In attempting to rewrite the history of the US Covid-19 response, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday pinned the blame for pandemic lockdowns on Dr. Anthony Fauci, while simultaneously reviving a string of debunked assertions about vaccines, RSV and measles.

Kennedys appearance came in the wake of a congressional hearing with Fauci last week, when the infections disease expert invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination more than 100 times, as Republicans lambasted him for his role in handling the pandemic.

RELATED STORY | RFK Jr. in interview with Scripps News: Trusting the experts is not science

Kennedy joined the chorus of criticism on CNNs State of the Union with Dana Bash, saying President Donald Trump, who was in office at the beginning of the pandemic and notably downplayed the virus, was not to blame for the governments response.

Trump, as you recall, wanted to end the lockdowns. I think the thing that did the most damage to our country was the lockdowns, he said.

The lockdowns were overseen by state and local leaders who were responding to ICUs being overwhelmed and hospitals asking for help to get control of the situation in the early stages of the pandemic.

Dr. Ashish Jha, who served as the White House Covid-19 response coordinator under President Joe Biden from 2022 to 2023, pushed back on Kennedys claims, saying, accountability has to be with our political leaders, while condemning his false claims on the inefficacy of vaccines.

The accountability has to be with our political leaders, not with scientists who are giving advice. Second issue that i just want to quickly reflect on. There was a lot of information that Secretary Kennedy said that just isnt true. Its just factually not true, Jha told Bash in an interview following Kennedys appearance.

The clash underscores a deepening division over public health authority at a critical juncture. As HHS secretary, Kennedys skepticism of mainstream science is no longer just outsider rhetoric; it now shapes official federal policy. His efforts to reframe the pandemics legacy come as the US battles its worst measles resurgence in more than three decades a crisis experts warn is fueled directly by the type of vaccine misinformation and institutional distrust Kennedy amplified during the broadcast.

Measles

Kennedy pushed back on his handling of measles outbreaks in the US.

The communities that are suffering from measles are almost all religious communities that just dont vaccinate, Kennedy told Bash.

A Mennonite community was one focus of an outbreak that began in West Texas last year. But the virus quickly spread among unvaccinated people outside that group, eventually reaching almost 800 cases including the deaths of two children before the outbreak was declared over.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | RFK Jr. launches cooking show as debate over dietary guidelines continues

There have been dozens more outbreaks in 2026, leading to the highest case count in 35 years, and more than 90% of them have been in people who arent vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

South Carolina has reported more measles cases in 2026 than any other state. An outbreak started raging across Spartanburg County in October; it would become the largest the US has seen in decades, with nearly 1,000 cases, before ending in April.

Health officials recommend two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in childhood, and those two shots are 97% effective against measles infection.

But experts say the potential for measles outbreaks remains anywhere vaccination rates remain below 95%, a key immunity threshold for the highly contagious disease.

Pockets of low vaccination have been growing in recent years, which research attributes in no small part to misinformation.

Kennedy, who has frequently expressed skepticism about vaccines, told Bash that his agencys websites recommend that parents should get their children vaccinated for measles.

Ive never questioned the efficacy of the MMR vaccine, he said.

But in March 2025, as the outbreak in Texas spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma, he told Fox News Sean Hannity that measles outbreaks could be driven in part by people who have waning immunity from the vaccine.

When you and I were kids, everybody got measles, and measles gave you lifetime protection against measles infection. The vaccine doesnt do that. The vaccine is effective for some people for life, but for many people, it wanes, Kennedy told Hannity.

Some years, we have hundreds of these outbreaks. And, you know, part of that is that there are people who dont vaccinate, but also the vaccine itself wanes, he said.

RSV

Some of the criticism officials have leveled at Fauci concerns gain-of-function research, which involves the manipulation of a germ in a lab setting so researchers can study how it behaves as it evolves.

Kennedy claimed that gain-of-function research was responsible not just for the virus that causes Covid-19 but for other diseases, as well.

The RSV epidemic that we have, that is the biggest killer of kids in this country today, came from these kind of experiments, he said.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, was first identified in the late 1950s in lab chimpanzees as well as in human children. What became known as gain-of-function research began two decades later, when scientists first figured out how to piece together genes from different organisms.

After 2011, when two teams of scientists modified the bird flu virus so it could become more dangerous and be transmitted between mammals through the air something the virus hadnt been able to do before the US Department of Health and Human Services stepped in to create guidelines and mandate oversight of such research.

Acetaminophen and autism

Kennedy told Bash that dozens of studies link exposure to Tylenol during late pregnancy and the perinatal period to autism.

A 2025 review by US researchers of 46 earlier studies did suggest a possible link between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen the drug found in Tylenol and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, but the researchers said the study does not prove the drug caused those conditions. They advised that pregnant women should continue to use acetaminophen as needed, at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest possible period.

Other research has found no sign of a link, including studies of millions of children followed for decades. However, theres little research looking at autism prevalence relative to acetaminophen use during infancy or early childhood.

Major medical organizations support the use of acetaminophen to treat pain and fever during pregnancy, with recommendations reflecting that the benefits outweigh any potential risks.

Covid vaccines

Kennedy and Bash butted heads on whether Covid-19 vaccines had protected children, with the secretary asking her to cite research showing that the vaccine did more good than harm.

More than 700 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the US since they became available in late 2020, according to the World Health Organization. Researchers have estimated that the vaccines helped save 2.5 million lives around the world between 2020 and 2024.

The shots have been extensively tested and continually monitored for safety, and serious side effects such as anaphylaxis or myocarditis have happened but have been generally rare.

Research has also found that the vaccines are associated with lower risks of infection, hospitalization and complications in kids. In December, a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that children who were vaccinated against Covid-19 in the previous respiratory virus season had a substantially lower risk of emergency department and urgent care visits related to the virus.

The ACLU of Michigan put in a request last week for records relating to an artificial intelligence program used by the state's health and human services agency to make sure that SNAP benefit payments were accurate.

The civil rights organization raised concerns about tasking AI with rooting out erroneous food assistance payments, since the technology has been known to make errors.

The ACLU became aware of the use of AI by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services through testimony by the agency’s chief operating officer, David Knezek to a subcommittee of the State Senate in March. He said that the agency had recently launched an artificial intelligence tool to review SNAP payments before they were issued across the state.

“We are doing a pre-certification enabled case read,” Knezek said, and added that the AI tool had made it possible to review many more payments.

“We've done 17,500 of them just in the last three months," Knezek said. “This is a massive improvement using an AI tool over what can be done by an individual person or an individual team over the course of a year.”

In about 1,500 case reads, he said, the AI tool had “caught more than $150,000 worth of potential payment errors.”

Phil Mayer, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Michigan, wrote a letter to MDDHS asking for more clarity on the role of AI and safeguards to ensure that payments that have been properly cleared are not being erroneously withheld.

“We want to understand what evidence they have that it works properly,” he said. “We want to understand whether it makes mistakes particularly when reviewing complicated applications or second-language speaker applications and we want to know if they complied with the process of securing federal approval before moving forward with the technology.

"We have a real concern when … artificial intelligence is used to make decisions about benefits, particularly where there's incentives to deny the benefits in error as here.”

As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — President Donald Trump's signature tax-and-spending legislation — states with high error rates will be required to pay a portion of SNAP benefits. As per the law, states with error rates higher than 6% will be responsible for covering a portion of their states’ costs — up to 15% — for the program, which is usually federally funded.

Last year, Michigan’s error rate was nearly 10 percent.

In 2024, a different state agency finalized a $20 million settlement after wrongly accusing 3,000 Michiganders with unemployment fraud. The Michigan Integrated Data Automated System (MiDAS) had sent out automated messages to tens of thousands of Michigan residents citing them for wrongfully taking payments from the state’s unemployment benefits program between 2013 and 2015.

More than 1,000 of them declared bankruptcy because they were unable to pay back the amount MiDAS claimed they owed — along with repayment fines and 400% interest.

A Brownstown resident is dead and a Rockwood resident was hospitalized after a boat crash that happened early Sunday morning on the Detroit River, the Grosse Ile Police Department tells us.

The United States Coast Guard received a distress report about the crash near Celeron Island just before 3 a.m. The Coast Guard notified Grosse Ile PD, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, and TowBoatUSGibraltar of the incident. We're told the boat departed the marina around 2:30 a.m.

Responding units found a 37-foot white Rinker vessel that had on the Habitat Shoals, southeast of the island. We're told the vessel was 80 percent out of the water when first responders arrived.

Investigators say that the owner of the vessel the Rockwood resident was injured and taken to a local hospital. The lone passenger in the boat the Brownstown resident was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities are working to determine the cause of the crash, including whether or not alcohol or drugs were contributing factors.

A Dearborn fashion designer who left dentistry behind to follow her passion is now turning fabric into one-of-a-kind wedding gowns and, in at least one case, a lasting friendship.

Bahijah Bazzi runs her own atelier in Dearborn, where she creates custom evening gowns and wedding dresses by hand, handling everything from concept to the final dress herself.

"Because these are the moments people dream about before they get to live them," Bazzi said.

The 30-year-old always knew she wanted to be a designer. But like many Arab American parents, hers hoped she would choose a more traditional path.

"As a little kid, I always told my parents I wanted to be a designer or some sort of artist," Bazzi said.

She chose dentistry instead drawn to what she described as its blend of art and science.

"Dentistry is the closest thing to an artistic science background," Bazzi said.

Three years in, she walked away. Her parents, she said, ultimately supported the decision.

"It was a little harder on my dad than it was on my mom. There was something in me that just wasn't alive anymore. And they wanted to see my spark again. And they knew that if I went to fashion school, that it would come back," Bazzi said.

In 2018, Bazzi graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. She has since opened her Dearborn studio, where she works alone.

"The space means everything to me," Bazzi said.

That personal, hands-on approach drew bride Shereen Abdelhak to her door after months of searching for the right dress.

"Every girl that's in her bridal era knows the struggle of being on a dress hunt," Abdelhak said.

A friend suggested Shereen meet Bazzi. During one of their conversations, Abdelhak shared a story about her mother.

"My mom couldn't afford a wedding dress at the time that she got married. So she ended up wearing a wedding dress to her sister's wedding because she finally could buy her own at the time. And I thought to myself, I wish I could wear this dress," Abdelhak said.

Bazzi was listening. The story inspired the design.

"And then that inspired this whole look the corset lacy top using my mom's old wedding dress," Abdelhak said.

For Abdelhak, that moment changed everything.

"I think her inspiring that idea was... The moment I was like, my God, she really does have my best interests in mind," Abdelhak said.

Bazzi said her standard for every client is the same.

"I will never give a client a dress that I personally wouldn't wear it to myself," Bazzi said.

What began as a designer-client relationship grew into something more. Bazzi attended Abdelhak's destination wedding.

"We're like best friends," Bazzi said.

"When I think of Bahijah, I just think of how much we laugh together," Abdelhak said.

"I felt like I couldn't get married without her there," Abdelhak said.

Today, Bazzi said she is living the dream she always imagined and she knows who to thank.

"I wouldn't be here without my parents. Even though at the beginning it was a little hard for them to accept, my parents have been my cheerleaders from day one," Bazzi said.

To learn more visit: bahijahbazzi.com

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired the biggest prize on the trade deadline market, getting two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.

Skubal got the news during the Tigers' 8-6 win over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.

“I’m excited to be a Dodger," he said. "I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. That’s hard to do, so I’m so excited to a part of that. But it’s a lot of different emotions. Definitely kind of a roller coaster a little bit.”

Skubal is the latest star to join the high-priced roster for the Dodgers that already has big-name players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Mookie Betts. If everyone is healthy, he could be part of a rotation with Ohtani, reigning World Series MVP Yamamoto, fellow two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers lead the majors with a 3.36 ERA from their starting pitchers and now add Skubal to the mix.

The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal. They began the season with a $323.3 million opening-day payroll for their 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. They will pay Skubal about $9.5 million for the remainder of the season.

ESPN first reported the deal and said the Tigers would receive three minor league prospects in right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith and outfielder Zyhir Hope.

Skubal is eligible for free agency after the World Series. He has a $32 million salary, a record total in arbitration, after the team offered $19 million, and is expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.

The 29-year-old lefty said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers and to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984. Skubal took the loss in the decisive Game 5 of the division series against Cleveland in 2024 and then got a no-decision in a 15-inning loss to Seattle in Game 5 of the division series last year.

He said it was “very tough” to leave the Tigers having fallen short of the goal of winning a title.

“Ever since that ’24 Game 5, the failure that I experienced on the mound, I’ve used that as fuel to try and bring a World Series to the city of Detroit. I truly did,” he said. “That whole offseason I’ve never been more motivated and then go in and we lose Game 5 again. That failure kind of sparks some more motivation, just to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be. The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me. It’s tough. I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends.”

Detroit planned to contend again this season, bolstering the Skubal-led rotation by giving two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez a $115 million, three-year contract in free agency and retaining three-time All-Star infielder Gleyber Torres with a $22 million deal.

The Tigers, though, got off to a rough start and are currently 2 1/2 games out of the last wild-card spot in the American League.

“It’s crazy. Going into the season, this isn’t what I planned on doing,” Skubal said. “But circumstances change, situations change, and I’m very appreciative of everything the Tigers have done for me.”

They bounced back in June and most of July to get into playoff contention with Skubal leading a rotation and three All-Stars in the lineup: rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene.

With a chance to possibly persuade management to keep Skubal by improving its playoff positioning, Detroit lost ground by dropping four of its last five games at home, including Skubal’s last start that was made even more memorable by a late-inning collapse.

The Tigers led Baltimore 7-0 after six innings Wednesday and lost 10-9 in 12 innings. Skubal started the game, recorded his 1,000th career strikeout and was cheered at every opportunity by a crowd of 34,406.

“I’ve watched this guy rise to the top of the sport,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s carried us a lot. I’ll forever be grateful that our paths crossed and the things that he did for this organization and for a couple of playoff teams. His presence, his work ethic, his example, his dominance. There’s so much to go through, it’s hard to capture in one quote or kind of one setting. But I’m very grateful that I was able to manage him for the time that I did.”

Skubal is 7-5 this season with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings. He is 61-42 with a 3.04 ERA over seven seasons, all in Detroit. In two postseasons, Skubal is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts.

Skubal had a minimally invasive surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow and returned to pitch on June 13.

“The way the surgery went is exactly how it was supposed to go,” he said in July.

___

AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will order American forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran, claiming Mideast allies have reached the parameters of a deal to end the 5-month old war.

The emerging deal would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Irans nuclear threat, Trump wrote in a Saturday evening social media post.

Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL, Trump said.

RELATED STORY | Vance, Caine raised concerns about escalating war in Iran, sources say as US pauses strikes

Trump has announced halts to strikes in Iran on several occasions since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, only for things to unravel and fighting to resume again.

Irans defense minister said on X that the country was neither surprised nor passive following Trumps announcement and said Iran continues to remain alert in the face of concrete threats from the U.S.

Newest proposal would bring sides back to negotiating table

A regional official says the proposal announced by Trump over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue working out many of the issues that have stymied prior progress on the deal.

The official, who is involved in the mediation efforts, said the proposal calls for reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., in exchange, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil as stated in the tentative ceasefire deal, he said.

No deal has been reached yet, but mediation efforts are underway, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to talk to the media.

Trump said that Israel is joining his commitment to end the war by implementing the ceasefire deal. Israel did not publicly comment on the announcement.

Saudis concerned about Iran retaliation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdoms de facto leader, spoke with Trump by phone Saturday and raised concerns about the U.S. potentially escalating the conflict with Iran, according to the Saudi press agency.

The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorized to comment publicly, are concerned that Tehran could respond with attacks on the energy infrastructure of the kingdom and other Gulf countries. The call happened before Trumps social media announcement, the person said.

The crown prince sought clarity from Trump on what potential new action he was weighing to take against Iran, the person said.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | US negotiations with Tehran include a plan to return nuclear inspectors to Iran

A White House official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity, confirmed the leaders spoke Saturday but did not offer any detail.

Iran has repeatedly attacked vessels attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorization as part of its ongoing conflict with the U.S.

Overnight Israeli strikes kill 8 in Gaza, including two children, health officials say

In developments elsewhere in the Middle East, Israeli strikes on Sunday across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians, including two children, and wounded over a dozen others, according to local health officials. Palestinians reported an increase in the scale of Israeli strikes across the enclave over the past few days.

A strike on a residential apartment in southern Gaza killed three family members, including their 4-year-old child, according to Nasser hospital, where the bodies arrived.

Another strike, also on a residential apartment, in Gaza City killed three family members, including their child, and wounded others, according to health officials at the Shifa hospital. The mother was six months pregnant, the hospital added. In central Gaza, a man and his wife were killed in an Israeli strike, which wounded four other people in the area, according to the main hospital serving central Gaza.

The Israeli military said the overnight strikes had targeted Hamas military operatives, without elaborating.

At least 1,222 Palestinians, including at least 260 children, have been killed since the October ceasefire, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed in that time. Both Hamas and Israel continue to trade accusations of violating the ceasefire.

The Village of Holly has issued a Boil Water Advisory after a recent water main break.

The advisory went in place at 5 p.m. EST on Saturday, after a high-pressure water main break happened on Quick Road, west of North Holly Rd. We're told that water customers in the immediate area of Quick Rd. will have no water until the break is restored.

"Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute and allowed to cool before use. Bottled water may also be used," said police chief Jerry Narsh in a press release. "Tap water may continue to be used for bathing, showering, laundry, and general cleaning. Care should be taken to avoid swallowing the water while bathing or showering."

The village will notified residents when the advisory is lifted, with no timeline given as the Village Department of Public Works addresses the issue.

Israel has shared serious security concerns with the White House regarding the proposed disarmament deal with Hamas, an Israeli official told The Associated Press on Sunday in some of the first public comments since U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement earlier this week.

Doron Spielman, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's office, told the AP that Israel's intelligence assessment is that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military rather than genuinely demilitarizing. He said the Israeli military would not withdraw from Gaza where it controls more than 60% of the territory before Hamas disarms.

RELATED STORY | Trump says Hamas, other armed groups in Gaza agree to disarm under US peace plan

Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack, he said, referring to the attack in 2023 that triggered Israel's war in Gaza.

Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less, Spielman said.

His comments come days after Hamas said that it would begin disarming as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire signed nine months ago to end the nearly three-year-long conflict. It marks a potential breakthrough in ending the conflict, but many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remain.

Hamas says it has agreed to disarm but the process is littered with obstacles

Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan calls on the militant group to surrender its weapons and destroy its vast network of tunnels. It also envisions Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, the arrival of a new technocratic Palestinian government, deployment of an international security force and the rebuilding of the battered Palestinian enclave.

Hamas disarming has been a sticking point and has deadlocked negotiations for months. In announcing the deal on social media, Trump said it would be carried out in carefully structured phases.

A copy of the agreement obtained and verified by the AP said that all weapons held by the Hamas-run police will be transferred to the U.S.-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, upon its arrival in the enclave. Its not clear when that would happen since it is contingent on other steps.

A process to decommission and store heavy weapons and to dismantle military production sites and tunnels will begin after the arrival of the Palestinian committee and the deployment of international forces. The process will be linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal, according to the agreement.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Israel says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered

The areas Israel controls in Gaza have been mostly destroyed and depopulated. Most of the territorys 2 million Palestinians are in the other part, where hundreds of thousands live in squalid tent camps and destroyed neighborhoods.

Israel appears unlikely to pull back significant forces or make other concessions ahead of its October elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tough reelection battle, with opponents accusing him of failing to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and his far-right coalition partners urging him to keep up the pressure on Hamas and leave forces in Gaza.

Israel warns Hamas is rearming

While Spielman said Israel greatly appreciates Trumps commitment to its security and to finding a durable resolution, the government's position on disarmament is based on detailed intelligence saying that Hamas continues to rearm, recruit fighters, and rebuild its military capabilities.

It's unclear what exactly Israel conveyed to the White House. Two people with knowledge of the deal told the AP that Israel had communicated its issues with it to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who's part of the Trump-led Board of Peace. One of them said that among the points Israel wanted was freedom to conduct military operations in Gaza. They spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Israel continues to strike Gaza

Since the ceasefire was signed last October, Israel has continued striking Gaza, saying its targeting Hamas and its infrastructure.

Overnight Saturday and into Sunday Israeli strikes killed at least 10, including children, health officials said. A strike on a residential apartment in southern Gaza killed three family members, including their 4-year-old child, according to Nasser hospital, where the bodies arrived.

The Israeli military said the overnight strikes had targeted Hamas military operatives, without elaborating.

An auto worker was killed in a workplace accident at a Stellantis parts facility earlier this weekend, according to United Auto Workers and confirmed by Stellantis.

It happened Saturday morning at Stellantis Mopar Division, Center Line National Parts facility. The UAW identified the worker killed as James Brasher, a 30-year UAW member and laborer working on a renovation project when the incident occurred.

UAW President Shawn Fain and UAW Vice President Rich Boyer released the statement below regarding the incident:

Stellantis released the statement below regarding the incident:

Moscows mayor says a bomb blast that killed two people and injured 21 others at a restaurant was a terrorist attack.

An unidentified woman attempted to enter a private event at the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square carrying what authorities believe was an improvised explosive device, state media reported. The bomb went off before she entered, killing the security guard who stopped her, and a customer.

Authorities did not immediately identify the woman and it was also unclear whether she deliberately detonated the device.

RELATED STORY | 3 people killed, at least 21 wounded in Moscow restaurant bombing, Russian officials say

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, Yesterday, a brutal terrorist attack took place in Moscow, claiming the lives of several people.

Those responsible for this crime will certainly be found and will face the punishment they deserve, he added, giving no details on a motive or who might be behind the attack.

The apparent targets were guests attending a private event on the restaurants outdoor terrace, Russian business daily Kommersant reported. Sources told the newspaper that the event was heavily guarded, which may have prevented a significantly higher death toll.

Kommersant said a security guard became suspicious of a courier approaching with a box she described as a gift and decided to search her. The device exploded at that moment.

Investigators believe the bomb was detonated remotely, and a preliminary account indicates that the woman most likely did not know what the package contained, Kommersant reported.

The device had the explosive force of one kilogram of TNT and was packed with metal ball bearings intended to increase casualties, according to the newspaper.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | 500 Drones Over Moscow: Ukraine's Message to the Russian People

The blast happened around 8:10 p.m. local time (1:10 p.m. ET) near the outdoor terrace, according to Russian state news agency TASS, which cited the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The restaurant is located at the base of a landmark tower on Kudrinskaya Square, one of Moscows famous Seven Sisters, a group of Stalinist skyscrapers built in the 1950s.

The explosion immediately prompted the deployment of an investigative task force and a large number of police and emergency personnel to the site, which sits along the Garden Ring in Moscows central Presnensky district.

The restaurant said it was deeply saddened by the tragedy and extends its sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed.

Ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, The Detroit Tigers have traded Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder Zyhir Hope, and right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith, first reported by ESPN and confirmed by the team on Sunday afternoon.

Through 15 starts this season, the left-hander has posted an Earned Run Average of 2.79, racking up 116 strikeouts in 96.2 innings pitched and posting a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 0.910. Skubal posted a FanGraphs WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 2.6, behind only Casey Mize (2.9) among 2026 Tigers pitchers. Skubal missed a month of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

In his last start, Skubal pitched 6.2 innings, striking out six batters and giving up three earned runs on four hits. He received two standing ovations from the Comerica Park; one after striking out Taylor Ward in the first inning for his 1000th career strikeout and one when he was taken out in the seventh inning.

Looking at the trio of prospects, outfielder Zyhir Hope is ranked No. 25 in all of baseball and No. 5 in the Dodgers' system. Playing with the AA Tulsa Drillers, Hope has posted a .293 batting average, a .369 on-base percentage, a .530 slugging percentage, adding up to an OPS of .899. Hope has recorded 109 hits in 94 games, including 23 home runs and 87 RBIs to go along with 18 stolen bases. Hope is a career .281 hitter (305-for-1086) with a .384 on-base percentage, a .478 slugging percentage and an .862 OPS covering the last four seasons starting in 2023.  He has 62 doubles, 48 homers and 212 RBI in 294 minor league games.

Ryan and Smith are rated No. 7 and No. 17 in the Dodgers system, respectively. Ryan (No. 68 overall prospect in MLB), who missed all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery the year prior, has started 8 games in 2026 for AAA Oklahoma City Baseball Club, posting an 4.46 ERA while striking out 43 batters in 36 1/3 innings pitched and posting a WHIP of 1.29. From 2022-24, Ryan posted a combined 3.02 ERA with 230 strikeouts and 84 walks across 53 games (49 starts).

Splitting time between the Ottawa Tower Buzzers (A) and the Great Lake Loons (A+) this season, Smith has started 21 games, posting a 4.36 ERA while allowing just 62 hits in 74 1/3 innings pitched while racking up 104 strikeouts and posting a WHIP of 1.20. The 21-year-old has made 21 starts this season (19 with Ontario, two with Great Lakes).

Skubal won a landmark salary arbitration hearing this off-season against the Tigers, being awarded a $32 million salary, the highest mark in arbitration history, surpassing Juan Soto's $31 million in 2024. He is set to become a free agent following this season.

Skubal has won the last two American League Cy Young awards, given to the best pitcher in the AL. He's the first pitcher to win the AL Cy Young in consecutive seasons since Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000. He also was named an All Star in 2024 and 2025. In six playoff appearances, Skubal has posted a 2.04 ERA and 56 strikeouts.

Hailing from Seattle University, Skubal was drated by the Tigers in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Making his major league debut in 2020, Skubal has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last few seasons, posting a career ERA of 3.05 through 148 starts, racking up 300 more strikeouts (987) than hits (680).

As of Friday, July 31, the Tigers have a 52-58 record, placing them six games back from leading the American League Central and three games back from a Wild Card spot. The Tigers have been one of the best teams in baseball since June 1 (26-16, third-best record in baseball), but put themselves in a big hole after posting a 6-22 record in the month of May.

The trade deadline is 6 p.m. EST on Monday, August 3.

A man is dead after a shooting early Saturday morning in Redford Township.

At around 2:35 a.m. on Saturday, Redford Township police officers responded to the area of Glendale and Woodbine, where they found a man in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Investigators say they believe the shooting was targeted and not random. No suspects are in custody at this time.

Donald Beard, who lives a few houses from where the shooting took place, said he was caught off guard by the violence in his neighborhood.

"It's a quiet neighborhood, everybody keeps to themselves, everybody speaks," Beard said.

Beard described the heavy police presence in the area following the shooting.

"All I seen was just police and they were guiding people that were walking away from the area, turning them back that, turning them back that way, cars couldn't go down," Beard said.

The proximity of the shooting to his home left Beard shaken.

"I feel bad about that right on my block on the corner so close to my house, I'm the fifth house from the corner, it's like right there," Beard said.

"I'm like I don't know, that kind of threw me for a loop," Beard said.

Anyone with information regarding this matter can contact Detective W. Baiocco at 313-387-2582 or at wbaiocco@redfordpd.org, or the Redford Township Command line at 313-387-2555.

-

Multiple people were killed and others were injured in a shooting Saturday afternoon at an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, according to officials.

The shooter is dead, said Josh Palmer, the citys public information officer, and all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted.

We believe that the threat to the community is over, Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks told reporters Saturday evening.

We are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind that, he added.

Duane Rubink, chief of the neighboring Jerome Police Department, told CNN it appears there was one shooter who is deceased from a self inflicted gunshot. The scene is under investigation, he said.

Twin Falls authorities have not provided the exact number of fatalities but earlier told CNN at least three people had been killed. Its unclear if the shooter was included in that initial number.

An In-N-Out employee was among those killed, In-N-Out Burger president Lynsi Snyder said in a statement.

My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears Ive shed, Snyder wrote. We lost one of our beautiful Associates tonight. She was taking care of our most important asset - our Customers, and her life was taken by a disgusting human who doesnt value the lives of others or his own.

Snyder said the shooter fired both on and off the property of the In-N-Out location and ended his life shortly after he took the precious lives of our Associate and Customers, innocent people who never saw it coming.

Saturdays shooting unfolded in one of Twin Falls busiest commercial areas, a stretch of the citys north side filled with hotels, national retailers and restaurants that serve residents and travelers alike. Located approximately 130 miles southeast of Boise, Twin Falls is a regional hub for much of southern Idaho.

The highly-anticipated burger chain had been open for only a week at its Twin Falls location, its new storefront quickly becoming a local destination before the violence.

Video showed customers and In-N-Out workers, distinguishable by their red aprons and branded paper hats, running frantically into the parking lot as several shots were heard.

The FBI has established a digital media tip line and is urging members of the public with information to submit any videos, photos or audio that captured the shooting.

Witnesses describe panic

Dominic Gonzales was sitting in a car with his two younger brothers, waiting for his sister to come back from ordering, when he heard the first shots.

We were just sitting there, I was playing on my phone when I heard a couple pops and I look up and I see a gentleman walking from a white vehicle to another vehicle with a pistol in his hand, Gonzales told CNN affiliate KMVT. The man fired a shot at a vehicle, he said.

I told my two brothers to duck down, Gonzales said. He kept glancing up to track where the gunman was, he said, then threw himself across the front of the car just to take up space so if anything did come flying I was there.

His sister, Jaylyn Sanchez, had just ordered food and stepped into the restroom when the gunfire began. As people screamed and cried, others crowded into the restroom beside her, and they tried to barricade the door. When they were told it was safe, she ran out through the drive-thru line and directly into the shooters path.

As I was running I faced the shooter head on and he pointed the gun at me, Sanchez said. I ducked behind a white car just to have some sort of coverage. She said she saw a pistol resting on a gun case she believed belonged to the shooter.

I didnt have anything to protect myself so I grabbed the gun and I pulled it back, she said. It was jammed so I just felt helpless. I saw the truck in front of me so I got in the car and left.

The incident joins a growing list of shootings in recent months that have sent people fleeing from ordinary places: a food festival, parades, places of worship and community gatherings across the country.

Palmer advised the public to stay vigilant for more updates from police.

I would caution people, were seeing a lot of misinformation on social media, so just be cautious, he said.

The Twin Falls Police Department had urged residents to avoid the area, saying nearby roads and the Perrine Bridge, the primary crossing over the Snake River Canyon for miles, were closed.

In a statement to KMVT on Saturday, In-N-Out said it was working with investigators. We are heartbroken. Our prayers go out to our Customers, our Associates, and all of their families, said Danney Warnick, the companys chief operating officer. We are working with the Twin Falls Police Department to assist in the on-going investigation.

Some of the states representatives in Washington, DC, said they were thankful and praying for first responders.

Im grateful for the swift response of Idahos first responders, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo wrote on X.

President Donald Trump knows the world hangs on his every word. Now he wants you to pay for it.

The social media posts of the world's most powerful man are going on sale Saturday when his Truth Social business begins offering sneak peeks of them to Wall Street traders willing to pay up. The move raises the prospect of big profits for Trump's company and big questions about insider trading and using public office for private gain.

Similar fast-speed feeds are sold by other social media firms and media providers, but Truth Social doesn't just distribute the news; it makes it, regularly rattling markets as Trump posts policy changes on everything from war to central bank leadership to tariffs.

"If this was the CEO a public company, this would be jail time," said Irene Aldridge, head of Able Alpha Trading, which doesn't plan to buy the service. "We have a President of the United States who has the front seat to all the action, who makes all the decisions, and he's disclosing this ahead of time to a select group."

RELATED STORY | Trump earned millions from Bibles, watches and sneakers alongside crypto boom

Trump's company says critics just aren't capitalist enough

Asked about the propriety of the new service and whether White House lawyers had vetted it, Trump's press office declined to comment, referring questions to Truth Social's publicly traded parent. That company, Trump Media & Technology, issued a statement blasting Democratic critics for mischaracterizing the service "out of ideological opposition to free markets or a failure to grasp the distinction between public and nonpublic information or, quite possibly, both."

A prolific poster, Trump has sent stocks, bonds and currencies soaring and plunging with his online musings and threats. That presents opportunities for so-called high frequency traders that specialized in buying and selling within milliseconds, exploiting tiny, fleeting difference in prices.

Profits aplenty betting on oil, stocks and currencies

Just this month, Trump has threatened on Truth Social to slap higher tariffs on Canada, kill a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia and widen the Iran war. With advanced knowledge, traders betting on a plunge in the Canadian dollar, a drop in nuclear energy stocks and a jump in oil futures could have raked in big profits.

"For the big guys, it's going to be something they need," said Joe Saluzzi, co-founder of Themis Trading, who estimates about 100 of high frequency firms might be willing to pay for the service. "It's market-moving information."

Dubbed Truth API, the service comes as these firms are spending more on feeds and servers that bypass slower internet connections with direct lines to news and data sources. The chance for profits is greater than ever thanks artificial intelligence's ability to read posts and articles more accurately for market-making changes and Trump's penchant for making news online.

When Trump makes surprise announcements, traders pounce

Traders profit when prices jump up and down, and with his taste for cliffhangers, threats and policy reversals America's first reality-TV president provides plenty of potentially market-moving content.

The reversals are especially profitable, allowing traders to win both ways jumping ahead of stocks moving up or down to a post threatening something, then cashing out within thousands of a second, then betting the other way.

In addition to Trump, the service will include posts from other "high ranking" Truth Social contributors, including possibly his two oldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, who along with the father are heavily followed by users.

Truth Social has said that the information will be released to the traders and the general public at the same time so there really isn't an issue of fairness. But Themis Trading's Saluzzi, a critic of high speed trading, says that's a red herring because when the posts are received, not when they are released, is what matters.

"Somebody who buys the info and has a system built to process it will be able to act quicker than you and me," said Saluzzi, adding in reference to everyday, small stock buyers, "The loser is always the retail investor."

Trump posts about a company he likes, and stocks jump

Aside from policy scoops, another reason to sign up has emerged in recent months: Trump is posting more about publicly traded companies, praising ones he likes in a way that sets off buying frenzies.

"The pimping of specific companies obviously Wall Street would like to know that before other people," said Dylan Hedler-Gaudette, a federal ethics rule expert at the watchdog Project on Government Oversight. "It's a real mess."

In April, moments after Trump praised Palantir Technologies in a post that included its stock symbol, the price briefly jumped the most it had in an entire year. Later that month, Trump posted, "Congratulations on Intel doing such a great job," and the stock immediately jumped in after-hours trading.

Just which firms are signing up for the feed is unclear. Asked for comment, none of the half dozen most well known high-speed traders such as Citadel Securities and XTX Markets replied. If just three sign up for the $100,000 a month fee, that would double revenue at Trump Media, which reported taking in $3.7 million last year.

Trump Media needs big money customers

The company can use their business.

Stock in the Truth Social parent has plunged 75% since Trump took office last year as the company keeps reporting hundreds of millions in losses despite the president's help driving traffic to its site by posting major decisions there.

In fact, the president breaks news on Truth Social so often that the White House press office will copy his posts into an email when responding to questions from the media seeking details on policies. If his posts aren't available yet, journalists are sometimes told, "Wait for the Truth."

Another problem for Truth Social is looming if the Democrats take control of Congress and launch investigations, as vowed by Massachusetts Senator Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a statement Friday specifically attacking the new service: "We will haul in those responsible for this open corruption to answer to the American people."

If the losses keep mounting for the company, though, some predict the president will push things further, using the platform even more for policy announcements.

"That's absolutely going to happen," warns Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the good government group Public Citizen. "Trump knows how to sell products."

A bomb detonated at a restaurant Saturday in central Moscow killing at least three people, including the bomber, Russian state media said, citing local officials.

At least 21 people were also injured when the explosive device detonated at the restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said, quoted by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

An unidentified woman who attempted to carry the explosive device into the restaurant died in the blast as did a security guard and a patron, the news agency said.

ICYMI | Russia hits Ukrainian capital with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least 9

Ria Novosti reported the woman attempted to smuggle the bomb into the establishment but the security guard refused to let her in before the bomb exploded.

The attack was still being investigated, the Moscow Investigative Committee told the news agency.

NEW YORK (AP) Vincent Pastore, a veteran actor who played mobsters and tough guys, and was best known for portraying Salvatore Big Pussy Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, has died. He was 80.

Bob McGowan, who managed Pastore since his run on The Sopranos, told The Associated Press that he learned of his death Saturday from another client and actor on the show, Vincent Curatola.

He said Pastore was found in his home on New Yorks City Island after not being heard from for a few days.

McGowan said he had been trying to reach Pastore about a possible job.

He was the most loyal client, and he always gave to charity, McGowan said, and he was the kind of guy who would help anybody, which is rare in my business.

Robert Attermann represented Pastore for more than 30 years, before his time on The Sopranos. While Pastore will be remembered as Big Pussy, he was so much more, Attermann said in an email to the AP.

Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known, Attermann said. He treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph. He genuinely appreciated the people who supported him and always made them feel valued.

Attermann said Pastore loved being an actor and was passionate about his craft while always encouraging young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could.

Michael Imperioli, a longtime friend and collaborator, said on Instagram that it seemed as though he had known pastore forever.

We did lots of work together and traveled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs, Imperioli said. Vinny was a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always.

Pastore appeared in movies dating back to the 1980s including roles in big films such as Goodfellas and Awakenings, both in 1990.

He often played gangsters. And it was one of those roles he is best known for: his 30-episode run as Bonpensiero, the friend of Tony Soprano who becomes an FBI informant.

Pastore was born in the Bronx and grew up in suburban New Rochelle, New York. He enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War and later attended Pace University, according to his biography on IMDb.

He is survived by his daughter, Renee Pastore.

On Sunday, August 2, Spotlight on the News will interview Dr. Stan Humphries, Co-Founder of the new Democracy Test Kitchen, a non-partisan, civic engagement, voter information platform free to the public. Why is this transparent and action-oriented election tool being launched in Michigan and targeting the Great Lakes State's August 4th Primary Election? Tune in to find out how you can become a better informed voter.

Spotlight on the News, now in its 61st season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, is streamed live on wxyz.com and broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing.

One of the golfers playing at this week's Rocket Classic accidentally ended up in Canada a mistake many metro Detroiters have made in the past.

On Tuesday night, Michael Kim shared a story on X that he always goes to a "solid Korean bbq restaurant" when he's in Detroit. He invited fellow golfer Si Woo Kim.

As Michael tells the story, Si Woo searched the restaurant on Google Maps and began driving there, without thinking.

"But before its too late, he realizes that hes about to go across the US border into Canada! There was a restaurant under the SAME NAME closer to him in Canada," Michael Kim said in the post.

CBS Golf caught up with Si Woo on Wednesday about the incident. Si Woo said the restaurant in Windsor was only about 1.5 miles from his hotel in Downtown Detroit, so he thought that was the right one.

"I just follow the instruction, and somehow make a turn, there's like toll gate, like $9, I had to pay to go through. Why's it so expensive?" Si Woo said. "Then as soon as I get into the tunnel, 'Oh, this is Canada."

Si Woo, who is from South Korea, said that he was freaking out and because of that, he wasn't speaking English very much.

He also said the immigration officer asked if he was going to win this Sunday, and Si Woo said, "if you let me through."

Then, on Friday, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel got in on the fun and offered a free toll for Si Woo Kim. "Just remember to bring your passport this time," they said.

A giant dome built from more than 100,000 recycled bottle caps is one of the standout attractions at this year's Belle Isle Art Fair, turning discarded materials into a colorful, large-scale art installation with a message about sustainability.

See the full story in the video below

The Grand Dome is the work of artist Adrienne Outlaw, who says the structure is designed to be both functional and thought-provoking.

"This is a zip tie dome so you can put it together with zip ties in a day, take it apart, go elsewhere if you need to," Outlaw said.

Outlaw asked people from multiple communities to save their bottle caps instead of throwing them away. The installation is made up of 105 individual removable panels, and about 300 people helped create the two traveling domes.

"Each panel on its own may or may not stand up to sort of the gaze of the art world. It's when you put it all together and then you activate it and then the sun comes over and the shade happens and the shadow play happens. That's when the art really comes alive," Outlaw said.

The inspiration behind the dome, Outlaw said, stems from growing concerns about climate change and the need for adaptable shelter.

"I'm really interested in responsibility and as the climate just gets worse and worse and you hear these horror stories about disasters all over the world and people lose their homes, I started really thinking about what kind of shelters can we move from place to place and what kind of shelters will withstand these types of conditions," Outlaw said.

For Outlaw, sustainability extends well beyond recycling.

"Sustainability is one of those things that impacts absolutely everybody. And if we don't, and when I'm talking about sustainability, I'm not just talking about plastic or recycling. I'm talking about sustainability for everything. How can we sustain relationships? How can we sustain ourselves? How can we really come together and experience life in a fuller way that's not selfish?" Outlaw said.

Her message for visitors is simple.

"That taking care of yourself and taking care of others can be really fun," Outlaw said.

The sustainability theme extends throughout the fair. Joel Newport, representing the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), set up an interactive space to challenge visitors to learn more about recycling and how to properly sort waste.

Newport said Michigan has made significant progress on its recycling goals.

"Michigan has increased its recycling for the 5th consecutive year. So we've gone from roughly 14% in 2019 up to 26% this year. So we are well on our way to our goal of 30% recycling by the year 2030," Newport said.

Newport said access and knowledge remain the biggest hurdles.

"Oh, there's a lot of them. I mean, access is always a challenge for folks. That's why we've increased curbside recycling in more communities across the state. And then knowledge, what can be put in curbside and what shouldn't be put in curbside, which is a big part of our efforts," Newport said.

His advice for anyone unsure whether something belongs in the recycling bin: when in doubt, throw it out.

More than 150 artists from across the country and Canada are taking part in the 11th annual Belle Isle Art Fair. The fair wraps up Sunday at 5 p.m.

To learn more about the fair visit: www.belleisleartfair.com