A U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo has tested positive for the Ebola virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday, as the Central African country struggles to contain the swelling outbreak.

The CDC said it was working with the persons employer, U.S. agencies, the public health authorities and Congolese partners to prevent further transmission and identify close contacts. It did not provide any further details.

RELATED STORY | Confirmed Ebola cases in Congo outbreak top 1,000 with 254 deaths, authorities say

Earlier this week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that the outbreak is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded on the continent, with 1,830 confirmed cases in Congo, including 648 deaths. Cases have also been confirmed in neighboring Uganda.

In the first week of the outbreak, an American doctor working in Congo tested positive for the virus and was transferred to Germany for treatment.

Initially, Trump administration officials had said that the United States was planning to send Americans who are exposed to Ebola while abroad to a new facility in Kenya instead of flying them home. But the project has been suspended after an order from a Kenyan court.

The Congolese authorities declared a fresh Ebola outbreak on May 15, after the disease had been transmitting for weeks without official detection, according to the World Health Organization

RELATED STORY | Kenya's health minister orders suspension of construction on a US-backed Ebola facility

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Efforts to contain the virus have also been hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centers and an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Last week, clinical trials for treatment began after researchers launched a highly anticipated study in the hope of fighting the virus.

Linda Noskova is the latest in a long line of Czech women to win Wimbledon.

The 21-year-old Noskova recovered from a second-set meltdown in which she wasted five match points to overcome Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in an all-Czech final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam trophy.

Noskova became the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass-court major, after Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.

Petra Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, was in attendance, as was the greatest Czech-born player of them all, Martina Navratilova who won a record nine singles titles at the All England Club.

Navratilova looked on from the Royal Box, where she was seated next to Kate, the Princess of Wales, who was due to present the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy to Noskova.

Muchova and Noskova played doubles together at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished fourth.

In the mens final on Sunday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner will attempt to defend his title against French Open champion Alexander Zverev.

South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams, who played at the World Cup, has died. He was 25.

His death was confirmed by Gayton McKenzie, South Africas minister of sport, arts and culture, in a statement on Saturday.

RELATED STORY | World Cup melting pot: How migration is rewriting soccers national storylines

It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams, midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana, at the age of 25," McKenzie posted on X.

"South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his team-mates and the millions of supporters.

Adams helped South Africa reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

Further details of his death were not given.

The cause of Jaydens passing has not yet been confirmed," McKenzie said. I wish to appeal to members of the media and the public to exercise restraint and compassion, and to refrain from speculation.

RELATED STORY | US star Christian Pulisic fractured leg in World Cup loss to Belgium

Adams started South Africa's first Group A game against the Czech Republic and was substituted at halftime. McKenzie said he played that game only hours after learning that his grandmother had died.

Adams played several seasons for Stellenbosch before joining Mamelodi Sundowns last year. He helped the club win the CAF (African) Champions League this year.

Death has cruelly stolen one of our own. It has robbed our nation of a remarkable footballer, the South African Football Players Union posted on X. We will forever remember his humility, his extraordinary talent and the pride with which he represented South Africa. Rest in eternal peace, Jayden. You will never be forgotten.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African Federation of Trade Unions also expressed their condolences.

A new AP-NORC poll found that about 6 in 10 Jewish adults in the U.S. say they feel less safe since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The poll, released Tuesday, also found that 3 in 10 Jewish adults said they or someone in their household experienced verbal abuse, physical assault or property damage because they are Jewish.

Jewish American respondents also were divided on whether protests related to Israel should be considered anti-Semitic.

Gila Franklin-Segal of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington said anti-Semitic incidents have risen sharply since the Hamas attack.

RELATED STORY | Rep. Dan Goldman addresses Brooklyn coffee shop banning him over his views on Israel

We see that violence, but we also see increasingly graphic, harsh rhetoric, both online and in public discourse. And we are seeing it coming from not only one segment of the political world, but from across the political spectrum, she said, adding that attacks are coming from both liberals and conservatives.

Franklin-Segal said tensions in the Middle East often lead to increased anti-Semitism in the United States, though anti-Semitism predates the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

We need to really be careful about not overstating that fact, because in truth, anti-Semitism is perhaps the oldest hatred, and it well precedes the creation of the state of Israel, she said.

Franklin-Segal said anti-Semitism has become pervasive in daily life, including harassment outside synagogues and schools, as well as online.

RELATED STORY | Authorities track a surge in antisemitic attacks worldwide

I can tell you as a professional who is responsible for monitoring anti-Semitism in my own community and as a mother of Jewish young people, it is pervasive, she said. My own family has had to grapple with anti-Semitic incidents that are directly targeting us as Jewish people only because we are Jewish.

The Trump administration has subpoenaed several New York Times journalists after their report on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, according to the paper.

The new jet, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar, entered service last week.

RELATED STORY | Trump switches from Qatari-gifted Air Force One to an older jet amid Iran threats

The subpoenas issued Friday seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, the paper said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.

There was no immediate response from the White House or Department of Justice to requests for comment on Saturday.

The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects, David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, said in a statement.

Trump flew the new Air Force One to a NATO summit in Turkey this week. But he departed Wednesday on one of the older-model Air Force One jets for Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England. The newer plane also flew to Mildenhall. Trump then switched to that plane for the flight home to Joint Base Andrews.

The abrupt plane swap came as a shaky ceasefire with Iran had collapsed, with the U.S. launching airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacking three Gulf Arab states. Iran and Turkey share a border, sparking speculation that the Qatari-gifted jet, which underwent a $400 million retrofit, lacked certain sophisticated security and countermeasure systems.

The newspaper, citing anonymous sources, reported the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities.

Trump denied any security concerns, posting on social media that the stop in Mildenhall was so that service members there could view the new jet. During the flight, Trump denied to the reporters accompanying him that security concerns involving Iran were a factor in flying two planes home. Asked if he was aware of any credible threats against Air Force One by Iran, Trump brushed off the question.

RELATED STORY | President Donald Trump unveils the new Air Force One, a converted Qatari jet

I have a threat all the time. Im No. 1 on their list, he said

The White House later denied any security shortcomings on the new plane.

The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff, spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal including distraction and misdirection to address those threats.

The Times journalists who received subpoenas included Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt, the paper reported.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department issued subpoenas seeking to compel testimony from reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In both cases, the department later withdrew the subpoenas.

President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Saturday after the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saw open calls for the U.S. leader's killing, further underlining the tensions gripping the Middle East as an interim deal to end the war buckles under repeated crossfire in the region.

Trump made the comments on his Truth Social after senior U.S. officials demanded that Iran make a public statement saying the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships crossing the vital corridor wont be attacked.

RELATED STORY | Trumps approval on Iran stays low despite new deal

So far, Tehran has not done so, instead insisting that the route remain under its control and that it be allowed to charge ships moving through it, upending decades of precedent that considers the strait an international waterway.

There had been multiple days of U.S. airstrikes targeting Iran, as well as Iranian retaliatory fire targeting nations across the Middle East. Those strikes had been sparked by Iran attacking three ships in the strait earlier this week.

On Truth Social on Friday, Trump declared the ceasefire over but said the U.S. would continue negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Oman for more talks on Saturday, a day after Qatari mediators separately traveled to Iran to meet with officials amid the regional strikes.

Trump makes an online threat toward Iran

A thousand missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, Trump wrote on his website.

The U.S. president said his threat was in response to threats to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate him. During Khamenei's funeral, mourners repeatedly held posters or banners calling for him to be killed along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Iran war's opening moments on Feb. 28 saw an airstrike that killed Khamenei, 86. Iran only buried Khamenei this week following a dayslong funeral ceremony that saw his body taken to cities in both Iran and Iraq.

Trump added in his post that the U.S. military would completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!

Trump, repeatedly during the war and its uneasy ceasefire, has invoked the name of God in Arabic, as well as threatened to destroy Irans very civilization. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nationwide advocacy group, has in the past criticized Trumps deranged mocking of Islam.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major point of contention

U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe to reporters the state of play with Iran, said the resumption of strikes this week came after what they described as a rogue faction of Iranian hard-liners trying to sabotage the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.

However, Iran has insisted its theocracy is unified after the war under the country's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

The U.S. officials said Friday that Trump is giving U.S. negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran but, in a sign of the challenges ahead, they underscored that the president had a wide range of options if talks fall apart.

RELATED STORY | Trump announces end of Iran ceasefire after attacks in Gulf region

Moments before the U.S. officials spoke, however, Tehrans diplomat at the United Nations told reporters that any activity in the Strait of Hormuz, including its opening or demining operations, rests exclusively with Iran.

Qatari mediators separately traveled to Iran to meet with officials on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said.

Iran has said the strait must now be under its sole control and that vessels should begin paying fees to Tehran even though the world has for decades considered it an international waterway. About a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war began.

Irans grip on the strait during the conflict led to a global energy crisis, though oil prices have sharply dropped since wartime highs of $120 a barrel.

Middle East remains tense after attacks

After the U.S. wrapped up its latest strikes on Thursday, more attacks reportedly hit Iran, leaving questions about who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic. Israel didn't claim them, meaning the Gulf Arab states may have launched them, likely as a means to deter Iran from attacking them again. Iran on Thursday retaliated for U.S. strikes by targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar.

The strikes in Iran over two days killed at least 17 people and wounded 115 others, Iran's Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said.

Across the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Araghchi is scheduled to meet with his counterpart in Oman. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his countrys state broadcaster TRT that he believed a solution can be reached this weekend between Iran and Oman, which lie on opposite sides of the narrow waterway.

However, Araghchi on Saturday accused the U.S. of violating the interim deal by ending waivers allowing Iran to sell crude oil on the open market in U.S. dollars. Washington did that in response to the attacks on ships in the strait.

Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance, Araghchi wrote on X.

The U.S. continues to urge mariners to travel on a southern route through Omans territorial waters to avoid Iranian waters and the commands of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. That has angered Tehran and sparked the attacks in the strait.

US insists a nuclear deal will require Iran to turn over enriched uranium

The U.S. officials also told journalists that any deal on Irans nuclear program would require Tehran to turn over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. That's something Iran has repeatedly refused.

If the U.S. does not reach a deal with Iran to turn over its nuclear material, it has military options to ensure that it remains buried underground forever, the officials said. They did not detail those options.

The uranium, enriched to near weapons-grade levels, is believed to be at nuclear sites the U.S. bombed in 2025. Iran long has insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency saying the Islamic Republic is the only country in the world to enrich uranium so highly without a weapons program.

The officials also insisted that they would never reach a nuclear deal with Iran if it did not first stop its attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

NASCAR driver Ryan Ellis is on a mission, and this one is not about winning on the track. He is steering kids toward a lifelong love of reading.

He spoke with Scripps News about his own memories of childhood reading, and what it means to him to help kids connect with the hobby.

"I was a huge Harry Potter fan," Ellis says of his childhood. "So I remember camping out with my mom to get a few of those books and I don't know how I read them in a 24 hour period. But somehow I managed to. I don't think have the capacity to still do that to this day."

His own 4-year-old daughter doesn't have a single favorite book, he says.

"It is whatever the longest book she can possibly reach, so that takes little bit longer to get through it. Pretty much anything Disney related will be a big hit. Maybe it's just the 8 o'clock hour, but it feels like she does pick the longest she possibly can to keep me or my wife in her room to hang out. I probably read more books in the last 3 to 4 years, just reading to her, than I have the 10 years prior."

Watch the full interview with Ellis in the video above.

Lawyers for the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk tried to sow doubt about the case on Friday, while a prosecutor countered that authorities have overwhelming evidence including DNA tests and apparent confessions by the defendant.

Judge Tony Graf said he will decide if the case against Tyler Robinson should advance to trial after hearing again from the two sides on Sept. 1.

Kirk, a 31-year-old confidant of President Donald Trump, was killed as he spoke to a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Robinson is charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty.

Friday's proceedings capped a week of preliminary testimony and brought an emotional moment for Kirk's family: The court played surveillance video that prosecutors said showed Robinson on the rooftop where he allegedly fired a single bullet that hit Kirk in the neck.

Kirk's widow, Erika, clutched a tissue and watched intently as a person said to be Robinson ran across the roof. When the figure dropped to a crawl near the roof's edge, she turned and embraced Kirk's mother, Kathryn, who was crying. They held each other and kept their heads down until the video was almost over.

Defense questions reliability of evidence

Prosecutors this week presented a recorded interview with Robinson's former roommate, who said the 23-year-old defendant expressed remorse for the shooting before turning himself in. Lawyers from the Utah County Attorney's Office also offered DNA analysis that investigators said linked Robinson to both the suspected murder weapon and a tool he allegedly used to etch messages onto bullet cartridges.

Robinson's team did not offer alternative theories for Kirk's death. But one of his attorneys, Michael Burt, repeatedly questioned the reliability of DNA tests and other evidence from prosecutors.

If you had a lot of DNA on your hand, we shook hands and I went to pick up an exhibit, a gun, and I touched the trigger of it, your DNA could be on that trigger, right? Burt asked Caitlin Oliver, a forensic biologist with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a federal law enforcement agency.

It is possible. Yes, Oliver replied.

The defense attorney noted that government policies dont allow analysts to say that DNA evidence is infallible or that it has a zero error rate.

Experts say the science behind DNA testing is sound.

Chief Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander questioned the relevance of bringing in Oliver as a witness. He suggested prosecutors met the burden of proof needed to advance the case to trial.

Your honor's heard four days of testimony now. The evidence is overwhelming. Its devastating," Grunander said.

Robinson did not testify at the hearing. One of his attorneys told the judge they had advised him not to. He has not entered a plea.

EARLIER | Suspect in Charlie Kirk killing said 'he wishes he hadn't done it,' roommate says in video

Kirk family thanks supporters

Kirks family released a statement Friday expressing gratitude for the support and prayers they've received.

"We pray that truth will continue to be heard through a process that is fair, transparent, and grounded in the facts, the statement said.

The video that prosecutors said showed Robinson running across a roof at Utah Valley University was played for the court gallery at the request of Kirk's family. Portions of the recording were zoomed in to better show the figure on the roof, and red circles were added to some images to direct the viewer's attention.

An unaltered version of that video was shown earlier.

Prosecutors on Thursday aired portions of an April 20 interview with Robinson's roommate, Lance Twiggs, who also was his reported romantic partner. The day after Kirk was shot in the neck, Robinson allegedly cried and told Twiggs he wishes he hadnt done it, a recording played in court revealed.

Later that same day and only about an hour before turning himself in Robinson posted it was me at UVU yesterday, in a chat room on the Discord instant messaging platform, according to investigators and messages shown by prosecutors.

Defense attorneys unsuccessfully fought the public release of Twiggs' statements and the chat room messages. They argued prosecutors would characterize the material as a confession, undermining Robinsons right to a fair trial.

MORE FROM THE CASE | 'It should be made public': Charlie Kirks family pushes for transparency during evidence hearing

Roommate: Robinson never talked about Kirk

Prosecutors contend the shooting endangered others at Kirks campus event an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law. Robinson also faces possible sentence enhancements based on claims by prosecutors that he targeted Kirk because of his political views.

Twiggs said in the April interview with prosecutors and investigators that Robinson sometimes talked about politics, including Trump. But Twiggs said he never heard Robinson talk about Kirk before the shooting. The defendant also did not talk much about gender issues or LGBTQ rights, Twiggs said.

The weeklong preliminary hearing attracted intense media coverage and spectators who lined up sometimes overnight for one of 14 seats in the courtroom reserved for the public.

Preliminary hearings typically dont last so long. Legal experts said the slow pace reflects a cautious approach by Graf and the large volume of evidence.

Conjecture over that evidence has fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that there might have been a second shooter or that Kirk's death was staged.

I think that the prosecution wanted to dispel those theories by putting out into the public record the overwhelming case that it possesses against Robinson, said Paul Cassell, a law professor at the University of Utah and former federal judge.

Graham Platner on Friday submitted his paperwork to formally withdraw from Maines U.S. Senate race, officially ending an upstart yet troubled campaign whose dissolution threatens Democrats pursuit of chamber control.

Platners paperwork was received Friday by the Maine secretary of state's office.

Maine is considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats were desperate for a candidate capable of defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

RELATED STORY | Graham Platner suspends campaign for Maine Senate seat after rape allegation

The formal withdrawal comes two days after Platner said he would quit the race, facing an allegation of sexual assault that he has denied. Maine Democrats are seeking a new nominee, and several hopefuls have already begun jockeying for position.

State law includes a provision for Democrats to replace Platner before the general election but the replacement must by named by July 27.

Just before Platners Wednesday announcement, more than 100 state Democratic Party committee members signed off on holding a nominating convention, in the event of his withdrawal, to choose the nominee.

MORE ON MAINE'S RACE | Who could replace Platner as Maine Democrats face ballot deadline?

A completed bridge linking Detroit and Canada is expected to open by the end of the month after U.S. and Canadian officials reached an agreement to resolve the dispute that delayed its debut, according to two people directly involved in the negotiations.

The sources were not authorized to publicly disclose the deal before a formal announcement.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for early June was postponed after the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority said the two countries needed more time to resolve "outstanding issues." The delay followed President Donald Trump's earlier threats to block the bridge's opening.

Commercial traffic is now expected to begin before Aug. 1, according to an official, though a date for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony has not yet been set.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers referenced the deal during an interview Friday.

RELATED STORY | Vital US-Canada Gordie Howe Bridge faces delay despite completion

"I had a conversation with the secretary yesterday, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, and the deal will be announced in the next few days," Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers said Friday on WJR radio. "This is getting wrapped up. That bridge is going to get open."

The delay in opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge became an issue in one of the country's most closely watched Senate races. Democratic candidate Mallory McMorrow tried to turn the controversy into a political liability for Trump and Republicans.

The 1.5-mile-long (2.4-kilometer-long) bridge, which spans the Detroit River and connects the Motor City with Windsor, Ontario, was slated for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 12. It was abruptly postponed after officials said the U.S. and Canada were still working to resolve "outstanding issues."

The dispute gave Democrats a rare opportunity to tie Trump directly to a project with visible economic consequences in a battleground state.

In February, Trump demanded in a social media post that Canada hand over at least half ownership of the new bridge to the U.S. government and accept other unspecified demands, part of his broader clashes with Canada over trade.

Canada financed the bridge's construction. The project was negotiated by Rick Snyder, the former Republican governor of Michigan, and work has been underway since 2018 and cost close to $4.4 billion.

RELATED STORY | Canadian travel slump could cost US economy millions

Named after the late Canadian hockey great Gordie Howe, who spent 25 seasons leading the Detroit Red Wings, the bridge is expected to be another vital economic artery between Canada and the United States.

The toll bridge, jointly owned by Canada and Michigan, charges up to $10 per automobile and $20 per axel for commercial trucks. It is expected to help ease congestion at the existing Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Work has been underway since 2018.

Detroit and Windsor have been neighborly for generations, with residents in both countries frequently crossing the shared river border for entertainment and shopping. Windsor's population in 2021 was about 230,000. Like Detroit, the Canadian city's economy has a strong focus on manufacturing and the auto industry.

Commercial trade between the two cities primarily has been across the nearly century-old and privately-owned Ambassador Bridge, which is closer to downtown Detroit than the Gordie Howe Bridge.

King Charles III hosted Prince Harry and met with his family for the first time in years Friday as they try to repair a rift that has persisted since his youngest son and wife quit royal life and moved to America six years ago.

Harry, Meghan, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met with the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, a country estate west of London.

The Duke of Sussex arrived Monday in his homeland for a number of charity events that were overshadowed by speculation of whether he would meet with his father.

RELATED STORY | Judge dismisses Prince Harry's privacy lawsuit against publisher of Daily Mail

British tabloids and news broadcasts were filled with speculation about whether Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, would accompany him and, more importantly, whether they would bring their two children so they can finally get to know Grandpa Charles.

It had appeared those plans fizzled after a government committee denied Harry security protection for his family and Buckingham Palace withdrew and offer for the prince to stay there when it appeared he would come alone.

Harry's visit coincided with him losing his final lawsuit in his quest to tame the British tabloids.

A judge ruled that he failed to prove his privacy invasion claims against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

The Justice Department sent a letter to all state election officials warning that they could be criminally charged if they allow non-citizens to vote. The move is part of the Trump administration's push on election integrity ahead of the midterms. Critics call this federal overreach, saying existing safeguards are already in place.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes criticized the Justice Department's letter, calling it adversarial, and said election officials need federal support, not threats of prosecution.

RELATED STORY | Trump signs order to tighten rules around mail-in voting, setting up likely legal challenges

He described the warning as unconscionable, saying it creates unnecessary fear during election administration.

"It is really a menace in a time when we really need to be coming together just to administer elections," he told Scripps News. "The reasonable person, the professional election administrator wants support. They want to be able to do their jobs for their voters, because at the end of the day, that's where the focus ought to be."

Fontes said he does not believe the letter will discourage election workers, citing the resilience of election officials through crises including COVID-19 and threats of violence.

"We are kind of the display of grit and the constancy that America depends on, and everyone depends on that constancy," he said.

Fontes expressed concern the DOJs message could undermine voter confidence more than election worker morale.

"I worry about voters. I worry that this is sending the wrong message to the American voter, and this is when we need leadership," he said.

The Trump administration has made cracking down on non-citizens voting a major priority, despite little evidence to show large numbers of non-citizens have been able to cast a ballot.

RELATED STORY | USPS proposes rule requiring states to share voter lists for mail-in ballots

The Brennan Center said it conducted a thorough audit of the 2016 election and found that improper noncitizen votes accounted for 0.0001.

"The absence of fraud reinforces a wide consensus among scholars, journalists, and election administrators: voter fraud of any kind, including noncitizen voting, is rare," the group said.

U.S. gas prices are up 9 cents in just two days. AAA says regular gas is averaging about $3.88 a gallon nationwide.

Diesel prices are also higher than they were before President Donald Trump declared the U.S.-Iran ceasefire over.

RELATED STORY | Iran warns oil tankers to use approved routes in Strait of Hormuz or face a 'forceful response'

Renewed U.S. and Iranian strikes are slowing the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing prices higher.

Prior to the three-week ceasefire, prices jumped over $4 a gallon. One month ago, the average gallon of gas was $4.15 for regular.

A wildfire roared through a remote expat community in southern Spain overnight, killing at least 12 people as victims tried to flee the flames in cars and on foot, authorities said Friday. Eight people were injured and 23 missing, Andalusias regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno said.

The blaze, one of Spain's deadliest wildfires, broke out late Thursday in a semi-arid area near the Sierra de Los Filabres mountains in Almeria province, as the country has been dealing with soaring temperatures.

RELATED STORY | 'Full suppression': As wildfires worsen, Trump administration revives policy to stomp out all fires quickly

Most of the victims died after ignoring shelter-in-place instructions, said Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusias emergency services. Some tried to escape via a dry riverbed that turned into a death trap, he said.

Four victims were believed to be British nationals because the steering wheel of their burned-out car was on the right side, as with British vehicles, regional authorities said. Other unspecified nationals also were believed to be among the dead, and the death toll was expected to rise, authorities said.

Seven people died while on foot after abandoning their cars, Sanz said.

The consequences have been terrible," Sanz said. Everything seems to indicate that, in the case of the deceased we are dealing for the most part, if not entirely, with foreign nationals.

The blaze is a challenge for firefighters

The fire was still burning as of Friday afternoon. Some 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spains military emergency unit were battling the blaze, which had consumed more than 7,900 acres of forest and farmland.

Moreno, the Andalusian regional leader, said containing the fire was difficult because of the steep, dry terrain.

It consists mainly of scrubland and esparto grass, Moreno said. Everything is extremely dry due to the heat waves, making it the perfect fuel; combined with the wind, its a ticking time bomb.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez expressed his condolences. Immense sadness and desolation in the face of the terrible consequences of the fire affecting the province of Almeria, he wrote on X.

Europe battles intense heat again

Spain has battled frequent and severe heat waves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40 C (104 F). Wind, high temperatures and little rainfall help small wildfires grow into unchecked blazes.

In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with over 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat.

Europe is the worlds fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Unions Copernicus Climate Change Service. Parts of Western Europe are facing their third heat wave in six weeks. Globally, 2025 was the third-hottest year on record, bringing several intense heat waves across Europe.

France also at risk of wildfires

France is experiencing the peak of its third heat wave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 104 F across western and central areas and around 98 F in Paris.

French authorities have also warned of a very high wildfire risk, as large fires in the south have already scorched thousands of hectares this week, disrupting the Tour de France cycling race and stretching firefighting resources.

RELATED STORY | Three firefighters killed as wildfires rage across the Southwest, prompting fireworks restrictions in Utah

The largest wildfire, in the eastern Pyrenees near the Spanish border, had decreased in intensity by Friday, authorities said. But it has burned about 12,000 acres and forced the temporary evacuation of more than 10,000 people from nearly villages.

Last month was Frances hottest June on record, with deaths surging by nearly a third during the hottest week.

Scientists warn that climate change caused in part by the burning of fuels like gasoline, oil and coal is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making certain regions more vulnerable to wildfires.

Spain and Portugal have faced deadly fires before

Spain is no stranger to wildfires, with last year's fire season burning more than almost 1,520 square miles, according to the European Forest Fire Information System, an area twice as large as London. Four people died.

Spain's deadliest wildfire was in 1979 when 21 people perished in Lloret de Mar, a coastal town about an hour north of Barcelona.

In 2017, a wildfire in neighboring Portugal left 66 people dead in Pedrogao Grande, located 120 miles northeast of Lisbon. In that blaze, 47 people died on one road while similarly attempting to flee in their cars.

An intensifying El Nino, nature's heat-releasing thermostat that spikes global temperatures, is heading to historically strong levels, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

In its monthly update, NOAA said this year's El Nino, a natural warming of the equatorial Pacific that alters weather patterns across the globe, has an 81% chance of becoming very strong the top category available by fall. It should rank among the most intense El Ninos since the weather agency started tracking them in 1950.

Its biggest impacts from droughts to downpours to heat waves are likely to be most felt in the fall and winter, meteorologists said.

This El Nino, which formed only last month, already zipped past the weak stage and is now considered moderate with no indications of slowing its strengthening, the government forecast said. Ocean temperatures in key parts of the Pacific that help indicate the El Nino's strength are at or near record highs for this time of year, partly because it comes on top of ocean warming from human-caused climate change, meteorologists said.

It's pretty extreme, said Emily Becker, a University of Miami scientist who works with the NOAA El Nino forecast team. Not unprecedented, but very unusual.

Becker said it will rival the 1997-1998 El Nino, while other meteorologists predict this one could be even stronger. The World Bank said the El Nino that started in 1997 led to 23,000 deaths in weather disasters, increased poverty rates in some countries and cost governments as much as $45 billion.

This is not a run-of-the-mill El Nino, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Not only is it already breaking records for the time of year, but unlike past super El Ninos, it is on top of considerable background warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. We might not expect to see the exact same impacts from this event as we have seen in historical ones.

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A very strong El Nino based on ocean temperatures in parts of the Pacific does not translate to even more intense extreme weather, but makes those conditions more likely, Becker said.

It increases the chances for most of the southern U.S. to be rainier in the winter, Becker said. It also boosts the likelihood of a warmer winter conditions for the northern United States and Canada.

El Nino usually dampens Atlantic hurricane season. Colorado State University, which pioneered hurricane season forecasts, on Wednesday dramatically reduced its prediction for number of storms due to increased confidence in a strong or very strong El Nino. The forecasters predict overall hurricane activity in the Atlantic will be well below normal.

Global impacts made more likely include a drier Indonesia and a warmer and wetter eastern Pacific, Becker said.

El Nino also acts as a 'thermostat' for global climate by liberating years worth of accumulated heat stored in the subsurface tropical Pacific Ocean and dumping it into the atmosphere, where it eventually dissipatesbut not before warming the entire planet in the meantime, Swain wrote in a blog post.

Many climate scientists are predicting that 2027 because of pent up heat will break the 2024 global high temperature record set by the last strong El Nino.

A strong El Nino would raise the odds of dramatic new climate records over the next 6 to 12 months, said Zack Labe, a climate scientist at Climate Central. It could give a taste of an even warmer world to come, he said.

The defendant in Charlie Kirks killing told his roommate he wishes he hadnt done it the day after the conservative activist was shot in the neck while speaking to a crowd at Utah Valley University, a recording played in court revealed Thursday.

Lance Twiggs, who was also defendant Tyler Robinsons romantic partner, said in an interview with law enforcement that the interaction happened in their apartment in southeastern Utah, more than 200 miles from where Kirk was shot.

Later that same day and only about an hour before turning himself in Robinson posted "it was me at UVU yesterday, in a chat room on the Discord social media platform, according to messages shown by prosecutors.

Defense attorneys unsuccessfully fought the public release of the statements from Twiggs and the chat room messages. They argued prosecutors would characterize the material as a confession, undermining Robinson's right to a fair trial if the statements are broadcast by the media.

But after prolonged debate that included an attorney for Kirk's family arguing for the material to be publicly released, state District Judge Tony Graf allowed a redacted version of the video interview to be played. Some parts were blacked out, with only audio.

Robinson is charged with aggravated murder and has not entered a plea. He turned himself in a day after the fatal shooting of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump credited with helping galvanize young voters for the Republican in the 2024 election.

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Notes and text exchanges were reviewed in court

Prosecutors allege Robinson confessed in a note to Twiggs that read: I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and Im going to take it. Robinson also allegedly sent a text to Twiggs saying he targeted Kirk because he had enough of his hatred.

State Bureau of Investigation Agent Brian Davis recounted the exchanges between Twiggs and Robinson under questioning by a prosecutor Thursday. They included texts from Robinson worrying about leaving fingerprints on a rifle that belonged to his grandfather, which authorities believe he used to shoot Kirk. Others messages discussed engravings on bullet casings.

Prosecutors said ammunition found in the gun used to kill Kirk had engravings that included Hey Facist! Catch! and If you Read This, You Are GAY.

Robinson appeared to furrow his brow and smirk as the text messages about the engravings were displayed in the courtroom. He was dressed in a jacket and tie with one arm shackled to his waist and appeared to be taking notes with his free hand.

Twiggs spoke to authorities on Sept. 12 two days after Kirk was assassinated while speaking to a crowd of thousands and again on April 20, Davis said. He was given immunity for the statements, meaning what Twiggs said cannot be used against him in a potential criminal case.

Prosecutors contend the shooting endangered others at Kirks campus event an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law. Robinson also faces possible sentence enhancements based on claims by prosecutors that he targeted Kirk because of his political views.

Twiggs said in the April interview that Robinson sometimes talked about politics, including Trump. But Twiggs said he never heard Robinson talk about Kirk before the shooting. The defendant also did not talk much about gender issues or LGBTQ rights, Twiggs testified.

Graf will decide at the conclusion of this weeks preliminary hearing if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Robinson to trial.

Robinsons attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence but have sought to get the death penalty taken off the table, so far unsuccessfully.

MORE FROM THE CASE | Prosecutors say video shows Charlie Kirk murder suspect at scene of the crime

Lawyers for Kirk's widow wanted all of Twiggs' statement made public

Attorneys for the media and for Kirk's widow, Erika, who has attended this week's hearing, had urged the judge to make Twiggs' statements and other evidence public.

To not be transparent, to not be open and let the world see what happened will create doubt and distrust in the judicial system, Kirk family lawyer Jeffrey Neiman said.

Neiman filed a request late Wednesday for all evidence against Robinson to be displayed openly and in real time during this week's hearing. Neiman wrote that Erika Kirk and Kirk's parents had waited 10 months for the hearing but at times have been denied the chance to meaningfully observe it.

The judge said in response that not all evidence would be openly displayed and he needs to protect the rights of both victims and the defendant.

Investigators say Robinson went to a rooftop near where Kirk was speaking and shot him once through the neck as the activist was taking questions from a crowd of several thousand people. Kirk was declared dead after being taken to a hospital.

Investigators found the suspected murder weapon a bolt-action rifle with one spent round wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near where Kirk was shot.

Robinsons parents and two of his brothers sat behind him, in the front row of the courtroom gallery. Charlie Kirks parents and Erika Kirk sat a few rows back. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, also was in attendance.

Robinsons mom cried as the Discord messages were read in court. She rubbed the shoulder of one of Robinsons brothers, who listened with his head bowed.

Kylian Mbapp had a goal and an assist after missing a first-half penalty kick, Ousmane Dembl scored the other and France beat Morocco 2-0 Thursday in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Mbapp's goal in the 60th minute was the 20th of his World Cup career and came in his 20th match at the tournament, moving him one behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Dembl scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 66th.

Mbapp was taken down in the 76th minute and was taken off for a substitute a minute later. He was then shown sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle.

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After the match and with both shoes on, Mbapp ran and jumped in celebration with his teammates.

France will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas on Tuesday.

France beat Morocco by the same score in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to make it that far. France now remains on track to become only the third nation to play in the final of three consecutive World Cups.

Mbapp got his goal with a perfectly placed shot just inside the far post after Morocco failed to clear the ball. He received the ball just outside the area, took a couple steps forward and then sent his shot sailing into the net. He extended both arms and ran to the sideline to celebrate with his teammates.

France's second goal came after Mbapp took a pass and tapped it back for Dembl. Mbapp kept running forward and took defenders with him, opening space for Dembl's shot.

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France held a 21-4 advantage in shots on goal and 8-1 edge in shots on target for the game.

Mbapp also had the first shot on goal of the game, just missing wide right in the fourth minute. Then, in the 25th, he was running up the left side when he was chopped down in the box by Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. Referee Facundo Tello quickly pointed to the penalty spot.

Mbapp lined up waiting for his attempt but was held up by a lengthy video review. He was finally cleared to shoot in the 28th minute, but after a hesitation, Mbapp's shot toward the right corner was corralled by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who guessed the direction of the shot correctly.

Mbapp made his only other penalty attempt at this year's World Cup in France's 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16.

Still, France was by far the more active team offensively in the first half, holding a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal.

Morocco's best opportunity came just before the halftime whistle when Achraf Hakimi sent a free kick from just outside the box past the right post.

Eight men were indicted on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges Thursday for their alleged roles in a thwarted drone and sniper attack on the UFC cage-fighting show staged at the White House in June.

The indictment, returned in Ohio, charges all eight in two separate conspiracies, one to provide material support to terrorists and a second to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.

It remains unclear from the court records how close the would-be attackers could have come to being able to carry out the plan had it not been thwarted.

According to the new indictment, the plot began in May, when the group began amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communications equipment and other items.

It was on June 10 that law enforcement officials learned about a possible threat to President Donald Trumps UFC cage-fighting show, four days before the mixed martial arts extravaganza was scheduled to take place.

The Justice Department last month announced a series of criminal complaints in different districts across the country in connection with the UFC plot, including from Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California.

The indictment announced Thursday represents an effort by the government to streamline the case and knit the defendants together into a single conspiracy prosecution in Ohio. Officials have said the group members harbored fringe conspiracy theories and hoped the attack would destabilize the government.

One of the defendants told investigators that they planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled, according to a federal affidavit.

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Tycen C. Proper 19, of Danville, Ohio, and four others were arrested and charged in Missouri, Nebraska and California the weekend of the cage-fighting event, called Freedom 250. Two more defendants were charged and arrested by the FBI about a week later in Washington and Missouri.

The Justice Department said an eighth man was charged this week. He is 21-year-old Chandler D. Scaggs, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, who was taken into custody in that state. Scaggs was allegedly assigned to be one of the snipers in the plotted attack, according to an affidavit.

The affidavit said Scaggs was apparently to be picked up by Proper and taken to Washington but lost contact with him after Proper was arrested, the same as the others. Scaggs allegedly signaled to the group that he was still willing to participate in the attack and arranged to travel to the event with another co-conspirator.

Scaggs' attorney, Eric Brehm, said his office was thoroughly reviewing the allegations and declined to comment further.

Conspiring to provide material support to terrorists is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and conspiring to commit murder carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

Federal prosecutors allege that the group planned to murder Trump, Vice President JD Vance, other federal officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, trillionaire businessman Elon Musk and other high value targets at the event.

It looks like John Deere owners can soon feel free to fix their own machines.

The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from several states secured a right-to-repair settlement Wednesday with agriculture equipment giant Deere & Co. commonly known as John Deere that requires the company to let farmers and independent shops fix their own equipment.

The Illinois-based manufacturer has faced complaints for years for withholding the software needed for repairs and forcing customers to use authorized dealers instead of independent ones.

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This marks the second right-to-repair settlement Deere has reached this year, following a separate $99 million class-action settlement with farmers in April. Though the class-action compensated consumers, the FTC's settlement instead requires Deere to make its repair services available to equipment owners and independent shops.

The FTC and attorneys general from Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin brought the antitrust lawsuit in January 2025, arguing that Deere had illegally restricted farmers and independent shops that might otherwise service them from repairing farm equipment such as tractors. Deere also makes engines and equipment for forestry, landscaping and construction.

Under the order filed in Illinois, Deere will now be required to make diagnostic and repair tools available to equipment owners and independent repair shops, not only its own network of authorized dealers. It also prevents Deere dealers from retaliating against equipment owners or repair shops who choose to fix their own equipment instead of paying for Deere's services. The order is headed to Judge Iain D. Johnston for his approval.

For too long, Arizona farmers and independent mechanics have been at the mercy of Deeres monopoly over repair tools, forced to wait and pay for authorized dealers just to fix broken tractors and other equipment, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement Wednesday.

Deere must pay $1 million collectively to the five states for antitrust enforcement costs and will be subject to strict compliance oversight for the next 10 years.

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In the complaint, the FTC argued that Deere provides a service software tool to authorized dealers but does not provide the full version to equipment owners or independent shops. Deere had said the lawsuit was baseless, denied that its distribution of service tools was anticompetitive and argued that it could not monopolize services since it does not directly provide them.

Deere maintained its commitment to independent repair in a statement Wednesday, adding that the agreement with the FTC reinforces its innovation of more flexible repair options.

This is good news for our customers and for the future of how Deere equipment is supported, said Denver Caldwell, vice president of aftermarket and customer support.

Right-to-repair has become an increasingly common issue over the years, especially for tech products, with consumers complaining that even simple repairs can only be done by company-authorized dealers.