With spring break in full swing, airline passengers continued to wait it out at major U.S. airports after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to pay Transportation Security Administration officers aimed at alleviating long security lines.

Trump's executive order on Friday instructed the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately, although it's unclear when the impact of that move will start to be felt at airports.

The signing came at a busy travel time of the year, with spring breaks at school districts and colleges and the upcoming Passover and Easter holidays.

RELATED STORY | TSA may now get paid, but Congress is still deadlocked on the root problem

Betty Mitchell arrived at Philadelphia International Airport at 12:30 a.m. Saturday for a 5 a.m. flight to visit family, but she said the airline desk did not open until 3 a.m. Once it did, there was a sudden influx of passengers to squeeze into the TSA screening lines.

All at once it became a mad house, Mitchell said.

She waited nearly three hours to get through.

It was crazy long lines, she said. Never have I seen it that long. If the airlines work with TSA in these trouble(d) times, maybe it would help the public.

Whats the current situation on the ground?

Some passengers with very early flights on Saturday reported having little problem getting through airport security lines. But that may have been an anomaly. Others at some of the busiest airports wrote on social media that security lines were growing exponentially longer by the hour.

We have not previously experienced checkpoint wait times similar to what we are seeing this morning, Baltimore-Washington International Airport said in a post Saturday on the social platform X. BWI officials recommended travelers arrive four hours before their scheduled departure time.

When will TSA employees be paid?

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA personnel could get paid as soon as Monday, a relief for workers who have gone without pay since Feb. 14.

While that is welcome news to many, it remains to be seen whether that promise materializes on schedule and if it brings an immediate end to snaking lines at airports.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, said the staffing crisis wont improve significantly until officers are confident that they wont be subjected to more skipped paychecks.

RELATED STORY | Homan says ICE will help fill TSA shortages at airports as travel delays persist

If its only for a pay period, thats not enough to bring them back, Harmon-Marshall said. It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there.

He estimates longer lines could linger for another week or two.

How soon will this help with airport delays?

Its hard to tell. Airports that had passengers standing in screening lines that clogged check-in areas or showing up far too early for their flights will need to decide whether to reopen checkpoints or expedite service lanes they closed or consolidated due to inadequate staffing.

A handful of airports experienced daily TSA officer call-out rates of 40%. Nationwide on Thursday, more than 11.8% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, the most so far, DHS said Friday.

Nearly 500 of the agency's nearly 50,000 officers have quit since the shutdown started, according to DHS.

How do I monitor wait times before my flight?

Check airport conditions early and often, including official websites and social media accounts where airports share timely updates and guidance, according to experts.

Many airports on Saturday urged passengers to allow at least four hours for both domestic and international screenings.

Wait times can change quickly based on passenger volume and TSA staffing, according to an advisory posted Saturday morning on the website of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate because TSA isnt actively managing its sites during the shutdown. On third-party websites that track TSA lines, estimated wait times could be outdated during the shutdown if they rely on publicly available data, experts say.

A U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to protect former first lady Jill Biden accidentally shot himself in the leg at Philadelphia International Airport on Friday, authorities said.

Biden was not in the area when the agent was injured during a negligent discharge of his firearm Friday morning, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told The Associated Press. According to initial reports, the agent was traveling in an unmarked car when he accidentally discharged his gun shortly before 9 a.m., said Philadelphia Police Officer Tanya Little.

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Other law enforcement officers came to assist the injured agent, who was taken to a local hospital. He is being treated for his injuries and was in stable condition, Guglielmi said.

Airport operations were not affected, said Heather Redfern, public affairs manager for the city's Department of Aviation.

Organizers of Saturday's No Kings rallies across the country are predicting that the protests against the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration could add up to one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history, with Minnesota taking center stage.

Organizers say more than 3,100 events have been registered in all 50 states, with more than 9 million people expected to participate.

And theyve designated the rally at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul as the national flagship event, in recognition of how the state where federal agents fatally shot two people who were monitoring Trump's immigration crackdown became an epicenter of resistance.

RELATED STORY | 'No Kings Day' rallies under way across the US and Europe, with millions expected to join

Headlining that observance will be Bruce Springsteen, performing Streets of Minneapolis, which he wrote in response to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and in tribute to the thousands of Minnesotans who took to the streets over the winter. Springsteen's Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour, which has a No Kings theme, kicks off Tuesday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota organizers have told state officials they expect 100,000 people could converge on the Capitol grounds, where last Junes event drew an estimated 80,000 people.

The St. Paul rally will also feature singer Joan Baez, actor Jane Fonda, Sen. Bernie Sanders and a long list of other activists, labor leaders and elected officials.

The White House dismissed the nationwide protests as the product of leftist funding networks with little real public support.

The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

RELATED STORY | 'No Kings' protests against Trump bring a street party vibe to cities nationwide

Rallies are also planned in more than a dozen other countries, from Europe to Latin America to Australia, Ezra Levin, a co-executive director of Indivisible, a group spearheading the events, said in an interview. Countries with constitutional monarchies call the protests No Tyrants, he said.

For those unable to attend in person, another activist group, Stand Up For Science, is hosting a virtual and accessible event online.

On Saturday morning in Paris, several hundred people, mostly Americans living in France, along with French labor unions and human rights organizations, gathered at the Bastille.

I protest all of Trumps illegal, immoral, reckless, and feckless, endless wars, Ada Shen, the Paris No Kings organizer, said. It is clear he doesnt really have a plan. It is clearly that the abuse of power is the point. It is very clear that he is a strong man who is abusing the authority vested in him by the American people as our elected president.

National organizers told reporters in an online news conference Thursday that they expect Saturday's protests to be larger than the first two rounds of No Kings rallies, which they estimate drew more than 5 million people in June and more than 7 million in October.

This administrations actions are angering not just Democratic voters or folks in big blue city centers they are crossing a line for people in red and rural areas, in the suburbs, all over the country," said Leah Greenberg, the other co-executive director of Indivisible. "The defining story of this Saturdays mobilization is not just how many people are protesting, but where they are protesting,"

Two-thirds of the RSVPs have come from outside of major urban centers, Greenberg said, listing registration surges in conservative-leaning states like Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Louisiana, as well in competitive suburban areas of Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona.

"Millions of us are rising up from all walks of life, from rural communities to big cities at No Kings, said Katie Bethell, executive director of MoveOn, another major organizer. And as we do so, we will send the loudest, clearest message yet that this country does not belong to kings, dictators, tyrants. It belongs to us.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed a missile launch toward Israel early Saturday, their first since the war in the Middle East started. The Israeli military said it intercepted the projectile.

The war, now marking its one-month anniversary, erupted after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, which retaliated with strikes against Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. The conflict has upended global air travel, disrupted oil exports and caused fuel prices to soar. Irans stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway, has also exacerbated the economic fallout of the war.

Israel struck Irans nuclear facilities hours after threatening to escalate and expand its campaign against Tehran on Friday. Iran vowed to retaliate and struck a base in Saudi Arabia, wounding more than a dozen U.S. service members and damaging planes.

RELATED STORY | Iran war diverts US attention as Russia launches spring offensive in Ukraine

Before Saturdays attack, there appeared to be a breakthrough as Tehran agreed to allow humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments through the strait.

Houthi involvement could further complicate the war

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, said in a statement aired Saturday morning on the rebels' Al-Masirah satellite television that the Houthis fired a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting what he described as sensitive Israeli military sites in southern Israel. The attack came hours after Saree signaled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war.

Sirens went off around Israels southern city of Beer Sheba and the area near Israels main nuclear research center as Iran and Hezbollah continued to fire on Israel overnight. Loud explosions also filled the air in Tel Aviv and Israels Fire and Rescue Service said it was responding to 11 different impact sites across the metro area.

Saturday's assault calls into question whether the Houthis will again target commercial shipping traveling through the Red Sea corridor, as they did during the Israel-Hamas war, upending traffic in the Red Sea through which about $1 trillion worth of goods passed each year before the war. The rebels also fired drones at Israel.

The potential involvement of the Houthis in the war would also complicate the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the aircraft carrier that first went to port in Crete for repairs and on to Split, Croatia, where it arrived on Saturday. Sending the carrier back into the Red Sea could draw it into the same high tempo of attacks seen by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2024 and the USS Harry S. Truman in the 2025 American campaign against the Houthis.

The Houthis have held Yemens capital, Sanaa, since 2014, and so far had stayed out of the war as the rebels have had an uneasy ceasefire for years with Saudi Arabia, which launched a war against the group on behalf of Yemens exiled government in 2015.

More than two dozen US troops have been wounded in Iranian attacks on Saudi base in the past week, AP sources say

More than two dozen U.S. troops have been wounded in Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabias Prince Sultan Air Base in the past week, according to two people who have been briefed on the matter. Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at the base in the Friday attack that injured at least 15 troops, including five seriously, according to the sources who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The base, about 96 kilometers (60 miles) from the Saudi capital of Riyadh, came under attack twice earlier in the week, including a strike that wounded 14 U.S. troops, according to the people briefed on the matter. The base is run by the Royal Saudi Air Force but is also used by U.S. troops.

Attempts at diplomacy as US troops build up in the Mideast

The latest attacks happened after Trump claimed that talks on ending the war were going very well and that he had given Tehran until April 6 to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran maintains that it has not engaged in any negotiations.

With the economic repercussions from the war extending far beyond the Middle East, Trump is under growing pressure to end Irans chokehold on the strait.

Pakistan said Saturday Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will send their top diplomats to Islamabad for talks aimed at ending the war.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Turkeys Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will arrive Sunday for a two-day visit to hold in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.

RELATED STORY | Iranian strike wounds at least 10 US troops and damages planes at Saudi air base, official says

Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday he spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for more than an hour, holding extensive discussions on regional hostilities and efforts aimed at end the war.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff has said Washington delivered a 15-point action list to Iran for a possible ceasefire, with a proposal to restrict Irans nuclear program and reopen the strait. Tehran rejected the proposal and presented its own five-point proposal that included reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the waterway.

Meanwhile, U.S. ships drew closer to the region carrying some 2,500 Marines, and at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions and airfields have been ordered to the Middle East.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops.

Death toll climbs

Iranian authorities say more than 1,900 people have been killed in the Islamic Republic, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel.

In Lebanon, where Israel has started an invasion in the south, officials said more than 1,100 people have been killed since the start of the war.

Meanwhile, at least 13 U.S. troops have been reported killed, while in Iraq, where Iranian-supported militia groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have died.

In the Gulf states, 20 people have been killed and four others in the occupied West Bank.

The U.N.s International Organization for Migration also said Friday that 82,000 civilian buildings in Iran, including hospitals and the homes of 180,000 people, were damaged.

Israel strikes Iranian nuclear facilities

Israel focused its attacks Friday on sites in the heart of Tehran where ballistic missiles and other weapons are produced, the military said. It said it also hit missile launchers and storage sites in Western Iran, while witnesses in eastern Tehran reported a partial power outage following airstrikes.

Irans Atomic Energy Organization said the Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant in Yazd Province were targeted, IRNA reported. The strikes did not cause casualties and there was no risk of contamination, it said.

Yellowcake is a concentrated form of uranium after impurities are removed from the raw ore. Heavy water is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

The Israeli military later said raw materials are processed for enrichment at the Yazd plant and the strike was a major blow to Iran's nuclear program. Tehran vowed to retaliate.

Possible breakthrough to allow aid and agricultural shipments through Hormuz

Iran agreed to allow humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following a request from the United Nations.

Ali Bahreini, the countrys ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, said Iran agreed to facilitate and expedite such movement.

The vital waterway usually handles a fifth of the worlds oil shipments and nearly a third of the worlds fertilizer trade. While markets and governments have largely focused on blocked supplies of oil and natural gas, the restriction of fertilizer ingredients and trade threatens farming and food security around the world.

At least 10 American service members were wounded in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base Friday, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the situation.

Two of the troops were seriously wounded, one of the officials said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

Officials said the attack on Prince Sultan Air Base involved an Iranian missile and unmanned drones. It damaged several U.S. refueling aircraft.

The confirmation, reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal, comes after satellite imagery that appeared to show the damage to the aircraft appeared online.

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, died days after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the base.

U.S. Central Command said earlier in the day that more than 300 service members have been wounded in the conflict.

Also Friday, President Donald Trump said it will be time for Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize ties after the war in Iran wraps up.

Its now time, Trump said at a Miami event sponsored by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. Weve now taken them out, and they are out bigly. We got to get into the Abraham Accords.

Trump has been pressing Israel and Saudi Arabia, the two biggest powers in the Middle East, for years to normalize ties as part of his Abraham Accords efforts.

Significant headwinds remain, including Saudi Arabias insistence that there needs to be a credible path to a Palestinian state before it normalizes commercial and diplomatic ties with Israel.

Meanwhile the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said Tehran has agreed to facilitate and expedite humanitarian aid through the Strait of Hormuz, even as it endures strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Ali Bahreini said Tehran accepted a request from the U.N to let humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments move through the vital waterway, which usually handles a fifth of the worlds oil shipments and nearly a third of the worlds fertilizer trade.

The aid plan would be the first breakthrough at the shipping chokepoint after a month of war. While markets and governments have largely focused on blocked supplies of oil and natural gas, the restriction of fertilizer ingredients and trade threatens farming and food security around the world.

This measure reflects Irans continued commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts and ensuring that essential aid reaches those in need without delay, Bahreini said in a post on X. The U.N. earlier announced a task force to address the ripple effects the Iran war has had on aid delivery.

Israel strikes Iranian nuclear facilities

The announcement came just hours after Iranian state media said two nuclear facilities had come under attack. Israel, which had threatened to escalate and expand its campaign against Tehran, claimed responsibility, and Iran quickly threatened to retaliate.

Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X,

Irans Atomic Energy Organization said the Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant in Yazd Province were targeted, IRNA reported. The strikes did not cause any casualties and there was no risk of contamination, it said. The Arak plant has not been operational since Israel attacked it last June.

Yellowcake is a concentrated form of uranium after impurities are removed from the raw ore. Heavy water is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

The Israeli military later said raw materials are processed for enrichment at the Yazd plant and that the strike was a major blow to Iran's nuclear program.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Iran would retaliate, IRNA reported. Seyed Majid Moosavi, IRGCs Aerospace Force commander, posted on X that employees of companies tied to the U.S. and Israel should abandon their workplaces.

"This time, the equation will no longer be an eye for an eye, just wait, he said.

Late Friday, Israels military said Iran had launched missiles at the country. Sirens alerted people to seek shelter in and around the city of Beer Sheba and areas near Israels main nuclear research center, which were targeted by Iranian strikes that injured dozens last weekend.

US pushes diplomatic solution

Word of the attacks on Iran came after Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going very well and that he had given Tehran more time to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran maintains it has not engaged in any negotiations.

With stock markets reeling and economic fallout from the war extending far beyond the Middle East, Trump is under growing pressure to end Iran's chokehold on the strategic waterway.

A Gulf Arab bloc said Thursday that Iran has been exacting tolls from ships to ensure safe passage.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington delivered a 15-point action list to Iran for a possible ceasefire, using Pakistan as an intermediary. It proposes restricting Irans nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran rejected the U.S. offer and presented its own five-point proposal that included reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the vital strait.

Trump has said if Iran doesn't reopen the strait to all traffic by April 6, he will order the destruction of Irans energy plants.

Uncertainty surrounding the conflict prompted a further drop in U.S. stocks Friday. The S&P 500 sank 1.7% to close out its worst week since the Iran war started and its 5th losing week in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 2.1%. Meanwhile, crude oil prices continued to soar.

With U.S. gas prices approaching $4 a gallon, members of Congress have been pushing to suspend the federal gasoline tax, set at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. Trump said he has thought about suspending it but suggested states should look at suspending their taxes on fuel.

Attacks appear to intensify early Saturday

Witnesses in eastern Tehran reported a partial power outage following airstrikes, and in Israel, loud explosions filled the air in Tel Aviv and emergency crews responded to nearly a dozen impact sites.

An Associated Press journalist heard loud explosions in Tel Aviv, and Israels Fire and Rescue Service said it was responding to 11 different impact sites across the metro area. A man in his 60s was pronounced dead late Friday after suffering severe injuries amid the strikes, emergency services said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz had earlier vowed that Iran will pay heavy, increasing prices for this war crime.

Israel focused its attacks Friday on sites in the heart of Tehran where ballistic missiles and other weapons are produced, the military said. It said it also hit missile launchers and storage sites in Western Iran.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry meanwhile said it shot down missiles and drones targeting the capital, Riyadh. In Lebanon, the Health Ministry said two people were killed.

Kuwait said its Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait City and the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port to the north, which is under construction as part of Chinas Belt and Road initiative, sustained material damage in attacks. It appeared to be one of the first times a Chinese-affiliated project in the Gulf Arab states has come under assault in the war. China has continued to purchase Iranian crude.

Diplomatic wrangling endures even as US sends more troops to the Mideast

Diplomats from several countries including Pakistan and Turkey have tried to organize a direct meeting between U.S. and Iranian envoys. Separately, G7 foreign ministers meeting in France formally asked for an immediate halt to attacks against populations and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, U.S. ships drew closer to the region carrying some 2,500 Marines, and at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions and airfields have been ordered to the Middle East.

Nevertheless, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. "can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops. Rubio, speaking to reporters following the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting Friday in France, said the new deployments are designed to ensure maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.

Israel deployed the 162nd Division into southern Lebanon to support efforts to protect its northern border towns from Hezbollah attacks and uproot the militant group, the military said.

The U.N.'s International Organization for Migration said Friday that 82,000 civilian buildings in Iran, including hospitals and the homes of 180,000 people, are damaged.

If this war continues, we risk a far wider humanitarian disaster, Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in a statement. Millions could be forced to flee across borders, placing immense pressure on an already overstretched region.

Death toll climbs, primarily in Iran and Lebanon

Eighteen people have died in Israel, while four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon. Two Israeli soldiers were severely injured in Lebanon on Friday during an operational accident, the military said.

Authorities said more than 1,100 people have died in Lebanon and over 1,900 people have been killed in Iran.

At least 13 American troops have been killed and four people in the occupied West Bank and 20 in Gulf Arab states have also died.

In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militia groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have died.

Looking back, gubernatorial candidate Dean Roy says his political ambitions started in the eighth grade. And by that he means, last year.

After working as a legislative page at the Vermont Statehouse, the 14-year-old freshman at Stowe High School now has his sights set on the corner office. In November, he'll be the first candidate for governor under age 18 to appear on the state's general election ballot.

I don't expect necessarily to win, he said. What I do expect is to start the movement, and get more young people to come in behind me and say, Yeah, we also want to make change.

Another eighth-grader, Ethan Sonneborn, sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018 but finished last in a four-way primary. Roy secured his spot in the general election by creating his own third party, the Freedom and Unity Party. Both were able to run because the state constitution sets no minimum age for gubernatorial candidates, requiring only that candidates have resided in the state for four years.

RELATED STORY | UK reduces voting age to 16, aims to boost electoral participation

I know it sounds crazy, a 14-year-old running for governor, but honestly, look at the people in charge right now, Roy said in a post on his campaigns Instagram page. Theyve been doing this forever and things still arent working.

Nearly all other states set minimum age requirements for governor, often 30 years old. In Kansas, lawmakers added a requirement that gubernatorial candidates be at least 25 years old in 2018 after six teenagers ran for office.

Peter Teachout, a professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School, has a different take than Roy on Vermont's constitution. He points to a section in the document referring to what qualifies someone to be entitled to the privileges of a voter, and that is that they must be 18 years of age. Even under Roy's interpretation, Teachout doesn't predict a win for the teenager.

In theory, a 4-year-old could run for governor. Should we be worried about it? No, he said. Vermonters can be a little cantankerous and provocative just for the fun of it, but it is not something they are likely to support in this context.

RELATED STORY | Young adults are less likely to follow politics: AP-NORC poll

But Roy's former history teacher, James Carpenter, said he thinks it's great that Roy is giving it his all. Though most 14-year-olds arent concerned with property taxes or health care, Carpenter describes Roy as an old soul with endless curiosity.

It just really shows what type of kid Dean is. Hes very earnest in what hes doing. Theres no gimmick behind this, he said. I think he blends that youthful optimism with some pragmatism that few kids have.

Roy, who said he doesn't identify with either major party, said housing is the most important issue facing the state. He's also thought about how he'd juggle school with a full-time job as governor, saying he'd consider online classes and would do his homework at night after work.

The current governor, Republican Phil Scott, applauds Roys interest in politics and public service but questions whether someone so young is ready for the responsibilities that come with running a state.

He believes its important for our youth to get involved, said press secretary Amanda Wheeler. But the Governor also believes that a teenager may not be best suited to serve in that role given the lack of experience and lived perspectives youth have at that point in their lives.

Roy disagrees that age has anything to do with whether a candidate is fit to run for office.

What Im aiming for is that these career politicians look at me and they say, Oh my God, he actually has a chance to disrupt things, he said. If I can get people to think that I am a threat to them, then I know thats been a success. Because what I want is to show them that the youth have a voice. Were gonna make change. The future is now.

Some journalists at Voice of America charged in a lawsuit Monday that the Trump administration while largely shutting down the government-run outlet that provides news around the world has turned what remains into a voice for propaganda.

The lawsuit alleges that VOA transmissions to populations in Iran, China, North Korea and to Kurdish populations are not being run as objective news sources, as required by law. Instead, they parrot White House talking points and suppress news that the administration wishes to downplay, according to the lawsuit, filed Monday with the U.S. District Court in Washington.

In response, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which runs the Voice of America, said that taxpayer money must support broadcasting that reflects U.S. policy and the interests of the American people.

ICYMI | What is Voice of America, the news network Kari Lake will lead?

The latest dispute reflects differing views between journalists and President Donald Trump's administration, which has promoted friendly outlets that rarely offer more than gentle questioning most notably at the Pentagon.

A federal judge last week ordered hundreds of VOA journalists who had been placed on paid leave for the past year to be put back to work, saying Trump's pick to run the USAGM, Kari Lake, exceeded her authority. The administration is appealing that ruling.

Voice of America, which has beamed its broadcasts across the world since World War II, was designed to showcase freedom of the press to countries where there is no such tradition. But instead of operating that way, VOA journalists Barry Newhouse, Ayesha Tanzeem, Dong Hyuk Lee and Ksenia Turkova say Trump loyalists have been put in place to direct what is reported on the few VOA transmissions that remain.

For example, coverage of the Iran war sent into that country has not included any news of death tolls from U.S. air strikes or the perspectives of political and world leaders outside of the administration, while the bombing of an elementary school was "barely mentioned," the lawsuit said. The Lake-appointed official overseeing Persian, Kurdish and Afghan services has said all guest appearances on broadcasts must be approved by him, it said.

RELATED STORY | Judge sides with New York Times in challenge to policy limiting reporters access to Pentagon

"Through VOA's journalism, those living in authoritarian societies get a taste of democracy," the plaintiffs said in a statement. "Without editorial integrity, VOA will be no different than government mouthpieces our audiences already hear in their own country."

The administration has questioned whether taxpayers should foot the bill for transmission of opinions that go against American interests. Lake, in congressional testimony last year, suggested the traditional firewall between the government and journalists at agencies like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty be eliminated. "We should be able to have control over what kind of content goes out," she said. "It should be in alignment with our foreign policy."

The Agency for Global Media "is responsible for oversight of its networks, including Voice of America, and for ensuring compliance with the VOA charter, which requires authoritative, accurate journalism that is reflective of and clearly presents U.S. policies," the agency said in a statement Monday.

The VOA journalists were supported in their lawsuit Monday by the organizations PEN America and Reporters Without Borders.

A statue of Christopher Columbus has been placed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, the latest effort by President Donald Trump's administration to recognize the controversial explorer.

The statue is a replica of one that was tossed into Baltimore's harbor in 2020 during Trump's first term at a time of nationwide protests against institutional racism.

Trump endorses a traditional view of Columbus as a leader of the 1492 mission seen as the unofficial beginning of European colonization in the Americas and the development of the modern economic and political order. But in recent years, Columbus also has been recognized as a primary example of Western Europe's conquest of the New World, its resources and its native people.

ICYMI | Native American radio stations at risk as Congress looks to cut $1B in public broadcasting funding

"In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he's honored as such for generations to come," the White House posted on X.

"We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can peacefully shine and be protected," said John Pica, a Maryland lobbyist and president of the Italian American Organizations United, which owns the statue and agreed to loan it to the federal government for placement at or near the White House.

The statue, made mostly of marble, was created by Will Hemsley, a sculptor based in Centreville on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

The original statue was toppled by protesters on July 4, 2020, and thrown into Baltimore's Inner Harbor after anger boiled over following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. It was one of many statues of Columbus that were vandalized around the same time, with protesters saying the Italian explorer was responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas.

In recent years, some people, institutions and government entities have displaced Columbus Day with recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day. President Joe Biden in 2021 became the first U.S. president to mark Indigenous Peoples Day with a proclamation.

Trump dismisses the shift on Columbus as "left-wing arsonists" bending history and twisting Americans' collective memory. "I'm bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.," he declared last April. Echoing his 2024 campaign rhetoric, he complained that "Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much."

WNBA players unanimously approved the new collective bargaining agreement on Monday with more than 90% participating in voting over the weekend.

The seven-year CBA, which will begin this season and run through 2032, represents a landmark labor deal for the WNBA and its players.

This transformational CBA delivers consequential economic progress and expanded benefits that support players on and off the court, the union said in a statement. "It builds a stronger foundation for todays players, the next generation, and those who helped build the WNBA. It affirms the strength of our union and the power of our collective voice.

"Now it is time to get back to the game and the fans we love, competing at the highest level, and showing exactly what this league can be.

Once the WNBA Board of Governors approves the CBA, it will become official. Then there will be a sprint to the start of the regular season on May 8.

First up is an expansion draft for the two new teams Toronto and Portland. Rules regarding who the current teams will be able to protect and how the draft will work are still being figured out. The draft is expected to take place right around the Final Four.

Next up would be free agency. More than 80% of the league are free agents this year as players had signed deals that were going to expire last year. There are only two veteran players that arent under rookie contracts who are signed for this season.

The college draft is scheduled for April 13 in New York.

Teams are expected to start training camp on April 19 and will have little time to get prepared for the regular season.

Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire early Monday morning in London, in what British police are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime.

Though it has not been classified as a terrorist incident, counter-terror officers have been put in charge of the investigation. No one was injured.

Religious and political leaders condemned what Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a horrific" antisemitic attack.

Antisemitism has no place in our society and its really important that we all stand together at a moment like this, he said.

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Officers were called to Golders Green, a north London neighborhood with a large Jewish population, after receiving reports of a fire, the Metropolitan Police force said.

Four ambulances belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer organization that provides emergency medical response, were damaged, according to the London Fire Brigade.

Multiple oxygen cylinders on the vehicles exploded, breaking windows in an adjacent apartment block. Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

What appeared to be footage from a security camera showed three figures in black wearing hoods carrying a canister toward one of the ambulance before flames erupted around the vehicle. Police said they are looking for three suspects but no arrests have been made yet.

Mark Reisner, who lives in the neighborhood, heard loud explosions and arrived at the scene just as the third ambulance was blowing up, he told Sky News.

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A very loud explosion, you sort of felt it go through your guts, he said, adding, it's just left us all reeling with confusion and shock.

The attack spread fear and alarm through Britains Jewish community, which feels increasingly vulnerable.

Shomrim, a nonprofit organization which operates a neighborhood watch in the area, condemned the attack on the social network X as a targeted and deeply concerning incident affecting a vital emergency service serving the local Jewish community.

The number of antisemitic incidents reported across the U.K. has soared since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israels ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust, which works to protect the Jewish community. The group recorded 3,700 incidents in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022.

In October 2025, an attacker drove his car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and stabbed one person to death. Another person died during the attack after being inadvertently shot by police.

Last week two men in London were charged with carrying out hostile surveillance last year of the U.K.s Jewish community on behalf of Iran.

Some members of the community criticize Starmer's Labour Party government for failing to prevent pro-Palestinian demonstrations from tipping into anti-Jewish speech and acts.

Peter Zinkin, a Conservative politician who represents Golders Green on the local council, said the community felt distress and anger.

Burning ambulances in the middle of the night is a disgrace, he said. And you have to ask yourself, why did it happen? And the reason Im afraid that it happened is that the government and the media, particularly certain parts of the media, have validated antisemitism on a countrywide scale.

Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, the head of the Anglican Church, said such acts of violence, hatred and intimidation have no place in our society.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis called it a sickening assault.

At a time when Jewish communities around the world are facing a growing pattern of these violent attacks, we will meet this moment with shared resolve and stand together against hatred and intimidation, he wrote on X.

Nicholas Brendon, an actor best known for his role as a loveable underdog sidekick on the hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died. He was 54.

Brendon's family announced the death in a statement posted on his social media accounts Friday. They said he died in his sleep of natural causes, but did not say where or when it happened.

Brandon played Xander Harris, a close friend of lead character Buffy, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer that ran from 1997 to 2003. The supernatural series, which started on the WB network and then moved to UPN, was about vampire slayers, led by the teenager Buffy, who battled a wide range of demons, werewolves and other dark forces while also navigating life in high school.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer, based on the movie of the same name, never received many awards, but it has been cited by many critics as being one of the most influential shows in TV history.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Buffy on the show, posted a photo of herself with Brendon on Instagram on Saturday.

I saw you Nicky, she wrote. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.

Brendon also appeared on the TV show Criminal Minds" between 2007 and 2014 and alongside Bradley Cooper in the Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential, an adaptation of Anthony Bourdains memoir, that aired for just one season in 2005.

Brendon was in the films Redwood in 2017, The Nanny in 2018 and Christmas Slasher" in 2024.

Brendon also wrote several issues of the Buffy comic book series.

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While Brendon was best known as an actor, his family said in their statement that in recent years he found his passion in painting and art.

He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create, the statement said. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.

Brendon announced in 2023 that he had suffered a heart attack. He also underwent two spinal surgeries for a rare nerve compression condition called cauda equina syndrome that can lead to pain and weakness in the lower body.

Brendon also openly talked about his battle with depression and appeared on two 2015 episodes of Dr. Phil to discuss his struggles with alcohol and mental health and a string of arrests for public intoxication, vandalism and domestic violence.

His family said that while Brendon had struggled in the past, he was on medication and treatment to manage his diagnosis and was optimistic about the future.

Justin Timberlake struggled to perform field sobriety tests requiring him to walk a straight line and stand on one leg after he was pulled over in New Yorks Hamptons in 2024 by police officers who suspected him of driving drunk, according to video footage released Friday.

The pop star tells officers at one point, these are like really hard tests.

The footage, which runs roughly eight hours, includes Timberlakes initial stop after Sag Harbor police said he ran a stop sign in the village center, veered out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol that June.

The NSYNC singer-turned-solo artist and actor tells officers he had consumed one martini and had been following friends home in the former whaling village, which is among the affluent beach towns of the Hamptons, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of New York City.

When an officer asks why he is in town, Timberlake says, Im on a world tour.

Doing what? the officer asks.

Hard to explain, Timberlake says.

After stammering a bit, he says World tour. Im Justin Timberlake.

The officer eventually responds: You are Justin Timberlake? Do you have a license with you?

Timberlake, who ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, is asked by officers to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line on the road and lift one leg. At times he seems flustered listening to the instructions. He apologizes to officers and tells them his heart is racing.

Im a little nervous, Timberlake says at one point.

In the back seat of the police car, he asks: Why are you arresting me?

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Back at the police station, Timberlake is informed he will be held overnight, to which he says, Im going to be here all night? You guys are wild, man.

He asks the officer to keep the light on in the cell as they lock the door.

The release by Sag Harbor Police comes after the village and Timberlakes lawyers agreed to disclose a redacted version of the footage. The Associated Press was among several media outlets that filed a records request seeking the release of the video.

Timberlake's lawyers had sued to block the release of the video, arguing it would devastate Timberlakes privacy by revealing intimate, highly personal, and sensitive details. They also said it would cause severe and irreparable harm to his reputation by subjecting him to public ridicule and harassment.

But in a joint filing with the village Friday, Timberlake's lawyers acknowledged the video does not constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy under the state's public information law and agreed to its release.

Timberlake's lawyers and representatives didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment Friday.

Sag Harbor officials, in a statement provided by the village's lawyer, Vincent Toomey, said they are pleased the matter was resolved and they were able to comply with state public records law.

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From the beginning of this matter, after Mr. Timberlakes arrest, the Village has attempted to comply with the mandates of the Freedom of Information Law, the statement reads. As would be true in any case involving records or video footage from our Police Department, such material is reviewed and redacted to address public and officer safety concerns as well as personal privacy considerations.

Timberlake pleaded guilty to impaired driving in September 2024.

The Tennessee native agreed to give a public safety announcement against the perils of drunken driving as part of the plea deal that knocked down his initial misdemeanor charge to a noncriminal traffic violation.

He was also sentenced to a $500 fine, 25 hours of community service and a 90-day suspension of his license.

The NCAA filed a complaint in federal court Friday seeking an emergency restraining order to stop online sportsbook DraftKings from using registered trademarks associated with the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.

The complaint for trademark infringement was filed in the Southern District of Indiana and requests that DraftKings stop using terms including March Madness, Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen" or variations of them in sports betting products, promotional campaigns or marketing.

The NCAA said in the complaint its trademarks are used to identify, brand, advertise and distinguish the tournaments across broadcast media, digital platforms, merchandise, sponsorships and licensed commercial activities.

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On the eve of the Tournaments, DraftKings deliberately adopted and prominently began using the NCAAs iconic NCAA Basketball Marks, including confusingly similar variations thereof, to trade on and usurp the immense goodwill, recognition, and consumer trust embodied in those Marks at the precise moment of peak public attention, the complaint said.

Screenshots of DraftKings wagering platforms were included in exhibits attached to the complaint.

DraftKingss unlawful use quickly proliferated across its consumer-facing websites and mobile applications, embedding the marks and logos into betting menus, promotional graphics, and marketing publications, to deliberately exacerbate consumer confusion and reinforce a false association with or sponsorship by the NCAA in order to continuously capitalize on the goodwill of the NCAA, the complaint said.

DraftKings said in a statement that it is not engaging in trademark infringement.

DraftKings does not use the term March Madness as a trademark, but rather uses it in plain text and as a fair use in the same manner that other tournaments are displayed, such as the NIT, in order to accurately identify the different tournaments and their respective games, DraftKings said. "This is protected speech under the First Amendment and is not a violation of any brands trademark. We are confident that the courts will deny this request for an injunction.

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The NCAA said it avoids any appearance of affiliation with gambling companies and has declined sportsbook sponsorships, banned sports betting by athletes and staff and publicly opposed prop bets and micro-bets. The NCAA noted it has launched initiatives to prevent harassment and improper influence in college sports and preserve the integrity of its competitions.

"Every day that DraftKings continues to use these marks, millions of sports fans and, critically, college students and young adults who are particularly susceptible to gambling harm are exposed to the false suggestion that the Association has authorized or endorsed DraftKings gambling platform, the NCAA said in a statement.

During her first year of college, Elisabeth Bradley was inspired to try weightlifting after she followed a woman tracking her fitness transformation on social media, one barbell at a time.

Then, Bradley found herself to be the only woman in the weight room at San Diego State University.

I felt like I stuck out a lot, and I just thought, OK, Im gonna look dumb, she says. Intimidated by a room full of grunting, muscular men, she moved over to the cardio area, mirroring countless women who, for various reasons, avoid the free weights and machines.

But with research mounting on the benefits of resistance training, experts say a few things need to change at the gym to make it more enticing to women.

Michelle Segar, a behavioral scientist at the University of Michigan who studies exercise habits, said that making the environment more palatable and familiarizing women better with weights will lead more to use them. More representation will in turn get more women to continue.

Why women should lift weights

The National Institutes of Health recommends that everyone men and women do resistance training at least twice a week. That includes all kinds of activities that require physical force, such as weight machines, resistance bands, or body-weight exercises like pushups and squats.

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Resistance training has been found to help prevent heart disease, improve long-term mobility and lower blood pressure, said Brad Schoenfeld, professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York City. Some research suggests that women may even benefit more than men from weight training because it staves off osteoporosis and age-related muscle loss, which women are more susceptible to, he said.

The bottom line is, resistance training is a cure for all sorts of issues, Schoenfeld said.

Why many women dont want to

Daisy Arauza, a 30-year-old mother of two in Menifee, California, does some Pilates and cardio-based exercise at home using videos and online tutorials, and would like to invest in a gym membership to help with strength and weight management.

But she lacks confidence, she said, and doesn't know enough yet about weights and gym etiquette.

I have a lot of self-consciousness because of how my body looks right now. When you think of the gym, you think about people that are already more fit. And so it feels like I have to make myself fit into this mold before I can feel comfortable being in a gym setting working out in front of other people, she said.

Theres also still a stigma about women lifting weights, Bradley said. Told for years that being skinny is the ultimate goal, some falsely believe strength training will make them look bulky.

Schoenfeld said few women need to worry about building too much muscle because its hard for anyone to gain a significant amount especially women, who have lower levels of the muscle-building hormone testosterone. And its easy to reduce training intensity if you dont like the results, he said: Its very, very easy to lose muscle.

What gyms and women can do about it

Months after her initial bad impression, Bradley shared her strength-training goals with a male weightlifter in her dorm, who showed her the bodybuilding ropes. The boost inspired her to found Girl Gains, a female weightlifting club that now has dozens of chapters at colleges across the country.

Other things get shoved down our throats, like Pilates and cardio and yoga, but they complement each other, Bradley said. Being stronger in the gym is going to help you progress in Pilates. Having muscle is going to help make you a faster, better runner.

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Women embarking on strength training should do so with an empowering and realistic message, advocates say.

Complementary introductory training sessions can help, but a cursory introduction from a trainer in a revealing outfit wont, said Segar.

Most women have tried to achieve the perfect body for decades, and it only leads to a sense of failure, she said. Instead of focusing on how the exercise makes them feel, they're thinking about how theyre being perceived.

Women who find community in the weight room work together on their own targets, getting stronger and pushing themselves, Bradley said. One of the things we always say is, The gains look good on you.

Women's gyms and child care

Some women find they can focus better on their workout when men aren't around.

At the women-only Goddess Gym in Peterborough, England, Charlie Sturgeon said she's happier than she was in mixed-sex gyms where she had "some quite weird experiences where people would just stare, pull faces, make comments. And here, with being women only, it just feels like theres a sense of community.

Some gyms try to make women more comfortable by offering day care on site.

Michelle Kozak of Phoenix, who has two young children, canceled her membership when her gym stopped offering child care.

And she isn't comfortable with hard-core gym culture.

I dont want to make the gym my entire personality," she said. "I just want to have some time to prioritize being healthy.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said attacks against Iran will increase significantly in the coming week. Katz spoke Saturday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering winding down military operations in the Mideast even as the United States announced it was sending more warships and Marines to the region and Iran threatened to attack tourist sites worldwide.

The mixed U.S. messages came after another climb in oil prices plunged the U.S. stock market, and was followed by a Trump administration announcement that it will lift sanctions on Iranian oil loaded on ships, a move aimed at wrangling soaring fuel prices.

The war, meanwhile, has shown no signs of abating.

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Iran said its Natanz nuclear facility was hit in an airstrike Saturday but that there has been no radiation leakage. Israel said Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the countrys eastern region, which is home to major oil installations. The defense ministry said there were no injuries or damage.

The death toll has risen to more than 1,300 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 U.S. military members in the region. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced.

Britain condemns Iran's reckless attacks on Diego Garcia air base

Britain has condemned Irans reckless attacks after its military fired missiles at the U.K.-U.S. air base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

U.K. officials have not given details of the attempted strike, which was unsuccessful. Its unclear how close the missiles came to the base, which is about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from Iran.

The Ministry of Defense said Saturday that Irans lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies.

RELATED STORY | Trump, Iranian leader project strength as war nears 3-week mark

Britain has not participated in U.S-Israeli attacks on Iran, but has allowed American bombers to use U.K. bases to attack Irans missile sites.

On Friday, the British government said U.S. bombers can also use U.K. bases, including Diego Garcia, in operations to prevent Iran attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran targeted the base before that U.K. statement.

Israel says attacks on Iran will be ramped up, war will continue

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said attacks against Iran will increase significantly in the coming week.

Katz spoke Saturday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering winding down military operations in the Mideast.

This week, the intensity of the attacks that the IDF and the U.S. military will carry out against the Iranian terrorist regime and against the infrastructures on which it relies will increase significantly, Katz said in a video statement.

UN Atomic agency says no reported increase in radiation levels at Natanz nuclear facility

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a social media post Saturday that Iran has informed it of the attack on its Natanz nuclear facility.

The IAEA said it was looking into the report, adding that no increase in off-site radiation levels reported.

Russia says it remains Iran's loyal friend and reliable partner

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a message Saturday congratulating Iranians on the new year festival Nowruz that he wished them to overcome these severe trials with dignity. The Kremlin press service also quoted Putin as sayin that Moscow remains Tehrans loyal friend and reliable partner.

Lately, Priscilla Brown has had to choose between properly managing her Type 2 diabetes and affording other necessities, like gas in her car. Some days, she takes half or a third of her prescribed insulin dose just to stretch it out longer.

Sometimes I dont even take my medicine, said the 48-year-old truck dispatcher in Orlando, Florida. Its so much with insurance, its crazy.

About 8 in 10 Americans, like Brown, who re-enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage say their health care costs are higher this year, including about half who say their costs are a lot higher, according to a new survey from the health care research nonprofit KFF. A main reason for increased costs was the Dec. 31 expiration of enhanced tax credits that had offset premiums for most enrollees.

For Brown and others, those spiking costs are having real impacts on daily life. Of the 1,117 Americans surveyed who had ACA marketplace coverage in 2025, including those who dropped coverage or changed plans, about 55% said theyre planning to deal with health care costs by cutting spending on food and other basic household needs.

Democrats in Congress last year had fought to keep the COVID-era subsidies but faced pushback from Republican leadership. In January, momentum toward a bipartisan compromise fell apart leaving some 23 million ACA enrollees without relief as they faced higher premiums or made tough decisions to disenroll or downgrade plans.

The new poll, which was conducted in February and March and followed up with respondents from a survey conducted last year to learn how they're grappling with health insurance now, offers a glimpse at how Congress' unresolved fight continues to strain regular Americans even as many federal lawmakers have, at least for the moment, turned to other priorities.

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Many ACA enrollees are anxious about medical costs

Last year, Brown paid zero dollars toward her health insurance premiums. This year, her new plan costs $17 a month and has a higher deductible.

Brown said she learned this week that her new refill of medicine was going to cost more than $150 and almost passed out. She filled her car with only half the gas she needed, knowing shed need money for the medications.

Anxieties about unexpected medical costs are acute, the poll shows. About three-quarters of people who had ACA insurance last year now say they are very or somewhat worried about paying for emergency care or hospitalization, while about half said the same about routine medical visits or prescription drugs.

Some enrollees switch to lower-tier plans, while others drop coverage entirely

Most of last year's enrollees, about 7 in 10, stayed on ACA health insurance but that includes about 3 in 10 who changed plans within the marketplace. Meanwhile, about 2 in 10 became eligible for coverage through their employer, Medicare or Medicaid or purchased insurance outside of the ACA marketplace, which tends to be less comprehensive.

About 1 in 10 of last years enrollees said they dropped coverage altogether and are now uninsured, the poll shows.

Eric LeVasseur, a 63-year-old software developer in Seal Beach, California, was part of that group. He said when he saw his mid-tier, silver-level plan was going to nearly triple to $1,200 per month, it was not something my budget could absorb.

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Many enrollees blame health insurance companies and politicians

About 7 in 10 returning ACA enrollees facing higher costs say they blame health insurance companies a lot," while just over half put a lot of blame on Republican lawmakers, President Donald Trump and pharmaceutical companies. About one-third blamed Democrats in Congress or hospitals a lot, while about 1 in 10 placed this level of blame on doctors or employers.

Respondents who identified with a political party and saw costs rise overwhelmingly blamed the opposing partys lawmakers a lot."

James Mako, an engineer in Boca Raton, Florida, and a political independent, said he blames the Republican Party. His $500-per-month premiums were poised to double this year for his silver-level ACA health plan. So, he downgraded to a bronze-level plan with a higher deductible.

Mako said hes not convinced by the ideas Republicans have floated to fix the problem, like funneling money into health savings accounts.

I think theyre just sales gimmicks, he said. The subsidies should be back.

Thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu were told to evacuate their homes early Friday morning as flooding from heavy rains intensified and water levels rose behind a 120-year-old dam.

Emergency sirens blared along Oahus famed North Shore, where rising waters damaged some homes and vehicles. Honolulu officials issued a LEAVE NOW evacuation order at 5:35 a.m. Friday for Waialua and Haleiwa: Extremely dangerous flooding and Wahiawa Dam is high.

Officials have been watching dam levels since a storm last week dumped heavy rain across the state, which led to catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes. After the worst of it, a similar but weaker storm was forecast to bring more rain through this weekend.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a social media post that the Hawaii National Guard has been activated to respond to the flooding. The storm of course is very severe right now, particularly on the northern part of Oahu, he said, describing chest-high flood waters. Its going to be a very touch-and-go day.

As she prepared to evacuate to a friends home on higher ground, Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui told The Associated Press in a phone interview that the aging dam is a concern every time it rains.

Just pray for us, she said. We understand theres more rain coming.

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Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, said the evacuation order covers more than 4,000 people, though the number could be higher.

Officials issued a warning for the dam during heavy rain last week, but the water level receded as rain subsided.

The water is actively running over the spillway right now, she said.

The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

In 2006, seven people were killed when the Ka Loko dam on the island of Kauai collapsed and water rushed downhill.

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A federal arts commission on Thursday approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing President Donald Trump's image to help celebrate America's 250th birthday on July 4.

The vote by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members are supporters of the Republican president and were appointed by him earlier this year, was without objection. It clears the way for the U.S. Mint to begin production on the coin, whose size and denomination are still under discussion.

"As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump," U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement.

The unprecedented move marks yet another example of Trump and his allies circumventing conventional past presidential practices and even the law to get what he wants. It's the latest instance of Trump putting his name and likeness in the historical archive, following his renaming of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and a new class of battleships, among other tributes.

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Federal law says no living president can appear on U.S. currency. But Megan Sullivan, the acting chief of the Office of Design Management at the Mint, said the Treasury secretary has authority to authorize the minting and issuance of new 24-karat gold coins, which Scott Bessent has used to get around that prohibition and put Trump on a coin.

She presented the coin's final design at the commission's March meeting on Thursday and said Trump had approved it.

"It is my understanding that the secretary of the Treasury presented this design, as well as others, to the president and these were his selection," Sullivan said.

The White House and the Mint did not immediately respond to electronic and telephone requests for comment.

The front of the coin features an image of Trump in a suit and tie and with a stern look on his face. His fists rest on top of what is supposed to be a desk as he leans forward. Lettering on the top half of the coin spells "LIBERTY" in a slight arc. Directly underneath that are the dates 1776-2026. The words "IN GOD WE TRUST" are at the bottom, with seven stars on one side of the coin and six stars on the other side.

The reverse side depicts a bald eagle midflight with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on the right side and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" on the left side.

"I know it's a very strong and a very tough image of him, and I think it's fitting to have a current sitting president who's presiding over the country over the 250th year on a commemorative coin for said year," said Commissioner Chamberlain Harris, a top White House aide to Trump.

The coin will be part of a "very limited production run," Sullivan said, but the number has not been determined. The size and denomination of the coin also have not yet been decided, she said. Some commissioners noted Trump's fondness for big things as they advocated for the largest size coin.

The Mint, which is part of the Treasury Department, has looked at a size for the Trump coin that is larger than its 1-ounce (28-gram) gold coin, which is about 1.3 inches (3.3 centimeters) in diameter, Sullivan said.

RELATED STORY | Trump $1 coin proposed for Americas 250th anniversary

Its largest coin is 3 inches (7.6 centimeters), "so we're looking somewhere in there," she said.

"I think the president likes big things," said Commissioner James McCrery II, who was the architect on Trump's design proposal for a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom addition to the White House. The fine arts commission approved that proposal at its February meeting.

Harris told McCrery she agreed with him. She works in the White House as a special assistant to the president and deputy director of the Oval Office.

"I think the larger the better. The largest of that circulation, I think, would be his preference," Harris said, speaking of Trump.

The U.S. military is deploying three more warships and roughly 2,500 more Marines to the Middle East, an official said. One U.S. official confirmed Friday that the USS Boxer and two other amphibious assault ships, along with roughly 2,500 Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have deployed from their home port of San Diego and are bound for the Middle East.

Two other U.S. officials confirmed that the ships were deploying, without saying where they were headed. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.

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With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained since the war began Feb. 28 or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran has showed it is still capable of attacks that are choking off oil supplies and denting the global economy, raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.

The U.S. and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Irans leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs. There have been no public signs of any such uprising and no end in sight to the war.