NEW YORK (AP) ' A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trumps administrations efforts to halt New Yorks first-in-the-nation congestion fee meant to reduce traffic and pump revenue into the regions aging transit system.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman on Tuesday ruled that the U.S. Department of Transportation lacked the authority to unilaterally rescind approval of the $9 toll, which former Democratic President Joe Biden initially green-lit.

Instead, he sided with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which had argued that the departments reversal was 'unlawful' because the agency had not adequately explained its reasoning.

'The Secretarys actions were arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law,' Liman wrote in his 149-page ruling, referring to Trumps Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

The judge noted that New Yorks legislature passed the toll, which its governor signed into law and received the necessary federal approvals before launching.

'The democratic process worked,' Liman wrote, even as he left the door open for future attempts by Trump and other opponents to kill the program, which took effect on Jan. 5, 2025.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said the decision vindicates a 'once-in-a-lifetime success story' thats 'yielded huge benefits' in its first year of operation, including reducing gridlock and unlocking critical funding for mass transit.

'The judges decision is clear: Donald Trumps unlawful attempts to trample on the self-governance of his home state have failed spectacularly,' the Democrat said in a statement. 'Congestion pricing is legal, it works, and it is here to stay.'

The U.S. DOT said its reviewing its legal options, including appealing.

'Once again, working-class Americans are being sidelined under Governor Kathy Hochuls policies, which impose a massive tax on every New Yorker,' the agency said in a statement.

New Yorks congestion toll is imposed on most vehicles driving into Manhattan south of Central Park.

The toll varies depending on vehicle type and time of day, and is added to tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan, but generally costs about $9.

Congestion pricing schemes aimed at reducing traffic pollution and encouraging public transit use have long existed in other global cities, including London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore, but not in the U.S.

But Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, has strongly opposed the idea. During his presidential campaign, he vowed to kill New Yorks plan as soon as he took office.

Then last February, Duffy rescinded the tolls federal approval, calling the fee 'a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.' He threatened to withhold federal funding for projects in New York if the toll werent discontinued.

But Liman temporarily blocked the administration from following through on those threats until he issued a final decision. The Manhattan judge previously dismissed a series of lawsuits brought by local opponents, including New Jerseys governor, unionized teachers in New York City, a trucking industry group and local suburban leaders.

Hochul had been a vocal supporter of the toll but paused its planned rollout in 2024, a move widely seen as an attempt to help suburban Democrats in congressional races where the toll was divisive. She then reinstated the fee after the election, but lowered it from $15 to $9.

As the program marked its first anniversary in January, Hochul, who is up for reelection, joined the MTA in touting the tolls benefits.

According to a recent MTA report, the toll has led to some 27 million fewer vehicles coming into the heart of Manhattan, resulting in 22% less air pollution and 23% faster commute times for those opting to drive and pay the fee.

The toll has also generated more than $550 million in revenue for the regions creaky and cash-strapped transit system ' exceeding projections, the MTA has said.

Sales tax revenues, office leases and foot traffic in the congestion zone have all increased since the toll took effect, disproving concerns it would hurt the local economy, according to the agency.

'Traffic is down, business is up, and were making crucial investments in a transit system that moves millions of people a day,' Janno Lieber, the MTAs CEO, said Tuesday. 'New York is winning.'

Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

Josh Kushners Thrive Capital and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz are co-leading a fundraising round for Anduril Industries that could nearly double Costa Mesa-based defense tech startups valuation.

Anduril is seeking to raise about $4 billion, with both firms jointly leading the round, said Bloomberg sources who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The fundraising is expected to value the startup at about $60 billion.

Also see: Anduril announces plans for major new campus in Long Beach

The company is raising capital as it pursues an ambitious array of projects, including a facility in Ohio to mass-produce aerial and maritime drones and other products. Last year, the company said that revenue was on track to double to about $2 billion, driven by US and allied defense contracts.

Representatives for Andreessen and Anduril didnt immediately respond to requests for comment on the current fundraising round. A spokesperson for Thrive declined to comment.

Anduril had previously been talking with investors about raising as much as $8 billion, Bloomberg reported last month.

Founder Palmer Luckey has said the company aims to modernize the military with AI and advanced manufacturing, warning that the US is already falling behind China in key battlefield technologies.

Defense technology has been an attractive area of investment as startups make inroads with the Pentagon, which for decades has relied on a handful of legacy companies. While drone technology has been deployed in the current Iran war, there is no evidence or reports that Andurils technology was used, although the startup has counter-drone systems at US military bases in the Middle East as part of a contract with the Defense Department.

Caroline Hyde at Bloomberg contributed to this report.

Urging candidates to “honestly assess” their chances, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks underscored that Democrats should avoid splitting the vote and creating a situation ' however low the odds ' where two Republicans might advance to the general election while Democrats get locked out.

In California’s gubernatorial contest, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance from the June primary to the November general election.

“So much is at stake in our nation, and so many are counting on the leadership of California Democrats to stand up and speak out at this historic moment,” Hicks wrote in an open letter to candidates on Tuesday, March 3. “California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next governor.”

Hicks acknowledged his words may appear “overly harsh” but said too much is on the line not to ensure a Democrat is elected to counter President Donald Trump.

Beyond deciding the next governor, Hicks said there would be other potential fallouts if no Democratic gubernatorial candidate advances to the general election.

Noting Democrats’ resounding victory in passing Proposition 50 in November to redraw congressional maps and boost the party’s chances of regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives in this year’s midterm elections, Hicks said those gains could be lost if no Democrat remains in the governor’s race in November.

Not having a Democrat on that ballot could depress voter turnout amongst Democrats, he said.

“The result would present a real risk to winning the congressional seats required and imperil Democrats’ chances to retake the House, cut Donald Trump’s term in half and spare our nation from the pain many have endured since January 2025,” Hicks said in the letter.

With the primary election just three months away and still no clear Democratic frontrunner, political observers have mused about the possibility of Democrats getting locked out of the general election despite the party enjoying a nearly 20 percentage-point voter registration advantage over Republicans in the state.

Californians last elected a Republican governor in 2006.

But a number of recent polls show two Republicans in the race consistently polling in the top five amongst the crowded field of candidates seeking to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll released last week identified those two Republicans ' former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco ' among five candidates for governor with the best chances of moving on to the November runoff.

The three Democrats that landed in the top five of the PPIC poll were former Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire environmental advocate Tom Steyer and Rep. Eric Swalwell.

Other Democratic candidates who have been trailing in polls include former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former state Controller Betty Yee.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat, entered the race later than the other candidates. He announced his candidacy on Jan. 29, five days before polling began on the PPIC poll.

Hicks, in his open letter, did not specify which candidates he believes should drop out. Nor did the California Democratic Party endorse any candidate for governor during its recent convention.

But Hicks urged those running not to file as candidates for the June primary election ballot if they don’t have a viable chance of advancing to the November runoff.

If they do file, however, he urged those without a real chance of winning to be prepared to suspend their campaign and endorse another candidate by April 15.

Hicks, according to his office, believes April 15 would allow candidates enough time to demonstrate their viability or, if not, for the field to be realigned before ballots are mailed to voters.

“We all have a duty to act in a responsible manner with the opportunities and support we have earned,” Hicks said in his letter. “I believe it starts with a candid assessment of the political landscape around you, an honest reflection on your viability to win the race, and the courage to make a tough choice.”

Anthropics moral stand on U.S. military use of artificial intelligence is reshaping the competition between leading AI companies but also exposing a growing awareness that maybe chatbots just arent capable enough for acts of war.

Anthropics chatbot Claude, for the first time, outpaced rival ChatGPT in phone app downloads in the United States this week, a signal of growing interest from consumers siding with Anthropic in its standoff with the Pentagon, according to market research firm Sensor Tower.

The Trump administration on Friday ordered government agencies to stop using Claude and designated it a supply chain risk after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused to bend his companys ethical safeguards preventing the technology from being applied to autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance. Anthropic has said it will challenge the Pentagon in court once it receives formal notice of the penalties.

And while many military and human rights experts have applauded Amodei for standing up for ethical principles, some are also frustrated by years of AI industry marketing that persuaded the government to apply the technology to high-stakes tasks.

'He caused this mess,' said Missy Cummings, a former Navy fighter pilot who now directs the robotics and automation center at George Mason University. 'They were the No. 1 company to push ridiculous hype over the capabilities of these technologies. And now, all of a sudden, they want to be for real. They want to tell people, ‘Oh, wait a minute. We really shouldnt be using these technologies in weapons.'

Anthropic didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Defense Department declined to comment on whether it is still using Claude, including in the Iran war, citing operational security.

Cummings published a paper at a top AI conference in December arguing that government agencies should prohibit the use of generative AI 'to control, direct, guide or govern any weapon.' Not because AI is so smart that it could go rogue, but because the large language models behind chatbots like Claude make too many mistakes ' called hallucinations or confabulations ' and are 'inherently unreliable and not appropriate in environments that could result in the loss of life.'

'Youre going to kill noncombatants,' Cummings said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. 'Youre going to kill your own troops. Im not clear whether the military truly understands the limitations.'

Amodei sought to emphasize those limitations in defending Anthropics ethical stance last week, arguing that 'frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons. We will not knowingly provide a product that puts Americas warfighters and civilians at risk.'

Anthropic, until recently, was the only one of its peers to have approval for use in classified military systems, where it has partnered with data analysis company Palantir and other defense contractors. President Donald Trump said Friday, around the same time he was approving Saturdays military strikes on Iran, that the Pentagon would have six months to phase out Anthropics military applications.

Cummings, a former Palantir adviser, said its possible that Claude has already been used in military strike planning.

'I just fundamentally hope that there were humans in the loop,' she said. 'A human has to babysit these technologies very closely. You can use them to do these things, but you need to verify, verify, verify.'

She said thats a contrast to the messaging from AI companies that have suggested that their technology is evolving to the point where it is 'almost sentient.'

'If theres culpability here, Id say half is Anthropics for driving the hype and half is the Department of Wars fault for firing all the people that would have otherwise advised them against stupid uses of technology,' Cummings said.

One social media commentator this week described Anthropics government problems as a 'Hype Tax' ' a message that was reposted by President Donald Trumps top AI adviser, David Sacks, a frequent critic of the company.

And while it has caused legal hassles that could jeopardize Anthropics business partnerships with other military contractors, it has also bolstered its reputation as a safety-minded AI developer.

'Its applaudable that a company stood up to the government in order to maintain what it felt were its ethics and were its business choices, even in the face of these potentially crippling policy responses,' said Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute.

Consumers have already spoken, leading to a surge of Claude downloads that made it the most popular iPhone app starting on Saturday and for all phone systems in the U.S. on Monday, according to Sensor Tower. Thats come at the expense of OpenAIs ChatGPT, which saw its consumer reputation damaged when it announced a Friday deal with the Pentagon to effectively replace Anthropic with ChatGPT in classified environments.

In the Apple store, the number of 1-star reviews ' the worst rating ' of ChatGPT grew by 775% on Saturday and continued to grow early this week, forcing OpenAI to do damage control.

'We shouldnt have rushed to get this out on Friday,' OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a social media post Monday. 'The issues are super complex, and demand clear communication. We were genuinely trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome, but I think it just looked opportunistic and sloppy.'

Altman was planning to gather employees for an 'all-hands' meeting on Tuesday to discuss next steps.

'There are many things the technology just isnt ready for, and many areas we dont yet understand the tradeoffs required for safety,' Altman said. 'We will work through these, slowly, with the (Pentagon), with technical safeguards and other methods.'

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) ' The House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into allegations that Rep. Nancy Mace overcharged a congressional program intended to help defray housing costs for lawmakers who have residences in Washington.

Mace, a South Carolina Republican now in her third House term, denies the allegations, decrying a 'partisan' process and saying officials had 'ignored' her rebuttal evidence.

The Office of Congressional Conduct, after an investigation, said it believes that 'there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Mace engaged in improper reimbursement practices.' The office sent its findings to the Ethics panel for review.

Mace took part in a program that helps members of Congress defray the costs of their bifurcated existences between Washington and their home districts, subsidizing food, travel and lodging expenses. During 2023 and 2024, her second term in office, the report alleges Mace recouped about $9,500, 'more than the true costs' for the Washington home she shared with her then-fiancé.

Noting that Mace 'refused to interview' as part of its probe, the office said it 'was unable to determine how or why Rep. Mace decided to seek the maximum allowable reimbursement when it exceeded her expenses incurred.'

Allowing that 'Maces lodging expenses may have exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement for some months,' the report said that its available evidence 'suggests Rep. Mace did not take appropriate measures to ensure she sought reimbursement for expenses actually incurred.'

In a December letter filed with the committee, an attorney for Mace wrote that the congresswomans former fiancé, with whom she ended her relationship in late 2023, had been 'engaged in an ongoing campaign to discredit and injure the Congresswoman through false narratives and misuse of legal process, and that any information originating from them would raise serious credibility concerns.'

Despite that, attorney William Sullivan Jr. said the office declined to disclose if the former fiancé had been involved with the investigation. He said the referral to Ethics 'appears to rely heavily on unverified materials originating from individuals with personal or adversarial motives.'

GOP Rep. Michael Guest of Florida, chairman of the Ethics Committee, said the referral about Mace was received in December. The committees decision to investigate is not evidence of wrongdoing, and Guest pointed out that the committee wouldnt make further comment until it completes an investigation.

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

The program will weave into the battleship’s National Museum of the Surface Navy experience, which features immersive, interactive and show-controlled environments at the ship, docked at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.

The gift will advance STEM education and be aimed at “the next generation of maritime engineers,” USS Iowa representatives said in a news release.

The Engineering Career Track will enhance the learning experience for both tour guests and students participating in on-board programs. Through immersive, interactive and show-controlled environments, the track will connect visitors to the core engineering functions aboard the Battleship Iowa, and help them gain a clearer understanding of the concepts and systems that powered the Navy in the past — and how those same principles continue to be used today.

The program is aimed at sparking interest in engineering careers among young visitors and supporters, while also supporting the museum ship’s broader efforts to help develop the next generation of America’s maritime workforce.

The Timken Foundations connection to the Battleship Iowa is rooted in the broader history of naval engineering and national defense. The Timken Company has long been a major supplier of bearings for the U.S. Navy, components that are critical to ship propulsion and performance.

Today, Timken builds the majority of reduction gears used in modern naval shipbuilding, continuing a legacy of engineering innovation that supports the readiness of the nations surface fleet. While the Timken Foundation operates separately from the Timken Company, it shares the same foundational roots and commitment to engineering, education and workforce development.

Since 2019, the Timken Foundation has supported the Pacific Battleship Center with about $100,000 for various programs and initiatives prior to this gift.

“The Timken Foundation has consistently demonstrated support for education in the communities it serves,” foundation President Robert Timken said in a written statement. “The engineering career track project developed at the Pacific Battleship Center is consistent with that commitment and also allows the foundation to honor those who served aboard the USS Iowa during the ships commission.”

The total cost to design and build the Engineering Career Track is about $1.4 million. The Timken Foundations $500,000 gift provides the critical lead funding needed to move the project forward. The Pacific Battleship Center, though, is still actively seeking additional partners to complete this initiative and deliver the full experience for students and visitors. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.

In January, the Los Angeles harbor commission also approved a coastal permit that will usher in long-awaited construction on a dockside development by the Battleship Iowa Museum.

The Freedom of the Seas Park and Pavilion at Port of Los Angeles Berth 87 ' next to the battleship, which is also the National Museum of the Surface Navy ' will include a 17,161 square-foot visitor center and some 50,000 square feet of adjacent park space. That project is expected to cost $6.7 million (paid for by the battleship museum, which also received a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency) and is anticipated to break ground in the next of couple months. Completion is expected sometime in 2027.

For more information about Battleship Iowa, the National Museum of the Surface Navy or educational programming aboard the ship, please visit the Iowa’s website, pacificbattleship.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) ' President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end trade with Spain, citing a lack of support over the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and the European nation’s resistance to increase its NATO spending.

'Were going to cut off all trade with Spain,' Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'We dont want anything to do with Spain.'

The U.S. president’s comments came a day after Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said his country would not allow the U.S. to use jointly operated bases in southern Spain in any strikes not covered by the United Nations charter. Albares noted that the military bases in Spain were not used in the weekend attack on Iran.

It is unclear how Trump would cut off trade with Spain, given that Spain is under the umbrella of the European Union. The EU negotiates trade deals on behalf of all 27 member countries.

'If the U.S. administration wishes to review the trade agreement, it must do so respecting the autonomy of private companies, international law, and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States,' a spokesperson from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchezs office said Tuesday.

The EU said it expects the Trump administration to honor a trade deal struck with the 27-nation bloc in Scotland last year after months of economic uncertainty over Trumps tariff blitzkrieg.

'The Commission will always ensure that the interests of the European Union are fully protected,' said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill.

It was just the latest instance of the president wielding the threat of tariffs or trade embargoes as a punishment and came on the heels of a Supreme Court decision that struck down Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs. While the court said that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs, Trump now maintains that the court allows him to instead impose full-scale embargoes on other nations of his choosing.

Trump also complained anew Tuesday about Spain’s decision last year to back out of NATO’s 5% defense spending target. At the time, Spain said it could reach its military capabilities by spending 2.1% of its GDP, a move that Trump roundly criticized and responded to with tariff threats as well.

Spain, Trump said, is 'the only country that in NATO would not agree to go up to 5%' in NATO spending. “I dont think they agreed to go up to anything. They wanted to keep it at 2% and they dont pay the 2%.'

Merz noted that Trump was correct and said, “We are trying to convince them that this is a part of our common security, that we all have to comply with this.'

Spain defended its position Tuesday, saying it is “a key member of NATO, fulfilling its commitments and making a significant contribution to the defense of European territory,' the spokesperson in Sánchezs office said.

During the Oval Office meeting, Trump turned to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for his opinion on the president’s embargo authority.

Bessent said, 'I agree that the Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargo.” Bessent added that the U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department would “begin investigations and well move forward with those.'

A representative from the U.S. Treasury Department did not respond to a request from The Associated Press for additional comment.

Sánchez has been critical of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling it an 'unjustifiable' and 'dangerous' military intervention. His government has demanded an immediate de-escalation and dialogue and also condemned Irans strikes across the region.

Trump said, 'Spain has absolutely nothing that we need other than great people. They have great people, but they dont have great leadership.”

Spains position on the use of U.S. bases in its territory marks the latest flare-up in its relationship with the Trump administration. Under Sánchez, Europes last major progressive leader, Spain was also an outspoken critic of Israels war in Gaza.

Naishadham reported from Madrid. AP journalist Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed.

WASHINGTON (AP) ' The largest U.S. diplomatic drawdown in the Middle East since the Iraq War began more than two decades ago is creating an apparently unplanned-for crisis for the Trump administration as the United States and Israel strike Iran in a widening conflict.

The State Department has been forced to close several embassies to the public, shut down at least one consulate, order the departure of embassy staff and families from at least six nations and advise Americans in 14 countries to leave the region immediately despite the war closing major airports and causing widespread flight cancellations.

The State Department said Tuesday that it was 'securing military aircraft and charter flights for American citizens who wish to leave the Middle East.' But it was not clear if any flights had yet been arranged.

The department has been in contact with nearly 3,000 Americans wanting to leave the region or seeking information about how to depart, Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for public affairs, said on X.

Emergency reductions in embassy staffing and post closures since the strikes on Iran began on the weekend have put severe strains on the ability to help U.S. citizens in need of assistance that might usually be considered routine.

In addition, the reductions have limited crucial official engagements with allied and partner governments during the war, including in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Biggest US drawdown in region since Iraq War

The scale of the American drawdown in the region rivals if not exceeds what was done in the run up to and the immediate aftermath of the Iraq invasion in 2003. Back then, the State Department reduced its staffing in more than a dozen countries and advised U.S. citizens to leave or seriously consider leaving countries throughout the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia from Morocco to Pakistan.

On Monday, Americans were told in a hastily drafted announcement posted on X to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen even though commercial flights and other transportation have been disrupted.

Americans had been advised early Tuesday that the State Department had ordered nonessential diplomats and embassy families to leave Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.

The embassies in Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia also were closed to the public Tuesday. A drone attack on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a 'limited fire,' Saudi Arabias Defense Ministry said. But only one diplomatic mission ' the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan ' had completely suspended operations.

In Israel, where Americans were told they should leave as soon as possible as Iranian retaliation intensified, the Trump administration had no plans in place to assist people. Instead, the embassy in Jerusalem advised U.S. citizens to take an Israeli tourist bus to Egypt.

'The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel,' U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee tweeted Tuesday, adding that information about bus service was being offered as a courtesy 'as you make your own security plans.'

However, a second State Department official, who not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the department had been in touch with nearly 500 Americans in Israel who want to leave and that it had helped more than 130 in departing so far ' with 100 more expected to leave Tuesday.

Confusion leads to questions about preparations

Confusion, though, was playing out around the region, raising questions about the preparations for possible military action and its impact on travel and the safety of Americans overseas, which is the State Departments primary responsibility.

'If Americans are being instructed to leave but are given no viable pathway, that suggests one of two things: The system is not being activated, or the system has atrophied,' said Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, a group that supports Afghan nationals seeking to come to the United States after having served with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

He noted that during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the Biden administration had organized the evacuation of 121,000 people in a matter of days.

'Crisis response cannot be partisan,' he said. 'It has to survive transitions. It has to be staffed, exercised, and protected. The oversight question is straightforward: Was the post-Afghanistan crisis response architecture sustained, or has it been weakened?'

The State Department did not immediately respond to a query about its planning for embassy and consulate staffing or providing assistance to American citizens in the event of a conflict with Iran.

The U.S. government cannot compel American citizens to leave any country. In rare circumstances, it can make it illegal for U.S. passports to be used for travel to a specific destination. The only such restriction is on North Korea. But before the strikes began, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the restriction might also be applied to Iran.

Travel advice from the State Department, including admonitions not to visit a country or to leave it, often is not respected. Many people reside in or have close family living there and either ignore or decline to heed the advice.

There are large numbers of U.S. citizens living in or traveling throughout the Middle East. The State Department, however, refuses to offer an estimate because Americans are not required to report their presence in any country abroad. It says any estimate would be inaccurate.

Tens of thousands of U.S. citizens, many of them dual nationals, are believed to live in Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Iran.

The $152 million Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Gateway Project will be a signature part of Wilmington’s new recreational waterfront, which now also includes a finished waterfront promenade. The 9-acre promenade area opened in February 2024, when scores of residents and visitors turned out to celebrate what had long been a community dream.

The transformation from industrial to recreational property in Wilmington has not come easily or quickly. A study on how to improve the area was initially approved in 1987 and eventually resulted in the first two developments: the $2.5 million, 10,000 square-foot Bannings Landing Recreation Center in 2001 and the award-winning $55 million Wilmington Waterfront Park in 2011.

But that all came after years of community meetings, as residents organized to pressure the port amid longstanding complaints about the industrial impacts the town’s neighborhoods had endured.

With the debut opening two years ago of the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, following the park and Banning’s Landing, a waterfront transformation was finally in the works.

The pedestrian bridge now starting construction will also connect to a new public recreation area '  the Avalon Promenade Gateway  ' that’s being built as part of the project.

“We are thrilled to begin construction on this transformational project,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said, “that will create more green space and recreational opportunities for Wilmington residents and visitors alike.”

Port of L.A. Executive Director Gene Seroka, meanwhile, acknowledge the long road it’s been to realize the project.

“This project, the result of countless community input sessions, is more than simply building a bridge,” Seroka said. 'Were laying the foundation for stronger connections, shared opportunities and a brighter future for everyone in the Wilmington community.”

The Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway project will transform 12 acres of former industrial land into open space that features a landscaped entry plaza with a 40 foot-tall architectural sundial, a historic walk and overlook, open terrace seating area, pedestrian pathways, community gathering areas, two parking lots and public restrooms. The project also involves street and utility improvements at Avalon Boulevard and A Street, including grading, paving, striping, lighting and landscaping.

The projects signature pedestrian bridge, designed by engineering firm TYLin, is planned as a concrete cable-stayed arch structure that will offer a safe crossing point over working rail operations and will connect to the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, a Port Public Access Investment Plan project completed in early 2024.

The site for the Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway is located between Harry Bridges Boulevard to the north and the Pacific Harbor Railroad Lines to the south in Wilmington, extending halfway between Marine Avenue and A Street to the west, and Broad Avenue to the east. Construction is expected to be completed by late summer 2028.

Among those on hand for the groundbreaking were California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin, Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker and Los Angeles harbor commission President Lucille Roybal-Allard.

“The Avalon Pedestrian Bridge represents another major step forward for Wilmington and the continued transformation of our waterfront,” McOsker said. “This project builds on the success of the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade by adding safe, direct access across the railroad while increasing much-needed green space for families to gather and enjoy. The investment will strengthen the connection between Avalon Boulevard and the waterfront, supporting local businesses and creating new opportunities for the community to thrive.”

The Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway is the third phase of the ports Wilmington Waterfront Master Plan, which was adopted in 2007. Grant funding for the project includes $10.2 million from Metro Measure M/South Bay Cities of Council Governments; $42.1 million from the California State Transportation Agency; and $5 million from Federal Highway Administration.

“The building of this beautiful new bridge and gateway recreational area,” Roybal-Allard said, referring to overall public access on port waterfront properties, “represents another step toward achieving that goal.”

The center ' a converted hotel that has been open since 2023 ' operates in partnership with Volunteers of America to provide interim housing for 60 formerly homeless veterans. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn led Saturday’s formal renaming dedication ceremony.

A new sign and plaque was unveiled as part of the ceremony.

“A few years ago, my office partnered with Volunteers of America to transform this former vacant motel into a veterans center that is offering not just shelter, but stability, dignity and a path forward for veterans who have served our country and now need our support,” Hahn said at the event. “This place has already changed so many lives and represents what can happen when we refuse to accept veteran homelessness as inevitable.

“And when I was thinking about what we should name this place, I wanted to lift up the accomplishments of veterans and prove that their service to this country and to their community is not limited to the battlefield,” she added. “So today, we are dedicating this center to a veteran whose life embodies service in every sense of the word ' my friend Louis Dominguez.”

Dominguez, a teacher who has worked for city and state government, also led the effort to put decorative lights on the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

But before all of that, he served in the Vietnam War. He brought a reunion for his unit to San Pedro in 2008.

Dominguez, who hoped to have a career in the military, was shot twice in a battle that decimated Charlie Company, landing him in the hospital with a mandatory ticket home after having served for four months.

Seriously wounded by machine-gun fire, he went on to dedicate his life to public service, local government ' he was an aide to Vincent Thomas when he was serving in the state Assembly ' and teaching.

“The work happening in this building is changing lives,” said Hahn, who also thanked Dominguez’s wife, Suzanne.

The building, 111 S. Gaffey St., originally opened as a Victorian-style hotel in 1986, later becoming the San Pedro Best Western.

The mission, Hahn said, is to provide stability and a pathway to permanent housing for area veterans.