As the Senate debates the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act, misleading claims about the bill’s impact on voter registration are spreading on social media, with elected officials on both sides of the aisle putting their own spin on it.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, wrote in an X post: “Under the SAVE Act, you cannot use your driver’s license to register to vote. Republicans want you to buy a passport instead. If you can afford one. This is a modern-day poll tax.” Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, replied in his own X post, which included Duckworth’s, “this is a lie” and cited a section of the legislation that requires states to establish their own processes for voter registration applicants who cannot provide the required proof of U.S. citizenship.

But the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Here’s a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: People would not be allowed to use their driver’s license when registering to vote under the SAVE America Act.

THE FACTS: This is missing context. Driver’s licenses that include verification of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Drivers License (EDL), could be used for voter registration in a limited number of states if the SAVE America Act passes. It has passed the House and is now in the Senate. However, those without such a license or who live in states or territories that don’t issue them would need to provide additional documentation.

“Most driver’s licenses, the purpose of it is to license you to drive,” said Pamela Smith, president and CEO of Verified Voting, a nonpartisan organization. “It’s not designed to prove your citizenship. And so the requirement to prove your citizenship is sort of separate and beyond.”

The SAVE America Act requires that when registering to vote in federal elections people provide “documentary proof of United States citizenship.” This can include REAL ID-compliant identification that confirms citizenship, a valid U.S. passport, a military ID card, or another form of government-issued photo identification that states the applicant’s place of birth. Additional documentation to prove U.S. citizenship would be required in some cases.

People who are legal U.S. residents but not citizens also can obtain a REAL ID. According to the Department of Homeland Security, only five states — Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington — issue enhanced driver’s licenses, which are REAL ID-compliant and prove citizenship as well as identity. Other states, such as Montana, South Dakota, Florida, and Iowa, have passed or are considering legislation that requires licenses to include citizenship markers.

“For the vast majority of Americans, a REAL ID would not be sufficient to register to vote under the SAVE Act,” said Eliza Sweren-Becker, deputy director of the voting rights and elections program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “That’s because most REAL IDs do not have any affirmative indication of U.S. citizenship, which is a part of what the bill would require if a REAL ID were to be used for registration.”

Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have argued that the SAVE America Act is needed to eliminate instances of noncitizen voting, which is already illegal in federal elections and can lead to felony charges and deportation. Cases where it occurs are rare. Opponents stress that the bill’s proof of citizenship requirements would create an undue burden for many voters due to obstacles such as the costs associated with obtaining a passport and processing times for government documents, including birth or marriage certificates. A recent survey found that more than 9 percent of voting-age Americans — 21.3 million people — cannot readily access documents proving they are citizens.

Neither Duckworth nor Lee responded to a request for comment.

The SAVE America Act was passed by the House in April 2025 and is currently being debated by the Senate. Efforts to end a Homeland Security shutdown that has caused severe travel disruptions stalled when Trump linked any deal to his push to pass the act.

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Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

NEW YORK (AP) — The runway where two pilots died in a collision between a jet and a fire truck reopened Thursday morning at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, which had been operating at limited capacity all week as investigators examined the wreckage and work crews cleaned up debris.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the tarmac resumed operations at around 10 a.m. after the runway and its associated infrastructure were “repaired, inspected, and confirmed” to meet Federal Aviation Administration regulations for safe operation.

The agency, which oversees the region’s airports, said reopening the second of two runways at LaGuardia, one of the busiest airports in the nation, will help “restore full operational capacity,” though it advised travelers to still check with their airline for flight status.

LaGuardia continues to register the most delays and cancellations among airports in the country with more than 300 canceled in the last 24 hours, according to Flight Aware, a flight tracking website.

The bodies of the two Air Canada pilots, meanwhile, were being repatriated to Canada.

The remains of the first officer, Mackenzie Gunther, arrived Thursday at Ottawa International Airport. Capt. Antoine Forest’s body was being flow to Montréal Trudeau International Airport, according to The Air Line Pilots Association.

The association said the deaths of the two young aviators have shaken up the industry. Forest’s death has sparked an outpouring of sympathy in his hometown of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, southwest of Montreal. Gunther, 30, and Forest, 24, died when their Air Canada plane collided with a firetruck after landing at the airport.

The destroyed Air Canada plane and the fire truck were towed from the crash site late Wednesday as the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation.

The agency said Thursday that the truck has been placed in an undisclosed, secure location and deferred to questions about the status of the plane to Air Canada, which didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The airline has said the plane would be placed in a hangar and that it would soon begin the process of reuniting passengers with their baggage and personal belongings.

Michael Rousseau, the company’s CEO, also apologized Thursday for his inability to express himself in French after facing calls to resign over his English-only message of condolence.

The crash happened late Sunday night as an Air Canada regional jet arriving from Montreal and carrying 76 people struck an airport fire truck that had initially been cleared to cross the runway to respond to a separate incident aboard another plane.

Roughly 40 people were treated at hospitals for injuries, including the two firefighters and a flight attendant who survived after being thrown onto the tarmac while still strapped in her seat. Most have since been released from the hospital.

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Gillies reported from Toronto.

The 40-year-old chef, originally from Carlisle, won the BBC One cooking show’s final, which saw the remaining three chefs cook up a three-course meal in a bid to impress the judges.

Baty, who lives in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, with his wife and children, said: “This means everything to me, it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. It’s absolutely incredible, I’m over the moon.

“If I’ve learned anything through this competition it’s cooking food you believe in and cooking from the heart can take you a long way. Hopefully this journey is just the beginning.”

The series 18 finale saw Baty compete against runners-up Luke Emmess and Mark O’Brien to become the champion of the series.

He dedicated his final menu to members of his family, and it was described by judge Marcus Wareing as an “absolute knockout three-course menu”.

Baty presented the judges with a starter inspired by his mother, which was a take on a prawn cocktail, hailed by judge Monica Galetti as a “delicate yet gutsy dish”.

She added: “What a great way to start this menu. Brilliant job, your mum would be proud.”

Baty then presented his main course, which was dedicated to his father, who died while he was at university, which he said caused him to feel lost and questioning his ability as a chef.

He made a chicken breast roulade wrapped in a chicken and truffle mousse with king oyster mushroom, set puree and tarragon mayonnaise, served with a side of fries and a madeira sauce.

The dish was described by judge Matt Tebbutt as “an absolute winner”, and was followed up by a dessert dedicated to Baty’s partner’s family.

He served a twist on the Brandy Alexander cocktail made up of layers of milk chocolate and dulce de leche cremeux, topped with a brandy snap, brandy-poached pears and a ginger and brandy sauce.

Baty said his time on MasterChef: The Professionals was an “amazing adventure”, adding: “I’ve taken so much more from the competition than I thought.

“It’s changed me as a person, it’s changed me as a chef. Now that I’m standing here holding this trophy it’s given me a whole new road to travel on and I’m going to go all the way down it.”

It was TV host and chef Tebbutt’s final time on MasterChef after he revealed earlier this month that he was “only ever doing one series”.

The 52-year-old replaced the former face of the show, Gregg Wallace, who was sacked after a series of misconduct allegations relating to his time on the amateur series, MasterChef.

MasterChef: The Professionals is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

She was also charged with publishing or distributing written material, and using words that were threatening, abusive or insulting intending thereby to stir up racial hatred or having regard to all the circumstances was reckless as to whether racial hatred would be stirred up, in breach of the Public Order Act 1986.

“Honestly, he has to show [it], because we have more evidence without him than with him, so the pressure is on him,” Tuchel said. “He had a difficult season but he has also had a difficult spell with the national team. He was only once available for us and when he was available, we decided to stick with the same squad so there is big competition for his best position, No10.

Ferryhill Town Council has reopened its Members Initiative Fund (MIF) for a fifth round of applications.

The latest round of funding will officially open on 1st May and will enable community groups to apply for grants ranging from £500 to £1,500 to support new projects in the area.

The MIF, launched in 2022, has already supported 63 projects and 36 community groups.

To apply, groups are advised to contact Karen Younghusband, events and projects officer, on 01740 652157 or by email at kyounghusband@ferryhill.gov.uk to check eligibility and obtain an application form.

The council notes that applications for running costs are unlikely to be successful.

Groups with outstanding monitoring reports from previous funding rounds will not be eligible to apply until those reports have been submitted.

Councillors unanimously voted to strip the former Duchess of York and ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of the honour following revelations about her ties to the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Cllr Claire Douglas, City of York Council’s Labour Leader, said the behaviour of Sarah Ferguson fell well short of the standards expected of those who hold the honour.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Darryl Smalley said the move showed the council stood with the victims of sexual abuse and not the best friends of paedophiles.

It comes after the proposals to strip the 66-year-old of the honour she received in 1987 were first mooted in October.

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They came after an email from 2011 where Ms Ferguson called Epstein her steadfast, generous and supreme friend was published in the Mail on Sunday.

A spokesperson working for the former duchess said the email was sent following legal threats from Epstein over comments she had made distancing herself from him in an interview.

It was sent after the financier was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and after Ms Ferguson said her involvement with him was an error of judgement.

Cllr Douglas said it was deplorable that anyone bearing honours linked to the city continued to associate with the financier after his crimes became known.

Speaking at the council’s full meeting on Thursday, March 26, the leader said: “The Freedom of the City if bestowed on people of distinction who uphold the city’s values.

“Associating with Jeffrey Epstein falls well short of those values.”

Sarah Ferguson has had her Freedom of The City of York removed (Image: PA)

Liberal Democrat Cllr Smalley, who backed the removal of the former Prince Andrew’s Freedom of the City in 2022 said: “At the time I was asked if we would remove the honour from Sarah Ferguson and I said we shouldn’t judge someone based on the actions of their ex-husband.

“We now know more and we don’t want the holder of York’s highest honour to be best friends with a convicted paedophile, we stand with victims, for the rule of law and the principle that actions have consequences.”

The release of documents by the US Department of Justice in recent months has seen both the former Prince Andrew and leading Labour figure Peter Mandelson arrested.

Both have since been released after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct of in public office and neither have been charges as police investigations continue.

The former Duke of York’s arrest in February came after he was stripped of his royal titles in October in the wake of new details about his relationship with Epstein emerging.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor as he is now known was stripped of his Freedom of the City honour in 2022.

Councillors said at the time it was inappropriate for the then Duke of York to hold titles linked to the city given the council’s commitment to tackling the violence and abuse of women and girls.

The former prince reached an out of court settlement on a civil sex assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre earlier in 2022.

Ms Ferguson still holds the Freedom of the City honour her and her ex-husband were given as a wedding present during a visit to York in 1987.

Gareth Baty is a 39-year-old private chef who runs a business named The Wandering Cumbrian, where he can be hired for private events, pop-ups, and takeovers.

The self-taught chef was inspired by his mother, Barbara, who was also a chef at Carlisle Golf Club when he was young.

He lives in Whitefield with his wife, Catherine, and two children.

He described his cooking style as “modern British with influences from around the world” and says nostalgia plays a big part in the building of his dishes.

Aside from cooking, he is also passionate about singing and playing blues music in addition to fell walking.

Gareth has been part of series 18 of MasterChef: The Professionals and, after weeks of hard graft and nail-biting moments, has landed himself a spot in the final of the TV competition.

Over the course of the series, his cooking has consistently impressed the judges, and he has made dishes such as Catfish, Moroccan-inspired lamb, and ox heart skewers.

Gareth lives in Whitefield with his family (Image: BBC)

When he found out he had made it to finals week, bowled over by the news, Gareth said: “I can’t believe it.

“I’m doing things that I never thought I was capable of.

“I probably wasn’t capable of them a few weeks ago.

“Now I’m here, I think it’s anyone’s game, and it’s all to play for.”

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What is Gareth’s background?

According to his website, Gareth’s career began with hosting supper clubs in his East London flat before he spent time in New York cooking soul food.

When he came back to England, he went home to Cumbria and worked in the Lake District before heading to Newcastle, where he opened his own kitchen within a brewery.

But he wanted to go back to his roots of the supper clubs and so decided to take the plunge and become self-employed.

Tonight, the final episode of the series will air, and only one more challenge stands between Gareth and being crowned the winner of the show.

Three contestants remain, and he will have to beat Luke Emmess, who is a chef at The Wykeham Arms in Winchester, and Irish chef Mark O’Brien, who is based at Willy’s in Margate as head chef.

Viewers will be able to watch Gareth in the very final challenge of MasterChef: The Professionals at 8pm tonight on BBC One.

Arsenal’s Noni Madueke is ready to be the ‘difference maker’ as he faces three-way battle for his place on the plane to the World Cup

Noni Madueke insists he is in no mood to “sulk” and is ready for the biggest fight of his career. Madueke has been an important part of Arsenal ’s squad this season but suffered the heartbreak of losing the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

But Madueke has got used to proving people wrong and battling for his place which will be the case again for a place in England’s World Cup squad.

Gunners winger Madueke is probably up against club teammate Bukayo Saka and Jarrod Bowen with two from three making the plane to North America.

Madueke is set to get his audition against Uruguay on Friday night with Saka one of the eleven England regulars only due to report up for next Tuesday’s friendly with Japan.

READ MORE: BBC and ITV given green light to show World Cup games on YouTube in landmark dealREAD MORE: Wayne Rooney explains the key difference between Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate

It is a challenge that Madueke is ready to embrace as he targets a dream end to the season with a place in the squad and trophies with title-chasing Arsenal as they are still in the hunt for three even after losing to Manchester City on Sunday.

Madueke said: “Listen, my focus now is on England for sure. Of course it’s difficult, those type of games but you take it in your stride, you can’t sulk, you have to carry on.

“We’ve got important games for England coming up, which I’m fully focused on to try and do my best and when we get back to club it’ll be the final push to try and finish where we want to.

“In terms of my mindset, when you play at the highest level for England and for club, you need to have that mindset of trying to just do your best and compete and help your team win.

“In terms of World Cup places, I don’t really think too much about that. I just try to do my best whenever I’m on the pitch and everything will play out how it’s meant to.

“Of course as a player these things cross your mind. It would be naïve to think it wouldn’t. It’s an amazing stage and an amazing honour to play for your country at a World Cup so, yeah, it definitely has.”

Madueke, 24, has had highs and lows at Arsenal this season. He was brilliant in the autumn when Saka was out injured and that is when he really pushed himself to the fore with England. Saka (who everyone at Arsenal calls B) and Madueke also happen to be great pals.

Madueke’s game time has been much less in recent weeks but he is still a big part of the squad in terms of starts and also making an impact from the bench.

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But he definitely knows what he has to do to get a place on the plane because Tuchel has been very clear that he effectively wants two players for each slot.

Madueke said: “I think for any player it’s great to know what you need to do, to know who you’re competing against. The manager’s made it very clear to all of us. It’s fantastic.

“There’s great competition for places and that’s only going to make the overall level of the group higher. I feel like in that sense he’s been really, really, really good with us.

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“There’s always an edge in training. It’s one of the most competitive squads in the world with some of the best players in the world so regardless of who is here training is of a very high level.

“We have very high standards for ourselves and each other and that doesn’t change, regardless of the set up and who is here.

“First and foremost with me, Jarrod and Bukayo for England, or me and B for Arsenal, at the end of the day we want the team success first before ourselves. I feel like if you don’t want to have that it’s hard to really achieve something great.

“That’s at the forefront of your minds. And then of course it’s normal, you’re a competitor, you’re trying to play as much as possible. That’s just the competition, that’s just the nature of the game.”

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Madueke was signed by Arsenal to be a “difference maker” and specifically be the player to unlock a “low block” when facing opponents.

He also feels he has matured as a player and a person since his £50m move to Arsenal this season.

Madueke added: “I think it’s clear what my strengths are. Anytime I go onto the pitch, I try and use my strengths to the best of my ability to help the team.

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“I think I’m maturing as a player, I’m a little bit older now than when I first played for England and in terms of having an England shirt on, I’ve always really proud to play for my country and I’ve always felt really, really good to be in this environment as well.

“I think my performances for England have shown that so I hope I just kick on and continue to do my thing for the country.”

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England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL