By MATTHEW LEE, REBECCA SANTANA and MOGOMOTSI MAGOME, Associated Press

DULLES, Virginia (AP) — The Trump administration is welcoming a small group of white South Africans as refugees on Monday, saying they face discrimination and violence at home, which the country’s government strongly denies.

The decision to admit the 49 people also has raised questions from refugee advocates about why the group should be admitted when the Trump administration has suspended efforts to resettle people who are fleeing war and persecution and have gone through years of vetting before coming to the United States.

The group from South Africa arrived at Dulles International Airport outside Washington on a private charter plane and was greeted by a government delegation.

President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that he’s admitting them as refugees because of the “genocide that’s taking place.” He said that in post-apartheid South Africa, white farmers are “being killed” and he plans to address the issue with South African leadership next week.

That characterization is strongly denied by the South African government and has been disputed by experts in the country and even an Afrikaner group.

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South Africa’s government says the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners are being persecuted are “completely false,” the result of misinformation and an inaccurate view of its country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country and said they are among “the most economically privileged.”

Speaking at a business conference in Ivory Coast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that he spoke with Trump by phone recently and told him that his administration had been fed false information by groups who were casting whites as victims because of efforts to right the historical wrongs of colonialism and South Africa’s previous apartheid system of forced racial segregation, which oppressed the Black majority.

“I had a conversation with President Trump on the phone and he asked me, ‘What’s going on down there?’ and I told him that what you are being told by those people who are opposed to transformation back in South Africa is not true,” Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa said he thought Trump “understood that.”

Santana reported from Washington and Magome in Johannesburg, and Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this report.

When a sinkhole all but shut down a section of West Seventh Street last Thursday evening, St. Paul Public Works officials soon discovered they had their work cut out for them.

Large enough for a person to fall into, the hole is some 35 feet deep, and repairs should take up to two months. Contractors will dig more than 30 feet through sandstone and limestone, assess the extent of the damage and then rebuild the sanitary tunnel.

The work, which was scheduled to begin Monday, also will entail installing new utility connections for surrounding businesses, building out a new shaft to the surface and then replacing the road surface, according to St. Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw.

Those efforts will take place inches from a 20-inch water main and adjacent to vehicles, pedestrians and businesses in the busy section of West Seventh Street located between Kellogg Boulevard and Grand Avenue. To prevent a collapse and ensure worker safety, crews will install temporary supports for the entire depth of the project. The majority of that work will be handled by specialized private contractors, Kershaw said.

It’s “still too early to determine a cause of the sinkhole on West 7th Street; however, voids are often caused by water,” Public Works spokeswoman Lisa Hiebert said by email. “We continue to monitor the area, but there are no other areas of concern that have been identified at this time.”

The affected area of West Seventh is open for local business access only, with one lane of traffic in each direction. Sidewalks remain open for pedestrians. Detours have been posted, and no impacts to water or sewer services have been reported for local businesses.

“The quick actions and expertise of our St. Paul Public Works and St. Paul Water Services crews made it possible to safely address the sinkhole on West Seventh Street,” said Mayor Melvin Carter, in a social media post on Friday. “Thank you for showing up and staying late into the night to get this done. West 7th is open for business!”

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If you’re a retired homeowner, there’s a good chance that your property is worth far more than you paid for it — and that equity could be a lifeline.

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Back in 1995, the typical home cost $114,600. Today’s median sale price is nearly $400,000, according to the National Association of Realtors.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is one way to take some of that value and turn it into cash.

But is a HELOC the right solution during retirement? Let’s look at a few scenarios.

Scenario 1: You’re worried about the economy

Recent headlines have given retirees plenty of fuel for doomsday-level fears about their financial future. From concerns about the stability of the Social Security Administration to questions about the ripple effect of tariffs and global market volatility on 401(k)s, it’s understandable to look for ways to buffer your finances.

A HELOC can seem like an appealing backup plan to access cash without tapping retirement accounts during a downturn. Theoretically, it could buy you an additional 10 years to wait out the economic rollercoaster until you’re in a better position to pay your principal balance. But this strategy comes with substantial risk.

“Taking on debt in retirement requires careful consideration of expected income and expenses,” says Lori Trawinski, PhD, CFP and senior director at the AARP Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.

“Older borrowers may face increasing health costs, death of a spouse, or other situations that reduce available funds for debt payments.”

Using a HELOC as a hedge against a market slump also assumes that the economy won’t get worse. If it does, you could still be in a shaky financial position — only now your home is on the line.

“A HELOC might look like an easy way to avoid triggering certain tax thresholds or tapping into retirement accounts. But in practice, it can add complexity and stress,” says Jordan Leaman, CFP and branch operations manager at Churchill Mortgage in Wyoming, MI.

“Ideally, retirees should have a well-thought-out income plan in place, with a diversified portfolio that can weather market downturns without the need for additional debt. Planning ahead with liquid assets and a solid strategy for cash flow is key.”

Scenario 2: You want “fun money” in your golden years

After years of responsibly paying your mortgage, you may wonder if pulling cash out of your home equity could help you enjoy a higher quality of life. After all, who wouldn’t love to spoil their grandchildren or splurge on a memorable vacation?

However, even if a HELOC initially seems like an affordable way to access extra cash, it’s not worth risking your home. In an uncertain economic climate, this danger is even more pronounced.

“When interest rates rise and inflation increases, consumers may face difficulty making payments,” says AARP’s Trawinski. “Since most HELOCs have variable interest rates, they can be particularly risky in a rising interest rate environment since minimum payments will rise as a result.”

If you don’t read the fine print, a HELOC’s affordability can also be a bit deceiving.

During the HELOC’s 10-year draw period, borrowers are usually only required to pay interest. But once you enter the repayment period (which usually lasts 20 years), you’ll pay interest and principal.

“What seemed like an affordable loan can quickly become a lot more expensive, adding unnecessary strain,” says Leaman.

If you can’t pay, you could lose your home.

Scenario 3: You’re paying for home improvement

A home improvement project can be one of the best reasons to get a HELOC.

Ideally, this project will add to the value of your home, such as financing a new roof or replacing old siding. That way, you’re reinvesting the cash back into your home equity. There’s also a potential tax benefit: HELOC interest may be tax-deductible if it’s used to “buy, build, or substantially improve the residence,” according to IRS guidelines.

Even if your project doesn’t directly raise the home’s value — say, you’re adding ramps or a stair lift for mobility — it might still be worth getting a HELOC if the changes can make your home more livable and allow you to age in place.

You’ll still have to be prepared if your HELOC’s variable interest rate rises, so your payments shouldn’t be at the top of your budget. As long as you can afford the potential larger payments, a HELOC can be a solid financing solution.

Scenario 4: You need help covering living expenses

This is a tough one. If you need a bridge to cover a temporary financial setback — like a medical bill — and you know there’s an end in sight, a HELOC might work for you. But if paying your bills is a consistent struggle, adding to your debt could make things worse in the long run.

In this case, you might consider a reverse mortgage. A home equity conversion mortgage, or HECM, is a reverse mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). It allows homeowners 62 and over to convert part of their home’s equity into cash without monthly loan payments. You receive funds based on the value of your home, which you can use toward your living expenses.

Keep in mind that the loan needs to be repaid when the home is sold or when the borrower dies, so unless your heirs can repay the HECM, they likely won’t be able to keep the house. But you are allowed to live there indefinitely, as long as you pay your property taxes.

The bottom line on HELOCs in retirement

HELOCs can be a great financial tool for the right reasons, in the right circumstances. Before signing on the dotted line, consider your finances and retirement goals and how a HELOC could help (or hinder) your ability to achieve them.

Taylor Getler writes for NerdWallet. Email: tgetler@nerdwallet.com.

The article You’re Retired and Need Cash— Is a HELOC the Answer? originally appeared on NerdWallet.

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Jordan is joining NBC Sports as a special contributor to its NBA coverage when the 2025-26 season begins.

NBC made the announcement on Monday morning during its upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall previewing the networks offerings during the upcoming television season.

“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said during a video message. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”

NBC returns to carrying the NBA after a 23-year absence. It had NBA rights from 1990 through 2002 and carried all six of Jordan’s championships as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

This is the first time Jordan has joined a network. His appearances and comments during the 2020 “The Last Dance” documentary about his career and the end of the Bulls dynasty in 1998 created plenty of headlines.

“Michael’s legacy both on and off the court speaks for itself,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said. “We’re incredibly proud to have him join our coverage.”

NBC’s 11-year agreement with the NBA and WNBA begins in October. Peacock will exclusively stream games on Monday night while NBC/Peacock will have regional doubleheaders on Tuesday. NBC and Peacock will also launch “Sunday Night Basketball” in January.