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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — Eli Manning is looking ahead. Who wouldn’t after the year he just had? Manning comes off the worst season of his professional career that dates back to being the top overall selection in the 2004 draft. His Giants went from likely contender after making the 2016 playoffs to one of the NFL’s worst. They were ravaged by injuries, dissension in the locker room, and then-coach Ben McAdoo even benched his quarterback in Week 13, ending Manning’s 210-game starting string. McAdoo was fired the next week, the usually well-run franchise was embarrassed as badly as for any of the 13 defeats in 2017, and though Manning immediately got his job back, the Giants ended the year as one of the NFL’s biggest flops. “It was a great reminder that nothing is guaranteed,” Manning said Friday. “No matter what you did the year before — win your division, make the playoffs, whatever — it has no effect on the next year. “So there’s no reason we can’t win 11 or more games this year. We made a lot of changes and will make more, and if we stay healthy and win some of those close games you always get in, who knows?” Besides, that lost season serves as an impetus for the future. “When you have a tough year, you use it as motivation,” he said. “Get back in there and do whatever you need to do to make changes. Make a commitment again to playing at a higher level. It challenges you and makes you hungrier.” The two-time Super Bowl MVP has a new coach in Pat Shurmur, who like McAdoo has a background as a QB guru. Unlike the rough-edged McAdoo, though, Shurmur has a smoother style and also is more open in his thinking and planning for running an offense. To Manning, 37, an opportunity to expand the attack is much welcomed. “We’ve talked a bit, getting to know each other, but there’s a limit how much you can meet and talk,” Manning said. “I am excited to start learning the offense and the playbook and how Pat will use our skillsets. He’s got a combination of Norv Turner, Andy Reid and Chip Kelly in there from the places he’s been. “There’s definitely an adjustment, but if you’ve played the game long enough, there are only so many new plays you can put in.” Manning smiled when he said that, knowing Shurmur isn’t about to design a Russell Wilson/Cam Newton type of offense for him. There’s been much speculation that Manning could be traded and the Giants would use the second overall pick in April on one of the highly rated quarterbacks in this draft. The choice of Shurmur and ownership’s devotion to Manning seems to have made Manning’s departure unlikely. Asked if he’d encourage new general manager Dave Gettleman to take an offensive lineman to offer the kind of protection he doesn’t get often enough, Manning laughed and replied, “I won’t complain.” He certainly won’t complain about getting back his prime target, Odell Beckham Jr. The spectacular receiver was lost in early October to a broken ankle. Beckham is enough of a difference maker that New York might have had a few more victories had he been available all season. “He’s a tremendous player, and when he gets back and is healthy, he impacts games,” Manning said. “It’s tough when guys you work with all spring and summer and you lose them and have all new guys. Odell, Brandon (Marshall), Sterling (Shepard).” Manning spent part of the day welcoming visitors to a Courtyard by Marriott experience whose contest winners will spend Saturday night sleeping in a luxury suite at U.S. Bank Stadium. He joked that he can’t ever remember sleeping in a stadium, but that waking up the morning of the Super Bowl at the venue would be “pretty neat to do.” Then he wondered just how quiet the stadium would be on Super Bowl eve. “You’re right there in the dome and get to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” he said. “Then you wake up on Super Bowl Sunday right there. Has to be a wonderful experience.” Considering he is 2-0 in the big game, Manning knows about wonderful Super Bowl experiences. ___ For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

WASHINGTON (AP) — For Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a passionate, liberal Democrat of Puerto Rican descent, there is no more important issue in the year-end budget showdown than protecting from deportation hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children — and who have only known America as their home. The fate of these “Dreamers,” as they are commonly known, is one of the trickiest issues to resolve as the White House and Congress seek to avert a Christmas government shutdown that nobody says they want. House Democrats, and their leader, Nancy Pelosi, insist that the Dreamers be dealt with as part of a broader package that combines unfinished legislative business, including military spending, disaster aid and low-cost health care for children. “You want a bipartisan budget and you want my vote? Then make it an American budget, one that includes a pathway to freedom for our Dreamers,” Gutierrez said. “It’s the right thing to do.” Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer cares about Dreamers, too, but he isn’t playing hardball over immigration. At the top of his list of political concerns are the re-election bids next year of 10 Senate Democrats running in states that President Donald Trump won in 2016. Many of them want nothing to do with shutting down the government over immigration. “I understand the passion on that. I’m not in favor of voting to shut down the government,” said Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, where Trump won almost 70 percent of the vote. “There are a lot of things I feel passionate about. But I’m not going to make 300 million people suffer because I can’t get the process working the way it should.” House and Senate Democrats stand divided as leaders look to wrap up a sweeping spending deal by Dec. 22 and avoid a debilitating shutdown. At issue is Trump’s decision to rescind Barack Obama’s executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which gave protected status to about 800,000 young immigrants in the country illegally. In scrapping the DACA order, Trump gave Congress until March to come up with a legislative solution. In September, the president told Pelosi and Schumer he would support the DREAM Act — Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors — which offers childhood immigrants a pathway to citizenship, as part of a broader immigration agreement. But this fall, progress stalled. That led liberals such as Gutierrez to pressure leadership to use Democratic leverage — their votes are needed to pass legislation such as the budget or next year’s increase in the government borrowing — to ensure that Trump lives up to his promise. Republicans want to separate immigration from the year-end agenda, in part to avoid the appearance of getting muscled by Democrats like Pelosi and in part to try to get a better deal. “We are certainly willing to enter into those good-faith negotiations, but they do not belong in an end-of-the-year spending appropriations debate,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. “We do want to resolve this, but it’s not going to be before the end of this year.” For her part, Pelosi won’t commit to helping Republicans keep the government open unless the DACA issue is dealt with. “We will not leave here without a DACA fix,” she told reporters last week. Indeed, just 14 Democrats joined House Republicans in voting for a two-week stopgap spending bill last week. But in the Senate, the dynamic among Democrats was wholly different, with Democrats voting for the stopgap measure by a 5-to-1 margin. Aides to lawmakers in both parties say the DACA issue was discussed only briefly at a White House meeting between Trump and top congressional leaders. “There was no disagreement that it should be done. The question was when, where, how and why, and those discussions are continuing,” Schumer told reporters Friday. “We hope to get it done before the end of the year.” Schumer spokesman Matt House says Schumer is genuinely optimistic that Senate negotiations over a hybrid package blending the DREAM Act with additional border security measures are going well. House talks, meanwhile, appear stalled. The differing perspectives, at their core, seem rooted in the different dynamics facing House and Senate Democrats. Schumer’s red-state Democrats must win re-election by appealing to independents, and they hope to win at least some crossover support from Republicans. But many House Democrats represent congressional districts with large populations of minorities. Others represent solidly Democratic suburbs with constituencies that are sympathetic to immigrants. Their re-election bids are dependent on cementing the Democratic nomination from a primary electorate rather than winning independents or GOP crossovers. Pelosi faces her own constituency, too. With 31 members, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus represents 16 percent of the House Democratic Caucus — a base that Pelosi is loath to cross. “It’s her belief, of course, but it’s the caucus she represents as well,” said Nadeam Elshami, Pelosi’s former chief of staff. “The caucus wants this.”

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State forward Andre Iguodala will miss Game 1 of the NBA Finals as he recovers from a bone bruise in his left knee that cost him the last four games of the Western Conference finals. Iguodala’s absence is a huge blow to the Warriors’ defense as it works to stop LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State coach Steve Kerr said several players will be called upon Thursday to handle the load that is James, making his eighth straight finals appearance. “He was MVP of the series in 2015, largely because he took that role on of guarding LeBron. But also because of what he did offensively,” Kerr said. “He’s doing a little bit better today. Some encouraging signs, but we have ruled him out for Game 1. We’ve got lots of guys who can take on that job. It’s a group effort, anyway, guarding LeBron. So, KD (Kevin Durant), Draymond (Green), Klay (Thompson), Shaun Livingston, they’ll all see time on him.” The Warriors said Iguodala, who was injured in Game 3 against the Rockets on May 20, was evaluated Tuesday and is making progress but still has the bruise and inflammation of the nerve surrounding his knee. Kerr has said Iguodala wouldn’t play until he can run without pain. He will be re-evaluated ahead of Sunday’s Game 2. Iguodala said he doesn’t have any doubts he will be able to return during the finals, though his patience is tested. He has sought multiple opinions for the injury. “Just trying to figure out how to move in general,” Iguodala said. “But making some progress. Slower than we expected but we’re just being realistic.” Kevon Looney has been starting in Iguodala’s place. Looney planned to talk to Iguodala about the task of guarding James. “I’ll pick his brain about some things … some tendencies of LeBron, the fact of the switches or small things like that to help me out,” Looney said. “He’s one of the best defenders in the league.” That’s why everybody on the Warriors realizes it will be a joint effort guarding James. “What he brings to us on the defensive end will definitely be missed,” Green said. “But it just means other guys have got to step up. Other guys have done that thus far. The task gets even harder but I know guys will and it will be a collective effort in hopes that we keep trekking along until he’s ready to come back.” Forward Kevin Love’s status for Cleveland remained unclear as he continues to go through the NBA’s concussion protocol. Love was injured in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against Boston that the Cavs pulled out in seven. He wasn’t scheduled to attend media day Wednesday at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors host the series opener in the fourth straight finals meeting between the rivals. “He’s going to go do some things today and see how he feels,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “But he is in the protocol still, so we’ll see how he feels.” Both teams practiced Wednesday on Golden State’s home floor, where the defending champions have won 17 of their last 18 postseason games. James certainly understands what the Warriors are missing without Iguodala’s presence and athleticism. “First of all he has very, very quick hands,” James said. “That doesn’t get talked about a lot, his ability to read and react to the ball either in flight or while you’re dribbling or when you pick the ball up.” ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Proponents of nuclear power are pushing to revive a failed project to build two reactors in South Carolina, arguing that the demise of the $14 billion venture could signal doom for an industry that supplies one-fifth of the nation’s electricity. Even though the nation’s 99 commercial nuclear reactors supply about 20 percent of U.S. electricity, no new nuclear plant has been built from scratch in more than 30 years. Supporters were alarmed when two South Carolina utilities halted construction on a pair of reactors that once were projected to usher in a new generation of nuclear power to provide reliable, cost-effective, carbon-free electricity for decades. Instead the project was plagued by billions of dollars in cost overruns, stagnant demand for electricity, competition from cheap natural gas and – most importantly – the bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric, the lead contractor. The July 31 suspension of the partly completed V.C. Summer project near Columbia, South Carolina, leaves two nuclear reactors under construction in Georgia as the only ones being built in the U.S. The collapse of the nearly decade-old project in South Carolina could cost ratepayers billions of dollars for work that ultimately provides no electricity and could signal that new nuclear plants are impossible to complete in the United States. “These reactors failing would be the end of a nuclear renaissance before it even started,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Graham and other lawmakers from both parties are urging Congress to extend a production tax credit that would provide billions of dollars to the South Carolina project and the two Georgia reactors. The House approved an extension in June, and Graham is pushing for a Senate vote after Congress returns from its August recess. “I’m mad as hell that you spend all this money and you can’t get it done,” Graham said. The Vogtle plant in Georgia faces similar economic and competitive threats, including the Westinghouse bankruptcy. The plant’s operator, Atlanta-based Southern Co., has said it will decide in coming weeks whether to finish the two reactors, which are years behind schedule and billions of dollars above projected costs. Southern CEO Tom Fanning called Vogtle “the last (nuclear) project standing in America” and said it “goes beyond economics” to affect national security. “If you want a world safe from nuclear proliferation,” construction of nuclear plants “is how we maintain nuclear technology,” said Rich Powell, executive director of ClearPath, a conservative-leaning clean energy group. Besides the production tax credit, nuclear supporters want the extension of an Energy Department loan guarantee program that has helped Vogtle and other energy projects secure funding. Vogtle received an $8.3 billion loan guarantee under the Obama administration – the largest ever issued by the loan program and a deal that some critics say could end up biting taxpayers. “We’ve said it for eight years: These massive nuclear reactor projects were doomed from the start, and taxpayer money should not be risked on them,” said Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group. The Summer plant did not receive a loan guarantee, but the parent company of South Carolina Electric & Gas, one of the utilities building it, tried to get a federal grant worth up to $3 billion before abandoning the project. SCANA CEO Kevin Marsh said he and other executives had “very direct discussions” with the White House and Energy Department, including Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and “explained the need for support for these projects because of the national security interest.” A spokeswoman for Perry said the project’s failure has not dimmed Perry’s belief in nuclear power. “Secretary Perry remains optimistic about the future of nuclear energy in America and continues to watch this issue closely,” said spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes. The Energy Department invited the S.C. utility to apply for a loan guarantee, but “that invitation was ultimately turned down by the project’s representatives,” Hynes said. Marsh, speaking at an Aug. 1 hearing before the South Carolina Public Service Commission, said a loan “doesn’t help the situation we’re in.” The loan guarantees typically serve as long-term incentives for companies to take on major energy projects. While President Donald Trump backs nuclear energy, the administration eliminated the loan guarantee program in its proposed budget for the next fiscal year. The program was a frequent target of GOP lawmakers during the Obama administration, especially a $535 million loan to the failed solar company Solyndra. The White House supports extension of the production tax credit, saying it would “fulfill the president’s commitment to the continuation of nuclear energy as a major contributor to our nation’s energy production and security.” The current credit requires plants to be operational by 2020 – a deadline neither the South Carolina nor Georgia project will come close to meeting. Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., called suspension of the South Carolina project a shame. “I can tell you, wind and solar are not going to provide the kind of power that nuclear energy provides,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Seanna Adcox in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Matthew Daly: http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has informed the mixed martial arts promotion that he is retired from competition. The UFC confirmed Lesnar’s decision Wednesday. The decision doesn’t affect Lesnar’s professional wrestling career, where he has spent most of the past five years. He returned from a 4 1/2-year MMA absence last July to beat Mark Hunt at UFC 200, but the result was overturned after Lesnar failed two doping tests. He was subsequently suspended from competition for a year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which administers the UFC’s doping policy. Lesnar’s decision to retire means he has been removed from USADA’s drug-testing pool, which monitors the fighters year-round. If Lesnar decides to return to competition, he would have to serve the remaining five months of his suspension.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man who shot a congressman and four other people Wednesday had apparently volunteered for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, the Vermont senator said Wednesday before assailing violence as “unacceptable in our society.” “I am sickened by this despicable act,” said Sanders, an independent. Sanders, 75, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination against Hillary Clinton. He ran a passionate, anti-establishment campaign that won support from many younger, liberal voters and gave Clinton a closer race than many expected, but he eventually backed her candidacy. The senator spoke hours after a man identified as James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, opened fire on Republican lawmakers, aides and others practicing baseball in suburban Alexandria, Virginia. Officers shot Hodgkinson, who later died. Sanders issued a two-paragraph statement on the shooting and read it nearly verbatim on the Senate floor. He ignored a reporter’s attempt to ask him questions, walking briskly out of the Capitol after a vote. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms,” Sanders said. “Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs against our most deeply held American values.” Robert Becker, director of Sanders’ Iowa campaign, said staff workers could not recall Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson was said to have been among 1,000 volunteers around Davenport, but Becker said, “Nobody has a recollection of this guy coming in.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Mario Batali is giving up oversight of the daily operations at his restaurant empire following reports of sexual misconduct by the celebrity chef over a period of at least 20 years. The online site Eater New York reported Monday that the incidents involve at least four women, three whom worked for Batali. In a prepared statement sent to The Associated Press, Batali said that the complaints “match up” with his past behavior. “I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family,” Batali said. A spokesperson for Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group says an employee reported inappropriate behavior by Batali in October. The company told Eater it was the first formal complaint against Batali and that he was reprimanded and required to attend training. Batali will also take leave from his ABC cooking show, “The Chew.” “We have asked Mario Batali to step away from The Chew while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” the network said Monday. “ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”

PHOENIX (AP) — A rare second-degree murder trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of shooting across the international boundary into Mexico and killing a teenager is set to get under way with jury selection. Lonnie Swartz is accused of killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez five years ago. The teenager was on the street in Nogales, in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona. An autopsy showed the unarmed teen was hit 10 times, mostly from behind. The trial starting in U.S. District Court in Tucson on Tuesday comes amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and his promise to build a wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) U.S.-Mexico border. Jury selection was set for Tuesday, with opening statements either later that day or on Wednesday, said Cosme Lopez, spokesman for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Lee Gelernt, a New York-based lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said he believes Swartz will be the first border agent prosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department in a fatal shooting across the international border. Gelernt is handling a civil lawsuit for the teen’s mother, who is seeking monetary damages against Swartz. “This historically important trial is coming at a time when all eyes are on the border,” he said. Prosecutors say Swartz opened fire at about 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2012, through the metal poles of a 20-foot (6-meter) fence that sits on a 25-foot (about 7.6-meter) embankment above Mexico’s Calle Internacional, a street lined with homes and small businesses. About 20,000 people live on the Arizona side and about 300,000 live on the Mexico side, but the two communities linked by family members, trade and culture have long been referred to locally as “Ambos Nogales” — “Both Nogales” in Spanish. Swartz’s lawyers have said Elena Rodriguez threw rocks just before he was shot in an attempt to create a distraction for drug smugglers and that the officer was justified in using lethal force. They want jurors to visit the site at night to experience the area after dark. Witnesses from the Mexico side of the border said they did not see the teen throw rocks and his relatives have denied he was helping drug smugglers, saying he was walking home after playing basketball. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has said it won’t dispute that the boy was throwing rocks, but it’s unknown if he had any link to drug smugglers. They argue an unreasonable amount of force was used. Swartz pleaded not guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2015 and is currently on administrative leave and free on his own recognizance. The Border Patrol has not said if he is continuing to receive his salary. Defense attorney Sean Chapman has declined to comment while the trial is ongoing. A spokesman for the agents’ union, the National Border Patrol Council, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The case is expected to last more than a month and activists who oppose U.S. border policies say they will rally outside the courthouse. “For so long, prosecutors have been reluctant to charge Border Patrol agents with violent crimes,” said John Fife, a retired Presbyterian minister who was active in the sanctuary movement that sheltered citizens of Central American countries who came to the U.S. in the 1980s fleeing civil war. “Now we will see if they can be held accountable.”

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is back in the New York skyscraper that bears his name as the furor over his reaction to race-fueled clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend shows few signs of dying down. Protesters on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue tried to spoil Trump’s homecoming Monday night with signs bearing messages like “stop the hate, stop the lies” and chanting “shame, shame, shame” and “not my president!” After two days of public equivocation and internal White House debate, the president condemned white supremacist groups by name on Monday, declaring “racism is evil”. In his initial remarks on the violence Saturday, Trump did not single out the groups and instead bemoaned violence on “many sides.” Those remarks prompted stern criticism from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rumor the German shepherd has become America’s top dog. Cheered loudly all around the ring by a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden, Rumor was picked as best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club on Tuesday night. Rumor became just the second German shepherd to win the nation’s most prestigious pooch parade, joining the fittingly named Manhattan in 1987. Rumor retired after a near-miss at Westminster last year, but she returned a month ago to give it another try. The 5-year-old Rumor is named for the Adele hit song “Rumor Has It.” This was the 104th career win for Rumor, and handler and co-owner Kent Boyles said earlier in the day that this would definitely, for real, be her last major show. There were nearly 2,800 dogs entered in the 141st Westminster canine competition, spread across the 202 eligible breeds and varieties. Rumor beat out a Norwegian elkhound, a Pekingese, a miniature poodle, an Irish setter, a boxer and a Norwich terrier in the final ring.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s parliament is set to approve a landmark trade deal with Canada, with the bloc’s executive extolling the pact as a sign of international cooperation at a time when many political forces, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, are trying to halt globalization. Hundreds of protesters were outside the EU parliament building in Strasbourg, France, arguing Tuesday that instead of growth and jobs, such a deal will erode the bloc’s environmental, labor and consumer standards. EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom tried to assuage concerns that the deal uniting the markets of 500 million Europeans with 35 million Canadians would cut into the independence of EU decision-making. She said it “will not change food safety standards or any other EU requirements, only the EU institutions can do that.” The vote for a major trade agreement comes at a time when populist parties in Europe and Trump in the U.S. have been looking increasingly inwards, thwarting a trade deal with Pacific countries and floating the idea of tariffs on imports. “With President Trump in the White House we see a clear change in U.S. policy,” said liberal ALDE legislator Marietje Schaake. “Leadership for open economies and societies must come from us in Europe.” “We cannot imagine a better partner than Canada, the most European country outside the union,” she said. Three of the four major groups in parliament are backing the deal — the EPP Christian Democrats, the ECR Conservatives and the ALDE liberals. Confident the deal would pass, Canadian International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne was already in Strasbourg and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to address the legislature on Thursday. Trade between the EU and Canada amounts to more than 60 billion euros ($63 billion) a year, and the EU expects the so-called CETA deal to boost this by 20 percent by removing almost all tariffs. Outside the legislature, the concerns were palpable among demonstrators. “What will happen is more and more deregulation, less social protection for citizens, for small companies, for independent workers,” said Maika Fernandes, who had traveled from Alicante, southern Spain. “No one will be able to compete with the multinationals. It will be a financial Europe that will favor only big multinationals.” ___ AP video journalist Oleg Cetinic contributed from Strasbourg, France.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s government says it has asked WhatsApp to take “immediate action” to prevent the social media platform from being misused to spread rumors and irresponsible statements like those blamed for recent deadly mob attacks in the country. At least 20 people have been killed in mostly rural villages in several Indian states by attacking mobs that had been inflamed by social media. Victims were accused in the viral messages of belonging to gangs trying to abduct children. The brutal attacks, which began in early May, have also left dozens of people injured. Although Indian authorities have clarified that there was no truth to the rumors and the targeted people were innocent, the deadly and brutal attacks, often captured on cellphones and shared on social media, have spread across the country. India’s ministry of electronics and information technology said in a statement late Tuesday that the lynchings were tied to “irresponsible and explosive messages” circulated on WhatsApp. It wasn’t specific on the preventative measures it expected to be taken by WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. “While the law and order machinery is taking steps to apprehend the culprits, the abuse of platforms like WhatsApp for repeated circulation of such provocative content are equally a matter of deep concern,” the ministry said. The ministry said WhatsApp “cannot evade accountability and responsibility.” “The government has also conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities,” the statement said. “Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/sensational messages.” WhatsApp said in a blog post that it would institute awards for research on “spread of misinformation” on its platform. “We will seriously consider proposals from any social science and technological perspective that propose projects that enrich our understanding of the problem of misinformation on WhatsApp,” the post said. The Indian Express, an English-language daily newspaper, quoted a WhatsApp spokesman as saying, “The situation is a public health problem which will require solutions from outside the company as well, including the government.” The official said that the “responsibility is beyond any one technology company” and “requires partners,” according to the paper. “I think it’s up to the Indian government to decide what is the right mechanism to address the spate of killing that is occurring. It is going to have to be a collaboration,” the official said.

NEW YORK (AP) — It was a sadly familiar ritual: an American president addressing the nation at an unsettling time, decrying violence while urging citizens to set aside their differences and pray for the recovery of victims. But this time, it was President Donald Trump who was called upon to speak words of comfort in such a troubled moment, one fraught with the overtones of gun politics and the heated rhetoric of a nation sharply divided along party lines. Trump’s measured response to Wednesday’s shooting at a congressional baseball practice stood in stark contrast to his inflammatory reactions to some previous acts of violence. He delivered a brief address from the White House Diplomatic Room in which he denounced the shooting of a top House Republican and others as a “very, very brutal assault.” He said that “many lives would have been lost without the heroic action” of Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman. “We may have our differences, but we do well in times like these to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country,” Trump said. “We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace and that we are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good.” Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot in the early morning fusillade of gunfire, and several other people, including members of Scalise’s security detail, also were wounded. The gunman was killed. On Wednesday evening, the president and first lady Melania Trump visited MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where Scalise remains in critical condition. “The president entered the room, spoke with Scalise’s family members and sat by his bedside with Mrs. Trump,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, describing the scene in the intensive care unit as emotional. Scalise and his wife, Jennifer, have two children. The president was briefed by Scalise’s medical team and also visited with Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, who was shot in the ankle during the attack. Back at the White House, Trump tweeted: “Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape – but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!” He wrapped up the long day by celebrating his 71st birthday by having dinner with his family at the White House. Trump was informed of the shooting minutes after it occurred. The White House press office quickly put out a brief statement noting that Trump was “deeply saddened by the tragedy,” and the president followed up with a tweet: “Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.” Wanting to present the president as a steadying hand and avoid any distractions after the shooting, the White House then quickly canceled a presidential event on apprenticeships at the Labor Department and scuttled any plans for a briefing. Instead, aides drafted the short, somber remarks Trump delivered from the Diplomatic Room. The president praised Scalise as “a very good friend” and “a patriot,” telling the legislator he had “not just the prayers of the entire city behind you, but the entire nation and frankly the entire world.” He praised Capitol Police officers and first responders who mobilized at the softball field where the Republican baseball team was practicing ahead of Thursday night’s charity game against the Democrats. “Their sacrifice makes democracy possible,” he said. Trump also broke the news that the shooter, 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Illinois, had died. Hodgkinson had a history of lashing out at Republicans and apparently had volunteered for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. Several prominent Republicans, including the president’s eldest son, were quick to link the gunfire to anti-Trump rhetoric from the left. But in the hours after the shooting, the president, whose pugnacious style has come to define this era of bruising partisanship, avoided any mention of the political debate surrounding the shooting. Trump showed little of that restraint when reacting to acts of violence during his campaign. He drew sharp criticism a year ago when he tweeted “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism” in the wake of the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead. He also was accused of inciting violence when he warned that the “Second Amendment people” among his supporters might find a way to stop his opponent, Hillary Clinton, from rolling back gun rights. Earlier this month he used Twitter to denounce the mayor of London in the wake of a terror attack that left seven dead there. Trump’s brief speech at the White House was reminiscent of the more than a dozen times that his predecessor had to address the nation after a mass shooting. Some of the most indelible images of Barack Obama’s presidency followed an act of violence, including the tears in his eyes while mourning the 26 people, including children, killed in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and his rendition of “Amazing Grace” while delivering a eulogy after nine churchgoers were killed in Charlestown, South Carolina, three years later. While Obama’s statements of mourning were frequently paired with a plea for stricter gun control laws, Trump did not mention firearms regulations. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. __ Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Russian authorities have sent a new extradition request to Greece for a Russian cybercrime suspect also sought on criminal charges by the U.S. and France. Alexander Vinnik, 38, a former bitcoin platform operator, was informed of the new Russian request by Thessaloniki court officials Wednesday, and is not contesting it. Russia initially sought Vinnik on lesser fraud charges. The new request raises the amount allegedly involved to 750 million rubles ($12 million). Greece’s supreme court has already approved Vinnik’s extradition to the United States for allegedly laundering billions of dollars using the virtual currency. Vinnik had fought that decision. Another court ruled for his extradition to Russia based on the first request. France wants him on charges including cybercrime and money laundering. Greece’s justice minister will rule on the requests.

BERLIN (AP) — A group of city counselors in Munich say they want the southern German city’s main train station to have a landing pad for flying taxis. Five city council members from the Christian Social Union party submitted a motion Wednesday calling on rail company Deutsche Bahn to consider the space needed for flying taxis in its plans for a future redesign of the station. In their motion, they write that “it is to be expected that within a few years technology will have advanced so far that flying taxis can be used to transport people.” The party, which has a majority across Bavaria but is in opposition in the state capital’s assembly, has recently been championing the idea of flying taxis as a future means of travel.

CHICAGO (AP) — Several leading community groups, including a local Black Lives Matter organization, filed a class-action lawsuit against Chicago on Wednesday in a bid to bypass or even scuttle a draft agreement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice that seeks to reform the nation’s second largest police force without federal court oversight. The 132-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago argues that an overhaul of Chicago’s 12,000-officer force in the wake of a damning civil rights report in January can’t work without the intense scrutiny of a court-appointed monitor answerable to a judge. “Absent federal court supervision, nothing will improve,” the lawsuit says. The civil litigation is also a signal that longtime advocates of far-reaching police reforms don’t trust President Donald Trump’s administration. While Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has expressed skepticism about court involvement, President Barack Obama’s administration saw it as vital to successful reforms. Obama’s Justice Department typically took a city reform plan to a judge to make it legally binding in the form of a consent decree. The lawsuit filed on behalf of seven groups and six individuals asks for a court to intervene to end what the plaintiffs describe as “abusive policies and practices undergirding the alleged constitutional and state law violations.” Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration said earlier this month that a draft deal negotiated by the city and the Justice Department — one that foresees a monitor not selected by a court — is being reviewed in Washington. Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor and one of the more than a dozen plaintiff attorneys involved in the legal action, said reports about the draft agreement — which he called “a backroom deal without any teeth” — influenced the decision to sue now. “This is the community stepping up when the government refuses to act and when it has long been clear that the city is incapable of acting on its own,” he said. Emanuel’s chief city lawyer, Edward Siskel, said Chicago officials would have preferred court oversight but were left little choice because the Trump administration didn’t favor it. “We wish the Department of Justice would have followed through with their commitment to a consent decree — but we are not there,” he told reporters Wednesday. He contended that reforms outside of court supervision had “a proven track record of success.” Futterman said the city does have a choice now that the lawsuit is filed: Emanuel could give up on the Justice Department altogether and decide to hammer out a court-enforced reform plan with the groups that are suing. Even if the city sticks with the Justice Department, the judge presiding over the new lawsuit could side with the community groups and mandate reforms via a court order. “This is a real test for the mayor as to whether he is truly committed to police reform in Chicago,” Futterman said. Before Trump’s inauguration in January, the Justice Department issued a scathing 161-page report that found deep-rooted civil rights violations by Chicago police, including racial bias, excessive use of force and a “pervasive cover-up culture” among officers. Emanuel committed to a consent decree in a joint statement with Justice Department officials at the time. The Justice Department launched its civil rights investigation in 2015 after the release of police dashboard camera video showing a white officer shooting a black teenager, Laquan McDonald, 16 times. The video of McDonald’s 2014 death prompted protests and demands for sweeping reforms. The officer who shot the 17-year-old was charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting trial. Since then, Emanuel has said repeatedly that Chicago will push ahead with reforms, no matter what. His administration has established a new police oversight agency and adopted other practices to hold officers accountable. Addressing reporters Wednesday, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson also cited the decision to fit all patrol officers with body cameras. “I’m not a lawyer, so I won’t speak about the litigation,” he said. “I’m just a cop trying to make this police department better.” Using lawsuits to prompt overhauls of police departments is rare. A lawsuit filed by community groups in Cincinnati in 2001 did play a central role in kick-starting police reforms that eventually were overseen by a federal court. Chicago officials point to Washington, D.C., as a city that enacted successful police reforms without a judge. But another plaintiff attorney in the Chicago case, Sheila Bedi, said successful reforms without court scrutiny are “very, very rare.” Only judges, free of political pressure, can rule that police aren’t complying with agreed-to reforms and force them to do so, Bedi said. The Chicago Police Department is the largest in the U.S. to be investigated by the Justice Department court-enforced reforms could end up costing the city more than a deal cut with Trump’s administration. But Andrew Stroth, another plaintiff attorney, said a police force with deeply engrained problems that aren’t fixed will see more unjustified shootings and more lawsuits that cost city taxpayers. According to the lawsuit, more than 1,600 people have been shot by Chicago police since 1996, more than 90 percent of them black. And lawsuits that alleged police abuses have cost Chicago more than $640 million on settlements. “Chicago will save money and save lives by having federal judicial oversight,” Stroth said. ___ Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mtarm

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Those who know the suspect in Tennessee’s Waffle House shooting say Travis Reinking began displaying erratic behavior years before police say he showed up nearly naked at the Nashville restaurant and killed four people with an assault-style rifle. Friends and relatives have told authorities that the onetime construction crane operator was excellent at his work but that he suffered from delusions, sometimes talking about plans to marry singer Taylor Swift. He was arrested outside the White House last year after asking to speak to President Donald Trump, and his bizarre actions seemed to intensify in recent days. Reinking is charged in Tennessee with four counts of criminal homicide after Sunday’s attack. He’s been jailed without bond.

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities say a suspect in the slayings of five people in two cities has now been charged in all five deaths. Police in the Cleveland suburb of North Royalton say 45-year-old George Brinkman Jr. was charged Wednesday with aggravated murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence in the deaths of a mother and her two college-age daughters. The bodies of 45-year-old Suzanne Taylor, 21-year-old Taylor Pifer and 18-year-old Kylie Pifer were found Sunday in their home. Police haven’t said how they died. Brinkman was charged Tuesday with murder in the slayings of his employers, 71-year-old Rogell Eugene John and 64-year-old Roberta Ray John. The couple’s bodies were found Monday in their North Canton home. Authorities say they apparently were shot. Court records don’t list an attorney for Brinkman.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the health of former President George H.W. Bush (all times local): 12:10 p.m. A family spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush is still “responding and recovering” as doctors treat him for an infection that’s spread to his blood. Bush has been hospitalized since Sunday, a day after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara. Family spokesman Jim McGrath issued the update Tuesday. He says previous updates also still stand, in that the 93-year-old former president is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering. Bush has a form of Parkinson’s disease along with a history of pneumonia and other infections. He’s being treated at Houston Methodist Hospital. ___ 3 a.m. A spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush is eager to get well so he can get to his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. Jim McGrath says the 93-year-old Bush is “the most goal-oriented person on this planet.” Bush has been hospitalized in Houston with an infection, just after attending the funeral of his wife, Barbara. McGrath said Monday that Bush is “responding to treatments and appears to be recovering.” McGrath says he was admitted Sunday morning to Houston Methodist Hospital after an infection spread to his blood. He wouldn’t elaborate on the 41st president’s condition Monday night, saying updates will be issued “as events warrant.” Bush uses a wheelchair and an electric scooter for mobility after developing a form of Parkinson’s disease. Barbara Bush was laid to rest Saturday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare says it plans to require hospitals to post their standard prices online and to make electronic medical records more readily available to patients. The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma, said Tuesday the initiative reflects the Trump administration’s effort to encourage patients to become decision makers in their care. Hospitals are required to disclose prices publicly, but the latest change would put that information online in machine-readable format that can be easily processed by computers. Likewise, many health care providers already make computerized records available to patients, but starting in 2021 Medicare would base part of a hospital’s payments on how well they do. Verma also announced Medicare is starting a comprehensive review of how it will pay for costly new forms of immunotherapy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rudy Giuliani says he has repeatedly counseled President Donald Trump against firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions despite the president’s ongoing anger over Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe. Giuliani tells The Associated Press that Trump has asked him multiple times — before and since the former New York City mayor joined the president’s legal team last month — about whether Sessions should have been fired. He says he doesn’t think the president should do it, and says he’s told him so. The former mayor adds that he does not believe Trump will fire Sessions.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M University late Monday abruptly canceled a planned white supremacist rally on its campus next month, amid bipartisan pressure from state lawmakers who said hatred should be rejected in all forms — despite First Amendment protections. An announcement on the House floor by Republican Rep. John Raney said A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp had opted to scuttle the event set for Sept. 11 because of concerns police would be stretched thin providing security. The A&M System confirmed the cancellation and was working on a statement. A former A&M student named Preston Wiginton had been organizing a “white lives matter” rally in College Station, Texas, saying he was inspired by Saturday’s “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a vehicle plowed into a group of counterprotesters, killing at least one and injuring 19. Wiginton said he’d invited prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer to address the Texas rally. Spencer spoke at an A&M event in December, when he was met by hundreds of protesters, many of whom gathered at Kyle Field football stadium to hear music and speeches highlighting diversity and unity to counter Spencer’s appearance. Word of the cancellation came hours after Dallas Democratic Rep. Helen Giddings gave a House floor speech while nearly all of the chamber’s 150 members stood beside her. She urged university administrators to “unequivocally denounce and fight against this violent group” adding “all of us in the state of Texas want to say with one voice, Texas will not stand for hate.” Rep. Paul Workman, an Austin Republican, added that a petition being circulated for A&M graduates in the House was attempting to “keep this from happening on our campus.” The chammber then held a moment of silence for victims killed and injured in Charlottesville. Similar sentiments came from the Texas Senate, which also held its own moment of silence. Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Republican whose district includes College Station, has said he had planned to attend a counter protest of the A&M rally. Although the group may be allowed to meet on campus, Schwertner said, “The First Amendment also allows us to respond in kind, to stand up and say what we believe as a society, as Americans and as Texans. We should not stand for bigotry, for violence, for racism.” Sen. Royce West, a Dallas Democrat who is black, said he’ll also go to the Texas A&M campus on Sept. 11. “We will do everything in our power to make sure those days gone by will not be repeated. I’m confident they won’t be,” he said, recalling the Jim Crow-era of segregation and discrimination. “We will stand strong against those hate groups, neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan.” West added: “My 17-year-old grandson asked me yesterday, ‘Should my generation be more like Martin Luther King or Malcom X? I had to pause and listen to the hurt in his voice and doubt in his ability to pursue the American dream. I didn’t answer the question … That’s where we are in America today.'” __ Eds: Associated Press writers Jim Vertuno and Paul J. Weber in Austin and David Warren in Dallas contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer who has suggested that FBI officials were part of a “brazen plot” to exonerate Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump has been added to the president’s legal team. Joseph diGenova, a former United States attorney in the District of Columbia and a frequent television commentator, will join the team at a sensitive moment as Trump’s lawyers weigh whether to make the president available for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller and under what terms. He will work alongside attorneys John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, who said in a statement Monday that he was confident that diGenova will “be a great asset in our representation of the president.” Mueller is investigating potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice by the president. DiGenova, who will start later this week, declined to comment to The Associated Press on Monday. Though the White House and Trump legal team has spoken publicly of its cooperative relationship with Mueller’s office, that rapport appeared frayed over the weekend when Dowd said that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — who appointed Mueller and oversees his team of prosecutors — should “bring an end” to the investigation. Dowd said he was speaking for just himself, but his emailed statement appeared to reflect the frustration of the president, who lashed out at the investigation in a series of weekend tweets, including one in which he mentioned Mueller by name. As Mueller seeks an interview with the president, the addition of diGenova could signal a more combative stance, if past comments are any indication. In a January interview on Fox News, for instance, he said that anti-Trump text messages exchanged between two FBI officials who were once on Mueller’s team reflect a “brazen plot to illegally exonerate Hillary Clinton, and if she didn’t win the election, to then frame Donald Trump with a falsely created crime. “Everything that we have seen from these texts, and from all of the facts developing, shows that the FBI and senior (Justice Department) officials conspired to violate the law and to deny Donald Trump his civil rights,” he added. The addition of diGenova was first reported by The New York Times. ___ Associated Press writer Chad Day contributed to this report.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) — A 6-foot-long boa constrictor reported loose in Binghamton, New York, has been found — beneath the owner’s kitchen sink. A Facebook post by the Broome County Humane Society on behalf of the owner said the pet snake escaped its enclosure earlier this week and was last seen near the high school. The county office of emergency services issued a statement Tuesday saying people should “exercise caution and keep small children and small animals away” if they came across the snake. But on Wednesday morning, the reptile’s owner told local media that Bella the boa had apparently never left his apartment building and was found safe in his kitchen. Red-tailed boa constrictors eat small mammals, killing their prey by squeezing them to death. They’re typically docile as pets.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump (all times local): 2:55 p.m. The White House is pushing back on sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump, saying he has already denied them. Three women who previously accused Trump of sexual harassment shared their stories Monday on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” They’re calling for a congressional investigation. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump “has addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations.” She says the people decided in November to elect him regardless. Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks are among the women who have alleged harassment by Trump. The White House has called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has said the women should be heard. ___ 10:30 a.m. Three women who have previously accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment are sharing their stories on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks on Monday told of alleged harassment by Trump spanning decades. The White House called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” It said “the timing and absurdity of these false claims speak volumes.” One of the accusers, Rachel Crooks, called the White House statement “laughable.” Crooks says of sexual misconduct: “I think politicians seem to be immune to this.” The women, who first shared their stories before the November 2016 election, were holding a press conference later Monday to call for a congressional investigation into Trump’s alleged behavior.

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago masseuse is suing Marvel Comic’s Stan Lee, accusing him of inappropriate behavior during two massages in 2017. Maria Carballo filed the lawsuit Monday seeking more than $50,000 in punitive damages and attorney fees from the 95-year-old comic book writer. The Chicago Tribune reports that Lee’s attorney, Jonathan Freund, called the lawsuit “a shakedown” and says Lee denies the allegations. Carballo also filed a complaint with Chicago police, who are investigating. According to the complaint, Lee fondled himself during the first massage and moaned so much during the second that Carballo stopped the treatment. Lee stood up and angrily demanded Carballo keep massaging him. The complaint also says Carballo was massaging Lee with her feet when he grabbed her foot and touched it to his genitals. ___ Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chris Paul had 22 points and 11 assists, Ryan Anderson added 21 points and the Houston Rockets became the latest team to thump Cleveland on national TV, beating the disconnected Cavaliers 120-88 on Saturday night. James Harden only scored 16 — 15 below his league-leading average — but Houston rolled to its fourth straight win and improved to 11-2 since Jan. 8. Meanwhile, the Cavs’ downward spiral accelerated. Since losing at Golden State on Christmas, LeBron James and his teammates are 0-8 in network broadcasts and have been embarrassed in several matchups against quality teams. They lost by 28 at Minnesota, 34 in Toronto, 24 at home to Oklahoma City and 32 to the Rockets, who toyed with the defending Eastern Conference champs. James finished with just 11 points and didn’t play in the fourth quarter as the Rockets were too far ahead. Isaiah Thomas scored 12 for Cleveland. The Cavs played their second game without injured All-Star forward Kevin Love, who could be out two months with a broken left hand suffered earlier this week. Love’s injury hurts, obviously, but there are far bigger issues with a Cleveland team that has lost 12 of 18 and appears to be tearing apart at the seams. With the Rockets up 35 in the third quarter, the Cavs didn’t even bother to huddle during a timeout. Thomas and J.R. Smith sat at the middle of the scorer’s table while James and other players wandered near the bench area as coach Tyronn Lue and his staff tried to figure what to do next. The Cavs actually did a decent job on Harden, who recorded the first 60-point triple-double earlier in the week against Orlando. Harden went just 5 of 14 from the field. Down 26 at halftime, James and the Cavs walked off the floor hearing boos from Cleveland fans who have grown tired of their lack of defense, chemistry and commitment. With the trade deadline on Thursday, Cleveland might need to make a major move to have any chance of getting back to its fourth straight Finals. This group isn’t getting it done. Lue said it would be a “team challenge” to slow down Harden. “‘You have to show him different looks,” Lue said before the game. “I just don’t think you can let a great player get comfortable showing him the same kind of defensive schemes. You’ve got to mix it up to keep him off balance, just try to make him make field goals and not free throws.” Early on, Cleveland tried several players on Harden, but Paul did the damage. He made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping ignite the Rockets and push them to a 14-point lead. Houston opened the second quarter with three more 3s — the Rockets started 8 of 12 behind the arc — and when Anderson drained another 3-pointer, the Rockets’ lead had swelled to 48-23. TIP-INS Rockets: Harden, who went 1 for 11 on 3s, tweaked his ankle in the third quarter, but stayed in. … Attempted 51 3-pointers, making 19 — the most ever against the Cavs. … Paul passed Andre Miller (8,624) for ninth place on the career assists list. … G Eric Gordon (lower back stiffness) missed his second consecutive game, but coach Mike D’Antoni expects the team’s second-leading scorer to play Tuesday in Brooklyn. … Paul is closing in on 2,000 career steals. When he reaches the plateau, he’ll join Gary Payton, Jason Kidd and John Stockton as the only players with 8,000 assists and 2,000 steals. Cavaliers: Love met with reporters before the game and acknowledged he’s “still down” after suffering his third broken hand in 10 seasons. He said the previous two times he recovered more quickly than expected. … Dwyane Wade passed Payton (21,813) points and moved into 32nd place on the career list. .. General manager Koby Altman was back in plenty of time for tip-off after attending the St. John’s-Duke game in New York. The No. 4 Blue Devils were upset at Madison Square Garden. UP NEXT Rockets: Visit Brooklyn on Tuesday. Cavaliers: At Orlando on Tuesday, starting a stretch of four of five games on the road before the All-Star break.

Dam in western North Carolina that prompted evacuation as storm Alberto passed is deemed safe; evacuation order canceled

WASHINGTON (AP) — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a proposed rule that would restrict the types of scientific studies regulators can use to determine the impact of pesticide and pollution exposure on human health. Pruitt says the change would increase transparency in the agency’s decision-making by requiring all underlying data used in scientific studies to be made publicly available. Critics, including former EPA administrators and scientists, say Pruitt’s move is designed to restrict the agency from citing peer-reviewed public-health studies that use patient medical records required to be kept confidential under patient privacy laws. The embattled EPA administrator signed the proposed order at EPA headquarters Tuesday in an event that was livestreamed on the agency’s website but not open to press coverage.

Every morning at 6:36,7:36, 8:36 Becca updates us on what’s trending in country music. Luke Combs talks about challenges he faces while on the road AND FGL talks about their single with Bebe Rexha. Jason Aldean has one of his best weeks ever AND $20 concert tickets!

DETROIT (AP) — Young drivers aren’t alone in behaving badly on U.S. roads, a trend that could be contributing to a spike in highway deaths. Well over half of drivers in every age group have texted behind the wheel, run a red light or driven faster than the speed limit in the last 30 days, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Younger drivers are the worst offenders. Eighty-eight percent of drivers ages 19 to 24 admitted to at least one of those behaviors. But even mature drivers skirted the rules more often researchers expected. For instance, 10 percent of drivers between 60 and 74 have texted or sent email from behind the wheel, while 37 percent of drivers over 75 said they’d driven through a light that had just turned red. “It was a surprise that there were relatively high rates of these behaviors among the drivers we think of as safer,” said Lindsay Arnold, a research associate with the AAA Foundation. Arnold said the responses were similar to those in past years, indicating a troubling trend. In 2015, U.S. traffic deaths rose 7 percent to 35,092, the largest single-year increase in five decades. They’re expected to rise again in 2016 when that data is finalized. “It points to the need to improve driver behavior if we’re going to reverse this alarming trend,” Arnold said. Teen driver education campaigns have had some success, foundation spokeswoman Tamra Johnson said. Now the organization is considering the best ways to reach drivers of other ages. The study found broad agreement on some issues. Eighty-seven percent of drivers said they have never driven when they thought they were close to the legal alcohol limit. Ninety-five percent said they had never driven within an hour of using marijuana. Eighty-eight percent of drivers say it’s unacceptable to drive without a seat belt, and 82 percent support laws requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets. But drivers’ behavior sometimes contradicted their own instincts. More than three-quarters of drivers say it’s unacceptable to text or email while driving, but 31 percent had done so in the last month and 8 percent do so often. Ninety-six percent of drivers say drowsy driving is a serious safety threat, but 29 percent had recently driven when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open. The study questioned 2,511 licensed drivers aged 16 and over. Among its findings: — The youngest drivers — those ages 16 to 18 — were less likely to engage in speeding, running red lights or texting while driving than drivers in their 20s through 50s. — Eighty-three percent of drivers — and 86.5 percent of drivers 75 or older — said they were more careful than other drivers on the road. — Just over half of drivers feel seriously threatened by drivers talking on cell phones, but 68 percent made a call while driving in the last 30 days. — Drivers ages 40-59 were the most likely to use a hands-free phone in the car. Drivers ages 16-18 and 75 or older were the most likely to hold their phones and talk while driving. — Twenty-three percent of drivers — and 36 percent of those ages 19 to 24 — think it’s acceptable to drive 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway. Forty-six percent of drivers say they have driven that fast on a freeway in the last 30 days. — Sixty percent of drivers say people who drive after using illegal drugs are a serious threat, but just 34 percent say the same about people who drive after using prescription drugs.

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court of appeals has dismissed criminal defamation charges against a British labor rights activist who was sued by a fruit packaging company after he alleged human rights violations at its factory. Andy Hall’s protracted legal battle stemmed from a 2013 report he researched for Finnish consumer organization Finnwatch that alleged labor abuses at Natural Fruit’s pineapple canning operation. It employed migrant workers from Myanmar who said the company abused them and broke labor regulations. Sunya Joongdee, a lawyer for Hall, said Thursday’s court ruling dismissed the criminal defamation case, which also resulted in the collapse of a related computer crime case. He says the court accepted that Hall’s interviews with migrant workers revealed information that should be made public.

CAIRO (AP) — Making his second visit to Egypt since 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin flew to Cairo on Monday for talks with his Egyptian counterpart on the two countries’ rapidly expanding ties and regional issues. Egypt’s general-turned-president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has visited Russia three times since the ouster of his Islamist predecessor in 2013. After taking office, el-Sissi has bought billions of dollars’ worth of Russian weapons, including fighter jets and assault helicopters. The two countries are also in the late stages of negotiations over the construction by a Russian company of Egypt’s first nuclear energy reactor. Last month, Russia approved a draft agreement with Egypt to allow Russian warplanes to use Egyptian military bases, a significant leap in bilateral ties and evidence of Moscow’s expanding military role in a turbulent Middle East. Putin flew to Cairo after a brief and previously unannounced visit to a Russian military air base in Syria, according to Russia’s Tass news agency. The air base has served as the main foothold for the air campaign Russia has waged since September 2015 in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad against armed groups opposed to his rule. Egypt’s currently close ties with Russia harken back to the 1950s and 1960s, when Cairo became Moscow’s closest Arab ally during the peak years of the Cold War. Egypt changed allies in the 1970s under the late President Anwar Sadat, who replaced Moscow with Washington as his country’s chief economic and military backer following the signing of a U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel. Egypt has since become a major recipient of U.S. economic and military aid. In what would have been unthinkable during the Cold War, Egypt has under el-Sissi been able to maintain close ties with both Russia and the United States. Egypt, however, has not been able thus far to persuade Russia to resume its flights to Egypt, suspended since October 2015 when a suspected bomb brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. Egypt has since spent millions of dollars to upgrade security at its airports and undergone numerous checks by Russian experts to ascertain the level of security at the facilities. The suspension of Russian flights has dealt a devastating blow to Egypt’s vital tourism industry. Britain, another major source of visitors, has since the Russian airliner’s crash also suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort in Sinai from which the Russian airliner took off shortly before it crashed. “Your Excellency: When will Russian tourism return to Egypt?” read the front-page banner headline in a Cairo daily loyal to the government, in both Arabic and Russian. There have been speculations that el-Sissi and Putin might during the visit finalize and announce a deal on the construction of the nuclear reactor on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast after months of wrangling over technical and financial details. Egypt and Russia have already initialed an agreement for a $25 billion Russian loan to finance the construction.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s prime minister says a letter from President Donald Trump accusing Danes of not spending enough on NATO has “a unilateral focus on military spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product on defense.” Ahead of a July 11-12 NATO summit, Trump sent letters to several NATO allies demanding they boost their defense spending. In an email Wednesday to The Associated Press, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said he “was not surprised by the letter” where Trump wrote “the United States is increasingly unwilling to ignore the European failure to meet shared security commitments.” After Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, NATO allies agreed to stop cutting defense budgets and start moving toward a goal of devoting 2 percent of GDP to defense within a decade.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The Latest on migration into Europe (all times local): 11:55 a.m. The Portuguese picked as the next leader of the U.N.’s migration agency predicts that the number of migrants heading from North Africa to Europe will grow and that European countries will increasingly refuse to let them in. Antonio Vitorino says “I have no illusions. I know that in coming years the flow of migrants will increase and (destination) countries will close in on themselves.” Vitorino told Portuguese television channel SIC that cooperation between the migrants’ countries of origin and European Union countries “is the only response” that will solve the issue of migration to Europe. He says refugees seeking asylum must be guaranteed protection. He says the admittance of economic migrants depends on whether European labor markets can absorb them. Vitorino was selected last week as the next director-general of the International Organization for Migration and takes office Oct. 1. ___ 10:45 a.m. A rescue ship carrying 60 migrants has arrived in a Spanish port after being refused entry by Italy and Malta, the second time in a month that a humanitarian group has been forced to travel for days to unload people rescued in the central Mediterranean. The Open Arms ship docked Wednesday in the northeastern port of Barcelona, where the group — including 5 women, a 9-year-old toddler and four teenagers — will be going through health checks and identification procedures. The Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms said the migrants come from 14 countries and are in good health. Doctors Without Borders says more than 500 people have died in the Mediterranean since the Aquarius, another rescue ship, was blocked from ports in Italy and Malta in June.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang appealed to Washington on Tuesday to “act rationally” and avoid disrupting trade over steel, technology and other disputes, promising that Beijing will “open even wider” to imports and investment. “No one will emerge a winner from a trade war,” said Li, the No. 2 Chinese leader, at a news conference held during the meeting of China’s ceremonial legislature. Li made no mention of a possible Chinese response in the event U.S. President Donald Trump raises import barriers over trade complaints against Beijing, but other officials say President Xi Jinping’s government is ready to act. Trump’s government has raised import duties on Chinese-made washing machines and other goods and is investigating whether Beijing pressures foreign companies to hand over technology, which might lead to trade penalties. That could invite Chinese retaliation. “What we hope is for us to act rationally rather than being led by emotions,” the premier said. “We don’t want to see a trade war.” Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said March 11 that China will “resolutely defend” its interests but gave no details. Business groups have suggested Beijing might target U.S. exports of jetliners, soybeans and other goods for which China is a major market. Asked whether Beijing might use its large holdings of U.S. government debt as leverage, the premier said its investments are based on market principles and “China will remain a responsible long-term investor.” Li promised more market-opening and other reforms as Xi’s government tries to make its cooling, state-dominated economy more productive. He said Beijing will make it easier to start a business and will open more industries to foreign and private competition. The ruling Communist Party promised in 2013 to give a bigger role to market forces and entrepreneurs who generate most of China’s new jobs and wealth. Reform advocates complain they are moving too slowly. Private sector analysts say Xi, who took power in 2012, might accelerate reform after focusing for his first five-year term as party leader on cementing his status as China’s most dominant figure since at least the 1980s. “If there is one thing that will be different from the past, that will be that China will open even wider,” said Li. Beijing plans to “further bring down overall tariffs,” with “zero tariffs for drugs, especially much-needed anti-cancer drugs,” the premier said. Li repeated a promise he made at the March 5 opening of the legislature to “fully open the manufacturing sector” to foreign competitors. “There will be no mandatory requirement for technology transfers and intellectual property rights will be better protected,” he said. The government has yet to say how that might change conditions for automakers and other manufacturers that are required to work through Chinese partners, which requires them to share technology with potential competitors. In a sign of Li’s reduced status as President Xi Jinping amasses power, the premier was flanked by eight newly promoted economic officials, in contrast to previous years when he appeared alone at the annual news conference. They included Liu He, a Harvard-trained Xi adviser who was named a vice premier Monday and has told foreign businesspeople he will oversee economic reform. Neither Liu nor any of the other officials spoke at the event. The premier traditionally is China’s top economic official but Xi has stripped Li of his most prominent duties by appointing himself to lead ruling party bodies that oversee economic reform and finance policy.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper proposed Tuesday what he called a compromise to repeal the state’s so-called bathroom bill, saying a new measure is designed to allay fears by some over public bathroom safety. But a powerful leader in the Republican-controlled General Assembly dismissed it, signaling that any agreement between the governor and GOP lawmakers is still distant. Even a close Cooper ally in the gay rights movement said he didn’t support the governor’s idea, calling the proposal a distraction from a repeal of what’s known as House Bill 2. The law approved last March by GOP lawmakers and then-Gov. Pat McCrory triggered backlash from businesses and LGBT advocates who say it’s discriminatory because it requires transgender people to use restrooms in public buildings that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates. It also excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from local and statewide antidiscrimination protections. A federal trial to decide HB2 is scheduled to begin later this summer. Cooper’s proposal comes as New Orleans welcomes the NBA All-Star game this weekend. The city of Charlotte was supposed to host multimillion-dollar event, but the NBA pulled out after the law was passed. The NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference also moved several sporting events and businesses such as PayPal decided not to expand in North Carolina. “It will bring back the NCAA, it will bring back the ACC, the NBA and it will bring back jobs,” Cooper said. The proposal does away with House Bill 2 and increases penalties for crimes in public bathrooms, the governor said at a news conference with the top Democratic leaders in the House and Senate. It would also tell local governments seeking ordinances covering sexual orientation and gender identity to give legislators 30 days’ notice before doing so. Lawmakers passed HB2 weeks after the Charlotte City Council voted to expand a local ordinance protecting people based on sexual orientation and gender identity at hotels, restaurants and other public buildings. HB2 supporters have argued letting people choose public bathrooms based on gender identity can be used as a pretense by sexual predators. The U.S. Justice Department and HB2 critics have said the threat is practically non-existent. Senate leader Phil Berger said the stronger punishments for crimes in bathrooms aren’t enough. “What is the governor’s position on whether or not men should be allowed to share restrooms, lockers and showers with women and girls?” Berger told reporters. “I don’t see this as a compromise. I don’t see this as anything different that what he’s been saying all along.” Cooper’s proposal represents a change in tactics by the new governor, who has been seeking a repeal-only bill. Cooper said HB2 “doesn’t do anything to protect anybody.” His proposal appeared designed to pull in more votes from Republicans wavering on keeping the law. “Regardless of whether I believe House Bill 2 addresses that problem in any way, I want to say this: I hear you and I have a proposal that specifically addresses your concerns,” the governor said. In December, an apparent deal between Cooper — then the governor-elect — and the legislature to repeal HB2 collapsed. Interest picked up in recent days after a statewide sports development association warned legislators in a letter that action must be taken very soon or the state would be disqualified from hosting NCAA events for the next five years. Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina, said the 30-day waiting period for local governments was unnecessary, saying Charlotte leaders deliberated publicly for a long time on their ordinance. And new penalties aren’t needed because LGBT people are not a public safety risk, he said. “I don’t support the proposal. I think that what we need to do is be squarely focused on the repeal of HB2,” Sgro told reporters. “Every other piece of this conversation is a distraction.”

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Lindsey Vonn edged Sofia Goggia in a foretaste of the Pyeongchang Olympic downhill on Saturday, raising her career total to 80 World Cup victories. The American standout beat Goggia by two hundredths of a second as their ongoing rivalry in Alpine skiing’s fastest discipline continued. “It’s a big number,” Vonn said of her 80 wins, which is just six short of the all-time record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark in the 1980s. “I remember when I got my 50th here, I never thought I would even get close to Annemarie Moser-Proell’s record (of 62 wins) and now I am getting close to Stenmark’s. It’s incredible,” she said. “Also the timing of this win, coming into the Olympics,” Vonn added. “I really feel strong mentally and physically. I never thought in my life I would get 80 wins so it’s a big day.” Vonn skied a solid run but didn’t seem to go to the limits as she trailed Italian rival Goggia by 0.08 at the last split time. However, Vonn overcame the deficit in the final section. “I definitely skied aggressively, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t leave all the cards on the table,” Vonn said. “I hold those extra aces for the Olympics.” It was Vonn’s second straight downhill win after Cortina, Italy, two weeks ago. She and Goggia are the only racers with more than one downhill victory this season. Cornelia Huetter of Austria was 0.13 behind in third, while Vonn’s American teammate Breezy Johnson finished fourth for her career best result. Earlier Saturday, Johnson and Vonn posted the fastest times in a mandatory training session two hours before the race, after training was canceled on the previous two days. Vonn’s joy was tempered, however, by a crash that ruled her teammate Jacqueline Wiles out of the Olympics with a knee injury. Shortly after completing her run and taking the lead in the race, Vonn saw on a large video screen in the finish area how Wiles lost balance after skiing off the course, fell and went into the safety netting. Wiles had to be transported off the hill by helicopter. The 25-year-old Wiles was set to compete in her second Olympics. She had her second career podium by placing third in the race that Vonn won in Cortina two weeks ago. Earlier, Lauren Ross, who’s working her way back after a severe knee injury, also crashed hard but she stood up and eventually skied down. “It was really hard to actually be happy and excited and celebrate because Jackie is in the hospital,” said Vonn about Wiles, who has been financially supported by Vonn’s foundation. “It’s a really rough day for the whole team,” Vonn said. “I am happy that Lauren wasn’t hurt. I think she will be really sore tomorrow but at least her knee is OK.” Another downhill on the Kandahar course is scheduled for Sunday, the last World Cup race before the Olympics, and Vonn was expecting another close duel with Goggia. The Italian edged Vonn in both speed races that were held as test events on the Olympic hill in South Korea last year. “She is always risking everything, she’s the person that I have to beat,” said the American, who is chasing another Olympic downhill medal to add to the gold she won in Vancouver 2010. “She is a personality that is really needed on the World Cup,” Vonn added. “We are playing a little game with each other: who has the hundredths, you know. It makes it more exciting for us and also for the spectators.” Goggia was smiling and hugged Vonn afterward. “From the start gate to the red finish line, it’s a battle. But after, we are friends,” Goggia said. “This is the rivalry that I like. It’s really fun and challenging for me.” The Italian’s daredevil style of racing has sometimes been seen as similar to Bode Miller’s approach, but Goggia laughs off any comparisons with the American great. “It would be a great honor just to have 1 percent of Bode,” she said. “I am far away from him. I am a show girl on the skis sometimes and I think that’s the only thing we have in common. He has a class that I will never reach.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three women who have previously accused President Donald Trump of sexual harassment shared their stories on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today.” Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks on Monday told of alleged harassment by Trump spanning decades. The White House called the claims false and “totally disputed in most cases.” It said “the timing and absurdity of these false claims speak volumes.” One of the accusers, Rachel Crooks, called the White House statement “laughable.” Crooks said of sexual misconduct: “I think politicians seem to be immune to this.” Holvey described the pain the women felt after Trump’s victory. “We are private citizens and for us to put ourselves out there, to try to show America who this man is, and especially how he views women, for them to say, ‘Meh, we don’t care,’ it hurt.” The women, who first shared their stories before the November 2016 election, were holding a press conference later Monday to call for a congressional investigation into Trump’s alleged behavior. They cited the recent revelations of sexual misconduct by prominent men in business, media, and politics, for their decision to speak out publicly against Trump once again. “The environment’s different,” Holvey said. “Let’s try again.”

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has struck a stridently nationalistic tone in his closing address to the annual session of the ceremonial parliament at which term limits on his rule were abolished. Xi told the nearly 3,000 delegates to the National People’s Congress on Tuesday that “not one inch” of Chinese territory would ever be separated from the nation. He declared that any attempt to separate Taiwan from the Chinese nation was “doomed to failure,” despite the self-governing island democracy’s de-facto independent status. He said Chinese are “closer now than at any time in history to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese people.” The congress’ most significant achievement was the passage of a constitutional amendment ending term limits on the president and vice president, allowing Xi to rule indefinitely.

SYDNEY (AP) — Paul Gray, lead singer of the 1980s Australian pop band Wa Wa Nee, has died of cancer, his brother said on Wednesday. He was 54 years old. He musician died on Tuesday of multiple myeloma, his brother and fellow band member Mark Gray said in a statement. “It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we announce that Paul Gray passed away peacefully,” Mark Gray said. “We would like to thank all the doctors, hospital staff, relatives, friends and fans for the overwhelming support given to Paul and our family while he heroically battled multiple myeloma,” he added. Wa Wa Nee formed in the early 1980s and had an Australian hit with their single, “Stimulation,” in 1986. The band later charted in the United States with the song “Sugar Free.” The band’s broke up in 1989, but re-formed in recent years to perform at 1980s revival concerts and to support British group The Human League on their Australian tour last year.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The powerful Hollywood talent agency CAA is canceling its annual Golden Globe Awards party and planning to form a legal defense fund to assist workplace harassment victims across all industries. A person with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said Monday that the funds normally used for the Globes party, which would celebrate nominated clients like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks, will be instead be redirected to establish the fund. The agency has also committed itself to establishing gender parity in its leadership by the year 2020, following the lead of ICM Partners. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news. The Golden Globes will be handed out Jan. 7 and will be followed by several after-parties.

PHOENIX (AP) — As some cities reaffirm support for sanctuary policies that protect immigrants, Phoenix finds itself in an unusual position to push back against any immigration actions by the new White House. The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday will discuss a petition to adopt the sanctuary label, following the lead of Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and others in a city with one of the nation’s largest populations of immigrants in the country illegally. But the effort is complicated by the fact that Arizona’s landmark 2010 immigration law, known as SB1070, bars any Arizona city from becoming a sanctuary. The Phoenix metro area is home to about 250,000 immigrants in the country illegally, according to a report last week from the Pew Research Center. The report is based on data from 2014. New York, Los Angeles and Houston have the highest number of immigrants who lack legal status. Cities are doubling down on sanctuary policies in light of an order by President Donald Trump requiring immigration authorities to arrest and deport more people. The city policies vary but essentially bar local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Phoenix has a Democratic, immigrant-friendly mayor who has denounced Trump, but his hands are tied because of SB1070. The law requires local police to question the immigration status of people suspected of being in the country illegally while enforcing other laws or in the course of an investigation. Most of the law was gutted by the courts, but city leaders say the surviving sections prevent local government agencies from restricting the enforcement of federal immigration law. Still, pressure has mounted on Mayor Greg Stanton from immigrant advocacy groups who want the city to adopt sanctuary policies and from police and Republican leaders who oppose the measure. City attorney Brad Holm says in a letter to the city manager that the petition for sanctuary status is “legally impermissible.” “It demands that the council break state law. If the petition were adopted, a court could fine the city for breaking the law, and the attorney general could seek forfeiture of state-shared revenue,” Holm wrote. Stanton last week blasted the Trump administration over the deportation of 35-year-old Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a Phoenix-area woman who until now had been granted leniency by Obama policies that aimed to protect immigrants without violent pasts and who have ties to the community. Garcia de Rayos was arrested in Phoenix during a routine check-in with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and was deported the next day to Nogales, Mexico. “Rather than tracking down violent criminals and drug dealers, ICE is spending its energy deporting a woman with two American children who has lived here for more than two decades and poses a threat to nobody,” Stanton wrote on Twitter. Stanton denounced Garcia de Rayos’ deportation, but immigration activists called on him to use his power and not just his voice. “If there was ever a time when we need your courage and we need you to stand up and we need you to put actions behind saying that Phoenix PD is not gonna become a mass deportation machine, it’s now,” said Francisca Porchas, of Puente Arizona, an immigrant rights group. “This is when we need Mayor Stanton, the city council, the state, everybody who is of conscience to stand up and defy this racist law.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Comedy Central’s Jordan Klepper is planning a slumber party for young activists pushing for action on gun control Klepper plans to host Thursday’s episode of his show, “The Opposition,” from a bedroom of a private home in Bethesda, Maryland. That’s where young people are gathering in preparation for Saturday’s March For Our Lives on Washington to oppose gun violence. Klepper took special interest in the issue even before he began hosting the show last fall. He did several stories on gun control when he was part of “The Daily Show.” He plans to stay in character, as a right-wing conspiracy theorist, as he interviews the activists.

For nearly a century, American Indian jewelers, potters and other artists have been gathering in the heart of northern New Mexico to show off their creations as part of one of the nation’s most prestigious art markets. The annual Santa Fe Indian Market begins Saturday as organizers push ahead with raising the bar for showcasing what they say are some of the best examples of art that has evolved from centuries-old traditions. Some artists and their families have participated for years, but this marks the first time organizers have shifted entirely to a juried application process that has resulted in fierce competition. Events related to Native film, literature and fashion are scheduled throughout the week leading up to the market. The festivities typically draw about 100,000 people.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s media regulator has imposed a fine of nearly 1.5 million zlotys ($420,000) on a private news channel for what it alleges was unfair reporting during a political crisis last year. The broadcaster, TVN24, said it will appeal what it called an “unfounded” penalty. The move comes amid reports that Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party is seeking a state takeover of TVN24, which is owned by an American company, Scripps Networks Interactive, and whose reporting is sometimes critical of the government. The National Broadcasting Council said in a statement Monday that TVN24 coverage of street protests in December 2016 violated the law by “propagating illegal activities and promoting behavior that threatens security.” Scripps Networks Interactive, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is being bought out by Discovery Communications.

MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest at the World Cup (all times local): 3:03 p.m. Russian police have briefly detained several activists protesting political repressions outside a World Cup arena. Police moved quickly to round up four teenagers outside the stadium where Sweden knocked out Switzerland on Tuesday. The four were released a few hours later. Lika Petrovskaya, a 16-year-old who wore a bloodied white dress at the protest, said their goal was “to attract attention to the political repressions,” including the imprisonment of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov. Another five activists were also detained Tuesday while they were distributing leaflets calling for Sentsov’s release. Sentsov, a vocal opponent of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, was sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for conspiracy to commit terror acts. He denied the charges and has been on a hunger strike since mid-May. ___ 2:43 p.m. After impressing at the World Cup, Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson has been sold by Danish team FC Randers to Azerbaijan champion Qarabag. Iceland exited the tournament at the group stage but Randers’ sporting director Soeren Pedersen says the performance of the 34-year Icelander “hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Halldorsson’s tournament was highlighted by saving a penalty kick from Lionel Messi in a 1-1 draw with Argentina. Pedersen said Wednesday that the club got “a concrete bid from Qarabag, which we have accepted.” Details of the deal were not released. Halldorsson, who played 69 games for the team, said “it is time for me to try something else and embark on a new adventure.”

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Suspected Islamic extremists opened fire at a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso late Sunday, killing at least 18 people in the second such attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in the last two years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the violence, which continued into the early hours Monday. Gunfire could be heard almost seven hours after the attack began. Communication Minister Remi Dandjinou told journalists that at least 18 people were dead and eight others wounded, according to a provisional toll. He said two of the attackers were also killed. The victims came from several different nationalities, he said. At least one of the dead was French. Security forces arrived at the scene with armored vehicles after reports of shots fired near Aziz Istanbul, an upscale restaurant in Ouagadougou. The attack brought back painful memories of the January 2016 attack at another cafe that left 30 people dead. Police Capt. Guy Ye said three or four assailants had arrived at the Aziz Istanbul restaurant on motorcycles, and then began shooting randomly at the crowds dining Sunday evening. Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. It shares a northern border with Mali, which has long battled Islamic extremists. The three attackers in the 2016 massacre were of foreign origin, according to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which claimed responsibility in the aftermath along with the jihadist group known as Al Mourabitoun. But the terror threat in Burkina Faso is increasingly homegrown, experts say. The northern border region is now the home of a local preacher, Ibrahim Malam Dicko, who radicalized and has claimed recent deadly attacks against troops and civilians. His association, Ansarul Islam, is now considered a terrorist group by Burkina Faso’s government.

BOSTON (AP) — Cam Atkinson scored 2:55 into overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 victory over Boston on Monday night for their eighth straight victory, spoiling a splendid NHL debut for Bruins forward Ryan Donato. Sonny Milano, Boone Jenner, Thomas Vanek and Artemi Panarin also scored for the Blue Jackets. Nick Foligno had two assists, nd Vanek and Jenner each added one. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 34 shots. Atkinson cut in on the left wing and fired a wrister past Rask for the game-winner. Columbus moved into a tie with Philadelphia with 85 points, but the Flyers hold the tiebreaker for third place in the Metropolitan Division and the Blue Jackets hold the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. Donato had a goal and two assists for Boston, which moved a point behind idle Tampa Bay for first in the Atlantic. Riley Nash, Brad Marchand and David Krejci also scored for the Bruins, and Tuukka Rask finished with 19 saves. The Blue Jackets trailed by two late in the second period before scoring three consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead. Just 25 seconds after Nash had give the Bruins a 3-1 lead, Milano redirected Ryan Murray’s slap-pass from the right point to pull Columbus within one with just over three minutes remaining in the middle period. Vanek tipped in a shot from the slot, tying it 5:38 into the third, and Panarin put the Blue Jackets ahead off a faceoff with 8:30 left in regulation. However, Donato slipped a short pass from the right circle to Krejci, who got the tying goal 20 seconds later while falling to one knee. Jenner got Columbus on the scoreboard first when he redirected Vanek’s pass by Rask 4:15 into the game. The Bruins scored three straight goals in the second to take the lead. Marchand tied it with his team-leading 31st of the season when he got the puck at the end of a 2-on-1 break, shifted to his right and tucked it behind Korpisalo 5:41 into the middle period. Donato, a Hobey Baker Finalist after leading Harvard in scoring this season, pushed Boston ahead with a one-timer that slipped inside the near post from the right faceoff circle at 7:28. The leading scorer on the U.S. team at the Pyeongchang Olympics signed a two-year, entry-level contract on Sunday. Nash’s power-play goal increased it to 3-1 as he banged home a rebound from the top of the crease with 3:28 remaining. NOTES: Boston F David Pastrnak got his 70th point on Marchand’s goal, matching his career-high. … Bruins F Rick Nash was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. … The Blue Jackets entered with the league’s second-worst power play and went 0 for 2 against the Bruins. … Local Olympians, including eight from the women’s Gold medal-winning hockey team, were honored during a ceremonial puck drop. … Bruins captain Zdeno Chara missed his third straight with an upper-body injury. … Columbus D Seth Jones missed his second straight with an upper-body injury. UP NEXT Blue Jackets: At the New York Rangers on Tuesday. Columbus won the only other meeting, 3-1 at home on Oct. 13. Bruins: At St. Louis on Thursday in the first of a four-game road trip.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to impose tariffs on European steel and aluminum imports after failing to win concessions from the European Union, a move that could provoke retaliatory tariffs and inflame trans-Atlantic trade tensions. The tariffs are likely to go into effect on the EU with an announcement by Friday’s deadline, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The administration’s plans could change if the two sides are able to reach a last-minute agreement, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Trump announced in March the United States would slap a 25 percent tariff on imported steel, and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum, citing national security interests. But he granted an exemption to the EU and other U.S. allies; that reprieve expires Friday. Europe has been bracing for the U.S. to place the restrictions even as top European officials have held last-ditch talks in Paris with American trade officials to try to avert the tariffs. “Realistically, I do not think we can hope” to avoid either U.S. tariffs or quotas on steel and aluminum, said Cecilia Malmstrom, the European Union’s trade commissioner. Even if the U.S. were to agree to waive the tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, Malmstrom said, “I expect them nonetheless to want to impose some sort of cap on EU exports.” European officials said they expected the U.S. to announce its final decision Thursday. The people familiar with the talks said Trump could make an announcement as early as Thursday. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross attended meetings at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on Wednesday, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer joins discussions in Paris on Thursday. The U.S. plan has raised the threat of retaliation from Europe and fears of a global trade war — a prospect that is already weighing on investor confidence and could hinder the global economic upturn. If the U.S. moves forward with its tariffs, the EU has threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. orange juice, peanut butter and other goods in return. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire pledged that the European response would be “united and firm.” Besides the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, the Trump administration is also investigating possible limits on foreign cars in the name of national security. “Unilateral responses and threats over trade war will solve nothing of the serious imbalances in the world trade. Nothing,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an impassioned speech at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. In a clear reference to Trump, Macron added: “These solutions might bring symbolic satisfaction in the short term. … One can think about making voters happy by saying, ‘I have a victory, I’ll change the rules, you’ll see.'” But Macron said those “who waged bilateral trade wars … saw an increase in prices and an increase in unemployment.” Tariffs on steel imports to the U.S. can help local producers of the metal by making foreign products more expensive. But they can also increase costs more broadly for U.S. manufacturers who cannot source all their steel locally and need to import the raw material. That hurts the companies and can lead to more expensive consumer prices, economists say. Ross criticized the EU for its tough negotiating position. “There can be negotiations with or without tariffs in place. There are plenty of tariffs the EU has on us. It’s not that we can’t talk just because there’s tariffs,” he said. He noted that “China has not used that as an excuse not to negotiate.” But German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier insisted the Europeans were being “constructive” and were ready to negotiate special trade arrangements, notably for liquefied natural gas and industrial goods, including cars. Macron also proposed to start negotiations between the U.S., the EU, China and Japan to reshape the World Trade Organization to better regulate trade. Discussions could then be expanded to include other countries to agree on changes by the end of the year. Ross expressed concern that the Geneva-based World Trade Organization and other organizations are too rigid and slow to adapt to changes in global business. “We would operate within (multilateral) frameworks if we were convinced that people would move quickly,” he said. Ross and Lighthizer seemed like the odd men out at this week’s gathering at the OECD, an international economic agency that includes the U.S. as a prominent member. The agency issued a report Wednesday saying “the threat of trade restrictions has begun to adversely affect confidence” and tariffs “would negatively influence investment and jobs.” ___ Charlton and Corbet reported from Paris. Masha Macpherson and Oleg Cetinic in Paris and Paul Wiseman and Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Even for an accomplished veteran like Justin Verlander, the start of spring training can be special. “I usually sleep pretty well. I woke up early today,” the Detroit ace said Tuesday. “On one hand, you want to appreciate everything as much as you can. It’s not such a whirlwind anymore — you kind of know what to expect. But in the same aspect, every day is pretty much the same thing I’ve done for 12 years, so it also starts going faster.” Verlander’s Tigers were among 15 teams with their first scheduled workouts for pitchers and catchers Tuesday. As major leaguers took the field in Florida and Arizona, that familiar sound of balls popping into mitts served as a reminder that in baseball at least, winter is finally over. While Verlander and the Tigers went through their routine at their newly renovated facility in Lakeland, the Boston Red Sox were about 115 miles to the south, holding their first workout of the post-Papi era. It’s Boston’s first season without David Ortiz since the Red Sox signed him in January 2003, but Big Papi’s retirement may not be too big a blow to a team that added star left-hander Chris Sale. Over in Arizona, the Cleveland Indians began preparing to defend their American League title. Cleveland won the AL Central by eight games last year and made it to the World Series before losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. “This time of year, everyone is at glass half full,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “We have good reason to be.” Hopes are always high at the start of spring training, but occasionally there’s some injury news on the first day. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said right-hander Chris Tillman had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right shoulder and won’t start the season until April 7 at the earliest. The Kansas City Royals said left-hander Brian Flynn broke a rib and had three minor vertebrae fractures in a bizarre offseason injury. Flynn is expected to miss two months after falling through a barn roof at his Oklahoma residence. The Royals and Miami Marlins begin this season with heavy hearts following the deaths of pitchers Yordano Ventura last month and Jose Fernandez in September, and now the Arizona Diamondbacks are dealing with a serious health concern. Their bench coach, former Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, has prostate cancer and is set to have surgery. He said doctors believe they caught the cancer early. The Diamondbacks went 69-93 and are one of a handful of National League teams that started workouts Tuesday amid tepid expectations. The Phillies, Reds and Rockies also finished well out the postseason hunt in 2016, but that doesn’t mean they can’t set goals for themselves. Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin wants to see his team play .500 baseball deeper into the season after the Phillies lost 91 games in 2016. For the first time since 2009, the Giants are entering an odd-numbered year without a World Series title to defend, but San Francisco made the playoffs last year as a wild card and looks like a contender again in 2017. Manager Bruce Bochy, needless to say, was upbeat Tuesday. “It’s a day you look forward to, getting a chance to see everybody and hear the sound of the bat, watch these guys work out again, so it’s a good day,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s a beautiful day, to work out with. Great to be here.”

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s government has proved its critics wrong, slashing the debt-heavy country’s budget deficit to its lowest level in more than 40 years despite warnings that its anti-austerity policies could spell financial disaster. Finance Minister Mario Centeno said Wednesday the deficit last year was no higher than 2.1 percent — well within the 2.5 percent ceiling stipulated by European authorities. Some other eurozone countries expressed alarm when the center-left Socialist government, with the support of the Communist Party and Left Bloc, took power in 2015 on an anti-austerity platform. Portugal needed a 78-billion euro ($82 billion) bailout in 2011, after recording a deficit of more than 11 percent the previous year, and eurozone officials feared it could go into another debt spiral under the Socialists.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tampa Bay right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has not allowed a hit through six innings against Oakland in his first start since having a second Tommy John surgery. Eovaldi has four strikeouts and 70 pitches. The only hitter to reach so far is Matt Chapman, who drew a one-out walk in the first inning. Rays center fielder Johnny Field made a diving catch on a sinking liner from Mark Canha in the third. Right fielder Carlos Gomez made a similar play to take a potential hit away from Chad Pinder in the sixth. Eovaldi last pitched in the majors on Aug. 10, 2016, for the Yankees. Nine days later, he underwent a second elbow surgery. Eovaldi also had Tommy John surgery in 2007 when he was a junior in high school.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Step by methodical step, the Trump administration is remaking government policy on reproductive health — moving to limit access to birth control and abortion and bolstering abstinence-only sex education. Social and religious conservatives praise the administration for promoting “a culture of life.” But women’s-rights activists and some medical experts view the multi-pronged changes as a dangerous ideological shift that could increase unintended pregnancies and abortions. “When I ran for office, I pledged to stand for life,” President Donald Trump said in a recent speech to the Susan B. Anthony List, which backs political candidates who oppose abortion. “And as president, that’s exactly what I’ve done. And I have kept my promise, and I think everybody here understands that fully.” Most of the changes involve rules and regulations under the administration’s direct control, such as a proposal to forbid federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions and separately allowing more employers who cite moral or religious reasons to opt out of no-cost birth control for women workers. Trump also is appointing numerous new federal judges endorsed by anti-abortion groups. Justice Neil Gorsuch, the president’s only appointment to the Supreme Court so far, has a sparse record on abortion, but has drawn praise from anti-abortion groups and criticism from abortion rights supporters. Unlike regulatory changes, judicial appointments cannot be reversed by a future president. Democrats say Trump is changing policy in ways that could disrupt access to family planning for some women. A recently proposed rule would make major changes to Title X, the family-planning program, including banning clinics from sharing physical space and financial resources with abortion providers. Providers like Planned Parenthood could be forced out. “It’s across the spectrum of women’s health services,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Col. “They’re proposing abstinence-only sex education —which study after study has shown doesn’t work— restrictions to family planning, and more and more restrictions to abortion.” Title X serves about 4 million low-income people, mainly women. Disruptions could affect women’s access to long-acting contraceptives, such as implants and IUDs. Those are more effective than daily pills that can be forgotten but also much more expensive up-front. Eight professional groups representing doctors, nurses, midwives and physician assistants say the Title X proposal “dangerously intrudes” on the patient-provider relationship. That could lead to more unplanned pregnancies, medical complications and undiagnosed diseases. “The strange thing about this is that people who want to decrease the number of abortions are taking away access to the very services that help prevent them,” said Dr. Hal Lawrence, CEO of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one of the eight groups. Among the others are the American College of Nurse-Midwives and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The administration says it supports family planning and isn’t cutting funding — merely drawing a “bright line” between birth control and abortion. Officials say the doctor-patient relationship is protected because if a woman asks for an abortion referral, Title X doctors could offer a list of pregnancy services providers, including some who perform abortions. Abortion is legal, but under longstanding law and regulations, taxpayer money cannot be used to pay for abortions. Planned Parenthood, a major provider of both kinds of services, can receive federal family-planning grants while separately providing abortions. Trump’s changes come at a time when U.S. rates of births overall, births to teens, and abortions are low. “If we were seeing skyrocketing abortion rates and wildly high numbers on teen births, you could say we have a crisis, but this is just the opposite,” said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama, and a supporter of abortion rights. “This is playing politics and putting people in a very precarious situation.” In addition to the proposed changes to Title X, other regulatory actions include: — Proposing a shift in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program to emphasize an abstinence-only approach. — Proposing new criteria for federal family-planning grants that would favor applicants who promote “natural family planning” and abstinence. — Expanding a ban on U.S. funding to foreign organizations that promote or provide abortions. Professor Michael New, who teaches economics at Ave Maria University in Florida, agrees there’s a major policy shift. But New, who opposes abortion, dismisses claims of dire consequences as “false and frankly absurd.” “President Trump is decidedly pro-life and it is his administration’s prerogative to use federal funding rules to incrementally build a culture of life,” said New. “The administration is seeking to redirect tax dollars away from entities like Planned Parenthood that treat abortion as a method of family planning and toward entities that affirm life and provide more holistic health care services.” Planned Parenthood, which survived attempts by congressional Republicans to deny it funding, says the administration’s proposed changes to Title X could be another way of achieving the same goal. Planned Parenthood serves 41 percent of program clients, and operates 13 percent of the clinics. Such facilities have become a specialized niche. Research from Texas after that state moved to oust Planned Parenthood showed that other local providers like community health centers were not able to easily fill the gap. Dr. Stephanie Ho works for Planned Parenthood at a clinic in Arkansas that will have to stop offering medication abortions because of a state law that the Supreme Court this week allowed to take effect. The combination of state restrictions and administration actions worries her. “They’re pushing their views on everyone,” she said. “They’re ignoring scientific evidence and expert medical opinion.” Top Planned Parenthood officials say they will fight to remain in Title X, and will consider litigation if necessary to challenge new rules. HHS is expected to announce funding awards for the $260-million program this fall. At a time when social mores on human reproduction continue changing across the world, some see the U.S. in a time warp. “A lot of social conservative activists are still fighting the battles from the ’60s and the sexual revolution,” said Adam Sonfield, policy manager at The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. “That’s their ultimate goal — that some people will just give up and stop having sex.” But Kristi Hamrick, spokeswoman for Students for Life of America, said one result of the policy changes “may be that American women will find that life goes on without Planned Parenthood.” ___ Crary reported from New York.

SEATTLE (AP) — Protesters decrying hatred and racism converged around the country on Sunday, saying they felt compelled to counteract the white supremacist rally that spiraled into deadly violence in Virginia. The gatherings spanned from a march to President Donald Trump’s home in New York to candlelight vigils in several cities. In Seattle, police arrested three men and confiscated weapons as Trump supporters and counter-protesters converged downtown. Some focused on showing support for the people whom white supremacists condemn. Other demonstrations were pushing for the removal of Confederate monuments, the issue that initially prompted white nationalists to gather in anger this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Still other gatherings aimed to denounce fascism and a presidential administration that organizers feel has let white supremacists feel empowered. “People need to wake up, recognize that and resist it as fearlessly as it needs to be done,” said Carl Dix, a leader of the Refuse Fascism group organizing demonstrations in New York, San Francisco and other cities. “This can’t be allowed to fester and to grow because we’ve seen what happened in the past when that was allowed.” “It has to be confronted,” said Dix, a New Yorker who spoke by phone from Charlottesville Sunday afternoon. He had gone there to witness and deplore the white nationalist rally on a Saturday that spiraled into bloodshed. In Seattle, a rally previously planned for Sunday by the conservative pro-Trump group known as Patriot Prayer drew hundreds of counter protesters. A barricade separated the two groups as police officers stood by dressed in black riot gear. At one intersection, police ordered crowds to disperse. Police said they used pepper spray and blast balls to disperse crowds after fireworks were thrown at officers. In a statement police say they observed some people in the counter protest carrying axe handles and two-by fours-as they infiltrated the hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. In Denver, several hundred demonstrators gathered beneath a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in City Park and marched about two miles to the state Capitol. In Fort Collins, Colorado, marchers chanted “Everyone is welcome here. No hate, no fear.” One demonstrator’s sign said, “Make racists ashamed again.” In New York, protesters marched from several locations in Manhattan to Trump Tower, demanding the president denounce white nationalist groups involved in the violent confrontations in Charlottesville. One sign read: “Call out evil.” Helen Rubenstein, 62, was among hundreds of people who marched through downtown Los Angeles. She said her parents were Holocaust survivors, and she’s worried that extremist views were becoming normal under Trump’s presidency. “I blame Donald Trump 100 percent because he emboldened all these people to incite hate, and they are now promoting violence and killing,” Rubenstein said. Charlottesville descended into violence Saturday after neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists gathered to “take America back” and oppose plans to remove a Confederate statue in the Virginia college town, and hundreds of other people came to protest the rally. The groups clashed in street brawls, with hundreds of people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and beating each other with sticks and shields. Eventually, a car rammed into a peaceful crowd of anti-white-nationalist protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A Virginia State Police helicopter deployed in a large-scale response to the violence then crashed into the woods outside of town. Both troopers on board died. A crowd gathered on the street where the crash happened for a vigil Sunday evening. They sang “Amazing Grace” and prayed around piles of flowers that mark the spot where Heyer was killed. Prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer, who attended the rally, denied all responsibility for the violence. He blamed the counter-protesters and police. Trump condemned what he called an “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” a statement that Democrats and some of the president’s fellow Republicans saw as equivocating about who was to blame. The White House later added that the condemnation “includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.” Some of the white nationalists at Saturday’s rally cited Trump’s victory, after a campaign of racially charged rhetoric, as validation for their beliefs. Some of the people protesting Sunday also point to the president and his campaign, saying they gave license to racist hatred that built into what happened in Charlottesville. “For those who questioned whether ‘oh, don’t call it fascism’ … this should resolve those issues,” Reiko Redmonde, an organizer of a Refuse Fascism protest planned in San Francisco, said by phone. “People need to get out in the streets to protest, in a determined way.” ___ Peltz reported from New York. Associated Press writers Dake Kang in Florence, Kentucky; Jonathan Drew in Durham, North Carolina; Jennifer Kay in Miami Beach, Florida, and Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire; and Dan Elliott in Denver contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show the last name of the San Francisco protest organizer is Redmonde, not Redmond.

PHOENIX (AP) — Tens of thousands of Arizona teachers are poised to walk off the job this week to demand more funding for public education, an unprecedented action in this conservative state without many union protections. Educators who are among the lowest-paid in the U.S. have organized weeks of protests seeking raises and a boost in overall school funding, culminating in a vote for the first-ever statewide strike. It comes despite a plan from Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to increase teacher pay 20 percent by 2020. Teachers are concerned about a lack of stable funding and a failure to address other demands. A grass-roots teachers group mobilized the #RedforEd campaign, with backing from the Arizona Education Association, the largest teacher membership group. But the association lacks the power to collectively bargain with school districts or require mandatory participation in this right-to-work state. That has led to a disparity across school districts in how to handle the walkout and could lead to fallout for Arizona educators. Here’s a look at what’s happening: WHAT’S A WALKOUT AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN? A walkout is a job action that can be used as a protest, and teachers plan to launch it statewide Thursday, with no end date set. With 78 percent of roughly 57,000 educators voting in favor last week, tens of thousands of teachers are expected to participate. Many are expected to attend a rally at the state Capitol. Their participation could have consequences. Some states, like New York, prohibit strikes outright, but Arizona’s situation is less clear. The education association has warned its 20,000 members about a 1971 Arizona attorney general opinion saying a statewide strike would be illegal under common law and participants could lose their teaching credentials. No school district has said they would fire educators who strike or revoke teaching certificates. Teachers in some districts have been advised to take personal leave time to participate. WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS? The one that received the most attention is a 20 percent raise for teachers. They also want yearly raises until their salaries reach the national average and competitive wages for all classified staff members. Another demand is a return to pre-Great Recession spending levels, which would be roughly a $1 billion increase annually. Part of that includes the goal of driving down class sizes to a 23:1 ratio. The fifth demand is a freeze on tax cuts until spending on each student reaches the national average. A May 2017 report from the National Education Association says per-pupil spending in Arizona was $8,296, compared with $12,572 nationally. HOW ARE THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS RESPONDING? Ducey has offered teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020 and pledged to see his proposal through despite concerns by lawmakers of his own party. He vetoed 10 Republican measures recently to push the Legislature to send him a budget with the pay increase. Ducey’s plan relies on higher-than-expected state revenue. Republican legislative leaders have expressed concern about where the money might come from and are negotiating the plan this week. WHAT DOES THE WALKOUT MEAN FOR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS? The state’s nearly 200 public school districts can try to keep schools open or can close them down. Districts were still determining their plans, but the state’s largest district in suburban Phoenix and many others have warned parents they will shut down at least Thursday and Friday. Schools could be open if enough teachers, staff or administrators show up. Many parents will have to make child care plans. Community groups have opened registration for day camps, while some stay-at-home parents are volunteering to watch others’ children. Local parent-teacher associations also are putting together food boxes for kids who rely on free breakfast and lunch at school. Hourly workers like custodians might not get paid if their schools close, but they would get a paycheck if the days are made up at the end of the school year. WHAT’S HAPPENED IN OTHER STATES? The Arizona campaign took inspiration from West Virginia, where teachers went on strike and got a raise. The movement also spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky and most recently Colorado, where over a dozen school districts are closing Thursday and Friday because of planned teacher protests. Arizona has seen a unique blend of grass-roots uprising, with help from the teachers association. Unions mobilized teachers in other states, though they also had little collective bargaining power with districts. Like Arizona, Oklahoma is a right-to-work state, where teachers spent two weeks on strike, even after money was approved for teacher raises and more school funding. West Virginia officials said a strike was illegal, but the nine-day action led to a 5 percent pay increase, much lower than what Arizona teachers have been offered.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal judge in Philadelphia heard arguments Wednesday in the NFL’s request for a special investigator to look into what the league says are fraudulent claims in a $1 billion concussion settlement. The league last month cited an independent study it said found that more than 400 claims had been recommended for denial based on evidence of fraud by attorneys, doctors and former players. Plaintiffs’ lawyers contend the league is not awarding settlement funds fast enough, and at least two of the attorneys Wednesday said the investigator is unnecessary. The league says attempts to scam the system are responsible for delays. The NFL has asked that the investigator be granted subpoena power and the ability to compel testimony to determine whether more punitive actions are necessary upon fraud findings.

LONDON (AP) — The former head of the official “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 vote on European Union membership denied breaking spending rules on Wednesday ahead of a report from the country’s electoral watchdog. The Electoral Commission has not yet published its report on Vote Leave. But Matthew Elliott, who headed the group, said the commission has concluded that Vote Leave broke rules by donating more than 600,000 pounds ($800,000) to another group then using the money for its own activities. Elliott denied wrongdoing, saying Vote Leave acted “both within the letter of the law and also the spirit.” He told the BBC that Vote Leave planned to challenge the Electoral Commission report in court. The commission said it was “unusual” for Vote Leave to issue a public reaction to its initial findings. It said it would publish its full report “at the earliest opportunity.” The watchdog has conducted several investigations into the referendum, which was won by those wanting Britain to leave the EU. Another pro-Brexit organization, Leave.EU, was fined 70,000 pounds in May for overspending and filing inaccurate records. The probes have become entangled with inquiries into Facebook’s use of users’ data because the Brexit campaigns allegedly had contact with the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, which used data from tens of millions of Facebook accounts to help U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Former Cambridge Analytica and Vote Leave staffers have alleged that the group used its undeclared donation to pay a Canadian data firm, Aggregate IQ, for targeted messaging services. Opponents of Brexit say campaigners’ skulduggery may have unfairly influenced the outcome of the June 2016 referendum.

LONDON (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local): 11:45 a.m. Play is underway on Day 3 at Wimbledon, with former finalist Milos Raonic of Canada among the early starters as the second round begins at the All England Club. The 13th-seeded Raonic was playing John Millman of Australia as he bids to reach the third round for a sixth straight year. He lost the 2016 final to Andy Murray and reached the quarterfinals last year. No. 10 Madison Keys of the United States was the highest-seeded woman in early action, playing Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand. Roger Federer and Serena Williams were both set to play on Centre Court later. ___ 10:45 a.m. Roger Federer and Serena Williams are both back on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Wednesday as they look to advance to the third round. Federer will play Lukas Lacko of Slovakia as he continues his quest for a record-extending ninth title at the All England Club. Williams then faces Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova as she goes for a 16th straight match win at the tournament — having missed last year while pregnant. Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki and last year’s men’s runner-up, Marin Cilic, are also back in action as they try to avoid more upsets at the tournament. Three of the top-10 seeded men lost in the first round, while former champions Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova also went out on Tuesday. The forecast calls for more sunny skies, although there is a 30 percent chance of rain showers in the afternoon. ___ More AP tennis coverage: https://www.apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

SEATTLE (AP) — A man who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child but was protected from deportation by the Obama administration has been taken into custody in the Seattle area in what could be the first case of its kind in the country. Daniel Ramirez Medina, 23, was arrested Friday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who went to the suburban Seattle home to arrest the man’s father. ICE spokeswoman Rose Richeson said in a statement that agents were there targeting a “prior-deported felon.” Ramirez, however, was brought to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 7 and has a work permit under Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He also has a job, a young son and no criminal record, Northwest Immigrants Rights Project Legal Director Matt Adams said. Ramirez is being held in Tacoma. Richeson said Ramirez told agents he was a gang member and based on those statements and being a “risk to public safety,” he was taken into custody. But Mark Rosenbaum, one of Ramirez’s lawyers, responded later Tuesday that Ramirez “unequivocally denies being in a gang” and that the statement from Richeson is inaccurate. “While in custody, he was repeatedly pressured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to falsely admit afiliation,” Rosenbaum said. Adams said Ramirez is the first person he knows of with DACA status who has been detained. “This appears to be a complete one-off. We certainly haven’t seen this with our other hundreds of clients who have DACA status as well.” Attorneys for Ramirez challenged his detention in federal court in Seattle Monday, arguing the arrest violates his constitutional rights to live and work in this country without the fear of arrest and deportation so long as he satisfies DACA requirements. “Trust in our government depends upon the Executive Branch keeping its word,” Ramirez attorney Mark Rosenbaum, director of Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law Project, said in a statement. “Bait and switch sullies the integrity of our nation’s core values.” Emily Langley, a spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office in Seattle, said Tuesday afternoon it would be premature to comment on the lawsuit. Recent sweeps by U.S. immigration agents across multiple states have netted some immigrants with no criminal records, a departure from enforcement actions in the last decade. Under the Obama administration, agents focused more narrowly on individuals who posed a security or public safety threat. President Donald Trump made illegal immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, saying he will build a wall along the Mexican border and deport millions of people, although actual plans have yet to be revealed. He has said he wants to focus on people who have committed crimes. During an interview with Time magazine late last year, Trump expressed sympathy for the more than 740,000 people in the DACA program, which started in 2012. “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” he told the magazine. Trump can withdraw the promised protection right away through an “operational memo” because Obama implemented it through one, William Stock, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said previously. Adams said he believes Ramirez was apprehended by mistake. “I don’t think this has to do with any change in policy; I just think it was an enforcement procedure gone wrong,” Adams said. “Hopeful they’re going to come to their senses.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The only thing Bill Self seemed pleased about from a first-round NCAA Tournament win by Kansas was, well, the fact that his top-seeded Jayhawks had won. He wasn’t a whole lot more impressed with their second-round win. But in a tournament gone goofy with upsets, where two No. 1 seeds are already out, simply surviving should be reason for applause. And the fact that Self thinks the best is yet to come should give the Jayhawks confidence as they head to the Midwest Region semifinals. “Well, I think in the NCAA Tournament you don’t worry as much if you played well or if you played poor,” Self said. “You worry more about, ‘Did we advance?’ And I think that’s all we did is we advanced.” Kansas will play red-hot Clemson on Friday night in Omaha, Nebraska. “I don’t think we were good against Penn, except for short stretches, and I don’t think we were very good (against Seton Hall), except for short stretches,” Self said. “But we put ourselves in position where hopefully we’ll play much better next week and play our best ball. Certainly we’re going to have to be better, obviously, on Friday.” It would help the Jayhawks’ cause if Udoka Azubuike is closer to 100 percent against the Tigers. The 7-foot sophomore played 22 minutes against Seton Hall, and the Jayhawks needed all of them against Pirates big man Angel Delgado. But while Azubuike was effective after missing most of two weeks with a ligament injury to his left knee, there were still times that he was laboring. “He’s probably not close to 100 percent, to be honest, but the way his attitude has been, the way he’s been rehabbing, that allowed him to get out there,” Kansas star Devonte Graham said. “You can’t duplicate having ‘Doke in the game. He’s a big piece of our offense.” Now, Azubuike will have another week to get his feet — or rather his knee — under him. Self said the plan was to rest him Sunday and Monday, practice Tuesday through Thursday, and be ready to go against a fifth-seeded Clemson team that ran roughshod over No. 4 seed Auburn. “Coach is trying to limit my time sometimes, and I’m like, ‘Coach, I’m good. I’m good to go,'” Azubuike said with a smile. “I’m feeling good right now. I feel good to be back with the team. And like, as soon as I stepped on the court, I felt good and I was just good to go.” Still, the Jayhawks (29-7) have only had one person step up offensively each of their first two NCAA Tournament games, and that’s cause for concern. When they’ve struggled this season, such as losses to Washington and Arizona State, nobody in their talented backcourt came through in the clutch. Against Penn, it was Graham who shouldered the load. He scored 29 points, dished out six assists with six rebounds, and played all but one minute in a game tight until the second half. Against Seton Hall, the Big 12 player of the year was largely silenced, perhaps in part by a shot to the head he took from his own teammate. But sophomore Malik Newman took over, the Big 12 Tournament’s most valuable player hitting four 3-pointers and pouring in 28 points in an 83-79 victory. “With the four guards and with the big man, I think anybody — any one of our starting five — always have a chance to go out and get 20-plus,” Newman said. “Lot of weapons we have to our arsenal.” They’ll likely need more than one of them Friday night. Clemson closed the first half against Auburn with a 25-4 run, was lights-out on offense and brutal on defense, and was never threatened the rest of the way in an 84-53 romp that sent coach Brad Brownell’s program to its first Sweet 16 in 21 years. “That was probably as impressive of a performance as anyone has had in the tournament so far and there have been some great performances,” Self said. “They dominated Auburn in every area — perimeter play, speed, rebounding and in the paint. Watching them was like watching a clinic. “They’ve played against some unbelievable teams all year long,” he added. “This will be a difficult game. A game that will require us to play a lot better than we did this past weekend.” ___ More AP college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org ; https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 and https://www.podcastone.com/ap-sports-special-events

BOSTON (AP) — The New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston has been vandalized for the second time this summer. Police say someone smashed a glass panel on the memorial on Monday. A suspect was taken into custody. It’s the second time the memorial has been damaged in the past few months. In June, police say James Isaac used a rock to shatter a roughly 9-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) glass panel on one of the memorial’s six 54-foot-high (16-meter-high) towers. Isaac has pleaded not guilty to vandalism charges. The six glass towers are lit internally and etched with millions of numbers that represent tattoos on the arms of many Jews sent to Nazi death camps. The repaired memorial was rededicated in July. Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh says he’s “saddened to see such a despicable action.”

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Latest on wildfires in Europe (all times local): 1:20 p.m. Authorities in Greece have declared a state of emergency on the island of Zakynthos where wildfires are burning for a fourth day. The Fire Service says that the blazes are burning on 12 fronts and not threatening homes or resorts on the island, which is popular with tourists. A statement from the office of Zakynthos Mayor Pavlos Kolokotsas said there were “clear indications that fires were caused by an organized campaign of arson.” Arson-related fires near populated areas in Greece are often associated with illegal development, especially near Athens and around holiday resorts. ___ 12:05 p.m. A large wildfire north of Athens is threatening homes as it sweeps through pine forest for a second day, uncontained due to high winds. Fire Service officials two planes and five helicopters are fighting the blaze at Varnava, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the Greek capital, while a main road in the area is closed to traffic to give fire trucks better access. The fire burned out of control for a second day Monday after damaging at least 20 homes the previous day and forcing the evacuation of holiday campsites used in the area for children’s vacations. No one was hurt, and Fire Service spokeswoman Brigade Manager Stavroula Maliri described all the evacuations as precautionary.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three hikers have been injured following a run-in with a bear at a campground near Alaska’s largest city. Anchorage authorities say four young people were hiking in the woods around the Eagle River campground when three of them were injured by a grizzly bear with two cubs. They were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Anchorage police said in a news release say that while responding officers were searching for the hikers they were charged by the bear and shot at it. The bear’s status was not immediately known.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boxer Floyd Mayweather says on Instagram that he’ll fight UFC star Conor McGregor on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas. Share this: Facebook Twitter Google Reddit Pinterest

WASHINGTON (AP) — The game will go on. The annual Congressional Baseball Game, which dates to 1909 and is a summertime tradition on Capitol Hill, will be played on Thursday despite Wednesday’s shooting at the GOP squad’s practice in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s an annual tradition in which aging former Little Leaguers don their spikes and dust off their gloves in a game played for bragging rights and to benefit several charities. It’s also a somewhat rare example of bipartisanship in an increasingly polarized Washington. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., assured lawmakers assembled at a members’ briefing that the game will be played as scheduled, prompting a standing ovation. Once a relatively cozy affair, played at a minor league ballpark in Maryland, the game has gone big time in recent years and has been played at Nationals Park, just a few blocks from the Capitol. “We do it for really three reasons. We do it for fellowship amongst ourselves. We do it for charity,” said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, the longtime GOP manager. “We raise a lot of money for three charities. And we do it because we like to play baseball and try to recapture a little bit of our youth. It’s a positive thing. Of all the things Congress does, this is one of the most benign, positive activities.” Members of Congress practice for months for the event, and typically don the jerseys of a team from back home. The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call sponsors the game and awards a trophy once a side wins three of five games. “It’s a good way raise money for charity and for members to get to know each other,” said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., whose election in 2010 upended the competitive balance of the annual event. Richmond played baseball in college and kicked off his congressional career with a one-hitter in 2011 and has been the game’s dominant player pretty much since then. Last year, however, Democrats lost the game 8-7, ending a seven-game winning streak that mostly coincided with Richmond joining the Democratic side. “I was fresh off of surgery, but they made more plays than we made last year,” Richmond told reporters. “This was a year we wanted to get even.” Congressional leaders typically attend the event and former President Barack Obama — famous for shunning opportunities to rub shoulders with lawmakers — even went two years ago, watching from the Democratic dugout. Obama’s appearance came as he was struggling to win Democratic votes for an unpopular trade-related measure. ___ Online: https://www.congressionalbaseball.org/

NEW YORK (AP) — Some stinging mistakes in stories involving President Donald Trump have given him fresh ammunition in his battle against the media while raising questions about whether news organizations need to peel back the curtain on how they operate. The president tweeted six attacks on what he calls “fake news” over the weekend, saying the “out of control” media puts out purposely false and defamatory stories. That led to a contentious exchange at Monday’s White House press briefing between press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and CNN’s Jim Acosta. “Journalists make honest mistakes,” Acosta said. “That doesn’t make them fake news.” When Sanders responded that reporters should own up to their mistakes, one said, “we do.” “Sometimes, but a lot of times you don’t,” she said. “There’s a very big difference between honest mistakes and purposely misleading the American people.” Trump has his own issues: the Washington Post’s fact-checking blog counted 1,628 false or misleading claims made by the president in his first 298 days in office. Still, it was an undeniably bad week for news organizations reporting on investigations into the Trump campaigns dealings with Russia. ABC News suspended Brian Ross for incorrectly reporting the timing of a Trump directive to Michael Flynn. Several news outlets wrongly reported that Trump and his family’s bank records were the subject of the special prosecutor’s subpoena. And CNN corrected a story on the timing of a tip to the Trump campaign about damaging information on Democrats. With the hyper-speed of the modern news environment, the stories spread swiftly beyond their original source. News organizations corrected themselves but fell short in their explanations, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communications professor and the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “When a mistake is made, the public really needs to understand why it was made and what corrections have been put in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she said. In announcing Ross’ four-week suspension, ABC News issued a two-paragraph statement saying the story “had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process.” Executives were not made available to explain to the public what exactly that meant. Ironically, the only time ABC News President James Goldston’s reaction to the error was heard came from a leaked tape of him talking to staff members obtained by CNN’s media reporting team. Sanders specifically cited Ross’ story when asked for an example of one that was purposely misleading. When CNN made its mistake a week later, its own executives did not talk publicly about it — even when the topic was discussed on the network’s weekend show about the media, “Reliable Sources.” Network representatives, speaking with allowing a name to be attached, blamed the error on sources that provided information to reporters Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb. That still left questions: New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen wondered, for example, how it was possible that different sources made the same error about a date. CNN earlier this year fired journalists involved in a discredited story about former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci. CNN said — again, without allowing a name to be attached— Raju and Herb followed the network’s procedures for sensitive stories. In the Scaramucci case, the reporters didn’t. Again, it was up to consumers to decipher precisely what that meant. CNN’s communications staff, responding Monday to Trump’s tweet that he once called anchor Don Lemon “the dumbest man on television,” said “in a world where bullies torment kids on social media to devastating effect on a regular basis with insults and name calling, it is sad to see our president engaging in the very same behavior himself. Leaders should lead by example.” With politicians targeting journalists, it is more important than ever to be clear, Jamieson said. People need to know that there are consequences when reporters make mistakes, and what those consequences are, she said. She pointed to The Washington Post, which last Friday began what it said will be an occasional series of videos about its operations. The first, titled “How to Be a Reporter,” featured interviews with two journalists who worked on the newspaper’s story about Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore dating young girls. The reporters explained how they were tipped to the story and went about reporting it. “As corny as it sounds, the agenda is to find out what the reality is, what the truth is of the story,” said reporter Stephanie McCrummen. “That’s it.” Over the weekend, Trump demanded an apology from the Post for a photo that he said was deceptive about the number of people who attended his Florida rally, since it had been taken while people were waiting outside. Post reporter Dave Weigel apologized; Trump later said he should be fired. On Monday, Trump said a Times story exaggerated the amount of time he watched television each day, and that he seldom watched CNN or MSNBC. The Times said its story was based on interviews with 60 people, “including many who interact with President Trump every day.” ___ Associated Press reporter Kenneth Thomas in Washington contributed to this report.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago White Sox are a work in progress as spring training begins. Finally committing to a rebuilding project after four consecutive sub-.500 seasons, the White Sox are without former ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton, who were dealt away for some of baseball’s top prospects. Still here, perhaps surprisingly, are closer David Robertson and Jose Quintana, who would replace Sale as the staff ace – assuming the All-Star lefty is still here. General manager Rick Hahn said trade talks will likely not fade away. “We expect them to continue,” Hahn said Tuesday after the official reporting day for pitchers and catchers at Camelback Ranch. “We’re going to keep an open mind and where there are conversations to be had we’ll pursue them. As we sit here today, there’s nothing gnawing at us or appealing enough to make us move.” Robertson, the Sox’s closer for the last two years, was part of the discussions over the winter. “I can’t do anything about it. I’m just going to try my best to stay here,” Robertson said. “If I stay here, great. If I get moved, it’s their decision.” Robertson, who has two years remaining on a four-year deal worth a total of $46 million, is happy to be pain free following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in November. He had 37 saves for Chicago last season with a 3.47 ERA along with seven blown saves. He’s also excited about pitching for the United States in the World Baseball Classic next month. “It’s a chance to represent my country, try something different,” the 31-year-old right-hander said. It’s going to be a lot of fun to meet a bunch of guys I played against for a while and be on the same team. It’s going to be different and fun and it kind of breaks up spring training a little bit. I’m excited about it.” Manager Rick Renteria, promoted from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura, said his message to the team during the first meeting of the spring was “nothing newer than any manager has ever said to his players.” Renteria said he stressed discipline in the meeting but also emphasized having fun. He said he hasn’t talked to any of the players rumored to be on the trading block specifically about that subject, at least not yet. “I think if as the spring goes along and if I feel it might be something that’s weighing on him, I’ll have a conversation,” Renteria said. Some of the prospects the White Sox acquired for Sale and Eaton were on display Tuesday. Yoan Moncada, a 21-year-old infielder from Cuba who was the key acquisition in the Sale deal with Boston, is in camp early and took some swings in the batting cage. Lucas Giolito was part of the deal with Washington for Eaton. The 6-foot-6-inch right-hander, the Nationals’ first-round pick in 2012, developed into a top prospect but his introduction to the majors was rough. He had a 6.75 ERA in four starts and allowed seven homers in 21 1/3 innings. “I experienced a lot of hardship in the big leagues. I didn’t pitch well and got hit pretty hard,” Giolito said. “I learned a lot from that, being able to make adjustments on the fly, slowing things down. I’m trying to take everything I’ve learned and apply that.” That will likely apply to several members of the White Sox as they retool with new personnel. “We all have that same goal in mind, we want to develop together,” Giolito said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s escalating dispute with China over trade and technology is threatening jobs and profits in working-class communities where his “America First” agenda hit home. The Commerce Department has received more than 2,400 applications from companies seeking waivers from the administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which may result in duty payments of millions of dollars for larger businesses. The department has begun posting the requests online for public comment; several of the applications released so far suggest deep misgivings with Trump’s protectionist strategy, especially in areas where he won strong support during the 2016 election. The tariffs are aimed primarily at China for flooding the global market with cheap steel and aluminum. But they’ve also led to confusion and uncertainty, according to Associated Press interviews and a review of records. In Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin, for example, businesses operating in the furniture, energy and food sectors have outlined the financial difficulties they’d face if they’re not excused from the steel tariff. In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, dozens of jobs hang in the balance as office furniture giant Steelcase waits to hear back from the Commerce Department. A Steelcase subsidiary, PolyVision, operates a plant in Okmulgee that uses a special type of steel from Japan to manufacture a durable glass-like surface for whiteboards and architectural purposes. PolyVision “cannot and will not be able to procure” from U.S. companies the cold-rolled steel it requires “in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality,” Steelcase said. Trump won most of the votes cast for president in Okmulgee County. Without a waiver, Steelcase warned, the “economic viability of PolyVision (and) the small town of Okmulgee” would be jeopardized. The waiver request also indicates that a $15 million plant expansion may be at risk. Steelcase and PolyVision are on the verge of making the investment, which would create new construction and manufacturing jobs, according to the request. Roger Ballenger, Okmulgee’s city manager, said he and other local officials are “very concerned about the situation with PolyVision.” The tariffs — 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum — are designed to protect and rebuild the U.S. companies that manufacture the metals. The U.S. temporarily exempted several major trading partners, including the European Union, Mexico and Canada. China, which was left on the target list, retaliated by imposing tariffs on $3 billion in U.S. products, including apples, pork and ginseng. Trump responded by adding more protectionist measures as punishment for Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property. And Beijing punched back by proposing tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. products including small aircraft and soybeans — a direct threat to rural areas that were key to Trump’s victory. Economists Joseph Francois and Laura Baughman estimated last month that the tariffs would increase employment in the U.S. steel and aluminum industries by more than 26,000 jobs but also lead to the loss of 495,000 other jobs throughout the rest of the American economy. John Hritz, CEO of JSW Steel USA in Baytown, Texas, said his company is in lockstep with Trump’s approach. “We’re in favor of growing the steel industry in this country,” Hritz said. JSW Steel, owned by Indian conglomerate JSW Group, is embarking on a $500 million overhaul of the plant that it says will create hundreds of jobs. The growth would be welcomed in Baytown, where unemployment is 9.8 percent, more than double the national rate. Baytown is located partly in Harris County, which Democrat Hillary Clinton won, and partly in Chambers County, which Trump handily won. The future is much murkier for another Baytown steel business, Borusan Mannesmann Pipe. Without a waiver, Borusan may face tariffs of $25 million to $30 million annually if it imports steel tubing and casing from its parent company in Turkey, according to information the company provided to the AP. Borusan said the Baytown production line would no longer be competitive and “jobs would be threatened” if it cannot import 135,000 metric tons of steel annually over the next two years. The pipes Borusan produces are used primarily as casing for oil and natural gas wells. But if Commerce says yes, Borusan will be able to unlock a $25 million investment in the Baytown facility as it seeks to become a “100 percent domestic supplier,” according to the waiver request. An additional $50 million expansion in pipe fabrication capacity would follow, the company said, leading to as many as 170 new jobs. Seneca Foods Corporation, the nation’s largest vegetable canner, said in its waiver application that it’s unclear, at best, if U.S. suppliers have the ability or willingness to expand their production in the long term to meet the company’s annual demand for tinplated steel. But “clearly they cannot meet demand in the short term,” Seneca told Commerce officials. That means Seneca has to buy a portion of what it needs from overseas. A person with knowledge of Seneca’s situation said the company would face a $2.25 million duty if the Commerce Department doesn’t approve its waiver request for 11,000 metric tons of tinplate it already agreed to purchase from China. The material is to be delivered this year and next, according to the waiver request. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Seneca said it employs more than 400 people at can-making facilities in Wisconsin and Idaho and near its headquarters in New York’s Wayne County, where Trump bested Clinton. The company doesn’t warn layoffs are imminent if the waiver isn’t approved. Instead, the tariffs would likely come out of Seneca’s bottom line, the person said. ___ Contact Richard Lardner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rplardner

LLEIDA, Spain (AP) — Clashes have erupted between police and protesters in Spain’s northeastern Catalan city of Lleida after a judicial ruling ordered the city’s museum to return 44 pieces of religious art to the neighboring regional government of Aragon. Regional police cordoned off the area around Lleida Museum early Monday as technicians prepared to remove the disputed artwork. Several hundred people turned up to protest the transfer and there were brief scuffles and police baton charges as officers tried to move them further away from the museum. An Aragon provincial court had given till Monday for the museum to hand over the art — which was originally housed in the region’s Sijena monastery — following a 2015 court ruling. Catalonia bought the art from nuns in 1983 but the court ruled the sale illegal.

NEW YORK (AP) — Scandal-plagued Weinstein Co. files for bankruptcy protection with buyout offer in hand. Share this: Facebook Twitter Google Reddit Pinterest

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on rape and criminal sex act charges for alleged attacks on two women in New York. Wednesday’s indictment furthers the first criminal case to arise from a slate of sexual misconduct allegations against the former movie mogul. Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, says he will “vigorously defend” against the indictment and ask a court to dismiss it. He calls the allegations “unsupported” and says that Weinstein strongly denies them. The indictment came hours after Weinstein’s lawyer said the film producer would decline to testify before the grand jury because there wasn’t enough time to prepare him and “political pressure” made an indictment unavoidable. Weinstein was charged Friday with raping one woman and committing a criminal sex act by compelling oral sex from another.

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) — Two people died and several others were injured after a branch measuring in parts more than 8-feet (2.5 meters) around fell on spectators during a fireworks display in western Illinois, authorities said. Rock Island County Sheriff Gerald Bustos said Wednesday that the branch fell from an oak tree that’s believed to be about 100 years old. It fell about 25 feet (8 meters) during Tuesday night’s “Red, White and Boom” event outside the courthouse in Rock Island. Dozens were sitting near the tree watching the fireworks when the branch fell, crushing some of the spectators. Some of those who weren’t hurt tried to lift the branch to free the people trapped beneath. Bustos said Daniel Mendoza Sr., 61, of Rock Island was pronounced dead at the scene. Lawrence R. Anderson, 72, of Moline died at a hospital. Authorities have not provided the causes of death, but Bustos said autopsies were planned for later Wednesday. Six other people were taken to a local hospital, including a 21-year-old pregnant woman from East Moline who was near term. Bustos said the woman gave birth, and she and her baby are reported to be in good health. The others were treated Tuesday night and released from the hospital. Two people from Maysville, Iowa, and their 2-year-old son suffered minor injuries, including scratches to the face. A 3-year-old boy from Bettendorf, Iowa was treated for a suspected concussion, while a Moline woman also had a suspected concussion and scratches. Melanie Brown Ledbetter told KWQC-TV she was with sitting about 50-feet (15 meters) from the tree with family and friends, watching the fireworks. “I was turned talking to my friend and heard the loud crackle of the tree breaking and saw it fall,” she said. She said her husband was among those who tried to help people who were hurt or trapped. “People were screaming and crying,” Ledbetter said. “A lot of people rushed over to help and a lot of people immediately packed up and fled the scene.” Bustos said his office is investigating, and he will provide an update Thursday afternoon.

UK official: Parliament will open June 21, signaling a deal to keep Conservatives in power has been reached

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The two largest resort operators in Las Vegas would lose more than $10 million a day combined if housekeepers, cooks and others go on strike, a possibility starting Friday, the union representing thousands of casino workers said. The Culinary Union detailed how it thinks a one-month strike would impact MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, which operate more than half the properties that would be affected if 50,000 workers walk off the job. Workers last week voted to authorize a strike as disputes over workplace training, wages and other issues have kept the union and casino operators from agreeing on new contracts. The union conceded that it is difficult to estimate how the strike at more than 30 casino-hotels would affect Las Vegas overall because the last citywide strike took place in 1984, when the city had 90,000 fewer hotel rooms and only about 12.8 million annual visitors. Last year, more than 42.2 million people visited. But it says MGM and Caesars would see a 10 percent reduction in revenue because of the loss of group and independent travelers. A strike also could happen as fans head to Las Vegas for the Stanley Cup Final. “Furthermore, one might assume a 10 percent worsening of operating margins due to the use of less experienced and less skilled replacements … to keep the doors open, rooms cleaned, food cooked, and cocktails served, not to mention other factors such as the disruptions to management staff’s regular work,” the union wrote. Using the companies’ earnings reports for the first three months of the year, the union’s estimates show a one-month strike could reduce MGM’s earnings before interest, taxes and other items by more than $206 million and Caesars’ by over $113 million. Contracts expire at midnight Thursday for bartenders, housekeepers, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks and other kitchen workers at properties on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas, including Caesars Palace, Bellagio, Stratosphere, Treasure Island, The D and El Cortez. Dealers are not part of the Culinary Union. Casino-resorts that would not be affected by the strike include Wynn Las Vegas, Encore, The Venetian and Palazzo. MGM, which employees 24,000 of the workers, said it met with union negotiators Monday and has more talks scheduled this week. The company says it remains confident that it “can resolve the outstanding contract issues and come to an agreement that works for all sides.” Caesars said it “expects to agree to a new 5-year contract with the Culinary Union on or about June 1 when the current contract expires.” About 12,000 of its workers are part of the negotiations for new five-year contracts. The union said it is asking for training on new skills and job opportunities as the companies adopt technology that can displace workers. It also wants an independent study to analyze the workload of housekeepers and contract language that would protect workers if properties are sold. “What is going to happen to my position?” said Fernando Fernandez, a guest runner at Caesars Palace. “I think they are going to be disappearing it, because robots are going to be available to deliver everything.” He said he wants training to fix or program the robots that he believes could eventually replace him. The union says it has asked MGM for average annual wage increases of 4 percent for each of the five years. A document says the company has countered with an approximate 2.7 percent increase. Caesars workers are asking for an increase of 4.2 percent effective Friday, and annual increases of about 4 percent thereafter. Another document shows the company has offered an approximate 2.8 percent increase for each of the five years. The average hourly wage of union workers is $23, including benefits such as premium-free health care, a pension and a 401(k) retirement savings plan and $25,000 down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. ___ Follow Regina Garcia Cano on Twitter at https://twitter.com/reginagarciakNO

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Republican challenger says he believes an unfounded right-wing online conspiracy theory dubbed “pizzagate.” Paul Nehlen voiced his opinion during an online question-and-answer session with voters earlier this month on Reddit. He was asked, “What are your thoughts on Pizzagate?” In response, Nehlen wrote, “I believe it is real.” The conspiracy theory claims Democrats harbor child sex slaves at a pizza restaurant in Washington, D.C. The false internet rumor led a gunman to fire an assault weapon inside the pizzeria in December. Nehlen did not explain in the Aug. 3 session why he believed the conspiracy theory. But he tried to explain himself in a series of Twitter messages Monday to The Associated Press. “I believe in the broader possibility that there are those in positions of power to which laws do not equally apply to them, and therefore, I pray (Attorney General Jeff) Sessions unleashes the full power of his assets to root out and prosecute EQUALLY those who prey on children, including human trafficking narco-terrorists, and those in positions of power,” Nehlen said. In the same Reddit conversation from earlier this month, Nehlen disparaged another person in the online conversation as “amazingly retarded.” The original comment that elicited the response from Nehlen was deleted. Nehlen told AP on Monday he was being sardonic. Nehlen lost to Ryan by 68 points last year and is seeking a rematch next year. Nehlen ran to the right of Ryan last year and initially won the endorsement of then-candidate Donald Trump, who later backed Ryan. Ryan campaign spokesman Zack Roday said Nehlen “has consistently proven himself irrelevant” and said his “retarded” remark was “wrong and it is hurtful.” Roday also said Nehlen should not “trade in conspiracy theories.”

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s top court has told the president to fire the country’s chief anti-corruption prosecutor, widely praised for her efforts to root out high-level graft, but a thorn in the side of some politicians. The constitutional court ruled Wednesday in a 6-3 vote that there had been an institutional conflict after President Klaus Iohannis disagreed with the justice minister’s assessment that National Anti-Corruption Directorate Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi should be dismissed on grounds of failing to do her job properly. Kovesi’s departure would be a blow to the agency, respected by ordinary Romanians, the EU and the U.S. The court will explain its ruling later. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader praised the ruling saying Iohannis did not have “the legal ability to evaluate the professional and management competences of high-ranking prosecutors.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rapper Meek Mill is back in a Philadelphia courtroom, hoping to get his appeal moved to a different judge and get a new trial. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered Mill’s release from prison last month where he was serving a two- to four-year sentence on a probation violation related to a decade-old gun and drug conviction. A team of lawyers and public relations consultants had waged an all-out battle to get him freed on bail. Mill’s lawyers will ask Tuesday that Judge Genece Brinkley be removed from his case. They allege she’s been waging a vendetta against the rapper, including sending him to prison for the probation violations. She has strongly defended her impartiality. Prosecutors say they believe Mill should get a new trial because of questions raised about the credibility of his arresting officer.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The world’s last male northern white rhino, Sudan, has died after “age-related complications,” researchers announced Tuesday, saying he “stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength.” A statement from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya said the 45-year-old rhino was euthanized on Monday after his condition “worsened significantly” and he was no longer able to stand. His muscles and bones had degenerated and his skin had extensive wounds. The rhino had been part of an ambitious effort to save the subspecies from extinction with the help of the two surviving females. “He was a great ambassador for his species and will be remembered for the work he did to raise awareness globally of the plight facing not only rhinos, but also the many thousands of other species facing extinction as a result of unsustainable human activity,” said the conservancy’s CEO, Richard Vigne. Sudan was something of a celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors. Last year he was listed as “The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World” on the Tinder dating app in a fundraising effort. The last male northern white rhino had been born in Sudan, taken to a Czech zoo and then transferred to Kenya in 2009. Rangers caring for Sudan described him as gentle. The rhino “significantly contributed to survival of his species as he sired two females,” the conservancy said. “Additionally, his genetic material was collected yesterday and provides a hope for future attempts at reproduction of northern white rhinos through advanced cellular technologies.”

BEIJING (AP) — President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday to protect “every inch” of China’s territory while promoting “high-quality” economic growth and the resurgence of Chinese culture and creativity as he kicked off his second term, poised to rule indefinitely. Xi, China’s most powerful leader in decades, sounded a strongly worded warning that appeared directed at anyone from advocates of independence in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong to the government of self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. The Chinese people are united in their belief that “every inch of our great motherland absolutely cannot and absolutely will not be separated from China,” Xi declared in his speech before the nearly 3,000 members of the National People’s Congress. Attempts to split the country are “doomed to failure,” he said. Xi said the mainland would continue to promote “peaceful unification” with Taiwan. The island’s 23 million residents are strongly in favor of maintaining their de-facto independent status. Xi is set to shape the country’s future for the coming decades after the historic legislative session that closed Tuesday abolished presidential term limits to allow him to rule for as long as he wants. As an indication of what is to come, Xi stressed the absolute leadership of the ruling Communist Party — of which he is head — in all aspects of Chinese life. That authority is central to Xi’s vision of a confident, rising China with him at the helm to tackle thorny challenges that include slowing growth, risky excessive borrowing, a possible trade war and other challenges. Premier Li Keqiang, in a briefing with reporters, also promised to fully open manufacturing industries to foreign competitors and said China doesn’t want to see a “trade war” with the United States. He made no mention of a possible Chinese response to any increase in U.S. import controls. Beijing faces mounting pressure from President Donald Trump over complaints it hampers access to its markets, pressures foreign companies to hand over technology and is flooding foreign markets with unfairly low-priced steel and other goods. The longer-than-usual, 16-day legislative session had earlier approved a range of new appointments, including that of key Xi ally Wang Qishan as vice president. New ministers were also appointed and a law passed establishing a powerful new anti-corruption body to oversee the party and civil service. In his address, Xi said China would promote “high-quality” development that values innovation over speed of growth. Xi also invoked China’s historical achievements in governance and culture and stressed the importance of national unity as it strove to reach new goals in poverty alleviation and economic development in coming years. “I believe that as long as the more than 1.3 billion Chinese people ceaselessly carry forward this great creative spirit, we can certainly create one miracle after another,” he said. Xi pledged to expand the Belt and Road, his signature foreign policy initiative of building ports, bridges and railways connecting Europe with Asia — but in an apparent response to the project’s critics, said China wasn’t seeking hegemony. “China’s development does not pose a threat to any country,” Xi said. “Only those who habitually threaten others will look at everyone else as threats,” he added. This year’s session has been dominated by the rubber-stamp body’s historic move on March 11 to scrap a constitutional two-term limit on the presidency dating from 1982, enabling Xi to rule indefinitely. While delegates overwhelmingly supported the move, critics and some analysts say it raises concerns about a return to one-man-rule — and greater political repression within an already highly controlled polity. “There is a distinct danger now that there may well be a return to the Maoist style of leadership symbolized by the dissolution of collective responsibility and the concentration of power under one person,” said Joseph Cheng, a long-time observer of Chinese politics now retired from the City University of Hong Kong. The broad strokes of what Xi plans to do with these expanded powers were laid down over the weekend as he moved to appoint his trusted allies into key positions that appear, in part, set to further sideline Li, officially China’s No. 2 leader. One of them is Wang, reportedly an early acquaintance of Xi’s and former anti-corruption czar who is expected to play a key role in managing trade tensions with the United States. The vice presidency is normally a ceremonial post but Wang’s real standing can be seen in official events in which he is seated in eighth place in hierarchical order after the seven-man, all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee. Another is longtime Xi adviser Liu He, who was appointed as one of four vice premiers and is expected to oversee a broad range of economic and financial issues. Chief among Xi’s priorities is controlling financial risk without derailing the economy. Regulators have been warning about ballooning debt that caused international ratings agencies to cut China’s credit rating last year. “He knows that if there’s a financial crisis it will damage his credibility and legitimacy very much because he has no one else to blame,” Cheng said. “People will blame him.” ___ Associated Press reporter Joe McDonald contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the first state dinner of the Trump administration (all times local): 7:50 p.m. Melania Trump has chosen Chanel for the White House state dinner honoring the French president. The first lady wore a full-length silver gown Tuesday night as she emerged from the White House to greet the French president and his wife. The White House said it was a black Chantilly lace Chanel haute couture gown, hand-painted with silver and embroidered with crystal and sequins. French first lady Brigitte Macron wore a cream full-length gown by Louis Vuitton with long sleeves and gold details. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron both wore black tuxedos. ___ 7:25 p.m. President Donald Trump has welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the administration’s first state dinner. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, arrived at the White House as a light rain fell Tuesday evening. Trump and his wife, Melania, exchanged hugs and air kisses with the Macrons before going inside the White House for the festivities. About 130 guests have been invited. Macron opened a three-day state visit to the U.S. on Monday. The French leader is scheduled to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. ___ 6:40 p.m. Guests are arriving for the White House state dinner honoring the French president. It’s the first state dinner of President Donald Trump’s administration. Among those who have already arrived are Vice President Mike Pence, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Apple CEO Tim Cook and two Winter Olympians who flashed medals on their way into the pre-dinner reception Tuesday. The 94-year-old Kissinger caused a little scare when he stumbled while walking past the media. Several Cabinet secretaries have also arrived, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who is awaiting Senate confirmation to become Trump’s new secretary of state. ___ 6:30 p.m. The White House has some extra help in the kitchen for the state dinner honoring the president of France. Former National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton is lending his skills to the occasion Tuesday night. Anton is known for being particularly talented in the kitchen. In fact, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders cited his “amazing chef” skills in a statement earlier this month on his departure. The White House is serving rack of lamb for the main course. Anton resigned from the White House just before new national security adviser John Bolton came on board. He is now a writer and lecturer at Hillsdale College. ___ 5:30 p.m. Melania Trump is embracing her moment in the spotlight for the French president’s state visit. She traded in her usual dark sunglasses for a white wide-brimmed hat that quickly became a trending topic on social media. She has thrown herself into planning the state dinner for President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. All eyes will be on the former model again Tuesday when she steps out in a designer gown to greet the Macrons as they arrive for dinner. Seeing the gown is typically the highlight of a state dinner. But for once, it may pale in comparison to the hat. The hat bobbed up and down across the bottom of TV screens as the first lady took her seat for the president’s news conference with Macron.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Expanding charter schools around the country is losing support among Americans, even as President Donald Trump and his administration continue to push for school choice, according to a survey released Tuesday. Trump campaigned on a promise to dramatically improve school choice — charter schools and private school voucher programs — and his Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has made it a priority. But so far the message does not appear to have hit home with the public. About 39 percent of respondents favor opening more charters — schools that are funded by public money, but usually operated independently of school districts — according to the survey by Education Next, a journal published by Harvard’s Kennedy School and Stanford University. That’s down from 51 percent last year. Supporters of charter schools had feared that Trump’s polarizing rhetoric could hurt the school-choice movement. But the authors of the report say the decline in support for charters can’t be linked directly to Trump. They say support for charters slipped almost equally across party lines: by 11 percent among Democrats and by 13 percent among Republicans. They also emphasize that private school vouchers and voucher-type programs, championed by Trump, have seen stable support and declining opposition. Finally, when respondents were told that Trump was advocating for charter schools, overall support increased by 6 percentage points. “We can’t say definitively what is responsible for the decline,” said Martin West, associate professor of education at Harvard University and a co-author of the report. West speculated that the drop may have been caused by continued opposition from teachers unions and many Democrats plus debates over charters’ effectiveness. “These developments may have led to a souring of the charter brand,” West said. Meanwhile, opposition to publicly funded vouchers that help parents pay private school tuition dropped from 44 percent last year to 37 percent; 45 percent of respondents currently favor the idea. When it comes to tax credit-funded scholarships, resistance fell from 29 percent to 24 percent, while support was at 54 percent now. Proponents of charter schools are not discouraged. Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, says the drop in popularity was due to “expensive, sustained, and coordinated campaigns to discredit charter schools, led by teachers’ unions and special interests that feel threatened by families having a choice in public school.” Rees said that more than 300 public charter schools opened last year, with a total over 6,900 charter schools serving over 3 million students across the country. “The opinions about charter schools that matter most are the opinions of parents and students who have chosen charter schools,” Rees said. To others, the Trump effect is more apparent. On the campaign trail, Trump spoke of funding a $20 billion school choice program and has proposed major cuts to long-standing K-12 programs, such as teacher preparation and after-school classes, while requesting more funding for charters and vouchers. DeVos has faced criticism from the left for promoting solely school choice and paying little attention to public schools. Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a non-partisan research and policy organization, said the Trump administration’s rhetoric has only deepened partisan tensions around charter schools. “I would be shocked if it were unaffected,” Lake said. “I am just hearing a lot from folks on the ground that schools have a lot of conversations with parents that they didn’t use to have about why charter schools are public and why they are not a partisan issue.” “I am not sure it’s not the only reason, but I am pretty sure it’s a contributing factor.” Rick Hess, director of education policy at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said Trump and DeVos may have turned school choice into a much more federal and divisive issue than it needed to be by talking about it in black-and-white terms and by being too critical of public schools. “Sometimes the way these things get talked about, you can wind up alienating people who might be with you,” Hess said. An April poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found greater levels of support for charter schools. Forty-seven percent said they favor opening more public charter schools, 23 percent were opposed, and 30 percent felt neutral about it. Meanwhile, 43 percent of respondents supported giving low-income families tuition vouchers for private schools, 35 percent were opposed and 21 percent didn’t have a strong opinion either way. The poll had a sample size of 1,036 and the margin of error was plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. The Education Next survey was based on interviews with 4,214 adults across the country. The margin of error was 1.5 percentage points.

LONDON (AP) — British police are investigating six claims of sexual assault or assault by Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, three more than previously disclosed. British media reported earlier this year that London’s Metropolitan Police force was investigating allegations against the former “House of Cards” star. Police in Britain don’t name suspects until they are charged. Asked about Spacey, the force did not identify him by name but said Wednesday that detectives were investigating allegations of sexual assault alleged to have taken place in London’s Westminster borough in 1996 and the western England city of Gloucester in 2013. The force says three other complaints of sexual assault and one of assault by the same suspect have been made. Spacey was artistic director of London’s Old Vic theater for 11 years until 2015.

STACEYVILLE, Maine (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke praised the beauty of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on Wednesday and said he’s “comfortable” with the National Park Service property remaining in public hands. With flies buzzing and Mount Katahdin as a backdrop, Zinke sounded optimistic about the future of special land designation granted by then-President Barack Obama last summer with a goal of giving an economic jolt to the region. “I’m confident there’s a path forward here that will work,” Zinke said, adding that “clearly, it’s beautiful.” President Donald Trump has ordered the review of more than two dozen national monuments, including the one in Maine, created on 87,500 acres (35,410 hectares) of privately donated land adjacent to Baxter State Park, home of Mount Katahdin, the state’s highest peak. Zinke, a former Republican congressman from Montana, visited the Maine property just days after recommending that the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah be downsized after paying a visit to the site last month. But Zinke said his call to reduce the size of Bears Ears doesn’t apply to the Maine land because it’s so much smaller to begin with. “Scaling back, I don’t think makes a lot of sense here,” he told reporters. But he said he wants to ensure activities such as hunting, fishing and timber harvesting are preserved in the area. He also said he wanted to make sure that local residents had a “proper voice” in the decisions. Zinke’s drive into the federal land passed a handful of signs saying “National Park No.” He surveyed the land and did some hiking. In the afternoon, he wrapped up his tour by canoeing on the Penobscot River’s East Branch. He began his “learning trip” after meeting the night before with Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who’s opposed to the designation by Obama. LePage has been a vocal critic of the monument and testified against its creation before Congress last month. LePage contends federal ownership of the land would stymie economic development and he also pointed to a National Park Service maintenance backlog. LePage even criticized the beauty of the land and described the region as a “mosquito area.” But supporters say the special land designation could provide an economic boost by drawing visitors to a region that’s struggling after the closing of a pair of paper mills. Lucas St. Clair, whose family donated the land and created an endowment to support it, said the governor’s criticism and refusal to allow road signs directing motorists to the site is backfiring by driving attention to it. He said some folks have begun wearing “Exit 264” signs to inform people of how to get to the monument, since there’s no sign on Interstate 95, he said. Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills said this week that she would challenge attempts by Trump’s administration to abolish it. Mills said Zinke’s Interior Department should instead “terminate its review of the Katahdin Woods and Waters designation and reaffirm the agency’s commitment to making the monument work well for all people, particularly the residents of the Katahdin region who are now counting on it for their economic future.” Zinke was unmoved by Mills’ promise to sue and said it won’t affect his decisions. He said LePage is “rightly concerned about jobs” and that he doesn’t consider the governor and himself that far apart on the monument’s future. Trump has made the review of federal monuments a priority early in his first year in office. He has accused previous administrations of using the federal Antiquities Act to facilitate a “massive federal land grab” by creating monuments. During the visit, Zinke noted that he’s been to Maine before. The former Navy SEAL attended the Navy’s survival school in western Maine. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited the Bears Ears National Monument in May, not on Monday.

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Siemens says it has signed contracts worth some 700 million euros ($824 million) to build two gas-powered electricity plants in Libya. The Munich-based industrial conglomerate said Monday that the plants will be built in Misrata and Tripoli and that the value of the contracts with the state-owned General Electricity Company of Libya includes long-term service agreements. It said the deal will expand Libya’s power generation capacity by about 1.3 gigawatts, but didn’t specify in a statement when the new plants will start operation. The deal comes weeks after Siemens AG announced plans to cut about 6,900 jobs worldwide at its power, gas and drives divisions, half of them in Germany. It pointed to a sharp decline in earnings amid increasing pressure from renewable energy sources.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The CEOs of athletic wear manufacturer Under Armour and pharmaceutical company Merck resigned Monday from the White House’s American Manufacturing Council — with the Merck withdrawal drawing a quick and angry Twitter outburst from President Donald Trump. Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier cited the president’s failure to explicitly rebuke the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. He wrote on Twitter Monday that “America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which runs counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal.” Frazier is one of the few African-Americans to head a Fortune 500 company. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank resigned from the panel later Monday, saying his company “engages in innovation and sports, not politics.” Trump was under increasing pressure to call out the white supremacist groups involved in the Charlottesville demonstration. He lashed out almost immediately at Frazier, saying on Twitter that he will now “have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!” The president followed up later in the day, tweeting that Merck “is a leader in higher & higher drug prices while at the same time taking jobs out of the U.S. Bring jobs back & LOWER PRICES!” Drugmakers have come under withering criticism for soaring prices in the U.S., including by Trump, though he has yet to act on a promise to contain them. With the barbs, Trump appeared to attack an industry executive who has tried to make drug pricing somewhat more transparent by revealing his company’s overall drug price changes. In January, Merck reported that its average net prices — the amount the company receives after discounts and other rebates — increased in the years since 2010 in a range between 3.4 percent and 6.2 percent per year. That’s about half as large as the increase in its retail prices. Much of the furor over drug prices recently has been over increases that have been far bigger and come one after another for drugs that have been on the market for years. The exchange lit up social media early Monday, with many people lauding Frazier and blasting the president. Trump eventually made a statement condemning bigotry Monday afternoon at a press conference. Meanwhile, other executives stated their support for Frazier. Unilever CEO Paul Polman wrote on Twitter, “Thanks @Merck Ken Frazier for strong leadership to stand up for the moral values that made this country what it is.” Frazier, who grew up in a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia, resigned from the manufacturing advisory council days after one person was killed and others wounded in violent clashes between white supremacists and protesters. Frazier and his siblings were raised by their janitor father after their mother died when they were very young. He has earned a reputation as a risk taker in the drug industry, pouring money into daunting research areas, particularly trying to develop a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Frazier is not the first executive to resign from advisory councils serving Trump. Tesla CEO Elon Musk resigned from the manufacturing council in June, and two other advisory groups to the president, after the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. Walt Disney Co. Chairman and CEO Bob Iger resigned for the same reason from the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum, which Trump established to advise him on how government policy impacts economic growth and job creation. The manufacturing jobs council had 28 members initially, but it has shrunk since it was formed earlier this year as executives retire, are replaced, or, as with Frazier and Musk, resign. William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said he couldn’t “think of a parallel example” of any president responding as viciously as Trump to a CEO departing an advisory council. “Usually, certain niceties are observed to smooth over a rupture,” said Galston, who served as a domestic policy aide in the Clinton administration. “We’ve learned that as president, Mr. Trump is behaving exactly as he did as a candidate,” Galston said. “He knows only one mode: When attacked, hit back harder.” ___ AP Economics Writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this story. ___ Follow Linda A. Johnson at https://twitter.com/LindaJ_onPharma

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Police Department says it is responding to a report of an explosion near Times Square. The response is centered in the area of the Port Authority bus terminal. It’s led to delays along some of the subway lines that pass beneath the bus terminal. Some passengers have been evacuated as a precaution. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The special counsel appointed to investigate Russian influence in the 2016 presidential campaign has met with a Senate committee probing the same matter. The leaders of the Senate intelligence committee say In a statement issued Wednesday that they “look forward to future engagements” with Robert Mueller. North Carolina Republican Richard Burr and Virginia Democrat Mark Warner aren’t providing any other details regarding the meeting. It comes a day after lawmakers questioned Justice Department officials about the probe and Mueller’s independence. Those questions were prompted after a friend of President Donald Trump said the White House was considering firing Mueller. But Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller last month, testified Tuesday he has seen no evidence of good cause to fire Mueller.

SEATTLE (AP) — A man who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child but was protected from deportation by President Barack Obama’s administration has been taken into custody in the Seattle area in what could be the first case of its kind in the country. Daniel Ramirez Medina, 23, was arrested Friday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who went to the suburban Seattle home to arrest the man’s father. ICE spokeswoman Rose Richeson said in a statement that agents were there targeting a “prior-deported felon.” Ramirez, however, was brought to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 7 and has a work permit under Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He also has a job, a young son and no criminal record, Northwest Immigrants Rights Project Legal Director Matt Adams said. Ramirez is being held in Tacoma. Richeson said Ramirez told agents he was a gang member and based on those statements and being a “risk to public safety,” he was taken into custody. But Mark Rosenbaum, one of Ramirez’s lawyers, responded later Tuesday that Ramirez “unequivocally denies being in a gang” and that the statement from Richeson is inaccurate. “While in custody, he was repeatedly pressured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to falsely admit affiliation,” Rosenbaum said. Adams said Ramirez is the first person he knows of with DACA status who has been detained. “This appears to be a complete one-off. We certainly haven’t seen this with our other hundreds of clients who have DACA status as well.” Attorneys for Ramirez challenged his detention in federal court in Seattle Monday, arguing the arrest violates his constitutional rights to live and work in this country without the fear of arrest and deportation so long as he satisfies DACA requirements. “Trust in our government depends upon the Executive Branch keeping its word,” Rosenbaum, director of Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law Project, said in a statement. “Bait and switch sullies the integrity of our nation’s core values.” Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office in Seattle, said Tuesday afternoon it would be premature to comment on the lawsuit. Recent sweeps by U.S. immigration agents across multiple states have netted some immigrants with no criminal records, a departure from enforcement actions in the last decade. Under the Obama administration, agents focused more narrowly on individuals who posed a security or public safety threat. President Donald Trump made illegal immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, saying he will build a wall along the Mexican border and deport millions of people, although actual plans have yet to be revealed. He has said he wants to focus on people who have committed crimes. During an interview with Time magazine late last year, Trump expressed sympathy for the more than 740,000 people in the DACA program, which started in 2012. “We’re going to work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” he told the magazine. Trump can withdraw the promised protection right away through an “operational memo” because Obama implemented it through one, William Stock, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said previously. Adams said he believes Ramirez was apprehended by mistake. “I don’t think this has to do with any change in policy; I just think it was an enforcement procedure gone wrong,” Adams said. “Hopefully they’re going to come to their senses.” ___ This story has been changed to reflect the correct spelling of Emily Langlie’s last name.

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said Sunday he will sit during the national anthem this season to protest social injustice and segregation. Bennett sat on the visiting bench during “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Seahawks’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams, a decision he made prior to protests by white supremacists at the University of Virginia over the weekend. But what happened in Charlottesville, Virginia, including the death of a young woman when she was struck by a car deliberately driven into a group of counter-protesters on Saturday, solidified Bennett’s decision. “With everything that’s been going on the last couple of months and especially after the last couple of days, seeing everything in Virginia, seeing what’s going on out there earlier today in Seattle, I just wanted to be able to use my platform to be able to continue to speak over injustice,” Bennett said. “First of all, I want people to understand I love the military. My father was in the military. I love hot dogs like any other American. I love football like any other American, but I don’t love segregation. I don’t love riots. I don’t love oppression. I don’t love gender slander. I just want to see people have the equality that they deserve, and I want to be able to use this platform to continuously push the message of that, you know, and keep journeying out and keep finding out how unselfish can we be as a society.” Bennett was at least the third prominent NFL player to protest during the anthem in the first full week of preseason games. Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, a former teammate of Bennett’s in Seattle, also sat during the anthem. Los Angeles Rams defensive end Robert Quinn raised his right fist, continuing his approach from last season following then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the anthem. Kaepernick is a free agent, and the controversy over his decision to protest the anthem and the form he used has not quelled, even as he remains unsigned. Bennett said he is willing to deal with similar fallout. “Of course I’m going to face backlash,” Bennett said. “This is bigger than me. This is bigger than football. This is bigger than anything that we have. This is about people. This is about bringing opportunities to people, giving people equality. This is bigger than a sport.” Bennett said he had spoken to several other NFL players about possible protests, but had not talked with Lynch yet. While he acknowledged the possibility of more widespread and formally organized protests happening later, Bennett wanted to express himself. “I think everybody has a time where they feel like they need to be who they are and stand up for what they believe in,” Bennett said. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll did not have a response to Bennett’s actions, saying he only became aware of it after the game. Bennett said the aim of his protest is to make people uncomfortable. In the process, he hopes to spur greater communication, understanding and involvement across racial, gender and socio-economic lines. “Everyone is in their comfort zone right now,” Bennett said. “Get out there and become uncomfortable. Go out there and see what it’s like out there in society right now.”

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber pitched six shutout innings and reached eight victories before any AL pitcher as the Cleveland Indians rolled to their fifth straight win, 9-1 Wednesday over the sagging Chicago White Sox to complete a series sweep. Spotted a nine-run cushion after four innings, Kluber (8-2) had little trouble with baseball’s worst team. The defending Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, struck out 10 and improved to 4-0 with a 0.33 ERA in four starts against Central Division teams this season. Melky Cabrera drove in three runs off Reynaldo Lopez (1-4) and Michael Brantley extended his MLB-high hitting streak to 19 games for Cleveland, which used the series to gain some confidence and momentum. The Indians have scored 43 runs during their win streak. Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion connected for back-to-back homers in the fourth off Chris Volstad as the Indians opened a 9-0 lead. The White Sox committed two more errors, dropped their fourth in a row and fell to 16-37. Chicago had five errors in the three-game series. Yolmer Sanchez homered leading off the ninth as the White Sox avoided a shutout. Kluber is tough to deal with under normal circumstances, but with a big lead and pitching at home, he’s nearly unbeatable. The right-hander is 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA at Progressive Field, and he didn’t walk a batter for the fourth straight start. Chicago’s Yoan Mocada led off the first with a single off Kluber, who then struck out eight of the next 12 and spent the rest of the day fine-tuning his already fine-tuned collection of pitches. Cabrera’s two-run double highlighted a five-run third for the Indians. They had Lopez in trouble in the first inning, but let the right-hander escaped by giving up only two runs. Brantley singled in the first when the Indians took a 2-0 lead against Lopez, whose wild pitch brought in Greg Allen with Cleveland’s first run before Cabrera delivered a one-out sacrifice fly. Since moving into the No. 2 spot in Cleveland’s order, Brantley is batting .368 (29 of 79) with six homers, 18 RBIs and 20 runs scored. MANAGING MILLER The Indians are still working out a treatment plan for All-Star reliever Andrew Miller, who has been on the disabled list three times in the past year with a right knee issue. Miller has not been effective since returning from a hamstring injury on May 11. He visited a specialist in New York on Wednesday, and manager Terry Francona said the tests and examination gave Miller “some peace of mind.” The 33-year-old is not expected to need surgery at this time. Francona said the team will likely have more information Thursday in Minnesota on the next course of action for Miller, who is 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 17 appearances. TRAINER’S ROOM White Sox: INF Matt Davidson (back spasms) will be re-evaluated when the team returns home for a weekend series against Milwaukee. Davidson, tied for the club lead with 11 home runs, was placed on the DL on Monday. Indians: Injured OFs Bradley Zimmer (bruised left rib), Lonnie Chisenhall (strained right calf) and Brandon Guyer (strained neck) are all making progress. Francona said Zimmer is the closest to being activated. UP NEXT White Sox: LHP Hector Santiago starts against Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game series Friday. He picked up his first win of the season on May 26, allowing one run in five innings against Detroit. Indians: Rookie Shane Bieber will make his major league debut — on his 23rd birthday — in the opener of a four-game series at Minnesota. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Bieber has quickly risen through Cleveland’s system. He pitched a rain-shortened, seven-inning no-hitter for Triple-A Columbus last week. He’s is the first pitcher in Cleveland history to debut on his birthday. ___ More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbasebal

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Greece is hoping to secure more bailout funds to meet a summer debt repayment hump as well as a debt relief deal at a meeting of finance ministers from the 19-country eurozone. The country, which has been promised help on its mountain of debt once its bailout ends next year, is again the main topic of discussion at a meeting of the so-called eurogroup Thursday. The main obstacle to an agreement is a difference of opinion between the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund over Greece’s long-term debt outlook. The expectation is Greece will get the roughly 7 billion euros ($7.8 billion) due, but will struggle to clinch the outlines of a debt relief deal that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras thinks is crucial for the country’s economy in the long-term.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A rifle-wielding attacker opened fire on Republican lawmakers as they practiced for a charity baseball game Wednesday, critically wounding House GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and hitting aides and Capitol police as congressmen and others dove for cover. The assailant, who had nursed grievances against President Donald Trump and the GOP, fought a gun battle with police before he, too, was shot and later died. Colleagues said Scalise had been fielding balls at second base at a local park in Alexandria, just across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital, as the Republicans practiced for their annual game with Democrats. He dragged himself away from the infield leaving a trail of blood before fellow lawmakers could rush to his assistance. He was listed in critical condition Wednesday night at a Washington hospital, which said he will require several more operations. The shooter was identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old home inspector from Illinois who had several minor run-ins with the law in recent years and belonged to a Facebook group called “Terminate the Republican Party.” He had been living out of his van in the Alexandria area in recent months, the FBI said. Capitol Police officers who were in Scalise’s security detail wounded the shooter. He later died of his injuries, Trump told the nation from the White House. “Everyone on that field is a public servant,” Trump said, his tone somber, America’s acrimonious politics set aside for the moment. “Their sacrifice makes democracy possible.” Lawmakers noted their good fortune in having armed protectors on hand — “Thank God,” they exclaimed over and over — and said otherwise the shooter would have been able to take a huge deadly toll. The events left the capital horrified and stunned, and prompted immediate reflection on the current hostility and vitriol in American politics. Lawmakers called for a new dialogue on lowering the partisan temperature, and Trump urged Americans to come together as he assumed the role of national unifier for one of the first times in his presidency. Trump later visited the hospital where Scalise was recovering. The president then tweeted: “Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape – but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!” Proceedings were canceled for the day in the House, and instead Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California issued their own calls for unity. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,” Ryan said, to prolonged applause. Shortly after the shooting, Bernie Sanders, the former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, said on the Senate floor that the shooter apparently was a volunteer for his campaign last year. Sanders said he denounced the violence “in the strongest possible terms.” Scalise, 51, the No. 3 House Republican leader, was first elected in 2008. The popular and gregarious lawmaker is known for his love of baseball and handed out commemorative bats when he secured the job of House whip several years ago. Texas Rep. Roger Williams said that one of his aides, Zack Barth, was shot but was doing well and expected to fully recover. Two Capitol Police officers sustained relatively minor injuries. A former congressional aide was hospitalized. The shooting occurred at a popular park and baseball complex where Republican lawmakers and others were gathered for a morning practice about 7 a.m. They were in good spirits despite the heat and humidity as they prepared for the annual congressional baseball match that pits Republicans against Democrats. The popular annual face-off, which raises money for charity, is scheduled for Thursday evening at Nationals Park across the Potomac River in Washington, and will go forward as planned. Hodgkinson has been in the area since March, living out of his van, said Washington FBI Special Agent In Charge Tim Slater. Democratic former Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said he had spoken often with the man on recent mornings at the nearby YMCA. Hodgkinson’s apparent Facebook page included strong criticism of Republicans and the Trump administration. But Slater said authorities were still working to determine a motive and had no indication Hodgkinson knew about the baseball practice ahead of time. The GOP lawmakers’ team was taking batting practice when gunshots rang out and chaos erupted. After Scalise was hit, said Rep. Mo Brooks, an Alabama Republican, the congressman “crawled into the outfield, leaving a trail of blood.” “We started giving him the liquids, I put pressure on his wound in his hip,” Brooks said. The gunman had a rifle and “a lot of ammo,” said Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was at the practice. Texas Rep. Joe Barton, still in his baseball uniform, told reporters that Scalise’s security detail, Capitol Hill police and then Alexandria police returned fire in a battle that lasted as long as 10 minutes and included dozens of shots. “The security detail saved a lot of lives,” he said. “It was scary.” Lawmakers took cover in the dugout. Barton said his son, Jack, got under an SUV. Texas Rep. Mike Conaway described what sounded like an explosion, then lawmakers scattering off the field as police roamed in search of the gunman and engaged him. “The guy’s down to a handgun, he dropped his rifle, they shoot him, I go over there, they put him in handcuffs,” Conaway said, adding that if the shooter had “gotten inside the fence, where a bunch of guys were holed up in the dugout, it would have been like shooting fish in a barrel.” Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina said he had just left the practice and encountered the apparent gunman in the parking lot before the shooting. The man calmly asked which party’s lawmakers were practicing and Duncan told him they were the Republicans. The man thanked him. The wounded Capitol Police officers were identified as David Bailey, who was treated for a minor injury, and Crystal Griner, who was shot in the ankle. Also wounded was former congressional aide Matt Mika, who now works for Tyson Foods in its Washington office. Mika’s family said the lobbyist was shot multiple times and was in critical condition following surgery. The event raised questions about the security of members of Congress. While the top lawmakers, including Scalise, have security details, others do not and regularly appear in public without protection. The last time a lawmaker was shot was when Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona was hit in the head and grievously injured while meeting with constituents at a supermarket parking lot in 2011. Following the Giffords shooting, lawmakers have held fewer open town halls and have been advised to increase security at such events. ___ Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker, Matt Barakat, Meghan Hoyer, Sarah Brumfield, Michael Biesecker, Mary Clare Jalonick, Ken Thomas, Vivian Salama, Stephen Ohlemacher, Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor in Washington and Alexandria and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Manufacturing in New York state expanded at the fastest pace in more than two years as factories received more new orders and stepped up hiring. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said that its Empire State manufacturing index in February rose to 18.7 from 6.5, reaching the highest level since 2014. Any reading above zero indicates expansion. The survey adds to recent evidence that the U.S. manufacturing sector is recovering after nearly two years of mostly flat output. Businesses are spending more on machinery and other big-ticket factory goods, and overseas economies have stabilized. A measure of new orders jumped to 13.5 from 3.1 and a measure of unfilled orders rose for the first time since 2011. Both gauges point to much stronger demand for factory goods.

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Simone Askew is making history as the first black woman to lead the Long Grey Line at the U.S. Military Academy. The 20-year-old international history major from Fairfax, Virginia, assumed duties Monday as first captain of the 4,400-member Corps of Cadets. That’s the highest position in the cadet chain of command at West Point. After a 12-mile march Monday morning with 1,200 new cadets she led in basic training, Askew said it’s humbling but exciting to step into a new opportunity to lead the corps to greatness along with her team. Her advice to other young women aspiring to leadership roles is to seek mentorship and make themselves “vessels to be poured into.” Pat Locke, one of two black women in the first class of women to graduate from West Point in 1980, says Askew is a terrific role model. Pam Askew adds that her daughter is a natural leader.

NEW YORK (AP) — Darren Baker got scooped up by dad’s team again. The son of Washington manager Dusty Baker was drafted by the Nationals in the 27th round of the Major League Baseball draft Wednesday — 15 years after he first made headlines on the baseball diamond. The younger Baker, now an 18-year-old shortstop at Jesuit High School in California, was just 3 when he was a bat boy for the San Francisco Giants, managed by his father, in the 2002 World Series. During Game 5 against the Angels, Darren Baker had run to the plate to pick up a bat when J.T. Snow scored — and David Bell was flying down the third-base line and heading home. Snow quickly plucked Baker out of the way , a moment that instantly became a part of World Series lore. The three-day draft concludes Wednesday night.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Willie Nelson is blaming Utah’s high altitude for forcing him to cut a performance near Salt Lake City short. Nelson ended his show early at the USANA Amphitheatre in suburban West Valley City on Sunday night. He later apologized in a statement posted to his Twitter and Facebook accounts. The 84-year-old country music legend explained: “The altitude got to me. I am feeling better now and headed for lower ground.” Nelson’s publicist didn’t immediately respond to a request for further comment Monday. Nelson was forced to cancel several concerts earlier this year because of what his publicist said was a bad cold.

OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The stress of evacuation and an uncertain future were enough for Donald Azevedo and his family to opt to stay a few more nights in an emergency shelter rather than risk having to do it all again. The family was among the nearly 200,000 Californians who live downstream from the country’s tallest dam who were told they could return home but warned they may have to flee again if repairs made to the battered Oroville Dam spillways don’t hold. The fixes could be put to their first test later this week with the first of a series of small storms forecast for the region expected to reach the area Wednesday night. “There is the prospect that we could issue another evacuation order if the situation changes and the risk increases,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Tuesday, telling residents they could return home but to remain vigilant. That’s why Azevedo wasn’t budging yet. “My plan is to stay here,” said Azevedo, who evacuated from Marysville with his wife, Tasha, their four Chihuahuas and more than 30 relatives. They spent two nights at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, Calif. and he planned to wait out this week’s upcoming storm before returning home. Many at the shelter said a drive that should have taken one hour took six hours on Sunday. “I’m not trying to risk traffic, being stuck in floods. I’m safe where I’m at,” Azevedo said. Many other evacuees, such as Oroville resident Margaret Johnston, couldn’t wait to get back home. “You don’t appreciate home until it’s taken away from you,” said Johnston, 69, who spent the last two nights sheltering at a church in Chico, California. As she packed the blankets, pillows and clothing she had hastily thrown into a black garbage bag, she reflected on the mad rush to leave, the chaos, confusion and bottleneck traffic on the drive out. “It was just frustrating. Very frustrating.” Residents living below the Oroville Dam were suddenly ordered to evacuate Sunday afternoon after authorities had assured them for nearly a week that the dam was sound despite a gaping and growing hole found in the structure’s main spillway. The order came after authorities feared an earthen emergency spillway used when the lake behind the dam overflows its capacity appeared ready to fail Sunday because of erosion. Two days after issuing the evacuation order, officials lifted it Tuesday but uncertainty remained. Over the weekend, the swollen lake spilled down the unpaved emergency spillway for nearly 40 hours, leaving it badly eroded. The problem occurred six days after engineers discovered a growing hole in the dam’s main concrete spillway. State and federal officials ignored calls in 2005 from environmental groups to armor the earthen spillway in concrete to prevent erosion. Federal regulators concluded the earthen spillway could handle a large amount of overflow after water agencies that would have had to pay for the upgrade argued it was unnecessary. Others fear the real test is still to come in the weeks ahead when a record amount of snowfall melts in nearby mountains. The California Department of Water Resources said Tuesday night the Oroville Dam’s water levels continued to decrease but it didn’t say by how much. State water officials said earlier Tuesday the reservoir’s water level had been reduced 15 feet by Tuesday afternoon. Officials hope to continue using a damaged main spillway to drain the lake another 37 feet in preparation for coming rain. They say they have drained enough water that the emergency spillway will not be needed to handle runoff from the approaching storm. Forecasts call for 2-4 inches of rain and snow in the foothills and mountains starting Wednesday night. But the storm was looking colder than initially projected, meaning less rain and less runoff than last week’s storms. Dozens of construction crews were working around the clock dropping 1,200 tons of material on the earthen emergency spillway per hour using heavy equipment and helicopters and the area is being continually monitored with the help of drones carrying cameras, the state water agency said. Preliminary estimates say permanently fixing the hole in the main spillway could cost $100 million to $200 million, Croyle said. Experts are drawing up plans for repairs that will begin after the spring runoff season ends. Gov. Jerry Brown said late Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved his request for federal assistance with the Oroville dam situation. State officials clearly were on the defensive about their decision to call for mass evacuations Sunday, just a few hours after saying the situation was stable, forcing families to rush to pack up and get out. Honea, the county sheriff, said Tuesday that the call to order nearly 200,000 people to higher ground protected lives and bought time for water experts to address the problems. But after two days away from home, tens of thousands of evacuees were growing weary. They welcomed the news they could return home but vowed to heed the sheriff’s warning to remain vigilant. Rod Remocal said he and his wife would now be ready to leave their Biggs home near the dam at a moment’s notice after fleeing in a rush Sunday. “We’re all coming back and pack and be ready this time,” Remocal said. “This time we’re going to be on call like they said.” ___ Elias reported from San Francisco. ___ Contributing to this report were Jocelyn Gecker, Olga R. Rodriguez and Kristin Bender in San Francisco; Don Thompson in Sacramento; Terry Chea in Grass Valley, California; Ellen Knickmeyer in Sonoma, California; and John Antczak and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump is hosting executives from major online and social media companies to discuss cyberbullying and internet safety, more than a year after saying that would be her issue as first lady. The meeting Tuesday marks her first public event on the topic, a choice some observers have questioned given that her husband often berates people on Twitter. Amazon, Snap, Facebook, Google and Twitter are among the companies that are expected to attend the meeting. The Internet Association said it will also be represented. All the major technology companies have strict policies prohibiting harassment and other bullying behavior on their services, but primarily rely on users to report abuses and weed them out. They try to clearly spell out the kinds of remarks and other posts that won’t be tolerated in special sections such as one Facebook, the largest online social network, has set up. Instagram, a popular service among kids and young adults for sharing photos and videos, provides links to the U.S. government’s anti-bullying site and tips from a cyberbullying research center on one of its help pages. But the efforts so far have fallen short, leading to rampant abuses that even some of the companies acknowledge have driven away or tormented portions of their audience. It got so bad on Twitter, which has 68 million U.S. users, that the San Francisco company vowed last fall to crack down on hateful tweets. Among other things, Twitter adopted new policies aimed at protecting women who unknowingly or unwillingly had nude pictures of themselves distributed online — a common bullying tactic. Yik Yak, another messaging app once popular among high school and college students, shut down last year partly because schools banned it following complaints about bullying and harassment. Online bullying takes many shapes, but some of the most common tactics include posting embarrassing or salacious photos, making demeaning or cruel remarks under a photo or in a general post about someone, and sharing screenshots of what at least one person thought was a private text. Harassment is widespread and extends beyond teenagers. A Pew Research Center poll last year found 41 percent of U.S. adults believed they had been harassed online. The popularity of and volume of content on major social media sites presents a huge challenge in policing what is being shared. Facebook, for instance, has 2.1 billion worldwide users who collectively share billions of posts on their pages daily. More than 300 hours of video is uploaded to Google’s YouTube site every minute. The companies are also constantly struggling to balance the desire to prevent harassment and other abuses and maintain a commitment to freedom of expression. In some cases, they see harassment and still look the other way. For instance, some of President Trump’s more vitriolic tweets have openly mocked and denigrated people, prompting calls for Twitter to shut down his account and ban him from its service. But Twitter has declined, maintaining the news value of the president’s tweets eclipse complaints about him being a bully. There is no federal law that applies to bullying. State laws vary, ranging from requiring public schools to have a bullying policy to requiring anonymous reporting systems, said Sameer Hinduja, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center and professor of criminology at Florida Atlantic University. The federal government can best help by giving schools more tools and money to provide programs, Hinduja said. Mrs. Trump announced in a speech near the end of the 2016 presidential campaign that her priority as first lady would be to fight cyberbullying. A native of Slovenia, she at the time lamented a U.S. culture that she said had grown “too mean and too rough.” It was a curious speech for a woman whose husband uses Twitter to dismiss people as losers and taunt them with unflattering nicknames. The mother of a 12-year-old son, the first lady has made child well-being her focus in the White House, including an unexpected interest in how the opioid crisis is affecting youngsters. She has visited hospitals and care centers to see the effects first hand, and has embraced parents whose children died from drug overdoses. She accompanied the president to New Hampshire on Monday as he discussed a three-pronged effort to combat drug addiction, including applying the death penalty against those caught trafficking highly addictive substances. Mrs. Trump recently asked the spouses of U.S. governors to help promote values such as encouragement, kindness, compassion and respect in children. She has also spoken about limiting the amount of time children spend online, and helping them understand the content they are exposed to. ___ AP Business Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. ___ Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve’s latest survey of business conditions found manufacturing activity accelerating in many parts of the country in late April and early May, even as some businesses expressed concern about uncertainty caused by rising trade tensions. The Fed said Wednesday that its survey described the economy as expanding at a moderate pace with more than half of the central bank’s 12 regions reporting a pickup in industrial activity and a third of those districts describing manufacturing conditions as “strong.” The survey was taken after the Trump administration announced plans to institute tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, actions designed to boost domestic producers. It will inform discussions when the central bank meets next month, when it is expected to raise rates.