In marquee Senate primaries in Michigan and Minnesota, progressive candidates defeated two members of Congress with significant backing from party leaders. Wisconsin voters narrowly rejected a democratic socialist but still chose a 40-year-old county executive who is seeking to become the state’s first Black governor. And in Connecticut, voters ousted one of the longest-serving Democrats in Congress for a challenger who campaigned on generational change.

The results so far this month deliver no clear ideological mandate. Instead, they add to mounting evidence from this year’s primaries of a Democratic appetite for turnover that is cutting across the party’s traditional divisions.

“The through line between these races isn't ideology. It's impatience with this political system that feels disconnected from the urgency voters feel,” said Lis Smith, a national Democratic strategist. "The demand for change is much broader than the demand for socialism.”

The immediate challenge for Democrats is whether they can harness the frustration fueling revolts against their own party and turn it against Republicans in November. Beyond that looms the 2028 presidential race, when a new generation of leaders will compete to shape a changing Democratic Party.

“If leaders in our party don’t recognize that we need to make changes, then the changes are going to come from the ground up,” Luke Bronin, a former mayor who defeated 14-term Connecticut Rep. John Larson in Tuesday’s primary, said in his victory speech. “That’s a message our party needs to hear.”

Progressives are ascendant, but Wisconsin shows their limits

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong hoped to ride the wave of recent progressive victories, including Abdul El-Sayed’s upset in neighboring Michigan’s U.S. Senate primary a week earlier, to the Democratic nomination for governor in Wisconsin.

Instead, she narrowly lost to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a more moderate Democrat who had the backing of outgoing Gov. Tony Evers.

Hong’s defeat also came after a number of her past comments resurfaced, including support for defunding the police and a call to cancel Thanksgiving, which she said was a joke. Unlike El-Sayed, Hong didn't receive the backing of some of the nation’s most prominent progressive leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The result illustrates a tension for the party’s ascendant left flank. Candidates running on populist economic messages have found growing success with Democratic voters. But some positions associated with the progressive movement’s recent past remain vulnerabilities — particularly among voters worried about electability in November.

“A lot of Democrats are traditionalists on things like culture issues. This is not about culture, it's about economics. It's about corruption,” said David Axelrod, who was an adviser to President Barack Obama. “The closer that candidates hew to those issues, the larger the base they're going to be able to accumulate.”

That tension was evident Tuesday for Sarah Atkins Hoggatt, 61, who said she agreed with Hong on some issues but worried that Hong’s deeply progressive politics and the democratic socialist label would make it harder for her to defeat Republican Tom Tiffany. She voted for Crowley.

“I didn’t vote my heart,” Atkins Hoggatt said.

Progressives scored a much clearer victory in Minnesota, where Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan resoundingly defeated centrist Rep. Angie Craig. Craig had the backing of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several senators from battleground states.

Flanagan had her own powerful allies, including Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and outgoing Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. She also sought to turn Craig’s advantages against her, highlighting her support from wealthy donors and attacking her vote for a Trump-backed immigration bill that became a liability after immigration agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

As in Michigan, the winning progressive candidate was significantly outspent.

“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money,” Flanagan said as she celebrated her victory in Minneapolis. “Well guess what? The many just won.”

The contrasting results in Minnesota and Wisconsin underscore why November will provide a more consequential test of the progressive movement’s gains. El-Sayed and Flanagan must now prove that the messages that powered their primary victories can resonate with a broader voting pool in the general election.

Democrats are hungry for change

Flanagan is 46 years old. Crowley is 40. And El-Sayed is 41. But nowhere was the demand for generational change more explicit Tuesday than in Connecticut.

Bronin, 47, defeated the 78-year-old Larson — who was first elected to Congress in 1998. A central theme of Bronin’s campaign was the need for a new generation of leadership in Washington.

Larson became the seventh Democratic House incumbent to lose a primary this year, many of them to younger challengers. The defeated incumbents and the Democrats replacing them span ideological lines, making the wave of losses difficult to explain simply as a shift to the left.

The push for generational turnover has taken on greater urgency since Democrats’ defeats in 2024, when concerns about President Joe Biden’s age ultimately ended his reelection campaign and forced the party into an uncomfortable reckoning over a generation of leaders who had remained in power for decades.

Bronin himself has connected his challenge to that experience. Earlier this year, he argued that Democrats needed “new members of Congress, new Democratic leaders who have the energy and courage and clarity of mission that this moment demands.”

That sentiment was evident among voters in Larson’s district. Dan Schnaidt, a 73-year-old Democrat, said he appreciated Larson’s service but believed it was time to move on.

“It’s time for new blood, for new ideas,” Schnaidt said.

The generational divide extends to the electorate

While Hong fell just short in Wisconsin, the strength of her insurgent campaign highlighted another force reshaping Democratic politics: younger voters.

Cody Chandler, a 35-year-old software engineer, voted for Hong and called her “probably the most exciting candidate I’ve seen.” Unlike in elections past, Chandler said, he voted for the candidate he most wanted to win rather than the one he considered most electable.

Jesse Heer, a 32-year-old Madison business owner, also backed Hong, citing her focus on affordability.

That support showed up geographically. Hong won Madison, home to the University of Wisconsin’s flagship campus, by nearly 7 percentage points, though it wasn't a big enough of a margin to help her win the nomination.

A similar pattern helped propel El-Sayed to victory a week earlier in Michigan.

El-Sayed won Washtenaw County, home to the University of Michigan, by nearly 25 percentage points and Ingham County, home to Michigan State University, by 23 points. He also won Grand Rapids, with its large population of younger, college-educated voters, by nearly 26 points.

Jordan Snyder, a 20-year-old Michigan voter who supported El-Sayed, said she backed him because of his progressive positions and because she viewed him as someone she could trust, rather than “someone who I feel could be bought and sold.”

“People are feeling like a lot of the people that they’ve trusted that have been in government haven’t really been living up to expectations,” Snyder said.

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Associated Press reporters Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, Tim Sullivan in Hudson, Wisconsin and Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

Across a swath of northern and central Spain, millions of people will have some of mainland Europe's best views of the celestial spectacle. A sliver of Greenland and Iceland, too, will witness the spectacle, when the sun, moon and Earth align, briefly bringing parts of the planet into darkness.

Totality — when the moon completely covers the sun’s light — is expected to last less than 2 1/2 minutes, reaching its maximum duration off Iceland’s west coast. By the time it gets to a small patch of Portugal and then to Spain just before sunset, totality will have dwindled to a minute or so. The spectacle will then end over the Mediterranean.

Against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, Spanish officials have rolled out a large public safety campaign.

The eclipse could draw at least an additional half a million visitors, authorities say. Demand for hotel rooms along the path of totality, including in the northern cities of A Coruña, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela, has soared.

In Medinaceli, a Roman-era hilltop town in northeast Spain, sky watchers secured grassy viewing points several hours early.

“It must be thrilling to see the darkness come suddenly and the image of the sun disappearing,” said Agatha Bak, a 40-year-old philosophy professor who left Madrid for the town at sunrise with a group of friends.

Rural areas prepare for an influx of visitors

Spain’s Interior Ministry said 350 official viewing sites have been set up across the sparsely populated interior, often referred to as “Empty Spain.” Authorities have limited or restricted access to another 123 sites because of environmental conditions or obstacles that could hinder an evacuation in the event of a wildfire.

Only weeks ago, the most destructive wildfire in Spanish history devoured 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Ávila, in central Spain. Several smaller wildfires remain active elsewhere in southern and central parts of the country.

More than 33,500 law enforcement officers will be deployed to observation areas and access points, the ministry said.

“High temperatures, the accumulated dryness of vegetation, and the intense pressure on natural areas due to projected travel necessitate extreme preventive measures,” Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said.

Much of Spain was on alert Wednesday as temperatures climbed above 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in many areas where the total eclipse will be observed.

Authorities' top priority is to prevent even a single spark that could lead to a fire, as happened in Ávila in late July. They are urging visitors not to light fires, litter or park in areas with dry vegetation.

Eclipse glasses are going fast

Special eclipse glasses are essential for safe viewing, even if only a sliver of the sun remains visible.

“To look at the sun, you must always use proper protection, and the most suitable protection is eclipse glasses,” said Telmo Fernández Castro, director of the Madrid Planetarium. The glasses are made with special filters that block solar radiation that can damage the eyes.

For months, supermarkets, department stores, museums and planetariums across Spain have sold or distributed the glasses, with many pharmacies running out of stock ahead of Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening in downtown Madrid, a long line formed outside a photo shop where a sign read, “We carry eclipse glasses.”

One woman emerged triumphantly and reassured those waiting: “He has boxes and boxes of them!”

A ship circles waters near Greenland hoping to catch a glimpse

For sky watchers hoping to peek at the solar eclipse, spare a thought for Sverre Rud.

Rud, captain of the MS Spitsbergen, is circling the waters of Rypefjord in eastern Greenland trying to make sure he is perfectly positioned for his 126 passengers to view the spectacle. All day, people have been coming up to Rud to ask if he has nailed the right spot — no clouds will do if they are to see it.

“I will do my best,’’ Rud said. “I will pull out my superman powers.’’

The eclipse may be startling for the passengers, who have been experiencing 24 hours of daylight on a 17-day cruise in locations mostly north of the Arctic Circle.

Suddenly, for two minutes it will be dark.

Even so, the mood on the ice-strengthened polar ship is pure anticipation.

“Everyone is very enthusiastic,” Rud said. “When we were down for breakfast earlier, it was almost like a little bit of a Christmas Eve feeling here."

Hotel costs skyrocket in Spain and Iceland

Rooms in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital, were averaging more than $1,000 for Wednesday night as Icelanders prepared for their first total solar eclipse since 1954 and the first visible from the capital since 1433.

Prices were roughly double 2025 rates, according to data group Lighthouse Intelligence. But tourists, many of whom made bookings years in advance at exorbitant prices, may be disappointed as cloudy skies are forecast across most of the island when the eclipse peaks.

Authorities expect up to 20,000 additional overseas visitors during an already busy peak tourist period. Iceland is home to fewer than 400,000 people.

The 70-room Hotel Keflavík in the Reykjanesbaer municipality was fully booked, with guests hoping to see around one minute and 45 seconds of totality.

“Eclipse time, of course, has been very demanding, and many people came to us early, like last year,” said hotel owner and manager Steinþór Jónsson.

Jónsson said he had seen nothing like it since 1986, the year the hotel opened and U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held their summit in Reykjavík.

“When I opened the hotel, we had Reagan and Gorbachev meeting. It was very hectic here,” he said with a smile. “Besides Reagan and Gorbachev, the eclipse is the biggest.”

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Associated Press journalists Danica Kirka and Brian Melley in London and James Brooks in Snæfellsnes, Iceland, contributed.

“At its current pace, it's on track to eclipse the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. That outbreak horrified the world and jolted efforts to develop a vaccine.

The outbreak in eastern Congo, considered the fastest-growing in history, has killed over 2,000 people out of more than 4,300 cases. The outbreak was declared on May 15, but health authorities now say sequencing showed it began months earlier, in February.

It is unlike recent Ebola outbreaks because the rare Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments, though efforts to address that are underway.

WHO says this outbreak ‘had a big head start’

Experts say this outbreak is moving faster than efforts to track and manage it in a remote part of eastern Congo facing ongoing conflict, near the borders with South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

Most new cases and deaths are being reported in communities outside the reach of health workers in a region of poor infrastructure and ill-equipped health centers. Some workers have gone on strike over lack of pay. Misinformation about the virus circulates in communities where some are wary of outsiders, keeping some people from clinics.

“The outbreak had a big head start, still way ahead of us. and we’re playing catch-up,” Tedros said.

Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud, WHO's director for health emergency alert and response operations, said the agency expects the peak of the outbreak to be reached in six months.

“But ... that’s the moderate scenario,” Mahamud said. “There is a one-case scenario where this outbreak may last nine months to 12 months."

This Ebola outbreak has killed more people at a faster rate than any other, including the 2014-2016 outbreak that had at least 28,000 cases. That one took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

Two vaccines for this type are being tested

Ebola is rare but highly contagious and can be contracted from bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen and from contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing. The disease it causes is severe and often fatal.

Clinical trials of two possible treatments for this type of Ebola began last month in Ituri, the most affected of the five provinces where cases have been reported.

Two vaccines developed specifically for the Bundibugyo virus are now being tested in people for the first time, Tedros said Wednesday.

WHO also plans to test whether an existing Ebola vaccine could protect people against the virus after studies in animals showed promising results.

The origins of the outbreak are becoming increasingly clear.

A study published in Nature Medicine on Monday added evidence that the outbreak began when the virus jumped from an infected animal to a person, rather than stemming from earlier outbreaks. Researchers found the virus is genetically different from versions seen in Bundibugyo Ebola outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.

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Dazio reported from Berlin and Banchereau from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Mike Stobbe in New York contributed.

Based on Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel and the hit DreamWorks film, the stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel—the same duo behind the stage adaptation of The Da Vinci Code—takes audiences inside the fractured memories of a woman trying to uncover the truth.

The story follows Rachel, a woman struggling with dependency whose memories of a night out are fragmented. When a girl goes missing, Rachel finds herself trying to piece together what happened. But there’s a problem: how do you know who to trust when you can’t even trust yourself?

The stage adaptation is described as more lithe and concise than the novel, staying true to the story while moving at a quicker, more streamlined pace. Frequent scene transitions give the production a cinematic feel, while a sleek, minimalist set uses sliding panels and a bridge that can be rearranged to transform the space.

The production incorporates projections, flashing and fast-moving lights, haze and plenty of LED tape. In fact, there’s reportedly enough LED tape in the production to stretch from Alley Theatre to City Hall!

For tickets and more information, click HERE, or call 713-220-5700.

The devastation has tested Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella and his government as it scrambles to respond to the natural disaster and civil society as it pushes to provide aid to the vulnerable communities most affected by the quake.

By Tuesday, de la Espriella said the 7.4 magnitude earthquake had killed at least 181 people and left 2,595 more injured in the west of the country. He said at least 195 remained missing, but civilian-run databases put that number at more than 4,000 Wednesday morning.

Teams continued to pick through the rubble overnight in the hardest-hit cities of Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, as time ticked away for victims to be found — and rescued — alive.

Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours crucial for retrieving survivors, though that threshold can be extended if those trapped have access to food and water.

Survival takes many forms in hard-hit areas

There have been fleeting moments of hope amid the devastation.

In hard-hit Pereira, rescuers pulled Daniela Largo alive from the rubble late Tuesday, capping a complex 12-hour rescue in which crews carved a small opening through the debris to free her pinned arm and a doctor administered IV fluids to stabilize her. Wrapped in a blue blanket, the young woman was carried to a waiting ambulance as firefighters embraced and onlookers erupted in cheers.

Across the coffee-growing region, among the areas worst affected by the quake, authorities have converted sports arenas, schools and other public buildings into temporary shelters for thousands of displaced Colombians. In Pereira and Cali, families have been sleeping in parks — some fearing aftershocks or the collapse of their damaged homes, others without homes to return to.

“We have the most important things: a roof over our heads, food, water and, in my case, medical care,” said Edith Penagos, 48, who was staying with her teenage son in one of the white tents set up in a Pereira park after the earthquake forced them from their apartment.

Colombia’s geological service has documented 130 aftershocks since the quake.

Rodrigo León Loya, a seismologist and professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of the Andes, said the probability of an earthquake of a similar magnitude occurring in the same area has fallen because “the accumulated energy” has been released. But he would not rule out more seismic activity.

“Let’s remember that Colombia is full of active fault lines,” he said. “The question isn’t whether it can happen again. The question is rather when an earthquake of similar magnitude will occur at another of Colombia’s seismic sources.”

Regional partners promise help and aid groups already on the ground dig in

In many areas, the official response to the disaster has been complicated by the ongoing crises of deep poverty and civil warfare that has created waves of forced displacement for decades.

“This earthquake compounds an already severe humanitarian situation, and there is a need for increased support for the humanitarian response,” said Giovanni Rizzo, Colombia director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Many aid organizations were already on the ground at the epicenter of the quake in Colombia, supporting a 2016 peace accord between the government and leftist rebels, and responding to violence involving other armed groups that has persisted since then, particularly in Choco.

That presence allowed humanitarian workers to quickly pivot to disaster relief, said María José Torres, the U.N. resident coordinator in Colombia.

“We have a presence on the ground. Therefore, our ability to be there, present with the people, I think, has increased exponentially,” Torres said in a statement Tuesday.

At the same time, aid from other countries and nonprofits abroad continued to roll in.

On Wednesday, the State Department said it would send two search and rescue teams to Colombia that helped with rescue efforts in Venezuela just weeks before. The U.S. has also offered over $15 million in aid.

Mexico’s president has said she is prepared to send hundreds of search and health workers, tons of health supplies and other equipment.

On Tuesday afternoon, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said his country would send two planes loaded with 100 tons of aid.

“Our prayers are with the families of the victims, the wounded and all the Colombian people,” Bukele wrote on X.

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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia, and Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Gabriela Aoun in San Diego contributed.

Trump downplayed the extraordinary nature of the subterfuge involved in his flight, which saw him stow away in an airport catering container to sneak onto another plane while Air Force One was sent into the sky, essentially as a decoy.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Minnesota Democratic Senate primary Tuesday in the latest victory for an insurgent progressive over the party’s establishment. Flanagan defeated centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig with a pledge to fight the influence of corporations and confront Trump.

Here's the latest:

Forget left vs. center

Primary results in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Connecticut have reiterated that Democratic voters are hungry for change, even as they remain divided over the party’s ideological future.

Progressives secured a major victory in Minnesota but fell short in Wisconsin, while a longtime Connecticut congressman was ousted by a younger challenger.

The results followed similar outcomes this year in places such as Michigan that showed an appetite for turnover that cuts across the party’s ideological divisions.

They also highlighted the growing influence of younger voters, who have been particularly drawn to progressive candidates.

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US resumes leadership role in anti-abortion group abandoned during Biden administration

The Trump administration says it will resume a leadership role in an international bloc opposed to abortion that had been established in Trump’s first term but then abandoned by President Joe Biden.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday the U.S. would serve as the “secretariat” for the Geneva Consensus Declaration. The Geneva consensus was created in 2020 with great fanfare from then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “to secure meaningful health and development gains for women; to protect life at all stages; to defend the family as the fundamental unit of society.”

Critics, however, saw it as a way for the U.S. to further push Trump administration goals to limit family planning initiatives and ban abortion.

Participation in Geneva Consensus was one of the first Trump administration actions rescinded by Biden when he took office in early 2021.

Wisconsin gubernatorial primary winner David Crowley ties opponent to Trump

The winner of Wisconsin’s Democratic primary race for governor immediately tied his Republican opponent to President Trump in his first public comments since his razor-thin victory.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley told supporters Wednesday he intends to build a broad coalition to defeat Republican Tom Tiffany, who’s voted 100% in line with Trump.

“The biggest difference between me and the congressman is I’m loyal to the people of Wisconsin. I’m not loyal to MAGA,” Crowley said referring to Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

Tiffany began the general election campaign with a message connecting Crowley to Francesca Hong, a the democratic socialist Crowley narrowly defeated.

“I’ve said all along that there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between these Democrat candidates,” Tiffany said in a statement.

Sen. Tim Scott says he voted for Sen. Darline Graham and endorses her in runoff

Scott, who also serves as chair of the chamber’s political arm, said on social media Wednesday morning that he’d voted for Darline Graham in Tuesday’s special Republican Senate primary.

Graham has been serving in an interim role since her brother Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death last month. Scott called his fellow South Carolinian “a conservative stalwart” who “represents our beloved state with class, humility, and dignity.”

Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman will go head to head in an Aug. 25 GOP runoff. The winner of that contest faces Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

Rubio sets up task force to combat ‘birth tourism’ as Trump fights birthright citizenship

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the creation of a State Department task force to combat “birth tourism,” a Trump administration phrase for foreign women coming to the United States with the intention of giving birth to a child on U.S. soil in order to secure their child’s American citizenship.

Trump and his administration have fought unsuccessfully in courts to end “birthright citizenship,” which gives U.S. citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil. Despite those legal setbacks, Trump has continued the fight to end the practice.

In a social media post Wednesday, Rubio said the new task force would “review the activity of visa holders, dismantle illegal birth tourism networks, and put an end to this heinous abuse of our nation’s laws.”

He said that since the task force was created last month, it had already taken action to revoke the visas of more than 600 people suspected of being involved in birth tourism schemes.

Many details about what happened remain unknown

Presidents have regularly tested the confines of their office, pushing their security advisers to visit war zones as a show of American presence and their own leadership. Usually, this happens in the form of trips that aren’t announced until the president is deemed to be out of harm’s way.

What’s different this time is that Trump was covertly separated from the rest of his travelers — including the press pool meant to provide independent coverage of the president — and, instead of informing the public about what occurred once the risk had passed, the White House still hasn’t fully revealed what took place.

Presidents often take secret trips — but not like this

Commanders in chief have sometimes kept overseas trips covert for security reasons, with schedules and logistics kept classified until after for safety reasons. But the fact that Trump’s whereabouts were concealed at the time and for weeks afterward is believed to be unprecedented.

“We have absolutely seen the president fly on unmarked or decoy planes before, into Iraq, Afghanistan, other war-zone-like places,” said Garrett M. Graff, author of “Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.”

“But this was an ongoing secret that I don’t think we’ve ever seen before.”

After hiding in the catering vehicle and being moved to the other plane, Trump stopped in Britain, sneaked back aboard the presidential plane undetected, and even later scoffed when asked about potential danger.

“If I go, you go. Right?” he told reporters then — gliding past the fact that if the plane had been shot down, the president wouldn’t have been aboard.

Inflation paused, but higher costs remain an issue for Americans

U.S. inflation slowed last month and a measure of underlying price pressures also cooled, suggesting higher oil and gas prices from the Iran war are only having a limited impact on broader costs in the economy.

Consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year ago, down slightly from 3.5% in June, the Labor Department said Wednesday. But inflation is still higher than before the Iran war began in February, when it was 2.4%. On a monthly basis, prices rose just 0.1% from June to July.

Inflation has been pushed higher by a series of shocks to the economy, including President Trump’s tariffs imposed last spring, higher gas prices stemming from the Iran war, and a surge in investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure that has boosted computer chip prices. The key question for the inflation-fighters at the Fed — not to mention for consumers struggling with high gas and grocery prices — is how quickly those one-time effects will fade.

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Trump’s vaccine order hands some MAHA voters a win. It also gives Democrats an attack line

President Trump pivoted the nation’s attention back to vaccines this week with an executive order that aims to scale back the childhood immunization schedule and space out shots into separate visits.

After acting to overhaul the nation’s vaccine policy and guidance, the Trump administration had recently largely stepped back from additional changes to focus on less controversial subjects, raising questions over the political impetus behind and implications of the Republican president’s renewed focus on vaccines.

For well over a decade, Trump has expressed his view — against medical groups’ guidance — that childhood vaccines should be administered in smaller doses over a long period of time. The executive order sought to bear out that discredited theory.

While the move could endear Trump to some “Make America Healthy Again” voters who want more flexibility on immunizations, it’s also already attracting attacks designed to hurt Trump’s aligned candidates in November’s midterm elections.

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Progressive Democrats get another win in Minnesota US Senate primary

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won the Minnesota Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday in the latest victory for an insurgent progressive over the party’s establishment.

Flanagan defeated centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig with a pledge to fight the influence of corporations and confront Trump.

“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money,” Flanagan said as she celebrated her victory in Minneapolis. “Well guess what? The many just won.”

The outcome was another sign of progressive energy among Democratic primary voters. It comes a week after Abdul El-Sayed won a bitter and divisive primary in Michigan that fired up the left and fueled anxiety among party leaders that Democrats will alienate moderate swing voters.

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Trump says Secret Service and the military wanted him off Air Force One in Turkey due to threat

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he slipped away from Air Force One after a trip last month in Turkey because the Secret Service and military wanted him on a “different plane” due to a threat he insisted didn’t scare him.

Trump downplayed the extraordinary nature of the subterfuge involved in his flight, which saw him stow away in an airport catering container to sneak onto another plane while Air Force One was sent into the sky, essentially as a decoy.

He also downplayed the risk to the people — White House officials, security and support staff, and reporters — he left on the plane.

“They wanted me to go on a different flight, different plane,” Trump told reporters after returning from an event in Ohio, saying he had little choice in the matter.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it,” he said. “I get a lot of threats.”

▶ Read more

Discussion

At 300 PM GMT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Cristobal was located near latitude 36.7 North, longitude 43.0 West. Cristobal is moving quickly toward the east near 25 mph (41 km/h). A turn toward the east-northeast and a slower forward motion is expected later today and tonight.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow weakening is forecast, and Cristobal is forecast to dissipate on Thursday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin’s Office sought the action against the Palms at Rolling Creek, a 180-unit complex where residents have long reported sewage overflowing into storm drains, dangerous electrical equipment including junction boxes and open-wiring splices, and a lack of basic fire safety items like smoke alarms, fire lanes and emergency evacuation plans.

• Fatal crash closes all southbound SH-288 lanes at Spectrum

An injunction signed Tuesday, Aug. 11, lays out specific steps management must take. Within seven days, management must hire a licensed electrician to walk the property and identify electrical hazards. Within 30 days, the results of that assessment — along with a structural integrity assessment performed by a licensed engineer or architect — must be furnished to Harris County. Management is also required to notify residents of the assessments and provide smoke detectors and fire extinguishers for every unit.

“We’re not going to turn a blind eye to families forced to live in deplorable conditions in these complexes,” said County Attorney Abbie Kamin. “Everyone deserves a safe and clean place to live. We’re grateful to the court for recognizing the dire circumstances these families were subjected to.”

The County Attorney’s Office currently has two active lawsuits tied to the property — one focused on fire safety concerns and one addressing sewage overflow issues. The office represents Harris County and its residents in all civil legal matters.

Crowley overcame Francesca Hong in dramatic fashion in Tuesday's primary, stunning pundits and pollsters who had long placed Hong as the frontrunner. That means Crowley's challenger, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, must pivot to face a Democrat known for working across the aisle with Republicans as the county executive in Milwaukee, the state’s largest source of Democratic voters.

Crowley immediately leans into Tiffany's ties with Trump

In his first comments Wednesday after his win, Crowley linked Tiffany to Trump and called him a “MAGA extremist,” referring to the president's Make America Great Again movement. Crowley promised to build a broad coalition to defeat Tiffany, who he accused of being in “lockstep” with Trump.

“The biggest difference between me and the congressman is I'm loyal to the people of Wisconsin, I'm not loyal to MAGA,” Crowley said.

It will be easier for Tiffany to pivot away from his ties with Trump and unpopular federal policies because he’s running for governor and not Congress, said former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, a Trump supporter.

“He’s got to be on point, on message every time that comes up and say, ‘That’s not what’s on the ballot,’” Walker told The Associated Press. “What’s on the ballot is who’s going to be governor the next four years.”

Tiffany represents a broad swath of Wisconsin’s rural, conservative north woods. Trump won the state in 2024 and 2016, but lost in 2020. All three elections were decided by less than a percentage point. Crowley’s win on Tuesday was even more narrow — less than half a point, further cementing Wisconsin’s well-earned place as one of the most purple states in the country.

Democrats look for a trifecta in Wisconsin

Democrats have been savoring the shift in focus from their chaotic primary to the general election against Tiffany, an opponent they’ve long seen as vulnerable. They hope to capitalize on Trump’s low approval ratings to retain control of the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to earn full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010.

Just as Crowley highlighted his Republican opponent's ties to Trump, Tiffany began the general election campaign with a message connecting Crowley to Hong.

“I’ve said all along that there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between these Democrat candidates,” Tiffany said in a statement Wednesday. “His record in Milwaukee County shows exactly what Wisconsin would get: mismanage the government, run up the bill, and raise your taxes to pay for it.”

Walker said Tiffany's messaging was on point. “High taxes, high costs, failing schools — make that the definition of David Crowley,” Walker said.

Crowley's surprise win came after he had dropped out of the race

Crowley has been the head of Wisconsin's largest county since 2020. Prior to that, he served just over three years in the state Assembly. In 2023, as county executive, Crowley helped spearhead a bipartisan deal in the Legislature that sent more state aid to Milwaukee and local communities.

Crowley dropped out of the governor’s race on July 8, saying he didn’t see a path to victory. He rejoined it on July 18, less than a month before Tuesday’s primary. With the backing of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a fellow moderate who crisscrossed the state with him in the final week, Crowley pulled out the narrow win on the argument that he was the better matchup against Tiffany.

“Obviously Hong was the never-ending gift in terms of one gaffe after another, wasn’t really ready for prime time,” Walker said. “But Crowley didn’t get any real scrutiny either.”

Crowley planned to appear at a unity event later Wednesday with Democratic leaders, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, before launching a statewide tour. Evers is not seeking a third term as governor.

Crowley, 40, became the first Black person to win a major party nomination for Wisconsin governor. Now he's vying to become the first Black governor of the state.

“This historic moment is not lost on me. But I'm not even thinking about that because we've still got work to do,” Crowley said. “The job is not done. The job is not finished. My job is not to become the first, and if I do become the first, my job is to make sure I'm not the last."

This sale agreement is $12.5 billion, according to a person familiar with the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because neither side revealed specific details of the latest stunning development with one of North America's marquee sports teams.

ESPN first reported that Kushner and Iger are buying the NBA's most valuable franchise. The Lakers were valued last year at $10 billion — a record for a pro sports team — when Mark Walter purchased a controlling stake from the Buss family, which had owned the team since 1979.

Kushner, a venture capitalist, and former Walt Disney Company CEO Iger had been working together on landing a possible NBA expansion team for Las Vegas. By buying the Lakers, they don't have to wait until the possibility of expansion in the 2028-29 season at the earliest.

The sale still will need approval from the NBA’s board of governors, and that process can take several weeks. The next board meeting is set for September in New York.

The $12.5 billion price tag is not only a record for U.S. pro sports but a new summit in skyrocketing NBA franchise values. Only three years ago, Michael Jordan sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets for a $3 billion valuation, while the Boston Celtics were sold last year to private equity mogul Bill Chisholm at a valuation of just over $6 billion.

Walter’s agreement to purchase a controlling stake in the Lakers at the $10 billion valuation last summer obliterated that mark, and now Iger and Kushner have pushed the bar even higher.

The 66-year-old Walter’s shocking decision to sell the Lakers after just 10 months of official ownership is reverberating throughout the team’s massive fan base, which appeared to be uniformly excited about the purchase last year. Walter has stewarded the Los Angeles Dodgers into the most successful stretch in franchise history, with three World Series championships in the past six seasons as the most aggressive spenders in baseball.

Multiple media outlets last month reported that Walter’s business empire is under scrutiny from both federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission in tax fraud investigations.

The 41-year-old Kushner’s capital holding company, Thrive Eternal, was set to be the “anchor investor” in FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits. Infantino abandoned the idea on July 31. Kushner’s brother is Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Josh Kushner currently owns a minority stake in the Miami Heat, and he previously owned a stake in the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 75-year-old Iger became one of Hollywood’s most well-known executives while he ran Disney for two lengthy stints between 2005 and last March, when he stepped aside. Iger and his wife, former sports journalist Willow Bay, are the controlling owners of NWSL team Angel City FC.

Walter’s purchase of the Lakers was approved by NBA owners last October. He originally bought a 27% minority stake in the team in 2021 before purchasing control of the team last year.

Walter and his partners also have ownership interests in the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, English Premier League club Chelsea, the Professional Women’s Hockey League and the new Cadillac Formula 1 racing team.

When Walter bought his controlling interest in the Lakers, the deal specified that Jeanie Buss would stay on as the team's governor. With new ownership, it's unclear whether Buss will have a continuing role in the team she inherited along with her siblings from her father, Jerry Buss, who died in 2013.

The Lakers have won 17 championships going back to the franchise’s origin in Minneapolis, the second-most in NBA history behind Boston’s 18. It is a global brand, always at or near the top of the league’s merchandise-sales rankings.

This record sale price comes just weeks after LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer, left the Lakers after eight seasons to become a free agent. James ultimately decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Lakers won their most recent title in 2020, and they have made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. Their current roster is built around NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is signed through the 2028-29 season.

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

The number of people on board Tuesday was unclear as estimates reached as high as 153 people on a government agency-operated ferry whose capacity, authorities said, was just 90.

“Some of us survived by standing on top of the capsized hull,” one of the two crew members who survived, Anyway Chambati, told state broadcaster ZBC News. “Before it went down, passengers were screaming at us that the boat was flooding, water was pouring into the engine room and goods were spilling out.”

Chambati said he was in charge of ticketing and that he counted 153 people on board, including crew and infants, before the disaster.

Multiple witnesses told ZBC that passengers urged the captain to turn back as waves grew perilous, only to be dismissed. When water surged into the vessel, chaos erupted as frantic travelers scrambled for life jackets beneath their seats.

"We argued with him right at the harbor. We told him the waves were too dangerous," one woman said. “A bag fell overboard before we had even left, and we pointed it out, but he refused to listen.”

Passengers told the broadcaster that bags, dishes and beer bottles began toppling overboard within minutes of setting off.

“About 30 minutes in, we begged again to abort and return, more goods were falling, the wave was getting worse and water was gushing into one side of the boat, but (the captain) just said, ‘My boat has never sunk anyone.’ He even refused to call for help,” another survivor told the broadcaster.

The woman described some people floating in the water and clutching sacks of goods while help did not arrive for nearly an hour.

The captain was among the dead, the state-run Herald newspaper reported.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the incident a state of disaster to enable the government to mobilize “extraordinary measures and resources” to assist victims.

Police on X said bodies had been retrieved from the lake that forms part of the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, but they did not update how many people were injured or missing.

Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency has said the ferry was carrying at least 114 adult passengers and five crew members, and that 77 people had been rescued.

But the real number was not clear because the figures only included those who bought tickets, and children below ticketing age could have been on board. The state broadcaster reported that children were among the dead.

The ferry is used to take people from rural communities around the lake to the town of Kariba on the shore.

Mutsa Murombedzi, a local member of Parliament, posted a video Tuesday of what she said were people on shore waving at the ferry when it set off. Some of the people expressed concern whether the aging ferry could handle strong waves, according to the video.

Kariba is the largest man-made lake in the world by volume and was created in the late 1950s and early 1960s by building a dam on the Zambezi River. The huge lake is now more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) long and up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in places.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.

Three Pakistanis among the dead in Houthi attack on ship

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday condemned the attack by Houthi rebels on the ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, saying three Pakistanis had been killed in the attack and another wounded. A total of six people were killed in the attack on Tuesday.

“Such attacks endanger innocent lives, constitute a violation of international law, and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security, and the safety of commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” Dar said in a post on X.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran and a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, there has been a renewed focus on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait at Yemen’s southern tip, which is an alternate route for Saudi Arabia to ship its oil.

The attack came as part of a growing number of Houthi strikes against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government, and the kingdom’s shipping in the Red Sea.

Fears are growing that the renewed violence could reignite Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war.

Trump insists blockade gives US control of Strait of Hormuz

Claiming the U.S. has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said Wednesday: “I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!”

Trump’s social media post referred to the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports. A vital route for one-fifth of the world's traded oil before the war, the strait has been largely closed to other traffic since the start of the war because of Iran’s attacks on shipping.

Those attacks have continued despite the blockade and U.S. strikes.

Iran has said the strait will only reopen if the U.S. meets a list of demands, including lifting the blockade, ending sanctions and compensating Iran for damage inflicted by the war, which began with a surprise U.S. and Israeli attack on Feb. 28.

Pakistan presses to defuse tensions between US and Iran

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam in Islamabad on Wednesday as Pakistan seeks to resume peace negotiations between Iran and the U.S.

Their meeting came a day after Pakistan sent Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Tehran for talks with Iran’s top leaders.

An interim deal to end the fighting reached in mid-June is set to expire Monday. The ceasefire collapsed last month as the U.S. and Iran exchanged strikes over more than two weeks before pausing.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters Wednesday the June deal remains valid and the deadline could be extended.

“We are not closing the chapter,” Andrabi said.

Turkey condemns Colombia's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights

Turkey condemned the decision by Colombia's new government to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, calling it a move to “legitimize Israel’s occupation” of the territory.

Colombia, shortly after the swearing-in of conservative Abelardo de la Espriella as president on Friday, became just the second country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory, which Israel captured during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed in 1981.

The United States was the first during Trump's first term, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy.

The United Nations recognizes the territory as part of Syria. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Colombia’s move constitutes “a grave violation of international law.”

Israeli troops accused of destroying a Lebanese school building

Israeli forces occupying the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah in southern Lebanon blew up a four-story public school building on Wednesday as well as a municipal building and a children’s nursery, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

The village’s municipal council called the destruction a “heinous crime.” There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Zawtar al-Sharqiyah is adjacent to a newly implemented “pilot zone” from which Israeli forces are supposed to gradually withdraw and hand control to the Lebanese army in exchange for disarmament of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Lebanese officials have objected to the Israeli military’s ongoing detonation of homes and other buildings in southern Lebanon amid negotiations to expand the pilot zones.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war began March 2, two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Kuwaiti authorities thwart plot against unnamed facility

Kuwait's Interior Ministry said a “terrorist plot” against an unspecified facility was thwarted Wednesday when a Kuwaiti citizen affiliated with the Islamic State group was detained shortly before carrying out his plan.

The ministry said the man had received training on making explosives and activating drones to be used in the planned attack.

The ministry said a vital facility had been targeted but gave no further details.

ENOUGH is KPRC 2 News’ commitment to accountability journalism, reporting that asks hard questions, examines systems, and pushes for answers when something isn’t working the way it should.

It starts with a few simple questions:

• Who is responsible?
• Why hasn’t this been fixed?
• What happens next?

Those questions guide the work behind ENOUGH.

How accountability reporting works

Accountability journalism isn’t just about pointing out problems. It’s about understanding how decisions get made and who has the power to fix them.

Our reporting often begins with:

• Listening to concerns from the community
• Examining public records and documents
• Asking officials to explain their decisions
• Following issues until answers are clear

Sometimes the first answer isn’t the full answer. That’s why persistence matters.

The kinds of questions we’re asking

Across Houston, people often ask the same kinds of questions when problems keep happening:

• Why do some problems take years to fix?
• Who is responsible when systems fail?
• What happens after concerns are raised?
• Why do the same issues keep coming back?

If you’ve ever wondered about questions like these, you’re not alone

What questions should be answered?

Is there something in Houston that feels like it never gets fixed?

Is there a decision you think deserves a closer look?

Our team is always listening.

You can message the ENOUGH team here.

And if you want to join the team, here are some open roles:

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The S&P 500 added 0.2% and was on track for its first gain since setting its all-time high on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.5% higher.

Stocks in the artificial-intelligence technology business helped lead the way after strong profit reports bolstered hopes they can continue to deliver big-enough growth to justify the huge gains their prices have made.

Super Micro Computer, which sells servers and other equipment, jumped 13.3% after reporting earnings per share for the latest quarter that were 84% higher than analysts expected. It also gave forecasts for upcoming profit and revenue that topped analysts’ expectations.

CoreWeave, which offers AI computing power to customers over the cloud, leaped 17.9% after reporting better revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, along with a milder loss. CEO Michael Intrator said demand is accelerating from customers as big businesses adopt AI.

CoreWeave gives its customers access to AI chips from Nvidia, and Nvidia climbed 2.9%. It was the single strongest force lifting the S&P 500.

It’s a return to strength for AI stocks, which have been veering on a roller-coaster ride. After surging to records, AI stocks came under pressure on worries that they shot too high. Investors wanted to see big spenders on AI prove that their investments are yielding enough in profits and productivity to make them worth it. That in turn could lead to continued demand for chips and other AI infrastructure.

Wall Street also got some support from easing yields in the bond market. Treasury yields fell after a report showed that U.S. consumers paid prices for gasoline, groceries and other costs of living last month that were 3.4% higher than a year earlier.

That’s higher than anyone would like, but it’s not as bad as June's 3.5% inflation rate.

The deceleration could give the Federal Reserve more leeway to hold off on hikes to interest rates. Higher rates would help keep a lid on inflation, but it would do so by making it more expensive for U.S. households and companies to borrow and forcing a slowdown in the economy. Higher interest rates also would undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The Fed’s members have been notably split about whether they should have already begun hiking interest rates. But Wednesday’s update on inflation pushed traders to pull back on bets the Fed will hike its main interest rate at its next meeting in September.

Traders are betting on just a 38% chance of it, down from the coin flip’s chance seen the day before, according to data from CME Group.

That helped pull the yield on the 10-year Treasury down to 4.66% from 4.70% late Tuesday. It, though, still remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran, which sent oil prices and worries about inflation spiking.

Oil prices swung between modest gains and losses Wednesday, and the price for a barrel of Brent crude slipped 0.1% to $88.84.

Higher yields have already pulled long-term mortgage rates to their highest levels in a year. That's hurting the housing industry, and losses for homebuilders on Wednesday helped keep the market in check. D.R. Horton fell 2.9%, and PulteGroup lost 2.2%. Builders FirstSource, which sells countertops and other building materials, dropped 3.8%.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.7% for one of the world’s bigger gains. It’s been at the center of the jarring swings for AI stocks because it’s dominated by two tech giants, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

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AP Business Writers Michelle Chapman and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

The Maumelle High student felt unusual movement inside his headgear following warmups last week and brought his helmet to an assistant coach for inspection. A slithering 2-foot cottonmouth was discovered behind some padding.

The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that animal control officers had to submerge the helmet in water and forced the snake out, grabbing it with tongs. Animal services technicians identified the snake as a deadly cottonmouth. It was released in a wooded area.

Cottonmouths are the second-most venomous snakes found in Arkansas.

Animal services director Chris Davis said the player wore the helmet for nearly an hour and was fortunate he wasn't bitten.

“It was unreal," Davis said. “You had to kind of be there and take pictures to say this was real.”

The player grabbed a different helmet and continued practice. But the situation caused the head coach to reiterate to his team that players should examine their equipment carefully before using it, checking for insects — or maybe something larger and more dangerous.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Cutting-edge drones developed by Kyiv since Moscow's full-scale invasion over four years ago have repeatedly targeted Russian ships in the Black Sea, including warships and oil tankers.

Ukraine's air and sea drones have succeeded in limiting the movements of Russia’s once-dominant Black Sea navy, Kyiv officials say, in one of the country’s biggest accomplishments of the war.

But Ukrainian officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is bent on pressing ahead with the war, despite his bigger army’s slow and costly progress on the battlefield and U.S. diplomatic efforts to find a settlement.

Putin is planning “an additional rapid mobilization of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of the year,” Zelenskyy said Tuesday night on social media, citing Ukrainian intelligence reports.

Those reports have said recently that Russia is expanding production of ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, both of which are hard for Ukrainian air defenses to counter.

Ukraine also is trying to scale up its weapons manufacturing through agreements with partner countries.

Russia shows no sign of a new mobilization

Neither Putin nor other senior Russian officials have hinted at a possible major call-up of forces to fight in Ukraine. Some officials have accused Kyiv of trying to rattle the Russian public with talk of a mobilization.

Russian lawmaker Andrei Gurulyov brushed off reports of a possible autumn mobilization. “It is the enemy deliberately spreading rumors about mobilization in order to destabilize the situation inside Russia,” he was quoted as saying by pro-Kremlin online outlet Tsargrad in comments published Monday.

After the widely unpopular partial mobilization of some 300,000 men four years ago, Russia has relied on volunteers attracted by relatively high pay. However, the decree declaring the partial mobilization that Putin signed in September 2022 is open-ended, allowing authorities to resume it if needed.

Ukraine says it hit Black Sea port infrastructure

The Ukrainian military “carried out a unique operation targeting the naval base in Novorossiysk — the last major stronghold of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post Wednesday. The attack struck air defenses, piers and other port infrastructure, he added.

Russia relocated most of its naval ships to Novorossiysk after Ukrainian strikes on the main Black Sea base at Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula earlier in the war.

Hundreds of Ukrainian drones attacked Novorossiysk, Anapa and Gelendzhik and the Temryuk district of the Krasnodar region overnight, said Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev.

An 8-year-old child was one of three people killed in the attack on the region, Kondratyev said. He added that 24 others in the region were wounded. Dozens of residential buildings were damaged, Kondratyev said, and debris from downed drones fell on the grounds of four industrial plants.

The strikes damaged two of Novorossiysk’s three grain terminals, with one of them halting operations, the Russian business daily Vedomosti reported.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed more than 500 Ukrainian drones.

Struck Russian port is also a key oil hub

Novorossiysk also is home to the Grushovaya oil terminal, one of the largest international hubs in southern Russia for petroleum products. No reports indicated it had been hit.

In February, the U.S. State Department expressed its displeasure about Ukraine’s attacks on Novorossiysk, saying they affected U.S. oil interests in ⁠Kazakhstan.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium operates a pipeline from the Caspian coast in northwestern Kazakhstan to Novorossiysk. The pipeline handles much of the crude exports from three major Kazakh fields in which major U.S. energy companies, Chevron and ExxonMobil, have stakes.

With the militaries of European countries boarding and detaining sanctioned Russian oil tankers at sea, hurting the country’s trade and heaping economic pressure on Moscow, Putin on Wednesday threatened retaliation for what he termed “piracy.”

Speaking on a visit to a Russian warship taking part in a naval exercise in the Pacific, Putin said Western countries are breaking international maritime law by seizing ships they say are part of Moscow’s “ shadow fleet ” of sanctions-dodging merchant vessels.

“It’s nothing but piracy and robbery,” Putin said. “If this is done, we will be forced to respond in kind.”

On the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, air defenses downed 115 Ukrainian drones over Sevastopol overnight, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city’s Russian-installed head. He added that 10 apartment buildings and 25 private houses were damaged.

Russian drones kill 2 and destroy a shopping mall in Ukraine

Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 138 long-range drones as well as an unspecified number of missiles during the night, with damage recorded at 16 locations.

In the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, a large-scale Russian drone attack overnight killed two people and wounded two others, said regional head Oleksandr Prokudin.

The attacks also destroyed a shopping mall in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, according to authorities.

Missiles and long-range drones hit fuel reservoirs and infrastructure used for unloading and storing military cargo in the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine’s Odesa region, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

A bulk cargo vessel carrying military equipment and a tanker loaded with oil for the Ukrainian armed forces also were hit in Odesa, it said.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

“I don't know what I'm going to do without you,” the post said in Spanish, shared on Messi's Instagram. “I don't know how to keep going. All I ever did was play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I'll keep doing it for much longer.”

Jorge Messi — who played a fundamental role in the soccer star's career, serving as his agent and managing his business affairs — died Saturday. He was 68.

Lionel Messi led Argentina to a runner-up finish in this summer's World Cup. In the team’s first match, against Algeria, he was visibly emotional after scoring the first of his three goals. He said later that he wept for “a reason unrelated to sports.”

“You asked me to play in this last World Cup so many times and just before it started was when you took a turn for the worse," the post said. “It was the first time you weren't going to be at the tournament. But mom kept telling me that you were going to get better and that you'd be well enough to travel. I kept telling you that we were going to make it to the final so you could travel.”

The post added that Messi “wanted to win it” for his father.

“I couldn't,” the post continued. “My legs had nothing left. This time I tried to push beyond what my body could handle, but I couldn't. I never managed to feel right.”

Messages of support for the Messi family have poured in over recent days. Messi had returned to his native Argentina and missed his MLS club Inter Miami's recent Leagues Cup match against Monterrey.

Inter Miami concludes the group phase of the tournament Wednesday night against León, though coach Guillermo Hoyos said Tuesday there is no timetable for Messi's return.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Putri Yasmin ferry was traveling from Bali to the neighboring island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara province when the fire broke out at about 4:15 a.m. The ferry was also transporting 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

The Search and Rescue Office in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, received an emergency report almost half an hour later and immediately deployed personnel and rescue vessels.

“Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members,” said Muhammad Hariyadi, who heads the Mataram Search and Rescue Office.

Videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed people wearing life jackets crowding an inflatable life raft in choppy waters during a rescue operation at sea, as thick black smoke billows from the ferry.

The rescue agency said that as of Wednesday afternoon, rescuers evacuated 211 people from the burned vessel, including 2 Australian tourists, and recovered the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman.

Initial reports had said the ferry was carrying 131 people, including 17 crew members, based on the ship’s manifest.

However, hours after the incident, officials said more people were aboard than listed. It is common in Indonesia for the number of passengers on a boat or ferry to differ from the manifest.

Authorities have not yet explained why the number of people evacuated exceeded the total listed on the initial passenger manifest. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said officials will look into the discrepancy.

“The findings will be thoroughly reviewed as part of the ministry’s evaluation,” Purwagandhi said. “This is a serious issue that will be thoroughly investigated.”

He said investigators were determining the cause of the fire.

Syamsurizal, head of the Lembar Port Authority in Lombok, said that survivors told authorities the blaze appeared to have started in a cargo truck before quickly spreading through the ferry. The heat forced some passengers to jump into the sea, he said.

“The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims,” said Syamsurizal, who like many Indonesians uses a single name. He said at least two injured passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital.

Hariyadi said the rescue effort was supported by six vessels, a helicopter, two inflatable boats and two private yachts. He said rough seas with waves reported as high as 4 meters (13 feet) complicated rescue efforts.

Wednesday's incident happened less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire in waters off the main island of Java, leaving at least five people dead.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.

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Associated Press journalists Edna Tarigan and Andi Jatmiko in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

Consumer prices increased 3.4% in July from a year ago, down slightly from 3.5% in June, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Inflation had fallen to 2.4% before the Iran war. On a monthly basis, prices rose just 0.1% from June to July.

The mild decrease is the second straight decline after sharply higher gas prices pushed inflation to 4.2% in May, a three-year high. Yet even with the pause, prices are still rising more quickly than average wages, underscoring the struggle many Americans have had paying for groceries, gas, and healthcare. And many costs grew last month, including airfares, computers, and used cars.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation slipped to 2.5% in July from a year ago, down from 2.6% in June. July’s figure matches a post-pandemic low reached in January and February, before the Iran war.

Core prices rose 0.2% from June to July. Monthly increases at about 0.2% would be low enough over time to bring inflation closer to the Fed’s 2% goal.

“America still has an inflation problem, but there are encouraging signs that price pressures outside of the gas pump are easing,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, said.

Inflation report could make Fed rate hike less likely

Cooler inflation could also ease pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise their key interest rate to combat rising costs. Fed officials are sharply split over their next steps. Roughly half the members of the central bank's rate-setting committee support raising borrowing costs this year, while another half think rates are already high enough to slowly push inflation back to their 2% target.

“We're clearly not out of the woods, however it makes the Fed’s decision a little bit easier, because now you see that inflation is creeping down,” said Dan North, senior economist at Allianz Trade North America.

Still, oil prices remain elevated and gas prices rose in late July and August, suggesting overall inflation could accelerate next month. On Wednesday, gas averaged $4.04 a gallon nationwide, 16 cents higher than a month ago, according to the motor club AAA.

Inflation has been pushed higher by a series of shocks to the economy, including President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed last spring, higher gas prices stemming from the U.S attack on Iran, and a surge in investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure that has boosted computer chip prices. The key question for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve — not to mention for consumers struggling with high gas and grocery prices — is how quickly those one-time effects will fade or whether they will lead to persistently rising prices.

Some companies, however, are still struggling with higher costs from Trump's tariffs.

Julie Robbins, CEO of Earthquaker Devices, an Akron, Ohio-based maker of pedals used to create effects for guitars, said her company has paid $200,000 in tariffs this year and has had to raise prices twice to offset the costs.

Only a small amount of those tariffs have been refunded after the Supreme Court struck down Trump's emergency duties. Robbins is worried they will have to raise prices again as the White House has sought to impose new tariffs to replace the ones that lost due to the Supreme Court decision.

Her company's electric bills have also risen in recent months and the rising costs of fuel have pushed up her shipping costs.

“I am just seeing more and more costs going up all the time,” Robbins said. “The money we paid on tariffs, that easily could have paid for two or three more employees.”

Gas, grocery prices fell, while computers, airfares rose

Wednesday's report showed that gasoline prices fell 2.9% from June to July, and even grocery prices declined slightly, falling by 0.1%. Yet gas prices are 25% higher than a year ago. And groceries are 2.7% more expensive than a year earlier.

Hotel room prices dropped 2.8% from June to July, likely reflecting the end of the World Cup tournament. Clothing costs rose just 0.1%, though they are up 3.9% in the past year.

Other things are growing more expensive: Computer prices jumped 3.5% from June to July, reflecting a decision by Apple to sharply raise prices for its computers and tablets as AI spending pushes up the cost of semiconductors. Smartphone prices rose 1.1%.

Airline fares rose 2.2% from June to July as jet fuel prices spiral higher along with oil.

Price increases have stayed above the Fed's 2% target for more than five years, suggesting there is more than temporary factors at play.

The cost of services such as healthcare, restaurant meals, and car maintenance rose 3% in July from a year earlier, and they aren't particularly sensitive to gas prices or AI investment. Rising costs for services often reflect higher wages, as companies charge more to offset the cost of higher pay. But incomes aren't growing fast enough to sustain inflation, economists note.

It's a confounding situation that has left many economists — and Fed officials — seeking more information to determine where inflation is headed.

“You've got all these things that are just not the way the economy used to behave,” Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, said.

For many consumers, years of sharply rising grocery prices have led them to adopt a wide range of coping strategies, from comparison shopping, to couponing, to cutting back on favorite foods.

Retailers, including Walmart, have responded by rolling back food prices, a trend that could have lowered July's inflation figures. Yet many other businesses are still passing on higher costs.

Paint company Sherwin-Williams is planning an 8% price increase in September to offset higher raw material costs, CEO Heidi Petz said late last month.

“We are seeing the impact of higher oil and related cost pressures, and we expect continued volatility throughout the balance of the year,” she said.

___

AP Writer Anne D'Innocenzio contributed to this report from New York.

A 4-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a home in Geneva, Indiana, during Tuesday's storms, the Jennings County Sheriff's Office said. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency when first responders, faced with flooded roads, couldn’t reach them. Officials in Portage, Indiana, were investigating whether the severe weather played a role in a reported house explosion that killed a person.

Lightning struck a prison complex southwest of Cleveland on Tuesday, injuring 16 incarcerated people who were hospitalized, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections. Their conditions weren't immediately known.

The storms inflicted a wide swath of damage from the Chicago area to western Pennsylvania, and the National Weather Service said threats of severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall will continue over the next few days in the Midwest, Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.

More than 700,000 customers were without power Wednesday morning in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to poweroutage.us.

The National Weather Service said it confirmed three tornadoes in counties south of Chicago. Water rescues were reported during heavy rains in several states including Ohio, where DeWine sent 40 Ohio Army National Guard members to help in two counties east of Columbus.

Tornado warning sirens howled Tuesday as the skies darkened in the Chicago area. All flights were temporarily stopped at Chicago’s two major airports, and officials warned of delays as the backlog was cleared.

Photos posted on social media from the Chicago area and across the state line in Indiana showed flooded roads, trees tangled in power lines and homes with gashes in their roofs.

“No power. It was very scary. We were down in the basement,” said Javid Jenkins of Homewood, a Chicago suburb. “We’re built for snow. We’re built for cold. We’re not built for this.”

Jenkins, 54, said he was driving around for gas to fire up a generator to preserve food in his refrigerator.

Forecasters said a wind gust of 99 mph (159 kph) was recorded in Gary, Indiana. Elsewhere there were numerous reports of gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more at personal weather stations.

Preliminary information indicated that the intense system that swept from Iowa into Indiana over several hours qualified as a derecho, the weather service's Storm Prediction Center said Tuesday evening. Derechos are prolonged straight-line wind events that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far distances. The damage they cause is sometimes comparable to the destructive forces of tornadoes or hurricanes.

“Total devastation. No roof,” said Kerry Hourigan, standing outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. “Stupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It’s disappeared.”

Meteorologist Scott Baker said the Midwest was on the outer edge of a “ring of fire,” bringing waves of excessive moisture, instability and storms.

Dayton, Ohio, set a daily rainfall record with 2.07 inches (5.25 cm), shattering a mark set in 1915, the weather service said. Forecasters said multiple rounds of rain would cause flood hazards in the Ohio Valley through early Friday.

___

White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, Jennifer Garske in Washington, Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

LUBBOCK — The Texas Broadband Development Office placed a temporary hold Tuesday on all disbursements of billions of dollars in federal funds related to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, or BEAD.

The hold comes after the office was accused of favoritism to certain companies, specifically Elon Musk’s Starlink, which led to lawmakers announcing an audit.

In an email obtained by The Texas Tribune, the state broadband office shared with subgrantees that the hold was effective as of Monday, and will be in place “until further notice.” The office did not give a reason as to why the disbursements were paused.

The office did not respond to The Tribune in time for publication.

“No further action is required from subgrantees at this time,” the office said in the email. ”The BDO will provide additional guidance and updates as they become available.”

Last week, Comptroller Don Huffines announced a comprehensive internal review of his office, which includes the broadband office.

Lawmakers began questioning the Broadband Office in June on how it doled out more than $3 billion in BEAD funding. During a Senate committee hearing, Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Republican from Georgetown, said his office heard about the concerns regarding taxpayer money, including how much money was disbursed up-front for the projects. While other providers were only expected to receive 10% of the grant money to start, with the rest dispersed on a tiered system, the rules were changed for low-Earth orbit satellite providers.

According to Bryant Clayton, the BDO’s director, the change was a directive from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and made just days before the grant was awarded.

In response, Schwertner called for more transparency in the grant award process by the BDO.

“I have my eye on y’all regarding the way y’all are conducting your business,” Schwertner told Clayton. “I don’t care who’s messing with your business, but we, as an oversight committee, are going to oversee it regarding fairness and transparency.”

Starlink is the largest provider of residential broadband service through low-Earth orbit satellites in Texas, and has at least 12 million customers worldwide. Amazon recently began deploying satellites for its own LEO service. Both of the companies were chosen as subgrantees by the BDO.

Sen. Nathan Johnson, a Dallas Democrat running for Texas Attorney General, claimed in a campaign statement that the award process could be corruption from the federal government down.

“Without drawing conclusions for the moment, the whole process may have involved coordinated corruption among the Trump administration, the illegally empowered DOGE czar Musk, private entities (Starlink), the governor’s office and the broadband development office,” Johnson said in the statement.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows called for an audit of the state’s broadband office. In a joint statement, the lawmakers said the audit is a result of the concerns raised about the BEAD award process.

In his final days as acting comptroller, Kelly Hancock responded to the allegations by accusing Amazon of “aggressively” lobbying state legislators, including members of the Senate committee. Hancock also said he didn’t believe Texans should act as a financial safety net for multibillion-dollar companies. His statement did not mention Musk or Starlink, which is the focus of the allegations.

Schwertner fired back at Hancock, saying in a post on X: “It’s good to see new incoming leadership in the comptroller’s office after the failed election and tenure of the current interim comptroller. No tantrum on the way out of the office will change that.”

The audit process is underway, but there is no clear date on when it will be completed. Patrick and Burrows said in their statement that the legislature will take action during the next session, beginning in January.

The 30-foot (9-meter) model of a Dutch Kitchenette opened to the public last month as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Coppes Napanee, one of two companies still in existence that manufactured the popular Hoosier cabinets more than a century ago. The cabinet name was coined after its largest producer, the Hoosier Manufacturing Co.

Dubbed the world’s largest Hoosier cabinet, the replica built against a brick background is equipped with stairs leading to a loft that visitors to the town of Nappanee can look out from. It overlooks Coppes Commons, the site of the original Coppes Napanee factory that has been converted to an indoor marketplace, artisan hub and museum. The company still produces custom cabinets next door.

Wesley Mast, owner and president of Coppes Napanee, said he typically hears two types of responses when visitors first see the giant cabinet.

“There’s the one extreme where people are like, ‘Why? Why such a big cabinet?’” Mast said. “And my response is always like, ‘Why not?’

“The other response we get is like, ‘That’s so cool. Where did you get this idea? I love it.’”

Mast said the cabinet “brings us another level of attention and branding and makes this place more of a destination than just a pass-through.”

The Hoosier cabinet is a freestanding kitchen workstation and storage area that centralized and sped up food preparation. The cabinets were popular from the 1890s through the 1930s but waned after World War II as built-in, wall-to-wall cabinetry became the norm in new home construction.

A century ago, “this was the kitchen,” Mast said. “This was kind of the first piece of furniture that went into the house as a kitchen and was considered all-in-one, the kitchen itself in just one piece.”

There were 5,000 dealers of Hoosier cabinets across the country, said Mary Figueroa, curator of History at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, which has four Hoosier cabinets in its collection.

Prior to the Hoosier cabinet, a kitchen area would have some shelves, a separate work table and a corner cupboard. “But this was a piece of furniture that kind of consolidated all of that, allowed women to save their steps and have everything that they could possibly need to make a meal right at their fingertips,” Figueroa said.

The Hoosier cabinet had space for storing items such as flour, sugar, spices, loaves of bread and other pantry supplies. They were nicknamed “kitchen pianos” because everything that was needed was within close range. They had built-in flour sifters and came with small cookbooks with recipes involving meats, soups, breads or desserts, among other things. Advertising for the cabinets even made the promise to “strengthen your marriage” and “make you more beautiful” because of the time and steps that it saved for women, Figueroa said.

Nappanee is located in Elkhart County, a region known as a top U.S. hub for recreational vehicle manufacturing, wood products production and home to the third-largest Amish settlement in the nation. It is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) north of Indianapolis.

And now, add Nappanee as a potential tourist attraction for the colossal cabinet.

“It’s bringing awareness,” Figueroa said. “I mean, you can’t miss it.”

___

Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

The state-run General Electricity Company said in a statement that a power substation in the city of Zawiya that links power plants to homes and businesses was completely burned down.

The city of about 250,000 people has been rattled by a series of drone strikes that hit oil and power facilities. Zawiya is home to critical energy infrastructure, including Libya’s largest oil refinery, an export terminal and a power plant.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the drone strikes.

The power company said the attack resulted in outages across southern parts of the city, which is located about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of the capital Tripoli. Footage shared by the company showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the facility.

Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, the prime minister of one of Libya’s two rival governments, denounced the attacks on energy and power installations as “a serious crime and an escalation that will not go unanswered.”

“We will reach those responsible for this attack, and the accountability will be firm. No one will be protected by their position, status, or influence,” he said in a statement.

On Monday, a drone strike hit a fuel-laden tank at Zawiya's refinery, igniting a massive blaze which firefighters battled for over 15 hours. The refinery was repeatedly attacked over the weekend and on Tuesday, according to the state-run National Oil Corporation.

The power plant was hit by two drones on Tuesday, with one damaging its firefighting system while the second landed close to the facility’s main fuel storage, setting it on fire, the electricity company said.

The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and warlord Mohamed Bahroun, who controls the city of Zawiya. Much of western Libya is ruled by local militias loosely allied to Dbeibah’s government in Tripoli.

The country has been divided for years between rival administrations, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Dbeibah governs western Libya and the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad governs the eastern part of the country.

After Tuesday’s attack on the power plant, the U.S. company General Electric withdrew its teams from the facility “until security conditions and a suitable and safe work environment are ensured,” the electricity company said. GE performs maintenance and upgrading services for the plant.

GE previously withdrew its staff from the plant over security concerns, prolonging the loss of more than 700 megawatts of the station’s production capacity, estimated at 1300 megawatts, the electricity company said.

The violence came as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Tripoli to meet with Dbeibah and Mohammad Younes Menfi, chairman of the Presidential Council.

Turkey is the main foreign backer of Dbeibah's government, but in recent years has also reached out to the rival authorities in eastern Libya in an attempt to mend ties, and as part of regional efforts to unify the North African country.

Libya, an oil-rich country on the Mediterranean, has been wracked by conflict since a NATO-backed uprising-turned-civil war toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

The Mozarteum Foundation on July 15 unveiled 320 statuettes, barely 50 centimeters (less than 20 inches) high, showing Mozart with his dog. They were designed by German conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl.

Within two weeks, more than 80 of the polymer figures had disappeared. By Wednesday, a total of 210 were missing.

“The worst thing for an artist is when his work dissolves,” Hörl told the German news agency dpa. He said he did not believe visitors stole the works but rather that it was an “organized theft.”

Hörl intended to sell the statues for about 100 euros ($114) once the exhibition was over, meaning whoever ran away with 210 mini-Mozarts has not become an overnight millionaire.

The mini-Mozarts populated not only the garden of the composer's former house, but also his living quarters as well as several pavilions.

While the organizers put aside some spare statuettes in case of theft, there were too few to compensate for the actual losses. And in a further stroke of bad luck, the manufacturer of the statues was away on holidays, so there was no quick fix.

The exhibition of statuettes, now more widely spaced, is scheduled to remain on display until Aug. 30.

For Hörl, who is known from his sculptures made from polymer, the theft of his artworks is nothing new. At an installation in Bayreuth, Germany, a complete array of statues of Richard Wagner was stolen within 10 days.

“That’s just the nature of public space. That means when you work as an artist in a public space, you mustn’t complain about what is happening there,” Hörl said. “It ranges from destruction to theft. That’s just how it is.”

Mozart was born on Jan. 27, 1756, in Salzburg, where the Mozarteum Foundation offers concerts, maintains Mozart museums and supports research on him.

“I didn’t want to do a monument of Mozart. There are already enough of these. But I wanted to show his human side, that he was a normal human being despite his genius,” Hörl told The Associated Press.

To give the statues a human touch, Hörl depicted the composer with his favorite dog, Pimperl. Mozart and his family were known to take long walks with their dogs in the Mirabell Garden, next to where they lived.

“There’s a part of me which says, ‘you didn’t write that,’” he recalls of composing his debut album, “Life Is a Dream.” “What’s it called? Impostor syndrome.”

Thankfully, it did not stop him from finishing the collection of 12 compositions he crafted over six decades.

Conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and recorded at London's Alexandra Palace in April, it will be released by Decca Records on Aug. 21.

“My first love, or vocation really, is music,” said the 88-year-old actor. “That sounds very official, but I was raised with a lot of music (of the) postwar years, and it influenced me. And I started playing the piano when I was quite young.”

He picked up the instrument at 4 and began composing years later, writing his first piece, a waltz, in 1960. He was 22 at the time.

“I find more freedom with music,” he says, compared to acting, which he labels “a discipline, you have to know your stuff. But music for me is a freewheeling kind of art form.”

And he's had his fair share of experience. Prior to the release of “Life Is a Dream,” Hopkins had composed scores for a number of films.

“The opening of ‘Shadowlands’ is my first adventure in composing music,” he said, referring to the 1993 film he starred in as “The Chronicles of Narnia” author C.S. Lewis. Then he composed for a few other movies, including 1996’s “August,” 2007’s “Slipstream” and 2020’s “Elyse.”

Hopkins' childhood informed ‘Life Is A Dream’

“It's about my childhood,” he says of the album, which shares its title with the Pedro Calderón de la Barca play. “It's basically the memories of my childhood and growing up in Wales, and my developments in life, my adolescent years,” and so on.

But he says “there’s a great sadness in it all because — don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a wonderful life — but underneath it all, there is the knowledge that life is one long goodbye. From the moment we’re born, we begin to die,” he starts to laugh. “Sounds so cheerful!”

That tension — or better put, wisdom — carries throughout the release. Take the first single as an example. “1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra: II. Bracken Road” is the middle composition in a three-part suite about a particular summer in South Wales. He says it contains a “melancholy and sadness,” a sense that arises with its cello.

“It’s the welcomed sound of nostalgia, of the strange, whimsical pain of life,” he describes the song. “All music is actually based in pain. Sounds pretty preposterous, but it is. It’s about the yearning.”

The same can be said about the song “Stella Aria” — named after his wife, director and actor Stella Hopkins — that deals with “the loneliness in all of us,” he says, but is part of a path to “sheer happiness.”

Hopkins has been reflecting for quite some time now — both in his memoir, “We Did OK, Kid,” released last fall — and on this album. “I look at my own life now, and especially this year; I’m going to be 89 at the end of the year. And I look back and I’m thinking, ‘good God, I couldn’t have planned any of this.’ From the moment I decided to become an actor, 70 years ago, I thought … ‘Why did I do that?’ I didn’t know, because I was pretty useless in school? I didn’t know what else to do. So I tried for a scholarship, became an actor instead of a musician. And suddenly I’m given a huge plate of success by some force of nature.”

“I'm without fear of mortality,” he adds. “I'm just so grateful I’ve lived this long.”

How Bradley Cooper was instrumental in the album

In a surprising turn of events, actor Bradley Cooper “passed me on to Dudamel,” says Hopkins, after witnessing Hopkins' composition a few years before with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Seal. Dudamel was on board.

But when it came time to record at Alexandra Palace earlier this year, “I’m sitting there thinking, ‘How the hell did I write this?' I have no idea,” said Hopkins. “And Dudamel said, ‘This is wonderful.’ … He is one of the most astonishing people I’ve met. He’s so full of life and so full of energy and love, and it’s quite extraordinary.”

It's a shared affection.

“The same depth of imagination, humanity and emotional truth that has defined his extraordinary work on stage and screen is present in his music,” Dudamel said in a statement. “Anthony approaches music with the heart of a storyteller and the instincts of a poet, creating sound worlds that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.”

Live performance may be on the horizon

After his debut album, live performances may be next. Top of Hopkins' list is Carnegie Hall.

“That’s where I want to go. That’s what I want,” he says.

The 1947 film “Carnegie Hall” was a formative film for him, and he has the distinct memory of his mother saying, “You play at Carnegie Hall one day.”

It is yet another dream in a life full of them.

With the improvements, the search giant hopes to give users a reason to buy new models and expand the number of people using its AI tools.

“Google continues to tout new software features, primarily around AI, as the reason to upgrade," said Forrester senior analyst Andrew Cornwall. He noted the company has added a way to extract photos from videos, a teleprompter, video stabilization, and an improved speech-to-text feature.

While the Pixel phones are not as popular as Apple's iPhone, Google has been steadily increasing the amount of AI on its Pixel phones since 2023.

Apple, meanwhile, has been lagging behind. It announced new AI advances in June, focusing on how the technology can help with people's day-to-day lives, with a focus on privacy and security — using Google's Gemini AI model to do so.

Google said in a presentation to reporters last week that the new phones will double the previous storage size, starting at 256 gigabytes, and feature 30 hours of battery life and faster wireless charging. The company has eliminated the 128 gigabyte Pixel 11, which had been its lowest-priced option at $800.

Beginning Wednesday, U.S. customers can order the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL, starting at $900, $1,100 and $1,300, respectively. The Pixel Pro Fold, meanwhile, starts at $1,900. That's a $100 increase for each phone from last year's prices.

New features include live translation for videos, podcasts and voice messages. In the Pro models, a tool called HiLight lets you assign a color to your favorite contacts and have the phone light up in that color when they call and your phone is placed face down. It complements Pixel's “Flip to Shhh” feature that puts the phone in “do not disturb” mode when it is placed face down.

Google is also offering a free six-month subscription to its AI Pro plan to anyone who buys the more expensive Pixel 11 Pro or Pixel 11 Pro XL models. The company is hoping to hook more people on the AI Gemini tool kit, which it assembled to compete against OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Camera upgrades include a new mode called Magic Capture, which automatically takes a series of photos and video with a single tap of the shutter button. Google said the cameras also feature improved light sensitivity and, for Pro models, Instant Night Sight captures shots in dark environments faster, so you don't have to hold your phone still while waiting for exposure.

Google also introduced a tracking device for the first time. Called Pixel Tag, it will cost $30 for one or $100 for a four-pack and is compatible with phones running Android 9 or higher.

City Council voted Tuesday night to place a proposition on the November ballot asking residents whether the city should continue using Flock Safety’s automated license-plate reader cameras.

The referendum is non-binding, meaning the election results will advise council but will not legally require the city to keep or remove the cameras. City Council will retain the authority to make the final decision.

Mayor Nick Long proposed putting the referendum on the November ballot.

The mayor described the debate as a rare bipartisan issue, with supporters and critics on both sides of the political divide.

“There’s really no question that they work,” Long said. “They have helped in some fairly high-profile crimes, including murders.”

However, Long said the technology’s effectiveness does not eliminate concerns about possible misuse or how information is handled after it enters Flock’s system.

“The real issue is we’ve seen the abuses in neighboring cities,” Long said. “Where’s the data going on the company side, and how can we protect that data?”

Recently, police officers in Baytown and Pasadena Police Departments have resigned over alleged Flock camera misuse.

“It is a huge privacy concern,” Long said. “It’s a privacy concern from the data being accessed on our end and on the company’s end.”

Flock cameras take still images of passing vehicles and record their license plates, exterior characteristics, location, date and time.

According to League City police, the system can identify a vehicle’s make, model, color and other distinguishing features. The cameras do not use facial recognition, identify drivers or passengers, record conversations or provide live video.

They are also not used to issue speeding or red-light citations.

Police use the information to search for vehicles connected to criminal investigations, wanted people and public-safety alerts.

The department says vehicle images and location data are generally retained for 30 days before being automatically deleted. Information identified as evidence in an investigation may be kept longer under the department’s standard evidence procedures.

Accordin to the city website, League City police have 55 active Flock cameras, with another 16 awaiting permits from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The cameras are placed along major roadways, at neighborhood entrances, near parks and at other locations across the city. Police can also access privately owned Flock cameras when a business, homeowners association or other owner voluntarily grants access.

League City first approved funding for 42 Flock cameras as part of its fiscal year 2023 budget. In December 2023, council approved a five-year agreement valued at nearly $900,000 covering 70 cameras.

• RELATED: Two Houston-area cities could put Flock license plate cameras before voters

The city says the technology helped with 305 criminal investigations during a recent 12-month period, including homicides, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, fraud and narcotics cases. Police also credit the system with helping recover approximately $1 million in stolen property this year.

According to the city, League City’s Flock data is shared with 436 Texas law-enforcement agencies and the FBI for law-enforcement purposes. The city says it does not share its data directly with ICE, Border Patrol, businesses, homeowners associations or other private organizations.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, Harris County prosecutor Whitney Rasberry told city leaders she has personally seen Flock cameras help investigators solve serious cases.

“These cameras are absolutely essential to solving crime,” Rasberry said.

She cited the capital murder case against Devan Jordan in League City, telling council she did not believe that case would have been solved without Flock cameras.

Other speakers argued that Flock’s crime-solving benefits do not outweigh the privacy risks created by collecting information on every passing vehicle, including those driven by people who are not suspected of crimes.

“I did not sign up for my body to be photographed everywhere I go,” one speaker told council.

Another resident said he supports local police but does not want officers relying on a tool that he believes compromises residents’ privacy.

League City resident Julius Segelquisd said he is not necessarily concerned that the city’s police officers will misuse the system. His larger concern is whether Flock can prevent information from being accessed or shared beyond the department.

“I don’t trust Flock as a company to keep that information secure to just our police department,” Segelquisd said. “We cannot trade off our privacy and our freedoms from being tracked by government institutions for perceived safety—or even actual safety.”

Segelquisd supported giving residents a vote but questioned whether council members would follow the results of a non-binding referendum.

“Council could conceivably just choose to ignore it,” he said.

He urged voters to ask candidates running for mayor and City Council whether they will commit to following the referendum results.

What happens if the cameras stay?

Long said the city is already developing an online transparency portal that would include information about the cameras’ locations, use and access, except for information protected by law.

He also proposed creating a citizens accountability committee that could work with the city auditor to conduct regular reviews.

Those audits could examine whether officers document case numbers when accessing the system, whether searches comply with department policies and whether Flock properly stores and deletes the information it collects.

Long said more work must be done before the city can assure residents that sufficient safeguards are in place.

“I don’t think we’re at a point where we can definitively say we’re doing everything to protect that data,” Long said.

Why put it on the November ballot?

Long said the city moved quickly to place the referendum on the November ballot because League City is already holding mayoral and council elections.

He said adding the proposition to that ballot will not create an additional election expense. Waiting until May and holding a separate election could cost the city approximately $85,000.

Long also expects the November election to attract more voters than a special election focused only on Flock cameras.

“This is why I think it’s a great issue to be brought to the voters in our first-ever referendum of the citizens,” Long said.

The proposition will ask voters whether League City should continue using Flock cameras. Regardless of the outcome, City Council will still have to take separate action to keep, modify or end the program.

The country has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite its fairly restrictive gun laws. The two recent shootings, both in Nonthaburi province northwest of the capital Bangkok, have intensified calls for tighter controls on firearms.

A student opened fire at his high school and family home on Friday, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life, according to police. Three days later, a former lawmaker was arrested after a shooting at a government office that killed one person and injured another.

Government spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said the government is working to strengthen gun regulations and crack down on illegal firearms.

The ultimate goal is “to find ways to remove guns from people’s daily lives as much as possible and make Thai society safer,” she said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an urgent review of gun regulations, including a suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits, according to a statement from the Government House.

He also instructed the Interior Ministry to propose amendments to Thailand's gun control laws within 60 days. The changes are expected to bolster the collection of firearms data, tighten controls on the gun trade and increase penalties for offenders.

Penalties for unlawful possession of firearms in Thailand include prison terms of one to 10 years and fines of up to 20,000 baht ($600). While the licensing laws are strict, critics say there are weaknesses in enforcement.

The measures announced Tuesday include the immediate suspension of welfare gun programs, which allowed public officials, including civil servants, police and soldiers, local officials and lawmakers, to buy guns at a discount through government subsidies. Gun control experts say the poorly regulated resale of the guns contributed to their proliferation.

Thailand’s high rate of gun ownership is second only to Pakistan in Asia, and far surpasses its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org found that Thai civilians owned about 15 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 people in neighboring Malaysia.

Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but it is relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

While mass shootings are still rare in Thailand, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile attacks in recent years.

Michael E. Picard, a security analyst who researches arms trafficking in Southeast Asia, told The Associated Press that he hasn't seen much evidence of the effectiveness of gun control measures enacted after previous mass killings in 2020 and 2022 that each left more than two dozen people dead.

In reaction to last week's school shootings, in which the gun used was reported to be legally registered to the shooter's grandfather, he said increasing safe storage requirements for gun licenses would be an important step.

More broadly, if bribes are paid to get a gun permit, corruption in the government agency that administers licenses needs to be rooted out, he said.

The welfare gun programs also need to be scrapped, Picard suggested, adding that "the government should buy back, safely store, or organize an amnesty for the millions of welfare guns out there."

And this year, we have a big advantage: the peak coincides with a new moon, so there’s no bright moonlight to wash out the meteors. That means viewing conditions should be ideal.

From the suburbs, you could see around a dozen meteors per hour. In the brighter, more light-polluted skies of the city, you may see about half that. But if you can get to a darker, rural location, you could see two dozen or more meteors per hour.

You may start spotting a few as early as 10 p.m., but the later you stay up, the better the show gets.

The best viewing will be between 2 and 4 a.m. For the best chance of seeing meteors, find the darkest part of the sky, get away from city lights, and look up!

How the Perseids got their name:

The Perseid meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Perseus.

If you trace the streaks of light across the sky, they appear to come from a point near this constellation. Astronomers call that point the “radiant.”

The Perseids have been observed for centuries. Records date back to 36 A.D. in China. In 1836, Belgian-French astronomer Adolphe Quetelet recognized that the meteor shower returns every August and gave it the name Perseids.

In 1862, American astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle independently discovered that the meteors are tiny pieces of debris left behind by a comet.

That comet is now known as Swift-Tuttle, and it’s a big one, about 16 miles across, making it one of the largest known periodic comets. No other meteor shower matches the number of the Perseids.

What meteors look like:

It is inaccurate to call them shooting stars because they are pieces of rubble similar in shape, size, color, and texture to Grape Nuts cereal. This cereal is still on store shelves.

What you are actually seeing in the sky:

Perseid meteors race through space at about 37 miles per second, that’s roughly 133,000 miles per hour!

When one of these tiny particles hits our atmosphere, about 60 miles above Earth, it compresses the air in front of it, much like water piling up in front of a speeding boat.

That creates an incredibly hot shock wave, and that’s what produces the bright streak of light we see across the sky.

So, you’re not actually seeing the tiny piece of comet burn up. You’re seeing the glowing air around it as it races through the atmosphere.

None of the tiny pieces that create the Perseids never make it to the ground.

I put together a video explaining why the Perseids, and other meteor showers, return every year. Just keep in mind, that video was made three years ago, under a different moon phase.

When and how to watch:

The best time to catch the Perseids is in the hours just before dawn Thursday, when the radiant, the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate, is at its highest.

When the radiant is lower on the horizon, more meteors are hidden from view. So, the later you stay up, the better your chances of seeing more.

For Houston-area stargazers, the biggest challenge is light pollution. City lights can wash out the night sky, making fainter meteors harder to see. If you can, head somewhere darker.

And remember, the meteors can appear anywhere across the sky, you don’t have to stare directly at the radiant.

Here’s more good news, the forecast calls for mostly clear skies.

You don’t need any special equipment. Just find a spot with a wide-open view, grab a lawn chair, and look toward the darkest part of the sky.

Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Once they do, you’ll have a much better chance of catching those shooting stars.

If you take any great pictures, please post on Click2Pins or share with me on Facebook or Instagram at: @kprc2anthony

Wednesday Forecast:

Lots of heat will be the thing that most kiddos see heading back to school for the remainder of this week. Highs will start to push back into the mid to upper 90s as rain chances drop off dramatically.

Tracking the tropics:

August is the “real” start of the hurricane season. 93% of hurricanes form after August 3rd. However, this is not your typical hurricane season. With an incredibly strong El Niño, the numbers will be kept way down this season. Wind shear in the Caribbean is the strongest it’s been since 1979. Oh, and there is some thick Saharan dust over the Atlantic.

The National Hurricane Center has been tracking two tropical waves that could develop over the next 7 days. The conditions aren’t ideal, but we may be seeing the second system holding together to become Cristobal, the next name on the list.

The more westerly disturbance now has a 0% chance of development, and the other has an 80% chance. The disturbances will have to overcome high levels of wind shear that are currently in the Atlantic.

There is also a disturbance moving away from the East Coast which has a very low chance of development.

10 Day Forecast:

Rain chances stay slim through most of your work week as the heat cranks back up.

Speaking on a visit to a Russian warship that was taking part in a naval exercise in the Pacific, Putin described the Western moves to detain vessels linked to Russia as a breach of international maritime law.

“It’s nothing but piracy and robbery,” Putin said. “If this is done, we will be forced to respond in kind.”

He added that the Russian response wouldn't necessarily come in the waters where the Russian ships were seized, noting that Moscow could retaliate “in any area where we see it as necessary and appropriate,” including in the Pacific.

The Pacific Fleet chief, Adm. Viktor Liina, reported to Putin that the navy was ready to start inspections of the commercial ships serving the “unfriendly nations.” He noted that many of the ships operated by British, French and other European carriers fly the flags of other nations, effectively making them a “shadow fleet.”

“We have enough assets for inspection and detention of vessels of the unfriendly nations and their shadow fleet,” Liina told Putin. “We are ready to start performing the task.”

Russia is believed to be using a fleet of hundreds of ships to evade international sanctions imposed after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

France and the U.K. have detained tankers suspected of being of Russia's “shadow fleet” shipping oil in violation of international sanctions. The EU has sanctioned hundreds of “shadow fleet” ships.

Russia has recently started deploying warships to escort its commercial vessels.

Dmitry Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president in 2008-2012 to let Putin observe term limits and is now deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, noted that many ships belonging to European carriers fly the so-called “flags of convenience” just like Russian carriers do.

“It means that by applying a symmetrical approach, which is only fair, Russia has the right to attack any merchant vessel belonging to hostile nations, whether in our waters or in neutral waters, provided there are reasonable grounds to suspect it is carrying cargo in the enemy’s interest, and that applies to any cargo,” Medvedev said. “There are a great many such vessels, and our military is capable of dramatically expanding operations well beyond the Black Sea basin.”

Deputies with Constable Mark Herman’s Office are assisting with traffic control while firefighters work to extinguish the vehicle fire.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area and use an alternate route. Significant delays are expected while crews work to clear the scene and safely reopen the roadway.

Officials said an update will be provided once the roadway is clear.

Zhu died in Beijing at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the official news agency Xinhua reported.

Once sent into rural exile to do manual labor for praising reforms in other communist countries, Zhu pushed through a dizzying array of changes as premier, China’s top economic post, from 1998 to 2003 under former President Jiang Zemin.

Zhu clashed with Communist Party conservatives and state industry bosses as he pushed state-owned companies to become efficient and profitable. That cost millions of layoffs, but helped propel China to overtake Japan as the second-largest economy behind the United States in 2010.

Building on former leader Deng Xiaoping’s 1979 reforms, Zhu is credited with supplying the resourcefulness and tenacity to push through history-making changes such as China’s WTO membership, which helped to transform China into the world’s biggest exporter.

Those changes helped to keep economic growth above 8% a year from 2000 to 2010, peaking at 14.2% in 2007.

A spiky personality who fought corruption and conservatives

Named premier in 1998 at age 69, Zhu became a popular figure by criticizing official bungling and graft and accepting blame when the government fell short. His demanding style earned him the nicknames Boss and Zhu Fengzi, or Madman Zhu.

“I have prepared 100 coffins here — 99 for corrupt officials and one for myself,” Zhu said in 1998, according to the party newspaper People’s Daily.

Zhu ranked No. 3 in the party hierarchy behind Jiang and Li Peng, chairman of the ceremonial legislature, the National People’s Congress. But he was a technician without his own power base. Zhu complained that allowed officials to ignore his orders.

Zhu made his name as a deputy premier in the 1990s by crushing inflation. He enforced price controls and cut off loans to money-losing state companies, rebuffing resistance by local leaders — a pattern Zhu would repeat as he fought conservatives over the pace of reform.

Zhu led efforts to secure WTO membership following marathon negotiations that began in the 1980s. That status would enshrine free trade as a national commitment, giving Zhu a tool to force local officials to stop protecting favored companies.

Zhu’s campaign was nearly derailed when he went to Washington in 1999 with market-opening concessions to win U.S. endorsement of the WTO bid. The Clinton administration rejected the offer as inadequate, while his political enemies at home accused him of offering too much, but Zhu survived and China went on to join the body in December 2001.

Zhu launched China’s home ownership boom in 1998 with an initiative to sell apartments owned by state companies. Families rushed to buy, and within a decade the majority of urban housing was privately owned.

Still, Zhu was less an advocate of free enterprise than a skilled bureaucrat who carried out party orders to whip state industry into shape.

Zhu showed no interest in privatizing the economy. He played a key role in drafting plans in the 1990s to turn banks, airlines, oil companies and other enterprises into profit-oriented corporations but to retain government ownership.

Zhu stood out for admitting official failings

Born Oct. 23, 1928, in Mao Zedong’s home province of Hunan, Zhu paid an early price for his willingness to take risks and speak out.

After a start as an economic planner, his career went into a 22-year eclipse when he was labelled a “rightist” in 1957 for praising reforms in Hungary and Yugoslavia. He was banished to the countryside during the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution to do manual labor.

Rehabilitated in 1979, Zhu rose swiftly, becoming deputy Shanghai party secretary in 1987 and mayor the next year.

As mayor in 1989, Zhu gained a reputation for moderation when he placated protesters and pledged not to call in the military.

“He managed to defuse, with considerable subtlety, a tense political situation that could have developed into localized violence or worse if the military had felt it necessary to intervene,” wrote Australian diplomat Shelley Warner in the 1991 book “The Pro-Democracy Protests in China: Reports from the Provinces.”

Zhu’s boss, Jiang, would soon be called to Beijing by Deng and made party leader. Zhu was named deputy premier in 1991 and joined the party’s ruling Standing Committee in 1993.

Zhu broke with the leadership’s stance of infallibility by admitting and taking blame for official failings.

In 1998, after summer floods killed 4,150 people and officials were accused of embezzling money meant for anti-flood dikes, Zhu complained some barriers were no stronger than bean curd.

Three years later, he apologized on national television for his Cabinet’s failure to protect the public after an explosion in a schoolhouse in southern China killed at least 42 people, most of them children.

Zhu enlivened the party’s bland image by cracking jokes in public, sometimes at his own expense. Laughter erupted at a 1999 news conference when he said a recent photo “made me look like a dead man.”

One of Zhu’s proudest triumphs as deputy premier was to craft a tax system that required local officials to hand more revenue to Beijing. He said in 1996 that he deserved a Nobel Prize in economics for that.

Zhu rarely appeared in public after leaving office as premier.

Zhu was married to Lao An, a fellow Hunan native. Their son, Yunlai, also known as Levin Zhu, is a former CEO of China International Capital Corp., a government-owned investment bank.

Their daughter, Yanlai, led a charity organization supporting schoolchildren that was backed by Zhu Rongji.

___

A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that Zhu died at 98. He was 97 years old.

___

McDonald is a former Associated Press journalist. AP writer Kanis Leung contributed to this report from Hong Kong.

The crash involved a single vehicle and a single occupant. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing, and officials said the southbound closure is expected to remain in place for an extended period.

The closure begins north of the Beltway and extends south to Clear Creek.

Drivers should expect substantial delays and are strongly encouraged to find alternate routes while investigators work at the scene.

Northbound SH 288 remains fully open.

Both directions of the SH 288 Toll Road are also unaffected by the crash.

Crowley, the Milwaukee county executive, is vying to become Wisconsin’s first Black governor and pitched himself as the candidate best positioned to win in November against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Crowley narrowly defeated democratic socialist Francesca Hong, who was hoping to ride the wave of recent victories by progressive candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in neighboring Michigan’s U.S. Senate race last week.

El-Sayed's win was the movement’s first major success in a purple state. It also fed fears in the party’s leaders that such candidates, farther afield and often carrying political baggage of past stances such as defunding the police, would struggle to beat Republicans and imperil the party’s hopes of recapturing control of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.

Crowley didn’t address supporters Tuesday night but was expected at a unity event later Wednesday.

“Now, David is focused on bringing people together, earning the support of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and anyone who believes Wisconsin is at its best when we work together and deliver results,” Crowley's campaign manager Garren Randolph said in a statement.

Hong’s loss in Wisconsin may have doused the momentum, but it’s far from snuffing it out. A democratic socialist coming close to victory in a battleground state sends a clear message: There’s unignorable angst among the party’s voters.

“We have built something that will change politics forever,” Hong told supporters as the outcome of the race hung in the balance late Tuesday. “The work we have done will be remembered forever. I know we don’t have the final results right now, but what I do know is we are ready to keep fighting.”

Her campaign manager Becky Cooper said after Hong conceded that she was “proud of the race we ran.”

“Our team campaigned clean, our souls are intact and we really made meaningful change for the progressive movement,” she said.

The Associated Press declared Crowley the winner once Hong’s concession removed the possibility of a recount in the exceptionally close race.

Hong could have requested a recount since Crowley’s margin of victory was less than 1 percentage point. But because it was wider than 0.25 points, Hong’s campaign would have had to pay for it.

Sanders and other top progressives stayed out of the Wisconsin race

Progressives had wanted to notch a clear win, but national progressive leaders, most notably Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, sat out the race and did not endorse.

The movement is not entirely aligned. Not all candidates are democratic socialists or have endorsements from Sanders, but they are often tilling similar voter anger with politics and the party: over military aid to Israel, the amount of money wielded in campaigns, the Trump administration’s immigration raids and the high cost of daily life.

In New York City in the June primary elections, two democratic socialist candidates and a progressive came out on top, booting two Democratic incumbents from Congress in the process. All three were backed by the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, himself a democratic socialist who framed the upsets as a question of electing “better Democrats.”

Democrats in Wisconsin are hoping to capitalize on low approval ratings for Trump in a state he won in 2016 and 2024 to retain control of the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to earn full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010.

Wisconsin Democrats are hoping to unite after tight primary battle

Both Hong and Crowley said in the waning days of the race that they expected Democrats to come together and unite to defeat Tiffany, a congressman from conservative, rural northern Wisconsin.

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure we don’t have a MAGA extremist occupying the governor’s office,” Crowley said Sunday.

Democrat David Zimmerman, a 79-year-old retired industrial engineer professor in Madison, voted for Crowley on Tuesday. He said Hong’s chance of beating Tiffany in November “worries me a lot.”

“I think she’s going to have trouble winning,” he said.

The photo finish is just the latest twist in a chaotic primary that saw two major candidates drop out amid scandals. Crowley had also dropped out in early July, but he got back in 10 days later with Gov. Tony Evers’ endorsement.

Both of them crisscrossed the state in the final week, making the case that Crowley was the better matchup against Tiffany in a swing state known for close elections where independent, moderate voters often decide the outcome.

Democratic socialist shook up Wisconsin race, fueled by national movement

Hong, a single mother and former line cook, tapped into Democratic anger with the party’s mainstream and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

The 37-year-old known for sprinkling her comments with profanity and leaning into her edgy and sometimes humorous social media profile excited the liberal wing of the party. Hong called for free childcare and healthcare and a moratorium on artificial intelligence data center construction. But she also wrestled with her past support for defunding the police, saying at the race’s only debate that she would not support cutting law enforcement funding.

She also drew criticism for past social media posts in which she called for canceling Thanksgiving because “we should stop celebrating colonialism” and disparaged Valentine’s Day as “another day capitalism tells you how to show love.”

Hong has since downplayed the posts as her attempt at making jokes.

Chaotic Democratic primary saw candidates drop, come back in

Evers’ decision not to seek a third term created an open race for governor that initially had seven Democrats file to run.

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez appeared to be making a move to consolidate mainstream Democratic support in July, but she dropped out in the middle of the month amid a campaign finance scandal. That led Crowley, who had dropped out a week earlier and endorsed Rodriguez, to get back in the race, this time with Evers’ backing.

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who was seen as an early front-runner after nearly beating Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022, bowed out less than two weeks before the election amid questions about inappropriate behavior.

In one more twist, reporting the results of about 28,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee was delayed until early Wednesday morning after a human error related to uploading the data, the city’s election leader said shortly before midnight Tuesday.

___

Associated Press reporter Jesse Bedayn contributed from Austin, Texas.

In Spring Branch ISD, district police are using the final hours before the first bell to make sure campuses are secure, and officers are prepared for the return of students.

• Mother of 2-year-old brought unconscious to Spring gas station arrested, accused of failing to seek medical attention

The district has 44 schools, and each campus will have at least one police officer assigned to it. High schools will have two officers.

Spring Branch ISD Police Chief Larry Baimbridge says officers have completed active-shooter training and other district-wide training ahead of the new school year.

Police are also checking school doors to make sure they close and lock properly.

“We are obviously in the mode right now for school opening, making sure our schools are in order, making sure our doors are closing and locking properly,” Baimbridge said. “Our officers have all been trained, active shooter training... just making sure they’re ready to go for the start of school.”

• Former Brazoria County deputy charged in fatal Lake Jackson shooting of Texas State student

Once students return, officers will begin their days outside, helping monitor parking lots during arrival and drop-off.

Throughout the school day, officers will move around their campuses, checking doors and hallways and making sure secure areas remain protected.

Baimbridge says officers will also spend time building relationships with students, staff and parents, particularly those who are new to a campus.

The department says the goal is to have officers prepared both for emergencies and for the day-to-day interactions that come with being part of the school community.

Can you believe it? It’s time to send our kids back to school. It seems like summer just started, and for some, it probably did. But, students across Houston are headed back to school this week, and we here at KPRC 2 are doing everything to make sure not only the students are prepared, but so are parents. Keep reading to get all the news you need to know on back-to-school.

As always, follow us for the latest on Click2Houston.com and watch us live on KPRC 2+.

➡️ Love our morning newsletter? Share it with your family and friends!

Weather ⛅

TODAY: 91° TONIGHT: 83°

KPRC Meteorologist says:

“August is the “real” start of the hurricane season. 93% of hurricanes form after August 3rd. However, this is not your typical hurricane season. With an incredibly strong El Nino the numbers will be kept way down this season. Wind shear in the Caribbean is the strongest it’s been since 1979. Oh, and there is some thick Saharan dust over the Atlantic.”

➡️ More weather headlines? Check them out here

Get your forecast details here.

Houston’s Top Headlines 📰

5 masked suspects ambush man while sitting in his garage in southeast Houston

Houston police are searching for five masked suspects after a 29-year-old man was shot multiple times while sitting with his girlfriend inside an open garage Wednesday morning.

The shooting happened around midnight in the 9900 block of Tiltree Street.

Former Brazoria County deputy charged in fatal Lake Jackson shooting of Texas State student

Kevin Tippit, the former Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy involved in the fatal shooting of Texas State University student John Mendoza Jr. in Lake Jackson, has been indicted on a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant, according to the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office.

Tippit was indicted Aug. 6 by a Brazoria County grand jury on the first-degree felony charge.

Mother of 2-year-old brought unconscious to Spring gas station arrested, accused of failing to seek medical attention

The mother of a 2-year-old girl, who was brought unconscious to a Spring gas station and later rushed to a hospital, has been arrested and charged.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says Jazmin Cisneros, 28, allegedly failed to seek medical attention after becoming aware that her child had been physically abused. She has been charged with injury to a child - serious bodily injury and was booked into the Harris County Jail on Tuesday.

Houston firefighters battle scrap metal fire at Ironman Metals near Highway 225

Firefighters responded to a scrap metal fire Tuesday morning at Ironman Metals, a recycling plant located at 1919 Goodyear Drive near Highway 225, according to the Houston Fire Department.

The fire was reported around 6:45 a.m. At its peak, 26 units and around 60 personnel were on scene — including hazmat teams and the Houston Health Department.

League City voters will weigh in on Flock cameras in November, but City Council gets final say

League City voters will get to say whether Flock cameras should stay or go—but they will not necessarily get the final word.

City Council voted Tuesday night to place a proposition on the November ballot asking residents whether the city should continue using Flock Safety’s automated license-plate reader cameras.

Back 2 School

Back-to-school anxiety? Houston area experts share ways parents can help kids adjust to a new grade

As students prepare to head back to the classroom, parents are checking off school supply lists, buying new clothes and getting back into routines. But experts say preparing children emotionally for a new school year is just as important.

Whether your child is starting kindergarten, moving to middle school or simply entering a new grade, it’s normal for them to feel nervous about the transition.

Back to school! Send us your first-day photos on Click2Pins

Friendswood ISD says the start of the school year at Westwood Elementary School will be delayed as the district works to deal with moisture and mold inside the building.

In a letter posted by the district on Facebook, the district said it hired a third-party environmental consultant to conduct air and surface testing in July after campus administration reported increased moisture and additional visible surface mold in portions of the building.

Back-to-School schemes are on the rise: What parents need to know before clicking

The backpacks are packed, the alarms are set and for thousands of Houston-area students, it’s time to head back to class!

Whether you’re snapping that traditional front-door photo before heading to the bus stop, documenting the morning drop-off or catching some interesting weather along the way, share your photos and videos with KPRC 2 through Click2Pins.

When does school start? Here’s when Houston-area districts return for the 2026-27 school year

Summer break is winding down, and students across the Houston area will soon be heading back to the classroom.

Several school districts begin classes during the second week of August, while others won’t welcome students back until later in the month.

Our Inters Produced a newscast - Check it out

On Sunday, our interns streamed a self-produced newscast. Check ot out and let us know what you think.

Things 2 Know 💡

Terry Black’s BBQ is finally coming to Houston, so you can skip the drive to Austin

Healthy eating on a budget: Dietitian shares grocery shopping tips as food prices rise

New study ranks the most and least safest big cities in the country; Where does Houston land on the list?

In case you missed it... 👀

• ICE arrests crime witness who helped Houston police identify shooting suspect
• Body found in retention pond near Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital
• 12-year-old Houston golfer Alaina Villarreal makes her debut on Stephen Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour

Share your Pins! 📷

See a news story in your neighborhood? Capture a great weather moment? Just want to share a photo of your pet? Send your photos and videos to Click2Pins, and you may see them on air and online!

Don’t miss a minute

We’re tracking your forecast, bringing you traffic solutions, and covering important news LIVE from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on KPRC 2 and the KPRC 2+ livestream. Join us today!

After acting to overhaul the nation’s vaccine policy and guidance, the Trump administration had recently largely stepped back from additional changes to focus on less controversial subjects, raising questions over the political impetus behind and implications of the Republican president’s renewed focus on vaccines.

For well over a decade, Trump has expressed his view — against medical groups’ guidance — that childhood vaccines should be administered in smaller doses over a long period of time. The executive order sought to bear out that discredited theory.

While the move could endear Trump to some “Make America Healthy Again” voters who want more flexibility on immunizations, it’s also already attracting attacks designed to hurt Trump’s aligned candidates in November’s midterm elections.

Jayme Franklin, a 28-year-old conservative activist who appeared with the president to promote his executive order on Monday, said she thinks the action is “going to go a long way” for MAHA mom voters like herself.

But Shaughnessy Naughton, president of the left-leaning political action committee 314 Action, which aims to elect doctors to office, said she sees the order as “one more data point” in support of Democrats’ cause.

“Our organization and our candidates are certainly going to hammer that message home — that if you want healthcare that’s accessible and affordable, if you want medical advice that is science-based, we need to have accountability in Washington,” she said.

Trump has long called for shots spread out in separate visits

Trump’s doubt in the number and cadence of vaccines dates back at least to 2014, when he posted to social media the disproven claim that combination shots can cause autism and said if he were president he would spread them out.

While he’s since shown pride in his first-term Operation Warp Speed effort to disseminate COVID-19 vaccines quickly and praised certain other shots like the polio vaccine, he also has repeatedly called for reforming the childhood vaccine schedule. While his administration released an assessment comparing U.S. childhood vaccine schedules to peer nations', several of his suggestions have come without any new scientific evidence.

“This is based on what I feel,” Trump said last September when he called for splitting the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine into three single-disease vaccines.

On Monday, he again pushed for separating the MMR shot into three, ordering the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to work on developing that option for children, since it doesn’t currently exist in the United States. Public health experts have warned that spacing out shots could increase the risk of infection with a vaccine-preventable disease before a child returns for the next visit.

Most Americans don’t see reevaluating vaccine safety as a top issue

Trump’s views have aligned him with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist before he entered politics.

The president credits Kennedy’s diverse coalition of MAHA followers — whose priorities range from regulating pesticides to ending vaccine mandates — with helping him win back the White House in 2024.

Even as the Trump administration has handed several wins to the MAHA coalition, including changing the federal dietary guidelines and loosening restrictions on peptides, some in the movement have grown impatient as their other priorities remain unfinished. It’s unclear whether Trump’s action to loosen vaccine recommendations, an issue some MAHA supporters are passionate about, will be enough to shore up those voters ahead of the midterms.

Franklin, who runs a conservative magazine, said she had talked with Trump about making vaccine recommendations more flexible at a MAHA roundtable earlier this year. She was pleased when the administration informed her that her requests were coming true.

“I think it just really shows he loves to hear from everyday Americans on how his policies and his administration affect the lives of people who are raising kids in this country,” she said.

But political strategists and Trump’s own pollster Tony Fabrizio have warned that efforts to shave down vaccine recommendations may not matter much to most voters this fall.

Polls show most Americans believe children should be vaccinated to attend school, though Republicans are less likely to see vaccines as important. And as rising prices on things like groceries, gas and healthcare tighten Americans’ budgets, many view the economy as a top issue they care about.

“Nothing in America matters more than affordability,” pollster Frank Luntz said. “And anytime the administration or Republicans goes off affordability, they’re not talking about what Americans really care about.”

Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster, said with most Americans viewing vaccines positively, Trump’s announcement “does not strike me as the most persuasive political message.”

Recent polling from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF suggests that even among MAHA supporters, only 10% rank reevaluating vaccine safety as their top priority for the federal government. Higher-ranking priorities included lowering health costs (42%) and restricting chemical additives in the food supply (21%).

Democrats are seizing on Trump’s message

Asked about the timing of the order with the midterms approaching, a White House official who insisted on anonymity to brief reporters said that the move was a longstanding presidential priority and that other health issues voters care about were still being addressed.

To that effect, on the day Trump signed the order, the Food and Drug Administration announced an effort to require more transparency from food manufacturers about new ingredients or additives in foods — something many in the MAHA movement had been calling for.

The administration has also touted its efforts to lower drug prices and crack down on federal health program fraud, which it argues will save taxpayers money.

Still, Democratic candidates, including doctors linked to Naughton’s group 314 Action, seized on Trump’s order in messages to voters this week.

Dr. Richard Pan, a physician running as a Democrat for the U.S. House in Northern California, reposted the American Medical Association's condemnation of Trump's vaccine falsehoods, among other fact checks. He told The Associated Press he thinks voters are deciding between electing people who choose not to hold the administration accountable and those who “stand for the science.”

Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, pleaded with voters not to take health information from Trump in a video posted on Instagram in collaboration with the left-leaning Courier Newsroom.

“Do whatever you can to help elect scientists up and down the ballot in November, including sending me to the U.S. Senate,” she said to the camera. “I cannot think of a more urgent time for us to have a pediatrician in the room where these conversations are happening.”

The shooting happened around midnight in the 9900 block of Tiltree Street.

Police said the victim was shot in the neck, arm and side. Houston Fire Department crews rushed him to the hospital in critical condition. Investigators said he is expected to survive.

“We’ve got one victim, a 29-year-old male. He’s been shot in the neck and the arm and in the side,” HPD Lt. R. Wilkens said.

His 22-year-old girlfriend was not injured.

• Mother of 2-year-old brought unconscious to Spring gas station arrested, accused of failing to seek medical attention

According to Wilkens, the couple was at the home sitting inside the garage with the garage door open. They told investigators they were having drinks when five people wearing masks approached the property.

Police believe the group walked along the side of the yard, moved toward the front of the home, and then entered the garage.

Investigators said the first person who entered was carrying what Wilkens described as a short-barreled rifle.

The armed suspect began yelling at the 29-year-old, according to police.

That is when his girlfriend ran inside the house.

Police said she locked herself inside another room and hid because she did not know what was about to happen.

Investigators said the other four suspects entered the garage after the first armed person.

A fight then started inside the garage.

Police believe 20 or more shots were fired during the confrontation.

Officers later recovered two firearms and numerous shell casings at the home.

Investigators are still working to determine who fired the weapons. Wilkens said police had not determined whether the 29-year-old victim also fired a gun during the confrontation.

The victim was quickly taken to the hospital, preventing investigators from immediately getting a detailed statement from him about what happened inside the garage.

Police said all five suspects ran from the property on foot after the shooting.

Once the gunfire stopped and the group was gone, the victim’s girlfriend came out of the room where she had been hiding.

“When the shooting was done and the individuals took off running on foot, that’s when the female came out of the house hiding and found her boyfriend shot up,” Wilkens said.

She then called for help.

Neighbors who heard the commotion also came outside and tried to help before first responders arrived, according to police.

Investigators said one of the biggest unanswered questions is why five masked people came to the home.

Police have not determined whether the group intended to rob the couple or whether the suspects knew the 29-year-old and specifically targeted him.

“We don’t know if it was a robbery, or if it was some kind of vendetta and they knew this guy,” Wilkens said. “So we’re trying to figure that out.”

• Houston firefighters battle scrap metal fire at Ironman Metals near Highway 225

Investigators have limited information about what was said inside the garage.

Wilkens said the girlfriend ran inside shortly after the first armed suspect entered, meaning she did not hear much of the exchange between the group and her boyfriend.

Police also have not released detailed descriptions of the five suspects beyond saying they were wearing masks. Investigators believe at least several were men, but they have not confirmed the sex of all five people.

Investigators are asking people who live near the 9900 block of Tiltree Street to check home surveillance cameras for video recorded around the time of the shooting.

Police hope cameras in the neighborhood captured the five suspects as they approached the home or ran away afterward.

“We feel like we’ll figure out who these folks are. We’re just going to need some help,” Wilkens said.

Anyone with information or surveillance video related to the shooting is asked to contact HPD’s Major Assaults Division.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Click here for the Spanish version.

El tiroteo ocurrió alrededor de la medianoche en la cuadra 9900 de Tiltree Street, en Houston.

La policía informó que la víctima recibió disparos en el cuello, un brazo y un costado. Paramédicos del Departamento de Bomberos de Houston lo trasladaron al hospital en condición crítica. Investigadores dijeron que se espera que sobreviva.

“Tenemos una víctima, un hombre de 29 años. Recibió disparos en el cuello, el brazo y el costado”, dijo el teniente R. Wilkens, del Departamento de Policía de Houston.

Su novia, de 22 años, no resultó herida.

La pareja estaba tomando bebidas dentro del garaje

Según Wilkens, la pareja estaba en la vivienda, sentada dentro del garaje con la puerta abierta. La mujer dijo a los investigadores que estaban tomando algunas bebidas cuando cinco personas enmascaradas se acercaron a la propiedad.

La policía cree que el grupo caminó por un costado del patio, llegó hasta la parte delantera de la casa y entró al garaje.

Investigadores dijeron que el primer sospechoso que entró llevaba lo que Wilkens describió como un rifle de cañón corto.

Según la policía, esa persona comenzó a gritarle al hombre de 29 años.

En ese momento, la novia de la víctima corrió hacia el interior de la casa.

La policía dijo que la mujer se encerró en otra habitación y se escondió porque no sabía qué iba a ocurrir.

Una pelea termina con más de 20 disparos

Según investigadores, los otros cuatro sospechosos también entraron al garaje.

Fue entonces cuando comenzó una pelea.

La policía cree que se hicieron 20 disparos o más durante el enfrentamiento.

Los agentes recuperaron dos armas de fuego y numerosos casquillos en la propiedad.

Investigadores todavía intentan determinar quién disparó cada arma. Wilkens dijo que tampoco han determinado si la víctima de 29 años hizo algún disparo durante el enfrentamiento.

El hombre fue trasladado rápidamente al hospital, por lo que los investigadores no habían logrado obtener una declaración detallada de su parte sobre lo ocurrido dentro del garaje.

La novia salió de su escondite y encontró a su pareja baleada

La policía dijo que los cinco sospechosos huyeron a pie después del tiroteo.

Cuando dejaron de escucharse los disparos y el grupo se había ido, la novia de la víctima salió de la habitación donde permanecía escondida.

“Cuando terminó el tiroteo y las personas huyeron corriendo, fue cuando la mujer salió de la casa, de donde estaba escondida, y encontró a su novio baleado”, dijo Wilkens.

La mujer llamó a la policía para pedir ayuda.

Vecinos que escucharon lo ocurrido también salieron de sus casas e intentaron ayudar antes de la llegada de los equipos de emergencia, según HPD.

¿Fue un intento de robo o conocían a la víctima?

Una de las principales preguntas para los investigadores es por qué cinco personas enmascaradas llegaron hasta esta vivienda.

La policía todavía no ha determinado si el grupo intentaba robar a la pareja o si los sospechosos conocían al hombre de 29 años y fueron específicamente a buscarlo.

“No sabemos si fue un robo o si fue algún tipo de venganza y conocían a este hombre”, dijo Wilkens. “Eso es lo que estamos tratando de determinar”.

Los investigadores tienen información limitada sobre lo que se dijo durante el enfrentamiento.

Wilkens explicó que la novia corrió hacia el interior de la casa poco después de que entrara el primer sospechoso armado. Debido a esto, la mujer no escuchó gran parte de la conversación entre el grupo y su novio.

La policía tampoco ha dado a conocer descripciones detalladas de los cinco sospechosos, aparte de señalar que llevaban máscaras. Los investigadores creen que al menos varios eran hombres, aunque no han confirmado el sexo de las cinco personas.

HPD pide a los vecinos revisar sus cámaras de seguridad

Los investigadores piden a las personas que viven cerca de la cuadra 9900 de Tiltree Street que revisen las grabaciones de sus cámaras de seguridad alrededor de la hora del tiroteo.

La policía espera encontrar imágenes que muestren a los cinco sospechosos cuando se acercaron a la vivienda o mientras escapaban a pie.

“Creemos que vamos a descubrir quiénes son estas personas. Solo vamos a necesitar un poco de ayuda”, dijo Wilkens.

Cualquier persona con información o video relacionado con este caso debe comunicarse con la División de Agresiones Mayores del Departamento de Policía de Houston.

La investigación continúa.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said a ballistic missile fired from the North's eastern coastal Wonsan area around 6 a.m. flew more than 700 kilometers (435 miles). The Japanese Defense Ministry also detected the launch, saying the weapon landed in waters outside its exclusive economic zone, between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

The launches, within days of each other, were seen as part of North Korea’s extended run of weapons tests as the country has refused to return to talks with the U.S. and South Korea for years. Experts say North Korea often uses its rivals’ military training as a pretext to boost its own testing activities.

South Korea's military said it remains ready to repel any provocation by Pyongyang in cooperation with the United States. South Korea's national security council called North Korean ballistic missile launches “acts of provocation” and urged the North to halt them immediately.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters that Japan strongly protested the North Korean launch through their embassies in Beijing. “It’s a serious problem that affects the safety of the Japanese people,” he said.

The latest launch came two days after South Korea and the United States announced they will kick off their annual large-scale military drills on Aug. 17 to beef up readiness against North Korean threats.

North Korea has previously responded to the Ulchi Freedom Shield training and other major South Korea-U.S. military exercises with provocative weapons tests and harsh rhetoric. The U.S. and South Korea have repeatedly said their training is defensive in nature.

After last year's Ulchi Freedom Shield training exercises began, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the drills showed the U.S. and South Korea's “will to ignite a war” and claimed they have grown more provocative than before, which has prompted North Korea to respond with “proactive and overwhelming” countermeasures.

On Aug. 6, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan detected the launch of a short-range ballistic missile from North Korea in what was the North’s first ballistic weapons testing activity since late June. North Korea didn’t confirm the reported launch, though it usually releases details of weapons tests a day later.

Multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. But North Korea has ramped up ballistic and other weapons testing activities to expand its nuclear and missile arsenals since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Experts say Kim likely hopes to use his enlarged arsenals to wrest concessions from the U.S., such as relaxing international economic sanctions on the North.

In recent years, Kim has boosted his diplomatic footprint by strengthening cooperation with Russia by supplying troops and ammunition to support its war against Ukraine. He's also recently taken steps to bolster ties with China, the country's traditional ally and economic pipeline. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the North Korean capital Pyongyang in June for the first time in seven years.

___

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

It’s not his political ideology. Mizani is a die-hard conservative who, as mayor of Keller, proudly partnered with federal immigration officials, denounced Sharia law and slashed property taxes.

It’s his profession: Mizani is a personal injury lawyer, a career path once so closely intertwined with Democratic politics that both were pushed to the sidelines when Republicans gained control in Texas in the early 2000s.

But now, a quarter century later, some trial lawyers are reclaiming their political relevance by aligning with Republicans. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association, once the de facto war chest of the Texas Democratic Party, sponsored the state GOP convention. Wealthy personal injury lawyers are throwing cash behind conservative candidates, including Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Senate bid.

And trial lawyers themselves are running as Republicans on their record representing “average Texans against powerful insurance companies,” as Mizani said at a candidate forum. “America First Republicans care more about how policy impacts everyday Texans than about corporate profits and special interests,” he added.

Hidden from view of the average Texas voter, this realignment is the result of a complete upheaval of the power base within the Texas GOP. The traditional, business-first Republicans who rose to power by sharply restricting personal injury suits have been supplanted by a MAGA wing that scorns “corporate welfare,” crusades against Big Tech, and is open to the idea that Texas’ legal system has gotten too friendly to big business over the little guy.

Last legislative session, Texans for Lawsuit Reform, the longtime capitol kingmaker responsible for creating Texas’ business-friendly legal environment, saw its efforts to further restrict lawsuits fail for the first time in decades. And now they’re watching, aghast, as Republicans up and down the ballot rake in cash from trial lawyers.

“For decades, TLR would blame every problem on trial lawyers in Texas,” said Adam Loewy, a personal injury lawyer and social media political commentator who has recently begun donating heavily to GOP candidates. “The Republican grassroots, they don’t believe that shit anymore. And that’s very different from 25 years ago.”

“Own goals”

In the 1970s and 80s, Texas was the “Wild West of lawsuits,” where plaintiffs’ lawyers routinely won massive judgments on behalf of injured clients. The companies who were forced to pay up saw this as a runaway system of jackpot justice. And they loathed the wealthy, flamboyant trial lawyers who bankrolled the Democratic politicians running the state.

Things came to a head in 1987, after legendary Texas trial lawyer Joe Jamail won the largest civil verdict in U.S. history — $10.5 billion against Texaco. The “King of Torts,” as Jamail was known, then bragged in front of the 60 Minutes cameras about his donations to the Texas Supreme Court, in a segment that exposed Texas’ brand of civil justice to the masses.

“That was an own goal,” said Guy Choate, a San Angelo attorney who led the Texas Trial Lawyers Association in 2005. “The GOP really attached onto that and was able to win a bunch of Supreme Court seats out of it.”

Amid the public outrage, a new group entered the scene — Texans for Lawsuit Reform, promising to put guardrails on the state’s overrun civil justice system.

“They came in with a big bang, because they gave unprecedented amounts of money to Republican candidates, which previously hadn’t been done,” said Bill Miller, a lobbyist and political consultant who worked with TLR in the early days. “They played big, and they found a lot of success.”

After TLR’s millions helped Republicans capture the Texas House in 2003, legislators returned the favor. They enacted the nation’s most sweeping tort reform policy, sharply limiting medical malpractice payouts and reining in what they saw as frivolous lawsuits against corporations. GOP lawmakers cut taxes and regulations and passed more laws reinforcing Texas’ business-friendly legal environment, helping usher in the boundless economic growth the party promoted as the “Texas Miracle.” TLR became the clearinghouse for tens of millions of dollars in political donations from business leaders eager to support aligned candidates.

Trial lawyers, meanwhile, were in the political wilderness, painted as craven scammers who exploited the legal system to line their own pockets. When now-Gov. Greg Abbott ran for attorney general in 2002, he hammered his Democratic opponent, Kirk Watson, for being a “plaintiff personal injury trial lawyer.”

Even as TLR made embracing tort reform a prerequisite to be considered a Republican, there were then, as there are now, Republican trial lawyers. Some of them even supported tort reform and condemned their colleagues who they felt had abused the system.

“These are people that don’t make any bones about it, that they feel more politically aligned with [Republicans],” Choate said. “But TLR had been so effective that they made trial lawyer money just toxic. You’d get primaried by TLR just for talking to a trial lawyer.”

Over the years, the party TLR helped build began to shift — grassroots conservatives gained ground, other donors came on the scene and lawsuit reform faded from the headlines as the tort reformers quashed the trial lawyers. But TLR’s deep pockets and political instincts kept it relevant. In 2014, when right-wing state Sen. Dan Patrick edged out incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the primary, forcing a runoff, TLR abandoned its endorsement of Dewhurst to back the winning horse. Patrick, the group said, was “a tort reform stalwart who has consistently refused to accept political contributions from personal injury trial lawyers.”

For a time, it seemed old-school business interests could work alongside the party’s growing MAGA influence. But the schism was widening, especially as TLR grew more vocal in its opposition to Paxton and the cloud of legal and ethical allegations that had long hung over him. In 2022, TLR gave Eva Guzman, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, $3 million to take on Paxton in the primary, hoping the pro-business faction that had found favor before the high court would follow suit.

She lost, and Paxton returned for a third term with his supporters wary of anyone who had opposed him. The next year, when a majority of House Republicans impeached Paxton, TLR was blamed as the architect of the whole scheme. TLR’s founders denied any involvement, but the damage was done.

“I call that the COVID moment,” said James Wesolek, the founder of Republicans Against Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a new advocacy group that goes by its acronym, RATLR. “That was the moment where everyone realized that TLR wasn’t their friend anymore.”

“A different kind of Republican”

At the Texas Republican Convention earlier this year, Wesolek spoke to a packed room for his talk on “exposing TLR’s liberal agenda.” He brought stacks of four-inch binders detailing every time he believed TLR had betrayed Republican values — by donating to Democrats, supporting GOP incumbents over the hell-raisers primarying them, and pushing corporate-friendly policies.

“TLR is protecting big business, big insurance and criminals, which actively hurts Texans,” Wesolek said. “TLR is fighting against our values. TLR is fighting against what defines us as Texans.”

If the last few years wasn’t proof enough, the cheers from the crowd made clear that the Republican Party TLR helped build is no more. In its place stands an angrier, edgier insurgency less interested in propping up big business than destroying the systems they believe are keeping Texans poor, unhealthy and under the thumb of a government hell bent on taking their freedoms.

Party leaders are catering to this brand of MAGA populism. On the campaign trail, Paxton and Abbott are matching the Democrats’ talk about affordability, health insurance and housing prices. Abbott has vowed that data centers must pay their own way if they’re coming to Texas, and Paxton is touting his lawsuits against Tylenol, Lululemon, Meta and Dow Chemicals.

In this environment, trial lawyers are finding an opening.

“Republican voters are saying, people should be able to be compensated when someone injures them,” Choate said. “This is a really different kind of Republican, more populist, more MAGA, whatever you want to call it, but they’re talking about this issue.”

The cause has found purchase among a new class of GOP lawmakers, many of whom swept into office after Paxton embarked on a revenge tour to help unseat lawmakers who voted to impeach him. Some of these new firebrands are themselves lawyers who work on the plaintiff side.

Marc LaHood, best known for the billboards bearing his face and law practice across San Antonio, ousted TLR-backed Rep. Steve Allison. Mitch Little, Paxton’s attorney, won a North Texas seat by defeating a conservative Republican whose main blemish was voting to impeach Little’s client.

Little rejects the term “trial lawyer” as overly broad and notes that he doesn’t handle personal injury cases. He says he came into office opposed to the idea that he owed anyone a vote based on his profession or party affiliation.

“You’re with the plaintiff’s personal injury bar, or you’re with a Republican PAC that supports capitalism and the American way of life and the Texas way of business,” was the sentiment Little says he encountered. “In my view, like most things in life, it’s just not that binary.”

In their first session, Little and LaHood helped shut down one of TLR’s main priorities, a bill that would have further capped lawsuit payouts. TLR also accused LaHood of blocking another priority bill, which would have made it harder to sue trucking companies, in a blistering letter to its members in which they accused him of being “not philosophically aligned with the business community.”

LaHood replied in kind: “For too long, the powerful have exploited and abused the powerless. I am proud of my record, and I stand by it. I’m not here to help run over regular people.”

As TLR smarted, the trial lawyers pounced. Arnold & Itkin, a Houston personal injury firm, kicked in $10 million to start a PAC aimed at funding candidates who defied TLR. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association gave LaHood half a million dollars to successfully fend off a TLR-funded primary challenger. Loewy and other individual trial lawyers also opened their wallets to Republican candidates, supporting candidates all the way up to the top of the ticket with Paxton.

“It’s very much a one-issue thing. If someone’s with us, like Mitch Little, even if I disagree with some of his other positions, I’m happy to support them,” Loewy said. “You now have serious, serious funding from trial lawyers funding people on the right who are with us on this issue.”

The GOP convention was proof of the new world order. TLR sponsored the event, as always, but so did Wesolek’s group, RATLR. And, this year, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association was right there with them.

In a statement, TTLA President Craig Eiland said the group is not affiliated with either party and supports any candidate who shares its mission of “keeping the courthouse doors open with laws that are fair for all Texans … These are non-partisan issues that reflect the fundamental values of most Texans.”

While Wesolek spoke on stage, Ryan Patrick, the new president of TLR, stood in the back of the convention hall, listening in. The son of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, he was brought on after last session to chart a new path forward for TLR, one that’s adapting to the new era of GOP politics where his group is increasingly seen as a bastion for “Republicans in name only.”

“TLR has sins, real and imagined, that we need to atone for,” Patrick said. “We know not everybody is always going to agree with us, and it’s going to create political realities that not everyone understands and likes. But if I was some sort of in-disguise RINO, I’d be cut out of the family will.”

Patrick believes he can win back the conservative grassroots and find common ground with groups like RATLR.

But the trial lawyers? That’s a different situation.

“The whole argument that there was a time and place for TLR, and we should move on, a lot of that is funded by trial attorneys, some of them Republican trial attorneys,” Patrick said in a recent interview. “Our issue set impacts their wallet, it just does.”

Trial lawyers are a Trojan horse, TLR’s leaders believe, taking advantage of infighting to infiltrate Republican politics, undo lawsuit reform and usher in liberal candidates. Patrick points out that TTLA, and many individual trial lawyers, are still giving heavily to Democrats and their causes.

TLR is trying to fight back by emphasizing tort reform as an affordability issue that helps everyday Texans, not just those that have dealt with the legal system.

Families, Patrick said, are “making a decision between, are we buying groceries, are we paying rent [or] are we getting car insurance?” Insurance companies drive insurance rates, he said, “and when they see the increases in litigation, when they see the increases in verdicts, they’re going to price that in.”

But it’s been a hard message for TLR to sell after decades of positioning themselves at the forefront of Texas’ business boom, and as their foes cast them as a deep state-type actor lined up against the Paxton wing.

If the Republican primaries are any guide, TLR might face another difficult year at the Legislature. LaHood defeated a TLR-backed primary challenger, as did two other Republicans targeted by the group for opposing its priority bills. And Mizani took down his opponent, who TLR spent over $300,000 to boost.

Already, Mizani has positioned himself as a potential dissident against TLR’s push for further tort reform. On X, he recently said that Texas already has strong laws to prevent frivolous lawsuits, and the focus should be on ensuring those safeguards don’t harm injured Texans.

“We can protect businesses from abusive litigation while also protecting the constitutional right of injured Texans to have their day in court,” he said. “Those objectives aren’t mutually exclusive.”

For trial lawyers, used to nothing but further restrictions from the Legislature, this nod toward moderation feels like a victory.

“They’re certainly not just falling down for trial lawyers or victims,” Choate, the San Angelo trial lawyer, said of the new crop of Republican legislators. “They do have an ear, and they will listen, and that is different.”

Disclosure: Meta, Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Texas Trial Lawyers Association have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in The Texas Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

But in April, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested the family, who immigrated from Iran more than a decade ago, after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told immigration officers to revoke their permanent legal status. ICE separated the family, sending them to two different Texas detention centers.

For the past 123 days, the teen and his mother have lived in an immigrant detention facility in Dilley, where he and other detainees share their rooms with swarms of cockroaches, spiders and mosquitoes, he wrote in a sworn affidavit. Meanwhile, his father is at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall.

“We have been put through hell for the past four months, and our physical and mental health have deteriorated in ways that might not be reversible for years,” Maryam Tahmasebi, his mother, wrote in The Nation on Tuesday. “We are only allowed to speak with my husband for 10 minutes every two weeks, under supervision.”

The teen is one of at least 60 children who the Trump administration has held in the Dilley detention center for 100 days or more — far exceeding the 20-day limit for detaining immigrant children — according to a Texas Tribune analysis of federal government data.

On average, children in the Dilley detention center spend 25 days there — but in a six-month period ending in December, that average peaked at 47 days, according to the Tribune’s analysis.

The teen, who is only identified by his initials — S.M.H. — in court documents, said in a sworn declaration that being arrested and detained was “terrifying” and he has lost 10 pounds since his arrest.

His four months of detention is illegal, the family’s lawyers argued in court documents, because it’s six times more than the limit set by a federal court in what’s known as the Flores settlement, a legal agreement from a 1985 class-action lawsuit accusing the federal government of mistreating children in immigration detention.

U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee in California, who oversees the Flores settlement, said in a court hearing in June she plans to appoint a monitor to force the Trump administration to comply with the agreement. The case is currently before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In President Trump’s first term, his administration attempted to end the Flores settlement. Now the administration is trying again to end the agreement, arguing in court that it’s “outdated” and “judicial micromanagement” of its immigration policy.

In a statement to the Tribune, the Department of Homeland Security called the settlement “a tool of the left that is antithetical to the law and wastes valuable U.S. taxpayer funded resources.”

ICE also said in a July court filing that Dilley’s average length of stay was ballooning because of a small number of detainees who are being held longer after being declared national security risks, among other reasons.

In the first year after the March 2025 reopening of the Dilley facility, the country’s only detention center for families, the Trump administration held around 3,000 children for deportation there — more than half of them for more than 20 days.

The Biden administration had ended the practice of detaining families and closed the Dilley facility before the Trump administration reopened it last year as part of its mass deportation efforts.

“The facility is in perpetual violation of the law,” said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio. Castro, who has made seven oversight visits to the Dilley detention center, has demanded that the Trump administration shut down the facility.

Immigrant children’s rights lawyers have renewed their legal fight against the federal government, claiming the conditions at Dilley and prolonged confinement is evidence the Trump administration is violating the Flores settlement. As part of the ongoing legal dispute, lawyers have collected testimony from families, including children, who describe rotting food, non-potable water and lack of medical attention.

The teenager’s father, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2014. His wife and S.M.H. then 5, followed a year later. Hashemi found a job teaching psychology at The Chicago School, while Tahmasebi teaches psychology and statistics at Los Angeles Pierce College, a community college in the San Fernando Valley. In 2016, the family received their green cards.

S.M.H. described himself as “an average American kid” in his court affidavit. Outside of school, he read Japanese comic books and played video games.

But to the Trump administration, the teenager and his parents’ presence in the country is a foreign policy risk. Their arrests came just over a month after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran.

Rubio wrote an April memo to immigration officials that he believed the family’s green cards should be revoked. Rubio cited a little used immigration law that allows the secretary of state to seek the deportation of specific people for foreign policy reasons.

Their presence in the U.S., Rubio wrote, could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” and “undermines U.S. foreign policy interests.” The reason, he wrote, is because 47 years ago, S.M.H’s then-19-year-old grandmother, Masoumeh Ebtekar, served as a spokesperson for a university student group that held 52 American citizens hostage for 444 days inside the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the Islamic revolution.

“It is shameful that Secretary Rubio takes the position that children should be held accountable for the acts of their parents and grandparents,” said Curtis Morrison, a lawyer in the family’s legal team.

In her article, Tahmasebi wrote that she, her husband and son have never been accused of a crime while living in the U.S. “Not even a traffic ticket.”

“I have struggled to understand how this can happen to people who have never broken the law, in a system I believed to be based on the rule of law,” she wrote.

The family’s lawyer has filed a petition for their release, arguing that for S.M.H., California “is the only home he has known, and he is closely bound to his family, friends, school, and community there.”

The U.S. State Department didn’t respond to a request for comment. But after the family’s arrest in April, it released a statement saying the administration “will never allow America to become a home for foreign nationals tied to anti-American terrorist regimes.”

A DHS spokesperson said the family “posed a clear threat” to the country’s foreign policy and national security. The department also pushed back against detained children’s complaints about conditions at Dilley.

“All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries,” the spokesperson said.

Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, which operates the detention center, defended the company’s practices and said it has no control over how long children are detained.

He said staff regularly clean the facility and drink the same water that detainees do — he added that the water quality is tested regularly. He also pointed to a recent ICE report that said Dilley “has maintained core Flores-related services” such as medical and mental health care, sanitation and food service. The report cited education as an area that needs improvement; Gustin said the company has been working to address that.

Attorneys in contact with detained children have called this report “a fiction of compliance.”

Teen calls Dilley experience “a nightmare”

Like the teen from California, O.S. was also arrested and held for months at Dilley when he was 16.

In June 2025, immigration officers arrested the teenager, his mother, Hayam El Gamal, and four siblings when his father, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, according to prosecutors, threw Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israel demonstration in Colorado. A state judge sentenced Soliman to life in prison earlier this year after he pleaded guilty to 101 charges including murder.

The rest of the Egyptian family, however, was never charged with any crimes. They also said they were estranged from Soliman and did not know about his plan to attack the event. Still, they were detained for 323 days at Dilley before their release in April.

“With the El Gamal family, the Trump administration began to set a precedent whereby innocent people could be punished for the actions of others,” said Eric Lee, an attorney for the family. “And that has no place whatsoever in a democratic society.”

O.S. called the experience “a nightmare.”

“This prolonged detention has and continues to destroy our lives,” the boy wrote in a letter in March. “It is slowly killing us on the inside.”

His family also raised concerns about moldy food and lack of adequate medical care. O.S. wrote that a dentist in the facility found that his 5-year-old sister had 13 cavities but didn’t properly treat them. The girl’s pain became so unbearable that she would cry for hours, and staff treated her with painkillers for two months before their release, he added.

Their deteriorating mental health and complaints about the facility’s conditions are similar to what many detained families have said after being held in Dilley.

A 13-year-old girl who grew up in Miami before she and her mother were arrested by immigration officers during a periodic check-in had spent 90 days in the detention center when she wrote in her court declaration that if she had to “describe Dilley with one word, it would be ‘horrible.’

“It is awful to be inside here all the time and feel like you’re locked up,” she added.

These experiences can also stay with the children long after they leave the facility. O.S., for instance, said it had been difficult to return to normal life after his family’s release in April.

“Being at Dilley distances kids from the real world and takes away all the normalcy from everything,” he wrote in a court declaration weeks later. “After you get released, the effects are still there. Nothing is normal anymore because you live in fear of going back to that place.”

“There’s no humane way to detain a child”

Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates’ have called for Dilley to be shut down, saying holding children in such conditions is causing harm to innocent families.

Over the past year, Castro, the San Antonio congressman, has visited detention centers in Texas, including Dilley, to document the conditions immigrants are living in. The vast majority of people detained in Dilley do not have a criminal record so it doesn’t make sense to treat them like criminals, he said.

“People were very desperate and traumatized, and you can see it in their faces,” Castro said in an interview. “The kids are usually either shellshocked and just quiet and detached, or they’re very overcome by emotion sometimes. But most of all, they don’t understand why they’re there.”

Leecia Welch, a lawyer with Children’s Rights who has visited Dilley a dozen times and interviewed children held there, said in a court filing that some would also cry all night, isolate themselves or have panic attacks.

Welch told the Tribune that the concerns for children become more extreme the longer they stay in custody: “A hundred days for any of us feels like a long time, but 100 days is an eternity in the life of a child.”

Sural Shah, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health, said children should not be in a detention center and is concerned the federal government wants to get rid of the Flores settlement.

“There’s no humane way to detain a child,” Shah said.

Complaints about food, education

Tahmasebi, S.M.H.’s mother, said that her son, who only speaks English and has only had schooling in California, is “struggling to understand why the only country he considers home is treating him this way.”

At the time S.M.H. wrote his affidavit, he and his mother had been in the Dilley facility for 100 days.

He said staff routinely yell at children and deny anything they ask for — such as the pizza and cupcakes the staff brings from outside for themselves.

“It’s really hard for them to see it and have that food be just another thing they are denied here,” S.M.H. wrote.

He added: “They don’t seem to really know how to actually deal with and work with children,” he wrote. “They all trash talk and gossip about residents everywhere. It’s like watching Mean Girls but irl,” he added, referencing the teen comedy movie and using the textism for “in real life.”

The food they’re served, he wrote, is “terrible and unhealthy.” And the food detainees can buy at the commissary is mostly junk food.

Gustin, the CoreCivic spokesperson, said detainees receive “three nutritious meals a day, plus snacks” from a dietician-approved menu.

S.M.H. wrote that he missed his friends, and school.

At the Dilley facility, the education is “non-existent” compared to what he was getting in California, S.M.H. wrote. He added that classes are more geared toward younger kids, with “nothing for teenagers.”

Back home, he was arrested just before his class was scheduled to do a pig dissection in his biology class.

“Maybe I will get to do some of the biology things I missed when I go to college,” he wrote.

First, we’ve hired one of the leading education reporters in Texas: Megan Menchaca. Megan joins us from The Houston Chronicle, where she’s led coverage of the Texas Education Agency’s historic takeover of Houston ISD — scooping the competition with critical news such as the state’s extension of the intervention and the sudden replacement of state-appointed managers.

Megan’s coverage is additive as our excellent K-12 reporter, Jaden Edison, remains in place. Growing the team allows us to tell the story of education in Texas with more depth and resources. We’ll continue focusing on the latest news while also digging into the biggest questions: Are our children being set up to succeed? Are our schools getting the resources they need? Megan is based in Houston, where there’s no better place to explore those questions.

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But that’s not all we have planned for the region. This summer, we added a Houston regions reporter. And we filled that role with a Tribune veteran: former mental health reporter Stephen Simpson.

Four years ago, we created our regions team around the idea that you can’t tell the story of government and politics in Texas exclusively inside the halls of power. You must spread across the state to explore the impact our leaders have and to hear the needs of Texans that are worthy of policymakers’ attention. That work started in less populous areas with regional reporters in East Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, the Permian Basin and the High Plains. But Stephen’s new position expands that work in the Houston area, a region more populous than most states and whose diversity, economy, weather and culture create impact far beyond its borders.

Stephen moved to Houston last month, and his impact is already on display. He helped anchor our coverage of the fatal shooting of a Houston man by an ICE agent — our team has written nearly three dozen stories on the topic — and he’s penned a moving feature about how a youth soccer club for at-risk youth is threatened by federal cuts.

Stephen and Megan grow an already strong reporting presence in Houston, joining our general assignment reporter Colleen DeGuzman, climate reporter Emily Foxhall and investigative reporter Lomi Kriel there.

These moves are made with our broader mission in mind: Seek the truth so Texans can govern themselves. We want to fearlessly tell the story of this state with nuance, complexity, expertise and authority. We hope you’ll keep reading and sharing that work.

In other contests, experience was rewarded in two governors’ races and voters went for generational change in voting out a House incumbent.

For Republicans, a contest to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham pitted his sister, Darline Graham, against far more experienced candidates. But she also had the endorsement of President Donald Trump, and she secured a spot in a runoff election later this month.

Here are some takeaways from the night’s elections.

In Wisconsin, verdict anything but clear for Democrats’ direction

Crowley eked out a stunningly narrow, surprise win that did not become clear until the predawn hours of Wednesday, but that seemed to settle little in the party’s national battle between party establishment candidates and an insurgent, populist movement from the left.

Crowley’s win by less than a percentage point over state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, showed neither side of the party debate was winning the argument convincingly.

A week earlier, Michigan’s Democratic primary for an open U.S. Senate seat came down to roughly 15,000 votes — a margin of a percentage point — as progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed edged four-term U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who had the support of Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.

In both Midwestern battleground states, presidential elections have been decided by tiny margins in recent cycles, making midterm statewide elections proxies for the 2028 race for the White House.

Trump won Wisconsin in 2024 and its state legislature has long been in the hands of the GOP, but Democrats have been bullish about reversing that trend. The pressure will now be on Crowley to knit together the divergent wings of the party against Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.

Democrats in neighboring Minnesota weren’t as torn. They solidly supported progressive Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan over centrist Rep. Angie Craig. But there are obvious differences — Minnesota has been reliably Democratic for several elections, albeit by smaller margins. And Flanagan has already won statewide elections before.

Nonetheless, Republicans are hopeful the divisive, bitter primary gives their candidate, sportscaster Michele Tafoya, a chance in November.

Family name + Trump nod = runoff spot for Graham in South Carolina

Darline Graham advanced to a runoff Tuesday night in the primary for her brother’s seat. She was appointed to fill the remaining months of his current term after his death last month. While little was known about her, the family name and the goodwill toward her brother propelled her candidacy.

Trump then endorsed her in the GOP primary to occupy the seat for the next six years. He also praised her Tuesday night after returning to Washington. The role Trump chooses to play in the next two weeks could be decisive in a state where he is quite popular.

A who’s who of conservative South Carolina politicians also competed for the rare prize of a Senate seat, and Rep. Ralph Norman, a durable conservative who finished second, will face off against Graham in two weeks. Both candidates will need to consolidate votes from the other challengers to win.

Another veteran Democrat goes down in race over generational change

Connecticut Rep. John Larson became the latest Democratic stalwart to lose his primary. The 78-year-old, who served 14 terms in the House, was defeated by former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin.

Larson’s loss didn’t have the ideological overtones that have dominated some other Democratic House primaries, where younger, socialist candidates ousted veteran House members in Denver and New York City. But there was a definite generational cast, with his 47-year-old challenger arguing voters deserved a different choice in the overwhelmingly Democratic district.

Larson is the 10th member of the House to lose a primary this year, in a sign of bipartisan fury with each party’s veterans.

While that tally includes three Republicans, the rest are Democrats. After Joe Biden’s collapse during the 2024 presidential election — and the deaths of four Democratic House members over the past 18 months — it’s clear that Democratic voters are casting a very critical eye on elderly party members.

Minnesota Republicans reject MyPillow founder, a Trump favorite

Trump backed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell’s campaign for his party’s nomination for Minnesota governor. Lindell has been a prolific peddler of lies about American elections, including Trump’s own false claims that fraud cost him the presidency in 2020. Lindell has claimed that elections in the United States have been “rigged” for decades.

Democrats were eager to have Lindell at the top of the ticket, hoping he’d drag down the entire state GOP. Instead, Minnesota Republicans chose a more traditional nominee, House Speaker Lisa Demuth.

It’s yet another loss for Trump in Republican governors' primaries, after his preferred candidates fell short in Georgia and Iowa. And it improves Republicans’ odds in Minnesota in what’s shaping up to be a difficult year for the party, especially after Trump’s immigration crackdown roiled the state’s biggest city in January.

Experience and resume still mattered in some races

While much of this year’s midterm campaign cycle has been animated by new candidates with provocative progressive messages and by the fact that being an incumbent seemed like a liability, Democratic voters in Connecticut and Minnesota gravitated toward the familiar in their respective choices for governor.

Connecticut’s two-term Gov. Ned Lamont defeated his progressive challenger in the state’s Democratic primary while Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who first won her seat 20 years ago, easily won her state’s nomination for governor.

Their victories ran counter to any trend toward younger, more progressive candidates who had scored surprising wins in several House primaries, and notably, in the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan last week. Lamont began his political rise as an insurgent challenger to incumbent Sen. Joe Lieberman but is now considered establishment. Klobuchar has a reputation as a bipartisan consensus-builder.

Trump downplayed the extraordinary nature of the subterfuge involved in his flight, which saw him stow away in an airport catering container to sneak onto another plane while Air Force One was sent into the sky, essentially as a decoy.

He also downplayed the risk to the people — White House officials, security and support staff, and reporters — he left on the plane.

“They wanted me to go on a different flight, different plane," Trump told reporters after returning from an event in Ohio, saying he had little choice in the matter.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn't really ask too much about it,” he said. “I get a lot of threats.”

His comments confirmed a report that first appeared in The Washington Post saying that Trump, following a NATO summit last month, was spirited onto a different plane because of a credible threat from Iran. The action was kept secret for weeks, until the newspaper's story.

“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk," Trump said Tuesday, who did not provide many details about the action. But he said the incident did not scare him.

“I don’t worry about anything, to be honest," Trump said. "Whatever it is. You know my attitude? Whatever!”

Presidents often take secret trips — but not like this

Commanders in chief have sometimes kept overseas trips covert for security reasons, with schedules and logistics kept classified until after for safety reasons. But the fact that Trump’s whereabouts were concealed at the time and for weeks afterward is believed to be unprecedented.

“We have absolutely seen the president fly on unmarked or decoy planes before, into Iraq, Afghanistan, other war-zone-like places,” said Garrett M. Graff, author of “Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.”

“But this was an ongoing secret that I don’t think we’ve ever seen before.”

After hiding in the catering vehicle and being moved to the other plane, Trump stopped in Britain, sneaked back aboard the presidential plane undetected, and even later scoffed when asked about potential danger.

“If I go, you go. Right?” he told reporters then — gliding past the fact that if the plane had been shot down, the president wouldn't have been aboard.

Many details about what happened remain unknown

The president's flight out of Turkey made headlines at the time because he had arrived aboard a luxury jet gifted by Qatar, which was not equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems found on older presidential jets.

Trump ended up traveling in a smaller government aircraft from Turkey to the United Kingdom, only to secretly reboard the decoy jet, then descend from it and climb back aboard the Qatari plane.

Presidents have regularly tested the confines of their office, pushing their security advisers to visit war zones as a show of American presence and their own leadership. Usually, this happens in the form of trips that aren't announced until the president is deemed to be out of harm's way.

What’s different this time is that Trump was covertly separated from the rest of his travelers — including the press pool meant to provide independent coverage of the president and his actions — and, instead of informing the public about what occurred once the risk had passed, the White House still hasn't fully revealed what took place.

Graff said the presence of the White House press corps is as much about protecting “the presidency and democracy” as it is about covering the story.

“This shows that the White House just fundamentally doesn’t understand how important that role is,” he said.

Officials have gone to great lengths to keep presidents safe on covert trips before

In 2023, a motorcade pulled away from the White House around 3:30 a.m. on a Sunday, and President Joe Biden later boarded an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used for domestic trips to smaller airports, and flew to Poland. Biden then took a secret, 10-hour overnight train ride to Kyiv meant to show solidarity with Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.

A press pool at the White House had been expecting a quiet Sunday for Biden in Washington. However, two journalists went to Ukraine with him and documented the trip, capturing images of Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walking together.

In Trump's first term, he made a secret Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan in 2019, when officials kept a separate press pool and decoy plane in Florida to maintain the illusion that the president was spending the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Instead, Trump and another group of reporters flew to the U.S. military base at Bagram, where the president served turkey to troops, gave a speech and met with Afghanistan's then-president, Ashraf Ghani, while journalists documented what was occurring.

When President George W. Bush made his first trip to Iraq in 2003, news was not released until he was in the air on the way back to the United States. President Barack Obama made a furtive nighttime visit to Afghanistan in 2010, when he was meant to be spending the weekend at Camp David.

Other risky trips featured presidential misdirection

President Bill Clinton went secretly from India to Pakistan in 2000, attempting to calm tensions in the disputed Kashmir region. He was seen talking with officials in front of a military plane that he appeared to board. Instead, Clinton ducked around the front of the aircraft to another jet parked nearby.

Both planes took off for Islamabad, as did a third jet painted with the familiar baby blue markings of Air Force One.

Joe Lockhart, a White House press secretary for Clinton, noted that reporters knew the president was on one of the planes, “but not which one.” He said he and other officials had briefed the press pool ahead of time and “although they didn’t know all the details, it was made clear” that Clinton “was not going to travel on the plane they were on.

“There was no attempt to hide anything, much less lie about it later,” Lockhart wrote on social media.

Bush was visiting an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida, during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and, after all commercial air traffic was grounded, officials wanted to move him to an undisclosed location.

The full White House traveling press pool flew with Bush from Florida to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, where officials reduced the number of reporters and staff on the plane. Bush and the smaller traveling party next flew to Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base before eventually returning to Washington.

Bush's location remained secret throughout the day. However, the White House did not suggest that the president was somewhere he was not — unlike when Trump was whisked out of Turkey.

“You can imagine the different ways that this could have gone wrong, where, for a period of time, no one would have been able to independently corroborate the status of the U.S. president, or who was in charge of the U.S. government,” Graff said. “And that’s an incredibly dangerous moment for the world.”

Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.

4 crew members and 2 allied fighters killed, Yemen says

Six people were killed Tuesday by Houthis firing missiles on a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Yemeni authorities said.

Yemen's coast guard said the dead included four crew members and two members of the government-allied National Resistance Forces. Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at the Yemeni commercial vessel, according to the Transportation Ministry of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

They are the first known deaths from Houthi attacks on shipping off Yemen in the latest bout of fighting in the Arab country.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran, there has been a renewed focus on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait at Yemen’s southern tip, which is an alternate route for Saudi Arabia to ship its oil.

The deadly vessel strike came amid Houthi attacks on the government-held port city of Mokha on the Red Sea and other areas of the country. Dozens of government troops and civilians have been killed in attacks since last week, according to the Yemeni military.

The strikes are part of an escalation by the Houthis against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government, and the kingdom’s shipping in the Red Sea.

The Houthi attacks could reignite Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesperson, accused Saudi Arabia in a social media post of exploiting the ceasefire to tighten an air and sea blockade it imposed in 2015.

He said the Houthis are open for negotiations but any settlement must include lifting the blockade.

US fires on ship it said was trying to break blockade of Iran

The U.S. military said Tuesday that its forces fired on a Panamanian-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade the American blockade on Iranian ports. The move came as U.S. President Donald Trump tries to keep economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.

U.S. Central Command said the vessel had ignored warnings to stop, prompting an American helicopter to fire missiles into the engine room of the M/V Vela Nova, disabling the ship. The statement did not say whether the ship’s crew suffered any casualties.

Trump on Tuesday night insisted that the U.S. military has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, despite the fact that Iran has kept up its attacks on ships in the waterway, largely impeding traffic there.

“Iran is going fine, going just absolutely fine,” he told reporters after a trip to Ohio. “We totally control the Strait of Hormuz. We have control over it. Nobody else. Only us,” Trump said.

Central Command said it has redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade, disabled three noncompliant vessels and boarded two. The U.S. Navy currently has more than 15 warships, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship, stationed in the waters of the Arabian Sea.

Iran has refused to back down on demands that the U.S. end its blockade of Iranian ports, lift sanctions on the Islamic Republic and fulfill other conditions.

Iran effectively closed the strait after Israel and the U.S. attacked the country on Feb. 28. Attacks on the key waterway — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies passed before the war — and uncertainty around its future have kept energy prices a major focus of U.S. politics ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Pakistani official returns to Iran hoping to ease tensions with US

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveled Tuesday to Tehran for meetings with Iran's foreign minister and other officials.

Naqvi's visit aimed to encourage Iran to resume negotiations with the United States under an interim peace deal brokered by Pakistan in June, two officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted photos from his meeting with Naqvi on his private Telegram channel.

It is Naqvi's sixth trip to Iran as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the U.S.

—Munir Ahmed in Islamabad

Israel criticized at UN meeting over West Bank violence

Five European nations on the Security Council called a meeting Tuesday as Britain’s new U.N. Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh condemned escalating violence across the West Bank, calling settler attacks on Palestinian villages, some alongside Israeli soldiers, “appalling.”

Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory is already “underway -- brutally and relentlessly.” He urged international action to chart a path for Palestinian self-determination and “freedom.”

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon responded by saying: “Israel condemns all violence against Israelis and Palestinians” and “does not tolerate extremism — we confront it.”

Danon said “extremist attacks" by Israelis are declining and accused council members of ignoring “rising” attacks by Palestinians.

Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia

In Syria, a court sentenced former President Bashar Assad along with his younger brother to death for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead.

Assad and his brother Maher, who fled to Russia after insurgents marched into Damascus in December 2024, were sentenced in absentia at the Fourth Criminal Court in the Syrian capital.

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This story has been corrected to state that Bashar and Maher Assad fled to Russia in 2024, not 2014.

The vote took place during a hastily convened meeting of Luxon’s center-right National Party lawmakers at Parliament in Wellington, which was held behind closed doors and ran for more than three hours. Luxon then emerged flanked by his lawmakers to give a brief statement and departed without taking any questions from reporters.

“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting,” he said. “I had the full support of our caucus and our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election.”

Luxon didn’t say how many lawmakers had voted for him to continue in the job, although such ballots are usually a secret.

Hours later, he said in a statement that the vote was prompted by a leadership challenge from his defense minister, Chris Penk, adding that he had removed Penk from his ministerial portfolios. On Wednesday night, Luxon's office distributed a statement from Penk, in which the challenger said he would quit Parliament altogether.

It was Luxon's second confidence vote since April

The vote was the second Luxon had called about his own leadership since April and leaves lingering questions coming so close to the election scheduled for Nov. 7.

The April vote followed drops in polling for National, while this week’s followed recent public remarks Luxon had made on various issues that some in his party saw as gaffes.

On Tuesday, the leader took the rare step of disclosing on social media that he faced renewed rumblings about his leadership, and announcing he would call a meeting of his lawmakers Wednesday to resolve it.

“It is my firm belief that division and disunity are a major distraction only 90 days out from the election,” he wrote on X. “I also believe this distraction is unfair to the New Zealand people, and dedicated National Party candidates, supporters and volunteers, when there is so much at stake.”

National has led a right-wing coalition government since New Zealand’s 2023 election. Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2020, had led the party since 2021.

Defense minister launched showdown

Details of who had prompted the leadership rumblings at first remained a mystery.

Nobody publicly confirmed plans for a leadership bid or expressed intentions to oust their leader, and those whose names were reported speculatively by news outlets denied it.

Several hours after the vote, Luxon named Penk as his challenger and said his now former minister’s position was “untenable.”

Penk, 47, was also the minister for building and construction, and responsible for the security services and space portfolios. A former lawyer who served in Australia’s navy, Penk entered Parliament in 2017.

He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, but in the statement Luxon's office attributed to him, Penk said he had “reflected on my political future with my family tonight” and would not seek reelection in November, effectively ending his political career.

“I am proud of the progress I have contributed to as a Minister this term,” Penk's statement said. “However, I have decided it is the time for me to seek other opportunities to serve New Zealand.”

The statement did not criticize Luxon or reference his leadership bid.

Meanwhile, Luxon’s political opponents lambasted him and his party.

“Backstabbing and infighting just means more delay and more distraction for New Zealand,” said Chris Hipkins, the opposition leader and leader of the center-left Labour party. “If National can’t govern itself, how can New Zealanders trust it to govern the country?”

Luxon’s remarks in recent weeks prompted fresh speculation

Among the recent remarks that appeared to prompt renewed leadership murmurings were comments Luxon made to a business audience earlier this month, when he said some business leaders in the country had a “parent-child mentality” and too often looked to the government for direction. Luxon, who was once an executive at Unilever when he lived in the United States, has always sold himself as a business expert and has sometimes pointed out where he sees New Zealand as falling short of global trends.

When elected, he pledged to use his experience to reverse New Zealand’s economic woes of recent years. This month’s remarks were lambasted, including by some in his own party, as being out of touch while the economy remained sluggish.

He later apologized for the comments. In another episode, he was forced to divulge that he had used a military aircraft to return to Wellington after a political party fundraiser.

Luxon also surprised his lawmakers this month when he promised a referendum on New Zealand’s electoral system if reelected – apparently without first telling his caucus. The episodes were seen among some in his party as an unwelcome distraction ahead of the election and revealing of Luxon’s relative political inexperience.

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This version has corrected that Luxon entered Parliament in 2020, not 2000.

Ademi was just 9 when he last saw his father, Adem Ademi, a prominent surgeon who disappeared along with 22 other intellectuals in April 1999, just months before the end of the war. Some 1,600 people are still missing from the conflict, believed scattered in unmarked mass graves, and Ademi's family had endured years of anguish and disappointments at failed efforts to find his father's remains.

They are now cautiously optimistic because the newly found graves are near to where Ademi was last seen. Excavations near the village of Kalluder e Vogel in the northern municipality of Zubin Potok, started in late July after the discovery of human remains there. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that the authorities believe the victims could be the missing intellectuals, who allegedly were caught as they were trying to flee Kosovo to avoid being rounded up by Serb troops.

“Always, when we hear about the beginning of the excavations, there is a mixed feeling, a feeling of hope and a feeling of pain,” Ademi said. “No matter how many years pass, the feeling of pain will always exist … but at the same time there has always been hope, a feeling that finally the truth will be revealed.”

Kosovo’s missing include roughly 1,200 ethnic Albanians, around 400 ethnic Serbs and dozens of Roma, according to the Humanitarian Law Center rights group.

Some 13,000 people died in Kosovo's war, which saw ethnic Albanians launch a rebellion to gain independence from Serbia. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which Belgrade still does not recognize.

Tensions still simmer. In May 2023, Serbia and Kosovo reached an agreement which included commitments by both sides to clarify the fate of the missing, but Kosovo and Serbia have accused each other of stalling efforts to work together.

“It is obvious that authorities are not willing to cooperate,” said Bekim Blakaj, from the Humanitarian Law Center.

The European Union wants Kosovo and Serbia to normalize ties in order to move forward in their plans to join the bloc.

Police in Kosovo said last month they arrested two ethnic Serbs on suspicion of war crimes in connection with the mass graves, several days before the latest excavations started. The two men remain in custody.

Several top Serbian political and military officials have been tried and convicted of war crimes in Kosovo at a U.N. tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands.

Erblin Ademi clutched the photo of his father holding him as a little boy.

“Every human being has the right to have a grave where they can be visited, where they can be honored, where they can be remembered,” Ademi said. “We are very hopeful that this will be the end, no matter how long the whole process will take, we will wait until we can honor them as they deserve.”

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This story has been updated to correct the name of the village to Kalluder e Vogel, not Upper and Lower Kalluder.

Company spokeswoman Shino Yamada confirmed Wednesday that Okuda had died but said the date and cause of his death were not immediately available. Major Japanese companies are on summer break this week.

Okuda served as president then chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. from 1995 through 2006. In his 45-year career at Toyota, Okuda is especially remembered for having led the development of the gas-electric hybrid Prius, introduced in 1997, a model with the fuel-efficient technology that was ground-breaking at that time.

The Prius became a symbol of the auto industry ’s push for green driving. Okuda was instrumental in helping drive Toyota’s reputation for fuel-efficiency at a time when gas prices were already surging, with models such as its bestseller Camry, as well as the hybrids.

Born in central Japan, the area where Toyota has its headquarters, Okuda graduated in 1955 from the prestigious Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, with a degree in business.

Reputedly outspoken and always ready with a quick laugh, Okuda was unusual in not being from Toyota’s founding Toyoda family, as the leadership at the world’s top automaker tended to be.

He was key in leading Toyota’s global expansion while at the helm, not only in sales, but also production, setting up manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Europe.

Okuda, a black belt in judo, was vocal about his concerns over the possible backlash that Toyota might face, as its growth meant the inevitable dethroning of the American so-called “Big Three,” General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, once synonymous for U.S. manufacturing grandeur.

He liked to emphasize how the auto industry was global and connected, using the term “harmony” to drive home that message.

Toyota and other Japanese automakers like Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. were raking in huge profits, while the Americans were sinking into losses. That helped ring in “Japan-bashing” sentiments starting in the 1980s.

As is still the case today, the cheap yen viewed as giving Toyota and the other Japanese manufacturers an unfair advantage. A cheap yen raises the value of overseas earnings when translated into yen.

Okuda was an adviser on Toyota’s board when Toyota added an American, Jim Press, to its board for the first time, in 2007.

He was also a proponent of promoting younger managers, when that was still relatively rare in Japanese corporate circles, although that usually meant empowering men in their 50s instead of their 60s.

“A company must change when things are going well. There’s no point in trying to change after things start going bad,” he told reporters in 2005.

That emphasis on staying nimble encapsulates Toyota’s basic principle of constantly improving, known as “kaizen,” which, along with just-in-time production, centering on the idea of avoiding huge inventory, is at the core of Toyota’s founding philosophies.

Okuda served as the head of major business lobbies such as the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren; the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association; the Prime Minister’s Economic Strategy Council of Japan and the Japan Federation of Employers’ Associations.

Toyota did not immediately have details on surviving family. Funeral arrangements were being made by the family, and plans may be coming later on a more public formal ceremony, according to the company.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Drought conditions had forced Mohamed and her family to leave Saakoow, a town in the Middle Jubba region more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) away. They moved from village to village before arriving in Baidoa, now a major hub for people fleeing drought, insecurity and food shortages, on Aug. 3.

“We are very hungry and in a desperate situation,” Mohamed said. “We have nothing to eat and can only place our hope in God, as He is the one who sustains us through this ordeal that culminated in our trip.”

The family's journey is one example of a deepening humanitarian emergency in Somalia, where years of drought, conflict and economic pressures are pushing more families from rural communities into displacement camps as hunger rises and humanitarian funding shrinks.

About 2 million people are facing emergency levels of food insecurity, more than double the number recorded last year, according to Plan International, which has provided assistance to more than 200,000 people in Somalia this year. The humanitarian group and Somalia’s Disaster Management Agency are calling for increased international assistance, with concern that the crisis could be compounded by another climate shock later this year.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has projected a greater than 90% probability of El Nino conditions developing from mid-2026 and intensifying during Somalia’s October-to-December rainy season, bringing the severe risk of flooding.

Somalia is highly vulnerable to extreme weather and has experienced repeated cycles of prolonged drought followed by destructive flooding. The shocks have eroded livelihoods, displaced communities, contributed to disease outbreaks and worsened food insecurity.

In Baidoa, hundreds of thousands of people fleeing prolonged drought have gathered in sprawling displacement settlements on the outskirts of the city.

One of them, Habiba Adan, fled her settlement in Awdiinle in the Bay region after four consecutive years of drought destroyed crops and killed livestock. She eventually moved to Baidoa with her two older daughters and now lives in a displacement camp.

Adan would like to return home, but she said continuing drought and failed harvests there have left families with little prospect of rebuilding their lives.

“The drought we are experiencing has stretched for four consecutive years, and this year, most crops have again been decimated,” Adan said. “Farmers were only able to harvest enough to sow their fields for the next season, leaving our future bleak. Here in these camps, we lack food and essential support. We have no food, water, or money, and we sit idly.”

According to Plan International, the city is hosting about 1.6 million people, nearly half of them displaced. It says one in five families lacks reliable access to water, among the most immediate challenges facing displaced families. They are increasingly forced to buy trucked water at steep prices that many simply cannot afford.

Families have nothing left after years of drought

Reena Ghelani, the global CEO of Plan International, visited Baidoa last week, meeting drought-displaced families and visiting a malnutrition ward in the Bay region.

Ghelani said many of the families she met had tried to remain in their communities through successive years of drought, leaving only when their resources were exhausted.

Many fled “after waiting and waiting year after year of drought and just surviving,” Ghelani said. “And now they say there’s nothing left. They have no water. They have no stocks. The animals have died. There is literally nothing left anymore.”

She said rising prices are placing additional pressure on families already struggling to find enough food.

Children are suffering from malnutrition

Data released in May by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitoring system, showed that about half of children under 5 in Somalia were facing acute malnutrition.

Plan International, citing Save the Children, said the number of children receiving treatment for the most dangerous form of malnutrition in Baidoa had nearly tripled over six months.

Dr. Omar Abdikarin, a nutritionist in Baidoa, said patients are arriving for treatment from the Bay as well as the neighboring Bakool and Gedo regions.

“Malnutrition is prevalent in this region, and the majority of patients treated at this hospital suffer from malnourishment,” Abdikarin said.

The health risks extend beyond malnutrition. Ghelani said she encountered children affected by outbreaks of diphtheria, measles, malaria, cholera and acute diarrhea.

The prospect of heavy rainfall later this year presents a new threat to communities facing multiple crises. Intense rainfall and flooding could wash away homes and farmland, contaminate drinking water and force families to move again. Aid agencies warn that the expected El Nino conditions will compound the crisis for countless families before they have had time to recover from prolonged drought conditions.

For families arriving in Baidoa such as Mohamed's, the most urgent question is where to find clean water and food.

Mohamed said her husband had left for farms on the outskirts of the city, in search of work or something for their children to eat. A day after arriving in the city, she was still waiting to find out whether her husband would return with good news.

___ Faruk reported from Mogadishu, Somalia.

___

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Progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota's Democratic U.S. Senate primary over centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig in the latest moderate-vs.-progressive contest in the Democratic Party. In the race for governor, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the GOP primary despite President Donald Trump's endorsement of opponent Mike Lindell, known as the MyPillow Guy. Sen. Amy Klobuchar won the Democratic nomination with minimal opposition.

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong and establishment candidate David Crowley are locked in an extraordinarily tight race in the Democratic primary for governor. The results, delayed by an absentee ballot uploading error, are not expected until early Wednesday. The winner will take on Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in November in an open election that could test the limits of progressives’ appeal in a critical battleground state. In a separate race, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s 26-year-old son-in-law Michael Alfonso won a five-way primary for Duffy’s old U.S. House seat.

And Sen. Darline Graham advanced to a runoff in South Carolina’s special Republican primary to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate. The first-time candidate will face U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who also emerged from a 10-way field in Tuesday's primary. The winner of the Aug. 25 runoff is expected to claim the U.S. Senate seat over the Democratic nominee.

Here's the latest:

Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary hangs in the balance awaiting Milwaukee votes

Early Wednesday, the race between democratic socialist Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley remained too early to call as 28,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee were delayed because of a human error in uploading the results.

Both candidates were waiting for the final ballots to be counted before announcing next steps. If the margin is less than one percentage point, the losing candidate can seek a recount.

“We’re still waiting for all the results to come in,” the Crowley campaign said. “We feel optimistic, but it’s not over until the votes are counted.”

Hong addressed her supporters just before midnight, saying, “I know we don’t have the final results right now, but what I do know is we are ready to keep fighting.”

Milwaukee absentee ballot results delayed

Milwaukee elections officials say a human error will delay reporting the results of about 28,000 absentee ballots by at least an hour.

The ballots could determine the winner in the tight race between democratic socialist Francesca Hong and more moderate challenger Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Milwaukee Election Commission Director Paulina Gutierrez said human error was to blame for audit logs being uploaded onto flash drives instead of ballot results.

Hong spoke to her supporters late Tuesday night, saying, “We are ready to keep fighting.”

Crowley has not addressed his supporters as the race remains too early to call.

Wisconsin democratic socialist says she will keep fighting as governor’s primary race remains tight

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is telling her supporters that she will keep on fighting as the outcome of the Wisconsin Democratic governor’s primary remains too early to call.

Hong did not concede the race or declare victory against Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

“We have built something that will change politics forever,” Hong said. “The work we have done will be remembered forever. I know we don’t have the final results right now, but what I do know is we are ready to keep fighting.”

Hong also looked ahead to November in the race against Republican Tom Tiffany, not knowing whether she or Crowley will be the one facing him.

“We will win together, united,” Hong said.

Peggy Flanagan says Trump doesn’t need another ‘yes sir’ senator

Flanagan took the stage at her party shortly after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and laid into GOP nominee Michele Tafoya.

She said Tafoya supports Trump on issues from immigration enforcement to the war in Iran.

“We already have too many spineless ‘yes sir’ senators who won’t stand up to Donald Trump,” she said. “Minnesota, we are not going to send him another one.”

In concession, Angie Craig urges supporters to rally around Peggy Flanagan

Craig gave a gracious concession speech at a Saint Paul brewery after losing the Democratic primary. She framed the coming general election in stark terms and wasted no time going after the Republican nominee.

“To every person who supported me, I ask you tonight to support and elect Peggy Flanagan as the next senator from Minnesota,” Craig said. “Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy, and Michele Tafoya would be nothing more than a rubber stamp to his dangerous agenda.”

She stood in front of a large American flag with her wife by her side.

“This is the moment, folks, to use democracy to save democracy,” Craig said.

Progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan wins Democratic primary for Minnesota Senate seat

Flanagan’s win is the latest for an insurgent progressive over the party’s establishment.

She defeated centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig with a pledge to fight the influence of corporations and confront Trump.

Flanagan was backed by popular progressives including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who rallied with her in the campaign’s final weeks. She was also supported by the retiring incumbent, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

Flanagan highlighted Craig’s support from wealthy donors and blasted her vote for a Trump-backed immigration bill, which became a liability after immigration agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Flanagan enters the general election as the frontrunner in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to a statewide office in 20 years. But Republicans see an opening from Flanagan’s progressive views and backlash to a fraud scandal involving the widespread theft of public funds dispersed by state agencies to social services organizations. Republicans say Democrats turned a blind eye while Flanagan was lieutenant governor.

Lisa Demuth defeats MyPillow founder Mike Lindell to win GOP nomination for Minnesota governor

The win by the state House speaker was also a rare loss for a Republican primary candidate endorsed by Trump.

Demuth argued that she’s the most electable and experienced Republican candidate, pointing to her role as a legislative leader. She became speaker in a power-sharing agreement for the Minnesota House, which is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.

Some Minnesota Republicans worried Lindell would be unable to win over independents and moderate Republicans who reject the 2020 election lies he’s best known for promoting, potentially dragging down the entire GOP ticket.

Demuth will face Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who had no serious opposition for the Democratic nomination. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz dropped his reelection campaign in the aftermath of a fraud scandal involving the widespread theft of tax money his administration gave to organizations that were supposed to use it for social welfare programs.

Economist Amanda Janoo wins Vermont’s Democratic gubernatorial primary

The first-time political candidate will go on to face Republican Gov. Phil Scott in November.

Janoo, 38, has spent her career working with the United Nations and international development organizations. She billed herself as the more progressive candidate while running against Aly Richards in the primary. Richards was also a first-time candidate.

Scott, who has served five terms and is one term away from becoming the state’s longest-serving governor, ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Vermont is one of two states, along with neighboring New Hampshire, that hold a gubernatorial election every two years.

GOP voters says Marques has a proven record

Bill Ventress voted for Republican Rhett Marques in the special congressional primary in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.

Ventress said Marques has a proven record already in the district after serving in city government and the Alabama Legislature.

“He’s done a great job in every position he’s been in, and I know he will again,“ Ventress said.

Marques, who was backed by President Donald Trump, defeated five GOP rivals to secure the Republican nomination. He will face incumbent Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in November.

Michele Tafoya says it’s time to end one-party rule in Minnesota

The former sports broadcaster is working against history after winning the GOP U.S. Senate nomination in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide since 2006.

She indicated fraud will be at the center of her pitch as she tries to convince voters to give the GOP a chance. The Democratic-controlled state government has been embroiled in scandal after failing to detect and stop the widespread theft of tax money from public assistance programs.

“We will not reelect politicians who let criminals steal billions and treat accountability as optional,” Tafoya said in a statement Tuesday night. “We deserve better, and it’s time we demand better.”

Tafoya will face either U.S. Rep. Angie Craig or Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who have fought a tense campaign for the Democratic nomination.

Key rematch set for Wisconsin’s 3rd District

Rebecca Cooke’s Democratic primary win in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District sets up a key battleground in the fight for control of the U.S. House.

In a rematch of the 2024 election, Cooke will face incumbent U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who flipped the seat four years ago. Democrats hope to win back the district Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind represented for 26 years before retiring.

The 3rd District is one of 31 on the 2026 U.S. House map that Trump won by less than 10 percentage points.

After ousting Larson, Luke Bronin says Democratic Party needs to embrace change

Speaking to supporters after defeating U.S. Rep. John Larson, Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, said the Democratic Party needed to act with more urgency in its fight with President Donald Trump.

“If we are going to fix this mess that we are in, we need to build a Democratic party that is bringing a whole new energy to this fight,” Bronin said.

While Bronin praised Larson for his liberal politics and longtime service, he said the party needed to adapt, and if it is too slow to do so, “then the changes are going to come from the ground up. And that’s a message the party needs to hear.”

10 incumbent US House members have lost their primaries so far

Fourteen-term Democratic Rep. John Larson is the 10th House incumbent to lose their primary this cycle and the sixth ousted by a younger challenger. Overall, 70 representatives will not return to their seats next year, the most at this point in the calendar in recent history.

Democrat Rebecca Cooke wins western Wisconsin congressional primary in targeted district

The 3rd Congressional District is a top target for Democrats to flip this year. Cooke will battle two-term incumbent Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden for the seat in November.

Van Orden is one of President Donald Trump’s biggest supporters. But he will face a tough reelection bid in a narrowly divided district in a year where Trump’s approval ratings are low in Wisconsin.

Cooke defeated former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge in the primary. Berge ran an underdog, insurgent campaign against Cooke who was more well known and better financed.

Cooke narrowly lost to Van Orden in 2024 and also ran in 2022 but lost in the Democratic primary that year.

Tight race in Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley are neck and neck.

The winner will advance to face Republican Tom Tiffany.

Hong was counting on support from her home city of Madison, the liberal state capital, to overcome Crowley, who has served as the top elected official in Milwaukee County for six years.

Crowley has the endorsement of two-term Gov. Tony Evers and has been running as the more moderate choice.

Sean Duffy’s son-in-law Michael Alfonso wins Wisconsin congressional primary

The 26-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy won a five-person Republican primary for Duffy’s old congressional seat in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.

Alfonso rode President Donald Trump’s endorsement to victory in the race where his opponents and some longtime Republican leaders in the district argued he was too young and inexperienced.

Duffy returned to Wisconsin to help campaign for Alfonso, who was waging his first run for any office. Alfonso is married to Duffy’s daughter.

Alfonso defeated four other challengers including Kevin Hermening, a Republican with deep ties to the district who was also one of the American hostages held in Iran starting in 1979.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar pledges to be ‘a transformative governor’

The Democratic nominee for Minnesota governor said she will bring tangible improvements for Minnesotans, including making life more affordable and tackling fraud.

“You expect leaders to deliver results, not excuses,” Klobuchar said.

She went on to preview the case she will make against her Republican rival. The GOP primary is too early to call between MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and state House speaker Lisa Demuth, but Klobuchar said both are more interested in serving the president than the state.

“When my opponents were asked to name one place where they disagreed with Donald Trump, they couldn’t do it,” Klobuchar said.

Longtime Connecticut congressman John Larson says he’s ‘disappointed’ with election turnout

Larson still stressed to supporters that Democrats must “come together, heal and move forward.”

Larson, a longtime Democrat who has represented the state’s 1st Congressional District for nearly 30 years, was ousted by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

“Tonight, the people have spoken. And they’ve made that clear. They’ve made it clear what their decision is. And now is the time for all of us to come together,” Larson said, thanking his supporters, family and friends.

Larson added that he intended to “fulfill my responsibility to the last day.”

Norman earned his runoff spot with help from Upstate

South Carolina’s most populous county of Greenville once again showed its independent streak in Tuesday’s special U.S. Senate primary by helping Rep. Ralph Norman secure a spot in the August 25 runoff.

At 9 p.m. ET when he locked a runoff berth, Norman had a plurality of the Greenville County vote and a sizable lead over U.S. Sen. Darline Graham.

Norman was also Greenville County’s top vote-getter in the June 9 primary for governor, outperforming Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, who both advanced to the June 23 runoff over Norman.

A plurality of Greenville County voters also preferred businessman Mark Lynch over the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in the June 9 Senate primary. Greenville and Spartanburg counties were the only two counties Lindsey Graham lost on June 9.

Ammie Akin wins Republican primary in redrawn Alabama district

She will face Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell in the November general election for the 7th Congressional District seat.

Akin served as assistant superintendent in a public school system, was interim superintendent of a private Christian school and founded a nonprofit.

Alabama is holding special primaries in four congressional districts after redrawing lines in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s redistricting decision. Alabama Republicans reshaped the 2nd Congressional District to make it more likely to elect a Republican, and altered the lines of three others, including the 7th District.

Sewell still remains the favorite to win in November.

A native of Selma, Sewell has served in Congress since 2011. She has sponsored legislation aimed at restoring and modernizing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

‘Guilty as charged’: Darline Graham is a political newcomer, and proud of it

“I’ve been accused of not being a politician,” she said at her election night speech. “Guilty as charged.”

Graham, who is now in the Republican U.S. Senate runoff in the race to replace her late brother, was tapped to serve his remaining months in office. She touted what she had done in the Senate so far and her work outside of politics, but leaned into the newcomer role.

“I will spend the next to weeks of this runoff meeting with voters and, unlike some politicians, listening to their concerns — yes, listening to their concerns,” she said. “This seat belongs to the people of South Carolina, and I will work hard to earn your vote.”

Luke Bronin defeats incumbent US Rep. John Larson in Connecticut Democratic primary

Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, topped Larson in a race that evoked the battle over generational change in the Democratic party.

A Rhodes scholar, lawyer and U.S. Navy Reserve officer, Bronin, 46, was a sophomore at Yale when Larson, 78, was first elected to the 1st District seat in 1998.

Bronin’s campaign got a big bump earlier this year when the state party endorsed him at a May nominating convention.

Larson has had to fight concerns about his age and health, which intensified last year after he suffered a partial seizure during a speech on the House floor.

Even in a loss, Sanford can’t stop talking about national debt

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s run for U.S. Senate ended with a loss for a man who almost never used to lose in South Carolina.

Sanford jumped at the opportunity to run for U.S. Senate in the state’s two-week special Republican primary since he had plenty of money remaining in his campaign account and a burning need to tell everyone the U.S. is drowning in debt.

His concession speech Tuesday was another campaign speech. He talked about how the U.S. will spend more national debt interest than defense this year and Social Security and Medicare are less than a decade away from bankruptcy.

“We are on an unsustainable course, and no civilization across the pages of time has been able to outrun math,” Sanford said.

The former governor had a blast getting back on the campaign trial. He spent most of his election night talking to his sons and supporters and drinking a few beers.

Darline Graham addresses grief and victory

“This is a very emotional night, because I’m usually standing here celebrating with Lindsey,” said the sister of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, after she secured a place in the Republican runoff to replace him.

Darline Graham was subdued for a victory party, as she thanked God, her family and President Donald Trump.

“His steadfast and his complete and total endorsement means so much to me,” she said of the president. “He knows that I will stand with him, and fight for his agenda, just like Lindsey did.”

Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya wins Republican Senate nomination in Minnesota

Tafoya, a newcomer to politics, defeated Adam Schwarze, a Marine veteran and Navy SEAL who had the official backing of the state Republican committee, and Royce White, who had an existing profile as a prior candidate, conservative commentator and a brief professional basketball career.

Tafoya will face an uphill battle in Minnesota, where Democrats have a two-decade streak of winning top offices. But Republicans think Tafoya, who is known outside of politics and doesn’t have a controversial voting record, is well-positioned to pull off an upset victory.

President Donald Trump did not make an endorsement in the primary.

The Democratic candidate for South Carolina Senate is already on defense

Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews spoke to WIS News 10 after both Darline Graham and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman notched the top two spots in the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate in South Carolina.

Andrews, who was elected in her party’s June primary, batted away attacks from Norman’s election night speech before pitching her vision in an uphill race to win the red state.

“Unfortunately for Ralph, I guess, I am not a socialist, I am not a democratic socialist, I’m a mom and a pediatrician,” said Andrews. “I’m running, as I said, to address our affordability crisis and our broken healthcare system.”

Flanagan defeated centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig with a pledge to fight the influence of corporations and confront Republican President Donald Trump.

“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money,” Flanagan said as she celebrated her victory in Minneapolis. “Well guess what? The many just won.”

The outcome was another sign of progressive energy among Democratic primary voters. It comes a week after Abdul El-Sayed won a bitter and divisive primary in Michigan that fired up the left and fueled anxiety among party leaders that Democrats will alienate moderate swing voters.

The result was less clear in Tuesday's primary for Wisconsin governor, where democratic socialist Francesca Hong and moderate David Crowley were in a tight race as of Wednesday morning.

Flanagan will be the front-runner in the general election contest against former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who won the GOP primary Tuesday. Minnesota voters haven’t elected a Republican to a statewide office since 2006.

Still, Republicans are hoping a fraud scandal involving the widespread theft of public funds will give them an opening up and down the ballot.

“We’ve had a crisis of leadership here. We’ve seen what career politicians have done in this state,” Tafoya told reporters after casting her ballot earlier Tuesday in a Minneapolis suburb. “They’ve brought us to a place of national embarrassment, and this state is ready for change.”

Meanwhile, Lisa Demuth won the Republican primary for Minnesota governor. Among the candidates she defeated was Mike Lindell, the Trump- endorsed pillow purveyor, who has been among the most persistent advocates of the lie that Trump’s 2020 loss to Joe Biden was fraudulent.

Demuth, the state House speaker, will face U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who defeated six others to win the Democratic nomination.

Race between Craig and Flanagan shaped by ICE, outside spending

In the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, Craig lined up support from Democratic establishment figures including House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as senators from battleground states.

She pointed to her record of winning tough races in a closely divided House district in the suburban Twin Cities, saying she had the experience to bring the change voters are demanding to Washington.

“Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy, and Michele Tafoya would be nothing more than a rubber stamp to his dangerous agenda,” Craig said, previewing the message Democrats will take into November as she conceded and urged her supporters to back Flanagan.

Flanagan was backed by popular progressives including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Smith, who rallied with her in the campaign’s final weeks.

Flanagan highlighted Craig’s support from wealthy donors and blasted her vote for a Trump-backed immigration bill, which became a liability after immigration agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

The race was shaped by the killing of Good and Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, confrontations that were caught on camera and fueled a backlash to Trump's immigration policies. Flanagan highlighted Craig's vote for the Laken Riley Act, an immigration bill that passed early in Trump's second term. Craig repudiated her support after Good and Pretti were killed.

U.S. support for Israel and the influence of corporations and wealthy donors also figured prominently in a race that attracted tens of millions of dollars in spending by allies of both women.

“I love that she doesn’t take any corporate money, she doesn’t take any money from AIPAC,” said Andrea Ropella, a Flanagan supporter, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates. “The things that she says, she believes in and she stands for.”

Gov. Tim Walz declined to endorse either candidate, but late last month his wife, Gwen Walz, endorsed Craig over Flanagan, a move seen as a repudiation of her husband's running mate and governing partner for two terms.

Trump did not endorse a candidate on the Republican side, although Tafoya had support from the national GOP. Adam Schwarze, a Marine veteran and Navy SEAL, had the official backing of the state Republican committee and Royce White had an existing profile as a prior candidate, conservative commentator and a brief professional basketball career.

Lisa Demuth wins GOP governor primary over ‘MyPillow Guy’ Mike Lindell

Republicans had another crowded primary in the race for governor.

Lindell established his national profile from his TV advertising campaign as the “MyPillow Guy.” He has been one of Trump’s most outspoken supporters and a persistent proponent of myths about the 2020 election. He lost a defamation lawsuit last year and was ordered to pay $2.3 million to a former employee of a voting systems company, whom he called a traitor.

In a post on social media Tuesday morning, Trump said Lindell “deserves a BIG WIN.”

Trump's endorsement carries enormous weight in GOP primaries, and few of his favored candidates have lost so far this year.

Some prominent Minnesota Republicans worried Lindell was too toxic with independent voters and would drag down the entire GOP ticket. Even state GOP Chairman Alex Plechash raised doubts about Lindell's electability.

Jim Busche, 79, said he likes Lindell but agrees that he’s probably too controversial to win a general election, so he cast his vote for Demuth.

“I wanted to vote for somebody that at least has a chance,” said Busche, who is retired and lives in Independence.

GOP sees hope despite Minnesota's long blue streak

No Republican has won a statewide race in Minnesota since Gov. Tim Pawlenty was reelected in 2006, but the state is more closely divided than that history would suggest.

In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Trump here by only 1.5 points, and in 2024, even with Walz on the ticket, Democrat Kamala Harris won the state by only 4 points.

In the state Legislature, Democrats hold just a one-seat majority in the Senate, and the House is split evenly between the parties.

Republicans think the fraud scandal, which led Walz to abandon his plans to run for a third term, gives them a rare opening to make inroads in an otherwise tough environment for the GOP.

At least 65 people have been convicted in a series of overlapping food fraud cases stemming from investigations that began during the Biden administration. One former nonprofit leader was sentenced in May to 42 years in prison in a $250 million fraud case.

Trump pointed to the scandals as justification for launching a massive immigration crackdown that he initially said would focus on the state’s large Somali community.

A boy’s scream can be heard in the distance on body camera footage showing how rescue teams last week found two women and a 9-year-old boy who had been stranded for three days after their river tubing trip went wrong.

“We’re coming, guys,” says Cameron Wright, a conservation officer from Newaygo County, his breath heard in ragged gasps.

The team picks up their pace, pushing through sharp switchgrass and stinging nettle, the footage released by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources shows. A few moments later, they find Sarah Vida, 28, and her son Kayden Kovalcik, 9, along with Jazmin Hock, 28; wearing just their swimming suits.

Hock's legs are almost entirely covered in deep, red cuts from scrapes after trudging through the brush. They have a broken phone and a single water bottle with only a few sips left.

“You’re talking about vegetation that’s higher than your eyes and switchgrass that cuts you when you touch it and stinging nettles that makes your skin set on fire,” Anna Cullen, a conservation officer from Muskegon County who helped with the rescue, said Tuesday.

The trio had been on a tubing trip on the Muskegon River in the small community of Twin Lake on Tuesday when they'd hit logs and their tubes popped, according to officials. They were reported missing after one of the women hadn't shown up to her dentist appointment.

“I was just in disbelief at finding them because we were just running out of ideas and places to search and it was nothing short of a miracle that we ended up finding them the way we did,” Wright said.

For days, teams had scoured the river and rugged terrain.

The group was found Friday about 7 miles (11.27 kilometers) from where they entered the river, according to Wright. The rescuers had tracked them from a tube next to the river, following footprints, broken twigs and bent grass.

In the video, Kayden explains that they’ve been eating bark and flowers, while Hock says they had to drink river water.

They'd been tubing down the river and kept hitting log jams, Hock explains.

“The last one that we ran into just popped everything,” she says.

They started walking and soon realized they were going in circles, she says.

Members of the rescue crew handed over their own shirts to protect them from the bugs swarming their cuts and put medical gloves on some of their hands and feet. Wright inflated his life vest for Hock to sit on. As she answered the rescue team's questions, her legs, lined with scratches, shook.

“There was not even an inch of their exposed skin that was not just covered in cuts and bug bites and mud and scrapes where they were just physically not able to go any further,” Wright said, explaining that he still had cuts on his arms from the search.

Cullen said the women later explained that when they saw the rescuers, they thought they were hallucinating.

The two women couldn't walk, so the rescuers put them in Stokes baskets, a type of stretcher, to get them out of the brush, while Wright carried the boy on his back. They were taken to the hospital and treated for infections, dehydration and rashes, according to Lt. Pat Agema, a spokesperson for the Michigan State Police. As of Tuesday, they were all back home, he said.

Wright said the entire hike out, Kayden was telling him about everything he was going to eat and drink.

"He's just telling me about all of the root beer he’s going to drink and the slushies and the pizza and doughnuts he’s going to eat,” said Wright.

He adds: "You would have no idea that he had just spent 72 hours in the woods from how happy he was.”

“Many families are finishing up that back-to-school checklist, and among those things is the medical checkup and assuring that their kids have their vaccines,” Michigan pediatrician Dr. Molly O’Shea said. “To put into question the safety or efficacy of these vaccines right now is really unfortunate and ill-conceived.”

The order, signed Monday, advocates separating the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three different single-disease shots and giving all childhood immunizations at separate appointments when possible. It also includes several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule already attempted by Trump’s health department but blocked by a federal judge. The department is run by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who helped lead the anti-vaccine movement for years.

Trump repeatedly suggested the number or timing of vaccines could play a role in rising rates of autism spectrum disorder, even though decades of studies have firmly concluded there is no link. He also strongly suggested that the MMR vaccine could be harmful or even deadly.

Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher and former government adviser, said the recommendations by Trump and Kennedy “are just not science based,” and it’s irresponsible to cast doubt on a vaccine that protects against measles when the nation is facing its biggest epidemic in more than 30 years.

“The harm that it will cause is … to induce chaos and confusion into the system, so people aren’t sure what they’re supposed to do,” he said.

Trump’s order evokes fears

At one point before signing his executive order, Trump used the word “lethal” when talking about the current MMR vaccine, saying: “Together there could be a possibility they are quite lethal and separately, it looks like they are not at all lethal but just very effective.”

Doctors strongly rejected this characterization, saying the current combination vaccine has gone through rigorous studies and years of safety tracking — like other childhood vaccines — and has been shown to be very safe. The diseases they protect against are the far bigger risk, they said.

“The suggestion that separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines one from another has value is incorrect in both science and in immune response,” O’Shea said. “You actually get a better immune response giving them together. There’s no value in separating them.”

There are currently no separate vaccines for children against these diseases in the U.S., but Trump's order directs the health department to present a plan to offer them. Trump spokesperson Kush Desai has said that would give parents more options on timing and frequency, ultimately increasing vaccine uptake.

Doctors lamented that Trump revived debunked theories about vaccines and autism. Autism diagnoses have been rising for decades, with a recent count finding that an estimated 1 in 31 children in the U.S. have autism spectrum disorder. Scientists say that’s in part because the definition has broadened with expanded understanding of its wide range of traits and symptoms. There’s no single cause, they say, and genetic and environmental factors can play a role.

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the potential link between childhood vaccines and autism has been studied in dozens of well-designed studies around the globe and there is “unequivocally” no link.

The fact Trump raised the issue, O’Shea said, “is really misguided and unfair to families.”

Competing vaccine schedules raise confusion

Trump’s comments and his order also cause confusion about which vaccines to give children and when, doctors said.

In the first year of Trump’s term, Kennedy set out to overhaul immunization guidance, firing a 17-member vaccine advisory committee and installing replacements who made the restrictive recommendations halted by a federal judge. Those recommendations call for injections against 11 diseases, with additional vaccines separately categorized for at-risk children or as available through “shared decision-making” with a doctor.

The pediatrics academy, meanwhile, continued to recommend vaccines to protect against 18 diseases in its 2026 immunization schedule. O’Shea said that schedule “has been very well designed, carefully constructed and thoughtfully put together to provide safety and protection just as the baby or young child’s immune system is ready to accept it.”

Doctors said insurance coverage shouldn’t be an issue. Medicaid and CHIP continue to cover the vaccines recommended before the current Trump administration took office. Through 2027, private health insurance plans generally will too, said Chris Regal of AHIP, the national health insurers’ trade association.

Doctors say vaccine hesitancy, and dangers to kids, could grow

With confusion and fear rising, Racine said pediatricians expect to answer more questions from parents.

But many doctors fear vaccine hesitancy may still keep increasing. Federal data shows U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates have been dropping, with the share of children with exemptions hitting an all-time high in the 2024-25 school year.

Experts said they worry about families skipping necessary vaccines for their children or spacing out shots, since a vaccine-preventable disease could strike between doctor visits.

“Parents deserve clear, evidence-based guidance about how to protect their children, not competing recommendations issued through political processes,” said Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases. “When families receive conflicting messages, confidence in vaccination suffers, and children ultimately bear the consequences.”

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Medical writer Mike Stobbe and video journalist Mary Conlon contributed.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

One hundred firefighters from Mexico have joined the effort, bringing the number of firefighters battling the blaze to 193. The fire has destroyed homes and other properties near Okanagan Lake, killed an 80-year-old woman and burned toward Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people roughly 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Vancouver.

The fire showed “quite significant growth” in some areas overnight even without strong winds, said Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for the British Columbia Wildfire Service. He added crews were working around the clock to establish control lines and make it safe for evacuated residents to return home.

“We recognized and we heard even last night that people obviously would like to go home. They would like to see the extent of the damage,” Chapman said.

Provincial officials ramp up evacuations

Kevin Dunbar, British Columbia’s executive director for emergency response and recovery operations, called it one of the largest evacuations in recent British Columbia history.

British Columbia officials said they had secured 1,600 hotel rooms and 1,000 group-lodging spaces for evacuees in Okanagan after some residents faced delays getting emergency assistance during the weekend evacuation.

Beyond those already forced to flee, another 10,000 people have been told to be ready to leave on short notice. More than 100 wildfires were burning across the province, and officials warned that dry lightning could spark new fires in the Central Interior and Okanagan. The province also asked the federal government for help expanding lodging for evacuees.

RCMP are investigating whether criminal activity played a role in the fire. Chapman said about 4% of wildfires in British Columbia over the past decade were suspected of having been deliberately set, but officials have not said the Bald Range fire was intentionally started.

Evacuated residents recount emotional experience

Lucille and Gordon Beach of Summerland were in Vancouver for the weekend wedding of a granddaughter when they heard the fire had started. “We didn't feel too celebratory,” Lucille Beach said Tuesday.

The couple, staying for now in West Kelowna with their dog, haven't seen their home since leaving Friday but believed it was OK. It took a few days to adjust to the reality of what was happening, Lucille Beach said.

Carmen Bodzasy evacuated from Summerland, where she and her husband moved recently. She had to navigate evacuating on unfamiliar roads while he was away for work.

Before leaving, “I cried my eyes out for a minute, and I thought, you know what, if I had to restart over, what would I take with me?” She took photos of her parents' wedding, of her children's families and of her and her husband. “I thought if I didn’t have walls to go home to, at least I have memories to put up on my new one,” she said.

Holding her small dog Tuesday, she was not sure of the status of their home but said whatever happens, she intends to stay in Summerland, a place where people wave at passing motorists and stop to ask how you're doing.

“I’ll do whatever I can to help that town rebuild because everybody’s so kind there,” she said.

The lack of information has frustrated some Summerland residents, who have turned to photos and videos posted online from inside the evacuated community.

Firefighters battle blazes across the US

In the United States, firefighters in California were fighting a blaze that has burned nearly 5 square miles (about 12 square kilometers) in the Big Sur region of the state’s rugged central coast.

Area state parks have closed and evacuation orders have been issued, including for a roughly 7-mile (11-kilometer) stretch of Highway 1, the state’s iconic coastal route. Portions of the highway were closed on Tuesday due to the fire's spread and evacuations, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Along the Nevada-California border, a quick-moving blaze north of Reno spread to about 90.6 square miles (234.7 square kilometers), according to officials. More than 4,000 people and families were displaced, and a memory care facility had to be evacuated, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said during a news conference. Hot, dry and windy conditions were adding to the fire threat.

The fire has merged with another blaze that was burning on Freds Mountain. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 47-year-old woman on a third-degree arson charge in connection with that mountain fire after she told crews responding to it that she had started it, the sheriff’s department said in a post on social media Tuesday.

In Minnesota, a person involved in fighting a wildfire near the town of Ely died Tuesday following an unspecified medical emergency, the Superior National Forest said in a social media statement. Further details were not immediately released.

At least eight other people have died while helping with wildfires in the U.S. this year, including four firefighters who got trapped in a fire in western Colorado, a bulldozer operator who got overrun by flames in Oregon, two helicopter pilots who crashed while helping fight a fire in Utah and a helicopter pilot in Colorado who crashed into a reservoir.

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Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writers Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

With eight newcomers to the team, including three from Power 4 programs, the Owls will look a little different, but Head Coach Genny Volpe told us the new members of the program have already felt like they’ve been with the team for years. The team has gelled together nicely, and they’re looking forward to seeing how they match up against another program.

On Friday night, they’ll get that chance when they play an exhibition match against the Texas Longhorns in Austin, who are ranked No. 2 team in the country.

Houston Police say the incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Sunday outside a Home Depot off Bellaire Boulevard. Sources tell KPRC 2 News the man is a laborer and was in the parking lot. According to a police report, he told officers he was not bothering anyone when he saw a man point a black pistol in the air and fire multiple times.

Officers located the suspect, nearby. But when officers brought the suspect back to the parking lot for identification, they found the man who had called 911 was already being detained by federal immigration agents.

HPD says it did not contact or assist ICE. According to the police report, the witness was still able to identify the suspect to Houston Police at the scene before leaving with the ICE agent.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said this situation illustrates a dangerous pattern.

“This is the reportee who notified law enforcement of what was happening. This is a person who then had the courage to stand up while already in ICE custody and identify the person as the one he saw firing the gun into the air,” Teare said.

Teare says the incident highlights two serious problems caused by aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

“The first is, obviously, it makes it more difficult for us to prosecute dangerous criminals when witnesses are too fearful to participate in the prosecution,” he said.

“But secondly, we’ve seen calls for service for domestic violence, for aggravated robbery, for a lot of the really dangerous crimes out there fall off a cliff. A lot of that is because we know that these people are too scared to even notify law enforcement when they’re being victimized themselves,” Teare added.

Teare acknowledged that while his office has pledged not to ask about immigration status, incidents like this one make that promise harder for community members to believe.

“It’s very, very hard to believe that that is the case when they’re seeing people just like this individual on Sunday be taken from the actual scene when they were doing nothing but helping law enforcement take someone dangerous off the streets,” he said.

Prosecutors were able to charge the gun suspect, David Mendez, with felon in possession of a firearm. Records show his has a lengthy criminal history and had bonded out of jail on a terroristic threat charge two days before the shooting.

Teare says other charges are now in jeopardy.

“We were able to charge him with a felon in possession of a firearm. In that one case, thankfully, we will be able to continue the prosecution without this individual. But there are other charges that we could file and should file in this case. But because we don’t know the location of our eyewitness, it’s going to be very difficult for us to continue on and actually file those charges,” Teare said.

Teare also acknowledged strained communication between his office and ICE.

“The participation and communication between this office and ICE is very, very bad right now. So we don’t have information about how they arrived at that scene,” he said.

He closed with a direct message to the community.

“The real message from this office is, we are not the immigration police. We will never ever ask for someone’s status. My job is to seek justice on behalf of every single person in our community regardless of what your status is,” Teare said.

A spokesperson for ICE sent KPRC 2 News the following statement:

ICE officers arrested Juan Francisco Monroy Turuy, a 54-year-old criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, Aug. 8 after he was encountered in Bellaire, Texas, and it was discovered that he was in the U.S. illegally and had been convicted of a criminal offense that endangered public safety. While in the process of taking him into custody, the Houston Police Department arrived at the scene and alerted ICE officers that Monroy was a witness to a crime. ICE permitted Monroy to provide a statement to HPD and to identify the suspect prior to completing the arrest. He remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, pending disposition of his immigration proceedings.

Illegal aliens who are in ICE custody may be transferred to appear as a witness under certain circumstances, however, witnessing a crime in and of itself does not prevent ICE from taking an illegal alien into custody or removing them from the U.S. ICE defers to HPD to file for the appropriate applications of relief if he is needed to remain in the United States.

A first-time candidate who was always close to her brother’s political orbit, Darline Graham overcame skepticism about her lack of experience in her campaign to replace him, as she moved forward Tuesday as the top vote-getter to runner-up Norman from a 10-way field en route to an Aug. 25 runoff. Lindsey Graham died July 11, triggering a whirlwind special election season.

Gov. Henry McMaster had appointed Darline Graham to serve the waning months of her late brother’s term. She picked up President Donald Trump’s swift backing, but the rare open Senate seat attracted a broad field, including some of the state’s top Republicans, setting up the latest test of the president’s command over the GOP base.

Darline Graham addressed reporters Tuesday evening flanked by her family and introduced herself anew to the state's Republicans voters. She boasted of her work with Trump in her first three weeks in the Senate and took a veiled swipe at her opponent, saying she was “guilty as charged” of not being a politician.

“I will spend the next two weeks of this runoff meeting with voters and unlike some politicians listening to their concerns — yes, listening to their concerns," Graham said, not mentioning Norman by name. "This seat belongs to the people of South Carolina and I will work hard to earn, earn your vote.”

Trump told reporters Tuesday evening that Graham called him after making the runoff to thank him for his support. Trump responded “I think so” when asked if he would campaign for her, but noted he also liked Norman and other candidates in the race, saying, “I mean, they’re all Trumpers.”

Norman has long been a member of the House Freedom Caucus, comprised of the chamber’s most conservative members. He unsuccessfully ran for the GOP gubernatorial nomination earlier this year.

“Let’s win this thing in a big way," Norman told supporters Tuesday night, as he appealed for party unity heading into the runoff and noted surprising circumstances of the campaign after Graham's death. “He’s a fixture, we thought he would be here,” Norman said.

For decades, South Carolina voters reliably returned Lindsey Graham to Washington despite periodic primary challengers who accused the dealmaker and foreign policy hawk of being insufficiently conservative.

Tuesday's contest featured one of Lindsey Graham’s earlier foes, as well as two U.S. House members and Mark Sanford, the former governor and congressman eager for a political comeback in a field crowded with familiar faces. The winner of the runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election.

Goodwill toward Lindsey Graham helped boost his sister at the polls

The unexpected primary began even before funeral observances in Washington and South Carolina for Graham, who died at his Washington home after suffering a tear in his aorta, had concluded. State law proscribed a compressed timeline that forced candidates to navigate the decorum of mourning the senator's death while jockeying to replace him.

A day after Graham’s death was announced, his sister accepted Republican Gov. Henry McMaster’s appointment to succeed her brother in an interim capacity and was sworn in with her family and the late senator’s staff standing behind her. A week later, Darline Graham launched into the campaign herself, encouraged to run and then endorsed by Trump.

Some voters said her brother's reputation helped tilt them to support Darline Graham.

“She’s not a politician, but she was kin to probably one of the greatest senators ever,” Frank Bohn of Horry County said.

While Darline Graham couldn't directly access the millions in Lindsey Graham's campaign account, there was no limit to how much could be transferred to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which funded advertising to support her.

A super PAC that once supported Lindsey Graham also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars backing Darline Graham. Mailers touted her as “President Trump's choice” and “Prepared to Carry on Lindsey's Legacy.”

Norman vaulted to the runoff over another sitting lawmaker

Fresh off his unsuccessful primary run for governor, Norman entered the Senate contest as one several politicians more familiar to South Carolina voters in their own right, and snapped up endorsements from the likes of Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah.

One of the most conservative House members, Norman is well-known across South Carolina as a fiscal conservative. At times, however, he has been at odds with Trump, backing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary.

Another candidate, Rep. Russell Fry, had at one time appeared poised to gain Trump's backing after Lindsey Graham's death. Despite lacking the president's endorsement, he began running and sought to boost his name recognition beyond his pro-Trump, Myrtle Beach-area district.

Voter George Mitford said Fry's service stood out to him over Darline Graham, who hasn't been in elected office.

“I just thought he’d probably had more experience in this than she would have had,” Mitford said, adding that he had supported Lindsey Graham’s Senate tenure.

Mark Sanford deprived of another political comeback

The former South Carolina congressman and governor whose political ascendency was stalled by a 2009 extramarital affair failed in yet another attempt to return to public office. Sanford’s Senate bid came just three months after he ended an effort to retake his former U.S. House seat, saying then he was quitting the race to establish a nonprofit to address the national debt.

Mark Lynch, a Greenville businessman who tried to oust Graham in last month's regular Republican primary, swiftly relaunched his campaign after Graham’s death. Lynch campaigned as a Trump supporter, but in June, Trump on social media called him a “lunatic” and a “disaster for the Republican Party.”

Who is the Democratic nominee for the Senate seat?

Andrews, a Charleston physician, won her party’s June primary outright. Having set up her campaign based around challenging Graham, Andrews had been forced to pivot to a broader critique of the Republican contenders.

No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat here in decades. And when Graham last ran in 2020, he defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

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Collins reported from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. AP reporters Will Weissert in Washington and Jesse Bedayn in Austin, Texas, contributed.

“Your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning,” Trump said, dressing down Zelenskyy in front of the world’s media. “You don't have the cards.”

The blowup in February 2025, three years into the war, was more than just a heated public exchange: The Ukrainian delegation was asked to leave the White House, and Washington briefly suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv. In the ensuing months, as Russia made slow but steady gains on the battlefield, Trump warmly welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and seemed ready to push Ukraine into an unfavorable peace deal, including forcing it to give up territory.

But even as Zelenskyy sat next to Trump, his forces were preparing an operation that would reveal Ukraine’s ability and ambition to take the war to Russia: Months later, drones smuggled into the country attacked Russian bombers, destroying or damaging planes worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Since then, Kyiv has ramped up a campaign of longer-range strikes inside Russia and in areas Moscow has seized, increased production of weapons, targeted Russian air defenses, and hit oil infrastructure and the warehouses of a major retailer in a bid to ensure ordinary Russians feel the impact of the conflict.

In an embarrassment to Putin, Ukrainian drone strikes sent thick plumes of smoke billowing over St. Petersburg shortly before the opening of an international economic forum in June. Concern over Ukraine’s attacks led Russian authorities to scale down the May 9 military parade commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany. Strikes on oil refineries have caused a summer fuel crisis.

By the time Trump and Zelenskyy met at a NATO summit in July, the American president said the Ukrainian leader had “been very effective” in the war. “We’ve actually developed a good relationship,” Trump added.

But as Ukraine’s strikes have intensified, so have Russia’s — and Kyiv faces major challenges in defending against them because of shortages of American Patriot air defense missiles.

In the first six months of the year, 1,396 civilians were killed in Ukraine, according to the U.N. Meanwhile, the world body said Russian authorities reported 250 civilians killed in the same period. On Monday, a strike that Ukraine said hit an oil refinery in Russia killed 13 people, according to local officials.

And while Ukraine's effort appears to have shifted the narrative about the war in Washington, it's still not clear if it will be able to push Putin toward the negotiating table.

Ukraine’s strikes are aimed at undermining the idea that Russia can afford to “just let this roll,” said Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the London-based RUSI think tank.

The question of whether it will succeed depends on how much pain Ukraine can exact. “Logically, above a certain threshold, it does work but whether they can reach that threshold is an interesting question” — and one that depends at least partly on factors outside Kyiv's control, like continued European financial support, he noted.

Ukraine brings the war to Russia

While most of Ukraine's strikes have a range of less than 200 kilometers (125 miles), its longer-range attacks have increased dramatically this year. It launched three times as many of those strikes in July as it did in January, according to data from ACLED, an independent conflict monitor. Repeatedly hitting deep into Russia has forced its military to stretch air defenses over a larger area.

Many of its strikes have focused on four key categories of targets, according to an Associated Press analysis of hundreds of Ukrainian attacks this year — compiled from statements by Russian officials and state media and the Ukrainian military.

As the Iran war pushed up energy prices, leading the U.S. to ease sanctions on Russian oil, Kyiv ramped up strikes on oil infrastructure to deny the Kremlin revenue from fuel exports and force shortages on ordinary Russians. It is also striking defense manufacturing to damage Russia’s long-term ability to produce weapons, targeting air defenses to clear a path for its own arms, and hitting retail warehouses to bring the effects to ordinary Russians.

— As part of the campaign against oil infrastructure, Kyiv said it hit Russia’s largest oil refinery, more than 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from Ukraine.

— Kyiv has also targeted defense manufacturing centers. It hit a factory making navigation systems multiple times, including with its own Flamingo missile.

— In July and August, Ukraine struck Wildberries warehouses. Kyiv said the company helps supply the Russian military. Moscow denies that.

— Many of Ukraine’s strikes on Russian air defenses and radar are around Russian-held Crimea and are often carried out with drones.

Maj. Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, the commander leading Ukraine’s drone war, told the AP its strikes in Crimea are also aimed at rendering the peninsula unusable as a staging ground for Russian forces.

Starlink gives Ukraine an advantage — for now

It’s not always clear if Ukraine’s attacks are effective — and some may have resulted in minimal or no damage. In May and June, Ukraine said it hit several satellite, reconnaissance or signals intelligence facilities in Russia, but satellite images analyzed by AP did not show major damage.

Still, Ukraine has one advantage that can help it strip back Russian air defenses and make its drone strikes more precise.

It has access to Elon Musk’s satellite communications service Starlink — which means its operators can control drones in real time in Russian-held Ukrainian territory. Russia has been blocked from using Starlink.

But Russia is also building its own version of Starlink, and is installing jamming systems that hamper Starlink connectivity, Brovdi said.

Ukraine is investing heavily in weapons production

Even before the Oval Office meeting, Ukraine scrambled to invest in new weapons — but that moment was “a real wake-up call," said a European military official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the front-line situation in detail. It became clear that U.S. support could be stopped “from one day to the next.”

Ukraine doubled down on production, churning out a growing array of weapons in larger numbers and shortening traditional research and production cycles from decades to years or even months.

Even so, Ukraine is still not able to produce as many missiles as it needs. It also took Ukraine time to make systems that could target facilities precisely enough that Kyiv felt comfortable using them to strike deep into Russia, Watling said.

And while Ukraine has begun to resolve navigational issues with its missiles, such as the Flamingo, those weapons are still not as accurate — or as stealthy — as their Western analogues. That often means hundreds of drones must be fired to overwhelm Russian air defenses to allow a missile to get through.

It's an expensive and time-consuming way to wage war since only 5% to 9% of what Ukraine fires gets past Russian air defenses, according to Watling.

But, although Russia's weapons are more powerful, Zelenskyy suggested at the NATO summit that Putin is “losing the initiative” in the war as Ukraine has moved the fight from the stalled battlefield to the sky.

Sitting next to Trump at the summit, the Ukrainian leader even cracked a joke, demurring when Trump asked him if he would accept Moscow as a venue for peace talks, as Putin has suggested.

“There are a lot of Ukrainian drones in the air," Zelenskyy said. "It would be dangerous.”

On Tuesday, she finally lashed out.

The 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year and one of the original Fever players angrily defended herself after she was criticized for her response to DiJonai Carrington's flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham, and pleaded with people to focus on the sport and not the continual sideshows.

“The hate, the fearmongering, the divisiveness that’s trying to hijack our league will not win. It won’t win,” White said, her voice rising as she pounded the table in front of her. “We are united. We are connected. We will not be divided. Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day when they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humility will win and kindness will win. I stand by them, I will always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.”

White left immediately after her 2 1/2-minute outburst ended without taking questions.

Indiana responded with one of its best halves of the season, shooting 59% from the field and 79% on 3-pointers on its way to a 106-92 victory over the New York Liberty. The Fever have won seven of their last nine despite being the focal point of so many controversies.

Fever All-Star Caitlin Clark wasn't surprised by how the Fever played or White's pregame reaction. She was more upset by the boos she heard during White's pregame introduction.

“I talked to Steph earlier in the day and you know I think we forget a lot of times, like, we're humans and she has feelings and there are moments that are really hard and sometimes that's the job we sign up for," Clark said. “At the same time, it's OK to feel those emotions and I told her I've been through the same thing.”

Clark added: "There was like no way we were losing this game. Like, that’s my head coach. Like, I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick to be honest.”

Carrington hit Cunningham in the head and neck area Saturday, knocking the Fever guard hard to the ground on a breakaway layup. Cunningham got up and charged toward Carrington but was restrained.

Carrington was assessed a Flagrant 2, an automatic ejection. The Chicago Sky player then wrote “WHITE PRIVILEGE” and tagged the Fever on a social media account. On Monday, Carrington said she never claimed the foul call was “white privilege.”

Cunningham has been outspoken about her desire to keep transgender women out of women's sports, a position that has spurred rallies in support of and opposed to her stance.

White initially said she thought the refs got the call right but that she didn't think that action near the head and neck area was intentional. Critics claimed she was defending Carrington.

"OK... The Indiana Fever need to let Stephanie White go,” Indiana Lieutenant Gov. Micah Beckwith wrote Sunday on X. “No solid coach would ever take the side of the opposing team’s player who committed a flagrant foul on one of your own players. Terrible coaching! The Fever need to defend their players.”

White explained Tuesday that she had not seen the replay when she first spoke with reporters Saturday and that she changed her opinion after watching it again. She called the foul “egregious.”

“Our players' success, our players' health and wellness, our players' safety is always a top priority,” she began, her voice rising. “One of the things I pride myself on is my relationships with my players. For those who have anything to say about the play in the last game, I didn’t see the replay. I went straight to a press conference, I thought the play got called right. Thankfully, Sophie is OK. Was it egregious? Absolutely.

"When you get a chance to see that on replay over and over, you see that. I didn’t see that in real time. I personally take any suggestions that I don’t 100% always have my players back. I ride with them 10 toes down all the time, all the time.”

Cunningham received a loud ovation when she entered Tuesday's game. She and White hugged after the game.

“I think there’s just been a lot of outside noise but our locker room is good,” Cunningham said. “We have each other’s backs. Coach loves us. So give her her flowers. She didn’t see the clip and that’s OK. Me and Steph are great, and Steph is great with all of us.”

White faced a similar controversy when Clark also was fouled hard earlier this season, prompting a letter from the U.S. House of Representatives to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

White and Clark also were involved in a sideline spat in late and there was speculation about White's job status following the incident.

Now White just wants everyone to get back to basketball.

“It's a shame we can't have an opportunity to talk about what great basketball they are playing,” White said with emphasis. “The reality is, with me, I will always lead with love. I will always lead with grace, I will always lead with humility. and I will always lead with integrity. It doesn't mean I'll always get it right. I'm human.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The program is open to incoming ninth through 11th-grade students and gives them a full seven-period school day delivered online by Katy ISD teachers.

Kelley Kirila, principal of Innovative Pathways, oversees the new school.

“I’m principal of innovative pathways which includes Legacy Virtual High School,” Kirila said.

Katy ISD has offered virtual education to students within the district for about 15 years. District leaders say that experience provided the foundation for expanding virtual learning into a full-time statewide option. The reach of the new program means a student living hundreds of miles from Katy can now enroll in the district.

“If you’re living in the state of Texas, you’re a student who’s an incoming 9th through 11th grader, you absolutely could get a Katy ISD education from wherever you are,” Kirila said.

Kirila called the expansion a “game changer” for students both inside and outside Katy ISD. The district already has significant experience operating online courses. More than 10,000 students took classes through Katy ISD’s supplemental virtual program this past summer.

“I think just allowing that, allowing a full-time virtual school kind of opened up that opportunity for us to say, okay, we’re already doing this, we are doing it well, why not take it to a full time student?” Kirila said.

District leaders say the program could be particularly attractive to students who need greater flexibility, including those who work full time, athletes who travel extensively with competitive teams and students with medical conditions that sometimes prevent them from attending a traditional campus. There is a trade-off. Full-time virtual students will not be able to participate in UIL activities such as sports, band or theater.

The district currently has 147 students enrolled full time. The new school also comes as traditional public school districts face increasing competition for students from private schools, charter schools and homeschooling. By making a Katy ISD education available statewide, the district is giving families another option while expanding its potential student population far beyond its geographic boundaries.

And although students may attend classes from El Paso, Dallas, Laredo, Baytown or anywhere else in Texas, they will officially be Katy ISD students.

“So if I’m in Laredo or Baytown or wherever when I graduate, what is my diploma gonna say?” Kirila was asked.

“If you were a full-time student through Legacy Virtual High School, it will say Katy ISD,” she said. “Your transcript will be a Katy ISD transcript and you’ll be graduating from Katy ISD.”

Legacy Virtual High School is also available to eligible students who already live within Katy ISD. The larger shift is significant: Katy ISD is no longer limited to competing for students who live within its traditional attendance boundaries. Through virtual education, it can now compete for students across Texas.

Tornado warning sirens howled as the skies darkened. All flights were temporarily stopped at Chicago’s two major airports, and officials warned of delays as the backlog was cleared. In Ohio, power outages swept the state capital region, and at least one death was reported.

Sixteen incarcerated people were hospitalized, including one who was transported by helicopter, after lightning struck at a prison complex southwest of Cleveland, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections. The victims were injured as they returned from an evening meal at Grafton Reintegration Center, department spokesperson JoEllen Smith said in an email Tuesday evening. Their conditions weren't immediately known.

Two tornadoes touched down just south of Chicago, the National Weather Service said Tuesday night. Photos posted on social media from the Chicago area, and across the state line in Indiana, showed flooded roads, trees tangled in power lines and homes with gashes in their roofs.

“No power. It was very scary. We were down in the basement,” said Javid Jenkins of Homewood, a Chicago suburb. “We’re built for snow. We’re built for cold. We’re not built for this.”

Jenkins, 54, said he was driving around for gas to fire up a generator to preserve food in his refrigerator.

Forecasters said a wind gust of 99 mph (159 kph) was recorded in Gary, Indiana. Elsewhere there were numerous reports of gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more at personal weather stations.

Preliminary information indicated that the intense system that swept from Iowa into Indiana over several hours qualified as a derecho, the weather service's Storm Prediction Center said Tuesday evening. Derechos are prolonged straight-line wind events that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far distances. The damage they cause is sometimes comparable to the destructive forces of tornadoes or hurricanes.

The weather service bluntly warned earlier in the day: “These are dangerous storms!”

More than 600,000 customers lost electricity in Illinois and Indiana, according to poweroutage.us. Lake and Porter counties in Indiana and Will County, south of Chicago, were especially hard hit. Farther east in Ohio, at least 250,000 customers were without power.

“Total devastation. No roof,” said Kerry Hourigan, standing outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. “Stupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It’s disappeared.”

Meteorologist Scott Baker said the Midwest was on the outer edge of a “ring of fire,” bringing waves of excessive moisture, instability and storms.

In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency when first responders, faced with flooded roads, couldn’t get there. He warned that flood dangers would persist.

“This is not something that will end tonight,” DeWine said of the severe weather.

Dayton, Ohio, set a daily rainfall record with 2.07 inches (5.25 cm), shattering a mark set in 1915, the weather service said. Forecasters said multiple rounds of rain would cause flood hazards in the Ohio Valley through early Friday.

Officials in Columbus, Ohio, sent local government workers home early ahead of another round of storms. The library in Westerville, Ohio, closed after rain poured into the atrium.

The fifth day of the 10-day Lake County, Indiana, Fair was canceled, disappointing fans who were hoping to see a professional wrestling event involving people under 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall.

Nearby in LaPorte County, Indiana, there was a “tremendous amount of tree damage,” Commissioner Joe Haney said.

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White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Jennifer Garske in Washington, Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

In this week’s episode, the TribCast crew is joined by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and economy reporter Paul Cobler. They discuss the anger in rural Texas over data centers and power lines, and ask Miller why he thinks it means Democrats could win a statewide race in November.

Watch the video above or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday.

Tippit was indicted Aug. 6 by a Brazoria County grand jury on the first-degree felony charge.

The Texas Rangers took Tippit into custody at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the DA’s office. His bond was set at $250,000, which the sheriff’s office confirms he posted on Tuesday before being released sometime after 1 p.m.

“There has historically not been much accountability for the bad acts of law enforcement in Brazoria County,” Mendoza family attorney Charles Adams said. “This is a good day for justice.”

The first-degree felony charge is punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, the same punishment range carried by a murder charge.

Adams explained with a murder charge, prosecutors would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Tippit fired knowingly or intentionally, whereas with an aggravated assault charge, prosecutors can also attempt to prove he fired recklessly.

“What we’re seeing here is a very shrewd lawyering by a district attorney who was very clearly seeking justice,” Adams said. “This is on path to seeing justice for the family, which justice for the family in my view is a lengthy prison sentence for Deputy Tippit for killing an 18-year-old without any reason.”

• Affidavit: Texas Rangers found probable cause to investigate former Brazoria County deputy for possible manslaughter

The shooting happened shortly after midnight on June 1, when Tippit followed Mendoza Jr. into his father’s garage after an attempted traffic stop and fired his weapon during an encounter. Dispatch audio later appeared to capture Tippit reference an “accidental discharge.”

Surveillance video obtained by KPRC 2 News does not capture any audible commands from Tippit, and the shot could be heard about eight seconds after both vehicles came to a stop.

According to a search warrant, investigators sought a forensic examination of Tippit’s Glock 19X handgun as part of the criminal investigation to ensure it was “properly functioning.”

Body camera details

According to the affidavit, Tippit initially attempted to stop a red Dodge Challenger driven by Mendoza Jr. for a traffic violation near Oyster Creek Drive and FM 2004.

Investigators say Mendoza Jr. fled, reaching speeds of about 120 mph and running six red lights before pulling into the garage of a home on Indian Warrior Trail.

• RELATED: Brazoria County ‘fighting transparency’ as bodycam video withheld in John Mendoze Jr. shooting, lawyer says

The Texas Ranger wrote that after reviewing Tippit’s body camera, investigators observed Tippit enter the garage, approach the driver’s side door, draw his handgun and fire a shot through the driver’s side window into the passenger compartment.

After opening the driver’s door, investigators say Tippit realized the driver, later identified as Mendoza, had been struck.

The affidavit says Tippit then radioed dispatch that he had experienced an “accidental discharge” and reported that one man was bleeding. The Ranger wrote that, based on his training and experience, he understood Tippit to be referring to his firearm unintentionally discharging.

Investigators say Tippit immediately began providing lifesaving aid until emergency responders arrived.

A custodial death report submitted by the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office says Mendoza died from a gunshot wound to his left upper extremity that entered his torso.

• RELATED: Brazoria County deputy involved in fatal shooting of John Mendoza Jr gets fired

The report classifies the manner of death as homicide, identifies law enforcement personnel as the cause of death and lists the weapon as a handgun.

Norman Giles, the outside attorney representing Brazoria County and the district attorney’s office, told KPRC 2 that the language used in the custodial death report came from preset drop-down menu options and was not intended to paint a particular narrative.

According to the search warrant affidavit, investigators recovered a spent 9mm casing inside the garage and seized Tippit’s Glock handgun.

The warrant sought a forensic examination to determine whether the firearm functioned properly, whether it fired the casing and bullet recovered during the investigation, and whether any mechanical issues contributed to the shooting.

• RELATED: Hundreds gather at Lake Jackson vigil for John Mendoze Jr.

Charles Adams, who represents Mendoza’s father and his son’s estate, criticized both documents and said he believes the evidence supports a murder charge rather than the offenses listed in the affidavit.

Sheriff Bo Stallman announced Tippit was fired due to policy violations about a week after the shooting in a video posted on YouTube.

Sheriff Stallman released the following statement after Tippit’s arrest:

“As a result of the June 1st officer-involved shooting, I requested the investigation be conducted by the Texas Rangers. I have full confidence in the Rangers and trusted the outcome would follow the facts and evidence wherever they led.

“Based upon the indictment, Kevin Tippit was arrested and booked into the Brazoria County Detention Center where he will remain until he posts bail, or a court orders otherwise. Currently, Tippit is being held on a charge of Aggravated Assault by Public Servant, a first-degree felony.

“This indictment carries heavy emotion. John Jr. was a young man who was well-loved and had his whole life in front of him. He should still be here with his family.

“My experience with Tippit has been that he is a good man, who worked very hard to do a good job for our team and our community.

“There is no doubt this incident had devastating consequences. As Sheriff, there is nothing more important to me than our citizens trusting law enforcement professionals are doing their very best to serve them every day. I want our citizens to know we do our best to be, and to employ, individuals who care deeply for our community.

“I urge everyone to keep the families in your prayers, and I want everyone in our community to know my Office remains committed to accountability and supporting the legal process. I understand the need for answers and accountability, so I would like to thank our community for their continued patience and understanding as this process moves forward.”

It’s unclear when Tippit will first appear in district on the felony charge.

A representative from CLEAT, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, told KPRC 2 News that Tippit is a member but the agency is currently unsure of which lawyer may represent him.

Drone strikes continued on Tuesday, hitting the town's power plant and oil refinery, the state-run National Oil Corporation said.

The attacks underscored the fragile state of security at Libya's critical infrastructure. In the country's east, in the city of Benghazi, a car bomb killed a senior military officer with a self-styled military force on Monday, the latest such bombing in the violence-stricken North African nation.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for either the drone strikes in the town of Zawiya, about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of the capital of Tripoli, or the Benghazi bombing.

Monday's first drone strike ignited a massive blaze at the refinery's gasoline-storage tank that burned through the night and into Tuesday afternoon, according to the Civil Defense, a first responders agency. There were no reports of casualties, health authorities said.

Footage aired by local media showed massive flames and fireballs erupting from the tank, with black and orange smoke rising in the sky as firefighters sprayed what appeared to be foam or water in efforts to extinguish the blaze.

As the firefighters fought the flames, another drone hit close to a key oil tank nearby but did not cause any casualties, the company said. It said the tank, which held 4.5 million liters of fuel when it was hit, collapsed and the company declared a state of maximum emergency at the facility.

On Tuesday, two drones hit the town's power plant, with one damaging its firefighting system while the second landed close to the facility’s main fuel storage, setting it on fire. The national oil company said firefighters quickly got that fire under control and there were no casualties.

Oil infrastructure in Zawiya — which houses critical energy infrastructure, including Libya's largest oil refinery, an export terminal and a power plant — has come under frequent attacks, including over the weekend when the national oil company said drones hit a fuel tank and a desalination plant linked to the oil facilities. It said the tank was damaged.

By late Tuesday evening, the national oil company said all the fires had been extinguished.

The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and warlord Mohamed Bahroun who controls the city of Zawiya. Much of western Libya is ruled by local militias loosely allied to Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah's government in Tripoli.

Jalel Harchaoui, an analyst affiliated with the Royal United Services Institute in London, said the warlord has been cornered by the government and his forces “are likely to resort to desperate measures.”

The Benghazi bombing on Monday evening killed a senior officer with the forces of powerful commander Khalifa Hifter. Maj. Gen. Fawzy al-Mansouri, director of the military intelligence of Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army, was killed when an explosive-laden vehicle detonated near his car in the Sayyida Aisha neighborhood in Benghazi, the LNA said.

The LNA is allied with one of Libya’s two rival governments, which controls the country’s eastern and southern parts.

Libya, a largely lawless Mediterranean country, has been plunged into chaos and division following the 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, which toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.

The country has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah’s government in the west and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is to arrive in Libya for a visit this week, is due to visit both Tripoli and Benghazi.

The team didn't provide any further details on the nature of Stiggers’ ailment or if he might be sidelined. The teams practice again Wednesday and Jets coach Aaron Glenn will speak to reporters after the session.

Shortly after practice Tuesday, Glenn said the 24-year-old Stiggers was conscious and talking on the field before being put on a stretcher and taken for further examination.

“He was able to talk and I want to make sure I go and see him after this, just to make sure I'm good with everything,” Glenn said. “But for the most part, he was good.”

The Jets and Buccaneers were in the middle of special teams drills late in practice when Glenn — who was watching a session on another field — said he was told Stiggers came to the sideline and “passed out.”

“He actually fell out,” Glenn said. “The good thing is, he was conscious. Our guys did a hell of a job, just like most medical staffs around this league do in situations like that, and they took the necessary steps just to make sure that we do everything we can to be on board when it comes to those situations.”

It was a somewhat scary scene, though, as several Jets teammates took a knee near the sideline and some formed a prayer circle. After several minutes, Stiggers was placed on a stretcher with what appeared to be an IV and loaded into the ambulance as fans seated near the area clapped in support.

“It was very sad, very emotional,” running back Breece Hall said. “You get on your knee and say a prayer for him and hope he’s OK."

Added defensive tackle Harrison Phillips: “What’s been shared to us is things are on the up and up.”

Practiced resumed after being halted for more than 10 minutes while Stiggers was being attended to.

Stiggers was earlier involved in one of the handful of chippy moments during the practice when he had his helmet flung down the field by Buccaneers offensive lineman Luke Goedeke after players on both teams scuffled.

Stiggers, an Atlanta native, is entering his third season with the Jets after being a fifth-round draft pick in 2024. He was one of that draft's feel-good stories because he had no college football experience and was the first player drafted directly from the CFL, where he played for the Toronto Argonauts, since Miami took Jermaine Haley in 1999.

In 29 games, including five starts, with New York, Stiggers has 35 tackles, two fumble recoveries and three passes defensed. He is also one of the Jets' top special teams players.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

“The main thing I look for our first game, the first time out for 2026, is: are we displaying our play style?” said Ryans. “That’s the main thing I want to see no matter who you are when you touch the field: are you repping the Texans brand? I wanna see guys playing fast, playing relentless, finishing. Who can you count on to execute when the lights are on, in game time? Can they go out and perform well under the lights, under a little bit more stress? How do guys operate at that level? That’s what I’m looking for.”

The Texans will kickoff against the Chargers at 7 p.m. on Thursday and then host their 2nd preseason game the next Thursday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The fire was reported around 6:45 a.m. At its peak, 26 units and around 60 personnel were on scene — including hazmat teams and the Houston Health Department.

How the fire started

The Houston Fire Department says the fire started at the top of one of the scrap metal piles at the facility, eventually seeping further into the middle of the pile, which strengthened it. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials say transporting metal always carries risks, such as creating sparks.

“When they do that, there’s that risk. Supposedly there are safeguards in place to prevent accidental sparks. But in this particular case, it’s happening more and more at these recycling plants,” said Deputy Chief Isaac Garcia.

Drones, excavators played key role

Garcia adds firefighters were pushing out 6,000 gallons of water a minute to contain the blaze. Excavators were brought in to pull back scrap metal and expose the base of the fire.

Drone operators also played a critical role, using infrared technology to locate hotspots and track which direction the fire was moving.

“The fire department has access to drone footage that we have and deploy. We are able to get a good size up, be able to see where this fire was going, where it stays, and where that particular hot spot is at,” Garcia said. “With infrared information, that information tells us where to target — a surgical application of our resources.”

Air quality concerns

Because scrap metal can be covered in oil or chemical residue, the Houston Health Department was on scene monitoring air quality. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality also assisted.

“And then an outside agency, the TCEQ, is helping the Health Department monitor the area — to ensure soil quality and air quality. So at this time, there are no concerns,” said Chief Thomas Muñoz.

With 6,000 gallons of water per minute being used, crews dug into nearby brush to create a runoff site for the water — a step that required authorization from the Health Department because of environmental concerns.

Air Alliance Houston, a nonprofit focused on the impacts of air pollution, issued a statement saying, “Fires such as this release air pollutants such as PM 2.5, which worsen air quality and pose significant risks to sensitive groups, including children, seniors and those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.”

Scene clears, no injuries reported

Because of the heat, first responders rotated constantly, with a staging area providing water, food and even a metro bus for cooling down. Fire cadets were also on scene, tasked with wrapping up the 3,500 feet of hose used during the response.

First responders have since left the scene. Several inches of water remained covering the roadway, and the smell of burning metal lingered after the fire was extinguished. No injuries were reported.

British driver Andy Green reached 406.320 mph (653.908 kph) in a car powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines with a combined 1,600 horsepower, setting the record for that vehicle category, according to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the international governing body of motor sports.

The 64-year-old retired Royal Air Force pilot rocketed across the crystalline crust at Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats in a 32-foot (9.75-meter) car engineered by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB. The engines, adapted from those used in the company’s heavy machinery, mix pressurized hydrogen gas with air and ignite it to create bursts of power.

“It’s magic to be able to showcase this technology and to showcase how good the engineering is on the best racing surface in the world, Bonneville Salt Flats,” Green told The Associated Press after the run.

To be clear, Tuesday’s feat didn’t come close to approaching the overall land-speed record, which Green set with jet power in 1997. That year, he climbed into the Thrust SSC, a black needle sandwiched between two cartoonishly large jet engines, and hit 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph), breaking the sound barrier and achieving a feat no one has come close to matching. His runs in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert produced sonic booms that shook the nearby town of Gerlach.

In 2006, Green also set the land-speed record for a diesel-powered car — 350.092 mph (563.4 kph) — at the Bonneville Salt Flats. He returned there Tuesday with the goal of beating that mark using hydrogen power, which he has called the “fuel of the future.”

In targeting his diesel speed, Green easily topped the previous hydrogen combustion world record of 185.5 mph (298.5 kph). He had a 10-mile (16-kilometer) straightaway to build speed. A few dozen JCB staff members and reporters watched from a distance through cameras and binoculars.

Green said the cockpit of the car he used on Tuesday was “probably a little hotter” than in the jet-powered vehicle from 1997, with temperatures routinely above 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius).

“But I have been training four months for that, both training in the gym and actually just getting used to it with hot baths,” he said.

A remnant of a prehistoric lake bed, the Bonneville Salt Flats are about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Salt Lake City and sit atop a shallow aquifer that cools the tires. The low-friction surface and dry desert air are conducive to speed and have beckoned drivers since the first race there in 1914.

“It looks like snow, and it behaves a bit like packed snow — it is surprisingly slippery,” Green said.

Green was no stranger to speed when he took his first racing job. He had been flying supersonic military jets when he spotted a 1994 British newspaper ad seeking a high-speed driver to break the sound barrier.

Green did not approach supersonic speeds on Tuesday, but JCB engineers hope his feat with hydrogen power will shake up the clean-energy industry.

The company's chairman has argued that hydrogen can better handle the demands of heavy industries than electric power.

Hydrogen is only as clean as its source, and the vast majority is currently produced from fossil fuels. JCB signed a deal to buy green hydrogen, which is created using renewable energy but makes up a tiny fraction of global hydrogen production.

The concept and development of such technology has been around for decades, but has had a resurgence over the past several years, said Greg Keoleian, a professor of sustainable systems at the University of Michigan and co-director of the school’s MI Hydrogen initiative.

Many major automakers have already developed hydrogen internal combustion engines or hydrogen fuel cell technology, but the higher cost of hydrogen production compared with gas and diesel is a barrier to wider usage, Keoleian said.

“It represents an important energy carrier for decarbonizing areas of the economy,” he said. “As far as its deployment, it’s influenced heavily by the cost.”

An emerging focus, he said, is extracting hydrogen from natural deposits instead of separating it from water, a prospect that could significantly reduce costs.

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Associated Press reporter Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed reporting.

The sheriff’s office Crime Reduction Unit said deputies worked with local retailers and loss-prevention teams from Aug. 4 through Aug. 7 to monitor commercial areas, identify suspected shoplifters and apprehend suspects.

The arrests include cases involving organized retail theft, shoplifting, outstanding warrants and drug crimes.

Deputies also recovered more than $5,200 worth of stolen merchandise. They returned the items directly to the affected businesses.

The sheriff’s office said it regularly conducts proactive enforcement operations to improve public safety, and officials described the latest initiative as part of a broader push to work directly with retailers to protect businesses, employees and shoppers.

Sheriff Wesley Doolittle emphasized the importance of community partnerships, saying the sheriff’s office and the community are “better together.”

In Deer Park ISD, the answer is supposed to be just a few clicks.

The district is already using wearable Raptor badges that allow staff to discreetly alert others during an emergency — whether it’s a medical crisis, a physical altercation, severe weather or a potential threat.

With students returning to classrooms, the technology is becoming part of the broader conversation about school safety across Texas.

Three clicks can bring help

During a demonstration at Deer Park ISD, Assistant Superintendent Jason Mummert showed how the badge works.

Three presses trigger what the district calls a “Team Assist.”

The alert goes to a designated group of administrators, counselors, nurses and other staff members. Location sensors, which the district calls “pucks,” help pinpoint where the alert originated.

“It’s showing exactly where we are located here on the maps so the team can come help and assist as needed,” Dr. Dr. Mummert said.

Staff members can also communicate through the app and call 911 directly from it, according to the district.

Deer Park ISD says the system isn’t limited to lockdown situations.

The district says it has been used for medical emergencies, including an incident last year when a substitute teacher activated the system while a student was having a seizure.

Dr. Mummert said the alert allowed campus staff to respond quickly and get emergency personnel involved.

Six clicks means something different

The badge has another alert level.

Six presses initiate what Deer Park calls a lockdown alert.

Unlike the Team Assist alert, there is no audible sound.

That is intentional.

“We don’t want them to know that we have initiated that,” Dr. Mummert said, referring to a potential threat. “So if it’s silent, they don’t know that we’ve already activated it.”

The alert still appears on staff phones and iPads.

The district says it also goes to school resource officers and local police.

What happens when something goes wrong?

Any emergency alert system is only as effective as the people using it — and the plans behind it.

Deer Park says staff members are trained on how to use the badges at the beginning of each school year. Assistant principals receive safety training and then train employees on their campuses.

Staff also practice emergency procedures through drills.

The district says it has procedures for false alarms.

For a Team Assist false alarm, staff can disregard the alert after checking the situation.

If a lockdown alert is accidentally triggered, administrators determine whether there is an actual emergency. If there is not, the district says the SRO and police are notified so officers know not to respond.

Lost badges can also be deactivated and replaced.

Dr. Mummert said Deer Park ISD did encounter some issues with location sensors when the system was first implemented, but those problems were addressed during the first year.

“We have very accurate mapping now,” he said.

The technology is not the entire emergency plan

Deer Park ISD says the badges are one piece of a larger safety system that includes emergency drills, trained staff and coordination with law enforcement.

The district says each campus has a designated emergency response team, and Deer Park has school resource officers on its campuses.

Dr, Mummert said having staff trained on both the technology and emergency protocols is critical.

“This just allows for such a quicker response than they would have to go find a phone or get reception on their phone potentially. That eliminates all of it.”

That distinction matters because a panic alert does not physically stop an intruder, treat a medical emergency or evacuate students.

It is designed to shorten the time between recognizing a problem and getting the right people moving.

Not every Texas campus is there yet

Texas has required school districts to implement panic alert technology as part of its school safety requirements.

The Texas Education Agency has reported that about 13% of campuses were still not compliant.

That raises questions for parents: Which campuses are still waiting? Why? And when will they have the required systems in place?

KPRC contacted TEA asking which Houston-area campuses remain out of compliance and what deadline applies to those schools.

As of publication, the agency had not responded.

What parents should ask their district

A panic alert may be only one part of a school’s emergency response plan.

Parents can ask their district:

• How quickly does an alert reach staff or first responders?
• Who receives the alert?
• What happens if the technology fails?
• What is the backup if Wi-Fi or connectivity is unavailable?
• How often do staff practice using the system?
• Are substitutes trained?
• What happens after a false alarm?
• How does the district coordinate with 911 and law enforcement?
• How does the district measure response times during drills?

The goal isn’t simply to have a button hanging from a staff member’s badge.

The real test comes when someone needs help.

Superintendent Mike Miles and the school’s principal are working to ensure teachers make every instructional minute count. The model focuses on meeting students where they are, whether that means offering more support or more challenge.

“Support for students who are behind, and then we challenge the students who are already ahead or already proficient,” Miles said.

Team centers give students a path forward

Central to the NES model are team centers — classrooms designed for students who have already mastered the current lesson and are ready for something more advanced. Students who need additional help, meanwhile, receive more direct instruction time.

Jefferson Elementary is just one of 129 NES schools in HISD. The district is made up of mostly Black and Hispanic students, who account for 80% of the student population, according to the Texas Education Agency. Additionally, 77% of students come from an economically disadvantaged background.

Miles said his goal is to help those students succeed.

“A lot of our younger kids here who are not reading at grade level yet or not doing math at grade level,” Miles said. “So this school is going to help them close that gap and get proficient. And we have a lot of other schools that are tailored to meet the needs of their students.”

Additional resources, higher pay for NES schools

HISD is investing additional resources into its NES schools. Miles said those campuses receive teacher assistants and learning coaches to support team centers. Core subject teachers at NES schools also earn $9,000 more than the average district teacher, according to district officials.

“That’s supporting our students who have been underserved for a long time,” Miles said.

Most NES schools are located on the north, east and south sides of Houston and are graded based on performance.

Iceberg lettuce, eggs and jalapeños have all been linked to recent illnesses, prompting recalls and public health alerts involving products sold at major retailers, including H-E-B, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.

Doctors, however, are urging consumers not to stop eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Dr. Wesley Long with Houston Methodist said the benefits of eating produce still outweigh the risk of contracting illnesses such as Cyclospora.

“So certainly it’s safe to eat produce, fresh fruits and vegetables,” Long said.

Long said the recent outbreaks are caused by different organisms and can contaminate food in different ways.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can be found in humans and animals and may contaminate eggs, produce and other foods through fecal material during production, handling or processing.

Cyclospora, on the other hand, is a microscopic parasite that infects humans. Produce can become contaminated through water or other exposure to human fecal material during growing, harvesting or processing.

Because many fruits and vegetables are eaten raw, contaminated produce may reach consumers without going through a cooking step that could otherwise kill certain germs.

Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is continuing to investigate a Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce.

Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market in July because of possible Cyclospora contamination. Federal health officials have advised consumers not to eat recalled lettuce.

Cyclospora typically causes watery diarrhea. Other symptoms can include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting, body aches, headaches or fever.

Texas routinely sees Cyclospora cases during the warmer months. The Texas Department of State Health Services says Cyclospora season typically runs from May through August.

Texas health officials have reported 98 Cyclospora cases this season, according to the latest state figure provided to KPRC 2.

Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños

Meanwhile, federal health officials are investigating a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh jalapeño peppers.

The FDA says the affected jalapeños were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Taylor Fresh Foods subsequently recalled a number of finished products containing the affected peppers.

The recall includes a wide variety of ready-to-eat foods, including:

• Salsa
• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole
• Dips
• Salads
• Sandwiches
• Prepared meals

Some affected products were distributed in Texas through major retailers including Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Walmart.

The FDA’s current jalapeño outbreak page lists products with use-by or best-by dates extending into mid-August, meaning consumers are being urged to check refrigerators even if they purchased the food several days ago.

H-E-B products included in federal public health alert

Several prepared meals sold at H-E-B are also included in a federal public health alert involving the recalled jalapeños.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service listed the following H-E-B products:

• H-E-B Shake Rattle Bowl Southwest Chicken
• Higher Harvest for H-E-B Chicken & Beef Chimichurri
• Higher Harvest for H-E-B Creamy Cilantro Chicken
• Meal Simple Pork Carnitas Bowl
• Meal Simple Chicken & Rice with Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce

The affected products have varying use-by dates between Aug. 3 and Aug. 15, depending on the item.

The products are part of a public health alert, rather than a separate H-E-B-originated contamination event. FSIS issued the alert because the meat and poultry products contain FDA-regulated jalapeños that were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Consumers who still have affected products in their refrigerators or freezers should not eat them.

Trader Joe’s recalls Fiesta Salad with Shrimp

Trader Joe’s is separately recalling 668 packages of Fiesta Salad with Shrimp because the product contains salsa that may have been prepared with the recalled jalapeño peppers.

The affected product is:

Trader Joe’s Fiesta Salad with ShrimpSKU: 81837Use-by dates: Aug. 7, 2026 through Aug. 12, 2026

The salads were sold in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

The FDA’s outbreak list confirms the Trader Joe’s product was distributed in Texas.

Trader Joe’s says the recall is being conducted out of an abundance of caution and that no illnesses associated specifically with the salad have been reported.

Customers who have one of the affected salads should throw it away or return it to Trader Joe’s for a refund.

Egg recall also tied to Salmonella

The FDA is also investigating a separate Salmonella outbreak involving eggs.

Federal health officials have advised consumers to check refrigerators for recalled shell eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services and either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

That outbreak is separate from the jalapeño investigation.

Why are healthy foods becoming contaminated?

Long said the contamination routes vary depending on the organism involved.

“For Salmonella, again, it’s found in animals and humans. It can infect hens and infect chickens that are laying eggs. That can be one way they can be infected,” Long said. “It can be with animal feces coming in contact with the eggs during processing, during handling.”

Cyclospora contamination is different.

“In the case of Cyclospora, it’s exclusively a human parasite. So it’s only associated with human feces,” Long said.

He said contaminated groundwater, irrigation water or contamination during harvesting and processing can lead to Cyclospora ending up on produce.

Should you stop eating fresh produce?

Long says no.

Despite the number of recent recalls, he stressed that consumers should not become afraid of the produce aisle.

“The Salmonella outbreak by comparison is much, much smaller compared to the Cyclospora outbreak,” Long said.

He also said federal investigators have made significant progress identifying the sources of the recent illnesses.

“I think the most important thing for people to know about both of these outbreaks is that, by and large, we’ve now identified the sources that led to them,” Long said.

He expects the number of Cyclospora cases to decline as the typical seasonal period comes to an end.

“Now that we’re entering August, we should start to see both of these issues resolve over the coming weeks into September, just naturally,” Long said.

What consumers should do

Health officials recommend checking products against current FDA and USDA recall notices before eating them.

If a food matches a recall, consumers should not eat it. They should throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers should also clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with recalled food, particularly recalled lettuce.

People who develop persistent diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps or other concerning symptoms after eating a recalled product should contact a health care provider.

Long’s message to consumers is to stay informed without abandoning healthy foods.

“We shouldn’t have to worry about jalapeños or our eggs or our produce,” Long said. “As long as you’re cooking everything really well, we should be fairly safe going forward.”

Investigator Mario Diaz has seen several success stories along the way.

One involved Isabel Tristan, who waited nearly three years to get her $75 back for a brick memorial in Brookshire. After 2 Helps You got involved, Tristan received her money back.

He also helped two communities with road issues in northwest Houston. In one neighborhood, residents got speed bumps. In another, a massive pothole was repaired.

In League City, we helped a homeowner get a bee hive removed with the help of Bee’n Green.

Meanwhile in Southeast Houston, several residents asked 2 Helps You to help address what they described as a “Texas jungle” of overgrown vegetation that was encroaching on their properties. We pushed Union Pacific for answers and within days the rail giant addressed the problem.

We even secured new seats for FIFA World Cup 2026 fans who saw StubHub suddenly cancel their dream experience.

This is a sampling of some of the problems we’ve helped resolve.

But four cases that 2 Helps You exposed remain unresolved. Here’s where they stand.

Illegal dumping site off Antoine Drive in Harris County

The first involves an illegal dumping site on North Antoine Drive in Harris County.

The site is still there.

• RELATED: Illegal dump site off Antoine Drive ignored for months; 2 Helps You puts Harris County on notice

The area falls under Harris County Precinct 1, which is led by Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

We’ve reached out to the commissioner’s office multiple times seeking answers and action.

So far, no resolution has taken place and the eyesore remains.

Abandoned home in Fort Bend County

The second case involves an abandoned home in Fort Bend County.

After our first report, the county cut the grass and vegetation in the front yard.

But nothing more.

Adan Alvarado, who was featured in our original report, says the overgrown vegetation in the back continues to cause problems, including damage to his fence.

• RELATED: 2 Helps You: Fort Bend County residents tired of neglected eyesore impacting their community without accountability

Alvarado says he has been unable to get his fence replaced because the vegetation has caused it to come down.

Asked how the situation makes him feel, Alvarado, “It seems like that they forgot this side of town.”

After speaking with Alvarado, 2 Helps You again contacted Fort Bend County Health.

We left a message seeking an update on the situation.

So far, the person leading the department has yet to return our call.

Gravesite marker in Northeast Houston still waiting to be installed

Another case involves Patrina Marshall and a gravesite marker for her mother.

Marshall tells 2 Helps You that Headstone World has repaired the marker and her family has seen the work done.

• RELATED: 2 Helps You: Fighting for Houston woman after $5K memorial to honor mother is delivered damaged to local cemetery

All that is left according to Marshall is getting the new marker installed at the gravesite, which is slated for next week at Golden Gate Cemetery.

We’ll continue following up to see when that happens.

Galveston Sidewalk Repairs on 61st Street

And finally, in Galveston, 2 Helps You helped get a portion in the 2800 block of 61st Street near the seawall repaired for elderly residents who lived in the area.

But two other trouble spots remain, preventing those in scooters or using walkers from having an uninterrupted passage.

We’re still waiting for those areas next to an apartment complex to be addressed.

• RELATED: Dangerous Galveston sidewalk repaired days after KPRC 2 Helps You report; more hazards we uncovered under review

We of course will continue to follow-up as it’s what 2 Helps You does — helping viewers get answers, holding those responsible accountable and staying on a problem until there is a solution.

If you have an issue you think we can help resolve, hit us up at our Help Desk.

Remember, we should never be your first call but we don’t mind being your last.

She told dispatchers that her son JohnRobert Holmes III, 21 at the time, was at risk of hurting himself, hoping that he would get the help he needed — a pathway to a bed at a state psychiatric hospital. When officers arrived and tried to detain him for a mental evaluation, Holmes ran, according to an arrest affidavit. He was booked into Williamson County Jail and released the same day without meaningful mental care, McClain said, and his charge — interfering with public duties — was dropped four months later. 

Since that arrest 11 years ago, Holmes would go on to be arrested 10 more times and deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial at least three times, often for minor crimes such as trespassing, according to county records. 

And, each time, he never got a psychiatric bed nor substantive mental health treatment, McClain said. 

“I’m not asking for funding. I’m asking just to have him put into a hospital and receive care for longer than three weeks, so that I can get my son back,” McClain told The Texas Tribune. 

The Tribune was unable to contact Holmes, who McClain says suffers from schizophrenia and acute psychosis, and does not have a phone and is unhoused. A public defender assigned to him on four occasions declined to comment without permission from Holmes.

Although the state must provide treatment to defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial, a chronic shortage of beds at state-run psychiatric hospitals, also called state hospitals, have forced defendants to wait up to two years for care. 

Last month, U.S. District Judge David Ezra ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to cut wait times to 21 days over the next four years, but attorneys for the state have since appealed the ruling, delaying relief for McClain’s son and the 1,600 Texans waiting for a state hospital bed. 

“It’s really sad that we had to bring this suit, and that it takes a court order for the state to do what’s right,” said Lisa Snead, an attorney working with Disability Rights Texas. “The state’s appeal is not surprising but is disappointing.” 

Stemming from a lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Texas in 2016, Ezra found that Texas’ system of making incompetent defendants wait in jail for treatment was unconstitutional. He also found that HHSC knew it lacked the capacity to treat these defendants but failed to fix the problem, leaving them to wait months or even years for state hospital beds. 

“Lack of funding cannot justify the continued detention of defendants who have not been convicted of any crime, who are not awaiting trial, and who are receiving next to no mental-health services,” he wrote in his ruling.

Compared to jail-based programs, state hospitals are better equipped and they offer better environments for recovery, mental health experts say. Because state law requires mentally incompetent defendants be provided with restorative mental care, it is often free of cost unlike private options. 

As of June, about 1,626 people were on the state hospital waitlist, said Thomas Vazquez, spokesperson for HHSC. Of them, 447 people were waiting for a maximum-security unit bed, with an average wait time of seven months. Another 1,179 people were waiting for a lesser security bed, with an average wait time of over five months. 

At its 10-year height in December 2022, the wait time for a maximum security bed was two years. 

Ezra gave HHSC four years to comply with the 21-day requirement and ordered the agency to identify compliance benchmarks within 45 days. 

State attorneys are asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to postpone setting those benchmarks, according to court records. They argue that the 21-day requirement would force the agency to begin “irreversible work” rebuilding part of its system on a court-set schedule and to spend “unrecoverable funds” on a remedy the 5th Circuit may ultimately find the Constitution never required.

Vasquez declined to comment on last month’s ruling, including on how many more beds the state would need to add to meet the court mandate and how much it would cost. 

Timing out of jail

Waitlists for state psychiatric beds are long because demand for mental health treatment has outpaced capacity for years. Staffing shortages, rundown facilities, and a lack of investment in psychiatric care have kept hospitals from adding enough beds, while many existing beds are in long-term use or out of commission.

In recent years, Texas has made efforts to improve capacity. The state has six projects expected for completion in 2027 that will add an extra 175 mental health beds and replace or convert 540 beds for use, according to the state health agency. 

Now, roughly 70% of the state’s 3,600 mental hospital beds are forensic, meaning for those criminally detained, and the rest are for civil commitments and for youth. In June, 1,663 forensic patients received treatment.

Many waitlisted defendants never receive restorative treatment because they wind up “timing out.” That means they serve their maximum possible sentence for their charge — many of them are charged with minor crimes with short sentences — before a bed frees up. 

“You had folks who were charged with offenses for which the maximum penalty was only 180 days, essentially serving their entire sentence waiting for HHSC to make a bed available to them,” said Snead.

Holmes is one of them. He was booked into jail three times for trespassing and was found incompetent to stand trial for those offenses and ordered to be given restorative treatment. But, he ended up serving the maximum sentence for standard criminal trespassing — 180 days — each of those times and was released from jail without getting a spot at the state hospital. 

“I thought for sure that time they were going to get him into the state hospital,” McClain said. “He just timed out and was on the streets again.”

The current system is effectively giving those who commit worse crimes a higher chance at accessing a state hospital bed, she said.

“I was informed that because it’s a misdemeanor, more than likely he’ll time out before a bed is available. But if he committed a felony and was there longer, more than likely they would be able to locate a bed,” said McClain.

Push for state hospital care

McClain said her son never received restorative care in Williamson County Jail and was prescribed medication upon release on one occasion. 

McClain wants him committed to a state hospital because he is constitutionally entitled to it. She also said she would not be able to afford the private route, which would require her to obtain guardianship, a process that costs thousands, to privately place her son, a legal adult, in a private facility. 

“It’s for the wealthy,” she said. “We all love our children just as well as someone who’s financially capable of putting a person in a [private] institution.”

With their jails bloated with detainees waiting for mental health services, local officials welcome the most recent ruling, which is the furthest this issue has gotten in the court system; Disability Rights Texas unsuccessfully sued the state over the waitlist in 2012. While Williamson County officials did not comment on Holmes’ cases, they welcome the state’s efforts to reduce the state hospital bed waitlist, said Phyllis Shaffer, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. 

In county jail, patients have limited access to mental health care, medication, and lesser restorative treatment. In Travis County Jail, there is one full-time psychiatrist serving a population where 40% to 50% of inmates need psychiatric help, said Melissa Shearer, mental health division director at the Travis County Public Defender’s Office.

“Jails are, to say the least, not appropriate places for people with mental illness,” said Snead. “Jail-based competency restoration programs in practice are often just not the same caliber of services that detainees receive in a hospital.”

Some severely ill defendants can jump the state hospital bed waitlist, according to health and human services. But, there are so few state hospital beds that meeting the criteria for expedited admission does not always guarantee someone will get in, even if they are a danger to themselves or others. 

“We had a young woman who was incompetent and very, very, very ill, and was deteriorating in the jail, doing a lot of self harm, not eating, not drinking, and not improving at all, and was continually getting worse, and the jail was concerned about the self harm. And that young person had been waiting for over a year,” said Shearer.

McClain echoed similar concerns, saying that her son’s health would decline each time he went to jail.

Shearer said the ruling will provide relief for people needlessly suffering in jail. 

“They would have less time isolated in a single cell, which we know causes deterioration in mental health long term,” Shearer said. “You will see a lot more people get well and stay well because the longer a person’s serious mental illness is untreated, the worse it gets.”

Over the years, McClain admits she had lost trust in the state to help her son, but is holding on to some hope that last month’s ruling, if it survives the appeal, will help bring back the son she used to know. 

McClain said Holmes was a normal — maybe a little quiet — basketball-loving child growing up in Round Rock. He went on to attend the prestigious historically Black university Morehouse College in Atlanta where he enjoyed reading psychology so much he majored in it. His mother told police he became sick after he was assaulted at a pick-up basketball game and suffered a brain injury a few weeks before his first arrest, according to the arrest affidavit from his first offense. 

“He was a career counselor for an online university, so he was helping people set their career,” McClain said. “He had his own apartment, and he was doing great, interacting with family.”

In recent years, McClain has shown up at the Texas Commission on Jail Standards meetings to call for the health agency to implement more mental health care options for those who cycle in and out of jail. Outcomes for people like her son would look different if the criminal justice system offered a real plan of care, McClain said.

“They’d be viable members of society as opposed to being walked over and forgotten about.”

Alex Nguyen contributed to this report. 

The changes include new emergency-access boxes, upgraded security cameras, updated campus maps and additional training for law enforcement and school employees.

New Knox Boxes give first responders faster access

At Mahaffey Elementary and other Klein ISD campuses, new Knox Boxes have been installed this summer.

The secured boxes give police and other first responders quick access to school buildings during an emergency, including agencies that are not part of Klein ISD.

Klein ISD Police Chief Marlon Runnels said the system could save valuable time when outside agencies are called in to help.

“Those agencies that aren’t part of our district who are responding to support us can gain access to our buildings through these boxes,” Runnels said. “So it’s just that quick and easy for them.”

The district has also updated its campus maps and shared them with local law enforcement. The goal is to make sure responding officers know the layout of a campus before or as they arrive during an emergency.

The safety improvements are part of a broader effort that includes funding from a voter-approved bond in 2022.

More than 3,000 security cameras

Klein ISD now has more than 3,000 cameras covering its more than 50 campuses.

The district recently upgraded the cameras to provide sharper video and improved zoom capabilities.

District dispatchers monitor the cameras around the clock, according to Runnels.

If an incident occurs, the higher-quality video can also help investigators determine what happened.

But district officials say technology is only one part of the safety strategy.

Visitors must identify themselves before entering through the front door, while employees with authorized credentials can access buildings more quickly.

Law enforcement training focuses on emergency response

This summer, Klein ISD trained nearly 600 fire and law enforcement officers on active attack response.

The training gives responding agencies an opportunity to become familiar with school campuses, maps and emergency-response roles before an actual crisis occurs.

Runnels said that kind of preparation requires cooperation between the district and outside agencies.

“We can’t do it independently and in a silo. We have to collaborate. We have to partner with folks,” Runnels said.

School employees also receive annual safety training, including CPR, first aid and Stop the Bleed instruction.

Hundreds of drills conducted last year

The district conducted more than 500 safety drills last year.

Campus guards and police officers also logged more than 80,000 campus checks, according to Klein ISD.

The district’s campus guard program uses a hybrid approach. Police officers provide security support at secondary campuses, while armed campus guards are assigned to elementary schools.

The program is now entering its third year.

Runnels said the district puts guards through a vetting and training process before they are placed on campuses.

“We vet them. We train them. We invest in them to make sure that they are best suited to support our students and our staff here,” Runnels said.

As students return to classrooms, district officials say school safety ultimately depends on more than cameras, locks and emergency equipment.

It also depends on trained staff, students willing to speak up when they see something concerning, and systems that allow everyone to respond quickly when an emergency happens.

Mozeliak also fired bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott in a shake-up of first-year manager Kurt Suzuki’s staff with just 43 games remaining for the Angels, who have the majors' worst record at 45-74.

While Mozeliak said that "no one thing just stood out” in his decision to fire Maddux, he prominently cited his desire for the Angels to “use all the different tools that you see a lot of pitchers use today.”

“I think there was becoming some level of frustration with the inconsistency of that, and so ultimately that's when we started thinking about, ‘Do we need to make a change?’” Mozeliak said. ”I do feel like we have a lot of great resources that we could be taking (greater) advantage of."

The dismissals were the latest shake-up in a tumultuous year for the Angels, who fired general manager Perry Minasian in late June. Los Angeles is headed toward its 11th consecutive losing season and 12th straight non-playoff season, both the longest active droughts in the majors, under much-criticized owner Arte Moreno.

Mozeliak, the longtime St. Louis Cardinals general manager, agreed to take over baseball operations for Moreno on a temporary basis after Minasian's firing, and he has endeavored to modernize the Halos' long-struggling organization.

Mozeliak said the Angels have technology and information on par with the rest of the majors, and he's confident it is being used properly by Suzuki's offensive staff — but the pitching operation needed an urgent overhaul.

“There’s so many more resources out there that really every team in baseball is utilizing, so (we’re) just making sure that the Angels are up to speed with that and leveraging this,” Mozeliak said. “I know our research and development team upstairs, they’re providing a lot of useful things that I think we can be taking advantage of. And then moving forward ... what can we do to make this a state-of-the-art place for player growth? What you don’t want to do is have players outsourcing those types of things. You want it to be the internal model, and hopefully we can accomplish that.”

Maddux, who turns 65 later this month, didn’t last one full season with the Angels after leaving the Texas Rangers last winter. The former major leaguer is widely respected in the game after 24 seasons as a pitching coach, and he played a significant role in the Rangers’ success during their 2023 World Series title.

But in Anaheim, Maddux presided over a staff that has posted the majors’ seventh-worst ERA at 4.51 and an MLB-high 508 walks.

Angels left-hander Reid Detmers, whose 1.10 WHIP is the 14th-best in the majors, said “everybody is surprised” by the firings.

“I mean, if we have it, might as well use it, right?," said Detmers, who evaluates his biomechanics in every bullpen session and consults with his personal coaches during the season. “I'm not saying we didn't use it all the time, but there's definitely times where we could have used it. In my eyes, it's only going to make you better.”

Tim Leveque was appointed Los Angeles’ interim pitching coach, and Michael Wuertz will be the club’s interim bullpen coach. Leveque was the pitching coach at the Angels’ Double-A Rocket City affiliate after working in the Cardinals organization during Mozeliak’s tenure.

“He’s a smart guy who really understands where the game is at, and I think he’ll be a good resource for (Suzuki),” Mozeliak said of Leveque.

Suzuki is on a one-year contract in his first major league managerial job. Mozeliak said he won't make any additional changes before the end of the season in seven weeks.

“I appreciated everything that they did,” Suzuki said of the fired coaches. “They worked hard. They prepared. At the end of the day, Mo and I felt like the path moving forward in these last 43 games ... we felt like this was the best way.”

Chiti was in his first season as the bullpen coach after rejoining the Angels organization in late 2023. Scott also was in his first season with the Angels after several years with the Colorado Rockies.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

It turned out to be an ultrarare collection of 97 “absolutely pristine” copies of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt, a popular Nintendo game that was released in 1988, Ganos said.

After some initial research, Ganos found that the cartridges he held were not only a new variant of the game, but also the last known production date of it.

Most of the cartridges will go up for sale Friday in an online auction that will run until Sept. 9.

“I still don’t quite believe that any of this is happening,” Ganos said. “I just think it’s kind of serendipitous that this happened. It’s just still very bizarre to me.”

Ganos, a hard-core fan covered in Nintendo tattoos and who has operated Nintendo Wire, a news service for Nintendo announcements and nostalgia for over 10 years, said he would not venture to guess how much the games are worth.

But when he saw the box, he immediately knew it was special.

“It’s like pulling out like a Holy Grail,” Ganos said, later adding, “They're gorgeous.”

The discovery came after the owner, Kevin Braun, of One Stop Wonders in Waukesha, outside Milwaukee, asked Ganos to help him sell some stuff, including common Nintendo games and Pokémon cards.

Braun mentioned the box of Mario cartridges that had been sitting in storage for years. He recalled buying them from a customer whose family had kept them for metal scraps but thought they were not worth much.

The cartridges of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt he had were made in 1993, long after the company discontinued the bundle in 1991. Braun and Ganos still aren’t sure why the copies they possess were made but assume they were either warranty replacements or part of a bundle with a box retailer that never panned out.

Knowing the potential significance of the possession, Ganos booked a flight immediately.

“I flew down to California with 97 carts in my carry-on luggage, sweating bullets going through TSA, like why do you have 97 little circuit boards in your carry-on?” Ganos recalled thinking nervously.

He anxiously made it through airport security to meet with video game experts to have the cartridges verified and graded, giving them a perceived value.

There had never been a cartridge rated a perfect 10 at Professional Sports Authenticator video games, Ganos said.

Five of the 97 Ganos possessed received a perfect score.

“I think there’s going to be historic significance to the tens,” Ganos said when talking about how much the games may sell at the auction. “Like number one, it’s so many people’s childhoods, and number two, there’s never been a 10 in an NES cart before.”

Ultrarare video game cartridges, especially ones with unique production history, can be sold for six- to seven-figure prices in the collector’s market. Ganos said the 97 carts are also unique because of their perfect condition, which, much like comic books or sports cards, often sell higher.

Ganos can't estimate the ultimate worth of the cartridges because they are incomparable to other video game collectibles he has seen before. They could be worth hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands, he said.

Ganos and Braun are only auctioning off three of the perfect 10 scored cartridges at Golden Pop’s Culture Auction beginning Friday. They are both keeping one copy with a score of a 10, and a few others rated in the higher 9’s.

The games can be played if the buyer wants. But because they are pristine, Ganos hopes to keep them that way.

“Finding uncirculated stuff for me is just like super exciting,” Ganos said. “This game was the first video game I’ve ever played. Mario Duck Hunt was just such a big part of my life growing up.”

Braun and Ganos also plan to do a charity auction after they are finished with the current one.

___

Wilder is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Mayor John Whitmire and Elsa Flores, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Texas, are scheduled to announce details of the pay increase during a press conference Wednesday.

The press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m.

The city has not yet released details about the amount of the salary increase, which airport workers will be affected or when the raises will take effect.

KPRC 2 will provide more information following Wednesday’s announcement.

The executions come as a small number of states, including the three with scheduled lethal injections Thursday, drive execution numbers in the United States.

“You look at the country as a whole, you’ve just got this little pocket of five or six states that are using the death penalty, executing people, and a small number of states that are still imposing new death sentences,” said Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. Maher said it is highly unusual to have three executions on one day, although it is largely a scheduling coincidence.

Eleven states executed a total of 47 people in 2025, the highest number since 2009. Florida accounted for most of the surge with 19 executions. Alabama, South Carolina and Texas each carried out five. Tennessee carried out three. Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arizona and Indiana each carried out two. Louisiana and Missouri each carried out one execution.

The 19 executions so far in 2026 have occurred in four states. Florida, which again leads the country, executed two inmates on the same day in July.

The last time three executions were held on the same day was Jan. 7, 2010, when Louisiana, Ohio and Texas put inmates to death. Three executions were scheduled on the same day in 2018, but only one went forward after a Texas man was granted a reprieve and prison officials in Alabama had problems with the IV line.

Tennessee will attempt another lethal injection after IV problems

Tennessee plans to execute Anthony Darrell Hines three months after the attempted lethal injection of another inmate was called off because of problems inserting an IV. The aborted execution put a spotlight on issues states have sometimes had in establishing IV lines during lethal injections.

“All eyes really are on Tennessee at this moment because of the problem that happened,” Maher said.

During the attempted execution of Tony Carruthers in May, the IV team established a primary line right away but then worked for more than an hour trying to insert a required backup line. The execution was ultimately called off and Carruthers was given a one-year reprieve.

Hines, 66, has seized on the problems with the previous execution, saying his health issues — including two strokes that left him partially paralyzed — increase the risk of difficulties at his execution. He has unsuccessfully asked the governor and courts to intervene, claiming the doctor who oversaw that execution was unqualified and is likely to botch his execution, as well.

Gov. Bill Lee has declined to take any action on Hines’ requests, and last week the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled against a stay of his execution. The state has declined to say whether the same doctor will preside over the upcoming execution, but the court noted that Hines had not proved that doctor was unqualified.

Hines was convicted of stabbing Catherine Jean Jenkins to death in 1985 while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs. He was sentenced to death in 1986, won an appeal for a new sentencing hearing, and was again sentenced to death in 1989.

Alabama inmate asks to be put to death for killing girl

Alabama is scheduled to execute Jeremy Williams, 42, by lethal injection for the 2021 rape and murder of a 5-year-old Georgia girl.

Williams, who pleaded guilty to killing Kamarie Holland, has asked for his death sentence to be carried out.

Prosecutors said Williams raped and strangled Holland after offering her mother $2,500 for the child to perform oral sex on him. Williams filmed his attack on the girl and kept her body to continue to abuse, prosecutors said.

In 2022, Williams also was charged with the 2005 death of his infant daughter in Alaska.

“This man left a trail of destruction of children,” Russell County District Attorney Richard Chancey said.

About 10% of executed inmates are so-called volunteers who drop appeals, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, but most of those have been on death row longer. The time between Williams’ 2024 conviction and his scheduled lethal injection is unusually brief, Maher said.

It will be Alabama’s first execution of the year if it goes forward. A nitrogen gas execution was halted in June after a federal judge ruled the method unconstitutional.

Oklahoma inmate says he doesn’t want clemency

Oklahoma is scheduled to execute Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez, 70, for the 2003 murder of his girlfriend.

If the lethal injection goes forward, he will be the third person executed in Oklahoma this year.

Prosecutors said Olimpia Fisher, 43, had been making plans to leave Cuesta-Rodriguez when he shot her in one eye and then waited about eight minutes as she screamed for help before firing the fatal shot into her other eye.

Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-1 last month against recommending clemency for Cuesta-Rodriguez. Cuesta-Rodriguez’s attorneys had asked the board to recommend he serve life in prison without parole, saying he had a difficult childhood and suffered from brain damage, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression with psychotic episodes.

But Cuesta-Rodriguez told the board that he did not want clemency. He said he wanted Fisher’s two daughters to know that he regretted what happened.

“I can’t have been in my right mind to have done something so horrific,” he said through a Spanish-language translator. “I have not been able to find any sense in all this.”

___

Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas. Loller contributed to this report from Nashville.

O'Connell made the announcement before practice on Tuesday afternoon, giving Murray a full month of full-time repetitions with the first-team offense before the regular season begins on Sept. 13. O'Connell and general manager Nolan Teasley met with both players in the morning to discuss the decision.

“I didn’t come in here expecting to be handed the job or anything like that. I just expected to come here and compete," Murray said after practice. "I’m very appreciative of how it was handled.”

With 87 starts over seven years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, two Pro Bowl selections and a unique elusiveness that has fueled 3,193 career rushing yards, Murray was going to have to either get hurt or badly struggle with his grasp of O'Connell's offense for McCarthy to keep the job.

An earlier end to the audition was always going to be ideal for Murray, too, in the familiarization process with a layered playbook that asks more of the quarterback than most teams in the league.

Based purely on performance in open-to-the-public practices, this depth chart battle was more even than not. But the Vikings have clearly been cognizant of the downside to splitting turns considering the value to Murray of maximizing his preseason time running the offense.

“It’s just the appropriate time now to allow our team and everybody clarity for exactly the direction we’re moving going forward,” O'Connell said.

Murray, who signed a one-year contract with the Vikings for the veteran minimum salary, will be the fourth starting quarterback in four season openers following McCarthy, Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins.

“There’s moments in time where you know there’s comfort from Kyler in the scheme. He had some really high completion days where he was able to show some really, really good understanding of just putting the ball in play, playing with great timing, rhythm,” O'Connell said. “You guys have seen him be explosive when there’s opportunities there, but you’ve also seen him check the ball down and put the ball in play and get us from a first-and-10 to a second-and-3. And then, as you continued to look at the body of work through those 10 days, what jumped out is what could be.”

Both Murray and McCarthy will play in the first exhibition game on Saturday against the New York Giants, O'Connell said. McCarthy will be the second stringer, followed by Carson Wentz, who started five games last season while McCarthy was injured. Max Brosmer, who made two starts, is the other quarterback in camp.

McCarthy, who was not immediately made available for comment, was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft. He tore the meniscus in his right knee during the first exhibition game and underwent surgery that kept him sidelined for his entire rookie year while Darnold helped the Vikings rack up 14 wins.

After Darnold departed as a free agent for the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, McCarthy inherited the job without any legitimate competition and struggled as a variety of injuries limited him to 10 starts.

“Look, he’s a young player with a whole bunch of outstanding things in his future," O'Connell said, adding: "I know he’s going to continue to improve, and the long-term mindset of him as a Minnesota Viking and all the things that he’s brought here is still absolutely part of the long-term vision for sure. I’m excited to see him go do that and get to do it with him.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old Massachusetts teacher and former Marine, was freed after President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about his release, which Trump said was “very much on a Humanitarian Basis.”

“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Arrests of Americans have become increasingly common in Russia in recent years. Concern has risen that Russia could be targeting U.S. nationals to use later as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians convicted of crimes in the U.S. and Europe. Five other Americans remain imprisoned in Russia with deteriorating medical issues, according to a news release from Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free them.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a photo on social media of a gaunt-looking Gilman draped in an American flag and surrounded by his family aboard an airplane.

“While we appreciate this positive step, we are still seeking the immediate return of all other unjustly detained Americans,” Rubio stated.

Gilman will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland outside of Washington on Tuesday evening, Trump said in his post.

“I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands,” Trump wrote. “I will take care of that!”

Gilman is bound for a military hospital in Texas, where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated, Eric ‌Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, said in a statement.

Gilman had his prison sentence extended three times

Gilman was detained in 2022 on charges of beating a police officer after being taken off a train for causing a disturbance. He was convicted and handed a 3.5-year sentence.

He later was convicted of attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, beating an investigator and assaulting a guard. In October 2024, he was sentenced to eight years and one month. His sentence was extended in December to 10 years after he was found guilty of assaulting prison guards.

Russian media reported that he pleaded guilty to the charges and apologized to the guards he was charged with assaulting. The business daily Kommersant said he explained his actions by saying he wanted to stay in the prison where he was serving his sentence and avoid being moved to another penitentiary.

Gilman’s father has disputed the charges against his son, while the State Department has said the U.S. determined that Gilman was wrongfully detained,

Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, credited Trump and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts with bringing about his release.

“There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action,” said Hudson, who thanked Markey “for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress.”

“The Russians treated my brother so badly," Hudson said. "They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?”

Russian officials did not immediately comment on Gilman's release. Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service did not respond to a request for comment on his health deteriorating behind bars.

Gilman was hospitalized before his release

Gilman’s lawyer Irina Brazhnikova told the Russian news agency Interfax on Friday that Gilman was in a psychiatric ward of a civilian hospital, where he’s been since early July.

He was there “due to a psychiatric condition,” and according to doctors, his condition has worsened, but neither his defense lawyers, nor his family were allowed to visit, she said.

Before Gilman was flown out of Russia, he had been in “a dissociative stupor” for 47 days due to the abuse he had suffered in prison, according to Lebson. After Gilman was moved to the hospital, he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed.

Hospital reports conveyed Gilman’s condition “as dire and life-threatening,” pushing the U.S. government into action and leading to his release, Lebson said.

Markey had called on Russia and the U.S. to work together to get Gilman released. He was among at least eight Americans who remained in Russian custody after a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges with the U.S. in recent years.

Markey blamed Russia for Gilman's poor health, saying his return to the U.S. was long overdue.

“It is a tragedy that it took Robert’s near-death condition for his case to receive the attention that it required for his release to be negotiated," Markey said. "Throughout his detention, Robert was subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations by Russian authorities. There is no doubt that his treatment by Russian authorities is the reason Robert is in this precarious state today.”

ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March, according to a notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security.

The devices are known as the G.L.O.V.E., which stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, and are manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. They have been used in recent years by some jails and police departments.

DHS said Tuesday that it was working on a response to an Associated Press inquiry and offered no immediate comment. Jeff Niklaus, the founder and CEO of Compliant Technologies, wrote in an email, “Unfortunately, we are unable to speak on this subject.”

The notice said the solicitation for a no-bid contract could be published as early as Friday.

Civil rights advocates expressed alarm at the plan, saying ICE officers already face criticism for their use of force with little oversight or accountability while enforcing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Compliant Technologies says the devices function as a normal pair of patrol gloves until officers press a switch to activate their electrical mode. The gloves must be applied directly to someone's skin to deliver a pain stimulus that typically helps an officer gain compliance within seconds, according to the company.

“It’s immediate and sharp, and it will distract you. I call it like a bee sting,” said John Peters, president of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, who is studying how the device has been used. “If the officer is getting any type of resistance from the person, this is certainly an effective tool.”

Peters said he believed ICE’s planned purchase would likely be the largest from the company to date. He said he could envision ICE officers using the gloves to help remove uncooperative subjects from cars and houses and in and out of detention facilities.

“For smaller officers or weaker officers or older officers, I think it has a great advantage” because it can produce faster takedowns and shorten confrontations, he said.

The manufacturer warns the device should not be used as punishment, against people merely exhibiting “verbal defiance or belligerence” or on high-risk populations such as children, pregnant women or elderly or disabled people.

Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the public should have no confidence that ICE officers will use the devices appropriately. She questioned why the devices would be necessary for civil immigration enforcement and noted those getting shocked might have no advance warning.

“ICE spent the last year showing this country they are too quick to use force. Now they will be able to deploy electric shocks with the slight push of a button that maybe nobody else can see them do,” she said. “Introducing gloves that can so easily be used to deliver terrible pain in encounters is a recipe for harm to the public.”

Supporters say the devices are generally used in specific jail and transport situations, rather than broadly to patrol on the streets. They have been used to subdue violent suspects who are refusing to get into squad cars and inmates who are harming themselves and threatening officers, according to Compliant Technologies.

Peters said he expected the devices to be misused by a small number of employees, as with other policing technologies, but he said they are unlikely to cause injuries. He said it would be important for ICE to have robust policies and training in place.

To use the device, officers must complete a course and be recertified every two years, the manufacturer says.

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit western Colombia on Monday wreaked havoc, collapsing buildings, buckling roads, crushing cars and leaving devastated residents to console each other among the wreckage of their homes. Excavators and heavy machinery cleared heavy chunks of concrete, while buckets of rubble were passed hand-to-hand along a line of volunteers.

Rescue crews and volunteers picked through flattened concrete buildings in affected cities, searching for signs of life. They raised their hands to call for silence when they thought they heard someone beneath the piles of debris. At least one woman was retrieved — alive — from the rubble.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said the earthquake killed at least 181 people and left 2,595 more injured. He said at least 195 remained missing, but civilian-run databases suggest that number could be closer to 4,000.

Crews race to find survivors

Authorities said the deaths were concentrated in the cities of Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, but local leaders and families worried about casualties and damage in rural areas, from where very little information has emerged. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours crucial for retrieving people alive, though that threshold can be extended if they have access to food and water.

De la Espriella said more than 1,000 homes were destroyed and yet more damaged.

Standing near the remains of his brother’s collapsed apartment building in Pereira, Jairo Vargas said he made the 220-kilometer (135-mile) drive from Medellin, hoping to find him alive.

“I’m absolutely certain he’s here. Absolutely certain,” Vargas said, adding that his brother’s car was still parked outside. But he fears his sibling did not survive.

“The debris surrounding my brother is soft,” he said, as heavy machinery rumbled nearby. “It’s possible that it’s protecting him, but we can’t hear any noises anymore. I don’t know. I have little hope.”

Colombia's new president faces his first serious challenge

The earthquake presents the first major test for first-time officeholder de la Espriella, who entered office just days before the natural disaster. The leader, who split the country in recent elections, now seeks to unite Colombia in its disaster response.

That challenge was particularly notable in Choco, the region at the quake’s epicenter. It is one of Colombia's poorest and most neglected regions, often beset by warring armed groups. Much of Choco is accessible only by boat, through the jungle or by airplane.

Sterling Palacios, a religious and environmental leader in the region, said Choco's capital and smaller communities along the Atrato River were devastated. Homes were reduced to rubble and aftershocks continued to rumble, terrifying residents who slept in the streets overnight.

The Colombian Geological Service said it has documented more than 100 less powerful aftershocks since the initial quake.

“There are towns where people have lost everything, where people have died, where homes have been destroyed,” he said. “We don’t have a full panorama of the damage, but we know it’s been massive.”

De la Espriella traveled to Quibdo in Choco on Monday night where he announced he was mobilizing “the entire military and police apparatus,” as well as deploying engineers, rescue workers and search dogs.

“Choco will never again be the ‘land of the forgotten,’” he said.

Palacios said the government's response has so far been “concentrated in the capital,” and that authorities were flying the wounded from Quibdo to hospitals in the city of Medellín.

The biggest challenge, he said, remains towns in rural areas only reachable by boat — journeys that can take hours or days. That response is also complicated by a toxic slate of armed groups warring for control who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, blocked healthcare workers from traveling to remote areas.

“It's a risk and it's very difficult to predict” what could happen, he said, adding it could take weeks to fully assess the devastation.

Desperate residents seek news of their loved ones

Families posted information about missing loved ones on citizen-run websites.

Dana Carolina Zamora posted an image of her missing 60-year-old uncle, Miguel Ángel Zamora, cradling his dog. The farmer was living in a rural area of El Cairo, not far from the quake's epicenter in San Jose Del Palmar.

Local authorities said 80% of El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 people, was damaged. Zamora said her uncle lived in a traditional house of sticks and mud.

“We are afraid. We hope that is not the case, that he is all right and that it is only a communication failure. But we haven’t heard anything from him,” Zamora said.

The earthquake left many people unnerved after back-to-back quakes devastated neighboring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing more than 6,300 people.

Mónica Sánchez, who lives in Pereira, one of the worst-hit cities, said when the quake happened a wall collapsed inside her clothing factory. Sánchez and her 12 employees escaped just in time.

“It was shocking — the city fell down around us,” she said.

On Tuesday, rescue workers pulled a woman alive from the rubble. Diana Troncoso lay on a stretcher, dusty and scraped up, with her eyes closed. Observers burst into applause as she emerged, but search teams raised their hand to call for quiet so they could continue their search for survivors.

Pereira and Cali enforced curfews Monday night to prevent looting, and private vehicles were banned from the roads of Pereira so ambulances, police and rescue workers were able to navigate what's left of the roads.

The U.S. State Department has announced it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and other aid. Governments across Latin America have also lined up to help.

“This has been a tragedy for the whole city, for thousands of families,” Pereira Mayor Mauricio Salazar told local media, his voice quavering. “But here we are, and we will continue forward with the hand of God.”

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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia, and Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press reporter Manuel Rueda in Bogota contributed.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says Jazmin Cisneros, 28, allegedly failed to seek medical attention after becoming aware that her child had been physically abused. She has been charged with injury to a child - serious bodily injury and was booked into the Harris County Jail on Tuesday.

• RELATED: Mother’s boyfriend arrested after bringing unconscious 2-year-old to Spring gas station

The arrest comes after deputies responded to a gas station on Cypresswood Drive on Thursday, Aug. 6, after Cisneros and her boyfriend allegedly drove the critically injured toddler from their home about three minutes away from the location.

Update to Child Abuse Investigation:

The 2-year-old toddler at the center of this investigation remains hospitalized in critical condition as our investigators continue working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the child’s injuries.

On August 6, 2026, @HCSOTexas… pic.twitter.com/kYm1b1BlI5

— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) August 11, 2026

There, they met with Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables who began rendering life-saving care on the toddler.

She had to be rushed to the hospital and eventually flown to a different hospital.

• RELATED: Investigation underway after child found unresponsive at gas station in Spring

On Friday, Cisneros’ boyfriend, Gerardo Gonzalez, was arrested and charged with injury to a child - serious bodily injury after authorities alleged he struck the toddler multiple times, causing her life-threatening injuries.

As of Tuesday, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the toddler remains in critical condition.

“This remains an active investigation by HCSO Homicide. Our thoughts remain with this young child as the toddler continues to fight for recovery,” Gonzalez said.

Twenty-two speakers testified at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's hearing, which lasted more than two hours. Most opposed the proposal to toss a 60-year-old requirement for tens of thousands of private sector employers to submit annual workforce demographic reports to the EEOC, which is responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

Six speakers, however, spoke out in favor of the proposal, siding with the Trump administration's stance that reporting such data is burdensome and encourages companies to adopt discriminatory practices to diversify their workforces.

The proposal, currently subject to a 30-day public commentary period ending Aug. 24, is a key step in President Donald Trump's efforts to overhaul the country's civil rights enforcement, particularly stamping out diversity and inclusion practices.

Since 1966, the EEOC has required companies with at least 100 employees, or federal contractors with at least 50 workers, to submit a report each year called an EEO-1 that breaks down gender and racial representation across different roles, from executives to laborers and service workers.

The Republican-led EEOC voted 2-1 last month to stop collecting that data, arguing that the reporting requirement may encourage employers to engage in discriminatory tactics.

Civil rights groups argued the data has been a crucial tool for uncovering systemic discrimination in the workplace and tracking the progress of women and minorities since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"By weakening EEOC enforcement, these changes will harm all workers, but particularly Black workers and other workers of color who continue to face racial discrimination more frequently,” said Amalea Smirniotopoulos, senior policy counsel at the civil rights group Legal Defense Fund.

Researchers said EEO-1 data has been crucial to their work.

Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, co-director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Center for Employment Equity, said he has relied on EEO-1 data for dozens of research articles and two books. He said his research has found that while workplace discrimination has declined since 1964, progress has most recently stalled.

Without EEO-1 metrics, “our society will be flying blind into the future,” he said.

Rachel Lee, president and general counsel of Stand with Asian Americans, said the data has been critical for demonstrating that many Asian Americans rarely reach the highest ranks of many companies, despite comprising a large portion of professional roles.

“The EEO-1 report is the only federal instrument that exposes what we call the bamboo ceiling,” Lee said.

Several conservative advocates, however, criticized the EEO-1 data as outdated and conducive to stereotyping and discrimination.

“It is inconsistent with equal opportunity law, potentially unconstitutional, unnecessary to enforce anti-discrimination laws, and imposes substantial burdens on both employers and the EEOC that are not outweighed by its marginal benefits,” said Rachel Morrison, fellow at the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center and a former EEOC attorney.

Morrison pointed out that since the EEOC investigates some forms of discrimination not captured in the EEO-1 data, such as religion and pregnancy-related discrimination, the data “is not actually necessary for EEOC to enforce Title VII or fulfill its mission.”

However, two prominent employer groups said there is little evidence that companies have used EEO-1 data to engage in racial quotas or other discriminatory employment practices, as the EEOC under the leadership of its current conservative chair Andrea Lucas argues.

“Regarding the possible misuse of EEO-1 data, we cannot square that with the experience of our members, and I might add with my personal experience,” said David Fortney of the Institute for Workplace Equality, a nonprofit employer association whose members include many of the biggest U.S. companies.

Fortney, a former chief legal officer of the Labor Department under President George H.W. Bush, said many employers instead use EEO-1 data to detect and prevent discriminatory practices. He said the EEOC has not identified any instance of an employer using EEO-1 data for discriminatory purposes.

“Presumably after six decades, if the agency had specific instances, it would have called those out,” Fortney said.

Michael Eastman, of the Center for Workplace Compliance, described examples of how its member companies have used the EEO-1 data to uncover hiring and promotion practices that excluded certain groups.

One large company, he said, found data showed that an employee referral program at a manufacturing facility consistently produced a narrow applicant pool and “a homogenous hiring pattern at the facility.”

Another company, he said, found an “unusual pattern” in its promotion decisions that suggested that managers had misunderstood internal policies to mean race and gender could be considered in promotions.

“These examples reflect what many large employers are trying to do when they use demographic data for compliance purposes,” said Eastman.

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The Associated Press’ women in the workforce coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. 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.

Perez went missing on Monday afternoon.

The announcement is the latest in a series of policies from the administration aimed at transgender people that began the day Trump returned to office last year.

The policy is to take effect Oct. 13.

It is not clear how much taxpayer funding is going to cover gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth now. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not respond to questions about the policy on Tuesday.

At least 27 states have already banned gender-affirming care for those under 18. Even in states that haven’t, many major hospitals have stopped providing some of the treatments. And gender-affirming surgeries for minors are rare. Puberty blockers and hormone treatments are more common.

The policy calls for Medicaid and CHIP to continue to pay for mental health treatment for transgender minors but phase out coverage of hormone treatments that are used both to block puberty and to produce sex-related physical changes for those already receiving them as of April 2027.

Trump said in a social media post Tuesday that he directed Dr. Mehmet Oz, the CMS administrator, to make the change.

“We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies,” Trump said in his post.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ young people look at it differently.

GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders legal director Josh Rovenger said the rule “is putting up barriers between parents and their ability to make the best medical decisions for their children” and would face a legal challenge.

“The Trump administration is terrorizing trans youth and their families with these kinds of actions, and it has to stop,” Human Right Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement.

HRC is already suing the administration for efforts to bar gender-affirming care coverage under federal employee benefit plans.

The American Medical Association and most other major medical organizations support access to gender-affirming care, though the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said earlier this year that it found “insufficient evidence” that the benefits of chest, genital and facial surgeries on minors experiencing gender dysphoria — or the unease a person may have because their assigned gender and gender identity don't match — outweigh the risks.

The administration has already announced it would cut off Medicaid and Medicare funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care for minors, along with barring transgender athletes from sports competitions for girls and women and blocking people from being able to choose male, female or X to designate their sex on passports.

It also released a report last year urging therapy only for transgender youth and not broader gender-affirming health care.

Most of the changes have faced legal challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court let the administration's passport policy stand and allowed states to enforce the sports bans. A lower court ruled against the administration's declaration that called the treatments unsafe and ineffective. A challenge over the policy targeting hospitals is still pending.

Rebecca Jollotta, a psychiatric nurse practitioner at South Shore Health Perinatal Behavior Health Program, testified at the trial Tuesday she exchanged messages with Clancy regularly on a patient portal throughout in late November and December 2022. Much of their conversations revolved around Clancy reporting trouble sleeping, depressive symptoms she was having and her search for the right mix of medications to treat her symptoms.

Several times Clancy indicated to Jollotta either that she had not taken the full dose of a prescribed medication or that she wanted to reduce a dosage or change her prescription based on what she felt were intolerable side effects. Clancy also worried about being addicted to some medications like Ativan, but Jollotta said she was not.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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Struggle to find the right medications

“I really don’t like the way I feel on the Remeron and I know that I can’t stick with taking it,” Clancy said in a December message asking to switch from the antidepressant, which also is used to treat anxiety and insomnia, to a previous prescription mix. “I started having very intrusive thoughts that I never had before.”

Jollotta tried to assure Clancy that having intrusive thoughts is common with someone diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety and encouraged her to give the Remeron more time to work since she had only been on it a few days.

“This could be some postpartum anxiety. And I wanted to familiarize her with the symptoms, so that she had them written down and she could report them to me,” Jollotta said.

Jollotta, who is among several providers that Lindsay and her former husband Patrick Clancy have sued over her care, repeatedly came up with alternative treatment plans for Clancy including a range of different medications, behavioral therapy, support groups and meditation. But she acknowledged that it was up to Clancy whether she chose to follow her advice.

“I’m only making recommendations based on my education experience, training and what I’m seeing in terms of symptoms,” Jollotta said. “The patient has the autonomy.”

During their virtual and in-person visits, Jollotta said, Clancy never talked of having a plan to harm herself or her children. She also never showed signs of psychosis or mania.

But Jollotta acknowledged that Clancy did report having thoughts of suicide. She also suggested that Clancy might have underlying bipolar disorder — due to her days of going without sleep. But Patrick Clancy denied that was the case.

Suicidal thoughts

In mid-December, Jollotta had a call with the couple and was told Clancy had her “worst day” and was “having persistent, intrusive thoughts of suicide.” Jollotta suggested she consider a higher level of care such as that offered by Massachusetts General Hospital. She settled on the Women and Infants Hospital postpartum program in Rhode Island t but was soon discharged — with advice to stop taking one of her antipsychotic medication.

Jollotta, who was going on vacation, said she was concerned that Clancy had been discharged from the hospital, telling her in a message that she could “could benefit from the groups and added support separate even from medication changes.”

She was worried the hospital wanted Clancy to go off Seroquel, the antipsychotic medications. Clancy was advised this could lead to “worsening of mood, worsening of sleep,” but she insisted on going off the medication. Jollotta agreed to slowly reduce the dosage.

During cross-examination Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington argued that Jollotta was not familiar with the care Clancy received elsewhere.

Jollotta never talked to one of Clancy’s psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Tufts, nor did she access Tuft’s medical records. She did not know how many times Clancy saw Tufts, noting that she only thought Tufts treated Clancy in September.

“Would it surprise you if I told you that she saw Dr. Tufts 14 times” during a four-month period ending in January, Reddington said.

Jollotta never talked to anyone from the Rhode Island hospital that admitted Clancy, nor did she have access to the records of McLean Hospital, a psychiatric facility that Clancy admitted herself into on New Year’s Eve.

“If you're treating a person through all of this stuff that we've talked about and it’s now apparent that things have decompensated so bad that they have voluntarily admitted her to a locked ward in a mental institution, is it important to Rebecca Jollotta to find out what the diagnosis and treatment was of their patient?” Reddington said.

Jollotta agreed it was but acknowledged that she never did find out.

Killer, or someone who was mentally ill

Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged from 8 months to 5 years old. They were found in the basement of the family’s home in coastal Duxbury, Massachusetts, where their mother was lying in the yard. She had jumped from a second-story window, and she remains paralyzed from the waist down.

Prosecutors argue that the former labor and delivery nurse was an intentional killer who contrived to get her husband out of the house and then strangled the children with exercise bands on Jan. 24, 2023. Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham has urged jurors not to view the trial as “a public debate about women’s mental health and how the medical system treats women.”

Clancy’s attorneys do not dispute that she killed the children. But they say she should not be held criminally responsible because she was mentally ill, believing she heard voices ordering her to take their lives and her own.

The defense says she was in the grip of bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis, a rare postpregnancy condition that can alter a woman’s sense of reality. A forensic psychiatrist diagnosed Clancy with those conditions after the killings.

It all made for one competitive and, at times, heated joint practice for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets on Tuesday.

The first of four scuffles started, according to Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke, when Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey called him out during 1-on-1 drills because he wanted to go up against him.

“And lost,” Goedeke said of Bailey.

The two lined up against each other several times and the No. 2 overall draft pick appeared to mostly get the better of the veteran O-lineman. They stalemated on one and Bailey appeared to pat Goedeke on the helmet. It set off a fracas that included Goedeke and Bailey taking swings at each other and players from both sides jumping in.

“He tried shoving me after that and then 52, I believe, came from the side and just cheap-shotted me,” Goedeke said, referring to Jets edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare. “That didn't start practice warm and fuzzy, that's for sure.”

Later, the two were still jawing on the field during 11-on-11 team drills when Jarius Monroe returned an interception of Baker Mayfield for a touchdown when another huge fight broke out. During the melee, Goedeke took the helmet of Jets cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers and flung it about 20 yards downfield.

“Obviously, not the greatest decision by me,” Goedeke said. “But with that being said, I'm always going to defend my players. I'm always going to defend myself, for that matter. I'm not going to get punked and not do anything about it, especially on a football field. It just comes with the game, I guess, especially in joint practices, you see stuff like this all the time.

"Obviously, you try to limit it and make sure it doesn't happen in a game.”

Jets right tackle Armand Membou and Bucs defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson also fought, and Robinson tore off Membou's helmet. New York rookie defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. had a fight that involved several Tampa Bay players.

The teams were scheduled to have another joint practice Wednesday before their preseason opener Friday night.

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said there were “a few minor dustups.” Jets coach Aaron Glenn added: “I thought the guys did a really good job of forgetting about it, getting to the next play and continue practicing.”

Vita Vea is with the Bucs but still not practicing

Buccaneers star defensive tackle Vita Vea was with the team and wearing his familiar No. 50 jersey but didn't participate in the joint practice with the Jets while his contract squabble continues.

Vea, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is entering the final year of his deal and wants a new contract. He missed the first few days of practice with what Bowles said was a tweaked back, but Vea has continued to not participate.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht recently told reporters the team has no plans to trade Vea.

Vea joins Mayfield as Bucs players unhappy with their contracts. Mayfield said early in training camp he feels “disrespected” by the team for not getting the contract extension he sought. He's fully participating at practice, unlike Vea, and plans to play out the final season of his three-year, $100 million deal.

Jets set to play starters against Bucs in preseason opener

Geno Smith and the rest of the Jets starters will see snaps in the preseason opener.

“Oh, everybody's playing,” Glenn said.

Glenn explained that the team has two new systems being installed — his defense as the primary play caller and Frank Reich's offense — “and I think it's important for our guys to play,” he added. Glenn also said there is “science” behind the decision.

“What they say is when you have joint practices where the (starters) get a lot of reps and then you have that many plays — 25 to 30 in a preseason game — throughout those three games, the risk of injury actually goes down in that first part of the year,” Glenn said. "Just talking to those guys, I’m a big believer in that, so I’m looking forward to seeing that.”

Bucs' Browning leaves practice early with apparent injury

Buccaneers backup quarterback Jake Browning was expected to start against the Jets, but he left practice early with what appeared to be a back ailment.

Bowles had no update on the status of Browning, who walked off the field gingerly after team drills midway through practice. He took his jersey off and went inside the Jets' facility and didn't return to practice.

Mayfield won't play in the game Friday night, so if Browning can't go, the Buccaneers are down to Connor Bazelak and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback.

Jets activate Ossai from the PUP list

The Jets activated edge rusher Joseph Ossai from the active/physically unable to perform list after he sat out the start of training camp with an undisclosed injury.

Ossai signed a three-year, $34.5 million deal with New York in March. He spent his first five seasons in Cincinnati after being a third-round draft pick in 2021 out of Texas. He has 14 1/2 career sacks, including five in each of the last two seasons.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Other charges were dropped. After entering the plea by video, Haddish was placed on 12 months' probation and told to avoid drugs and alcohol and complete a substance abuse evaluation. She was credited for the brief time she spent in jail following her arrest.

Haddish’s films include the comedy “Girls Trip,” “Night School,” “Like a Boss” and “The Kitchen.” She wrote the New York Times bestseller “The Last Black Unicorn,” which earned a Grammy nomination for a subsequent audiobook she narrated. In 2018, she won an Emmy for her appearance on “Saturday Night Live” and a Grammy in 2021 for her special “Black Mitzvah.”

At around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2022, someone called 911 to report seeing a person who appeared to be asleep in the driver's seat of a white Ford Explorer with their foot on the brake in Peachtree City, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Atlanta, according to a court filing. An officer spotted an SUV that matched the description given by the caller and stopped Haddish as she pulled into a neighborhood, according to a police report.

Haddish's lawyers in May asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that waiting more than four years for the case to be resolved had caused personal and professional difficulties and violated her right to a speedy trial. Fayette County State Court Judge Jason Thompson rejected her arguments.

The judge found that Haddish and her attorneys had requested some of the delays, including a request for a delay so she could attend a fashion show in Morocco and a request to leave a hearing early to catch a flight. He wrote that she also did not show any evidence of having missed specific performing opportunities or of actual financial harm because of the delay.

Haddish also was arrested in November 2023 in Beverly Hills, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence after police received a call and said Haddish appeared to be slumped over the wheel of a vehicle while the engine was still running.

Haddish reached a plea deal with prosecutors in that case in February 2024, pleading no contest to a vehicle code violation, and the two misdemeanor DUI charges against her were dropped, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Conviventia has launched a Colombia Earthquake Emergency Response fund, giving people in the Houston area and across the country a way to financially support relief efforts.

The organization works with vulnerable communities throughout Colombia and says it already has relationships and community networks in some of the areas affected by the earthquake, including the department of Chocó.

The announcement comes as rescue and recovery efforts continue in Colombia following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake.

What Conviventia is doing

Conviventia says donations collected through its emergency response campaign will go toward immediate needs in affected communities.

According to information provided to KPRC 2, donations will support:

• Medical care for communities affected by the earthquake
• Emergency supplies and essential items
• Psychosocial and trauma-informed care for children, adults and families
• Support for people participating in emergency response efforts
• Training and equipment for first responders and community leaders
• Deployment of humanitarian workers and health professionals
• Transportation and local coordination
• Partnerships with churches and community networks

Those church and community partnerships are expected to continue supporting families after the immediate emergency response ends.

Why Conviventia already has connections in affected areas

Conviventia says its previous work in Colombia gives the organization direct knowledge of several communities affected by the earthquake.

That includes Chocó, where the nonprofit says it has developed relationships and networks with local communities.

• RELATED: As search for thousands of missing pushes on, Colombia earthquake tests new president

Those existing connections are important as organizations work to determine what individual communities need and how to get resources to them.

“Conviventia has experience and direct knowledge of several of the regions that have been affected, especially in the department of Chocó, where we have developed relationships and networks with local communities,” the organization told KPRC 2.

The organization says those relationships help its teams understand existing needs and work closely with people dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake.

Could Houston see a physical donation drive?

Conviventia says it is exploring the possibility of accepting food and other nonperishable items to supplement its response.

For now, the organization is directing people who want to help toward its online earthquake response fund.

Details surrounding a physical collection have not been finalized.

• RELATED: Magnitude 7.4 quake rocks western Colombia

Conviventia says additional information will be shared once collection and distribution plans are established.

That means Houstonians interested in donating physical items should wait for additional instructions from the organization before gathering or dropping off supplies.

How Houstonians can help right now

Conviventia has established an online fund specifically for its Colombia earthquake response.

Money raised will help the organization respond to urgent needs, including medical assistance, emergency supplies, transportation, local coordination and the deployment of humanitarian workers and health professionals.

The organization says contributions of any size will support its humanitarian response.

People interested in helping can donate through Conviventia’s Colombia Earthquake Emergency Response campaign.

Know of another Houston organization helping Colombia?

KPRC 2 is continuing to look for Houston-area organizations, churches, businesses and community groups assisting people impacted by the earthquake.

If your organization is collecting donations, preparing supplies or coordinating assistance for Colombia, let KPRC 2 know about your efforts.

But the DiIorio family story goes back even further.

In 1902, the family made the journey from Ricca, Italy to America, eventually settling in the Hempstead area. What began as a farming operation grew over the decades, with the support of a community that continued to return to the family’s roadside market.

Brian DiIorio says that support helped shape the farm into what it is today.

“We just farmers in the beginning. And when we popped up a roadside market they supported us and and when they supported us and kept coming back. They just kept coming back. They just changed our lives.” DiIorio said.

Now, as DiIorio Farms celebrates its 70th year in business, the family is looking back at the people and stories that helped build its legacy while also finding new ways to preserve them for future generations.

One of those projects is a series of interviews featuring the family’s matriarch, Mrs. Angelina DiIorio. Her great-grandchildren sat down with her to hear stories about her past and how the farm became what it is today.

View this post on Instagram

The interviews have resonated with the community, with customers and former employees sharing their own memories of the farm online.

DiIorio also created a new book, “Cody’s Watermelon Summer,” as part of the anniversary celebration. The children’s book draws from his own childhood memories growing up on the farm, his nephew Walker and his first Australian Shepherd, Koda.

Buy Cody’s Watermelon Summer HERE.

The book is another way for DiIorio to add to the family’s story and share a piece of farm life with a new generation.

And while the family is celebrating its history, the farm continues to look toward the future. DiIorio Farms grows seasonal Texas produce throughout the year, including corn and tomatoes in the summer, pumpkins in the fall and greens, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts during the winter with watermelons being their biggest crop.

After seven decades, the DiIorio family says the goal is simple: keep growing, keep serving the community and continue the legacy for the next 70 years.

Prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, Trump secretly flew out of last month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on an alternate military aircraft while the White House made it appear he was with the press pool on Air Force One, according to a report published by The Washington Post.

Russia has released American military veteran Robert Gilman who spent more than four years in prison on disputed charges under abusive conditions and was said to be gravely ill and at risk of dying, a group advocating for him said Tuesday. Gilman was on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas, where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated.

The president’s media company has tried a half-dozen businesses to lift its stock, but nothing has worked. Now it’s getting back to its roots, telling investors Monday that Truth Social will focus on selling early high-speed access to his administration’s announcements on social media, a move raising ethical questions.

The Latest:

More women than ever running for the House

That’s according to Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, which showed 590 women have filed to run for House seats in the 206 midterm elections, besting the record of 583 set in 2020.

The boost was largely driven by the number of Democratic women candidates, the center said. Women make up just over one-third of all Democratic candidates for the House, and 19.1% of Republicans.

Overall, 27% of all House candidates in 2026 are women, which is about on par with their representation in Congress this cycle, the center said.

Democrats announce investment to defeat GOP’s Rep. Max Miller

Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program the party signals an intensifying push to oust the Ohio congressman in its effort to wrest control of the House from Republicans.

The move comes after Miller brushed past Monday’s deadline for Republicans to replace him on the ballot, and those within his party urging him to step aside as he faced domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife.

He has pledged to invest his own money to win.

Trump heads off to Patriot Games to watch teen athletes compete

The president has departed Washington to attend the Patriot Games in Geneva, Ohio.

The games that are part the America’s sesquicentennial celebration and feature high school athletes from across the country that Trump has billed as a chance to display “the best of American skill, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit.”

Trump is arriving on the final day of the competition, in which the student athletes are competing for a slice of a $250,000 scholarship pool.

Kennedy Center ordered to pay legal fees to musician who cancelled show over Trump name change

A judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay more than $250,000 in legal fees and costs to a musician who was sued by the performing arts venue for cancelling a Christmas Eve performance last year, an act of protest against adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Tanya Jones Bosier on Monday ordered the center to pay the musician, Chuck Redd, approximately $252,000 within 45 days. The same judge had dismissed the center’s lawsuit against Redd in June.

Lisa Banks, an attorney for Redd, described the center’s lawsuit as a “meritless” attempt to silence opposition to the name change.

Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player, had presided over holiday “Jazz Jams” at the Kennedy Center for 20 years.

A Kennedy Center spokesperson said the center intends to appeal the judge’s ruling.

US military says it has fired on a ship in Gulf of Oman to enforce its blockade of Iranian ports

The U.S. military said Tuesday that its forces fired on a Panamanian-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade the American blockade on Iranian ports, a move that comes as President Donald Trump tries to keep economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.

U.S. Central Command said the vessel had ignored warnings to stop, prompting an American helicopter to fire missiles into the engine room of the M/V Vela Nova, disabling the ship. U.S. Central Command’s statement does not say whether the ship’s crew suffered any casualties.

Central Command said it has redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade, disabled three non-compliant vessels and boarded two. The U.S. Navy currently has more than 15 warships, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship, stationed in the waters of the Arabian Sea.

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Democratic Rep. Raskin launches inquiry into failed prosecution of constituent in Reflecting Pool case

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, is launching an investigation into the Trump administration’s prosecution of former Olympian David Hearn over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro dropped the case after acknowledging damage to the pool was caused by a botched installation rather than vandalism. Trump then publicly rebuked Pirro, saying she “folded like an umbrella.”

In letters Tuesday, Raskin seeks records from the Justice and Interior departments on the decision to prosecute Hearn, a Maryland resident who lives in Raskin’s district. Raskin also seeks communications with the White House and evidence presented to the grand jury.

“At a minimum,” he wrote, “it appears that members of the Trump Administration were ready and willing to imprison an innocent American for a decade in a desperate effort to soothe an ex-landlord’s wounded ego about a terrible paint job and wasteful contract.”

Emails seeking comment were left Tuesday with Pirro’s office and the Interior Department.

Trump administration says more oil is flowing through Strait of Hormuz

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on social media that nearly 9 million barrels of oil a day are getting shipped through the Strait of Hormuz — as the administration is suggesting that the supply pressures tied to the Iran war are easing.

Wright said that along with additional oil flowing through pipelines total oil flows from the region are averaging roughly 15 million barrels a day.

U.S. oil futures prices remain above the pre-war levels, with a barrel trading on Tuesday afternoon at $83. The Trump administration has tapped the strategic petroleum reserve to steady the market and that reserve last week fell below 300 million barrels, down by more than 100 million barrels since the start of 2026.

Wright is setting expectations that oil will keep going through the strait.

Trump announces release of American detained in Russia, says no prisoner swap took place

The U.S. president said Tuesday that Robert Gilman, a Marine veteran who was detained in 2022, is being released on a “humanitarian basis” after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place,” Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday.

Gilman is scheduled to land at Andrews Air Force Base just outside of Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night, Trump said. He is being accompanied on the plane back to the U.S. by his mother, Nancy.

“I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands,” Trump said in his post. “I will take care of that!”

Sen. Ed Markey: Gilman’s return was long overdue

“It is a tragedy that it took Robert’s near-death condition for his case to receive the attention that it required for his release to be negotiated,” Markey said in the statement from Global Reach.

“Throughout his detention, Robert was subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations by Russian authorities. There is no doubt that his treatment by Russian authorities is the reason Robert is in this precarious state today.”

State Department: Other Americans should be released as well

The State Department said that Gilman had been determined recently to have been wrongfully detained, and was released on humanitarian grounds.

This “was not part of an exchange, and no other concessions were provided,” the department said. It called Gilman’s release “a welcome step that we hope leads to the release of Americans unjustly held in Russia, such as wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard.”

Gilman’s sister: ‘Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?’

Gilman’s sister, Lexie Hudson, credited President Donald Trump and Sen. Ed Markey for the former Marine’s release.

“There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action,” said Hudson, who thanked Markey in the statement from Global Reach “for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress.”

“The Russians treated my brother so badly,” Hudson said. “They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?”

Released American’s family flew to Texas to meet him, advocates say

Robert Gilman’s mother had been in Russia, attempting to see him there. Gilman had been in “a dissociative stupor” for 47 days due to the abuse he has suffered in prison, and was moved to a civilian hospital, where he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed, aid Eric ‌Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach.

Now he’ll be medically and psychologically assessed and treated at a U.S. military hospital, Lebson said.

The 32-year-old teacher was convicted of beating a police officer after being taken off a train for causing a disturbance, and his sentence was extended last year to 10 years after he was found guilty of assaulting prison guards.

Sen. Edward Markey had called on Russia and the U.S. to work together to release the Massachusetts resident, one of at least 8 Americans who remained in Russian custody after a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges.

Former US Marine held in Russia for over 4 years has been released after group warned he was gravely ill

A former U.S. Marine who has been held in Russia for more than four years on disputed charges has been released, his advocates said Tuesday, days after warning he was gravely ill and at risk of dying.

Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old teacher detained since 2022, was on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas, according to Eric ‌Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free him and other American detainees abroad.

Russian attacks kill 10 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy says Moscow is getting more North Korean missiles

Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with missiles, drones and glide bombs Tuesday, killing at least 10 civilians, officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow is getting more North Korean help to extend its 4-year invasion.

Zelenskyy said Russian forces used ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea in the overnight attack, and is preparing to deploy more North Korean troops to Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un already sent thousands of troops and huge supplies of weapons to support Putin’s invasion.

Now Ukraine says Russia aims to exploit Kyiv’s critical shortage of Patriot air defense interceptors, which worsened after U.S. diplomacy to end the war fizzled and Washington turned its attention to the Iran war.

“Every step Russia takes — increasing ballistic missile production, bringing in North Korean equipment, preparing for mobilization — all of this shows that Moscow is preparing not for peace, but for escalation,” Zelenskyy said on social media.

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Trump told Ukraine it had no cards. Then Kyiv took the war to Russia

When Trump told the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office last year that he had “no cards” in the fight against Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy already had a bold plan to take the fight deep inside Russian territory.

While Trump was warmly welcoming President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and encouraging Ukraine to accept an unfavorable peace deal, Ukraine was smuggling drones for an attack that destroyed Russian bombers worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

And since then, Kyiv’s campaign of longer-range strikes has targeted Russian air defenses, oil infrastructure and military suppliers, embarrassing Putin and impressing Trump. When Trump and Zelenskyy met at a NATO summit in July, the American president said the Ukrainian leader had “been very effective” in the war.

An Associated Press analysis shows how Ukraine has shifted the narrative about the war in Washington, but it’s still not clear if it will be able to push Putin toward the negotiating table.

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Houthi rebels attack vessel in Bab el-Mandeb, killing four

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles on a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday and killed four people, Yemeni authorities said.

The transportation ministry of Yemen’s internationally recognized government said the dead included three Pakistani nationals and an Indonesian.

The ministry statement said the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles on the Yemeni commercial vessel, and then fired another missile that targeted rescue teams, wounding a Yemeni rescuer.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran, there has been a renewed focus on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait at Yemen’s southern tip, which is an alternate route for Saudi Arabia to ship its oil.

Congressional Democrats probe alleged coordination between ICE and Iran to deport detainees

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Adam Schiff are requesting access to all potential communications between two private immigration detention centers and Iranian diplomats, according to two letters shared with The Associated Press.

Iranian asylum seekers sued last month, alleging that the Department of Homeland Security endangered them by sharing details of their application records with the Iranian government.

The applicants said they were forced to meet with Iranian Interests Section officials who had confidential information about their claims of persecution in Iran for converting to Christianity, for their sexuality or for participating in the Women, Life, Freedom protests against the Iranian government, according to court filings.

“These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE,” a DHS statement said.

In rejecting Trump’s Gaza plan, Netanyahu reprises a balancing act he has mastered

It’s possibly the most important job of any Israeli prime minister: maintain good relations with the United States while pushing back on demands seen as undermining Israel’s security.

No one has managed the balancing act longer than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader.

But with the Iran war at a stalemate, and U.S. President Donald Trump looking to advance peace efforts elsewhere, Netanyahu’s task is getting harder less than three months away from Israeli elections.

On Sunday, Netanyahu rejected Trump’s latest plan to advance the stalled ceasefire in Gaza, saying Israel will not withdraw from any of the roughly 60% of the territory it controls until Hamas has been completely disarmed — something the militant group controlling the other 40% has long resisted.

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Houthis hit Red Sea port city, threatening regional shipping

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels renewed attacks Tuesday on government-controlled areas in Yemen as the violence threatened to reignite civil war and raised fears over new threats to regional shipping lanes.

Yemen’s military said the rebels targeted the government-held port city of Mokha and the central province of Marib with missiles and drones but did not provide further details. The Houthis also hit Mokha with missiles and drones over the weekend and killed at least seven people, it said.

The escalation by the Houthis against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia aims to threaten the kingdom’s alternative route for shipping its oil. The attacks could reignite Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war.

Iran and Germany’s foreign ministers describe their call

Iran’s Abbas Araghchi said on his Telegram channel that in a call with Germany’s Johann Wadephul late Monday, he had “emphasized that making the Strait of Hormuz secure requires an end to the United States’ aggressive actions and unlawful interventions, including the naval blockade and other violations of U.S. obligations.”

Wadephul said on X that he had emphasized “the Strait of Hormuz needs to be opened unconditionally ensuring free and safe navigation for all.”

Iranian foreign minister underlines Tehran’s demands

Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran is insisting that the Strait of Hormuz won’t be reopened until the U.S. meets its conditions, after Trump said he wants compensation from Iran “for all of the people that they have killed” in the past.

Abbas Araghchi told reporters that Iran has “astonished the whole world” in the war against the United States and Israel, proving “that it is a tough and invincible power.”

Iran effectively closed the strait by threatening shipping after Israel and the U.S. attacked the country on Feb. 28.

Oil prices jumped, gasoline over $4 after Trump’s latest Iran war comments

Oil prices are settling in a state of uncertainty about when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to global energy supplies, after jumping about 7.5% since Trump scoffed at Iranian demands for compensation for war damage.

Motor club AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline ticked up overnight to $4.01.

Brent crude oil was trading at about $87.61 a barrel early Tuesday, and U.S. benchmark crude at $82.19. Shares of major U.S. oil companies — including Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips — were close to unchanged after jumping 4.5% on Monday.

Higher oil prices mean consumers pay more for all manner of products as companies pay more for fuel to produce and transport goods. Accordingly, the main event for Wall Street this week will be Wednesday’s update on U.S. inflation.

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The S&P 500 fell 0.3% for a second modest drop since setting its all-time high on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 184 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.6%.

The action was stronger in the oil market, where the price for a barrel of Brent crude briefly jumped above $90 in the morning before falling back below $87. It eventually settled at $88.91, up 1.4% from Monday.

Such erratic moves have become typical since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and kept much of the world’s oil pent up in the Middle East. Last month alone, Brent’s price veered between $72 and $102 per barrel.

Higher oil prices make inflation worse, and they’ve sent the average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline to $4.01, according to AAA. That’s up from less than $3.14 a year ago, though it’s down from last week’s nearly $4.09.

That has Wall Street’s attention focused on Wednesday, when the U.S. government will release the latest monthly reading on inflation. Economists expect it to show inflation remains high but that it decelerated to 3.4% in July from 3.5% in June.

That could help the Federal Reserve, whose members are notably split on whether they should be raising the country’s interest rates to keep a lid on inflation. While higher rates could help slow the increases of prices on store shelves, they would also slow the overall U.S. economy by making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money. They would also undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

Traders are betting on a coin flip’s chance that the Fed will raise its main interest rate at its next meeting in September, according to data from CME Group. If it does, that would be the first increase in more than three years. It also could anger President Donald Trump, who has been lobbying for lower interest rates.

Treasury yields have jumped since the war with Iran because of higher oil prices and worries about inflation, sending long-term mortgage rates to their highest levels in a year.

The 10-year Treasury yield eased back Tuesday, falling to 4.69% from 4.72% late Monday. But it remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran.

On Wall Street, On Holding dropped 20.3% even though the Swiss sneaker company reported a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It gave a forecast for upcoming revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations, while saying it does not want to slash prices to drum up more sales.

Companies broadly have been blowing past analysts’ forecasts, which Wall Street loves because stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate profits over the long term. Earnings per share for S&P 500 companies are on track to be 50% higher than a year earlier, according to FactSet, and that’s a big reason U.S. stocks have been setting records recently despite worries about expensive oil, high inflation and other challenges.

Aramark, the food company and facilities manager, rallied 8.5% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Cardinal Health added 1.3% after topping analysts’ profit expectations for the spring.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 24.91 points to 7,728.20. The Dow Jones Industrial dropped 184.13 to 53,791.85, and the Nasdaq composite sank 159.91 to 26,445.45.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.1% for one of the world’s bigger moves.

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AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

But look skyward anyway Wednesday and, if you’re far enough north in the U.S. and Canada, you might savor a partial eclipse as the moon nibbles away at the sun.

Totality will begin near the North Pole, then streak southward across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a patch of Portugal. Daytime darkness won’t last more than a couple minutes at best — shrimpy compared with North America’s epic 2024 eclipse — but it is continental Europe's first encounter with totality since 1999. Spain gets a much longer shot at totality next August, along with North Africa and the Middle East.

For the U.S., the Great American Eclipse of 2017 kicked off the sun-vanishing mania with more than two minutes of totality from Oregon to South Carolina. The amount of totality almost doubled in 2024, racing diagonally from Mexico's Pacific coast all the way past Newfoundland.

America's next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse isn't until 2045. So catch a partial now if you can, but don't forget to protect your eyes with certified eclipse glasses.

Here's a list of some U.S. and Canadian cities in position to see a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday if skies are clear, in alphabetical order, with local times and the amount of sun coverage provided by NASA:

—Anchorage, Alaska, with 28% coverage. Begins at 7:36 a.m. and ends at 9:09 a.m., peaking at 8:21 a.m.

—Bangor, Maine, with 24% coverage. Begins at 12:54 p.m. and ends at 2:49 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.

—Detroit with 3% coverage. Begins at 1:03 p.m. and ends at 2:08 p.m., peaking at 1:36 p.m.

—Montreal, Quebec, with 18% coverage. Begins at 12:50 p.m. and ends at 2:38 p.m., peaking at 1:45 p.m.

—New York City with 9% coverage. Begins at 1:07 p.m. and ends at 2:38 p.m., peaking at 1:54 p.m.

—Philadelphia with 7% coverage. Begins at 1:11 p.m. and ends at 2:35 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.

—St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, with 53% coverage. Begins at 2:28 p.m. and ends at 4:37 p.m., peaking at 3:35 p.m.

—Toronto, Ontario, with 8% coverage. Begins at 12:55 p.m. and ends at 2:23 p.m., peaking at 1:40 p.m.

—Washington, D.C., with 4% coverage. Begins at 1:17 p.m. and ends at 2:27 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.

—Winnipeg, Manitoba, with 5% coverage. Begins at 11:25 a.m. and ends at 12:40 p.m., peaking at 12:02 p.m.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

They married Tuesday in a civil ceremony described by the public relations team that represents the Portuguese soccer star as “a private and intimate moment attended by their five children.”

The ceremony took place in Cascais, a coastal town in western Portugal near the capital Lisbon, the Brunswick Group said in the announcement.

The couple posted a picture on their Instagram accounts showing their rings.

They have been together for the past decade after meeting in Madrid.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo, a five-time world player of the year and one of the most high-profile sports stars, is coming off playing in his record-tying sixth World Cup for Portugal.

His Saudi team, Al Nassr, starts its domestic season on Saturday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

KPRC 2 meteorologist Caroline Brown and her husband, Jack, have welcomed their second baby boy, George David Chadderdon.

George was born Aug. 5, and Brown shared the exciting news on social media, writing, “Our hearts have doubled in size and we couldn’t be more in love.”

View this post on Instagram

💙🩵

George’s arrival means the couple’s first son, JJ, has officially been promoted to big brother!

Brown and Jack announced they were expecting their second child last fall, sharing that their boys would be about 18 months apart.

• Baby on the way: KPRC 2 meteorologist Caroline Brown expecting baby No. 2 in August 💙

At the time, Brown said the close age gap held a special place in her heart because she grew up as the youngest of four children.

“I’m the youngest of four, and my parents had all of us close in age. We grew up as best friends, and that has been one of the greatest gifts of my life,” Brown previously shared.

She also revealed that her sister Maddie is 18 months older than her, while another sister, Ashley, is just 20 months older than Maddie.

“JJ and his little brother will also be about 18 months apart, and it makes my heart so happy knowing he’ll have that same built-in best friend,” Brown said.

• KPRC 2’s meteorologist Caroline Brown makes baby announcement!

Now, that little built-in best friend has arrived!

The family had previously been asking for baby boy name suggestions, but it looks like they found the perfect one: George David Chadderdon.

Please join us in sending lots of love and congratulations to Caroline, Jack, JJ and baby George! 💙🩵

Common Worries by Age

Back-to-school worries can look different depending on a child’s age. Younger students may struggle with separation, new teachers or routines, while middle and high school students may face social pressure, academic expectations and concerns about the future. College students can experience stress related to independence, finances, academics and being away from home.

Signs of More Than Typical Back-to-School Nerves

Some anxiety during a major transition is normal. Parents should pay attention when changes are persistent or begin interfering with daily life.

Signs can include:

For older students, parents should also take seriously signs of hopelessness, significant isolation or statements suggesting they don’t want to be here.

Tips for Managing Back-to-School Stress

Psychologists recommend creating predictability and routine during the first few weeks of school. Consistent sleep schedules, regular meals, homework routines and reasonable limits on screen time can help students adjust.

Parents should also make time for conversations that go beyond grades. Instead of simply asking, “How was school?” try questions like, “What was the best part of your day?” or “What was the hardest part?”

If a child doesn’t want to talk, don’t force the conversation. Let them know you’re there when they’re ready, and look for low-pressure opportunities to connect — such as during a car ride, walk or family activity.

When to Ask for Help

Parents don’t have to wait for a crisis. If emotional or behavioral changes persist, worsen or interfere with school, home or social life, consider reaching out to a teacher, school counselor, school psychologist, pediatrician or qualified mental-health professional.

The biggest takeaway: You don’t have to know exactly what’s wrong before asking for help. Recognizing that something has changed is an important first step.