NEW YORK (AP) — Not long ago, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was demonized by leaders of both political parties. On Thursday night, the 34-year-old democratic socialist was celebrated as a political force, the face of the region's sports renaissance, even the leader of “Mamdanistan."

Democratic candidates in California have secured the two slots in a special general election to serve out the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term. State Sen. Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director who advanced Thursday, received the most votes in a crowded field. They will advance to the Aug. 18 special general election for the Bay Area’s 14th Congressional District. The winner will fill Swalwell’s seat through January. Both candidates also are running in the regular election in November to fill the seat’s next two-year term. Swalwell resigned after allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he denies.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur battered parts of the southeastern United States with drenching rains and strong wind on Thursday, tearing through buildings, flooding homes and launching water rescues along the Gulf Coast.

A California labor union is offering to scale back a proposal to temporarily increase taxes on billionaires. It made the offer Thursday, a day after the state’s top election official said the question has sufficient public support to qualify for the November ballot. The state would use the money to counter federal cuts to healthcare for low-income people. The original proposal would impose a one-time, 5% tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds $1 billion and who were living in the state as of Jan. 1. Critics say the measure would decrease state revenue over time by pushing the ultrawealthy to leave. Proponents are offering to lower the tax to 2%.

Democrat Melissa Hernandez advances to a special general election for U.S. House in California's 14th Congressional District.

Five years to the day Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay disappeared, the man who acknowledged beating her and leaving her on the side of the road is free from prison. Preston Tolth pleaded guilty to robbing Begay and was sentenced in May to five years in prison with credit for three years already served. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he was released Monday. Begay’s relatives say they are shocked. They expected him to remain in custody until at least 2028. They say it's the latest frustration in a case that has come to symbolize the nationwide crisis of violence against Indigenous people.

Former child actor Daveigh Chase, known for her roles in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring,” has died at 35. Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed she died from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection. She had been homeless in Los Angeles. TMZ first reported Chase died Tuesday. She voiced Lilo in the 2002 animated film and won an MTV award for her role in “The Ring.” Chase also voiced a lead in “Spirited Away” and appeared in “Donnie Darko.” Her father says she struggled with drugs since age 13 and was estranged from her parents.

Luigi Mangione's lawyers tell court he won't be pursuing a psychiatric defense, day after telling judge he would.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is dismissing a criminal case that alleged President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and others tried to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss in the state. The decision marks the third such fake elector case filed by states to be dismissed. The Democratic attorney general is vowing to bring it back to a grand jury in hopes of securing another indictment. The legal maneuver is aimed at getting around a Friday deadline for starting new grand jury proceedings after Mayes lost an appeal earlier this month. Cases related to the fake elector scheme remain in Nevada and Wisconsin.

Former President Barack Obama formally opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday with a call to defend democracy. He and Michelle Obama spoke as three other former presidents and their first ladies joined the Obama family on stage in an extraordinary event featuring politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures. Obama voiced his support for character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion and sense of duty, praising both Democrats and Republicans for their values. President Donald Trump was conspicuous both in his physical absence and by not being mentioned by any of the speakers or performers. Stevie Wonder closed the show with a rousing rendition of “Higher Ground."

A bill in Sacramento could bring major changes to the California Public Records Act. Supporters say AB 1821 is needed to help local governments manage overwhelming records requests. However, First Amendment groups and news organizations are concerned it might delay access and impose fees. Oakland's leaders have shown support, but recent amendments have sparked debate. The bill now allows officials to label requests as "commercial" and charge fees, and even sue requesters with "malicious intent." Critics argue this could hinder transparency. The bill faces a hearing in the Senate, with ongoing discussions about its impact.

Janeese Lewis George wins Democratic primary for mayor of Washington, DC.

Prosecutors are dismissing Arizona’s fake elector case after losing appeal, vow to seek new indictment before grand jury.

Former President Barack Obama hopes his newly opened center will affirm 'how precious our democracy really is.'

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Swiftly marching toward westward expansion, the United States in the 1800s brought with it a tidal wave of displacement and cultural suppression for Native Americans.

Parents of kids with disabilities say they have waited months for the Education Department to address complaints of bullying or discrimination. Now, the department is offloading civil rights enforcement and special education, raising concerns about further chaos. On Tuesday, the Trump administration said the Department of Justice would take over civil rights enforcement in schools. The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. Some advocates argue special education doesn't belong in a health department. The Education Department's civil rights office has been a last resort for parents whose kids have experienced discrimination, but under President Donald Trump, case backlogs have grown. Many families are now seeking justice elsewhere.

Washington, D.C., mayoral candidate Kenyan McDuffie has conceded the Democratic primary race to Janeese Lewis George. Although the official certification of the primary race is continuing, McDuffie said in a statement Thursday that “it is clear that the voters have chosen a different path.” The former member of the D.C. Council said he had reached out to Lewis George and congratulated her and wished her success in the general election. He thanked his supporters and urged them to continue working for the city. “The campaign may be over, but the work of building a safer, more affordable, more prosperous city continues.”

PHOENIX (AP) — The two Republican congressmen running for Arizona governor pitched themselves at a debate Wednesday as the only candidate with broad enough voter appeal to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs amid the state’s affordability struggles.

A Long Island architect who lived a secret life as the Gilgo Beach serial killer has been sentenced to to life in prison without parole. Rex Heuermann had previously admitted in court to killing eight women, many of them sex workers. Police discovered the remains of several of the women along a coastal parkway not far from Long Island’s Gilgo Beach. Family members of victims delivered emotional statements during the court hearing. Jasmine Robinson, a cousin of victim Jessica Taylor, said, “You fill me with so much repugnance, I can’t stand it.”

Tom Dreesen, known as half of one of America's first interracial comedy duos with Tim Reid, has died. His publicist confirmed his death in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Dreesen and Reid, who met in their hometown of Chicago, created "Tim and Tom" in 1969, using humor to address social issues at a time of simmering racial tensions. They performed together until the mid-1970s. Dreesen later became a successful solo comedian, appearing on "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show." He was Frank Sinatra's opening act for 14 years. Dreesen also acted in TV shows and films, wrote books, and was active in charitable work. Dreesen was 86.

The Trump administration says it’s buying back another energy company’s U.S. offshore wind leases for four more wind projects, as it seeks to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuels. That brings the total amount spent on these agreements to nearly $2.6 billion. Chicago-based Invenergy has agreed to end its four offshore wind leases that were early in development in exchange for reimbursements of lease fees totaling $765 million. The company had already canceled a wind project off New Jersey’s coast. The others are off the coasts of Maine and California. It will invest in natural gas and geothermal projects instead.

Investigators are on the scene where business jet crashed on a Texas highway, killing one person on board. Local officials in Laredo said Wednesday the toll in the fiery crash could have been much worse and credited bystanders for helping police rescue passengers and crew. A business partner confirmed in a social media post that the person who died was Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors. The plane went down with six people on board late Tuesday near the Mexican border after its crew radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Prosecutors have charged the chief engineer of the cargo ship Dali in connection with the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. They allege the engineer failed to notify the U.S. Coast Guard about hazardous conditions on the ship. The charge was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Maryland. The ship lost power twice and crashed into the bridge, killing six construction workers. The Singapore-based ship operator and another employee were indicted in May. A trial for the ship's operator and technical superintendent is set for October 2027. A $2.25 billion settlement was announced in April.

Military officials have identified all eight people killed in this week’s fiery crash of a B-52 during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. Officials said in a statement Wednesday that the victims were men between the ages of 32 and 53. They include four active duty airmen, one reservist and three civilians. The airfield where the crash occurred on Monday was still closed but other base operations have resumed. No cause has been determined. Officials said it could take six months to complete the investigation.

Luigi Mangione plans to assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Judge Gregory Carro said Wednesday that Mangione’s lawyers have informed him they will try to show that he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence.” By asserting a psychiatric defense, Mangione would effectively be admitting that he killed Thompson but did so because of mitigating circumstances. If a jury finds that Mangione was emotionally disturbed at the time of the killing, it could convict him of manslaughter instead of murder, meaning he’d be sentenced to less time in prison.

Georgia Republican legislative leaders reject governor's call for 2028 redistricting in special session.

Military releases names of 8 crew members who died in B-52 crash in California.

Macy's is set to celebrate America's 250th birthday with a spectacular July Fourth fireworks show featuring performances by Post Malone, Blake Shelton, Salt-N-Pepa, Noah Kahan, Bebe Rexha and Shaboozey. This 50th edition of the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration will light up New York City with 85,000 shells in 30 colors from six barges, plus a new laser show from the Brooklyn Bridge. Viewers can catch the show live on NBC or Peacock from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST. The fireworks show will be accompanied by a vocal performance by “The Voice” season 29 winner Alexia Jayy.

Rex Heuermann is sentenced to life in prison without parole in New York’s Gilgo Beach serial killings.

Three different models of aircraft have crashed in recent days in the U.S., killing 21 people in Missouri, California and Texas and leading to federal investigations into the causes. One person died when a business jet crashed in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday night. Eight died Monday when a B-52 crashed at Edwards Air Edwards Air Force Base in California. And 12 people were killed when a small plane full of skydivers went down Sunday in Butler, Missouri. It's too early to say what caused the accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.