Two trains collide north of London, killing at least 1 person and seriously injuring dozens

Two trains collide north of London, killing at least 1 person and seriously injuring dozensLONDON (AP) — Two trains collided north of London on Friday, killing a driver and seriously injuring dozens of people on board. A passenger described being thrown forward by the impact then seeing fellow travelers with broken bones and bloody injuries.

Both trains were traveling south to London St. Pancras station when they collided outside the town of Bedford around 5:15 p.m., according to information on rail tracking websites. Emergency services deployed a number of resources to the scene including an air ambulance and hazardous incident team from the East of England Ambulance Service.

“We know that a number of people have been injured and one person has very sadly died,’’ police said in a statement. “A major incident has been declared, and officers are continuing to respond at the scene alongside colleagues from Bedfordshire Police and the local Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services.”

The East of England Ambulance Service later said that 11 people had very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 had minor injuries.

Eddie Dempsey, the general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, said the fatality was a train driver.

Peter Knapp, a passenger, said he was in the rear train when the collision occurred without any warning.

“There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke,” Knapp said. “People were crying, screaming. People were so scared and confused.”

“I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs,” he added. “And then I managed to get out of the train and because I’m quite thin I was able to squeeze out through the gap in the doors.”

Photos and videos posted on social media showed dozens of people, some with bandages but many who appeared uninjured, standing and sitting among emergency vehicles parked on a road that runs parallel to the train tracks.

The RMT union, which represents many railway workers, said it was monitoring the situation and expressed its concern over reports of “serious injuries” sustained by both train staff and passengers.

East Midlands Railway said in a statement that the 4:40 p.m. train from Corby to St. Pancras had been involved in the collision with the 3:50 p.m. train from Nottingham to the same station. The company said it had canceled all trains to and from St. Pancras for the rest of Friday and it was unable to confirm the schedule for Saturday.

US push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump. Vance stays at home, for now

US push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump. Vance stays at home, for now
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies at a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing for the Department of Defense, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Washington, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
ZURICH (AP) — The American push to quickly begin high-stakes talks with Iran hit a snag Friday, just days after the signing of an agreement that opens a two-month window for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program and returning oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to prewar levels.

Iranian officials did not travel as planned to Switzerland, insisting that Israeli strikes on Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon must stop before the talks can take place, according to three regional officials and a person familiar with the matter. They were not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing mediation to try to get the talks rescheduled and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The situation was fluid as Israel and Hezbollah agreed on Friday to renew their ceasefire, according to a U.S. official and regional officials. It remains to be seen whether that could help put the U.S.-Iran talks back on track.

In Washington, President Donald Trump lashed out once again in the midst of the intensified fighting in Lebanon and the stalled nuclear talks.

“We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did,” Trump wrote in a social media post Friday. “They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!”
Vance was ready for Swiss talks

Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, had been prepared to make an overnight flight to meet with his Iranian counterparts at a mountainside resort in the tiny Swiss village of Obbürgen and begin the technical talks.

Vance’s staff and a small group of journalists had gathered at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington in anticipation of the trip. Dozens of White House officials, advance staffers and more media were already in Switzerland.

Then the trip was called off — abruptly and for the time being.

A White House statement said Vance, tapped by Trump to lead the negotiations, decided to postpone his travel. It made no mention of the escalating violence in Lebanon.

“The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable,” the statement said.

But, according to officials, the Iranians made clear to the White House that they had balked at starting the talks with Vance because of the Israeli action in Lebanon.

While Iranian officials and Vance did not make it to Switzerland Friday, a mediator from the Gulf country of Qatar found his way to the resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, where the U.S.-Iran talks are to be held. Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met with the Swiss foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis.
Fighting in southern Lebanon intensifies

The fighting had intensified with at least 18 killed by Israeli airstrikes, while four Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel’s military would stay in a “security zone” of southern Lebanon as long as “Israel’s security needs require it.”

Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the U.S.-Iran agreement.

Iran insists Israel must withdraw from the large swath of southern Lebanon it is occupying, but the wording of the interim deal does not explicitly require that and only ensures Lebanon’s “territorial integrity.”

Hours before postponing his trip, Vance gave some indication of the state of flux when he told reporters at a White House briefing that he was uncertain if the talks were going to happen this weekend.

“We think these technical negotiations start sometime this weekend,” Vance said. “That’s still the plan. But that could change.”

Soon after Vance spoke to reporters, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, endorsed direct negotiations with the United States. His terse statement, read by state media, appeared to signal to the Islamic Republic’s leadership that it could move forward with a first round of talks.

“It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion,” Khamenei said.

The messaging seemed to give Khamenei, who was badly wounded in the U.S. strike on Feb. 28 that killed his father, some maneuverability. Hard-liners in the Iranian government, including Khamenei’s father, long opposed direct talks with the White House, especially after Trump, during his first term, pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration.

The meeting was initially supposed to be a signing ceremony

Vance was initially expected to go to Switzerland to sign the agreement at a formal ceremony. Instead, Trump signed the document Wednesday during a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles with French President Emmanuel Macron. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, separately signed the agreement.

It says Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under rubble left by U.S. military strikes last year targeting Tehran’s key nuclear sites, must at minimum be diluted under international supervision.

It also says Iran shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons — a commitment Tehran has made previously. Other commitments remain to be worked out.
Iran believes it’s in a strong negotiating position

Iranians would be going into the talks with a measure of confidence after effectively shutting down the strait, causing global economic reverberations, said Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities in Washington.

She said the U.S. is now “essentially trying to negotiate our way back to the prewar status quo.”

Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House think tank, said the “buoyant” Iranian leadership feels it has the upper hand. The endorsement of the talks by the Iranian supreme leader “sends a very strong signal domestically: ’We’re now on an equal footing with the U.S.’”

”‘Trump has gone from calling for regime change on Feb. 28 to this: Now they’re going to sit down with us directly and talk about these big issues,’” Quilliam said of the Iranians’ thinking. “So it’s intended more for the domestic audience, and telling them: ‘We are firmly in control of this. There can be no protests, no revolution: We are a new regime and we’re staying put.’”

Vance has to negotiate through political division

For Vance, a likely 2028 presidential contender, how the negotiations play out could have enormous ramifications for his political fortunes.

Vance’s skepticism of foreign wars was a core part of his political identity during his political rise, which included election as a U.S. senator. Now he finds himself the chief defender of negotiating an endgame to Trump’s conflict that Democrats have largely derided as a foolish gambit. Some hawkish Republicans are aghast that Trump is getting behind a settlement that could put billions of dollars into Iran’s coffers.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said aspects of the deal are “completely out of step” with Trump’s goals.

Trump fiercely criticized Obama for the 2015 nuclear agreement, which Trump argued failed to stop Tehran from advancing toward a weapon and funneled billions of dollars to the Islamic Republic. The Republican president exited the U.S. from the deal in 2018.

Trump has pushed back against comparisons to that earlier agreement, saying he had “negotiated from strength” after a major military campaign while asserting that Obama was paying the Iranians off and not receiving acquiescence.

Wicker, R-Miss., was particularly concerned about the $300 billion fund for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran mentioned in the 14-point agreement. Trump and Vance have said no U.S. taxpayer money would go to such a fund and it would not come without concessions and reforms by Tehran.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo contributed to this report.

Without the injured Christian Pulisic, US beats Australia 2-0 to advance to World Cup knockout round

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. national soccer team advanced to the knockout round at the World Cup without injured forward Christian Pulisic on the field, beating Australia 2-0 on Friday.

A deep U.S. roster earned a knockout berth after only two matches for the first time. The last time the Americans served as World Cup hosts in 1994, they advanced by being one of the best third-place teams. They then lost to eventual champion Brazil in their next match, which was in the round of 16.

Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan and has 33 goals in 87 international appearances, missed Friday’s match because of a calf injury.

“C.P. is a fantastic player — the quality and the leadership that he gives us,” said Folarin Balogun, who scored two goals in the 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 12. “We didn’t have him today, but I think you saw we’re still capable to go out there and get a result and put up a performance.”

Alex Freeman, the youngest player on the team at 21 and son of Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, gave the Americans a 2-0 lead in the 43rd minute off a set piece. Freeman headed in a deflected shot by Sergiño Dest for his first career World Cup goal. The goal was confirmed after a video review.

The U.S. took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute after a run down the left sideline by Balogun.

He directed a centering pass towards striker Ricardo Pepi, who started in place of Pulisic. The ball never reached Pepi, deflecting off Australia defender Cameron Burgess and into the Socceroos’ net for an own-goal.

“I want to be dangerous, I want to create opportunities,” Balogun said. “It might not always be myself that scores, but if I can force an error that gives us the lead, then for me it’s like a goal as well. It was a special start to the game to give us the momentum.”

Legendary TV director James Burrows dies at 85

In this March 25, 2025, file photo, James Burrows attends a premiere in Los Angeles. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images, FILE)

Legendary director James Burrows has died, his agent confirmed to ABC News on Friday. He was 85.

Burrows is known for directing some of the most iconic shows on television, from Cheers and Taxi to Will & Grace and Frasier.

Throughout his illustrious career, Burrows won 11 Emmys and five Directors Guild of America Awards. The Directors Guild of America also honored Burrows in 2015 with a lifetime achievement award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2006.

"Jimmy was the greatest comedic television director in the history of the medium," his agent, Rick Rosen, said in a statement to ABC News. "He directed the most iconic, defining shows of generations. Always a gentleman, it was an absolute honor to represent him."

Born on Dec. 30, 1940, Burrows made his mark across many television shows in the mid 1970s, directing episodes for several television series in 1975 including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis and The Bob Newhart Show.

He also helmed episodes of Laverne & Shirley, The Betty White Show, Rhoda and more, before a long stint as director for the TV sitcom Taxi starting in 1978. Burrows directed the first four seasons of the series, which focused on the everyday lives of New York City taxi drivers.

While speaking to the Television Academy in 2025, Burrows said his job as a director on Taxi was to "mold" the actors "into an ensemble."

"I'm not sure how much the actors learned from me, but I learned a lot about how to deal with people because of that show," he said.

Following Taxi, Burrows directed several other TV shows as well as the 1988 television movie The Nerd, prior to directing Cheers starting in 1982. He was also a co-creator on the show, and directed 237 episodes.

In 2003, Burrows told Conan O'Brien that it was a "wonderful experience."

"It was so smooth, it was scary, how the process went," Burrows said about the writing, cast and crew.

The show won a total of 28 Primetime Emmy Awards, with Burrows winning two for directing.

Burrows went on to direct more television shows after Cheers, including Frasier, Will & Grace and Friends.

When asked in an interview in 2003 by the Television Academy about how he wanted to be remembered, Burrows said, "That every night forever you can tune in somewhere and there'll be a show I did."

 ABC News' Andrea Dresdale contributed to this report.

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Israel and Hezbollah agree to halt fighting, officials say, as US-Iran talks hang in the balance

Israel and Hezbollah agree to halt fighting, officials say, as US-Iran talks hang in the balanceJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group agreed Friday to halt the heavy fighting in southern Lebanon that had threatened to unravel an interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end their war, officials said. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah immediately confirmed the truce.

It came after a heavy exchange of fire killed 47 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers.

Hezbollah and Israel went to war shortly after the outbreak of the wider conflict, with Hezbollah firing rockets and drones at civilian communities in northern Israel and Israel seizing large swaths of southern Lebanon.

The interim agreement to end the Iran war has already reopened the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed, cutting the global economy off from significant supplies of oil and natural gas. The deal would also relaunch talks on Iran’s nuclear program, the core issue over which Israel and the U.S. began the war on Feb. 28.

But the accord already faces threats, chiefly from Lebanon, with the fighting there leading to a delay in the start of talks planned for Friday in Switzerland. The agreement calls for a halt to military operations in Lebanon and for its sovereignty to be respected. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a party to the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until the threat is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanon, which Iran says is also a condition of the deal.

Firing goes on along Lebanese border

Hours after officials told news organizations about the truce, Israeli artillery fire could still be heard from northern Israel along the Lebanese border, and a large explosion was seen erupting inside Lebanon, according to an AP journalist in northern Israel.

Word of the attempt to halt the fighting came from two regional officials and a U.S. official. The effort was mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Iran, the regional officials said. The three officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah was supposed to end at 4 p.m. local time, according to a second U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and also spoke on condition of anonymity.

A Hezbollah official said an agreement to stop fighting could be announced soon, but he stopped short of confirming it was in place. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment. However, Netanyahu posted Friday on X that, on his orders, the Israeli army had “struck powerfully” 150 Hezbollah targets, killing dozens of militants.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military has not received different instructions from the government. He said Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defense zone” and would continue doing so.

The Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, posted on X that Israel “remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire” if Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases hostilities.
Iranian and U.S. officials cancel travel to Switzerland

Iranian officials did not travel as planned to Switzerland, insisting that the fighting in Lebanon must stop before the talks can take place, according to the two regional officials, an Iranian official and a fourth person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations behind the scenes. U.S. Vice President JD Vance also postponed his trip.

The future talks are supposed to bring about a permanent end to the conflict.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said consultations through mediators were ongoing regarding the next phase of negotiations to draft a final agreement.

Because the initial deal was signed digitally earlier this week, the talks in Switzerland were not urgent, and plans were underway to hold a meeting in the coming days, he said.
Fighting forces families to flee from villages

The Israeli military said four soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in an attack on a tank in a village near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. An explosive drone attack wounded another five, military officials added.

Israel then launched multiple strikes against “Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in Nabatiyeh and other areas, according to a military statement, which accused the militant group of “blatant ceasefire violations.”

Later, the military said it also struck targets in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, with Lebanese media saying the village of Douris was hit.

“Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Hezbollah acknowledged targeting Israeli tanks and said its attacks were in response to what it called Israel’s own violation of the ceasefire. It said the attacks came after Israeli forces attempted to reach the northern side of Ali al-Taher hilltop, a strategic point that overlooks Nabatiyeh and that Israeli troops have been trying to capture.

In southern Lebanon, many were forced to flee their villages.

“The situation is lawless, we couldn’t stay,” said Mustafa Zain, who was with his six daughters in a pickup truck.

Israel’s actions have created a rift between Israel and the U.S., with Trump becoming increasingly critical of his close ally Netanyahu, who is also facing increasing criticism at home.

Much still needs to be resolved

The discussions in Switzerland were expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran maintains it is peaceful, though it has highly enriched uranium that could be used to build multiple atomic bombs, should it choose to do so, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Those talks are expected to be difficult. The 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump scrapped during his first term, took more than 18 months to negotiate.

The interim deal gives negotiators 60 days to come up with a nuclear agreement, but that can be extended. It outlines lucrative incentives if Iran does reach a new agreement, including the eventual lifting of all international sanctions and a $300 billion fund for postwar reconstruction.

Already Iran has won some concessions. Following the signing of the interim deal, the U.S. lifted its blockade of Iran’s ports and is allowing it to sell its oil freely. The deal also calls for Iran’s assets to be unfrozen — though it’s not clear how quickly.

A ‘Golden’ year: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ by the numbers

'Kpop Demon Hunters' (Courtesy Netflix)

The Netflix phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters celebrates the one-year anniversary of its release on Saturday, June 20. The animated film has gone on to dominate the streaming service's "most-watched" list, global pop culture and the Billboard charts in equal measure.

Here's a look at KPop Demon Hunters by the numbers, courtesy of Netflix:

- It's the first title ever to spend 52 straight weeks on Netflix's Global Top 10.

- It was the most-streamed movie of 2025, with 20.5 billion viewing minutes.

- KPop Demon Hunters' lyric videos drew 32 million views worldwide.

- The soundtrack spent two weeks at #1 on Billboard 200, and racked up more than 15 billion streams worldwide, making it the most-streamed soundtrack of the decade. 

- The HUNTR/X song "Golden" was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, becoming the first-ever #1 by a female K-pop act, and the longest-running #1 by a female group in this century. It was also the fastest song to reach a billion streams on Spotify.

- In addition to "Golden," the soundtrack also sent three other songs into the top 10 simultaneously: "Your Idol," "Soda Pop" and "How It's Done."

- At the Oscars earlier this year, KPop Demon Hunters won best animated feature, while "Golden" won best original song, making it the first K-pop song to win an Oscar. "Golden" also won the Golden Globe in the same category, and the Grammy in the category of best song written for visual media.

- Since the film's debut, Duolingo has seen a 22% jump in Korean language learners. 

On Saturday, the official Netflix TikTok account will host a nine-hour livestream featuring multiple versions of the film, plus appearances from fans, cast members and filmmakers, live commentary and more.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Life sentence for child predator for abusing children

AUSTIN – A jury in Bexar County sentenced a child predator to life in prison, after he was found guilty of abusing children, according to a news release from Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. Joe Suarez Jr., 71, was found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child and indecency with a child, after the jury listened to four days of testimony. It took only four hours to reach a verdict. The court ordered a sentence of life without parole and two consecutive 20-year sentences, the maximum punishment allowed by law.

“My office worked tirelessly to put this child predator behind bars for life and secure justice for the victims of these heinous crimes,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We are committed to standing up for victims of sexual assault and will use every tool available to us to ensure that child predators are prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.”

In March 2016, an 8-year-old child made an outcry of sexual abuse to a teacher at her school. Following her outcry, two additional victims came forward to report that they had also been subjected to chronic abuse by the same offender, Joe Suarez Jr. Their reports of abuse were referred to the San Antonio Police Department (“SAPD”) by the Department of Family and Protective Services (“DFPS”). SAPD conducted an investigation and referred the case to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, where it remained for several years awaiting grand jury presentation. After District Attorney Joe Gonzalez was elected and recused his office from the prosecution, the case was referred to another district attorney’s office in Texas before being transferred to the Office of the Attorney General in late 2023.

Given the years that had passed since the initial investigation, Sgt. Andres Alaniz investigated the case again. In 2025, at the conclusion of the OAG’s investigation and in conjunction with SAPD’s prior work, the defendant’s charges were presented to a Bexar County grand jury. Suarez was subsequently indicted for continuous sexual abuse of young children, and aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.

The evidence showed that the defendant, who played in a local mariachi group, would offer mariachi lessons to children in the community to gain their trust, according to the attorney general. The defendant took advantage of the trust his family and community placed in him, and sexually abused multiple children in his home. He also worked as a truck driver and would sexually abuse children in the cab of his 18-wheeler.

DOJ refuses to issue signed declaration verifying ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is dead

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche listens to a reporter's question during a press conference at the Department of Justice June 11, 2026 in Washingon, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- The Justice Department on Friday refused to issue a signed declaration from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche verifying that it no longer intends to pursue President Donald Trump's "Anti-Weaponization Fund."

The DOJ's refusal comes after a federal judge last week gave the administration seven days to verify in a declaration that it wouldn't create the controversial fund.

"Such declarations are unnecessary and the compelled testimony of senior officials from the Executive Branch implicates serious separation of powers concerns," the DOJ said in a court filing Friday to U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who last week issued an injunction indefinitely blocking the administration from creating the fund.

Brinkema had given the Trump administration seven days to verify in a declaration from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that it wouldn't create the fund, which she said would likely lead to the dismissal of the lawsuit she was overseeing against the fund.

But in their filing Friday, the department argued that Brinkema's offer was a potentially unconstitutional infringement of the executive branch by effectively requiring "testimony" of top officials on a matter that the administration has repeatedly said would not be moving forward.

The fund, which was announced last month by the DOJ to compensate those who allege they were wrongly targeted under the Biden administration, was proposed in exchange for Trump agreeing to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS as well as two civil claims for $230 million related to the Russia collusion investigation he faced during his first term in office and the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate -- sparking accusations of self-dealing and a bipartisan uproar over the possible use of taxpayer money to pay rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

In her ruling last week, Judge Brinkema pointed repeatedly to President Trump's own shifting statements in recent weeks about the fund, including his pointed attack on Brinkema herself after she had temporarily paused the fund earlier this month, in which he referred to her as a "radical left judge."

"When the president of the United States says he's disappointed that something is not going forward," Brinkema said, that would only add to the evidence that the fund might "rear its head" in the future. 

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Several notable Republican senators break with Trump over Iran agreement

Sen. Ted Cruz questions Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 02, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- From calling it "the worst foreign policy blunder in decades" to calling President Donald Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran "out of step" with his stated objectives, several Republican senators have broken with the president over the agreement.

Core concerns from some of Trump's closest Hill allies have revolved around the significant economic opportunity for Iran to rebuild with few concessions in return outlined in the short-term agreement Trump signed on Wednesday.

"I do have concerns that certain aspects of this deal are stepping in the wrong direction," Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News on Thursday.

"[Trump] deserves enormous credit for making Iran weaker than it's been in decades, and we need to make sure that we don't squander the leverage that we built across six years," the Arkansas senator said.

Cotton's comments are notable as he has been one of the Senate's most hawkish voices on the war in Iran and has pushed the president to continue to attack the Iranian regime.

Others Republican senators had similar views of the deal, arguing that it gives Iran immediate relief on oil revenues and pledges to work to unfreeze $24 billion in Iranian assets and help create a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran.

'An exceptionally bad idea'

"History demonstrates that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is an exceptionally bad idea, and I think unfortunately the president is receiving some really bad advice on this deal," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said of the reconstruction fund. "I don't want to see us send a penny to the ayatollah, and I hope that we don't."

"I support President Trump, and I think his leadership on Iran has been extraordinary. I believe he is getting poor advice, and I think sending billions of dollars to Iran is a mistake," he added.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, of Mississippi, issued a bruising statement about the MOU, saying the proposal to create a $300 billion account to fund the rebuilding of Iran "would make Iran's payoff under President Obama's 2015 deal look like a pittance by comparison."

The memorandum says the U.S. and Middle East partners would develop a $300 billion account for reconstruction and economic development, but Trump said the U.S. wouldn't be contributing to it.

"We're not putting up 10 cents," Trump said Wednesday. "People can decide to do that, but that's up to them."

Wicker also said he opposes lifting sanctions on Iran, unfreezing Iranian assets or forcing Israel to stand down against Hezbollah.

"The Iranian regime has not renounced its ultimate goal -- death to America, death to Israel. The regime wiill invest every penny it receives to further that aim," Wicker said.

Additionally, while the agreement calls for the toll-free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, senators said the future of the strait is unclear and could potentially open the door for Iran to impose fees for safe passage.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said whil. "some important things" have been accomplished by the campaign against Iran, "I'm afraid we will look back at this and see a missed opportunity to basically eliminate the threat going forward because there is nothing to stop the regime from beginning to block the Strait of Hormuz again basically at will."

No demands of Iran on nuclear weapons

Senators also had concerns over the MOU not demanding that Iran destroy its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and that it doesn't doesn't provide a mechanism to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons in the future, which was one of Trump's main objectives.

Instead the MOU says Iran reaffirms a longstanding commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon and to negotiate what to do with the country's nuclear stockpile.

"Since Day 1, I have supported President Trump's efforts to end Iran's 47-year threat to the United States and our partners. I am concerned that the memorandum of understanding negotiates away the victories of Operation Epic Fury in ways that are completely out of step with the President's goals," Wicker said in his Thursday statement.

"The terms of the MOU that have been released start off at the outset with 10s of billions of dollars immediately being released to Iran before they make a single nuclear concession. I think that's a mistake," he said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also expressed doubts about the agreement, saying, "Iran's nuclear ambitions were not curbed."

Graham: Upside outweighs the downside

Other Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham, voiced initial skepticism over the agreement but said he was cautiously optimistic that a possible future deal would ease his initial concerns.

While Graham said some of the criticism of the MOU is valid, without it "there's no pathway to diplomacy to end the nuclear ambitions of Iran. What does that leave you with? War continuation of the status quo, so the upside of signing the MOU was greater, I think, than the downside."

"Time will tell, but I'm glad we're on the course on the path to diplomacy, and we'll know in the coming weeks what kind of deal we will get.

Graham said he told Trump's Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff "Pursue a good deal, but be ready to walk away."

The administration has pushed back on some of those criticisms saying the sanction relief and asset access it has made to Iran is tied to "very concrete nuclear commitments" Iran has made, as well as saying that there will be further negotiations toward a final agreement, calling the memorandum a framework, not a final agreement.

Vice President JD Vance addressed skeptics during a White House press briefing on Thursday.

"People say the Iranians will never change their behavior. Well, maybe that's true," he said. "And if so, they don't get any of the benefits of the bargain. But isn't it worth trying? Isn't it worth seeing whether this incredibly weakened position that the president of the United States has put the Iranians under, whether that motivates them to change their behavior, not just vis-a-vis the West, but vis-a-vis the Middle East."

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Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Artificial’ will no longer be released by Amazon MGM Studios

Luca Guadagnino attends the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Jan. 21, 2026, in Paris, France. (Peter White/Getty Images)

Artificial, the upcoming film by director Luca Guadagnino, will no longer be released by Amazon MGM Studios.

The studio confirmed the news to ABC Audio on Friday.

"We have the utmost respect and admiration for Luca Guadagnino as an award-winning filmmaker – not to mention a longstanding relationship that we hope to continue," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. "We believe that Artificial will be better served if it were released by a different studio and are working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home."

Artificial is described as a comedic drama about the world of artificial intelligence. It explores Sam Altman's OpenAI during a period in 2023 when Altman was fired and rehired in a matter of days. It is directed by Guadagnino from a script by Saturday Night Live alum Simon Rich.

The film's cast includes Mark Rylance, Andrew Garfield, Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Koch, Cooper Hoffman and Ike Barinholtz.

It would have reunited Guadagnino and Amazon MGM Studios after he directed the 2024 film Challengers for the studio, as well as 2025's After the Hunt.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

City Council names new chief

City Council names new chiefTRINIDAD – The City of Trinidad named Cameron Bechham as their new interim police chief during a city council meeting on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Bechham was sworn in after the Trinidad City Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of naming him the new interim police chief.

The decision to name Bechham police chief was made following the recent resignation of Charles Gregory, who resigned less than two weeks ago, following ongoing controversy involving the city’s water rights.

During Thursday’s meeting, the city council also voted unanimously to establish a water advisory committee to address the ongoing water problems that have plagued Trinidad residents for years.

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe breaks ground on new Naskila Casino resort

LEGGETT (KETK) – The Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas and the Naskila Casino in Leggett are celebrating their growth with an eye toward expansion in Deep East Texas.

The vision is coming to life in Polk County as they made the first official step towards the future on Thursday with leaders of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas breaking ground on the future casino resort set to open in late 2028.

The future property will span across 95 acres of tribal land here in Legget, Texas, featuring an expansive gaming floor, more than 350 hotel rooms, a resort-style pool, and an event and conference space.

“It’s a long time coming really, it’s something that’s needed,” Alabama Coushatta Tribe of Texas Chairman Ricky Sylestine said. “We started out from nothing, now to where we are today, just because of the gaming aspect of it, we’ve really been blessed at this point.”

Thursday’s groundbreaking happened as the existing Naskila casino celebrates its 10th anniversary. Casino officials said the Naskila Casino generates an annual economic impact of $251 million dollars each year and has created over a thousand local permanent jobs. They added that this new casino resort will only expand that impact in East Texas.

To learn more about the tribe, their history and their enterprises, visit the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas online.

Former child actor Daveigh Chase, ‘The Ring’ villain and Lilo voice, dies at 35

Former child actor Daveigh Chase, ‘The Ring’ villain and Lilo voice, dies at 35LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former child actor Daveigh Chase, known for her youthful voice in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” and her villainous performance in the thriller “The Ring,” has died. She was 35.

Chase’s father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times she died from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection. She had been homeless in Los Angeles with her boyfriend near the hospital where she died, he told the newspaper.

TMZ first reported Wednesday that Chase died Tuesday.

She voiced the lead role of Lilo in the 2002 animated film, a role she auditioned for at age 8. Years later, a Hawaiian actress was cast as Lilo for the live-action remake.

For her role as long-haired Samara in the 2002 horror film, Chase won an MTV movie award for best villain.

Chase also voiced another lead in the 2001 animated film “Spirited Away.” She had roles in the 2001 movie “Donnie Darko” and the 2003 show “Oliver Beene,” according to internet movie database IMDb.com.

She was born in Las Vegas and raised in Albany, Oregon. In her small hometown, she began singing and dancing at age 3, according to IMDb.

Chase struggled with drugs since she was 13 years old, Schwallier said in an interview with the Times. He said his daughter was estranged from her parents, who are divorced.

Schwallier said he was in touch with Chase’s boyfriend, and just before she died, arrived at the Los Angeles hospital where she was being treated.

As Juneteenth is celebrated across the US, Obama’s presidential center opens in Chicago

DALLAS (AP) — As people gather across the U.S. to celebrate Juneteenth, former President Barack Obama’s presidential center opened its doors Friday to the general public for the first time.

Located on a sprawling campus on Chicago’s South Side, the center honoring the nation’s first Black president has been designed to inspire people to make the change they want to see in their own communities. It’s the kind of contemplation that also comes as Americans gather for Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S.

The holiday marks June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas at the end of the Civil War with an order declaring the state’s enslaved people to be free with “absolute equality.” By then, 2 1/2 years had passed since the Emancipation Proclamation declared the freedom of enslaved people in the South.

“Juneteenth represents not just a commemoration of the end of slavery but it’s also part of the ongoing struggle for absolute equality and that ideal in American life,” said W. Caleb McDaniel, a Rice University professor and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Sweet Taste of Liberty.”
Obama’s presidential center in Chicago

The grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center includes days of events following Thursday’s star-studded dedication ceremony.

The center’s public opening arrives as a symbolic convergence of legacy and liberation. The nation is deeply divided politically and grappling with renewed questions about the arc of racial progress as the Supreme Court hollowed out the Voting Rights Act, endangering Black political representation in Congress.

The nearly 20-acre (8-hectare) campus includes a museum featuring a life-sized replica of the Oval Office, a garden designed by former first lady Michelle Obama complete with lettuce and strawberry plants, a professional-grade basketball court, a picnic area with grills and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library. Visitors can experience high-tech and hands-on exhibits spanning the campaigns, key moments of Obama’s presidency and life at the White House.

The spaces are designed to bring people together on a campus expected to draw as many as 1 million visitors annually, but the center also aims to encourage personal reflection. Louise Bernard, the museum’s director, has said they’re “inviting people to bring change home, however change may be defined, both small or large.”
The history of Juneteenth

This is the fifth year since Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday by former President Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president. But the celebrations, which began in Texas and then spread across the country, have a rich and long history in Black America, with the day often spent gathering for picnics and cookouts.

The holiday — a combination of “June” and “nineteenth” — marks the day when U.S. Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in the Texas port city with the declaration of freedom in General Order No. 3.

As the third year of the Civil War neared, President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring the freedom of “all persons held as slaves” in the still rebellious states of the Confederacy. Though, for many, it did not mean immediate freedom but a promise of liberation, to be secured with a Union victory.

“It really required the force of arms and the success of U.S. armies to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation,” McDaniel said.

About six months after Granger’s arrival in Galveston, the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery nationwide was ratified.
Celebrations across the nation this year

Juneteenth’s birthplace is celebrating with a daylong gathering at a Galveston park with music and fireworks, a parade and a worship service in a historic Black church. Nearby Houston lined up of musical artists and a domino tournament at Emancipation Park, established in 1872 by a group of formerly enslaved men.

Hundreds of other cities across the U.S. announced events over the long weekend, including a parade in Atlanta, a bike ride in Los Angeles and a festival on Martha’s Vineyard.

Several cities across the U.S. will host walks named for Opal Lee, the Texas woman who pushed for years to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Participants will walk 2 1/2 miles to symbolize the 2 1/2 years it took for the Emancipation Proclamation to be enforced in Texas. Lee, known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” turns 100 this year.
Reflecting on a continuing struggle

Black Texans embraced the date of Granger’s arrival as one to celebrate, even as the Ku Klux Klan was established in Texas by 1868. By the 1880s, “it was difficult to find a significant community in Texas where it wasn’t being marked by African Americans,” McDaniel said.

“They made it a community celebration, they made it a celebration of not only freedom but also a demonstration of community empowerment and institution-building,” he added.

Corey D.B. Walker, dean of Wake Forest University’s divinity school, said the holiday offers a way to recognize the nation’s “complex history” and what it means to be a U.S. citizen, especially amid efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to undermine the retelling of Black history.

“I think it really reminds people the importance of understanding a fuller, more robust portrait of our nation’s history and the many contributions of many individuals who have contributed to America’s experiment with democracy,” Walker said.

Weekend Watchlist: What’s new in theaters, on streaming

Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows coming to theaters and streaming services this weekend:

Netflix
I Will Find You: This thrilling new mystery series is the newest from Harlan Coben.

Voicemails for Isabelle: Rom-com queen Zoey Deutch stars in the new romance film.

HBO Max
House of the Dragon: The third season of the Game of Thrones prequel series premieres.

Apple TV
Sugar: Coin Farrell stars in season 2 of the series about a private eye navigating LA.

Movie theaters
Toy Story 5: Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang are back in the fifth installment of the classic Pixar animated movie franchise.

Leviticus: This buzzy horror film finds two teenage boys haunted by the person they desire most — each other.

That’s all for this week’s Weekend Watchlist – happy streaming!

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sean Sweeney takes over in Orlando, and says Magic wound up convincing him that the fit was right

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Sean Sweeney landed interviews for more than a few NBA head coaching vacancies over the last few years, and many of them seemed the same.

Talking to Orlando, he said, was different.

Sweeney was introduced Thursday as the new coach of the Magic, which was the obvious proof that he won them over by his answers during the interview process. Turns out, the Magic won him over with their questions as well.

“The Magic were the most thorough and they did the best job of asking questions and asking follow-ups to get to layers underneath the first answer,” Sweeney said. “Some interviews that I’ve had in the past, I did not get that same level of detail. And given how I am and how I want to coach, that stood out.”

Sweeney and the Magic struck their deal for him to take over about three weeks ago; the formal welcome-to-Orlando event was put off until now because Sweeney has been a bit busy in his role as associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and their trip to the NBA Finals.

He stayed locked in on his tasks with the Spurs, even though the interview process started early in their postseason run. But with the finals over, Sweeney wasted little time in getting to Orlando and starting on the new job.

“When we finally did get in front of him, it was a long day and he had a lot going on,” Magic President Jeff Weltman said. “It was during the playoffs and not only was he able to kind of compartmentalize his work with the Spurs and present well to us, but he really knocked our socks off. In Sean Sweeney, we have somebody who, in our minds, has the potential to be one of the elite coaches in this league.”

Sweeney said he fully believes this is the best situation for him.

Some first-time head coaches have to deal with a total rebuild; that’s not the case in Orlando, where a young core led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner has made three consecutive playoff appearances — but three consecutive first-round exists essentially convinced the Magic that it was time for a change. Jamahl Mosley, now the coach in New Orleans, was let go after a successful five-year run and Sweeney was targeted as the replacement.

“I was fortunate this summer to have some different things to look at,” Sweeney said. “But this is the only one I wanted to look at.”

Sweeney, who turned 42 earlier this month, comes to Orlando after basically spending half his life as an assistant.

He has come a long way from Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the Academy of Art University, two of his earliest stops. He started in the NBA as a video coordinator for the then-New Jersey Nets, and has since had assistant stints with the Nets, Milwaukee, Detroit, Dallas and San Antonio. He quotes the teachings of just about everyone he’s worked for at every level, along with those he considers some of the greatest to ever blow a whistle in a basketball practice, names like Bob Knight, Tim Grgurich, Rick Majerus, Jason Kidd, Chuck Daly and his now-former boss with the Spurs, Mitch Johnson.

And then there was the guy who had the office next to him for the last year in San Antonio. That would be Gregg Popovich, the NBA’s all-time coaching wins leader.

“Coach Pop’s office was right next to mine and I was very fortunate,” Sweeney said. “When you’re next to a guy who’s the greatest coach of all time daily, the fact that he even said hello and knew my name meant something to me. So yeah, Coach Pop, he built that program and guys like me are fortunate to be part of it. I’m very grateful and that’s part of the reason why I’m here now.”

Sweeney is blunt, focused and driven. He took a look at the handful of Magic players who attended the press conference introducing him as the team’s new coach on Thursday, offering them his first message since taking the job.

Or, perhaps more accurately, it was part message, part warning.

“I’m going to listen to you guys as much as I talk to you,” Sweeney said. “Now, how I talk to you may be different than how I listen.”

MLB owners propose banning high school signings, adding an international draft

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball owners proposed banning high school players from signing with major league teams, raising the age for international amateurs and slashing the money spent on signing bonuses in negotiations Thursday for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The amateur draft for players residing in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico would be cut from 20 rounds to 12 beginning in 2027 under the proposal Major League Baseball made during a bargaining session with the players’ association. An identical 12-round draft would be started for international prospects, a proposal the union has rejected in the past.

Starting in 2028, a prospect for the amateur draft would have to be at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his high school class — a restriction that also would eliminate players who completed their first year of junior college.

The amateur draft started in 1965, high schoolers have been eligible along with college players who are in or have just finished their junior years.

Raising signing ages would likely lead to players being older when they become eligible for free agency, which currently requires six years of major league service.

MLB cited increased revenue in college baseball as reasoning. In addition, MLB said 75% of high schoolers signed from 2012-19 did not reach the major leagues.

“Expanded scholarships, NIL opportunities, revenue sharing and significant investments in facilities and player development have made college baseball an increasingly important pathway that is producing major league-ready talent at an accelerated rate,” MLB said in a statement. “By creating a draft system centered around college-aged players and making most college players eligible one year earlier, more players will benefit from both a college education and an elite development environment while reaching professional baseball — and ultimately the major leagues — more quickly.”

The players’ association claimed the plan would decrease compensation by $1 billion over five years, including $400 million from this year to 2027.

“MLB made another set of proposals that are flat-out bad for baseball, ones that would cripple the next generation of players and damage the future of our game,” the union said in a statement.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips supported keeping more prospects in college longer. He said in a statement that improvements in facilities, technology and scholarships “are creating more opportunities for student-athletes and providing additional pathways to develop at the collegiate level before taking the next step to the professional ranks.”

MLB said it will not seek to reduce the 120 minor league teams in the top four levels when it negotiates new professional development licenses in 2030 to replace expiring 10-year deals. It would cap bonuses for undrafted players at $10,000 — Middle Tennessee two-way player Trace Phillips was bypassed in the draft last July and signed with Tampa Bay for $629,200.

For international amateurs, the age to sign would be raised to 18 on the Sept. 1 of their signing year, up from 17.

“The game’s greatest stars are precocious talents. We always want to have a great window for them,” said Scott Boras, baseball’s most high-profile agent. “International markets recognize this, as well. When you bar a labor force from opportunity in America, it is not an American concept.”

Each separate draft would have $200 million in signing pools in 2027. There would be hard caps for each draft.

Teams would be able to trade draft picks but a club couldn’t trade its first-round pick in consecutive drafts. A team couldn’t acquire more than three additional selections among the first three rounds. In addition, MLB proposed requiring up to 10 prospects to attend the draft, and each would get a $50,000 draft attendance bonus.

Spending on signing bonuses for players eligible for the 2025 amateur draft have totaled $401.81 million and signing bonus pools for 2026 increased by 2.5%.

Each team would have the same amount to spend under the proposal rather than the current system which gives higher pools to teams with poorer records in the previous year. Pittsburgh is at just over $19 million this year and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at slightly under $4 million. Teams currently can go over their pools and often do as much as 5%.

Teams have spent $196.38 million on signing bonuses for international amateurs in 2026. The current signing period runs from Jan. 15 to Dec. 15 each year, but the initial international draft would be no earlier than September 2027 and no later than March 2028.

MLB proposed eliminating competitive balance round picks that began in 2023 and cutting the draft lottery that started in 2023 from the top six picks to four.

Bargaining began May 13 and the sides exchanged initial proposals two weeks later as management proposed a salary cap for the first time since 1994, which resulted in a 7 1/2-month strike and the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.

Baseball’s five-year collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1 and management is expected to immediately impose a lockout, as it did in December 2021. An agreement was reached on the 99th day of the lockout, preserving a slightly delayed 162-game schedule.

World Cup players with dual eligibility face a tough choice about which country to represent

GENEVA (AP) — Almost every World Cup matchup has a storyline of a player who could have represented another country.

Take Folarin Balogun who scored twice in the United States’ opening win over Paraguay. He chose to play for the U.S. where he was born instead of England where he grew up or Nigeria where his parents came from.

Or Yasin Ayari, who picked Sweden over his father’s native Tunisia, a decision that came into focus as Sweden defeated the North African team 5-1 with two goals from Ayari.

And there’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old standout who switched national teams from France to Morocco just weeks before the tournament kicked off.

The World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada is the biggest melting pot in the tournament’s history. Decades of migration are reflected in the rosters of major European teams like France, England and Germany. Meanwhile, many teams in Africa and the Caribbean rely heavily on their diaspora, made easier by a relaxation of FIFA’s eligibility rules.

Dozens, if not hundreds, of players at this World Cup are playing for a country other than the one in which they were born. Many with mixed backgrounds switched allegiances when turning senior, following their heart – or their ambition.
Players from France are everywhere

Nearly 100 players at this World Cup were born in France, but only 23 of them play for the French national team. The others – France-born players with family ties worldwide – make up significant parts of the squads of Algeria, Cape Verde, Congo, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tunisia.

Bouaddi, one of the top performers in Morocco’s 1-1 draw with Brazil, was born in France and nurtured at top-tier club Lille. He played for France at the youth level and was captain of France’s under-21 team as recently as March, but switched to Morocco, where his family came from, just in time for the World Cup.

“I’m very proud of my decision and very happy to represent my country, Morocco,” he said before the tournament. “My family is happy and I hope great things will come in the upcoming competitions.”

Moroccan soccer federation president Faouzi Lekjaa personally visited Bouaddi at his home and met with the president of Lille to outline the North African kingdom’s soccer ambitions and the professional environment it offers, according to Moroccan state television.

Morocco, which in 2022 became the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals, relies heavily on players from its diaspora in Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It has 19 foreign-born players in its 26-man squad.

Defender Achraf Hakimi was born in Madrid and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz played one game for Spain before his FIFA switch to Morocco was processed in 2024.
A complex choice for the children of immigrants

Some of the biggest profiles of soccer had to make a choice. Kylian Mbappé was eligible to play for Cameroon or Algeria because of his family background but chose France where he was born and raised. Spain’s Lamine Yamal could have played for Morocco, his father’s homeland.

Brothers Désiré and Guéla Doué took separate paths. Both were born in France but Désiré plays for France while Guéla chose to represent Ivory Coast, where their father is from.

They’re not the only brothers who have ended up on separate World Cup teams. John Souttar represents Scotland while his brother Harry plays for Australia. Nico and Iñaki Williams were born in Spain to Ghanaian parents and while Nico chose to play for Spain, Iñaki picked Ghana.

Tunisia tried to recruit Ayari, the Sweden midfielder who plays for Brighton in the Premier League, for its national team based on his father’s Tunisian background. However, his father, Azzouz Ayari, pushed back. He told Swedish media that he felt his son should represent the country in which he was born and raised.

“I am an immigrant, but my children, no. Yasin is a Swede, with Tunisian background,” Azzouz Ayari told newspaper Aftonbladet. “I want him to play for Sweden because I want him to feel that he is giving back to the country that really took care of him.”

Sweden fans won’t argue with that decision. Ayari scored twice in the team’s opener against Tunisia but muted his celebrations out of respect for his father’s home country.
Birthright citizen Balogun chose the US over England

Balogun’s two goals in the 4-1 win against Paraguay made him – and his background – more widely known to the American public. He played for England at youth level, except for a brief stint with the U.S. under-18 team, but switched to represent the United States in 2023.

That was possible because of birthright citizenship rules in the U.S. – Balogun was born in New York, while his Nigerian parents were visiting.

Balogun has cited the passion of U.S. soccer fans that he experienced while visiting a training camp in Florida in March 2023 as part of the reason why he decided to represent the United States. When they found out he was in Florida, many fans urged him to play for the U.S. national team. He also met with U.S. team officials.

“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,” Balogun said after the Paraguay game last week. “I just want to continue to show the fans I made the right decision.”

Whether he could have gotten a place in the highly competitive England squad is unclear. At the time, then-England coach Gareth Southgate said they were monitoring his progress but couldn’t promise anything.
FIFA sets the rules

Switching nationalities is nothing new in soccer. Some of the sport’s biggest stars represented multiple countries, including Ferenc Puskás, who was the leader of Hungary’s “Mighty Magyars” in the 1950s but played for Spain at the 1962 World Cup.

That Spain squad also included Puskás’s Real Madrid teammate Alfredo Di Stéfano, whose international career started with his native Argentina.

In modern soccer, FIFA intervened in 2004 amid concern Brazilian players were being naturalized with a passport too easily by other countries, including Qatar.

A “clear connection” with the country was insisted on, which could be two years of residence or a grandparent born there.

FIFA’s then-president Sepp Blatter later aimed to “stop this farce” warning that at a 32-team World Cup “you will have 16 full of Brazilian players.”

The residence demand on players aged 18 or over became five years in 2008, and a proposal at the 2011 FIFA Congress by the United Arab Emirates to cut it to three was rejected.

Dual- or multiple-national players have been “cap-tied” by FIFA to any team they represented in a senior competitive game. Those who played only in friendlies or at youth level could apply to switch.

FIFA eased its rules in 2020 to allow more eligibility changes, but players are locked to a nation if they play at a finals tournament of the World Cup or continental championship.

Joaquin Niemann penalized for throwing club at US Open

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Joaquin Niemann of Chile was given a two-shot penalty Friday when he finished the first round of the U.S. Open for throwing his club on the sixth hole, the latest example of golf cracking down on bad behavior.

The additional two shots gave Niemann an 11 on the par-4 sixth round, a disastrous hole that began with two lost balls from tee shots that went well to the right in deep grass. He was even par for tournament going into No. 6, his 15th hole of the round.

He finished the first round Friday morning at 78.

The USGA cited Rule 1.2b on “Code of Conduct.” Among incidents that fall under this category are unacceptable language and abuse of clubs or the course.

While the rule has always been in place, the USGA and all the other golf organizations have met in recent years to develop consistent guidelines for a conduct policy, applied separately by each of the organizations at their tournaments.

The Masters used it for the first time in April when Sergio Garcia was issued a warning after a bad drive on the par-5 second hole in the final round. He slammed his club into the turf twice and swung his club at a table holding a green cooler. That left the head of his driver dangling from the shaft.

The PGA Championship also posted the policy in the locker room at Aronimink last month.

The general policy the majors are using this year typically starts with a warning. The second violation is a two-shot penalty, and the third violation leads to disqualification.

There was no warning issued to Niemann because of the serious nature of his outburst.

The USGA policy for serious misconduct says if a player’s behavior (or that of his caddie) is “so far removed from what is expected in the spirit of the game of golf,” officials can assess a two-shot penalty or disqualify the player while considering “the frequency, impact, intent and severity of the misconduct.”

The incident happened on Niemann’s final hole Thursday evening of fog-delayed opening round. While video has not surfaced of the club throw, the ShotLink tracer shows his first two tee shots well to the right. The third shot was in high grass short of the fairway.

From 238 yards away, Niemann hacked the next shot into the fairway, but came up short of the green from 113 yards away. This is where the play-by-play indicated he was penalized. He got down in two strokes from there for a 9, which then turned into an 11.

Niemann, who left for LIV Golf after the 2022 season, won in South Korea last month for his eighth career victory in the rival league that began with Saudi Arabia funding but now faces an uncertain future with the Public Investment Fund no longer supporting it.

Wyndham Clark has lowest opening round at Shinnecock Hills to lead US Open

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Wyndham Clark had two good looks at history Friday morning and settled for the lowest opening round in a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, a 6-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in a first round that took some 26 hours to complete.

Dustin Johnson, in the final year of his U.S. Open exemption from winning at Oakmont in 2016, atoned for a double bogey late Thursday with birdies on two of his last three holes and a superb par save for a 66, keeping him in touch with Clark.

Gary Woodland — playing alongside Clark and Johnson — and Matt Fitzpatrick were at 67. Among those another shot back was Jon Rahm, who missed two good chances Friday morning but still managed a 68 without a bogey on his card.

The scores were surprisingly low for Shinnecock Hills, where only three players in the previous four U.S. Opens here have finished under par in the last 40 years. But the real surprise was fog at the start of the championship, which led to a two-hour delay.

That meant Clark and Johnson had the advantage of playing Thursday evening in far less wind. The USGA made sure Shinnecock was kind and gentle to account for gusts that consistently topped 30 mph. Without that wind late in the day, players could take advantage.

And they did.

Clark had a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch late Thursday that put him at 6 under. Johnson ran off four straight birdies until his blunder on No. 6, when he three-putted from 6 feet for double bogey.

They returned early Friday, along with 48 other players, to complete the first round. Clark faced Nos. 8 and 9, both with a favorable wind. Clark narrowly missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the eighth, and one from about 30 feet on the ninth.

The Shinnecock record is 63, set by Tommy Fleetwood in the final round of 2018 after the USGA soaked the course to make up for a third round that dried out and got out of control. The U.S. Open record is 62 by Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.

Clark was more than pleased with a 64. The lowest opening round at Shinnecock had been 66, by three players in 2004 and one player in 1995.

Rory McIlroy faced the worst of the wind on Thursday and thought he did well to post a 69. Scottie Scheffler was in the same wave and had to rely heavily on his short game to salvage a 72, his 10th consecutive round at the U.S. Open without breaking par.

Sam Stevens had the low round from those who faced the toughest wind at 68. He was joined later by Rahm and a group that included Ryder Cowan, who just finished his junior year at Oklahoma. Another Sooner alum, Max McGreevy, also was at 68.

Clark and Johnson had enough time to hit a few shots on the driving range before heading right back out for the second round.

At stake Friday was the 36-hole cut for the top 60 and ties. Scheffler was narrowly inside, but still looking toward trying to stay in range of the lead as he chases the one major keeping him from the career Grand Slam.

Anne Hathaway pregnant with 3rd child, reveals news in Instagram video

Anne Hathaway at the 2026 Oscars. (Disney/Ser Baffo)

Anne Hathaway is pregnant with her third child, a representative for the actress confirmed to ABC News on Friday.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 star, 43, revealed the news Friday morning in a video posted on her Instagram.

In the video, Hathaway steps into frame wearing a long, flowy white skirt set with her arms folded across her midsection before dropping them to the side to reveal her pregnancy with a smile.

"Baby, I'm yours," Hathaway wrote in the caption of the video, set to the 1965 song of the same name by Barbara Lewis.

Hathaway's Instagram post amassed more than 800,000 likes in just over 30 minutes, and the comments section was immediately flooded with congratulatory messages and well-wishes from friends and fans alike.

Hathaway has two other children with husband Adam Shulman — sons Jonathan Shulman, 10, and Jack Shulman, 6.

Hathaway and Shulman have been married since 2012.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Traffic advisory for Juneteenth parade

Traffic advisory for Juneteenth paradeTyler – The Juneteenth parade begins on Saturday, June 20, from 8 a.m. to noon. Various roads will be closed, beginning at 9 a.m. The parade will start at Glenwood Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, then proceed east on Martin Luther King Jr., turn north on Border Avenue. It will then turn west on West 26th Street, turn north on North Glass Avenue, and continue east on West 32nd Street, ending at the intersection of 32nd Street and North Broadway Avenue.

Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes and expect temporary traffic delays in the area during the event. Officers will be present to assist with road closures and detours.
City leaders appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation as they work to ensure a safe and successful Juneteenth celebration for our community.

‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ TV show officially greenlit by Peacock

'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman (Ace Books)

Dungeon Crawler Carl is being taken to the next level.

The popular Matt Dinniman sci-fi book series has officially been greenlit for TV by Peacock. The author confirmed the news on social media with a graphic proclaiming, “The apocalypse will be televised!”

“Surprise! I’m happy to announce that our friends at Peacock have *officially* greenlit the Dungeon Crawler Carl television series!” Dinniman writes. “Me, Chris Yost and Seth MacFarlane and his team at Fuzzy Door are all really excited to get to work.”

Yost is writing the series, with MacFarlane’s company producing. Dinniman, who is also serving as an executive producer, promises more details in the coming weeks and tells fans to be sure to catch his panel at San Diego Comic Con.

“In the meantime I wanted to thank you, the fans, for helping make this happen,” he writes.

Dungeon Crawler Carl takes place in a world that has been invaded by aliens who wipe out most of the population. The humans who survive are forced to compete in an intergalactic game show with various video game-inspired levels. There are currently eight books in the series.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Woman pleads guilty to child abuse

TYLER – On Thursday, a Frisco woman entered a guilty plea to first-degree child injury. Authorities accused Frisco resident Kamilla Musser, 47, of repeatedly abusing her child, leading to her arrest in Tyler in May 2024. She was sentenced to ten years of probation, which cannot be ended early, after entering a guilty plea to causing serious bodily injury or serious mental deficiency/impairment to a child through intentional, knowing, reckless, or criminally negligent actions. She is prohibited from communicating with the victim or the family involved in this case. She will also be imprisoned for ninety days. She will also not be able to renew her teaching license in Texas. Continue reading Woman pleads guilty to child abuse

Californian sentenced after assault

MINEOLA – After attacking an elderly man, a California man was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and given a 15-year prison sentence. The Wood County District Attorney’s Office reports that Arne Arthur Oliver, 46, of California, received a sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon that was only five years short of the 20-year maximum. After less than an hour of deliberation, a Wood County jury found him guilty on June 16. Oliver must complete half of his sentence before being eligible for parole because the offense involved the use of a deadly weapon. Continue reading Californian sentenced after assault

How a mother’s phone calls to police helped uncover the alleged UFC Freedom 250 plot

In this mugshot released by Franklin County Jail, 19-year-old Tycen Proper is shown. He was charged by federal prosecutors in Ohio in the alleged UFC plot foiled. (Franklin County Jail)

(KNOX COUNTY, Ohio) -- A series of phone calls from a concerned mother helped set in motion what turned out to be a nationwide investigation that uncovered an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House last weekend and led to the arrest of one of the suspects, according to authorities.

ABC News obtained phone calls made to the Knox County Sheriff's Office in Ohio, including one by the mother of 19-year-old Tycen Proper, whom federal prosecutors have charged with conspiring against the United States, attempted murder of an officer of the U.S., and firearms crimes in connection with the alleged plot.

Authorities said Proper's mother first called her cousin, who happens to be the chief deputy of the sheriff's office, on June 10 -- just four days before the White House event was set to take place. The deputy chief later called the dispatch center to describe his conversation with Proper's mother and asked if a Danville, Ohio, police officer was available to go to her house and talk with her, according to the recordings obtained by ABC News.

"They are having some issues with their son, and I think, I don't think anybody's in immediate danger, as in this second, but I know she has concerns with weapons and ammo, and particularly a mindset that her oldest boy is in right now," the cousin said.

"She's probably going to call you," the cousin added, "But in case she doesn't, maybe dispatch him [a Danville police officer] up there right away so that he can get a handle on what's going on. She called me on my phone all panicky, and I'm like, 'Well, I'm at home, there's nothing I can do, but I'll call and get somebody on the way.'"

The dispatcher immediately issued a radio call to send an officer to Proper's home, saying that the mother had "concerns about her son and having problems with him. She did mention something about guns and ammo and wanting somebody to check out," according to the call recording.

A short time later, the mother called dispatch and said she wanted to file a report about her son to have it on record. The dispatcher asked if her son was there.

"Yes, we just got all of his guns and ammo out of his room and put it, got it out off our property. He just came inside and he's probably going to discover it's not in his room," Proper's mother replied.

"What's going on, though? Is he like, is he suicidal? What's going on?" the dispatcher asked.

"Oh no, he's just ... I don't ... we don't even know what he's wanting to do. He's wanting to leave this weekend and go with a group of people to help, like, fight the corrupt government," Proper's mother replied, according to the call recording.

By the end of the evening, Proper had been taken to Knox Community Hospital for an emergency medical admission, according to police records. Those records indicate he had a history of suicidal ideations.

According to body camera footage from the Knox County Sheriff's Office, also obtained by ABC News, after Proper left with deputies, his mother continued sharing her concerns with authorities.

"He's texting somebody. If you go ahead and get a hold of his phone or his text messages, it's all in there," she tells authorities, according to the body camera footage. "It's all on his phone. I saw him on Google Maps, he had a little pin dropped in it. I saw on Google maps, Washington, D.C."

Describing a conversation to police she said she had with her son, she said he told her, "It's a hit-and-a-run type of thing. I'm, like, Oh, that doesn't sound good."

The following day, the Knox County Sheriff's Office contacted the FBI, which searched Proper's iPhone, according to charging documents.

"During a preliminary search of the device, investigators observed chats on Signal groups that laid out detailed plans to conduct an attack in Washington D.C. with several unidentified confederates," charging documents stated. "In the chat, detailed imagery of the National Capitol Region and maps of the area were shared to a group of which PROPER was a member, highlighting sniper locations, potential drone launch locations, and other detailed tactical planning."

Later that day, investigators interviewed Proper at the medical facility where he had been taken where he "admitted to planning with others a coordinated attack against the United States government during the UFC event scheduled to take place on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, June 14, 2026," according to the charging documents.

The phone calls from Proper's mother provide insight into what began as a local police investigation and quickly turned into a nationwide investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service and ATF that resulted in the arrests of five people in four states, including Proper.

"My client takes the allegations against him very seriously and we are going to take the case one step, and one day, at a time as we move the case forward," Joseph Patituce, attorney for Proper, said in a statement to ABC News.

According to police records obtained by ABC News, the guns, ammunition and other tactical gear that was taken from Tycen Proper's room by his family was located at the home of his grandfather and turned over voluntarily to the to the Knox County Sheriff's Office for safekeeping. Those items would eventually be the subject of a federal search and seizure warrant.

Authorities are still working to identify and locate other people whom they say may have been involved in the alleged plot.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Thousand-year-old ancient oak tree tied to ‘Robin Hood’ legend has died, wildlife charity says

Major Oak, RSPB Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve, Nottinghamshire, May 2026 (Ben Andrew/RSPB)

(LONDON) -- A giant, ancient oak tree located in the the Sherwood Forest -- the iconic setting of the "Robin Hood" legend -- has died, one of the U.K.'s top bird and wildlife conservation charities said.

Famous for its enormous trunk -- about 36 feet in circumference -- and gnarled branches, the Major Oak was believed to be about 1,200 years old, according to the RSPB Bird & Wildlife Conservation Charity.

The tree had been in "visible decline" for several years, the charity said and failed to produce any leaves this spring.

"Whilst the tree's failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone -- from the many people over the years who have looked after this magnificent tree to the millions who have travelled here to see it -- we know the Major Oak will have a lasting legacy, first and foremost because it is so inextricably linked to Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest," Hollie Drake, senior site manager at RSPB Sherwood Forest, said in a statement.

The organization said it couldn't determine the exact cause of the tree's demise.

Among the factors cited were poor soil and a weakened root system as well as "well-intentioned efforts to preserve the tree's impressive shape" over the years, including metal bracing and coverings that prevented the tree from aging naturally, the organization said.

The group also cited the effects of climate change and recent heat waves and drought.

While the tree has died, the organization said the oak will remain standing in its place in the park, "continuing as an emblem in the landscape and providing valuable?decaying wood?habitat."

In addition, acorns and cuttings from the tree have already been grown into saplings.

"There are Major Oak saplings planted in locations right around the world, so we are planning work to ensure that its offspring will grow and generate their own acorns -- and legends -- for centuries to come," the organization said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In brief: ‘Survivor’ animated movie, and more

Outwit, outlast, outplay ... outperform at the box office? That's surely what Survivor host Jeff Probst hopes will happen with the upcoming animated movie based on the reality competition series. The film, which is in the works at Paramount Animation, will be set in the animal kingdom and feature animals competing for the chance to be crowned the sole survivor. Probst announced the upcoming comedy in a video shared to Instagram, where he said the movie will have "everything we love about Survivor: big personalities, funny characters, surprising alliances, competition, chaos, and of course, a lot of heart. But this time, the players aren’t humans." ...

We now know when Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson's upcoming comedy series Brothers will premiere. The show will debut to Apple TV on Sept. 23. Its first two episodes will be available at that time, followed by one new episode every Wednesday through Nov. 4. McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves in the show, which follows what happens when they find out they may actually be brothers instead of simply just friends ...

Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller are set to announce the nominations for the 78th Emmy Awards. The Emmy winners will present this year's nominations during a ceremony on July 8 at 11:30 am ET ...

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