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  • Parades in NYC and San Francisco wrap up LGBTQ+ Pride Month


    NEW YORK (AP) — Pride Month celebrations peaked Sunday with big parades in New York, San Francisco and some other cities on the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, which accelerated and transformed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

    Pride events often mix celebration and calls to action, reflecting the political winds, cultural climate and news around LGBTQ+ rights.

    This month’s parades and festivals around the U.S. have unfolded as President Donald Trump works to roll back transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Among other moves, the Republican’s administration removed a rainbow Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument earlier this year, then ultimately relented amid a lawsuit.

    “As LGBTQIA+ events and symbols are being erased, it’s vital that our community have safe spaces to show up and march to make clear: We are here,” Chris Piedmont, a spokesperson for New York parade organizers Heritage of Pride, said in a statement Friday. “We will not be erased.”

    Carlos Duarte came in from Long Island to attend New York’s parade.

    “It’s very important for us to be here … to be all together for love, peace and to show the world who we are,” Duarte said.

    Meanwhile, multiple Republican governors have promulgated conservative-friendly designations for June, such as “Nuclear Family Month,” sometimes openly describing them as a counter to Pride. Other prominent Republican politicians, including Vice President JD Vance, criticized Major League Baseball ‘s response to some San Francisco Giants players who added Bible verses to the rainbow-themed Pride Night caps they were issued.

    Against that backdrop, the NYC Pride March and the San Francisco Pride Parade set out to further their legacies as some of the world’s largest and oldest such celebrations.

    Both trace their roots to events held in 1970 to commemorate the Stonewall rebellion on June 28, 1969, when patrons of a New York gay bar called the Stonewall Inn resisted a police raid and ended up kindling a wave of activism.

    The Stonewall Inn still is a bar; the Stonewall monument centers on a small park across the street, about half a mile (about 0.8 km) from the Pride March route at its closest point.

    The newer Queer Liberation March, founded by activists who saw the Pride March as too corporate and official, also was held in Manhattan on Sunday.

    This year, some transgender rights activists pressured Pride organizers to bar some New York City hospitals’ contingents from marching because the institutions announced in recent months that they would stop providing transgender youth treatments.

    Christen Clifford, a mother of two trans children, said during a news conference before the parade that New York City needs to enforce state laws that protect gender-affirming care.

    “How can you let institutions that are actively harming queer kids march in Pride?” Clifford said. “I hope that New York City Pride will ban these hospitals from any future Pride parades until they restart care and so that families like mine know that you are listening to our concerns.”

    The cutoff came amid funding threats from the Trump administration, and at least some of the hospitals also got federal Justice Department subpoenas for transgender patients’ medical records. A judge has temporarily blocked the document demand.

    Heritage of Pride said it has been talking with the hospitals about the issue. The group also noted the parade contingents are organized by LGBTQ+ employee groups, not by the top administrators responsible for decisions about care.

    A message was sent to San Francisco Pride organizers about whether they faced similar questions.

    Other cities with Pride parades Sunday include Seattle, where a World Cup soccer match Friday took on a Pride dimension after the countries whose teams involved — Iran and Egypt — triedunsuccessfully to get the celebrations canceled.

    ___

    Fischer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.


  • A new law could create a list of immigrants illegally living in Mississippi. Advocates are alarmed


    A new Mississippi law will authorize the state’s top law enforcement agency to compile a list of all immigrants illegally living in the state.

    What’s to be done with that information is a bit open-ended. But the law set to take effect Wednesday is sparking alarm among immigrant advocates, who fear it could become a new tactic to target immigrants in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s plan to deport millions of people lacking legal approval to live in the U.S.

    The law says the state Department of Public Safety “may use all reasonable lawful investigative means available” to determine the number and identities of all “illegal aliens” in Mississippi. That includes collecting their names, addresses, country of origin and whether they are an adult or minor. It also includes noting any criminal history and the date, location and status of deportation proceedings.

    The department is directed to share information on those suspected of violating laws with state and local authorities. The measure neither requires nor prohibits the database from being shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    Republican state Sen. Angela Hill, who sponsored the measure, said states have a right and obligation to assist the U.S. government in discouraging illegal immigration, which she said facilitates crimes such as human and drug trafficking.

    The new law “seems like commonsense to me,” Hill said. “In order to address the problems caused by illegal immigration, we need to understand the magnitude of the problem. Identifying the number and identity of illegal aliens in Mississippi is a concrete way to better understand the problem.”

    Immigration laws are proliferating in states

    Nationwide, states already have enacted more than 100 immigration-related laws this year, according to an Associated Press tally.

    In Republican-led states, those measures generally have aligned with Trump’s agenda by requiring local sheriffs to sign cooperative agreements with ICE, reinforcing eligibility restrictions for public benefits and directing election clerks to check voter rolls against the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system in an attempt to flag noncitizens.

    Democratic-led states generally have pushed back against Trump with new laws banning cooperative pacts with ICE, forbidding ICE tactics like wearing masks and restricting immigration enforcement actions in schools, hospitals and other sensitive locations without judicial warrants.

    The closest thing to Mississippi’s new law appears to be a 2021 executive order by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. That measure directed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to “use all lawful investigative means available” to determine the number and identities of all “illegal aliens” who had been transported from the nation’s southwest border to Florida.

    The Florida agency did not respond to an AP request for information about the results of the executive order.

    Trump’s administration, meanwhile, has stepped up enforcement of a decades-old federal law that requires noncitizens to register with the U.S. government.

    Some question how the Mississippi law will work

    The Mississippi law envisions more than a one-time count. It prescribes an ongoing effort to keep track of immigrants illegally in the state for the next two years. That could get complicated as people overstay visas, apply for new forms of legal status and move into and out the state.

    “You can be undocumented today, and then have status tomorrow, and then lose it again next month, and then regain it three months from now,” said Efrén Olivares, vice president of litigation and legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center, a nonprofit that advocates for low-income immigrants.

    “It’s practically unworkable, but it’s also very worrisome, because it’s eerily reminiscent of other countries that have created lists of certain groups of people,” Olivares said.

    State officials will need to come up with “a credible and fairly foolproof way of correctly determining someone’s immigration status,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit think tank that supports restrictions on immigration.

    But Vaughan said the law “makes a lot of sense,” adding that it “raises the likelihood that someone’s illegal presence is going to come to the attention of federal authorities.”

    Advocates say the law could break trust with police

    Mississippi has one of the country’s smallest percentages of immigrants illegally residing in the state — fewer than 28,000 people, amounting to less than 1% of its population — according to a report by the American Immigration Council, which used 2023 Census Bureau data.

    The new law “is very concerning for a bunch of different reasons,” including the potential to redirect law enforcement resources away from protecting the public to investigating people from foreign countries who may be contributing to the economy, said Victoria Francis, deputy director of state and local initiatives for the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of immigrants.

    “A mandate like this invites profiling and turning entire communities into targets,” Francis said.

    The law could undermine trust between police and residents, said Lydia Grizzell, policy and advocacy manager for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi.

    “That increases the likelihood of individuals not reaching out to law enforcement when it’s needed – and that is opposite of the mission,” she said.


  • 3 firefighters killed in Colorado as wildfires stoked by heat, wind rage across the West


    BEAVER, Utah (AP) — Blistering heat and strong winds Sunday stoked wildfires across the West after three firefighters were killed a day earlier in Colorado while battling a blaze along the state’s border with Utah.

    The National Weather Service said wildfire conditions “remain critical” across the Southwest, with risk high in the Four Corners region where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah intersect. The agency warned of “extreme fire behavior” along the Utah-Colorado border, where “rapid fire growth is likely.”

    The firefighters were killed and two sustained burn injuries when they were overcome Saturday by flames from fast-moving fires. They deployed emergency protective shelters during the so-called burnover — which occurs when a fire spreads and closes off all escape routes — in Mesa County, the U.S. Interior Department said.

    They worked for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service and were part of an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires, which merged with other fires to form the Snyder Fire. So far, about 44 square miles (114 square kilometers) have burned.

    The Wildland Fire Service, created earlier this year to streamline firefighting on public lands, said in a statement that it “stands united” with the Forest Service in grief and “in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind.”

    The names of the firefighters were withheld pending notification to their loved ones, the Interior Department said.

    Temperatures in Grand Junction — east of the fire — hit a high of 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) Saturday, with winds gusting to 44 mph (71 kph), according to the National Weather Service.

    The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office asked people to evacuate the potential path of the fire and to turn on irrigation water to saturate the land. The federal Bureau of Land Management on Saturday closed public access to lands it manages nearby.

    On Sunday, strong winds pushed waves of thick, gray smoke from the fire as it burned through a desolate stretch of scrub and red mesa.

    Hot, dry and windy conditions

    Consecutive days of hot, dry and windy weather fueled fires in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and elsewhere. New fires popped up across the region.

    The largest blaze, the Cottonwood Fire, burned out of control in rugged terrain in southwest Utah. It ballooned Sunday to more than 146 square miles (378 square kilometers) after marching through canyons and mountainsides, destroying part of a ski resort. The cause is under investigation.

    Firefighters worked on multiple fronts, using bulldozers to scrape away brush and trees to starve the fire of fuel.

    No estimates of damage were immediately available. Gov. Spencer Cox in a post on social media thanked crews for what he called “several miraculous stops and saves.”

    The danger is even higher this year because of Utah’s record-low snowpack and its warmest winter on record. Much of the West is grappling with similar conditions, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some 12 fires were burning in Utah. None were contained by late afternoon Sunday.

    Fires across the U.S. burn thousands of square miles this year

    Nationally, nearly 4,688 square miles (12,142 square kilometers) have burned since Jan. 1. That is more than the 10-year average.

    Fully or largely uncontained wildfires burned across the desert Southwest on Sunday, according to Forest Service data, including in Nevada and Arizona. Their area totaled nearly 469 square miles (1,214 square kilometers).

    Emergencies declared in Utah and Colorado

    Citing fire conditions, Cox declared an emergency last week and banned fireworks ahead of the July Fourth holiday. State officials said Utah has seen an increase in wildfire starts, with each fire showing unprecedented behavior and stretching wildland firefighting capabilities.

    Colorado Gov. Jared Polis also declared an emergency on Saturday, authorizing the use of the National Guard to tackle the fires.

    South of Grand Canyon National Park, authorities said a new wildfire was moving away from Grand Canyon Village on Saturday. But about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, another fire prompted Coconino County officials to issue evacuation orders for those near Kendrick Mountain.

    Parts of northern Arizona were without power Saturday as the utility serving the area initiated a safety shut-off in hopes of lessening the wildfire risk. On Sunday, officials said power had been restored to much of Grand Canyon National Park.

    Power shutoffs have become more common in the West as wildfire risk has expanded. It is usually a last resort after utility forecasters weigh factors like sustained wind and gust speeds, available fuels and topography.

    ___

    Smyth contributed from Columbus, Ohio. Sisak reported from New York. Associated Press writer Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles contributed.


  • Congo rallies to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan to seal place in the World Cup knockouts


    ATLANTA (AP) — For 52 years, Congo’s standout World Cup memory was a humiliating 9-0 rout at the hands of Yugoslavia in its only other appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.

    Not anymore. Not after a new generation of players made history by advancing to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time and set up a clash with England.

    “The weight on our shoulders was hard to bear,” said striker Yoane Wissa, whose two goals helped Congo rally to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan on Saturday night

    Fiston Mayele was also on target in a dramatic second-half comeback as Congo joined Cape Verde as another unexpected qualifier for the round of 32.

    “We told ourselves we can’t give up,” Mayele said.

    Congo has been one of the surprise stories of this World Cup, with few expecting it to emerge from a group that included Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Colombia. And history was hardly on its side.

    Congo’s previous appearance was when it competed as Zaire in 1974 and lost all three games, including the rout by Yugoslavia.

    It’s a completely different story now.

    After holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw earlier in the tournament, Congo needed a win in its final Group K game to advance as one of the best third-place teams.

    It did just that with a breathless fight back after trailing to Eldor Shomurodov’s lobbed goal in the 10th minute.

    “We’re a team that knows how to respond when we concede a goal; we keep fighting with determination,” coach Sébastien Desabre said.

    If the weight of the occasion was evident in Congo’s first-half performance, the resilience of its players proved irresistible after the break.

    The game was level in the 68th when Wissa was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov for a penalty.

    Wissa picked himself up and sent Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way, rolling the ball into the bottom corner for the first of a late flurry of goals.

    Mayele put Congo ahead 10 minutes later when flicking past Nematov at the near post and was mobbed by teammates and even substitutes, who raced off the bench and across the field to join in the wild celebrations.

    There were even more joyous scenes when Wissa put the result beyond doubt in added time with a curling shot into the bottom corner.

    Fans continued celebrating long after the final whistle, singing and dancing in the stadium concourses. The memories of 1974 fading fast.

    “We’re going to savor this moment because it’s been tough,” said Wissa. “All the guys — the substitutes, those who’ve worn the jersey before, and those who’ll wear it tomorrow — we should be proud. Thank you to all the Congolese people; it’s for moments like these that we do what we do. We did it!”

    Congo is one of nine African nations to advance from the group stage at this tournament.

    “It’s quite an achievement. We showed a good image of Congo,” said Desabre.

    Uzbekistan’s debut at the World Cup ended in three straight defeats.

    “I hope this tournament will give us big experience. I hope this experience will give us more motivation for the future,” said coach Fabio Cannavaro.

    ___

    See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here


  • England beats Panama 2-0 on goals by Bellingham and Kane to win its World Cup group


    EAST RUTHERFORD, N,.J. (AP) — Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and England’s fervid fans made MetLife Stadium feel like Wembley. They hope for a repeat at next month’s World Cup final.

    With supporters’ red-and-white St. George’s Cross signs circling the field on an afternoon of sporadic rain, Bellingham and Kane scored early in the second half for a 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday. England earned first place in its group and a more favorable knockout phase bracket.

    The Three Lions even wore the red jerseys made famous when England beat Germany for its only title in 1966, a sartorial similarity connecting North Jersey and that famous day in north London.

    “Amazing support. Crazy white wall behind the goal. Perfect weather to play football for us,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said.

    England finished Group L with two wins and a draw for seven points and plays its round of 32 match Wednesday at Atlanta against Congo. The team that advances faces Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico City.

    If the Three Lions had dropped to second, they would have encountered Portugal, with the winner meeting Spain or Austria.

    “I know some people have already made plans,” Bellingham said, “so it was nice they don’t have to cancel anything.”

    Fans filled the field walls with flags displaying club names that included Tottenham, Watford and Wolves plus less-celebrated clubs such as Crawley Town, Bristol Rovers and Faversham Town.

    Panama held the England scoreless through a first half in which Kane had 10 touches, the fewest of any player. Croatia added pressure by taking the lead in the 31st minute against Ghana in simultaneous match in Philadelphia.

    “All the lads were ready to go after halftime,” Bellingham said. “We realized we had a couple of more gears to go.”

    Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick. Held in bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year.

    Five minutes later, Bellingham crossed from the left flank and Kane outjumped Andrés Andrade to head in the ball for his 82nd international goal. Kane became England’s record World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.

    Bellingham injured his left hamstring playing for Real Madrid on Feb. 1, didn’t return until March 22 and scored just two more goals during the rest of the La Liga season.

    “Jude looks fit, looks sharp,” Kane said. “It looks like he’s got the bit between his teeth to really go out there and prove to the world what type of player he is.”

    England reached the knockout rounds for the seventh time in eight World Cups.

    “They have great players. They are worth millions and millions,” Panama defender José Córdoba said. “We’re talking about English football, which is much more developed than in our country and there’s a huge distance.”

    Panama went 0-3 for the second time and was outscored 4-0. It joined Iraq, Haiti, El Salvador, Canada and Mexico — all but one from the CONCACAF region — as teams that lost their first six World Cup matches. José Fajardo put the ball in the net for the Los Canaleros in second-half stoppage time, but was called for offside.

    “We can be proud — not of the results, as no one can be proud of a defeat, but all in all I think they gave their everything.” Panama coach Thomas Christiansen said. “For the outside world, the image of Panama has been really good.”

    Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford played his 15th World Cup match, second among English players to Peter Shilton’s 17.

    England’s Jarell Quansah, usually a central defender, replaced right back Reece James, sidelined by a hamstring. Quansah twisted his right ankle during a 59th-minute challenge by José Luis Rodríguez and was replaced in the 63rd. England is short on right backs after Trent Alexander-Arnold was not picked for the roster.

    “It will be now a very tight race for Quansah, so I’m worried about these two,” Tuchel said.

    In the glow of victory, supporters celebrated Bellingham by singing the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” when he stood on the field for postgame interviews.

    “This evening is special to take the energy and take in the atmosphere,” Tuchel said. “From tomorrow we will think about round of 32.”

    ___

    AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

    ___

    See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.


  • Lauryn Hill honored, Janet Jackson stuns Teyana Taylor and Druski makes history at BET Awards


    LOS ANGELES (AP) — After watching a 20-minute tribute celebrating her groundbreaking career, Lauryn Hill surprised the BET Awards audience Sunday with an impromptu performance of her 1998 classic “Ex-Factor” after accepting the Living Legend Icon Award before closing the show with “Everything Is Everything.”

    Introduced by Ice Cube, the eight-time Grammy winner was honored with performances at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater from SZA, Doechii, Lizzo, Queen Latifah, Common, her children Selah Marley and Zion Marley, who revisited songs from Hill’s stellar catalog while she stood smiling, singing along and applauding throughout the tribute.

    After she accepted the honor, Hill encouraged artists to embrace their gifts and remain true to their purpose.

    “I fight for y’all,” Hill said. “And fighting for y’all is me fighting for myself, it’s me fighting for my children, it’s me fighting for my community.”

    The Living Legend Icon Award recognizes pioneers whose work has remained culturally essential across generations. Hill first emerged as a member of the Fugees before releasing her landmark solo debut, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” featuring classics including “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor” and “Everything Is Everything.”

    Janet Jackson surprises Teyana Taylor with honor

    Teyana Taylor fought back tears Sunday after an emotional surprise at the BET Awards:Janet Jackson walked onto the stage to present Taylor with the Icon of the Year Award.

    Taylor, visibly stunned as Jackson received a standing ovation, embraced the music legend before thanking one of her biggest inspirations.

    “They did not tell me Janet was coming,” Taylor said through tears. “There will be no me without you.”

    Presenting the award, Jackson praised Taylor’s relentless work ethic and artistic range, highlighting her Golden Globe win for best supporting actress in “One Battle After Another” and calling her gifts “God-given.”

    The Icon of the Year Award recognizes a creative force whose influence is shaping culture. Taylor has evolved from a multiplatinum recording artist into an award-winning actor, director, producer and choreographer.

    Accepting the honor, Taylor reflected on her two-decade career.

    “I worked my (expletives) off 20 years,” she said. “So I’m not accepting what I’ve earned with arrogance. I’m accepting what I’ve earned with gratitude.”

    BET Awards remembers Clive Davis, Richard Smallwood and other trailblazers

    The BET Awards paused to honor influential figures from music and entertainment who died over the past year during an emotional in memoriam tribute.

    Erica Campbell of Mary Mary introduced the segment by reflecting on the enduring legacies left behind by those who died, paying special tribute to the late gospel composer Richard Smallwood, whose music she said strengthened her faith. She also remembered the late music executive Clive Davis, who died earlier this week at 94, before performing Whitney Houston’s “I Love the Lord” with Le’Andria Johnson.

    The tribute remembered Smallwood, Davis, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and others whose contributions left a lasting mark on music, television and culture.

    D’Angelo honored with all-star tribute

    The show also celebrated the late D’Angelo’s legacy with a star-studded tribute that opened with appearances by his three children.

    Ari Lennox, BJ the Chicago Kid, Durand Bernarr, George Clinton and RAYE were among the artists who honored the singer with performances of his music, celebrating the enduring influence of one of R&B’s most acclaimed voices.

    Sylvia Rhone honored for shaping generations of artists

    Music executive Sylvia Rhone received the BET Ultimate Icon Award in recognition of her groundbreaking leadership and lasting impact on the music industry.

    Presented by Kelly Rowland, the honor celebrated Rhone’s trailblazing career as the first Black woman to lead a major record company owned by a Fortune 500 corporation. A video tribute featured messages from artists including Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes, highlighting her role in helping develop the careers of performers such as Tracy Chapman, Brandy, Erykah Badu, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi, Future, Travis Scott and Tyler, the Creator.

    While accepting the award, Rhone dedicated the honor to the artists and creative teams she has worked alongside throughout her career.

    “Tonight’s honor bears my name, but it really belongs to all of us who create culture,” she said.

    Rhone also used the moment to urge the music industry to protect artists as artificial intelligence reshapes the business.

    “We make the algorithm. The algorithm doesn’t make us,” she said. “We must honor the musician. We must compensate the creator.”

    She concluded by calling on the industry to ensure the next generation of artists has the opportunity to create “the songs that will change the world.”

    Druski opens BET Awards with dramatic entrance

    Druski made a grand entrance to kick off the BET Awards on Sunday, descending from the rafters in a harness as a choir filled the theater with a rendition of Kirk Franklin’s “Revolution,” setting the tone for a night celebrating music, comedy and culture.

    The comedian and digital creator made history by becoming the youngest host of the ceremony. The show’s opening performances featured Kehlani, who sang “Folded” with Jamie Foxx and his daughter, Anelise Estelle Foxx, on guitar. Don Toliver also performed his hits “E85” and “Body.”

    Accepting the award for best female R&B/pop artist, Kehlani admitted she hadn’t prepared a speech, instead marveling that “Janet Jackson is here,” before telling the icon she was “really honored to be here” among the night’s talent.

    Druski, 31, surpassed Kevin Hart, who previously held the distinction as the BET Award’s youngest host when he emceed in 2011.

    Throughout the night, Druski leaned into his comedic persona with appearances alongside Martin Lawrence and Latto. Lawrence jokingly shut down Druski’s pitch to appear in the next “Bad Boys” film before teasing his upcoming Paramount+ series, while Latto playfully poked fun at the host during one of the show’s transitions. Druski also spoofed Jay-Z’s Roots Picnic freestyle.

    Druski became one of entertainment’s fastest-rising stars through his viral sketches before expanding into sold-out comedy tours and collaborations with artists including Drake and Snoop Dogg, as well as appearances alongside figures like Tom Brady and Timothée Chalamet.

    Hip-hop pioneer MC Lyte returned as the show’s announcer.


  • Hovland flips the script on Scheffler and takes the lead at Travelers Championship


    CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Viktor Hovland feels he is headed in the right direction, and Saturday at the Travelers Championship was a big test. He played alongside Scottie Scheffler on a course that features plenty of water and shots that can cause some stress.

    A two-shot swing on the 18th hole — Hovland made a 6-foot birdie, Scheffler three-putted from 25 feet on the fringe for bogey — gave the Norwegian star a 6-under 64 and a one-shot lead over the world’s No. 1 player.

    “Just had a great time,” Hovland said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. To go head-to-head against the best player in the world and pull off some great shots, it was just a lot of fun.”

    The pleasant surprise was the support he had in the crowd.

    Scheffler is enormously popular and the TPC Highlands had a vocal gallery. Hovland had plenty of support from a Norway contingent that drove over from Boston following a World Cup loss to France. Hovland gave them plenty of opportunity to do the “row” that has become so popular in the stadium and subway stations and wherever they gather.

    Hovland knows it well. Oddly enough, it was the first time he had seen it live.

    “I mean, we’re Vikings, so it’s kind of in our DNA,” Hovland said. “It’s kind of funny, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen it. I think that’s the first time we’ve ever done it, especially in the World Cup. So yeah, it took us 1,000 years to figure it out. I think it’s pretty cool.”

    “Ro, ro, ro!” they chanted as Hovland approached the 18th green. “USA! USA!” came the American chants. It was good banter on a Saturday afternoon in New England, an example why partisan cheering in a World Cup year is far more palatable than a Ryder Cup year.

    It was the second straight year Scheffler, whose bogey gave him a 67, fell from the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend at the TPC River Highlands, though this was no cause for alarm. A year ago, he opened with a triple bogey, shot 72 and fell nine shots behind.

    This was one hole, and he was only one shot behind as Scheffler tries to win for the first time since the start to his season in the California desert.

    Hovland was at 20-under 190 and gets another afternoon with Scheffler on Sunday. The next closest players were Patrick Cantlay (64) and Akshay Bhatia (67), who were five shots behind.

    “This is a golf course where you can see some numbers be shot. You know, guys can shoot pretty low,” Scheffler said. “Going into tomorrow just try to execute, have a good round, and see where that puts me.”

    Hovland started two shots behind and it took him four holes — three birdies — to catch Scheffler. From there, it was a bit of a pillow fight as they matched mostly pars, two birdies and one bogey to remain tied.

    Scheffler regained the lead with a lob wedge to 2 feet on the 14th. Both got up-and-down from the front of the green on the reachable par-4 15th — Scheffler with a nifty chip that floated up the slope and trickled down to the pin — and exchanged pars going to the 18th.

    That’s where it flipped, giving Hovland the lead.

    “The score is nice … but I’m very process-driven,” Hovland said. “As soon as I find a certain feel that I can trust and it produces a pretty reliable shot shape, I know that I’m going to be able to score pretty well from there. So if I happen to shoot 2 under or 6 under or 9 under, that’s not the most important thing. As soon as I see the shots that I’m trying to hit and execute, that’s what gives me the confidence.

    “Then it’s all a bonus on top being able to do it at this stage and in front of that many people.”

    There was separation, but this is not a duel given the nature of this course that allows for low scoring and dynamic finishes because of the closing hole.

    “The beauty of this golf course is that I think Scottie and I have separated ourselves from the rest of the field, but at the same time, 14 or 15 under is still very much in this thing if they go and shoot a very low score tomorrow,” Hovland said.

    “So we still have to go out there and play very similar to what we did today,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re bringing in a lot more guys.”

    ___

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


  • 4 dead amid flooding caused by heavy rains, Kentucky governor says


    FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Four people have died due to flooding from thunderstorms in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday, and he declared a state of emergency with additional rainfall expected.

    Flash flood warnings were in effect Saturday for parts of Kentucky and Indiana amid heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.

    The agency late Saturday afternoon said between 4 and 10 inches of rain had already fallen in some parts of southwestern Indiana, with more possible. Beshear’s office said up to 7 inches of rain were expected in parts of his state through the late evening.

    He said on social media that three people had died in Madison County and one in Jackson County due to flooding.

    Two of the flood victims, a man and a woman, were found dead inside their house after floodwaters inundated a section of the city of Richmond, Kentucky, and trapped residents inside their homes, according to the Madison County coroner’s office.

    Another victim was extracted from a vehicle trapped in floodwaters on Tates Creek Road near Lexington, the coroner’s office said.

    Carlos Coyle, the deputy Madison County coroner, said search and rescue teams were going door to door searching for victims in hard-hit areas. Some areas still were not accessible, he said.

    Beshear said on social media there were “significant roads underwater” in Madison County. He also said at least 12 state roads were “out of commission” because they were flooded.

    “This is a serious flooding event, where teams have already had to conduct multiple water rescues from vehicles and homes across the commonwealth,” he said in a separate statement. “As more heavy rain continues through late tonight, we need folks to remain alert and to avoid driving, especially after dark when there is limited visibility.”

    In northwest Kentucky, just outside Louisville, Bullitt County emergency management officials asked residents of a rural road to evacuate as a precaution after a landslide at a dam embankment. The dam was holding, and there was no indication of imminent failure, they said.

    The area saw about 3 inches of rain in the past two days, according to the National Weather Service.


  • Trump says he is nominating former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer as ICE director


    NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday said he is nominating Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, as the next director of Immigration and Customs and Enforcement.

    Trump said on his Truth Social platform that his new pick for the immigration enforcement agency is a former U.S. Marine and a “PATRIOT with real operational experience.” He called Schroyer a “proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”

    Schroyer hails from the same home state as the new Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former congressman. Earlier this month, Mullin brought Schroyer onstage at a National Sheriffs’ Association event, calling him a “good friend of mine” and noting DHS had recently hired him.

    On Saturday, Mullin quickly praised Schroyer in a statement highlighting the former trooper’s 29-year career and his work with federal and state partners on a U.S. immigration enforcement program.

    “President Trump made a great pick, and I’m confident Lance’s strong leadership and firsthand experience will empower the men and women of ICE to deport criminal illegal aliens, secure the homeland, and protect the American people,” Mullin said.

    If confirmed, Schroyer will lead ICE at a time when the public mood has soured on Trump’s immigration crackdown, which sent surges of federal immigration officers into American cities to round up immigrants. Those raids sent tensions soaring and prompted clashes between protesters and law enforcement, leading to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year.

    Trump returned to the White House on a promise of mass deportations, and ICE has been a central executor of that vision. The agency is undergoing massive growth from a one-time injection of $75 billion last year, which has allowed for the hiring of 12,000 officers and increased detention capacity.

    Mullin, who started in his role in March, has promised to keep his department out of the headlines and has indicated a softer tone on immigration, although he is expected to align with the president’s priorities on mass deportations.

    Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former senior ICE official, said prior confirmed ICE directors have often been attorneys, though some state and local law enforcement officials have also been nominated. She said his background in Oklahoma suggests Mullin likely had influence over the pick.

    “I think probably given the attention on ICE, he wants to feel like he has somebody he can trust in there,” she said in an interview.

    John Torres, another senior ICE official, said Schroyer faces an uphill climb toward Senate confirmation but his experience being at the state and local level instead of the federal level might help.

    “He won’t have any of that baggage, where they’re going to turn around and say, oh, well, he worked for this administration or that,” Torres said.

    Schroyer’s nomination comes after former ICE director Todd Lyons resigned at the end of May. David Venturella, a former executive at a private prison operator, has been serving as the acting head of the agency. Venturella is expected to stay on as the acting director until Schroyer is Senate confirmed, according to a DHS official speaking on condition of anonymity.

    ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since the Obama administration, a result of polarizing politics around the agency and immigration policy.

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    Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat and Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.


  • White Sox chairman Reinsdorf officiates wedding of former Rookie of Year Kittle during game


    CHICAGO (AP) — As the White Sox were slugging their way to a 22-1 victory over the Royals on Friday night, former player Ron Kittle was getting married in a ballpark suite with Chicago chairman Jerry Reinsdorf officiating.

    Kittle tied the knot with his girlfriend, Barbara, in Reinsdorf’s suite during Chicago’s 10-run third inning. The White Sox went on to score their most runs since a 22-13 victory at Boston on May 31, 1970.

    “He’s so superstitious he might marry somebody today in the bottom of the third,” Kittle, the 1983 AL Rookie of the Year, said Saturday about Reinsdorf.

    Harold Baines and Greg Walker, Kittle’s teammates on the 1983 White Sox squad, and their spouses also attended the quick ceremony.

    “My better half doesn’t want any notoriety, recognition. She wants to keep it to herself,” Kittle said. “But I invited Harold Baines and his wife and Greg Walker and his wife, and we did it and I was pretty excited. I think Jerry is excited. We’ve become a family over the years.”

    The 1983 White Sox, who won the AL West, were honored before Saturday’s game between Chicago and Kansas City.

    Kittle said he also is ordained and that he officiated a wedding in the outfield last season on Bill Veeck Day.

    “Now I’m the only player to marry someone at the park and get married at the park,” Kittle said. “And I’m good.”

    Other members of the 1983 team who attended the pregame reunion at Rate Field were Hall of Famer Tony La Russa, who serves as a White Sox special adviser, Richard Dotson and Greg Luzinski.

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