AP News Digest 6 p.m.

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.

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WEEKEND COVERAGE

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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.

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NEW/DEVELOPING

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Adds: ELECTION-2024-ADS; RUSSIA-CHECHNYA-KADYROV-MUSK; CHINA-JAILED-ACTIVIST; FBN--BENGALS-BEARS; FBN--BILLS-STEELERS; CANADA-RAILROAD-LABOR DISPUTE; VENEZUELA-ELECTION-OPPOSITION

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ONLY ON AP

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ELECTION 2024-TRUMP-MUSK — Donald Trump’s campaign is largely leaving paid canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts to outside groups like America PAC, funded in part by Elon Musk. To run the group, Musk has turned to veterans of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ failed presidential bid. DeSantis’ old campaign manager, Generra Peck, has close ties to Musk, according to people familiar with the matter. By Thomas Beaumont. SENT: 1,330 words, photo.

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TOP STORIES

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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — An Israel airstrike in Gaza has killed at least 18 people, all from the same family, hours after mediators expressed optimism for an imminent cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas after 10 months of war. A joint statement by mediators the United States, Egypt and Qatar after two days of talks says a proposal to bridge gaps was presented and they expect to work out implementation details next week in Cairo. By Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy. SENT: 890 words, photos, videos, audio. With ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-POLIO — Aid groups in Gaza aim to avert a polio outbreak with a surge of vaccinations (sent).

ELECTION 2024-DNC-UNCOMMITTED — Of the thousands of delegates expected to gather Monday at the Democratic National Convention, just 36 will belong to the “uncommitted” movement sparked by dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. But that small core has outsized influence. Anger over U.S. backing for Israel’s offensive in Gaza could generate unwelcome images for convention organizers, with raucous protests expected outside and potentially inside the Chicago arena where Harris will accept the nomination Thursday. By Joey Cappelletti. SENT: 1,170 words, photos. With US-ELECTION-2024-DNC-CHICAGO — As political convention comes to Chicago, residents, leaders and activists vie for the spotlight (sent).

ELECTION-2024-TRUMP — Former President Donald Trump has again sought to deliver a campaign message focused on the economy, but the Republican repeatedly swerved into non-sequiturs and personal attacks, including twice declaring that he was better looking than Vice President Kamala Harris. By Adriana Gomez Licon and Michael Rubinkam. SENT: 930 words, photos.

ELECTION-2024-WALZ — Tim Walz has touted his Nebraska roots in his first trip back to his home state since becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and drew sharp contrasts between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. By Josh Funk. SENT: 960 words, photos. With ELECTION 2024-WALZ-CHINA — Walz’s China experience draws GOP attacks, but Beijing isn’t counting on better ties (sent).

TROPICAL-WEATHER — Hurricane Ernesto, which made landfall on the tiny British Atlantic territory of Bermuda, has brought heavy rains and strong winds before moving north-northeast away from the area. The storm forced residents to stay indoors and more than 26,000 people were without power, officials say. By Mariana Martinez Barba. SENT: 690 words, photo, videos. With TROPICAL-WEATHER-US — Hundreds of miles away, Hurricane Ernesto still affects US beaches with rip currents, house collapse (sent).

IMMIGRATION-SPOUSES — A new Biden administration program will allow some spouses of U.S. citizens living in the U.S. illegally to gain legal status without leaving the country. As many as 500,000 people in the country without permanent legal status who are married to U.S. citizens may qualify under the program launching Monday. By Gisela Salomon and Rebecca Santana. SENT: 1,190 words, photos. This story moved as the Sunday Spotlight.

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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

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LEBANON-ISRAEL — An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon has killed at least 10 Syrian nationals, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The strike on Wadi al-Kfour in Nabatieh province is among the deadliest in Lebanon since the Hezbollah militant group and Israeli military started trading strikes on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas attacked southern Israel and sparked the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. SENT: 670 words, photos.

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — Russia has kept up its assault on Ukraine even as Ukrainian forces pushed into Russia’s Kursk border region. A Russian missile sparked a blaze in the city of Sumy that injured two people and also damaged cars and nearby buildings, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service says. SENT: 650 words, photos, audio.

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MORE NEWS

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BIRD-FLU-FAIRS — States across the country have implemented strict restrictions around livestock after an outbreak of avian influenza, commonly referred to as “bird flu.” The outbreak has spread to millions of poultry and nearly 200 dairy herds across 13 U.S. states since March. More than a dozen farmworkers have been infected this year, with all experiencing relatively mild symptoms. SENT: 880 words, photos, video, audio.

GEORGE-SANTOS — Former U.S. Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts in his federal fraud case, according to a person familiar with the matter. SENT: 550 words, photo.

OBIT-MAURICE-WILLIAMS — Maurice Williams, a rhythm and blues singer and composer who with his backing group the Zodiacs became one of music’s great one-shot acts with the classic ballad “Stay,” has died. He was 86. SENT: 590 words.

AIR-BASE-SHOOTING-TEXAS — U.S. Air Force security guards have exchanged gunfire with someone who twice opened fire on an entrance to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, according to a spokesperson for the base. SENT: 320 words, photo, audio.

CANADA-RAILROAD-LABOR DISPUTE — Canada’s two largest railroads are starting to shut down their shipping networks as a labor dispute with the Teamsters union threatens to cause lockouts or strikes that would disrupt cross-border trade with the U.S. SENT: 570 words, photo.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTION-2024-HARRIS-TEAMSTERS — Members of the Teamsters will host Vice President Kamala Harris for a roundtable discussion in the near future, but union President Sean O’Brien has yet to get an invitation to speak at next week’s Democratic National Convention. SENT: 450 words, photo.

ELECTION-2024-ADS — Vice President Kamala Harris′ campaign says it is reserving $370 million in advertising to run between Labor Day and Election Day. SENT: 200 words, photo.

ELECTION-2024-BIDEN-DEMOCRATS — President Joe Biden will give the keynote address Monday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, making a symbolic handoff of his party to Vice President Kamala Harris and pressing the case for what he says is the threat to the country if Donald Trump returns to the White House. SENT: 440 words, photos.

CHINA-JAILED-ACTIVIST — Ding Jiaxi knew he would spend his 57th birthday alone in a Chinese prison cell, without a phone call from family or a chance to stretch in the sunlight. It was the activist’s fifth year in those conditions. His wife, Sophie Luo, shared details about her husband’s plight before his birthday Saturday, casting light on the harsh treatment endured by the country’s jailed political prisoners. SENT: 520 words, photo.

See more on Election 2024 here.

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NATIONAL

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TULSA-MASSACRE-MASS-GRAVES — The latest search for the remains of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre victims has ended with three more sets containing gunshot wounds, investigators say. SENT; 530 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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VENEZUELA-ELECTION-OPPOSITION — Venezuelans across the world — some with flags and other patriotic paraphernalia — have responded to a call from their country’s political oppositionand took to the streets to defend the faction’s claim to victory over President Nicolás Maduro in last month’s disputed presidential election. SENT: 790 words, photos.

INDIA-RAPE-OUTRAGE-EXPLAINER — India’s medical workers begin a countrywide strike to protest the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in the eastern West Bengal state. The strike was called by the country’s largest group of doctors, the Indian Medical Association, saying all non-essential services at hospitals would be shut down across the country for 24 hours. SENT: 520 words, photos, video, audio.

SUDAN — Fighters from Sudan’s paramilitary group have rampaged through a central village, looting and burning and killing at least 85 people, including women and children, authorities and residents say, the latest atrocity in the country’s 18-month devastating conflict. SENT: 580 words, photo.

BRAZIL-OBIT-SILVIO-SANTOS — Silvio Santos, a Brazilian television executive and presenter known for his beaming smile and catchphrase “Who wants money?” has died after a decades-long career in the spotlight. He was 93. SENT: 820 words, photos.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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CONGO-MPOX — A humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo is contributing to mpox outbreaks there and elsewhere in Africa that have been deemed a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. Congo has recorded more than 96% of the world’s mpox cases this year, and the new variant that was discovered in the country’s east this year has been detected in four other African countries where mpox was never reported before. SENT: 1,180 words, photos, video, audio.

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SPORTS

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FBN--BENGALS-BEARS — Caleb Williams made another good impression in his first appearance at Soldier Field since Chicago drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick, running for a touchdown and leading two scoring drives, and the Bears beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3. SENT: 440 words, photos.

FBN--BILLS-STEELERS — Russell Wilson is expected to make his preseason debut when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Buffalo Bills. Wilson had been slowed by a calf injury during training camp. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts at 7 p.m.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1600. For photos, ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado talks to supporters during a rally to protest official results that declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July presidential election, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Einav Zangauker, center, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, who was kidnapped by Hamas, protests for his immediate release along with other families of hostages held in the Gaza Strip and their supporters and against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Liverpool's Diogo Jota scores his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Dancers of the Ballet Folklórico of Mexico perform during a gala event at the Bellas Artes Fine Arts Center in Mexico City, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Guitarist Aaron Dalbec, of hardcore punk band Bane, performs in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A damaged monument to Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin stands in a central square in Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. This image was approved by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry before publication. (AP Photo)

Allahabad Medical Association (AMA) and Resident doctors of SRN Hospital light candles as they protest against the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a government hospital last week, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A Palestinian carries his belongings as he evacuates Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, as part of a mass evacuation ordered by the Israeli military ahead of an operation, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

FILE - Madonna performs in the final show of her The Celebration Tour, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 4, 2024. Madonna will celebrate her 66th birthday with a private evening tour of the famed Italian archaeological site at Pompeii, officials said. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File)

CORRECTS TO CHANGE THE TERM MURDER TO KILLING - Women hold candles as they stage a protest against the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a government hospital last week, in Guwahati, India, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

FILE - Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip, walk past sewage flowing into the streets of the southern town of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, July 4, 2024. Health authorities and aid agencies are racing to avert an outbreak of polio in the Gaza Strip after the virus was detected in the territory's wastewater and three cases with a suspected polio symptom have been reported. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)

Men inspect an industrial area destroyed by an Israeli airstrike, in Wadi al-Kfour, Nabatieh province, south Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Olympic gold medalist in the the women's 66 kg boxing Algeria's Imane Khelif, center, smiles as she arrives home after returning from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in Tiaret, Algeria, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, and Defense Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto, second left, salute during the ceremony marking Indonesia's 79th anniversary of independence at the new presidential palace in its future capital of Nusantara, a city still under construction on the island of Borneo, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

A large bronze statue of the late civil rights leader and politician Congressman John Lewis is installed where a monument to the Confederacy was brought down in 2020, in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in Decatur, Ga. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)

FILE - Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein waits to speak at a board of elections meeting at City Hall, in Philadelphia, Oct. 2, 2019. Wisconsin elections officials dismissed a Democratic National Committee employee's demands Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, to keep the Green Party's presidential candidate off the ballot in the key swing state. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Convention in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

FILE - Michigan Assistant Attorney General Shawn Ryan speaks in court, as pharmacist Glenn Chin, is seated, far left, in Howell, Mich., Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed White, File)

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 4:40 p.m EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Ernesto in the Atlantic Ocean south-southwest of Bermuda, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (NOAA via AP)

FILE - Actor Matthew Perry participates in the BUILD Speaker Series to discuss the mini-series "The Kennedys After Camelot" in New York on March 30, 2017. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Christophe Chavilinga, 90, suffering from mpox, waits for treatment at a clinic in Munigi, eastern Congo, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

Local residents hide in a basement in Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. This image was approved by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry before publication. (AP Photo)

People look on crater after Russian airstrike on residential neighbourhood in Sumy, Ukraine, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris greets supporters at a campaign event at Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence on the Scott Northern Wake Campus of Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

In this image provided by U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, Elon Musk, left, speaks his fireside chat with Brig. Gen Shane Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy, as part of the academic year's intellectual theme, "The Human and the Machine: Leadership on the Emerging Battlefield," in West Point, N.Y. (U.S. Military Academy at West Point via AP)

A fly lands on the face of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump as he speaks at a news conference at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Mourners carry the body of Palestinian Rasheed Mahmoud Sadah, 23, who was killed during a rampage by Israeli settlers, during his funeral in the West Bank village of Jit, near Nablus, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Music superstar Taylor Swift has officially launched her Kamala Harris era.

Shortly after the Democratic nominee and former President Donald Trump finished their first, and likely only, presidential debate Tuesday evening, Swift, who is nearing the end of her “Eras Tour,” released a lengthy Instagram post announcing her support for Harris — as well as a link to a voter registration website.

She included a photo of herself holding her cat Benjamin Button, and she signed the message “Childless Cat Lady" — a reference to 2021 comments made by JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, about how women without children don't really have a stake in the country’s future.

The endorsement isn't the first time Swift has waded into politics, but it ends months of speculation over whether she would pick a side in this year's presidential tilt. Here's what to know:

In her Instagram post, Swift said she would be voting for Harris because Harris “fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”

“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” she wrote.

Swift also said her endorsement of Harris was partially prompted by Trump’s decision to post artificial intelligence-generated pictures suggesting she had endorsed him. One showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, and the text said “Taylor wants YOU to VOTE for DONALD TRUMP.”

Trump’s posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote.

In response, Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday that Swift is “a very liberal person” who “seems to always endorse a Democrat and she’ll probably pay a price in the marketplace.”

Swift did not coordinate her endorsement with the Harris campaign, according to two senior campaign officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the campaign’s thinking about Swift. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, appeared surprised by the news when presented with it during an interview with MSNBC.

However, although Harris' team says Swift's post wasn't coordinated, they were prepared for the eventuality and within minutes reposted Swift’s Instagram message across the campaign's channels and released a Swift-themed Harris-Walz friendship bracelet on its store that quickly sold out.

Swift supported Democrat Joe Biden, even posting a photo on social media of her holding “Biden 2020" cookies and saying she cheered for Harris in her debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Swift also was openly critical of Trump, saying he had stoked “the fires of white supremacy and racism.”

Swift first broke her longstanding refusal to discuss politics in 2018 by throwing her support behind Tennessee's Democratic Senate candidate at the time, Phil Bredesen, who was running against Republican Marsha Blackburn.

It was her criticism of Blackburn that stood out in her endorsement, where Swift – who is registered to vote in Tennessee -- slammed the Republican’s opposition to certain LGBTQ+ rights and her vote against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.

“In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” Swift wrote on Instagram at the time.

Blackburn eventually won the election in conservative Tennessee, but the endorsement nevertheless solidified Swift as an influential political force.

The 2020 Netflix documentary, “Miss Americana,” captured several dramatic turning points for Swift. But one of the most revealing involved behind-the-scenes conversations she was having with her family before speaking out against Blackburn in the 2018 Senate race.

Her father warned against it, citing a potential economic impact and security concerns. And her publicist said Trump might come after her.

“I’m saying right now that this is something I know is right,” she told her team. “I need to be on the right side of history.”

In the film, Swift said her desire to wade into politics was sparked after she successfully countersued a Denver radio DJ who she said groped her during a meet-and-greet before a concert.

“It’s not that I want to step into this,” Swift said in the film. “It’s just that I can’t not at this point. Something is different in my life, completely and unchangeably different since the sexual assault trial last year. No man in my organization or in my family will ever understand what that was like.”

Swift's endorsements don't always translate into wins. In 2018, Blackburn won by a comfortable margin. At the time, AP VoteCast found that among Tennessee voters that year, 55% of Democrats and just 19% of Republicans said they had a favorable opinion of Swift.

Notably, Swift is originally from Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground that will be critical for either presidential candidate to their chances of winning the presidency. Yet it is unclear how much sway she might hold among its voters.

While she is popular nationwide, her popularity is especially strong among Democrats. An October 2023 Fox News poll found that 55% of voters overall, including 68% of Democrats, said they had a favorable view of Swift. Republicans were divided, with 43% having a favorable opinion and 45% an unfavorable one.

Swift could make history at the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, where she could become the most-awarded musician. The event is known for encouraging young people to register to vote, and should Swift attend, she could reiterate her support for Harris.

Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

FILE - Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour," Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at the Monumental stadium during her Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at the Monumental stadium during her Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at the Monumental stadium during her Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift arrives at the 65th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 5, 2023. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at Wembley Stadium as part of her Eras Tour on Friday, June 21, 2024 in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift arrives at the world premiere of the concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs during the opener of her Eras tour Friday, March 17, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at Wembley Stadium as part of her Eras Tour June 21, 2024 in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Taylor Swift attends an in conversation with Taylor Swift event at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2022. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)