the Fifth, came after the immunologist had repeatedly appeared before Congress over the years and talked about his thinking in the beginning of the pandemic and how it changed over time. Critics have raised concerns that the ordeal surrounding him will deter scientists from taking government jobs for fear of being similarly targeted.

Paul has long argued that Fauci should be criminally investigated, based on his belief that the scientist has been dishonest to Congress about National Institutes of Health-funded research and COVID's origins. Fauci's attorney last week called Paul's accusations about the scientist “false and disgraceful.” More than 150 infectious-disease experts also came to Fauci's defense, writing that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges."

Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute said the hearing didn't represent legitimate truth seeking.

“They were looking for a platform in which they could attack him, and he would not respond, and he would say ‘plead the Fifth’ over and over again,” Ornstein said.

He said while some Republicans are likely true believers that Fauci committed crimes, bringing him to the forefront serves a dual purpose in a midterm election year — distracting voters from less favorable headlines, including on the economy and foreign conflicts.

Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said there are real lessons to learn from the pandemic, including more deeply examining which efforts to contain the virus worked and didn’t work. But he said Republicans in Congress aren’t chasing those.

“A review of revisionist history will accomplish nothing,” he said. “We won’t be any better prepared for the next pandemic.”

The change comes a year ahead of schedule. Kellogg said last August that it would remove synthetic dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.

But the company said Thursday it has identified fruit- and vegetable-based juices that will give cereals like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks their distinctive colors. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company said it has also invested in equipment that will allow it to transition to natural colors.

The company said it is also removing BHT, an artificial preservative, from the small number of cereals that still contain it.

“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations even sooner than planned,” Kellogg’s Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.

Kellogg has faced pressure for years to remove artificial ingredients from its cereals, which it has already done in other countries like Canada. In 2024, dozens of people rallied outside Kellogg's headquarters and delivered petitions with 400,000 signatures asking the company to remove artificial dyes and BHT.

That pressure has grown under President Donald Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to phase out petroleum-based artificial dyes. Last August, Kellogg also signed an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying it would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027.

Retailers are also forcing companies to act. Earlier this year, Target said it would stop selling cereals that contain artificial colors by the end of May. Walmart has also said it will remove artificial colors from its store brands by January 2027.

A little more than a week after reiterating he wanted to stay with Indy for the rest of his career, Taylor took a big step toward fulfilling that pledge by signing a two-year, $44 million contract extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person requested anonymity because the team had not yet made an official announcement and does not release contract terms.

The move keeps the 2021 NFL rushing champ off the free agent market next spring and comes two days after the Atlanta Falcons re-signed Bijan Robinson to a record-breaking three-year deal worth up to $75 million.

Taylor never doubted the deal would get done before Indy's season opener Sept. 13 against Baltimore.

“I have faith. I mean, there’ve been some good conversations, and I have faith between my agent and the front office,” Taylor said last week when he arrived at training camp. "Like I said, I’ve already said I would love to be a Colt for life. So, I have faith that things are moving in the right direction.”

This deal follows two other big payouts this spring, to quarterback Daniel Jones and top receiver Alec Pierce, and keeps Indy's primary offensive players together long term.

Taylor is now under contract through 2028 and won't celebrate his 30th birthday until January 2029. Teams tend to devalue running backs after they turn 30.

By then, though, perhaps the conventional wisdom among teams will change. Taylor already has seen a notable difference in how teams value running backs since signing his last extension in 2023 when he didn't participate in camp as his agent and late team owner Jim Irsay engaged in a nasty public back-and-forth that resulted in Taylor requesting a trade.

Taylor struggled with injuries in 2022 and missed the first four games in 2023 with a lingering ankle injury. Since signing a three-year deal worth $42 million in early October 2023, he has missed just six of 41 games and has shown no signs of decline.

Reliability pays off

Taylor led the league in rushing most of last season while quarterback Daniel Jones played through a broken bone in his left leg before suffering a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon in early December. Taylor still finished third in the league with 1,585 yards and led the NFL with 18 touchdown runs.

Now he's seeing the payoff — and not just for himself.

“I think it’s a testament to how hard not only myself, but guys like Bijan, like a lot of the other top backs, they work really hard to put a great product on the field in order to reflect that value," Taylor said Wednesday before signing his new deal. "So obviously, still more work to be done. But man, that’s awesome for Bijan man. Shout out to Bijan, man. You earned it. You deserve it.”

The Colts also have made it clear how much they value Taylor.

From Jones and receiver Alec Pierce to coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, the consensus is that the threat of Taylor — as a both a runner and pass catcher — changes the way defenses must contend with the Colts.

Contract status

The only real question was how quickly a deal could get done. Ballard is entering the final year of his contract as are left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Taylor, Nelson and Buckner have all been selected to multiple Pro Bowls.

On July 28, report day at camp, Ballard said his contract status would have no impact on players' contract extensions.

“We always are working toward trying to keep our own players here, and I think you know my thoughts on both of them,” Ballard said when asked about Nelson and Taylor. "Quenton Nelson is a pillar, stands for all the right stuff, and Jonathan Taylor has been an excellent, excellent player for the Colts. I would love to have them long term. We’ll see.”

Now Taylor is in the fold for three more seasons.

The New Jersey prep star burst onto the scene with two 1,000-yard seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers. Leading up to the 2020 draft, critics contended Taylor was a risky early-round pick because of his college workload and questioned his pass-catching ability.

But the Colts selected Taylor in the second round, No. 41 overall, and an early-season injury to Marlon Mack forced Taylor into the starting lineup. He impressed right from the start, rushing for 1,169 yards and 11 TDs while catching 36 of 39 passes for 299 yards and another TD.

Taylor enters this season with 1,551 career carries, 7,598 yards, 69 TDs, 187 receptions, 1,469 yards and seven scores. He already owns the franchise record for touchdown runs and needs 1,629 yards rushing to surpass two-time NFL rushing champ Edgerrin James as the Colts career leader in that category, too.

Taylor also has the top two single-game rushing totals in franchise history, 253 against Jacksonville in January 2021 and 244 last season against Atlanta in Berlin.

___

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

At least 345 people in 27 states have been reported getting sick from the salmonella strain linked to the jalapeños. Most have been in Minnesota and Colorado. No deaths have been reported, but officials say 36 people have been hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the chili peppers were moved into the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors. The company has recalled the peppers and is notifying its customers, which include some prominent Mexican food restaurant chains, officials said.

Coast Citrus Distributors didn't immediately respond to a Thursday voicemail seeking comment.

The Food and Drug Administration said that of the 191 people interviewed in the outbreak investigation, 177 — or 93% — reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba, from June 14 to July 14.

Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants. Qdoba on Wednesday said the company had proactively removed jalapenos from all of its restaurants.

“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” CDC officials said in a statement.

The FDA is investigating whether any of the jalapeños went to grocery stores. The agency may announce additional actions on its recalls webpage, health officials said.

Mexico health officials said they opened an investigation and made a field visit Thursday to a packing plant in the northern state of Nuevo Leon.

Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections in the United States every year, and outbreaks have been tied to sources such as cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurized milk, fresh basil, geckos and pet bearded dragons.

Within hours or days of being exposed to the bacteria, infected people can suffer from diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.

Young children, retirement-age adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for more severe illness, according to the CDC.

Shares of Chipotle, based in Newport Beach, California, tumbled nearly 10% on Tuesday and have not recovered. A number of fast-casual chains like Chipotle have seen less foot traffic from middle- and lower-income customers due to broader inflation in the U.S., and recent headlines about foodborne illnesses may be another negative.

___

Associated Press reporter Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this story.

___

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.

Leer en español

The suspect was identified in an arrest report as 27-year-old Evian Jamar Griffin.

According to the report, detectives with MDSO’s Homeland Security Bureau’s Intelligence and Investigations Section were investigating organized intersection takeovers when they identified Griffin as the driver of a black Infiniti during an event around 2:11 a.m. Sunday near Northwest 77th Terrace and Northwest 24th Avenue.

Investigators said Griffin was seen getting out of the vehicle and placing a black shirt over the license plate “to hide it from view.”

They said after returning to the driver’s seat, he drove into an intersection that had been blocked in all four directions by other participants and began “revving the engine and driving in a circular pattern (doing donuts)” while about 70 to 80 spectators surrounded the intersection and recorded the activity.

About 2:49 a.m., detectives again identified Griffin behind the wheel of the Infiniti, the report states. Deputies said he continued performing donuts after approximately 40 to 50 vehicles blocked the roadway.

When marked patrol units arrived to disperse the crowd, deputies attempted to conduct a felony traffic stop, investigators said.

According to the report, Griffin turned off the car’s lights and accelerated southbound onto Florida’s Turnpike at a high rate of speed.

Deputies said they drove more than 100 mph while attempting to catch up as Griffin’s “reckless” driving forced other motorists onto the highway shoulder to avoid collisions.

They said the takeover had been organized through a group chat where participants shared locations and coordinated blocking traffic before vehicles entered the intersection to perform stunts.

According to the report, Griffin also posted videos of himself participating in the takeover on Instagram under the username “SoggyQ50” on Monday.

Deputies said they arrested Griffin without incident outside his home in South Miami Heights on Wednesday, according to the report. Investigators said the Infiniti was parked in the driveway, towed from the property and placed on a 30-day hold.

Jail records show Griffin faces two counts of drag racing on a coordinated highway and accessory after the fact, and one count each of attempted fleeing or eluding marked law enforcement officers at high speed and reckless driving.

As of Thursday morning, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”

El sospechoso fue identificado en el informe de arresto como Evian Jamar Griffin, de 27 años.

Según el informe, detectives de la Sección de Inteligencia e Investigaciones de la Oficina de Seguridad Nacional de la MDSO investigaban tomas organizadas de intersecciones cuando identificaron a Griffin como el conductor de un Infiniti negro durante un evento ocurrido alrededor de las 2:11 a.m. del domingo, cerca de Northwest 77th Terrace y Northwest 24th Avenue.

Los investigadores dijeron que Griffin fue visto bajándose del vehículo y colocando una camisa negra sobre la placa para “ocultarla de la vista”.

Indicaron que, tras regresar al asiento del conductor, ingresó a una intersección que había sido bloqueada en las cuatro direcciones por otros participantes y comenzó a “acelerar el motor y conducir en un patrón circular (haciendo trompos)” mientras entre 70 y 80 espectadores rodeaban la intersección y grababan la actividad.

Alrededor de las 2:49 a.m., los detectives volvieron a identificar a Griffin al volante del Infiniti, señala el informe. Los agentes dijeron que continuó haciendo trompos después de que aproximadamente entre 40 y 50 vehículos bloquearan la vía.

Cuando llegaron unidades policiales identificadas para dispersar a la multitud, los agentes intentaron realizar una parada de tránsito por un delito grave, dijeron los investigadores.

Según el informe, Griffin apagó las luces del vehículo y aceleró hacia el sur por la autopista Florida’s Turnpike a alta velocidad.

Los agentes dijeron que condujeron a más de 100 mph mientras intentaban alcanzarlo, ya que la conducción “temeraria” de Griffin obligó a otros conductores a desplazarse hacia el hombro de la autopista para evitar colisiones.

También indicaron que la toma de la intersección había sido organizada mediante un chat grupal en el que los participantes compartían ubicaciones y coordinaban el bloqueo del tránsito antes de que los vehículos ingresaran a la intersección para realizar maniobras.

Según el informe, Griffin también publicó el lunes en Instagram videos en los que aparecía participando en la toma de la intersección bajo el nombre de usuario “SoggyQ50”.

Los agentes dijeron que arrestaron a Griffin sin incidentes frente a su vivienda en South Miami Heights el miércoles, según el informe. Los investigadores informaron que el Infiniti estaba estacionado en la entrada de la vivienda, fue remolcado de la propiedad y quedó retenido durante 30 días.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que Griffin enfrenta dos cargos por carreras callejeras coordinadas en una vía pública y por ser cómplice después del hecho, además de un cargo por intento de huir o evadir a agentes del orden en vehículos policiales identificados a alta velocidad y otro por conducción temeraria.

Hasta la mañana del jueves, permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight, donde su fianza figuraba como “pendiente de ser fijada”.

El enérgico perro, que llegó al refugio como un animal callejero, es descrito como amigable con los niños y con otros perros.

El personal del refugio dijo que Lemon disfruta jugar a buscar la pelota, pero también se siente feliz relajándose con su familia.

Funcionarios de Cuidado Animal del condado Broward informaron que el refugio continúa sobrepoblado e instaron a los residentes a adoptar o ser voluntarios para ayudar a cuidar a los animales que esperan un hogar.

Las personas interesadas en adoptar pueden programar un encuentro con Lemon y, si ya tienen otro perro, organizar una presentación entre ambos antes de tomar una decisión.

Haga clic aquí para obtener más información sobre cómo adoptar una mascota.

Leer en español

The energetic dog, who arrived at the shelter as a stray, is described as friendly with children and other dogs.

Shelter staff said Lemon enjoys playing fetch but is also content relaxing with his family.

Broward County Animal Care officials said the shelter remains overcrowded and encouraged residents to adopt or volunteer to help care for animals waiting for homes.

Prospective adopters can schedule meet-and-greets with Lemon and, if they have another dog, arrange introductions before making a decision.

Click here for more information on how you can adopt a pet.

Leer en español

Leon Medical Centers was commemorating three decades of exemplary care and community involvement.

The event was an elegant soiree flanked by mementos of a journey from humble beginnings to becoming a leading South Florida medical powerhouse that is looking forward to the future.

Miami icon, Grammy winner and Leon Medical Centers spokesman Willy Chirino was on hand for a special performance, which was a family affair as he was joined by his daughters on stage.

With the champagne flowing, the guests traversed outside to experience the crown jewel of the evening, a drone show blanketing the downtown Miami skyline in 500 lights.

Thirty years of vision, hard work and opportunity were celebrated while laying the foundation for 30 more.

Leon Medical Centers conmemoró tres décadas de atención médica ejemplar y compromiso con la comunidad.

El evento fue una elegante velada rodeada de recuerdos de un recorrido que comenzó con orígenes humildes hasta convertirse en una de las principales organizaciones de atención médica del sur de Florida, con la mirada puesta en el futuro.

El ícono de Miami, ganador del premio Grammy y portavoz de Leon Medical Centers, Willy Chirino, ofreció una presentación especial que se convirtió en un asunto familiar al compartir el escenario con sus hijas.

Mientras corría el champán, los invitados salieron al exterior para disfrutar de la joya de la noche: un espectáculo de drones que iluminó el horizonte del centro de Miami con 500 luces.

Se celebraron 30 años de visión, trabajo arduo y oportunidades, al tiempo que se sentaron las bases para otros 30 años.

Leer en español

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, known for its Southern comfort food, fried chicken and extensive bourbon selection, has abruptly closed its South Beach location.

A sign posted on the restaurant’s door thanks customers for their years of support and describes the closure as a “short-term goodbye.”

The notice also reassures patrons that the restaurant intends to return, stating: “We have plans to reopen in the future!”

Yardbird first opened on Miami Beach in 2011 and became a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, earning a reputation for its signature fried chicken and waffles, Southern-inspired menu and bourbon program.

The restaurant has not announced when or where it plans to reopen, and no reason for the closure was provided.

For now, fans of the South Beach staple will have to wait for more details about its anticipated return.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, conocido por su comida sureña, su pollo frito y su amplia selección de bourbon, cerró de manera repentina su local de South Beach.

Un aviso colocado en la puerta del restaurante agradece a los clientes por sus años de apoyo y describe el cierre como una “despedida temporal”.

El aviso también tranquiliza a los clientes al asegurar que el restaurante tiene la intención de regresar, al señalar: “¡Tenemos planes de reabrir en el futuro!”.

Yardbird abrió por primera vez en Miami Beach en 2011 y se convirtió en un destino popular tanto para residentes como para turistas, ganando reconocimiento por su característico pollo con waffles, su menú inspirado en la cocina sureña y su programa de bourbon.

El restaurante no ha anunciado cuándo ni dónde planea reabrir, y tampoco ha informado la razón del cierre.

Por ahora, los seguidores de este emblemático restaurante de South Beach tendrán que esperar más detalles sobre su esperado regreso.

Leer en español

Investigators with the Hialeah Police Department said they heard from multiple victims who claimed that Juan Espinosa, who now lives in Bradenton, had abused them over several years.

One of the victims told police that the abuse had occurred from 2018 to 2022, when he was between the ages of 9 and 13.

A second victim told police that Espinosa had been abusing her between 2009 and 2020, starting when she was 9 years old and ending when she was 20.

According to arrest records, Espinosa groomed both victims separately, showing them pornographic videos at first before eventually starting to touch himself and the victims over time.

Police said controlled phone calls were made between parties representing the victims’ and Espinosa, which helped them establish his responsibility for the crimes.

One of the victims reported that some of the alleged abuse occurred in Hillsborough County and Espinosa was initially jailed there in December.

He has since been charged with six counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in familial or custodial authority, three counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child between the ages of 12 and 16 and five counts of sexual battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 17 by a defendant 18 or over.

Espinosa, following his extradition to Miami-Dade, was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Investigadores del Departamento de Policía de Hialeah informaron que entrevistaron a múltiples víctimas que aseguraron que Juan Espinosa, quien actualmente vive en Bradenton, abusó de ellas durante varios años.

Una de las víctimas dijo a la policía que el abuso ocurrió entre 2018 y 2022, cuando tenía entre 9 y 13 años.

Una segunda víctima dijo a la policía que Espinosa abusó de ella entre 2009 y 2020, comenzando cuando tenía 9 años y terminando cuando tenía 20.

Según los registros de arresto, Espinosa manipuló por separado a ambas víctimas, mostrándoles inicialmente videos pornográficos antes de comenzar con el tiempo a tocarse a sí mismo y a las víctimas.

La policía informó que se realizaron llamadas telefónicas controladas entre personas que representaban a las víctimas y Espinosa, lo que ayudó a establecer su responsabilidad en los delitos.

Una de las víctimas reportó que parte del presunto abuso ocurrió en el condado Hillsborough y Espinosa fue encarcelado inicialmente allí en diciembre.

Desde entonces, ha sido acusado de seis cargos de actividad sexual con un menor por parte de una persona con autoridad familiar o de custodia, tres cargos de actos lascivos contra un menor de entre 12 y 16 años y cinco cargos de agresión sexual contra una víctima de entre 12 y 17 años por parte de un acusado de 18 años o más.

Tras su extradición a Miami-Dade, Espinosa permanecía detenido sin derecho a fianza en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I probably looked like I was trying way too hard and maybe seemed too uptight," McEwen, a student at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, said.

With virtual interviews and casual work environments proliferating, job candidates are having a hard time figuring out what to wear when they meet potential employers online or in person. Polished suits and other types of professional business attire — the typical recommendation of career advisers in years past — no longer are the default option when interviewers may show up in hoodies and shorts.

The disconnect between long-established conventions and the less-rigid workplace settings of a post-pandemic world is confusing many job applicants who want to dress to impress.

“If the last six years has proven anything, it’s that everyone and everything has become slightly more relaxed,” said Christina Adamo, a personal stylist at the Neiman Marcus store in Paramus, New Jersey. “That especially goes for dress codes, in great part because of the transition a lot of companies have had to hybrid and remote work.”

Wearing a well-tailored suit is still frequently prescribed when interviewing for executive positions and jobs in fields such as law and finance, stylists and staffing recruiters said. But it's worth exploring an organization in advance to get a sense of the culture, or asking the hiring manager or recruiter directly about the dress code. Getting it right, or wrong, may impact your performance, especially during a face-to-face meeting.

“If you walk in and you’re already feeling out of place in the atmosphere, your answers just aren’t as good,” said McEwen, 20, who manages a student career closet of donated suits and work attire at her university. “Most of what matters about your interview outfit is that you feel confident about it. It puts you in the mindset that you’re going to succeed.”

Research the way people dress at the company and then take it up a notch

One way to scope out an organization's style vibe is to check its social media accounts or website to see what employees wear. For example, the career section of The Walt Disney Co.’s website features photos of an attorney, a writer and a maintenance technician employed by the company. After learning how employees in your line of work typically dress, prepare to look a little more polished than that for your interview, experts advised.

“If you were to look at a company’s LinkedIn page and they’re using words like ‘We’re fresh, we’re innovative, we’re the new kids on the block, we’re here to shock the industry,’ then you know that the dress code is going to be more casual than if they’re saying ‘We are a traditional historic brand with traditional values,’” said Samantha Harman, a London-based personal stylist and author of “Just Get Dressed,” a personal style guide for women.

If you're going for a more senior role, think about refreshing your style so you don't look dated, Harman, 37, said. “You don’t want anyone to think that you have a dated skill set because you want to be seen as someone who’s innovative, who’s going to have lots of new ideas.”

Sometimes, even after doing the research, candidates find they're dressing up more than their interviewers. Molly Tyndale, 22, wore a blouse and suit jacket to an online interview for a business development position after she was told by the company that the dress code was “business professional.” She was surprised when one of her interviewers showed up wearing an athletic T-shirt.

“If I, as the candidate, had joined in a T-shirt, that would almost certainly be an automatic no,” she said. “It’s frustrating.”

Create a first impression that conveys accomplishment

A wardrobe can be a personal branding tool for your career, Harman said. Hiring managers for senior positions are increasingly asking, “Does this person look like somebody we can send out if there’s a crisis and we need somebody to talk to the media? Or does this person look like they could host our next internal conference? Do they look like we could put them on a stage?” she said.

To convey quiet confidence as a publicist in Los Angeles, Dylan Thomas Cotter wears a dark blue tailored suit to job interviews or meetings where he's trying to land a new client. In public relations, “if something goes south, we need to immediately look like we’re capable to handle that,” Cotter, 43, said. "But also, when we make our first impression on behalf of our clients, we can make or break their business if we’re not good at what we do.”

If you want to be perceived as a leader, think about watching fall fashion shows to see what colors will likely be trendy in the spring, and wear those colors before that season, Harman suggested. Browsing through Vogue magazine can show you what colors or silhouettes are popping. “Always look at shoes and bags, because they have interesting updates that could look quite cool,” she said.

People on a budget can explore thrift stores or community organizations that offer donated career clothing.

Wear clean clothes that fit well for any job interview

While formality levels vary from one workplace to the next, some interview-dressing guidelines almost always are worth following.

“Make sure everything is nice and clean and presentable," to convey that you're taking the opportunity seriously, said Jamie Close, a Charleston, South Carolina-based corporate recruiter at HireQuest, a national staffing and recruiting firm. "Then you’ll feel more confident about yourself as well because you’re not worried about ill-fitting clothes.”

Don't buy something new and wear it for the first time to an interview, Close advised. “Make sure you’ve worn it somewhere before so you know how it feels when you’re sitting down or standing up and you’re not constantly fidgeting with your clothes,” she said.

If you're interviewing for a job in the skilled trades, “wear what you wear to work, but wear that nice, clean version,” Close suggested. “Clean boots, a nice collared shirt, ready to work. But not like you just walked off of a work site.”

Make as much effort for online interviews as in-person meetings

Dress for a virtual interview the same way you would for an in-person meeting, experts said. Even if the camera will only show your head and torso, Harman suggests wearing shoes because they can signal to your brain to behave in a different way.

For virtual interviews, wearing solid colors is a good choice, because those tend to look better on camera than busy patterns, Adamo said.

"You want to show up as the best version of yourself and that includes dressing the part," Adamo said. “While many would suggest ‘waist up’ dressing since your top half is doing most of the work, I recommend treating it as if you were going in person. It helps put you in the right headspace, and feeling confident in what you’re wearing is the most important part.”

___

Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at cbussewitz@ap.org. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority cleared the pending acquisition, ruling that a Paramount-Warner tie up does not pose a “substantial lessening of competition” in the country. Meanwhile, Britain's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it also wouldn't intervene — on the basis of several “legally-binding commitments” from Paramount related to its footprint in U.K. broadcasting and on-demand entertainment.

Paramount welcomed Thursday's decisions. The company, which was bought by Skydance just one year ago, called the U.K.'s clearance “an important milestone” towards completing its Warner purchase.

A Paramount-Warner combo would mean putting HBO Max, cult-favorite titles like “Harry Potter” and even CNN under the same roof with CBS, “Top Gun” and the Paramount+ streaming service. Both companies carry notable reach in production and television specific to the U.K., too — with assets also including Paramount-owned Channel 5 in London, localized Nickelodeon programming and Warner’s British arm of TNT Sports.

Citing competition concerns specifically for news, TV and streaming platforms available to U.K. consumers, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy previously said she was “minded to intervene” in the merger. But on Thursday, her office said Paramount later agreed to “provide a set of protections” to safeguard the “continued availability of a diverse range of broadcasting and on-demand services in the UK,” as well their editorial independence.

DCMS said that includes maintaining independence at Channel 5, with an “entirely separate” editorial direction from CBS and CNN. Paramount also agreed to not combine its linear channels with on-demand services in the U.K., DCMS said, and that children's channels like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network will remain distinct from each other.

Under their agreement, DCMS said it will monitor Paramount's implementation of these commitments and that the company will provide annual statements of compliance.

Critics of the Paramount-Warner merger have repeatedly asked regulators to challenge the deal. And just last month, Hollywood stars Alan Cumming, Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong published a joint op-ed in The Guardian calling on Nandy to intervene.

The merger “threatens to inflict immense harm on the British public,” the actors wrote on July 27. “As actors and public figures who have spent our careers in the arts in Britain — working with British crews, on British stages and sets — we have a responsibility to the public who support, enjoy and consume the art we make.”

While Paramount and Warner no longer face an imminent roadblock to their deal in the U.K., the companies have already agreed to delay closing their transaction well into next year as a challenge from 12 U.S. states makes its way through court.

Led by California, the coalition of states sued to block the deal last month — alleging that a Paramount-Warner combo would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly U.S. moviegoers and cable customers. Groups like the Writers Guild of America have also filed suit.

The court has scheduled a 12-day antitrust trial to start in early March. Paramount has vowed to “vigorously defend” its transaction.

The companies argue that merging will be good for growth in the industry and give consumers access to more content. But critics have decried what further consolidation could mean in an industry already controlled by just a few major players — and in the U.S., questions of political influence have piled up around President Donald Trump’s close relationship with the billionaire family of Paramount CEO David Ellison.

In contrast to the states' case, the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Justice announced in June that it also wouldn’t block the deal and instead released a lengthy statement in support of a Paramount-Warner combo. Meanwhile, Paramount has touted other regulatory clearances from the European Union, as well as countries like China, Canada and Australia.

Including billions in debt, Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner is valued at nearly $111 billion (or over 82 billion English pounds) based on outstanding shares.

The successful motion, brought by the defense minister, is Uganda’s first public indication of its willingness to join the International Stabilization Force for Gaza. Morocco also has pledged troops for the mission.

It was not immediately clear why Uganda agreed to deploy in Gaza, or if there was a quid pro quo involved, and some opposition lawmakers immediately questioned Uganda’s motive in the decision. Lawmaker Hassan Kirumira said the deployment would raise “diplomatic concerns” for a country that is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The “big question” for supporters of the deployment to clarify is: "On which side is our army going to fight?” he said in parliament.

Defense Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, seeking the support of lawmakers, cited Uganda’s military capabilities stemming from its peacekeeping deployments in countries such as Somalia.

The force, proposed by Trump’s Board of Peace in February, would be led by American Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who said in May that the 20,000-strong force would ensure “future prosperity and enduring peace."

Last week Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. According to that deal, the International Stabilization Force would be deployed to Gaza after the completion of a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The agreement, part of a broader ceasefire deal reached last year, calls for Israel to cease its military operations and for Hamas and its allies in Gaza to halt all militant activity. The agreement also laid out in general terms what the decommissioning process would look like.

After the text of the agreement was released, Israel said it had “serious security concerns” and that it shared those with the U.S.

Israeli attacks have killed 1,250 people since the ceasefire deal was reached in October, an agreement that ended major fighting in the Israel-Hamas war that had raged for two years.

UEFA on Thursday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions to withdraw its boycott threat had not been met.

“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions," it said in a statement. "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”

It was another bruising day for Infantino, with global soccer players union FIFPRO accusing him of "a profound abuse of presidential power.”

The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election.

Even Amnesty International said the “current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms."

FIFA and Infantino tried to present a united front following a high-level summit in Morocco on Wednesday when it announced the president had the full support of top staff in attendance.

The world governing body also apologized for errors made over its controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”

FIFA said it hoped its meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s now abandoned project, which provoked widespread condemnation.

UEFA voted to abandon FIFA competitions if it went ahead. And even after Infantino’s hasty climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — paving the way for a challenge to his presidency.

In its defiant statement, UEFA made it clear its position still held.

"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favor) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

___

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

___

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

Leer en español

A curtain of wind shear is draped across the tropical Atlantic courtesy of the fast-developing Super El Niño and has assembled a road block with little detour for wannabe storms.

Meanwhile, gobs of dry, Saharan air are heaving off Africa and wafting through the preferred formation areas for early August.

The combination of these conditions is making the Atlantic an exceptionally hostile place for would-be hurricanes.

Models waffle on development candidate over the open Atlantic late next week

While we don’t see any major changes in the big-picture across the Atlantic, longer range models do continue to hint at the possibility of a weak tropical candidate by late next week and next weekend (weekend of August 15^th) over the open Atlantic between Africa and the Caribbean.

Models have waffled on odds, but chances remain low (around 10%) for now. The AI camp has been a little more enthusiastic overall than our traditional physics-based models but both suggest a window for development as we approach the middle part of the month.

The long-term prospects of anything starting out in the eastern Atlantic doesn’t favor transatlantic journeys this season, but we’ll follow the trends for next week. Obviously this isn’t any concern for now and the Atlantic will stay closed for business until further notice.

Una franja de cizalladura del viento se extiende sobre el Atlántico tropical debido al rápido desarrollo del Súper El Niño y ha creado una barrera que deja pocas oportunidades para que las perturbaciones con potencial ciclónico puedan desarrollarse.

Mientras tanto, grandes masas de aire seco del Sahara salen de África y se desplazan sobre las zonas preferidas para la formación de sistemas tropicales a principios de agosto.

La combinación de estas condiciones está convirtiendo al Atlántico en un entorno excepcionalmente hostil para los sistemas con potencial de convertirse en huracanes.

Los modelos no se ponen de acuerdo sobre posible desarrollo en el Atlántico abierto a finales de la próxima semana

Aunque no observamos cambios importantes en el panorama general del Atlántico, los modelos de largo plazo siguen insinuando la posibilidad de un débil sistema tropical hacia finales de la próxima semana y el siguiente fin de semana (el fin de semana del 15 de agosto) sobre el Atlántico abierto, entre África y el Caribe.

Los modelos han variado en sus estimaciones, pero por ahora las probabilidades siguen siendo bajas (alrededor del 10%). Los modelos basados en inteligencia artificial han sido, en general, un poco más optimistas que los modelos tradicionales basados en principios físicos, aunque ambos sugieren una ventana para el desarrollo a medida que nos acercamos a la mitad del mes.

Las perspectivas a largo plazo para cualquier sistema que se forme en el Atlántico oriental no favorecen un recorrido transatlántico durante esta temporada, pero seguiremos las tendencias la próxima semana. Obviamente, esto no representa ninguna preocupación por ahora y el Atlántico permanecerá cerrado para nuevos desarrollos hasta nuevo aviso.

Los investigadores informaron que el robo ocurrió aproximadamente a las 11:15 a.m. del 30 de julio en la sucursal de Bank of America ubicada en 8585 Coral Way.

Indicaron que el sospechoso entró al banco, dio a entender que tenía un arma de fuego y exigió dinero antes de huir con una cantidad de efectivo que no fue revelada.

No se reportaron personas heridas.

El FBI informó que los investigadores creen que el sospechoso tiene vínculos con el condado Miami-Dade y podría ser conocido en el área. Las autoridades advirtieron al público que no se acerque al hombre si lo ve y, en su lugar, se comunique de inmediato con las autoridades.

Los investigadores informaron que el sospechoso tiene un peinado distintivo que podría ayudar a identificarlo. Según funcionarios del FBI, la parte posterior de su cabeza está completamente rapada, mientras que el resto del cabello está peinado hacia adelante sobre la parte superior de la cabeza.

Las autoridades informaron que la investigación está siendo realizada por la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, el Grupo de Trabajo contra Fugitivos por Delitos Violentos del FBI en Miami y el FBI.

Cualquier persona con información sobre el robo o el sospechoso debe llamar al 1-800-225-5324 o enviar una pista en línea a través de tips.fbi.gov.

Maurice Timothy Dukes, de 36 años, y su novia, Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez, de 22, enfrentan cargos de abuso infantil agravado y negligencia infantil.

Los investigadores informaron que un médico del Baptist Health Homestead Hospital les dijo que el niño, hijo de Dukes, “fue llevado al departamento de emergencias con varias lesiones” producto del abuso, lo que motivó la intervención de la policía. El informe de arresto no indica quién llevó al menor al hospital.

“Las lesiones parecían encontrarse en distintas etapas de cicatrización e incluían las siguientes: marcas lineales en forma de lazo, abrasiones y trauma facial, con ambos ojos de la víctima hinchados y amoratados”, señala el informe.

La policía informó que Dukes, Gonzalez y el primo de 12 años de la víctima, quien enfrentará cargos como menor de edad, le causaron las lesiones.

Las autoridades indicaron que tanto Dukes como Gonzalez admitieron haber golpeado al niño y reconocieron que no buscaron atención médica para él.

Según el informe de arresto, Gonzalez dijo que golpeó al menor “con un cinturón y una “chancleta”” porque “nadie la ayudaba cuando pedía ayuda para cuidarlo”.

La policía informó además que Gonzalez admitió que el primo del niño “golpeó a la víctima varias veces en la cara después de que esta lo mordiera”.

Ambos adultos fueron arrestados, mientras que el menor de 12 años figuraba “prófugo” en el informe de arresto.

Hasta el miércoles, ambos adultos permanecían detenidos en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight: Dukes con una fianza de $6,000 USD y Gonzalez con una fianza de $4,000 USD.

Agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade y personal de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue respondieron poco después de las 6:20 a.m. del miércoles al área de Southwest 157th Avenue y Southwest 160 Street, también conocida como Colonial Drive.

“Los detectives pueden confirmar que no se sospecha de un acto criminal”, escribió en un comunicado el detective Daniel D. Castillo, portavoz de la MDSO.

Un grupo de motociclistas escoltó una ambulancia Freightliner de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue a través del área de Richmond Heights-Redland.

El convoy se desplazó hacia el norte por la autopista Florida Turnpike y la autopista Palmetto Expressway, y hacia el este por la autopista Dolphin Expressway.

Una gran bandera de Estados Unidos ondeaba desde la escalera elevada de un camión de bomberos sobre Northwest 10th Avenue, cerca de Northwest 20th Street, en Allapattah.

Decenas de agentes de policía se alinearon a lo largo del recorrido. Algunos permanecían firmes para rendir saludo mientras pasaba la ambulancia.

Una bandera de Estados Unidos cubría el cuerpo del agente de policía al llegar a la Oficina del Médico Forense del condado Miami-Dade.

Esta es una noticia en desarrollo. El editor de asignaciones de Local 10 News, Carson Merlo, contribuyó a este informe.

Ubicación

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, un hombre identificado como Michael Simpson, de 51 años, cerró el suministro de aire de un buzo menor de edad mientras la víctima estaba en el agua buscando langostas.

El hecho ocurrió aproximadamente a las 7:04 a.m. del 29 de julio, a cerca de media milla al este de Fisher Island.

Los agentes informaron que el incidente comenzó con una disputa por un lugar para bucear.

Según los investigadores, la víctima estaba bajo el agua cuando el propietario de la embarcación en la que había llegado observó que otra embarcación se acercaba a gran velocidad.

El propietario de la embarcación dijo a los agentes que, cuando la otra embarcación finalmente se detuvo y ancló cerca, el capitán, posteriormente identificado como Simpson, inició una discusión verbal alegando que ellos estaban en su lugar.

Los agentes informaron que, en un momento, Simpson se enfureció y amenazó con cerrar el sistema de respiración que suministraba aire al buzo que estaba en el agua. Luego cumplió su amenaza, se lanzó al agua y cerró el suministro, indicaron las autoridades.

Según la MDSO, el propietario de la embarcación se lanzó inmediatamente al agua y sacó a la víctima hasta la superficie.

Después de ser puesta a salvo, se observó que la víctima “jadeaba por aire, parecía desorientada y no entendía lo que había ocurrido”, señala el informe de arresto.

Los agentes informaron que Simpson huyó del lugar después de apagar el sistema.

No se reportaron personas heridas en el incidente.

Los detectives informaron que Simpson se entregó voluntariamente a las autoridades el martes.

Hasta la noche del martes, permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza registrada como “pendiente de ser fijada”.

El chef haitiano-bahamés Wilkinson “Ken” Sejour dijo que agentes de ICE detuvieron al conductor del scooter a pocos pasos de su restaurante, Chef Creole, ubicado en el 200 de la calle 54 del noroeste, y que sus clientes han dejado de acudir al negocio.

Sejour, entre cuyos clientes famosos estuvo el fallecido Anthony Bourdain, dijo que el video grabado por el testigo cerca del área del autoservicio provocó falsos rumores de que ICE había realizado una redada en su restaurante.

“Se están llevando a personas clave y ahora le están dando a la gente la impresión de que ni siquiera es seguro venir a mi negocio”, dijo Sejour sobre el impacto de las políticas migratorias de la administración del presidente Trump.

Sejour dijo que el vencimiento de los permisos de trabajo del TPS para los haitianos afectó a su fuerza laboral. Sus gastos de mano de obra ya habían aumentado antes de que la reciente detención de ICE en las cercanías ahuyentara a los clientes.

La noche del miércoles, las filas en un evento anual de entrega de útiles escolares en Little Haiti no eran tan largas como en años anteriores.

“La comunidad está conmocionada. Este es un claro ejemplo”, dijo el organizador del evento, Success St. Fleur Jr. “Antes de que yo llegara, normalmente ya había una larga fila de familias esperando. Por eso este año quisimos hacer el evento más atractivo, por lo ocurrido con tantas personas”.

St. Fleur dijo que la diferencia es evidente, al igual que la razón.

“Lo triste es que el TPS no solo está afectando a los haitianos y no solo está afectando a las personas que son de Haití”, dijo St. Fleur. “Porque yo, que soy haitiano-estadounidense, nacido aquí, tengo amigos, familiares, colegas y ahora hay muchas personas que no saben qué hacer”.

Un fallo de la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos del 25 de junio permitió al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) poner fin al Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para unos 300,000 haitianos el 27 de julio.

El gobernador Ron DeSantis ha respaldado la política migratoria del presidente Donald Trump y ha ampliado las alianzas entre el estado y el gobierno federal en Florida.

Sejour se encuentra entre los empresarios del sur de Florida que afirman que el impulso a las deportaciones ha tenido un efecto paralizante en sus negocios. Sejour pidió una reevaluación estratégica.

“Tomémonos un poco más de tiempo e intentemos encontrar la manera de resolver esto sin perjudicar a nuestra economía en su conjunto”, dijo Sejour.

Leer en español

Haitian-Bahamian Chef Wilkinson “Ken” Sejour said ICE agents detained the scooter rider steps away from his restaurant, Chef Creole, at 200 NW 54th St., and his customers were staying away.

Sejour, whose celebrity guests included the late Anthony Bourdain, said the witness’s video recorded near the drive-thru area prompted false rumors that ICE had raided his restaurant.

“You are taking key people, and now you are giving people the impression that it’s not even safe to come to my business,” Sejour said about the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Sejour said the expiration of TPS work permits for Haitians hurt his workforce. His labor expenses had increased before the recent ICE detention nearby scared away customers.

On Wednesday night, the lines at an annual back to school supply event in Little Haiti weren’t as long as they’ve been in the past.

“The community is shook. This is a prime example,” said event organizer Success St. Fleur Jr. “Before I get here there’s usually a long line of families waiting. That’s why this year we wanted to have more of an attraction, because of the past with so many people.”

St. Fleur said the difference is apparent, and so is the reason why.

“What’s sad is TPS isn’t only affecting Haitians and it’s not only affecting the people who are from Haiti,” said St. Fleur. “Because me, who’s Haitian-American, born here, I have friends, family, colleagues, and now so many people who don’t know what to do.”

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 25 allowed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to end Temporary Protected Status for about 300,000 Haitians on July 27.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has been supportive of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy and has expanded state-federal partnerships in Florida.

Sejour is among the entrepreneurs in South Florida who say the push for deportations has been having a chilling effect on their businesses. Sejour called for a strategic reassessment.

“Let’s take a little bit more time, let’s try to figure out how we can fix this without it hurting our economy as a whole,” Sejour said.

Link, de 31 años y residente de Homestead, ha permanecido recluida en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight del condado Miami-Dade desde 2022. En 2025 fue declarada culpable de matar a su pareja de muchos años, pero esa condena fue revocada posteriormente y ahora espera un nuevo juicio por asesinato.

Sin embargo, el presunto crimen no fue lo que acaparó los titulares internacionales. Lo que llamó la atención fue que logró quedar embarazada de otro recluso mientras estaba encarcelada en TGK. Ambos habían ideado un plan para pasar semen encapsulado a través de un conducto de ventilación.

Gupta, de 37 años y residente de Oklahoma City, permanece recluida en TGK desde julio de 2025. Está acusada de matar a su hija de 4 años y de simular que murió ahogada en una casa de alquiler vacacional en El Portal el mes anterior, mientras visitaba el sur de Florida desde Oklahoma. Enfrenta un cargo de asesinato en segundo grado.

En enero, las autoridades informaron que Link atacó a Gupta, golpeándola múltiples veces en la cabeza y el rostro, además de halarle el cabello.

Gupta compareció el miércoles ante un tribunal de Miami después de que sus abogados presentaran una moción de emergencia para solicitar una orden de separación.

Sus abogados indicaron que Link había sido trasladada de la unidad de alojamiento que ambas compartían en TGK, pero que posteriormente fue regresada a esa misma unidad en junio.

En julio, Link se acercó a la puerta de la celda de Gupta y “comenzó a golpearla agresivamente y a gritar: “Te voy a matar””, según el documento judicial.

El 20 de julio ocurrió “otro incidente” entre ambas, según el documento judicial, y cuatro días después una asociada de Link atacó a Gupta.

Un funcionario del Departamento de Correccionales y Rehabilitación de Miami-Dade declaró que Link “está en el nivel inferior de la unidad” y “no puede salir de su celda al mismo tiempo que” Gupta.

“Esto es lo mejor que podemos hacer en este momento”, declaró el funcionario.

El miércoles, el juez no llegó a ordenar ninguna medida.

“El tribunal no tiene autoridad en este momento para conceder la solicitud de una orden de separación”, dijo el juez Zachary James. “Nuevamente recomendaría que el Departamento de Correcciones continúe atento a este asunto, como lo ha estado haciendo, para garantizar que permanezcan separadas”.

Leer en español

According to an arrest report from the Homestead Police Department, Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez was initially arrested Tuesday on charges of child abuse without great bodily harm and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Investigators said a doctor at Baptist Health Homestead Hospital told them that the victim “was brought to the emergency department with various injuries” from the abuse, prompting police involvement. An arrest report doesn’t state who brought the boy there.

“The injuries appeared to be in various stages of healing and included the following: linear looped markings, abrasions and facial trauma with both of the victim’s eyes swollen and bruised,” the report states.

Police said Gonzalez, the boy’s father, Maurice Timothy Dukes, 36, and the victim’s 12-year-old cousin inflicted the injuries on him.

The victim’s aunt, Kiemaya Jackson, told Local 10 News through tears that the boy “had gashes, like he was whooped like a slave.”

“He had two big black eyes, his eyes were really swollen,” Jackson said. “The baby had bruises wrapped around his body from his neck all the way down to his feet, from the inner thighs.”

Authorities said both Dukes and Gonzalez admitted to beating the boy and admitted to not seeking medical attention.

Jackson said the boy had been in Dukes’ care since his mother, her niece, died several months ago.

“Every time we tried to hug him, he would flex like he was nervous,” Jackson said. “Paramedics, police, everybody cried. That baby went through a lot. He went through a lot.”

According to a separate arrest report obtained Thursday by Local 10 News, Gonzalez is facing additional charges of child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she ordered the 12-year-old boy to beat his little cousin with a belt after the younger child urinated on the floor.

Police said Gonzalez beat the 5-year-old boy with a broom and her fists before telling him to stand on the bed and face the wall.

Gonzalez then handed the 12-year-old boy a belt and ordered him to strike his cousin on the buttocks with it, authorities said.

According to the arrest report, the elder boy told police that he followed Gonzalez’s orders out of fear and claimed that she ordered him to “whoop him harder,” because she didn’t believe he was hitting the boy hard enough.

The 12-year-old said once Gonzalez was satisfied by the beating she instructed his cousin to shower and stand in the corner, the report stated.

Authorities said the elder boy told detectives he was too scared to call police or his parents after the abuse.

As of Thursday morning, Gonzalez was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Online jail records listed her total bond as “to bet set.” Dukes was no longer appearing in the online jail database.

Según un informe de arresto del Departamento de Policía de Homestead, Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez fue arrestada inicialmente el martes por cargos de abuso infantil sin causar grandes lesiones corporales y contribuir a la delincuencia de un menor.

Los investigadores dijeron que un médico del Hospital Baptist Health Homestead les informó que la víctima “fue llevada al departamento de emergencias con diversas lesiones” producto del abuso, lo que motivó la intervención de la policía. El informe de arresto no indica quién llevó al niño al hospital.

“Las lesiones parecían estar en diferentes etapas de cicatrización e incluían lo siguiente: marcas lineales en forma de lazo, abrasiones y trauma facial, con ambos ojos de la víctima hinchados y amoratados”, indica el informe.

La policía dijo que Gonzalez, el padre del niño, Maurice Timothy Dukes, de 36 años, y el primo de 12 años de la víctima le provocaron las lesiones.

La tía de la víctima, Kiemaya Jackson, dijo entre lágrimas a Local 10 News que el niño “tenía heridas abiertas, como si lo hubieran azotado como a un esclavo”.

“Tenía dos enormes ojos morados, los tenía muy hinchados”, dijo Jackson. “El niño tenía moretones por todo el cuerpo, desde el cuello hasta los pies, incluso en la parte interna de los muslos”.

Las autoridades dijeron que tanto Dukes como Gonzalez admitieron haber golpeado al niño y reconocieron que no buscaron atención médica.

Jackson dijo que el niño había estado bajo el cuidado de Dukes desde que su madre, sobrina de Jackson, murió hace varios meses.

“Cada vez que intentábamos abrazarlo, se ponía tenso, como si estuviera nervioso”, dijo Jackson. “Los paramédicos, la policía, todos lloraron. Ese niño pasó por mucho. Pasó por mucho”.

Según un informe de arresto por separado obtenido el jueves por Local 10 News, Gonzalez enfrenta cargos adicionales de abuso infantil y de contribuir a la delincuencia de un menor porque ordenó al niño de 12 años golpear a su primo menor con un cinturón después de que el niño más pequeño orinó en el piso.

La policía dijo que Gonzalez golpeó al niño de 5 años con una escoba y con los puños antes de ordenarle que se parara sobre la cama y mirara hacia la pared.

Posteriormente, Gonzalez entregó un cinturón al niño de 12 años y le ordenó golpear a su primo en los glúteos con él, dijeron las autoridades.

Según el informe de arresto, el niño mayor dijo a la policía que obedeció las órdenes de Gonzalez por miedo y aseguró que ella le ordenó “golpéalo más fuerte”, porque no creía que estuviera golpeando al niño con suficiente fuerza.

El niño de 12 años dijo que, una vez que Gonzalez quedó satisfecha con la golpiza, le indicó a su primo que se duchara y permaneciera de pie en una esquina, señala el informe.

Las autoridades dijeron que el niño mayor contó a los detectives que tenía demasiado miedo para llamar a la policía o a sus padres después del abuso.

Hasta la mañana del jueves, Gonzalez permanecía detenida en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight. Los registros en línea de la cárcel indicaban que el monto total de su fianza estaba “pendiente de ser fijado”. Dukes ya no aparecía en la base de datos en línea de la cárcel.

Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start's position as the gold standard in early education.

The Associated Press previously reported on the overhaul proposal, which became public Thursday when it was posted online. The public will have 60 days to weigh in on it before it goes into effect, though it could face legal challenges that would delay implementation.

Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled. That wouldn't change under the overhaul.

But Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Services, said the department is hoping to give Head Start centers the flexibility to change the way they operate. That means eliminating most of Head Start's regulations, such as standards for low staff-to-student ratios or requirements to provide services to preschoolers' families.

"Federal mandates can certainly hinder local decision-making, drive up costs and limit the program’s reach,” Adams said on a call with reporters. He highlighted a decade-long decline in Head Start enrollment. “If we get this proposed rule right, we will grow the number of Head Start slots.”

On a call previewing the proposed changes, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy spoke reverently about Head Start, which was started by his uncle Sargent Shriver during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.

“It’s a program that works for the most vulnerable of the poorest kids in our society, and it’s really important we protect it,” Kennedy said.

But the changes would undermine many of the things that make Head Start distinct from other early education programs, policy experts say.

“This version of Head Start is a shell of the program,” said Khari Garvin, who oversaw Head Start under Democratic President Joe Biden. “This is a deeply diluted version of the program which in my view will cause child and community outcomes to wane.”

What makes Head Start different

Head Start, which began in the 1960s as part of Johnson's War on Poverty, is currently governed by more than 100 pages of regulations. Those regulations require centers to have low staff-to-student ratios and a research-backed curriculum, among other things, and they ensure centers are providing wraparound services that are critical to children in poverty, including medical and dental screenings and parent coaching.

The proposal would toss out nearly all of that rule book. Instead, Head Start’s 1,600 operators — which include nonprofits and school districts — would look to state and local childcare licensing requirements for guidance on many aspects of the program.

While the proposed rules largely loosen requirements, Adams emphasized that centers have the option to continue to operate as they had in the past. He estimated the new rules could generate more than $2 billion in savings and potentially allow Head Start to serve more children.

The proposal adds some new requirements. Staffers would have to deliver all instruction in English, except in tribal communities that run immersion programs in native languages. There would be a 5% cap on administrative expenses, down from 15%. The proposal also includes new nutrition standards, championed by Kennedy, and a requirement for 30 minutes of physical activity — outside if the weather permits — for every three and a half hours of the program.

State rules are more lenient

Overall, experts emphasize, state childcare licensing requirements are far more lax than Head Start's current regulations. State rules are largely focused on ensuring children are healthy and safe. Generally speaking, they do not require centers to provide things like medical or dental screenings, they don't specify ways to engage with parents, and they don't speak to what — if anything — should be taught in childcare settings.

Shantel Meek, who heads the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University, co-authored an analysis that compared state licensing requirements with Head Start standards and found massive gaps.

“Whereas licensing is, like, the bare minimum to keep kids safe, Head Start includes keeping kids safe but also ensuring that kids are developing, growing, learning well,” Meek said. “It’s a totally different purpose.”

Critically, states allow adults to care for far more children than is allowed under Head Start standards. In Mississippi, for example, one Head Start teacher is only allowed to teach up to four 2-year-olds. State childcare regulations would permit up to a dozen 2-year-olds to be supervised by one adult.

Head Start, which operates in all 50 states, has long had support from both Democrats and Republicans. But it has faced repeated threats under the Trump administration, whose budget chief, Russell Vought, had previously called for it to be eliminated. Not long after Trump, a Republican, took office again in early 2025, some Head Start programs had to briefly shutter because they had problems accessing their federal money. Later, a budget draft eliminated Head Start's funding, but it was restored after widespread backlash.

In a call with reporters, Kennedy said he believes Head Start is effective. He cited research showing its graduates have fewer law enforcement encounters, do better in school and have better jobs than their peers. He added that he tried to shield Head Start from many of the cuts that hit the rest of his agency.

Still, the Trump administration succeeded last year in laying off much of Head Start's support staff and closing half of its regional offices.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The trio will try to help the U.S. win its fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup title. The young stars will be joined by Olympic medalists A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum.

“It’s always good when you compete for a gold medal, it's a big honor,” said Wilson, a four-time WNBA MVP. “It's something I don’t take lightly. Time to go there and have some fun and also win.”

Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston will also be making their World Cup debuts to round out the team.

“I’m so excited to announce the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s National Team,” USA Basketball national team managing director Sue Bird said. “This is an incredibly talented group that has earned the opportunity to compete in Berlin. Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege, and I know these 12 players will embrace that responsibility as we go after another gold medal. I can’t wait to see what this team accomplishes together.”

This is the first time that USA Basketball had a managing director choose the team. In the past it was a committee. Kara Lawson will coach the squad.

Stewart is the third player in USA Basketball history to appear in four World Cup tournaments, joining Bird, who played in five, and Diana Taurasi, who also played in four.

The Americans will face China, Italy and the Czech Republic in pool play at the World Cup, which will be held from Sept. 4-13 in Berlin. The WNBA will take a nearly three-week break in its season to accommodate the event.

Clark, Bueckers and Reese helped the Americans win a World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico in March.

Sabrina Ionescu has been a big part of the U.S. roster the last few years, but was left off this season's team.

Bird said she called many of the players who didn't make the team this time, including Ionescu.

“I think we can all agree the hardest part, which is a problem I would never trade, is that we have so much talent,” Bird said. “The beauty of that is it means almost all players are wanting to be on this team, willing to be on this team. It is a sacrifice. It is a time commitment.”

Alyssa Thomas helped the U.S. win gold at the Paris Olympics, but didn't take part in any USA Basketball camps since. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles also hadn't taken part in any USA camps yet either.

“Tremendous player. So much fun to watch,” Bird said of Miles, who is the front-runner for the WNBA Rookie of the Year. “It’s been amazing watching her grow in this league. ... She’s played with USA basketball before. She will undoubtedly be in the mix for teams in the future.”

__

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

El nuevo ciclo de conversaciones estará encabezado por miembros de la actual Asamblea Nacional, de mayoría oficialista, y un grupo de exlegisladores opositores que en su momento intentaron destituir al ahora depuesto presidente Nicolás Maduro y cuenta con la mediación de Estados Unidos.

El primer encuentro cara a cara se realizará casi siete semanas después de una reunión en Caracas entre el presidente del Legislativo, Jorge Rodríguez —hermano de la presidenta encargada Delcy Rodríguez— y la exdiputada Dinorah Figuera, quien regresó entonces brevemente al país luego de casi ocho años en el exilio. Washington fue el principal impulsor de la iniciativa.

El sábado ambos sostuvieron una conversación telefónica en la que, según un comunicado del actual jefe del Legislativo, se definieron los temas a tratar en el encuentro presencial.

Entre esos temas destacan la atención a las víctimas de los dos poderosos terremotos del 24 de junio y el fortalecimiento de la democracia y derechos y garantías políticas.

El encuentro ocurrirá siete meses después de la intervención militar de Washington en Caracas, el 3 de enero, que derivó en la captura de Maduro.

El rol de EEUU

Figuera agradeció en un escrito al secretario de Estado estadounidense, Marco Rubio, por el “acompañamiento a la transición de Venezuela”.

El 4 de agosto Rubió declaró que “hay mucho trabajo por hacer para sentar las bases de unas elecciones... Debe haber verdadera libertad de prensa, debe haber participación multipartidista, debe haber reconciliación nacional y debe elegirse una comisión electoral que cuente los votos con precisión”.

Agregó que también se necesita que cada sector de la sociedad tenga un papel “no sólo en la organización de las elecciones, sino en la construcción del gobierno del futuro del país. Así que creo que requerirá cierta persistencia y un poco de paciencia, no años, pero sí algunos meses”.

La líder opositora María Corina Machado, premio Nobel de la Paz, ha dicho que no participará en el diálogo, pero tampoco será un obstáculo para los acuerdos que logren avances reales.

Analistas y organizaciones de derechos humanos, entre ellas el Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea), coincidieron en que una transición a la democracia luce todavía lejana y advirtieron que una elección libre será el final de un largo proceso.

La transición a la democracia “no arranca con el inicio de un proceso de diálogo, se inicia con un reconocimiento y una restitución de garantías que han sido violadas”, dijo John Magdaleno, consultor político y profesor de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello.

Según Magdaleno, primero deben restituirse libertades civiles y derechos políticos como la libertad de opinión y expresión, de prensa, de reunión y de asociación, la inviolabilidad de las comunicaciones privadas y otras garantías que protegen, aseguran y hacen cumplir los derechos humanos.

The speed specialist from Switzerland won the Olympic super-G gold medal in the 2022 Beijing Games among three career Olympic medals, and the 2021 world titles in super-G and giant slalom.

Her 48 World Cup wins — 24 in super-G — are the fifth most all-time for women. She was the overall World Cup champion in 2016 and 2024.

“I have been fortunate and honored to enjoy such a long career, to express my dreams and ambitions through skiing, and to experience this journey alongside extraordinary people,” Gut-Behrami said in statement.

The 35-year-old was planning to retire at the end of last season in March but was not able to compete due to a severe knee injury from crashing in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, in November. She ruptured ligaments in her left knee and damaged the meniscus.

The Milan Cortina Olympics was due to be her fourth Winter Games, with skiing on the Cortina d’Ampezzo course where she took the two world golds in 2021, along with a bronze in downhill.

“I consider that a knee injury, as complex as it is, cannot be considered a tragedy,” Gut-Behrami said then in a statement that noted recent deaths of young skiers who crashed in training.

“After almost 20 years in elite sport, and despite the crashes and injuries I have experienced, I am fortunate not to suffer from recurring pain — and I want to keep it that way,” she said about her retirement.

“This is another reason why I feel the right time has come: The moment when I no longer need to push myself to reach and exceed my limits at all costs.”

She also missed the 2010 Vancouver Olympics because of a serious hip injury and tore her left ACL at the 2017 worlds on Swiss snow in St. Moritz when she crashed in warmups for the slalom run in the combined event after placing third in the downhill that morning.

Since her 2008 opening season, Gut-Behrami reached 101 podiums in 395 World Cup races. Her 48 victories were second for a Swiss woman to Vreni Schneider, a slalom specialist in the 1980s-1990s

Gut-Behrami previously said she intended to move to England where her husband, former Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami, works in the front office at second-tier club Watford.

___

AP Alpine skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

More than 900 participants from 30 states took part in the 10-day event, capturing and removing 280 Burmese pythons from South Florida’s ecosystem, including one measuring an impressive 16 feet, 5 inches long.

The competition’s top honors went to Tom Rahill, who captured an astounding 96 pythons during the challenge in just a week and a half. Rahill was recognized Wednesday during a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting for his efforts.

“I actually had two hip replacements in the past nine months,” Rahill said. “Two months ago, my PT, my doctor was saying, ‘You can’t go out there.’ I did go out there and I got that big snake for that person, I got those other snakes. It’s a blessing.”

Rahill received the competition’s $10,000 grand prize for removing the most pythons.

The Florida Python Challenge is held each year to help reduce the population of invasive Burmese pythons, which threaten native wildlife in the Everglades by preying on birds, mammals and reptiles. Wildlife officials say every snake removed helps protect Florida’s fragile ecosystem.

The shot, named mFlusiva, is intended for adults age 50 or older. Other brands of flu shots already have begun arriving in pharmacies ahead of fall vaccination season, and Moderna said late Wednesday that it expects some of its new version to be available soon at select retailers.

While there already are multiple flu vaccine options in the U.S., including three specifically recommended for people age 65 or older, tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza every year and older adults are among the most vulnerable.

Flu vaccines must be updated annually to best match circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacturer than other types, and experts say this additional option might help if the shape-shifting flu virus mutates in a way that requires suddenly brewing new doses.

Moderna said the FDA granted full approval for mFlusiva’s use in people ages 50 to 64, based on a study of 40,000 people that found 27% fewer flu cases among people who got the new shot compared with those who got a different common flu vaccine brand. For people 65 or older, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based manufacturer said the FDA granted what’s called accelerated approval for the shot -- based on a smaller study showing it generated a strong immune response compared with an existing high-dose vaccine for seniors – while it conducts an additional study.

Moderna’s data showed no major safety issues although the shot did cause some temporary reactions including injection site pain, fever, headache, tiredness and aches that occurred somewhat more than with today’s flu shots.

The FDA action comes after a highly unusual public dispute over mFlusiva earlier this year. A then-top FDA official blocked the company’s application, a sign of the agency’s heightened vaccine scrutiny under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Days later, the agency changed course after Moderna publicly challenged the ruling — and in June a panel of independent advisers to the FDA unanimously recommended the vaccine's approval.

___

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration.

___

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.

Speaking after a report that FIFA allegedly awarded the final to co-host Morocco, sports minister Milagros Tolón said Spain “deserved” to host the title game.

“We are the reigning men’s and women’s World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined,” Tolón told Cadena Ser late Wednesday. “We have many advantages and strengths as a country.”

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main 2030 co-hosts. Morocco hopes to host the final at the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca. Spain has at least two contenders — Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and Barcelona's Camp Nou.

FIFA on Tuesday denied a British media report suggesting President Gianni Infantino, in seeking support for his presidency, offered Morocco the hosting of the final in 2030.

A FIFA spokesperson said it’s “false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”

Tolón said the Spanish government was “surprised” about the report that FIFA gave the final to Morocco.

“The most important thing is that FIFA has already denied it,” she said. "We are working with FIFA, and we have our next meeting in September. They have been very clear and emphatic in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it has to be, that the World Cup final is in Spain.”

___

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

U.S. filings for jobless aid in the week ending August 1 rose by 1,000 to 199,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s figure was revised up by 1,000 to 198,000.

Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the U.S. job market.

Last week, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric, PCE, came in at 3.7% for June, still well above the U.S. central bank’s 2% target. If inflation remains elevated, Fed officials say they are ready to raise interest rates to combat higher prices, raising costs for businesses and making them less likely to hire.

Last month, the government reported that employers pulled back on hiring in June, adding only 57,000 jobs. That’s less than half the previous month’s total and a sign that companies remain cautious about adding to their head counts. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.2% from 4.3% in May, though that decline is mostly because many out-of-work people gave up looking for jobs and were no longer counted as unemployed.

June’s tepid hiring comes after a relative surge in job gains the previous three months, countering concerns that the conflict in Iran could trip up an already wobbly labor market. The government’s July jobs report is due out Friday.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Among the companies that have trimmed their workforce recently are Verizon, UPS, Amazon, Disney, Starbucks, Walmart and Microsoft.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday also showed that the four-week moving average of weekly jobless claims, which balances out some of the weekly volatility, fell by 4,500 to 198,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending July 25 was 1.8 million, an increase of 24,000 from the week before.

The county’s eighth district encompasses a big portion of southern Miami-Dade, including Homestead and Palmetto Bay.

Incumbent Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins is running against nonprofit CEO Martha Vega Hero and former Palmetto Bay Vice Mayor John Dubois.

“The top three issues facing South Dade and District 8 are traffic and transportation, and continuing to provide real traffic solutions for the residents of South Dade and District 8,” said Cohen Higgins. “Additionally, affordability is top of mind for a lot of our residents.”

Cohen Higgins, who is a trial lawyer by trade, says her experience looking at details makes her an effective leader, especially when it comes to the budget.

“I am constantly sounding that alarm on the dais,” said Cohen Higgins. “On behalf of my district and all of the residents of Miami-Dade County, I’m making sure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely, whether that’s scrutinizing contracts, (or answering the question of) why are we overpaying for properties.”

Hero believes government and organizations working together is key, as well as transparency in balancing a budget.

“I’m going to fight to protect that UDP. I’m going to fight to protect my agriculture, my agritourism people, the venues, affordability, job opportunity,” said Hero. “We need to work with ethics. If we have a budget, we have to give you priorities for our families. We need to open a community center.”

Dubois declined to participate in Local 10 News’ story, but pledged that he would if he makes it to a runoff.

Leer en español

According to authorities, Samuel Lackey was found Sunday sleeping on board a JetBlue 2012 AirBus A320 that was at Jetscape Services in Fort Lauderdale for maintenance.

Broward Sheriff’s Office officials said the suspect’s actions were all caught on camera.

Deputies said it was easy for Lackey to get onto the plane because there were portable steps he could use, and maintenance was being done on the plane.

According to law enforcement, Lackey climbed a fence to gain access to the airplane and snuck onto the aircraft on Saturday night.

As a result, there was a service interruption as the plane was scheduled for a flight.

Deputies said the doors to the plane were locked and the aircraft was pushed back to a parking space, and that’s when the alleged snooze took place until 5:39 a.m. Sunday, when JetBlue employees arrived and gave Lackey a startling wake-up call.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Lackey was being held at the Broward Main Jail on charges of unarmed burglary of an occupied conveyance, criminal mischief over $1,000 and interrupting or impairing critical infrastructure. His total bond was set at $10,000.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times at the hearing.

Also, Iran said Wednesday it's in the “final stage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. President Donald Trump has said a deal could be announced this week. The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.

Here's the latest:

Sen. Mitch McConnell says he’s been discharged from rehabilitation center

The Kentucky Republican and former Senate leader was first admitted to the hospital on June 14. He disclosed weeks later that his hospitalization was the result of a fall and said he was undergoing physical therapy.

McConnell in a statement Thursday, gave no specific date for his return to the Senate.

“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell said.

McConnell’s absence was felt in the Senate as Republicans were unable on Thursday to advance a farm bill out of committee without his vote.

Last week, Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear urged McConnell to either prove that he is fit to continue serving in office or resign.

Brazil’s president to call Trump after his ambassador to Washington had visa revoked

Two days after the U.S. government revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador in Washington, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said late Wednesday he intends to call Trump.

Lula’s comments came during a podcast in which he discussed the war in Ukraine and the United Nations’ inaction. In the same interview, he said the latest move by the U.S. government against his administration is “irresponsible.”

“Last week, I called (Chinese President) Xi Jinping to speak about the need for the (U.N.) Security Council to meet. Yesterday (Tuesday), I spoke with my friend (Russian President Vladimir) Putin so they would meet, and I am going to speak with Trump as well,” said Lula, who is bidding for reelection in October.

The Trump administration revoked the visa of ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti in retaliation for Brazil’s denial of visas last month for two American diplomats who sought to visit ahead of the elections.

Trump administration will buy back company’s offshore wind leases off 3 states in $1.2B deal

An offshore wind company says it’s reached a $1.2 billion deal with the Trump administration to walk away from projects under development off New York, California and Louisiana.

RWE U.S. Offshore says its leases represented years of planning, investment and partnership with federal agencies.

But the company determined there was no path forward to permit the projects for the foreseeable future. In exchange for $1.22 billion, RWE is relinquishing the wind power leases.

The president often talks about his hatred of wind power. His administration has been buying back offshore wind leases to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuel development.

States that are losing offshore wind energy are suing. California intends to sue.

▶ Read more

Vance to meet with Senate Republicans on Thursday

The vice president is joining the Senate GOP’s lunch, where he’s expected to discuss a government funding bill and a proof-of-citizenship voting bill Trump is pushing to pass, according to a person familiar with the plans who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The person said the vice president wants to ensure that Republicans are working to get as much of the SAVE America Act passed through the budget reconciliation process. That would allow grant money tied to voting rules to pass the Senate by a simple majority.

Vance also planned to thank Senate Republicans for working to try to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.

Trump denies report that he is upset with Hegseth

The president’s post on social media was a response to a Washington Post report that Trump angrily confronted the defense secretary last week at Camp David over the U.S.’s depleted defense stockpiles in the wake of the Iran war.

“The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added that the war with Iran “is going very well!” and said he believed the newspaper’s reporting of the alleged disagreement was “treasonous.

Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’ of battleships to cost $275 billion, CBO says

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the first ship in the Navy’s new nuclear-powered battleship program would cost about $23 billion. The other 15 ships that would be purchased through 2056 would average slightly more than $18 billion each, it said.

“Congress cannot throw hundreds of billions of dollars at Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet,’ including plastering his name across a new battleship,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Budget Committee, who requested the assessment.

The White House had requested $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship as part of a government funding package that the Senate is considering this week to prevent a government shutdown this fall. Democrats blocked that provision from the package.

For contrast, the last of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers cost around $11 billion to build, while the newer Ford-class carriers will cost the Navy between $13 billion and $15 billion.

Trump’s IndyCar race: Doing 200 in a 25 mph zone with manhole cover-displacing torque

The president is hosting an IndyCar street race in Washington, D.C., as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, set for Aug. 22 and 23, will see cars speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue at up to eight times the usual 25 mph speed limit.

It is the latest — and the fastest — of the major events Trump has hosted against the backdrop of America’s birthday.

The IndyCar event will be 250 miles over 147 laps on a 1.66-mile track featuring seven turns. Race chair Bud Denker says Penske Corporation is paying for the “vast majority” of the race, while the city handles “very limited” repaving.

▶ Read more

Democrat says Paul would upend long-standing congressional respect for Fifth Amendment protections

Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee’s top Democrat, also questioned whether the referral would be valid if Paul bypassed the entire Senate, where the 60 votes needed to pass the resolution are seen as unlikely.

“If this committee now seeks to punish a witness for asserting their constitutionally protected Fifth Amendment rights, future witnesses will argue that appearing before Congress exposes them to punishment regardless of whether they comply with a subpoena and invoke a constitutional protection,” he said.

Fauci’s lawyer accuses Paul of abusing his power by trying to ‘weaponize the Justice Department’

“Today’s partisan committee vote is a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights,” Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, said in a statement. “The Senate should reject Senator Paul’s meritless and politically-motivated contempt resolution. For years, Senator Paul has proclaimed to anyone who would listen that Dr. Fauci should be prosecuted and put in prison. Dr. Fauci has committed no crime — and Senator Paul knows it.”

Iran war renews concerns about the lasting toll of traumatic brain injuries to US troops

The lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising fresh concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops who are suffering those wounds during a conflict without a clear end. Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks on bases in the Middle East and other fighting. Most have experienced traumatic brain injuries and returned to duty, according to public statements from military officials.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, last month called the vast majority of injuries over a two-week period “minor concussions.”

Concussions often are termed “mild” TBIs, and many people recover within weeks. But sometimes those with seemingly mild initial symptoms go on to have problems persisting for months or years, such as headaches, dizziness or difficulties with memory or attention that’s sometimes called “brain fog.”

Doctors have no way to predict who will suffer lasting problems, a vexing enough question that there’s medical debate over whether to retire the term “mild TBI.”

▶ Read more

Kennedy Center board to vote on closure next week

The board for the performing arts venue will meet Aug. 13 to consider whether to move forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting hasn’t been made public.

A federal judge blocked a closure that was slated to take effect July 5, saying the board vote authorizing it was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.” The judge also ruled that President Trump’s name was illegally added to the building, ordering its removal.

As the board, which is largely composed of Trump allies, moves toward another vote, management is expected to provide several options for consideration. They include a complete closure, a partial closure with the resumption of some programming or “phased closures” that would allow the full return of programming.

— Steven Sloan

Trump to welcome Winter Olympians to the White House

The president is hosting dozens of Winter Olympians and Paralympians for a Rose Garden reception later Thursday to honor their accomplishments in the 2026 Milano Cortina games.

Nearly half of the Team USA athletes who competed in Italy earlier this year will be at the reception, according to the White House, along with coaches, staff and other representatives.

Three hundred U.S. athletes participated in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics this year, winning 57 medals in all.

“President Trump will proudly celebrate Team USA’s historic achievements at the Winter Olympics with a special reception at the People’s House,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. “Our patriotic athletes showed the world American excellence, and their extraordinary performances united us all in our love of country.”

Trump administration moves forward with Head Start overhaul, proposing to eliminate regulations

President Donald Trump’s administration said it plans to overhaul Head Start, tossing out many of the regulations that are the hallmark of the early education program for the nation’s poorest children.

Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start’s position as the gold standard in early education.

Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled. That wouldn’t change under the overhaul.

But Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Service, said the department is hoping to give Head Start centers the flexibility to change the way they operate. That means eliminating most of Head Start’s regulations, such as standards for low staff-to-student ratios or requirements to provide services to preschoolers’ families.

▶ Read more

Pirro’s office is the next stop for Fauci’s contempt charge

The Senate has typically considered contempt charges even when they originate with a committee. But Paul is sending the matter directly to the Justice Department, bypassing the full Senate in a move Democrats decried as illegitimate.

That means the referral will land in the office of Washington’s U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

That’s notable given how Pirro has drawn fire recently from President Donald Trump over her effectively disputing the president’s false claims that vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Pirro dropped charges against a man accused of damaging the pool’s new lining, saying it was instead the result of shoddy contractor work.

So, now, Pirro could end up deciding whether to prosecute Fauci.

Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress

The Senate committee on Thursday voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the vote one week after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the panel.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection did not apply since Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution. Fauci and Democrats who opposed the contempt resolution say he had a well-founded fear of self-incrimination given a public desire by Republicans to seek his prosecution.

▶ Read more

Senators joust over Fifth Amendment right

Republicans and Democrats are digging in on differing interpretations of Fifth Amendment rights a person can invoke when questioned by authorities.

Republicans keep pointing to a presidential pardon for Fauci, suggesting that gave him cover from any prosecution related to his Senate testimony. And they’ve insisted the Supreme Court is on their side with a late 19th century case.

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri noted that he purposefully asked Fauci the color of his tie and other basic questions to test the “good faith” of Fauci using the Fifth Amendment. Hawley was incredulous that Fauci would not answer those questions.

Democrats maintain that if the law it’s clear, it’s in Fauci’s favor. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the committee should delay a contempt vote and instead consider giving Fauci clear immunity from any perjury charge in exchange for answering questions.

Republicans voted that pitch down 8-7.

Democrats’ delay tactics get voted down on party lines

Democrats called for the first votes with proposals to delay the resolution against Fauci.

Those moves failed along party lines, with the eight Republicans prevailing over seven Democrats.

That includes Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma voting with his fellow Republicans. During Fauci’s appearance, Lankford told Fauci multiple times that he recognized his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment. Other Republicans followed Paul’s lead and excoriated Fauci for his choice.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also stuck with his party after deviating in tone during Fauci’s appearance. Fetterman wasn’t critical of Fauci but he did not, as many Democrats did, blast Paul and the GOP majority’s approach.

Paul defends the committee’s role as ‘constitutional obligation’

The chairman firmly pushed back at Democrats’ assertions that he’s playing partisan politics.

“Oversight is not a courtesy this committee extends or a favor a former official grants us,” Paul said. “A subpoena is not an invitation. A subpoena with no consequence is not a subpoena. It’s a suggestion. Seeking the truth is not a witch hunt.”

Paul said he wasn’t trying to entrap Fauci.

“He had no liability if he told the truth,” he said.

Top Democrat questions Paul’s pursuit of a contempt vote

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking Democrat on the Senate panel, said the process to subpoena Fauci and now to hold him in contempt accomplish nothing to advance public health.

He called Sen. Paul’s work “a one-sided investigation and a rushed process ... that could harm our ability to conduct future investigations.”

Peters also expressed concerns that Paul could send a criminal contempt referral directly to federal prosecutors rather than allow a full Senate vote. Peters maintained that would violate Senate traditions on how to handle contempt.

Paul says the vote isn’t about Fauci’s policy but his refusal to testify

The Kentucky senator used his opening statement as chairman to insist that the contempt vote isn’t about Fauci’s policy decisions during the pandemic, though Paul got in plenty of digs over mask and vaccine mandates and U.S. investments in Chinese research the senator believes could be responsible for the virus.

Paul, a Republican, said the vote is simply about whether a person who gets a Senate subpoena can plead the Fifth Amendment, as Fauci did more than 100 times.

The chairman emphasized that Fauci already has a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden. In the senator’s view, that effectively leaves Fauci with no Fifth Amendment privileges. Some Democrats and Fauci advocates have argued that the 85-year-old immunologist still could face perjury charges given Paul’s and other Republicans’ repeated statements that he should be jailed.

Rand Paul’s Senate committee begins meeting for Anthony Fauci contempt vote

The Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has begun its meeting to consider holding Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt because he previously refused to answer the panel’s questions about how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic in his role as one of the federal government’s top public health officials.

Republicans hold a one-vote majority on the committee.

The resolution would refer Fauci to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, which is led by Jeanine Pirro.

Iran says a deal with Oman is close

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has said an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, which lies on the other side of the waterway, is in the “final stage” of drafting. Speaking Wednesday, he said a joint statement will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process,” apparently referring to the U.S.

The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.

The strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, around one fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

On Thursday, all eyes were on the U.S. for the next development.

▶ Read more

Senate panel to vote on holding Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer questions

The Senate committee is set to vote Thursday on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the Republican committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection didn’t apply since Fauci last year received a pardon from President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution.

But Fauci, in a statement issued before the hearing, said he had good reason to fear the possibility of criminal charges given what he said was Paul’s determination “to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote.”

▶ Read more

Leer en español

Maurice Timothy Dukes, 36, and his girlfriend, Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez, 22, are facing aggravated child abuse and child neglect charges.

Investigators said a doctor at Baptist Health Homestead Hospital told them that the boy, Dukes’ son, “was brought to the emergency department with various injuries” from the abuse, prompting police involvement. An arrest report doesn’t state who brought the boy there.

“The injuries appeared to be in various stages of healing and included the following: linear looped markings, abrasions and facial trauma with both of the victim’s eyes swollen and bruised,” the report states.

Police said Dukes, Gonzalez and the victim’s 12-year-old cousin inflicted the injuries.

The child’s aunt, Kiemaya Jackson, told Local 10 News through tears that the boy “had gashes, like he was whooped like a slave.”

“He had two big black eyes, his eyes were really swollen,” Jackson said. “The baby had bruises wrapped around his body from his neck all the way down to his feet, from the inner thighs.”

Authorities said both Dukes and Gonzalez admitted to beating the boy and admitted to not seeking medical attention.

Jackson said the boy had been in Dukes’ care since his mother, her niece, died several months ago.

“Every time we tried to hug him, he would flex like he was nervous,” Jackson said. “Paramedics, police, everybody cried. That baby went through a lot. He went through a lot.”

Gonzalez said she hit the child “with a belt and ‘chancleta’” because “no one would help her when she asked for help with caretaking,” according to the arrest report.

“I am hurt, because that is my nephew and if you were stressed I feel like you could’ve reached out for help,” Jackson said. “The damage that was done to my nephew, it really hurts. And we need answers to it.”

Police said Gonzalez additionally admitted that the boy’s cousin “struck the victim on the face multiple times after (he) bit him.”

Both adults were arrested while the 12-year-old was listed as being “at large” in the arrest report.

As of Wednesday, both adults were being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center: Dukes on a $6,000 bond and Gonzalez on a $4,000 bond.

The event is expected to boost tourism to Spain as eclipse enthusiasts flock to a swath of the country's north that will be in the path of total darkness on Aug. 12. Parts of Greenland, western Iceland and a corner of Portugal are also in the shadow's path.

Eclipse chasers may also join eclipse cruises in the north Atlantic. Much of the rest of the northern hemisphere will see a partial eclipse.

Interest surged for 2024 's total eclipse over North America, with many people using their smartphones to document it. This year's event is expected to be no different.

But an eclipse poses unique challenges for photos, such as drastic changes in lighting. Here are pointers on how smartphone shooters can get the best shot.

Find the best place to view and capture the eclipse

Location is key. If you're travelling to view the eclipse, you’ll want to be as close as possible to the path of totality.

The European Space Agency has posted a map of Spain on its website showing how many minutes of totality there will be for different parts of the country.

For more detail, eclipse expert Xavier Jubier’s website overlays the eclipse’s path on Google Maps, which allows zooming down to the street level.

Be aware that for most places in Europe the eclipse won’t happen until close to sunset, and the sun and moon will get closer to the horizon as it continues. So try to find a high point with clear views of the western horizon.

Use apps to help with advance planning

Weather conditions can change so consult forecast and cloud coverage apps like Astrospheric ahead of time to find locations with clearer skies.

The American Astronomical Society has a list of recommended iOS and Android apps, which can do helpful things like play an audio countdown to the moment of totality, and simulate how the eclipse will look from your position so you can set up a shot in advance.

You can take a good photo even if you don't have a manual camera

A digital SLR camera is your best bet for dramatic close-up photos of the moon passing in front of the sun.

But you can still take a good photo with a smartphone.

Be aware that iPhones and Android devices aren't really designed for photographing objects in the sky. Their lenses are great for wide-angle shots but not so good for capturing close-up detail from faraway.

But newer phones have sophisticated sensors, multiple lenses and image stabilization software that give you a better chance. Many also have exposure controls, so you can darken or lighten the image amid tricky eclipse lighting.

“The main challenge with using smartphone cameras for astronomical photography is that they tend to overexpose bright objects” such as the moon or the inner solar corona, the American Astronomical Society says in its online guide to photographing eclipses. At the same time, smartphones have trouble focusing on dim objects, which is “almost everything else in the sky,” the group says.

“Zooming in to make the subject bigger often helps.”

Just don’t use flash. It won't be effective and can spoil the moment for anyone around you whose eyes have adapted to darkness.

And don't just focus on the sky. Look at the scene around you. As the moon passes in front of the sun, the landscape will be “bathed in eerie lighting and shadows," NASA says in photo tips it posted for the 2024 eclipse.

“As light filters through the overlapping leaves of trees, it creates natural pinholes that project miniature eclipse replicas on the ground,” NASA says. “Anywhere you can point your camera can yield exceptional imagery, so be sure to compose some wide-angle photos that can capture your eclipse experience.”

Protect your eyes and your lens

If you're photographing the sun during the partial phases of the eclipse, the lens must be protected by a special-purpose solar filter, said Antonio Garcia Fernandez of Volunteer Astronomy Observers of Spain, a group of astronomers and professors that set up a website, Eclipse Seguro, to share safety information ahead of this year's eclipse.

The group recommends the Solar Snap filter, the only one designed for smartphones that's certified to the international ISO 12312-2 standard for solar filters.

Or just use a pair of eclipse glasses, which are more widely available, over the lens.

“This makeshift method is a great low-cost DIY alternative and was widely and successfully practiced by millions of observers during the recent 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses in the Americas,” Garcia Fernandez said.

Don't forget to also wear a pair of eclipse glasses if you're looking at the sun while lining up a shot.

Watch out for fake glasses. Eclipse Seguro and the American Astronomical Society list models that they've vetted for compliance with the ISO standard.

“Online marketplaces are currently flooded with uncertified or counterfeit glasses” with fake ISO labels, which can cause permanent blind spots in seconds, Garcia Fernandez said.

Steady your shot

Use a tripod for steady shots or if you plan to shoot for an extended time. To keep your gear from overheating as you wait for the big moment, grab a white towel to cover it up.

To prevent jostling your device when hitting the shutter, use a smartwatch shutter button app or set a timer to take the photo.

Can I take a selfie with the eclipse?

It’s tempting to make a TikTok or Instagram-friendly eclipse video. Perhaps you want a selfie video, narrating into the camera while the cosmic ballet between sun and moon plays out over your shoulder.

While you might think your vision isn’t at risk because you’re not looking at the sun, your phone’s screen could reflect harmful ultraviolet light, eye experts have warned.

____

Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip.

The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people. Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.

The current heat wave has exposed vulnerabilities in public health systems, power generation, transportation networks and tourism infrastructure, forcing governments and businesses to adapt to more frequent periods of extreme weather.

Italy's red alert in all major cities is a first

Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 cities monitored under its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday — the first time this year that the entire network has been under the highest warning level simultaneously.

The alerts stretch from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily and signal a health risk for the entire population, not only vulnerable groups such as older adults and people with chronic illnesses.

Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day, remain indoors where possible and drink plenty of water.

The heat has also forced adjustments at major tourist attractions. The ministries of tourism and culture extended evening opening hours at landmarks including Rome’s Colosseum and Pantheon.

Mist fans and an 'urban beach' set up to cool residents

Cooling mist fans have been installed at the Colosseum’s entrances and additional medical stations have been made available.

Rome has also introduced another unusual response to the heat emergency: a free municipal “urban beach” along the Tiber River in the Marconi neighborhood, where residents can cool off in swimming pools, water fountains and shaded areas.

The site, known as Tiberis, has become a refuge for families and children seeking relief from record temperatures. Residents praised the initiative, saying it allowed them to better cope with the heat and offered a rare opportunity to escape the city’s scorching asphalt and concrete.

“It is excellent, it is a great initiative. They did the right thing, specially with such hot days it is important to cool down with water, specially for children," Rome resident Claudio Rocchi said.

Austria and Slovakia break national temperature records

Later on Thursday, Slovakia recorded another all-time high temperature. The new record set at Dolne Plachtince in the south was 42.2 C (108 F), the Slovak Meteorological Institute said.

In Slovakia, the low levels of water in the Danube forced the country’s biggest hydroelectric power plant in Gabčíkovo to shut down seven of its eight turbines, the TASR news agency said.

So far this year, the power plant produced 15% less electricity than a year ago due to a lack of water in the river.

The authorities recorded the lowest flow of water in the Danube for July on record, the Academy of Sciences said.

An all-time high temperature of 41.2 C (106.2 F) was also recorded in Austria on Wednesday in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria.

Austria is also facing severe drought. Rainfall from Jan. 1 through June 30 was 27% below the long-term average nationwide, while some eastern regions received only half their normal precipitation.

Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of the country had not experienced such dry conditions since 1885.

Hungary cuts power use as drought hits nuclear plant

In Hungary, prolonged drought and record-low water levels on the Danube River have severely affected the country’s only nuclear power plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors.

Plant operators have reduced output to about 10% of normal production, prompting the government to introduce emergency conservation measures as a record-breaking heat wave grips the country.

Authorities have asked major industrial users and households to cut electricity consumption, particularly during peak demand hours between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Freight trains have been barred from operating during those hours, while decorative lighting on landmarks in Budapest has been switched off.

Several major companies, including energy company Mol, pharmaceutical maker Gedeon Richter and automakers Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW have announced plans to curb electricity use.

The government also canceled parliamentary sessions this week in an effort to conserve power.

The heat wave has shattered temperature records across the country. On Wednesday night, Budapest recorded its warmest overnight temperature on record, with temperatures falling only to 28 C (82 F), underscoring the persistence of the extreme heat.

Germany worries about shrinking rivers

Germany faced growing concerns over the impact of drought on transportation and industry as water levels on the Rhine and other rivers continued to fall.

Transport Minister Steffen Bilger met affected organizations Thursday and warned that low water levels posed major challenges for inland waterway shipping, industry and the broader logistics chain.

Environmental group BUND urged authorities to focus not only on the economic impacts but also on making rivers more resilient to climate change by retaining more water in landscapes and reducing withdrawals during periods of drought.

France remains on high wildfire alert

In southeastern France, firefighters maintained a large presence in the Var region after authorities said a major wildfire there was no longer spreading but remained capable of reigniting.

The blaze, which began July 20, has burned more than 60 square kilometers (23 square miles), making it the largest recorded in the region in recent decades.

Authorities warned that strong winds and extremely dry conditions left southeastern France at very high risk for additional wildfires.

Temperatures cooled in England, but the impact from the driest July on record was on display as a grass fire temporarily shut down the southern runway at Heathrow Airport in London on Thursday.

Balkans battle fires and drought

The heat wave reached its peak across the Balkans on Thursday as temperatures neared 40 C (104 F) and authorities battled drought and wildfires.

In Serbia, firefighters struggled to contain several blazes after days of dry weather. One major fire burned through pine forests west of Belgrade, while another spread near the central town of Kraljevo, where difficult terrain complicated firefighting efforts.

In neighboring Croatia, tourists in Dubrovnik sought refuge in shade and avoided beaches during the hottest hours of the day as temperatures soared along the Adriatic coast.

———

Associated Press journalists Paolo Santalucia in Rome, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, Karel Janicek in Prague and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.

The famed director of seminal horror films like “The Thing” and “Halloween” says the movie business is all “corporate” nowadays. So the 78-year-old prefers to find alternative, less expensive ways to stay creatively fulfilled.

After a dream about an abandoned downtown Los Angeles church with an elevator that goes to hell, Carpenter, who is also a prolific composer, enlisted his godson, Daniel Davies, and his son, Cody, to collaborate on the album. It’s comprised of spooky instrumental tracks evocative of some of his iconic classics, like the theme from “Halloween.” He then turned to his wife, Sandy King, who is a comic book publisher, for help with the graphic novel.

Carpenter, his son and Davies spoke with The Associated Press about their artistic process, concerns over artificial intelligence and having nightmares about Boston Celtics great Larry Bird. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: Tell me where the idea for this project came from?

JOHN CARPENTER: I thought, I’m a movie director by profession in the old days, and this album would be a great score for a movie. However, this movie would cost several hundred million dollars, so why not do a graphic novel? My wife owns a comic book company, so let’s write the novel and illustrate it, and we can score that.

AP: Has that been your process in the past? To come up with the music first and then the film?

JOHN CARPENTER: No, the other way around. I direct the movie, cut it together the way I want it, and then I look at it for music. So, the music is simply functional. It supports the story and the characters and so forth.

The movie business has changed since I was in it full-time. It’s all corporate now. I came from student filmmaking, where we didn’t have any money, so we couldn’t hire a composer. I had to do it myself. But now I got these bums to do it with me, and so I don’t have to work as hard.

AP: The idea for this came to you in a dream. Do you often draw inspiration from dreams?

JOHN CARPENTER: Never. This is the first time. Most of my dreams are pretty similar, and they’re not made for movies. They’re always about me being lost in a city and trying to find my way home, but the streets change on me, and I can’t find my way home. Or I’m looking for the movie theater district, and when I get there, they’re all closed.

CODY CARPENTER: I’ve been keeping a dream journal since college. I have these psychotic dreams. I just like to remember them, you know?

JOHN CARPENTER: The basketball dream? Didn’t you see somebody start dribbling?

CODY CARPENTER: It was Larry Bird. But it turned out that he was dead and I was interacting with his ghost.

AP: John, as someone who has worked with low budgets and who likes to experiment, have you played around with AI at all?

JOHN CARPENTER: Well, people tell me it’s dangerous. I don’t — what does that mean? Does that mean it’s starting to learn on its own?

AP: I think it depends on who you talk to.

DAVIES: We like to make music. I would like it to help do more task-kind of things, like predict new tracks and know my workflow. But we like to make stuff, so why would we use it?

CODY CARPENTER: I don’t know. I know someone who does AI music stuff a lot, and he sends me all this stuff that he does and, I mean, I think at some point we won’t have a job anymore. I really think it’s amazing, just how fast it’s progressing. But I don’t know. Nobody knows.

JOHN CARPENTER: Music, I think, is the greatest art form. I hate to say it. But it doesn’t require anything. We can all listen to it in different countries. Great music moves us. And you’re telling me a machine can do that? I don’t believe it. That bothers me. This is a human thing. I want it to come from us. I really do.

AP: I recently watched “Prince of Darkness” for the first time. I really liked it. It seems under-appreciated.

JOHN CARPENTER: Why is it that you just saw it?

AP: You're right. I wish I had seen it sooner. Are there films of yours that you feel like maybe have been under-appreciated?

JOHN CARPENTER: I’m glad you liked it. I am happy with almost every movie I made.

AP: What are you not happy with?

JOHN CARPENTER: I'm not going to tell you.

The Houston doctor is among an estimated 1 million Americans who have Lynch syndrome, a faulty gene passed from a parent that puts them at extremely high risk of colorectal cancer and more vulnerable to certain other cancers, too. They’re often urged to get yearly colonoscopies — far more often than usual — that can spot and remove precancerous growths called polyps.

Now scientists are creating vaccines that aim to go further, teaching the immune system to intercept this type of brewing colon cancer before it turns into a full-fledged tumor. At least three potential Lynch syndrome vaccines are in development, including two in early clinical trials in the U.S. and a third beginning in Britain.

The shot that Norton helped test appears promising enough that its lead researcher, Dr. Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, expects a larger study to begin early next year.

“It gives me hope,” said Norton, 59, of Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. She had already survived a different Lynch-caused cancer and has two children in their 20s who inherited her mutation. If a vaccine pans out, “perhaps they won’t have to have a colonoscopy every single year for the rest of their lives.”

Lynch syndrome is caused by an inherited genetic mutation

Everyone has what are called mismatch-repair genes, which are essentially spellcheckers to help fix DNA mistakes that can occur when our cells multiply. With Lynch syndrome, one of those genes can’t do its job properly, making it harder for the body to stop a buildup of abnormalities that can lead to tumors, often before age 50.

Colorectal cancer is the most common consequence. The average person has a 5% risk of developing it during their lifetime. A Lynch carrier’s risk can reach as high as 80% depending on which faulty gene they inherit, Vilar-Sanchez said.

Another big risk is endometrial, or uterine, cancer. Lynch carriers also are more likely to get other cancers including pancreatic, stomach, ovarian and certain skin cancers — and a kind of brain tumor that killed Norton’s sister at age 25.

Norton knew some of her mother’s relatives had also experienced colon cancer, but she was in her 40s before a gene test confirmed she has Lynch syndrome. She switched from every-so-often to yearly colonoscopies. As an obstetrician/gynecologist familiar with other Lynch risks, Norton also decided to have a precautionary hysterectomy. Surgeons discovered early-stage cancer in her removed uterus.

Possible vaccines to stop gene-caused cancer

Today there are two cancer-preventing vaccines, the HPV and hepatitis B shots that block infection from those tumor-causing viruses. But developing vaccines to prevent gene-caused cancer is more challenging than alerting the body to foreign intruders like a virus.

Lynch-fueled growths “tend to accumulate hundreds of mutations that are going to generate proteins that are novel, not made by our normal cells,” Vilar-Sanchez said. “You can train the immune system to recognize those proteins.”

In a first-step study, Norton and 44 other Lynch carriers tested a vaccine made by Swiss biotech Nouscom that teaches the immune system to spot 209 of those abnormalities in Lynch-caused precancers. That revved up tumor-eliminating T cells and a year later, colonoscopies showed fewer precancerous growths and no advanced polyps, the MD Anderson team reported in Nature Medicine.

“Can we even further stimulate the immune system” to keep up with Lynch syndrome-spurred tumor formation, asked Dr. John Marshall, a Georgetown University oncologist and adviser to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance who wasn’t involved with the study. “This early paper suggests that yeah, maybe we can.”

For the first time since 2014, Norton’s own colonoscopies one and two years after vaccination were polyp-free. She’s also part of a subset of study participants given a booster shot a year later; more data on that is expected this fall.

Oxford University researchers are beginning initial testing of a similar approach to attack Lynch-spurred precancers, a vaccine made by Massachusetts-based Moderna using the mRNA technology behind its COVID-19 shot.

And scientists are awaiting results from a slightly larger study comparing California-based ImmunityBio’s Tri-Ad5 vaccine, which flags some different cancer markers, to a placebo.

Is Lynch syndrome tied to the rise in young adult colon cancer?

About 158,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the U.S. each year, most of them over 50. Cases in younger adults are increasing, though it isn't clear why.

Lynch syndrome affects about 1 in 279 people. While most don’t know it, more may be learning they have the inherited disorder, Vilar-Sanchez said, as genetic testing is increasingly discussed with people with Lynch-related cancer in the family or who get certain tumors at young ages. That in turn can show if close relatives might also be at risk.

For the average person, U.S. guidelines call for routine colorectal cancer screening — with a colonoscopy or other kinds of tests — to begin at age 45. But at any age, get a checkup for symptoms such as blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.

___

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.

When a roadside bomb struck his Humvee convoy months later, the explosion’s shock wave swept through his body before headaches and sleeplessness set in for days.

“As long as you got back up and could go back on patrol, that’s kind of what you did,” he said.

Shearer, 40, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, links both events in 2005 to traumatic brain injuries, which were only recently diagnosed. He's still plagued with symptoms ranging from dizziness and migraines to forgetting daily tasks and responsibilities to his wife and children.

___

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

___

The lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising fresh concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops who are suffering those wounds during a conflict without a clear end. Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks on bases in the Middle East and other fighting. Most have experienced traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, and returned to duty, according to public statements from military officials.

The Pentagon's chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, last month called the vast majority of injuries over a two-week period "minor concussions.”

Doctors can't predict who may have lasting effects from a TBI

Concussions often are termed “mild” TBIs, and many people recover within weeks. But sometimes those with seemingly mild initial symptoms go on to have problems persisting for months or years, such as headaches, dizziness or difficulties with memory or attention that's sometimes called “brain fog.”

Doctors have no way to predict who will suffer lasting problems, a vexing enough question that there’s medical debate over whether to retire the term “mild TBI.” Repeated blows are known to increase the chances of lasting problems, including a degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. It has gained attention for links to deaths in the National Football League and other sports.

It’s imperative that people recover from a concussion before doing activities that put them at increased risk of another, said Dr. David Okonkwo, a University of Pittsburgh brain trauma specialist.

Doctors also are still learning how explosive blasts injure the brain versus a physical blow.

“The blast wave itself can be injurious,” said Dr. James Kelly, an emeritus professor of neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and chief medical scientist at the Invisible Wounds Foundation, which is focused on military brain injuries. “It’s a different cellular injury. Blast is a different thing than a blunt injury to the head.”

Troops have been facing a new type of warfare with Iran in which drones may explode closer to their heads, as opposed to the ground-level roadside bombs and improvised explosives that were more common in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the care that wounded troops received following an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait that killed six U.S. soldiers early in the war. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed the military in a letter on Wednesday to release the findings of its investigation into the March 1 attack.

“I spoke directly with Wisconsinites who sustained traumatic brain injuries from (President Donald) Trump’s war in Iran and went weeks without so much as a screening, let alone specialized care, for their injuries,” Baldwin said in a statement.

Defense Health Agency spokesman Peter Graves said in an email that “it is policy that service members are screened for TBI.”

Experts say the military has made strides in screening and treating TBIs, a signature injury in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 500,000 service members were diagnosed between 2000 and 2025, with 82% of cases considered mild and not all of them related to combat. But advocates say the injuries could still be undercounted because symptoms often overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions.

A TBI diagnosis can emerge years later

Neither of the two blasts Shearer experienced in Iraq produced obvious injuries, and medics prioritized Marines who were more badly hurt.

“You don’t want to be the guy who goes to sick call or says, ‘Oh, I’m hurt,’ because you’re away from your team,” Shearer said. “There’s this culture of you don’t want to be seen as lesser or weak, so you hide injuries inherently.”

When he came home at age 19, he denied he had PTSD and didn't know what a TBI was. Plagued by nightmares, sleeplessness and headaches, he initially turned to drugs to self-medicate and considered suicide.

Shearer eventually got help for PTSD, but it took years for him to consider that he suffered traumatic brain injuries. He was working for the Wounded Warrior Project and screening fellow vets for TBIs when he realized he checked many of the same boxes.

He's since been diagnosed and received treatment. But challenges remain, including vertigo and light sensitivity. He also forgets important conversations with his family.

“I know that some of that stuff is stereotypical, but for me, it's got a different ring to it,” Shearer said. “There will be no memory of the conversation happening.”

The brain can adapt with treatments and therapies

Memory loss is something Army veteran Frank Sonntag also experienced following a TBI from a mortar blast in Iraq in 2004.

He was in his 50s and training reservists when he felt a blast of wind against his ear from an explosion 70 feet (21 meters) away. He didn’t know he was hurt and didn't seek treatment for two years, ignoring intensifying headaches and brain fog.

It got to the point where it took 30 minutes to write an email, while colleagues told him he spoke one word every 10 seconds. He considered suicide and was diagnosed only after he got lost driving home. Neurologists prescribed medication for his migraines, among other treatments.

“Speech therapy was one of the greatest things I had,” added Sonntag, 75, of Queen Creek, Arizona. “They taught me how to practice the words I was speaking and how to put sentences together again.”

Kelly Parker, director of independent services at the Wounded Warrior Project, said it's hard to predict an injury's trajectory.

“If you've seen one TBI, you've seen one TBI," she said.

Screening, early treatment and support can be crucial to returning to a more normal life. Physical, speech and art therapies can lead to improvements, she said.

“There’s still so much we don’t know about the brain, but one thing that we do know is it can heal itself,” Parker said. “We know that new neural pathways can be created, and we absolutely believe that the brain can adapt. We've seen it happen.”

Army veteran Spencer Milo said some people struggle to understand why he's still dealing with migraines, seizures and forgetfulness after so many years out of uniform.

His first TBI occurred in Iraq in 2008, when his Humvee smashed into a wall to evade fire. His second came from the blast of a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2011.

“I’ve had fellow service members that were even with me on those days, and they’re like, ‘Dude, why can’t you just kick it?’” said Milo, 41, of Parker, Colorado. “I really wish it was that simple. It’s tough because when you can’t see something, it’s hard to believe that it’s really there.”

___

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.

It's the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, that an Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian in the West Bank, said Israeli rights group B'Tselem.

In the document, state attorneys accuse Yinon Levi, a settler who lives in an outpost in the southern West Bank, of reckless manslaughter in the death of prominent Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in July 2025. Under Israeli law, reckless manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.

Levi is also accused of armed trespassing and malicious property damage.

Hathaleen was a prominent community leader who advocated against settler violence in the southern West Bank. He was involved in the 2025 Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” which chronicled the fight by Palestinian residents to protect their homes and villages.

Activist's family, lawyer hope for change as settler vows to fight back

“I hope that it will be a turning point for more severe enforcement of the law in the West Bank against Jewish terrorists,” said Eitan Peleg, the lawyer for Hathaleen’s family.

Tariq Hathaleen, Awdah’s cousin and lifelong friend, said that while the indictment won’t bring his relative back, the family “still believes this is something really, really big. It’s good for the settlers to learn that they shouldn’t shoot at us.”

Levi on Thursday wrote back to prosecutors saying he would fight for his innocence in court, according to a letter he shared with The Associated Press. He wrote that prosecutors should not penalize acts of self-defense, accusing them of providing “de facto support for terrorism.”

When reached by phone, Avichay Hajbi, Levi's lawyer, said the prosecution had made a “mistaken decision.” He said the defense would respond to the accusations in court.

A spokesperson for the prosecutors’ office confirmed that the indictment had been filed in the city of Beersheba and that Levi is not currently under arrest. She said a meeting will be scheduled in the coming weeks where prosecutors will read Levi the charges against him.

Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, says B’Tselem.

“The decision to indict Yinon Levi is the exception that proves the rule. The impunity Israel grants to soldiers and settlers who harm Palestinians is not a failure of the system — it is a central component of a policy designed to allow the violence to continue and escalate,” wrote Yair Dvir, spokesperson for B’Tselem.

Footage of the attack shows settler firing shots

The indictment comes just over a year after Hathaleen’s death.

Video from the day showed Levi shooting in the direction of buildings and a group of Palestinians in Hathaleen’s village, Umm al-Khair, on the day the activist was killed.

One video showed Levi firing two shots, while another, which family members say was taken by Hathaleen himself, showed Levi firing toward the person holding the camera. The footage cuts, but the person can still be heard moaning in pain.

The indictment, issued by Israel's Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, says that the first shot Levi fired struck Hathaleen, who was standing in a courtyard 20 meters (about 65 feet) away, documenting the scene. The bullet punctured Hathaleen’s lung and chest, and he collapsed to the floor and started bleeding.

He was already dead when he arrived at the hospital, the indictment says, after going into hypovolemic shock and respiratory failure.

Hathaleen was a teacher and father who often hosted international activists and visitors in his home.

Levi was among the Israeli settlers sanctioned by the United States and other Western countries over allegations of violence toward Palestinians in 2024. U.S. President Donald Trump lifted the U.S. sanctions after taking office the following year.

Levi has been seen roaming lands near the village of Umm Al-Khair multiple times since the shooting, residents told the AP. They said they continue to experience near-daily intrusions by settlers living in outposts and settlements nearby.

Peleg, lawyer for the Hathaleen family, credited the indictment to the strength of the video evidence against Levi and perseverance.

“We were in my office, applying constant pressure on the police and the district attorney,” he said. “We didn’t leave them to do what they wanted.”

___

Associated Press writer Koral Saeed contributed to this report from Herzliya, Israel.

Professor Jason Arday, who was 37 when he became a Cambridge professor in 2023, announced his decision late Wednesday following weeks of allegations about plagiarism in his academic work and questions surrounding claims about his athletic and fundraising accomplishments.

“While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement,” Arday said in a statement. “The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love.”

The statement was distributed by the Good Law Project, a campaign group that has supported Arday since the criticism spilled into the media last month. An earlier letter circulated by the group and signed by more than two dozen academics and politicians described the plagiarism allegations as a “smear campaign” designed to undermine Arday and other Black people who hold “positions of influence.”

Arday’s appointment at Cambridge highlighted his personal story of overcoming dyslexia, developmental delays and autism that he said left him non-verbal until the age of 11 and illiterate until his late teens. Arday tells his story in the memoir “Great and Unfortunate Things,” which comes out next week. Publisher Simon & Schuster issued a statement Thursday saying that it would release the book “as planned.”

Questions about his qualifications were raised publicly last month by Nathan Cofnas, a one-time Cambridge philosophy researcher who left the university after his critique of diversity, equity and inclusion programs sparked widespread protests.

On July 24, the Times of London published an analysis of Arday’s 2015 Ph.D. thesis highlighting what it said were multiple examples of passages that were “identical or near-identical” to an earlier paper written by another researcher.

The British media also raised questions about Arday’s claims that he had raised 5.5 million pounds ($7.4 million) for charity through feats such as running 30 marathons in 35 days and 600 miles in six days.

Arday told the Guardian news website that the money was raised with the help of others over a 20-year period. He said non-disclosure agreements prevented him from naming the others.

Cambridge initially stood by Arday, saying that the plagiarism allegations had been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday’s doctorate.

That changed Wednesday when Cambridge opened its inquiry.

“The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Professor Arday’s qualifications and honorary appointments,” the university said in a statement. “In order to ensure a fair process, we will not comment further until this has concluded.”

The Times of London said Cambridge decided to investigate after it presented new evidence that some of Arday’s research was “fabricated” and contained “impossible” evidence.

In an interview with the newspaper published last week, Arday denied plagiarism but admitted to some mistakes that he said were partly due to a lack of supervision when he was working on his doctorate.

Arday continued to defend himself in his resignation statement, saying his decision “should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship.”

“Nor should it be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me’” he said. “It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure.”

The annual Huang Kuang drills kicked off on Wednesday and are set to extend through Aug. 14 in various locations around the island. The live-fire exercises will test the Taiwanese army’s ability to sustain 24-hour defense operations as well as counter China’s “gray-zone tactics,” which stop just short of open warfare.

China claims the self-ruled democracy as its own territory, and has not renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. Taiwan dismisses China’s claims and insists it is a sovereign state.

The United States, while not recognizing Taiwan as a country, sees all threats to the island as a matter of great concern. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

The drills show closer ties with the U.S. military

While there has long been speculation that the U.S. military has been quietly training Taiwanese troops, the collaboration between the two sides has been more visible in recent weeks. A key component of the Han Kuang drills, for example, is the practice of a U.S.-inspired military communications method called backbriefing, where subordinates explain to commanders how they plan to carry out assigned missions.

The communication drills are intended to encourage first-line fighters to be more self-reliant and effective in battle, experts say.

“The most important new development in this year’s Han Kuang is the incorporation of American-style military training methods, which are aimed at enhancing the coordination and combat readiness of the Taiwanese military,” said William Yang, a senior Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group.

The drills thus “stay away from the mostly performative tasks of firepower display” of past years and instead focus on building real combat capabilities, Yang added.

Emphasis on reservists and urban resilience

Another focus of this year’s drills is that they will mobilize one of the largest numbers yet of reservists, of around 20,000 personnel, according to local media. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry did not say how many reservists will be involved in the drills.

The emphasis on reserves illustrates Taiwan’s efforts to address the military power asymmetry between itself and China, Yang said. China maintains the world’s largest army, of more than 2 million active-duty personnel, almost nine times the size of Taiwan’s active-duty armed forces.

Another focus of the military drills, reflecting Taiwan’s longstanding emphasis on civil defense, are urban resilience drills. These will take place on different days in the major cities of Kaohsiung, Taichung and the capital, Taipei. During the drills, mobile internet speed will be reduced for about 30 minutes to simulate telecommunications interference in case of an attack.

The emphasis on combat readiness and civilian preparedness reflect Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s priorities amid political constraints, said Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University. Lai has sought to pass a $40 billion special defense budget for U.S. arms purchases and local defense manufacturing. A much smaller version of the budget, of $24.8 billion, was eventually approved by the opposition-controlled parliament.

“Given that Lai has been constrained on his ability to pass a budget that could even supply the kinds of weapons he would want to test, he has had to look to what he is able to do given the domestic political gridlock,” Nachman said.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan remain in question

Despite closer informal ties between the U.S. and Taiwan militaries, questions remain around a massive $14 billion arms sales package to Taiwan that U.S. President Donald Trump has yet to approve. After traveling to China in May, Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with Beijing, raising anxieties on the island about continued U.S. support.

Trump also said after his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that he does not want to “travel 9,500 miles (15,300 kilometers) to fight a war” over Taiwan.

In that context, seeing the U.S. influence on Taiwan’s military drills offers a “silver lining” in terms of Washington's commitment to Taiwan, Nachman said.

“Even though Trump and those close to him have flip-flopped on supporting Taiwan, the connection between the two militaries remains strong, enough to at least ensure that Taiwan is still able to learn at a high level from the U.S.,” he said.

But when he arrived Tuesday at a mobile clinic in the West Bank village of Iktaba, pulling the tattered prescription from his pocket, a local aid group finally gave him the medication he needs.

Musleh, who has a pacemaker, is one of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians struggling to get healthcare in the West Bank, where a report released Thursday by Physicians for Human Rights Israel warns that Israeli policies have pushed the territory's health system to the brink of collapse.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began nearly three years ago, Israel has withheld billions of dollars of tax and customs revenues collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, the government body that administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Without those funds, the PA has struggled to pay health workers, buy medications and support public hospitals, pharmacies and clinics, 75% of which have reduced operations and are functioning just once or twice a week.

At the same time, Israeli military raids and a surge in new checkpoints are also impeding the ability of Palestinians to get adequate medical care, with life-threatening consequences.

“If this continues, it is patients — not institutions — who will pay the price,” said Milena Ansari, PHRI's director of the Occupied Palestinian Territory Department, who wrote the report.

Israel has withheld at least $2.5 billion in revenues from the West Bank

Because Palestinians don't control their own borders, the PA relies on Israel to collect taxes on goods that enter the West Bank through Israeli ports. But rights groups for decades have accused Israel of weaponizing the funds as a means of political pressure.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stopped sending monthly clearance revenues to the PA last year and, as of June, Israel had cumulatively withheld at least $2.5 billion from the PA since 2023, according to the International Crisis Group.

Smotrich's office and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Associated Press.

In an interview with the AP, Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said that unpaid staff aren't showing up to work, creating a backlog of cases and delaying routine surgeries. Earlier this year, Palestinian doctors went on strike and some primary healthcare centers closed.

Some of the most impacted are those with cancer, kidney and heart problems, older people and those who have been displaced, health officials said.

At PHRI's mobile clinic in Iktaba, hundreds of people streamed in seeking treatment.

Mohammed Sarris said it's been weeks since he's been able to get the eye drops he needs for irritation caused by his diabetes.

The 64-year-old has been relying on the mobile clinic since he was forced from his home last year in the Nur Shams refugee camp, where he had easier access to healthcare provided by UNRWA, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.

A retired government worker, he earns a meager pension, often rationing medicine so he can afford food.

"It's degrading. ... All of this has affected us a lot,” he said.

The UN and other aid agencies say more patients are coming to their clinics

Physicians for Human Rights Israel said the number of patients at its mobile clinics has doubled in the last two years, from about 250 a day to around 500.

Roland Friedrich, UNRWA's West Bank director, said there's been a marked increase in patients at its health centers across the territory. The agency is trying to bridge the gap, but lacks funds to scale up health services and faces Israeli restrictions on imports of medications, he said.

Earlier this year, Israel revoked the licenses of more than three dozen humanitarian organizations, among them Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF.

Last year, MSF had 12 mobile clinics operating in the South Hebron Hills. But because they could no longer coordinate their movements with the Israeli military, the group reduced the number of clinics it runs by half, impacting more than 40,000 people, said Joan Tubau, head of mission for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

More Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks prevent Palestinians from accessing care

The lack of medicine, staff shortages and reduced services are being compounded by harsher Israeli restrictions on freedom of movement in the West Bank.

In recent years, the military has erected new barriers, checkpoints and roadblocks, closing off towns and cities, sometimes with little warning.

In July, at least two women gave birth in ambulances because checkpoints were closed, said Aseel Baidoun, deputy director of advocacy and campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestinians, or MAP, an international organization. One of the babies was stillborn.

She said three others also died trying to get to hospitals this year, including two more infants and a 30-year-old woman who died of a heart attack after an ambulance was stopped at a checkpoint near Sinjil, outside Ramallah.

The Israeli military has denied that it prevents medical treatment for civilians and said there is no intention to delay treatment or medical evacuations.

In response to questions about the stillborn infant, who was delivered in an ambulance near Nablus, the army said the emergency vehicle hadn’t completed “required coordination” prior to arriving at the checkpoint. It said the military conducted a security check, which only lasted a few minutes.

Dr. Leen Ibrahim, who works with MAP, said one of the consequences of this crisis is the impact on mental health.

“People here feel suffocated by everything they’re going through," she said.

At the clinic Tuesday, some Palestinians broke down waiting for hours to be seen.

“The line is so long,” said Asala Wawi, 65, wiping tears from her face as she got her eyes checked. “I'm tired."

———-

Associated Press journalists Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Koral Saeed in Herzliya, Israel, contributed.