These changes are part of the administration鈥檚 push to remove undocumented workers from the nation鈥檚 banking system without explicitly mandating that banks do so. In order to get banks to participate, the administration has framed these actions as a crackdown on fraud and crime, not explicitly about immigration.

鈥淭he information in your purview can help stop a cartel financier, disrupt a money laundering network, uncover labor exploitation, or protect taxpayers from fraud,鈥� Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in prepared remarks at a banking conference in Houston.

Bessent’s remarks and the Treasury Department’s new guidelines come from an executive order signed in May by Trump that requires banks to take a closer look at the citizenship of their customers as well as directs bank regulators and government departments to look for signs that people without legal status are opening accounts or obtaining loans or credit cards. But that executive order did not include an explicit mandate that banks collect citizenship information, which the industry for months lobbied against.

Banks have long been able to share information about their customers with other banks under the Patriot Act program when they suspect money laundering or fraud, part of the post-9/11 effort to combat terrorism and other crimes.

Friday鈥檚 actions widened that system on two fronts. Banks can now share such information in real time and more freely.

Secondly, the Trump Administration is giving banks a wider variety of reasons to share information, which now include flags historically tied to immigration status. One example is a customer having an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), which are disproportionally used by undocumented immigrants when applying for work.

Bessent told bankers that the new guidance is simply part of what the banking system needs to do as part of their routine operations.

鈥淭he advisory does not ask banks to become immigration officers,鈥� Bessent said. 鈥淚t asks banks to do what they do best: know their customers, identify risk, recognize suspicious patterns, and report illicit activity when they see it.鈥�

Bankers have been wary about sharing customer information with the federal government as part of immigration enforcement. Bankers never collected citizenship information on their customers, so any effort to do so would require a massive effort by banks and significant amounts of paperwork. There’s also the fact that banks send millions of what are known as Suspicious Activity Reports to the federal bank regulators under the Bank Secrecy Act. Last week, the Treasury Department expanded the reasons why a bank might file a SAR to include potential undocumented workers.

鈥淭he administration is saying they don’t want banks to be immigration officials, but they are trying to get as close to the line as possible,鈥� said Nicholas Anthony, who focuses on bank regulation issues at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute.

Immigration advocates have previously said any order that would order banks to collect citizenship information would likely result in undocumented immigrants moving out of the financial system, increasing the number of 鈥渦nbanked鈥� individuals.

The White House has taken other measures to discourage undocumented workers from using the financial system. The Treasury last November announced that it would reclassify certain refundable tax credits as 鈥渇ederal public benefits,鈥� which bars some immigrant taxpayers from receiving them, even if they file and pay taxes and would otherwise qualify.

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Researchers at Yale are preparing to publish two papers looking at the outcomes of a program offering one-time cash to victims of community violence and intimate partner violence in and around New Haven.

The takeaways are similar: The programs profoundly help people meet urgent needs, strengthen their connections with community organizations and allow them to take greater charge over their futures.

Back in 2023, Yale New Haven Hospital from the nonprofit 4-CT. The grant allowed the hospital to offer people who have been shot, stabbed, severely assaulted or trafficked two payments of $500 each. That included people who have experienced intimate partner violence. (In the last year, the hospital has reduced the payment to a single installment of $500.)

Dr. Lucy Paredes, a research fellow at Yale and author of the paper, told CT Mirror that she interviewed between 15 and 20 recipients of cash assistance between June 2023 and July 2024.

Paredes said she was struck by how severely an injury could affect someone鈥檚 finances 鈥� not just because of hospital bills, but also the loss of steady income from being out of work for a period of time. She said she鈥檇 spoken to people who couldn鈥檛 qualify for things like family medical leave either, because they had already used up their allotted sick time or were new at a job and hadn鈥檛 yet accrued it.

鈥溾�奧hen you鈥檙e injured and you can鈥檛 work, your monthly expenses are coming regardless of what contextual factors are happening,鈥� Paredes said. 鈥淭hat people had something that they could use as a support in that moment was, I think, a really salient point for a lot of the people that we interviewed.鈥�

A key part of the program was that people were allowed to use the cash in whatever way they saw fit.

鈥淭he fundamental idea behind cash transfers is that you have to trust people to know what鈥檚 best for themselves and what鈥檚 best in terms of what they and their families need, and to give them the flexibility,鈥� explained Sarah Blanton, the executive director of 4-CT, which distributed the grant to Yale.

Paredes said she found that the money allowed people to give themselves time to fully heal from their injuries, rather than taking risks or rushing back to work out of desperation. She said the majority of the people they interviewed used the funds for basic necessities 鈥� things like food and rent.

Blanton said she鈥檇 heard a story of a father who was granted custody of his children when the mother was put in jail and used the money to purchase mattresses for his children to sleep on that night.

Compass Youth Collaborative, which partners with the Connecticut Children鈥檚 Medical Center in Hartford, was able to offer cash assistance to about 230 youth in their program beginning in the fall of 2024 and through 2025. The collaborative works with young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are at risk for being part of a gang, being involved in violence or with the criminal justice system.

Larry Johnson, the organization鈥檚 director of hospital and crisis response, said the young people spent the funds on things like groceries, school supplies, transportation, utilities and hygiene products.

Four families spent the money on burial expenses. Johnson said that, in one instance, the mother of someone who was killed was at the funeral home and discovered she didn鈥檛 have enough to pay for the funeral services. Johnson said that, thanks to 4-CT, they were able to get her the funds she needed immediately.

One young man used the funds in order to get a gang tattoo covered up and changed, for his own safety. And for four of the young people, the money made it possible for them to attend the prom.

鈥淲e were actually 鈥� out there at the stores helping them get fitted for suits and for dresses. Nails got done, hair got done,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淥ne of the youth actually bought her first dress. (She) hadn鈥檛 ever had a dress on in her life, and she bought her first dress.鈥�

The program also offers cash assistance to people who are victims of intimate partner violence.

Jim Dodington, a doctor specializing in pediatric emergency medicine at Yale, said that the percentage of people in the cash assistance program that have undergone intimate partner violence has increased. While it was originally about a 70-30 split, with most of the recipients being exposed to community violence, this past year it was moving closer to 50-50, he said.

鈥淚n fact, sadly, in this last year, we鈥檝e seen, really, an uptick in the number of domestic violence victims,鈥� Dodington said.

Blanton said victims of domestic violence sometimes use the funding to relocate.

鈥漌hen there鈥檚 a domestic violence situation, having resources to go somewhere else can be life-saving,鈥� Blanton said.

鈥榃e鈥檙e not just selling you dreams鈥�

Researchers are doing a separate study on victims of intimate partner violence who have received cash assistance through the program. Gunjan Tiyyagura, a professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at Yale and the senior author on the study, said they interviewed 13 women who each received a cash transfer of about $500.

Tiyyagura said that poverty and intimate partner violence were often entwined: victims would find themselves trapped with their abusers because of financial needs, and the stress of having little money would worsen the abuse. Immigrants, she said, were often in an even worse position because of their lack of legal status or inability to apply for benefits through the state.

As in the case of community violence, Tiyyagura said the women used the funds to buy basic necessities like food, transportation or clothing for themselves or their children. Some used the money to get new locks in their homes. One woman, Tiyyagura said, used the money for a housing deposit so that she could leave the home of her abuser.

Beyond just the physical benefits, Tiyyagura said, the cash also allowed the women to feel more empowered, and it improved trust with case managers at the hospital.

鈥�(They said) they just felt for the first time somebody could trust them, or that this was help that they had never even expected,鈥� Tiyyagura said.

Multiple researchers told CT Mirror that, contrary to some people鈥檚 concerns that people could misuse the funds they receive, they had not seen this happen. Blanton said that studies on cash assistance programs overwhelmingly showed that people who got cash were not wasteful.

鈥淲hen people get a set amount of money, they tend not to go and spend it on vices,鈥� said Blanton. 鈥淭hey spend it on their basic needs, and overwhelmingly, if they are parents, they spend it on their kids.鈥�

Paredes said this was consistent with the people she鈥檇 interviewed. And Tiyyagura said that while donors had expressed concern to 4-CT about the use of the funds, and violence survivors questioned whether people might come into the ER and misrepresent themselves in order to get the money, she鈥檇 found no evidence of either of these things happening in the study.

The goal with the cash assistance program isn鈥檛 simply to hand people money and send them off. The hospital tries to connect victims with other nonprofit partners in the community. Nearly everyone who spoke to CT Mirror said that the cash assistance helped build trust between victims and the organizations that were offering services.

鈥溾�奍t鈥檚 a tool that allows the people to see that we鈥檙e serious and we mean what we say. We鈥檙e not just selling you dreams,鈥� Pepe Vega, Yale鈥檚 program lead for violence prevention outreach, said.

Vega said he knew of a situation where a victim used the funds to pay a debt he owed to someone. It worked, he said 鈥� the victim was left alone.

Vega, himself a survivor of gun violence on two occasions, said he remembers being pulled over by police officers, while in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, who demanded to know the identity of his shooter. Later, when Vega saw a police officer talking with one of the doctors at the hospital where he was treated, he decided to leave. The second time he was shot, Vega said, he didn鈥檛 even bother to go to the hospital.

鈥淚 know these stories that go on every day in the community, and people are so afraid to go to the hospital and so afraid to talk to anybody afterward because they don鈥檛 want to be looked at as a perpetrator when they were a true victim,鈥� Vega said.

Tiyyagura said that beyond cash assistance, the hospital helps survivors of intimate partner violence come up with a safety plan, makes sure they have a place to go for the next 24 hours and reaches out to domestic violence services if the person agrees.

Broadening success

Dodington said the hospital provides intensive case management for 60 to 90 days after someone comes in with an injury, helping them apply for funding from the Victims of Crime Act and connecting them to community organizations. Those include the City of New Haven鈥檚 Victim Services Support Network, the Urban Community Alliance, the Community Violence Intervention Program or Project Longevity.

鈥淭he $500 is in many ways the initial step towards trying to provide stability so that you can then engage in these services,鈥� Dodington said.

Blanton said the money also made it far more likely that people would answer follow-up calls from the hospital after they were discharged.

鈥淥ne of the things they found was that there was an incredibly high increase in the frequency with which people answered their phone calls, not because they expected more money, but it was because the hospital actually met them where they were at and delivered something that they really need,鈥� Blanton said.

Gun violence rates in New Haven have decreased significantly in the last few years. After 26 murder victims and 110 assault victims in 2021, firearm violence dropped to 16 homicides and 43 non-fatal shootings in 2025. Mayor Justin Elicker 鈥渢he lowest level of gun violence we鈥檝e seen in a decade.鈥�

Paredes said that with such a small sample size, it鈥檚 difficult to measure program success. A 2023 study at Yale, also with a small sample size, did not find any statistically significant change in reinjury for people who participated in the hospital鈥檚 initial violence prevention program, which ran from 2020 to 2022.

But Paredes said that success can be defined in other ways, too.

鈥淔rom the anecdotal experience of talking to these individuals, from what I had heard from the caseworkers at the violence intervention program, I think hearing how even just this little bit of financial assistance truly helped shape people鈥檚 recovery to me warrants its existence and demonstrates that there鈥檚 a need for this that鈥檚 not being filled by the current systems of support,鈥� Paredes said.

Paredes said she felt the state could help by making it easier for victims to apply for funding that they are eligible for as violence survivors. And Tiyyagura said the state needs to do more to provide housing, a need that a one-time payment of $500 can鈥檛 cover. She also said there should be some kind of financial literacy training to go along with the funds.

鈥溾�奍 think if there鈥檚 a way to make this more universal, that would be amazing. But I know a lot of (intimate partner violence) service organizations are struggling with not having money for cash assistance as well. I think funding is going down for all of these things as opposed to being maintained or going up,鈥� Tiyyagura said.

Both Dodington and Blanton praised the state for treating violence as a public health problem rather than an issue of criminality. Blanton said that 4-CT had received a grant for $200,000 from the state Department of Public Health a few years ago, which allowed them to distribute about 250 cash assistance cards to people in Hartford and New Haven, ultimately assisting more than 850 people.

Blanton said the organization is now expanding its work to Waterbury and Bridgeport.

Cash for reentry

In addition to the one-time cash payments, 4-CT also ran a longer-term cash assistance program for people returning to the community after incarceration. Men and women who enrolled in the program, known as Elm City Reentry, received $500 a month for 12 months. Blanton said the most frequent feedback she heard from people who engaged in the program was lower stress levels.

鈥溾�奡ome people experience a reduction in stress, and it helps them reconnect with family members, or it helps them have the patience to wait in a job search for a better job that sets them on a career path versus a job at Taco Bell, for example,鈥� Blanton said.

This was the case for Trevor Dixon, who enrolled in the program after he was released from incarceration to a halfway house in November 2021. Dixon said that when he first heard about the possibility of getting monthly cash payments, he was skeptical.

鈥溾�奌onestly, most of the programs that I ran through or that I鈥檝e known about 鈥� 鈥妌one of them really pan out to be what they say they鈥檙e going to be,鈥� he said.

After leaving the halfway house, Dixon moved into a property that his sister owned. But he said that his sister wanted him to pay rent to help with the bills, something he wasn鈥檛 able to do without a job. He used the $500 to purchase food, half of which he gave to his sister, who accepted it as payment toward the rent.

鈥溾�奍 had nothing to offer. That was leverage. It helped me. It definitely did,鈥� he said.

Dixon said that while the monthly payment wasn鈥檛 enough to cover basic expenses, it was enough to help him establish a foundation. He was able to think deliberately about how he wanted to move forward with his work, rather than being forced to throw himself into a less-than-ideal situation out of desperation.

Dixon said he wasn鈥檛 sure what he would have done without the money.

鈥溾�奍 kind of ran all my wells dry when I was incarcerated. It鈥檚 kind of hard to ask the same people who were supporting you when you were locked up to keep supporting you when you come home and you don鈥檛 have nothing to offer yet,鈥� Dixon said.

McKenna Booker, the coordinator for New Haven鈥檚 Office of Violence Prevention, told CT Mirror that cash assistance has been a lifeline both for victims of gun violence and people returning to the community after being incarcerated for a firearm-related offense. The city runs the Program for Reintegration, Engagement, Safety and Support, or PRESS, to work with these people.

鈥溾�奧e鈥檝e had several PRESS participants say to us directly that without this cash assistance, they without a doubt would have been compelled or felt compelled to rely on their previous survival tactics or survival strategies, which included picking up a firearm, illegal activity, possibly revisiting criminal habits and behavior just to meet basic needs, just to be able to provide for their family,鈥� Booker said.

So far, Elm City Reentry has served three cohorts of 20 people each, and Blanton said they are currently raising money to fund a fourth group.

Dixon found work making deliveries for DoorDash. He still had to be careful with money, he said 鈥� the only reason that the pilot worked, he said, was because he worked the whole time he received the funds.

鈥溾�奣he pilot wasn鈥檛 made to live off of. It was just made as a boost or to help you with whatever you鈥檙e doing,鈥� he said.

Still, he said, he became more and more nervous as it got closer to the time the pilot was going to end. He said he was able to stock up on food and water and give his sister some advance payments in anticipation of the payments ending.

Since the pilot ended, Dixon found a job doing work for a man who buys and sells real estate. Through a former employer, he was able to find a good apartment at a reasonable price. With the help of his employer, he鈥檚 paying off the cost of a truck. He said that family members treat him differently now, trusting him to handle situations. He鈥檚 made more progress in the last few years, he said, than he鈥檚 made at any time in his life.

鈥溾�奣he program鈥檚 a blessing, and I hope the people that get this program use it similarly in the way that I did,鈥� he said.

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This story was originally published by and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

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The Central African Republic, a deeply impoverished country plagued by conflict, is one of at least nine African nations with this type of agreement.

Under a series of often-secret agreements that are part of a broad U.S. crackdown on immigration, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, advocates say.

The Trump administration uses deportations to third countries as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their home countries, immigration lawyers said.

It was unclear exactly how many migrants were on the deportation flight that left Louisiana late Thursday on the way to the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui.

Among those set to be deported Thursday were people from Iran, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia and Afghanistan, according to Ali Rahnama, interim executive director of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund, who has been in touch with some of the migrants.

Three Iranian women in the U.S. were originally scheduled to be sent to the Central African Republic, according to Sahar Jalili Pawelski, one of their immigration lawyers, who said two of them received emergency court orders temporarily stopping their deportation while judges reviewed whether the government was acting legally.

All had been granted court protection against deportation to Iran after judges ruled they faced credible fears of persecution on the basis of politics or religion, Rahnama said.

鈥淒espite being granted withholding of removal, these individuals are being removed from the United States and abandoned in a country where they have no status, no connection and no support network. We fear they will ultimately be forced to return to the countries they originally fled,鈥� Emily Trostle, an attorney representing two of the women, said Friday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday would not comment on the case, saying it would not confirm future removal operations for security reasons. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Central African Republic has been plagued by years of conflict between pro-government forces and armed groups and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Despite vast reserves of gold, one in three people live on less than $2 a day.

It also is one of the countries where , was first active in Africa. The group has been responsible for President Faustin-Archange Touad茅ra鈥檚 security and fighting rebel groups.

The country remains one of Russia鈥檚 closest allies in Africa, despite recent tensions between Touad茅ra and Moscow over Russia鈥檚 push to replace Wagner with the state-controlled .

Rahnama of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund expressed concerns about an Iranian asylum seeker being sent to the Central African Republic, noting Russia鈥檚 influence in the country and Moscow鈥檚 close security ties with Iran.

The International Organization for Migration, a U.N.-affiliated agency, will 鈥減rovide post-arrival humanitarian assistance鈥� to the migrants at the request of the Central African authorities, a spokesperson said.

The U.S. earlier this year awarded $85 million to 鈦爐he IOM for 鈥媜perations in the Central African Republic to provide “assistance to migrants鈥� and promote 鈥渃ommunity stabilization.鈥�

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington and Akram Oubachir in Casablanca, Morocco contributed to this report.

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With storms gathering near Washington before a court-ordered deadline to remove references to Trump, workers were seen building scaffolding around a section of the building that includes the president’s name. A crowd gathered nearby and cheered their work as Trump’s name moved closer to being taken down.

Yet the Kennedy Center’s leadership didn’t abandon its legal efforts to keep Trump’s name in place. The institution appealed the ruling denying it request for a stay and requested action by the court by 7 pm ET.

鈥淭his appeal raises serious questions about Article III standing and about the powers of the Center鈥檚 Board,” the filing read. “Major physical changes to the Center should await this Court鈥檚 resolution of those issues; as an equitable matter, it does not make sense to alter the Center鈥檚 name and signage now, only to potentially revert the name again after what should be a successful appeal.鈥�

Last month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled Trump鈥檚 name was illegally added to the iconic Washington performing arts facility and ordered it removed by Friday. Late Thursday, Trump鈥檚 handpicked board at the center mounted a last-minute effort to keep his name on the facade of the iconic performing arts facility, a request that Cooper denied.

A June 4 from the Kennedy Center鈥檚 Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as 鈥淭he John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts鈥� or 鈥淜ennedy Center.鈥�

The Kennedy Center鈥檚 website has dropped Trump’s name. And an earlier email offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump鈥檚 name.

After ignoring the Kennedy Center for much of his first term, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his return to office. Just a month into his second term, he and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman.

In his earlier ruling, Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July and last for two years.

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Associated Press journalists Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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Saturday

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Saturday

American League

National League

Interleague

Consensus odds provided by Sportradar

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Wilson was a month ago because of a dislocated left shoulder. The 2025 All-Star is batting .292 with three home runs and 19 RBIs over 39 games this season.

Rooker missed the on Tuesday and Wednesday, and manager Mark Kotsay said he would be further evaluated on the off day Thursday.

A two-time All-Star who has hit 30-plus home runs each of the past three seasons, Rooker is hitting. 200 with 10 homer and 29 RBIs over 48 games this year.

The A’s are in Las Vegas this week and open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.

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AP MLB:

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E_Piasecki, Darnell. 2B_Guzman (21), Hall (8), Janicki (25), Darnell 2 (9). HR_Smith (10), Janicki (20). RBI_Guzman (42), Smith (54), Hall 4 (38), Janicki (86), Meier (45), Nelson (50), Darnell (46), Boroff (33).

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Hall hit a two-run double in the second inning and came up in the eighth with two runners on against Zach Crotchfelt. With the infield pulled in, Hall chopped the ball over first base for a two-run lead.

Korn, the Division II pitcher of the year at Seton Hill last year, steadied the Mountaineers after Troy knocked out Chansen Cole in the third inning. Korn (6-1) went six innings and allowed two hits, including Jimmy Janicki’s tying home run in the seventh.

Little-used reliever Ben McDougal came on with a runner on base and two outs in the ninth and got Janicki to foul out for his first save.

Before Hall’s winning hit, Crotchfelt (7-3) hadn’t given up a run in 11 1/3 innings over five appearances.

West Virginia (46-15), which has won 18 of its last 21 games, will play Sunday against the winner of Friday night’s Mississippi-North Carolina game. Troy (38-31) will face the loser in an elimination game Sunday.

The CWS opener started with some excitement when West Virginia leadoff man Armani Guzman stole home to open the scoring. He took a big lead off third base against left-hander Benjamin Stubbs and came hard down the line. The pitch was high, and the headfirst-sliding Guzman was able to get his left hand onto the plate just ahead of Janicki鈥檚 tag. It was the first straight steal of home in the CWS since 2000, and Guzman鈥檚 school-record 39th steal of the season.

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AP college sports:

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Are Spurs fans worried? Maybe.

Do fans still believe? Absolutely.

Among the team’s slogans is the phrase 鈥淧or Vida.鈥� Translated, it means 鈥淔or Life.鈥� Generations of fans in San Antonio have held those words dear through the eras led by George Gervin to David Robinson to Tim Duncan to, now, Victor Wembanyama. And even now, with the Knicks on the brink of winning this championship, the words ring true among Spurs fans.

鈥淲ith absolute certainty, always,鈥� Joe Michael Benavides, the boys basketball coach at Hebbronville High School 鈥� some 150 miles from San Antonio 鈥� said when asked if he was still a Spurs fan.

Make no mistake, there are many like Benavides. Frost Bank Center will be electric when the Spurs take the floor on Saturday night, with the stands filled by those who wore San Antonio silver and black to the game.

Thing is, there will be a copious amount of New York blue and orange in there as well.

There are some fans who sold their tickets on secondary markets for Game 5. It’s unclear how many, but with prices topping $1,500 apiece in the highest rows and reaching $5,000 or more in the lower level 鈥� big money for sure, yet a sliver of what Knicks fans paid for Games 3 and 4 鈥� it’s easy to see why some ticketholders are making business decisions instead of basketball ones.

鈥淥f course I鈥檓 upset with Spurs fans selling their tickets, but if they can鈥檛 afford 鈥榚m, nothing can be done,鈥� said Rick Vela, known to Spurs fans as the 鈥淢asked Bandido Of San Antonio.鈥� 鈥淛ust sad these Knicks fans have to buy 鈥檈m, but their arena is way worse with those ticket prices.鈥�

Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox understands.

鈥淧eople are making money,鈥� Fox said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the economy we live in. It鈥檚 the world we live in. Am I upset about it? No. Do I understand it? Sure. I don鈥檛 think that changes what happens on the court.鈥�

It is not a frontrunning fan base in San Antonio. The city celebrated five NBA championships and had a record-setting run of 22 straight postseason appearances under Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, but Spurs fans also suffered for decades.

There was the heartbreak of blowing a 3-1 lead to the then-Washington Bullets in the 1979 Eastern Conference finals. Mention Derek Fisher’s game-winning jumper with 0.4 seconds in Game 5 that helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2004 NBA Western Conference semifinals at your own peril in this city; it’ll go over as well as saying, 鈥淚 dislike cowboy hats.鈥� And the pain of Wednesday night has not subsided either, after the Spurs blew a 29-point lead in losing 107-106 to the Knicks in Game 4.

The Spurs are the only major pro team in town. There’s no Yankees, no Mets, no Nets, no Rangers, no Islanders, no Devils, no Liberty, no NYCFC, no Red Bulls here. The Spurs are San Antonio’s everything.

鈥淭hey’re still there for us,” said Rene Gonzalez, still proudly flying a Spurs car flag on his truck. 鈥淭hey still bring this community together.鈥�

Those who think trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals is going to darken the spirits of Spurs fans might get a two-word answer in San Antonio.

驴Estas loco?

You’re crazy.

鈥淎ll year these boys have proven everyone wrong,鈥� said Raylyn Boyson, a member of the Spurs superfan group, The Jackals, a group born from an idea by Wembanyama to have San Antonio fans mimic what happens at games in his native Europe. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason why we shouldn鈥檛 keep believing. If anyone is going to defy all odds, it鈥檚 this group.鈥�

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AP NBA:

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Three regional officials say the emerging deal is expected to pave the way for reopening the , the phased , and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

A senior U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that technical details on how to remove Iran鈥檚 enriched uranium, according to the emerging memorandum of understanding, would be worked out during a 60-day period following the two sides signing off on the agreement.

Here’s the latest:

Platner鈥檚 nomination reflects Democrats鈥� desire for a bigger tent to gain seats

Support for Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner despite a growing list of controversies reflects a Democratic Party increasingly willing to overlook behavior it might once have deemed disqualifying.

For some Democrats, the shift reflects lessons learned during the Trump era. Republicans stood by Trump through scandals, impeachments and criminal convictions, often without paying a lasting political price at the ballot box.

鈥淚 think what the people of this country and the people of Maine are interested in is how we鈥檙e going to have a government that represents all of us and addresses the many crises we face. Not the marriage problems of a campaign,鈥� said Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Among the controversies concerning Platner are a tattoo , sexting shortly after he married and , which Platner denies, that he locked an ex-girlfriend in a room and forcefully twisted her arm.

Take a peek inside more new UFO files

One was a rotating disc that sent out beams of light. Another was a shining red orb of a hue the observer had never seen before. Then there was the one compared to a potato, and also a bean, but with a coat of shimmering, fish-like scales.

Those were some of the UFOs described in documents released Friday by the Pentagon, the third release since Trump to give the public full disclosure around what it knows about alien life and mysterious .

The 72 files released on Friday don鈥檛 include the kind of blockbuster revelation that Trump has teased. There鈥檚 no conclusive evidence of alien life or government . But the files reveal new details about some , along with the government鈥檚 efforts to explain what many find inexplicable.

As Trump again says the Iran war could soon end, some objectives are unfulfilled

The Trump administration has said its war aims are clear and unchanging. However, the list has expanded and shifted as the president and his administration have spoken about the conflict, now in its fourth month.

All the while, the war has battered the global economy, tested alliances and raised unanswered questions about the planning for the conflict, its justification and its aftermath.

By most accounts, the strikes by the U.S. and Israel have significantly degraded Iran鈥檚 military capabilities and killed scores of senior leaders. But those tactical successes don鈥檛 necessarily translate into achieving all the president鈥檚 strategic aims, even as the administration said Friday that it was meeting the goals it had laid out.

Here鈥檚 a look at the objectives laid out by Trump at various points during the war, and what we know about where they stand:

The rise of UFC: Dana White鈥檚 path from 鈥榟uman cockfighting鈥� to the White House starts with Trump

Dana White and the UFC鈥檚 journey to the White House began 25 years ago with a modest event in Atlantic City called 鈥淏attle on the Boardwalk.鈥�

At the time, White was a new UFC president who said his goal was to make the fledging promotion 鈥渢he Super Bowl of mixed martial arts.鈥�

The site of this seemingly absurd proclamation: Trump Taj Mahal.

After larger fights outside the cage for legitimacy and legalization, UFC is back at Trump鈥檚 home this weekend, though both the promotion and the businessman have long since leveled up in status and stature.

White House is trying to assure Netanyahu about emerging deal

Trump spoke on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the latest efforts to reach an agreement with Iran, according to a senior U.S. administration official.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that the U.S. administration is stressing to Israeli officials that any deal will require Iran to begin delivering on concessions in the deal before Tehran receives any potential benefits from the settlement.

鈥� By Aamer Madhani in Washington

Cuban president announces economic reforms amid tensions

Cuban President Miguel D铆az-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country鈥檚 administration.

The president did not provide details during remarks to state media.

鈥淓very opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,鈥� D铆az-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media.

The reforms come amid heightened tensions in U.S.-Cuba relations. The U.S. has pressed for economic reforms since launching a blockade that has deprived Cuba of fuel since February.

Technical details are still in flux for emerging Iran deal, US official says

A senior U.S. administration official said that a deal with Iran was 80% to 85% done, and the U.S. side believes 鈥渕ost of the people who have authority鈥� in the Iranian government want to sign on to the deal 鈥渂ut not everybody.鈥�

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said that technical details on how to go about removing Iran鈥檚 enriched uranium, according to the emerging memorandum of understanding, would be worked out during a 60-day period following the two sides signing off on the agreement.

The official did not detail who the U.S. envisions taking charge of removing the uranium, which is believed to be entombed under three nuclear sites that were battered by U.S. strikes last year.

鈥� By Aamer Madhani in Washington

Judge rules Trump can stage UFC fights at the White House this weekend

A federal judge has refused to stop the White House from staging a UFC mixed martial arts event this weekend in an elaborate ring already built on the South Lawn to celebrate the nation鈥檚 250th anniversary 鈥� on Trump鈥檚 80th birthday.

The nonprofit Public Integrity Project sued to challenge Trump鈥檚 UFC Freedom 250 event.

The White House calls the lawsuit baseless, saying it鈥檚 no different from many other events hosted at public forums in the capital.

Judge denies Kennedy Center request for pause in ruling ordering Trump鈥檚 name removed from building

That denial came Friday. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled last month Trump鈥檚 name was illegally added to the iconic Washington performing arts facility. Cooper ruled only Congress could institute a change to the Kennedy Center鈥檚 name and ordered references to Trump to be removed by Friday.

A June 4 from the Kennedy Center鈥檚 Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as 鈥淭he John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts鈥� or 鈥淜ennedy Center.鈥�

The Kennedy Center鈥檚 website has dropped Trump鈥檚 name. And an email earlier this week offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump鈥檚 name.

Pakistan says US and Iran agree on 鈥榝inal鈥� text of a peace deal

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that a 鈥渇inal, agreed upon text of the peace deal鈥� between the United States and Iran has been reached and that Pakistan is now working with both sides to finalize the next steps.

鈥淧eace has never been this close as it is now,鈥� he added.

In a post on X, Sharif said Pakistan was engaged in 鈥渙ngoing intense mediation efforts鈥� and accused unnamed actors of spreading 鈥渋ncessant misinformation鈥� aimed at undermining the process.

The U.S. and Iran did not immediately comment on Sharif鈥檚 statement.

Thunderbirds and Blue Angels fly over White House before Sunday鈥檚 UFC matches

Dana White, president and CEO of UFC, was on hand to watch as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels did a practice run over the White House, where the lawn is set up for Sunday鈥檚 matches.

White is a big Trump supporter. Sunday is also Trump鈥檚 80th birthday.

Trump鈥檚 name remains on Kennedy Center as removal deadline approaches

Yet there were signs of activity on this steamy summer afternoon, as workers put up scaffolding around a section of the performing arts venue that includes Trump鈥檚 name.

Workers have appeared in the area before so it鈥檚 unclear whether they were preparing to immediately take down his name.

Much of the attention is on U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who must decide whether to grant a last-minute pause for his earlier ruling to remove Trump鈥檚 name. The judge ruled in May that only Congress could make such changes.

U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, made a filing earlier Friday opposing the request. An ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center鈥檚 board, she filed the lawsuit seeking to remove Trump鈥檚 name from the institution.

Iran鈥檚 top diplomat says a deal with the US is close

Striking an unusually optimistic tone, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that a Pakistan-brokered agreement between the U.S. and Iran to end their war 鈥渉as never been closer.鈥�

He added that the media should not speculate about the deal鈥檚 content, apparently in reference to reports circulating with lists of points purportedly included in the agreement.

鈥淎ll details will be shared with the public in due course,鈥� Araghchi said in a post on X.

Trump shared Araghchi鈥檚 post on his own social media account.

Official details US reductions to NATO resources in Europe

The U.S. notified NATO in early June that it鈥檚 reducing the American military assets that would be available to Europe in case of attack, according to a NATO official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The reduction included an aircraft carrier strike group as well as a number of submarines, fighter jets, maritime patrol aircraft, air refueling planes and drones, the official said. However, U.S. space capabilities that help with targeting are not being drawn down.

The official said details are still being worked out on exactly when those assets are being reduced and when other NATO countries will step in to fill gaps left by the U.S. The timeline will be discussed further at the NATO summit in Turkey in July.

German news outlet Die Welt earlier reported some details of the cuts.

鈥� Ben Finley

Vice President JD Vance pushes back on critics of in-the-works Iran deal

Vance in a social media post appeared to be chiding some of the president鈥檚 supporters who 鈥渟aid Donald Trump was a historic president a month ago鈥� were now 鈥渃riticizing a deal based on unconfirmed media reports.鈥�

鈥淭he president is going to get us a good outcome, one way or the other,鈥� Vance said.

The vice president in his post said the Iranians 鈥渁re not receiving any cash,鈥� but that Iran would receive 鈥渆conomic benefits鈥� if it meets obligations.

鈥淭his deal has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace,鈥� he said, without releasing details.

Judge extends block on Trump鈥檚 $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund

The federal judge agreed Friday to extend a court-ordered block on the Trump administration鈥檚 creation and operation of for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.

Earlier this month, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche the government is scrapping its plans for the fund in the face of a fierce bipartisan backlash. Government attorneys have argued that lawsuits challenging the fund are now moot, but plaintiffs鈥� attorneys aren鈥檛 satisfied by Blanche鈥檚 assurances that the fund won鈥檛 move forward.

President Trump, meanwhile, has not publicly and unequivocally endorsed its cancellation.

US official says Iran deal has five key terms that include destroying and removing nuclear material

A senior U.S. official said there are five key terms in the agreement: Iran鈥檚 nuclear material will be destroyed and removed, its nuclear program will be dismantled, none of its frozen money will be released until it meets certain demands, the Strait of Hormuz will be open, and Iran must not fund terrorist groups.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide details about the sensitive talks.

Trump on Friday lashed out at Iranian officials on social media and said, 鈥淭hey better get their act together, and FAST!鈥�

鈥� Collin Binkley

NATO weighs options to defend Europe as the US plans for conflict elsewhere

NATO鈥檚 top military officer is weighing alternative plans to defend Europe should it come under attack from Russia, after the United States announced it鈥檚 cutting the number of aircraft and warships it would provide in a security crisis.

The so-called Force Model is Plan A for making forces from the 32 member nations available in times of peace, crisis or war. It sets out the military assets commanders can call on in phases over the first six months of any conflict.

But last month, the Pentagon warned its NATO allies it would be its commitment to focus on potential threats elsewhere, notably from China in the Indo-Pacific region.

European countries and Canada had waited impatiently for over a year for the Trump administration to detail its plans after it warned that Europe is no longer a top U.S. . They knew , but not how big, fast or what kind.

Tensions between Trump and Macron could be on full display at next week鈥檚 G7 summit in France

The relationship between Trump and French President started simply enough, , nearly a decade ago.

But even then, there were signs of strain in their relationship 鈥� tensions that could be on full display during next week鈥檚 G7 summit in France.

Back in 2017, Trump was a brash businessman just elected to America鈥檚 most powerful office, and Macron was an upstart politician who had in a landslide. At a NATO summit in Brussels, they far longer than most people do when they meet for the first time. Neither seemed to want to be the first to break a grip so tight that it exposed white knuckles.

Nevertheless, a friendship was born. And early on, Macron seemed to be the one European leader with a knack for managing his mercurial, three-decades-older counterpart.

But by the end of Trump鈥檚 first term, the bromance had faded. And in his second term, the leaders now openly trade barbs, disagreeing over tariffs, Ukraine and the Iran war.

A key US government surveillance program is set to expire

The seen as vital in preventing terror attacks and catching foreign spies is set to expire Friday after congressional efforts to temporarily extend it .

It鈥檚 a significant lapse for the program known as Section 702, and even as President Donald Trump nominates more palatable to both Republicans and Democrats than his initial pick, it鈥檚 unclear how soon lawmakers 鈥� set for recess 鈥� would be able to revive the spy program.

Still, there may not be an immediate drop-off given that a court order from March authorized these government surveillance powers to remain in effect for another year.

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The S&P 500 added 0.5% to close out its 10th winning week in the last 11. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 353 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.

Stocks got a lift from a 3.4% drop for the price of Brent crude oil to $87.33 per barrel, deepening its loss for the week. Oil prices have come down since President Donald to launch strikes on Iran and said a .

A deal to end the war could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to once again deliver crude from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide. Its near closure since the war began has sent the price of Brent up from roughly $70 per barrel and caused a wave of for the world.

Of course, financial markets have rallied in the past on hopes that an end to the war with Iran was near, only to get disappointed each time.

The bigger factor for Wall Street over the last week has actually been artificial-intelligence stocks, and how they have gone from to . The concern is whether such stocks shot too high, too fast because of AI mania, and their careening moves have sometimes reversed direction by the hour.

SpaceX suggested plenty of demand still exists among investors for AI after its stock leaped 19.2% in its first day of trading. That gave Elon Musk鈥檚 rocket company a total value of $2.1 trillion, making it bigger than Exxon Mobil, Bank of America and Coca-Cola combined. In addition to building rockets, SpaceX also owns the artificial intelligence company xAI.

AI-related stocks were otherwise mixed following their roller-coaster moves over the last week. Micron Technology鈥檚 drop of 1.4% was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, but CoreWeave jumped 5% after learning it will join the Nasdaq 100 index later this month.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, Adobe dropped 6.8% despite reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Its stock has lost nearly 42% so far this year, and it announced its chief financial officer is leaving the company on Monday. Adobe is already looking for a CEO to replace Shantanu Narayen, who announced in March that he is stepping aside after 18 years as Adobe鈥檚 leader.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 37.16 points to 7,431.46. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 353.51 to 51,202.26, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 79.18 to 25,888.84.

In the bond market, Treasury yields rose to regain some of their sharp slide from the day before, when oil prices dropped following Trump鈥檚 announcement. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.48% from 4.45% late Thursday.

High yields can and undercut prices for all kinds of investments, including stocks and cryptocurrencies. They hit investments seen as the most expensive in particular, and some critics are calling the AI industry a bubble where investment inflated too far.

Yields got a boost after a report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is not as bad as economists feared. The preliminary survey from the University of Michigan said sentiment improved by more than expected. U.S. consumers said they were feeling some relief after gasoline prices eased a bit early in the month.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rallied as they caught up to Thursday鈥檚 big gains on Wall Street.

South Korea鈥檚 Kospi jumped 4.6% and trimmed its losses from earlier this month taken because of sell-offs for AI-related stocks. The Kospi has nearly doubled since the start of the year.

Tokyo鈥檚 Nikkei 225 rose 2.8%, and France鈥檚 CAC 40 climbed 1.8% for two of the world鈥檚 bigger moves.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

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Considering how things started for the Canadians on Friday, it wasn’t the worst outcome.

Cyle Larin 鈥� who had just entered the game 鈥� scored in the 78th minute to make it 1-1 after Canada fought from behind for the majority of the afternoon. Bosnia’s Jovo Lukic scored in the 21st minute with a nifty header off a corner kick, briefly quieting the home crowd.

Next up: The United States plays Friday’s nightcap against Paraguay in Inglewood, California.

The World Cup gets into the meat of its schedule starting Saturday, with at least four games each day until June 27.

Mexico opened the tournament on Thursday over South Africa in front of a boisterous crowd at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.

What to watch on June 13

Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish-language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.

鈥� Qatar vs. Switzerland, 3 p.m. EDT in Santa Clara, California (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

鈥� Brazil vs. Morocco, 6 p.m. EDT in East Rutherford, New Jersey (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

鈥� Haiti vs. Scotland, 9 p.m. EDT in Foxborough, Massachusetts (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

鈥� Australia vs. Turkey, midnight EDT in Vancouver, British Columbia (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

U.S. plays first game against Paraguay

The Americans 鈥� who enter the tournament 鈥� hope that matches on their home soil can lead to a World Cup breakthrough. The U.S. has advanced to the knockout round in four of the last six World Cups it has played, but hasn’t been able to get past the quarterfinals. Coach Mauricio Pochettino was hired in 2024 after successful stints at several European clubs. It’s a big tournament for forward Christian Pulisic, who enters this World Cup

The Americans’ first opponent, Paraguay, is the lowest-ranked team in Group D at No. 47 and back in the World Cup for the first time in 16 years. Ramon Sosa and Julio Enciso are among the team’s best players.

Qatar back in World Cup, Switzerland eyes a deep run

Qatar was an automatic qualifier for the 2022 World Cup because it was the host country, but earned its way into the field this time. Almoez Ali is the country’s career scoring leader with 60 goals in 126 international appearances.

Switzerland qualified for its sixth straight World Cup and enters the tournament as the 19th-ranked team. The Swiss have never won a knockout-round game despite advancing out of their group three times. Switzerland is led by midfielder Granit Xhaka, who has 145 caps.

Brazil vs. Morocco is a group-stage showdown between top 10 teams

Brazil has one of the most historically successful teams, winning World Cups in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. But the Brazilians haven’t been quite as good over the last few decades, losing in the quarterfinals in four of the last five tournaments. They’re still a formidable squad 鈥� ranked No. 6 coming into Saturday’s match.

Morocco 鈥� the No. 7 team 鈥� is one of Africa’s best squads and made World Cup history in 2022, reaching the semifinals before losing to France.

Underdogs Haiti and Scotland enjoy return to World Cup after long absences

Haiti is in the World Cup for the second time and first since 1974. The Haitians 鈥� one of the lowest-ranked teams in the field at No. 83 鈥� made the tournament by beating out more established Central American powers like Costa Rica and Honduras.

Scotland is back in the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Scott McTominay is one of the team’s best players and has 14 goals in his last 33 international appearances.

Turkey returns to World Cup for first time since 2002, faces Australia

Australia is making its sixth straight World Cup appearance and seventh overall. The Australians 鈥� ranked No. 27 鈥� reached the round of 16 during the 2022 tournament before losing to eventual champion Argentina.

Turkey is back in the World Cup for the first time since 2002, when it finished third. It’s been a country on the rise over the past few years and is up to No. 22 in the rankings.

Head of Palestinian soccer says he wasn鈥檛 granted US visa for World Cup

The head of the Palestinian Football Association is waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States with other federation heads attending the

Jibril Rajoub went to the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday. But he is among several people accredited to attend the World Cup who have been denied visas or have yet to receive them from the United States.

The Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA typically invites the heads of football associations from around the world to the event every four years, which it frames as a celebration of global unity.

More World Cup news

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Stat of the day

鈥� Canada had lost all of its six World Cup games before fighting to a draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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AP World Cup coverage:

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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After making the highest total in tournament history 鈥� 219-1 鈥� with 105 not out by opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge, England dismissed Sri Lanka for 132.

Left-arm pacer Freya Kemp took a career-best 4-21 including three wickets in one over that reduced Sri Lanka to 92-8.

But it was England’s record-setting batting that shone on a sunny evening in front of 14,865 fans.

Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones, who was pushed up the order to open, combined for 100 inside 10 overs. Jones was dropped on 12 and 48 and was out for 53 off 38 balls. But her’s and Wyatt-Hodge’s stand of 135 was England’s highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history.

Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, only just back from a torn calf in April, was dropped on 14. But her unbeaten 46 off 22 balls shot her past Charlotte Edwards, the former captain and current England coach, to be England’s highest run-scorer in T20 World Cups. Sciver-Brunt has 784 and Edwards 768.

Sciver-Brunt gave Wyatt-Hodge, on 97, the last two balls of the innings. She immediately hit behind square to the boundary, reaching the seventh hundred in tournament history and the second by an Englishwoman.

She punched the air and made a baby-rocking celebration a la Brazil’s Bebeto in the 1994 men’s soccer World Cup. Wyatt-Hodge was only just back from maternity leave. Her wife gave birth to their first child on May 20.

鈥淚t was great fun out there,鈥� Wyatt-Hodge said. 鈥淢y century celebration was for my daughter Daisy. I hope TV got it.鈥�

She also hit the last delivery for four, her 13th, to finish her third T20 century 105 not out from 62 balls.

If that wasn’t enough, Wyatt-Hodge took a brilliant catch, running from deep square leg, over her shoulder with a dive to remove Sri Lanka鈥檚 biggest threat, captain Chamari Athapaththu, on 4 in the fourth over.

Wyatt-Hodge dropped her next two chances but neither caused any great harm.

On Saturday, it’s Ireland vs. Scotland, Australia vs. South Africa, and defending champion New Zealand vs. West Indies.

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