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Daily Horoscope for August 20, 2025

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 17:00

General Daily Insight for August 20, 2025

Maintaining our autonomy may feel impossible today. While the complex Cancer Moon conjoins appeasing Venus, our longing for approval could be close to the surface. The Moon then shifts into dramatic Leo at 7:17 pm EDT and opposes manipulative Pluto shortly thereafter, setting the stage for epic battles of wills. Following our personal bliss might seem guaranteed to cut us off from the support of our peers. We’ll have to decide how well we can get by without submitting to their judgment!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Your home life might currently seem peaceful enough, as far as you’re concerned. When your peers hear about it, however, they may have a different opinion. It’s often not easy to have a domestic arrangement that’s outside the norm in some way, but it’s less difficult if you’re happy with it yourself. Others’ comments have the potential to stir up some nagging inner doubts. That said, you still have the right to push back against any criticism that truly steps over the line!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Sweet-talking others into doing what you want may be tempting today. Maybe you believe you don’t get your needs met when you present your case in a straightforward way. People can often tell when they’re being manipulated, though, and it generally doesn’t leave them with a good feeling. Try to identify the worst outcome that could result if you made a direct request and then got told no. With all things considered, that might be a risk worth taking this time!

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Feeling like you have a little extra money to spare might be dangerous at present. Once the candid Moon moves into your communication zone and opposes domineering Pluto in your 9th House of Beliefs, a political or religious organization you support could decide they want a piece of whatever you have. As much as you care about your favorite cause, you need to have enough left over for your own needs. Your contribution matters, but it shouldn’t be all on you!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Being seen as kind and generous could feel good at the moment. Unfortunately, you’ll probably be called upon to prove it sooner rather than later. When the nurturing Moon passes into your finance zone and fusses over intense Pluto in your 8th House of Sharing, there may seem to be no end to what someone wants from you. Perhaps you’ll eventually wonder if this person is actively trying to find your limit. It’s not the end of the world to have one!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

An idea you’ve been nurturing in private might sound promising enough — when it’s just you thinking about it. Once you introduce it to someone else, things could get complicated. As the spontaneous Moon in your sign runs into resistance from entrenched Pluto in your relationship sector, you may have to wonder whether any complaints have more to do with your potential to disrupt established power dynamics than the merits of your plan. Take feedback seriously, but don’t rush to take it personally.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You might currently be happy to agree on a course of action that all your friends are excited about. Once the group breaks up for the day, though, you’ll be alone to think through your part in the proposed plan — and it may turn out to be more work than you really want to take on. Letting your resentment simmer ultimately won’t lead to a harmonious outcome for you or anyone else. Speak up while it’s still feasible to make changes.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Getting recognized for a professional achievement is possible now. However, you won’t be able to control how your peers react to it. Some might be unsettled for reasons that are more about them than you. Should you hold back your news out of deference to their sensitivities? You’ll have to be realistic regarding what reactions you feel strong enough to cope with — and what others genuinely need to know. Celebrate with those who can be happy for you. It’s okay if that’s not everyone.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

The thought of going on a trip somewhere unfamiliar could currently be enticing. That being said, you’re probably a little more attached to your home turf than you’d like to admit. If you avoid expressing your fears, they’ll potentially find other ways to sabotage your plans. It’s okay to be emotional as you sort through all this with anyone else involved, but try to avoid getting stirred up over one petty complaint after another. Keep the conversation centered on genuine worries.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You may currently be conflicted about the prospect of increased closeness in a relationship. There’s probably a part of you that likes feeling nurtured and taken care of, but once the fluctuating Moon shifts into your adventurous 9th house, you might start to worry that you’ll lose too much of your freedom. This fear has the potential to fuel passive-aggressive comments that will push your companion away, providing the space you crave. On the other hand, raising your concerns directly could be a healthier option!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

A recently budding bond could have you excited. Be careful — a major difference in financial status may drive a wedge between the two of you if you don’t deal with it honestly. Perhaps you’re seemingly happy to pay more than your share because you know your companion can’t spend as much. If you get the idea that this should also give you a disproportionate amount of control over what you do together, though, that’ll lead to trouble. Find a level playing field.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Doing things your way could bring you emotional comfort at this time. Even so, you’ll have to be realistic regarding where your territory begins and ends. When the perceptive Moon pushes into your partnership zone and detects controlling Pluto in your sign, others you cross paths with may get the idea that you’re nitpicking about petty issues just to boss them around. Whether or not you agree with that assessment, be willing to back off if you realize your efforts are unwanted.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Avoiding your responsibilities is riskier than normal! You’re probably in the mood to enjoy your hobbies and passions first and foremost — which is fine, as long as you’re not flaking out on commitments that genuinely matter. When the moody Moon in your productive 6th house engages with seething Pluto in your 12th House of Self-Undoing, try to look at whether hidden resentments are blocking your drive to get certain things done. Understanding what’s going on can guide your next steps.

‘Pure partisan advantage’: Trump leverages presidential power to help his party in the 2026 midterms

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 16:58

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI

President Donald Trump has made clear in recent weeks that he’s willing to use the vast powers of his office to prevent his party from losing control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections.

Some of the steps Trump has taken to intervene in the election are typical, but controversial, political maneuvers taken to his trademark extremes. That includes pushing Republican lawmakers in Texas and other conservative-controlled states to redraw their legislative maps to expand the number of U.S. House seats favorable to the GOP.

Others involve the direct use of official presidential power in ways that have no modern precedent, such as ordering his Department of Justice to investigate the main liberal fundraising entity, ActBlue. The department also is demanding the detailed voter files from each state in an apparent attempt to look for ineligible voters on a vast scale.

And on Monday, Trump posted a falsehood-filled rant on social media pledging to lead a “movement” to outlaw voting machines and mail balloting, the latter of which has become a mainstay of Democratic voting since Trump pushed Republicans to avoid it in 2020 — before flipping on the issue ahead of last year’s presidential election.

The individual actions add up to an unprecedented attempt by a sitting president to interfere in a critical election before it’s even held, moves that have raised alarms among those concerned about the future of U.S. democracy.

“Those are actions that you don’t see in healthy democracies,” said Ian Bassin, executive director of Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan organization that has sued the Trump administration. “Those are actions you see in authoritarian states.”

Trump has already tried to overturn an election

Bassin noted that presidents routinely stump for their party in midterm elections and try to bolster incumbents by steering projects and support to their districts. But he said Trump’s history is part of what’s driving alarm about the midterms.

He referenced Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which ended with a violent assault on the Capitol by his supporters.

“The one thing we know for certain from experience in 2020 is that this is a person who will use every measure and try every tactic to stay in power, regardless of the outcome of an election,” Bassin said.

He noted that in 2020, Trump was checked by elected Republicans in Congress and statehouses who refused to bend the rules, along with members of his own administration and even military leaders who distanced themselves from the defeated incumbent. In his second term, the president has locked down near-total loyalty from the GOP and stacked the administration with loyalists.

The incumbent president’s party normally loses seats in Congress during midterm elections. That’s what happened to Trump in 2018, when Democrats won enough seats to take back the House of Representatives, stymieing the president’s agenda and eventually leading to his two impeachments.

Trump has said he doesn’t want a repeat.

He also has argued that his actions are actually attempts to preserve democracy. Repeating baseless allegations of fraud, he said Monday during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that “you can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots.” Earlier this month, Trump said that, because he handily won Texas in the 2024 presidential election, “we are entitled to five more seats.”

An attempt to engineer GOP control of the US House

Republicans currently have a three-seat margin in the House of Representatives. Trump pushed Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional map to create up to five new winnable GOP seats and is lobbying other red states, including Indiana and Missouri, to take similar steps to pad the margin even more.

The Texas Legislature is likely to vote on its map on Wednesday. There’s no guarantee that Trump’s gambit will work, but also no legal prohibition against fiddling with maps in those states for partisan advantage. In response, California Democrats are moving forward with their own redistricting effort as a way to counter Republicans in Texas.

Mid-decade map adjustments have happened before, though usually in response to court orders rather than presidents openly hoping to manufacture more seats for their party. Larry Diamond, a political scientist at Stanford University, said there’s a chance the redrawing of House districts won’t succeed as Trump anticipates — but could end up motivating Democratic voters.

Still, Diamond said he’s concerned. “It’s the overall pattern that’s alarming and that the reason to do this is for pure partisan advantage,” he said of Trump’s tactic.

Diamond noted that in 2019 he wrote a book about a “12-step” process to turn a democracy into an autocracy, and “the last step in the process is to rig the electoral process.”

The Justice Department acts on Trump’s priorities

Trump has required loyalty from all levels of his administration and demanded that the Department of Justice follow his directives. One of those was to probe ActBlue, an online portal that raised hundreds of millions of dollars in small-dollar donations for Democratic candidates over two decades.

The site was so successful that Republicans launched a similar venture, called WinRed. Trump, notably, did not order a federal probe into WinRed.

Trump’s appointees at the Department of Justice also have demanded voting data from at least 19 states, as Trump continues to insist he actually won the 2020 election and proposed a special prosecutor to investigate that year’s vote tally. Much as he did before winning the 2024 election, Trump has baselessly implied that Democrats may rig upcoming vote counts against him.

In at least two of those states, California and Minnesota, the DOJ followed up with election officials last week, threatening legal action if they didn’t hand over their voter registration lists by this Thursday, according to letters shared with The Associated Press. Neither state — both controlled by Democrats — has responded publicly.

Attempts to interfere with voting and elections

Trump’s threat this week to end mail voting and do away with voting machines is just his latest attempt to sway how elections are run. An executive order he signed earlier this year sought documented proof of citizenship to register to vote, among other changes, though much of it has been blocked by courts.

In the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol to reverse his 2020 loss, Trump’s allies proposed having the military seize voting machines to investigate purported fraud, even though Trump’s own attorney general said there was no evidence of significant wrongdoing.

The Constitution says states and Congress, rather than the president, set the rules for elections, so it’s unclear what Trump could do to make his promises a reality. But election officials saw them as an obvious sign of his 2026 interests.

“Let’s see this for what it really is: An attempt to change voting going into the midterms because he’s afraid the Republicans will lose,” wrote Ann Jacobs, the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, on X.

The president has very few levers to influence an election

Derek Muller, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the idea of seizing voting machines in 2020 was a sign of how few levers the president has to influence an election, not of his power. Under the U.S. Constitution, elections are run by states and only Congress can “alter” the procedures — and, even then, for federal races alone.

“It’s a deeply decentralized system,” Muller said.

There are fewer legal constraints on presidential powers, such as criminal investigations and deployment of law enforcement and military resources, Muller noted. But, he added, people usually err in forecasting election catastrophes.

He noted that in 2022 and 2024, a wide range of experts braced for violence, disruption and attempts to overturn losses by Trump allies, and no serious threats materialized.

“One lesson I’ve learned in decades of doing this is people are often preparing for the last election rather than what actually happens in the new ones,” Muller said.

Immigrants seeking lawful work and citizenship are now subject to ‘anti-Americanism’ screening

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 16:51

By COREY WILLIAMS and VALERIE GONZALEZ

Immigrants seeking a legal pathway to live and work in the United States will now be subject to screening for “anti-Americanism’,” authorities said Tuesday, raising concerns among critics that it gives officers too much leeway in rejecting foreigners based on a subjective judgment.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said officers will now consider whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused” anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views.

“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,” Matthew Tragesser, USCIS spokesman, said in a statement. “Immigration benefits—including to live and work in the United States—remain a privilege, not a right.”

It isn’t specified what constitutes anti-Americanism and it isn’t clear how and when the directive would be applied.

“The message is that the U.S. and immigration agencies are going to be less tolerant of anti-Americanism or antisemitism when making immigration decisions,” Elizabeth Jacobs, director of regulatory affairs and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for immigration restrictions, said on Tuesday.

Jacobs said the government is being more explicit in the kind of behaviors and practices officers should consider, but emphasized that discretion is still in place. “The agency cannot tell officers that they have to deny — just to consider it as a negative discretion,” she said.

Critics worry the policy update will allow for more subjective views of what is considered anti-American and allow an officer’s personal bias to cloud his or her judgment.

“For me, the really big story is they are opening the door for stereotypes and prejudice and implicit bias to take the wheel in these decisions. That’s really worrisome,” said Jane Lilly Lopez, associate professor of sociology at Brigham Young University.

The policy changes follow others recently implemented since the start of the Trump administration including social media vetting and the most recent addition of assessing applicants seeking naturalization for ‘good moral character’. That will not only consider “not simply the absence of misconduct” but also factor the applicant’s positive attributes and contributions.

“It means you are going to just do a whole lot more work to provide evidence that you meet our standards,” Lopez said.

Experts disagree on the constitutionality of the policy involving people who are not U.S. citizens and their freedom of speech. Jacobs, of the Center for Immigration Studies, said First Amendment rights do not extend to people outside the U.S. or who are not U.S. citizens.

Ruby Robinson, senior managing attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, believes the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution protects all people in the United States, regardless of their immigration status, against government encroachment. “A lot of this administration’s activities infringe on constitutional rights and do need to be resolved, ultimately, in courts,” Robinson added.

Attorneys are advising clients to adjust their expectations.

“People need to understand that we have a different system today and a lot more things that apply to U.S. citizens are not going to apply to somebody who’s trying to enter the United States,” said Jaime Diez, an immigration attorney based in Brownsville, Texas.

Jonathan Grode, managing partner of Green and Spiegel immigration law firm, said the policy update was not unexpected considering how the Trump administration approaches immigration.

“This is what was elected. They’re allowed to interpret the rules the way they want,” Grode said. “The policy always to them is to shrink the strike zone. The law is still the same.”

Nebraska announces plan for immigration detention center dubbed the ‘Cornhusker Clink’

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 16:32

By JOSH FUNK

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska announced plans Tuesday for an immigration detention center in the remote southwest corner of the state as President Donald Trump’s administration races to expand the infrastructure necessary for increasing deportations.

The facility will be dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink,” a play on Nebraska’s nickname of the Cornhusker State and an old slang term for jail. The alliterative name follows in the vein of the previously announced “Alligator Alcatraz” and “Deportation Depot” detention centers in Florida and the “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana.

Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had agreed to use an existing minimum security prison work camp in McCook — a remote city of about 7,000 people in the middle of the wide-open prairies between Denver and Omaha — to house people awaiting deportation and being held for other immigration proceedings. It’s expected to be a Midwest hub for detainees from several states.

“This is about keeping Nebraskans – and Americans across our country – safe,” Pillen said in a statement.

The facility can accommodate 200 people with plans to expand to 300. McCook is about 210 miles west of Lincoln, the state capital.

Southwest Nebraska will host an immigration detention center. (AP Digital Embed)

“If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App,” Noem said in a separate statement.

Noem’s agency posted a picture on social media showing ears of corn wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hats, standing in front of a prison fence.

The governor said later at a news conference in McCook that the center will have the advantage of being located at an existing facility and near a regional airport. He told reporters he didn’t know if the center would house women as well as men or if children could be held there. He said he first learned the federal government was interested in the facility on Friday.

Pillen also announced he would order the Nebraska National Guard to provide administrative and logistical support to Nebraska-based immigration agents. About 20 soldiers will be involved. And he said the Nebraska State Patrol would allow six troopers to help federal immigration agents make arrests.

Adding detention facilities to hold growing number of immigrants arrested

The Trump administration is adding new detention facilities across the country to hold the growing number of immigrants it has arrested and accused of being in the country illegally. ICE centers were holding more than 56,000 immigrants in June, the most since 2019.

The new and planned facilities include the remote detention center in the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” which opened last month. It’s designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. When Trump toured it, he suggested it could be a model for future lockups nationwide.

The Florida facility also been the subject of legal challenges by attorneys who allege violations of due process there, including the rights of detainees to meet with their attorneys, limited access to immigration courts and poor living conditions. Critics have been trying to stop further construction and operations until it comes into compliance with federal environmental laws.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced last week that his administration is preparing to open a second facility, dubbed “Deportation Depot,” at a state prison in north Florida. It’s expected to have 1,300 immigration beds, though that capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said.

Also last week, officials in the rural Tennessee town of Mason voted to approve agreements to turn a former prison into an immigration detention facility operated by a private company, despite loud objections from residents and activists during a contentious public meeting.

And the Trump administration announced plans earlier this month for a 1,000-bed detention center in Indiana that would be dubbed “Speedway Slammer,” prompting a backlash in the Midwestern state that hosts the Indianapolis 500 auto race.

Corrections director Rob Jeffreys said the 186 inmates currently at the McCook work camp will be transferred to other state facilities over the next 45 to 60 days. The repurposed facility will be run by the state but will be paid for by the federal government. He said it’s already set up and accredited to hold prisoners, so detainees won’t be housed in tents or other temporary quarters.

The Nebraska plan has already raised concerns

In a video posted to social media, state Sen. Megan Hunt, an independent, blasted a lack of transparency about plans for a detention center, citing her unfulfilled request to the governor and executive branch for emails and other records.

She urged people to support local immigrant rights groups.

Emily Pietrzak holds a sign that reads “ICE=Gestapo” as other protesters gather outside the Nebraska governor’s office in Lincoln, Neb., Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. “I believe our government is hurting people who live in our country and I think we should stand up for each other,” she said. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

“The No. 1 thing we need to do is protect our neighbors, protect the people in our communities who are being targeted by these horrible people, these horrible organizations that are making choices to lock up, detain, disappear our neighbors and families and friends,” Hunt said.

Around a half-dozen protesters sat in the hallway outside the governor’s office Tuesday afternoon making signs that said, “No Nazi Nebraska” and “ICE = Gestapo.”

Maghie Miller-Jenkins of Lincoln said she doesn’t think an ICE detention center is a good idea, adding the state should tackle problems like child hunger and homelessness. “This state has numerous things they could focus on that would benefit the constituents,” she said.

Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jack Dura in Fargo, North Dakota, and Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.

Lawyer argues Meta can’t be held liable for gunmaker’s Instagram posts in Uvalde families’ lawsuit

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 16:24

By ITZEL LUNA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lawsuit filed by families of the Uvalde school shooting victims alleging Instagram allowed gun manufacturers to promote firearms to minors should be thrown out, lawyers for Meta, Instagram’s parent company, argued Tuesday.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The families sued Meta in Los Angeles in May 2024, saying the social media platform failed to enforce its own rules forbidding firearms advertisements aimed at minors.

In one ad posted on Instagram, the Georgia-based gunmaker Daniel Defense shows Santa Claus holding an assault rifle. In another post by the same company, a rifle leans against a refrigerator, with the caption: “Let’s normalize kitchen Daniels. What Daniels do you use to protect your kitchen and home?”

The lawsuit alleges those posts are marketed toward minors. The Uvalde gunman opened an online account with Daniel Defense before his 18th birthday and purchased the rifle as soon as he could, according to the lawsuit.

Meta attorney Kristin Linsley argued that the families provided no proof that minors, including the Uvalde gunman, even read the Daniel Defense posts on Instagram. She also said the posts didn’t violate Meta’s policies because they weren’t direct advertisements and did not include links to purchase any products.

Linsley said content advertising firearms for sale on Instagram is allowed if posted by “brick-and-motor and online retailers,” but visibility of those posts is restricted for minors, under Meta’s advertising policies from the end of 2021 to October 2022.

“This is not a playbook for how to violate the rules. This is actually what the rules are,” Linsley said.

The families have also sued Daniel Defense and video game company Activision, which produces “Call of Duty.”

She also argued that the Communications Decency Act allows social media platforms to moderate content without being treated as publishers of that content.

“The only response a company can have is to not have these kinds of rules at all,” Linsley said. “It just gets you down a rabbit hole very quickly.”

The lawsuit alleges that firearm companies tweaked their online marketing to comply with Meta’s policies, including by avoiding the words “buy” or “sell” and not providing links to purchase, and that the social media company did not protect users against such strategies.

“With Instagram’s blessing and assistance, sellers of assault weapons can inundate teens with content that promotes crime, exalts the lone gunman, exploits tropes of misogyny and revenge, and directs them where to buy their Call of Duty-tested weapon of choice,” the lawsuit says. “Parents don’t stand a chance.”

“Not Instagram, not Meta, but marketing agencies provide advice on how to be in compliance with Meta’s policies,” Linsley argued.

Last month, lawyers for Activision argued that legal proceedings against them should be thrown out, saying the families allegations are barred by the First Amendment. The families alleged that the war-themed video game Call of Duty trained and conditioned the Uvalde gunman to orchestrate his attack.

The judge has yet to rule on Activision’s motion and is not expected to rule immediately on the Meta case.

US appeals court blocks New Mexico’s 7-day waiting period on gun purchases

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 16:14

By MORGAN LEE

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A panel of federal appellate judges ruled Tuesday that New Mexico’s seven-day waiting period on gun purchases likely infringes on citizens’ Second Amendment rights, putting the law on hold pending a legal challenge.

The ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sends the case back to a lower court. New Mexico’s waiting period went into effect in May 2024, and does hold an exception for concealed permit holders.

“Cooling-off periods do not fit into any historically grounded exceptions to the right to keep and bear arms, and burden conduct within the Second Amendment’s scope,” wrote Judge Timothy Tymkovich in the split 2-1 ruling. ”We conclude that New Mexico’s Waiting Period Act is likely an unconstitutional burden on the Second Amendment rights of its citizens.

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Scott Matheson said New Mexico’s waiting period “establishes a condition or qualification on the commercial sale of arms that does not serve abusive ends.”

The National Rifle Association and Mountain States Legal Foundation, an advocacy group for gun rights, filed the lawsuit on behalf of two New Mexico residents, citing concerns about delayed access to weapons for victims of domestic violence and others.

Democratic state lawmakers had enacted the restrictions in hopes of ensuring more time for the completion of federal background checks on gun buyers.

In a statement, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed “deep disappointment” and said Tuesday’s ruling was likely to cost lives.

“New Mexico’s waiting period law was carefully crafted to minimize gun violence while respecting Second Amendment rights,” said Lujan Grisham, highlighting additional exceptions for gun purchases by law enforcement officers and transactions between immediate family members. “Waiting periods prevent impulsive acts of violence and suicide, giving people time to step back and reassess their emotions during moments of crisis.”

It was unclear whether the governor and legislators would request a broader review by a majority of judges on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Only California, Hawaii and Washington, along with the District of Columbia — have longer waiting periods than New Mexico that range up to 14 days, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Rhode Island also has a seven-day wait.

FILE – The marquee at a gun shop in Los Ranchos, N.M, flashes in protest of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s order to suspend the carrying of firearms in the state’s largest metro area, Sept. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

Michael McCoy, director of the Mountain States Legal Foundation’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms, applauded the ruling. The group is also challenging Colorado’s minimum three-day waiting period for gun purchases, enacted in 2023.

“The court found that there was no analogous law from that era that would support the modern day law that’s at issue,” McCoy said. “For now, it means New Mexicans can go buy their firearms without an arbitrary delay imposed.”

John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, said the appeals court decision “serves as a key piece in dismantling similar gun control laws across the country.”

Since 2019, Lujan Grisham has signed a raft of legislation restricting access to guns, including a “red flag” law allowing a court to temporarily remove guns from people who might hurt themselves or others and restrictions on guns near polling places.

In 2023, Lujan Grisham suspended the right to carry guns at public parks and playgrounds in Albuquerque in response to a series of shootings around the state that left children dead.

In April, she declared a state of emergency in Albuquerque, saying that a significant increase in crime warranted the help of the New Mexico National Guard. And last week she declared a state of emergency in response to violent crime and drug trafficking across a swath of northern New Mexico in Rio Arriba County.

This story has been updated to correct Judge Timothy Tymkovich’s first name.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says Trump ready to ‘crush’ Russian economy if Putin avoids talks with Zelenskyy

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 15:40

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that he believes President Donald Trump is prepared to “crush” Russia’s economy with a new wave of sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming weeks.

Graham, who spoke with Trump on Tuesday morning, has pushed the president for months to support his sweeping bipartisan sanctions bill that would impose steep tariffs on countries that are fueling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by buying its oil, gas, uranium, and other exports. The legislation has the backing of 85 senators, but Trump has yet to endorse it. Republican leaders have said they won’t move without him.

“If we don’t have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in,” Graham said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. The Senate, now away from Washington for the August recess, is scheduled to return in September.

Graham’s call with Trump came less than 24 hours after high-stakes meetings at the White House with Zelenskyy and several European leaders. Trump and the leaders emerged from those talks sounding optimistic, with the expectation being that a Putin and Zelenskyy sit-down will happen soon.

Still, Trump’s comments to Graham, one of his top congressional allies, mark the latest sign that pressure is building — not just on Putin, but on Trump as well.

“Trump believes that if Putin doesn’t do his part, that he’s going to have to crush his economy. Because you’ve got to mean what you say,” Graham told reporters in South Carolina on Tuesday.

As Congress prepares to return to session in early September, the next few weeks could become a defining test of whether lawmakers and international allies are prepared to act on their own if Trump doesn’t follow through.

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the lead Democrat pushing the bill with Graham, says there is a “lot of reason for skepticism and doubt” after the meetings with Trump, especially because Putin has not made any direct promises. He said the Russian leader has an incentive to play “rope-a-dope” with Trump.

“The only way to bring Putin to the table is to show strength,” Blumenthal told the AP this week. “What Putin understands is force and pressure.”

Still, Republicans have shown little willingness to override Trump in his second term. They abruptly halted work on the sanctions bill before the August recess after Trump said the legislation may not be needed.

Asked Tuesday in a phone interview whether the sanctions bill should be brought up even without Trump’s support, Graham said, “the best way to do it is with him.”

“There will come a point where if it’s clear that Putin is not going to entertain peace, that President Trump will have to back up what he said he would do,” Graham said. “And the best way to do it is have congressional blessing.”

The legislation would impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries such as China and India, which together account for roughly 70% of Russia’s energy trade. The framework has the support of many European leaders.

Many of those same European leaders left the White House on Monday with a more hopeful tone. Zelenskyy called the meeting with Trump “an important step toward ending this war.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that his expectations “were not just met, they were exceeded.”

Still, little concrete progress was visible on the main obstacles to peace. That deadlock likely favors Putin, whose forces continue to make steady, if slow, progress on the ground in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters after talks at the White House that Trump believes a deal with Putin is possible. But he said sanctions remain on the table if the process fails.

Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard contributed to this report from Florence, South Carolina.

Dave Hyde: Why are Dolphins in denial about troubling cornerback situation?

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 14:45

Before last season, Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier famously told reporters who kept asking about the team’s troubling guard situation, “You guys are more worried about it than we are.”

His two most expensive offseason moves then were replacing the league’s lowest-graded guard pairing, according to Pro Football Focus.

Also before last season, coach Mike McDaniel said of the backup quarterback situation that looked like a budding, five-alarm fire, “We’re very comfortable there.”

That quarterback situation sunk the season by October.

Are we repeating ourselves this August by pointing out the flashing yellow warning lights at cornerback? And aren’t the Dolphins again in denial about an even more glaring problem at the edge of this season?

“What have I seen?” McDaniel said of the cornerbacks. “I’ve seen guys play very consistent bump coverage relative to the rest of the league or teams we go against. I’m seeing guys that are making plays in the pass game and the run game.

“I’m seeing guys play off coverage, reading through quarterback quick game footwork and progressing to a larger pedal and staying square with widen departure routes. I’m watching corners play the game between aggressive reroute and bail, disciplined football. I’m watching people take direct angles on shallow crosses.”

Maybe McDaniel is just propping his guys with positivity, as he does. But here’s what he hasn’t seen: A Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, Vontae Davis, Patrick Surtain Sr. or Sam Madison to anchor the position.

That Alpha cornerback isn’t coming through the door at this point, either, no matter how many phone calls Grier is making. An average cornerback would help, though.

“This is probably the worst (cornerback) situation in the league right now,” an NFL scout said. “I just don’t see how they got to this.”

Indianapolis signed Howard on Monday. Howard sat out last season, is 32 and who knows what he has left in the tank. But, if not Howard, the Dolphins to take a swing on someone coming up, don’t they?

They signed edge rusher Matthew Judon, who is 33 and had 5.5 sacks in Atlanta last year. We’ll see coming up if that’s good move for depth or there’s added concern about the injury returns of Bradley Chubb or Jaelan Phillips. You can never have enough edge rushers in today’s passing game.

On Tuesday, the Dolphins signed cornerback Cameron Dantzler, 26, whose last starts came in 2022 with Minnesota. That’s the kind of longshot move they’ve made this offseason. Grier’s mentor, Bill Parcells, made a career of believing you can never have enough offensive tackles or cornerbacks. Yet knowing he’d lose both of last year’s starting cornerbacks (Ramsey, Kendall Fuller), Grier didn’t invest much in free agency and passed in the draft until the point so much has to work out for the cornerbacks to work. Kader Kohou then was lost for the season in training camp.

So, Storm Duck is the top hope for this season. He’s is a good story. Undrafted. Second year. A player creating a career through ambition and hard work.

But a No. 1 cornerback?

That’s not even fair. Duck started three games as a rookie. Kendall Sheffield hasn’t started a game in five years. Jack Jones started 16 games for Las Vegas last year, but wasn’t invited back and is on his third team while on his inexpensive, rookie contract.

Mike Hilton, at 31, is trying to squeeze a good ending to a good career. Jason Marshall, the rookie, is testing his limits as he played in the slot against Detroit. He did well, correcting a couple of practice mistakes as safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said and, “making a couple good plays.”

Are there three cornerbacks you can count on for a Thursday night in Buffalo against quarterback Josh Allen?

So much of sports is about roles. Jim Leyland, the former Marlins manager, once said backup catcher Gregg Zaun’s career fear should be “overexposure.” As a backup, Zaun was good. But his warts would be obvious as an every day starter.

Here’s the glass-half-full take: The Dolphins face only one certifiably great quarterback in the season’s first half in the Bills’ Allen. So, they have clay to develop, and Philadelphia developed two rookie cornerbacks last year and won the Super Bowl. OK, they were first- and second-round picks. The better example is the Los Angeles Chargers ended the season playing two fifth-round rookie cornerbacks and made the playoffs.

Here’s the glass-half-empty take: Last year it was guards and backup quarterbacks. Now it’s cornerbacks. Every season has troubled positions to navigate around. But what if everyone’s in denial about those areas being troubled?

FACT FOCUS: Trump says he has ended seven wars. That’s not accurate

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 14:45

By CHINEDU ASADU and MELISSA GOLDIN

President Donald Trump has projected himself as a peacemaker since returning to the White House in January, touting his efforts to end global conflicts.

In meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders Monday, Trump repeated that he has been instrumental in stopping multiple wars but didn’t specify which.

“I’ve done six wars, I’ve ended six wars, Trump said in the Oval Office with Zelenskyy. He later added: “If you look at the six deals I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn’t do any ceasefires.”

He raised that figure Tuesday, telling “Fox & Friends” that “we ended seven wars.”

But although Trump helped mediate relations among many of these nations, experts say his impact isn’t as clear cut as he claims.

Here’s a closer look at the conflicts.

Israel and Iran

Trump is credited with ending the 12-day war.

Israel launched attacks on the heart of Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership in June, saying it wanted to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon — which Tehran has denied it was trying to do.

Trump negotiated a ceasefire between Israel and Iran just after directing American warplanes to strike Iran’s Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. He publicly harangued both countries into maintaining the ceasefire.

FILE – People take pictures of smoke rising from an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo, File)

Evelyn Farkas, executive director of Arizona State University’s McCain Institute, said Trump should get credit for ending the war.

“There’s always a chance it could flare up again if Iran restarts its nuclear weapons program, but nonetheless, they were engaged in a hot war with one another,” she said. “And it didn’t have any real end in sight before President Trump got involved and gave them an ultimatum.”

Lawrence Haas, a senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the American Foreign Policy Council who is an expert on Israel-Iran tensions, agreed the U.S. was instrumental in securing the ceasefire. But he characterized it as a “temporary respite” from the ongoing “day-to-day cold war” between the two foes that often involves flare-ups.

Egypt and Ethiopia

This could be described as tensions at best, and peace efforts — which don’t directly involve the U.S. — have stalled.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River has caused friction between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan since the power-generating project was announced more than a decade ago. In July, Ethiopia declared the project complete, with an inauguration set for September.

Egypt and Sudan oppose the dam. Although the vast majority of the water that flows down the Nile originates in Ethiopia, Egyptian agriculture relies on the river almost entirely. Sudan, meanwhile, fears flooding and wants to protect its own power-generating dams.

During his first term, Trump tried to broker a deal between Ethiopia and Egypt but couldn’t get them to agree. He suspended aid to Ethiopia over the dispute. In July, he posted on Truth Social that he helped the “fight over the massive dam (and) there is peace at least for now.” However, the disagreement persists, and negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have stalled.

“It would be a gross overstatement to say that these countries are at war,” said Haas. “I mean, they’re just not.”

India and Pakistan

The April killing of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir pushed India and Pakistan closer to war than they had been in years, but a ceasefire was reached.

Trump has claimed that the U.S. brokered the ceasefire, which he said came about in part because he offered trade concessions. Pakistan thanked Trump, recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize. But India has denied Trump’s claims, saying there was no conversation between the U.S. and India on trade in regards to the ceasefire.

FILE – Indian security officers patrol in armored vehicles in Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, after assailants indiscriminately opened fired at tourists. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

Although India has downplayed the Trump administration’s role in the ceasefire, Haas and Farkas believe the U.S. deserves some credit for helping stop the fighting.

“I think that President Trump played a constructive role from all accounts, but it may not have been decisive. And again, I’m not sure whether you would define that as a full-blown war,” Farkas said.

Serbia and Kosovo

The White House lists the conflict between these countries as one Trump resolved, but there has been no threat of a war between the two neighbors during Trump’s second term, nor any significant contribution from Trump this year to improve their relations.

Kosovo is a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Tensions have persisted ever since, but never to the point of war, mostly because NATO-led peacekeepers have been deployed in Kosovo, which has been recognized by more than 100 countries.

During his first term, Trump negotiated a wide-ranging deal between Serbia and Kosovo, but much of what was agreed on was never carried out.

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Trump has played a key role in peace efforts between the African neighbors, but he’s hardly alone and the conflict is far from over.

FILE – People protest in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, against the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels’ advances into eastern Congo’s capital, Goma, on Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi, File)

Eastern Congo, rich in minerals, has been battered by fighting with more than 100 armed groups. The most potent is the M23 rebel group backed by neighboring Rwanda, which claims it is protecting its territorial interests and that some of those who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fled to Congo and are working with the Congolese army.

The Trump administration’s efforts paid off in June, when the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers signed a peace deal at the White House. The M23, however, wasn’t directly involved in the U.S.-facilitated negotiations and said it couldn’t abide by the terms of an agreement that didn’t involve it.

The final step to peace was meant to be a separate Qatar-facilitated deal between Congo and M23 that would bring about a permanent ceasefire. But with the fighting still raging, Monday’s deadline for the Qatar-led deal was missed and there have been no public signs of major talks between Congo and M23 on the final terms.

Armenia and Azerbaijan

Trump this month hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House, where they signed a deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between the two nations. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called the signed document a “significant milestone,” and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed Trump for performing “a miracle.”

The two countries signed agreements intended to reopen key transportation routes and reaffirm Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s commitment to signing a peace treaty. The treaty’s text was initialed by the countries’ foreign ministers at that meeting, which indicates preliminary approval. But the two countries have yet to sign and ratify the deal.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter conflict over territory since the early 1990s, when ethnic Armenian forces took control of the Karabakh province, known internationally as Nagorno-Karabakh, and nearby territories. In 2020, Azerbaijan’s military recaptured broad swaths of territory. Russia brokered a truce and deployed about 2,000 peacekeepers to the region.

In September 2023, Azerbaijani forces launched a lightning blitz to retake remaining portions. The two countries have worked toward normalizing ties and signing a peace treaty ever since.

Cambodia and Thailand

Officials from Thailand and Cambodia credit Trump with pushing the Asian neighbors to agree to a ceasefire in this summer’s brief border conflict.

Cambodia and Thailand have clashed in the past over their shared border. The latest fighting began in July after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Tensions had been growing since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thai politics.

FILE – This photo released by the Royal Thai Army shows an injured Thai soldier who stepped on a land mine, being airlifted to a hospital in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand, July 23, 2025. (The Royal Thai Army via AP, File)

Both countries agreed in late July to an unconditional ceasefire during a meeting in Malaysia. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pressed for the pact, but there was little headway until Trump intervened. Trump said on social media that he warned the Thai and Cambodian leaders that the U.S. would not move forward with trade agreements if the hostilities continued. Both countries faced economic difficulties and neither had reached tariff deals with the U.S., though most of their Southeast Asian neighbors had.

According to Ken Lohatepanont, a political analyst and University of Michigan doctoral candidate, “President Trump’s decision to condition a successful conclusion to these talks on a ceasefire likely played a significant role in ensuring that both sides came to the negotiating table when they did.” ___ Associated Press reporters Jon Gambrell, Grant Peck, Dasha Litvinova, Fay Abuelgasim, Rajesh Roy, and Dusan Stojanovic contributed.

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

D.C.’s long downward spiral must end | Letters to the editor

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 02:00

Washington, D.C., is the septic vortex into which all the criminals, loafers and miscreants of the republic inexorably are drawn.

I heartily applaud our commander in chief for taking on the Herculean task of cleaning up the cesspool that our nation’s capital has become.

Once upon a time, Mayor Rudy Giuliani did as much for New York City.

Those who live or work in D.C. fully understand the reality and risk of the maintaining the status quo. This is a decades-long downward spiral. Homeless tents in green spaces and parks degrade and pollute the aesthetic, cultural and historical environment. Meandering drug-addled thieves can menace citizens at will.

Those who drag down cities must go to homeless shelters, hospitals or prisons, as applicable. President Trump’s “dirty restaurant” analogy is a sound one.

If Washington streets and public places are unkempt and unsafe, who will venture to go there?

Our nation’s capital has unparalleled architectural and historical sites and world-class restaurants. Not until the populace can return in peace to visit them will the task be complete. Good luck and Godspeed to President Trump in his modern-day task of cleaning the Augean Stables.

Ira Cohen, Weston

Get Tri-Rail back on track Riders exit a Tri-Rail train in Hollywood on Thursday, July 24, 2025. The state is cutting its by $27 million, creating a fiscal emergency. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

It was very disappointing to read about the potential funding cuts to Tri-Rail.

It provides a vital service, not only connecting people with jobs, but also serving all three area airports and getting students to schools.

Rather than trimming Tri-Rail, we should invest in improving service, connecting with city buses, and finally getting serious about east-west transit options.

Investing in our public transit would be faster and less expensive than endless road construction.

Our roads are overcrowded. An improved mass transit system would benefit our environment, our economy and our quality of life. Let’s get on track.

Sylvia Meyer, Hollywood

It’s funded by donors

In response to the Aug. 16 letter to the editor titled “$200 million ballroom,” the writer should focus on factual reporting rather than misinformation. U.S. taxpayers are not funding this ballroom. It is entirely being financed by private donors and by President Trump.

Additionally, the Trump administration is targeting wasteful spending and U.S. policies that enable abuse in those programs.

The letter writer may also be unaware that besides Trump, the only other presidents who donated their entire presidential salaries were Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy, who gave theirs to charity (both presidents were multimillionaires).

Joe Trubinsky, Boca Raton

‘We know the answer’

You know this ballroom will be paid for via private donations. I don’t remember a news story from you on this.

Could it be you don’t want readers to know the truth? Also, are there any Trump supporters on the editorial board? I believe we know the answer.

If your opinion writers were more middle-of-the-road than far left, I believe you would have greater circulation numbers, which would increase your ad revenue.

W. James Costeines, Deerfield Beach

(Editor’s Note: The Sun Sentinel published a letter to the editor on Aug. 16 that did not make clear that Trump’s $200 million White House ballroom would be financed by private donations. We did publish a detailed AP story that said private funds would pay for the new ballroom. The White House has not publicly identified any donors.)

Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length.

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