Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 92

SF Giants begin 10-game road trip with win over White Sox

After being swept by the Miami Marlins at home, the Giants kicked off their 10-game road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Right-hander Landen Roupp allowed one run (none earned) over 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts while catcher Patrick Bailey scored a run and drove in two more with a triple, his first time driving in multiple runs in a game since May 6 against the Chicago Cubs.

“If you don’t have your best stuff and you go out there and you give up one run — unearned — you did pretty well,” manager Bob Melvin told reporters in Chicago.

Roupp, 26, continues to solidify himself as the third-best starter in San Francisco’s rotation behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. Since May, Roupp owns a 2.45 ERA over 51 1/3 innings with five quality starts.

The right-hander’s last two starts have been especially impressive given how he responded to the worst start of his career.

Roupp ended his outing against the Dodgers on June 14 having totaled more earned runs (six) than outs recorded (five) as San Francisco was blown out by Los Angeles. In his two starts since then, Roupp has allowed no earned runs over 11 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts, lowering his ERA on the season to 3.43 in the process.

Closer Camilo Doval enjoyed a bounce back of his own as he recorded his 13th save of the season.

Doval allowed six runs (five earned) in his last two outings of San Francisco’s recent homestand, ballooning his ERA from 1.59 to 2.78. Against Miami on Wednesday, Doval allowed four runs (three earned) in the top of the 10th inning as the Giants lost in extra innings to the Marlins.

The right-hander’s outing against Chicago, then, was a return to normalcy: a 1-2-3 ninth inning with a pair of swinging strikeouts.

On multiple occasions Friday, Roupp had to work out of trouble with his back against the wall.

The White Sox loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning with one out on two singles and a walk, but Roupp induced an inning-ending double play to escape the frame unscathed.

Chicago, once again, put a man on each base with one out in the following inning when Roupp plunked Chase Meidroth, walked Andrew Benintendi and allowed a single to Miguel Vargas. With no margin for error, Roupp struck out Kyle Teel swinging with a beautiful changeup, then got Lenyn Sosa to hit an inning-ending pop out.

“He’s a competitor,” Melvin said. “He always has the sinker. He throws the sinker at the bottom of the knees for a strike, a lot of times it’s a ground ball. That’s what he relies on.”

The White Sox scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning when shortstop Willy Adames had a very odd defensive sequence.

With runners on first and second, Adames couldn’t catch a line drive off the bat of Vargas that was hit directly at him and was charged with an error. Left fielder Heliot Ramos collected the ball and fired a throw at Adames, but Adames wasn’t looking and the ball rolled past him. Third baseman Christian Koss quickly grabbed the ball and threw home, but Chicago’s Meidroth dove home to score and Chicago had a 1-0 lead.

San Francisco tied it in the top of the third inning when Wilmer Flores, a day removed from his frustrations against Miami, pulled a double down the left-field line that allowed Bailey to score.

The Giants took a 3-1 lead in the sixth as Bailey drove in Adames and Koss on a two-run triple when White Sox right fielder Ryan Noda dove and missed Bailey’s low line drive.

“When we get a big hit like that, it’s huge. Especially in a game like that where one at-bat could dictate the course of the game,” Melvin said. “Earlier in the season, we were really good in a lot of those situations and we haven’t been (recently). But to get that one right there obviously was the biggest hit of the game.”

Monterey County’s other top female high school athletes

Here’s a look at who turned out to be the top high school female athletes in the county:

Savannah Hardy, Pacific Grove — Earning Herald all-county honors in basketball and softball, Hardy ignited the Breakers to Mission Division titles in both sports. Hardy averaged just under 15 points and 3.7 steals a game in basketball. She also pulled down 5.2 rebounds and dished out 2.3 assists a contest.

The Breakers ran off 12 consecutive wins – the second-longest streak in the basketball program’s storied history, posting the second undefeated league season in school history.

A two-time member of The Herald’s all-county softball team, Hardy hit .548 with a team-high .628 on-base percentage this past year, walking a team-high 12 times. The infielder also led the Breakers in doubles with 12, while hitting two homers, driving in 24 runs, scoring 29 runs, and collecting 40 hits. A defensive specialist and three-year contributor in volleyball, Hardy averaged nearly 15 digs a match.

Jennifer Rivera, Salinas — One of two athletes to earn all-county honors in two different sports this past season, Rivera was also a Central Coast Section finalist in the discus in track and field. Serving as an outside hitter, the 5-foot-11 senior collected 230 kills and a team-high 50 blocks in helping the Cowboys to a Central Coast Section Division I volleyball title.

Staying on the hardwood, Rivera was dynamic on defense for the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division champions in basketball, leading Salinas in rebounds, while averaging just under 11 points a contest.

A late arrival in the spring because of an extended basketball season, Rivera got better as the season progressed, capturing Gabilan Division titles in the shot put and discus.

Rivera was one of two athletes to earn all-league honors in three sports – the only one to achieve the feat in the Gabilan Division.

The senior unleashed the discus a career best 120 feet 6 inches at the league finals and heaved the shot 35-6, finishing in the top 10 in the section in the discus.

Aleena Salas, Greenfield — Just a sophomore, the 5-foot-8 Salas evolved into one of the premier outside hitters in the county for the Cypress Division volleyball champions.

Salas compiled a school record 483 kills last fall to earn Most Valuable Player honors in the Cypress Division.

On pace to shatter the career county record for kills, Salas also finished with a county-leading 113 service aces and a team-high 350 digs.

The incoming junior earned all-league honors on the basketball court, averaging just under 13 points a game, while finishing among the team leaders in steals and assists.

Macey Torres, Stevenson — Having committed to play lacrosse at UC Davis, Torres garnered league Most Valuable Players honors in two different sports this past season.

Torres was the Gabilan Division’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in field hockey, after producing seven goals and 29 assists, helping the Pirates to a league title.

A defensive demon on the soccer field, Torres earned first-league all-league honors in helping the Pirates to a Cypress Division title. She finished with three goals and four assists for Stevenson, who captured the Santa Lucia Division title a year earlier.

An academic All-American in lacrosse, Torres produced 63 goals for the league champions, who went 10-0 in league, earning co-Player of the Year honors in the Gabilan Division.

Torres finished with 74 draws and 61 ground balls for the Pirates, creating 20 turnovers, all team highs.

 

Trump Management 101: World leaders adapt to his erratic diplomacy with flattery and patience

By LAURIE KELLMAN

LONDON (AP) — If world leaders were teaching a course on how to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump early in his second term, their lesson plan might go like this: Pile on the flattery. Don’t chase the policy rabbits he sends running across the world stage. Wait out the threats to see what, specifically, he wants, and when possible, find a way to deliver it.

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With every Oval Office meeting and summit, the leaders of other countries are settling on tactics and strategy in their pursuit of a working relationship with the emboldened American leader who presides over the world’s largest economy and commands its most powerful military. The results were there to see at NATO, where leaders heaped praise on Trump, shortened meetings and removed contentious subjects from the agenda.

Given that Trump dominates geopolitics, foreign leaders are learning from each other’s experiences dating to Trump’s first term, when he reportedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance. Among the learnable Trumpisms: He disdains traditional diplomacy. With him, it’s “ America first,” it’s superlative — and “ it’s not even close. ” He goes with his gut, and the world goes along for the ride.

They’re finding, for example, that the sheer pace of Trump’s orders, threats and social posts can send him pinging from the priority of one moment to another. He describes himself as “flexible” in negotiations, such as those in which he threatened big tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China only to back down during talks. And while Trump claimed credit for the ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war, he also has yet to negotiate ending the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as promised.

Trump’s threat this week to levy retaliatory tariffs on Spain, for example, “is a mystery to everyone,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever told reporters Thursday during a summit in Brussels. If the tariffs never happen, he said, “It won’t be the first time that things don’t turn out as bad as they seem at first glance. Or that he changes his mind. I’m not the kind of leader who jumps every time Mr. Trump says something.”

Trump management 101: Discipline vs ‘daddy diplomacy’

Two summits this month, an ocean apart — the Group of Seven in Canada and NATO in The Netherlands — illustrate contrasting approaches to the American president on the brink of his 6th month back in office.

Meeting in mid-June in Alberta, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed Trump at a press conference by wishing him a happy birthday and adding a smidgen of flattery: “The G7 is nothing without U.S. leadership and your personal leadership of the United States.” But when Trump turned partisan, Carney cut off the event, saying: “We actually have to start the meeting.”

Trump appeared to nod in agreement. But later, on Monday, June 16, he abruptly departed the summit a day early as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensified.

Trump ordered U.S. pilots to drop 30,000-pound bombs early Sunday on two key underground uranium enrichment plants in Iran, and by Wednesday announced on social media “a Complete and Total ceasefire.” What followed was a 48-hour whirlwind during which Trump veered from elated to indignant to triumphant as his fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire agreement came together, teetered toward collapse and ultimately coalesced.

Trump publicly harangued the Israelis and Iranians with a level of pique and profanity that was notable even for him. Chiding the two countries for attacking each other beyond a deadline, he dropped the f-word. Not finished, he then cast doubt on his support for NATO’s mutual defense guarantee.

Such was the president’s mood as he winged toward a meeting of the trans-Atlantic alliance he had disparaged for years.

President Donald Trump poses for photographers as he arrives for a formal dinner at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, right, attend a plenary session at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)President Donald Trump, center left, walks by Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, center front, prior to a group photo of NATO heads of state and government at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)Secretary General Mark Rutte gestures during a meeting with President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)President Donald Trump, right, and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrive for a plenary session at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)Show Caption1 of 5President Donald Trump poses for photographers as he arrives for a formal dinner at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)ExpandNATO was ready for Trump with a summit set to please him

NATO is essentially American, anyway. The Europeans and Canadians cannot function without American heavy lift, air refueling, logistics and more. Most of all, they rely on the United States for its range of nuclear weapons for deterrence.

The June 25 summit was whittled down to a few hours, and one Trump-driven subject: Raising the amount of money the member nations spent on defense to lighten the load carried by the United States.

Emphatically not on the agenda: Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. Trump did, however, meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has climbed his own learning curve on Trump management since Trump berated him in the Oval Office in February. The Ukrainian leader has deployed a conciliatory approach and mirrored Trump’s transactional style.

The goal, widely reported, was to avoid doing anything that might cause Trump to blow up the event or leave. Trump was invited to stay at the royal palace in The Hague and dine with the royal family. It was expected that most members would endorse the plan to raise their spending targets for their one-for-all defense against Russia.

The other NATO ambassadors had told Secretary-General Mark Rutte to deploy his Trump-whispering skills. He sent the president a private, presummit text predicting Trump would achieve “BIG” success there, which Trump posted on his own socials for all to see. At the summit, Rutte likened Trump’s role quieting the Iran-Israel war to a “daddy” interdicting a schoolyard brawl.

“He likes me,” Trump explained.

Backlash was stiff. Lithuania’s former foreign minister called Rutte’s approach “the gushings of weakness and meekness.”

“The wording appears to have been stolen from the adult entertainment industry,” Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted. “It reduces Europe to the state of a beggar — pitiful before our Transatlantic friends and Eastern opponents alike.”

It was the latest confirmation that complimenting is a favorite way for leaders to deal with him, if not a popular one in some circles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been using the tactic since at least 2018, when he called Trump “the greatest friend Israel has ever had,” and even named a settlement in the Golan Heights after him. The late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plied him with multiple rounds of golf. French President Emmanuel Macron invited Trump to be the guest of honor at Bastille Day in 2017, featuring an elaborate military parade.

What Trump left behind

Rutte found a way to make Trump’s demand that member countries spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense work. Their military support to Ukraine could count as a substantial slice of that money. But the agreement left big issues unresolved, including a U.S. troop reduction that is likely to be announced later in the year, and the potential for a resulting security vacuum.

Posters on social media referred to NATO as the “North Atlantic Trump Organization.”

“This summit has all been about managing him, and it’s all been about trying to get him to say the right thing in the right moment,” Fiona Hill, a former senior White House national security adviser to three U.S. presidents, including Trump, told the BBC.

By the end of the summit, participants were declaring it a success as much for what it prevented as for what was accomplished. Trump showed up. He did not blow it up, leave early or start fights. And critically, NATO survived — indeed, with Trump declaring himself a changed man where the alliance is concerned.

And his night in the palace? He said he’d “slept beautifully.”

Associated Press reporters Lorne Cook in Brussels and Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this story.

Judge rejects another Trump executive order targeting the legal community

By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday struck down another of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms.

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U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ruled that the order against the firm of Susman Godfrey was unconstitutional and must be permanently blocked.

The order was the latest ruling to reject Trump’s efforts to punish law firms for legal work he does not like and for employing attorneys he perceives as his adversaries.

The Susman Godfrey firm suggested that it had drawn Trump’s ire at least in part because it represented Dominion Voting Systems in the voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News over false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election. The suit ended in a massive settlement.

Other judges in recent weeks have blocked similar orders against the firms of Jenner Block, Perkins Coie and WilmerHale. The orders have sought to impose similar sanctions, including the suspension of security clearances of attorneys and the restriction of access to federal buildings.

“The order was one in a series attacking firms that had taken positions with which President Trump disagreed. In the ensuing months, every court to have considered a challenge to one of these orders has found grave constitutional violations and permanently enjoined enforcement of the order in full,” AliKhan wrote. “Today, this court follows suit, concluding that the order targeting Susman violates the U.S. Constitution and must be permanently enjoined.”

Other major firms have sought to avert orders by preemptively reaching settlements that require them, among other things, to collectively dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars in free legal services in support of causes the Trump administration says it supports.

Republicans hit major setback in their effort to ease regulations on gun silencers

By KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican efforts to loosen regulations on gun silencers and short-barreled rifles and shotguns have been dealt a big setback with the Senate parliamentarian advising that the proposal would need to clear a 60-vote threshold if included in their big tax and immigration bill.

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Gun rights groups had been lobbying aggressively for the measure, which would essentially treat silencers and the short-barreled firearms like long guns. Gun-control groups celebrated the parliamentarian’s ruling, saying the items have been regulated for nearly 100 years for good reason — they are a threat to first responders and communities.

The House version of the GOP’s bill removed silencers — called “suppressors” by the gun industry — from a 1930s law that regulates firearms considered the most dangerous, and in the process, would have eliminated a $200 tax. The Senate kept the provision on silencers in its version of the bill and expanded upon it, adding short-barreled, or sawed-off, rifles and shotguns.

Under the National Firearms Act, potential buyers of the regulated weapons must also undergo a finger-print based background check. There is no deadline for such checks. The process is arguably more thorough than the name-based background check completed for other firearms purchases.

Lawmakers said the silencers provision was deemed by the Senate parliamentarian to be in violation of the “Byrd Rule,” which stipulates that the budget changes sought in the legislation cannot be “merely incidental” to the policy changes. The special rules are designed to deter provisions unrelated to spending or taxes from being included in the bill.

“It’s no surprise that Republicans will jump at any opportunity to please the gun lobby by rolling back gun safety measures, but that kind of policy does not belong in a reconciliation bill,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

Gun rights groups complained about the $200 tax and how the background check process often takes weeks and even months for silencers and short-barreled weapons.

Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, who supports the legislation, said before the ruling that the proposed changes were aimed at helping target shooters and hunters protect their hearing. He argued that the use of silencers in violent crimes is rare. “All it’s ever intended to do is to reduce the report of the firearm to hearing safe levels,” Keane said.

John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, disagreed with the parliamentarian’s ruling, noting that she was originally appointed by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat.

“Nevertheless, we remain committed to working with our allies on Capitol Hill to end the unjust tax burden on these constitutionally-protected arms,” Commerford said.

Groups opposed to the measure included Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization co-founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords who was grievously wounded in a 2011 mass shooting in her district.

Emma Brown, the group’s executive director said “removing safeguards on gun silencers would have made it easier for violent criminals to escape, putting both law enforcement and civilians at greater risk.”

“What’s more, removing safeguards on short barreled firearms would have only enabled more criminals to access these easily concealable weapons, which can be easily brought into large crowds,” Brown said.

The gun language had broad support among Republicans and has received little attention as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., work to settle differences within the party on cuts to Medicaid and energy tax credits, among other issues.

It is just one of hundreds of policy and spending items that were included to entice members to vote for the legislation and will have broad implications in the years to come.

Senate rejects effort to restrain Trump on Iran as GOP backs his strikes on nuclear sites

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic efforts in the Senate to prevent President Donald Trump from further escalating with Iran fell short Friday, with Republicans opposed to a resolution marking Congress’ first attempt to reassert its war powers following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

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The resolution, authored by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. Asked Friday if he would bomb Iranian nuclear sites again if he deemed necessary, Trump said, “Sure, without question.”

Passage of the resolution was seen as a long shot. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and have overwhelmingly stood with the president in support of his decision to strike Iran.

Most say that Iran posed an imminent threat that required decisive action from Trump, and they backed his decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend without seeking congressional approval.

“Of course, we can debate the scope and strategy of our military engagements,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. “But we must not shackle our president in the middle of a crisis when lives are on the line.”

Democrats cast doubt on that justification, arguing the president should have come to Congress first. They also said the president did not update them adequately, with Congress’ first briefings taking place Thursday.

“The idea is this: We shouldn’t send our sons and daughters into war unless there’s a political consensus that this is a good idea, this is a national interest,” Kaine said in a Thursday interview with The Associated Press.

The resolution did not aim to limit the president’s ability to defend against a threat, Kaine said. But, added, “If it’s offense, let’s really make sure we’re making the right decision.”

Almost all Democrats were expected to vote for the resolution. Their case centers on the War Powers Resolution, passed in the early 1970s, which requires the president “in every possible instance” to “consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces.”

Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of Friday evening’s vote, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced he would support the resolution — and urged fellow Republican senators to do the same.

Trump is just the latest in a line of presidents to test the limits of the resolution — though he’s done so at a time when he’s often bristling at the nation’s checks and balances.

Trump on Monday sent a letter to Congress — as required by the War Powers Resolution — that said strikes on Iran over the weekend were “limited in scope and purpose” and “designed to minimize casualties, deter future attacks and limit the risk of escalation.”

But following classified briefings with top White House officials this week, some lawmakers remain skeptical about how imminent the threat truly was.

“There was no imminent threat to the United States,” said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, after Friday’s classified briefings.

“There’s always an Iranian threat to the world. But, I have not seen anything to suggest that the threat from the Iranians was radically different last Saturday than it was two Saturdays ago,” Himes said.

Despite Democratic skepticism, nearly all Republicans applauded Trump’s decision to strike Iran. And for GOP senators, supporting the resolution would have meant rebuking the president at the same time they’re working to pass his major legislative package.

Kaine proposed a similar resolution in 2020 aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to launch military operations against Iran. Among the eight Republicans who joined Democrats in approving the resolution was Indiana Sen. Todd Young.

After Thursday’s classified briefing for the Senate, Young said he was “confident that Iran was prepared to pose a significant threat” and that, given Trump’s stated goal of no further escalation, “I do not believe this resolution is necessary at this time.”

“Should the Administration’s posture change or events dictate the consideration of additional American military action, Congress should be consulted so we can best support those efforts and weigh in on behalf of our constituents,” Young said in a statement.

Trump has said that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in place. But he and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have verbally sparred in recent days, with the ayatollah warning the U.S. not to launch future strikes on Iran.

White House officials have said they expect to restart talks soon with Iran, though nothing has been scheduled.

Associated Press reporter Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.

Congo and Rwanda sign a US-mediated peace deal aimed at ending decades of bloody conflict

By CHINEDU ASADU, MATTHEW LEE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda on Friday signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the decadeslong deadly fighting in eastern Congo while helping the U.S. government and American companies gain access to critical minerals in the region.

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“Today, the violence and destruction comes to an end, and the entire region begins a new chapter of hope and opportunity, harmony, prosperity and peace,” President Donald Trump told the foreign ministers of the two countries at a White House meeting.

The agreement was signed earlier at the State Department’s Treaty Room beneath a portrait of Colin Powell, the first African American to hold the job of top U.S. diplomat. There, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “an important moment after 30 years of war.”

The Central African nation of Congo has been wracked by conflict with more than 100 armed groups, the most potent backed by Rwanda, that has killed millions since the 1990s.

While the deal is seen as a turning point, analysts don’t believe it will quickly end the fighting because the most prominent armed group says it does not apply to it. Many Congolese see it mainly as an opportunity for the U.S. to acquire critical minerals needed for much of the world’s technology after their government reached out to Trump for support in fighting the rebels.

Trump has pushed to gain access to such minerals at a time when the United States and China are actively competing for influence in Africa.

Congo and Rwanda send top diplomats to sign

Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner invoked the millions of victims of the conflict in signing the agreement with Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. Both expressed optimism but stressed significant work still to do to end the fighting.

“Some wounds will heal, but they will never fully disappear,” Wagner said. “Those who have suffered the most are watching. They are expecting this agreement to be respected, and we cannot fail them.”

Nduhungirehe noted the “great deal of uncertainty” because previous agreements were not put in place.

“There is no doubt that the road ahead will not be easy,” he said. “But with the continued support of the United States and other partners, we believe that a turning point has been reached.”

They, along with Rubio, lauded the support of the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar in facilitating the agreement, which Doha has been working on for months at the request of the U.S. and others.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, stands with Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, left, and Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, right, as they shake hands after signing a peace agreement at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, watches as Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, left, and Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, right, sign a peace agreement at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner attends a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe attends a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).Show Caption1 of 5Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, stands with Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, left, and Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, right, as they shake hands after signing a peace agreement at the State Department, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).Expand

The agreement has provisions on territorial integrity, prohibition of hostilities and the disengagement, disarmament and conditional integration of non-state armed groups.

Asked in the Oval Office about violations of the agreement, Trump said he didn’t think that would happen but also warned of “very severe penalties, financial and otherwise,” if it did.

The peace deal is not likely to quickly end the conflict

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group is the most prominent armed group in the conflict, and its major advance early this year left bodies on the streets. With 7 million people displaced in Congo, the United Nations has called it “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.”

Congo hopes the U.S. will provide it with the security support needed to fight the rebels and possibly get them to withdraw from the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, and from the entire region where Rwanda is estimated to have up to 4,000 troops. Rwanda has said that it’s defending its territorial interests and not supporting M23.

M23 rebels have suggested that the agreement won’t be binding for them. The rebel group hasn’t been directly involved in the planned peace deal, although it has been part of other ongoing peace talks.

Corneille Nangaa, leader of Congo River Alliance — known by its French acronym AFC — which includes M23, told The Associated Press in March that direct peace talks with Congo can only be held if the country acknowledges their grievances and that “anything regarding us which are done without us, it’s against us.”

An M23 spokesperson, Oscar Balinda, echoed that to the AP this week.

Nduhungirehe pointed to separate talks happening in Qatar that are meant to get both Congo and the M23 rebels to agree among themselves how they will end the fighting. He also said Rwanda agreed to lift its “defensive measures.” It was not clear if he meant withdrawing the troops that Rwanda has said are defending its territorial interests.

Rwanda also has been accused of exploiting eastern Congo’s minerals, used in smartphones, advanced fighter jets and much more. Rwanda has denied any involvement, while analysts say that might make it difficult for Rwanda not to be involved in the region.

The deal is at the heart of the U.S. government’s push to counter China in Africa. For many years, Chinese companies have been a key player in Congo’s minerals sector. Chinese cobalt refineries, which account for a majority of the global supply, rely heavily on Congo.

What the US role looks like in ending the conflict

Analysts say the U.S. government’s commitment might depend on how much access it has to the minerals being discussed under separate negotiations between the American and Congolese governments.

The mostly untapped minerals are estimated to be worth as much as $24 trillion by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Christian Moleka, a political scientist at the Congolese think tank Dypol, called the deal a “major turning point” but said it could “in no way eliminate all the issues of the conflict.”

“The current draft agreement ignores war crimes and justice for victims by imposing a partnership between the victim and the aggressor,” he said. “This seems like a trigger-happy proposition and cannot establish lasting peace without justice and reparation.”

In Congo’s North Kivu province, the hardest hit by the fighting, some believe that the peace deal will help resolve the violence but warn justice must still be served for an enduring peace.

“I don’t think the Americans should be trusted 100%,” said Hope Muhinuka, an activist from the province. “It is up to us to capitalize on all we have now as an opportunity.”

The conflict can be traced to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where Hutu militias killed between 500,000 and 1 million ethnic Tutsi, as well as moderate Hutus and Twa, Indigenous people. When Tutsi-led forces fought back, nearly 2 million Hutus crossed into Congo, fearing reprisals.

Rwandan authorities have accused the Hutus who fled of participating in the genocide and alleged that elements of the Congolese army protected them. They have argued that the militias formed by a small fraction of the Hutus are a threat to Rwanda’s Tutsi population.

Since then, the ongoing conflict in east Congo has killed 6 million people, in attacks, famines and unchecked disease outbreaks stemming from the fighting.

Asadu reported from Dakar, Senegal. AP writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Justin Kabumba in Goma, Congo, and Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda, contributed to this report.

High court ruling on injunctions could imperil many court orders blocking the Trump administration

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and SUDHIN THANAWALA

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Friday limiting federal judges from issuing nationwide injunctions threatens to upend numerous lawsuits that have led to orders blocking Trump administration policies.

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Between the start of the new administration and mid-May, judges issued roughly 40 nationwide injunctions against the White House on topics including federal funding, elections rules and diversity and equity considerations. Attorneys involved in some of those cases are vowing to keep fighting, noting the high court left open other legal paths that could have broad nationwide effect.

Here’s a look at some of the decisions that could be impacted:

Birthright citizenship

Multiple federal judges have issued nationwide injunctions blocking President Donald Trump’s order denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally or temporarily. The high court’s decision Friday came in a lawsuit over that order, but the justices left unclear whether the restrictions on birthright citizenship could soon take effect in parts of the country.

Opponents went back to court within hours of the opinion, using a legal path the court left open to file class-action lawsuits that could have nationwide effect.

Election rules

On June 13, U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper in Massachusetts blocked Trump’s attempt to overhaul elections in the U.S. An executive order the Republican president issued in March sought to compel officials to require documentary proof of citizenship for everyone registering to vote for federal elections, accept only mailed ballots received by Election Day and condition federal election grant funding on states adhering to the new ballot deadline.

California was one of the plaintiffs in that suit. The office of the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said in an email it was assessing the effect of Friday’s Supreme Court decision on all of the state’s litigation.

Legal aid for migrants

A federal judge in California in April blocked the administration from cutting off funding for legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children. The administration has appealed.

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin in San Francisco said there was “no practical way” to limit the scope of the injunction by party or by geography.

“Indeed, as discussed with the Government’s declarants at the preliminary injunction hearing, there exists only one contract for the provision of the subject funding, and it applies to direct legal services nationwide,” Martinez-Olguin wrote.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Adina Appelbaum, program director for the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, said she didn’t think the Supreme Court’s decision would significantly affect her case.

But she blasted it, saying the high court had “turned its back on its role to protect the people,” including immigrants.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

A federal judge in February largely blocked sweeping executive orders that sought to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from terminating or changing federal contracts it considers equity-related.

An appeals court later put the decision on hold. Attorneys for the group Democracy Forward represented plaintiffs in the case.

The group’s president and CEO, Skye Perryman, said she was disappointed by the Supreme Court’s ruling, calling it another barrier to seeking relief in court. But she also said it was limited and could keep at least some decisions blocking the Trump administration in place.

Transgender care

A federal judge in February stopped the administration from withholding federal funds from health care facilities that provide gender-affirming care to patients under the age of 19.

Explaining his reasoning for a nationwide injunction, U.S. District Judge Brendan Abell Hurson in Maryland said a “piecemeal approach is not appropriate in this case.”

“Significant confusion would result from preventing agencies from conditioning funding on certain medical institutions, while allowing conditional funding to persist as to other medical institutions,” he wrote.

An appeal in the case was on hold as the Supreme Court considered similar issues about minors and transgender health care. The high court last week upheld a Tennessee law banning key health care treatments for transgender youth.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc., was one of the attorneys who secured Hurson’s ruling. He said the plaintiffs’ lawyers were still evaluating the possible impact of the Supreme Court’s decision, but he believed the high court recognized that “systematic, universal relief is sometimes appropriate.”

Federal cuts

In May, a judge in Rhode Island blocked an executive order that sought to dismantle federal agencies supporting libraries, museums, minority businesses and parties in labor disputes.

The administration has appealed.

Rhode Island was a plaintiff in the lawsuit. The state’s attorney general, Peter F. Neronha, said in a statement Friday he would “continue to pull every available legal lever to ensure that Americans, all Americans, are protected from the progressively dangerous whims of this President.”

Thanawala reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Lindsay Whitehurst, Christina Cassidy in Atlanta and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho contributed to this report.

Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Board considers new GM

CARMEL – The Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Board of Directors is considering the appointment of Eric Morgan as general manager of the parks district at its meeting on Tuesday.

Morgan retired from the Bureau of Land Management as the manager of the Fort Ord National Monument after more than 25 years, helping to transform the former military base into a destination for recreation and conservation.

Morgan(MPRPD)

“I am completely thrilled about this,” said Morgan by phone on Friday. “I had a dream job managing the national monument and this is a dream job because the park district has the best lands in the Monterey Peninsula area, bar none.”

Morgan said he considers the Monterey Peninsula area the most beautiful scenic area in all of California in one of the most scenic states in the union.

“Eric Morgan’s leadership in recreation, conservation and fire safety makes him an excellent candidate for general manager,” said Kevin Raskoff, MPRPD Board president, in a press release.

Morgan is a Monterey resident and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate. He says he is eager to work with the Board, staff and community to preserve this region’s open spaces, protect its natural resources and ensure safe, accessible parks for all to enjoy.

Bruce Delgado, botanist with the Bureau of Land Management, has known Morgan for about 25 years. He said he thinks Morgan will do a “really good job just like he did at Fort Ord National Monument.”

But Delgado hopes that once Morgan is appointed, the city of Marina’s Locke-Paddon park, which is also a part of the Park District, gets the money and staffing it needs so that people can enjoy its benefits.

Delgado, who is also mayor of Marina, said that in the recent past, people from Marina who have gone to district meetings came away feeling their voices were not heard.

As manager of the Fort Ord National Monument, Morgan oversaw 14,650 acres, preserving ecosystems, restoring habitats, and expanding 86 miles of trails. He partnered with regional fire departments on fire hazard mitigation and suppression and enhancing safety. In his role for BLM, he facilitated stewardship, improved trails and rare habitats and increased community access. In 2022, he earned the Secretary of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award. Previously, Morgan served as the BLM’s recreation manager in Redding and worked with California State Parks at Emerald Bay State Park in South Lake Tahoe where he grew up.

Former General Manager Rafael Payan resigned effective Dec. 31, 2024, after being put on administrative leave by the Board two weeks prior. The move came after the Board voted to give notice of intent to terminate the contract of Payan for performance reasons.

A hiring subcommittee was formed and worked for many months after Payan’s departure on securing a new GM.

According to the advertisement for the position, the general manager serves as the chief executive officer of the District, accountable to the Board of Directors and responsible for the enforcement of all District ordinances, policies and procedures, the conduct of all financial activities and the efficient and economical performance of the District’s operations and programs.

In its ad seeking a new GM, the Parks District said it was seeking a collaborative and composed team builder who is committed to developing and mentoring staff. It said its ideal candidate is an experienced parks and recreation professional with strong interpersonal skills. The person should be collaborative, innovative, energetic and accessible, according to the ad, as well as being financially and politically astute.

The annual salary range for the district general manager is $166,000 to $201,774, said the ad. Placement within this range is dependent on experience and qualifications.

The Board named administrative services manager Shuran Parker as the interim general manager and thanked Parker for her steady leadership over the past several months during the GM search.

Horoscopes June 27, 2025: Tobey Maguire, distance yourself from downers

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ed Westwick, 38; Drake Bell, 39; Tobey Maguire, 50; J.J. Abrams, 59.

Happy Birthday: The busier, the better this year. Participate, make a difference and help where possible, and you will expand your circle of friends. Distance yourself from anyone who brings you down, makes you feel unsure of yourself or takes advantage of you. There is a shift in the universe, and it’s time to focus on what’s best for you. Seize the moment, move toward bigger and better options and take responsibility for your happiness. Your numbers are 1, 9, 22, 29, 31, 37, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Wake up, smell the roses and welcome the weekend with vim and vigor. Today is about socializing, communicating and sharing your feelings and intentions with those you encounter. Refuse to let insecurities and uncertainty ruin your day; follow your heart and enjoy yourself. Avoid joint ventures and indulgent or excessive behavior. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Rethink your schedule and how you want to respond to someone close to you. Take a back seat, give yourself a moment to reconsider your response and find a positive way to reply. Choose peace, love and compromise over upset, arguing and regret, and find a positive way to move forward. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll face an explosive situation if you are too aggressive in your approach to beliefs and politics. Take a step back, observe and consider if your surroundings are safe before you engage in something you may not be able to finish. Choose your battles wisely, and you’ll gain ground and make positive connections. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Communication can spare you from taking on too much. Get the lowdown, find out what’s involved, and minimize your overall schedule to ensure you leave time to rejuvenate and be grateful for what you have. Concentrate on saving, security and peace of mind, and turn frustration and anger into personal gain. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug 22): Raise your voice, share your thoughts and make a difference. Refuse to let what others think steal your focus or turn your energy into anger. Wisdom and common sense are your tickets to success. Engage in a positive change process, and associate with those who share your beliefs; something worthwhile will unfold. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): With change comes choices and decisions that aren’t always easy. Invest time and effort to ensure you make meaningful decisions that are not disruptive to you or those you love. Review every detail and stick to the rules and regulations to avoid penalties. Research, plan and act in your best interest. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Align yourself with those who share your objectives. Do your part to gain access to those who have the power to bring about change. Let your diplomacy lead the way, and you’ll gain inside information that will help you advance. Become part of the solution, and you’ll encounter someone who stirs your emotions. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Spend more time nurturing what’s important to you. Your relationships will suffer if you lack compassion or neglect those vying for your approval or attention. Base your choices on necessity, and be willing to live with the consequences. A lifestyle change is apparent due to financial, legal or medical issues. 2 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take care of your money, possessions and emotional well-being. Financial gains are apparent if you are astute regarding your investments. A job offer will require you to sell yourself as the perfect candidate. Show your desire and interest in learning and excelling to meet their demands. Secure your personal and professional prospects. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Research, fact-check and question anyone pushing you to follow the herd. Ask questions and look for options that make you feel comfortable. Rethink a partnership that lacks equality, and consider how to extricate yourself to avoid loss or the inability to take your desired path legally. Do what’s best for you. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let others decide for you. Speak up, share your thoughts and feelings, and be bold with words and actions. Don’t gamble with your savings, emotions or what you’ve worked hard to acquire. Protect your status quo and say no to anyone trying to tamper with your independence. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Actions speak louder than words. Do what you want, and don’t apologize for looking out for yourself. An opportunity to improve your surroundings or lifestyle will manifest through the events you attend and the people you encounter. Choose to use your status to make inroads with those in a position to help. Love is favored. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are goal-oriented, playful and unpredictable. You are quick and resourceful.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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