But Spielberg is hardly the only one making headlines of late about UFOs and the possibility of life on other planets.

What was once considered fringe or conspiratorial has in recent months popped up everywhere from the White House to the Catholic Church, as public fascination with unidentified anomalous phenomena — or UAPs, as the government calls them — becomes more mainstream.

The Pentagon in May large swaths of UFO files with very little context, leaving curious sleuths to piece together their own interpretations. The dump came just weeks after former President Barack Obama set off a media frenzy for stating unambiguously in an interview that aliens are real, though he later tempered that take.

“Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there,” the former president, who made a surprise visit to the “Disclosure Day” set, posted on social media. “I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

Some religious adherents, as well as some nonbelievers, maintain that the existence of life on other planets might undermine many faiths because it would complicate assertions that humans are unique. But others argue the opposite.

“Belief in UFOs is really one of the best things that’s happened to religion in a long time,” said Diana Walsh Pasulka, a religion scholar at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. “It’s a blow to the secular, materialist worldview.”

An intersection of aliens, demons and Catholics

Even if broad interest in UAPs bolsters the case for an enchanted universe, some believers in religions such as Christianity think they are something to be wary of.

“I don’t think they’re aliens. I think they’re demons,” Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said in a recent podcast interview.

That sentiment was echoed by Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, formerly an exorcist with the Archdiocese of Washington. He last week by the archbishop, who said statements by Rossetti “gravely undermine” Catholic teaching on demons and the devil.

“It’s my personal belief that probably many, if not most, of these UFO sightings are in fact demons,” Rossetti said in a May 29 video posted on his Facebook page. “Aliens, if there are aliens, don’t possess people.”

Christopher Baglow, who heads a science and religion initiative at the University of Notre Dame, was surprised by the firing given that Rosetti made clear in the video he was expressing his own opinion. Baglow speculated that there may be other factors behind the decision.

“I ask forgiveness for any ways that I have not been faithful to the teachings of the Church’s Magisterium,” Rosetti said in a statement online.

Despite the assertions by Vance and Rossetti about demons, Baglow maintains the Catholic Church has long been open to the possibility of extraterrestrial life. “Theologians have been speculating about this for centuries and the church has never ever taught one way or the other,” he said.

While meeting with astronomy students last year at the Vatican, spoke about the “ancient light of distant galaxies” and the “mysterious joy” provoked by the study of outer space. Some interpreted these remarks as tacit speculation about the possibility of life on other planets.

Extraterrestrials, old and new

In one sense, the idea of otherworldly beings coming to Earth can be traced back millennia.

“People would call it the plurality of worlds. So even back in the time of Socrates and Aristotle, there were Greek philosophers who talked about beings on other planets and other stars,” Walsh Pasulka said.

But it wasn’t until after 1945 that modern conceptions of UFOs began to develop, according to Jeffrey Kripal, a historian of religions at Rice University. “The flying saucer and the alien and the UFO — it’s definitely a Cold War invasion narrative,” he said.

That narrative explains why UAPs are often perceived as hostile to humans. But it’s also evolved over time and led to the formation of some religions — like , which counts many a Hollywood celebrity among its adherents — that see extraterrestrials as good or even part of a divine plan. Some adherents to the Nation of Islam, for example, believe that its founder will inaugurate an apocalyptic return to Earth on a spaceship.

The International Raëlian Movement, also know as Raëlism, is a UFO religion that was founded in France in the 1970s. It is still practiced today, with its strongest followings in parts of Asia, Africa and Canada, according to Susan Palmer, a sociologist who studies new religious movements at Concordia University in Montreal.

Its founder, Raël, claims he is a direct descendant of Yahweh, whom Raël visited on the planet of Elohim in 1975. Raëlism claims the Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad are all hybrids of humans and extraterrestrials, as well as Raël’s half brothers.

Of the groups she has studied, Palmer argued Raëlism is the most sympathetic toward UFOs. “They’re not interested in extraterrestrial wars,” she said.

But some think that sentiment might be growing.

Kripal, who heads Rice’s archival collection of reported paranormal experiences called the Center for the Impossible, perceives an increasing openness to these kinds of conversations about the existence of UFOs — and the possibility that they are not hostile.

“People are reporting these experiences or these encounters with entities and they’re religious through and through,” he said. “My colleagues in the academy, they’re really starting to listen in a different way.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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The president was sort of led into a question about the race for mayor in D.C., with the questioner on Thursday talking about Janeese Lewis George’s perceived efforts to be a D.C. version of New York City’s socialist-leaning mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

But that’s all it took for President Donald Trump to threaten a takeover of D.C. should voters put the Ward 4 council member in the mayor’s office this year.

“I wouldn’t like it” if Lewis George wins, Trump told reporters.

If it happens, “maybe we’ll take back Washington and run it on a federal basis. We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses.”

However, the message might not play like the president hoped it would with D.C. residents.

“They know how they feel about Donald Trump,” said Keneshia Grant, an associate professor of political science at Howard University. “If it is the case that Donald Trump doesn’t like Janeese Lewis George, then it might tell them, ‘OK, me and Donald Trump usually disagree, I’m going to support Janeese Lewis George, because I know that I would disagree with Donald Trump on this.’”

A recent poll put Lewis George in the lead, thanks to a younger, whiter base of voters who are newer to D.C. They’re also more progressive and really don’t like the president.

“If those people are turning out in greatest numbers, then yes, she had a fantastic day yesterday,” Grant said about Lewis George. “Getting the president on the record for this was good for her.”

In addition, it could also reinforce to voters a connection the Janeese Lewis George campaign has tried to forge between the other front-runner in the race, former D.C. Councilman Kenyan McDuffie.

�鶹���� sent a questionnaire to all the candidates in each contested race, asking them to introduce themselves to voters. Read their responses here.

Her campaign has been suggesting that a small number of donations given to McDuffie’s campaign from people who have also donated to the president is indicative of a closer alignment with the president’s policies, which are not popular in D.C.

For his part, McDuffie has been forceful about denying that and vowing to fight for the city’s priorities and independence. He’s also adamant he’s no fan of the president either. But Grant said Trump’s words on Thursday might not help.

“This statement from the President from Donald Trump yesterday made that connection even closer,” Grant said.

By making the claim that he doesn’t want to work with one of the front-runners, Grant said the average voter in the District may come to the conclusion that Trump would prefer to work with another candidate over Lewis George.

And voters who dislike Trump, may opt to vote against candidates he seemingly prefers.

However, voters who are really concerned about home rule might see it differently. That’s also the case if D.C.’s historical voting base, older Black residents who go back generations in the city, turns out in higher numbers for their preferred candidate, which is believed to be McDuffie.

“If the latter group is going to turn out more, then the statement yesterday, even though it came from Donald Trump, might be a big and important moment for Kenyan McDuffie,” Grant said. “Why is this the case? That second group of voters is worried about losing the city, and believe that a mayor could work together with Donald Trump, even though they might disagree with Donald Trump on everything, to keep home rule in place.

“This voter would assume that Donald Trump is telegraphing that I’m not necessarily going to take your city if I get a person who I think is a reasonable politician,” she added. “And the implication is that Kenyan McDuffie is the reasonable politician.”

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The National �鶹���� Service has issued multiple watches and warnings for the D.C. region Friday:

• Severe thunderstorm warning for parts of D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland, until 4:45 p.m.
• Severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Stafford, Culpeper and Spotsylvania counties, and the City of Fredericksburg, until 4:45 p.m.
• Severe thunderstorm warning for central Fauquier County and north central Culpeper County until 4:30 p.m.
• Severe thunderstorm warning for southern Madison County and southwestern Culpeper County until 4:45 p.m.
• Severe thunderstorm watch for D.C. region until 9 p.m.
• Heat advisory for D.C. region until 8 p.m.

The entire D.C. region is under a severe thunderstorm Friday evening, with NWS warning of potential impacts like hail the size of quarters, wind gusts up to 70 mph and frequent lightning.

A cold front is expected to bring a line of showers and storms between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The storm potential storms comes as the region works to recover from Thursday’s damaging storms that knocked out power for tens of thousands of people and toppled trees, killing two women.

Outside of the storm risk, Friday is extremely hot and humid. �鶹���� Meteorologist Mike Stinneford said temperatures reached a record high of 98 degrees at Reagan Airport, shattering the old record of 95 set in 2017.

Highs will be in the upper 90s Friday, but temperatures could feel as hot as 105 degrees, according to NWS.

NWS issued a heat advisory for the region that’s set to expire at 8 p.m. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also issued an extreme heat alert, and advised residents to stay hydrated .

The storms aren’t expected to hit every neighborhood. The main threat from the storms will be high winds, which could down trees and power outages like what happened Thursday, according to 7News First Alert �鶹����.

“Once the storms clear later this evening, we’ll see our temperatures drop to the 60s,” said 7 News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin

2 dead from Thursday’s storms

Thursday’s storms proved to be fatal as two women were killed by fallen trees in Maryland just before 9 p.m., according to officials.

A woman was trapped under a fallen tree near Matthew Henson Trail between Spruce Hill Road and Regina Drive in Aspen Hill, according to a spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.

She did not survive her injuries.

Around the same time, fire crews in Prince George’s County responded to North Marlton Avenue near Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro, where another woman was found with traumatic injuries after being hit by a fallen tree. She died at the scene.

Fire officials told �鶹���� that there appeared to have been several “microbursts” of thunderstorms in a short period of time. Those microbursts can produce damaging winds of over 100 mph and are often mistaken for tornadoes.

• Listen to �鶹���� online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.
• Current traffic conditions
• �鶹���� forecast
• Closings and Delays
• Sign up for �鶹���� email alerts
• Get custom alerts with the �鶹���� app for �����Ի��������DzԱ��

Cleaning up from Thursday’s storms

Cleanup from Thursday evening’s storms was underway Friday morning, �鶹����’s Neal Augenstein reported.

In Silver Spring, Maryland, the storm sheared off the top of a utility pole located at the intersection of Silver Spring Avenue and Nolte Avenue. Downed utility wires were draped across bushes and driveways in the tightly-configured neighborhood.

Tree crews began work at sunrise to stand-up new utility poles that had been delivered overnight on a flatbed truck.

Nearby, the burned-out shell of a car that caught fire during the storm remained. The owner of the car walked from a nearby home to inspect the damage in the early morning sun.

Weekend weather

Saturday is projected to be a calmer weather day, with a mix of sunshine and a few passing clouds.

“Plenty of sunshine, lower humidity, so that stickiness factor won’t be there, 85 to 90 degrees,” Rudin said.

But severe weather is back in the forecast Sunday with a humid air mass and a cold front leading to possible scattered showers and thunderstorms. Those with outdoor plans should reconsider.

7News First Alert Forecast

FRIDAY EVENING:
Tracking storms
Temperatures: 90s to 80s
Winds: South 10-15 mph

FRIDAY NIGHT:
Gradual clearing
Lows: 63-68
Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph

SATURDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs: 85-90
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph

SUNDAY: WEATHER ALERT
PM strong storms
Highs: 88-93
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph

MONDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs: 80-85
Winds: Southwest 10-15 mph

CURRENT CONDITIONS

�鶹����’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report. 

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“Many of the names that we own were once $5 stocks,” says Chris Retzler, portfolio manager of the Needham Small Cap Growth Fund (ticker: ). “That is not a bad place to be starting for value investors who are willing to do a lot of homework.”

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Low-Priced Stocks: Opportunity or Value Trap?

The key is knowing the difference between a low-priced stock and a low-quality business. A company trading under $5 may be an early-stage growth story or a turnaround candidate, or it may be a value trap with little path to profitability.

This distinction matters even more in 2026. Mega-cap still dominate the market conversation, but the artificial intelligence buildout is pushing capital spending into data centers, power infrastructure, memory chips and other parts of the supply chain. AI-related capital spending is estimated to reach roughly $765 billion in 2026 and $7.6 trillion between 2026 and 2031, according to Goldman Sachs research.

For smaller suppliers, that spending can create opportunity. Retzler says the bull market is beginning to broaden as some of the largest companies move beyond buybacks and and start putting more capital to work in their businesses. “One company’s capital expenditure can become another company’s revenue source,” he says.

This can benefit smaller suppliers tied to areas such as , computer memory, rare earth materials, optical components, power infrastructure, data centers and military modernization, Retzler says. He has not seen tech management teams this excited about their opportunities in years, particularly as supply-chain bottlenecks, reshoring and defense spending create new demand.

He also points to healthier equity capital markets and improving merger-and-acquisition activity as signs the environment for smaller companies may be improving.

How to Evaluate Cheap Stocks Under $5

Still, investors shouldn’t confuse opportunity with easy money. can move fast in both directions, and momentum can push prices beyond what the fundamentals justify. “You need to be price disciplined in your purchases,” Retzler says.

Before buying, he recommends looking closely at the strength of the board of directors and management team. That includes insider ownership, open-market stock purchases, end-market demand, access to capital and the experience of individual board members.

Investors should also look for a diverse mix of corporate, operational, legal and transactional expertise. If the company operates globally, Retzler says, its board should include international experience to help navigate cross-border business. If the company was venture-backed, investors can also review the track record of the venture capitalists that helped bring it public.

Finally, vet not just the industry the company is in, but also the industries it serves. The best cheap stocks are not just low-priced; they have credible leadership, access to capital and a realistic path to benefit from larger spending trends.

With all of this in mind, here are five cheap stocks under $5 that merit a closer look:

Valens Semiconductor Ltd. ()

Valens Semiconductor is one of those small-cap chip companies operating behind the scenes of some very big technology trends. The company develops high-speed-connectivity chips used in audio-video and automotive applications like advanced driver-assistance systems.

The automotive angle is perhaps its strongest right now. In February 2026, the company partnered with global automotive camera supplier MCNEX to launch automotive-grade cameras powered by Valens’ chipsets. Valens’ first-quarter 2026 results were also promising. It reported $16.9 million in revenue for the quarter, exceeding guidance, with a healthy increase in automotive revenue for the quarter.

Valens’ niche looks increasingly relevant as vehicles become more sensor- and data-heavy, but brace yourself for a bumpy ride with this small-cap semiconductor stock.

[Read: ]

Ceragon Networks Ltd. ()

Ceragon Networks develops 5G wireless transport systems used by public safety organizations, utility and , government agencies and more. In plain English, Ceragon helps customers move data faster. That becomes increasingly important as AI workloads and edge computing continue to expand.

In April 2026, Ceragon highlighted roughly $10 million in recent private-network contracts across utilities, mining, defense and public sector markets. These contracts are expected to add about $7.4 million to 2026 revenue. First-quarter 2026 revenue fell 4.1% year over year, but gross margin improved. GAAP operating income also leapt to $2.1 million from an operating loss a year earlier. That makes it a more established infrastructure play than many sub-$5 tech stocks.

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. ()

For a military modernization angle under $5 per share, take a look at Comtech Telecommunications. The communications technology company provides satellite and space communications, terrestrial network systems, next-generation 911 technology and emergency services and cloud capabilities for companies and governments around the globe.

In March, Comtech delivered the first Enterprise Digital Intermediate Frequency Multicarrier (EDIM) modems to the U.S. Army under a $48.6 million contract. The program is designed to replace aging military modems used by Army, Navy and Air Force operators with advanced, software-defined platforms.

The company just reported its fourth consecutive quarter of positive operating cash flow in the second quarter of 2026. While it’s still not consistently profitable, this suggests it’s on the right path.

Vuzix Corp. ()

Vuzix is also a military modernization play, but with a slightly broader scope. The company develops AI-powered smart glasses, waveguides and augmented reality (AR) tech used by defense, medical, security, enterprise and consumer markets.

Its defense angle is becoming more visible: In April 2026, it shipped a six-figure order for waveguide-based AR display systems from a major defense customer. Later that month, it received another six-figure development order from a tier-one aerospace defense supplier for a next-generation military display system.

That said, it’s still a speculative play. First-quarter 2026 revenue fell 12% year over year due to lower product sales. Still, its quarterly net loss narrowed to $7.1 million from $8.6 million in the same quarter last year. So for an optical components play under $5 per share, keep an eye on Vuzix.

Sidus Space Inc. ()

This tiny space and defense technology company builds satellites and space hardware and sells AI-powered data and mission services.

In its first-quarter update, Sidus said it delivered initial high-resolution imagery from its AI-enabled Earth observation satellite LizzieSat-3. The company also finalized flight-ready configurations for next-generation systems LizzieSat-4 and LizzieSat-5. Revenue rose 51% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, to $359,000, but the business is still very early-stage and reported a $5.2 million net loss. That’s $1.2 million less than the net loss in the first quarter of 2025, though.

If you’re willing to bet on the future of space tech and can wait for the profit tides to turn, this cheap stock is worth considering.

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Update 06/12/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

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“Right now, with gasoline and food prices up, it’s a difficult time,” says Steven Conners, founder and president of Conners Wealth Management in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The latest consumer price index shows annual inflation at 4.2% in May 2026, with gasoline prices up 40.5% from a year earlier and food costs rising 3.1%.

As families struggle to absorb these rising costs, workers may be tempted to dip into their retirement accounts for cash. In the first quarter of 2026, the declined 4% compared to the previous quarter, according to Fidelity.

If you need money for an emergency, a hardship withdrawal from your 401(k) account may be an option, but it won’t come cheap, experts caution. For many people, taking a 401(k) loan, using a credit card or tapping home equity may be a better choice.

[Read: ]

How to Take a Hardship Withdrawal

Not every workplace retirement plan allows hardship withdrawals, but for those that do, owners need to follow the hardship withdrawal . Rules dictate a hardship distribution can only be taken for an “immediate and heavy financial need,” and distributions are limited to the amount necessary to satisfy that need.

“A hardship withdrawal can only be used for very specific reasons,” says Michael Policar, a financial advisor with NGP Financial Planning in the greater Seattle area.

The IRS allows employers to determine if a worker has an immediate or heavy need based on its plan rules. However, most will automatically consider the following to be a qualifying need.

— Medical expenses

— Purchase of a principal residence

— College and postsecondary education costs, including tuition, fees and room and board

— Payments to avoid eviction or foreclosure

— Funeral expenses

— Repairs to a principal residence

Vanguard says the 401(k) plans it administers use the following methods to qualify workers for a hardship withdrawal.

— 3% allow workers to self-certify that they have a qualifying need, have no alternative source of funds and are only withdrawing the amount needed.

— 87% use a summary service which doesn’t require any upfront documentation from workers but may require information be provided upon request.

— 10% require workers to submit documentation regarding their financial need when requesting a hardship withdrawal.

“If you’re stuck, it’s your money,” Conners says. That makes a hardship withdrawal an appealing way to get needed cash, but he adds, “It really should be under desperate measures.”

Newer Option: $1,000 Penalty-Free 401(k) Withdrawal

The of 2022 created a new emergency withdrawal option for 401(k) participants. Emergency withdrawals are capped at $1,000 per calendar year, and participants must retain at least $1,000 in their account after the withdrawal. For example, someone with a balance of $1,750 would only be able to withdraw $750.

No documentation is required to make the withdrawal, and workers have the option to repay the withdrawal directly or use salary deferrals.

“If you don’t pay it back, you can only do a withdrawal every three years,” Policar says.

As with regular hardship distributions, employers aren’t required to offer this option to workers. Unlike regular hardship distributions, these withdrawals are exempt from the 10% early withdrawal penalty that is assessed if a worker is younger than 59 1/2.

[Read: ]

How Much a Hardship Distribution Will Cost You

A hardship distribution comes with both short-term and long-term costs.

Some plans may charge a small administrative fee for processing a hardship withdrawal request. For withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) account, 20% of the distribution will be held for federal income tax. Depending on a person’s tax bracket, more may be due at tax time.

There is also a 10% early withdrawal penalty for workers who are younger than age 59 1/2. This penalty may be waived in certain circumstances, such as if the hardship withdrawal is used to pay medical bills in excess of 7.5% of a person’s adjusted gross income.

Taxes and the early withdrawal penalty could mean that a $10,000 hardship distribution turns into $7,000 or less. However, the short-term costs are only one part of the equation.

“The long-term cost can be significant,” according to Policar. “The pretax compound growth opportunity is gone forever.”

That’s because once money is withdrawn through a regular hardship distribution, it can’t be repaid and won’t gain value in the market. The S&P 500 has had an average annual return of 10% since its inception in 1957, according to Fidelity. Using that rate of return, the chart below illustrates the potential growth a 35-year-old could forgo over a 30-year period by making a hardship withdrawal.

“Once you take it, that’s it,” Conners says. “There is no giving it back.”

To avoid losing all those gains, financial experts advise people to consider 401(k) loans or other options first.

401(k) Loan vs. Hardship Withdrawal

A is another option for workers who need emergency cash. Assuming they are allowed by a plan, loans can be taken for any reason and are limited to $50,000 or the 50% of the account’s vested balance, whichever is less. That is, unless 50% of an account’s vested balance is less than $10,000. In that case, workers can borrow up to $10,000.

Since a 401(k) loan must be repaid, it minimizes the potential lost gains. Loans typically have a five-year repayment period, although if you leave your job, the balance will need to be repaid earlier. Interest on a 401(k) loan is deposited into the worker’s account, making it the equivalent of paying interest to yourself.

“If you take a loan and struggle to pay it back, the loan becomes an early withdrawal,” Policar says.

In that case, taxes and an early withdrawal penalty will apply, but they will generally be calculated on a smaller balance if the borrower has already repaid part of the loan.

[Read: ]

Other Options When You Need Cash

Bruce Maginn, partner with Solomon Financial in Carmel, Indiana, encourages people to look beyond their retirement accounts when they need money.

“If they can do almost anything else, it’s going to be better,” he says. Workers might come out ahead financially even if they end up paying interest on a loan.

As an example, Maginn points out that taking $100,000 from a 401(k) could mean losing $1.744 million in gains over 30 years, based on the S&P 500’s average annual return of 10%. If someone took out a $100,000 loan and paid 10% interest while paying it off over 30 years, they would pay a total of $216,000 in interest.

“It’s a good trade to pay $216,000 in interest and get $1.744 million in gains,” Maginn says. “If you get a loan, you are paying interest on a declining amount.” Meanwhile, assets are compounding on a bigger balance.

A could be a source of money for homeowners, and those with good credit may be able to get a credit card with an introductory . Both may have lower long-term costs than a 401(k) hardship withdrawal.

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The timing and sequence of your retirement account withdrawals can affect your tax bill, Medicare premiums and how long your nest egg lasts. Understanding the rules can help you make informed decisions and maximize your retirement savings.

Consider these retirement account withdrawal strategies:

— Take required minimum distributions when necessary.

— Withdraw funds during low-income years.

— Review Roth conversions.

— Coordinate withdrawals across different account types.

— Use charitable giving strategies when appropriate.

[See: ]

Understand Required Minimum Distribution Rules

A , or RMD, is the minimum amount that must be withdrawn annually from most traditional retirement accounts once you reach the required age. RMDs generally begin at age 73 for individuals born between 1951 and 1959. For those born in 1960 or later, the starting age rises to 75.

Failing to take a required distribution can result in a penalty. However, recent legislation reduced the penalty for missed RMDs, making the consequences less severe. Most retirees must take their first RMD by April 1 following the year they reach their required beginning age. After that, RMDs must be taken by Dec. 31 each year.

“The gap years between retirement and RMD age can be extremely valuable planning years,” says Ryan D. Seufert, co-founder of Silver Grove Financial Group in Orchard Park, New York. “Retirees may be able to use that window for Roth conversions, strategic IRA distributions at lower tax brackets, or capital gain harvesting on assets such as stocks or real estate before RMDs begin.”

Take Advantage of Low-Tax Years

One of the most effective retirement withdrawal strategies is to take distributions during years when your taxable income is relatively low.

“The early retirement years can be an attractive window for intentional IRA distributions or Roth conversions, particularly before RMDs, Social Security, pensions or other income sources fully come online,” says Kevin Prendergast, a partner at Leelyn Smith in Geneva, Illinois.

“If retirees do nothing, those pretax accounts may continue compounding until RMDs eventually force more taxable income than they actually need, potentially pushing them into higher federal brackets, increasing the taxation of Social Security, and affecting Medicare premiums.”

Rather than waiting until RMDs force larger withdrawals, some retirees gradually draw from traditional retirement accounts while remaining in a lower tax bracket. may also provide a regular source of retirement income. By setting up recurring withdrawals, retirees can create a steady income stream that functions much like a paycheck.

Consider Strategic Roth Conversions

A allows you to move money from a traditional retirement account into a and pay the related taxes upfront. While the conversion creates taxable income in the year it occurs, future qualified Roth withdrawals are generally tax-free.

Many retirees spread Roth conversions over several years rather than converting a large balance all at once. Staggering conversions may help limit the amount of income taxed at higher rates and reduce the risk of moving into a higher tax bracket.

Roth accounts also offer additional flexibility because they are not subject to lifetime RMDs for the original account owner.

In addition, the eliminated RMDs from Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) accounts beginning in 2024. Previously, retirees often rolled these accounts into Roth IRAs to avoid required withdrawals. That extra step is no longer necessary.

“SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 changes have made beneficiary planning much more important,” Seufert says. The higher RMD “is significant because it extends the Roth conversion runway for many retirees,” Seufert says. “The extra time before RMDs begin is a planning opportunity, not a reason to delay tax planning.”

[READ: ]

Coordinate Withdrawals Across Multiple Accounts

Many retirees have assets spread across traditional retirement accounts, Roth accounts and taxable brokerage accounts. Rather than relying on a single account for income, some coordinate withdrawals from multiple account types to help manage their taxes more effectively.

“An effective withdrawal strategy should focus on proper tax bracket utilization,” says Andrew Matz, a financial planner at Oak Road Wealth Management in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “The traditional advice is to first withdraw taxable accounts. While this may be a good rule of thumb, we often find that lower tax brackets should (take advantage of) traditional IRA withdrawals. If large one-time expenses could push you into a higher tax bracket (like going from the 12% to 22% bracket), consider withdrawing from a taxable brokerage account to utilize long-term capital gains treatment or a tax-free Roth IRA distribution rather than taking an ordinary income tax hit.”

Understand the New Rules for Inherited IRAs

Most non-spouse beneficiaries who must fully withdraw the account balance within 10 years of the original owner’s death. Some beneficiaries may also need to take annual RMDs during the 10-year period if the original owner had begun taking them before death.

As a result, beneficiaries may no longer be able to wait until the final year to empty the account. “Reducing the size of your pretax retirement accounts is also important because if your kids inherit a large IRA, they will be forced to empty it in 10 years and may be pushed into higher tax brackets,” says Matz. “Brokerage accounts and Roth IRAs are more ideal legacy vehicles. Roth IRAs remain tax-free to your children, and brokerage accounts receive a step up in cost basis at death, meaning there is normally a small, if any, gain in the account for your kids to pay taxes on.”

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Incorporate Charitable Giving

For retirees who support charitable causes, a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, can be one of the most tax-efficient withdrawal strategies.

Individuals age 70½ and older can transfer money directly from an IRA to a qualified charity. The distribution is excluded from taxable income and can help satisfy RMD requirements.

“For charitably inclined retirees, QCDs remain one of the most tax-efficient ways to satisfy RMDs because the distribution can go directly to charity without being included in taxable income,” Seufert says. For 2026, the annual QCD limit is $111,000 per individual.

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Update 06/12/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

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With storms gathering near Washington before a court-ordered deadline to remove references to Trump, workers were seen building scaffolding around a section of the building that includes the president’s name. A crowd gathered nearby and cheered their work as Trump’s name moved closer to being taken down.

Yet the Kennedy Center’s leadership didn’t abandon its legal efforts to keep Trump’s name in place. The institution appealed the ruling denying it request for a stay and requested action by the court by 7 pm ET.

“This appeal raises serious questions about Article III standing and about the powers of the Center’s Board,” the filing read. “Major physical changes to the Center should await this Court’s resolution of those issues; as an equitable matter, it does not make sense to alter the Center’s name and signage now, only to potentially revert the name again after what should be a successful appeal.”

Last month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled Trump’s name was illegally added to the iconic Washington performing arts facility and ordered it removed by Friday. Late Thursday, Trump’s handpicked board at the center mounted a last-minute effort to keep his name on the facade of the iconic performing arts facility, a request that Cooper denied.

A June 4 from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s website has dropped Trump’s name. And an earlier email offering ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony came from the Kennedy Center without including Trump’s name.

After ignoring the Kennedy Center for much of his first term, Trump has wielded tremendous influence over the venue during his return to office. Just a month into his second term, he and replaced it with a board of trustees that named him chairman.

In his earlier ruling, Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July and last for two years.

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Associated Press journalists Mark Sherman and Emily Wang in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

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The suspect, 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal, already was being sought by authorities when he began firing at officers and bystanders in Midland on Friday before barricading himself in an abandoned veterinary clinic, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Police were called to the area after getting reports about an active shooter, authorities said.

Villarreal was found dead inside the building just a few hours after the shooting began, police said. They did not say how he died.

Midland Mayor Lori Blong said authorities used robot and drone footage to confirm that the shooter was dead.

Villarreal, of nearby Odessa, was wanted for attempted capital murder of a peace officer after firing multiple times at a Midland police officer on Wednesday, the state’s public safety agency said.

The officer who tried to pull over Villarreal fired back, but Villarreal drove away and his vehicle was found empty a short distance away, investigators said. The officer was not injured, authorities said.

As police responded to Friday’s shooting, dozens of squad cars and law enforcement vehicles descended along what’s normally a busy roadway lined with hotels and auto businesses a few miles west of Midland’s downtown.

Andrea Mendias said she heard what sounded like a small explosion at the closed veterinary clinic next to the body shop where she works and saw a number of heavily armed police officers rush into the parking lot. Some appeared to go inside the building.

Mendias said she earlier heard what sounded like at least 40 gunshots.

Video from Mendias showed officers pouring out of the back of an armored police vehicle and police deploying robots into the area.

Midland Memorial Hospital said four people underwent surgery and that five had been treated and released.

The city with about 140,000 residents sits in the heart of the state’s oil and gas region and was near the site of a in 2019.

In that shooting, a gunman who had been fired from his oil services job killed seven people and wounded two dozen others while firing at random as he drove around the Odessa and Midland areas. The two cities are more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) west of Dallas.

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FIFA said Friday in a statement that the 32-year-old Partey won’t be able to travel from his team’s base camp in Smithfield, Rhode Island, for Ghana’s opening match with Panama in Toronto.

“His visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” the governing body of world soccer said. “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

The Ghana soccer association did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said in a statement that every person wanting to come to Canada is assessed individually “based on the facts available and the law that applies.”

“Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians,” the IRCC said in the statement. “Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.”

Partey was traveling back to Ghana’s base camp in Rhode Island after his visa denial. He will be able to play June 23 when Ghana plays England in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Ghana concludes group play June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia.

is scheduled to stand trial in November or later on allegations dating to his time with English club Arsenal from 2020-25. Partey, who now plays in Spain for Villarreal, has pleaded not guilty.

A second World Cup player, , is awaiting trial on similar charges in Paris.

Ghana is making its fifth appearance in the last six World Cups.

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AP World Cup:

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The store is coming into the former Dulles Expo space in Chantilly, and it’s opening on June 18. But it’s giving the community a sneak peek with a special event on Tuesday.

The event on Tuesday features activities and giveaways for their opening.

The Chantilly store will be the third Ikea location in Virginia and will be 110,000-square-feet.

Those wanting to check out the space need to register online for a free spot to enter. As of Friday, there were two time slots for entry into the store. The first is 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the second is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Ikea said that space is limited and on a first-come-first-served basis.

Find information on how to register . Scroll down the Chantilly page to the “come say hei” section.

The Dulles Expo closed in December.

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The reason was simple: private companies were offering health insurance to engineers, scientists and skilled workers and the government wasn’t.

Federal unions, like the National Federation of Federal Employees and the American Federation of Government Employees, had been pushing for health insurance coverage for their members since the 1940s.

Between 1954 and 1959, the House and Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committees held a series of hearings to study the issue.

In the mid-1950s, a five-day hospital stay could run you $100 to $160 out of pocket.

That amount may not sound a lot now, but back then, , while women made $1,110, meaning that a five-day hospital stay was basically a month’s pay. So if you didn’t have insurance, one bad break or illness could wipe you out financially.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower took notice. His administration publicly supported creating a federal health insurance program as early as 1954. During a special message to Congress on the Federal Civil Service, he called for a “sound and modern program of health benefits.”

This focus on the well-being of federal workers was deeply personal for the President. As a former five-star general who commanded Allied forces in World War II, Eisenhower spent his military career watching over his men and ensuring they were protected.

Entering the White House, he brought that same sense of duty to the civilian ranks, believing the government owed its workers basic security. In the middle of the Cold War, he believed the strength of the federal workforce was a matter of national security.

It would take half a decade before two lawmakers in Congress took the lead on this issue and made it happen.

Rep. John Lesinski Jr. of Michigan and South Carolina Sen. Olin Johnston helped design the model of multiple competing private plans — which would become the backbone of the .

Congress passed the bill in 1959 and on July 1, 1960, for the first time in our country’s history, federal workers finally had healthcare benefits.

Those civil servants delivered our mail, worked to cure diseases and helped plant our flag on the moon.

According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), that moment marked the official start of the FEHB Program — now the largest employer-sponsored health benefits program in the country, covering more than 8 million people.

When we honor our country’s 250th birthday, we also think of those who work to keep it going, knowing they can work harder without the constant worry of not having insurance or facing medical debt, thanks in part to a Republican president’s plea and two Democrats on Capitol Hill.

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the U.S. and Iran have reached a “final, agreed upon text.” He said Pakistan, which has taken the lead in mediation efforts, was working with the warring countries on next steps.

“Peace has never been this close as it is now,” Sharif said in a post on X.

The apparent breakthrough in negotiations comes after Iran with the U.S. and Israel over three days this week, threatening to return the Middle East to full-scale war.

There was no immediate comment from U.S. or Iranian leaders on Sharif’s statement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday an agreement “has never been closer” in post on X. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said multiple times in recent weeks that the countries were on the cusp of a deal, shared Araghchi’s post on his own social media.

None of the leaders gave details about the emerging agreement.

The war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28 has rattled the Middle East and virtually shut down oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 7.

Official says emerging deal would reopen strait, remove nuclear material

The U.S. and Iran were making progress Friday toward completing a deal that could effectively end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin the process of destroying or removing Tehran’s highly enriched uranium, according to a senior U.S. administration official.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said a deal was 80% to 85% done and that the U.S. side believes “most of the people who have authority” in the Iranian government want to sign onto the deal “but not everybody.”

The official said technical details on how to remove Iran’s enriched uranium, according to the emerging agreement, would be worked out over 60 days after both sides sign it. The official did not detail who the U.S. envisions taking charge of removing the uranium, which is believed to entombed under three nuclear sites that were battered by U.S. strikes last year.

Three regional officials said the emerging deal is also expected to include the phased lifting of sanctions on Iran and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

Underscoring the fragility of the negotiations, Trump on Friday lashed out at Iranian officials on social media and said: “They better get their act together, and FAST!” That was before he shared Araghchi’s post.

Officials say a deal could be signed in the coming days

Iran’s nuclear program has been a key point of division. The U.S. and Israel fear it could lead to an atomic weapon — a main reason their leaders cited for going to war. Tehran has insisted its nuclear efforts are for peaceful purposes.

Also critical is Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil and natural gas. Disruption of transit through the strait has crimped global energy supplies, driven up fuel prices and made more expensive well beyond the region.

The U.S. has responded since mid-April with a naval blockade of Iranian ports to choke off Iran’s own oil exports.

The regional officials said they expect a signing ceremony for the agreement in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve it.

Trump on Thursday in the negotiations, just hours after he threatened to escalate attacks and seize Iran’s oil industry. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on state television that mediators were active and the text of a deal was “mostly finalized.”

There was no immediate comment Friday from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, which has been leading efforts to mediate a deal between the U.S. and Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had said Thursday that Pakistan remained involved in negotiations.

Israel expects Trump to advocate for its interests

has said Israel is not a party to the deal being negotiated. He said in a statement Friday that he and Trump were in “full agreement” that Iran must not have nuclear weapons.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a separate statement that Israel also expects Trump to uphold key Israeli interests, including weakening Iran’s missile program and proxy network.

Katz warned that Israel could still act independently toward Iran and that the country would not pull out of the zones it is occupying in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, nor would it withdraw from the northern refugee camps of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Iran has insisted that any deal to end the war must also end fighting in Lebanon between its ally militia Hezbollah and Israel. Netanyahu appears of destroying the militant group, complicating negotiations between Iran and the U.S.

The deal was largely being brokered by Pakistan, led by its army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, the regional officials said, with backing from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.

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Price reported from Washington and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Associated Press journalists Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, and Collin Binkley and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.

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Montgomery County police said in a that William Dunn, 54, and his daughter Brittany Dunn, 24, were charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault.

The stabbing took place on June 4 in the 3700 block of Stepping Stone Lane, according to police. Authorities said William and Brittany Dunn stabbed the victim in the upper chest inside the home.

The person who was stabbed lived in the home with the father and daughter.

William and Brittany Dunn were arrested Thursday in the 14900 block of Broschart Road in Rockville.

Below is a map of the location where the stabbing took place:

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Many everyday household items that we use without a second thought have surprising origin stories. These four American inventors combined creativity and innovation to reshape daily life in homes across the country.

The dishwasher

Josephine Garis Cochran often said her servants chipped her heirloom dishes while washing them, but she also did not want to wash the fine china herself.

“If nobody else is going to invent the dishwashing machine, I’ll do it myself,” she said, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Born in Ohio, Cochran came from a family of inventors and was drawn to engineering. When her husband died in 1883, she felt an urgency to turn her idea into reality.

Her design was the first to use water pressure instead of scrubbers, with custom-built racks to hold dishes securely in place.

With the help of a mechanic, she built a prototype and received a patent for her “Dish Washing Machine” in 1886. She later founded the Garis-Cochran Dish-Washing Co., which eventually became part of what is now KitchenAid.

Her practical, convenient design became the foundation for the dishwashers we rely on today.

The air conditioner

One of the world’s first modern electrical air conditioning systems was installed at the Sackett & Wilhelms printing plant in Brooklyn in 1902.

New York engineer Willis Carrier was tasked with solving a summer humidity problem affecting the printing press and causing quality issues.

Carrier’s invention used coils that could humidify or dehumidify the air, allowing the plant to maintain consistent conditions and operate reliably year‑round. This is the fundamental science behind the more advanced air conditioning systems we use today.

Carrier received a patent for his “Apparatus for Treating Air” in 1906, and his spray-type air-conditioning technology quickly spread to factories, offices and laboratories, eventually moving into homes by 1914.

Carrier’s work reshaped the world, and he was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century in 1998.

The home security system

The next time you check your doorbell camera or set the alarm for your house, think about Marie Van Brittan Brown. She invented one of the first home security systems with her husband, Albert Brown, an electronics technician.

They lived in Queens, New York, with their two children. Brown worked long shifts and odd hours as a nurse, and the family was concerned about the high crime rate in their neighborhood. So she designed a security system that included several elements.

Peepholes were put in the front door at different heights, and a camera could slide up and down on the opposite side. Monitors placed anywhere in the house showed the camera images.

There was two‑way communication to speak to the person outside, and pushing an alarm button would alert the police immediately. Many of these features can be found in security systems used today.

A patent for their “Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance” was obtained in 1969.

Brown is also credited as a pioneer of closed‑circuit television technology for home security. Her idea kept her own family safe, and transformed how millions of people protect their homes.

The vacuum cleaner

An Ohio janitor named James Murray Spangler invented the first portable electric vacuum cleaner. He worked as a sweeper at a department store but also suffered from asthma, and the dust would irritate his lungs.

Spangler added an electric motor and fan blades to a wooden soap box attached to a broom handle, and came up with the idea to use a pillowcase to collect dust, the first cloth filter bag.

He received a patent for his “Carpet Sweeper and Cleaner” in 1908, and his creative solution revolutionized how people clean their homes.

Spangler founded the Electric Suction Sweeping Company and got the attention of his cousin’s husband, William Hoover, who was a leather merchant at the time. Hoover bought Spangler’s patent and took over the company, renaming it the Hoover Company.

He utilized door‑to‑door salespersons to increase the vacuum cleaner’s popularity and turned Hoover into a common household name. Spangler stayed with the company, working as superintendent.

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