The vote will also be the first major test for the Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party of Prime Minister Rumen Radev after its triumph in parliamentary elections in April.

Despite a record number of candidates, the race is expected to be decided in a runoff between incumbent President Iliana Yotova, backed by Radev’s party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who is backed by pro-Western opposition parties.

The campaign has focused heavily on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the widening hostilities in the Black Sea, where recent drone attacks on commercial vessels off Bulgaria’s coast have heightened security concerns in the European Union and NATO member country.

The strikes have raised concerns over Russia’s intentions to escalate the conflict and prompted the government to ask Bulgaria's partners for assistance to strengthen its maritime security.

Candidates have also sought to address public anxiety over rising energy prices and inflation, as many families, particularly in rural areas, struggle to make ends meet.

Polling stations, which opened at 7 a.m., are to close at 8 p.m., after which initial exit polls will be announced while preliminary results are expected on Monday.

The election will likely go into a runoff as none of the 27 candidates is expected to win outright. Turnout must be above 50% of 6.6 million registered voters, and the winner needs a majority of votes. Projections have Sunday’s turnout at less than 40%, indicating a likely Nov. 1 runoff.

Bulgaria's incumbent president is a front-runner

Yotova, a 62-year-old journalist and former member of the European Parliament, is the country's incumbent president and a front-runner in the race.

She previously served as vice president under Radev, during his two terms as head of state. She took over the presidency in January 2026, when Radev stepped down to run for parliament, and is now seeking her own mandate.

She's running as an independent but also has the official backing of Progressive Bulgaria and the Socialist Party, where her career began.

If she wins, Yotova will become Bulgaria’s first elected female president.

Analysts expect her to continue Radev’s policy to keep Bulgaria on its European path but at the same time call for improved relations with Russia and the lifting of sanctions. Both Yotova and Radev have called for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.

Addressing supporters at a rally this week, Yotova said she “advocated for peace through negotiations, rather than force”.

Observers say that Yotova’s victory would keep the presidency in the hands of the ruling majority, and such concentration of power could prevent institutions maintaining effective checks and balances on policy decisions.

A former deputy central bank governor is the main challenger in the race

Yotova's main challenger is economist Andrei Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in the early months of 2026. He is supported by the pro-Western reformist opposition.

Gyurov, who has often expressed firm support for Ukraine, signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv during his premiership.

“I want Bulgaria to have a voice of its own in Europe. A reliable NATO ally that defends its interests through preparedness, strong diplomacy and a clear position,” he told supporters this week.

Latest opinion polls give Yotova an edge in the first round of the race by giving her between 40 percent and 45 percent, versus Gyurov’s 25-30 %, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

But some observers believe that Gyurov could have a better chance in a runoff, where results can be influenced by voters who supported candidates eliminated in the first round.

Presidents in Bulgaria are elected directly for a five-year term and can serve no more than two terms. While the post is primarily ceremonial, the direct election gives the president greater political authority. The president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation, signs international treaties and appoints ambassadors.

The mindset shift has helped the Milwaukee Brewers left-hander deliver one of the great runs by any reliever in postseason history.

Ashby finished a five-out save after the Brewers rallied from a four-run deficit in a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays for a 2-0 World Series lead Saturday night. He struck out Yandy Díaz to end the game, stranding the potential tying run at third base.

That extended Ashby’s shutout streak this postseason to 15 2/3 innings. According to Sportradar, Cleveland’s Andrew Miller had the longest streak of consecutive scoreless relief innings within one postseason with 16 in 2016. Including the regular season, Ashby has thrown a career-best 20 2/3 straight scoreless innings.

“I don’t know that I have the words to describe it,” the 28-year-old Ashby said of his October success. “Maybe when it’s all said and done.”

Ashby has been one of many outstanding bullpen performers during Milwaukee's postseason run.

Brewers relievers have allowed seven earned runs over 50 2/3 postseason innings. That's helped Milwaukee come from behind in seven of its nine victories.

Ashby's performance is particularly notable because of how he had struggled in previous postseasons.

Before this year, Ashby had allowed nine runs — eight earned — in 9 1/3 playoff innings. He believed he knew the reason why he had come up short.

“Trying to grip it too tight and make too much happen, be too good, throw too hard,” Ashby said. “Any number of things you can do in a big situation when there’s a lot of adrenaline.”

Now he’s reminding himself to take a breath and trust his stuff. The results have his teammates marveling at his poise under pressure.

“He’s just low-key, man,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said after Game 1. “He just goes with the flow. He’s got the same heartbeat every day. He’s been like that for us all season.”

That approach has made Ashby the guy the Brewers trust as much as anyone when a game’s on the line.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy showed his faith in Ashby by bringing him back out for the ninth inning Saturday after he already had gotten the final two outs in the eighth. Ashby allowed a leadoff double to Jonny DeLuca before striking out Victor Mesa Jr. and retiring pinch-hitter Ben Williamson on a grounder to the right side.

That brought up the right-handed-hitting Díaz, who got ahead 3-1 in the count after Ashby threw two pitches in the dirt. Ashby froze him with a backdoor breaking ball to make it 3-2, then Díaz attempted to check his swing but didn’t get the call, throwing up his arms in frustration.

“I didn’t go look at it, but from my vantage point, it did look like that he swung,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Ashby credited catcher William Contreras for guiding him through that final inning.

“I’m just trusting him,” Ashby said. “There’s not a lot of thinking I’ve got to do. He’s locked in right now.”

Murphy was asked after the game how he chose to bring Ashby back out for the ninth rather than using usual closer Trevor Megill.

“Very carefully,” Murphy quipped. “Very carefully.”

Murphy went into much more detail when he described Ashby's ability to have effective relief outings that extend beyond one inning. Ashby had a five-out save and a three-inning save during the Brewers’ NL Championship Series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“He does what it takes," Murphy said. “It’s unconventional. Multiple innings in relief. It’s Goose Gossage-like. I guess we had a guy like that here, too: Rollie (Fingers). Multiple-inning relief. Sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes you go with it.”

Ashby has taken a winding road to get to this point.

He signed a five-year, $20.5 million contract in the summer of 2022 as he alternated between starting and relief roles early in his career. He underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery the following April, knocking him out for the entire 2023 season. He was struggling in the minor leagues with a drop in velocity for much of the 2024 season before he started feeling like himself again.

He eventually carved out a niche as a key member of Milwaukee’s bullpen. Now he’s one of the biggest reasons why the Brewers are two victories from winning the World Series for the first time.

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He couldn’t make it out of the fourth inning Saturday night against a Milwaukee Brewers lineup that specializes in driving up pitch counts and grinding starters into submission.

“They put together good at-bats,” Rasmussen said after the Rays lost 5-4 to the Brewers in Game 2 of the World Series. “Kudos to them. They fouled off some really good pitches. They took some really quality pitches. They just fought, they scrapped and they just put pitches in play.”

Tampa Bay’s inability to protect an early 4-0 lead caused the Rays to fall behind 2-0 in this World Series featuring two franchises seeking their first championship. Rasmussen gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest start since lasting just 2 1/3 innings in a 12-4 loss to the New York Yankees on July 9.

The Rays scored four runs in the first against Milwaukee rookie Logan Henderson. That lead seemed pretty secure, considering Rasmussen entered the World Series having allowed three runs in 21 playoff innings against the Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

Milwaukee’s lineup proved tougher to solve.

“I thought early on my command wasn’t very good,” Rasmussen said. “I felt like I was falling behind far too often to expect good results. And then from there, they found themselves in some hitters’ counts and were able to find holes.”

Rasmussen also didn’t get much help from his defense.

Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers opened the bottom of the first with consecutive singles to put runners on the corners. After Christian Yelich struck out swinging, William Contreras hit a high foul pop that went off the glove of first baseman Jonathan Aranda as he positioned himself near the netting in front of the stands.

Given new life, Contreras singled home Chourio. Garrett Mitchell added an RBI single later in the inning to cut Milwaukee’s deficit to 4-2.

“There’s a lot of respect there,” Mitchell said. “We know how great of a pitcher he is. … For us, it’s chipping one at-bat after another, passing it from one guy to the next, because it’s not going to be done in one pitch or one swing. It’s going to be quality at-bat after quality at-bat and kind of just trying to get his pitch count up.”

Even when Rasmussen retired the side in order in the second, Milwaukee took something out of him. Chourio ended that inning by grounding out on an 11-pitch plate appearance.

In the fourth, Rasmussen walked Cooper Pratt, who scored from third when David Hamilton’s RBI grounder to first went through Aranda’s legs for an error. Rasmussen left after issuing a two-out walk to Bauers on his 89th pitch.

Tampa Bay still led 4-3 when Rasmussen left the game, but the Rays made too many mistakes to stay in front.

Liam Hicks got thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Victor Mesa Jr.’s sixth-inning single to shallow left field. Rays reliever Ian Seymour allowed Milwaukee to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth on a solo shot by Sal Frelick, whose last regular-season homer had come on July 11. Yandy Díaz, who has gone 0 for 9 the last two games, ended this one by striking out to strand the potential tying run at third.

Rays third baseman Junior Caminero screamed in the dugout after Milwaukee had rallied to tie the game.

“Just trying to create some energy and get some life back into us,” Caminero said through an interpreter.

The Rays still have some life left in them, but they blew a golden opportunity to even this series with a four-run lead and their ace on the mound. They understand what’s at stake as the series heads to Tampa Bay.

“Obviously, we’re excited to head back home,” said Rasmussen, who went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA during the regular season. “I mean, it would be really nice to have won today. Our offense, I would say they’re pretty confident when they spot our pitching staff a four-run lead, that we’re going to go ahead and get the job done.”

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Sal Frelick and Cooper Pratt, two of the under-the-radar Brewers manager Pat Murphy thinks of with his nickname for less-appreciated candy, combined for a sweet World Series comeback.

Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning to make up for his earlier error and the Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead.

“I would think I’m in that orange Life Saver category,” Frelick said, turning to Pratt. “Do you? Maybe you’re a red.”

Down 4-0 in the first inning, Milwaukee rallied for its seventh comeback win among nine postseason victories. The Brewers also rebounded from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, completing a four-game sweep.

Milwaukee has won seven straight games and became the fifth team to twice overcome four-run deficits for victories in a single postseason, the first since Philadelphia in 2022.

“They believe and they don’t give up,” Murphy said. “They just keep going.”

Tampa Bay first baseman Jonathan Aranda committed one error and misplayed a foul pop, left fielder Chandler Simpson dropped a flyball and slow-footed catcher Liam Hicks was thrown out at the plate by Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio.

“We’ve had moments like these throughout the regular season and we’ve been able to flip the page,” Aranda said. “So we just have to do that here.”

Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win, and the game ended when Aaron Ashby struck out Yandy Díaz on a checked swing, stranding Jonny DeLuca at third after a leadoff double in the ninth.

Game 3 of the matchup between teams seeking their first title is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 claimed the championship.

“We got beaten in all phases of the game,” DeLuca said. “We love playing at the Trop. It’s a unique place.”

After losing Friday’s opener 3-2, the Rays burst ahead in the first against rookie Logan Henderson.

Pratt made his fourth error of the postseason at shortstop, the Brewers’ ninth in 10 games, bouncing his throw past first baseman Jake Bauers on Díaz's leadoff grounder. Simpson and Junior Caminero followed with RBI singles, and Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer.

Milwaukee started to claw back with two runs in the bottom half off Rays ace Drew Rasmussen.

Chourio and Bauers started with singles and Aranda allowed Contreras’ one-out foul pop to bounce out of his mitt near netting in front of the seats.

With Bauers running on a full-count pitch, Contreras bounced an RBI single to the left of second baseman Richie Palacios, who had taken a step toward the bag.

“It’s a huge at-bat," Murphy said. “That first inning meant something that we bounced back against a pitcher that good.”

Garrett Mitchell’s two-out single cut the deficit to 4-2 in the highest-scoring Series first inning since 1993’s Game 4. Hamilton hit an RBI grounder in the fourth that bounced under Aranda’s legs for an error.

Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence. The 5-foot-9 No. 8 hitter sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds, half the time of some theatrical postseason trots.

“I don’t think he knows what it’s like to hit a home run to dead center, so I don’t think he knew if he got it or not,” Bauers said.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his July 11 drive off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft and had not gone deep against a lefty pitcher since opening day against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox.

“He’s got the `it factor,'” Murphy said before the game. “You think of Joe Montana. You think of people that have — Larry Bird — that have the it factor. I’m not saying he’s at that level of talent or has been in a position to do those things, but he has that `it factor.' He can take a team down the field.”

Caminero reacted by yelling at teammates in Tampa Bay’s dugout.

“Just trying to create some energy and get some life back into us,” he said through a translator.

One of the 12-year-old kid reporters from Wisconsin working the Series pointed out to Frelick that his home run caused Bernie Brewer, Milwaukee's mascot, to slide down his 75-foot slide beyond the left-field fence for the first time in World Series history.

“That’s really cool,” Frelick said. “I only made him go down four times this whole year.”

Screaming fans in the crowd of 43,245 at Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 were fired up during the seventh-inning stretch, dancing to the “Beer Barrel Polka” played by Mike Schneider, an accordionist from Clinton, Wisconsin.

“It’s mayhem, and I’ve never experienced anything like it before,” Frelick said. “It’s been motivating for all the players.”

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom half, advanced on Mitchell’s deep flyout to right and scored when Pratt looped a 2-2 sinker from Kevin Kelly into short right field.

“My heart was racing,” Pratt said. “You saw me chase the 1-1 pitch in the other batter’s box.”

A 22-year-old who debuted in June, Pratt has had a season of learning. Murphy removed him from an Aug. 25 game at the New York Mets when he didn't run hard on a bloop single.

Pratt thought of that as he spoke with Frelick.

“I sat there next to this guy, and he’s like, `Hey, man, I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’ve been pulled a couple times. Just don’t let it happen again. There’s standards here,'” Pratt said.

Up next

Rays RHP Freddy Peralta, a two-time All-Star while pitching for the Brewers from 2018-25, starts Game 3. He was the AL Championship Series MVP and is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three postseason starts and one relief appearance. He will be opposed by Brewers LHP Robert Gasser, who allowed one run over nine innings in his first two postseason starts.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Though Serbia's 6.4 million voters get to choose from 18 parties hoping to enter the 250-member Parliament, the election has taken shaped as a referendum between Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party and the youth-backed Students' List.

The main contenders are believed to be polling neck-and-neck, making Sunday's election the most uncertain in recent years. Turnout is expected to be high and could push most smaller parties below the 3% threshold needed to make it into the assembly.

While Vucic has routinely outplayed Serbia's fractured opposition in the past, the leaderless youth movement has proved to be a tough opponent that rattled his firm grip on power in Serbia like no one else could in the past 14 years since his party took office.

A students' victory likely would resonate beyond Serbia as countries across Europe face youth and student protests.

The vote is closely watched in the EU

Recent elections have been marred by irregularities and the European Union is watching closely the conduct of Sunday's vote in a candidate nation for the bloc's membership.

Both international and local election monitors already have expressed concern about the safety and fairness of an election campaign marked by detentions, near-total government control over the media and reports of surveillance and cyberattacks against activists.

Local elections earlier this year in 10 municipalities in Serbia saw violent attacks on journalists and activists. The previous parliamentary vote in 2023 was followed by opposition protests alleging fraud.

Vucic wants to return as prime minister

If his SNS party wins the most votes, Vucic will become the prime minister after serving two near-full terms as president. He resigned the presidency last month to lead the campaign.

The populists' popularity has eroded since 16 people were killed two years ago when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Serbia's north, setting off a wave of youth protests that demanded accountability for the disaster and justice for the victims.

The anger reflected widespread accusations of high-level corruption and cronyism. Protesters said that rampant graft led to negligence during renovation work at the Novi Sad station, and eventually to the canopy collapse.

Despite the protests, Vucic retains considerable support among Serbia's voters. Admirers view him as a capable leader who can steer the nation through global uncertainties — the image that was carefully crafted by the mainstream media.

Students' List is a novelty in Serbia

The newly formed Students' List movement differs from any of the political organizations in Serbia. It is shaped by university students but none of them are actually on the list. Instead, the candidates are little known experts, athletes, farmers and artists.

This approach was meant to counter Vucic's one-man rule and restore a sense of community and solidarity. The “we know how” message during the campaign promised a non-partisan effort to rebuild Serbia's economy and democracy after a change of government.

With their youthful energy, the students have attracted voters who are disillusioned with local politicians. Vilified by pro-government media, students have cycled and walked through the country to reach voters in rural areas — Vucic's traditional strongholds.

The outcome is uncertain

Election surveys have come up with varied results while both camps say they are ahead. Some analysts fear postelection instability in case of a close result.

Vucic has said that his side would concede defeat if it lost the vote. But he has also warned that any protests that might erupt to claim fraud in case of his party's triumph would be immediately quashed.

The state election commission is not expected to release the official tally before Monday.

Magda Anastasijevic, the Eastern Europe analyst for the conflict monitor ACLED, said that electoral violence has been on the rise in Serbia recently, and could escalate, "particularly if the results are disputed."

No. 2 BYU wasn't as fortunate. Playing with their highest ranking since 1984, the Cougars lost 39-31 in two overtimes to UCF and the list of unbeaten teams thinned to Miami, UCLA and Utah during another chaotic Saturday. Three top-10 teams lost and a total of seven Top 25 were beaten.

UCF was among five unranked teams to knock off ranked opponents. No. 8 Texas Tech lost to Cincinnati, No. 11 Tennessee to South Carolina, No. 15 Iowa to Minnesota and No. 16 Southern California to Wisconsin.

No. 7 Mississippi joined BYU and Texas Tech as losing top-10 teams.

No. 19 Texas, coming off consecutive losses, posted its third win over a Top 25 opponent and kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive by beating the Rebels 34-27.

No. 10 Utah extended the nation's longest active winning streak to 13 games and took sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with its 21-13 victory over No. 14 Houston.

Miami, No. 1 for the first time since 2002, was never threatened in its 52-23 win over Pittsburgh. The Hurricanes scored on seven of their first eight possessions and Darian Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those TD passes went to Malachi Toney, who made 16 catches for 194 yards.

BYU made the cross-country trip to Orlando, Florida, a week after it beat then-No. 2 Notre Dame at home, and there was talk all week about how this could be a trap game.

UCF's Keyone Jenkins passed for 293 yards and three touchdowns in a game that had five lead changes in regulation. The final seconds of regulation were a mess. A fumble was overturned and ruled an incomplete pass. UCF had what would have been a tiebreaking field goal on third down blocked and was denied a second try even though it recovered the ball. The player who came up with the ball, the kicker, had his helmet knocked off with 2 seconds left. The helmet incident required a 10-second runoff, which sent the game to overtime.

When UCF held BYU out of the end zone in the second overtime, fans stormed the field and the Knights had their first-ever win over a top-five opponent.

“This will be humbling for us and we have to learn from it. Kind of frustrated by the outcome but am impressed with UCF,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “We’ve got some things to think about and things to correct so we can be in a better position next week. There’s still a lot of football ahead of us and there’s a lot more games to play, so we can’t let one loss define us.”

This was the third straight week in which a team ranked No. 1 or 2 lost to an unranked team. Texas was No. 1 when it lost to Oklahoma two weeks ago and Georgia was No. 1 when it was beaten by Auburn last week. The last time top-2 teams lost three times to unranked opponents was 2007, when it happened eight times.

Hoosiers win despite their offense

No. 6 Indiana overcame a balky offense in its 13-6 overtime road win over Michigan. The defending national champion Hoosiers generated 212 yards, the second-fewest in coach Curt Cignetti's three seasons, and Josh Hoover was just 8-of-18 passing for 81 yards.

“It's a great win,” Cignetti said. “They all come in different shapes and sizes. The offense struggled to say the least. Yes, Josh Hoover did practice every day but was limited a little bit. We feel he'll get better and better physically.”

Those other upsets

Cincinnati's 37-24 win over Texas Tech was the Bearcats' first victory over a top-10 opponent in five years. The Red Raiders had trouble controlling Cole Tabb, who rushed 16 times for a career-high 173 yards. His 58-yard burst for a touchdown put the Bearcats up by 19 points with 6 minutes left.

LaNorris Sellers accounted for three touchdowns and Malik Orsan kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to lift South Carolina past No. 11 Tennessee 27-24 and perhaps take some heat off Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer, who now has consecutive wins over ranked foes.

Minnesota claimed Floyd of Rosedale for the first time since 2023 and second time in 12 years when Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired to beat Iowa 13-10.

Wisconsin beat USC 24-7, sacking Jayden Maiava five times and holding the Trojans to their fewest points and yards (241) in coach Lincoln Riley's five seasons. Maiava threw interceptions on consecutive possessions in the first quarter, and the Badgers won despite generating only 200 yards.

Ducks go down again

Oregon's season has gone from bad to worse. The Ducks lost 21-10 to an Illinois team starting its backup quarterback. After the Ducks drove 75 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening series, they managed only a field goal on their other 12 possessions and were held scoreless in a second half for the first time since a 49-3 loss to Georgia in the 2022 opener.

The Ducks' No. 2 preseason ranking was the highest in program history and they had the potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft at quarterback among a bevy of returning talent. Things began going south when they lost at Oklahoma State and Dante Moore went out with a concussion in a win over Southern California. Moore has yet to return, the Ducks are 1-2 without him and they've been unranked for two weeks.

Oregon (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) has scored a total of 42 points in the three full games without Moore, and the schedule doesn't let up. No. 24 Northwestern takes a four-game win streak into Eugene next Saturday and the Ducks visit No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 7.

Asked if first-year offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer would be replaced, coach Dan Lanning said, “I think all things are on the table to make sure we’re the best version of ourself. We’re currently not that. That’s very clear.”

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The Cardinals (3-4, 2-2 Southland Conference) got on the board first with a trick play on the first drive. Quarterback Emmet Brown tossed the ball to Roy Alexander, who threw it back to Brown. Brown then connected with Dane Farley near the Cowboys 5-yard line. Farley would run it in for a touchdown to give UIW a 7-0 lead after the extra point.

Later in the first quarter, UIW defensive back Patrick Batiste intercepted a pass from McNeese quarterback Brady Barrier. The interception marked Batiste’s second in two weeks.

Rain moved into the game in the second quarter, but the Cardinals continued to find the end zone.

Brown connected with Alexander for another touchdown, extending UIW’s lead to 14-0.

UIW went on to secure a 38-6 victory over the Cowboys for the second win in two weeks.

The Cardinals next host Northwestern State University at 1 p.m. Oct. 31.

Kim’s visit to China is his latest move in an increasingly assertive foreign policy as he seeks to align Pyongyang with Beijing and Moscow in a united front against the United States under what he portrays as a “new Cold War.” It's his first visit in a year.

Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong Saturday after crossing the newly opened bridge, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry and China's official Xinhua News Agency.

Both sides promise to strengthen cooperation

In Dandong, Kim visited a memorial marking China's support of North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and met with Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of China’s Communist Party.

At the memorial, Kim said that North Korea will “firmly carry forward the invincible DPRK-China friendship forged at the cost of blood all the time,” according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

During their meeting, Kim reaffirmed a resolve to develop bilateral cooperation, while Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings and said Kim's visit to the memorial was “of great significance” in carrying forward the friendship between the two countries, KCNA said.

The two toured a car factory as well, before Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge to send him off, according to KCNA and Xinhua.

New bridge was built to help expand trade between the countries

Experts said the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge this month was a key symbol of strengthening ties between North Korea and China and reflected their intent to expand trade, as it is expected to accommodate two-way traffic around the clock, including container shipments and heavy cargo trucks. The bridge was opened after more than a decade of delay.

While returning home via the bridge, Kim said “the bridge would undoubtedly and correctly fulfill its historic mission of linking the two countries and firmly joining the minds of the peoples of the two countries,” KCNA reported.

Kim has recently taken steps to bolster ties with China, the North’s traditional main ally and economic lifeline, after years of prioritizing ties with Russia. China, for its part, has sought to restore its unique influence over North Korea.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for military and economic assistance.

Kim's visit timed to key battle anniversary in Korean War with China

Kim’s latest visit to China is his sixth since taking power in late 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. The visit appears to be timed to underscore the strength of his ties with Beijing ahead of the Oct. 25 anniversary of China’s first major victory in the Korean War, which was days after Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea in October 1950.

The war began with North Korea’s surprise attack on the South in June 1950, prompting a U.N.-led coalition headed by the United States to intervene and push back the offensive. North Korea was backed primarily by Chinese forces, with assistance from the then-Soviet Union’s air force, before fighting ended with a 1953 armistice that left the peninsula technically at war.

Xi traveled to Pyongyang in June for a meeting with Kim. During their summit, Xi expressed Beijing’s willingness to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction and technology, while Kim described ties with China as a top strategic priority.

Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, when he met with Xi and watched a military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders.

Kim has maintained a hard line toward Seoul and has so far rebuffed a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to revive their diplomacy, which broke down in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Kim’s government has called for Washington to abandon its “hostile policy” and drop demands for the North’s denuclearization as a precondition for renewed talks.

South Korea’s liberal government, which favors engagement with the North, hopes renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang will thaw inter-Korean relations, and has also urged China to play a “constructive” role in resolving the standoff. Seoul's spy agency told lawmakers last month that it saw a 50% possibility of a meeting between Trump and Kim on the sidelines of next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, summit in Shenzhen, China.

“From Seoul’s perspective, if North Korea focuses more on economic development than military buildup and threats, that would be positive for diplomacy and security,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

“But if Kim can extract ever more benefits from China and Russia, it is unclear what Seoul could offer that would be worth the political risks Pyongyang attaches to exchanges with a more prosperous, globalized, and free Korea.”

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Wu reported from Bangkok. Associated Press journalists Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul and Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed to this report.

• COMFORTABLY WARM: Afternoon highs in the low to mid 80s through the weekend and much of next week
• FEW RAIN CHANCES: A few spotty showers are possible Tuesday, with better opportunities late next week
• TRICK OR TREAT PREVIEW: Rain chances currently appear low, but keep checking for the latest

FORECAST

RAIN CHANCES

Rain chances return next week. A weak disturbance may bring light showers Monday night into Tuesday, with no severe storms expected. Rain chances increase Thursday and Friday as more moisture moves in, though heavy rainfall is not anticipated. While Halloween rain chances currently look low, please stay tuned for further forecast updates.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK

Expect mild to warm weather in the coming week, with highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s. Mornings will feel humid with lows in the mid-60s. Enjoy what’s left of the quiet weekend before a potentially unsettled pattern develops later next week.

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Both Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola spoke at this week's Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage.

The organization previously endorsed Peltola, who is Yup’ik, during her House races in 2022 and 2024, but it did not issue endorsements this year. Both candidates have highlighted support from Native organizations and leaders ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Sealaska Corp., a regional Native corporation in southeast Alaska, has endorsed both of them, calling it a way to “honor their contributions and commitment to our communities, and to honor the diverse positions of our shareholders.”

The race is among the most closely watched nationally, with control of the Senate at stake. On Friday, President Donald Trump — who held a rally in support of Sullivan earlier this month — said he told his administration to sue to block certification of the race if the incumbent loses. The lawsuit cites potential confusion with another candidate who is listed on the ranked choice ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.

Sen. Sullivan is listed as a Republican and the incumbent, while Sullivan Jr. is listed without a party designation. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on social media that the lawsuit is necessary to make sure officials “have the information necessary to make a determination as to whether Alaskan voters were confused or mislead.”

Alaskan Natives represent about one-fifth of the state's population, but they can face challenges to voting in remote communities. Advocates have raised concerns in recent years with polling locations in some villages opening late or ballots not arriving on time to be fully counted due to mail delays.

There's also cynicism about whether participating in elections will make a difference.

"There’s legitimate hesitations about whether whoever they vote for is actually going to impact them,” said actor and activist Dallas Goldtooth, who is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and Dine and came to Alaska to encourage conference attendees to vote. “And our job is to say, hey, whether that matters or not, there’s an opportunity for you to make sure that your voice is counted. And I want to encourage people just to take the opportunity as much as possible.”

Sheri Buretta, who chairs the board of Chugach Alaska Corp., an Alaska Native corporation, introduced Sullivan to the conference Thursday as “one of our strongest champions.”

Sullivan, speaking as part of a congressional delegation update, said he’s learned important lessons from Native leaders. He cited work he’s done on issues such as pushing to ensure that Alaska Native Vietnam War-era veterans have access to land allotments.

Peltola, during a candidate forum Friday, became emotional speaking about the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people and said additional law enforcement resources are needed. She also expressed support for fisheries. Subsistence fishing is critical in many Native communities.

“I will always fight to restore our fisheries. I feel like working on fish issues is my life’s work,” she said.

Energy is also a crucial issue in Alaska, including within Native communities.

Peltola recently said Alaska Natives were being “absolutely crushed” by high costs from the ongoing war with Iran, which Sullivan has supported. Many rural communities rely on diesel for electricity and to heat their homes.

Sullivan has argued the war against Iran is temporary and that the “forever war is the Democrats’ war against Alaskan energy.”

Many Native leaders on Alaska's petroleum-rich North Slope see responsible oil drilling as critical to their region's economy, and they felt their voices weren't heard while Democratic President Joe Biden was in office. His administration sought to restrict drilling in places like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but Trump and the Republican-led Congress have rolled those efforts back.

Peltola has said she supports expanded oil and gas drilling and would work with Trump to accomplish that. But Sullivan and his allies have tried to align her with “ Lower 48 liberals” who oppose more drilling.

___

Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska.

Paxton described Talarico as “the most radical Democrat ever to run statewide” during an appearance in Georgetown, Texas on Saturday.

“The message is clear to the leftists and James Talarico,” Paxton said. “Come and take it.”

Meanwhile, at Sunset Station near downtown, Talarico painted a picture of Ken Paxton, whom he frequently calls the “most corrupt politician in Texas.”

“Every bar has that one guy: He’s loud, he’s obnoxious, he makes everyone feel uncomfortable,” Talarico said. “He hears you say your name to the bartender and then adds his drink to your tab when you’re not looking. That’s Ken Paxton.”

Talarico, who has led polling for much of the campaign season, focused on a message of affordability and change.

“Everywhere I go, everywhere I go I meet Texans who are drowning (financially),” Talarico said. “We can change this, in this election, in this state, in this race.”

Paxton also focused on affordability, arguing Talarico’s policies would raise taxes on Texans.

“James Talarico does have a plan for your money; it just doesn’t include you,” Paxton said. “He’s a radical that’s never met a tax increase he didn’t love.”

“My agenda is very simple,” Paxton continued. “I’m going to fight so that every Texan can buy a home, raise a family, and live a healthy life without struggling to make ends meet.”

Talarico pushed back, arguing he is focused on fighting for everyone.

“On November 3, we are going to do something extraordinary. We are going to do something historic,” Talarico said. “We are gonna shock the nation, shock the world when we beat the billionaires and take back Texas.”

Early voting continues from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, with additional opportunities available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sunday will be the last opportunity to vote during the weekend before voting ends.

Voting is available on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Read more Vote 2026 coverage:

• Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. James Talarico face off in contentious U.S. Senate race
• What to know about early voting in Bexar County for Nov. 3 midterm election
• KSAT is tracking voting problems in Bexar County. Here’s how to report yours

De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 19 points apiece as the Spurs avoided their first 0-3 start since 2008-09. They lost to Oklahoma City on Tuesday and to Houston in Austin on Friday.

Rookie Sergio de Larrea led the Mavericks (1-2) with 21 points off the bench, going 3 of 4 behind the arc. Dallas’ five starters combined for 50 points, topped by P.J. Washington with 12 points.

The Mavericks played without their two marquee players, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Flagg, last season’s Rookie of the Year, is out with a shoulder injury that occurred during Dallas’ win at Indiana on Friday night and will be reevaluated next week. Irving, the nine-time All-Star, didn’t play the second night of the back-to-back. He returned this season after being sidelined for 19 months with a torn ACL.

The Spurs squandered a 14-point lead in the third quarter but opened the final period on a 17-5 run in the first six minutes. They outscored Dallas 30-17 in the quarter as Spurs fans took over American Airlines Center in the closing minutes.

Wembanyama started slow, scoring only one point until midway through the second period. He then scored on two alley-oop dunks within two minutes and finished the half with 12 points.

The Spurs grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and outscored the Mavericks 25-10 in second-chance points.

Dallas scored 46 points in the paint in the first half, a franchise high during the play-by-play era (since 1997-98), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Up next

Spurs: Host Sacramento on Tuesday.

Mavericks: At Miami on Monday.

First in Ohio, Obama took aim at Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has doubled down on an advertising campaign featuring the estranged mother of Democratic rival Dr. Amy Acton. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have also defended the ad, even as Republican leaders across Ohio, including Gov. Mike DeWine, have called for its removal.

“In recent days, we’ve seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said of Ramaswamy, noting that Acton has “spoken movingly about her painful childhood and all she’s experienced: abuse, neglect and homelessness.”

Later in Michigan, Obama condemned critics of Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, suggesting that they're using his name or his faith to tear him down.

“We have seen this movie before. I starred in it,” Obama told a packed high school gym in Detroit. “I’ve got a long-form birth certificate to prove it."

“Abdul is as Michigan as it gets," he added.

Obama, 65, remains the Democratic Party’s best motivator nearly a decade after leaving the White House. And he's taking his star power on the road in the final days of the midterm elections, which will help determine the balance of power in American politics on Nov. 3.

Trump cast his own ballot on Saturday in Florida, where he defended the Ramaswamy ad, which has emerged as a national flashpoint a little more than a week before Election Day.

“The mother said that Amy Acton is a liar, and she’s no good," Trump said. "And you know what? I don’t think you can get a better reference on that.”

The Ramaswamy campaign video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues.

Acton, Ohio’s COVID-19-era health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was indicted on a charge of rape involving Acton.

The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur failed to show for a court appearance and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

Appearing before Obama, Acton spoke as if addressing Ramaswamy directly.

“My opponent has chosen to exploit, intentionally, my childhood to save his stumbling campaign, but it’s not going to work,” she said. “Decency still matters.” She added: “Mr. Ramaswamy, you are not just out of touch, you are out for yourself and you are a danger to my state. Apparently there is no low to which you won’t stoop.”

Although Ohio has become more reliably Republican, it's been a hotly contested battleground this year. Trump and Vance have both visited the state in recent weeks to drum up support for Sen. Jon Husted and Ramaswamy. And the controversy over Ramaswamy's ad has ratcheted up the already high temperature.

Michigan, too, is a critical state this midterm season, with high-stakes contests for the Senate and governor.

While Obama addressed both races, he offered a passionate defense of El-Sayed, a former public health official running against former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican.

The former president pushed back against those who call El-Sayed a radical, declaring that “Abdul shares my values.” He also acknowledged that El-Sayed was critical of him after his 2012 reelection for not following through on all of his progressive campaign promises.

El-Sayed wrote that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.”

“Some of these folks say, well, you know, Abdul didn’t like some of the things you did as president,” Obama said in Detroit, wearing a blue shirt with no tie, his sleeves rolled up. “You know who else doesn’t agree with everything I do? Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama, about five times a day.”

Democrats hoped that Obama’s appearance in the city, which is three-quarters Black, could bolster support for El-Sayed among Black voters. In the primary, his opponent Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by about 6 percentage points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian vice president, campaigned for El-Sayed in September.

Cheryl McWilliams, 67, said Obama’s speech “pumps you up to vote,” and she's hoping to see high turnout in the midterms.

“If Detroit doesn’t vote, whoever’s running is going to lose, period,” McWilliams said. “I’m just hoping we can reach voters that don’t vote. They think it doesn’t matter, and it does.”

Chunnika Hodges, who lives in Detroit and canvassed for El-Sayed on Saturday, said some Black voters are supporting Rogers because they don’t think anything has changed after years of voting for Democrats. Some are also wary of El-Sayed because of his progressive policies, Hodges said.

“We don’t lean to the conservative, but we have seen that within our community,” Hodges said. “There are conservative Blacks, conservative Democrats.”

While Obama talked up Democratic candidates in Ohio and Michigan, he also spoke at length about Trump.

He accused the Republican president and his family of rampant corruption and called out his inability to lower costs, noting that Trump has instead focused on building a new White House ballroom and helipad on the South Lawn.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovation," Obama quipped. “He should be on HGTV.” He went on: “There's gold everywhere. He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

The former Democratic president acknowledged that the nation has Trump for another two years, until his term ends. But voters are not stuck with Trump’s allies, he said.

“We’re not stuck with a spineless Congress and Republican governors who are handling lawlessness and carelessness and cruelty and indifference for working people,” Obama said. “After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence … you get a chance to say enough is enough.”

Obama will headline a rally in Georgia next week with Sen. Jon Ossoff and candidate for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump, campaigning in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday evening with their Republican rivals, made several references to Obama's Michigan event, insisting “the place was empty.”

___

Peoples reported from New York. AP writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed. GaNun is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, where he sought to boost Republican candidates, Trump said Audi — the German luxury brand owned by Volkswagen — would commit $4.2 billion in nearby Macon to begin construction on a plant that will produce 200,000 cars a year.

“Think of that. 200,000 cars a year. That’s incredible,” Trump said, crediting his aggressive and unpopular tariff policies for the company's decision to build the plant.

The announcement seemed timed to offer a last-minute boost to Republican candidates in the battleground state, including Rep. Mike Collins, who is trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Trump has spent October campaigning in reliably Republican states as the party tries to hold onto its majorities in the House and Senate. Trump won Georgia in 2024 after losing it in 2020.

Trump was joined on stage by Gernot Döllner, the chairman of the board of management at Audi, who said the plant would be producing “our biggest and most premium SUVs.”

“This is a long-term investment, because we believe in the American market,” he said.

Audi, in a news release, said the plant — its first in Georgia — would create approximately 4,500 jobs and that construction was scheduled to begin in 2027, with production beginning in the early 2030s.

Republicans are bracing for losses in the Nov. 3 midterm elections as they contend with an unpopular president and an electorate that is angry over high costs and the ongoing war in Iran.

At the rally, Rick Jackson, the Republican candidate for Georgia governor, thanked Trump for the plans.

“Thank you on behalf of Georgia for putting the biggest economic deal in Georgia history right here today," he said.

___

Colvin reported from New York.

The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, but there were brief clashes with police in both Rome and Turin.

In Milan, thousands of young people marched the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury boutiques were boarded up, but by late afternoon, most shops had opened, Italian media reported.

Premier Giorgia Meloni announced a raft of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week. In Milan, police detained several minors as a preventive measure, media reported.

While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations also rocked many European cities Saturday from Milan to Rome to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana.

The protests encompass a broad range of issues from education and corruption to anti-war movements, pensions and housing.

Army vehicles and boarded-up luxury stores in Milan

In Milan, huge crowds of mostly young people gathered as night fell, chanting insults to Meloni and holding aloft banners such as “No to lies of the state.”

A group of protesters dumped manure outside Italy’s energy regulator and burned a symbolic, oversized electricity bill, images broadcast on local television showed.

The 500 soldiers deployed to Milan came in addition to hundreds already stationed there, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel. Authorities used drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapid-response units and online monitoring for potential calls to violence.

A mayoral hopeful, Pierfrancesco Majorino, who announced his candidacy Thursday, joined the marchers and remarked how peaceful the day was, according to Italian media. He will contest a center-left primary in early 2027. Milan's center-left Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who has held the role since 2016, is not running again.

Many stores, particularly luxury boutiques within Milan's fashion district including Omega, Tiffany and Gucci, boarded up their front windows. The Apple store also shut down and remained shut even as others reopened.

Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square.

Security measures extended beyond the city center over concerns protesters could move into other neighborhoods.

The protesters ended their march peacefully Saturday evening outside the Milan Polytechnic, more than 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the city center.

Officials said Saturday they were investigating a 30-year-old freelance journalist said to be the “mastermind” of the newly formed Oct. 17 movement, which has been the main driver of the recent protests in Italy.

Milan police say last week's violence and looting involved about 2,000 very young protesters, many of them “naturalized, second-generation Italians,” alongside foreign nationals. Over two days, police arrested 45 people, including 34 minors.

A group of about 30 far-right activists, described as hooligans linked to Inter Milan soccer club, made a brief appearance chanting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim slogans but were isolated by police.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the soldiers deployed Saturday were only recently allowed to use plastic restraint ties and only in areas around train stations, not throughout the city. They are not authorized to carry pepper spray or tasers, he said.

Protesters try to force entry into Colosseum in Rome

Security was also heightened in Rome, where authorities locked down luxury shopping streets and stepped up controls around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo.

A small number of protesters tried to force their way into the Colosseum, but were ushered out by guards. Elsewhere, several hundred students demonstrated peacefully to stress they were not rioters.

“I think the images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities,” said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association.

A separate anti-war march took place in central Rome. Organizers sought to distance themselves from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and hands visible.

But it was these marchers who briefly clashed with police near the Piazza della Repubblica, even as organizers were trying to hold the crowd back using batons and tear gas. In the end, the protesters pulled back when a water cannon was turned on. They retreated to a location about half a kilometer (mile) away.

Clashes and buildings set on fire in Albania

In Albania's capital Tirana, riot police used water cannons on large groups of protesters, some of whom set government buildings on fire and threw projectiles at police. Authorities said 2,500 officers patrolled the streets Saturday.

For over a week, protesters have hurled rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police who have used batons and tear gas in clashes in the city center.

High school and university students are demanding lower tuition fees, greater state investment in education and protesting corruption in the education system. Some have joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

A separate protest organized by the opposition outside the prime minister's office turned violent earlier, with some activists lighting fires on the street.

Rama said Saturday his government was preparing a response to the students' demands and called them to a dialogue. He warned that violent protesters will face penalties.

Pensions and housing spark Madrid and Lisbon protests

Thousands of retirees and others marched peacefully in Spain's capital Saturday to demand public pensions aren’t meddled with.

“They are threatening us with privatizing pensions. It’s just another thing they want to profit from," said Maria José Benito, 68.

The protests came ahead of next month’s snap election as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party criticized the conservative opposition Popular Party for making overtures about privatizing public pensions. Spain also has been roiled by protests this fall around the issue of housing, as rental and home costs have risen in recent years beyond what many Spaniards can afford.

Taking their cue from Spaniards, protesters in Lisbon demanding affordable housing marched across the city on Saturday.

They have also targeted recent measures announced by the government of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro that include easing the cap on yearly rent increases and facilitating the eviction of tenants who fail to pay rent.

Montenegro defends the measures, saying that they aim at reinforcing trust between tenants and landlords and boosting the rentals market. Protesters claim that the measures are not balanced and put tenants in a more vulnerable position.

___

Nellas reported from Athens, Greece, and Hui reported from London. Associated Press writers Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Giada Zampano in Rome, and videojournalists Niccolò Lupone in Milan, Veronica Sauchelli in Rome, Alicia León in Madrid and Helena Alves in Lisbon contributed to this report.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks sent an email Saturday to clergy confirming the settlement after attorneys for the survivors of alleged abuse announced it. Hicks said the agreement will not be final until the parties sign it, an action scheduled for the week of Nov. 6.

The only larger settlement over sexual abuse claims in the U.S. was by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which agreed in 2024 to pay $880 million to 1,000 abuse victims, in addition to $740 million in claims it had paid previously. In June, the Archdiocese of San Francisco agreed to a $395 million settlement over about 500 lawsuits filed over clergy abuse, and in December 2025, a federal judge approved a settlement in which the Archdiocese of New Orleans agreed to pay at least $230 million to abuse victims.

The agreement with the New York archdiocese would end more than seven years of lawsuits. The parties agreed to a framework for an agreement in May that required everyone who filed a claim to sign off.

“The unanimous agreement of survivors who filed claims against the Archdiocese of New York marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice,” Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing people who filed more than 1,000 of claims against the Catholic Church in New York state, said in a statement. “Through their courage, sacrifice, and determination, survivors have helped bring about a reckoning and a meaningful step toward accountability.”

The Archiocese of New York covers the city's boroughs of the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island as well as seven counties to the north of New York City and is home to about 300 churches, more than 150 parochial schools and 2.5 million Catholics.

In his email to clergy, Hicks said that if church members ask about the settlement, “please let them know that much progress has been made.”

“We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors,” he wrote. “This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children.”

A New York law enacted in 2019 allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits against their abusers and institutions that shielded them until they turn 55. People who had already had turned 55 when the law was enacted also were given until August 2021 to file lawsuits, no matter when the alleged abuse occurred.

“This is an extraordinary achievement for the survivors,” said Trusha Goffe, an attorney in Anderson’s firm. "The survivors remined resolute through years of litigation to reach this monumental settlement.”

But Jackson’s path differs from Donald Trump’s, and the 72-year-old healthcare magnate and investor brings a vastly different persona to his first campaign. Unlike Trump, who was born to wealth, Jackson spent his early years bouncing through foster homes before launching his first company as a young man.

Now, he wants to leverage both his similarities and contrasts with the president, a challenge he's tackling with buckets of his own campaign cash and a personal story that anchors his appeal to voters.

“I have lived in poverty,” Jackson says. “When you have not eaten, you never forget that, and you don’t forget the people that are struggling.”

Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, disputes Jackson’s altruistic pitch, setting up the Nov. 3 election as a test of whether an alternate, softer version of conservative billionaire politics can complement or even counter Trump’s pugilistic populism in a key swing state.

Jackson joined Trump at a rally Saturday in Perry, marking his second appearance with the president in the closing stretch of the campaign.

“He's an amazing, really an amazing man with an incredible story," Trump said as he introduced Jackson to the crowd. Jackson, for his part, thanked Trump for a new Audi plant set to be built in Georgia, and told the crowd, “I don't have anything to prove, I really don't. But I have a lot to give."

‘From foster care to billionaire’

“My father left me at nine months old. My mother was a sixth-grade educated waitress with a severe alcohol problem,” Jackson said in the only debate of their general election campaign. “I had seven stepfathers before I was 12. I lived in the projects, went to 13 different schools, and lived in five different foster homes.”

He left college to start a business at 21. That led to Jackson Healthcare, a behemoth company that provides contract nurses and other workers to hospitals and health systems, including public entities that have helped fuel Jackson’s fortunes with taxpayer money.

At events with supporters, Jackson gets more personal.

“I have, because of my background, severe abandonment issues,” he told hundreds of voters in Cleveland, a conservative enclave in the north Georgia mountains. He turns that acknowledgment into a promise: “Let me tell you one thing: I will never abandon you.”

Rags-to-riches themes are not uncommon in politics, and it’s yielded Jackson’s campaign motto: “From foster care to billionaire.” But the scale is eye-popping, illuminated by the nearly $200 million Jackson has spent personally on the campaign. That puts him among the largest self-funding candidates in the history of American elections.

But on that score, too, Jackson tries to soften the caricature of the billionaire executive.

“It’s not my money,” he said in a northern suburb of Atlanta. Jackson calls his fortune “God’s money” and says that “my job is to have kingdom impact” with it.

“The reason I have spent so much money to do this,” he said, is to “help 11 million Georgians, to keep them from struggling.”

A range of images over a long campaign

Jackson launched his bid as a relative unknown, though Capitol insiders knew him because of Jackson Healthcare, its lucrative state contracts and his lobbying interest in healthcare, business and tax policy.

The Republican primary field featured a trio of statewide elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who won Trump’s endorsement in August 2025, before Jackson got in.

During the primary, Jackson embraced the president even though he wasn't Trump's choice. Jackson sometimes promised to “be like Trump, but with Southern tone.” He pledged to “deliver for Georgia the same type of business solutions that President Trump is bringing to our country.”

Largely aligning himself with Trump on immigration, Jackson promised to make Georgia a national leader in deportations.

“I don’t care if you’re Muslim or Mongolian, you don’t have the right to force your culture on our country,” he said in one ad. “Criminal illegals” who “commit sick, violent crimes” would “end up deported or departed,” he promised.

Soon after defeating Jones in a runoff, Jackson shelved the immigration ad, but not before using it as part of a spot featuring his grandchildren. “Granddad, why do you look so mean in these ads?” one asks after watching the “deported or departed” clip on her phone. The children and teenagers then tell their grandfather how he can “look cool” with a pickup truck, a dog and a hipper wardrobe.

“Let’s make Georgia better together,” the redressed Jackson concludes.

He has since circulated an ad with several young adults who benefited from the millions he spent helping foster children who age out of the Georgia system when they turn 18. “I am so proud of you,” he tells them as he chokes up.

On policy, Republican fare and centrist appeals

As he softens his image, Jackson maintains traditional Republican positions, pledging to cut taxes, regulation and what he describes as waste. If he cannot halve the state income tax in four years, he promises not to seek a second term. He wants a balanced budget and full audits of state spending, without saying state law requires a balanced budget and audits of state agencies have long been standard practice.

He says he will expand healthcare without expanding Medicaid under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Instead, he argues he can fund broader coverage through partnerships with private insurers. That would require Washington to grant permission and commit a level of financial support that no state has gotten without expanding the traditional Medicaid program.

Jackson says he can do all of that while increasing spending on teacher salaries and vocational education.

At the same time, he has toned down his Trump adulation, reflecting Georgia’s general election math and voters' frustrations with the Iran war and inflation.

In July, Jackson stood with Trump in Marietta and expressed his hope to “be this guy’s favorite governor.” When Trump returned to Dalton on Oct. 16, Jackson did not mention Trump at all in his own speech. Later, when the president called him on stage, Jackson praised Trump — for advocating for foster children. When Trump announced that he would be back to Georgia on Saturday, Jackson's campaign initially planned its own event in metro Atlanta before changing it up so Jackson would again be with the president.

Bottoms disputes Jackson's everyman appeal

Bottoms says Jackson is “trying to buy this election” so he can be a Trump stooge. And Democrats have seized on the way that Jackson has talked about the economy.

Discussing trade schools, Jackson said on the debate stage that “my plumber drives a Mercedes.” Discussing inflation and crime during his town hall-style debate with Bottoms, he suggested Atlantans felt unsafe “at the gas store” during her tenure. When a citizen in the debate audience asked Jackson about minimum wage and affording basic necessities, Jackson told her, “Hopefully, you’re not the one that is getting the $7.50 an hour.”

Minimum wage is $7.25. Bottoms has proposed doubling it. Jackson has not proposed any increase. “My focus is creating jobs,” he said. “I’ve been creating jobs my entire life.”

Jackson's balancing act is enough for Debbie Satterfield, a 72-year-old who came to a Jackson rally in White County wearing both a Trump shirt and a Jackson sticker.

“When I heard about his harsh upbringing, and to hear how far he had climbed, and starting from nothing,” she said. “It reminds me of my life starting with nothing. You can see his soul.”

Meanwhile, the death toll rose from Friday's attack on a church in Jordan. And an Iranian military commander said his country will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf as concerns grow of a return to all-out war.

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

Thousands rally in Tel Aviv days ahead of Israel's election

A large crowd gathered in a final protest against Netanyahu and his government ahead of Tuesday's close election.

The crowd heard calls for a commission of inquiry into the security failures that led to the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza. Netanyahu has refused such an inquiry.

Netanyahu’s chief rival, Gadi Eisenkot, attended the rally that was an echo of the weekly ones once held to call for the release of hostages taken into Gaza. All hostages or their remains were eventually released, but Netanyahu has been accused of delaying deals to free them sooner.

Trump weighs more strikes or a deal with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump bristled when asked how far he was from a possible attack on Iran. He recently said on social media he would not hit Iran again before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

“Do you really think I’m going to tell you if I’m going to do it?" Trump responded. “And there’s a possibility I will. There’s also a possibility we’ll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement.”

Trump repeated his assertion that Iran wants to make a deal, “but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”

Iran’s president accuses the US of disrupting negotiations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of disrupting negotiations to end the war but said he still believes “we have to go and finish it.”

In comments aired on state television, he said Iran’s supreme leader had instructed Iranian officials to “go and finish it (the deal),” but “these scoundrels broke the rules of the game. We were holding talks, and they disrupted them.”

Anxiety has been growing in Iran and elsewhere that the U.S. or Israel will resume attacks before or just after Tuesday’s elections in Israel or the U.S. midterm elections.

Israel carries out arrests across Hebron after attack

Israeli forces carried out arrests and demolitions in Hebron in the occupied West Bank a day after two Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers and wounded three others.

Up to 300 families left Deir Baha and two adjacent neighborhoods, according to a tally from Hebron’s municipality. Israel's army didn't respond to questions about the operation. On Friday, it said its forces had begun “conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches” in the area from where the gunmen operated.

Death toll from church attack in Jordan rises to 9

A ninth person died after gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan, state television reported. More than two dozen people were receiving treatment in hospitals.

Gunmen on Friday opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, south of Jordan's capital, Amman. Karak is home to a minority Christian population.

Airstrikes kill 15 people in Yemen, including a child

Strikes killed 11 people, including four children, in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, according to the Health Ministry run by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. And an airstrike hit homes in Hodeida province, killing at least four people, health authorities said.

The Houthis blamed neighboring Saudi Arabia, which backs forces fighting the rebels. Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the claims.

At least two explosions were later heard near the international airport in Yemen’s southern city of Aden, the seat of the internationally recognized government. The Houthi military spokesperson said a military camp and a naval base were targeted. The government's interior ministry said the Houthis attacked the coast guard headquarters at its complex with two ballistic missiles.

The Saudi-led coalition earlier said it intercepted three ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis toward the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and Taif and Yanbu cities.

The UAE closes beaches after oil spill from tanker

The United Arab Emirates closed beaches after an oil spill from a tanker. The spill impacted beaches of Umm Al Quwain, one of the seven emirates making up the federation, and cleanup efforts were underway, the Climate Change and Environment Ministry said.

The ministry said the spill poses no health risks but did not provide details about its scale. It came two weeks after Iran’s state-run broadcaster reported an oil tanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Tehran.

Iran says it will not allow US warships to enter Persian Gulf

An Iranian military commander said Iran will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf or approach Iran’s territorial waters, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Gen. Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces and commander of its joint military command, also warned Trump that U.S. forces would never return to the Strait of Hormuz.

US reissues Mideast travel warnings over Houthi threats

The State Department reissued travel advisories for Americans in or traveling to the Middle East, citing threats posed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are covered by the warnings and have appeared in previous travel alerts since the start of the Iran war.

The department has reduced staffing at four U.S. embassies in the Middle East after receiving intelligence that Iran has stepped-up efforts to target American personnel.

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

Needing a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to force a third OT, the Cougars (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) drove to the UCF 4-yard line, but Bear Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass to Walker Lyons fell incomplete, giving the Knights (4-3, 2-2) their first win over a top-5 team in school history.

“We set a standard,” Jenkins said. “That standard has got to be upheld week in and week out. We just beat the No. 2 team in the country.”

A week after knocking off then-No. 2 Notre Dame and moving into its highest spot in the AP Top 25 since its national title season of 1984, BYU became the latest unbeaten team to fall in a wild stretch of the college football season. A school ranked in the top 2 has lost to an unranked foe in each of the past three weeks.

UCF was driving toward a potential game-winning field goal in regulation when Jenkins lost the ball on a play that was ruled a sack on the field. But after a replay review, the call was overturned to an incomplete pass, and BYU was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, moving the Knights into kicker Will Stone's range.

But BYU blocked Stone's 47-yard attempt. Stone recovered the loose ball, and since UCF tried the field goal on third down, the Knights would have had a chance at a second attempt had Stone's helmet not been knocked off on the play. That necessitated a 10-second runoff, which sent the game to overtime.

Jenkins finished 25 of 41 for 293 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score in his fifth start since replacing Alonza Barnett III, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

“There’s a lot of teams in football with their quarterbacks hurt and their backups aren’t doing great,” UCF coach Scott Frost said. “Our backup is not a backup. He had an unbelievable game tonight.”

Tyren Hornes had six catches for 137 yards for the Knights, and Duke Watson ran for 94 yards on 15 carries.

“UCF put us on our heels and put us in some uncomfortable positions,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “I want to give them credit for what they have done. They deserve the win.”

Bachmeier threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Kyler Kasper had six catches for 129 yards.

The Knights drove to the BYU 1-yard line with less than two minutes left in regulation, but Jenkins was stopped on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal.

UCF forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with 42 seconds left, setting up the wild finish to regulation.

“That’s the weirdest end of a game I have ever seen,” Frost said. “I thought it would take 31 to win it. It should have if we would have got a sneak in.”

In the first overtime, Bachmeier gave BYU the lead when he connected with Legend Glasker for a 28-yard touchdown, and UCF tied it on a single play when Jenkins hit Josh Derry for a 25-yard TD.

There were five lead changes in regulation.

Jenkins' 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter put UCF ahead 24-21, and BYU's Matthias Dunn connected on a 47-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to tie it at 24-all.

Fans storm the field in celebration

UCF beat a ranked team for the first time since blowing out then-No. 15 Oklahoma State in 2023, the Knights' first season in the Big 12. Fans celebrated with fitting enthusiasm by storming the field and tearing down a goalpost.

“It was unreal. It felt like a movie,” UCF running back Landen Chambers said. “I just took it all in.”

Sitake thanked security workers for ensuring his team could leave the field without incident.

BYU still has a path to a playoff spot

A Big 12 title and College Football Playoff spot remain within reach for BYU.

With No. 8 Texas Tech's loss at Cincinnati earlier Saturday, Utah is the only unbeaten team in conference play. The Cougars should be in position to make the Big 12 championship game if they win out.

“Obviously, we would like to be 7-0 right now, but it's still right there,” Kasper said. “We go win out and do what we're supposed to do, we'll be where we want to be in the playoffs.”

BYU visits the currently 10th-ranked Utes on Nov. 7.

The takeaway

BYU: No longer chasing a No. 1 ranking, the Cougars now turn their focus to winning the Big 12.

UCF: Frost, who led the Knights to a 13-0 season in 2017 before leaving for Nebraska, now has a signature win in the second season of his return stint.

Up next

BYU: Hosts Arizona State next Saturday.

UCF: Hosts Baylor on Friday.

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Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here.

In a final campaign swing with progressive candidates across the country, the Democratic congresswoman from New York packed rooms in Michigan’s deeply Republican Upper Peninsula, where chants of “AOC” broke out.

In Ohio and Maine, hundreds of students turned out to catch a glimpse of her as she campaigned alongside Democrats in competitive races in the Nov. 3 midterms. On Friday night, she was in California’s Central Valley, lending support to a progressive seeking to unseat a House Republican.

Ocasio-Cortez has built a national following that few other members of Congress can match. Her tens of millions of social media followers give her a platform far beyond her New York district, and her nickname, AOC, has become one of the most recognizable in American politics.

Now, as she contemplates a next move, including a possible run for the White House or the Senate, she is also offering a largely untested proposition: that her brand of progressive politics can appeal beyond the Democratic base and help the party win those competitive elections.

“We have written a check on the left, saying if you champion these policies that have popular support, we can win,” Ocasio-Cortez told a recent fundraiser. “Now it is time to cash in. Now it is time to go out and show what we are capable of.”

At 37, she is the natural heir to the political movement fostered by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that has had striking appeal for young voters. It also offers a stark contrast to the roles that the superrich like Elon Musk are trying to play in influencing elections.

“You have to be the right person at the right place at the right time,” said Doug Sosnik, who was a senior adviser to Democratic President Bill Clinton. “The year that Jimmy Carter ran and got elected president is the only year I think he could have run and gotten elected.”

The progressive brand is on the line in Maine and Michigan Senate races

In a historic concert hall in Portland, Maine, filled with college students, retirees and others, Ocasio-Cortez looked to Senate nominee Troy Jackson and acknowledged the political calculation of his appearance alongside her.

“There are a lot of consultants out here in Washington that would tell him, ‘Do not sit on a stage next to her,’” she said.

Minutes later, Ocasio-Cortez received rousing applause after an emphatic response to a question about putting “America first or Israel first." She argued that the United States should question how it can afford wars rather than programs such as “Medicare for All.”

“Going back to her previous comment, why wouldn’t I want to sit alongside someone who just talked like that?” Jackson asked.

Maine, where Jackson is trying to defeat five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins, will be pivotal in determining which party controls the Senate. So will Michigan, where Ocasio-Cortez recently appeared with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the Upper Peninsula.

In Iron Mountain, a town near the Wisconsin line in a county that President Donald Trump won by more than 30 percentage points, Ocasio-Cortez made the case for the progressive movement.

“Our problems are less left and right," she said. “They’re top and bottom.”

Isabella Pruter, a junior at the University of Michigan, said Ocasio-Cortez has a certain star power among younger voters.

“I remember in 2020 and hearing about her name and thinking she was so cool,” Pruter said. “She really clicks with anyone who’s younger, especially for college students.”

At the New York fundraiser for El-Sayed this month, Ocasio-Cortez made clear how much she believes is at stake in Michigan. “If Abdul can win in Michigan, anybody can win anywhere,” she said.

But not everyone agrees that enthusiasm for progressive candidates will translate into victories in competitive states.

Former Rep. Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican who retired from Congress after voting to impeach Trump in 2021, said winning swing states requires appealing beyond a party’s base to independent voters.

“There's a place in the party for her but I don't think it's a majority," said Upton, who served with Ocasio-Cortez. “She'll win New York and California, but not in other states they'd need to get to 270” electoral votes to win the White House.

Heading west to help House candidates

The next stretch of Ocasio-Cortez's swing took her west to gauge her appeal in closely contested House districts and spend time in a state important to a potential 2028 presidential run.

In California’s Central Valley on Friday night, she rallied with Randy Villegas, a young progressive who defeated a rival backed by Democratic Party leaders in the primary.

The race against Republican Rep. David Valadao is one of the most competitive in the country. The district is nearly 75% Hispanic, though Democrats have long struggled to turn out working-class Latino voters there.

On Saturday, she campaigned in Nevada, the second state on the 2028 political calendar and one that would be crucial to her path to the nomination. Nevada, where working-class Latinos are a major force in Democratic politics, has been friendly to her brand of progressivism and overwhelmingly backed Sanders in the 2020 caucuses.

She came to support Rep. Steven Horsford, a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, near Las Vegas’ historic westside neighborhood, the cultural and historical heart of the city’s Black community.

A presidential run would require more than a theory of the case

Even if the progressive candidates Ocasio-Cortez is backing succeed on Election Day, a presidential run would present a different challenge.

South Carolina is first on the Democrats’ new early primary calendar, and Black voters make up a significant share of the state’s Democratic electorate. Sanders lost the state by wide margins in 2016 and 2020.

Jaime Harrison, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee and a South Carolina native, said Sanders’ struggles in the state were not because of his progressive politics, but because he did not put in the time needed to connect with voters.

To win South Carolina, Harrison said, “you better go to churches, you better go to union halls, you got to go to HBCUs" — historically Black colleges and universities.

“She has the talent,” Harrison said. “The question is, will you utilize that talent and focus it to do what is necessary to win on the biggest stage?”

At a rally in Columbus, Mississippi, that featured former Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate candidate Scott Colom, some voters waiting in line expressed interest in an Ocasio-Cortez presidential run, though they were not ready to commit their support.

Paula Small, a 58-year-old Democrat from Columbus, said she likes Ocasio-Cortez’s ideas but would need to learn more about her background.

“We are ready for a change. We are tired of the same politics,” Small said, adding that she believes it’s time for younger people with fresh ideas to get involved in politics.

Sosnik, the former Clinton adviser who considers himself more moderate than Ocasio-Cortez, called her an “unbelievable political talent” and described her as having at her fingertips “the zeitgeist of our times.”

But he questioned whether her appeal could extend beyond the Democratic primary electorate.

“I think she would be an extremely powerful force in the Democratic primary,” Sosnik said. “I’m skeptical that a majority of people in America would vote for her for president.”

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Associated Press journalists Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, Mike Householder in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Sophia Bates in Columbus, Miss., contributed to this report.

Honor and Remember #Ubuntu https://t.co/6BbFrryTVj

— UTSA Football 🏈 (@UTSAFTBL) October 24, 2026

The navy decals, placed at the center back of the helmet, read “PATTY,” an affectionate nickname for the late airman.

Patterson was a Tactical Air Control Party instructor assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, at Joint Base San Antonio. He served in the Air Force for 15 years and was recognized in 2022 as the Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year at the Headquarters Air Force level.

>> What we know about the airman who died after rappelling from the Alamodome before UTSA-Navy football game

Patterson fell last Saturday while rappelling from the rafters of the Alamodome ahead of the Roadrunners’ game against Navy, as part of UTSA’s annual Salute to Service Members and Veterans night.

The 6th Combat Training Squadron paused all rappel training and demonstrations following Patterson’s death until further notice, an Air Force spokesperson told KSAT.

>> Why did UTSA, Navy still play football after an airman fell while rappelling from the Alamodome pregame?

Friends and family described Patterson as a soldier, a friend, and above all, a family man.

“You were so loved. You are going to be so missed,” friend Tyler Hsu said. “You were such a great friend to everyone here and to me.”

>> Friends, family remember Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson after fatal Alamodome fall

The decal was worn Saturday night during the Roadrunners’ game at Tulane. It is unclear whether the decal will remain on the helmets for the remainder of the season.

UTSA said in a news release that it expressed its respect, solidarity and support for Patterson’s family, fellow airmen and all those affected by his death.

Read more:

• Air Force identifies service member who died after fall during UTSA pregame ceremony

The Tide (6-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) entered the teams’ first meeting since 2023 coming off losses to Georgia and Tennessee. Alabama trailed 20-17 in the second half before taking control with a fourth-down stop and two scoring drives.

Russell completed 19 of 30 passes with an interception, and he found Daniel Hill, Marshall Pritchett and Kalen Edwards for TDs. His No. 1 target was Rico Scott, who finished with six receptions for 156 yards as Alabama played a second consecutive game without Ryan Coleman-Williams (knee).

Alabama’s defense came through, with no play bigger than Dijon Lee Jr.’s 39-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Tide allowed 278 total yards.

Marcel Reed threw picks on Texas A&M’s first two possessions and later lost a fumble, continuing a trend of committing too many turnovers in league games. He finished with 163 yards passing and a touchdown. He also ran for a score.

Reed bounced back from his rough start with a TD pass to Mario Craver and a scoring run that put Texas A&M ahead 14-10.

The Aggies (4-4, 1-4) were up 20-17 to start the fourth, but then Alabama took over.

The Crimson Tide forced a fumble by Reed on fourth-and-1 to take over at midfield. Three plays later, Russell connected with Scott for 38 yards, moving Alabama to the Texas A&M 5.

Russell found Pritchett to put Alabama ahead for good. After Alabama forced a three-and-out, Russell created some cushion with the TD pass to Edwards.

Alabama’s thin secondary takes two more hits

Alabama’s secondary got thinner with the suspension of Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and the ejection of Red Morgan.

Just before kickoff, the Tide confirmed that Kirkpatrick was suspended for violating team rules. It was his second suspension at Alabama; he missed the final seven games of the 2025 season after an on-campus arrest.

Morgan was ejected for targeting midway through the second quarter. Morgan threw his gloves and had to be consoled on the bench by Coleman-Williams.

Alabama already was playing without top cornerback Zabien Brown because of a leg injury.

The takeaway

Texas A&M: The Aggies have lost of five in SEC play after making the College Football Playoff last season and bringing back Reed and Craver.

Alabama: Kalen DeBoer’s program staved off its first three-game losing streak since 2007, Nick Saban’s first season as coach.

Up next

Texas A&M has an open date before playing at South Carolina on Nov. 7.

Alabama also has a week off before playing at No. 18 LSU on Nov. 7.

Ditka's family announced his death on Friday in a statement.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said. “While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.”

Nicknamed “Iron Mike” as a player, Ditka helped revolutionize the tight end position and in 1988 was the first to play at the spot to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He then moved to the sidelines and later took over as Chicago’s coach. His 1985 team featured one of the game’s most dominant defenses ever. It also had enough outsized personalities to record a rap video, “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” and back up their boasting in the championship game three months later.

He was arguably the NFL's most recognizable — and imitated — personality during his time as Chicago's coach with his thick but neatly groomed mustache and sweater vest with “BEARS” emblazoned across the chest. The iconic look is still mimicked by fans at Bears games decades later. That along with his fiery, red-faced sideline tantrums inspired the popular “Da Bears” skit on “Saturday Night Live” during the 1990s.

After retiring as a coach, Ditka became a restaurateur, pitchman and TV personality, as well as a forceful advocate for improved medical and retirement benefits for former players.

Ditka was tough and gruff, the quintessential Chicago Bear. He did everything from order off the menu to knock defensive backs on their butts with a growl. His adopted hometown reveled in every minute.

Revered as "Da Coach," Ditka was the ringmaster of the 1985 Bears, one of the most dominant and perhaps the zaniest Super Bowl-winning team in league history.

“When I got to Chicago in the summer of 1985, Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears were king,” former President Barack Obama wrote on X. “Coach Ditka set the tone for a team that was punishing, dominant, and fun — and the city loved him for it. I’m thinking of the Ditka family and Bears fans everywhere on the passing of a legend.”

Ditka was enshrined in the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and the Bears said during a ceremony in 2013 that his "No. 89" jersey will be the last one retired by the team.

“Player. Coach. Legend,” the Bears wrote in a tribute on social media. “Mike Ditka embodied the spirit of Chicago and will be deeply missed.”

Ditka was the first person enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, who had won Super Bowls as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Tom Flores, inducted in 2021, is the only other person to accomplish the feat.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Ditka “epitomized football over so many years” during his career.

“He brought intensity, authenticity and an unmistakable personality to everything he did,” Goodell said in a statement. “As a Hall of Fame player, Super Bowl-winning coach with his beloved and iconic Bears, and as a broadcaster, Mike served as an ambassador for the game and inspired generations of fans. Through his work with the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, Mike was a champion for taking care of those who helped build our game. We extend our deepest condolences to Diana and the Ditka family.”

Ditka got his “Iron Mike” nickname during his western Pennsylvania upbringing

He was born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the son of a welder who changed the family name from Dyczko. He grew up in nearby Aliquippa — which also later produced fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers Ty Law and Darrelle Revis — close to the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing plants that dotted the western part of the state, a big, talented, three-sport athlete and All-American at Pitt whose bruising style made his first nickname, "Iron Mike," a good fit.

“When our players see Mike Ditka’s name, I want them to understand how he competed," current Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “He gave everything he had and expected the same from the guys beside him. That’s Pitt. He showed us that tough people find a way through tough times and taught us to fight for the names on the front and back of our jerseys.”

Selected fifth overall by flinty Chicago owner George Halas in the 1961 draft, Ditka went on to Rookie of the Year honors, multiple Pro Bowl trips and the 1963 NFL Championship. He and Baltimore's John Mackey changed the tight end position and offensive schemes forever. He was a battering ram of a blocker, but Ditka was just as likely to catch a short pass and pinball through an entire secondary or outrace a lone safety on a deep touchdown throw.

He left Chicago in 1966, playing briefly for Philadelphia and Dallas.

Soon after his playing days, Ditka became “Da Coach” of the Bears

Ditka moved to the sideline in 1973 as an assistant to the revered Tom Landry and stayed with the Cowboys for eight years, including winning the Super Bowl during the 1977 season, before returning to a hero's welcome in Chicago as head coach in 1982.

Ditka's return to the Bears lasted 11 tumultuous years, including five straight NFC Central titles, the Super Bowl win, a DUI conviction, a heart attack, a long-running feud with defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan and, finally, a new nickname — “Da Coach.”

To Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, the seeds of what was to come were planted in Ditka’s first meeting with the team. He laid out his vision, saying Chicago would be in the Super Bowl in three years — and many of the players in the room would not be around for it.

“When I first heard him when he walked in the room, to me Coach Ditka had the opportunity to be the greatest coach of all time because he had the fire,” Singletary said at the Bears’ 100th anniversary celebration in June 2019. “I don’t know how George Halas coached. But I can imagine that the fire and intensity and passion that Coach Ditka exuded that first day set the tone for exactly what he said: ‘Three years from now, we’re going to be in the Super Bowl.’ And that was 1982. In ’85, we were there and it was because of that vision.”

The Bears were a colorful bunch, with Ditka leading the way

The public beefs with Ryan mirrored the behind-the-scenes battles that Ditka waged trying to contain a team bristling with outsized personalities.

“It was more than a team,” Ditka once said. “It was a team of characters that had character that played for a crazy man, who let him be crazy and had fun doing it and don't apologize for it ever. I wouldn’t want to be one of these suits walking around on the sideline today.

“I have no desire to be that. I was what I was and they were what they were and, damn, it was fun.”

It wasn't until two dozen players recorded "The Super Bowl Shuffle" — an audacious rap-styled video released three months ahead of the 1986 title game — that the rest of the football world wondered whether Ditka was losing his grip.

His players never did.

"We call him 'Sybil' after that girl in the movie," quarterback Jim McMahon once explained. "You know, the one that had all those personalities. Mike will be calm one minute, then throw a clipboard the next. People don't understand that, but we do."

The Bears demolished the New England Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl, but Ditka often said he regretted having McMahon and defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry run for touchdowns instead of Walter Payton, Chicago's loyal and long-suffering running back.

Ryan departed for a head coaching job in Philadelphia soon after. While the Bears continued to be a contender for most of the next five years, a 5-11 season prompted Ditka's departure in 1992.

Ditka's last coaching tenure in New Orleans was highlighted by a stunning trade

After a four-year absence, he returned to coaching with the New Orleans Saints, but failed to revive the franchise. His tenure with the team might be best remembered for the trade before the 1999 NFL draft when he dealt a package of eight draft picks — including each one the Saints had that year and two of its first three selections in 2000 — to Washington to move up from 12th overall to No. 5 so New Orleans could select running back Ricky Williams.

After a miserable 1999 season ended with a 3-13 record — Ditka's worst as either a player or coach — he left the sidelines for good.

“We proudly honor his chapters as a head coach in New Orleans,” the Saints said in a statement. “While his time leading our franchise on the field was brief in longevity, his presence left an indelible mark on our organization. Mike approached his tenure with the Saints with the same bold authenticity and relentless drive that defined his entire career.”

Ditka's post-football career featured TV appearances and advocating for former players

Ditka's face and demeanor were so familiar by then that a second act became an easy segue. He began building a stable of restaurants and appeared as himself in TV sitcoms from "Cheers" to "Third Rock from the Sun," as well as shows such as “L.A. Law.”

He also stayed close to the game as an NFL analyst and game-day show personality — first at NBC after his Bears tenure, and then at CBS and ESPN after his time with the Saints.

“Mike Ditka was larger than life, an iconic football figure whose presence commanded attention the moment he walked into a room," ESPN VP and executive producer Seth Markman said in a statement. "He was fearless and candid on the air, bringing the same authenticity and conviction that defined his football career.

“For those of us who worked with him at ESPN, we were able to experience another side of Mike: a kind, generous and genuinely caring colleague who treated everyone with warmth and respect, whether he knew you or not.”

Ditka's high-profile status also made him an effective advocate to secure improved health and retirement benefits for former players.

His name also circulated for years in Illinois political circles. Though he never ran for office, Ditka described himself as a staunch conservative and was mentioned several times as a possible Republican candidate, including a congressional race against then state Senator Obama for the U.S. Senate.

“Mike Ditka," ESPN NFL host Chris Berman said in a statement, “was a national treasure.”

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This story been corrected. A previous version reported erroneously that Ditka's stint coaching the Bears lasted 10 years, not 11, and that he was out of football for five years, not four, before coaching the Saints. That version also reported erroneously that the “Da Bears” skit appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s, not the 1990s.

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Litke is a retired AP Sports Columnist.

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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. and AP Sports Writers Jay Cohen and Joe Reedy contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Many caught the fall on camera, including Adrian Corey, who was watching the band with his parents and siblings before kickoff.

“Once I saw him come down fast, I like, I (did not) know what to think,” Corey said in an exclusive interview with KSAT 12.

The airman was one of four service members in a rappelling demonstration during the band performance before UTSA football played Navy in the annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans night.

Corey said excitement among fans built when they realized what they would be witnessing.

“I realized it when there was ropes coming down,” Corey said. “Everybody started bringing up their chairs. Everybody’s energy started going up.”

That’s when Corey started recording. But within five minutes, the mood in the arena quickly changed.

“[I saw] somebody come down,” Corey said. “He fell all the way down and then everybody, like they said, ooh, and went silent.”

The airman received medical attention on the field and was transported to a local hospital.

Fans left the stadium not knowing his condition. However, just after midnight, a spokesperson for Nellis Air Force Base confirmed his death to KSAT 12.

“Now knowing his situation, it’s very sad knowing he’s dead,” Corey said.

Corey said he is from a strong military family, like many in San Antonio, and said it was hard to witness.

“(It is) like heartbreaking because (he was) somebody who served our country, Corey said.

Corey said his heart goes out to the service member’s family.

“I hope he died doing something he loved.”

Local leaders share condolences about airman’s death

Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she was “deeply saddened” to hear about the airman’s death in a social media post.

“We will keep his family in our prayers,” Jones said. “May perpetual light shine upon him.”

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of an Air Force service member following an unfortunate accident at Saturday’s UTSA-Navy football game. We will keep his family in our prayers. May perpetual light shine upon him.

— Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (@Mayor_GOJ) October 18, 2026

Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody attended the game with his family and said he was praying for the airman’s family, friends and everyone impacted by the tragedy.

“This is a heartbreaking loss and a sobering reminder of just how fragile life is,” Moody said in a statement posted to his Facebook page.

Moody also commended students and staff who formed a huddle around the airman after his fall to “provide privacy and dignity as medical personnel worked to save his life.”

“In an incredibly difficult moment, they showed compassion and respect,” Moody said.

In a letter to the campus community, UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy said “our greatest responsibility is to treat one another with compassion, dignity and the highest degree of respect, and to offer care and support when it is needed most.”

“The impact of this tragedy extends far beyond those who were present at the Alamodome. It touches families, friends, fellow service members and so many throughout our community,” Eighmy said. “My hope is that all those affected feel the strength of a community that stands beside them, shares in their sorrow and surrounds them with genuine care.”

The university said it will display the “solemn white candle” this week on its monuments and student union tower lights “in reflection of the tragic accident that took place at the Alamodome.”

Read more coverage of this story:

• Airman dies after rappelling fall from ceiling before UTSA football game at Alamodome, Air Force says
• Why did UTSA, Navy still play football after an airman fell while rappelling from the Alamodome pregame?

The conference said it made the decision to start the game Saturday night, after a few minutes of delay, with the support of both UT San Antonio and the U.S. Naval Academy, and in accordance with the American’s bylaws.

The decision came after a meeting with conference commissioner Tim Pernetti, representatives from both schools, Alamodome management and local authorities, the American said.

“At the time of those discussions, Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs had not publicly confirmed the service member’s condition,” the conference said in a statement.

After the game, UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said he and his team were unaware of what happened.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t have any information,” Traylor said. “The only information I had was there had been an incident, and the game was going to be delayed, and we didn’t expand upon it any more than that.”

Traylor said you could feel that the fall was bigger than football, though.

“You could just tell the energy was just gone,” Traylor said. “I’ve never had to deal with anything like that before. It just puts things into perspective.”

The American said it did not address the airman’s medical status during the game out of “respect for the family’s privacy and adherence to the military’s notification process.”

Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs confirmed the service member’s injury to the conference at 10:40 p.m., according to the American.

Just after midnight, a Nellis spokesperson sent a statement to KSAT 12 confirming the service member’s death.

The American Conference said it has been “asked to respect the privacy of the airman’s family, loved ones and teammates during this difficult time.”

The details surrounding the airman’s death remain under investigation, the Nellis spokesperson told KSAT 12.

Read the full statement below:

All of us at the American Conference are heartbroken by the death of the U.S. Air Force service member who took part in the pregame demonstration at the Alamodome on Oct. 17. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, teammates and members of the 57th Wing who had the privilege of serving with him. We honor his service and join the military community in mourning his loss.

During the game, representatives of both participating member institutions, Alamodome management and local authorities met with American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti and a working group to review the information available and discuss next steps. At the time of those discussions, Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs had not publicly confirmed the service member’s condition.

Air Force casualty notification and information-release procedures establish safeguards for notifying families and publicly releasing casualty information. In accordance with conference bylaws and with the support of both participating member institutions, the conference made the decision to continue the game. Respect for the family’s privacy and adherence to the military’s notification process guided the decision to mitigate speculation about the service member’s medical status and avoid additional distress for his family.

Later, at 11:40 p.m. Eastern time, Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs confirmed that the service member had been injured during the pregame demonstration and transported to a local hospital, where he later died. We are grateful to the first responders and emergency personnel who provided immediate care on the field. Our hearts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy.

We know this has been difficult for everyone involved. Per Nellis Air Force Base, the details surrounding his death are under investigation, and we have been asked to respect the privacy of the airman’s family, loved ones and teammates during this difficult time.

The American Conference

Read more:

• Airman dies after rappelling fall from ceiling before UTSA football game at Alamodome, Air Force says

At a time when some Democratic leaders nationwide are recalibrating their approach to transgender issues, particularly sports, and polls show Americans generally back the bans, supporters are optimistic they will pass and open the door to similar efforts in other places where lawmakers have blocked bans.

Though the issue has been debated in many legislatures, this is the first time it's going to voters.

“What is happening in 2026 is a testing ground for the future,” said Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which supports LGBTQ+ rights.

Twenty-seven states — including all where Republicans control both the legislature and governor’s office — already have such laws.

The efforts are billed as a way to protect women and girls and keep separate spaces for them, tapping into a concern that’s gained momentum. President Donald Trump has taken steps to roll back transgender rights. The Supreme Court has upheld state sports bans.

A June poll from Quinnipiac University found that about 7 in 10 registered voters think transgender women and girls should not be allowed to play on female sports teams. About one-quarter think they should. Democrats are divided, with about half saying transgender women and girls should be allowed and about half saying they should not.

Robert Preuhs, a professor of political science at Metropolitan State University of Denver, said the absence of public polls on Colorado's ballot measure, which also covers college sports, makes it hard to predict whether it will pass. “It’s probably going to get more support than some of the Republican candidates that will run,” he said.

Since transgender restrictions gained traction this decade, states with Democratic-led governors' offices and legislatures generally have rejected proposals such as banning transgender people from the bathrooms that match their gender identity and restricting gender-affirming care. Most Republican-led states have adopted those policies.

In addition to the two blue-state questions, a measure in Arizona would broaden an existing ban to include private schools, and one in Nebraska would add an existing state law to the state constitution.

The argument has been framed around fairness

There’s not a clear consensus on whether transgender women and girls have a competitive advantage. Factors include the age of the athlete, the sport, whether the athlete went through male puberty and how long they’ve received hormone therapy.

But the idea that girls are being cheated is personal for some athletes.

Ahnaleigh Wilson, a 17-year-old junior at Eastmont High School, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of Seattle, has been speaking out against allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports since she was in junior high. She said she’d won all her 1,600-meter races in seventh and eighth grade — until she finished second to a transgender athlete in a major meet.

“I knew it wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair,” she said.

Wilson said three other transgender athletes she's competed against since then placed better in girls races than they would have with the same times against boys.

“Women have fought for Title IX and our own categories and it’s very important that we keep the dignity of that, and let women have their own sports and their own spaces to be safe and completely fair,” she said, referencing the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities, including athletics.

Opponents say excluding transgender girls is also unfair.

“They will say that they want to protect kids and in particular, young girls,” said Nadine Bridges, executive director of One Colorado, which is leading the opposition to the measure there, “but I don’t understand how you can protect kids and discriminate against kids at the same time.”

The number of transgender girls in school sports is believed to be a sliver of the total participants. Neither Colorado nor Washington has an official count.

Let's Go Washington, which is behind the measure in that state, says it’s counted 16 such athletes and that there could be more. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has counted about 101,000 girls in sports that it oversees — a figure that double-counts girls who play in multiple sports.

The issue crosses party lines — and that may be the idea

Imara Jones, an advocate who runs a website that features the stories of transgender people, said the issue is attractive for conservatives because some Democrats agree with them.

Hedge fund manager Brian Heywood is funding Let's Go Washington, which is also behind two other measures. One would expand parent access to school social work and counseling records for their children and one would repeal a newly adopted tax on incomes over $1 million.

Western Washington University political scientist Todd Donovan said Let's Go is hoping that voters supporting the transgender sports ban would also favor overturning the tax.

Tracy Flint of Ridgefield, Washington, a Democrat and former graphic artist, said she’s wrestling with how to vote.

“It’s new to my brain, so it’s a really tough one for me,” she said.

Her husband, Dave Flint, 60, a former Republican who opposes Trump and now votes for Democrats, lamented that an issue affecting so few people has become such a national controversy. “But I guess you still have to address it,” he said.

One Colorado's Bridges said she believes that many voters can be persuaded to oppose the measure there, though the challenge is reaching them. Groups registered as opposing the transgender-related measures in Colorado have raised nearly $4 million — more than 20 times what proponents have brought in, but not a lot for a statewide campaign.

In Washington, Let's Go has raised more than $7.8 million to campaign for the three measures — nearly twice as much as the ban opponents.

One key question is how to enforce the ban

The Washington measure would require that a healthcare provider verify the student's “biological sex, relying only on one or more of the following: The student’s reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels.”

“We see that as being as simple as a checkbox,” said Let's Go Washington spokesperson Hallie Herzberg. “Doctors can use the history of the patient from treating them all their lives or their medical history forms.”

But Dr. Libby Loft, who opposes the measure, says the language calls for a genital inspection as part of a physical, or expensive testing.

“I think it doesn't make any sense to force the working families of … girl sports players in Washington to pay for unnecessary medical tests to be able to weed out an estimated five or 10 girls in the state of Washington, trans girls,” Loft said.

She fears the verification requirement will lead to fewer girls — trans or not — playing sports.

The idea of exams bothers some voters.

“I’m voting against it primarily because I think medical exams of girls’ genitalia is, like, Middle Ages,” said Rosemary Kacorozki of Renton, Washington, 63, a language interpreter.

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This story has been corrected to say that Eastmont High School is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of Seattle.

___

Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Read the latest here.

ORIGINAL: An airman died Saturday night after he fell while rappelling from the Alamodome ceiling, according to an Air Force spokesperson, as part of a pregame ceremony honoring service members and veterans.

The man was a member of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, an Air Force spokesperson told KSAT in a statement. His identity has not been released.

Witnesses told KSAT he was part of a pregame ceremony with three other members of the military for UTSA’s Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans night.

“Once the band started playing, there was a guy that fell down,” witness Adrian Corey told KSAT, “and started coming down fast.”

The fall happened just before 7 p.m. at the Alamodome, SAFD said, where the Roadrunners played Navy. UTSA staff surrounded the service member, witnesses told KSAT, as he received medical attention.

“I was moved to see students and staff step up to provide privacy and dignity as medical personnel worked to save his life,” Bexar County commissioner Grant Moody said. “In an incredibly difficult moment, they showed compassion and respect.”

The 6th Combat Training Squadron trains service members from across the military. While it is located at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, Detachment 2 is based out of Joint Base San Antonio.

“Everybody was quiet; the band stopped performing,” Adrian said.

“It was a very sad moment,” witness Siomara Corey said. “There was no updates after that other than asking for prayers, but it did not look good.”

The Nellis Air Force Base spokesperson said the fall is under investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available.

In a statement on social media, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she was “deeply saddened” to hear about the soldier’s death.

“We will keep his family in our prayers,” Jones said. “May perpetual light shine upon him.”

Following the game, the American Conference (of which UTSA and Navy are members) and UT San Antonio also extended thoughts to the airman, their family and colleagues, as well as all those who witnessed it.

“The impact of this tragedy extends far beyond those who were present at the Alamodome. It touches families, friends, fellow service members and so many throughout our community,” UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy said. “My hope is that all those affected feel the strength of a community that stands beside them, shares in their sorrow and surrounds them with genuine care.”

The conference said it is working with member institutions, the Alamodome and local authorities to review what happened.

The conference said it is also working with its member institutions to provide support resources to those impacted. UT San Antonio said it is offering those services to students and employees impacted emotionally by the fall:

• Students who are in need of assistance can contact the university crisis hotline 24/7at 210-458-4140 and can also access resources through the TimelyCare App
• Academic campus employees can get support through the Employee Assistance Program at 800-451-1834
• UT Health employees can receive assistance through the Employee Assistance Program at 800-356-3549

More coverage:

• Why did UTSA, Navy still play after an airman fell while rappelling from Alamodome before a football game?

Even as the San Juan River and other streams receded from record highs, more storms rumbled through, causing local officials to warn of still more surges.

“This is not over, and we need you to monitor alerts,” police Chief Steve Hebbe of Farmington, New Mexico, said in a news conference.

The flooding affected some 2,000 people in and around the city of 46,000 not far from Four Corners, the meeting point of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

At least a couple hundred people needed rescue — too many for busy officials to keep accurate count — since rains picked up Wednesday and flooding culminated Thursday and Friday.

Some were stranded on rooftops. Rescues included 11 hoist operations involving New Mexico National Guard helicopters, each of which hauled as many as eight people to safety, San Juan County spokesperson Devin Neeley said.

But shelters were not full, leading officials to suspect that most evacuees were staying with friends and family.

Even with water levels having lowered, evacuations remained in effect until officials deem it safe to return. Potential hazards included downed power lines, leaking gas lines and the likelihood of yet more storms through the weekend.

“There’s a lot of anxiety, and there’s a lot of frustration,” San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari said. “But please understand we are blocking those areas for your safety.”

Officials in Colorado and New Mexico urged people not to fly drones to check on their property or to sightsee, warning that such activity can endanger rescue aircraft. They also asked people not to use 911 except for true emergencies.

Downstream from Farmington, the San Juan River flooded parts of the vast Navajo Nation. A 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) stretch of U.S. Highway 64 west of Shiprock was closed with water on the roadway.

Upstream in Colorado, the milkshake-brown San Juan River raged through the hot springs resort town of Pagosa Springs at a level unseen in over a century. The flood was well over 2 feet (60 centimeters) higher than one just over a year ago that officials considered a 100-year flood.

The Animas River raged in a muddy torrent through Durango, a southwest Colorado tourist city, though below records dating back over a century.

Flooding extended as far east as the Conejos River in south-central Colorado, and Gov. Jared Polis added Conejos County to a list of places eligible for disaster help.

Some routes including U.S. 160 northeast of Pagosa Springs remained closed. But the famous, winding Million Dollar Highway — formally U.S. 550 — reopened between Durango and Ouray after crews addressed an area of water damage.

The flooding is just the latest from two months of on-and-off heavy rain caused by tropical moisture coming ashore from the Pacific. After months of drought, other recent deadly flooding struck the Grand Canyon and areas of New Mexico.

The region's rocky deserts are naturally prone to flash floods, but the rain has saturated soils, making flooding even likelier.

___

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas.

The letters, which were sent on Friday, ask for sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, on roughly 20,000 voters. It is illegal for noncitizens to register to vote or cast a ballot. The administration has insisted that immigrants voting is a major problem nationwide, when in fact it is quite rare, as even its own investigations have shown.

“All of this is simply meant to raise huge doubts about the integrity of this election,” said John Tuteur, the registrar of voters for Napa County in California’s wine country.

Tuteur and other election officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday said they have already started to count ballots that have trickled in from the state's 23 million registered voters.

“We’re not changing anything we’re doing. We’re proceeding with the election,” he said.

The federal government set a 48-hour deadline to provide information, and it warned that legal action could be taken against any official who knowingly counted a noncitizen's vote.

However, the California attorney general's office said the letters contained errors. For example, Mendocino County officials received a list of people who were not residents there, according to the state's court filing.

The letters are the latest escalation in a legal battle between Democratic-dominated California and Trump's Department of Justice ahead of the midterms. The federal government sued on Oct. 15, roughly three weeks before elections, asking a judge to bar the state from counting mail-in ballots from people the federal government has identified as likely noncitizens. A panel of 9th Circuit appeals court judges will hear arguments on Sunday about whether California can be compelled to comply with the federal government’s demands.

Some clerks say they will proceed with counting ballots

Tuteur said that two uniformed Department of Homeland Security officers delivered a letter to his office late on Friday afternoon. The letter included the names of 42 people who the federal government accused of being noncitizens illegally registered to vote. There are roughly 86,000 people registered to vote across the county of over 130,000 people, Tuteur said. Approximately 11,000 people had already cast a mail-in ballot as of Friday. In larger counties like Los Angeles, that number has already reached over 331,000 counted mail-in votes.

He said his employees and his relatives were worried about what could come next.

“My family’s upset, worried about what’s going to happen to me,” he said.

The letter sent to Clerk-Recorder Kim Grady's office in rural Amador County listed four people allegedly illegally registered to vote in the county. Grady was waiting on more guidance from the state about what she should do, and she wasn't sure if she would get any clarity before the deadline.

DOJ threatens to prosecute

Department of Justice spokeswoman Kiersten Pels emphasized in a statement on Saturday that the department is explicitly “not requesting a purge, cancellation of registrations, or any programmatic action."

Instead, Pels wrote, federal officials are asking for collaboration to “ensure the most secure election in California history.”

The letters on Friday came on the heels of a statewide sweep by federal authorities on Monday, where 28 people from the list of 20,000 were charged with illegally registering to vote. Some were also charged with illegally voting and lying on naturalization paperwork. Those charges could lead to years in prison.

Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, said that the clerks who didn't comply with the government's demands could face prosecution as well.

“The letters speak for themselves. Any election official who knowingly processes the ballot of a noncitizen is opening themselves to legal jeopardy," Essayli said in a statement.

Noncitizen voting is very rare. For example, earlier this month Attorney General Todd Blanche announced federal charges against 10 people in Minnesota alleged to have voted illegally over the last three elections, a period in which more than 8 million ballots were cast in the state.

But Essayli said on Monday that even a small number of illegal voters could “dilute” the vote and undermine confidence in elections.

Concerns about the accuracy of federal data

Some election officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday have questioned the accuracy of the federal government's list of 20,000 voters.

“I expect this accusation to fall apart like we saw recently in Nevada,” Kristin B. Connelly, the Contra Costa County clerk-recorder and registrar of voters said, referring to remarks Trump made in July, when he claimed the neighboring state had 1,500 noncitizen voters on its rolls. After his administration was asked to identify them, the number of actual registered noncitizens turned out to be zero.

Officials in Los Angeles County, who are named as defendants in the federal lawsuit, have echoed Connelly's concerns about the federal government's data. A preliminary analysis of 200 names from the statewide list of 20,000 found that over 40% had canceled registrations, according to a court filing from county officials on Wednesday. More than 70% of that sample had no voting history whatsoever, and nearly 4 in 10 were born in the United States.

The school announced the decision less than a day after the Wolfpack fell to 3-4 by losing on the road to a Stanford team picked to finish last in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Doeren, 54, had a 98-74 record with the Wolfpack and became the program’s winningest coach with a 2023 victory over Miami. He entered this year as the fourth-longest-tenured coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision and second in the ACC behind Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

“I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to N.C. State, and for always representing the university with pride,” athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement. “I appreciate his leadership during his 14-year tenure and the passion he brought to this role. We wish Dave, (wife) Sara and his family the best in the future.”

Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season.

Doeren was under contract through December 2029. The school will owe him $9.75 million in base salary for the remaining years plus any remaining payments for the 2026 calendar year, which would ultimately push that figure past the $10 million mark.

Doeren built a consistent winner, with the Wolfpack securing 11 bowl bids with eight of those teams reaching eight or nine wins — including a 9-4 mark against rival North Carolina. Yet N.C. State never played for an ACC championship nor reached the 10-win threshold hit only once in program history, creating a ceiling that Doeren’s teams kept bumping into and that led to a steady but typically low-simmering level of fan frustration.

Then things went quickly awry in his 14th year.

First, the Wolfpack looked surprisingly overmatched in a loss at Virginia in August. A few weeks later came a loss at Vanderbilt on a last-second fumble recovery for a touchdown, one of the most stunning and improbable finishes in recent memory in college football.

Injuries mounted to compound emerging problems, which showed when N.C. State was outscored 28-0 after halftime in a home loss to Wake Forest on Oct. 10. The Wolfpack then went into an open week with a chance to regroup before visiting the Cardinal, which boasted one of the nation's worst offenses that failed to score more than seven points in any of the team's four losses.

But the Cardinal took a 14-0 first-quarter lead and built another two-touchdown advantage in the third quarter before winning 31-28, a result that ultimately removed whatever cushion Doeren had left.

His firing was hardly expected when the school announced after last year's fifth straight win against rival North Carolina to close the season that he would return.

Hired from Northern Illinois after the 2012 season, Doeren had occasionally been linked to other jobs, including talks with Tennessee in late 2017, but remained committed to the Wolfpack. That included shutting down in-season rumors last year that he might retire, then again after the school announced his return last November.

“I’m totally invested in this place,” Doeren told The Associated Press at the time. “I love this school and I plan on finishing here.”

Doeren’s Wolfpack flirted with breakthrough moments multiple times, but seizing one proved elusive.

N.C. State formerly shared an ACC division with Florida State and Clemson when each was a national power, making it a daunting task to try to run either team down and reach a league championship game. As an example, Doeren’s best team in 2017 won nine games and had seven players go in the NFL draft the following spring — including No. 5 overall pick Bradley Chubb at defensive end — but still lost a November home game to then-No. 6 Clemson and ultimately finished a game behind the Tigers in the division.

There were three times that Doeren's Wolfpack reached a bowl game with a chance at a 10-win season. N.C. State lost two, while the 2021 Holiday Bowl matchup against UCLA was called off hours before kickoff because the Bruins had to pull out due to COVID-19 issues.

N.C. State’s only season with a double-digit win total was 2002, when the team led by eventual NFL great Philip Rivers and coached by the late Chuck Amato cracked the AP's top 10 and finished 11-3. Its last ACC crown came in 1979, a stat that loomed larger as the other three in-state league schools each twice reached the championship game, with Wake Forest (2006) and Duke (2025) winning titles.

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The Cedar Rapids Fire Department said firefighters responded to the call at about 4:45 p.m. Video and photos posted to social media showed black smoke over the downtown of the city of about 140,000.

The fire evidently began with an explosion, the department said via Facebook.

All workers got out safely and were accounted for without any injuries, Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said in a Facebook video.

The fire happened in an area of the building that handled products, O’Donnell said.

“It’s not heavily populated with employees and team members. Which of course in this case was a blessing,” O’Donnell said.

There was no immediate information on what caused the fire.

PepsiCo Foods US said in a statement that fire responders went to the scene of the blaze and how it started would be investigated.

The Quaker Oats brand, by way of the Quaker Mill Company, turns 150 years old in 2027. It is owned by PepsiCo.

The Quaker Oats facility is the largest milling facility in the world, processing over 2 million pounds (900,000 kilograms) of oats daily, according to the company’s website.

On Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, he'll have the clearest view possible of the path to get there. And it could come fast.

Mercedes' championship leader earned a surprise pole position on Saturday, edging Red Bull's Max Verstappen. If he can turn that into a victory, and his closest rivals falter, the 20-year-old Italian could win the season title and become F1's youngest champion ever.

Verstappen was the favorite for pole. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton looked faster than Mercedes through all three practice sessions.

Then Antonelli put in a late-afternoon wonder lap at COTA to earn his first pole position since Belgium, a span of seven races..

“It was surprising,” Antonelli said. “I’m just going to try to do the best race I can, try to win and see what happens.”

The math for a season championship requires some help but achievable.

First he must win. If he does that, and Mercedes teammate George Russell finishes ninth or lower, and Hamilton finishes outside the top four, Antonelli will be champion.

Hamilton will start fourth, with Russell sixth.

“Just get a good start and see from there what we can do,” Antonelli said.

That's the first job. He'll be battling Verstappen into the first corner, an uphill, left turn switchback that can wreak havoc on the field and often does. Verstappen is likely to be his usual aggressive self into the first turn.

Verstappen is a four-time champion who has won four times at COTA. He also won the previous two races in Malaysia and Singapore and is trying to chase every victory he can in a season when the championship is out of reach.

Verstappen didn't offer Antonelli any advice about how to approach the race so close to the championship. He has won titles in seasons that went to the final laps, and others where he dominated.

“He doesn’t need that. He knows what he’s doing, If it doesn’t happen this weekend, it will happen next weekend, or the next weekend,” Verstappen said. “When it’s official, go celebrate.”

Antonelli's championship does appear inevitable as the season heads into the final six races.

Antonelli leads Russell by 102 points and Hamilton by 111. He built the large lead through the first half of a remarkably consistent season that included five wins in the first six races.

Russell and Hamilton will be trying to hang on Sunday to keep the championship going another week. Russell started the season as Mercedes' No. 1 driver. He won the first race but couldn't keep up.

“It’s a long race and a lot happens here in Austin," Russell told Sky Sports.

And Leclerc didn't count himself out of winning. He noted his victory at COTA in 2024 from the second row of the starting grid.

“I strongly believe we had the pace to be fighting at the front,” Leclerc said. "The last time I started from fourth here I won. I hope we can do the same tomorrow.”

Hard to keep cars on the track

The entire field struggled through all three practice sessions and qualifying to keep the cars on the track, enough so that it will be worth watching to see if any get warnings in Sunday’s race.

Race officials deleted more than 200 lap times across Friday's two practices. On Saturday, Leclerc lost a time that would have given him a clean sweep of all three sessions.

Colton Herta gets closer to super license for F1 future

Cadillac’s American reserve driver Colton Herta took part in Friday practice to earn another point toward being licensed to race in F1 in hopes of joining the grid next season.

The team could give him more practice sessions over the next five races. He has at least 38 of the 40 license points required.

Herta left IndyCar this season to join the Formula 2 junior series to restart his goal of racing in Formula 1. If he is able to join Cadillac for next season — Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are the team's current drivers — Herta would be the first American driver in F1 since Logan Sargeant, who was dropped by Williams in the middle of the 2024 season.

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See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

The three-day celebration honors loved ones who have died through altars, music, food, art, and community traditions.

“For us, it is an important part of our culture,” said Abigail Mata, who visited from Dallas with her family.

Mata said her family attended the Day of the Dead River Parade on Friday night, spent Saturday at Muertos Fest, and planned to take part in the 16th annual Día de los Muertos 5K.

“It is absolutely amazing that there’s so many celebrations,” Mata said. “There’s not too many Día de los Muertos celebrations in Dallas. So coming here and just being absolutely surrounded by it, it’s so enriching. It’s wonderful.”

Visitors also came from outside Texas.

Jessie Garcia and Diana Lee traveled from California to honor family members who died recently. “My father and my brother had just passed away within the past year,” Garcia said. “So I thought it was important to come out and kind of honor them as well.”

A major part of the festival is its display of ofrendas, or altars.

Families, schools, and artists handcrafted more than 80 altars for visitors to view, interact with, and contribute to.

“Altars are really the heart of Muertos Fest, and our community altar comes with us every single year. We have a team of artists that come and put this together. We had over 1,000 submissions of photos,” added Cristina Martinez, co-curator of the Muertos Mercado.

Visitors are encouraged to bring photos of ancestors, loved ones, or pets to place at the community altar. Martinez says some also leave meaningful items.

“They bring little things like the loteria cards, or they bring somebody’s favorite drink. Last year I saw out so many Big Red cans.”

In addition to the altars, Martinez says the festival features more than 90 food and craft vendors and three stages with live music.

Festivities continue Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at Hemisfair.

Read also:

• Your guide to celebrating Día de los Muertos at Muertos Fest 2026
• What to know about ‘Muertos Mercado’ at 14th annual Muertos Fest
• Muertos Fest highlights meaning behind Día de los Muertos face painting

Deputy Fire Marshal Brett Boswell was arrested by San Antonio Police Department officers overnight Friday, the fire marshal’s office said in a news release.

Boswell was subsequently suspended from duty, according to the release, pending the outcome of both an administrative investigation and SAPD’s criminal investigation.

Boswell joined the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office roughly two years and ten months ago, the release read.

Read also:

• Senior TDCJ officer arrested on DWI suspicion, quits job, officials say

The 33-year-old three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender met the media before New Jersey faced the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and his eagerness to wear No. 37 for the Devils was evident.

“Sitting at home for so long was getting to me. For myself, I’m just really excited to play hockey again," Hellebuyck said after his suspension by the Winnipeg Jets for his failure to report to training camp led to Friday’s trade with New Jersey. “I’m joining a very skilled group. They brought me for a certain specific role. I’m really excited to fill that role, not only on the ice but off the ice as well.”

Hellebuyck spent 11 seasons with the Jets, including a Presidents’ Trophy-winning season in 2024-25, and helped the United States win gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics this year. A fifth-round draft pick in 2012 by Winnipeg, Hellebuyck is fifth on the U.S.-born goaltenders list with 345 career wins. Among U.S.-born goalies with 300 or more career starts, his .916 save percentage ranks fourth and 2.58 goals-against average ranks sixth.

Hellebuyck will share goaltending duties with 36-year-old Jake Allen, who is 5-2-0 this season.

The Devils sent forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick, a 2027 seventh-rounder and injured forward Nick Bjugstad to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.

“Obviously having a goaltender of this pedigree come in here and support Jake is exciting," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. ”That should give the group more confidence."

General manager Sunny Mehta said Hellebuyck's excitement for his new destination was palpable within minutes of their initial conversation.

Hellebuyck has been skating in Michigan while trade talks continued. He has five seasons left on a seven-year contact with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.

“He was like: ‘I’m ready, I’m packed. I’ll get in my car right now,'” Mehta said about his exchange with his new goalie.

Mehta laughed and said he told Hellebuyck: "Don’t do that.”

Mehta has been trying to improve a team that missed the playoffs two of the past three seasons and won just one playoff series since 2012. With Saturday's 3-1 win over the Kings, New Jersey has won seven of its first 11 games this season.

“Everything is about winning. That is my goal every single day," Mehta said. ”This obviously makes us a better team. In my view it improves our team — and I was thrilled about my team coming out of camp."

When Hellebuyck plays his first game for New Jersey is still undetermined. He hasn't played in an NHL game since April 13, a 6-2 Jets loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Winnipeg missed the playoffs last spring a year after finishing with an NHL-best 116 points.

Hellebuyck won 47 games in 2024-25. The Jets advanced past the second round only once during his tenure in Manitoba.

Hellebuyck said it's too early to address his feeling toward the city of Winnipeg and Jets fans. New Jersey visits Winnipeg on Nov. 10.

“There’s a lot I need to say," he said. ”Out of respect for them and the celebration of hockey, I’m going to postpone to a later date. I hope they know I care about them."

Hellebuyck added that winning gold with his now-teammate Jack Hughes — who scored the overtime goal against Canada in February for the Americans' first gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team — has left an indelible mark on him.

“That’s one of those moments and memories that I will cherish forever. And I will probably hear how other people will cherish them forever," he said. “One of my favorite stories is, ‘Where were you when?’ People will tell me what they were doing during the gold-medal game. Those are my favorite stories to hear.”

The veteran netminder, a native of Commerce, Michigan, who played two seasons of college hockey at UMass-Lowell, added that he looks forward to playing home games in the U.S. after more than a decade calling Canada home.

Hellebuyck added that while he was unfamiliar with life in New Jersey at the moment, he is looking forward to discovering everything that comes with new surroundings — finding a home, favorite restaurants and new places to spend free time.

“I know I’m going to get a lot more of that here than in Canada because I don’t think they care much about it," he said of the gold-medal plaudits for the Olympic win over Canada. “This is closer to my family’s home. Just being in the USA will be very exciting for this next chapter in my career.”

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

“We just beat the No. 8 team in the country,” Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield said. “That team played in the playoffs last year. I’m really proud of our program. This is one of the greatest wins I’ve been a part of.”

It was the Bearcats' first win over a top-10 team at home since Nov. 18, 2006, when they defeated No. 7 Rutgers 30-11. Cincinnati won at ninth-ranked Notre Dame in 2021.

The Red Raiders (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) failed go 7-0 for the first time since 2013 and were plagued by mistakes all afternoon.

“I'm as frustrated as I've ever been in my 32 years of coaching,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “I'm really searching for words.”

Red Raiders QB Will Hammond lost a fumble, leading to an early field goal for the Bearcats. He then had an intentional grounding penalty that forced Texas Tech to settle for a tying field goal.

Hammond passed for 227 yards with an interception, and J’Koby Williams rushed for 81 yards on 11 carries for the Red Raiders.

The Bearcats (5-2, 2-2) scored 21 points in the second quarter.

Tabb’s four-yard TD catch put the Bearcats ahead 10-6. They extended the lead to 17-6 on a 5-yard TD catch by Malachi Henry with 1:37 remaining in the half.

Following MJ Cannon's interception of Hammond, the Bearcats drove 75 yards in 27 seconds. Tabb’s 51-yard run set up a 2-yard TD catch by tight end Lyviel Waters, making the score 24-6 at halftime.

The Red Raiders caught a break in the third quarter after safety Peyton Morgan intercepted French’s deflected pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. The play initially was negated by a targeting penalty on Brice Pollock, but then it was overturned by video review and the Bearcats’ lead was cut to 24-15 after the 2-point attempt failed.

The Bearcats responded with a nine-play, 80-yard drive and French’s fourth TD pass, a 17-yarder to Larenzo Fenner that extended Cincinnati’s lead to 31-15 with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Tabb’s 58-yard touchdown run with six minutes left sealed the victory for the Bearcats.

“Those guys are ranked, they feel like they can’t be beat,” Bearcats left guard Evan Tengesdahl said. “They also have not been run on. That was our biggest motivation.”

The takeaway

Texas Tech: McGuire wanted his players to focus on the pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot this week and not lingering bad blood after quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s transfer from Cincinnati fell through when he admitted to betting on college football. Bearcats fans chanted Sorsby’s name at times during the game.

“We didn't talk about it at all,” McGuire said. “The team that was here in the middle of June versus the team that's here now is a totally different team. We made it about football and the football wasn't good enough today.”

Cincinnati: The Bearcats came in averaging 231 rushing yards. After having minus-6 yards on the ground in the first quarter, aided by a couple of sacks, they finished with 252 yards and a 6.1-yards-per-carry average.

“They hadn’t given up a rushing touchdown,” Satterfield said. “We rushed for 252 (yards). Cole Tabb had a Cole Tabb day. He’s been doing it week in and week out.”

Texas Tech hindered by penalties

The Red Raiders average 5.4 penalties per game but committed a season-high 12 for 75 yards in Saturday's loss. Their previous high was seven on Sept. 12 at Oregon State.

“We've been one of the least penalized teams in the country and we had 12 penalties today, you know, four pre-snap penalties,” McGuire said. “We also had three turnovers that led to points. Whenever you do that, you're not going to win.”

Red Raiders may nave no margin for error going forward

The Red Raiders also began last season 6-0 before losing at Arizona State. They won the remainder of their games, including the Big 12 championship game, to reach the College Football Playoff. McGuire believes that will be necessary again.

“For us to get where we want to get, we're going to have to win out,” McGuire said. “I felt the exact same way last year.”

Up next

Texas Tech hosts Arizona next Saturday.

Cincinnati hosts No. 10 Utah next Saturday.

___

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The Valkyries leader did just that as she scored 17 points and led a stellar defensive effort to beat the Atlanta Dream 67-62 on Saturday and even the WNBA Finals 2-2.

“I didn’t like my last game. I didn’t like who I was in that last game,” Williams said. “So I think stepping up in that role made me step up also individually. If I want to lead my team, I have to be the one that sets the tone and I have to lead by example as well. So I think that motivated me to set the tempo today.”

Tiffany Hayes was moved into the starting lineup and scored all of her 13 points in the second half, while Kiah Stokes anchored the defense effort that stymied Angel Reese, who had double-doubles in the first three games.

Golden State will host Game 5 of the best-of-seven series Monday.

Stokes, who won three WNBA championships while playing with Las Vegas, grabbed 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. After Atlanta rolled to a 97-71 victory in Game 3, she told the Valkyries they only needed to worry about winning the next game.

“One thing that I had told the team after the last game is the goal when we play on the road ... just steal one on the road. So yeah, we lost on Wednesday. but to me, that doesn’t mean we’re out of anything,” Stokes said. “Because our goal was there and could still be accomplished if we won today, and then we go back home.

“Now it’s the best-of-three series," Stokes added. "So it was just shake it off and learn from it and then just get ready. Nothing was won or lost in Game 3.”

Reese, like the rest of her teammates, struggled on offense. Reese had just eight points and nine rebounds after dominating the previous two games while averaging 25.5 points and 14 rebounds in the Dream victories.

Reese missed 10 of her 12 shots, including a few layups in the fourth quarter.

“I think it was me. I think I rushed a lot on my shots and I didn’t take my time and finish around the basket like I’ve been doing the last three games,” Reese said. “It happens and I’m just looking forward to the next game and just do it.”

Atlanta shot 33.3% overall and only 4 for 23 from 3-point range. Rhyne Howard finished with 19 points to lead the Dream.

Even as poorly as they played at times, the Dream trimmed a 16-point halftime deficit to 61-55 midway through the fourth quarter, bringing fans in the sellout crowd of over 17,000 to their feet. Golden State answered with a 3-pointer by Veronica Burton to briefly silence them.

The Dream then scored seven of the next nine points, including a three-point play by Howard with 28 seconds left to get within 66-62.

Burton then made the first of two free throws a second later and Atlanta couldn’t convert on the other end as once again Golden State challenged shots led by Stokes.

She finished with three blocks and now has a WNBA Finals record of 14 in the four games, surpassing the old record of 12 by Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles.

“I just hang my head on defense. I like to block shots,” Stokes said.

Coach Natalie Nakase also made a change in the starting lineup, Hayes and Kaila Charles for Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini. While the Valkyries got off to a slow start again in the early afternoon tipoff with the Atlanta Hawks playing their home opener at night, when Thornton and Zandalasini entered the game they paid immediate dividends.

The two helped a key first-quarter run that gave Golden State its first lead since the third quarter of Game 2. Atlanta got within 24-20 on Reese’s basket — her lone one of the first half — but the Valkyries responded with an 18-6 run to close the half.

The 42-26 deficit at the break was the largest that the Dream had faced all playoffs.

Atlanta had dominated the third quarter in the WNBA Finals, outscoring Golden State 60-35 in the first three games. Atlanta managed just a 19-12 edge in Game 4.

___

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

The Paris march began peacefully, a week after widespread rioting and looting during protests across the country. But near the demonstration's endpoint in eastern Paris, masked protesters hurled objects and fireworks at police, who answered with clouds of tear gas, deafening sound grenades and jets of water cannons.

Officers with megaphones urged protesters to disperse. Some demonstrators panicked as tear-gas canisters landed in their midst, scattering with screams. Veteran protesters shouted after them: “Don’t run!”

The Interior Ministry put nationwide turnout at 410,000 — fewer than the 550,000 it said protested last weekend — while the CGT union that helped organize some of Saturday's protests estimated nearly 800,000. The ministry’s estimate included 110,000 in Paris, where authorities confined the march to the city’s southeastern edge, away from the center. The CGT put the number of protesters in Paris at 250,000.

Unrest is challenging Macron's final months in power

More than a month of unrest that started with protests in high schools for more funding and teachers is testing Macron’s authority in the final months of his presidency before voters choose his successor in May.

The stakes are high: The far-right National Rally party has accused his government of failing to protect the public and urged people to channel their anger into votes for its candidate Marine Le Pen. On the far left, presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has backed demonstrators and criticized policing that has left some teenage protesters with life-changing injuries.

As dusk fell Saturday, violence erupted at the end of some of the 289 protests counted by the Interior Ministry nationwide. Street fires burned in the cities of Marseille and Lyon. Police used tear gas in Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg and Bordeaux and water cannons in Nice and Nantes, French media reported. In Nice, far-right extremists fought with demonstrators downtown and 11 people were arrested, regional authorities said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police made nearly 1,000 arrests but added that the number is expected to increase significantly as more are counted.

Nuñez said beefed-up policing, with 70,000 officers backed by helicopters, armored vehicles and other support, helped prevent a repeat of widespread looting and damage to shops the previous weekend.

A small protest became a national movement

What began last month as a protest over staff shortages at one high school southeast of Paris spread nationwide, drawing students demanding more funding for education and workers seeking help with soaring costs for fuel and other necessities.

In Paris, Bénédicte Pittion, a 46-year-old teacher, marched with her 16-year-old daughter, Garance, a high school student — in their first protest together.

“The young people who have been demonstrating have not been heard, and as a parent and as a teacher, I stand with them,” Pittion said.

Garance said she'd been “really scared” after seeing the previous weekend’s violence, but felt that staying away would hand the government a victory.

Macron met high school representatives Friday. They said he had promised to overhaul university admissions, but they called for protests to continue until concrete measures are announced.

Some protests were banned

Soumaya Abed, a 58-year-old nurse wearing a red CGT union vest, complained that authorities in Paris wanted to stifle protesters by making them march on the capital's outskirts, keeping them away from the center where the Louvre and other major museums closed exceptionally.

“But it won’t stop the movement. It won’t stop students from demanding better conditions in schools,” she said.

Other protesters expressed anger about record poverty and wealth inequality under Macron. Camille Chesnier, 27, said she hasn't found work despite having an engineering degree and a master’s degree.

“There are enormous numbers of people in the same situation as me but who aren’t privileged and who find themselves living on the streets and in squats and, frankly, it’s very tough,” she said..”

In Marseille, police put attendance at 17,000, while the CGT union estimated 100,000. In the southwestern city of Toulouse, 26,500 people joined the protests, according to authorities. Authorities had banned rallies in cities including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier.

Trade unions criticized the bans, calling them violations of freedom of expression, which is protected by the constitution.

Thousands also marched Saturday in Orléans, south of Paris, in a separate peaceful protest against the far right as Le Pen’s National Rally held a two-day congress in the city.

Shops board up and museums close

Gendarmes stood guard Saturday beneath the Arc de Triomphe and shopkeepers boarded up storefronts across Paris. Near the Saint-Lazare train station Saturday, Akram Ahmed, a 34-year-old contractor, was boarding up an optician’s shop.

“I got the call last night,” he said. “The owner seemed desperate. He said I was saving his life.”

Art Basel, one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art fairs, opened to the public Friday, but only for the day, with the threat of unrest prompting organizers to cancel the weekend program.

Students and workers are angry

Student groups want 250,000 more places in higher education and an end to selection through Parcoursup, the national admissions system.

Their joint 10-point plan also calls for more teachers and repairs to schools and universities.

They are also seeking help with everyday costs: an extra 200 euros ($224) a month in student grants and a rent freeze in public student housing.

Energy prices in France were 21.3% higher in September than a year earlier, helping drive overall inflation to 3.1%, according to the national statistics agency, INSEE.

Paris protester Louis Ledoux--Xatard voiced frustration over inequality.

“Looking at countries like the United States, we don’t want to end up like them, where part of the population has everything and the others have nothing,” he said.

“I never imagined that I’d be taking to the streets so much before my thirties.”

___

Associated Press writers Samuel Petrequin and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed

Caleb Komolafe rushed for 150 yards and a TD, including a 56-yard dash. Griffin Wilde, who finished with 133 receiving yards, Alex Honig and Drew Wagner caught passes for scores as Northwestern (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) raced to a 28-3 lead late in the first half.

Explosive starts are becoming a trademark for the Wildcats, who cashed in on their first three possessions.

“I think what you saw out of our football team and our offense specifically was there is, that there was urgency, there was focus, there was execution and it was a great way to start off,” Northwestern coach David Braun said.

Rutgers starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan left after sustaining a blow to the head 6 minutes, 25 seconds into the first quarter and didn’t return. He was initially replaced by AJ Surace, then by third-string QB Sean Ashenfelder late in the third quarter.

Antwan Raymond rushed for 150 yards on 18 carries and the lone Rutgers (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) touchdown, a 46-yard run late in the third. The score was set up by the first interception thrown this season by Chiles, who finished with 219 passing yards and a career-high 83 rushing.

Rutgers’ Dane Pizzaro kicked a pair of field goals.

Chiles had his hand in five TDs in a game for a second time. The senior transfer from Michigan State tossed for three and ran in two in a 41-7 rout of Colorado on Sept. 19.

“He just continues to just feel more and more comfortable,” Braun said. “The thing I love about him is there's no complacency there. To know you've got a quarterback that isn't satisfied just being good, but wants to be great, it's pretty exciting as a coach.”

Chiles is up to 12 passing TDs and nine on the ground.

“This is an equal opportunity offense,” Chiles said. “Whatever's working is working. So if me running is a key part of our game, that's what we're going to do.”

Surace tossed for 64 yards but was sacked three times by Northwestern’s hard-nosed defense. The first sack led to a costly fumble that resulted in a pivotal Wildcats touchdown late in the first quarter that made it 21-3.

Ashenfelder was the victim of Northwestern's fourth sack of the day.

Lonergan was hurt when he scrambled up the middle for a 5-yard gain, then slid forward to the ground at the Rutgers 45 with two Northwestern defenders closing in. Lonergan’s momentum was finally stopped by Northwestern’s Kobie McKinzie as the two players’ helmets struck each other.

Lonergan remained down on the field for a couple of minutes, then was helped to a medical tent.

Northwestern jumped out to a 21-3 lead after one quarter, then upped it to 28-6 at the half.

The Wildcats scored on the opening drive as Wilde caught Chiles' 13-yard TD pass 5:06 in. The series was keyed by Komolafe’s 30-yard run.

After Lonergan exited, Surace maneuvered the Scarlet Knights to field goal range. Pizzaro kicked a 43-yarder with 4:26 left in the quarter to cut it to 7-3.

Then the Wildcats raced down the field on only five plays to up it to 14-3, scoring on Chiles' keeper.

On the first play of Rutgers' next drive, Surace was sacked at the Rutgers 8 and fumbled with Northwestern’s Jamaal Johnson recovering. Chiles hit Honig with a 8-yard TD pass off the next snap to up it to 21-3.

Komolafe scored on a 33-yard run down the left side with 1:46 left in the half, capping a zippy 61-yard drive to increase the score to 28-3. Pizzaro booted a 35-yarder as time ran out in the half to make it 28-6.

A 43-year-run by Clay Thevenin, who finished with 166 yards on the ground, and a 31-yard rush by Raymond moved Rutgers to the Wildcats 7. But Ashenfelder threw a pair of incomplete passes, then was sacked by McKinzie on a fourth-and-7.

Raymond rushed in with 8 seconds left in the third, and a two-point conversion cut it to 28-14.

Wagner pulled in Chiles' 4-yard toss in the end zone 4:28 into the fourth quarter for a 35-15 Northwestern lead. Chiles ran in his second TD, wide off a fake handoff, with 4:33 left to complete the scoring.

The Takeaway

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights never got their offense rolling after Lonergan's quick exit, and star wide receiver KJ Duff was limited to three targets and 33 yards. The severity of the Lonergan's injury was not immediately known.

Northwestern: The Wildcats are technically bowl-eligible, but are going for much more. They're 6-1 for the first time since 2020 and the fourth time since 2000.

“This season does feel different," Braun said. “For us to even acknowledge the bowl eligibility right now, I think would distract us from what's right in front of us.”

Up next

Rutgers: Hosts Michigan on Oct. 31.

Northwestern: Plays at Oregon on Oct. 31.

___

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Today on Texas Eats NOW:

THIRSTY THURSDAY | PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE & GRILLE

15900 La Cantera Parkway, Ste. 22200, San Antonio, TX 78256

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille at La Cantera brings upscale dining and handcrafted cocktails together with a new seasonal martini trio for October. During this edition of Thirsty Thursday, we showcased three creative cocktails, including the Strait Paloma, inspired by George Strait’s favorite drink and made with Código 1530 Blanco tequila, fresh lime and grapefruit juices, blood orange purée, and agave. The Whiskey Sour Noir combines Four Roses bourbon with house-made Pinot Noir syrup, lemon juice, and orange bitters, while the Peachy Plane features Maker’s Mark bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice, and peach purée. The restaurant’s October off-the-menu specials also include steak tartare, white bean pork chili, beef Wellington, The Three Kings Mignon, butternut squash, and pumpkin cheesecake.

CHOP IT UP | FABRICIO OBERTO

YouTube.com/@TexasEats

David Elder sits down with former San Antonio Spurs champion and international basketball star Fabricio Oberto for another edition of “Chop It Up,” highlighting the Argentine-born athlete’s remarkable career and lasting connection to SA. Oberto began his professional basketball career in Argentina in 1993 before playing internationally in Europe and joining the Spurs in 2005, where he helped the team capture the 2007 NBA championship. A key member of Argentina’s celebrated Golden Generation, Oberto also earned an Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, and a silver medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship. Inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2019, Oberto has continued his involvement in basketball as a Spanish-language analyst for ESPN Deportes and ESPN in Latin America. This edition of “Chop It Up with David Elder” was sponsored by La-Z-Boy, with the extended interview available Friday afternoon on the Texas Eats YouTube channel.

ON THE MENU | NADC BURGER

1007 E. Sixth St., Austin, TX 78702

NADC Burger, short for Not A Damn Chance, is an Austin burger destination created by professional skateboarder Neen Williams and Michelin-starred chef Phillip Frankland Lee, bringing premium ingredients and a no-nonsense approach to the classic smashburger. What began as a passion project between friends evolved into a restaurant concept built around a signature double-patty burger made with 100% Wagyu beef, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, mildly spicy jalapeños, and a secret house sauce served on a toasted potato roll. The founders spent nearly two years perfecting the recipe, from the beef and seasoning to the cheese, bun, and toppings, creating a burger served without substitutions. Guests can pair their burgers with crispy beef tallow fries or upgrade to Beast Mode Fries loaded with cheese, pickles, jalapeños, seasoning, and special sauce.

DAYCATION DESTINATIONS | GRISTMILL RIVER RESTAURANT & BAR

1287 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, TX 78130

Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar has been serving classic Texas comfort food in historic Gruene for nearly 50 years, operating inside a century-old building overlooking the Guadalupe River. Known for its rustic atmosphere, spacious dining rooms, and scenic river views, the restaurant offers a menu of longtime favorites alongside new creations from its kitchen. David Elder samples a new fire-roasted chicken dish prepared with all-natural, free-range chicken marinated for at least 24 hours in steak seasoning, olive oil, fresh lime juice, and honey before being grilled, slow-roasted, and finished with a honey-lime glaze. Other highlights include the restaurant’s famous oversized onion rings served with gravy, chicken-fried steak, slow-cooked baby back ribs, and a towering six-layer strawberry cake.

TEXAS EATS HALLOWEEN | OWL CREEK FARM

12355 Military Drive West, San Antonio, TX 78253

Owl Creek Farm in West San Antonio offers family-friendly fall activities during the day before transforming into Nightmare at Owl Creek, an outdoor Halloween attraction featuring haunted trails, spooky mazes, and terrifying encounters after dark. The farm’s daytime activities include a seasonal pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, hayrides, bounce houses, and play areas where families can interact with goats, sheep, horses, pigs, and other farm animals. At night, visitors can explore six themed attractions, including the creepy Haunted Doll Trail, the wooded Dark End Woods Maze, the carnival-inspired Freak Show, and the winding Barn Maze. Guests looking for milder scares can try the Cowboy Trail or the extraterrestrial-themed Contact Zone, both designed with younger visitors in mind. With a mix of daytime autumn fun and nighttime frights, Owl Creek Farm offers two different ways to celebrate Halloween in San Antonio.

DAYCATION DESTINATIONS | CHEF JOHNNY’S MERCADO at SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

9800 Airport Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78216

San Antonio chef and restaurateur Johnny Hernandez is bringing the city’s vibrant culinary traditions to travelers with the grand opening of Chef Johnny’s Mercado inside Terminal A at San Antonio International Airport. Hernandez was front and center for the ribbon-cutting celebration of the new restaurant, which brings together flavors from several of the chef’s popular concepts, including La Gloria, Burgerteca, and Frutería. The menu features Mexican-inspired street food, creative burgers, customizable bowls, and fresh dishes that showcase the diverse flavors of San Antonio. Travelers can enjoy selections such as carnitas, birria, carne asada, and chicken alambre bowls, along with salads, loaded queso, and traditional desserts including pastel de elote and Mexican chocolate cake. With bold Mexican flavors and convenient airport dining, Chef Johnny’s Mercado gives visitors a taste of San Antonio before they even leave the terminal.

TEXAS EATS HALLOWEEN | HARRISON BARNES & TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF

UNICEFUSA.org/Trick-or-Treat

San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes is helping turn Halloween into an opportunity to support children around the world through his partnership with UNICEF USA and its Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign. Barnes speaks about his involvement in the initiative, which celebrates its 75th anniversary and encourages families to raise money for children who need access to medical care, clean water, nutritious food, and educational resources. First launched in Philadelphia in 1950, the campaign became known for its iconic orange collection boxes, which children carried while trick-or-treating to collect donations. Supporters can also participate through online fundraising and digital giving opportunities. Barnes, who has also supported UNICEF’s Play Can’t Wait campaign, continues to use his platform to raise awareness of children’s needs and encourage families to make a difference while celebrating Halloween.

ON THE MENU | WAGYU FACTORY

11745 I-10, Ste. 414, San Antonio, TX 78230

Wagyu Factory brings an all-you-can-eat Japanese barbecue, hot pot, and Asian buffet experience to San Antonio’s Huebner Oaks Shopping Center, featuring premium Wagyu beef from Japan, Australia, and the United States. Guests can grill their own selections at the table, choosing from richly marbled Japanese A5 Wagyu, Australian M9 Wagyu, American Wagyu, beef tongue, hanger steak, thinly sliced beef, and pork belly. The restaurant also offers customizable sukiyaki hot pot, an extensive sushi selection, and prepared dishes including Wagyu fried rice, Wagyu sliders, mini lobster rolls, dumplings, udon, and tempura. A self-service sauce bar lets diners experiment with house-made sauces, specialty salts, and seasonings, while unlimited beverages, soft-serve ice cream, and desserts such as egg tarts complete the experience.

Follow Texas Eats and David Elder on Facebook and Instagram for more food info, pictures, videos and giveaways.

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Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived at their West Palm Beach polling location at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office together after the president spent the morning at his nearby golf course. Trump has been criticized in the past for voting by mail despite his long history of railing against that method of submitting ballots.

Asked if he voted the party line, Trump, who was wearing an “I Voted” sticker, said, “Very much so.”

Speaking to reporters at the poll site, Trump again defended an ad from Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The ad has faced intense blowback for featuring the estranged mother of Democratic rival Dr. Amy Acton, who lost custody of her children after her husband, the children’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12.

Trump also defended his decision to instruct his administration to file its lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses over the inclusion of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

As for the war in Iran, he said, “I may have to finish it off. Or maybe they’ll make a deal, but I’m not sure. Either way, we win.”

Melania Trump, who this week brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the ravaged, Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky so that humanitarian aid could be delivered and civilians evacuated, was asked whether she might travel to Ukraine.

“We will see,” she told reporters.

In Florida, Trump has endorsed Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, who is running against David Jolly, a Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat, to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He has also campaigned for Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who is running to fill the last two years of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s former Senate term against progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon.

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Colvin reported from New York.

Curt Cignetti, though, chose to stick with Hoover instead of turning to his seventh-year backup, and the fifth-year quarterback delivered.

Hoover had a 4-yard touchdown run in overtime and No. 6 Indiana kept Michigan out of the end zone in a 13-6 win on Saturday.

“There were a lot of discussions about Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover in the second half because Grant had a good week of practice and is really capable," Cignetti said. “At the end of the day, it’s been Josh's season and even though he’s not 100%, we’ve got to finish it out with him and he responded.”

Hoover helped the Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) win at the Big House for the first time since 1967.

“It’s cool to be a part of," Hoover said.

The Wolverines (4-3, 1-3) started quarterback Tommy Carr and sat Bryce Underwood, but the freshman didn't fare as well as he did last week coming off the bench in a win over Penn State.

Carr lost a fumble on an ill-advised pitch in the first quarter and was picked off in the second half on a deflected pass that was thrown into traffic.

“Both turnovers, completely on me,” he said.

Carr took sacks in the second and third quarters that led to missed field goals, including a 32-yard kick after advancing to the Indiana 1.

The Wolverines reached the Hoosiers 3 in the final minute of regulation — with a chance to potentially win the game — when Carr was sacked for a fourth time and they had to settle for a 26-yard field goal as time expired.

Hoover struggled, too, until making a 21-yard pass to Brock Schott on the first snap of overtime that set up his touchdown run.

With a chance to send the game to a second overtime, Michigan advanced to the Indiana 13 and Carr threw an incomplete pass that hit the turf in front of Salesi Moa just outside of the end zone.

“If that’s the No. 6 team in the country, then we’re pretty good," coach Kyle Whittingham said.

Carr was 20 of 32 for 167 yards with an interception and a fumble. He is the grandson of College Football Hall of Famers Lloyd Carr and Tom Curtis and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, who attended the game while his team had the weekend off.

“It would be absurd to judge him off this one performance,” Whittingham said.

Indiana's injured QB

Hoover was 8 of 18 for 81 yards and threw an interception in the third quarter, setting up Michigan for a field goal, and isn't completely healthy.

“I had to battle through some things this week to get out here,” Hoover said. "I knew I was going to find a way to get out here and find a way to win this game for this team regardless of how I felt. There’s guys on this team that are banged up every week. It’s no different for me.”

Michigan’s close calls

The Wolverines have only had one game this year that wasn’t decided in the final minutes.

“It comes down to the last play, the last possession in every game except UTEP,” Whittingham said. “We’re the only team in the country that has done that.”

The takeaway

Indiana: A week after being inches away from beating then-No. 4 Ohio State, the Hoosiers avoided losing two straight for the first time in three years with Cignetti.

Michigan: With Carr or Underwood at quarterback, the offense is struggling on the ground and through the air.

“You name it and we’ve got to work on it,” Whittingham said.

Up next

Indiana: Hosts Minnesota next Saturday.

Michigan: Plays at Rutgers next Saturday.

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District leaders said the measure is needed to address an $8 million deficit, protect student programs and raise staff pay.

The proposition, known as a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, would generate about $15.1 million in additional funding for the district if approved.

District officials said $8.2 million would come from local property taxes, while $6.9 million would come from the state.

SCUCISD Superintendent Paige Meloni said rising costs over the past several years have strained the district’s budget.

“The double-digit inflation over the past five years has really put us in this situation,” Meloni said. ”Our prices for things like insurance, things like fuel have skyrocketed, and that’s also happened in the homes of our staff members.”

This is the second year in a row SCUCISD has asked voters to approve a tax rate increase.

Meloni said she believes last year’s measure failed in part because voters did not have a clear explanation of how the money would be used.

But this year, she said, the ballot language includes the purpose of the measure.

“We got some legal guidance this year that we were able to put the purpose for the measure on the ballot, and it says that it’s for staff and for student programs,” Meloni said.

So what would it cost you?

“It’s really easy to understand. 12 cents, 12 months. So if your taxable value on your school district taxes is $150,000, $15 a month; $200,000, $20 a month. So you can just do it that way,” Meloni explained.

If the measure fails, Meloni said the district would have to consider program cuts.

“You’re looking at programs. You’re looking at fine arts. You’re looking at athletics. You’re looking at CTE,” Meloni said. “You’re looking at direct impact into the classroom.”

If approved, the measure would also support employee compensation.

Meloni said the school board has already approved a compensation plan that would provide a one-time payment to all staff in December if the revenue becomes available for the 2026-27 school year.

The following school year, Meloni said the district could also increase starting teacher pay.

SCUCISD’s current starting teacher salary is $56,500, which Meloni said is below surrounding districts.

Asked what kind of raise she would advocate for teachers, Meloni said, “Traditionally, we would do anything between 2% and 4%.”

Early voting ends Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Read also:

• Families urge NEISD board to reconsider possible elementary school closures

Fran Yanity said doctors found a lump on her right lung only after she paid out of pocket for an executive physical exam. She had no warning signs.

“I had no symptoms. I didn’t feel a thing,” Yanity said.

The American Cancer Society says lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. About 20% of lung cancer cases happen in people who have never smoked.

Yanity said she is frustrated that many insurance plans cover lung cancer screenings only for people older than 50 who have a history of smoking.

“About 50% of people that are currently diagnosed with lung cancer fall outside of those guidelines, myself included,” she said.

Dr. Jason Gauthier, a cardiothoracic surgeon at University Hospital, said nonsmokers should talk with their family doctor if they are concerned about their risk.

“If you have a history of environmental exposure and environmental pollutants, if you have family history, these are all things that increase your risk,” Gauthier said.

Once lung cancer develops, it causes symptoms.

Warning signs can include:

• Chest discomfort such as pain or pressure
• A dry cough lasting more than three weeks
• Coughing up brown mucus or blood
• Repeated cases of pneumonia

Gauthier said lung cancer in nonsmokers is often found by accident, when patients are getting scans for another reason.

“The majority of people who are nonsmokers, low risk, otherwise wouldn’t get screening that I find, are patients that often get a scan for another reason,” he said.

Yanity said she now feels compelled to speak out so others understand the risk.

“Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer, and people aren’t talking about it,” she said. “Lung cancer can happen to anyone.”

Read also:

• San Antonio Ronald McDonald Houses give families a place to stay during children’s treatment

Ayala Jr. was arrested for sexual assault, according to an attorney representing the victim, who is among former band and crew members who filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging repeated, unwanted sexual contact.

Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee described the arrest as a “positive step” for the victims he represents.

Online records show Friday’s arrest stems from an August 2025 offense. Additional details surrounding the assault that led to Friday’s arrest were not immediately available, but Ayala Jr. has since been released on a $2,000 bond.

The lawsuit, filed in February, alleged a hostile and sexually charged environment on the band’s tour bus. According to the lawsuit, Ramón Ayala Jr. frequently made sexually aggressive and suggestive comments and at times rode on the bus completely nude while allegedly under the influence of cocaine and alcohol.

“I’ve handled some of the largest and most high-profile sexual assault cases in the United States,” Buzbee said at the time of the filing. “I’ve never seen the type of conduct alleged in this case.”

Ramón Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte, founded in the early 1970s, is widely regarded as one of the most influential groups in regional Mexican music.

Ramón Ayala, the founder of the band and Ayala Jr.’s father, said reports about the case “deeply hurt” his group, his fans and his family, and argued that some people, “without foundation,” are trying to take advantage and tarnish his legacy. He said he could not provide additional information because of ongoing legal matters.

In a screenshot of an email provided by Buzbee on Friday, Hidalgo police appear to inform the attorney that an emergency protective order was obtained for the victim, who is not being named.

Read more:

• Norteño star Ramón Ayala’s son faces $25M sexual assault lawsuit
• Houston attorney presents ‘egregious’ sexual assault claims against Ramón Ayala Jr., Norteño band

The motivation was still unknown for the shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of the capital, Amman. Karak is home to a minority Christian population.

There was still no claim of responsibility, and no armed group has been accused of the attack that Jordan's government described as a “terrorist” act.

King Abdullah II directed authorities to respond with “an iron fist” against what he called the outlaws of Islam and anyone attempting to undermine the unity of the Jordanian people.

Friday's attack happened as people had gathered for a funeral. Some people were chatting outside the church when something sounded like an engine backfiring.

“All of a sudden, three masked men appeared, armed with automatic weapons, and began firing indiscriminately at those of us standing outside,” witness Saed al-Halaseh recalled.

And “they weren’t satisfied with just the initial casualties. They went back and fired on everyone again. They returned to finish off those who had already been hit,” he said.

“Even then, they weren’t finished; they came and stood right here, firing at the facade of the church, this part right here,” he added.

Al-Halaseh described how people he knew were shot in the head or the back as others tried to flee. He dropped to the ground and crawled behind a nearby car, which he said saved him.

Jordan, and especially Karak, has been seen as a symbol of religious coexistence, al-Halaseh said.

“The sense of security we once had, the very foundation we grew up with, has, sadly, vanished,” he added. “They were simply mourners at a funeral. I cannot fathom what the perpetrators could have possibly wanted from them. I don’t believe any religion in the world could condone what happened. It was truly a massacre.”

Emergency services in the Berchtesgaden district, in the Bavarian Alps in Germany's southeastern corner, were alerted to the fire by an alarm at about 9:15 p.m. Friday. Firefighters and police rushed to the scene — located at the end of a narrow road that winds up the mountain, in part through a series of tunnels — and could see the flames as they approached.

They stopped and arrested a man on a motorcycle driving the other way down the road.

Prosecutors said the 33-year-old suspect, a German citizen who has ties to the Berchtesgaden area but doesn't currently live there, was questioned. They said he showed signs of mental illness and he was being sent to a psychiatric facility, but they also would look into the possibility of a political motive in view of the building's history. Police said there were no current indications that anyone else was involved.

Rain that turned into the season's first significant snow, accompanied by strong wind, complicated the already difficult task of tackling the blaze and firefighters had to pull out overnight after several hours, officials said. No one was injured in the fire, and firefighters hoped to finish their work on Saturday though they weren't able to enter the building because of a danger of falling material.

The building, known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, is located on a cliff 1,834 meters (6,017 feet) above sea level. It is reachable by an elevator built inside the rock from the end of the mountain road, which is closed to public traffic but used during the day by buses for visitors.

It has been operated as a cafe and restaurant since 1952 and contains an exhibition on its history. The Nazi dictator himself rarely used the Kehlsteinhaus — unlike the Berghof residence, also in the Berchtesgaden area, the ruins of which were blown up in 1952.

The Obersalzberg Documentation Center, further down the mountain, is home to the area's main historical exhibition and was unaffected by the fire.

Officials indicated that the Eagle's Nest would be restored, though they were vague so soon after the blaze about how exactly that would be done.

“We're not going to leave a ruin there,” Bavaria's interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, told reporters in Berchtesgaden. But what the site will look like in the future will be a matter for discussions with local officials, historians, preservationists and others.

“I think we will be able to find a sensible solution,” Herrmann added. Bavaria's state government owns the building.

The minister stressed that “it is important that we continue to do the work of remembrance.”

Musk's admission on social media came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links has been restored to the speeds it had before restrictions that disrupted front-line operations for more than a week.

Questions have persisted since last week about who ordered the interruptions to the Musk-made satellite internet system that Kyiv has relied on for years to counter Moscow’s attacks.

“The speeds are now where they need to be,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that restoration began overnight and were sufficient by Saturday morning, improving front-line logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.

Musk admits he was behind Starlink’s speed restriction

After Ukraine said the services had been restored, Elon Musk spoke out on the speed restrictions that began last week. In a post Saturday on X, Musk acknowledged that his company SpaceX throttled the Starlink satellite internet service.

“Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote. “Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week.”

But he maintained that the U.S. government controlled whatever changes happened with Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication. He also defended the role of SpaceX in bolstering Ukraine’s defenses since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Restrictions imposed last week on Starshield alarmed the country’s military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions.

The restoration follows a new U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceasefire brokered by first lady Melania Trump around Oleshky, a war-ravaged, Russian-occupied town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.

Restriction led to tensions between Ukraine and the US

The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by President Donald Trump’s reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited “direct dialogue” and Zelenskyy’s diplomacy with Washington, adding that the outcome mattered most “for our front, for the military, the work of drones, logistics and communications.”

Trump has maintained that he didn’t make the call, while also saying Musk should not be blamed. Vice President JD Vance has hinted at White House coordination with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any administration involvement.

Russia and Ukraine have continued to target each other

Meanwhile, a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on the city of Lozova in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, local officials said Saturday.

Moscow-installed authorities in cities across Russia-occupied Crimea reported power blackouts Saturday following overnight Ukrainian attacks.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Saturday that its forces hit a chemical plant in the Russian city of Tolyatti, which produces materials used in rocket fuel. Tolyatti Mayor Ilya Sukhikh said the overnight attack damaged industrial facilities in the city.

Ukrainian forces also hit an electronics plant in the city of Oryol, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed Saturday. Local officials in Oryol said Saturday that three people were killed in Friday’s attack. The General Staff said the plant makes components for the cruise and ballistic missiles Russia fires at Ukrainian cities.

Ukrainian drones also reached Russia’s Omsk region in western Siberia, more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Omsk regional Gov. Vitaly Khotsenko said drones “reached a northern industrial hub.”

Online retailer Ozon said Saturday that its logistics center in Omsk has been attacked by a drone, but there were no casualties. Ozon is a competitor to Wildberries, whose facilities Ukraine has also targeted.

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Morton reported from London.

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

Voters didn't change their minds. Politicians changed their voters.

The Republican-controlled legislature redrew the state's congressional map to transform what was one of the last remaining swing districts in the South to a safe GOP seat. Lawmakers split the rectangular 13th District into an hourglass shape that carved out Democratic voters in Raleigh and replaced them with a swath of rural counties reaching up to the Virginia border.

Swing seats, meaning districts that a presidential candidate won by 5 percentage points or fewer in the previous election, are disappearing from the national map. For decades after World War II, the number of competitive seats in the House slowly eroded as the United States grew more polarized, voters were less likely to split their ticket between parties and people moved closer to like-minded neighbors, creating Democratic strongholds in urban areas and Republican ones across rural America.

That decline accelerated over the past year after Republican President Donald Trump sparked a partisan redistricting battle. The number of swing districts fell from 45 to 37. There were 96 House seats that fit the modern definition of a swing seat in 1964, according to one count from the 1970s, when the shrinking number of such districts was first noted.

That means the overwhelming majority of House seats are effectively won in primaries, with the support of only a fraction of voters who usually are at the extreme ideological end of their party.

Nickel saw the impact firsthand during his lone term in Washington.

“The biggest divide I found in Congress wasn’t Democrat versus Republican, it was safe seats versus competitive seats,” Nickel said. “When your focus is on running a campaign where you talk to every single voter, you look at things differently and your focus is on solving problems.”

Unite America, an organization pushing alternatives to party primaries, calculated that 87% of the representatives elected to the House in 2024 were chosen by 7% of the country’s voters.

“Voters don’t have any way of holding Congress responsible, except for a narrow window of swing districts,” Nick Troiano, the group's executive director, said in an interview, adding that he expects things to get worse in November. “The least competitive election of our lifetimes will lead to the least accountable and least representative Congress of our lifetimes.”

A narrow battlefield expands slightly in unpredictable midterm year

Republicans are hoping the smaller number of competitive seats puts a low ceiling on what Democrats can win on Nov. 3.

“Both sides are fighting over a narrow House battlefield,” said Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Campaign. “It's a knife fight in a dark alley.”

The alley may be widening this year, but it still is an alley.

Democrats have expanded their political targets, given the unpopular war with Iran and voters angry about high prices. Both parties are spending on campaigns in Republican areas that normally would not be competitive.

Even in what is shaping up as a difficult political environment, however, Republicans are protected by the limited number of seats in play.

“Even if there's the kind of swing we got in 2006, there's not going to be 40 seats changing hands. There's going to be 20 seats changing hands,” said Ian Shapiro, a Yale political scientist.

There is a long-standing debate among academics as to how much of the decline can be blamed on partisan-motivated redistricting, known as gerrymandering, and how much on Americans' increasing proclivity to live among like-minded people who vote the same way. Multiple studieshave found that without partisan gerrymandering, the House would have about double the number of competitive seats it has now.

One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.

“It produces more alienation because Congress doesn’t do anything besides investigations and positioning,” Shapiro said.

Studying the math and making a decision

Nickel decided not to run for reelection after studying election returns going back to 2016 and finding that no Democratic incumbent had held on in a seat where Trump took 55% or more of the vote. Trump received 58% of the vote in the new district.

Nickel, who had introduced a bill to require all states to use a nonpartisan redistricting system, said at first he would run for U.S. Senate because statewide seats cannot be gerrymandered. But when former Gov. Roy Cooper announced he was running for the Democratic nomination, Nickel switched to run for district attorney of Wake County, the deeply Democratic county that was largely cut out of the 13th District.

Nickel won the Democratic primary and will take office in January. No Republican ran.

That highlights how North Carolina, and the country, have effectively become segregated by political party.

“If you just draw big blocks around a state, you're going to get noncompetitive districts because we are so polarized,” said Joshua Huder, a political scientist at Georgetown University.

An hour away, a very different state

Only 15% of North Carolina's voting precincts could be classified as politically competitive, according to Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College in North Carolina.

“For the average North Carolinian, depending on where they live, if they drive an hour in any direction they will be in a very different North Carolina than they live in,” he said.

That certainly is the case traversing from the old 13th District to the new one. From the office towers, cafes and gourmet restaurants of central Raleigh that were part of the competitive 13th District, it is about a 90-minute drive north through the subdivisions and soybean and tobacco farms that are the heart of the new, conservative one.

Here, few are talking about the congressional race. While plenty express dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, they see no reason to vote for anyone other than a Republican.

“It's just what I've always been,” said Linda Long, 62, a Republican in the town of Roxboro who works at the local Walmart.

George Scott, a retired architectural engineer in Franklinton, viscerally dislikes Trump but also is a lifelong Republican and expects to keep voting that way.

“It's just one person,” Scott, 75, said of the president.

Democrats make a play in a long-shot district

This is what Paul Barringer is up against.

The Democratic nominee against Knott hopes for an upset in a year when even Republican members in safe seats like the 13th District are running scared. Neither Knott's office nor his campaign responded to a request for an interview.

On a recent evening, Barringer drove his 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, with his two dogs in back, to the home of Mary Blank, who heads the chapter of the liberal group Indivisible in Johnston County, a fast-growing, conservative-leaning area just outside Raleigh.

Barringer, a former healthcare lawyer who returned from Maryland to the tree farm in the district where he grew up to care for his ailing mother, said he was previously a Republican but switched parties to run, hoping he could attract voters of all stripes.

“I think people are disgruntled about things that are happening,” Barringer said. “They want people who will find ways to work together.”

On the house's back porch, he was greeted rapturously by a self-admitted political minority of liberals in the conservative area. At one point, Barringer reminisced about the grueling task of curing tobacco and asked everyone who had undergone that rural North Carolina rite of passage to raise a hand. No one did.

“We're all transplants!” one woman called out.

There was palpable excitement, especially after Barringer noted that national Democrats had put the seat on a list of ones to watch for a possible upset. Blank, a retired 73-year-old social studies teacher from New Jersey, said that gave her hope, but she was realistic about the local dynamic.

“I've been saying all along I don't think Paul can win,” Blank said.

Linwood Parker agrees. “They're blowing smoke,” Parker, the 78-year-old mayor of Four Oaks, a town 26 miles south of Blank's house, said of Democrats' hopes they could win the district.

Parker is a lifelong Republican who knows well that gerrymandering is a decades-old tradition in North Carolina. Democrats used to do it ruthlessly to maintain their control of the legislature and the congressional delegation until they lost power in the 2010 wave. Now Republicans are the ones who bend the maps to benefit their party.

Parker approves even though he said he is no fan of gerrymandering, or the polarization that has eaten away at bipartisan trust in society.

“Redistricting is just one of the levers that when Republicans, when they are in control, have to touch,” Parker said. “Otherwise it's like saying, when we play this baseball game, we're going to have three outs, we'll give you two.”

Also, Tottenham sealed its second win this week by beating 10-man Chelsea 2-0.

Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for Villa against a City that was aiming for an eighth straight league win. Victory extended Villa’s outstanding recent run to six wins from seven games in all competitions.

“It is incredible," Jackson said. "It was difficult but we got the win and that is the most important thing. Now we can focus on the next one.”

After City's defeat in the early kickoff, defending champion Arsenal took advantage by beating Everton 2-0 at Emirates Stadium.

Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes scored in each half for Mikel Arteta's team, which is second on goal difference.

Spurs, without a league win until Monday against Coventry, followed that with a rare victory at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders inadvertently punched the ball into his own net and gave Spurs the lead and Cole Palmer was sent off soon after. Tottenham's win was sealed late by Mathys Tel.

Meanwhile, Fulham beat Coventry 1-0.

Arsenal ends unlikely run

Konsa scored his first goal for Arsenal since joining from Villa at the start of the season and ended the champion's run of 13 games without scoring from a set-piece.

Last season's title victory relied heavily on Arsenal's scoring efficiency from corners, in particular, but Konsa's scrambled goal after seven minutes was its first in any competition this term, excluding penalties.

“A goal from a set-piece has felt like it has been coming. Today was the day,” Konsa said.

Gabriel was also on target, heading in the second in the 68th for his first of the campaign.

After showing its Champions League credentials with a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich midweek, Arsenal strengthened its title defense with victory against Everton to move to neck and neck with City, with just goal difference separating them.

“We’re very happy with the victory, the performance and the week, because we were given a terrible schedule,” Arteta said. “We just have to focus on what we can do, and we’re very pleased with 90% of the performances and results.”

Emery a ‘tactical genius’

Villa is rapidly climbing the standings after a desperate start to the campaign saw it fail to win its opening four games and picked up just one point.

The difficult start was understandable after a hugely disruptive offseason when a raft of star players left the club including Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Konsa, Emi Martinez and Youri Tielemans.

Unai Emery, who transformed the club from relegation battler to Champions League contender, was forced to rebuild a team that won the Europa League last season, and has done that in double-quick time.

Villa's last defeat was on Sept. 12, to Nottingham Forest 2-1. Since then Emery's team is unbeaten.

Jackson is up to seven goals in all competitions. He fired the opener inside six minutes at Villa Park.

Erling Haaland headed City level in the second half, but Jackson got his second and the winner with a first-time finish that squirmed under goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City fell to a fourth defeat at Villa Park in as many seasons.

“Emery is just a tactical genius. Especially against Man City at our place we have been really good," Villa defender Matty Cash said. “He always has a plan for something and is always coming up with new ideas. When you play against top teams you have to adapt and we did that today.”

Maresca not so perfect now

Maresca said City would learn lessons from its first league defeat.

The Italian enjoyed a perfect start in England's top flight since succeeding Pep Guardiola in the offseason.

Villa joined Arsenal and European champion Paris Saint-Germain as the only teams to beat City in any competition this season.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose today, but we lost,” Maresca said. “You can always learn something.”

Spurs on the rise

Bottom of the standings at the start of the week, Tottenham climbed to 12th after a victory at fierce London rival Chelsea.

After steering Spurs clear of relegation at the end of last season, coach Roberto De Zerbi might have earned the standout result of his short reign — only Tottenham's second victory at Stamford Bridge in 36 years.

“It’s a big moment for the fans, for the club, for the players also. They deserve this win,” De Zerbi said.

Spurs finished one place above the relegation zone in each of the past two seasons.

“We are working to change the last part of the history of this club,” he added.

Chelsea looked blunt in attack without the injured Joao Pedro and it was further hindered when Palmer was red-carded in the 80th for a second bookable offense.

“We are all disappointed with the result and the performance. Collectively and individually, we were not on our best level,” Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said.

For Fulham, Oscar Bobb scored in the 80th to seal victory at Coventry.

___

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

___

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

In July, Beasley entered a not guilty plea in New York federal court. He was among the latest big names caught up in a sweeping federal gambling investigation.

Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, told The Associated Press in a text message that they were negotiating an agreement with the government “with an expected direction in the coming days.”

Beasley, 29, and sports agent Paolo Zamorano, who has also pleaded not guilty, were among six people charged in an indictment unsealed this summer detailing a gambling scandal that has involved more than three dozen arrests.

Zamorano, 39, formerly represented another co-defendant, ex-NBA player Ed Davis, who had lent money to Beasley and is accused of acting as his “gatekeeper” in the alleged scheme.

Beasley is accused of fixing or trying to fix his performance in at least four games while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 by under or overperforming bookmakers’ expectations. In exchange, the indictment said, the bettors bribed Beasley — and his debts to Davis were reduced or eliminated.

“Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting,” Davis told Beasley in a Jan. 26, 2024, text message, according to the indictment. “Everything else they got the edge.”

Beasley borrowed money from Davis, a former teammate, after racking up millions of dollars in gambling losses. His widely reported financial problems include disputes with a Detroit landlord, a Milwaukee barber and a Minnesota dentist. A 2025 lawsuit from a sports marketing agency resulted in a $1 million default judgment against him.

Beasley has been out of the NBA since playing with the Detroit Pistons in 2024-25 on a one-year, $6 million contract. He averaged 16 points per game and scored 20 in his last game, a playoff loss to the New York Knicks. He is one of five players in NBA history with more than 300 three-pointers in a season. ___

AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The theme park operator announced the extra safeguard less than two weeks after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died after being ejected from his seat on the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.

“We are reinforcing safety precautions at our parks and taking additional measures, including adding seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with a similar restraint,” John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, said in a statement Friday.

Goliath remains shut down while state and local officials investigate the Oct. 12 death.

Reilly didn't specify which other Six Flags coasters will get seat belts. But it has temporarily closed eight additional roller coasters at five other parks in the U.S. and Canada. Those rides all share the same manufacturer and a similar restraint system.

Six Flags hasn't said when those coasters are expected to reopen. Reilly's statement said Six Flags has enlisted independent engineers and inspectors to review safety procedures for all rides at its theme parks.

Investigators haven't said what went wrong on the Georgia coaster. Witnesses said they saw Kariem rise up out of his seat and fall headfirst back into the cart before being ejected. Some people who rode Goliath before him that day said they had concerns about its restraints.

All nine of the Six Flags coasters taken offline were manufactured by the Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard. They also feature similar clamshell restraints that sit at the top of a vertical bar between each rider's knees. The bar locks a padded restraint into place over the rider's lap and upper legs.

The U.S. patent granted to Bolliger & Mabillard for the restraint system in 2001 says it's designed to make each rider feel “that he is seated on a flying carpet or that he is at the controls of a kind of flying scooter, while still guaranteeing optimum security.”

Following the death in Georgia, non-Six Flags theme parks SeaWorld Orlando in Florida and La Ronde in Montreal, Canada, also temporarily closed one roller coaster apiece that use clamshell restraints.

SeaWorld reopened its Mako coaster Tuesday after it had been offline for a week. The Associated Press emailed the company Saturday asking if seat belts or other safety upgrades were planned for the coaster.

The AP also emailed a spokesperson for La Ronde seeking an update on its shuttered coaster.

In addition to Goliath in Georgia, eight coasters remain closed at Six Flags parks in Gurnee, Illinois; Jackson Township, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mason, Ohio; and Vaughan, Ontario.

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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.

Meghan, Prince Harry’s wife, said Friday she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that a collection of child sexual abuse images had been found at a former home of her father, Thomas Markle Sr. She issued a statement after a British tabloid newspaper reported that her brother found the images while clearing out their father's home in the Philippines.

She also referred to a letter containing “troubling and disturbing allegations” against her father that was sent to the Metropolitan Police Service’s Royal and Specialist Protection unit, which later shared its contents with her.

On Saturday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that in January 2019 it received a letter “containing a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom.”

It said that while officers shared the letter with Harry and Meghan's office, they did not share the allegations with other law enforcement agencies — and that it is now reviewing how it handled the matter and considering whether the force needs to be referred to the police watchdog.

Meghan married Harry at Windsor Castle in 2018. They have two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Thomas Markle Sr., a retired television lighting and photography director, did not attend their wedding, prompting extensive media coverage of Meghan’s estrangement from her father. Meghan said her decision to distance herself was intended to protect her children.

“Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” Meghan said in Friday's statement.

Thomas Markle Sr. was living in the Philippines earlier this year when he suffered a stroke and had his left leg amputated. That forced him to return to the U.S.

The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr. recently found “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sex abuse images in boxes at his father’s former home in the Philippine city of Cebu when he was clearing out the property. Markle Jr. told the newspaper that he reported the images to police in the Philippines and contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S.

In the Philippines, the director of the National Bureau of Investigation, Melvin Matibag, told The Associated Press that the FBI has sought its assistance in looking into the allegations of Markle Jr. against his father.

Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla told the AP separately that the national police was also investigating the allegations by Markle Jr. against his father, without elaborating.

The 82-year-old Markle denied the allegations in comments to the Daily Mail newspaper.

And rather than wait for a reason to smile, just making the physical change of literally turning that frown upside down could impact emotions, according to experts.

Research backs up the fact that smiling goes a long way.

Some older research has focused on this “facial feedback hypothesis,” according to Jeanne Tsai, a longtime psychology professor at Stanford University who runs the Culture and Emotion Lab. In one classic study in the late 1980s, researchers would have subjects put a pencil between their lips and adopt a smile or a frown while viewing a positive movie clip like a cartoon. Some subjects who smiled would feel the sensation of the smile more and be more amused.

“When we’ve done that demonstration in classes, it works,” Tsai said. “When you’re doing it in a room by yourself, you’re not doing it in a social interaction, maybe it’s making you remember, or it’s an effect of remembering some good thing that happened and that would put you in a better mood.”

At the Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts in Southern California, the power of a smile is taken very seriously. An entire section on the charter school group’s website is dedicated to its philosophy that a smile can make a difference.

“Smiling creates a supportive classroom culture that makes students relaxed, active, and motivated,” according to the website. “It increases emotional well-being, lowers stress, and gives students confidence.”

How smiling can benefit health

Dr. Judy Ho, a Los Angeles clinical and forensic neuropsychologist who also teaches at Pepperdine University, discusses smiling as a coping strategy with some patients suffering depression or anxiety.

“I'm not suggesting that that's the only way they can fix things,” Ho said. “It's just like another thing that you can add to your toolbox.”

Smiling can affect one's level of cortisol, a hormone the body releases partly to help regulate stress and mood, according to Ho. Smiling can affect brain chemicals that are associated with positive feelings including endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.

“People who smile during stressful tasks generally demonstrated lower heart rates during recovery than those maintaining neutral expressions,” Ho said. “Smiling also reduced aspects of the body's physiological stress response.”

The hope is if you smile enough, you will start feeling it emotionally.

“In some ways it's like a mediating effect,” she added.

The value of a smile varies culture to culture

How smiling and even the openness of a smile are perceived are not universal. Tsai, the Stanford professor, has conducted research on how emotion in American culture puts value on trying to always feel positive and minimizing negativity and sadness. In East Asian cultures, emotion is more about balance.

“It’s like the positive and the negative emotions are braided together, and so you don’t want to feel too positive or too negative,” Tsai said. “You want more of a balance between the two.”

Her past studies also examined how European Americans and East Asians — including Taiwanese, South Koreans, Japanese and Hong Kong Chinese — look at a “neutral or a calm” smile versus a full-on grin. Subjects rated the differing facial expressions on warmth and trustworthiness. While some Americans saw the excited smiles as friendlier, some East Asians characterized those facial expressions as “emotionally unstable” or “unreliable."

“What kind of smile matters — whether it’s a calm, closed mouth smile more like the Dalai Lama or a big toothy excited smile like Julia Roberts,” Tsai said. “We’ve done some series of studies in Taiwan and other East Asian contexts. They don’t like the big, toothy, excited smile unless it’s really situationally appropriate.”

In Thailand — known as “The Land of Smiles” — smiling is embedded in the culture. There are nearly 30 Thai words for “smile.” Many teach-abroad programs where people can teach English as a foreign language in Thailand cite that smiling often with children and colleagues is key to showing respect, good manners and calmness.

At the OCASA charter schools, smiling is part of an effort to make children feel seen.

“I’ve always believed in wanting school to be a happy place for kids,” said RaNae Posey, principal of OCASA Capistrano Elementary School. “To actually help them form habits of looking at the bright side of things.”

Mandating smiles may lead to more frowns

Women in recent years have smacked down the idea that they have to smile in the workplace while men do not. Smiling can feel like a Catch-22 for some women and sometimes for people of color who may be stereotyped as unapproachable or cold if they don’t smile enough.

Last year, retailer Target was ridiculed across social media for instituting a smiling policy. Workers had to smile and make eye contact if a customer was within 10 feet (3 meters) and personally greet them if they were within 4 feet (1.2 meters).

People do not like feeling like they have no “emotional autonomy,” according to Nicholas Coles, an assistant professor who runs the Social Science Collaboratory at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

“In those scenarios, what we find is that it’s more that you’re smiling your way to misery,” Coles said. “It’s only when it feels authentic and voluntary that I think it’ll have any real effect.”

With the holidays approaching, more people may have to muster smiles with family if sensitive topics like politics and religion come up. Those could be good times to see if smiling helps.

“If we were able to just smile and be like ’Look, this is somebody that historically cares about you and loves you,' maybe that would change the way that we respond to them even in a moment of tough conversation,” Ho said.

Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, former leaders of a since-disbanded task force set up to counter foreign election interference, appeared in federal court Friday in Washington, where their lawyers pressed for a speedy hearing to contest allegations their clients lied to lawmakers by saying that they did not participate in FBI investigations of Biden.

The prosecution, a rare Department of Justice criminal case against a former employee, revisits a tangled and peculiar saga that roiled the final weeks of the 2020 race. It also comes amid a broader, backward-looking effort by FBI Director Kash Patel, who before taking over the nation’s premier law enforcement agency was a harsh critic of it, to scrutinize high-profile episodes from the bureau’s recent past that for years have animated President Donald Trump’s conservative base.

Floris’ attorneys called her “a patriot” and said she has “served our nation as a dedicated FBI intelligence officer for nearly 20 years.”

“Yet today, the DOJ has accused her falsely of a crime on the say-so of politicians, not on the facts,” her attorneys said in a statement. “It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election.”

Attorneys for Benavides accused the government of bringing “baseless criminal charges against him in a transparently political complaint.”

“This is another sad day for the Department of Justice,” his lawyers said in an emailed statement. “But now we are in court, and the truth will come out: Brad Benavides is a true patriot who devoted his career to protecting this country and its people. These charges are a disgrace.”

A criminal complaint comes just before the midterms

The case was filed less than two weeks before the Nov. 3 elections via criminal complaint, which means prosecutors have not yet presented the allegations to a grand jury for an indictment. The Justice Department has repeatedly struggled in high-profile cases to convince grand juries in the nation’s capital to return indictments.

During the former FBI employees’ court appearance, both defense attorneys and the judge noted the unusual move to charge the case through a complaint, which is more often used by prosecutors when they have an urgent need to take people into custody because, for example, they present a danger or a risk of flight.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui remarked that it is “rare that we have charges this old coming in this nature," and over the objections of prosecutors who pushed for more time, set a preliminary hearing for next Tuesday, citing what he said was the “sword of Damocles” hanging over the defendants’ heads.

The laptop discovery created turmoil in 2020 election

The revelation of the laptop’s existence in October 2020 injected a thorny storyline in the race between Trump, the Republican incumbent, and Biden’s father, Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic challenger who went on to win the race.

The laptop was publicized by the New York Post, which said it had obtained from Trump ally Rudy Giuliani a hard drive of a computer dropped off by Hunter Biden at a Wilmington, Delaware, repair shop about a year earlier.

The criminal complaint aims to build on longstanding congressional Republican complaints about the FBI’s handling of the laptop, including allegations that the bureau was not forthcoming to the public that the materials on it — including emails that showed discussions of the younger Biden’s foreign business dealings — were authentic and not the product of Russian disinformation.

The curious circumstances of the laptop’s discovery raised concerns among Democrats and former intelligence officials about the possibility of Russian involvement, particularly at a time when the Trump administration’s own intelligence community had assessed that Moscow that Russia was attempting to interfere in Trump’s favor in the election and as Giuliani had traveled abroad looking for dirt on the Bidens. Dozens of former U.S. intelligence officials signed a letter saying that the laptop bore the "classic earmarks of an Russian information operation.”

But Trump’s then-director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, attested to the computer’s authenticity in a Fox Business Network interview. The FBI, under then-Director Chris Wray, subsequently told Congress in a letter that it had nothing to add to Ratcliffe’s public statement.

Hunter Biden was charged with, and convicted of, gun and tax offenses during his father’s administration. Joe Biden pardoned him in his final weeks in office.

The case shines a light on an FBI task force on foreign intelligence

The complaint alleges that in their capacity as leaders of the Foreign Influence Task Force, Floris and Benavides were deeply engaged in the investigations into Hunter Biden, and that Biden was a recurring subject at FITF meetings.

Yet, the complaint says, both downplayed their firsthand knowledge of the laptop or involvement in investigations during 2023 testimony to lawmakers who were doing their own Biden investigation.

It accuses Benavides of making a false statement by saying he learned through Wikipedia that the FBI was in possession of the laptop, and says Floris falsely claimed to have had no knowledge of Hunter Biden having been the subject of discussions at FITF.

“Lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law,” Patel said.

The case brings renewed attention to the work of the task force, which was established in the first Trump administration to police influence campaigns staged by Russia and other nations aimed at sowing discord, undermining democracy and spreading disinformation. The task force became a magnet of congressional Republican criticism in part because of the Hunter Biden investigation and was disbanded in February 2025 by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The Justice Department has made other splashy moves

As FBI director, Patel has presided over widespread firings of agents who were involved in investigations of Trump or who are perceived as being against the Republican administration's agenda.

He has also focused attention on years-old investigations like the Hunter Biden one that occurred before he became director and that have been the subject of grievances and complaints by Trump allies.

The Justice Department historically looks to avoid public and overt investigative acts in the direct lead-up to an election that involve candidates or that risk influencing a political outcome. But officials in the last two weeks have made a series of bold moves in cases with political undertones, including a search of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s house in an immigration fraud investigation and a corruption indictment unsealed Thursday against powerful Democratic Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas.

Omar and Lucas are both Trump critics. Omar, who's from Minnesota, has called the search of her Washington home an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” Lucas has said she won't be intimidated or bullied by the federal government in its case against her and “will not back down.”

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This story has been corrected to reflect that then-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe attested to the computer’s authenticity in a Fox Business Network interview, not in a letter to Congress, and that the FBI, under then-Director Chris Wray, subsequently told Congress in a letter that it had nothing to add to Ratcliffe’s public statement.

The crash happened around 12:28 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of South Laredo and Trinity Street.

Police said the driver of an SUV ran a red light and struck a Dodge Challenger.

A 31-year-old passenger in the SUV was transported to a hospital with injuries. The driver was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for DWI, police said.

There were no injuries reported in the Dodge Challenger, according to police.

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Infantino is seeking re-election next year in the face of attempts to force him to stand down following the divisive plan.

He infuriated soccer leaders in Europe, North America and Asia over the proposal to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary.

But in an interview released on Saturday with the BBC at the Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan, Infantino brushed off calls for him to step down.

“Well, you know, I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world," Infantino said. "I think what is important is that in an organization like FIFA there can be different views, different points of view.

“But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone, if we are serious about that, then we need to respect as well the views of the vast, vast majority.”

Infantino is standing for a final term in office in March. The deadline for opposition candidates is Nov. 18.

His latest comments came after he apologized to FIFA’s ruling council last week for “mistakes” in his secretive investment plan for the World Cup.

Despite his apology, European delegates said they left the meeting disappointed about what they saw as a lack of clarity.

On Friday, the Asian Football Confederation endorsed Infantino for another term in an apparent turnaround in its stance from two months ago when it criticized him for a breach of trust.

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

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Halloween candy sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared to the same period last year, according to NielsenIQ, a market research firm. Nielsen also noted an 11.7% decline in candy sales in mid-September, erasing the preseason gains that Halloween candy enjoyed the previous two years.

Chris Costagli, a vice president and food thought leader at NielsenIQ, said high gas prices have worsened Americans’ concerns about affordability, and that's dampening demand for Halloween treats. As of Friday, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. was $4.29, up nearly 40% from the prior year.

“I think what you’re seeing now is a consumer that’s spending so much additional money on fuel and housing and clothing and food,” Costagli said. “Some of the decisions they're making about Halloween candy, it’s not necessarily because, 'I notice it's more expensive than last year,' it's, ‘I can’t afford it this year because I've paid so much more for so many other things. I just don’t have the financial means to buy it this year.’”

Small bags of candy were the only sizes seeing sales growth through mid-October, Costagli noted. Large and extra-large bags were seeing the biggest declines.

U.S. candy prices have been climbing faster than the rate of inflation for several years. As of September, candy and gum prices were up 44% over a five-year period, according to government data. Prices for all food eaten at home rose 22.5% in the same period.

This week, discount grocer Aldi was advertising a 135-piece variety pack of Mars Inc. chocolate bars – including Milky Way, Trix and Snickers – for $19.87. That’s almost the same price consumers paid for a 250-piece variety pack five years ago.

Cocoa prices are the main culprit. Global cocoa prices reached a record high of $10,710 per metric ton in January 2025 because of poor weather in West Africa – which supplies 70% of the world’s chocolate -- and speculative trading in the cocoa futures market, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cocoa prices had been falling steadily since then, and hit $3,241 per metric ton in March. But they began climbing again in the spring as the Iran war disrupted Africa’s fertilizer supplies. The El Niño weather pattern is also expected to hurt production, with hot, dry conditions expected through February.

But Costagli noted that even in cases where prices are lower than last year, consumer demand is muted. The average price of non-chocolate Halloween candies, like gummies and lollipops, was $6.08 per pound in the nine weeks ending Oct. 17, which was about 3% lower than last year, according to Nielsen data. But that didn't lead to a bump in sales.

Sally Lyons Wyatt, a global executive vice president and food industry adviser for the market research company Circana, said one way U.S. consumers have been handling higher grocery prices is by making smaller and more frequent trips to the supermarket and buying products right before they intend to use them. That makes her wonder if shoppers are waiting until closer to Halloween to buy candy this year.

“People are very intentional and thoughtful about what they want to consume, not just for holidays, but in general,” she said. “I do believe we will still see softness overall with candy, but I don’t think Halloween is doomed.”

The National Confectioners Association, a trade group that represents candy makers like Mars, Smarties Candy Co. and Ferrara Candy Co., said it remains optimistic about Halloween sales.

“We are just now entering the peak period for Halloween and consumer enthusiasm remains incredibly strong,” the group said Friday in a statement.

Shiffrin led after the first run in Sölden, Austria, on the Rettenbach glacier. But her second run wasn't good enough and sent the Olympic slalom champion down to seventh.

When Shiffrin crossed the line, it was Moltzan who was left celebrating her first World Cup win at age 32.

“It feels like a fairy tale right now, pretty unreal,” Moltzan said.

For years Moltzan has been considered the second-best technical skier on the American team behind Shiffrin.

The Minnesota native grew up idolizing Lindsey Vonn, skiing on the same hill in Minnesota where Vonn learned to race. Both of her parents were ski instructors at Buck Hill, and Moltzan moved into the elite program led by Vonn’s former coach, Erich Sailer, when she was 12.

In February, Moltzan won an Olympic bronze medal in team combined at last season’s Milan Cortina Games with teammate Jacqueline Wiles. A year before that, Moltzan won bronze in giant slalom at the world championships. Otherwise, her career had been marked by near misses.

Lara Colturi of Albania was second on Saturday. Germany's Emma Aicher, who last season finished second to Shiffrin in the overall title standings, was third.

Shiffrin shifts focus this season

Shiffrin’s sixth World Cup overall title last season equaled the women’s record set in the 1970s by Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Pröll. But Shiffrin has called this campaign an “exploration season” in which she will reduce her slalom races and focus more on giant slalom and super-G.

The 31-year-old hasn’t won a giant slalom race in nearly three years, going back to December 2023, while her last super-G victory was in 2022.

Shiffrin used to race and win in all disciplines, but she had reduced her schedule in recent years after she endured terrifying crashes in a downhill in Cortina in early 2024 and a GS in Killington 10 months later. Her 22 career victories in giant slalom remain the women’s record, as are her 73 wins in slalom and 110 wins overall.

A men's giant slalom will be held at Sölden on Sunday.

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See AP’s full Alpine skiing coverage here

Officials in Washington, D.C., recently advanced a plan that could let computers fully control one of its subways, and Los Angeles is seeking to build a new, completely automated line. Honolulu already has one.

The Washington and LA projects, which would take years to implement and still face financial and technical hurdles, come amid an already fierce debate over the safety risks and benefits of automated trains and whether the substantial upfront expense is worth the long-term savings in labor costs.

Supporters call the push long overdue, pointing out that American cities lag far behind numerous places across the world that run unattended subways, metros or buses, including several cities in Europe and Asia, as well as major systems in Canada, Australia, South America and the Middle East.

“It should be much harder to automate something that’s on-road, that has all of these various obstacles coming at it, compared to a fixed-rail system,” said Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank that has advocated for transit automation. “I don’t know a nice way to say this, but basically the transit world is where innovation goes to die.”

Wide-scale transit automation has been slow to develop in the US

Only in recent years have on-road vehicles from such companies as Waymo,Tesla and Zoox taken the automation lead in the U.S. ahead of transit systems using a track. In fact, although operators have always been part of the Metro subway system in Washington, D.C., trains ran with some automated features when it opened 50 years ago. After a 2009 fatal crash, those were turned off, then restored over the past two years.

Now, officials in the nation's capital have renewed their push for automation on Metro's Red Line. And an environmental review is underway in Los Angeles for an automated track for a new underground line of its heavy-rail system that would cut through the rough terrain of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Honolulu is already running an elevated driverless line — the most expansive automated transit system in the U.S. It'll stretch 19 miles when completed, surpassing the elevated driverless trains Detroit and Miami opened as pilot projects in the 1980s, a monorail connecting hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, and smaller systems that carry passengers between airport terminals.

An automated monorail that once ran in Memphis, Tennessee, closed down years ago. And the driverless Jacksonville Skyway will indefinitely halt operations soon due to budget cuts, despite initial plans for an even larger automated system.

Crash slams the brakes on automation efforts

After nine people were killed and many others injured in the 2009 train collision near the Fort Totten station on the D.C. Red Line, the National Transportation Safety Board blamed the crash on a maintenance problem in the automated signaling system that separates trains from one another.

Randy Clarke, CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, pointed out in an interview with The Associated Press that the issue in Fort Totten had nothing to do with the cruise control-like system that was restored on the Red Line in 2024 and the other Metro lines last year. Still, he acknowledged that for many years the crash “paralyzed” Metro's plans for further automation.

“That was a big failure, there’s no question. We do not do anything like that now,” said Clarke, who called the current system “highly regulated, highly documented, very proficient.”

Trains could conceivably run without a human worker inside the cab as early as 2033 under the nearly $1 billion plan Metro's Board of Directors backed in April to upgrade the Red Line with safety features including protective barriers that prevent passengers from getting onto the tracks.

Clarke said that even if workers aren't needed to physically run the trains, they will be needed to maintain the tracks and respond to emergencies.

Unions have been critics of automation. John Samuelsen, a former worker in the New York subway system who now serves as international president of the Transport Workers Union, said unions have fought off automation efforts in New York and elsewhere, calling them “a catastrophe waiting to happen.”

“Passengers will be left dealing with a self-evacuation, which is a disaster in a system which runs on a third rail,” Samuelsen said.

Honolulu touts unblemished record with its automated Skyline

To alleviate massive traffic bottlenecks for commuters, Honolulu opened its Skyline automated light metro transit system three years ago and expanded it last year.

Vance Tsuda, the system's project director, said there hasn't been a single crash or injury associated with automation. Even hybrid systems are less safe than a completely automated one, he said, arguing that a human is far more likely to overlook something like an open door and prematurely clear a train for departure.

“If you have somebody making that decision, they could make a wrong decision,” Tsuda said.

But David King, an associate professor of urban planning at Arizona State University who has researched automated transportation, said the success rate has to remain perfect to keep the public trust. That's why the Fort Totten crash and others involving automation put the technology so far behind, he said.

“We allow a certain amount of failure with private industry that we don’t tolerate when the state does it,” said King, citing the several rockets blown up by Elon Musk's SpaceX — a record he argues would cripple NASA's budget if it happened in the public sector.

LA rolls out safety plans for a subway beneath the mountains

Perhaps the most ambitious transit automation effort being pursued in the U.S. is the subway line Los Angeles officials voted to recommend beneath the Santa Monica Mountains. The area is one of the most notorious traffic headaches in the country, with the mountains dividing the bustling Westside employment hub from the San Fernando Valley.

There's already a subway system under the same mountain range near Hollywood, but that one has a driver onboard. The new proposal, which is undergoing an environmental review, would use shorter, more frequent trains, said Cecily Way, who oversees planning for the Sepulveda Project for LA Metro.

Like the project in Washington, the new line in Los Angeles would feature station doors to protect passengers on the platform from oncoming trains.

Feigenbaum with the Reason Foundation said that automation of a major transit line such as in Los Angeles or Washington could open the floodgates for other cities to follow.

“It sends a signal that this is technologically doable and this is something that maybe other systems are going to want to strive for,” he said.

The league announced the closure to fans on Saturday morning through its “OnePass” app and it came a day after it said its pop-up NFL shop would also be shut Saturday — in both cases citing “potential accessibility issues.”

Security concerns have overshadowed the NFL's debut in Paris. The New Orleans Saints will play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Stade de France in the league's first-ever regular-season game in France.

Also Saturday, the Saints announced that “ Saints House has been postponed until Sunday.”

Events planned Saturday at NFL House included “French Athletes in Football” and “From the Field to the Community.”

“I was looking forward to just checking out some of the installations they had — they were going to have the Lombardi Trophy,” fan Nick Paiva said.

Museums closed

Major museums including the Louvre and Orsay Museum are closed Saturday, though tourists were lined up to enter Notre Dame Cathedral. French authorities are intent on preventing a repeat of recent violent unrest.

The U.S. State Department this week issued a security alert that cautioned “Americans in Paris for the NFL game” to “exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings” because of protests.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that preparations were made in consultation with U.S. and French authorities. Street protests, he said, “are not unusual in France.”

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Goodell along with Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owners Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace to “discuss Sunday’s game and the long-term future of the NFL in Paris.”

The NFL said Friday that its pop-up shop in the city center would be closed Saturday but that fans could use an alternative shop set up at Stade de France, located north of the city in Saint-Denis.

A weekend event for Steelers fans was canceled Thursday because of security concerns.

Fans react in Paris

Paiva, an American who lives in France, wanted to visit NFL House, where his partner, who is French, could learn more about the sport.

He had also expected to participate in the league’s activation called “Hail Mary over the Seine” in which you try to throw a football across the famed waterway, at a location near Notre Dame. Despite having registered, Paiva was told at the site that he needed to also have made a time-slot reservation.

“That was not communicated very well,” he said after being turned away. “C’est comme ca — it’s the way it is.”

French teenager Oskar Le Gall, wearing a Bryce Young jersey, was able to give it a shot. His throw came up a bit short. A worker on the other side stayed busy scooping balls out of the river using a long pole with a net attached.

Le Gall, who is from the Brittany region, said “the atmosphere of the NFL in Paris is amazing,” noting that French sports leagues and teams typically don't promote themselves that much.

Le Gall and his brother were keeping an eye on the planned path of the protests Saturday.

“It doesn't feel calm and good to be a tourist in Paris,” he said. “It's not good for the NFL.”

At one point during the Hail Mary event, 11 national police vans with their emergency lights flashing drove past on the street above as a fan got ready to throw a ball.

Fan groups staying informed

Steelers fan Monika Allen was able to avoid any protests thanks to advice posted on fan-led Facebook groups.

“The fans are doing a good job keeping each other informed of where to be and where not to be,” Allen said by the ‘Hail Mary’ event.

Her cousin, Viktor Toth, was wearing her Terry Bradshaw black-colored Steelers jersey.

“We're not worried,” she said. "My cousin is Hungarian, so he knows that the protests happen regularly in Paris."

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

They “came out of the woodwork” she said, and had stayed silent because it was well established that coming forward would be the end of a career they had worked so hard to achieve.

“Those were some of the hardest conversations to have," Cammack said. "And the stories were gut-wrenching."

This year's spike in House Ethics Committee investigations related to sexual misconduct prompted congressional leaders to set up a working group led by Cammack and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M. What they have found is disturbing, Cammack said.

Victims are unclear about where they can go for help. They do not trust there will be repercussions for the perpetrator. And the current requirements for reporting harassment can work against them, such as a 180-day “shot clock” for filing a claim after an alleged violation.

“It's a disaster," Cammack said. “The entire system on Capitol Hill is really designed to create a chilling effect for victims."

The task force is expected to release recommended changes after the Nov. 3 elections with a goal of taking action before the end of the year.

A deluge of ethics cases led to this moment

In a Congress that has generally struggled this year to do more than keep the federal government running, the House Ethics Committee has been caught in the middle of the some of the biggest stories coming out of Washington.

Three lawmakers resigned this year rather than face the prospect of an expulsion vote. Two of those cases involved alleged sexual misconduct. Another member was censured for his interactions with two female aides on his staff. Other investigations are ongoing.

Those stories emerged at a time when Congress was confronted by public outrage over the government's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. In the previous months, members of the Democratic Women's Caucus had multiple meetings with survivors who were pushing for the release of Epstein-related files at the Department of Justice.

In April, the Ethics Committee began an investigation into whether then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision. Swalwell would soon resign as colleagues called for his expulsion.

Similarly, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned as the committee investigated whether he had engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office. Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide.

Most recently, the committee recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., following an investigation that concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers in his office. The House went along with the recommendation by a vote of 413-2.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., is also the subject of a committee investigation that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct with a House staffer. Gomez said he would cooperate with the investigation but also stressed that his actions were consensual in nature and did not violate the law or House Ethics rules. He also apologized to his family and constituents.

The committee is also investigating whether Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., engaged in sexual misconduct or dating violence, among other allegations. Mills has denied the allegations and recently lost a Republican primary.

Lawmakers felt called to action

Cammack said that as stories began to surface about some of the cases before the committee, she and colleagues began talking about what they could do to “clean up the House.” She approached Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., about getting on board.

Johnson’s response, she said, was: “Well, good timing, because I was going to come to you and ask you to take this effort up.”

Leger Fernandez was also talking with Democratic leadership about reforms when Cammack reached out to her about working together.

“What was neat is on both sides of the aisle, the Democratic Women's Caucus and the Republican Women's Caucus were both saying there needs to be structural changes. We need to work together,” Leger Fernandez said.

The working group started with listening sessions that included lawmakers and staff. They also reached out to people in the military, corporate America and victims advocacy groups for advice on best practices. Cammack and Leger Fernandez held a packed-room meeting with staff in July.

Several ideas for reform are on the table

Congress has tried to address the issue of sexual harassment before.

It passed legislation in 2018 that among other things required lawmakers to reimburse the Treasury Department for awards and settlements related to sexual harassment cases. It also required that staff have access to a dedicated advocate who can guide them through the process of filing a claim with the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.

Some recommendations from the task force will involve changing House rules. Lawmakers are already banned from having sexual relationships with members of their own staff or their committees' staff. But the task force wants to expand the ban to include all congressional staff.

“If you are looking to advance your love life on Capitol Hill, you're there for the wrong reason, in my opinion,” said Cammack, who served as a congressional aide for several years before winning election to the House.

The working group is also seeking to streamline the reporting system for staff to report harassment. Many simply do not know where to go with a complaint.

“I call it a 911 for sexual harassment line that you can make one call and find out what all the alternative options might be for somebody,” Leger Fernandez said.

Another change could be to give alleged victims more time to file a complaint. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces antidiscrimination laws, also enforces a 180-day window for filing a complaint, but that can be extended to 300 days in cases covered by a state or local anti-discrimination law.

Increasing the time for filing a complaint would be an update to the Congressional Accountability Act, which requires Congress to follow many of the same employment laws that apply to the private sector. Updating current law would also require Senate buy-in, complicating prospects.

The working group is also looking to increase accountability for lawmakers and senior members of their staff who engage in harassment.

“The fact that we're still trying to insist that it is not OK to sexually abuse or harass women in 2026 is outrageous, and if you're a woman, is so incredibly frustrating and sad," Leger Fernandez said.

The new diplomatic push comes after more than 4½ years of fighting, bringing with it a surprise announcement on Friday: Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to a local ceasefire to allow aid next week into a stranded town in Ukraine's southern war-divided region of Kherson, following secret consultations between Melania Trump and civilian negotiators from Russia and Ukraine.

While the initiative raised hopes of similar humanitarian missions in the future, there were few indications that any of the key positions have shifted. Russia continues to demand Ukrainian territory it does not fully control, while Kyiv insists any agreement must include ironclad guarantees against another invasion.

Within hours of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he agreed “in principle” to restart talks, Russia launched a deadly barrage of ballistic missiles and drones on Kyiv. Moscow on the same day said it had destroyed more than 800 Ukrainian drones heading toward its cities.

Here’s a look at where the two countries stand as potential negotiations loom.

Peace talks likely in mid-November

U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff secured the latest commitment to talks after shuttling between Oslo, Norway, and St. Petersburg, Russia, this week to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin.

A new round of negotiations would be the fourth brokered by the Trump administration, following the most recent round in Geneva in February.

A Kremlin spokesman said that the next round of talks is likely to be held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, around mid-November. Western governments backing the peace initiative are seeking a new formula to break the impasse while acknowledging that territorial and security questions remain unresolved.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s ties with Zelenskyy, meanwhile, have sunk to a new low. Moscow has been bolstered by Trump’s deal for Russia to supply the U.S. with diesel and his recent rejection of new Russia sanctions.

Kyiv has been undermined by disruptions in satellite support for its drones after rejecting a call by the U.S. president to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Ukrainian leaders fear the moves will embolden Putin, giving him little incentive to compromise at the negotiating table.

As Trump increased pressure on Zelenskyy, accusing him of being an obstacle to peace, Witkoff secured the release of an American who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. The envoy described the Russian leader as a “humanitarian” at their meeting in St. Petersburg — a remark met with consternation in Ukraine.

The two sides are still far apart

While both sides back calls for new talks, Russia and Ukraine are still far apart on their terms for a settlement, while their armies remain locked on the battlefield and they pummel each other with daily long-range strikes.

Central to Russia’s demands is full control of four Ukrainian regions it illegally annexed months after the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in addition to Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine but has failed to capture all the territory in the regions over which it claims sovereignty.

In a long list of demands, Moscow also wants Ukraine to withdraw forces from all four annexed regions, renounce its bid to join NATO, reduce the size of its military and drop restrictions against the Russian language and a Moscow-affiliated branch of the Orthodox Church.

Speaking on state television late Thursday, Putin said Moscow remains "ready to negotiate and seek solutions to this difficult, complex situation,” before adding: “But if some prefer a different path, so be it. In any case, all the objectives of the special military operation will be achieved.”

Zelenskyy — who for months has publicly advocated for peace talks — argues that giving up land would leave Ukraine more vulnerable to future attacks. Kyiv views security guarantees as essential to prevent Russia from restarting the war in the future.

The Ukrainian president has reaffirmed support for a ceasefire that would freeze front-line positions, followed by talks on conditions for ending the war. Moscow has rejected a break in hostilities until a comprehensive agreement on its terms is reached.

Security guarantees remain unresolved

While Kyiv and Moscow have maintained limited contact to organize prisoner exchanges and the return of fallen soldiers, previous talks have made no progress on the security arrangements needed to sustain a peace deal.

Ukraine believes security guarantees backed by Western allies are essential to any future settlement, ideally in the form of NATO membership — an option Vladimir Putin has rejected. Ukraine expects to heavily rely on its own army as the main security guarantee with financial backing from its allies.

Other elements of security guarantees being discussed range from NATO membership, which the U.S. administration has currently ruled out, direct guarantees from the United States in what Zelenskyy has described as an “Article 5-like format” and backing by the European-led 30-country alliance known as the Coalition of the Willing.

Article 5 of the NATO charter contains the alliance's mutual-defense guarantee, which establishes that an attack on one is an attack on all.

“All of these guarantees are possible on the basis of a strong Ukrainian army — in terms of both numbers and quality — with clear funding, and not a small amount. Our colleagues in Europe and America know this,” Zelenskyy told reporters Thursday at a briefing.

Following the massive attacks on Kyiv and other cities this week, he argued that only increased Western pressure on Moscow would change its calculations about future peace talks.

“It is important to keep trying to find the right solutions to end this war,” Zelenskyy wrote in an online post. “But when Russia responds to negotiations with ballistic missiles, real pressure on Russia is needed to bring about different steps — steps toward ending the killing.”

In Evanston, Illinois, she helped turn that question into a $25,000 housing grant for Black residents whose families were harmed by discriminatory housing policies. Now, Rue Simmons is spreading the nation’s first municipal reparations program to more than 100 communities across the country.

But as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, there is a formidable hurdle: President Donald Trump's administration.

The administration’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and its broader efforts to curtail federal support for race-based initiatives and Black history, have prompted some institutions to reconsider or quietly scale back reparations work.

Those reversals come while at least part of the world community is reexamining the past. In March the U.N. General Assembly issued a resolution declaring the trafficking of millions of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations. More than 120 countries supported the resolution — only three voted against it — Argentina, Israel and the U.S. Fifty-two, including England and 27 members of the European Union, abstained.

“Under this administration, of course, there are many barriers to achieving that, but we still stand on federal redress as our collective north star,” Rue Simmons, the chairman of Evanston’s Reparations Committee and a former city councilwoman, told The Associated Press.

A city pushes forward

For more than three and half centuries, the trans-Atlantic slave trade forced an estimated 12.5 million Africans aboard ships bound for the Americas; some 1.8 million didn't survive the journey. Roughly 388,000 enslaved people were taken to what is now the U.S. and their enslavers maintained a system of chattel slavery, treating the enslaved and their children as property, until abolition in 1865.

Enslavement deprived generations of Black Americans their freedom and any meaningful share of the fruits of their labor. Jim Crow segregation, discrimination and systemic racism further depressed the Black population's ability to build wealth that is still largely concentrated among white families.

From the unfulfilled promise of 40 acres and a mule, to modern day reparations proposals, initiatives to address the legacy of slavery are entering a new era of political uncertainty.

“I don’t think that there’s been any president who’s been supportive of comprehensive Black reparations — for a long time it was just taboo to even speak the word," said William Darity, who wrote a book on reparations with A. Kirsten Mullen.

"Now, Trump will speak the word, but with hostility,” he added.

“They want to steal your money for reparations,” Trump told his supporters during a speech in September. "Our country doesn’t have that kind of money. ... The people that hate our country are asking for it, but it’s going nowhere.”

Marcus Anthony Hunter, a sociologist in African American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, said reparations are about atoning for the past crime of chattel slavery, even if some programs come in the form of housing grants or college scholarships instead of direct cash payments.

"It's not even a lot of money that they are given. But it comes back to the recognition, the acknowledgment, responsibility and remedy,” he said.

The Trump administration disagrees and has entered the legal fight in Evanston to stop it from happening.

Stopping plans before they start

The Republican administration's attacks on modern-day repayment efforts include a lawsuit in Evanston, which was initially filed by Judicial Watch.

Michael Bekesha, who represents the plaintiffs, says the Evanston program distributes funds based on race without specific harm identification. He argues the city's program is unlike historical reparations programs.

“The Constitution prohibits governments from picking winners and losers based entirely on race," Beshka told the AP.

The Justice Department this month received a federal judge's permission to intervene in the case, alleging that the city’s actions violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and the Fair Housing Act.

Last year, the Justice Department sent a letter of warning to leaders in Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, contemplating creating their own programs.

Kiersten Pels, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, said in a statement to the AP that “race-based government benefit programs are both unconstitutional and often violate federal civil rights laws."

"Those implementing these programs do so in violation of federal law and the federal government has an obligation to stop them,” she said.

The White House referred questions to the Justice Department.

What institutions are doing, and no longer doing

Georgetown University was one of the leaders, offering admission consideration for the descendants of enslaved people tied to the campus’ past, an effort that has continued despite Trump’s crackdown on campus DEI efforts.

But across higher education, new efforts have come to a standstill, said Richard Cellini, who previously led a Harvard University project to identify descendants of people enslaved by Harvard’s past leaders.

“People don’t want to talk about it, they don’t want to hear about it, they’re not hiring for it,” Cellini said.

At Harvard, Cellini's team identified nearly 500 living descendants of enslaved people tied to Harvard’s past. But just days after Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 and signed an anti-DEI order aimed at U.S. universities, Harvard fired the entire team.

Research by an outside company, American Ancestors, has continued. But Harvard has yet to provide redress to living descendants.

Harvard declined to comment for this story. The Education Department referred questions to the Justice Department.

Some Virginia universities have quietly been taking steps to provide scholarships to descendants, as required under a 2021 state law. But otherwise there has been no sign of new scholarship programs being started since Trump returned to office, said Kirt von Daacke, a University of Virginia historian who leads a consortium of colleges studying slavery.

“I don’t think there is any will to do anything that would threaten federal research dollars,” he said.

How descendants are using reparations

The Georgetown initiative focuses on descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown's Jesuit priests to slaveholders in Louisiana.

Juan Woolfolk, 36, one of the Georgetown descendants, is using the $10,000 scholarship he has received indirectly through a foundation set up for descendants to pursue a degree in museum studies at Southern University at New Orleans. He called it a “tremendous opportunity,” especially with the seeming attack on presenting the nation’s past accurately.

The Virginia Theological Seminary makes annual cash payments to the descendants whose family members labored on its campus during slavery and Jim Crow eras. The private institution's program is funded by an endowment started in 2019 that has grown from $1.7 million to $2.8 million. Payments to individuals vary based on the closest lineage to the family members and continue into perpetuity.

“We believe we’re the only educational institution in the United States which makes annual cash reparations payments” with no strings attached, said Nicky Burridge, the seminary’s spokeswoman.

“The moral repair, the healing aspect is as great as the monetary one,” said Ebonee Davis-Hayes, director of reparations.

In Evanston, Joe Martin, a 46-year-old reparations recipient who works as a Delta flight attendant, said he was pleasantly surprised with the program. The nation’s history has been to ignore the contributions of Black Americans helping “build America” or the terror they endured, he said.

Now, the Trump administration supports stopping the program he benefits from.

"We all know the history, 40 acres and a mule didn’t go down the way it was supposed to,” he said, and so someone establishes a program that’s legitimate and “the government’s like, naw.”

The shooting took place at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of the capital, Amman.

Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television showed two gunmen who appear to be holding pistols approaching the church and firing shots. A third man who appears to be holding a semiautomatic rifle then approaches and opens fire, and all three then run toward the church.

Video footage taken by witnesses shows broken glass and pools of blood on the floor of the church.

Dorgham Halasa, who was among the mourners inside the church, said intense gunfire erupted 15 minutes after the funeral had started, and then people started running. “It was a weird situation, and heavy gunfire,” Halasa said.

He did not see the gunmen, but said other people reported seeing four of them. The Associated Press could not independently verify the number of assailants, and Jordan’s security services did not immediately release details.

A government statement said that the attack was “carried out by unknown assailants,” but didn't say whether any gunmen were captured or killed. It said that “investigations are underway at full speed.”

Jordan declared three days of national mourning, according to the kingdom’s Petra News Agency.

Karak is home to a minority Christian population.

In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in Karak, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing 10 people, including seven officers, and wounding dozens. Jordanian security forces killed those gunmen after a long standoff.

Jordan’s Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of those wounded are in critical condition.

King Abdullah II said on X that Jordan “will confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties” and offered his “deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs, and our wishes for recovery to the wounded.”

Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said during a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening that the attack was a result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He said the assailants will be punished and legal measures taken against those who seek to introduce extremism.

Condemnation of the slayings came from around the region, including from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman.

Ahmed al-Tayeb in Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s foremost religious institution, offered his condolences to the families of victims in Friday’s shooting, calling it a “heinous terrorist attack.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein called his Jordanian counterpart and “affirmed Iraq’s solidarity with Jordan in the face of terrorism,” Hussein’s office said in a statement.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack during a funeral as “especially heinous,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “The secretary-general also calls for all those responsible to be found and to be held to account.”

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This story has been corrected to give the distance between Karak and Amman as 90 kilometers instead of 180.

Mesa and Jonathan Aranda were caught stealing in consecutive innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers scored twice in a two-pitch span when hard-hit balls deflected off the gloves of center fielder Jonny DeLuca and shortstop Taylor Walls in the first.

Milwaukee came away with a 3-2 victory Friday night, winning on the margins and taking advantage of the types of mistakes the Rays usually pounce on to beat opponents.

“Definitely have to be smart. We talked about that coming in,” Tampa Bay outfielder Chandler Simpson said. “They just played the game better than us today.”

DeLuca missed his attempt at a diving catch on Christian Yelich’s one-out drive in the first inning with Jackson Chourio on first base. Yelich hit an 0-2 cutter to the right-center gap and DeLuca sprinted 85 feet and sprawled. The ball bounced off his glove in front of the warning track and rolled away for a go-ahead triple.

“You can’t be perfect in this game,” DeLuca said. “You’re going to fail a lot more than you’re going to succeed.”

Rays manager Kevin Cash didn't view it as a failure.

“Jonny covered a lot of ground right there to even make that play close," he said. “Highlight-reel play.”

With the infield in, William Contreras lined the next pitch at 108.4 mph. The ball glanced off the webbing of Walls' glove and into left field for an RBI single and a 2-0 lead.

“We gave ourselves plenty of opportunities, put ourselves in really good positions to score runs, to prevent runs,” Walls said. “We had some good plays where we did prevent some, and then we had some that we were inches away from maybe saving a couple more.”

With the Rays trailing 2-1 after Liam Hicks' RBI groundout in the fourth, Mesa was caught stealing third for the final out of the fifth with slugger Yandy Díaz at the plate.

“Victor is really competing, trying to do something to make something happen, put a little pressure on the defense,” Cash said, “and it didn’t work in our favor.”

One inning later, Aranda was thrown out trying to swipe second as Simpson struck out on a low slider for an inning-ending double play.

“That’s on me, ultimately. So much trust in Chandler putting the ball in play,” Cash said. “But he had a pretty nasty pitch.”

Contreras, the Brewers' catcher, had an excellent 1.49-second pop time in throwing out Mesa.

“Not surprised by anything that he did, but that’s not going to change our aggressive approach, certainly on the bases,” Cash said.

In the seventh, reliever Steven Matz issued a leadoff walk to Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt after getting ahead 1-2 in the count. Pratt eventually came around to score a critical insurance run.

Tampa Bay went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position while Milwaukee was 2 for 8. The Rays led the major leagues with a .283 RISP average during the season and the Brewers were second at .276.

“They play the same type of game we play, so we know it’s going to be close, like today was, and we're expecting that all throughout the Series,” Simpson said. “We've got to continue to play our game the best that we can and we should come out on top most of the time.”

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Not quite yet.

What initially was ruled a game-ending double play got overturned after a video review showed Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt’s right foot was slightly off the bag when he reached to catch a high throw from second baseman Brice Turang.

No problem.

Megill regrouped and struck out Jonny DeLuca with two runners in scoring position as Milwaukee edged the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Friday night.

“It's good to get the first win out of the way,” Megill said. “That's where all the nerves are at. First game, a lot of anticipation and build-up to where we are right now."

The ninth inning was particularly nerve-racking for the Brewers and the sellout crowd attending Milwaukee’s first World Series game since 1982.

“You have a big range of emotions,” said team captain Christian Yelich, whose RBI triple in the first put the Brewers ahead for good. “It’s a big credit to Trev for locking back in right there and making some huge pitches after you have that emotional dump and then have to get back on it.”

Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 and hadn’t put a runner on since the sixth until it mounted its comeback attempt against Megill.

Jonathan Aranda, who went 3 for 3 with a walk, and Chandler Simpson hit consecutive one-out singles. A double steal involving pinch-runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson put runners on second and third before Junior Caminero walked on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to load the bases.

Liam Hicks hit a grounder to the right side, and Turang ranged well to his left to field the ball before throwing to Pratt to start what initially was called a 4-6-3 double play.

Fireworks went off, players poured onto the field and Milwaukee fans roared. But then the crowd hushed as it watched the play again on the videoboard.

“You've got to think worst-case scenario there,” Megill said. “I thought the challenge was at first base, maybe a bobble or something. But it was pretty clear once the replay went up that it was on the play at second base. Zoomed in and it didn't look good. It's all right. We picked up Cooper there. He'll pick us up tomorrow.”

The out call at second was changed to safe by umpire Alfonso Márquez at the MLB Replay Center, which caught Pratt by surprise.

“Obviously, it was close,” the 22-year-old rookie said. “I just didn't think it was enough to overturn, so I wasn't thinking anything of it. The video I saw, thought my cleat was dragging. ... There must have been some other angles that I haven't seen. It ultimately didn't matter because we won.”

The Brewers won because Megill got DeLuca to swing and miss at a 2-2 pitch, capping a night in which Tampa Bay went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

“This is an extremely confident group,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “You know that. We know that. They’re going to be fine. I think the frustration comes from we were one swing of the bat away right at the end of potentially taking the lead.”

The Game 1 winner has gone on to win the World Series 62.8% of the time.

This marks the first World Series featuring two teams seeking their first championship since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in six games. The only other major league clubs without a World Series title are the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners.

Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Nick Martinez. NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run and four hits over five innings to help the Brewers stay in front before relievers Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby shut down the Rays through the eighth.

Misiorowski, who had a season-low three strikeouts, opened the game with a 103.5 mph fastball — the fastest pitch ever thrown in a World Series.

“The adrenaline kind of took over, and I tensed up and threw it hard,” said Misiorowski, who earned the win. “Then I settled down, and that was the game plan, to settle in and do me. Don’t try and overdo it.”

Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio and William Contreras each had two hits, including an RBI single. Contreras also threw out two runners trying to steal.

Tampa Bay managed to hang around thanks in part to Martinez, who gave up those two runs in the first but held Milwaukee scoreless through the rest of his five-inning stint. The Brewers added an insurance run in the seventh when Chourio singled home Pratt.

Then came all the action in the ninth, with the Brewers' premature celebration followed by a team-wide sigh of relief as Pratt offered some parting words to Megill.

“I just said, ‘Thank you, man. Thanks for picking me up,’” Pratt said. “That’s what this game is. It's a game of pick-me-up. He picked me up today.”

Up next

Drew Rasmussen (16-5, 2.67 ERA) pitches for Tampa Bay and Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47) starts for Milwaukee in Game 2 on Saturday night. In this postseason, Rasmussen is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and Henderson is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

“I had so much adrenaline built up,” he said.

He threw a pitch the likes of which had never been seen in the Fall Classic.

The Miz broke the World Series velocity record with his very first delivery, a 103.5 mph fastball to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz that was taken high out of the strike zone for a ball. He allowed one run over five innings to get his first postseason win as a starter, helping the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 victory in Friday night’s opener.

“I don’t even know how to tell you how I felt,” the 24-year-old right-hander said a half-hour after the end of a crazy ninth inning, prolonged by a game-extending video review. “I still don’t know how I felt. I feel like I’m still trying to take everything in and understand what happened.”

Misiorowski gave up four hits and one walk, striking out a season-low three.

Aroldis Chapman of the Chicago Cubs had the previous mark for fastest Series pitch at 103.2 mph in the ninth inning of Game 2 in 2016, an offering that resulted in a groundout to second by Cleveland’s Coco Crisp. The previous high by a Series starting pitcher since tracking began in 2008 was 101.1 mph by the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard to Kansas City’s Ben Zobrist that was taken for a ball in the first inning of Game 3 in 2015.

Miz reached 100 mph with 38 pitches, topping the previous Series high of 24 by Chapman in Game 5 of 2016. The most by a starting pitcher in the Series had been six by Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow in the 2020 opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tampa Bay scored in the fourth when Jonathan Aranda walked, took third on Junior Caminero’s double over center fielder Garrett Mitchell and came around on Liam Hicks’ grounder to first baseman Jake Bauers.

Nearing the end of his first full major league season, Misiorowski has reached 100 mph with 134 of 260 postseason pitches. But his spin rate was down, a sign of a season in which he has pitched 188 innings — up from 141 1/3 innings last year. And he got just seven swings and misses, five on his fastball.

Tampa Bay batters fouled off 20 of his 78 pitches and tipped another.

During the regular season, Misiorowski reached 100 mph with 1,115 pitches, including a high of 105.5 mph to the Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 27.

“What we’re used to seeing in the regular season was Miz just mow through people and have two strikeouts an inning. That’s unrealistic,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “This is the best team in the American League.”

Miz's first pitch was so fast the scoreboard at American Family Field couldn't keep up, flashing 103.4 mph — one-tenth of a mile less than it registered on MLB’s Statcast system.

“He’s such a special pitcher,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I felt like for him to be out of the game at five innings, there’s a small win in that.”

Misiorowski threw fastballs on 10 of his first 12 pitches, then mixed in more offspeed stuff. In all he tossed 48 fastballs, 17 cutters, seven sliders and six curveballs.

Miz finished with 30 pitches at 101 mph or higher, 11 of 102 mph or more and three at 103-plus mph.

Warming up in the bullpen, he couldn't take in the introductions before Milwaukee's first World Series game in 44 years. He thought about how far he had come, how he was at Double-A Biloxi two years ago.

“It was crazy," he said. “It’s everything I dreamed of.”

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Fred VanVleet made two free throws for the final points after Thompson turned away the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama in the lane as the Rockets started their season with two victories.

Kevin Durant had 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a homecoming game for the former University of Texas star. Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Wembanyama had 25 points and 13 rebounds but San Antonio fell to 0-2. He banked in a long 3-pointer on the possession before the 6-7 Thompson’s block, but it didn’t count because Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had called timeout with 5 seconds left before Wembanyama released the ball.

Alperen Sengun scored 29 points, including eight straight in the fourth quarter, for the Rockets. The 6-11, 243-pound Sengun muscled his way inside to create layups and free throws.

The Spurs consider Austin part of a mega region that they’ve cultivated for several years. They have played games here every season since 2022-23, a total of nine. Two more are scheduled for February.

Though it was a Spurs home game, Durant had his share of fans. He was national college player of the year for Texas in 2006-07. Durant made a critical 3-point shot with 1:34 remaining.

Dylan Harper had 20 points, including a driving dunk that left the Spurs trailing by two with 46 seconds left.

VanVleet made a long 3-pointer just ahead of the halftime buzzer to tie the game at 59. Before that, the Spurs scored nine points in three possessions starting at the 1:21 mark. Wembanyama made a three-point play inside, Julian Champagnie hit a corner 3, and Wembanyama elevated to convert a pass from Stephon Castle into dunk while getting fouled.

Up next

Rockets: At Atlanta on Saturday night.

Spurs: At Dallas on Saturday night.

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Now it's unclear whether the Dallas star will miss any more time.

Last season's NBA Rookie of the Year did not play in the second half of Dallas' 121-105 victory Friday night over the Indiana Pacers after landing hard on his left shoulder after Aaron Nesmith tried to block his shot from behind to prevent a breakaway dunk.

Instead, Flagg landed hard on his shoulder.

“Cooper has left shoulder soreness, he'll be evaluated in the next couple of days,” Mavericks coach Dusty May said before addressing whether Flagg needed an MRI. “I really don't know. I saw him in the locker room, he's in good spirits. We'll know in the next couple days what's next.”

Flagg did not speak to reporters following the game.

He was off to a fast start in his second pro season. Two days after scoring 32 points to become the highest scoring teenager in a season opener in league history, Flagg was on pace for his first triple double of the season. He finished with 14 points, five rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes.

But it was how he left that had everyone talking and scuffling as Mavericks players came to the defense of their hurting teammate.

Forward Naji Marshall confronted Nesmith under the basket, drawing players from both teams into a brief fray. After a replay review, the refs assessed double technical fouls to Nesmith and Marshall. Flagg then made 1 of 2 free throws and continued to rub his shoulder as he walked toward the locker room.

Two Mavericks players also appeared to leave the bench though May said he thought both went to check on Flagg, perhaps avoiding any disciplinary action from the league.

“Look, Nesmith is a great guy, a heck of a player. I've known him since he was in high school," said May, who reached two NCAA Final Fours and won last year's national championship just a few blocks away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “Obviously, an unfortunate play. Hopefully, Coop's fine.”

Another brief scuffle broke out between the teams near midcourt in the second half though it led to technicals or flagrant fouls. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle noted that Indiana has now played two games that have resulted in multiple scuffles.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Vance had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (177 kph) as it churned about 385 miles (620 kilometers) south-southwest of Acapulco, according to an advisory from the Miami-based hurricane center.

The storm was nearing major hurricane strength, the center said, though gradual weakening was expected to start by Saturday.

The hurricane's outer bands were already funneling gale-force winds and rough seas into Mexico's Gulf of Tehuantepec, the center said.

It’s been an intense hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean, with storms spawning in assembly-line fashion near Hawaii and Mexico as El Niño conditions worsened by global warming create unusual weather, like this week's severe flooding and tornadoes hitting the southwestern United States and the prolonged drought in Central America's Dry Corridor.

Vance would be the seventh major hurricane in a row this year in the Pacific, following Nolo, Odalys, Polo, Rachel, Simon and Trudy. The World Meteorological Organization's Hurricane Committee doesn't use less common names beginning with Q and U.

—-

This story has been corrected to remove an erroneous reference to storm names beginning with X, Y and Z.

• COMFORTABLY WARM: Highs in the low to mid 80s
• QUIET WEEKEND: Just thicker high clouds by Sunday
• RAIN NEXT WEEK: Small shot Tuesday, better odds late next week

FORECAST

QUIET & PLEASANT WEEKEND

The weekend will feature more cloud cover especially on Sunday, but it’ll be rain-free. Some brief, patchy morning fog will be possible both days. Once again, we’ll see highs in the 80s.

RAIN CHANCES RETURN

Next week gets a bit more complicated. A weak system could generate a few light showers on Tuesday. Wednesday and beyond will hinge on what unfolds out west. A developing storm system could tap into Pacific moisture and bring more robust rain chances by Thursday and Friday. As of now, rain chances are trending less likely for Halloween, but a lot can change between now and then, so check back for updates.

QUICK WEATHER LINKS

• WATCH LIVE: Doppler Radar
• Hourly and 10-Day Forecast
• Download FREE KSAT Weather Authority App: Up-to-date forecast information and livestreams from trusted local meteorologists.
• KSAT Connect: Share your weather photos.

The force of the helicopter blades pummeled the water, whipping up spray and turbulence. The Coast Guard rescue swimmer couldn’t hear anything over the noise or see anything in the darkness. Waves of 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) hit him.

All he could do was follow the searchlight from the helicopter with the hope it would lead him to the more than two dozen people flung into the cold waters some 140 miles (225 kilometers) off the coast of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. He would personally rescue 16 of them.

“I was experiencing exhaustion at that point," Law, 24, told The Associated Press in his first interview since the rescue. "We had very little sleep. But what I was experiencing was nothing compared to what they were at that point ... I just had to keep that in mind.”

Over the next two hours in the predawn hours of Oct. 16, Law was the sole person in the water who would get the people whose boat had capsized to safety. Eleven others were never found. The Coast Guard called off its search late Sunday.

Law described the dramatic operation to save lives along a remote route frequented by migrant smuggling boats. What the boat was doing out there and where it originated from are part of a federal investigation. It was unclear if the vessel got lost, had engine failure, was swept out to sea or meant to go that far. Only pieces of the boat were found. All who were rescued are Mexican, the Mexican consulate said.

The Coast Guard said U.S. Customs and Border Protection was investigating and interviewing the survivors, but the agency did not respond to multiple inquiries on whether the vessel was a migrant smuggling boat.

The alarm sounded, awakening the Coast Guard crew

The mayday call came in around 1 a.m.

Someone said their boat was sinking in the middle of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico.

Within minutes, the alarm sounded at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Ventura, northwest of Los Angeles, rousing Law and his colleagues from their sleep.

Helicopter pilot Lt. Miyako Miller checked flying conditions and planned the flight route that would take the crew of four over the vast ocean south of the U.S. border.

Law prepared his dry suit, fins and medical items, then put on a harness that would be hooked onto a cable to lower him down from the aircraft into the ocean.

By 2 a.m., they were taking off from the Coast Guard station in Ventura.

Pilot says she was guided by the stars

Miller wore night vision goggles to help her fly in the dark. She said she relied on the stars, with no moonlight that night.

As the crew approached the reported location of the sinking, Miller spotted a tiny flicker of light in the distance.

Then she spotted what looked like debris floating in the water, but it was difficult to distinguish what it was. Miller carefully navigated the helicopter over the area, lowering the aircraft until it was hovering about 40 feet (12 meters) above the water.

“I’m doing my best to maintain my references externally by looking outside through the night vision goggles," Miller said, adding that meanwhile “the flight mechanic is telling me where to position the helicopter.”

Some 250 miles (400 kilometers) southwest of Ensenada, Mexico, is Guadalupe Island, a biosphere reserve that is well known as a place brimming with great white sharks.

Law said he didn’t think about what was in the water as he hooked himself to a cable and zipped into the ocean, strapped in a harness.

There was no time to waste. While Law’s dry suit provided some warmth, he knew the others had already spent hours in hypothermic temperature waters.

Law said he was guided by a searchlight from the crew, which allowed him to catch a glimpse of the people in the water.

They were scattered across a wide area. Some were wearing life vests that had tiny lights that produced the flicker first spotted by Miller. Others clung onto one another, buoys and pieces of wreckage, shivering and treading water to stay afloat.

Law said he swam to them, flipped them on their backs, put his arm over them and pulled them up using the “buddy tow” technique. Kicking his legs to swim, he carried them to the spot where he could signal the flight mechanic to lower a basket for them to be picked up.

“With one hand, I’m holding the survivor. With the other, I am signaling to the helicopter and working with the device,” he said.

He placed them into the basket, one by one. Then it was hoisted up repeatedly to the helicopter where the crew got each person into the aircraft before lowering the basket again.

Law’s dry suit slowly filled up to his knees with water, feeling like weights pulling on him as he battled heavy waves while swimming back and forth.

With little fuel, the crew flew to San Diego where ambulances waited

With a packed helicopter and dwindling fuel, the crew decided to head to the Coast Guard station in San Diego where ambulances were waiting.

On the flight, Law treated three people with what he described as “bad” wounds, staunching the bleeding. Several of the injuries were “consistent with shark bites" and the Coast Guard provided life-saving first aid, the agency said in a statement Saturday.

Customs and Border Protection officers went to a hospital and said they would process the survivors according to immigration laws after they were medically cleared. Nearly half of those rescued have since been returned to Mexico, U.S. officials said.

Law and his crew returned to Ventura that morning — it was by far the longest rescue operation he had ever done, he said.

The search for the 11 others continued for another two days to no avail. The Coast Guard, alongside Mexico and the U.S. Navy, searched more than 2,441 square miles (6,322 square kilometers) for a combined 89 hours.

Migrants are increasingly turning to the risky alternative offered by smugglers to travel by sea to avoid heavily guarded land borders. Small boats called pangas leave Baja at night and sometimes travel hundreds of miles (kilometers) north.

The suspect was arrested soon after the shooting, and France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office took charge of the case. President Emmanuel Macron said it was “a racist terror attack“ and that the suspect's statements suggested it was premeditated.

"These people were targeted because of their skin color or perceived religion, and for no other reason," Macron said following a meeting with officials and residents in the suburb of Trappes, west of Paris. “There is no place for this in France."

The shootings took place over the course of about 15 minutes at three separate locations in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, a suburban area about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Paris, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. One person died and five were wounded, three of them with life-threatening injuries, he said.

“A deadly rampage took place this morning,” Nuñez told reporters in Trappes.

The suspect, who was arrested by police less than 20 minutes after he first started shooting, has been identified only as Kévin T., born in 1987, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office said. Authorities did not disclose the man's last name.

His criminal record shows four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged under French law, the statement said.

A search of his car uncovered a Sten-type submachine gun and a canister of tear gas, and investigators found his apartment had been booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and electrical wires connected to a timer, according to the Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office.

Another person, a member of the suspect’s immediate family, also was taken into police custody during the afternoon, it said.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's office said the person who died was a French man born in 2000. The medical condition of the people injured had not yet stabilized on Friday evening, it said.

Nuñez praised the five officers from the anti-crime brigade who stopped the suspect. “I commend them for their swift response,” he said.

Aurore Bergé, the minister for gender equality and the fight against discrimination, said the 12-year-old girl was very seriously injured.

"If a racist motive is established, I hope that the whole nation will stand alongside the residents of Trappes, La Verrière, and the victims. We cannot tolerate even the slightest racist remark in the French Republic,” she said.

Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman appeared to have fired relatively randomly, targeting passersby at several locations including a playground, possibly because of their apparent African origin.

“This is probably one of the first attempted mass killings motivated by Islamophobia and racism,” he told reporters.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office said it opened a criminal investigation into several offenses, including “murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise with the aggravating circumstance that the act was committed on account of the victim’s actual or perceived membership of a particular race, ethnic group, nationality or religion.”

The shooting happened as France braces for another day of protests against the high cost of living on Saturday, with major museums closing their doors and the government deploying a significantly larger security presence to prevent a repeat of last week’s violent unrest, which shocked the country.

___

Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

“I'm the one that said do it,” Trump told reporters as he landed for a campaign rally in Florida.

The lawsuit, filed late Thursday, centers on one of the president's longstanding complaints in the Senate race — the presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, who Republicans fear could siphon away votes from the incumbent in what's likely to be a photo-finish contest with Democrat Mary Peltola, the state's former congresswoman.

The second Sullivan, who is Daniel J. Sullivan from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg, has said he decided to run on his own, but Republicans have contended he is a Democratic plant to siphon votes away from their candidate.

The lawsuit by the Republican president's Department of Justice in federal court in Alaska demands that the state be blocked from certifying a Peltola win if Daniel J. Sullivan remains on the ballot. “The United States accordingly brings this lawsuit to protect the integrity of the 2026 Senate election in Alaska,” the lawsuit says.

The legal challenge came 11 days before the Nov. 3 election and months after the final ballot was set. It is the latest example of the Department of Justice bolstering Trump's political operation, targeting his enemies and suing Democratic-controlled states before the election.

At a forum in Anchorage Friday night, Peltola called the lawsuit “just flagrant, flagrant corruption in my opinion." She told reporters that the legal fight was “another diversion from the issue that Alaskans want to talk about, which is affordability” and an example of how her Republican opponent was "using his connections in Washington, D.C., to manipulate the situation.”

“I am very concerned about Alaskans' voices not being heard,” Peltola said.

Democrats and many voting rights advocates have long feared that the administration will try to block certification of elections that Trump’s party loses, much as he unsuccessfully tried to do when he lost the 2020 White House race to Democrat Joe Biden.

The Alaska Supreme Court rejected a previous Republican effort to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot, and the state's Republican officials made the decisions about how to list him on the ballot. He will appear without a party designation next to his name, while the senator will be listed as the Republican incumbent. Alaska's ranked choice voting system also will allow voters to select both of the men if confused.

Alaska’s other Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski, alluded to that in a social media post criticizing the lawsuit. “Alaskans don’t need any help voting for their preferred candidates, and the State of Alaska has already handled this by clearly distinguishing the candidates on this year’s ballot,” wrote Murkowski, who has endorsed the incumbent Sullivan. “The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit.”

Peltola and Sen. Sullivan were top vote-getters in nonpartisan primary

The senator received more than 68,000 votes in the August primary, while the challenging Sullivan got 4,107, about 2% of the total vote. Peltola, who had previously served one term in the House, was the top vote-getter in the nonpartisan primary. Both parties expect that whoever wins in November will do so by a tight margin in a state of 738,000 people.

The campaign for Sen. Dan Sullivan did not address whether the senator supports the Department of Justice's intervention. “We'll let the DOJ complaint run its course,” campaign spokesman Nate Adams said in a text message. “Alaskans can tell the difference between a Democrat sideshow and Senator Sullivan's strong record of delivering for Alaska.”

Daniel J. Sullivan, whose presence on the ballot is at issue in the lawsuit, did not respond to a request for comment.

“Donald Trump knows that Dan Sullivan is going to lose the election, so now his Department of Justice is filing a sham lawsuit to overturn the will of Alaska voters and steal an election when he loses,” said Devan Barber, executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

In a statement Friday, the Department of Justice noted that Alaska's election officials, who are Republicans, determined the other Sullivan's campaign was an attempt to “mislead” voters and wanted him removed from the ballot. Both a state court and Alaska's Supreme Court disagreed and kept the second Sullivan on the ballot.

"The Justice Department, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters,” the department's statement said.

Concerns about the Department of Justice's role in the election had already reached a fever pitch this month after it filed an unusual, last-minute lawsuit demanding California segregate ballots from 20,000 voters who the Trump administration believed could be noncitizens. California said that it appeared many of those identified were indeed citizens and that they had no time to carefully investigate, as the administration threatened to prosecute the state's election workers if there was illegal voting.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche denied the action was a prelude to challenging certification of the midterm results in that state, adding that such a move may happen under a “doomsday” scenario but was unlikely.

“It is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention to, improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process," he told reporters Thursday in Virginia before the Alaska lawsuit was filed.

The lawsuit was signed by Associate U.S. Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump allies and Jan. 6 defendants before becoming one of the top appointees at the department.

Constitution gives states the power to run elections

Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the lawsuit would likely only kick in if Republicans narrowly lose the Alaska Senate race and that it probably would not survive long. “The statute simply doesn't let the Department of Justice enjoin certification,” Muller said. “The lawsuit could well be mooted by a wide Democratic victory or a narrow Republican one, and if not, the court will likely dismiss it next month.”

The U.S. Constitution grants states the power to run their own elections. Elections for federal office like the Senate must comply with standards set by Congress. That division of power has frustrated Trump, who repeatedly has tried to seize control of election procedures through executive orders that courts have blocked.

The final step for a state election is formally certifying the winner, the act that the administration's lawsuit seeks to prevent, it requests, “pending an investigation to determine whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant to be cast for Senator Sullivan."

The process in Alaska is complicated by the state's ranked choice voting system, which Trump opposes, and many expect it to take weeks before a winner is known. Also on the state's ballot is an initiative to repeal that system.

Trump has stepped up complaints about a ballot with dueling Sullivans

Trump has complained about Daniel J. Sullivan's presence on the ballot, making reference to it during a rally in Alaska this month and in repeated social media posts, including one this week where he called it “CHEATING.”

“We are looking at powerful legal options to remove the fraudulent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. from the Ballot, and holding the Democrats accountable for their Election Interference, in the pursuit of Justice and Fairness,” the president wrote on Wednesday.

Clogging a ballot with third-party candidates to siphon off votes from the other major party is a long-standing tactic in the country's two-party system. Republicans have been linked to an effort to persuade Ohio voters to support a socialist in that state's Senate race, which could help Republican Sen. Jon Husted fend off a challenge from former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

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Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, Haven Daley in Anchorage, Alaska, Ali Swenson in New York and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

With the backing of Vice President JD Vance and at President Donald Trump's urging, Ramaswamy has continued a $4 million campaign to air the ad on streaming platforms and TV. During stops on the tour Friday, he defended it against criticism that he characterized as concocted by Democrats and the news media.

“The irony is they’re lying about an ad that is about lying,” he told a crowd in suburban Cleveland Friday morning. “They’re changing the subject because they don’t want to answer for their own failures.”

The 60-second spot features Acton's mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter “a liar” who “needs help” due to a “a serious problem” being honest about her past. But Arthur hasn't seen her daughter in nearly 50 years. She lost custody of her children after her husband, the children’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12. Acton, Ohio's former state health director, says she hasn't seen her mother since 1978.

By Friday, every living full-term governor of Ohio — two Democrats and three Republicans — had spoken out against the ad. GOP former Gov. Bob Taft told Marion radio show host Scott Spears that his great-grandfather, President William Howard Taft, “is probably rolling over in his grave” at the negativity of this year's elections.

He urged Ramaswamy to cease airing the ad, as another fellow Republican, Gov. Mike DeWine, had done a day earlier. “It really exceeds the bounds of human decency,” he said.

Sen. Husted forced to navigate GOP feuding

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted — who, like Ramaswamy, is locked in an unexpectedly tight race against his Democratic opponent, former Sen. Sherrod Brown — shared a stage with Vance on Wednesday without mentioning the controversial ad, and then issued a statement shortly afterward saying he would not have run it. Other statewide candidates have drawn the same careful line, without raising the issue when on the same stage with Ramaswamy.

Husted, whose name is emblazoned on the side of the bus along with all the other statewide candidates, did not participate in the first two stops of the tour Friday. His campaign said he had scheduling conflicts.

The difference of opinion with Ramaswamy over the ad is not the first awkward Republican family feud Husted has had to navigate this cycle, as he works to retain the seat won by Vance in 2022.

In August, Husted called on GOP U.S. Rep. Max Miller to resign and drop out as the northeast Ohio congressman faces a congressional ethics investigation related to domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife. Husted's decision came after Miller's former father-in-law, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, also a Republican, said his daughter's former husband was not fit to hold elected office.

Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker and local councilman seeking to unseat Miller, has used Moreno's interview about Miller in attack ads against his Republican opponent. Meanwhile, Miller was quoted in The Wall Street Journal blasting Husted — fighting for one of the GOP's most critical Senate seats of the cycle — as “as smart as a box of rocks” and “as entertaining as a two-by-four.”

At a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday, Trump told the crowd Ramaswamy called him to ask for advice about the ad.

“You’ve got to ride with it,” Trump recalled telling Ramaswamy, a former 2024 presidential candidate. Trump expressed jealousy that he didn’t have such a strong ad to run during his own campaigns. He said it was like “hitting pay dirt.”

Acton has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. She has condemned Ramaswamy for the ad.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about.” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton’s biological father reported him to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.

Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.

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Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pa.

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An earlier version of this story said Max Miller is the former husband of Bernie Moreno’s wife. Miller is the former husband of Moreno’s daughter.

A criminal complaint, provided by a U.S. Immigration Enforcement and Customs spokesperson, states Ronald Garibay faces a drug possession with intent to distribute charge. The federal document was signed by a Homeland Security Investigations special agent on Friday.

Garibay, 54, was arrested around 6 a.m. at his home in the 300 block of Alicia Avenue. HSI agents, San Antonio police and the department’s high-intensity drug trafficking area unit responded to the narcotics call.

The special agent said Garibay was seen walking into a shed in his backyard to grab a gallon-sized bag with a white powdery substance inside. The federal document states he threw the bag over his fence.

Authorities tested the bag for drugs and the special agent said the powder was cocaine. A total of 295.7 grams of cocaine was taken form Garibay’s home, according to the complaint.

Garibay spoke with authorities and told them he paid $2,000 for the drugs on Monday after a unidentified man came to his restaurant off Culebra Road to ask if he “needed anything.” According to the complaint, the unidentified man later gave him cocaine.

Garibay also told the special agent he’s sold cocaine before. The complaint said he hid cocaine near a light pole in his backyard.

“He stated that, when selling cocaine, he would retrieve a scale from the nightstand in his bedroom and use it to weigh the substance before distribution,” the special agent wrote in the complaint.

Garibay allowed authorities to search his restaurant RJ’s Snack Shack, located down the street from St. Mary’s University, to continue the investigation.

Bexar County property records indicate Garibay is listed as the owner of the restaurant.

During the search, investigators recovered an additional 46.8 grams of cocaine from RJ’s Snack Shack.

HSI authorities told KSAT that Garibay is expected to appear in federal court Friday.

Read also:

• San Antonio man facing four different charges including murder has all cases dismissed
• Dead pests, rodent droppings and dirty hands: San Antonio restaurant shut down after 27 issues flagged

The Texas Department of Public Safety said the three businesses, located in the Live Oak and Universal City areas, were searched on Thursday. The parlors were not named in the news release.

Six women aged from their late 30s to 50s were rescued, DPS said.

Investigators with DPS believe the parlors engaged in human trafficking.

However, the release said there were no arrests made during the search. The investigation remains ongoing.

Read also:

• Restaurant owner federally charged after authorities allegedly find drugs at West Side business, home
• San Antonio could have under 100 homicides for first time since 2015

In Jordan, gunmen opened fire inside a church, killing seven people and wounding 40.

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

Israel conducts searches in Hebron area where gunmen had operated

Israel’s military said that, in response to the killing of two soldiers and wounding of others in the West Bank earlier that day, its forces had begun “conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches” in the area of Hebron from which the two gunmen had operated.

It added in a statement late Friday that this operation was expected to continue for several days, and all residents living in the area will only be able to leave through three designated exit points following “questioning and security screening.”

The army said it has started demolishing infrastructure that poses a “threat” and that its soldiers continue operating across the West Bank.

Earlier Friday, Israel’s prime minister’s office said it had ordered the army to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank. The prime minister’s office said it had instructed the army to close off the occupied West Bank, where the shooting occurred.

Israel's army says it killed 2 gunmen who killed soldiers

Israel’s military said its soldiers shot and killed two men who had launched an attack near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning. Two soldiers were killed and three others lightly wounded in the attack.

The army said it prevented a “terror attack against Israeli civilians” and that the gunmen had an M16 rifle and a handgun.

Following the attack, Israel's prime minister's office said it had ordered the army to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank.

The prime minister’s office said it had instructed the army to close off the occupied West Bank, where the shooting occurred.

US to reduce staffing at four Mideast embassies as fears of Houthi attacks rise

The State Department is reducing staff at four U.S. embassies in the Middle East after receiving intelligence that Iran has stepped up efforts to target American personnel in the region and elsewhere.

In a memo sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said his teams “have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel.”

“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” Clayton wrote.

The memo was obtained by The Associated Press and reported earlier by Axios. Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that the memo was sent to Rubio in his capacity as secretary of state and national security adviser.

The memo emerged shortly after the State Department announced it is reducing staff at the U.S. embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The three officials said the threats from Iran and Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are related to the staffing changes.

— By Matthew Lee

Churchgoers in Jordan attacked during funeral

In Jordan, gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church Friday, killing seven people and wounding 40 others, authorities said.

The shooting took place at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, home to a minority Christian population, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of the capital Amman.

Jordan’s Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said that two of those wounded are in critical condition.

Images being broadcast on Jordanian state television show two gunmen who appear to be holding pistols approaching the church and firing shots. A third man who appears to be holding a semiautomatic rifle then approaches and opens fire, and all three then run toward the church.

A government statement said that the attack was “carried out by unknown assailants,” but didn’t say whether any gunmen were captured or killed. It said that “investigations are underway at full speed.”

In 2016, Islamic State militants launched an attack on the Karak Castle, a popular tourist site, killing 14 people, including a Canadian tourist. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attack.

Arab parties ask Israel’s top court to bar armed poll observers

Arab political parties running in Israel’s national election have asked the Supreme Court to ban partisan election observers from carrying guns at polling stations.

The petition, filed Thursday with the Israel-based legal group Adalah, said the ban was essential to protecting public safety and ensuring a free and fair election on Tuesday.

It followed announcements by Jewish parties led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that they planned to send about 2,000 election observers to Arab neighborhoods, citing allegations of voter fraud.

Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel’s population. Arab-led parties could prove decisive in the upcoming election, the first since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, if Jewish parties are willing to join them in a governing coalition.

Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 3

Strikes by Israel’s army killed three people on Friday in southern Gaza and Gaza City, according to local health officials.

The first strike in southern Gaza killed one person. Israel’s military said it targeted a Hamas militant.

The second strike killed two people in Gaza City, but Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the strike.

Grieving relatives of the two people killed in Gaza City gathered in the courtyard of the Shifa hospital, where the casualties were taken.

More than 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025, according to the territory’s health ministry. The ministry maintains detailed records and is regarded as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Part of the Hamas-run government, the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up nearly half of those killed.

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

Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, through 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, both northbound and southbound U.S. Highway 281 main lanes and frontage roads at Loop 1604 will be closed.

In a Facebook post, the Texas Department of Transportation said the closures will allow crews to continue bridge widening work as part of the Loop 1604 North Expansion Project.

For some drivers like Xavier Hijano, the closure means finding another way to get where they need to go.

“I had plans on taking the 281 highway this weekend, but it’s going to be closed,” Hijano said. “I’m going to have to go another way. So it’s an inconvenience for me, so it’s bad news for me.”

While some drivers said they will adjust to the changes, others are concerned about how the closures could affect their daily commutes.

“I take the route every day to and from work and it adds like an additional 10-15 minutes,” another driver told KSAT.

The driver also expressed concern about increased traffic on nearby neighborhood roads.

“On the Encino Rio, especially on this road right here, since now I’m going to have to take this road, it’s going to impact a lot of the traffic and make things a lot more complicated for everyone who lives around here and takes that route every day,” the driver mentioned.

For some, the frustration extends beyond this weekend’s closure to the ongoing construction in the area.

“I hate it, I hate it. I need it to go away,” a third driver expressed.

Drivers are asked to follow posted detours and plan ahead. Real-time road conditions are available at DriveTexas.org or on the DriveTexas app.

All work is weather permitting and subject to change.

Read also:

• SAWS’ pipe replacement project to affect flow of traffic, water along Hildebrand Road

In a memo sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said his teams “have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel.”

“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” Clayton wrote.

The memo was obtained by The Associated Press and reported earlier by Axios. Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that the memo was sent to Rubio in his capacity as secretary of state and national security adviser.

The memo emerged shortly after the State Department announced it is reducing staff at the U.S. embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The three officials said the threats from Iran and Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are related to the staffing changes.

The embassies involved are all under what is known as “restricted operations” status that has already reduced the size of their personnel footprints. The embassies will remain open.

However, unlike in Saudi Arabia, where nonessential U.S. personnel and their families were ordered Wednesday to leave the country, staff in the other four countries are not compelled to depart.

In announcing the staffing drawdowns this week, the State Department pointed specifically to increased threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels and did not mention threats to U.S. personnel directly from Iran. There has been a resurgence of fighting between a Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, with the militant group launching missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia.

U.S. officials have adamantly denied the drawdowns are tied to any potential new U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The unpopular war has spiked energy costs for Americans and posed political problems for President Donald Trump and Republicans, who are trying to keep control of Congress in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Trump, speaking at a rally Friday in Florida, touted the U.S. military operations in Iran, which were dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” and said that “we may do another little Epic Fury, or they’ll agree. If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business.’”

Mediators have been trying to bring Washington and Tehran back to formal talks as the war has reached a stalemate.

According to Iranian state television, the Revolutionary Guard navy this week again threatened to strike U.S. military bases in the region if the United States keeps helping guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global energy trade.

“Any further escalation around the Strait of Hormuz or elsewhere in the region will put civilian lives and the well-being of all regional states and the global economy at great risk,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in an opinion column in the Financial Times this week.

The woman began showing symptoms 10 days ago and began receiving supportive care at an infectious disease unit in the capital, Nairobi.

The ministry said medical personnel “did everything possible to save her life,” but she died Friday evening.

Her family was notified, and the ministry said it would arrange a safe and dignified burial in consultation with relatives.

The remaining seven Ebola patients were receiving treatment at two isolation facilities. No new infections were reported.

Kenya announced its first ever Ebola case on Oct. 6 after a 40-year-old Kenyan man who was living in Congo travelled to Kenya via Uganda, arriving on Oct. 3. He was driven by a relative to Nairobi Hospital, where he tested positive for Ebola on Oct. 5 and died the same day.

Authorities have identified some 135 contacts of the first patient, placing 118 in quarantine. Eight tested positive while in quarantine, including four health workers and four close family members.

The health ministry said some contacts who completed the 21-day quarantine period without developing symptoms would be released starting Saturday.

'Nigerian patient did not travel to Congo'

In Nigeria, authorities said Friday that they were yet to verify how the country’s first Ebola patient contracted the disease. The woman tested positive for the virus upon her return to Nigeria's capital of Abuja from Uganda.

The woman — married to a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria whom she had been traveling with — did not visit Congo and “is believed to have contracted the virus whilst travelling to Uganda,” Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, or FDFA, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Her husband has not shown any symptoms and remains in isolation, the FDFA added.

Nigeria's Health Minister Muhammad Pate told reporters on Friday that the Nigerian patient “appears to be closely related" to the first case in Kenya in terms of the nature of their infection. "That may or may not change the understanding of the route of transmission given that the virus itself takes time to change,” Pate said.

The Africa CDC earlier said the first patients in Nigeria and Kenya had traveled through Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport on Oct. 3.

US introduces new protocol for all travelers

United States health officials this week said that all passengers boarding an international flight to the U.S. — no matter from where — must sign a statement attesting that they've not been in Congo in the previous 21 days. The U.S. has been screening travelers from Ebola-affected countries during the current outbreak.

Travelers who were in Congo in the three weeks leading to their trip will not be allowed to board flights with U.S. destinations, including Americans, the U.S. CDC said Thursday.

Ebola is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, including blood and vomit, or through contact with contaminated materials and surfaces, such as bedding and clothing. Congo is experiencing its deadliest outbreak, with at least 4,000 deaths since May.

——

Dyepkazah Shibayan in Abuja, Nigeria and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.

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AP’s Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

The localized ceasefire is set to begin next week.

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached a deal Friday to provide humanitarian relief to the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in the war-divided region of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

Melania Trump, who worked with officials from both countries on a separate matter, initiated talks about Oleshky after learning about the situation at one of her events during the U.N. General Assembly session in September, the White House said in announcing her involvement.

She and a representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the ceasefire, the White House said.

Ukraine’s top negotiator in the effort told The Associated Press that a local ceasefire with Russia will start Tuesday — two days before the mission begins — and last several days.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman and his country’s chief negotiator in the talks, said the ceasefire would take effect across the Kherson region and neighboring areas essential to the operation. He added the initiative could act as a model for future humanitarian missions.

Russian officials also confirmed the agreement.

Lubinets earlier Friday thanked Melania Trump and said the deal would be tough to accomplish. He said the agreement calls for a ceasefire, followed by the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid. Lastly, civilians will be allowed to leave Oleshky, he said in a video message posted online.

“The operation will be carried out gradually and is extremely challenging to implement," Lubinets said.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the first lady's announcement. Through spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres said he hopes the local pause in fighting can become a step toward “an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire" leading to “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with international law.”

The removal of mines comes first

Lubinets said the operation would involve removing mines on the way to Oleshky before the physical delivery of humanitarian supplies and the arranging of evacuations.

He gave no further details on how the ceasefire or the aid mission would be monitored or implemented, citing the sensitivity of the negotiations. He declined to comment when asked if Melania Trump would travel to Ukraine.

“When Melania Trump learned about the situation in Oleshky, the negotiation process began under her coordination,” he said. “For several weeks, we discussed many questions, initiatives and ideas. We established new approaches, mechanisms and tools to do everything possible to help civilians in Oleshky survive.”

Russia’s chief of the general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Russian forces “will cease fire on the Kherson axis” starting at 4 a.m. Tuesday in Moscow — or late Monday in the United States — "in connection with the humanitarian operation near Oleshky.”

Russian forces will also carry out “engineering reconnaissance” and ensure “safe movement of the humanitarian convoy” into the city, Gerasimov said.

Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Yana Lantratova, confirmed that Melania Trump had brokered an agreement on “organizing a humanitarian mission” in Oleshky. Lantratova, who said she participated in negotiations, said providing such assistance is Russia's priority.

The first step will be to clarify what people need and organize the delivery of food, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials, Lantratova said in an online statement. Safe passage will be guaranteed for anyone who wants to leave the combat zone, she said, adding that it will require abiding by the ceasefire and creating safe conditions for humanitarian vehicles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was grateful to the first lady. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump had recently discussed the effort.

Peskov said "those who want to leave it would be able to do so.” He would not say whether they would be taken to Russia- or Ukraine-held territory. He also demurred when asked how long the evacuation will last, saying only it would most likely take several days.

Saving children is the first lady's focus, president says

Melania Trump has made helping children in conflict zones one of her signature issues in her husband's second term. She hosted a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue earlier this year, and last year wrote to Putin about efforts to reunite families with children who have been displaced by the war. She has helped reunite nearly three dozen children, according to her senior adviser, Marc Beckman.

“What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus,” the president told reporters at the White House.

Tensions between Washington and Kyiv are rising

The development comes as tensions have increased to new highs between the Trump administration and Ukraine’s government. Kyiv has faced restrictions on the satellite internet system it relies on to knock down Russian attacks, with Trump and other top U.S. officials sending mixed messages about who was responsible for throttling the Elon Musk-made Starshield system.

Trump also recently waived new Russia sanctions, reached an agreement with Russia to import diesel fuel and pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal to end the war that Russia began in February 2022. In renewed efforts to revive the peace process, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Norway this week for talks with Zelenskyy before meeting Putin in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Zelenskyy did not mention the ceasefire in Oleshky during a remote appearance at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank. He did note that American Patriot missile interceptors were still on hold and Starshield and Starlink speed limits were still in place.

He also spoke of the importance of the United States to renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, including a possible joint meeting with Trump and Putin.

The situation in Oleshky is dire

Food and medical supplies have been scarce for months in Oleshky, which sits on the Dnipro River that separates Ukrainian forces from the city’s Russian occupiers. There is no electricity, heat or running water. Roads leading from town are mined and dotted with burned-out cars. Drones buzz overhead.

Once a city of about 24,000 residents, Oleshky was captured by Moscow’s forces on the first day of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Its buildings were shelled and burned, and its infrastructure damaged. In June 2023, floodwaters inundated the city after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed from an explosion that an Associated Press investigation found was likely caused by the Russian military. Hundreds of residents were killed.

Those left in the city along Ukraine’s southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms. Ukraine has appealed repeatedly for a local ceasefire to organize evacuations. Russia, as the occupying power, is obligated by international law to ensure civilians under its control have what they need to survive.

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Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin and Darlene Superville in Washington, Volodymyr Yurchuk, Derek Gatopoulos and Susie Blann in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Edith Lederer in New York contributed to this report.

“The first oil tanker has sailed off to customers, and regular supplies will continue,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said without elaborating.

The diesel deal was seen as an attempt by Trump to address high fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.

It caused alarm and dismay in Ukraine, which has pleaded with foreign countries to tighten sanctions on Moscow and deny it revenue for the invasion launched in February 2022. In the U.S., the agreement was also criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for violating American laws and drawing the country closer to Russia. The deal joins a growing list of actions in which the Republican president has sided with Putin, often at Ukraine’s expense.

Marine intelligence firm Kpler said the vessel signaled that it was headed to New York to arrive Nov. 7 and would be the first Russian diesel delivery to the United States since July 2023.

The import agreement, which Trump says foresees millions more tons of Russian diesel reaching the U.S. in the coming months, is unlikely to make a dent in painfully high prices at the pump or elsewhere, energy policy experts say.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this week that the first shipment would amount to 40,000 tons of diesel, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. That’s around 300,000 barrels, or about 7% of the roughly 4 million barrels of diesel the U.S. economy consumes in a single day.

Russia’s diesel production has come under strain from repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries. The attacks caused fuel shortages, which now have eased. Trump last month asked Kyiv to stop the attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Trump’s deal “a weak decision by strong partners.”

The diesel agreement was a sudden policy reversal, coming just weeks after Trump signed into law a sweeping sanctions package that called for up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas. He later put the measures on hold.

The development is the latest twist in the at times volatile relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy, which in recent weeks has sunk to a new low.

Starlink still isn't back to normal despite US promises, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy said he spoke Friday with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, after they consulted with Putin in St. Petersburg. They also spoke with the Ukrainian leader earlier this week in Norway.

Kyiv is keen to add momentum to peace efforts in a planned three-way meeting between Ukraine, Russia and the United States that may take place next month at a venue to be decided, Zelenskyy said in comments via video link to the Hudson Institute research organization in Washington.

"We need diplomacy to move forward,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's pressing issues are protecting its power grid from Russian attacks ahead of winter, getting more U.S.-made Patriot air-defense interceptors to counter Russia's ballistic missiles and finding more financial support from foreign countries, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is still experiencing Starlink and Starshield speed limits that are choking its drone operations, Zelenskyy said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the satellite internet service would be fully restored within 72 hours, according to the Ukrainian leader.

Moscow airports temporarily close for security reasons

Meanwhile, Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said Friday afternoon that all four Moscow airports — Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky — stopped flights arriving and departing for security reasons.

At Sheremetyevo airport, passengers were told to take shelter, Russian news agency Interfax reported. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that air defenses downed 21 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital in the afternoon.

The airport restrictions were lifted three hours later.

In other developments, the White House announced that first lady Melania Trump brokered an upcoming ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-ravaged Ukrainian city of Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

The first lady said in a news release that the situation there is “on the brink of disaster.”

Ukraine’s top negotiator involved in the humanitarian mission told The Associated Press that the local ceasefire would start Tuesday — two days before the mission begins — and last several days.

Also Friday, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war for the first time since August.

The Russian Defense Ministry said each side released 270 prisoners. Ukraine said 270 of its soldiers and civilians were freed, most of them held in captivity since 2022.

Elsewhere, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said a Russian embassy staff member has been declared persona non grata after a Russian drone violated the country's airspace and crashed near homes.

Police said a local resident discovered a drone in the village of Chistelnita in Telenesti District, less than 100 meters (330 feet) from a home. Specialists were sent to investigate. No one was reported hurt.

“Russia’s war keeps putting Moldovan lives at risk," Sandu wrote on X. "Today, a Russian Geran attack drone violated our airspace and fell near family homes and an energy facility.”

___

Stephen McGrath in Leamington Spa, England, contributed.

___

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

KSAT has received dozens of messages from viewers describing concerns at several voting locations. Their accounts vary, and KSAT has not independently verified each report.

Some voters told KSAT they had to tap a selection more than once. Others said a choice did not appear as they expected when they reviewed their ballot.

Margie Garcia said she voted Monday at McCreless Library. She said she carefully reviewed her choices on the touchscreen before printing her ballot.

After it printed, Garcia said she saw a different Senate candidate than the one she intended to select.

“I printed the ballot and I normally don’t check it,” Garcia said. “But this time I just felt I just wanted to check it and I did and I noticed that the Senate candidate listed on the ballot on the printed ballot was not the candidate that I intended to vote for.”

Garcia said she told a poll worker about the issue, received a new ballot and verified that the second printed ballot reflected her intended choices before she cast it.

Across town, Christine Castro said she and her husband voted Thursday afternoon at the Northside Activity Center on Culebra Road. Castro said some selections appeared to change on the touchscreen before she printed her ballot.

“For me, it was like two to three times,” Castro said. “I had to keep doing it. And it was, like, I would touch it and it would automatically turn to the other candidate.”

Castro said she checked her printed ballot before submitting it and said it reflected her choices.

In a statement, Bexar County Elections Administrator Michele Carew said the Elections Department is aware of recent concerns suggesting voting machines are “switching” selections. The department is communicating with the voting-machine manufacturer to determine whether any action is needed, Carew said.

The department said reports of mismatched selections are “almost always” related to user touchscreen sensitivity, rather than a machine malfunction. It advised voters to use a firm, direct tap and ask poll workers for assistance if needed.

Carew said voters should confirm every selection before moving to the next screen, review all choices before printing and verify the printed paper ballot before casting it.

“If a printed ballot appears not to match a voter’s intended choices, the voter should notify a poll worker immediately — before casting the ballot — so the issue can be resolved,” Carew said in the statement.

The county said there is no recourse under state law once a ballot is cast.

The Elections Department also said Bexar County uses Logic and Accuracy testing, chain-of-custody procedures and post-election audits. County officials said voting machines are not connected to the internet.

Election Systems & Software, the voting-machine manufacturer, told KSAT it does not have widespread reports from election officials of voting-technology issues. The company also encouraged voters to seek help from poll workers before casting a ballot if they have difficulty making a selection.

“I don’t want to jinx it,” San Antonio Police Chief Jesse Salame cautioned as he made the prediction while presenting the latest crime numbers to the Public Safety Committee.

From January through September of this year, San Antonio Police reported 66 homicides, down 20% from the 83 during the same period in 2025.

SAPD reported 106 homicides at the end of last year. The last time the city was under the 100 homicide threshold was 2015, when SAPD logged 94 cases.

The homicide numbers Salame provided the Public Safety Committee were actually even higher, with 80 homicide offenses reported for the first nine months of 2026.

However, that’s because SAPD included negligent manslaughter and justifiable homicides cases, when it normally just includes murders and non-negligent manslaughter cases in its statistics.

Negligent manslaughter cases might include deaths from hunting accidents, cleaning guns, or children playing with guns.

Justifiable homicide is defined as “the killing of a perpetrator of a serious criminal offense by a peace officer in the line of duty, or the killing, during the commission of a serious criminal offense, of the perpetrator by a private individual.” It is not considered a crime.

Homicides spiked in 2022 when 53 migrants were killed in a sweltering tractor trailer on the South Side. However, even excluding their deaths, it still would have been the peak.

The number has been coming down since then, and the current drop is part of an overall 6% drop in crime, according to Salame’s presentation to the Public Safety Committee.

As for why homicides are dropping this year, Salame said it’s part a nationwide trend. The Council on Criminal Justice reported an 18% drop in homicides in large U.S. cities in the first half of 2026.

“There’s a lot of proactive work that goes in,” Salame said. “I certainly think that some of the work that’s being done, arresting folks that are committing the shootings, drive-bys. But it is — nationally, it’s down.”

San Antonio has also been following a violent crime reduction plan, designed by University of Texas at San Antonio criminologists, since 2023, which includes addressing “hotspots” with additional police presence and tackling the root issues of crime at some locations.

“I know that we’ve seen a decrease and it’s been a sustained decrease, not just in violent crimes, but in property crimes,” Salame said of the department tackling the hotspots.

Bennie Price, CEO of Big Mama’s Safe House, thinks funding for gun violence prevention played a big part in lowering homicide rates across the country.

“By funding being placed, now you’re starting to see the impact of that funding. It’s not gonna happen overnight,” he said.

Asked about the city’s falling homicide rate, Price said “it makes me feel really, really good to see some of the fruits of your labor really, working and saving lives.”

However, he said 100 homicides is still too many. His group doesn’t want any in the city.

“For me, it’s not a success, because within that 100, how many of them could have been prevented?” he said.

Read also:

• From 911 call to courtroom: How San Antonio-area agencies handle domestic violence cases
• Jesse Salame speaks to KSAT in first 1-on-1 interview hours after being appointed police chief

Trump first floated this idea earlier this year, but has not mentioned it in recent months. But he revived it in response to a shouted question from the crowd about the island nation. He was campaigning just days ahead of midterm elections in which voters have expressed concern about the impact the U.S. war on Iran has had on prices of goods from gas to groceries.

“We’ll do a little stopover,” Trump said. “Actually, what we’re going to do with Cuba is, we’re going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands. And then we’re going to send (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal.”

Both Rubio and Trump have been bullish on action in Cuba, with Trump previously suggesting the country would "be next” in terms of intervention abroad, following the winding down of the Iran war he has long forecast but which has not yet happened.

In May, he and Rubio raised the specter of U.S. military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that took on greater weight after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that previous U.S. presidents had considered intervening in Cuba for decades but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.”

Rubio told reporters separately that Cuba has been a national security threat for years because of its ties to U.S. adversaries and that Trump is intent on addressing it. While saying the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully, Rubio voiced doubts that the U.S. could reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government.

Moments after Trump spoke at the rally, Rubio posted on social media that “now is the time” for action on Cuba, addressing his post “to those who seek to create positive change” and urging them “to seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA.”

Rubio has not addressed Cuba in depth in public for several weeks, with his last comments coming in a Sept. 29 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“The truth is Cuba has already fallen. It doesn’t have a functional economy and it’s governed by people who continue to preach about some revolution that has been dead for 20 years that’s never worked,” Rubio said, without alluding to any CIA operation.

“We are hopeful that Cuba will choose a different path. We are hopeful … that there will be some people in there that open their eyes to the reality of what they’re facing,” he said. “We’re never going to allow Cuba to become a base of operation against American interests or pose a threat to our national security. On that we are abundantly clear.”

Rubio and other top Trump aides have met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore possible improvements in relations. But the U.S. side has come away unimpressed from those talks, leading to even more sanctions imposed on the Cuban government.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly last month, Trump said Rubio — son of Cuban immigrants, who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s socialist leadership — was “deep into negotiations with Cuba,” saying he would “not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep.”

Days later, Trump told reporters that he anticipated that the two countries “will make a deal,” adding, “I don’t think we’ll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly.”

Earlier this week, the two countries clashed at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana.

Cuba has struggled since 2020 with an economic and energy crisis. Its gross domestic product has shrunk, and its 10 million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages and inflation. There have been waves of protests, and hundreds of thousands of Cubans have migrated, many to the United States.

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Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C., and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.

In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott argued that the $46 billion wall project was justified despite a bipartisan coalition of landowners, local businesses and environmentalists who view it as a waste of taxpayer money that could be destructive to a region with historically low migrant crossings.

“Our number one goal right out the gate is we have to know who and what is coming into the United States,” Scott said on Thursday. If the Big Bend region were left without a wall or other border infrastructure while other areas along the border get those fortifications, he said, “I am 100% convinced it will be completely overrun and destroyed.”

The fight over Big Bend has become a major test for how far the Republican administration is willing to go for the border wall, President Donald Trump's signature infrastructure project.

Scott, a former Border Patrol agent, was tapped by Trump to complete it.

His agency is responsible for executing a plan funded last summer by Republicans in Congress to line the roughly 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border with Mexico with a mixture of 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel walls, vehicle barriers, new roads and surveillance technology to prevent illegal immigration and smuggling.

The Trump administration says it is building about 12 miles (19 kilometers) a week. Scott, who gets daily progress updates, said it will be complete by the end of Trump's second term. The primary border wall — some areas also get a secondary layer — will be done by the end of December 2027.

“We’re actually ahead of schedule,” Scott said.

Big Bend is a test for the Trump administration's plans for the wall

The wall plan has run into resistance in places like Big Bend. The Trump administration suffered a major setback earlier this month when a judge ordered a pause on border wall construction in the region, citing what could be a likelihood that plaintiffs “will suffer serious, irreparable harm without an injunction.” The administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift the order.

The ruling included any construction in Big Bend National Park, an area that has seen a loud bipartisan outcry, including from some Republican lawmakers.

After bulldozers were spotted in the park tearing up ground in August, Scott ordered a pause on all construction-related activity there while he went to talk to people in the region. He said the agency is making other outreach to locals to discuss how to build projects so they don’t mar the park.

“We’re talking through and figuring out what is the right solution for that area,” he said.

Scott said he can’t get into specific details on what the agency’s plans are for the park due to the numerous ongoing lawsuits, but he reiterated that the project won't include tall steel walls.

He also said that the agency’s stated goal of protecting the country and knowing what’s coming in and going out is “non-negotiable.”

He said the region's formidable natural barriers were not enough to prevent people from entering the country illegally through other more navigable points. And he expressed concern that cartels that control smuggling from Mexico into the U.S. would exploit any opening.

Activists fighting to block the border infrastructure projects in the region criticized Scott's comments Friday. Hillary Pierce, director of communications for the No Big Bend Wall coalition, said in a news release that the “government’s own numbers show there is no border emergency in Big Bend.”

CBP has come under fire for immigration enforcement tactics

Scott leads an agency of 67,000 employees responsible for controlling who and what comes into the country through official border crossings like airports or seaports and stopping illegal smuggling and migration outside those official border crossing points.

The agency came under heavy scrutiny last year when its officers were sent into cities deep inside the country to help carry out Trump's immigration crackdown alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As protests against an operation rocked Minneapolis, a Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer both fired shots in an encounter that killed a U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti. The shooting eventually prompted the Trump administration to wind down high-profile city-based crackdowns. A CBP officer who was the face of the missions, Gregory Bovino, who led a helicopter raid at a large apartment building and used chemical agents to confront demonstrators, retired earlier this year.

Scott said while CBP still helps ICE, it's now less involved in immigration enforcement far from the country's borders because ICE has since hired more officers to its ranks. Scott wouldn't comment on the investigation into the Pretti killing, saying that it was being handled by the FBI and was ongoing. And when asked about Bovino's tactics, he said the officer didn't report to him during the operations.

Scott spoke to the AP just outside the border with Canada, where he met with border security representatives from other countries to share information about threats and trends. During his trip, he visited an operations center where he said Canadian and American law enforcement work together, and he accompanied a CBP unit tasked with patrolling the waterways off the coast of Washington state to understand the challenges of stopping smugglers in the network of islands and inlets.

“We have this massive marine environment where you have legitimate boats floating around, you have fishing vessels floating around, and we’re trying to ... find the criminal needle in a whole bunch of needles,” Scott said.

The commissioner also met with CBP staffers at the border crossing point overseeing traffic between Canada and the small community of Point Roberts, Washington. The station’s location on a peninsula means that CBP staffers who work there have to drive from the mainland through Canada to get to work every day.

That border has far fewer threats than the U.S. border with Mexico. Scott said cartels in Mexico are increasingly sending drones into the United States to move contraband and keep tabs on Border Patrol agents. In Mexico, the cartels have been using drones to attack each other or Mexican law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security, which includes CBP, recently announced temporary flight restrictions targeting unauthorized drone activity in a zone extending a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border as a way to counter cartels.

“We want to make sure," Scott said, “that threat does not come into the United States.”

At Muertos Fest in San Antonio, people often stop to take pictures with her, admiring the intricate designs and sugar-skull makeup. But behind the colorful costumes is a deeply personal tradition — one that keeps the memory of her late brother alive.

“To me, she’s the symbol of hope, realistically,” Samaniego Avellana said. “I love the hope and happiness that she brings to people. I love that smile she puts on people’s faces.”

Her connection to Día de los Muertos, the Mexican tradition of honoring loved ones who have died, began with a loss that continues to shape her life.

Her brother died on Oct. 31, 2006, and was buried on Día de los Muertos. Samaniego Avellana said he was the reason she became a nurse and the inspiration behind much of what she does today.

“He was my everything,” she said. “He is really the reason I’m here, the reason I’m a nurse, the reason I do everything I do is because of him.”

What began nearly a decade ago with a dress from her own closet and a sugar skull painted on her face has grown into an elaborate art form. Each year brings a new design, different colors and a new message.

The planning never stops, she said. Even before one season ends, she is already working on the next year’s look.

This year’s design carries added meaning. It marks 20 years since her brother’s death and includes a message of suicide prevention.

“People are just like, ‘Oh, it’s a beautiful dress,’ but it really is a love letter,” she said.

The anniversary comes during a year of other significant family milestones and losses. Her brother became a grandfather this year, and Samaniego Avellana also lost her father.

For her, the tradition is a reminder that life and love can continue after death.

“It symbolizes like there is life after death,” she said.

As she creates each new costume, Samaniego Avellana hopes people look beyond the makeup and elaborate dresses to understand the love and meaning behind them.

She also encourages others to find their own ways to honor the people they have lost, even if that means starting with something simple.

“If you want to be one, just go do it,” she said. “You don’t have to have custom-made dresses. ... Just honor your loved one.”

For Samaniego Avellana, becoming La Catrina Tejana is more than an annual tradition. It is a way to carry her brother’s memory forward — and to share a message that even in the face of grief, there is room for beauty, purpose and hope.

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Families, friends, survivors and loved ones will walk in step to help and remember babies affected by congenital heart defects.

It affects one in 100 babies annually.

That equates to around 40,000 infants a year born with structural deficiencies or abnormalities to their hearts and blood vessels.

A diagnosis can be scary and isolating for children and their parents, but there is a community in San Antonio that can offer support when it is needed most.

It is something Jeremy and Courtney Bedford said they found after their son Frankie was born with serious heart complications.

“When we became pregnant with him, we were just ecstatic to be pregnant at all, and everything was going really well,” Courtney Bedford remembered.

But Jeremy Bedford recalled something irregular happening during one of his wife’s regular checkups.

“The sonographer was hovering,” he said. “I’m not in the medical field, but she was scanning over a spot several times for, I would say, probably like five to 10 minutes.”

They said after the appointment they were asked to wait, which was also unusual.

Both said they waited for hours without being told why, but said they were hopeful everything was still fine with her first pregnancy.

That was until Courtney Bedford’s obstetrician finally came in and spoke to them.

“It’s kind of just burned into my brain,” Courtney Bedford said. “She showed us a picture of a perfect heart and then she showed us our baby’s heart, and you can only see two of the four ventricles of his heart, and she just said this is very concerning.”

The OB referred her to specialists, who delivered a diagnosis of Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia as well as a closed pulmonary artery and said her son would need heart surgery.

“We never heard anything like this. I just started crying, I think I was just kind of like numb,” she recounted.

“My instinct is to fix a problem, and I couldn’t fix this problem, and that weighed heavy on me,” Jeremy Bedford said.

The Bedfords said at birth, Frankie showed the medical team in the delivery room that he was a fighter.

“He came out screaming. They were (in) disbelief at how strong his lungs were, how beautiful he looked, how his color was perfect. He wasn’t too pale, he wasn’t to pink, not blue at all,” Courtney Bedford said.

She also said amazingly, she was able to hold him for almost a minute, and her husband was able to cut the umbilical cord.

But she said after procedures to open Frankie’s closed pulmonary artery failed, he was scheduled for surgery.

Frankie was three weeks old.

“Pretty much his entire life after that first surgery was tubes, wires, machines, constant beeps,” Jeremy Bedford said.

Twenty-four hours after the first surgery, Frankie underwent another heart surgery.

Frankie would never leave the hospital, but his parents had determined every day Frankie would be surrounded with his family’s love.

“If we weren’t there, my mom and dad were there,” Courtney Bedford said. “And so he always knew someone who loved him more than anything was there in the room to support him and advocate for him if needed.”

“I think that’s the reason he lived so long and fought for everything that he did, was because he knew we were there supporting him,” Jeremey Bedford added.

In the midst of their journey, the parents found additional support outside of family and members of Frankie’s dedicated medical team when they learned about and took part in the 2023 Congenital Heart Walk.

“(It was) just to kind of get a better perspective of what’s out there in terms of heart families,” Courtney Bedford said. “We wanted to see warriors who made it through and kind of how they’re doing.”

The annual walk shows families they are not alone.

Families come together to share their stories and hold each other up. Participants include families with babies diagnosed with congenital heart defects undergoing treatment, adult and child survivors, heart warriors and those honoring the warrior angels who have passed from defects.

The walk also raises money for congenital heart defect research.

In January 2024, Frankie, just over six months old, died after his fourth surgery. His parents said the surgery did repair his heart, but his body and his other major organs had begun to fail.

His parents continue to celebrate his life through books, including a book titled “Frankie’s Blue Heart” that they wrote and published.

The illustrations were done by Jeremy Bedford.

“We used to read to (Frankie) almost every single day,” he said.

“We’re very proud of it and we just want to be a resource to family,” Courtney Bedford added.

She said the book details Frankie’s story, but she and Jeremey hope that it can also provide families a basic look of every aspect of the hospital stay, not just heart families.

The Bedfords are the Heart Angel family for this year’s Congenital Heart Walk. They encourage parents and families in need of support to come out.

“It’s a great way to find community and see all of the people who care so much about the heart community,” Courtney Bedford said.

This year’s Congenital Heart Walk is from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 25, at Morgan’s Wonderland Sports Complex.

In addition to speaking at the walk, the Bedfords said they will provide 50 free copies of the book “Frankie’s Blue Heart.”

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The NFL franchise has agreed to recognize the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association as the collective bargaining representative for one of the most famous cheer squads in professional sports, both sides said in a joint statement Friday. The move follows years of the cheerleaders fighting for pay increases.

“The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for the talent and dedication they exhibit,” the statement said. "They remain one of the most sought-after opportunities for talented dancers worldwide.”

During the second season of the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” which aired last year, one of the cheerleaders said that the members were getting a 400% boost in pay.

The Cowboys settled a lawsuit with a former cheerleader in 2019 that led to the squad doubling the per-game pay for members to $400.

The first cheerleading squad to unionize was the Buffalo Jills, the squad for the Buffalo Bills. The Jills won a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board in 1995 allowing them to form the National Football League Cheerleaders Association, and they then voted to join it. The squad later disbanded following a 2014 lawsuit filed by former Jills who said they worked hundreds of hours for free and were subjected to groping and sexual comments.

Virginia Commonwealth University professor Victor Chen, who studies labor issues as a sociologist, said Friday that the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were likely helped by having such a high profile and the Netflix show.

Chen said that without that notoriety, the team may have just tried to replace the cheerleaders because there are so many people willing to take jobs in the entertainment industry at low pay.

“So you see a lot of that inequality of compensation in any sort of artistic or entertainment field where you have lots of people clamoring to get into it and maybe being unpaid or very poorly paid to do so,” Chen said.

The Cowboys are the most valuable pro sports team in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

___

Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska.

___

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

Marva Cook was adopted as a toddler and had always assumed she was a U.S. citizen, she told Homeland Security investigators earlier this month, according to the criminal complaint.

But in searching for her biological mother, the 66-year-old Syracuse resident, who starred on Syracuse University’s women’s basketball team decades ago, said she discovered she had a German birth certificate.

Federal prosecutors say Cook has had a green card for several years now, but she still cast ballots in recent elections despite not having citizenship.

She faces a single federal charge of voting by an alien stemming from her vote in the 2022 midterms.

The misdemeanor offense carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine up to $100,000, if convicted. Cook can also face deportation, under federal law.

Cook says she has faith in God and support from community

Reached by phone Friday, Cook declined to discuss the criminal case, her voting record or her past efforts at becoming a citizen.

But she said she was “not thrilled” by her court appearance Wednesday as she was placed in shackles despite having voluntarily turned herself in just hours earlier.

“It was a difficult time,” Cook said. “I’m about kindness and service and doing for others as I want to be treated.”

She also said she appreciated the outpouring of support of community members, a number of whom accompanied her to court Wednesday.

“The prayers and the support is a big part of how I will get through this,” Cook said. “I have a deep faith that God will get me through it.”

Cook’s lawyer, Paul Tuck, also declined to discuss details of the criminal case Friday other than to say there are no upcoming hearings or filing deadlines. There are no pending immigration proceedings, he added, but Cook has an immigration lawyer in the event that changes.

Spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

Cook is latest arrest in Trump’s nationwide crackdown on noncitizen voting

First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, whose upstate New York office is prosecuting the case, said Cook's arrest showed “voter fraud is rampant” in the state.

Other federal agencies amplified the statement on social media, even as the administration’s own investigations have demonstrated that such instances are incredibly rare and been shown not to change the outcome of elections.

“We cannot and will not allow the votes of American citizens to be canceled out by noncitizens illegally voting in our elections,” the Homeland Security wrote in a post on X that included Sarcone's statement.

In California, federal authorities on Monday charged more than two dozen legal permanent residents with illegally casting ballots or registering to vote. Weeks earlier, 10 people were charged in Minnesota with illegally voting over the last three elections.

Supporters say Cook is a valuable member of the community

Cook’s supporters, meanwhile, described her as a vital part of the local community where she had lived nearly all of her life and had starred in college basketball.

The Syracuse University athletics department confirmed Cook was the team’s leading scorer in the 1979-80 season, averaging 15 points per game. She also holds the school record for most steals in a single season.

Fred Daley, pastor at All Saints Church, said Cook is an active member of the parish who for years has been the church’s go-to Easter Bunny, decked out in full costume during the spring holiday season.

“If the government wanted to make a case, they chose the wrong person,” he said. “She’s a poster child of an amazing person. She’s highly respected throughout the community.”

Dale Avers, a parishioner who has known Cook for almost 20 years, described her as a “person of service” who “never sought limelight.” She said Cook supports low-income families and youth as the YMCA’s community school program director.

“I’m in total shock that they’re putting this much effort into this,” Avers said. “They understood the story. There was no intent. There’s no malice. There was no deception involved.”

An attorney for Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, called the proposal “absurd” and accused defendant Tyler Robinson of trying to delay.

Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf had been expected to set the trial date during a Friday hearing. However, no date was set and Graf scheduled the next hearing for Nov. 9.

Robinson has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in last year’s killing of Kirk as the 31-year-old activist spoke to several thousand people at Utah Valley University. The defendant turned himself in a day after the shooting, and his lawyers have not offered alternative theories for Kirk’s death.

He could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

Kirk helped galvanize youth voters around President Donald Trump during the 2024 election. Trump weighed in on the case in a social media post prior to Friday's hearing. He said it should be tried “within a month.” Trump criticized Graf — a former prosecutor appointed as a judge last year — for “taking forever to ask questions that people already know the answer to.”

Utah County prosecutors allege the 23-year-old defendant targeted Kirk for his political beliefs. They say a bullet found in the rifle used to kill Kirk was engraved with “Hey Facist! CATCH!” and that Robinson wrote in a text message about Kirk: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Prosecutors said they anticipate a 17-week trial and would be ready by October 2027. But rather than hold the proceedings during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, they proposed the trial begin in January 2028.

Erika Kirk’s attorney said the trial should start next October. Dragging it out for years would violate her speedy trial rights under Utah law as a victim, said attorney Jeffrey Neiman.

“Under the Defendants’ proposed schedule, Mr. Kirk’s two children, who were one and three at the time he was murdered, will be six and eight years old by the time the trial concludes,” Neiman wrote in a court filing. “They will face the uncertainty of this criminal proceeding longer than they had their father in their lives.”

Robinson's attorneys said in court filings this week that they must sift through tens of thousands of files turned over by prosecutors. They plan extensive investigations into Robinson’s life in a search for mitigating factors that could influence his sentence if convicted, and to devote “substantial time” to issues such as jury selection.

According to a San Antonio Police Department blood draw warrant, Charlene Victoria Hendricks, 24, performed poorly on sobriety tests after getting stopped while driving near the 300 block of Roland Avenue.

During the test, Hendricks told the officer, “I’m cool, no drink. I work with TDCJ and work long hours.”

Hendricks was arrested and booked on Oct. 16.

On Friday, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed to KSAT that Hendricks was hired to work as a senior correctional officer on Aug. 19.

Hendricks quit her job at TDCJ on Thursday, a spokesperson for the prison said. She worked at the prison for less than two months.

The warrant states a witness saw and recorded Hendricks asleep behind the wheel. An officer said they approached Hendricks and smelled alcohol coming from her breath.

The officer conducting the sobriety test noted Hendricks was slurring her words and was swaying side to side. The officer also noted an open container in the vehicle but did not specify what was inside.

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In Ohio, the backlash over a campaign advertisement attacking Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor, has spread beyond the state’s borders. The ad features Acton’s estranged mother calling her “a liar.”

Trump posted on social media Thursday that Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad was “hitting pay dirt” and that Acton was “fair game.”

Trump’s aggressive defense of Ramaswamy practically guarantees that more of his party’s candidates will face questions about the issue. Acton's mother lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted for raping Acton.

Here’s the latest:

US to reduce staffing at 4 Mideast embassies as fears of Houthi attacks rise

The State Department says it will reduce staffing at four U.S. embassies in the Middle East, not including Saudi Arabia where nonessential diplomats and family members were ordered to leave earlier this week.

The staffing changes — driven by concerns that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels may escalate rocket, missile and drone attacks around the region — will affect the embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates but do not entail an order to leave, the department said.

The embassies involved are all under what is known as “restricted operations” status that has already reduced the size of their personnel footprints. The embassies will remain open.

DCCC targets nonwhite voters with new digital ads across 42 districts

House Democrats’ campaign arm has unveiled five new digital ads targeting 42 districts across 20 states where nonwhite voters will help determine outcomes. The $1 million ad campaign, shared first with The Associated Press, hits Republicans on inflation, especially on gas and groceries, and on Trump’s aggressive immigration tactics.

Latino voters are seeing an add titled, “Pledge,” depicting federal agents’ mass deportation efforts and a voiceover saying, “Republicans broke their promise to America.”

Asian American and Pacific Islander voters are targeted with an ad about grocery prices, while young AAPI voters will see a distinct 15-second clip.

Black voters are seeing a spot on gas prices featuring Trump saying, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation.”

The ads will reach Republican-held and Democratic-held districts in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Trump exempts some Canadian products from tariffs as he looks to boost Susan Collins

Collins is the only Republican senator from New England and is running against Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine.

The White House said products including plywood sheets, packing crates and some kinds of machinery would be exempted from the 50% tariffs that were applied to Canadian products earlier this year.

Collins said in a statement that the exemption is important because many farmers in the state “rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense.”

Trump, Kennedy announce ‘America First Seafood’ initiative

The president called the health secretary on stage in Florida as he talked about what the administration calls its ‘America First Seafood Strategy’ intended to boost U.S. fisheries.

According to the White House, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will make $5 billion in guaranteed loans “to expand American dominance in modernized meat and seafood processing.”

The administration also is:

1. launching Seafood.gov as a “one-stop destination for U.S. fishermen and consumers.”

2. introducing a voluntary “U.S. Caught Seafood” label, accessible for download on the website, to identify seafood caught and harvested by U.S. fishers.

The White House specifically cited the intended boost to Maine’s lobster industry.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins is locked in a tight battle for reelection in Maine. The seat is critical to determining control of the Senate when the new Congress convenes in January.

Trump has wrapped up rally for Republican candidates in South Florida

For 90 minutes, the president rolled through a list of his administration’s accomplishments, imploring voters, “you must vote Republican” in the midterm elections.

He also called on the crowd to back GOP candidates in the state’s contests, particularly U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, and Sen. Ashley Moody.

This weekend, Trump’s midterm campaign blitz heads to Georgia and Michigan, home of two of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

Moody, Donalds praise Trump--even as Donalds walks a fine line on the economy

Trump called Moody and Donalds to the stage separately and both praised the president for his job performance and his support for their campaigns.

Moody urged Floridians to help Republicans hold majorities on Capitol Hill to “continue that fight for you.”

“It’s like a UFC fight on the White House lawn,” she said.

Donalds told Trump he was proud to support his presidential campaigns.

The congressman has carefully navigated the economic realities of Trump’s second presidency. He hasn’t blamed Trump for inflation but he’s built his general election bid around a promise to address Floridians’ economic struggles.

Even standing next to the president, he promised to make Florida “more affordable.”

Trump hails spending to boost nursing home work force

The president says his administration will spend $250 million to boost the nursing home work force in underserved areas.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday that it would dedicate $100 million, less than the figure the president quoted, with states committing $175 million for total program of $275 million.

The initiative is expected to support 4,000 nurses nationwide. Nursing students and licensed nurses will qualify for up to $40,000 in student loan repayment or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year-commitment to serve in a qualifying nursing home in a rural area or another area with a nursing labor shortage.

The money will come from civil penalties collected by CMS and state Medicaid agencies from nursing homes.

The administration previously faced backlash for trying to cap student loan amounts for nurses, among some other professions. But a federal judge put those changes on hold in June.

Lawmakers push Pentagon to restore Ukraine Starshield access

A group of bipartisan lawmakers has urged the Pentagon immediately restore Ukraine’s access to the Starshield satellite internet system used to intercept Russian strikes.

In a letter released Friday, six Democrats and two Republicans told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that he should “ensure that Ukrainian forces maintain access to satellite communications at speeds and service levels.”

They said in the letter dated Thursday that it should include “connectivity over Russian territory where necessary to support Ukraine’s lawful military operations.”

The release comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was still experiencing Starlink and Starshield speed restrictions. The Trump administration has offered conflicting explanations as to who is responsible for the slowdown in the Elon Musk-built satellite internet system.

Trump on Friday brushed off questions about the role Musk played in the disruptions and declined to comment on who ordered the restrictions.

Newsom rallies California Democrats in push to claim 5 additional US House seats

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told fellow Democrats “it’s all on the line” as he urged party members to help win five additional U.S. House seats to allow Democrats to claim the majority next year.

President “Donald Trump’s presidency ends as we know it on Nov. 3, as long as we do our job,” Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, said to cheers at a San Francisco rally.

State voters last year approved new congressional district boundaries intended to tilt five additional seats to Democrats to thwart Trump’s maneuvers in Texas and other Republican states to gain more seats and maintain the GOP’s fragile hold on House control.

Referring to Trump’s GOP, Newsom said, “These guys are not screwing around and nor can we.”

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi told the crowd “we now have to work to elect those five seats.”

“We have to get out there,” she implored the crowd.

Trump repeats slur to describe Somalia

__ Please note: The following post contains profanity.

In a long diatribe against Rep. Ilhan Omar, Trump said the Minnesota Democrat who was born in Somalia came to the U.S. from “a shithouse country.”

Omar is a naturalized citizen whose family fled civil war when she was a child. They first went to Kenya and then came to the U.S. as refugees.

During his first presidency, Trump denied using the phrase “shithole countries” to describe Haiti and other African countries, as some of his former aides described.

He admitted in 2025 that he had, in fact, used the description for majority Black nations.

Trump has repeatedly disparaged Somali immigrants to the U.S., including Omar, and suggested she should be stripped of her congressional seat and her citizenship.

Under Trump, federal authorities are investigating potential fraud in her family’s immigration paperwork and have issued grand jury subpoenas to some of her relatives.

Trump suggests US can ‘take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran’

That came after someone in the south Florida crowd shouted a question about Cuba as Trump talked about his administration’s actions in Venezuela and Iran.

As U.S. ships eventually return from Iran, Trump suggested that one of them could “stop about 50 yards off the coast, they’ll raise up their hands, and then we’re going to send in (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio.”

Trump has previously said “Cuba’s gonna be next” in terms of intervention efforts abroad.

Earlier this week, the two countries clashed at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana.

Issues related to Cuba are particularly closely followed in South Florida, where Trump is speaking Friday.

Senior Ukrainian negotiator says local humanitarian ceasefire with Russia will start on Oct. 27

Ukraine’s top negotiator involved in a humanitarian mission led by U.S. first lady Melania Trump told The Associated Press late Friday that a local ceasefire with Russia will start Oct. 27 — two days before the mission begins — and last several days.

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached a deal Friday to provide humanitarian assistance in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, in the war-divided region of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman and his country’s chief negotiator in the talks, said the ceasefire would take effect across the Kherson region and neighboring areas essential to the operation. He added that the initiative could act as a model for future humanitarian missions.

▶ Read more

Trump opens Florida rally at Florida Gulf Coast University

“We love Florida,” Trump said as he opened an afternoon rally, celebrating that he’s back in his adopted home state.

He’s trying to boost Florida Sen. Ashley Moody as she seeks her first election after being appointed to the seat and Rep. Byron Donalds in his effort to be elected governor.

Trump opened by misrepresenting his 2024 vote totals, suggesting he got “millions and millions” more votes than any other candidate ever has.

Trump got more than 77 million votes in 2024. But Democrat Joe Biden got 81 million votes to defeat Trump in 2020.

Omar responds to Trump claim about her name

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is responding directly to Trump claiming that she has an entirely different name and will not be allowed to be a member of the House.

“Whenever the news turns bad, this creep reaches for one name: mine. So let’s make it crystal clear. My name has always been Ilhan Omar,” the congresswoman said in a social media post on X. “Maybe you should focus on what your VP’s real name is.”

Trump’s comments came in a Truth Social post.

Omar’s name has been listed in court records as such for nearly two decades. She sought two marriage licenses under her name, twice filed for divorce under that same name and has numerous traffic and parking tickets under her name. She is also registered to vote under the name.

From 2009 to 2017 she was married to a man named Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. His last name is the one Trump now claims is her correct name. But in their marriage and divorce filings, she always used the name Ilhan Omar and did not adopt his name.

Greeting Trump, DeSantis says midterms ‘all about the turnout’ for Republicans

On the Southwest Florida International Airport tarmac as Trump landed Friday, GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis predicted wins for Republicans in tight Senate races as long as turnout is robust.

“If people come out, if our people vote, I think we’ll win, not just in Florida, but some of these other Senate races that are close,” DeSantis said, welcoming the president “back to his home state.”

As the president brings his midterm blitz to Florida, DeSantis said “no one does it better” than the president when it comes to energizing voters.

“If they vote, we’re going to win big,” Trump said.

According to an Associated Press analysis of early voting two weeks before Election Day, voter turnout is soaring compared with the last midterm election in many of the states expected to decide control of the U.S. Senate.

Trump says he ordered the Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska’s US Senate race

President Donald Trump said he told his administration to file a lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, kicking off what many fear could become a lengthy battle between the government and states over certifying an election where the president’s party is struggling.

“I’m the one that said do it,” Trump told reporters as he landed for a campaign rally in Florida.

The lawsuit centers on one of the president’s longstanding complaints in the Senate race — the presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan who Republican fear could siphon away votes from the incumbent in what’s likely to be a photo-finish contest with Democrat Mary Peltola, the state’s former congresswoman.

The second Dan Sullivan, who is Daniel J. Sullivan from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg, has said he decided to run on his own, but Republicans have contended he is a Democratic plant to siphon votes away from their candidate.

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Republican congressman from Iowa releases new video featuring Democratic supporters

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican, is emphasizing his bipartisan support in the final week of his reelection campaign. His new political advertisement includes some Democrats saying directly to camera that they’re backing Nunn over Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott, a state senator.

Nunn is seeking his third term representing the district that includes Des Moines, the fast-growing suburbs to the city’s west, and rural counties in southern Iowa. While Republicans outnumber Democrats in each of the three targeted House races in Iowa, Nunn’s has the smallest GOP advantage.

One member of the Des Moines city council identifies himself in the ad as a moderate Democrat who is ticket-splitting this year.

“I’m supporting Rob Sand, and I strongly support Zach Nunn,” Mike Simonson says in the ad. Sand is the Democrat running for governor.

Trump says Musk should not be blamed for Starshield disruption in Ukraine

Trump brushed off questions about the role Elon Musk played in disruptions to service between the satellite system he owns and the drones Ukraine uses to fight Russia.

“Elon will never do anything wrong,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “I know him very well. He’s a fair person.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that service remained slow from Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service. The disruption produced speed restrictions on Ukrainian drones, which have been unable to intercept Russia’s jet-powered drones.

Trump said he hadn’t heard that there are still problems with the service, and declined to comment on who ordered the restrictions to Starshield, telling a reporter, “I wouldn’t tell you if I did know.”

Trump suggests NFL should postpone this weekend’s Paris game because of unrest

“The NFL could have probably postponed that match if you want to know,” Trump told reporters. “France is really in trouble, that’s what happens when you go left.”

Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints is scheduled to go ahead despite recent civil unrest in Paris and other cities in France. More demonstrations are planned for this weekend.

The protests in France were originally sparked by high school and university students demanding better school funding, smaller class sizes, and other reforms to the country’s education system, but have morphed into a broader outlet for public anger about rising costs and the government’s effort to tighten its budget.

While tens of millions have taken to the streets, some rioters have used the demonstrations as cover for looting and destroying government property.

Vivek Ramaswamy defends ad accusing Amy Acton of lying

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy accused his opponent in the Ohio governor’s race, Democrat Amy Acton, of lying about the ad he’s running, which features her mother calling her “a liar.”

“The irony is they’re lying about an ad that is about lying,” Ramaswamy said.

Speaking at a campaign stop in Strongsville, Ohio, he added that the ad had “nothing to do” with childhood abuse. Acton’s mother lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted for raping Acton.

“They’re changing the subject,” Ramaswamy said, “because they don’t want to answer for their own failures.”

The advertisement also includes Acton’s mother insinuating her daughter has mental health issues. Acton is Ohio’s former public health director and has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child.

Acton has condemned Ramaswamy for the ad.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about,” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

Trump doubles down on support for Ramaswamy on ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother

Leaving the White House on Friday, Trump said “no” when asked if he had reconsidered his support for the Ohio campaign advertisement attacking Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, following criticism from other Republicans.

The president engaged in a heated exchange with a reporter asking if the president knew about the backstory behind the ad from Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. The spot features Acton’s mother, who lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband was indicted for raping Acton as a child.

“You don’t know that,” Trump said, of the abuse allegations, adding that Acton’s mother had an “obligation” to tell voters “that her daughter is a liar.”

Zelenskyy urges trilateral talks with Trump and Putin

The Ukrainian president said he spoke with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner just before appearing remotely for an address at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank.

Witkoff and Zelenskyy met earlier this week in Oslo, Norway, about ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine before Witkoff went on to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

Putin says he agreed to trilateral talks next month with Trump and Zelenskyy, who on Friday said “we need these meetings, and we need diplomacy to move forward.”

Zelenskyy says we “cannot have these meetings without America” and that Ukraine was counting on the U.S. to “give this priority at every level.”

He said reaching a “ceasefire is point number one” and then after that would be sorting out security guarantees. Russian officials have resisted a ceasefire and said they want to broker a comprehensive settlement to end the war.

Trump says Republicans aren’t losing in Mississippi

The president has a rather eyebrow-raising addition to his midterm travel schedule: a stop Monday in deep-red Mississippi, where GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is up for reelection.

Asked about the visit Friday, Trump said he won the state by 32 points and “they’ve asked me to go,” without specifying who “they” were.

“I look forward to it. And Cindy Hyde-Smith, you know, Cindy Hyde is fantastic,” Trump said. “She’s very popular. She’s up in the polls. She’s not losing.”

Trump administration sues to block possible Democratic win in Alaska Senate race

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. Another candidate with the same name is on the ballot.

This move has sparked concerns about a lengthy battle between the U.S. government and states over election certification. The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit Thursday, demanding Alaska be blocked from certifying a win for Democrat Mary Peltola if the other Sullivan remains on the ballot.

The Alaska Supreme Court previously rejected efforts to remove the other Sullivan.

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The company added Friday that more than 275 players and employees will still be getting rings as planned.

Knicks players received the rings they earned by winning the NBA championship on Tuesday night before their season-opening loss to Philadelphia. On Thursday, The Athletic reported that assistant coaches did not get rings that night.

The report also stated that in September, MSG employees received an email reading: “Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here.” It showed a graphic with two ring styles that could be selected, but those who clicked on the link at the bottom of the email were forced to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class.

“The company had previously sent out an email to its corporate team as a simulation of a phishing attack designed to strengthen our security against hackers. MSG was recently hacked and extorted using an employee login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack. Using the rings as a lure to gain employees attention was an unfortunate mistake," a Madison Square Garden spokesperson said in a statement.

"The company is gifting more than 275 championship rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the Knicks family, worth more than $3.7 million, in recognition of their contributions and celebrating this achievement.”

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Rebuild, a natural disaster aid group, led a tour of flood-damaged homes in the county where 433 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Survivors and the group said aid from organizations, donors and the federal and state governments has been drastically less than after the 2025 floods.

FEMA denied the state’s request for federal aid Sept. 28, according to a letter to Abbott.

Liz Ayala showed KSAT the Kerrville home where she grew up.

Her parents, brother and aunt fled as floodwaters rose from a nearby creek. The house was stripped down to its studs.

“They both don’t work, my mom’s deaf, my parents are disabled, they’re older,” Ayala said. “They don’t know who to go through.”

Aurelio Zapata, who lives in the same neighborhood as Ayala’s parents, has been making repairs and clearing debris for neighbors.

He said the government’s response to their plea for help has been ‘disappointing’.

“They’re saying there’s not enough damage,” Zapata said. “I mean, you go in my house, I’ve got six feet of damage in there.”

Ayala said neighbors are relying on one another. “That’s really all we depend on is ourselves, our community,” she said. “The government is not helping like we thought they would.”

Abbott’s office said last week the state had requested tax relief for flood victims in dozens of counties.

Survivors are hoping the governor appeals FEMA’s decision by Wednesday or that the state releases more money from the community fund.

One of them is a Republican senator and ally of the president. The other is a retired schoolteacher whom Republicans accuse of being a Democratic plant to siphon away votes.

Trump said Friday that he directed the Justice Department to file its lawsuit.

What is going on? Here's an explanation:

Why is there a lawsuit over this?

The campaign is likely to be decided by only a few thousand votes, and it could determine which party controls the Senate. So the stakes are high, and Republicans worry that voters will get confused and accidentally vote for the wrong Sullivan.

That's why Republicans have been trying to get the second Dan Sullivan — hereafter known as Daniel J. Sullivan — thrown off the ballot for months. The lawsuit went all the way to the Alaska Supreme Court, but Republicans lost.

Republicans think the presence of Daniel J. Sullivan is a Democratic dirty trick. But Daniel J. Sullivan, who lives in the tiny fishing community of Petersburg, says he is running of his own accord.

Alaskan voters will see “Dan S. Sullivan” identified as a “registered Republican” and “incumbent" on their ballots, while “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” will not have a party affiliation. Former Rep. Mary Peltola is the Democratic candidate.

So the Trump administration is filing in federal court to try to block certification of the election if its Dan Sullivan — the senator — loses.

“Should Alaska certify any electoral results tainted by the inclusion on the ballot of Daniel J. Sullivan," the lawsuit said, “the State and its officers will fail in its obligation to protect the integrity of its election.”

Trump said of the lawsuit: “I’m the one who said do it."

Will this work?

The lawsuit is essentially a placeholder and only becomes an issue after Election Day if the incumbent loses.

Even if that happens, legal experts say it has no chance of success. The suit cites a clause in the preamble to the National Voter Registration Act that says states must “protect the integrity” of elections. It says that gives federal courts grounds to overturn elections which, under the U.S. Constitution, are entirely state affairs. But that vague turn of phrase probably isn't enough for any judge to try to overrule the will of the voters, experts say.

Technically, the lawsuit only asks the court to block certification until an investigation determines whether enough voters were fooled by the two Sullivans to have swung the election. It doesn't explain how that would happen, which seems like a big issue given that votes are supposed to be confidential.

Why does this matter?

Dirty tricks and voter confusion are nothing new in American politics. In Ohio's Senate race, Republicans have been tied to an effort to boost a socialist on the ballot who would pull votes from the Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Jon Husted.

What is new is that the Justice Department is trying to block an election result. Trump wanted the department to help him try to overturn his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden in 2020, but career attorneys stopped it. Now most of those career attorneys have been forced out and replaced by Trump loyalists.

The top Justice Department official who signed onto the lawsuit, Stanley Woodward, had previously served as a defense attorney for those prosecuted for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

There's been widespread concern that Trump will try to nullify the voters' will in November, which Attorney General Todd Blanche was asked about in Virginia on Thursday. He said he didn't want to rule out intervening in some sort of “doomsday” scenario but that “it is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention to, improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process."

Hours later the department filed its lawsuit over Alaska's certification process.

The episodes have highlighted the vulnerabilities in AI security and raised questions over how the fast-growing technology can be developed safely as its usage becomes more widespread globally.

Industry critics have argued that many concerning events, including AI agents' hacks of external websites, are the result of security lapses on the part of the companies building the technology. But the AI agents' capabilities have raised widespread concerns about the possibility bots could break away and work toward their own agenda.

Below are some notable events:

Oct. 23: Anthropic model persisted with attempts to fool a person

In an incident this summer, Anthropic's model Mythos 5 created fake identities to pressure a person to approve its attempts to install malware, the company said in disclosing the results of an internal review.

The model's capabilities were being tested by the UK AI Security Institute when it went to unexpected lengths after its initial efforts to complete an objective were unsuccessful. Tasked with breaking into a simulated network of computers to retrieve a piece of data, the model tried to fool the human maintainer of developer platform GitHub in order to insert malware into a code repository, Anthropic said.

Anthropic said its review found it was “very difficult to shift Mythos 5 away from the attack once it began,” even after the company informed the model it was on the “incorrect path” in achieving its benchmark and that it was engaging real human developers. The company said its newer models are less likely to engage in such “destructive actions.”

Oct. 9: Anthropic AI model submits false tip to Philadelphia police

Anthropic disclosed in a report that its model submitted a false tip to a Philadelphia police website about an unsolved homicide case.

The incident in Philadelphia occurred on July 18 when the AI model Claude Haiku 4.5 was tasked with generating and performing example tasks on randomly selected webpages, Anthropic said.

Claude filled out a form on police site PhillyUnsolvedMurders.com, indicating it might have information regarding an unsolved murder listed on the site. It was marked spam and never forwarded to police.

Anthropic said it was modifying its training to “reduce the likelihood of further misbehavior.”

Sept. 28: AI agents try to hack Canadian government website

AI agents tried to hack into a Canadian government website, according to research lab and AI evaluator Transluce.

The researchers said the agents carried out a series of “apparently failed rudimentary hacking attempts” on Library and Archives Canada on May 28 and June 9.

Transluce said in a blog post it couldn't confidently link the attempts to OpenAI, but that the actions were consistent with activity they had recently attributed to the company's agents.

The group said it reported the attempted hack on Sept. 28 to the Canadian government, which said in a statement it was aware of reports of suspected AI agent activity, but that there was no sign government systems were compromised.

OpenAI said in a statement it was reviewing the report's findings and was in contact with Canadian officials conducting the government’s review.

Sept. 28: OpenAI halts rollout of a new model

The San Francisco-based company said it was delaying the release of a new model, called GPT-6.1 Astra, out of safety concerns voiced by its researchers. The company said the model had demonstrated leaps in completing tasks, but OpenAI needed to balance that capability against unauthorized behavior. “We have an extremely high bar in terms of safety and alignment,” said Saachi Jain, OpenAI’s head of safety systems.

Sept. 25: OpenAI says its agents interacted with US government websites

As part of a review of unanticipated behavior by its AI models, OpenAI said it discovered agents had interacted with several U.S. government websites in unexpected ways. The company's models accessed publicly available information on websites operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as U.S. Census Bureau data. OpenAI said it did not find evidence of a compromise or vulnerability. On the same day, Transluce said it found that agents appearing to originate from OpenAI attempted a hack on the website of the Education Department's civil rights office, which did not succeed.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on social media that there is an “extensive and ongoing review related to our agents’ use of internet access during training and evaluation.”

Sept. 24: Australia’s prime minister raises concern on breach

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an OpenAI agent infiltrated the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal on June 18. The portal hosted aggregate data about health spending and drug subsidies. No personal information had been accessed, the government said.

Albanese said the AI lab took too long to reveal the incident. The prime minister made the breach public following a telephone conversation with Altman. OpenAI said in a statement “our models took actions we did not intend.”

Sept. 18: Google says its Gemini AI hacked 3 companies

Google confirmed its Gemini AI model hacked three companies in May as part of a test of its cybersecurity capabilities. The company, which disclosed the hacks after an inquiry by The Wall Street Journal, said the model guessed passwords in one case and found passwords and credentials in a public repository in the other two cases. As in earlier such cases, the tests were being run by Irregular, a startup that describes itself as the “first frontier security lab.”

Aug. 5: Meta's Muse goes rogue

Meta disclosed one of its AI models accessed the internet on its own and hacked another company. The company said that a “misconfiguration” during cybersecurity testing by Irregular inadvertently allowed one of its models to access the internet. A spokesperson for Irregular said the Meta episode involved a test-environment issue that was disclosed a week earlier by Anthropic.

July 30: Anthropic says its systems hacked 3 organizations

Anthropic said its artificial intelligence models hacked into three other organizations during testing. Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI company behind Claude, posted on its website that it discovered the three incidents after reviewing more than 141,000 evaluation runs. In all three incidents, the AI models were tasked with a “capture the flag” cybersecurity challenge, which Anthropic said has been one of the ways it assesses a model’s cyber capabilities.

The models were given a fictional scenario and told a piece of secret information, or the “flag,” had been hidden on a different machine on the network with the objective of breaking in and retrieving it, it said. Anthropic said it reached out to the organizations, but it did not name them publicly.

July 21:

The Hugging Face incident

The ChatGPT maker OpenAI announced that its artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own in what the company called an “unprecedented cyber incident.”

A week earlier, AI startup Hugging Face said, it had detected an intrusion into its data processing systems that it suspected was caused by an AI agent autonomously acting on its own.

OpenAI said its AI used stolen credentials and discovered a previously unknown vulnerability to access Hugging Face servers. It was working with reduced guardrails because it was supposed to be in an isolated testing environment known as a sandbox.

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AP Business Writers Mae Anderson in New York, Kelvin Chan in London and Kaitlyn Huamani in Los Angeles contributed to this report.