WASHINGTON — The talks to end the Iran war had hit a snag.
Vice President JD Vance had flown to Pakistan for negotiations with the Iranians, a sign that the two sides had narrowed their differences and the White House might be poised to announce a breakthrough.
As the marathon April meeting unfolded, though, U.S. negotiators began to worry: It looked like the Iranians were changing the terms of a potential deal. So, during a pause, they phoned Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get a “steer” on what they should do next, an administration official with direct knowledge of the matter said in an interview.
Rubio agreed that they couldn’t accept Iran’s offer, the official said. There would be no deal.
Rubio isn’t the face of the Iran negotiations. He’s kept a discreet public distance as the unpopular war grinds on. Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and the president’s longtime friend and special envoy Steve Witkoff are the main protagonists in the push to end both the Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts.

#rubio

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Wednesday that he's going to block a proposed sale of $2.8 billion in heavy weaponry to Israel over concerns that the powerful bombs may not be used in line with U.S. and international law.
Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York said he would withhold approval for the sale because of "grave, unresolved concerns" about how these munitions could be used in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
"The Trump administration has not provided sufficient ****** urances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with U.S. law and with appropriate protections for civilians," Meeks said in a statement. "I therefore will not clear this sale at this time."
Meeks' objections, however, will not likely affect the sale, which was informally notified to lawmakers on Tuesday. Once it is formally notified to Congress, Secretary of State Marco Rubio can bypass the normal congressional review process by making an emergency determination that the transaction is an urgent national security interest.
Rubio has done so in the past, including bypassing a normal congressional review process to approve a nearly $3 billion sale to Israel last year. The administration then approved a new series of arms sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion in January.

#used

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is stripping tens of millions of dollars in U.S. military ******* istance from countries in Europe and the Middle East to support conservative-leaning governments in Central and South America.
The State Department on Tuesday notified Congress that it will reprogram $52 million in foreign military financing from Slovakia, North Macedonia, Tunisia and Iraq to Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Colombia, Ecuador and Peru last week and pledged to them additional support as the Trump administration has prioritized the Western Hemisphere in its foreign policy with an emphasis on combating drug trafficking and illegal immigration.
It is just the latest in a series of moves that have reduced either money or troop deployments to Europe in response to President Donald Trump's complaints about NATO allies not spending enough on their defense budgets and other matters. Both North Macedonia and Slovakia are NATO members.
But it also comes as the administration has put particular attention on the Western Hemisphere, aligning deeply with right-wing governments as Trump celebrates a renewal of the 19th century Monroe Doctrine establishing Washington's dominance in the Americas.

#Trump #Europe #slovakia

Ryan Garcia will defend his WBC Welterweight ****** le for the first time later TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 12, 2026) against British brawler, Conor Benn, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in what is one of the most anticipated ****** le fights of 2026.
Garcia is riding high on confidence after winning the strap earlier his year, defeating Mario Barrios via unanimous decision (recap here). As for Benn, it's chance to win his first major world ****** le and is coming off a dominant victory over Regis Prograis earlier this year (relive it here).
Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, as the main card kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it's always a lot of fun!
147 lbs.: Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn — Garcia wins via second-round TKO
200 lbs.: Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelyan — Opetaia wins via ninth round KO
Heavyweight: Damazion Vanhouter vs. Raphael Akpejiori — Vanhouter via first-round KO
135 lbs.: Mark Magsayo vs. Andres Cortes — Cortes wims.via unanimous decision
130 lbs.: Oswaldo Molina vs. Pablo Rubio — Rubio wins via unanimous decision
168 lbs.: Abel Gonzalez vs. Raul Salomon — _Gonzalez wins via unanimous decision
154 lbs.: Vlad Panin vs. Dakota Linger — Panin wins via fourth-round KO
147 lbs.: Jose Ramirez vs. Alex Rocha — Rocha wins via unanimous decision
147 lbs.: Sean Garcia vs. Abraham Morales — Garcia wins via majority decision
Round 1:

#decision #round #unanimous #title

MMA Fighting has Garcia vs. Benn results for the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn fight card and more for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
When the main event begins around 11 p.m. ET, check out our Garcia vs. Benn live round-by-round updates for our live blog of the main event. Ryan Garcia aims to defend his WBC welterweight ***** le against Conor Benn, who is on a two-fight winning streak.
Check out Garcia vs. Benn results below.
Live blog
Oswaldo Molina def. Pablo Rubio via unanimous decision (60-54, 59-55 x2)

#garcia #ryan #conor #main

Ryan Garcia will defend his WBC Welterweight **** le for the first time later TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 12, 2026) against British brawler, Conor Benn, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in what is one of the most anticipated **** le fights of 2026.
Garcia is riding high on confidence after winning the strap earlier his year, defeating Mario Barrios via unanimous decision (recap here). As for Benn, it's chance to win his first major world **** le and is coming off a dominant victory over Regis Prograis earlier this year (relive it here).
Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, as the main card kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it's always a lot of fun!
147 lbs.: Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn —
200 lbs.: Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelyan —
135 lbs.: Mark Magsayo vs. Andres Cortes —
Heavyweight: Damazion Vanhouter vs. Raphael Akpejiori —
130 lbs.: Oswaldo Molina vs. Pablo Rubio —
168 lbs.: Abel Gonzalez vs. Raul Salomon — _Gonzalez wins via unanimous decision
154 lbs.: Vlad Panin vs. Dakota Linger — Panin wins via fourth-round KO
147 lbs.: Jose Ramirez vs. Alex Rocha — Rocha wins via unanimous decision
147 lbs.: Sean Garcia vs. Abraham Morales — Garcia wins via majority decision
COMING SOON …

#decision

Zuffa Boxing's biggest card to date is now official after Ryan Garciaand Conor Benn made weight for their welterweight ***** le clash.

The 12-round headliner will see Garcia, the World Boxing Councilwelterweight champion, look to defend against Benn. Both men madeweight without issue despite speculation that Benn would struggleto hit his mark. All other fighters on the card also made weight,including Zuffa cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, who will takeon Noel Mikaelian.

Garcia (25-2) enters the fight having defeated Mario Barrios toclaim the WBC ***** le. This bounceback performance came after "KingRy" failed to dethrone Rolando Romero for the WBA belt last year.Garcia officially weighed 145.5 pounds for the ***** le defense.

Looking to cause an upset is Benn (26-1), whose only career defeatcame to Chris Eubank Jr. last year. However, the British superstarwon the rematch and then defeated Regis Prograis in his latestouting. Benn weighed 146 pounds on the dot.

The Zuffa Boxing Benn vs. Garcia event will stream live onParamount+. The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
RyanGarcia (145.5) vs. Conor Benn (146)
Champ Jai Opetaia (199) vs. Noel Mikaelian (200)
Raphael Akpejiori (246) vs. Da'Mazion Vanhouter (231.5)
Andres Cortes (135) vs. Mark Magsayo (134.5)
Oswaldo Molina (131.5) vs. Pablo Rubio Jr. (131)
Abel Gonzalez (167.5) vs. Raul Salomon (167)
Dakota Linger (150.5) vs. Vlad Panin (151.5)
Jose Ramirez (146.5) vs. Alexis Rocha (146.5)
Sean Garcia (134) vs. AbrahamMorales (134)

#garcia #boxing #opetaia

WBC Welterweight champion, Ryan Garcia, and British bruiser, Conor Benn, will finally settle their issues this Saturday night (Sept. 12, 2026) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada streaming live on Paramount+. Before then, however, they have to weigh in to make sure they make the 147-pound limit. In the co-main event of the evening, Jai Opetaia will defend his Zuffa Boxing and The Ring Cruiserweight ****** les against WBC 200-pound champion, Noel Mikaelian.
See the official live stream in the embedded video player above live at 12:00 p.m. ET.
147 lbs.: Ryan Garcia () vs. Conor Benn (146)
200 lbs.: Jai Opetaia () vs. Noel Mikaelian (200)
135 lbs.: Mark Magsayo () vs. Andres Cortes ()
Heavyweight: Damazion Vanhouter () vs. Raphael Akpejiori ()
130 lbs.: Oswaldo Molina () vs. Pablo Rubio ()
168 lbs.: Abel Gonzalez () vs. Raul Salomon ()
154 lbs.: Vlad Panin () vs. Dakota Linger ()
147 lbs.: Jose Ramirez () vs. Alex Rocha ()
147 lbs.: Sean Garcia () vs. Abraham Morales ()
To checkout the latest Zuffa boxing-related news and notes click here.

#noel #mikaelian

The Treasury Department announced sanctions against three far-left international networks as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on politically motivated violence.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign **** ets Control took action against Autistici Inventati, an Italy-based nonprofit; Palestine Action, a U.K.-based organization which it designated a terrorist group; and Masar Badil, a Spain-based group that allegedly operates as a front for the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, already sanctioned by the U.S.
"Far-left extremists, their fronts and their enablers should be on notice: We will bring the full weight of our economic tools to bear," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "Political terrorism has no place in our society, and we will continue to cut the financial lifelines of these groups until they are eliminated."
Pro-Palestinian activists gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the occasion of a hearing granted to Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, to consider whether there should be a temporary block of the decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 on July 4, 2025, in London.
Rubio Puts Entire World On Notice Against Rise Of 'Poisonous' Far-left Terror 'Masked As Equality'

#group

By Sunday evening, the Pittsburgh Steelers will trim their 90-man training camp roster down to just 53 players. We decided to ask AI to make a roster prediction to see if it can get it right and where the algorithm stands on the idea of the Steelers keeping four quarterbacks on the roster. In this simulation, the AI
Offense (25)Quarterbacks (3): Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Drew AllarRunning Backs (3): Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis HomerWide Receivers (6): DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek, Kaden WetjenTight Ends / Fullback (4): Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan, Riley Nowakowski (FB)Offensive Line (9): Troy Fautanu, Broderick Jones, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker, Max IheanachorDefense (25)Defensive Line (6): Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Gabriel RubioOutside Linebackers (4): T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack SawyerInside Linebackers (5): Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Carson BruenerCornerbacks (6): Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols, Daylen EveretteSafeties (4): DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins, Robert Spears-JenningsSpecial Teams (3)Kicker (1): Chris BoswellPunter (1): Cameron JohnstonLong Snapper (1): Christian Kuntz
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Asking AI to predict the Steelers 53-man roster

#steelers #line #sunday

The Republican National Committee warned Wednesday that the Democratic Socialists of America's online tribute to Fidel Castro would damage Democrats in November after the group praised the late Cuban dictator and demanded U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's prosecution over the Trump administration's pressure campaign in Cuba.
"Democrats are openly embracing the same policies that left the people of Venezuela, Cuba and China with empty shelves, no electricity and their freedoms stripped away," national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News Digital. "Their embrace of this poisonous ideology is political suicide, and it will be their downfall in November."
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, condemned Castro's legacy in a post on X last Thursday about Castro's death. He did not mention the DSA by name.
Cuba's Foreign Minister Accuses Marco Rubio Of Lying To Americans To Justify Action Against Cuba
The Democratic Socialists of America praised Fidel Castro and demanded Secretary of State Marco Rubio's prosecution for crimes against humanity.

#secretary #socialists #castro #november

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is warning that a widely speculated 2028 presidential contest between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance could backfire on the secretary.
In a podcast interview with host Patrick Bet-David released on Wednesday, Shapiro cast doubt that Rubio would launch a presidential bid, citing the secretary's history as a "very risk-averse politician."
"If you're Marco and you're … gaming out what the next few years look like for you, here are your choices: Run against JD, you lose, you're done," Shapiro said.
"You run against JD, you win, it's a rough election cycle anyway because the president's riding in the 30s and the country's in the mood for 'something new' and you lose, you're done," Shapiro continued. "You don't run, JD may pick you as his VP candidate, JD loses, you're next. JD does not pick you and JD loses, you're also next."
The conservative commentator said that these considerations suggest "Rubio will not run out of risk aversion" and that he would put his "money on Vance" in this race.

#you 're #rubio

(In Aug. 14 story, corrects to attribute comment in paragraph 8 to a State Department spokesperson instead of to a named individual.)
MEXICO CITY, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Andres Manuel Lopez Beltran, a son ‌of former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said the United States has revoked his visa, accusing ‌Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau of ordering what he called a politically motivated decision.
Lopez Beltran, widely known as "Andy," made the claim in a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump that was released late on Thursday. He said U.S. authorities had provided no evidence linking him to any crime or wrongdoing.
Washington has expanded a campaign targeting Mexican officials accused of ties to organized crime. Reuters reported in October that the Trump administration had revoked the visas of at least ‌50 Mexican politicians and officials, including ⁠figures from across the political spectrum, as part of its cartel crackdown.
Visa cancellations can apply to officials engaged in drug trafficking, corruption or aiding illegal immigration, State Department officials have ⁠said.

#department #reuters

Armando Rubio fought to get into the United States while his daughter battled a brain bleed. Now, the 90 Day Fiancé star is facing another deadline: his emergency visa expires on August 27, and his husband, Kenny Niedermeier, says the family has been warned not to count on more time.
Kenny told TMZ that Rubio's current humanitarian visa extension will keep him in Phoenix for several more weeks as 13-year-old Hannah continues recovering, but Border Patrol officials reportedly told the family another extension is unlikely. That means Rubio could soon be forced to return to Mexico even as doctors continue trying to determine what caused his daughter's medical emergency.
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For now, Hannah is back at the family's temporary Phoenix residence and working through rehab to rebuild strength on her right side, along with vision exercises. "Hannah is doing great," Kenny said. "[I am] very proud of her."
The timing makes the situation especially difficult. Hannah's condition has improved, but doctors still don't have a clear explanation for the brain bleed that sent her into intensive care last month.

#phoenix

There has been plenty of buzz surrounding the new-look Pittsburgh Steelers during the second week of training camp, including several standouts and duds to recognize.
From a rookie once thought to be on the roster bubble to a recently injured veteran, here's a look at the biggest winners and losers from Week 2 of the Steelers' training camp.
Rubio seemed like the odd man out on nearly every 53-man roster projection for the Steelers, but he's made himself nearly uncuttable in Week 2 of training camp thanks to his run-stopping prowess.
Black looked terrific over the past week and is set to receive a starting opportunity at nose tackle this upcoming season. If Black continues to exceed expectations, the Steelers' defensive line woes may be a thing of the past.
Jones entered training camp with a lot of question marks surrounding both his level of play and overall health. But he silenced all the doubters, including myself, over the past week. He finished his strong performance with a dominant showing at Saturday Night Lights practice, which couldn't have come at a better time.

#training #camp #past

President Donald Trump has always loved the idea of taking other countries' oil by force. And he claims to have accomplished that goal in Venezuela. The war there "lasted 48 minutes, and we paid for the war with what we've taken out many, many, many times. Where have you heard that before? You haven't heard that before. That's the old fashioned way, right? The old-fashioned way. To the victor belong the spoils," Trump told a crowd in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
That's not how other officials advertised U.S. oversight of Venezuelan oil. "We're the bankers, we don't direct the funds," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent told the Economic Club of Minnesota in January. "This is the oil of the people of Venezuela," Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified to Congress a few weeks later, claiming that the U.S. government was making sure that "the needs of the Venezuelan people can be met" through oil sales.
In a way, they're both right. Shortly after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, the two countries cut a deal to put sanctioned Venezuelan oil revenues under the control of the U.S. Treasury. The money still belongs to Venezuela on paper, but it's controlled by U.S. officials for all practical purposes—and trying to get any transparency on where it's going has been like pulling teeth.
The oil deal demonstrates the raw, unaccountable, and global power that economic sanctions give to the U.S. Treasury. Neither the American nor the Venezuelan people have a clear picture of what's going on. The case of Venezuela also shows how, despite invoking Ronald Reagan's anticommunism, the Trump administration is much more concerned with imposing direct economic control than nurturing free markets. After all, the Venezuelan oil deal is a U.S. partnership with a socialist dictatorship.
Over the past two decades, the U.S. Treasury had imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan oil and banking sectors, preventing Venezuela's state-owned oil company from exporting to North America and its socialist government from dealing in U.S. dollars. After the January 2026 operation, the Venezuelan leadership cut a deal. The Trump administration issued sanctions exemptions and even shielded Venezuelan money from U.S. lawsuits. In exchange, Venezuela began putting its oil revenues into bank accounts in the "custody" of the U.S. Treasury.

#january

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has informed Congress that it plans to move ahead with the potential reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Libya, proposing to allocate nearly $41 million to restore America's formal diplomatic presence in the North African nation after a near 14-year absence.
The department told lawmakers on Monday that the money would cover "a range of security-related activities ***** ociated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya," according to a copy of the notification obtained by The ***** ociated Press.
The move to reopen the embassy "is essential to advancing U.S. national security interests," it said. "The United States must remain engaged in regions where near-peer competitors and other adversarial actors are actively expanding their influence."
"Libya's strategic location on the Mediterranean and its role in regional security, energy markets, and migration flows make it vital to U.S. interests," it said. "The country's instability has drawn increased involvement from near-peer competitors, notably Russia, which threatens U.S. and allied objectives in North Africa."
Libyan officials representing both the western and eastern regions of the country that have been in conflict for more than a decade have recently met with top Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos.

#africa #associated

By Chuck Mikolajczak
NEW YORK, July 22 (Reuters) - The dollar dipped from a one-week high on Wednesday after four straight daily advances, while the yen recovered slightly from its weakest level in nearly four decades as traders gauged the likelihood of intervention from Tokyo and the chances of faster rate hikes by ‌the Bank of ******* an.
The dollar has been rising in recent days as increased tensions in the U.S.-Iran war have caused a reversal in oil prices and ‌again fanned inflation fears.
Oil prices touched their highest in almost six weeks, with U.S. crude last up 3.28% to $87.11 a barrel and Brent at $94.34 per barrel, up 3.66%, as concerns about supply disruptions increased.
Four more tankers changed course in the Red Sea on Wednesday after Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen threatened the southern route out, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran was not serious about peace talks.

#Iran #four #barrel #mikolajczak

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Gold (GC=F) August futures opened at $4,005.60 per troy ounce on Monday, July 20, 2026, down 0.3% from Friday's closing price. As of 8:15 a.m. ET, the price of gold was up to $4,016.10.
Gold rebounded slightly from a sub-$4,000 opening price on Friday, despite a weekend of violence in the Middle East. Three U.S. service members were killed, two in an Iranian attack in Jordan and another in northern Iran during a controlled detonation of a drone. Sunday marked the ninth consecutive night of U.S. strikes targeting a range of Iranian military targets.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday the U.S. is "always open to diplomacy," but reiterated that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait's closure has been a critical driver of higher gas prices in the U.S. and globally.
Continued high gas prices increase the broader inflation risk — which could force the Fed to raise interest rates. Higher interest rates encourage lower gold prices, since precious metals do not pay interest.

Armando Rubio, who's appeared on TLC's 90 Day Fiancé franchise, updated followers Thursday on his daughter's medical emergency.
Earlier this week, he told followers that Hannah, 13, is being treated for a brain bleed in a hospital in Arizona, although the cause was unclear.
Rubio stayed at the family's home in Mexico because he said he was unable to gain entry to the U.S.
Armando Rubio, of the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, cried Thursday, as he updated fans on his daughter's health.
"I miss my baby girl," Rubio said of 13-year-old Hannah. "I don't want to lose her. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, guys. And thank you all that have supported her on the GoFundMe and everything, all the love that's coming our way."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Thursday that violent far-left political terrorism "can no longer be denied" as he urged more than 60 countries gathered in Washington to treat the threat as a global counterterrorism priority.
Speaking at the opening of a State Department summit attended by roughly 65 foreign delegations, Rubio said governments had spent too long overlooking what he described as a resurgence of transnational far-left extremist violence and called for greater international cooperation to counter it.
Rubio described radical leftism as "a poisonous resentment cloaked in the language of equality and justice."
Tens Of Thousands Of Far-left Protesters Clash With Police In Anti-conservative Party Riots
"Today we face a new wave of this old evil here in the United States: the share of left-wing terrorist attacks and plots has risen to levels not seen in decades," the secretary went on.

Fútbol became real life for Cristo Fernández on Saturday night.
The "Ted Lasso" actor went from the fictional pitch for AFC Richmond to taking the field for El Paso Locomotive FC of the United Soccer League. Facing New Mexico United, Fernández entered the game as a substitute for Rubio Rubín in the 79th minute of the Locomotive's 2-0 defeat in a USL Cup match.
El Paso and New Mexico were in a scoreless tie until the 85th minute when Joseph Quiah scored in the left corner for United. Zico Bailey found the net four minutes later on a cross from Jake LaCava for a 2-0 lead. Attendance for the match was announced at 5,011.
Locomotive FC announced on Wednesday that Fernández was added to the club's 18-man matchday roster for a home game at Southwest University Park versus New Mexico.
"Yes, it's really him," Locomotive FC included in Fernández's bio on the club's website.

LOS GALLARDOS, Spain, July 10 (Reuters) - As flames approached their homes and the smoke-filled air became choking, panicked residents in rural Andalusian villages around Los Gallardos in southern Spain chose to flee — a decision some paid for with their lives.
With the wildfire racing ‌up the bone-dry mountainsides, residents faced a choice of taking their chance and leaving, or sheltering in place.
Authorities recommended some residents above ‌Los Gallardos evacuate and signalled a safe route, while later it was considered safer for those in the forested hamlet of Bedar to stay where they were given the fire was so close.
"In situations like this, it is essential that we all follow the routes indicated," Antonio Sanz, head of emergencies in the Andalusia region, said. "Unfortunately in this instance a decision was taken to use another route that wasn't the one recommended for evacuation. Looking for another way out via a dry riverbed turned out to be a trap."
As the flames approached, Antonio Rubio, a handyman living in Bedar, said the smoke had made it impossible to shelter in place.

USA's Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the latest to chime in on the Folarin Balogun red card decision and believes that there should be a way for the USMNT to appeal it.
Balogun was shown a straight red card for a late challenge in USA's win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, meaning he will miss the World Cup last 16 tie against Belgium.
Although replays show that the Monaco forward clearly stepped on the back of Tarik Muharemovic, some believe that he didn't deserve to be sent off, including Rubio.
The red card didn't mean much in the end as Mauricio Pochettino's side did beat Bosnia, but fans of the host nation felt that they were harshly treated.
Pochettino said it was "never" a red card and completely accidental while Rubio claimed that there should be an appeal process.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 11: Raul Jimenez #9 of Mexico celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has now fully settled into its rhythm — and the stories transcending the pitch have only gotten bigger. Last week, we covered Lamine Yamal's sujood, Iran's impossible commute, and the accidental romance between Lawrence, Kansas and Algeria. Week two delivered something even harder to manufacture: a goalkeeper's mother clearing customs in time for a miracle reunion, a team that turned a Houston airport into a fashion week runway, an NFL quarterback becoming America's most beloved cultural ambassador, a Viking cheer that went from Norway to the New York City subway, and a group of kilt-wearing Scots who made Boston fall so hard the city signed a twinning agreement with Glasgow. Here are the five pop culture moments that defined the World Cup's second week.
When Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears after his historic 0-0 draw against Spain last week, he told the world two things: that his grandparents, who raised him, had passed before they could see this moment — and that his mother couldn't afford the bond required to secure a U.S. visa in time to watch him play. The internet responded the way the internet occasionally does when it's at its best.
Within 24 hours, GoFundMe campaigns had surpassed their targets. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly, asking the State Department to do everything in their power to ensure Vozinha’s mother could attend Cape Verde’s next match. Vozinha's mother, Ana Candida Evora, received U.S. visa approval with the intervention of the State Department, began her journey from Cape Verde's capital city of Praia on June 17, and made it to Miami Stadium to watch her son play against Uruguay on June 21.
The broader context matters here. Cape Verde was among 50 countries whose citizens faced bonds of up to $15,000 to secure a U.S. visa, part of broader travel restrictions — a requirement the Trump administration suspended for World Cup ticket holders, though critics noted it came too late for many families. The Vozinha story became a live stress test of that policy, and it ended — for one family, in one stadium — with a reunion on the world’s biggest stage.

Colombia finished top of World Cup Group K after playing out a highly-entertaining end-to-end 0-0 draw with Portugal on Saturday.
Colombia will feel hard done by nevertheless as a marginal offside ruled out a late goal by Davinson Sanchez.
The Colombians will play Ghana in the last 32 next Friday, while runners-up Portugal will see Cristiano Ronaldo face his old Real Madrid teammate Croatian icon Luka Modric on Thursday.
However, Ronaldo was a peripheral presence in the fast-paced match, outshone by another former Real teammate, 34-year-old James Rodriguez.
The game watched by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and FIFA President Gianni Infantino was played to the backdrop of a cacophony of noise from Colombian fans.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Liberian oil tanker made its way out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday despite threats to shipping from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, using a new route close to Oman's shore that has been promoted by a U.N. maritime agency.
The transit of the Stoic Warrior and the threats come as tensions rise between Iran and the United States over the terms of their interim accord aimed at permanently ending the Iran war.
From getting ships through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf to the future of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the two nations are increasingly debating the terms of the deal signed last week.
Through the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a 60-day period to iron out these and other details. Until that happens — during private talks — leaders from both countries will also continue to negotiate in public, raising the risks of derailing the shaky ceasefire in the region.
On a trip to the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Thursday with Gulf Arab officials in Bahrain, the island kingdom in the Persian Gulf home to the Navy's 5th Fleet, trying to ****** uage their concerns.

It’s rare for a 4th round quarterback to become a longtime starter in the NFL. There have been exceptions (Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins comes to mind) but each has been shadowed by a who’s who of “who’s that” (hello Kyle Lauletta). However, when former a Clemson star Cade Klubnik was selected isn’t the most despairing aspect of his projection, it’s where he was selected.
The New York Jets are where Quarterbacks go to rot. Their last iconic signal caller came by the likes of Joe Namath, who was drafted as recently as the signing of the Civil Rights Act (1964). Their second greatest is arguably Ken O’Brien, who led them to exactly one playoff win in nine years. The greatest of this century is likely Chad Pennington, who was able to win two playoff games in his eight seasons.
However, if there is any benefit to Cade landing in New York, it’s the lack of competition on that football team. Sitting behind a 35 year old Geno Smith, Klubnik is highly likely to see the field early on in his career. Additionally, the Jets have a multitude of interesting pieces on their roster. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are proven stars simply looking for a competent signal caller to distribute them the ball. AD Michell is an exciting young prospect with shades of George Pickens (complimentary and derogatory). Rookie Omar Cooper just won a National Championship with Indiana, and Kenyon Sadiq is a tight end with Julio Jones’ height and 40 time and Anthony Edwards’ vertical leap.
The Jets also project a strong offensive line, with no clear holes at any of the five positions. They do set up a young quarterback to succeed, just haven’t been able to find that passer.
In a perfect world, Cade plays a Point Guard-esque role for a team full of talented skill players. Think Memphis Grizzlies Tyus Jones or Phoenix Suns Ricky Rubio; a player that isn’t necessarily taking over games and creating big plays out of nothing, but can distribute in a way that gives his teammates the opportunity to do what they do best while limiting turnovers.

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - The United States imposed additional visa restrictions Monday on ‌more than 100 Nicaraguan officials and ‌their family members over the death of indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera.
"The United States will not ignore the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship's responsibility for the horrific death of political prisoner Brooklyn Rivera," Secretary ‌of State Marco ⁠Rubio said in a statement.
Rivera, a former lawmaker, died in state ⁠custody at age 73 in May, Nicaragua's health ministry said.
Rivera, who had been detained since 2023, died from bacteria generated by COVID-19, Nicaragua's ‌health ministry said on May 31.
Reports of his death elicited outrage from human rights groups who said he had been subject to arbitrary detention and was a victim ‌of political persecution.

WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ‌on Tuesday there has been ‌no change in U.S. policy on Taiwan and that Washington wants to see the status quo preserved.
"The most important thing to understand is we ‌want to ⁠see the status quo preserved as-is at this moment. ⁠That's our policy, that's what we've said, that's what we continue to say," Rubio said at a ‌Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
"It's a very ... delicate relationship to balance, but our policy on Taiwan is not changing," Rubio said.
Last month's ‌summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing ‌led to some concern in Taipei about the U.S. commitment to help the democratically ruled island defend ‌itself.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Simon Lewis and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Franklin Paul)