12:06 a.m. EDT National News Summary

Venezuelans anxiously await results of presidential election that could end one-party rule

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans are waiting anxiously for the results of a presidential election that could pave the way to an end to 25 years of single-party rule, even as some polls remained open more than an hour after a deadline to close. President Nicolás Maduro, in seeking a third term Sunday, faced his toughest challenge yet from the unlikeliest of opponents: a retired diplomat, Edmundo González, who was unknown to voters before being tapped in April as a last-minute stand-in for opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado. Polls were supposed to begin closing at 6 p.m., but almost six hours after the deadline, some voting centers in Caracas appeared to remain open and authorities were silent.

Israel weighs response to Hezbollah after a rocket from Lebanon kills 12 youths on a soccer field

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Middle East is bracing for a potential flare-up in violence a day after Israeli authorities said a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and killed 12 children and teens. Saturday’s strike raised fears of a broader regional war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which has denied a role in the attack. Israel is weighing its response. Iran warned Israel that a strong reaction will lead to “unprecedented consequences.” The White House National Security Council says it is working on a diplomatic solution to “end all attacks once and for all” in the border area between Israel and Lebanon.

Trump and Harris enter 99-day sprint to decide an election that has suddenly transformed

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) — Barely a week ago, a sense of inevitability loomed over the presidential election. But now, just 99 days before Election Day, a fundamentally new race is taking shape with new candidates, a new issue focus, and a new outlook for both parties. Vice President Kamala Harris is smashing fundraising records, taking over social media and generating levels of excitement not seen since former President Barack Obama’s historic candidacy. On the other side, Republicans are fearful and frustrated as they struggle to accept the new reality that Donald Trump’s victory is no sure thing. The incredible speed with which the election was transformed over the last week is a stark reminder that, in the Trump era, little is certain and the conventional wisdom is often wrong.

Crews battle wildfires across the US West and fight to hold containment lines

FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Wildfires across the western United States and Canada have put millions of people under air quality alerts, as thousands of firefighters battle the flames, including the largest wildfire in California this year. The so-called Park Fire has scorched an area greater than the size of Los Angeles as of Sunday, contributing to poor air quality in a large swath of the Northwestern U.S. and western Canada. Although the sprawling blaze is only 12% contained, cooler temperatures and increased humidity over the next few days could help crews battle the fire, which has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Camp Fire that tore through the nearby community of Paradise.

Attorney for cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada says his client was kidnapped and brought to the US

HOUSTON (AP) — The lawyer of a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who is now in U.S. custody is pushing back against claims that his client was tricked into flying into the country. The lawyer for Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada says his client was “forcibly kidnapped” by the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Zambada was arrested after flying into an airport near El Paso, Texas, on Thursday. Frank Perez, Zambada’s attorney, says in a statement that his client was ambushed and forced onto a plane and brought to the U.S. against his will by Joaquín Guzmán López, “El Chapo’s” son. A spokesperson for the U.S. Justice Department didn’t immediately reply to an email seeking comment on Perez’s claims.

Simone Biles shakes off a calf injury to dominate during Olympic gymnastics qualifying

PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles posted an all-around total of 59.566 during Olympic qualifying inside a packed and star-studded Bercy Arena in Paris despite complaining of a left calf injury that had her limping. Biles appeared to tweak the leg while warming up on floor exercise during the second rotation. She had the ankle taped and then returned to put on the kind of show-stopping performance that has long been her signature.

Infants’ tongue-tie may be overdiagnosed and needlessly treated, American Academy of Pediatrics says

NEW YORK (AP) — A prominent doctors’ group worries that a condition in infants that can affect breastfeeding known as tongue-tie is being overdiagnosed in the U.S. and too often treated with unnecessary surgery. The American Academy of Pediatrics is the latest and largest medical society to sound an alarm about the increasing use of scissors or lasers to cut away some infants’ tongue tissue when breastfeeding is difficult. The academy’s new report was released Monday. It encourages pediatricians and other medical professionals to consider nonsurgical options for ankyloglossia. The report cites a study that suggests less than half of the kids with the characteristics of tongue-tie actually have trouble breastfeeding.

Mudslide kills 15 people near tourist site in China as rains from tropical storm Gaemi drench region

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media say 15 people were killed after a mudslide hit a homestay house in a mountainous tourist area as heavy rains drenched southeastern China. Six injured people were rescued after the Sunday morning mudslide. Elsewhere in China, a digital news outlet said a delivery person on a scooter was killed Saturday after being hit by a falling tree in Shanghai. The deaths were the first in China that appear linked to Typhoon Gaemi, which weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall on Thursday. Authorities in Taiwan say the death toll there has risen to 10.

A manipulated video shared by Musk mimics Harris’ voice, raising concerns about AI in politics

NEW YORK (AP) — A manipulated video that mimics the voice of Vice President Kamala Harris saying things she did not say is raising concerns about the power of artificial intelligence to mislead just three months away from November’s elections. The video gained attention after tech billionaire Elon Musk shared it on his social media platform X on Friday. The video uses many of the same visuals as a real ad the Harris campaign released. But it swaps out the voice-over audio with a convincing impersonation. A Harris spokesperson referred to the video as “fake, manipulated lies.” AI experts and pro-democracy advocates say the video reveals shortcomings in how AI companies, social platforms, and the federal government regulate the use of AI in politics.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ smashes R-rated record with $205 million debut, 8th biggest opening ever

Marvel is back on top with “Deadpool & Wolverine.” The comic-book movie made a staggering $205 million in its first weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. It shattered the opening record for R-rated films previously held by the first “Deadpool” ($132 million) and notched a spot in the top 10 openings of all time. Including international showings, where it’s racked up an additional $233.3 million, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is looking at a global opening of over $438.3 million. In the top domestic opening weekends ever, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is seated in 8th place between “The Avengers” and “Black Panther.”

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