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A south-east wind direction has helped push the smoke and haze from the brush fires more inland so air quality has improved for much of Broward County, but there is an air quality alert in effect for Miami-Dade until 3 p.m.

The fire dubbed “Quarry 2,” east of Krome Avenue, has been the most widespread, burning 19,018 acres so far. It is 97% contained, while the Well Fire, near Northwest 122nd Avenue, has burned 2,749 acres. It is 85% contained.

No road closures are currently in effect due to the wildfires.

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According to the Los Angeles Times, Carvalho resigned Sunday evening.

“Placing students first has always guided my work,” Carvalho wrote in his resignation letter. “Because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction, I am resigning as Superintendent of LAUSD effective today, June 21, 2026.”

The school board confirmed that it received a letter of resignation from Carvalho, noting that his resignation took effect on Sunday.

“The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring stability, continuity, and continued progress through strong leadership,” the school board said in a statement. “Our focus remains unchanged: providing every student with a high-quality education, supporting our dedicated workforce, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve.”

The school said Andrés Chait would remain acting superintendent “until a permanent decision is made.”

The LA Times reported that it’s unclear whether Carvalho negotiated a settlement with the district as his “contract sets a minimum of a 12-month payout were the district to terminate his employment without cause.”

Following the Feb. 25 raid, the district said in a statement that it “is cooperating with the investigation and we do not have further information at this time.” The FBI also searched a third location Southwest Ranches.

Rukelt Dalberis, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, confirmed that agents were at the properties to serve warrants but declined to comment further because affidavits laying out details for the basis for the searches were under seal.

According to the LA Times, law enforcement sources later confirmed that the investigation was “tied at least in part to Carvalho’s interaction with a subcontractor that brought a failed AI chatbot venture to the district.”

Through attorneys, Carvalho issued a public statement after the raids, claiming that he committed no wrongdoing.

Before taking the helm of the Los Angeles district in 2022, Carvalho oversaw Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida’s largest school district, from 2008 to 2021. During his tenure, he was credited with improving graduation rates and academic performance. The national superintendents association named him Superintendent of the Year in 2014, and Spain knighted the Portugal-born administrator in 2021 for his work in expanding Spanish-language programs for Miami-Dade County schools.

In California, Carvalho has stood out as a harsh critic of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, especially following raids in Los Angeles last year. When its 500,000 students returned to classes in the fall, Carvalho urged immigration authorities not to conduct enforcement activity within a two-block radius of schools.

Carvalho arrived in Los Angeles at a critical moment, as the district found itself flush with funding from state and federal COVID-19 relief money but still struggling with the impacts of the pandemic, including learning losses and declining enrollment. He previously sparred with Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis over his order that schools not require masks during the pandemic.

Officials with the Miami-Dade school system have not confirmed whether the FBI or other federal agencies have contacted them regarding Carvalho.

A spokesperson for Miami-Dade County Public Schools told Local 10 News in February that they were aware of the investigation and “have no comment” at this time.

The Feb. 25 search was the second time in a week that the Justice Department had taken action against the LA school district. On Feb. 19, the Trump administration joined a lawsuit alleging that the district discriminates against white students under its decades-old desegregation policy.

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De la Espriella, a defense attorney who campaigned as the law-and-order candidate “El Tigre,” or “The Tiger,” and José Manuel Restrepo, a former finance minister and the vice president-elect, celebrated in Barranquilla.

“He Won, BIG,” Trump wrote on Truth Social about De la Espriella on Sunday night.

About 41 million Colombians were eligible to vote, 26.3 million cast their ballots in the runoff election, including 12.9 million who voted for De la Espriella, according to Colombia’s National Registry.

With 99.99% of the polling stations’ ballots tallied, 49.66% voted for De La Espriella, 47, and 48.7% for Cepeda, 63, according to the runoff election’s results released by Colombia’s National Registry on Sunday.

As Colombian judges scrutinized the preliminary results of the runoff presidential election, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Iván Cepeda, the left-wing presidential candidate, did not recognize the results.

“As of today, there is no elected president until the electoral commissions deliver their results,” Petro wrote in a statement released on X on Sunday night. “As I said this morning, I will accept the result that the judges declare because that is what the law orders.”

Once Colombia’s independent electoral authorities review and announce the legally binding result, De La Espriella plans to be sworn into office for his four-year term as the country’s 48th president on Aug. 7.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement saying he had also congratulated De la Espriella during a conversation over the phone.

“The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties,” Rubio wrote to De La Espriella on X. “Colombia’s best days are ahead.”

Related reports

• Iván Cepeda reacts to ‘not official or binding’ preliminary vote count
• Historic day for Colombians: Trump-backed De la Espriella heads for narrow presidential win

• Polls close in South Florida
• Polls open in South Florida

El tiroteo ocurrió cerca de la intersección de Biscayne Boulevard y la calle 86 del noreste, de acuerdo con el Departamento de Policía de Miami Shores. El personal de Rescate de Bomberos de Miami-Dade trasladó al herido al Centro de Trauma Ryder del Hospital Jackson Memorial.

Antes de los disparos, el sospechoso portaba “dos armas de filo grande” y causó “un disturbio” en el concesionario Tropical Chevrolet en Miami Shores, detalló la policía. Los agentes habían acudido al establecimiento, ubicado en el 8880 de Biscayne Boulevard, poco después de las 2:10 p.m., pero el individuo ya se había retirado del lugar.

Una patrulla del Departamento de Policía de Miami se encontraba estacionada en la escena del tiroteo, donde quedaron abandonados casquillos de bala y una mochila negra. El Departamento de Cumplimiento de la Ley de Florida asumió la investigación del incidente.

De la Espriella, un abogado defensor de 47 años que basó su propuesta política en el orden público bajo el apodo de “El Tigre”, celebró la victoria en Barranquilla junto a José Manuel Restrepo, exministro de Hacienda y vicepresidente electo de la coalición opositora Defensores de la Patria. “Ganó en GRANDE”, escribió Trump el domingo por la noche a través de su plataforma Truth Socialal referirse al triunfo del candidato derechista, consolidando un drástico giro político en la nación andina.

Cerca de 41 millones de colombianos estaban habilitados para votar, y 26.3 millones acudieron a las urnas en esta histórica segunda vuelta electoral, registrando una participación del 64.1%. De ellos, 12.9 millones respaldaron a De la Espriella, de acuerdo con los datos consolidados de la Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil de Colombia. Con el 99.99% de las mesas escrutadas en el conteo preliminar del domingo, De la Espriella obtuvo el 49.66% de los sufragios, mientras que su rival de izquierda, el senador Iván Cepeda, de 63 años, alcanzó el 48.7%, una diferencia estrecha de apenas 252,000 votos que refleja la profunda polarización del país.

Mientras los jueces de las comisiones escrutadoras examinan estos resultados preliminares para el conteo oficial y definitivo, el actual presidente colombiano, Gustavo Petro, y el candidato Iván Cepeda se negaron a reconocer el desenlace de inmediato.

“Al día de hoy no hay presidente electo hasta que las comisiones escrutadoras entreguen sus resultados”, manifestó Petro en un comunicado emitido en la red social X.

El mandatario añadió que acatará el dictamen final de los jueces conforme a la ley. Una vez que las autoridades electorales independientes confirmen el veredicto definitivo, De la Espriella tiene previsto asumir el cargo el próximo 7 de agosto como el presidente número 48 de la nación para un mandato de cuatro años.

Por su parte, el secretario de Estado de EE. UU., Marco Rubio, emitió una declaración informando que también se comunicó telefónicamente con De la Espriella para expresarle sus parabienes y delinear la agenda bilateral inmediata.

“La administración Trump espera trabajar de cerca con su próximo gobierno para avanzar en la cooperación de seguridad regional, frenar la inmigración ilegal hacia Estados Unidos y fortalecer nuestros lazos económicos”, publicó Rubio en X, concluyendo que los mejores días de Colombia están por venir.

Trump celebra triunfo de “El Tigre” De la Espriella en Colombia

El mandatario electo de derecha recibe felicitaciones de la Casa Blanca en medio de una reñida votación

El estrecho conteo preliminar desató tensiones políticas en Bogotá luego de que el presidente Gustavo Petro congelara el reconocimiento de los resultados oficiales del domingo.

He died on Monday from complications of Parkinson’s Disease, said his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

“To me he was my husband, who shaped my life from our very first date in 1984," Mitchell said. "He had ‘irrational exuberance’ for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf, and music, especially jazz. He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life.”

In his 18½ years at the helm of the Fed, Greenspan presided over a sustained era of American growth and prosperity, yet one that ended with devastating consequences in 2008, two years after he had left the central bank.

Greenspan was so respected during his many years as head of the world’s most influential central bank that by the time he stepped down in 2006, he was widely celebrated as the “Oracle’’ and “Maestro.’’

Greenspan’s reputation suffered a serious setback however, when the American housing market collapsed, igniting a global financial crisis that nearly toppled the U.S. banking system and plunged the economy into the worst recession since the 1930s. Critics pinned much of the blame for the crisis on Greenspan’s easy-money policies and on what they believed was an overexuberant faith in lightly supervised financial markets.

Greenspan himself later acknowledged that “I made a mistake’’ in assuming the nation’s banks, whose stability undergirds the financial system and the entire economy, could essentially regulate themselves.

In his 18½ years at the Fed, Greenspan presided over a breathtaking surge in stock prices and a 10-year economic boom that began in March 1991. He was widely celebrated as the “Maestro’’ and the “Oracle,” a virtuoso who nurtured America’s economic well-being and whose nearly every utterance was parsed for clues as to where interest rates, the economy and the financial markets might be headed.

Greenspan’s intentions were so intensely theorized that it gave birth to new Fed folklore: The “Briefcase Indicator.” A stuffed briefcase carried into Fed meetings implied changes may be afoot because Greenspan carried with him charts and research to make his point.

Greenspan’s reputation suffered almost as soon as he left the Fed in 2006, however. American housing prices began to slide, then accelerated into a dizzying plunge that inflicted huge losses for banks, pension funds and other investors that had bet heavily on real estate. As housing values plummeted, millions of Americans, many of them stuck with outsize mortgage debt, lost homes to foreclosure. The spiraling financial crisis sent the U.S. economy sinking into the Great Recession of 2007-2009, the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930’s.

The crisis in the U.S. spread overseas rapidly, leading to a debt crisis for nations in Europe and it led Beijing to engineer a massive government stimulus package to stabilize its economy.

In hindsight, critics assigned much of the blame for the crisis to Greenspan’s easy-money policies, his faith in lightly supervised financial markets and his lax attention to the reckless risk-taking that had flourished in the financial system under his watch. Later, Greenspan admitted that “I made a mistake’’ in assuming that the nation’s banks, whose stability undergirds the financial system and the entire economy, could essentially regulate themselves.

Until then, however, it seemed that Greenspan could do no wrong. Not only in the United States but across the world, he was regarded with a mixture of reverence and awe. Many even openly dreaded the day when he would leave the Fed.

Investors hung on his sometimes inscrutable observations. In the most well-known such remark, Greenspan sent financial markets reeling on Dec. 5, 1996, when he suggested with just two words — “irrational exuberance” — that stock prices were too high.

Mindful of his power to move markets, Greenspan typically resorted to obfuscation. At times, he even satirized his habit of doing so. “I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant,” Greenspan once told a befuddled congressional committee.

Born in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, the young Greenspan was a math whiz who was trotted out by his mother to show off for visitors.

“I was a prop at parties,’’ he said in a 2007 interview with PBS NewsHour. A Julliard School dropout, he worked as a professional musician in his teens, playing clarinet and saxophone alongside the future jazz great Stan Getz — a humbling experience that persuaded the young Greenspan to seek another line of work.

He pursued undergraduate and graduate study in economics at New York University, eventually earning a doctorate there. For most of three decades, he ran an economic consulting firm. During the 1950s, he became a disciple of the libertarian philosopher Ayn Rand, who stuck him with the nickname the “Undertaker’’ for his dark clothes and quiet bearing. When Greenspan was sworn in as President Gerald Ford’s chief economic adviser in 1974, Rand stood beside him.

President Ronald Reagan tapped Greenspan to run the Fed in 1987. He was tested almost immediately. On Oct. 19, 1987, which came to be known as “Black Monday,” the stock market suffered the worst one-day percentage loss in American history just two months into his term. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 22.6% of its value rapidly for reasons that weren’t entirely clear then, and remain opaque to this day.

Greenspan won credit for helping restore calm and stability. He assured Wall Street that the Fed would supply as much money to the financial system as was needed to restore calm. Stocks recovered, and the American economy emerged unscathed by the market crash.

Greenspan’s crisis management skills were tested again in 1997 and 1998, when a financial crisis in Asia threatened to spread economic devastation around the globe. Under Greenspan, the Fed arranged an emergency loan to Thailand in the early stages of the crisis and persuaded U.S. banks to roll over short-term loans to a teetering South Korea.

During his tenure at the Fed, Greenspan drew praise for presiding over what was at the time the longest economic expansion in American history — a 10-year streak of prosperity that ran from March 1991 to March 2001. Over that time, the nation’s unemployment rate briefly dropped below 4 percent for the first time since 1970.

And inflation, which had bedeviled the United States and much of the global economy during the 1970s, was remarkably dormant during Greenspan’s chairmanship, something many economists had not thought could occur for so long a period.

During the long boom, Greenspan argued that improvements in technology had made the economy so efficient that it could run faster, at lower rates of unemployment, without unleashing inflation. As a consequence, the theory went, the Fed could keep interest rates low even when the economy was roaring.

As Fed chair, Greenspan relished poring over obscure economic data, from monthly boxcar loadings to steel production, all in a bid to assess where the economy was headed. He would often phone economists at other government agencies to discuss details. He would rise early each morning for a two-hour soak in his bathtub, time that he used to review statistics and Fed staff memos.

Improbably, Greenspan also made the gossip pages as something of an unlikely ladies’ man. He dated the television journalist Barbara Walters and later married Andrea Mitchell of NBC News after a 12-year courtship. They had no children.

Greenspan had dated Walters while working as an adviser to President Gerald Ford. According to a biography of Greenspan, “The Man Who Knew” by Sebastian Mallaby, when Ford read a newspaper item about the pair, he cut it out and sent it to his chief of staff, Dick Cheney, with a note that said, “I don’t believe it.”

All along, Greenspan held fast to the belief that financial markets could largely regulate themselves. With officials from President Bill Clinton’s White House, he helped block efforts by Brooksley Born, the nation’s top commodities regulator, to bring federal oversight in the late 1990s to the shadowy market in over-the-counter derivatives. The derivatives allowed speculators to make bets on everything from the price of oil to high-risk mortgages.

Eventually, history would vindicate Born, not the Maestro.

The low interest rates Greenspan had engineered helped swell housing prices into a dangerous bubble. And the financial deregulation he supported allowed banks and other financial firms to pile up huge risks, often hidden from government supervision. Bad derivatives bets helped sink insurance giant American International Group, which required a $180 billion taxpayer bailout.

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, which was assigned to investigate the debacle by Congress, concluded:

“More than 30 years of deregulation and reliance on self-regulation by financial institutions, championed by former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and others ... had stripped away key safeguards, which could have helped avoid catastrophe.

In the years after stepping down as Fed chairman in 2006 just shy of his 80th birthday, Greenspan kept busy doing what he loved to do most — following the economic data. He ran his own consulting firm, Greenspan Associates, through which he dispensed advice to Wall Street clients and collected handsome speaking fees.

He kept up a busy schedule well into his 90s, writing his memoir and two other books on the economy, as well as opining on the latest economic developments on television news shows.

He also signed onto opinion articles and statements defending the Federal Reserve’s political independence from President Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks. In January 2026 he signed a statement criticizing the Trump administration’s investigation of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The statement, which was also signed by two other former Fed chairs and five former Treasury secretaries, called the investigation “an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine” the Fed’s independence and warned it would have “highly negative consequences for inflation.”

Greenspan’s tenure as Fed chairman – from August 1987 through January 2006 — was just five months shy of the longest Fed chairman’s tenure. That distinction belonged to William McChesney Martin, who served from 1951 until early 1970.

In his 2013 book “The Map and the Territory,’’ Greenspan defended himself against critics who assigned him significant blame for the 2008 financial meltdown. He argued that traditional economic forecasting was no match for the irrational risk-taking that can feed catastrophic price bubbles.

“Bubbles go up very slowly as euphoria builds,” Greenspan said in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press. “Then fear hits, and it comes down very sharply. When I started to look at that, I was sort of intellectually shocked.”

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AP Economics Writers Christopher Rugaber and Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report.

At 87 years old, Karp has become an unlikely relationship guru, sharing decades of dating experiences, lessons and laughter in his book, Senior Dating: An Exposé of the Early Bird Special. Part memoir, part dating diary and part encouragement for those hesitant to put themselves back out there, the book chronicles Karp’s journey through love, loss and finding happiness later in life.

Karp’s story begins in the 1960s.

“Well, I was a social young man. When I was a kid, I was out there,” Karp said. “I got married. I was about 26.”

That marriage lasted 27 years before coming to an end, prompting a major life change.

“After 27 years, marriage kind of dissipated,” he said. “And I decided to come to Florida.”

The move from the Northeast to the Sunshine State opened the door to a new chapter — and a new dating scene.

Karp quickly discovered that South Florida offered plenty of opportunities to meet people.

“I found that there were a lot more women out there than guys,” he said. “So I had no competition.”

After his first marriage, Karp entered another long-term relationship. The couple spent 20 years together before she passed away. The loss was devastating, and healing took time.

Still, Karp refused to give up on companionship.

“I started slowly, but gradually I started to go out a lot,” he said.

Eventually, his persistence paid off.

“Finally, I met the lady, Zoe, that I’ve been with for about four years,” Karp said. “And we have a happy life.”

Before finding Zoe, however, Karp accumulated plenty of stories from the dating world — many of which made their way into his book.

The pages are filled with tales of online dating mishaps, awkward dinners, speed-dating disasters and encounters that simply didn’t go as planned. While some readers ask whether the stories are fictional, Karp says most of them are rooted in reality.

“People say, ‘Is this book fiction?’” he said. “I said, ‘Well, it’s fiction and nonfiction.’ I mean, probably 95% of it is real. I use different names. I don’t want to be sued by anybody.”

Rather than serving as a step-by-step dating guide, Karp hopes the book inspires readers to remain optimistic and open-minded, regardless of age.

For him, age is simply a matter of perspective.

“You just have to do it,” Karp said. “You can’t say, ‘Oh, my husband died. I have to wear a black dress for the rest of my life.’ That doesn’t make sense. You want to do it, you got to do it.”

His experiences demonstrate that while dating may look different as people grow older, the desire for connection never disappears. Neither does the opportunity to find it.

Karp is already researching his next book, continuing a journey that proves life still has new chapters to write — no matter your age.

Senior Dating: An Exposé of the Early Bird Special is available for purchase on Amazon by clicking here.

De acuerdo con el diario Los Angeles Times, Carvalho presentó su dimisión el domingo por la noche. En su carta de renuncia, el funcionario luso-estadounidense justificó su salida afirmando que busca evitar distracciones para que los planteles educativos sigan enfocados en los estudiantes y el aprendizaje. La junta escolar ratificó que la renuncia se hizo efectiva de inmediato y designó a Andrés Chait como superintendente interino.

El diario californiano reportó que la pesquisa federal está vinculada, al menos en parte, con la interacción de Carvalho y un subcontratista que proveyó un fallido proyecto de chatbot con inteligencia artificial al distrito. El pasado 25 de febrero, agentes federales ejecutaron órdenes de registro tanto en su vivienda como en una propiedad ubicada en Southwest Ranches, Florida. Carvalho ha defendido públicamente su inocencia a través de sus abogados.

Antes de asumir el liderazgo del distrito de Los Ángeles en 2022, Carvalho dirigió el sistema escolar de Miami-Dadede 2008 a 2021, el más grande de Florida, donde cosechó reconocimiento nacional e internacional por elevar las tasas de graduación. Hasta el momento, las autoridades escolares de Miami-Dade no han confirmado si el Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. las ha contactado en relación con este caso, según reportó Local 10 News.

La dirección del viento desde el sureste ha ayudado a empujar el humo y la neblina hacia el interior del territorio, lo que mejoró las condiciones atmosféricas en gran parte del condado de Broward; sin embargo, Miami-Dade mantiene el aviso de alerta hasta las 3 p.m.

El incendio denominado “Quarry 2”, ubicado al este de Krome Avenue, ha sido el más extenso tras arrasar 19,018 acres hasta el momento y se encuentra contenido en un 97%.

Por su parte, el incendio “Well Fire”, cerca de Northwest 122nd Avenue, ha devorado 2,749 acres y registra un 85% de contención.

Actualmente no se reportan cierres de carreteras a causa de estos incendios forestales.

Alberto Carvalho denied any wrongdoing earlier this year and had asked to be reinstated as head of the nation's second-largest district.

The FBI served search warrants on Feb. 25 at his home and the LA Unified School District’s headquarters. Two days later, the district’s Board of Education voted unanimously to place him on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

In its statement released early Monday, the Board acknowledged it received a letter of resignation from Carvalho. The resignation was effective as of Sunday.

“The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring stability, continuity, and continued progress through strong leadership. Our focus remains unchanged: providing every student with a high-quality education, supporting our dedicated workforce, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve,” it said in the statement.

It said that Andrés Chait, who has been acting superintendent, will remain in that position until a permanent decision is made.

Authorities have not provided details of the nature of the investigation involving the district, which serves more than 500,000 students, nor have they accused Carvalho of any crimes.

The FBI also searched a third location near Miami. The Miami Herald reported the Florida property belonged to Debra Kerr, who previously worked with AllHere, an education technology company that had a contract with Los Angeles schools before it collapsed and its leader was indicted for fraud.

In 2024, Carvalho heavily touted a deal with AllHere for an AI chatbot named “Ed” designed to help students. But about three months after unveiling the technology and paying the company $3 million, the district dropped its dealings with AllHere, which collapsed into bankruptcy. Months later, founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft.

At the time, Carvalho denied personal involvement in the selection of AllHere, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Mr. Carvalho respects the rule of law and the investigative process and has always acted in the best interests of students and within the bounds of the law,” a statement provided by Holland & Knight, the law firm representing him, had said. “While the government’s investigation remains ongoing, no evidence has been presented by prosecutors supporting any allegation that Mr. Carvalho violated federal law.”

An email seeking comment was sent to the law firm Monday.

Following the search of school headquarters, LA Unified said it was cooperating with investigators and had no further information.

Carvalho became superintendent for LA in 2022. He previously led the public schools in Miami.

The 2026 midterm contests in Maryland take place under the shadow of the 2028 elections. Moore is running for reelection amid speculation that he also has his eye on a possible presidential campaign. Meanwhile, the contested primaries in all eight of Maryland’s congressional districts could be the last held under the current set of boundaries, as state lawmakers consider entering the national mid-decade redistricting fray with a map that could eliminate the state’s lone Republican congressional seat in time for the 2028 elections.

At the top of the ballot, Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller face a primary challenge from Eric Felber and his running mate, LaTrece Hawkins Lytes. In Maryland, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on the same ticket. Felber is a physician who unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin in the 8th Congressional District primary in 2024.

The Democratic ticket will face the winners of a nine-way Republican primary field that includes former state Del. Dan Cox and his running mate, Rob Krop. Cox lost to Moore in the 2022 general election for governor and ran unsuccessfully in 2024 for the 6th Congressional District Republican nomination.

In the 5th Congressional District, 24 contenders seek the Democratic nomination to replace former Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who is retiring after 23 terms. Among those running are former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, health care business executive Quincy Bareebe, Prince George’s County state Del. Adrian Boafo, Prince George’s County Councilwoman Wala Blegay and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn.

Bareebe led the field in fundraising as of early June, followed by Dunn. Boafo has endorsements from Hoyer, Moore and Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.

Dunn served at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters supporting President Donald Trump attacked the complex in an attempt to block certification of his 2020 presidential election defeat. Dunn ran in the 3rd Congressional District in 2024, placing second in the 22-candidate Democratic primary.

The district includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s County in southern Maryland, but the bulk of voters come from parts of Anne Arundel County and heavily Democratic Prince George’s County.

U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney seeks a second term in the 6th Congressional District but first must clear a strong Democratic primary challenge from the man she replaced, former U.S. Rep. David Trone, who has loaned his campaign $25 million from his personal fortune. Trone gave up the seat for an unsuccessful 2024 U.S. Senate primary bid where he spent $63 million of his own money to place second behind Alsobrooks, who went on to win the seat.

A majority of voters in the 6th District come from Democratic leaning Frederick County and heavily Democratic Montgomery County, but the district also includes all of Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties in heavily Republican western Maryland.

Moore and his allies in the state Legislature attempted to redraw the state’s congressional districts in response to new Trump-backed maps in several Republican-controlled states, but the measure was blocked in mid-April by Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who said the plan put existing Democratic seats at risk.

But in the wake of an April U.S. Supreme Court decision that prompted some Republican-controlled southern states to eliminate several Democratic-held majority-Black districts, Ferguson said in a statement that “Maryland must respond as the ground shifts under us.” The Legislature may take up the measure again ahead of the 2028 election in the form of a state constitutional amendment that could go before voters as early as November.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for governor, U.S. House, state Senate, state House and local offices in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

Who gets to vote?

Voters registered with a political party may participate only in their own party’s primary. Democrats may not vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may not participate in either primary.

How many voters are there?

As of May 31, there were about 4.6 million registered voters in Maryland. That includes about 2.2 million active registered Democrats, about 1 million active registered Republicans and about 1 million active voters not affiliated with any party. There are an additional 250,000 inactive registered voters that the state does not break down by party.

How many people actually vote?

About 671,000 registered Democrats and about 295,000 registered Republicans cast ballots in the 2022 primaries for governor. That was about 16% and 7% of registered voters at the time.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 60% of Democratic primary votes and about 37% of Republican primary votes in the 2022 primaries were cast early in-person or by mail.

As of Wednesday, about 228,000 Democratic primary ballots and about 67,000 Republican primary ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

The first vote reports of the night tend to be from early voting and mail ballots cast before Election Day.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2022 primary, the AP first reported results at 8:42 p.m. ET, or 42 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 4:15 a.m. ET with about 56% of total votes counted.

In Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the two most populous in the state, the first votes were reported at 9:05 p.m. ET. The last election night update from Montgomery County was at 2:25 a.m. ET with about half the vote counted and from Prince George’s at 3:05 p.m. ET with about 59% counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Recounts in Maryland are not automatic. A losing candidate may request and pay for a recount if the vote margin between the top two candidates is 5% or less of the total votes cast for those two candidates. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

The new congressional boundaries could result in an additional Democratic seat, as Republicans try to retain a slim U.S. House majority in a midterm election environment where the president’s party typically loses seats in Congress.

The state adopted the new map over the objections of the Republican-controlled Legislature after a Utah court invalidated lawmakers’ 2021 plan, which divided the Democratic stronghold of Salt Lake City among four Republican-dominated congressional districts. The court ruled that the Republican lawmakers’ map violated a voter-backed 2018 measure designed to reduce partisanship in redistricting.

The Utah Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling in February, and a Republican measure backed by President Donald Trump to repeal the 2018 anti-gerrymandering law failed to make the November ballot. The reshuffling of seats in Utah comes as Republicans are set to make gains from mid-decade redistricting efforts in several states at Trump’s urging.

In the newly drawn Salt Lake City-based 1st Congressional District, former Salt Lake City mayor and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams looks to return to Congress in a district more favorable than the one he represented for one term at the end of the last decade. He faces state Sen. Nate Blouin, tax attorney Michael Farrell and former American Heart Association lobbyist and former TikTok and Meta policy analyst Liban Mohamed. At the start of June, McAdams had almost triple Blouin’s overall fundraising haul and dwarfed the rest of the field combined in cash available.

Republican Riley Owen is running unopposed. Had this district been in effect in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris would have carried it with 60% of the vote.

The new 2nd Congressional District in northwest Utah is the least changed of the state’s four districts. It tracks closely with the current 1st Congressional District. Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, who currently represents the 1st District, is running for a fourth term, but he faces a tough primary against state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee. At the April state party convention, Lisonbee defeated Moore by an almost two-to-one margin in a nomination vote among delegates, but Moore secured a spot in the primary through a signature petition. Lisonbee has criticized Moore for co-chairing the “Better Boundaries” committee that helped pass the 2018 redistricting law that many state Republicans blame for costing them a seat in Congress.

In the massive new 3rd Congressional District spanning southern and eastern Utah, Republican U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy faces a primary challenge from former state Rep. Phil Lyman in her bid for a second full term. Maloy currently represents the 2nd Congressional District, which overlaps with the new 3rd District in southwest Utah, but the bulk of the new district along the Colorado border will be new territory. Maloy narrowly won the nomination vote at the April state convention over Lyman after two rounds of voting, but not by enough to keep Lyman off the primary ballot.

In the new 4th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy is unopposed for renomination. The district overlaps mostly with Maloy’s current 2nd District on the western side of the state, not the eastern half that he’s represented since 2025.

Republican U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens of the current 4th District in the heart of Utah opted not to seek reelection.

Trump has endorsed all three incumbents seeking reelection.

About half of Utah’s 29 state Senate seats and all 75 state House seats are up for election in 2026. Republicans hold overwhelming supermajorities in both chambers.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. MT, which is 10 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.

Who gets to vote?

Any registered voter may participate in the Democratic primary regardless of party registration. Only registered Republicans may vote in the Republican primary. Eligible voters may register in-person at the polls during the early voting period or on Election Day. Voters who are not affiliated with any political party may affiliate with the Republican Party at the polls on Election Day and vote in the Republican primary.

How many voters are there?

As of June 16, there were about 2.1 million registered voters in Utah, including about 1 million registered Republicans, about 297,000 registered Democrats and about 622,000 voters not affiliated with any party.

How many people actually vote?

Roughly 427,000 votes were cast in the 2024 Republican state primary. Total votes in Democratic primaries ranged from about 68,000 in the 2024 presidential primary to about 221,000 in the 2020 presidential primary.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

Elections in Utah are conducted predominantly by mail.

As of Thursday, about 163,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s primaries, including about 127,000 from Republicans, about 32,000 from Democrats and about 2,900 from unaffiliated voters.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Most counties tend to release a significant amount of early in-person and mail results in the 1st vote update of the night. But in about two-thirds of counties, advance voting results are released along with results from in-person Election Day voting.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 state primary, the AP first reported results at 10:03 p.m. ET, or three minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 2:07 a.m. ET with about 74% of total votes counted. The tally surpassed 90% of the vote counted by June 27 at 6:32 p.m. ET, two days after Election Day.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Recounts are automatic in Utah only in the event of a tie vote. A losing candidate may request a recount if the vote margin is 0.25% of the total vote or less. In elections with fewer than 400 total votes cast, recounts may be requested if the winning margin is one vote. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

The Republican gubernatorial runoff features two-term Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, son of Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson. President Donald Trump announced Friday he was endorsing both Evette and Wilson in the runoff.

“I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other,” he said in a Friday evening social media post. Trump had endorsed Evette in the primary over Wilson and five other candidates.

Trump’s picks have had a strong record at the ballot box in 2026, although some recent contests have shown that the president’s backing is not a guarantee of victory. The president’s picks for Iowa governor and Georgia governor lost their nomination bids, while his pick for Oklahoma governor was forced to a runoff after placing second in the June 16 primary.

Evette had Trump's endorsement for the primary but also failed to win the nomination outright. She received 28.9% of the primary vote, narrowly outperforming Wilson, who received 26.1%. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman placed third with 17.1%.

Evette’s best showing was in the Pee Dee region to the northeast along the North Carolina border and the Atlantic Ocean. The region was a strong area for Trump in 2024 and comprised about 15% of the total primary vote. Wilson’s strongest area was in the central core of the state, where Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris ran about even in 2024. The area includes Richland County, home to the state capital of Columbia, and reaches southwest to the Georgia border to include several of the state’s majority Black counties. Collectively, the area made up about 19% of the total primary vote.

A key battleground in the runoff will be the Upcountry region that includes some of the state’s most populous counties, including Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson. Evette was the top vote-getter in this area, although the margin between first-place Evette and third-place Norman was less than 2 percentage points.

The eventual Republican nominee will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who won the nomination outright in the primary. Democrats last won the governorship in 1998.

The winner in November will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has endorsed Evette. Regardless of party, his replacement will likely play a key role in the early stages of the 2028 presidential race, with the state expected to once again hold critical first-in-the-South presidential primaries.

Placing a distant fifth in the gubernatorial primary was U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a one-time staunch Trump ally who broke with the president in calling for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Both the Republican and Democratic primaries to replace her in the 1st Congressional District were forced to a runoff.

The Republican finalists are Charleston County Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt and state Rep. Mark Smith. The Democratic finalists are former Hilton Head Island general counsel and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford and retired Navy Vice Admiral and former Navy Reserve Chief Nancy Lacore. Honeycutt had a 4-point lead over Smith in the Republican primary, while Lacore outperformed Deford by nearly 8 points in the Democratic primary.

Trump carried the 1st District in 2024 with about 56%, compared to about 43% for Harris.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in primary runoffs for U.S. House, governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner and state House.

Who gets to vote?

Voters who cast a ballot in a partisan primary on June 9 may only vote in the runoff of the same party as they did in the primary. In other words, Democratic primary voters may not vote in a Republican primary runoff or vice versa. Registered voters who did not participate in a party primary on June 9 may vote in the runoff for either party.

How many voters are there?

As of Saturday, there were about 3.4 million registered voters in South Carolina. Voters in South Carolina do not register by party.

How many people actually vote?

About 473,000 voters cast ballots in the June 9 Republican primary for governor.

The total number of voters in a runoff tends to be smaller than in the preceding primary. In the last Republican primary runoff for governor in 2018, the number of voters fell about 7% from the primary. The drop-off was about 14% in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial runoff.

The two statewide primary runoffs in 2022 had much starker drops. The number of Republican runoff voters for state school superintendent fell by 47% compared to the primary. Total voters in the Democratic U.S. Senate runoff was 74% less than in the primary.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 52% of the Democratic primary vote and about 29% of the Republican primary vote in the June 9 primaries was cast early in-person or by mail.

As of Wednesday, halfway through the state's two-day early voting period, about 37,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Nearly all of South Carolina’s 46 counties release all or almost all of their early in-person and mail voting results in the first vote update of the night, usually before releasing any results from in-person Election Day voting.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the June 9 primary, the AP first reported results at 7:20 p.m. ET, or 20 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 12:19 a.m. ET with about 99.9% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

In South Carolina, recounts are automatic if the margin between the winning and losing candidates is 1% of the total vote or less. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

One incumbent who is not up for election but has emerged as a key figure in the campaign is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is looking to shape the city's congressional delegation through a series of endorsements, including for challengers to two Democratic incumbents.

New York is expected to play a key role in deciding control of the chamber in November.

In New York City, competitive primaries in traditionally safe Democratic seats could help define the party’s identity in the Empire State and beyond.

In the 10th Congressional District in Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, two-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Golden faces a strong challenge from former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who has endorsements from Mamdani and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Mamdani and Lander are former mayoral campaign rivals.

In the 13th Congressional District in Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, five-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat faces three primary challengers, including doctoral student and political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who also has Mamdani's backing.

In the 7th Congressional District straddling Brooklyn and Queens, retiring 17-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, but he faces a tough race against state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who has endorsements from Mamdani and Sanders.

In Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District, eight Democrats are running to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. The top contenders include state Assemblymen Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, attorney, Donald Trump critic and former Republican George Conway, and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg. Conway leads the field in fundraising, but Lasher boasts endorsements from Nadler, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and former independent New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

North of the city in the 17th Congressional District, five Democrats hope to unseat two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, who is unopposed for the nomination. The field includes former White House counterterrorism official and Army combat veteran Cait Conley, Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson and Tarrytown Village Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley. Conley leads in fundraising and available cash as of early June, followed by Davidson, with Phillips-Staley a distant third.

This swing district in the northern suburbs of New York City is among the top seats Democrats hope to flip. Democrat Kamala Harris narrowly carried the district in 2024. Her strongest showing was in Westchester County, the largest of the district’s four counties and the closest to New York City. Trump carried Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess counties with double-digit leads.

On Long Island, vulnerable Democratic freshmen Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen are defending their seats in the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts, respectively. Both face contested primaries.

In the massive 21st Congressional District in upstate New York, Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is not seeking a seventh term following her aborted run for governor and her withdrawn nomination for United Nations Ambassador. State Assemblyman Robert Smullen has the backing of local party officials to replace her, while business owner Anthony Constantino has an endorsement from Trump.

The only statewide contest at stake on Tuesday is the Democratic primary for state comptroller, where the five-term incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, faces his first-ever primary challenge after almost 20 years in office.

Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James are running for reelection, but they are unopposed for their party’s nominations and do not appear on primary ballots, as is the case for their Republican opponents, Bruce Blakeman and Saritha Komatireddy. Under New York election law, primaries are not held in contests where only one candidate seeks the nomination.

Voters will also decide contested primaries for state Senate and state Assembly. All 63 state Senate and 150 state Assembly seats are up for election in 2026. Democrats hold about 2-to-1 majorities over Republicans in both chambers.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, state comptroller, state Senate and state Assembly.

Who gets to vote?

Voters registered with a political party may participate only in their own party’s primary. Democrats may not vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may not participate in either primary.

How many voters are there?

As of Feb. 20, there were about 13.4 million registered voters in New York, including about 6.4 million registered Democrats, about 3 million registered Republicans and about 3.4 million voters not affiliated with any party.

How many people actually vote?

About 899,000 Democratic primary votes and about 451,000 Republican primary votes were cast in the 2022 primaries for governor.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 20% of the 2022 primary vote was cast early in-person or by mail. The figure rose to about 39% in the 2024 presidential primaries.

As of Wednesday, about 107,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

New York counties and New York City tend to release all or almost all of their results from early voting and most of their results from mail voting in the first vote update of the night, usually before any results from in-person Election Day voting are released.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2022 primary, the AP first reported results at 9:04 p.m. ET, or four minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 3:11 a.m. ET with about 95% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

In New York, an automatic recount is triggered in races where more than 1 million votes are cast if the margin of victory is less than 5,000 votes. For smaller races, the automatic recount is triggered if the margin of victory is 20 votes or less or 0.5% or less of the total votes cast. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

Russia has pounded civilian areas of Ukraine with drones and missiles since it launched its all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, with a United Nations tally saying more than 16,000 civilians have died in the war. U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to stop the fighting.

The Sumy attack hit a home and killed a 36-year-old man, his 13-year-old son and a 73-year-old woman who was the mother of the man’s partner, according to Oleh Hryhorov, the head of the regional military administration. The man’s partner and 10-year-old son were wounded, he said.

“Their home was destroyed,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X. “An ordinary home — not a military target whatsoever.”

Monthly civilian casualties in Ukraine are highest in 4 years

The number of civilian casualties in Russian attacks has jumped recently, according to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, as Moscow’s forces struggle to gain momentum on the battlefield.

At least 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured in Ukraine in May — the highest monthly total of civilian casualties since April 2022, it said earlier this month. Most casualties are in cities far from the front line, it said.

A Russian nighttime drone strike also killed a woman and wounded three people, including an 11-year-old boy, in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

In total, Russia launched 88 long-range attack drones and one ballistic missile overnight, Ukraine’s air force said, with air defenses shooting down or jamming 79 of the drones.

Ukraine, meanwhile, fired many more drones toward Russia and territories it controls, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, as Kyiv sustained its long-range campaign against oil facilities, military transport and infrastructure.

The campaign's success has prompted Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales. Also, all summer camps in illegally annexed Crimea on Monday stopped accepting children and new bookings until Sept. 1 for security reasons, the Russian-installed governor of the occupied peninsula, Sergei Aksyonov, said.

Ukrainian cruise missiles target a Russian electronics plant

The Russian Defense Ministry said Monday its forces intercepted 301 Ukrainian drones during the night over multiple Russian regions, the Crimea peninsula, the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 84 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital were shot down.

He didn’t say whether the attack caused any damage, but all four Moscow airports temporarily halted flights in the wake of the attack.

Also, some residential buildings were evacuated in Russia’s Vladimir region east of Moscow and the Tula region south of the capital as a result of the attack, local authorities reported.

Air defenses also intercepted several aerial targets over the city of Voronezh in southwestern Russia, Gov. Alexander Gusev said.

An industrial plant that he didn’t name sustained unspecified damage and three people were injured, Gusev said.

Ukraine's General Staff said it used high-precision, air-launched cruise missiles to hit a Voronezh factory that produces electronic parts for Russian missile and air defense systems. It described the strikes as “successful,” without elaborating.

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

The French state already has a 50% stake in KNDS, which was formed in 2015 with the merger of Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France's Nexter. The other half is held by the German family behind Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, KNDS had 4.4 billion euros ($5 billion) in revenue last year and more than 11,000 employees.

European countries are moving to ramp up their defense spending and production and boost their military ranks as they contend with Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns about the United States’ unpredictability.

The German government said its planned stake “will secure long-term influence on a company that is strategically significant for European security and defense capability.” It added in a statement that “national industrial value creation, as well as technological sovereignty and the protection of security interests and key technologies in Germany" also will be strengthened.

A separate joint statement said that the German and French governments have reached an agreement on the strategy and governance of KNDS, “of which they intend to become joint shareholders through transactions aiming at equal shareholding levels for both countries.”

It didn't specify when that will happen or what level the countries' stakes will ultimately settle at, but said the accord paves the way for a possible IPO of KNDS in the near future.

The two governments said their agreement “reflects the shared determination of France and Germany to strengthen Europe’s industrial and defense capabilities, support their armed forces, and strengthen European sovereignty over the long term.”

Beside the tanks, KNDS' products also include Puma infantry fighting vehicles and Boxer and Dingo armored personnel carriers.

El servicio meteorológico nacional, Meteo France, indicó que la mayor parte del país —el más grande de la Unión Europea y el segundo más poblado— está entrando en lo que se describe como una “meseta” de condiciones implacables de ola de calor, que según los pronósticos no empezaría a remitir antes del viernes, como muy pronto.

Varias localidades del oeste y el centro de Francia vivieron su noche más calurosa jamás registrada de domingo a lunes, indicó Meteo France. El importante puerto de Saint-Nazaire en la costa atlántica, batió su récord con una mínima nocturna de 23,2 ºC (73,8 ºF).

París soportó su noche más calurosa para un mes de junio, sin bajar de los 24,2 ºC (75,5 ºF), medio grado más que el récord anterior de 2017. El servicio meteorológico advirtió de noches aún más calurosas.

“Esto continuará hasta el final de la semana, con niveles de calor nunca antes registrados en más de tres cuartas partes del país el miércoles y el jueves”.

En un país sin aire acondicionado generalizado, personas, empresas y servicios intentaron adaptarse lo mejor posible. El ministro de Educación señaló que cientos de escuelas cerraron el lunes y que muchos cientos más cancelarían algunas clases.

Los avisos en la red de transporte de París instaban a los viajeros a hidratarse. Especialistas médicos acudieron a los medios para advertir sobre el cóctel potencialmente mortal de beber alcohol con calor extremo. Las autoridades endurecieron las medidas contra el consumo de alcohol en espacios públicos. Se reportaron varios ahogamientos mientras la gente buscaba alivio en los ríos, pese a las advertencias sobre las corrientes y otros peligros.

El cambio climático provocado por el ser humano está vinculado al aumento de los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos, y las proyecciones de la agencia climática de la ONU señalan que los próximos cinco años deberían pulverizar más récords de calor.

Una franja cada vez mayor de Francia, que el lunes se extendió a más de la mitad de sus regiones, estaba bajo “alerta roja” por calor, y se prevé que áreas más amplias sufran máximas que superen los 40 ºC y noches que no bajen de los 20 ºC.

En el Reino Unido, la oficina meteorológica también emitió una advertencia de “calor extremo” para gran parte del sur de Inglaterra y zonas de Gales desde el lunes hasta el jueves. Indicó que las temperaturas podrían alcanzar los 38 ºC (100 ºF). El récord actual para un día de junio es de 35,6 ºC (96 ºF), registrado en 1976.

En los últimos cuatro años, más de 200.000 personas en toda Europa murieron por causas relacionadas con el calor, y la mayoría de las muertes eran evitables, informó este mes la oficina para Europa de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Se esperan más temperaturas por encima de lo normal este verano, lo que puede provocar agotamiento por calor y golpes de calor potencialmente mortales.

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

He said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party but would remain caretaker prime minister until a new head is chosen by the party.

Andy Burnham, who won a special parliamentary election last week, confirmed that he will run to succeed Starmer.

Starmer won a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, but a series of missteps badly damaged his credibility.

His resignation comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.

Here's the latest:

Why is Andy Burnham the front-runner to succeed Starmer?

Because many people see him as the best person to defeat the anti-immigrant Reform Party at the next election, according to Olivia O’Sullivan, the director of the UK in the World Program at the Chatham House think tank.

Burnham’s greatest asset is that he appeals to Labour Party lawmakers who were frustrated by the way Starmer has governed, O’Sullivan said. The hope is that he will set out a “clearer vision” and connect with voters in parts of the country that are in danger of turning to the Reform Party, she said.

Burnham was elected to Parliament last week after decisively defeating a Reform candidate in a special election.

“He won a very strong majority in precisely the type of area, the type of constituency that the Labour Party is worried it’s losing,” O’Sullivan said. “So it may be that a lot of his appeal is centered in the fact that he seems to connect better with those voters and offer a clearer vision. But it’s absolutely correct that that is not the same thing as offering a radically different set of policies or even a particularly clear policy program.”

Ukrainian President thanks Starmer

“Keir, thank you for all our cooperation, your support, and the joint decisions that have helped make our Europe and our protection of life stronger," Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.

"Here in Ukraine, we deeply value Britain, and every meeting and every conversation we have had has always been filled with real substance ... I wish the United Kingdom and all British people every success as well as realisation of your national goals. We have confidence in Britain.

Keir, you are always a welcome guest in Ukraine.”

Reform UK leader calls for a general election

Nigel Farage, who leads the anti-immigration party, wrote on X that “Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”

“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he said.

Farage said Labour has betrayed voters’ trust, citing the Starmer government’s unpopular welfare and tax policies and illegal immigration as examples of the party’s failings.

Britain’s next national election doesn’t have to be held until 2029. British politics allows parties to change leaders midterm without the need for a general election.

EU Council president praises Starmer's role in EU-UK relations

António Costa said on Monday that Starmer helped turn “a new page” in EU-UK relations ten years after Brexit.

“We turned a new page in EU-UK relations,” Costa said in a social media post. “The EU is committed to continued cooperation in this spirit.”

Starmer was seen as repairing relations with Brussels following Brexit and had helped schedule an EU-UK summit for July 22.

But on Monday, the European Commission said they were reassessing that plan.

Norwegian prime minister thanks Starmer for a ‘strong and close partnership’

“I respect the decision he has made,” Jonas Gahr Støre, a fellow center-left leader, said in a statement.

“The United Kingdom is Norway’s close ally in Europe, and over the past two years our countries have grown even closer through important agreements," he said.

Støre added: “We have worked closely together to strengthen security cooperation in Europe and to support Ukraine.”

Burnham says the country expects ‘stability and seriousness’

In a post on X, Andy Burnham thanked Starmer for his service and leadership.

He said Starmer’s decision to step down “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”

“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.”

He added: “People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives.”

Andy Burnham will run to succeed Starmer

Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirms he will run to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister.

Wes Streeting, considered another leading contender, said he will back Burnham. That makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.

Liberal Democrats say ‘merry-go-round of prime ministers’ needs to change

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said Starmer’s replacement would have to change “our broken politics.”

“The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them,” he said. “This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in No. 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”

Zack Polanski, who leads the Green Party, echoed that the U.K. needs a “bold change of direction.”

Referring to former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who many expect to become the next Labour leader, Polanski said: “The time for half measures and sticking plasters is long gone — if he becomes the next PM, Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”

German leader calls Starmer a reliable partner

“The German government has always had in Keir Starmer a reliable and close partner in foreign policy questions, particularly regarding Ukraine,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, told reporters. He declined to comment on the “internal motives in Britain.”

He said the government believes a meeting that Merz plans to host in Berlin Wednesday of the so-called “E5” — Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Poland — will go ahead as planned despite Starmer’s announcement. The meeting is meant as part of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit.

Some key quotes from Starmer’s resignation speech

"Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government. The first in 14 years. A page in our country’s history turned after years of disappointment and despair. ... The chance to change the lives of millions of people for the better. That’s what I came into politics for. The journey to that point was not easy."

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace."

“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.

“I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.”

The curious sign of the lion and the unicorn

Starmer stood behind a lectern featuring a crest with a lion and a unicorn.

One is not a native of the U.K. and the other is mythical.

Both have shared the distinction of being part of the royal coat of arms since the 17th century.

The lion, although never living in the wild of England, is its national animal. The unicorn, though fictional, is Scotland’s official animal.

The two became part of the crest when the two crowns were united in 1603, when King James I ascended the throne in England; he was already King James VI in Scotland.

Starmer is the sixth prime minister in 10 turbulent years of UK politics

When he was elected in 2024 in a landslide victory for Labour, Starmer pledged to steady the ship and end years of political chaos under his successors, the Conservative Party.

Starmer had succeeded Rishi Sunak, who held the top job from 2022 to 2024.

Before Sunak, Liz Truss lasted only 45 days. Truss followed three other Conservative prime ministers: Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Theresa May (2016-2019), and David Cameron (2010-2016.)

Formal contest to replace Starmer will begin in early July and could end in days

Starmer said Monday that nominations will open on July 9 and close when Parliament breaks up for its summer recess, which is scheduled to begin July 16. The contest will be open to members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party.

Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the leading candidate to replace Starmer. The question now is whether anyone will challenge him.

If there is no challenge, Burnham could become Labour leader and thus prime minister soon after nominations close. Even if there is a contest, Starmer said a successor would be selected by Sept. 1.

EU leader praises Starmer

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy after news of his resignation in a post online on Monday.

“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

The prime minister's speech ends on an emotional note

Starmer’s voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”

Starmer resigns

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party.

Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.

Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.

As Starmer spoke, protesters sing

As Starmer began his speech, protesters nearby played the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

Expectations of a resignation

Expectation is building that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out a timetable for his resignation, conceding to pressure from his Labour Party to hand over the reins of power.

If he does, Starmer will be the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure.

Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following the victory of intraparty rival Andy Burnham in a special election for a seat in Parliament. Burnham, until last week the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, ran with the aim of challenging Starmer for leadership of the party and the country.

Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday.

The national weather service, Meteo France, said that most of the country — the largest in the European Union and second most populated — is entering what is described as a “plateau” of unrelenting heat-wave conditions that isn't forecast to start easing before Friday at the earliest.

Multiple towns in western and central France, including the major port of Saint-Nazaire on the Atlantic seaboard, with an overnight low of 23.2 C (73.8 F), experienced their hottest night ever Sunday to Monday, Méteo France said.

Paris baked through its hottest night for a month of June, not getting below 24.2 C (75.5 F) — a half-degree hotter than the previous record from 2017. The weather service warned of even hotter nights.

“This will continue through the end of the week, with heat levels never before recorded across more than three-quarters of the country on Wednesday and Thursday.”

The heat wave also worsened air quality in the French capital as it causes the formation of ozone that traps pollution. The air quality monitoring agency in the Paris region said pollutants were likely to exceed the recommended threshold.

In a country without widespread air-conditioning, people, businesses and services tried to adapt as best they could. Hundreds of schools were closed on Monday and many hundreds more were canceling some classes, the education minister said.

Broadcasts on the Paris transport network urged commuters to hydrate. Medical specialists took to the airwaves to warn of the potentially deadly cocktail of drinking alcohol in extreme heat. Authorities cracked down on alcohol consumption in public. Multiple drownings were reported as people sought relief in rivers, despite warnings about currents and other dangers.

Human-caused climate change is tied to increasing extreme weather, and U.N. climate agency projections say the next five years should shatter more heat records.

A growing swath of France, spreading on Monday to more than half its regions, was under a “red alert” for heat, with larger areas forecast to suffer highs busting past 40 C and nights not dropping below 20 C.

In the United Kingdom, the weather office also issued an “extreme heat” warning for much of southern England and parts of Wales from Monday until Thursday. It said temperatures could reach 38 C (100 F). The current record for a June day is 35.6 C (96 F), reached in 1976.

Over the last four years, more than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month. More above-average temperatures are expected this summer, which can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

The burning of gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories, release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change. Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The EU monitoring agency found that, in Europe and globally, 2024 was the hottest year on record and the continent experienced its second-highest number of “heat stress” days. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires

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Associated Press writer Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report.

A total of 100 people have recovered in the outbreak concentrated in the Ituri province since it was declared on May 15, Congo’s Ministry of Health said Sunday. At least 365 patients are in hospitals or in isolation, it said.

The Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccines or treatment, was the worst ever in its first month. Officials admit there could be far more cases they still don’t know about and that the peak of the outbreak is still ahead.

Contact tracing remains a key issue for local authorities, who have only achieved a 55% coverage rate, the ministry said.

“If you want to control an outbreak, especially Ebola outbreak, you must know the index case. We don’t have confidence on when this outbreak started,” the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya told The Associated Press last week.

Officials also are yet to identify the patient zero and trace more than 35,000 people who have come in contact with infected individuals as of last week, authorities said.

That’s partly because eastern Congo is also battling ongoing violence from rebels. In Ituri, attacks by the Islamic State group-backed Allied Democratic Force have cut off access to many villages and forced people to flee their homes, including those sheltering in overcrowded camps and others constantly on the move.

More than a month into the outbreak, officials believe the disease continues to outpace response efforts and no one knows its true scale.

Displaced persons at risk as unexplained deaths reported in a camp

At the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, camp officials said Friday that 10 people had died last week in unusual circumstances, raising the fear of a possible outbreak in the camp of over 20,000 displaced people.

There had been no Ebola case confirmed at the site, camp officials said, but added that the death rate was unprecedented and called for investigation.

The U.N. refugee agency has said at least 2 million people forcibly displaced from their homes, including over 320,000 refugees, live in areas at risk of Ebola in Congo.

In a statement on Friday, the agency said it was “deeply concerned by the accelerating spread” of the virus and “the growing risks it poses to displaced communities across the region.”

“If a disease or epidemic were to spread among the thousands of people living at this (Kigonze) site, it would be a real catastrophe given our already very precarious living conditions,” said Charité Banza, a civil society leader in Ituri.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Canadian Secretary of State (Defense Procurement) Stephen Fuhr signed the first phase of a pact to provide early warning radar coverage from the Canada-United States border into the Arctic.

“What this really means is that Australia and Canada are now partners in terms of the future development of the Over-the-Horizon Radar,” Marles told reporters at the Australian Parliament House in the capital Canberra.

“There is now a very strategic dimension to the relationship,” Marles added.

Fuhr said the two British Commonwealth countries, both of which are partners in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance that also includes the United States, Britain and New Zealand, had “stood shoulder-to-shoulder for generations.”

“As the world adjusts to its new strategic and economic realities, I can’t think of a stronger partner to work with more than Australia,” Fuhr said at a joint press conference with Marles.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he’d chosen Australia’s radar system over comparable U.S. technology shortly after he came to power last year.

In March, Carney became the first Canadian prime minister to visit Australia in 12 years.

During the visit, Carney and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese agreed to increase cooperation on defense technologies, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

BAE Systems Australia said in a statement it will support both governments in developing the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar.

The Australian system, developed over 40 years, works by refracting high-frequency electromagnetic waves off the ionosphere to detect distant objects that are invisible to conventional radars because of Earth's curvature.

The deal is Australia’s largest ever defense export. Australia’s previous record defense export was a $700 million deal signed in 2024 to provide Germany with 100 Australian-made Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles.

The business leaders were on different sides of the debate when Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016. But 10 years later they are both frustrated by Brexit.

A decade ago, backers promised that Brexit would be the key to a bright new future where, freed from the edicts of EU bureaucrats, Britain would regain control of its laws and its borders and the economy would boom. But the reality failed to live up to the hype as Britain struggled to adjust to life without unfettered access to the 27-nation free trade bloc and its market of 450 million people.

Economic growth is anemic, taxes are high, public services are creaking and successive governments have been unable to stem the flow of migrants who wash up on the English Channel coast in inflatable boats. As a result, it's not exactly a happy anniversary.

“No, it’s not delivered everything that was said it would deliver on the tin, but it is delivering,” Boyd told The Associated Press. “It’s very sluggish. You only need to look at the statistics to see that.”

Boyd, the managing director of REIDSteel, which employs about 130 people at a plant in Christchurch, England, still stands behind his decision to support Brexit, but blames lackluster results on politicians who weren’t committed to delivering. Britain has also experienced unexpected challenges over the past 10 years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Boyd said.

Economists see fundamental issues

The Brexit vote quickly increased costs for businesses as they prepared for an uncertain future during years of negotiation over the U.K.’s new relationship with the EU. Then, when Britain finally left the bloc on Jan. 31, 2020, new rules governing trade in goods and services made it more expensive and time-consuming to do business with European partners.

Creon Butler, who leads the global economy and finance program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, said there were long-term consequences to leaving the European single market.

“Whatever was promised, whatever one hoped for, (you have) to accept that it has been a major loss of wealth and prosperity for us through the choice we made to leave,” he said.

“That’s a decision the British public have made, and they’re entitled to make it, but it does make us poorer,” he added.

By most measures, the British economy today is weaker than it would have been without Brexit, according to a recent report published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The report, compiled by researchers in Britain, Germany and the U.S., compares the performance of the U.K. economy to 33 other countries, including its European neighbors, the U.S., Canada and Japan.

Brexit has reduced Britain’s gross domestic product, a broad measure of economic output, by 6% to 8%, investment by 12% to 13% and productivity by 3% to 4%, the researchers concluded.

Carmakers had many challenges

Britain’s carmakers were early and outspoken opponents of Brexit, arguing that increased red tape surrounding shipments of parts and finished vehicles would damage an industry built on a network of interlinked factories in multiple European countries.

Those concerns reduced investment in the U.K. auto industry because international carmakers were less likely to see Britain as an attractive way into the European market. As a result, the industry is hoping that international trade deals will help boost demand for its products.

“We have been able to move with the times, so to speak, but undoubtedly it’s putting us at more cost into the industry, more pressure,” Hawes said.

Brexit supporters trumpeted the freedom to negotiate its own trade agreements as one of the primary benefits of leaving the EU, and Britain has since signed dozens of deals with countries ranging from Australia to India to the United States.

But EU countries still account for 41% of Britain’s exports and half its imports, according to the latest government figures.

During more than 50 years as a member of the EU and its predecessors, many British businesses also came to rely on Europe as a source of cheap labor, especially after the bloc’s eastward expansion in 2004.

That pipeline dried up after Brexit ended the free movement of labor, one of the bloc’s founding principals.

The owners of Britain’s curry restaurants, an integral part of communities from Aberdeen in Scotland to Aberystwyth in Wales, have been especially hard hit by the loss of Eastern European workers who went home rather than deal with burdensome new visa requirements. And they’re furious because the industry backed Brexit after assurances it would lead to more visas for South Asian cooks, something that hasn’t happened.

“We feel betrayed,″ said Oli Khan, president of the Bangladesh Caterers Association UK, who serves up tandoori lamb chops, vegetable biryani and chili paneer at his restaurant in Stevenage, north of London.

In an effort to mitigate some of the problems caused by Brexit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has begun talks with the EU about rebuilding a closer relationship as he seeks to energize the country’s stagnant economy.

Polls suggest frustration with Brexit is growing

Starmer’s move comes as a survey by the Ipsos polling firm, the Policy Institute at King’s College London and the think tank UK in a Changing Europe suggests that frustration with Brexit is growing.

The survey of 2,245 Britons aged 18 and older carried out in May, found that 48% said Brexit was going worse than they expected, up from 28% in March 2021. Some 9% said it was going better than expected and about one in three said it was going as expected.

But Boyd said the most important survey is still the one that took place on June 23, 2016, when 51.9% of those who cast ballots — or 17.4 million people — voted to leave EU.

He continues to believe that Britain has a brighter future outside the EU.

Brexit hasn’t delivered on its promise because politicians, large corporations and other entrenched interests worked to thwart the will of the people, Boyd said. This resulted in a Brexit deal that kept Britain too closely tied to the EU and unable to realize its potential as an entrepreneurial nation filled with creative, hardworking people, he said.

And there's no going back, he said.

“Imagine if we were to rejoin ... today. The conditions upon which we would be allowed back in would be akin to us re-boarding the Titanic on the condition that we surrender our life vests first,″ he said. “Need I say any more?”

U.S. futures were trading lower.

In early European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 edged down less than 0.1% to 10,360.01, after Keir Starmer announced he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party and will leave office within weeks. Germany's DAX was down 0.2% to 24,940.33, while France's CAC 40 fell 0.5% to 8,378.85.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.6% and ended at another all-time record of 72,353.96, led by technology stocks that were fueled by excitement over the global artificial intelligence boom.

Japan’s SoftBank Group, the multinational investment holding company with a strong AI focus, rose 1.9%. Chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron was up 3.2%.

South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.7% to 9,114.55, also a record closing high, helped by AI-related shares. Memory chip maker SK Hynix surged 5.6%.

The Nikkei 225 and Kospi were up more than 40% and 120%, respectively, over the past six months. Both benchmark indexes have been setting fresh records in recent days on AI enthusiasm and positive developments from the Iran war.

“We’re seeing another strong market today,” Neil Newman, managing director and head of strategy at Astris Advisory Japan, said. He cautioned that the Japanese market is “probably getting a little stretched” from an investor’s point of view, “especially with what’s going (on) in the Middle East.”

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.7% to 23,768.52, while the Shanghai Composite index was 1.8% higher at 4,163.10.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.1% to 8,816.10.

Taiwan’s Taiex rose 2.8%. India’s Sensex was up 0.5%.

Oil prices fell as talks progressed over a permanent end to the Iran war. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading 1.6% lower to $79.30 per barrel. It was at roughly $70 a barrel before the start of the war in late February.

High-level negotiations in Switzerland between the U.S. and Iran concluded early Monday, with lower-level technical talks set for the rest of the week. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan said “encouraging progress” was made during the negotiations.

Meanwhile, while Iran said the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil and gas transport, was shut again over the weekend, the U.S. said that traffic had continued.

“Moving towards a more permanent deal will be challenging, with very real risks of a flare-up in hostilities,” ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a commentary on Monday.

Thomas Mathews, head of markets for Asia Pacific from Capital Economics, believes energy flows in the strait are more likely to recover only gradually. “With the controversial — and fragile — U.S.-Iran peace process now underway, attention is turning to how quickly tankers return to the Strait of Hormuz to load energy supplies,” he wrote in a note.

In the U.S., investors are also monitoring May's personal consumption expenditures price index, or PCE, the preferred inflation gauge of the Federal Reserve, which is due to be released this Thursday.

In other dealings, the U.S. dollar rose to 161.74 Japanese yen from 161.22 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1457, down from $1.1473.

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Associated Press senior producer Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed to this report.

The suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested. The suspects and the victims were students of the San Jose National High School in Tacloban city, where the mid-morning shooting happened, regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy said.

An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the shooting in the government-run school, which has more than 1,500 students. Capoy said that the suspects, who were close friends, said in initial questioning that they were bullied in school. He did not elaborate.

They have no criminal records. One of the suspects got the 9 mm pistol he used in the attack from an aunt, a police officer, who was now being investigated. The other suspect used a cal. 38 revolver. They managed to bring the guns onto the campus because there was only one guard on duty at multiple entrances and exits, Capoy said.

“The suspects barged into two rooms because after the shooting in the first, the children scampered and the suspects apparently ran after some victims into another room,” Capoy told reporters.

Most of the dead and wounded were female students, he said. Police recovered at least 40 shell casings at the scene of the attack.

In a video posted online, students hiding under desks in a shut classroom can be heard screaming and weeping as gunshots are heard outside. Some called their mothers. Other videos show visibly terrified students streaming out of the school campus, some holding and embracing each other.

One of the suspects was arrested in the school after the attack but the second fled and hid in a house nearby. He was found by police who were alerted by residents, police said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation of the shooting and asked law enforcers to boost security in all schools, workplaces and public areas, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

“The president was saddened by this incident. Anybody, especially the parents of the victims, will feel sad and terrified,” Castro said.

The suspects were to be turned over to government welfare officers after the investigation since they are minors. The 14-year-old would be exempt from criminal prosecution under a 2006 Philippine law, which sets the minimum age of 15 for a minor to be criminally liable and only if authorities determine that a suspect was clearly aware of the crime that was committed and its repercussions.

The national police have urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with authorities by providing any information that may aid the ongoing investigation.

Crimes involving the use of firearms are prevalent in the Philippines, partly due to the proliferation of unlicensed firearms, but school shootings are relatively rare.

In 2022, a man armed with pistols opened fire at an upscale university in the Manila metropolitan area ahead of a graduation ceremony, killing a former Philippine town mayor with whom the suspect had a long-running feud, and two others in the brazen attack. The gunman was arrested.

Lawyers for defendant Tyler Robinson have asked Judge Tony Graf to block the death penalty in the case, claiming the prosecutors' comments could sway potential jurors regarding his guilt.

But criminal law expert Paul Cassell said it would be extraordinary for Graf to grant the defense request. Their concerns could be addressed in other ways, such as more closely questioning jurors to ensure they aren't biased, the University of Utah law professor said.

“A standard defense attorney maneuver is to avoid talking about the guilt or innocence of your client. The theory is that as long as you're talking about anything other than whether the defendant is guilty, you're winning as a defense attorney,” Cassell said. “This seems to be an extreme example of that.”

Representatives of the Utah County Attorney's Office said they were compelled to speak publicly about the case following speculation in some media outlets.

The speculation began after the defense team publicly disclosed that initial tests were inconclusive to determine whether the bullet was fired from the suspected murder weapon.

Conjecture over the evidence in Kirk’s killing has fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that there might have been a second shooter, or that his death was staged. The case has attracted enormous media attention and concerns from both sides about misinformation tainting the potential jury pool.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 killing of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University.

Judge Graf held a hearing last week over whether prosecutors should be held in contempt for their comments about the bullet.

Robinson’s attorneys accused prosecutors including Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard of trying to influence potential jurors by going on a “media tour" to talk about ballistics evidence in the case.

Ballard argued at the June 12 hearing that he didn’t speak to the media about case specifics, and he only remarked generally about how ballistics testing can be inconclusive.

The defense team also pointed to another Utah criminal case in which prosecutors were accused of contempt and suggested that one potential remedy would be to bar the state from seeking the death penalty.

While the judge in that earlier case disagreed that an order barring the death penalty was merited, Robinson’s attorneys noted that “the court did not conclude that such a remedy was beyond its authority where the facts support it.”

A key hearing in Robinson's case is scheduled for July 6-10, when prosecutors must show they have enough evidence to warrant a trial.

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Brown reported from Denver and Boone from Boise, Idaho. Associated Press reporter Hannah Schoenbaum contributed from Salt Lake City.

The races have become bellwethers of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political clout, testing whether the young democratic socialist can leverage excitement he ignited last year to reshape the city's congressional delegation.

And he has been working hard to promote his slate of three House candidates, lending his star power to several campaign videos, along with hosting a rally with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders last week to boost his picks just before the election.

“The party of the past will not be what leads us into the future. We need a Democratic Party with backbone,” Mamdani said.

Meanwhile, in another closely watched race, Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, is hoping to ride his family ties and big social media following to a seat in Congress representing part of Manhattan.

But the Kennedy scion is facing strong opposition from Alex Bores, a state Assembly member at the center of a Silicon Valley spending war over his proposals to regulate artificial intelligence, and Micah Lasher, another state Assembly member who has deep experience in New York government and is backed by many of the state’s Democratic leaders. George Conway, an attorney who was once married to a top Trump adviser but later become one of the president’s critics, is also in the race.

In his campaign's closing stretch, Schlossberg rallied with David Letterman, former host of the “The Late Show with David Letterman.” His mother, Caroline Kennedy, cut a campaign ad for him. Lasher hit the street to meet voters. Bores releasing an ad about the dangers of AI and worked to highlight the millions of dollars that Big Tech players are spending to oppose his run.

Mamdani has not made an endorsement in that race.

Instead, he's focused on three other congressional contests, including two featuring embattled incumbents.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist whose campaign has been buoyed by the mayor’s support, is challenging U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who was the first Dominican American elected to Congress in a district that includes northern Manhattan and part of the Bronx.

Espaillat has drawn attention to inflammatory social media posts Avila Chevalier made in her 20s, attempting to portray her as an unserious candidate. Avila Chevalier, in a recent debate, said she regretted the posts and apologized for one crass post about former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former city Comptroller Brad Lander got the mayor's endorsement in his attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a fellow Democrat.

Lander, who appeared in the crowd at a joyous City Hall ceremony celebrating the Knick's NBA championship win on Thursday, has worked to play up his alliance with the mayor, while Goldman, who did not endorse Mamdani in his mayoral race, has tried to shift the conversation to his own productiveness in Congress.

Mamdani is also supporting Claire Valdez, a former state Assembly colleague and democratic socialist ally, in her bid to defeat Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Reynoso and Valdez are both progressives who share many similar views, though Valdez has framed herself as a potential Mamdani ally in Washington.

Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until his Labour party chooses a new leader — with expectations growing that it will be former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Burnham confirmed in a social media post that “I will put myself forward as part of this process.” Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was considered his main rival for the top job, said he will back Burnham.

It was Burnham's victory in a special parliamentary election last week that triggered Starmer's decision to resign. After nearly a decade out of Parliament as the mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham returns to Westminster and will be sworn in as a lawmaker later on Monday.

Only members of Parliament can stand for the party leadership.

Streeting's statement makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.

Starmer is the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure. His statement comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.

After weeks of insisting he would fight to keep his job, Starmer conceded to growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024, but since then his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.

A new leader in place within weeks

Starmer made the announcement outside his official 10 Downing St. residence, the spot where he delivered his first speech as prime minister two years ago.

His voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement, which was watched by a group of staff, Cabinet ministers and scores of journalists.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”

He said he spoke to King Charles III, Britain's constitutional monarch, to inform him of the decision.

Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following Burnham's special election victory.

It’s unclear whether Burnham, who is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, will now face a coronation or a challenge. Starmer said nominations for a leadership contest will open on July 9, and the new leader will be in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on Sept. 1.

If Burnham is the only candidate, the change could come by mid-July.

Starmer struggled to fulfill election pledges

Starmer has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. He has been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as the U.K. ambassador to the United States.

Labour is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party and facing a rising Reform UK, the Nigel Farage -led anti-immigration party that consistently leads in nationwide opinion polls.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in even before an announcement, linking Starmer’s potential exit to two of his recurring bugbears: immigration and renewable energy.

“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

Starmer’s initially warm relationship with the president has soured in recent months over issues including the Iran war, which the U.K. didn’t join.

He won praise on the world stage

In contrast to missteps on the domestic front, Starmer has won praise for his international role, notably in rallying European support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and working to mitigate the economic and political turmoil unleashed by the Iran conflict.

A NATO summit in Turkey next month may be his last foray on the world stage as Britain's leader.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy.

“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

While many Labour lawmakers have rallied behind Burnham, some have said that Starmer had been treated unfairly. London legislator Neil Coyle railed on X against “the prospect of an utter stitch-up & the media circus being rewarded.

“When the next leader cannot change Trump, Iran, Ukraine, Putin, Musk, broadcast editorial & algorithm bias overnight they’ll bay for his blood too. Better keep that guillotine sharp,” he wrote.

___

Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this story.

De la Espriella, a business owner and lawyer who earned U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement despite never having run for office, led progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda taking 49.7% of the votes, with 99.9% of results released by electoral authorities. Cepeda, Petro’s ally, earned 48.7% support. Election officials have not formally announced a winner.

A victory by de la Espriella is expected to usher in policies that will reverse the agenda of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, including a controversial plan to hold parallel peace negotiations with illegal armed groups. Petro's protégé, lawmaker Ivan Cepeda, had pledged to push forward that strategy and other social reforms if he won Sunday's vote.

The election was colored by people's fears of a renewed internal conflict.

“I will govern for all Colombians," de la Espriella, nicknamed “The Tiger,” told thousands of supporters as he stood behind bulletproof glass in the northern city of Barranquilla on Sunday night. But his conciliatory tone changed as he spoke.

“Pack your bags and prepare to exercise the opposition,” he added. “Make no mistake, Mr. Cepeda. You already know how fiercely the tiger roars.”

Speaking from Bogota after the vote count was tallied, Cepeda told supporters that his campaign considers the count “unofficial and non-binding” and that his team will challenge results from more than 30,000 voting stations. No recount has flipped the results of a presidential election in Colombian history.

“We will not allow ... the rollback of the social gains we have achieved,” Cepeda said. “We will not allow democracy to be violated.”

Petro also vowed to challenge the outcome. Sunday’s winner will begin a four-year term Aug. 7.

The two candidates pitched voters widely different strategies to prevent the South American country from experiencing the nonstop violence, such as car bombs, kidnappings, disappearances and forced displacements, that Colombians lived with in previous decades.

De la Espriella, 47, promised a heavy-handed approach to crime-fighting, including drug trafficking. He also said he plans to end Petro’s attempts to establish dialogues with multiple armed groups — an effort that has largely failed — and build mega-prisons, emulating Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's aggressive policies. Those tactics have lowered homicide rates in the Central American country but have fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

De la Espriella holds dual Colombian and U.S. citizenship. He's a Trump supporter and a member of the Republican Party.

“He Won, BIG!” Trump said on his social media platform.

‘It’s always the same violence'

Yolanda Hernández, who recycles trash for a living, voted for Petro in 2022, but cast her ballot for de la Espriella this time. While she acknowledged that Petro was unable to deliver on promises meant to help the poor because of congressional gridlock, she said Colombia cannot afford another four years under his vision for the country.

“We want change in Colombia because it’s always the same violence, always the same thing,” Hernández, 49, said. “(Petro) said he was going to lower the cost of services, that he was going to lower the price of food, and everything is more expensive.”

Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin American Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Sunday's result shows the country “has not shifted overwhelmingly or decisively” against Petro's project or for de la Espriella's outsider “iron fist showmanship.” Freeman added that the result also underscored Colombia's regional divisions.

“It’s regional not just ideological polarization; or rather, the two overlapping,” he said. “Ironically, de la Espriella's iron-fist message performed best in the core of the country, not the periphery, which bears the brunt of Colombia’s violence.”

Colombia’s illegal groups have more than 27,000 members.

Last year, authorities recorded 14,780 homicides, the most since at least 2015, driven by clashes among illegal armed groups. Among those killed was conservative presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe.

There were 64,003 people in the stadium for the 2-2 draw between Cape Verde and Uruguay on Sunday night, none of them with a better how-they-got-there story than Ana Candida Evora — the mother of Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper.

Evora arrived in Miami on Friday, reunited with her son over the weekend and watched Sunday’s game from a suite at Miami Stadium. Cape Verde’s storybook ride now has a chance of reaching the knockout stage, depending largely on how its group stage finale against Saudi Arabia goes.

Cape Verde is one of the absolute feel-good stories of the World Cup, a tiny island nation with two draws in its two matches to this point. Vozinha — whose name is Josimar José Évora Dias — had his mother in the stands Sunday; she was unable to attend Cape Verde’s opening draw against Spain because she couldn’t obtain a visa.

And even without a win — in fact, her 40-year-old son didn’t even make a save Sunday — her presence makes Cape Verde’s story even better. She waved her country’s flag when it was over, celebrating wildly as her son saluted fans from the field.

“We have a lot of people working very hard,” Vozinha said.

Goalkeepers don’t always have to make a save to be effective. Vozinha’s best two plays of the match might not even show up on a stat sheet — he was perfectly positioned on a pair of Uruguay scoring chances in the closing minutes, cutting down angles and forcing shooters to aim at tight spaces. Both shots sailed high, and Vozinha exhaled deeply both times.

“I want to thank all the fans, everyone who helped in the process, for the support you gave to the team, especially to Cabo Verde,” Evora said Sunday in remarks distributed by FIFA in a video message before the match. “We’re all rooting for Cabo Verde to play well, to shine on the pitch. The players need to have faith and everything will go well.

“Keep your heads held high, go onto that pitch, push for a goal and you’ll perform beautifully, my boys. A kiss for you, be strong and brave. Blue Sharks!”

The team is commonly called Tubarões Azuis in Portuguese, which translates to Blue Sharks.

Evora carried a Cabo Verde flag into the stadium Sunday, her son’s name and jersey number on the back of her shirt, and she was ushered into a suite to watch the contest. Vozinha heard roars from the fans — even with a mostly pro-Uruguay crowd — whenever he was shown on the video screens during warmups, and got perhaps the loudest ovation of any player when starters were introduced.

Evora’s visa issues — primarily raising the money needed for one — were worked out after the U.S. State Department, FIFA, U.S. lawmakers and Cape Verde’s soccer federation evidently combined efforts and cleared a path for Evora to come to Miami. She arrived Friday afternoon after more than 24 hours of travel from Cape Verde and was immediately surrounded by FIFA officials and volunteers as she made her way through the airport.

FIFA even hosted her briefly at the organization’s tournament headquarters in Florida over the weekend, officials said Sunday.

Vozinha had about 50,000 followers on Instagram as the World Cup was starting. He was up to 15 million followers by game time Sunday after he grabbed the world’s sporting attention by leading Cape Verde to a scoreless draw against Spain — one of the pretournament favorites to win the title.

That means he gained about 30 followers every second from the end of the Spain match to the start of the one against Uruguay.

He went viral after that match against Spain with tearful comments, wishing that his late grandparents could have seen him play in the World Cup and that his mother’s visa issues had been resolved in time to be there. That sparked an immediate effort to find ways for Evora to get to the U.S. for the tournament.

And the tie, combined with a story of a goalie and his mom, brought attention onto Cape Verde’s soccer team like never before. A showdown with the Saudis awaits Friday in Houston and it’s possible that, if Cape Verde advances, it could be back in Miami Gardens for a round-of-32 game — potentially against Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champion Argentina.

“When you dream of something, something can happen,” Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes said.

___

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

Deputies and fire rescue personnel responded to the 8700 block of Griffin Road.

At least one person was injured and needed hospital attention, according to fire rescue personnel.

Location

The Commerce Ministry said that Chinese companies would be blocked from exporting “dual-use” items to the 10 companies, which include military drone makers and some involved in rare earth mining. Dual use refers to goods that can have military as well as non-military applications.

The ministry said the export ban was both to safeguard China’s national security and in response to what it called the U.S. government’s “wrongful expansion of its so-called List of Chinese Military Companies.”

George Chen, partner for Greater China at the advisory firm The Asia Group, said the ban was an unsurprising and proportionate response to the U.S. restrictions.

“Most of them are U.S. defense industry players or they have close connections with the U.S. government for contracts and other reasons,” he said. “Those companies are not going to do business in China, so the impact will be quite symbolic.”

Separately, the Finance Ministry said that government entities would be prohibited from buying products from 46 American companies including multiple units of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and General Dynamics. A brief statement did not give any reason for the prohibition.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Defense Department added several tech companies including Alibaba and Baidu to its list of firms that it says have links to the Chinese military. Baidu said the suggestion that it is a military company is “totally baseless.”

The designation prevents them from getting U.S. military contracts.

The Commerce Ministry said at the time that the American sanctions run counter to the consensus that Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump reached during Trump's visit to China in May.

In Monday's announcement, the ministry said that companies or individuals in third countries are prohibited from transferring dual-use items from China to the sanctioned American firms. It also said that Chinese companies could apply for export approval for goods that are “genuinely necessary.”

The 10 companies are AVEOX in Simi Valley, California; Red Cat Holdings and Teal Drones, both in South Salt Lake, Utah; IMSAR in Springville, Utah; Jaia Robotics in Bristol, Rhode Island; Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Broomfield, Colorado; Oshkosh Defense in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; L3Harris Maritime Services in Norfolk, Virginia; MP Materials in Las Vegas; and USA Rare Earth in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

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The shooting was near the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 86th Street, according to the Miami Shores Police Department.

“You don’t want to see this in your neighborhood,” said Juanita Dawsey, who reported hearing the gunshots.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel took the wounded man to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, according to police.

Before the shooting, the man had “two large-edged weapons” and caused “a disturbance” at the Tropical Chevrolet in Miami Shores, according to police.

Police officers responded to the full-service auto dealership shortly after 2:10 p.m. at 8880 Biscayne Boulevard, but the man had left, according to police.

A Miami Police Department cruiser was parked at the scene of the police shooting, where there was an abandoned black book bag and bullet casings.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating the police shooting.

Location

The latest attack — which now number at more than 60 — brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to more than 210 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.

It is unclear if the survivors of this strike were rescued. In this case, and the strike on June 16 that left two survivors, U.S. Central Command said that they notified the U.S. Coast Guard. The US Coast Guard said they suspended their search for survivors for the June 16 strike a day later with “no signs of survivors or debris” but had no comment on the current strike.

As with most of the military’s statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.

A black and white video posted on X showed a boat speeding through the water before being struck by a visible projectile and then bursting into flames.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics of the strikes have questioned the overall legality as well as their effectiveness. Part of the argument has been that the fentanyl behind many fatal U.S. drug overdoses is typically trafficked over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

On Thursday, U.S. lawmakers demanded that the Pentagon release “unedited video” of the very first strike that the military conducted after reports emerged that the U.S. chose to conduct a follow-up strike on survivors of its initial attack.

Two men on the boat initially survived the attack that killed nine others, and they were clinging to the wreckage when the vessel was struck again, killing them. The White House confirmed the follow-up strike, insisting it was done “in self-defense” to ensure the boat was destroyed and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.

But some legal scholars said a second strike killing survivors would have been illegal under any circumstance, armed conflict or not.

The Pentagon’s watchdog said in May that it planned to look into whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out the strikes. However, the evaluation is focused specifically on what’s known as the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle and not on the legality of the strikes, the inspector general’s office said.

With 99.99% of polling stations, 49.66% of the votes were for De La Espriella, 47, and 48.7% of the votes were for Cepeda, 63, according to the Colombian National Registry’s latest report.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement congratulating De La Espriella, whom he described as Colombia’s new president-elect.

“The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties,” Rubio wrote to De La Espriella on X. “Colombia’s best days are ahead.”

El Tiempo, the newspaper with the largest circulation in the country, declared: “Abelardo de la Espriella, President of Colombia, after winning the preliminary count; the National Registry confirms the robustness of the results.”

Related story: Iván Cepeda reacts to ‘not official or binding’ preliminary vote count

There were more than 250 precincts for the Colombian diaspora worldwide. In South Florida, Colombian voters cast their ballots in Coral Gables, Kendall, Hialeah, Coral Springs, and Weston.

“From the United States Congress, we congratulate the next President of the sister Republic of Colombia,” U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a supporter of De La Espriella, wrote on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed De La Espriella, a defense attorney and businessman who campaigned as “The Tiger,” and who is a fan of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

“Today, democracy wins,” De La Espriella told reporters in Spanish after he voted in Barranquilla.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose four-year term ends on Aug. 7, endorsed Cepeda, a senator who is a political rival of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, who served from 2002 to 2010.

“Let us vote with calm and serenity, and may democracy triumph,” Cepeda told reporters in Spanish after he voted in Bogotá.

Cepeda campaigned as the candidate who wants to protect the environment, continue negotiations for the surrender of armed groups, and prioritize welfare programs.

“Neither can be proclaimed president,” Petro wrote on X on Sunday evening. “It is the scrutiny that determines who is the president. I obey the judges. Calm among the citizenry, please. Reality gives us a country split down the middle, and foreign interference taking away our freedom.”

De La Espriella campaigned as the law-and-order candidate who wants to open mega prisons, cut corporate taxes, restart oil exploration and fracking, and cut social spending.

U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a supporter of De La Espriella, was in Barranquilla on Sunday.

“We want a prosperous Colombia,” Salazar told reporters in Spanish. She later wrote a congratulatory message on X:“Colombians wrote a new page in the history of their country and sent a clear message: freedom, security, and opportunities remain stronger than the ideas that have failed in our hemisphere. The best is yet to come.”

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize-winner María Corina Machado issued a congratulatory message to De La Espriella on X.“Colombia has spoken with strength, hope, and determination, reaffirming its commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace,” Machado wrote. “May God bless Colombia in this new stage. We know that we will have a great ally in the democratic transition of Venezuela.”

More than 41 million Colombians were eligible to vote, and over 26 million cast their ballots on Sunday, according to Colombian officials’ data.

“Congratulations to the Colombian people! Today they saved their country from a catastrophe,” U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart wrote on X.

The precincts in South Florida opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 4 p.m. Some voters carried flags, some wore their team’s yellow FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer jerseys, and some wore white to symbolize peace.

In Miami-Dade County, there were three precincts at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center, Miami Dade College’s Kendall campus gymnasium, and the Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment.

In Broward County, there were two precincts at Coral Springs High School and Cypress Bay High School’s gymnasium.

During the presidential election’s first round on May 31, De la Espriella had 43.73% of the votes when he qualified for the runoff against Cepeda, who had 40.91% of the votes. About 70% of the voters in the U.S. chose De La Espriella on May 31.

For information about the election’s results, visit this page.

Related reporting

• Polls close in South Florida
• Polls open in South Florida

It began with Florida acquiring Tampa Bay’s first-round selection (previously acquired by Seattle) and a 2027 second-round selection (previously acquired by Seattle) from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Mackie Samoskevich.

It ended with the Panthers finalizing a trade for forward Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for three first-round draft picks and one second-round pick, allowing him to team up with his brother Matthew in Sunrise.

Ottawa receives Florida’s 2026 first-round pick (No. 9 overall), Tampa Bay’s 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall, previously acquired from Seattle by Florida), Florida’s 2027 second-round pick, and Florida’s 2029 first-round pick, which is top-10 protected.

“Brady is a dynamic competitor and one of the most physical and relentless forwards in the league,” Panthers President of Hockey Operations and general manager Bill Zito said Sunday.

“A proven leader and exactly the type of player we want in our locker room, he strives to make everyone around him better, both on and off the ice. We’re thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey,” Zito added.

Originally drafted by Ottawa in the first round (No. 4 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk, 26, played in 60 games last season with the Senators, recording 22 goals and 37 assists.

On the international stage, Brady, alongside Matthew, helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina.

The 2025-26 season was one to forget for the Panthers, a season defined by injuries to key players - notably captain Aleksander Barkov - and missing the playoffs for the first time in the Paul Maurice era.

According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, “Tkachuk and the Senators had insisted that he was committed to the team, and he reiterated that sentiment as recently as April, when Ottawa’s season ended.”

“This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately, we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club,” Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said in a press release.

Zito brought Matthew to Sunrise in a stunning trade in July 2022 from the Calgary Flames, and he guided the Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

When the 2026-27 season opens in October, the Panthers will aim for their third Stanley Cup in five seasons.

He quieted them with a 52-foot putt to tap-in range for his second U.S. Open title in four years, avoiding the worst collapse in tournament history after his six-stroke lead dwindled to one.

Oh, how this anybody-but-Wyndham crowd would've relished that.

New York loves a winner, but the one these fans really wanted to see on Sunday was Scottie Scheffler, who was chasing the career Grand Slam, or Sam Burns, who lost by a stroke. Not Clark.

Call it backlash for him damaging a locker in a fit of rage at Oakmont Country Club while missing the cut last year in the U.S. Open. Or for saying on TV that being surrounded by kids playing in the Masters Par 3 Contest was “great birth control." Or even for winning his first U.S. Open title in 2023 over fan favorites Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler.

Or maybe the folks spending their Father's Day at Shinnecock just wanted to see a little drama after Clark built leads of two, four and six strokes after each of the first three days.

“Man, they definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark said.

On Saturday, he complained that fans had largely deserted the course by the time he was finishing his third round. On Sunday, he might’ve wished they had stayed home.

It's rare for a golfer in the lead at a major championship — or any golfer for that matter — to be the subject of such derision. It happened to McIlroy at the Ryder Cup last September at Bethpage Black, also on Long Island, but that was a team competition. McIlroy was the star of the winning European side and U.S. fans went overboard in letting him have it.

Clark said he tried to see himself in an “underdog” role on Sunday, as he did in 2023.

“Anytime someone said something negative to me, I replaced it with something positive,” Clark said. “Some of it’s self-deserved. I kind of brought it on myself, but I also get it, too. Scottie was going for the career Grand Slam, and it hasn’t happened very often.”

Even so, the animosity appeared to rattle Clark early in his round. He bogeyed the second, sixth and seventh holes as fans threw their support behind Scheffler. They cheered Clark's mistakes while showering Scheffler with affection — even serenading the four-time major champion, who turned 30 on Sunday, with “Happy Birthday."

It was “Get in the bunker!” for Clark and “We love you Scottie!” for Scheffler, who tied for fourth at even par.

“You like seeing the fans cheer for you. I think sometimes it can get a little too much when, you know, balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers,” Scheffler said. “That felt a bit much to me.”

Anti-Clark fans cheered when he flared a shot under a pair of trash containers on the fourth hole and again when his shot on the seventh hole landed in a bunker.

“Wyndham gonna lose 'em,” a man said as Clark walked to his ball on 10.

“Get in the fescue!” a fan yelled after he teed off on 13. When his second shot landed on a precarious part of the green, the crowd chanted “Go! Go! Go!” and gleefully roared as the golf ball rolled off the back.

Clark won over the crowd, at least for a moment, on the 16th hole — punching out from the tall grass and pumped his fist after nailing a 24-foot birdie putt to go to 5-under par. For the moment, he held a two-stroke lead and the crowd's hopes of a different winner were fading.

But the taunts returned on the next hole as Clark backed off of his 8-foot par putt and then missed it. As Clark walked to the 18th tee, scratching his head with his hat in hand, a fan in the grandstand sang “Under Pressure."

“Yeah, it was tough, but I’m proud of myself that I battled through,” Clark said. “I mean, things really could have gotten away from me. I stood tough. Yeah, I would have liked to have won by more, but as long as you win, it doesn’t matter.”

___

Associated Press writers Doug Ferguson and Eddie Pells contributed to this report.

___

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

With 99.99% of the precincts counted, 48.7% of the votes were for Cepeda and 49.66% were for Cepeda’s right-wing opponent, Abelardo de la Espriella, according to the Colombian National Registry.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose four-year term ends on Aug. 7, also contested the election results.

“Neither can be proclaimed president. It is the scrutiny that determines who is the president. I obey the judges. Calm among the citizenry, please,” Petro wrote on X. “Reality gives us a country split down the middle, and foreign interference taking away our freedom. A National Agreement is imposed if we want to maintain the Homeland and peace in the years to come.”

In Bogotá, Edwin Dario Camacho, of The Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean, was concerned.

“The message must always be one of unity — that once election day is over, the result must be respected," Camacho said in Spanish.

Sergio Fajardo, a former mayor of Medellin and a former presidential candidate, released a statement recognizing De La Espriella as the new president-elect.

“The voting outcome makes clear an indisputable reality: Colombia is deeply divided. Recognizing and accepting this reality is the first great responsibility of the president-elect,” Fajardo wrote on X. “This is the moment for leaders’ serenity, starting with President Petro, to call for common sense and prevent the division from turning into violence. It is also our collective responsibility to disarm spirits. The path to reconciliation must begin tonight.”

Cepeda, 63, a senator and human rights advocate, campaigned as the candidate who wants to protect the environment, continue negotiations for the surrender of armed groups, and prioritize welfare programs.

De La Espriella, 47, a defense attorney and businessman who campaigned as “The Tiger” with the endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump, declared his victory on Sunday.

Rosalina Prieto, who lives in Bogotá, said she voted for Cepeda because De La Priella is an outsider. Victor Hernandez, who also lives in Bogotá, said he voted for De La Espriella because he wants subsidies to end.

As the law-and-order candidate, De la Espriella said he wants to open mega prisons, cut corporate taxes, restart oil exploration and fracking, and cut the spending on the government’s social programs.

“Today, democracy wins,” De La Espriella told reporters in Spanish after he voted in Barranquilla.

More than 41 million Colombians were eligible to vote, and over 26 million cast their ballots on Sunday, according to the Colombian registry’s data on the election results.

During the presidential election’s first round on May 31, De la Espriella had 43.73% of the votes, and Cepeda had 40.91% of the votes. About 70% of the voters in the U.S. chose De La Espriella then.

Related reporting

• Historic day for Colombians: Trump-backed De la Espriella heads for narrow presidential win
• Polls close in South Florida
• Polls open in South Florida

Torres contributed to this report from Miami.

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Pino, 55, is facing charges in connection with a September 2022 boat crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez off Boca Chita Key. The crash seriously injured another 17-year-old, Katerina Puig.

Opening statements began with prosecutors saying Pino’s allision with a channel marker happened as a result of criminal negligence and recklessness.

“Lucy is dead because the defendant failed to do the most basic things that rules of the water require,” Assistant State Attorney Laura Adams told jurors.

Defense attorneys argue the crash was a mere accident.

“The state admits this was not George’s intention. He did not intend for anybody to be hurt,” Pino’s attorney, Howard Srebnick, told jurors during opening statements. “His own daughter, his own wife, his own body was on that boat.”

Defense openings were interrupted after Pino broke down for several minutes in front of jurors; the proceedings were halted and continued the next day.

Over the course of the trial, jurors heard from some of the 12 young women, all teenagers at the time, who were on board Pino’s boat, part of a celebration for his daughter’s 18th birthday.

“The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was George, and I thought he was dead,” Claudia Portocarrero testified. “I remember him, he had blood on his head.”

Some testified about the alcohol that George Pino and his wife, Cecilia Pino, provided, as well as the crash itself.

Fernandez’s father recalled the living nightmare he and his wife went through. Puig’s father also talked about how the crash affected his daughter.

Jurors took a field trip to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission facility in North Miami to see the damaged 29-foot Robalo and watched body camera footage from the crash response and Pino’s questioning.

But the trial trial, not without its moments of conflict.

Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez issued a warning to Pino and his family for hugging in front of jurors.

A tense exchange between Adams and Pino also drew the judge’s attention after Adams brought up that Pino was reportedly muttering, “It happens, it happens, it happens,” during testimony.

“I’m sorry. Do you have something you want to say to me?” Adams asked Pino. “Why are you staring at me?”

Pino denied staring at her.

In another moment, Pino’s attorneys told Tinkler Mendez that there was “something of a stare down” between Adams and their client, followed by Adams “rolling her eyes” at Pino.

Cecilia Pino took the stand twice during the trial, recounting the harrowing aftermath of the crash off Cutter Bank.

“She died because your husband crashed into that channel marker, right?” Adams asked her during her first appearance on the stand.

“She died because there was an accident,” Cecilia Pino testified.

Cecilia Pino broke down when taking the stand for the second time, testifying, “I remember asking again, ‘Who is missing? Who is missing?’ And that’s when they told me that Lucy was missing.”

Jurors will also be instructed on the law before beginning their deliberations.

If convicted, Pino faces anywhere between 11 to 30 years in prison.

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The crash happened in the 8100 block of Stirling Road.

Authorities said the victim, whose name was not publicly released, was trying to make a left turn into the Home Depot at University Creek Plaza when Joseph Anthony Ciavarella hit him or her.

Davie police said its investigators determined that Ciavarella was intoxicated and driving without his headlights at the time of the crash.

Authorities said they obtained an arrest warrant and took Ciavarella into custody on Friday.

He faces several charges, including DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.

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Kimora McMinns was last seen at about 7 a.m. at the 6800 block of Southwest 17th Street, according to BSO deputies.

Kimora, who is about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes, and was wearing black shorts, a black shirt, pink sandals, and a black and purple bonnet, according to deputies.

Deputies asked anyone with information about Malaysia’s whereabouts to call Detective Chris Blankenship at 954-321-4268.

Related story: Teenage girl vanished 3 days ago in Tamarac, deputies say

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The victim was near the 4900 block of North State Road Seven, according to Claudinne Caro, a spokeswoman for the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

“The preliminary information revealed a physical altercation occurred between two men,” Caro said in a statement.

There was blood on the floor at the 7-Eleven at 4999 West Commercial Boulevard.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and Tamarac Fire Rescue personnel responded after dispatch received a report at 1:55 p.m., according to Caro.

“Paramedics transported the man to a local hospital with serious injuries,” Caro said in a statement.

Local 10 News Photojournalist Avi Robledo contributed to this report.

Leer en español

According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Amir Ayesh, 19, was arrested after two separate victims were sprayed with an unknown liquid on May 9 by Ayesh, who was passing by them in a black vehicle.

Detectives said the two incidents occurred within just minutes of each other in the area of Northeast 10th Avenue and 171st Street.

Authorities said Homeland Security Bureau detectives were able to link Ayesh to both incidents through surveillance video that showed him using a water gun to spray the victims from his car.

According to Detective Samantha Choon, an arrest warrant was signed on June 11, charging Ayesh with two counts of battery with prejudice, “a felony enhancement under Florida law.”

She said Ayesh was taken into custody Thursday in Plantation with assistance by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Plantation Police Department.

He was transported to the Broward County Main Jail and will eventually be transferred to Miami-Dade County.

“MDSO remains committed to investigating crimes that target individuals based on their race, religion, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics,” Choon said in an email to Local 10 News.

Ayesh’s arrest comes months after two other men were arrested for similar accusations.

In that case, Miami Beach police said Michael Dean Emerson, 19, of Coral Springs, and Dominic Angelo Martinez, 18, of Tamarac, used a water gun to spray a Jewish man on Mid-Beach in January.

Police said the duo targeted the victim because of his faith.

En una reñida votación superó en una segunda vuelta al progresista Iván Cepeda, aliado del presidente saliente Gustavo Petro, quien pidió el domingo esperar el escrutinio final antes de proclamar a un ganador.

Sin experiencia en política, el conservador decidió que su primera aspiración electoral fuera por el cargo más importante del país, convirtiéndose en la sorpresa de la primera vuelta al medirse con políticos experimentados, pero con el decidido apoyo del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump.

Para ello recogió miles de firmas de ciudadanos que apoyaron su candidatura por el movimiento Defensores de la Patria y rechazó el apoyo explícito de los partidos tradicionales.

Nació en Bogotá en 1978, pero se crió en la costa Caribe. Se casó con la empresaria Ana Lucía Pineda, con quien tiene cuatro hijos.

Apodado “El Tigre”, durante la campaña bautizó a sus simpatizantes como su “manada” y pedía que le pusieran “una raya”, en referencia a los votos. La ferocidad de ese felino es la que promete utilizar para combatir a los grupos armados ilegales y los narcotraficantes que azotan al país.

“Al narcoterrorismo, a quienes he sentenciado y los he declarado objetivo militar, los voy a acabar como unas cucarachas, como unas ratas”, aseguró De la Espriella en entrevista con The Associated Press en la recta final de la campaña.

De la Espriella, de 47 años, se hizo un nombre como abogado defendiendo clientes de alto perfil como el expresidente Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) y también polémicos como Alex Saab, un aliado cercano del derrocado presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro que enfrenta problemas con la justicia estadounidense y a quien dejó de representar hace aproximadamente siete años.

Simpatía por Bukele, Trump y Milei

Cuando señalan que su cuidada barba es similar a la del presidente Nayib Bukele, De la Espriella suele aclarar que la usa así por gusto desde mucho antes de que el salvadoreño se hiciera reconocido. Sin embargo, sí dice que construirá 10 “mega cárceles” al estilo de El Salvador, aunque reconoce que Colombia tiene un conflicto armado interno que no se resuelve del mismo modo.

“El Tigre” también simpatiza con el presidente argentino Javier Milei, quien en su campaña se identificó con un león, especialmente por algunos de sus manejos económicos. ”Estoy convencido de que un león en Argentina y un tigre en Colombia pueden ayudar a construir una Latinoamérica más fuerte”, dijo en un video en redes poco antes del balotaje.

Es ciudadano estadounidense y miembro del Partido Republicano, según dijo a la AP. Tras recibir el apoyo de Trump —que lo describió como un “líder inteligente, fuerte y duro”— De la Espriella aseguró que tienen valores compartidos y prometió fortalecer la relación bilateral y adherir a la política antidrogas de Trump, incluyendo los bombardeos a embarcaciones que presuntamente trafican drogas.

Petro ha tenido una relación tensa con el gobierno estadounidense desde la vuelta al poder de Trump por diferencias en temas de migración, seguridad regional y lucha antinarcóticos, la cual mejoró luego de un encuentro en la Casa Blanca en febrero.

Su postura crítica al gobierno de Petro le ha valido la simpatía de sectores opositores como la reserva militar y los uribistas —la corriente del expresidente Uribe— que ven en su figura la representación de los valores conservadores que defienden.

Denuncias en su contra

Cepeda lo denunció ante la fiscalía colombiana y la Corte Penal Internacional por sus presuntos vínculos con grupos paramilitares para que definan si era “financiador o cómplice” de los ilegales que combatían a las guerrillas de izquierda.

Cepeda señaló que De la Espriella habría creado y liderado una fundación que “múltiples jefes paramilitares indican como organización creada por las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia con fines políticos”.

De la Espriella rechazó haber apoyado ilegalmente a los paramilitares y dijo que lo que denunció Cepeda se basa en hechos que ya fueron investigados y cerrados. También ha defendido su participación en una fundación como parte de la comisión civil acompañante del proceso de paz que se llevó a cabo a inicios de los 2000 con los paramilitares.

En su campaña enfrentó críticas por comentarios a periodistas tildados de machistas, por decir que defendería la democracia “por la razón o por la fuerza” y declararse enemigo de los “señores de la izquierda” a quienes había que “destriparlos”. Luego matizó su discurso diciendo que se refería a una confrontación ideológica en el “marco de la ley”.

El abogado se precia de tener una vida lujosa y sosegada en Italia, donde vivía hasta antes de ser candidato, que cambió por “servirle a la patria” y que le ha costado vivir rodeado de escoltas y vestir chalecos antibalas por amenazas contra su vida denunciadas en la campaña.

The blast at the Ras Laffan industrial area could cause further chaos in global energy markets, particularly as Qatar remains one of the world's top natural gas producers. Qatar shut down its production after Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz meant it couldn't get shipments out to its clients.

With Iran loosening its grip on the strait as negotiations continue over a permanent end to the war, Qatar began work to try to restart its export terminal. On Sunday night, that work sparked an explosion and fire at the Barzan gas supply facility, the state-run firm QatarEnergy said.

The scale of the damage remains unknown after the blast, with officials initially saying only a few people had been hurt. But hours later, Qatar's Interior Ministry offered the far-greater casualty figures.

The Barzan plant had a capacity of almost 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day, which Qatar used primarily for local electricity generation and to power its crucial water desalination plants in the desert reaches of the Arabian Peninsula.

Qatar owns nearly all of the plant, with a small share also held by ExxonMobil. The oil company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In March, an Iranian missile hit Ras Laffan, sparking a fire that caused “extensive” damage before it was extinguished, authorities said. Qatar had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks.

Qatar shares its massive offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf with Iran. That natural gas production has made Qatar wealthy. It has used that money to raise its profile worldwide through hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, creating the Al Jazeera news network and funding its work as an international mediator, including the talks in Switzerland between Iran and the United States.

Según la Oficina del Alguacil de Miami-Dade, Amir Ayesh, de 19 años, fue arrestado tras rociar con un líquido desconocido a dos víctimas en incidentes separados el pasado 9 de mayo.

Ayesh agredió a las personas mientras pasaba junto a ellas a bordo de un vehículo negro. Los detectives detallaron que ambos ataques ocurrieron con pocos minutos de diferencia en la zona de la avenida 10 del noreste y la calle 171.

Las autoridades indicaron que los detectives de la Oficina de Seguridad Nacional lograron vincular a Ayesh con los dos casos gracias a las imágenes de vigilancia, las cuales revelaron que utilizó una pistola de agua para mojar a las víctimas desde su automóvil.

De acuerdo con la detective Samantha Choon, el 11 de junio se firmó una orden de arresto que acusa a Ayesh de dos cargos de agresión con prejuicio, lo que representa “un agravante por delito grave bajo la ley de Florida”.

Choon informó que Ayesh fue detenido el jueves en Plantation con el apoyo del Departamento de Cumplimiento de la Ley de Florida y la Policía de Plantation. El joven fue trasladado a la Cárcel Principal del Condado de Broward y posteriormente será transferido al Condado de Miami-Dade.

“La Oficina del Alguacil de Miami-Dade mantiene su compromiso de investigar los delitos que atentan contra las personas debido a su raza, religión, origen étnico u otras características protegidas”, expresó Choon en un correo electrónico enviado a Local 10 News.

El arresto de Ayesh ocurre meses después de la detención de otros dos jóvenes por acusaciones similares. En ese caso previo, la policía de Miami Beach señaló que Michael Dean Emerson, de 19 años y residente de Coral Springs, y Dominic Angelo Martinez, de 18 años y residente de Tamarac, utilizaron una pistola de agua para rociar a un hombre judío en Mid-Beach en enero. La policía afirmó que la dupla atacó a la víctima específicamente por su fe.

At the match’s conclusion, at least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch. And afterward, though demonstrations were quieter than Monday’s, an Associated Press reporter observed a fan who got into a scuffle with protesters being loaded into an ambulance.

But before the match had even kicked off, U.S. Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said Sunday that the Iranians had “tried to get somebody in yesterday” who had direct ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In a statement, the soccer federation vociferously pushed back.

“The claim that an official representative of the Iranian Football Federation attempted to board a flight to enter the United States yesterday and was prevented from doing so is an outright and undeniable lie,” the statement said.

Mullin told Fox News that most teams travel with around 120 people, but the U.S. had accepted 53 in Iran’s case. He said the rest of the people Iran had tried to secure visas for had “direct ties to the IRGC and aren’t their normal traveling group.” The federation called Mullin’s claims “completely unsupported by any evidence or documentation, but also represent a clear attempt to cover up discriminatory behavior and unreasonable restrictions.”

That statement echoed Iran’s complaints throughout the tournament that politics have infringed on soccer, even as U.S. Vice President JD Vance said there was an opportunity to “turn over a new leaf” with talks beginning in Switzerland on the interim deal to end the war. Iran’s players and coach have complained about shuttling to and from Mexico instead of Tucson, Arizona, and the barring of some officials and staff, and the federation has said it would pursue a complaint against FIFA.

Iranian national team player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn’t want to keep focusing on the challenging situation, and that players are now focused on recovery and preparing to travel to Seattle for the next game, against Egypt. He said he hopes the team can head there as soon as possible to adapt.

“We don’t ask for much. We just ask for the same procedure as for all the other 47 teams,” he said. “Hopefully we can bring everyone who is involved and help us with us.”

At the stadium near Los Angeles, fans wearing green-and-red scarves, stickers and T-shirts were mixed on the impact of the team’s shift to train across the border in Mexico. Some said the team was unfairly burdened, while others who followed the team to Tijuana were thrilled to get closer access to the players.

Shamira Ghaemmaghami, 66, of nearby Orange County, said she was supporting the players from her native Iran and also from Belgium. She said she respects the right of protesters to voice their opinions but feels sports should unite people, not separate them.

“Fighting over these things, sports and politics should not be mixed,” she said. “They worked so hard to get where they are, both sides, actually.”

Outside the stadium, a few hundred people demonstrated against Iran’s government. Aside from some verbal altercations and the scuffle after the match, the protests were smaller than at Iran’s first game and featured more security from the outset. Inside, some fans carried the red-and-green flags emblazoned with a golden lion and sun that predate the 1979 Islamic Revolution — a flag that seemed at least as visible as the official flag of Iran itself. They were also joined by a sizable crowd of Belgium fans wearing red and yellow and those donning jerseys from countries including Argentina, the U.S. and Mexico.

Gerald Martinez, 66, of Tucson, wore a green Iran scarf. While not Iranian, he and his son decided to support the team when they initially announced they’d be training in their hometown.

“I wish they were all here. I wish they were welcome,” Martinez said, adding he felt the team was suffering a disadvantage.

Stefan Arts, 42, traveled from Antwerp, Belgium, and said he’s met many people who were Iranian but supporting his country’s team instead. That’s how Arman Sharif, 40, of Los Angeles, feels. He was outside the stadium to protest and said he feels the players are allied with the government in Tehran.

“Whoever it is, we’re a fan of the opponents,” Sharif said.

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Associated Press reporters Ty ONeil, Gregory Bull and Andrew Dalton in Inglewood, California; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego and Thomas Strong in Washington contributed to this report.

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

The match “is everything in our world for the moment,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said Saturday in comments translated from Arabic.

Their pursuit of history is part of a larger surge in African soccer’s global standing.

The expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament helped give African teams more representation and a chance to show they belong at the top level of international soccer. A record 10 teams are representing the continent at the World Cup, Egypt among them.

“The national squads of Africa have proven their great performance many times at the World Cup, including this one,” Hassan said.

At the 2022 World Cup, Morocco made a memorable run to the semifinals.

Other African teams have made their mark on this World Cup already, with Ghana and Ivory Coast winning their opening matches against Panama and Ecuador, respectively. Four African teams, including Egypt, played to a draw in their opening matches.

The Pharaohs’ 1-1 draw against Belgium gave them their first World Cup point since 1990. They carried a lead into halftime against Belgium, the first time they had done so at the World Cup. In fact, the match against Belgium was only the second time Egypt had ever had a lead against an opponent at all in the tournament.

Morocco staved off five-time champion Brazil, Congo escaped with a draw against Portugal and Cape Verde stunned tournament favorite Spain, holding it scoreless in a 0-0 draw.

From a continent on the rise, Egypt has emerged as a powerhouse. Seven-time winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs want to demonstrate that their prowess extends outside of Africa at this year’s World Cup.

“We want to represent African football and Arab football,” said Hassan, Egypt’s all-time leading goal scorer and a key player for the Pharaohs at the 1990 World Cup.

Hassan’s experience helped propel an Egyptian squad headlined by stars Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush back into the tournament after missing out in 2022.

Salah sits two goals shy of matching his coach’s record. The squad also features a solid lineup of younger players, including 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim. Abdelkarim made his international debut with the senior team in a friendly against Russia just last month, the latest debutant in a new generation of African stars.

We want to live up to the aspirations of the Egyptian fans,” Hassan said. “I only think about bringing happiness to our fans.”

After New Zealand, the Pharaohs face Iran in Seattle for the last match in the group stage.

As Egypt closes in on history, the team plays for its fans and nation – and also for Africa.

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Connor Joyce is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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

La víctima se encontraba cerca de la cuadra 4900 de North State Road Seven, detalló Claudinne Caro, portavoz de la Oficina del Alguacil de Broward. Había rastros de sangre en el suelo de la tienda de conveniencia 7-Eleven, ubicada en el 4999 de West Commercial Boulevard.

“La información preliminar reveló que ocurrió un altercado físico entre dos hombres”, explicó Caro en un comunicado oficial.

Agentes de la Oficina del Alguacil de Broward y personal de Rescate de Bomberos de Tamarac acudieron al lugar después de que la central de emergencias recibiera un reporte a la 1:55 p.m. Los paramédicos trasladaron al sujeto a un hospital local con heridas de gravedad.

The Panthers and Ottawa finalized a deal Sunday night, with Florida sending four draft picks to the Senators for Brady Tkachuk — the brother of Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk.

The picks were the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick this year (acquired earlier Sunday in a trade Florida made sending Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle), the Panthers’ second-round pick in 2027 and their top 10-protected first-round pick in 2029. And that means Florida adds an elite player to its forward corps without losing any of its top seven scorers from this past season.

“Brady is a dynamic competitor and one of the most physical and relentless forwards in the league,” Panthers hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito said. “A proven leader and exactly the type of player we want in our locker room, he strives to make everyone around him better both on and off the ice. We’re thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey.”

Brady Tkachuk has spent the entirety of his eight-year NHL career in Ottawa, and now he joins his brother, Olympic teammate and podcast co-host in Florida — the place where Matthew Tkachuk has spent the last four seasons, winning two Stanley Cups and getting to the final three times.

The Athletic was first to report the pending trade.

Brady Tkachuk has two seasons left on the seven-year, $57.56 million contract he signed in October 2021 when he also became Ottawa’s captain. As recently as late April, he bristled at conversation about his name being in trade rumors following a first-round playoff exit.

“This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said Sunday. “We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster.”

It’s a move that makes sense for so many reasons and has seemed almost inevitable.

Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk reveled in the chance to play alongside one another for USA Hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 (winning silver) and the Milan Cortina Olympics this year (winning gold, the first for the American men’s program on the Olympic stage since the miracle in Lake Placid 46 years ago).

Their parents — their dad is NHL legend Keith Tkachuk — have a home in Florida and are regular attendees at Panthers games, and the USA Hockey ties means Brady Tkachuk already has relationships with many in the Florida organization. Zito had a role within USA Hockey during this past Olympic cycle and Panthers equipment manager Teddy Richards had a role with the 4 Nations and Milan Cortina teams as well.

Brady Tkachuk was Ottawa’s captain for the last five seasons, and he was — by far in some cases — their leader in countless categories over his eight years with the Senators. No player had more goals (213), points (463), power-play goals (62), shots (2,202), hits (1,921), winning goals (28), multigoal games (30) and penalty minutes (821) in his tenure with the club, which acquired him with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft.

And now, four years after landing Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers have tapped into the Tkachuk family well of talent again.

It also adds another big name to the list of players that Florida has locked up for several seasons going forward, including Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell and others. They’re all Stanley Cup winners, and now Brady Tkachuk would figure to have a real chance to get his name etched onto hockey’s chalice in the coming years as well.

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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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

It was no problem for Heim, whose No. 67 Toyota inexplicably kept getting faster on the way to his first career Cup Series victory in only his 13th start.

The 23-year-old part-time driver from Marietta, Georgia, took a deep breath before the second half of the race and reminded himself that he had as much experience as the veterans on the 16-turn, 3.4-mile street course on Coronado Island, just south of downtown San Diego.

“I’m speechless,” Heim said. “Maybe I knocked some good into the car. I have no idea. I had high expectations coming into this race. I just reset and went after it.”

Heim, the 2024 truck series champion who will move full time into Cup next season with 23XI Racing, led the final three laps after snatching first from teammate Tyler Reddick.

“I was able to stick with him, and five to go came, and it was time to put some pressure on him and see if I could get him to make a mistake,” Heim said. “Sure enough, he did.”

Bubba Wallace finished second to deliver a 1-2 finish for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA great Michael Jordan.

Reddick suffered a flat tire in the closing laps and fell to 25th, cutting his lead in the standings to eight points over Hamlin.

“To even have a shot at it at the end was really nice,” said Reddick, who started from the rear after unapproved adjustments to his No. 45 Toyota. “First and foremost, congratulations to Corey. I thought I was going to be able to hold him off there. It definitely stings. Really needed a good points day. Had another really bad one, so we’ll try and scrape together.”

It’s the second time in three years that an inaugural street race has produced a first-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series. Shane van Gisbergen won his Cup debut in the 2023 Chicago Street Race.

Heim became the third first-time winner in Cup this season, joining Ty Gibbs (Bristol) and Carson Hocevar (Talladega).

“Just crazy,” Heim said. “I hope I don’t wake up from this dream.”

His peers already think Heim’s for real.

“Awesome job by Corey Heim,” two-time Cup champion Kyle Larson said after finishing third. “That’s really cool. He’s a super talented race car driver, and it's neat to see somebody get their first win, especially at a challenging track like this.”

Zane Smith and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top five.

Hamlin, the driver-owner who had won the past three races for Joe Gibbs Racing, finished 14th.

SVG stunner

Van Gisbergen finished 38th in his bid for an eighth road or street course victory (which will make him the active leader among Cup drivers).

After starting from the pole position, van Gisbergen was caught in a crash that started when Trackhouse Racing teammate Connor Zilisch and Austin Hill collided while battling for the lead on a Lap 32 restart. The nine-car incident caused a nine-minute red flag for wall repairs.

“I felt like I was giving Austin space, and the next thing, I was in the wall,” said Zilisch, who led the first eight laps of his Cup career in the highlight of a miserable rookie season. “Really unfortunate. I hate to end both days for both Shane and I. We had a really fast car today. I had a lot of fun. I really enjoyed just getting to race out front and lead laps.”

Driver swap

During the first caution, Christopher Bell was replaced in the No. 20 Toyota by Brent Crews, but the driver relief stint was short. Crews exited in last place after a gearbox problem on the 28th lap.

Bell is still recovering from a broken wrist in a June 7 crash at Michigan International Speedway and said getting out of the car was precautionary and not because of pain.

One more for Johnson

In his second and last Cup start of the 2026 season, Jimmie Johnson slammed a tire barrier after missing a chicane on the fifth lap and finished 28th.

The seven-time series champion said Saturday that he still plans on the 2027 Daytona 500 as his final start as a Cup driver, but he is open to racing in other series.

Up next

NASCAR will stay in California, heading north to Sonoma Raceway on June 28. Van Gisbergen dominated in winning on the road course last season, leading 97 of 110 laps from the pole position.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

He was that close to sinking a birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie leader Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open and instead missed just right by a half-inch — maybe.

"I really thought I made that putt," Burns said after shooting a 67 Sunday to get to 3 under for the tournament and go into the clubhouse one stroke behind Clark. “It just didn't go in.”

Burns sat down in the scoring tent, let out an exasperated sigh and put his hands on his head. He could only watch as Clark birdied No. 16, bogeyed 17 and two-putted in on 18 to win by the single shot Burns did not make down the stretch.

"I felt like I was chasing all day," Burns said. “It's unfortunate I just came up one short.”

The heartbreak at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island came a year after Burns' miserable finish at the U.S. Open at Oakmont outside Pittsburgh. He led after two rounds, played in the final group Sunday and everything fell apart in the rain when he shot 78 to fall out of contention and into a tie for seventh.

Burns was brilliant Sunday in his bid for retribution. Entering the final round at even par, seven back of Clark, Burns birdied three of his first eight holes to move past Scottie Scheffler and others into second place.

“To start the day seven shots back, I knew it was going to take something really special,” Burns said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Clark bogeying three of his first seven holes made it close, but Burns was never able to pull into a tie for first. Three-putting at No. 15 put him in a difficult spot, and he thought the back nine was playing difficult.

With Clark shooting the same back-nine 35, Burns felt differently following this loss than a year ago, saying, “The guy who played the best won.”

It just wasn't him.

“Last year at Oakmont, I felt like more I lost the golf tournament,” Burns said. "I certainly don’t feel that way today. I gave it my best, and I did everything I could to have a chance to win.”

When Burns was hitting balls on the driving range Sunday night, his dad, Tom came over with a fatherly message on Father's Day.

“He just said he was really proud,” Sam Burns said as he got choked up. “I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father’s Day. But I know he’s proud.”

Burns' wife, Caroline, is 37 weeks pregnant with the couple's second child, he said. Burns played with 2-year-old son Bear while waiting for Clark to finish and left the course with life perspective after another difficult defeat.

“It’s a crazy life we live sometimes,” Burns said. “As a competitor, you want to go out there and compete as hard as you can and try to win. But at the end of the day, when you’re off the golf course, it’s really not that important and family is a lot more important than golf.”

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

But Scheffler never nailed down the other part — namely, applying any pressure of his own on the player who left the door open Sunday at the U.S. Open before sneaking away with the win.

While Clark hung on to beat Sam Burns by one shot and capture his second title in four years in the toughest test in golf, Scheffler will wait another year for a chance to fill that last hole on his Grand Slam resume.

“I felt close again,” Scheffler said. “It's just little things here and there.”

With Clark struggling most of the day, the world’s No. 1 player celebrated his 30th birthday by making a grand total of two birdies over a round of 1-over 71 at Shinnecock Hills. He actually beat Clark by two shots in their final-pairing showdown. But he came in trailing by six.

In a more telling sign of the opportunity he could not cash in on, Scheffler started as the best bet to reel in Clark among those jammed in a four-way tie for second heading into the round. He left in a three-way deadlock for fourth, passed up by Burns (67) and left behind by fellow birthday boy Tom Kim, who shot 70 and finished alone in third.

Scheffler's struggles were all part of a strange day and a strange vibe around Shinnecock. It was filled with lots of cheers for everything he did well, but also cheers for Clark's mishaps — the product of a New York crowd familiar with Clark's history of smashing a locker at Oakmont last year out of frustration.

"You like seeing the fans cheer for you," Scheffler said. “I think sometimes it can get a little too much when balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers. That felt a bit much to me.”

It never really led to momentum, though, for the Texan, who won the British Open last year and put himself in position to become the seventh player to complete the career Grand Slam. He'll have to wait until next year at Pebble Beach. On Sunday at Shinnecock, he spent most of the day stuck in neutral.

His chances to mount a comeback got delayed on the par-3 seventh, where he needed two shots from a bunker and a 15-foot putt just to save bogey. That kept him within four of Clark. But he never drew closer than three.

Scheffler's last, best chance might have been on the par-5 16th, when Clark teed off into the thick fescue and Scheffler was in perfect shape in the fairway. But Scheffler hit driver off the deck into the rough and Clark hit a fantastic shot back into the fairway. When Clark made birdie there to Scheffler's par, the lead was five and it was a two-man contest between Clark and Burns, who was playing three groups ahead.

"He showed what he’s made of there with a great birdie on 16," Scheffler said. “Wyndham has a pretty good -- I don’t know if 'escapability is the right word — but he’s, I would say, a very underrated scrambler.”

With the tip of his cap, Scheffler also gave a nod to reality: He lost this tournament over the first two and half days — or maybe even over the first nine holes, where he made the turn at 3 over after a three-putt from 30 feet for double-bogey on No. 8.

Two months ago, Scheffler overcame a similarly slow start at the Masters and made a Sunday charge to finish one shot shy of Rory McIlroy in what would have been an unprecedented comeback from 12 strokes down heading into the weekend.

This time, Scheffler was eight back of Clark after the first day.

“I’ve been pretty good in first rounds over the last few years, and for some reason, the sharpness just hasn’t been there early in tournaments,” Scheffler said. “I haven’t had those leads that I’ve needed in order to win tournaments. I’ve been playing catch-up all year.”

And so, Scheffler heads into the defense of his British title still with four majors to his name, but no U.S. Open. One thing those wins have in common: He has had at least a share of the lead heading into the final round of all of them.

___

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

It ran about $30 for a rideshare to get to Hard Rock Stadium, dubbed “Miami Stadium” for the World Cup.

However, shuttle buses are free to verified ticket holders, and Local 10 News got to check them out on Sunday.

Local 10 News found hundreds at the Golden Glades Transit Station waiting for free shuttle service to the stadium, provided by Miami-Dade County.

“First of all, the traffic, then the money that you have to pay,” rider Vera Brito said. “So we took the train from West Palm here and then the shuttle.”

With expensive rideshares, the shuttle is an option many are excited for. Here is how it works: verified ticket holders show their QR code to staff and can board shuttles to and from the stadium.

Local 10 News hitched a ride to see it for ourselves. Onboard, we spoke with John Barrett, who is in town from Pittsburgh with his family celebrating Father’s Day.

He said when they found the shuttle option, they were all in.

“We’ve heard about it through the website from FIFA, and this was the best opportunity for us close to our hotel,” Barrett said.

It was a quick, smooth ride. There are several hubs available for fans: MLK Plaza Metrorail Station, Golden Glades, the Aventura Brightline station, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.

Some locations even offer onsite parking.

For more information, visit the county’s website.

The tiny island nation that stunned tournament favorite Spain last week did it again against Uruguay — a two-time World Cup champion — on Sunday, coming from behind for a 2-2 draw.

Kevin Pina scored on a free kick for Cape Verde's first-ever goal in the World Cup, and Helio Varela scored the equalizer for what has become one of the most surprising teams of the expanded 48-team tournament — a club now with a legitimate chance of getting into the knockout stage.

“This is something we owe to other smaller national teams — teams that struggled to qualify for a world tournament,” Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito said through an interpreter, adding his entire squad believes it can continue its historic play and reach the knockout stage.

Cape Verde, which has two points in Group H along with Uruguay, faces Saudi Arabia in its final group match.

“We’re also here to show that a country may be small, may struggle financially," he added, "but if they are resilient, if they can endure struggle, they can also stand shoulder to shoulder with other major teams and with players who are on another level.”

The group of islands off Africa’s West coast have about 4,000 square kilometers of landmass and approximately a half million inhabitants, making Cape Verde the third-smallest nation by population to qualify for the World Cup.

Even as a large number of fans at Miami Stadium chanted for Uruguay throughout Sunday's match, Cape Verdean players seemed undaunted.

“Once you’re on the pitch, a lot of things become equal,” Leitão Brito said.

Cape Verdean fans who watched their squad pull off one of the stunners of the tournament last week by holding Spain to a scoreless draw continued their celebrations when Pina split Uruguay's wall and blasted a strike past diving goalie Fernando Muslera for a 1-0 lead in the 21st.

Maxi Araújo and Agustin Canobbio scored late first-half goals to put Uruguay ahead. But Varela, minutes after coming into the game in the second half, took advantage of a bad pass by Mathias Olivera and caught Muslera way off his line for a tying empty-net goal and his first international score.

“I had dreamed of this,” Varela said in a quote distributed by FIFA, “but I never imagined it would happen this way. Scoring my first goal for the national team on my World Cup debut is incredible. I have no words.”

Varela celebrated by hopping into his teammates' arms and flexing atop their shoulders as Muslera and other Uruguay players dropped their heads in disappointment.

“The result, I think, was quite deserved,” coach Marcelo Bielsa said afterward through an interpreter.

Uruguay failed to capitalize on numerous late chances to take the lead and settled for its second draw after a 1-1 finish against Saudi Arabia in its opener. La Celeste face Spain in their group stage finale, needing a positive result to have a chance at advancing.

“The organizational mistakes that were made — that a squad makes — they always fall upon the driver,” Bielsa added. “What I mean by that is the head coach. ... There is no magical recipe whatsoever to fix them. It goes without saying we paid a very high cost for those mistakes.”

It was another special moment for Cape Verde's Vozinha, who became one of the tournament's breakout stars after shutting down Spain. The 40-year-old goalie had his mother in the stands for Sunday's match; she was unable to attend Cape Verde’s opening draw against Spain because she couldn’t obtain a visa.

It was also the first World Cup match with two starting goalies aged 40-plus. Muslera, who made his 18th World Cup appearance, turned 40 on June 16.

Vozinha waved at the crowd after the final whistle as his teammates ran to a section of Cape Verdean fans, who cheered and danced on their way out of the stadium as if they were celebrating a victory.

“You show up, you believe, and we work very hard as a team,” said Cape Verde defender Stopira. “I think all the world can see we play, we play very good, and we also have quality in the team. So now it’s on to the next game, and to try to reach the next one.”

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

No worries.

Forbes called on freshman Caden Glauber for the 29th time this season, and for the 29th time he's pitched, the Tar Heels won.

Their 6-2 victory over Oklahoma kept alive their pursuit of the school's first national championship in baseball. The winner-take-all Game 3 is Monday night.

“This is what it’s all about,” Forbes said. “This is why you work so hard — to play in a night game, national championship game. So we’re excited about that opportunity.”

Lynch and Glauber cooled off Oklahoma’s bats, Owen Hull and Cooper Nicholson homered, and North Carolina (54-13-1) bounced back from a 9-3 loss in Game 1.

The Sooners (42-23) scored twice in the first inning and then had two hits and a total of five baserunners the rest of the way. Lynch injured his lower left side throwing his second pitch of the fifth. Glauber (12-0) came on and struck out the side and fanned a total of eight over five innings.

“When you play for the best team in college baseball, it’s pretty easy to go out there with the defense you have and the offense you have,” said Glauber, who has allowed one run in 10 1/3 CWS innings.

Glauber graduated from high school a year early and was 17 when he enrolled at Carolina last fall. He's the only pitcher in Division I with 12 wins and five saves and is pitching to a 2.05 ERA over 92 innings, with all but three of his appearances in relief.

He's been comfortable on stages big and small all season. Sunday he faced an OU team that had been averaging 9.4 runs per game in the postseason and 8.25 in the CWS.

“The preparation takes over the fear,” he said. “We work so hard on it. You know, you’ve got to have the right mindset, and you know that you’re made for the moment, whatever moment you’re in.”

The Sooners were held to their fewest runs since a May 19 loss to LSU. They hadn't been held scoreless over eight straight innings since a 3-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana on March 17. Their four hits were their fewest since a March 19 loss to LSU.

“Obviously, tough loss today,” OU's Trey Gambill said. “But I don’t think we overly care. We know that we still have the opportunity to win the national championship. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. We’re excited. Have a good meal tonight, good shower and be ready for tomorrow.”

OU freshman starter Xander Mercurius (1-3) struck out six of the first seven batters he faced but encountered trouble when Carolina's first two batters reached base in the third inning. Jake Schaffner pulled a ball into the right-field corner for a two-run triple and scored on a wild pitch to put the Tar Heels up 3-2. Mercurius began laboring in the third and left after Hull's second homer of the CWS and ninth of the season leading off the fifth.

“The trick in baseball is to not get away from your game plan and start trying to punch guys out,” OU coach Skip Johnson said, “and he kind of lost it a little bit. Instead of just trying to throw the ball to the target, he’s trying to punch people out.”

Nicholson's team-leading 16th homer, off Nate Smithburg in the seventh, made it 6-2.

Glauber walked consecutive batters with one out in the ninth. The game ended when Dasan Harris grounded to second and Gavin Gallaher turned an unassisted double play that was confirmed after Oklahoma challenged the call.

Johnson said Nick Wesloski (2-1) would start for the Sooners on Monday. Wesloski pitched 5 2/3 innings in an 11-4 win over Georgia last Wednesday. Forbes said he was undecided on a starter.

“It will be all hands on deck,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got about seven options to start tomorrow, and I like every one of them.”

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

There were more than 250 precincts for the Colombian diaspora worldwide. In South Florida, Colombian voters cast their ballots in Coral Gables, Kendall, Hialeah, Coral Springs, and Weston.

U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed De La Espriella, 47, a defense attorney and businessman who campaigned as “The Tiger,” and who is a fan of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

“Today, democracy wins,” De La Espriella told reporters in Spanish after he voted in Barranquilla.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose four-year term ends on Aug. 7, endorsed Cepeda, 63, a senator who is a political rival of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, who served from 2002 to 2010.

“Let us vote with calm and serenity, and may democracy triumph,” Cepeda told reporters in Spanish after he voted in Bogotá.

The precincts in South Florida opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 4 p.m. Some voters carried flags, some wore their team’s yellow FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer jerseys, and some wore white to symbolize peace.

In Miami-Dade County, there were three precincts at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center, Miami Dade College’s Kendall campus gymnasium, and the Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment.

In Broward County, there were two precincts at Coral Springs High School and Cypress Bay High School’s gymnasium.

During the presidential election’s first round on May 31, De la Espriella had 43.73% of the votes when he qualified for the runoff against Cepeda, who had 40.91% of the votes. About 70% of the voters in the U.S. chose De La Espriella on May 31.

For information about the election’s results, visit this page.

Related reporting

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident between two commercial flights that happened Saturday at Boston Logan International Airport.

Todd Curtis, a former safety engineer at Boeing, estimated the distance between the two jetliners using Flightradar24, a website that tracks flights. Curtis now coproduces a podcast about flight safety issues.

“This is a significant incident,” Curtis said, adding that it was particularly concerning because it involved two professional airline crews.

He said federal aviation officials have been concerned about such runway incursions for a while now and will scrutinize Saturday’s close call.

Near-misses and runway incursions at U.S. airports will be the subject of a hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation will seek ways to strengthen safety across the national airspace system.

The Delta flight from Dallas had to execute a go-around, or aborted landing, to avoid the American plane departing from an intersecting runway, according to the FAA and flight logs.

The crew of Delta flight 2351 coordinated with air traffic control to perform the go-around, an airline spokesperson said. The plane, which had 129 passengers and six crew members on board, landed safely and deplaned normally, according to the spokesperson.

Go-arounds are safe, routine procedures performed at the discretion of the pilot or air traffic controllers, according to the FAA.

Five strokes behind third-round leader Jing Yan and four back of Woad going into the day, the 4-foot-11 Yamashita shot an 8-under 64 to get to 17-under 271 at Blythefield Country Club.

“I didn’t think about like win today,” Yamashita said. “I just focused on playing just like every round. My putting was solid today and I was able to put together a really good round.”

The 24-year-old Japanese player birdied the par-5 18th in regulation and the playoff.

“I really didn’t expect like it’s going to be playoff, but once it did, I was able to reset mentally and focus on the task at hand,” Yamashita said. “I’m glad I was able to take advantage of the opportunity and turn it into a win.”

Woad had a 68, holing out from a bunker for birdie on the 17th before running into trouble on the 467-yard 18th.

“Felt like I hit an OK putt,” the 22-year-old English player said. “Obviously, lipped out on the high side.”

In the playoff, both players were in front of the green in two. Yamashita played first, hitting a flop shot to 3 feet. Woad then hit her pitch 10 feet past and missed the comebacker.

Yamashita won for the third time on the LPGA Tour after winning 13 times on the JLPGA. Last year, she won the Maybank Championship and major Women’s British Open and was the LPGA rookie of the year.

Wei-Ling Hsu (67) and Yan Liu (67) tied for third at 15 under. Minji Kang (66) and Cassie Porter (70) were 14 under. Yan had a 73 to tie for seventh at 13 under.

The major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship begins Thursday at Hazeltine in Minnesota.

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

“If my grandmother had tires, she'd be a car,” Niemann said Sunday, after wrapping up a tournament sullied by an opening-round 11 on the par-4 sixth hole that featured two tee shots out of bounds and two penalty strokes for hurling his club in frustration.

Niemann shot 4-under 66 in the final round to finish at 1-over 281. It doesn't take heavy math to imagine the possibilities had he not shot 7-over par on one hole. More urgently, when he left the course, his 281 put him in a tie for seventh, which would earn him the invitation for next year that goes to the the top-10 finishers and ties.

His 66 paired with a 65 he shot in the second round, shortly after learning his 9 on No. 6 had been bumped up two shots for violating the code of conduct. It meant Niemann was a good bet to tie for the two best rounds of the tournament along with recording the single worst one-hole score of the four rounds.

“A good experience, a good test for myself," he said. "What happened on Thursday and coming back, I was pretty proud of” myself.

Niemann didn't try to deflect blame or suggest he didn't deserve the two-shot penalty for chucking the club after the two errant tee shots, then being rejected when he asked for relief from what he thought might be fire ants.

Play was called for the day shortly after that. Niemann completed his first round Friday morning, then learned about the penalty.

“I was not trying to offend anyone,” he said. “I was frustrated. I had my expectations, which are always super high. I was playing good golf. I knew it was going to be a tough week, a long week, a challenging week. ... I’m not happy doing that. I’m not proud about throwing a golf club.”

He did not want to delve into the debate about whether the USGA was too aggressive in docking him the two shots. Even though the course was virtually empty at the time, he did, in fact, throw the club.

He called his comeback story “something to learn from.”

Asked if there were lessons to be learned from his odyssey around Shinnecock Hills, he said: “Everyone just stop throwing clubs. Just behave.”

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

Según los agentes de BSO, Kimora McMinns fue vista por última vez alrededor de las 7 a.m. en la cuadra 6800 de la Southwest 17th Street.

Kimora mide aproximadamente 5 pies con 4 pulgadas, pesa cerca de 140 libras, tiene cabello negro y ojos color café, y vestía pantalones cortos negros, camisa negra, sandalias rosadas y un gorro negro con morado, según las autoridades.

Los agentes pidieron a cualquier persona con información sobre el paradero de Kimora que llame al detective Chris Blankenship al 954-321-4268.

Las autoridades informaron que el Iron Fire, en el condado Juab, Utah, se detectó por primera vez el sábado y había calcinado 87 kilómetros cuadrados (34 millas cuadradas). El incendio, a unos 113 kilómetros (70 millas) al suroeste de Salt Lake City, obligó a evacuar Eureka, de alrededor de 1.000 habitantes, y a personas en un rancho cercano.

No se habían perdido viviendas, y UTAH Fire Info, una operación de múltiples agencias, indicó en una publicación en X que los bomberos llevaron a cabo con éxito una operación de contrafuego para proteger el pueblo.

Kelly Wickens, especialista en prevención de incendios de la División de Silvicultura, Incendios y Tierras Estatales de Utah, advirtió que el incendio seguía creciendo en medio de condiciones de sequía. Wickens señaló que el incendio fue provocado por actividad humana y continúa bajo investigación.

El gobernador de Utah, Spencer J. Cox, visitó el pueblo el domingo.

“Sabíamos que iba a haber un peligro extremo de incendios y, efectivamente, tuvimos múltiples incendios”, afirmó Cox.

El Iron Fire era uno de los seis incendios que ardían en Utah con distintos niveles de contención.

Un incendio forestal provocó evacuaciones durante el fin de semana cerca de Sedona, Arizona, y quemó alrededor de 120 hectáreas (300 acres) de terreno empinado y escabroso cerca de Oak Creek Canyon. Hasta la tarde del domingo, unos 300 efectivos de bomberos estaban combatiendo el incendio, que seguía sin contención. A los residentes evacuados previamente aún no se les permitía regresar a casa.

Gran parte del oeste de Estados Unidos, desde las Montañas Rocosas hasta la costa del Pacífico, registró temperaturas por encima del promedio este fin de semana, y se anticipaba un clima aún más caluroso para comienzos de esta semana. Las autoridades también advirtieron que el tiempo prolongado, seco y caluroso, junto con una humedad relativamente baja, incrementaba el riesgo de incendios.

Gran parte de Utah está experimentando una sequía severa a extrema, y partes de Arizona y Colorado atraviesan sequía severa, según el Monitor de Sequía de Estados Unidos. En Colorado, el extremo suroeste del estado estaba bajo una alerta de bandera roja emitida por el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional hasta el lunes, debido a vientos con ráfagas y baja humedad relativa.

El calor extremo cobró la vida de tres excursionistas en dos incidentes separados la semana pasada en el Gran Cañón. Se esperaba que las temperaturas subieran en el Suroeste el domingo, con un pronóstico de hasta 42,2 grados Celsius (108 grados Fahrenheit) en Carlsbad, Nuevo México.

Por su parte, el Servicio Forestal de Florida informó que equipos de bomberos de todo el estado casi habían contenido varios incendios de matorrales en el oeste del condado Miami-Dade, en Florida,

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

The full episode can be seen at the top of this page.

The 17-year-old amateur surprised his father, Joe, on the 18th hole Sunday when his caddie brought Russell's clubs to him outside the ropes to carry them the rest of the way.

“It was kind of a fun Father’s Day gift,” Miles Russell said. “Kind of cool since it was my first one. Hopefully it’s something he’ll remember for a long time.”

Russell had Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods' son and his future teammate at Florida State, carrying the bag for him when he advanced to the U.S. Open through a 36-hole qualifying tournament earlier this month.

Ramon Bescansa was on the bag for Russell at Shinnecock Hills — but only for 71 1/2 holes.

As Russell walked toward the 18th green, Bescansa turned toward the ropes and found Joe Russell. He placed the bag down just inside the ropes and removed his caddie bib and handed it to Joe, who put it on.

According to the NBC broadcast, Miles Russell asked a USGA rules official in the morning if he would be allowed to make the switch and was given permission. Joe Russell was not aware of the plan.

Miles Russell smiled widely as his father caught up to him and they walked up to the green.

Russell tapped in for par to finish off an even-par 70 in the final round. After becoming the second-youngest male amateur since World War II to play the weekend at the U.S. Open, he finished at 7 over for the tournament while being paired the final two rounds with fellow amateur Jackson Koivun, who led Auburn to two NCAA championships and is about to turn pro.

“It was a pretty special week,” Russell said. “Just to be here was really special, and to make the cut was kind of bonus points. I didn’t quite have my best stuff the last two days, but still really cool. Just a great experience.”

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

Group-stage progress

JUNE 21: DAY 3

Japan gets 3 points after 4-0 victory against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico

JUNE 20: DAY 2

The Netherlands gets 3 points

• Game analysis: Brobbey and Gakpo strike twice each as Netherlands routs Sweden 5-1 to lead Group F

JUNE 14: DAY 1

Netherlands and Japan each get 1 point

• Game analysis: Daichi Kamada’s late goal gives Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in World Cup opener for both
• FIFA game video: Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk scores 
• FIFA game video: Japan’s Daichi Kamada scores

Sweden gets 3 points after opener

• Game analysis: Sweden gets 2 goals from Yasin Ayari and pounds Tunisia 5-1 to move atop World Cup Group F

The next matches

JUNE 25: DAY 4

Tunisia vs. The Netherlands at 7 p.m. in Kansas City, Missouri

Japan vs. Sweden at 7 p.m. in Arlington, Texas.

Track the groups’ progress

• Group A
• Group B
• Group C
• Group D
• Group E
• Group G
• Group H
• Group I
• Group J
• Group K
• Group L
• Track standing tables on FIFA

Still, seeing the single-sentence announcement from The All England Club that the 23-time Grand Slam champion will play singles at Wimbledon was stunning nonetheless.

“Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies’ singles wild card,” read the key line in Sunday's announcement, which was issued eight days before the grass-court Grand Slam begins.

At age 44, Williams will actually play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon after already accepting a wild card for the doubles competition with older sister Venus.

“This is not a drill,” Wimbledon said on its social media accounts Sunday.

Commented the WTA Tour, “Name a more iconic return…we’ll wait.”

Wimbledon held open the eighth and final women's singles wild card spot until Williams made up her mind. As recently as earlier this week after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared to be waffling over the decision.

“Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she replied when she was told there was still a wild card spot open. Wild cards are special invitations handed out by tournament organizers, which allow former champions and others access to the main draw without the necessary entry qualifications. But then she mused about her readiness for it.

“Do you think I’m ready for singles?” she asked a reporter and then turned to doubles partner Karolina Muchova to ask what she thought.

“I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player responded.

“That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wonder why there’s — I don’t know.”

Well, now that Williams has made up her mind, the big remaining question is how she can physically handle singles play after so long.

Serena’s most-recent singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis. Her second daughter was born in 2023.

“Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose,” Williams said on X after the wild card announcement.

Of Williams' 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, seven have come at Wimbledon: in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. She’s also won 14 Grand Slams in doubles, all with Venus, and six of them at Wimbledon.

Serena also swept the singles and doubles (with Venus) titles at the 2012 London Olympics, when the tennis competition was held on the hallowed grass of the All England Club.

At her last Wimbledon appearance in 2022, Serena was beaten in the opening round by 115th-ranked Harmony Tan in her first match since having to stop less than a set into her opening contest at the All England Club because of an injury the year before.

Serena won a doubles match with partner Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club last week but then the pair had to withdraw after Mboko injured her knee in a singles match.

In another doubles match at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, Serena and Muchova were beaten by Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.

As of Sunday, Serena had not entered the singles draws of any grass-court tuneup tournaments before Wimbledon.

She will learn who her first-round opponent is on Friday when the singles draws for Wimbledon are held.

While she’s No. 593 in the doubles rankings courtesy of her victory last week, Serena has no singles ranking after being away for so long.

Iga Swiatek is the defending Wimbledon champion, while Aryna Sabalenka is ranked No. 1.

Because Serena has no ranking, she could potentially face Swiatek, Sabalenka or any other top-ranked player in the opening rounds.

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

The Iron Fire in Utah’s Juab County was first detected Saturday and had blackened 34 square miles (87 square kilometers), authorities said. The fire about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southwest of Salt Lake City forced the evacuation of Eureka, population 1,000, and people at a nearby ranch.

No homes had been lost, and UTAH Fire Info, a multiagency operation, said in a post on X that firefighters conducted a successful backburn operation to protect the town.

Kelly Wickens, a fire prevention specialist with the Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands, warned that the fire was continuing to grow amid drought conditions. Wickens said the fire was human-caused and remains under investigation.

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox visited the town Sunday.

“We knew that there was going to be extreme fire danger, and sure enough we had multiple fires,” Cox said.

The Iron Fire was one of six fires burning in Utah at varying levels of containment.

A wildfire prompted evacuations over the weekend near Sedona, Arizona, burning about 300 acres (120 hectares) of steep and rugged terrain near Oak Creek Canyon. As of Sunday afternoon, about 300 fire personnel were fighting the blaze, which remained uncontained. Residents evacuated earlier were still not being allowed to return home.

Much of the Western U.S. from the Rockies to the Pacific coast saw above-average temperatures this weekend with even hotter weather anticipated for early this week. Officials warned that the prolonged dry, hot weather and relatively low humidity increased the risk of fire danger.

Much of Utah is experiencing severe to extreme drought, while parts of Arizona and Colorado are experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In Colorado, the southwest corner of the state was under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service until Monday, due to gusty winds and low relative humidity.

Extreme heat claimed the lives of three hikers in two separate incidents last week in the Grand Canyon. Temperatures were expected to climb in the Southwest on Sunday, with a forecast of up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 C) in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Meanwhile, the Florida Forest Service said fire crews from across the state had nearly contained several brush fires in western Miami-Dade County in Florida,

Group-stage progress

JUNE 21: DAY 2

Uruguay vs. Cape Verde is at 6 p.m.

Spain gets 3 points

• Game-analysis: Lamine Yamal scores 10 minutes into his first World Cup start and gives Spain liftoff

JUNE 15: DAY 1

MIAMI STADIUM MATCH

Saudi Arabia and Uruguay each get 1 point

• Game analysis: Uruguay’s Maxi Araújo scores equalizer in 1-1 World Cup draw with Saudi Arabia
• FIFA game video: Araújo’s equalizing goal
• FIFA game video: Saudi Arabia’s Abdulelah Al-Amri scores
• Pre-game coverage: Uruguayans arrive in high spirits ahead of FIFA World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Miami
• Miami Stadium hosts 1st of 7 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches

Cape Verde and Spain each get 1 point

• Game analysis: Cape Verde secures stunning 0-0 draw with Spain in its World Cup debut

Next game day

JUNE 26: DAY 3

Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia is at 8 p.m.

Uruguay vs. Spain is at 8 p.m.

Track the groups

• Group A
• Group B
• Group C
• Group D
• Group E
• Group F
• Group G
• Group I
• Group J
• Group K
• Group L

Una nota oficial firmada del Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) y el gobierno de la isla informaron del deceso sin ofrecer detalles de la muerte del dirigente, uno de los compañeros más destacados de Fidel y Raúl Castro desde el asalto al Cuartel Moncada en 1953 y una influyente figura de la historia revolucionaria en la nación caribeña.

Tampoco se indicó por lo pronto cómo se desarrollarán las exequias del veterano dirigente.

“Ramiro Valdés Menéndez es merecedor del respecto y la admiración del pueblo de Cuba por su entrega y probada lealtad a la causa revolucionaria”, expresó la información publicada por el portal oficial Cubadebate.

El presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel reaccionó inmediatamente en su cuenta personal en la red social X. “La partida física del comandante de la Revolución, Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, duele profundamente, como la de un padre. Así lo quise y respeté siempre. Así recordaré su apoyo y consejos, su discreta colaboración y ejemplar consagración al servicio de la Patria”, expresó.

“Cada acto de la vida del Comandante Ramiro estuvo signado por su fidelidad absoluta al liderazgo de Fidel y Raúl, a sus compañeros de lucha y al Programa del Moncada”, indicó el mandatario al recordar la participación iniciática de Valdés en el fallido asalto al fuerte militar que sin embargo fue el puntapié inicial de a revolución cubana.

Un hombre de poder

Valdés llegó a dirigir las fuerzas de seguridad del Estado y más tarde se volvió el tercer político más importante de la Cuba en la década pasada.

Su popularidad entre los cubanos y extranjeros obedecía tanto a haber sido de los pocos funcionarios que una vez caídos en desgracia por tener diferencia con el fallecido presidente Fidel Castro volvieron al poder; como por sus polémicas declaraciones sobre internet y las nuevas tecnologías en Cuba --donde estaban limitadas entonces-- considerándolas una suerte de bestias que debían ser dominadas pues sino podían convertirse en una fuente de exterminio para la humanidad.

“El potro salvaje puede y debe ser dominado, y las infocomunicaciones, puestas en función de la paz y desarrollo”, dijo Valdés sobre internet en un encuentro de expertos en febrero de 2007, cuando además era ministro de Informática y las Comunicaciones.

Pocas veces aparecía en público y nunca hablaba con la prensa.

Valdés fue una figura clave en la lucha revolucionaria y los primeros años del gobierno del presidente Fidel Castro, pero en 1986, tras una discusión cuando era ministro del Interior se alejó del poder por 17 años.

En 2003, de manera sorpresiva, Valdés fue reincorporado al Consejo de Estado de Cuba, el órgano ejecutivo gobernante de la isla, y en 2006, el presidente Raúl Castro, en su primera gran decisión tras el relevo de su convaleciente hermano Fidel, seleccionó a este hombre para que dirigiera el Ministerio de Informática y las Comunicaciones, pese a que entonces ya superaba los 70 años.

En 2009 recibió incluso un ascenso y se lo designó como vicepresidente del Consejo de Ministros, manteniéndose como titular de Comunicaciones, sin embargo en 2011 se lo liberó de esta tarea pero mantuvo el cargo de mayor rango que ocupó hasta 2019.

La resurrección política de Valdés se completó en 2011: justo antes de cumplir 79 años, fue elegido como el número tres en la dirección del Partido Comunista, sólo por debajo de Raúl y José Ramón Machado Ventura, otra histórica figura.

En 2019, bajo la renovación de cargos impuesta por la nueva Constitución, se convirtió en Vice Primer Ministro de la República de Cuba, un figura creada por esa Carta Magna.

Valdés Menéndez nació el 28 de abril de 1932 en la ciudad occidental de Artemisa, no lejos de La Habana.

Tenía apenas 21 años cuando fue reclutado para participar en el ataque que encabezó Fidel Castro en 1953 contra un cuartel militar —el Moncada— con el que inició una revolución que derrocaría al dictador Fulgencio Batista.

Valdés siguió en el terreno de combate bajo el liderazgo del legendario guerrillero Ernesto “Che” Guevara y se convirtió uno de los pocos rebeldes que poseían el título honorífico de Comandante de la Revolución. Valdés también fue un “Héroe de la República de Cuba”.

Después que el Partido Comunista de Cuba se fundó en 1965, Valdés fue nombrado miembro del Comité Central así como del más exclusivo Buró Político. Tuvo un asiento en el Consejo de Estado, el cuerpo ejecutivo de gobierno en Cuba.

El gobierno nunca explicó la decisión de separarlo del cargo en 1986 tras su pelea con Castro.

Valdés se ausentó de la vida pública hasta 1997, cuando encabezó una misión a Bolivia para encontrar y devolver a Cuba los restos de Guevara, asesinado en el país sudamericano tres décadas antes cuando intentaba iniciar una revolución.

His decision to join Inter Miami in 2023 has already been good for all parties, raising the profile of soccer in the United States, delivering titles for his club and writing a new chapter in his storied career.

But Argentina could be the biggest winner of all, with Messi arriving at what might be his last World Cup with his powers still at stratospheric levels aged 38.

“Leo will be the best for as long as he wants; he has been doing it every single match for the last 20 years,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.

Thierry Henry described him as “on the moon” after his hat trick in Argentina’s opening game against Algeria.

“Leo is just different. It’s just a different topic,” Henry told Fox Sports.

Messi scored his first hat trick at a World Cup and also moved level on 16 goals with Miroslav Klose as the leading scorer in tournament history.

“I tried to prepare myself in the best possible way to feel good physically, to feel useful, and to be able to help the group,” Messi said.

That’s an understatement.

Despite saying the last World Cup was likely his last, Messi is once again at the heart of the Argentina team, its biggest creative and attacking threat. At this stage of his career, that was far from guaranteed.

“We should be used to this, but if you ever needed any more confirmation that when it comes to Argentina, Messi is the system, he is the tactic, he’s the formation, he’s the identity and he is the heart,” Fox analyst Alexi Lalas said after the 3-0 win against Algeria. “It was something to behold.”

Messi has not lost his rhythm after US move

Messi left behind the intensity of European soccer to join Inter Miami in 2023, delivering a massive boost for Major League Soccer.

He said he wanted to “live football in another way” and while that included changes to his home life in the U.S., there was also a step down in the level of competition compared to Europe’s top leagues.

But at a time when top players are warning of burnout because of soccer’s increasingly congested calendar, Messi appears to be benefiting from making the move. He has played fewer games in the U.S. than at the height of his Barcelona career when he could play in excess of 50 a season. His performance at the start of this World Cup shows he hasn’t lost his sharpness even if he is not regularly facing the world’s top defenders in MLS.

“I love to play, to compete. And no matter where it is, today I find myself at another World Cup, which brings extra happiness, but I prepare myself just as I have done throughout my entire career,” he said.

Many people already rated the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the greatest soccer player of all time. But even past his peak years, he has hit new heights on the sport’s biggest stage.

His long-awaited World Cup triumph in 2022 came after his move away from Barcelona, where he was winning Champions League titles and setting scoring records, but repeatedly fell short with Argentina in international tournaments.

He was at Paris Saint-Germain when, as a 35-year-old and playing in his fifth World Cup, he finally managed to win the one trophy that had eluded him. Again, Argentina may have been the beneficiary of its icon taking a step down at club level.

While PSG hoped Messi’s arrival could deliver the Champions League, the domestic competition in France is not regarded as highly as Spain’s. Messi no longer faced such intense soccer on a weekly basis.

He went on to produce his finest form at a World Cup in 2022, scoring seven goals, including two in the final as Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout. He managed just one goal at the previous edition in Russia.

Messi is an inspiration for his teammates

He is back again four years later and looks like he is in the mood for more.

His Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul has spoken of the extra training both players had put in to ensure they were in peak condition for the tournament.

“We killed ourselves to, physically, arrive in the best way,” De Paul said.

Messi, meanwhile, has taken inspiration from Rafa Nadal after watching the Netflix docuseries on the tennis great’s drive to stay at the top of his game.

“I am very similar in that sense. I always want to feel good. As long as I can and I am well, I will be there,” Messi said.

For his teammates, he is simply the biggest inspiration.

“What Leo transmits is spectacular, it is hard to explain,” said Scaloni. “His teammates view him both as a God and as a kid from the neighborhood.

“Honestly, you just run out of words. Beyond the goals he scores, it is what he transmits—both to his teammates and to the fans. We will miss him.”

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AP sports writer Debora Rey contributed to this report from Dallas.

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

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

“Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!” Trump said in a Sunday morning Truth Social post.

The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender who has repeatedly rebuffed Trump's calls for a military intervention, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Under Trump, National Guard troops have been deployed on crime-fighting missions in Democrat-led cities including New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee.

While Chicago Police Department data shows a slight uptick in shooting incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates have generally dropped in the city over the past few years, in parallel with national trends.

Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicate there have been at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit Saturday evening and a 50-year-old shot in the chest Friday.

At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled up and two people inside started shooting, police said.

The eight men and four women in the group ranged in age from 17 to 47. They were being treated at four hospitals. Police said another man suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment.

That shooting happened on Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. Earlier Friday, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side.

“What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an X post Saturday. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”

“Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable," he said.

Other major U.S. cities experienced gun-related violence over the weekend. In Philadelphia, two people were killed and two others wounded following a shooting early Sunday morning, according to Fox-29. In Cincinnati, a shooting killed three people Saturday evening, WLWT reported. And police in Kansas City, Missouri say they are investigating a shooting Friday evening that left one dead and five wounded.

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Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed from New Orleans.

Mona Khalil, who spent more than two decades protecting sea turtles along Lebanon’s coastline, was critically injured in the strike on her home in the village of Mansouri earlier this month and died of her wounds Friday. She was 76.

The Orange House, which Khalil helped build into a small conservation hub and ecotourism site in Mansouri, became a refuge for endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles and a training ground for volunteers documenting nesting activity along the coast.

News of her death triggered an outpouring of grief among environmentalists and those who volunteered and worked with her over the years.

Journalist and environmental activist Fadia Jomaa first met Khalil in 2016 while researching sea turtles in Lebanon and then decided to volunteer with her project.

For the volunteers, “this relationship didn’t stop at being a volunteering relationship — Mona became our mother,” Jomaa said.

Jomaa became one of Khalil’s closest collaborators, eventually helping manage the sea turtle conservation project with her. She also brought her own children to volunteer, introducing them to the work of protecting nesting turtles and hatchlings along Lebanon’s southern coast.

During the previous war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in 2024, Khalil initially refused to leave Al-Mansouri beach, Jomaa said. The Lebanese army ultimately persuaded her to evacuate for her safety. “She was the last one to leave the area,” Jomaa said.

“She had an awful time in Beirut,” Jomaa said, adding that Khalil longed to return to the south, to the Orange House and the beach she had spent years protecting.

Another Israel-Hezbollah war erupted in March. Hezbollah fired across the border into Israel on March 2, two days after Israel and the U.S. attacked its ally, Iran.

Khalil could have left Lebanon altogether. She held Dutch as well as Lebanese citizenship, having lived in the Netherlands before returning to Lebanon and settling in what had once been her grandmother’s home — the building that would later become known as the Orange House

But she refused to leave her home again.

“She said I am a civilian, I have no weapons, I will shut my door," Jomaa said.

On June 4, an Israeli strike hit her home. Khalil and her domestic worker were rushed to the hospital. It was not clear what the intended target of the strike was.

The Israeli military said in a statement that Khalil “was not a target of the IDF” and that “there is no known IDF strike in which she was injured,” but added that “strikes were conducted in the area after the IDF issued evacuation warnings.” It said it “deeply regrets any harm caused to civilians and remains committed to operating in accordance with international law.”

Khalil's condition initially appeared hopeful after surgery, Jomaa said, but she succumbed to her wounds two weeks later.

“It is a great loss for conservation, for the country, and for all of us who cared about the sea and the natural heritage of Lebanon,” said Johnny Baaklini, a former volunteer at the Orange House who worked closely with Khalil.

Like Jomaa, he recalled that Khalil “treated us, the conservation advocates, like her kids.”

“It feels impossible to describe the impact Mona personally had on me and on so many other young naturalists,” he said.

At the heart of Khalil’s work was a narrow stretch of coastline, Al-Mansouri beach in Tyre province. Each nesting season, she and volunteers would patrol the beach at night, marking fresh tracks in the sand and carefully relocating vulnerable nests away from human activity and coastal light pollution.

The Orange House also functioned as a small beachfront bed-and-breakfast.

During the summer nesting season, Khalil organized sea turtle hatchling viewings for visitors. Many families brought their children to watch the small miracle unfold.

These viewings typically took place at sunset, when volunteers would guide groups to the beach to observe hatchlings making their way from protected nests to the sea.

“She used to say, ‘My soul will stay here,’” Jomaa said, recalling conversations in which Khalil would point to an olive tree or a small hill overlooking Al-Mansouri beach. “She used to say, ‘This is where you will bury me.’”

Where Khalil will ultimately be buried remains uncertain and is tied to the security situation in the area, Jomaa said.

Might have been when 500 people showed up at the airport to welcome its national team for the World Cup. Or when players for The Fennecs saw the giant Algerian flag that local artist Stan Herd had crafted of mulch and sand. Or maybe when members of the school's marching band took the time to learn "Kassaman,” the anthem of the north African nation.

“Respect,” Algeria captain and Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez told the people of Lawrence, shortly before Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and Argentina beat them 3-0 last week to start the tournament, “and thank you so much for the welcome.”

Yet the feel-good story of a town and a team comes at a complex time for Algeria. More than 5,000 miles from the World Cup, human rights advocates say, authorities have been cracking down on protests, social media and other forms of public dissent.

That includes the detention of French journalist Christophe Gleizes on what critics call trumped-up charges of “advocacy of terrorism.”

It is but another example of how politics and sports often intersect on the world's biggest stages.

“He is a soccer journalist and nothing but a soccer journalist,” Gleizes’ parents, Sylvie and Francis Godard, said in a statement. “This never-ending situation is devastating for us. We once again appeal to President (Abdelmadjid) Tebboune to grant clemency so that Christophe may regain his freedom, his family and his job as a sports journalist, as soon as possible."

Rolling out the welcome mat in Kansas

Algeria is one of four countries whose home base is in the Kansas City area, albeit 40 miles west of the metro. But while Argentina, the Netherlands and England have been treated as if they were family by the smallest host city for the World Cup, the bond struck between Algeria and Lawrence has been something else entirely.

Players shot hoops at Allen Fieldhouse, the historic home of the Jayhawks. They tossed footballs at Memorial Stadium. Signs posted in Arabic around town encourage the Algerian players, who in turn spend their free time kicking balls around with local youths.

“The more we learned of the challenges Algerians faced to get here, the stronger our commitment became to show how welcoming our city could be,” said Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for city's convention and visitors bureau.

“They quickly became our home team,” DeWitt said. “Businesses have Algerian flags, banners and merchandise in windows. Schools and summer camps have done projects learning about Algeria, organizations have made welcome videos and our arts programs have created public displays that focus on soccer and the international connections between people.”

Just as the Algerian players have left their mark on Lawrence, so too have the locals left a mark on them.

“That first evening, seeing the fans waiting outside our hotel, it gave me goosebumps,” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said, “and it filled me with a source of pride. Then we had that opening training session as well, and we saw that there was so many U.S. citizens that had scarves for us. They showed so much support. And they really wanted to celebrate this moment.”

FIFA's president asks Algeria for a “great act of humanity”

As the World Cup was about to start, though, it was FIFA president Gianni Infantino himself who cast a spotlight on Gleizes, calling for the Algerian authorities to pardon him. The French writer has been detained since 2024 as part of a controversial seven-year sentence for “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing propaganda harmful to national interests."

FIFA granted Gleizes a media credential for the tournament and has symbolically left a seat open for him.

“I've invited his parents to a game,” Infantino said, “but I hope — I really hope — that in a great act of humanity, he will be given grace, the presidential grace, and can even join us here for the World Cup. But for the time he's not here, his seat is here for him.”

Gleizes was detained while investigating the death of an Algerian soccer player, Albert Ebosse. His appeal was rejected in December in a case Reporters Without Borders has called “unfounded and outrageous," and which critics say is an example of the way the Tebboune administration has muzzled the media, public activists and political debate.

Even while detained, Gleizes has been trying to do his job. During a recent news conference, Vincent Duluc of the daily L'Equipe told French coach Didier Deschamps that he was asking a question on his behalf about hydration breaks during the World Cup.

“Well,” Deschamps said, "as it regards Christophe, I had the opportunity during the final of the French Cup to meet his parents, and I hope for him and his family that he will be here as soon as possible, and be in a position to ask his questions himself.”

Algeria continues in World Cup with Jordan up Monday

Far from the courtrooms, prison cells and politics of Algeria, its national team — led by Mahrez, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Mohamed Amoura — will take the pitch once again Monday for a crucial Group J game against Jordan in Santa Clara, California.

It has been nearly a week since Les Fennecs lost to Argentina inside Arrowhead Stadium, not far from their Lawrence base. And even though 32 of the 48 teams in the World Cup will advance to the knockout phase, there is suddenly intense pressure to win.

Algeria has qualified for the tournament five times but has never advanced past the round of 16.

It did not qualify at all for the past two World Cups.

“To tell the truth,” Petkovic said, “we are used to having hundreds of thousands of (our) fans right behind us, and that's what is great about Algerian football. They not only get behind us, they put up with us, so many people. Some of the fans are very critical but they are still very happy and proud to get behind their nation and country.”

That sounds a lot like some folks in eastern Kansas, who have chosen to adopt Algeria for the duration of the World Cup.

“I hope that all the neutrals do cheer on Algeria,” Petkovic said, “because it's been a wonderful feeling. We've had a great helping hand. Even in our open training session, they really gave us some positive vibes, not only the Algerian people but also locals from the United States living in this area. We'll try to give them something back.”

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

El accidente ocurrió en la cuadra 8100 de Stirling Road.

Las autoridades indicaron que la víctima, cuyo nombre no fue revelado públicamente, intentaba girar a la izquierda para entrar a Home Depot, en University Creek Plaza, cuando Joseph Anthony Ciavarella lo impactó.

La policía de Davie informó que sus investigadores determinaron que Ciavarella estaba intoxicado y conducía sin las luces delanteras encendidas al momento del choque.

Las autoridades dijeron que obtuvieron una orden de arresto y detuvieron a Ciavarella el viernes.

Enfrenta varios cargos, incluyendo homicidio vehicular por DUI y homicidio culposo al volante.

The fifth installment in the Pixar series debuted with $160 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily setting a new franchise record and notching the biggest opening weekend of the year.

Launching 31 years after the original “Toy Story” first landed in theaters, “Toy Story 5” far surpassed the previous series-best debut: $120 million for “Toy Story 4” in 2019. Internationally, it was just as successful, with $152 million in opening-weekend sales, for a worldwide haul of $312 million.

The “Toy Story” franchise is one of the most profitable for The Walt Disney Co. Before “Toy Story 5” launched, the movies had collectively grossed more than $3 billion, while also pulling in billions from merchandising.

Though the series seemed to reach a conclusion with 2010’s “Toy Story 3,” the decision to revive the franchise almost a decade later — while controversial — has been extremely lucrative. “Toy Story 4” exceeded $1 billion in ticket sales, and “Toy Story 5” is all but certain to as well.

Among animated films, only 2018's “Incredibles 2” had a bigger opening weekend ($182.7 million) than “Toy Story 5.”

These toys aren't cheap

Keeping the “Toy Story” movies going has gotten more expensive, though. The fifth movie cost $250 million to make, not including marketing. It returns a voice cast led by Tom Hanks (as Woody), Tim Allen (as Buzz Lightyear) and Joan Cusack (as Jessie).

In the sequel, the toys are pushed aside when Bonnie gets a new tablet. It’s directed by Andrew Stanton, the Pixar veteran who helmed “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “WALL-E” (2008). “Toy Story 5” also features a new song by Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You.”

Reviews have been very good and audiences gave “Toy Story 5” an “A” CinemaScore, suggesting it should remain a force in theaters for weeks.

After its chart-topping debut, Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” slipped to second place with $17 million in its second weekend. That’s not the hold that Universal Pictures was hoping for. Dropping 61% from its first weekend suggests “Disclosure Day” might not find the legs Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller needs to break out this summer.

Still, the $115 million budgeted movie, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colman Domingo, has grossed $160.4 million globally in two weeks. “Disclosure Day” stands a good chance of remaining the top adult-oriented option in theaters in the coming weeks.

“Toy Story 5” faced little competition from newcomers.

‘Robin Hood’ misses the bullseye

A24’s “The Death of Robin Hood,” a violent revisionist approach to the old legend, flopped with $2.6 million on 1,762 screens. The film, starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Michael Sarnoski, was modestly budgeted at $20 million. But after finding mixed reviews, audiences didn’t go for the movie, either. It earned a “C+” CinemaScore.

Neon’s “Leviticus” came out just ahead of “The Death of Robin Hood,” with $2.7 million from 1,076 theaters. Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the buzzy low-budget horror film is about two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. It's a fine start for an indie with a small budget of $3.5 million and good word-of-mouth. But “Leviticus” also faced unusually strong competition in the still-potent horror hits “Obsession” and “Backrooms.”

The top horror choice remained “Obsession,” the microbudget phenomenon by 26-year-old Curry Barker. In its sixth weekend, it nearly equaled its $17 million opening weekend from mid-May. The Focus Features release, which cost less than $1 million to make, added $14.2 million to bring its domestic total to $215.8 million and its global haul to $333.3 million.

With “Toy Story 5” and “Obsession” driving sales, the summer box office is up 15% from the 2025 summer, according to Rentrak. More impressively, summer ticket sales are nearly equal to the 2019 summer at the same point, not accounting for inflation. The summer to date is just 1.9% down from that year.

Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, expects that Hollywood is heading for its best summer since before the pandemic. And the success is coming from both expected and unexpected places.

“To me, this is a hybrid summer and this could be the new blueprint for how you build the perfect summer box-office beast,” says Dergarabedian. “You throw in a mix of very eclectic films and not just the usual suspects — the big franchise films, the known brands — but also films like ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ and original films like ‘Disclosure Day.’”

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:

1. “Toy Story 5,” $160 million.

2. “Disclosure Day,” $17 million.

3. “Obsession,” $14.2 million.

4. “Backrooms,” $7.3 million.

5. “Scary Movie,” $6.7 million.

6. “Masters of the Universe,” $5.6 million.

7. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” $3.9 million.

8. “Leviticus,” $2.7 million.

9. “The Death of Robin Hood,” $2.6 million.

10. “Michael,” $2.2 million.

Teenage superstar Yamal scored 10 minutes into his first start on soccer’s biggest stage and Spain kickstarted its tournament with the 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.

The 18-year-old forward slid in at the far post to touch home a low cross for the opening goal and became the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history. More importantly, he settled Spanish nerves after the European champion was held to a surprise 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in its opening game.

“The first game wasn’t really us, it was different, but now we’ve arrived and we’re going for more," Yamal said.

In a tournament that has already seen Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane get off to flying starts, Yamal's strike saw him join the party.

“I’ve always dreamed of being at a World Cup, and being able to score in my first match as a starter is a dream,” he said. “I watched the last World Cup from a classroom so being able to score here with my mum and my family in the stands is a dream come true.”

The Barcelona winger is already considered one the world’s top players and helped Spain win the European Championship in 2024 despite being just 16 years old when the tournament started. He is tipped to take over from Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport’s biggest star but came into the World Cup with questions over his fitness after he missed the end of the season with a hamstring injury.

After being used only as a second-half substitute against Cape Verde, he was thrown in from the start on Sunday and wasted no time in making his presence felt, repeatedly slicing through the Saudi defense before turning home Mikel Oyarzabal's cross.

“When there are players with individual attributes in this game that can work (beat opponents) one-on-one, they can make a difference,” said Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis. “This is a player that makes a difference all the time in Spain and I think the better the physical condition, the more time he has, he’ll help his team even more.”

A full house at Atlanta Stadium that was mainly filled with Spain fans erupted in celebration just at the sight of Yamal emerging for the pre-game warm up. And the cheers were even louder as he raced away to celebrate his goal, dropping to his knees, praying and kissing the turf.

It was just the impact Spain coach Luis de la Fuente wanted from his star player, having been inundated with questions about when Yamal would be ready to start.

Those questions felt even more anxious after Spain, one of the pre-tournament favorites, was shut out by Cape Verde.

After all, Spain has failed to advance beyond the round of 16 since lifting the World Cup in 2010, winning just three games during that run.

But Yamal's opener sparked a flurry of first-half goals. Oyarzabal, who was criticized for not touching the ball at all in the first 30 minutes against Cape Verde, not only provided the assist for Yamal, but scored two more with close range strikes in the 21st and 24th.

So dominant was Spain's lead that De la Fuente had seen enough and took both his scorers off at halftime.

Inside four minutes of the second half, the lead was extended when Marc Cucurella's shot rebounded off Hassan Altambakti for an own goal.

“It’s crazy to question this team,” De la Fuente said. "You can have better days, worse days, normal days, but questioning, doubting this generation of very young footballers, with a bright future, I think it’s unfair.

“I love that I have the honor to lead this group of footballers, this group of players who are a role model for many people in football and for many athletes and people loving this sport.”

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

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

The new Prada uniform for next spring and summer: slim, cropped jackets and five-pocket trousers, pulled together with timeless blazers or leather blousons.

“Sometimes you just realize you need a good pasta pomodoro,” Simons said before the show, referring to the Italian mealtime staple.

Prada's pasta pomodoro

While the collection was inspired by jeans, Prada acknowledged she had never worn a pair in her life, while Simons said he had only recently returned to the everyday classic after two decades of wearing wool trousers year-round.

So against all odds, five-pocket trousers paired with flat-pocket jackets became the new Prada uniform, both slim and cropped.

Most looks were realized in luxurious, buttery leather in monochromes of antique white, gray, burgundy or turquoise that hit the runway to rock guitar riffs. A subset appeared in nearly transparent white technical fabric more suited to Europe’s recent heatwave. Only a handful of closing looks were fashioned from actual denim.

A smattering of cropped shirts and knitwear vests featured geometric patterns that were pulled together with clashing silk scarves tied around the midriff. The only bags were colorful pouches worn at the waist, sometimes attached to thick belts. A pointy shoe with multiple Velcro straps finished the looks.

Back to the streets

Prada said the goal was a collection of pieces that were universal and to avoid “useless design,” which she added was “a lot of what’s around” on other runways.

Simons said the designers wanted to reconnect fashion with the way people actually dress, noting that some of fashion’s strongest ideas historically came “from the street” rather than being dictated by luxury brands and runways.

“It’s a clear silhouette, vertical, simple, sharp, proud. A lot of white, peaceful, hopeful, and cleansing,” Simons said. “We think this collection is breaking the perception of what is perceived as typical luxury in high fashion.”

In the spirit of simplicity, the collection was presented in a bare showroom with transparent bench seating.

Everyone had a front-row view, with the VIP section hosting NBA superstar Anthony Edwards, South African-Australian singer and actor Troye Sivan, K-pop boy group ENHYPEN and British actor Louis Partridge.

Crowds of excited fans withstood the early summer heatwave to greet their favorite celebrities.

Pino, de 55 años, enfrenta cargos relacionados con un choque de lancha ocurrido en septiembre de 2022 que causó la muerte de Lucy Fernandez, de 17 años, cerca de Boca Chita Key. El accidente también dejó gravemente herida a otra joven de 17 años, Katerina Puig.

Los alegatos de apertura comenzaron con la fiscalía, que sostuvo que la colisión de Pino contra una baliza del canal fue resultado de negligencia criminal e imprudencia.

“Lucy está muerta porque el acusado no cumplió con lo más básico que exigen las normas de navegación”, dijo a los jurados la fiscal asistente Laura Adams.

La defensa argumenta que el choque fue un simple accidente.

“El estado admite que esto no fue la intención de George. Él no quería que nadie saliera herido”, dijo a los jurados el abogado de Pino, Howard Srebnick, durante los alegatos de apertura. “Su propia hija, su propia esposa, su propio cuerpo estaban en ese bote”.

Los alegatos de apertura de la defensa se interrumpieron después de que Pino rompiera en llanto durante varios minutos frente al jurado; el proceso se detuvo y continuó al día siguiente.

A lo largo del juicio, los jurados escucharon a varias de las 12 jóvenes, todas adolescentes en ese momento, que iban a bordo de la lancha de Pino como parte de una celebración por el cumpleaños número 18 de su hija.

“Lo primero que vi al abrir los ojos fue a George, y pensé que estaba muerto”, testificó Claudia Portocarrero. “Lo recuerdo, tenía sangre en la cabeza”.

Algunas testificaron sobre el alcohol que George Pino y su esposa, Cecilia Pino, proporcionaron, así como sobre el accidente en sí.

El padre de Fernandez relató la pesadilla que él y su esposa vivieron. El padre de Puig también habló sobre cómo el choque afectó a su hija.

Los jurados hicieron una visita a unas instalaciones de la Comisión de Conservación de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de Florida en North Miami para ver el Robalo de 29 pies dañado, y vieron imágenes de cámaras corporales de la respuesta al accidente y del interrogatorio a Pino.

Pero el juicio no estuvo exento de momentos de tensión.

La jueza Marisa Tinkler Mendez advirtió a Pino y su familia por abrazarse frente al jurado.

Un tenso intercambio entre Adams y Pino también llamó la atención de la jueza, después de que Adams señalara que Pino, según se reportó, murmuraba “pasa, pasa, pasa” durante un testimonio.

“Lo siento. ¿Quiere decirme algo?”, le preguntó Adams a Pino. “¿Por qué me mira fijamente?”.

Pino negó haberla mirado fijamente.

En otro momento, los abogados de Pino le dijeron a Tinkler Mendez que hubo “una especie de duelo de miradas” entre Adams y su cliente, seguido de que Adams “puso los ojos en blanco” hacia Pino.

Cecilia Pino subió al estrado dos veces durante el juicio, relatando las desgarradoras secuelas del choque cerca de Cutter Bank.

“Ella murió porque su esposo chocó contra esa baliza, ¿verdad?”, le preguntó Adams durante su primera comparecencia en el estrado.

“Ella murió porque hubo un accidente”, testificó Cecilia Pino.

Cecilia Pino rompió en llanto al subir al estrado por segunda vez, testificando: “Recuerdo que pregunté de nuevo, ‘¿Quién falta? ¿Quién falta?’. Y fue entonces cuando me dijeron que Lucy estaba desaparecida”.

Los jurados también recibirán instrucciones sobre la ley antes de comenzar sus deliberaciones.

Si es declarado culpable, Pino enfrenta entre 11 y 30 años de prisión.

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It happened at around 7 p.m. near the pool at the DAER Dayclub.

Bystanders quickly responded and medics transported the injured to Memorial Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The collapse was believed to have been weather-related; strong winds and rain were moving through the area at the time.

All five victims are expected to recover.

A spokesperson for the Seminole Police Department said in part that the “safety and security of our guests and team members are our highest priorities” and that the club “was closed immediately to ensure the safety and security of all attendees.”

Editor’s note: The original version of the article misstated the time of the collapse as 7 a.m. instead of 7 p.m. It has been corrected.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party won 438 seats out of 501 in the House of Representatives, the National Election Board of Ethiopia said. The new parliament is expected to convene in October to reelect Abiy for another five-year term.

The election was marred by a crackdown on dissent. Insecurity in the Oromia and Amhara regions resulted in 143 polling stations failing to open, the election board said. Fighting between the Fano armed group and the federal government in Amhara, and the Oromo Liberation Army rebels in Oromia, has been the main cause of instability as the government seeks to disarm the groups.

Turnout was 94%. More than 50 million people, out of Ethiopia’s estimated population of 130 million, were registered to vote, the board said.

The Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands of people had died in the war between the federal forces and regional groups, was again excluded from the election, denying it a voice in parliament and further pushing it to the margins. The region has not had federal representation for six years.

The electoral board chairperson, Melatwork Hailu, said Sunday that the board maintained “institutional neutrality and performed its duties solely in accordance with the law and electoral guidelines, without interference.”

The presence of observers from regional organizations such as the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, who were confined mostly to Addis Ababa, helped provide the election with international legitimacy. The missions were criticized for not deploying more personnel across the country.

Opposition criticizes climate of fear and intimidation

The election faced criticism, with most of the ruling party opponents prevented from participating, while its most prominent critics were imprisoned, in exile, or had disappeared.

Those who chose to run in the election complained that it was neither free nor fair and that the political environment was rife with fear and intimidation.

Yitayal Assefa, who ran under the opposition banner of the All Ethiopia Unity Party and lost, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he felt the government had an overwhelming advantage while opposition members were harassed and did not stand a chance.

“My participation was not about winning but about fighting for my voice and political ideals within the political spectrum against a government that is assured of a win, win or lose,” he said.

Merara Gudina, a professor at Addis Ababa University and an opposition leader who refused to participate in the election, told the AP that the vote was a “sham” and that the ruling party’s win was no surprise.

He said the result will “negatively affect the already deteriorating stability of the country.”

Abiy’s administration has been accused of human rights violations against critics and journalists despite the promise of democracy and peace he made in 2020.

Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for solving a long-standing conflict between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea, though the two countries are currently at loggerheads, with Addis Ababa accusing Asmara of supporting rebel groups to destabilize it, while Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of threatening to seize its sea port.

Voting began Sunday in the presidential runoff election.

Iván Cepeda is the left-leaning senator from the same party as current, term-limited President Gustavo Petro.

Abelardo de la Espriella is the conservative, Trump-aligned candidate — a political newcomer who gained traction with voters as a law-and-order candidate.

Local 10 News reporters Cody Weddle and Jeff Derderian got reaction from voters both in Bogotá and here in South Florida, respectively.

Watch their reports in the video above.

The protesters gathered in front of the Czech public television offices in Prague to voice their support for the media a day before their staffers plan to go on a warning strike, and after recent protest marches in the regional capitals and Prague.

According to the plan approved last week, public radio and television would be financed from the state budget starting next year, and not from fees paid by individuals, households and businesses.

Critics say that change would give the three-party coalition government a means to take control of the media following the examples of populist governments in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

“The media don’t belong to politicians,” Mikuláš Minář, a main organizer from the Million Moments for Democracy group said. “They belong to us all and we won’t allow them to be stolen from us.”

Babiš, members of his government and loyal lawmakers have a record of attacks against the public and other mainstream media.

The government plan, which has been criticized by international media organizations, would give the media about 15% less money than they have this year. It contains no guarantees of funding in the future.

The directors of public radio and television said that would require them to lay off hundreds of staffers. Babiš said that the media need to save money.

The agenda of Babiš' coalition includes steering the country away from supporting Ukraine's fight against Russia, and rejecting some key EU policies.

And for the nation’s third-largest — and one of the most diverse — school districts, tough changes are coming.

The district is closing or merging nine schools.

Public school populations are dropping for a few reasons: demographic and political shifts, state education policies and, in our immigrant-rich community, changes in immigration enforcement.

School Board Member Luisa Santos sponsored the plan that begins the superintendent’s sweeping district plan to belt-tighten and downsize.

She joined “This Week in South Florida” on Sunday to talk about the decision with host Glenna Milberg.

Watch the video above to see their discussion.

And after years of politicking and back-and-forth over funding, there was finally a lot of love in the room.

It took some tweaks and changes and some assurances of money to get the unanimous vote through.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado championed the project through from the beginning with retired Judge Steve Leifman, who spearheaded it all.

She joined “This Week in South Florida” on Sunday to discuss the center and other issues.

Watch the video above to see her interview with host Glenna Milberg.

Rain chances will begin to decrease on Monday as high pressure starts to build back into the region, helping to limit storm development. Even so, scattered afternoon storms will remain possible, especially inland. Heat will continue to be a major concern, with temperatures climbing into the low to mid-90s and heat index values reaching the low 100s. Anyone spending extended time outdoors should stay hydrated, take frequent breaks, and limit strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.

On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who represents the Fort Myers and Naples areas, has been the front-runner from the get-go, getting the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

As he campaigned in South Florida, “This Week in South Florida” host Glenna Milberg caught up with Donalds to talk about the race, the issues and Trump’s effect on the campaign.

Watch the video above to hear what Donalds had to say.

El Departamento de Policía de Miami Gardens, la Oficina del Alguacil de Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue y la Oficina del Médico Forense de Miami-Dade respondieron al área de Miami Gardens-Ives Estates.

El detective Angel Rodriguez dijo que el cuerpo de un “hombre desconocido” fue hallado en la zona de la Northeast Second Avenue y la calle 199.

“La Unidad de Homicidios de la Oficina del Alguacil de Miami-Dade ha asumido la investigación”, dijo Rodriguez. “La manera y la causa de la muerte se determinarán con los resultados de la autopsia”.

Los detectives pidieron a cualquier persona con información sobre este u otros casos que llame a Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477 para mantener el anonimato.

El editor de asignaciones de Local 10 News, Wilson Louis, contribuyó a este reporte.

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The Quarry 2 Fire, near Northwest 137th Avenue and 41st Street, has scorched over 19,000 acres, while the Well Fire, near Northwest 122nd Avenue, has burned roughly 1,400 acres.

Firefighters have been battling the blazes for nearly a week, with significant progress reported overnight.

A round of rain on Saturday night helped efforts to tamp down the flames.

Officials have advised residents to wear masks if they have respiratory issues due to the smoke.

El incidente ocurrió alrededor de las 7 a.m. cerca de la piscina del DAER Dayclub.

Testigos respondieron de inmediato y paramédicos trasladaron a los heridos al Memorial Regional Hospital con lesiones que no ponen en riesgo su vida.

Se cree que el colapso estuvo relacionado con el clima, ya que fuertes vientos y lluvia azotaban la zona en ese momento.

Las cinco víctimas se recuperarán, según las autoridades.

Los electores deben elegir entre el candidato liberal Iván Cepeda, respaldado por el presidente en ejercicio Gustavo Petro, y el derechista Abelardo de la Espriella, quien cuenta con el apoyo del presidente Donald Trump.

De la Espriella también tiene el respaldo de varios funcionarios electos conservadores del sur de Florida, quienes el viernes convirtieron una actividad de “salida al voto” con recursos oficiales en lo que sonó como un mitin a favor del candidato.

Entre los centros de votación en el sur de Florida se encuentran el Campus Kendall de Miami Dade College, el Milander Center en Hialeah y la Cypress Bay High School en Weston.

Las urnas permanecerán abiertas hasta las 4 p.m. del domingo, con cerca de 130,000 personas habilitadas para votar en el sur de Florida.

Para información sobre los puestos de votación, visite esta página.

Para conocer los resultados de la elección, visite esta página.

El incendio Quarry 2, cerca de la Northwest 137th Avenue y la calle 41, ha arrasado más de 19,000 acres, mientras que el incendio Well, cerca de la Northwest 122nd Avenue, ha consumido cerca de 1,400 acres.

Los bomberos han combatido las llamas durante casi una semana, con avances significativos reportados durante la noche.

Un período de lluvia el sábado por la noche ayudó a contener el fuego.

Las autoridades han recomendado a los residentes usar mascarilla si padecen problemas respiratorios debido al humo.

Sunday at Shinnecock Hills wasn't much better. The New York crowd behind Scottie Scheffler in his bid for a career Grand Slam turned on Clark, cheering his misses and wishing for the worst.

That's what made this U.S. Open title so much sweeter.

On the edge of the greatest collapse in U.S. Open history, Clark held his nerve against a charge by Sam Burns and a Shinnecock Hills crowd that never gave him much love until he showed his mettle with his second U.S. Open title in four years.

“The first one was kind of just the breakthrough of knowing I can do it,” Clark said after a two-putt par from 50 feet for a 3-over 73 and a one-shot victory. “And then this one was a lot of redemption. Last year was so tough, a terrible year. I left this place in shambles, and it’s amazing what a year can do. I’m leaving here this Sunday as a champion, and I’m just so blessed.”

Clark, who won the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, became the first wire-to-wire winner of the U.S. Open since Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.

This sure didn't feel like a stroll through the Hamptons.

He had the largest 54-hole lead in the U.S. Open in 15 years. It was down to a single shot in just five holes, and stress followed him the rest of the way.

The clincher for Clark was on the par-5 16th, where on Saturday he made the only eagle of the week. This time it was his worst drive, well left into the gnarly fescue. He gouged that out and narrowly cleared a bunker. His 8-iron barely stayed on the back of the green. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt for a two-shot lead with holes to play.

It was a signature moment with muted applause. The gallery rooted against him all day, putting all their support behind Scheffler, who made his own share of mistakes and never got closer than three shots of Clark all day.

“Winning major championships is extremely difficult,” Scheffler said after a 71 to tie for fourth. “He had some stones down the stretch. ... Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today. And he is a well-deserving champion.”

Clark had the highest final round of a U.S. Open champion since Graeme McDowell closed with a 74 to win at Pebble Beach. No matter. The 32-year-old American has two U.S. Open titles, and two wins in the last month.

Burns closed with a 67, his second chance in as many years to win the U.S. Open. He bounced back from a three-putt bogey on the 15th with a an 18-foot birdie to stay within one shot. He made a weak pass at a 10-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 17th. What haunts him is a 17-foot birdie chance on the 18th that grazed the right edge of the cup, causing him to drop to his knees.

“I would say last year at Oakmont I felt more I lost the golf tournament. I certainly don’t feel that way today,” Burn said. “I did everything I could to have a chance to win today.”

Clark finished at 4-under 276 and got a surprise at the end when his father, Randall, took an overnight flight from Denver to watch his son win for the first time.

Even the New York crowd had no choice but to salute him.

“New York didn't really like me — I love you guys,” Clark said at the closing ceremony, hoisting the silver trophy. “But I get it. Some of it’s self-deserved. I did some unfortunate things last year that I really regret, and I’ve been sorry multiple times and I’m still sorry, so hopefully I can win you guys over eventually."

Clark noticed fans leaving early on Saturday and hoped for a big crowd and big energy for the final round. He got every bit of that, and it was uncomfortable at times. One was ejected when he shouted, “Don't choke, Wyndham.” The grandstand behind the seventh green broke into cheers when his shot rolled off the green and into the bunker.

“I get it — they were rooting for Scottie,” Clark said. “Grand Slams only happen a few times. He’s going to get it. He’s the best player in the world. But today it’s my day.”

It almost wasn't.

But Burns never caught caught him. No one did.

Tom Kim, who like Scheffler celebrated a birthday on Sunday, was on the fringes of seriously contending until he fell back with a bogey on the 17th and shot 70 to finish third.

Clark's hit a superb wedge that spun back to 4 feet for birdie on the 10th to restore the lead to two shots. But then he went long on the 13th with a pitching wedge and couldn't save par. And then came his big moment on the 16th, and one last act of lagging a 50-foot putt to tap-in range.

That's how it was at Los Angeles in 2023, when he needed two putts from 60 feet and lagged it close. Clark simply is at his best against tough tests, and rough arenas. Three years ago, he denied Rory McIlroy. This time it was Scheffler.

“The first one was amazing, and this one seems even better,” Clark said. “I think especially after such a sour taste last year in this championship, to have some redemption and win this again is almost surreal.”

A month ago, he was two years without a win and No. 75 in the world. Then he shot 60 in the final round to win The CJ Cup, contended the next two weeks and won his second major. It moves him to No. 8 in the world.

The smile he wore holding that U.S. Open trophy would suggest he feels on top of the world.

___

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

Voters have the choice between liberal candidate Iván Cepeda, endorsed by sitting President Gustavo Petro, and right-winger Abelardo de la Espriella, who has the backing of President Donald Trump.

De la Espriella also has the backing of several conservative elected officials in South Florida, who turned a “get out the vote” rally using official resources into what sounded like a rally for the candidate on Friday.

Polling locations in South Florida included Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus, the Milander Center in Hialeah and Cypress Bay High School in Weston.

Polls are open until 4 p.m. Sunday, with about 130,000 people in South Florida eligible to vote.

For information about the precincts, visit this page.

For information about the election’s results, visit this page.

Además del reto de la seguridad, al sucesor de Gustavo Petro también le esperan desafíos económicos y sociales.

Aquí los últimos acontecimientos registrados durante la jornada electoral:

De la Espriella dice que será el presidente de todos los colombianos; pide a Cepeda que respete el resultado

“Colombia aquí está tu tigre, aquí está tu presidente". Así comenzó De la Espriella su discurso ante los seguidores que lo vitorearon en Barranquilla, al norte de Colombia.

De la Espriella sumaba 49,66% de apoyo y Cepeda 48,70% con el 99,99% del conteo preliminar. En los próximos días los jueces electorales harán el escrutinio final que declarará al ganador de la elección.

Der la Espriella dijo que será el presidente de todos los colombianos. "No habrá retaliaciones, no habrá persecuciones, porque en democracia no existen enemigos irreconciliables”.

También instó a que los abogados de su fuerza política cuiden los votos. “Encaremos a aquellos que pretenden desconocer la voluntad mayoritaria del pueblo colombiano”.

En ese sentido, pidió a Cepeda y al presidente Petro —que respalda al candidato progresista— que “respeten la voluntad” del pueblo y les dijo que se preparen para “ejercer la oposición”.

“Al desconocer el veredicto están desafiando a millones de ciudadanos que nos dieron el triunfo libremente en las urnas”, señaló De la Espriella. Y dirigiéndose en concreto a Cepeda le advirtió que se abstenga de “sembrar el terror”.

Trump celebra y dice que De la Espriella “ganó”

"Él ganó, grande!", escribió el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump en su cuenta de Truth Social tras citar la estrecha ventaja que logró el conservador De la Espriella sobre el progresista Cepeda.

Trump dio su apoyo “completo y total” a De la Espriella durante la recta final de la campaña presidencial, asegurando que el resultado de la elección era importante para el futuro de la relación bilateral.

De la Espriella obtuvo 49,66% de los votos, según el 99,99% del conteo preliminar, mientras que Cepeda, aliado del presidente Petro, logró 48,70%.

El gobierno estadounidense ha expresado que espera con interés trabajar “estrechamente” con Colombia en materia de seguridad regional y dar fin a la “inmigración ilegal” a Estados Unidos.

De la Espriella celebra en el “Tigre-Móvil”

El conservador Abelardo de la Espriella recorrió las calles de Barranquilla, al norte de Colombia, en un vehículo con una cabina blindada similar al papamóvil que usa el sumo pontífice para saludar a sus fieles.

El vehículo se abría paso escoltado por la policía y rodeado de simpatizantes que vitoreaban al candidato que ha resultado más votado en el balotaje en el que aventajó por estrecho margen a Iván Cepeda, el progresista aliado al presidente saliente Gustavo Petro.

Estados Unidos, Argentina y Ecuador felicitan a De la Espriella

El secretario de Estado estadounidense, Marco Rubio, felicitó De la Espriella, a quien llamó “presidente electo” de Colombia. El candidato conservador fue el más votado con casi la totalidad del conteo preliminar de las mesas electorales, aventajando por un estrecho margen al progresista Cepeda.

En la red social X, Rubio aseguró que la administración de Donald Trump espera con interés trabajar “estrechamente” en materia de seguridad regional y dar fin a la “inmigración ilegal” a Estados Unidos.

Trump hizo explícito su apoyo a De la Espriella en la campaña electoral para el balotaje, lo que generó el rechazo del presidente saliente Gustavo Petro, por considerarlo una injerencia en la política interna de su país.

El presidente argentino Javier Milei fue uno de los primeros mandatarios latinoamericanos en felicitar a De la Espriella. Encabezando su mensaje en X con la frase “El león y el tigre rugen en Latinoamérica....!!!!”, el ultraliberal mandatario señaló que “hoy la mayoría de los colombianos eligieron el camino de la libertad económica, la prosperidad, la seguridad implacable y decirle BASTA al crimen organizado transnacional y al narcotráfico”.

Milei se identifica con el león mientras que el candidato colombiano lo hace con el tigre.

En tanto, el también conservador presidente ecuatoriano Daniel Noboa dijo que Colombia “eligió el orden sobre la impunidad”. “Compartimos la convicción que nuestra región merece seguridad, progreso y gobiernos que enfrenten al crimen sin excusas”.

De la Espriella obtuvo 49,66% de los votos, según el 99,98% del conteo preliminar, mientras que Cepeda, aliado de Petro, logró 48,70%.

De la Espriella es el más votado en el balotaje por mínima diferencia

Con casi la totalidad del conteo preliminar de las mesas electorales, el conservador De la Espriella fue el más votado en el balotaje por una mínima diferencia. Su rival, el progresista Cepeda, pidió esperar al resultado del escrutinio oficial.

De la Espriella tenía 49,66% de apoyo y Cepeda obtenía 48,70%, con 99,97% del conteo.

En los próximos días los jueces electorales harán el escrutinio final que declarará al ganador de la elección.

Tras conocerse los resultados, Cepeda pidió esperar el resultado final en un acto ante sus simpatizantes en Bogotá y anticipó que los abogados de su partido “están procediendo a impugnar 33.000 mesas en todo el país".

Apodado “El Tigre”, De la Espriella no tiene experiencia política y es apoyado por el presidente Donald Trump. Asumiría el cargo más importante del país luego de amasar una fortuna como abogado y empresario con marcas propias de vino, ron y ropa.

De la Espriella ha prometido mano dura contra los “narcoterroristas” y la construcción de mega cárceles al estilo de las del salvadoreño Nayib Bukele.

Seguidores de De la Espriella celebran en las calles su leve ventaja

En barrios del norte de Bogotá partidarios de De la Espriella celebraban los resultados preliminares que señalan que mantiene una leve ventaja sobre Cepeda al son de vuvuzelas, ondeando la bandera de Colombia y gritando "¡fuera Petro!”. Muchos de ellos vestían la camiseta de la selección de fútbol colombiana.

En tanto, desde Barranquilla, donde De la Espriella recibe los resultados, sus partidarios festejaban con emoción.

“Excelente porque Colombia va a tener el presidente que necesita. ¡Firmes por la patria! Ya no vamos a tener miedo y todo va a estar con Dios”, dijo a la AP Daisy Maestre, trabajadora independiente, quien lucía un sombrero adornado con un tigre, el nombre adoptado por el conservador como apodo.

Cepeda dice que sus testigos impugnarán 33.000 mesas electorales en todo el país

A medida que el conteo preliminar de votos avanzaba y De la Espriella mantenía una leve ventaja sobre Cepeda, este último advirtió que “el preconteo lo reconocemos como un dato que es aún no oficial ni vinculante”.

“Reconocemos su primer resultado, pero a renglón seguido debemos informar que nuestro grupo de testigos, decenas de miles, abogados y abogados están procediendo a impugnar 33.000 mesas en todo el país. Una por una deberá ser objeto del escrutinio", señaló el candidato progresista.

Con 99,92% del conteo preliminar, el conservador tiene 49,65% de apoyo y el progresista 48,70%.

Cepeda, aliado del presidente Petro, subrayó que una vez que finalice el escrutinio oficial en los próximos días "y se hayan hecho las verificaciones correspondientes reconoceremos el resultado final”

Al 65% del conteo preliminar, conservador De la Espriella encabeza balotaje

Con un 65% del conteo preliminar de los centros de votación en Colombia, el conservador De la Espriella encabezaba el domingo el balotaje presidencial con un 50,55% de los sufragios frente a su rival, el progresista Cepeda.

Cepeda registraba el 47,83% de apoyo, según el conteo preliminar informado por la Registraduría Nacional.

En días posteriores los jueces harán el escrutinio que declarará al ganador la elección.

El outsider apodado “El Tigre” y apoyado por el presidente Donald Trump decidió que su primera aspiración electoral fuera por el cargo más importante del país luego de amasar una fortuna con su carrera de abogado y luego como empresario con marcas propias de vino, ron y ropa.

De la Espriella, de 47 años, prometió mano dura contra los “narcoterroristas” y la construcción de mega cárceles al estilo de las del salvadoreño Nayib Bukele.

Petro insta a resistir el fascismo

Tras el cierre de las urnas, el presidente Petro abogó por la “unidad popular” y por “resistir el fascismo”, en un mensaje en X en el que no nombró a los candidatos. Sin embargo, más temprano enseñó a la prensa su boleta electoral marcada por el progresista Cepeda, quien tiene como lema hacer de Colombia una “potencia mundial de la vida”, el mismo que usó Petro durante su mandato.

Los candidatos prometen dos modelos políticos antagónicos. Cepeda, senador de 63 años del oficialista Pacto Histórico y aliado de Petro, busca dar continuidad a la agenda política del mandatario saliente —quien no se puede reelegir— para lograr un “cambio” en favor de los más vulnerables. Alega que la oposición no le permitió al presidente saliente ejecutar todos sus proyectos sociales durante su mandato.

Titular de organismo organizador de comicios destaca alta participación de votantes

"La ciudadanía ha salido masivamente a votar”, dijo Hernán Penagos, titular de la Registraduría Nacional, al declarar el cierre de las urnas. “En esta oportunidad se han desplegado garantías como en ninguna otra elección en la historia de Colombia: auditorías internacionales, auditores de los partidos, biometría facial, publicación en tiempo de las actas electorales”, destacó.

Los candidatos del balotaje representan dos modelos antagónicos. Cepeda, senador y aliado del presidente Petro, quiere dar continuidad a la agenda del actual gobierno, especialmente las reformas sociales, y dejar abierta la puerta al diálogo con los grupos armados. De la Espriella, apoyado por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, promete dar un giro y aplicar la “mano dura” contra los ilegales, así como apoyar a los empresarios.

Centros de votación cierran y comienza el conteo de votos

Los centros de votación cerraron y comenzó el conteo de los votos de la segunda vuelta presidencial entre Cepeda y De la Espriella.

El conteo tiene una función informativa, ya que en los días posteriores será verificado durante el escrutinio en el que se declarará al ganador de la elección.

Los comicios se celebraron en medio de la preocupación de los colombianos por la violencia protagonizada por los grupos armados ilegales y las sucesivas advertencias del presidente Petro de un posible fraude, del que no mostró pruebas.

Los candidatos representan dos modelos antagónicos. Cepeda, senador y aliado de Petro, quiere dar continuidad a la agenda del actual gobierno, especialmente las reformas sociales, y dejar abierta la puerta al diálogo con los grupos armados. De la Espriella, apoyado por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, promete dar un giro y aplicar la “mano dura” contra los ilegales, así como apoyar a los empresarios.

Observadores internacionales destacan la confianza del sistema electoral colombiano

El jefe adjunto de la Misión de Observación de la Unión Europea, Antonio de Gabriel, destacó la “confianza y robustez” del sistema electoral colombiano al señalar que cuenta con garantías de transparencia y trazabilidad.

El delegado electoral europeo afirmó que la jornada electoral ha transcurrido “sin incidentes, con elevada participación” y fluidez del voto.

En tanto, el jefe de la misión de observación de la Organización de Estados Americanos, Leonel Fernández, pidió que tras conocerse los resultados “prevalezca la paz" y el orden. “El mundo desea que este proceso pueda culminar en una forma fraterna y que unifique al pueblo colombiano”, afirmó.

Banderas y camisetas de la selección resaltan en jornada electoral

Las banderas de Colombia, ondeadas desde automóviles, y las camisetas de la selección resaltaban durante la jornada electoral en puestos de votación de barrios acomodados de Bogotá.

La prenda, en auge por el Mundial, ha sido utilizada como símbolo de campaña por el candidato conservador De la Espriella y defendida en los estrados judiciales, luego de que el oficialista Cepeda reprochara su uso.

Víctor Duque, quien acudió a su puesto de votación en el norte de Bogotá usando la camiseta de la selección, dijo a la AP que salió a votar para defender la “democracia más importante que ha tenido Latinoamérica”.

Indicó que confía en el sistema electoral, en los entes de control y en los observadores electorales, y lamentó que el presidente Petro no va a “reconocer (los resultados), a no ser que gane su candidato”.

Fiscalía reporta capturas y presunta intimidación

La fiscalía reportó tres personas capturadas por conductas prohibidas en la jornada electoral.

Indicó que una de ellas intentó suplantar a un testigo electoral —los cuales deben ser autorizados por partidos políticos— en Villavicencio, en el centro del país; otro ciudadano intentó suplantar a un votante en Guainía, en el nororiente, y el tercer capturado destruyó una urna de votación en Valledupar, en el norte.

El reporte agregó que verifican información recibida sobre presunta intimidación por parte de integrantes de una estructura armada ilegal a jurados de votación en Nariño, fronterizo con Ecuador.

Por su parte, el presidente Petro denunció en X la presunta compra de votos en varios lugares del país y pidió a la fiscalía que investigue. Además, divulgó un video en el que dos mujeres rompen papeletas electorales asegurando que son “centenares de votos que habían preparado con votos en blanco en zonas de alta votación” para el candidato Cepeda, su aliado político.

Cepeda: “reconoceremos el resultado”

Cepeda, vitoreado por sus seguidores, dijo que reconocerán el resultado en las urnas, pero advirtió que observarán el transcurso de las votaciones y, en caso de existir eventuales irregularidades, las tramitarán en el sistema electoral.

“A votar con tranquilidad, serenidad y que triunfe la democracia”, señaló a la prensa al salir del puesto de votación en un sector del sur de Bogotá.

El fantasma del “fraude” presente en la jornada electoral

Yolanda Hernández decidió vender lapiceros en la entrada de un puesto de votación para los votantes que desconfían del sistema electoral, en unas elecciones en las que el presidente Petro ha sembrado la duda y pedido a la ciudadanía cuidar su voto.

“Es para que no haya fraude... para que no le borren, no le anulen el voto. Entonces están más seguros con el esfero, porque este no es borrable”, explicó a la AP Hernández, de 49 años, a las afueras de un puesto de votación en el centro de Bogotá.

Al abrir la votación, el registrador nacional, Hernán Penagos, aseguró que su equipo ha hecho todo lo “humanamente posible” para garantizar la transparencia de la elección y aseguró que la institución encargada de la logística electoral es la más vigilada actualmente.

Tras ejercer su voto, Petro instó a la ciudadanía a ser “testigos digitales” y vigilar las mesas de votación de manera voluntaria e informal para que no sean cambiadas las actas de votación, dado que considera que luego del proceso manual de conteo, podrían ser modificadas por un algoritmo cuando se digitalizan.

Vota una Colombia con “alta polarización”

Fernando Lozano, de 34 años, decidió salir a votar por primera vez en la última década porque considera que la diferencia tan pronunciada entre el progresista Cepeda y el conservador De la Espriella amerita su decisión.

“Anteriormente siempre decía que eran los mismos con las mismas y todo iba a ser igual (en el país), pero actualmente, viendo la diferencia tan grande, es muy preocupante”, aseguró Lozano a The Associated Press desde el centro de Bogotá.

Lozano teme que De la Espriella cumpla con su promesa de mano dura contra los grupos armados ilegales sin que sea eficaz para eliminarlos y generando mayor violencia. “Cualquiera pensaría que no está mal para poder terminar con todo esto (el conflicto) de una vez. Pero no es tan fácil como parece”, explicó.

Le preocupa la división en el país generada por las elecciones presidenciales y aspira a que el próximo presidente se disponga a “escuchar al pueblo” para tomar decisiones, mientras que la ciudadanía logre el consenso.

“Hay unos niveles de polarización extremadamente altos y fueron evidentes en la primera vuelta”, indicó Glaeldys González, analista del International Crisis Group para los Andes, quien consideró que el electorado busca en esos dos polos una “solución real” a la violencia, el acceso a la salud, la lucha contra la corrupción y el fin de los problemas financieros.

De la Espriella invita a ponerle la “raya al tigre”

De la Espriella, apodado “El Tigre”, invitó en un video que divulgó al inicio de la jornada a ponerle la “raya al tigre”, una frase que usa para pedir votos a su favor.

Vestido con la camiseta de la selección colombiana de fútbol junto a su familia, aseguró que Colombia se juega su “partido más importante”.

El uso de la camiseta del equipo nacional ha sido polémico, especialmente luego de las críticas del candidato oficialista Cepeda, quien consideró que De la Espriella se “robó” el símbolo nacional. La disputa llegó a los jueces, que primero restringieron su uso y luego lo permitieron.

Petro: “Obedeceré a los jueces”

Petro llamó a los ciudadanos a salir a votar porque aseguró que se define el destino del país. “Estamos en las manos del pueblo”.

Insistió en que no confía en los resultados preliminares que dará el domingo la Registraduría, sino en el escrutinio que realizarán los jueces en los próximos días, bajo el cual se declarará la elección.

“La decisión la toman los jueces, después de evaluar las quejas que haya; a los jueces obedeceré. Todo lo que sea antes vale como información”, señaló en el acto de apertura de la jornada de votación desde la Plaza de Bolívar.

En contraste, los jefes de instituciones como la Procuraduría, la Defensoría del Pueblo y la Registraduría llamaron a confiar en el sistema electoral y a evitar actos de violencia luego de que se conozca el resultado.

“Cuando se declare el nuevo presidente, a pesar de nuestras divisiones políticas, vamos a seguir siendo parte de un mismo país”, aseguró la defensora Iris Marin.

Abren centros de votación

A las 8:00 de la mañana abrieron los centros de votación en todo el país.

La decisión está en manos de más de 41 millones de colombianos que están habilitados para votar, aunque no están obligados a hacerlo, en los centros que estarán abiertos entre las 8:00 am (13.00 GMT) y las 16:00 pm (21.00 GMT).

Luego de terminada la votación se iniciará el conteo preliminar de los sufragios, que tiene una función informativa y que en los días posteriores será verificado durante el escrutinio en el que se declarará al ganador de la elección.

Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an “elevated position,” New York City police said. Police did not say how far the man fell, but said he was in Section 300. They identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut.

The man was with his wife, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police do not suspect foul play.

The rock band Goose was performing. In a statement, the band said it was “reeling” from the tragedy.

Goose played a concert Sunday evening in Central Park and said all proceeds from the show would go toward a charitable fund providing support and resources for their fans.

“We considered whether or not we were going to play and came to the decision that the best thing we can do right now is bring our community together, lean on one another, and offer a space for healing,” the Sunday statement said. “So let’s be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend.”

Gov. Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head o Crimea, said that overnight Ukrainian strikes killed four people and wounded 28 others. He did not specify the target of the attack.

He later wrote on social media that local gas stations would halt all sales to non-state companies and individuals for an undefined period.

“Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea,” Aksyonov said. “I ask everyone to remain calm and to only trust official sources of information.”

Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted fuel supplies to Crimea in recent weeks, triggering the worst energy crisis in the region since it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement Sunday that a Crimean oil depot, as well as an oil transport facility in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region were among the targets. He described the attacks as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia’s energy infrastructure.

“Russia understands only strength, and our long-range strength is certainly working for peace,” he wrote.

Russian officials in Krasnodar reported earlier Sunday that a drone strike sparked a fire at a Black Sea oil terminal in the village of Chushka. They said that Ukrainian attacks struck a ferry, killing one person.

Motorists struggle to find fuel

The Crimean peninsula has had periodic fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes before, but the current crisis is the worst since its 2014 annexation.

At the end of May, authorities restricted the sale of gas to 20 liters (5 1/3 gallons) per vehicle owner per week, using prepaid coupons. Those were snapped up immediately following their release on an official messaging app channel, and motorists lined up for hours, waiting to refuel.

Social networks have been abuzz with requests and advice on where to find fuel, and authorities launched a hotline for tourists in the area who have found themselves trapped.

Some motorists bring their own gas from Krasnodar and elsewhere via the Kerch bridge, but they are restricted to carrying 100 liters (about 26 1/2 gallons) per vehicle. Some speculators are selling gas at double the market price.

In a rare public acknowledgment, the Kremlin has recognized the scope of the problem and promised to address the issue quickly.

However, Ukraine’s successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict while Moscow’s advances recently have ground to a near halt. On June 11, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,569th day, surpassing the duration of World War I.

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

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's comments on X came as the delegations met overnight in a Swiss resort and shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday, even as talks began in Switzerland between his vice president and Iranian officials on next steps in the interim agreement signed last week to end the war.

The U.S. team is led by Vice President JD Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The Iranian negotiators are led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan and Qatar are mediators.

On the eve of talks, Tehran said it closed the Strait of Hormuz again over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran has said talks must first address that issue.

The U.S. says shipping traffic on the crucial waterway continues, and Trump has threatened to impose American tolls in the strait if a final deal with Iran isn’t reached in 60 days. Other issues include unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets and addressing the heart of tensions: Iran's nuclear program.

Here is the latest:

Pakistan and Qatar says lower level talks planned for rest of week.

High-level negotiations in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war ended early Monday, with lower-level talks planned for the rest of the week as Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon.

A statement from mediators Pakistan and Qatar said Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon. The cell would include the Lebanese government and would “ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon.”

But it remains unclear whether that will be enough to stop fighting between the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah and Israel, which occupies Lebanon and insists it must maintain a free hand to attack militants who are launching attacks into northern Israel.

The U.S. offered no immediate comment, while Iran praised the meditators’ work.

The talks marked the start of a 60-day diplomatic process that seeks to reach a permanent deal to end the Iran war. But the fighting in Lebanon remains one of the key sticking points.

Iran’s foreign minister says major progress to end Lebanon War

Abbas Araghchi says on X “Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end the Lebanon War, ” saying that they “delivered major progress.”

Pakistan, Qatar and Iran all have acknowledged the end of the first round of high-level talks. The U.S. hasn’t comment.

In his message, Araghchi said the first real test of the understandings reached would be a deconfliction method create over the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran has tied success in the talks to the end of the fighting there. Israel insists it will continue to occupied Lebanese territory and must have a free hand to fight Hezbollah, which has launched attacks into northern Israel.

Negotiators expect to work through the night

Negotiators hoping to reach a deal to end the war in Iran are anticipating working through the night, according to a senior U.S. diplomat engaged in the talks.

The diplomat, who insisted on anonymity to detail private discussions, said the Iranians remained in the talks contrary to some reports, and said that much of the discussions have included clarifying what Iran meant by some of its recent statements about the Strait of Hormuz. The negotiators also discussed various “mechanisms” to ensure the strait remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon is enforced.

— Seung Min Kim

Oil prices rise slightly

Oil prices inched up a bit on Sunday amid the lingering uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the critical passageway for the world’s oil and natural gas.

The price of U.S. crude oil rose nearly 3% to $78.70 per barrel on Sunday. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, was up a little over 1% to $81.70 per barrel.

Iran says Lebanon but also oil, frozen assets discussed

Members of Iran’s delegation, briefing their media, said the talks Sunday to reach a deal to end the war in Iran had mainly focused on Lebanon.

Other issues, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and Iran’s oil exports, had also been discussed, the reports said.

Hamid Bovard, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Co., who is part of Iran’s delegation in Switzerland, said the issue of lifting oil-related sanctions and the associated waivers was pursued during negotiations.

Bovard was responding to a question from a correspondent from IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency.

Iran celebrates World Cup draw with political points

Iran is celebrating its World Cup 0-0 draw with Belgium and goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand’s seven saves.

Some Iranian media are sharing images of Beiranvand blocking the Strait of Hormuz. And Iran’s lead negotiator in Switzerland, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, posted a photo of one save on X with the statement: “This is how we protect our land.”

Netanyahu brushes off criticism the war fell short of its goals

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes the Iranian government will collapse as a result of the military campaign. Creating the conditions for a popular uprising was one of his original goals.

“I think we created the conditions for its future fall,” Netanyahu told the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“That is what will be the real triumph, when the Iranian people take their own destiny in their hands, and they knock out this brutal regime that is terrorizing them and terrorizing the rest of the world.”

Syria's president says he has no desire to intervene in Lebanon

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says Syria has no desire to intervene militarily in Lebanon, despite Trump’s remarks suggesting Syria could help “take care of Hezbollah.”

Al-Sharaa's comments came in an interview with United Arab Emirates network Al Mashhad on Sunday. He said Trump's remarks had been “misunderstood.”

Trump “spoke about Syria’s role in finding a safe and peaceful solution, but the statement was misinterpreted as if Syria were going to invade Lebanon tomorrow morning,” al-Sharaa said.

Israel will lift movement restrictions near border with Lebanon

Israel’s military says residents of the north near the border with Lebanon will be able to move around freely with no restrictions as of Monday morning. For months, residents have faced restrictions because of the threat of attack by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon.

The military did not say what led to its decision Sunday, but it has noted that a fragile ceasefire is in place. Its announcement came as the U.S. and Iran meet in Switzerland on their interim deal to end the war. Iran has insisted they must address Israel’s attacks in Lebanon first.

Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon.

Iran state news agency suggests talks hit ‘difficult’ phase

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency suggested that talks have “entered a difficult phase” after what it described as an “insulting” statement by Trump. It did not specify the statement. Trump made multiple provocative warnings to Iran on Sunday, including to “hit Iran very hard again.”

An official with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that the Iranian delegation remains engaged in the talks and has not indicated to mediators any intention to leave. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

— Victoria Eastwood in Cairo

Hezbollah leader wants Israeli forces out of Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said in a televised speech that the militant group will not accept any ceasefire deal that grants Israel “freedom of action” within Lebanon or does not result in a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

“There are no ‘security zones,’ for Israel,” Kassem said, using Israel’s term.

He also said Hezbollah will comply with a ceasefire “if it happens,” but “we will not accept any violation.” The Iranian-backed Hezbollah is not part of the talks between Israel and Lebanon that will continue Tuesday in Washington.

Uneasy calm has settled over Lebanon, with no Israeli strikes reported overnight or Sunday after days of heavy fighting.

U.S. ambassador says Trump and Netanyahu are still close

The U.S. ambassador to Israel is playing down recent differences between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mike Huckabee said in a speech in Jerusalem that despite Trump’s sometimes blunt language about the Israeli leader, the two still have a close relationship and the president remains deeply committed to Israel’s well-being.

“The one thing that I’ve always heard him say – always -- and that I’ve always watched him do, is that America has an unbreakable bond with the state of Israel,” Huckabee told the JNS International Policy Summit. “And I trust that he means what he says.”

Trump makes a threat and Iran's lead negotiator responds

Trump in a telephone interview with Fox News has said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had “better watch his mouth.” The broadcaster also quoted Trump as saying Pezeshkian had “better shape up or we’ll take over the rest of the country.”

Not long after that, Iran's lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X that “We do not regard American threats as amounting to anything. They would do better to be careful about their statements.”

Pezeshkian earlier Sunday said that “what is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” according to state media.

Netanyahu says Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon

Speaking at a memorial service for his late brother, Yonatan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will "remain in the security buffer zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary.” He was referring to an area up to 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border that Israel has occupied.

Netanyahu has made similar comments in the face of Iranian and U.S. calls for a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. He spoke Sunday as U.S. and Iranian officials began negotiations in Switzerland.

Netanyahu also reiterated his claim that he “will not allow Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons."

Iranian TV says Iran is talking with Qatar after direct talks

Iranian state television says the Iranian and Qatari delegations are having discussions after about 80 minutes of four-way negotiations including the U.S. and Pakistan.

Israel’s president says Iran complicates peace deal with Lebanon

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Fox News that a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon cannot be reached if Iran is “trying to squeeze themselves into this conflict” via the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Herzog's position is largely ceremonial. He said Israel and Lebanon will hold another round of talks in Washington on Tuesday. Hezbollah is not a party to the talks.

Iran wants any agreement with the U.S. to include peace on all fronts including Lebanon. It has said Lebanon will be a focus in today’s talks in Switzerland.

Iran's president worries about street protests

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed concern that some Iranians could openly protest again. He said in a speech reported by semiofficial news outlets that “what I fear is that we may fail to satisfy the people, and that they may come out into the streets to protest," which could affect the country's unity during negotiations with the U.S.

Iran saw nationwide protests weeks before the war began as unrest over the weak economy turned into anti-government anger. Thousands of people were killed in the crackdown that followed, the bloodiest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. For a while, the U.S. and Israel mentioned regime change in Iran among their war goals.

US energy secretary says ships still pass through the strait

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says 67 ships went through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, similar to traffic before the war began in terms of oil and oil products.

Iran’s joint military command on Saturday said it had closed the strait over Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. The U.S. disputed that announcement.

Wright also told Fox News that Iran has not yet “demined” the strait’s central shipping channel, but the U.S. has opened a separate channel to the south and has been escorting ships through it.

Wright acknowledged that some commercial shippers still have safety concerns.

Israel's military stands by for renewal of combat

Israel’s military issued a statement around the time that direct talks began. Its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, was speaking from southern Lebanon. He said “the ceasefire that has been declared is fragile, and we must maintain a high level of readiness for the renewal of combat operations.”

He said the military continues to defend against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its efforts to rebuild.

Previous talks between Vance and Iranian officials lasted nearly a day

The last time that Vance met directly with senior Iranian officials for such talks was in early April, days after a ceasefire took effect in the war. Those talks in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad ended after 21 hours without reaching an agreement. Again, Vance was meeting with lead negotiator Qalibaf.

It's now after 4 p.m. in Switzerland.

Direct US-Iran talks have begun in Switzerland

Both Iran and the White House say four-way talks have begun in Switzerland. Vance is meeting with Iranian officials.

Trump hopes to get the agreement signed last week back on track. Israel's ongoing military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group threatens progress on implementation.

Iran says its main focus in these talks is the situation in Lebanon. Israel says it must defend itself from Hezbollah. But the U.S. side wants to get Iran locked into negotiations over its nuclear program, which has long been at the heart of tensions.

Trump warns Iran about Hezbollah

Trump has warned in a post on social media that Iran needs to stop Hezbollah from “causing trouble.”

"If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote from Camp David, where he is spending the weekend.

Vance says that the Mideast is at a turning point

The U.S. vice president spoke as officials were gathering for the start of the U.S.-Iran talks on Sunday.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said in brief comments ahead of the talks, dubbed the “Lake Lucerne Summit.”

“Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen,” Vance added.

It was not clear if the Iranians were present during Vance's remarks.

Israel says it killed 2 militants in Gaza involved in Hamas’ financial arm

The Israeli military says it killed two militants who were involved in helping transfer up to half a billion dollars to Hamas. The military says the two — Hussein Qadra and Mohammed Farra, who worked with Hamas and the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad — were killed in a strike last week.

It said on Sunday that the men oversaw a network of couriers and money exchange spots in both Gaza and Turkey that funneled money toward Hamas militants and infrastructure.

Both men were killed on Wednesday and buried on Thursday, according to their families. Farra’s family said his father, mother and sister were killed in an Israeli strike earlier in the war.

The conflict in Gaza is not part of the U.S-Iran talks underway in Switzerland.

Pakistani team meets separately with US, Iranian delegations

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has separately met with JD Vance and with the Iranian delegation at the Bürgenstock Resort near Lucerne in Switzerland where the high-level talks are taking place.

Islamabad says Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, accompanied Sharif at the meetings. It did not provide further details.

Sharif has repeatedly said Munir played a key role in brokering the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran.

A video released by Sharif’s office shows him warmly embracing Qalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker, and Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, as Munir looks on.

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog is also at the scene of the talks

Rafael Grossi, chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency — met with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the gathering at the picturesque mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne on Sunday morning.

The agency had monitored the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated between the U.S. and Iran under the Obama administration.

Trump in 2018 withdrew the U.S. from that agreement.

Talks in Switzerland will focus on the Israel-Hezbollah war, Iran says

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says Tehran will mainly focus during the talks on Sunday on the ongoing fighting in Lebanon.

Tehran insists that the deal’s implementation start with a cessation of all fighting — including between Israel and Hezbollah.

Baghaei said the U.S. “has been unable or unwilling” to hold Israel to the ceasefire.

Iran will meet in the morning with Pakistani and Qatari mediators, and in the afternoon, there will be a four-way meeting including the U.S. negotiating team. There is currently only one day of negotiations planned, Baghaei told the state news agency.

“The implementation of any document is more important than its signing,” Baghaei also said Sunday.

Iran’s president has said that Iran will maintain its right to a nuclear program.

“What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, according to state media.

A temporary lull in Israeli strikes in Lebanon

As the U.S.-Iran talks were to kick off in Switzerland, a ceasefire appears to be holding in Lebanon, a lull that came after another day of heavy fighting.

Since the ceasefire, Israeli strikes on Friday and Saturday killed 97 people, including eight women and four children, Lebanese officials said. Five Israeli soldiers were also killed.

Israel says it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure on Saturday, including a tunnel network in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tebnit.

But by Sunday morning, residents in southern Lebanon reported a lull in Israeli strikes. There also were no reports of Hezbollah fire from the Israeli side.

Israel’s military has received instructions to uphold the ceasefire, and said it is only acting defensively, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines.

—Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel

Strait of Hormuz is once again a challenge

The strait has emerged as a key focus, with Iran’s joint military command saying on Saturday that it was closed again because of the U.S. “clear breach of its commitments” by failing to end the war. The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces are battling the militant Hezbollah group.

The U.S. disputed Iran’s announcement, with the U.S. Central Command saying that traffic continues to flow and that 55 merchant ships transited on Saturday with more than 17 million barrels of oil.

Ships began transiting after the interim U.S.-Iran agreement was signed last week. The U.S. lifted its blockade of Iran’s ports and now allows Tehran to sell its oil freely — terms that have left some in U.S. Congress asking whether the war was worth it.

The interim deal signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gives negotiators 60 days to reach a nuclear agreement, but the time can be extended.

Starmer has publicly vowed to stay in office, but pressure is building as more and more Labour Party colleagues conclude that his time is up. Expectation is growing that he will announce a timetable for his resignation as soon as Monday. That’s the day Burnham will be sworn in as a lawmaker in the House of Commons after winning a special election last week.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said Sunday that Starmer is “making time to reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that he finds himself in.”

“I know he is a prime minister who always puts his country first,” Kyle told the BBC, though he said that reports that Starmer will resign are “speculation.”

Starmer is spending the weekend at Chequers, the country mansion used by prime ministers, with his family. He gave no public hint about his decision, but sent a Father's Day message on social media.

“Being a dad is my greatest joy. Today, I’m thinking about my dad, and the father I am to my children because of him,” he wrote on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in even before an announcement, linking Starmer's potential exit to two of his recurring bugbears: immigration and renewable energy.

“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.

It was unclear whether Trump was responding to media reports about Starmer's plans. The two leaders haven't spoken over the weekend.

Starmer's initially warm relationship with the president has soured in recent months over issues including the Iran war, which the U.K. didn't join.

If Starmer quits, he will be the sixth prime minister to leave office in the past 10 years, an extraordinary rate of churn for the United Kingdom.

Discontent with the prime minister has been building for months, with Labour lawmakers desperate to reverse the government’s decline in popularity since Starmer led the center-left party to a landslide election victory in July 2024.

He has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, and has been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as the U.K. ambassador to the United States.

Labour is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party and facing a rising Reform UK, the Nigel Farage -led anti-immigration party that consistently leads in nationwide opinion polls.

Burnham, until this week the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, decisively won the seat of Makerfield in northwestern England in a special election held Thursday. He took almost 55% of the 45,510 votes cast, over 9,000 more than the Reform UK runner-up.

Now that Burnham is becoming a lawmaker, he’s in a position to challenge Starmer for leadership of the Labour Party. Burnham’s acceptance speech left no doubt that he wants to lead both the party and the country.

“Everyone knows that politics isn’t working,” he said. “Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point.”

It’s unclear whether Burnham would face a coronation or a challenge, if Starmer steps aside. Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last month to protest Starmer’s leadership, has said that he will run in a contest if there is one.

Starmer congratulated Burnham on Friday, but insisted that he would fight any attempt to oust him.

“I will run, I will stand,” if there is a Labour leadership contest, Starmer said. “I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that.”

But Charlie Falconer, a senior Labour member of the House of Lords, said Saturday that Starmer has “absolutely no authority” left.

“There should be an agreed transition process in which Andy and Keir cooperate as to when the handover should take place,” he told the BBC.

"Comparezco esta noche ante ustedes para anunciar la noticia más importante de mi vida: el pueblo colombiano me ha confiado el honor supremo de servirle como su próximo presidente”, declaró De la Espriella al dar su primer discurso ante miles de simpatizantes que ondeaban banderas de Colombia en Barranquilla, al norte del país. “Sus libertades serán protegidas, sus derechos, aún cuando no hayan votado por mí”, agregó.

De la Espriella, apoyado por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, obtuvo 49,66% de los votos, según el 99,98% del conteo preliminar informado por la Registraduría Nacional; mientras el senador Iván Cepeda, aliado del presidente saliente Gustavo Petro, logró 48,70%. La diferencia entre ambos candidatos era de más de 250.000 votos.

En los próximos días los jueces electorales harán el escrutinio final que declarará al ganador de la elección.

Tras conocerse el conteo, Cepeda pidió esperar el resultado final en un acto ante sus simpatizantes en Bogotá.

“El preconteo lo reconocemos como un dato que es aún no oficial ni vinculante”, dijo y anticipó que los abogados de su partido “están procediendo a impugnar 33.000 mesas en todo el país. Una por una deberá ser objeto del escrutinio”.

Petro, por su parte, publicó en X que “no se puede proclamar ninguno presidente. Es el escrutinio el que determina quién es el presidente”. A su vez pidió tranquilidad a la ciudadanía ante un “país partido por la mitad”.

“Al señor Petro y a su heredero les digo: respeten la voluntad del pueblo de Colombia”, dijo De la Espriella. “Absténganse de desatar un incendio social... hagan sus maletas y prepárense para ejercer la oposición”, agregó.

Un triunfo de De la Espriella, un abogado de 47 años, marcará un giro del modelo político progresista de Petro.

El outsider apodado “El Tigre” decidió que su primera aspiración electoral fuera por el cargo más importante del país luego de amasar una fortuna con su carrera de abogado y después como empresario con marcas propias de vino, ron y ropa. Prometió mano dura contra los “narcoterroristas” y la construcción de mega cárceles al estilo de las del salvadoreño Nayib Bukele.

De la Espriella nació en Bogotá en 1978, pero se crió en la costa Caribe. Se precia de tener una vida lujosa y sosegada en Italia, donde vivía hasta antes de ser candidato, que cambió por “servirle a la patria” y que le ha costado estar todo el tiempo rodeado de escoltas y vestir chalecos antibalas por amenazas contra su vida denunciadas en la campaña.

Los comicios, en los que más de 41 millones de colombianos estaban habilitados para votar, se celebraron en medio de la preocupación de los colombianos por la violencia protagonizada por los grupos armados ilegales y las sucesivas advertencias de Petro de un posible fraude, del que no enseñó pruebas.

El secretario de Estado estadounidense Marco Rubio felicitó a De la Espriella, a quien llamó “presidente electo” de Colombia. En la red social X Rubio aseguró que espera con interés trabajar “estrechamente” en materia de seguridad regional y dar fin a la “inmigración ilegal” a Estados Unidos.

Propuestas antagónicas

En las calles de Bogotá la gente gritaba “¡Fuera Petro! ¡Fuera Petro!”, tocaba las bocinas de sus automóviles y ondeaba banderas de Colombia, mientras en la campaña de Cepeda en Bogotá sus partidarios lo animaban al unísono con “¡Sí se puede!”.

Ambos candidatos presentaron a los votantes estrategias muy diferentes para evitar que en Colombia la recrudezca la violencia con atentados con autos bomba, secuestros, desapariciones y desplazamientos forzados que los colombianos han padecido en las décadas pasadas.

De la Espriella, sin experiencia en política, promete acabar de cuajo con los esfuerzos de diálogo y dedicarse a combatirlos con “la fuerza de las armas”.

Cepeda, de 63 años y quien ha sido facilitador en varios diálogos de paz con los grupos armados, no descarta continuar con las negociaciones pese a que la política de paz de Petro ha sido cuestionada. También promete dar continuidad a la agenda política de Petro de un cambio en favor de los más vulnerables porque, alega, la oposición no le permitió al presidente saliente ejecutar todos sus proyectos sociales durante su mandato.

Colombia se juega su ”partido más importante”, indicó De la Espriella en un video que divulgó al inicio de la jornada de votación en el que apareció con su esposa e hijos, todos vestidos con la camiseta de la selección colombiana de fútbol.

Cepeda sufragó en un centro al sur de Bogotá e instó “a votar con tranquilidad, serenidad y que triunfe la democracia”.

La vendedora ambulante Yolanda Hernández aseguró a AP que votó en 2022 por Petro, pero que ahora apostó por De la Espriella.

“Queremos que haya un cambio en Colombia porque siempre es la misma violencia, siempre todo lo mismo”, dijo Hernández. Petro “dijo que iba a bajar los servicios, que iba a bajar el alimento y todo está más caro”.

Las elecciones se celebraron una década después de la histórica firma del acuerdo de paz con la guerrilla Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), pero la violencia ha resurgido con fuerza por la disputa entre los grupos armados por dominar las rentas ilegales del narcotráfico y la minería informal.

Las autoridades contabilizaron 14.780 homicidios el año pasado, la cifra más alta desde 2015. Las extorsiones también se han disparado a 13.417 casos en 2025, más del doble de las registradas una década atrás.