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  • Pharrell sends Vuitton surfing as Jeremy Allen White, Missy Elliott and Victor Wembanyama look on


    PARIS (AP) — Pharrell Williams sent Louis Vuitton’s dandy surfer at star-filled Paris Fashion Week over a giant curling wave Tuesday, closing the opening day of menswear shows with a glass-walled camper, a moonlit set and a collection that put clothes ahead of spectacle.

    A moon rose overhead, stars were visible above the runway, and beneath them came the wave: a barrel built tall enough to swallow the show.

    It rose from a sandy outdoor set, spraying mist into the heat and giving the evening’s surf fantasy a practical appeal.

    The front row had its own stars. Jeremy Allen White, Charles Melton, Future, Missy Elliott, Lola Young, Coco Jones, Quavo, Victor Wembanyama, Jackson Wang, BamBam and Finn Bennett were among the guests.

    Out of the wave walked Williams’ surfer — sun-bleached, salt-worn and tailored for somewhere between shore and city.

    For Louis Vuitton’s spring-summer 2027 men’s collection, surfing supplied the wardrobe: wetsuit textures, patched outerwear, weathered denim, beaded bombers, logoed surfboards and tailoring loosened by travel.

    Since arriving at Vuitton, Williams has returned often to the dandy: elegant but easy, polished but relaxed.

    This season, he sent him to the beach — or at least to the kind of beach reached after the boardroom, with luggage and cashmere in tow.

    A silver camper, reimagined as a glass-walled habitat and parked among dunes, framed the Vuitton man on familiar house terrain: travel. Vuitton began with trunks, after all.

    Hang 10, tailored

    The clothes worked best when the surf references were handled lightly.

    Technical wetsuits met tailoring fabrics, including functional diving pieces marked with Vuitton’s Monogram.

    Weathered jackets looked already lived in.

    Hoodies came sun-faded and salt-softened, with gilded LV drawstrings.

    Denim and coats had shibori-like indigo effects. Bomber jackets were weighted with dense ropes of beadwork.

    Williams’ trompe l’oeil effects also returned, with surfaces made to mimic other surfaces and casual pieces revealing more handwork up close.

    Several pieces leaned into the after-surf wardrobe: robe-like coats, soft jackets and easy layers with the comfort of a towel thrown over cold shoulders.

    The new flat-soled skate shoe brought the collection back to Williams’ older world: skateboarding, Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream and Nigo.

    That gave the surf theme a sharper edge, and an obvious commercial engine.

    Surf’s up, spectacle down

    Williams’ Vuitton has always known how to stage an event. His debut turned the Pont Neuf into a gold Damier runway.

    Other shows have brought games, houses, orchestras, choirs and front rows built for the camera.

    Tuesday had plenty of production: a cinematic prelude with surfers Mikey February and Julian Wilson, a soundtrack featuring Quavo, Williams and Angélique Kidjo, and live performances by L’Orchestre du Pont Neuf and the Voices of Fire choir.

    But the set did not overwhelm the clothes. The wave was huge. The collection held its own.

    Vuitton said it would support Coral Gardeners, with plans to help out-plant 1,000 corals and restore 250 square meters of reef habitat in French Polynesia in 2026.

    Williams took his bow as the wave still towered behind him.

    This time, the clothes were not swept away.


  • Jeep Cherokee vs Subaru Forester: Edmunds sizes up hybrid SUVs


    Two new hybrid SUVs have hit the market in the last two years from brands known for their outdoorsy images: the Jeep Cherokee and the Subaru Forester. The Jeep Cherokee has been redesigned for 2026 after a three-year hiatus. Notably, every new Cherokee has a hybrid powertrain that gets more than 30 mpg.

    The Subaru Forester, meanwhile, gained its hybrid powertrain option for 2025 and is better for it, improving this SUV’s fuel economy, performance and refinement. Both SUVs could be appealing if you’re interested in a high-mpg SUV that can help you get out into nature on the weekends. Edmunds’ auto experts tested both to find which one is a better fit for your needs.

    Fuel economy and performance

    The Cherokee gets an EPA-estimated 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The Forester Hybrid gets a bit less at 35 mpg combined. This is a nice boost from gas-only SUVs — the regular Forester gets up to 29 mpg, for example. Other rival hybrid SUVs are capable of even better mpg, though those are often front-wheel-drive versions that get slightly better fuel economy. The Cherokee and Forester Hybrid both come standard with all-wheel drive, with no option for front-wheel drive. On the upside, however, you’ll appreciate the extra traction if you do a lot of driving on slippery roads in the wintertime.

    Both SUVs have decent power for daily driving. In Edmunds’ testing, the Cherokee accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds. The Forester Hybrid needed 8.8 seconds. Edmunds’ drivers did notice that the Cherokee’s hybrid powertrain does a better job of keeping noise and vibration out of the cabin, resulting in a quieter driving experience.

    Winner: Jeep Cherokee

    Comfort and utility

    Edmunds’ editors found that the Forester has a smoother ride over bumps and ruts than the Cherokee. It also has more comfortable front seats that are easier to get in and out of. For long road trips, you’ll probably prefer the Forester. The back seats are pretty similar in these SUVs, though. Both are comfortable for adults and have enough space to install child seats easily.

    Edmunds found the Subaru Forester’s boxy cargo area ideal for hauling your stuff, whether it be luggage, groceries or outdoor recreational gear. The Cherokee’s cargo area isn’t quite as roomy, but it is still quite useful.

    Winner: Subaru Forester

    Technology features

    The Subaru Forester Hybrid may have a big portrait-oriented screen, but it’s often frustratingly slow to boot up and respond to your presses on the on-screen buttons. Feature content is good, but again, execution matters. For example, the Forester’s available wireless phone charging pad is made of hard plastic and isn’t grippy enough to keep a phone consistently in place if you take a sudden turn.

    A similar situation exists with the Forester’s driver assistance features. The Forester comes with a lot of them, but the way they work isn’t great. For example, the adaptive cruise control can be slow to respond to changes in traffic, and the constant warning beeps to remind you to keep your hands on the steering wheel can get annoying. The Jeep’s driver assist features are more sophisticated and enjoyable to use.

    Response time can also be an issue for the Jeep’s 12.3-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen, but the graphics look more modern. We also like that its available wireless phone charger grips onto a phone with tenacity and doesn’t take up much space.

    Winner: Jeep Cherokee

    On-road and off-road driving

    Despite Jeep’s off-roading reputation, the Cherokee has less ground clearance than the Forester, and it lacks the sort of robust all-wheel-drive systems and off-road drive modes found in other Jeep models. A more rugged Cherokee variant, the Trailhawk, will debut for 2027, but for now, the specialized Forester Wilderness trim is the better bet for tackling a dirt road or trail.

    Not surprisingly, then, the Cherokee is more at home on pavement. Its handling and steering are merely average, though, and suffers from an overly thick octagonal-like steering wheel that’s awkward to hold. The Subaru is also substantially easier to see out of.

    Winner: Subaru Forester

    Price and value

    The 2026 Jeep Cherokee starts at $36,995, including destination, for its base trim. That’s a bit more than the Forester Hybrid that starts at $36,180 for its starter Premium trim. Broadly, the Forester Hybrid comes with more features for your money as well. For example, the Forester has standard heated front seats and a standard power-adjustable driver’s seat, while on the Cherokee you’ll have to get the next-step-up Laredo to get those features. It’s a similar story at the top of the lineup, where a fully loaded Cherokee will cost you about two grand more than the Forester.

    Winner: Forester

    Edmunds says

    It’s a close call between these two small SUVs. They both get good mpg and can serve you well as a daily driver. Overall, however, Edmunds recommends the Forester Hybrid. Its slight advantages in comfort, utility and value make it the better pick.

    _____

    This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. James Riswick is a contributor at Edmunds.


  • Premier says China’s tech advancements an ‘opportunity’ for the world, not a threat


    HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday defended the country’s technological advancements as an opportunity for the world rather than a threat.

    Li also said the country’s heavy state subsidies were not the main reason for the rapid rise of its high-tech industries, at a time when Western officials have complained that China’s state support for industries from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles has provided an unfair competitive edge.

    China’s No. 2 leader made the remarks in his speech at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, known as the “Summer Davos,” held this week in the northeastern Chinese coastal city of Dalian.

    He acknowledged there have been growing global concerns about China’s technological innovations, with some pointing to the term “China Shock 2.0,” as they see the nation’s high-tech boom as a threat to many advanced economies.

    Instead, that should be seen as “China Opportunity 2.0,” he said.

    “From the global development perspective, ‘China Opportunity 2.0’ means there’ll be broader access to advanced technologies and more widely shared benefits,” Li said.

    “China’s emerging technologies and products are bringing to the world not shocks, but opportunities,” he added. “Not threats, but empowerment.”

    China’s tech advancements and growing exports of EVs, solar panels, chips, batteries, AI and robotics have offered affordable options to global markets, but have also raised criticisms among governments concerned about issues such as oversupply. Some are taking protectionist measures.

    Li also dismissed claims that the rise of China’s high-tech sectors was because of massive government subsidies.

    U.S. and European policymakers have raised concerns over Chinese state subsidies creating unfairness to their industries, while a June report by the 38-country Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, said huge state subsidies, including those in China, can distort global markets and create unfair competitive advantages.

    “There are some people who say that Chinese products are competitive mainly because the Chinese government’s subsidies,” Li said in his speech. “That’s not true. The Chinese government is not that wealthy.”

    China’s large domestic market, which allows the mass and fast deployment of new technologies among its population of 1.4 billion, and huge corporate investments are among the key factors in its robust tech advancements, he said.

    Li also name-checked Chinese tech giant Huawei, which has faced Western restrictions, and robotics company Unitree, both of which have risen quickly in size and market share, as examples of China’s innovation success.

    Beijing earlier voiced its opposition to an expansion this month of the Pentagon’s list of Chinese military-linked companies to Unitree and other tech firms, preventing them from landing U.S. defense contracts. The list also includes Huawei.

    ___

    Associated Press video producer Wayne Zhang in Beijing contributed to this report.


  • England and Ghana play to 0-0 draw at World Cup despite flurry-filled final minutes


    FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — England and Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz have met before at the World Cup, with the result being quite a bit different.

    This time, Queiroz’s team earned a point that could end up being enough for a spot in the round of 32.

    England dominated possession on Tuesday but came up empty on several late scoring opportunities in a rain-filled 0-0 draw.

    “Our plan was to block and frustrate them from the first minute,” Queiroz said. “We did it.”

    Four years ago at the World Cup in Qatar, Queiroz was coaching Iran when his team faced England and lost 6-2.

    England, which has not lost to an African country at the World Cup in nine meetings, outshot Ghana 19-1 but failed capitalize on multiple chances in the closing minutes.

    “Frustrated a little bit with how they defended, how they set up,” England midfielder Jude Bellingham said. “They got exactly out of the game what they played for. Couldn’t quite break them down, even with all corners, all the possession, all the shots on goal from distance.”

    Both teams won their opening matches at this year’s tournament, with Ghana beating Panama 1-0 and England defeating Croatia 4-2. Now both still have work to do in Group L before securing a spot in the knockout round at the first 48-team World Cup.

    England ended up losing to France in the quarterfinals at the 2022 tournament. Ghana hasn’t made it to the knockout round since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

    But with the expanded tournament this year, the best eight third-place teams will advance, giving both teams a good chance heading into their final group matches.

    England will next play Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ghana will take on Croatia at the same time in Philadelphia.

    The Three Lions had a chance to take the lead in the 86th minute when Nico O’Reilly’s header hit the crossbar. Harry Kane gathered the rebound but couldn’t get enough on it with his left foot and shot high.

    Ghana’s best chance came in the 78th when Abdul Fatawu outfought England midfielder Eberechi Eze for the ball and raced down the sideline. He fed the ball to Prince Adu, but he was challenged from behind by Ezri Konsa before he could get off a shot. Adu wanted a penalty but didn’t get it.

    “It was a clear penalty, if not a red card,” Queiroz said. “We have no doubts about that.”

    England coach Thomas Tuchel said they were a bit surprised with how Ghana was aligned, defending in a 4-5-1 formation. He called Ghana’s efforts one of the most physical that he’s seen in the tournament.

    “They defended with a lot of determination. A lot of discipline,” Tuchel said.

    Tuchel added he doesn’t believe England was too dependent on Kane, the striker who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    “He was not involved as much as we would like to, but it was so narrow,” Tuchel said. “It was difficult to find space. The little moments that he had were just so unlucky.”

    In the first half, England had 60% of the possession but only five attempts on goal, with Kane missing inside the box just before the end of the half.

    Ghana picked up the pace in the second half, getting a chance in the 50th when Marvin Senaya got a touch in the box, but couldn’t quite get much behind a header as it was blocked by the England defense.

    Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare earned a clean sheet in his first World Cup start.

    “I think we did our best to get the best possible result that we were hoping for,” Ghana midfielder Kwasi Sibo said. “It’s just the plan of the coach and we did follow the coach.”

    (corrects previous story which said Ghana plays Panama)

    ___

    AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup


  • Duke’s Isaiah Evans among top talent still available after sitting through Round 1 of the NBA draft


    Isaiah Evans arrived at the NBA draft expecting to become a first-round pick after a two-year stay at Duke. Instead, he sat through a difficult Tuesday night in the green room without hearing his name called by the league commissioner to join him on the stage in New York.

    That means the floor-spacing guard will join Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas and North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar on the list of top talents still available entering Wednesday night’s second round.

    Evans had a seat in the green room — an honor designated for likely first-round picks — and was shown on the ESPN broadcast at a table featuring a gold basketball sporting his name. He wore a dark double-breasted suit featuring millions of dollars in diamonds between a broach and a chain, according to the New York Post.

    He was considered a first-round prospect before he elevated his game last year, averaging 15 points while shooting 38% on 3s in two seasons. He had a highlight moment with a clutch final-minute winner to beat reigning national champion Florida, and the most pressing concern was a need to add strength to a 6-foot-6, 186-pound frame to handle physical play.

    Unfortunately, Evans was left waiting.

    Here’s a look at other top prospects available when the two-day draft resumes with the NBA champion New York Knicks on the clock:

    Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

    Thomas was the No. 2 scorer (15.6) for the Razorbacks as wingman to eventual No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr.

    Notably, the 6-3, 190-pound freshman guard shook off a slow start from outside to shoot 47.9% from 3-point range (56 of 117) after Christmas, a 25-game stretch spanning the Razorbacks’ run to the SEC Tournament title and the Sweet 16.

    Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

    The fourth-year junior from Estonia had a breakout year (17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds) for the Tar Heels after transferring from Arizona.

    Veesaar has a desired skillset by NBA execs: a big man (6-11, 227) with range. He shot 42.6% on 3s (40 of 94) at UNC, coming after shooting just 31.6% (19 of 60) from behind the arc in two seasons at Arizona. He earned “Excellent” rating from Synergy for his catch-and-shoot jumper and runs the floor well.

    Richie Saunders, BYU

    The 6-5, 205-pound senior wing is known for his outside shot after shooting 37.6% on 3s last year and 43.2% as a junior. Synergy rates his jumper as “Excellent” (89th percentile), with spot-ups accounting for 35.2% of his possessions last year.

    The most pressing concern for Saunders has been his recovery from a knee injury (torn ACL) suffered in February.

    Baba Miller, Cincinnati

    The senior forward from Spain has intriguing length with a 6-11, 208-pound frame featuring a nearly 7-2 wingspan. He was one of eight combine players with a standing reach of 9-3 or better.

    Miller played at Florida State and Florida Atlantic before averaging 13.0 points and ranking ninth nationally in rebounding (10.3) with the Bearcats.

    Emanuel Sharp, Houston

    The 6-3, 208-pound redshirt senior thrived in a system built around defense and toughness under veteran coach Kelvin Sampson. The guard averaged a career-best 15.5 points and made the Big 12’s all-defensive team last year.

    He also shot 38.1% on 3s over the past three seasons as a full-time starter.

    Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany)

    The 6-5, 185-pound combo guard is an international prospect who originally signed with Gonzaga.

    He averaged 12.5 points and 3.4 assists in Germany’s Bundesliga top league last season. He worked as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls on 33.9% of his possessions last season, according to Synergy.

    Braden Smith, Purdue

    The senior is an elite playmaker who was a second-team AP All-American and broke the Division I career assists record held by former Duke star Bobby Hurley since 1993.

    Smith ranked second nationally in assists as a sophomore (7.5), junior (8.7) and senior (8.8). And he’s a career 38.5% 3-point shooter. The major concern with Smith is size; he was the shortest (5-10) and lightest (167) player measured at the combine.

    Others of note:

    — Ryan Conwell: The 6-4, 215-pound senior guard averaged 17.3 points over his last three seasons, including a career-best scoring average (18.8) last year as a second-team AP all-ACC pick at Louisville. He has 347 career 3-pointers made.

    — Bruce Thornton: The 6-0, 223-pound senior guard is Ohio State’s all-time scoring leader. He averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 55.4% last year, and he shot 41.2% on 3s over the last two seasons.

    — Felix Okpara: The 6-10, 237-pound senior from Tennessee projects as a rim-running lob threat and defender. He was named to the SEC’s all-defensive team, has a 7-2 wingspan and ranked fourth at the combine for standing reach (9-4).

    — Trevon Brazile: The 6-10, 226-pound fifth-year senior from Arkansas also projects as a rim runner and lob threat. He averaged 13.0 points, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals last year. He also ranked third at the combine in standing vertical leap (36.0 inches) and tied for fifth in max vertical (41.5) to go with a nearly 7-4 wingspan.

    — Ugonna Onyenso: The 6-11, 237-pound senior center from Virginia could be worth a flier as an elite rim protector with a nearly 7-5 wingspan. Notably, he hounded top pro prospect Cameron Boozer of Duke to 13 points on 3-for-17 shooting while blocking four of his shots in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title game.

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba


  • How Americans are feeling about the country’s 250th anniversary, according to new polls


    WASHINGTON (AP) — Duane Mitchell has big plans for America’s 250th anniversary.

    Mitchell, a 78-year-old veteran in Montana, plans to take a red, white and blue 1954 Chevrolet pickup that he restored and drive it in local parades for the Fourth of July. In honor of the country’s milestone anniversary, he bought a decorative eagle to mount on the back of the truck, accompanied by American flags.

    “I’ll be driving my pickup,” he said, referring to his role in the parades. “Usually we freeze a whole bunch of candy, and I have a couple of kids from down the block who get in the back and throw candy out. Everybody loves it.”

    Mitchell isn’t the only one looking forward to this year’s festivities. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country’s 250th anniversary, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly 3 in 10 say “excited” describes their emotions. The milestone will be marked with events across the country, and President Donald Trump has planned several for the nation’s capital, including a fair on Washington’s National Mall.

    But as the celebrations begin, many Americans also feel indifferent or conflicted about celebrating the country. Other Gallup polling shows that most Americans now feel the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the U.S. has turned out, a substantial increase from 25 years ago.

    Most Republicans and older adults feel proud

    Most Republicans say that “proud” or “excited” describes how they are feeling about the United States’ 250th anniversary. About 7 in 10 Republicans say pride describes their emotions, compared with about 3 in 10 independents and roughly 2 in 10 Democrats.

    Older Americans — those ages 60 and older — are also mostly feeling proud, with about 6 in 10 saying this describes how they feel about the nation’s anniversary.

    Mitchell, the Montana veteran, wants the country to be “celebrating it to the maximum.” As a Vietnam War veteran who was drafted into the war, he wants Americans to remember the men and women who have given their lives to protect the freedoms they have today.

    “It was a sacrifice,” Mitchell said, referring to his service. “The most important thing about the celebration is understanding that freedom is not free, and it never will be free, so you need to celebrate that.”

    About half of Republicans, 54%, say they feel excited about the country’s anniversary.

    As the country marks 250 years of independence, most Americans believe the country has succeeded in achieving its founding ideals, according to new Gallup polling. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say that America has succeeded “a great deal” or “a fair amount” in achieving the ideals for which the country was founded. That view is shared by a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans — though Republicans are especially likely to say the country has succeeded.

    Democrats and young people feel conflicted or indifferent

    More Democrats and young people say “conflicted” or “indifferent” describes their feelings about America 250.

    About 4 in 10 Democrats and roughly 3 in 10 adults under 30 say “conflicted” describes their feelings “extremely” or “very” well. About 3 in 10 in each case feel “indifferent.”

    Laura Davis, a 44-year-old in Chicago who identifies as a progressive liberal, has struggled with what she describes as the “American declarations of grandiosity” this year, including Trump’s White House ballroom construction and the repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. She believes that money could be better spent on Americans in need, as well as international aid, and she worries the country’s reputation is being damaged by the Trump administration’s actions.

    “It doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the things that do make America a unique and in some ways exceptional place to be,” she said. “But I think it’s more nuanced than that, and I hope that doesn’t get lost in the celebration.”

    About 8 in 10 Americans say the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the country has turned out, according to a new Gallup poll. Only about 2 in 10 say the signers would be pleased. That’s down significantly from 1999 — the first time the question was asked — when 55% believed they would be disappointed and 44% said they would be pleased.

    Sydney Crispin, a 39-year-old Democrat in Maine, believes the country’s “incredible” foundation is worth celebrating. Still, she is conflicted by what she sees as a decline in people’s ability to have respectful discourse, something she believes is at the heart of America’s identity. She hopes communities find ways to celebrate the remarkable parts of America this Fourth of July while still reflecting on its areas for improvement.

    Celebrating the 250th: Spending time with friends or family tops on list

    Just under half, 44%, of U.S. adults plan to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary by spending time with friends or family, according to a recent Gallup-With Honor poll. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults say they plan to watch coverage of America 250 events on television or social media.

    More than half of adults ages 65 and older plan to celebrate with friends or family, while nearly half plan to watch coverage of the event on television or social media. Adults under 30 are more likely to say they are not planning to celebrate at all.

    The Gallup-With Honor poll found about 2 in 10 U.S. adults plan to participate in a neighborhood or community event, while approximately 1 in 10 say they will be attending an official America 250 event.

    Lyle Nelson, a 67-year-old in Idaho, said he plans to maintain his tradition of watching the annual Macy’s firework show at home.

    Nelson — who agrees with a lot of what Trump has done in office — remarked that even though Trump was disappointed that he did not get reelected in 2020, he might be pleased that he’s the one in the White House during this historic event.

    “I wonder if he’s thankful that he gets to be president during the 250th anniversary,” Nelson said. “I think he’ll be excited for that.”

    ___

    The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

    The Gallup-With Honor poll of 3,199 adults was conducted May 12-22 using a sample drawn from Gallup’s probability-based panel. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.1 percentage points. The separate Gallup poll of 1,001 adults was conducted May 1-17 using a sample drawn from Gallup’s probability-based panel. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.


  • Athletics’ Zack Gelof loses hit streak at 24 games after getting spiked on his right hand


    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof’s 24-game hitting streak came to a quick and painful end Tuesday night.

    Gelof flied out to right as the leadoff hitter in the Athletics’ 3-1 loss to San Francisco. In the second inning, the Giants’ Matt Chapman hit a liner off the left-field wall to bring home Willy Adames and give San Francisco a 2-0 lead.

    Chapman tried for a double, but the throw from Tyler Soderstrom in left field to Gelof was in time to nail Chapman. But Chapman inadvertently stepped on Gelof’s right hand as the second baseman was applying the tag with his glove hand.

    Gelof quickly left the field in obvious pain — ending his night and his streak.

    He was unavailable for comment after the game, but manager Mark Kotsay said X-rays were negative and Gelof did not need stitches.

    Gelof’s hitting streak matched the longest in the majors in the past two seasons, joining Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas. It’s also the seventh longest in Athletics franchise history and the second longest since the club moved to California in 1968. Jason Giambi had a 25-game hitting streak in 1997.

    Gelof also had his on-base streak of 27 games end, along with a streak of scoring in 13 consecutive games.

    The Athletics selected Gelof from the University of Virginia in the second round of the 2021 draft. He had a strong rookie season in 2023, batting .267 with 14 homers in 69 games. He struggled the next two seasons, hitting .211 with 188 strikeouts in 2024 and batting .174 last year, when injuries limited him to 30 games.

    Gelof is hitting .282 this season. Before Tuesday’s game, Kotsay said one reason for Gelof’s resurgence was a change in his bat-angle approach to the baseball.

    “We’re seeing a player that resembles the guy that came up and really excited us about (his) future,” Kotsay said. “The confidence that he has continues to grow and you see it out there on the baseball field.”

    Also on Tuesday, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, ending a 22-game on-base streak.

    —

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb


  • In visit to Capitol, Jessie Diggins and other Olympians push for climate change solutions


    Olympian Jessie Diggins visited Capitol Hill with her four medals in hand Wednesday to advocate for clean air, clean water and a healthy planet.

    America’s most decorated cross-country skier is part of “Protect Our Winters,” an athlete-driven environmental group that sent a coalition to Washington to meet with lawmakers Tuesday and Wednesday. The group is most concerned with how the Environmental Protection Agency has weakened key climate, water and pollution regulations since President Donald Trump returned to office.

    “I don’t want to stick my head in the sand and ignore the world burning,” Diggins said in an interview. “I feel like I have a responsibility to use my voice to advocate for change. And so that’s why it’s so important to me, because I want my great-grandkids to be able to build a snowman and try cross-country skiing someday, and be able go hiking and fishing and camping in the summer, and breathe clean air. I want that for them very badly.”

    Diggins retired from professional ski racing this year after earning bronze in the women’s 10‑kilometer interval start at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Many skiers expressed concern during these Olympic Games about climate change and the accelerating melt of the world’s glaciers. A warming world jeopardizes the future of their sport.

    Diggins described bringing her medals to Washington as a “beautiful, full circle moment.” She said she’ll consider it a success if she has productive conversations that help pave the way for bipartisan efforts to strengthen and bolster the EPA in the future. Republicans currently in control of Congress have generally supported the Trump EPA’s actions.

    “We’re trying to advocate for solutions that are going to protect us long term, and training and racing through four Olympics, that was a very long-term thing, you know? It’s not quick, immediate gratification, you work and you work and you work,” Diggins said. “I think it’s a nice reminder of like, it’s OK that we are looking for solutions for the future.”

    Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko, of New York, said it was an honor to meet with this group of “athletes, advocates and champions.”

    “These efforts are more important than ever, with an administration and EPA that is wiping out environmental protections left and right,” he said in a statement. “I remain as committed as ever to being sound stewards of our environment and leaving behind a better planet for our next generation of torchbearers.”

    Coalition includes athletes, scientists, storytellers

    It’s not the typical lobbying group. Professional ski mountaineer Brody Leven only owns a suit to go to Washington with Protect Our Winters. But, he said, they are the ones who can hopefully bring people together around policy solutions to climate change.

    “We’re good at looking at adversity in the face and still moving forward,” he said. “And we’re good at knowing something is going to be hard and trying to do it anyways.”

    They plan to meet with Democratic and Republican members in both chambers. Olympians Jaelin Kauf, Gus Schumacher, Bea Kim, Julia Kern and Olivia Giaccio are involved, Protect Our Winters said.

    During the Trump administration, the EPA has revoked a scientific finding that underpinned the fight against climate change, moved to roll back limits on toxic wastewater from coal-fired power plants and announced other cuts to federal limits on air and water pollution as it promotes fossil fuels. These changes clash with the agency’s historic mission to protect human health and the environment.

    EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said they are “ driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion and ushering in America’s Golden Age.” Doing so, he said, will save trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and hidden taxes, which in turn will make the cost of living more affordable and reignite domestic manufacturing.

    Environmentalists say the EPA under Zeldin has abandoned its obligation to protect the public from dangerous greenhouse gas pollution at a time when climate change is creating greater risks of extreme weather, including stronger hurricanes, more dangerous floods and more intense wildfires. Legal challenges to a range of EPA rule changes have been filed by states, cities and public health and environmental groups.

    Protect Our Winters looks beyond the Trump years

    Ben Gubits, vice president of campaigns and advocacy for Protect Our Winters, said they expect the federal government to protect the health of American citizens and the planet. POW has lobbied Congress for about a decade, including several visits in 2021 and 2022 when it advocated for passage of a landmark climate bill. President Joe Biden signed the so-called Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.

    “We are really thinking about a long-term and positive vision for the future, and how do we rebuild these critical institutions beyond the Trump years,” Gubits said.

    Stuart Nissenbaum started working at the EPA early in Biden’s term and left a year ago. He’s part of the coalition, too. Nissenbaum said he thinks being in Washington with Olympians will help bring attention to their message. They are masters of their craft and they wore the U.S. flag while competing, which should resonate with members of Congress, he added.

    Nissenbaum said he’ll convey to legislators that clean air and clean water is bipartisan, and they should adopt policies grounded in science to protect the environment.

    “Clean air and clean water isn’t something that we should take for granted,” he said. “It affects every single person.”

    ___

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


  • Top developers are pivoting from chatbots to physical AI


    PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Computer scientist Louis Castricato was in his eighth year studying large language models — the artificial intelligence technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude — when he started to feel like he was hitting a dead end.

    “We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM research,” Castricato said. “Now it’s just applications.”

    The researcher quit his doctoral studies at Brown University and started a new company, called Overworld. Its ambition is in its name: AI that can understand and navigate a world, not just words.

    There’s still plenty of money to be made from AI chatbots — investors are counting on it as they commit trillions of dollars to leading developers like Anthropic and OpenAI. But a growing number of AI entrepreneurs are dedicating themselves to what they see as the next frontier: “world models” that teach AI systems, and sometimes robots, how to react in a physical environment.

    They include some of the field’s most prominent scientists, such as “Godmother of AI” Fei-Fei Li, who describes the concept of a world model as “one of the most important and most overloaded terms in AI today.”

    Scientists are applying AI in new dimensions with ‘world models’

    At the heart of world model research is the idea that AI can’t be truly intelligent if it can only read a book. It also needs to read the room.

    “Where language models learn the statistical structure of text, world models learn the statistical structure of space and time: how light falls on a surface, how a garden looks from an angle no camera has captured, how objects respond to force and follow the laws of physics,” wrote Li, founder of the San Francisco startup World Labs, in an essay published this month.

    Another proponent is AI pioneer Yann LeCun, who quit his job as Meta’s chief AI scientist last year to start Paris-based Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs.

    “World model is quickly becoming a buzzword,” LeCun said on a recent “Unsupervised Learning” podcast. He said he views it as something that enables an AI agent “to predict the consequences of its own actions.”

    There are multiple ways of defining world models, often based on the technologies someone hopes to build with it — be it robots or a more interactive video game.

    Robots can’t learn much from AI models trained on books

    Training on all of humanity’s books, news articles and visual media, as AI language models have done, has led to AI assistants that are changing the nature of office-based work and some creative fields. But some proponents see limitations in generative AI models that work by repeatedly predicting the next word or pixel to produce new dialogue, images or lines of code.

    Chatbots can’t pick up a coffee mug, notes Martial Hebert, dean of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.

    “There’s all the geometry of the world, the dynamic of how I move my hand, the physical interaction of the contact with the cup,” Hebert said. “This is much more complex than just predicting the next word in a sentence.”

    For scientists like Hebert, who has spent more than four decades researching robotics, the most useful application for world models is as a faster and cheaper path to “physical AI” — another tech industry buzzword.

    “Some people may have different definitions, but physical and embodied AI are kind of the evolution of what we used to call robotics,” Hebert said in an interview. Some of the AI advances that have made chatbots so useful can also be applied to building AI with a broad enough awareness of its environment to work like a robot’s brain, he said.

    “In your body and spinal cord you have a very general model of how to balance, how to walk around, and you can adapt to your knee hurting in the morning, so you now walk a little differently,” he said. “You don’t need to think about that. You have a general model somewhere in your nervous system and brain that allows your body to adapt very quickly.”

    Simulated worlds are drawing interest from investors

    Smarter robots aren’t the only end game for world models. Castricato started Overworld last year and the tiny Rhode Island-based startup is now building video game worlds where a scene, say, of a spooky forest, can adapt as a virtual character moves through it and interacts with the objects in it.

    “There’s no other world model where you can just walk through doors or where you can interact with a detailed environment like this,” he said in an interview. “We optimize for interaction above anything else.”

    While the near-term applications aren’t as readily apparent as AI coding tools, world model makers are attracting interest from venture capitalists like Steve Jang, co-founder and managing partner at Kindred Ventures.

    The firm is investing in Overworld and other world model-focused companies, including Causal Labs, which is building AI models for weather prediction, and Extropic, which is building specialized computer chips suited to world models.

    “I think that the future is many different types of models with many different philosophies and architectures,” Jang said. “I don’t think that it’ll be one large, dense model to rule them all.”

    In her recent essay, Li sought to create a “taxonomy of world models” to help sort out the confusion about the competing visions.

    “A video model that produces gorgeous but physically impossible flames, a language model improvising a playable game, and a physics engine that faithfully simulates combustion all go by the same name,” she wrote.

    She divided world models into three categories. The most commercially viable today are “renderers” that prioritize the visual fidelity of the virtual worlds they create but can’t be trusted to teach robots much.

    Then, there are “simulators” that create virtual training grounds that faithfully represent the physical structure of a world; and “planners” that try to predict what an AI agent or robot should do in an unstructured world.

    “A robot that can plan is a robot that can work, and the entire industry is racing to be the one that gets there first,” she wrote.


  • What is the 2026 song of the summer? AP offers some predictions


    NEW YORK (AP) — What is 2026’s song of the summer?

    There’s no easy answer. Algorithmic division is certainly a factor in why there isn’t an obvious pick this year. Where have the songs like “Despacito” in 2017 or “Old Town Road” in 2019 gone? Last year, some even wondered if Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” — a ballad, not a banger — qualified, a departure from the usual up-tempo, feel-good hits.

    Whatever your summer mood or flavor, The Associated Press has found a song to soundtrack the season, collected in a Spotify playlist.

    Biggest song of the year and therefore the default song of the summer: “Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley

    Ella Langley broke out just last year with the throwback, spoken-word track “You Look Like You Love Me,” featuring Riley Green, but it’s her breakup banger “Choosin’ Texas” that has made her a crossover country star. Not only has it spent more time at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other song this year, it also has some of the most distinctive lyrics of the year. “He always loved ‘Amarillo By Morning,’” she sings in a particularly melancholic verse, referencing the George Strait classic. “I should’ve taken that as a warnin’.” Indeed.

    Past champion: “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA (2025)

    Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: “Janice STFU,” Drake

    For the better part of 2025, Drake mostly made headlines for his feud with Kendrick Lamar. It’s safe to say he lost that war, but he’s clearly not going anywhere; he’s still one of the most streamed artists of all time. “Janice STFU” is the undeniable hit off May’s “Iceman,” with its familiar Lykke Li interpolation and moody production.

    Past champion: “Nokia,” Drake (2025)

    Song of the summer that shares a title with a film: “Midnight Sun (Girls Trip),” Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress

    It’s the title of a 2018 romantic drama starring Bella Thorne and a term used to describe regions around the Arctic Circle. But in 2026, the phrase “Midnight Sun” belongs to Swedish pop star Zara Larsson. It’s the title of her last album and lead single, the inescapable Eurodance-pop “Midnight Sun,” with an elastic vocal performance. Last month, she released “Midnight Sun: Girls Trip,” a collection of remixes featuring everyone from Shakira and Robyn to Kehlani and rapper JT and, of course, PinkPantheress.

    Past champion: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Deep Blue Something (1995)

    Song of the summer for high-energy It Girls: “DANCE…,” Slayyyter

    She’s the “Wor$t Girl in America,” if her cheeky album title is to be believed, but also one of pop’s great new provocateurs. At the album’s center is her buzzy electro-pop opus “DANCE…,” perfect for those who’ve been patiently awaiting her mainstream rise — and those who need a good excuse to hit the dance floor.

    Past champion: “Bad Girls,” Donna Summer (1979)

    Song of the summer for the throwback crowd: “I Just Might,” Bruno Mars

    Earlier this year, hitmaker Bruno Mars returned with his first new album in 10 years, anchored by the feel-good, disco-pop-soul single “I Just Might.” The throwback tune is a funky reprieve from slow or boring days — and one that will be heard on wedding dance floors for the foreseeable future.

    Past champion: “Red Red Wine,” UB40 (1983)

    Song of the summer that arrived at the beginning of the year: “Dracula (Jennie Remix)”, Tame Impala and Jennie

    There’s a long tradition of the song of the summer arriving at the top of the year — looking at you, “drivers license” and “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2.” This year, the title goes to Tame Impala’s “Dracula” — particularly the remix with Blackpink’s Jennie. “Run from the sunlight, Dracula,” they harmonize, in a vocal melody inescapable on TikTok and in the real world.

    Past champion: “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny (2025)

    Song of the summer for those looking for a club classic: “Chévere (premium_remix),” by Aria Vega and Ryan Castro

    A club-ready contender for song of the summer should be easy, breezy and amorous. Such is the case of Aria Vega and Ryan Castro’s “Chévere (premium_remix),” where reimagined, romantic reggaeton is perfect for a house party or finding the love of your life. Ideally both.

    Past champion: “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé (2022)

    Song of the summer for people who know the power of a good bridge: “The Cure,” Olivia Rodrigo

    In the lead up to her career-best album, “You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” Olivia Rodrigo released “The Cure.” It marked a giant step forward for the young songwriter, with dreamy guitars, orchestral strings and most impactful of all: its explosive bridge.

    Past champion: “Hollaback Girl,” Gwen Stefani (2005)

    Song of the summer for people who love music, fashion and film in equal measure: “SS26,” Charli xcx

    So long, “BRAT.” The contemporary pop landscape’s preeminent party girl is in for a bummer of a summer. “SS26,” one of the first tracks released from Charli xcx’s forthcoming “Music, Fashion, Film,” is shockingly minimalistic, with little more than distorted guitar riffs and production that sounds like a simple Casio keyboard preset. It’s rock music, as she’s promised — but done her own way.

    Past champion: “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell (1975)

    Song for people who live like it’s summer year-round: “E85,” Don Toliver

    “On the highway with my significant lover (I love),” the singer-songwriter-rapper Don Toliver declares with ease in the chorus of “E85.” “High octane, more fuel for your consumption.” If there is an image more primed for the hot summer months than rolling down the freeway on a trip with a loved one, we have yet to see it.

    Past champion: “Mi Gente,” J Balvin and Willy William (2017)

    Song of the summer for seaside dreamers: “Swim,” BTS

    The game-changing K-pop boy band BTS returned after a nearly four-year musical hiatus with “ARIRANG.” The comeback was led by “Swim,” a reserved, alt-pop track that brings a kind of intimacy to their stadium-sized output. The “Swim” here is metaphorical — as is the “dive” in its chorus — of having a crush, but the aquatic language works in conjuring dreamy, poolside imagery, too.

    Past champion: “Waterfalls,” TLC (1995)

    Song of the summer for the yearners: “Raindance,” Dave ft. Tems

    British rapper Dave and Nigerian singer Tems team up for the Afroswing single “Raindance,” a sweet, sexy song about wanting to lock things down. “Hold me close, don’t tell me goodnight / Are you down to get me?” the pair dreamily duet on the second verse. “Tell me when you’re ready, I’m ready.”

    Past champion: “Nineteen,” Tegan and Sara (2007)

    Song of the summer for the sports crowd: “Dai Dai,” Shakira and Burna Boy

    This summer is all about soccer, so, of course, we had to include one of the official songs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup: “Dai Dai.” The Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy team up on an energetic, undeniably global pop track. It exists at the intersection of all their strengths: Afrobeats and Latin rhythms, separate, complementary verses and a strong chorus about unity.

    Past champion: “The Final Countdown,” Europe (1986)

    Song of the summer for those ready to stop feuding and enjoy life again: “Horses & Divorces,” Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert

    Look, there’s no shortage of great songs from Kacey Musgraves’ latest album, “Middle of Nowhere.” A case could be made to include “Mexico Honey” or “Dry Spell” here, but what about a song with norteño accordions and slide guitar that doubles as a cheeky punchline to a fight? The capital-c country “Horses & Divorces” brings musicians’ feud to an end over a shared love of drinking and Willie Nelson. What could be sweeter?

    Past champion: “Girl, so confusing,” Charli xcx and Lorde (2024)