By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A company is now selling $299 sneakers showing an image of Donald Trump with streaks of blood on his cheek and pumping his fist in the air after he was the target of an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

The white high tops are being sold as “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT High-Tops” for $299 on a website that sells Trump-branded shoes that is run by CIC Ventures LLC, a company that Trump reported owning in his 2023 financial disclosure. The company says the new shoes are limited edition with only 5,000 pairs available and estimated to ship in September or October. It also said 10 pairs will be randomly autographed.

“These limited edition high-tops, featuring Trump’s iconic image with his fist raised, honor his unwavering determination and bravery,” it says. “With only 5,000 pairs available, each one is a true collector’s item. Show your support and patriotic pride with these exclusive sneakers, capturing a defining moment in history.”

CIC Ventures is the same company that debuted “Never Surrender High-Tops,” shiny gold sneakers with an American flag detail on the back, for $399.

The sale is another sign the former president’s allies intend to capitalize on how Trump reacted after the shooting at a Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump got back to his feet and pumped his fist toward the crowd, mouthing “fight, fight.”

On Monday, Trump got a hero’s welcome at the Republican National Convention’s opening night, appearing visibly emotional with a bandage over his right ear as musician Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA.”

Supporters are hoping those moments help him pave his path straight back to the White House as he challenges Democratic President Joe Biden’s reelection. Biden has been to trying to reassure his own party that he is capable of serving another four years, but there are worries and calls to nominate another candidate after his debate performance last month.

Earlier this year, Trump made an unusual stop at “Sneaker Con” to introduce the shiny gold high tops.

CIC Ventures’ website says it is not political and has no connection to a political campaign, though Trump campaign officials have promoted it in online posts.

Lest there be any doubt, Minnesota United is in support of the 23-year-old undergraduate organizing an eight-hour electronic dance music festival outside Allianz Field.

The Forbidden Festival, scheduled for Sept. 21, is planning for some 4,000 attendees and promises an all-you-can-drink open bar with a wide variety of alcohol. Given that festival organizer Breno Bueno is still an undergraduate at the University of St. Thomas, some skeptics questioned whether the 21+ event has legs.

“So evidently the ‘Forbidden’ college festival that a 23-year-old St. Thomas student is promoting … is really a thing and not a joke,” wrote a longtime soccer fan on the social media platform X, noting Minnesota United promoted the event in a recent newsletter.

“We think it’s a unique event idea,” said Zacharia Litzelswope, director of events and guest experience for Minnesota United, in an interview this week. “We’ve been unfortunately slow to the game of getting into music, and a lot of that was due to COVID. We want to find the balance of introducing people to entertainment and being respectful of the neighbors.”

Litzelswope acknowledged that last month’s Breakaway Music Festival, which drew some 24,000 visitors over two days, had generated numerous noise complaints. The Forbidden Festival will have a “smaller footprint,” he said, with one stage instead of two. The stage will be situated just north of the Great Lawn, facing the stadium itself, which is likely to help contain sound. Breakaway, in contrast, offered music on two stages, he said, with speakers and event-goers “stretched all over the northeast side of the site.”

Bueno has asked the city for a slightly lower noise level variance than Breakaway, with a limit of 90 decibels instead of 97. As for the open bar, Litzelswope said “that’s an initiative of the event itself. Like any event, we make sure they have the proper permitting. … We have security standards, whether it’s inside the stadium or outside.”

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After a widely panned performance of the U.S. national anthem at the MLB Home Run Derby, country singer Ingrid Andress apologized Tuesday and said she was drunk.

“I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition.”

The MLB is not commenting, spokesperson Matt Bourne said.

A representative for Andress said there will be no additional comment at this time.

On Monday night, the four-time Grammy nominee belted an a cappella version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” an incredibly challenging song to sing. Clips of her less-than-popular rendition at the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, went viral.

Sports Illustrated writer Alex Carr posted on X, formerly Twitter, “I’m so sorry, I’m sure Ingrid Andress is a wonderful person, but that was one of the worst national anthems I think I’ve ever heard in my whole life.”

Here’s more to know about the incident and Andress.

Who is Ingrid Andress?

Andress, 32, began her career as a Nashville songwriter, penning songs for performers across genres, including Bebe Rexha’s “Girl in the Mirror,” Halestorm’s “Conflicted,” and the critically acclaimed “Boys,” which became an international hit for British singer Charli XCX.

Soon, she inked a deal with Warner Music Nashville and Atlantic Records for her own music, releasing her debut album “Lady Like” in 2020. Her breakthrough single “More Hearts Than Mine” proceeded the release, peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the list for 20 weeks.

In 2021, she released her second-biggest song to date, the country radio favorite “Wishful Drinking,” a collaboration with singer Sam Hunt. It also spent 20 weeks on the chart, peaking at No. 47.

Her sophomore album, “Good Person,” was released in 2022.

What was the reaction to her MLB Home Run Derby performance?

Andress’ performance quickly made the rounds on social media.

Vulture blogger Bethy Squires joked that Andress sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “in cursive,” a reference to a popular Internet neologism referring to pop singers stretching vowels and accentuating their vocal fry.

Chris Wright, the executive editor of Saturday Down South, was a bit more delicate: “I enjoy Ingrid Andress’ music and have seen her in concert,” he wrote on X. “After listening to that National Anthem, I have a newfound respect for her producers and sound crew. Wow.”

This isn’t the first time a performance of the national anthem has been panned.

In the pantheon of controversial renditions of the national anthem at sporting events, Roseanne Barr’s rendition at a 1990 San Diego Padres game and Fergie’s at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game yielded similar reactions.

Following her performance, Fergie released a statement: “I’ve always been honored and proud to perform the national anthem and last night I wanted to try something special for the NBA,” the Grammy-winning singer said. “I’m a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best.”

Barr responded to Fergie’s performance, writing on Twitter at the time, “Who saw Fergie’s national anthem performance at the NBA All Star Game? I think mine was better lowkey.”

What’s next for Andress?

Earlier today, Andress had four forthcoming tour dates listed online: July 17 at Nashville’s Cannery Hall, July 24 at Denver’s Globe Hall Live Music & BBQ, Aug. 3 at Minneapolis’ Basilica Block Party, an annual music festival, and Oct. 4 at Inlet Lodge in Ocean City, Maryland, for the Country Calling festival.

Andress’ official website currently only lists the two festival dates.

A representative for Andress confirmed to The Associated Press that her “upcoming shows in Nashville and Denver have been canceled, and the venues are in touch with ticket buyers regarding refunds.”

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Helena Oliviero | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

About 40% of new cancer cases among U.S. adults — and nearly half of all cancer deaths — are linked to lifestyle risk factors including smoking, obesity and alcohol consumption, according to a new study by American Cancer Society.

The study points to the possibility that the daily choices people make can give them some control over their cancer risk. The exact cause of most cancers are unknown and many are outside an individual’s control.

A list of lifestyle risk factors were identified in the study that put people at a greater risk of a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes. Cigarette smoking was by far the leading risk factor, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases and about a third of of all cancer deaths. Excess body weight was next, contributing to nearly 8% of cancer cases, followed by alcohol consumption and excessive sun exposure, each linked to about 5% of cases. Physical inactivity was associated with 3% of cancer cases.

Researchers analyzed a total of 18 risk factors across 30 types of cancers. Other risk factors that contributed to cancer cases at a lesser degree include eating red and processed meat; low consumption of fruits and vegetables; and infections with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human papillomavirus (HPV), according to researchers. The findings were published Thursday in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

In 2019, these lifestyle factors were linked to nearly 715,000 cancer cases and about 262,000 deaths.

The findings are not exactly new, but they add to mounting research that shows many cancer cases — and as many as half the deaths — can be prevented with lifestyle changes.

“Despite considerable declines in smoking prevalence during the past few decades, the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in the United States is alarming. This finding underscores the importance of implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies in each state to promote smoking cessation, as well as heightened efforts to increase screening for early detection of lung cancer, when treatment could be more effective,” said Dr. Farhad Islami, senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report.

Writing in a press release, Islami said interventions to help maintain a healthy body weight could lower the number of cases and deaths, and is particularly important among young people with early-onset cancers. Cancer cases in people under 50 have seen a sharp rise in recent years.

Despite the findings that people have more control than they think over their cancer risk, there are still many questions about who gets cancer and why.

About 10% of cancers are caused by factors that were inherited or genetic.

Colon cancer, which was once a more distant cause of cancer death in both men and women, is now a leading cause of cancer death for men and women under 50. Experts say some risk factors including obesity and a lack of physical activity could be playing a role but they still don’t know what’s causing the jump in cases among younger adults.

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In Georgia, the American Cancer Society estimated 63,170 people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. This includes 9,840 women will get breast cancer, 9,620 men will get prostate cancer, and 7,350 of both sexes will get lung cancer. An estimated 4,940 Georgians will also be diagnosed with colon cancer.

Last year, there were an estimated 61,170 new cancer cases in Georgia, according to ACS.

In this new ACS study, researchers used nationally representative data on cancer incidence and mortality and risk factor prevalence to estimate the proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors overall for 30 cancer types. The study doesn’t include non-melanoma skin cancers.

Some cancers have more of a direct link to risk factors than others, according to the study. For example, about 90% of melanoma cases are linked to ultraviolet radiation, and virtually every case of cervical cancer is linked to HPV infection, which can be prevented with an HPV vaccine, according to the study.

Lung cancer tops the list with the most number of cases associated with a modifiable risk factor — with the vast majority of cases linked to smoking, including current and former smoking habits as well as secondhand smoke.

Excess body was associated with 11% of breast cancer cases, 14% of stomach cancer cases and about half of endometrial cancer cases.

“These findings show there is a continued need to increase equitable access to preventive health care and awareness about preventive measures,” added Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president, surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study.

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.