LUY-Development

Blog

  • China opposes US move to list top firms as military companies


    BEIJING (AP) — China said Saturday it firmly opposed the U.S. adding several prominent Chinese businesses to its list of military companies, and that the move ignored the consensus reached during U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month.

    The Pentagon on Monday added several non-state-owned Chinese companies, including electric vehicle maker BYD, tech giants Alibaba and Baidu to its list that seeks to identify Chinese companies it deems to have ties to the Chinese military, preventing them from landing U.S. defense contracts.

    By adding these firms to the list, “the U.S. side has ignored the consensus reached during the meeting between the heads of state of the two countries in Beijing,” a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Saturday in a statement.

    The U.S. has “disregarded the overall interests of bilateral economic and trade relations, continuously generalized the concept of national security, and abused state power to unjustifiably suppress Chinese enterprises,” the spokesperson added.

    BYD, Alibaba and Baidu said earlier there’s no basis to include them in the list.

    Trump in mid-May visited Beijing in a much-anticipated summit with Xi. The two leaders agreed to boost economic ties between the countries, including China’s purchase of more U.S. agricultural products and Boeing jets, and the setting up separate boards of trade and investment.


  • Some people are making guns with 3D printers. A new law seeks to cancel their print jobs


    A first-of-its-kind law in New York could force 3D printers sold for homes and business to come equipped with technology blocking them from making guns.

    The new requirement, also under consideration in California, attempts to thwart the latest technique for producing untraceable “ghost guns” that have turned up in crimes. But there are questions about whether the technology can work and concerns about its effect on personal privacy and constitutional rights.

    About one-third of U.S. states already have taken steps to ban or regulate build-it-yourself firearms that lack serial numbers and evade the background checks required to purchase guns from federally licensed dealers. What makes the new effort unique is that it targets the equipment used to produce the firearms, not the people who make them.

    The blocking technology being pushed in two of the nation’s most populous states has the potential to set industry standards for 3D printers. It also could serve as a model for other Democratic-led states wanting to add to their gun regulations, which often already ban certain semiautomatic weapons and allow firearms to be temporarily confiscated from people deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others.

    More privately made guns are being used in crimes

    Three-dimensional printers have become increasingly common over the past couple of decades.

    Since 2012, the number of 3D printers worldwide has grown from an estimated 30,000 to over 3 million while the industry’s value has multiplied from around $2 billion to $26 billion annually, said Bill Decker, executive chairman of the Association of 3D Printing. Though high-end printers cost thousands of dollars, some 3D printers now can be bought for as little as several hundred dollars.

    The devices can make toys, prosthetic limbs and even airplane parts. They also can make firearms — or the pieces necessary to assemble them — using digital designs available online. Homemade guns that lack serial numbers often are called “ghost guns,” because they are hard for law enforcement officers to trace.

    Firearms made with 3D printers are increasingly being used in crimes, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report released last year. The number of privately made guns recovered in crimes and submitted to federal authorities rose from about 1,600 in 2017 to nearly 27,500 in 2023, though the report didn’t specify how many came from 3D printers.

    In a high-profile New York case, police say a 3D-printed gun likely was used to kill UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in 2024.

    How 3D printers could refuse to make gun parts

    A New York law signed last month and a bill in the California Legislature both would direct panels of experts to come up with standards for firearm blueprint detection algorithms. The technology would analyze every design submitted for 3D printing, compare it to a digital library of firearm parts, and reject those that are similar.

    Though the study process would start now, the mandate that 3D printers come equipped with firearm blocking technology wouldn’t begin until 2029 — or later, in New York’s case, if the study group determines it’s not yet feasible.

    The concept is a bit like a smartphone app that identifies trees or flowers from an uploaded photo, said Solomon Diamond, an associate engineering professor at Dartmouth College who was among several experts at a recent online seminar about the legislation.

    For 3D printers, one possible method could use a geometric analysis of shapes, dimensions and other structural features to reject print projects that closely resemble firearm parts.

    “Geometric search is mature, it’s deployed, it is ready to be applied to this problem,” said Julian Chultarsky, a technical account manager at Physna, a Columbus, Ohio-based company that develops such technology.

    Could 3D printers block both too little and too much?

    The Association of 3D Printing supports the legislation in New York and California, but “it’s not going to work,” Decker said. “It’s more of a political statement than anything else.”

    Criminals still will come up with ways to make guns from 3D printers, either by altering their designs or taking their printing projects elsewhere, Decker said.

    The more aggressive the technology becomes, the more likely that it also blocks unintended items, said Rory Mir, director of open access and technology community engagement at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights group. Some harmless pipes might look like gun parts, or an S-shaped wall hanger might resemble an auto sear trigger used to modify a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun.

    “These sort of censorship algorithms don’t work, and they wind up capturing and blocking a lot of lawful speech,” Mir said.

    If print instructions are submitted for a cloud-based artificial intelligence search, it also risks the privacy of people’s artistic and proprietary creations, Mir said.

    Does the right to bear arms extend to making them?

    Gun safety advocates say 3D printers have created a new pathway for people who cannot legally purchase firearms — like children or convicted felons — to nonetheless obtain them. Eleven states already generally prohibit 3D-printed guns, and six additional states require them to receive serial numbers, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.

    Blocking the actual 3D printing of firearms could make it harder for people to ignore such laws.

    “3D printing really is the new frontier of the fight against ghost guns,” said Samuel Levy, director of policy advocacy at Everytown for Gun Safety.

    The National Rifle Association might partly agree with that assertion, though it disagrees with the policy.

    “Despite desperate fear-mongering campaigns, homemade firearms are nothing new — they are a proud, time-honored American tradition dating back to the founding of our Republic,” John Commerford, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. He added that “these measures only restrict responsible Americans — who do follow the law — from participating in constitutionally protected activities.”


  • Folarin Balogun, who could have played for England or Nigeria, scores 2 for US in World Cup debut


    INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Folarin Balogun could have played for any one of three countries. He chose the United States, and it paid off with a splashy World Cup debut on home soil.

    The 24-year-old striker scored two goals as the Americans opened with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday night in front of a rabid and star-studded red, white and blue-clad sold-out crowd of 70,492 at SoFi Stadium.

    “I visualized my debut in the World Cup scoring, but the reality did surpass that,” Balogun said. “A very dreamy night.”

    With retired England captain David Beckham looking on, Balogun became the first U.S. player to score multiple goals in a World Cup game since 1930. Back then, Bert Patenaude scored all three goals in a 3-0 U.S. win over Paraguay, the first hat trick in World Cup history.

    “The kid’s insane,” teammate Christian Pulisic said. “He’s lethal right now. We’re really lucky to have him.”

    Balogun was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Nigerian parents. A month later, he moved to England, where he grew up in London. He joined Arsenal’s academy at age 8. He represented England at the youth level and also played for the U.S. under-18 team.

    England’s roster is traditionally filled with stars. Nigeria failed to qualify for this World Cup. So Balogun is making himself an American household name during this summer of soccer.

    “Everyone will look at the goals,” Pulisic said, “but the way he’s fighting against these center backs, holding up the ball, getting fouls, I really like it.”

    Balogun committed to play for the U.S. three years ago.

    “I’ve always said the fans gave me so much motivation and showed me so much support. The most important thing has always been to be able to repay that,” he said. “I just want to continue to show the fans I made the right decision.”

    Among the crowd were Balogun’s relatives, with extended family watching around the U.S. and in London.

    “I was able to spot them out in the crowd, but it was tough because so many fans were wearing red and white,” he said. “I had to sort a lot of tickets, but I’m happy to do it because this is a once in a lifetime occasion and I want everyone to experience it.”

    The U.S. took a 1-0 lead on an own goal by Damian Bobadilla.

    Balogun extended the lead to 2-0 when Christian Pulisic played the ball into the box to set up Balogun with his 21st career assist. That tied Pulisic for fourth most in U.S. history.

    Minutes earlier, Balogun nearly had another goal, but it was called back when the U.S. was offside.

    Undeterred, Balogun scored again just before halftime, putting the ball in the upper left corner for a 3-0 lead.

    “I’ve not been able to take it all in,” he said.

    Balogun was heading back to the team hotel to rest.

    “To be honest, I think I’ll just watch some Netflix,” he said, smiling.

    ___

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


  • Roaring crowds in stars and stripes show up for the US team, and soccer’s moment in their country


    INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — It was a stadium like any other, packed with American sports fans wearing their favorite team’s jerseys and red-white-and-blue face paint, roaring as players took the field.

    Only this time, the sport was soccer.

    The U.S. team’s home opener in the World Cup on Friday brought more than 70,000 passionate soccer enthusiasts to the massive stadium near Los Angeles, where they saw the U.S. beat Paraguay 4-1. They had, in many cases, paid thousands of dollars to see their team play on the biggest global stage for a sport that has long been eclipsed in the United States — a sport many say is finally having its moment.

    Many fans said they grew up playing soccer in recreational leagues as young children, and well into high school and college. Nakisha Gutierrez, a 37-year-old occupational therapist from Los Angeles, and her sister both played the sport. Their Argentine father raised them on soccer, and the next generation is now taking it up, too, she said.

    “It’s in the family blood,” said Gutierrez, her cheeks painted with sparkling red-and-blue stars. “It is the American culture — it’s starting to be.”

    The World Cup is played every four years, and fans around the world track their national teams, hoping they’ll have a strong enough showing to qualify for it. In many countries — like Friday’s opponent, Paraguay — just making it to the tournament can prompt street parties, fireworks and national holidays. In the United States, though, the response is often a bit more muted. Soccer has long been overshadowed by football, basketball and “America’s pastime” of baseball.

    But soccer’s popularity has risen in the United States since the country last hosted the World Cup in 1994. Major League Soccer was launched two years later, and soccer has become especially popular among young athletes.

    There was palpable joy in the air for U.S. fans watching the match as Folarin Balogun scored an electric two goals in the first half of the game, and star player Christian Pulisic made a shot that led to a Paraguay own goal. But the stadium was aroar when Gio Reyna sealed Paraguay’s fate with a late fourth goal during added time.

    Samuel Esquivel, 9, said he was screaming when the match ended.

    “That was probably, like, the second best goal,” he said of Reyna’s shot. He started playing soccer last year and said he already wants to win a World Cup.

    His father Roman Esquivel said they came from a family that played football, basketball, and baseball. But Esquivel’s daughter and son both fell in love with soccer, and their enthusiasm for the game has spread to him as well.

    “It’s the most beautiful sport in the world,” he said. “There’s a reason why the whole world plays soccer.”

    Interest has also been buoyed by immigrants from countries where, as Gutierrez puts it, “soccer is life.”

    Ava Cupit, 14, traveled with her family from Franklin, Tennessee, to cheer on the U.S. team, dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. Her great-grandfather was from Spain and helped bring soccer to their small town, where he built fields and promoted the sport.

    “He made us all fall in love with it, and our whole family loves soccer,” Ava’s mother Rachel Cupit said. “The people who’ve married in, they’ve just become a part of it too.”

    In the massive stadium in Inglewood, California, usually home to football games, seats were a sea of red and white. Fans wore glitter, Stars-and-Stripes high-tops, overalls, robes and the team’s hallmark jerseys. Some dressed as that ultimate symbol of American patriotism, Uncle Sam, with long white beards and top hats. A few wore George Washington costumes.

    They came to show their support for their team, and to show that Americans, like the rest of the world, can be passionate about soccer, too. Many were trying to attend all of the U.S. team’s group round matches. One spectator said he came from Texas after seeing the U.S. team previously face off in international matches before large crowds backing their opponents.

    Self-proclaimed soccer “addict” Jose Contreras said he grew up playing the sport with his uncle in Mexico because it was cheap and accessible. He flew from Georgia to support the U.S. in its opening match, even though there are games he could attend in Atlanta, closer to home.

    “This is one of the happiest days of my life,” Contreras said.

    ___

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


  • How Americans celebrated the bicentennial — with fireworks, a Freedom Train and Farrah


    WASHINGTON (AP) — In 1976’s “ Rocky,” heavyweight champion Apollo Creed arrives for the title fight dressed as George Washington, reenacting the crossing of the Delaware as models costumed as the Statue of Liberty lead the way.

    After entering the ring, Apollo switches into an Uncle Sam costume. “I want YOU!” he roars as he points to Rocky Balboa, the far less flamboyant palooka he’s chosen for this bicentennial bout in Philadelphia.

    Then the two boxers pound the daylights out of each other.

    It’s as accurate a representation of the American bicentennial vibe as has ever been put on film — plenty of fireworks, but not much thought about how 200 years of independence led to this.

    I was 13 years old in 1976. Kids my age — the tail end of the Baby Boom, or the vanguard of Generation X — grew up skeptical of the government. We had outlasted the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, with the occasional moment of joy — the moon landing, say — to break the gloom. The state of the union was intact, even if many Americans were still on edge.

    My family lived in Newport News, Virginia, not far from the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. So there was plenty of buzz surrounding the bicentennial. President Gerald Ford and his wife, Betty, took a carriage ride through Colonial Williamsburg, foreign leaders came to visit, and the living museum regularly staged reenactments of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

    Ford and plenty of other dignitaries went to New York for what the president called “the greatest Fourth of July any of us will ever see.” Operation Sail was a floating parade of 16 tall ships and more than 100 smaller vessels from around the world — including, even, the Soviet Union. It was a boon for the beleaguered Big Apple, proving that “New Yorkers could get along, even during difficult times,” according to the Gotham Center for New York History.

    All aboard the Freedom Train

    For history buffs who couldn’t make the trip east, there was the American Freedom Train, a 26-car behemoth that toured all 48 contiguous states. It displayed two centuries of artifacts like George Washington’s copy of the Constitution, the original Louisiana Purchase, Judy Garland’s dress from “The Wizard of Oz” and a moon rock. Merle Haggard even released a song about it.

    I had a nifty 3D poster of the Freedom Train on my bedroom wall. A different poster captured everyone’s eye later in 1976 — one featuring “Charlie’s Angels” star Farrah Fawcett-Majors.

    It’s patriotic in its own way. There’s Farrah, sporting big hair, a blinding white smile and a red swimsuit, posed in front of a red, white and blue blanket. The color scheme may not have been intentional, but it might as well be titled “All-American Girl” for its presentation of what much of society saw as one.

    There were plenty of more deliberate anniversary collectibles out there. A quick search of eBay in 2026 digs up hundreds of collectible plates, glasses, beer mugs and bumper stickers. The government unleashed special quarters, stamps and license plates. And of course Madison Avenue jumped in, selling bicentennial cereal, candy, beer and soda. You could get a different 7-Up can for each of the 50 states.

    Even the creator of the Pet Rock — the preposterous 1975 phenomenon that was, yes, a rock in a box — tried to get in on the act. That fad, alas, had run its course, and the Bicentennial Pet Rock flopped. You’d have been better off buying a Pez dispenser with the head of Paul Revere or Betsy Ross.

    Broadcast television — remember, we only had three networks — was more subdued. For kids, ABC’s beloved “Schoolhouse Rock!” spun off “America Rock.” But while that cartoon did include some history, it’s best remembered for the mournful civics lesson “I’m Just a Bill.”

    More prominent was CBS News’ “Bicentennial Minute.” Starting July 4, 1974, barely a month before President Richard Nixon resigned, it ran every night in prime time, presenting the news from 200 years earlier. It was so unavoidable that sitcoms like “All in the Family” referred to it; “Saturday Night Live,” which debuted in 1975, paid tribute with a “Bisexual Minute.”

    Still, all three networks pulled out the stops on July 4, 1976. Walter Cronkite led the pack with 16 hours of coverage on CBS, while “Bob Hope’s Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular” (“the show that took 200 years to produce”) on NBC celebrated with Sammy Davis Jr., Captain & Tennille and Donny and Marie Osmond.

    The bad news bearers

    Certainly, not everyone was in the mood to celebrate. Richard Pryor released an influential album whose title was “Bicentennial,” followed by an ethnic slur. The title track is a monologue from a 200-year-old slave; it ends with “I ain’t gonna never forget it.” In the same album’s ”Bicentennial Prayer,” Pryor proclaims, “We are celebrating 200 years of white folks kickin’ ass.”

    Popular music wasn’t in a particularly patriotic mood either. Elton John’s 1975 hit “Philadelphia Freedom” became a de facto anthem of sorts, even though it’s barely about Philadelphia and is more about individual independence.

    Indeed, the prevailing pop attitude was: Let’s forget about this mess we’ve left behind and go to the disco. So the Billboard singles charts were topped by the likes of Johnnie Taylor’s “Disco Lady,” The Sylvers’ “Boogie Fever,” The Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” and KC and the Sunshine Band’s “(Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty.”

    On the album charts, California’s hippie culture was shaking off its hangover with haunted LPs like the Eagles’ “Hotel California” and Jackson Browne’s “The Pretender.” Something else was breaking loose in New York, though, with aggressive debuts from the Ramones and Blondie. The Ramones’ logo included an eagle holding an olive branch and a baseball bat, and their repertoire included the future stadium anthem “Blitzkrieg Bop.” What could be more American?

    Speaking of America’s pastime, I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up the year’s funniest movie, “The Bad News Bears.” It’s baseball the way it was meant to be played — by a bunch of foul-mouthed juvenile delinquents coached by a surly, alcoholic has-been embodied by Walter Matthau. Double 50-year-old spoiler alert: Like Rocky, the Bears don’t win in the end. But they do have fun.

    The same can’t be said for the characters in most of 1976’s dramatic films. Hollywood did its best to get a patriotic movie — the World War II epic “Midway” — in theaters in June, but it quickly fizzled. The top box office draw on July 4th was “The Omen,” about an angelic-looking boy who turns out to be the Antichrist.

    More prestigious films continued to wrestle with the paranoia of the Nixon era. “All the President’s Men” dramatized The Washington Post’s investigation of the Watergate scandal. In “Taxi Driver,” a Vietnam War veteran plots to assassinate a presidential contender. In “Network,” a TV anchorman urges his viewers to open their windows and scream, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

    All three are undisputed classics. All three were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. All three lost to “Rocky.”


  • A dream day for New York fans with Knicks on the road to clinch and Brazil vs. Morocco in World Cup


    NEW YORK (AP) — If there is a saving grace from the bedlam that is about to ensue in New York City on Saturday, with the Knicks on the verge of a championship and Brazil taking on Morocco in the World Cup, it is that Game 5 of the NBA Finals is on the road.

    Of course, that won’t stop orange-and-blue-blooded Knicks fans from teeming into the area near the team’s Manhattan arena to watch on bar TVs and big screens as their team — playing 1,580 miles (2,545 kilometers) away in San Antonio — looks to clinch its first title in 53 years.

    The city, which is already blocking off some streets near Madison Square Garden for World Cup transportation, has yet to say what security measures will be in place for Knicks fans gathering outside. The team hasn’t said if it will hold a watch party outside the arena as it did earlier in the series.

    The Knicks were granted a permit for a watch party for up to 1,000 people for Game 4 on Wednesday, but team owner James Dolan declined to hold one as he lashed out at Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the police department for keeping in place a security perimeter, metal detectors and other restrictions after President Donald Trump‘s visit to Game 3 on Monday.

    All postseason, Knicks fans have flocked to the Garden by the thousands, making playoff pilgrimages to a place known as the “Mecca of Basketball” to cheer, commune and revel in a remarkable feat: 14 wins in 15 games since April 23, and a 3-1 lead over the Spurs in the best-of-seven series.

    On Saturday, Knicks fever collides with the New York City area’s first World Cup game in 32 years. The match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey kicks off about three hours before the Knicks game, but traffic and transit restrictions extend to Manhattan, and soccer fans returning to the city by train will be arriving at Penn Station — right underneath the Garden.

    Complicating matters: a concert at the Garden that is expected to bring another 15,000 to 20,000 people to the area and prevents a watch party inside the arena and a scorching heatwave that has city officials advising people to stay indoors. On Sunday, the city is hosting another big event, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

    The concert, by the Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer, follows the Knicks’ 4.5 seconds of delirium Wednesday night at the Garden — a magical sequence in which OG Anunoby tipped in a Jalen Brunson miss to complete a historic 29-point comeback and put them a game from the third title in team history.

    Wild scenes outside the Garden

    Outside, it was pandemonium.

    Fans in blue Brunson and orange Karl-Anthony Towns jerseys ran through the streets. Subway cars erupted in cheers as fans peeped the winning shot on their cellphones, their feeds interrupted at times by spotty underground reception.

    Just beyond the Garden’s police-prescribed security perimeter, crowds swelled to about 10,000 people, the NYPD said. Thousands more were taking in the game and its see-it-to-believe-it ending at watch parties at nearby Bryant Park and Wollman Rink in Central Park.

    But as the game progressed, the police department said in a statement, “the crowds became increasingly destructive, and there were many incidents of incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior.”

    People fought in the streets and set off fireworks. They climbed scaffolding and traffic lights and smashed the windshields of four police vehicles. Some people tried to physically flip over a taxi or jump on top of moving trucks and other vehicles, police said. One group broke into a tractor trailer, took items from inside and threw them at police officers.

    At least 10 officers were hurt in the mayhem, police said. One was hit in the head with a glass bottle.

    In all, 56 people were taken into police custody during and after Game 4. Of them, 15 were arrested and 41 were released with criminal court summonses.

    Other unsolved Knicks-related crimes

    Other Knicks-related crimes remain unsolved.

    On Wednesday, about two blocks from the Garden, a 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma by people who had been arguing with him about the Knicks after their Game 4 comeback win, the NYPD said. Later, at the Spurs hotel five blocks from the arena, someone hurled an egg at star Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, but missed.

    After the Spurs won Game 3 on Monday, a 39-year-old Spurs fan had his Tim Duncan jersey ripped from his body while walking back to his hotel near Times Square, the NYPD said.

    New York declares Gridlock Alert

    With the confluence of events on the pitch, court and stage, the city has declared a Gridlock Alert for Saturday, with severe traffic congestion expected in midtown Manhattan. Street closures and limited access to parts of Penn Station will be in effect for each of the eight World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium.

    Starting at noon, two streets adjacent to the Garden — 32nd and 33rd — will be closed to vehicle traffic and used as queues for people waiting for trains from Penn Station to the World Cup. They will reopen three hours after the match ends.

    The city is also barring truck deliveries from 30th Street to 60th Street from noon to 11 p.m., closing streets around the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey and converting some streets to bus-only corridors, including 42nd Street, which traverses Times Square. Of late, the tourist haven has been co-opted as yet another place for New York fans to cheer.

    If the Knicks win Game 5, the next stop for their roving faithful will be a celebratory parade in Lower Manhattan, through a skyscraper-filled stretch of the city known as the Canyon of Heroes.

    If not, the Knicks and their fans will be back at the Garden on Tuesday for Game 6.


  • Gilgo Beach killer writes to other jailed murderer, reads crime novels behind bars, sheriff says


    NEW YORK (AP) — The Manhattan architect who lived a secret life as the Gilgo Beach serial killer has spent the past three years alone in a segregated cell, reading crime novels and occasionally being visited by his lawyers or family, according to the sheriff who oversees the jail.

    Rex Heuermann also struck up a brief correspondence with Keith Hunter Jesperson, the infamous “Happy Face Killer ” who confessed to killing eight women across the country in the 1990s, said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon.

    The sheriff said it was Jesperson, who is serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole in Oregon, who wrote first to Heuermann at the jail in Riverhead, New York, where he’s been held since his arrest in July 2023.

    Heuermann wrote back, but hasn’t responded to several follow-up missives from Jesperson, according to Toulon, who spoke to The Associated Press ahead of Heuermann’s sentencing Wednesday.

    He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to murdering seven women and admitting in April that he killed yet another woman.

    Toulon said “other fanatics” have also tried to reach out, but Heuermann has denied “all visits or any communication,” including from news outlets seeking interviews.

    Gloria Allred, a lawyer for some of the Long Island victims’ families, dismissed Heuermann and Jesperson as “losers” and “cowards” and urged people to commit to ending violence against women.

    “They both murdered someone’s daughter, someone’s mother, someone’s sister,” she said in a statement. “They chose the most vulnerable victims.”

    Most of Heuermann’s victims were female sex workers whose dismembered remains were found off a remote ocean parkway near Gilgo Beach, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Manhattan.

    Jesperson met many of his victims while working as a truck driver. He was dubbed the Happy Face Killer because he drew smiley faces on taunting letters he sent to media and police.

    Macabre reading list gives insight to mindset

    Heuermann has been a voracious reader in jail, but Toulon said the inmate’s preference for violent crime and mystery novels — some about serial killers — concerns him.

    Some of the works he’s recently borrowed from the jail library include J.D. Robb’s “Portrait in Death,” John Sandford’s “Secret Prey,” Heather Graham’s “Picture Me Dead,” Sue Grafton’s “N is for Noose” and Lisa Jackson’s “Chosen to Die,” according to Toulon.

    “He’s not taking out sports books or cooking books, you know,” the sheriff said. “He’s choosing to read about this.”

    Toulon, who was elected in 2017 after decades working for the New York City corrections department, said Heuermann’s demeanor has remained unchanged through more than 1,000 days of incarceration.

    “He doesn’t seem uncomfortable in his cell,” the sheriff said. “No emotion, no despair.”

    “Every time you see him, it’s the same stoic look that he has when you see him in the courtroom,” Toulon continued. “There’s no remorse.”

    Days spent under close supervision

    The large, hulking Heuermann is housed in a standard, 6-by-9-foot cell equipped with a metal sink, a metal toilet and a bed with a “very thin mattress,” according to Toulon.

    Cells in the unit are all in view of correction officers, he said. The department also beefed up staff after Heuermann’s arrest, but purposefully did not assign any female correction officers to the unit, and no staff is allowed in unless authorized to work there.

    “One of the things that we wanted to ensure when he came into our custody is that justice was served in the courts and not in our jails,” Toulon said.

    Inmates in the unit are served three meals a day, all in their cells, Toulon said. There’s no common area, and they can only see the communal television through the bars of their cells.

    Heuermann remains segregated anytime he leaves his cell — officers pause all other inmate movement to avoid interactions, he said.

    He showers alone, and while he gets fresh air in the jail yard up to six days a week alone, he isn’t particularly active, according to Toulon.

    “He does not play basketball, doesn’t do any sprints. He does not do any dips, pullups, or situps or pushups,” the sheriff said. “He just basically just walks around in circles in the yard.”

    Heuermann sees visitors in a designated meeting area where his handcuffs are removed and where inmates are allowed to embrace or kiss their visitors once at the beginning and end of the meeting. He’s sat face-to-face with his ex-wife Asa Ellerup, their grown daughter Victoria, his attorneys, his therapist and a few others.

    “He does not have an extensive visit list,” said Toulon.

    Heuermann’s family won’t attend his sentencing

    Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment on Heuermann’s life behind bars. Nor did his family.

    His ex-wife and two grown children said through their lawyers that they won’t be attending the sentencing, where some of the victims’ families are expected to face Heuermann and deliver emotional statements.

    “Out of respect for those who have endured unimaginable loss and suffering, she does not wish her presence to distract from the purpose of these proceedings,” said Robert Macedonio, Ellerup’s attorney. “Her thoughts remain with the victims and their loved ones as they continue their pursuit of justice, healing, and closure.”

    ___

    Follow Philip Marcelo on X: @philmarcelo

    —-

    Follow Julie Walker on X @jwalkreporter


  • Misiorowski throws first professional complete game on another night of record velocity


    MILWAUKEE (AP) — Exactly one year after his major league debut, Jacob Misiorowski threw record heat over eight innings and took the mound for the ninth with the chance to pitch his first professional complete game.

    “When I walked out for the ninth, my whole body shivered and the adrenaline really kicked in,” he said.

    Misiorowski threw a 104.5 mph pitch, the fastest by a starting pitcher since tracking began, and struck out 15 with no walks in a one-hitter that led the Milwaukee Brewers over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 on Friday night.

    “That was as good as it gets,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “To pitch a game like that against an offense like that with all those All-Stars over there, it was an incredible performance.”

    Misiorowski had never pitched past the seventh inning in 27 previous big league starts.

    As he strode to the mound for the ninth inning, the capacity crowd of 40,205 rose in unison. Misiorowski retired Gabriel Rincones Jr. and J.T. Realmuto on groundouts, then struck out Justin Crawford with a 103.1 mph pitch that ended the game.

    Misiorowski raised his hands in the air and turned to embrace catcher William Contreras.

    “There was no chance I was going to throw anything other than a heater right there. I was amped up,” Misiorowski said.

    He struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the game with his fifth pitch, a 104.5 mph offering at the low, outsider corner that was tipped into Contreras’ mitt.

    Misiorowski (8-2) threw four pitches of 104 mph or higher, all faster than the previous high for a starter of 103.7 mph he set at Colorado on June 7. The fastest pitch overall since tracking began in 2008 was 105.8 mph by Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman in September 2010.

    Misiorowski reached 100 mph with a record 58 pitches, one more than he threw against St. Louis on May 25. He tossed 74 of 95 pitches for strikes and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.34 in just the eighth complete game and fifth individual shutout in the majors this year.

    He has a 0.17 ERA in his last eight starts and the 15 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher this season. Milwaukee had not had a complete game since Brandon Woodruff on Sept. 11, 2023, against Miami.

    Misiorowski started the game with four straight strikeouts and fanned eight of his first nine batters.

    “You pretty much better be ready to hit the fastball. You don’t see guys like this often,” Phillies manager Don Mattingly said before the game. “We see more guys throw 100 mph or up in that range, but you don’t see guys that are consistent like him. If you can’t hit a fastball, you’re in big trouble.”

    Misiorowski faced the minimum 27 batters. Schwarber singled on a slider on the first pitch of the fourth and, after Bryce Harper struck out, Trea Turner grounded into an inning-ending double play.

    “It was a backdoor slider that I located well, but maybe slightly off,” Misiorowski said of the pitch to Schwarber. “I was trying to jump out ahead of him. He made good contact and poked it through. End of the story.”

    Murphy said Misiorowski has continued to mature.

    “His work between starts is consistent,” Murphy said. “He’s worked hard in the weight room. He’s worked hard building a routine. This guy loves the ball in his hand.”

    ___

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


  • Anthropic says it has taken its latest AI models offline to comply with new export controls


    WASHINGTON (AP) — AI giant Anthropic said Friday it has taken its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with a directive from the Trump administration to prevent their use by foreign nationals.

    The export controls mark the U.S. government’s most significant step to date to restrict access to the most advanced AI models. Anthropic released Fable widely this week. That model is a limited version of the even more advanced Mythos, to which the company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

    In a statement, Anthropic said it disagrees with the government’s handling of the matter, saying it received the directive from the U.S. government Friday afternoon and it did not specify the national security concerns. “We believe the government should have the ability to block unsafe deployments, as part of a statutory process that is transparent, fair, clear, and grounded in technical facts,” the company said. “This action does not adhere to those principles.”

    Anthropic called it a “misunderstanding” and said it hopes to restore access to the models “as soon as possible.”

    The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The action comes 10 days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. Participation by AI developers would be voluntary, the order said.


  • A coalition sues to block Kentucky’s new 14.25% prediction markets tax


    FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A coalition that includes Kalshi, Crypto.com and Polymarket filed a lawsuit Friday challenging Kentucky’s first-in-the-nation excise tax on prediction markets.

    The Kentucky General Assembly in April enacted a 14.25% tax on prediction market operators’ transaction fees, a levy the lawsuit says is discriminatory, unconstitutional and preempted by federal law.

    Prediction markets are platforms where customers can buy, sell or trade event contracts — a form of derivative that allow placing trades based on whether real-world events, such as election results or economic indicators, will or won’t happen.

    The new tax is higher than for Kentucky’s “favored incumbent industry,” the lawsuit filed in state court by the Coalition for Fair Markets says, noting a 9.75% tax on wagers at horse tracks.

    In a statement using gambling terminology, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman vowed to fight the legal challenge.

    “You can bet our Office will defend these statutes and the people of our Commonwealth from out-of-state companies that seek to cancel Kentucky’s sports betting laws,” he said. “In any courtroom, the attorneys with the AG’s Office are the odds-on favorite to win.”

    The tax disincentivizes the operation of prediction markets in Kentucky, the lawsuit says.

    “No State currently levies a State-specific excise tax of any kind on derivatives transactions that take place on a federally designated exchange, let alone the sort of specifically targeted and discriminatory tax that Kentucky has imposed here,” it says.

    Taxing federally regulated markets “just pushes people toward illegal platforms with no oversight and no protections,” Kalshi said in a statement. “Kalshi is an American company, regulated here at home, and we’re joining the fight for Kentuckians’ access to safe, legal markets.”

    Prediction markets have been pushing hard to gain legitimacy among the public and policymakers as a legitimate platform where users can bet on everything from sports to the weather to geopolitical events.

    There have been several incidents where traders have used inside information to profit on prediction market platforms. It was recently disclosed that former former Congressman George Santos was under investigation for allegedly illegally betting he wouldn’t attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address after initially saying he would. In April, a U.S. Army soldier was charged with using classified information to make a $400,000 profit trading on Polymarket on the timing of the U.S. military operations in Venezuela earlier this year.