CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Hamas are making progress toward another cease-fire and hostage-release deal, officials said Tuesday, as negotiations went on and Israel threatened to expand its offensive to Gaza’s southern edge, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge. The talks continued in Egypt a day after Israeli forces rescued two captives in Rafah, the packed southern town …

ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually that allows the network to keep exclusive rights to the 12-team playoff through the 2031 season, two people with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because a deal cannot be finalized …

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Two boats have collided on the Congo River in western Congo, local officials said, giving conflicting accounts on deaths. Alexis Mampa, chief of the Maluku municipality, said no one died in the collision Monday east of Congo’s capital of Kinshasa. Another local official, Eliezer Ntambwe, at first said dozens were dead but later said the toll …