The Associated Press – 91欧美激情 91欧美激情 Washington's Top 91欧美激情 Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:44:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Wtop91欧美激情Logo_500x500-150x150.png The Associated Press – 91欧美激情 91欧美激情 32 32 College Football Playoff adds Appalachian State AD Doug Gillin to selection committee /ncaa-football/2026/08/college-football-playoff-adds-appalachian-state-ad-doug-gillin-to-selection-committee/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:44:14 +0000 /?p=29487671&preview=true&preview_id=29487671 IRVING, Texas (AP) 鈥 Appalachian State athletics director Doug Gillin has been appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee.

CFP executive director Rich Clark made the announcement Tuesday, naming Gillin as the replacement for former Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard. Maggard recently became the deputy athletics director/chief operating officer at Missouri.

Gillin has spent the last 12 years at App State, overseeing the football program’s multiple conference championships and the No. 20 spot in the final 2019 CFP rankings.

Gillin served on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee between 2020 and 2023 and was previously the deputy director of athletics at Missouri from 2012-15.

The CFP selection committee is responsible for ranking the top 25 teams and setting the field for the 12-team CFP. The committee meets in-person beginning in early November and produces a ranking of the top 25 teams each week leading up to its final selections.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up and (AP 91欧美激情 mobile app). AP college football: and

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Ariana Grande on decision to withdraw from the public eye: ‘Not a reactive or impulsive thing’ /national/2026/08/ariana-grande-on-decision-to-withdraw-from-the-public-eye-not-a-reactive-or-impulsive-thing/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:42:53 +0000 /?p=29487552&preview=true&preview_id=29487552 NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 chose to 鈥渃lear the air about a few things鈥 during her concert Monday night, following the news that she will be taking a break from being in the public eye after the conclusion of her 鈥淓ternal Sunshine鈥 tour.

While on stage at Chicago鈥檚 United Center, Grande told her fans that 鈥渢hings can get a little blown out of proportion,鈥 and that her decision to take a break from public life was one she had “quietly made a long time ago,鈥 rather than a 鈥渞eactive or impulsive thing.鈥

Reading from her phone, she continued: 鈥淚t was a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place. And I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time.鈥

On Sunday, producers for a London production of 鈥淪unday in the Park With George鈥 announced that Grande had withdrawn from her role in the musical, set to debut at the Barbican theater in 2027.

Grande鈥檚 recent breakup from the ongoing tour and has fueled rampant speculation online about her health and appearance. She has previously expressed discomfort with public discourse around her weight, stating in a 2023 TikTok video, 鈥淚 think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people鈥檚 bodies, no matter what.鈥

A representative for Grande told People magazine that the 33-year-old singer 鈥渨ill be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.鈥

鈥淪he looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,鈥 the statement said.

A representative for Grande did not offer further comment to The Associated Press.

Continuing her remarks from the stage Monday, Grande said she knows fans are worried that 鈥渘egativity was ruining things鈥 for her, but said the opposite is true.

“Multiple things can be true at the same time: boundaries need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life,鈥 she told her fans, who erupted in cheers.

The tour is scheduled to conclude on Sept. 1 in London, after a 10-night residency at the famed O2 Arena.

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Man from El Salvador dies in immigration jail in New Jersey, ICE says /national/2026/08/man-from-el-salvador-dies-in-immigration-jail-in-new-jersey-ice-says/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:40:58 +0000 /?p=29486236&preview=true&preview_id=29486236 A man from El Salvador has died at a that has been the target of over living conditions for people detained there, federal officials said Monday.

Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, 41, had been held at Delaney Hall in Newark after being arrested June 18, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lopez-Cornejo, whom the government accused of entering the U.S. illegally, died Saturday, the agency said. His official cause of death will be released following further medical examination, according to ICE.

Democratic politicians and civil rights groups in New Jersey questioned whether his death was preventable, saying they had little confidence people detained at the 1,000-bed facility were receiving proper care.

鈥淭his is not the first death of a detainee at Delaney Hall, and absent decisive action, it will not be the last,鈥 Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said in a statement. 鈥淚 have visited the facility myself and witnessed these conditions firsthand, so I say this plainly: Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and permanently.鈥

ICE said Lopez-Cornejo 鈥渞eceived proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals鈥 while he was in custody.

People held at the Newark facility have asked for improved living conditions and better medical care, as they say some are being denied medication. Earlier this year, some launched a hunger strike, according to Cosecha, an immigrant advocacy group.

The facility has also been a against President Donald Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown, with demonstrators trying to block vehicles from entering or leaving the facility.

Trump and his deputies have defended the center鈥檚 operations and denied there is any hunger strike, abuse or poor conditions inside.

The facility is owned by Geo Group, that runs multiple detention centers . The contractor did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

In December, another 41-year-old man, Jean Wilson Brutus, a Haitian national, died after collapsing at Delaney Hall in what a medical examiner ruled was a natural death due to a lung blockage.

U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who has routinely visited Delaney Hall, told reporters Monday that he confirmed that another person detained by ICE died in July after they suffered a seizure while they were being processed at the facility. Menendez said ICE granted the individual a 鈥渄iscretionary release鈥 from custody after they were taken to a hospital and lost consciousness, and the person died shortly afterward.

Menendez did not identify the individual, and ICE didn鈥檛 immediately respond to an inquiry about the case.

Menendez said that ICE did not report the death, in line with a policy change announced earlier this year in which the agency no longer reports deaths that occur within 30 days of someone’s release from custody. ICE described the change as 鈥渃ommon sense鈥 at the time, saying it is not responsible for what happens after people leave its custody. Some health experts and advocates for immigrants warned that the move would help ICE keep its custody death statistics down while obscuring its role in some deaths.

ICE has also not publicly recognized the July 24 death of 29-year-old Priciliano Trejo in Georgia, which came nine days after ICE released him from custody while he was hospitalized in a coma, according to a coalition of advocacy groups in the state.

Trejo, a Mexican national, had been diagnosed with leukemia, advocates said. Before his hospitalization, he had been arrested by ICE in North Carolina and later detained at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where at least two other ICE detainees have died in the last 14 months. ICE has not responded to an inquiry about Trejo鈥檚 death.

In all, at least 56 people have died in ICE custody during Trump鈥檚 second term. Lopez-Cornejo is the second native of El Salvador, following the September death of Norlan Guzman-Fuentes, who was killed during a on an ICE field office in Dallas.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, said her administration is working to understand the facts surrounding Lopez-Cornejo’s death.

鈥淎t the same time, we continue to face obstruction in our efforts to conduct a full health inspection of the facility,鈥 she said in a statement. 鈥淓very effort to block oversight raises serious questions about what is happening inside Delaney Hall and what those operating the facility are trying to hide.鈥

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Associated Press writer Ryan Foley in Iowa City, Iowa, contributed to this report.

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Japan says combat drones key to adapting to new warfare as regional tensions rise /world/2026/08/japan-says-combat-drones-key-to-adapting-to-new-warfare-as-tension-rises-in-the-region/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:40:24 +0000 /?p=29486072&preview=true&preview_id=29486072 TOKYO (AP) 鈥 Japan needs to adapt to new methods of warfare like using and drones that have been deployed in Ukraine and the Middle East and to strengthen its defense industry, the government said Tuesday.

Japan and spending in recent years and has started deploying long-range cruise missiles as a deterrent to China’s military activity.

The 598-page defense paper adopted by the Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated that China is Japan鈥檚 biggest strategic challenge. Japan is alarmed by the growing presence and frequency of

The annual white paper outlines Japan鈥檚 military activity and priorities and analysis of military trends in specific countries. As Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi鈥檚 government needs public support for further military buildup and spending and to attract service members, the report has features to appeal to readers including a cartoon on the cover and links to video clips in Japanese, English and Chinese.

Combat drones for new warfare

Inspired by the use of Japan considers it is essential to adapt to 鈥渘ew ways of warfare,鈥 the paper said.

With many countries racing to develop combat drones, Japan’s government prioritizes development of its own for a coastal defense, in combination with long-range missiles.

鈥淪peed is key,鈥 Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in early July.

The Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency recently selected four drone makers out of 38 applicants for a rapid development program and that they will advance to testing by Japan’s navy in early August before a final selection.

A number of companies are developing similar drones. Toshiba announced Friday plans to jointly develop combat drones with startup Pro Drone.

Uncrewed weapons could help Japan make up for its decreasing number of service members in a country with a shrinking population.

Experts say developing fully homemade drones while Japan鈥檚 commercial drone market is dominated by Chinese imports would be a challenge.

Alarmed by China鈥檚 activity in the Pacific, Russia and North Korea

Japan has strengthened its in recent years and has started deploying long-range cruise missiles, as it worries about a conflict in Taiwan, which .

The paper noted the growing presence of Chinese warships and frequency of their activity in the Pacific as a major concern. The Defense Ministry has established a unit dedicated to studying Japan鈥檚 Pacific strategy and strengthening its defense against China.

China has consistently increased its military spending without transparency and strengthened nuclear and missile capability extensively and rapidly, the defense paper said.

It noted that last December, during Chinese aircraft carrier drills near southwestern Japan, on Japanese planes 鈥 which is considered a possible preparation for firing missiles.

were spotted last June near the southern Japanese island of Iwo Jima for the first time. This triggered Tokyo’s worries about Beijing鈥檚 rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders and in disputed areas in the East China Sea.

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have escalated since Takaichi that Chinese military action against Taiwan could justify Japan鈥檚 use of force.

China on Tuesday rejected sections of Japan鈥檚 annual defense white paper concerning the Chinese military, calling the document 鈥渞ife with false narratives鈥 and accusing Japan of using it as 鈥渁n excuse to ease restrictions on its military buildup.鈥

鈥淚t is a classic case of the thief crying 鈥榮top thief鈥 鈥 a pretext to unshackle its own military,鈥 said Chen Xi, a spokesperson for China鈥檚 Ministry of National Defense.

China鈥檚 growing joint military operation with Russia around Japan, including joint bomber flights and warship operations, is also 鈥渁 grave national security concern,鈥 the paper said.

It says North Korea鈥檚 rapid development of missiles, including hypersonic arsenals, is an 鈥渋ncreasingly serious and pressing threat鈥 and that the North鈥檚 growing military ties with Russia and its backing for Moscow’s war in Ukraine are a grave concern.

Bolstering defense industry, weapons sale

Strengthening arms production and technology is essential to Japan’s military power, the paper said. The government has been expanding funding for startups and scientific research.

In a country that had maintained a pacifist pledge since the end of many established companies avoid ties to lethal weapons, but a growing number of startups are showing interest in converting for military use, officials say.

Japan鈥檚 recent scrapping of lethal weapons export ban could also help strengthen the country’s underdeveloped defense industry.

Weapons technology transfer and joint development and production strengthens both the Japanese defense industry base and Japan’s ties with its defense partners, said Koizumi, whose travels to other countries have involved arms sales.

Japan recently made major deals, including the joint development and transfer of 11 upgraded Mogami-class frigates to Australia. It is discussing a similar deal with New Zealand and has struck a deal to sell retired destroyers to the Philippines.

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Babar century drought in tests continues as West Indies fights back in 2nd test against Pakistan /sports/2026/08/babar-century-drought-in-tests-continues-as-west-indies-fights-back-in-2nd-test-against-pakistan/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:35:05 +0000 /?p=29487648&preview=true&preview_id=29487648 PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) 鈥 Pakistan captain Babar Azam was denied his first test century in four years as West Indies fought back in the second and final cricket test on Tuesday.

Babar, who last scored a test century in December 2022 against New Zealand at Karachi, was run out for 88 by Brandon King鈥檚 stunning direct throw from short cover before Pakistan’s middle order collapsed and reached 333-6 at lunch on Day 3.

Pakistan still trails by 11 runs with Abdullah Shafique holding the fort at 132 not out and tailender Sajid Khan unbeaten on 16.

King picked up a lower back injury and had to be stretchered off after he fell awkwardly as his sharp throw ran out Babar at the striker鈥檚 end when Shafique refused to go for a tight single and Babar couldn’t recover his ground after running halfway to the wicket.

West Indies dried up runs through some disciplined bowling from Jomel Warrican and Jayden Seales after Pakistan resumed at 266-2.

Babar and Shafique, who rotated strike well on Day 2, stretched their partnership to 183 before West Indies claimed three wickets for five runs.

Warrican was splendid with both the old ball and the second new ball as the left-arm spinner had debutant Awais Zafar clean bowled for 1 when the batter came out of his crease for a big shot but completely missed the line of the ball.

Shamar Joseph then trapped Salman Ali Agha plumb leg before wicket and Warrican claimed his third wicket of the innings after West Indies took the second new ball when Mohammad Rizwan was bowled for 18.

Shafique patiently held one end up, but West Indies allowed him to add only 25 runs to his overnight score of 107.

West Indies leads the two-match series after .

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AP cricket:

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New MLS commissioner Larry Berg aims to continue the league’s growth trajectory /sports/2026/08/new-mls-commissioner-larry-berg-aims-to-continue-the-leagues-growth-trajectory/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:34:45 +0000 /?p=29487642&preview=true&preview_id=29487642 Incoming Major League Soccer Commissioner Larry Berg sees his role as continuing the trajectory of the league under his soon-to-be predecessor, Don Garber.

The 30-team league that Graber grew during his 27-year tenure now looks to Berg to capitalize on the success of the World Cup this past summer and guide the transition to a new international schedule next year.

鈥淚 think one of the reasons that I raised my hand is I feel like I have the enthusiasm and the passion to hopefully have other people, in some cases, see it through my eyes and understand where we鈥檙e going and where it can go and what what it can be,” Berg told The Associated Press. 鈥滻鈥檓 very proud of where we already are. I think we鈥檝e come a very, very long way.”

Berg, a co-owner of LAFC, will formally take over as commissioner at the start of next year. Garber, who has served as the league鈥檚 commissioner since 1999, will help guide the transition before moving into a new role as chairman.

Garber said the ideal candidate would unite the entire MLS ecosystem around a shared vision. And he believes the league will have that under Berg, who will become just the third commissioner in the history of the league.

鈥淚 think he鈥檚 convinced the ownership through a very comprehensive process that he has what it takes to do the two most important things, which is to create that vision, and then to get the owners to unite around it,鈥 Garber said. 鈥淭hat requires great relationships. It requires the capability to put the plan together and do the work. … He (Berg) is super smart. He doesn鈥檛 lead with ego. He leads with understanding perspectives, and I think that鈥檚 a super important part of being the commissioner.鈥

The 60-year-old Berg, who has served as co-chair of the MLS sporting and competition committee, will divest his ownership interest in LAFC. He was formally introduced as the incoming commissioner on Tuesday at the league’s New York headquarters, a day after he received the required two-thirds of the votes from the owners.

鈥淔irst of all, he loves soccer, and I think next to his family, soccer is the most important thing in his life. Second of all, he knows the league really well. We have 30 great owners, and all of them are very involved in the league. But Larry is, I think it鈥檚 safe to say, has been over the last five years the most involved owner,鈥 Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam said. 鈥淗e understands what we do well, where we have opportunity. I think he has a great relationship with all the owners. Going through this process certainly enhanced that.鈥

Berg previously held ownership stakes in Italian club AS Roma, as well as English league team Swansea. Under Berg鈥檚 ownership, LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022, and the Supporters鈥 Shield in 2019.

Under Garber’s watch, the league has expanded from 12 to 30 teams. He introduced the league鈥檚 marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, encouraged the construction of soccer-specific stadiums and spurred the growth of an academy system to develop players in the United States.

Five clubs, Inter Miami, the home of Lionel Messi, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and NYCFC are valued at more than $1 billion, according to Forbes.

At the start, Berg will oversee the league’s shift to a new calendar, with the season running from on a summer to spring schedule to more align with its international counterparts. Currently the league plays a late winter to late fall schedule.

Following the conclusion of the current season, MLS will play a shortened 14-game 鈥渟print season鈥 in early 2027 before the league switches to its new schedule, kicking off in July with the league championship to be played in May 2028.

Berg will also be charged with negotiating a new media rights deal. The current contract with Apple TV ends in 2019. The league is also looking at changes to roster rules.

鈥淭his has been a passion my whole life. This sport and some of the great joys of my life have been involved in the LAFC and involved with the sporting competition committee,” Berg said. 鈥滻 have a lot of ideas. I feel like we鈥檙e at a point where a tremendous amount of success has been achieved with the games and the live gameday entertainment experience, etc. But as the World Cup showed, you can be incredibly happy and very successful, but somehow there鈥檚 always more. You want to get to that next step.”

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AP soccer:

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The Latest: Michigan Democratic Senate primary is test between progressives and the establishment /government/2026/08/the-latest-michigan-democratic-senate-primary-is-test-between-progressives-and-the-establishment/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:30:39 +0000 /?p=29487528&preview=true&preview_id=29487528 Michigan will offer the country its clearest gauge yet on the direction of the Democratic Party, as primary voters in the battleground state choose between a standard-bearer and an candidate.

Although there have been similar contests around the country, this one will hold extra weight because Michigan is a key state in presidential races. Abdul El-Sayed, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, is up against four-term Rep. Haley Stevens, supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Democratic and Republican voters in Michigan are also deciding on their parties鈥 nominees to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

In , , and state, voters are settling primaries in a host of races, including a key rematch between Democrats in a Missouri House contest. Also in play is whether Democrats, who tried to redraw districts in Virginia to their advantage but were rebuffed by the state supreme court, can pick candidates who can defeat Republicans in the fall.

Here is a look at the Latest:

Missouri voters weigh the nation鈥檚 most difficult standard for constitutional amendments

Proposed would require future constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition to pass by a majority in each of the state鈥檚 congressional districts instead of a simple statewide majority. No other state has a standard that high.

The Republican-led legislature referred the measure to the ballot after voters in recent years narrowly passed several controversial amendments proposed through citizen initiatives. Those measures enshrined abortion rights into the state constitution, legalized recreational marijuana, allowed sports betting and expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults.

None of those measures would have passed under a requirement for amendments to win approval in all congressional districts.

Under Amendment 4, the higher standard would apply only to citizen-initiated amendments 鈥 not ones placed on the ballot by the legislature.

A Stevens voter says he鈥檒l vote Republican in the general if El-Sayed wins the Democratic nomination

David Salama, 48, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, voted Tuesday for U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Corey Williams)

David Salama says he typically votes as an independent, but the U.S. Senate race between U.S. Rep. Stevens and El-Sayed prompted him to vote Tuesday in Michigan鈥檚 Democratic primary.

He voted for Stevens. 鈥淗aley is somebody who has experience legislating and because she understands the fight of good versus evil, that is extremely important about what鈥檚 going on in this world,鈥 said Salama, 48, an anesthesiologist from West Bloomfield.

鈥淚 would vote for Haley in November if she were to win today, but if Abdul wins today, I will vote for Mike Rogers in November,鈥 he said, noting, 鈥淚n the extremes lie trouble.鈥

Michigan business where Stevens held an event says it doesn鈥檛 endorse her

The Democratic Senate hopeful held a campaign event at Pux Cider Taphouse in Grand Rapids on Monday night.

In an Instagram post, representatives of the business said later Monday that the event was booked as a private gathering for Democratic women and that Pux was 鈥渘ever advised鈥 it was connected to Stevens.

鈥淲e are heartbroken,鈥 they wrote, adding they 鈥渉ave advocated and continue to call for a free Palestine. We DO NOT endorse Haley Stevens.鈥

The congresswoman鈥檚 campaign has received roughly $30 million in support from AIPAC, which backs pro-Israel candidates. Pux said it will donate proceeds from the event to the Grand Rapids Pride Center.

Trump endorsed a top Kansas lawmaker for governor, but the GOP field is crowded

State Senate President has faced repeated attacks ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 primary election from one of his rivals, Kansas City businessman Philip Sarnecki. Other candidates in the race include Secretary of State and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt.

Kansas doesn鈥檛 have runoff elections, so a candidate can become the GOP nominee with a relatively small percentage of the vote, and Trump鈥檚 endorsement of Masterson in May didn鈥檛 clear the field.

Three Democrats from the Kansas City area are running for their party鈥檚 nomination. They are state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher, and Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. is term-limited.

鈥業 think the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action鈥

Kenneth Woodside identifies as an independent, proudly stating 鈥淚 vote policies, not people.鈥

On Tuesday, the 87-year-old from West Bloomfield, Michigan, cast his ballot in the state鈥檚 Democratic primary for El-Sayed over U.S. Rep. Stevens.

鈥淚 think we need someone in there who is more progressive,鈥 Woodside said. 鈥淲e gotta do something to reverse where we are, right now … get it a little more to the other side to try and do some things that are going to be more focused on the people rather than just on the wealthy and businesses.鈥

Woodside said he has faith that El-Sayed could defeat former Republican Rep. Rogers in the November general election.

鈥淚 think the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action rather than on the road we are now, which is on the road to an oligarchy and authoritarianism,鈥 he said.

Woodside also believes change needs to come to the nation鈥檚 Democratic establishment and that he鈥檚 not sure voters are listening to its leaders.

鈥淚 think they鈥檙e listening to what they need and they鈥檙e looking for the leaders to say 鈥榳hat are your needs and how can I respond to them鈥 as opposed to going down the road of being sort of this moderate, middle-of-the-road and afraid to take some steps that are more progressive, more union related.鈥

El-Sayed volunteer says campaign鈥檚 momentum reflects broader discontent with Democrats

Katie Brink, 29, said Monday that Abdul El-Sayed鈥檚 campaign has resonated across racial and generational lines with 鈥減eople who feel like they鈥檝e really been shut out by the system.鈥

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 out knocking doors and volunteering, the people I鈥檓 interacting with are not the kind of demographics that you would think an Abdul voter would look like,鈥 Brink said during El-Sayed鈥檚 final campaign event in Detroit. 鈥淗is message is resonating with all of the diverse people of Detroit.鈥

Brink, who has volunteered for El-Sayed since February, said she had grown tired of the Democratic Party鈥檚 status quo but was inspired by his message to dedicate her time to the race.

鈥淪eeing movements in other places in the country where real people knocking on doors and talking to voters can actually, like, make a positive change, I felt like helping him was the best thing I could do with my time right now,鈥 she said.

Washington鈥檚 primary lacks a marquee race

Washington state has a primary tonight, but without a Senate contest or a race for governor, it lacks a marquee race to drive enthusiasm.

But the primary will set up a general election matchup in one of the nation鈥檚 top U.S. House battlegrounds 鈥 Southwest Washington鈥檚 3rd District, represented by moderate Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Gluesenkamp Perez has faced opposition from the left, but progressive challenger Brent Hennrich has struggled to gain traction.

In the 4th District, a crowded field of candidates is looking to replace retiring Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse. The district is safely Republican and is likely to stay in GOP hands regardless of tonight鈥檚 results.

It could take some time for the results to be finalized. Washington conducts elections entirely by mail and will count ballots postmarked on Election Day.

Washington was the first state to adopt a top-two nonpartisan primary, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election in November, even if they鈥檙e from the same party.

California later adapted the system, which was meant to give independents more of a political voice.

What鈥檚 next for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer?

That鈥檚 still not clear.

Whitmer decisively in a state that swung between parties in presidential elections, voting for Republican President Donald Trump in 2016, Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump again in 2024.

Now, the Democrat is term-limited and can鈥檛 run again.

Whitmer has been cagey about her plans after her term ends, though she鈥檚 often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate.

鈥淣ever say never,鈥 she about a 2028 bid.

These Michigan districts could decide which party controls the House

Republicans control the U.S. House by a slim margin, and three of Michigan鈥檚 races are among the most competitive in the country.

Two Virginia Democrats seek a return to Congress

Two former Democratic members of Congress are among those on Virginia鈥檚 primary ballot.

In the battleground 2nd Congressional District, centered in Virginia Beach, is seen as the favorite in a four-way Democratic primary. A win would set up a general election rematch between Luria, a retired Navy commander, and Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot who ousted her in 2022. Kiggans doesn鈥檛 face a primary challenge.

The general election contest in the 2nd District will likely be among the most expensive and hotly contested in the country and will help determine control of the House in the fall.

In central Virginia鈥檚 5th District, former congressman and diplomat Tom Perriello is seen as the favorite in a three-way Democratic primary. There鈥檚 also a nominating contest on the GOP side, where incumbent Rep. John McGuire has a large fundraising advantage over his challenger, Melanie Lucero.

The demographics of the district would give the Republican a big edge. Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger lost it by more than seven points last year. But Perriello has flipped a red district before. He narrowly beat a longtime incumbent in the 5th District in 2008, before being ousted himself amid the Tea Party wave two years later.

Republicans in Missouri are voting for a potential successor to retiring US Rep. Sam Graves

Graves has represented rural northern Missouri for a quarter century and currently serves as chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He set off a political scramble when in late March that he wasn鈥檛 seeking reelection.

Graves has endorsed conservative talk radio host Chris Stigall, who once worked for him.

The five-person Republican field in the 6th Congressional District also features Kansas City Council member Nathan Willett, who has the endorsement of the Missouri Farm Bureau鈥檚 influential political committee.

The 6th District is heavily Republican. A recent redistricting added more northern Kansas City neighborhoods to the sprawling rural district.

Virginia鈥檚 primary follows a campaign season upended by redistricting

Virginia鈥檚 primary election typically takes place in June. But that鈥檚 not the case this year. It was pushed back to Tuesday to account for Democrats鈥 failed redistricting initiative.

After President Donald Trump in other states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms to , Virginia Democrats were among those who responded in kind.

They redrew the state鈥檚 congressional maps, aiming to oust four GOP incumbents and leave just one of Virginia鈥檚 11 districts winnable for Republicans. Then they put the matter before voters in a constitutional amendment.

Voters , but the amendment was by the state Supreme Court and the new districts along with it. That sent candidates scrambling. Many ended their campaigns, while others moved to new districts.

Voters will cast ballots today in districts that have been in place since 2021. Democrats will be picking their nominees in districts that could help determine control of the House in the general election.

A Methodist megachurch pastor tops a big Democratic field in the Senate race in Kansas

The Rev. Adam Hamilton grew the Church of the Resurrection he started in the Kansas City area about 35 years ago from a small congregation that met in the chapel of a funeral home into one with nine campuses and 22,000 members.

His profile among mainline Protestants helped him raise about $4.2 million for his Senate campaign at the end of April, three times as much as the other 10 Democratic candidates combined. That鈥檚 also a little more than the $4 million incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has raised since the beginning of last year.

But Marshall didn鈥檛 start last year from zero and headed toward the fall campaign with $5.7 million in cash, while Hamilton had less than $2 million left ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 primaries.

Also 鈥 no Republican has lost a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since 1932.

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Russia and Ukraine trade drone attacks with 5 killed in each country /russia-ukraine-war-news/2026/08/russian-and-ukrainian-drone-strikes-kill-at-least-5-in-each-country/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:27:49 +0000 /?p=29486575&preview=true&preview_id=29486575 Russia and Ukraine traded accusations Tuesday that each side鈥檚 attacks caused civilian deaths, with officials in the Moscow region saying five people were killed there while authorities in Ukraine said a similar number, including two children, died at various sites across the country.

Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, even though Moscow insists its forces target only military facilities.

Since over four years ago, Ukraine has developed long-range drones that can strike deep inside Russia. In the past year, its forces have battered , major storage depots and other key infrastructure.

More than 16,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war began, the United Nations said last month in its most recent casualty report, with the vast majority occurring in areas under the Ukrainian government鈥檚 control. Casualties have risen steadily each year.

The U.N. children鈥檚 agency on Tuesday urged both countries to uphold international humanitarian law requiring the protection of children, citing recent deaths in Russia’s Belgorod and Krasnodar regions, as well as in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions.

鈥淎ttacks that kill and injure children must stop,鈥 UNICEF said in a statement.

Meanwhile, escalating attacks on shipping in the Black Sea by both sides has that global food security could be put at risk.

Russia is accused of using a drone to attack a street vendor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video on social media that he said showed a Russian drone hunting a man selling vegetables from a street stall in the southern city of Kherson.

The video shows the man trying to flee the drone as it circles his vehicle, follows him and ultimately strikes the car where he was trying to hide. He suffered wounds to his back, legs and arms, according to an interview he gave to the Kherson regional military administration.

Russia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately reply to an Associated Press request for comment.

Drone attacks on civilians have surged since the war began, with 967 people killed, including 10 children, and nearly 7,000 people injured, Ukraine鈥檚 Prosecutor General鈥檚 Office said Tuesday.

Russian drone operators track and strike civilians going about daily activities, according to . A U.N. commission concluded in October 2025 that such attacks amounted to crimes against humanity.

鈥淭he world must see this,鈥 Zelenskyy said. 鈥淚t must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad and that its soldiers take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians.鈥

Russia says a Ukrainian drone killed 7 on Black Sea coast

The death toll from a drone strike Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Arkhipo-Osipovka rose to seven, including four children, regional authorities said.

On Tuesday, Krasnodar regional authorities updated the number of wounded to 58, with 21 hospitalized.

Video circulating online showed a drone slamming into a crowded beach with what sounded like gunfire in the background. Ukraine has not commented on the strike.

Ukrainian drones strike near Moscow and St. Petersburg

A Ukrainian drone attack Tuesday in the region around Moscow killed five people and wounded 10 others, said Gov. Andrei Vorobyov. Most of the damage occurred in the Chekhov municipal district, where several fires erupted at the Novoselki industrial zone, he said.

In the latest in a series of attacks attack on Russia鈥檚 biggest online retailer the company said its warehouse in the Leningrad region, adjacent to St. Petersburg, was on fire.

In the village of Emmaus, located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, drone debris partially damaged a wall of a Wildberries warehouse, regional Gov. Vitaly Korolyov said.

In the past 18 days, Ukrainian drones have targeted 15 Wildberries warehouses, 13 of which caught fire, said Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine鈥檚 Unmanned Systems Forces. Ukrainian officials say the company provides goods that can be used by the military. Kyiv is also keen to unsettle the Russian public with high-profile attacks.

Russia hits Ukrainian ports and shipping

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces on Monday night struck 鈥淯krainian ports, vessels and port infrastructure鈥 used by Kyiv鈥檚 army.

In the port of Chornomorsk, in Ukraine鈥檚 southern Odesa region, Russia said it hit an automobile components plant and a port terminal, where the military vehicles were being repaired and ammunition and fuel were being stored.

In the southern port of Mykolaiv, a bulk carrier with military cargo was damaged, while in Pivdennyi, another Ukrainian port, a vessel unloading military cargo was hit, according to the Russian statement.

The ministry also said two bulk carriers hauling weapons and military equipment were damaged at sea, south of Odesa.

Turkey on Tuesday repeated its appeal for both countries to ensure safe passage in the Black Sea after two Turkish-owned ships were attacked by drones after leaving the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement expressed concerns that the war is increasingly spreading across the Black Sea, threatening merchant shipping, and warned such incidents could have broader consequences, including for the global food supply, as important shipments of grain, fertilizer and other key products move through those waters.

Ukraine reports more Russian glide bomb attack

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Russian attacks on Mykolaiv, including its port, killed an 89-year-old woman and wounded seven other people aged between 2 and 83, Ukrainian regional officials said.

The Russian strike on civilian infrastructure in southern Odesa region destroyed a private home and wounded two people, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.

In Ukraine鈥檚 northern Sumy region, six Russian glide bombs killed two girls aged 5 and 10 and an elderly woman, said Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy regional military administration.

Russian forces also struck Kharkiv and 18 towns and villages across the northern region in the previous 24 hours, killing one person and injuring seven, including an 8-year-old, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration.

Strikes in Balakliia, also in the Kharkiv region, damaged an apartment building, a library, three stores and more than 10 houses, wounding two women, local authorities said.

Two glide bombs struck Kramatorsk in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, injuring 24 people, local officials said. Kramatorsk sits at the northern end of Ukraine鈥檚 Fortress Belt, where Western analysts say Russia is to break through after four years of attrition.

Vadym Filashkin, head of the regional military administration, urged people still living near the front to evacuate, saying authorities would help with transportation, housing and other support.

鈥斺赌

Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

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Follow the AP鈥檚 coverage of the war in Ukraine at

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Big oil companies continue to post banner profits as fighting in Iran drives costs higher /europe/2026/08/big-oil-companies-continue-to-post-banner-profits-as-fighting-in-iran-drives-costs-higher/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:27:45 +0000 /?p=29487637&preview=true&preview_id=29487637 NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Big oil companies continue to book massive profits as disrupts energy markets and sends oil and sharply higher.

Six of Europe鈥檚 largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year. Profits at BP, based in London, more than doubled to $3.9 billion in the second quarter, the company said Tuesday.

And Saudi Aramco reported a 44% year-on-year increase in second-quarter net profit that reached $32.69 billion, driven by higher crude oil, refined products and chemicals prices.

The supercharged performances from big oil in Europe and the Middle East follow reports of from the largest U.S. oil drillers last week.

As the conflict has dragged on, of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, which has led to higher shipping costs. In the West, filling up the car or buying a plane ticket is costing consumers more. But the situation in parts of Asia are more dire because the region depends more heavily on fuel exported through the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel supplies have run low in some countries, leading to rationing and sporadic closures of schools and government offices.

Despite oil prices falling to their lowest level in three weeks Tuesday, big U.S. energy companies drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who criticized them this week for their outsized profits.

Trump said he鈥檚 not happy with Chevron and Exxon Mobil, though energy prices skyrocketed only after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed off to tanker traffic.

About 20% of the world鈥檚 oil typically flows through the strait.

鈥淭hey made too much money, too much money,鈥 Trump said Monday. 鈥淭hey ought to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price.鈥

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported that its second quarter profits doubled to $14.5 billion, boosted by record diesel production. The oil giant, based in Spring, Texas, brought in $116 billion in revenue, up 42%.

Chevron, based in Houston, nearly quadrupled its profits to $12 billion and revenue jumped 56% to more than $70 billion.

On Tuesday, the price of U.S. crude oil fell 5.4%, or $4.36, to $75.98 per barrel. The sharp decline followed comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told CNBC that the U.S. and Iran 鈥渕ay have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait.鈥

Oil prices for U.S. crude are down from around $92 a barrel in late July, but still more than 13% higher than when the conflict with Iran started.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 4.9% to $83.87 per barrel.

A resolution to the Iran conflict, which has lasted more than five months, could give oil shippers the ability to send vessels out of the Persian Gulf, where tankers of oil and other products have been .

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Guatemala evacuates villages after Fuego volcano erupts /world/2026/08/guatemala-evacuates-villages-due-to-an-eruption-of-the-fuego-volcano/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:25:15 +0000 /?p=29486522&preview=true&preview_id=29486522 GUATEMALA CITY (AP) 鈥 Residents of two villages have evacuated their homes near Guatemala鈥檚 Fuego volcano following an eruption, the country’s disaster management agency says.

Video of the eruption shows clouds of gas and ash over the volcano as lava and pyroclastic flows roll down.

The eruption began Monday morning and continued throughout the day, leading to the evacuation orders for the villages on the southern side of the mountain., according to Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster managing agency, CONRED.

During a previous eruption of the Fuego volcano in June 2018, hundreds of people were killed and a whole village was destroyed. That episode affected as many as 1.7 million people, according to authorities.

The Fuego volcano is one of the most active in Guatemala. Another eruption in June last year spurred preventive evacuations.

Authorities evacuated around 250 people from El Porvenir and the hamlet of Las Lajitas. CONRED also warned warned of ash spreading to nearby towns.

A major highway that passes close to the volcano, National Route 14, was closed. The Education Ministry suspended classes in nearby towns.

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Brazil’s police raid suspects accused of using chemicals to clear the Amazon rainforest /animals-pets/2026/08/brazils-police-raid-suspects-accused-of-using-chemicals-to-clear-the-amazon-rainforest/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:24:15 +0000 /?p=29487635&preview=true&preview_id=29487635 SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 on Tuesday targeted a group suspected of using chemicals to clear a vast area of the in the northern state of Para, officials said in a statement.

Police carried out 13 search warrants and imposed three precautionary measures as part of the operation. No arrests were made. The suspects are alleged to have been connected to the spraying of chemicals across 10,180 hectares (about 25,200 acres) of native forest in the city of Uruara to degrade the vegetation before cutting down the trees.

The cleared land was later converted into pasture for commercial use, investigators said.

It was not immediately clear when the chemicals were applied or when the deforestation occurred.

The authorities said the suspects’ activities ranged from purchasing chemicals to concealing environmental information. Those under investigation could face charges including environmental crimes, illegal use of toxic substances, fraud in environmental proceedings and criminal conspiracy.

The Amazon, the world鈥檚 largest rainforest, plays a critical role in far beyond South America. Scientists warn that its depletion could accelerate and disrupt agriculture as far away as the U.S. Midwest and parts of Europe.

Brazil has made progress in but remains the main driver of it. Ranchers clear large swaths of forest to enable cattle to graze.

According to MapBiomas, an organization , deforestation in the Amazon fell by 23.5% in 2025, compared to the previous year. Still, nearly 290,000 of forest (716,605 acres) was cleared. Agriculture and cattle ranching accounted for 99% of the native vegetation loss.

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

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Iran and Oman make progress on a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, officials say /world/2026/08/iran-and-oman-make-progress-on-a-deal-to-reopen-the-strait-of-hormuz-officials-say/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:17:24 +0000 /?p=29487602&preview=true&preview_id=29487602 CAIRO (AP) 鈥 Iran and the Gulf Arab state of Oman have made progress toward a deal to reopen the , a potential breakthrough that could help wind down the , regional officials said Tuesday.

Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told The Associated Press.

They said negotiations are still underway and that the final agreement could take a different form. They said any deal would be linked to lifting the U.S. blockade on Iran鈥檚 ports. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations unfolding behind closed doors.

Any agreement formalizing Iran鈥檚 control of the strait would mark a significant strategic victory for Tehran. For that reason, the U.S. could seek to block the deal by refusing to lift the blockade. The strait was an open international waterway before the U.S. and Israel .

However, U.S. President is also under mounting pressure to end that has driven up gas prices ahead of midterm elections and . In recent days, he has again whipsawed between threatening massive strikes and voicing support for diplomatic efforts.

US officials confirm progress without giving details

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said 鈥渢here鈥檚 been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We鈥檙e hoping that will happen very shortly.鈥

Rubio has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait, saying last month that it would create a for other parts of the world.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that 鈥渢here is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.鈥

Asked whether there would be tolls for movement through the strait, Bessent said: 鈥淚 think it would be freedom of movement, and even though things are still a little dicey there over the past few days, we saw quite a few ships coming out even now.鈥

The potential agreement between Iran and Oman was first reported by The New York Times.

Trump says this is Iran’s ‘last chance’

A fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas transited the waterway before the war. Iranian attacks on ships have largely shut it down, causing a spike in the price of fuel, fertilizer and other goods, and rattling economies far beyond the Middle East.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. was in talks with Iran, saying it was Tehran’s to reach a deal and avoid another U.S. military escalation.

鈥淭he first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearization,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淎nd that will take a little while.鈥

Iran has denied it is negotiating with the U.S., saying the talks are only with Oman.

The two sides reached an interim agreement in June to reopen the strait and launch 60 days of talks aimed at ending the war and resolving the longstanding dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. That agreement collapsed over escalating hostilities focused on the strait, and the deadline is around two weeks away.

Cargo ship reports strike in Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, a cargo ship reported being 鈥渉it by an unknown projectile鈥 in the strait off the coast of Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said, without providing further information on the ship, including what flag it was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo.

The ship sustained damage, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, which did not elaborate.

In recent weeks, Iran had repeatedly attacked ships using a route running close to Oman that is overseen by the U.S. military and intended to bypass Tehran’s control.

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Lee reported from Washington.

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Afghanistan’s child deaths are rising as food distributions face cuts, UN says /world/2026/08/afghanistans-child-deaths-are-rising-as-food-distributions-face-cuts-un-says/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:16:41 +0000 /?p=29487600&preview=true&preview_id=29487600 ROME (AP) 鈥 Child malnutrition has reached critical levels in a third of provinces and is expected to worsen as funding shortfalls force cuts in food distributions and other support, the U.N. World Food Program said Tuesday.

鈥淲e must act now to stem the rise in child deaths, which this crisis is provoking,鈥 John Aylieff, WFP鈥檚 country director in Afghanistan, said in a statement, adding that 鈥渋t is already too late for too many.”

WFP said 142 health centers closed in 2025 because of aid reductions and more than 13,000 children lost access to nutrition treatment. It did not mention any specific donor such as the United States, where the in foreign aid.

Nearly 3.7 million Afghan children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, along with 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to WFP.

The agency said 12 Afghan provinces have reached critical levels of acute child malnutrition, a record number. It cited a combination of conflict, unemployment, rising food prices, disease outbreaks, poor water and sanitation and reduced humanitarian funding.

WFP said supply shortages linked to conflict in the Middle East and the nine-month closure of Pakistan鈥檚 border because of have disrupted deliveries of nutrition products, leaving nearly one million malnourished women and children without essential nutrition services for five months.

From August through October, WFP said food distributions aimed at preventing famine in the worst-hit areas are being suspended due to lack of funding, even though the annual peak season for malnutrition is between July and October.

It said it urgently needs $540 million over the next six months.

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US stocks leap toward a record as profits keep piling up and oil prices ease /world/2026/08/asian-shares-mostly-dip-after-us-stocks-rally/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:15:46 +0000 /?p=29486178&preview=true&preview_id=29486178 NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 The U.S. stock market is rallying on Tuesday as companies keep and oil prices ease.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.5% and is on track to top its set a couple months ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 893 points, or 1.7%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite was 2.1% higher, as of noon Eastern time.

Despite worries about , the and a because of euphoria around the boom in technology, Wall Street is nearing its latest apex in large part because profits are soaring for companies. That鈥檚 key because stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate earnings over the long term.

Palantir Technologies helped lead the way and jumped 26.8% after CEO Alex Karp said its overall revenue leaped 93% in what he called an 鈥渙therworldly鈥 quarter. Besides reporting a stronger profit for the spring than analysts expected, the AI company also raised its revenue forecast for the full year of 2026.

Caterpillar climbed 5.8% after the heavy-equipment maker likewise reported stronger profit and revenue than analysts expected. It was the first time Caterpillar made more than $20 billion in sales and revenue in a quarter, and CEO Joe Creed said it鈥檚 seeing strong order rates and a growing backlog across its main businesses.

Caterpillar is also benefiting from the AI boom through increased orders for turbines used to power data centers, among other things.

McDonald’s added 1.2% after topping analysts’ expectations for profit during the spring, even as its customers faced increased pressure from and .

They鈥檙e the latest companies to deliver even better profits for the latest quarter than investors expected, following strong results from , and others. Coming into this week, companies in the S&P 500 index were on track to deliver growth of nearly 50% in earnings per share for the spring from a year earlier, according to FactSet.

That would be the biggest such jump since the spring of 2021, when the economy was roaring out of the COVID-19 pandemic. With corporate profits up so much, while stock prices are still roughly where they were two months ago, they don’t look as expensive as they did before, according to Phil Segner, a co-portfolio manager at the Leuthold Group.

Also helping stocks on Tuesday was another drop for oil prices.

Brent crude, the international standard, sank 5.6% to $79.12 per barrel as hope once again took over from fear in the oil market. It had swung sharply between $72 and $102 through July on uncertainty about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude around the world.

It鈥檚 jerked up and down many times as uncertainty built, receded and then built again, not only week to week but also hour to hour. Analysts warned more could still be ahead, but the latest drop in oil prices nevertheless helped to ease Wall Street’s worries about inflation. That in turn pulled down yields in the bond market, which relaxes pressure on the overall economy and on prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.63% from 4.70% Monday and from 4.75% at the end of last week. That鈥檚 a notable move for the bond market, though it remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran.

Higher yields make it more expensive for all kinds of Americans to borrow money, from homebuyers to big companies looking to build AI data centers.

Reports on the U.S. economy, meanwhile, showed it remains resilient even though inflation remains worse than anyone would like. One said U.S. employers were advertising at the end of June, a slight slowdown from May’s level but close to economists’ expectations.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly across much of Europe and Asia.

South Korea鈥檚 Kospi had a more significant move and rose 1.6%. Seoul has been home to some of the world鈥檚 sharpest swings recently because its stock market is dominated by two companies swept up in AI mania, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The Kospi had dropped 5.1% and soared 17.9% in the prior two days.

Stocks of computer chip companies also strengthened on Wall Street, where gains of 6.1% for Broadcom, 1.9% for Nvidia and 7.8% for Micron Technology were some of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

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Man charged with setting Spokane’s largest wildfire went to prison for killing his father /national/2026/08/authorities-arrest-arson-suspect-in-connection-with-one-of-spokanes-devastating-wildfires/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:15:15 +0000 /?p=29486322&preview=true&preview_id=29486322 SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) 鈥 A man who went to prison for killing his father in 2010 has been charged with intentionally setting the that have destroyed hundreds of buildings in and around Washington state鈥檚 second-largest city and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Aaron F. Farinacci, of Spokane, was arrested Monday and booked on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the biggest of the three blazes in and around the eastern Washington city, the Spokane County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said. His bond was set at $1 million and he’s due in court later Tuesday.

The fires, which at all as of Tuesday morning, have destroyed at least 700 buildings and . Authorities haven鈥檛 said what might have caused the other two blazes.

A tip leads to an arrest

A tip from a community member who saw a nervous-looking man bent by the side of the road near some grass led authorities to Farinacci, though they released him after initial questioning, Sheriff John Nowels said Monday.

When major crimes detectives started investigating, they again identified Farinacci and determined that the fire had started where the witness had reportedly seen him, Nowels said. Farinacci, 37, had matches and a lighter when he was detained, Nowels said.

鈥淎s it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci,鈥 he said.

A phone number couldn’t be found for Farinacci, and it wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney who might speak on his behalf. An email was sent to the Spokane County Public Defender’s office on Tuesday, and a message was sent to a possible social media account for a brother.

Farinacci, then age 21, in Mesa, Arizona, during a 2010 argument about washing dishes, police said. Farinacci also shot himself but survived.

He was charged with murder but pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault, records show. Farinacci was released from prison in 2020.

Returning to destroyed homes

The Old Trails Fire began Saturday northwest of downtown Spokane and eventually jumped the Spokane River and tore through neighborhoods.

The three fires had burned about 16 square miles (about 41 square kilometers) by early Tuesday. After the weekend winds died down and shifted, sending smoke across the western part of the state, including the Seattle area, firefighting again Wednesday, with winds picking up and temperatures expected to reach the 90s (32-37 degrees Celsius), said Benjamin Cossel, a spokesperson for the fire incident management team.

On Monday, some residents who had to flee blazes over the weekend returned to find homes that had been burned to the ground. In some cases, only chimneys were left standing.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing to save,鈥 Miriam Sim, 76, said as she and her husband, Daniel Sim, surveyed the ruins of the home where they had lived since 2005.

鈥淎t our age, do we want to rebuild?鈥 her husband asked.

In one Spokane neighborhood, blackened vehicles, a boat twisted by the heat and melted plastic recycling bins remained. Across the street, lawns were still green and houses were spared, as residents continued to run hoses or sprinklers to water their properties.

鈥淗undreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers,鈥 the state’s congressional delegation wrote Monday in asking President Donald Trump to approve an expedited emergency declaration, which he did.

No deaths or major injuries reported

Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, said the county initially received nearly 300 reports of missing people, but by Monday had cleared all but 14. Those still unaccounted for were likely people who hadn’t been in contact since evacuating, not people who were truly missing or in danger, authorities said.

More than 1,000 firefighters, many from out of state, arrived by Monday, and that number was expected to double in the next few days.

The fires were among dozens across the Western U.S. stretching the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. At least 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) of land has burned across Washington, which has been dealing with a severe drought and paltry snowpack.

Authorities warned people not to fly drones near the burned areas, saying it could force them to delay aerial firefighting operations.

鈥楽o much loss for so many people鈥

Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday with a son, grabbing a few bins of family photos and heirloom rings but not much else. Roughly 30 minutes later, their security camera was sending fire notifications to Angela鈥檚 phone.

Wayde Deatherage took some back roads and returned by early evening. He stopped at the end of the street and called his wife: 鈥淥ur house is done.鈥

Deatherage, however, wasn’t done with his neighborhood. He propped a hose at another house so it sprayed the property. That home survived.

The couple returned to their property Sunday.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just ash,鈥 Angela Deatherage said of the home where they had lived for nearly 22 years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like our house sunk down in the basement. … There鈥檚 just so much loss for so many people.鈥

Karen Faggioli, 61, figured she would be returning to her home. She recalled how other recent fires had been brought under control. But a relative texted her the bad news: Her house and three vehicles had been destroyed. A daughter lost her nearby house, too.

鈥淲hy cry? What鈥檚 crying going to do? I鈥檝e been through so many tragedies myself,鈥 said Faggioli, who is recovering from breast cancer. 鈥淭his is nothing. Like I told my granddaughter, 鈥榃e鈥檙e strong 鈥 and now we get all new things.鈥 I鈥檓 emotionally numb.鈥

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Johnson reported from Seattle and White from Detroit. Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Spokane; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Martha Bellisle and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.

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