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  • US coach Mauricio Pochettino apologizes to media for his curt tone in previous news conference


    SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Before moving his attention to the knockout round of the World Cup, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino had to resolve one issue from the group stage.

    Pochettino began his news conference before Wednesday’s game against Bosnia-Herzegovina by asking the media to forgive him for his curt tone following the U.S. team’s 3-2 loss to Turkey in a match that had no impact on the Americans after they had already clinched the top spot in the group.

    “I want to apologize to the guys that were in my last press conference,” Pochettino said. “I was so frustrated. I was disappointed. I thank you and am sorry. It was my problem, not your problem. I was upset after the defeat.”

    Pochettino called out the media in the post-match news conference last week for not praising him and his team for having already won the group before the loss to Turkey.

    “For you not say congratulations that we won the group, that is a little bit sad,” Pochettino told reporters after the game.

    “What we need to remember is we won first place in this group,” Pochettino added while speaking in Spanish and English. “We ended up being No. 1, and we managed all the pressure and the expectations quite well.”

    Pochettino knows the expectations are even higher now that his team has reached the knockout round and goes into the game against Bosnia as the favorite to advance.

    He has preached to his team that “relaxation brings concentration” and has told them to approach every game as if it was the final.

    “If we don’t see it in this way, I think we are going to struggle,” he said. “We are seeing already in all the games after the group stage how difficult it is. … We don’t have another opportunity if we fail. It’s all in and knowing that game is the final of the World Cup. And if we were capable to go through, the next one is going to be another final of the World Cup.”

    Bosnia has already played host Canada to a draw in Toronto in the opening match and now faces a U.S. team on American soil as the underdogs. Former U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard said Bosnia is “better off not even getting on a plane and going to San Francisco” for a match he believes they have no chance of winning.

    But the Bosnians already defied the odds by beating four-time champion Italy in the European playoffs and now have a chance to spoil the World Cup for the U.S. team.

    “I’m not concerned with things like that,” Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez said about Howard’s comments. “I have to admit, things like that happen on a daily basis. We are a small country and things like that sometimes happen. I have no problem. My boys don’t have a problem with that. … We are playing to go into the round of 16. Is that not motivation enough? I don’t notice things like that.”

    Injury updates for the US team ahead of match

    Pochettino had some injury updates for his team ahead of the match, saying he hoped Auston Trusty could be available after injuring his ankle late in the last game against Turkey. Trusty scored his first goal for the national team in that game.

    Pochettino said it would be more difficult for Cristian Roldan (quadriceps strain) and Mark McKenzie (foot irritation) to be available for the game but a final decision won’t be made until Wednesday.

    Christian Pulisic said he is ready to start after missing the second group game with a calf injury and playing only 33 minutes as a sub in the final group match.

    “I feel good and ready to go for tomorrow,” Pulisic said.

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    See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here


  • Mercury’s Thomas says she has received online abuse following suspension for Caitlin Clark incident


    Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she has received death threats and been called racial slurs in the aftermath of her one-game suspension after she made contact with her fist to Caitlin Clark’s throat in last week’s matchup against Indiana.

    Thomas also criticized WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for not doing more to protect the league’s players when she spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the team’s practice facility.

    “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” Thomas said. “A lot of us — myself included — didn’t even know the play took place until after the game. Now we’re being painted as thugs. There’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable. It’s something that needs to change in this league and I’m just really sick and tired of it.”

    Engelbert released a statement Tuesday night.

    “The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate. The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority,” Engelbert said. “We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”

    Thomas called the play a “complete accident,” but said her main concern wasn’t the suspension. The six-time All-Star said she didn’t know she was being suspended until 10 minutes before it was released on social media.

    “It’s not even about the suspension,” Thomas said. “If that’s what they felt was necessary in that moment, then so be it. But I think there’s a lot of other plays that you can say the same about. The biggest thing is about our safety. We’re so concerned about the safety on the court, but time and time again, we’re having people threaten our lives. Leaking addresses out there. Putting crazy pictures that have nothing to do with basketball.”

    The play happened with 6:52 left in the second quarter in a game against Clark’s Indiana Fever on Wednesday and was deemed to be a non-basketball act. The league gave Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty for it.

    No foul was called on the play by officials in the moment. The WNBA is allowed to review a game to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game.

    “People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff,” Thomas said. “There’s a difference between trolling and there’s a difference between hatred. The hatred that we’re experiencing over a play that, honestly, was a complete accident, no one even knew it happened. It’s just unfortunate. The league has to do better in this instance.”

    Thomas and Engelbert exchanged text messages last week to talk about the security issue, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussion. The person said that Engelbert immediately directed league security to get in touch with Phoenix security once she heard about the threats.

    Thomas served her suspension on Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.

    The Fever renewed their call for player safety in a statement on Thursday.

    The two teams had played a few days before the Thomas-Clark incident and there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. Clark picked up her fifth technical of the season in that game. The team petitioned the league to have it rescinded, but the WNBA confirmed that the technical will stand.

    “It was egregious. The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it,” Fever coach Stephanie White said after the game. “You’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago and that (expletive) still happens? Absolutely unacceptable.”

    The Mercury and Fever play again on July 9 in Phoenix.

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    AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Phoenix contributed to this report.

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    AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball


  • Egg producers will pay $3.3M and donate 53 million eggs to settle price-fixing claims


    NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states reached settlement agreements with three major egg producers this week to resolve allegations that the companies illegally colluded for years to raise prices, including when the cost soared to record highs last year.

    The states and federal government accused Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch of a behind-the-scenes arrangement to “artificially inflate the daily price quotations for eggs” between June 2022 and March 2025. In particular, their investigation found that the companies coordinated on what bids they would submit to Urner Barry Publications, a company that runs an index key to determining how much grocery stores, restaurants and others pay for billions of eggs each year.

    In turn, that meant “higher prices for eggs sold to consumers,” alleged the complaint, which was filed in Iowa on Monday, the day the settlement terms were announced.

    “When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who helped lead the investigation, said in a statement. “These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses.”

    None of the companies admitted wrongdoing under the settlements. But to settle the states’ claims, Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman’s will collectively be on the hook for $3.3 million and 53 million eggs, James and others said. Those eggs would be donated by the companies and make their ways to food banks and nonprofits. The money will be distributed to the states.

    The Justice Department and the states also outlined actions the companies will need to take, including adopting antitrust compliance programs and banning communicating with competitors on pricing and bidding strategies.

    The settlements would still need court approval. The Justice Department’s Omeed A. Assefi said Tuesday that the proposed settlements “resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives.”

    Average U.S. egg prices soared to a record high of about $6.23 per dozen in March 2025, amid a bird flu epidemic that forced farmers to slaughter millions of egg-laying chickens. Egg producers blamed price spike on the outbreak, but critics accused big companies of taking advantage of their market dominance and the government began its investigation.

    Monday’s complaint notes that price quotations “dropped significantly” after Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman’s learned of the Justice Department’s investigation and were instructed to preserve documents in March 2025. Consumer egg prices also later tumbled — to under $2.20 per dozen as of May 2026 — as replenished flocks caught up despite the ongoing outbreak.

    Cal-Maine maintained Monday that allegations of price manipulation were “baseless” and that it believes its conduct has been legal. It also noted that while it was part of a cooperative with the other egg producers, it left the group in May 2024.

    Still, Cal-Maine CEO Sherman Miller said the company’s settlement agreement “enables us to move forward so we can devote our full attention to what matters most: delivering affordable, high-quality eggs and egg-based prepared foods to consumers nationwide.”

    Miller added the period the Justice Department reviewed “was a particularly challenging time” — noting that, beyond avian flu, the COVID-19 pandemic, weather and other market conditions have contributed to temporary supply shocks and high prices in recent years. He said Cal-Maine “took numerous steps to protect and grow its hen flock” in that time.

    Versova echoed a similar sentiment, particularly pointing to the toll the bird flu has had on its farmers, who it noted “don’t set the wholesale price of eggs.” Instead, Versova said the price of most of its eggs depends on cost fluctuations of grain used in hen feeds.

    Meanwhile, Hickman’s owner Mantiqueira USA, which acquired the egg producer in November, said the “conduct referenced in the complaint predates our acquisition,” noting that it is committed to complying with the law.

    Some advocacy groups say the proposed settlements aren’t enough.

    “Consumers paid record prices while dominant egg producers reported extraordinary profits, yet the result is another settlement that corporations can treat as the cost of doing business rather than meaningful accountability,” said Angela Huffman, president of Farm Action.

    Cal-Maine — the only of the three companies that is public and reports quarterly financials — reported a profit of $1.22 billion for the 2025 fiscal year. Under its settlement agreement with the states, the company would pay $1.5 million and donate 30 million eggs.

    Meanwhile, per court documents, Versova would provide 20 million eggs and $800,000, and Hickman’s would be on the hook for 3.25 million eggs and $1 million.

    In addition to New York, these states were party to the settlement agreements: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.


  • Embattled QB Brendan Sorsby to become eligible for 2027 NFL draft after opting not to sue the league


    NEW YORK (AP) — Brendan Sorsby is moving on to 2027.

    The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams on Tuesday informing them that Sorsby, a quarterback whose college career ended when the NCAA banished him for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports, will not seek legal action against the NFL after the league denied his petition to enter the supplemental draft.

    “I accept 100% responsibility for my actions,” Sorsby posted on Instagram on Tuesday evening. “I did not have control of my gambling problem and it took getting caught to realize that, but it was truly the best thing that could have happened to me.”

    Sorsby, who moved from Indiana to Cincinnati to Texas Tech before revelations about an extensive gambling problem surfaced, tried to enter the draft just three days before the scheduled deadline. The league, which hasn’t held a supplemental draft since 2023 and hasn’t had a player selected in it since 2019, denied the petition.

    “The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented,” NFL attorney Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. wrote in a letter to Sorsby last week.

    The 22-year-old Sorsby, who cannot play in the Canadian Football League in 2026, is now considered “draft-eligible” for the 2027 NFL draft. Sorsby will not be eligible to sign an NFL contract until the draft’s conclusion.

    The NFL has no plans to discipline Sorsby for any currently known prior misconduct but holds the right to investigate Sorsby. The league can also take Sorsby’s college misconduct into account should it find cause to discipline Sorsby in the future.

    Sorsby’s decision to not challenge the NFL in court leaves him with 10 months on his hands to prepare. Sorsby had planned to play at Texas Tech this year before the NCAA declared him ineligible for making thousands of bets on sporting events worth at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none on the games in which he played for the Hoosiers that season.

    “I am fully committed to being the best version of myself that I can be while getting ready for the 2027 draft,” Sorsby wrote. “God makes no mistakes and I look forward to seeing the good that is to come from this.”

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL


  • Natchez to Host Free BIG 250 FEST Celebration With Live Music, Parade and Fireworks

    The City of Natchez is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with two days of family-friendly entertainment, live music, a community parade and a fireworks show during the BIG 250 FEST on July 3-4. The event is free and open to the public and will take place at the Bandstand on the Bluff in downtown Natchez.

    City officials have partnered with Live@Five, Miss-Lou Fireworks, Natchez Parks & Recreation and Visit Natchez to present what organizers describe as a community-wide patriotic celebration featuring activities for all ages.

    The festivities begin Friday, July 3, with a second line-style parade led by Grand Marshal Capt. Jack Kerwin, a local veteran who served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The parade will be accompanied by the Epic Funk Brass Band and is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m., with participants gathering at Memorial Park beginning at 4 p.m. Veterans, active military personnel, VFW members, American Legion members, JROTC participants and families are encouraged to take part.

    Following the parade, a family festival will run from 4:30 p.m. until dark, offering a variety of activities including a petting zoo, bounce house, bubbles, hula hoops, cornhole, disc golf and yard games provided through Natchez Parks & Recreation.

    Live entertainment on Friday will feature the Epic Funk Brass Band at 5:10 p.m., followed by Mira.Got.Soul at 6 p.m.

    The celebration continues Saturday, July 4, with another evening of family activities and live music. Cha Cha Boo will take the stage at 5 p.m., followed by The Remedy featuring Tema Larry at 7 p.m. The family festival will once again run from 4:30 p.m. until dark.

    The weekend will conclude with a fireworks finale at 9 p.m. Saturday. The display, presented by Miss-Lou Fireworks, will be accompanied by patriotic music provided by Larry Boland.

    Organizers said free water will be available courtesy of Coca-Cola, while large fans and cooling stations provided by the Natchez Convention Center will help attendees stay comfortable during the festivities. Vendors and children’s activities will be located near the Natchez Grand.

    The BIG 250 FEST is open to the public, and organizers encourage attendees to bring lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, family and friends for a weekend of celebration overlooking the Mississippi River.

  • Book that Tupac Shakur murder suspect wrote is clear for use in the trial, judge rules


    LAS VEGAS (AP) — A book co-written by the man who prosecutors allege ordered the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur can be used in trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.

    The defense attorney for Duane “Keffe D” Davis tried to bar the 2019 memoir “Compton Street Legend” from being used in trial, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 10, as well as statements Davis had made to police in 2008 and 2009.

    Davis, 63, faces one charge of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in the drive-by shooting of the rapper in Las Vegas.

    Shakur was in a black BMW on Sept. 7, 1996, in Las Vegas with Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac pulled up beside them at a red light near the Las Vegas Strip, and gunfire erupted. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived with minor injuries.

    Shakur’s death is considered one of the most notorious unsolved murders in the United States. The case had gone cold until Davis began making public statements about it, including in a book he co-wrote in which he said he was in the Cadillac and provided the weapon used to shoot Shakur. The book revived detectives’ investigation, and Davis was arrested in September 2023. Davis pleaded not guilty.

    The state’s case hinges on the book Davis co-authored about his time in the gang South Side Compton Crips and statements he made in YouTube interviews.

    Michael Sanft, his attorney, argued that the book was fictionalized to make a profit, and that it was unclear which parts — if any — Davis actually wrote. He also argued that statements Davis made to police in 2008 and 2009 should not be used in trial because Davis thought he had immunity due to a proffer agreement that allowed him to speak to detectives without being prosecuted.

    Judge Carli Kierny determined that Davis adopted the statements in the book as his own, regardless if he wrote the whole book. She said he made multiple statements describing the book as the “real truth.” She also found the statements he made to law enforcement to be voluntary, but expressed concern that Davis was told in 2008 that he would not be prosecuted for what he said in the interview.

    Marc DiGiacomo, chief deputy district attorney in Clark County, said those interviews were no longer considered inadmissible when Davis chose to write and speak about the events. The state has the right to prove that what Davis wrote is true by using those interviews, he said.

    “Had he decided to never write the book, he would not, probably, have ever been prosecuted for the crime,” DiGiacomo said.


  • Rio bus drivers and workers throughout Brazil demand shorter work week as lawmakers examine proposal


    RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Hundreds of bus drivers on strike protested in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, demanding better conditions, increased pay and an end to the six-day working week. They are also part of a broader movement of workers pushing to guarantee Brazilians two days off a week.

    “You can’t spend quality time or go out with your family, give attention to your children, visit relatives, or have a day like going to a restaurant to have lunch together,” said Alexandre Garrido, 49, who has been a bus driver for 20 years.

    A proposal to limit the working week to five days is currently in the hands of the Senate after approval from a lower house in May, and is backed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as part of his reelection bid in October.

    Currently, many Brazilians work five eight-hour days and another four hours on a sixth day. Others have two days off but still work a total of 44 hours per week. The constitutional amendment seeks to establish a 40-hour weekly limit without reducing pay.

    If approved, it would transform the lives of millions of mostly poor Brazilians and likely give a boost to Lula’s campaign. Other Latin American countries have made similar reforms, while Argentina has moved in the opposite direction.

    “Those who support working six days a week are in favor of modern slavery,” said Rick Azevedo, a city councilor in Rio who attended the protest Tuesday and who founded the movement Life Beyond Work, one of the driving forces behind the measure.

    In addition to the bus drivers’ strike called by a local union, which emphasizes increased pay as their main demand, Azevedo’s movement also organized protests across Brazil on Tuesday.

    Lower income workers most affected

    About 14 million Brazilians work six days a week, including 26-year-old Fernanda Sousa. Every day except Tuesdays, she makes her way down the sprawling Rocinha favela at around 5:30 a.m., drops off her 6-year-old son at his godmother’s, and takes the metro to the wealthy neighborhood of Gavea to serve Brazilian cheese bread and other snacks in a bistro.

    “Going to work on a Sunday when everyone is with their families breaks my heart,” Sousa said, as she made her way home on a recent Friday night, her son in tow. She said she also struggles to balance employment and housework — a predicament shared by many women around the world but accentuated by the longer workweek.

    Different studies in Brazil show workers of lower income and in lower-skilled jobs are more often bound to the grueling 44-hour schedule.

    Matheus Paulo Costa da Silva, 28, works as a home furnishings store supervisor in Rio. He recently tried to attend an evening IT course, but fatigue stopped him.

    “I can’t see my family, I can’t go to the gym, I can’t study. I live to work,” said da Silva.

    Businesses are reluctant

    Lawmaker Erika Hilton, who led the way for Brazil’s lower house to approve the amendment in May, said even some of her conservative adversaries now support the changes, though other opponents seek to kill the move in the Senate.

    “Ending the six-day workweek allows us to care for workers who are under attack since Brazil’s slavery days,” said Hilton, in a reference to a period of almost 400 years that ended in 1888.

    Workers should be able to travel, go to the beach, attend church or spend time with their friends in their spare time, she added.

    Brazil’s businesses, however, are sounding the alarm. The country’s National Confederation of Industry argues the annual labor costs could jump by up to 267 billion reais ($52 billion), an increase of up to 7%, if the current workweek is reduced. That alone could slow the South American nation’s economy by 0.7%, the confederation says.

    Experts say small businesses could be hit hardest. Sebrae, an institution that supports them, says they make up about 97% of enterprises in Brazil, providing half of the country’s formal jobs.

    Marcelo Pierini, the 52-year-old owner of a pie restaurant in downtown Sao Paulo, is already worried. He employs five people, closes only on Sundays, and has thin profit margins.

    “This change could mean one of two things: closing on Mondays and losing some profit or sharing my bill with the customers,” Pierini said. “It is hard. I want some rest too, but I can’t afford it.”

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    Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

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    Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america


  • Harvard professor with polarizing alien theories is picked to lead Trump administration UFO council


    WASHINGTON (AP) — A polarizing Harvard astronomer known for splashy theories about alien visits has been tapped by the Trump administration to lead a team of outside scientists to study the national security risks posed by UFOs.

    Avi Loeb, a cosmologist who studied black holes and served as head of Harvard’s astronomy department until 2020, was recently appointed to helm a new scientific advisory council tasked with investigating the origins of mysterious orbs and other objects reported by military personnel in recent years.

    Loeb’s team will report to a new panel focused on UFOs, now often referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP. The panel was established by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It’s part of the push announced by President Donald Trump in February to declassify more information about the issue.

    “It’s like a detective story,” Loeb said in an interview. “It’s a lot of fun, as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the critics.”

    For the last decade, Loeb has been scanning the skies and seas for evidence of intelligent alien life. He began the quest in 2017 as scientists puzzled over an interstellar object soaring by Earth. While others proposed it was a comet or ice chunk, Loeb said it could be a thin “light sail” detached from an alien spacecraft.

    His theories have won praise in UFO circles but often put him in conflict with academic peers. Other astronomers accuse him of making exotic claims with little evidence. Some chafe at his habit of skipping the peer review process and bringing claims directly to the public.

    Steve Desch, an Arizona State University astrophysicist who has challenged some of Loeb’s theories, said Loeb uses flawed methods to reach wild conclusions about alien life — all while shunning a more established branch of science searching for life beyond Earth.

    Loeb’s role on the administration’s new panel casts doubt on the entire endeavor, Desch said.

    “I don’t know what’s going to come of this, but we’re not going to get any closer to answering these questions with him in charge,” Desch said.

    The team includes scientists, UFO activists and a billionaire

    Loeb brushes his critics aside, saying they lack the imagination to consider new ideas. He’s promising a grounded approach to his work for the Trump administration. As he analyzes UAP, he’s starting with the assumption that they’re the work of humans, he said, approaching it from a national security perspective.

    Nonetheless, he envisions an outcome where his work could lead to something bigger. If the government invests in better data collection on UAPs, Loeb said, it could settle the alien debate once and for all.

    His hand-picked team includes more than a dozen scientists and UFO activists. Among them is Timothy Gallaudet, a retired rear admiral who has warned about UAP controlled by “nonhuman intelligence,” claiming the United States has recovered crashed aircraft. Also on the team is Ben Lamm, a billionaire working to revive extinct species.

    After its first meeting last month, the team sent a request to the Pentagon asking for more than 50 videos, images and other documents related to known UAP incidents. Loeb’s group meets behind closed doors, but he has vowed to brief the public and create a website to share findings.

    “At a time when science is not so much celebrated, this is an opportunity to actually do good for all sides involved,” Loeb said.

    New UAP board created in response to Trump’s order for transparency

    Earlier this year, Trump directed his administration to provide more transparency on questions of UFOs and alien life. So far, the Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting or soaring through the sky.

    Trump’s directive led to the creation of a UAP Governance Board overseen by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The board met for the first time in June, and is supported by Loeb’s team and several other advisory groups, the office said.

    It comes as a bipartisan group in Congress pushes the White House to go further, with some Republicans amplifying claims the U.S. is hiding evidence of alien encounters. The White House has encouraged anyone with information to come forward. A Pentagon office that investigates UAP says it has seen no evidence of alien life.

    Loeb said he doesn’t buy into cover-up theories. “My impression is the government is baffled by not being able to infer the nature of some of these objects,” he said.

    Before looking for aliens, Loeb studied black holes and galaxies

    Before he became known for his alien theories, Loeb was a respected cosmologist who authored hundreds of papers, specializing in black holes and the birth of galaxies. He served as chair of Harvard’s astronomy department for nearly a decade.

    Loeb’s career took a turn with his “light sail” theory in 2017, which he presented in a paper and later a book. He went on to found the Galileo Project at Harvard, with a stated mission to search for artifacts from alien civilizations.

    His team drew attention in 2023 when they used magnets to retrieve hundreds of small spheres from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, near the possible site of a 2014 meteor crash. After analyzing the metallic “spherules,” Loeb suggested they came from a distant planet or, alternately, from alien technology.

    Other scholars challenged the claim, saying it was probably volcanic rock or coal ash.

    Sean Kirkpatrick, a physicist who previously investigated UAP at the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, said Loeb is “not viewed favorably” in the scientific community and lacks national security experience. He said the makeup of Loeb’s team suggests the Trump administration is more interested in fringe theories than hard science.

    The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the criticism.

    Loeb, meanwhile, said he aims to follow the science without distraction. “Let’s keep our eyes on the orbs,” he said, “not the social media.”

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    This story was first published June 30, 2026. It was updated July 1, 2026, to correct that the panel was established by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in response to President Donald Trump’s February directive on the issue, not by the White House itself.


  • Monterrey turns into a sea of Mexico green, even without El Tri on the field


    MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — Those watching the World Cup on television may have noticed large patches of fans wearing Mexico’s jersey in Monterrey, even though El Tri doesn’t play in the city.

    Located in the state of Nuevo León, Monterrey is the only Mexican host city not to feature the country’s national team — but this hasn’t stopped swaths of fans from wearing dark green and enjoying the World Cup spectacle in their hometown.

    “It’s a good deal for the country and also for the city,” said Manuel Pérez, a resident of Monterrey who attended the round of 32 game between Netherlands and Morocco on Monday. “We are all together in this special moment.”

    No matter who is playing at Estadio BBVA, Mexican fans control the atmosphere through their various chants.

    “It’s part of a culture, and we support each and every team that comes here,” said Sebastian Roa, a fan who traveled from Guadalajara.

    During the match between the Netherlands and Morocco, Mexican fans could be heard throughout the stadium chanting “no era penal” (it wasn’t a penalty) and “Mexico.”

    The phrase “no era penal” was coined at the 2014 World Cup, during Mexico’s round of 16 match against the Netherlands.

    In that game, the Netherlands earned a penalty in stoppage time when the referee deemed that Dutch winger Arjen Robben was clipped in the box by Mexico’s Rafael Márquez. The penalty was converted by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, eliminating Mexico. However, many Mexican fans are convinced that Robben dived and a penalty should not have been awarded.

    Within the first 10 minutes of the match on Monday, which was also the anniversary of that game, the Mexican fans reminded the world of their 12-year grudge against the Oranje.

    Morocco coach impressed by Monterrey fans

    While local fans in the United States and Canada have also attended other nations’ matches, the Mexican fans have taken complete initiative in showcasing their country.

    Their dedication toward the sport has not gone unnoticed by visiting teams.

    “I’ve always said that the 1986 (World Cup in Mexico) made me fall in love with the sport,” Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. “I want to say that hopefully at the next World Cup — when it’s played in Morocco — I think (the Moroccan people) want to have Mexican fans and make them feel at home.”

    The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

    In addition to the round of 32, Monterrey featured five teams in the three group stage games it hosted: Sweden, Tunisia, Japan, South Korea and South Africa.

    While some sets of fans were larger than others, like Japan and South Korea, there was never a game that lacked Mexican green in the crowd.

    “We love watching every game,” Roa said. “Even if it’s (other teams) like Cabo Verde or Uzbekistan, you’re gonna see us.”

    In Guadalajara, South Korea’s opening day win against Czech Republic was headlined by empty seats, which FIFA blamed on several fans watching the game from the stadium concourses. But Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA featured sell-out crowds of 51,243 fans in three of its four matches.

    “I didn’t go to (a game in Guadalajara) because the prices were crazy high,” Roa said. “But I managed to get a ticket here.

    Mexico became the first nation to host three World Cups: 1970, 1986 and 2026. But for many locals it’s the first time they’ve seen the tournament in-person.

    “It’s a special moment to come to the World Cup and enjoy the match,” said Alejandro Cuellar, who attended Sweden vs. Tunisia with his brother. “We don’t know when it’s going to be here again.”

    The craving for international soccer in Monterrey is not reserved only for the World Cup.

    A state of the art stadium

    Monterrey has drawn high attendance numbers in other international matches. Estadio BBVA held over 49,000 spectators in the inter-confederation playoff between Iraq and Bolivia.

    Estadio BBVA, which was built in 2015, is considered to be one of the most modern in Mexico. Those sitting in the northwestern section of the stadium get a perfect view of a nearby mountain called “El Cerro de la Silla,” which is one of the biggest attractions for foreigners visiting the stadium.

    “We already know the type of stadium that we have,” Pérez said. “It’s so beautiful to know that many people are (starting to know) this big stadium worldwide.”

    Estadio BBVA regularly hosts Liga MX games as the home ground for Rayados. But the atmosphere at the World Cup is completely different.

    “It’s another whole new level because here you have international people,” Roa said. “It’s pretty exciting for all of us Mexicans, because we breathe soccer and we love partying. So it’s two things combined that we just love.” __

    Maya Koluder-Ramirez and Ethan Wilcox are students in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

    ___

    See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here


  • Scheffler and McIlroy looking for another moment to stand out in a year of parity on PGA Tour


    CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — The year is at the halfway point. The PGA Tour season is not.

    Two months, and only one major, are all that remain for the PGA Tour in 2026 to find some definition. There have been good tournaments, great finishes, redemptions and breakthroughs, and Scottie Scheffler as steady as he has always been.

    It’s just that no one has stood out this year.

    Rory McIlroy became only the fourth back-to-back Masters champion, and the first since Tiger Woods in 2002. It was an example of how much freedom he felt from finally having the green jacket and the career Grand Slam. But that’s his only win this year, and except for a late rally at Riviera, he really hasn’t come close.

    The eight signature events were won by eight players, no different from last year when seven players won the seven $20 million tournaments. But a year ago, all seven winners were among the top 25 in the world when they won. This year that applied to only three winners — Collin Morikawa (19) at Pebble Beach, Matt Fitzpatrick (7) at Hilton Head and Cameron Young (4) at Doral.

    It also is not unusual to start a season with three different major champions — that’s been the case each of the past 11 years. But it’s the first time since 2010 that two of the three major champions were not among the top 30 when they won.

    Aaron Rai was at No. 44 when he captured his first major at the PGA Championship, and Wyndham Clark was at No. 34 when he won at Shinnecock Hills for his second U.S. Open title.

    (This requires an asterisk because Brooks Koepka was No. 44 when he won the 2023 PGA Championship. He was No. 19 when he left for LIV, and his two wins came with no ranking points).

    There were two multiple winners of individual tournaments last year at this point — Scheffler and McIlroy. There are four this year with Clark, Young, Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup.

    The last two months, highlighted by the final major at the British Open and three FedEx Cup playoff events, should go a long way toward shaping the season. Scheffler and Xander Schauffele won the British Open each of the past two years, and it was their second major of the season.

    Even in a game that moves slowly, outlooks can change quickly.

    Scheffler looks about the same minus the trophies

    Scheffler began his year with a four-shot victory in The American Express. Thirteen tournaments later, he still only has one victory.

    He still leads the PGA Tour in overall strokes gained and tee-to-green, though his numbers are down from a year ago. Scheffler has nine finishes in the top 5 in his 14 starts. His playoff loss to Viktor Hovland at The Travelers Championship was his fourth runner-up of the year.

    Take only the money from those four runner-up finishes — $8.9 million — and that would rank him at No. 4 on the PGA Tour money list. He hasn’t been as sharp at times. He had a bad habit of giving the field too much of a head start. But he doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

    The other Fitzpatrick seizes on the opportunity

    Fitzpatrick leads the PGA Tour in victories this season with three because one of them was Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he teamed with younger brother Alex to win. That gave Alex Fitzpatrick a two-year exemption, seen at the time as one of the great gifts ever from big brother.

    Instead of flying to Turkey for the next European tour event, Alex Fitzpatrick headed to Doral for a signature event. And he got in the next one, and the one after that. He went from that supposed “gift card” to registering four top 10s in the signature events against the strongest fields.

    His world ranking has gone from No. 140 to No. 62. More importantly, he is at No. 17 in the FedEx Cup and a lock for all the big stuff next year — and all the majors if he reaches the Tour Championship.

    Clark has to be the front-runner for player of the year

    Clark is dangerous when he gets on a heater, and he’s on a heater.

    He won his first U.S. Open in 2023 a little over a month after dusting the field at Quail Hollow. He shot 60 to win at Pebble Beach in 2024, then was runner-up two straight weeks to Scheffler at Bay Hill and The Players Championship the following month.

    Clark had another closing 60 to win at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, followed that with contending late Sunday afternoon in the Memorial and early Sunday afternoon in the Canadian Open, and then he stood down a hostile gallery at Shinnecock to win the U.S. Open. And then running on fumes, he got within two shots of the lead late Sunday at the Travelers and tied for fifth.

    How long will it last? Two more months and it might be enough to end Scheffler’s four-year run as PGA Tour player of the year.

    But that depends on Scheffler.

    He is the defending champion at the British Open, and a victory by him or a half-dozen others could be what it takes to bring some clarity to the season.

    ___

    On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf