Today is Tuesday, Aug. 19, the 231st day of 2025. There are 134 days left in the year.

Today in History:

On Aug. 19, 2013, South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius was indicted in Pretoria, South Africa, on charges of murder and illegal possession of ammunition for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home on Valentine’s Day 2013; Pistorius maintained he’d mistaken her for an intruder. (Pistorius would be found guilty of murder and sentenced to prison; he was released on parole in January 2024.)

Also on this date:

In 1692, four men and one woman were hanged after being convicted of witchcraft at Salem in the Province of Massachusetts Bay; the story of one of the men, John Proctor, inspired Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible.”

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In 1807, Robert Fulton’s North River Steamboat arrived in Albany, two days after leaving New York on its maiden voyage.

In 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere off Nova Scotia during the War of 1812, earning the nickname “Old Ironsides.”

In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces landed at Benedict, Maryland, with the objective of capturing Washington, D.C.

In 1854, 31 U.S. soldiers were killed after one of the soldiers fatally shot Brule Lakota Chief Conquering Bear, sparking the First Sioux War.

In 1909, Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted its first automobile race.

In 1934, German voters approved the vesting of sole executive power in Adolf Hitler.

In 1955, torrential rains caused by Hurricane Diane resulted in severe flooding in the northeastern U.S., claiming some 200 lives.

In 1960, a tribunal in Moscow convicted American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage. (Although sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, Powers was returned to the United States in 1962 as part of a prisoner exchange.)

In 1980, 301 people aboard Saudia Flight 163 died as the jetliner made a fiery emergency return to the Riyadh airport.

In 2010, the last American combat brigade exited Iraq, seven years and five months after a U.S.-led invasion marked the beginning of the Iraq War.

Today’s Birthdays:

Former tennis player & coach Renee Richards is 91.
Actor Jill St. John is 85.
Author Jack Canfield is 81.
Rock singer Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) is 80.
Former President Bill Clinton is 79.
Actor Gerald McRaney is 78.
Actor Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”) is 77.
Tipper Gore, ex-wife of former Vice President Al Gore, is 77.
Rock bassist John Deacon (Queen) is 74.
Actor-director Jonathan Frakes is 73.
Political consultant Mary Matalin is 72.
Actor Peter Gallagher is 70.
Actor Adam Arkin is 69.
Actor Martin Donovan is 68.
Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz is 67.
Musician Ivan Neville is 66.
Football Hall of Famer Morten Andersen is 65.
Actor John Stamos is 62.
Actor Kyra Sedgwick is 60.
Actor Kevin Dillon is 60.
Country singer Lee Ann Womack is 58.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is 58.
Country singer Clay Walker is 56.
Rapper Fat Joe is 55.
Olympic gold medal tennis player Mary Joe Fernandez is 54.
Actor Erika Christensen is 43.
Actor Melissa Fumero is 43.
Olympic gold medal snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis (jay-kuh-BEHL’-ihs) is 40.
Author Veronica Roth is 37.
Rapper-TV personality Romeo is 36.
Actor Ethan Cutkosky (TV: “Shameless”) is 26.

A 46-year-old Duluth man is in jail after he allegedly shot and killed his 74-year-old mother.

The Duluth Police Department said it responded to a report of a body on the 1500 block of North Ninth Avenue East on Saturday and found Maedean Davin dead with an apparent gunshot wound.

Officers arrested her son, Nathan Douglas Davin, “without incident,” police said. He was booked early Sunday at the St. Louis County Jail pending a charge of second-degree murder, with intent, not premeditated.

According to court records, Davin listed 1511 N. Ninth Ave. E., which is owned by his mother, as his address as recently as last year.

In 2005, Davin was charged with fifth-degree domestic assault and interfering with a 911 call in Hennepin County. The domestic assault charge was later dismissed.

This is the third homicide in Duluth this year. In the past five years, more than half of the homicides in Duluth have been domestic incidents.

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As young quarterback J.J. McCarthy has navigated the highs and lows of training camp, it’s sometimes easy to forget that he has been without his No.1 receiver Justin Jefferson for pretty much all of it.

After suffering a hamstring injury in the early stages of training camp, Jefferson has been sidelined for the past few weeks as the Vikings operated out of an abundance of caution with their best player.

The wait finally game to an end on Monday afternoon at TCO Performance Center as Jefferson returned to practice.

“It feels great to get back into the normal routine,” Jefferson said. “I’ve been itching for it.”

It wasn’t full participation for Jefferson right away as he continues to work his way back to full strength. He took part in warmups and individual drills before sitting out during 7-on-7 drills and 11-on-11 drills.

That was enough for Jefferson after being away from the game he loves for so long. He emphasized that the hardest part was watching his friends compete knowing he couldn’t be a part of the competition.

“I’m a kid at heart,” Jefferson said. “I want to be out here with the guys. I want to be playing football. I want to be in the mix.”

Now he’s back on the field where he belongs.

Here are more takeaways from Day 16 of training camp:

How is McCarthy?

After his best performance of camp last week against the New England Patriots, McCarthy experienced some growing pains in his first time going back against his teammates in practice.

There was a throw along the sideline that got tipped by cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and picked off by safety Josh Metellus. There was also a throw over the middle that was intercepted by linebacker Blake Cashman.

Though he made a couple of mistakes he’d certainly like to have back, McCarthy looked sharp at times while continuing to show confidence in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage.

Who stood out?

It’s probably time to acknowledge the connection that tight end T.J. Hockenson has developed with McCarthy. They have been on the same page in practice regardless of the situation and that has resulted in chunk plays on a daily basis.

This was no different as McCarthy found Hockenson a number of times during 7-on-7 drills with pinpoint precision.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see McCarthy lean heavily on Hockenson in the early stages of this season. It’ll be helpful for him to have a security blanket with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame when the play breaks down.

Quote of the day”

“I viewed it as a chance to open up some of my thinking in some of the parts of the game that don’t always get talked about. Maybe provide some insight and hook some people out there to become more fans of the Minnesota Vikings. It was an incredible positive. I had a blast.”

— Head coach Kevin O’Connell, on being mic’d up during the exhibition game Saturday.

Injury report

There was no sign of safety Harrison Smith, and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel continued to sit out. Neither of those absences seem to be long term in nature, however, and Smith and Van Ginkel are expected to be ready to go for Week 1 against the Chicago Bears.

Meanwhile, receiver Jalen Nailor is being considered week to-week with a hand injury, which is probably the biggest concern. It’s unclear if the Vikings will look outside of the building to add depth to that position group.

What’s next?

There are only a couple of practices left in camp. The exhibition game against the Tennessee Titans on Friday night at Nissan Stadium in Nashville will effectively put a bow on the summer.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – AUGUST 16: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings poses for a photo with K’Lavon Chaisson #44 of the New England Patriots after the NFL Preseason 2025 game at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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By MARK BANCHEREAU

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — On a recent evening in Senegal ‘s capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved in household chores.

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“The Prophet himself says a man who does not help support his wife and children is not a good Muslim,” the 53-year-old said, as he described bathing his baby and helping his wife with other duties.

Some of the 14 men chuckled, not quite sold. Others applauded.

Diane was taking part in a “school for husbands,” a United Nations-backed initiative where respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in health and social issues and promote them in their communities.

In Senegal, as in many other West African countries with large rural or conservative populations, men often have the final say in major household decisions, including ones related to health.

Women may need their permission for life-changing decisions on accessing family planning or other reproductive health services, along with hospital deliveries or prenatal care.

Following his sessions at the school for husbands, Diane regularly holds sermons during Friday prayers where he discusses issues around gender and reproductive health, from gender-based violence to fighting stigma around HIV.

“Many women appreciate my sermons,” he said. “They say their husbands’ behavior changed since they attended them.” He said some men have told him the sermons inspired them to become more caring husbands and fathers.

Habib Diallo, a 60-year-old former army commando, said attending the sermons and discussions with the imam taught him about the risks of home births.

“When my son’s wife was pregnant, I encouraged him to take her to the hospital for the delivery,” Diallo said. “At first, he was hesitant. He worried about the cost and didn’t trust the hospital. But when I explained how much safer it would be for both his wife and the baby, he agreed.”

No more barking orders

The program launched in Senegal in 2011 but in recent years has caught the attention of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection, which sees it an effective strategy to combat maternal and infant mortality.

“Without men’s involvement, attitudes around maternal health won’t change,” said 54-year-old Aida Diouf, a female health worker who collaborates with the program. Many husbands prefer their wives not be treated by male health workers, she said.

The classes for husbands follow similar efforts in other African countries, particularly Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso, where the United Nations Population Fund says it improved women’s access to reproductive health services by increasing male involvement, growing the use of contraceptives by both men and women and expanding access to prenatal care and skilled birth attendants.

Discussions for men also have focused on girls’ rights, equality and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation.

The program now operates over 20 schools in Senegal, and over 300 men have been trained.

In some communities, men who once enforced patriarchal norms now promote gender equality, which has led to a reduction in the number of forced marriages and more acceptance of family planning, according to Senegal’s ministry of gender.

Men join the groups after being recruited based on trust, leadership and commitment. Candidates must be married, respected locally and supportive of women’s health and rights.

After training, the men act as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal talks.

“My husband used to not do much around the house, just bark orders. Now he actually cooks and helps out with daily tasks,” said Khary Ndeye, 52.

Still too many dying in childbirth

While maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say it still has a long way to go. It recorded 237 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, while 21 newborns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The U.N. globally wants to reduce maternal deaths to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and newborn deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030.

One key problem was that many women have been giving birth at home, said El Hadj Malick, one of the Senegal program’s coordinators.

“By educating men about the importance of supporting their wives during pregnancy, taking them to the hospital and helping with domestic work at home, you’re protecting people’s health,” Malick said.

He said he still experiences difficulty changing mindsets on some issues.

“When we just talk to them about gender, there is sometimes tension because it’s seen as something abstract or even foreign,” Malick said. Some men mistakenly believe such talk will promote LGBTQ+ issues, which remain largely taboo in much of West Africa.

“But when we focus on women’s right to be healthy, it puts a human face on the concept and its becomes universal,” Malick said.

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.