Search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials.

More than 1,600 people from the local county were deployed for rescue efforts. Supplies including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, as well as flashlights and winter clothing arrived in the region.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time, with its epicenter 191 kilometers (119 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet. It put the earthquake’s depth at 18 kilometers (11 miles).

The U.S. agency recorded at least seven aftershocks with magnitude between 4.3 and 5.2, all of them with a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) , according to its website

China’s official news agency Xinhua said on Friday that communication in some areas hit by the quake was down. Local railway authorities have taken emergency actions to halt trains passing through the region.

The earthquake also caused rockfalls that have forced local authorities to close a section of National Highway 317, allowing only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles through as crews worked to clear debris, according to Xinhua.

Intermittent snows are expected in the earthquake region over the next three days, Xinhua said.

It was the biggest earthquake in the region in the last five years, China's national broadcaster CCTV said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts in rescue operations and medical relief work.

Nagqu is more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Tibet’s capital, Lhasa.

The operation to dismantle a drug lab in the state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico in April drew attention after two CIA agents and two state officials died in a car accident on their way back.

That raised questions about the Trump administration’s actions on Mexican soil, and outraged President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has made a strong defense of national sovereignty a centerpiece of her administration. The state district attorney, César Jáuregui, resigned, saying he wanted to clear the way for an inquiry into the operation.

He was arrested Oct. 17 on state charges of illegal exercise of public office, which a judge ruled Thursday can go to trial. Federal officials later added the treason charge, and a federal judge will decide Saturday whether to allow the indictment.

Mexico has long worked with the U.S. in its fight against organized crime, but that's caused fears at times that American agencies do not respect the country's sovereignty. Sheinbaum and her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador have made legal changes that aimed to stop foreign agencies from operating in Mexico without the federal government's consent.

Jáuregui is being held in pretrial detention at a maximum-security prison.

Héctor Villasana, one of Jáuregui's defense attorneys, said federal prosecutors told the court in a closed hearing this week that they were seeking an exemplary punishment to prevent a situation like the United States' removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The U.S. State Department told The Associated Press that it is aware and watching Jáuregui's case but didn't make a link between the case and the CIA deaths.

Here's how a traffic accident in the mountains of Chihuahua led to a charge of treason — a crime Mexico has not successfully brought to trial in decades despite one recent attempt.

An accident in the Chihuahua mountains

On April 19, the Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office reported the dismantling of a drug lab in the municipality of Morelos, in the mountains of that state. On the way back, a vehicle in the convoy veered off the road and fell into a ravine. Two state agents and two Americans were killed.

The Federal Security Cabinet reported the dismantling of laboratories there during a joint operation by the state prosecutor’s office and the army but did not provide details.

The operation ended without arrests because the criminals fled.

Treason is a hard-to-prove crime with political undertones

According to the federal prosecutor’s office, Jáuregui endangered national security by authorizing the participation of U.S. agents in the field operation, a decision that only the federal government can make. Experts say it is a political decision ahead of the 2027 Mexican midterm elections.

The charge carries from 5 to 40 years in prison, but it is very difficult to prove.

Samuel González, a former chief prosecutor for organized crime and an analyst, said that Jáuregui may have failed to fulfill his obligations by not informing the federal government or by allowing the foreign agents to carry weapons in violation of the law. But “even if that were the case, it would not constitute treason,” a wartime crime.

Luis Villegas, the former prosecutor’s defense coordinator, said it was unacceptable for the federal prosecution to compare the presence of the agents to a foreign “invasion.”

Carlos Pérez Ricart, a professor at the Mexican university CIDE and author of the book “A Hundred Years of Spies and Drugs,” said that even if the case is ultimately dismissed, its public impact will be huge.

Trump has repeatedly said Mexico isn’t doing enough against the cartels. Sheinbaum's opponents, including Chihuahua's governing National Action Party, have claimed that she's running a “narco-government.”

Pérez Ricart said the case could set back the country's fight against drugs and organized crime because it “sends a very bad signal to Washington,” while the discussion should center on "more or better” collaboration with the U.S.

Official contradictions about the agents' role

Villegas said that the two Americans who died were officials providing training related to intelligence and drones. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson just stated that they were “embassy personnel.” The AP later confirmed that they were CIA agents.

According to Jáuregui’s defense team, the federal prosecutor’s office said the agents were close to the person who led the operation, the Chihuahua investigations chief, who was one of two deceased Mexicans.

The day of the operation there were two other U.S. agents in the convoy traveling in another vehicle, who were later expelled from the country. The president said none of them had permission to operate in Mexico and that the military was unaware of the foreigners’ presence.

The next day, Sheinbaum said she was unaware of the operation. Jáuregui clarified that the Americans had joined the group after it.

Historical presence of US agencies in Mexico

The presence of U.S. agencies in Mexico has been a constant for decades, although former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018–2024) limited their activities, and Sheinbaum amended the Constitution to prohibit field operations without the express authorization and cooperation of the Mexican government. The law does not allow members of U.S. agencies to be armed.

Ricart, the professor, said that, beyond official relations, there have always been anti-drug agents involved in operations of this kind, “often without the federal government’s knowledge.”

“These actions happen, have happened, and will continue to happen” because they are based on U.S. trust with state or local officials and facilitate ongoing collaboration," he said.

“However, since there are no clear rules, they can lead to abuses.”

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Discussion

At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Josephine was located near latitude 40.0 North, longitude 65.8 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 17 mph (28 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue with a faster forward speed tonight. A gradual turn toward the east is forecast on Friday and into the weekend. On the forecast track, Josephine should move away from the United States and remain south of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland during the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast through tonight, and Josephine is expected to become a powerful extratropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds tonight or early Friday.

Winds of 40 mph (60 km/h) extend outward up to 415 miles (665 km) from the center. NOAA buoy 44001 located north of the center recently reported sustained winds of 49 mph (79 km/h) and a wind gust of 58 mph (94 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 988 mb (29.18 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

WIND: Gale-force winds are possible in gusts along portions of the northeastern United States coast through this evening. See products issued by your local National Weather Service office for more details.

COASTAL FLOODING: Minor to locally moderate coastal flooding is ongoing along portions of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic coast and will continue through the rest of the week around times of high tide. Please refer to products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office for more information.

SURF: Large swells generated by Josephine are affecting much of the eastern seaboard of the United States and portions of Atlantic Canada. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?ripCurrents

Kohen Wiley was killed in June when Senatobia police officer Sgt. Hunter Foster fired his gun into a moving vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call. Kohen’s family says footage of the fatal encounter shows the shooting was not justified.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s office said this week its monthslong probe found that Foster’s use of force was appropriate. Foster’s attorney, Martin Zummach, has said his client had “no choice” but to shoot at the vehicle because it was going to hit him.

Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Kohen’s family, said Foster was not in danger when he fired the shot that killed the 1-year-old. Crump said the video shows Foster fired that shot from the passenger side of the car.

Kohen's close relatives watched the footage shot during the June 14 encounter in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee. The video included footage from the camera worn by the officer who shot and killed Kohen.

Kohen would have celebrated his second birthday in early November, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Kohen’s family, said during a news conference Thursday.

“The word ‘justified’ has haunted me,” Kohen's maternal grandmother, Veronica Roberson, said during the news conference. “There’s no justification for that.”

Roberson said she found out from reading the news that the state had cleared the officer, and she also saw parts of the video that had been leaked online Wednesday. She called the lack of notice from the attorney general's office and the leak of the footage a “slap in the face” to her family.

Video shows multiple angles of the fatal encounter

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety on Thursday released footage showing the shooting from the body-worn cameras of multiple law enforcement officers, including Foster. Darkhorse Press, a Mississippi crime and community news outlet with a focus on law enforcement, posted some of that footage on its website a day earlier. The organization’s founder, Therese Apel, is formerly the department's communications director.

The group of officers were at the Walmart store in response to an unrelated incident, according to a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation report. A Walmart employee then alerted them of two women running from the store.

The videos show Kohen's mother Vellesiya Wiley, holding Kohen as she and her friend run across the parking lot and enter their vehicle. Five officers approach the parked car with guns drawn. The car reverses away and crashes into a parked vehicle nearby as officers yell for it to stop.

The vehicle then accelerates forward as Foster steps toward it, directly in front, with his gun drawn. The wheels turn away from him, and he appears to put his hands on the hood as he jumps out of the way. He fires his gun, shattering the window of the front passenger side, where Kohen was seated on his mother's lap. The car continues to drive away before the video cuts out.

Attorney for Kohen Wiley’s family says officers’ actions were reckless

Crump said the officers’ response — running at the vehicle with guns drawn to apprehend alleged shoplifters — was excessive and reckless.

Vellesiya Wiley previously denied that she and her friend stole diapers from the store and they have not been charged, according to state and county court records.

“Diapers are something a mother needs for a child. Diapers should never cost a baby their life,” Crump said. “This decision sends a message that a Black baby boy, his life, is not as valuable as the white diapers that he is wrapped in.”

Zummach, who represents Foster, has said the footage vindicates his client because it shows he was in danger from the moving vehicle.

“She came right at Hunter Foster and the other officer and he had to shoot his weapon,” Zummach said.

Vellesiya Wiley has disputed that her friend, who was driving, headed toward the officers.

Crump said the footage shows the fatal shot came from the side of the car, disputing that Foster was in imminent danger. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family concluded the same. An image of the vehicle shows its shattered right front passenger window. The family’s legal team called for the federal government to investigate the shooting.

Zummach said it was “strictly muscle memory” that prompted Foster to fire additional shots.

"The one that went through the side glass that everybody’s going crazy about? That’s because she was moving so fast,” Zummach said.

“Your brain can’t talk to your finger that fast to stop,” he added.

Experts provide conflicting analysis

John P. Gross, an expert on police use of force against moving vehicles, had a similar explanation for the third shot after reviewing the footage, saying it takes a second or two for someone to recognize they should stop shooting. But, he said, Foster shouldn’t have drawn his firearm and positioned himself in from of the car in the first place.

“He should never have placed himself in a position where he could have been struck,” Gross said, adding that an accusation of shoplifting did not justify “use of deadly force on a fleeing suspect.”

Gross said that as the car accelerated, he moved out of the way, “So, he can’t claim he was in danger of being struck by the car when he fired. It was already moving past him.”

But Charles “Joe” Key, a former Baltimore police lieutenant who frequently serves as an expert witness in police use-of-force cases, said the driver of the car appeared to use the vehicle to commit assault with a deadly weapon. Vellesiya Wiley’s friend, who was driving the vehicle, has not been charged.

“The officer that fired the shots narrowly escaped being run over and appeared to touch the car as he was moving,” Key said. “The shooting was objectively reasonable.”

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Associated Press reporter Hallie Golden contributed from Seattle.

The AFC has 47 member confederations. Even if all the members do not follow the direction of Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president, those votes could be a key to guaranteeing another mandate for Infantino, who leads the governing body of world soccer and is seeking a fourth term.

The FIFA election is in March and the deadline for candidates to file against Infantino is Nov. 18. So far none has filed.

Sheikh Salman, speaking at the body's extraordinary congress meeting in Tokyo on Friday, embraced Infantino with a large hug in front of the membership as he delivered his endorsement.

“We affirm our full commitment to supporting you and your leadership as you seek a new mandate as the FIFA president.” Sheikh Salman said. “You’ve visited a lot of countries in Asia. I’ve spoken to a lot of members within this continent. I know your feeling and I think your commitment is clear as well.”

Addressing his remarks to Infantino, Sheikh Salman indicated not every AFC member would go along with the endorsement, but most will.

“My feeling is, I’m sure, the feeling of most of my members,” Sheikh Salman said. “And I’ve said that to you.”

An abrupt about-face

This is an abrupt turnaround for Sheikh Salman. Just over two months ago, the AFC joined the soccer governing bodies of Europe, and North and Central America in saying that Infantino had committed a “fundamental breach of trust.”

Infantino apologized last week in Zurich to FIFA's 37-member ruling council — which he chairs — for “mistakes” he made in assembling a now-scrapped $4.2 billion plan for the World Cup.

Sheikh Salman referenced the differences with Infantino in his speech, but glossed over any details.

“Gianni I want to make it clear, Yes, we had some issues we spoke about in the past," Sheikh Salman said. "But let’s not relate the two things together. I think the last few days we met in Zurich you made it clear that there’s a true understanding between us.”

“The past I’m sure is part of our history,” he added, "We've all, I’m sure, learned important lessons from it. What matters now is how we move forward together. I think everyone has questions and I’m sure the answers we be available, whether to us in Asia, or the rest of the world. ”

Infantino's electioneering around the globe

FIFA's media office has been promoting Infantino's travels around the globe, seeking votes in exchange for more millions of dollars in financial support for small and large soccer countries.

“Thank you for being here,” Sheikh Salman said to Infantino. “I know you have been everywhere. I don’t know how you can do it. But I’m sure that you set a record for being in almost every country.”

Sheikh Salman then joked that, perhaps, Infantino had a “clone."

That drew a laugh. But the largest applause came at the end of his brief address when he again repeated his support for Infantino.

"As one Asian family we are ready to move forward, united in your support, Gianni,” Sheikh Salman added. “I want to make that clear today.”

Infantino accepts the support

Infantino took the podium following Sheikh Salman and kept it light. But he did acknowledge some errors.

“When you do many things, you do — hopefully, as we did, many good things — you do some mistakes as well," Infantino said. "The important, however, is, as you said, to learn, to learn always from the experience, from the mistakes, to apologize, to move ahead, to come together, to unite, to build for our future, for your future.”

The largest applause came as he mentioned how, under his leadership, more millions are flowing to FIFA's patronage network.

“Before I started as FIFA president — each of you, some of you are still (here) and still remember — that time," Infantino said. "Each of you was receiving $1 million US dollars every four years. As of the first of January of next year, it will be $25 million US dollars.”

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Williams passed for 308 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bears cooled off Drake Maye and the New England Patriots with a 30-24 victory Thursday night.

It was the second meeting between the young quarterbacks since they were part of the 2024 NFL draft. Maye, who was selected by New England at No. 3, directed the Patriots to a 19-3 victory over Williams and the Bears when the longtime friends were rookies.

But Williams, the No. 1 overall pick, leaned on Luther Burden and Colston Loveland while outlasting Maye and the Patriots in the rematch. Williams connected on 22 of 33 passes in his second game back after being sidelined by a right hamstring injury.

“These nights are awesome,” Williams said. “You play against another good team on a primetime game in a short week, these games are awesome because you get to see who you are as a team. That’s who we are. We’re a smashmouth football team, an innovative team. And when things happen and things don’t go our way and the water is rocky, we stay steady.”

Maye was 24 for 31 for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 7-yard run for New England's first TD with 11:33 left in the first half.

But Maye also was intercepted by Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson in the end zone on a pass intended for rookie tight end Eli Raridon late in the second quarter.

“It’s those plays, I talk about it all the time,” Maye said. “You know those plays that can swing the game, can impact the game and that was definitely one of them right there. Yeah, I wish I definitely had that one back.”

New England (4-3) had won three consecutive games behind Maye, who threw 10 TD passes and one interception during the win streak.

Burden had four catches for 130 yards for Chicago (5-2), and Loveland had a 12-yard touchdown reception. Cairo Santos kicked a 58-yard field goal with 1:34 left, a career long and matching the franchise record, after he missed a 53-yard attempt earlier in the final quarter.

Williams became the first Bears quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards in consecutive games since Mitch Trubisky had a three-game run in 2018.

“I think he did a pretty good job throughout the night,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “I know he had a number of explosive plays. He found some of those guys at the second level that were huge for us.”

After Santos’ long field goal, Maye drove New England into range for Andy Borregales’ 47-yarder with 37 seconds to go. But Chicago recovered the ensuing onside kick.

Rhamondre Stevenson had five catches for 93 yards and a touchdown for the Patriots. Raridon had a 30-yard TD catch in the third quarter.

It was Chicago’s first home game since Mike Ditka died on Oct. 9. The Bears saluted the Hall of Fame tight end and longtime coach with a pregame moment of silence, and they also handed out fake mustaches to the crowd of 60,520 at Soldier Field.

Ditka’s No. 89 jersey dotted the stands, and fans also donned Bears sweaters in a callback to what he wore on the sideline as a coach.

Chicago opened a 20-7 lead on Burden’s 24-yard touchdown with 14 seconds left in the first half. Burden got the ball on a screen on third-and-17, and Loveland, Kalif Raymond and Darnell Wright helped clear the way for his second TD reception of the season.

Set to receive the second-half kickoff, the Bears were in position to pull away. But the Patriots responded with Stevenson’s 48-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the period.

Stevenson slipped out of the backfield and Maye lobbed the ball over the head of Bears safety Cam Lewis. Stevenson ran away from Lewis and got a downfield block from DeMario Douglas before cutting past Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson on his way to the end zone.

“I feel like it brought us some momentum, but obviously not enough,” Stevenson said. “We didn’t come out with the win.”

Injuries

Patriots: CB Christian Gonzalez played after being listed as questionable because of an illness. ... S Kevin Byard departed after he was checked out by trainers with 9:44 left in first half. He later returned. ... DT Christian Barmore departed late in the game.

Bears: CB Malik Muhammad left in the third quarter with a toe injury. ... TE Cole Kmet hurt his right knee on a reception with 5:34 left.

Up next

Patriots: At Miami on Nov. 1.

Bears: At Seattle for a Monday night game on Nov. 2.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened around 6:41 a.m. Tuesday in the 12400 block of Old Foltin Road in Northwest Harris County. Luis Eduardo Villanueva Loredo, 52, is currently being held at the Montgomery ICE Processing Center. His family tells KPRC 2 News they spoke with him by phone after the crash.

Through a translator, Villanueva Loredo’s sister-in-law Patricia Hernandez described what he told her happened.

“Earlier this morning, he left to go to work. He was getting out of the house. There were two or three cars following him with no lights, nothing at all,” the translator relayed.

• RELATED: Man hospitalized after crash involving ICE agents during pursuit in northwest Harris County

The family says Villanueva Loredo became suspicious and believed he was about to be robbed.

According to the family, an ICE vehicle then struck him from behind.

“One of the ICE agents in the car hit him from behind in the corner of the truck. That’s when he lost the wheel. That’s when he came into that ditch right there,” the translator said.

DHS tells a different story.

According to an ICE spokesperson, agents activated their emergency lights and sirens before attempting to stop Villanueva Loredo. The agency says he drove into a ditch while trying to evade law enforcement. Federal officers stopped, believing the vehicle was stuck. Moments later, according to DHS, Villanueva Loredo’s truck pulled out of the ditch and struck the front driver’s side of the ICE vehicle. He then exited the truck and fled on foot before being taken into custody after a short foot chase.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the pickup went into a ditch during the pursuit. When the vehicle came back out, the two vehicles made contact, breaking a taillight on the truck.

While still at the scene, Villanueva Loredo complained of chest pains. EMS responded, found nothing immediately wrong and transported him to a local hospital as a precaution. He is expected to be okay.

DHS says Villanueva Loredo is a Mexican national who entered the United States illegally and was previously granted a voluntary return to Mexico on March 26, 2007. His family disputes DHS’s claim that he had prior deportation orders.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash in consultation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

“I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was performed Tuesday at New York's Madison Square Garden. James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.

Trump and James have been critical of each other for years, occasionally trading public swipes.

“It must be a slow news day at the office,” James said. “Slow news day at the office.”

The 41-year-old James, in his record 24th NBA season, had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the biggest comeback win of his career, 114-106 over the Cavaliers in Philadelphia's home opener on Thursday night. The Sixers rallied from a 29-point deficit.

James put his arms behind his back and bowed his head while Boyz II Men sang the anthem ahead of the game. James was introduced to a roaring ovation from the crowd of roughly 20,000.

Coach Nick Nurse had talked at length since training camp opened about the Sixers' need to tune out outside distractions. Hours before their home opener, the Sixers had to deal with one from the president.

“I think that goes right in with other outside noise we've already had,” Nurse said before the game. “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor. The focus that they've had and the intent and all the stuff like that has been outstanding.”

Trump, speaking Thursday night at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa, reiterated his complaint.

“And what about LeBron James? Did you see that deal?” Trump said. 'No, he’s doing, during the national anthem he’s practicing his golf swing. I said what the hell is that. It’s a big scandal kind of a story. I don’t understand it.”

Here are some of the more notable times James became entangled with the president or politics:

LeBron wears 1 black shoe, 1 white shoe

James was with Cleveland in 2017 when he made a statement with his shoes — one black, one white, with the word “equality” in capital gold letters on the back of each.

Then, after the game, James made a statement about Trump, saying: “This is a beautiful country and we’re never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.”

James had called Trump “ a bum ” on Twitter and also said earlier that season of the president: “He doesn’t understand how many kids, no matter the race, look up to the president of the United States for guidance, for leadership, for words of encouragement. He doesn’t understand that, and that’s what makes me more sick than anything.”

Shut up and dribble

James showed determination to speak out on social issues and the nation’s political climate after Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized the four-time NBA champion for his 2018 comments about social issues.

“We will definitely not shut up and dribble,” James said. “I will definitely not do that. I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don’t have a way out and they need someone to help lead them out of the situation they’re in.”

James referenced Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Jackie Robinson as athletes who previously spoke up for equality and change with no concerns about the consequences or any rewards.

“We know it’s bigger than us,” James said.

Response to Morey's tweet about Hong Kong

James said in 2019 that former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation” regarding the potential consequences of his actions when he tweeted in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.

“Yes, we do have freedom of speech,” James said. “But at times, there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you’re not thinking about others, when you only think about yourself. I don’t want to get into a word or sentence feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn’t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke.”

Morey deleted the tweet, but it nonetheless sparked a rift with the Chinese government, which severed ties with the NBA for several years.

Getting people to the polls

James was named The Associated Press’ Male Athlete of the Year in 2020 in large part for leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship and helping to persuade many people who had never voted — at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement — to head to the polls.

“I still know what I do on the floor and obviously, I give everything to the game,” James said. “But I can make a greater impact off the floor right now, more than I can on the floor. And I want to continue to inspire people with the way I play the game of basketball. But there’s so many more things that I can do off the floor to help cultivate people, inspire people, bring people together, empower them.”

James rejects Ibrahimovic's criticism of activist athletes

AC Milan striker and former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic blasted socially conscious athletes in a 2021 interview. Ibrahimovic called it “a mistake” for James and other athletes to get involved in political causes, saying they should “just do what you do best, because it doesn’t look good.”

James, naturally, rejected the criticism.

“I would never shut up about things that are wrong,” James said.

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Associated Press writers Collin Binkley in Washington and Darlene Superville in Sioux City, Iowa, contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

The justices granted a Republican-backed emergency appeal and blocked the use of student IDs as a backup method of identification. The Supreme Court cited a longstanding legal principle that judges shouldn’t change voting rules too close to Election Day.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only justice to publicly dissent.

New Hampshire passed a law this year that said student IDs would no longer be an expressly accepted form of identification for obtaining a ballot. The secretary of state then issued guidance barring them as a backup way to prove a voter's identity.

A judge left the law in place but blocked the guidance in early October, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court. The Republican National Committee weighed in to support the state.

The decision comes less than two weeks before New Hampshire voters cast ballots in a closely contested U.S. Senate race.

New Hampshire state Rep. Donald McFarlane said he sponsored the bill to eliminate student IDs for voting because colleges don’t have the same controls when issuing those cards as government agencies.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for common sense,” he said in an email. “It allows HB 323 to work as intended: strengthening voter identity verification, applying a consistent standard, and maintaining public confidence in New Hampshire elections.”

The administration wants to move Forest Service headquarters from Washington to Salt Lake City, shutter 23 research stations, and close many regional offices and replace them with state offices. It's part of a broader realignment at the Agriculture Department that also would change programs for food and nutrition, rural development and other services.

For now the plan is stalled under court order. But that's already under appeal, and Rollins made clear Thursday that the administration hasn't given up.

“We are full-bore ahead in the reorganization,” Rollins said during a conference call with reporters following an announcement on fertilizer production. “We believe in it more today than we ever have — taking the USDA to our constituents, which is rural America, the Forest Service out West.”

Administration officials say the reorganization will trim costs and further concentrate resources in Western states that are home to nearly 90% of national forest lands.

Federal employee unions, environmental groups and local officials, including in California, Maryland and Washington state, are trying to quash the plan. They say the shuffling of employees is a ploy to achieve the administration's goal of deep cuts in the workforce.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in California sided with those arguments in an Oct. 13 order halting the reorganization while a lawsuit from opponents works its way through the courts.

“If implemented, the planned reorganization activities will likely put thousands of USDA employees to the choice of relocating far from their current home — often to a different state — or losing their job,” Chhabria wrote. He said the administration “almost certainly” violated congressional restrictions on using money on the reorganization that was intended for other purposes.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been eliminating layers of management as part of President Donald Trump’s push to slim the federal workforce and make it more efficient.

Trump also wants to take away one of the Forest Service's most prominent roles — fighting wildfires — and transfer responsibility to the new federal Wildland Fire Service. Congress so far has blocked that move.

With wildfires getting worse in recent decades due to climate change, battling them has consumed a greater share of the Forest Service budget. That's forced officials to look for cost savings elsewhere.

It's not clear how much the reorganization will actually save, said Chris Iverson, who spent almost three decades at the Forest Service before retiring from a leadership position during Trump's first term. Yet Iverson said the changes could result in the loss of personnel with extensive experience, including battling wildfires.

He added that the elimination of regional offices and creation of state offices could open the door to more influence by governors pushing the interests of the timber, oil and gas and grazing industries.

“It's just going to be a closer alignment of Forest Service leadership with state government priorities,” Iverson said.

Gov. Spencer Cox in Utah has described the Forest Service reorganization, including a new headquarters in Salt Lake City, as “a big win for Utah and the West.” GOP lawmakers said it would ensure agency officials get more local input.

The administration last month scaled back part of its plan and said 41 research facilities across the country that faced possible closure would remain open. Almost two dozen research stations still are slated to close.

The Forest Service workforce has been cut about 16% under Trump, from more than 39,000 employees to 33,000, according to government data.

During his first term, Trump moved the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado, citing many of the same reasons — including a desire to put top officials closer to the public lands they oversee. The Biden administration reversed course, moving BLM headquarters back to Washington, D.C., after two years.

The National Federation of Federal Employees union said a survey of Forest Service workers showed a large majority opposed the pending reorganization plan and most were unwilling to relocate.

“'Ashley, it's your favorite president,'” Iowa's Republican nominee for U.S. Senate recently recounted to an audience of her supporters. “That's how he introduced himself.”

She had expressed a more forceful message about communicating with President Donald Trump on the debate stage with her Democratic opponent, Josh Turek, as she tried to win over undecided voters.

“I’ll be President Trump’s ally when it is important for Iowa, but I will push back on him,” promised Hinson, who currently serves in the U.S. House. “He knows this.”

Although many Republicans are walking a political tightrope in this year's midterm elections, Hinson's balancing act is more challenging than most. Iowans have been hamstrung by manufacturing job losses, healthcare clinic closures and shrunken farm profits since Trump returned to the White House, but Hinson also is relying on the president's loyalists to show up for her.

On Thursday, Hinson took the stage before Trump came on at a rally in Sioux City, which is in Iowa's conservative northwest corner. The visit to safe territory is geared toward boosting turnout even as it ties her more tightly to an unpopular president.

To hundreds of Trump's supporters, Hinson played up her relationship with the president.

“I’m not sure, frankly, that he’s always happy when we’re talking because I ask him for a lot of things for Iowa when we’re on the phone,” she said. “And that’s exactly what you would expect me to do, right? As your next United States senator.”

Trump later joked that Hinson is “such a pain” for those asks. Trump also spent time casting Turek as a “woke, far-left radical” and called on Iowans to reject him. He said if Democrats win in the midterms, that would be the “start of something very bad, very dark, very horrible for our country.”

“I'm asking you to do me a very big favor," Trump said. “I'm asking you to pretend that I'm running.”

Trump is expected to visit the other side of the state on Nov. 1.

Turek, a state lawmaker, was in Sioux City for a campaign event Tuesday and told reporters he was happy for Trump to visit to see how his tariffs and the Iran war have “hurt Iowa more than any other state.” Although Turek says he's willing to work with Trump on issues like immigration, he calls Hinson a rubber stamp for the president's bad policies.

There are more examples of Hinson bucking the president

When Hinson kicked off her campaign last year, she touted Trump’s endorsement and said she was running to be Trump’s “top ally” in the Senate. Almost a year later, Hinson instead says she wants to be “Iowa’s best bipartisan fighter."

The message has crystallized since the summer, with more examples of Hinson vocalizing positions at odds with the president. Recent polling from late September and early October suggests it could work as she carves out about 1 in 10 voters who disapprove of the president even as she continues to secure overwhelming support from those who approve of Trump.

In August, she said Trump’s plan to increase beef imports from foreign countries in an attempt to lower prices was "a bad idea” that would hurt Iowa farmers.

Last month, two of Hinson's Iowa colleagues in the House broke with the White House and voted against Trump's ability to continue the war with Iran without congressional approval.

Hinson didn’t, but she said later the war has gotten too costly for Americans and called for Trump to bring the conflict to a “successful and immediate end.”

More recently, Hinson criticized Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for diesel fuel. She said Tuesday that the U.S. needs to make sure “dictators aren’t allowed to win wars.”

“I think the president and I share the goal of lowering costs for working families and for people who are using diesel,” she told reporters after a campaign event. “I, again, just don’t think we need to be making any deals with Russia.”

Hinson said she hadn’t talked with the president about the issue.

“Maybe I’ll have a chance to come have a conversation with him at the rally," she added.

Turek says he'll work with Trump on immigration

Hinson isn't the only one pitching bipartisanship. So is Turek. In fact, he's the only Iowa candidate seeking federal office who explicitly mentions Trump in general election television advertisements, according to an Associated Press analysis of AdImpact data.

In one, Turek is behind the wheel speaking directly to a camera about Interstate 35, which “connects Iowa to the southern border and the broken immigration system that both parties have failed to fix." He says: “In the U.S. Senate, I’ll work with anyone to fix it, including President Trump, to secure the border, stop the flow of drugs into Iowa.”

Turek has pushed back on the president’s policies, including tariffs and the war in Iran, as the catalysts of high costs that are hurting Iowans, but his message on working with the president on immigration and other select issues stands out from other Democrats. Republicans say he's just pretending to be a moderate to get elected.

Mazie Stilwell, executive director of the progressive organization Progress Iowa, said Turek's message on immigration targets a bloc of voters on an issue that's particularly important to them but doesn't overshadow his otherwise disciplined focus on the high costs facing Iowans.

Trump’s visit to the state Thursday, she added, is “a terrific reminder of the disaster that he has been and his administration has been for our bottom line, for everyday Iowans who are trying to make ends meet.”

Iowa Senate races often draw big spending

Iowa is no stranger to competitive Senate races even though Trump won the state by double digits in the last presidential election.

Ad spending on broadcast and cable television has already surpassed $200 million this cycle, AdImpact shows. But in today’s dollars, the total ad spending in the 2020 Senate race was even higher.

Republicans have spent slightly more for Hinson than Democrats for Turek. That was the opposite in 2020, when Democrats spent nearly $30 million more than the GOP did in their unsuccessful effort to unseat Sen. Joni Ernst.

Iowa Republican activist Kelley Koch has been concerned that complacency will dampen turnout from conservatives, even those who are loyal to the president.

"They say, ‘Why are you all hyped up about the midterms, Kelley, Trump will take care of everything,'” Koch said.

It’s an assumption she’s working to counteract, and she expects “the Trump effect” from his visits will help protect Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

And while Koch supports Hinson, she doesn’t like it when she talks about pushing back on Trump.

“Right now,” Koch said, “we had better unite around our president.”

___

Associated Press reporter Aaron Kessler in Washington contributed.

An ICE agent called 911 at 6:41 a.m. to report the crash in the 12400 block of Old Foltin Road, HCSO said.

Preliminary information: @HCSOTexas deputies are responding to the 12400 block of Old Foltin Road, in reference to a crash involving an ICE agent. One person has been transported to a hospital, unknown condition. Members of our Vehicular Crimes Division are enroute to… pic.twitter.com/swsnXRQ3y3

— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) October 22, 2026

According to ICE agents, they were pursuing a pickup truck driven by the man when he failed to navigate an S-curve, causing the truck to leave the roadway and enter a ditch.

• Houston groups declare ‘State of Emergency’ over ICE actions, two girls left alone after mother detained

When the pickup truck came out of the ditch, it made contact with the ICE vehicle, resulting in a broken taillight on the pickup, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

ICE agents then took the man into custody. While at the scene, he reported experiencing chest pains and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, HCSO said.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash in consultation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

DHS released the following statement:

“On October 22, during a targeted enforcement operation in Northwest Houston, ICE officers activated emergency lights and sirens and attempted a vehicle stop of Luis Eduardo Villanueva Loredo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who is in the U.S. illegally. Attempting to evade law enforcement, Villanueva drove into a ditch. Federal officers pulled over, believing the vehicle was stuck in the ditch. Moments later Villanueva’s vehicle pulled out of the ditch and struck the front driver’s side of the ICE vehicle. Villaneuva then exited and fled on foot. Officers pursued and safely took him into custody after a short foot chase.

“While waiting for local law enforcement to investigate the collision, Villanueva complained of chest pains. Officers called EMS, which arrived shortly thereafter, found nothing wrong on scene, and transported him to a local hospital as a precaution. Villanueva previously entered the U.S. illegally and was voluntarily returned to Mexico on March 26, 2007.

“Villanueva Loredo illegally entered the U.S. at an unknown date and location. He was previously granted a voluntary return to Mexico in 2007.”

Advocates for greater voter identification requirements are pursuing a new approach in some states: a mandate to place driver’s license or partial Social Security numbers on mail-in ballots. Variations of the voter ID proposals are being decided in the midterm elections in California, Colorado and Nevada — three states where conservative activists collected petition signatures to bypass Democratic-led legislatures and place the issue directly before voters.

Trump must sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11, a federal judge said, after the broadcaster’s lawyers accused him of delaying his testimony. The judge warned that, unless the discovery period is extended, Trump could face sanctions including dismissal of his lawsuit if he fails to answer questions from the BBC’s lawyers under oath.

Here's the latest:

Top of the Iowa GOP ticket joins Trump on stage

3:51 AM PDT

Trump administration drops legal fight to overhaul student loan forgiveness program

3:50 AM PDT

Voting-related measures on November ballots include a voter ID push targeting mail-in ballots

3:49 AM PDT

Many states deciding control of the Senate are seeing a big boost in early voting, AP analysis shows

LIVE

ALL

breaking news updates

Live updates: Trump campaigns in Iowa in hopes of boosting GOP midterm turnout

Edited By BRIDGET BROWN, DREW CALLISTER, LUENA RODRIGUEZ-FEO VILEIRA, CARLEY PETESCH, NELL CLARK and TAREK HAMADA

Updated 6:46 PM PDT, October 22, 2026

Today’s live updates have ended. Read what you missed below and find more coverage at apnews.com.

Here’s what we’re following:

1. President Donald Trump is in Iowa to join Ashley Hinson , Iowa’s Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, for a rally in Sioux City, in the state’s conservative northwest corner. The visit to safe territory is geared toward boosting GOP turnout as Trump is expected to visit the state again on Nov. 1. Hinson’s Democratic opponent, Josh Turek , a state lawmaker, said Tuesday he was happy for Trump to visit to see how his tariffs and the Iran war have “hurt Iowa more than any other state.”

2. Voter turnout is soaring compared with the last midterm election in many of the states expected to decide control of the U.S. Senate, according to an AP analysis of early voting two weeks before Election Day.

3. Trump said Thursday that Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, should keep running a controversial ad featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Amy Acton. Trump also denounced Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who criticized the ad as “deeply, deeply troubling” earlier in the day. Acton’s mother lost custody of Acton and her brother after her husband — the children’s stepfather — was indicted for raping Acton.

4. Trump must sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11, a federal judge said, after the broadcaster’s lawyers accused him of delaying his testimony. The judge warned that, unless the discovery period is extended, Trump could face sanctions including dismissal of his lawsuit if he fails to answer questions from the BBC’s lawyers under oath.

Trump wraps up Iowa rally

Trump wrapped up after nearly 100 minutes on stage in Sioux City, Iowa, boosting the Republican candidates that face tight races this midterm election.

“Let’s go out and do what we do best, which is to win,” Trump said, thanking Iowans for their support. He did his usual dance moves on the way out the door.

Kamala Harris campaigns alongside Democratic Mississippi Senate candidate Scott Colom

Former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to a cheering crowd Thursday evening as she joined a chorus of prominent Democrats throwing their weight behind Mississippi Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom.

Harris hit on major concerns for Mississippi voters, like healthcare cuts and the cost of living.

“It’s time to turn that anger into action,” Harris told supporters.

Hundreds turned out to the rally, which took place in Colom’s hometown of Columbus, Miss. Colom, a district attorney, is running against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Supporters chanted “Mississippi matters” and held signs reading, “pick a new senator,” referencing a viral Colom ad condemning Hyde-Smith for saying, “you know you have so many proteins to choose from,” about to consumers upset over beef prices.

As the race heats up, President Donald Trump is also set to campaign alongside Hyde-Smith in Corinth, Miss., on Monday.

Top of the Iowa GOP ticket joins Trump on stage

Candidates at the top of Iowa’s Republican ticket joined Trump on stage get a picture and give a quick plug, both of them locked in tight races.

Republican nominee for governor Zach Lahn praised Trump, and called it “an honor” to join him on stage.

“We are here to defend the culture of the United States of America, and Donald Trump is defending that culture,” Lahn said.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, locked in a battle for U.S. Senate with Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek, took her time to slam the Democrat and urge voters “not to give him that promotion” and to “keep Iowa Iowa.”

Trump says Republicans will win midterms when voters check their 401(k)s

Trump claimed the value of these accounts more than doubled in the past year under his leadership.

But a retirement analysis by Fidelity Investments for the first three months of 2026 found that the accounts grew by about 11% from the same period in 2025.

Trump asked people at the rally to do one thing for him: “Get ready to vote and then take a look at your 401(k) and what we’ve done for you. And then vote.”

“There’s not a person in this room that’s going to vote against us because your 401(k)s have more than doubled in a period of a year,” he said.

Trump says he’ll talk to a ‘big crowd’ at Iowa campaign rally

That’s what he told the reporters who accompanied him to Sioux City for his fourth rally this week.

Hundreds of people filled the rally venue, the local Sioux Gateway Airport. Air Force One flew overhead before landing.

“Well, thank you very much. I love this state,” Trump said to open the rally. “I know you’re not all farmers, but I love farmers.”

He urged people to vote.

Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin rallies Nevada Republicans in ‘razor-thin’ race

Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin campaigned for Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo on Thursday, encouraging supporters to call their friends and get them to vote.

“It’s time for us to go to work,” Youngkin told a crowd at a country-themed club in Las Vegas.

Lombardo is fighting off a challenge from Democratic candidate and current Attorney General Aaron Ford in one of the most closely watched governor races in the country. National politicians and potential 2028 presidential hopefuls have swooped into the battleground state to campaign for their party’s candidate ahead of the midterms.

Youngkin labeled Lombardo’s opponent as “soft on crime,” while highlighting the former Las Vegas-area sheriff’s career in law enforcement.

Lombardo said in 2022, only 54% of registered voters in Nevada participated in the election. He encouraged supporters to make phone calls and get more people to vote.

“We are a razor-thin state,” Lombardo said. “We are considered a purple state. Every vote matters.”

Iowa crowd awaiting Trump

The president will take the stage in Sioux City, Iowa, where he is campaigning for congressional Republicans and GOP Senate nominee Ashley Hinson, who is locked in a tight election campaign.

Several hundred supporters have been waiting for more than two hours in an airplane hangar at Sioux Gateway Airport near the mini-metro hub of Republican-heavy western Iowa.

The audience cheered when Air Force One flew low past the event venue before Trump landed.

It’s the first of two 11th-hour campaign trips Trump is making to Iowa, where he has won comfortably every time he has run for president, but where congressional races, the governorship and the Senate race are viewed as competitive.

Trump is scheduled to campaign on the opposite side of the state in northeast Iowa with a Nov. 1 rally in Dubuque.

AP data shows more than 20 million early votes cast ahead of Nov. 3 midterms

Data collected by The Associated Press shows that more than 20 million U.S. voters had cast early ballots as of Thursday, less than two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

In statistics collected from 46 states, the figure now also includes early vote totals from Louisiana and Washington.

The total is equal to just over a third of all early votes cast ahead of the previous midterm elections in 2022, and roughly 21 percent of the early votes received for the 2024 presidential election.

Texas, home to a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, led with 2.36 million ballots, with California next at 2.32 million.

Voter turnout, compared to the last midterm election, has particularly soared in many states which are expected to decide control of the Senate.

Ashley Hinson touts her relationship with the president ahead of his rally in Iowa

Republican Ashley Hinson launched her remarks to hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, by describing her phone calls with the president. “I’m not sure, frankly, that he’s always happy when we’re talking because I ask him for a lot of things for Iowa when we’re on the phone,” she said. “And that’s exactly what you would expect me to do, right, as your next United States senator.” Hinson, who currently serves in the U.S. House, faces Democrat Josh Turek in Iowa’s competitive and costly race for Senate. While Hinson said she’d be Trump’s top ally when she kicked off her campaign a year ago, she’s increasingly taken positions that break with the White House. It’s a balancing act many Republicans have had to do as high gas and grocery prices and an unpopular war in Iran frustrate voters. Trump will speak to Iowans in the state’s most conservative district to try to boost turnout.

Senators demand answers from Musk, Hegseth over Ukraine

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal announced a new inquiry into how Space X’s Starlink and Starshield technologies were slowed down for Ukraine’s defense systems, exposing the country to incoming Russian missile attacks they could not quickly deter.

Blumenthal’s letter to Elon Musk and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth come after reporting from the Wall Street Journal about the slowdown.

“Whether that change was directed by the White House, DoD, or SpaceX, the episode raises urgent questions,” he wrote.

Separately, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis implored those involved to “raise your hand” if they were responsible. “Otherwise, let’s get this resolved,” he said on X.

JD Vance plans to return to Kansas as part of Republicans’ efforts to rescue GOP Sen. Roger Marshall

The vice president’s midterm rally is schedule for 4 p.m. Monday at the steel fabricating firm Haas Metal Engineering’s plant in north Topeka, with Vance scheduled to speak at 5:15 p.m., the Republican National Committee said.

Vance’s visit comes a week after President Donald Trump held a rally in Wichita to boost Marshall’s chances of winning a tossup race against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton that’s become the most expensive contest in state history. Vance also headlined a Sept. 14 rally in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe.

Republican groups have so far committed to spending $26 million on television and digital advertising through the election, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. That’s offsetting Marshall’s lackluster fundraising and bringing the GOP’s total to $32 million. However, Hamilton and Democratic groups have committed to spending $38 million, bringing the total ad spending for both sides to $71 million.

The tight contest is even more notable because no Democrat has won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932. That 94-year streak of one-party dominance is the nation’s longest.

Pentagon issues memo banning use of nonpublic info in betting markets

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reiterating that troops cannot use “nonpublic information” to make bets on prediction markets.

“Our enemies watch movements in these markets,” Hegseth wrote in a memo dated Tuesday and reviewed by The Associated Press. “When an American Service member, intelligence professional, or other Department civilian engages in a financial transaction on a military outcome, they create a signal.”

The document stressed that troops are forbidden from using both classified and nonpublic unclassified information to make trades on platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi.

It says violators could be subject to both administrative punishment as well as criminal charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or federal law.

In April, U.S. Special Forces soldier involved in the military operation to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than $400,000 on Polymarket.

The memo was reported earlier by CBS News.

Trump says Starlink service is once again running at full-speed for Ukraine

The president, during a gaggle with reporters before departing for a campaign rally, confirmed that the military version of the Starlink satellite service offered by SpaceX is once again working at optimal speeds for Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Thursday that SpaceX founder Elon Musk agreed to lift restrictions on Starlink for Ukraine. Trump demurred when asked if he requested Musk to lift the cap.

“You know whether I called or whether somebody else called doesn’t make any difference,” Trump said. “I guess the bottom line, he put it back.”

The speed restriction disrupted front-line operations and left Ukraine more exposed to Russia’s jet-powered Shahed drones, which fly at more than 400 kph (250 mph).

State Dept renews several suspended fellowship programs designed to diversify the diplomatic corps

The State Department is renewing three fellowship programs designed to diversify the ranks of the U.S. foreign service that had been partially or fully suspended last year amid deep cuts to the diplomatic corps.

The department and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced Thursday that the Pickering, Rangel and Payne fellowships for graduate students wanting to pursue careers in the foreign service would return with higher stipends and living expense payments than had been previously offered.

The suspension of the programs -- named for six-time ambassador Thomas Pickering and the late former congressmen Charles Rangel and Donald Payne – had been criticized by many in Congress.

The fellowships will resume at a lower level of enrollment and it was not immediately clear from the department’s statements if the criteria for acceptance had substantially changed from those in the past.

Attorney General plans for more voting lawsuits like one against California

Todd Blanche was referring to a lawsuit the administration filed to force Los Angeles County to set aside ballots from 20,000 people across California that the Trump administration says may not be citizens. California officials say that’s impossible at this late date and that their quick checks have shown many appear to indeed be citizens.

Blanche said there may be similar cases in other states. “Whether we’re going to do something before the election, I don’t want to get ahead of the civil lawyers working on those cases,” he added after an appearance in Virginia.

Reporters asked the Attorney General whether the Department of Justice would challenge certification of the election. Blanche said that, while he couldn’t say such a thing could never happen, “it is not DOJ’s intention to and it’s never our intention to improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process.”

Elections official in Arizona’s largest county is sued to restore eligibility for voters wrongly classified as noncitizens

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, both Democrats, filed the lawsuit. They claim Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, a Republican, is refusing to restore voting eligibility to 25 people who investigators have determined are U.S. citizens.

Heap initially suspected them of being noncitizens and revoked their eligibility.

The complaint says that unless those affected have their voter registration status restored immediately, they risk being denied the right to vote in this year’s midterm elections.

In a statement issued Thursday, Heap said his office has been “trying to restore these voters for weeks” but has been denied the proper documentation to do so by Mayes and the county attorney.

The Trump administration and some Republican officials have prioritized finding noncitizens on state voter rolls this year, but many people initially flagged in those investigations have turned out to be U.S. citizens

Trump backs Vivek Ramaswamy on controversial ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, should keep running a controversial ad featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Amy Acton, posting on social media that it was “hitting pay dirt.”

Trump also denounced Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who criticized the ad as “deeply, deeply troubling” earlier in the day. Acton previously served in DeWine’s administration as a health official. Her mother lost custody of Acton and her brother after her husband — the children’s stepfather — was indicted for raping Acton.

“He strongly suggested that Vivek should, ‘take down the Ad,’” Trump wrote. “He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn’t want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing. I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up, and let everyone listen to the mother of a defective, dishonest, and incapable Candidate, explain how the daughter is a DISASTER who, uncontrollably, lies, cheats, and steals!”

Hundreds turn out for Ocasio-Cortez rally with Troy Jackson in Maine

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a rally with Maine Senate candidate Troy Jackson on Thursday in which hundreds of attendees cheered her calls to expand healthcare and get the U.S. out of Iran.

Ocasio-Cortez is stumping for progressive candidates in the run-up to the midterm elections. Jackson is running against five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins. He and Ocasio-Cortez dedicated a lot of the event to calls for changing America’s priorities from foreign conflicts to domestic cost of living issues.

Ocasio-Cortez said the nation’s spending priorities are leaving working people behind by focusing on war.

“How are we going to afford Iran, how are we are going afford Gaza, when our people back home can’t eat, can’t afford healthcare, can’t afford to build a bridge to get to work,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Jackson also took a jab at Collins for appearing with retired Sen. Joe Manchin, a former Democrat who became an independent, in Lewiston on Wednesday.

US slaps travel bans on 61 current and former Bolivian and Colombian officials, judges and lawmakers over alleged narcoterrorism

The Trump administration has hit 61 current and former Bolivian and Colombian officials, judges and lawmakers and their families with travel bans for alleged corruption and narcotrafficking.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday he had taken the step to further efforts by the U.S., Colombia and Bolivia to crack down on drug trafficking throughout the Western Hemisphere. The sanctions will revoke any current visas those targeted may hold and deny any future applications.

They apply to 40 Bolivians, including two sitting members of parliament, a former attorney general and a number of judicial and police officials, and 21 Colombians, including a current mayor and several former lawmakers.

Rubio said the sanctions target foreign nationals “who, through corruption or narcotrafficking activities, undermine democratically elected governments in our hemisphere -- regardless of their political affiliation.”

Darline Graham says ‘private conversation’ needed to discuss Trump’s waiver of Russia sanctions bill

The South Carolina Republican senator says that’s what it will take to express her thoughts to the president about his waiver of the bill named for her late brother, Lindsey Graham.

Trump campaigned in the state for Darline Graham on Wednesday, as she seeks a full term replacing her brother.

She rode back to Washington with the president afterward “because I was asked to” but told reporters Thursday in Columbia that she didn’t bring up the waiver because “there were other people on the plane,” adding, “That’s a private conversation.”

Graham helped ensure Senate passage of the sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, which Trump signed into law but paused last week. On Saturday, she said she intended to discuss Trump’s decision, with which she disagreed.

Top MAHA adviser resigns from Trump administration

Calley Means, a top Make America Healthy Again adviser to the Trump administration, has resigned from his role just days ahead of the midterm elections.

Means said he “leaves with tremendous respect” for Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He did not elaborate on the reasons for his departure.

“The past two years have seen historic policy and cultural change to confront the chronic disease crisis and healthcare incentives that profit from us being sick,” he said. “This movement is in the first inning and just getting started.”

Means was hired as a White House adviser early in the second Trump administration. He used that perch to attack the nation’s leading physician groups, federal agencies and government scientists, claiming they only protect their own interests in the nation’s $4.9 trillion-a-year industry.

Vance leads prayer after person appears to collapse at Nebraska rally

Vice President JD Vance stopped his speech and led the audience in prayer after a person in the risers behind him appeared to collapse on Thursday.

As emergency workers responded during a rally in North Platte, Neb., Vance asked those “who are of the praying type” to join him in prayer. Vance, a Catholic, crossed himself and recited the Lord’s Prayer as some in the crowd folded their hands and joined him. Vance also asked his staff to send a doctor.

“Always in moments like this, I try to pray as the Lord taught us to pray,” Vance said.

After the prayer, Vance walked into the risers and knelt down as the person was being helped. He later returned to the podium to finish his remarks.

Trump rails against LeBron James after NBA star did warm-ups during national anthem

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warm-ups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday.

“I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

James appeared to practice a golf swing and jump shot as The Star-Spangled Banner was performed at Tuesday’s game in New York. James, starting his first season with Philadelphia, was lined up alongside teammates who mostly stood still during the anthem.

Trump and James have been critical of each other for years, occasionally trading public swipes.

Judge orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11

The order came as the BBC’s lawyers complained that Trump had delayed his appearance. Attorney Charles Tobin said that, with two months left in the discovery period, “We still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff.”

He noted there was an agreed-upon date of Oct. 16, but Trump canceled it for a “matter of national importance.” Tobin said Trump was in fact campaigning in Georgia.

“He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition,” Tobin said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett said Trump must sit for a deposition by Dec. 11, or face sanctions up to dismissal of his lawsuit — unless the discovery period was extended past Dec. 18.

▶ Read more

Vance hints at US coordination with Musk on Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine

The Trump administration has faced numerous questions about interruptions to the Elon Musk-made satellite internet system that Ukraine has relied on to counter Russian attacks.

In Cincinnati on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance was asked about Musk’s involvement in the slowdown of Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine and whether it warranted an investigation.

“I think that fundamentally, Elon Musk runs a private corporation,” Vance told reporters. “And I think it’s completely understandable that he doesn’t want to get in the middle of what is a war between two state actors without the United States government effectively directing him on what to do.”

Vance continued: “So I don’t think this is about Elon. I think it’s fundamentally what is America’s policy in Ukraine and Russia going to be.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, have said this week that the U.S. didn’t order or direct any throttling of network access in Ukraine.

Ocasio-Cortez to campaign with Maine Senate candidate Jackson

Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is in Maine on Thursday to campaign for Democrat Troy Jackson, whose Senate bid is critical for the party to take control of the chamber.

Jackson is running against five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. She campaigned with retired former Democratic-turned-independent Sen. Joe Manchin in the state on Wednesday.

Ocasio-Cortez’s event with Jackson is at a theater in Portland on Thursday and is billed as a “Students vs. Billionaires” town hall.

Ocasio-Cortez has also campaigned for Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for Senate in Michigan, another state that's key to Democrats’ efforts to flip the Senate.

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine denounces Ramaswamy ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother

Ohio’s governor has denounced a controversial ad featuring the estranged mother of Dr. Amy Acton, taking sides with the Democratic candidate for governor and former member of his Cabinet over her Republican rival, Vivek Ramaswamy.

At a gaggle with reporters at the Statehouse in Columbus, DeWine called the ad “deeply, deeply troubling.”

“It’s wrong to run this ad,” he said. “I would urge Ramaswamy’s campaign to take this down.”

DeWine’s remarks place him at odds with Ramaswamy, whom he has endorsed. The biotech entrepreneur and 2024 presidential candidate has taken responsibility for the 60-second video, which has drawn bipartisan rebukes, and is spending $4 million to broadcast it online and on TV.

Vance tells Republicans to not ride the pollercoaster

The vice president laid out concerns about horserace polling and urged Republicans to tune them out because it could dampen enthusiasm among Trump voters.

“Obviously, you never know what the final outcome is going to be,” Vance told reporters on Thursday in Cincinnati, adding: “it’s important for everybody to remember that sometimes these polls actually have this, this demotivating effect on our voters.”

He cited some polls in the 2020 and 2024 presidential races that turned out to be highly inaccurate.

“But I talk to people, and I do think they have the effect of demotivating our voters, which is why I encourage people: ignore the polls, run like we’re down, and try to make the best case that we can,” Vance said. “Eventually, of course, the American people make the decision.”

A top Democratic state senator from Virginia is charged with drug trafficking and money laundering, Justice Department says

Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, one of the state’s most powerful Democrats, was charged on Thursday in connection with what federal authorities alleged was a role leading a criminal enterprise that acquired and distributed large quantities of marijuana and laundered the proceeds.

An indictment unsealed on Thursday charged Lucas and six other defendants, including several of her relatives, the Department of Justice said in a statement ahead of a news conference scheduled for 10 a.m.

Lucas surrendered on Thursday, a Justice Department spokesperson said.

The charges came after the FBI searched Lucas’ hometown office and a cannabis shop in which she has a stake in May. At the time of the search, the 82-year-old Lucas — who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration — characterized it as an attempt to intimidate her.

“This is the circus we always expected it to be, and we will wait for further details to have a more specific response,” said Brian Woolfolk, chief counsel for the L. Louise Lucas Legal Defense Fund.

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The latest episode began when Gov. Mike DeWine criticized Vivek Ramaswamy, a fellow Republican that he endorsed as his successor, for running an ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother criticizing her. Acton’s mother lost custody of her children decades ago after her husband was indicted for raping Acton as a child.

But President Donald Trump took the opposite approach hours later, posting on social media that Ramaswamy’s ad was “hitting pay dirt” and questioning DeWine's loyalty to the party.

Trump's stance only hardened throughout the day. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, “Amy Acton’s mother said horrible things about Amy Acton" and “she's fair game.”

And at a campaign rally in Iowa, Trump regaled the crowd with a story about how Ramaswamy called him to ask for advice.

“You’ve got to ride with it,” Trump recalled telling Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire and former presidential candidate. Trump expressed jealousy that he didn't have such a strong ad to run during his own campaigns.

“I told him to leave it up and look upstairs and say: ‘Thank you, God, very much. I appreciate it,’” Trump added. “I only wish I could have had an ad like that against somebody.”

Trump’s aggressive defense of Ramaswamy practically guarantees that more of his party’s candidates will face questions about the issue at a moment when they already risk being dragged down by the president’s low popularity.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Iowa, was asked about it before appearing with Trump at the rally.

She told ABC News the ad is “absolutely terrible" and “I think they should take the ad down."

Ramaswamy's campaign has said it plans to spend $4 million to show the ad online and on television.

DeWine stops short of pulling his endorsement

The controversy has became the latest test of the bounds of acceptable political discourse.

In western Michigan, former Republican Rep. Fred Upton said the ad had spread throughout his community as people heard about it on the radio and television or were asked about it by others.

“They asked me about it at the bank today,” Upton said, adding that the ad “speaks horribly of the gutter politics that some rely on.”

An influential Ohio Republican, former Rep. Jim Renacci, posted a lengthy essay on social media overnight suggesting that “the floor may have just fallen out from under the Republican campaign for Ohio Governor” and urging everyone in the party to distance themselves from it.

Ohio U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who is being challenged by former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, said he would not have run the ad. So did Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running for state auditor.

At a gathering with reporters at the Ohio Statehouse on Thursday, DeWine recalled the painful experiences of rape victims he dealt with as a county prosecutor and state attorney general.

“It’s wrong to run this ad,” he said. “And, even at this late time — my wife, Fran, saw the ad just run this morning on TV — I would just urge the Ramaswamy campaign to take this down.”

The governor stopped short of pulling his backing for Ramaswamy. DeWine recalled that a previous line of attack by the Acton campaign had mentioned Ramaswamy's mother, and the governor said that was also wrong because “family members have always historically been off limits." However, DeWine noted that the topic was never used in a multimillion-dollar ad campaign.

Acton's criticism cited an investigative report into Geetha Ramaswamy's role at a pharmaceutical company run by her son, whom Acton and Democrats described as “hiring his own mother to manipulate clinical trial data.” The Ramaswamy campaign called those claims “slanderous.”

“Governor DeWine is correct that the first and only candidate to attack the mother of her opponent in this race was Amy Acton,” Ramaswamy spokesperson Connie Luck said in a statement, adding, "We refuse to accept the media's double standards.”

Vance supported Ramaswamy

The Ramaswamy campaign video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues.

Acton, Ohio’s COVID-19-era health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather, Arthur's husband, was indicted on a charge of rape involving Acton.

The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur failed to show for a court appearance and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

Acton's campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother, who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.

Republican Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio native son, expressed disgust with Republicans “whining” about the ad while he visited the state on Wednesday.

Amid the turmoil, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou posted what sounded like a warning, or a threat.

“The final days of a tough campaign are always the best time to find out who is really with you and who just posts and pretends,” he wrote. “Yes — we are keeping score.” The quote was followed by a winking-eye emoji.

While Republicans are at odds over the ad, Democrats have rallied to support Acton.

“Child abuse and sexual assault should never be weaponized to score partisan points," Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Izzi Levy said. "Governor DeWine is right — Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad is beyond troubling, and he should take it down immediately and apologize to survivors everywhere and all those hurt by this reprehensible attack.”

Illinois first lady MK Pritzker said she donated $500,000 to Acton’s campaign because of the ad.

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Associated Press reporters Joey Cappelletti contributed from Washington and Thomas Beaumont contributed from Sioux City, Iowa.

The city of Hurricane in far southwestern Utah declared a state of emergency after reddish-brown floodwater lapped into and around 80 homes in a neighborhood and 50 recreational vehicles in an RV park.

Surreal scenes included a shipping container drifting slowly down a street.

Chelsey Field had just finished dropping her kids off at school when she noticed water rising around her neighbor’s property in Hurricane.

“The trucks had water up to the windshield, about halfway submerged,” Field said. “That whole area was covered in water.”

Luckily, her neighbors were able to pull their horses to safety, using a tractor to move debris. This is the second flood Field has seen in her 15 years living in Hurricane. The last was only two months ago.

“It’s pretty crazy to happen again, and I think this time it’s worse,” she said.

In southern Colorado, rising waters prompted mandatory evacuations along four rivers, including the San Juan River through Pagosa Springs. The resort town famous for its riverside hot springs suffered flooding from a similar weather pattern a year ago.

Local officials including Town Manager David Harris had their eyes on floodwaters expected to crest a foot (30 centimeters) higher than during last year's flood, from which he said they “learned a lot.”

Others may not have. Daredevils were seen taking advantage of the floodwaters to go whitewater rafting, raising worries they would need rescue by emergency crews already stretched thin, Harris said.

“There’s a lot of debris,” Harris said. “The last thing we want to do is have to perform an extraction.”

The flooding was not unexpected, just the latest from two months of heavy rain that ended a summer of drought. While parts of the Southwest are rocky with little vegetation and naturally prone to flash flooding, the recent rains have made flooding everywhere more likely, said Kate Abbott, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Grand Junction, Colorado.

“At this point we’re saturated and can’t take too much more without flooding,” Abbott said. “This is the third or fourth round of this kind of moisture we’ve seen in as many weeks.”

Rivers were expected to crest Friday morning after rain tapers off overnight.

The Arizona tornadoes Wednesday night injured at least one person.

This fall has been unusually soggy in the Southwest, an area better known for scalding heat, with El Niño conditions that have sent one tropical system after another in from the Pacific, causing the Grand Canyon and surrounding deserts to rage with floods.

National Weather Service meteorologists suspect at least three tornadoes touched down as storms swept across central Arizona late Wednesday.

The nasty weather hit during Lenna Landy's yoga routine in Overgaard, Arizona, a community of about 3,000 people located 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of Phoenix. Landy had ignored alerts about a possible tornado, but then the storm struck.

“It was like Zeus-was-angry kind of level, of thunder cracks,” Landy said.

The power went off, her house shook and Landy couldn't find her glasses.

“If this is my end, I won’t see it coming,” she recalled thinking. “The scariest part was just like, how quickly it came on,” Landy said.

The storm hit as members of the Overgaard Baptist Church were wrapping up a prayer meeting.

Pastor Eric Woods had just led prayers for people to stay safe in the weather when chandeliers started swinging and the power went out. He told everyone to run into the women’s bathroom, which had concrete walls and no windows.

“It just came on like a freight train,” he said. “I thought the roof was coming off.”

They continued to pray in the bathroom, Woods said. They emerged later to see damage to the church roof and many trees including an old-growth ponderosa pine tree that toppled.

Warm, moist air moving north fuels storms coming in from the California coast. Changing winds can make them spin, creating the conditions for tornadoes, said Ryan Bernhart, a weather service meteorologist in Flagstaff.

“This is very unusual for this area at this time of the year,” Bernhart said.

Tornadoes are somewhat but not exceptionally unusual in Arizona. Notable outbreaks happened in 2019 and 2010.

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Hill reported from Las Vegas, and Gruver from Fort Collins, Colorado. Associated Press journalists Mikella Schuettler in Phoenix and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed.

Owners are pushing for a salary cap, and that could prompt a lockout starting Dec. 2 and result in canceled games in 2027.

“It would be a real bummer to lose a season, that’s for sure,” Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen said Thursday ahead of the World Series opener against Milwaukee. “I think the industry as a whole is in way too good of a place.”

This year's World Series is the first since 1991 between teams both in the bottom half of payrolls: Milwaukee ranked 19th as of Aug. 31 and Tampa Bay 25th. MLB says a cap is needed to help all teams compete more consistently, but players contend because of the method owners use to define expenses, a cap would lead to management taking a greater share of the sport’s revenue.

“The system that’s being proposed, which is similar to other leagues in terms of revenue-sharing system, not only will help us compete, but more importantly all of the teams with lower payrolls, too, which is something also I think the fans want,” Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said.

MLB’s proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million using figures for luxury tax payrolls, and limit a player to 15% of a team's payroll. Free agents would be capped at $265 million over six seasons — far under Juan Soto’s record $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets.

The players' association vows never to accept a cap.

“If they’re going to sit there and wave their little magic wand at us saying they’re going to get a salary cap, it’s not going to happen,” Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill said.

Negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement to replace the five-year deal expiring Dec. 1 could turn into each side trying to outlast the other.

“My thought with it all is keep building on the former generations and build on what they gave us,” said Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, who throws the first pitch of the Series on Friday night. “You don’t want to be the generation to send something backwards. You just keep building on what former generations have given you and hope for the best.”

Attanasio said the Brewers ranked 11th in non-player baseball operations spending this year and the Rays were ninth. The owner said about 250 people report to general manager Matt Arnold.

Milwaukee is ranked 30th and last in market size in MLB and could become the first small-market team to win the title since the 2015 Kansas City Royals.

“We have to keep an eye on the present and one eye on the future in every move that we make. Every trade we have to think about that,” Arnold said. “There are tradeoffs for what you can do to help the team today and what that looks like going forward.”

Tampa Bay is the No. 15 MLB market. While the Rays haven't spent lavishly on major league payroll, they were among the bigger spenders on player development this year.

Grievance withdrawn

The players' association filed a grievance against the Rays alleging the team didn't meet its obligation under the labor contract to use revenue-sharing proceeds to try to improve its performance on the field. The grievance, covering 2017, '18 and '19, was withdrawn in December.

Catcher cameras

In a bargaining session Thursday, owners proposed to allow the use of cameras on catchers for broadcasts.

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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The special forces arrived a day after Salvadorean President Nayib Bukele announced a military operation to rescue the four aviation technicians and threatened a more forceful response if they’re not released alive and unharmed.

An official with El Salvador’s government not authorized to speak on the matter said an additional 100 soldiers were going to be deployed to Haiti on Thursday night. The official said Salvadorean authorities were operating under the assumption that the four missing Salvadoreans are still alive.

The Miami Herald first reported the deployment.

The gang suppression force issued a brief statement late Thursday saying that “a contingent” from El Salvador had arrived “to support ongoing search and security operations” where the attack occurred.

Haiti’s government said Wednesday evening that the four missing soldiers were abducted, marking its first comments since the attack that occurred Sunday in Croix-des-Bouquets. Authorities have said the soldiers were traveling in an armored vehicle that came under fire from gangs that also used explosives.

It’s the first major attack since the international gang suppression force began operations, replacing a Kenyan-led force that struggled to help Haitian police quell gang violence given a lack of resources and funds.

Diego Da Rin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said he believes that finding the Salvadoreans will be like finding a needle in a haystack.

“It will be almost impossible to find them … unless the gangs agree to hand them over,” he said.

Da Rin said the Salvadoreans were apparently not traveling with the type of security detail needed so deep in gang-held territory, and it's not clear what they were doing in the area.

The attack occurred in territory controlled by the Chèn Méchan gang, with the 400 Mawozo gang operating just west of that area, a gang that is much more powerful and has far greater firepower.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, and neither gang has posted about it on social media.

Da Rin said he believes the unaccounted for soldiers could serve as a negotiation tool for gangs.

“The silence surrounding the situation of the Salvadorans might actually help them increase the leverage they can use to compel the authorities to enter into negotiations,” he said. “I do not believe this kidnapping is so much an attempt to gain money, but rather an effort to prevent incursions into their territories.”

Authorities have been fighting armed men in the area ever since the attack occurred, with the Haitian National Police task force, which includes Vectus Global — the private security firm founded by former U.S. Navy SEAL and Blackwater founder Erik Prince — working with the gang suppression force as part of a joint operation. As the heavy fighting in deep, gang-controlled territory continues, residents have been warned to remain indoors.

The attack occurred as the gang suppression force numbers only a little over 2,000 of the 5,500 personnel envisioned.

“The (force) was not prepared to begin its offensive campaign against the gangs,” Da Rin said. “The risk of launching large-scale operations is that the gangs might rejoin forces… and launch coordinated attacks.”

He noted that the force generally makes incursions and clears territory that would then be secured by Haitian forces: “Now, all forces are playing an offensive role.”

On Wednesday night, a gang leader known as Krisla who controls an area that is not located near the site of the attack, posted a video in which he mentioned Bukele and the ongoing gunbattle.

“They have bigger weapons and more technology than we do, but we’ll fight to the end,” he said. “We didn’t ask Bukele to come here, we didn't ask Bukele to send soldiers here. Bukele has come here to protect his money at his soldiers' expense.”

Part of the contractors working with Prince's Vectus Global are from El Salvador, Da Rin noted.

El Salvador’s presidential office did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

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Janetsky reported from Phoenix, Arizona.

We end our work week with near perfect weather. It’s a chilly start to the day with temperatures in the 50s and we warm up to the mid-80s under sunny skies. It will be another day with a light northeasterly dry wind around 5 mph. Because of the calm winds there may be some ozone pollution issues that develop late in the afternoon. Friday night will feel tremendous. For those of your going to Friday football games temperatures start in the 70s and fall to the 60s late.

Saturday and Sunday’s forecast:

There aren’t any major changes this weekend so I’m combining Saturday and Sunday. Humidity remains on the low side with mostly sunny skies both days. Mornings start in the lower-60s with highs in the lower and mid-80s. There will be a little more of a breeze Saturday with easterly winds 10-15 mph. Make sure you are spending some time outside this weekend.

Weather pattern change next week:

Mid-week our weather pattern changes. Tropical moisture from what will be hurricane Vance moves into the state of Texas. This coupled with an area of low pressure will bring rain as early as Wednesday with heaviest rain falling on Halloween. We don’t have a specific timing yet because we are more than a week away from next Saturday, but I wanted to give you an early heads up.

Daylight saving time comes to an end next weekend:

Early Sunday November 1st we turn our clocks back one hour. 2am becomes 1pm and we seemingly get an extra hour of sleep. Below is how this affects sunrise and sunset.

Tracking the tropics:

Josephine is no more. The one thing we have left in the Atlantic is a weak disturbance that only has a 10% chance of development in the next 7-days.

Extended forecast:

The gorgeous weather continues through early next week with slight rain chances returning Wednesday. Rain on Halloween “may” impact your plans. It is still too early to be specific on timing so don’t make any changes to your plans just yet.

Both patients are known to have traveled through Uganda's Entebbe International Airport on Oct. 3, said Dr. Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“One of the issues we are currently investigating has been some sort of interaction between the two cases at the airport,” Mankoula said.

Nigerian Health Minister Muhammed Pate said Nigeria's case remains contained and that contact-tracing is in progress. “We are trying to contain it so it doesn’t go out to the communities. Hopefully, it won’t get to that and we are working hard to ensure that,” Pate said.

The current Ebola outbreak emerged in Congo in May and the disease has since been detected in three other African countries, becoming the continent’s most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak in history.

Nigeria announced its first case on Tuesday, saying the patient had travelled from Uganda. Ugandan authorities denied the claim that the patient was exposed in their country and said the patient had travelled to Congo — something now disputed by health officials.

The Nigerian patient, who is a Uganda-born wife of a diplomat in Abuja, had vacationed in Uganda for two weeks in September and had arrived in Nigeria in early October, officials said. Nigeria said it is currently tracing 44 contacts. Mankoula said additional contacts have been identified, but declined to give the new figure.

Uganda recorded 20 cases before declaring itself free of the disease in June. However, the country is now believed to be linked to the new imported cases in Nigeria and Kenya. Kenya has recorded nine cases so far, linked to a traveler who had returned from Congo to Kenya through Uganda.

So far there is no indication that the Nigerian patient traveled to Congo, Mankoula said. Officials from the World Health Organization said the same thing at a separate briefing on Thursday.

“The information supplied to WHO did not include travel to another country during that period, and other accounts about prior travels were not communicated to us,” said Dr. Pavel Ursu, the WHO country representative in Nigeria.

Congo has been struggling to contain the virus, which has infected more than 9,500 people, killing nearly half of them. The virus has spread to eight provinces and 66 health zones across the country’s eastern region.

According to data from the Africa CDC, only 20% of confirmed cases are among known contacts and about 60% of deaths are within the community, outside of treatment centers. Analysts say the disease in some of the hotspots in Congo is out of control.

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Dyepkazah Shibayan contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

In a statement, Means did not say why he was leaving. His departure comes as leading voices in the MAHA movement have expressed discontent with what they say is the Trump administration’s lack of progress on a variety of issues, including food security and regulating the weed killer glyphosate.

Means said he “leaves with tremendous respect” for President Donald Trump and Kennedy.

“The past two years have seen historic policy and cultural change to confront the chronic disease crisis and healthcare incentives that profit from us being sick,” Means said. “This movement is in the first inning and just getting started.”

Means was hired as a White House adviser early in the second Trump administration. He used his perch at the Health and Human Services Department to attack the nation’s leading physician groups, federal agencies and government scientists, claiming they only protect their own interests.

White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster said the Trump administration is “grateful” for Means’ time and “he has done a fantastic job for the MAHA movement.” A representative from Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.

Health activist Kelly Ryerson, a leader of American Regeneration who is also known as Glyphosate Girl on social media, said she is “impressed that he completed over two years at HHS fighting the food battle, despite all of the obstacles presented by corporate interests.”

“At the heart of MAHA is a shared belief that the nation’s health must not be sacrificed to corporate profit, and that a preventable slide into chronic disease is a threat to America itself,” she said.

Means is the brother of wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur Dr. Casey Means, who failed to be confirmed as surgeon general earlier this year after doubts were raised over her vaccine stance.

Means, along with his sister, came to prominence within the MAHA movement by arguing that ultraprocessed foods, additives and pesticides could be blamed for many of the chronic health conditions facing Americans.

Means brought those arguments into the Trump administration and frequently clashed with senior White House officials who worried about alienating the powerful food industry.

At the same time, Means’ emphasis on food was a source of frustration for other figures within the MAHA movement who wanted to see Kennedy focus on “medical freedom” issues. For many, that meant rolling back federal recommendations and approvals for vaccines.

Despite Means’ efforts, the administration’s progress on food reforms has been slow going.

Kennedy had promised the release of a first-ever government definition of ultraprocessed food in April. Instead, FDA’s acting commissioner, Kyle Diamantas, told a conference that month that defining the class “is really hard.”

In August, Kennedy staffers again suggested a major announcement on the issue was imminent. Instead, the announcement focused on a proposal bringing greater scrutiny to food additives. It made only passing mention of ultraprocessed foods.

Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, said Means will be missed by her organization, which operates local and national campaigns warning against pollution, water use and electricity costs associated with data center construction.

Honeycutt said Means “brought an energy and fearlessness to the Hill, fighting for our children to have healthy food in schools and for America’s health.”

“He didn’t know why he was being taken from the prison to Moscow, and he may have thought he was going to his death," Patricia Hubbard Fox said during an interview Thursday in San Antonio, where her brother was taken for evaluation.

“He’s been kind of laughing a lot,” she added. “Like relief laughing. ‘Oh my God, you know, I’m free. This is really happening.’”

President Donald Trump said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call earlier this month to free Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan. Hubbard was accused of fighting alongside Kyiv’s forces after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. In 2024, he was sentenced in closed court proceedings to nearly seven years in prison.

The U.S. government under the Biden administration had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, and his legal team also disputed the Russian allegation, saying he was not involved in any military activity.

Hubbard Fox said her brother was starved and beaten so severely in prison that some of his fellow inmates from Ukraine had to carry him.

“The only English they knew was ‘Die, American. Die,’” she said of the Russian guards. "And that just made him mad enough to not die, you know? ‘I’ll show them.’ I’m so proud of him.”

Hubbard, a U.S. Air Force veteran, taught English overseas and retired in 2012 to Cyprus, where one of his sons is an Orthodox Christian priest. He later moved to Ukraine to be with a woman he had met, his lawyers said, and remained in the country after the relationship ended. He was living there at the time of Russia’s invasion.

Hubbard Fox said she didn't know where her brother was until a woman in Ukraine tracked her down after seeing a prison roster with his name on it.

“God doesn’t answer prayers immediately sometimes, but he always answers my prayer,” Hubbard Fox said. “And I said, ‘Jesus, get him home.’”

She said in a separate interview Wednesday that her brother would probably come live with her in Colorado, and they both were looking forward to a family reunion.

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Peipert reported from Denver.

“Geographic distance, combined with a lack of accessible transportation, can make a formally recognized right impossible to exercise in practice,” the ruling said.

The ruling granted a request filed Wednesday by federal prosecutors, who sought free transportation by river, land or air, as well as funding for food, interpreters, cultural facilitators and signs in Indigenous languages at polling places.

The lawsuit cited accounts from Indigenous communities across Brazil, including allegations that municipal governments denied transportation for political reasons and ranchers prevented Indigenous workers from leaving farms to vote.

On Sunday, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his far-right challenger, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, a son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, will face off in a tight election, according to recent polls. Both men have markedly different approaches to protecting the Amazon.

The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, known as Apib, announced Thursday that it filed an urgent request for the Justice Inspector General’s Office to make sure electoral officials act quickly to help Indigenous people reach voting centers.

The most serious problem involves 43 Indigenous communities deep in the jungle in northern Brazil, Apib said. On Tuesday, the Amazonas state electoral court rejected a petition for transportation assistance filed by Univaja, an association representing Indigenous peoples of the Javari Valley.

Some of these voters live as far as 895 kilometers (556 miles) from their polling places, requiring boat trips of three to five days. Officials need to use military aircraft to transport voting machines and election workers to some remote locations.

“The state brings the ballot box to the forest but does not bring the voter to the ballot box,” Apib said.

Villages in the Javari Valley territory received their first voting centers in 2014, thanks to the efforts of Bruno Pereira, an Indigenous expert who died in 2022 while on assignment in the Javari Valley alongside British journalist Dom Phillips.

The Brazilian government’s Indigenous affairs agency, Funai, told AP it has consulted communities about transportation needs for the runoff but said state electoral authorities are responsible for arranging it.

Protecting Indigenous territories is widely seen as one of the most effective ways to curb deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest and a key regulator of global climate.

Researchers warn that continued forest loss could accelerate global warming. A 2022 analysis by MapBiomas, a network of nongovernmental groups tracking land use, found Indigenous territories in Brazil had lost just 1% of native vegetation over three decades, compared with 20% on private land nationwide.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

As of the latest figures, at least 362,534 people in Harris County have already cast their ballots. By comparison, Dallas County has recorded close to 199,000 votes.

More Democrats voting early, but experts urge caution

Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said more Democrats are voting early than Republicans — and points to the U.S. Senate race as a possible key factor driving turnout. The contest pits Democrat James Talarico against incumbent Republican Ken Paxton.

Jones told KPRC 2 News the Republican Party needs to do more to mobilize its voters.

• Long line to vote? Harris County voters have 75 locations to choose from

“You need to look at those numbers with some caution. While Democrats are turning out at a higher rate than Republicans in the first few days of early voting, that one that doesn’t mean that Democrats are going to turn out than Republicans during the entire early voting period, or that we are going to see a disproportionate level of turnout by Republicans on Election Day,” Jones said.

Democrats eye independent voters

For Democrats, some said the path forward runs through independent voters.

“What Democrats need is to be able to counter that, by running up the score where they are and by enticing people who have soured on Donald Trump or who weren’t previously engaged but are mad about things to come out and vote,” Charles Kuffner, Democratic blogger said.

Republicans push voters to cast ballots now

Republicans are also urging their supporters not to wait until Election Day.

“There’s certainly not a planned effort for people to wait, that’s why you are hearing candidates and campaigns begging their people to go vote,” said Ed Emmett, a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “I think a lot of people are turned off this year too, and they don’t want to go vote. Frankly, that hurts incumbent office holders, and right now the incumbent office holders are republicans at the state level.”

Emmett also told KPRC 2 reporter Sandy Torres early voting clarifies where both parties need to go.

• Harris County shatters early voting record on Day 1 with at least 104,000 ballots cast

“It is going to force candidates in the future to say okay we are going to start being positive and pay attention to a wider group of voters than we have in the past,” said Emmett.

Some voters said they’re happy to cast their ballot early after previously being Election Day traditionalists.

“Some people are traditionalists and they just want to wait until election. I used to be like that, but I don’t think it makes a difference. I really don’t,” one voter said.

Voters can find the nearest voting site right here.

Pullin’s resignation Thursday is effective immediately, according to a university statement obtained by the Fort Worth Report. The announcement, which was dated Oct. 22, 2026, gave no reason for Pullin’s resignation or details about separation terms.

“We thank Daniel for his years of service at TCU. We wish him and his family only the best,” Kit Moncrief, chair of TCU’s board of trustees, said in a statement.

His predecessor, Victor Boschini Jr., who led TCU for 22 years, was appointed chancellor, effective immediately. TCU named Boschini chancellor without an interim designation.

Boschini will execute the university’s strategic plan while overseeing daily campus life, Moncrief said.

The leadership change comes as TCU pursues a decade of expansion, with plans to enroll thousands more students, build new housing and increase the university’s profile as a research institution. Pullin helped develop the strategy before becoming chancellor in June 2025.

“I love our students and couldn’t be more proud of what their futures entail as they graduate and become outstanding TCU alumni,” Pullin said in a statement. “Thank you to everyone at TCU. I will always be invested in what TCU stands for.”

Pullin joined TCU in 2019 as dean of the Neeley School of Business. Following a national search, Pullin began his presidential tenure Feb. 1, 2023, overseeing operations while reporting to then-Chancellor Boschini.

Trustees and Boschini announced the succession plan in December 2024. Pullin became TCU’s 11th chancellor June 1, 2025. The university did not fill the president position.

TCU enrolled 13,241 students — a record — and welcomed its largest incoming class for the second-consecutive year this fall.

By 2035, TCU has two goals: reaching approximately 17,900 students and attaining Carnegie R1 status, a classification based on research spending and doctoral production.

Housing construction is intended to accommodate that growth by fall 2027. TCU announced more than $500 million in outside investment for two developments: 2,450 beds in new campus housing and about 780 beds at Morado on Berry, which also includes retail space.

In June, TCU launched the Roach Institute of Athlete Engineering with a $10 million gift. The institute connects research athletic performance with applications for military personnel, first responders and workers in physically demanding jobs.

During Pullin’s time as chancellor, the university launched TCU for Texans, a financial aid program for qualifying incoming Texas students whose family income is below $100,000. The program provides full tuition and some assistance for food and housing to students who meet Pell Grant eligibility and other requirements.

Pullin’s time in TCU’s senior leadership included disputes over academic priorities and faculty input. In October 2025, the university announced plans to fold its race and gender studies departments into English.

Faculty members questioned the lack of consultation and whether political pressure influenced the decision. Administrators cited enrollment and financial concerns and denied political motivation.

Before joining TCU, Pullin served as dean of the University of Oklahoma’s Price College of Business. A Plano native, he earned undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance at Oklahoma, a Master of Business Administration at Harvard and a law degree at Oklahoma. His earlier career included work at McKinsey & Company and in private equity.

Pullin is the third higher education leader in Tarrant County to depart in the past two months. UT Arlington’s Jennifer Cowley stepped down as president in August and returned to a faculty position. Texas A&M-Fort Worth’s Bobby Ahdieh on Oct. 20 was selected as the next president of Pace University in New York.

Disclosure: Open Campus and Tarleton State University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

Dang Le is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at dang.le@fortworthreport.org.

The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

The Report’s higher education coverage is supported in part by major higher education institutions in Tarrant County, including Tarleton State University, Tarrant County College, Texas A&M-Fort Worth Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, the University of Texas at Arlington and UNT Health Fort Worth.

The IV team went through about 10 needles and tried several IV sites on both arms, attorney Randy Spivey wrote in the document, which provides the most detailed account of the execution attempt so far. They even struggled to push saline through the last IV site they established, Spivey wrote.

Pike, 50, was hospitalized after surviving two doses of pentobarbital as the state tried to execute her on Sept. 30 for the 1995 stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. She was 18 when she tortured and killed Slemmer with her boyfriend, becoming one of the youngest women to be sentenced to death.

State protocol calls for a second dose of pentobarbital if the first doesn’t result in death, but it doesn’t spell out what to do if a person survives the second injection.

After being taken to a hospital, Pike was on a ventilator for several days. At one point, her attorneys did not expect her to survive. She ultimately regained consciousness and returned to prison after being discharged.

The failed execution has brought renewed scrutiny to how Tennessee carries out death sentences. The court document was part of a separate legal proceeding in which people on the state's death row are challenging Tennessee's lethal injection procedures.

"Our predictions about the likelihood of botched executions have come true — and will continue to come true — without substantial change,” Kit Thomas, an attorney representing people on death row in the case, said.

Nearly an hour of IV attempts

The execution team began trying to place the two IVs required by Tennessee’s execution protocols at 6:34 p.m., Spivey wrote, and when they struggled Pike helped, advising them to look in her upper arm for a viable vein.

They managed to set an IV in Pike’s right arm within about 6 minutes, but it took them nearly an hour to complete the same process in her left arm.

Pike was “wincing and grimacing” as the IV team members moved the needles around inside her left arm, Spivey wrote, and the team members repeatedly expressed doubts after inserting the needles.

One team member said a vein “might be blowing” at 6:57 p.m. while examining an IV in Pike's left arm, but two others said they couldn’t tell, Spivey wrote. “One of them said something like, ‘it’s either blood or blown, I need to know,'” Spivey wrote.

The team tried again with a different spot in her left arm, and the needle appeared to be severely bent when they pulled it out, the attorney said. “I think it's blown,” the attorney recalled one of the IV team members saying at 7:07 p.m. After more attempts, the team decided at 7:13 p.m. that they had successfully placed an IV in Pike's left arm, and they taped her hands down and hooked her up to a heart monitor.

Pike complained of burning arm pain

A series of phone calls were made to the execution chamber starting about five minutes later. Spivey said it appeared the execution team members responsible for pushing the pentobarbital into the lines — a process that happens in an adjoining room — were asking the IV team for repeated checks of Pike's left arm.

It’s not clear exactly when the pentobarbital was pushed into the IV lines, but at 7:34 p.m., Pike said her arm was hurting.

“I feel like my arm is about to bust. It burns,” she said, according to her attorney. She continued to talk to her spiritual adviser for the next 10 minutes before she began making an “agitated snoring sound,” Spivey wrote.

Over the next 30 minutes Pike strained, flinched, moved her head and seemed to struggle to breathe, Spivey said, and when he asked to use a phone he was led on a circuitous, seven-minute route through the facility instead of being allowed to use the phone in the execution witness room.

Spivey called fellow attorneys at 8:22 p.m. and asked them to stop the execution because a third dose of pentobarbital isn’t authorized under the state’s protocol. He then went back to the witness room and told the deputy attorney general that Pike needed immediate medical care.

Spivey was told an ambulance was on the way at 8:50 p.m., and 20 minutes later he was told that medical staff were providing life-saving measures, he wrote. An ambulance was seen arriving at the hospital at 9:14 p.m.

The plaintiffs — three veterans and a retired architectural historian — asked U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to prohibit the administration and the National Park Service “from taking any steps to construct, or to direct or facilitate construction of, any structure in Memorial Circle, absent congressional authorization, during the pendency of this litigation.”

The NPS and the executive office of the president filed a notice Wednesday in the lawsuit saying they planned to possibly begin construction as early as Nov. 5, pending the approval of the construction by the National Capital Planning Commission. The commission is scheduled to meet that day to consider final approval of the site and building plans.

The government's notice said construction could begin once that approval was finished, the Interior Department issued a final decision authorizing construction and the proper notification was published. “NPS may publish such notice as early as November 5, 2026, and construction could commence as early as November 5, 2026,” the notice said.

The arch has been one of Trump’s pet projects, one that he said might also include national security functions such as drones and snipers. Plans submitted to the NCPC by the Interior Department don’t include mention of the “military complex” he has said it would host, although the agency said the plan could accommodate such a feature. The structure is planned to be 250 feet tall (76 meters).

The plaintiffs' filing Thursday said notification “makes clear that the defendants have no intention of awaiting this court's decision on the cross-motions for summary judgment and have every intention of imminently beginning construction of the arch on Memorial Circle.”

Though the arch has received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were all tapped by President Donald Trump, the plaintiffs sued in federal court in Washington, D.C., saying the project needs to be approved by Congress.

The Public Citizen Litigation Group, which is one of the legal groups representing the plaintiffs, cited several projects being pursued by the administration that had moved forward with work despite pending lawsuits.

Chutkan ordered the two sides to meet and file a briefing schedule by noon Friday.

The arch is one of several projects around Washington that President Donald Trump has undertaken as he remakes the city, from renovating one of its storied public golf courses to threatening to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Just this week, plaintiffs in the East Potomac Park golf course case argued in a five-hour hearing that the Trump had made clear that construction plans were forthcoming, despite the pending litigation.

The lawsuit in federal court in Washington is one of two challenging construction of the arch. The Arlington County Board in Virginia filed a lawsuit earlier this month opposing the construction of the Triumphal Arch, becoming the first governmental body to take legal action against the planned monument.

That lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, criticized the speed at which the project slated for Memorial Circle has moved without going through the full review process.

The administration disputed that claim.

U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz announced the arrests during a Thursday news conference with FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson, Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Eric Burse and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Furko.

Turner, 65, and the other defendants, Shemerrylyn Regina Fields, 47, and Victor Calvin Ewing, 69, face charges including conspiracy, theft involving government funds and wire fraud, according to a federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas.

Prosecutors allege the scheme ran from September 2023 through September 2025 and involved county employees who collected paychecks while allegedly failing to perform their assigned duties.

Reitz said investigators estimate the alleged misuse of funds could total tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said the exact amount has not been determined and will be addressed as the case proceeds.

“Carmen Turner has been strutting around Fort Bend County with the title The Honorable for years. Nothing could be more dis-honorable—or illegal—than her and her conspirators’ public corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “The people of the Southern District of Texas have my commitment to do everything we can to do justice and make it right. Taxpayers deserve so much better.”

What prosecutors say happened

According to the indictment, Turner hired Fields as a deputy tax clerk in March 2024. Prosecutors allege Fields instead worked as a full-time caregiver for Turner’s mother at her Houston apartment while being paid through the county payroll system.

Reitz confirmed during the news conference that Fields did provide care for Turner’s mother. However, prosecutors allege Fields was hired and paid as a tax office employee and was instructed not to perform those county duties.

The indictment also alleges Turner hired Ewing, the father of her adult son, as a department coordinator in October 2023, despite Ewing already working full time for an airline company at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Prosecutors allege Ewing collected Fort Bend County paychecks while working in Chicago and transferred portions of his county pay to Turner. The indictment cites an alleged $800 Cash App payment from Ewing to Turner in February 2024.

Reitz said the amounts allegedly transferred varied, and prosecutors did not identify a single agreed-upon amount for the alleged kickback arrangement.

The indictment also alleges Fields and Ewing were instructed to clock in and out remotely and report work hours they had not performed for the tax office.

How the investigation began

Reitz said the investigation developed over several years through tips, information from people with internal knowledge and investigative work.

The FBI worked with the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the investigation, Hudson said.

Hudson described public corruption investigations as complex cases that can take time to develop. He encouraged anyone with information about suspected public corruption to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov .

During the news conference, Reitz also referenced Turner’s previous indictment and conviction more than a decade ago, saying those matters were unrelated to the current case.

Reitz declined to provide a specific timeline for when the current investigation began.

Turner and Fields were arrested in the Houston area, while Ewing was arrested in Chicago, according to Reitz. He said Turner and Fields were scheduled to make their initial appearances before a federal magistrate judge Thursday afternoon.

Reitz said prosecutors are prepared to take the case to trial. He also said investigators would not speculate about whether additional people could face charges, although the investigation could continue as the case proceeds.

The indictment includes nine counts against the defendants, with charges varying by person. Prosecutors allege conspiracy, theft involving a government program receiving federal funds and wire fraud.

Turner has been released on bond.

KPRC 2 will update this story with additional details from the U.S. attorney’s announcement.

The terminal features new technology and passenger amenities, including a sensory room for travelers with sensory sensitivities. It also houses a 54,000-square-foot United Club—the largest in the airline’s network—with seating for 800, an outdoor terrace and panoramic views of the airfield.

Travelers will find new shops, concessions and restaurants, including Houston favorites B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Rosie Cannonball, Pizaro’s Pizza, Blood Bros. BBQ, Katz Coffee and Blue Bell Creameries.

The short-term rental platform’s new rules limit hosts to “reasonable” checkout requests beginning on Nov. 20. Guests can still be asked to leave dishes in the sink, gather used towels and sort trash and recycling, but hosts generally cannot require chores typically handled by professional cleaners.

“Remember to think like a guest and keep in mind what you’d find unreasonable,” Airbnb tells hosts in a video announcing the new policy.

Checkout chores have been a recurring point of contention for Airbnb guests, particularly when they’re also paying cleaning fees. The company has previously acknowledged that those fees can create different expectations between hosts and travelers.

Airbnb said exceptions may apply in certain circumstances, such as requiring guests to put trash in animal-proof containers in areas with bears.

Hosts must now also disclose all house rules and requests in a designated section of their listing before guests book, according to Airbnb. They can no longer add extra requirements through messages, signs inside the property or other sections of a listing.

As part of the changes, Airbnb said it is standardizing house rules into seven categories, covering topics including overnight guests, quiet hours, pets, smoking and whether guests must lock up at checkout.

The changes build on Airbnb’s broader efforts to make booking a rental more predictable for travelers. In 2023, CEO Brian Chesky acknowledged that the variety of properties on Airbnb creates uncertainty among guests.

“A lot of guests have described booking Airbnb, once they check in, it’s a moment of truth. Is the house exactly what they expected?” he told The Associated Press. “We don’t want this to be a moment of truth. We want you to know exactly what you’re going to get before you book.”

The vote was 4-0, with County Judge Daniel Wong abstaining. The proposed project, known as “Project Crystal Sun,” could eventually create nearly 10,000 permanent, full-time jobs if Tesla moves forward with plans to build the facility.

• Tesla’s new Roadster can fly? Elon Musk unveils rocket-powered electric sports car in Texas

Tesla is considering building a solar manufacturing facility on a site spanning more than 3,000 acres near FM 762 and FM 1994.

The facility would manufacture solar cells and solar panels as part of the estimated $10.1 billion investment. The county’s tax abatement agreement projects nearly 10,000 employees when the facility reaches full build-out and operational capacity.

But some nearby residents worry about what a project of that size could mean for their community.

Sabrina McDonald, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said she values the peace and quiet.

“It’s very peaceful, and it’s — you don’t have to worry,” McDonald said.

She worries the proposed facility could affect local wildlife, increase traffic and change the sense of safety she enjoys in the area.

“It’s not their backyard. It’s ours. You know, our backyard. And I want to move out further because we came out here for that purpose,” McDonald said.

If completed, the project could become one of the largest economic development investments in the Houston region, potentially bringing thousands of new jobs to Fort Bend County.

Under Item 25 of Thursday’s agenda, commissioners approved four agreements involving Tesla.

Those include a property tax abatement agreement for a designated reinvestment zone in Precinct 2 and an economic development agreement intended to encourage investment and job creation.

Commissioners also approved agreements involving a potential foreign-trade-zone designation and payments in lieu of certain taxes. The foreign-trade-zone arrangement could help Tesla save on import duties for eligible materials brought in from other countries.

• Tesla considering $10.1B solar manufacturing project that could bring thousands of jobs in Fort Bend County

The agreements are intended to make Fort Bend County a more attractive location as Tesla evaluates where to build its proposed manufacturing facility.

Thursday’s vote does not guarantee Tesla will build the facility in Fort Bend County. Tesla has not announced a final decision on where it will build the proposed facility, and additional approvals may still be required, including state approval.

The unit was stationed in front of the park on the first day of early voting, prompting questions from community members who worried the presence of officers could feel intimidating and discourage people from casting their ballots.

Residents raise alarm

Several residents reached out to KPRC 2 asking why the command center was there. Some said its placement felt threatening, particularly given the neighborhood’s demographics.

“They show up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, which is where I grew up right here on northside,” said Diana Salas, a voter and resident of the area. “That is kind of hard for them to wonder why they are parked right front and center before they come up here and decide to vote.”

METRO responds, relocates unit

METRO said the command center was deployed to ensure safety along a nearby railway. The unit has been on-site for a couple of weeks, though officials have not confirmed how long it will remain.

After questions were raised, the command center was not removed — it was relocated. The unit is still at Moody Park but has since been moved to the back of the community center, near the pool, away from the main entrance of the voting location.

“We have since moved on Tuesday, a little bit [in the] afternoon, to the back of the park, just to appease anyone who is coming to vote who feels nervous about the presence of our officers,” said Anna Carpenter with METRO.

• RELATED: Voters near Moody Park worried about police presence. We asked METRO about it.

METRO keeps one to two officers inside the unit at all times, with several others patrolling the surrounding area. Cameras are also being used to monitor the location.

Carpenter added that community safety has been a driving factor in the deployment.

“We have gotten calls about how safety is not only imperative for the people to ride but also people that live around the communities want to know that they are safe, and our resources with MPD is adding to the surveillance that precinct 2 already has,” Carpenter said.

A neighborhood divided

Not everyone wants the command center moved. Lynette Tello, a resident of the area for 62 years, told KPRC 2 reporter Sandy Torres she welcomed its original placement near the railway and wants to see it moved back.

“I liked it where it was, because it was close to the Moody Park railway,” Tello said. “We walk and drive down those streets. It makes me feel safe and that METRO cares for us.”

Tello acknowledged the concerns of those who felt intimidated but was direct about where she stands.

“It needs to be moved back, and if people feel intimidated, I’m sorry, but safety is more important,” Tello said. “It’s about the feeling about those of us who live here feel safe, for the children, the seniors, and those of us who live here.”

Some residents remain unsatisfied

Not all residents share Tello’s view. Others say the command center should not have been positioned near the voting site at all.

“At the end of the day, I think we are all in this together — [it] should have been called out on day 1 ... should have been gone,” Salas said.

METRO to announce complimentary rides

METRO said it will provide complimentary rides to voting locations during Election Day. Additional details on the program are expected to be released Oct. 23.

Voters with election concerns are encouraged to reach out to KPRC 2 News.

The decision by President Javier Milei’s government, published Thursday in the official gazette, comes a month after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration expanded its list of Latin American criminal groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations to 21.

Argentina’s new designations include Mexico’s Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel and Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones gang, both of which are also on the U.S. list.

The measure also targets Colombia’s National Liberation Army, or ELN, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army, or FARC-EP, a name used by dissident factions of the former FARC rebel group that rejected a peace agreement signed a decade ago and remain active. Both have previously been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States.

“Argentina calls terrorism by its name and fights it in all its forms,” Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said Thursday at a news conference in Buenos Aires alongside U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who is in Argentina to promote U.S. investment.

Landau praised Milei’s cooperation on regional security, among other issues, saying, “There is no other country in the whole world with which we are as aligned as with the government of Argentina.”

In a statement released Wednesday night, Milei’s office said the five groups were linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.

The government described the Sinaloa cartel as a transnational organization involved in drug trafficking and kidnapping for ransom. It characterized the ELN and FARC-EP as far-left insurgent groups rooted in Marxist-Leninist ideology and armed revolution.

It also described Los Tiguerones, which it linked to contract killings and drug trafficking, as one of the region’s most violent criminal groups.

The announcement comes two weeks after Milei’s government said the United States had established a regional unit of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in Argentina. Washington approved $13.35 million to strengthen efforts against drug trafficking and organized crime.

Argentina has previously designated several other groups as terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns, Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel and three branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. Those groups were added to a national registry of individuals and entities linked to terrorism and its financing.

Other countries in the region have adopted security policies similar to those of the United States. Ecuador, for example, designated 22 organized crime groups as terrorist organizations in January 2024 after declaring an internal armed conflict.

In October 2025, Guatemala’s Congress amended several laws to designate the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs as transnational criminal and terrorist organizations. The measure allows longer prison sentences for gang members.

The Trump administration had previously designated Barrio 18 as a terrorist organization, months after taking similar action against Mara Salvatrucha.

___

Associated Press writers Astrid Suárez in Bogota, Colombia, and Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

State Rep. Gary Gates says he is working with Rep. Cody Harris to examine the rules governing water rate increases and whether Aqua Texas adequately invested in its infrastructure before raising rates.

“I want to know the guidelines that allows a utility company that has monopoly to overnight to be able to raise their rates 100%, 200%, 300%,” Gates told KPRC 2.

• RELATED: Aqua Texas customers push for answers as lawmakers call for rate investigation

The lawmakers’ efforts follow KPRC 2’s reporting on customers who say their water bills have doubled or tripled, including residents in the Lakes of Mission Grove subdivision in Richmond, where the issue first came to light.

Why are Aqua Texas water bills increasing?

Aqua Texas received approval for interim rates from the Public Utility Commission of Texas in March 2026. The new rate structure includes tiered water charges based on consumption and changes to wastewater billing.

The company told the PUC that its infrastructure investments include replacing water mains, drilling new wells, building water and wastewater treatment plants, and upgrading storage tanks.

Gates wants to know whether the utility adequately planned for those costs before seeking higher rates.

“I think we’re going to probably find out that just like CenterPoint, I believe Aqua did not do, especially when they’re sitting there saying that we have all these capital needs,” Gates said.

Those are Gates’ concerns, not findings that Aqua Texas failed to maintain its system.

What is the PUC telling customers who complain?

As customers submit formal complaints, the PUC has begun responding to residents who dispute their bills.

In a Sept. 9 letter to Magnolia customer Steve Bowen, the agency said Aqua Texas billed his account using approved interim rates and actual meter readings. The PUC determined that no billing adjustment appeared warranted.

• RELATED: Aqua Texas customers flood newsroom with complaints after our first report

In a separate response dated Oct. 14, the agency reached a similar conclusion in a Richmond customer’s case, saying Aqua used actual meter readings and charged approved rates. The PUC said a billing adjustment was not required.

However, the agency also found that Aqua Texas failed to respond to the Richmond customer’s complaint within the required 15-day period.

The findings apply to those individual complaints. The PUC has not issued a final decision on Aqua Texas’ pending rate case.

Could Aqua Texas customers see changes?

Gates says he plans to meet with the PUC alongside Harris to examine the rules that govern rate increases and determine whether changes are needed.

He also wants to know whether the Legislature needs to close gaps in the rules that may allow sharp increases to take effect.

“The legislature in this situation, the legislature has 100% control and we can put in rules and so forth to govern and how the PUC is going to handle rate increases,” Gates said.

The PUC’s rate case remains pending under Docket No. 58124. Customers can track the case through the commission’s website and may file a protest in the docket.

How can Aqua Texas customers contact Gary Gates?

Gates is asking customers, particularly those in Fort Bend County, to contact his office with specific examples of their water bills and rate increases.

“I would appreciate them reaching out to my office so that I can start working,” Gates said. “I need some real examples.”

He said those accounts could help him present customers’ concerns to regulators and push for answers about how the increases were allowed.

You can send your bills to his official legislative email: gary.gates@house.texas.gov. KPRC 2 will continue following the lawmakers’ efforts and the PUC’s review of Aqua Texas’ rates.

Friday, October 23

• KLA Schools River Oaks
• Alley Theatre “Uhuru”
• North Houston Hearing Solutions
• Space City Fest
• Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Mr. Dylan Emery | Kid-Trepreneur, Entertainer & Spokesperson

Thursday, October 22

• Caring for a loved one? Here’s how male caregivers can find support at the AARP Men Who Care Conference
• • AARP Men Who Care Conference
• What to expect at Lopesan Costa Bávaro: pools, dining and family fun
• • The Travel Mom
• Brenner’s Steakhouse
• Justin Guarini
• • Justin Guarini’s book “Center Stage Confidence”

Wednesday, October 21

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Your one-stop shop for Halloween is right around the corner
• • Kroger
  • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Harris Votes
• “Mrs. Doubtfire” musical brings laughs, heart and the iconic nanny to a Houston stage
• • TUTS “Mrs. Doubtfire”
• Mötley Crüe ready to rock to Vegas: Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee chat new residency
• • Tickets to Mötley Crüe: The Las Vegas Residency

Tuesday, October 20

• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)
• Grow it, make it, use it | Using fresh herbs in your skincare routine
• • Annual Herb Fair
• Novatio School
• Plot-twist trips, paranormal adventures and AI-powered vacations, where will 2027 take you?
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Booking.com
• Premier Legal Group
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Monday, October 19

• Fort Bend Women’s Center shares resources for domestic violence survivors
• • Fort Bend County Women’s Center
• Día de los Muertos: Simple ideas for a meaningful ofrenda honoring a loved one
• • Walmart (visit your local stores for Día de los Muertos items; Selection varies by store)
• Fortis College
• Great Wolf Lodge Halloween Fun: Trick-or-Treat Trails & Family Activities
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge
• 3 years after getting full mouth dental implants, this Houston man’s smile is still sparkling
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 16

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, October 15

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Wednesday, October 14

• Monster Jam returns to Houston with The Amazing Spider-Man Truck
• • Monster Jam
• The Woodlands Christian Academy takes learning beyond the classroom
• • The Woodlands Christian Academy
• Fortis College prepares Houston students for careers in Sterile Processing
• • Fortis College
• Landry’s Chef Series: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse celebrates 45 Years with new Fall menu
• • DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247

Tuesday, October 13

• 3rd annual Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival celebrates 105 murals in Houston’s East End
• • Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival
• Smart home upgrades to refresh your space from floor to garage
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Conjure up two bewitching Halloween drinks with Cursed Cauldron
• • The Cursed Cauldron
• Is Hotel Galvez really haunted? Houston Life explores one of Galveston’s spookiest hotels
• • Grand Galvez Ghost Tours

Monday, October 12

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Houston Filipino Street Festival brings food, music and fireworks to Sugar Land
• • Houston Filipino Street Festival
• Houston Dynamo Legends Brian Ching & Wade Barrett celebrate Ching’s legacy ahead of big honors
• • Houston Dynamo FC Texas Derby Game
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Dynamo FS Ring of Honor
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Sports Hall of Fame
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Friday, October 9

• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston
• Thing 1 and Thing 3 stir up trouble ahead of Cat in the Hat’s return to the big screen
• • The Cat in the Hat | Official Movie Site | Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green
• Plan a fall day in Pearland: From haunted tours and seasonal dining to boutique shopping and more
• • Visit Pearland
• From “Ghost” to “Scandal” to “Law & Order”: Tony Goldwyn chats latest chapter
• • NBC’s “Law & Order”
• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)

Thursday, October 8

• Landry’s Chef Series: Fall flavors land at Morton’s The Steakhouse
• • Morton’s The Steakhouse
  • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to win a $200 in Landry’s gift cards!
• Huzzah! The 52nd annual Texas Renaissance Festival opens this weekend
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• The classic American road trip is back! Why you should head west to Nevada’s Reno-Tahoe Territory
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Reno-Tahoe Territory
• Kid‑tested spooky‑season toy guide: slime, heroes, zombies and more
• • Mr. Dylan Emery | Kid-Trepreneur, Entertainer & Spokesperson
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Wednesday, October 7

• Dr. Ian Smith shares nutrition tips for navigating Menopause in his 30th book
• • Dr. Ian Smith’s new book ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’
  • ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’ Facebook group
• Texas Oncology Breast Care
• 7th annual ‘In a Pickle Festival’ bringing a whole lot of dill to Kingwood
• • In a Pickle Festival
• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston

Tuesday, October 6

• Houston Attorney featured on new season of NBC’s The Traitors
• • NBC’s “The Traitors: New Blood”
• Veg ER
• “Gloria: A Life” brings Gloria Steinem’s story to the stage at Cypress Stage
• • “Gloria: A Life” at Cypress Stage
• Michael Douglas looks back on 60 years in Hollywood with new memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’
• • ‘One Helluva Ride’ by Michael Douglas

Monday, October 5

• Ventriloquist, singer and comedian Terry Fator chats new tour, new book and new music
• • Terry Fator
• Ready to hoop? The H-Town Classic is coming to the Academy in Katy this weekend
• • Academy Sports + Outdoors
• Best-selling author Brad Meltzer inspires readers with 40th book in his children’s series
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 2

• Houston Bluesfest brings generations of blues to POST Houston
• • Houston Bluesfest (10% off tickets with code HL10)
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247
• One of the most famous love stories of all time: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • “Romeo and Juliet” at Alley Theatre

Thursday, October 1

• Houston Cinema Arts Festival opens with Mahershala Ali’s new film, “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”
• • Houston Cinema Arts Festival
• What is a “poop root”? How tree roots can cause plumbing problems
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Call Me Mother exhibition spotlights Black maternal health
• • “The Call Me Mother Experience” at The Health Museum
  • Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton
• Pack your skis! Why Austria’s Skiwelt should be on your winter bucket list
• • Your Bucket List Guide
• Houston Christian University

Monday, September 28

• Oktoberfest 101: 4 beers, fun facts, food, and stein hoisting
• • What’s on Tap Radio
  • Equal Parts Brewing
• Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson chat new Apple TV comedy “Brothers”
• • Apple TV’s “Brothers”
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Friday, September 25

• Tokyo X brings Japanese culture, sumo wrestling and 10-yen cheese coins to Houston
• • Tokyo X
  • Shōgeki Sumo
• Inside the AI-powered Novatio School, rethinking what a school day can look like
• • Novatio School
• What to know before bringing home a puppy plsu spotting puppy mill red flags
• • Houston Humane Society
  • Texas Humane Legislation Network

Thursday, September 24

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Grab your boots and get ready for some serious fair fun at the 90th annual Fort Bend County Fair
• • Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo
• Dessert Gallery celebrates 31 years of keeping Houston sweet
• • Dessert Gallery
• Making magical memories: The Travel Mom takes her 3-year-old grandson on a Disney Cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Vacation Giveaways

Wednesday, September 23

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Tuesday, September 22

• A book lovers dream returns to POST Houston this weekend at Readers Fest
• • Readers Fest at Post Houston
• A double knee replacement didn’t stop this Houstonian from skiing, golfing, and playing tennis
• • Dr. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee
• Cheers to Fall: Pumpkin drinks, dishes and desserts to try this season
• • Goodtaste TV with Tanji Patton
• How Allied Outdoor Solutions can completely transform your space
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• From Gotham to H-Town: Who’s behind the wheel of Houston’s Batmobile?

Monday, September 21

• Kindness and community returns to Houston with award-winning ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• • ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• A Look Inside Surgical Tech Training
• • Fortis College
• How the City of Houston is keeping older adults in mind during Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• • Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• Full-arch implants in Houston: rebuild your smile with lasting stability
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• ROCO, Houston’s Chamber Orchestra, kicks off season 22 with packed lineup for opening weekend
• • ROCO Houston Chamber Orchestra

Friday, September 18

• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Salvador Dalí’s rare art comes to Houston thanks to Madame Christine Argillet, the last living link to the iconic artist
• • The Argillet Collection
  • “Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection”
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters
• The wait is over! Houston hot spot Burger Bodega has landed in Katy
• • Burger Bodega
• What’s in your water? Water purification company NECOA shows how Houston’s water measures up
• • NECOA
• Look Up: Discover Astrotourism in Australia’s Northern Territory
• • Australia’s Northern Territory
  • Your Bucket List Guide

Thursday, September 17

• Ben Chavez brings his “Golden Era” to the stage with “Last Day, County Fair”
• • Tickets to “Last Day, County Fair”
  • Follow Ben on Instagram
• Hands-On Training for High-Demand Jobs
• • Fortis College
• Lauren Kelly visits Jimmy Fallon at Rockefeller Center to chat Rodeo, Beyoncé and his fall season
• • NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
• Breathtaking destinations for the fall travel season
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Wednesday, September 16

• Get Growing: What to Plant in Your Houston Fall Garden
• • Urban Harvest Planting Guide
• ‘The Music Man’ brings Broadway charm to the Hobby Center
• • Theatre Under The Stars “The Music Man”
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune

Tuesday, September 15

• What’s the beef with beef? Good Ranchers talks imported meats and what to look out for
• • Good Ranchers
• The art and beauty of Ballet Folklórico with Instituto de Arte Nokali
• • Instituto de Arte Nokali
• Comfort Foodies serves up love, culture and big flavor for Latin Restaurant Weeks
• • Comfort Foodies
  • Latin Restaurant Weeks
• KPRC 2’s “Enough”

Monday, September 14

• A cello concert in the great outdoors? Free shows coming to two Texas state parks
• • Wild Notes Foundation
• Houston native Armani Greer steps into the spotlight in Tyler Perry’s ‘Why Did I Get Married Again?’
• • Armani Greer
• Ready for Recess? Inside the new River Oaks spot built for the whole family
• • Recess River Oaks
• Filling the vital need for non-emergency medical transport
• • CarlMichaels Transportation & NEMT

Friday, September 11

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo “Mission Rodeo” podcast
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with traditional favorites at The New York Deli & Bagel Shop Bakery
• • The Bagel Shop Bakery
• 25 years after 9/11, Todd Hill’s story lives on through faith, purpose and hope
• • 9/11: Reflections of the Past 25 Years
  • Todd Hill 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund
• Kefita coffee bringing authentic Ethiopian coffee and culture to Houston
• • Kefita Coffee
• Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro & Scott Waugh chat high-stakes action thriller ‘Runner’
• • ‘Runner’ (2026) in theaters now

Thursday, September 10

• Veteran’s fishing wish granted by nonprofit
• • Twilight Wish Foundation
• Quality roofs, easy process: Why Adams Roofing treats roofs as a complete system
• • Adams Roofing
• The Travel Mom
• • Beaches
  • Trafalgar
  • National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions
• Two veterans, two comebacks: Why they’re saying “you’re not done yet”
• • Fenix Shepard
  • Loved Unconditionally: A Spiritual Memoir of Trauma, Addiction Recovery, and Finding God Beyond Religion

Wednesday, September 9

• The signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
• • Texas Oncology
• 5 tips to avoid plumbing disasters
• • Village Plumbing & Air
• Việt Cultural Fest brings student robotics to Houston
• • Việt Cultural Fest
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Tuesday, September 8

• The Travel Mom
• • Universal Kids Resort
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters Fun Walk
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, September 7

• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Friday, September 4

• Netflix’s “A Different World”
• • Stars from ‘A Different World’ reboot on Netflix chat about why the new series is a must-watch
• Dr. Rosie Thomas
• • Dr. Rosie Thomas explains the tax strategies small business owners need to know
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, September 3

• Hank Schwaeble
• Hank Schwaeble’s “Normal for the Spider”
• Preemo’s Bakeshop
• “Miss Dee’s Kitchen” at The Hobby Center
• Jurassic Quest
• The Day Savers: A National Tradesmen Day Contest

Wednesday, September 2

• Southern Smoke Festival
• Houston Texans new Rivalries uniform is love letter to H-Town
• • Houston Texans Apparel
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Monday, August 31

• National Matchmaker Day: Expert tips for setting up friends like a pro
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Is your home Wi-Fi ready for back to school? Here’s what parents should know
• • Ezee Fiber
• Transform your existing patio into an outdoor retreat
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• The hidden reason you’re struggling to lose weight after 40
• • Optimal Body

Friday, August 28

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, August 27

• Bar Moon brings cocktails, live music and a night out to Post Oak
• • Bar Moon
• Happy 190th birthday, Houston! Celebrate with FREE family-friendly activities at The Heritage Society
• • The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
• Companion Energy volunteers pamper pets at Houston Humane Society ahead of Clear The Shelters
• • Companion Energy
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
• Harris County Public Library
• George Observatory

Wednesday, August 26

• Next Level Urgent Care
• Woodlands Christian Academy
• Happy National Dog Day! How dogs bring us together plus easy homemade treats for your furry friend
• • National Dog Day: Small Treats. Big Wags: The Neighborhood Edition
  • 6 free dog treat recipes
• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Derrick Shore and Cathy Hernandez take on the the ‘Minute-To-Win-It Oreo Challenge’

Tuesday, August 25

• Kam Franklin steps into the spotlight with her first solo album, ‘Land of the Neon Sun’
• • Kam Franklin’s Website
  • Preorder “Land of the Neon Sun” and receive a priority wristband to her album release party
• Singing, dancing, and a little murder, Night Court returns for another year of musical mayhem
• • Night Court at the Hobby Center
• Time Mission lands in Houston, bringing a new kind of social gaming adventure
• • Time Mission Houston

Monday, August 24

• 5 years of STEM magic: Crystal Lister shares 2 fun chemistry experiments
• • Mommy and Me The Listers
• From one restaurant to 6 locations, Local Table has been serving Houston for a decade
• • Local Table
• Next Level Urgent Care

Friday, August 21

• Antico Casa from Antico Pizza brings frozen Neapolitan-style pies to Houston (Aug. 20–23)
• • Antico Fine Food
• Donald and Lisa Pliner share their love story, fashion journey and legacy
• • The Selling of One’s Sole
• Kandi Burruss brings one-woman show “I Do, I Did, I’m Done,” to Houston
• • “I Do, I Did, I’m Done” Tickets
• Houston’s Starduster Lounge puts its spin on the viral martini trend
• • Starduster Lounge
• Next Level Urgent Care

Thursday, August 20

• Houston author Mariah Kingsley brings a fresh perspective to romance stories
• • “Fractured” on Amazon
• Labor Day Getaways: Vail Peaks, Coastal Sun in Corpus Christi and Tennessee’s Real-Deal Travel
• • Visit Corpus Christi
  • Discover Vail
  • Tennessee Vacation Instagram
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
• Easy Back-to-School Lunches Kids Will Actually Eat, Recipes & Packing Tips
• • My Diary of Us Lunchbox Guide

Wednesday, August 19

• Houston humidity, meet your match: Simple tips for frizz-free hair
• • Frequency Salon
• Mambo Seafood
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune
• Actors Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris take us inside ‘The Brink of War’
• • The Brink of War

Tuesday, August 18

• What do school accountability ratings really tell us? Local non-profit Good Reason Houston breaks it down
• • Good Reason Houston
• How the UH Mariachi Pumas continue to bring Mariachi to a new generation
• • Follow UH Mariachi Pumas on Instagram
  • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• How 80s supermodel Kim Alexis is living her best life after 55
• • Kim Alexis
• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Next Level Urgent Care

Monday, August 17

• For one Katy grandfather, an 11,000-mile motorcycle ride is about more than the road
• • Do What You Love to End ALZ program
  • Follow Scott “Sugar Bear” Brown on YouTube
• Houston hip-hop legend Willie D is inviting everyone to his big 60th birthday party
• • The Roast of Willie D: Cooked by Legends Tickets
• Personalized Dental Implants: Dr. Michel Azer on restoring smiles in Houston
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, August 14

• Enter to win a getaway for two from The Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau
• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Thursday, August 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Disco, roller skates and 1980s fun: The Garden Theatre brings the musical world of ‘Xanadu’ to the stage
• • The Garden Theatre’s “Xanadu”
• Melanie Lynskey chats new Netflix film ‘Don’t Say Good Luck’
• • Netflix’s Don’t Say Good Luck
• Houston Dynamo FC celebrates 20 years of its 2006 MLS Cup Championship
• • Houston Dynamo FC
• Next Level Urgent Care

Wednesday, August 12

• Get ready for mystery: ‘The Girl on the Train’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Alley Theatre’s “The Girl on the Train” tickets
• Water heater warning signs Houston homeowners shouldn’t ignore
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Humble’s Cris Sosa advances to AGT live shows after hilarious cereal comedy set
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s

Tuesday, August 11

• Houston Theater Week is almost here! Here’s how to snag BOGO tickets to 400+ shows
• • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• Back-to-School Anxiety: What Parents Need to Know
• • Houston Christian University
• How the DiIorio family is celebrating 70 years of family, farming and community
• • DiIorio Farms
• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix

Monday, August 10

• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Eclipse cruises take off: The Travel Mom on why astro‑tourism is booming with Princess Cruises
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• Bear Grylls takes the cast of ‘The Chosen’ Into the Wild in new Prime Video series
• • Prime Video’s “The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls”
• Next Level Urgent Care
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC

Friday, August 7

• Houston’s Pink Phurree dragon boat team heads to France to celebrate breast cancer survivorship
• • Pink Phurree Dragon Boat Team
• Now playing: Queensbury Theatre’s brand new production of Mean Girls The Musical
• • Queensbury Theatre’s ‘Mean Girls The Musical’
• 12-year-old Houston golfer Alaina Villarreal makes her debut on Stephen Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour
• • UNDERRATED Golf Tour
  • Alaina Villareal
• Protein-packed rice for easy weeknight meals with SunRice Protein+
• • SunRice

Thursday, August 6

• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey brings ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ to Houston
• • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents The Greatest Show On Earth
• Houston City College Is Where Art Meets Innovation
• • Houston City College
• Find Calm at the Coast: Travel Mom Emily Kaufman Celebrates ‘Spa Weekend’ at Terranea Resort
• • The Travel Mom
  • Travel Guard’s Spa Weekend Getaway Sweepstakes

Wednesday, August 5

• It’s National Sandwich Month: Husband-wife duo behind Yuma brings Brazilian flavor to a Cuban classic
• • Yuma
• WWE Superstar Trick Williams previews Survivor Series: WarGames coming to Houston
• • WWE Survivor Series: Wargames
• Ready to dance? Houston Rockets Clutch City Dancers to hold open auditions
• • Clutch City Dancers open Auditions
• Next Level Urgent Care

Tuesday, August 4

• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels, The Beacon and Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore
• • Gexa Energy
• Brassica Shares the vegan secret behind its signature chocolate chip cookie
• • Brassica
• Master P Brings Hip-Hop History to Houston With Cash Money and No Limit Reunion Tour
• • Cash Money & No Limit Tour

Monday, August 3

• Houston students and teachers share their work beyond the classroom in new exhibition “The Sequence Is Yours”
• • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston‘s ‘The Sequence Is Yours’ Exhibition
• Sip, savor and celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the Galveston Island Wine Festival
• • Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy serves up a preview of the Galveston Island Wine Festival
  • Moody Gardens Galveston Island Wine Festival
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 31

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• ‘Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire’ brings high-octane family fun to Houston
• • Hot Wheels Monster Truck Live Glow-N-Fire at Toyota Center
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston

Thursday, July 30

• Meet the twin sisters who turned their cheesecake passion into a successful business
• • KK Cheesecakes
• How HCU’s high-tech simulation lab is preparing nursing students for in-demand jobs
• • Houston Christian University Linda R. Dunham School of Nursing
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels and The Beacon
• • Gexa Energy
• Garbage Girlfriend

Wednesday, July 29

• Houston Shakespeare Festival is back at Miller Outdoor Theatre with a reimagined lead in “The Tempest”
• • Houston Shakespeare Festival
• In the CLASSROOM with Kroger: How they’re helping parents and kids start the school year happy, healthy, and prepared
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Happy National Lipstick Day! Here’s the lowdown on choosing a matte, glossy, or satin pigment 💄
• • Makeup Artist Darcie Teasley
• Tony Danza is coming to Houston this week, here is where to see him
• • Doc’s Houston Presents Tony Danza - “Standards and Stories”

Monday, July 27

• Back-to-school safety: What kids should know and what parents should watch for in case of a school emergency
• • CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
  • Back to School Safety Webinar with CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
• Anaheim: The Urban Basecamp You Didn’t Know You Needed In Southern California
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Houston students turn thousands of plastic bags into an award-winning business
• • Plastic Free July
  • Next Use
• Allied Outdoor Solutions

Friday, July 24

• Houston celebrates Art House Theater Day with a “Car Wash” screening and preshow party
• • Houston Art House Theater Day
• The best tacos in Texas arrive in Houston this weekend + Texas Monthly Taco Editor‘s spicy gig getting paid to eat tacos
• • 2026 Texas Monthly Taco Fest South
  • Huncho’s Tacos
• BISSELL Pet Foundation Empty the Shelters
• Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter

Thursday, July 23

• Meet the Houston Rig Hands: The city’s pro 3-on-3 basketball team 🏀🏀
• • Follow Houston Rig Hands on Instagram
  • BIG3 Playing at Toyota Center Tickets
• Houston City College’s Coleman Campus: Training the next generation of health care workers
• • Houston City College
• Vic Mignogna on Anime Matsuri, Star Trek & life with Dominique Sachse
• • Follow Vic Mignogna on Instagram
  • Anime Matsuri

Wednesday, July 22

• 16th annual Mayor’s Back 2 School & Health Fair brings free supplies, screenings to Houston families
• • Mayor’s Back to School & Health Fair
• Tips for Planning the Perfect Summer Getaway
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
  • Marriott Bonvoy
  • Official Guide to Breckenridge
• Celebrate National Tequila Day at Zanti Cucina Italiana in River Oaks
• • Zanti Cucina Italiana
• Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman heading to Houston for blues experience
• • Performing Arts Houston Presents “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience”

Tuesday, July 21

• How CenterPoint Energy says they’re building a stronger, more resilient electric grid
• • CenterPoint Energy Action Center
• NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Ox St. Kitchen
• Ivan Chavez Chavos BBQ
• The world’s fragrance community comes together at FRAGCON in Houston
• • Global Fragrance Convention

Monday, July 20

• Houston’s Girl Gone Grilling shares her buffalo chicken stuffed garlic bread
• • Katherine Salom “Girl Gone Grilling”
• Powerhouse performer Christina Wells, now in a wheelchair, is still lighting up Houston stages
• • Christina Wells
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 17

• Hidden Omakase serves up a Summer favorite while continuing its comeback story
• • Hidden Omakase
• East Houston Medical Center works to improve access to health care in the community
• • East Houston Medical Center
• “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• 13th Annual Ohana Surf Dogs Competition

Thursday, July 16

• 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels Concert Brings Country Stars to Houston
• • 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels
• Here’s Blue Willow Bookshop’s summer reading picks you need to add to your TBR
• • Blue Willow Bookshop
• UniverSoul Circus brings big top thrills to Houston Life
• • UniverSoul Circus

Wednesday, July 15

• Llamas, haunted houses, and mermaids?! Houston realtor Noel Collier talks HGTV’S ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
• • HGTV’s ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
  • Noel Collier Group
• Protect Yourself After a Crash: What to Do If You’re Illegally Solicited
• • The Miller Law Firm, home of The Texas Bulldog
• Skip the oven and beat the summer heat with this no-bake chocolate raspberry tart
• • Florence Jackson
• Raising Cane’s and the Norris family to honor Chuck Norris’ legacy on National Chicken Finger Day
• • Raising Canes

Tuesday, July 14

• Casa de Cultura turns a Houston gallery into a living archive one family story at a time
• • Photographer Violeta Álvarez
  • FreshArts
• The late Chuck Norris continues to empower kids through Kickstart Kids martial arts program
• • Kickstart Kids
  • Raising Canes
• Protein-Packed Plates: Casa do Brasil, Los Tios and a High Protein Bowl with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste for the Soul with Tanji Patton

Monday, July 13

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art
• Spend the Summer at Moody Gardens: Animal encounters, weekly themes, and how to register
• • Moody Gardens
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston
• Celebrate 713 Day with Houston Rap Legend Lil’ Keke
• • Follow Lil Keke on Instagram
• Best places and deals around Houston to celebrate 713 Day

Friday, July 10

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Hula Academy brings the spirit of Polynesia to Houston Life
• • Houston Hula Academy
  • Drums of the Pacific
• A car lover’s dream! Where to see life-size Hot Wheels cars in the Houston area
• • Hot Wheels Legends Tour
• Fire Up The Grill: Easy Grilling for a Crowd
• • III Catering
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Thursday, July 9

• Meet the Houston 6-year-old golfer makes national tournament history
• • Ascend Golf Academy
• Fort Bend County Fair Celebrates 90 Years with Pat Green, Sawyer Brown and a Star-Studded 2026 Lineup
• • Fort Bend County Fair
• Houston City College: College that fits your schedule
• • Houston City College
• Goode Company Seafood celebrates 40 years
• Goode Company Seafood x Texas Parks and Wildlife

Wednesday, July 8

• Fort Bend County Fair
• Fung’s Kitchen
• East Houston Medical Center hosts free FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and a chance to win a free trip to the final
• • East Houston Medical Center
• Houston’s Ensemble Theatre marks 50th anniversary with premieres, revivals and, honoring the past
• • The Ensemble Theatre
• Stars of Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ chat reimagining the iconic story
• • Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie

Tuesday, July 7

• KPRC 2 Insider
• Inside the New Era of Fitness: How 24 Hour Fitness Is Rethinking the Modern Gym
• • 24 Hour Fitness
• Cosmic Ice Cream and Trill Burgers teaming up for National Ice Cream day
• • Cosmic Ice Cream
  • Trill Burgers
• Houston Ballet’s Dance 2 Thrive program brings movement, music and wellness to the Community
• • Houston Ballet
  • Dance 2 Thrive registration form

Monday, July 6

• Why Trae Tha Truth Keeps Turning His Birthday Into Houston’s Biggest Give-Back
• • Traeday 2026
• PopUp Bagels lands in Houston — grip, rip and dip your way to a viral bagel
• • PopUp Bagels
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Your Bucket List Guide
• Flora Houston
• Make this at home! The Two-Ingredient Cocktail Popping Up Around Houston During the FIFA World Cup 26™
• • Bucanita by Buchanan’s

Thursday, July 2

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC
• ‘Read With Jenna’ debuts cozy Book Nook aboard MSC Seascape sailing from Galveston
• • ‘Read with Jenna’
• Keep Kids Safe Around Water: Expert Guidance on Supervision and Drowning Prevention
• • Bivona Law Firm
• New Sprouts in Kingwood Is Here | And Yes, You Can Sample Just About Anything
• • Sprouts Farmers Market

Wednesday, July 1

• Celebrate America’s 250th with Houston Life’s special Fourth of July Show
• • Houston Christian University’s Independence Hall
  • Baytown’s Fourth of July Festivities
  • PBS’s Annual A Capitol Fourth celebration
  • Houston Zoo
  • Blue Bell Creameries
• LIST: Fourth of July fireworks, parades, celebrations across Greater Houston

Tuesday, June 30

• This Thai-inspired hot dog brings new flavor to your Fourth of July cookout
• • MaKiin Concepts Hospitality Group
• Firework Safety | Cy-Fair Fire Department, TX
• United Against Human Trafficking
• Houston native shares how being stranded at sea during COVID inspired a documentary, memoir and mission to help others
• • Angela Harger Productions
• 5 Things Houston Homeowners Should Know Before the Next Power Outage
• • GenPro.com

Monday, June 29

• Meet the cast of ‘Young Washington’ ahead of the film’s July 3rd release
• • ‘Young Washington’
• From Houston to American homes: Good Ranchers celebrates America’s 250th with homegrown meat
• • Good Ranchers
• New Zealand by train: Scenic journeys, culture and food
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Gexa Energy gives back: Make-A-Wish reveal brings joy to local child
• • Gexa Energy
• Hands-on training at Houston City College prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College

Friday, June 26

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
• Houston’s own Tyce Green stars in Disney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’
• • Houston Broadway Theatre’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber
• Better STAAR scores, bigger goals: Here’s why Good Reason Houston focuses on a path to a living wage
• • Good Reason Houston
• Baytown Is Going Big for the Fourth of July
• • Visit Baytown
• Rodney Atkins

Thursday, June 25

• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
  • Best Friends Houston
• A New Sprouts Farmers Market Has Opened in Webster—Here’s What You’ll Find Inside
• • Sprouts Farmers Market
• Why this financial expert says small business success starts with financial organization
• • Aragon Tax Return Services
• Mattress expert links poor sleep to serious health risks
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Wednesday, June 24

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announces historic agriculture complex benefitting Texas youth
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Vegan recipes to add to your summer cookout menu
• • Dr. Chinwe Orabuchi
• Could your roof be hiding storm damage: What Houston homeowners should know
• • Adams Roofing
• Companion Energy brings ‘Energy that Cares’ to the Houston Humane Society
• • Companion Energy
• Travel Mom Emily Kaufman says now’s the time to book Australia
• • Travel Mom
  • Visit Sydney
  • Visit South Wales

Tuesday, June 23

• Houston Life goes LIVE from new IKEA Webster ahead of Grand Opening
• • KPRC 2 Insiders, Enter for a chance to win IKEA gift cards!
  • IKEA
  • IKEA Webster: Friends and Family Shopping Event

Monday, June 22

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Family-owned restaurant Foreign Grill shares Uzbek flavors ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match
• • Follow Foreign Grill on Instagram
• Prime Day Picks to upgrade your home
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Meet the Houston skincare brand embracing beef tallow with no frills and all the beneficial ingredients
• • NutréLux Beauty
• Future-Proof Careers: Celebrating the HVAC Technicians Who Keep Houston Cool
• • Fortis College
• Why cruises are the hottest ticket this summer - expert tips & where to go
• • Carnival Cruises
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Thursday, June 18

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• • Kroger
• The South Dakota Road Trip You Didn’t Know You Needed
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Travel South Dakota
• Hands-on training at Houston City College Southeast prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber

Wednesday, June 17

• WANTED: An audience ready to laugh at the Texas Outlaw Comics tonight at Houston Improv
• • Texas Outlaw Comics
• The cast of Netflix’s ‘I Will Find You’ talks bringing the bestselling thriller to life
• • Netflix’s Harlan Coben’s “I Will Find You”
• Saunawelt opens Houston’s first public European sauna house
• • Saunawelt
• Village Plumbing, Air & Electric shares summer safety tips as company celebrates 80 Years of servicing Houston
• • Village Plumbing

Tuesday, June 16

• ‘Heart & Hustle: Houston’ Star Muneera Page opens up about fame, friendship and season two
• • OWN’s “Heart & Hustle: Houston”
• Looking for a Father’s Day activity? See more than 100 exotic cars at Velocité in Houston
• • Velocité – A Father’s Day Tradition in Motion
• AEW Star Thunder Rosa balances two wrestling worlds while inspiring fans to chase their dreams
• • All Elite Wrestling at Smart Financial Centre
  • Follow Thunder Rosa on Instagram
• Transform your outdoor space with Carvestone - Plus, a chance to win $5,000 in outdoor furniture
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions

Monday, June 15

• Local 17-year-old filmmaker makes her mark with movie focusing on men’s mental health
• • “Used to Be” tickets
• WWE star Braun Strowman chats season 2 of ‘Everything On The Menu’
• • USA Network’s “Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman”
• How Houston Habitat for Humanity is helping families build generational wealth
• • KPRC 2 Habitat for Humanity
  • Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”

Friday, June 12

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Why the Rothko Chapel may be Houston’s most transformative space
• • Rothko Chapel
• Keep your home cool and save on energy with these tips from Champion & Nash
• • Champion and Nash
• Marco’s Pizza brings New York-style pizza to your neighborhood
• • Marco’s Pizza
• Meet Yassine Cheuko, personal bodyguard to soccer superstar Lionel Messi

Thursday, June 11

• FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston

Wednesday, June 10

• Houston physician and educator Dr. Tim Garson makes history approachable and relatable to modern life in new book
• • Dr. Arthur “Tim” Garson
  • Book: “Five Thousand Years of Controversies: A Family’s Journey Through World History”
• Ishida Dance Company presents ‘Waiting/Rex’ at Asia Society Texas
• • Ishida Dance Company Tickets
• Father’s Day finds and summer-ready home upgrades
• • Kathryn Emery
• Peptides and functional health: How Antiage Institute helps Houstonians age better
• • Antiage Institute

Tuesday, June 9

• How a community effort saved Houston’s printmaking legacy
• How custom coasters are made by hand at Red Bird Press studio
• • Red Bird Press
• A 34-Day soccer watch party in Houston with Diplo, wagyu burgers and VIP lounges?
• • The Ranch Presents Pitch Live
• Find the right mattress with expert help in Texas
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Monday, June 8

• Meet Saxboy Billy, the man behind the viral “Puerto Rico Song”
• • Follow Saxboy Billy on Instagram
• Celebrate Culture through music and movement with Tx2 Dance Company
• • T2 Dance Company
• NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Season 18: What Lauren Kelly learned from the Hosts
• • NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Replace an entire arch, not just a tooth: How ONEARCH changes lives
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Visit San Antonio

Friday, June 5

• The music collective behind the Houston remix for FIFA World Cup 2026™
• • Bombón
  • Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Sonic ID
• Why Alley Theatre’s “Misery” is leaving Houston audiences gasping
• • Misery at Alley Theatre
• Young Houstonians will learn how to train like a pro at the Simple Truth Will Anderson Jr. ProCamp
• • Will Anderson Jr. Football ProCamp

Thursday, June 4

• Magician Michael Carbonaro is ready to wow fans in Houston with his new show ‘WONDERBOY’
• • Michael Carbonaro at Houston of Blues
• HCC Southwest ramps up hands-on training in AI, robotics and cybersecurity
• • Houston City College
• The Travel Mom’s tips for planning and booking a breathtaking Alaskan cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Holland America Cruises
• Spice Routes: Cardamom Challenge a culinary passport awaits at Houston’s stunning Ismaili Center
• • Ismaili Center

Wednesday, June 3

• Celebrate Freedom Festival returns to Emancipation Park this Saturday
• • Juneteenth Houston
• Why this red velvet cornbread recipe belongs on your Juneteenth table
• • Chef Cassi
• Houston Rockets Skills Camp returns to various locations this summer
• • Houston Rockets Youth Skills Camp
• KPRC 2’s 2026 Hurricane & Flood Survival Guide
• IMDB “Masters of the Universe”

Tuesday, June 2

• CPR and AED basics: Simple skills that can help save a life
• • Register for FREE CPR webinar on June 3
  • Gail Gould
• Meet the local break dancers uplifting women and youth through hip-hop, culture, and the arts
• • BGirl City Worldwide
• Cool Treats in the Heights: Where to find Hawaiian shaved ice and frozen cocktails
• • Happy Go Lucky

Monday, June 1

• Houston Author Jenny Block drops new book about finding authenticity, success and joy in life
• • Follow Jenny Block on Instagram
• The laughs keep coming in season 2 of Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’
• • Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”
• Discovery Green celebrating summer with free family fun and soccer-inspired events
• • Discovery Green
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 29

• Texas Teen Pageant Queens use their platforms to empower foster kids, fight bullying, and inspire future farmers
• • Kyleigh’s Kidz
• Immersive Gamebox is launching ‘Soccer Arcade,’ the world’s first immersive soccer experience
• • Immersive Gamebox
• Tanji Patton reveals what’s next after 11 seasons of Goodtaste TV
• Sweet, Savory & Spicy: Creative cantaloupe recipes worth trying this Summer
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Thursday, May 28

• Game day skin care tips for FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and summer heat
• • Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Sherry Ingraham
• A Quick Drive From Houston, This Louisiana Resort Delivers Vegas-Style Luxury Without the Flight
• • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Licasa Treatment Center Opens in Conroe to expand compassionate mental health and addiction care
• • Licasa Treatment Center

Wednesday, May 27

•  Powering Houston’s future: Electrical apprentices showcase skills at annual Wire-Off Competition 
• • IEC Texas Gulf Coast
• Los Souldees is the local band bringing the sounds you love from the past with a fresh Houston twist
• • Los Souldees

Tuesday, May 26

• Lone Star College
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Captain MC’s Seafood
• The Window Source Houston

Friday, May 22

• Get your bike ready for summer rides with these simple safety tips
• • Sun & Ski Sports
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Powwow
  • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Hear the hits - ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ in Houston
• • “The Carole King Musical” at Theatre Under the Stars
• Support local veterans while having fun at the Patriots Charity Classic
• • Patriots Charity Classic Event

Thursday, May 21

• The World comes to Houston! Here’s what to expect ahead of the FIFA Fan Festival™ kicking off in EaDo
• • FIFA Fan Festival™
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Casino Resort - New Legacy Tower
• SUMMER SWEEPSTAKES: Enter to win 3 weeks of free airport parking from The Parking Spot
• • The Parking Spot
• Train for Houston’s in demand jobs at HCC Northeast - Public Safety, Automotive, & more
• • HCC Northeast
• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli

Wednesday, May 20

• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli
• Swap, shop, sustain: Houston’s eco-friendly clothing event returns this Sunday
• • The Houston Clothing Shop
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Early detection, AI tools, personalized care redefine preventive health
• • Fountain Life Houston Clinic
• Get your backyard summer ready with pest control, pool upgrades, trampolines and whole home backup power
• • Kathryn Emery
• Need summer plans? This easy Galveston getaway has dinosaurs, beaches & lazy rivers
• • Moody Gardens

Tuesday, May 19

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Memorial Day hosting doesn’t have to start from scratch
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Moody Gardens
• Houston Ballet closes 2025-2026 season with two standout productions
• • Houston Ballet
• From award-winning tv to action-packed films, Bob Odenkirk chats ‘Normal’
• • Follow Bob Odenkirk on Instagram

Monday, May 18

• Celebrate World Ocean Day in Galveston with art, music & ocean fun for free 🌊 🌊
• • Artist Boat
• A collector’s dream: U.S. Coins & Jewelry opens brand new showroom for buying and selling
• • U.S. Coins and Jewelry
• Mental Health Awareness Month: How to spot the signs when stress becomes something more
• • The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
• Spring couple transforms builder-grade patio into beautiful backyard with Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 15

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• At Houston’s Alley Theatre, “Dear Alien” explores the beautiful weirdness of being human
• • “Dear Alien at Alley Theatre
• Gear up inside the newly renovated and relocated Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• • Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• The Travel Mom on the perks of RV life on the road
• • The Travel Mom
  • Go RVing

Thursday, May 14

• Musaafer Houston Beekeeper cocktail program highlights honey from local neighborhoods
• • Musaafer
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Schedule an appointment
• Port Aransas
• Children’s Museum Houston

Wednesday, May 13

• Why one Fulshear homeowner calls his generator “The Easy Button”
• • GenPro.com
• Family fun meets coastal charm in Port Aransas, Texas’ premier Gulf Coast getaway
• • Port Aransas
  • Red Dragon Pirate Cruises
• Local chef turns pandemic setback into a thriving Filipino food pop-up business
• • Aleng Nina’s
  • Chef Nina’s Pop-up Event at Third Place

Tuesday, May 12

• Rob Riggle among authors featured in ‘A Celebration of Reading’ 2026
• • Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation
• Texas’ legendary 1877 tall ship ELISSA joins Sail250 voyage to New York Harbor
• • The Official Official Tall Ship of Texas
  • Galveston 250 Kickoff Party Tickets
• The Future of noninvasive wellness is in Sugar Land
• • Oasis Aesthetics & Wellness and Oasis Dry Eye Center
• Chef Jose Hernandez on his roots, restaurants, and fresh pasta
• • Savoir Restaurant
  • Patton

Monday, May 11

• Texas breweries shine at World Beer Cup as American Craft Beer Week kicks off
• • What’s on Tap Radio
• Could Retirement Living Actually Feel Like a Resort? Inside Life at Eagle’s Trace
• • Eagles’ Trace by Erickson Senior Living
• Empty Bowls Houston returns for its 20th anniversary
• • Empty Bowls Houston
  • Houston Food Bank

Friday, May 8

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Children’s Museum Houston and Houston Life present a first look inside the ‘Gallery of Wonder’ on KPRC 2
• Easy at-home kitchen STEM activities to spark curiosity with Children’s Museum Houston
• • Children’s Museum Houston
• Rung Film Festival returns to Houston, highlighting Pakistani storytellers on the big screen
• • Rung Film Festival
• Scammed out of $90,000: Houston woman shares warning for seniors
• • AARP Houston
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, May 7

• Celebrate National Hamburger Month with OMG! Burger
• • OMG! Burger
• How Houston City College Is Building the City’s Workforce
• • Houston City College
• The Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare happening in The Woodlands this weekend
• • Insperity Invitational
• Bridge the Gaps

Wednesday, May 6

• From local finds to feel-good vibes, ‘Shop Fulshear First’ family-friendly night market
• • “Shop Fulshear First”
• Why you keep repeating the same unhealthy relationship patterns and how to change them
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Houston Grand Opera

Tuesday, May 5

• Bun B announces “UGK Been Ridin’ Dirty,” Celebrating 30 Years of a Southern Hip-Hop Classic
• • Bun B Presents “Been Ridin’ Dirty” Tickets
• From classroom to center stage: The Tommy Tune Awards showcase Houston’s rising theatre talent
• • Tommy Tune Awards Finalists List
• Houston Life co-hosts learn calligraphy with live event artist Jenny Blaschke
• • Jenny Blaschke

Monday, May 4

• “Houston’s Enchilada Queen” Sylvia Casares serving up big flavor & family tradition
• • Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
• This Houston program uses comedy to build confidence and change lives
• • Comedy Unlocked
  • The Opportunity Center
• Hot products: Summer grillin’ and chillin’ with Lifestyle and Home Improvement expert Kathryn Emery
• • Kathryn Emery
• New Smile: AI-driven design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 1

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Teatro Indigo
• Teatro Indigo at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• Mahjong for a Cause
• Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, April 30

• St‑Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• National Pet Month is here! Houston SPCA offers tips for responsible pet ownership
• • Houston SPCA
• From Knee Replacement to the Boston Marathon: A Story of Movement, Medicine, and Meaning
• • Dr. Richard A. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery
• Tyler Henry “The Hollywood Medium” heading to Houston for unforgettable live show
• • Tyler Henry Live at Smart Financial Center
  • Connect with Tyler Henry

Wednesday, April 29

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Kroger, the world’s largest florist
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Sail into Alaska with Princess Cruises - tips from The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• How wearing denim became an international symbol of supporting assault survivors and victims
• • National Denim Day
  • Fort Bend Women’s Center
• Country superstar Parker McCollum surprises nurses ahead of National Nurses Week

Tuesday, April 28

• Inside Golden Roastery: A popular Middle Eastern shop serving traditional desserts and coffee
• How to make a popular Arab dessert Kunafa
• • Golden Roastery (Walk-in offer only; get 20% off Kunafa items from now to May 10)
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Community Blood Drive at KPRC 2
• Cedric The Entertainer brings the laughs in new Netflix animated film ‘Swapped’
• • Netflix’s ‘Swapped’

Monday, April 27

• Summer safety for kids: what parents need to know
• • Bivona Law Firm
• From Blueprint to Backyard Oasis: A Missouri City Transformation Designed for Real Life
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• First annual AAPI Fest coming to Alief
• • AAPI Fest
  • Kaminari Taiko of Houston,
• The story behind Agnes and Sherman where Asian flavors meet American comfort food
• • Agnes and Sherman
  • AAPI Restaurant Weeks
• Hosts Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Rocsi Diaz chat reboot of ‘American Gladiators’
• • American Gladiators

Friday, April 24

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Step inside August Wilson’s “Fences” at Houston’s Alley Theatre - A timeless story of love, legacy, and second chances
• • August Wilson’s “Fences” at Alley Theatre
• Prime Video’s ‘Cocaine Quarterback’ Owen Hanson visits Houston, shares incredible comeback story
• • “Cocaine Quarterback” on Prime Video
• National Bucket List Day: A Trafalgar River Cruise with The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom
  • Trafalgar

Thursday, April 23

• Silambam Houston highlights the beauty of Indian classical dance at the Hobby Center
• • Silambam Houston
• A preview of Great Age on the Green, Houston’s new festival celebrating aging boldly
• • Great Age on the Green
• Kids learn money the fun way with Financial Fortunes card game
• • Financial Fortunes Card Game
• Teeing off for the LPGA’s first major of the season - The Chevron Championship
• • The Chevron Championship

Wednesday, April 22

• Houston is driving the Biotech future - starting with students
• • Texas Medical Center BioPath Program
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Follow Nia Sioux on Instagram
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Nia Sioux’s Memoir “Bottom of the Pyramid”
• Wildflowers, western heritage, and a Mother’s Day to remember at The George Ranch
• The George Ranch

Tuesday, April 21

• Orchid care 101: Simple tricks to keep your orchids blooming longer
• • Ace Berry
  • Flora & More
• Affordable luxury: New upholstered bed collection unveiled at Texas Mattress Makers
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• Music, food and rodeo fun for all at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 20

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 17

• ‘Houston Life’ is live today at the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market Spring
• • Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® SPRING
  • Dog Collar World
  • Linked by Stevi
  • The Hive
  • Big Creek Farms
  • EK The Boutique
  • House of Cottonwood
  • ParkerJoe

Thursday, April 16

• TUTS presents ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ rides into the Hobby Center
• • Monty Python’s Spamalot at TUTS Tickets
• One ticket, endless fun at the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• Carpet Giant celebrates 50 years of proudly serving generations of Houstonians
• • Carpet Giant Website (mention Houston Life to get $150 off your purchase of $1,000)
• Faith ‘One Arm Wonder’ Malton and Zack ‘Pitbull’ Ruhl rappel 30 stories for non-profit Camp For All
• • Camp For All
  • Faith Malton

Wednesday, April 15

• Brush up on your makeup routine at Blushington River Oaks
• • Houston Life Deals (Get 20% off beauty services at Blushington River Oaks)
  • Blushington River Oaks
• The King himself shares how to save 20% on tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• Ethan’s Ohana
• Cube Against Cancer 2026 Houston
• Cube Against Cancer
• Fortis College

Tuesday, April 14

• Former Texans WR Steven Sims Jr. to host FREE youth football camp
• • Must See Foundation
• Why it’s not just the generator - it’s the company behind it
• • Gen Pro
• How the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helps local companies grow
• • Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Step Onward Foundation uses music to fight homelessness in Texas
• • Step Onward Foundation
  • Sunday Funday Community Celebration

Monday, April 13

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 10

• Your guide to the Houston Barbecue Festival this weekend: Top pitmasters, unlimited BBQ samples, and more
• • Houston BBQ Festival
• Texas CASA’s partner agencies train volunteers to be a voice and a lifeline for children in the foster care system
• • Become a CASA
• ‘Grow the Game’ Initiative expands soccer access in Houston ahead of the World Cup with Guinness World Records attempt
• • Airbnb GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™
• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Thursday, April 9

• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary kicks off 22nd annual ‘Chic Boutique’
• • Chic Boutique
• Aramie Payton brings Broadway pedigree to Alley Theatre’s revival of “Fences”
• • Alley Theatre
• Layoff leads Houston creator to viral small business mission
• • Follow David on Instagram
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Wednesday, April 8

• Houston Underwater Film Festival returns this weekend with stunning ocean films 🌊🌊
• • School, college and scuba students: claim a free ticket by emailing huff@hups.org
  • Houston Underwater Film Festival Tickets
• Celebrate Earth Month by sipping sustainably!
• • Wine and Travel Contributor Daniela Garrido
• Shred Day Houston: Safely destroy documents and fight hunger on April 18
• • Comerica Shred Day Houston
• Trade-show-tested home picks: Coffee, Water, Bidets and Moving Gear
• • Kathryn Emery Home Improvement & Lifestyle Expert
• A kid’s guide to top play picks to cut screen time and spark creativity
• • Kid-trepreneur Dylan Emery

Tuesday, April 7

• Grand Marshals Kam Franklin & Brian Ching preview the 39th annual Art Car Parade
• • Houston Art Car Parade
• This Texas artist is turning Titanic artifacts into art
• • Souls of the Titanic
• In Houston, Your Windows May Not Last as Long—Here’s What to Know (and What to Do About It)
• • Pella Windows and Doors
• Houston’s Trillest Chef bringing bold flavors of H-Town the national stage
• • Follow Chef Machete on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 6

• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Sysco’s World Cup-themed food show is a preview of how Houston plans to feed the world
• • Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• WWE Wrestler Je’Von Evans
• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
• The Chevron Championship
• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • “Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again”
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• How Autism Moms of Houston became a lifeline for families raising children who are neurodivergent
• • Autism Moms of Houston
  • Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
  • Houston Life Deals
• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

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The AARP Men Who Care Conference aims to connect male caregivers with practical advice, helpful resources and others who understand the experience.

Jennifer Barrera Wandrey, associate state director of outreach and advocacy for AARP Texas, and Eddie Orum, founder of Men Who Care, discuss how the conference helps caregivers navigate challenges ranging from financial and legal planning to dementia care and mental wellness.

The conference also makes room for connection and a little laughter. Comedian Jesus Trejo, who draws on his own experience as a caregiver, will deliver the keynote address, bringing humor and a personal perspective to the challenges caregivers face.

The free Men Who Care Conference takes place Nov. 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kingdom Builders’ Center, 6011 W. Orem Drive in Houston. Registration is required by Nov. 6. Click here to sign up.

Watch the video above to learn more about the Men Who Care Conference and how it helps male caregivers find practical advice, helpful resources and a community of support.

Fifteen people were charged and so far at least eight were arrested in connection with fraud at substance abuse treatment centers, hospice services and surgeons in California, prosecutors said. At least six of those charged were doctors — including one who is accused of performing unnecessary and invasive surgeries to bill Medicaid for over $130 million.

“If you treat healthcare patients as dollar bills, the Department of Justice is coming for you,” said Colin M. McDonald, assistant attorney general for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. He was flanked by FBI officials and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.

The operation is the latest in a recent wave of arrests related to alleged public benefits fraud, an issue that has emerged as a cornerstone of the president's agenda throughout his second term. Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday announced a $25 million program to encourage whistleblowers to report suspected fraud in the U.S. government.

High-ranking federal officials in recent days have touted the crackdowns across the country ahead of a competitive midterm election that will decide the balance of power in the U.S. Congress for the final two years of Trump's second term.

Vance and Attorney General Todd Blanche announced in Cincinnati on Wednesday that the administration had uncovered over $40 million in fraudulent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits nationwide since September. Thirteen people in Ohio were indicted as part of that crackdown.

In Missouri, meanwhile, Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe on Thursday announced a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Justice to “aggressively identify, investigate and prosecute fraud” in Medicaid, SNAP and other federally funded benefits administered by the state.

“Missouri is all-in in the Trump administration’s unprecedented war on fraud,” Kehoe said while flanked by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and two U.S. attorneys.

Hanaway said the endeavor is a continuation of existing antifraud efforts, with improved federal-state cooperation.

In the pre-dawn hours of Thursday morning, federal authorities descended on a massive gated house in the upscale residential neighborhood of Tarzana in Los Angeles. There, they arrested Hany Malek, 61, a chiropractor indicted on charges that he posed as a doctor in order to refer patients for medically unnecessary atherectomies — an invasive procedure in which a catheter is used to clear plaque from arteries.

Prosecutors say Malek referred the patients to his business partner and surgeon, Dr. Harold Tabaie, 78, of Anaheim, who sometimes falsely told patients that the initial surgery was unsuccessful in order to justify another. The duo allegedly made roughly $134 million through these unnecessary procedures, prosecutors said.

Both men are charged with four counts of healthcare fraud, and the chiropractor is charged with an additional two counts of bank fraud. No attorneys were listed for either Malek or Tabaie. Efforts to reach both men through phones listed on public records were unsuccessful on Thursday morning.

Essayli took shots at California's state government, which has lately had increasingly public disputes with Trump's federal government. He called the state the “king of fraud.”

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom fired back on social media, pointing out that the majority of the fraud targeted in Thursday's raid was for federal or private insurance. Additionally, he wrote, the state helped the federal government in targeting the case that did impact state-funded public insurance.

A network of dozens of fake substance abuse treatment centers raked more than $1.5 billion — the bulk of the roughly $2 billion — for addiction treatment that was never provided.

___

Associated Press writer David A. Lieb contributed from Jefferson City, Missouri.

Jacob Misiorowski brings his record-setting heat to the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night when he throws the first pitch of the best-of-seven championship against the Tampa Bay Rays, a matchup of modest-money marvels who bumped off glamorous rivals with a throwback base-to-base style.

“Forrest Gump, everyone,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Thursday, introducing his ace to the assembled media.

“I'm still fresh to all of this and I have no idea what the hell is going on,” Misiorowski said a few minutes later.

Few predicted this pairing of pennant winners when the season opened March 25. The first World Series with robot umpires is the first since 1980 between teams seeking their first championship and also could be the first with a 104 mph pitch — thanks to Misiorowski — and the first to be played totally indoors.

Milwaukee is in the Series for the second time after a 44-year absence — an appropriate number given that it was the jersey of the Cream City's most famous baseball player, Hank Aaron, who became a star with the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s and ended his career with the expansion Brewers in the 1970s.

Both teams fell short in previous Series trips, the Brewers losing to St. Louis in 1982 and the Rays to Philadelphia in 2008 and to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. Not since the Phillies beat Kansas City in 1980 have two teams met seeking their first title. The time before that was in 1920.

Rays players are excited to display their brand of baseball.

“We love watching those guys cause chaos,” Tampa Bay pitcher Steven Matz said of his team's bunters and speedsters. “Every time it’s first and third and someone lays down a bunt, we are just dying laughing in the bullpen.”

Misiorowski is likely to set a World Series velocity record

Misiorowski, a 24-year-old right-hander in his first full major league season, is a starting pitcher like no other. He threw 1,115 pitches of 100 mph or higher this year — shattering the old high of 673 since tracking began in 2008, by Jordan Hicks in 2018.

His fastest pitch was 105.5 mph to the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 27, and he appears likely to break the 101.1 mph record for a Series starter by the New York Mets' Noah Syndergaard in 2015 and possibly the overall Series high of 103.2 mph by Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman to Cleveland's Coco Crisp in Game 2 of 2016.

Misiorowski didn't finish the fifth inning in either of his first two postseason starts this year. Batters have swung at 94 of his 182 postseason pitches and fouled off 51 — 28% of pitches and 54% of swings.

“He hasn’t been as crisp,” Murphy said. “They’re obviously looking at an area. They’re trying to exploit everything. He’s exposed, like all these guys get at some point.”

Martinez a surprise starter for Rays

Nick Martinez will start for Tampa Bay, which gives extra rest to Drew Rasmussen ahead of Game 2 and Freddy Peralta before Game 3.

A 36-year-old right-hander with his fourth major league team, Martinez took the Rays to dinner Wednesday at Carnevor, a top Milwaukee steakhouse. He invites teammates, who have nicknamed him “El Presidente,” to a restaurant in every road city.

“To when I first got to the league, I’ve been around guys that knew how to control a clubhouse and for lack of a better term, knew how to throw a party,” Martinez said. “Getting the guys together is important. Creating that off-the-field chemistry translates to on the field.”

Brewers and Rays have throwback offenses

In an age where power bats usually rule, Milwaukee scored a major league-low 32.1% of its runs on homers and Tampa Bay was second-lowest at 34.4%, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Brewers captain Christian Yelich says “we’ve done a good job of being kind of chameleons.”

“It's cool that you don't have to be the team to hit 170 home runs a game or whatever,” Misiorowski said. “You can win a baseball game so many different ways.”

Rays batters had the fewest strikeouts among the 30 teams and Tampa Bay’s 45 sacrifice bunts were the most among American League teams since 2015.

“If we had a club that was built with a bunch of boppers, we probably wouldn’t be bunting and stealing bases,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think we already have made bunting cool.”

After back-to-back Dodgers titles, MLB will have a small-payroll champion

This marks the first time since 1991 that both Series teams are in the bottom half of payrolls: the Brewers were 19th as of Aug. 31 and the Rays 25th. Milwaukee, MLB's smallest market, could become the first small-market champion since Kansas City in 2015. The Rays rank 15th in market size.

To reach the Series, the Brewers swept the deep-pocketed, two-time champion Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and the Rays swept the New York Yankees in an AL Division Series.

Yelich, the highest-paid player in the Series, was 44th overall in the majors on opening day. Yandy Díaz, who earns most among the Rays, ranked 154th.

Robot umps are changing games

Batters have succeeded on 63% of challenges during the postseason in the first year of the Automated Ball-Strike System, winning 40 of 63 appeals to the robot umps. That is up from 49% during the regular season.

Catchers' 58% success rate in the playoffs (58 of 99) is down a tick from 59% during the regular season and pitchers are 1 for 1 — Tampa Bay’s Griffin Jax made the only challenge. The 60% overall rate is up from 54% in the regular season.

Tampa Bay's batters have yet to make a postseason challenge. Milwaukee's have won 4 of 7, including a perfect 2 for 2 by Jake Bauers.

Brewers catcher William Contreras has won 60% (12 of 20) and Rays catcher Liam Hicks 67% (8 of 12).

Rest vs. rust: Extra time off hasn't been helpful in recent years

Milwaukee will have had seven days off going into the opener.

While teams with less rest are 15-15 in the Series since Wild Card Era started in 1995, they are 12-4 since 2009.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Accommodations that feel like home

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Beyond pools and beaches: dining, play and relaxation

The resort is more than beaches and expansive pools. Guests can sample international and local cuisine across multiple on-site restaurants and bars, unwind at a full-service spa, and find family-friendly programming and activities throughout the day. For those seeking nightlife and extra entertainment, the property reportedly has a casino and live entertainment options. Excursions to nearby attractions — from eco tours to water sports — are easy to arrange through the resort concierge.

Plan your stay

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Dan Bellino, Vic Carapazza, Tripp Gibson and Jim Wolf also will work the Series, Major League Baseball announced Thursday. It will be the third World Series for both Hoye and Wolf, and the second each for Bellino, Carapazza and Gibson.

Lentz made his big league debut in 2016 and at 36 will be the youngest Series ump since Pat Hoberg in 2022.

Morales will be the plate umpire for Friday’s opener, with Lentz at first, Hoye at second, Carapazza at third, Bellino in left and Gibson in right.

Wolf will work the plate in Game 2 and be followed by Lentz, Hoye, Carapazza, Bellino and Gibson.

Bellino will be the crew chief in Game 3, when Hoye is the reserve.

Lentz had a 48.3% overturn rate in the first season of the ABS ball/strike system of robot umpires, ninth-best among 76 umpires with 100 or more challenges, according to taptochallenge.com. Gibson was 19th at 50.4%, Morales 21st at 50.9%, Carapazza 28th at 52%, Hoye 29th at 52.3%, Wolf 39th at 53.7% and Bellino 65th at 59.9%.

Gibson, Hoye, Lentz and Morales had perfect ABS records in the Division Series, each upheld on two challenges. Teams won 2 of 4 against Bellino and 2 of 5 against Carapazza.

Wolf did not have a plate game in the Division Series.

Hoye, 55, also worked the Series in 2019 and 2022, including the plate for Game 4 of the 2019 matchup of Washington and Houston and the 2022 opener between Philadelphia and the Astros.

The 45-year-old Gibson was behind the plate for Game 4 in 2022, only the second no-hitter in World Series history when Houston's Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly combined to pitch in a 5-0 victory.

Wolf, 57, also worked the Series in 2015 and 2019. The 48-year-old Bellino worked the Series in 2021 and the 47-year-old Carapazza in 2023.

Wolf made his major league debut in 1999, Hoye in 2003 and Gibson in 2013. Bellino (48) debuted in 2008, Carapazza (47) in 2010 and Morales (42) in 2014.

Alfonso Márquez and D.J. Reyburn will be the video review umpires at the replay operations center in the commissioner’s office in New York.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

So what does Harrison Jr. think his impact on the offense will look like in his second week with the team?

• C.J. Stroud powers Houston Texans vs New York Giants as J.J. McCarthy starts

“Taking it one week at a time,” said Harrison Jr. “Continue to execute the game plans that we have; for me, myself, I think I’m going to be a little bit more aggressive moving forward. Being a little conservative out there this past week, just new team, new environment, just wanna make sure to do the right thing but be a little more aggressive this week.”

What is he most looking forward to when playing in front of the home crowd for the first time?

“The crowd,” said Harrison Jr. “I heard they bring a lot of energy, so I’m excited to feel it.”

Stroud was asked if he has been needing to help Harrison Jr. through the game plan process with the Texans:

“Not really. He’s [WR Marvin Harrison Jr.] really smart. He’s not really somebody I think you have to like baby or walk through with a bunch. He knows that I’m here whenever he needs me. He calls me and texts me about questions, and I’m always there for him, at least I try to be. But no, he’s a very smart guy, and he knows a lot about football. If you see him, he made a lot of plays. Even the times he didn’t get the ball in the game, creating separation, using sauce on his routes. It looks like he’s having fun, so I just love to see that from him. He’s doing a really good job here thus far.”

Head Coach DeMeco Ryans was also asked about Harrison Jr’s development and if how many plays his expects Harrison Jr. to receive this upcoming Sunday:

• Tank Dell is back! Texans wide receiver is excited for return this Sunday

“However many he can handle,” said Coach Ryans. ”Yes, I expect [WR] Marvin [Harrison Jr.] ‘s workload to continue to increase. I think he got a little bit under 15 reps in the game on Sunday, and he handled all those really well; he did a really great job. He’ll continue to get more. One thing I see, Marvin is a very smart guy. He’s picked up things very seamlessly, and he’s moving around a lot of different places on our offense. Our coaches can put him in a lot of different spots, and he’s handled himself really well. He’ll get more workload.”

The Texans will look to win their third straight game this Sunday when hosting the New York Giants at Reliant Stadium while coming off a huge win in London last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans’ record is now 2-4.

Texas women voters could play a decisive role in the state’s political future, particularly as candidates compete for support from voters who are not firmly aligned with either political party, according to Natalie Arceneaux.

In an interview with Andy Cerota, Arceneaux discussed the issues influencing women’s political choices, the importance of reaching voters beyond party bases and the challenges candidates face in building a message that resonates across Texas.

Arceneaux said political parties should not assume women voters share a single set of priorities, arguing that their views often reflect a combination of economic concerns, personal values and individual experiences.

“You can easily be a woman who is fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and vice versa,” Arceneaux said. “Finding the middle ground is really looking at women and asking them what matters to them most.”

Affordability and Health Care Could Cross Party Lines

Arceneaux identified affordability as one of the most significant issues that could influence women voters, particularly those balancing household expenses and family responsibilities.

She also pointed to the cost and availability of health care, along with women’s ability to make decisions about their own health and lives.

“I definitely think affordability,” Arceneaux said, noting that women often manage family finances. She added that women have different health care needs at different stages of life and should not be treated as a single, uniform voting group.

Looking ahead to November, Arceneaux said rising health care costs, access to medical services and personal autonomy could be especially influential.

“I think the cost of health care, the availability of health care, and then your right to decide for yourself the outcomes that you want for your health and your life,” she said.

According to Arceneaux, personal experience is likely to be a major factor in how voters evaluate candidates. Rising prices for goods and services, increasing health care expenses and concerns about access to care are issues that can affect voters regardless of their party affiliation.

Candidates Must Appeal Beyond Their Party Bases

Arceneaux said candidates face a different challenge in a general election than they do during a primary campaign.

While primary elections often reward candidates who appeal directly to their party’s core supporters, general elections require a broader message that can attract voters with different political perspectives.

“When it’s the general election, you gotta try to find some middle ground that is sensible for everybody because you’re representing more than just your party at this point in time,” she said.

Arceneaux added that candidates will need to identify issues that resonate with women without abandoning the broader principles of their political parties.

She believes voters who do not feel a strong allegiance to either party could be particularly important in determining election outcomes.

The challenge, she said, is understanding what those voters need rather than assuming a single issue or political message will appeal to everyone.

A Diverse Voting Bloc With Significant Influence

Arceneaux described Texas women as a powerful voting bloc whose participation can have a substantial impact on elections.

She emphasized that women voters represent a wide range of ages and life experiences, including younger voters between the ages of 18 and 25 as well as older generations.

That diversity makes it difficult for candidates to rely on a narrow message, she said, and reinforces the need to address issues affecting women across different stages of life.

Arceneaux also suggested that some women may become more willing to cross traditional party lines if they believe a candidate better represents their priorities.

She said Democrats have been making efforts to reach women voters, while also arguing that the party must find ways to connect its positions to a broader electorate.

Ultimately, Arceneaux believes women may increasingly prioritize candidates who can address their needs over longstanding party loyalties.

Could Texas Become More Competitive?

The discussion also turned to the possibility of Texas becoming more politically competitive, including the implications for statewide offices and the U.S. Senate.

Arceneaux said a competitive Senate race could create broader challenges for Republicans seeking to maintain control of statewide offices in future election cycles.

She distinguished between the potential competitiveness of a federal race and the dynamics of state-level elections, suggesting that changes in one could influence the political environment surrounding the other.

The key question, she indicated, is whether candidates can build support beyond their traditional political bases.

Candidate Messaging and the Data Center Debate

Arceneaux was also asked about the Texas governor’s race and whether Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa could gain ground against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Arceneaux expressed doubts about Hinojosa’s ability to build a winning coalition if her campaign message remains too narrowly focused.

“I think in order to talk, you’re talking to all of Texas, not your party,” Arceneaux said, adding that Hinojosa would need to broaden her message to appeal to a wider range of voters.

The conversation also addressed whether opposition to data center development could hurt Abbott among conservative voters in rural Texas communities.

Arceneaux said she did not believe the issue was as politically significant statewide as some might expect, arguing that the effects of data center development have not been experienced equally across rural communities.

She pointed to areas such as Wharton and locations north of Dallas as examples of places where data center development has drawn attention, while emphasizing that the issue has not become a widespread personal concern for all Texans.

Arceneaux also noted that the debate has included questions about development restrictions, energy demands and the need for clearer criteria governing data center projects.

For voters who have not directly experienced the effects of such development in their communities, she suggested, the issue may carry less weight than more immediate concerns such as household costs and health care.

Personal Priorities May Determine November’s Outcome

Throughout the interview, Arceneaux returned to the idea that Texas women cannot be defined by a single political identity or set of priorities.

Economic pressures, health care access, personal autonomy and individual experiences may influence voters in different ways, even among women who share similar political backgrounds.

For candidates seeking to win their support, the task will be to understand those differences and develop messages that speak to a broad range of concerns.

Arceneaux’s central argument is that women voters should not be treated as a monolithic political group. Instead, candidates who listen to their priorities and offer practical responses to the issues affecting their lives may be better positioned to earn their support in November.

The vaccine was custom-brewed for each patient to match their tumor. Adding it to a standard post-surgery treatment reduced by 42% the risk of melanoma returning two years after surgery, according to the most advanced study to date of this new strategy for fighting cancer.

“The field has been looking for a win and I think this one is a big one,” said Dr. Hussein Tawbi of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, one of the researchers in the international study.

The vaccine, called intismeran, is made with the same Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology that was behind COVID-19 vaccines. Experimental personalized cancer vaccines made with mRNA and some other approaches also are being tested against other types of cancer including lung, kidney and pancreatic.

Experts not involved with the new study say its success bolsters the field.

“This is a new frontier,” said Karen Knudsen, CEO of the Parker Institute, which helps fund cancer immunotherapy research.

“It’s a big step forward for science, for oncology, because this vaccine will apply to many different cancers,” said Dr. Michael Atkins, deputy director of Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Moderna and Merck had announced in August that the late-stage trial of intismeran was successful but the detailed results were set to be released Saturday at a meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology in Madrid. Some of the data was leaked publicly late Thursday, prompting a full release ahead of the weekend's scientific presentation.

Most people think of vaccines as preventing an infection, like measles or whooping cough. There are already two cancer-preventing vaccines, the HPV and hepatitis B shots that block infection from those tumor-causing viruses. And research is underway to prevent some types of inherited cancer such as Lynch syndrome-caused colorectal cancer.

But a personalized vaccine designed to block surgically-removed cancer from returning is very different. For the intismeran study, scientists hunted gene mutations unique to each patient’s tumor, mutations that create proteins which shouldn’t be in the body unless those cancer cells start to grow again. The custom vaccine — nine doses given three weeks apart — teaches the patient’s immune system to watch out for and attack those so-called neoantigens.

How did it work? The study included more than 1,100 people with high-risk melanoma that was surgically removed. Everyone was given the standard follow-up therapy: Merck’s immunotherapy named Keytruda. The participants were randomly assigned to also receive custom-brewed vaccine doses or a placebo.

Two years later, 82% of the people in the vaccine group were still living without a recurrence of their cancer compared to 70% who had gotten standard Keytruda alone. The trial is continuing to track participants’ longer-term outcomes.

In 2024, Tony Hout joined the vaccine trial at MD Anderson after seeking care for a spot on his ear that had been bleeding intermittently and wouldn’t fully heal. Doctors recognized melanoma and during surgery discovered it had started to spread.

“I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to be here for my family,” said Hout, 62, who has since moved to Cayuga, Indiana, and travels back to Houston every few months for a study check-up. Scans this week showed he’s still cancer-free.

The vaccine’s side effects were mainly the sore arm, fatigue and other reactions typical of mRNA coronavirus vaccination, MD Anderson's Tawbi said.

Moderna and Merck are talking with regulatory authorities about next steps for seeking approval of the vaccine.

Customized medicines generally are very expensive. The drugmakers aren’t discussing what such a cancer vaccine might cost.

But Moderna President Stephen Hoge said the company’s special cancer vaccine manufacturing facility in Massachusetts is providing doses for thousands of people enrolled in multiple studies underway internationally.

Hoge said it takes a few days to brew the vaccine but the whole process, starting with analyzing the tumor genetics to come up with what is essentially a recipe for each patient, can take roughly six weeks, sometimes more. Meanwhile, the melanoma patients had already started their standard Keytruda, a different kind of immunotherapy.

Moderna shares dropped 18% Thursday after the study’s full results were made public, but they remained more than 200% higher than they were in late August before investors were first told of the initial results.

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The Associated Press’ health and science coverage receives financial support from the AP Fund for Journalism and private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org

If passed by voters in the Nov. 3 election, the measure would levy a one-time 5% tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds $1 billion. Zuckerberg is the sixth-richest person in the world with a net worth estimated at more than $220 billion, according to Forbes. That would put his tax liability at more than $11 billion.

Actions announced by the tech giant on Wednesday will keep Zuckerberg as the majority owner of the company — and also give him the ability to sell some of a new class of non-voting shares “for any reason,” including to pay potential bills from the wealth tax.

The compromise came after Zuckerberg told the board he was considering selling his Palo Alto home last month in anticipation of the proposed tax. But he later struck the deal and committed to staying in California for eight years, unless “material unforeseen circumstances” arise that make it “prudent or advisable for him to reside elsewhere,” according to the filings.

A few hundred billionaires live in California, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. The tax would apply to anyone with a primary residence in the state as of Jan. 1, 2026.

Most of the money would be used to backfill federal funding cuts to healthcare, and 10% of it would go toward education and food-assistance programs. Proponents, including SEIU United Healthcare Workers West and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, say it would help ensure the ultra-rich pay their fair share.

But opponents, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, have warned it could prompt the state's wealthiest to leave the state. That could cause budget problems down the line because the state relies heavily on the rich for income tax revenue.

SEIU United Healthcare Workers West said the Zuckerberg deal proves opponents wrong.

“This is the nail in the coffin to months of scare tactics claiming that billionaires are fleeing California," Suzanne Jimenez, the union's chief of staff, said in a statement.

Zuckerberg's deal with Meta offers another glimpse into how the ultrawealthy are bracing for the proposed tax, which targets the main way they make money, through their investments, instead of by raising taxes on the paycheck they receive from work. Other billionaires have taken a different approach by starting to cut ties with the state, including Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

Brin and other tech moguls and venture capitalists have poured millions into a political action committee opposing the proposed tax and backing other ballot measures designed to nullify it. The committee, Building a Better California, has raised more than $333 million, 30% of which has come from Brin. By comparison, the “Yes on 40” campaign has raised $32.7 million.

Zuckerberg has taken a salary of $1 each year since 2013 as Meta’s CEO. In its regulatory filings, Meta maintained that Zuckerberg would not receive additional compensation — and argued that he would “effectively be paying to serve as the Company’s chief executive officer while residing in California” if the state’s wealth tax is enacted. The company said the new stock he will be allowed to sell — representing 10% of his overall economic stake in the company — would help mitigate that.

Beyond securing Zuckerberg’s future in California, Meta’s new class of shares is intended to boost the company’s ability to raise capital for its investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure, according to the filings. Meta also said it established the new shares for employee compensation and acquisitions, among other reasons.

“It will expand our funding tools and give us flexibility to invest behind the unprecedented momentum we’re seeing across every part of our business driven by AI,” Meta Chief Financial Officer Susan Li said on an earnings call.

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Grantham-Philips reported from Chicago.

The U.S. government has been working for years to deny China and other adversaries investments that could help them boost their military power.

That program began in 2023 when then-President Joe Biden signed an executive order putting restrictions on outbound U.S. investments in sectors such as semiconductors, quantum computing and artificial intelligence going into China. Treasury later established the Outbound Investment Security Program.

In December 2025, Congress passed a law that codified and expanded the program to target more technologies and more foreign countries, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

The inclusion of Russia in the proposed rule has come days after President Donald Trump waived sanctions on Russia following a diesel deal with President Vladimir Putin.

The rule announced Thursday would expand the restrictions to cover investments in hypersonic systems (capable of traveling at five times the speed of sound), supercomputing, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, though Treasury used Trump's favored term for AI, “superintelligence" or SI.

The proposed rule “sends an important signal to markets that Washington is tracking where U.S. capital is flowing and what capabilities it is helping build,” said Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The screening of outbound investments “recognizes that capital can accelerate military-relevant capabilities just as surely as technology transfer can,” Singleton said.

Jason Chipman, a former Justice Department lawyer who specializes in cybersecurity, investment rules and export controls as a partner at the law firm WilmerHale, said the new rule “will require more substantial compliance programs to manage risk.”

Treasury's rule to implement the 2025 law — the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act — would only apply to investments that exceed $50,000 and would exclude many financial investments, including stock purchases.

Treasury will hear public comments on the proposal before issuing a final rule.

“It’s just the first step in a fairly long process to get to changes which presumably will be more enforcement-minded, to put more teeth behind the outbound investment program,” said former U.S. trade official Ryan Majerus, now a partner at King & Spalding law firm.

Since Trump's first term, the United States and China — the world's two biggest economies — have been locked in an economic and tech rivalry. They've restricted the export of sensitive technology and critical products (China's rare earth minerals, America's advanced computer chips) to each other and slapped tariffs on each other's products. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed last year to ease tensions while they engaged in talks, a temporary truce they last month extended into January.

But the sparring continues. In July, the Treasury Department issued a $200,000 fine against a U.S.-based company for failing to report to the department a $92,500 investment in a Chinese artificial intelligence and robotics company by one of its subsidiaries.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received confirmation of the detection on Oct. 21. A sample collected from the elk was identified as New World screwworm at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville.

The Texas Animal Health Commission plans to modify a previously established infested zone, while the USDA and TPWD conduct additional wildlife surveillance in the area.

TPWD said hunters, landowners and wildlife professionals play a critical role in identifying potential infestations and helping officials monitor the parasite’s spread.

What hunters should look for

New World screwworm flies lay eggs in wounds or other openings in the body. Their larvae, or maggots, feed on living tissue and can cause serious damage to affected animals.

According to TPWD, hunters should watch for these potential signs of infestation in wildlife:

• Irritated or depressed behavior
• Loss of appetite
• Head shaking
• A smell of decaying flesh
• Fly larvae in wounds

Animals isolating themselves from other animals or people

After harvesting an animal, hunters should inspect its eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genitalia and other mucous membranes.

Officials also recommend running your hands along the animal’s body and checking its feet and between its toes for wounds that may have a foul smell or contain maggots.

Hunters can watch TPWD’s video on inspecting harvested animals for New World screwworm.

How to report suspected New World screwworm

TPWD said early detection and reporting are critical to monitoring and managing the parasite.

Anyone who suspects a wild animal has a New World screwworm infestation should contact a local TPWD wildlife biologist or call 512-389-4505.

Suspected cases involving livestock or companion animals should be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission through a regional office or by calling its veterinarian on call at 1-800-550-8242.

Hunters and landowners can find additional guidance in TPWD’s New World Screwworm Guide for Hunters and Landowners.

For more information, visit the state’s New World screwworm information page.

Large swells that could create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions were possible along the coast up to Atlantic Canada, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

Josephine had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). It was centered about 235 miles (380 kilometers) east-southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and about 335 miles (540 kilometers) south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was moving northeast at 17 mph (28 kph).

The Miami-based hurricane center said Josephine was forecast to continue moving away from the United States and remain south of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. It was expected to continue gaining strength and become “a powerful extratropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds” by Thursday night or Friday.

According to the NHC, an extratropical cyclone refers to a cyclone that has lost its “tropical” characteristics, and its main energy source “results from the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses.”

The National Weather Service posted a gale warning for parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, meaning winds above 39 mph (63 kph) were possible through midmorning Friday. Small watercraft were also advised of hazardous conditions south to North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Minor to moderate coastal flooding was expected to continue through the week on the mid-Atlantic coast.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Vance was well off Mexico's southern coast and was forecast to intensify and become a hurricane and then a major hurricane by the weekend.

Vance had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). It was located about 490 miles (785 kilometers) south of Acapulco, Mexico, and was heading toward the west-northwest at 5 mph (7 kph).

That’s especially true with the way C.J. Stroud is playing.

Stroud was the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 312 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in a 34-31 win over the Jaguars in London last week. He ranks second in the NFL with 1,714 yards passing this season and leads the league with 25 completions of at least 20 yards.

RELATED: Tank Dell is back! Texans wide receiver is excited for return this Sunday

“When you have a quarterback like C.J. Stroud, that makes everything possible,” New York defensive lineman Shelby Harris said. “He can make every throw ... and so that Houston offense really, I think they are a budding offense and they’re just waiting to explode and it’s on us to really get them on the slow down.”

Stroud and Houston’s offense got a boost last week with the addition of receiver Marvin Harrison after the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft was traded from Arizona. He had three receptions for 34 yards in limited action in his debut, but coach DeMeco Ryans said he expects him to be more involved in the offense this week.

Stroud will also get one of his favorite playmakers back with Tank Dell set to play in his first game in almost two years after recovering from a gruesome knee injury.

With Harrison and Dell in the mix, the Texans have a stacked receiver group led by star Nico Collins and that includes Jaylin Noel, who had a career-high 107 yards receiving last week.

“All those guys have made plays for us in the wide receiver room,” Ryans said. “I see it as a strength, a true strength of ours and I see us really being able to press the tempo and really put defenses in a bind.”

The Giants will have a new starting quarterback on Sunday after coach John Harbaugh benched Jameis Winston for J.J. McCarthy. It will be his first start for the Giants and their third quarterback this season after the injured Jaxson Dart opened the season as their starter. It comes in the same stadium in which McCarthy won the national title with Michigan in January 2024.

The move comes after the Giants tied the Commanders before losing to the Saints after opening the season 3-1.

“He’s got a heck of a skill set,” Harbaugh said. “He can throw it. He’s picked up the offense really quickly. He’s an athletic guy, obviously and he’s going to play some good football.”

Ryans said the QB switch doesn’t change things for Houston’s defense, which has played better since he took over play-calling duties two weeks ago but that still has work to do.

“Whoever’s at quarterback doesn’t really dictate what we’re going to do defensively,” Ryans said. “It’s about us. We have to play better defensively because it wasn’t good enough in our last outing.”

Need to know

New York Giants (3-2-1) at Houston (2-4).

When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, FOX.

Latest odds: Texans by 10 ½

Against the spread: Giants 4-2; Texans 2-4.

Last week: Giants lost to Saints 34-27; Texans beat Jaguars 34-31.

Last meeting: New York beat Houston 24-16 on Jan. 13, 2022, at MetLife Stadium.

Series record: New York leads 5-1.

Matchup to watch

Houston’s pass rush vs. McCarthy. The Texans aim to get their pass rush going again this week after failing to get a sack against the Jaguars. They have 18 sacks this season, led by defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who leads the NFL with 7 ½ sacks.

“We’ll try to get J.J. down,” Anderson said. “It’s going to be a good matchup for us. I think more than ever we have to rush together. He’s a young quarterback, so we have to do a really good job of making sure that everybody is owning their box.”

Stats and stuff

— McCarthy threw for 243 yards in just over 11 minutes in relief of Winston in the loss to the Saints, who were up 24 points when he entered.

— The Texans beat the Giants 16-14 in their inaugural season in 2002, but have dropped all five meetings since then.

— Giants receiver Malik Nabers has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in three consecutive games. He had 96 combined in his first three games this season in his return from a torn ACL in his right knee.

— Houston defensive end Danielle Hunter ranks third in the NFL with 117 1/2 sacks since 2015. He had seven tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble in his previous game against the Giants in 2022 with Minnesota.

— Cam Skattebo had zero carries and played just six plays against New Orleans. He is now one of just three running backs on the Giants’ roster after Najee Harris was released this week.

— Both of Houston TE Foster Moreau’s catches last week were for touchdowns. It was first career game with more than one touchdown.

— New York linebacker Arvell Reese, the fifth pick in the draft, ranks fourth among rookies with 47 tackles.

— Collins had 74 yards receiving last week. He has had 13 straight games with at least 55 yards of offense. He’s had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD catch in three of his past four home games.

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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this story.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

For the carriage drivers, it’s unclear what comes next.

“No one can come up with an appropriate answer because there is none,” said Alexus Lawson, a 28-year-old carriage driver from Queens who grew up with horses and has worked as a riding instructor. Now, she worries about what would become of 7-year-old Starlight and her other horses. “Without a job, how can I take care of my horses?”

The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday that would ban horse-drawn carriage rides by June 2028, pulling back the reins after the death of a teenage tourist last spring.

But the one question that has come up time and again — what to do with drivers whose jobs would be eliminated — remains largely unanswered.

The legislation requires Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office to develop a plan by next April to help the more than 150 remaining drivers and the rest of the industry find other jobs, though its provisions are vague and doesn't set clear benchmarks for displaced workers. Instead, it requires City Hall to come up with a program that includes job referrals, career counseling and educational opportunities. It also allows the administration to consider some form of compensation for industry workers.

The mayor's office has been working on a workforce transition program and has started discussions on potential compensation, according to City Hall.

“The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry," a spokesperson for the mayor said after the Councik;s vite.

Carriage drivers wonder about their future

Medet Fidan, a former cab driver who traded his steering wheel for a set of reins after ride-hailing apps upended the taxi industry, said he felt like he was being targeted.

“I think the city is leaving us a big mess,” said Fidan, 56. “We’re going to lose our businesses, we’re going to lose our jobs, we’re going to lose our livelihoods.”

Council Speaker Julie Menin “will remain engaged in the transition process,” a spokesperson said, adding that the legislation seeks to address the longstanding question of what happens to out-of-work carriage drivers by setting a firm deadline for City Hall to act.

“These workers deserve to be protected,” said Menin, who helped spearhead the ban and has argued horses no longer have a place among Central Park's pedestrians, cyclists, dog-walkers and gawking tourists.

The union representing carriage drivers had vowed to file a legal challenge “the minute the ink dries” on the legislation.

Betsy Smith, the head of the Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit which operates the park, cheered the passage of the bill.

“In the modern era, carriages pose a serious — and even fatal — safety risk to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves," she said in a statement.

Trump opposed ban, saying a ‘Great Tradition’ will be missed

President Donald Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower is a stone's throw from Central Park, bemoaned the ban and called carriage rides “a quintessential New York experience.”

“It was a Great Tradition. Another piece of History that’s gone. It will be missed!” Trump wrote on social media.

Two of Mamdani's mayoral predecessors had called to end the industry but neither succeeded.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio campaigned on ending the rides on day one of his administration but the effort wilted amid a backlash from unions and a big media blitz involving actor Liam Neeson. Eric Adams, the mayor just before Mamdani, floated a ban late in his term but the proposal went nowhere.

Latest push to end the rides began after a tourist's death

The latest push began in June after an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after jumping from a runaway carriage during a ride. His death appeared to be the first fatality involving a horse carriage in Central Park since the rides began.

Mahajan's family has personally appealed to the city to end the rides, offering tearful testimony that they thought the rides were safe. His uncle, Gaurav Mahajan, praised the proposal during a rally Thursday, saying “the hour of justice has finally arrived,” as he stood beside local lawmakers and animal welfare activists.

“We're turning our shattering loss into an unbreakable shield of kindness for the city. For months, our family hasn't been allowed to just grieve,” he said. “We've had to fight. We've had to channel our devastating sorrow into a war for change.”

Carriage drivers have expressed sympathy for Mahajan and his family but argue that they are being unfairly targeted because of a single accident.

“It does nothing for alternate employment, for the continuation of our businesses,” said Christina Hansen, a longtime carriage driver and industry spokesperson. “Who’s going to pay my rent while I’m looking for a job?”

Some would argue the chaos has only gotten worse.

Name, image and likeness payments, revenue sharing, the recent expansion of the NCAA Tournament to 76 teams and a plethora of court cases challenging eligibility rules have left some coaches wondering what will come next.

It doesn’t make Wright, who was inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame on Thursday, wish he’d stuck around.

“In my wildest dreams, even though I saw what was coming, I could have never anticipated it would get to the levels it is financially right now, and the movement in the transfer portal. I don’t think I could have ever imagined it is what it is now,” Wright told The Associated Press. “It’s a really unique time, and I hope we can find a way to allow these players to still be compensated, and share in the revenue, but keep those connections to education and to our universities.”

Wright’s affinity for the college atmosphere, and Villanova in particular, is one reason why the 61-year-old left a stint in broadcasting after his 2022 retirement to return to the school as a special assistant to the president, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue.

There, he’s seen firsthand how much stress Wildcats coach Kevin Willard is under to build — and pay for — his roster each season.

“I hope we can work something out with the transfer portal, work something out with revenue sharing, where we can still revenue share with these guys but these guys stay in school, get their degrees,” Wright said. “It’s a great opportunity to stay in school for four years, get paid for four years, and get your education — that’s the best of all worlds. I hope we can get to that point.

“I don’t have the answers right now,” Wright added, “but I hope we get to that point.”

In the meantime, Wright was enjoying a celebration of the game Thursday alongside his fellow Hall of Fame inductees: longtime Kansas and Oral Roberts coach Ted Owens; Tubby Smith, who took five schools to the NCAA Tournament and won a national title at Kentucky; BYU standout and current Utah Jazz chief executive Danny Ainge; Glen Rice, who led Michigan to the 1989 national title; and the late Walt Hazzard, who helped deliver John Wooden his first championship at UCLA.

None stepped away in their prime the way Wright did at Villanova. Yet when asked whether he would still be on the sideline if college basketball was the same as it was in 2000, when Wright was coaching at Hofstra, he replied: “I don’t think so.”

“I felt like for me, I felt like everyone has their time,” Wright said. “It was my time to be responsible for the Villanova program, and I did it. I gave everything I had. I always asked our players, ‘You have to be 100 percent in. If you’re not 100 percent in, you’re against us.’ I didn’t feel like I had that 100 percent, and I couldn’t ask them to give 100 percent if I didn’t.”

His last decade at Villanova was remarkable not only for the championships it produced by the players Wright sent to the NBA. Three of them — Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikael Bridges — led the New York Knicks to the title this past season.

“I get goosebumps thinking about how good his teams were that last number of years,” said broadcaster Fran Fraschilla, the master of ceremonies for the Hall of Fame induction. “That 2018 Final Four team, they just blew me away. It was incredible to watch.”

There was something incredible in the careers of each of the inductees.

The 97-year-old Owens led the Jayhawks to a pair of Final Fours during his run at Kansas from 1964-83, while the 75-year-old Smith led Tulsa, Georgia, Minnesota, Kentucky and Texas Tech to the NCAA Tournament.

Hazzard was a two-time All-American at UCLA before a long pro career. Ainge’s college career might best be remembered for his winning layup against Notre Dame in 1981, which sent BYU to the Elite Eight. And Rice shattered the NCAA tourney scoring record in 1989, when he led a team coached by Steve Fisher to an overtime win over Seton Hall in the championship game.

“To be on this stage with so many wonderful people, it brings back cherished moments,” Smith said, smiling. “I see a lot of folks whose paths crossed at some point. I’ve been a few places. Most of the time people say, ‘Tubby, why did you coach so many places?’ I couldn’t keep a job. That’s probably what it was.”

U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz, joined at a Houston news conference by agents from the regional office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and representatives for the Texas Department of Public Safety, alleged that Turner conspired with others to steal thousands of dollars from programs that receive federal funds.

“If you didn’t already hate tax collectors enough already, we are going to give you a few more reasons today,” Reitz said.

Prosecutors said Turner had hired two people as deputy tax clerks, who were in fact working to care for her elderly mother in Houston. One of them, Shermerrylyn Regina Fields, was also indicted Thursday. The other person is cooperating with investigators, Reitz said.

Prosecutors also said Turner hired Victor Calvin Ewing, the father of her adult son, to work in the tax office despite Ewing being employed by an airline company. Ewing, who also was arrested Thursday, allegedly transferred a portion of his Fort Bend income to her.

“During this time Fields and Ewing were clocking in logging fake work and then logging out all under the knowledge and direction of Turner,” Reitz said.

All three defendants face decades in prison if convicted.

Turner, a Democrat who has served as Fort Bend County’s tax assessor-collector since 2021, was arrested Thursday morning. She could not be reached for comment, and the tax office didn’t immediately respond to a comment request.

This was not her first run in with the law.

The U.S. attorney’s office in the Southern District of Texas in 2016 indicted Turner, who was then a private citizen, for bankruptcy fraud. Federal prosecutors alleged that she filed multiple bankruptcy cases to prevent creditors from starting foreclosure proceedings, but did not follow court requirements to file additional documents or submit payment plans. Turner also failed to list all the bankruptcy cases she had filed when she launched a new one, prosecutors said.

The following year, federal prosecutors dismissed most of the charges against Turner after she pleaded guilty to one count of contempt of court. She was sentenced to one year of probation.

Fast-growing and rapidly diversifying, Fort Bend County has been in play for Democrats for the past decade after years of Republican dominance. 

In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the county by seven points, the first time the county went for a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson. Eight years later, President Donald Trump lost to Democrat Kamala Harris by just one point. 

The latest indictments against Turner, whose term ends in 2028, were released Thursday in the middle of a hotly contested election season in Texas. 

The Department of Justice’s general practice is to not announce headline-grabbing investigations or indictments in the lead up to elections, to avoid the appearance of political interference. This policy, which is an informal tradition rather than a written directive, typically limits investigations and indictments 60 days before elections. 

Republican and Democratic administrations have been accused of violating this precedent, but a flurry of recent investigations has drawn criticism of the Trump DOJ’s practices. 

Three weeks before the midterms, federal officials raided the home of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Ohmar, a Minnesota Democrat, at 6 a.m. and seized cell phones and notebooks. The Justice Department has not said what she is accused of, beyond an “ongoing federal criminal investigation.” 

And Thursday morning, federal authorities charged a prominent Virginia state senator and critic of President Donald Trump with racketeering and money laundering. While the investigation in state Sen. L. Louise Lucas predates the Trump administration, Lucas criticized the timing of the arrests. 

At a news conference announcing the arrest, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the prohibition on pre-election charges is “not even a rule, it’s a practice.” 

“The justice manual speaks very clearly about what the Department of Justice can and can’t do, and we cannot bring a charge if our purpose is improper,” Blanche said, according to NBC News. 

At the Houston news conference Thursday, Reitz said the Fort Bend elections had nothing to do with the timing of the indictments. It was just how the case came together, he said.  

Also Thursday, interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong held a news conference about Turner’s arrest. The Republican, who is running to keep his seat, said the episode was the latest sign of corruption from county Democrats. 

In 2024, Fort Bend County Judge KP George was indicted for misrepresenting his identity by using a fake social media account to “injure a candidate or influence the result of an election.” He was arrested for money laundering the following year, leading to a sentence of 180 days in jail and five years of probation. The identity charge was subsequently dismissed.  

George, elected as a Democrat in 2018 and 2022, had switched parties before the 2024 indictment. The following year, he joined the two Republican county commissioners in approving a new precinct map to strengthen GOP representation on the court, over protests from Democrats and local residents.   

In addition, Taral Patel, George’s former chief of staff and a former Democratic county commissioner candidate, pleaded guilty last year to misrepresenting a candidate’s identity.  

And earlier this week, a former Fort Bend County deputy constable who made an unsuccessful bid in the Democratic primary for county treasurer was indicted on theft and tampering charges.

“Fort Bend is surrounded by Democrat corruption,” Bobby Eberle, Wong’s communications director, said at the news conference. “Every voter out there should say, ‘Do we want this path, or do we want something different?’”  

County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, a Democrat who is running for county judge, said public corruption — regardless of parties — has no place in Fort Bend. But, he added, Wong is no better. 

“Fort Bend families are sick and tired of the chaos and corruption Republicans have normalized. And Daniel Wong made it worse,” McCoy added in a post on X. “One of his first acts as interim County Judge was to roll out the welcome mat for Ken Paxton, the most corrupt elected official in Texas.”

The order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett came as lawyers for the British broadcaster complained that Trump had delayed his appearance in his own lawsuit. Charles Tobin, attorney for the BBC, said that with two months left in the discovery period, “we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff.”

Meanwhile, it remained uncertain whether former special counsel Jack Smith would be allowed to sit for a deposition. Federal rules require current and former employees to receive permission from agency heads before testifying in court cases. Smith has requested permission but has not received an answer, and the judge ruled that the department must respond to him by Nov. 2.

In arguments about Trump's deposition, Tobin noted there had been an agreed-upon date of Oct. 16, but Trump had canceled it for a “matter of national importance.” He said the Republican president was in fact campaigning in Georgia that day. “He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition,” Tobin said.

Lett said Trump must sit for a deposition by Dec. 11, or face sanctions up to dismissal of his lawsuit — unless the discovery period is extended by the presiding judge.

Discovery, where lawyers for both sides exchange documents and other evidence, is scheduled to end Dec. 18, and the BBC's attorneys want to make sure they have Trump’s deposition before that deadline. Lett said only the presiding judge assigned to the case can alter the trial schedule, and the defense said it would be open to scheduling the deposition at a later time if the trial schedule was also changed.

Trump, who has often avoided depositions, filed his lawsuit against the BBC last December. He accused the publicly funded broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices related to a documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance.”

The BBC acknowledged that filmmakers spliced together quotes from different sections of the speech Trump delivered to his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, before the storming of the U.S. Capitol, to make it seem he was directly urging violence. The broadcaster apologized over the editing, and the head of the BBC and its top news executive both resigned. But the BBC has denied Trump’s claims that it defamed him.

Trump's attorneys also argued against recording his deposition on video, asking for only a court reporter. The judge ruled that the deposition could be recorded on video but only for attorneys, meaning it wouldn’t be released to the public.

It remained unclear whether Jack Smith would be allowed to sit for deposition

To bolster its defense, the broadcaster subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith earlier this month. Trump’s lawyers have argued that there is no good reason for Smith, who is not a party to the case, to appear. The BBC has said Smith has extensive knowledge of what happened that day.

At issue in Thursday's hearing, though, was whether Smith had received the legally required permission from the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Feeley told the judge that Smith had sent a letter to the department saying he would not testify without permission, and the agency had not yet responded. Lett ordered the department to respond to Smith by Nov. 2.

It seems unlikely that the department would grant Smith permission, or that he would move forward without it.

Earlier in the hearing, Tobin, the BBC lawyer, argued that Smith has not objected to being deposed for this case, meaning the only objection is coming from Trump. Tobin said the BBC is not trying to relitigate the events of Jan. 6, but Smith is one of the leading experts in what happened that day, and his deposition could lead the BBC to evidence that could help their case.

“We can argue later on whether his testimony is admissible," Tobin said, “but we are entitled to that deposition.”

Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, said Smith has no personal knowledge of Trump’s Jan. 6 speech or Trump's state of mind when he gave it. All of Smith’s knowledge about the case is secondhand, Brito argued, and the special counsel's report, along with Smith’s testimony before Congress, is all public and available to the BBC’s attorneys.

Judge says the BBC can see membership records for Mar-a-Lago

The judge agreed that the BBC should be allowed to see records for the total number of applications for membership at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida from Jan. 6, 2020, through Jan. 6, 2026, as well as the total cost of membership and initiation fees for new applicants.

Tobin said one aspect of any defamation case is showing actual damages, and the popularity of Mar-a-Lago is a significant indicator of Trump’s reputation. The BBC's lawyer described the private club as “a place where he exhibits his reputation in front of people who are important to him.”

Brito argued that Trump does not actually run Mar-a-Lago, and that his reputation is not associated with the club.

Their findings indicate that rather than being a product of van Gogh’s imagination, “The Starry Night” may have been inspired by what he saw as he gazed heavenward from his French asylum 137 years ago.

A South Korean team reported Thursday that after years of forensic astronomy and research into the Dutch artist, they have matched his masterpiece to a predawn sky over France’s Saint-Remy de Provence right around July 22, 1889.

That’s a month later than the long-accepted time frame for the postimpressionist painting depicting a crescent moon and Venus surrounded by a sky of swirling stars with a village nestled below and cypress trees looming on one side.

Art historians have long dated the painting to June 1889, soon after Van Gogh checked into the asylum. He’d cut off his left ear several months earlier during an argument with painter Paul Gauguin.

A team led by Elijah Jeong-hyun Kim, the CEO of a Seoul telescope maker, is now disputing that date in a study appearing in the journal Scientific Reports.

The sky that is most similar to the painting occurred around July 22, 1889, said Kim, who is also a doctoral candidate at Kyung Hee University. He noted that the few days before and after could have inspired van Gogh as well.

“No two skies are the same. Something always changes. I believe Vincent noticed those changes and put them into the painting,” Kim said in an email.

He added: “I am confident that July 22 is the better date. I will bet on this date.”

The latest study addresses “a real puzzle” that in mid-June 1889, the moon was not the thin crescent painted by van Gogh, said Jose Luis Aragon at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He has studied “The Starry Night” as a physicist, but did not take part in the new research.

“Still, I would see the July date as an intriguing hypothesis rather than a settled answer,” Aragon said in an email.

Long fascinated by van Gogh’s art, Kim traveled to France in 2019, the first time in mid-June and the second around July 22. He found brilliant stars rising in July’s predawn sky, unlike June.

Kim and his team discovered through further celestial sleuthing that around July 22, 1889, the shape of the moon before dawn appeared like the one in the painting, with the Hyades star cluster in the constellation Taurus rising in the east alongside Venus. The sky should have been clear enough for van Gogh to see all this, based on their weather analyses.

Van Gogh is thought to have suffered a seizure around that time in July. But Kim and his team contend that the seizure occurred later in July, based on their analyses of letters between the painter and one of his brothers. Some of those letters refer to cicadas, another clue that points toward the hotter July, according to Kim.

The researchers tested and verified their methods on night skies in other paintings, making for what Aragon considers “a careful and genuinely interdisciplinary study.”

Since van Gogh painted in a studio at the asylum from sketches and memory, “the sky is likely a composite of many nights as the authors themselves acknowledge," Aragon said.

“What I find most convincing is the broader message: The painting is not pure fantasy. Van Gogh watched the real sky very closely," Aragon said.

Despite all his research, Kim has never seen “The Starry Night” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

“Now that the paper is out, I really have to go and see ‘The Starry Night’ in person, don’t I?” he said.

___

The Associated Press’ health and science coverage receives financial support from the AP Fund for Journalism and private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org

The S&P 500 fell 1.2% for its worst day since July, while the Nasdaq composite tumbled 2.6%. The weakness for tech stocks was so overwhelming that it masked strength for the rest of the U.S. market, where the majority of stocks actually rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 11 points, or less than 0.1%.

AI-related stocks have been swinging on worries that their boom may be under threat because of how expensive it’s become to borrow money to build data centers and buy more AI chips. Concerns also remain that their prices shot too high following a yearslong frenzy, even though companies in the industry continue to report growth.

Lam Research, whose equipment and services help make semiconductors, reported gains in profit and revenue for the summer that were slightly stronger than analysts expected, for example. Usually, that helps boost a stock’s price, but Lam Research’s tumbled 11.8%.

It gave a range for its forecast for profit this quarter whose midpoint was slightly below analysts’ expectations. Its stock also came into the day with a 52.4% surge for the year so far, nearly quadruple the gain for the overall S&P 500, leaving plenty of room for potential disappointment.

Other big tech stocks likewise fell following quarterly reports that included at least some encouraging nuggets.

Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short. The company behind Facebook and Instagram also said it’s creating a new class of stock to raise money to pay for AI investments and other expenses.

Tesla fell 3.1% after reporting a stronger profit for the summer than analysts expected, though its revenue was weaker than forecast.

The global tide against AI stocks knocked Nvidia down 4.4%. Because the chip giant is the largest company on Wall Street by total value, movements for its stock carry more weight on the S&P 500 than any other, and it was the single strongest force pulling the index lower.

CoreWeave, which has borrowed money to buy Nvidia’s AI chips that it rents out to customers over the cloud, has been particularly shaky in recent weeks because of worries about its debt. It dropped 10.1%.

The weakness for AI and other tech stocks began in Asia, where indexes are full of players in the industry. South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 3.5%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 3% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 sank 2.7%.

Also weighing on global stock markets was a jump in oil prices.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil leaped 4% to $113.17 after touching its highest level in five months. It’s shot up from less than $97 at the start of the month on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal.

In Europe, France’s CAC 40 stock index fell to one of the continent’s sharpest losses with a drop of 1.4%. It has fewer tech stocks than Asian or U.S. indexes, but it was hurt by another jump in yields for French government bonds.

Yields have been generally climbing there because of worries about the government’s big debt load and strained budget. Violent protests across France have raised pressure on the government to increase spending, which could add further to its debt.

Worries about big government debt are weighing on almost every developed economy in the world, including the United States. Such concerns, along with high inflation, signals of a still-strong U.S. economy and other factors, have pushed yields in the U.S. bond market recently to their highest levels in decades.

But U.S. yields nevertheless fell sharply Thursday in a signal that investors were buying U.S. government bonds in search of something safer to own as AI stocks tumbled.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury tumbled to 4.97% from 5.13% late Wednesday and from more than 5.30% earlier this month. That’s a major move for the bond market.

Thursday’s drop in yields came even as another report suggested the U.S. economy may be doing better than economists expected. It said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, which could signal that layoffs remain low across the country.

That solid economy has helped U.S. companies broadly to make bigger profits, which is what propelled the U.S. stock market to a record high earlier this month despite the many worries tugging at it. Two out of every three stocks within the S&P 500 rose Thursday, only to get drowned out by the drops for more influential tech stocks.

Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin and CSX were among the latest companies to join the list of those topping profit expectations for the summer, and gains for their stocks helped limit the market’s losses Thursday.

CEO Shailesh Jejurikar said Procter & Gamble expects “geopolitical and economic challenges” to continue, but it stood by its forecasts for growth in revenue, profit and other measures for the full year. The stock price for the company behind the Crest, Olay and Oral-B brands rose 5.6%.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 93.74 points to 7,663.43. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 11.89 to 52,867.98, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 694.00 to 26,008.86.

___

AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

But Republicans fear this year could be different, setting the race between Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton on track to be the most expensive in state history.

Hamilton, founder and senior pastor of the nation’s largest United Methodist church, has raised significantly more money than Marshall, who is seeking his second term. Hamilton’s candidacy — and voters’ disapproval of President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy — have upended GOP hopes of seeing Marshall coast to victory as the GOP tries to hold its Senate majority.

Kansas, which Trump carried in three presidential races, is an unlikely Senate battleground. Republicans redirected money from the North Carolina Senate race to help Marshall, and Trump flew to Kansas this week to hold a rally for him, calling Marshall “one of the greatest senators in our country." Vice President JD Vance plans to have a rally next week in Topeka after previously headlining one in the Kansas City suburbs in September.

Stalwart GOP voters sensed a serious threat even before Trump announced his rally.

In Topeka, 81-year-old Julie Adamson has been praying about the election, but she's also knocked on doors for Marshall, about 200 by her count. She said if Hamilton wins and Democrats control the Senate, “We’ll see, ‘impeach, impeach Trump.’”

“And nothing will get done for our country,” she added.

A formidable candidate emerged in a tough year for the GOP

Before entering the race, Hamilton already had a public profile in vote-rich suburbs through building his Kansas City-area Church of the Resurrection into a 25,000 member congregation. Churchgoing Protestants also knew him as the author of several dozen books, and he’s honed his speaking skills through weekly sermons.

Hamilton has positioned himself as a moderate and made rising prices, particularly for fuel, a key issue. During a debate Wednesday, both he and Marshall endorsed barring transgender girls and women from female sports teams. Hamilton called for local officials to make such decisions but suggested Marshall and other Republicans have been bullying transgender people by making the issue prominent in campaigns.

Marshall, a mostly retired doctor, portrays Hamilton as too liberal — radical, even — for a state where less than 26% of the 2 million registered voters are Democrats, while more than 44% are Republicans.

During Wednesday's debate, Marshall repeatedly said a Hamilton victory would put Democrats in charge of the Senate and that Hamilton would vote with liberal Democrats.

“We need to remind everybody that control the Senate goes through Kansas,” he said.

There are signs that voter enthusiasm is with the Democrats as advance voting has surged across the U.S. compared to the last midterm. In Kansas, it has more than doubled for the same period.

Amanda Chavez Thomson, who is part owner of a small home-restoration business, said she believes change has been needed “for quite some time.”

“I think we finally have a candidate that can give us that energy and that surge that we need from people who may be on the fence or may not have voted in the past,” she said.

Fundraising emerges as a key concern for Republicans

Since the state's August primary, Republican groups have committed to spending more than $26 million on television and digital advertising to boost Marshall, more than what they spent in his first race in 2020, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Including Marshall's campaign, total GOP ad spending would exceed $32 million.

But Hamilton and Democratic groups together have committed to spending more than $38 million, according to AdImpact. Total ad spending — involving more than 40 groups outside the campaigns — would be about $71 million, a record for Kansas.

One of the reasons the GOP is pushing money toward Marshall may be that the incumbent has proven a lackluster fundraiser. Between the state's August primary and Thursday, Hamilton has collected more than 10,000 contributions from Kansas residents, while raising $8 million from across the U.S., online campaign finance reports show. Marshall has about 200 contributions from Kansans while raising $905,000 total.

“People are crying out, saying, ‘Come on, Roger Marshall, speak up for us,’” Hamilton said during Wednesday night's debate.

Marshall talking about liberal Democrats and ‘wokeness’

Marshall’s campaign and GOP groups have tried to knock any shine off Hamilton’s public image by attacking how he’s led his church and using snippets of his own sermons to portray him as too “woke.” During Trump’s rally, Marshall called Hamilton “the most radical liberal Democrat to ever get through a Senate primary in the history of Kansas.”

But such attacks aren't resonating with at least a few disaffected Republicans. Don Hineman, a western Kansas rancher and former GOP state House majority leader, said he's tired of “woke” being as an insult.

Hineman, who has signed on to the Republicans for Hamilton group, added that no one “was more ‘woke’ than Jesus Christ.”

Democrats have countered with television ads over Marshall's pursuit of unpaid patient bills from the practice as an obstetrician that he gave up a decade ago. State court records online show that from 1996 through 2016, Marshall or his practice filed at least 700 debt-collection lawsuits, occasionally 10 or more a day.

The New York Times first reported the extent of the litigation. It said that in 81 cases, patients were arrested for missing court dates and quoted two experts who called Marshall's tactics extreme. During Wednesday's debate, Marshall said he's faced a “gross mischaracterization” of his actions.

History and loyalty have been key assets for the Kansas GOP

Democrats can hold out hope for a Hamilton victory because the state has sizable blocs of moderate Republican and independent voters who've regularly swung elections to their candidates for governor and who protected abortion rights in a statewide vote in 2022.

Yet Republicans still have two key assets: Kansas’ political history and the loyalty that even unhappy Republican-leaning voters show to the party.

Not only have Democrats lost every Senate race in Kansas since 1932, no Democrat has come within 10 points of winning since 1974. In both 2014 and 2020, races considered tossups in mid-October fizzled, and Marshall’s predecessor, Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, won.

Leroy Towns, a former Roberts chief of staff, said many Republicans in 2014 who considered voting against Roberts “just couldn’t do it.” Towns — who switched parties because of Trump — is backing Hamilton.

Towns believes Hamilton will win, but added, “That Republican pull at the end of an election is really, really strong in this state.”

___ Cappelletti reported from Washington. Nicholas Ingram in Topeka, Kansas contributed reporting.

Two Houston advocacy organizations declared a “state of emergency” Monday over a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the area, centering their announcement on two young girls they say have been living without a parent since their mother was detained last month.

Now federal officials are pushing back on how that case has been characterized, saying the mother had a felony drug arrest, twice crossed the border illegally, was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration, and failed to appear for her immigration court hearing. After that, a judge ordered her removed, according to Tim Oberle, Public Affairs Officer for Homeland Security Investigations.

The Greater Houston Coalition for Justice and LULAC called the case part of an ongoing crisis caused by ICE enforcement in the Houston area. Two sisters, identified only as Alicia and Britany, ages 10 and 11, were present at the event, which organizers said illustrated the human cost of recent ICE actions.

• Harris County shatters early voting record on Day 1 with at least 104,000 ballots cast

What ICE says happened

According to Oberle, Julia Marisol Ortiz Zelaya was arrested by Houston police for fighting at a local bar and possessing cocaine. When Ortiz Zelaya was booked into the Harris County jail on felony drug charges, ICE put a hold on her case, essentially asking the jail to hand her over to federal immigration agents rather than release her.

Oberle said Ortiz Zelaya was first encountered by U.S. Border Patrol near Eagle Pass in October 2022 after illegally entering the country. Later that same month, she illegally re-entered near Del Rio, was arrested again, and was then released into the United States, according to the government. An immigration judge issued a removal order on March 23, 2026, after she failed to appear for her immigration proceedings, Oberle said. She remains in ICE custody pending removal.

ICE also disputed the central framing of the girls’ situation.

“Claims that ICE separated Julia Marisol Ortiz Zelaya from her two children are FALSE,” Oberle said in the statement. “ICE does not separate families. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates.”

KPRC has reached out to the coalition for a response to ICE’s account and will update this story.

Other incidents cited by the coalition

The coalition also cited the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was killed by ICE agents this summer, as a catalyst for Monday’s declaration. “After the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE this summer, the inhumane treatment continues without any sign of accountability,” organizers said in a statement.

In a separate incident, Miguel Parra was struck by an ICE vehicle within the past week. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Monday there is sufficient evidence to present the case to a grand jury and seek an indictment against the ICE agent involved. Coalition leaders praised the DA’s position but called for faster action.

Family Promise of Montgomery County is working to change that.

The nonprofit has served the community since 2001, helping families with children move out of the crisis of homelessness and toward lasting independence. It is part of a nationwide network of nearly 200 affiliates, with local programs structured around the needs and resources of its specific community.

“Empowering families for long-term stability, creating that generational change, and transitioning families with children from zero to 18 years out of the crisis of homelessness” is central to the organization’s mission, said Marilyn Kasmiersky, executive director.

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A 90-DAY PROGRAM FOCUSED ON LASTING SOLUTIONS:

Family Promise offers a 90-day program for eligible families with children ages 18 and younger. It is not an emergency shelter. Instead, it operates as structured path toward stable housing.

“If they don’t have a job, we help them with workforce development, educational advancement, gas cards, provide childcare so they can work — whatever we can do to remove barriers to help them move forward with success,” Kasmiersky said.

After an intake process, families move into the organization’s guest center and gain access to life-skills support, workforce development, educational advancement, childcare, gas cards, trauma counseling and budget coaching.

The goal is for families to leave the program with the resources and confidence to stay housed.

“We’re not an enabler, but we’re empowering,” she said. “How exciting is that for the family to build that self-confidence to come out of a crisis into a brighter future?” she said.

THE SCOPE OF THE NEED:

Homelessness does not always look the way people expect. Families may be sleeping in vehicles, moving between relatives’ homes or paying for temporary hotel stays while searching for permanent housing.

Local school data reflects the scale of the problem. During the 2024–2025 school year, Kasmiersky said Conroe Independent School District recorded 14 registered students experiencing homelessness. A figure she says does not capture the full scope of need across Montgomery County and surrounding areas.

Kasmiersky said 25% of children who experience homelessness with their parents go on to become homeless adults.

“We want to break that cycle. We want to create generational change, break up the poverty cycle, and help families achieve success,” she said.

Family Promise also works to prevent homelessness before families lose their housing. The organization reported serving 2,516 families through prevention efforts and providing 5,670 bed-nights 2,347 for children and 1,156 for adults.

WHEN A PAYCHECK IS NOT ENOUGH:

Even working families can struggle to stay housed. Kasmiersky pointed to a common affordability scenario: a person earning $15 an hour takes home roughly $2,600 a month. A $1,300 apartment consumes half of that before utilities, food, transportation or childcare.

“Healthy families equal a healthier community,” Kasmiersky said. “It takes our village of our whole community.”

HOW TO FIND HELP OR GET INVOLVED:

Families in Montgomery County experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing housing can contact Family Promise directly to learn whether the program is the right fit.

• Local:www.familypromiseofmc.org
• Find a nationwide affiliate: www.familypromise.org

The local website also includes upcoming events, fundraisers and ways to volunteer or donate.

“We are here and we are part of the solution,” Kasmiersky said.

Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when she was beaten to death in her off-campus apartment in September 2012. Miguel Salguero Olivares was arrested nine years later after being pulled over for driving while intoxicated and providing a DNA sample that prosecutors say matched evidence from the crime scene.

In closing arguments, prosecutors urged jurors to rely on evidence “screaming the truth” instead of distractions from the defense team. Defense lawyers in turn accused investigators and prosecutors of having “tunnel vision” in assuming that their client was a monster and not a “19-year-old boy” who had consensual sex with the victim days before her death.

“Maybe he was living the same life as other 19- and 20-year-old children that we've heard about in this case,” defense attorney Jason Murphy said. “Maybe he had too much to drink, maybe he forgot about an encounter.”

Salguero Olivares, now 33, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense and burglary charges. He did not testify during the trial, and his attorneys rested their case without calling any witnesses. Jurors did, however, view video of a police interview in which he was shown a photo of Hedgepeth and denied knowing her.

Only the prosecution put on a case

Nearly two dozen witnesses testified for the prosecution, including Hedgepeth’s roommate and other friends, crime scene technicians, state and local law enforcement and a DNA expert.

Early testimony focused on Hedgepeth’s life and her last night alive, when she and her roommate returned home from a club around 2 a.m. Karena Rosario testified that she was drunk and sick when Hedgepeth drove them home but later called a friend to pick her up and she went out again, leaving Hedgepeth in the apartment alone. She returned hours later that Sept. 7 to find Hedgepeth’s body.

In her closing statement, prosecutor Angela Garcia-Lamarca suggested Salguero Olivares may have attended a barbecue hosted by Hedgepeth’s neighbor that night, had unsuccessfully made advances to the young women as they returned home and then returned, embarrassed and angry, after Rosario left. No witnesses corroborated that theory, but the prosecutor told jurors, “You don’t have to believe that to know he’s guilty.”

“For parents to lose a child and not know what happened or who did it is unbearable. Now we know,” she said. “The forensic evidence in this case is screaming the truth. We know who did it. The forensic evidence is screaming his name: Miguel Salguero Olivares. What we don’t know, and maybe will never know, and what can be the incurable agony is: Why?”

An autopsy showed Hedgepeth suffered extensive skull fractures and cuts to her face and head, and she was also badly beaten on her arms and legs.

“He beat her until her skull cracked like an egg,” special prosecutor Lisa Coltrane said in her portion of the closing arguments. “That is what the last moments of this vibrant young woman's life was.”

DNA evidence was a focus

Experts testified that the defendant's fingerprints and palm print were found on a wine bottle at the scene and that his DNA was found on a rum bottle covered in blood that investigators identified as the weapon in the killing, in Hedgepeth's body and on a note written on a fast-food bag found at the scene.

Erin Ermish, a forensic scientist with the state crime lab, testified that she could never say with 100% certainty that a DNA sample came from a particular person. But she said DNA swabbed from Hedgepeth’s body was 170 septillion times more likely to be a mixture of DNA from Hedgepeth and Salguero Olivares than from Hedgepeth and an unknown individual. One septillion is a 1 followed by 24 zeros. In contrast, NASA estimates the entire universe contains only 1 septillion stars.

Ermish also said the mixture of DNA from the top of the rum bottle was 48.6 tredecillion times more likely to be from Hedgepeth and Salguero Olivares than from two unknown, unrelated individuals. One tredecillion is a 1 followed by 42 zeros.

The defense raised questions about the investigation

In cross-examinations and closing statements, defense attorneys questioned Rosario’s account of that night, the processing of the crime scene and the reliability of some DNA evidence. They emphasized that DNA from sexual intercourse can remain for days afterward, pointed out that police failed to search some areas of the apartment and later lost some possible blood evidence. But Coltrane dismissed all that as “noise.”

“No matter what kind of mistakes were made or things that were missed, it doesn't erase the palm print, it doesn't somehow lift the DNA out of Faith,” she said. “They didn't talk to every single person in Chapel Hill, and it doesn't matter. They still got the guy because he left his DNA like confetti all over that room.”

Several jurors cried after viewing autopsy photos of Hedgepeth, according to local media accounts. Salguero Olivares, meanwhile, cried when prosecutors played video of a jailhouse call between him and a friend who has since died.

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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Faith Hedgepeth’s last name in one reference.

That's helped them take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Wednesday night's 97-71 victory. Game 4 is on Saturday.

Golden State has averaged only 68 points in the Finals — 14 below their regular season mark. After only forcing 10 turnovers in the Game 1 loss, Atlanta has turned up its pressure and that's led to easy points off its opponents miscues.

Rhyne Howard, who has had back-to-back games with at least five steals, knew it just took a little bit for the team to get ready to play on the big stage of the championship series.

“I think just settling in. I think just obviously taking in that this was a big moment for not just me, but for everybody,” she said after the Game 3 win. “At their place, jitters subconsciously or consciously, but I think just locking in and realizing that we can get what we want. We’re No. 1 in a lot of categories, and that first game we didn’t show why. So I think Game 2 and Game 3 we showed why we were No. 1 in those categories not only in the postseason, but in the games leading up.”

When the Atlanta defense is going, it helps spur the offense with layups off the steals. It's also helped them control the paint. The Dream held the Valkyries without a basket for the first 5-plus minutes of the game and then came up with big blocks by Howard and Isobel Borlase in the third quarter that helped keep Golden State at bay.

Atlanta has averaged 20 points better than Golden State in its two wins. The Dream had only a plus-two margin in the loss.

“Defense wins championships and we understand that,” Dream forward DeWanna Bonner said. “I feel like that’s something that we’ve taken very serious since the FIBA break — since I’ve been there. But, when your shot's not falling, you got to rely on something, and that’s always been my defense.”

Bonner went on to say that the first thing the Dream watch on video after games is their defense.

While Atlanta's defense has been in sync the last two games, Golden State admitted they have been uncharacteristically undisciplined. All season long the Valkyries have been able to set the tone defensively in their games. They held teams well below their average and hadn't given up more than 90 points in regulation since late July until Wednesday night.

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase shouldered the blame for the defensive issues.

“If something is being a little bit unclear, then that’s all on me,” she said. "We weren’t in our shifts consistently. We weren’t communicating. We were kind of just late on certain rotations, which was just uncharacteristic.”

Both teams know the series isn't done yet as the WNBA has a best-of-seven format for the second year. If Golden State can solve its defensive and offensive issues on Saturday, the team can head back home with the series tied.

“I think we’re still very positive,” said Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes, who won three WNBA titles with Las Vegas. “We know we can fix (it). A lot of it is dealing with ourselves. So we just got to look in the mirror first and then move forward. But, yeah, this is a long series. I think positivity and energy is still high and we got another chance to steal one on Saturday, and then the series is evened up and then it’s best of three.”

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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

The accident

On Sept. 18, Tina Uribe and Amanda Byford say they were both struck by Wyatt’s vehicle on Interstate 45 in what witnesses and dashcam footage described as a multi-car chain-reaction crash. A third driver was also involved but chose not to pursue the matter further.

Uribe says she saw Wyatt’s vehicle approaching fast in her rearview mirror before impact.

“She ran me,” Uribe said. “I looked and I’m like, oh my gosh, what’s going on? I was in shock.”

Uribe says she initially feared Wyatt had a medical emergency and pulled over to check on her.

“She’s like, you need to move — I’m running late to a meeting,” Uribe said. “Wait a minute, what are you talking about? You just caused an accident. You hit two other vehicles and then myself.”

Byford says she blocked Wyatt’s vehicle to prevent her from leaving the scene.

“I’m not gonna let this person go. I’m going to block her in,” Byford said.

Byford says when she approached Wyatt’s window, Wyatt appeared confused and was attempting to stuff her deployed airbag back into the steering wheel column.

“She said, no, I need to go,” Byford said. “I said, ma’am, you’re not going anywhere. We just called the cops.”

• Previous story: Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt told police she was ‘in heaven’ during DWI arrest, affidavit says

No insurance

When police arrived and collected insurance information, Wyatt had none. Byford says the contrast was stark.

“He comes back and he goes, ‘Yep, you’re insured with Allstate,’” Byford said. “So now you know.”

Republican nominee for Harris County Treasurer Marc Cowart confirmed at a Tuesday press conference that Wyatt’s insurance had lapsed since July and that she had been driving uninsured — a criminal violation under Texas law.

“This is basic for all of us,” Cowart said. “We all have car insurance. It’s Texas law.”

Wyatt received a citation from police following the crash. No arrests were made at the scene.

Injuries, bills mount

Uribe, a realtor who does not have health insurance, says she went to the emergency room the day of the crash with back injuries, a concussion and shoulder pain. She says she still experiences numbness in her side.

“My medical bills right now — that day — I think it’s right now $10,000,” Uribe said. “My insurance only covers my vehicle.”

Uribe says her previous attorney withdrew from her case after learning Wyatt had no insurance. She says she is now seeking new legal representation and is still out of pocket roughly $6,000 after her vehicle insurance payout.

“I want accountability,” Uribe said. “She didn’t have insurance. If I didn’t have insurance, I would be getting pounded with lawsuits.”

Byford echoed that sentiment.

“She owes everybody that was in that wreck, actually,” Byford said. “And she owes everybody an apology, because you just don’t ram somebody and just go about your way.”

‘She knew there was no cameras’

Uribe says Wyatt approached her at a gas station after the crash and blamed her for the accident.

“She’s like, ‘It’s your fault,’” Uribe said. “I’m like, what do you mean it’s my fault? She said, ‘You were stopped on the freeway.’”

Uribe says she chose not to argue, knowing she had dashcam footage to prove otherwise.

Byford says she showed police the dashcam footage in slow motion at the scene. Neither victim says they have received any follow-up from police about the footage or any ongoing investigation.

Broader concerns

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Cindy Siegel and Cowart used the press conference to draw a broader connection between Wyatt’s personal conduct and her fitness for office.

Cowart noted the crash occurred at noon — not at night — and raised the possibility that Harris County itself could face liability if Wyatt was traveling to an official government meeting at the time of the crash.

“That opens up a whole new can of worms,” Cowart said. “That’s why we have to be so cognizant of who we hire to represent us.”

Cowart also pushed back on Wyatt’s previous media statement that no one was injured in the crash.

“She’s lying about that,” Cowart said. “Her comment was, ‘Well, a baby didn’t go flying through the windshield.’ And I think that’s disgusting.”

Siegel acknowledged the political backdrop of the press conference, which comes during early voting, but said the victims’ stories needed to be heard regardless.

“This is about doing the right thing,” Siegel said.

A GoFundMe page has been established to help Uribe with her medical expenses.

A trial is scheduled to start this month for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri in the killing of 17 U.S. sailors, who died when an explosives-laden skiff blew up alongside the USS Cole destroyer off the coast of Yemen. He faces a possible death penalty. The proceedings at a U.S. Navy base in Cuba, where he is detained, are expected to last at least six months.

Captured in 2002, Nashiri underwent waterboarding, beatings, and confinement in a crate for years in CIA custody at clandestine detention facilities. Declassified documents released in 2018 graphically described how he was stripped naked, repeatedly slammed against walls and left “moaning, shaking and asking God to help him repeatedly.”

Nashiri's attorney, Allison Ferber Miller, asked a federal court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to delay the proceedings until the military commission has had enough time to determine his mental capacity.

A psychiatrist for the defense who examined Nashiri in August concluded that he is “not competent,” Miller wrote.

“He diagnosed a traumatic brain injury (TBI) arising from torture in CIA custody, a severe neurocognitive disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and major depression,” Miller wrote. “He concluded that Petitioner cannot understand the proceedings or assist his counsel.”

Miller wrote that Nashiri is not asking the federal judge to determine his competence but to delay the trial until the military commission has had “a meaningful opportunity” to do so.

The military judge had ordered a competency evaluation, “but left no time for a meaningful hearing” on whether al-Nashiri is fit for trial, Miller wrote, adding that the military judge has declined three times to stay the proceedings until the question of Nashiri's competence was resolved.

Lawyers in the case were scheduled to travel to Guantanamo Bay on Saturday, Miller wrote. The military judge left open the possibility for a competency hearing on Monday morning, the same day the trial was scheduled to begin.

The trial has since been rescheduled to start a week later on Oct. 26, according to Ronald Flesvig, the spokesman for the Office of Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay.

The Office of the Chief Prosecutor for military commissions at Guantanamo Bay did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Proceedings before the military commission were previously mired in delays and in legal challenges over admissibility of evidence from the torture-aided interrogations of Nashiri and over other circumstances of his trial and detention. Questions over the handling of Nashiri’s case, like those of other Guantanamo Bay detainees accused of planning and aiding al-Qaida’s 9/11 attacks on the United States, have led to constitutional debates and other problems.

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This story was first published on Oct. 15, 2026. It was updated on Oct. 22, 2026, to correct that the proceedings are expected to last at least six months, not up to five weeks.

Halima Salman, a U.S. citizen born in Brooklyn, was 17 when her father took the family to Turkey in 2017, then put her in a van without saying where they were going and drove into Syria, where the van was surrounded by men with guns, according to her lawyer, Mia Eisner-Grynberg.

There, she became caught up in the Syrian Civil War. She spent three months locked in a room while the sound of bombs striking nearby targets could frequently be heard. Her father, an Islamic State sympathizer, died after he was injured in a bombing in 2018, but not before arranging for her to marry a member of the group when she turned 18. She was then detained in Baghouz, Syria, in 2019 by forces opposed to the Islamic State.

When Salman returned to the U.S. in 2024, she was arrested and charged with willingly undergoing military training with the Islamic State in 2018, when she was 18.

“Find her not guilty,” Eisner-Grynberg told a jury Thursday as Salman used her clothing to wipe away tears. She said Salman had “been through hell and back" since leaving New York, where she had been in the Girl Scouts and studied sewing and craft making.

Prosecutors insist Salman had more agency in Syria than she claims.

In her closing arguments Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Shami portrayed Salman, now 27, as dishonest and manipulative.

She said Salman had pledged loyalty to the Islamic State and sent her then-husband a photograph of her with the group's flag. She had also been filmed by her husband with an assault rifle she had been trained to use. Jurors were shown the brief video clip.

During the trial, Salman took the witness stand and testified that her marriage was bad before she left Syria and divorced her husband. The prosecutor, Shami, disputed that account of a poor marriage, citing two loving text messages Salman sent to her husband.

“Her statements on the stand don't make sense,” Shami said.

Eisner-Grynberg said the government was right to investigate Salman after her time in Syria but should not have brought charges after failing to find anyone who had seen her undergoing weapons training. She said prosecutors could not show that Salman ever took a serious interest in the Islamic State, which has been designated by the United States as a terror group.

“You can come back here in five minutes with a not-guilty verdict,” Eisner-Grynberg told jurors. “This is a grave miscarriage of justice,” she said of the prosecution.

The jury began deliberating Thursday.

At least four people were killed in Ukraine and dozens of others were wounded, officials said, in the attacks that began only hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed “in principle” Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

“Russia has not changed the way it wages this war, and it is taking no steps that would signal a genuine desire to end it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the barrage.

Putin's consent came in talks in St. Petersburg with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who spoke of a “new momentum” toward peace after meeting Tuesday with Zelenskyy in Norway. The talks are supposed to start sometime after Nov. 10. No date was set.

Representatives of the three countries held rounds of “technical” talks in the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland in January and February, seeking to lay the groundwork for detailed negotiations. But they reported little progress beyond exchanges of prisoners of war. Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their terms for stopping the fighting despite U.S. efforts.

The U.S. has proposed the United Arab Emirates as a possible location for the new talks, said Zelenskyy, who has said only a meeting of leaders can end the deadlock.

Russia launches 170 strikes in just over a week at Ukraine's power grid

Russia’s aerial attacks hit 12 regions of Ukraine overnight, killing at least four people and wounding scores of others, including five children, Zelenskyy said on social media Thursday.

Two women, ages 50 and 60, were killed and dozens of other people were wounded in a Russian strike on a market in Lozova, in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration. Another person was killed in other strikes on Kharkiv, the State Emergency Service said.

The Ukrainian capital endured a noisy night as 21 ballistic missiles came in three waves, Zelenskyy said, smashing apartment buildings, energy facilities, a railway station and the Kyiv subway system, shopping malls and businesses. One person was killed in Kyiv.

The Russian attack on Kyiv included three ballistic missiles carrying cluster munitions — bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets, Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainians are bracing for the bitterly cold months ahead as the recent escalation in Russian attacks targets the power grid to deny civilians heat, light and running water. Ukraine says Russia is stockpiling ballistic missiles for an annual campaign Ukrainians describe as “ weaponizing winter.”

Since Oct. 11, Russia has launched 170 strikes on Ukraine's critical energy facilities, Zelenskyy said.

Putin mulls attending G20 in Miami, while Ukraine waits for an invitation

The Ukrainian leader has pleaded with Washington to supply more Patriot air-defense ammunition to stop the missiles, and to heap more sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow to pursue peace.

Instead, Trump has agreed with Putin to import diesel from Russia and waived heavy sanctions on Moscow, while U.S. officials say Patriot ammunition is in short supply.

“Russia is clearly taking advantage of the slowdown in air defense supplies from our partners,” Zelenskyy said. “It is equally clear that when some partners ease the pressure on Russia, it only reinforces Putin’s belief that his goals are within reach.”

Western analysts say Putin wants to cut out Europe and Kyiv and negotiate Ukraine’s future directly with Washington. The Trump administration has also disparaged Europe.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Putin had received an invitation to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December but hasn’t yet decided whether to go.

“The American administration is doing a lot to help a peaceful settlement,” Peskov told reporters. “European capitals are doing nothing to promote a peaceful resolution, and they are doing a great deal to provoke the further escalation of fighting."

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would “be represented at the highest level” at the summit if Trump invites the country.

"Let’s hope that this is possible. So far we have not received such a signal. We are counting on it,” he said at a news conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Kyiv.

Ukrainians chide Trump envoy for flattering Putin

Witkoff, the Trump envoy who met Wednesday with Putin in St. Petersburg, was harshly criticized in Ukraine and the U.S. for praising the Russian leader as a “humanitarian” after he released a retired American teacher who was imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.

Assassination attempts against Putin's foes — routinely denied by the Kremlin — have been common during his decades in power. And as the five-year anniversary of Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor approaches, aerial strikes have killed thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides.

The latest “brutal” Russian attacks demonstrate “what Russian ‘humanism’ truly sounds like,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media. “Appeasement, servility, and flattery will not stop this war. Only strength will.”

Russia says it intercepted more than 800 Ukrainian drones

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses overnight downed 808 Ukrainian drones, with two people reported wounded.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 630 of the drones were fired toward the Russian capital between late Wednesday and early Thursday. Moscow airports temporarily restricted air traffic overnight.

The Russian military hit facilities involved in making and storing drones and cruise missiles, as well as striking transport infrastructure in Kyiv, the Defense Ministry said. Infrastructure in the southern port of Odesa and vessels used for the Ukrainian armed forces were also hit, it said.

In other developments, the bodies of 252 people, said by Russia to be Ukrainian soldiers, were returned to Ukraine in an exchange, Ukraine’s agency for prisoners of war said Thursday.

Russia received 25 bodies of Russian soldiers, Russian lawmaker Shamsail Saraliyev, a member of a parliamentary group overseeing the exchanges, told the RBC news outlet.

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Associated Press Writer Hanna Arhirova contributed to this report.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Here is the latest news from the Middle East. Read our full coverage here.

7 oil tankers reported damaged in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s state television reported that seven oil tankers either caught fire or were damaged by mines overnight Wednesday into Thursday after being targeted or striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

If verified, it would be the largest single-day number of vessels damaged in the waterway since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran.

Quoting a statement by the Revolutionary Guard's navy, the Iranian report said four of the tankers were transferring oil when they were targeted and caught fire. Three more were damaged and immobilized after hitting naval mines. The report didn't provide details about possible casualties or the tankers' flags.

Shipping data and analysis company Lloyd’s List Intelligence said Thursday that tanker operators willing to risk the voyage have been transporting oil from Gulf producers through the strait at night, using a U.S. military-protected lane near Oman’s coast with their location systems and mobile phones switched off.

The oil is then transferred to other tankers waiting in the Gulf of Oman for shipment to customers in Asia.

Oil company says volume bypassing strait via pipeline has surged

The president of Saudi oil company Aramco, whose sites have been targeted by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, says the amount of oil moving through a pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz has more than tripled.

The East-West pipeline’s capacity has surged from 2 million to 7 million barrels each day, President and CEO Amin Nasser said in an interview with Saudi-owned television Al Arabiya Business.

Built in the early 1980s, the pipeline played a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war.

Nasser said the company has used drones to assess damage caused by oilfield attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and to help with firefighting.

UN chief says Egypt is 'vital’ to solving Mideast crisis

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Egypt has a vital role to play in resolving the Middle East crisis, citing its “defense of the rights of the Palestinian people” and its mediation efforts in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Guterres, who is due to arrive in Egypt on Friday, said he would also discuss the war in neighboring Sudan, the situation in Libya and hostilities in Yemen, including the siege of Taiz and Houthi rebel attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia. He called those attacks “totally unacceptable.”

Yemen says rallies in support of Houthi rebels could be targeted

Yemen’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that rallies and mobilization programs by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels will be considered legitimate military targets and warned residents in Houthi-held areas against taking part.

The announcement on social media is considered a major escalation against the Houthis and civilians living in areas under their control. Pro-Houthi rallies are regularly staged on Fridays, the Muslim day of prayer.

Deliberate attacks on civilians could be a war crime.

Rallies and what Houthis call “cultural courses” are one of the Iranian-backed group’s main tools to mobilize supporters and fighters. The Defense Ministry said Houthis are also mobilizing children for combat.

Saudi airport strike death toll rises to 2

Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority said Thursday that the number of people killed in an attack the night before on the King Fahd International Airport has risen to two — a Saudi citizen and an Indian national living in the kingdom. Another eight people suffered injuries in the attack, which occurred late on Wednesday, the statement said.

Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted Thursday on Telegram.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted an Aramco facility in Yanbu that ignited a fire, as well as the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh. Saree didn't provide any evidence for the ministry strike.

King Fahd Airport in the country's east near Bahrain and Qatar has been attacked previously amid a wider wave of Houthi missile and projectile strikes targeting major Saudi airports.

Strikes kill 4 in Gaza Strip

At least four people were killed and several others wounded Thursday in Israeli strikes and gunfire in the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said.

One person was killed when a car was struck in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital. Another was killed and others wounded in a strike on a gathering in a street in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital. The Israeli military said those strikes targeted Hamas militants.

A woman was also killed by Israeli military fire in the northern city of Jabaliya, Shifa Hospital said. And an Israeli strike that hit a refugee camp in Nuseirat, in the central region, killed one person, according to the Awda Hospital.

The Israeli military said it was not immediately aware of the Jabaliya incident and did not immediately comment on the strike that hit the refugee camp.

Iran displays new drones

Iran’s state television on Thursday showed dozens of military drones it claimed are more powerful and more sophisticated than previous iterations.

The report showed the drones in an underground location, adding that a new version of the “Arash” drone now has a 100 kg (220-pound) warhead — twice as powerful as before.

Iran has "reached a significant level of maturity in the field of drones and unmanned systems in general,” Iranian Army Chief Gen. Amir Hatami was cited by state television’s website as saying. He said that more drones will be unveiled in the future.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

Skerritt died Wednesday of natural causes, his family said in a statement. “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and the love he brought into our lives. He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world and helping others find and share their own voices,” the statement said.

Skerritt was twice nominated for an Emmy — both for “Picket Fences,” winning outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1993. Other career highlights include playing the patient husband of Shirley MacLaine in “Turning Point,” Sally Field’s husband in “Steel Magnolias” and a scheming opportunist who stands in the way of Jodie Foster’s attempt to communicate with extraterrestrial life in “Contact.”

“A writer once described me as a character actor locked in a leading man’s body, and I’ve always loved that. It’s a nice compliment. I’ve been able to walk the line between television and features,” he told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1997.

Onstage, he was the narrator in “Our Town” at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre in 2004 and made his Broadway debut in 2013 in an adaptation of John Grisham's “A Time to Kill,” in which The Associated Press wrote he “nicely pulls off a charming disgraced and drunken lawyer.”

Skerritt’s early life

Skerritt grew up in a middle-class Detroit family, his father a small businessman and his mother a housewife. He had two brothers; a sister died as a child.

He spent four years in the Air Force, attended Wayne State University and then switched to the University of California, Los Angeles, to study filmmaking, inspired by a viewing of “Citizen Kane.”

His performance in a Los Angeles theater production of “The Rainmaker” led to his first film role — a supporting role as a sergeant in the 1962 scrappy, $250,000 independent Korean War film “War Hunt.” The movie marked the debuts of Skerritt, Robert Redford, Sydney Pollack and Francis Ford Coppola.

Redford and Skerritt were vying for the same lead role, with the former winning out. Years later, Redford, now directing, paid Skerritt back with compound interest in “A River Runs Through It,” handing him the plum role of the stern Rev. John Maclean, a minister whose governing passions are his faith and fly-fishing. The New York Times was impressed by his “halting, thoughtful manner.”

Redford, who died last year, became a lifelong friend. “There was such a deep connection we made with each other that it matured into a level-headed friendship,” Redford told the Seattle Times in 2007. “His values were close to mine, and he kept his integrity.”

‘Alien’ and ‘Top Gun’

After “War Hunt,” however, Skerritt still struggled for screen time, landing a small role in “M.A.S.H.” and “Thieves Like Us” for Robert Altman, and doing a bit part as a motorcycle cop in “Harold and Maude” for Hal Ashby.

Things changed with “The Turning Point,” which earned him a National Board of Review win. Then came “Alien,” with Skerritt playing the beleaguered and doomed captain of the ship Nostromo, crouched in a dark, claustrophobic duct, hunting the alien with a sputtering flamethrower. He told the Seattle Times that what appealed to him in the script was that the lead actor disappeared and “the woman becomes the hero. I really like that idea.”

Things shifted again after that, including a memorable role as Tom Cruise’s instructor in the landmark “Top Gun”: “Gentlemen, you are the top 1% of all Naval aviators. The elite. The best of the best. We’ll make you better,” he told the students. “This school is about combat. There are no points for second place.”

Skerritt achieved perhaps his best notices as the kindly sheriff in “Picket Fences,” a comedy created by David E. Kelley that won 14 Emmy Awards — one for Skerritt — and a Golden Globe over its four-year run from 1992 to 1996.

Skerritt co-starred opposite Kathy Baker, playing his doctor wife in the community of Rome, Wisconsin, a place with bizarre happenings, like having a robber leaving a trail of frogs or the pope becoming the primary witness to a murder.

“It was written by the best writer on television,” he told the A.V. Club in 2019. “That was the magic and brilliance of it. Because I wasn’t trying to do a series, but then they said Kathy Baker was going to do it, and I thought, ‘She’s fabulous — what do they want me for?’”

Also on the small screen, Skerritt played William Walker on ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters,” Jimmy Ford on TNT’s “Leverage” and he had the recurring character Evan Drake on “Cheers.” He starred in the Hallmark movie “What the Deaf Man Heard,” co-starring Matthew Modine, Judith Ivey and James Earl Jones. He also modeled for Guess jeans.

Directing and writing — his initial dream — had been overtaken by a career in front of the camera, though he managed to direct and star in the 1997 television movie “Divided by Hate.”

“Things happen,” he told The Ottawa Citizen in 1992. “You get hired for a film and the roles kept coming for me. I kept telling myself that if I stuck with acting it would be a really good training for what the problems are in directing. Then the family came along and I had to support them. The years flew by and there was a time when I said I would give up acting and really try to get into directing. But it hasn’t worked out that way and I have no regrets.”

He is survived by his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, and five children.

U.S. District Court Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin in Oakland found the government's effort is relying on data that is full of errors and that it's leading to intimidation of groups performing voter assistance efforts. She said it should be halted until polls close on Election Day, Nov. 3.

She put her ruling, which was made Wednesday, on hold until Friday to give the administration a chance to appeal.

The ruling applies to investigations in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.

It comes as the Trump administration has been hunting for noncitizen voters throughout the country in the months leading into the midterm elections. The administration has signaled that it's a major problem, when in fact it's quite rare, as even its own investigations have shown.

The lawsuit was filed by the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, along with the Voto Latino Foundation, San Francisco and Santa Clara County.

In response to the ruling, the Department of Homeland Security issued an email statement Thursday saying it's focused on “removing aliens who vote and dilute the votes of U.S. citizens,” while adding, “We have no plans to question or investigate people we believe to be U.S. citizens.”

The judge based the decision to halt the investigation only on the unions’ assertion that the probe is harming voter assistance and mobilization efforts involving citizens. She did not find that union members' right to vote was being infringed because most of them do that by mail and not in person. She said investigations don’t need to target U.S. citizens, use armed agents or intimidate citizens who are urging others to vote.

According to legal filings in the case, investigators were told to target naturalized citizens to see whether they had voted before they became U.S. citizens. The lists of voters to check came from sources that included state and local governments and publicly available information. Martinez-Olguin called them “voluminous and unreliable.”

“Even under the best conditions, there is a high likelihood of error in review because there is no federal database containing citizenship status of U.S. residents,” Martinez-Olguin wrote in her ruling. “The time limitations implemented during the Surge further exacerbate the risk of error.”

The Department of Justice has been demanding detailed and unredacted voter roll data from the states and has sued the 30 states that have refused to turn it over, losing each of those cases so far. The judge noted that for states that refused to share their records, the administration was trying to obtain them through “unreliable commercial versions of voter roll data.”

She said during a “surge” phase of the investigation starting in late August, agents were ordered to complete reviews of flagged individuals taking no more than 12 minutes per person to assess whether they were legally qualified to vote.

In their challenge, the plaintiffs said some U.S. citizens felt they were wrongly identified and investigated as part of the probe. Martinez-Olguin said those fears “are well understood as intimidation” that has chilled people from attending campaign events and working as poll monitors during the election.

Beau Tremitiere, a lawyer representing the unions and voter group, said in a statement that the ruling affirms the groups’ position.

"It was clear from the start that DHS built its lists on bad data, never checked how often it was wrong, and recklessly sent agents to people’s homes weeks before an election," Tremitiere said.

Details of the investigation, known as the "Unlawful Voter Initiative,” came to light last month after Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California released a whistleblower report about it.

Duguay for several years has been dating Alaska governor and 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who announced his death after being by his side throughout the illness. A spokesperson for the New York Rangers also confirmed Thursday that Duguay’s family informed the team of his passing.

"It’s with a shattered heart but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin posted on social media. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”

Duguay's first six seasons came as a fan favorite with the Rangers, including an appearance in the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, after they selected him with the 13th pick in the '77 draft.

The Sudbury, Ontario, native was an All-Star as a point-a-game producer in 1981-82.

A series of trades led him to spend time with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings with another Rangers stint, as well. Duguay finished his career in the league with 673 points in the regular season and playoffs, then played in Germany and the minors.

“The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history,” the club said in a statement. “Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated the (Madison Square) Garden faithful, and his skill, tenacity and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Palin and Duguay's daughter, Shay Thomas, posted several times over the past several months asking for prayers for him. His family started a GoFundMe earlier this year to offset the costs of travel and treatments.

The NHL Alumni Association in a post memorializing Duguay called his dedication and passion for hockey unwavering.

“It was a part of who he was, a lifelong love that he carried with pride and shared so generously with others,” the NHLAA said. “He will be remembered not only for the player he was, but for the extraordinary person he was.”

Long after his playing days, Duguay was known to another generation of Rangers fans for his role on broadcasts from 2007-18.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Firefighters were called to the blaze in Clinton, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of Jackson, at about 5 p.m. Wednesday, and multiple wings of the center were on fire, Clinton Mayor Will Purdie said at a news conference.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I share with you that two residents lost their lives in that fire,” Purdie said.

Clinton's fire chief, Levius Buckley, said staff at the Brookdale Clinton center got about 85 residents out of the facility safely and firefighters helped get another 10 to 15 out. He said at least four people were taken to hospitals. All surviving residents were either with relatives or at other facilities on Thursday, Purdie said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Buckley said the center's sprinkler system was working at the time.

An 82-year-old man and an 82-year-old woman were confirmed dead after the fire at the senior living facility, according to Hinds County Coroner Jeramiah Howard.

The mayor credited firefighters and Brookdale Clinton staff with saving lives. Authorities searched the site through the night to account for everyone.

“Last night, I was once again reminded of the strength of this community through its overwhelming response,” Purdie said. “As they always do in times of adversity, our citizens came together at a moment’s notice to help their friends and neighbors.”

Portions of the center were destroyed by the blaze. Although several wings remain standing, they won't be habitable for some time, Buckley said. It took about three hours to get the fire under control, and firefighters remained there into the early morning hours.

Residents who were led to safety were bused to a church, where a crowd of people who appeared to be residents’ family members or loved ones waited outside Wednesday.

WLBT-TV showed images of a handful of older people sitting across the street and watching as bright orange flames and black smoke stretched into the sky. One of them was in a wheelchair and the others had walkers or other mobility aids. One also had a small dog. The roof of the building was partially collapsed, as firefighters sprayed the building.

A spokesperson for Brookdale Senior Living said Thursday that company staff are heartbroken over the deaths of the two residents.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all our residents, their families and our associates, and our priority continues to be supporting those affected by this tragedy and providing continued care to our residents,” spokesperson Kristin Puckett said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to the first responders and local community members who have come together to support our residents and associates.”

The organization’s website says Brookdale Clinton includes independent living spaces, as well as assisted living and memory care services. Brookdale Senior Living says it has more than 500 senior living communities in 41 states.

This is not the first time that there's been a deadly fire at an assisted-living facility.

In 2025, a fire killed 10 people at an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts. Investigators found that it was unintentionally caused by either someone smoking or an electrical issue with an oxygen machine.

In 2024, an 80-year-old woman died after an apartment fire at a senior living facility in Memphis, Tennessee.