Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (AP) — The military government ruling Burkina Faso has officially cut all diplomatic ties with France, the West African nation’s former colonial ruler and one-time key security partner, in a dramatic breakdown of relations between the two countries.
In a statement released Friday, the junta announced the break was effective immediately, charging France with harboring “blatant neo-colonial ambitions and active support for subversive networks and terrorists.” No supporting evidence was offered for those accusations.
France’s Foreign Ministry pushed back quickly. Spokesman Pascal Confavreux described the move as a “hostile and unfounded decision, which illustrates the worrying drift of the Burkinabè authorities,” adding that the country deeply regrets the action.
Confavreux also noted that “necessary reciprocal measures are currently under review” and said France is keeping a close watch on the safety of its government personnel and citizens currently in Burkina Faso, urging them to remain on high alert.
Burkina Faso’s Communications Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo explained the decision in a separate statement, saying, “The conditions essential for fostering relations based on mutual respect, reciprocal trust, and respect for the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and national sovereignty are no longer met.”
The nation of 23 million people has endured years of brutal violence carried out by extremist groups with ties to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Government forces have also repeatedly faced accusations of extrajudicial killings. The broader Sahel region where Burkina Faso is located holds the grim distinction of being the deadliest area in the world for extremist activity.
The rift between Burkina Faso and France has been building for years. In 2023, the junta demanded France recall its ambassador and declared the United Nations’ resident and humanitarian coordinator in the country unwelcome. The following year, in 2024, three French diplomats were expelled on allegations of engaging in subversive activities.
Before a 2022 coup, France had served as Burkina Faso’s primary security partner, with hundreds of French troops deployed to help fight extremist groups. After the coup, the junta dismissed those forces. Despite the military government’s promises to restore order, analysts say the violence has only grown worse since then.
A recent report from Human Rights Watch found that in the two years following the coup, Burkina Faso’s own forces allegedly killed twice as many civilians as the extremists did. The report attributed at least 1,200 of the 1,837 civilians killed between January 2023 and August 2025 to government forces.
It remains unclear what the formal end of diplomatic relations will mean in practice, including what happens to the French embassy currently operating in Burkina Faso.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has officially closed its preliminary investigation into 441,002 Honda vehicles following the automaker’s decision to recall certain Odyssey models, the agency announced Saturday.
The federal regulator launched the probe in October of last year, targeting approximately 441,000 units of the 2018-2022 Honda Odyssey minivan. The investigation was triggered by consumer complaints that side airbags were deploying without warning while vehicles were being driven — in some cases, the unexpected deployments were tied to hitting potholes.
The investigation came to a close after Honda issued a recall in April aimed at addressing the problem of unintended side airbag deployment.
In Honda’s recall filing with the safety agency, the company reported that between January 24, 2017 and April 2, 2026, it had received 130 warranty claims and 25 injury reports connected to the issue. No deaths were reported in connection with the problem.
The recall applied to select 2018-2022 Honda Odyssey models, and Honda reached out to affected customers in late May of this year.
Iran declared on June 27 that it launched strikes against targets with ties to U.S. forces, framing the action as retaliation for American airstrikes carried out along the country’s southern coastline.
According to a statement released by Iran’s foreign ministry, the U.S. airstrikes were a violation of the United Nations Charter as well as a war-ending memorandum that had been reached between the two countries.
Iran provided no additional details about what was hit or where the targeted locations were situated.
The Chicago White Sox turned Friday night into a historic offensive showcase, pounding out 23 hits and crossing the plate 22 times to crush the visiting Kansas City Royals by a final score of 22-1.
The big blow came in the third inning, when Chicago erupted for 10 runs — the best single-inning output the team has had all season. Miguel Vargas and Jacob Gonzalez both connected on three-run home runs during that frame, blowing the game wide open.
Tristan Peters added a grand slam and finished with six RBIs on the night. Kyle Teel chipped in three RBIs and also went deep, as did Andrew Benintendi. Chase Meidroth collected four hits, while Gonzalez and Vargas each finished with three hits and five RBIs. Sam Antonacci added three more hits to the pile.
On the mound, starter David Sandlin — called up from Triple-A Charlotte earlier in the day — delivered a quality performance, earning the win (2-1) by allowing just one run on three hits over six innings. The rookie right-hander struck out six, walked three and got two double plays.
Kansas City’s Carter Jensen singled to extend his hitting streak to 17 consecutive games, and Jac Caglianone tripled and drew a walk. The Royals managed only four total hits. Designated hitter Bobby Witt Jr., returning from a six-game absence due to a knee sprain, went 0-for-3 but drew a walk and scored a run.
Brewers 6, Cubs 2
Milwaukee topped visiting Chicago as Garrett Mitchell and William Contreras each hit two-run home runs. Starter Jacob Misiorowski (9-3) was dominant, allowing just two hits and one run over six innings while striking out eight. He set a major league record for starters with a first-inning fastball clocked at 105.5 mph and pushed his major league-leading strikeout total to 146, while maintaining his majors-best ERA of 1.45. For Chicago, Seiya Suzuki homered and added a sacrifice fly. Starter Colin Rea allowed one run on five hits over five-plus innings.
Red Sox 6, Yankees 1
Boston’s Payton Tolle was nearly untouchable over seven innings, retiring the first 16 batters he faced before rookie Spencer Jones broke it up with a sixth-inning single. Tolle (4-5) struck out seven and allowed only three baserunners total. Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer and Conor Wong drove in a pair as Boston secured the series win. New York’s Will Warren (7-3) gave up five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings and issued three walks without recording a strikeout. Tensions flared after Contreras’ homer when he and Warren exchanged words, prompting both benches and bullpens to empty, though no further incident occurred.
Reds 6, Pirates 4
Noelvi Marte delivered his first career pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning to lift Cincinnati over Pittsburgh on the road. Marte’s two-run blast off reliever Mason Montgomery (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak for the Reds and came on the heels of a Sal Stewart single that ended a streak of 13 straight Cincinnati batters retired by Pittsburgh pitching. The loss was Pittsburgh’s eighth straight when ace and reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes takes the mound.
Tigers 8, Astros 0
James Outman belted a three-run homer to back seven strong innings from Keider Montero as Detroit shut out Houston at home. Kerry Carpenter added a two-run homer — his 11th of the year — and Colt Keith went deep as well. Kevin McGonigle reached base three times, stole two bases and scored twice. The Tigers snapped a three-game skid, while Houston’s three-game winning streak came to an end. Starter Spencer Arrighetti was roughed up for eight runs and five hits in just over three innings. Jose Altuve was the only Astros player with multiple hits, and Houston went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position while stranding six.
Orioles 3, Nationals 1
Baltimore returned home and opened a three-game series with a win over Washington. Trevor Rogers pitched into the seventh, working 6 1/3 innings and allowing just one run on five hits with no walks, earning his fifth win of the season (5-7) and his third since April 1. Coby Mayo doubled twice and drove in a run, Blaze Alexander knocked in two and Taylor Ward went 3-for-4. The Orioles were playing at home for the first time after going 4-5 on a nine-game West Coast trip. Washington has now dropped four straight. No National had more than one hit, and the team was held to one run for the third time this month. Starter Andrew Alvarez (1-1) was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, charged with two runs on six hits.
Phillies 2, Mets 1
Zack Wheeler delivered seven strong innings for Philadelphia in a tight road win over struggling New York to open a three-game series. Trea Turner delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh, and Bryce Harper had three singles including a run-scoring hit in the first. Wheeler improved to 8-1, allowing one run on four hits. The Phillies have now won four straight and six of their last seven. The Mets dropped their seventh consecutive game on a turbulent day — hours before the first pitch, the club fired manager Carlos Mendoza and named farm director Andy Green as interim replacement. Jared Young tied the score in the fourth with an RBI single for New York. Rookie left-hander Zach Thornton recovered from a shaky first inning to throw six innings of one-run ball.
Rangers 5, Blue Jays 4
Nathan Eovaldi was dominant for Texas, striking out nine over seven scoreless innings to help the Rangers hold on and beat Toronto. Eovaldi (8-7) allowed five hits and a walk before exiting with a 5-0 lead. Justin Foscue hit a two-run homer and drove in three, while Wyatt Langford had three hits. Jacob Latz worked around a walk in the ninth to earn his 16th save. Toronto mounted a late charge with Kazuma Okamoto hitting a two-run homer as part of a four-run eighth, but it wasn’t enough. The Blue Jays have now lost four in a row. Former Ranger Patrick Corbin (2-4) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Mariners 3, Guardians 1
Seattle got the go-ahead run in the seventh on an infield single by J.P. Crawford, then added insurance in the eighth on an RBI hit from Julio Rodriguez to beat Cleveland on the road. Rookie Colt Emerson hit a solo homer in the third, and Luis Castillo (3-6) pitched six innings of one-run ball for his first win as a starter since May 14. Andres Munoz closed it out with a clean ninth for his 15th save in 20 opportunities. Seattle’s pitchers retired the final 15 batters. Cleveland’s only run came in the first inning when rookie Kahlil Watson doubled home Kyle Manzardo. Watson, who started his career 0-for-12, now has seven RBIs over his last four games. Tim Herrin (0-3) walked two batters upon entering and then gave up Crawford’s decisive hit.
Rays 6, Diamondbacks 1
Junior Caminero hit a three-run homer and Cedric Mullins added a solo shot as Tampa Bay beat Arizona at home in St. Petersburg. Nick Martinez (7-2) pitched into the sixth, allowing one run on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. Yandy Diaz went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Rays. Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo homered, Corbin Carroll went 2-for-4 with a triple and Gabriel Moreno had two hits. Starter Zac Gallen (3-7) gave up five runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Marlins 4, Cardinals 0
Max Meyer continued his remarkable unbeaten start to the season, allowing just two hits over seven innings as Miami blanked host St. Louis. The win gave Meyer a 9-0 record on the season, tying a Marlins franchise record. He remains the only qualified starting pitcher in the major leagues without a loss this year. Michael Petersen and Calvin Faucher each threw a scoreless inning in relief as Miami won its third straight and improved to a major league-best 17-5 in June. The Cardinals have lost three straight and six of their last eight. St. Louis starter Michael McGreevy was strong, holding Miami to five hits over six scoreless innings, but the Marlins broke through in the eighth against George Soriano (3-2) on a Graham Pauley RBI double.
Twins 9, Rockies 8 (10 innings)
Minnesota survived a dramatic late collapse to beat Colorado in 10 innings, with Royce Lewis delivering the winning RBI single. The Twins had built a seven-run lead before Colorado rallied, but couldn’t be caught in the end. Lewis and Byron Buxton each had three hits for Minnesota, with Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee both going deep. Trevor Larnach added two hits. For Colorado, Jake McCarthy homered and finished with three hits, Hunter Goodman also went deep and TJ Rumfield had two hits, but the Rockies’ late-game surge fell short.
Athletics 9, Angels 3
Jeff McNeil and Henry Bolte each laced two-run singles during a seven-run fifth inning to power Oakland past Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series in Anaheim. Nick Kurtz went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Shea Langeliers had two hits, an RBI and a stolen base. Max Muncy also contributed two hits and a run as the Athletics won their second straight. Starter J.T. Ginn (6-4) allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings. For the Angels, Jo Adell homered, and Denzer Guzman and Josh Lowe each had two hits. Starter Walbert Urena (5-6) retired the first 12 batters he faced before unraveling for seven runs on six hits over 4 1/3 total innings.
Padres 7, Dodgers 1
Walker Buehler beat his former team for the first time, pitching 5 1/3 solid innings as San Diego topped Los Angeles at home. Buehler (5-3) allowed three hits and one run, walking three and striking out five in a 74-pitch outing before four relievers finished the job. Ty France provided the big blow with a three-run homer. Los Angeles starter Roki Sasaki (3-5) lasted only four-plus innings, walking five and allowing three hits and three runs. The Dodgers’ only run came on a Mookie Betts leadoff homer in the second — his 10th of the season.
Braves 3, Giants 1
Ozzie Albies drove in two runs and Reynaldo Lopez combined with five relievers on a seven-hitter as Atlanta opened a three-game road series with a win over San Francisco. Lopez, making his first start since April 21, held the Giants to one run and four hits before being pulled after three innings and 57 pitches. Reliever Dylan Lee (4-0) threw 1 2/3 innings of one-hit ball to earn the win, and Raisel Iglesias worked a clean ninth for his 16th save. All three Atlanta runs came against Giants starter Trevor McDonald (2-6), who gave up seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. San Francisco had four doubles but was out-hit 8-7 and has now lost five of its last seven games.
A federal notice has been issued signaling that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service intends to seek an extension of approval for an existing information collection process.
The collection in question is tied to the importation of swine hides, bird trophies, and deer hides into the United States.
The request is being made in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a law that governs how federal agencies gather and manage information from the public.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis has gone under the knife for shoulder surgery and will likely be sidelined when next season tips off, the defending Stanley Cup champions’ general manager Eric Tulsky announced late Friday.
The 24-year-old Jarvis paced the Hurricanes with 32 goals during the regular season, but the shoulder issue actually dates back to the 2023-24 campaign. Tulsky told reporters after the first round of the NHL draft that Jarvis faces a recovery window of “probably four to six months.”
The surgery addressed a torn labrum and rotator cuff — an injury that Jarvis had been managing for years while Carolina made extended playoff runs. He also suited up for Team Canada in international play during that stretch.
Tulsky explained the long delay in getting the surgery done: “Shoulders are tough. Once it goes, you can keep aggravating it and limit what you can do… Eventually, it needs to be repaired. You can strengthen it and try to get through it, and he did that for a while.”
The general manager added that timing played a major role in the decision to wait. “Last year, we had a deep run (Eastern Conference finals) — if we had missed the playoffs last year, he probably would have had this last summer, I would guess,” Tulsky said. “But we had a deep run, and he started looking at the timeline and didn’t want to miss a big chunk of the season. Then we got to this year and had another deep run, and at some point, you just need to do it. You can’t be limited for the rest of your career. You start thinking, ‘Maybe we’re going to have deep runs every year,’ just bite the bullet and get it done.”
Over 71 regular-season games this past year, Jarvis put up 66 points — 32 goals and 34 assists — along with a plus-6 rating, 23 penalty minutes, 27 blocked shots, and 81 hits. In the postseason, he contributed 11 points (four goals, seven assists) and a plus-3 rating across 19 games as Carolina advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where the team beat the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.
Through his career, Jarvis has accumulated 279 points (128 goals, 151 assists), a plus-62 rating, 83 penalty minutes, 199 blocks, and 431 hits in 327 regular-season contests. He has also posted 54 points (23 goals, 31 assists) in 74 career playoff games. Carolina originally selected him 13th overall in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Tulsky also disclosed that forward Eric Robinson, 31, underwent a knee procedure but is anticipated to return within six to eight weeks — putting him on track to be ready for training camp in September. Robinson had a solid regular season with 18 points (12 goals, six assists), a plus-7 rating, and 90 hits across 67 games, then added eight points and 43 hits in 19 playoff outings. Over his career spanning stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2017-24), Buffalo Sabres (2024), and Hurricanes (2024-present), Robinson has tallied 141 points in 455 regular-season games.
SAN DIEGO — Walker Buehler spent the better part of a decade making life difficult for the San Diego Padres. On Friday night at Petco Park, he turned that same competitive edge against his former employer.
Pitching for the first time against the Los Angeles Dodgers since joining San Diego, Buehler delivered a standout performance in the Padres’ 7-1 victory over the reigning World Series champions. He held the Dodgers to just three hits, struck out five, and surrendered only one run before being pulled in the sixth inning.
Despite the significance of the matchup, Buehler was quick to downplay any notion of a grudge against the team that helped make him a star.
“I have no bad blood against that organization,” Buehler said. “They treated me very well for a long time, and I think in some way, I did to them as well. My last pitch there was the last out of a World Series. I don’t really know how else I would have gone out any better than that. So yeah, I want to beat everyone, especially in the division, and especially a team that has been so successful against the organization I’m with now. I want to be a part of turning that around.”
Buehler earned two All-Star selections and two World Series rings during his time with Los Angeles. His final moment in Dodger Blue came in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, when he entered in relief and recorded the final out in the clinching win over the New York Yankees. Against the Padres specifically, he was nearly untouchable, posting a 6-1 record with a 1.80 ERA across 12 starts.
After injuries hampered his final seasons with the Dodgers and the team chose not to retain him, Buehler signed with the Boston Red Sox. His first outing against Los Angeles came last year at Fenway Park — a rough start that mirrored much of his difficult tenure in Boston. The Red Sox released him less than a month after that appearance. Following a brief stop in Philadelphia, he signed with San Diego last February.
“I think the first one in Boston was a lot bigger emotional load, for lack of a better word,” Buehler said. “It’s a team in our division. I’m going to have to pitch against them, and it was good to get the first one in this uniform at home, and we’ll see what happens on the road. I haven’t thrown at Dodger Stadium yet, which will be kind of a different thing, but (it’s) nice to have something to fall back on in terms of having some success.”
Now 31 years old and carrying two Tommy John surgeries in his past, Buehler has found renewed success in San Diego. He improved to 5-3 on the season and has given up just five runs over five June starts covering 26 1/3 innings. He has quietly become the most dependable arm in a rotation hit hard by injuries.
The Padres have managed Buehler carefully, keeping his workload in check. He has not yet recorded an out in the seventh inning this season, but he says San Diego’s strong bullpen has made that transition easier to accept.
“I think I’ve changed from trying to throw 120 pitches and owning the game to just kind of trying to get through the five, six innings and hand it off to our bullpen,” Buehler said. “Obviously we have a lot of super-talented guys back there, so I feel good about it.”
Friday’s exit after just 74 pitches still didn’t sit well with Buehler in the moment, but manager Craig Stammen said the pitcher has handled the new approach professionally. The bullpen backed him up with 3 2/3 scoreless innings, navigating two bases-loaded situations to preserve the win.
“In the moment, he likes to let me know he’s not happy on the mound,” Stammen said. “And then when I get back to the dugout, he’s already cooled off. So he’s handled it really well. He’s been a very professional pitcher in that regard. He knows that he’s pitching well and he can get a lot of guys out, but he also knows we’ve got a really good bullpen that can finish a game and get him a win.”
NYANZA, Rwanda — At the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, Rwanda, a flute plays softly and verses of poetry fill the air — all for the benefit of a herd of cattle.
These are no ordinary animals. The Inyambo cows, recognized by their long, crescent-shaped horns, are considered living symbols of Rwanda’s royal history. They graze at the museum and at the estates of some of the country’s wealthiest citizens, including President Paul Kagame.
The Inyambo are descended from the Ankole cattle breed of East Africa and can also be found in neighboring Uganda and Burundi. Historically, they were kept in royal courts where they represented wealth, power, and prestige.
“They’re not for milk, they’re not for meat. They were just used as decorations around the palaces,” said museum curator Bigira Junior.
Although Rwanda’s monarchy no longer exists, President Kagame has continued the age-old tradition of gifting these cattle to other leaders. A local publication, The New Times, once described this practice as “Inyambo diplomacy.”
As Rwanda works to grow its tourism industry, it has been investing significantly in sites like the King’s Palace Museum, where the Inyambo serve as the centerpiece attraction.
Caretakers recite melodious poetry to the animals, praising their appearance and addressing them by name. This practice is believed to soothe the cattle before major events or traditional ceremonies.
“You have beautiful horns. Move your head so that we can see your beautiful neck and body. You are the most beautiful cow among others,” one caretaker sings during the ritual.
The cattle are also regularly brushed, another calming technique used by their handlers.
“Remember, they are to be loved and cherished, and you can’t love something from afar. You have to get close to it,” Junior explained.
Across Rwanda and several other African nations, cattle carry deep social and economic meaning. The size and uniqueness of a person’s herd often determines their standing in the community. In 2004, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa purchased a special breed of Ankole cattle from Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni.
The Inyambo have also shaped Rwanda’s traditional dance culture. Women perform graceful movements, extending their arms to imitate the shape of the cattle’s distinctive horns.
“The dance is more or less a way to portray the beauty of the royal cows,” Junior said.
The Inyambo were reintroduced to the museum grounds in the early 2010s as part of a conservation effort, though the exact number remaining is not known. Caretakers oversee breeding programs aimed at preserving the animals’ signature traits — including their long horns and rich brown coloring, a shade associated with royalty, maturity, and stability.
For younger visitors encountering the breed for the first time, the Inyambo represent a direct connection to Rwanda’s past.
“We educate them to take this information to others and keep the culture alive,” Junior said.
LONDON (AP) — Britain appears ready for a change in leadership style, swapping out an unpopular and reserved Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the well-liked and personable Andy Burnham.
However, despite his charm and broad public appeal, Burnham may find it difficult — especially in the early days — to separate himself from the policies already put in place by the outgoing leader.
Burnham, who previously served as mayor of Greater Manchester, was sworn into Parliament just hours after Starmer announced Monday that he would be stepping down. He will be bound by the platform on which the center-left Labour Party won election in 2024, a victory that ended 14 years of Conservative Party governance. If he takes the top job, he would become the seventh prime minister in just ten years.
Exactly how he plans to work within those constraints while putting his own stamp on British politics remains to be seen. He is scheduled to deliver a speech next week laying out his economic priorities.
Matthew Flinders, a politics professor at the University of Sheffield, offered both praise and a word of caution. “At the moment, Andy Burnham is being almost hailed and held up as a folk hero that will save British politics,” Flinders said. “The tide is changing and the big issue for Andy Burnham is that when the world suddenly moves against him and he becomes a folk devil, will he sustain the pressure?”
As of now, Burnham is the only person in the running to lead the Labour Party and the country. If no other candidates enter the race, he is expected to officially take over on July 17. His return to the House of Commons follows roughly a decade at the helm of the region surrounding the U.K.’s third-largest city — the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution — which experienced an economic resurgence under his leadership.
His biggest task will be tackling what Starmer could not: delivering meaningful economic growth, restoring deteriorating public services, and bringing down the cost of living for ordinary Britons.
Burnham pointed to those concerns — along with housing and creating pathways for young people — in a social media post following Starmer’s announcement that he was leaving office.
“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get,” he wrote on X.
Burnham is generally considered to sit to the left of Starmer within the Labour Party. He has pledged to reinvigorate a sluggish economy while staying within the existing government’s spending and borrowing limits. That commitment has helped calm financial markets still rattled by the 2022 episode in which Prime Minister Liz Truss unveiled unfunded tax cuts, then reversed course — a crisis that contributed to her record-short 49-day tenure as Britain’s leader.
Mark Goodwin, a politics lecturer at Coventry University, said Burnham’s position on the left side of the party could invite market anxiety. “If you are a Labour prime minister from the soft left of the party, the markets don’t need that much invitation to panic,” Goodwin said. “They will start from a position of skepticism. So he’d have to be very, very careful.”
Goodwin added that Burnham faces the challenge “to convince people that this is something different, without the markets reading that as ‘This is too different.’”
Burnham is associated with a governing philosophy sometimes called “Manchesterism” — a business-friendly approach rooted in socialist values that emphasizes attracting private investment for large-scale projects and pushing decision-making power away from the national government and into local communities, particularly around housing, utilities, transportation, and education.
In what may be an early signal of that philosophy in action, he is reportedly considering relocating part of the prime minister’s operation closer to his home base — roughly 200 miles north of 10 Downing Street, the official London residence and office of the U.K.’s leader.
Burnham has said he will not raise taxes on workers, honoring a pledge made by Starmer. He has also floated the idea of reducing the tax load on businesses and potentially rolling back a rise in a payroll tax that employers pay to fund pensions, public health care, and welfare programs.
Jill Rutter, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government think tank, said the central question is how Burnham plans to pay for programs, whether he will eliminate existing priorities, and how he will respond to growing demands for increased defense spending.
Starmer’s government had committed to reaching a NATO target of spending 3.5% of the country’s GDP on defense by 2035. That commitment was thrown into question this month when the defense secretary resigned, citing frustration that Starmer was not moving quickly enough toward that goal.
On the international stage, Burnham’s limited experience could prove to be a liability — particularly when it comes to managing the relationship with the United States after President Donald Trump turned against Starmer.
Trump this week referred to Burnham as a “town” mayor and said he had heard Burnham was “extremely liberal” and likely would not push for expanded North Sea oil drilling — a recurring criticism Trump had of Starmer.
Starmer had worked to maintain a civil relationship with Trump despite their political differences, ultimately securing a U.S.-U.K. trade deal. But that effort came at a cost, alienating parts of Labour’s more liberal voter base. The relationship with Trump eventually deteriorated after Starmer criticized Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland and chose not to participate in the Iran conflict.
Burnham himself has not always spoken favorably about Trump. Following the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Burnham posted on X that “any politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.”
While Starmer earned recognition for his role on the world stage — particularly in rallying European backing for Ukraine — he was also criticized for spending too much time on foreign affairs, according to Rutter. She does not anticipate Burnham taking the same approach, and suggested he could delegate some of those responsibilities by appointing a seasoned diplomat as foreign secretary.
“I don’t think Andy Burnham will want to be ‘never-here Andy’ in succession to ‘never-here Keir,’” Rutter said, referencing the nickname Starmer earned for his frequent international travel.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Wednesday that she had spoken with Burnham about policy matters and reported that “he’s 100% behind our unwavering support for Ukraine” and “is a fundamental believer in NATO and in our shared deterrence and in the multilateral partnerships that we have.”
Political analyst Flinders said one of Burnham’s most pressing early tasks will be developing a clear and compelling message about where he wants to lead the country — something Starmer consistently struggled to do.
That challenge plays directly to Burnham’s strengths as a communicator. He has built his public image as a relatable northern Englishman who favors casual clothing over formal attire, enjoys playing soccer, and is known for DJing music from the 1990s.
For now, Burnham appears to be managing expectations carefully and avoiding any grand promises. But if he can demonstrate solid leadership and retain public confidence through the roughly three years remaining before a general election must be called, he may have the opportunity to pursue a more ambitious agenda in his own right.
Burnham has spoken about broader political reforms, including replacing the House of Lords with an elected senate and shifting to a proportional voting system. He has also expressed a personal desire to see the U.K. rejoin the European Union during his lifetime — though he softened that stance while campaigning in a constituency that voted two-to-one in favor of Brexit.
“My sense is that he will take some time, sensibly, to build up his team, his narrative, his story and his connections in order to then try to secure a public mandate and the next general election to then approach the more radical phase that he wants to deliver, which is exactly what Margaret Thatcher did in the ’80s,” Flinders said.
When temperatures soar, it’s not just people who struggle — birds and other wildlife are also at serious risk from extreme heat and humidity, experts say.
Birds play a vital role in ecosystems around the world. They pollinate flowers, keep pest populations in check, spread seeds, and can even act as early warning indicators of environmental problems. Protecting them during dangerous heat events matters.
David Bird, an emeritus professor of wildlife biology at McGill University, noted that birds are a remarkably diverse group and are often well-equipped to handle extended stretches of hot weather. Their body temperatures naturally run higher than those of mammals — some birds maintain temperatures around 38 degrees Celsius, or about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and some run even warmer.
To stay cool, birds can adjust their feathers and increase airflow through a complex internal system of air sacs. They also change their behavior in response to heat.
Still, every bird has a limit. Aimee Van Tatenhove, a postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, explained that this threshold varies depending on the species. “This level differs by species, and as you can imagine, species that live closer to the poles are often much more susceptible to heat than species that live closer to the equator,” she said. “Prolonged intense heat like Europe is experiencing right now is likely pushing many species toward their maximum heat tolerances, putting them at risk of heat illness or death.”
Unlike humans and some other mammals, birds don’t sweat. Instead, they rely on other natural cooling methods. Some species — including common backyard birds — will open their beaks and pant, similar to how a dog cools itself. Others flutter the loose skin on their throat in a behavior called “gular fluttering.” Birds also frequently seek out shade and cool off in birdbaths, fountains, and shallow ponds.
There are several things people can do to help birds during a heat wave. In the near term, setting out shallow containers of fresh water in safe locations — away from predators — can make a real difference. Experts do caution that these water sources need to be kept clean.
Keeping bird feeders stocked is another way to help, giving birds an easy meal so they don’t have to forage in the blazing sun. This is especially important because insect populations — a primary natural food source for many birds — have declined sharply in recent years, partly due to climate change and pollution.
For those with more space, Professor Bird suggested planting layered vegetation over time, such as small shrubs and larger trees, to create shaded areas in yards.
That said, sometimes the best option is simply to leave birds alone. Jack Kottwitz, an assistant professor at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, pointed out that birds are often capable of finding their own comfort. “These birds know better than what we do about what is comfortable for them,” he said. Birds will naturally seek out cooler spots, lower perches, or even areas near fans.
The same general advice applies to other wildlife. Experts warn against offering wild animals unfamiliar food or water, or attempting to bring them inside. Signs of heat stress in wild animals can look similar to symptoms of diseases that those animals may carry.
The best course of action when encountering a sick or injured wild animal is to contact a local wildlife rehabilitator, who has the training and tools to provide proper care.
Lisa Duke, sanctuary grounds manager at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, which is affiliated with Michigan State, summed it up simply: “The best thing for wildlife is to let them be wild. They know what to do with their bodies.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder are holding onto one of their most important frontcourt players. According to an ESPN report released Friday evening, the team has reached an agreement on a new three-year contract with center Isaiah Hartenstein worth $75 million.
The new deal will keep the 28-year-old big man in Oklahoma City through the 2028-29 season. When combined with his previous contract, Hartenstein will have earned a total of $134 million guaranteed across five seasons with the Thunder, per the report.
Hartenstein originally came to Oklahoma City as a free agent in 2024, signing a three-year deal valued at $87 million that included a third-year team option. The 7-foot center proved to be a crucial part of the Thunder’s championship-winning squad in 2024-25, making 99 starts in 104 regular-season games and appearing in 35 of 38 playoff contests over the past two seasons.
According to the report, the newly agreed-upon contract comes with a maximum 15% trade kicker. It also includes a mutual option that gives both Hartenstein, his agents, and the team the ability to restructure the agreement before the contract’s final season.
This past season was a difficult one for Hartenstein health-wise, as injuries held him to just 47 games — 46 of which he started. During those appearances, he averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 24.2 minutes per game. Across his entire eight-year NBA career — which has included stops with the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and Thunder — he has averaged 7.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 20.0 minutes per game in 426 games, with 160 starts.
Guard Jose Alvarado is staying with the New York Knicks, agreeing to a three-year deal worth more than $14.5 million, according to a report from ESPN published Friday.
Alvarado, who served as an important reserve for the reigning NBA champions, had opted out of a $4.5 million player option for the upcoming season, according to multiple reports.
The Brooklyn native took to social media Friday to announce his return, writing “I’m Home” on X and finishing the post with a string of orange and blue hearts — the Knicks’ team colors.
The 28-year-old joined New York from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February. During the regular season, he appeared in 28 games — starting three — and put up averages of 6.6 points, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 16.9 minutes per game.
That trade also included forward Latavious Williams heading to New York, while the Pelicans received guard Dalen Terry, cash, a 2022 second-round draft pick — which was later used to select Jaron Pierre Jr. — and a 2027 second-round pick.
In the postseason, Alvarado contributed off the bench in 18 playoff games, averaging 4.2 points, 1.2 assists and 9.4 minutes per contest as the Knicks claimed their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Alvarado went undrafted out of Georgia Tech and has built his career with the Pelicans from 2021 to 2026 and the Knicks. Across 296 career games and 37 starts, he averages 8.0 points, 3.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 20.0 minutes per game.
DALLAS — When thousands of Argentine soccer fans arrived in Texas for the World Cup, a spirited argument was bound to follow — and it had nothing to do with goals or goalkeepers. The real debate? Whose beef reigns supreme.
It turns out two of the planet’s most celebrated cattle-raising regions have strong opinions about each other’s steaks. Texas holds the top spot in U.S. beef production, and the United States ranks second in the world behind Brazil, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Argentina comes in sixth globally.
So who grills it better?
Carlos Eduardo Barahona, a 64-year-old Argentine chef who has called Texas home since 1998 and has worked in restaurants across Argentina, Uruguay, and Texas, didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“Argentine beef is simply unbeatable. The savory texture, the style of the cut — there is no competing with it,” Barahona said.
He argued that even the cheapest Argentine cuts outshine premium American options. “You can make an (Argentine) asado with the cheapest cut in our country and you will enjoy it. Here, you can use the best meat, like tenderloin, and depending on its source, it can turn out tough, inedible or tender. But our beef has a completely different flavor profile,” he said.
The difference comes down to how the cattle are raised. Argentine beef cattle typically graze freely on open pastures and are mostly grass-fed, which takes longer but produces leaner meat with deep, earthy flavors. American beef — particularly in Texas — is predominantly grain-fed, resulting in more marbling, the streaks of fat within the muscle that keep meat juicy and tender, and a somewhat sweeter taste.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller had no trouble picking a side.
“There’s no better beef than U.S. beef, particularly Texas beef,” Miller said — though he did acknowledge that Argentine beef is also quite good. He credited Texas, in part, for that improvement.
Miller said his agency launched a marketing office more than a decade ago to connect Texas cattle producers with ranchers in South America, including Argentina.
“I don’t want to disparage our friends in Argentina, but we have helped them improve,” he said. “Their genetics were lacking. We do have them up to pretty high quality. We sold them a lot of semen, embryos, and breeding stock.”
“Their herds have American genetics in them, so they should be good,” Miller added.
Not every Argentine fan was ready to pick a fight over the matter. Gonzalo Herrera, visiting from Argentina, was browsing packaged meat at a Walmart in Arlington, Texas, after watching Messi net two goals in a win over Austria. Loading four T-bone steaks into his cart — and wincing at the $45 price tag — he shrugged at the whole debate.
“Honestly, I don’t see a massive difference,” Herrera said. “The key is knowing exactly which cuts to buy and finding the equivalent of what we eat in Argentina.” He did note, however: “Prices are higher here.”
Much of the rivalry also comes down to cooking style rather than the meat itself. At Corrientes 348 Argentinian Steakhouse in Dallas, assistant manager Emmanuel Tobon said steaks are prepared with nothing more than salt and mesquite charcoal.
“There’s a big difference. Texans use a lot of pepper, they use butter, they use a little barbecue (sauce),” Tobon said. “(Argentines) like to bring all the flavor of the steak by only using salt.”
With Argentina still set to play at least one more match in Dallas on Saturday, Argentine fans have been filling the restaurant, looking for a familiar taste while away from home.
“They have been enjoying the Texas culture,” Tobon said. “(But) it has been a great pleasure to have all of them, to make them feel like home.”
He described how Argentines hold their steak traditions as almost sacred — recipes handed down through generations, and the grill master at a family cookout treated with deep respect.
Fernando Garcia Morillo, an Argentine originally from Buenos Aires who now lives near Miami, said he appreciates both countries’ beef. But old habits die hard when he orders steak in the U.S.
“I order just salt, no pepper, just plain,” Morillo said. “Sometimes they use a lot of sauce.”
As for any real rivalry between the two nations over beef? Morillo wasn’t buying it.
“Maybe there’s a rivalry as usual against Brazil, our neighbor,” he said. “I love the U.S. meat.”
A deadly combination of aging infrastructure, poor construction practices, and dangerous terrain left countless Venezuelan neighborhoods defenseless against the powerful earthquakes that struck the country this week.
Engineers and experts described Wednesday’s back-to-back quakes as among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in over a century. The twin earthquakes leveled buildings and claimed more than 900 lives, with that number expected to climb. Video footage and satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press showed dozens of multi-story structures had completely collapsed.
Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab used satellite imagery to assess damage in Catia La Mar, located in La Guaira state along the Caribbean coast — one of the cities hit hardest by the disaster. Using artificial intelligence-based damage models, Microsoft determined that roughly one-third of the city’s nearly 30,000 structures sustained damage.
Experts pointed to several reasons so many buildings were at risk. In northern Venezuela, some housing complexes were thrown up rapidly during oil boom periods, and builders may have cut corners on safety measures designed to reduce earthquake damage.
Structures built in the 1950s and 1960s — constructed before modern earthquake safety standards were established — likely were never upgraded to withstand violent ground shaking, engineers said. On top of that, many buildings sit on soft soils and unstable terrain that make earthquake damage significantly worse.
David Cocke, a structural engineer based in California and a former president of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, explained that a mix of soft ground, tall towers, and older concrete construction drove the widespread devastation — especially in cases where buildings pancaked, meaning they collapsed floor by floor.
“They just don’t have the more modern reinforcing steel connections that we put in those kinds of buildings today,” Cocke said.
Engineers have understood since the 1970s that concrete structures are especially vulnerable during earthquakes, and modern construction incorporates steel reinforcement to reduce that risk. Wealthier nations have often required property owners to either upgrade or demolish unsafe buildings, but many lower- and middle-income countries have struggled to enforce such requirements while dealing with other pressing challenges.
“Some of the more advanced countries like Japan and New Zealand and the U.S. have made those changes, but some of the other countries have not,” Cocke said. “It’s a very typical kind of construction all over the world.”
Other experts highlighted additional design flaws that contributed to building collapses. Some structures featured heavy brick non-structural walls, while others had what engineers call “soft stories” — ground floors made up of open spaces like garages. Both conditions increase the likelihood of a pancake-style collapse.
“Soft stories are a huge problem everywhere in the world,” said Eduardo Miranda, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Stanford University. “And in Venezuela, they are particularly prevalent, and if you combine softer soils with a soft story, buildings can collapse.”
Marcos Ferreira, a geophysicist and researcher at the Geological Survey of Brazil, said the destruction was made worse by the fact that two major quakes struck back-to-back — a phenomenon known as a doublet. A similar sequence struck Turkey and Syria in 2023, killing nearly 60,000 people.
“It is as if I am screaming and then someone starts screaming, too,” Ferreira said. “That amplifies the vibration and adds to the potential hazard.”
Venezuelan officials did update building codes after a deadly earthquake in 1967, but it remains unclear how many existing buildings were ever brought into compliance with those new rules.
In late 1999, after floods and landslides destroyed housing across northern Venezuela — including along the coast — the government launched a major construction push to replace lost homes and shelter displaced residents, according to Juan Carlos Vielma, a Venezuelan civil engineer who leads academic affairs in the civil engineering school at Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso in Chile. That construction boom came during former President Hugo Chávez’s first year in office.
Troublingly, some of those newer buildings also appear to have collapsed in this week’s earthquakes.
“Something that leaves me perplexed is the fact that, among the collapsed buildings, more than one was recently designed and built in accordance with current standards,” Vielma said. “We need to embark on a process not only of reconstruction, but also of reviewing the applicable standards, since something might have gone wrong within our engineering processes, too.”
Three days after a devastating pair of earthquakes rocked Venezuela, the race to find survivors is becoming more urgent by the hour. Families have been digging through mountains of rubble with their own hands, desperate to reach loved ones buried beneath collapsed homes and apartment buildings, as the window for finding people alive grows smaller.
On Friday night, officials announced they would restrict entry into La Guaira — the area hardest hit by the disaster — citing growing chaos and traffic congestion that has been interfering with rescue operations. Anyone wishing to enter the area will now need to obtain an official permit, though authorities offered little clarity on who would qualify.
With government rescue teams seen by many as too few and too slow, residents took matters into their own hands. The death toll from Wednesday’s twin quakes has risen to at least 920, with more than 51,000 people reported missing. Those missing figures are tracked on independent digital databases and may include people simply cut off from communication due to damaged cell networks, with some entries potentially counted more than once.
Emergency aid organizations typically consider the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster to be the most critical period for rescuing survivors alive, though that window can stretch longer if trapped individuals have access to food and water.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, expressed both hope and sobering honesty about the situation. “Each person saved is a miracle,” he said. “We are not going to hide absolutely anything about the magnitude of this tragedy.”
In La Guaira state, just north of the capital city of Caracas, a woman named Nazareth Jimenez broke down in tears as she watched neighbors hack through concrete slabs with hammers and power tools at a building reduced to rubble. She was waiting anxiously to learn whether her siblings, nephews, nieces, and friends had survived.
“My God, how are we going to get them out of there?” Jimenez said quietly through her grief. She also made a direct appeal for help: “We’re making a call for help to the government and countries across the world. There are still people alive in there,” she said, urging authorities to bring in heavy machinery capable of moving the debris.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said her government was mounting a full response during what she called “critical hours for rescuing people alive.” Government forces have been distributing food and water to survivors in La Guaira, and she said the area has been placed under military control with additional help on the way. She also welcomed the arrival of international rescue teams and humanitarian aid, though many residents say what has arrived so far is just a fraction of what is needed.
The disaster presents an enormous challenge for Rodríguez, the former vice president who assumed the presidency in January following the capture and removal of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the United States. Venezuela has been mired in economic turmoil for over a decade, and a significant portion of the population does not recognize the legitimacy of the political movement she leads.
By midday Friday, more than 3,300 people had been reported injured, and authorities confirmed that 243 individuals had been rescued. The International Organization for Migration estimated that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including roughly 2 million in Caracas alone. Experts noted the destruction was worsened by the rapid back-to-back nature of the shallow quakes.
Loyce Pace, the International Red Cross’ regional director for the Americas, noted that “people are still terrified to reenter what were their homes.” Many continued sleeping outdoors in the streets.
One man, Omar Reyes, said approximately 20 family members perished in the quakes. Walking through the rubble where two of his children were buried, he said simply, “I’ve been left alone in this life.”
In the city of Maiquetia, residents lined up outside stores and pharmacies, which were serving customers one at a time through closed doors. At one point, a woman in the crowd threw herself on top of a package of diapers to shield it from others, unwilling to give up what little she had managed to obtain.
Search efforts were repeatedly disrupted by heavy traffic and crowds of motorcyclists. Mexican soldiers and volunteers asked repeatedly for silence so they could listen for signs of life beneath the debris, but motorcycles — both civilian and military — continued honking and revving engines, frustrating first responders.
In the area of Catia La Mar, near the country’s main airport, some people began taking basic goods such as food and toilet paper from stores. A civilian pickup truck handing out bread and water was swarmed until a soldier stepped in to restore order. A nearby pharmacy parking lot had been transformed into a makeshift shelter, with tarps, hammocks, and tents set up across the lot.
A short distance away, 28-year-old Yuleidy Cadenas stood across the street from a collapsed public housing building, hoping her son, mother, and brother would be pulled from the wreckage alive. She had fled another building barefoot as it came down on Wednesday, only to discover that her mother’s 12-story apartment tower had completely pancaked.
“I got on top of the rubble and told them to yell back, and nobody did, not my brother, nor my son or my mother,” Cadenas said.
Venezuelan authorities reported Friday that 861 volunteers from Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia, and other nations were on the ground, with more on the way. Acting President Rodríguez said she spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, and both reaffirmed their commitment to send rescue teams and aid equipment to Venezuela.
NEW YORK — One of horse racing’s most storied venues is about to go dark. Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York City’s last remaining horse racing track, will hold its final live races this weekend after more than 130 years of operation.
The closing event is scheduled for Sunday at 5:44 p.m., with the final race carrying the fitting name “It Was a Good Run.” While live racing will end, the track will continue to host betting on televised races — known as simulcasting — through September 7.
The “Big A,” as it’s affectionately known, sits adjacent to John F. Kennedy International Airport and has witnessed some of the greatest moments in thoroughbred racing history. Legendary horses including Seabiscuit, Man O’ War, and Secretariat all competed there during the sport’s golden era.
“There’s a lot of history here. Just so many good horses,” said David Donk, a veteran horse trainer, speaking between races at Aqueduct earlier this month. “It’s had its use. But, you know, times change. Everything changes in life.”
The track’s closure reflects a broader trend in the horse racing industry, which has faced mounting pressure from competing forms of gambling. Slot parlors, casinos, state lotteries, and the more recent rise of legalized online and sports betting have all chipped away at the sport’s once-dominant appeal.
According to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, an industry trade group, there are now roughly 75 thoroughbred tracks operating across the country — a dramatic drop from the more than 300 facilities that offered some form of horse racing during the sport’s peak in the late 1800s. Other major tracks that have shut down in recent years include Arlington Park in Illinois, which was purchased by the NFL’s Chicago Bears for a potential new stadium, and Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“For over 100 years, thoroughbred racing was one of very few sports outlets you could legally bet on,” said Tom Rooney, the association’s president. “With the expansion of sports gambling, our sport will naturally condense and coalesce around a more pragmatic number of marquee tracks and locations, similar to other sports.”
A significant portion of Aqueduct’s sprawling property has already been converted into a Resorts World casino. The gambling venue, which earlier this year began offering live table games such as blackjack, poker, and craps after receiving a state license to operate a Las Vegas-style resort, has plans for a massive multibillion-dollar expansion. The site also holds a notable place in religious history — in 1995, a crowd of 75,000 gathered there to celebrate Mass with Pope John Paul II.
About 9 miles east, just beyond the New York City limits on Long Island, the renowned Belmont Park racetrack — home to the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown — is scheduled to reopen in September following a roughly $550 million renovation. State funding for that project came with a condition: the New York Racing Association, which manages the tracks, had to return Aqueduct’s more than 100 acres to the state for future redevelopment and shift all thoroughbred racing to Belmont and Saratoga Race Course upstate.
“We couldn’t have gotten the money to rebuild Belmont and continue to race at Aqueduct. You have to make these choices,” said Andy Serling, the track’s longtime television analyst and race handicapper. “I don’t think you’ll find anybody here that’s not gonna tell you they’re gonna miss Aqueduct, but we’re also incredibly excited to be opening this beautiful new building at Belmont.”
Aqueduct first opened in 1894, taking its name from an old aqueduct that once carried fresh water from Long Island into New York City. The facility remained a modest operation until a major overhaul in 1959 that brought a dedicated subway stop, air-conditioned restaurants and lounges, and a grandstand seating roughly 35,000 fans — complete with escalators, elevators, and other modern amenities. The Associated Press at the time called the revamped venue “the world’s most modern and luxurious horse plant.”
The track has been home to some of racing’s most memorable milestones. Triple Crown champion Secretariat won the very first race of his career at Aqueduct in 1972, then returned the following year for a farewell appearance. Seattle Slew used a strong 1977 Aqueduct performance as his final tune-up before sweeping the Triple Crown later that year. And in 1994, Cigar launched a historic 16-race winning streak at the track.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, 54, reflected on what Aqueduct meant to his career during a recent Friday afternoon at the track. The Puerto Rico native said it took weeks of competing against some of the sport’s top riders before he finally claimed his first career win there. He has since recorded more than 6,700 victories and holds the record for the most purse earnings of any jockey in North America.
“This is where I developed my craft, where I learned everything that I know,” Velazquez said after winning his first race of that afternoon. “The years that I spent here made me the jockey that I am today.”
Inside the massive grandstand, longtime bettor Roy Brown, a 68-year-old retiree from Queens, shared a fond memory of his biggest score at the track. Originally from Jamaica, Brown said he won around $60,000 on a “pick-six” bet in the late 1980s — a challenging wager that requires correctly picking the winner of six consecutive races. Flush with winnings and enthusiasm, he used some of the money to purchase two horses. But his brief foray into horse ownership didn’t pan out for him or the animals.
“It’s best to bet on them, not own them,” Brown said with a laugh. “If you’re really passionate about it, it’s your best two minutes. Nothing’s sweeter than seeing your horse coming down the stretch or coming from behind and at the wire, knowing you got it.”
JUNEAU, Alaska — An Alaska judge has determined that a man who shares both a name and party affiliation with Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan has the right to appear on the state’s August primary ballot.
Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews issued the ruling Friday, reversing a June 15 decision by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, who had moved to bar the challenger from the ballot. The ruling remains subject to appeal before the state Supreme Court.
State attorneys have indicated that Tuesday represents the final deadline for a ruling to be in place so that ballots for the August 18 primary can be sent to print.
Judge Matthews found that the Division of Elections’ move to exclude Dan J. Sullivan on the grounds that his candidacy lacked “good faith” had no basis in the state Constitution, Alaska law, or the Division’s own rules. “Instead, the decision was based upon a new, previously unstated, ‘good faith’ criteria,” the judge wrote.
The situation involving the two Dan Sullivans has drawn attention to the high stakes surrounding the incumbent senator’s reelection bid. Alaska’s Senate race is among roughly half a dozen contests across the country expected to be fiercely contested this fall, and it represents a seat Democrats are hoping to capture as part of their push to reclaim a Senate majority.
The senator, along with supporters including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has spoken out against the challenger’s entry into the race, arguing it risks confusing voters. Under Alaska’s election rules, the top four finishers in the primary — regardless of party — advance to a ranked choice general election in November.
Sen. Sullivan has accused the challenger of working in concert with Democrats and the campaign of Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola — widely seen as the senator’s primary competition — in an effort to muddy the waters and improve Peltola’s prospects. Peltola’s campaign, state Democrats, and the challenger himself have all denied those claims.
Sen. Sullivan and Peltola are the most prominent figures in the crowded field and the only candidates who have reported raising campaign funds.
Director Beecher had concluded that the challenger’s filing was not made in good faith and was instead intended to mislead voters. She pointed to the fact that he had been registered to vote as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and switched his party affiliation to Republican when he filed for the race. She also noted similarities between his campaign website and the senator’s, along with his use of a political consultant who has worked with Democratic clients. She did not cite any direct evidence of coordination with the senator’s opponents.
In their effort to uphold the disqualification, state attorneys rejected the idea that ballot design could adequately address any confusion created by two candidates with identical names and party labels running for the same office. “The Constitution does not require States to place a sham candidate on the ballot and then attempt to mitigate the damage through design choices,” wrote attorney Rachel Witty of the Alaska Department of Law, along with outside attorneys Christopher Murray and Michael Francisco.
Attorneys representing the challenger countered that the U.S. Constitution sets out only three qualifications for Senate candidates — age, citizenship, and residency — and argued that Director Beecher had no legal authority to remove their client from the ballot.
The challenger Sullivan, a 69-year-old retired teacher and former U.S. Forest Service employee, has acknowledged that having the same name and party as the sitting senator gave him “an instant megaphone.” He has said, however, that he had been considering a run for some time and had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the senator’s performance in office.
When the candidate list was initially published, the challenger appeared as Dan J. Sullivan, while the incumbent was listed as Dan S. Sullivan with a notation identifying him as the current officeholder.
Across the United States, state governments are pushing back against the powerful companies that manage prescription drug benefits for health insurers, hoping to drive down the cost of medications for everyday Americans.
These companies, known as pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, play a major role in determining what drugs are covered and how much pharmacies get paid. Some of them also own their own pharmacies — and at least one of those companies has poured millions of dollars into fighting new state regulations.
With drug affordability shaping up as a major issue heading into this year’s midterm elections, lawmakers in at least a dozen states passed new laws this year designed to limit how much these companies can earn, set minimum payment amounts to pharmacists, and force the companies to be more transparent with clients, state governments, and the public.
A new law in Tennessee will prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from also running retail pharmacies, effective July 1, 2028. CVS Health Corp. has responded by filing a federal lawsuit, seeking to avoid being forced to shut down its 136 pharmacies in that state.
The financial pressure on patients is real. A poll conducted earlier this year by KFF, a nonprofit focused on healthcare research, found that roughly 6 in 10 American adults were at least somewhat worried about being able to pay for their prescriptions. About 4 in 10 said that cost concerns had caused them to deviate from their prescribed medications in the past year — whether by taking smaller doses, buying over-the-counter alternatives, or skipping refills altogether.
CVS and two other large pharmacy benefit managers handle the vast majority of prescription drug claims in the United States.
Lawmakers in at least 26 states introduced more than 120 bills this year targeting PBMs, according to an Associated Press review using the bill-tracking software Plural. About a quarter of those bills advanced through at least one legislative chamber.
These companies manage pharmacy claims on behalf of health insurers and negotiate with drug manufacturers over pricing and coverage decisions. Even critics acknowledge that the sheer size of the largest PBMs gives them bargaining power that individual health plans simply couldn’t match on their own.
The PBMs themselves argue that they are the only part of the drug supply chain specifically designed to push costs lower, and they point to the widespread use of generic drugs — now accounting for 90% of U.S. prescriptions — as evidence of their impact.
Prem Shaw, president of the CVS Health division that oversees its pharmacy and PBM operations, defended the industry in a recent interview: “If PBMs already didn’t exist, you’d need to invent one. Blaming PBMs for high drug prices is like blaming umbrellas for the rain.”
Drug companies, PBMs, and their allies have collectively spent at least $24 million on broadcast and digital advertising since the beginning of 2025 to shape public opinion on the issue, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. CVS alone spent $4 million this year on ads opposing Tennessee’s new law.
CVS also sued Arkansas last year after that state passed similar legislation, and a federal judge blocked that law from taking effect. Additionally, CVS settled three lawsuits brought by Louisiana accusing the company of unfair trade practices and deceptive conduct in its lobbying efforts against legislation there last year. CVS agreed to pay $45 million in that settlement without admitting any wrongdoing.
In its Tennessee lawsuit, CVS — which operates 9,000 pharmacies across the country — claims the law amounts to “naked protectionism” by lawmakers who themselves own independent pharmacies, including the bill’s lead sponsor, state Sen. Bobby Harshbarger, and co-sponsor Sen. Shane Reeves.
In Knoxville, a CVS pharmacy manager named Seth White faces the prospect of losing his job if the Tennessee law survives legal challenges. He also expressed concern about the hundreds of customers who would need to find a new place to fill their prescriptions.
Nearly 900 miles away in Coldwater, Kansas, Lisa Gales and her husband run the Main Street Pharmacy — and she sees things very differently. Gales said she depends heavily on sales of non-pharmacy products to make up for the low reimbursements she receives from pharmacy benefit managers. By her own calculations, she lost money on 86% of the prescriptions she filled last year.
A new Kansas law will require PBMs to pay a $10.50 dispensing fee per prescription. Gales called it a “great win,” though she added, “It’s still way under what it’s costing us.”
Louisiana has enacted a similar measure, setting an $11.81 dispensing fee per prescription. A separate Louisiana law requires PBMs to act in the best interests of the health insurers they serve and the patients enrolled in those plans.
Opponents of these mandatory fees call them an added “pill tax” that will ultimately raise costs for consumers. Supporters push back, arguing the laws also cap what PBMs can charge health plans for the medications themselves — often keeping those prices well below wholesale.
PBMs negotiate significant discounts from drug manufacturers, but have faced criticism for pocketing a portion of those savings rather than passing them on. Some states are now requiring that all such discounts be forwarded directly to health plans and patients.
The ongoing squeeze on independent pharmacies worries consumers in smaller communities, who fear they could lose access to local pharmacies if reimbursement rates become too low to keep those businesses open.
In southeastern Kansas, 79-year-old retired nursing home administrator Faith Sanders said the pharmacy in her hometown of Cedar Vale is essential — without it, residents would need to drive 35 miles to find another option. “We get to the point where it’s hard for us to get out of town,” she said, speaking of her elderly neighbors.
Even some critics of PBMs have questioned whether states are the right level of government to address the problem. During a Tennessee legislative debate, state Rep. Robert Stevens, a Republican from the Nashville area, told his colleagues that regulating PBMs “needs to be done by Congress and not by us.”
Congress did take action in February, passing new PBM regulations that include a provision preventing these companies from keeping any rebates they negotiate on drug prices for health plans that supplement federal Medicare coverage for Americans over the age of 64.
BATON ROUGE, La. — President Donald Trump’s chosen candidate for a Louisiana U.S. Senate seat is hoping to lock up the Republican nomination Saturday, adding another chapter to the president’s ongoing effort to replace GOP members who have defied him with candidates loyal to his agenda.
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, who carries Trump’s endorsement, is squaring off against state Treasurer John Fleming in the runoff election. The two advanced past two-term Sen. Bill Cassidy in the May 16 primary after Trump publicly turned against Cassidy, who had voted to convict the president following his 2021 impeachment trial.
Should Letlow prevail, it would represent the latest in a string of primary victories for Trump’s preferred candidates. Last month, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, and five Indiana state senators all lost their reelection races to challengers Trump had supported.
Letlow entered the House of Representatives in 2021 following the death of her husband, Luke Letlow, who had won the same congressional seat but passed away before he could be sworn in. She secured Trump’s endorsement before formally joining the Senate primary race in January.
In the May primary, Letlow came out on top with nearly 45% of the vote. Fleming trailed with roughly 28%, while Cassidy received close to 25%.
“We have a chance to send a clear message that Louisiana stands with President Trump,” Letlow said during an online rally with the president on Thursday. “He endorsed me because he knows I will stand with him.”
Letlow enters the runoff with several advantages, including her first-place finish in May, strong campaign spending on her behalf, and backing from prominent Republican figures. She also has the support of Gov. Jeff Landry, who consulted with Trump last year about her potential Senate candidacy, as well as U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
In last month’s primary, Letlow won parishes ranging from the rural northern part of the state to the New Orleans region in the southeast. She even carried six of the 13 parishes that Fleming once represented in Congress, including Caddo Parish, home to Shreveport.
Fleming, who was a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus during his time in Congress, later served in Trump’s first administration. He has made a point of reminding voters that he did not step down following the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.
Fleming has positioned himself as a true believer in the president’s “Make America Great Again” movement, arguing that his voting record is more conservative than Letlow’s. His campaign ads have described him as MAGA “long before it was cool.”
Fleming has also told voters that White House allies of Gov. Landry blocked him from getting through to Trump to seek his endorsement. He says he eventually managed to reach the president by phone and reminded him of their history together.
“I said nobody has been more loyal to you than me,” Fleming recalled during a June campaign appearance. “He said, ‘You’re fantastic! Why didn’t you call?’”
Louisiana political consultant Mary Patricia Wray, who works with both Republican and Democratic candidates, said she expects Fleming to do well in rural areas, but believes Letlow holds the overall advantage.
“Higher-information voters in more populous areas are going to fall into that Letlow camp,” Wray said. “She is the more institutional-looking candidate.”
Both campaigns have spent roughly $1 million each on advertising. However, a super PAC backing Letlow has outspent everyone, pouring in $4 million since the primary, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
Fleming has run ads targeting Letlow’s past public support for diversity, equity and inclusion policy — something Trump has worked to eliminate. Letlow, a former college administrator, acknowledged supporting DEI when she was interviewing for the presidency of the University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2020, but says she now opposes it.
Fleming also reposted an AI-generated video on the social platform X this month that falsely depicted Letlow saying she had backed DEI because she “didn’t know any better.” The fabricated video also made reference to her late husband, who died from COVID-19 complications.
Fleming said he did not produce the video “but it’s getting passed around Louisiana for a reason.”
Letlow called the sharing of the video “disgraceful and indefensible,” particularly because of the reference to her deceased husband.
Letlow has focused on issues important to social conservatives, including her backing of federal legislation that would prohibit transgender women and girls from competing in school sports.
Fleming built a significant portion of his campaign around opposition to carbon capture and sequestration — a process that involves injecting carbon dioxide underground to cut down on industrial pollution. Plans to expand the technology, including proposed pipelines, have generated strong pushback in rural Louisiana communities and created divisions within the state Republican Party.
Fleming has argued that such projects violate private property rights and that federal subsidies supporting the technology amount to wasteful spending.
On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis, a crop farmer from northeast Louisiana, is facing Gary Crockett, a Navy veteran and business executive. Both candidates have focused on lowering the cost of living and preserving social safety net programs.
Louisiana leans heavily Republican — Trump won the state by 22 percentage points in the 2024 election.
Scorching temperatures, bone-dry air, and powerful winds are driving a rapidly spreading wildfire in Utah, where the governor has declared a state of emergency and placed temporary restrictions on fireworks. The dangerous conditions across the western United States are raising alarms that even the smallest spark could trigger a disaster.
Fire crews on the ground are facing what fire managers and experts are calling unprecedented challenges. On Friday, aircraft including air tankers and helicopters had to be grounded as winds intensified over the Cottonwood Fire, currently the largest active wildfire in the country. Wind gusts reached 45 miles per hour and humidity dropped to single-digit levels, leaving firefighters with almost no tools to slow the blaze as it tore through the treetops.
“We are not expecting the weather to be kind to us for the next couple of days,” said Alyssa Mason, a spokesperson assigned to the fire. “We are seeing extreme fire behavior out there with some crown runs and definitely some spotting.”
Located in a lightly populated stretch of southern Utah, the Cottonwood Fire expanded Friday to more than 112 square miles. Among several major wildfires currently burning in Utah, it has severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County and triggered evacuations in the area. In the nearby community of Marysvale, thick smoke blocked out the sun Friday while ash fell from the sky.
“We’re looking at a full 48 hours of critical weather that we have not seen in Utah in the last five years,” meteorologist Jason Straub told residents at a community meeting in Beaver County Friday evening.
Straub also warned that a cold front arriving Sunday could shift wind directions and push the fire into new territory before conditions begin to settle down next week.
Most of the smoke has been drifting eastward, which means air quality at well-known tourist destinations like Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks — both located well south of the fire — has not been severely impacted, though some haze has been reported near Bryce Canyon. The massive smoke plume, however, has been visible from great distances, reaching as far as Colorado.
Utah state forester Jamie Barnes said earlier this week that the situation is unlike anything seen in recent memory, acknowledging that fires are now spreading farther and faster “under conditions that defy historical expectations.”
Across the country, close to 3 million acres have burned since January, putting the nation ahead of the 10-year average. The National Interagency Fire Center reported that firefighters are working to contain fires stretching from Alaska all the way to Florida.
Low humidity and strong winds have triggered red flag warnings across a broad region running from Idaho down through southern Arizona and New Mexico. Wind forecasts in some areas call for gusts of 25 to 35 miles per hour, with the harshest conditions expected from northern Arizona through central and southern Utah.
At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, officials were bracing Saturday for a potential power outage. The local utility provider warned it would likely shut off electricity as a precautionary measure to reduce wildfire risk. Park visitors were advised to download maps and other key information ahead of their visit and to arrive with fully charged devices, since backup power systems may be limited.
Planned power shutoffs have become increasingly common across the West as wildfire danger has grown. Utility companies typically treat them as a last resort, weighing factors like wind speed, available fuel, and the lay of the land before making a decision. Rocky Mountain Power has issued a public safety power shutoff watch and warning for parts of central, southern, and eastern Utah through the weekend.
Tim Brown, a research professor and director of the Western Regional Climate Center, said extreme fire behavior will continue as long as the region stays hot, dry, and windy. He pointed to persistent drought conditions gripping Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico as a major contributing factor.
“I would not be surprised to see a lot of restrictions come out as we get closer to the July Fourth weekend,” Brown said. “People really need to be aware of their surroundings if they’re going to be out in the forested campground areas and grassland areas.”
Gov. Spencer Cox has put fireworks restrictions in place through July 5, noting that “this year is different” as the country prepares to mark its 250th anniversary. Although the cause of the Cottonwood Fire has not been determined, the governor’s order pointed out that humans have been responsible for most of the wildfires in Utah so far this year.
Even in Florida, where multiple brush fires have broken out, officials are urging residents to forgo personal fireworks and leave the displays to professional, carefully organized shows.
Back at fire camp, spokesperson Mason described how Utah’s snowpack and stream flows peaked unusually early in March, creating what she described as extreme dryness across the region. That was followed by wind storms unlike anything previously recorded.
“If anything happens out there, any kind of spark hits fuels,” she said, “it is more than likely going to start a fire and more than likely going to get pretty big pretty quick.”
Retired American track and field star Jenny Simpson is out of the hospital after experiencing a life-threatening cardiac arrest at a community running event in Raleigh, North Carolina earlier this month.
The 39-year-old was serving as a pacer for a mile group at a community track event organized by Sir Walter Running when she suddenly collapsed. Bystanders immediately stepped in to perform CPR until emergency responders arrived.
Her employer, Fleet Feet, announced the news on Instagram Friday, saying: “We’re grateful to share that Fleet Feet Chief Running Officer Jenny Simpson has been discharged from Duke University Hospital and will continue her recovery in North Carolina following the medical emergency she experienced during the Sir Walter Running Pop Up Mile event on June 17.”
Fleet Feet’s statement went on to describe the sequence of events: “During the event, Jenny suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and received immediate lifesaving care, including CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), before being transported to UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She was later transferred to Duke University Hospital.”
Simpson had a decorated career in competitive distance running. She captured gold in the 1,500 meters at the 2011 World Championships, followed by silver medals at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She stepped away from competitive running in 2024.
BEIJING — China moved Friday to strip eight high-ranking officials of their seats in the National People’s Congress, the nation’s top legislative body, according to a report from state-run Xinhua news agency.
The removals were announced through a notice issued by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which offered no explanation for the dismissals. A request for comment sent to China’s defense ministry received no immediate response.
The action represents the latest step in an ongoing anti-corruption drive launched by President Xi Jinping, a campaign that has resulted in the investigation, removal, and purging of dozens of senior government officials and high-ranking military commanders over the years.
Among those removed from the legislature was General Xu Xueqiang, who has led the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission — a powerful military body responsible for overseeing the development, acquisition, and testing of weapons and equipment for the People’s Liberation Army. Xu has also served as commander-in-chief of China’s Manned Space Programme since 2022.
Five additional military figures were also removed: General Li Fengbiao, who previously served as political commissar of the PLA Western Theatre Command; General Guo Puxiao, who held the role of political commissar of the PLA Air Force; Wang Kangping of the Eastern Theatre Command; Zhang Minghua of the Cyberspace Force; and Yin Hongxing of the Army.
Also stripped of their legislative posts were Li Yunze, the former head of a financial regulatory agency, and Ma Xingrui, a Politburo member who had recently come under investigation. None of the removed officials could be reached for comment.
Apple is seeking clearance from the Trump administration to purchase memory chips from a Chinese chipmaker that the Pentagon has designated as a blacklisted entity, according to a report published Friday by the Financial Times.
The company has been lobbying the White House for permission to source chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies, known as CXMT, in an effort to relieve financial strain caused by surging memory chip prices, the FT reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
Reuters reached out to the White House, Apple, and CXMT for comment outside of normal business hours but received no response from any of the parties.
The situation puts a spotlight on a growing problem for major American technology companies: rapidly increasing memory chip costs are running headlong into Washington’s national security restrictions targeting Chinese chipmakers.
According to one source who spoke with the FT, Apple first approached the Commerce Department over a month ago and has since engaged other administration officials and allies in Washington as part of its lobbying campaign.
CXMT holds the distinction of being China’s leading memory chip manufacturer. The Defense Department, under the previous Biden administration, designated the company as a Chinese military firm. The company was subsequently approved by an interagency committee last year to be added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List.
Being placed on the Entity List means U.S. companies are prohibited from sending goods, software, or technology to those firms without obtaining a license — a license that is generally expected to be denied.
Apple moved to raise the prices of its iPad and MacBook products on Thursday, citing its inability to continue absorbing the rapidly climbing costs of memory and storage chips. The company attributed the price surge to the massive expansion of data centers driven by the artificial intelligence industry.
Heavy rainfall battered western Japan on Friday, causing flooding in multiple areas as two tropical storms moved toward the country on top of an already-active seasonal rain front.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Tropical Storm Mekkhala was positioned off the western coast of Amami, a remote southern Japanese island, late Friday afternoon and was tracking northeast. A second storm, Higos, was traveling in close proximity to Mekkhala.
The JMA warned that both storms are expected to arrive in the Tokyo region by Saturday, bringing heavy rainfall with them.
Earlier Friday, a man was hurt after falling into a waterway in Nara, Japan’s NHK public television reported. Television cameras in Kyoto captured images of the Kamo River running high with murky, mud-filled water. Flooding alerts were put in place for portions of Kyoto, Osaka, and other communities throughout western Japan.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that more than 30 residences were flooded in Nara and Hiroshima on Friday. The severe weather also caused disruptions to train service and air travel in the affected areas.
The NHL announced Friday evening that Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has been named the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year — a historic first for both Guerin personally and for the Wild organization.
Under Guerin’s leadership, the Wild finished the season with a record of 46-24-12 and accumulated 104 points, ranking seventh-best across the entire league. The team advanced past the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference’s first round before ultimately being knocked out by the Colorado Avalanche.
Guerin reflected on the recognition with humility, saying: “You don’t achieve things like this on your own, ever. It does take a village. It takes a strong family.”
The voting results showed strong support for Guerin, who appeared on 37 of 40 ballots and collected 14 first-place votes for a total of 131 points. He finished ahead of the other two first-time finalists: Chris MacFarland of the Avalanche, who received 20 first-place votes and 123 total points, and Pat Verbeek of the Anaheim Ducks, who earned two first-place votes and 29 points.
The award is determined by a vote of NHL general managers along with a panel of league executives and media members, with ballots cast at the conclusion of the playoffs’ first round.
Guerin, 55, made several significant moves to strengthen the Wild’s roster. In December, he pulled off a major trade to bring star defenseman Quinn Hughes over from the Vancouver Canucks. He also brought in forward Nico Sturm through free agency and acquired forward Vladimir Tarasenko via trade during the offseason. Before the 2026 trade deadline, he added forwards Bobby Brink, Nick Foligno, and Michael McCarron, as well as defenseman Jeff Petry.
Among his most notable achievements was locking up star forward Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year contract extension worth $136 million, set to begin next season.
Guerin first took the reins as Minnesota’s general manager in August 2019 and is now heading into his fourth season serving as both GM and president of hockey operations for the franchise.
The Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award has been presented annually since the 2009-10 NHL season.
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski made history Friday night when he unleashed a 105.5 mph fastball — the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher on record — against Chicago Cubs leadoff hitter Pete Crow-Armstrong in the opening inning.
The blazing heater surpassed Misiorowski’s own previous best of 104.5 mph. It came on an 0-2 count and tracked toward the inside portion of the plate. Crow-Armstrong fouled it off before ultimately striking out to end the at-bat.
Earlier in that same at-bat, Misiorowski’s first pitch registered 103 mph on the stadium radar gun, and his second clocked in at 104 mph.
The right-hander went on to deliver a quality start before leaving the game in the sixth inning. He finished with eight strikeouts, four walks, and allowed just one run — a solo home run by Seiya Suzuki in the fifth inning. His 107th and final pitch of the night was still a scorching 102.8 mph fastball.
Since Statcast began tracking pitch velocity in 2008, only left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman has thrown a faster pitch. Chapman touched 105.8 mph in 2010 and 105.7 mph in 2016. Ben Joyce also matched Misiorowski’s 105.5 mph mark on September 3, 2024.
Misiorowski currently leads all of Major League Baseball with a 1.45 ERA and 146 strikeouts on the season.
The Atlanta Braves announced Friday that right-handed relief pitcher Robert Suarez has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to tightness in his right forearm, with the move backdated to Tuesday.
To fill the roster vacancy, the Braves recalled right-hander Hurston Waldrep from their Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. Additionally, veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco chose to become a free agent in a corresponding roster move.
Suarez, 35, made his most recent appearance on June 19, when he allowed two hits over 1 1/3 scoreless innings during a 3-2 home victory against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Through 31 relief outings this season — his first with Atlanta — Suarez has posted a 4-0 record with four saves, a 0.56 ERA, six walks, and 26 strikeouts across 32 innings of work.
Before joining the Braves, Suarez earned All-Star honors in each of the past two seasons while pitching for the San Diego Padres. He signed a three-year, $45 million deal to come to Atlanta. His 40 saves last season topped all National League relievers.
Over the course of his career, Suarez has compiled a 26-13 record with 81 saves and a 2.60 ERA, recording 245 strikeouts against 69 walks in 242 innings across 237 relief appearances for the Padres (2022-25) and Braves.
Waldrep, 24, had posted a combined 0-0 record with a 3.52 ERA, 11 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings split across three Atlanta minor league affiliates at the Rookie, Double-A, and Triple-A levels this season.
In his time with the big league club in 2025, Waldrep went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA, 22 walks, and 55 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings in 10 games, including nine starts. Since making his major league debut in 2024, he is 6-2 with a 4.41 ERA in 63 1/3 innings across 12 appearances, 11 of which were starts.
The Braves selected Waldrep with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida.
Carrasco, 39, last took the mound for Atlanta on Tuesday, giving up one run on two hits — including a home run — in 1 2/3 innings of a 7-6 extra-inning loss at San Diego. On the season, he finishes with a 0-0 record, a 3.68 ERA, one walk, and six strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over seven relief appearances.
Across 17 major league seasons dating back to 2009, Carrasco has pitched for four teams and amassed a 112-105 record with two saves, a 4.22 ERA, 1,702 strikeouts, and 469 walks in 1,702 innings over 342 games, including 286 starts.
Canada’s men’s national soccer team held its final practice session in Vancouver on Friday before departing for Los Angeles, where they will face South Africa in the World Cup round of 32. Despite leaving home soil, forward Tani Oluwaseyi made clear that playing in front of an opposing crowd is something the team genuinely welcomes.
“I think we, I wouldn’t say prefer, but we really like a hostile environment,” Oluwaseyi told reporters at the team’s training facility. “We really like an away crowd, because it just gives you that extra motivation to prove all the fans around you wrong.”
Canada’s path to Los Angeles came after a loss to Switzerland in their final group stage game, which dropped them to second place in Group B. That result sent Switzerland to Vancouver for their knockout round match instead.
Oluwaseyi pointed to the team’s shared experience over the past two years as a key reason for their cohesion heading into the elimination round. The squad competed together in both the 2024 Copa America and the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, both held in the United States.
“I think for us, it’s just been over the last two years we’ve been in two tournaments together, so we’ve done Copa together, we did the Gold Cup as well. So I think it’s just growing together and failing together, succeeding together,” Oluwaseyi said. “I think all those things kind of brew together to put us in the position that we’re in now, to head into a knockout game at a World Cup.”
Head coach Jesse Marsch’s squad has built strong chemistry through those competitions, and Oluwaseyi was quick to describe the team’s bond as rooted in genuine unity rather than an us-against-the-world mindset.
“I wouldn’t say it has a lot to do with us against them — I think, for us, it’s always just been us, that’s really all that matters. The guys in the locker room and going to play with those guys,” he said. “The results, they go our way, sometimes they don’t, but at the end of the day, I think it’s just the love that we have being around each other and playing with each other.”
Teammate Tajon Buchanan also expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming trip south, noting that South Africa — who finished second in Group A, five points behind Mexico — will be a worthy opponent.
“Now we’re in a knockout phase of a World Cup, and it’s exactly where we want to be, so, yeah, it’s just about going out there, competing and winning games. We’re all super excited and looking forward to it,” Buchanan told reporters.
Germans were preparing Saturday for dangerously hot conditions as a deadly heatwave sweeping across Western Europe was forecast to push eastward, with temperatures expected to climb close to 40 degrees Celsius — roughly 104 degrees Fahrenheit — in both Germany and Poland.
The heat system already baked Britain, France, and Switzerland in record-breaking June temperatures, and forecasters expected it to challenge more records as it crossed the Rhine River into Central Europe.
According to preliminary official data cited by German public broadcaster ARD, temperatures surpassed 41 degrees Celsius near Saarbruecken — on the border with France — on Friday, setting a new German record.
France has seen some of the worst impacts, with dozens of people — both young and elderly — losing their lives during the heat emergency. Temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius there have thrown rail service into chaos, disrupted power generation, led authorities to ban alcohol sales, shut down schools, and forced the cancellation of outdoor gatherings.
Meteorologist Karsten Brandt of the weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de warned that conditions would intensify before improving. “The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend, well over 40 degrees in some parts of Germany,” he said.
Even major sporting events have felt the impact. Organizers of the Ironman European Championship long-distance triathlon, scheduled for Sunday in Frankfurt, announced they were shortening both the cycling and running portions of the race because of the extreme heat.
Infrastructure is also under serious pressure. German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn announced it would allow customers to cancel long-distance travel bookings through early next week at no cost. The company noted that sun exposure, combined with the added threat of thunderstorms and wildfires, is putting significant strain on signals, rail tracks, and overhead wires.
Southwestern Germany has already experienced a far hotter June than is typical, and the most intense phase of the heat is expected to begin easing over the weekend, with heavy thunderstorms anticipated on Sunday.
Across Europe more broadly, the heatwave has forced historic cultural sites to close their doors, hurt agricultural production, and pushed some hospitals to their limits.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, temperatures have climbed as much as 18 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms. The extreme conditions are being driven by a weather phenomenon called an Omega block, which traps a large mass of hot air over a region for an extended period while pushing cooler air to the edges.
The surge in heat has sent demand for electric fans skyrocketing, while Asian air conditioning manufacturers reported a significant spike in European sales. Much of Northern Europe’s housing was designed to retain warmth rather than release it, making the heat particularly difficult to escape indoors.
The World Meteorological Organisation said the current heatwave will begin shifting toward Central Europe and the Balkans by the end of the month.
Scientists emphasized that this type of extreme heat event would have been nearly impossible without human-driven climate change, which they say has made this week’s nighttime temperatures roughly 100 times more likely than they were just two decades ago.
Motorists traveling northbound on Interstate 95 near Churchmans Marsh are facing lane restrictions following a crash that has shut down two left lanes.
The incident is causing disruptions along that corridor, and drivers should anticipate slowdowns in the affected area. Authorities are on scene managing the situation.
Travelers are advised to allow extra time, stay alert for emergency vehicles, and consider alternate routes if possible until the lanes are reopened.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels have shown their general manager the door midway through what has become a sixth straight underwhelming season for the ball club.
The cellar-dwelling Angels tapped former Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak on Friday to serve as interim GM and baseball operations consultant. According to team president Molly Jolly, Mozeliak will handle day-to-day baseball decisions while also helping guide the search for a permanent replacement.
“Perry has been a valued leader who worked tirelessly over the last six years to strengthen our baseball operations department,” Jolly said. “I am grateful for his dedication, insight and many contributions to our organization.”
Minasian stepped into the Angels’ front office role back in November 2020, but the franchise has shown little improvement during his time at the helm under owner Arte Moreno.
The Angels have now endured 10 consecutive losing seasons and 11 straight seasons without reaching the playoffs — both the longest such streaks in Major League Baseball. Their minor league system remains ranked among the worst in the sport, a problem that existed before Minasian ever arrived.
The defining moment of his tenure came when two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani departed for the Los Angeles Dodgers following the 2023 season. The Angels failed to trade Ohtani for prospects before he hit free agency, a missed opportunity that proved costly.
The flurry of moves Minasian made around the 2023 trade deadline drew criticism for appearing disorganized. The team held onto Ohtani — a call Moreno played a significant role in — while trading away several prospects in a push for the postseason.
That gamble backfired badly. The Angels went just 8-19 in August 2023, falling so far out of contention that the team placed multiple players on waivers to get their payroll under the luxury tax threshold.
Currently, Los Angeles is tied for last in the American League at 34-48 heading into Friday night’s game against the Athletics at Angel Stadium. The Angels had held the worst record in the majors for much of this season, following a franchise-record 99 losses in 2024 — their first year without Ohtani.
During Minasian’s entire tenure, the Angels never won more than 77 games and never finished better than third in the AL West division.
His time with the organization was also marked by managerial turbulence. Minasian clashed with manager Joe Maddon early on, which ultimately led to Maddon’s dismissal during a brutal losing stretch in the 2022 season. Managers Phil Nevin and Ron Washington each followed but neither lasted more than two seasons. Last fall, Minasian hired Kurt Suzuki — a member of his own front-office staff with no prior managing experience — on a one-year deal, openly acknowledging that their futures with the team were linked. Ray Montgomery has served as interim manager in 2025.
Budget constraints forced Minasian to fill out this year’s roster with bargain-priced players, many of them coming back from significant injuries. That group included pitchers Alek Manoah, Jordan Romano, Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates and Brent Suter, along with outfielder Josh Lowe and infielders Yoan Moncada and Adam Frazier.
The results were largely disappointing. Romano and Pomeranz were released outright, while Manoah, Lowe and Moncada failed to deliver.
The biggest free-agent signing of Minasian’s tenure was a three-year, $63 million deal with left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi ahead of the 2025 season. Kikuchi made the All-Star team last year but has been out since late April with a shoulder injury. Minasian also locked up reliever Robert Stephenson to a three-year, $33 million contract before the 2024 season, but Stephenson is also sidelined this year due to an elbow injury.
Jolly and Mozeliak are expected to address the media at a news conference on Saturday.
Minasian got his start in baseball as a clubhouse attendant with the Rangers before working his way up through the front offices of the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays under the mentorship of Alex Anthopoulos. He had never interviewed for a general manager position before Moreno selected him to replace Billy Eppler — part of a pattern in which Moreno has repeatedly hired GMs with little or no prior experience in the role during his more than two decades of ownership.
Mozeliak, meanwhile, departed the Cardinals last fall after 30 years with St. Louis, including the final 18 overseeing baseball operations.
The Anaheim Ducks made a significant move Friday night, shipping center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues in return for two first-round selections in the 2026 NHL Draft — the 15th and 29th overall picks.
St. Louis surrendered both picks, which originally belonged to the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche respectively, in order to bring in the 23-year-old McTavish following his fourth complete season in the league.
McTavish was selected third overall by Anaheim in the 2021 NHL Draft. In the 2025-26 season, he put up 17 goals and 24 assists across 75 games. Over the course of his 304-game NHL career, he has recorded 181 total points — including 77 goals and 104 assists — along with 212 penalty minutes.
With the 15th overall pick in hand, the Ducks selected forward Nikita Klepov, a Russian-American prospect who played for the Saginaw Spirit and earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Ontario Hockey League this past season.
The pristine grass courts typically associated with Wimbledon made an unexpected appearance in the middle of Manhattan on Friday, as tennis greats Andre Agassi and Caroline Wozniacki headlined a pop-up exhibition event at New York’s Central Park.
Agassi and Wozniacki were joined by former American player James Blake and Canadian ex-world number five Eugenie Bouchard for a series of exhibition matches aimed at generating excitement for the upcoming Grand Slam tournament, which gets underway Monday.
The four players competed in singles matches before pairing off for mixed doubles on a Wimbledon-style grass court set up at Wollman Rink at the southern tip of Central Park — surrounded by trees and the iconic Manhattan skyline.
Wozniacki described the experience as unforgettable. “Playing on a grasscourt in the middle of Central Park doesn’t happen every day,” she said. “To be part of this amazing event was something that I won’t forget.”
The grass used for the temporary court was specially cultivated in neighboring New Jersey and was overseen by Mark Ferguson, the head agronomist at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
“I think it’s a fantastic kind of juxtaposition of Wimbledon and New York together,” Ferguson said of the unique setup.
Beyond the on-court action, the gathering gave the former players a chance to weigh in on a major storyline heading into Wimbledon — the surprise singles comeback of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who has been away from singles competition for four years.
Wozniacki expressed enthusiasm about seeing Williams return to the court. “I’m very excited to see her back,” she said. “It’s always great to see some of the best players ever come back and play. I’ll be watching, I’ll be supporting and it will be great.”
When asked if she herself might consider returning to professional play, Wozniacki smiled and offered a playful non-answer: “I don’t know. That’s a good question.”
Bouchard acknowledged that Williams faces a steep challenge by jumping straight into Wimbledon without playing any warm-up events first. “I think it’s bonkers — in a good way,” Bouchard said. “The fact that she hasn’t played a singles match in four years is pretty crazy to play the first one at Wimbledon. But if there’s anyone that can handle it, it’s Serena.”
Motorists traveling through the Milford area are being asked to find alternate routes after a crash shut down Harrington Highway (DE-14) at its intersection with Canterbury Road (DE-15).
The roadway is currently closed as a result of the collision. No further details regarding the crash, including the number of vehicles involved or any injuries, have been made available at this time.
Drivers in the area should plan accordingly and allow for extra travel time until the road is reopened. Updates are expected as more information becomes available.
A section of Augustine Cut has been shut down between 18th Street and Alapocas Drive as emergency crews respond to a structure fire in the area.
Motorists traveling through that corridor should plan for the closure and find an alternate route until the road is reopened. The closure is in effect while fire crews work the scene.
No further details about the fire or an estimated time for the road to reopen have been provided at this time. Drivers are urged to use caution and follow any posted detour signs in the area.
HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut judge has released video footage from 2018 showing correctional officers repeatedly striking inmate J’Allen Jones, who was in the middle of a mental health crisis, shortly before his death at a state prison.
The footage was made public Friday by a Hartford state judge overseeing a lawsuit filed by Jones’ family against eight officers and a prison nurse. Both sides agreed to certain portions of the video being edited out before its release, following years of legal proceedings.
The Department of Correction had fought to keep the video sealed since 2019, arguing its release could create security risks by revealing the prison’s physical layout and staffing patterns. However, Jones’ family, the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, and local NAACP officials pushed for the video to be made public, arguing that transparency was essential in understanding how Jones died.
Ron Murphy, an attorney representing Jones’ family, drew a stark comparison in court documents, writing: “The events in the video are as disturbing as the events in the video of George Floyd’s death” — referring to the man killed by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. “But in some ways, the video of J’Allen’s death is worse.”
Jones, 31, originally from Atlanta, was serving a 10-year sentence for robbery at Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown — approximately 25 miles west of New Haven — when he died on March 25, 2018. At the time, correctional officers were attempting to escort him to the prison’s medical unit for mental health treatment.
Segments of the 52-minute recording show Jones handcuffed behind his back, and later with his legs restrained, as officers struck his legs and torso with their knees and fists after he refused a strip search. At one point, an officer pins Jones face-down on a bed with a knee on his back while other officers hold him in place.
Court documents indicate Jones was experiencing a schizophrenic episode at the time. He can be heard yelling in the video, much of it difficult to understand. He repeatedly shouts, “In the blood of Jesus Christ!” and at one point tells officers, “I command you … to uncuff me now!”
Throughout the video, officers repeatedly instruct Jones to stop resisting and calm down, with one officer telling him they are only trying to help.
Roughly 17 minutes into the footage, Jones appears to begin struggling to breathe after the spit bag is placed over his head and pepper spray is directed at his face. Nearly five minutes later, he appears to lose consciousness as officers struggle to hold him upright and place him in a wheelchair. At approximately the 24-minute mark, an officer asks for a nurse to come check on Jones.
“Right now he’s just being dead weight, and I just want to make sure he’s OK,” the officer says, speaking toward a camera being held by another officer.
Around 28 minutes into the video, a nurse begins performing CPR and an officer radios for someone to call 911. An ambulance does not appear until more than 43 minutes into the recording. Jones was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
In the hours following Jones’ death, the Department of Correction released a brief statement saying Jones had become “non-compliant and combative with staff and then became non-responsive.” The statement made no mention of officers striking Jones and noted there were no immediate signs that excessive force had been used. It said life-saving measures were taken and Jones was transported to a hospital.
The medical examiner’s office concluded that Jones died from “sudden death during struggle and restraint with chest compression and pepper spray exposure in person with hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” His death was ruled a homicide, though that classification does not automatically mean a crime took place.
In January 2019, a state prosecutor concluded that no crimes were committed in connection with Jones’ death.
An internal Correction Department review also found that excessive force was not used. However, it determined that the eight officers and the nurse violated department policy by failing to recognize for more than seven minutes that Jones was in medical distress — though the report noted this was not intentional.
Department records show all nine staff members received one-day suspensions without pay as punishment. The correctional officers’ union did not respond to a request for comment.
Jones was Black. His attorney noted that eight of the nine defendants are white, and one is Black. In court filings seeking the video’s release, Murphy stated it was important for the public to view the footage and consider “whether his race or schizophrenia played any role in how his cries for help and gasps for air were perceived and handled.”
“I hope everyone who chooses to watch the video does so with an open heart, remembering that J’Allen Jones was a father and a son and that his family grieves every day,” Murphy said in a statement released Friday afternoon, adding that he hoped the footage would lead to improvements within the prison system.
Murphy also urged viewers to be cautious: “I found the video very difficult to watch as it depicts the painful death of another human being. So please take care of yourself while watching and if you experience overwhelming feelings, consider taking a break or reaching out to someone for support. Thank you.”
The Correction Department’s interim commissioner, Sharonda Carlos, responded to questions from The Associated Press about the video and how officers handled the situation. In a statement, she said the agency is continuously working to improve the services it provides to inmates dealing with mental health issues.
“Any loss of life in our facilities is a tragedy that we feel deeply, and our sympathy remains with Mr. Jones’ family and loved ones,” she said.
Carlos added that she appointed a psychiatrist to lead the department’s inmate medical services in May, and that the agency is rolling out significant improvements to its mental health training for staff.
“Behind every individual in our care is a family hoping for their well-being, and we do not take that responsibility lightly,” she said.
Drivers heading northbound on S Dupont Highway at S State Street are facing a left turn lane closure due to ongoing construction work in the area.
The lane restriction is expected to remain in place until 3:00 PM. Motorists traveling through that intersection are encouraged to allow extra time or consider alternate routes to avoid potential delays.
No further details about the nature of the construction were provided. Drivers should remain alert to signage and traffic control in the work zone.
The Los Angeles Angels parted ways with general manager Perry Minasian on Friday, ending his six-year run leading the team’s baseball operations.
To fill the void, the Angels brought in John Mozeliak, signing him as a baseball operations consultant. Mozeliak spent 30 years working in the St. Louis Cardinals’ front office before joining Los Angeles. According to a team news release, he will step into the interim GM role while helping to shape a new baseball operations strategy and assisting in the search for a permanent general manager.
Angels president Molly Jolly spoke highly of the hire. “John is one of the most accomplished and respected baseball executives with a proven track record of building a winning organization,” she said in the release. “For three decades, he constructed one of baseball’s most respected organizations, combining strong leadership with a commitment to player development and organizational excellence. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Angels and look forward to benefiting from his experience and perspective as we continue to shape the future of our organization.”
Mozeliak, 57, got his start with the Cardinals in their scouting department and eventually climbed to assistant general manager before taking over as the team’s GM from 2007 through 2025. During that stretch, St. Louis captured the 2011 World Series title and also appeared in the Fall Classic two years later, falling to the Boston Red Sox.
Minasian, 46, took over as the Angels’ GM in 2020. Despite his efforts, the team never managed to finish higher than third place in the American League West during his tenure.
The Angels head into Friday’s games tied for last place in the American League with a 34-48 record. The franchise now holds the longest active postseason drought in all of baseball, having gone 11 consecutive years without a playoff appearance.
Jolly also offered praise for the departing Minasian. “Perry has been a valued leader who worked tirelessly over the last six years to strengthen our baseball operations department,” she said. “I am grateful for his dedication, insight and many contributions to our organization.”
The Boston Bruins made a significant offensive addition on Friday, acquiring forward JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for their 2026 first-round pick — slotted at No. 23 — and a 2028 first-round selection.
The 2028 pick involved in the deal was originally obtained by Boston when the Bruins sent star forward Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers in 2025. That pick carried top-10 protection.
Peterka, 24, spent just one season with Utah after arriving via a trade from the Buffalo Sabres following the 2024-25 season. To land Peterka, the Mammoth had sent forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring to Buffalo last June, then signed the German winger to a five-year contract worth $38.5 million.
His production dipped during his lone season in Utah, falling from 68 points in 2024-25 to 47 points — including 25 goals and 22 assists — across all 82 games last season. A reduction in ice time, dropping from 18 minutes and 11 seconds per game to 15 minutes and 59 seconds, was cited as a factor in the offensive decline.
Originally selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Peterka has accumulated 197 career points — 92 goals and 105 assists — over 320 games split between the Sabres (2021-25) and the Mammoth. He now joins a Bruins team that finished 10th in the league in goals per game at 3.27 during the 2025-26 season, and he will play for head coach Marco Sturm, who holds the distinction of being the only German head coach in the NHL.
Thousands of residents across New Zealand were still without electricity on Saturday, one day after a powerful low-pressure system moved through the country, bringing with it severe flooding and dangerous landslides.
The utility company Powerco reported more than 3,000 power outages on Saturday following storms that struck central areas of the nation, which has a population of 5.3 million. The capital city of Wellington was among the hardest-hit areas.
The country’s national weather forecasting service, MetService, signaled that the worst had passed, writing on X: “After a very wet and windy 24 hours, the weather is on its way out.”
Despite improving conditions, emergency officials continued to urge caution, warning of debris scattered across roadways, pockets of surface flooding, and a lingering threat of landslides in and around Wellington.
The storm’s impact was felt beyond downed power lines. On Friday, approximately 200 flights were canceled at Wellington’s airport. Officials in Lower Hutt, a city located northeast of Wellington, reported flooded streets and confirmed two separate landslides in the area.
The severe weather serves as a grim reminder of past tragedies. Earlier this past January, heavy rainfall triggered a landslide at a popular campground on the country’s North Island, resulting in the deaths of six people.
The New York Rangers have struck a deal to bring forward Pavel Dorofeyev over from the Vegas Golden Knights, sending multiple draft picks in return — including a first-round selection from the 2026 NHL Draft that got underway Friday.
According to reports from The Athletic and the New York Post, the Rangers gave up the 26th overall pick on Friday night, along with the 92nd overall pick in the third round and a conditional 2028 first-round pick that carries top-10 protection.
Dorofeyev, who is 25 years old, is heading to New York fresh off the strongest campaign of his NHL career. He appeared in all 82 regular-season games for Vegas, setting new personal bests with 37 goals, 27 assists, and 64 total points. He kept up that production into the postseason as well, contributing 12 goals and four assists across 22 playoff games during the Golden Knights’ run.
Originally selected by Vegas in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft — early in the franchise’s history — Dorofeyev made his league debut with just two games during the 2021-22 season. Over parts of five seasons and 231 career games, he has built up an impressive 149-point total, made up of 92 goals and 57 assists.
Defenseman Brandt Clarke turned down the opportunity to test free agency and instead committed his future to the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, agreeing to a five-year contract worth $37 million.
The deal comes on the heels of Clarke’s strongest offensive campaign to date. In the 2025-26 season, the 23-year-old tallied 40 points, topping his previous career-best of 33 points set in 2024-25. Among Kings defensemen, he ranked second in assists with 32 and fourth overall on the team in points.
Now in his fourth NHL season — all spent with Los Angeles — Clarke averaged 19 minutes and 48 seconds of ice time per game, placing him behind only Drew Doughty and Mikey Anderson among Kings blueliners. He also made his presence felt on defense, recording 185 blocked shots, which ranked third across the entire NHL. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he contributed one point over four games.
Looking at his career totals, Clarke has accumulated 81 points — 15 goals and 66 assists — across 185 regular-season contests since Los Angeles selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 10 career playoff appearances, he has posted three points, including two goals and one assist.
Pete Buttigieg, a former cabinet official and potential candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, disclosed on June 26, 2026, that his family had been targeted by a false report that brought both police and Child Protective Services to their door.
According to Buttigieg, an anonymous tip prompted investigators to show up at his home to look into claims involving him and his children, Penelope and Gus. The report turned out to be entirely false.
Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten Buttigieg, was also part of the family affected by the incident. The former official chose to speak out publicly about the experience, bringing attention to the use of false reports as a tool of harassment.
The incident is being described as a form of “swatting” — a practice in which someone deliberately files a false emergency or welfare report in order to send law enforcement or child welfare officials to a target’s home.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout announced Friday that a strained right hamstring will most likely keep him out of the All-Star Home Run Derby scheduled to take place in Philadelphia.
Trout, 34, anticipates being healthy enough to play in the July 14 All-Star Game itself, but the injury is expected to prevent him from taking part in the home run competition held the evening before at Citizens Bank Park.
“They asked me when we were in Sacramento last weekend, but I probably won’t do it,” Trout said ahead of the Angels’ matchup against the Athletics. “It would have been cool to do it, but the injury kind of threw things off.”
The three-time American League MVP and 11-time All-Star has repeatedly declined derby invitations throughout his career, citing concerns that the high number of all-out swings required during the event could disrupt his regular hitting mechanics. Despite those reservations, Trout had long said he intended to participate at least once before retiring from the game.
This season appeared to be the perfect opportunity. With All-Star festivities taking place at Citizens Bank Park — roughly 45 miles from his hometown of Millville, New Jersey — Trout seemed poised to finally make his derby debut. He added to that anticipation last weekend when he told USA Today he was “considering” joining the competition.
However, a change of mind came after he landed on the 10-day injured list on June 18. At that point, Trout was batting .234 with 17 home runs and 36 RBIs across 74 games.
“When it came out that the All-Star Game was in Philly, I thought it definitely would have been cool to do,” said Trout, who currently sits second behind Aaron Judge in All-Star voting among American League outfielders. “Then I hurt my leg, so I’m leaning toward not doing it.”
PHOENIX (AP) — A leader of a polygamous religious sect who is already serving a 50-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating sexual abuse involving children has now been convicted on state child abuse charges as well. The verdict came Friday, following a trial centered on the discovery of three young girls trapped inside a sweltering, unventilated trailer he was towing through Arizona.
The incident came to light in 2022 when a passerby spotted small fingers poking through gaps in the trailer doors and contacted authorities. Law enforcement pulled over Samuel Bateman’s vehicle in Flagstaff and found three girls inside, ranging in age from 11 to 14. The enclosed trailer contained only a makeshift toilet, a sofa, and a few camping chairs.
In his separate federal case, Bateman was found guilty of coercing girls as young as 9 years old into sexual acts with him and other adults, as well as plotting to abduct girls from protective custody. That case has been featured in a Netflix documentary series titled “Trust Me: The False Prophet.”
Bateman had previously claimed to have more than 20 so-called “spiritual wives,” at least 10 of whom were under the age of 18. He chose to represent himself during the state trial and took the stand in his own defense, telling jurors he would never hurt those he loves. Under cross-examination, however, he admitted he was aware the girls had been riding in a hot trailer with poor ventilation for an extended period of time.
“I just trusted myself as a driver,” he said. “I ask God to bless me every time we hopped in that vehicle.”
Because Bateman represented himself, he repeatedly brought up his federal conviction during proceedings — even though the judge had specifically barred that information from being presented to jurors. The judge repeatedly ordered those remarks stricken from the record.
The jury took just roughly 40 minutes to return a guilty verdict on all three child abuse counts.
Federal authorities described Bateman as a self-proclaimed prophet who traveled widely across Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska while building a splinter group connected to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That sect has historically been centered in the adjoining communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah.
Bateman and his followers adhered to the practice of polygamy, which traces its roots to early teachings of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mainstream church officially abandoned polygamy in 1890 and now strictly forbids it.
Bateman was known as a close follower of Warren Jeffs, the former leader of the sect, who is currently serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted of sexually assaulting children.
WASHINGTON — A gay rights activist has taken the Department of Defense to federal court, demanding to see a copy of an agreement between the Pentagon and Scouting America — and to find out whether that deal actually requires the organization to ban transgender members.
James Dale filed his complaint in a New York City federal court on Thursday, arguing that the Pentagon and Scouting America have given the public two very different stories about what was agreed to, while the government refuses to release the actual document.
The Pentagon struck a deal with Scouting America back in February, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announcing that the agreement would steer the organization away from diversity programs and other policies he described as “woke.” Hegseth warned that the military would cut off its long-standing support of the organization if it did not comply within six months — a deadline that falls in late August.
Hegseth placed particular focus on the issue of transgender youth, stating that the organization would require members to be identified by their “biological sex at birth and not gender identity.”
However, Scouting America — formerly called the Boy Scouts of America — said at the time that the agreement did not alter its existing policies on transgender youth and that those members remain welcome in its programs.
“We have transgender people in our program and we’ll have transgender people in our program going forward,” Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone told The Associated Press in February.
In his court filing, Dale argues that both versions of events “cannot be true, and the stakes are of profound public importance.”
Hegseth had also said in February that he would “vigorously review” any changes Scouting America made, and did not rule out pulling military support.
“We hope that doesn’t happen, but it could,” Hegseth said at the time. “Ideally, I believe the Boy Scouts should go back to being the Boy Scouts as originally founded, a group that develops boys into men. Maybe someday.”
The relationship between the military and the scouting organization runs deep, with the armed forces historically providing logistical assistance for the National Boy Scout Jamboree, hosting scouts on or near military installations, and maintaining close ties with Eagle Scouts — many of whom go on to enlist.
Dale had submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in late March seeking the memorandum of understanding between Scouting America and the Pentagon. That request went nowhere.
“The Department has invoked no exemption, produced no record, and missed every deadline,” his complaint stated. “Mr. Dale brings this action to enforce the public’s right to know, before the Department’s August deadline expires.”
The Pentagon declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying it does not discuss active litigation, and instead pointed to the video Hegseth released in February outlining the changes he said the organization was making. Scouting America did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
Dale’s complaint also raises a broader legal question: whether the federal government even has the authority to require a private organization like Scouting America to accept or exclude certain members.
Dale’s history with the Boy Scouts goes back decades. In 1990, the organization expelled him — then an Eagle Scout serving as an assistant scoutmaster — after learning he was co-president of Rutgers University’s gay and lesbian organization. He sued in 1992, alleging discrimination, but ultimately lost at the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that the organization had the right to set membership and leadership standards that excluded gay individuals.
“Here, if the Department’s account is true, the federal government has now obtained by contract what the Court once held it could not command by law,” Dale’s lawsuit states. “And if it is not, then the Department has misled the public about what Scouting America has agreed to do.”
Motorists traveling along Vance Neck Road should plan for possible delays as intermittent lane closures are in effect between Apple Tree Lane and Marathon Drive.
The lane restrictions are due to construction activity in that stretch of roadway. Drivers are advised to use caution when passing through the area.
The closures are expected to remain in place until 6 p.m. No additional detour information was provided at this time.
Luxury Retailer Emerges from Bankruptcy with New Name
The parent company of Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf Goodman has officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company, previously known as Saks Global, announced Friday that it will now operate under the name Exemplar Luxury Group. The restructuring resulted in a nearly 75% reduction in debt and secured $500 million in additional financing. CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said the company is ready to move forward, noting that the new name reflects the organization’s commitment to delivering exceptional shopping experiences — from high-end merchandise to personalized customer service — supported by its sales team and an extensive database of customer information.
Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on Countries Taxing U.S. Digital Services
President Donald Trump is warning that any country imposing taxes on digital services provided by American companies will face a 100% tariff on all goods exported to the United States. In a Friday social media post, Trump called out European nations he said are moving toward “imminent” implementation of such taxes. “Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump wrote.
Former Meta Executive Sues Company Over Memoir Suppression
A former executive at Meta has taken the company to court, alleging it tried to “silence” her after she published a memoir titled “Careless People” — a tell-all account of her time at the social media company. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Northern California, argues that a private arbitration order barring her from discussing Meta or promoting her bestselling book is not legally valid. The suit also contends that the severance agreement she signed upon leaving the company was executed under duress.
OpenAI Restricts New AI Model at Trump Administration’s Request
OpenAI has limited access to its newest artificial intelligence model, GPT-5.6 Sol, following a request from President Donald Trump’s administration. Currently, only a small group of government-approved partners can use the model. The company said Friday the restriction is temporary, with broader availability expected in the coming weeks. The move comes after rival AI firm Anthropic was directed to take two of its models offline under a Trump directive. Concerns about AI tools being exploited by hackers have grown in recent months. Earlier in June, Trump signed an executive order aimed at reviewing national security risks tied to artificial intelligence.
Wall Street Mostly Up, but AI Stock Slump Drags Down the Week
U.S. stock markets ended Friday on a mostly positive note as oil prices retreated to pre-war levels with Iran, but weakness in artificial intelligence stocks weighed on overall performance. The S&P 500 finished the day nearly unchanged, slipping less than 0.1% — marking just its second losing week out of the past 13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%. Markets in South Korea and Japan saw sharp early declines tied to struggles among major AI stocks. Bond market Treasury yields also eased during the session.
Supreme Court Blocks Thousands of Roundup Cancer Lawsuits
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of the manufacturer of Roundup weedkiller, effectively halting thousands of lawsuits that claimed the company failed to warn consumers the product could cause cancer. The decision is considered a win for the Trump administration, though it may strain relationships with allied nations seeking stricter pesticide regulations. The court found that federal regulatory findings — which determined a cancer connection was unlikely — shield the company from lawsuits filed under state law. Roundup maker Bayer has disputed the cancer allegations but has set aside billions of dollars to settle existing cases. Bayer called the ruling a positive outcome for science and agriculture, while attorneys representing affected individuals said the decision “wrongly slams the courthouse door on Americans sickened by pesticides.”
Apple Raises Mac and iPad Prices, Cites Memory Chip Shortage
Apple announced Thursday that it is increasing the prices of its Mac computers and iPad tablets, pointing to a shortage of memory chips driven by surging demand from the artificial intelligence industry. The Cupertino, California-based company described the situation as an “unprecedented challenge” for the consumer electronics sector. Among the new prices: the entry-level MacBook Neo will now cost $699, up from $599; the 512 gigabyte MacBook Air rises to $1,299 from $1,099; and the one terabyte MacBook Pro climbs to $1,999 from $1,699. On the tablet side, the 128 gigabyte iPad Air now runs $749, up from $599, while the 256 gigabyte iPad Pro Wi-Fi version is now $1,199, up from $999. Industry analysts anticipate iPhone prices could also increase later this year.
Billionaire Investor Subpoenaed After Refusing to Answer Epstein Questions
The House Oversight Committee has issued subpoenas to billionaire investor Leon Black following a contentious voluntary interview Friday about his financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Black, who formerly served as chief executive of Apollo Global Management, paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017 for tax and estate planning services. In his opening remarks, Black denied any criminal wrongdoing and said he was misled by Epstein. However, lawmakers said Black declined to answer certain questions during the session, including those related to non-disclosure agreements. The committee issued subpoenas requiring Black to hand over documents and testify under oath in July.
JPMorgan Chase Names Two New Co-Presidents in Leadership Shakeup
JPMorgan Chase has elevated Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents, positioning both as potential future successors to longtime CEO Jamie Dimon. The move comes as Marianne Lake, previously seen as a leading contender for the top role, announced she will retire at the end of the year. The bank’s board appears to be leaning toward its commercial and investment banking divisions for future leadership. Petno has served in advisory roles, while Rohrbaugh’s background is in trading. Dimon, who has led the nation’s largest bank since 2006, has dealt with health challenges but has indicated he intends to remain in his role.
California Governor Pushes National Billionaires Tax While Opposing State Version
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is advocating for a federal “billionaires’ tax” and is calling for the U.S. government to hold ownership stakes in artificial intelligence companies. Newsom argues that swift action is needed to prevent extreme wealth concentration from threatening democracy. His proposal would establish a minimum tax on individuals with a net worth exceeding $100 million and would close a loophole allowing the ultra-wealthy to borrow against stock holdings without paying taxes. Newsom’s stance aligns him with the progressive wing of his party as he weighs a potential 2028 presidential campaign. Notably, he is simultaneously opposing a similar measure at the state level in California, arguing that a federal approach is more effective since it would prevent billionaires from simply relocating to other states to avoid the tax.
For Jeremy Wright, the perfect Christmas gift for his wife Sarah seemed like a slam dunk: tickets to a World Cup soccer match. Wright turned to the U.S. resale platform StubHub and purchased two seats to watch the Netherlands face Japan on June 14.
That plan quickly fell apart.
After more than ten months of anticipation, the couple drove from Austin to Dallas and gathered with fellow fans at their hotel, ready to celebrate. But just five hours before the opening whistle, an email from StubHub shattered their excitement — their tickets could not be delivered.
The email, which Reuters reviewed, told Jeremy that StubHub had located replacement tickets at no additional charge, citing its “FanProtect Guarantee.” When he tried to follow the steps to claim those seats, however, the only real option presented to him was a refund. After hours of trying to reach StubHub customer support, the couple gave up and made the drive back to Austin in the rain.
The Wrights are far from alone. Dozens of frustrated ticket buyers flooded social media this month after last-minute StubHub cancellations left them empty-handed, often after being told replacement tickets were on the way. The situation represents yet another ticketing headache surrounding the first World Cup held in North America in over three decades — a tournament that has already drawn criticism from fans over FIFA’s decision to use dynamic pricing for the first time.
StubHub is not an official ticketing partner of the World Cup. It operates solely as a resale platform, meaning it does not hold tickets or control prices. A company spokesperson said cancellations happen when sellers fail to deliver. StubHub also pointed the finger at FIFA, claiming the governing body’s ticketing infrastructure was disrupting ticket transfers across all resale platforms.
FIFA pushed back firmly. The organization, which had previously urged fans to use only its own official resale platform, said its ticketing system was running reliably and at scale. “With reference to the reliability of the services available to fans on FIFA’s official ticket platform, FIFA rejects any suggestion that the functional issues being experienced by users of third-party platforms with respect to FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets are the result of FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure,” the organization said in a statement.
FIFA does charge a 30% commission on resale tickets through its official platform, which often makes tickets there pricier than on competing sites. FIFA said those fees are in line with industry norms across North America and that its platform offers a “safe, transparent and secure environment for fans to sell or transfer tickets to other fans.”
Still, some fans found FIFA’s platform too complicated to navigate. Writer and personal stylist Dacy Gillespie was one of them. She purchased four tickets to Argentina’s June 16 match against Algeria as a surprise Christmas gift for her two sons. After driving roughly 250 miles from their home in St. Louis to Kansas City, she received a matchday email from StubHub informing her the seller could not deliver the tickets.
A ticketing expert who previously worked with the Cleveland Cavaliers and now runs the “Ticket Talk Network” — a resource focused on how seats for major sporting events are bought and sold — identified the root cause as a practice called speculative ticketing, sometimes referred to as “ghost tickets.”
“Let’s say (a seller) listed that ticket six months ago for $500. He’s hoping to (buy) that ticket for less than $500 to make a profit and fill the ticket order,” the expert, Scott Friedman, explained. “Just like shorting the stock market.”
Friedman noted that while ticket prices on secondary markets typically drop as an event approaches, World Cup ticket prices kept climbing, leaving speculative sellers unable to fulfill orders without taking a financial loss. Although StubHub’s policies officially ban speculative ticketing, ghost tickets remain widespread because the platform does not require sellers to provide seat numbers when listing tickets.
Wright’s purchase was made on September 6, 2025 — four days before FIFA even opened its first official sales draw — strongly suggesting the tickets were listed by a speculator. A screenshot of his order, reviewed by Reuters, showed only that the seats were listed as “Category 3” with no seat numbers included.
StubHub said it requires sellers to upload tickets or show proof of purchase at the time of listing, and that sellers who misrepresent their inventory face financial penalties and account suspension.
Both the Wrights and Gillespie said they resorted to social media to get any response at all from StubHub. They believe their complaints were only addressed because their posts went viral. StubHub eventually offered the Wrights complimentary seats to a semi-final game and gave Gillespie $3,000 to help offset the cost of replacement tickets she had to purchase on her own.
“We had to raise holy hell to get the attention,” said Sarah Wright. “There’s almost a survivor’s guilt kind of feeling for us — we got (complimentary) tickets, but what about all the other people?”
StubHub said it has since established a dedicated World Cup support team and boosted its ability to find replacement tickets for affected customers. “Getting fans to their matches remains our top priority for the rest of this tournament,” a company spokesperson said.
The fallout could have lasting consequences for StubHub’s reputation. A clinical assistant professor at the NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport, Marsha-Gaye Knight, warned the issues could cause serious long-term brand damage. She noted that an event as massive as the expanded 48-team World Cup — which set an all-time aggregate attendance record before the group stage even concluded — puts any problems under an intense spotlight.
“For them (StubHub) to be the third party where they’re supposed to provide this service with ease, and they’ve done it before, and they’ve done it with so many people, and they’ve gained that trust, for that trust to now get chipped away is very, very concerning for them,” Knight said. “From a brand perspective, this could be a nightmare for them.”
Adding to StubHub’s troubles, the United Kingdom’s markets watchdog this week ordered StubHub UK to refund more than 50,000 customers and pay a £900,000 fine — equivalent to about $1.19 million — for failing to display the full ticket price upfront.
Some affected fans are now calling on lawmakers and regulators to step in. The National Independent Venue Association, a trade group representing live entertainment venues, along with fan advocacy group Fan Alliance, sent a letter last week to U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and others urging a ban on the sale of ghost tickets on resale platforms. Johnson’s office had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
The San Diego Padres have brought in veteran infielder Luis Rengifo on a minor league contract, according to a report published Friday by The Athletic.
Rengifo, 29, was let go by the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, just one week after the team had designated him for assignment.
His time in Milwaukee was a difficult one at the plate. He hit just .205 with no home runs and 19 RBIs across 57 games, making 45 of those starts at third base.
Prior to his brief stint with the Brewers, Rengifo spent seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He put together a strong 2024 campaign, batting .300 with 24 stolen bases in 78 games, and he set a career high with 17 home runs back in 2022.
Should Rengifo earn a promotion to the major league roster, he could fill a need at second base for San Diego. He has 341 career starts at that position. The Padres have been relying on Gold Glove right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., who has made 37 starts there, while Jake Cronenworth remains sidelined with a concussion and Manny Machado holds down third base.
Across 730 games in the big leagues, Rengifo carries a career batting average of .246 with 62 home runs and 249 RBIs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made forward Gavin McKenna the first player chosen in the NHL draft Friday night in Buffalo, N.Y., selecting the 18-year-old with the No. 1 overall pick.
McKenna had been widely projected as the top selection following a dominant debut season at Penn State, where he racked up 51 points — 15 goals and 36 assists — across 35 games. He also represented Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, contributing 14 points (four goals and 10 assists) in seven games as Canada earned a bronze medal.
McKenna, who hails from Whitehorse, Yukon, will step into one of hockey’s most scrutinized markets. The Maple Leafs finished just one spot above last place in the Eastern Conference this past season with 78 points, and Friday’s pick marked only the third time in the organization’s history that it held the No. 1 overall selection.
Toronto’s two previous top picks were star captain Auston Matthews, chosen a decade ago, and forward Wendel Clark, drafted first overall back in 1985. Matthews continues to be one of the league’s premier players, while Clark went on to play 15 NHL seasons, 13 of them in a Maple Leafs uniform.
Winning the draft lottery made the decision straightforward for Toronto’s new front office leadership. General manager John Chayka and senior adviser Mats Sundin are heading the organization’s hockey operations, and last week they announced Jim Hiller as the team’s new head coach.
The San Jose Sharks hold the second overall pick as the rest of Round 1 continues Friday evening. Rounds 2 through 7 of the draft are scheduled to take place on Saturday.
NEW YORK (AP) — The luxury retail conglomerate that owns Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman has officially come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, emerging Friday with a slimmer store count, a dramatically reduced debt load, and a brand-new corporate identity.
The company announced Friday that it will now operate under the name Exemplar Luxury Group. Along with the new name comes a healthier financial picture — including a debt reduction of nearly 75% and an additional $500 million in fresh financing. CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said the New York-based company is poised to move forward after weathering several difficult years.
“Today is really a brand new day for the organization and a new day where these three iconic banners have the right funding, the right equity and a bright future ahead of them,” Van Raemdonck said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Friday.
Van Raemdonck explained that the Exemplar name reflects the company’s commitment to delivering an outstanding shopping experience — featuring top-tier merchandise and more personalized attention for shoppers, supported by its sales staff and an extensive database of customer information. He noted that the company has more than 1,500 sales associates who have each sold over $1 million worth of merchandise.
The company had sought bankruptcy protection back in January of this year, weighed down by growing competition and the heavy debt load it took on when it acquired rival luxury brand Neiman Marcus in July 2024.
Prior to the bankruptcy filing, the company operated 33 Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 36 Neiman Marcus locations, along with the flagship Bergdorf Goodman store on Fifth Avenue and approximately 70 Saks Off 5th discount outlets.
The restructured company now runs a total of 49 stores — 15 Saks Fifth Avenue locations, 33 Neiman Marcus stores, and the single Bergdorf Goodman location. Most of the Saks Off 5th discount stores have been closed, with only 12 outlet locations remaining.
A Minnesota man facing charges in one of the largest fraud cases in the state’s history has been apprehended overseas. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen.
Eidleh is among dozens of individuals indicted back in 2022 in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud a federal meals program out of approximately $250 million. Court records do not indicate whether he has legal representation, and he has not yet had the chance to enter a plea.
Prosecutors say Eidleh worked for an organization called Feeding Our Future, which claimed to be distributing millions of meals to children in need during the pandemic through a federal child nutrition program. However, authorities allege that only a small fraction of the federal dollars actually went toward feeding children. The rest, they say, was funneled through shell companies and used to purchase real estate, luxury vehicles, and fund travel.
Specifically, Eidleh is accused of fabricating child nutrition program sites, falsely reporting that thousands of children were being fed there each day, and setting up shell companies that posed as meal vendors at those locations. He faces 31 counts in total, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division described Eidleh as a central figure in what he called “one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history.”
“He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed. Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice,” McDonald said.
President Donald Trump previously cited this fraud case as part of his reasoning for initiating a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota late last year.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced on Saturday that they had struck American military positions somewhere in the region, describing the action as a response to a new U.S. military strike against Iran.
The Guards offered no additional details about which specific U.S. positions were targeted or where those strikes took place.
The announcement came after Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency briefly published what it described as a statement from the Revolutionary Guards warning that the force’s response to a fresh American attack on Iran would be “swift and decisive.” That statement was later deleted by the news agency.
SpaceX and internet provider Charter Communications have reportedly been in executive-level discussions about forming a partnership to offer consumer mobile phone services in the United States, according to a Bloomberg News report published Friday.
Bloomberg cited sources familiar with the matter in its reporting. Reuters, which initially covered the story, said it was unable to immediately verify the claims independently.
Electric vehicles from China’s Lotus brand are expected to land in Canada next month, according to China’s ambassador to Canada, Wang Di, who spoke exclusively with Reuters on Friday.
The Lotus vehicles, manufactured and owned by Geely Holding Group, will be the first Chinese-made cars to enter Canada for sale under a newly established agreement between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping. That deal permits as many as 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles to enter Canada each year at a lower tariff rate, as Carney works to shift Canada’s trade focus away from its reliance on the United States.
“Geely EVs will be arriving in Canada next month and they will be holding a ceremony when the cars are delivered in Montreal,” Ambassador Wang said.
Lotus Cars did not respond to a request for comment, and Canada’s Global Affairs department was also unable to immediately provide details about the anticipated arrival.
Wang noted that other Chinese automakers, including Chery and BYD, are currently working through the required steps with Canadian government agencies before they can begin shipping vehicles to Canada. Canadian officials have previously indicated that some vehicles arrived earlier so manufacturers could test them under Canadian driving conditions.
“I hope in autumn this year, the truly, genuinely other Chinese brand EVs will complete the procedures and get into the Canadian market,” Wang said through an interpreter.
BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li recently told Reuters that her company would likely begin sales in Canada next year. U.S.-based Tesla has already been importing Chinese-manufactured vehicles into Canada.
Beyond vehicle sales, Canada is also looking to draw joint ventures and investment into its domestic electric vehicle supply chain. Wang said Chinese EV manufacturers are open to forming joint ventures, but plan to first establish sales and assess market demand before making such commitments.
Carney’s move to open the door to Chinese EV imports has drawn criticism from some U.S. officials and members of Congress.
TRADE GROWTH EXPECTED TO SURGE
During a visit to China in January, Carney announced that Canada would aim to grow its exports to China by 50% by the year 2030. However, China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi suggested last month that exports could actually double — a 100% increase.
To achieve that doubling, Canadian exports would need to grow at roughly 15% per year over the next five years, Ambassador Wang explained. He added that Canadian exports have already climbed 27.5% in the five months since Carney’s January visit.
“As we continue to move forward, our economic and trade cooperation continues to unleash the potential in our economies and continues to leverage the complementarities that we have, I think maybe we can go beyond the 100%, maybe, we can reach 200%,” Wang said.
On energy, Wang said Canada could potentially supply China with nearly 22 million metric tons of crude oil annually, up from 15.5 million tons last year. He also expressed strong interest in Canada’s liquefied natural gas, though he did not elaborate further.
Wang also highlighted that despite Canada being a major exporter of canola, peas, and beef, it currently accounts for just 2% of China’s agricultural imports — pointing to significant untapped market potential.
“As long as we keep to the right track, at the right pace, towards the right direction, there will be a lot of potential for us to increase our trade,” he said.
China reduced tariffs on certain Canadian products back in March, but maintained a 100% duty on canola oil and a 25% tariff on pork. Tariff relief covering products such as canola meal, peas, and lobster is set to expire at the end of this year, leaving exporters facing uncertainty.
When asked whether China would extend the tariff suspension or lower duties on pork and canola oil, Wang declined to give a direct answer.
“As long as the two countries uphold the principle of mutual respect, equality, reciprocity … there will be nothing that we cannot resolve,” he said.
At the same time, Wang cautioned that the Canadian government must adhere to principles of mutual respect, find common ground, and pursue outcomes that benefit both nations.
“Whenever these principles are not followed, of course, there will be a negative impact,” he warned.
Travelers making their way southbound along Coastal Highway are running into significant traffic congestion, with delays of approximately 10 to 15 minutes being reported between Lewes and Dewey Beach.
The slowdown appears to be the result of heavy congestion along that corridor. No specific incident or crash has been cited as the cause — the backup is attributed to traffic volume alone.
Drivers in the area are encouraged to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes to avoid the delay.
The Buffalo Sabres made a significant move on draft day Friday, trading for defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks.
To complete the deal, the Ducks will receive a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 45th overall pick in that same draft, and 20-year-old forward prospect Anton Wahlberg.
Zellweger, who is 22 years old, is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. While the Sabres confirmed the trade, no details about a potential contract extension were released.
The young defenseman wrapped up his third professional season this year, appearing in 76 regular-season games for Anaheim and putting up 22 points — seven goals and 15 assists. He also saw action in three playoff games, contributing one goal and one assist for two points.
Over his career with the Ducks, Zellweger has totaled 51 points — 16 goals and 35 assists — across 164 regular-season games. Anaheim originally selected him with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Wahlberg, meanwhile, was chosen by Buffalo with the 39th pick in the 2023 draft. During the 2024-25 season, he skated for Rochester in the American Hockey League, recording 37 points on nine goals and 28 assists.
The 2026 NHL Draft kicked off Friday evening and is scheduled to continue Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
Scottie Scheffler came tantalizingly close to shooting a 59 Friday at the Travelers Championship, ultimately settling for a brilliant 60 that vaulted him to the top of the leaderboard at 16-under par through two rounds at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
On the par-4 18th hole, Scheffler’s birdie attempt slipped just inches past the cup to the right, leaving him to tap in for par and a round of 60 — still an exceptional score that left him one shot ahead of Viktor Hovland and two clear of Akshay Bhatia, who carded a second-round 62.
“The conditions were really good this morning,” Scheffler said. “Softer golf course, not too much wind. … I’m sure if you looked at today’s round compared to yesterday’s round, I’m sure the ball-striking was pretty similar.”
Scheffler opened his Friday round with a birdie before making a bogey at the second hole, missing a six-foot putt on the par-4. That would prove to be his last significant misstep of the day. Over his final 16 holes, he reeled off 10 birdies, posting matching scores of 30 on both the front and back nines. Combined with his opening 64 on Thursday, Scheffler is now chasing his second Travelers Championship title in three years.
Heavy rainfall softened the greens at TPC River Highlands, contributing to low scoring throughout Friday’s second round — a familiar pattern at this event.
With his 60, Scheffler joins Patrick Cantlay (2011) and Tommy Bolt (1954) in the record books for the best second-round score in tournament history. Jim Furyk holds the all-time single-round record at the event with a 58 in 2016, while Cam Young posted a 59 in the third round two years ago.
Hovland sits at 14-under for the tournament after going 9-under on Friday, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 13th hole and a 30 on his front nine.
Bhatia had briefly held the lead after finishing his round earlier in the day, but both Hovland and Scheffler surged past him as they completed their rounds. Bhatia and first-round leader Eric Cole are tied at 12-under, four strokes behind Scheffler. Cole, who opened with a 63 on Thursday, posted a second-round 65 after managing just one birdie against eight pars on the back nine.
France’s Ugo Humbert had plenty to celebrate on his 28th birthday Friday, turning in a dominant semifinal performance to advance to the final of the Lexus Eastbourne Open in England. The sixth-seeded Humbert dispatched British player Jack Draper 7-5, 6-3, firing five aces and successfully defending all four break points he faced during the match.
After the victory, the crowd treated Humbert to a chorus of “Happy Birthday” to mark the occasion. He will now pursue his eighth career singles title when he squares off against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in Sunday’s championship match.
Bergs earned his spot in the final by outlasting Great Britain’s Toby Samuel in a three-set battle, winning 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2. The Belgian had a commanding 11-4 advantage in aces and managed to save 6 of 10 break points throughout the contest. A victory in the final would give Bergs his first career ATP singles title.
Draper, who had strung together three consecutive wins earlier in the week to the delight of the home crowd, was playing in his first tournament since April following a right knee injury. Despite the semifinal exit, his run at Eastbourne marked a positive return to competition.
At the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Mallorca Championships in Mallorca, Spain, second-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain rallied from a first-set loss to defeat Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, propelled by seven aces. After dropping the opener, Davidovich Fokina surged to a 5-1 lead in the second set to even things up, then overcame a 4-3 deficit in the third set by taking the final three games of the match.
Davidovich Fokina will also be chasing his first career singles title when he meets American Ethan Quinn in the final. Quinn, 22, cruised into the championship match with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges. Quinn won 81.5 percent of his first-serve points — 22 of 27 — and converted 4 of 6 break point opportunities. Borges struggled on his second serve, winning just 22.2 percent of those points, going 4 for 18.
La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. has announced a voluntary recall of two cottage cheese products over concerns of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The products being pulled from shelves are Requesón Salvadoreño, also known as Salvadoran Cottage Cheese, and Requesón Mexicano, also known as Mexican Cottage Cheese. Both items were sold under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brand names.
The recall was announced on June 26, 2026. Listeria monocytogenes is a potentially dangerous bacterium that can cause serious illness, particularly in pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.
Anyone who has purchased these products is encouraged to stop consuming them immediately and to check with the place of purchase for return or refund options. Additional details about the recall are available through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Andre Burakovsky is heading to Ottawa — a city with a special connection to his family. His father once suited up for the Senators organization, and now the 31-year-old winger is joining them after Chicago dealt him away Friday in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.
The trade allows the Blackhawks to shed Burakovsky’s $5.5 million salary cap hit heading into next season. For Ottawa, the deal brings in a two-time Stanley Cup champion who previously hoisted the trophy with Washington and Colorado, and also spent time in Seattle before landing in Chicago.
Senators general manager Steve Staios expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, saying Burakovsky “adds skill and playmaking ability to our forward group.” The family tie runs deep — Burakovsky’s father Robert suited up for Ottawa in 23 games during the franchise’s second NHL season back in 1993-94. Andre is now joining his fifth NHL organization.
Staios had a busy Friday before finalizing the Burakovsky deal. He also acquired goaltender Samuel Ersson’s rights from Toronto, sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Maple Leafs. Toronto had received Ersson, along with Emil Andrae, from Philadelphia in a separate cap-clearing deal that sent Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Flyers.
Ottawa also locked up defenseman Jordan Spence on a four-year, $20 million contract. The 25-year-old had a standout season, setting a career high with seven goals and totaling 31 points while averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time per game across 73 contests. He was a key figure as the Senators dealt with defensive injuries yet still managed to reach the playoffs.
Staios praised Spence’s contributions, saying, “Jordan was an excellent addition to our hockey club and proved to be a valuable asset on our blue line and stepped up when it counted last season. We’re excited to have him as part of our core group.”
In New York, the Rangers made their first offseason move Friday, shipping forward Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens in return for defenseman William Trudeau. Berard, who will turn 24 in September, was once viewed as part of New York’s long-term core. Trudeau is about a month younger but has yet to make his NHL debut, having spent his time in the minors, while Berard has appeared in 48 NHL games and recorded 10 points.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury is widely expected to pursue more significant transactions. Center Vincent Trocheck has reportedly been discussed in trade conversations dating back to before the March trade deadline.
The Buffalo Sabres acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger from Anaheim in exchange for the 45th overall pick and forward prospect Anton Wahlberg. Zellweger, who turns 23 in September, helps replenish Buffalo’s defensive depth after the Sabres earlier traded Bowen Byram to Chicago.
The New York Islanders re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year deal worth $9 million, carrying a $4.5 million annual cap hit through the 2027-28 season. DeAngelo, 30, is back for his second full season with the Islanders after rejoining the NHL in January 2025 following a stint in the Russia-based KHL.
Out in Colorado, the Avalanche re-signed veteran defensemen Brent Burns and Brett Kulak following a season that saw them win the Presidents’ Trophy before falling to Vegas in the conference final.
Burns, 41, inked a deal for next season — his 23rd in the league — at the veteran minimum of $850,000, with the potential to earn up to $3 million through incentives, according to a source familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity since financial terms were not officially announced. Burns has played in 1,007 straight regular-season games and needs just 58 more to surpass Phil Kessel for the longest ironman streak in NHL history.
Kulak received a five-year contract reportedly worth $22.5 million. Colorado’s president of hockey operations Joe Sakic is reshaping the roster after reassuming general manager duties when the previous GM departed for Nashville.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Alvarado is sticking with the New York Knicks, agreeing to a multiyear contract with the NBA champions, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.
Alvarado chose to opt out of his existing player option and is working toward a three-year agreement with the team, according to the source, who spoke anonymously because the deal had not yet been officially finalized. ESPN was first to report the news, noting that the new contract would be worth more than $14 million — a significant jump from the $4.5 million player option he walked away from.
The guard had originally been traded to New York from New Orleans during the regular season, bringing him back to his hometown. Alvarado, a Brooklyn native who went to Christ the King High School, joined the Knicks on February 5.
He wasted no time expressing his feelings about the new deal. “I’m home,” Alvarado posted on X, adding a string of orange and blue hearts to drive the point home.
While Alvarado served mostly as a backup to All-Star Jalen Brunson throughout the season, he made his presence felt on the biggest stage. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals — a 107-106 Knicks victory over San Antonio — Alvarado shared the floor with Brunson for much of the fourth quarter as New York mounted a historic comeback from 29 points down. Alvarado contributed eight points and three assists in that final period alone.
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who was permanently banned from NCAA competition due to sports betting violations, will not be finding a professional football home in Canada either.
The Canadian Football League announced Friday that the 22-year-old will be barred from signing with any CFL team or being added to any team’s negotiation list.
Sorsby admitted to placing thousands of wagers over the course of his college career, with the total reaching nearly $90,000. That included at least 40 bets placed on Indiana football games during his freshman year there in 2022, though none of those bets involved games in which he personally played for the Hoosiers.
Following his permanent NCAA ban, Sorsby sought entry into the NFL through the league’s supplemental draft process, but the NFL informed him on Tuesday that it would not be holding a supplemental draft this year.
According to a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL instead advised Sorsby to focus his efforts on potentially entering the league through the standard draft process in 2027. The NFL has not conducted a supplemental draft since 2023.
In a formal statement, the CFL made clear where it stands: “Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL. The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning.”
The league added, “At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list.”
Sorsby had been scheduled to hold a workout for NFL teams on July 10. His NCAA ban came after he transferred earlier this year from Cincinnati to Texas Tech, where the gambling activity came to light.
After completing a month-long residential treatment program for a diagnosed gambling addiction — which contributed to the thousands of bets he placed — Sorsby took legal action against the NCAA and secured a court-ordered reinstatement to college play. That decision sparked significant backlash directed at Texas Tech, ultimately leading Sorsby to pursue a professional football career instead.
This year’s observance of Ashoura — one of the most significant holy days in Shiite Islam — was profoundly shaped by ongoing conflict and grief in both Lebanon and Iran. The day commemorates the death of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed in a battle in 680 A.D.
In Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut, tens of thousands of people came together in coordinated processions, striking their chests in mourning — not only for Hussein, but also for family members and friends lost during the recent fighting between the Hezbollah militant group and Israel.
In the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh, smaller ceremonies took place amid visible destruction left behind by Israeli airstrikes. The fragility of the current ceasefire was made clear when smoke rose from a fresh airstrike on the city’s outskirts. Some participants observed a traditional ritual that involves making ceremonial cuts to their heads as an act of mourning.
Meanwhile, in Tehran, the capital of Iran, large crowds gathered for processions and religious ceremonies. Many participants beat their heads and chests in mourning, while others carrying torches set fire to tents in a dramatic reenactment of the ancient battle in which Hussein was slain.
The images presented here were curated by Associated Press photo editors.
LOS ANGELES — A California appeals court on Friday let stand Harvey Weinstein’s 2022 rape and sexual assault conviction, though it directed the trial judge to issue a new sentence in the case.
The ruling was handed down unanimously by a three-judge panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal.
A spokesperson for Weinstein, Juda Engelmayer, responded to the ruling via email, stating: “We are disappointed by today’s decision and respectfully disagree with the Court of Appeal’s conclusions regarding the fairness of Mr. Weinstein’s trial. At the same time, the court correctly recognized that his sentence cannot stand.”
The California decision arrived just one day after New York prosecutors announced they would not pursue a fourth trial against Weinstein in that state. The #MeToo-era New York case was dropped Thursday after the accuser stated she could not endure testifying once more.
Weinstein, the former Hollywood film producer, still has a separate sexual felony conviction in New York and continues to be held behind bars. However, the New York rape charge had remained unresolved following an overturned conviction and two trials that ended with hung juries.
In California, the 74-year-old was found guilty in December 2022 on one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against an Italian model and actor who was referred to during trial proceedings as Jane Doe 1. He received a 16-year prison sentence following that conviction.
Weinstein’s legal team had argued on appeal that Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench unfairly restricted testimony from the head of a film festival during the Los Angeles County trial, and they had sought a completely new trial rather than just resentencing.
Meanwhile, in New York, Weinstein is awaiting a September sentencing on his standing assault conviction, which involves a different woman. Prosecutors there are seeking a 20-year prison term. His California sentence would only begin after his New York sentence is served.
Following the Los Angeles trial, Jane Doe 1 publicly revealed her identity as Evgeniya Chernyshova when she filed a civil lawsuit against Weinstein.
Chernyshova testified that Weinstein showed up uninvited at her hotel room during the 2013 LA Italia Film Festival and assaulted her.
The defense had argued that the trial judge wrongly blocked Weinstein’s attorneys from questioning Chernyshova about Facebook messages between her and festival director Pascal Vicedomini, which they claimed would have demonstrated the two had a romantic relationship.
The Associated Press has a standard practice of not identifying individuals who allege sexual abuse unless they choose to go public, as Chernyshova did. Her attorney also confirmed she gave her consent to be named.
A poll worker in New York says two federal officers came to her voting location during the state’s primary election to confront her about something she posted on social media — a message criticizing an ICE officer who fatally shot a woman named Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Paigelynne Gonyea said the encounter took place on Tuesday while she was on duty at a polling location in Syracuse. She said the two officers handed her a written notice indicating she could be in violation of federal laws that prohibit publicly sharing personal information about federal law enforcement officers.
According to Gonyea, the warning was connected to a post she had made back in January. In that post, she shared a photo of Jonathan Ross — an ICE officer who shot and killed Good in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations — and wrote: “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted.”
Gonyea noted that Ross had already been publicly identified by news outlets before she made the post. The post remains online, and she said she has no plans to remove it.
“I plan on using this experience to defend and support our First Amendment right,” Gonyea said. “Our First Amendment rights definitely need to be protected now more than ever.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Lauren Bis, issued a statement saying Gonyea “committed a federal crime by posting the address of an ICE law enforcement officer online” and warned that “if you doxx our officers, we will investigate you, and you will be brought to justice.”
Bis also shared a separate post from one of Gonyea’s social media accounts, which the spokesperson said included Ross’s home address. Part of that post was blacked out in the version shared publicly.
“Doxxing federal law enforcement officers is a federal crime that puts their lives and their families in serious danger,” the DHS statement read. “This danger is not hypothetical. Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines arresting terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists.”
A fellow poll worker captured the confrontation on video. The footage shows two people in uniform entering the polling location and briefly speaking with Gonyea, who declined to sign the warning document they presented to her.
Gonyea later shared the unsigned letter on social media. The document indicates it originated from ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility, a division whose main function is looking into misconduct allegations against ICE employees and contractors.
The poll worker who filmed the interaction, Sheilia Milledge, said the episode left workers rattled. Gonyea confirmed that no voters were present at the polling location when the officers arrived.
“I felt like it was a scare tactic that they were using,” Milledge said.
A representative from the New York Attorney General’s Office confirmed the office is aware of what happened and is currently reviewing it. A spokesperson for the governor’s office said officials there had not received reports of similar incidents elsewhere in the state.
Kathleen McGrath, a spokesperson for the New York State Board of Elections, said the incident “did not disrupt voting and was not related to the election process.” Onondaga County Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said he went to the polling place shortly after it happened, checked in with poll workers, ensured voting continued without interruption, and “connected Paige to resources.”
Gonyea said she had initially missed a phone call from U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials who wanted to speak with her. A DHS agent left her a voicemail saying they were reaching out “in reference to a post that we believe you made on Instagram where you doxxed an ICE officer back in January,” according to a recording she shared online.
“We just wanted to talk to you about it. You’re not in any type of trouble,” the agent said in the voicemail, according to the recording Gonyea provided.
She said she called back and asked the officers to come inside the polling place because she felt it would be a safer environment for the conversation.
Sean Morales-Doyle, director of the voting rights and elections program at Brennan Center for Justice — described as a left-leaning public policy institute — said it appears the officers’ timing at the polling place was coincidental, but noted their presence could still be unsettling to voters and election workers.
Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said that if officers are delivering residents “a formal complaint about their protected speech, we’re in trouble.”
Rep. John Mannion, a Democrat representing the area in Congress, sent a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging the department to examine the incident and “put a stop to any ICE activities that target protected speech.”
“ICE should not be broadly targeting online speech or actively monitoring social media accounts without cause and without proper judicial protections,” Mannion’s letter stated.
New Mexico’s attorney general launched a criminal investigation Friday to find out whether agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration violated state law by letting hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills make their way onto the streets of Albuquerque.
The unusual probe comes just days after the Associated Press published a report revealing that DEA agents repeatedly watched fentanyl shipments move through the area without intervening — a deliberate tactic used from 2023 to 2025 in hopes of building larger criminal cases against drug trafficking networks.
Both current and former DEA agents, including whistleblower David Howell, told the AP that the approach was a dangerous gamble with public safety and may have run afoul of U.S. Justice Department guidelines designed to protect the public.
All of this unfolded during what has become the deadliest drug epidemic in American history — and while the DEA was simultaneously running a public awareness campaign called “One Pill Can Kill,” which warned that even tiny amounts of fentanyl can be fatal.
The criminal investigation transforms what had been a debate over law enforcement strategy into a direct legal question: did federal agents break the law while pursuing bigger targets?
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, made clear that federal agents “are not above the law,” while acknowledging they do have significant legal protections when performing official duties.
Despite those protections, Torrez announced he would begin “demanding documents and information about the DEA’s conduct, in New Mexico and nationally, to determine whether what occurred here reflects a broader pattern of reckless or unlawful behavior.”
In a letter to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham — who had called for the investigation earlier in the week — Torrez wrote: “If those allegations are accurate, the consequences for New Mexicans were not abstract. They were fatal.”
He went on to say that “New Mexico already ranks among the states hardest hit by fentanyl overdose deaths, and the families who have lost children, siblings and parents to this crisis deserve a full accounting of what the federal government knew, what it did and what it failed to do.”
The DEA initially pushed back against Howell’s allegations in a statement to the AP, but later asked the Justice Department’s independent watchdog to conduct its own review of the matter.
“Should that review identify areas of improvement, the DEA will of course implement changes to better their practices,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “We welcome a partnership with Governor Lujan Grisham, as well as New Mexico state and local leaders, to fight the scourge of fentanyl and keep her constituents safe.”
While many local and state leaders in New Mexico have voiced outrage over the allegations, that anger is not universally shared — particularly among families who have lost loved ones to overdoses. Paul E. Martin, founder of United Against Fentanyl, a nonprofit representing 5,000 victims’ family members, offered a more measured take.
“Law enforcement makes mistakes,” Martin said. “But the DEA are the men and women putting their lives on the line. Their entire business is the removal of illegal and toxic drugs from our streets.”
GameStop announced Friday that it remains committed to moving forward with its proposed acquisition of eBay.
The videogame retailer said it currently expects to generate adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of more than $600 million in fiscal 2026. That figure would represent a significant jump compared to the $345.4 million the company reported in fiscal 2025.
The Texas Board of Education voted Friday to approve mandatory reading lists for public school students that include passages from the Bible, continuing a push by state leaders to bring conservative and religious values into the public education system.
The Republican-controlled board passed the measure 9-5, with one member absent and not casting a vote. The required reading lists will apply to more than 5 million public school students and are set to go into effect in 2030.
This is not the first time Texas has moved to incorporate religious content into its schools. The state previously required the Ten Commandments to be posted in all public school classrooms — a mandate that was upheld by a federal appeals court earlier this year. Texas joins a number of other Republican-led states that have taken similar steps to bring Christian teachings into public education.
The move has sparked debate on both sides. Opponents argue that such decisions conflict with the Constitution’s “establishment clause,” which courts have long interpreted as maintaining a separation between government and religion. Supporters, however, contend that the measures bring back foundational Judeo-Christian teachings that they consider historically important.
The reading lists themselves cover a broad range of material, with much of it being non-religious or classical in nature. Included texts range from Aesop’s fables and Native American stories to a children’s version of Don Quixote. However, critics have pointed out that a large portion of the list consists of works written by white male authors — a concern in a state where Latino and Black students make up the majority of the student population.
Rachel Laser, who leads the advocacy organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State, released a written statement condemning the board’s action. She said the decision sought to “misuse public schools to impose one narrow set of religious beliefs and indoctrinate a new generation of Americans in the lie that America is a Christian country.”
Insurance brokerage firm Hub International revealed on Friday that it has submitted a confidential filing for an initial public offering on the US stock market.
The company, headquartered in Chicago, was most recently valued at $29 billion during a funding round backed by T Rowe Price, Alpha Wave Global, and Temasek, the state-owned investment fund of Singapore.
Hub International’s history with private ownership stretches back to 2013, when private equity firm Hellman & Friedman purchased the company in a deal worth $4.4 billion.
Luxury retailer Saks Global officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday, nearly five months after seeking court shelter from its creditors. The company came out of the process with a new corporate identity, a restructured ownership arrangement, and a reduced number of store locations.
Going forward, the retailer will be known as Exemplar Luxury Group, or ELG, and will concentrate exclusively on the luxury retail market. As part of its restructuring over recent months, Saks closed the majority of its off-price store locations.
The newly formed board of directors at ELG will include two representatives each from investment firms Pentwater Capital Management and Bracebridge Capital — both of which partnered with Saks throughout the restructuring process, according to the company.
The road to bankruptcy began more than a year ago, when the company started experiencing weak sales, accumulating debt, and falling behind on payments to vendors. Saks formally filed for bankruptcy protection in January.
On Friday, ELG announced that its total debt load had been cut by nearly 75% as a result of the restructuring efforts.
A significant factor in the company’s financial troubles was its December 2024 merger with Neiman Marcus, which was orchestrated by real estate tycoon Richard Baker. That deal led to cash shortfalls and inventory problems at stores and damaged relationships with major vendors including Chanel, LVMH, and Kering.
At the time of its bankruptcy filing, Saks Global was carrying approximately $3.4 billion in debt — roughly one year after completing the Neiman Marcus merger.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has asked top company executives to investigate potential partnerships with two prominent prediction market platforms — Polymarket and Kalshi — as Meta works to build its own similar application, the New York Times reported Friday. The newspaper cited three employees who were familiar with the situation.
Neither Meta nor Kalshi responded to requests for comment from Reuters, and Polymarket declined to offer any statement. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the details of the report.
Meta executives have indicated that Arena, the company’s prediction market app currently in development, will set itself apart from Polymarket and Kalshi by avoiding real-money wagering. Instead, Arena will use a virtual currency similar to points found in video games, according to the report.
Prediction markets gained enormous attention during the 2024 U.S. presidential election and have since grown into a recognized investment category, allowing people to place bets on everything from government interest rate decisions to the outcomes of sports tournaments.
However, the platforms have also come under growing scrutiny. Suspiciously well-timed trades made before major policy announcements by U.S. President Donald Trump may have generated millions of dollars in gains for anonymous traders, raising serious questions about the integrity of these markets.
According to the report, Zuckerberg has set his sights on adults between 18 and 34 years old as Arena’s primary audience, with an ambitious goal of attracting at least 100 million monthly active users — referred to as “predictors” — to the platform.
Arena is still in internal testing phases and may never be publicly launched, the Times noted. The report also indicated that Meta eventually plans to fold elements of Arena into both Facebook and Messenger.
The Times had first reported earlier in the week that Zuckerberg recently assembled a small team within the company to develop a smartphone app modeled after Polymarket and Kalshi.
The Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit, known as SOAR, has issued public notifications alerting residents to both wanted and homeless sex offenders in the state.
Wanted Sex Offenders
SOAR is actively searching for four sex offenders who have failed to register or re-register their current addresses as required by law. The individuals identified as wanted are Gene Dukes, Charles Fulton, Troy Sanders, and Spencer Wright.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of these individuals is asked to call (302) 739-5882. Tips can also be submitted through Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333. The four individuals listed here represent only a portion of those currently wanted. A full list is available on the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website.
Homeless Sex Offenders
SOAR has also issued notifications for two sex offenders who have recently been reported as homeless. These individuals — Tykeme Robinson and John Wittmer — are not currently wanted for failing to register, but authorities want to know if either person is found to be residing at a fixed address.
If you have information indicating that either of these individuals is living at a residence, please contact SOAR at (302) 739-5882 or reach out to Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333. As with the wanted list, these two individuals represent only a portion of those currently reported as homeless sex offenders. The complete list can be found on the Delaware Sex Offender Registry website.
A New York nutritional supplement company is voluntarily pulling two of its organic moringa products from the market after concerns about possible Salmonella exposure surfaced through its ingredient supplier.
Total Nutrition Inc., based in Deer Park, NY, announced the recall of its TNVitamins 100% Organic Moringa 1,200 mg Capsules and 100% Organic Moringa Powder. The action was triggered by a supplier-initiated recall of the raw organic moringa ingredient used in both products.
Health officials note that no illnesses connected to the recalled products have been reported at this time. Consumers who have purchased either of these moringa products are urged to take note of the recall and follow guidance from the company and health authorities.
A rare moment of open tension between two Supreme Court justices played out on Thursday, only to be quietly walked back the very next day.
Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the majority opinion in an asylum case, appeared to directly challenge Justice Sonia Sotomayor while opinions were being delivered from the bench. Sotomayor had written the dissenting opinion in the case. The public back-and-forth was considered highly unusual by court observers, as justices rarely address each other’s written opinions in such a direct manner during proceedings.
The moment did not go unnoticed. By Friday, the Supreme Court moved to address the situation, describing what had occurred as a misunderstanding between the two justices.
Such exchanges on the bench are uncommon in the nation’s highest court, where justices typically allow their written opinions and dissents to speak for themselves without additional verbal commentary directed at colleagues.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced Friday that it will prohibit the importation of equipment made by a group of Chinese manufacturers, marking another step in the federal government’s ongoing effort to limit Chinese-made electronic devices from entering the country.
The FCC had previously acted in 2022 to block approvals of new models of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment produced by Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua. Those companies were added to a list of firms considered to pose risks to U.S. national security.
The newly announced import ban is scheduled to go into effect in July.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran on Friday, according to a statement released by Central Command.
American aircraft targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, as well as coastal radar installations, following an Iranian attack on a commercial ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has unanimously turned down the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to discard a 2024 rule that established tougher limits on fine particle pollution, also known as soot.
The three-judge panel’s decision is a blow to the Trump administration’s push to roll back regulations and its ongoing support for coal as an energy source. The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit keeps the stricter pollution standard in place, at least for the time being.
The Trump EPA had asked the court last year to strike down the Biden-era rule, claiming the agency’s previous leadership had overstepped its legal authority and failed to adequately weigh the financial burden the rule would place on affected businesses.
The court refused, with Senior Judge Douglas Ginsburg writing in the decision that the agency’s arguments “lack merit.”
The ruling preserves an annual cap of 9 micrograms of fine particle pollution per cubic meter of air — a significant reduction from the previous standard of 12 micrograms, which had been in place for more than a decade. The rule requires states and counties to meet that cleaner air threshold over the coming years, targeting pollution from power plants, vehicles, factories, and wildfires.
The EPA’s push to abandon the rule came after 25 Republican-led states and numerous business organizations filed a lawsuit seeking to block it. A suit spearheaded by attorneys general from Kentucky and West Virginia argued the regulation would drive up costs for manufacturers, utility companies, and families, and could prevent new manufacturing facilities from being built.
When the Biden administration finalized the rule in 2024, officials said the tighter limits would prevent more than 800,000 cases of asthma symptoms, reduce hospital visits by 2,000, and avert 4,500 premature deaths each year.
An EPA spokeswoman said in November that the 2024 rule would cost “hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars to American citizens” and was not grounded in a thorough review of the available science. The agency said Friday it was taking time to review the court’s decision.
Environmental organizations praised the ruling as both a public health victory and a rebuke of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“Clean air is not a luxury. The 2024 soot standard is a critical advancement for public health, projected to save thousands of lives every year,” said Patrice Simms, vice president of healthy communities at Earthjustice, an environmental law organization. “Lee Zeldin’s EPA must stop catering to polluters and must instead fulfill its mission to protect public health,” Simms added.
The Natural Resources Defense Council said the delay in putting the 2024 rule into effect has left millions of Americans breathing unhealthy concentrations of soot pollution.
“The science has long been clear, and now the law is too. The EPA must stop stalling and deliver the clean air the Clean Air Act requires,” said Vijay Limaye, a climate and health scientist with the NRDC.
WASHINGTON — The outgoing top economist at the International Monetary Fund is warning that the world economy faces serious downside risks, particularly if a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapses.
Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who is departing the IMF to return to the University of California, Berkeley next week, spoke with Reuters on Friday ahead of his exit. He noted that coordinated releases from strategic petroleum reserves helped prevent an even sharper spike in oil prices following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. However, he cautioned that those reserves are now largely depleted, leaving countries with far less flexibility should the conflict escalate again.
The concern grew more immediate on Friday when President Donald Trump blamed Iran for an attack on a ship near Oman, calling it a violation of their ceasefire agreement — underscoring just how tenuous the preliminary peace deal remains.
Gourinchas said that thanks to rapid reserve releases and production adjustments by refiners, only about 3% of global oil was removed from the market, far less than the 10% to 15% that had initially been feared. But he made clear that a breakdown in the ceasefire would leave countries with fewer tools to soften the blow of further supply cuts.
On the question of upcoming IMF economic forecasts, Gourinchas hinted that the global lender may return to offering a single baseline forecast when it releases updated projections on July 8 — after he has already returned to academia. In April, the IMF opted to publish three separate growth scenarios rather than one baseline figure, partly because of the sweeping tariffs introduced by President Trump against imports from most countries. It was the second time during Gourinchas’ tenure that the Fund bypassed a traditional baseline forecast.
IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack had left open on Thursday whether the organization would stick with the three-scenario approach or revert to a more conventional single forecast. Last month, with the Strait of Hormuz still closed and oil prices topping $100 per barrel, she had indicated the global economy was drifting from a more optimistic “reference forecast” — which assumed a quick end to the conflict and 3.1% growth in 2026 — toward an “adverse scenario” projecting only 2.5% growth.
Gourinchas explained that both 2025 and 2026 lacked enough historical precedent to support a reliable single forecast, which is why economists needed to “be humble” and instead map out a range of possible outcomes. That said, he acknowledged such an approach should remain the exception.
“We don’t want to do it too often,” he said, while admitting that uncertainty and risks remain elevated.
Beyond the energy sector, Gourinchas pointed to significant shifts happening in global trade. He highlighted the European Union’s recent completion of trade agreements with both Latin America and India — deals that had been in the works for decades but were suddenly finalized within the past year.
“All of a sudden, in less than one year, they’re both signed. This is not a coincidence. You can’t afford not to deepen trade relations with other countries out there,” he said, noting that many of these emerging agreements notably exclude the United States.
He also offered a broader observation about the long-term effectiveness of tariffs and economic sanctions as policy tools, suggesting their power tends to fade over time.
“There is a view that having these kinds of choke points or this critical leverage is really important, but I think what we are seeing is how quickly the global economy tries to find ways around them,” he said.
“You do have leverage in the short term, and then actors on the other side respond. They are not passive, they find ways to either circumvent, accelerate their own innovation, develop new trade ties with other partners, and basically those tools become blocked,” he added. “In the medium- to long-term, they almost never work.”
S&P Global announced Friday that it is maintaining its “AA+” credit rating for the United States, citing the country’s economic resilience as a key factor in supporting strong government revenue collection.
In a statement, the agency said, “Broad revenue buoyancy, including solid tariff income, should help mitigate the risk of fiscal slippage.”
S&P Global holds a notable place in financial history as the first ratings agency to strip the U.S. government of its top-tier credit rating back in 2011. Despite that downgrade years ago, the agency said Friday that the current outlook for the U.S. rating is stable.
The agency added that its stable outlook reflects confidence in the diversity and strength of the U.S. economy, even as both domestic and international policy landscapes continue to shift.
Chevron is setting its sights on more data center energy partnerships across the United States after announcing a landmark deal to supply power to a Microsoft facility in West Texas, a company executive revealed to Reuters.
Oil and gas giants like Chevron and Exxon Mobil are positioning themselves to cash in on the surging electricity demand driven by Big Tech’s rapid expansion of AI-powered data centers — leveraging their natural gas supplies and expertise in large-scale energy development.
Earlier this week, Chevron announced it had signed an agreement to build a natural gas power facility known as Project Kilby. The plant would have a capacity of 2.67 gigawatts and deliver dedicated electricity to Microsoft’s data center campus in Pecos, Texas. The project — a first for Chevron — would generate enough electricity to power a city comparable in size to San Francisco.
Jeff Gustavson, Chevron’s president of new energies, told Reuters in a Wednesday interview that the company sees strong potential for additional projects in West Texas, which sits within the Permian Basin — the nation’s leading oilfield and a region rich in natural gas.
Beyond Texas, Gustavson said Chevron is also interested in the Midwest, the Gulf Coast, and areas near Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The company is additionally weighing data center deals in Utah, where it already operates a hydrogen facility.
“We’ll look at other parts of the country. We’ll look at it with Microsoft. We’ll look at it with other potential customers,” Gustavson said. “If we can put the right pieces together to meet our return thresholds, you can see more announcements over time.”
Project Kilby gives Chevron a separate revenue stream that isn’t tied to the ups and downs of commodity prices that affect its main business. Gustavson noted that Chevron and its partners are still working through the project’s design details and declined to reveal the estimated cost.
Industry analysts said this week it remains too early to determine whether powering data centers will become a significant revenue source for Chevron.
The company expects to make a final investment decision on the project before the end of this year. The first electricity generated by Kilby is anticipated in 2028, with the facility expected to take several more years to reach its full capacity. The project will require seven GE Vernova turbines along with multiple smaller turbines from Caterpillar, and has the potential to grow beyond its initial 2.67 gigawatt capacity.
The United States military carried out strikes in the area surrounding the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to a report from Axios citing a U.S. official.
An Axios reporter shared the information on the social media platform X, relaying details provided by the unnamed official. No further specifics about the nature or scope of the strikes were immediately available.
Two people lost their lives Friday when a Russian drone struck a minibus in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, according to the area’s regional governor, Oleksandr Hanzha.
Hanzha shared the news via the Telegram messaging platform, noting that 12 people were hurt in the attack on the town of Nikopol — among them, two children.
Nikopol sits on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River from the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the town has repeatedly been the target of Russian military strikes.
Meanwhile, Mikhail Fedorov, the governor of the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, reported that Russian forces carried out a series of strikes throughout Friday on various districts within the region’s main city, also known as Zaporizhzhia. No casualties were reported in connection with those attacks.
Reuters, which reported the story, was unable to independently confirm accounts provided by either side of the conflict.
A woman who shared a post about immigration activity on social media in January found herself facing federal agents five months later — agents who demanded she delete what she had written.
Paigelynne Gonyea originally posted about an immigration surge in Minneapolis at the start of the year. This week, officials from ICE came to her and alleged that one of her social media posts had doxxed — meaning it revealed the personal information of — a federal agent.
The encounter took place at a polling location in Syracuse, New York on June 23, 2026, and was recorded on video by another poll worker who was present at the scene.
A crash on northbound Interstate 95 has resulted in the closure of two left lanes at the Christina River Bridge, according to Delaware transportation officials.
The lane closures are causing disruptions for drivers traveling through the area. Motorists approaching the bridge should anticipate slowdowns and consider using alternate routes to avoid the backup.
No additional details regarding injuries or the cause of the crash were immediately available. Drivers are encouraged to stay alert and allow extra travel time until the lanes are reopened.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that a newly reached framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon establishes a defined path toward restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty, dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure, and fully disarming the militant group.
In an official statement, Rubio said the agreement also paves the way for Israel to withdraw to its own borders once the threat posed to its citizens has been eliminated. As part of the deal, a trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon will be created, with the United States serving as a facilitator.
The UFC has updated its viewership figures for this month’s Freedom 250 event, now estimating that approximately 34 million people around the world watched the fight card held at the White House.
That revised total is nearly twice the number that was initially announced on June 19 — five days after the event took place on the South Lawn on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
The new figures account for international audiences from countries including Australia, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. With those numbers included, the UFC says the event ranks among the most-watched in the organization’s history.
The UFC also noted that not all countries have submitted their viewership data yet. Spain and France — both of which had fighters competing on the card — are not expected to report their numbers until mid-July, meaning the final total could climb even higher.
The event itself made history inside the Octagon. For the first time ever in UFC competition, every single fight on the card ended by knockout or technical knockout.
In the main event, Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by corner stoppage after the fourth round, claiming the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.
Within the United States, 17 million viewers watched the event, setting a new record for a live event on Paramount+. Those domestic numbers were tracked by Nielsen for U.S. markets and Adobe Analytics for Latin America.
Back in January, a Minneapolis woman named Paigelynne Gonyea took to social media to share posts about a surge in immigration enforcement activity happening in her city.
Five months later, that decision caught up with her in a way she likely did not expect. ICE officials showed up at her door this week, telling her that one of her posts had revealed the personal identity of one of their agents — a practice commonly known as doxxing.
The agents reportedly pressured her to remove the posts in question from her social media accounts.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — The Tanzanian government moved Friday to ban all political rallies as the country braces for planned demonstrations against last year’s contested election and the imprisonment of a prominent opposition figure.
Internal Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi issued a directive to Police Inspector General Camillus Wambura, ordering him to halt the issuance of permits for political gatherings throughout the East African nation.
The move comes after Tanzania experienced its first postelection protests in 2025. The ruling party claimed an overwhelming victory in last year’s general election after the country’s largest opposition party chose to boycott the vote and the presidential candidate from the second-largest opposition party was blocked from participating.
Young Tanzanians have announced plans to take to the streets on July 7, protesting the reelection of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and demanding that a new constitution be drafted. Authorities have already arrested individuals connected to the protest organizers, who have been coordinating the demonstrations through social media platforms.
Demonstrators are also demanding freedom for opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges stemming from his calls for political reforms before last year’s elections. Protesters are additionally seeking accountability for the widespread violence that followed the election, during which more than 500 people lost their lives.
Tanzania Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi pushed back strongly against the ban, saying the government had “no authority whatsoever to prohibit or permit meetings that are legally allowed.”
“We will convene to determine the legal measures we will take, both domestically and internationally, against anyone who attempts to enforce this unlawful and invalid directive in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the country,” Mwabukusi added.
The ban is particularly notable given that President Hassan herself lifted a six-year prohibition on opposition rallies back in 2023 — a restriction that had been put in place by her predecessor, John Magufuli.
Opposition parties have labeled the new ban politically driven and a breach of constitutional rights, arguing that political parties are guaranteed the legal right to hold public gatherings.
Rugemeleza Nshala, chief legal counsel for opposition party Chadema, said the ban was designed to “muzzle political freedom” and that the party was “contemplating other legal actions locally and internationally to challenge the decision.”
Rashid Ali, the shadow minister for Defense, Internal Affairs and Security for the main opposition party ACT Wazalendo, characterized the directive as yet another attempt to undermine the country’s constitution.
After nearly two weeks on the loose in the Texas Hill Country, a giraffe named Gracie has been found alive and well — and by all accounts, she enjoyed her time in the wild.
Gracie was located on Friday, approximately 4 miles south of her enclosure, during a helicopter search of the area. Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson confirmed the discovery, noting that Gracie’s owner, Vick Jones, immediately reached out to a veterinarian and began assembling a team to safely return her to the ranch.
“She’s in good shape,” Jones said. “She’s standing there, swishing her tail.”
The roughly 3-year-old giraffe, who tips the scales at no less than 1,200 pounds, was found within half a mile of both a pond and a creek, with plenty of surrounding plant life to graze on. Jones estimated she had likely been in that particular spot for about a week.
Returning the 10-foot-tall animal to Cedar Hollow Ranch — located roughly 100 miles west of San Antonio — required careful planning. Veterinarians needed to sedate Gracie and place a hood over her eyes before she could be moved. The transport plan called for first loading her onto an open-pasture trailer, then transferring her to a taller, enclosed trailer specifically built to accommodate giraffes.
Much of the remote terrain where Gracie was found is inaccessible by vehicle, which is why a helicopter was used in the search. While the roughly 2,700 residents of Real County had been asked to watch for her, Gracie was ultimately discovered on uninhabited private property.
“We didn’t bother her,” Jones said of the moment she was spotted. “She’s got water. She looked in really good shape.”
The Texas Hill Country is home to one of the highest concentrations of exotic captive animals anywhere in the United States. Sheriff Johnson noted that reports of missing animals in the area are not uncommon — he said he’s received calls about missing wildebeests, water buffalo, zebras, and monkeys — though a missing giraffe was a first for him.
The region’s mild climate, rugged landscape, and abundant vegetation made it a manageable environment for Gracie. In her native Africa, giraffes typically do best in dry and semi-dry savannahs and open grasslands.
Jones believes Gracie never intended to leave the ranch. She had arrived at Cedar Hollow Ranch back in May and had developed a habit of wandering up to a rocky area to feed on trees growing from the rock face, always returning to her enclosure afterward.
On the day she went missing, Jones said, Gracie wandered into that rocky area to feed and came back down on the wrong side of a gate. At that point, continuing forward was simply easier than turning back.
The rocky terrain had not been fenced because giraffes had never ventured there before Gracie did — and installing fence posts in solid rock requires jackhammering. Jones said he now plans to have that fence built, and Gracie will remain in her enclosure at the ranch until the work is complete.
Despite her impressive size, Jones said Gracie posed no danger to anyone who might have crossed her path during her time on the loose.
“If you move toward her, she’s taking off,” he said.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg found himself at the center of a disturbing incident when an anonymous report — later determined to be false — prompted Michigan State Police and child protective services to respond to his home, temporarily separating him from his four-year-old twins.
Buttigieg detailed the experience in a post on Substack, writing that a Michigan State Police officer informed him they found no evidence to support the anonymous allegation and believed it was driven by political motives. He described the roughly 24-hour ordeal as being “among the darkest hours of my life.”
Michigan State Police confirmed in a statement that they received an “anonymous report” and that both their agency and child protective services “responded and determined the report was false.”
According to Buttigieg, an officer and a child protective services worker arrived at his home after someone anonymously claimed he was a danger to his children. Authorities arranged forensic interviews for the twins and told Buttigieg he was not permitted to be alone with them until those interviews were finished.
The next day, Buttigieg said investigators revealed that the anonymous caller had claimed he confessed to violent crimes years ago during an unplanned encounter in Alabama. Buttigieg stated he had never visited the town where that supposed meeting took place. Police told him the allegation would not be forwarded to prosecutors, and child protective services found nothing to back up the report.
“I cannot describe the mix of rage and sadness that I feel at the idea that someone brought our children into this,” Buttigieg wrote. “They are four years old. Four. They do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is.”
Buttigieg, who is widely considered a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028, has long been a target of anti-LGBTQ attacks. He noted that the incident happened shortly after he posted photos of his family online in recognition of Father’s Day.
He previously faced criticism from some Republicans when he took paternity leave after he and his husband, Chasten, adopted their twins while he was serving in the Biden administration. Buttigieg also noted in his post that he has received death threats throughout his career.
“But this is the ugliest thing that has happened to me since my career in service began,” he wrote.
The incident appears to be an example of what law enforcement calls “swatting” — the act of making a false report to emergency services in order to trigger a police response at someone’s home or location. Officials have warned that such incidents waste critical resources and create dangerous situations for both responding officers and the people targeted.
Buttigieg said the episode is part of a larger pattern of escalating political attacks in the current environment.
“Everyone knows politics is ugly these days,” he wrote. “It’s always been ugly, but now it feels more and more like bloodsport. Even so, this is different.”
The Colorado Avalanche made back-to-back roster moves on Friday, announcing that the organization has re-signed defensemen Brett Kulak and Brent Burns to new contracts.
Kulak, who turns 32, inked a five-year extension that will carry him through the 2030-31 season. The deal is reported to be worth $22.5 million, averaging $4.5 million per season.
The veteran blueliner appeared in 83 games last season, splitting time across three different teams — the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Avalanche — tallying one goal and 11 assists along the way.
Since being selected by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the 2012 draft, Kulak has skated in 663 career games with five franchises, accumulating 137 points on 29 goals and 108 assists.
Burns, 41, agreed to a one-year contract covering the 2026-27 season, reportedly worth $850,000 with performance bonuses that could push the total to $3 million.
The deal brings Burns back after a strong debut with Colorado in 2025-26, during which he posted 35 points — 12 goals and 23 assists — across 82 games.
Burns is no stranger to hardware, having earned six All-Star selections and the Norris Trophy in 2016-17, awarded annually to the NHL’s top defenseman. When the upcoming season begins, he will be entering his 23rd year in the league and currently holds the distinction of being the active leader in games played with 1,579.
Over his career with the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, and the Avalanche, Burns has compiled 945 points — 273 goals and 672 assists — along with 887 penalty minutes.
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s search for a professional football home has hit another wall. The Canadian Football League confirmed late Thursday that all nine of its teams are barred from signing the 22-year-old signal-caller, who was suspended by the NCAA following a gambling investigation and was turned away from the NFL’s supplemental draft earlier this week.
The league made its position clear in an official statement released Friday. “Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL. The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning,” the statement read. “At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list.”
The NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible after investigators found he had allegedly placed thousands of bets — many using accounts registered under other people’s names — totaling more than $90,000 over the course of his college career. Among those bets were wagers placed on Indiana football games while he was playing for the Hoosiers. He later transferred to Cincinnati, where last season he threw for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while also rushing for nine scores. Sorsby subsequently spent several weeks in a treatment facility, citing a gambling addiction.
After his time with Cincinnati, Sorsby moved on to Texas Tech, but his off-field troubles caught up with him before he could take the field there.
When the NFL rejected his supplemental draft application this week — the league hasn’t held one since 2023 — it also sent Sorsby a letter criticizing him for not taking “responsibility for your actions” and for attempting to sidestep consequences through lawsuits and the draft application. The NFL’s recommendation was for Sorsby to focus on preparing for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Despite the setbacks, Sorsby still has legal options available. He is represented by former NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who has a long track record of success in high-profile cases against the NFL. Kessler has won favorable outcomes for players including Tom Brady in the Deflategate case, Jonathan Vilma and other New Orleans Saints players in the Bountygate matter involving then-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, as well as arbitration cases on behalf of Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress.
The Toronto Maple Leafs shipped goaltender Samuel Ersson to the Ottawa Senators on Friday, receiving a 2027 fifth-round draft selection in return.
The transaction represents a rapid turnaround for Toronto. The Leafs had only brought Ersson into the fold on June 16, when they obtained him from the Philadelphia Flyers alongside defenseman Emil Andrae and a 2026 third-round pick. In that earlier deal, Philadelphia received goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit.
Ersson, 26, wrapped up the 2025-26 season with a 14-11-5 record, a 3.12 goals-against average, and an .870 save percentage. Over four years in Philadelphia, he compiled a 65-50-17 record with seven shutouts, a 3.01 GAA, and an .884 save percentage. His standout early career earned him recognition in the 2023-24 season, when he finished 10th in voting for the Calder Trophy, the NHL’s award for Rookie of the Year.
Swedish pharmaceutical company Sobi announced Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declined to give the green light to its new treatment for uncontrolled gout, a severe form of inflammatory arthritis.
The FDA issued what is known as a complete response letter, asking Sobi to submit additional data — primarily focused on manufacturing controls and problems identified at the contract facilities that produce the drug.
Importantly, the agency did not raise any concerns about whether the treatment is safe or effective.
Sobi, which is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, said it plans to request a meeting with the FDA to talk through what would be needed for resubmission. The company also said it will work alongside its contract manufacturers to correct the identified deficiencies.
Gout is a well-known form of arthritis that causes sudden, intense pain, swelling, and tenderness in the joints. The condition develops when uric acid builds up at high levels around joints and other body tissues. In cases of uncontrolled gout, those uric acid levels stay elevated and symptoms persist even with treatment.
Sobi’s drug — chemically referred to as nanoencapsulated sirolimus plus pegadricase, or NASP — works as a four-week infusion therapy aimed at lowering uric acid levels in the bloodstream.
Data from late-stage clinical trials showed the treatment was able to keep uric acid below 6 milligrams per deciliter — considered a safe threshold for preventing gout flare-ups — for at least 80% of the sixth month of treatment.
The company estimates roughly 200,000 people across the United States live with uncontrolled gout.
Currently, the only FDA-approved medication specifically for uncontrolled gout is Amgen’s Krystexxa, an infusion administered every two weeks. Other general gout treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, and corticosteroids.
The lithium industry is feeling considerably more upbeat about its future, with growing demand for battery storage systems helping to make up for a slowdown in electric vehicle sales in certain markets, according to top producers who spoke at a major industry conference in Las Vegas this week.
For years, electric vehicles were the primary force driving demand for lithium. But regulatory shifts in the United States and other countries have dampened EV sales in some important markets. That cooling came at the same time the industry was producing too much lithium, sending prices tumbling.
Now, a rising need for stationary battery storage systems — fueled by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and efforts to modernize power grids — is changing the industry’s outlook for the better.
“The period of market overcorrection is over,” said Raju Daswani, CEO of consultancy Fastmarkets. “Energy storage has become a primary driver of growth in this market.”
Daswani said Fastmarkets estimates that lithium demand for battery storage systems is expanding at a rate of 40% per year. “This is a fundamental change and it adds a robust foundation if you compare it to a far-more volatile consumer-driven electric vehicle demand picture,” he said at the Fastmarkets Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials Conference in Las Vegas.
Attendance at the conference — considered the world’s largest annual gathering of lithium investors, executives, and consumers — climbed 10% this year to approximately 1,100 people, according to organizers.
The overall atmosphere at this year’s event was noticeably more positive compared to last year’s gathering. Lithium prices have more than tripled in the time since.
“Lithium demand in the next two years is going to be much more balanced between EVs and energy storage,” said Jérôme Pécresse, who leads Rio Tinto’s aluminum and lithium business unit. The company has plans to increase its lithium production capacity by 2028.
Albemarle, identified as the world’s largest lithium producer, reported that it is seeing consistent growth in the battery storage sector, which it contrasted with the more unpredictable nature of EV demand. “Grid storage is much more evenly distributed around the world,” said Eric Norris, the company’s chief commercial officer, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the conference. “It’s an interesting demand driver.”
In another sign of market confidence, ioneer announced Monday that it had signed a letter of intent with Hyundai Engineering and an arm of the South Korean government to provide support for its lithium project in Nevada.
Despite the improving conditions, industry executives called on governments to do more to financially support lithium processing — a segment currently dominated by low-cost Chinese companies. G7 leaders last week agreed to better coordinate efforts aimed at strengthening Western lithium and nickel markets.
“What are governments willing to pay for security of supply? There’s a tax to be paid for that, and it hasn’t been paid yet,” said Dale Henderson, CEO of PLS, described as Australia’s largest independent lithium producer.
The U.S. assistant energy secretary, Audrey Robertson, encouraged industry players to pursue technological innovations that could transform how lithium and other critical minerals are processed and traded. “The way that we’re processing lithium today is not the way we’re going to process it in five years,” Robertson told reporters at the conference.
A new state fair set up on the National Mall is billing itself as a celebration for every American — but not everyone is buying that message.
The Great American State Fair opened its gates and ran for 16 days, featuring a Ferris wheel and pavilions representing individual states. However, the event got off to a controversial start when it kicked off with a Trump rally, raising questions about its stated nonpartisan nature.
Adding to the debate, not all 50 states agreed to take part in the fair, leaving some notable gaps in the state-themed displays.
Despite the criticism, organizers are pushing back on the idea that the event carries a political slant. They argue that marking America’s 250th birthday is something all citizens can get behind, regardless of political affiliation.
The fair is open on the National Mall through July 10.
BRUSSELS — The European Commission fired back Friday against threats from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding digital taxes, asserting that the European Union and its member countries have every right to regulate economic activity within their borders.
A spokesperson for the Commission made clear that the EU’s tax policies are fair across the board. “Any taxes are non-discriminatory by design and apply equally to all large companies, regardless of their origin,” the spokesperson said.
The Commission added that while the bloc stands ready to respond quickly to any unjustified unilateral actions taken by the United States, it remains open to reaching a broader global agreement in keeping with commitments made under G7 accords.
