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Tuskegee University president defends dress code amid criticism: ‘Raise the bar, students will reach it’
Tuskegee University President Dr. Mark Brown, a retired Air Force major general, is defending the historically Black university’s renewed emphasis on student dress and conduct standards, saying the policy is aimed at preparing students for the workplace rather than policing personal style.
"If you raise the bar, students will reach it," Brown told Fox News Digital in an interview.
"Why don't we raise the bar? That's what I think we ought to do. We're unapologetic about that part."
After issuing a pre-campus arrival memo requiring a business suit and shoes for business-like meetings and professional dress in the classrooms, as well as barring non-religious head coverings, Brown said he saw that evidence of success during the first days of the school year.
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"I had a wonderful time riding around and walking around the campus on the first and the second day of class," he said. "The bar was raised and it was being reached. "But the same is true as if you lower the bar, or if you go past the mistake and fail to address it: That becomes the standard. And so, you know, we are a university of standards. I believe all of higher education should be a university standards."
The university’s policy has drawn criticism from freedom of expression advocates over restrictions that include bans on items such as durags and bonnets, with some critics framing the rules as "respectability politics."
Brown, however, said the dress code should be viewed as one part of a much broader push toward student success that includes punctuality, attendance, internships, professional certifications, interview preparation and workplace readiness.
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"The focus is how do I make you a professional in whatever space you want to go in?" he said.
"Any higher education institution in the country that's not focused on student success, no matter what type of university that is, is not focused where they should be. That's why we exist. That's exactly why we exist."
The policy itself is not new, Brown said, but Tuskegee is placing "greater emphasis" on it as part of an effort to ensure graduates leave campus prepared not only with a degree, but with the habits employers expect.
"It’s not the world we wish you were going into, it’s the world you’re going to go into," Brown said. "It’s not the way that we wish an employer would perceive you. It’s the way the employer will perceive you."
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Brown said the debate over whether college is worth the cost has put greater pressure on universities to demonstrate that students are being prepared for what comes after graduation.
"What do you want when you send your son or daughter to college?" Brown said. "What do you expect us to do and what do you expect to happen four or five years from now when they graduate?"
Brown said Tuskegee wants students to leave with more than a grade-point average and a diploma.
"We want them job-ready," he said.
He pointed to punctuality as one example of a habit that may appear minor in the classroom but can carry significant consequences in the workplace.
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"Would it be sad for us to allow a student to come to class late, practice that for four to five years, and then find out that no matter how great they were with their 4.0 or 3.8 GPA, it won’t keep them that job?" he said.
Critics have also questioned whether professional dress requirements could place an added financial burden on students. Brown said Tuskegee is prepared to address that concern directly.
About 70% of students on campus are Pell Grant eligible, he said, and the university’s Golden Tigers Community Closet is available to students who need help obtaining professional clothing.
"If a student needs help with that, we’re going to help them," Brown said. "That’s not going to be the barrier between compliance and getting ready. We’re going to remove that barrier."
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The university also plans to bring in a professional several times during the school year to teach students the details of business attire, including how to button a coat and properly wear a tie.
"I really want us to bear down and double click, to use a common term these days, on the fact that we have to care as much about what happens in school as what happens after school," he said.
Brown pointed to the school’s recent employment numbers as evidence that its approach is producing results. He said roughly 70% of students who graduated in May already had jobs lined up.
"Seven out of every 10," Brown said. "That is the challenge. That’s what we should be debating."
Brown is facing criticism from those objecting to Tuskegee's renewed emphasis on its dress code, including the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a student rights advocacy group, due to restrictions on durags and other clothing associated with Black culture.
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"Tuskegee can’t promise students broad freedom of expression while enforcing a sweeping dress code that regulates ordinary, non-disruptive expression," FIRE Senior Program Counsel Haley Gluhanich told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Preparing students for professional life is a legitimate goal, but it does not hinge on requirements about what adults wear to class or lunch."
"As a private university, Tuskegee may choose to place other values ahead of expressive freedom, but if it does, it should be honest with current and prospective students about the limits of its commitment to free expression," Gluhanich added.
In response to criticism, Brown pointed to Tuskegee’s history, including the Tuskegee Airmen, as an example of preparing students to demonstrate competence even in a society where prejudice exists.
"My race and my ethnicity would have absolutely nothing to do about it," Brown said. "That’s not the subject. The subject is social and economic mobility and student success."
"It’s not that there wasn’t prejudice in the world," Brown said. "There’s prejudice in the world today. There’s going to be prejudice tomorrow."
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He is not dismissing broader debates over culture, expression or discrimination, but he argued that Tuskegee’s immediate responsibility is preparing its students to succeed amid those realities.
"I’m not discarding the debates," he said. "The debates are great. I think America is great because we have debate. But that’s not the purpose of the university in this sense. The purpose of a university is, while the debates go on, to be prepared."
Brown has heard the criticism but has not encountered significant pushback from Tuskegee students. He also said he has received significant positive feedback from leaders at other universities.
"This is not unique," Brown said. "If you go to many universities, they have dress codes, they have these kinds of things. Perhaps we are, at this moment, [placing] a greater emphasis."
For Brown, the larger question is whether universities view their responsibility to students as ending at graduation.
"If we think the degree ends the relationship, I do not," Brown said. "I think the relationship and the value of the time here ends down the road, when that student is getting a return on investment.
"That matters the most for those students who are economically at a disadvantage, who are using education as a springboard to do better," he concluded. "Again, every college president, chancellor – I’ve got to believe – wants that for their students.
"But do we expect them to practice that when they start work? Or isn’t the classroom an extension of that? Isn’t it a laboratory by which you practice these very important skills? I think it is."
Britt Baker returns to AEW after nearly 2 years away to help Persephone win the TBS Championship at All In
It has been nearly two years since All Elite Wrestling (AEW) fans were graced with Britt Baker’s presence on the company’s programming. On Sunday, Baker made her triumphant return.
Maya World was in the midst of her match against Persephone with the TBS Championship on the line during the All In Buy In portion of the company’s biggest pay-per-view of the year. World looked like she was going to take care of Persephone once and for all, until a masked figure entered the ring and pushed World off the top rope.
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Persephone took advantage and nailed the crucifix powerbomb on World. She pinned World to win the TBS Championship.
The masked figure got back into the ring and revealed herself to be Baker.
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"It’s so good to be back," Baker said in a post-match interview. "And just because I haven’t been here doesn’t mean I haven’t been watching. I know what goes around here. I know who’s up, I know who’s down and I know who is a little too comfortable that I’ve been out of the picture.
"But, funny thing about being away is you get perspective on who’s worth your time. And Perse here, she’s smart, she’s strong, she’s ambitious, and she’s the double champ."
Persephone then called out Thunder Rosa, who has been at her heels trying to get her hands on the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) World Women’s Championship. Now, Persephone has a superstar in her corner as she continues to rise in the AEW women’s division.
World’s reign as TBS champion comes to an end at 30 days. Persephone now has her first singles championship in AEW.
At least 3 dead, 18 wounded in separate mass shootings less than 15 minutes apart
Gunfire tore through two communities in Trenton, New Jersey, and Chicago less than 15 minutes apart overnight, leaving three people dead and 18 others wounded in two mass shootings as police in both cities search for answers.
Trenton police responded to a neighborhood near 194 Locust Street at about 12:25 a.m. local time Sunday after multiple shots were reported, Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora said in a statement.
First responders found 11 people who had been shot.
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Two were pronounced dead, while nine others were taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. Police have not released their conditions.
The names of those killed have not been confirmed.
Gusciora said officials were still learning about the victims but shared details about one of the people killed, a man who had been trying to turn his life around after leaving prison.
"We understand that one of the individuals who lost his life had been working to turn his life around after returning home from incarceration and had recently been recognized for his commitment to reentry and positive change," Gusciora said.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she had been briefed on the shooting.
"As local law enforcement continues to investigate, my Attorney General remains in close contact with officials on the ground," Sherrill wrote in a post on X Sunday. "I’m thinking of the families who lost loved ones, those who were injured, and the Trenton community."
No arrests have been announced, and police have not said what may have led to the Trenton shooting.
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Officials said 12 minutes earlier and hundreds of miles away, police in Chicago were called to another mass shooting.
Chicago police said officers were breaking up a large gathering on Chicago’s South Side at about 11:37 p.m. local time Saturday night when gunmen opened fire into a crowd, hitting 10 people.
A 35-year-old man was shot multiple times and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died.
Nine other people — six men and three women ranging in age from 23 to 45 — were wounded.
Several were listed in good condition, including a 26-year-old woman who was shot multiple times in the chest. The conditions of some of the other victims were not immediately known.
Police have not said what the gathering was for or what may have led to the shooting. Investigators also have not released a description of the gunmen.
Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.
"This senseless act of violence has devastated another Chicago community and left families dealing with unimaginable pain," Executive Director Paul Rutherford said.
Dolly Parton laid to rest as niece shares emotional tribute to ‘Granny’
Dolly Parton has been laid to rest, days after the country music icon died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Parton’s niece, Lainey Mae Parton, shared a heartfelt tribute to the late country music icon on Instagram, reflecting on the private moments and unwavering support she received from her "Granny."
"This is a really hard post for me to make," Lainey Mae wrote. "I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words."
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"From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough," she continued. "She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself."
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Lainey Mae said she could not think of a single bad memory with Parton and praised the singer for making her family feel deeply loved.
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"Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers," she wrote. "She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that."
One memory that stood out, Lainey Mae said, was being asked to sing with Parton on her "Smoky Mountain DNA" album while she was a freshman in high school.
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"I was SO nervous," she recalled. "But she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. She made me feel safe, confident, and like I belonged right there beside her."
Lainey Mae also remembered Parton’s support when she decided to attend beauty school instead of college.
"She financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started," she wrote. "She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there."
The singer’s niece said she was grateful for the opportunities and memories they shared, including appearing in a movie with Parton.
"I have things I can watch, hear, and hold onto when I miss her," she wrote. "It still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone. I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there. I’m even going to miss those 4 AM calls, and I’d give anything to see her name pop up on my phone again."
"I feel incredibly lucky that I got to call her my granny," Lainey Mae concluded. "Thank you for always believing in me, loving me, and making me feel like I could do anything. I love you, Granny. Always."
Parton died peacefully in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer, according to a press release. She was surrounded by loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
"Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched," her team said in a statement.
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"Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand," the statement continued. "Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact."
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Parton’s decades-long career produced enduring hits including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," "Here You Come Again," "9 to 5," and "I Will Always Love You." The latter found global success when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film, "The Bodyguard."
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Parton made her feature film debut opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 1980’s "9 to 5." Parton later appeared in films including, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Rhinestone," "Steel Magnolias," and "Joyful Noise."
WATCH: Remembering Dolly Parton: Country music icon dies at 80
Parton was also known for her decades-long marriage to Carl Dean, who largely stayed out of the public eye during their nearly 60 years together. Dean died in March 2025.
Beyond music, Parton built a business empire in her home state of Tennessee, with Dollywood becoming one of the state’s most popular attractions. Her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library also left a lasting impact.
Inspired by Parton’s father, who never learned to read or write, the Imagination Library sends free books to children from birth until kindergarten and has grown into an international literacy initiative that has distributed millions of books to families around the world.
Parton wanted to be buried in a bed of soft cotton after spending a lifetime draped in rhinestones, according to a tribute from her nephew posted to Instagram on the day of her death.
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"Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness," he said in the video announcing Parton's passing. "Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest."
Jeff Kent urges Barry Bonds to keep the faith about getting into Hall of Fame during Giants jersey retirement
The San Francisco Giants retired the No. 21 jersey of Jeff Kent on Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park. While the focus was on the recently inducted Hall of Famer during the on-field ceremony, one moment, and specifically one statement, involving his former teammate Barry Bonds, admittedly stuck out.
Bonds and Kent did plenty of winning during their playing days in San Francisco together, but the duo is best known for getting into a scuffle with one another in the dugout during a road game in San Diego in 2002. Bonds famously shoved Kent in the neck area before the two were separated by teammates.
The two embraced one another again during the jersey retirement on Saturday and playfully reenacted the moment.
While addressing the fans, Kent made another ode to the dugout scuffle while also getting honest about his relationship with Bonds.
"I’ve said it many times," Kent said ahead of the Giants' 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks. "He and I have never gone out to dinner, but I’ll go to war with that guy any day of the week. If Bonds and I weren’t fighting in the dugout, we wouldn’t have what we’ve got, I guarantee you."
Looking back on the intense moment he shared in the dugout with Bonds wasn't the only way Kent tipped his cap toward the Home Run King. He also took a moment to send Bonds a message.
"Barry, keep with it, brother, you got a shot, man," Kent said, referring to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
"I’m happy for Barry. I’m grateful that I got to play with a phenomenal player, and he knows, too," Kent told reporters after the ceremony. "He’s got some baggage, and he’ll deal with it. He doesn’t need me to deal with it for him. He can do it himself."
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Bonds is the all-time home run leader in MLB history with 762, was a 14-time All-Star, and won National League MVP seven times in his career, but has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with voters rejecting his bid due to his well-documented association with performance-enhancing drugs.
"I don't have to worry about those things no more in my life," Bonds said in 2024 while being inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame. "[I want to] hang around my grandchildren and my children. Those hopes [of making the Hall of Fame], I don't have them anymore."
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Bonds, like Kent, had his No. 25 retired by the Giants in 2018.
Brewers' Jackson Chourio enters legendary territory as he blasts 20th home run of 2026 season
The Milwaukee Brewers turned baseball on its head this season, standing tall as the best team in the majors with an 85-51 record going into Sunday.
A lot of it can be attributed to star pitcher Jacob Misiorowski – who has turned into a contender for the National League Cy Young award. At the plate, Jackson Chourio has morphed into one of the team’s best batters. He notched a historic milestone against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
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Chourio finished 1-for-4 against the Rangers, belting his 20th home run of the season in a 5-3 victory. The dinger put Chourio into elite company.
He became the 17th player in MLB history to have three straight seasons of at least 20 home runs to start a career. He joined Hall of Famers Ted Williams, Eddie Mathews, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda and others on the list.
"I feel very prideful and very happy to be a part of that group and be mentioned with those same names," the 22-year-old told reporters through an interpreter. "All those names are just great examples for me to follow moving forward."
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Chourio has three home runs in his last three games going back to the Brewers’ series finale against the New York Mets on Thursday. He’s hitting .281 with a .820 OPS.
Milwaukee is riding a four-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s finale against the Rangers. Chourio understands that the historical perspective is important, but the stats don’t mean anything unless the Brewers get their first World Series title.
"The dream is to win," Chourio added. "That’s the hope this year — to continue winning and to win it all."
Milwaukee has an eight-game lead against the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central Division.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump indicates support for Christian-backed plan to help Canadian Jews escape antisemitism
Jewish Canadians facing rising antisemitism might have President Donald Trump's support for an expedited legal pathway into the United States.
Trump shared a report on the plan Sunday with his millions of followers on Truth Social, amplifying the appeal as Christian lawmakers and religious leaders press his administration to act because of a "disproportionate" amount of antisemitic incidents north of the U.S. border.
The National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL) founder and President Jason Rapert told Fox News Digital from Israel on Sunday morning that he wants Trump to press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney directly on the perceived "roadblocks" set up against the "quick recognition of the plight" of thousands of Jewish Canadians fearing for their safety.
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"We will find out" if Canada is getting in the way of the more than 2,000 Jewish Canadians who have expressed interest in relocating, Rapert said.
"Trump should ask Carney right now," he added. "Canada should be embarrassed and ashamed of these perceived roadblocks. And we're trying to rally leaders to take a stand."
The comments come after the NACL and its partners asked Trump to direct the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to create "lawful, secure, and appropriately expedited pathways" for Jewish Canadians and their immediate family members who face persecution or can credibly demonstrate fears for their safety because they are Jewish.
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"For generations, America has served as a refuge for people fleeing religious persecution," the group wrote in a letter Thursday to Trump. "We urge you to ensure that, consistent with federal law and the security interests of the United States, that door remains open to our Jewish brothers and sisters in Canada who need it today."
Rapert and former U.S. ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback signed the letter along with more than 50 state legislators, religious leaders and other civic figures, sending it to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and congressional leaders.
"Recent data demonstrate that Jewish Canadians are being targeted at a grossly disproportionate rate, while community-based reporting reflects thousands of antisemitic incidents across Canada," Rapert wrote. "These numbers represent more than statistics. They represent families who increasingly question whether they can safely send their children to Jewish schools, worship openly, display their faith publicly, or continue building their lives in communities where they no longer feel secure."
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Canada, which recently had a broadcaster reject the use of the word "terrorism" with regard to 9/11 coverage, has reported nearly 7,000 antisemitic incidents in a country of roughly 41 million people.
By comparison, the U.S. has more than 342 million people and has reported fewer than 6,300, Rapert noted.
"It's definitely a problem" by greater proportions in Canada, and "it's eerie to hear," he told Fox News Digital after a Sunday visit to the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum in northern Israel along with a delegation of U.S. lawmakers, where he spoke with a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor.
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Rapert said the NACL was alerted of the concerns of the Jewish Canadians fearing their inability to emigrate to the U.S. from a piece in the National Post by Canadian/American Jewish community leader Michael Sachs, who is currently the Senior Director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, Okla.
Jewish Canadians have expressed interest in relocating because of safety concerns, harassment, vandalism, intimidation, threats and violence against Jewish schools, synagogues, businesses, institutions and families following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks on Israel, according to Sachs.
Now, amid Trump's frustration with Canada and Carney, Rapert sees the urgency for a proposal that would use existing refugee, humanitarian and visa authorities to help facilitate movement.
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Carney has himself acknowledged a severe rise in antisemitism in Canada, saying his country has failed to adequately protect its Jewish community.
"Canada’s civic compact is failing Jewish Canadians," Carney told an audience at Toronto’s Holy Blossom Temple in June, saying the country’s antisemitism crisis is "specific, severe and demands a targeted response."
Carney said antisemitism in Canada had surged to levels not seen since the aftermath of World War II. More than two-thirds of religion-motivated hate crimes recorded in the previous year targeted Jewish Canadians, he said, despite Jews making up only about 1% of the country’s population.
The prime minister pointed to bullets fired at Jewish schools, firebombings at synagogues, attacks on community centers and Jewish-owned businesses and the targeting of Jewish students on university campuses.
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The NACL letter urged the administration to coordinate with state and local governments, Jewish organizations, churches, nonprofits and employers willing to help families establish new lives in the United States.
"Antisemitism is a moral evil, and Christians must be willing to stand with our Jewish friends when they face hatred and persecution," Rapert said. "We are asking President Trump and his administration to consider what lawful steps America can take to help Jewish Canadian families who are genuinely concerned for their safety."
Oklahoma has emerged as one potential destination. Jewish and Christian leaders in Tulsa have offered to help receive Canadian Jewish families, while Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has told Trump his state would welcome Jewish families who legally enter the United States, according to the letter.
"They bring talent, faith, family values, entrepreneurship, and a sincere desire to contribute to the Nation that offers them safety and religious liberty," the letter said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Massive AI boom puts one of America’s oldest manufacturers on path to double in size, CEO says
The race to build more data centers for artificial intelligence is driving demand for more than chips and electricity.
It also requires vast networks of high-speed optical fiber to move data between servers, putting one of America’s oldest manufacturers at the center of the boom.
Corning, the New York-based company best known to many Americans for its kitchenware and smartphone glass, is ramping up optical-fiber production as the data-center buildout accelerates. Nearly 175 years after its founding, the company is supplying a critical piece of the infrastructure behind the AI boom, the glass connections linking the servers inside the facilities powering it.
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The company is partnering with NVIDIA to build three advanced optical-manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas. The project is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs and expand Corning’s U.S. optical-manufacturing capacity tenfold.
The investment offers a window into how the data-center boom is reaching well beyond the massive facilities themselves, creating demand for American factories and workers who make the equipment needed to keep them connected.
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At a time when many Americans worry that artificial intelligence will replace human workers, Corning chairman, CEO and president Wendell Weeks said the opposite is happening inside one of the nation’s oldest manufacturers.
"AI is a huge job creator, and it's a huge manufacturing job creator," Weeks told Fox News Digital.
He said demand for Corning’s optical fiber is fueling the company’s fastest period of growth in nearly two centuries.
"As a 175-year-old company, we're going through our fastest growth period," Weeks said. "We will probably double our size over the coming years and almost all of our new hires will be in advanced manufacturing, a significant part of them right here in America."
That growth is already taking shape on Corning’s factory floors.
"As the world develops and tells us what it needs, we're right there at the forefront," Emily Capek, planning supervisor at Corning’s Wilmington, North Carolina, facility, told Fox News Digital.
She said employees are seeing firsthand how demand for AI platforms is driving demand for Corning’s products.
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"Right now, the world needs our glass optical fiber to support the AI demand we're seeing," Capek said. "It's a great feeling on the factory floor."
While much of the attention surrounding AI has focused on chipmakers and software developers, companies like Corning are supplying the glass technology that connects those systems and supports the industry’s rapid expansion.
"The common story is AI being powered by chips, but actually, those chips are connected by glass," Weeks said.
Trump just brokered a deal with the country sitting atop the world’s largest oil reserves
President Donald Trump’s new oil agreement with Venezuela could give the United States access to a 65 billion-barrel crude-oil prize — an energy-security win, even if drivers are unlikely to see benefits quickly.
The deal announced Friday would give the U.S. a stake in 17 Venezuelan oil fields holding an estimated 65 billion barrels of crude, according to Venezuela’s government.
Venezuela controls more than 300 billion barrels of crude reserves, roughly 20% of the world’s total. It is the largest oil stockpile on the planet, exceeding even Saudi Arabia’s.
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Yet Venezuela has long struggled to turn that oil wealth into steady production. Political instability and deteriorating infrastructure have left the country producing only about 1% of the world’s oil despite holding an estimated 17% of global reserves.
For Trump, the potential benefit goes beyond the deal’s headline number.
Venezuela produces heavy crude, the type many Gulf Coast refineries were designed to process. Much U.S. production is lighter shale crude, while Gulf Coast refiners have historically relied on heavier imports from Canada, Mexico and Venezuela.
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A steadier Venezuelan supply could support Gulf Coast refineries, diversify U.S. oil imports and provide a buffer against future supply disruptions. It could also help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which remains well below its 714 million-barrel authorized capacity.
That prospect has taken on added importance as the war with Iran disrupts oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The average U.S. price for regular gasoline stood at about $4.07 a gallon Sunday, according to AAA, compared with roughly $3.19 a year earlier.
For Trump, the deal is a bet that long-term access to Venezuelan heavy crude can strengthen U.S. energy security and eventually ease costs for Americans.
Whether it translates into relief at the pump will depend on how quickly Venezuela can turn its vast reserves into market-ready barrels.
Son realizes missing American dad was in path of Nepal disaster after watching viral video
A family is searching for answers after an American traveling on a spiritual pilgrimage went missing amid a catastrophic Himalayan flood that has left hundreds dead and thousands unaccounted for.
Sunny Patel was watching viral footage of the torrent on the border between Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region when he realized his father, Jitendra Patel, could have been caught in the disaster.
TRAPPED NEPALI WORKERS PULLED FROM HYDROPOWER TUNNEL AFTER CATASTROPHIC FLOODING
"I watched the video and I just thought of how horrific it was. And then... probably 30 seconds later, it registered," he recalled.
"I texted my mom, and she was hoping that we hadn't seen the video. But of course, it was so viral by then... My mom responded and said, 'That's exactly where he was,' actually."
Sunny said he had last spoken to his father on Wednesday morning around local time, when he believed his father had already crossed the border from Nepal into China, though he has been unable to confirm the details.
The most frustrating part, he said, is the lack of information coming out of China. He added that his family has spoken to embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing, as well as the U.S. State Department.
DEATH TOLL FROM MUDSLIDES, FLOODING AT NEPAL-CHINA BORDER CLIMBS PAST 670; NEARLY 3,000 MISSING
They have filed missing person reports "with every agency we can think of, and some have been responsive."
"We're trying to go on these media segments and get the awareness out there that there are people on the Chinese side that we aren't getting a ton of information about."
Experts believe Wednesday's mudslides and flash flooding across Nepal and Tibet were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River, which sent stories-high waves of rock, ice and debris hurtling through the mountain river systems.
Newly released figures say more than 600 people have been killed so far and more than 3,000 remain missing, with over 4,000 rescued so far.
AMERICAN CLIMBER'S REMAINS FOUND AFTER AVALANCHE IN PAKISTAN, OTHER MOUNTAINEERS STILL MISSING
That morning, Jitendra was with a group heading up to Mount Kailash — a place where thousands of people go every year on a spiritual pilgrimage, according to Sunny.
"They were actually supposed to be there the day prior and unfortunately had some car troubles from what we can make out... which, you know, of course, could be all the difference."
Sunny said his dad "believed in the goodness of everybody, probably to a fault," and "lived with kindness in his heart."
"He always, always, always said, 'God is good...' If you called him and said, 'How you doing?' He would say, 'I'm the best, God is great.' And he was just the most upbeat, positive person I've ever met."
Search and rescue operations were temporarily suspended on Saturday because of rain and heavy fog. Authorities are also monitoring two lakes upstream formed by the disaster, one of which was overflowing at times.