WPLW-FM

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Charlie Gaddy, one of North Carolina’s most recognizable broadcasters and a longtime anchor on WRAL-TV, has died at age 93.

Before beginning his television career, Gaddy worked for a time at WPTF, the flagship station of the North Carolina News Network. In a 2024 interview marking WPTF’s 100th anniversary, he recalled the early days of local radio programming, including a show called Ask Your Neighbor.

“It was just something that somebody came up with as an idea, and they tried it to see how it would work,” Gaddy said. “And it worked beautifully. It was a very popular program and lasted a long time. But that’s how it started.”

Gaddy was born in Biscoe, North Carolina, attended Guilford College, and served in the U.S. Army. He became a household name across central North Carolina during his years anchoring WRAL’s evening newscasts, known for his calm demeanor and trusted presence.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

The largest digital camera ever built has released its first shots of the universe

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN AP Science Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The largest digital camera ever built released its first shots of the universe Monday — including colorful nebulas, stars and galaxies.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years.

Made from over 1100 images captured by NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the video begins with a close-up of two galaxies then zooms out to reveal about 10 million galaxies. Those 10 million galaxies are roughly .05% of the approximately 20 billion galaxies Rubin Observatory will capture during its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Explore the Cosmic Treasure Chest. Credit: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory

The observatory’s first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles. A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals.

The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects.

The effort is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who offered the first tantalizing evidence that a mysterious force called dark matter might be lurking in the universe. Researchers hope the observatory’s discerning camera may yield clues about this elusive entity along with another called dark energy.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

New Orleans Pecan Pralines

New Orleans Pecan Pralines Recipe from Kenneth Temple

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes + 1 hour

Serving size: 9 servings

Ingredients

2 ½ cups raw cane sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
12 oz. canned evaporated milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
parchment paper

Directions

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a heavy bottom pot over medium heat bring sugar, salt, evaporated milk and butter to a boil. Once the mixture begins to boil, set a timer for 15 minutes, and stir continuously. After 2 minutes, stir in the vanilla, and keep stirring.
Mixture will boil up and as time goes on it will being to thicken. Be sure to scrape the corners of the pot to prevent any scorching of the sugars.
Once the timer goes off, cut the heat off and add the pecans. Stir it vigorously to whip it for 45 seconds. The mixture should be thick and creamy. It will begin to stiffen, so put a little elbow grease into it.
Then very quickly scoop out pralines. Just move very fast because the pralines will harden fast. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Mick Ralphs, founding member of Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, dies at 81

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer

Mick Ralphs, a guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died.

A statement posted to Bad Company’s official website Monday announced Ralphs’ death at age 81. Ralphs had a stroke days after what would be his final performance with the band at London’s O2 Arena in 2016, and had been bedridden ever since, the statement said. No further details on the circumstances of his death were provided.

Ralphs is set to become a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bad Company in November.

“Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground,” Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers said in a statement. “He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour.”

Ralphs wrote the 1970’s song “Ready for Love” for Mott the Hoople, later revamped for Bad Company’s 1974 debut album, which also included the Ralphs-penned hit “Can’t Get Enough.” He co-wrote Bad Company’s 1975 classic “Feel Like Makin’ Love” with Rodgers.

Born in Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England, Ralphs began playing blues guitar as a teenager, and in his early 20s in 1966, he co-founded the Doc Thomas Group. In 1969, the band would become Mott the Hoople, a name taken from the title and title character of a 1966 novel by Willard Manus.

The group’s self-titled first album, recorded in a week, won a cult following, but the two that followed were critical and financial flops. They finally found popular success and became glam-rock giants with the 1972 David Bowie-penned-and-produced song “All the Young Dudes.” But Ralphs felt creatively cramped in the band led by singer-songwriter Ian Hunter and left in 1973.

He would soon form Bad Company with Rodgers, a singer who had left his own band, Free.

The two had intended only to write songs together, and possibly to make a one-off album as a project. But when Free drummer Simon Kirke asked to sit in, they realized they were nearly a proper group already and went seeking a bassist. They found him in former King Crimson member Boz Burrell.

“We didn’t actually plan to have a band,” Ralphs said in a 2015 interview with Gibson Guitars. “It was all kind of accidental I suppose. Lucky, really.”

Kirke said in a statement Monday that Ralphs was “a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.”

Bad Company found immediate success. its albums were full of radio-ready anthems, and its live sound was perfectly suited to the 1970s height of arena rock.

Their self-titled debut album went to No. 1 on Billboard’s album chart. And Ralphs’ “Can’t Get Enough” — often mistakenly called “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” because of its chorus lyrics — would be their biggest hit single, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“We actually did the whole thing in one take live,” Ralphs said in the Gibson interview. “It wasn’t perfect, but we just said, ‘Yeah, that’s great, it’s going to capture the moment.’ That’s what I like to do in recording. It doesn’t have to be perfect as long as it captures the moment. That’s what it’s all about.”

Bad Company’s 1975 follow-up, “Straight Shooter,” was also a hit, going to No. 3 on album charts in both the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and the UK Albums Chart.

Its opening track, “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” written by Ralphs, was a modest hit, and the song that followed it, “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” was a big one that would remain in rotation on classic rock radio for decades.

The band’s statement says Ralphs is survived by “the love of his life,” his wife Susie Chavasse, along with two children, three step-children and “beloved bandmates” Rodgers and Kirke.

“Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh,” Rodgers said. “But it won’t be our last.”

Trump announces a ceasefire in Iran-Israel war; Iran to halt its fire if Israel stops its strikes

By DAVID RISING, JON GAMBRELL and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” but its status remained unclear as attacks continued Tuesday.

Trump’s announcement came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. (AP Video)

Iran’s foreign minister said that as long as Israel stopped its attacks by 4 a.m. local Tehran time Tuesday, Iran would halt its own. But nearly an hour after that deadline, Israel’s military warned its public that Iran had launched missiles towards it as sirens sounded. At least one missile interception could be seen over the skies of Jerusalem and warnings of two further attacks followed as day broke.

It’s unclear what the detected missile launches would do for the ceasefire’s timeline.

Trump’s announcement on Truth Social said the ceasefire wouldn’t begin until about midnight Tuesday Eastern time. He said it would bring an “Official END” to the war.

Israel doesn’t confirm ceasefire but appears to pause strikes

Israel did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire, but there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 a.m. local. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Tehran and other cities until shortly before that time. Israel in other conflicts has stepped up its strikes just before ceasefires took effect.

“As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X. “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.”

His message was posted at 4:16 a.m. Tehran time. Araghchi added: “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”

The Israeli military declined to comment on Trump’s ceasefire statement and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Trump describes conflict as ’12 Day War’

Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the “12 Day War.” That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the “Six Day War,” in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Trump’s reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories.

Trump communicated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels.

The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal.

It’s unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s leader, played in the talks. He said earlier on social media that he would not surrender.

Iran attack against US implied willingness to de-escalate

Iran attacked a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday, but appeared to indicate it was prepared to reduce tensions. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump, who dismissed the attack as a “very weak response.”

Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base as “a flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage.

Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.

Qatar Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said 19 missiles were fired at the base that is home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such wing in the world. Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were knocked down and one was “set free” because it posed no threat.

Iran announced the attack on state television, with a caption calling it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression.”

Earlier reports that a missile was launched at a base housing American forces in Iraq were a false alarm, a senior U.S. military official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said debris from a malfunctioning Iranian missile targeting Israel had triggered an alert of an impending attack on the Ain al-Assad base.

By early Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace over the Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signaling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed.

Israel and Iran trade attacks

Israel and Iran traded barrages early Tuesday morning.

Iran struck Israel with missiles and drones while Israel said it attacked “regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”

In Tehran, Israel hit the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests and blew open a gate at Evin prison, which is known for holding political activists.

Iranian state television aired footage it said was shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran said many families of detainees “have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones” in the prison.

The Israeli military also confirmed it struck roads around Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility to obstruct access to the site. The underground site was one of those hit in Sunday’s attack by the United States. The Israeli military did not elaborate.

In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected there to be heavy damage at the Fordo facility following Sunday’s U.S. airstrike there with sophisticated bunker-buster bombs.

Several Iranian officials, including Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, have claimed Iran removed nuclear material from targeted sites ahead of time.

Trump floats regime change

Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran’s government, their archenemy since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

But the latest strikes unfolded only hours after Trump himself mentioned the possibility of regime change a day after inserting America into the war with its stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.

“If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” he asked on his Truth Social website. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as “simply raising a question.”

Before the news of a ceasefire, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss high-level internal deliberations, said Israel aimed to wind down the war in the coming days, but that it would depend on the Iranians.

Israel’s preferred outcome is for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and reenter negotiations with the U.S. over its nuclear program, the official said. But Israel is prepared for the possibility of an extended low-intensity war of attrition or period of “quiet for quiet,” in which it would closely monitor Iran’s activities and strike if it identifies new threats.

Conflict has killed hundreds

In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.

The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 387 civilians and 268 security force personnel.

The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said.

There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, Abby Sewell in Beirut, Elise Morton in London, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Ella Joyner in Brussels, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.

Analysts warn baby boomers’ retirement pushes social security toward crisis

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Just a few decades ago, baby boomers were the financial engine powering the U.S. Social Security system. Now, as that generation retires in waves, the very program they sustained is running on fumes.

CBS News Business Analyst Jill Schlesinger says the social security board of trustees said they have a big financial problem with the system.

“To be clear, we have a system where the number of people working right now pay benefits out to the people who are retiring,” Schlesinger explained. “For many years while those baby boomers were working, there were so many of them we built up extra money in the system—that was called the surplus. Now that all those baby boomers are retiring, that surplus is disappearing.”

That disappearing cushion spells trouble. According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the program could start falling short as soon as 2033—just eight years away. If Congress fails to act, automatic benefit cuts could go into effect, reducing monthly payouts by roughly 25%.

“This is really important gang, I know it seems like ‘oh it’s so far off’ and for many years it did feel far off but now we have seven or eight years to basically say to congress ‘hey, fix the system,'” said Schlesinger.

Schlesinger says she knows it sounds very polisci 101 of her to say, but people need to use their voice to make a change here. If these benefits are cut, people may need to potentially change how they live. In this case, the sky is really about to fall and we need to fix it as the clock is ticking.

“Political pressure will make this go to the front-burner, right now it’s on the back-burner,” said Schlesinger. “If you’re a legislator, you don’t want to be the one who’s like ‘oh yeah we raised social security taxes, oh yeah.’ In order to fix the system, which we should have done years and years ago, now we are forced to do it. You know when you have to do that? When everyone says ‘we’ll boot you out of office unless you do it.'”

Schlesinger urges Americans to get informed and get involved.

“You personally should go to SSA.gov, make sure you’ve created an account there, and look at your projected benefits. If you really want to be on top of this you would look at these benefits and you would say ‘hey, what would happen if I had a 20-to-25% reduction of these benefits. Oh my goodness, maybe I don’t want to put in a new bathroom, maybe I want to put a little extra money in my 401k’,” said Schlesinger

With time running out, experts say the future of Social Security now depends on both legislative action and public pressure. Without both, a system once seen as a safety net may soon come up short.

Stocks rally and oil tumbles as Wall Street hopes for a limited retaliation after US strikes on Iran

By STAN CHOE, ELAINE KURTENBACH and BERNARD CONDON AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rallied, and the price of oil tumbled Monday on hopes that Iran will not disrupt the global flow of crude, something that would hurt economies worldwide but also its own, following the United States’ bunker-busting entry into its war with Israel.

The S&P 500 climbed 1%, coming off a week where stock prices had jumped up and down on worries about the conflict potentially escalating. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 374 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.9%.

The price of oil initially jumped 6% after trading began Sunday night, a signal of rising worries as investors got their first chance to react to the U.S. bombings. But it quickly erased all those gains and swung to a sharp loss as the focus shifted from what the U.S. military did to how Iran would react.

By late Monday, the price of a barrel of benchmark U.S. oil had dropped 7.2% to settle at $68.51 after briefly topping $78. That brought it nearly all the way back to where it was before the fighting began over a week ago, when it was sitting just above $68.

The losses accelerated sharply after Iran announced a missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which the U.S. military uses. Iran said it matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites this past weekend, which could be a signal of a desire to deescalate the conflict.

Perhaps most importantly for financial markets, Iran’s retaliation did not seem to target the flow of oil. The fear throughout the Israel-Iran war has been that it could squeeze the world’s supply of oil, which would pump up prices for it, gasoline and other products refined from crude.

Iran is a major producer of crude, and it could also try to block the Strait of Hormuz off its coast, through which 20% of the world’s daily oil needs passes on ships.

Several analysts said Iran would likely not close the waterway because Iran itself uses the strait to move its own crude, mostly to China, and it needs the revenue made from such sales of oil.

“It’s a scorched earth possibility, a Sherman-burning-Atlanta move,” said Tom Kloza, chief market analyst at Turner Mason & Co. “It’s not probable.”

Neil Newman, managing director of Atris Advisory Japan, said hope remains that the Israel-Iran war could be a short conflict, with the thinking being “the one big hit by the Americans will be effective and then we’ll get back to sort of business as usual, in which case there is no need for an immediate, panicky type of reaction.”

Of course, not everyone is sure about Iran’s next move.

Andy Lipow, a Houston analyst covering oil markets for 45 years, said countries are not always rational actors and that he wouldn’t be surprised if Tehran lashed out for political or emotional reasons.

“If the Strait of Hormuz was completely shut down, oil prices would rise to $120 to $130 a barrel,” said Lipow.

“It would mean higher prices for all those goods transported by truck, and it would be more difficult for the Fed to lower interest rates.”

The Federal Reserve has been hesitant to cut interest rates this year because it’s waiting to see how much President Donald Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation.

Inflation has remained relatively tame recently, but a rise in oil and gasoline prices would put upward pressure on it. That in turn could keep the Fed on hold because cuts to rates can fan inflation higher, along with giving the economy a boost.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased after Fed Gov. Michelle Bowman said she would support cutting rates at the Fed’s next meeting in just a month, as long as “inflation pressures remain contained.”

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.33% from 4.38% late Friday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, dropped to 3.84% from 3.90%.

On Wall Street, Elon Musk’s Tesla was the single strongest force pushing the S&P 500 higher after jumping 8.2%. The electric-vehicle company began a test run on Sunday of a small squad of self-driving cabs in Austin, Texas. It’s something that Musk has long been touting and integral to Tesla’s stock price being as high as it is.

Hims & Hers Health tumbled 34.6% after Novo Nordisk said it will no longer work with the company to sell its popular Wegovy obesity drug. Novo Nordisk’s stock that trades in the United States fell 5.5%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 57.33 points to 6,025.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 374.96 to 42,581.78, and the Nasdaq composite gained 183.56 to 19,630.97.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell modestly across Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. France’s CAC 40 sank 0.7%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.7% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

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Kurtenbach contributed from Bangkok. AP video journalist Mayuko Ono in Tokyo and AP Business Writer Matt Ott in Washington contributed.

Solar advocates say Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” could undercut the industry and threaten jobs in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — President Trump’s “big beautiful bill” is casting a shadow over the future of solar energy, with proposed changes that could significantly reduce federal support for clean energy projects. The sweeping legislation, which shifts priority back to traditional energy sources, includes efforts to repeal solar and storage tax credits—sparking concerns across the renewable energy sector.

Abigail Ross Hopper, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association, says the bill would roll back years of bipartisan progress in solar development.

“There is a proposal that came out of the House that would really undercut all of the progress we’ve made in this country around solar and storage deployment, including in North Carolina,” said Hopper.

North Carolina currently ranks fifth in the nation for solar power usage. Hopper says the proposed rollback could hit the state particularly hard.

“There’s enough solar power to power 1.1 million homes, and this change—if Congress does this—would have a really significant impact on North Carolina,” she said. “We anticipate that you would lose around 5,500 jobs, and a number of factories making solar products and racking systems would go out of business.”

The federal solar and storage tax credits, first enacted in 2005 under President George W. Bush, have been renewed under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Hopper notes that the bipartisan support for these credits has historically made them a stable part of long-term planning for energy businesses.

“It has been a very bipartisan effort, and we are hoping that continues,” Hopper added. “You could imagine for business owners who have made plans for the next few years based on these credits—that would be incredibly disruptive.”

Solar energy is widely viewed as one of the most sustainable and abundant energy sources on Earth. According to FreedomSolarPower.com, more energy from the sun strikes the Earth in one hour than all of humanity uses in an entire year. In 2022, solar power accounted for nearly half of all new electricity generation in the U.S.

Supporters of the solar industry warn that repealing these tax incentives could set back national goals for clean energy and climate action—while increasing reliance on fossil fuels. They also point to the broader environmental and health benefits of solar power, which helps reduce pollution and improves public health outcomes.

As debate over the bill continues, industry leaders and clean energy advocates say the stakes are high—not just for solar, but for the thousands of jobs and businesses that depend on it.

Who will have the 2025 song of the summer? We offer some predictions

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — What makes a great song of the summer? Is it an up-tempo pop banger? Something with an earworm chorus? Does it need to feature the words “summer,” “sunshine,” or another synonym — “California” — in the title? How could anyone attempt a song of the summer after the late, great Beach Boy Brian Wilson composed them so expertly, anyway?

It very well may be subject to the eye (well, ear) of the beholder, but The Associated Press views the song of the summer as the one that takes over those warm months between June and August, the kind that blasts out of car speakers and at beach barbecues in equal measure. And that means many different things for many kinds of listeners.

So here are AP’s 2025 song of the summer predictions across categories, with past victors for reference.

Find your song of the summer and then listen to our Spotify playlist, here.

Song of the summer that inexplicably came out in January: “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny

A song of the summer doesn’t actually have to arrive in summer, or even in spring. History has proved this time and time again, lest anyone forget Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” hit at the top of the year in 2021. But this summer, like every summer, is about Bad Bunny. On his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio pulls from Puerto Rico’s rich musical history and hybridizes it. He does so from the very opener, “NUEVAYoL,” which samples the fittingly named 1975 salsa hit from El Gran Combo, “Un Verano en Nueva York” (“A Summer in New York”).

Past champion: “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2,” PinkPantheress, Ice Spice (2023)

Song of the summer for the chronically online: “Tonight,” PinkPantheress

An internet hero releases another super hit: PinkPantheress’ “Tonight” is an undeniable good time; all bassline house meets hyperpop vocals with a naughty chorus. The 24-year-old British singer-songwriter has proved she’s got so much more to offer than a few viral hits — but her huge songs that blow up online? They tend to stay. That’s more than can be said about past winners in this category.

Past champion: “Million Dollar Baby,” Tommy Richman (2024)

Breakup song of the summer: “What Was That,” Lorde

Lorde’s first new single in four years recalls the clever synth-pop of her 2017 album “Melodrama,” casting aside the folk detour of 2021’s “Solar Power.” “What Was That” is reserved revelation, introspective electropop that takes a measured look at a relationship’s dissolution. It feels good, and bad, which is the point.

Past champion: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” Bee Gees (1971)

Song of the summer for the girls and all those who love them: “Gnarly,” KATSEYE

KATSEYE, the global girl group born out of K-pop development techniques, are “Gnarly,” and they’d like you to be, too. The song is asymmetrical pop with a cheerleading cadence and extensive, expensive product placement. You’re here for the girls, or you’re not. Gnarly!

Past champion: “Bills, Bills, Bills,” Destiny’s Child (1999)

Song for singles ready to mingle this summer: “WASSUP,” Young Miko

Flirting is central to these hot months; no other season has a fling named after it. Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko knows this better than most, and her track “WASSUP” is all about charisma — and it doesn’t hurt that it interpolates “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major and “Chulin Culin Chunfly” by Voltio featuring Residente.

Past champion: “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” T-Pain featuring Yung Joc (2007)

Song of the summer for those who love British boy ballads performed by an American: “Ordinary,” Alex Warren

Last year brought Benson Boone’s glossy soft pop-rock; this year, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” is inescapable. A big, inoffensive ballad with loosely religious themes, it is meticulously designed to the pull at heartstrings. And it does — the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Past champion: “Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone (2024)

Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: “Nokia,” Drake

For the last year, Drake has mostly made headlines for his rivalry with Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest beefs in modern rap music history. He was no victor, but on “Nokia,” he’s certainly a winner. The song is a return to what Drizzy knows best: a massive rap-R&B-pop song for the ages, one that will live inside the minds of listeners for the whole year. Just, you know, replete with the nostalgic sounds of a Nokia ringtone.

Past champion: The difference here, of course, is that Drake won his beef with Meek Mill. But nonetheless: “Back to Back,” Drake (2015)

The TikTok-approved, blast-of-dopamine song of the summer: “Boots on the Ground,” 803Fresh

Social media is the wild west and inevitably sources its own song of the summer. Usually, there’s an element of humor in the track — like 2023’s “The Margarita Song” by That Chick Angel, Casa Di & Steve Terrell. This year is a bit different: 803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground” is an organic hit that centers a kind of soulful line dance — it’s country-pop with trap hi-hats and fun for the whole family.

Past champion: “The Spark,” Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew (2024)

Song of the summer for it girls: “Fame Is A Gun,” Addison Rae

Charli xcx fans, fear not. Addison Rae’s debut album is stuffed with bejeweled, hypnotic pop songs for the post-“BRAT” crowd. Best of all is the Grimes-esque “Fame Is a Gun,” a sunglasses-in-the-club banger with synthetic vocal textures and an unignorable chorus. For fashionable listeners, and those who aim to become more fabulous.

Past champion: “Bad Girls,” Donna Summer (1979)

Song of the summer of revenge: “Manchild,” Sabrina Carpenter

Does it sound strikingly similar to “Please, Please, Please” at times? Sure. But has Sabrina Carpenter cornered the market on country-tinged, satirical pop songs about heterofatalism, an internet neologism for those who find heterosexuality embarrassing and hopeless? Also, yes. But you know, with a wink, vengeance and a danceable quality. Amen, hey men!

Past champion: “Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood (from her 2005 debut album, but released as a single in 2006)

Biggest song of the year, and therefore the default song of the summer: “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Is a song released in November too dated to qualify for song of the summer? Perhaps. But here’s the rub: Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in 2025 — over half the year so far. Popularity makes the contender. It doesn’t hurt that “Luther” is also one of the best songs of both this year and last, a tender R&B ballad that samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 rendition of “If This World Were Mine.” “Luther” has since been dethroned on the charts, but no other song has come close to its run this year.

Past champion: “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen (2023)

Country crossover song of the summer: “What I Want,” Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae

If terrestrial country radio is your leading metric for selecting the song of the summer, then Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem” is likely your pick. But a catchier track with true country crossover appeal is “What I Want” with Wallen and pop singer Tate McRae. It is the first time Wallen has featured a female vocalist on one of his songs. It’s a rare embrace for the chart topper, who historically prefers to buck country duet tradition and double down on his vocal style — warm, muscular, masculine.

Past champion: “You’re Still the One,” Shania Twain (from her 1997 album, but released as a single in 1998)

Song of the summer released half a decade ago: “party 4 you,” Charli xcx

The data doesn’t lie and what is old is new is old is new again. In the year after “BRAT” summer, desire for more Charli xcx is still strong. As a result, fans have dug up a cut from her 2020 album, “How I’m Feeling Now,” and turned it into their own summer anthem … five years later. So much so, in fact, that Charli released a music video for it in May.

Past champion: “Cruel Summer,” Taylor Swift (released in 2019, crowned song of the summer in 2023)

Song of the summer with a canine-themed title: “Mutt,” Leon Thomas

Look, “Mutt” also arrived in 2024, but in 2025 — bolstered by a deluxe release and a recent Chris Brown remix — makes “Mutt” an easy song of the summer pick for some listeners. It’s difficult to hear that chorus and not sing along: “She said, ‘Take your time, what’s the rush?’ / I said, ‘Baby, I’m a dog, I’m a mutt.’”

Past champion: “Bird Dog,” The Everly Brothers (1958)

Jury sees more sex videos as prosecutors wind down case against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The jury at Sean “Diddy” Combs ’ sex trafficking trial viewed more video recordings on Monday of the sex marathons that have played a prominent role in a prosecution that was likely to rest by Tuesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey sometimes referred to the mostly 1- or 2-minute clips filmed by the music mogul as “explicit” videos, a signal for jurors to put on headsets that enabled them to hear and view the recordings without them being heard or seen by spectators in the Manhattan courtroom.

Prosecutors have cited the drug-fueled multi-day events as evidence of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, saying Combs relied on employees, associates and his business accounts to fly male sex workers to Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, where his staff set up hotel rooms for the encounters and cleaned up afterward.

Last week, prosecutors showed jurors about 2 minutes of the footage from 2012 and 2014 involving Combs’ then-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, a male sex worker and Combs. Cassie earlier testified that she participated in hundreds of the “freak-off” events. She and Combs were in a relationship from 2007 until 2018.

Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of abuse. He settled within hours, and dozens of similar lawsuits followed.

The Associated Press doesn’t generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done.

Defense lawyers last week showed the jury about 18 minutes of video clips from the sex performances involving Cassie after a lawyer said in opening statements that the videos prove sexual activity was consensual and not evidence of a crime.

On Monday, prosecutors aired nearly 20 minutes of recordings from 2021 and 2022 of a single mother who was identified only by the pseudonym “Jane,” male sex workers and Combs. Jane testified for six days earlier in the trial that she was romantically involved with Combs from 2021 until his September arrest at a New York hotel room.

Joseph Cerciello, a Homeland Security Investigations agent, testified that dozens of the recordings from late 2021 until last August lasted many hours. Comey finished questioning Cerciello in the early afternoon Monday. After a cross-examination by the defense, the prosecution was expected to rest.

The trial is in its seventh week, with closing arguments tentatively scheduled for Thursday after what was expected to be a brief defense presentation.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. He’s been active in his defense, writing notes to his attorneys and sometimes influencing when they stop questioning witnesses.

Iran launches missile attacks on US bases in Qatar and Iraq

By DAVID RISING, JON GAMBRELL and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched missile attacks Monday on U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region.

Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base attack, but said it successfully intercepted the missiles and no casualties were reported. It said its airspace was now safe.

Iran said the attack in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on its nuclear sites this weekend, signaling its likely desire to de-escalate.

Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.

Iran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression.”

The Ain al-Assad base housing U.S. troops in western Iraq was also targeted, an Iraqi security official who was not authorized to comment publicly told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

It wasn’t immediately clear if there was damage to the Iraq base or any injuries.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was “a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, its airspace, and international law.”

Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest expeditionary wing in the world.

The retaliation came a day after the U.S. launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran’s nuclear sites.

Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: “We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.”

Earlier in the day, Israel expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country’s struggling theocracy, striking the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests.

As plumes of thick smoke rose over Tehran, Israel was attacked with yet another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. The persistent fire has become a reality for civilians in both countries since Israel started the war to target Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

On the 11th day of the conflict, Israel said it attacked “regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran,” but Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran’s government, their archenemy since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Israeli military warned Iranians that it would continue to attack military sites around Tehran over “the coming days” as its focuses has shifted to symbolic targets as well. The military issued the warning on the social platform X, though Iranians are struggling to access the outside world as an internet shutdown has crippled the country.

The latest strikes unfolded only hours after President Donald Trump openly raised the possibility himself after just a day earlier inserting America into the war with its unprecedented stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.

“If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” he asked on his Truth Social website.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as “simply raising a question.” However, suggestions of overthrowing the Iranian government drew new anger from Tehran, which insists it will not negotiate at this time and is threatening to retaliate directly against either American troops or interests in a Mideast already inflamed by the still-raging Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Tehran strikes open new chapter of war

In the Tehran strikes, Israel blew open a gate at Evin prison. Iranian state television shared black-and-white surveillance footage of the strike at the facility known for holding dual nationals and Westerners often used by Iran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

Evin also has specialized units for political prisoners run by the paramilitary, all-volunteer Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The facility is the target of both U.S. and European Union sanctions.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in Iran or significant damage, though the semiofficial Tasnim news agency said there had been a power cut reported outside of Tehran following the Israeli strikes.

Iranian state television also aired footage it described as being shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control inside the facility. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran expressed worry about the condition of prisoners there.

“Many families of current detainees have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones held inside the prison,” it said.

Earlier Monday, Iranian Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of joint staff of armed forces, warned Washington that its strikes had given Iranian forces a “free hand “ to “act against U.S. interests and its army.”

Tens of thousands of American troops are based in the Middle East, many in locations within range of short-range Iranian missiles.

“The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,” Israel’s Defense Ministry said.

According to an Israeli official familiar with the government’s strategy, Israel is targeting these sites to put pressure on the Iranian administration but is not actively seeking to topple it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal government deliberations.

Nuclear fears mount after US strikes

With the strikes Sunday on Iranian nuclear sites, the United States inserted itself into Israel’s war, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict. Iran said the U.S. had crossed “a very big red line” with its risky gambit to strike the three sites with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.

Several Iranian officials, including Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, have claimed Iran removed nuclear material from targeted sites ahead of time.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the agency’s board of governors Monday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed him on June 13 that Iran would “adopt special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials.”

“I indicated that any transfer of nuclear material from a safeguarded facility to another location in Iran must be declared,” Grossi said, without saying whether Iran had responded.

Iran presses on attacking Israel

Iran described its Monday attack on Israel as a new wave of its “Operation True Promise 3,” saying it was targeting the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state television.

Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem, possibly from air defense systems in action, and Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said there had been no reports of injuries.

In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.

The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Masha Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 380 civilians and 253 security force personnel.

Calls for de-escalation

The U.S. described its attack on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities, as well as the Isfahan nuclear site, as a one-off to take out Iran’s nuclear program, but Trump has warned of additional strikes if Tehran retaliates.

Mousavi described the American attacks as violating Iran’s sovereignty and being tantamount to invading the country, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Russia is one of Iran’s closest allies and on Monday, President Vladimir Putin said after meeting in Moscow with Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, that they had explored “how we can get out of today’s situation.”

Putin called the Israeli and American attacks on Iran an “absolutely unprovoked aggression.”

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the U.S., France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief.

But after Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Elise Morton in London, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Ella Joyner in Brussels and Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.