(NEW YORK) -- Inflation eased slightly in July but price increases stayed above the pace recorded before a surge in fuel prices set off by the Iran war. The reading matched economists' expectations.

Prices rose 3.4% in July compared to a year earlier, marking a slight cooldown from an annual inflation rate of 3.5% in the prior month, federal government data released on Wednesday morning showed.

Inflation stands more than a percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2%.

In July, prices rose for medical care, airline fares, communication, education and recreation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

The prices of meat and milk each climbed more than 5% over the year ending in July, clocking in well above the overall inflation rate.

Egg prices, by contrast, plummeted more than 25% over the previous year, indicating continued recovery from a shortage caused by an outbreak of bird flu.

Energy prices, meanwhile, climbed nearly 15% over the year ending in July. Shelter prices -- made up primarily of monthly rents and an equivalent cost assigned to home owners -- jumped 3.2% over that period, registering slightly below the overall inflation rate.

The reading arrived days after government data showed unexpected job losses last month, suggesting strain on the economy as a months-long bout of elevated price hikes weighed on shoppers.

The Iran war drove up gasoline prices and catapulted inflation to a three-year high in May. A preliminary peace agreement in June offered up some relief, but a burst of on-again, off-again fighting over ensuing weeks caused crude prices to climb.

Global oil prices stood at about $89 a gallon on Wednesday morning, keeping them well above pre-war levels.

The national average price of a gallon of gas registered at $4.03 on Wednesday, AAA data showed, marking a 35% rise since the outbreak of war in late February.

A prolonged bout of elevated inflation has raised the chances of an interest rate hike, futures markets show. Investors peg the odds of a quarter-point rate hike next month at nearly 50%, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

The odds of a rate increase have ticked lower since last week, however, when a lackluster jobs report showed the labor market had shifted into reverse.

The U.S. lost 23,000 jobs in July, according to the federal government's monthly jobs report, which marked a decline from 57,000 jobs added in June.

The unemployment rate fell slightly from 4.2% in June to 4.1% in July. Unemployment remains low by historical standards.

A government report issued last week showed a steeper slowdown in gross domestic product than expected over three months ending in June, indicating softness in the underlying economy over the early months of the war.

The Fed could raise interest rates in an effort to cool off prices, but the move risks an economic slowdown that may pinch hiring.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, who took the helm of the central bank this summer, has repeatedly vowed to dial back inflation.

"The committee remains resolute -- you’ve heard this before -- that we will deliver price stability," Warsh told reporters in Washington, D.C., last month.

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(NEW YORK) -- Prosecutors and defense lawyers in Luigi Mangione's federal case are expected to discuss a possible plea deal during a conference scheduled for federal court on Friday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are not commenting.

Negotiations for a possible guilty plea had also occurred prior to a hearing in June, sources said, though a deal was not reached.

If Mangione ends up pleading guilty to federal charges in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office have said they are prepared to lobby the federal judge presiding over the case for a stiff sentence.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges stemming from the assassination-style killing and is scheduled to stand trial beginning Sept. 8 in New York State Supreme Court and Jan. 5 in Manhattan federal court. 

In its letter, the district attorney's office said it is aware of public reporting by ABC News and other outlets about Mangione's earlier contemplation of a guilty plea in the federal case. 

"If a proposed federal guilty plea would operate to defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution, the People could advise the federal district court if that consequence, and the court should consider that fact in deciding whether to accept the plea, as well as any opposition by the victim's family to such a resolution," the letter said. 

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(WASHINGTON) -- A federal district court in Massachusetts on Tuesday issued a temporary order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Donald Trump's 2026 executive order on mail-in voting.

The same court in June blocked other portions of Trump's order in 23 states and Washington, D.C., related to the Department of Homeland Security's compilation of a federal voter citizenship list and requirement that states submit voter registration lists to the USPS, in addition to printing ballots that can be easily tracked.

Both injunctions apply only to the Nov. 3 midterm elections as litigation continues. Both indicated that the administration likely exceeded its authority in attempting to impose election requirements on states, which have the primary responsibility under law for regulating voting.

Both cases are likely to be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court very soon. The court will essentially decide whether Trump can implement the order for the November elections.

The issue of standing remains a key question in both cases. The administration alleges that neither the states nor the coalition of nonpartisan voting rights groups has suffered concrete injury from the executive order that would allow them to challenge it.

The Trump administration has already appealed the states' case to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking permission to move forward. That decision could come down at any time, as soon as this week.

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(NEW YORK) -- The jurors in accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione's state murder trial will be kept anonymous over concerns that they may be subject to "harassment, intimidation, or improper outside influence" if their identifying information is publicly released, according to the judge.

Judge Gregory Carro said Tuesday that only prosecutors and defense lawyers will have access to the jurors' names and addresses.

Jury selection starts on Sept. 8.

Carro justified his decision in part by noting that individuals identifying themselves as Mangione's supporters have "engaged in inflammatory and hostile public statements outside the courthouse and announced their intention to attend jury selection to attempt to speak to prospective jurors."

"Given the extraordinary public attention and the documented instances of threatening or hostile behavior by individuals outside the courthouse, the court finds that disclosure of juror names to the public poses an unjustifiable risk of interference with the administration of justice," Carro wrote in an order. "Restricting public disclosure of juror names while making the names available to the parties and counsel is an appropriate and necessary safeguard."

Defense lawyers opposed withholding the names of jurors, arguing that prosecutors failed to demonstrate an "actual threat to the safety or integrity of the jury" and alleged that the concerns raised by prosecutors were "speculative" and "hypothetical."

"They have identified no specific facts demonstrating that any actual, existing threat to the safety or integrity of the jury presently exists," Mangione's lawyers wrote. 

Carro disagreed, writing that prosecutors have demonstrated that individuals related to the case have been subject to threats and harassment. 

"The court finds that these circumstances create a realistic and substantial risk that prospective and sworn jurors could be subject to harassment, intimidation, or improper outside influence, and that disclosure of their identifying information would meaningfully increase that risk," Carro wrote.

Prosecutors allege Mangione gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in an assassination-style killing on a Midtown Manhattan street in December 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty in separate state and federal cases, and faces the possibility of life in prison if he's convicted in his state murder case. 

Carro's written order came hours after Mangione appeared in a packed courtroom for a pretrial conference, possibly the last time the accused killer will be seen in public before jury selection begins.

The last two rows of the courtroom were filled with about 20 Mangione supporters, some wearing shirts declaring his innocence or calling for expanded courtroom access. 

At the hearing, Carro shot down the defense's claims that access to the trial was limited or that prosecutors were involved in dictating the coverage plans.

He said this was not the court's "first rodeo" when it comes to high-profile cases. 

"There has never been a discussion or decision by this court to exclude the public for these proceedings, and quite the opposite is true," the judge said, adding that there will be an overflow room for the trial. 

Carro noted that more than 80 media organizations have signaled plans to cover the trial. 

"There will be less room for the public because of that, but there will be room for the public," he said.

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(GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo.) -- The oldest son of Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was arrested on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, authorities said Monday.

Tyler Boebert, 21, of New Castle, Colorado, was arrested Sunday on a warrant on "multiple charges," the Garfield County Sheriff's Office said in a press release.

Court records show he was arrested on five felony counts, including three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The arrest follows an investigation conducted by the sheriff's office and the 9th Judicial District Attorney's Office, according to the sheriff's press release.

Tyler Boebert's bond was set at $10,000, which he posted the same day, the sheriff's office said. His next court appearance is set for Aug. 19, court records show.

Attorney information for Tyler Boebert was not immediately available.

"I love my son," Rep. Boebert said in a statement to ABC News. "We take these allegations very seriously and pray for everyone affected during this challenging time."

-ABC News' Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- Five 17-year-old boys died when their vehicle went off a cliff in Colorado and crashed, authorities said.

The crash occurred in a residential area of Grand Junction late Saturday, according to the Mesa County Coroner's Office.

Police and fire personnel responded shortly before 8 a.m. local time Sunday to a report of a possible vehicle that drove off the edge of a cliff in the 2000 block of Lookout Lane, according to the Grand Junction Police Department. They located the crashed vehicle on the hillside, police said.

All five victims were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. 

"Initial investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling southbound on Lookout Lane when it veered off the roadway and down the steep incline of the hillside," the Grand Junction Police Department said in a release on Sunday.

Speed is being considered as a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation, police said.

First responders from multiple agencies worked to recover the bodies from the crash site. All five teens died from injuries sustained in the crash, the coroner's office said in a statement Monday.

The driver, front seat passenger and a third occupant were wearing their seatbelts, while the two other occupants were not and were ejected from the vehicle, according to the coroner's office.

The teens were residents of Grand Junction, according to the coroner's office, which did not publicly identify them, citing a policy not to release the names of minors.

"Our hearts are heavy following the tragic losses this weekend," the police department said.  

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(WASHINGTON) -- The same legal team that successfully challenged President Donald Trump's first bid to end birthright citizenship is asking a federal judge to clarify that the Supreme Court's ruling also blocks a second executive order attempting to target specific children who Trump says are exempt from becoming Americans at birth. 

Trump's second birthright order -- signed last week as a response to the high court's June ruling -- attempts to deny citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to an "alien enemy," or a "foreign government employee," or a parent who "engaged in a commercial transaction" to obtain citizenship or who are born in a territory where citizenship is not conferred by statute. 

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union, representing a class of potentially affected immigrant families, filed a motion in federal district court in New Hampshire on Tuesday seeking a declaratory order that the new order effectively defies the Supreme Court. 

"Nothing requires this Court to countenance the continued assault on this foundational constitutional principle or issue an endless string of EO-specific injunctions," the attorneys wrote. "The court should make clear that [Trump] may not take away class members' birthright under the auspices of these or any other executive actions." 

The Supreme Court did confirm four categories of children born on U.S. soil who would not automatically become citizens:  the children of ambassadors, those born on foreign public ships, those born to enemies occupying American territory and members of Indian tribes. But its 6-3 decision left little room for additional exemptions. 

Court precedent "indicated that the four exceptions were a closed set," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion, "meaning that there can be no additional exceptions recognized based on subsequent circumstances or developments. And the decision has consistently been read that way."

Chief Justice John Roberts' majority opinion explained that the key determinant of citizenship was "fixed by the place of nativity, irrespective of parentage."  

The administration argues that the categories specified in Trump's second executive order are acceptable exemptions from birthright citizenship under the legal interpretation presented by Roberts.

The president's executive order is set to take effect on Sept. 6. 

The ACLU argued in its motion to the court that none of those specified exemptions appear in the Constitution or federal citizenship law and seeks to block the order.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Robert Gilman, a U.S. citizen and former Marine, has been freed from years of detention in Russia on humanitarian grounds, a State Department spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.

"Thanks to the hard work of President Trump and Special Envoy Witkoff, Mr. Gilman joins over 100 Americans whom the United States has freed during President Trump's second term in office. This Administration will continue to work for the release of all Americans unjustly detained in Russia, including wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard," the spokesperson said. 

Gilman's release came amid severe concerns about his health. According to the organization advocating on behalf of his family, Gilman is on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas, where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated. His family has flown to Texas, including his mother, who was in Russia attempting to see him at the hospital.

Gilman, now 32 years old, had been detained since 2022. Later that year, he was sentenced to four and a half years in a prison colony after being accused of fighting with a Russian police officer at a train station. 

Gilman's family deny the charges and have accused the Russian authorities of wrongfully detaining him for political purposes because he is American.

According to the "Free Robert Gilman" website, Gilman served in the U.S. Marine Corps and also founded "Robert Gilman Just English" to help students in Poland build their English skills. Gilman was in Moldova to teach and was visiting family outside of Moscow when he fell ill and was then accused of kicking a police officer.

Gilman, who was recently designated as a wrongful detainee, was not part of a prisoner exchange, and no other concessions were provided as part of his release, according to the State Department spokesperson.

President Donald Trump said he had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Gilman's release, adding that "Russia asked for no one in return -- No exchange took place."

"Robert will land at Andrews Air Force Base, in Washington, D.C., tonight, where my Representatives, some of whom are on the plane with him, will welcome Robert back to THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands," Trump wrote in a post on his social media account Tuesday.

Lexie Hudson, Gilman's sister, commented on his release in a press release sent by Global Reach, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing home Americans who are wrongly held abroad.

Hudson thanked both Trump and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey.

"The Russians treated my brother so badly," Hudson said. "They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?"

"I am looking forward to seeing Robert. I haven't been able to speak with him once since this all began. We will make sure that he gets the treatment and support that he needs."

Markey celebrated Gilman's release in a post on X while also describing Gilman's debilitating condition. 

"Approximately 50 days ago, Robert was diagnosed with a dissociative stupor -- a condition where he is non-responsive and unable to interact or eat. He was essentially catatonic and also suffered a severe case of pneumonia. We don't yet know the full details of his current condition or the long-term impact on his recovery. I'm grateful that Robert is now on his way back to the United States to receive the life-saving care that he desperately needs," Markey wrote. 

Gilman's family members and representatives have said that in addition to the false charges levied against him, Gilman was subjected to torture and harsh physical and mental abuse by Russian prison guards. 

Moscow has so far not commented on Gilman's release.  

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(NEW YORK) -- The operator of a boat that capsized in New York Harbor, leaving a mother and her baby daughter dead, is facing federal charges of negligence as a ship captain resulting in death and misconduct as a ship captain resulting in death, ABC New York station WABC reported.

Manuel Hernandez, 46, was taken into federal custody on Monday, according to a U.S. official. He appeared in court Monday afternoon and is set to be released on $50,000 bail, WABC reported.

Hernandez was initially arrested on state charges -- 13 counts of reckless endangerment -- according to the New York Police Department.

On Saturday night, the boat overturned near the Statue of Liberty, sending all 14 on board into the water, the Coast Guard said.

The NYPD identified the two people killed as 27-year-old Sara Sanchez and 5-month-old Antonella Garcia of Queens, New York. Sources told ABC News the victims were mother and daughter.

The 12 survivors were rescued with minor injuries, the Coast Guard said.

Sanchez leaves behind her husband, who was on the boat and survived, and their 6-year-old son, who was not on the boat, WABC reported.

Investigators are looking into whether the boat was an illegal charter operation, the Coast Guard said.

ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday that it's providing water trailers to Puerto Rico as the island grapples with a water crisis.

The trailers will be distributed for up to 30 days initially, following the Puerto Rican government's request for federal support, a FEMA spokesperson said.

"This support is intended to assist local efforts as Puerto Rico manages increased demand for potable water distribution in affected communities," the spokesperson said.

Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon said on Sunday that authorities are working closely with federal agencies as they grapple with a water crisis that has left more than 180,000 households facing 48-hour water supply shuts-off and rationing.

Gonzalez-Colon declared a state of emergency in the U.S. territory on July 31 in response to serious drought and falling levels in water reservoirs. On Friday, authorities began implementing rotating 48-hour water shut-offs in parts of the capital San Juan, as well as neighborhoods in the cities of Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas and Loiza.

The governor told reporters during a press conference on Sunday that an "interagency support plan for municipalities" had been activated to coordinate assistance to the island's communities.

"Mayors have a direct liaison inside the government of Puerto Rico," Gonzalez-Colon said. "Each head of agency has the responsibility to maintain communication with that mayor, to understand the needs that arise, to channel urgent situations, to support the distribution of water trucks, and to facilitate coordination with the agencies that need to intervene."

The island's Public Housing Administration has begun installing community cisterns in different public housing complexes, the governor said, while portable water is also being distributed directly to residents with support from the fire department.

Puerto Rican authorities are working closely with the federal government in their response to the crisis, Gonzalez-Colon said. "We are combining a climate committee, actually a drought committee, with all the scientific people. The federal government is helping us out as well," she said in a press conference on Saturday.

"In the case of Puerto Rico, a few weeks ago was the hottest day in San Juan in 100 years," Gonzalez-Colon said on Saturday, telling CNN that the island was also grappling with almost 1,000 fires across the island.

July was the driest month on record for San Juan in more than 120 years and the fourth hottest on record for the capital. The U.S. Drought Monitor said that as of Aug. 4, almost 25% of Puerto Rico was experiencing a severe drought and another 36% was under a moderate drought.

"This situation is out of our hands," Gonzalez-Colon said last week, blaming the severe weather for the shortages. "Nothing prevents this from worsening," the governor added.

Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo Jose Hernandez, meanwhile, last week urged Gonzalez-Colon to seek a federal emergency declaration from President Donald Trump. "Faced with the water crisis, Puerto Rico needs an immediate response," Hernandez wrote in a post to X.

Amid concern over disruption to the island's vital tourism and hospitality industry, the government-owned Puerto Rico Tourism Company said in a statement that it was "committed to our tourism industry, providing the necessary support to maintain the continuity of operations in our hostels and guarantee services to their guests."

"Water distribution continues in areas impacted by the scheduled interruption plan, supporting the continuity of services and the care of our visitors," it added.

ABC News' Ayanna Martinez and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The mother of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old woman whose body was found hanging from a tree on Aug. 3 in Jackson, Mississippi, told ABC News on Sunday afternoon that her daughter’s death has “just devastated" her family.

“This has just devastated us,” Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, said. “Tasia was strong-minded, she was full of laughs and love, she had faith in God. … She had so little and gave so much.”

Spivey said that she last saw her daughter, who is a mother of four, on July 26 after she traveled from Mississippi, where she has lived for over a decade, to Kentucky for a family reunion.

When asked about Fortune’s state of mind the last time she saw her, Spivey said, “She was better than I had seen her in a long time. She was at peace.” Asked if her daughter could have died by suicide, Spivey said, “She did not do this to herself. I know my daughter and she did not do this to herself.”

A spokesperson for the Jackson Police Department (JPD) confirmed to ABC News on Saturday night that police are investigating Fortune’s death and confirmed that the Hinds County Coroner’s Office identified Fortune.

Asked about the status of the investigation and if any persons of interest have been interviewed, the spokesperson did not provide further comment.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office is conducting an autopsy to determine Fortune’s cause and manner of death, a spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

Jackson City Council member Kenneth Stokes sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger, asking for help in investigating this case, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.

“We are in dire need of the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office with the death of an unidentified female discovered hanging in the backyard of an abandoned house on the Road of Remembrance in Jackson, Mississippi,” the letter says.

The woman has since been identified as Fortune.

ABC News reached out to Stokes for further comment. Asked if his office is investigating this case, Kruger did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS.

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(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump acknowledged on Sunday that there was "no video or proof" of alleged vandalism to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after weeks of claiming that damage to the pool's surface was the deliberate work of saboteurs. 

Even after acknowledging contractor error and a lack of evidence of vandalism on Sunday, the president still went back to the case against former Olympian David Hearn, whose charges prosecutors moved to drop after new evidence revealed that the section Hearn was alleged to have damaged was already in disrepair when he arrived.

Trump nonetheless again accused Hearn -- who pleaded not guilty to a felony destruction of property charge in July and has maintained he didn't damage the pool -- of intentional vandalism.

"There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself," Trump wrote on social media on Sunday.

Trump also said that there was "some contractor error done by rushing the job for a July 4th opening." 

The president said that contractors were "working on the Pool, and it will reopen shortly," but said that "it was a very small area of this massive Pool" which was damaged, calling it "relatively inconsequential."

"Security cameras have been, and are being, installed," he added.

On Monday, Hearn's lawyers said they were "reviewing all legal remedies" for what they described as "continued harassment."

Norm Eisen of Democracy Defenders Fund, Mary Dohrmann of Washington Litigation Group and Steve Levin of Steptoe LLP said in a statement, "The government is continuing to attack an innocent man. Our first filing in the case on July 10 included photographic evidence from before Mr. Hearn touched the Reflecting Pool proving that he caused no damage. Our other filings provided even more proof."

"Finally, the U.S. Attorney's own motion on July 31 admitted the damage was caused by 'a botched installation and not vandalism,'" the statement added, describing the continued allegations as "outrageous."

Going back as early as June, the president has insisted that the damage to the Reflecting Pool -- which he ordered resurfaced so the bottom would be "American flag blue" -- was purposely destroyed by criminal vandals.

"I can't help it if somebody goes in with a knife and starts hacking it up. And we also have pictures of it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on June 22. But asked if the president could share the photos, he demurred.

"No, at the right time you'll see it. You'll see it in court. You'll see it in court. But all you have to do is call the Parks Department, call the Department of Interior," Trump said at the time. But that evidence has not been released publicly.

The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case against Hearn in July, acknowledging the damage to the pool "was the result of flawed installation by the contractor." U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's motion sought to dismiss the case without prejudice, which could still leave Hearn exposed to a future indictment.

Last week, Associate Judge Todd Edelman issued an order granting in part the Department of Justice's request to dismiss the case. Edelman said he would wait to determine whether to grant the dismissal with prejudice after hearing more arguments from the government and Hearn's attorneys. 

Trump criticized Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the case, writing in a post to social media on Aug. 1 that while there "may have been some contractor difficulty" in the installation of a new pool liner, "the major damage was caused by VANDALS!"

"I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro," Trump said in his post.

ABC News' Alexander Mallin and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- A manhunt continued Saturday for a suspect in upstate New York believed to have killed his father and set fire to the home to cover it up, according to law enforcement sources.

The suspect, Thomas Ryan, 32, is known to frequent the Plattsburgh area in Clinton County and is considered armed and dangerous, New York State Police said in a statement Friday.

On Thursday, investigators responded to a fire at a residence on Greenville Turnpike in Greenville, Orange County. After the fire was extinguished, the body of a dead man was found inside the residence, state police said. 

A preliminary investigation revealed the fire was deliberately set and state police are investigating the death as a homicide, police said.

Ring video obtained by ABC News appears to show Ryan running from the burning house. 

Law enforcement sources identified the man found dead as 70-year-old Robert Ryan. Robert Ryan retired to Orange County while the rest of the family lives on Long Island.

Investigators are also looking into Ryan’s mental health history, the sources said.

Stephanie Coiro, the victim's daughter, told ABC News her father did not deserve to be killed.

"My Dad was a pillar in our family and every community he was a part of. He made you feel welcome, he helped when you needed, and then some. He had more character in his pinky than most in their whole bodies, he did not deserve this," she said.

Ryan is 6 foot 2 inches and approximately 200 pounds. He was last seen in the area of Greenville Turnpike wearing black sweatpants and a black t-shirt, according to police.  

Ryan is believed to be operating a 2016 gray Toyota Prius with a New York license plate, HNH-7671, police said.

The New York State Police is asking residents of the Greenville community to review any available home surveillance footage recorded from approximately 6:00 p.m. on Thursday through the overnight hours. Anyone who observes suspicious activity is urged to contact the New York State Police immediately.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to not approach him and immediately contact New York State Police Troop F Communications at (845) 344-5300 or call 911. Tips can be emailed to FBCICrimeTips@troopers.ny.gov.

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(WASHINGTON) -- The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was partially refilled on Friday to flush out what the National Park Service said were clogged pipes that supply water to the monument, marking the latest twist in the Trump administration's plagued renovation project.

NPS wrote in a sign posted outside the Reflecting Pool that more than half of the 58 supply ports were "deemed nonfunctioning" due to buildup and needed to be cleared.

The posting blamed the clogged lines on "years of neglect by previous administrations," echoing attempts by President Donald Trump to pin the Reflecting Pool's ongoing troubles on his predecessors. 

Leaks and cracks in the piping have long afflicted the pool, which was constructed in the 1920s.

President Barack Obama undertook a $35 million renovation in the 2010s, installing a treatment plant to purify water piped in from the Tidal Basin, but it did not eliminate the leaks from both the pipes and between the slabs of the pool itself.

President Trump has long fixated on the leaking pipes installed during the Obama renovation. When he announced the renovation project in April, he said the pool was "filthy dirty" and had "leaked like a sieve for many years." The administration's spring renovation, however, was limited to repainting the bottom of the pool and installing a new filtration system, leaving the pipes untouched. 

Issues have plagued Trump's $16 million renovation project since it was unveiled earlier this summer. In mid-June, algae blooms turned the pool a murky green and the newly-installed liner appeared to peel off.

Trump has attributed the problems to vandalism. But charges brought against several visitors accused of damaging the pool have not held up in court.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who originally brought the charges, moved to drop four of the cases last week, saying publicly that evidence indicated the damage was caused by a flawed renovation, not intentional sabotage. 

Pirro explained her decision to dismiss the most high-profile charge -- a felony indictment against former Olympian David Hearn -- in a revelatory 20-page filing last Friday, calling the renovation "hasty" and "botched." She said she brought the case before she was provided internal Department of Interior documents proving that concerns about the peeling pool liner predated the alleged vandalism. 

The public about-face drew Trump's ire, who continues to attribute the damage to vandalism, and led to questions about Pirro's future as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Meanwhile, Hearn is seeking to dismiss the case with prejudice to ensure charges cannot be revived against him. His lawyers have not ruled out further legal action of their own. 

The pool, which remains fenced off and empty alongside the sides, was drained for repairs in mid-July. Trump claimed at the time that the repairs would "fix the scars and damage that was done by the Vandals" and promised it would be "refilled and put back into service soon."

The National Park Service posting warned on Friday that the "flushing may temporarily discolor the water as buildup in the pipes is cleaned out." The Department of Interior provided a similar explanation when algae first discolored the pool, saying it was residual growth from reactivated supply lines.

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(WASHINGTON) -- A federal appeals court issued a ruling Friday blocking the construction of President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom, concluding that congressional approval is needed for the project. 

Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia rebuked President Trump for making the unprecedented changes to the historic structure without consulting Congress.

"Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence. The President has no -- and claims no -- constitutionally assigned authority over that property," they wrote. 

They concluded that the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to block the construction, demonstrated that only Congress has the authority to approve the changes, and that it never delegated that authority to Trump. 

"Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help," they wrote. 

"This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom. What it does mean is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court's expeditious litigation without securing Congress's authorization, as the Constitution and laws require," they said. 

Trump, in a social media post, said he would immediately appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Judge Neomi Rao dissented from the majority, concluding that the National Trust for Historic Preservation does not have the jurisdiction to bring the lawsuit. She also argued that it is "likely within the President's authority to make improvements to the Executive Residence" and that the Trump administration would be harmed by the blocking construction. 

"The district court elevated the aesthetic displeasure of a single passerby over the government's security interests in the ballroom and the security risks of leaving an open construction site at the President's home and office," she wrote. 

"In deciding the ballroom construction "has to stop!" the district court transgressed the equitable authority of the federal courts. The preliminary injunction is a clear abuse of discretion and must be vacated," Judge Neomi Rao wrote.

The ruling does not take effect for two weeks, allowing time for the Trump administration time to appeal.

The White House announced the construction of the 90,000-square foot ballroom last July, and demolition began suddenly on the East Wing in late October when workers were spotted tearing down that wing of the White House.

While the appeals court acknowledged the national security concerns associated with the East Wing renovations, the majority said that those concerns are not an "automatic get-out-of-law-free card" to violate the law. 

"Congress has not given the Park Service authority, specifically and expressly, or otherwise, to raze protected historic sites in the name of presidential functions or national security," wrote Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia. 

The majority added that national security concerns are exactly the reason why Congress should be involved in the project. 

"It is Congress's job to ensure that any major construction and security projects at the White House will protect the safety of all Presidents, present and future, while preserving the historical and architectural significance of that unique location. Congress cannot perform its constitutional function when the Executive chooses to proceed wholly unilaterally," they wrote. 

Judge Neomi Rao disagreed with her colleagues, saying that halting the construction "inevitably extends the time during which the President's residence remains less secure."  

"The security risks presented by large offsite events involving the President were unfortunately confirmed by the assassination attempt against President Trump at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Dinner," she added in a footnote. 

Judge Rao criticized the analysis reached by her colleagues, arguing that the harms suffered by the Trump administration from a delay would outweigh the "aesthetic harm" cited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

"The government should not be forced to rely on the district court's architectural approval to secure the President's home and office," she wrote. 

The district court judge who originally blocked the construction of the ballroom modified his injunction in April to allow work related to security to proceed, while the ballroom-related construction was halted.

Even if the Supreme Court does not side in Trump's favor, the current legal posture would allow "below-ground construction of national security facilities, work necessary to provide for presidential security, and construction necessary to protect and secure the White House and the construction site itself," the judge wrote.

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(NEW YORK) -- The water level at Lake Mead, the nation's largest reservoir by storage capacity, hit a record low on Thursday.

Lake Mead's pool elevation hit the new low at 1,040.50 feet, breaking the previous record of 1,040.58 feet set in July 2022, according to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Friday.

The reservoir, formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, is located in Nevada and Arizona and supplies water to millions of U.S. residents.

Prolonged drought conditions and exceptionally low snowpack have contributed to the significant declines in water levels at several Colorado River Basin reservoirs this year.

Elevation at the nation's second largest reservoir, Lake Powell, was measuring at 3,521.43 feet as of Thursday, according to the Bureau of Reclamation -- nearing the previous record low of 3,519.92 feet set in April 2023 and the critical level needed for the reservoir to produce hydropower. A new record low at the Utah-Arizona reservoir could also be reached this month, projections show.

The Colorado River basin is a critical system for residents in the western U.S. and Mexico. The basin provides water for up to 40 million people and hydropower to the seven basin states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.

Since the beginning of the year, hydrologists have been warning about the potential for water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell to hit critical levels as a result of record-low snowpack over the winter months.

Much of the western U.S. entered the winter already grappling with drought conditions from lack of rain. But warmer-than-normal temperatures during the winter prevented snow from accumulating, which led to a lack of snowmelt flowing into watersheds once spring came.

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(NEW YORK) -- A man who federal prosecutors in Atlanta nicknamed "master of disguise" is facing federal charges Thursday for allegedly robbing 10 businesses at gunpoint while dressed in different costumes.

Tracy Mingo is accused of using disguises to evade identification so he could target employees at Circle K, Subway and Family Dollar stores throughout the Atlanta area between October 2025 and January 2026, the FBI said.

Mingo allegedly entered each of the stores late at night -- after all or nearly all customers had left -- and robbed employees at gunpoint, officials said.

He allegedly donned disguises, including a construction worker, a health care professional and a security guard, according to the indictment.

Police and the FBI arrested Mingo in January when they said it appeared he was putting on the same security guard disguise used during the robbery of a Circle K store the night before. Mingo, 33, of College Park, Georgia, is now charged with 20 counts, including Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

"For months, Mingo allegedly used disguises in an attempt to evade identification and continue targeting innocent workers at gunpoint," FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said in a statement. "He underestimated the determination of the investigators pursuing him and the strength of the partnerships that exist between the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners."

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(WASHINGTON) -- A 21-year-old pregnant mother has been detained, along with her infant son, for more than a month at the family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, her family and an advocacy group told ABC News.

Laura Rojas Ortiz was in the process of applying for a U visa -- which is for victims or witnesses of crimes -- when she was detained during a check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas, her mother said.

"She was called to appear [at an ICE office] in Dallas," her mother, Paola, said in Spanish. "She showed up like she always does, and they detained her."

Paola told ABC News that her daughter turned herself in at the southern border over a year ago with her infant son and partner. The mother claims Rojas Ortiz later began the process of applying for a U visa after there was a shooting in her neighborhood and a bullet went through the walls, allegedly grazing her son.

According to Paola and a friend of Rojas Ortiz, the 21-year-old had been wearing an ankle monitor and regularly checking in with ICE before she was detained with her son as part of the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown.

Rojas Ortiz, who is five months pregnant, has been detained for more than 40 days, her family said. Her mother says Rojas Ortiz has a high-risk pregnancy and has not been seen by medical staff at Dilley.

"To this day, she hasn't gotten an ultrasound or been seen by a specialist," Paola told ABC News. "They haven't done blood tests or anything."

Immigrant advocacy groups have said that arrests and detentions of pregnant women violate an ICE directive stating that the agency should not "detain, arrest, or continue to detain individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing" except under exceptional circumstances.

Paola said her grandson, who had been drinking only lactose-free milk, has been given whole milk at Dilley.

Paola also told ABC News that when lawmakers recently visited the facility, ICE staff moved her daughter to a "medical room," where she was told she was going to be checked by a doctor.

"And when they left -- so that the politicians wouldn't see her pregnant -- that's when they let her out of that medical room," Paola said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

Last week, Rep. Joaquin Castro, along with a group of Democratic lawmakers, visited the Dilley facility, where he said more than 500 people are currently detained. Castro said he was only allowed by staff to meet with one minor.

"There are now more children there than there were before," Castro said at a press conference last week. "I believe that is the result of the ICE surge that we've seen over the last month or so. We've seen these raids on the street. We've seen families that have been torn apart on the street, brutality on the street."

Casey Revkin, the executive director of Each Step Home, an organization that supports immigrant detainees, told ABC News that her group has been providing Rojas Ortiz with financial assistance.

"We've been filling Laura's commissary account and the accounts of the families at Dilley every week. These deposits are a lifeline to families in detention," Revkin said. "It's heartbreaking to think of a child not eating, and we're always so relieved when we hear that a mom was able to use the commissary support to buy her children food they can enjoy."

Immigrant advocates, medical professionals, and lawmakers have previously raised concerns about conditions at the South Texas facility.

The top medical official at the Department of Homeland Security, which operates the nation's migrant detention centers, has disputed any suggestion that detainees are being denied proper care.

"These allegations of illegal aliens being denied proper medical care in ICE custody are FALSE," DHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sean Conley previously told ABC News in a statement. "It is both policy and longstanding practice for aliens to receive timely and appropriate medical care from the moment they enter ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, women's health, mental health services, any needed follow-up medical appointments, as well as 24-hour emergency care."

"This is better, more responsive healthcare than many aliens have ever received in their entire lives," Conley's statement said.

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(NEW YORK) -- Two municipal water systems in New Jersey were targeted in cyberattacks in the last week, widely thought to be the work of Iran, the state said Wednesday.

The affected utilities, which were not named, were temporarily blinded when automated systems went down. Both utilities shifted to manual operations and the state said there was no disruption to service and both systems have been "secured with strengthened access controls."

"Our New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) responded to two cyber incidents affecting New Jersey municipal water systems this past week. The NJCCIC is working directly with the affected utilities alongside our federal partners at the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency," the state said Wednesday.

"The investigations found that the incidents involved vulnerable internet-exposed control systems, which temporarily limited operators' ability to monitor or manage them remotely. In both cases, staff shifted quickly to manual operations, and there was no disruption to service. Customers had uninterrupted access to safe drinking water throughout," the state said.

Sources told ABC News that Iran remains the prime suspect, perhaps showing how it could retaliate as President Donald Trump threatens to escalate the war. 

Officials are also assessing whether this could be the work of a different state actor mimicking Iran's tactics in a possible attempt to influence what the U.S. does next.

In Georgia, the Clayton County Water Authority briefly issued a boil-water advisory when it was targeted by hackers. Columbus Water Works said it also detected an intrusion, but drinking water was unaffected.

The recent hacks, affecting water and wastewater utilities in at least a dozen states, exploited a vulnerability in widely used utility software, sources told ABC News.

A fix has been issued, but utilities across the country that run the same software are racing to see if they were also hacked.

So far, it appears nobody has become sick, and there have been no widespread disruptions to water supplies. However, officials are still working to understand the scope of the hack and what could have happened to systems Americans depend on every day.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Attorneys for David Hearn, who was alleged to have vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, filed a motion in D.C. Superior Court, citing "exceptional facts and circumstances" to have the indictment against him dismissed with prejudice.  

The Justice Department moved last week to dismiss the criminal case against Hearn, a former Olympian, acknowledging the damage to the pool "was the result of flawed installation by the contractor."

The filing by Hearn's attorneys follows U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's motion on Friday seeking to dismiss the case without prejudice, which could still leave Mr. Hearn exposed to a future indictment. 

If the motion filed by Hearn's attorneys is granted, it would block the government from trying to charge him again for the same alleged crime in the future.   

"Here, amid extraordinary political pressure and public pronouncements from President Trump demanding action, and in apparent disregard for their special duties as prosecutors, USAO-DC rushed to obtain a public felony indictment," the filing states, using an acronym for the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia.

"Defying both decency and common sense, the government proceeded to indict Mr. Hearn before it had obtained or evaluated the information necessary to establish a good-faith basis for the charge," the filing continued. 

"The Court should not leave the defendant subject to the possibility of renewed prosecution," the filing states.

Hearn pleaded not guilty to a felony destruction of property charge last month after Pirro's office accused him of allegedly "forcefully and violently" ripping up parts of the pool floor.

Citing President Donald Trump's comments on the matter in recent days, the attorneys representing Hearns added, "That is particularly true when the President of the United States has already voiced his vigorous disagreement with USAO-DC’s dismissal of the case against Mr. Hearn -- saying that the U.S. Attorney “choked,” “folded like an umbrella,” and “made a mistake,” and doubling down on the false claim that the damage was caused by vandalism -- and has previously not hesitated to insinuate himself into cases that historically have been the exclusive province of the DOJ."

Should the court deny the motion to dismiss the indictment with prejudice, Hearn's attorneys asked the court to disclose grand jury materials or to conduct a review in chambers of those materials before granting the government's motion to dismiss the case without prejudice. 

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