It happened on Sept. 15 at Uleta Park, which is located at 386 NE 169th St. in North Miami Beach.

According to authorities, fire rescue crews were alerted to a man who appeared to need medical attention at the park’s playground.

An arrest warrant states that first responders found the victim, whose name was redacted, underneath a slide and pulseless, having suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. Medics rushed him to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

As officers began their investigation, they said by reviewing surveillance footage from the park and nearby businesses, in addition to an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip, the suspect was identified as Andrew Lee Trejo, who also goes by the street name “Ski.”

Trejo was arrested by North Miami Beach police officers and has since been charged with second-degree murder and possession of cocaine.

The warrant does not provide any details about a suspected motive.

He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Wednesday, where he remains on no bond for the murder charge.

Police said they had not identified the person whose body was recovered and had no additional information to release at this time.

Sky 10 flew over the scene near 11900 NW 11th St. at about 10:10 a.m., where officers and a medical examiner were gathered and a yellow tarp was placed over the body of the unidentified individual.

Authorities had searched the lake near the community last week after they said Alan Lok was reported missing. Police said Thursday that Lok remained missing and that search efforts in the area were continuing.

Investigators have not confirmed whether the recovered body is connected to Lok’s disappearance.

No other details were immediately released.

According to BSO, deputies responded to a disturbance call shortly before 8:45 a.m. at a home in the 1600 block of Southwest Fifth Court.

When deputies attempted to make contact with an “adult male suspect,” he barricaded himself inside the home, authorities said.

Deputies quickly established a perimeter around the home and BSO’s SWAT team was called to the scene.

Authorities have not released the suspect’s identity or provided details about what led to the initial disturbance call.

It is also unclear whether anyone else is inside the home.

The situation remains active.

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According to a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Devorise Carl Johnson, 21, of southwest Miami-Dade, was arrested Wednesday after being discharged from HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.

The victim, identified as Eddrick Malik Bethune, was abducted early Sunday, Oct. 4, from the Aliro apartment complex at 14040 Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami.

Suspects allegedly posed as police officers

Investigators said Johnson and four other men arrived at the apartment complex around 9:41 p.m. on Oct. 3 and waited for Bethune to leave his building.

Around midnight, Bethune walked into the parking lot, where the five men approached him in a gray 2026 Toyota Camry equipped with flashing red and blue lights, authorities said.

According to the arrest report, the driver and front-seat passenger got out of the vehicle wearing baseball caps, black pants and long-sleeved black shirts with the word “POLICE” on the back.

Both men were armed with guns, the report stated.

Investigators said the men ordered Bethune to the ground and handcuffed him.

During the encounter, Bethune’s apartment keys and cellphone were taken from him and tossed near the Camry, authorities said.

A third man then exited the vehicle, threw the cellphone across the parking lot and retrieved the apartment keys, according to the report.

Gunfire erupts inside apartment

Investigators said Johnson and two other men used Bethune’s keys to enter his apartment.

They said surveillance video showed two of the men walking toward the bedrooms while another pointed a gun toward a sofa in the living room, where a second victim was located.

After the armed man walked away, the second victim got up from the sofa and grabbed an AK-47-style rifle, according to the report.

Moments later, Johnson encountered the second victim in the living room and raised his gun, authorities said.

Investigators said the second victim opened fire, striking Johnson multiple times, while Johnson also fired at him.

The report states that Johnson and the two other men continued shooting at the second victim before jumping from a third-story bedroom window to escape.

Witness video previously obtained by Local 10 News showed two of the men jumping from the window after the shooting.

Another video captured the sound of approximately a dozen gunshots at the apartment complex.

Authorities said Johnson left blood on the apartment’s floors, walls, curtains, blinds and broken window glass.

Victim abducted, later found shot to death

While the gunfire unfolded inside the apartment, investigators said the two men who remained outside forced Bethune into the back seat of the Camry as he attempted to escape.

Cellphone video previously obtained by Local 10 News showed two men beating someone, believed to be Bethune, before throwing that person into the back seat of a gray vehicle.

The vehicle then drove away with one of its doors still open.

Surveillance footage later captured Johnson and the other two men running back to the waiting Camry, which had Bethune inside, authorities said.

Investigators said Johnson was dropped off at Jackson North Medical Center while the four other men continued driving with Bethune.

The group traveled to the area of Southwest 216th Street and Southwest 189th Avenue in the Redlands, where investigators said Bethune was shot multiple times and killed.

A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office captain discovered Bethune’s body around 7:25 a.m. on Oct. 4 along the roadside near plant nurseries, according to detectives.

Deputies also found a burned vehicle near the body.

According to the arrest report, the suspects attempted to destroy evidence by setting the Camry on fire near Southwest 248th Street and Southwest 157th Avenue.

An autopsy performed Oct. 5 determined that Bethune died from gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

Suspect faces multiple felony charges

According to the arrest report, Johnson was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday and transported to the MDSO Homicide Bureau for questioning.

After investigators advised him of his Miranda rights, Johnson invoked his right to have an attorney present.

He was subsequently arrested on the following charges:

• First-degree murder/kidnapping
• Attempted first-degree murder
• Kidnapping with a weapon or firearm
• Shooting a deadly missile
• Armed robbery with a firearm
• Falsely impersonating a police officer resulting in death
• Armed burglary with assault or battery

Johnson was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. As of Thursday morning, he remained held at TGK with a bond listed in online jail records as “to be set.”

The arrest report did not identify the four other men involved or indicate whether they had been arrested.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact MDSO Detective J. Rodriguez at 305-471-2400.

Según un informe de arresto de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, Devorise Carl Johnson, de 21 años y residente del suroeste de Miami-Dade, fue arrestado el miércoles después de recibir el alta del HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, donde había estado recibiendo tratamiento por heridas de bala sufridas durante el incidente.

La víctima, identificada como Eddrick Malik Bethune, fue secuestrada la madrugada del domingo 4 de octubre en el complejo de apartamentos Aliro, ubicado en el 14040 de Biscayne Boulevard, en North Miami.

Sospechosos presuntamente se hicieron pasar por agentes de policía

Los investigadores indicaron que Johnson y otros cuatro hombres llegaron al complejo de apartamentos alrededor de las 9:41 p.m. del 3 de octubre y esperaron a que Bethune saliera de su edificio.

Alrededor de la medianoche, Bethune caminó hacia el estacionamiento, donde los cinco hombres se le acercaron en un Toyota Camry gris modelo 2026, equipado con luces intermitentes rojas y azules, informaron las autoridades.

Según el informe de arresto, el conductor y el pasajero del asiento delantero salieron del vehículo usando gorras de béisbol, pantalones negros y camisas negras de manga larga con la palabra “POLICE” en la espalda.

Ambos hombres estaban armados, según el informe.

Los investigadores señalaron que los hombres ordenaron a Bethune que se tirara al suelo y lo esposaron.

Durante el encuentro, le quitaron a Bethune las llaves de su apartamento y su teléfono celular, y los arrojaron cerca del Camry, indicaron las autoridades.

Un tercer hombre salió entonces del vehículo, lanzó el teléfono celular al otro lado del estacionamiento y recogió las llaves del apartamento, según el informe.

Se desata balacera dentro del apartamento

Los investigadores indicaron que Johnson y otros dos hombres utilizaron las llaves de Bethune para ingresar a su apartamento.

Señalaron que un video de vigilancia mostró a dos de los hombres caminando hacia las habitaciones, mientras otro apuntaba con un arma hacia un sofá de la sala, donde se encontraba una segunda víctima.

Después de que el hombre armado se alejara, la segunda víctima se levantó del sofá y tomó un rifle estilo AK-47, según el informe.

Momentos después, Johnson se encontró con la segunda víctima en la sala y levantó su arma, informaron las autoridades.

Los investigadores indicaron que la segunda víctima abrió fuego, alcanzando a Johnson varias veces, mientras Johnson también disparaba contra él.

El informe señala que Johnson y los otros dos hombres continuaron disparando contra la segunda víctima antes de saltar por la ventana de una habitación del tercer piso para escapar.

Un video grabado por un testigo, obtenido anteriormente por Local 10 News, mostró a dos de los hombres saltando por la ventana después de la balacera.

Otro video captó el sonido de aproximadamente una docena de disparos en el complejo de apartamentos.

Las autoridades indicaron que Johnson dejó rastros de sangre en los pisos, paredes, cortinas, persianas y vidrios rotos de las ventanas del apartamento.

Secuestran a víctima y posteriormente la encuentran muerta a tiros

Mientras se desarrollaba la balacera dentro del apartamento, los investigadores señalaron que los dos hombres que permanecieron afuera obligaron a Bethune a entrar en el asiento trasero del Camry cuando intentaba escapar.

Un video de teléfono celular obtenido anteriormente por Local 10 News mostró a dos hombres golpeando a una persona, que se cree era Bethune, antes de arrojarla al asiento trasero de un vehículo gris.

El vehículo se alejó con una de sus puertas todavía abierta.

Posteriormente, las cámaras de vigilancia captaron a Johnson y los otros dos hombres corriendo de regreso al Camry que los esperaba, en cuyo interior se encontraba Bethune, informaron las autoridades.

Los investigadores indicaron que Johnson fue dejado en el Jackson North Medical Center, mientras los otros cuatro hombres continuaron conduciendo con Bethune.

El grupo se dirigió al área de Southwest 216th Street y Southwest 189th Avenue, en Redlands, donde los investigadores señalaron que Bethune recibió múltiples disparos y murió.

Un capitán de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade descubrió el cuerpo de Bethune alrededor de las 7:25 a.m. del 4 de octubre, a un costado de la carretera cerca de varios viveros de plantas, según los detectives.

Los agentes también encontraron un vehículo incendiado cerca del cuerpo.

Según el informe de arresto, los sospechosos intentaron destruir pruebas incendiando el Camry cerca de Southwest 248th Street y Southwest 157th Avenue.

Una autopsia realizada el 5 de octubre determinó que Bethune murió a causa de heridas de bala y su muerte fue clasificada como homicidio.

Sospechoso enfrenta múltiples cargos por delitos graves

Según el informe de arresto, Johnson recibió el alta del hospital el miércoles y fue trasladado a la Oficina de Homicidios de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade (MDSO) para ser interrogado.

Después de que los investigadores le informaran sobre sus derechos Miranda, Johnson invocó su derecho a tener un abogado presente.

Posteriormente, fue arrestado por los siguientes cargos:

• Asesinato en primer grado/secuestro.
• Intento de asesinato en primer grado.
• Secuestro con arma o arma de fuego.
• Disparar un proyectil mortal.
• Robo a mano armada con arma de fuego.
• Hacerse pasar falsamente por un agente de policía, causando una muerte.
• Allanamiento de morada a mano armada con agresión o lesiones.

Johnson fue ingresado en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight. Hasta la mañana del jueves, permanecía detenido en TGK, con una fianza que figuraba en los registros penitenciarios en línea como “pendiente de establecer”.

El informe de arresto no identificó a los otros cuatro hombres involucrados ni indicó si habían sido arrestados.

Se solicita a cualquier persona que tenga información sobre el caso que se comunique con el detective J. Rodriguez, de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, al 305-471-2400.

Trump said on social media that publicly airing the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan."

But, he continued, “any very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.”

The Pentagon has said Hasan’s execution is scheduled for Dec. 3. Trump said the execution can be viewed in person by immediate families of the victims, “if they so choose.”

The announcement earlier this month from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan’s execution would be public — and subsequent confirmation from the Pentagon that it would be livestreamed — prompted significant blowback from both Republicans and Democrats, with many pointing out that the images could be used to fuel radicalization.

When asked how the public execution comported with his Christian faith earlier this month, Vance said “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen.”

“So whatever the controversy is about the method of the execution, I hope that people don’t forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people,” Vance said.

But he continued: “Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major, walked into a medical building on Nov. 5, 2009, where soldiers were waiting in long lines to receive immunizations and medical clearance for deployment. He shouted “Allahu akbar” — Arabic for “God is great!” — and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun. He also shot at the backs of soldiers fleeing toward the parking lot.

Hasan said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims. A military judge barred him from presenting that as a defense during his 2013 trial. Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back by law enforcement, and he now uses a wheelchair.

Hasan could seek a lengthy delay of his execution, though given his behavior at trial, he may not want to.

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Several of our computer models – including Google’s DeepMind machine-learning based ensemble system as well as the traditional physics-based European model ensemble system – are showing low pressure development along a stalled front off the Carolinas next week.

The starting bid from forecast models is generally low (roughly 30% development odds), though the European model is taking a slightly more bullish stance, indicating a modest 40 to 50% chance of development, most likely in the Tuesday to Friday time frame next week.

It’s a decent enough signal in both of our top-performing forecast systems to merit a trend watch for next week, especially for interests in the coastal Carolinas.

“Some level of coastal concerns” regardless

Most of our models agree that a low-pressure area will form along the stalled front but the unknowns are whether it fully transitions to a tropical or subtropical system and how far it forms off the coast (other models like the American GFS and its AI counterpart show it forming much farther east off the Carolinas).

Whatever forms by later next week won’t be in hurry to move and, with the warmer waters of the nearby Gulf Stream, may have some time to try to organize or transition into a tropical system, depending on exactly where it sets up shop.

Regardless, as folks in the Carolinas know, even an offshore system can bring coastal issues in terms of beach erosion and overwash so it’s something those along North Carolina’s Outer Banks will want to monitor for next week.

As the National Weather Service forecast office in Morehead City notes in its Thursday morning discussion, all forecast model scenarios – even those farther offshore – “result in hazardous marine conditions and some level of coastal concerns.”

Development not expected elsewhere

Elsewhere things look quiet across the Atlantic basin for the next week or two.

Varios de nuestros modelos computacionales, incluido el sistema de pronóstico por conjuntos basado en aprendizaje automático DeepMind de Google, así como el sistema tradicional de pronóstico por conjuntos del modelo europeo, basado en principios físicos, muestran la posible formación de un sistema de baja presión a lo largo de un frente estacionario frente a las costas de las Carolinas la próxima semana.

Las estimaciones iniciales de los modelos de pronóstico son generalmente bajas, con una probabilidad de desarrollo de aproximadamente un 30%, aunque el modelo europeo muestra una perspectiva ligeramente más optimista, indicando una probabilidad moderada de desarrollo de entre el 40% y el 50%, muy probablemente entre el martes y el viernes de la próxima semana.

Es una señal suficientemente significativa en nuestros dos sistemas de pronóstico más precisos como para justificar un seguimiento de su evolución durante la próxima semana, especialmente para quienes se encuentran en las zonas costeras de las Carolinas.

“Cierto nivel de preocupación en las zonas costeras” de cualquier manera

La mayoría de nuestros modelos coinciden en que se formará un área de baja presión a lo largo del frente estacionario, pero las incógnitas son si llegará a convertirse completamente en un sistema tropical o subtropical y a qué distancia de la costa se formará (otros modelos, como el estadounidense GFS y su equivalente basado en inteligencia artificial, muestran que se formaría mucho más al este de las Carolinas).

Cualquier sistema que se forme hacia finales de la próxima semana no se desplazará rápidamente y, con las aguas más cálidas de la cercana corriente del Golfo, podría tener tiempo para intentar organizarse o transformarse en un sistema tropical, dependiendo de dónde se establezca exactamente.

De cualquier manera, como saben los residentes de las Carolinas, incluso un sistema que permanece mar adentro puede causar problemas en las zonas costeras, como erosión de las playas e inundaciones por el desbordamiento del agua del mar, por lo que es algo que quienes se encuentran a lo largo de los Outer Banks de Carolina del Norte deberán vigilar durante la próxima semana.

Como señala la oficina del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional en Morehead City en su informe del jueves por la mañana, todos los escenarios de los modelos de pronóstico, incluso aquellos que sitúan el sistema más lejos de la costa, “provocan condiciones marítimas peligrosas y cierto nivel de preocupación en las zonas costeras”.

No se espera desarrollo de sistemas en otras áreas

En otras partes, las condiciones parecen mantenerse tranquilas en toda la cuenca del Atlántico durante la próxima semana o dos.

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The ruling sparked a heated exchange during Wednesday night’s Tamarac City Commission meeting as Mayor Michelle Gomez addressed the decision and what it could mean for voters.

“During this meeting, a ruling came out that said that Commissioner Wright was not going to be qualified to be on the ballot in November,” Gomez said.

As the mayor discussed the ruling, another official attempted to adjourn the meeting, arguing that the matter was not on the agenda.

Gomez pushed back, insisting she had the right to address the issue.

“You are the one who brought it up. I am making a comment and I am going to use my personal privilege. You do not have to like it,” Gomez said.

Mayor addresses concerns about election

Gomez also sought to reassure residents that the court’s ruling did not necessarily mean they would lose their opportunity to vote for a District 2 representative.

“You have fear mongering going among you,” Gomez said.

The mayor acknowledged that the ruling could be appealed and that the city’s charter would help determine whether a special District 2 election would be necessary.

“Yes the ruling came out, yes there is opportunity for appeal, and yes there is a city charter to determine on whether or not this needs to be set for a new special set District 2 election, and those will be determined by the actual experts, not anybody on this dais,” Gomez said.

She urged residents not to panic about their representation.

“So please do not have a panic that your voices will not be heard,” Gomez said.

Wright released a statement to Local 10 News Thursday, saying he will appeal the judge’s decision.

“My attorneys and I respectfully disagree with the Judge’s ruling and plan an immediate appeal to the Fourth District Court,” the statement read. “The voters should decide who they want to represent them on the Tamarac City Commission. We remain confident that our campaign will ultimately prevail at the ballot box. I look forward to continuing to represent you as your District 2 Commissioner!”

Michael Desronvil said he didn't have any doubt that Clancy was guilty, telling Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” that he was struck by her “thought process” during the killings.

Desronvil was the only juror who opposed clearing Clancy of criminal responsibility, siding with prosecutors who argued that she knew what she was doing. Clancy's defense argued she was in the grip of a rare condition called postpartum psychosis when she strangled her kids.

“The focus has to be on the children,” Desronvil said. “They are the ones who don’t have anyone fighting for them.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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Clancy's trial ended with a mistrial in early September and generated intense public interest, drawing attention to maternal mental health after childbirth. She had mental health problems that included months of treatment and a stay in a psychiatric hospital before she killed the children and then tried to kill herself at her family’s Massachusetts home in 2023.

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether they will put the case in front of a jury for a second time. They could retry her on first-degree murder charges, seek lesser charges or drop the case entirely.

Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, remains charged with murder and is expected to stay at a psychiatric hospital until her case is resolved.

Her former husband Patrick Clancy, who discovered the children’s bodies, has said in interviews that he forgives her.

Los conteos de focos de incendio en todo el bioma, que este año se habían mantenido cerca de mínimos históricos, se han triplicado desde el 4 de octubre, cuando los brasileños votaron en la primera vuelta de las elecciones nacionales. El senador Flávio Bolsonaro, hijo del expresidente Jair Bolsonaro, obtuvo el 47% de los votos, mientras que el presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recibió el 45%. Ambos se enfrentarán en una segunda vuelta el 25 de octubre.

“El indicio es que ha habido un esfuerzo premeditado” para iniciar los incendios, declaró al The Associated Press el ministro de Medio Ambiente, João Paulo Capobianco.

Capobianco y funcionarios de fiscalización ambiental sobrevolaron el domingo zonas quemadas e hicieron un nuevo recorrido el miércoles. El ministro señaló que observaron incendios en áreas de bosque protegido dispuestos en un patrón geométrico distintivo, lo que sugiere que pudieron haber sido provocados deliberadamente.

No se sabe quién pudo haber iniciado los incendios ni cuáles podrían ser sus motivaciones. En los últimos días, los incendios forestales han golpeado especialmente a los estados de Amazonas y Pará. El humo ha alterado la vida cotidiana en Manaus, la capital de Amazonas y la ciudad más grande de la Amazonía brasileña. Se cancelaron las clases en las escuelas públicas y se instó a los residentes a usar mascarillas.

Los incendios alimentan los choques políticos

Según un monitoreo de Barometro, una herramienta desarrollada por la agencia brasileña de estrategia climática FALA, parte de la coalición global Climate Action Against Disinformation, los políticos conservadores del estado de Amazonas han sido quienes más han levantado la voz sobre los incendios.

En el análisis se examinaron 165 publicaciones sobre incendios y humo en el estado, provenientes de 41 políticos, y se determinó que casi el 55% procedía de la derecha. Con el paso de las semanas, las publicaciones personales dieron paso a disputas políticas, en las que dirigentes locales se atribuyen el mérito de los esfuerzos de combate al fuego o acusan a las autoridades de no actuar.

“El mismo tema sirve simultáneamente como advertencia de salud pública, agenda de política ambiental y herramienta de campaña”, según el informe.

Los incendios también se han convertido en un punto de disputa fuera de la Amazonía, en una campaña electoral en la que la protección del bosque y el cambio climático han recibido poca atención.

La deforestación en la Amazonía se disparó durante el gobierno del expresidente Bolsonaro, mientras que Lula la ha reducido al nivel más bajo en una década. Flávio Bolsonaro ha negado el cambio climático, pero ha afirmado que es un defensor del medio ambiente, sin ofrecer detalles sobre cómo proteger la Amazonía o respaldar el financiamiento forestal. En sus discursos, ha pedido modernizar las leyes ambientales, algo que muchos ambientalistas interpretan como una flexibilización.

Los aliados más populares de los Bolsonaro —Nikolas Ferreira, legislador del estado de Minas Gerais, y el gobernador reelecto de São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, ambos del sureste de Brasil— mencionaron los incendios forestales la semana pasada para criticar al gobierno de Lula. De Freitas sostuvo que los miembros del Partido de los Trabajadores de Lula eran hipócritas y que “desaparecieron” mientras la Amazonía ardía.

Lula no respondió a las críticas, pero afirmó en un video publicado el sábado en X que había hablado con el gobernador de Amazonas, Roberto Cidade, y que el gobierno federal estaba enviando recursos para apoyar los esfuerzos de combate al fuego.

“El pueblo de Amazonas puede contar con el gobierno federal. Estamos juntos en esta lucha para proteger vidas, preservar el bosque y apoyar a quienes enfrentan esta emergencia”, afirmó el presidente.

La actividad humana y las condiciones más secas agravan los riesgos de incendio

Susana Braz, una bióloga de 35 años en Manaus que estudia cómo la ceniza tóxica de los incendios amazónicos afecta los ríos de la región, contó que no pudo dormir en su propia cama porque su dormitorio, lleno de humo, parecía una parrilla.

“Llegamos a casa y la casa está llena de humo”, relató Braz. “Salimos y había humo por todas partes”.

La gente ha intentado seguir con su vida con normalidad, pero el empeoramiento del humo en los últimos 10 días ha alimentado la frustración. “¿De verdad vamos a aceptar este humo como algo normal, como si todo estuviera bien y simplemente tuviéramos que vivir con ello?”, añadió.

La Amazonía almacena enormes cantidades de carbono y libera humedad que regula el clima mucho más allá de Sudamérica. Pero el cambio climático y la deforestación la están volviendo más caliente, más seca y más inflamable. El Niño, un patrón climático recurrente, puede agravar el calor y la sequía.

“Casi todas las igniciones en la región son causadas por actividad humana, principalmente para renovar pastizales o despejar tierras”, explicó Ane Alencar, directora científica del Instituto de Investigación Ambiental de la Amazonía, una organización sin fines de lucro de Brasil. “Durante períodos muy secos, esos fuegos pueden salirse de control”.

Se esperaba que los conteos de incendios aumentaran en esta época del año con el desarrollo de El Niño, pero el momento en torno a las elecciones sigue siendo llamativo, señaló Alencar.

“En los últimos 10 días, hemos visto que los puntos críticos de incendios casi se triplicaron en comparación con los 10 días previos a la elección, principalmente alrededor de Manaus”, indicó. “Algo ocurrió que llevó a la gente a quemar más”.

Los bomberos enfrentan una variedad de causas

João Morita, coordinador del ICMBio, la agencia federal que administra las áreas protegidas de Brasil, ha estado en la primera línea combatiendo incendios en áreas de conservación de la Amazonía. Dijo que varios factores podrían explicar el aumento de la semana pasada en la región, incluidos residentes de bosques nacionales que queman parcelas de cultivo, pese a que existe una prohibición.

“Los incendios comienzan por todo tipo de razones. Algunos son represalias por acciones de fiscalización. Otros se provocan deliberadamente con intención maliciosa. Cualquier quema no autorizada es un delito, así que hay un abanico de posibilidades”, expresó Morita.

Funcionarios e investigadores han advertido que los efectos de El Niño sobre la Amazonía podrían ser peores en 2027 que este año.

En un comunicado enviado a la AP, el gobierno de Amazonas informó que se reunió con funcionarios federales durante el fin de semana para hablar sobre los esfuerzos de combate al fuego y que había declarado el estado de emergencia en municipios afectados por incendios forestales.

“La medida toma en cuenta el empeoramiento de las condiciones climáticas causado por El Niño, con precipitaciones por debajo del promedio y pronósticos de altas temperaturas, lo que favorece el inicio y la propagación de incendios”, señaló el gobierno estatal.

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

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

El tiroteo ocurrió alrededor de las 7:30 a.m. cerca de la intersección de la calle 109 del noroeste y South River Drive, en el pueblo de Medley.

Según la policía, dos personas discutieron en un negocio llamado Metro Express, y una de ellas le disparó a la otra.

Según Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, los equipos de emergencia acudieron a la zona y trasladaron en helicóptero a una persona a un centro de trauma cercano. Más tarde, la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade confirmó que la víctima murió en el hospital.

Los agentes dijeron que el tirador también fue hospitalizado por “razones médicas personales”.

Los cargos están pendientes.

Aún no se ha revelado la identidad del sospechoso ni de la víctima. Las circunstancias del tiroteo siguen bajo investigación.

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His recovery has been nothing short of remarkable.

“Getting struck by lightning was probably about one of the last things I would have thought that happened,” said Rick Stanczyk.

Stanczyk, who comes from a family of fishing guides, and whose family owns the iconic Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, was scheduled to take three people out for a day of tarpon fishing on August 20th.

There were storms in the area, said friend and client Mark Fravel, but nowhere near where they were.

“We actually did see some lightning strikes, but it was so far away - you just saw the flash,” Fravel said.

The calm would soon change

Fravel heard what sounded like a loud crack.

“It was a crack so loud that if felt like it lifted the boat up in the air,” he said.

Stanczyk said not only he does he not remember anything about that moment, but he doesn’t remember anything about that entire day. But he surmises that because he was holding on a metal steering wheel at the helm of his Contender center console boat, the lightning electrified him.

“I was holding the wheel and so it got me and everyone else on the boat was fine,” he said.

Fravel believes the lightning struck the water first, “chased up the engine and through the steering column,” he recalled.

Stanczyk, 44 and a father of two, collapsed.

His Contender was dead in the water.

Fravel and another onboard began CPR, while calling 911.

In minutes, Islamorada Fire Rescue paramedics raced to Bud N’ Mary’s and got onboard another boat captain’s vessel.

“It was dark and rainy,” recalled paramedic Steven Mejia. “We went onboard a vessel to reach where the patient was. If they weren’t there to initiate CPR - who knows what the outcome would have been.”

Stanczyk was flown to the hospital where he spent several days in a medically induced coma.

He recalls his wife telling him what happened as he slowly regained consciousness.

“‘Stay calm, Rick, you’re in the hospital,’” she told him. “‘You’re okay, but you were struck by lightning.’ And I was like, ‘what?’”

Florida is known as the lightning capital of the world.

Lightning activity in the state was reported to be nearly 28 percent above the 10-year average, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.

And even higher late this summer.

Meteorologist Chris Vagasky provided Local 10 with data that showed that lightning activity in August was 58% above average, and 108% above average in September.

Scientists are still working to find out why.

Now, Stanczyk is back on the water and says he’s cleared all medical tests - and is feeling strong.

In an abundance of precaution, he uses a rubber sleeve that covers the metal steering wheel of the boat he’s using. The Contender is still in the shop.

“As the captain of the boat, you always kind of think of yourself as the one who’s gonna be in charge. [I’m] a little more grateful for being here and realizing you’re never really guaranteed tomorrow So you’ve got to enjoy the day.”

Su recuperación ha sido extraordinaria.

“Ser alcanzado por un rayo probablemente era una de las últimas cosas que habría imaginado que me sucederían”, dijo Rick Stanczyk.

Stanczyk, quien proviene de una familia de guías de pesca y cuya familia es propietaria del emblemático puerto deportivo Bud N’ Mary’s Marina en Islamorada, tenía previsto llevar a tres personas a una jornada de pesca de sábalo el 20 de agosto.

Había tormentas en la zona, dijo su amigo y cliente Mark Fravel, pero ninguna cerca de donde se encontraban.

“De hecho, vimos algunos rayos, pero estaban tan lejos que solo se veía el destello”, dijo Fravel.

La calma pronto cambiaría

Fravel escuchó lo que parecía ser un fuerte estallido.

“Fue un estruendo tan fuerte que sentí como si hubiera levantado el barco por los aires”, dijo.

Stanczyk aseguró que no solo no recuerda nada de ese momento, sino que tampoco recuerda nada de todo aquel día. Sin embargo, supone que, como estaba sujetando el volante metálico de su embarcación Contender de consola central, el rayo lo electrocutó.

“Estaba sujetando el volante, así que me alcanzó a mí, pero todos los demás que estaban en el barco salieron ilesos”, dijo.

Fravel cree que el rayo impactó primero en el agua y “subió por el motor y atravesó la columna de dirección”, recordó.

Stanczyk, de 44 años y padre de dos hijos, se desplomó.

Su embarcación Contender quedó inmovilizada en el agua.

Fravel y otra persona a bordo comenzaron a practicarle reanimación cardiopulmonar (RCP) mientras llamaban al 911.

En cuestión de minutos, los paramédicos de Islamorada Fire Rescue acudieron rápidamente a Bud N’ Mary’s y abordaron la embarcación de otro capitán.

“Estaba oscuro y llovía”, recordó el paramédico Steven Mejia. “Subimos a una embarcación para llegar hasta donde estaba el paciente. Si ellos no hubieran estado allí para iniciar la reanimación cardiopulmonar, quién sabe cuál habría sido el resultado”.

Stanczyk fue trasladado en helicóptero a un hospital, donde permaneció varios días en coma inducido médicamente.

Recuerda que su esposa le contó lo sucedido mientras recuperaba lentamente el conocimiento.

“Mantén la calma, Rick, estás en el hospital”, le dijo. “Estás bien, pero te alcanzó un rayo”. Y yo le respondí: “¿Qué?”.

Florida es conocida como la capital mundial de los rayos.

Según el Consejo Nacional de Seguridad contra Rayos, la actividad de rayos en el estado fue casi un 28% superior al promedio de los últimos 10 años.

Y fue aún mayor a finales de este verano.

El meteorólogo Chris Vagasky proporcionó a Local 10 News datos que mostraron que la actividad de rayos en agosto fue un 58% superior al promedio y un 108% superior al promedio en septiembre.

Los científicos todavía están trabajando para determinar por qué.

Ahora, Stanczyk ha regresado al agua y asegura que ha superado todas las pruebas médicas y que se siente fuerte.

Como medida de precaución adicional, utiliza una cubierta de goma que recubre el volante metálico de la embarcación que está utilizando. Su Contender todavía permanece en el taller.

“Como capitán del barco, siempre piensas que eres quien estará a cargo. Estoy un poco más agradecido de estar aquí y de darme cuenta de que nunca tienes garantizado el mañana. Así que tienes que disfrutar el día”.

A high impact storm system is still expected for the weekend. Numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday and Sunday. Some rain could be heavy enough to cause flooding. It’s not looking too windy on Saturday, but expect winds to increase with 30-40 mph gusts on Sunday. These breezy conditions will last much of next week. Stay with Local 10 News as we fine tune the details of this weekend storm system.

No documents about the $4.2 billion World Cup sell-off plan he launched and dropped in July. No details about the Folarin Balogun red-card case at the World Cup and how U.S. President Donald Trump intervened to help the national team forward.

World soccer's ruling body FIFA will, however, review whether to continue awarding the peace prize that was created to give to Trump last December.

Pressed by European soccer officials for written evidence about his secretive private equity plan for the World Cup that provoked a global rift, Infantino asked them to submit written questions, FIFA vice president Debbie Hewitt said after the 3 1/2-hour meeting.

“The man has to answer those questions. If he doesn’t answer those questions, no, he is not fit to be the FIFA president," said Hewitt, who leads the English Football Association.

European soccer's ruling body UEFA is leading attempts to remove Infantino before or at the FIFA presidential election in March and heard to little to change that view Thursday.

“No satisfactory answers were provided,” said German soccer leader Bernd Neuendorf, one of eight UEFA delegates in the 37-member FIFA Council that Infantino chairs. It had not met since Infantino provoked the crisis.

“We need a person of integrity, someone who can be expected to restore the reputation of the association, which has undoubtedly been lost,” Neuendorf told reporters.

Infantino did start the meeting by apologizing to his Council colleagues for blindsiding them and creating a furor over his private investor plan with Joshua Kushner that was revealed in media reports nine days after the World Cup final in July.

“He said that with some contrition,” Hewitt said.

UEFA also has asked courts in the United States for the right to get evidence for a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland. The court filings allege possible mismanagement of FIFA finances in the value he put on the intended subsidiary running tournament commercial rights.

It was to be at least 20% owned by investors led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

El fallo provocó un acalorado intercambio durante la reunión de la Comisión Municipal de Tamarac el miércoles por la noche, cuando la alcaldesa Michelle Gomez abordó la decisión y lo que podría significar para los votantes.

“Durante esta reunión, se emitió un fallo que establece que el comisionado Wright no estará calificado para aparecer en la boleta electoral de noviembre”, dijo Gomez.

Mientras la alcaldesa discutía el fallo, otro funcionario intentó dar por terminada la reunión, argumentando que el asunto no estaba incluido en la agenda.

Gomez se opuso e insistió en que tenía derecho a abordar el tema.

“Usted fue quien sacó el tema. Estoy haciendo un comentario y voy a hacer uso de mi privilegio personal. No tiene que gustarle”, dijo Gomez.

Alcaldesa aborda preocupaciones sobre las elecciones

Gomez también intentó tranquilizar a los residentes, señalando que el fallo judicial no significaba necesariamente que perderían la oportunidad de votar por un representante del Distrito 2.

“Hay quienes están sembrando miedo entre ustedes”, dijo Gomez.

La alcaldesa reconoció que el fallo podría ser apelado y que los estatutos de la ciudad ayudarían a determinar si sería necesario celebrar una elección especial para el Distrito 2.

“Sí, se emitió el fallo, sí, existe la oportunidad de apelar y sí, hay unos estatutos municipales para determinar si es necesario convocar una nueva elección especial para el Distrito 2, y esas decisiones serán tomadas por los verdaderos expertos, no por ninguna de las personas que estamos aquí en este estrado”, dijo Gomez.

También instó a los residentes a no entrar en pánico por su representación.

“Así que, por favor, no entren en pánico pensando que sus voces no serán escuchadas”, dijo Gomez.

Aún no está claro si Wright apelará la decisión o si la ciudad tendrá que programar una elección especial para el Distrito 2.

During the enrollment period, which ends Dec. 7, people will have the opportunity to choose between traditional Medicare and privately run Medicare Advantage plans in their area, as well as prescription drug plans. Those changes go into effect on Jan. 1.

Open enrollment also comes as inflation adds pressure on seniors whose healthcare costs have risen and as midterm elections are weeks away. Voters have consistently said cost-of-living is a major concern headed into the elections.

The Medicare enrollment period also comes as the Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities will go up by 3.6% beginning in 2027, which translates to $75 extra per month for the nearly 72 million people who receive monthly Social Security benefits and about 7.3 million beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income.

New changes to Medicare coming in 2027 include higher Part D out-of-pocket caps, the end of temporary federal Part D premium subsidies, and new drug price negotiations.

Here are a few of the biggest changes:

Medicare Part D

The cap on annual out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare Part D drugs will increase to $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026, and the standard deductible will increase from $615 to $700.

The temporary Part D premium subsidy will also end early.

The Trump administration concludes at year’s end a temporary Medicare Part D subsidy program that has helped offset premiums.

It was initially implemented by former President Joe Biden's administration in 2024 to lower patients’ Medicare Part D prescription drug costs in response to effects of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has projected only modest price increases for most people. CMS did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment.

Drug price negotiations

New Medicare-negotiated prices, part of a Biden-era law that allows the haggling for Medicare, will go into effect for 15 drugs, including weight-loss and diabetes medications Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy.

Additionally, Trelegy Ellipta, Xtandi, Pomalyst, Ibrance, Ofev, Linzess, Calquence, Austedo/Austedo XR, Breo Ellipta, Tradjenta, Xifaxan, Vraylar, Janumet/Janumet XR, and Otezla will be covered by Medicare as of Jan. 1.

CMS expects the change to lower prescription drug coverage for people enrolled in Medicare by $685 million in 2027.

AARP’s Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Nancy LeaMond said in a statement that “higher healthcare costs are making it harder for older Americans to afford the care they need."

“It’s more important than ever to shop around, compare your options, and choose the coverage that’s best for you," she said.

Other Trump administration promises

Along with the changes, President Donald Trump in recent weeks made a series of promises to Medicare enrollees and retirees.

Last week, Trump said his administration will make one-time payments of $90 per person in October to help more than 20 million Medicare enrollees — or less than one third of enrollees — pay for their Part B premiums. It will cost about $2 billion.

Not eligible are roughly 35 million Medicare Advantage enrollees, millions of other people with disabilities and low-income Medicare recipients.

According to the CMS website, eligible beneficiaries will receive one $90 rebate this month, with most getting a direct deposit. Others will receive a paper check from the Treasury Department later in October.

Trump also announced recently that roughly 1 million people would get rebate checks of $500 for Affordable Care Act premiums.

Democratic officials said that total outpaces what they raised in the same month in three previous midterm cycles. They hope the tally, which they shared with The Associated Press before a federal reporting deadline later this month, reflects voter enthusiasm with control of Congress at stake in the Nov. 3 election.

The party has struggled with fundraising during President Donald Trump's second term, lagging behind Republicans and carrying debt into this year's campaign season.

The DNC said it raised $10.25 million from small-dollar donors, meaning people who responded to email and other solicitations. That's $3.5 million more than in 2018 during Trump's last midterm election, and $1.6 million more than in 2022 and $3.4 million more than in 2014.

The DNC chair, Ken Martin, said the fundraising was a “clear sign” that Democrats were on a winning path.

“Democrats' historic momentum heading into the midterms is powered by our grassroots donors,” he said in a statement.

More complete fundraising figures, which include money from larger donors, were not yet available.

Joe Rospars, a Democratic strategist who worked on Barack Obama's presidential campaigns, said the small-dollar donors often reflect voter excitement and volunteering for the party and candidates.

“It means that the grassroots dollars are not just dollars. They’re energy,” he said.

The DNC said it has cut back on the volume of its emails as a way to reduce fatigue among supporters who are bombarded by pitches for donations.

The party said about 1 in 5 donors are giving for the first time.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that the $10.25 million raised by the DNC from small-dollar donors in September is an increase in such contributions when compared with the past three midterms -- $3.5 million more than in 2018, $1.6 million more than in 2022 and $3.4 million more than in 2014. An earlier version of this story said those figures were the totals raised by the DNC from small-money donors.

Fire counts across the biome, which have been near historic lows this year, have tripled since Oct. 4, when Brazilians voted in the first round of national elections. Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, won 47% of the vote, while President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received 45%. The two will face off in an Oct. 25 runoff.

“The indications are that there has been a premeditated effort” to start the fires, Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco told The Associated Press.

Capobianco and environmental enforcement officials flew over burned areas on Sunday and again on Wednesday. He said they observed fires in protected forest areas arranged in a distinct geometric pattern, suggesting they may have been deliberately set.

It's not clear who might have started the fires or what their motivations may be. The wildfires have particularly hit Amazonas and Para states over the past few days. Smoke has disrupted daily life in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas and the largest city in the Brazilian Amazon. Public school classes were canceled and residents were urged to wear face masks.

The burning fuels political clashes

Conservative politicians in Amazonas state have been the most vocal about the fires, according to monitoring by Barometro, a tool developed by Brazilian climate strategy agency FALA, part of the global Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition.

The analysis examined 165 posts about fires and smoke in the state from 41 politicians, finding that nearly 55% came from the right. Over the weeks, personal publications gave way to political disputes, with local politicians claiming credit for firefighting efforts or accusing authorities of failing to act.

“The same issue serves simultaneously as a public health warning, an environmental policy agenda and a campaign tool,” the report said.

The fires have also become a point of contention outside the Amazon, in an election campaign in which forest protection and climate change have received little attention.

Deforestation in the Amazon soared under former President Bolsonaro, while Lula has brought it back down to the lowest in a decade. Flávio Bolsonaro has denied climate change but said he is an environmental defender, without offering details on protecting the Amazon or supporting forest financing. In speeches, he has called for modernizing environmental laws, which many environmentalists read as loosening them.

The Bolsonaros most popular allies — Nikolas Ferreira, a lawmaker from the state of Minas Gerais, and reelected Sao Paulo Gov. Tarcísio de Freitas, both from southeastern Brazil — cited wildfires last week to criticize Lula’s government. De Freitas said Lula’s Workers Party were hypocrites and “disappeared” while the Amazon burned.

Lula did not address the criticism but said in a video posted Saturday on X that he had spoken with Amazonas Gov. Roberto Cidade and that the federal government was sending resources to support firefighting efforts.

“The people of Amazonas can count on the federal government. We are together in this fight to protect lives, preserve the forest and support those facing this emergency,” the president said.

Human activity and drier conditions aggravate fire risks

Susana Braz, a 35-year-old biologist in Manaus who studies how toxic ash from Amazon wildfires affects the region’s rivers, said she could not sleep in her own bed because her smoke-filled bedroom felt like a barbecue grill.

“We come home, and the house is full of smoke,” Braz said. “We go outside, and there’s smoke everywhere.”

People have tried to carry on as usual, but worsening smoke over the past 10 days has fueled frustration. “Are we really going to accept this smoke as normal, as if everything is fine and we just have to live with it?” she added.

The Amazon stores vast amounts of carbon and releases moisture that regulates weather far beyond South America. But climate change and deforestation are making it hotter, drier and more flammable. El Niño, a recurring climate pattern, can worsen heat and drought.

“Nearly all ignitions in the region are caused by human activity, mainly to renew pastures or clear land,” said Ane Alencar, science director at Brazil’s nonprofit Amazon Environmental Research Institute. “During very dry periods, those fires can escape.”

Fire counts were expected to increase at this time of year with a developing El Niño, but the timing around elections is still notable, Alencar said.

“Over the past 10 days, we’ve seen fire hot spots nearly triple compared with the 10 days before the election, mainly around Manaus,” she said. “Something happened that led people to burn more.”

Firefighters confront a range of causes

João Morita, a coordinator at ICMBio, the federal agency that manages Brazil’s protected areas, has been on the front lines fighting fires in conservation areas in the Amazon. He said several factors could explain last week’s spike in the region, including residents of national forests burning crop plots, despite a ban.

“Fires start for all sorts of reasons. Some are retaliation for enforcement actions. Others are deliberately set with malicious intent. Any unauthorized burning is a crime, so there is a range of possibilities,” Morita said.

Officials and researchers have warned that El Niño’s effects on the Amazon could be worse in 2027 than this year.

In a statement to the AP, the Amazonas government said it met with federal officials over the weekend to discuss firefighting efforts and had declared a state of emergency in municipalities affected by wildfires.

“The measure takes into account worsening climate conditions caused by El Niño, with below-average rainfall and high temperatures forecast, which favor the outbreak and spread of fires,” the state government said.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

House Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-day agenda focused on delivering their campaign promises — making life more affordable and conducting vast oversight of the Trump administration — if voters return them to majority control in the Nov. 3 elections. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, in line to become House speaker, said Democrats will be united “right out of the gate.”

And Trump's new press secretary is facing mounting questions about her background and resume as she transitions into her role. Katie Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer, but so far, she and the White House have offered no evidence that she passed a bar exam.

The Latest:

Associations representing election officials condemn letter threats

At least two state election offices, in Louisiana and Oklahoma, have been evacuated this week after being sent envelopes containing white powder.

The mailings come just three weeks before Election Day and are reminiscent of similar threats in 2023, when several election offices received envelopes containing the powerful opioid fentanyl.

This time, authorities said no harmful substances were immediately identified. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office said the Postal Service had noted that similar mailings had been sent to election officials in multiple states.

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors condemned the threats. “Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties,” their joint statement said.

The associations said security measures are in place for future threats.

Democrats see voter enthusiasm reflected in small-dollar donations

The Democratic National Committee says it’s raised more than $10 million from grassroots donors in September, a late surge of money for the cash-strapped party that outpaces the same month’s totals during the three previous midterm election cycles.

Chairman Ken Martin said it’s a “clear sign” Democrats are on a winning path. The party has struggled with fundraising during Trump’s second term, lagging behind Republicans and carrying debt into this year’s campaign season.

Joe Rospars, a Democratic strategist who worked on Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, said small-dollar donations often reflect voter excitement and volunteering for the party and candidates. About 1 in 5 of the donors are giving for the first time, the DNC said.

“It means that the grassroots dollars are not just dollars. They’re energy,” he said.

As anger over Iran war spreads, Democrats hope military veteran candidates can flip GOP seats

Democrats are investing campaign cash in districts that have been longshots for years, counting on the unpopular war with Iran and upheaval in the armed forces to put more seats in play as the party pushes for control of the U.S. House. Democratic candidates who previously served in the military are running in Colorado, Florida, South Carolina and Virginia districts with significant veteran populations.

Although veterans hold all sorts of political beliefs, the population overall leans right — nearly 6 in 10 voted for Trump two years ago, according to AP VoteCast.

“I know there’s a bunch of veterans in the room, so I don’t have to tell you where we are with foreign policy,” Democrat Jessica Killin, an Army veteran who served in the Balkan war, told voters in Colorado’s 5th, one of the nation’s most veteran-heavy districts. “For the first time in history, now the global community thinks more of China than of the United States.”

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Where’s the beef? Affording meat is a battleground campaign question

Meat is on the menu as Americans prepare to vote. As Democrats and Republicans argue over high prices and the Iran war, they’re also having a food fight over who’s the most red-blooded carnivore.

In Mississippi, Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom ’s video shows Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith saying that consumers upset over high beef prices “have so many proteins to choose from.” The video cuts to a man grilling burgers who says, “Pick another protein? I’d rather pick another senator instead.”

Elsewhere, Republicans have branded Democrats as opposed to meat, culturally out of step with voters, hostile to local cattle industries or just not manly enough.

The real issue is that ground beef prices have risen by 22 percent since Trump returned to office, and remain stubbornly high despite Trump’s decision to open U.S. markets to more beef imports, angering U.S. producers.

Albania protests: Anti-government movement targets Kushner-linked project

Student-led demonstrators clashed Thursday with Albanian police in the capital Tirana for a third day running, joining a broader anti-government movement launched in opposition to a major development project promoted by Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Youths protesting Albania’s long-serving Socialist government hurled rocks at a police cordon outside the Education Ministry, and riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons. Wednesday’s riots featured protesters attacking government buildings, banks and businesses, leaving 89 people injured including 61 police officers, according to the Health Ministry.

Student groups seeking education reforms have joined the so-called flamingo movement — named for the birds in a nature reserve where the luxury tourism development is planned — which is calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama over allegations of widespread corruption and in opposition to the Kushner venture.

The number of Americans filing for jobless aid remain at historically low levels below 200,000

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits inched up last week as layoffs remain historically low and most American workers enjoy job security.

Initial jobless claims for the week ending October 10 ticked up by 1,000 to 199,000 from the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose by 250 to 198,500.

Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them closely because they can provide signs of where the job market is headed. So far this year, claims have remained at a historically low level below 220,000.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending October 3 fell by 4,000 to 1.71 million, also a historically healthy figure.

Wholesale inflation jumped last month by most in four years as gas prices soared

Wholesale inflation rose more quickly than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs, a sign that stubbornly rising prices remain an economic challenge for consumers and a political problem for Republicans as Americans begin to vote.

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022, the government said Thursday.

Thursday’s data amplifies the better-known consumer price index, released Wednesday, which also accelerated in September as gas prices jumped. A broad range of goods and services also got more expensive. Both inflation reports raise pressure on the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve to hike their key interest rate. Inflation has now topped the central bank’s 2% target for five and a half years.

Rep. Ilhan Omar’s phone seized and relatives subpoenaed in criminal probe, AP source says

Federal authorities investigating Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar seized the Democratic lawmaker’s phone and have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to some of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the probe.

The subpoenas were issued for a grand jury collecting evidence in Minnesota as federal authorities probe potential fraud in Omar’s immigration paperwork, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation. The investigation led to federal agents searching Omar’s Washington, D.C. home on Monday just weeks before the November midterms, in which Omar is seeking reelection.

The scope of the investigation into Omar is unclear, though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has suggested that authorities were examining potential crimes related to her family’s immigration paperwork. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 when she was 17 years old, five years after she arrived with her family after obtaining asylum in the United States.

The search of Omar’s home so close to next month’s midterm contests was swiftly condemned by Democrats, who accused the administration of targeting the Democrat for political purposes. Omar, in a statement on X, called the search an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.”

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AP-NORC Poll: Trump’s numbers on the economy and costs remain weak

Voters are deeply frustrated with Trump’s leadership on the issues they say matter most, the new poll found.

The economy and the cost of living are high priorities for voters on both sides of the aisle. The survey found that the vast majority of Republican and Democratic voters say both issues are among the most important for the upcoming election.

But about 8 in 10 registered voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living and about three-quarters disapprove of his performance on the economy.

Even among Republican voters, only 44% approve of Trump’s performance on the cost of living, while 54% approve of his leadership on the economy. That’s a sharp contrast with other issues, like crime, where Republican approval is much higher.

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AP-NORC Poll: The vast majority of voters want change

One thing is crystal clear on the eve of the 2026 midterms: Voters want change.

About half of voters say they want “substantial change” in how the country is run, according to the new AP-NORC poll. Roughly 3 in 10 want “complete and total upheaval.”

Democrats and independents are much likelier than Republicans to want a full overhaul of the country’s direction. But even Republican voters are still looking for something different. Slightly fewer than half, 45%, want substantial change, while 13% want upheaval.

“I’m kind of tired of sending people there, and nothing gets done,” Krista Kohles, a 70-year-old Republican told the AP. “Nothing’s changing.”

AP-NORC Poll: Democrats are more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans

Democratic voters are more enthused than Republican voters about casting a ballot, according to a new AP-NORC poll conducted weeks before the midterm elections.

The survey finds that registered voters who identify as Democrats are more enthusiastic than Republican voters about voting, and more voters want Democrats to win control of Congress. The Democratic advantage is small in some cases, but taken together, the findings paint a challenging picture for Republicans.

Overall, about two-thirds of registered voters say it’s “extremely” important to vote in the upcoming election, while about 2 in 10 say it’s “very” important. But about three-quarters of Democratic voters say this is “extremely” important, compared to roughly 6 in 10 Republicans.

Alaska U.S. House candidates highlight contrasting priorities, style in debate

Clear contrasts were on display during a statewide debate between Alaska’s top two U.S. House candidates, starting with their attire.

Republican Rep. Nick Begich donned a suit and tie. Independent Bill Hill, a commercial fisherman, wore jeans, a dress shirt and zip-up vest and a cap with a fishing company logo.

Begich said he’s been effective. He expressed support for Trump, the president’s use of tariffs and the war in Iran. He said he wants to continue seeing expanded oil development in Alaska.

Hill asked Alaskans to look at their grocery bills and health care costs and ask if they’re better off than they were two years ago. He said many Alaskans are upset about U.S. involvement in “never-ending” wars.

The debate came a day after Trump held a rally in Wasilla in support of Begich and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Alaska House candidate says that as an independent, his vote would be ‘greatest piece of leverage'

Alaska independent U.S. House candidate Bill Hill is challenging Republican Rep. Nick Begich for Alaska’s only House seat. Hill faced criticism early on for declining to say which party he would caucus with were he to win next month’s election. He has been endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

During a debate Wednesday, Hill said he’d like to caucus with people who are “tired of this party-line partisanship” and who would support addressing issues like health care costs and pushing back against an overreaching executive branch.

Begich, an ally of Trump, said Hill is “too progressive” for Alaska and that it’s clear who he’d caucus with. Hill, meanwhile, accused Begich of being a rubber stamp for Trump.

Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia faces scrutiny over claims she’s a lawyer

The new White House press secretary is facing mounting questions about her background and resume as she transitions into her role as the public face of the Trump administration.

Katie Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer as she has worked to establish herself as a commentator for conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax. But so far, she and the White House have offered no evidence that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China, where she worked for a large law firm years ago.

The questions add to the confusion surrounding Trump’s decision to hire Zacharia, who had worked for his social media company for only a few months when he announced her appointment and whose debut at the podium on Tuesday has been widely panned.

Afterward, the president was asked by reporters where Zacharia had passed the bar exam, following a report by the independent outlet Popular Information that she did not appear to be licensed in any state.

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House Democrats plan a first 100-days agenda if they sweep to power in midterm elections

House Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-days agenda focused on delivering their campaign promises — making life more affordable and conducting vast oversight of the Trump administration — if the party seizes majority control in next month’s elections.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if the party wins power, said the Democrats will be united “right out of the gate” on reinstating Affordable Care Act tax breaks, reversing Republican Medicaid cuts, holding votes against the Iran war and undoing President Donald Trump’s tariff regime.

They expect to launch the agenda in the first 100 hours, once the new Congress is seated in January.

“Fighting for an affordable America — that’s what unites Democrats all across the country,” Jeffries said recently at the party campaign headquarters in Washington.

“That’s our commitment to the American people, because the cost of living is way too high and far too many people who are working hard, playing by the rules, can’t thrive and can barely survive — and are drowning — in the Trump economy.”

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Leo’s post-operative tests remained within normal levels and his physiotherapy session Thursday involved full mobility exercises, with the pope going about his daily activities independently, said the update from Leo’s personal doctor, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and the head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli hospital, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.

“The chest X-ray revealed good recovery of the operated lung,” they reported. “Overall, his postoperative recovery is proceeding as expected.”

Separately, the Vatican said Leo had resumed working from the hospital, looking at documents, and had for a second day celebrated Mass with other priests in a special chapel set up for him near his room on the 10th floor of the hospital.

The 71-year-old Leo had the lower right lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.

Doctors are still awaiting the results of tests to understand the precise molecular makeup of the cancer, whether it has spread beyond the lobe and whether any further treatment is necessary.

Asked if any changes to Leo's planned trip to South America from Nov. 6-17 were expected, spokesman Matteo Bruni pointed to Leo's words on Sunday when he announced the discovery of the nodule and impending surgery.

“Thank you for your prayers for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru,” Leo said Sunday in Spanish, in a greeting delivered to a Peruvian group. The trip is also scheduled to include stops in Uruguay and Argentina.

Leo is expected to remain hospitalized until at least Oct. 20.

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Colleen Barry reported from Milan.

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

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022, the government said Thursday.

On a monthly basis, wholesale prices rose 1.3% from August to September, marking the largest increase since March 2022, after a 0.5% gain the previous month.

The data indicated that rising fuel prices, particularly for the diesel fuel used by long-haul trucks and freight trains, is pushing up the cost of shipping and warehousing goods.

That is starting to lift the cost of food, one place where prices appeared to have cooled this year. Wholesale food prices jumped 1.2% just from August to September, though they are still unchanged from a year ago.

Transportation and warehousing prices climbed 3.4% last month and are 16% higher than a year ago, the report showed.

“The jolt to transportation prices affects every good in the economy, since inputs to manufacturing move to factories and goods at all stages of production move from producer to wholesaler to retailer by truck, train or rail,” Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a client note. “This is how increases in energy prices ‘bleed through’ to prices of core goods.”

Farmers also rely on diesel to power most of their equipment, which could also push up food prices. Diesel prices averaged $6.32 a gallon nationwide Thursday, according to AAA, up from just $3.66 a year ago.

Thursday’s report amplifies the consumer price index released Wednesday, which also accelerated in September as gas prices jumped. But a broad range of goods and services became more expensive.

Both inflation reports raise pressure on the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve to hike their key interest rate. Inflation has remained above the central bank’s 2% target for five and a half years.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.7% from August to September, up sharply from 0.2% in the previous month. Compared with a year ago, core prices rose 5%, up from 4.6% in August.

More expensive energy drove most of the increase as wholesale gas prices soared more than 20% from August to September. But the report also showed other costs rising, including those for electricity, vegetables, shipping, and air fares.

Ongoing inflation has eroded Americans' incomes and soured most consumers on the economy. The Labor Department said Wednesday that for the first time since May, average weekly paychecks when adjusted for inflation shrank compared with the same month last year.

Higher prices have taken a toll on Trump’s standing with U.S. voters. A poll released this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living. And only 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, a new low.

The Federal Reserve, meanwhile, will hold a policy meeting in two weeks and may keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged. After two hot inflation reports this week, however, some economists now expect that it could hike rates. Officials have penciled in at least one more rate hike this year.

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks at an international economic conference late Thursday in Bangkok and his remarks will be closely watched for any hints of whether he supports a rate hike this month.

The Fed uses higher rates to slow borrowing and spending in a bid to lower inflation.

That has not proved effective as hoped this year.

After a rate hike in September, the U.S reported Thursday that retail sales rose faster than expected during the same month. A chunk of that spending, however, was at gas stations, where Americans are paying more to fill up their cars.

Initial jobless claims for the week ending October 10 ticked up by 1,000 to 199,000 from the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose by 250 to 198,500.

Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them closely because they can provide signs of where the job market is headed. So far this year, claims have remained at a historically low level below 220,000.

The weekly report continues to suggest that most companies are confident enough in the economy and their sales to hold onto their workers. At the same time, hiring has been sluggish, resulting in a “low-hire, low-fire” job market. Last month, the unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2%.

Earlier this month the government said that businesses and other employers added just 29,000 jobs in September, down from 133,000 in August and below what economists had forecast.

Yet with population growth slowing and immigration into the United States dropping, the economy doesn’t need to generate as many jobs every month to keep the unemployment rate low.

Despite a broadly healthy labor market, there are concerns that higher borrowing costs and persistent inflation caused by rising energy prices could cause businesses to slash jobs to reduce costs.

Earlier this week, the grocery store chain Kroger said it would lay off about 3,000 corporate employees over the next three years. Rival chain Albertson’s, which has already reduced its headcount, said more job cuts were coming.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending October 3 fell by 4,000 to 1.71 million, also a historically healthy figure.

His recovery has been nothing short of remarkable.

“Getting struck by lightning was probably about one of the last things I would have thought that happened,” said Rick Stanczyk.

Stanczyk, who comes from a family of fishing guides, and whose family owns the iconic Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, was scheduled to take three people out for a day of tarpon fishing on August 20th.

There were storms in the area, said friend and client Mark Fravel, but nowhere near where they were.

“We actually did see some lightning strikes, but it was so far away, you just saw the flash,” Fravel said.

The calm would soon change

Fravel heard what sounded like a loud crack.

“It was a crack so loud that it felt like it lifted the boat up in the air,” he said.

Stanczyk said not only does he not remember anything about that moment, but he doesn’t remember anything about that entire day. But he surmises that because he was holding on a metal steering wheel at the helm of his Contender center console boat, the lightning electrified him.

“I was holding the wheel and so it got me and everyone else on the boat was fine,” he said.

Fravel believes the lightning struck the water first, “chased up the engine and through the steering column,” he recalled.

Stanczyk, 44 and a father of two, collapsed.

His Contender was dead in the water.

Fravel and another onboard began CPR, while calling 911.

In minutes, Islamorada Fire Rescue paramedics raced to Bud N’ Mary’s and got onboard another boat captain’s vessel.

“It was dark and rainy,” recalled paramedic Steven Mejia. “We went onboard a vessel to reach where the patient was. If they weren’t there to initiate CPR - who knows what the outcome would have been.”

Stanczyk was flown to the hospital where he spent several days in a medically induced coma.

He recalls his wife telling him what happened as he slowly regained consciousness.

“‘Stay calm, Rick, you’re in the hospital,’” he said she told him. “‘You’re okay, but you were struck by lightning.’ And I was like, ‘What?’”

Florida is known as the lightning capital of the world.

Lightning activity in the state was reported to be nearly 28 percent above the 10-year average, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.

And even higher late this summer.

Meteorologist Chris Vagasky provided Local 10 with data that showed that lightning activity in August was 58% above average, and 108% above average in September.

Scientists are still working to find out why.

Now, Stanczyk is back on the water and says he’s cleared all medical tests - and is feeling strong.

In an abundance of precaution, he uses a rubber sleeve that covers the metal steering wheel of the boat he’s using. The Contender is still in the shop.

“As the captain of the boat, you always kind of think of yourself as the one who’s gonna be in charge,” he said. “(I’m) a little more grateful for being here and realizing you’re never really guaranteed tomorrow So you’ve got to enjoy the day.”

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It happened on Sunday around 7:30 p.m. in the area of East 19th Street and First Avenue in Hialeah.

Family members say Diener Benguria was walking his dog with his mother when he was viciously attacked.

“A dog that was on their property, I guess, that was loose -- no leash or nothing -- came running towards me and my dog, so I stopped and I froze because I didn’t know if the dog was going to attack me, attack my dog or what,” Benguria said. “And I called him over and I told him, ‘Come get your dog,’ and nobody reacted, nobody moved, so I called him again and I told him, ‘Come get your (expletive) dog and put him on a leash.’”

That’s when Benguria said he had a can thrown at him before he was pushed to the ground.

After the alleged beating, Benguria was left with fractures all over his face, as evidenced in photos provided to Local 10 News.

There have been no arrests in the case, though, as Hialeah police told Local 10 News, “This was an altercation between two men. An independent witness advised that the gentlemen that was taken to the hospital approached the other man in an aggressive manner entering his personal space before the altercation ensued. Due to conflicting stories, both men were referred to the State Attorney’s Office.”

Benguria’s mother told Local 10’s Rosh Lowe that she saw her son being attacked, describing it as an assault.

Detectives said they are actively investigating the case, knocking on doors and looking for any surveillance footage that may have captured the incident.

The IMF forecasts growth in Africa at 4.5% this year, slightly higher than its earlier estimate, recovering to 5% in 2027. But development assistance for the continent fell sharply last year and is forecast to fall another 12% this year, Zeine Zeidane said at a meeting of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok.

“That leaves the region with little room to absorb another shock. Renewed disruption to energy supplies, a sharp increase in global risk aversion, or a strong El Nino could all intensify pressures,” he told reporters.

Persisting conflict and insecurity are other drags on the regional economy, posing a threat to food security in some regions.

“Overall risks remain firmly tilted to the downside and the challenges are significant, but so is the region’s ability to adapt and move forward,” Zeidane said.

Many African nations have enacted reforms to improve their economic resilience, and some are benefiting from surging prices for their exports of critical minerals used in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.

The IMF has urged those countries to use those windfalls wisely and adopt AI to improve their competitiveness.

Some African finance ministers attending the Bangkok meetings outlined strategies for fostering job creation and sustainable growth.

Mariama Cire Sylla, the minister of Economy, Finance and Budget for the Republic of Guinea, said a railway project linking mines in Simandou to the coast was part of a long-term economic transformation program.

Guinea has rich mineral resources, but half its people live in poverty. The government is banking on the Simandou iron ore project to boost the economy.

“How can we leverage mining to really develop other sectors and diversify the economy,” Sylla said. “It’s really critical because financial resources are scarce. We need to create enclaves of investment. We need to create growth poles.”

Ensuring African countries benefit more from their valuable strategic resources such as gold, cobalt and copper is vital, said Aboubakar Nacanabo, finance minister of Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso, a major gold exporter, has opened its first gold refinery as its military-led government seeks greater economic sovereignty after severing ties with traditional Western partners.

Governments across West Africa have been moving to reclaim control over their natural resources by rewriting mining codes, banning exports of raw produce and boosting government ownership. Guinea and Ghana recently restricted gold exports. Mali said it was building a gold refinery together with Russia’s Yadran Group and Ivory Coast has announced it will open one next year.

“The first step is to create the value chain,” Nacanabo said, “to create opportunity for our youth.”

The long-term impacts of AI on African economies, both direct and indirect, remain to be seen. But in the coming decade, the IMF estimates that “adoption, adaptation and scaling of AI” could increase economic growth by more than 4% over 10 years, Zeidane said.

“So, it’s not only about who benefits from AI, but the use of AI can actually make a big difference and in particular in sectors like agriculture where you have low productivity today, low yields compared to international yields, but also in education, health, government services,” he said.

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Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga contributed to this report.

With the county’s landfills almost at capacity, the pressure is on to find alternatives. A material called “biochar” could be part of the answer.

“This is really big. This is big,” said Roy Coley, the chief regulatory and utilities officer for Miami-Dade County. “They’re taking green waste that normally would be placed in the landfill, cause a waste of space, and actually turn it into a usable product.”

“Biochar” is a carbon-rich super charcoal that could potentially be a big solution to Miami-Dade’s solid waste problem.

“We produce 5 million tons of year of solid waste in Miami-Dade County,” Coley said. “The department itself is responsible for managing 2 million tons a year, and a huge percentage of that is green waste that can be reused and not waste space in landfills.

Green waste — yard clippings, branches and fallen trees — makes up almost 12% of all the waste Miami-Dade County sends to landfills, which are quickly filling up.

Some estimates say the county has has maybe five to seven years left of landfill space.

As it decomposes, organic waste releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, at a time when the county is under pressure to reduce emissions to fight climate change. Enter Clean Earth Innovations.

“I pulled together some of the brightest, my team members that we worked together, and we said, ‘Let’s do something, and it’s good for the environment,’ and we decided to focus on biochar innovation,” Harold Gubnitsky, the CEO of Clean Earth Innovations, said.

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Clean Earth received $100,000 from the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority’s Solid Waste Challenge to pilot the only biochar machine currently sitting on top of a landfill.

“This is chipped-up yard waste coming from piles behind it that otherwise would be in the landfill or some places that we don’t want to be,” Gubnitsky said.

The chips go into a bin. A conveyor belt then takes the raw materials and dumps them into a series of drums that rotate at very high heat.

“It’s called a rotating kiln,” Gubnitsky said. “It’s got a ceramic encasing, so it allows it to get super hot again, 1,400 to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s when the magic happens.”

The sealed, oxygen-free oven produces almost no emissions as it bakes the biomass.

“And it creates another byproduct, which can then be turned into electricity,” Gubnitsky said.

But the biochar is the star.

“They call it ‘nature’s black gold.’ And this has so many uses,” Gubnitsky said.

This super charcoal can help sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, nourish soil and improve crops, reducing the need for fertilizer or water. What’s more, it can also clean and filter waterways and could help restore Biscayne Bay.

“It’s granular activated carbon. It’s powdered, activated carbon,” Coley said. “We can take these carbon materials, and we can sequester contaminants in our environment. We can use it in water and wastewater. So this is an amazing product.”

It could potentially divert hundreds of thousands of tons of yard waste from going to landfills.

“When we think about landfill dependency and we look at how we can actually divert waste now into such a beneficial use, this is what, this is what innovation should look like,” Aneisha Daniel, the director of Miami-Dade County Solid Waste, said.

The results so far are encouraging. County officials say they are pleased with the progress, so much so that biochar is now part of Miami-Dade’s newly released Zero Waste Master Plan — a sign that this experimental technology could play a much bigger role in the county’s future.

Meanwhile, a former chief of Israel’s domestic security service has filed a defamation suit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and hospital officials in Gaza said an Israeli strike there killed one man.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Thursday. Read our full coverage here.

Houthis deny responsibility for new attack on holy city

The Saudi-led coalition said in a statement that it intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile over the province of Medina, but notably did not assign blame for the attack.

The Houthis’ military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree denied carrying out the attack. The rebel group previously pledged not to attack airports in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

The international airport in the capital, Riyadh, has suspended service because of Houthi attacks.

Earlier Thursday, Saudi Arabia also said it destroyed a drone over the country's Eastern province, a major oil-producing region.

The latest conflict between the Saudis and the Houthis began last month after the rebels seized key areas along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway for Gulf oil shipments. The Saudi-led coalition, backing forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, has been trying to retake those areas.

Former Israeli security chief files suit against Netanyahu

A former chief of Israel’s domestic security service filed a defamation suit against Netanyahu, saying the prime minister had falsely accused him of withholding warnings about Hamas threats in the hours before the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

Ronen Bar, former head of the agency commonly known as Shin Bet, demanded 3 million shekels ($965,000) in the suit filed Wednesday.

Netanyahu, in a post last month on X, accused Bar of “failures and crimes” in the hours before the attack, when Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, setting off a massive Israeli bombardment and invasion that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Netanyahu said Bar knew of the Hamas threat but didn’t inform him, the military or civilian security units.

Bar called the accusations “blood libel,” detailing the steps he took in the hours before the attack to update Netanyahu’s top military advisers and the army, and describes a series of warnings and recommendations his agency delivered in the months before the attack which he says were “consistently disregarded” by the prime minister.

With Israelis preparing to vote in the country’s first general elections since the attack, the suit is the latest in escalating attempts to deflect blame about intelligence failures around Oct. 7.

After a string of resignations by top security officials -- including Bar -- Netanyahu remains the only senior figure from Oct. 7 still in office, making the election in many ways a referendum on his leadership.

Deploying Turkish forces to help Saudis needs parliament approval

Turkey’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that a mutual defense pact between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as well as any deployment of Turkish forces under the agreement, requires parliamentary approval.

In a statement, the ministry also indicated that no final decision had been made on the type of assistance Turkey might provide to Saudi Arabia.

The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in August, and Turkish officials say it is expected to be ratified by parliament in the coming days. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and other officials have ruled out the deployment of combat troops, stressing that the pact is purely defensive.

Israel carries out deadly strike in Gaza

An Israeli strike north of Gaza City killed one man on Thursday morning, according to officials at Shifa Hospital.

Israel’s military said it struck a “terrorist” in the area, without elaborating.

The strike came over a year after a ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and the Hamas militant group, a period during which Israel continued to launch deadly strikes on the enclave.

More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire was reached in October last year, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Its figures are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It doesn’t give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Syria sentences 5 over last year’s coastal violence

A Syrian court on Thursday sentenced two people to death and three others to prison terms over their roles in last year's sectarian violence in the country’s coastal region.

In March 2025, loyalists of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad attacked members of the new government’s security forces in areas where a large segment of the country’s Alawite religious minority lives. The government’s counterinsurgency spiraled into widespread violence in which hundreds of civilians — most of them Alawites — were killed.

Two members of the pro-Assad groups were sentenced to death and a third to 12 years in prison. Two members of the security forces received prison terms.

EU-GCC meeting has been postponed

The European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council members announced they are putting on hold their planned Oct. 24 summit in Riyadh.

No new date has been set for the gathering that was to bring together leaders from the 27 EU economies and the Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The secretary-general of the GCC, Jasem Albudaiwi, said in a statement that the delay was made in light of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and a desire "to ensure the safety of participating delegations.”

The EU-GCC summit was scheduled to discuss maritime security in the Red Sea, energy infrastructure investments and stabilizing energy prices in the wake of the Iran war and renewed fighting in Yemen.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees humanitarian affairs in Gaza, announced the suspension of commercial goods in a Wednesday statement. It was not clear whether they made the decision. COGAT said it was relaying a statement from Gaza merchants, a claim Palestinians refuted.

The move stands to immediately reduce Gaza's supplies, because the closed-off territory is completely reliant on whatever goods Israel allows in through border crossings. The suspension also raised fears about affordability, with humanitarian workers saying a combination of aid and a robust commercial market is needed to keep prices under control.

“The humanitarian sector on its own cannot meet the needs of all the people,” said Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, an aid group. “The markets need to be functioning.”

The world’s leading authority on food insecurity reported earlier this year that conditions in Gaza had improved since famine was declared in the territory in August 2025, but were still at crisis levels. Most families in the war-battered enclave weren’t getting nearly enough to eat, said the report, adding that “even small disruptions to humanitarian access could rapidly reverse recent gains.”

In announcing the measure, COGAT claimed to be communicating a decision made by local merchants in Gaza who had grown tired of Hamas taxing their trucks and threatening them. Israel has long accused the militant group of levying fees on imports to fund its operations.

But the head of Gaza’s private truckers union, Nahed Sheheiber, disputed that, saying Israel had made the decision.

“The merchants are not the ones who stopped the shipments,” he said. “The Israeli coordinator is claiming that Gaza’s merchants are responsible, but the truth is that the Israelis are the ones who imposed the restrictions.”

Following COGAT's announcement, Shehaiber's union met with Gaza's Ministry of Economy to express concern and say Israel was citing fees levied by the ministry as a pretext to cut off commercial goods.

The ministry had been asking merchants to pay 10,000 shekels (about $3,226) per truck entering Gaza, Shehaiber said. At the meeting, ministry Undersecretary Khaled Al-Raqab told the union that the amount was not a tax, but rather a donation sought by the ministry to help pay civil servants in the strip.

It was not clear from the COGAT announcement if aid agencies would be allowed to increase shipments into Gaza to compensate for the loss in commercial goods.

The agency claimed that Gaza's population — of roughly 2 million people — required approximately 250 truckloads of goods each day. That's far below the minimum of 600 trucks a day stipulated by a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. a year ago.

The war started when Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023, and took 251 hostages. Israel responded with a massive bombardment and a ground invasion that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

That includes over 1,400 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire took effect, the ministry says. Sporadic attacks have killed five Israeli soldiers in Gaza in the same period.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records and is seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half the dead.

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Mroue reported from Beirut.

The muscular police response to the largely peaceful protests has drawn criticism, and soccer fans in stadiums have expressed their support to students.

Riot police have liberally used tear gas and wielded their batons to disperse crowds. More than 6,600 arrests were made nationwide as of last week, an unusually high number for a French protest movement.

A police tear gas grenade shattered a 14-year-old’s jaw and many of his teeth. A 15-year-old lost a hand in an incident involving a stun grenade. Other adolescents have also suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police weaponry during protests.

During a Ligue 1 match between Lens and Lyon last week, the home fans unfurled a banner calling for an end to the “disproportionate and systematic police violence,” according to the Conseil national de l’Éthique et de Déontologie (CNE).

The CNE also noted that at the half-hour mark of the match between PSG and Le Mans, supporters displayed a banner reading: “Your militias repress; our youth resist.”

The ethics body said in a statement that it was easy to understand why young supporters, who are often students, might take advantage of matches to publicly express their support for the demonstrators.

However, it added the principle of political neutrality “is enshrined” in the laws of sport, both internationally through the Olympic Charter and FIFA statutes, and at national level.

The CNE recalled that any speech or display of a political, ideological, religious or trade union nature are prohibited, as well as the wearing of symbols or clothing that expresses political, philosophical, religious or trade union affiliation.

“Sport should unite, not divide,” it said. “The National Council for Football Ethics therefore calls on all supporters, who are an integral part of the football family, to uphold the principle of neutrality in all circumstances.

"The aim is to ensure that the stadium does not become a political or trade union battleground, but remains a place of celebration and shared enjoyment centered on sport.”

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The judge said that Donaldson, 63, had expressed no “regret, apology or shame” for crimes that had blighted the victims' lives.

Donaldson was one of Northern Ireland's best-known politicians until his arrest stunned his political colleagues and wider society two years ago.

He was convicted in June of one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 indecent assault charges involving two girls between 1985 and 2008. He had denied the charges.

Donaldson led the Democratic Unionist Party, the biggest party in favor of keeping Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, from 2021 until 2024. He resigned as leader of the conservative DUP after his arrest and gave up the seat in the U.K. House of Commons that he had held since 1997.

The DUP said in a statement that Donaldson “deserves every day of the lengthy prison sentence he has to serve” for his “vile and disgusting crimes.”

Judge Paul Ramsey said that the ex-politician had undergone a “catastrophic descent into disgrace.” He sentenced him at Newry Crown Court, south of Belfast, to 11 years for offenses against one victim and four years for the other, to run consecutively.

“There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort,” the judge said.

Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offenses for witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene. Because of mental health issues, she faced only a fact-finding hearing that couldn’t result in a conviction.

The two victims testified that Donaldson groped them when they were around primary school age. The older of the two, referred to in court as Complainant B, said that he raped her.

The Associated Press doesn’t name victims of alleged sexual violence, and U.K. law protects their identities from the media for life.

During his trial, Donaldson denied all the allegations against him. He testified that the rape “just didn’t happen.”

Catherine Kierans, the head of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland's Serious Crime Unit, said that Donaldson “has never accepted responsibility for his offending, nor shown any remorse.”

“This case shows that sexual abuse can be hidden behind a facade of respectability,” she said. “It also shows that no individual, irrespective of their position, status or public reputation, is beyond the reach of the law.”

The victims welcomed the sentence, but said nothing could undo the damage of Donaldson's crimes.

“My childhood was stolen from me and I will never get it back,” victim A said in a statement read by a police officer outside court.

“The conviction does not erase the abuse or undo the impact of what happened to me, and I will always carry the consequences of it.

“But those responsible do not control me now. They forever changed me, but they will not take my future. The cycle is being broken and it ends with me.”

Victim B said that “what happened to me as a child has affected everything since then, every day and every relationship I have ever had.

“I stood up, many years later, because for me this is about drawing a line in the sand and knowing that the Donaldsons can no longer hurt anyone else,” she said.

Donaldson’s lawyer, Kieran Vaughan, said at a presentencing hearing that his client had achieved “significant things in his life.”

“These convictions obliterate all those achievements he has made in his life,” he said.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, conducted less than four weeks before Election Day, finds that registered voters who identify as Democrats are more enthusiastic than Republican voters about casting a ballot. More voters want Democrats to win control of Congress and have a more negative view of Republicans.

The Democratic advantage is small in some cases, but, taken together, the findings paint a challenging picture for Republicans, who are clinging to control of Congress under the weight of an unpopular war with Iran and surging prices at home.

About 8 in 10 voters overall say the economy or the cost of living is among their top issues for the upcoming election, while about two-thirds say this about healthcare and the war in Iran. Other issues that are stronger for Trump — like immigration or crime — are lower priorities.

“The world is going backwards. We can barely afford anything,” said Diana Walker, a 65-year-old Democrat from Decatur, Georgia. “Everybody’s down. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican, we’re all catching hell.”

Democrats are more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans

Less than a month before the final midterm votes are cast, the poll finds that Democratic voters are more motivated to vote.

Overall, about two-thirds of registered voters say it’s “extremely" important to vote in the upcoming election, while about 2 in 10 say it’s “very" important.

But about three-quarters of Democratic voters say that voting in this November’s midterm elections is “extremely” important, compared with roughly 6 in 10 Republicans.

Ryan Longbrake, a 52-year-old Democrat from Columbus, Ohio who works in technology marketing, said he's especially excited about casting his ballot, and he's already taken steps to ensure that his wife and two college-age daughters will vote as well.

“I believe that there is change on the horizon and there is an excitement within our party,” he said, pointing to Democrats' momentum in Ohio's elections for governor and U.S. Senate. The party is also investing resources in Republican-leaning states, like Iowa and Kansas, where the political environment has put Democratic candidates on friendlier footing.

Republicans have controlled Congress for the past two years, but about half of registered voters now say they’d prefer to see the Democratic Party control the House or the Senate. A smaller percentage, roughly 4 in 10, say they want the Republican Party to control each chamber, while 15% are undecided.

The vast majority of voters want change

One thing is crystal clear on the eve of the 2026 midterms: Voters want change.

About half of voters say they want “substantial change,” and roughly 3 in 10 want “complete and total upheaval” in the way the country is run.

Democrats and independents are much likelier than Republicans to want a full overhaul of the country’s direction. But even Republican voters are still looking for something different. Slightly fewer than half, 45%, want substantial change, while 13% want upheaval.

“I’m kind of tired of sending people there and nothing gets done,” said Krista Kohles, a 70-year-old Republican from near Davey, Nebraska. “Nothing’s changing.”

Trump's numbers on key issues are weak

Voters are deeply frustrated with Trump and his leadership on the issues they say matter most.

Only about one-third of registered voters overall have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of the Republican president, and a similar share approve of his performance as president.

Voters continue to be frustrated by the high cost of living, an issue that Trump vowed to address before winning a second term in the White House.

Nearly two years after his successful election, about 8 in 10 registered voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living, in line with a September AP-NORC poll. About three-quarters disapprove of his performance on the economy.

Even among Republican voters, only 44% approve of Trump's performance on the cost of living, while 54% approve of his leadership on the economy. That's a sharp contrast with other issues, like crime, on which Republican approval is much higher.

There are cracks in Trump's Republican base on other issues, too. Just 69% of Republican voters support Trump on foreign policy as the war in Iran stretches into its eighth month, despite his promises that it would only last four or five weeks.

DonnaJean Weber, a 72-year-old Republican from Manistee, Michigan, says she will continue to support Republican candidates this fall, but she's not happy with the state of the economy under Trump's leadership.

“Everything’s going up,” she said, pointing to the impact of the war with Iran, among other Trump decisions. “I don’t agree with him fully on all of these tariffs, either. It’s making this country look bad.”

The economy and the cost of living are high priorities for voters on both sides of the aisle. The survey found that the vast majority of Republican and Democratic voters say both issues are among the most important for the upcoming election.

Voters aren't any higher on one of Trump's potential successors in the next presidential election, Vice President JD Vance: About half have a “somewhat” or “very” negative view of Vance, compared with about one-third who have a positive opinion.

Enthusiasm for the Democrats isn't overwhelming

Trump's struggles do not mean that voters are particularly excited about the direction of the Democratic Party.

Overall, about 4 in 10 voters have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of the Democrats, while about half view the party unfavorably. That's roughly similar to views of the GOP, although about 6 in 10 voters view the Republicans unfavorably.

Democratic and Republican voters are equally enthusiastic about their own side, with about 8 in 10 saying they have a favorable view of their own party.

But the critical bloc of voters who identify as independents is much more likely to have a negative view of the Republicans than of the Democrats. About two-thirds of independent voters view the GOP negatively, compared with about 4 in 10 who view Democrats negatively.

Michael Russo, a 51-year-old Texas voter who is not registered with either party, described the state of the country under Republican control as “a nightmare.”

Does he want Republicans to maintain control of Congress? “No, I want them in prison — several of them,” he said. But he's not thrilled with the Democratic Party, either.

"I’m not confident they’re going to do anything if they get into power," Russo said.

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Peoples reported from New York.

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The AP-NORC poll of 1,119 adults, including 925 registered voters, was conducted Oct. 8-12 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points, and the margin of error for registered voters is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

TSMC said during an earnings conference Thursday that it is open to collaborating with Elon Musk’s planned “Terafab” chip manufacturing complex in Texas.

TSMC, which produces over 90% of the world's most cutting-edge chips, supplies to U.S. technology giants include Nvidia and Apple and has pledged $265 billion of investments in building plants in Arizona, including $100 billion the company committed in July.

The company's earnings results are seen as a barometer for the world's AI development during a global scale-up in AI computing power. For the July-September quarter, the chipmaker reported a record 763.1 billion new Taiwan dollars (nearly $24 billion) in net profit, which was better than expected and up 69% from the year before. Revenue for the quarter was at 1.49 trillion new Taiwan dollars ($46 billion), up 51% year-on-year.

“The AI market continues to be very strong,” C.C. Wei, chairman and CEO of TSMC, said during Thursday's conference. “The demand, actually, is still far above our capability today to supply, and we’re working very hard to narrow the gap.”

TSMC is working hard to expand in response to requests from most of its large U.S. customers to increase capacity, Wei said.

The chipmaker based in Hsinchu, Taiwan, recently has explored expanding its capacity outside of Arizona and Texas is among the options under consideration, he said, confirming earlier media reports.

“We sent the teams to Texas to do all the evaluation,” Wei said, adding that the plan is still under deliberation.

TSMC is in discussions to be part of the “Terafab” project in Texas, Wei added, stressing that a plant in Texas must be run by TSMC.

Musk confirmed on X earlier this month that there have been discussions with TSMC over its potential role in Terafab, but he also said “we will build and run the fab,” referring to chip fabrication facilities, and TSMC at most would be subleasing part of the Terafab.

TSMC has said it has an annual capital expenditure budget of $60 billion to $64 billion for this year, up from its previous estimate earlier this year of $52 billion to $56 billion.

Spending between 2026 and 2028 will be significantly higher than the past three years, TSMC Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said during the earnings call.

But TSMC, one of the world’s most valuable public companies, also cautioned there will be macroeconomic challenges.

“Looking ahead, we continue to observe consumer and price-sensitive end market segments are being challenged due to the impact of rising component prices and macroeconomic uncertainties,” Wei said. “As such, we have been prudent in our business planning going into 2027.”

Trudy se ubicaba unos 480 kilómetros (300 millas) al suroeste de Acapulco, México, con vientos máximos sostenidos de 120 km/h (75 mph), según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes de Estados Unidos en Miami.

El huracán se desplazaba hacia el noroeste a 15 km/h (9 mph) y se esperaba que se aproximara a la costa del suroeste y del centro-oeste de México este fin de semana, indicó el centro.

Trudy iba camino de convertirse en un huracán de categoría 3 o más para el viernes, y llevaría precipitaciones de 101 a 203 milímetros (de 4 a 8 pulgadas) durante el fin de semana a los estados de Colima y Jalisco, señaló el centro.

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

Youths protesting Albania's long-serving Socialist government hurled rocks at a police cordon outside the Education Ministry, and riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons. Police detained several demonstrators.

The latest clashes followed riots on Wednesday when protesters attacked government buildings, banks and businesses, leaving 89 people injured including 61 police officers, according to the Health Ministry.

The protests were led by student groups seeking education reforms. They have joined the so-called flamingo movement, which is calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama over allegations of widespread corruption and in opposition to the large luxury tourism development on Albania’s southern coast, associated with an investment firm founded by Kushner.

The movement earned the name after protesters used signs depicting the pink birds, which live in their thousands in a nature reserve on the island where the development is planned.

On Thursday, high school students joined thousands of protesters on marches through the center of the capital, chanting “Rama Resign!” as they brought the city to a standstill.

“We will be in the square every day,” Mateo Yskollari, a prominent protest organizer, wrote in an online post. “Our response to any attempt to silence us will be to expand the protest, civil mobilization, and disobedience.”

Though largely peaceful, the rallies turned violent when confronting police cordons. Groups of youths also broke away from the rallies to attack government buildings and commercial storefronts.

Rama Thursday greeted cleanup crews and issued a video message from a burned-out college building. He directly accused political opponents of inciting the violence, promising to stay on as prime minister to further Albania's bid to join the European Union.

“We will all get through these difficult hours together because Albania will continue to climb, because Albania will continue on its path to Europe,” he said. “No one can grab Albania by the throat. Anyone who thinks the law does not apply to them is mistaken.”

Rama's Socialists won a fourth consecutive election victory last year and Albania is not due to hold another parliamentary election until 2029.

The conservative opposition Democratic Party backed the student protests and called on Rama to appoint a caretaker government to prepare for early elections.

“This movement is not simply a protest against the government,” the party said. “It's a revolt against a model of government created by Edi Rama that has stolen hope from young people, violated citizens’ trust and is increasingly distancing Albania from its European future.”

A European Union delegation in Albania called late Wednesday for a proportionate response from authorities, expressing concern at “the violent escalation at the protest in Tirana.”

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Gatopoulos reported from Athens, Greece

Trudy was located about 300 miles (480 kilometers) southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The hurricane was moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph) and was expected to approach the coast of southwestern and west-central Mexico this weekend, the center said.

Trudy was on track to become a major hurricane on Friday, bringing rainfall of 4 to 8 inches (101 to 203 millimeters) through the weekend across Colima and Jalisco states, the center said.

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

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Rubio spoke by phone with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday, urging dialogue under a peace deal agreed between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2018. He said the region could not tolerate more conflict, according to a statement from the State Department.

Renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia's Tigray region in recent weeks has effectively shattered a 2022 peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year war. Ethiopia has accused Eritrean troops of occupying parts of its territory, while Eritrea condemned Ethiopia for what it called a declaration of war.

Human Rights Watch has received reports of civilians killed and injured by shelling in southern Tigray, Laetitia Bader, the group’s deputy Africa director, told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday.

She said shelling also forced some health facilities to close and called for independent monitoring, restored communications and safe humanitarian access. Her account did not identify who carried out the shelling.

Near the border, a resident reported that Eritrean soldiers withdrew Monday from Fatsi, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Ethiopian border town of Zalambessa.

“The last time I saw Eritrean soldiers was when they left late this morning,” Hayelom Gebretsadkan, a three-wheeled taxi driver from Zalambessa, told the AP on Monday. He said the soldiers headed toward the border and there was no active fighting in Fatsi. Later that day, he said Ethiopian federal forces had moved into the town.

In a letter to the U.N. Security Council on Friday, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos accused Eritrea of deploying troops across the border and said Ethiopia was taking measures in self defense. He did not specify those measures, identify the occupied areas or provide evidence supporting the allegations. The AP could not independently verify the claims.

Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh urged the council to condemn what he called a “deplorable declaration of war” by Ethiopia. His response did not confirm or deny the alleged troop crossings.

Rubio told Abiy in their call that “all countries in the Horn of Africa must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors and avoid cross-border incursions.”

The dispute also reflects tensions over Abiy’s pursuit of access to the Red Sea. Ethiopia became landlocked when Eritrea gained independence in 1993.

The countries’ armies fought together against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front during the 2020-2022 war, which caused about 500,000 civilian deaths from violence, famine and the collapse of health services, according to researchers at Ghent University in Belgium.

Last week government-allied fighters entered Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, after the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front announced its withdrawal. Ethiopian Airlines resumed flights to Mekelle on Sunday after suspending all flights there for days.

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Kiyaro reported from Hamburg, Germany. Filmon Equar Hailu reported from Mekelle, Ethiopia. Associated Press journalists Matthew Lee in Washington and Moses Ndungu in Nairobi contributed to this report.

The drone strike started a fire at the refinery about 300 kilometers (180 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia’s Defense Ministry and Ryazan Gov. Pavel Malkov said. Russia’s Astra online news outlet posted what it said was a photograph of the blaze.

A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly, confirmed that Ukraine had hit the refinery.

Zelenskyy complains about U.S. stance toward Ukraine

The strike could further complicate Kyiv’s relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, which have soured again in recent days.

Zelenskyy was outraged by Russia’s continuing aerial bombardment of his country’s energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of Trump’s demand on Sunday for both sides to halt those attacks.

The Ukrainian government said that it was heeding the ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Ukraine never stopped its strikes on refineries that have hurt Russia. It wasn't possible to independently verify each side's claims.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeled Ukraine’s strikes on oil facilities as a “direct and crude challenge to President Trump.”

Zelenskyy complained that, despite going along with Trump’s demand for a truce, Ukraine in recent days was denied the usual Western intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes and limits were placed on its use of U.S.-made Starlink communication terminals. Both are vital for Ukrainian defenses and attack operations.

The Ukrainian leader said that his patience had run out. He said in an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries would resume. “We’re done,” he was quoted as saying.

Trump made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, despite international efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion and diplomatically isolate Putin.

Zelenskyy slammed the agreement, saying it would allow Russia to press on with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began more than 4½ years ago. U.S. efforts under Trump to end the war have made no progress.

Zelenskyy said in an interview late Wednesday with Piers Morgan on the British journalist’s YouTube show that he felt betrayed by Trump’s deal with Putin, the energy ceasefire announcement and the Starlink operational issues.

“Really, yes, between us,” Zelenskyy told Morgan when asked if he felt betrayed by the American president. “Our country has to survive, and we count on our real partners, strategic partners, the United States and President Trump.”

He said that the U.S. behavior “was really strange and what was not like between partners but that they switch off Starlink, so some actually crazy steps between us.”

Zelenskyy says U.S. position isn't ‘on the right side of history’

In the same interview, Zelenskyy said “we are losing a strong partner” in the United States.

He said that “it’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side. But we are OK that he’s in the middle.”

Zelenskyy said someone is pushing Trump into a stance that is “not the right side of history.”

The Starlink speed limits choked Ukrainian efforts to defend itself and hit back against Russia, Kyiv officials said.

Elon Musk noted on X that the military version of Starlink, called Starshield, is controlled by the U.S. military and Trump.

The absence of Western intelligence leaves Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missiles. Trump has said the U.S. hasn't stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.

Ukraine looks to Europe for more help

Amid fears that the Trump administration may be withdrawing support for Ukraine, Zelenskyy went to Brussels on Thursday for talks with European Union leaders attending a two-day summit.

Zelenskyy arrived in Belgium on Thursday and said he would meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and the prime ministers of Poland, Denmark, and Belgium.

The previous day he visited London, where he won pledges of more help from U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Asked whether the EU still trusts Trump, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, replied: “We definitely have a different approach to this war. We see that we have to pressure the aggressor to stop the war, not the victim to surrender.”

“Squeezing Ukraine is not the right approach, and that is why Europe is standing beside Ukraine,” Kallas told reporters.

Russian strike in Ukraine kills 3 civilians

Three people were killed and six others injured after the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine came under a Russian drone attack lasting more than 10 hours, Ukraine’s Emergency Services said Thursday.

Zelenskyy said on X that between midnight and Thursday morning Russia launched more than 850 drones at Ukraine, adding that the barrage came “precisely at a time when the speed of our defensive capabilities is being artificially restricted.”

Russian aerial attacks hit 15 Ukrainian regions, he said.

“It is obvious that Russia deliberately chose to escalate its attacks after receiving sanctions relief and seeing attempts to pressure Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “It is important that everyone in America stand not with the aggressor, but with our efforts to protect lives, end this war and guarantee security.”

Ukrainian air defenses stopped 536 Russian drones during a large-scale overnight attack, the Ukrainian Air Force said, but impacts were recorded at 31 locations.

A Ukrainian missile destroyed six warplanes at an airfield in southwestern Russia, Zelenskyy said. The aircraft were used to launch powerful glide bombs, he said.

“Russia is dragging out the war, so our long-range operations will continue,” he said on social media.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 166 Ukrainian drones overnight. It said that its forces hit two vessels carrying military cargo.

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Samya Kullab in Kyiv, and Lorne Cook in Brussels, contributed to this story.

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

Palestinians have long faced harsh treatment in Israeli prisons, but rights groups say conditions have deteriorated dramatically since the war in Gaza began more than three years ago.

Physicians for Human Rights Israel and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel say they have documented 22 cases of inmates being shot with rubber bullets. One of these inmates is Israeli; the rest are Palestinian.

Nearly all of the shootings have occurred since last fall, whereas only a handful of such incidents had been documented by these rights groups in the prior decade.

The groups sent a letter to the Israel Prison Service in August, urging it to end behavior they called “widespread” and “unlawful.”

The Associated Press did not independently confirm the 22 shootings documented by the groups. But it reviewed files provided by PHRI — including statements inmates gave to their lawyers, as well as medical reports — and spoke with two former inmates who said they had been shot.

The prison service did not respond to a request for comment on rules governing the use of rubber bullets or whether rubber bullets have been fired at close range.

Rights groups say guards are using more force than needed

In many instances, the shootings were neither proportionate nor being used as a last resort, such as to stem violence or prevent a prisoner from escaping, the rights groups said. Under Israel's prison regulations, guards are only allowed to use weapons when facing imminent risk, said Sari Bashi, executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel.

“The use of (rubber) bullets against prisoners is a dangerous new development," said Muhannad Abu Ghosh, director of the prisoners and detainees division at PHRI. It is “becoming another routine form of violence in Israeli prisons.”

Responding to the letter Israeli rights groups sent in August, the prison service's legal adviser said it saw no reason to stop using rubber bullets in “measured” and “appropriate” ways. The letter said the prison service is committed to the safety of its prisoners.

Israel is one of several nations, including the United States and Canada, that allows prisons to use “less-lethal” munitions, such as rubber bullets and other projectiles.

Some inmates who were shot did not receive medical care afterward

After the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli forces rounded up thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, doubling the country's prison population, according to Hamoked, a legal rights group.

Some prisoners and detainees were released last year as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. But Hamoked, which relies on Israeli prison service data, says more than 9,000 Palestinians are still imprisoned or detained.

The AP has previously reported on abuse, medical neglect and the deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody. And while there were previous instances when prison guards used rubber bullets — including during a large-scale raid of Ofer prison in 2019 — the practice wasn't common, rights advocates say.

In recent months, inmates in Israeli prisons have been struck by rubber bullets in the legs, knees, stomach and pelvic area, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel. Several of those shot said they weren't treated for their injuries, according to the PHRI documents shared with AP.

One man was shot for refusing to return to his cell to protest untreated scabies, his lawyer's notes said. Another was struck in the leg at point-blank range.

In June, a 45-year-old inmate had to have a testicle removed after it was “completely crushed” by a rubber bullet, according to a report from Soroka hospital, where the patient was brought.

One Palestinian detainee, who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said he was shot multiple times, most recently in January, over the 30 months he was held in different prisons. He said there never appeared to be a reason for the shootings, and that guards would sometimes come into the cell in the middle of the night and fire at people.

He said that he was struck multiple times in his legs, and that the bullets, which burned his skin, sometimes caused infection.

The Israel Prison Service did not respond to a request for comment on the detainee's account.

“I was praying to die," he said in an interview. “I felt that it’s the end.”

Two seasons after he nearly quit baseball, Bauers has become a big hitter in the middle of the Milwaukee Brewers' lineup — and he put his renewed focus on display in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

Bauers’ two-run homer on the 11th pitch of a seventh-inning at-bat against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell gave Milwaukee the lead for good in a 6-2 victory Wednesday, putting the Brewers on the cusp of their first World Series since 1982.

“Incredible at-bat,” manager Pat Murphy said.

Bauers fouled off five two-strike pitches before turning on a 97 mph fastball and launching it 412 feet to right field.

“Super sick,” teammate Garrett Mitchell said. “I think that more just goes to show the type of player he is. It’s a selfless at-bat. He’s just trying to put the ball in play. He’s trying to move the guy over, and put an incredible swing on that. For me, being able to watch that on deck was awesome.”

Mitchell followed with a home run of his own to chase Snell and make it 4-2. Milwaukee has a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS, with Game 4 at Los Angeles on Thursday.

Bauers was drafted in 2013 by the San Diego Padres out of Marina High School in Huntington Beach, located about 40 miles south of Dodger Stadium. After batting .202 for the New York Yankees in 2023, he was traded that November to Milwaukee — where he hit .199 in 2024.

Ready to hang up his spikes, Bauer changed his mind when his wife told him she was pregnant. Wanting to be a provider for his growing family, he put off retirement and maintained their health insurance.

Earlier this week, Bauers spoke eloquently about his wife and her sacrifice while raising two rambunctious children while he is away playing baseball.

Now, he's making fans all over Milwaukee feel like little kids again.

“There’s a lot of people to credit, man,” Bauers said after Wednesday's game. “I’ve played a lot of places. I’ve picked up knowledge from a lot of different people.

“I think what changed for me this year was I stopped caring about results. I started caring about competing. I started caring about being in the moment and getting out of my own way.”

All that showed up in Game 2 of the series when he worked a two-out walk to load the bases on the 12th pitch he saw from Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third inning. Christian Yelich followed with a two-run single for a 3-2 lead in a 7-4 victory, ending Yamamoto's outing.

Bauers, who turned 31 last week, is in his third year with Milwaukee — his fifth team in seven major league seasons. The first baseman and corner outfielder led the Brewers with 26 home runs and an .874 OPS during the regular season.

“Jake got an opportunity, that’s what he got,” Murphy said. “He got an opportunity to contribute, and he kind of found his offensive approach. And he kind of found, like, I’m really talented, but this is what serves me best. It’s a growth in the game. He’s continued to grow.”

Patient and disciplined with a sharp eye at the plate, Bauers drew 94 walks and compiled a .389 on-base percentage this season. He also had 86 RBIs in 144 games, shattering his previous career highs across the board.

“I came into this year feeling like there was really only one person holding me back, and that was myself,” Bauers said. “So I think I just gave myself the space to believe that I could play — I could play in this league.”

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Protesters, some wearing masks of U.S. President Donald Trump, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva and other leaders, dragged a float of a big pink pig with dollar signs for eyes toward the venue, briefly blocking traffic near the rigorously guarded convention center where more than 15,000 officials and experts were gathered for the IMF’s autumn meeting.

The protesters were also demonstrating against financial institutions and against what they said were the “vile abuses” of the Thai government and financial institutions.

“Our country is facing a crisis of household debt. Our people are growing poorer. Our environment is deteriorating. Climate disasters are intensifying,” the People’s Network Against the World Bank and IMF said in a written declaration.

Thailand has used the meetings as an opportunity to showcase its capital city, where luxury hotels and other trappings of extreme wealth contrast with shantytowns, fetid canals and people sleeping rough along major thoroughfares.

Recent severe floods have wrecked crops and damaged millions of homes and businesses, adding to the hardships for many Thais.

Apart from a minor scuffle with police on a pedestrian bridge, the peaceful protesters marched from the nearby Khlong Toei slum toward the convention center and then disbanded.

Growing inequality and the challenges posed by climate-related disasters and war are among the many problems leaders are discussing during their weeklong meetings.

Thailand is among many low- and middle-income countries, especially net energy importers, that have struggled as the Iran war has pushed oil prices past $100 a barrel for much of this year. It also is the most income-unequal country in the region, according to the World Bank.

In its latest forecasts, the IMF has warned that rising prices and debt are worsening inequality in many of its 191 member economies.

In Asia, regional economic growth is projected to slow to 4.8% this year from 5% in 2025, and then to 4.4% in 2027, dragged lower by the back-to-back shocks of the pandemic, the Ukraine war, the Iran war and higher tariffs and other trade barriers, IMF economists say.

The IMF chief and other top economic experts have emphasized the need for countries, including Thailand, to ensure they control debt by focusing their government spending on helping their most vulnerable people with targeted and temporary assistance.

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Associated Press journalists Haruka Nuga and Sakchai Lalit contributed to this report.

Las intensas lluvias inundaron viviendas y negocios y anegaron carreteras y pasos subterráneos el miércoles por la noche, dejando vehículos varados y provocando un caos vial en la mayor ciudad de Turquía.

La oficina del gobernador de Estambul dijo el jueves que había tres fallecidos en la ciudad y que otras cuatro personas fueron reportadas como desaparecidas. Un menor de 14 años murió electrocutado tras pisar un charco en un parque del distrito de Fatih, y una persona de 34 años resbaló en una acera del distrito de Sariyer y se golpeó la cabeza, de acuerdo con la prensa local. Según la oficina del gobernador, el cuerpo de una tercera víctima fue hallado cerca de otro parque en el distrito de Kagithane.

El ministro del Interior, Mustafa Ciftci, indicó que más de 2.700 personas que quedaron varadas por las inundaciones fueron evacuadas de forma segura en toda la ciudad.

La municipalidad de Estambul indicó que algunas zonas registraron la mayor cantidad de lluvia desde 1985.

En la provincia de Sakarya, a unos 150 kilómetros (93 millas) al este de Estambul, una casa de dos pisos construida sobre el lecho de un río se derrumbó por las inundaciones, informó la televisora HaberTurk. Por el momento se desconocía si había alguien en el interior de la estructura.

La agencia meteorológica del país ha pronosticado más chubascos para Estambul y los alrededores en los próximos días.

La oficina del gobernador señaló que las clases quedaban suspendidas el jueves y que algunos empleados estatales quedarían en licencia. Más tarde amplió la orden de cierre de escuelas al viernes, y algunos empleados estatales quedaron en licencia el jueves.

También se aconsejó a los residentes quedarse en casa a menos que el desplazamiento fuera absolutamente necesario. Además, se prohibió el tránsito de motocicletas.

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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 downpour Wednesday night flooded homes and businesses and inundated roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles and causing traffic chaos in Turkey’s largest city.

The Istanbul governor's office on Thursday reported three deaths in the city and said four other people were reported missing. A 14-year-old was electrocuted after stepping in a puddle at a park in the Fatih district, and a 34-year-old slipped on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district and hit their head, local media reports said. The governor's office said the body of a third victim was discovered near another park in the Kagithane district.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said that more than 2,700 people who were stranded by the floods were safely evacuated throughout the city.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said that some areas had the highest amount of rain since 1985.

In Sakarya province, around 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Istanbul, a two-story house that was built on a riverbed collapsed in the floods, HaberTurk television reported. It wasn't immediately known if anyone was inside the structure.

The country’s weather agency has predicted more showers for Istanbul and the surrounding area in the coming days.

The governor’s office extended a schools’ closure order to include Friday, and some state employees were placed on leave Thursday.

Advice issued by the governor’s office late Wednesday asked residents to stay home unless travel was absolutely necessary. Motorcycles were barred from traffic.

El calentamiento global causado por la quema de carbón, petróleo y gas fue el principal de los dos factores responsables, ya que añadió casi 10 kilómetros/hora (cerca de 6 millas por hora) a su ya monstruosa intensidad, según un estudio conjunto publicado el jueves por los equipos científicos World Weather Attribution y Climate Central. El Niño contribuyó en menor medida, con unos 8 km/h (alrededor de 5 mph), indicó un coautor del reporte.

De acuerdo con el estudio, el cambio climático hizo que las condiciones que alimentaron el huracán fueran 23 veces más probables, mientras que El Niño —el calentamiento natural y temporal de algunas zonas del Pacífico— las hizo 14 veces más probables. Todo tiene que ver con las aguas 31,2º Celsius (88º Fahrenhei), que estaban hasta 2ºC (3,6ºF) más cálidas de lo normal, señaló el informe.

Este año ha batido récords de intensidad y duración de tormentas en el Pacífico, con un El Niño extremadamente intenso. Polo estableció el récord de tiempo para un meteoro de categoría 5 en el Pacífico, con dos días y medio.

“El Niño y el cambio climático hicieron que este huracán fuera más potente de lo que habría sido de otro modo, pero el efecto del cambio climático es aún mayor que el de El Niño”, afirmó Friederike Otto, científica del clima y coautora del estudio, que coordina el equipo científico internacional detrás de World Weather Attribution.

“El Niño va y viene, pero el cambio climático solo empeora. Eso significa que ahora cada huracán que ocurra en el Pacífico oriental tiene al menos esta influencia del cambio climático que lo hace más fuerte. Y mientras sigamos quemando combustibles fósiles, eso no hará más que aumentar”, agregó.

Los investigadores determinaron que, sin el cambio climático y El Niño, Polo habría sido de todos modos una tormenta monstruosa. Pero cada incremento adicional en la velocidad del viento puede aumentar de manera drástica los daños.

Descifrando el rápido fortalecimiento de Polo

Aunque el huracán Polo acabó debilitándose considerablemente antes de tocar tierra en una zona poco poblada de México, los científicos siguen fascinados por cómo pasó de tormenta tropical a huracán de categoría 5 —el máximo nivel de la escala— en unas 24 horas.

El estudio pone en perspectiva los distintos peligros atmosféricos, señaló Kristina Dahl, científica climática y vicepresidenta de ciencia en Climate Central, una organización sin ánimo de lucro dedicada a la ciencia y al periodismo con sede en Nueva Jersey.

“Es un recordatorio contundente de que, aunque El Niño en esté alterando actualmente los riesgos en todo el mundo y cambiando dónde hay inundaciones y dónde sequías, la señal realmente dominante detrás de todo esto sigue siendo el cambio climático”, manifestó.

El estudio analizó el agua cálida que alimenta las tormentas, utilizando un indicador de la potencia que pueden alcanzar. Pero no se centró en la cizalladura del viento en niveles altos, donde El Niño tiene una huella enorme. Por lo general, El Niño incrementa esos vientos de gran altitud que “decapitan” las tormentas en el Atlántico. Sin embargo, en el Pacífico, debido a cambios en los patrones de viento, reduce los que las debilitan.

Los dos grupos de investigadores midieron las condiciones de manera ligeramente distinta y emplearon técnicas diferentes, pero llegaron a la misma conclusión general, lo que les da una mayor confianza en el resultado. No obstante, este estudio rápido no ha tenido tiempo de someterse a revisión por pares, que es el estándar de referencia en la ciencia.

Para calcular el impacto del cambio climático en Polo, ambos equipos utilizaron el método científicamente aceptado de comparar lo ocurrido en el mundo real, más cálido, con un escenario hipotético que no se haya calentado 1,4ºC (2,5ºF) desde la era preindustrial.

Cómo interactúan El Niño y el cambio climático

Daniel Gilford, coautor del estudio y científico de Climate Central, explicó que el proceso que analizaron era similar al de los autos en una carretera. La cizalladura del viento asociada a El Niño puede ser un semáforo en rojo, como ocurre en el Atlántico, o en verde, como en el Pacífico. En el Pacífico, esa luz verde indica avance, y luego el agua calentada tanto por el cambio climático como por El Niño actúa como un conductor que pisa a fondo el acelerador.

Brian Tang, científico atmosférico de la University at Albany, que no participó en el estudio, comentó que al principio le sorprendió que la investigación encontrara que el cambio climático tuvo la mayor influencia sobre Polo, “dado lo extremo que es este El Niño, pero desde una perspectiva de largo plazo, quizá el resultado no sea tan sorprendente como podría parecer”.

Sin embargo, otros tres científicos externos —Jeff Masters, de Yale Climate Connections; Michael Mann, de la University of Pennsylvania; y Carl Schreck, de North Carolina State University— señalaron que creen que el estudio subestima en qué medida ha contribuido el cambio climático a la intensidad de Polo. Masters apuntó al propio estudio de 2024 de Gilford, que concluyó que el cambio climático aportó 30 km/h (16 mph) a los huracanes en el Atlántico entre 2019 y 2023.

Gilford reconoció que el informe del jueves podría estar subestimando un poco el impacto del cambio climático, pero sostuvo que incorporaba otras condiciones y adoptaba un enfoque conservador.

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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 children killed or injured at Al-Khair school were between 6 and 12 years old, while the oldest was 14, Lady Reading Hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim said. Some of the injured were in critical condition, he said. The hospital declared an emergency as medical staff treated the wounded.

Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.

He told The Associated Press that the roofs of two classrooms collapsed when second- and third-grade children were in them with their teachers. Faizi said ambulances and disaster management personnel arrived from a nearby facility within five minutes of being alerted.

Nearly 100 rescuers eventually joined the operation, he said. Panicked, grieving parents were trying to help when crews arrived, Faizi said. He credited the rapid evacuation with saving at least 40 lives. More than a dozen children suffered minor injuries, he said.

Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced. Many structures are built with substandard materials, and safety regulations are frequently ignored to reduce costs.

One teacher said it felt as though the sky had fallen

As grief gripped the neighborhood, announcements broadcast over mosque loudspeakers urged residents to attend mass funeral prayers for those killed at the nearby Rehman Baba cemetery.

Residents said most of the children killed lived in the Dir Colony neighborhood, where the school is located, leaving them unsure which bereaved family to visit first to offer condolences.

Ambulances were seen leaving the hospital to bring the children’s bodies home as mourners wept and wailed.

Mahwish Zaman, an injured teacher speaking from a hospital bed, said the school had an estimated 1,200 students enrolled in nursery through fifth grade. She told The Associated Press that she was in her classroom when the roof collapsed and felt as if the sky had fallen. She regained consciousness in the hospital.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gov. Faisal Karim Kundi expressed sorrow over the collapse and sought a report from the relevant authorities about the cause. He directed officials to provide the best possible medical care to the injured children.

According to witnesses, residents were among the first to reach the school in a congested neighborhood in central Peshawar. Rescue workers arrived within minutes of being alerted, according to accounts from the scene.

A resident, Samiullah Khan, said that he rushed to the school after learning of the collapse and helped rescue three girls. Khan said his son, who attends the school, survived because he had stepped out of his classroom for a drink of water.

Another resident, Mohammad Khan, said that rescuers carefully removed debris, trying to reach children and staff feared trapped beneath the collapsed roof. Outside the school and at the state-run Lady Reading Hospital, anguished parents sought information about their children, unsure whether they had survived.

Officials offer condolences and promise investigations

Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said that the school's owner had been arrested. He said that the building was structurally weak. However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week’s rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.

The provincial government said a committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the roof collapse of the three-story building.

The provincial government spokeswoman, Samar Haroon Bilour, praised rescue workers for their swift response. She said that the government was using all available resources to bring those trapped beneath the rubble to safety.

In Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the deaths and offered condolences to the bereaved families in separate statements.

“The entire nation shares the grief of the affected families in this hour of sorrow,” Zardari said.

He also called for a comprehensive investigation into the collapse and stressed the need to ensure school buildings meet safety standards to prevent similar tragedies.

In July, a roof collapsed at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore, killing four schoolchildren.

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Munir Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar in Peshawar and Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, contributed to this story.

Global warming caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas was the bigger of the two culprits, adding about 6 mph (nearly 10 kph) to its already monstrous strength, according to a joint study published Thursday by the science teams World Weather Attribution and Climate Central. El Niño contributed a bit less, about 5 mph (8 kph), a study co-author said.

Climate change made the conditions that fueled the hurricane 23 times more likely, while El Niño — the natural and temporary warming of parts of the Pacific — made it 14 times more likely, the study found. It all has to do with the 88-degree Fahrenheit (31.2 degrees Celsius) waters that were as much as 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal, the study said.

This year, with a super strong El Niño, has set records for strength and longevity of Pacific storms. Polo set the record for time spent at Category 5 in the Pacific at two-and-a-half days.

“El Niño and climate change both made this hurricane stronger than it would have otherwise been, but the effect of climate change is even bigger than the one of El Niño,” said climate scientist and study co-author Friederike Otto, who coordinates the international science team behind World Weather Attribution.

“El Niño comes and goes, but climate change only gets worse. That means that now every hurricane that will occur in the East Pacific has at least this climate change signal making it stronger. And as long as we keep burning fossil fuels, that will only get bigger,” Otto added.

Researchers found that without climate change and El Niño, Polo would have been a monster storm anyway. But every bit of additional wind speed can dramatically increase the damage.

Decoding Polo's rapid strengthening

While Hurricane Polo ultimately weakened considerably before it hit a sparsely populated part of Mexico, scientists remain fascinated by how it turbocharged from a tropical storm to a top-of-the-chart Category 5 hurricane in about 24 hours.

The study puts the different atmospheric dangers in perspective, said Kristina Dahl, a climate scientist and vice president of science at Climate Central, a science and journalism nonprofit out of New Jersey.

“It’s a powerful reminder that even though El Niño right now is shifting hazards around the globe and changing where it’s flooding and getting dry, the really dominant signal behind all of this remains climate change,” she said.

The study looked at the warm water that fuels storms, using a measure of how strong they can get. But the study didn't focus on the upper level wind shear where El Niño has a huge footprint. El Niño usually increases those storm-decapitating high altitude winds in the Atlantic. However, in the Pacific because of changes in wind patterns, El Niño decreases the winds that weaken storms.

The two sets of researchers measured conditions slightly differently and used different techniques but came to the same general conclusion, making them more confident in the result. However, the rapid study has not had time to be peer-reviewed, which is the gold standard of science.

To calculate the impact of climate change on Polo, both teams used the scientifically accepted method of comparing what happened in our warmer real world to a hypothetical world that hasn't warmed by 2.5 degrees (1.4 degrees Celsius) since pre-industrial times.

How El Niño and climate change interact

Study co-author Daniel Gilford, a Climate Central scientist, said the process they looked at was similar to cars on a road. Wind shear from El Niño can be a red light, as it is in the Atlantic, or a green light, as it is in the Pacific. In the Pacific that green light says go, and then the water warmed by both climate change and El Niño acts like a driver flooring the accelerator.

University at Albany atmospheric scientist Brian Tang, who wasn't part of the study, said he was initially surprised that the research found climate change to be the bigger influence on Polo, “given how extreme this El Niño is, but from a long-term standpoint, perhaps the result isn’t as surprising as it might seem.”

But three other outside scientists — Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections, University of Pennsylvania's Michael Mann and North Carolina State University's Carl Schreck — said they believe the study underestimates how much climate change has added to Polo's strength. Masters pointed to Gilford's own 2024 study that found climate change added 16 mph (30 kph) to hurricanes in the Atlantic from 2019 to 2023.

Gilford acknowledged that Thursday's report could be underestimating climate change's impact a bit, but said he was factoring in other conditions and being conservative.

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The two-time defending World Series champions are aiming to become the first National League team to win a third straight title and the first club to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000.

But that seems increasingly unlikely.

The Dodgers are facing a 3-0 deficit against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series after losing 6-2 on Wednesday. They'll need to win four games in a row to advance, starting Thursday in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium.

“It looks like we’re going to have to make a little more history along the way if we want to accomplish that,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “We still have the pitching staff to be able to do it. We just have to get some hits.”

Offense has been sparse in the postseason. The Dodgers are 3 for 32 with runners in scoring position overall and 1 for 14 against the Brewers. Los Angeles cranked out 204 homers in the regular season — seventh in MLB — but have none so far in the NLCS.

“It’s just this whole series they’ve outslugged us, outhit us,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve got to get a lead and find a way to tack on.”

The Dodgers scored twice in the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead in Game 3 before pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández came up with runners on second and third and one out. But he struck out swinging, and Tommy Edman took a called third strike to end the inning.

“That was the game right there,” Hernández said. “We need to put the ball in play. I struck out and gave Tommy a way harder job with two outs. I have had two of the biggest at-bats in the series for our team and I haven’t been able to come through. I just need to do my job.”

Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to pitch Thursday for the Dodgers, who are 44-42 in postseason elimination games. If they can find a way to win, they would host Game 5 on Friday.

“We’ve never been in this big of a hole,” Hernández said, “but we’ve had our backs against the wall plenty of times before, and we’ve come out of it. We’re just trying to do it one more time.”

Except none of the Dodgers' hitters are doing much of anything. Kyle Tucker, who struggled mightily in the regular season, has been a bright spot. He's batting .304 after going 1 for 3 on Wednesday.

But the top of the lineup — Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández — was a combined 1 for 11 in Game 3, when the Dodgers totaled five hits.

The deepest slumps involve four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and catcher Will Smith. Ohtani was 1 for 2, raising his average to .182 a year after being MVP of the NLCS sweep against the Brewers. Smith was 1 for 4 with a two-run double, but his average is far south of the Mendoza Line at .074.

In Game 2, the Dodgers mustered just three hits in a 7-4 loss.

The only team in major league history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven postseason series was the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who got a gutsy stolen base from Roberts to spark their comeback against the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

Roberts was asked if he might reminisce with his Dodgers players about that before Thursday's game.

“I don’t think so. I think they’ve seen the documentary. They know it can happen,” he said.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The couple arrived at the Community Recording Studio, in the city of Nottingham in central England, which uses music, performance and athletic programs to help young people build confidence and develop practical skills.

The crowd cheered as the couple got out of their car, before one woman shouted, “We love you Duchess Meghan, we love you.”

Harry and Meghan, who wore a long burgundy coat, stopped to take selfies, give hugs and shake hands with fans, many of them young children. They spent a few minutes talking to members of the public and the children.

The visit was the first of three they will make in Nottingham, where they made their first joint appearance in 2017 after announcing their engagement.

The day’s events are being presented with touches of royal style, including an announcement that features Harry and Meghan’s titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and a prearranged media pool chronicling their movements. Archewell, the philanthropic venture that often took center stage when they were living in the U.S., is hardly mentioned.

But King Charles III, Harry’s father, has made clear that the couple remain non-working members of the royal family, a status they accepted when they abandoned royal duties and moved to California.

In a letter sent on behalf of the king to senior government officials shortly after Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. in September, the palace stressed that the couple would continue to refrain from using their royal forms of address — His Royal Highness or Her Royal Highness — and any charity work they undertake would be carried out as private citizens.

The decision to send the letter and, more importantly, to release it to the media demonstrated the concern among some palace officials that Harry and Meghan’s celebrity could allow them to become a sort of parallel royal court, competing with the Prince and Princess of Wales and other working royals for press coverage and public support.

The couple are back to working with familiar partners

After the Community Recording Studio, the couple planned to go to Himmah, central England’s biggest food bank and Epic Partners, which offers sports, education and mentoring programs for disadvantaged young people.

Harry has been involved with the Community Recording Studio and Epic Partners for more than a decade, and Meghan worked with Himmah on “Together: Our Community Cookbook,” published in 2018.

While the couple continued to support charities in the U.K. after they left Britain, their focus was elsewhere.

Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago, saying they wanted to earn their own living. They later signed lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify.

Relations with the rest of the royal family quickly deteriorated as the couple said palace staff had been insensitive to Meghan’s mental health and leveled charges of racism and media manipulation at other members of the family.

Harry wants his children to get to know their grandfather

But tensions began to ease in recent months as Harry expressed a desire for reconciliation with the king, saying he wanted his children to have a chance to get to know their 77-year-old grandfather. Charles is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer that was discovered in 2024.

The couple and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are reportedly living at a private, nonroyal residence in the Cotswolds, a rural area of rolling hills, villages and farms to the west of Oxford.

While the couple have expressed their happiness about returning to the U.K., the move hasn’t been without controversy.

Harry continues to lobby for publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when he and Meghan gave up royal duties.

The prince says he and his family remain under threat simply because of his royal status. Just days into the new school year, the children have changed schools because of security issues.

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Kirka reported from London. Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report.

Leo’s lung cancer diagnosis announced Tuesday has thrown a question mark into that scenario and his pontificate. Already, Peru's president is suggesting Leo’s upcoming Latin America trip may have to be changed. But the revelation has also raised questions about what Leo knew and when, given his poignant prayers in late September at a French shrine where Catholics believe miraculous cures have occurred.

Vatican watchers say the 71-year-old's diagnosis could regardless have other unintended effects, not all of them negative. It could propel Leo to accelerate his own agenda, which to date has been slow and deliberate. It also could galvanize support for him, bolstering his efforts to unify the fractured Catholic Church.

And most significant for his own ministry, the diagnosis has placed Leo squarely among the “fragile” and “vulnerable” who have emerged as a central focus of his pontificate.

“There’s something really beautiful in that even the most powerful person in the church is broken,” said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, associate professor of theology at Fordham University. “He’s been so, so eloquent on how our fragility is also a source of our strength.”

Leo's doctors reported Thursday that the pope's lung had recovered well from surgery to remove the lower right lobe. The Vatican reported he had resumed working from the hospital.

“Overall, his postoperative recovery is proceeding as expected,” his doctors said.

The relatively young pope was chosen last year

Leo was 69 when he was elected in 2025, relatively young compared with his two immediate predecessors.

Pope Francis was 76 when elected in 2013 and already had part of one lung removed as a young man. He battled respiratory and mobility problems throughout his pontificate and died in 2025 after a lengthy hospitalization for double pneumonia.

Pope Benedict XVI was 78 when elected in 2005 and retired after eight years because he simply couldn’t go on anymore.

Leo was elected in large part because he was seen as someone who would be around long enough to stabilize and unify the church after Francis’ turbulent pontificate, and get the Vatican’s finances, in particular, into order. He brought a youthful vigor to the papacy, bounding up the stairs of St. Peter's Square and zipping off to the country each week to play tennis and swim.

“It’s a big question mark on the investment that many people have made on this pontificate: an emotional investment, a political investment, even a financial investment,” said Massimo Faggioli, a theologian at Leo’s alma mater, Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

He noted that Leo has emerged as a powerful counterweight to the Trump administration in preaching a message of peace as the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran. He has become a respected moral authority on the need for safeguards on artificial intelligence.

And yet “even the pope gets the ‘emperor of maladies’ — cancer,” he said.

But assuming Leo recovers fully — and oncologists say his type of lung cancer has the best prognosis — he could emerge even stronger as a global figure.

“The mystique of the survivor is very strong in our culture,” Faggioli said.

The pope's brother, Louis Prevost, who has had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, since 2017, said that he expected his baby brother to pull through. He spoke to Leo on Monday and received messages from his secretary after the surgery saying he was OK.

“We’re hoping for the best," Prevost told Newsmax from Tampa, Florida, where he's in a clinical trial for his cancer. "They caught it early enough, and he’ll be able to heal from the surgery and go on with his papal ministry.”

A recent visit to Lourdes is now seen in a different light

And even if the future is uncertain, Leo can draw from the recent past to help get through it.

During his Sept. 25-28 visit to France, Leo followed in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims who flock to the shrine in Lourdes each year to drink its spring water and pray for miraculous cures for all that ails them.

The Vatican hasn’t said when Leo learned that doctors suspected he had a cancerous nodule in his lung, saying only that the nodule was discovered during “routine” checks.

There are strong suggestions that Leo knew something even before leaving for France and that he scheduled the surgery for Tuesday — typically his day off — “because he wanted to keep as much as possible the commitments he made,” said Giovanni Maria Vian, the former editor of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

All of which would make Leo's visit to Lourdes all the more poignant.

Leo arrived on the evening of Sept. 26 and immediately went to the Grotto of the Apparitions where alleged visions of the Virgin Mary were reported more than a century ago. He performed the “three gestures” of the Lourdes pilgrim seeking a cure: He drank from its springs, lit a candle and touched the rock.

The next day, he celebrated Mass before 150,000 people, many of them sick, and denounced laws allowing assisted dying. He plunged into a crowd of people in wheelchairs and allowed them to embrace him. After an exhausting day and seemingly struggling himself, Leo walked among the sick carrying a torch in an emotional torchlit procession, another key element of the Lourdes pilgrimage.

Leo told reporters en route home that he witnessed “almost miracles” in Lourdes “walking with, accompanying so many people who are sick and suffering and seeing how the grace of God’s presence manifested in many different ways, touches people’s hearts, transforms their lives.”

He didn’t include himself in their ranks. But he seems to have taken away the lesson of Lourdes.

“Being in a place, especially like Lourdes where people are searching for something much deeper and understanding that their lives, even in the midst of sickness or disability or pain of different kinds — their life has meaning,” he said.

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has faced criticism for her city's response to deadly fires in 2025, said she's directed the fire department to deploy personnel and equipment ahead of the winds. The fire department has also requested assistance from the state’s office of emergency services, she said.

“It’s a pretty widespread event of elevated fire weather, so the whole SoCal region should really be on alert,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Dry, warm and gusty northeast winds known as Santa Anas, which blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, are expected, with the strongest winds forecast for Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon.

The winds are expected to reach 20 to 40 mph (32 to 64 kph), with gusts from 50 to 70 mph (80 to 113 kph), in the San Gabriel mountains in Los Angeles County and the Santa Susana mountains, which are mostly in Ventura County, Schoenfeld said. Elevated, though brief, critical fire weather conditions are also forecast for portions of the Santa Lucia mountains in San Luis Obispo County.

Dangerous conditions began earlier in Northern California, with some communities in the Sierra Nevada and its foothills experiencing strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity starting Wednesday night, the National Weather Service said.

The service issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of central and Northern California starting Thursday and lasting through Friday morning, saying that any fires would spread rapidly. Such warnings are issued when weather conditions create an increased risk of wildfires.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company had notified 88,000 customers in 29 counties that it may need to proactively turn power off to reduce the risk of winds toppling over energized power lines that could start a fire. The planned shutoffs had started for some customers by Wednesday night.

The potential interruption in service to customers from the Central Coast to the upper corners of the Sierra Nevada could last through Saturday afternoon, the company said.

In Southern California, the Red Flag Warning for the mountainous areas in Ventura and Los Angeles counties will be in effect from Thursday morning through Friday night.

“We are augmenting our staffing, positioning our people and pre-deploying equipment ahead of this weather so we are ready before the first call comes in," Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime Moore said. “We are asking residents to do their part, too. Clear the streets, have a plan and stay informed.”

In January 2025, the Palisades Fire — fanned by Santa Ana winds — ripped through a hillside Los Angeles neighborhood, killing 12 people and destroying mansions with spectacular ocean views. Another fire that burned at the same time in the city of Altadena, in Los Angeles County, killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and businesses.

Schoenfeld said the Santa Ana winds are not going to be as strong as during those fires, when they were gusting 60 to 100 mph (96 to 160 kph).

Authorities determined the Palisades Fire was a carryover fire from the Lachman Fire. The Eaton Fire was caused by sparks from an idle transmission tower owned by Southern California Edison, officials said.

Southern California Edison’s online dashboard on Wednesday showed it was considering public safety shutoffs that could affect 245,000 customers in Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties. Most of those customers — 124,000 — are in Ventura County, just north of Los Angeles.

Originally known as the Sidney Miller Free Medical Clinic in 1969, it put into practice the national Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program to uplift African Americans as the Black Power movement gained momentum. Now, as the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center, it, along with the affiliated Country Doctor Community Clinic, sees tens of thousands of patients in a year.

As the celebration begins Thursday for the Black Panther Party's Oct. 15, 1966, founding in Oakland, California, former members are looking beyond the iconic black leather jackets, berets and clenched fists to highlight programs aimed at healing disenfranchised and forgotten communities.

From free medical clinics and pushing nationally for sickle cell anemia testing to providing free breakfasts for children and community schools promoting education and literacy, the Black Panthers understood what was needed during the racially turbulent 1960s, said Fredrika Newton, widow of co-founder Huey P. Newton.

“We sought to meet the basic needs of the Black community, not only the Black, but all oppressed communities,” she told The Associated Press Tuesday. “Children were going to school hungry. People couldn’t get medical care. People were sleeping in the streets, just like today.”

A planned four-day conference this weekend in downtown Oakland includes a gala. Surviving original members and other Black Panther Party veterans are expected to attend.

Pushing for Black empowerment and against racist policing

Co-founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale were students at Merritt College in Oakland, where they formed the Panthers during the Civil Rights Movement. Both became active in Bay Area politics during the mid-1960s and believed the Civil Rights movement may have addressed the plight of Blacks in Southern states, but it failed to bring about any real change in the U.S. West and North.

With Newton as minister of defense and Seale as the group's chair, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense advocated for political and economic empowerment and initiatives to improve life for the city's Black residents in addition to standing up to what they saw as racist and heavy-handed policing in the Black community.

“We knew that Black people were getting brutalized by the police," said Fredrika Newton, who joined the Black Panther Party in 1971 after meeting Huey P. Newton. "We wanted to make sure that they were getting educated and taught how to protect themselves.”

Confrontations with law enforcement — broadcast to households across the country — galvanized Black support for the organization but also worried many white people. Seale, declaring that the Second Amendment right to bear arms also applied to Blacks, led a small group of armed Panthers in 1967 into the California state legislature.

The Black Panther Party was targeted by the FBI, which put its leaders and members under surveillance and operated a yearslong disruption and discrediting campaign.

John “Bunchy” Crear was caught up in the maelstrom of race and politics sweeping across California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Crear, along with some friends, began attending Black Panther political education classes in 1970. He joined at age 19.

“I was at home in my bedroom listening to my music when my mother comes in and says two white gentlemen from the FBI were in the living room wanting to talk to me,” recalled Crear, 74, who lives in Houston. “I walked in and there were the men in black. They asked if I was a member of the Black Panther Party, then pulled a book out with photos asking if I knew this person, if I knew that person.”

“'Well, John, if you stay in school and get you a good job, you’ll never hear from us again,'” Crear said the men told him before leaving.

Healthcare part of community survival programs

The Black Panther Party purchased buildings and homes that served as safe houses and centers for their community survival programs, which mostly addressed food insecurity, lack of healthcare, unequal education and other issues in Black communities.

Chapters were started in about 70 other cities. The chapter in Seattle started one of the 13 original Black Panther Party-founded healthcare clinics across the country and is the only one still in operation.

“Thinking especially about Black folks in the 1960s and 70s, it was impossible to try to address one need and not all because they were vulnerable and under threat in so many areas,” said Brandy Taylor, chief executive of the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center and Country Doctor Community Clinic.

“It wasn’t just about medical care. It was about free speech, social services, food security and knowing your rights. There were so many doors closed that you couldn’t survive without addressing them all," she said.

From the end to emulation

The Black Panther Party folded in 1982 after years of police surveillance, as well as dwindling national membership, infighting, allegations of embezzlement and scandals in which Huey P. Newton was implicated and criminally charged.

Newton’s addictions to alcohol and drugs overtook him. He was murdered in Oakland, California, in 1989 by a drug dealer.

In 2021, a bronze bust of Huey P. Newton was unveiled in Oakland.

However, some see similarities in why the Black Panthers were started with the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement following the 2013 acquittal of the man who killed Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager in Sanford, Florida.

“We want to let young people know exactly what we did and what could be done,” said Fredrika Newton, who also is president and co-founder of the Huey P. Newton Foundation.

“This is not a blueprint for what they can do now, but they can certainly see what we did, take what we did, apply them to the conditions today and organize," she said. "Organize around the needs that exist today.”

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Williams is a Detroit-based member of AP's Race & Ethnicity team.

As Democrats and Republicans argue over high prices and the Iran war, they also are having a food fight over who is the most red-blooded carnivore.

The latest example came this week in Mississippi, where Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom released a video with a snippet of Cindy Hyde-Smith, the Republican incumbent, saying that if consumers are upset over high beef prices, “you know you have so many proteins to choose from.”

The video cuts to a man grilling burgers who says, “Pick another protein? I'd rather pick another senator instead.”

The Mississippi race is somewhat unusual because it is the Democrat hammering the Republican over beef. Elsewhere, Republicans have branded Democrats as vegans or otherwise opposed to meat, trying to show that they are culturally out of step with voters, hostile to local cattle industries or just not manly enough.

In Texas, Republicans seized on an old interview in which Democrat James Talarico, the current U.S. Senate nominee, boasted that his campaign at the time for the Texas Statehouse was going vegan. Talarico has since been publicly scarfing down barbecue to rebut allegations that his dietary choices mean he is not a real Texan.

Chowing down on barbecue and tacos

In Colorado, Republicans have gone after Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel for his activism against meat production and factory farming. In college, he was photographed shirtless with a banner for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals around his chest. In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocated for cutting down on the use of meat and has signed onto letters advocating for raising taxes on meat and dairy. He also supported a 2024 ballot measure to ban a lamb slaughterhouse in Denver, which failed.

Rutinel, 31, is now running against Gabe Evans, the Republican who represents Colorado's 8th Congressional District. The vast swath in the northeastern part of the state is dotted with ranches, dairy farms and meat processing facilities, including the headquarters of beef production titan JBS Swift. Republicans have hammered Rutinel over advocating veganism, to the point that the conservative media group Daily Wire this week released an undercover video of a campaign official saying Rutinel eats meat “as little as possible.”

Rutinel has made a point of publicly eating steak tacos during the campaign and is backed by the meatpackers' union. “I don’t think Coloradans care about what’s on my plate,” he said in an interview after a recent campaign stop. “I think they care more about what’s on theirs.”

Evans said the issue goes beyond Rutinel's meal preferences. “I don't care what he eats personally,” Evans said in an interview. “I care that he wants to use the power of the government to make everyone eat that way.”

High-stakes role for meat in the debate over rising consumer prices

Republicans, in the same way, have gone after two other Democrats running for the U.S. House. They are hammering Lindsay James in Iowa's 2nd District, an area filled with hog farms, over a 2020 Facebook post supporting “meatless May," and Amish Shah in Arizona's 1st District for his long-standing vegetarianism and animal rights activism.

Also in Iowa, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Rep. Ashley Hinson slammed her opponent, state lawmaker Josh Turek, for opposing a bill banning lab-grown meat from being sold in the state. “He’d rather have meat that comes from a lab than from our family farms,” the congresswoman said at a campaign appearance.

Democrats have spotlighted meat as well, but mainly as one of the staples that cost more under Trump, squeezing voters' pocketbooks. Trump has tried to lower prices by opening U.S. markets to beef imports, especially from Argentina, which is governed by a close Trump ally.

Those moves, however, have angered U.S. producers as prices have remained stubbornly high, creating a potential weakness in Republican-leaning states where Democrats hope to gain ground this year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pound of ground beef cost $6.79 last month, up from $5.55 in January of 2025, when Trump returned to office.

That was the dynamic that Hyde-Smith, a cattle rancher and former Mississippi agriculture commissioner, was addressing in her interview that was clipped in Colom's video. The prosecutor — who also delivers the “pick another senator” line in the spot — is running a long-shot challenge in Mississippi.

A spokesman for Hyde-Smith's campaign argued that the Democrats deserve blame for high prices. “It is Scott Colom who supports Biden-era policies that drove up inflation,” said Nathan Calvert.

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Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

“The legislative branch needs to put up guardrails from President Trump,” said Christensen, 70. “We need another branch of government that stands up and says, ‘Uh, boss, that’s not constitutional.'”

Christensen is backing Jessica Killin, a fellow veteran, over first-term Republican Rep. Jeff Crank in Colorado's 5th Congressional District, a conservative stronghold that includes five military facilities. The district is a longshot for Democrats but they're investing money here for the first time in years, counting on an unpopular war with Iran and upheaval in the armed forces to put more seats in play as the party pushes for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic candidates who previously served in the military are also running in Florida, South Carolina and Virginia districts with significant veteran populations.

Although veterans hold all sorts of political beliefs, the population overall leans right — nearly 6 in 10 voted for Trump two years ago, according to AP VoteCast. Trump won Colorado's 5th by 9 percentage points that year, and nearly one out of every nine people there is a veteran, according to federal statistics, making it one of the most veteran-heavy seats in the country. The district is home to NORAD, Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy.

“I know there's a bunch of veterans in the room, so I don't have to tell you where we are with foreign policy,” Killin told more than two dozen voters who gathered on a recent Friday evening. “For the first time in history, now the global community thinks more of China than of the United States.”

Iran war, Hegseth unsettle some veterans

One of the only comparable seats in terms of veteran population is in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, centered in Virginia Beach and similarly dotted with military bases, with the massive Naval Station Norfolk just outside its boundaries.

Unlike Colorado's 5th, elections in Virginia's 2nd have zig-zagged back and forth over the last decade. Democrat Elaine Luria, a retired Naval Commander who deployed to the Middle East and Western Pacific and led a unit of 400 sailors over the course of her military career, ousted a Republican incumbent in 2018. She held the seat for two terms before Republican Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot, defeated her in 2022.

Now Luria is back for a rematch, hammering Kiggans and Trump for the Iran war that she called “an expanding economic crisis” as well as a geopolitical blunder. In an interview, she criticized Kiggans for voting against resolutions intended to halt military action without congressional approval.

Kiggans, whose 10 years of service included two deployments to the Persian Gulf, said she hopes the war can soon be brought to a close. But she argued that Luria, through her criticism, has “chosen the side of Iran.”

“It’s like the Democrats are now siding with the Iranians and not standing with our military,” she said in an interview.

Paul Krekorian, a Navy veteran and retired grade school teacher in Virginia Beach, said he worries the war may become a “quagmire” for Trump. But he still decided to support Kiggans because Democrats “have gone socialist.”

Still, plenty of veterans were casting early ballots for Luria, citing their frustration at Trump and his administration.

“I think we are less safe, not just because of the war in Iran, but because of the leadership or the lack of leadership we have," said Phyllis Mihalas, a self-described independent and retired Army lieutenant colonel. She described Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as "an enormously incompetent man whose ego consistently gets in the way.”

Democrats bet on veteran candidates

Democratic veterans are trying to make that argument in other races for Republican-held seats. In South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, Democrat Nancy Lacore, a former Navy vice admiral, is running against Republican lawyer Jennifer Honeycutt. Lacore was fired by Hegseth last year.

In Florida's 13th Congressional District, retired Army Brigadier Gen. Leela Gray is challenging Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. And in Florida's 7th Congressional District, Bale Dalton, a former Navy Aviator and NASA chief of staff, is running against Ryan Elijah, a Republican and local news anchor.

In Colorado Springs, the Republican incumbent, Crank, is in his first term in Congress. Though his father and father-in-law are veterans and his son-in-law is currently in the Army, Crank has never been in the military.

A onetime aide to a longtime congressman representing the area, Crank ran the Colorado chapter of the conservative group Americans For Prosperity and then served as Colorado chairman of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He ran for the open congressional seat against a Trump-backed candidate and won the Republican primary, sparking some suspicion among Trump supporters about whether he'd be a team player for the president.

Now Killin's campaign is airing an ad slamming Crank for voting with Trump “100% of the time.”

In an interview, Crank scoffed at the charge but said it wasn't his style to pick public fights with Trump. “I'm going to try to check the president where I think he's wrong,” Crank said, such as Trump moving U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Alabama.

'Don't let it be for nothing'

Crank said that one of the first casualties from the Iran war was stationed at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs, and it fell to him to call the fallen soldier's father. “He basically said to me, 'Don't let it be for nothing,'” Crank said. He added: “We're reluctant to go, but once we're there, let's get the job done and go home. And I think that's how people in my district feel.”

Mike Gould, a retired lieutenant general who once ran the Air Force Academy, agreed. “What our president did, taking on Iran the way he did, was exactly the right thing to do,” said Gould, who supports Crank.

Killin grew up in Colorado Springs and quips that she was the lone Democrat in her elementary school class. She joined the Army in the late 1990s and rose to captain, serving in the Balkan war before joining USAA, the company that provides insurance and banking services to members of the military and veterans.

At the house party, Killin said she was worried about what Trump had done to the country — and that Crank wasn't trying to stop it. “I grew up in an era where the Department of Defense was apolitical and the Department of Justice was apolitical,” Killin said.

It was a theme that many other veterans sounded during the gathering, which was held in the home of an Air Force veteran and former Reagan administration official just a few miles from the Air Force Academy. One former Army Ranger worried about Hegseth's attempts to infuse the military with conservative Christian cultural ideas. A newly discharged veteran worried about how he'll find work. And Michael Stewart, a 75-year-old former Marine, made a confession about the level of his disgust over the Iran war.

“This is the first time,” Stewart said, “I've wanted to see my country lose.”

___

Rankin reported from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were expected to plead not guilty in Manhattan federal court to charges added to a drug trafficking indictment brought months earlier against the two. They were seized from their Caracas home by the U.S. military in a nighttime raid in January.

Attorney Barry Pollack said when the charges were announced last week that Maduro, 63, denies them and “looks forward to his day in court.”

According to the rewritten indictment, Maduro oversaw a violent torture system that beat, asphyxiated, and delivered electric shocks to its victims. He is accused of personally recommending torture methods, receiving updates on specific victims’ treatment, and threatening to kill one prisoner’s child as a form of psychological torture.

Flores, 69, a former attorney general, helped develop the repressive system and ordered the torture of some specific people, the indictment alleges.

Maduro, who served as Venezuela’s president from 2013 until his capture in January, has been under investigation for years by the International Criminal Court over allegations of crimes against humanity, tied to his crackdown on opponents. He has always denied wrongdoing.

Earlier this year, Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty in the U.S. drug case, which said they conspired to flood the U.S. with cocaine. Their attorneys say the case should be dismissed on immunity grounds because they were the leader and first lady of a foreign country.

The revised indictment covers allegations of torture stretching back to Maduro’s ascent to power in 2013, when he took over as president from his mentor Hugo Chávez, who died of cancer that year.

China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that a ceremony for the launch of the New Yalu River Bridge was held, and an on online video from state media outlet China News Service showed the bridge and trucks waiting on it adorned with the national flags of China and North Korea.

Beijing expected that the four-lane, 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) crossing, which connects the northeastern Chinese city of Dandong to the North Korean city of Sinuiju, would further promote economic, trade and “people-to-people" exchanges.

“The relations between China and North Korea have entered a new stage, embarking on a new chapter,” Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in a video address at the ceremony, Xinhua reported.

Li said that the crossing would become a new landmark symbolizing the two nations' traditional friendship. He hoped both sides would seize the opportunity of the opening to continue to enhance connectivity and explore potential for cooperation in border areas, Xinhua said.

North Korean Premier Pak Thae ​Song also made a video address.

Bridge opens after a 12-year delay

The bridge initially was expected to enter use in 2014, when China had apparently completed construction on its side. But North Korea had not done corresponding work on its side at the time.

The absence of substantial work in Sinuiju fueled speculation that Pyongyang was wary of becoming more economically dependent on China or displeased with Beijing voting for United Nations resolutions toughening international sanctions on the North over its nuclear program. Some observers suggested North Korea and China also differed over the bridge's location.

The setback over the bridge prompted an unusually sharp report in the Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which quoted Dandong residents expressing frustration over delays in what they had hoped would be an economic boon for their border city.

New link opens a month after launch of Russia-North Korea bridge

Observers said the new bridge would likely boost bilateral trade and enhance logistical efficiency. It is expected to lessen the burden on an aging bridge on the Dandong-Sinuiju route, which handles more than 70% of official trade between the two countries. That decades-old bridge carries a railway line as well as cars and trucks, but vehicle traffic can move only one way at a time.

“The new bridge could facilitate trade that violates U.N. sanctions, but traffic across it could be more transparent and subject to customs than cross-border smuggling,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

The new bridge's launch came about a month after North Korea and Russia opened a road bridge as part of their efforts to cement relations.

Experts say Chinese officials likely felt uneasy about that opening.

China has long been North Korea’s biggest trading partner and economic pipeline. But in recent years North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has prioritized Moscow, sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, apparently in exchange for military and economic assistance.

Kim has recently drawn closer to China with the apparent intent to improve his country's economy and build a front against the United States. China, for its part, wants to restore its unique influence over North Korea.

About 98% of North Korea’s external trade was with China in 2025. The South Korean government said last year there were at least 17 active road and rail links across the porous North Korea-China border, which stretches more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles).

“China remains economically indispensable to North Korea in ways that Russia cannot replace, and the bridge may offer an inadvertent window into bilateral relations if flows are visibly interrupted in the future,” Easley said.

Maybe they were saving their biggest swings for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell launched back-to-back homers off Blake Snell in the seventh inning, and the Brewers beat the Dodgers 6-2 on Wednesday to build a 3-0 cushion in the National League Championship Series.

Jackson Chourio also went deep on the first pitch of the game to help the Brewers close within one win of their first NL pennant. Milwaukee was in the American League when the franchise reached its only World Series, a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.

“Job’s not finished yet,” Mitchell said.

Game 4 is Thursday at Dodger Stadium, where the Brewers can become the first major league club to complete a postseason sweep after getting swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason.

Los Angeles took all four games against Milwaukee in the NLCS last year.

The Dodgers had just gone ahead 2-1 in the sixth inning before getting stunned by the Brewers in their three-run seventh. The loss pushed the two-time defending World Series champions to the brink of elimination.

“All three games we’ve played so far, and hopefully that continues, where just every time they score, we come back and score,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s not easy to do in baseball.”

It was the fifth comeback victory in seven postseason games for the Brewers, who have never beaten Los Angeles in three previous playoff series.

The only other time the Dodgers trailed 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series.

The lone team in big league history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees.

“We’ve won four in a row a number of times this year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We've got to win tomorrow. That’s our only focus.”

Coming into the seventh, Snell had retired 14 batters in a row. But the first pitch of the game thrown by the two-time Cy Young Award winner was hit for a home run by Chourio, and his last pitch was Mitchell's solo shot.

Andrew Vaughn drew a seven-pitch walk to open the seventh and was replaced by pinch-runner Christian Yelich. Bauers followed with a 412-foot drive to right field on the 11th pitch of his at-bat for a 3-2 lead as most of the players in Milwaukee's dugout came onto the field to celebrate.

“I was looking for a fastball, and I didn’t want to miss it,” said Bauers, who had a team-leading 26 of Milwaukee's 154 regular-season homers.

It was his latest relentless plate appearance, too, after Bauers drew a 12-pitch walk from Yoshinobu Yamamoto that helped the Brewers go ahead early in Game 2.

“I think what changed for me this year was I stopped caring about results,” Bauers said. “I started caring about competing. I started caring about being in the moment and getting out of my own way.”

Watching Bauers work over Snell was “super sick,” Mitchell said.

And then it was his turn.

Mitchell's drive traveled 428 feet to right-center. That chased Snell, who hadn't given up a home run in 46 1/3 innings this year entering the game. It was the first time in his career he served up back-to-back homers to left-handed hitters and only the second time he gave up multiple longballs to left-handed batters in one game.

Bauers and Mitchell became just the third pair of left-handed hitters with consecutive postseason home runs off the same left-handed pitcher. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper did it for Philadelphia against Atlanta reliever Dylan Lee in an NL Wild Card Series this year, and Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig connected for the New York Yankees off Bill Sherdel of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1928 World Series.

Milwaukee has five homers in the NLCS and eight this postseason.

Snell gave up four runs and four hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

The Brewers extended their lead to 5-2 in the eighth on Justin Wrobleski's wild pitch that scored Brice Turang, who reached on an infield single and advanced to third on William Contreras' single. They added another run on Joey Ortiz's two-strike RBI single in the ninth.

The offensively starved Dodgers took a 2-1 lead on Will Smith's two-run double off reliever Abner Uribe in the sixth.

After rookie starter Robert Gasser pitched five shutout innings, Uribe entered and loaded the bases on walks to Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Shohei Ohtani. Smith, who was 1 for 25 in the playoffs, doubled off the left-center fence with one out for his first hit of the NLCS.

DL Hall took over from Uribe and stranded runners at second and third by striking out pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman.

Hall allowed one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to improve to 3-0 in these playoffs. Trevor Megill got four outs for his second save of the series and fourth this postseason.

The Dodgers played from behind again after the 22-year-old Chourio connected for his third career leadoff homer in the postseason as fans were still heading to their seats.

After that, Mitchell walked and Cooper Pratt singled in the second before Snell retired 14 in a row — six on strikeouts — before getting hammered in the seventh.

The Dodgers had runners on base in all but three innings, but couldn't get enough across. They have yet to homer in the NLCS and are 3 for 32 with runners in scoring position this postseason.

Ohtani was 1 for 2 with a walk while hitting sixth in the order, the lowest he's batted since joining the Dodgers three years ago.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

According to the Miami Gardens Police Department, it happened at around 6 p.m. in the area of Northwest 45th Avenue and 191st Street.

Arriving officers found “a male victim (who) had been discovered by a resident, suffering from multiple stab wounds to his body,” an MGPD spokesperson said in an email to Local 10 News.

Authorities said that Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics airlifted the victim, whose age was not immediately provided, to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

The MGPD spokesperson said that the victim “has been unable to provide information regarding the exact location of the incident or the identity of the individual responsible” as of around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, it happened at around 6:45 p.m. in the 100 block of Southwest Third Street.

A BSO spokesperson said both victims were taken to area hospitals by the agency’s medics.

Authorities have not yet provided additional details about the victims. They said BSO detectives are “actively investigating.”

The airport jointly run with Laos is China's first military facility abroad focused on air power and the latest project in Beijing's efforts to project force beyond its borders, which includes a base in Djibouti, the Ream naval facility in Cambodia, the rapid militarization and expansion of islands in the South China sea and a growing carrier fleet.

Neighbors of Laos, a poor and landlocked Southeast Asian nation of about 8 million people, and defense experts are now keeping a close eye on the airport, less for what it currently is, but what it might become.

Airfield especially concerning to Vietnam

Like the Ream navy base in Cambodia, the Ban Keun airport, which is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of the Laotian capital Vientiane and the Thai border, doesn't “radically alter any balance of power or give China much ability to project force toward the Strait of Malacca that it doesn't already have,” said Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But the airport, with a potential for expansion, is certain to be a concern for neighboring Vietnam, which has competing territorial claims with Beijing in the South China Sea, said Poling, who suggested the Laos project was a “target of opportunity” for China, like the Ream naval base in Cambodia, which was renovated with Chinese money and now hosts a joint China-Cambodia training center.

“China's overseas basing strategy at the moment seems a lot more like playing roulette than poker,” he said. “Small bets over the board that occasionally pay off.”

Satellite imagery shows airstrip long enough for fighter jets

The Ban Keun airport currently has a runway of about 2,000 meters (6,560 feet), a parallel taxiway and an apron with spots for two dozen aircraft to park, according to an Associated Press analysis of satellite images from two weeks ago.

The runway is already long enough to accommodate fighter aircraft, and the satellite images indicate there is enough room to extend it at least another 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), which could allow use by bigger aircraft, including bombers.

In announcing the opening of the facility last month, China's Ministry of Defense said the “China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy” at Ban Keun are intended to “help Laos strengthen the training of its air force pilots” and “are not directed against any third party.”

China's Foreign Ministry did not answer questions on whether it plans to permanently station aircraft and crews at the facility, but told the AP in a written response that the center and academy came about from “cooperation between the two countries based on mutual respect and equal consultation.”

“They are consistent with the domestic laws of both countries, relevant international law and international practice, and are conducive to regional peace and stability,” the ministry said.

China's state-run Global Times newspaper cited an expert saying there would be no independent Chinese garrison or exclusive use rights.

Laos' government did not respond to multiple requests for comment on how the airport would be jointly run or plans for its use.

For now, Laos' neighbors seem willing to take China's statement at face value, but also are watching closely to see how the facility takes further shape.

Vietnam closely watching Laos for Chinese military deployment

“Vietnam considers the Chinese military program as a training center primarily focused on training and humanitarian relief,” a Vietnamese official with knowledge of the internal discussions said.

“However, Vietnam also believes that China’s decision to establish a military program at this point is intended to strengthen its influence in Laos,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk with the press.

“China’s deployment of military forces in Laos would naturally place a certain degree of additional military pressure on Vietnam as well,” the official said.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry and Cambodia’s Information Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The military-run government of Myanmar, which neighbors Laos to the northwest and is embroiled in a bloody civil war, has not issued any statement.

The Institute for the Study of War said that while the Ban Keun facility is not yet equipped to provide the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force the ability to execute major combat operations like U.S. military bases overseas, its location alone already makes it a significant addition.

“The base would give the PLA alternate routes to access disputed areas of the South China Sea and strategic air routes around Vietnam,” the think tank said in a written analysis.

Thailand sees airfield as Laos' right, but also worth watching

Thailand, which is a treaty ally of the United States but also regularly conducts joint military exercises with China, does not see the establishment of the facility close to the border as a threat to Thai security, but will continue to watch the situation, Defense Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Surasant Kongsiri told the AP.

Laos has the “legitimate freedom to choose and consent to agreements with a partnering country under their own sovereign rights, and within the international law and norm,” he said. “However, Thailand will continue to monitor on the development concerned as part of our routine security assessment. This same response also goes for the Ream Naval Base.”

On a broader level, the airfield could complicate U.S. strategy for the defense of Taiwan, should China ever decide to take the democratically self-governed island by force, which President Xi Jinping has not ruled out for the territory that China claims as its own, said Evan Laksmana, a Singapore-based defense analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The Laos airfield is much farther from Taiwan than considerably larger air bases in mainland China, but could provide an alternate landing strip for damaged aircraft and a place for repairs. The facility could conveniently be supplied by a new high-speed rail line connecting China's Yunnan province to the Laotian capital that was a signature project of Xi's Belt and Road initiative, Laksmana said.

Airfield could complicate US military thinking

“This complicates how the U.S. may have to think,” he said. “Does this mean the U.S. would have to attack a joint facility in Southeast Asia?”

Laos is one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations and deeply in debt to China for the new railway and many other infrastructure projects. While the airfield does improve Laos' strategic balance with its more powerful neighbors, Laksmana said, it may have also been an opportunity for China to use its leverage to build a facility where it can hone its abilities to operate an air base on foreign soil.

“For me, the opportunity is less about the war-fighting part but the familiarity with overseas engagements and activities,” he said.

Even though it is billed as a facility to train Laotian pilots, the Laos air force currently only has seven combat capable aircraft, according to the annual Military Balance report from the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

If the country plans to expand the air force, however, the joint agreement with China could help lead to a better deal for Chinese combat aircraft in the future, Poling said.

“But I suspect it's as much a target of opportunity for Laos as it is for China; not some major strategic vision driving the decision,” he said.

With the MLS playoffs approaching, the Herons looked to strengthen their hold on second place in the Eastern Conference. Two first-half goals and a crucial penalty save from Dayne St. Clair helped Miami secure all three points and another clean sheet.

NYCFC controlled possession early, looking to exploit the space behind Miami’s defense. However, the Herons threatened first on the counterattack.

Lionel Messi played the ball out to Gonzalo Luján on the right wing, and Luján delivered a cross into the box for Sergio Reguilón. The defender connected with a header, but NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese produced an excellent save to keep the match scoreless.

Fifteen minutes in, Miami had created the best chance of the match.

A few moments later, Miami breaks the deadlock!

A slick passing sequence gave the Herons the opening goal.

The ball found Messi inside the box, and he laid it off to Rodrigo De Paul with a one-touch pass. De Paul quickly lifted it toward Luis Suárez, who sent a cross into Germán Berterame for a simple tap-in.

Miami took a 1-0 lead, making the most of its attacking opportunity despite NYCFC’s early possession advantage.

Following the goal, the match settled into a slower rhythm. Fouls disrupted the flow, and neither side found much room to create another clear-cut opportunity.

Then, just before halftime, Miami struck again.

Berterame found Messi on the right wing during another fast break. Messi responded with a brilliant trivela pass into the center of the six-yard box, where De Paul finished emphatically with his right foot.

The combination doubled Miami’s lead and gave Messi his first assist of the night. The Herons headed into halftime firmly in control at 2-0.

Miami started the second half on the front foot, looking to build on its advantage. However, the opening 10 minutes passed without a shot from either team as the Herons focused on controlling the tempo and protecting their lead.

Messi provided Miami’s first attacking threat of the half, sending a cross into the box from the left wing, but NYCFC cleared it away.

New York City responded with a counterattack of its own, creating a promising opportunity. The resulting shot, however, drifted wide of the right post.

As the match passed the 70th minute, Miami appeared content to manage the game rather than chase a third goal. The Herons remained organized defensively, limiting NYCFC’s opportunities to mount a comeback.

Messi nearly added another on the break, firing a shot toward the top-right corner, but his effort missed the target.

The final 20 minutes unfolded at a slower pace, with NYCFC struggling to break through Miami’s defensive shape. The Herons looked comfortable protecting their two-goal advantage as the clock wound down.

Miami came close to putting the match away in the closing minutes. After Freese made another excellent save, the follow-up effort struck the left post, denying the Herons a third goal.

But there was still one final twist.

In the final minute, NYCFC earned a penalty after Ian Fray fouled an opponent inside the box. With a chance to get back into the match, the New York City player stepped up to the spot.

St. Clair read the attempt perfectly, diving the right way to deny the penalty and preserve Miami’s clean sheet.

The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 victory for the Herons, who secured back-to-back wins and consecutive clean sheets while maintaining second place in the Eastern Conference.

With the playoffs approaching, Miami will look to carry that momentum into its next match against Atlanta United on the road at 7:30 p.m.

Se prevé que Lula promulgue la reducción de la jornada laboral la próxima semana, luego de que la cámara alta aprobara la medida en dos rondas de votación con el mismo resultado: 75 a 1 de 81 miembros. El único voto en contra provino del exvicepresidente Hamilton Mourao, quien ejerció ese puesto en el gobierno del presidente Jair Bolsonaro.

Flávio Bolsonaro, quien se opuso a la iniciativa hasta hace unos días, votó a favor de forma remota mientras hacía campaña en el sur de Brasil. Analistas y políticos dicen que sus aliados en el Senado dejaron de bloquear la popular medida para que no se viera perjudicado en su reñida contienda contra Lula.

La enmienda les otorga a las empresas 14 meses para adoptar la jornada laboral más corta, lo que fue un punto de fricción en las negociaciones. Muchos líderes empresariales y legisladores querían que los cambios se hicieran de manera gradual durante 10 años.

La enmienda constitucional establece un límite de 40 horas semanales y dos días de descanso sin reducir el salario. Más de 37 millones de trabajadores podrían beneficiarse de las nuevas reglas, según el gobierno.

El presidente de Brasil se apresuró a celebrar la decisión.

“Hoy es un día para celebrar un logro histórico para millones de trabajadores”, declaró Lula en un comunicado. “Esto significa tener más tiempo para vivir, descansar, estar con la familia, ver crecer a sus hijos, cuidarse y disfrutar la vida. Aquellos que trabajan tan duro para construir Brasil también merecen tener tiempo para vivir”.

Muchos senadores corearon el nombre de Lula después de la votación, mientras que los partidarios de Bolsonaro abandonaron rápidamente el recinto.

“¿No dije que esto iba a funcionar?”, expresó Davi Alcolumbre, el presidente del Senado de Brasil, a un destacado senador del Partido de los Trabajadores de Lula después del resultado. Programó la decisión para que ocurriera entre la primera y la segunda vuelta de los comicios, lo que beneficia al mandatario en funciones.

Encuestas recientes indicaron que hay un amplio respaldo a la medida, pese a la oposición de muchos empresarios. Muchos aliados de Bolsonaro dijeron en sus intervenciones que ven que el costo de la vida sube debido al nuevo horario.

El presidente de Brasil usa herramientas del gobierno para acercarse a los votantes

Lula ha tomado una serie de medidas en los últimos días para apuntalar el apoyo de los electores antes de la segunda vuelta, entre ellas nuevos recortes de impuestos a los combustibles, la ampliación de subsidios existentes, la promesa de condonar deudas de más de 3,6 millones de pequeñas empresas con el gobierno federal, la decisión de bloquear la señal de teléfonos celulares alrededor de las prisiones y un aumento de los pagos de un programa de asistencia para estudiantes universitarios.

El cambio en el sistema de jornada laboral es considerado el punto culminante de esas iniciativas.

Flávio Bolsonaro, que superó a Lula por 2,2 millones de votos en la primera vuelta, revirtió el martes su prolongada oposición a la medida. Antes defendía un régimen más flexible de pago por hora, pedía negociaciones individuales entre empleados y empleadores, y reiteradamente calificaba la propuesta como motivada por intereses electorales.

Horas después de anunciar su respaldo al cambio, Bolsonaro dijo a empresarios que el nuevo Congreso —donde su partido podría alcanzar una mayoría simple con otros partidos aliados desde febrero— podría revisar la medida, informó el diario local O Globo.

La aprobación de la reducción de la jornada laboral fue uno de los temas en decenas de protestas a favor de Lula que se realizan en todo el país desde la semana pasada. Algunos celebraron la votación del Senado el miércoles en las calles de Río de Janeiro y Sao Paulo.

“Necesitábamos a la gente en las calles”, expresó Lunna Normande, de 23 años, durante una protesta con cientos de personas en Río. “Seguiremos en las calles hasta que termine esta semana laboral inhumana”.

El gobierno de Lula ha trabajado en la propuesta desde el año pasado. “Cualquier cambio hecho en un año electoral puede considerarse una medida electoral”, expresó Carla Beni, economista de la Fundación Getulio Vargas, un centro de estudios y universidad.

Las personas que trabajan en la economía informal, tales como los trabajadores independientes y los repartidores, no se verán afectadas por la nueva ley.

El impulso detrás de esta reforma refleja una tendencia creciente en América Latina. Países vecinos como Chile y Colombia han aprobado recientemente leyes históricas para reducir sus respectivas jornadas laborales a 40 y 42 horas, lo que envalentonó a los grupos laborales brasileños a buscar lo mismo.

En febrero, legisladores mexicanos aprobaron una propuesta de la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum para recortar la semana laboral de 48 horas. Las horas de trabajo se reducirán gradualmente hasta llegar a una semana laboral de 40 horas para 2030.

En 2023, Chile aprobó la llamada Ley de 40 Horas, que redujo su semana laboral a 40 horas desde el año pasado. Se aplica a todos los trabajadores bajo el Código del Trabajo del país, sin reducción salarial.

Por su parte, Argentina se ha desmarcado de esa tendencia durante el gobierno del presidente Javier Milei, y podría ampliar su semana laboral de 48 horas.

___

Hughes informó desde Río de Janeiro.

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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.

Luis Suárez also assisted for Inter Miami, which has won back-to-back matches for the first time since July.

Miami missed the postseason when Messi arrived in 2023, but has reached the playoffs the past three seasons, losing in the first round to Atlanta United in 2024 then beating Vancouver last year to win the club's first MLS Cup.

Wednesday's victory came after Miami routed DC United 4-0 last Saturday on a pair of goals from Messi and Suárez, and it was the second league win for new coach Cristian “Kily” González, who took over Sept. 16.

Berterame scored in the 20th for his eighth goal of the season. De Paul doubled Miami's lead right before the end of the first half. Dayne St. Clair denied Nicolás Fernández on a penalty in the final minute of the match for his second straight clean sheet.

It has been a rollercoaster year for Messi, who led Argentina to its second straight World Cup final and announced his retirement from international soccer a month later. Now, he has a chance to cap it with another trophy.

Up next

NYCFC: Hosts LAFC on Saturday.

Miami: At Atlanta United on Saturday.

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See AP’s full MLS coverage here

The S&P 500 fell 0.3% and is on track for a sixth loss in the seven days since setting its all-time high. The weakness for AI stocks dragged the Nasdaq composite down a market-leading 0.9%, but other kinds of stocks held up better. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 291 points, or 0.6%, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the majority of U.S. stocks were rising.

The swings came as another report signaled inflation has worsened by even more in the United States than economists expected. Part of the reason prices keep rising so quickly is that customers are continuing to buy things despite them, and a separate report on Thursday said U.S. retailers made more money last month than economists expected.

For AI stocks, the sharp drops started on Wall Street Wednesday and then sent South Korea’s Kospi down 7.6% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 down 4.9% before whipping back to the United States.

It’s their latest stunning swing after they led the market for years. Companies are pouring money into AI in hopes of bigger profits and improved productivity. But data centers and AI chips cost money, and many companies have been borrowing the cash to get them.

Now, after yields in bond markets worldwide hit their highest levels in years, worries are rising about how resilient that boom in spending can be. Many AI-related companies have already taken on debt to build out their aspirations, and stocks are struggling under the debt loads.

CoreWeave, which offers AI computing power to customers over the cloud, fell 7.8% a day after tumbling 15.5%. It said in the summer that it had $4.41 billion in principal payments to make on its debt over the second half of this year and another $6.18 billion in 2027. It had more than $5.5 billion in cash, as of June 30.

High yields in the bond market also generally make investors less willing to pay high prices for stocks, particularly those seen as the most expensive.

Nvidia, the chip company that’s ridden the AI boom to become Wall Street’s most valuable company, fell 2.6% and was the day's heaviest weight on the S&P 500. It came into the day with a nearly 1,415% gain since the end of 2022.

The losses came despite a strong profit report from a bellwether of the AI industry. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reported a profit for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ high expectations, and Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said it expects strong demand to continue in the final three months of 2026.

Its stock that trades in the United States fell 4.6%.

A day earlier, another major player in the AI industry likewise delivered a strong profit report that failed to stir excitement for the industry. Christophe Fouquet, the CEO of ASML in the Netherlands, said demand has been so strong because of AI that some customers are talking about placing orders for as far out as 2029 or even 2030.

Outside of AI, stocks were more resilient.

Marsh & McLennan climbed 6.1% to help lead the market after the insurance and professional services firm reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, which updated its brand name to Marsh early this year, also delivered higher revenue than expected.

Expectations are high for profits at all kinds of companies this reporting season, which began in earnest this week. Companies will need to surpass them to keep driving their stock prices to more records when high inflation and many other worries are weighing on Wall Street.

Two out of every three stocks within the S&P 500 rose. But because AI stocks have become so big in market value, their stock movements have more effect on the index than others and often drown out the rest of the market.

Treasury yields fell in the bond market on Thursday, which means investors are willing to pay higher prices to buy U.S. government bonds. Treasurys have a reputation as a safer investment, one with less risk of the borrower going bankrupt, and investors often flock to them when feeling nervous.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 5.06% from 5.19% late Wednesday. It had topped 5.30% earlier this month and touched its highest level since 2002 because of worries about high inflation, signals of a strong U.S. economy and other factors.

The drop in yields came despite several reports on the U.S. economy that were stronger than expected, which would typically push yields upward. Besides the report on U.S. retail sales, another report said that fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected. That could be a signal of limited layoffs across the country.

In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s loss was the headliner. Its Kospi index is dominated by two chip companies, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and it fell to its worst day since July. It has dropped 39% since setting a record in June.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

Hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, reduced the suspension.

Jackson was disciplined without pay for striking Buffalo linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after their teams’ overtime game Monday night. He will not play in the Rams' game against Arizona on Sunday, but now will be eligible for the Oct. 25 game at Las Vegas.

David Quessenberry will be the Rams’ starting left tackle against the Cardinals.

Jackson struck Chubb after the two exchanged words following the Bills’ 37-34 overtime victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

Jackson was doing a jersey swap with another Bills player when Chubb had words with him and walked away. Jackson followed and confronted Chubb before throwing a strike that knocked Chubb’s hat off his head.

Teammates quickly separated the two, but Jackson was already in trouble yet again.

Jackson was arrested on June 9 on suspicion of felony domestic violence after a confrontation with a woman at his home in the San Fernando Valley. His case was assigned for a prefiling diversion that likely allows him to avoid criminal charges, but the NFL has yet to announce a decision on possible league discipline for that incident.

He was sued in 2025 by a woman who alleged he recorded sexual acts with her on his phone without her consent. The incident, which wasn’t publicly revealed until the lawsuit was filed, led to Jackson being suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season for an undisclosed violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Jackson, a Canadian-American dual citizen, is one of the Rams’ longest-tenured players. He won a Super Bowl ring as a backup lineman in February 2022.

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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Lula is expected to sign the shorter workweek into law next week after the measure passed the Senate in two rounds of voting with the same result: 75 to 1 out of 81 members. The sole vote against it came from former Vice President Hamilton Mourao, who served under President Jair Bolsonaro.

Flávio Bolsonaro, who opposed the initiative until early this week, voted for it remotely as he campaigned in southern Brazil. Analysts and politicians say his allies in the Senate stopped blocking the popular move so he wouldn't be hurt in his neck-to-neck race against Lula.

The amendment gives businesses 14 months to adopt the shorter workweek, which was a key sticking point in the negotiations. Many business leaders and lawmakers wanted the changes to be made gradually over 10 years.

The constitutional amendment establishes a 40-hour weekly limit and two rest days without reducing pay. More than 37 million workers could benefit from the new rules, according to the government.

Brazil's president was quick to celebrate the decision.

“Today is a day to celebrate a historic achievement for millions of workers,” Lula said in a statement. “This means having more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, take care of yourself, and enjoy life. Those who work so hard to build Brazil also deserve to have time to live.”

Many senators chanted Lula's name after the vote, while Bolsonaro supporters quickly left the chamber.

“Didn't I say this was going to work?” Davi Alcolumbre, the president of Brazil's Senate, told a leading senator of Lula's Workers' Party after the result. He timed the decision to take place between the first and the second round of the election, which benefits the incumbent.

Recent polls indicated widespread support for the measure, despite the opposition of many business owners. Many Bolsonaro allies said in their remarks they see the cost of living going up because of the new schedule.

Brazil's president using government tools to reach out to voters

Lula has taken a number of steps in recent days to shore up support before the runoff, including new fuel tax cuts, the extension of existing subsidies, the pledge to pardon debts of more than 3.6 million small businesses with the federal government, the decision to block signal for cellphones around prisons, and a boost in payments of a welfare program for university students.

The change in the workweek system is regarded as the pinnacle of those initiatives.

Bolsonaro, who bested Lula by 2.2 million votes in the first-round election, reversed his long-standing opposition to the measure on Tuesday. He previously advocated for a more flexible payment-by-the-hour regime, called for individual negotiations between employees and employers and repeatedly called the legislation election-motivated.

Hours after announcing his support for the change, Bolsonaro told business owners that the new Congress, where his party could reach a simple majority with other allied parties come February, could review the measure, local newspaper O Globo reported.

The approval of the reduced workweek was a theme in dozens of pro-Lula protests taking place nationwide since last week. Some celebrated the Senate vote on Wednesday in streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

“We needed the people out on the streets,” said Lunna Normande, 23, during a protest with hundreds of people in Rio. “We will continue to be on the streets until this inhumane work week ends.”

Lula's government has been working on the proposal since last year. “Any change made in an election year can be considered an electoral measure,” said Carla Beni, an economist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think-tank and university.

People working in the shadow economy, such as freelancers and delivery drivers, will not be affected by the new legislation.

The momentum behind this reform reflects a growing trend across Latin America. Neighboring countries such as Chile and Colombia have recently enacted landmark legislation to shorten their respective workweeks to 40 and 42 hours, which emboldened Brazilian labor groups to seek the same.

In February, Mexican lawmakers approved a proposal by President Claudia Sheinbaum to trim the 48-hour workweek. Working hours will be shortened gradually to a 40-hour workweek by 2030.

Chile in 2023 passed the so-called 40-Hour Law, which reduced its workweek to 40 hours as of last year. It applies to all workers under Chile’s Labor Code, without reducing pay.

But Argentina has bucked that trend under President Javier Milei and may extend its 48-hour workweek.

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Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro.

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

The proclamation coincides with LGBTQ+ History Month and honors the league’s role in creating a welcoming environment where people of different skill levels can connect through sports.

Based in Wilton Manors, Rainbow Sports League offers beginner and advanced divisions in a variety of sports, including soccer, volleyball, dodgeball and pickleball.

The organization provides opportunities for people to compete, socialize and build connections throughout the week.

The league has grown significantly since Bill Doyle and Alex Plaza took over its ownership nearly three years ago.

Beyond athletics, Rainbow Sports League partners with local organizations to raise tens of thousands of dollars for charities throughout South Florida. Its fundraising efforts have supported causes ranging from mental health services to homelessness.

League organizers said they were overwhelmed by the city’s recognition, describing the proclamation as a meaningful acknowledgment of the community the organization has built.

The Oct. 13 designation celebrates not only the league’s athletic programs but also its broader mission of bringing people together through inclusion, social connection and community service.

More information about joining Rainbow Sports League is available by clicking here.

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Fusco was removed from Tuesday’s meeting after repeatedly speaking out in support of a district administrator whose firing was approved during the meeting.

School board members and Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn said Fusco was disrupting the proceedings and warned her multiple times before ordering her removal.

“We’re taking swift action today legally,” Fusco told reporters on Wednesday.

Fusco said the board violated her rights by not allowing her union time to speak and by failing to answer questions she called out during the meeting.

“From everything I read, they violated due process,” she said. “That’s why I was in that building yesterday, I want no mistake.”

The dispute centers on the firing of Jennifer Andreu, who served as the district’s executive director of operations, procurement and warehousing services from October 2023 to early 2026.

The Broward Office of the Inspector General says it found that Andreu mismanaged a district contract involving about 80,000 laptops and misled the school board, according to the findings described by the district.

Fusco questioned the investigation and said she did not trust its conclusions.

“I don’t believe what they found because I don’t know who the superintendent and the other little powers that be, brought them the people to be interviewed,” she said. “We don’t know all the details because it’s an outside agency and Broward County Public Schools has their own internal policy on how to investigate. Why wasn’t it done with us?”

Fusco also rejected the suggestion that the legal dispute could distract from a school funding referendum voters will decide in November.

She said Broward voters understand the measure would benefit educators and students.

Broward County Public Schools Chief of Staff John J. Sullivan released the following statement to Local 10 News in regard to Fusco’s removal from the board meeting:

“Broward County Public Schools welcomes public participation, differing viewpoints, and respectful debate at School Board meetings. However, the School Board outlines rules of participation for all participants to ensure decorum to efficiently address the important business of serving our students, teachers, and families,” he wrote. “The individual removed from yesterday’s meeting was given multiple warnings for repeatedly disrupting the proceedings. The decision was based on conduct, not viewpoint.”

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The shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Northwest 109th Street and South River Drive in the town of Medley.

According to police, the incident stemmed from two people getting into an argument at a business called Metro Express, which led to one of them shooting the other.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said crews responded to the area and transported one person by helicopter to a nearby trauma center. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that the victim had died at the hospital.

Deputies said the shooter was also hospitalized due to “personal medical reasons.”

Charges are pending, authorities said.

The identities of the suspect and victim have not yet been released. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.

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Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said they booked Johnay Monique Barnett of Roswell, Georgia, into the county jail on Tuesday.

According to deputies, it was in December of 2025 when the victims were contacted by someone who claimed to work for the Seminole County jail.

Deputies said that person told the couple their son had been arrested, and they needed to pay $6,500 for an ankle monitor so he could be released.

They said after the victims paid the money through Zelle, they were contacted again and told that an additional $9,000 was needed in order for their son to be released.

At that point, the victims contacted MCSO to report what happened.

Authorities said the investigation required the assistance of several law enforcement agencies in Georgia, including the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta Police Department, and the Alpharetta Police Department.

Through investigative means, that also involved several banking institutions, security footage and past police body camera footage from similar investigations. Authorities said they built a case that led to MCSO obtaining an arrest warrant for Barnett.

Deputies said she was arrested and subsequently transferred to Monroe County on one count of larceny. Her bond was set at $30,000.

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Wendy Louis, 40, of northeast Miami-Dade, was taken into custody after deputies from the sheriff’s Intracoastal District responded to his home to conduct a welfare check on the children.

According to the arrest report, the children had been telling family members that they were not being fed for days, were only allowed to drink water from the shower and were not permitted to use the restroom.

When deputies spoke with the children, both described similar living conditions, the report stated.

Investigators said the children reported going days without food because their father believed the government was putting “stuff” in it.

The children also told deputies that Louis kept them confined to their rooms for days at a time and would not allow them to leave.

According to the report, they were forced to use a bucket as a toilet and were not permitted to shower daily.

The children also told investigators that they had not attended school since August of last year, when their father withdrew them, authorities said.

According to the arrest report, the children were not receiving homeschooling instruction.

Deputies described both children as extremely small and thin for their ages, with unkempt and matted hair.

The report did not specify the children’s ages.

Investigators determined that Louis had failed to provide the “care, supervision and services necessary” to maintain the children’s “physical and mental health.”

According to the report, Louis refused to be interviewed by investigators.

He was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he was booked on two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.

As of Wednesday afternoon, he remained jailed with a bond listed in online jail records as “to be set.”

According to records, Louis also had an active bench warrant at the time of his arrest for charges of battery/domestic violence and resisting an officer without violence.

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On Wednesday, former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire graduated the police academy as to serve the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department.

The ceremony was held at Miami Dade College’s North Campus.

It’s a big summer for Stoudemire, who also was one of this year’s inductees into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Stoudemire played 14 years in the NBA, with his final season coming with the Heat in 2015-16.

He played 846 NBA games, finishing his career with an average of 18.9 points on 53.7% shooting, to go with 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.

Local 10’s Jeff Derderian was at the graduation, and his full report can be seen at the top of this page.

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According to the Miami Police Department, investigators became aware of a disturbing video circulating online Tuesday that showed the dog.

Police said witnesses found the dog underwater, secured to two cinder blocks, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery.

“It was the worst thing I have seen in my life because, I started thinking about it, and the worst part about it is that they tied the dog with its own leash and they zip-tied it to the cinder blocks,” Ryan Young, the boater who found the sunken dog, said. “It was a very purposeful-looking thing.”

Detectives are now working to identify the person or people responsible.

Person questioned, arrested on unrelated charges

In a statement posted on Instagram, Miami police said investigators had made contact with someone who might be the dog’s owner.

However, authorities said they have not been able to confirm whether that individual owns the animal.

The person was questioned by investigators and subsequently arrested on unrelated charges, police said.

Authorities have not released the individual’s identity or provided details about those charges.

Investigation remains ongoing

Miami police spokesperson Officer Kiara Delva confirmed that detectives are actively pursuing leads to determine what led to the dog being found in the water and identify whoever is responsible.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Miami-Dade corrections booked Edgar Gabriel Montanepina shortly after 4:35 a.m. on Wednesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to inmate records.

Natalie Riano said she witnessed the burglary at Fumar y Mas. She said Montanepina threatened her and her sister at the store at 11654 Quail Roost Drive.

“It is definitely scary,” Natalie Reano said. “He is demanding like cartons of cigarettes and stuff to put into the bag, and she is just like, ‘Oh, don’t do this to me like, I know you, you are a regular!’”

Detectives also accused Montanepina of threatening two other women during an armed burglary at the Maravillas Bus food truck at 111334 Quail Roost Drive, according to a deputy’s arrest report.

Montanepina “approached the rear of the food truck and grandished a black firearm, pointed it at the victims and demanded money,” a deputy wrote, adding that he stole $100 and fled in a bicycle, according to the report.

Deputies arrested Montanepina shortly before 1:10 a.m. on Wednesday at Southwest 114th Avenue and 190th Drive, records show.

Montanepina faced 10 charges in five new cases in Miami-Dade County. On Wednesday, prosecutors filed two of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office cases.

For the food truck case, Montanepina faced three charges: Armed robbery, possession of a weapon by a felon, and aggravated assault with a firearm.

For the smoke shop case, Montanepina faced two charges: Armed robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Andrea Wolfson was set to preside over the two cases.

The other three cases included two counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling.

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But the ad’s on-screen text includes an important qualifier: Moskowitz has made “up to” $8 million in stock trades.

The distinction matters because congressional financial disclosure forms generally report stock transactions in dollar ranges, rather than exact amounts. As a result, the disclosures do not establish precisely how much money Moskowitz made from trading.

A spokesperson for the Congressional Leadership Fund, the group behind the ad, said the “up to” language was technically correct.

According to CongressStock.com, Moskowitz’s net worth is estimated at $9.9 million. However, that figure does not establish how much he has earned from stock trades, and the amount he has actually profited from trading remains unclear.

The ad also accuses Moskowitz of getting rich in Congress while raising taxes, linking his personal finances to his voting record.

Moskowitz voted against President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which made expiring tax provisions permanent and reduced federal taxes on tips and overtime.

The ad’s claims raise two separate questions:

How much Moskowitz has actually profited from stock trading and how his vote on the tax legislation affected taxpayers.

The available transaction ranges do not, by themselves, establish his trading profits, while the tax claim depends on how the legislation’s provisions and effects are characterized.

Local 10 has reached out to Moskowitz’s campaign for comment.

Según los registros de reclusos, el Departamento de Corrección de Miami-Dade ingresó a Edgar Gabriel Montanepina poco después de las 4:35 a.m. del miércoles en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Natalie Riano dijo que presenció el asalto en Fumar y Mas. Según su relato, Montanepina las amenazó a ella y a su hermana en la tienda, ubicada en el 11654 Quail Roost Drive.

“Da mucho miedo, la verdad”, dijo Riano. “Le estaba exigiendo cartones de cigarrillos y cosas para meter en la bolsa, y ella le decía: ‘¡Ay, no me hagas esto, yo te conozco, tú eres cliente de aquí!’”.

Según el informe de arresto de un agente, los detectives también acusan a Montanepina de amenazar a otras dos mujeres. Fue durante un asalto a mano armada en el camión de comida Maravillas Bus, en el 111334 Quail Roost Drive.

Montanepina “se acercó a la parte trasera del camión de comida, sacó un arma de fuego negra, apuntó a las víctimas y les exigió dinero”, escribió un agente. Según el informe, se robó $100 y huyó en bicicleta.

Según los registros, los agentes arrestaron a Montanepina poco antes de la 1:10 a.m. del miércoles en la avenida 114 y la calle 190 del suroeste.

Montanepina enfrenta 10 cargos en cinco casos nuevos en el condado de Miami-Dade. El miércoles, la fiscalía presentó cargos en dos de los casos de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade.

En el caso del camión de comida, Montanepina enfrenta tres cargos: robo a mano armada, posesión de un arma por parte de un delincuente convicto y asalto agravado con arma de fuego.

En el caso de la tienda de cigarrillos, enfrenta dos cargos: robo a mano armada y asalto agravado con arma de fuego.

La jueza de circuito del condado de Miami-Dade Andrea Wolfson presidirá ambos casos.

Los otros tres casos incluyen dos cargos de robo a mano armada con un arma mortal, dos cargos de posesión de un arma de fuego por parte de un delincuente convicto y un cargo de allanamiento de una vivienda desocupada.

The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argues that Kushner’s role as a chief negotiator in the U.S.’s most prominent ongoing foreign policy concerns means he should be considered an official government employee and comply with all relevant requirements.

Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, are considered to be the president’s closest and most influential diplomats. Neither is Senate-confirmed, and Witkoff is a formal employee, although the wealthy investor does not draw a taxpayer-funded salary.

The White House has repeatedly said Kushner remains a private citizen and is doing his diplomatic duties on a volunteer basis.

But in the lawsuit, CREW said Kushner is representing the United States while simultaneously running an investment firm that manages billions of dollars of foreign-owned assets.

“While his personal business interests abroad raise serious conflict-of-interest concerns, he has not been properly vetted for his government role,” read the legal complaint, filed Wednesday. ”(A)nd he has evaded transparency obligations that aim to ensure that he exercises government authority for the good of the American people and not himself.”

The Constitution’s appointments clause and a post-Watergate ethics law are meant to ensure that federal officials are properly vetted and that their assets are adequately disclosed.

Kushner’s unofficial role has made him central to the biggest foreign policy challenges of the second Trump administration, including the wars between Israel and Hamas, Ukraine and Russia and the U.S. and Iran. He was a primary negotiator of the peace plan that was inked between Israel and Hamas last year, and he regularly travels abroad to meet with world leaders as a representative of his father-in-law.

Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, were formal government employees during the first Trump administration and filed the appropriate financial disclosures, although neither took a salary. Though Kushner had some domestic policies in his portfolio during Trump’s first term in office, he has been mainly focused on foreign policy the second time around.

Chad Mizelle, an attorney for Kushner, said in a statement on X that the lawsuit is “without merit” and that CREW lacks standing to challenge him.

CREW insists that it is directly harmed because Kushner is depriving it of records that would otherwise be available from government officials.

“Both outside ethics counsel and government ethics attorneys have reviewed Jared Kushner’s volunteer government service and confirmed that his arrangements comply with applicable ethics requirements,” said Mizelle, who served as chief of staff at the Justice Department from the start of the second Trump administration before leaving government service last year.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly attacked CREW as an “unserious, Trump-deranged organization that has been attacking President Trump, his family, and his administration since the first term.”

Calling Kushner a “proven dealmaker,” Kelly said his “personal business activities have nothing to do with his diplomatic engagements, which he conducts on a volunteer basis at the President’s request and while paying his own expenses.”

Kushner himself has brushed off conflict-of-interest questions in the past, saying in a CBS News interview last year that his business and financial connections were actually an asset.

“What people call conflicts of interests, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world,” Kushner said in the interview, referring to Witkoff. “If Steve and I didn’t have these deep relationships, the deal we were able to get done, that freed these hostages, would not have occurred.”

Kushner was referring to the Israeli hostages who were freed by Hamas as part of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement.

Also named in the lawsuit are Witkoff, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in their official capacities.

Pero el texto que aparece en pantalla incluye un matiz importante: Moskowitz ha hecho operaciones con acciones por “hasta” $8 millones.

La diferencia importa porque los formularios de divulgación financiera del Congreso suelen reportar las transacciones de acciones en rangos de dólares, no en cantidades exactas. Por eso, esos reportes no permiten saber con precisión cuánto dinero ganó Moskowitz con sus operaciones.

Un portavoz del Congressional Leadership Fund, el grupo detrás del anuncio, dijo que la expresión “hasta” era técnicamente correcta.

Según CongressStock.com, el patrimonio neto de Moskowitz se calcula en $9.9 millones. Sin embargo, esa cifra no indica cuánto ha ganado con la compraventa de acciones, y sus ganancias reales por esas operaciones siguen sin estar claras.

El anuncio también acusa a Moskowitz de enriquecerse en el Congreso mientras subía los impuestos, y vincula sus finanzas personales con su historial de votación.

Moskowitz votó en contra de la “One Big Beautiful Bill” del presidente Donald Trump. Esa ley hizo permanentes algunas disposiciones fiscales que estaban por vencer y redujo los impuestos federales sobre las propinas y las horas extra.

Las afirmaciones del anuncio plantean dos preguntas distintas. La primera es cuánto ha ganado realmente Moskowitz con sus operaciones bursátiles. La segunda es cómo afectó a los contribuyentes su voto sobre la ley fiscal.

Los rangos de transacciones disponibles no bastan por sí solos para establecer sus ganancias. Por su parte, la afirmación sobre los impuestos depende de cómo se interpreten las disposiciones y los efectos de la ley.

Local 10 se comunicó con la campaña de Moskowitz para pedirle comentarios.

El miércoles, Amar’e Stoudemire, exjugador All-Star de la NBA, se graduó de la academia de policía para servir en el Departamento de Policía de las Escuelas de Miami-Dade.

La ceremonia se celebró en el North Campus del Miami Dade College.

Es un verano importante para Stoudemire, que además fue uno de los elegidos este año para el Salón de la Fama del Baloncesto Naismith.

Stoudemire jugó 14 años en la NBA. Su última temporada fue con el Heat, en 2015-16.

Disputó 846 partidos en la NBA. Terminó su carrera con un promedio de 18.9 puntos por partido y un 53.7% de efectividad en tiros de campo. También promedió 7.8 rebotes, 1.2 asistencias y 1.2 tapones por partido.

Jeff Derderian, de Local 10, estuvo en la graduación. Su reportaje completo puede verse al inicio de esta página.

Wendy Louis, de 40 años y residente del noreste de Miami-Dade, fue detenido después de que agentes del Distrito Intracoastal de la Oficina del Sheriff fueran a su casa a comprobar el bienestar de los niños.

Según el informe de arresto, los niños les habían contado a sus familiares que pasaban días sin comer. También dijeron que solo les permitían tomar agua de la ducha y que no los dejaban usar el baño.

Cuando los agentes hablaron con los niños, ambos describieron condiciones de vida similares, según el informe.

Según los investigadores, los niños contaron que pasaban días sin comer porque su padre creía que el gobierno le estaba poniendo “cosas” a la comida.

Los niños también les dijeron a los agentes que Louis los mantenía encerrados en sus cuartos durante días y no los dejaba salir.

Según el informe, los obligaba a usar un balde como inodoro y no les permitía bañarse todos los días.

Los niños también contaron que no iban a la escuela desde agosto del año pasado, cuando su padre los sacó, según las autoridades.

Según el informe de arresto, los niños tampoco recibían educación en casa.

Los agentes describieron a ambos niños como extremadamente pequeños y delgados para su edad, con el pelo descuidado y enmarañado.

El informe no especificó la edad de los niños.

Los investigadores determinaron que Louis no les dio a los niños “el cuidado, la supervisión y los servicios necesarios” para mantener su “salud física y mental”.

Según el informe, Louis se negó a ser entrevistado por los investigadores.

Fue arrestado y trasladado al Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Allí fue procesado por dos cargos de negligencia infantil sin lesiones corporales graves.

Hasta la tarde del miércoles, seguía en la cárcel. Según los registros en línea, su fianza figuraba como “por determinar”.

Según los registros, al momento de su arresto Louis también tenía una orden de arresto judicial vigente por agresión en un caso de violencia doméstica y por resistirse a un agente sin violencia.

Según el Departamento de Policía de Miami, el martes los investigadores supieron de un video perturbador del perro que circulaba en internet.

La policía dijo que los testigos encontraron al perro bajo el agua, atado a dos bloques de concreto. Eso dio pie a una investigación sobre las circunstancias del hallazgo.

“Fue lo peor que he visto en mi vida, porque me puse a pensarlo, y lo peor es que amarraron al perro con su propia correa y lo sujetaron a los bloques de concreto con amarres plásticos”, dijo Ryan Young, el navegante que encontró al perro hundido. “Se notaba que lo hicieron a propósito”.

Los detectives trabajan ahora para identificar a la persona o las personas responsables.

Persona interrogada y arrestada por cargos no relacionados

En un comunicado publicado en Instagram, la policía de Miami informó que los investigadores contactaron a una persona que podría ser el dueño del perro.

Sin embargo, las autoridades dijeron que no han podido confirmar si esa persona es la dueña del animal.

Según la policía, los investigadores interrogaron a esa persona y luego la arrestaron por cargos no relacionados con el caso.

Las autoridades no han revelado su identidad ni han dado detalles sobre esos cargos.

La investigación continúa

La agente Kiara Delva, portavoz de la policía de Miami, confirmó que los detectives siguen varias pistas. Buscan determinar por qué el perro terminó en el agua e identificar al responsable.

La investigación continúa.

Los hechos ocurrieron el domingo alrededor de las 7:30 p.m. en la zona de la calle 19 Este y la Primera Avenida, en Hialeah.

Según sus familiares, Diener Benguria paseaba a su perro con su mamá cuando lo atacaron con violencia.

“Había un perro suelto y vino corriendo a atacarme a mí o a mi perro”, contó Benguria. “Lo llamé y le dije: ‘Agarra a tu perro, ven a buscar a tu (grosería) perro y ponle la correa’”.

Según Benguria, en ese momento le lanzaron una lata y después lo tiraron al suelo.

Tras la presunta golpiza, Benguria quedó con fracturas en toda la cara, como muestran las fotos que la familia entregó a Local 10 News.

Sin embargo, no ha habido arrestos en el caso. La policía de Hialeah le explicó a Local 10 News: “Esto fue una pelea entre dos hombres. Un testigo independiente informó que el señor que fue llevado al hospital se acercó al otro hombre de manera agresiva y se le metió en su espacio personal antes de que comenzara la pelea. Como las versiones no coinciden, ambos hombres fueron remitidos a la Fiscalía Estatal”.

La madre de Benguria le contó a Rosh Lowe, de Local 10, que vio cómo atacaban a su hijo y lo describió como una agresión.

Los detectives dijeron que investigan activamente el caso. Están tocando puertas y buscando videos de vigilancia que hayan captado lo ocurrido.

The incident was the deadliest event ever to occur at a Mexican immigration center and exposed the shortcomings and irregularities in Mexican immigration detention centers, as well as the way officials treated migrants.

Garduño faced trial for crimes of abuse of public office and dereliction of duty after footage from the fire showed guards failed to respond to cries for help.

The judge ruled Tuesday that the measures taken to repair the damage had been fulfilled, a decision rejected by the victims, who will appeal.

“Yesterday, corruption and the impunity of politicians protected by power won again,” denounced the Foundation for Justice, one of the NGOs representing some of the victims, on Wednesday in X.

In their view, the judge’s decision to close the criminal case against Garduño, which amounts to a de facto exoneration, “confirms that justice in Mexico is selective” and denies the victims “full reparations” and concrete guarantees that similar events will not be repeated.

Miguel Zenteno, one of the Foundation’s lawyers, noted that the sentence is not yet final because it will be appealed and because another injunction is pending against the reparations ordered by the judge for failing to meet the standards required by such serious events.

On March 27, 2023, some 70 men were crammed into a locked dormitory with no ventilation and barely any water at the Ciudad Juarez immigration detention center, on the border with El Paso, Texas. As night fell, a small group set fire to some mattresses in protest, and within seconds, smoke engulfed the entire area.

Security cameras recorded the guards leaving the area despite cries for help and without even attempting to open the gates. Only the women, held in another cell, were released. Most of the victims were Central Americans and Venezuelans.

Garduño, a former prison guard and current official at the Ministry of Education, led the National Migration Institute (INM) starting in 2019 and continued in the role until 2025 despite the tragic incident.

The judge had previously ordered Garduño to compensate the families, provide them with free specialized medical care, issue a public apology, provide human rights training to migration personnel and guarantee that the events would not be repeated.

Zenteno acknowledged that the measures were implemented, but only partially, because the damages were not paid by Garduño, as stipulated by the legal process, but rather by the INM, and these payments have not provided full reparations for the families. Furthermore, the victims were not even informed how to access free medical services, and the apology “was a mere formality, not substantive.”

In addition to Garduño, another former director of the institute was accused of the same crimes. Six immigration agents, including a military officer, a private security guard, and the two migrants accused of starting the fire, are charged with homicide and assault. Most of the officials remain free pending trial.

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

Thursday will offer a sun/cloud mix with the chance for “hit or miss,” passing showers. East winds, sustained 5 to 10+ mph, will rule the day. Temperatures are forecast to peak near 90°F.

“Knowing that everybody is behind him, it was very special to be there today," Spreen said. "The church was full and everybody was praying. You could just see all those prayers going up and being received.”

Catholics in Chicago and around the world met the news of Leo's lung cancer diagnosis with shock, concern and support for the 71-year-old, whose candor around his health broke with the Vatican's tendency to be tight-lipped around papal health. Leo himself announced that he had a nodule and was undergoing surgery, which confirmed that he has lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. Surgeons on Tuesday removed the lower lobe of his right lung.

Spreen, whose husband died from cancer, said the pope going public with his diagnosis can “wake up the whole world” to the importance of early detection.

“If the pope can have cancer, anybody can," she said.

The first American-born pope, Leo undertook his ministry in Peru, but he was born in 1955 in the south side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, near St. Mary of the Assumption, where he attended Mass and elementary school.

He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in Hyde Park and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School. Leo is also a White Sox fan, a fact embraced by the team.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, encouraged fellow Chicagoans and people worldwide to “join me in asking the Lord to return this son of Chicago to wellness.”

"He has much more good work to do, many more wise words to preach and many more ways to inspire others," Cupich said in a statement.

Earlier Wednesday, students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy made get-well cards and a care package, complete with a White Sox blanket, to send to the Vatican. The Rev. Charles Rubey, a retired priest, planned to offer a Sunday Mass in the apartment where he lives in the suburbs of Chicago.

“I’m praying very hard, asking God to spare him illness, so he’ll be successful in the treatment,” he said.

“I think he’s a hero,” Rubey said of Pope Leo. “He’s highly revered here, highly loved.”

The Vatican said late Wednesday that the pope had celebrated Mass with his secretaries in the afternoon in a special chapel set up for him on the 10th floor of the hospital. He had also resumed his regular diet and begun walking.

For Katrina Coker, Leo has been an authentic embodiment of true Catholicism, which she said should be open and welcoming and loving. Coker of Johns Creek, Georgia, said it was meaningful to her that she happened to be in Chicago this week and she wanted to attend Mass in his hometown to pray for Leo's recovery.

“I feel somewhat of a kindred spirit, and hopefully he can get a little bit of healing from home,” she said. “I think there’s just so much more that he can do, and I pray that he gets well soon."

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Henao reported from Princeton, New Jersey.

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

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They answer questions, present the administration's positions and, in the way they interact with journalists, press secretaries can reflect how their boss feels about the media.

That's a reason why so much attention has been directed at Katie Zacharia as she started this week as President Donald Trump's press secretary, after the departure of Karoline Leavitt.

Here are a handful of press secretary moments through recent decades — including one you might not expect.

Ron Ziegler and Watergate

Only 29 when he was named to the job, Ziegler was press secretary for Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1974. The latter portion of that period was consumed by the Watergate political scandal, in which the administration was implicated and which led to Nixon's resignation. Ziegler downplayed the break-in at the heart of the scandal but on April 17, 1973, he essentially acknowledged previous denials about White House involvement were not true, saying: “This is the operative statement. The others are inoperative.”

James Brady's shooting

Brady had only been in the position of Ronald Reagan's press secretary for just over two months when he was severely wounded by a gunshot during an attempted assassination aimed at Reagan on March 30, 1981. Brady was hit in the head, resulting in brain damage and some paralysis. Popular with the press corps, he was greeted with loud applause on Nov. 9, 1981, when he paid a visit to the press room. He was unable to continue as press secretary but kept the title for the duration of the Reagan presidency and worked in the White House.

Robert Gibbs and the ‘beer summit’

Gibbs was named press secretary after the election of Barack Obama, and held the position from 2009-2011. One of the more exasperated moments of his tenure came early in that period, in July 2009, following the arrest of a Black professor by a white police officer at the professor's own home. Obama came under criticism for his commentary around the incident, and invited both men to the White House on July 30, 2009, to talk about it. It was dubbed the “Beer Summit” by media despite the administration's efforts to downplay it as merely a moment of conversation. The day after it happened, Gibbs poked fun at the media frenzy in covering it, like the use of a countdown clock and images from actual geopolitical summits. He said Obama's disdain for “the hoopla ... was much justified.”

Sean Spicer and the media, not exactly friendly

Spicer was Trump's first press secretary in his first administration, from January to July of 2017. He immediately started with criticism of the media, and interactions between him and journalists were often contentious. He became the subject of parodies and internet memes, including a portrayal by comedian Melissa McCarthy on “Saturday Night Live.” One of the most memorable moments of his time in the role was the night of May 9, 2017, following Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. Spicer was seen huddling on White House grounds around some bushes, and away from bright lights, largely avoiding reporters.

Jen Psaki's pointed sparring with Peter Doocy

Psaki served as press secretary in Joe Biden's administration, from January 2021 until mid-May 2022. A recurring theme during that time was sharp exchanges between Psaki at the podium in the White House press room and Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy in the journalists' seats. In one January 2022 press briefing, Doocy asked about a social media comment that the secretary of state had made in support of Ukraine, saying, “Has that ever worked at stopping an authoritarian regime from doing anything?” Psaki replied, “I will have to say that unlike the last administration we don’t think Twitter is the only means of engaging or negotiating or discussing important topics.” Despite heated moments, though, both have said publicly that they had a civil and professional working relationship.

And one more from the world of fiction ...

In a case of art and life colliding, the real White House press corps got a visit from a fictional press secretary on April 29, 2016, when “White House press secretary” C.J. Cregg of “The West Wing” television series made an unexpected appearance. Actress Allison Janney portrayed the no-nonsense Cregg in the show and reprised the role for a few minutes before breaking character and talking about why she was really there — the opioid epidemic.

Because of the changes, current U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, is running for re-election in another district.

The race for Congressional District 22 follows a major redrawing of the state’s congressional map. The new district stretches coast to coast across four counties: Broward, Palm Beach, Hendry and Collier.

Businessman Casey Askar is the Republican candidate eyeing the seat and laying out his priorities if elected.

“I think this new district definitely needs strong leadership,” Askar said. “It’s cost of living. It’s price at the pump. It’s price in the grocery store. Our cost of insurance here in Florida, our cost in housing. And so all these things are first and foremost for me.”

Askar said he hopes to increase the child tax credit in addition to pursuing other tax reforms.

“Federal gas tax, I believe, should go away permanently, not temporarily,” Askar said.

Running against the businessman is Democrat Pia Dandiya, a former educator and White House fellow.

“People are done with the performative politics,” Dandiya said as she laid out her platform. “We have a higher than the national average of senior citizens who are worried about whether they are going to be able to rely on their Social Security. And we need to explore every single solution that will make that Social Security protected for them because we are a country that makes good on its promises.”

Dandiya said she would fight to end the Trump tariffs and restore Affordable Care Act subsidies that millions of Floridians rely on.

“Housing prices are higher than they’ve ever been. Gas prices are higher than they’ve ever been. We have lost more health care than we have ever had in our recent past. That is the number one priority for us in this election cycle,” Dandiya said.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

The shooting occurred just after 4 a.m. on Feb. 9 at the crowded Mission District nightclub Dahlia, where White was hosting a private Super Bowl party.

White was shot in the ankle and taken to a local hospital for surgery, his team said at the time.

San Francisco Police Chief Derrick Lew said authorities arrested four men over the past week with the help of law enforcement agencies in Atlanta; Stockton, California; Irvine, California and Los Angeles.

The night of the shooting, multiple suspects with firearms “confronted” White, Lew said. Investigators used video footage and witness accounts to identify the men they say are the perpetrators.

On Oct. 7, local law enforcement arrested 35-year-old Curtis Green in Irvine, and two days later authorities arrested 36-year-old Gregory Walker of Mountain House, California, for their alleged involvement in the shooting.

The men were booked into San Francisco County Jail on Monday and scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said prosecutors would seek no bail for Walker due to the public safety risk they said he poses. He will be charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm — which prosecutors say he fired — as well as other charges for having a gun as a felon.

Green faces misdemeanor charges of brandishing a firearm and carrying a concealed and loaded gun in public, Jenkins said.

A message was left Wednesday with the San Francisco public defender's office to determine if its attorneys were representing the two men.

Two other men arrested in other jurisdictions are not yet in local custody and will be charged once they are brought to San Francisco, Jenkins said.

One of the other men expected to face charges in San Francisco was arrested Oct. 7 in Atlanta. The 38-year-old was arrested on a no-bail warrant. Authorities say police seized an illegal firearm during the arrest, along with thousands of grams of MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl at the man's home.

That same day, law enforcement arrested a 36-year-old man in Stockton, California, in connection with White's shooting, and recovered a loaded firearm, over 100 oxycodone pills and $7,000 in cash.

The callers claim victims have outstanding arrest warrants and demand thousands of dollars in bond payments to avoid being taken into custody.

In some cases, the scammers use the names and badge numbers of real law enforcement officers and provide what appear to be official arrest warrants.

Even experienced journalists are being caught off guard by how convincing the calls can be.

Local 10 photojournalist Scott DePuy said he received a call from someone claiming to represent the Broward Sheriff’s Office while he was on his way to a doctor’s appointment.

The caller provided names and badge numbers of officers and sent DePuy an image of what appeared to be a warrant for his arrest.

The caller also appeared to know personal information about DePuy, including addresses, and the call did not register on his phone as a suspected scam.

DePuy said the caller accused him of failing to appear for jury duty, a legitimate concern for Broward County residents.

The caller then escalated the threats, warning DePuy not to use certain phone applications because his phone was being monitored and an officer could be dispatched.

The scammers demanded $15,000 in bond.

DePuy decided to play along with the caller, but he did not fall for the scheme.

Matthew Cowart, a BSO captain who oversees court services, said the department does not demand payment from residents who miss jury duty.

Instead, residents who fail to appear for jury duty receive a notice in the mail, he said.

“Nothing on this is going to solicit or request any sort of payment,” Cowart said, describing the legitimate notice.

Cowart said the scammers have become increasingly convincing, in part by using the names of actual law enforcement officers. He said the impersonators have even used his name.

Local 10 News called one of the suspected scammers back and visited a convenience store near U.S. 1 and Sunrise Boulevard, the location the caller had directed DePuy to go to pay the supposed bond.

The incident highlights how fraudsters can exploit fear of arrest and the court system to pressure people into making payments before they have time to verify the claims.

Cowart said he worries that many victims may not report the crimes.

Residents who receive suspicious calls or believe they have been targeted are urged to contact law enforcement.

Anyone who receives a demand for money over an alleged missed jury duty appearance should verify the claim directly with the appropriate court or law enforcement agency rather than follow instructions from the caller.

The law was one of the most restrictive in the U.S. on social media use by children when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it in 2024.

The law implicates the First Amendment, an appeals court said, but “likely does so in a content-neutral manner.”

It would likely survive a full legal challenge “because it doesn’t burden substantially more speech than necessary to advance the important interest in protecting minors from social media addiction,” a panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 3-0 opinion.

The law bans social media accounts for Florida children under 14 and requires parental consent for use by kids who are 14 or 15.

Industry trade groups the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Florida, arguing that the law violated the free-speech rights of social media providers and users. A judge in 2025 said the law likely was unconstitutional and granted an injunction.

That injunction was put on hold while the appeals court heard the case. The lawsuit, with the injunction now overturned, will return to federal court in Tallahassee.

The appeals court noted that the law covers social media platforms "that have been determined to induce heavy use by children, and applies only to platforms that use both algorithms and one of several addictive features.”

An email seeking comment from the Florida attorney general's office was not immediately answered. NetChoice said it was disappointed with the decision.

“We are currently evaluating all of our options as we continue the fight to ensure Floridians’ rights to free expression online are protected, and parents remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions for their families," said Paul Taske, a lawyer at NetChoice.

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had been “horribly surprised” that Moscow struck a power plant in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, as well as a gas production facility and a civilian gas station hours after Trump announced the purported “energy ceasefire” in the 4 1/2-year-old war.

Later, during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Zelenksyy said his government had refrained from striking Russian energy sites since Trump’s announcement Sunday, and was ready to honor an energy ceasefire as “a good first step” toward closing the war.

But, he said, “I’m not sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is ready.”

“Even after yesterday’s messages from (Trump) ... Putin attacked our gas infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said. “When we speak about energy ceasefire, it means only one thing: that they don’t attack our energy infrastructure and we don’t respond on their energy infrastructure.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump insisted Monday that an energy ceasefire was in place. “Well, they agreed,” Trump said. “Because I said, ‘You agree.’ That’s why they agreed. because I said they agree.”

When pressed about the attacks by Russia, Trump said, “Well, I’d have to look at it and see, because there’s been violations on both sides.”

Trump’s brief social media post Sunday had offered few details about the ceasefire, but said it took effect immediately. “Do not break it!” he added.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov wouldn’t say whether Russia had agreed to a ceasefire, saying only: “Contacts are ongoing.”

Energy strikes have caused pain for both Ukraine and Russia

Trump previously announced a similar agreement on ceasing energy strikes that did not come to fruition. In a social media post on Sept. 14, he said both countries had agreed “not to hit” each other’s energy infrastructure, but offered no details on that proposal either.

Russia has used attacks on energy facilities in order to deny Ukrainian civilians power, heat and running water during the war, hoping to wear down public support for Ukraine’s response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials describe the strategy as “weaponizing winter,” and fear Russia could ramp up such attacks as cold weather approaches.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has launched strikes against Russian energy sites like oil refineries, sometimes deep within Russian territory. That’s prompted Trump to blame Zelenskyy for record U.S. diesel prices — rather than the U.S.-led war in Iran — and to strike a deal with Putin on Friday to import diesel from Russia in an attempt to bring fuel prices down ahead of U.S. midterm elections.

Speaking on Fox News on Monday, Zelenskyy pushed back on Trump’s claims that Ukrainian strikes in Russia were driving up fuel prices, saying: “Everybody understands that the prices on diesel (don’t) depend on our attacks on diesel in Russia. Everybody understands that it depends on the blocking (of the) Strait of Hormuz.”

EU foreign policy chief skeptical of energy ceasefire

The European Union’s top diplomat on Monday welcomed the prospect of a pause in energy strikes on Ukraine, but said she sees no sign that Russia is willing to respect it.

“We haven’t yet seen that ... Russia will stick to it,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg. “Personally, I would also welcome that the ceasefire would include people not being killed, not only energy.”

Trump’s deal with Putin to purchase diesel from Russia dismayed officials in the U.S., Ukraine and around Europe. A bipartisan group of six U.S. senators, including four Republicans, called Sunday on the Trump administration to “immediately reverse course” on the deal, saying the U.S. should “not provide Putin with a financial lifeline” while Russia is killing Ukrainian civilians.

Kallas also pushed back on Trump’s comments Saturday that it was time for Ukraine to get a new president and that Zelenskyy has not done enough to end the war. She said that now is not the time to hold elections in Ukraine, at least not without a ceasefire.

On Monday, Zelenskyy said holding elections in Ukraine was impossible during war time, especially with new Russian tactics involving attacks day and night. He added, however, that he would be ready to work toward doing so if Ukraine secured a full ceasefire lasting at least 60 days.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said in a statement that in case of a Ukrainian election, Putin would be ready to halt strikes on Ukraine “specifically on election day,” and that Kyiv only wanted a 60-day ceasefire “to gather their strength, heal their wounds, and continue the war.”

Russian attacks kill 5 and injure others, including children

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy called for greater pressure on Russia to end the war after a Russian drone struck a high-rise apartment building in Kyiv on Monday evening, killing two people and injuring nine.

“This is further proof that Russia must face greater pressure. They are the ones continuing the brutal strikes. They are the ones prolonging the war,” he said in a post on X.

He called the attack a “response” to the U.S. proposal for an energy ceasefire.

“We count on the United States to recognize these signals from Russia and act with strength. Strength is needed to force Russia to end this war,” Zelenskyy said.

Monday’s attack came a day after a Russian drone struck the village of Pisochyn in the Kharkiv district, killing three people and injuring nine others, including children, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Ukrainian air defense forces shot down or suppressed 89 of 121 Russian drones overnight Monday, Ukraine’s Air Force said in a Telegram post. The attacks included one Kh-59 guided air-to-surface missile and 76 jet-powered Shahed-type drones, the statement said. Strikes were recorded at 15 locations in Ukraine, while debris from downed drones fell at four locations.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday its air defenses overnight intercepted 151 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions as well as the illegally annexed Crimea and the waters of the Black Sea.

In a separate statement, the ministry said its forces carried out drone strikes overnight on Ukraine’s port infrastructure and a bulk carrier heading to Ukraine’s port city of Odesa with military cargo on board.

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Associated Press writers Joshua Boak in Washington and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

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

Latarence Eugene Dunbar, 46, was taken into custody Tuesday in Miami after Miami Beach police identified him through surveillance footage and witness statements in connection with the Oct. 8 attack, according to the reports.

Jail records show he is facing two counts of attempted second-degree murder.

Officers were dispatched in emergency mode at about 8:14 p.m. Oct. 8 to the area of Eighth Street and Washington Avenue after a reported stabbing, according to the report.

An officer arriving at the scene found the victim suffering from “multiple lacerations and stab wounds,” with a “substantial amount of blood on his person,” the report states.

The victim told the officer he needed fire rescue, the report states. Miami Beach Fire Rescue treated him at the scene and transported him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma, the report states.

Detectives reviewing Miami Beach city surveillance footage said they determined the attack occurred at about 8:12 p.m. on the southeast side of Eighth Street and Washington Avenue.

The footage allegedly showed Dunbar, who is listed as homeless in his arrest report, removing his sweater and backpack before approaching the victim in an “aggressive manner.” Dunbar then removed an unidentified object from his pocket and began striking the victim with it, the report states.

Additional surveillance footage from South Beach Market, at 764 Washington Ave., showed the victim running west on Eighth Street toward Pennsylvania Avenue in an apparent attempt to escape.

Police said Dunbar chased him and caught up with him near the intersection, where he allegedly struck the victim multiple times.

The victim then ran north before falling on the north side of Eighth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Dunbar was seen striking him while he was on the ground, according to the report.

After the attack, surveillance footage showed Dunbar walking back toward Washington Avenue before fleeing north toward Ninth Street, police said. He then boarded a Miami-Dade County transit bus at the 900 block of Washington Avenue at about 8:15 p.m., the report states.

Two witnesses interviewed by detectives described the attack and corroborated what investigators observed on surveillance footage, according to the report.

A witness told detectives that Dunbar was yelling, “I’ll kill you motherf---er,” while attacking the victim, the report states. The witness said Dunbar appeared very angry and that he thought Dunbar was going to kill the victim, police said.

Another witness told detectives, “I thought he was going to kill him.” that witness also said he saw what appeared to be a pocketknife in Dunbar’s hand during the attack, according to the report.

Detectives tracked Dunbar’s movements on city surveillance cameras before and after the incident and circulated a flyer seeking to identify him.

Three Miami Beach officers recognized Dunbar from previous encounters, including two prior arrests and a separate disturbance call, the report states.

Dunbar was located at the intersection of Northwest Second Avenue and Northwest First Street in Miami at about 10:04 p.m. Tuesday by Miami Beach police tactical detectives and Miami police tactical robbery unit detectives, according to a second arrest report.

The report states that detectives approached Dunbar, who was wanted in connection with the Miami Beach case, and ordered him to get on the ground. Dunbar refused to comply and repeatedly reached toward a bag in front of him, the report states.

A detective deployed a Taser, but it had no effect, according to the report. Detectives then approached and apprehended Dunbar.

While being escorted to be secured, Dunbar became angry about the Taser deployment and spat toward a detective’s face, making contact with the detective’s skin, the report states.

Detectives said they later interviewed Dunbar at Jackson Memorial Hospital after reading him his Miranda rights. Dunbar gave a “vague statement” about the incident before invoking his right to have an attorney present, the report states.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Dunbar was being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He was also ordered to stay away from the victim.

Sankey spoke at SEC basketball media days in Birmingham, where basketball-related questions were few and far between.

He said the conference will continue to push for federal help but could take a more active role in determining its own policies if Congress falls short.

“If change is not accessed or not achieved at that national level, there will be more and more conversation about how we as a conference function and our own decision-making," Sankey said. "We have had rules in the past that apply only to our conference that are more restrictive generally than what might happen nationally. That type of conversation has been initiated, and I would expect it to continue, but we’ll wait to see what happens at the congressional level.”

Last month, the Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill that would be the first specifically intended to regulate college sports, an attempt to end “chaos” in an industry that has been upended by skyrocketing athlete payments and near-unrestricted transfers between schools.

The 77-22 vote to pass the legislation is the strongest effort yet by Congress to set national regulations governing payments to college athletes for their name, image and likeness and how often they can transfer. It would give the NCAA new authority over those rules and limited antitrust protections to enforce them.

The measure is now before the House, where uncertainty about next steps has only been magnified by the midterm elections coming up next month.

Sankey insisted that national standards are needed to ensure fairness in college sports, especially considering the range of Division I schools and conferences.

“If we want those national championships across all sports given the diversity in Division I, you know, small private colleges that draw from a regional base to large public universities that can put 100,000 people in a football stadium, we need those national standards,” he said.

Expanding the playoff

Sankey, who previously expressed skepticism about expanding the College Football Playoff from 12 to 24 teams, signaled more openness.

“I think I’ve always communicated that we’ve never said no that won’t happen, that won’t be a point of support,” Sankey said. “I think there’s an openness to playoff expansion on our part -- I think certainly there’s an openness. Attitudes change over time and perspectives change, and so we’ll see where that leads us from a final decision standpoint.”

The playoff expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024, but after executives failed to reach an expansion agreement, the CFP is using the same model for this season. There is a Dec. 1 deadline to make any changes for next season.

The key hurdle to 24 teams is making up the revenue lost by the elimination of conference championship games to accommodate the extra playoff games, and whether current broadcast partner ESPN — by itself or with other media partners — can put together a financial package that makes sense in the time remaining. ESPN’s new deal starts this year and is worth $7.8 billion over six seasons; it provides the network the first option of adding the first two games in any expansion of the playoff.

Last week, the CFP said discussions were continuing with broadcast partner ESPN after the end of an exclusive negotiating window over media rights.

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said then he was optimistic that the CFP would expand to 24 teams.

“We’ll make some final decisions — probably sooner rather than later — is my expectation,” Sankey said Wednesday.

Pros or college

Sankey also addressed the ongoing feud over whether professional athletes can return to play in college, an issue that put LSU guard RJ Luis, who coach Will Wade said Tuesday has not yet been rostered, in the spotlight. Sankey declined to go into specifics about the Tigers, a founding member of the league that is currently swapping court filings with the school about governance.

Sankey said the SEC has drawn a line when it comes to athletes going pro and then attempting to return to college.

“When you look at the principles up front, somebody who enrolls in college and chooses to depart, that’s where we’ve drawn the line, and we’ll continue to develop those boundary lines," Sankey said.

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The account by lawyers for Oscar Belgal contrasted sharply with the version of events outlined by Department of Homeland Security officials. They have said officers opened fire only after Belgal smashed his car into two government vehicles and “accelerated toward other officers.”

The Legal Aid Society, in a petition filed in Brooklyn federal court seeking Belgal's release, said he had picked up his son from school on Oct. 8 and was stopped in front of a fire hydrant, looking for a parking spot, when “an anonymous, masked man” stormed up to the vehicle with his gun drawn, followed by other masked men with guns.

“The men did not identify themselves, show any documents or otherwise communicate with Oscar in any substantive way," Belgal's lawyers wrote. "Instead, without identifying himself, the first man struck and shattered Oscar’s window and began firing a pistol into Oscar’s car while his son cowered in the back seat. One of those bullets struck Oscar in the neck and he immediately began to bleed.”

New York City police security camera footage released by the department last week shows some of the encounter but doesn't conclusively resolve the dispute about how the shooting happened.

The video shows a man wearing a sweatshirt and a red hat running up to the car with his gun pointed at Belgal, then immediately using the barrel of his gun to bash the driver’s side window. The window shatters on the second blow.

A second officer comes into view alongside the car and draws his gun. Belgal then pulls into the street, away from the two officers. The car pulls out of view of the camera, with the officer in the red hat in pursuit.

Whatever happened next didn't appear on the NYPD's security cameras, but the chase ended just a moment later, with Belgal's damaged car resting against a concrete barrier with bullet holes in its windshield and a rear window.

Video from bystanders and NYPD body camera footage show that ICE officers handcuffed Belgal and tended to a gunshot wound to his neck as he sat on the pavement outside the car. NYPD officers took Belgal to a nearby hospital.

DHS didn't comment Wednesday on the claims by Belgal's lawyers, saying the incident remains under investigation. But DHS officials have maintained that ICE officers fired their weapons because they believed their lives were in danger.

Belgal’s lawyers said he didn’t learn the men were ICE officers until he awoke later in the hospital. They say he remains detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has yet to receive surgery to remove the bullet lodged in his neck. They also say he has lost sensation on the left side of his face and is suffering from impaired hearing.

“Mr. Belgal’s detention was unlawful from its inception. ICE officers shot him in the neck in front of his five year-old son, failed to provide him with immediate medical assistance, and now continue to hold him in a facility notorious for medical neglect,” said Perry McAninch and Elyssa Williams, the lawyers representing Belgal.

DHS referred questions about Belgal's medical treatment to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which manages the jail. That agency also declined comment, citing “privacy, safety, and security reasons,” but said, in general, that it “does not deny any inmate necessary medical treatment or basic necessities.”

At a news conference last week, Marcos Charles, the head of ICE's enforcement and removal operations, said Belgal refused orders to exit his vehicle and then accelerated and smashed into two government vehicles as ICE officers tried to block him from driving away.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has maintained officers didn’t know a child was in the car and blamed Belgal for putting his son's life in danger.

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Associated Press reporter Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, contributed to this story.

The Heat will host the Nets at the Kaseya Center, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air on Local 10.

With the regular-season opener one week away, the matchup could serve as a dress rehearsal for Miami as the coaching staff determines which players are ready for expanded roles.

One of the biggest questions entering the game is whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will play. Spoelstra is expected to provide an update on player availability, including which key contributors will see the court.

Miami’s starters have appeared in two preseason games, showing early signs of comfort together. However, Spoelstra said the team’s depth will be an important factor over the course of the 82-game regular season.

“We have so much depth, and we want to utilize that depth over the course of 82 games,” Spoelstra said.

Spoelstra added that the team does not see a need to play its key players for 40 minutes a night, emphasizing the importance of distributing playing time and keeping players healthy throughout the season.

Alongside Antetokounmpo, the Heat have veteran contributors such as Bam Adebayo, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. How Spoelstra combines those players with the rest of the roster remains an important part of Miami’s preseason evaluation.

The team’s rotation could continue to evolve even after the regular season begins as Spoelstra works to determine how best to use the available personnel.

Thursday’s matchup against Brooklyn offers Miami another opportunity to build chemistry, assess its options and prepare for the start of the regular season.

And don’t forget, you can also watch the majority of the Miami Heat’s regular season games, at least 68, on Local 10 next season as WPLG Local 10 and the Heat announced a newly expanded media rights agreement, making Local 10 the home of HEAT basketball across South Florida! CLICK HERE for more information on how to watch!

Surveillance video showed Latarence Dunbar attacking Camrod Erby at 8:12 p.m., on Oct. 8, in South Beach, and Erby running westbound on Eighth Street, according to police.

“Dunbar gave chase ... catches up ... and begins to strike him multiple times,” a police officer wrote, according to the arrest report.

Video shows Erby running northbound, falling on the north side of Eighth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and Dunbar striking him while he was on the ground, according to police.

“Dunbar then begins to flee the scene and runs northbound on Washington Avenue,” a police officer wrote, according to the arrest report.

Police officers responded shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 8, and they found Erby suffering from stab wounds at the southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Eighth Street, according to the police arrest report.

Witnesses told police they heard Dunbar screaming that he was going to kill Erby, according to the police arrest report. Fire rescue personnel took Erby to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

Surveillance video shows Dunbar getting into a Miami-Dade County Transit bus at 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 8 at Washington Avenue and Ninth Street, according to police.

Shortly before 10:05 p.m., on Tuesday, Miami detectives found Dunbar at Northwest Second Avenue and First Street, in downtown Miami, and learned that he was wanted in Miami Beach, according to a detective’s arrest report.

“Detectives approached Dunbar and gave him orders to get on the ground ... Dunbar refused and kept reaching in a bag that was directly in front of him,” a detective wrote, according to an arrest report.

A detective deployed his Taser, and Dunbar spat at the detective’s face, while the detective arrested him, according to the detective’s arrest report.

Miami-Dade corrections booked Dunbar shortly after 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral, according to inmate records.

Dunbar faced three charges in two new cases. For Oct. 8th, he faced a charge of second-degree attempted murder. For his arrest on Tuesday, he faced charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

Dunbar appeared in bond court at 2:05 p.m. on Wednesday in Miami-Dade County. A judge denied him bail and ordered him to stay away from the stabbing victim.

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Carson Merlo contributed to this report.

Chicago police said no one had been charged Wednesday, a day after university officials posted an alert saying that a person of interest had been identified.

The Chicago case comes amid an uproar over Cornell University's handling of a woman's allegations that she was drugged and gang raped by fraternity members in 2024. A campus investigation led to internal disciplinary action by the university, but no criminal charges were ever filed.

The University of Chicago, a top-ranked U.S. research school with an enrollment of 18,000 students, said in a statement that a woman reported being sexually assaulted early Sunday during a party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house.

The university said the perpetrator fled the house after being confronted by another person.

The 21-year-old woman reported the assault to police and went to a hospital for treatment, according to Chicago police. The university said she is not a student.

Chicago police did not immediately provide a copy of the incident report on the alleged attack when The Associated Press requested it Wednesday.

The Chicago Sun-Times, citing the police report, said the woman told police she had been drinking and dancing at the party before she began feeling unwell. The Sun-Times said the report stated two of the woman's friends then found her “not fully conscious” in a bathroom with a man and that both were partially undressed.

The friends told police that to get into the bathroom, they had to force their way through several men who were “cheering and appearing to encourage the activity inside,” the Sun-Times reported.

Alpha Epsilon Pi said no fraternity members took part in the alleged attack or encouraged it. The fraternity's University of Chicago chapter said in a statement that its members rushed to help the woman after being alerted by one of her friends and ended the party immediately.

“There is no evidence at all that any AEPi members participated in this assault or were aware of it while it was transpiring,” Jonathan Pierce, a spokesperson for the fraternity's national organization, said in a statement Wednesday.

The fraternity said the perpetrator was chased out of the house and was recorded by cameras while fleeing.

University officials said the person of interest who has been identified is not a student or otherwise affiliated with the school.

The Cornell case came to light last month after a woman filed a lawsuit against the university and seven fraternity members, saying she was repeatedly assaulted at a fraternity house in October 2024. She went to campus police three weeks later and gave a detailed interview, but local prosecutors never pursued charges. The men she accused have denied wrongdoing.

Cornell announced Tuesday it's banning parties at fraternity houses until next year. The university said it will include New York State Police in investigations of campus sexual assaults.

Fraternities have also been under scrutiny at the University of Arizona, which suspended fraternity activities earlier this month following multiple reports of assault, hazing and other misconduct.

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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.

El Comando Sur de Estados Unidos dijo en su cuenta de X que su comandante, el general Francis L. Donovan, se reunió con el ministro de Defensa, Rafael Belaúnde, el jefe del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas de Perú, César Briceño, y el embajador estadounidense en Perú, Bernie Navarro.

La embajada de Estados Unidos en Perú indicó en un comunicado que la delegación viajó a Loreto, la región más grande de la Amazonía peruana, para reunirse con militares "que realizan operaciones contra las redes narcoterroristas”. En Loreto, donde prolifera la minería ilegal y el narcotráfico, se ha reportado la presencia del brasileño Comando Vermelho y de grupos disidentes de las extintas Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC).

Estados Unidos incorporó en septiembre a Perú al “Escudo de las Américas”, una coalición de países afines en la región que está encabezada por Washington para llevar a cabo operaciones militares contra los cárteles de la droga.

Después de Colombia, Perú es el segundo cultivador mundial de la hoja de coca, la materia prima de la cocaína, según datos de la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas contra la Droga y el Delito.