By FARNOUSH AMIRI

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it is issuing sanctions against an independent investigator tasked with probing human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories, the latest effort by the United States to punish critics of Israel’s 21-month war in Gaza.

The State Department’s decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, follows an unsuccessful U.S. pressure campaign to force the international body to remove her from her post. It also comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Washington this week to meet with President Donald Trump and other officials about the war in Gaza and more.

It’s unclear what the practical impact the sanctions will have and whether the independent investigator will be able to travel to the U.S. with diplomatic paperwork.

Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer, has been vocal about what she has described as the “genocide” by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza. Both Israel and the U.S., which provides military support to its close ally, have strongly denied that accusation.

The U.S. had not previously addressed concerns with Albanese head-on because it has not participated in either of the two Human Rights Council sessions this year, including the summer session that ended Tuesday. This is because the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. earlier this year.

Albanese has urged countries to pressure Israel

In recent weeks, Albanese has issued a series of letters urging other countries to pressure Israel, including through sanctions, to end its deadly bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

She has also been a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, for allegations of war crimes. She most recently issued a report naming several large U.S. companies as among those aiding what she described as Israel’s occupation and war on Gaza.

“Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on social media. “We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense.”

Albanese’s July 1 report focuses on Western defense companies that have provided weapons used by Israel’s military as well as manufacturers of earth-moving equipment that have bulldozed Palestinian homes and property.

It cites activities by companies in the shipping, real estate, technology, banking and finance and online travel industries, as well as academia.

“While life in Gaza is being obliterated and the West Bank is under escalating assault, this report shows why Israel’s genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many,” her report said.

A request for comment from the U.N.’s top human rights body was not immediately returned.

Israel strongly refutes Albanese’s allegations

Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the 47-member Human Rights Council is based, called Albanese’s report “legally groundless, defamatory, and a flagrant abuse of her office” and having “whitewashed Hamas atrocities.”

Outside experts, such as Albanese, do not represent the United Nations and have no formal authority. However, they report to the council as a means of monitoring countries’ human rights records.

Albanese has faced criticism from pro-Israel officials and groups in the U.S. and in the Middle East. The U.S. mission to the U.N. issued a scathing statement last week, calling for her removal for “a years-long pattern of virulent anti-Semitism and unrelenting anti-Israel bias.”

The statement said Albanese’s allegations of Israel committing genocide or apartheid are “false and offensive.”

Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, celebrated the U.S. action, saying in a statement Wednesday that Albanese’s “relentless and biased campaign against Israel and the United States has long crossed the line from human rights advocacy into political warfare.”

Trump administration’s campaign to quiet criticism of Israel

It is a culmination of a nearly six-month campaign by the Trump administration to quell criticism of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza. Earlier this year, the administration began arresting and trying to deport faculty and students of U.S. universities who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and other political activities.

The war between Israel and Hamas began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people captive. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up most of the dead but does not specify how many were fighters or civilians.

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and European Union.

Nearly 21 months into the conflict that displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, it is nearly impossible for the critically wounded to get the care they need, doctors and aid workers say.

“We must stop this genocide, whose short-term goal is completing the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, while also profiteering from the killing machine devised to perform it,” Albanese said in a recent post on X. “No one is safe until everyone is safe.”

Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

By TARA COPP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine, a week after the Pentagon had directed that some deliveries be paused.

The weapons now moving into Ukraine include 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets known as GMLRS, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that had not been announced publicly.

It’s unclear exactly when the weapons started moving.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the pause last week, which affected a specific recent shipment of weapons to Ukraine, to allow the Pentagon to assess its weapons stockpiles, in a move that caught the White House by surprise.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that the U.S. would continue to deliver defensive weapons to Ukraine. He has sidestepped questions about who ordered the pause in exchanges with reporters this week.

“I would know if a decision is made. I will know,” Trump said Wednesday. “I will be the first to know. In fact, most likely I’d give the order, but I haven’t done that yet.”

When asked a day earlier who ordered the pause, he said: “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

Trump has privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing the pause — a move that he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The Pentagon has denied that Hegseth acted without consulting the president.

The U.S. has sent more than $67 billion in weapons and military assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

EAST LANSING – They are a bit past being “Sweet 16,” but they are once again in the “Sweet 16” of the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland at Eagle Eye Golf & Banquet Center.

Stroke play medalist Kimberly Dinh of Midland heads the group of veteran players after a 6 and 5 win over Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett, the golf coach at Michigan State who is the winningest golfer in GAM history and a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. Dinh, the 2021 state champion and 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, is 32.

Two-time state champion, Laura Bavaird of Trenton, is the oldest player to advance. She is 39, won in 2007 and 2008, had a career as a professional tour player, and is a reinstated amateur who is now the GAM Foundation director. The GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur champion from earlier this season, turned back Alena Li of Okemos, a recent winner of her second Michigan Girls’ Junior Amateur title, 3 and 2.

Elayna Bowser of Dearborn, the 2019 champion, was a professional briefly before being reinstated a year ago. She is 28, a real-estate broker, won the GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur in 2024, and she powered past Abigail Slankster of Northville and Duquesne University 6 and 5.

Anika Dy of Traverse City, the 2019 Michigan Women’s Open champion, and a former University of Michigan golfer, advanced with a 3 and 2 win over Ava Weeks of Troy and Northwood University. She will be 24 on Saturday and is doing post-graduate work and deciding on her future. She reached the final match of the 2022 Michigan Women’s Amateur only to fall to her younger sister, Anci Dy, who is in graduate school this summer and missing the tournament.

Rounding out the experienced fivesome is Mary Kartes of Kentwood, who is an LPGA Tour representative for Callaway Golf and former Mercer University (Ga.) golfer. She is 28 and topped Lily Bargamian of Grosse Ile and Oakland University 3 and 2. She and Dinh have been teammates in the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball Championship the last two years.

The remaining 11 players are currently on college teams (see the list below) and include defending champion Shannon Kennedy of Beverly Hills and Michigan State University, as well as last year’s runner-up, Elise Fennell of Caledonia and Illinois State University.

Kennedy topped Brook Morris of Canton and Central Michigan University, 5 and 4, and Fennell advanced with a 5 and 4 win over Chaille Payne, a high school golfer from Spring Lake who has committed to the University of Findlay (Ohio).

Kennedy said she played her best golf of the week so far and is excited about moving on.

“I hit the ball the best I have all week and feel good, ready for what’s ahead,” she said. “Having gone through the long week, two matches a day the last two days last year, I know what to expect. I’m giving it my best shot.”

Dinh and Slobodnik-Stoll gave it their best shots in the banner match of the day, and Dinh continued her hot play.

“Stacy made me earn it and I knew she would,” Dinh said. “She’s a great competitor and she played well. I made a lot of pars early, then started making birdie putts, including a bomb on 12 and on 13 I hit it to like an inch. I didn’t really like seeing her in the first round. She’s not the usual 32 seed. I would prefer to play her later. It was unfortunate to see her in the first round of match play.”

Bavaird had a birdie binge, too, in her win. She is playing in her first Michigan Women’s Amateur since 2008, her second win.

“I missed one green and made far more putts today than I did the first couple of days,” she said. “It’s great to be back for the first time since 2008. It’s nice to see the girls and just get back to that competitive feel of match play.”

Bowser won four consecutive holes starting at No. 2 in her win, including birdies on the two par 3 holes in that stretch.

“I hit every fairway and every green and rolled in a few putts early in the round,” Bowser said. “I think the game has been coming along. It was a little slow to start the year with the spring weather we had, but it is coming to form at the right time and it is fun to play like I did today.”

THE SWEET 16

Kimberly Dinh, 32, Midland, Associate Research Scientist at DOW

Laura Bavaird, 39, Trenton, Director of the Golf Association of Michigan Foundation

Kamryn Shannon, 21, Jackson, Golfer at Ferris State University

Elayna Bowser, 28, Dearborn, Working as a real estate agent

Bridget Boczar, 21, Canton, Golfer at Baylor University

Sophie Stevens, 19, Highland, Golfer at University of Florida

Olivia Stoll, 21, Haslett, Golfer at Grand Valley State University

Jessica Jolly, 19, Rockford, Golfer at University of Nebraska

Kate Brody, 20, Grand Blanc, Golfer at University of Wisconsin

Rachel Krieger, 22, Milford, Golfer at Grand Valley State University

Shannon Kennedy, 22, Birmingham, Golfer at Michigan State University

Macie Elzinga, 19, Byron Center, Golfer at Bowling Green State University

Elise Fennell, 19, Caledonia, Golfer at Illinois State University

Ashleigh Duflo, 19, Ada, Golfer at University of Findlay

Anika Dy, 23, Traverse City, Recent post-graduate student

Mary Janiga Kartes, 28, Kentwood, LPGA Tour Representative

Diners at the classic 24-hour Hazel Park burger spot, Brayz, were interrupted Wednesday morning when a Kia that was involved in a pursuit by Warren police drove through the wall of the restaurant.

According to a statement from the department, at 4:35 a.m. on July 9, officers responded to a report of multiple Kia thefts in progress at the Lafayette Mobile Home Community near Eight Mile and Dequindre roads.

Upon arrival, officers observed a black Kia Optima fleeing the area and attempted a traffic stop. The Kia then fled from officers with a brief vehicle pursuit ensuing.

The Kia traveled northbound on Warner Avenue before turning west on Nine Mile Road.

At the intersection of Nine Mile and Dequindre roads, the stolen Kia allegedly disregarded a red light and collided with a white Lincoln sedan traveling southbound on Dequindre.

The impact caused the Kia to then strike Brayz Hamburgers building before coming to a stop on Nine Mile Road.

Four juvenile suspects fled on foot but were quickly apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. Inside the stolen Kia, officers recovered a handgun.

The female driver of the Lincoln sustained very minor injuries and was transported to Henry Ford Madison Heights Hospital where she is in stable condition. The restaurant was closed Wednesday afternoon with a sign affixed to the front door stating it was could not be entered due to the damage.

In addition to the stolen Optima, officers also recovered another stolen Kia from the area.

This incident remains under active investigation.

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The best of the Macomb Area Conference came out on top, 9-4, in the second edition of the MAC vs. OAA All-Star softball game held Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Oakland University.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man awaiting trial on federal charges of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course is seeking to get rid of his court-appointed federal public defenders.

A hearing for Ryan Routh’s motion regarding the proposed termination of his appointed counsel is scheduled for Thursday in Fort Pierce, according to court records. The motion requesting the hearing didn’t say why Routh, 59, no longer wished to be represented by Kristy Militello and Renee Michelle Sihvola.

The attorneys didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Routh was hiring a new attorney or planned to represent himself.

Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. Before Trump came into view, Routh was spotted by a Secret Service agent. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said.

Routh faces charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Besides the federal charges, Routh also faces state charges of terrorism and attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Routh’s trial is set for September. If convicted, he could face a sentence of life in prison, federal officials have said.

By COLLIN BINKLEY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are urging seven U.S. universities to cut ties with a Chinese scholarship program that lawmakers call a “nefarious mechanism” to steal technology for the Chinese government.

In letters to Dartmouth College, the University of Notre Dame and five other universities, leaders of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party raise concerns about the schools’ partnerships with the China Scholarship Council, a study abroad program funded by China.

The program sponsors hundreds of Chinese graduate students every year at U.S. universities. After graduating, they’re required to return to China for two years. In the letters sent Tuesday, Republicans described it as a threat to national security.

“CSC purports to be a joint scholarship program between U.S. and Chinese institutions; however, in reality it is a CCP-managed technology transfer effort that exploits U.S. institutions and directly supports China’s military and scientific growth,” wrote Republican Rep. John Moolenaar, chair of the committee.

The Chinese Embassy didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Associated Press for comment.

Dartmouth said Wednesday it has had fewer than 10 participants in the program over the last decade and already had decided to end its participation. Notre Dame said it began the process of terminating its association with the program earlier this year. University of Tennessee said it had also received the letter and was reviewing the committee’s request.

Letters were also sent also to Temple University and the University of California campuses in Davis, Irvine and Riverside. The committee said it’s opening a review into the program’s “infiltration” of U.S. universities and demanded records related to the program from all seven institutions.

The universities’ partnerships with the council bring up to 15 graduate students a year to Dartmouth, along with up to 60 at Temple and 40 at Notre Dame, according to the letters. Some schools split the cost of attendance with China. Dartmouth, for instance, covers 50% of tuition and provides a stipend to doctoral students.

Among other records, lawmakers are demanding documents showing whether scholarship recipients worked on research funded by the U.S. government.

President Donald Trump and House Republicans have stepped up scrutiny of Chinese students coming to the U.S. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would revoke visas from some Chinese students studying in “critical fields.” During his first term, Trump restricted visas for students affiliated with China’s “military-civil fusion strategy.”

Many U.S. universities acknowledge a need to improve research security but caution against treating Chinese scholars with hostility and suspicion, saying only small numbers have been involved in espionage.

China is the second-largest country of origin for foreign students in the U.S., behind only India. In the 2023-24 academic year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States. For a majority of them, their college tuition is paid by their families, rather than by the Chinese government. Many stay to work in the U.S., while some return to China after graduation.

Moolenaar has made it a priority to end partnerships between U.S. universities and China. In May, he pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke. Under pressure from the committee, Eastern Michigan University ended a partnership with two Chinese universities in June.

Last year, House Republicans issued a report finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding had gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China’s academic collaborations served as a “Trojan horses for technology transfer,” accusing China of “insidious” exploitation of academic cooperation.

Associated Press writer Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

By SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new lawsuit seeking to redraw Wisconsin’s congressional district boundary lines was filed on Tuesday, less than two weeks after the state Supreme Court declined to hear a pair of other lawsuits that asked for redistricting before the 2026 election.

The latest lawsuit brought by a bipartisan coalition of business leaders was filed in Dane County circuit court, rather than directly with the state Supreme Court as the rejected cases were. The justices did not give any reason for declining to hear those cases, but typically lawsuits start in a lower court and work their way up.

This new lawsuit’s more lengthy journey through the courts might not be resolved in time to order new maps before the 2026 midterms.

The Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy argue in the new lawsuit that Wisconsin’s congressional maps are unconstitutional because they are an anti-competitive gerrymander. The lawsuit notes that the median margin of victory for candidates in the eight districts since the maps were enacted is close to 30 percentage points.

“Anti‐competitive gerrymanders are every bit as antithetical to democracy, and to law, as partisan gerrymanders and racial gerrymanders,” the lawsuit argues. “This is because electoral competition is as vital to democracy as partisan fairness.”

The lawsuit alleges that an anti-competitive gerrymander violates the state constitution’s guarantees of equal protection to all citizens, the promise to maintain a free government and the right to vote.

The lawsuit was filed against the state’s bipartisan elections commission, which administers elections. Commission spokesperson Emilee Miklas declined to comment.

The Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy had attempted to intervene in one of the redistricting cases brought by Democrats with the state Supreme Court, but the justices dismissed the case without considering their arguments.

Members of the business coalition include Tom Florsheim, chairman and CEO of Milwaukee-based Weyco Group, and Cory Nettles, the founder of a private equity fund and a former state commerce secretary.

Republicans hold six of the state’s eight U.S. House seats, but only two of those districts are considered competitive. In 2010, the year before Republicans redrew the congressional maps, Democrats held five seats compared with three for Republicans.

The current congressional maps, which were based on the previous ones, were approved by the state Supreme Court when it was controlled by conservative judges. The U.S. Supreme Court in March 2022 declined to block them from taking effect.

Democrats had wanted the justices to revisit congressional lines as well after the court ordered state legislative boundaries redrawn before last year’s election. Democrats then narrowed the Republican legislative majorities in November, leading to a bipartisan compromise to pass a state budget last week.

Now Democrats are pushing to have the current maps redrawn in ways that would put two of the six seats currently held by Republicans into play. One they hope to flip is the western Wisconsin seat of Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who won in 2022 after longtime Democratic Rep. Ron Kind retired. Von Orden won reelection in the 3rd District in 2024.

The other seat they are eyeing is southeastern Wisconsin’s 1st District, held by Republican Rep. Bryan Steil since 2019. The latest maps made that district more competitive while still favoring Republicans.

The two rejected lawsuits were filed by Elias Law Group, which represents Democratic groups and candidates, and the Campaign Legal Center on behalf of voters.

Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy are represented by Law Forward, a liberal Madison-based law firm, the Strafford Rosenbaum law firm in Madison and Election Law Clinic at Harvard Law School.

The case against a DoorDash driver accused of pulling a gun on a group of women advanced to Oakland County Circuit Court following a preliminary exam this week on an amended charge.

Andrew Boyer, 36, had initially been charged with a misdemeanor — brandishing a firearm in public — in connection with the alleged incident on Feb. 28 in Bloomfield Township. Soon after his arrest, police said a verbal disagreement between Boyer and the women outside a home on Woodland Pass reportedly escalated after he dropped off an order, prompting him to pull out his gun, chamber a round and yell at the women to get away from him. The group reportedly had followed Boyer to his car while yelling at him, police said.

The prosecution subsequently amended the charge to felonious assault, and a district court judge determined there was probable cause established at the July 8 preliminary exam to bind over the case to the higher court for possible trial.

Jeff Wattrick, spokesperson for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, told The Oakland Press that the new charge was based on “evidence available.” Now, rather than a maximum 90 days in jail and/or a $100 fine, Boyer is now facing up to four years in prison and/or a fine of up to $2,000 if convicted.

The prosecution amended the charge a few weeks ago.

Boyer is scheduled for arraignment in Oakland County Circuit Court on July 21 before Judge David Cohen. For now, he’s out of jail after posting a $3,000 bond.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to allow Florida to enforce an immigration law making it a crime for people who are living in the U.S. illegally to enter the state.

The high court’s action will keep the law on hold while a legal challenge continues. The court did not explain its decision and no justice noted a dissent.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation into law in February in support of Donald Trump’s push to crack down on illegal immigration, though many of the Republican’s president efforts have been mired in legal battles.

Florida’s law made it a misdemeanor for people to enter the state if they don’t have legal status. The measure is similar to a Texas law that also has been blocked by a federal appeals court.

Immigrants rights groups filed lawsuits on behalf of two unnamed, Florida-based immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, arguing that immigration is a federal issue beyond the power of the states. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s appeal to the Supreme Court said the state has a right to use the law to protect itself from the “irreparable harm” of illegal immigration.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams barred the enforcement of the new law in April. Uthmeier’s office then unsuccessfully petitioned the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to override that decision.

Wednesday’s order is the latest blow for Uthmeier in a months-long battle. In June, Williams found the DeSantis appointee to be in contempt for instructing officers to continue enforcing the new law despite the judge’s orders to stop enforcement.

“If being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump’s agenda on illegal immigration, so be it,” Uthmeier said on social media.

Uthmeier, who DeSantis tapped for the position in February, has also been credited for championing a new state-run immigration detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Environmental groups sued in June to block the facility from being built.

By LEAH ASKARINAM, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Bryan Bedford to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, putting him in charge of the federal agency at a precarious time for the airline industry after recent accidents, including the January collision near Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people.

Bedford was confirmed on a near party-line vote, 53-43.

Republicans and industry leaders lauded President Donald Trump’s choice of Bedford, citing his experience as CEO of regional airline Republic Airways since 1999. Sen. Ted Cruz, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, called Bedford a “steady leader with executive experience.”

But Democrats and flight safety advocates opposed his nomination, citing Bedford’s lack of commitment to the 1,500-hour training requirement for pilots that was put in place by Congress after a 2009 plane crash near Buffalo.

Bedford declined during his confirmation hearing to commit to upholding a rule requiring 1,500 hours of training for pilots, saying only that he would not “have anything that will reduce safety.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Commerce panel, accused Bedford of wanting “to roll back safety reforms and unravel the regulatory framework that made the United States the gold standard” in aviation safety.

Congress implemented the 1,500-hour rule for pilot training and other safety precautions after the 2009 Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, New York. In that flight, the pilot had not been trained on how to recover from a stall in the aircraft. His actions caused the plane carrying 49 people to fall from the sky and crash into a house, where another man was killed.

Families of the victims of the Colgan crash pushed for the the stricter training requirements and remain vocal advocates for airline safety. They joined Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to express concern about Bedford’s nomination.

Marilyn Kausner, the mother of a passenger on the 3407 flight, said she and other families requested a meeting with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy after Bedford’s confirmation hearing. Her husband, she said, was “discouraged” after hearing what Bedford had to say at his hearing

Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, made famous for safely landing a plane in the Hudson River, also opposed Trump’s pick, posting on social media that “with the nomination of Bryan Bedford to be FAA Administration, my life’s work could be undone.”

Republican Sen. Todd Young, who is also on the committee, called the 1,500-hour rule an “emotional topic” but maintained that Bedford’s approach to safety is clearly “analytical,” prioritizing what “we ascertain leads to the best safety for passengers.”

“All you have to do is look at his credentials and his testimony to be persuaded that he’s the right person for the job,” Young said.

Bedford has support from much of the industry. The air traffic controllers union noted his commitment to modernize the outdated system.

Airlines for America, a trade association for major airlines, called Bedford a “superb choice.” And United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said, having worked with Bedford, he had “total confidence in his ability to lead the FAA.”

By SOPHIE AUSTIN, Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration sued the California Department of Education on Wednesday for allowing transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams, alleging the policy violates federal law.

The move escalates a battle between the Republican administration in Washington and Democratic-led California over trans athletes.

The lawsuit filed by the Justice Department says California’s transgender athlete policies violate Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination in education based on sex. The department says California’s rules “are not only illegal and unfair but also demeaning, signaling to girls that their opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warned other states that allow trans girls to compete in female athletics that they could also face challenges by the federal government.

“If you do not comply, you’re next,” she said in a video posted on social media. “We will protect girls in girls sports.”

The state Education Department and the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for high school sports that was also named a defendant, said they would not comment on pending litigation.

California has a more than decade-old law on the books that allows students to participate in sex-segregated school programs, including on sports teams, and use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity.

Trump criticized the participation of a transgender high school student-athlete who won titles in the California track-and-field championships last month. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote in a letter after the meet that the California Interscholastic Federation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution by allowing trans girls to compete against other female athletes.

The federal Education Department earlier this year launched an investigation into California’s policies allowing athletes to compete on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. The agency said last month that the policies violate Title IX, and it gave the state 10 days to agree to change them. But the state this week refused.

Trump also sparred with Maine’s Democratic governor over that state’s transgender-athlete policies. Gov. Janet Mills told the president in February, “We’ll see you in court,” over his threats to pull funding to the state over the issue. His administration filed a lawsuit in April alleging Maine violated Title IX by allowing trans girls and women to compete against other female athletes.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit against California says its policies “ignore undeniable biological differences between boys and girls, in favor of an amorphous ’gender identity.’”

“The results of these illegal policies are stark: girls are displaced from podiums, denied awards, and miss out on critical visibility for college scholarships and recognition,” the suit says.

Meanwhile, on his podcast in March, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom angered some party allies when he questioned the fairness of trans girls competing in girls sports. GOP critics have called on the governor to back a ban, saying his remarks do not square with his actions.

The issue is part of a nationwide battle over the rights of transgender youth in which states have limited transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams, barred gender-affirming surgeries for minors and required parents to be notified if a child changes their pronouns at school. More than two dozen states have laws barring transgender women and girls from participating in certain sports competitions. Some of the policies have been blocked in court.

Trump signed an executive order in February aimed at barring trans girls and women from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

Proponents of a ban, including the conservative California Family Council, say it would restore fairness in athletic competitions. But opponents, including the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality California, say bans are an attack on transgender youth.

In Oregon, three high school track-and-field athletes filed a federal lawsuit against the state this week seeking to remove records set by transgender students and prevent them from participating in girls sports. They say allowing trans girls to compete against other female athletes is unfair and violates Title IX.

The U.S. Education Department launched investigations earlier this year into Portland Public Schools and the state’s governing body for high school sports to over alleged violations of Title IX in girls high school sports.

Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed.

Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna

By Roberta Burkhart, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Many people don’t know it, but men under age 40 are the most likely age group to develop testicular cancer.

Just ask Jay Riepenhoff of Upper Arlington, Ohio, who was 29 and still adjusting to life as a new father when he discovered a suspicious lump.

He wasn’t thinking cancer. In fact, Riepenhoff got up for work the next morning and forgot all about it.

He felt the lump again that night, and thought he’d maybe set an alarm to remind himself to call the doctor the next day.

Riepenhoff didn’t feel the first twinge of worry until his doctor told him to come in immediately. And then sent him the same day for an ultrasound.

“Still, I even thought in my head, ‘I’ll go check it out. It’s not like it’s cancer,’” he said.

Soon, Riepenhoff discovered what many don’t realize: Of the approximately 10,000 cases of testicular cancer diagnosed annually, 51% are diagnosed in young men between the ages of 20 to 34, according to the National Cancer Institute, part of the NIH.

Yet a recent survey from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center shows that few Americans — just 13% — associate the disease with young men.

“When you’re young, in your 20s or your 30s, you certainly do think your health is just something you might take for granted,” said Shawn Dason, a urologic oncologist at OSU’s cancer center and an associate clinical professor of urology at The Ohio State College of Medicine. “You’re more focused on other parts of life: your career, your family, your education.”

While 6% of testicular cancer cases are diagnosed in children and teens and another 8% affect those older than age 55, the vast majority of cases affect men aged 20 to 50. The average age of diagnosis is 33, according to the American Cancer Society.

It is the most common form of cancer among men 20 to 40 and the second most common cancer (trailing leukemia) in ages 15 to 19, but it can happen at any time, according to John Hopkins Medicine.

The Ohio State survey questioned 1,008 respondents about their knowledge of testicular cancer and found general awareness lacking in many areas.

While most — 63% — knew that testicular cancer is often curable if caught early, just over half correctly said that self-checks should be conducted every month. Additionally, two-thirds of respondents thought that medical evaluations should be conducted during annual exams after age 40.

But waiting until 40 would miss the men most at risk — young men like Riepenhoff.

Self-exams are most relevant between the ages of 20 and 40 and are especially important for anyone with a family history of testicular cancer or who has had an undescended testicle at any time during their life, Dason said.

A painless lump is the most common first sign that testicular cancer may be present, Dason said. Often, that lump will continue to grow and possibly harden.

Few men report that pain is associated with lumps, he said, adding that many incorrectly assume that the absence of pain means the lumps are harmless.

If the cancer has spread — becoming metastatic — other symptoms could develop, like abdominal and back pain, or a cough and shortness of breath if it has spread to the lungs.

Still, testicular cancer is among the rarer cancers compared to, for instance, prostate cancer, the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer. There are approximately 313,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed annually and nearly 36,000 deaths from it every year, according to the American Cancer Society.

While not as prevalent as other cancers, testicular cancer is a fast-growing one, Dason said, and one that will spread to other parts of the body if left untreated.

The majority of testicular cancer cases are curable, however, especially when they’re caught early.

“Now that might beg the question, ‘Well, if it’s mostly curable, what would be the harm in just finding it later?’ And the harm is really that he might need more treatment to ultimately cure it. And these treatments, they can be pretty serious.”

When testicular cancer metastasizes, it often requires a far more invasive surgery — one with a longer, more challenging recovery, Dason said.

Chemotherapy, too, is generally necessary when the cancer spreads. It is a life-saving measure and “a critical instrument in achieving a cure in many patients,” but it can have a variety of both short- and long-term side effects, many of them unpleasant.

“We really do have evidence that some men will pass away from testicular cancer. And so could those men, if they had presented earlier, have been saved? Very, very possibly,” Dason said.

In Riepenhoff’s case, testing following his radical orchiectomy — the surgery to remove his cancerous testicle — revealed that the cancer had begun to spread, and he underwent three weeks of chemotherapy. All of his treatment took place at the OSU cancer center, although he was not treated by Dason.

Fertility especially becomes a concern when chemotherapy is necessary, Dason said.

Riepenhoff and his wife, Rana, had welcomed their first child, John Patrick Riepenhoff V, just five months before he discovered the cancerous lump. They had long hoped for three children, so before surgery, Riepenhoff chose to freeze sperm in case treatment affected his ability to have more children.

His fertility was not affected, and they expect to welcome their second son in August.

While testicular cancer is highly curable — the 5-year survival rate is 95%, per the National Cancer Institute — dismissing the early symptoms such as a newly discovered lump can make it much more challenging to treat.

Dason pointed out that younger men — and, often, men in general — have acquired a reputation for putting off medical care until absolutely necessary.

In his experience as a physician, Dason said, younger men tend to eschew annual physicals. “When you’re in your 20s and your 30s, there aren’t a lot of chronic health conditions that these young men have, and a lot of them are not regularly visiting their primary care provider.”

Plenty of patients put off seeking care “because they were embarrassed about it, or they were busy or they were hoping it would go away.” Often, a partner is the one who insists they finally see a doctor, he said.

“It’s normal to have a male sexual health complaint. It’s normal to feel something abnormal and go get it checked out. And that’s what our medical practitioners are there for: to help out with all of these concerns, not just a flu or an ankle injury.”

And like Riepenhoff once did, many young men see cancer as a far-off threat. And it’s just not discussed much, Riepenhoff said.

Riepenhoff pointed out that breast cancer awareness is everywhere. “You hear it from parents, schools and physicians,” he said. “But with testicular cancer, I don’t really recall. I’m sure in school we talked about it one time or something, but I don’t ever recall that being hammered into your brain the way that breast cancer is.”

He understands well the reasons men might wait to reach out to a physician.

“I’m sure there are a lot of men out there that got testicular cancer that waited to go to the doctor because they just thought it was an abscess or something. Nothing to be worried about. Had they known that this could be testicular cancer, they may have gone to the doctor earlier, and that can change your diagnosis pretty dramatically.”

Riepenhoff said he asked his doctor what would have happened if he had waited to come in or if he skipped the chemotherapy.

“He said within a year or two, I would have been dead.”

© 2025 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Visit www.post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mattel has introduced its first Barbie representing a person with Type 1 diabetes, as part of wider efforts from the toy maker to increase inclusivity among its dolls.

In an announcement Tuesday, Mattel said it had partnered with Breakthrough T1D — a Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or JDRF — to ensure that the design of the doll “truly captures the community.” That includes accessories that “accurately reflect the medical equipment” people with Type 1 diabetes may need, the California-based company noted.

“Visibility matters for everyone facing Type 1 diabetes,” Emily Mazreku, director of marketing strategy at Breakthrough T1D, said in an accompanying announcement. And as a mother who lives with Type 1 diabetes, she added, “it means everything to have Barbie helping the world see T1D and the incredible people who live with it.”

The new Barbie wears continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a device that tracks blood sugar levels, on her arm — while holding a phone displaying an accompanying app. She also has an insulin pump attached to her waist. And the doll carries a blue purse that can be used to carry other essential supplies or snacks on the go.

The Barbie’s outfit is blue, too — with polka dots on a matching top and skirt set. Mattel says that this color and design are nods to symbols for diabetes awareness.

This new doll “enables more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie,” Mattel wrote Tuesday, and is part of the company’s wider Fashionistas line committed to inclusivity. The line features Barbies with various skin tones, hair colors and textures, disabilities, body types and more. Previously-introduced Fashionistas include a Ken doll with a prosthetic leg and a Barbie with hearing aids. Mattel also introduced its first doll with Down syndrome in 2023.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38.4 million Americans of all ages — amounting to about 11.6% of the U.S. population — were estimated to have diabetes as of 2021, the latest year with data available. About 2 million had Type 1 diabetes, including about 304,000 children and teens younger than 20.

Barbie’s new doll with Type 1 diabetes was also introduced at Breakthrough T1D’s 2025 Children’s Congress held in Washington, D.C. this week, where the organization is advocating for continued federal research funding. This year, Breakthrough T1D has been particularly focused on the Special Diabetes Program, which is currently set to expire in September.

By Bernadette Joy, Bankrate.com

“Renting is throwing money away.” Has anyone ever told you this? Well, I’m here to say: It’s bad financial advice.

My husband and I have owned four different homes in three cities since 2010. If I wanted to, I could buy a house in cash today. But for the last three years, I’ve chosen to rent instead — and my net worth has grown by leaps and bounds because of that choice, not in spite of it.

This is always a hot topic, especially because renting challenges the traditional rhetoric that homeownership is the ultimate path to wealth. And I get it — owning a home is part of the “American Dream.” But if it doesn’t lead to financial freedom, homeownership may be more like a nightmare.

Let me show you how renting, when done intentionally, can actually make you richer.

Renting avoids the hidden costs of homeownership

When you own a home, you’re not just paying the mortgage — you’re also responsible for home maintenance, property taxes and insurance. In fact, Bankrate’s 2025 Hidden Costs of Homeownership Study found that the average annual cost of owning and maintaining a single-family home is more than $21,000.

Now, you’ll incur some of these costs when renting, too. Unless your rental unit includes utilities and internet, you’re probably going to have to pay out of pocket. You’ll probably pay less in electricity than you would in a large, single-family home, but for the sake of argument, let’s take these average costs at face value.

Omitting the expenses you’ll still have when renting, homeownership costs an average of $15,391 — that’s almost $1,300 you could free up each month.

While there aren’t any states that require renters insurance, most landlords have a provision in their rental contracts requiring this form of coverage. While typically less expensive than homeowners insurance, renters insurance is another cost to factor into your calculations.

And don’t forget about mortgage interest

My clients are always shocked when I have them review the amortization table for their 30-year mortgage. In the early years of your mortgage, a large percentage of your monthly payment goes toward interest. You’re not really building equity in the first few years of a mortgage — you’re mostly paying interest.

Let’s say you borrowed a $420,000 mortgage. You qualified for a 6.75 percent mortgage rate on a 30-year term. Your monthly payment is $2,724.

Of your first mortgage payment, only $362 pays down the principal balance — a whopping $2,363 goes toward interest. The balance does shift over time, and by the end of your 30-year term, the bulk of your payment goes toward the principal. But how likely is it that you’ll see the mortgage through to the bitter end, without selling or refinancing (and starting the clock all over again)?

I’ve helped five clients make the decision to sell their homes in 2025, and none of them lived there longer than a decade. So much of their money has gone to interest, and they won’t get much equity in return.

After five years of dutifully paying $2,724 every month, you’ve only gained about $25,000 in home equity. Meanwhile, your mortgage servicer will have made nearly $138,000 from your loan interest. Your five years’ worth of mortgage payments cost you $163,440, and in return, you got $25,000 in equity. Hardly seems worth it.

Rather than paying $15,000 per year in homeownership costs and vast sums of mortgage interest, I pay my rent. Sure, I won’t get a return on that money, but more cash stays in my pocket — cash I can put toward investments. Use a mortgage calculator to take a look at your amortization table and crunch the numbers for yourself.

Renting frees up capital for wealth-building

“Real estate always appreciates in value.” This one’s a myth — just ask anyone who sold a home during the 2008 financial crisis. My husband and I paid $10,000 out of pocket to sell his home at the time.

Yes, real estate can appreciate, but it’s also highly market- and location-dependent. In the past three years, the investments I’ve made in the stock market and my financial education business have significantly outpaced the return I would’ve made on a home in my local market — and with much less headache.

Unfortunately, several of my clients bought their homes at the height of the pandemic boom and are now seeing their home values decline from their peaks.

In today’s economy, renting is increasingly the more affordable option.

According to those numbers, you could save more than $9,000 per year by renting. That money could go a long way for many Americans, and even further if you reallocate that money into wealth-building assets.

After selling my home and returning to renting, I took the proceeds of the sale and invested in growing my business — that cash injection allowed me to surpass my first $1 million in revenue. In the time since, my husband and I have also contributed the maximum amount to our 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), allowing us to pursue early retirement.

When I transitioned from homeownership to renting, I used the proceeds from my home sale and invested in low-risk, interest-bearing accounts, like high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs). This passive income has covered my rent and other living expenses.

I have more money working for me as a renter than I did as a homeowner.

Renting can offer new social networks and income opportunities

Some of my older coaching clients tend to wrongly believe that renting equates to a decrease in quality of life. I’ve been happy to dispel that myth when they comment on the dance, improv and travel that my renting lifestyle accommodates.

I live in a one-bedroom rental in a walkable neighborhood filled with restaurants, music, theater and fitness. Post-COVID apartment buildings often feature co-working spaces, gyms and even social events that allow me to meet people from all walks of life. I felt a lot more isolated in the suburb where I used to live, which was more homogeneous, less active, and farther away from cultural events.

I’ve also been able to find more side hustles than when I lived on the outskirts, like teaching financial literacy classes or dog walking and babysitting for neighbors in my building.

The combination of downsizing and renting has also allowed me to pick up and move quickly to capitalize on potential business or job opportunities in other cities. I can afford global travel with business partners using the money I previously spent on lawn care and home DIY projects. I’ve expanded my social and professional networks and spend more time doing things that bring me joy.

Why renting can be strategic

According to Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report, fewer than half of U.S. adults have enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, and about a quarter have no emergency savings at all. When you don’t have money set aside for a rainy day, it’s especially important to have tight control over your monthly spending — predictable monthly payments are key.

A fixed-rate mortgage may seem stable, but property taxes can always go up. Insurance premiums can rise, and maintenance is always more expensive than you think. Avoiding surprise repairs to water heaters, HVAC systems or roofing can also decrease the anxiety of not having enough cash savings on hand, especially when those repairs cost thousands of dollars.

Your next steps

• What expenses will actually help me build the life I want?
• Do I want a house in the suburbs because I believe it’s what’s expected of me?
• Could my money be better spent elsewhere?
• If I already own a home, have I considered the real-world costs associated with my mortgage, maintenance and other housing costs?
• How do my homeownership costs compare to rentals in my area?

Final thoughts: Owning a home can be great — if it fits your financial plan

As a first-generation American, I felt the weight of my family’s expectation to live out the American Dream — after all, they emigrated here so I could realize it. But I’m living proof that renting isn’t a step back, nor should you feel any shame for choosing to rent.

It’s been a strategic move that’s made me richer — financially, mentally, and emotionally.

Think of rent the same way you think of a gym membership or software subscription — it’s a monthly cost that may support the lifestyle you want. It’s not “throwing money away.” It’s buying peace of mind, freedom of movement and time to grow wealth in other ways.

For me, real wealth isn’t found in square footage. It’s in the daily opportunity to move and live freely according to what aligns with my own version of the American Dream.

©2025 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — When Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill married in 2003, you might be forgiven for thinking that a song, an album or a show might follow.

After all, Peterson cofounded the Bangles in 1981 with her sister Debbi Peterson, Susanna Hoffs, and bass player Annette Zilinskas (who would be replaced by Michael Steele). And from the mid-’60s, Cowsill was a member of the Cowsills with siblings Bill, Bob, Barry, and Susan Cowsill, as well as their mother Barbara Cowsill.

That’s a lot of musical legacy between them, but no, there was nothing more than the occasional backing vocals for friends or fellow musicians over the years, until April when the first-ever Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill album, “Long After the Fire,” arrived.

Maybe that’s how it was meant to be, though. The album is a collection of covers of songs written by Bill Cowsill, who died at 58 in 2006, after a long run of poor health, and Barry Cowsill, who died at 50 in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina tore through his then-hometown of New Orleans.

“The idea was floating around for years and years,” Peterson says on a recent phone call with Cowsill. ” And some of the songs have been in our world for decades, including the song ‘Don’t Look Back,’ which was recorded by the Cowsills back in 1970. So as a kid and a Cowsills fan, I knew that song and loved it.

“It was an idea John and I talked about for a long time, and then finally, circumstances kind of came to the point where we were able to start recording together,” she says. “We have a studio here in our home, but John was touring with the Beach Boys for 23 years, and was rarely actually physically home. So it took a while to actually get into the studio and make the commitment to, like, we’re going to do this.”

Recording together isn’t the only thing Cowsill, 68, and Peterson, 67, have learned. With only one or two exceptions, they’d never shared a live stage either.

“It’s brand new,” Cowsill says, as both laugh. “We were just a domestic couple for, like, the longest time of our relationship. I mean, other than playing 20 years at Bill’s benefit, singing ‘A Thousand Times’ [which is now on their album] of all songs, we never really did anything together. Unless occasionally somebody would send us a file and ask us to put vocals on it, and we’d go downstairs in the studio and put vocals on other people’s stuff.

“Then we’d come upstairs and make dinner and that was it,” he says.

“We’re a baby band,” Peterson says. “We’re the oldest baby band in the world.”

“Because nobody knows who we are really,” Cowsill adds. “That’s why, like, Vicki wanted to call it the Peter-Sills – “

“No, I didn’t,” she says in mock offense as both laugh again.

“OK, but she wanted to name us something else than our names,” says Cowsill, who earlier this year toured with the Smithereens in place of the late singer Pat DiNizio. “I said, ‘No way, we need all the help we can get. Somebody might recognize those names and answer the phone when we call.’”

In an interview edited for length and clarity, Peterson and Cowsill talked about how they picked the songs from Bill and Barry Cowsill’s individual catalogs, what it was like taking on songs for loved family members who no longer alive, and why Peterson says Cowsill was inconsiderate on the day they first met some 47 years ago now.

Q: My understanding, John, is that ‘”Is Anybody Here” was the song that got the ball rolling when Paul Allen [who produced the record] called you from Nashville one day.

Cowsill: That’s right, yep. He was in Nashville and I was playing with the Beach Boys in Memphis and he called me up and asked me randomly: Do I want to record at Sun Studio? And I kind of laughed and said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Because you’ve been telling me about the Dead Brothers Project forever,’ and I kind of said, ‘Oh yeah sure.’

So we went there, it was a perfect choice. [“Is Anybody Here”] is a very Roy Orbison-y kind of melody and feel to it. It just was a beautiful place to record that song. It came out nice. So that started the project for sure.

Q: I’d heard that you and Vicki were calling this the Dead Brothers Project as you worked on it.

Cowsill: Yeah, we called it that forever. We were gonna even name it that, but then went on the internet and everybody has a ‘dead brothers’ something. To me, it was like that was risqué, but it wasn’t at all.

Q: Didn’t Bill used to do something where he’d only play songs by dead rock stars?

Cowsill: He said, ‘We only do dead guy music.’ So he would totally appreciate the Dead Brothers Project. My family’s pretty fun and dark like that.

Q: You chose six songs by each of Bill and Barry. Was it difficult to decide which ones to do?

Peterson: I would say it was easy, but there were definitely choices that had to be made. These were just the ones that rose to the top for us. We love the songs that Bill recorded with his bands Blues Shadows and Blue Northern, but some of those songs on those albums Bill did not write, so they weren’t eligible.

And Barry just has a very eclectic songbook, and some of the stuff is quite out there and quite particular to his artistry. We had to really think about that, like that’s so Barry, how can we put ourselves into that song and perform it and find a way that would feel comfortable doing that? Because he was such a character in so many ways. The guy was like a vaudeville character or something.

Cowsill: He didn’t do a lot of cowriting. He wrote for himself. Bill always loved writing with other people. Him and Jeffrey Hatcher wrote a lot of songs on the Blue Shadows, and Jeffrey is an incredible songwriter. Those guys tell stories even if it didn’t happen to them. They can get outside themselves. But Barry is very personal. He lives by example.

Q: What was a song of Barry’s you did that you had to really think about including?

Peterson: I would say “Ol’ Timeless.’ It’s just his voice and sort of a harmonium sound, and so, so personal that it felt a little ballsy in a way to take a stab at it. We wanted to honor the almost spiritual quality of that song, but then frame it very differently musically. That one was like, we’re taking kind of a giant step here.

Cowsill: And it pertains to people on the outside. Like, we couldn’t do a song like “My Car Don’t Lock.” It’s so Barry. I mean, you could do any of them, but it’s still very stylized. I wouldn’t want to mess with it.

Q: Bill and Barry have been gone for about 20 years now. I’d imagine that working on this record stirred some strong memories of them for you both.

Peterson: I knew them mostly as a fan. But I did spend quite a bit of time with Barry because he lived in New Orleans at the same time that I did, so we crossed paths many times there. I had a couple of misadventures with Bill in the ’90s at South By Southwest, but he was mostly a guy on the other end of the phone for me.

I was just hoping and believing that Barry would be very happy to have this project out in the world. He said more than once – actually we’re sitting in our kitchen right now, and he said it in this very room. One night, he goes, “I just want my music to be heard. I just want it to be heard.” That’s what I keep thinking about

Cowsill: Yeah, we’re reintroducing these songs that have been out before, and so it’s a reawakening of the songs. I always bonded with Bill – in later years we did. He basically raised some of us. Me, for sure. Trained me as a musician and a singer. I consider him our Brian Wilson in our family.

Q: In the making of the record, you must have gotten to know each other musically in ways that were new and different.

Cowsill: Just discovering how we sound together, we were kind of smiling at each other. Said, ‘Oh, this is good.’ Because we started in the living room, you know. The first time we realized that we have a nice blend together was like, ‘OK, we can definitely do this. This is going to be fun.’

And it has been fun. We smile and laugh a lot. If anybody’s a hothead it’s me. I have to put notes on the table telling me, “Be patient. Be calm. Don’t get mad.” Because, you know, I want to hurry up and figure out what’s going on, and sometimes it takes people a little bit longer to do stuff, and you have to be patient.

Q: As you were figuring things out, what were the songs where you had that feeling of ‘this is working’?

Peterson: I think John mentioned “A Thousand Times.” That is a song that actually 21 years ago, we performed at a benefit for Bill to help raise some money for his medical needs. He was having some issues up in Canada and had no money.

So this wonderful concert was put on, hosted by the Cowsills mostly, but with great guests: Peter Tork [of the Monkees], Waddy Wachtel [musician and Bill’s close friend], Shirley Jones [who starred in “The Partridge Family” TV series, which was inspired by the Cowsills].

Q: And Barry’s song from your wedding is on the album, too.

Cowsill: I’ve always loved “Hearts Collide,” and Barry sang it at our wedding. I just love that song. I mean, yes, there’s just so many connections and dots connected doing this project on many, many levels. And it was a very moving project as well, because they’re not here.

Q: The wedding was in 2003, but I’d assume you knew each other for much longer, given the community of musicians in Los Angeles in which you both have traveled. How far back does your friendship go?

Cowsill: Well, I’m going to take a nap, and Vicki can tell you the story. [Both laugh]

Peterson: It’s not long at all. We date back to April 28, 1978.

Cowsill: We did not date.

Peterson: We were not dating. We met that day at a small club in Redondo Beach. But even if we hadn’t met that day – and you can look at it like sliding doors, like if life had worked out slightly differently – we probably would have met in the coming years because the Cowsills were already out and about playing again after many years of not working together.

I was a big Cowsills fan. I would have found them in some other club, Club Lingerie, at the Whisky, at the Troubadour.  At some point, I would have gone to see the Cowsills play, and I would have gone up and introduced myself, because my sister and my best friend and I were already playing in clubs ourselves at that time, just out of high school. And our paths did collide over and over again over the next couple of years.

But as far as personal relationships, no. We met in April, and by May, John was married to Wife No. 1. So that was very inconvenient and inconsiderate of him, I thought.

Then Susan Cowsill and I became very close friends. [They formed the duo the Psycho Sisters and were also members of the Continental Drifters.] So I was just like Susan’s friend for many years to John, I think. Just those girls who used to hang out at rehearsals, and now they’re on MTV.

Q: So, at some point after John’s no longer married and you started to date?

Peterson: We never dated until after Wife No. 2.

Cowsill: I collect the whole series.

Peterson: He does. He was practicing, and he did very well. He’d kind of got it down.

Q: And now that you’ve discovered the joy of performing together – another album, more shows?

Cowsill: We’re planning on going forward. An album will be in the works eventually. But we haven’t really toured yet. We’re happy to have the date in Fullerton. So we’ll see if they come. We want them to come. They’re gonna have a great time, because we’re fun. Let’s see what happens.

In a certain acclaimed musical, characters wonder why Founding Father Alexander Hamilton writes like he’s running out of time.

We might ask the same thing of James Gunn.

In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery hired the filmmaker behind the largely fantastic “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies for Disney-owned Marvel Studios as co-chairman and -CEO of DC Studios. WBD tasked him with overseeing the construction of the DC Universe — the successor to the DC Extended Universe, home to the polarizing so-called “Snyderverse” movies — and creating a more pleasing and profitable future for characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman and, of course, Superman.

Gunn wrote and directed the first big-screen DCU endeavor, “Superman,” which flies into theaters this week.

It does so breathlessly, packing in too many characters and too many plot threads, resulting in a cinematic affair that is more dizzying than delightful.

Unquestionably, the film has its superior aspects, starting with hints of John Williams’ iconic score from 1978’s “Superman” peppered throughout and the choice of the relatively little-known David Corenswet to portray the Man of Steel, a super-powered, all-but-invincible being sent to Earth from the since-destroyed Krypton. The “Twisters” actor radiates the sincere and optimistic vibe Gunn is going for with his version of the character, created in Cleveland decades ago.

Michigan native Dean Cain honored to have played Superman

And speaking of The Land, it truly shines in “Superman,” much of which was shot in and around the city a year ago. Although shooting also took place in Cincinnati and other spots, Metropolis essentially is Cleveland fused with a larger, digitally created collection of buildings, but landmarks such as the Terminal Tower are rarely out of sight for long. Other downtown locations, such as Public Square, get their moments in the sun, too. That shot of Superman and love interest Lois Lane (a smartly cast Rachel Brosnahan of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) elevating in the Arcade that’s teased in the advanced footage? It’s entirely lovely. Plus, Progressive Field sees more action than the Cleveland Guardians have generated of late. Oh, and let’s not forget the sandy Headlands Beach State Park in Lake County, which stands in for a fictional country’s desert landscape.

Gunn has a tremendous gift for blending action, comedy and adventure, which he has done here, albeit far less successfully than in the “Guardians” flicks, which exist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his R-rated DCEU film, 2021’s “The Suicide Squad.” Whatever “Superman” is, it isn’t boring.

And we understand why he eschewed the notion of making yet another superhero origin story — the world has plenty of those. That said, despite the on-screen text that greets us in the movie’s opening moments — informing us that, among other facts, metahumans (super types) have been on the planet for three centuries and that Superman introduced himself to humanity three years ago — it always feels like we’re playing catch-up.

Metropolis — where it seems so commonplace for superpowered beings to be clashing above the skyscrapers that some folks barely notice — is also home to a small band of heroes led by Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion, “Firefly”), who wields a powerful ring and insists upon using the name Justice Gang, which ally Hawkgirl (Cleveland native Isabela Merced, “The Last of Us”) insists is very much a working title. Regardless, the group also includes Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi, “For All Mankind”), who’s brilliant but easily irritated.

On the other side is Superman’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor (an appropriately bald Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”), a tech visionary and ever-scheming businessman, and the metahumans he commands, including the shapeshifting Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría, “Animal Control”) and versatile Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”).

With all these moving pieces, there’s barely time for the obligatory romance between Lois and her reporter colleague Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego. They’ve been dating for three months, and cracks are starting to show in their relationship. Until now, Clark has been getting exclusive interviews with Superman, which, as Lois points out, is ethically questionable, to say the least. He grants her one there and then, as Superman, and he is more than taken aback by her tough questions regarding the role he has assumed in world diplomacy, more or less on behalf of the United States but without governmental approval.

“PEOPLE WERE GOING TO DIE!” he exclaims.

(She also calls him out for being pouty after he reads negative social media posts about himself, which also doesn’t go well.)

Thanks to Luthor — who tends to refer to him, with disgust, as “the Kryptonian” — Supes soon has much bigger problems.

As if all of that weren’t enough, the mix also includes, as you probably know, a super dog, the mostly adorable but also unruly and downright violent Krypto.

As “Superman” burns and barks through its slightly more-than-two-hour runtime, we get geopolitics, the swift swaying of public sentiment, a prison within a “pocket universe” and an interdimensional rift that threatens to destroy more than Metropolis.

Exhale.

Some are sure to enjoy this wild ride, while others almost certainly will want off pretty early.

Even though this wasn’t our cup of superhero tea, we still largely believe in the creative Gunn and hope that he has the opportunity to flesh out the DCU. He recently has pushed back on the notion that “Superman” needs to generate a super-sized return at the box office on its reported $225 million budget to be deemed a success, but maybe he literally already is running out of time.

Gunn has made a Superman movie that celebrates and accentuates what he loves about the character, first and foremost his admiration for what it means to be human. Hey, it’s hard to knock that.

However, if Gunn gets to make another, we hope he finds a way to slow things down a bit.

‘Superman’

Where: Theaters.

When: July 11.

Rated: PG-13 for violence, action and language.

Runtime: 2 hours, 9 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.

By JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump sent out tariff letters to seven smaller U.S. trading partners on Wednesday with a pledge to announce import taxes on other countries later in the day.

None of the countries targeted in the first batch of letters — the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Sri Lanka — is a major industrial rival to the United States. It’s a sign that a president who has openly expressed his love for the word “tariff” is still infatuated with the idea that taxing trade will create prosperity for America.

Most economic analyses say the tariffs will worsen inflationary pressures and subtract from economic growth, but Trump has used the taxes as a way to assert the diplomatic and financial power of the U.S. on both rivals and allies. His administration is promising that the taxes on imports will lower trade imbalances, offset some of the cost of the tax cuts he signed into law on Friday and cause factory jobs to return to the United States.

Trump, during a White House meeting with African leaders talked up trade as a diplomatic tool. Trade, he said, “seems to be a foundation” for him to settle disputes between India and Pakistan, as well as Kosovo and Serbia.

“You guys are going to fight, we’re not going to trade,” Trump said. “And we seem to be quite successful in doing that.”

On Monday, Trump placed a 35% tariff on Serbia, one of the countries he was using as an example of how fostering trade can lead to peace.

Trump said the tariff rates in his letters were based on “common sense” and trade imbalances, adding that he would be sending a letter on Wednesday or Thursday to Brazil. Trump suggested he had not thought of penalizing the countries whose leaders were meeting with him in the Oval Office — Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau — as “these are friends of mine now.”

Officials for the European Union, a major trade partner and source of Trump’s ire on trade, said Tuesday that they are not expecting to receive a letter from Trump listing tariff rates. The Republican president started the process of announcing tariff rates on Monday by hitting two major U.S. trading partners, Japan and South Korea, with import taxes of 25%.

According to Trump’s letters, imports from Libya, Iraq, Algeria and Sri Lanka would be taxed at 30%, those from Moldova and Brunei at 25% and those from the Philippines at 20%. The tariffs would start Aug. 1.

The Census Bureau reported that last year U.S. ran a trade imbalance on goods of $1.4 billion with Algeria, $5.9 billion with Iraq, $900 million with Libya, $4.9 billion with the Philippines, $2.6 billion with Sri Lanka, $111 million with Brunei and $85 million with Moldova. The imbalance represents the difference between what the U.S. exported to those countries and what it imported.

Taken together, the trade imbalances with those seven countries are essentially a rounding error in a U.S. economy with a gross domestic product of $30 trillion.

The letters were posted on Truth Social after the expiration of a 90-day negotiating period with a baseline levy of 10%. Trump is giving countries more time to negotiate with his Aug. 1 deadline, but he has insisted there will be no extensions for the countries that receive letters.

Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s chief trade negotiator, told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday that the EU had been spared the increased tariffs contained in the letters sent by Trump and that an extension of talks until Aug. 1 would provide “additional space to reach a satisfactory conclusion.”

Trump on April 2 proposed a 20% tariff for EU goods and then threatened to raise that to 50% after negotiations did not move as fast as he would have liked, only to return to the 10% baseline. The EU has 27 member states, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The tariff letters are worded aggressively in Trump’s style of writing. He frames the tariffs as an invitation to “participate in the extraordinary Economy of the United States,” adding that the trade imbalances are a “major threat” to America’s economy and national security.

The president threatened additional tariffs on any country that attempts to retaliate. He said he chose to send the letters because it was too complicated for U.S. officials to negotiate with their counterparts in the countries with new tariffs. It can take years to broker trade accords.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba interpreted the Aug. 1 deadline as a delay to allow more time for negotiations, although he cautioned in remarks that the tariffs would hurt his nation’s domestic industries and employment.

Malaysia’s trade minister, Zafrul Aziz, said Wednesday that his country would not meet all of the U.S. requests after a Trump letter placed a 25% tariff on its goods. Aziz said U.S. officials are seeking changes in government procurement, halal certification, medical standards and digital taxes. Aziz he indicated those were red lines.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to arrive Thursday in Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Associated Press writers David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.

After many years of acrimony, Lou Gramm — headliner of the inaugural Yacht Rock Detroit festival taking place this weekend — says it’s smooth sailing between him and the Foreigner camp these days.

Gramm, the band’s original frontman and co-writer, with founder Mick Jones, of its biggest hits, made his final departure from Foreigner in early 2003. And even while making special guest appearances with the group starting in 2017, there was tension over a variety of issues. But Gramm, 75, has a new attitude after Foreigner’s “life-changing” induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October.

“Ever since (the induction,) it felt like, personally, I had to find a way to let go of some of the things I’ve been holding onto for years and kind of, like the song says, ‘let it be,'” says Gramm, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with Jones in 2013.

“It’s a hackneyed sentiment, but it’s true — life’s too short. And a lot of the things that are blown up and made big deals about are easy enough to get over and humble yourself and reach out a little bit, ’cause what you’ve been made about for the past 20 years is not a monumental thing.”

Gramm has certainly been a strong presence in Foreigner’s world during the past 10 months or so.

He appears on the unreleased 1996 track “Turning Back the Time” from the recent compilation of the same name, while he helped finish another vaulted song, “Fool If You Love Him,” for a reissue of the 1981 album “4” in September. Gramm was also a featured guest on Foreigner’s tour of South and Central America earlier this year and will do the same for U.S. dates in December.

“I don’t think there’s any contrivance or people questioning the reason why I would be up there with that band,” Gramm says. “They’ve done a great job over the last two decades of keeping the name up there and flying the flag. They deserve a lot of credit and I love getting the chance to work with them whenever we can.”

Yacht Rock Detroit takes place Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, at the Roostertail, 100 Marquette Drive, Detroit. Other performers include Ben Sharkey and the Seven Wonders Fleetwood Mac tribute. 313-822-1234 or yachtrockdetroit.com.