By JOCELYN NOVECK, AP National Writer

It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announced Tuesday.

In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base.

“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.

Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion — but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely. Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe.

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By RODNEY MUHUMUZA, Associated Press

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda is one of at least four African nations that have agreed to receive immigrants deported from the United States.

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The U.S. deported five men with criminal backgrounds to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini and sent eight others to South Sudan. Rwanda has said it will receive up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S.

Now, according to U.S. officials, Uganda is set to receive Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a construction worker who became the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies when he was wrongfully deported in March to a notorious prison in his native El Salvador. He was returned to the U.S. in June, only to face human smuggling charges. He has pleaded not guilty.

Abrego Garcia was detained on Monday and homeland security officials said later he was being processed for transfer to Uganda, a country he has no cultural ties with. Some Ugandans have reacted with incredulity at the looming deportation of the high-profile detainee under an agreement whose terms are yet to be made public. Ugandan officials have only said they prefer to receive individuals originally from Africa and without a criminal background.

Here is a brief look at Uganda, an east African country of 45 million people.

An authoritarian leader

Ugandan negotiators involved in talks with the U.S. are believed to have been reporting directly to President Yoweri Museveni, an authoritarian who has been in power since 1986. The ruling party controls the national assembly, which is widely seen as weak and subservient to the presidency. In 2017 lawmakers removed a constitutional age limit on the presidency, leaving room for Museveni, who is 80, to rule for as long as he wishes.

Museveni is up for reelection in a presidential vote scheduled for January 2026. One of his long-time opponents, Kizza Besigye, has been jailed since November over treason charges his supporters say are politically motivated. His other opponent, the entertainer known as Bobi Wine, says he is harassed and unable to campaign across the country. Some critics say the agreement with the U.S. is a blessing for Museveni, who recently was under pressure from the international community over rights abuses and other issues.

Museveni says criticism of his long stay in power is unjustified because he is reelected every five years. Notably, he has a large following in rural areas, where Ugandans cite relative peace and security among reasons to keep him in power.

A young population

Uganda has the second-youngest population in the world, with more than three quarters of its people below the age of 35, according to the U.N. children’s agency. The results of a national census conducted last year show that 50.5% of Ugandans are children aged 17 and under and those between 18 and 30 account for 22.7% of the population. Many Ugandans migrate from rural areas to seek education and work opportunities in the capital, Kampala, a crowded city of 3 million where the primary form of public transport are passenger motorcycles known as boda-bodas. The development of public infrastructure, including hospitals, has not kept pace with a growing population.

FILE -People wade into the waters of Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, Nov. 25, 2024, in Entebbe, Uganda. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

A lush nation once described as ‘the pearl of Africa’

After a 1907 visit to Uganda, Winston Churchill famously called the country “the pearl of Africa,” a tribute to its natural beauty and abundant wildlife.

Much of that abundance has been lost over the decades, but the country remains an attractive destination for safari visitors who come to see, especially, the endangered mountain gorillas. Uganda is home to about half the world’s remaining great apes, which can be tracked for a fee in a mountainous zone near the border with Rwanda and Congo.

A ‘rolex’ to eat

Uganda’s popular street snack, the “rolex,” is an omelet wrapped in chapati, a type of pan-fried flatbread. While a favorite among Ugandans, the snack has become the fascination for foreigners, some of whom have written about eating their rolex.

Rolex makers can be found in every town across Uganda, usually men who otherwise would be jobless if they didn’t take up such an opportunity. Their stands, illuminated by the red heat of charcoal rising from stoves, light up streets and dark alleys in Kampala at night.

Homosexuality is taboo

In 2023, Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill imposing lengthy jail terms for same-sex relations, a move that reflected popular sentiment but drew international criticism from the U.S. and the World Bank. “Congratulations,” Parliament Speaker Anita Among told lawmakers after passing the bill. “Whatever we are doing, we are doing it for the people of Uganda.” Months later, Among was among high-profile Ugandans targeted for sanctions by the Biden administration.

Same-sex activity has long been punishable with life imprisonment under a colonial-era law, but Among and other Ugandan officials argued that a harsh new law was necessary to deter what they described as promoters of homosexuality. They had the president’s backing.

A few years ago, I followed the life of a cheese curd, from milk on a dairy farm to fresh cheese in Ellsworth, Wis., to deep-fried glory at the Fair. On the Fairgrounds, though, there are plenty of cheesy options to choose from, so the question remains: Where can you find the Fairgrounds’ best curd?

Over the past week, I’ve rated all the Fair’s cheese curds and other fried cheese products on seven criteria: Saltiness. Acidity. Umami, or savoriness. Sweetness. Astringency, or the bitterness that can either be an unclean “fryer oil” taste or come from the cheese itself. Elasticity, or how stretchable and melty the cheese is. Batter Shatter, which refers to the fragility of the fried coating as it breaks apart between your teeth.

Scores for each quality are descriptive, not necessarily meaning “better” or “worse.” Lower scores, indicated by a shorter line ending closer to the center of the graph, signify a quality that was less intense or prominent, and higher scores, indicated by longer lines further from the center, signify more intensity or prominence.

As for my qualifications here: Aside from my reporting role at the Pioneer Press, where I do cover local cheese when I can, I’ve been a cheesemonger for more than eight years and have travelled the country and world — and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds — in search of the best cheese.

Within each division, entries are ranked from the least to most successful.

Division I: Traditional Cheese Curds

4. Curds (classic/unflavored) at Solem’s Cheese Curds and Mini Donuts

Cheese curds from Solem’s Cheese Curds & Mini Donuts are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting notes: These curds have a very thin batter, which certainly keeps the focus on the cheese but also lessens the satisfying shatter of crunching into them. The cheese also retains the firm squeakiness of a fresh curd, suggesting a shorter cook time. However, like everything else at this stand, these curds have a slight bitter astringency that may result from unclean frying oil.

Find it: on the east side of Underwood Street, between Murphy and Lee avenues

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from Solem’s Cheese Curds and Mini Donuts on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

3. Curds (original) at Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds

Original cheese curds from Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting notes: These curds are nicely cheesy and have a solid stretch, suggesting they were cooked appropriately. They’ve got a strong aroma and intense flavor, too, both of which are much appreciated. These are the saltiest of the traditional curds I evaluated. However, they’re also the greasiest, which both affects the eating experience and lends a slightly oily flavor.

Find it: on the east side of Nelson Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues, next to the Giant Slide

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of original cheese curds from Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

2. Curds at The Big Cheese

Cheese curds from The Big Cheese are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting notes: These curds are very good. The flavor is intense, and the acidity and savory qualities of the cheese itself are well-balanced. The batter has a crunchy, blistered texture, suggesting a hotter frying temperature. Although they are somewhat oily to the touch, this does not appear to affect the flavor. These are, dare I say, nearly as good as The Mouth Trap.

Find it: on the west side of Liggett Street at Carnes Avenue, just south of the Mighty Midway

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from The Big Cheese on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

1. Curds at The Mouth Trap

Cheese curds from The Mouth Trap are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting notes: The Fairgrounds’ best curd may come as no surprise to longtime Mouth Trap-lovers, but my data backs this up. They’re the most acidic and among the most savory of any Fair curd, which suggests a high-quality cheddar cheese, and they’re not overly salty. These curds are certainly the densest, too, with a nice balance between stretchiness and chew. The batter on these curds is also airy, which creates a satisfying shatter when you bite.

Find it: inside the Food Building

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from The Mouth Trap on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Division II: Non-Traditional Fried Cheese

5. Italian Motzza Frittas at Luigi Fries

Italian Motzza Frittas from Luigi Fries are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: Not unlike a triangular mozzarella stick, the Italian spices in the breading shine through more strongly than the cheese itself, which somewhat disappointingly does not actually fill the entire inside cavity. These are quite aromatic, though, and are served mouth-burningly hot.

Find it: north side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers and Nelson streets, across from the DNR Building

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Italian Motzza Frittas from Luigi Fries on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

4. Deep-Fried Halloumi Cheese at Holy Land

Deep-fried halloumi from Holy Land is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: Whereas pan-fried halloumi, a firm Mediterranean cheese, retains a squeakiness that’s familiar to Midwestern fresh-cheese-curd lovers, the deep-fried cheese here has a rough but creamy texture like ricotta, which does not strike me as honoring this cheese’s best qualities. The cheese itself is nicely savory, and it’s inside a wonton batter rather than dunked in liquid batter, which creates a little more resistance when you bite into it.

Find it: at the International Bazaar, southeast corner

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of deep-fried halloumi from Holy Land on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

3. Caprese Curds at Lulu’s Public House

Caprese Curds from Lulu’s Public House are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: These mozzarella-filled curds have been a bit unpredictable. Upon tasting them again for this evaluation, I was pleased to find them much softer and more elastic than they had been on the Fair’s opening day. For this evaluation, the curds were well-salted and nicely acidic, a quality also boosted by the balsamic drizzle. The batter is not as crunchy as I think it should have been, though, and tends to break off of the cheese.

Find it: at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater, west section

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Caprese Curds from Lulu’s Public House on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

2. Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Bites at Lulu’s Public House

Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Curds from Lulu’s Public House are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: These large, square curds are more creamy in texture than stretchy, but they have a very intense aroma and flavor. The spice, infused into the pepper cheese, is quite powerful and is a slow burn. These curds are not particularly salty nor acidic, but they do not need to be. An unexpected favorite.

Find it: at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater, west section

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Curds from Lulu’s Public House on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

1. Tirokroketes at Dino’s Gyros

Tirokroketes from Dino’s Gyros are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: This is a fun Greek twist on fried cheese, sitting somewhere between a cheese curd and breaded pimento cheese. They have a very soft and moderately stretchy interior, and though the breading is arguably a bit too thick, they’re tangy and delicious.

Find it: north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Tirokroketes from Dino’s Gyros on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Division III: Sweet Curds

2. Wine-Fried Brie at Minnesota Wine Country

Wine-Fried Brie from Minnesota Wine Country is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: These are closer to cheese-filled funnel cake bites than curds. The sweet batter contains red wine, hence the deep purple color, and is also a bit too sludgy, so it mutates during the frying process into unappetizing ridges and tendrils. I understand why brie would be a good cheese choice conceptually to pair with wine, and the silky texture is unique and pleasant, but the slight mushroomy flavor that makes traditional brie so good does not work well here. Plus, five for $13 is pretty pricey.

Find it: west side of Underwood Street between Carnes and Judson avenues

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Wine-Fried Brie from Minnesota Wine Country on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

1. Sweet Squeakers at The Blue Barn

Sweet Squeakers at the Blue Barn, a new food at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: These white-cheddar curds are coated in a sweet funnel cake batter, though the texture of the exterior almost feels closer to a breaded product than a battered one. Still, it has a nice shatter. The cheese has a very slight acidity and moderate saltiness — able to stand up to the sweet batter when you eat the curds alone, but not overpowering when paired with the lemon-curd whip and tart berry sauce. (This evaluation focuses on the curds alone.)

Find it: at West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Sweet Squeakers from The Blue Barn on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Division IV: Cheese On A Stick

2. Cheese On-A-Stick at Crutchees

Cheese on a stick from Crutchees is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: The American cheese inside this snack, which resembles a stubbier corn dog, has melted so significantly that much of it has soaked into the breading, causing me to feel like I’m just eating slightly cheesy fried dough. Not what I would prefer. The all-around flavor is also quite muted on all fronts, with the exception of a somewhat oily, bitter astringency from over-frying.

Find it: southeast corner of West Dan Patch Avenue and Liggett Street

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese-on-a-stick from Crutchees on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

1. Battered Deep-Fried Swiss Cheese On-A-Stick at Fresh Lemonade — Cheese On A Stick

Cheese on a stick from Fresh Lemonade—Cheese On A Stick is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

Tasting Notes: Quite similar conceptually to the other cheese-on-a-stick entry, but this product had a darker color, a more intact cheese interior and a stronger astringent undertone, suggesting a hot quick-and-dirty frying technique. Very low salt content and flavor intensity.

Find it: west side of Nelson Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues

A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese on a stick from Fresh Lemonade—Cheese On A Stick on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)

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By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump on Tuesday invited students in grades K-12 to participate in a government-sponsored nationwide contest that is designed to encourage them to work together to use artificial intelligence tools to solve community issues.

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“As someone who created an AI-powered audio book and championed online safety through the Take It Down Act, I’ve seen firsthand the promise of this powerful technology,” the first lady says in a short video announcing the Presidential AI Challenge. “Now, I pass the torch of innovation to you.”

“Just as America once led the world into the skies, we are poised to lead again,” she continued. “This time, in the age of AI.”

Every student from kindergarten through 12th grade is invited to “unleash their imagination and showcase the spirit of American innovation,” Trump said.

Students who sign up will complete a project using an artificial intelligence method or tool to address a community challenge.

Michael Kratsios, director of the White House science and technology office, said the possibilities for the projects are “endless” but the aim of the challenge is to get students to work together since they will use artificial intelligence in adulthood.

“We want to have America’s youth plugged in and working on and using AI tools,” he said Tuesday during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends.”

Registration opens Tuesday on the website. An adult mentor or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners, Kratsios said.

The contest was called for in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on advancing artificial intelligence education for American youth.

The first lady announced in May that audio version of her 2024 memoir, “Melania,” was “narrated entirely using artificial intelligence — in my own voice.”

She also highlighted a negative side to AI when she lobbied Congress to pass legislation imposing penalties for online sexual exploitation using imagery that is real or an AI-generated deepfake. President Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May and had the first lady sign it, too.