Associated Press

The New York Times reported Mueller was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the summer of 2021 and has had difficulty speaking. WASHINGTON — A House committee investigating the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case has withdrawn a subpoena to former FBI Director Robert Mueller, citing the state of his health. The House Oversight Committee last month scheduled Mueller to appear Tuesday for a deposition, but the subpoena was withdrawn after the panel learned of unspecified health issues that precluded him from being able to testify, according to a committee statement. The New York Times, citing a statement from Mueller's family and people close to him, reported Sunday night that Mueller had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the summer of 2021 and has had difficulty speaking. Mueller was appointed FBI director in 2001 by then-President George W. Bush and shepherded the bureau's evolution into a national security and intelligence-gathering agency. He held the job for more than a decade, resigning in 2013. In 2017, he was tapped by the Justice Department to serve as special counsel in charge of the investigation into potential coordination between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. His team over the course of the next two years revealed efforts by Russian operatives to interfere in the election on Trump's behalf, and secured criminal charges and convictions against multiple Trump associates. But it did not find sufficient evidence to prove an illegal conspiracy between Moscow and the campaign to sway the election. Mueller has rarely spoken about the investigation since its conclusion but did testify before Congress in July 2019, an appearance that drew attention because of the sometimes stilted and halting manner of his testimony. Last month, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, issued subpoenas to Mueller and more than a half dozen other former law enforcement and government officials for testimony about the years-long investigation into Epstein, whose August 2019 death following his arrest on sex trafficking charges was determined to have been a suicide. Mueller was FBI director during an earlier Justice Department investigation of Epstein that resulted in a non-prosecution agreement that allowed the wealthy financier to plead guilty to state charges in Florida. It was not clear whether Mueller would have any knowledge or details about how that agreement came to be. Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their movements. It typically starts with tremors and is characterized by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems and slurred speech. Though there is no cure, there are treatments. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Trump in a statement on social media called Giuliani the “greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot.” WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday he will award former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, two days after his longtime political ally was seriously injured in a car crash. The decision places the award on a man once lauded for leading New York after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and later sanctioned by courts and disbarred for amplifying false claims about the 2020 election. Giuliani was also criminally charged in two states; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump in a statement on social media called Giuliani the “greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot.” For much of the past two decades, Giuliani’s public life has been defined by a striking rise and fall. After leading New York through the aftermath of Sept. 11, he mounted a brief campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and became one of the most recognizable political figures in the country. But as Trump’s personal lawyer, he became a central figure in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Courts repeatedly rejected the fraud claims he advanced, and two former Georgia election workers won a $148 million defamation judgment against him. The election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said Giuliani's efforts to promote Trump’s lies about the election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. Giuliani was disbarred in New York and Washington for repeatedly making false statements about the election, and he was criminally charged in Georgia and Arizona in connection with efforts to undo Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized after the Saturday night collision in New Hampshire. State police said he was a passenger in a rented Ford Bronco driven by his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, when the vehicle was struck from behind by a Honda HR-V. Giuliani suffered a fractured thoracic vertebra along with multiple lacerations, contusions and injuries to his left arm and leg, according to his security chief, Michael Ragusa. On Monday, Ragusa said Giuliani remained in the hospital but was expected to be released “soon.” The Medal of Freedom, established in 1963, is awarded to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural or other significant public endeavors. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Laurent Freixe, who had been CEO for a year, will be replaced by Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive. WASHINGTON — Swiss food giant Nestlé said Monday it dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe due to an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. The maker of Nescafé drinks and Purina pet food said in a statement the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found the undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. Freixe, who had been CEO for a year, will be replaced by Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive. “This was a necessary decision," said Chairman Paul Bulcke. “Nestlé’s values and governance are strong foundations of our company.” Navratil started his career with Nestlé in 2001 as an internal auditor and served in a variety of roles in Central America. In 2020, he joined Nestlé’s Coffee Strategic Business Unit, and in 2024, he became CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood. KABUL, Afghanistan — Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in the dead of the night in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government. The 6.0 magnitude quake late Sunday hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province, causing extensive damage. The quake at 11:47 p.m. was centered 27 kilometers (17 miles) east-northeast of Jalalabad, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was just 8 kilometers (5 miles) deep. Shallower quakes tend to cause more damage. Several aftershocks followed. Footage showed rescuers taking injured people on stretchers from collapsed buildings and into helicopters as people frantically dug through rubble with their hands. The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at a press conference Monday that the death toll had risen to at least 800 with more than 2,500 injured. He said most of the casualties were in Kunar. Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood. Many are poorly built. One resident in Nurgal district, one of the worst-affected areas in Kunar, said nearly the entire village was destroyed. “Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble,” said the villager, who did not give his name. “We need help here,” he pleaded. "We need people to come here and join us. Let us pull out the people who are buried. There is no one who can come and remove dead bodies from under the rubble.” Eastern Afghanistan is mountainous, with remote areas. The quake has worsened communications. Blocked roads are forcing aid workers to walk four or five hours to reach survivors. Dozens of flights have operated in and out of Nangarhar Airport, transporting the injured to hospital. One survivor described seeing homes collapse before his eyes and people screaming for help. Sadiqullah, who lives in the Maza Dara area of Nurgal, said he was woken by a deep boom that sounded like a storm approaching. Like many Afghans, he uses only one name. He ran to where his children were sleeping and rescued three of them. He was about to return to grab the rest of his family when the room fell on top of him. “I was half-buried and unable to get out,” he told The Associated Press by phone from Nangarhar Hospital. “My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out." It felt like the whole mountain was shaking, he said. Rescue operations were underway and medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital Kabul have arrived in the area, said Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry spokesman. Zaman said many areas had not been able to report casualty figures and that “the numbers were expected to change” as deaths and injuries are reported. The chief spokesman, Mujahid, said helicopters had reached some areas but road travel was difficult. “There are some villages where the injured and dead haven't been recovered from the rubble, so that’s why the numbers may increase,” he told journalists. Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the earthquake intensified existing humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan and urged international donors to support relief efforts. “This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries,” Grandi wrote on the social media platform X. “Hopefully the donor community will not hesitate to support relief efforts.” A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2023, followed by strong aftershocks. The Taliban government estimated at least 4,000 people perished in that quake. The U.N. gave a far lower death toll of about 1,500. It was the deadliest natural disaster to strike Afghanistan in recent memory. The latest earthquake was likely to “dwarf the scale of the humanitarian needs” caused by the disaster of 2023, according to the International Rescue Committee. Entire roads and communities have been cut off from accessing nearby towns or hospitals and 2,000 casualties were reported within the first 12 hours, said Sherine Ibrahim, the country director for the aid agency. “Although we have been able to act fast, we are profoundly fearful for the additional strain this will have on the overall humanitarian response in Afghanistan," said Ibrahim. " Global funding cuts have dramatically hampered our ability to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.” Sunday night’s quake was felt in parts of Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad. There were no reports of casualties or damage. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened by events in Afghanistan. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are ready to extend all possible support in this regard,” he said on the social platform X. Pakistan has expelled tens of thousands of Afghans in the past year, many of them living in the country for decades as refugees. At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan so far this year, according to a June report by UNHCR. Associated Press journalist Suzan Fraser contributed reporting from Ankara, Turkey. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Cutler, 42, was arrested in October after he rear-ended another vehicle with his pickup truck. FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Former Broncos, Bears and Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler will spend four days in jail after pleading guilty to driving under the influence, WSMV reported. Cutler, 42, was arrested in October after he rear-ended another vehicle with his pickup truck. Police said Cutler smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his words. According to an arrest affidavit, Cutler offered the other driver $2,000 to not call the police and to let him drive away. Cutler refused a field sobriety test and was taken to a hospital, where a blood sample was obtained after getting a search warrant. Police said they also found two firearms in the car, including a loaded pistol. Cutler was also charged with failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision and violating implied consent. WSMV reported that a weapon possession charge was dismissed as part of the plea deal, and Cutler agreed to forfeit the pistol. Cutler will pay a $350 fine and serve four days at the Williamson County Jail beginning on Sept. 29. He will then be on unsupervised probation for one year and must attend a DUI safety class, the station reported. A first-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt, Cutler played 12 years in the NFL, throwing for 227 touchdowns and more than 35,000 yards. In his only playoff appearance, he led the Chicago Bears to the NFC championship game. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Speaking in English, the Chicago-born pope referred directly to the attack in urging a culture of fraternity to prevail. VATICAN CITY, — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the “pandemic of arms, large and small,” as he prayed publicly for the victims of a shooting during a Catholic school Mass in the United States. History’s first U.S. pope spoke in English as he denounced the attack and the “logic of weapons” fueling wars around the world, during his Sunday noon blessing from his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square. “Our prayers for the victims of the tragic shooting during a school Mass in the American state of Minnesota,” said the Chicago-born Leo. “We hold in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.” Two children were killed Wednesday and 20 people were injured during the shooting attack at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis, as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for a Mass. The shooter fired 116 rifle rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows, and later died by suicide. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Leo had refrained from any political commentary about guns in America, sending a telegram of condolence that focused exclusively on the spiritual. He said he was saddened by the “terrible tragedy” and sent his “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected.” Leo had opened his appeal Sunday by demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a “serious commitment to dialogue” from the warring sides. "It’s time that those responsible renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community," he said. "The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must rise.” Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The AP that security forces raided the agencies’ offices in Houthi-controlled Sanaa Sunday morning. CAIRO, Egypt — The Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday raided offices of the United Nations’ food and children's agencies in Yemen’s capital, detaining at least one U.N. employee, officials said, as the rebels tighten security across Sanaa following the Israeli killing of their prime minister. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that security forces raided the agencies’ offices in the Houthi-controlled capital Sunday morning. Also raided were the offices of the United Nations’ children agency, UNICEF, according to a U.N. official and a Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to brief the media. Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said there was “an ongoing situation” related to their offices in Sanaa, without providing further details. The U.N. official said contacts with several other WFP and UNICEF staffers were lost and that they were likely also detained. The raids were the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown against the United Nations and other international organizations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen. They have detained dozens of U.N. staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-closed U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. The U.N. suspended its operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen after the rebels detained eight U.N. staffers in January. Sunday's raids came on the heels of the killing of the Houthi prime minister and several of his cabinet in an Israeli strike last week, in a blow to the Iran-backed rebels who have launched attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea in relation to the Gaza war. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Nneka Ogwumike leads Seattle with 20 points as the Storm sweep Chicago, maintaining a three-game series win. SEATTLE — Nneka Ogwumike scored 20 points to lead six Seattle players in double figures and the Storm beat Chicago to sweep the three-game regular-season series. Seattle (22-19) has won five of its last six overall and four in a row against the Sky. Ezi Magbegor had 13 points and Skylar Diggins and Gabby Williams each scored 12 for the Storm. Erica Wheeler and Brittney Sykes each added 11 points. Angel Reese had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Chicago (9-30), which has lost four straight and 17 of its last 19. Michaela Onyenwere scored 11 points and Kamilla Cardoso had 11 rebounds to go with nine points. Reese made two free throws to trim the Sky’s deficit to 57-52 with 9:36 left in the game but Diggins responded with a three-point play that sparked a 7-0 run and Chicago got no closer. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Kyle Manzardo's homer helped the Guardians secure a 4-3 win over the Mariners. CLEVELAND — Kyle Manzardo had a two-run homer in the sixth inning, Gavin Williams struck out eight over seven innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Saturday night. The Guardians have won the first two games in the series to pull within three games of Seattle, which holds the third and final American League wild-card position. The Mariners have lost seven straight on the road and are 5-11 overall since Aug. 13. Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against Hunter Gaddis to trim Cleveland’s lead to 4-3, but Cade Smith entered and retired the four batters he faced for his ninth save. Williams (9-5) scattered four hits and allowed one run — on a Jorge Polanco homer in the seventh — in winning for the sixth time in eight home decisions this season. Manzardo’s two-run homer off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (4-6) extended the Guardians’ advantage to 3-0. Steven Kwan restored the three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single. Bo Naylor opened the scoring in the fourth with an RBI single that scored José Ramírez. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, the MLB leader with 50 homers, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Key moment Left fielder Kwan robbed Josh Naylor of an extra-base hit in the sixth, sprinting toward center to make a diving catch that preserved Cleveland’s 1-0 lead. Julio Rodríguez would have scored from first base on the play. Key stat Williams leads the majors with 73 walks, but only issued one to J.P. Crawford in the fifth. The right-hander has made 10 consecutive starts without allowing more than five hits. Up next Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (3-5, 5.98 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (9-10, 4.73 ERA) Sunday in the series finale. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Brayan Rocchio singled in Nolan Jones with the tying run, then scored on Steven Kwan's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning in the Guardians' 5-4 victory over the M's. CLEVELAND — Brayan Rocchio singled in Nolan Jones with the tying run, then scored on Steven Kwan's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning in the Cleveland Guardians' 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. Jones led off the ninth with a double and came around on Rocchio's soft hit to left, with left fielder Randy Arozarena throwing the ball away to allow Rocchio to advance to third. Tim Herrin (5-3) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory that pulled Cleveland within four games of Seattle for the final AL wild-card position. Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz (3-2) recorded one out and gave up two runs, one unearned. The Guardians trailed 4-0 after five innings before Kyle Manzardo homered in the sixth and Jones added another solo shot in the seventh, both off George Kirby. Angel Martínez pulled the Guardians to 4-3 in the eighth, singling home José Ramírez. The Mariners scored four times in the first against Logan Allen. Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez drove in runs before Jorge Polanco cleared the fence in left with his 21st home run of the season. Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 50 homers, went 0 for 1 with three walks. Outfielder Victor Robles began serving a seven-game suspension for throwing his bat at a pitcher on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. Key moment Mariners relievers Matt Brash and Muñoz allowed three runs, two earned, while combining for four outs. They gave up three hits and a pair of walks after entering to begin the eighth. Key stat Guardians third baseman Ramírez doubled in the first inning for his 826th hit at Progressive Field, becoming the career leader at the 31-year-old ballpark. Omar Vizquel is second with 825. Up next Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (4-5, 3.69 ERA) was set to face RHP Gavin Williams (8-5, 3.36 ERA) on Saturday night. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.