The New York Police Department says it will release body camera footage of its officers firing on a knife-wielding suspect in a New York subway car.

NYPD said it would release footage in "the next couple of days," The New York Times reported.

Police officials say the officers' response was within department guidelines, which permits the use of deadly force if officers believe their lives are in danger.

The confrontation began when officers followed 37-year-old Derell Mickles after he evaded the fare and boarded a subway train. Police officials said officers shot the suspect when he advanced on them with a knife. Officials say officers used their tasers and warned Mickles dozens of times to drop the knife before they opened fire.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said officers were justified in the weekend shooting. He said he had seen the video of the encounter with the suspect, who had more than 20 prior arrests.

RELATED STORY | New York mayor claims police shot subway suspect over a weapon, not fare evasion

The suspect, two bystanders and one police officer were injured in the shooting. The suspect was hospitalized for his injuries. A 49-year-old man was in critical condition after being struck in the head by gunfire, while a 26-year-old woman was grazed and wounded. The police officer was struck under the armpit and had a bullet lodged in his back.

Police said in the aftermath that another man made off with the knife from the crime scene. They found him at a nearby shelter and recovered the knife.

With Ukraine under a constant, brutal Russian assault, the country's medical system would be in critical condition without allies like Vlada Galan.

Born in Odesa, Ukraine, the 35-year-old Ukrainian-American now resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

She whisks into Kyiv every few months to check up on the charitable organization she founded, the International Ukrainian Crisis Fund. Since the early days of Russias full-scale invasion, it has distributed more than $8 million in medical supplies much of it includes specialized medical equipment requested by Ukrainian hospitals and doctors with whom the organization partners.

We have calls with them almost on a weekly, bi-weekly basis, where they are sending us updated lists of what they need, Galan told Scripps News. We have a huge focus on areas that are closer to the hot zone regions.

RELATED STORY | US, Britain weighing whether to give Ukraine access to new long-range missiles

While there are many non-governmental organizations and charities providing medical aid to Ukraine, one thing that makes Galans organization unique is her and her Rolodex of contacts.

What we focused on heavily is specific needs that are not being supplied by mass organizations, Galan said.

Galan is an international political operative by day an election expert whose clients include heads of state and candidates for political office across five continents.

In August, she visited her hometown of Odesa for the first time since the start of Russias full-scale invasion. There, she met with her father, who had just received his military draft papers. She also visited the hospital in which she was born, which she says is now overwhelmed with patients, including wounded soldiers, from the surrounding regions.

I completely broke down after the visit, Galan said. Its the first time I couldnt hold back my emotions and put on a brave face. It hit too close to home.

Galan said she is committed to upgrading some of the hospitals operating room equipment.

Russian airstrikes have hit Ukraines medical system brutally hard. Ukraines health ministry this week accused Russia of destroying, in the past 30 months of the war, a total of 221 Ukrainian medical facilities and damaging 1,657 others. And with Russian missile and drone attacks reaching a crescendo in recent weeks, and an unknown but vast number of soldier casualties pouring in, Ukrainian officials say the need for both advanced and routine medical supplies has reached a new peak.

RELATED STORY | Top US and UK diplomats pledge almost $1.5B in additional aid for Ukraine during visit to Kyiv

Galan tells Scripps News her organization receives constant requests for whatever supplies theyve got in stock.

It's always a bit emotional every time these supplies go out because you think to yourself, 'Whose life is this going to save? Is this going to be a father, a brother, a son to someone?'" Galan said.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of her native country, Galan was on a work trip to Columbia. She says he first instinct was to fly to Ukraine, pick up a weapon and fight.

I called my husband. He said, You're out of your mind... you can do so much more by leveraging your contacts," Galan recalled.

Galan said her determination has been a key factor in getting donations of medical supplies from the U.S.

I don't like no for an answer, she said. No is not an answer that I accept frequently.

Even as the need for medical supplies grows, Galan said sustaining the flow of donations is only becoming more difficult.

Donors are lethargic from just hearing about the war. And I think that is exactly what Putin wants, she said. He wants there to be this exhaustion, this war fatigue.

Despite the war fatigue, Galan said her group took in $1 million worth of donations so far this year.

I support part of our staff and operating expenses out of my own pocket for the fund, she said.

Last year, Ukraines Ministry of Defense awarded her a medal for supporting the country during wartime.

Of all the supplies that she brings in, one speaks loudest to the violence of this deadly war. Galan said tourniquets, the life-saving device every soldier must carry, are always in need.

When we get them, they go very, very fast, she said.

When prompted that each tourniquet may represent a limb that may be lost, Galan insisted, Or a life that may be saved.

By CURTIS YEE and TIFFANY STANLEY

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Rev. Lee Scott publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president during the Evangelicals for Harris Zoom call on Aug. 14, the Presbyterian pastor and farmer said he was taking a risk.

“The easy thing for us to do this year would be to keep our heads down, go to the ballot box, keep our vote secret and go about our business,” Scott told the group, which garnered roughly 3,200 viewers according to organizers. “But at this time, I just can’t do that.”

Scott lives in Butler, Pennsylvania, the same town where a would-be assassin shot former President Donald Trump in July. Scott told The Associated Press that the attack and its impact on his community pushed him to speak out against Trump and the “vitriol” and “acceptable violence” he normalized in politics.

Trump has maintained strong support among white evangelical voters. According to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of the electorate, about 8 in 10 white evangelical voters cast a ballot for him in 2020. But a small and diverse coalition of evangelicals is looking to pull their fellow believers away from the former president’s fold, offering not only an alternate candidate to support but an alternate vision for their faith altogether.

“I am tired of watching meanness, bigotry and recreational cruelty be the worldly witness of our faith,” Scott said on the call. “I want transformation, and transformation is risky business.”

Exploiting cracks in Trump’s evangelical base

Trump has heavily courted white conservative evangelicals since his arrival on the political scene almost a decade ago. Now he is selling Trump-themed Bibles, touting the overturning of Roe v. Wade and imploring Christians to get out the vote for him.

But some evangelicals have used perceived cracks in his political fidelity to further distance themselves from the former president, especially as Trump and his surrogates have waffled over whether he would sign a federal abortion ban  should he become president.

The Rev. Dwight McKissic, a Baptist pastor from Texas who spoke on the Evangelicals for Harris call, said he saw no “moral superiority of one party over the other,” citing the GOP’s decision to “abandon a commitment to ban abortion with a constitutional amendment” and to soften its stance against same-sex marriage in its party platform.

Though he has historically voted Republican, McKissic said he would vote for Harris, whom he said has stronger character and qualifications.

“I certainly don’t agree with her on all matters of policy,” said Scott, who identifies as evangelical and is ordained in the mainline Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). “I am pro-life. I am against abortion. But at the same time, she has a pro-family platform,” citing Harris’ education policies and promise to expand the child tax credit.

Grassroots groups like Evangelicals for Harris are hoping they can convince evangelicals who feel similarly to support Harris instead of voting for Trump or sitting out the election altogether.

With modest funding in 2020, the group, formerly known as Evangelicals for Biden, targeted evangelical voters in swing states. This election, the Rev. Jim Ball, the organization’s president, said they’re expanding the operation and looking to spend a million dollars on targeted advertisements.

While white evangelicals vote strongly Republican, not all evangelicals are a lock for the GOP, and in a tight race, every vote counts.

In 2020, Biden won about 2 in 10 white evangelical voters, but performed better with evangelicals overall, according to AP VoteCast, winning about one-third of this group. A September AP-NORC poll found that around 6 in 10 Americans who identify as “born-again” or “evangelical” have a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Harris, but around one-third have a favorable opinion of her. The majority — around 8 in 10 — of white evangelicals have a negative view of Harris.

Vote Common Good, a similar group run by progressive evangelical pastor Doug Pagitt, has a simple message: Political identity and religious identity are not a package deal.

″There’s a whole group who have become very uncomfortable voting for Trump,” Pagitt said. “We’re not trying to get them to change their mind. We’re trying to work with them once their minds have changed to act on that change.”

Working with the campaign

In August, Harris’ campaign hired the Rev. Jen Butler, a Presbyterian (U.S.A.) minister and experienced faith-based organizer, to lead its religious outreach.

Butler told the AP she has been in touch with Evangelicals for Harris. With less than two months until Election Day, she wants to harness the power of grassroots groups to quickly engage even more faith voters.

“We want to turn out our base, and we think we have some real potential here to reach folks who have voted Republican in the past,” Butler said.

They are focusing on Black Protestants and Latino evangelicals, especially in key swing states. They are reaching out to Catholics and mainline Protestants across the Rust Belt and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arizona and Nevada. Butler’s colleagues are working with Jewish and Muslim constituencies.

Catholics for Harris and Interfaith for Harris groups are launching. Mainline Protestant groups like Black Church PAC and Christians for Kamala are also campaigning on behalf of the vice president.

Butler, who grew up evangelical in Georgia, said the Harris campaign can find common ground with evangelicals, particularly suburban evangelical women.

“There’s a whole range of issues that they care about,” she said, citing compassionate approaches to immigration and abortion. “They know that the way to address any pro-life concerns is really to support women.”

A tough sell

Even for evangelicals who dislike Trump, it can be difficult to support a Democrat.

Russell Jeung, a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and speaker on the Evangelicals for Harris call, told AP that the group doesn’t “agree with everything that Harris stands for” and that evangelicals can “hold the party accountable by being involved.”

Others on the call noted they would use their vote to pressure Harris on issues where they disagreed, with Latina evangelical activist Sandra Maria Van Opstal saying she’d push the potential Harris administration “to do better on Palestine-Israel and do better on immigration.”

Soong-Chan Rah, a professor of evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, describes himself as a nonpartisan progressive evangelical and a “prophet speaking to broken systems.” Though he’s never endorsed a candidate before, he said the stakes of this election are so high that he wanted to throw his public support behind Harris.

“Not only do I find this candidate, Trump, repugnant and repulsive,” Rah said, “it is to such an extreme that I want to endorse his opposition.”

But the chorus of evangelicals who find voting for a Democrat unconscionable remains loud.

Trump-supporting evangelical worship leader Sean Feucht ridiculed the existence of Evangelicals for Harris on X: “HERETICS FOR HARRIS rings so much truer!”

The Rev. Franklin Graham, a longtime Trump supporter, took issue with one of the group’s ads and its use of footage of his late father, the Rev. Billy Graham. “The liberals are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris,” he wrote on his public Facebook page, which has 10 million followers.

Imagining a new evangelical identity

But the project of shoring up Democratic evangelical voters goes beyond partisan politics. It gets at the core of what evangelicalism means.

The term evangelical itself is fraught and has become synonymous with the Republican Party, argues Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University.

“More people are probably evangelical theologically,” said Burge, “but they’re not going to grab that word because they don’t vote for Trump or they’re moderate or liberal.”

Evangelicalism has historically referenced Christians who hold conservative theological beliefs regarding issues like the importance of the Bible and being born again. But that’s changed as the term has grown more connected with Republican voters.

For many, evangelicalism has largely been defined along racial and socio-political lines and in endorsing Harris, Rah hopes to “show that there are other voices in the church aside from the religious right and Trump evangelicals.”

Latasha Morrison, a speaker on the Evangelicals for Harris Zoom, told the AP that as a Black woman, “I never associated myself with the word ‘evangelical’ until I started attending predominantly white churches.”

For years her anti-abortion views led her to vote Republican, but now the Christian author and diversity trainer says, “I feel like women and children have a better opportunity under the Harris administration than the Trump administration.”

For Ball, the Evangelicals for Harris organizer, he’s not looking to “tell people if they are an evangelical” or not.

“Diversity is a strength for us. We’re not we’re not looking for total unanimity. We’re looking for unity,” Ball said. “We can be united while we still have differences.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration  with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By STEVE PEOPLES

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The FBI is investigating suspicious packages sent to elections officials in more than a dozen states. State police have begun sweeps of schools in an Ohio community where conspiracy theories have fueled bomb threats. Violent rhetoric is rippling across social media.

And for the second time in nine weeks, a gunman apparently sought to assassinate Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

This year’s campaign for the White House was always going to be fraught, the first presidential election to play out in the wake of an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, an act of political violence steeped in the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

But the series of unnerving developments has crystalized the volatility coursing through the country in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign. A political system long lauded for its resilience and durability is being tested, with law enforcement, political leaders and voters navigating complex and unfamiliar terrain.

In Flint, the Michigan city where a contaminated water crisis became a symbol of government ineptitude nearly a decade ago, some who gathered for a Trump event this week seemed almost resigned to a new and dangerous normal.

“I think it’ll probably happen one more time,” John Trahan, 62, from Grand Blanc, Michigan, said of the prospect of another assassination attempt.

The US has faced challenges before

America has confronted searing challenges before, from the Civil War to a presidential election decided by the Supreme Court. There were two assassinations and a wave of deadly riots before the 1968 presidential election.

But presidential historian Douglas Brinkley of Rice University said this moment is notable because it fuses widespread distrust of government with the proliferation of online conspiracy theories. Before a gunman camped outside a Florida golf course where Trump was playing on Sunday, the Republican’s campaign was pressing a debunked rumor that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pets.

“There’s a kind of uncertainty across the land,” Brinkley said, and the incident in West Palm Beach “takes an already tense election when democracy’s on the line and pours gasoline on the situation.”

The internet is providing much of that fuel. The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posted on social media early Sunday that “anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.” The group deleted the message without fully condemning political violence.

“We are not ‘non-violent,’” the group wrote in a post Monday. “It is morally correct to use violence to stop aggression.”

Elon Musk, the owner of X, shared a false report on Wednesday that explosives had been found near a Trump rally. Hours earlier, Musk posted, “Unless Trump is elected, America will fall to tyranny.” Earlier in the week, he wrote that “no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.”

Musk later deleted the tweet about the assassination and implied he was joking, but not before tens of millions of people had viewed the post.

The campaign moves forward

Despite it all, the presidential campaign moves forward and Election Day, Nov. 5, nears.

Harris quickly condemned the Florida incident and called Trump to offer her support. Democrats in Washington are joining with Republicans to push for stronger security around the former president.

But Harris’ team is not toning down its warning that a second Trump presidency represents a threat to democracy. During an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists on Tuesday, Harris noted that Trump is not alone in worrying about safety.

“There are far too many people in our country right now who are not feeling safe,” Harris said. “Not everybody has Secret Service.”

“Members of the LGBTQ community don’t feel safe right now, immigrants or people with an immigrant background don’t feel safe right now,” she continued. “Women don’t feel safe right now.”

Trump and some of his allies, meanwhile, continue to sow divisions — a marked shift from his brief calls for unity in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally in July.

Fox News Digital published comments in which Trump, without evidence, blamed Democratic President Joe Biden and Harris for the weekend incident at his golf course and suggested their criticism of him had driven the alleged gunman. Then Trump posted on X that Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, was a communist and “has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust.”

“Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse!” Trump warned.

Harris denounced the thwarted attack against Trump and had a brief phone conversation with him on Tuesday in which she expressed gratitude that he was safe and she condemned political violence. Trump described the call as “very nice.”

With early voting already unfolding in some states, more potential challenges are ahead. The FBI and other federal agencies said Wednesday that Iranian hackers sought to interest Biden’s campaign in information stolen from Trump’s campaign, sending unsolicited emails to people connected to the president before he abandoned his campaign in July.

There is no evidence that any of the recipients responded, officials said, but the development nonetheless raises the prospect of foreign interference in the election.

Harris’ campaign said it has cooperated with law enforcement since learning that people associated with Biden’s team were among the recipients of the emails. But Trump’s campaign responded by pressing Harris and Biden to “come clean on whether they used the hacked material given to them by the Iranians to hurt President Trump.”

On the ground in Michigan, Trump’s loyalists have embraced his anger. In some cases, they are afraid.

Kathy Hutchons, 68, of Waterford, Michigan, said the looming threat of further violence against Trump was “kind of scary.”

Her friends in line for Trump’s town hall in Flint said they were scanning trees for signs of threats. They looked with suspicion at the drone overhead, although security officials later confirmed it was one of their safety measures.

“My husband said, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to let you go to this today,’” Hutchons said. “I said, ‘You don’t have a choice.’”

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Michelle L. Price in New York and AP Polling Editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington contributed to this report.

By WILL WEISSERT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Both major presidential candidates are making appearances Thursday meant to fire up their core supporters, with Vice President Kamala Harris participating in a livestream with Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump attending an event with prominent Jewish donors before addressing a gathering of the Israeli-American Council.

Winfrey, who has endorsed Harris and spoke at the Democratic convention in August, is set to host a two-hour “Unite for America” nighttime streaming session in Michigan with Harris that organizers say aims to highlight dozens of grassroots groups backing the vice president.

Trump will be in Washington to address a “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America” evening event with Miriam Adelson, a co-owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and widow of billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who founded the Las Vegas Sands casino and was one of the Republican Party’s largest donors.

Trump will also speak before the Israeli-American Council, a nonprofit long backed by Sheldon Adelson as well as Haim Saban, a major donor to President Joe Biden and Democratic causes. The council is holding its national convention in the weeks before the first anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.

On Friday, Harris has campaign stops planned in swing states Wisconsin and Georgia as she calls attention to the case of a young mother who died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat her complications from an abortion pill. Harris contends that outcome shows the consequences of Trump’s actions.

Amber Thurman’s death, first reported Monday by ProPublica, came two weeks after Georgia’s strict abortion ban was enacted in 2022 after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn nationwide abortion rights. Trump nominated three of the justices who made that decision.

Trump has a Saturday rally set in battleground North Carolina.

Thursday’s campaign stops follow the Federal Reserve cutting its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point. That marked a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates that helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers.

With the presidential election less than seven weeks away, the move has the potential to scramble the economic landscape just as Americans prepare to vote. Campaigning in New York on Wednesday, Trump said, “I guess it shows the economy is very bad to cut it by that much, assuming they’re not just playing politics.”

Asked about potential political influence of a rate cut so close to Election Day, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration has been “very clear about this and very respectful of the independence of the Federal Reserve.”

“Unlike other administrations, we’ve been, I think, pretty steadfast about that, and have been continuous in making that clear,” she added, without naming Trump and his past public criticism of the Fed or his suggestions during the campaign that presidents should have more authority over the central bank.

After a historic sit-in at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement urged Vice President Kamala Harris to respond by Sept. 15 to their request for a meeting with Palestinian American families in Michigan. These families, having lost loved ones to U.S.-supplied bombs in Gaza, hoped to discuss their demands for halting U.S. arms shipments to Israel and establishing a permanent ceasefire. However, the Harris campaign has remained silent, prompting the Uncommitted Movement to issue a firm statement refusing to endorse her in the upcoming 2024 election.

This week marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and Scripps News continues to celebrate by recognizing the contributions and cultural achievements of Hispanic Americans.

Mariachi music has been a staple of Mexican culture for centuries and Scripps News traveled to a school in Arizona where one teacher is putting in the effort to help his students tap into their cultural roots.

For more than a decade, Tolleson Elementary music teacher Efrain Casillas has been unlocking gates and opening doors for children at Desert Oasis Elementary in Maricopa County.

"I asked the students what type of music they like and mariachi was what they liked," Casillas said. "I said 'well, I guess I gotta learn to play mariachi music.'"

RELATED STORY | Hispanic Heritage Month puts diversity and culture at the forefront

So he tuned up his skills and began helping his students embrace their latino culture, the music and the Spanish language.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Casillas is credited with creating the school district's first mariachi group. He told Scripps News that he was surprised by how quickly they caught on.

"I didn't know that it was going to be this popular with the students," Casillas said. "...a lot of them told me it's because 'this is the music that I like.' Other ones were telling me 'because my parents like this music, my grandmother likes this music.'"

It's an example of traditional music transcending generations and onto big stages captivating kids of all ages.

"Mariachi is just different because it has everything," one student said. "It has the passion, it has the love, it has the rhythm, it has the dancing, it has everything."

It also has universal notes that can overcome barriers.

"When I first came into this country, I didn't know a word in English," Casillas recalled.

RELATED STORY | New York Latino Film Festival founder Calixto Chinchilla on the importance of diverse storytellers

Despite being tasked with adapting to a new country and learning a new language, this year Casillas still managed to land a coveted spotlight.

"This is when my students went to play for the Easter egg roll at the White House," he said pointing to a photo. "Yeah, this is a very special moment because this is the first mariachi to kids mariachi to make it to the White House."

It was an honor that came after he was named Arizona's teacher of the year.

"Here I am shaking the hand of the president of the United States," Casillas said with a smile.

These are reminders of moments and lessons that inspire former and current students ones that Casillas says he wants his students to share on the biggest stages.

As a wild and baseless rumor about an immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio, made its way from a Facebook post and onto a national stage, reporters, internet sleuths, and everyday social media users were able to track where the consequential false claim had originated.

But what if that insidious allegation was made in a group chat on a private messaging app like WhatsApp instead?

"It's kind of the wild, wild west," Jenny Liu, a misinformation and disinformation policy manager at Asian Americans Advancing Justice, told Scripps News. "It's just harder to monitor stuff that's happening in these closed channels."

WhatsApp, one of the most popular private messaging platforms in the U.S., is best known for its encryption. Similar to apps like Telegram, Signal and Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp ensures users' messages in group chats or dedicated channels are private, making them immune to fact-checking.

"With those messaging apps, you kind of had this really double-edged sword," Dr. Inga Trauthig, head of research at the Propaganda Research Lab at the Center for Media Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin, told Scripps News.

"On the one hand, it's seen as like a private space." But on the other hand, Trauthig said, because these apps are encrypted and messages are private, it's nearly impossible to moderate or fact-check content the way Facebook or X does for public posts.

RELATED STORY | Microsoft tracks Russian election influence campaign shift to undermine Harris

More than 85 million people in America use WhatsApp which is owned by Facebook's parent company Meta, but Asian and Latino Americans make up the majority of WhatsApp users in the U.S. Over half, 54%, of Hispanic adults and 51% of Asian adults say they use the platform, according to Pew Research Center. Whereas 31% of Black adults and 20% of white adults use WhatsApp.

Experts and community leaders say Asian and Latino Americans, the fastest growing groups of eligible 2024 voters, according to Pew Research, are targeted by disinformation on WhatsApp.

"What we've seen is disinformation being used intentionally, not as something that may be. 'Hey I got something wrong and then a fact check it.' No, this has been done intentionally," Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, told Scripps News.

Disinformation targeting Latino Americans has ramped up ahead of November, Garcia said.

"In states like Florida, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, the Latino vote is the vote that could decide who becomes the next president. And if you can get three or five percent of people to change their vote or to just stay at home, that could be the difference in terms of the political power and what happens in Washington, D.C.," he added.

Garcia said false information on WhatsApp uses specific terms like 'socialism' and 'communist' to strike a chord with Latino Americans, especially those with connections to countries like Cuba or Chile.

Propagandists "calling Biden, a Marxist, a communist, and [saying] Democrats are Marxists and communists," Garcia said, "are using WhatsApp as a way to reach Latino voters because Latinos disproportionately use WhatsApp to communicate with their loved ones."

RELATED STORY | Russia, Iran, China are ramping up efforts to influence US election, intelligence says

"As our numbers grow, as now we're the largest minority in the United States 65 million plus more of us are voting now we're being targeted by these elements using WhatsApp and other areas for their propaganda, misinformation and disinformation," Evelyn Prez-Verda, founder of the strategic communications agency We Are Ms, told Scripps News. Her agency works to meet the "dire need of quality information" in South Florida communities, which are largely Latino.

"Mis and disinformation have always existed in different formats. Now, what happens is that we have a digital borderless format," Prez-Verda said.

While borderless, WhatsApp is still difficult for fact checkers to penetrate. Community organizations have therefore turned to everyday users to help contain or cut off the flood of false information.

What's True Crew

Dr. Amod Sureka is a father and physician and in the little spare time he has in a day, he catches misinformation about elections as they enter group chats.

"I think it's going to be people like me who might be a bridge from the people who know even less than I do about politics to the very, gung ho professional politicians," Sureka told Scripps News.

Sureka, who is Indian American, is a member of the "WhatsApp True Crew," a group created by Indian American Impact fighting against election misinformation in South Asian American communities.

"Certainly there are those differences of opinion, but there are also frank disinformation being put out in terms of politician's records," Sureka said.

For example, one WhatsApp message captured by the What's True Crew, and reviewed by Scripps News, appears to attack Vice President Kamala Harris' racial identity. The message includes a link to a 2018 YouTube video, urging Indian American voters to watch it before they cast their ballots in November.

"I will tell you for most of, her Kamala Harris' career, she refers to herself as African American. She rarely talks about her Indian heritage" the video says.

The message featuring the video was sent after former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump falsely questioned Harris's race in July.

RELATED STORY | Truth be Told: How AI is posing a new disinformation threat this election

"She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black," Trump said during an on-stage interview.

Sarah Shah with Indian American Impact, the organization behind the What's True Cew, says misinformation like this has "eroded trust in our democracy. It's pitted communities against one another."

What complicates the matter, Shah says, "You are in groups largely with your family and friends and like-minded individuals. And so most people within a group in some way is a trusted messenger."

"The WhatsApp groups that I'm part of, they're kind of built around a given community. For that reason, I think we have this natural trust in people who are like us," he says.

This trust can be exploited by bad actors hoping to influence people in his community who aren't familiar with US politics, Sureka says.

"There's a lot of stuff coming to us, and it makes it really challenging for me to discern what's true or not. And certainly, for people who are less familiar with what's going on," he adds.

Anu Kosaraju, also a member of the "What's True Crew," says he is amazed by the kind of false information he sees in his WhatsApp groups.

"You think of this misinformation or disinformation as little bullets hitting the community," Kosaraju tells Scripps News.

What's scary about the encrypted platform, she adds, is "when it comes from a friend or an acquaintance or a relative, there is an immediate sense of authenticity to it.

"That's when I realized how much WhatsApp had taken hold as an actual source of information as if it was like BBC or some other kind of an official or trustworthy source," she said.

'Slippery fingers'

Half of American adults get their news from some form of social media, according to the Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, major social media platforms are being called out by fact-checking groups for their insufficient response to misinformation, particularly ahead of the 2024 election. These critiques come as content moderation tools, teams and metrics continue to disappear and disinformation campaigns grow in sophistication by the day.

"Users who we spoke to, for instance, from diaspora communities in the U.S. would say, 'Well, WhatsApp is really important for me. It's a private space. I talk about things that maybe I'm not comfortable talking about on Facebook. And I also talk about the news and about politics with my community. So, I don't want anyone from the outside in here,'" propaganda researcher Dr. Inga Kristina Trauthig said.

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False information easily spreads in these groups by what Kosaraju calls "slippery fingers."

"It's one of those things that is so scarily easy with just a finger push, two clicks and then there you are, spreading the same disinformation or spreading something that may or may not be 100% true," she said.

A popular feature on WhatsApp is the ability to forward a message from one chat to another.

"On WhatsApp, you just click a forward button and you can send it," Shah said. "You can broadcast it. You can send it to groups that might have only a few people, but they might also have 250 people. And then others can forward it and there's no real way to track that picture or video, to see its original source."

Encrypted messaging apps are either late or completely missing from the content moderation game. If false content is debunked, removed or labeled as misinformation on another social media platform, it still lives on in WhatsApp messages, Inga said.

"Often tweets would also just be put into a WhatsApp chat and then even if the tweet might not exist anymore, was discredited sometime afterwards. The WhatsApp conversation about it still continues," she says.

"I think that's where the companies can help us by nipping it in the bud," Kosaraju says. "Don't even let that fake news through."

A spokesperson for Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, told Scripps News it has incorporated new tools to help stop the spread of suspicious or false information, including labels and limits on forwarded messages, banning mass messaging, and providing more support for a large network of fact-checkers.

With no federal regulation of misinformation on social media platforms, the onus to put guardrails in place, especially in an election year, falls solely on companies and their policies. But as in the case of Meta, those policies and how they're enforced can vary depending on which platform Facebook, Instagram, Threads or WhatsApp users are on.

WhatsApp says it may take action against accounts that violate messaging guidelines like sharing illegal content, abusing reporting tools to harm other users or engaging in fraud through "purposeful deception or impersonation."

Still, the platform largely relies on users like Kosaraju and Sureka to report false information so the company can act.

"It would be far easier to just let it go and jump over to another group scroll past that message," Sureka says about misinformation he sees on WhatsApp. "But the first thought is we have to we have to rebut it for anyone who's paying attention to it. Just so incorrect information is not being left unchallenged."

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of conversion therapy on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday, calling his executive order a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.

The governor used his executive powers after Republicans who control the state legislature repeatedly blocked efforts to enact a state law banning the practice. Beshear said he would no longer wait for others to "do whats right.

My faith teaches me that all children are children of God," Beshear said during the signing ceremony at the Kentucky Capitol. "And where practices are endangering and even harming those children, we must act. The practice of so-called conversion therapy hurts our children.

It was the latest action in a national debate over conversion therapy and the rights of LGBTQ+ children and their families.

RELATED STORY | Former Gay Conversion Therapist: 'Conversion Therapy Is Harmful'

The Kentucky event stirred many emotions. Activists for mental health and LGBTQ+ rights cheered the governor, but as he prepared to sign the ban, someone nearby shouted, This is a denial of affirmation therapy! Supporters drowned out the protest.

Among those in attendance was Zach Meiners, a 34-year-old filmmaker who said he wants young people to be spared the anguish and harm he endured during four years of therapy as a teenager, which caused him anxiety and depression in ways that Im still unraveling.

I can speak firsthand to how devastating it can be to someones mental health," Meiners said in an interview. "And I consider myself very lucky to be a survivor.

Republican state Rep. Killian Timoney shook Beshear's hand after the signing, and expressed support for the ban. But another GOP lawmaker, state Rep. Josh Calloway, said the governor had defied the will of the legislature, which isn't scheduled to reconvene until January.

We are the lawmaking body, and laws should be made by peoples representatives, Calloway said.

The Family Foundation, a socially conservative group in Kentucky, said Beshear's order tramples on the rights of parents and suppresses religious expression. It referred to the ban as an unlawful action, perhaps signaling a legal challenge.

This order, like previous failed legislative efforts, is designed to promote false LGBTQ ideologies and muzzle Christian counselors, therapists and pastors from helping children struggling with sexual orientation or gender identity confusion, David Walls, the group's executive director, said in a statement.

RELATED STORY | Michigan bans use of so-called conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ youth

The ban runs roughshod over the First Amendment, said Daniel Schmid, a legal executive with Liberty Counsel, which describes itself as a Christian ministry.

Anticipating such attacks, Beshear said his action does not force an ideology on anybody but "simply stops a so-called therapy that the medical community says is wrong and hurts our children.

Democratic state Rep. Lisa Willner, who promoted a legislative ban, called the order a great step forward for the safety and mental health of so many young Kentuckians.

The order also makes it illegal to use state or federal funds to provide the therapy on minors, and authorizes licensing boards to discipline professionals found to have practiced conversion therapy on minors.

Such therapy has been discredited and is opposed by, among others, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association, citing research that shows it leads to increased risk of suicide and depression.

Nearly half the states and the District of Columbia prohibit conversion therapy on minors, Beshear's office said. In Kentucky, 21% of LGBTQ young people reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy, according to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court rejects appeal over bans on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy

Meanwhile, efforts are spreading across the country to curb the rights of LGBTQ+ kids and impose restrictions on gender and sexuality in classrooms, youth sports and medicine.

Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, a Kentucky-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group, referred to conversion therapy as "not just snake oil but snake venom.

Four years ago, Beshear became the first Kentucky governor to participate in the annual gay-rights rally at the statehouse when the legislature is in session. Last year, Republicans used transgender issues to attack Beshear, pointing to his veto of legislation banning transgender young people from having access to gender-affirming health care. Beshear said the measure eroded parental rights to make medical decisions for their children. GOP lawmakers overrode the veto, but Beshear won re-election later that year by a comfortable margin.

On Wednesday, Beshear said he won't stop urging legislators to put the ban on conversion therapy into state law.

It is not about politics at all, the governor said. "And to me, its not even about gender or sexuality. Its about protecting our youth from an inhumane practice that hurts them.

Hartman said the governor sent a clear message to Kentuckys LGBTQ+ youth and their families: "You are perfect as you are.

Which Puma shoes are best for men?

Puma is one of the top brands around whether you’re looking for high-performance athletic shoes or classic casual sneakers. Pumas provides soccer cleats to champions, basketball shoes to legends and innovative styles to trendsetters. If you have room in your sneaker collection for a new pair of kicks or you need a great gift for a family member or friend, a pair of Pumas can fill your needs nicely.

What to know before you buy Puma shoes for men

Running and training

Since its inception, Puma has been making some of the best running and training shoes on the market. Puma won its first gold medal at the 1952 Olympics thanks to sprinter Josy Barthel of Luxembourg. The brand was on the winner’s block during one of the most iconic moments in sports history, when Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos won gold and bronze, respectively, in the 200-meter race. They were wearing Pumas, the same shoes they held as they raised their fists in support of Black Americans and human rights. Today, runners everywhere swear by Puma’s comfort, speed and running tech to help them reach the finish line.

Team sports

Puma is rooted in soccer shoes. Today, the brand has partnerships with the City Football Group to supply shoes for all of its clubs, and Brazilian superstar Neymar recently signed a long-term deal with Puma.

In 2018, the brand relaunched its line of basketball shoes, which originated in the 1960s with Clyde Frazier’s signature sneakers and quickly made big moves onto the court. A collaboration with musician and now international basketball star J. Cole caught everyone’s attention. Now, rising stars like LaMelo Ball, RJ Barrett and others have sponsorships with the wildcat.

Motorsports

Puma also offers popular shoes for more niche sporting aficionados, like Formula 1 fanatics. The brand features stylish collaborations with Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Red Bull Racing, BMW Motorsport and Porsche Design and provides gear for several of its race teams. Puma may make quality shoes for running and other active sports, but that doesn’t mean drivers can’t put the pedal to the metal with style.

Casual and lifestyle

Puma has excelled over the last few decades in casual and lifestyle shoes with the Suede Classic line. The company has recently begun to appeal to serious sneakerheads and collectors with its RS-X line and design collaborations. Puma even offers well-cushioned and highly-crafted skate shoes through its outlets with the Bari slip-on.

Features of Puma shoes

History

In its 75 year history, Puma has been a consistent player in shoe technology innovation, first with its running spikes and introduction of Velcro in a performance shoe, later with its RS-Computer performance tracking technology and most recently with its proprietary LQD Cell energy-returning sole tech. On top of its history of innovation, Puma has a legacy of superstar support that includes sponsorships of legendary athletes like Pelé, Isiah Thomas, Diego Maradona, Clyde Frazier, Joe Namath, Usain Bolt and Tommie Smith. Up-and-coming stars also rock Pumas, including Deandre Ayton, Lexi Thompson and Michael Porter Jr.

Sustainability

Puma manufactures its products using as many sustainable materials and ethical sourcing as possible. With its 10FOR25 initiative, the company has 10 sustainability targets it aims to hit by 2025, including biodiversity, climate, plastics and oceans, fair income and human rights, with an ultimate goal of creating a circular business model.

Visual appeal and variety

One factor that has helped Puma regain popularity in the last few years is its unique silhouettes, colorways and designs. Puma continuously expands its offerings with original visual elements and new creative visions from serious culture makers. It counts two of the biggest cultural icons of the 21st century as creative directors, multi-Grammy-winner Rihanna and rapper-turned-mogul Jay-Z. Recently, the company hit gold with its collaboration with hitmaker J. Cole, who is also bringing his Puma basketball brand to the Basketball Africa League as a player for a limited run. Pumas RS-Dreamer collection, designed in part by Cole, is among the hottest line in basketball today.

How much you can expect to spend on Puma shoes for men

More casual Pumas are pretty inexpensive, running between $50-$80, while higher-end performance shoes start at $80 and usually top off around $150.

Puma shoes for men FAQ

Do Pumas fit to size?

A. Yes, Pumas fit according to the standard sizing chart, but some silhouettes, like the Roma, run a bit narrow and may require sizing up. Also, the Roma and other similar models require a bit of breaking-in of the upper heel and may be prone to blistering the Achilles’ heel area.

How do I maintain my Pumas?

A. Sneaker maintenance is the key to keeping your footwear investment in great shape. Although the process is generally the same for most shoes, there are specific treatments for different materials. Suede is the most common delicate material used in Pumas, and cleaning it requires a special brush and totally dry conditions. You should clean them immediately after use for all shoes, but never wash them in a machine.

What are the best Puma shoes for men?

Top Puma shoes for men

Puma Suede Classic XXI

What you need to know: For everyday wear, the Puma Suede Classics are an excellent pair for almost anyone’s taste or style with their combination of simple design and gorgeous combinations of colors.

What you’ll love: This option uses suede that looks classy. It’s great for casual and semiformal occasions. There’s something for everyone, and the fit runs true to size.

What you should consider: They need some breaking in, especially the heel.

Top Puma shoes for men for the money

Puma Men’s Roma Sneaker

What you need to know: This is another low-profile casual sneaker with a classic look that translates to both function and fashion. There are also enough colorways to match anyone’s style. They get even more comfortable as the leather wears in.

What you’ll love: They have a cool retro appearance at a great price.

What you should consider: The fit runs small and narrow.

Worth checking out

Puma Future Rider Sneaker

What you need to know: Undoubtedly one of Puma’s most attractive shoes, the Future Rider is available in a growing number of vivid colorways that make it stand out in any crowd.

What you’ll love: It’s comfortable, has a great fit that’s true to size and is available in many colorways.

What you should consider: These shows run a bit narrow.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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The post Republicans, servers lobby for tipped credit; Supreme Court answers questions appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Which skillet is best?

If you spend any time in the kitchen, chances are you rely on a skillet for cooking many types of food. Occasional cooks and skilled chefs alike appreciate the versatility of this useful tool when it comes to stovetop cooking.

When you find the right size, material and price tag, your new skillet will likely become your go-to cookware essential, whether you’re frying up a quick lunch for one or preparing a dish for the family. Our top pick, the All-Clad Fry Pan, can survive high oven temperatures and is dishwasher safe.

What to know before you buy a skillet

Frequency of use

Budget-priced pans are okay for occasional use, but durable, high-quality skillets will withstand frequent cooking.

Lid vs. no lid

Not all skillets have lids, but models that do are worth it for cooking dishes that need to be covered while on the stove.

Size

Skillets come in different sizes, and some of the most common are 8, 10 and 12 inches.

Location

It’s no surprise that skillets are made for cooking on a stovetop, but some are made of materials such as stainless steel or cast iron that you can use in the oven. However, keep in mind that some skillet handles are not oven-proof.

What to look for in a quality skillet

Materials

Aluminum: These pans are affordable and lightweight, but some have longevity concerns. Leaching of the metal is also an issue, especially if the skillet isn’t anodized.

Stainless steel: Stainless steel skillets are strong and made to last. Some can even be used in the oven, provided the handles aren’t coated in plastic. Although food sticking to the surface is a concern, some modern skillets have finishes designed to prevent this.

Copper: These skillets are pricey, but they look as good as they cook. However, they aren’t quite as durable as pans made of other materials.

Nonstick

Although nonstick surfaces are prone to scratches, they’re popular because they’re easy to cook with and clean. Many nonstick pans are also quite affordable.

How much you can expect to spend on a skillet

Regardless of the material you choose, you can find a quality skillet for $20-$50, with some higher-end models falling in the $80-$120 range. The exception is copper, which is typically priced at $50 and up.

Skillets FAQ

Is there a skillet that can easily go from stovetop to grill grate?

A. Not all skillets can handle the intense direct heat of a grill, but one made of cast iron can. In fact, these pots and pans have been used to cook over open flames for centuries because they can withstand temperatures well over 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

What are some tips for maintaining a skillet with a nonstick surface?

A. To extend the longevity of your nonstick skillet, you can use only utensils made of nylon, silicone or wood to stir and serve food. In addition, washing your skillet by hand with a soft sponge and mild dish detergent will help protect the finish.

What’s the best skillet to buy?

Top skillet

All-Clad Fry Pan

What you need to know: This well-made, versatile skillet has a lid and a justifiably higher price tag, considering its features.

What you’ll love: It is crafted of durable stainless steel and aluminum with a surface that resists sticking. It can handle high oven temperatures and be cleaned in the dishwasher. It includes a limited lifetime warranty.

What you should consider: Frequent overheating can discolor the pan.

Top skillet for the money

T-fal Nonstick Fry Pan

What you need to know: This is the best pick if you need a decent pan at a price that won’t break the bank.

What you’ll love: This is a practical skillet at the lower end of the price scale. Most foods easily slide off the nonstick surface.

What you should consider: The curved surface isn’t ideal for all foods, and the nonstick coating can scratch.

Worth checking out

Lodge Skillet

What you need to know: With proper cooking steps and care, this quality cast-iron skillet won’t disappoint.

What you’ll love: The cast iron is pre-seasoned and manufactured by a company known for quality cookware. It is built to last, even when cooking at high temperatures.

What you should consider: Using it takes a little trial and error if you aren’t used to cooking with cast iron. Food can burn or stick fairly easily.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Representatives for Sheetz, a national chain of 24-hour restaurant, convenience store and gas station outlets, will appear before the Farmington Hills Planning Commission again on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Sheetz is proposing a new location at 12 Mile and Middlebelt roads, on the site of the former Ginopolis restaurant. The popular eatery closed in 2019.

The commission voted unanimously in June to allow Sheetz to locate there; Thursday night’s meeting is to consider the company’s planned unit development, a more detailed look at the project. The commission will likely set a date for a public hearing on the matter.

The public may comment on the proposal. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at Farmington Hills City Hall, 31555 W. 11 Mile Road.

The matter may also come before the City Council at a later date.

When Sheetz appeared before the commission in June, it proposed six pumps, creating 12 fueling stations; and a 6,100-square-foot convenience store and restaurant that would include drive-through service. Like all Sheetz locations, it would be open 24 hours.

Planning commissioners and nearby residents raised concerns about lighting and noise in the late-night hours, but company officials assured them that drive-through service is a small part of their business.

Company officials said in June that the former Ginopolis site is falling into disrepair and that Sheetz prides itself on quality building developments.

 

Sheetz recently opened its first Michigan location in Romulus. About 500 people came to a grand opening celebration.

Sheetz plans to open 50-60 locations in the Detroit area in the next five to six years, but its proposed developments in some cities have been put on hold. Other cities have rejected Sheetz outlets.

Bob Sheetz opened the first location in Pennsylvania in the early 1950s. The company is still family owned and now operates more than 700 locations in several states.

“Moulin Rouge!” offers mind-blowing fun at Detroit Opera House

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Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett was honored with the Michigan Municipal League’s Michael A. Guido Leadership and Public Service Award.

Mayor Barnett received the award at the Michigan Municipal League’s (MML) annual convention on Mackinac Island last week.

The award is given annually to a chief elected official who displays professionalism and leadership, is an active MML member, and who advocates for their community’s behalf in Lansing and Washington, D.C., according to a news release.

 

 

Barnett has served as mayor of Rochester Hills since 2006, and was re-elected to a fifth term in 2023. He served as president of the United States Conference of Mayors, 2019-2020.

For more information, visit https://mml.org.

The cargo ship that caused the deadly bridge collapse in Baltimore back in March is heading out of U.S. waters after three months of repair work.

The Dali is departing Norfolk, Virginia, Thursday morning for China on the heels of a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department seeking to recover more than $100 million from the owner and manager of the ship. The suit alleges they recklessly cut corners and ignored known problems that led directly to the collapse.

RELATED STORY | Ship owner cut corners on repairs before deadly Baltimore bridge collapse, US says in $100M lawsuit

The ship was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka early in the morning on March 26 when its steering failed because of power loss and it collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The catastrophic incident left six construction workers dead and two others injured. Those killed were working an overnight shift filling potholes on the bridge deck when it suddenly crumbled beneath them, sending them tumbling into the water.

The collapse also temporarily cut off all traffic through the Port of Baltimore, which sees some $80 billion of international trade annually, including more cars and farm equipment than any other U.S. port.

RELATED STORY | Meet the man who captured the Baltimore bridge collapse

More than 50,000 tons of metal and concrete were ultimately demolished and removed. The process required 13 floating cranes and dozens of other vessels.

Officials say they want to replace the Key Bridge with a new structure by 2028.

Additional reporting by Scripps News Baltimore.

The Moulin Rouge, emcee and owner Harold Zidler tells us, is “more than a nightclub. The Moulin Rouge is a state of mind.”

And “Moulin Rouge!,” the musical — opening Broadway in Detroit’s new season at the Detroit Opera House through Oct. 6 — is certainly a place where your mind can be blown. In a good way.

The Tony Award-winning adaptation of Baz Luhrman’s Academy Award-winning 2001 film, set in and around Paris’ Montmartre Quarter at the start of the 20th century, does deal with some serious themes, including classicism, misogyny and the eternal arguments of art vs. commerce. But “Moulin Rouge!,” like its real-life namesake, is really about entertainment, and it delivers that from start to finish, even in its most solemn segments.

Luhrman always conceived “Moulin Rouge!” as a musical, and as over-the-top as its film was, on stage it explodes into a glittering phantasmagoria of Busby Berkeley-style delight — robust, joyful, playfully hedonistic and unapologetically campy from even before the house lights go down, as members of the cast begin prowling the stage about 10 minutes before showtime, culminating in a duel sword-swallowing act by two of the dancers.

Clearly we’re not in “Cats” country this time out.

“Moulin Rouge’s” defining element is its dizzying song medley/mash-ups, which build Luhrman’s film concept into full-blown, in-the-flesh mixtapes, with equally exuberant choreography. (Think a continental “Rock of Ages.”) The opening “Welcome to the Moulin Rouge!” starts with Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and, over the course of about 12 minutes, winds through hits from Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Motown’s Barrett Strong (“Money (That’s What I Want),),” Talking Heads, Nelly, Beck, David Bowie and more. Throughout the show there are references to “The Sound of Music” and “Seven Nation Army,” the Police (who’s Sting was playing nearby at the Fillmore Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 18’s opening night) and James Bond, Madonna and Lady Gaga, the Rolling Stones, U2 and Elvis Presley…the list goes on. And on. (And we can get hind any production that finds a way to get T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution” into the mix, between Lorde’s “Royals” and fun.’s “We Are Young.”

So while the story — primarily about the complicated love affair between aspiring American writer Christian and prostitute-turned-performer Satine — is easy to follow to its tragic but redemptive conclusion, Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance” may be the best advice for those in the seats.

“Moulin Rouge!” wouldn’t be nearly as much fun, however, if its cast wasn’t up to the musical’s exuberant demands — which this touring company certainly is. There will be a cast change for the final two weeks of the run, starting Sept. 24, but the initial troupe is all on point, with a genial chemistry that helps to knit together the sometimes too-rapid relationship and plot developments in John Logan’s script. Robert Petkoff as Zidler is best when breaking the fourth wall and projecting to the audience, while Danny Burgos gives Santiago a broad, comedic impact — especially pairing with AK Naderer’s Nini in the Act II opening “Backstage Romance” — and Nick Rasha Burroughs deftly balances the Bohemian idealism of Toulouse-Lautrec.

The romantic leads — Gabrielle McClinton as Satine and Christian Douglas as, well, Christian — are fine singers who nail their big moments, including duets on Elton John’s “Your Song,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and the “Moulin Rouge!” love theme “Come What May,” her powerhouse delivery of Katy Perry’s “Firework” and his angsty rendition of the Police’s “Roxanne.” Andrew Brewer as the villainous Duke of Monroth has big pipes, too, even if his portrayal isn’t quite as sinister as the script makes him out to be.

With all that going for it, “Moulin Rouge’s” final result is — like another pop hit — “Nothin’ But a Good Time,” and well worth associating with the “gorgeous collection of reprobates and rascals, artistes and arrivistes, soubrettes and sodomites” that populate its environs.

“Moulin Rouge!” runs through Oct. 6 at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. 313-237-7464 or broadwayindetroit.com.

The tallest, fastest and longest tilt roller coaster in North America is coming to Cedar Point next year.

The Roller Coaster Capital of the world tells us that Siren's Curse will debut in 2025. It is technically an expansion of the park. The coaster is inspired by the legend of mysterious creatures in Lake Erie, with sirens luring sailors to their capsizing.

Riders will ascend an old 160-foot-tall Lake Erie shipping crane tower, with ominous music getting louder before reaching a dead stop on a "broken off" section of track.

The platform will tilt 90 degrees upon the drop, forcing riders to look straight down,

The ride features 2,966 feet of track, with a top speed of 58 mph over the two-minute ride. It includes 13 weightless airtime moments, two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a high-speed triple-down element with twisted and overbanked track.

The new coaster will be located across from the Iron Dragon suspended coaster near Cedar Point's marina.

Including Siren's Curse, Cedar Point now has 19 roller coasters.

You can purchase tickets to attend Cedar Point to ride this coaster next summer at this link.

Tuesday brought big changes to Instagram, specifically for it's millions of teen users. Teen accounts are Instagram's most dramatic effort yet to protect young users.

With these new profiles, users under 18 will automatically see their account set to private, and teens will only be allowed to exchange messages with friends. The new rules will also restrict content for users under 18, and on top of that, 'teen accounts' will send a notification after an hour on the app each day.

We set out to see what Metro Detroit think about the new accounts.

"I think that there's a lot of bad people out there and anything they're doing to protect our children is great," said Rachel Mann, the Pontiac mother of a 15-year-old.

"I think it's a great idea, if it's going to be restricted and they're not going to have access to messages from everybody and things they should not see. And it will be capped off especially from the age group 16 through 18," said Amber Coles. "I may consider letting him get it now, but before I would not."

However, this plan, as expected, is generating a mixed reaction among teenagers. Some of the ones we spoke with, think this is the right move. But others, not so much.

"I feel like that's actually a good feature because it be violence and stuff that people always want to start online and stuff like that," said Devin Thomas.

"I feel like the world will be outside more," said Victor Polk, an 11th grade. "I feel like Instagram has everybody in a ball. Everybody is stuck in one page, staying on their phone mostly on Instagram.

"I don't really like it," said Rayvon Ramsey, a 10th grader. "Because if you're sensitive, it's already a setting that you can restrict stuff you don't want to see. I don't think you do all the extra and make another Instagram. Just keep it as is."

And to help keep teens off of their phones at night, Instagram will automatically mute notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Where Your Voice Matters

The Federal Reserve just did something that they rarely do: lower interest rates less than 50 days before an election.

While 3% mortgage rates are still a ways away because it was a limited cut questions remain about whether or not there will be any political impacts because of the Fed's decision.

Wednesday's announcement was only the fourth interest rate change two months before an election since 1990. Each of the previous times, the party controlling the White House lost.

RELATED STORY | What will Fed rate cuts mean for consumers?

Greg McBride is the chief financial analyst at Bankrate and Scripps News asked him how quickly Americans may see an impact on their lives.

"The benefit of this initial rate cut is that it's just the first step," he said. "...We have been in a high interest rate environment but we are not going back to a low interest rate environment. We are just going to go from high to not as high."

McBride says a half of a percentage point rate cut will not dramatically change the affordability of a house or a monthly credit card payment right away. Politically, however, there is a chance it could make people feel differently about the economy.

The Fed initially raised interest rates because inflation was high. Now they are lowering interest rates because inflation has come down.

"The reality for households is that even though inflation pressures have moderated, prices are still high," McBride said. "Lower inflation doesn't mean lower prices. It just means prices aren't going up as fast."

RELATED STORY | The economy remains a top concern for US voters ahead of the presidential election

Any economic news matters this election because the economy consistently ranks as the top issue on the minds of voters. A Scripps News/Ipsos poll found that 57% of people identified inflation as the top issues for them heading into the election.

Vice President Harris and former President Donald Trump have reacted differently to the news.

Trump has called the Federal Reserve's actions an indicator that the economy is not doing well. Harris, meanwhile, called it "welcome news," but added that there is still more work to be done.