Marshall University President Brad Smith and his wife, Alys Smith, have made a $50 million gift to the university to promote a program aimed at eliminating student debt, the school said Tuesday.

The gift is the largest ever given to the public research university and the largest given by any sitting university president to their own institution, the school said.

The money will go toward Marshall For All, a program that allows students to combine scholarships, grants, family contributions and work opportunities to obtain a bachelors degree without having to apply for student loans.

Nico Karagosian, president and CEO of the Marshall University Foundation, called the gift transformative.

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Marshall, which has nearly 10,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students, plans to expand the program with the goal of enabling all students to graduate debt-free by the universitys 2037 bicentennial.

We are honored to support Marshall University and the Marshall For All program with this gift, Brad and Alys Smith said in a statement released by the university. Our why is simple: to level the playing field in West Virginia and Appalachia."

The program currently has two tracks. One covers full tuition and fees for West Virginia students with a family income below $65,000. The other offers a debt-free bachelors degree along with real-world experience for randomly selected students either from the state or eligible out-of-state counties within a certain distance of the Huntington campus.

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Brad Smith, a former CEO of software company Intuit, became Marshalls president in January 2022. During his investiture later that year a date chosen to honor the his late father's birthday he announced the Marshall For All program.

My father and mother have always been and remain my moral compass," Smith said. They committed to providing an opportunity for their children to attend college and sacrificed to ensure my brothers and I could do so. It was a promise made and kept. Alys and I are blessed to transform that promise into the privilege to pay it forward."

Conservationists have filed a lawsuit to halt Florida's first black bear hunt in a decade, arguing that the hunt scheduled for December is unconstitutional and contradicts the state's own policy protecting native species.

State officials approved the hunt in August despite strong opposition. Bear Warriors United filed the complaint against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in circuit court in Tallahassee on Wednesday.

The FWCs illegal action undermines its constitutional duty to manage the black bear population based on scientifically supported recommendations, not the whims of the Commission, the complaint reads.

A spokesperson for the agency declined to comment on the pending litigation.

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The conservation group previously filed a similar complaint in an administrative court, but voluntarily withdrew it after attorneys for the fish and wildlife agency argued that it isn't subject to an administrative ruling on the issue.

The commission voted unanimously in favor of the hunt last month, including plans to use dogs and target the bears in baited locations. State officials say they need to manage growing bear populations, which the wildlife agency says have recovered significantly.

State officials have also noted an increase in interactions between people and bears, with the animals digging through homeowners' trash cans and injuring or killing farmers' livestock.

We make decisions based on science, Commission Chair Rodney Barreto said at the time.

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Opponents have called the hunt a cruel, unnecessary excuse for hunters to bag a trophy animal when the real issue is humans encroaching on bear habitats as the country's third most populous state continues to add people.

There are an estimated 4,000 black bears in Florida, one of the few states with sizable populations that do not have a bear hunting season.

This year's plan has more stringent rules than the 2015 hunt did, when hunting permits were provided to anyone who could pay for them. That led to a chaotic event that shut down days early after 300-plus bears were killed, including at least 38 females with cubs, meaning the young bears probably died too.

Uber Eats will soon be making some meal deliveries with drones.

Uber Technologies said Thursday that it's partnering with drone company Flytrex Inc. The companies expect to begin deliveries in test markets by the end of this year. Uber didn't say where those markets will be, but Flytrex is already operating in Texas and North Carolina.

It's the latest partnership in the fast-growing drone delivery space. Flytrex, which is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, also makes deliveries for Uber Eats' rival DoorDash.

Wing, a drone company owned by Google parent Alphabet, works with DoorDash and Walmart. Zipline, a drone company based in South San Francisco, works with Walmart and Panera Bread and also makes deliveries for hospitals. Amazon also making deliveries with its own Prime Air drones.

"Autonomous technology is transforming mobility and delivery faster than ever before," said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's president of autonomous mobility and delivery, in a company statement. "With Flytrex, we're entering the next chapterbringing the speed and sustainability of drone delivery to the Uber Eats platform, at scale, for the first time."

"The promise of autonomous vehicles is here, redefining logistics on the ground and in the air," said Noam Bardin, executive chairman of Flytrex. "Autonomous drones are the future of food deliveryfast, affordable, and hands-free. Flytrex has already delivered over 200,000 meals to suburban households in the past three years. Partnering with Uberpioneers of ground-based mobilitybrings together proven logistics expertise with aerial innovation. Together, we're building the infrastructure for a future where autonomous systems seamlessly move goods through our communities, making faster, safer, and more sustainable delivery the new standard."

San Francisco-based Uber is making an investment in Flytrex as part of the deal. Financial details of the partnership weren't shared Thursday.

Flytrex, which was founded in 2013, said it has made more than 200,000 deliveries across the U.S. Flytrex Executive Chairman Noam Bardin said the partnership combines Uber's logistics expertise with Flytrex's aerial innovation.

"Autonomous drones are the future of food delivery fast, affordable and hands-free," Bardin said in a statement.

The man who fatally shot three Pennsylvania officers and injured two before he was killed by police has been identified as 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, according to a law enforcement official.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The officers were killed Wednesday while following up on a domestic-related investigation that began on Tuesday. Two more officers were wounded in the shooting and police killed the gunman.

Hours after Wednesdays shooting, community members held American flags and saluted as police and emergency vehicles formed a procession to the coroners office. It was one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century.

Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the violence at a news conference and said it was a tragic loss of life. Attorney General Pamela Bondi called the violence against police a scourge on our society.

It was one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century. In 2009 three Pittsburgh officers responding to a domestic disturbance were ambushed and shot to death by a man in a bulletproof vest.

Police departments across the region expressed condolences on social media. People were leaving flowers at the headquarters of the Northern York Regional Police Department.

The shooting erupted in the area of North Codorus Township, about 115 miles (185 km) west of Philadelphia, not far from Maryland, authorities said.

Dirk Anderson heard quite a few shots from his home across the street from the shooting, he said. He saw a helicopter and police arrive.

The emergency response unfolded on a rural road in south-central Pennsylvania. Some 30 police vehicles blocked off roads bordered by a barn, a goat farm and soybean and corn fields.

The two injured officers were in critical but stable condition at York Hospital, authorities said.

Authorities have not identified the officers or which police department they belonged to, or describe how they were shot, citing the investigation.

Family members of those killed were grieving but proud of their loved ones, said Shapiro.

Another officer in the area was killed in February, when a man armed with a pistol and zip ties entered a hospitals intensive care unit and took staff members hostage before a shootout that left both the man and an officer dead.

A patron at one of the nation's newest amusement parks has died after riding a roller coaster there, Florida authorities said.

The man in his 30s was found unresponsive after riding the coaster at Epic Universe on Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando said in a statement to The Associated Press. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No further details were immediately released early Thursday.

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Universal Orlando Resorts opened the park in May. It has five themed sections and a 500-room hotel.

Its the first major, traditional theme park to open in Florida since 1999, when Universal Islands of Adventure debuted, though Universal opened a themed Orlando water park, Volcano Bay, in 2017.

The addition of Epic Universe brought the total number of parks at the Florida resort to four, including Universal Studios.

President Donald Trump said early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a major terrorist organization.

Antifa, short for short for anti-fascists, is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups and is not a singular entity. They consist of groups that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations.

Its unclear how the administration would label what is effectively a decentralized movement as a terrorist organization, and the White House on Wednesday did not immediately offer more details.

Trump, who is on a state visit to the United Kingdom, made the announcement in a social media post shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday local time. He called antifa a SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER. He also said he will be strongly recommending that funders of antifa be investigated.

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Trumps previous FBI director, Christopher Wray, said in testimony in 2020 that antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure that would usually allow it to be designated as a terror group by the federal government.

After Trump's post, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., praised the announcement, saying: "Antifa seized upon a movement of legitimate grievances to promote violence and anarchy, working against justice for all. The President is right to recognize the destructive role of Antifa by designating them domestic terrorists.

In July 2019, Cassidy and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a resolution in the Senate to condemn the violent acts of antifa and to designate the group a domestic terror organization.

ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmels late-night show indefinitely following comments he made about Charlie Kirks killing.

The network's decision Wednesday came after Nexstar announced its ABC affiliates would pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely over his comments.

Mr. Kimmels comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located, said Andrew Alford, President of Nexstars broadcasting division.

A spokesperson for Kimmel did not immediately return a call for comment.

In his monologue on Tuesday, Kimmel said that we hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.

President Donald Trump has added The New York Times to the list of media companies he's challenged in court, filing a $15 billion defamation lawsuit that targets four of its journalists in a book and three articles published within a two-month period before the last election.

In a Truth Social post announcing the lawsuit early Tuesday, Trump called the Times one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the nation's history and a virtual mouthpiece for Democrats. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Florida.

The Times called the lawsuit meritless and an attempt to discourage independent reporting. The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics, spokesman Charlie Stadtlander said.

It follows lawsuits Trump has filed against ABC News and CBS News' 60 Minutes, both of which were settled out of court by the news organizations' parent companies. Trump also sued The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch in July after the newspaper published a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The lawsuit names a book and an article written by Times reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig that focuses on Trump's finances and his pre-presidency starring role in television's The Apprentice.

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Trump said in the lawsuit they maliciously peddled the fact-free narrative that television producer Mark Burnett discovered Trump into a celebrity even though at and prior to the time of publications defendants knew that President Trump was already a mega-celebrity and an enormous success in business. The 85-page lawsuit also attacks claims the reporters made about Trump's early business dealings and his father, Fred.

Trump also cites an article by Peter Baker last Oct. 20 headlined For Trump, a Lifetime of Scandals Heads Toward a Moment of Judgment. He also sues Michael S. Schmidt for a piece two days later featuring an interview with Trump's first-term chief of staff, John Kelly, headlined As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator.

In the lawsuit, Trump claimed The Times could not accept President Trump's win in 2016 and could not fathom his winning again in a landslide. It wasn't a part of the case, but Trump attacked the newspaper's deranged editorial endorsement of opponent Kamala Harris last year.

The Times has engaged in a decades long method of lying about your Favorite President (ME!), my family, business, the America First Movement, MAGA and our Nation as a whole, Trump said on Truth Social. I am PROUD to hold this once-respected rag responsible.

None of Trump's media lawsuits have made it to court, but in court papers he claimed the settlements with ABC and CBS as part of his successful undertaking to restore integrity to journalism.

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The president has also been involved in a lawsuit by The Associated Press over restricting the news organization's access to cover him in retaliation for its decision not to follow his executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

The Times' Stadtlander said that the news organization will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists' First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people.

Penguin Random House, publisher of Buettner and Craig's book, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, said it stands by the book and its authors.

The Trump administration on Monday added Colombia to a list of nations failing to cooperate in the drug war for the first time in almost 30 years, a stinging rebuke to a traditional U.S. ally that reflects a recent surge in cocaine production and fraying ties between the White House and the country's leftist president.

Even as it determined that Colombia had failed to comply with its international counternarcotics obligations, the Trump administration issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered major aid cuts, citing vital U.S. national interests.

Nonetheless, it is a major step against one of the United States' staunchest allies in Latin America, which analysts said could hurt the economy and further hamper efforts to restore security in the countryside.

President Gustavo Petro, who has said on several occasions that whisky kills more people than cocaine, lamented Trump's decision during a televised cabinet meeting Monday, saying Colombia was penalized after sacrificing the lives of "dozens of policemen, soldiers and regular citizens, trying to stop cocaine" from reaching the United States.

"What we have been doing is not really relevant to the Colombian people," he said of the nation's antidrug efforts. "It's to stop North American society from smearing its noses" in cocaine.

The U.S. last added Colombia to the list, through a process known as decertification, in 1997 when the country's cartels through threats of violence and money had poisoned much of the nation's institutions.

"Decertification is a blunt tool and a huge irritant in bilateral relations that goes well beyond drug issues and makes cooperation far harder in any number of areas," said Adam Isacson, a security researcher at the Washington Office on Latin America. "That's why it's so rarely used."

The president at the time, Ernesto Samper, was facing credible accusations of receiving illicit campaign contributions from the now-defunct Cali cartel and a plane he was set to use for a trip to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly session was found carrying 4 kilograms of heroin.

A remarkable turnaround began once Samper left office. Successive U.S. administrations both Republican and Democrats sent billions in foreign assistance to Colombia to eradicate illegal coca crops, strengthen its armed forces in the fight against drug-fueled rebels and provide economic alternatives to poor farmers who are on the lowest rungs of the cocaine industry.

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Cocaine production surges

That cooperation, a rare U.S. foreign policy success in Latin America, started to unravel following the suspension a decade ago of aerial eradication of coca fields with glyphosate. It followed a Colombian high court ruling that determined the U.S.-funded program was potentially harmful to the environment and farmers.

A 2016 peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the nation's largest rebel group known as FARC, also committed Colombia to rolling back punitive policies likened to the U.S. spraying of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War in favor of state building, rural development and voluntary crop substitution.

Since then, cocaine production has skyrocketed. The amount of land dedicated to cultivating coca, the base ingredient of cocaine, has almost tripled in the past decade to a record 253,000 hectares in 2023, according to the latest report available from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. That is almost triple the size of New York City.

Along with production, drug seizures have also soared to 654 metric tons so far this year. Colombia seized a record 884 metric tons last year.

But unlike past governments, manual eradication of coca crops under Petro's leadership has slowed, to barely 5,048 hectares this year far less than the 68,000 hectares uprooted in the final year of his conservative predecessor's term and well below the government's own goal of 30,000 hectares.

A critic of U.S. policy

Petro, a former rebel himself, also has angered senior U.S. officials by denying American extradition requests as well as criticizing the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and its efforts to combat drug trafficking in neighboring Venezuela.

"Under my administration, Colombia does not collaborate in assassinations," Petro said on Sept. 5 after the U.S. military carried out a deadly strike on a small Venezuelan vessel in the Caribbean that the Trump administration said was transporting cocaine bound for the U.S.

"The failure of Colombia to meet its drug control obligations over the past year rests solely with its political leadership," Trump said in a presidential memo submitted to Congress. "I will consider changing this designation if Colombia's government takes more aggressive action to eradicate coca and reduce cocaine production and trafficking, as well as hold those producing, trafficking, and benefiting from the production of cocaine responsible, including through improved cooperation with the United States to bring the leaders of Colombian criminal organizations to justice."

Under U.S. law, the president annually must identify countries that have failed to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements during the previous 12 months.

In addition to Colombia, the Trump administration listed four other countries Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Venezuela as among 23 major drug transit or drug-production countries that have failed to meet their international obligations. With the exception of Afghanistan, the White House determined that U.S. assistance to those countries was vital to national interests and therefore they would be spared any potential sanctions.

The redesignation of Venezuela as a country that has failed to adequately fight narcotics smuggled from neighboring Colombia comes against the backdrop of a major U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that has already led to two deadly strikes on small Venezuelan vessels that the Trump administration said were transporting cocaine bound for the U.S.

"In Venezuela, the criminal regime of indicted drug trafficker Nicols Maduro leads one of the largest cocaine trafficking networks in the world, and the United States will continue to seek to bring Maduro and other members of his complicit regime to justice for their crimes," Trump's designation said. "We will also target Venezuelan foreign terrorist organizations such as Tren de Aragua and purge them from our country."

The Israeli military began a ground offensive targeting Gaza City on Tuesday, slowly squeezing in on the Palestinian territory's largest city that has seen block after block already destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war. Residents still in the city were warned they must leave and head south.

The push marks yet another escalation in a conflict that has roiled the Middle East as any potential ceasefire feels even further out of reach despite months of diplomacy. While the military wouldn't offer a timeline for the offensive, Israeli media outlets suggested it could take months.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Gaza is burning while independent experts commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council announced that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, joining a rising international chorus of such accusations.

Israel fiercely rejected the claim, calling the experts' report distorted and false."

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio left Israel and then made a brief stop in the energy-rich nation of Qatar, where he met with its ruling emir, whose country is still incensed over Israels strike last week that killed five Hamas members and a local security official.

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Arab and Muslim nations denounced the strike at a summit on Monday but stopped short of any major action targeting Israel, highlighting the challenge of diplomatically pressuring any change in Israel's conduct.

Egypt, however, escalated its language against Israel, referring to it as the enemy for the first time in years. Qatar and Egypt have been key negotiators in the war.

We have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen, Rubio said. It's a key moment an important moment.

Rubio said "a negotiated settlement" still remains the best option while acknowledging the dangers an intensified military campaign posed to Gaza.

The only thing worse than a war is a protracted one that goes on forever and ever, Rubio said. At some point, this has to end. At some point, Hamas has to be defanged, and we hope it can happen through a negotiation. But I think time, unfortunately, is running out.

Intensity of strikes in Gaza City grows

Katz had signaled earlier in the day that the operation in Gaza City had begun.

Gaza is burning, he said. "We will not relent and we will not go back until the completion of the mission.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines, said that the main phase of the Gaza City operation had begun, with troops moving in from the city's outskirts toward its center. Airstrikes have pounded Gaza City for some time in the lead-up to the operation, knocking down towers in the city.

The official said the Israeli military believes there are approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas militants left in Gaza City, as well as tunnels used by the militant group. The military estimates 350,000 people have left Gaza City saying it was about one-third of the city's population before the new ground offensive started.

RELATED STORY | Trump criticizes Israels strike on Hamas in Qatar but is hopeful for peace

That contradicted a U.N. estimate issued Monday that over 220,000 Palestinians have fled northern Gaza over the past month, after the Israeli military warned that all residents should leave Gaza City ahead of the operation. An estimated 1 million Palestinians were living in the region around Gaza City before the evacuation warnings.

Long lines of traffic stretched down Gaza's coastal road Tuesday as the offensive began, with vehicles loaded down with mattresses and people's belongings and others fleeing on foot.

By the end of the current operation, an Israeli military graphic suggested its troops hope to control all of the Gaza Strip except for a large swath along the coast.

At least 34 Palestinians killed in Gaza City

Palestinian residents reported heavy strikes across Gaza City on Tuesday morning.

By noon, the city's Shifa Hospital had received the bodies of 34 people killed in the strikes, said Dr. Rami Mhanna, a hospital official. Dozens of wounded had also come into the facility, he said.

A very tough night in Gaza, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, the hospital's director, told The Associated Press. The bombing did not stop for a single moment."

The Israeli military did not respond to immediate requests for comment on the strikes but in the past has accused Hamas of building military infrastructure inside civilian areas, especially in Gaza City.

Former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey sued the U.S. government Monday to get her job back, saying her firing was for political reasons and was unconstitutional.

Her lawsuit in Manhattan federal court blamed the firing on the fact that her father is James Comey, a former F.B.I. director, or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both.

Comey is seeking to be reinstated as well as a declaration that her firing was unlawful and a violation of the Separation of Powers clause in the U.S. Constitution.

Defendants have not provided any explanation whatsoever for terminating Ms. Comey. In truth, there is no legitimate explanation, the lawsuit said.

Comey, who successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases since becoming an assistant U.S. attorney in 2015, was notified of her dismissal in an email with an attachment saying she was being fired (p)ursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States, the lawsuit said.

James Comey was fired as FBI director by President Donald Trump in 2017. The lawsuit noted that he has since written a memoir critical of Trump and has continued to publicly criticize Trump and his administration, including a social media post in May that Trump and others perceived as threatening.

The lawsuit noted that Maurene Comey's firing in July came the day after her supervisors had asked her to take the lead on a major public corruption case and three months after she'd received her latest Outstanding review.

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The politically motivated termination of Ms. Comey ostensibly under Article II of the Constitution upends bedrock principles of our democracy and justice system, the lawsuit said. Assistant United States Attorneys like Ms. Comey must do their jobs without fearing or favoring any political party or perspective, guided solely by the law, the facts, and the pursuit of justice.

Named as defendants in the lawsuit were, among others, the Justice Department, the Executive Office of the President, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, the Office of Personnel Management and the United States.

A message for comment from the Justice Department was not immediately returned.

Comey's July 16 firing came amid a spate of dismissals of prosecutors by the Justice Department without explanation, raising alarm that civil service protections meant to prevent terminations for political reasons were being overlooked.

Comey's lawsuit noted that she was employed with protections under the Civil Service Reform Act governing how and why she could be terminated, including specific prohibitions against termination for discriminatory reasons such as political affiliation.

Her termination violated every one of those protections, the lawsuit said.

The Justice Department also has fired some prosecutors who worked on cases that have provoked Trumps ire, including some who handled U.S. Capitol riot cases and lawyers and support staff who worked on special counsel Jack Smiths prosecutions of Trump.

She became a rising star in her office for her work on the case against financier Jeffrey Epstein and his onetime girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and the recent prosecution of music mogul Sean Diddy Combs.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her December 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges. She was recently transferred from a prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas.

Epstein took his own life in a federal jail in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Combs is awaiting sentencing next month after his conviction on prostitution-related charges after he was exonerated in July of more serious sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday urged New Yorkers to vote Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City, giving the Democratic nominee one of his most significant endorsements to date in the contest to lead the nation's biggest city.

Writing in the New York Times' opinion section, Hochul said that while she and Mamdani diverged on some issues, they came together on the importance of addressing the affordability crisis in the city and across the state.

But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family, wrote Hochul, a Democrat. I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable a goal I enthusiastically support.

The stunning success of Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, in the race for New York City mayor has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party as it struggles to repair its brand more than half a year into Donald Trumps presidency. Hochuls endorsement is the latest sign that Democratic leaders who had been skeptical of Mamdanis liberal views are beginning to consolidate around him.

Mamdani thanked Hochul for the boost, saying it's a sign our movement is growing stronger.

Governor Hochul has made affordability the centerpiece of her work. I look forward to fighting alongside her to continue her track record of putting money back in New Yorkers pockets and building a safer and stronger New York City where no one is forced to leave just so they can afford to raise a family," Mamdani said in a statement Sunday night. Im grateful to the Governor for her support in unifying our party as well as the work shes done standing up to President Trump, securing free lunch meals for our kids, and expanding access to childcare.

In recent weeks, the other candidates in the race former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa have intensified their criticism of Mamdani over his platform and past statements ahead of the citys general election in November.

Hochul said another reason she decided to back Mamdani was his vow that he would make sure the New York Police Department had the resources it needs to keep the city's streets and subways safe.

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I urged him to ensure that there is strong leadership at the helm of the N.Y.P.D. and he agreed, Hochul wrote.

Mamdani, who is leading in the polls, has not been endorsed by some prominent Democrats, including Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leaders in the U.S. Senate and House.

U.S. House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, a New York congresswoman, said Hochul's endorsement is a sign that the governor is moving left to shore up falling poll numbers.

At the exact moment when New Yorkers are looking for strong leadership from their Governor with a majority opposing Zohran Mamdani, Kathy Hochul embraces this raging Communist who will destroy New York making it less affordable and more dangerous once again putting criminals and communists first, and New Yorkers LAST, Stefanik said in a Sunday statement.

Mamdani soundly defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Cuomo has since relaunched his campaign as an independent. Adams, a Democrat, skipped the primary to run as an independent in November. Sliwa ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Hochul served as lieutenant governor to Cuomo and replaced him after he stepped down in 2021 following a barrage of sexual harassment allegations. He denied wrongdoing during the campaign, maintaining that the scandal was driven by politics.

Each year during Hispanic Heritage Month, huge celebrations can be expected across the U.S. to showcase the diversity and culture of Hispanic people.

This year, the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns, a federally led English-only initiative and an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion push have changed the national climate in which these celebrations occur. Organizers across the country, from Massachusetts and North Carolina to California and Washington state, have postponed or canceled heritage month festivals altogether.

Celebrated each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the month is a chance for many in the U.S. to learn about and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic cultures, the country's fastest-growing racial or ethnic minority, according to the U.S. Census. The group includes people whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

More than 68 million people identify as ethnically Hispanic in the U.S., according to the latest census estimates.

How did Hispanic Heritage Month start?

Before there was National Hispanic Heritage Month, there was Hispanic Heritage Week, which was created through legislation sponsored by Mexican American U.S. Rep Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles and signed into law in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The weeklong commemoration was expanded to a month two decades later, with legislation signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.

"It was clustered around big celebrations for the community," Alberto Lammers, director of communications at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute said. "It became a chance for people to know Hispanic cultures, for Latinos to get to know a community better and for the American public to understand a little better the long history of Latinos in the U.S."

Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point to coincide with the anniversary of "El Grito de Dolores," or the "Cry of Dolores," which was issued in 1810 from a town in Mexico that launched the country's war for independence from Spain.

The Central American nations of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica celebrate their independence on Sept. 15 and Mexico marks its national day on Sept. 16, the day after the cry for independence.

Also during National Hispanic Heritage Month, the South American nation of Chile observes its independence day on Sept. 18.

The White House so far has not mentioned any planned events. Last year, President Joe Biden hosted a reception and issued a proclamation for the occasion.

Who is Hispanic?

Hispanic was a term coined by the federal government for people descended from Spanish-speaking cultures. But for some, the label has a connotation of political conservatism and emphasizes a connection to Spain. It sometimes gets mistakenly interchanged with "Latino" or "Latinx."

For some, Latino reflects their ties to Latin America. So some celebrations are referred to as Latinx or Latin Heritage Month.

Latin Americans are not a monolith. There are several other identifiers for Latin Americans, depending largely on personal preference. Mexican Americans who grew up during the 1960s Civil Rights era may identify as Chicano. Other may go by their family's nation of origin such as Colombian American or Salvadoran American.

Each culture has unique differences when it comes to music, food, art and other cultural touchstones.

Immigration fears lead to celebration cancellations

September typically has no shortage of festivities. Events often include traditional Latin foods and entertainment like mariachi bands, folklrico and salsa dance lessons. The intent is to showcase the culture of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and other Latin countries.

Masked ICE agents carrying out President Donald Trump's policies via workplace raids at farms, manufacturing plants and elsewhere which has included detaining legal residents led some to fear large gatherings would become additional targets for raids. Another obstacle heritage celebrations face is the perception that they'd violate bans on DEI programming something Trump has discouraged across federal agencies. Some companies and universities have followed suit.

Early in September, organizers of a Mexican Independence festival in Chicago announced they would postpone celebrations due to Trump's promises of an immigration crackdown in the city.

"It was a painful decision, but holding El Grito Chicago at this time puts the safety of our community at stake and that's a risk we are unwilling to take," said the organizers of the festival.

A new date has not yet been announced. Though Mexican Independence Day falls on Sept. 16, celebrations in Chicago typically span more than a week and draw hundreds of thousands of participants for lively parades, festivals, street parties and car caravans.

"The fact that the federal government is sending troops as we start these celebrations is an insult," Illinois state Sen. Karina Villa, a Democrat, said at a news conference. "It is a fear tactic. It's unforgivable."

Similarly, Sacramento's annual Mexican Independence Day festival was canceled, with organizers citing the political climate and safety concerns.

Other events that have been canceled include the Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas, Hispanic Heritage Fest in Kenner, Louisiana and FIESTA Indianapolis.

Protests may take the place of canceled festivals

Ivan Sandoval-Cervantes, an anthropology professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said when celebrations are canceled from the top down it affects how we see them throughout the country. Used to seeing celebrations in Las Vegas advertised, he has seen very little leading up to this year's heritage month.

"If it's not being celebrated by a specific state that doesn't mean they won't be celebrated but they might go into the private sphere," Sandoval-Cervantes said. "Where it's safer to embrace the symbols or even speak Spanish."

In Mexico, the government launched a new appeal to raise awareness among Mexican migrants to take every possible precaution during the holidays because any incident, such as while driving, could lead to a deportation.

"Rather than not celebrating, be cautious" and gather at the consulates, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday.

On Thursday, Mexico's foreign affairs secretary said there would be more consular staff on duty to respond to any emergency. Mexican nationals stopped by U.S. authorities are advised to not flee, remain silent and not sign any documents.

Chicago Latino leaders called on residents to remain peaceful during expected protests at Mexican Independence Day celebrations, arguing that any unrest could be used as justification for sending federal troops to the city.

"We will not allow others to use our fear or our anger against us," said Berto Aguayo, of the Chicago Latino Caucus Association. "We will not take the bait. We will know our rights. We will protect each other and peacefully protest."

Seth Rogen and The Studio turned the Emmys into a wrap party, winning best comedy series Sunday and breaking a comedy record for victories in a season with 13, while Noah Wyle and The Pitt took the top drama prize.

The evening also brought meaningful wins for Jean Smart, Stephen Colbert and 15-year-old Owen Cooper, whose Netflix series Adolescence dominated the limited series categories.

Im legitimately embarrassed by how happy this makes me, The Studio co-creator Rogen said with his signature giggle, surrounded by cast and crew from the Apple TV+ movie-business romp after it won best comedy at the Peacock Theater in a show hosted by Nate Bargatze that aired on CBS. Rogen personally won four, including best actor.

The Pitt from HBO Max completed a sentimental journey with its win for best drama series. The character-driven medical drama won over viewers and gained emotional momentum during a season whose biggest drama prizes once seemed destined to be swept by Severance.

Wyle won best actor in a drama for playing a grizzled, warm-but-worn-down supervising doctor, getting his first Emmy after five nominations with no victories in the 1990s for playing a scrubbed young cub doctor on ER.

What a dream this has been, Wyle said. Oh my goodness.

Katherine LaNasa, whose nurse is perhaps the show's most beloved character, was a surprise winner of best supporting actress in a drama over three women of The White Lotus on a night when every acting Emmy but one went to a first-time victor.

The first-timers included Britt Lower, who won best actress in a drama, and Tramell Tillman, who won best supporting actor, in the night's two biggest moments for Severance.

Along with its creative arts wins, the Orwellian workplace satire ended up with eight for its acclaimed second season. Star Adam Scott lost out to Wyle for best actor.

The show's losses kept the evening from being a total triumph for Apple TV+, which has still never won a best drama prize, though it has now won best comedy three times between The Studio and Ted Lasso.

Lowers win was a surprise in a category where Kathy Bates was considered a heavy favorite, for Matlock.

Cristin Milioti won best actress in a limited series for The Penguin.

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Jean Smart bucked the rookie trend, winning her fourth Emmy for best actress in a comedy for Hacks and her seventh Emmy overall. At 73, she extended her record for oldest winner in the category.

Adolescence triumphs

Netflixs widely acclaimed Adolescence, the story of a 13-year-old in Britain accused of a killing, won six times, including the Emmy for best limited series. Co-creator Stephen Graham won for lead acting and writing while Cooper won best supporting actor and became the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years.

Cooper said in his acceptance that he was nothing three years ago.

Its just so surreal, Cooper said. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didnt expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.

Best supporting actress went to Erin Doherty, who played a therapist opposite Cooper in a riveting episode that like all four Adolescence episodes was filmed in a single shot.

A blockbuster night for The Studio

The Studio came into the evening having won nine Emmys already during last weekend's Creative Arts ceremony. On Sunday night, it added four more, which all went to Rogen. Along with the comedy series award, he won best directing with his co-creator and longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, and best writing with Goldberg and others.

The show brought blockbuster buzz for its first season from the start and the Emmys ate it up, whether because of Hollywood's love for stories about itself (with A-list guest stars) or the television industry's love for stories that mock the self-importance of movie people.

Backstage, Rogen clumsily tried to hold up all four Emmys at once. Asked whether the night will be fodder for season two, he said no.

This is, like, far too good a thing to have happen on our show, he said. Our show is generally based on stress and disappointment and right now, were all very happy.

A night of surprise winners

Smart's castmate and constant scene partner Hannah Einbinder, who had also been nominated for all four seasons of Hacks but unlike Smart had never won, took best supporting actress in a comedy.

She said she had become committed to a long-term bit where it was cooler to lose.

But this is cool too! she shouted, then ended her speech by cursing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and saying Free Palestine! Political sentiments from the stage were otherwise rare.

In perhaps the night's biggest upset, Jeff Hiller won best supporting actor in a comedy for Somebody Somewhere, over Ike Barinholtz of The Studio and others.

Colbert gets a rousing send-off

Colbert may have been the night's most popular winner, taking best talk series for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert for the first time. He got huge ovations both when he took the stage to present the first award and when he won.

The win may have been the result of a protest vote and a desire to pay tribute to its host, weeks after its cancellation by CBS. Jimmy Kimmel, who was among his competitors, campaigned for Colbert to win.

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Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it, Colbert said in his acceptance.

Many perceived the end of the show as punishment of Colbert and placation of President Donald Trump after Colbert was harshly critical of a legal settlement between the president and Paramount, which needed administration approval for a sale to Skydance Media. Executives called the decision strictly financial.

Colbert showed no bitterness to CBS, thanking the network, which telecast the Emmys and aired a commercial celebrating his win, for letting him be part of the late-night tradition.

Bargatze delivered his opening monologue only after the first award was handed out.

The show opened with a sketch where Saturday Night Live stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth opining on what the future of TV will be like.

Bargatze-as-Farnsworth mentions that there will one day be a Black Entertainment Television. When asked if there will be a network for white people, he replied, Why, CBS of course.

Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted the final stage of the Spanish Vuelta and forced organizers to cut the race short on Sunday, capping a campaign of disruptions to the Grand Tour cycling event.

Visma-Lease a Bike rider Jonas Vingegaard was confirmed as the overall winner of the three-week race.

There were clashes between police and protesters near the route finale in Madrid. Some protesters carrying anti-Israel banners partly blocked the road and forced riders to stop.

There was no stage winner, and the podium ceremony was called off because of security concerns. Organizers said the final stage ended early to ensure the safety of the riders.

Due to the protests in Madrid, the race ended earlier than planned and there will be no podium ceremony, race officials said.

There were about 31 miles left on the 21st stage, which was a mostly ceremonial ride into Madrid.

Vingegaard had extended his overall lead over Joo Almeida on Saturday with a lead of 1 minute, 16 seconds over Almeida.

It was Vingegaards third Grand Tour title, adding to his pair of Tour de France titles won in 2022 and 2023.

Police escort

The protesters threw barriers onto the road on a finishing circuit in the Spanish capital. Riders had been expected to do nine laps on the circuit.

Several hundred protesters stayed on the road where the race was supposed to pass by. Anti-Israel banners were also hung from nearby buildings.

The race had resumed briefly on Sunday after riders were originally told by race organizers to stop because of the protests, but they eventually had to stop again as authorities and organizers discussed the situation.

Police escorted the riders as they left the track.

Protesters carrying Palestine flags jeered when the teams support cars passed by them along the route.

Police in riot gear had confronted protesters at different points along the route. More than 1,500 police officers had been deployed ahead of the last stage.

There had been no major incidents as the riders set off on the 64.3-mile final stage starting in nearby Alalpardo.

Diplomatic battleground

The Grand Tour event turned into a diplomatic battleground and was largely disrupted by protesters against the presence of the Israeli-owned team Premier Tech, which earlier in the race removed the team name from its uniforms.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez joined Ireland and Norway in recognizing a Palestinian state last year, and Spain became the first European country to ask a U.N. court for permission to join South Africas case accusing Israel of genocide.

Seven of the last 11 days of racing were either cut short or interrupted, with more than 20 people detained by police. During one stage, a protester carrying a Palestine flag tried to run onto the road ahead of riders, causing two of them to crash. They continued, but one of them had to eventually pull out of the race.

The route of the final stage was cut short by 3.1 miles due to traffic concerns.

Previous stages were altered because of safety concerns over the protests.

Authorities said the heavy police presence would be deployed for the finale in Madrid to add to the 130 officers already traveling with the race. Military-type trucks, officers in riot gear and horse-riding police were seen near the route in Madrid.

Some 6,000 protesters had been expected in the Spanish capital on Sunday, along with about 50,000 fans.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that investigators are not ready to discuss the motive behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But he said the suspect had left-leaning political beliefs, disliked the conservative influencer and is being uncooperative in custody.

Clearly a leftist ideology," Cox told NBC's Meet the Press. On CNN's State of the Union, he said, That information comes from the people around him, his family members and friends."

Cox said Robinson, 22, is not cooperating and that friends paint a picture of someone radicalized in the dark corners of the internet. Clearly there was a lot of gaming going on, Cox said on NBC. Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep.

A Republican who's called on all partisans to tone down their rhetoric following the attack, the governor added: I really dont have a dog in this fight. If this was a radicalized MAGA person, Id be saying that as well.

Cox stressed on several Sunday morning news shows, however, that investigators are still trying to pin down a motive for the attack on the father of two and Trump confidant, who was killed Wednesday while on one of his signature college speaking tours at Utah Valley University. The governor said more information may come out once the suspect, Tyler Robinson, appears in court Tuesday.

Investigators have spoken to Robinsons relatives and carried out a search warrant at his familys home in Washington, about 240 miles southwest of Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place.

State records show Robinson is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party and is listed as inactive, meaning he did not vote in the two most recent general elections. His parents are registered Republicans.

Ammunition found with the weapon used to kill Kirk was engraved with taunting, anti-fascist and meme-culture messages. Court records show that one bullet casing had the message, Hey, fascist! Catch!

Robinson grew up around St. George, in the southwestern corner of Utah, between Las Vegas and natural landmarks including Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.

Robinson became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church, at a young age, church spokesperson Doug Andersen said.

Robinson has two younger brothers, and his parents have been married for about 25 years, according to social media posts. Online activity by Robinsons mother reflects an active family that took vacations to Disneyland, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Alaska.

Like many in that part of Utah, they frequently spent time outdoors boating, fishing, riding ATVs, zip-lining and target shooting. A 2017 post shows the family visiting a military facility and posing with assault rifles. A young Robinson is seen smiling as he grips the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun.

A high school honor roll student who scored in the 99th percentile nationally on standardized tests, he was admitted to Utah State University in 2021 on a prestigious academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter that was posted to a family members social media account.

But he attended for only one semester, according to the university. He is currently enrolled as a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George.

The Taliban said they discussed normalizing relations between Afghanistan and the United States in a meeting with Trump administration officials Saturday.

The White House did not issue a statement describing the meeting or immediately respond to a request for comment. The Taliban statement said the regime's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with President Donald Trump's special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler, and with another U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad,.

The Taliban released photographs from their talks.

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Comprehensive discussions were held on ways to develop bilateral relations between the two countries, issues related to citizens, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan, the statement said.

The statement added that the U.S. delegation also expressed condolences over the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan late last month.

The meeting came after the Taliban released U.S. citizen George Glezmann, who was abducted while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist. He was the third detainee freed by the Taliban since Trump took office. It also came after the Taliban sharply criticizedTrump's new travel ban that bars Afghans from entering the United States.

President Donald Trumps tariff policy, immigration crackdowns and sweeping tax and spending law are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year before they improve next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The CBO on Friday released new economic projections for the next three years, updating the outlook it originally released in January, before Trump's inauguration.

The latest figures, which compare fourth quarter changes, show the unemployment rate, inflation and overall growth are expected to be worse this year than initially projected, while the economic picture is expected to steady in subsequent years.

The CBO outlooks attempt to set expectations for the economy in order to help choices made by congressional and executive branch policymakers. It does not forecast economic downturns or recessions, with its estimates generally reverting back to an expected average over time.

But Fridays outlook showed the degree to which Trumps choices are altering the path of the U.S. economy, suggesting that growth has been hampered in the near term by choices that have yet to show the promised upside of more jobs and lower budget deficits.

Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told The Associated Press, Americans heard similar doom-and-gloom forecasts during President Trumps first term, when the Presidents economic agenda unleashed historic job, wage, and economic growth and the first decline in wealth inequality in decades.

These same policies of tax cuts, tariffs, deregulation, and energy abundance are set to deliver and prove the forecasters wrong again in President Trumps second term, he said.

Overall, the CBO expects real GDP growth to decrease from 2.5% in 2024 to 1.4% this year, a downgrade from the initial projection of 1.9%. The CBO attributes the projected decline to a slowdown in consumer spending stemming from new tariffs and a decrease in immigration, which would also impact consumer spending.

The tariffs raise prices for consumer goods and services, thereby eroding the purchasing power of households; they also increase costs for businesses that use imported and import-competing inputs in production, the report says.

However, GDP is set to grow to 2.2% in 2026, which is higher than the CBO's January prediction of 1.8%. GDP would then level off to 1.8% in 2027 and 2028, the CBO says in its latest report.

Additionally, unemployment is expected to hit 4.5% in 2025, higher than the 4.3% initially expected, according to the CBO. The jobless rate is expected to reach 4.2% in 2026 slightly lower than the 4.4% originally anticipated and even out at 4.4% in 2027 and 2028.

And inflation is now expected to hit 3.1% for the rest of 2025, according to the CBO, up from its 2.2% projection in January. Inflation would then lower to 2.4% in 2026, higher than the initial expectation of 2.1%, before leveling off at 2% the next two years.

The CBO on Wednesday issued a report that shows Trumps plans for mass deportations and other hard-line immigration measures will result in roughly 320,000 people removed from the United States over the next ten years.

Coupled with a lower fertility rate in the U.S., the reduction in immigration means that the CBOs projection of the U.S. population will be 4.5 million people lower by 2035 than the nonpartisan office had projected in January.

There's bipartisan support in Congress for extending tax credits that have made health insurance more affordable for millions of people since the COVID-19pandemic. But the credits are in danger of expiring as Republicans and Democrats clash over how to do it.

Democrats are threatening to vote to shut down the government at the end of the month if Republicans don't extend the subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later when they controlled Congress and the White House. The tax credits, which are slated to expire at the end of the year, go to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Some Republicans who have opposed the health care law since it was enacted under President Barack Obama are suddenly open to keeping the tax credits. They acknowledge that many of their constituents could see steep hikes in coverage if the subsidies are allowed to lapse.

Still, the two sides are far apart. Republicans are divided, with many firmly opposed. GOP leaders in the House and Senate have been open but noncommittal on the extension, and many of those Republicans who say they support it argue that the tax credits should be reworked potentially opening up a new health care debate that could take months to resolve.

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Democrats would be unlikely to agree to any changes in the subsidies, increasing the chances of a standoff and mounting uncertainty for health insurers, hospitals, state governments and the people who receive them.

In just a few weeks, unless Congress acts, millions of Americans will start getting letters in the mail telling them their health insurance costs are about to go through the roof hundreds of dollars, thousands in some cases, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said this past week.

Millions of Americans could face higher health insurance rates

Enrollment in ACA plans has surged to a record 24 million people, in large part due to the billions of dollars in subsidies that have lowered costs for many people. The expanded subsidies allowed some lower-income enrollees to access health plans with no premiums and capped the amount higher earners pay for premiums to 8.5% of their income. It also expanded eligibility for middle-class earners.

With expiration now just a few months away, some of those people have already gotten notices that their premiums the monthly fee paid for insurance coverage are poised to spike next year. Insurers have sent out notices in nearly every state, with some proposing premium increases of as much as 50 percent.

Lawmakers are facing pressure to act from some of the countrys biggest industries, including the insurers that cover people on the marketplace and hospital executives who say theyre already going to be squeezed by the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trumps big, beautiful" tax bill.

Theres broad awareness that theres a real spike and premiums coming right around the corner, both Republicans and Democrats, said David Merritt, senior vice president of external affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Its certainly lining up for Congress to have an opportunity to head off this problem.

Companies have said theyll need to raise premiums without the subsidies because healthier and younger people are more likely to opt out of coverage when it gets more expensive, leaving insurers to cover older and sicker patients.

In Iowa last month, the states insurance commissioner weighed increases ranging from 3% to 37% against a stream of angry public comments. One woman who runs a garden center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said she was considering dropping health insurance altogether.

I am already living as frugally as I possibly can while working as hard as I possibly can, putting in as many hours as I am allowed to at my job, never missing a day of work, the woman, LuAnn, wrote in a public comment published to the commissioners website.

Tug-of-war over Obamacare spending plays out on the Hill

On Capitol Hill, the issue has become entangled in a larger fight over government funding as a shutdown looms at the end of the month. Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have said Democrats will not vote to keep the government open unless an extension of the health care tax credits is part of the deal. Republicans have said that they want more time to look at the subsidies and potentially scale them back. They will also have to wait for a signal from Trump, who has not yet weighed in.

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Jeffries said this past week that we will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to rip away health care from the American people.

Republican leaders are eyeing a potential stopgap bill that would keep the government open for a few weeks and are unlikely, for now, to include the extension. But GOP leaders in both the House and Senate are also under pressure from some members who worry that premium increases will be a political liability before the midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has said he wants to see a proposal from Democrats on how to extend the subsidies since they are pushing the issue. Maybe there is something we can do in the middle as a solution," he said in a Punchbowl News interview on Thursday, adding that his members are divided on the issue.

Still, Thune has ruled out quick action, even as he noted that premium notices will go out soon. He has said a short-term spending measure to fund the government for several weeks while Congress finishes its budget bills is not likely to include an extension of the benefits,

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said that many of his members would oppose an extension, but has not ruled it out.

In recent days, 15 House Republicans in competitive political districts introduced legislation to extend the tax credits for one year. While the enhanced premium tax credit created during the pandemic was meant to be temporary, we should not let it expire without a plan in place, said Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who led the effort with Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.

Middle-class and small business owners, like the ones who dot Kiggan's coastal Virginia district, will be especially vulnerable to big health insurance hikes if the subsidies are not extended.

Several Senate Republicans also said they'd favor an extension. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said that if Congress doesn't act, some premiums will "skyrocket, and not by a little bit. Were looking at massive increases. People will not be able to afford it.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn said he thinks Congress should scale back the subsidies for the highest income people who receive them. I think we all know that access to health care is important and we take it very seriously, he said.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who has jurisdiction over the tax credits, said he's working with his colleagues to figure out if there is a solution. There are a lot of ideas being thrown out there," Crapo said. "I'm trying to find a solution, I'm not telling you what the solution is.

Others were firmly against it. It's costing us billions of dollars, said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and people will begin to see real sticker shock, as ACA plan prices are posted next month, said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

Timing is important, Baldwin said.