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Naila lives in Katy and this past summer, her parents, Ben and Irma, started taking her to soccer classes after hearing how much Naila’s cousin enjoyed the facility and the coaches. Naila and Coach Eric Diaz instantly connected on their love of kicking the soccer ball around, and Coach Eric has been extremely patient when working with her.

“It’s one thing for an organization to let you in, but it’s different for them to accept her, if that makes sense,” said Irma Crow.

“And be patient and get the level of communication that she needs,” said Ben Crow.

“And genuinely care, right?” Irma said. “I think it’s a beautiful facility, but at the end of the day, having a human being who’s so genuine and he’s so mindful, and he genuinely wants to learn, he’ll be like asking me all these questions about how her brain kind of works and how he can help her and what he should and shouldn’t do and genuinely takes the time.”

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“It’s a beautiful thing, I think I’ve been put on her to, on this earth to bless people through the sport of soccer,” said Coach Eric. “It’s been an amazing journey; we’ve had the whole summer, we’ve been working, and just to see the progress, for me, that’s what’s most important with all our athletes that we work with.”

Coach Eric and Naila plan to continue weekly soccer classes to improve her skills and help her score more goals.

In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late on Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch.

“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further," he said. "It’s very painful and it's very debilitating in many respects.”

Joe Biden, 83, was the oldest man to serve as U.S. president and his age was a source of concern for much of his four years in office. He and his White House advisers have faced intense criticism for allegedly concealing the extent of his problems, especially after he was forced to abandon his bid for re-election after a disastrous debate with his eventual successor, Donald Trump.

The former president revealed his cancer diagnosis in May of last year, less than four months after he left the White House.

Hunter Biden said the diagnosis had been tough on the family.

“It's really sad to watch," Biden said. “The only thing that I'd say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good.”

But Biden said his father remains “out there," speaking publicly about the issues that are important to him.

“He’s still doing his thing," he said. “He so believes in this country."

The former president will publish a memoir, “Promise Me, America,” after the mid-term elections.

The Rosario-based Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys announced his death in a social media post that said he had undergone treatment in recent months for an unspecified illness. The post described him as “the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigor and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.”

The South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, in a statement also offered its condolences “with respect and affection for Lionel.”

Lionel Messi led Argentina to a runner-up finish in this year'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.”

“I went through some difficult, complicated days,” he said. “I am grateful to the delegation, to all my teammates, because they were always by my side wishing me strength so that I would be OK.”

Media reports at the time outraged the Messi family, which days later released a statement confirming that “Jorge is experiencing a health issue,” without specifying the nature of his condition.

“A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest,” according to the statement, which also expressed “discomfort at the lack of sensitivity, respect and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter.”

Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and worked as a steelworker. He played soccer as a midfielder and reached the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys but had to abandon the sport to complete his mandatory military service in Argentina.

He played a fundamental role in his third son’s career, serving as his agent and managing his business affairs. He was the one who traveled with a young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that would open the doors to La Masia, the club’s youth academy. Lionel Messi made his professional debut in 2005 and went on to win eight Ballon d’Or awards. He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.

“My dad was always by my side,” Lionel Messi said in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. “Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, if I wanted to stay or go back, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me.”

His father negotiated the contracts with Barça and later his transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, while also managing the use of his famous son’s image rights and his numerous investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants.

In 2013, father and son were accused by a Spanish prosecutor of trying to conceal earnings from the player's image rights. Jorge Messi paid more than than 5 million euros ($6.6 million) on Aug. 14 to cover alleged back taxes and interest.

The president of Argentina's soccer federation, Claudio Tapia, on Saturday issued a lengthy statement in which he recognized Jorge Messi “for having raised a person of values: humble, respectful, and deeply committed to others.”

The organization ordered a moment of silence to be observed at all matches across all categories of Argentine soccer and mandated that players, referees and coaching staff wear black armbands.

According to preliminary information, a car was traveling south on Reveille at a high rate of speed when it went through two red lights and struck another vehicle in the intersection. Officers and medics tried lifesaving measures, but the driver of the speeding vehicle — a woman in her 20s — was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

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The other driver suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. Police said each vehicle had a single occupant.

Lashanda Simmons, who lives in the area, said she heard the crash and went outside to check the area.

“It looked bad, it looked really bad. And come to find out it’s a young lady who’s deceased. It’s sad the way things are happening these days,” she said. “And I pray for the family, to put God in their life to get through this situation.”

Simmons said she’s seen multiple dangerous incidents happen in the area of the crash and urged caution for drivers. Only a few hours before this incident, a separate fatal crash happened nearby on Westover Drive. HPD said a man in a wheelchair was fatally struck by a vehicle who fled the scene.

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“Around this area, you have to drive for yourself and drive for others,” she said. “It’s real dangerous around here, especially in the middle of the night. Its always something happening as far as wrecks, and everything.”

The Houston Police Department is handling the investigation.

The company urged customers who purchased the recalled items not to eat them.

On Saturday, Albertsons said the products were pulled after a supplier-initiated recall involving Taylor Farms. Albertsons said the jalapeños in the items were recalled through Taylor Farms’ distributor Direct Roots because the ingredient was connected through the supply chain to an ongoing federal investigation involving jalapeños distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.

Which products were sold in Texas

Albertsons said these two ready-to-eat items were sold in Texas (including at Randalls) and are part of the recall:

• Roasted Corn Maque Choux Salad (Ready-to-eat) — UPC 29479400000 — sell-thru dates Aug. 3–Aug. 10, 2026
• ReadyMeals Roasted Corn Maque Choux Salad (Ready-to-eat) — UPC 29479500000 — sell-thru dates Aug. 3–Aug. 10, 2026

The company said shoppers should dispose of the products or return them to the store for a full refund.

Two additional salsa items were also recalled, but Albertsons said those were sold at Jewel-Osco stores in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.

The FDA says it is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections linked to recalled fresh jalapeños that were traced back to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed in the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors.

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As of early August, the FDA said 345 illnesses across 27 states — including Texas — had been reported, with 36 people hospitalized and no deaths reported. The FDA says most interviewed patients reported eating at Mexican-style restaurants during the time period investigators are reviewing, and the agency has advised consumers and food-service businesses not to eat, serve or sell recalled peppers.

Albertsons’ notice points to Taylor Farms as the supplier for the jalapeño-containing products being recalled at its stores. The recall also comes as customers nationwide have been paying closer attention to produce-related outbreaks this summer. The Associated Press reported that Sweetgreen recently removed jalapeños from its menu and saw sales drop amid broader concerns about fresh produce, following a separate cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce.

Symptoms to watch for

Health officials said salmonella can cause symptoms including fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The FDA says illness often begins 12 to 72 hours after exposure and typically lasts four to seven days. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness.

Anyone who believes they may be sick should contact a health care provider.

“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention,” Engelbert wrote in the memo, which was sent Friday afternoon and obtained by The Associated Press. “I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”

The memo said the topic will be discussed further by a task force of team presidents and general managers at a previously scheduled meeting next week.

In an ESPN article published last month, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. Cunningham's comments sparked small rallies and protests in Seattle and Portland when the Fever were on the road last week.

There was a lone protester at the Fever's home game against Las Vegas on Thursday night. Indiana visits Chicago on Saturday. Members of two conservative groups are planning a rally in support of Cunningham ahead of that game.

The league hasn’t made any public comments on the issue.

Engelbert wrote that the league will “always approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league. Second, our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained. Lastly, preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities.”

The league's collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. On Friday, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.

“We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” Engelbert said in the memo. “We also plan to convene additional discussions and offer listening sessions for any team leaders who would like to participate. Your perspectives and feedback are invaluable, and I appreciate those who have already reached out to share their thoughts.”

The WNBA players' association released a statement on social media Friday that emphasized diversity and inclusion while saying the group “will not be used as political pawns.”

“We embrace justice equity, diversity, and inclusion,” the statement read. “Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women’s sports while creating transformational change. Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns.”

Some WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.

“We need to protect trans kids,” Reeve said on Aug. 1. “To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.”

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The League City Police Department said officers were dispatched shortly after 7 p.m. to a home in the 1300 block of Deer Ridge Drive after the husband called 911 to report that he and his wife had been attacked.

When officers arrived minutes later, police said they found the husband outside with multiple injuries and began rendering aid. He told officers his wife was still inside the house with the suspect, police said.

Officers then forced their way into the home and were able to pull the woman out, according to police. Paramedics with the League City Fire Department took over care and rushed both victims to a hospital.

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Police said the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Juan Jose Uribe Pelaez, did not come out when officers tried to call him out of the home. Investigators said the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office drone team assisted by helping officers determine where the suspect was inside the residence. Police said Pelaez was eventually taken into custody after officers used a taser.

The woman later died at the hospital, police said. The husband remained hospitalized in stable condition as of Saturday morning.

Pelaez was booked into the League City Jail and charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a family violence case, police said. Bond was set at $250,000 for each charge.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact League City police at 281-332-2566.

Here’s a look at developments across the Middle East on Saturday. Full coverage can be found here.

Iran says strait won't open until the US ‘corrects’ behavior

Iran's politburo-like body known as the Supreme National Security Council said the Strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behavior," issuing new demands that could shake up talks on a deal to manage the waterway and traffic on it.

Iran's state broadcaster published the statement by the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the powerful Revolutionary Guard.

The U.S. must never threaten Iran again, the statement said, and must permanently end the war with Iran and its armed allies in the region. The U.S. must lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw its military from the area. It also must “completely compensate” Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and “unconditionally” release frozen assets.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S., which has wanted an acceptable deal first on the strait before ending the blockade. According to the interim deal signed in June, a schedule to end sanctions and plan on compensation would be part of the final deal, and negotiations would address frozen assets.

The end of a 60-day period to negotiate a final deal will end in just over a week but could be extended.

Iran has said it was close to reaching a separate deal with Oman to manage the strait, which runs between the two countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier Saturday said they were close to reaching an agreement on navigation, “specifically the determination of a transit route.” But the waterway’s reopening is contingent on other conditions, he said in remarks shared on social media.

Oman, a mediator Gulf Arab country which has said relatively little on the talks, said in a statement Saturday that the discussions were ongoing “in a positive and constructive atmosphere,” and condemned attacks on ships on the strait.

The strait, crucial to global supplies of oil and natural gas, had been considered an international waterway before the war.

Iran attacks a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, UAE says

A vessel owned by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned ADNOC oil and gas company was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati authorities said earlier Saturday. The Foreign Ministry said Iran fired the missile as part of attacks on commercial shipping.

ADNOC in a statement said there were no casualties following the attack early Saturday. The company said over a dozen of its vessels have been attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the strait since the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. One crew member has been killed and 20 others wounded, it said.

ADNOC didn’t elaborate on the attack's location or any damage.

Later, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said a vessel east of the town of Khasab, Oman, had been struck by a projectile that caused a fire that was put out, with the vessel and crew safe. It was not clear whether this was the ADNOC incident.

Yemen's military attacks Iran-backed Houthis

The attacks were in response to the Houthis’ recent strikes in central and eastern Yemen. Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s military, said the attacks targeted the rebels’ “sites and capabilities” on multiple front lines, without elaborating.

The escalation between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government and its backer, a Saudi-supported coalition, threatens to reignite Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 truce.

Turkey’s Kurdish peace bill wins approval in parliament

A Turkish draft law aimed at advancing a peace effort with the country's Kurdish insurgents passed its first hurdle in parliament on Saturday. A committee approved the measure. It is expected to be approved in the general assembly next week.

Last year, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, declared its decision to disarm and disband as part of the peace initiative aimed at ending the decades-long conflict with the Turkish state.

The draft legislation defines the procedures for the group’s disarmament and rehabilitation of some PKK members. The measures would come into effect once Turkey’s National Security Council confirms that the group has disbanded and surrendered all weapons.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since it began in the 1980s. Turkey and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization.

“I think Darline’s wonderful,” said Kathy Bustos of Mount Pleasant, after attending a Republican forum last week.

But that doesn't mean Bustos wants to vote for her in the state's special primary on Tuesday.

“I think it’s a very nice gesture for her to have the rest of his term to complete, but I’m not sure that she’s really qualified or ready to be elected to the Senate,” she said.

It's a common sentiment among Republican voters pondering an unexpected decision about replacing Lindsey Graham, who was nominated for a fifth term before he died from a tear in his aorta. Darline Graham was often by his side throughout his career, but she remains largely unknown in South Carolina's clubby political circles.

President Donald Trump has endorsed her, and she's backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is running television advertising to support her candidacy.

However, Graham has been largely absent from the campaign trail, spending most of her time in Washington as an interim senator. Her appointment to the role, instead of giving her a leg up over the competition, may ultimately hold her back by preventing her from getting to know voters during a weeks-long sprint to Tuesday.

A crowded field of contenders

She is up against several well-known Republicans, including Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, as well as former Gov. Mark Sanford. The crowded field makes a runoff more likely, and it would be held on Aug. 25.

All of them spoke at a Friday meeting of the Fourth District Republican Club in Greenville, but Graham sent a video message, saying she was “in Washington working hard for you." She promised to be "a great friend and ally” to Trump and that she wanted to “earn your vote.”

And at a candidate event in Florence on Saturday, where Graham was expected to speak, some of her supporters said they backed the interim senator’s decision to stay in Washington, even if it meant not campaigning.

“She committed to not missing votes or not being there to push forward with those bills,” said Teresa Castrinos, who made the hours-long drive from Bluffton to see Graham. “I feel like she’s putting South Carolina first. She’s wanting to fulfill her time as a senator right now, so I really admire her for that.”

A low profile in Washington — and on the trail

While Lindsey Graham was single and well known around the world, his sister lived a relatively quiet life with her husband and daughters in Lexington, South Carolina. She spent years in state government, working with people with disabilities and as agency head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

So far, her only public campaign event was a candidate forum in Lexington. Charles Brentnell of Greenville County, who was still considering his options, said he liked her decision to stay in Washington when the Senate was in session.

“Let’s keep the Senate at the Senate instead of taking a month off for no good reason,” he said.

Graham also participated in one of two televised debates, where she backed Trump's plan to change filibuster rules to make it easier to pass strict proof-of-citizenship voting legislation.

While other candidates came to speak to the media gathered afterward, Graham skipped the session and merely gave a thumbs-up outside when asked how she felt the debate had gone.

In contrast to her loquacious late brother, Graham has not spoken with reporters in Capitol Hill hallways or fielded questions on the stump.

She's spoken at length to Fox News personalities Sean Hannity and Trey Gowdy, both of whom eulogized Lindsey Graham at memorial services last month, and granted two interviews to local news outlets.

A second debate took place while Graham was in Washington on Tuesday, a date her campaign pointed out had been scheduled despite the senator’s conflict.

Gigi Bray of Charleston said the idea of Darline Graham serving in the interim makes sense, but electing her to a full term does not.

“I think it’s a great honor for her to hold her brother’s spot till November, but it’s time for a change,” said Bray, who backs Sanford. “I don’t think she has a lot of government experience, and I think right now, with the state of our country, I think it’s very important that somebody has experience.”

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

“I don’t think I could have asked for a better birthday gift than the completion of this mural with these six amazing artists from Taiwan,” GONZO247 said at the Friday unveiling.

The finished work sits at 9750 Bellaire Boulevard next to Trung Nguyen E-Coffee, in the Southwest Management District—a location speakers repeatedly described as a natural home for a project built around cultural exchange.

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“Houston is one of the most diverse cities in America, and the Southwest Management District is truly a reflection of that diversity,” said Stephen Le with the Southwest Management District and Greatland Living. “People from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds work and build our lives here.”

‘Strangers’ who arrived together, built something together

GONZO247 said the artists—many on their first trip to the United States—didn’t even know each other before arriving.

“They all came to Houston for the very first time—strangers, they didn’t even know each other,” he said. “They all met here in Houston, I met them, we all met at the same time.”

He described the program as a crash course that mixed creative mentorship with the realities of sustaining an art career. “Carolyn, my partner, was showing them the business side of the arts, and I was mentoring them on the practical side of the art,” he said, calling it “a three-week deep dive mentorship program.”

Taiwanese artist Hsin Hwang said the experience pushed her into new techniques and new ways of working.

“I learned collaboration with other people, and I learned how to use spray paint,” she said. “It’s my first time to use paint.”

A circular table, a shared meal, and an open chair

The mural’s central image is a circular feast table, chosen intentionally, GONZO247 said, because it reflects a familiar gathering style across Asia and a sense of wholeness.

“Everyone wanted to choose a circular table because that type of table is very common, and it’s really what you’ll see in Asia around many tables. The circle is a completion. It’s everything coming together,” he said. “Everyone’s coming and they’re all bringing something special to share.”

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To build the scene, each artist created a character—an “avatar”—meant to represent how they would show up in a shared community space. “What better way to show diversity, inclusivity, by having each person design their own avatar character,” he said.

At the center is a detail the artists described as the emotional core: an open seat.

“In the center, we have an open seat,” GONZO247 said. “Partly as a pay of respect to all of our ancestors and family members who have passed away because they’re always there in spirit. But also there’s always a seat for everyone.”

A message about home—especially now

Speakers at the gathering framed the mural not only as art, but as a statement about identity and belonging in Houston.

“We are here to share our culture, our food, our love with everyone. Everyone is welcome,” said state Rep. Gene Wu, who spoke at the event. “But another important thing that this says is: this is our home.”

City and county officials also used the moment to highlight cultural exchange and recognition. Gigi Lee, Chief of International Affairs for the Houston Mayor’s Office, told the crowd, “Now today we’re celebrating more than the unveiling of a mural. We are celebrating friendship, cultural exchange, and the spirit that makes Houston.”

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A proclamation read during the event declared Aug. 7, 2026 as “Painted Bridges Houston Mural Program Day” in Harris County.

Why the location matters

The mural’s placement along Bellaire—an area known for global food, immigrant-owned businesses and everyday multilingual life—was repeatedly credited as part of its meaning.

“We are very proud to welcome this beautiful mural to our community,” one representative said. “But what makes this project so special is not what you see on this wall, but the people and the collaboration behind it.”

And for the visiting artists, it’s now a permanent marker of a first encounter with Houston. Hwang said the trip left a lasting impression.

“It was really good—amazing,” she said, mentioning stops like NASA and local museums. “It really inspired me.”

Four people, including a child, were killed in the overnight strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region. Ukrainian forces hit Russian oil facilities.

Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade on Friday for his first official visit to Serbia.

Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade with Zelenskyy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described Ukraine as a “friendly nation” and said he was honored to welcome the Ukrainian leader — the first visit by a Ukrainian president in eight years.

The two leaders discussed their countries’ efforts toward joining the European Union, bilateral ties and ways to expand cooperation.

Kyiv’s residents face regular drone and missile barrages that Ukraine’s depleted air defenses are struggling to counter amid Moscow’s 4-year-old full-scale invasion, while repeated Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians.

Paperwork holds up missile production licenses

Vucic, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and refused to sanction Russia over the invasion — drawing pressure from the EU to change course — reiterated that Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said that position would not change.

“The situation in Ukraine is difficult,” Zelenskyy said at the press conference. “There was another missile strike last night — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were also attack drones.”

Zelenskyy said that deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors — the sole air defense weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles — have slowed compared with a year ago.

“There are fewer of these missiles in 2026. In 2025 there were more, I’ll tell you honestly, in terms of monthly supplies,” he said.

Zelenskyy said Washington has agreed to let Ukraine manufacture its own Patriot air defense interceptors, but that they are “stuck dealing with paperwork.”

“The process for some of these licenses is also taking a long time,” he said.

Boy killed with grandparents in Kyiv region

The talks in Belgrade came after multiple Russian drones destroyed the home of a family in the Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv, killing a 3-year-old child and his grandparents, local officials said.

Three other members of the same family and a neighbor who came to their aid were hospitalized, local authorities said. The attack reduced the house to rubble and wrecked outbuildings and cars.

Zelenskyy said at least one other person died in a “strike involving six ballistic missiles against civilian infrastructure” in the capital.

In its daily report, Ukraine’s air force said it had downed or intercepted 135 of 151 drones launched by Russia overnight. The attack also involved six ballistic missiles and other guided missiles.

Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, even though Moscow insists its forces target only military facilities.

Ukraine’s air defenses shot down around 5,300 drones and missiles last month, Ukraine’s defense ministry said Friday, just under 60% of the around 9,000 attack drones and missiles Russia fired in the same period.

Moscow is exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the U.S.-made Patriot systems, the sole air defense weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy has pleaded with other countries, especially the U.S., to send more of the ammunition made scarcer by the Iran war. Failing that, he wants to make Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or win permission from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia that can hit its missile launchers.

Following the latest attacks, Zelenskyy appealed on X for more sanctions to “prevent the production of these ballistic missiles,” along with “anti-ballistic capabilities” and “interceptor missiles.”

Ukraine strikes Russian oil facilities

In Russia, six people were wounded when a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery, in the southern Krasnodar region, due to debris from a falling drone, local officials said.

Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck the refinery in Krasnodar, along with the Syzran Oil Refinery in the Samara region, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) inside Russia.

Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, governor of Russia’s Samara region, said drones hit an “industrial enterprise,” but he did not mention the refinery.

Ukraine’s almost daily long-range drone and missile strikes using domestically developed weapons have battered Russian oil facilities for months. The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin.

___

Yurchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Elise Morton in London contributed to this report.

The 14-year-old opened fire at around 10 a.m. Friday at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of the Thai capital before apparently taking his own life. He also appeared to have killed his two grandparents at his family home earlier in the morning, officials said.

The girl, 12, died after hospitalization, the Health Ministry said. The school had posted a message on Facebook Friday seeking blood donations for two students, including the girl, who was in seventh grade.

Fourteen people remain hospitalized, of whom seven remain in critical condition Saturday, according to Thailand’s Health Ministry. Most of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old.

Relatives claimed the bodies of eight people from Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine: five school staff, the accused shooter, and his grandparents. Emergency workers brought out a coffin and loaded it onto an ambulance, which will transport the bodies to their hometowns for funeral rites.

The young girl’s body is still to be released.

Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of the institute, said most of the victims suffered a single fatal gunshot wound to a vital area, including the chest or head.

He said the gunshot wound found on the alleged shooter was consistent with the weapon he had used. More detailed forensic findings, including toxicology results, are expected later, he said.

Officials said the gun, described as small and compact, was legally registered to the boy’s grandfather.

There were reports that the boy, who lived with his grandparents, had shown signs of stress connected to school, although some of his relatives told Thai media that they were unaware of any troubles he might have been facing.

The co-educational state school, which has about 3,000 students enrolled aged 12 to 18, said all classes would be suspended between Aug. 10-14 and school staff were instructed to work from home during that time.

A few mourners laid flowers Saturday morning at the school's gate, where a few police officers could be seen.

Charin Siriananchai brought his two sons, ages 9 and 6, to pay their respects. He said while his sons do not study here, he lives in the neighborhood and drives past this school almost every day, often stopping to allow students to cross the road.

“Everyone was saddened and shocked, because it was unexpected that this would happen in Thailand, and also it’s quite a great loss,” he said.

Some parents also came with their children to collect their belongings left behind after the shooting. A father, who declined to identify himself, said his son, who was at the school during the shooting, was still in shock and could not sleep alone.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 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 relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

While shootings involving indiscriminate killings are not common, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile shooting deaths in recent years.

In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and wounded two others.

A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.

The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 to make Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies. While Blanche has already been leading the department in an acting capacity, his confirmation could free him to pursue the administration’s agenda even more aggressively.

Blanche said on social media that he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me,” adding that he was “grateful” to senators for working late to confirm him.

The vote followed a tumultuous confirmation fight that exposed deep concerns — from some Republicans as well as Democrats — about installing Trump’s close ally atop a Justice Department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House.

In the end, Blanche was confirmed by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — and by every Democrat.

The path to confirmation for Blanche was unusually rocky, due in large part to Republican concerns about a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.

Under pressure, Blanche publicly promised in writing that the department would abandon Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for the president’s allies, including those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and rein in another piece of the settlement designed to shield Trump and his family from IRS tax audits.

His appeals were enough to win over Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, the decisive vote who threw his support behind Blanche on Friday morning. Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump and suggested Blanche’s role as Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the Republican president’s demands.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” said Cassidy, who lost his primary this year to a Trump-backed challenger.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said confirming Blanche would be a “serious mistake.” He begged his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history.

“If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.

Blanche’s loyalty to Trump left senators skeptical

The vote capped off a bruising confirmation fight, with Blanche’s loyalty to Trump at the center of the stalemate.

Blanche was elevated to the top Justice Department post in an acting capacity after Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. Blanche moved swiftly to advance the president’s interests, accelerating investigations into Trump’s perceived foes and announcing the settlement that created the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

The controversial settlement threatened to torpedo Blanche’s nomination until he formally rescinded the fund in writing under pressure from Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The deal reached between the senators and the department unlocked a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which advanced Blanche’s nomination earlier this week

Even after the deal, Blanche faced opposition from some Republican senators concerned with the settlement fund and the tax audit immunity.

Murkowski announced early Friday that she would join Collins in opposing Blanche’s nomination, saying the country needs an attorney general “who will check the worst impulses of this administration.”

Former prosecutor rises as Trump’s defender

A former federal prosecutor in New York, Blanche rose to public prominence as a lead attorney on Trump’s defense team, including during the Republican’s hush money trial in New York. He also defended Trump against criminal charges in the two federal cases brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice — an experience Blanche has said provided him a firsthand look at what he contends was the weaponization of the criminal justice system against Trump.

Blanche entered the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general under Bondi, overseeing the agency’s day-to-day operations and serving as the public face for high-profile and controversial matters, like the release of millions of investigative files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Democrats have accused Blanche of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump above all else through investigations against Trump foes such as former FBI Director James Comey and a radical reshaping of the department. Under Bondi and Blanche’s leadership, the department has lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations or voluntary departures.

Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned from Trump in the courtroom make him better equipped than Bondi to explain to the White House the legal constraints of its demands. Republicans have also touted his efforts to bring down violent crime, tackle illegal immigration and combat violent cartels and drug trafficking.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Judiciary Committee chairman, gave a full-throated endorsement of Blanche ahead of voting, saying he’s led the Justice Department with distinction. “Mr. Blanche is the right choice,” said Grassley, R-Iowa.

It is unclear whether Blanche will fare any better in delivering on Trump’s desire for retribution than Bondi, whom Trump fired amid resistance from judges, grand jurors and the department’s own workforce as prosecutors sought to establish criminal conduct by one Trump foe after another.

Shortly after Blanche took the top post, the Justice Department moved to indict Comey on charges of threatening the 47th president by posting a social media photograph of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.” Comey’s lawyers are pressing to have the case dismissed, accusing the department of misleading judges, submitting documents containing false statements and withholding key facts.

Blanche has also appointed Joseph diGenova, a former Justice Department prosecutor from the Reagan administration, to oversee a Florida-based investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired over the last decade to undermine Trump. But it remains uncertain whether that probe will result in any criminal charges.

__

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

So did Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The three ex-presidents joined a roster of historians and authors in contributing to the In Pursuit project, a 250th-anniversary series that had each writer produce an essay about a president or first lady.

Though the project was explicitly designed to transcend today’s politics, some of its essays nevertheless reflect anxieties that are flaring in the era of President Donald Trump over the use of power, the health of the democracy and the integrity of the presidency.

The project is being curated by Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist who was fired without explanation by Trump last year. She instructed contributors not to be partisan or ideological. “Everybody took those instructions and that guidance very seriously,” she told The Associated Press. The goal was for all Americans to “feel welcome to be able to read these lessons and essays and learn something from them.”

The mission, Shogan said, “is to surface the lessons from the past 250 years of American history, so that we can learn from those lessons, from both our successes and our failures, so we can plan for the present and the future. It’s what has been described as debriefing the American story.”

The essays cover 43 presidents — all but Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Trump — and 30 first ladies. They are being published chronologically and weekly into December.

Trump and Biden were judged too fresh to be appraised by history, a call that may have also set aside passions of the moment.

Without naming Trump, Bush’s essay is difficult to read without thinking of Trump’s reluctance to cede power after his 2020 election defeat and his musings about a third term in defiance of the Constitution’s two-term limit.

Bush hails the heroism of humility

Bush's essay celebrates George Washington, the original “No Kings” guy. Bush, a Republican, hails a man whose legacy only grew larger because he modeled the limits of the presidency for centuries to come.

“Our first president could have remained all-powerful,” Bush writes, “but twice he chose not to. In so doing, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to.” First, Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army, then set the precedent of serving only two presidential terms before that limit was enshrined in the Constitution.

Bush went on: "George Washington’s humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics.” Bush's essay, released Presidents Day as the first in the series on Substack, drove heavy engagement.

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who led U.S. and international forces in the Afghanistan War, sized up a fellow general, Ulysses S. Grant, in another essay that drew much attention for its parallels with today.

History offers lessons on ‘law over loyalty’

McChrystal presents the Union general and post-Civil War president as a leader who displayed “an absolute commitment to principles larger than personal ambition" and who, before his presidency, resisted pressure on military leaders to “align with political factions and be loyal to a person rather than the Constitution.”

The emphasis on personal loyalty resonates in a time when Trump has repeatedly demanded fealty from officials in his administration.

The “temptation to bend institutions toward personal power is not unique to Grant’s era,” McChrystal writes. “Our future still depends on whether our leaders choose law over loyalty.”

This month, in the latest In Pursuit installment, Democrat Clinton writes about Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on that president's drive to expand the universe of “we the people” at the expense of powerful corporate interests, while also emphasizing Roosevelt's exclusionary views on Black and Indigenous people.

The essays frequently address presidents’ failures alongside their accomplishments, a contrast with Trump’s calls for federal cultural institutions to stick to patriotic interpretations of American history.

Presidents, the chief justice and first ladies contribute

Among the In Pursuit contributors are Chief Justice John Roberts (writing about William Howard Taft, the only president who also served on the Supreme Court); Hillary Clinton ( Eleanor Roosevelt ); Michelle Obama ( Jacqueline Kennedy ); GOP operative Karl Rove ( William McKinley ); documentarian Ken Burns ( Franklin D. Roosevelt ); and historian Michael Beschloss ( Lyndon Johnson ). Democrat Barack Obama presents Abraham Lincoln.

The project is being staged by More Perfect, a nonpartisan alliance of dozens of presidential centers along with academics and organizations dedicated to advancing democracy. It is where Shogan now practices her archivist craft that Trump shut down by firing her in February 2025.

She still has not been told why. Nor has Congress apparently been notified of the reason. The law requires Congress to be told but does not specify a deadline. The National Archives is the central repository of federal documents both precious and routine, and its leader has discretion over which records to preserve and display, and how.

“That is a position that used to be a nonpartisan position, much like the Librarian of Congress, the secretary of the Smithsonian,” she said. “And I took that very seriously and acted the entire time when I was archivist in a nonpartisan way.”

The White House did not respond when asked why Trump fired the archivist and whether the administration will tell Congress the reason.

Trump has long begrudged the archives for notifying the Department of Justice of his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left office following his first term, though Shogan was not working for the agency then.

Shogan sees hunger for history without a slant

Shogan said she has been overwhelmed with the public response to the series so far and figures that speaks to a hunger for history shorn of partisanship. The essays have received more than 1 million cumulative views on Substack and her podcast of the same name registered 160,000 audio downloads and nearly 64,000 YouTube views at last count. A documentary about the series is scheduled to air on PBS in October.

In the essays, readers learn something new not just about the giants, but about presidents such as Millard Fillmore — “a historic punchline — best remembered, ironically, for being so forgotten,” in the words of his essayist, former New York congressman Steve Israel.

Then there was Franklin Pierce, presented by his essayist as a pro-slavery president and “permanent victim” of Washington's alcohol-soaked culture.

Yale history professor David W. Blight recounts how Pierce won the presidency for the Democrats in 1852 despite vicious trolling by the Whigs. Fielding Mexican War veteran Gen. Winfield Scott in that election, they labeled Pierce, who also served in the war, the “hero of many a well-fought bottle.”

The conglomerate that legendary investor Warren Buffett built reported its second-quarter earnings Saturday morning and disclosed that its cash holdings had shrunk to $365.5 billion from nearly $400 billion at the end of March.

Berkshire's report suggested that it had added more than $21 billion worth of commercial, industrial and other stocks to its portfolio, but the earnings report doesn't name the stocks it bought. That won't be revealed until a separate filing later this month.

Abel took over as CEO in January when Buffett retired after six decades leading the company. But Buffett remains chairman.

CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert said investors should be encouraged by the amount of shares Berkshire's repurchased although Geico's performance was a concern because its underwriting profits fell 45% and lagged far behind other big auto insurers.

“I think there are two key takeaways that should encourage investors: The fact that they bought back shares after not having done things of this magnitude for several years now. And the other positive thing is the ability to produce the 10% operating revenue growth in the quarter,” Seifert said.

Abel announced in March that Berkshire had resumed buying back its own shares for the first time in more than two years, but investors were underwhelmed when the company only repurchased about $234 million worth of Berkshire stock in the first quarter.

The purchases in the second quarter that were disclosed Saturday demonstrate that Berkshire is serious about buybacks, but it is on the low end of the range that investors were expecting. Buffett watchers had been predicting repurchases somewhere between $5 billion and $11 billion based on a filing Buffett made when he announced his annual charitably donations in July.

The company’s standard is that it only repurchases shares when Abel and Buffett believes they are selling for less than they are worth. They do not plan to spend a specific amount like many companies do. Most of Berkshire's repurchases were made in June. They may not be buying much now as the stock just hit a new 52-week high on Thursday.

Berkshire previously repurchased $78 billion worth of its own stock between 2018 and 2024.

In addition to the Google stock Berkshire bought this spring, the Omaha, Nebraska-based company also completed a $6.8 billion acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison but that didn't close until July so it's not reflected in these quarterly figures.

Berkshire's bottom line profit more than doubled to $25.667 billion, or $17,868.44 per Class A share, on a big paper gain in the value of its investments as the company lapped last year's $3.8 billion writedown in the value of its Kraft Foods stake. A year ago Berkshire reported earning $12.37 billion, or $8,600.89 per Class A share,

But Buffett has long urged investors to pay more attention to Berkshire's operating earnings to get a better sense of how its dozens of companies are performing because those numbers exclude investments. By that measure, Berkshire's operating profit grew to $12.983 billion, or $9,038.30 per A share, from $11.16 billion, or $7,759.58 per Class A share.

Berkshire owns several major insurers, including Geico, a collection of big utilities, BNSF railroad and a varied assortment of manufacturing and retail companies, including Precision Castparts and See's Candy.

Our active seas breeze thunderstorm pattern stays with us. A weakness between two areas of high pressure creates the opportunity for more afternoon thunderstorms.

This pattern will increase the humidity and cloud cover which will lower temperatures to the mid-90s. Afternoon scattered storms will be possible through the mid-evening hours. A quick 1-2″ of rain will be possible with the strongest storms. Rain chances increase Sunday and Monday.

Saturday Rain Timeline:

A dry start Saturday morning, but by 2 pm showers and storms begin to pop up from the coast into Houston. Rain winds down for the Houston metro by 7 pm, but northern counties might have a lingering chance for showers until 10 pm.

Back to school forecast:

Be prepared to pack the umbrella in the kiddos’ backpack. The first day of school brings a chance for more widespread showers and storms. The increase in rain is due to a slug of thicker moisture from the Gulf swinging westward toward Texas.

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 Nino the numbers will be kept way down this season. No storms are expected in the next 10 days and probably a little further than that. 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 marking a tropical wave that will move off the coast of Africa early week, has a 20% chance of development over the next 7 Days. This is the only disturbance we are monitoring, otherwise the Atlantic basin remains quiet.

10 Day Forecast:

Temperatures slightly lower and rain changes go up. Our best chance of widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms is Sunday and Monday.

Investigators said the man, about 22, and his sister, about 25, were arguing at a residence in the 5500 block of Bingle Road around 8:25 p.m. Police said the sister had been allowing her brother to stay at the home but was trying to make him leave.

According to police, the man took his sister’s car keys and attempted to drive off in her vehicle. Another argument followed and the two became involved in a physical struggle.

• Woman killed in high-speed crash after running red lights in southeast Houston, police say

The man had a gun, and detectives believe he may have accidentally shot himself in the stomach during the confrontation, police said.

Houston firefighters responded, performed CPR and took the man to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, authorities said.

The sister was detained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, police said.

The incident remains under investigation by HPD.

Pink Phurree is Texas’ first all-women breast cancer survivor dragon boat team nonprofit, founded in 2007 to help survivors rebuild strength, resilience and confidence through the power of teamwork. The team brings together women at every stage of survivorship, creating a support system both on and off the water.

This month, 10 Houston breast cancer survivors will represent the city at the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Participatory Dragon Boat Festival in France. The event brings together breast cancer survivor paddlers from around the world every four years to celebrate survivorship, advocacy and community.

For team members like Gaile Stiteler, Susan McGee, Dora Lipper and Maria Buenabad, dragon boating has become a reminder that life after cancer can be full of strength, connection and new challenges.

As they prepare to compete internationally, the women of Pink Phurree are honoring those still fighting, those who have survived and those they have lost — while showing that survivors are more than their diagnosis.

Watch their full conversation above to learn more about Pink Phurree’s journey.

To support Pink Phurree, visit pinkphurree.org.

For more information about the 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, visit ibcpcfrance2026.com.

• New lawsuit uses Texas religious-freedom law to challenge Ten Commandments mandate

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Supporters of the mandate immediately hailed the ruling as a win. One backer said they were “grateful for the court’s decision today declining to block the Texas 10 Commandment Law,” arguing the display is about “acknowledging our nation’s history” and “legal heritage,” not forcing students to adopt religious beliefs.

But the plaintiffs, who sued under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, said the court’s refusal to grant a temporary restraining order does not resolve the central legal question: whether Texas Education Code § 1.0041 unlawfully burdens religious exercise and violates a voter-approved parental rights amendment.

“We asked for emergency relief. We did not get it,” said Meagan Hassan, lead counsel for the plaintiffs. “That ruling does not resolve the legal question at the heart of this case.”

The lawsuit — Emily Roth, et al. v. The State of Texas, et al. — was filed July 30 by Emily Roth, Dr. Audrey Rosa Nath, and Sanjam Kaur Sohal against the State of Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath, Houston ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Spring Branch ISD. The plaintiffs say they are not bringing a federal claim, focusing instead on state law protections.

• Mapping SB 10: How Houston school districts plan to implement the Ten Commandments

As the case proceeds, both sides are emphasizing what the mandate means for students returning to school next week across the Houston area.

Roth, the lead plaintiff, said the issue is not religion itself but the state choosing a religious text for public classrooms. “This case is not against religion,” Roth said. “It is against the state deciding whose religion belongs in a public school classroom, and deciding it without asking one parent in Texas.”

Supporters counter that students are not being asked to participate in any religious practice. “No student is required to pray. No student required to profess faith. No student to agree with the Ten Commandments,” the supporter said, insisting that “seeing something is not the same as being coerced to believe something” and that “exposure is not coercion.”

Hassan argued the plaintiffs’ legal challenge is straightforward and rooted in state statutes and promises to voters. She said the state has told Texans “the government would not come between them and their faith,” but that the mandate places a state-selected religious message into every classroom.

Backers of the law, however, said the Ten Commandments’ influence extends beyond religious doctrine and into the foundations of Western legal tradition. In remarks after the ruling, a supporter argued the display is meant to recognize history, describing the Ten Commandments as part of the background of American law and saying the state should not have to “erase history because it also has a religious flavor to it.”

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

The plaintiffs say the postings carry a different message for children — particularly those who do not share the underlying religious tradition. Roth said that even if some people view the Ten Commandments as universal moral concepts, the posters raise questions for students about identity and belonging in a state-run classroom. “While she’s working out what the poster means, she’s also working out something else: whose text this is, and that it is not ours,” Roth said.

Supporters reject the idea that the postings substantially burden anyone’s religious exercise, which is the legal standard at issue under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The supporter criticized what they described as the lawsuit’s theory that the mere presence of the display creates an unlawful burden, arguing instead that religious liberty protections are designed to prevent government coercion — not remove all religious references from public spaces.

The two sides also clash over how the recently approved parental rights amendment applies in public schools. The plaintiffs argue the mandate undermines parents’ authority over religious upbringing and imposes a state decision without parental input. Supporters respond that parental rights do not amount to “a constitutional veto over what every other child may encounter in a public school classroom,” and said those rights belong to all parents — including families who support the displays.

For now, the denial of the temporary restraining order leaves the Ten Commandments mandate in effect while the case continues. Supporters said the next major step will be a preliminary injunction hearing, expected later in August, where a judge could decide whether the law should be blocked while litigation plays out.

The plaintiffs’ children attend three different Houston-area districts. The children are not identified by name, and the plaintiffs have asked that the children and their schools not be sought or published.

Officers were called to the area of 7500 Westover Drive at Telephone Road around 10:05 p.m.

Investigators said the man, believed to be about 71 years old, was crossing when a vehicle traveling southbound on Telephone hit him. The driver continued on without stopping to help.

Police described the suspect vehicle as a small white sedan.

• Woman killed in high-speed crash after running red lights in southeast Houston, police say

HPD Sgt. D. Griffiths said the man was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the HPD Vehicular Crime Division at 713-247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Note: Availability is typically first-come, first-served and may be limited while supplies last. Some events require kids to be present to receive items.

19th Annual Back to School Drive, Health Fair & Business Expo

• When: Saturday, July 25 | 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Where: PlazAmericas Mall 2nd Floor, 201 Sharpstown Center, Houston
• What to know: This is a free, family event giving out 5,000 backpacks and school supplies; free immunizations and medical screenings; health and wellness resources; business expo exhibitors; and family activities.

Operation Backpack (Attorney Brian White) — 3,000 filled backpacks + free entertainment

• When: Saturday, July 25 | 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
• Where: Launch Family Entertainment, 13331 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077
• What to know: Organizers say the event will distribute 3,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies. Families will also get free admission to Launch during the event, with access to attractions (including trampolines and other activities).
• Details: Backpacks are available while supplies last; children must be present to receive a backpack.

Vida City Church Back 2 School Bash

• When: Saturday, July 25 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Where: Vida City Church Houston, 1300 W Mount Houston Road, Houston
• What to know: Organizers are offering free backpacks and school supplies in addition to community resources.

Verizon retailer Round Room “School Rocks” Backpack Giveaway (Houston-area locations)

• When: Sunday, July 26 | Starts at 1 p.m. (lines expected before start)
• Where (Houston area):
• • 3420 7th Street, Bay City
  • 1140 North FM 3083 West Road, Suite 300, Conroe
  • 27117 Fulshear Bend Dr., Ste 200, Fulshear
  • 3351 Clear Lake City Blvd., Ste 600, Houston
• What to know: Round Room, a Verizon authorized retailer, says it is giving away $3 million worth of free backpacks nationwide during its annual “School Rocks” event.

Pasadena to Fill the Bus for Local Students

• When: Monday, July 27 | 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Where: Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena
• What to know: The City of Pasadena is collecting donated school supplies for students. Community members will then deliver the supplies throughout the day. Volunteers will receive and organize the donations.

Back to School Community Giveaway (Attorney Kristopher A. Alvarez) - school supplies giveaways + free food

• When: Wednesday, July 29 | 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
• Where: 6841 Avenue I, Houston
• What to know: Organizers said the event will offer free backpacks with school supplies. There will also be food and drinks, games, activities, free haircuts and live entertainment. More than 200 children are registered for the event, organizers say.

Buckner Family Hope Center Back-to-School Health Fair & Backpack Distribution

• When: Friday, July 31 | 12 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Where: Buckner Children and Family Services of Houston, 8600 Sweetwater Lane, Houston
• What to know: The Buckner Family Hope Center will be distributing backpacks with school supplies to 1,000 kids in Houston’s northside in addition to shoes. Organizers said there will also be community and health resources. Families can also enjoy activities like arts and crafts.

Houston Rockets annual Back-to-School Bash powered by Reliant

• When: Friday, July 31 | 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Where: Sunnyside Community Center, 3502 West Bellfort Avenue, Houston
• What to know: The Houston Rockets and Reliant, in partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, are hosting their annual back-to-school event, offering free backpacks and school supplies. Organizers say each backpack will also include vouchers for Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut locations. Hall of Famer and Comets legend Cynthia Cooper, Rockets legend Rafer Alston, and more prominent figures will be making appearances. Organizers say there will also be free health screenings and family activities.

The Mayor’s Back 2 School & Health Fair presented by Shell

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Where: George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston
• What to know: The Houston Mayor’s Office will be holding its 16th annual back-to-school fair with backpack and school supply giveaways in addition to free health/dental screenings and routine immunizations. Make sure to register your student beforehand.

HISD “Ready, Set, School!” Back-to-School Resource Fair & School Supply Giveaway

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
• Where: Delmar Fieldhouse, 2020 Mangum Road, Houston, TX 77092
• What to know: Houston ISD says families can receive free backpacks and school supplies, plus free routine health screenings.
• Extras: District teams including enrollment, transportation and nutrition will be available to help families get ready for the school year.

YES Prep Public Schools Backpack Giveaway & Back-to-School Fair

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Where: YES Prep West Elementary, 9910 Sharpcrest Street, Houston
• What to know: YES Prep Public Schools is giving away 300 backpacks full of school supplies to students ahead of the 2026-27 academic year. Organizers said there will also be free vaccines and free/low-cost haircuts. The event is open to the public and will also feature family activities, community resources, and special appearances from local leaders.

Fellowship of Love Church Operation Backpack Drop

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Where: Missing Bend Boys & Girls Club, 8709 Addicks Clodine Road, Houston
• What to know: Love Works is holding their annual school supplies giveaway and health fair. Organizers say the first 300 school-aged children will receive free sneakers. There will also be family activities at the event.

IDEA Public Schools Backpacks for Bright Futures

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Where: IDEA Hardy Academy and College Preparatory, 1930 Little York Road, Houston
• What to know: IDEA Public Schools is hosting a free back-to-school backpack giveaway for the first 600 students at the event. Parents and guardians must be present with their children in order to receive the supplies. More community resources, giveaways, games and vendors will be at the event, organizers said.

Revive Fest 2026 - Christian Hip Hop performances + school supply drive

• When: Saturday, Aug. 1 | 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Where: Life Community Baptist Church, 2626 Avenue N, Rosenberg
• What to know: A back-to-school drive will be taking place at Life Community Baptist Church’s Revive Fest for students. Organizers say this is part of the larger community event, which includes family activities, live Christian hip-hop performances, food, giveaways and a basketball tournament.

Harris County Precinct 4 Free Snow Cones

• When: Monday, Aug. 3 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Where: 6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring
• What to know: Harris County Precinct 4 leaders are holding a free snow cone event for community members to kick off the new school year. Note: This event is not a school supplies drive or giveaway.

Free Back-to-School Immunization Clinic (State Rep. Suleman Lalani, M.D.)

• When: Tuesday, Aug. 4 | 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Where: Office of Rep. Suleman Lalani, 12550 Emily Ct, Suite 300, Sugar Land
• What to know: State Representative Suleman Lalani in partnership with the Texas Children’s Hospital is holding a free immunization clinic for Medicaid-eligible and uninsured children. Organizers said walk-ins are okay, but appointments are recommended and can be scheduled by calling 832-824-6355. Organizers said parents and guardians should bring their child’s immunization records. Note: This event is not offering school supplies.

Boykins Youth Foundations 12th annual Back-2-School Drive & Free Haircuts

• When: Wednesday, Aug. 5 | 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Where: Evan E. Worthing High School, 9215 Scott Street, Houston
• What to know: Boykins Youth Foundations and community partners are holding their annual back-to-school event offering free school supplies, backpacks and uniforms. Organizers say there will also be free haircuts and hairstyles on offer, in addition to free physicals and eye exams.

Harris Health Back-to-School Health & Wellness Fair + free school supplies

• When: Saturday, Aug. 8 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Where: Strawberry Health Center, 927 Shaw Ave, Pasadena
• What to know: Harris Health is offering back-to-school vaccines and health screenings. Organizers said the first 225 school-ages children will get free backpacks with school supplies. The Houston Food Bank will also provide free food to families, while supplies last. Harris Health is also offering mammogram screenings for attendees, but they must be scheduled in advance by calling 281-454-0913.

Judge Bob Wolfe Back to School Supply Giveaway

• When: Saturday, Aug. 8 | 10 a.m.
• Where: 16715 Clay Road, Houston
• What to know: Precinct 5, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Bob Wolfe is holding a back-to-school supply giveaway until supplies last. Organizers say there will be free food and drinks, too. Children must be present in order to receive supplies, according to the judge.

Back to School Energy Savings Bash

• When: Saturday, Aug. 8 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Where: Harris County Department of Education Admin Building, 5th Floor Conference Center (on top of Caplin Street parking garage), 6300 Irvington Boulevard, Houston
• What to know: CenterPoint Energy, the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, the Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience (CEER), and other local partners will be holding a resource and school supplies event for families. Organizers said the event aims to connect homeowners and renters to energy programs and resources. Food and refreshments are provided. Organizers said the first 100 attendees will get free school supplies and energy efficiency kits.

Community Back-to-School Bash for Families (Attorney Cherika Edwards)

• When: Saturday, Aug. 15 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Where: 3310 West Fuqua Drive, Houston
• What to know: The Law Office of Cherika Edwards is holding its annual back-to-school event, offering free school supplies (while supplies last), free food, free family activities, and community resources.

Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law — $200 gift card giveaway (Texas residents)

This is a statewide drawing (not an in-person Houston backpack event), but it may still help some families.

• What: The firm says it will award 15 Texas residents a $200 gift card through a random drawing.
• Deadline: Runs through 10 a.m. CT on Aug. 19 (per the announcement).

Have a giveaway to add?

Send details (date, time, address, what’s being given away, and any registration requirements) to Desk@kprc.com and we can update this list.

“Traveling with kids is a whole new world," said Dr. Shannon Thompson, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children's, adding that it's important to “enjoy your kiddo on your trip” as much as you can.

Here are some tips and tricks for parents to travel safely with young children — and have fun with them, too.

Look for amenities like cribs and high chairs before you book

Before you decide where to stay, consider your options for baby-proofing.

Check whether items like portable playpens, cribs and high chairs are offered to guests. If you are staying somewhere with stairs, a balcony or a pool, inquire about baby gates; if they are not provided, see if they are available for rent nearby or consider bringing travel-friendly foldable mesh gates. Pack electrical outlet covers and wipes to clean any dirty surfaces your kiddo might touch.

For babies, safe sleeping is still essential on vacation. Children younger than 1 should sleep on their back on a flat, firm surface such as a mattress in a bassinet, crib or playpen with nothing more than a fitted sheet, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization also recommends babies sleep in the parents' room — but not in the parents' bed — for at least the first six months.

You should also consider how you will get to your lodging: Will you fly in and rent a car or take a taxi, or take public transit from the airport? Will you mostly be driving or walking? For parents, these factors can determine whether you want to bring a stroller and a car seat, both of which you can gate check for free when you fly, or rely on using a sling or baby carrier.

Plan for snacks and diaper changes on the plane

“Flying with kids is one of those big, intimidating things,” said Thompson, the pediatrician. “I think the biggest thing to think about is always safety and then of course their comfort.”

While children under two can fly in their parents’ lap, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends securing them in their own safety seat, such as a car seat certified for use on planes. This requires buying a seat for your child.

For long-haul or international flights, ask the airline if they have bassinets available.

Food and drink for babies and toddlers, including breast milk, formula and puree pouches, are considered medically necessary liquids by the Transportation Security Administration. That means they are not subject to the standard 3.4-ounce (100-milliliter) limit for carry-on liquids. The same goes for ice packs used to keep such liquids cool. Let the TSA officer know if you have these in your carry on when you go through security screening.

In addition to snacks, don't forget to carry on diapers, wipes, a portable changing pad and sealable plastic bags for disposal. Bring extra clothes to layer or change in case of accidents or messy spills.

Swallowing and chewing can help with ear pressure, so nursing little ones or giving them a bottle or pacifier can ease discomfort during take-off and landing.

Speak with your pediatrician beforehand if your kiddo is prone to ear infections, and before traveling abroad, ask them what vaccines may be recommended.

Keep kids entertained on and off the plane

For flights with young kids, Christy Slavik, owner of the travel agency Mom Approved Travel, recommends “having little surprises that you can distract them with” — such as sticky mats for travel-sized play doh, suction cup toys and other games that are small and light to pack.

If sightseeing once at your destination, think about ways to make activities more fun and interactive. For art museums, bring notebooks that kids can draw in, or ask them what types of animals they can find in the paintings, Slavik said.

“Kids need a mission. They need games,” she said. “You have to get creative sometimes when you're traveling."

Exposing children to other cultures, foods and languages can also be fun. Some may enjoy picking out snacks at markets, for example, or learning foreign words for their favorite dishes and activities.

There are options for places to stay that are family friendly, with amenities such as pools or games. For those traveling abroad on a budget, many hostels offer private rooms for families so they don’t have to share a dorm-style room with bunk beds. Hotels and hostels provide the opportunity to meet other travelers, including fellow children who can become playmates.

The perks of traveling with extended family

Helping moms actually enjoy their vacation — and relax amid the stress that can come with planning and traveling — is a core goal of Slavik's travel agency.

One way parents can get a break is by planning trips with grandparents or other family members. This helps with babysitting duties, while also allowing loved ones to have special bonding time with kiddos. Just make sure they also have their own down time and aren't wearing themselves out, Slavik said.

“When you bring grandparents to a vacation, you're giving them the opportunity to experience those moments together,” she said.

While they wrapped up many key priorities in the overnight votes, advancing Trump's SAVE America Act was not among them.

Instead, Republican senators who had brought the chamber to a standstill spoke to Trump late in the evening about an alternative plan: They would try again to approve elements of the voting bill as part of a broader GOP budget package to fund the Iran war and replenish the Pentagon when they return to work in September.

“Obviously, with the president at his direction, this is what he wants to do,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the GOP budget committee chairman, flanked by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., after their phone call with the president.

The sudden wind-down after weeks of Trump ramping up his demands shows just how deeply the president is able to reach into the halls of Congress to set the agenda or disrupt it, the executive directing the affairs of the legislative branch. While Trump is often seen as a de facto speaker of the House, he is invariably trying his hand at mastering the Senate.

Trump had poked and prodded Senate Majority Leader John Thune for weeks to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill that does not have enough support from the Republicans who hold majority power, let alone the Democrats whose votes would be needed to advance it in the Senate.

The president has gone so far as to insist the Senate abandon its filibuster rules to jam the SAVE America Act past the 60-vote threshold that is typically needed to advance legislation in the chamber — something Thune and most senators have no interest in doing.

“John’s trying. He’s trying hard. I really believe that. But if he doesn’t get there, it would be unfortunate,” Trump said in an interview with Punchbowl News that posted Friday.

Trump's pressure couldn't overcome Thune's reality

Thune himself has worked to carefully balance the often unusual demands of the president with the political reality of his slim GOP majority. Republicans are down one vote with the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former leader, who said this week he was released from a rehabilitation center and is recovering at home.

“I think everybody’s, for the most part, on the same page,” Thune, R-S.D., said about the trio's call with Trump, adding that eventually the Senate would have to tackle another budget bill.

During a daylong session that dragged for nearly 20 hours, Thune successfully powered through a lengthy list of other Trump priorities. Senators confirmed the president's pick of Todd Blanche as the attorney general, passed a sweeping Russian sanctions package to aid Ukraine, and approved a bipartisan package to fund the government into December in an early step toward avoiding a government shutdown.

The Republicans also tried to push forward a slimmer voting bill that would require people to show IDs before casting ballots for federal elections. It failed to advance, largely on a party-line vote with Democrats opposed.

But the failure to make progress on the SAVE America Act had erupted as an online crusade for Trump's allies in Congress, amplified by activists urging them on.

Led by Lee, a growing group of senators was refusing to adjourn for the summer break without passing Trump's priority voting bill.

At dinnertime, Thune gathered all the Republican senators for a meeting as the standoff deepened at the Capitol. There was no immediate way forward for the SAVE America Act or the broader budget bill. Thune encouraged the trio of senators to talk to the president, which they did, before regrouping back at Thune's office.

"We had about a two-hour conference meeting trying to figure out, you know, what we need to do to, to come to an agreement, to accomplish what the president wanted,” Johnson said. “Then we had discussion with the president, he agrees.”

Lee acknowledged he was disappointed by the outcome, but said he understood the political reality of the situation.

“We are not in a position right now where we have the wherewithal to pass it,” Lee told reporters at the Capitol, after the three senators emerged from Thune's office following their call with Trump.

Near daybreak, when the Senate did call for the vote to adjourn, Lee and others objected with hearty nos.

On the simple voice vote, the ayes had it, and the motion to adjourn was adopted.

The late-summer action on a funding fix is unusual. Normally, Congress waits until the final days or hours of a funding deadline to pass short-term patches, but this time senators acted nearly two months before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

The 90-6 vote showed lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year and want to avoid another before voters go to the polls.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune wanted the funding dealt with before senators went home for the next five weeks to focus on their reelection campaigns and other matters. It got caught up with other issues that pushed votes into the night, but the bill had broad bipartisan support. The House will also have to approve the measure when members return from their August recess before it can go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.

The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels though Dec. 11, but includes a variety of exceptions that senators negotiated with the White House.

Democrats secured language to ensure no money could be transferred to the Border Patrol. They also rejected the White House's request of $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship that the administration announced on Dec. 22.

“The only person who wants these golden ships is Donald Trump so he can slap his name on them,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.

Hemp provision became a point of contention

The bill also includes language delaying a national ban on most intoxicating hemp products. That one-month delay prompted outrage from some Senate Republicans who say that too many such products are falling into the hands of often unsuspecting children. The packaging of the products often relies on bright colors and intentionally mimics popular snack brands to attract consumers.

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that since 2017 there has been nearly a 10-fold increase in cannabis-related emergency room visits by minors in his home state.

“This is a public health crisis that deserves this Senate’s immediate attention,” Budd said. “Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for profit.”

But the hemp industry said the delay buys time for Congress to craft legislation that protects hemp farmers and businesses while also putting in place safeguards to protect children.

Trump himself has called Budd to discuss the issue, though the president did not specifically ask the senator to drop his effort, Budd’s spokesman said.

“Senator Budd had a friendly phone call with President Trump discussing the legislative efforts regarding THC,” said spokesman Christian McMullen. He said the senator outlined his concerns about “any delay to closing the hemp loophole.”

Budd tried to strip the hemp delay from the bill, but the Senate turned aside his effort.

The bill delays a Trump administration rule on grants

Democratic lawmakers, along with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also got language in the bill that would block, for the duration of the funding patch, new regulations on federal grants. The regulations would require a senior political appointee to review grants before they are awarded to ensure, among other things, that they advance the president's policy priorities. Democrats worry it's an effort to kill grants destined for Democratic-leaning states.

“They are not interested in making our tax dollars work better — they just want them to work for Donald Trump,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The White House Office of Management and Budget says its effort is about improving accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted or misused. The issue is sure to be a topic of future negotiations on a full-year spending measure.

But Collins said the vast majority of the nearly 500,000 people and groups weighing in on the rule are opposed to it.

“I don't think in my time that I've been privileged to serve in the Senate that I have ever seen a proposed rule generate that many negative comments," Collins said.

The 14-year-old shooter took his own life at the school, officials said.

Five school staff members, including teachers and administrators, died in the shooting around 10 a.m. at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of Bangkok, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said at the scene.

The boy also killed his grandparents at the home he shared with them prior to the school shooting, Polapee said.

Bangyai Hospital, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the school, said 23 people were wounded, of whom 10 were in critical condition, with most suffering gunshot wounds. Earlier reports gave conflicting casualty numbers.

A witness said students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building.

Amporn Niamfuang, who owns a restaurant 50 meters (160 feet) from the school, said there was the sound of a single gunshot and then a pause.

“And then there were multiple continuous shots,” Amporn said, recalling the narrow road outside the restaurant filling with fleeing students. “Students were running scared and pouring onto the street. Young girls were holding each other’s hands and crying. I went inside to hide.”

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking after touring the school, confirmed reports that the shooter was 14 and had killed himself. He said the student had shown signs of stress connected to school.

The gun, described by police as small and compact, was legally registered to his grandfather, he said.

About an hour after the shooting, people stood outside comforting one another as police and first responders walked around the co-educational state school, which has an enrollment of about 3,000 students ranging from 12 to 18 years old.

All classes will be suspended between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14 and school staff have been instructed to work from home during that time, the school said.

Police find grandparents dead at family home

After the shooting, police went to his home and found both grandparents dead of apparent gunshot wounds, regional police Commander Wattana Yeejeen said.

The student appeared to have shot them before attending school as normal. He waited until classes started and began shooting inside his classroom before walking out and firing more shots, Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan said.

The boy fired more than 20 shots and police found he still had 30 rounds after shooting himself, he said.

Several family members, including his uncle and sisters of the grandfather who were at the family home while police investigated, said he usually kept to himself and was a good student.

The family members said they were unaware of any troubles he faced at home or school.

Thailand has high rate of gun owners

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 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 relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and injured two others.

A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.

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Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok and Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Nonthaburi, Thailand, contributed to this report.

New York improved to 2-8 in extra-inning games, halting an eight-game winning streak overall for the NL East leaders.

Yankees left-hander Max Fried pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first outing against his former team, but Tyler Mahle matched him with six shutout innings in his Atlanta debut.

Austin Riley homered in the eighth and Matt Olson went deep in the ninth to give the Braves a 2-0 lead. With the Yankees down to their final out, slumping Austin Wells doubled home a run off All-Star closer Raisel Iglesias.

Amed Rosario walked before Rice singled on a 1-0 changeup.

Heliot Ramos was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Dylan Dodd entered and retired Luis García Jr. on a groundout to send the game to extra innings.

New York's rally began when rookie George Lombard Jr. reached on an infield single with one out and advanced to third on Iglesias' throwing error.

David Bednar (5-3) pitched a scoreless 10th, helped by Lombard's off-balance throw from shortstop on Sean Murphy’s grounder and García's over-the-shoulder catch at first base on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s popup to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom half, rookie Spencer Jones was intentionally walked and Lombard worked a walk from Tyler Kinley (6-5) that loaded the bases. García, the automatic runner, scored easily on McMahon's sac fly to deep right field on a full-count pitch as the Yankees improved to 5-42 when trailing through eight innings.

The start was delayed by heavy rain and thunderstorms for 1 hour, 55 minutes.

It was the eighth time in 10 games a Yankees starter permitted no more than one run.

Fried spent his first eight major league seasons with the Braves before leaving as a free agent to sign a $218 million, eight-year contract with New York in December 2024.

Up next

In a marquee matchup of Cy Young Award winners, Atlanta LHP Chris Sale (12-6, 2.08 ERA) pitches Saturday for the first time since July 29 when he faces New York RHP Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.42) on Old Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Waldschmidt connected on a slider, hitting a shot to left center that barely cleared the wall. Diaz walked Max Kepler to start the ninth before striking out Tim Tawa, but Waldschmidt followed with the biggest hit of his young career.

Diaz — a three-time All-Star — has given up 11 earned runs in nine innings this season.

The Dodgers trailed 2-0 early in the game but rallied. Andy Pages' solo homer to lead off the eighth gave them a 3-2 lead.

D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly took a no-hitter into the sixth before Tommy Edman led off with an infield single. Freddie Freeman brought home a run later in the inning on a fielder's choice, cutting Arizona's lead to 2-1, and Kelly had to leave the game with cramping in his right leg.

The Dodgers tied it at 2 in the seventh on Edman's RBI single and had the bases loaded before Shohei Ohtani grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Roki Sasaki gave up two runs on five hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.

Nolan Arenado gave the D-backs a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo homer that barely cleared the left field fence and the glove of Teoscar Hernandez. It was Arenado's 17th homer of the season.

In the third, Corbin Carroll robbed Edman of a ying homer, leaping high above the right field fence to make the grab.

Up next

The Diamondbacks were set to start RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66 ERA) vs. Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76) on Saturday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Judge Bryan Biedscheid fined the company $567 million in his ruling Thursday, but he also prescribed steps to clean up what he described as its byproducts. He ordered new safety measures, including a time limit of 90 hours per month for users under 18, AI chatbot restrictions, and mandatory warnings on the platforms.

How easily those features can be implemented, and how effective they could be at protecting young users from mental health harms, are unresolved questions. They also would apply only to children in New Mexico, Meta has no deadline to introduce them, and the company has said it will appeal the ruling.

But the judge’s order showed a possible path forward for other court fights around the country as Meta faces mounting legal, regulatory and public pressure to do more to protect young people.

The ruling came in the second phase of a trial in a lawsuit the state of New Mexico filed against the social media giant. The new financial penalty is in addition to the $375 million in civil penalties that jurors ordered against Meta in March after determining the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

Meta said in a statement Thursday that it works to keep people safe on its platforms and has been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content.

“We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts,” the company said.

Implementation of court-ordered measures poses challenges

Many of the changes ordered by Biedscheid hinge on strong age-verification measures. The ruling says Meta must improve its age assurance models and tools in New Mexico and proactively request proof of age for users they know or estimate to be under 13.

What that proof of age could look like, however, is unclear.

Age verification “can be done well in a privacy-protective way, but it is not easy,” said Peter Ormerod, an associate professor of law at Villanova University.

Federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act means the court cannot order Meta to request children to submit personal data or be passively tracked online, even for age verification purposes.

Identifying which users are in New Mexico, and subject to the court-ordered protections, could also pose a challenge. Ormerod said Meta could likely check if a user is accessing the platform from an IP address associated with New Mexico, a solution “that works reasonably well enough.”

Meta has several safety tools already in place. Instagram Teen Accounts, for one, have built-in protections to limit who can contact teens and what content they can see, and give parents the ability to set time limits.

Brooke Istook, the president and chief strategy officer at the advocacy organization Heat Initiative, said she was glad to see the judge's reforms will be court-supervised.

“Now, we will have someone in an official capacity checking the homework of these companies,” she said. “The fact that we have the court now involved, they’re able to evaluate how they’re implemented, whether or not they’re effective and whether or not they are actually working to keep kids safe online.”

Experts say the ruling leaves out some of the most harmful features

Meta's critics say some of the most recognizable and potentially harmful aspects of Instagram and Facebook's designs are untouched by the ruling.

Features like autoplay, infinite scroll and algorithmic content recommendations have been the prime targets of legal arguments that social media platforms are designed to be addictive. But Biedscheid wrote in his ruling that these features are used across the social media industry on other platforms, so restricting Meta's features but not those of its competitors would harm the company.

That was disappointing to see for Sophia Choukas-Bradley, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Those design features have played a very important role in what leads to problematic use of social media by adolescents and, in turn, mental health problems,” Choukas-Bradley said.

Still, Choukas-Bradley said she was in favor of several safety measures in the ruling, especially one that orders the “like counts” on the apps be hidden by default on minors' accounts, a setting that could only be overridden by a parent or guardian. She also supports a measure that would create a stronger separation between children and “unconnected” adults on the platforms. Meta would not be able to recommend a child's account to an adult's account, and adults who are not “friends” or followers of a minor's account would be barred from messaging the child.

“There are just too many documented cases of sextortion, sexploitation and sex trafficking that start in the online context for us to ignore this any longer,” Choukas-Bradley said.

It is unclear which features on social media platforms are most harmful for children's mental health, said Sonia Livingstone, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. There is ample evidence, however, that more vulnerable children are more susceptible to the companies' design features, she said.

“Tested one by one, the evidence for each design feature will be weaker, as it is the combination of features that really will make the difference for children’s outcomes,” said Livingstone, who leads the Digital Futures for Children research center.

Some hope New Mexico's actions lead to further regulations

Because the measures in the judge's order are specific to users in New Mexico, experts say piecemeal rulings and inconsistent legislation at the state level could create a new crop of issues.

“It really needs to be uniform at the congressional level, it causes all sorts of problems,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers. “It just doesn’t make sense in today’s era of technology.”

Some advocates say they hope similar rulings in other states could stir action in Congress, and spur new efforts to pass federal legislation.

For parents in New Mexico, the ruling could change the conversations with their teens about social media use. Heather Statum, an Albuquerque mother of a 13-year-old girl, says her daughter is constantly requesting access to various social media platforms.

Statum has heard horror-stories about predators lurking on Instagram or Snapchat. She's also aware that among her daughter’s peers, discussions of suicide and other mental health issues are prominent online and worries about her daughter being exposed to disturbing content.

“The stuff (social media companies) have in place to protect them, I don’t think any of it actually works,” Statum said. “It does cause major problems between us because she thinks that I’m too strict.”

Statum says the platform-level changes from the ruling could promote safe usage, but said it will be hard to balance safety with freedom. She believes educating kids on dangers is the best path forward.

A Supreme Court decision in June struck down a previous attempt at restricting birthright citizenship, but Thursday’s orders were made with “adjustments” keeping the decision in mind, President Donald Trump said.

Still, some of the restrictions announced by the White House are expected to face legal challenges.

The 14th Amendment, which makes a citizen of anyone born in the country, and two subsequent Supreme Court decisions interpreting it provide guidelines that already exclude certain births from receiving the citizenship benefit.

Trump's new attempt to restrict birthright citizenship even after the Supreme Court loss highlights the administration's drive to limit who can become an American.

New categories of restricted citizenship benefits

Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under current law for anyone who is born on U.S. soil, with a few exceptions.

The executive order released Thursday was narrower in scope than the previous one shot down by the Supreme Court and appeared to focus on restricting automatic citizenship to specific categories of people, including children born to adults with connections to foreign embassies or organizations as well as anyone considered an “alien enemy” of the United States.

U.S. immigration law says babies born to a “foreign diplomatic officer accredited to the United States” are not entitled to birthright citizenship under the Constitution, including ambassadors, ministers, chargés d’affaires, counselors, secretaries and attachés of embassies and legations, and members of the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities.

Trump’s orders Thursday would sharply expand those exemptions.

One order disqualifies babies who are products of “birth tourism.” The other applies to children of anyone working in a foreign embassy or representing a foreign government and employees of the United Nations or other international organizations. Children of parents tied to groups that are deemed terrorist organizations, like Antifa or Tren de Aragua, are also excluded.

“How is the federal government going to decide that a child is born to a member of a designated terrorist organization?” said César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, a law professor at Ohio State University. “These are not organizations that are sharing the membership lists if they even have them.”

Citizenship through surrogacy has become a concern for Republican members of Congress, some of whom proposed a bill this year that would restrict citizenship for children of noncitizen parents born to surrogates in the U.S.

García Hernández said he believes the new executive order addressing surrogacy could raise new legal questions. “Neither the 14th Amendment nor any of the Supreme Court’s decisions about how to interpret the 14th Amendment mentions or hints at surrogates,” the law professor said.

Questions over the scope of birth tourism

Trump’s executive order defines birth tourism as someone who enters the United States on a “nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil.”

Birth tourism is already considered fraud and grounds to restrict a visa if someone seeks one specifically to come to the U.S. and obtain citizenship for a child.

Advocates said the executive order would give immigration officers discretion to deny entry to pregnant women suspected of wanting to give birth in the U.S. without providing clearly defined guidelines.

The president did not offer data indicating the scope of the problem, but said Thursday: “I’ll tell you right now, hundreds of thousands, OK? Hundreds of thousands."

Although there's no official estimate of how many births can be considered “birth tourism” cases, experts say Trump’s approximation is exaggerated.

“The hundreds of thousands just seems like an overestimate based on the sort of limited data that we have available,” said Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in 2024 nearly 9,600 children were born to foreign mothers with an official address outside the country. Another estimate from the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that advocates for lower immigration, estimated that 20,000 to 26,000 birth tourists come to the U.S. each year.

Facilitators of birth tourism targeted

The order provides a sweeping indictment of “birth tourism operators” with no evidence of how widespread they are or how or why anyone accused of using their services would be exempt from constitutional protection.

Those efforts are not new either. Previous administrations have also sought to prosecute so-called “birth tourism” schemes that helped women hide their pregnancies while traveling to the United States to give birth.

“Birth tourism operators use deceptive advertisements and inducements to entice foreign nationals to travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth on American soil,” the order says.

“They promise citizenship; access to public benefits; and short-term stays in specialized facilities, hotels, or rentals, but often fail to deliver on these promises. These operators coach their clients to misrepresent the purpose and duration of their travel to consular and border officials to obtain visas authorizing entry into the United States.”

The Republican Party has embraced the mission. In late July, the office of the attorney general in Texas announced a “sweeping investigation” into potentially unlawful birth tourism schemes after some south Texas hospitals advertised birthing services in Mexico.

Legal challenges expected

Asked Thursday how his orders would survive Supreme Court scrutiny when his last attempt failed, Trump deferred to White House staff secretary Will Scharf, who, like his boss, sounded alarms about “birth tourism.” He emphasized consular discretion to grant visas.

“What we’re doing is taking legally validated means that are clearly within our disposal and targeting them to this birth tourism industry. There’s absolutely nothing here that runs afoul of any of the Supreme Court rulings on the subject,” Sharf said.

Advocates against the proposed changes said they believe the constitutional amendment and Supreme Court decisions will again stop the administration's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.

“The bottom line is that the Supreme Court already considered the Trump administration’s plea to rewrite the Constitution and rejected it,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director at the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project.

“Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, and no amount of executive orders is going to change that.”

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Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin contributed.

“Healthcare shouldn't bankrupt you, housing should not feel impossible, polluters shouldn't pass their bill to us and artists should not be replaced by AI," Smith said. "That’s why I’m supporting Tom Steyer for governor.”

But Smith started the video with a disclaimer: “This is an ad, and honestly, I wish more political content said that first." His caption specified that he was paid by Steyer's campaign.

California is one of two states, along with Texas, that have passed policies requiring content creators to say if they've been paid by a political campaign to post, and the Golden State is considering cracking down by fining people who don't.

Campaigns have long worked with celebrities and major influencers to win over voters, but now they are teaming up with smaller creators — sometimes with fewer than 100,000 followers — to reach more tailored audiences. That has sparked debates about whether disclosure rules for political advertisements should apply to content creators, who are expected to play prominent roles in the upcoming midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

“If you’re running for president and you are not currently trying to court some of these people or lining up your own people to act as surrogates for you, you’re already behind,” said Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist who worked for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

Campaigns tap creators to spread their message

Questions about transparency have been fueled by high-profile instances of influencers making content intended to change minds or votes without disclosing they were paid for it.

In 2022, the campaign of then-Senate candidate John Fetterman paid Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of “Jersey Shore” to record a video teasing his GOP rival for leaving New Jersey before announcing his run in Pennsylvania. In 2023, content creators were paid by an influencer marketing agency with conservative ties to defend Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, after he was impeached for alleged bribery and other accusations of misconduct, according to the Texas Tribune. The payments weren’t clearly disclosed in either case.

Steyer, a Democratic billionaire who spent more than $215 million of his own money in his unsuccessful bid for governor, took fire from rivals for paying content creators. He wasn’t the only hopeful in the race paying influencers, but he faced much of the blowback since he’d already been accused of trying to buy the election. Many of the creators who worked with Steyer’s campaign disclosed that they were paid, but the state’s campaign finance watchdog is investigating several other instances in which creators allegedly didn't.

There are no federal disclosure rules

California Sen. Adam Schiff introduced federal legislation last month, but it hasn't received a vote yet. Some outside groups are urging the Federal Election Commission to pass its own rule.

California's law requiring disclosure, passed in 2023, is difficult to enforce. The state’s campaign watchdog can seek a court order compelling an influencer to disclose that they were paid, but that can take months.

That prompted Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman to write a new bill to penalize content creators and political committees if the creator fails to state they were compensated. The bill would give the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission the power to fine influencers and committees if they are found to have violated the law, allowing the commission to bypass the court process. They could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation, according to the commission.

“Voters should have a right to know whether or not campaigns are paying for the messaging that they’re seeing,” Berman said.

Texas’ campaign watchdog passed a rule in 2024 requiring content creators to include disclaimers when they are paid for political advertisements, and the New York Legislature is considering a similar requirement. Other disclosure bills failed in recent years in Utah and Georgia.

Influencer says his ad had an impact

Smith, the L.A. influencer, hadn’t committed to a candidate for governor when a trusted friend told him to look into Steyer. That friend had been paid to post about Steyer.

Smith liked Steyer’s promise to increase taxes on billionaires and his refusal to accept donations from corporate political action committees.

He ended up doing two paid ads, both of which included compensation disclaimers that the Steyer campaign told him were a requirement.

Smith wouldn't say exactly how much the campaign paid him, but he said it was in the thousands of dollars. He thinks the posts had an impact on his followers, with only a few detractors pushing back.

“They kind of trust my voice,” he said of his audience. “They knew that if I’m saying it, it’s at least something they should look into.”

Creators respond to proposed policy changes

Dustin Torreverde, a content creator in Southern California who hasn’t been paid by a political campaign for social media posts, said it's important for influencers to be transparent with their audiences. But the bill could pose an unfair burden on creators who are just trying to make a living, he said.

“A lot of us are very small creators,” he said. “So if we were to get penalized and we have to get lawyers, stuff like that, it’s going to be very difficult for us.”

Adina Flores, a libertarian content creator in Northern California who votes for both parties, said influencers should have to disclose if they are paid and she generally supports penalties. She worries that some people may take money to post political content without doing a “deep dive into the candidate to make sure that’s somebody they should support.”

Saurav Ghosh, a lawyer with the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit focused on protecting U.S. democracy, hopes disclosure requirements passed by states will lead to federal rules.

“Transparency is one of the most important pillars of our election system,” he said.

Rodriguez was shot and killed on May 7 in the 8700 block of Blackhawk Ridge Lane at approximately 3:55 p.m. A second male was also wounded in the incident and was transported to an area hospital.

According to Houston Police, the 16-year-old juvenile suspect turned himself in on August 5. He has been referred to Harris County Juvenile Probation Authorities on a charge of aggravated robbery. Per policy, the name and photo of the juvenile suspect are not being released.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant J. Nielsen and Detective A. Herrera led the investigation. Officers who responded to the original shooting call found Rodriguez with multiple gunshot wounds. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Further investigation identified the second shooting victim as a suspect in the incident. He was subsequently charged for his role in the case.

Investigators say a person of interest, known only as “Junior,” was identified and a photo was released on May 22. Junior remains wanted for questioning and has not been located.

KPRC 2 News has previously reported on Rodriguez’s death and the community’s response including family members who set up a memorial at the scene and neighbors who helped identify a thief accused of stealing sentimental items before returning them.

Anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of “Junior” or any other information related to this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Gerardo Gonzalez, 29, is charged with injury to a child while the young girl continues fighting for her life, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

The sheriff said Gerardo Gonzalez struck the toddler multiple times causing her injuries.

• A 2-year-old at the center of a Texas brain-death dispute is taken off life support and dies

What happened

On Thursday evening around 8:20 p.m., the couple drove from their home on Rendezvous Drive in Spring to a gas station on Cypresswood Drive about three minutes away.

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, the sheriff said, where her condition is described as “very critical.”

The investigation

Overnight Thursday into Friday, Precinct 4 turned the investigation over to homicide detectives with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators spent all night at the home on Rendezvous Court and the hospital.

CPS confirmed the agency is also investigating, as state investigators were seen at the home on Friday afternoon.

“Our thoughts are with this young toddler as she continues to fight for her life. Cases involving children are among the most heartbreaking first responders encounter, and we remain committed to seeking justice on her behalf,” Sheriff Gonzalez wrote on X.

Neighbors told KPRC 2 News the couple hadn’t lived at the home for very long.

That would be All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

“You can’t tell me the guys that have to block that guy aren't important too,” Skoronski said Friday night after a scrimmage at Nissan Stadium.

Now Skoronski has done his part to reset the pay scale for interior linemen with the Tennessee Titans announcing Friday signing him to a multi-year extension making him the NFL's highest-paid guard.

“That's always a good thing to help the market along and help other guys along too,” Skoronski said. “I think that's a positive thing. But yeah, there's a reason because we have a tough job, and I think defenses now key on that too that the interior line is where the pocket starts.”

The Titans did not publicly announce details of the extension for the 11th overall pick of the 2023 draft. A person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press the four-year deal is worth $100 million with $88 million of that guaranteed and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

ESPN and the NFL Network first reported the terms of the contract making Skoronski the league's highest-paid guard.

Skoronski called the extension a tremendous blessing. He thanked controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, general manager Mike Borgonzi and new coach Robert Saleh for believing in him.

The Titans were the NFL's biggest spenders in free agency in March and continued the spending with the two stars they wanted to keep on this roster.

Simmons signed his own extension making him the league's highest-paid at his position in late June. This contract wraps up a lineman who finished fourth in the All Pro voting at left guard for the 2025 season.

Simmons said his teammate deserved this payday seeing how hard Skoronski works.

“To be able to battle against Pete these last couple years at practice have helped me,” said Simmons, who had a career-high 11 sacks last season.

The contract for Skoronski is a nice change for Tennessee, which didn't draft a player deemed not deserving of a second contract here from its draft classes of 2020, 2021 or 2022. This franchise had only one player from any of those draft classes still on the roster last season, and tight end Chig Okonkwo left in free agency.

Borgonzi said they couldn't be happier to keep Skoronski in Nashville with the goal of keeping players and people who are “cornerstones” for this team.

"Peter is certainly that for us,” Borgonzi said. “He has the work ethic to match his talent and a perpetual desire to win that we want permeating throughout our building. We’re excited to enter the season knowing he and his family will remain Titans for years to come.”

Skoronski missed three of his first four games as a rookie after being drafted out of Northwestern. He has started 47 straight games, not missing an offensive snap in either of the past two seasons.

His 48 starts are a franchise best for a player under the age of 25 since the beginning of the 1999 season. Skoronski just turned 25, and nobody on the roster has started more consecutive games than his 47 straight.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

A slate of nominees and other notable Democrats emphasized unity to a crowd of more than 1,000, who cheered loudest for Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official. He narrowly beat establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in a contentious, closely watched primary for an open U.S. Senate seat.

“Michigan, we will fight to build the America that we are proud to hand off to our kids and our grandkids,” El-Sayed said at a podium beneath a scoreboard in a Detroit high school gym.

With less than three months before the general election where El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers, the Democratic Party is under pressure to close ranks in a race that will help determine control of the Senate.

“In the spirit of coming together, I want to thank both of my colleagues who ran, Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow, for an incredible race,” El-Sayed said. McMorrow, a state senator, suspended her campaign in July and appeared alongside El-Sayed at a Wednesday event after his victory.

Current Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ decision to not seek reelection left the seat open. Michigan is a perennial battleground state, having voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump again in 2024.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential contender and Michigan resident, referenced the seat’s national implications, prompting cheers from the crowd.

“The stakes are high, and people from around the country, people from around the world, are watching the state of Michigan right now to see if we have the capability to put together that coalition to win,” he said. “And we will win.”

Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s secretary of state who is running for governor, referenced an attempt by the Trump administration to access Michigan voters’ personal information. A federal judge ruled in June that the state does not have to share voters’ information with the federal government. Benson won her primary easily and will face Trump-backed Rep. John James in the general election.

“You all know who I work for. All of you and every Michigander in this state — not the highest bidder, not corporate interests, not Donald Trump,” Benson said.

Other statewide candidates who spoke included Eli Savit, who is running for attorney general, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who is running for secretary of state. The crowd cheered and stomped their feet on the gym bleachers when speakers talked about reproductive rights, protection for voters and opposing the Trump administration.

Before the rally started, attendee Tom Moran carried a banner that read “Unite behind the winner.” The school bus driver from Fenton, Michigan, voted for Stevens in the primary.

“Now I’m saying, take the pledge. Unite behind our nominee,” Moran, 71, said.

The messy primary between El-Sayed and Stevens occasionally got personal. El-Sayed told Semafor in early July that Stevens couldn’t “string together two coherent sentences.” In a separate interview, he called Stevens “the least capable candidate in America.”

Stevens, in turn, accused El-Sayed of chasing publicity.

“I’m the only one on this stage who doesn’t have a talent agent trying to pitch me for paid speeches,” she said during a debate against El-Sayed. “And unlike my opponent, I’m not running at the first mic or camera I see.”

Stevens, who lost the primary by just under 1 percentage point, told CBS News on Thursday that she was willing to campaign with El-Sayed.

“Whatever he wants me to do,” she said. Stevens appeared Thursday with El-Sayed at a breakfast hosted by the Michigan Democratic Party.

___

GaNun 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.

It follows reporting last month, including from The New York Times, on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, including that it lacked the advanced antimissile capabilities of its predecessor.

Kendall told The Associated Press late Friday that he was “completely mystified” by the revocation.

“I’ve always been extremely careful to not say anything classified, and as far as I know I have not,” Kendall said. “No one has said anything to me about what I’m asserted to have revealed and I can’t imagine what it could be.”

The plane underwent a $400 million retrofit and upgrade. It has been put into service domestically and President Donald Trump also flew on it to Turkey last month. But he used an older model Air Force One jet to leave the NATO summit, as the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacked three Gulf Arab states.

The Times reported that the president made the switch at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One aircraft. Trump denied to reporters that the swap was due to security concerns, although he also said he is under threat "all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.

In the Times article, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, is quoted as saying that the time for upgrades to the plane would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications” and he was surprised that the plane was used outside the U.S.

Kendall said Friday, “I’ve been comfortable being on the record with reporters and on national television about the Qatari 747 because I’m confident that I haven’t said anything classified.”

In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times' reporters to try to compel them to out their sources, which stirred fears over press freedoms. The department, after criticism from the judge for sloppy legal work, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas last month.

The Air Force has argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but it also has acknowledged the different capabilities. It said “several highly complex engineering modifications” required for the new U.S.-made Air Force One aircraft were intentionally excluded in the modifications to the plane from Qatar. The Air Force acknowledged it did not widen the doors leading out of the aircraft or include multiple stairs built into the hull of the plane.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell didn't specify in a post on X which media outlet Kendall was accused of sharing classified information with.

“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he wrote. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”

It’s not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances, including of 37 then-current and former national security officials last year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also pulled security protections and clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, soon after the administration took office.

Parnell didn't say if Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon declined to provide more information. Typically, such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.

A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.

More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.

Deputies said the incident happened in the 27000 block of the Northwest Freeway, where investigators determined an adult male suspect fired multiple rounds at another vehicle, striking it several times.

• Mother’s boyfriend arrested after bringing unconscious 2-year-old to Spring gas station

Officials said no injuries were reported, and the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Motorists were urged to avoid the area and expect delays as deputies processed the scene and detectives worked to determine what led up to the shooting.

The Houston Rockets are hosting 2026 Clutch City Dancers open auditions on Saturday, August 15th.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Audition Details

• Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
• Registration: 8:00 a.m.
• Auditions Begin: 9:00 a.m.
• Registration Fee: $35 (cash only)

Location

Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA Registration: 8:00 AM | Auditions: 9:00 AM Applications close at 11:59 PM the night before auditions, so don’t wait.

Register at rockets.com/entertainers

Who Can Audition? Applicants must:

• Be 18 years or older
• Be a high school graduate
• Present a valid photo ID on audition day
• Be either a full-time college student and/or employed full time

The Rockets ask auditionees to wear:

• A fitted black two-piece dance outfit (must show the midriff; no pants)
• White dance or athletic shoes with non-marking soles
• Flesh-tone tights or pantyhose (optional)
• Performance-ready hair and makeup

The Clutch City Dancers are searching for performers who demonstrate:

• Strong dance technique
• Athleticism and stamina
• Confidence and showmanship
• A positive attitude
• Professionalism
• The ability to quickly learn choreography
• Excellent communication skills as ambassadors for the Rockets organization

What Does the Team Do? The Clutch City Dancers perform:

• At every Houston Rockets home game
• At community events throughout Houston
• Corporate appearances
• Charity events
• NBA special events and international appearances

Watch as Derrick Shore and Lauren Kelly chat with Clutch City Dancers Head Coach and Choreographer Jackie Garza, Clutch City Dancers Jannah and Nyelle along with Clutch the Bear for all of the upcoming audition details!

The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after Blanche's confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Cassidy said Blanche “is not perfect," citing concerns over a proposed $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, a tax audit immunity deal for the Republican president and investigations targeting the president's political opponents.

But Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump, and he added that Blanche's role as Trump's former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the president's demands.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances," Cassidy said. The senator, who lost his Republican primary after Trump endorsed his rival, appeared to choke up as he described the criticism he expected to face for his Blanche vote, adding, “What’s new?”

Blanche's nomination came after Bondi was ousted

Blanche would become Trump’s second confirmed attorney general since the president returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his perceived enemies. He has been serving as acting attorney general since Trump fired Pam Bondi in April after she failed to deliver on criminal cases against Trump's foes.

Blanche's path to confirmation has been complicated over a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service that has drawn intense scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats alike. The settlement called for the creation of the $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

Republican senator cites concerns about Blanche

Murkowski, in announcing her opposition to Blanche, cited concerns over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, the sweeping tax audit immunity deal and the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” The Alaska senator said she is worried the Trump administration could proceed with the fund despite the administration's promises that it is dead, noting that the Senate has leverage over the fund only because Blanche’s nomination is pending.

“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche's nomination only after a deal reached last weekend with two other Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — who had been threatening to block his confirmation over aspects of the settlement.

Under the deal, Blanche formally rescinded the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” writing in an order that “there is no Fund.”

The Justice Department also clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect Trump from examination of future tax filings. It also makes clear that only the parties that brought the lawsuit — Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization — are covered by the tax agreement.

Democrats accuse Blanche of prioritizing his allegiance to Trump

But Democrats say Blanche's order doesn't stop the Trump administration from reviving the fund after his confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it. Trump has repeatedly defended the fund and has threatened to push forward with it if Republicans don't support Blanche's nomination.

Lawmakers and legal experts have also questioned the lawfulness of the tax protections for Trump. A federal judge who oversaw the IRS case has described Trump’s lawsuit as an improper exercise in self-dealing, and on Thursday the union representing IRS workers asked another judge to block the immunity agreement.

Democrats have accused Blanche of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump above all else through investigations against Trump foes such as former FBI Director James Comey and a radical reshaping of a department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House. Under Bondi and Blanche’s leadership, the department has lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations or voluntary departures.

Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned from Trump in the courtroom makes him better equipped than Bondi to explain to the White House the legal constraints of its demands. Republicans have also touted his efforts to bring down violent crime, tackle illegal immigration and combat violent cartels and drug trafficking.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said it would be a “serious mistake” to confirm Blanche, begging his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history.

“If there is ever a moment in history when we need an attorney general above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.

A city email sent to Midtown resident Theresa Florence confirms Houston has paused its visual blight abatements while officials update enforcement procedures. The city says inspectors can still issue violation notices, but the cleanup process residents have relied on to address certain property problems is currently unavailable.

• Heavy police presence after road rage shooting near freeway

For residents near Caroline, Tuam, and San Jacinto streets, they say the issue has moved beyond appearances.

“We’re dealing with a two block radius of abandoned commercial buildings that have been unsecured over the past several years,” Florence said. “We’ve been reporting it over and over because it had escalated from just an ugly blight issue to people living inside, to activities we assume are criminal.”

• Houstonians frustrated over years-long abandoned home, city claims demolition could happen within 60 days

Residents say conditions have worsened

Florence says she and her neighbors have filed nearly 30 complaints over the past year and a half about several abandoned properties in the area.

She says neighbors have reported conditions including trash, feces, illegal dumping, and people entering the buildings.

“We’ve seen feces, we’ve seen trash, we seen high weeds,” Florence said.

She says the conditions have affected how residents use their own neighborhood.

“I’d rather get in my car and drive a couple of miles than walk a block away from my own house,” nearby resident Reshma Shajan said.

Florence says some incidents have raised concerns beyond normal property maintenance issues, including reports of people staying inside the buildings, suspected wire theft, and a person inside one building who she says was unclothed.

• Neglected Houston homes pile up as city fails to use key probate resource

Residents question whether buildings should be treated as safety issues

Florence says she believes the properties should be evaluated under Houston’s dangerous building rules rather than handled only as visual blight complaints.

“We’re not talking about blight,” Florence said. “We’re talking about dangerous buildings.”

She says the distinction matters because residents are concerned about unsecured structures, unauthorized entry, and potential hazards.

Florence says the response she has received through 311 has been frustrating.

“Every time we report through 311, they either become closed because they claim the work has been completed or they claim it’s a duplicate case,” she said.

City says process is being updated

The city email sent to Florence says visual blight cases cannot currently be abated while officials update the process and that there is no start date for when abatements will resume.

An abatement is when the city steps in to address certain property problems after violations are not corrected.

The city says some inspections and violation notices are still moving forward. Dangerous building concerns are handled separately from visual blight cases.

One nearby property has recently been secured through work involving the City’s Dangerous Response Team, which residents say shows progress is possible when additional attention is applied.

• Mother’s boyfriend arrested after bringing unconscious 2-year-old to Spring gas station

Residents waiting for next steps

Shajan says residents want to see action before conditions continue.

“Not very long, I would say,” Shajan said when asked how much longer residents could deal with the conditions. “Months, because we’ve been pushing for a very, very long time.”

The city has not provided a timeline for when visual blight abatements will resume.

KPRC 2 has asked city officials what changes are being made to the process, who authorized the pause, and what options remain for residents dealing with potentially unsafe properties while the program is on hold.

There was no word on the conditions of the people aboard the helicopter as officials said they couldn't immediately reach the crash site.

During firefighting operations in Oregon, 47-year-old Jason Ensign died Thursday while operating a dozer for a timber company. The Wrights Spring fire escalated with “unexpected and rapid growth” and cut off Ensign's escape route, the local sheriff's department said.

The fire started on Wednesday in south-central Oregon east of the town of Chiloquin. It had burned almost 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) by Friday with no containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Extremely hot and dry weather has caused erratic fire behavior, officials said.

The downed helicopter was one of seven working a fire in central Utah that was caused by lightning on July 27. It crashed near Richfield, which is about 160 miles (258 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Conditions were good enough for aircraft to fly when the helicopter crashed, said Tyler Hecht with the Great Basin Incident Management Team.

The Sikorsky S-64 helicopter had been working in an area with steep terrain. It ignited another fire when it crashed. Hecht said at an afternoon press conference he did not know how long the helicopter was flying before it crashed.

Response teams had not been able to get to the scene of the accident by Friday evening because of the flames, but hoped to get there in the next 24 hours, officials said.

“We didn't want to put them at bigger risk,” Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said. “We'll get them in there as soon as we can."

It was unknown if fire had overrun the crash scene, Hecht said.

Firefighting efforts were paused after the accident but later resumed, they said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate, but they may not be able to safely reach the scene immediately if the wildfire is burning nearby.

Sikorsky S-64 “Skycrane” helicopters are used commercially and by government agencies for fire fighting and other purposes. They can be equipped with tanks to drop water or fire retardant onto blazes.

Fire crews were warned Friday morning that there would be erratic winds, dry fuels and hot temperatures as well as the potential for dry thunderstorms and lightning. Red flag warnings were in effect.

The fire on the Fishlake National Forest near small community of Kanosh, Utah had grown to 165 square miles (427 square kilometers) and was 19% contained by Friday morning. More than 600 firefighting personnel are battling the blaze, which has triggered evacuations and destroyed at least six structures as it burns through timber, brush and grass.

Months of dry weather, a record lack of snow in some areas, hot spells and erratic winds have contributed to blazes in Utah and other parts of the West.

Four firefighters were killed and a fifth was injured after they were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado in June. The firefighters tried to shield themselves by deploying tentlike emergency shelters as flames overran their position.

The district said it will continue operating the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, allowing meals to be provided to every student without charge. Spring ISD noted the 2026-27 school year is the final year of the district’s current CEP cycle.

Because of the program, Spring ISD said it will eliminate the collection of meal applications for free, reduced-price and paid meals. However, the district still gathers household income information through its online annual student update process.

Families who have not completed the annual update are encouraged to do so as soon as possible at www.springisd.org/returning-students.

Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition last fall, according to the decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Republican president said on social media that the administration will immediately appeal what he called an “unjust decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Friday's ruling marked the second time this week that the Trump administration has made headlines for construction plans that have been called into question. An assessment by the National Park Service found that a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) triumphal arch that Trump has proposed building could compromise the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location on a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

In a 2-1 decision on the ballroom, the appeals court sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the massive structure, which has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House, according to the most recent aerial photos of the site. The court said it would stay its ruling for two weeks to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote.

“This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom.

“What it does mean,” the court continued, “is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require.”

Trump insists Congress' approval is unnecessary

The president reacted to the ruling with a lengthy post on social media in which he quoted from a dissenting opinion issued by Judge Neomi Rao, whom he nominated. He also described the plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical facilities, “Top Secret Military Facilities” and other security features.

“The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents,” Trump wrote.

After the lower court earlier this year ordered a halt to aboveground construction, the president argued that permission from Congress was unnecessary because public money was not being used to pay for it.

Trump has said he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from corporations and wealthy people, including himself, to cover the construction costs.

But the Trump administration had requested $1 billion for the ballroom, which Congress refused in May. In June, Democrats warned that $350 million in funds from a tax cuts law appeared to have been redirected to the White House for security, including the ballroom.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the nonprofit organization that brought the lawsuit against the Trump administration, said Friday's decision affirmed “the American people's right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish,” including the White House.

“From the beginning, our position has been clear and consistent: the law states that only Congress can authorize the construction of a ballroom at the White House,” Brent Leggs, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We are pleased with the DC Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the District Court’s preliminary injunction, which although stayed for 14 days will block any above-ground ballroom construction unless and until Congress takes action.”

The divided appeals court panel upheld an April 16 order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon for the Trump administration to halt aboveground work on the ballroom. Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, allowed construction to continue on underground work on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site.

The appeals court case was assigned to Judges Rao, Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia. Millett was nominated to the court by Democratic President Barack Obama. Garcia was nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden. Both Millett and Garcia backed the decision, while Rao opposed it.

Preservationists challenge Trump in court

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued over the project in December 2025, a week after completion of the East Wing demolition to make way for a ballroom that Trump says would hold 999 people.

Government lawyers have argued that the project — the biggest structural change to the White House in more than 70 years — must move forward because it includes critical security features to guard against a range of threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards.

“These upgrades, alterations, and improvements are essential to protecting the President, his family, and his staff, as well as the White House itself, and the entire project flows from them,” government attorneys wrote in a court filing.

Attorneys for the preservation group countered that the lack of a White House ballroom doesn’t constitute a national security emergency.

“That commonsense conclusion is not clearly erroneous, and there is no basis to disturb it,” they wrote.

In an initial ruling that the government also appealed, Leon barred aboveground work on the ballroom from proceeding without congressional approval. In response, the appeals court instructed the judge to reconsider the national security implications of stopping construction.

In his most recent decision, Leon ordered a stop only to the aboveground construction of the planned ballroom. The judge stressed that the White House is free to proceed with underground work, including the construction of any bunkers, military installations and medical facilities.

On April 2, Trump’s ballroom won final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region.

___

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Gary Fields and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

Blanche’s prospective confirmation appeared threatened earlier Friday, when Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced her opposition. Murkowski cited concern that the administration could proceed with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, despite Blanche formally terminating it.

Also, an appeals court has ruled Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop. The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Here's the latest:

Department of Defense didn’t say if former US Air Force secretary would be referred for prosecution

The department alleged on X that former Secretary Frank Kendall had disclosed classified information to the media, and that they had consequently revoked his eligibility to access classified information. But the statement didn’t specify if federal law enforcement would be following up,and the Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to questions on the topic.

Typically such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.

A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.

More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.

Trump administration revokes former US Air Force secretary’s ‘eligibility’ to access classified information

Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for the Department of Defense, wrote on X that Biden-era secretary, Frank Kendall, has been barred from holding “any sensitive position,” citing “his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet.”

Media outlets, including The New York Times, reported last month on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One. In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the newspaper’s reporters to try to compel them to out their sources. The department, after criticism from the judge, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas.

On X, Parnell wrote that “safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” though he did not specify which outlet Kendall allegedly shared information with.

The former secretary did not respond to a call and text seeking comment.

Brazil’s Lula says Rubio ignores Trump in relationship with Latin America

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Friday he maintains a respectful relationship with Trump, placing the blame for recent U.S.-Brazil frictions on Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“He is either anti-Latin America or a frustrated Latin American,” Lula said during a visit to São José dos Campos, accusing Rubio of hating Brazil, Cuba, and Colombia, while supporting former President Jair Bolsonaro and undermining agreements made with Trump.

“He does things differently from what we discuss with Trump,” the Brazilian president added.

This week, the U.S. revoked Brazil’s U.S. ambassador ’s visa after Brazil denied visas to two State Department officials ahead of October’s elections, where Lula faces Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro.

Washington also cited delays in approving U.S. Ambassador nominee Daniel Perez, who cleared the Senate earlier, but awaits Brazilian authorization.

US would end blockade if an acceptable Strait of Hormuz deal emerges, official says

If an acceptable deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump would end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as long as the terms of the agreement are respected, a U.S. official said Friday.

The administration has been told by regional mediators that a deal between Iran and Oman on the crucial waterway could be finalized in the coming days, the official said. The U.S. would study whatever comes from the Iran-Oman talks before taking a position.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, reiterated that the U.S. would not accept any agreement that allows Iran to charge tolls or service fees or otherwise interfere with ships.

— By Matthew Lee

Trump announces more than $2B for critical minerals project and investment in mining schools

The funding is for a variety of critical minerals projects to help produce the key elements needed for all kinds of high-tech products and weapons.

The biggest share of that is a $1.4 billion loan from the Department of War to help Sila Nanotechnologies build a new lithium battery plant. Other investments include $150 million for Niron Magnetics to boost production of powerful magnets that don’t require any rare earth elements and $400 million to help Sunrise Energy Metals build a scandium mine in Australia.

In addition, Trump said his administration will invest $180 million in the schools that train miners.

Colorado School of Mines President Paul Johnson said that over the past few decades “our expertise has atrophied over time -- particularly in the processing space.”

Trump has made it a priority to develop a supply of critical minerals outside of China, which dominates the mining and processing of the hard-to-pronounce elements that are crucial for missiles, nuclear subs, fighter jets and a variety of high-tech products.

Zelenskyy grateful to Senate for passing sanctions bill

The Ukrainian president said the measure would help increase pressure on Russia to bring an end to the over four-year war.

“Ukraine values ALL the support the United States provides to Ukraine — from both parties and from the American people as a whole,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media.

Zelenskyy said as Ukraine works to secure more air defense systems to help stop Russia’s campaign to hit the country with large-scale ballistic missile attacks every signal of support for bringing a swift end to the war was extremely important.

“Real, strong American pressure and sanctions against Russia are what will help most. Diplomacy comes closer with every step that increases pressure on the aggressor. Thank you to everyone who understands this and is advancing PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Zelenskyy wrote.

US hits Iranian digital asset exchanges with sanctions

The Trump administration has hit two Iranian-linked digital asset exchanges with sanctions, alleging that the government in Tehran uses them to launder billions of dollars to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Treasury announced on Friday that it had imposed sanctions on SHPS Shelbit and the Shelbit Exchange, both Georgia-based companies, as well as their top executive, Siavash Kayvanpour, an Iranian-born businessman who lives outside of Iran.

Treasury said the companies were also involved in a Persian-language gambling website network that is illegal inside of Iran but is still connected to the country’s financial system.

Senate confirms 74 Trump nominations, including TSA leader and ambassador to Brazil

The Senate also confirmed David Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay.

He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs.

Daniel Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, was confirmed to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States.

Senate confirms Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA

The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it.

He will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.

Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from a slew of chaotic policies enacted during Kristi Noem’s tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security.

He was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate 51-47.

Ukraine’s foreign minister commends Senate for passing Russia sanctions bill

Andrii Sybiha called it “an important step” to further strengthening the sanctions regime against Russia.

“This landmark legislation is a powerful demonstration of America’s global leadership. I extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the U.S. Senate for their leadership, their principled bipartisan support, and their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer,” Sybiha said in a post on X.

Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill negotiated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Passage of the bill Friday signals renewed bipartisan support for Ukraine as the war drags on.

The legislation would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol late last month and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes on the legislation.

The legislation allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. The package next goes to the House.

Army secretary gets inspiration from Ukraine’s weapons advancements

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told The Associated Press that policy changes like making test ranges more accessible to private companies developing drones and missiles have been driven in part by his observations of the war in Ukraine and how quickly that country has moved to produce new weapon systems.

He had been a key interlocutor during talks between Russia and Ukraine last year before those negotiations stalled.

Hillary Clinton blasts Trump’s White House changes

The former first lady and secretary of state said the president’s changes to the White House, such as gold trims added through the building, recall the decor of Saddam Hussein’s palaces.

“I had meetings in some of his palaces and they were quite reminiscent of what we are seeing in our own White House,” Clinton said in a podcast with Kara Swisher posted on Friday.

Clinton said she wasn’t opposed to the idea of a ballroom, noting the need during her White House days to hold events in a tent if there were too many guests. But she said she was opposed to Trump’s lack of process.

“The next president is going to have a big decision,” she said. “What do you do with a half-finished ballroom?”

Graham gives closing argument for her brother’s Russia sanctions bill

Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina has given the closing arguments for a bill that aims to penalize countries that purchase Russian oil and gas, depriving President Vladimir Putin of resources for his war against Ukraine.

The bill is named after her late brother, Lindsey Graham, who spent more than a year trying to win support for the measure before he died.

Darline Graham said the legislation her brother helped craft “hits Putin where it hurts.”

She says lawmakers had a choice to stand up to evil or continue with the status quo.

“It’s time for a show of strength,” she said.

Colleagues from both parties applauded as she closed, something they rarely do after Senate speeches, an acknowledgment of just how personal the bill was for her brother.

Trump says he will appeal ruling on ballroom, which he calls a 'desperately needed Military Center'

The president reacted to the ruling with a lengthy post on social media.

In it, he said he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, quoted from a dissenting opinion issued by one of the judges and described the plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical facilities, “Top Secret Military Facilities” and other security features.

“The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents,” Trump wrote.

He also repeated his false claims that it will not cost taxpayer money. Congress refused the Trump administration’s request for $1 billion for the ballroom in May. In June, Democrats warned that $350 million in funds appeared to have been redirected for the ballroom.

Trump administration pledges $2B for humanitarian assistance to faith-based organizations

The State Department announced the commitment with little fanfare on Thursday. The money will primarily find Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision and Compassion International, it said.

The move “underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to partnering with organizations that demonstrate faith in action and have proven their ability to deliver health and humanitarian assistance in the world’s most difficult environments.”

The three groups are all Christian charities and have been active in combatting the recent Ebola virus outbreak in Africa as well as delivering assistance in the Middle East and Latin America.

National Trust for Historic Preservation reacts to ballroom ruling

Brent Leggs, the nonprofit organization’s president and CEO, said the appeals court ruling affirmed “the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish,” including the White House.

“This is a great day for our country,” Leggs said. “From the beginning, our position has been clear and consistent: the law states that only Congress can authorize the construction of a ballroom at the White House. We are pleased with the DC Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the District Court’s preliminary injunction, which although stayed for 14 days will block any above-ground ballroom construction unless and until Congress takes action.”

Army pushes for faster weapons development under new test range initiative

The U.S. Army says it’s opening up test ranges to private companies developing missiles, drones and other weapons in hopes of buying them more quickly for use on the battlefield.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters Friday at a range in Michigan that the effort will cut the red tape that can stifle military contractors. He pledged to grant companies access to ranges within 30 days of making a request through an online marketplace.

The announcement comes as warfare is rapidly changing around the globe, particularly with the use of cheap drones in Ukraine and Iran. The Pentagon also is grappling with the costs of the Iran war, which has diminished the nation’s stockpiles of advanced weapons.

Trump says he kept Ogles endorsement out of loyalty

The president tried to explain away why Rep. Andy Ogles, one of his handpicked endorsements, lost his primary in Tennessee on Thursday night.

“Last night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1, and the 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning,” Trump wrote on social media on Friday, referring to Ogles.

Trump takes great pride in his endorsements and the mostly winning record he has in Republican primaries.

Ogles was defeated by former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. The president said Friday that Hatcher is a “Great ‘Trump’ Candidate” and that he now has his “Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Cassidy acknowledges political tightrope on Blanche vote

The senator nodded to the realities of being a Republican who doesn’t reflexively align with Trump.

“Mr. Blanche has become a referendum on how people feel about President Trump,” he said. “This process should be about Mr. Blanche.” He added, with emotion, “I’ll be criticized for this vote, but what’s new.”

Cassidy criticized Blanche for initially approving a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Jan. 6 rioters, among others, and for endorsing a tax immunity deal for Trump.

“Mr. Blanche is not perfect,” Cassidy said, before arguing essentially that Blanche is likely better than anyone else Trump could nominate.

Cassidy didn’t acknowledge Trump’s saying in an interview released Friday that he’d keep Blanche as acting attorney general if the Senate rejected him.

In either instance — Blanche’s confirmation or continuing as acting chief — the president could fire him at any point, a legal reality Cassidy glossed over in his stated reasoning.

Cassidy says confirming Blanche is better than Trump picking someone else

The Louisiana senator seemingly secured confirmation for the president’s acting attorney general after weeks of Senate wrangling.

Cassidy affirmed on the Senate floor that he still worries about Trump’s influence over the Justice Department, especially the prospects of a $1.8 billion fund for possible payouts to the president’s supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But Cassidy said, essentially, that confirming Blanche is better than allowing Trump to pick another potential Justice Department chief.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump, it is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” Cassidy said.

Republicans Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine had already said they wouldn’t support Blanche’s confirmation, effectively leaving his confirmation up to Cassidy.

Cassidy voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges in 2021. He lost a Republican primary earlier this year after the president endorsed his opponent.

Appeals court orders halt to White House ballroom construction

An appeals court has ruled President Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop.

The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote.

▶ Read more

Sen. Cassidy supports Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he’ll back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Trump’s Justice Department.

The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after Blanche’s confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Blanche’s path to confirmation has been complicated over a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service that’s drawn intense scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats alike.

The settlement called for the creation of a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

▶ Read more

HISD says all students who are registered to use any of the district’s transportation services will get a special SMARTtag badge. They will scan it every time they get on or off the bus.

Parents can use the corresponding app to confirm their student arrived on the bus and to school safely. Dr. Dontarrious Rowls is the Deputy Chief of Transportation and Fleet Management for HISD. He says this app gives parents peace of mind, and so much more.

“In the past, first day of school new process, new systems, new driver, new bus numbers. So sometimes our students get confused,” said Rowls. “It does not allow the student to get on the wrong bus.”

Rowls says starting on the first day of school, drivers will manually input when a student boards or departs the bus. In about two weeks, official SMARTtag badges will be handed out to bus riders.

The district says parents have been notified about this new tool. But if you need more information, follow this link: HISD SMARTtag.

Stay connected with ParentSquare, Connect

Two key tools every HISD parent should have are ParentSquare and Connect. Both platforms give parents access to school updates, grades, attendance records and direct communication with their child’s campus.

Sign up for bus services before school starts

Parents who need bus services for their children should register as soon as possible. Families can visit the district’s website and click on “Transportation Request” to get started — and should complete the process before the first day of school.

School meal applications now open

HISD has opened its school meal applications for the upcoming school year. Parents are encouraged to apply early to ensure their child’s meals are covered when classes begin.

Cellphones still not allowed on campuses

Students are still prohibited from bringing cellphones or any other personal communication devices to school. The district’s policy remains in place for the new school year.

Special education families notified of campus changes

Families with students in special education who were assigned to a different campus this school year have been notified of those changes, according to HISD. The district told KPRC that the reassignments will not modify a student’s individual education plan.

HISD police urge drivers to slow down in school zones

Houston ISD Police are reminding the community to make safety a top priority as the school year gets underway. Officers are asking drivers to reduce their speed in school zones.

Illinois state officials, meanwhile, suspended the license of one of the funeral home's directors, alleging bodies were being kept in an unrefrigerated area in “deplorable conditions."

The discovery came months after neighborhood residents began noticing a “stench” emanating from the funeral home, which led some to complain to the city.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said it was notified by state and local officials that bodies were being stored improperly at South Chicago Chapel, and investigators and forensic pathologists were dispatched Thursday. The remains were in various states of decomposition, officials said.

“Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates. This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition,” the medical examiner's office said in a statement, adding that family notifications will be made following the identifications.

Police said Friday that their preliminary statement on the case incorrectly said that fire department officials declared the scene a hazardous materials incident.

No arrests have been announced, but city police said detectives are investigating.

Messages for the funeral home were left by phone and through its website Friday.

Funeral home client, community advocate express dismay, frustration

Later Friday, a small number of residents and people seeking information about their deceased loved ones gathered in front of the brick-walled funeral home, which is on a South Chicago street lined with trees, homes and businesses.

Latasha Johnson, 55, said her mother's funeral was held at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday before authorities arrived and she later heard of their gruesome discovery. She said authorities told her that her mother's body would have to undergo an autopsy and she would have to identify the remains in a day or two.

“I’m discombobulated,” she said. “My heart is broken.”

Blaise Von Bruchhaeuser, who described herself as a community advocate for the neighborhood, said it was upsetting that complaints about a terrible odor had been made for months before the decomposing bodies were found.

State business records show that funeral director Johanna Morgan incorporated South Chicago Chapel Inc. in 2022 and her funeral director's license was temporarily suspended on Wednesday.

The state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the license suspension was due to “a finding that Respondent’s continued practice is a danger to the public safety, interest and welfare due to Respondent allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions including rodent infestation, causing decomposition and maggot infestation of the bodies.”

The state business records also list Clark Morgan, who state officials say is Johanna Morgan's husband, as the funeral home's president. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said Clark Morgan's funeral director license was revoked in 2024 for practicing with an expired license and “unprofessional conduct” that it did not specify.

Funeral home owners also ran crematory that was shut down by the state

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Friday that Johanna and Clark Morgan previously ran a crematory in Chicago Heights, south of Chicago, which had its license revoked last year after authorities discovered improperly stored bodies and hundreds of cremated remains that had never been returned to their families.

“Horrified. Again,” Mendoza said in a statement. “The discovery of decomposing remains waiting to be laid to rest this week at a South Side funeral home is heartbreaking and an abomination. These are people – someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or friend, and they deserve better.”

Both Johanna and Clark Morgan are listed in Cook County court records as defendants in connection with lawsuits involving Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, south of Chicago.

Messages were left Friday at phone listings for the Clarks and an attorney listed in records as their business agent. Public records indicate the Clarks live in the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park.

The case is the latest in a series of incidents involving mishandled remains over the past three years.

Last month, police arrested two men in Pueblo, Colorado, for allegedly mishandling at least two dozen decomposing bodies and other remains found behind a hidden door in a funeral home.

That followed the discovery of 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition at a funeral home in Georgia in 2024. In 2023, nearly 200 decomposing bodies were found in a building in Colorado, and another 31 decomposing bodies were discovered at an Indiana funeral home.

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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Mayes-Osterman 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.

The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act, co-authored by Cruz and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, has been in limbo for weeks. It advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee, which Cruz chairs, in June and is now up for a floor vote, which Cruz has emphatically sought before the Senate departs for its annual last-summer break. The chamber was scheduled to adjourn Friday, but President Donald Trump has urged senators to stay until they get through a pile-up of his legislative priorities, including the college sports bill.

“Without this Bill, millions of young Athletes will be hurt, programs will be canceled, Women’s and Olympic Sports will go away, the fans will be robbed, and Universities will go broke,” Trump posted on social media Friday afternoon, urging the Senate to stop “grandstanding” and pass it before leaving down.

Senators could still pass the bill after their scheduled return to Capitol Hill after Labor Day, though its prospects of making it all the way to Trump’s desk could grow more difficult later in the year as the midterms draw closer.

Last week, Cruz and other lawmakers, along with White House officials, negotiated a package of concessions with Big Ten and SEC leaders, who until then had refused to back the bill.

The newfound support from the two powerhouse conferences revived the measure and set off a scramble to get the revised bill up for a Senate vote before lawmakers left town. With a vote as early as Saturday within reach, however, a handful of senators on Friday publicly objected to the hasty timeline or filed amendments to the bill. The last-minute activity threatened to prolong debate into the weekend or push the vote to September, when senators will return with a jam-packed to-do list.

Cruz’s bill would place a host of new regulations on the free-for-all system that has emerged since the NCAA in 2021 allowed college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness, followed by a settlement a few years later that required the NCAA and athletic conferences to share revenue with athletes. The bill’s framework for revenue sharing was a big part of why the conferences had withheld their support — and of the revisions that brought them on board last week.

At issue was a provision targeting a loophole that let “associated entities,” including booster-funded “collectives,” pay players through endorsement deals beyond a school’s official salary cap. Those deals have already funneled more than $355 million to athletes, many routed through booster collectives, according to a July report from the College Sports Commission.

A central demand from the conferences was eliminating that workaround by requiring deal money to count toward the same $21.3 million pay cap schools use to pay players directly instead of routing around it. To help sweeten the pot, negotiations produced a new $27.5 million pool — a $22.5 million retention fund to prevent student-athlete transfers plus up to $5 million more if schools match that dollar-for-dollar spending on women’s and Olympic sports — for a nearly $50 million in spending power for schools.

In a joint statement, the Big Ten and SEC’s chancellors and presidents called the negotiations “detailed and productive.”

“We listened to our colleagues, addressed their concerns, and improved an already strong bill,” Cruz said. The avid Texas sports fan made it a priority last year to build out a national framework to stabilize college sports and hand NCAA more enforcement power.

Since its introduction, the bill has sparked nationwide debate over the future of college sports and how the rules governing it should be reshaped. In June, the chairs of the University of Texas and Texas A&M regent boards — the only two programs in Texas that Cruz has said would be “certain to survive” without changes to the system — sent a joint letter to Cruz and fellow U.S. Sen. John Cornyn opposing the bill as it was then written. Although Cruz now has the Big Ten and SEC on his side, and Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian nodding to the support the salary cap could provide, he risks a split with the two richest athletic brands in his home state whose players collectively command tens of millions in NIL revenue.

Texas Tech regent and former lineman Cody Campbell — founder of the nonprofit Saving College Sports and a key White House adviser on the issue — celebrated the Big Ten/SEC reversal on social media, calling it a “better future for college athletes in all sports.”

Other revisions hammered out in the negotiations curbed super-conference realignment, tightened language around legitimate endorsement deals, and clarified when conferences can share media-rights revenue.

As the Power Four’s biggest revenue engine, media‑rights pooling was the Big Ten and SEC’s chief sticking point. The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference form the other half of the collection of top revenue-generating conferences.

Under the Big 12’s current media deal, the conference — home to Baylor University, the University of Houston, Texas Christian University and Texas Tech — distributed roughly $39.5 million per school in the 2024‑25 fiscal year, roughly half what the SEC paid out to most of its members. Industry trackers project that gap will more than double in the SEC’s favor over the next decade fueled by the SEC’s new media contract and College Football Playoff expansion — revenue that Texas and Oklahoma now capture as SEC members. The Big Ten and SEC feared the original bill’s media-rights pooling plan would pressure them into splitting their paydays, so negotiators added language making participation explicitly voluntary.

The bill would also effectively freeze the conference map, a measure aimed squarely at protecting smaller conferences after Texas and other football powers jumped leagues in 2024, upending the Pac-12 and Big 12 conferences.

The bill’s momentum, driven by recent backing from multiple conferences, universities, and pro leagues, positions it as the biggest overhaul of college sports since the arrival of NIL rights — the shorthand for Name, Image and Likeness. That sea change was ushered in by the NCAA’s 2021 policy change allowing student athletes to profit from sponsorship deals, coming the same year the Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA could not prevent colleges from offering education-related benefits to its athletes. A 2025 legal settlement then enshrined the revenue-sharing model the NCAA had signed off on the year before.

However, a broad coalition including labor unions, athlete associations and civil rights groups like the NAACP this week urged the Senate to pause the bill until “the legislation more adequately addresses the needs and concerns of college athletes,” without elaborating further.

In a Thursday statement, the Congressional Black Caucus declared that “the legislative process has failed to meaningfully incorporate the perspectives of Black athletes, Black coaches, Black agents, HBCUs, or the Congressional Black Caucus, despite the disproportionate impact this legislation will have on those communities.” The caucus called on Senate Democrats to block the bill until those concerns are met.

The Protect College Sports Act needs a minimum of 60 votes to clear the Senate floor and advance to the House. The two chambers would then need to agree on any changes made in the lower chamber before the bill could head to Trump’s desk. The president has signaled repeated support for the measure.

Disclosure: Baylor University, Texas Christian University and the University of Houston 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.

In that virtual visit on Jan. 23, 2023, the Massachusetts mother appeared depressed, said she felt no motivation and reported bouts of heart-racing anxiety, psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Tufts told jurors. But she said Clancy gave no indication of hearing voices that, according her defense, commanded her the next day to take her children's lives so she could end her own.

“Did she tell you that she was planning to kill the children?” prosecutor Jennifer Sprague asked.

“No,” Tufts replied. “Absolutely not.”

Clancy's psychiatric treatment is a key chapter in both the prosecution and defense narratives about her mental state when she strangled the children in their suburban home and then jumped out a second-story window.

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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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In questioning Tufts and a different psychiatrist who treated Clancy during a five-day hospital stay in early January 2023, prosecutors underscored that the defendant denied wanting to hurt anyone else or planning to kill herself. Clancy's lawyer, meanwhile, aimed to flesh out the defense's claim that various providers didn't properly diagnose her and put her on a series of medications that left her worse off.

Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the strangling 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, and their mother was lying, badly injured, in the yard. She remains paralyzed from the waist down.

Prosecutors argue that Lindsay Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, was an intentional killer who attacked her children after getting her husband out of the house by asking him to run errands. The defense doesn't dispute that she killed the children but says she was so mentally ill that she shouldn't be held criminally responsible.

In the criminal trial and a medical malpractice lawsuit, Clancy's attorneys say she had bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis — a break with reality that a small fraction of women have after childbirth.

When Clancy first sought care

Tufts first saw Clancy in September 2022. Consulting her notes on the witness stand Friday, she recalled that Clancy reported feeling anxious, “overwhelmed” by caring for the three children and worried about infant Callan's refusal to bottle-feed. Her maternity leave was set to end, though she would go on to extend it.

Tufts diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder and an adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and she recommended therapy and an antidepressant. It became the first in a constantly-remixed cocktail of drugs that Tufts and others prescribed as Clancy reported increasing symptoms, complained of side effects and questioned whether the pills were making her worse.

Clancy's malpractice suit argues that her mounting anxiety and sleeplessness after that first antidepressant were a reaction that signaled bipolar illness. Tufts said she considered such a diagnosis in December 2022 but that Clancy didn't meet the criteria.

Another provider, a nurse-practitioner, did consider bipolar disorder and prescribed an antipsychotic that's often used to treat it, as well as insomnia. Clancy's condition continued declining.

Clancy's stay in a psychiatric hospital

By New Year's Day 2023, Clancy checked herself into McLean Hospital, a prominent psychiatric facility. Clancy said she felt numb and expressed concerns about depending on the antipsychotic to sleep, hospital psychiatrist Dr. Alia Goodheart testified Friday. She diagnosed Clancy with insomnia with a mental health condition and tapered down the drug.

Clancy then reported she could sleep, was eager to go home in time for a long-planned belated birthday party for Cora, and booked herself follow-up outpatient care, the psychiatrist testified. The hospital discharged her that Jan. 5 with prescriptions for an antianxiety drug and a sleep aid.

“She had never stated that she had any thoughts of harming anybody else,” Goodheart told jurors. And although Clancy said she'd had suicidal thoughts, she denied having them in the moment and indeed said she had reasons not to take her own life: “her children and her family, her mother,” Goodheart recalled.

Clancy saw Tufts, her original outpatient psychiatrist, by video four more times that January. At their last appointment, Tufts adjusted her medication dosages. She saw no reason to order Clancy to be hospitalized, she said.

Defense lawyer Kevin Reddington hasn't yet had his turn to question Tufts. But in questioning Goodheart, he emphasized that the hospital care team didn't do various tests — Goodheart said they weren't necessary — or learn that Clancy had called a suicide hotline that fall. Nor did the providers talk to her outpatient clinicians.

“She was very sick, wasn’t she?” Reddington asked at one point.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Goodheart responded.

If convicted of murder, Clancy faces life in prison without parole. If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

Like a lot of predatory sex crimes, this one started on social media.

In October of 2019, Andres Portillo, a 25-year-old member of the Forum Park Crips street, found the teen online. He gained her trust and then forced her to perform sex acts for money in cars and motels along the Bissonnet “blade,” which was then an infamous stretch of road near the Southwest Freeway where pimps and traffickers routinely sent their victims to work the streets.

• Self-proclaimed ‘Mayor of Bissonnet’ sentenced to 10 years for sex crimes along the track

When she wasn’t forced to do that, she was held captive at a home where she was repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted, according to the Department of Justice.

At one point, the teen was able to hide and call her mom. That led to her rescue and ultimately to the unraveling of a sex trafficking ring that involved Portillo and five other men.

This week, Portillo was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. The judge told the courtroom Portillo had ruined lives and the only thing he seemed remorseful for was the fact that he got caught.

• Houston pimp who went by the name ‘Pressure’ sent to prison for trafficking teen along Bissonnet

Five co-conspirators -- Michael Anthony Gonzalez, Jerreck Hilliard, Damarquis McGee, Javon Opoku and Clarence Chambers -- were previously convicted for their roles and sentenced to between 20 and 35 years.

The justices in a 5-4 decision in June said Cook, who was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors by President Joe Biden, could remain in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes on. The Trump administration is appealing a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a footnote in his opinion that nothing forbids President Donald Trump from “trying again” to fire Cook provided she is given proper notice and a chance to contest it. Trump indicated after the opinion that he would do just that, vowing to “take appropriate action immediately.”

In a letter this week obtained by The Associated Press, White House aide Dan Scavino told Cook that Trump was “considering removing you from your position” but cited the Supreme Court's requirement of proper notice in giving her until August 26 to challenge it.

The attempt to fire Cook is rooted in a criminal referral made last August by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, that accused her of committing mortgage fraud by declaring two different homes – one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and one in Atlanta – as “primary residence.’’ Homebuyers can get lower mortgage rates or smaller down payments on their primary homes compared to second or vacation homes.

Cook has aggressively defended herself against the allegations, saying the president had attempted to oust her “on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what would best serve the American people.’’

Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued in a November letter that Cook has mostly lived in the Ann Arbor property since first purchasing it in 2005. As a result, it was accurate for her to refer to it as her “primary residence” in a June 2021 application to refinance its mortgage, the letter said.

A month later, she purchased a condominium in Atlanta and, in a July 2021 document, also referred to it as her “primary residence.” Lowell said that it was an “isolated notation” that did not reflect an intent to defraud. An earlier mortgage application to the same lender in May 2021 had referred to the Atlanta condo as a “vacation home,” Lowell said. Cook also referred to it as a second home in federal filings during her confirmation process to become a Fed governor.

The latest White House letter largely rehashes the year-old allegations.

“These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve,” Lowell said in a statement.

“No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed,” he added.

Here’s a look at developments across the Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.

Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a mutual defense agreement

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry, signed a mutual defense agreement on Friday.

The deal stipulates that an armed attack on either of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all. It was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.

The deal comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.

US would end blockade if an acceptable Strait of Hormuz deal emerges, official says

If an acceptable deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump would end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as long as the terms of the agreement are respected, a U.S. official said Friday.

The administration has been told by regional mediators that a deal between Iran and Oman on the crucial waterway could be finalized in the coming days, the official said. The U.S. would study whatever comes from the Iran-Oman talks before taking a position.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, reiterated that the U.S. would not accept any agreement that allows Iran to charge tolls or service fees or otherwise interfere with ships.

— By Matthew Lee in Washington

Houthi rebels blamed for attack on eastern Yemen

Iran-backed Houthis launched attacks on Marib province in eastern Yemen on Friday morning, in the latest escalation with Saudi-backed forces, a military official with the forces in Marib said.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, said the missiles were fired from west of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

Qassem Bahaibah, health minister in Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said in a statement on social media that the attacks targeted a refugee camp and residential areas, killing at least two people and injuring 14 others.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement late Friday that the rebel group targeted a Saudi-backed military camp in Marib, using drones and missiles to destroy storage facilities and military equipment. He added that the rebel group will target any Saudi-supported troop buildup or allied groups meant to keep the Saudi blockade on Yemen.

Separately, the rebel group struck the Najran region in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border on Thursday, the official spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, confirmed in a statement on X overnight.

He said the attack wounded 11 civilians, including a woman and a child who suffered second-degree burns, and accused the rebels of carrying out “indiscriminate shelling against civilian objects.”

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack on Najran in Saudi Arabia.

The attacks mark a major escalation since a truce in 2022 largely halted fighting. The civil war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

— By Ahmed Al-Haj in Aden, Yemen and Fatma Khaled in Cairo

Israeli strike wounds Lebanese soldier

The Lebanese army said the soldier was lightly wounded on Friday while he was in a bulldozer opening roads in the southern village of Mansouri.

Mansouri was subjected to Israeli shelling earlier this week, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The Israeli army launched strikes Wednesday in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire and called on residents of Mansouri to flee — the first such warning Israel has issued in Lebanon for weeks.

Salgado Araujo was shot and killed by an ICE officer on July 7.

Araujo’s oldest son was at Commissioner’s court but declined to speak to reporters. Commissioner’s took time to directly speak to him.

“Your dad represents generations of my family that came to this country and generations of so many, not just here in Houston, Harris County, but across this country. He came here to pursue the American dream,” Leslie Briones said.

“To Lorenzo’s family, you need answers. That’s the least we owe you. We owe you much more than that, but we owe you answers,” Tom Ramsey said.

“Your dad would be just so proud of you three young men. So thank you for the way you have conducted yourself, and we feel your pain,” Rodney Ellis said.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis, County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Teare spoke during a media briefing tied to the Commissioners Court agenda item. Ellis said the funding is intended to ensure the DA has what he needs to conduct what he called a thorough, credible review.

Teare emphasized the money would not simply be absorbed into his office’s general budget. Instead, he described a dedicated funding structure that can be accessed as expenses arise.

“This is not going to be a just dump the money into our general fund,” Teare said. “This is going to a specific fund that the public can trust.”

Where the money could go

Teare said the request anticipates the need for additional full-time personnel focused on the case — including prosecutorial and investigative support — because the civil rights team already handles a heavy workload.

• Harris County considers ballot measure for early childhood funding through proposed tax increase

He also said the plan includes funding for technology used to gather and analyze evidence, describing the rising cost of forensic work tied to modern vehicles and other digital data.

Another component, he said, is potential outside counsel. Teare noted his office primarily handles state criminal cases, but if charges are filed they could face litigation in federal court, including disputes related to federal jurisdiction and legal defenses. He said his office has been working with the Harris County Attorney’s Office on those possibilities.

Teare declines to discuss evidence publicly

Asked about the existence of video evidence — including a Metro bus video sought by KPRC 2 — Teare said he would not describe what investigators have seen.

“As much as I would love to go into the specifics of pieces of evidence of this from day one to now, the most important thing for me is the integrity of this investigation and, if appropriate, a future prosecution,” Teare said. “I’m not gonna talk about specific[s].”

Teare said he intends to explain his decision-making to the public at the appropriate time — either if the office decides charges are not warranted, or later in court if a case is filed.

Timeline and cooperation questions

Teare said the county’s three-year funding window reflects the possibility of a prolonged legal battle if the case moves toward charges, pointing to complications that can arise when local prosecutors investigate federal agents.

He said the investigation itself is moving quickly, crediting residents for calling and submitting tips. Teare also said his office has been able to communicate at varying levels with the three people who survived the incident, arguing that interviews are more effective when witnesses are not detained. He said one witness — José Trinidad Rojas Pliego — has been released, and he questioned why the other two remain in custody.

• Federal judge denies government’s request to suspend release of witness in deadly Houston ICE shooting

On the federal side, Teare said his office has not had collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, which he said appears to be running the federal investigation. He contrasted that with his office’s regular work with the local FBI.

Teare said his office has collected a significant amount of evidence but acknowledged there are pieces only the federal government controls.

“If that’s going into federal court in Washington D.C. and suing people, that’s what we’re going to do,” Teare said. “We will not be stopped by a no.”

Hidalgo: ‘This is about figuring out what happened’

Hidalgo thanked Ellis and Teare for pushing the effort while noting she has been less visible publicly due to illness. She framed the investigation as a public-safety and accountability issue rather than a debate over immigration policy.

Hidalgo also spoke personally about the impact of the case on immigrant communities and said public attention has kept pressure on officials and agencies to cooperate.

• Houston airport detention highlights rise in ICE arrests at airports

Houston police, Teare said, have been collaborative and provided the evidence they have. Asked whether the City of Houston might contribute funding, Teare said he is a county official and that question is beyond his role, though Ellis said the county would not turn down help.

That's not necessarily a surprise given Mahomes underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee in December.

Mahomes has been ahead of schedule in his rehab work ever since the injury, though, participating in the entire offseason program before reporting to training camp on time. He was given the all-clear late last month by Dallas-based surgeon Dr. Dan Cooper, who performed the procedure, to participate in practices without any restrictions.

“There's a pretty good chance I don't play him,” Reid said. “Percentages are leaning that way. I don't know if I will play him the second or third game — I don't know that — but percentages probably lean against doing that.”

On one hand, Mahomes hardly needs the work given his experience. On the other hand, the competitive nature of the quarterback may be enough to convince Reid to put him on the field at least for a couple of snaps in the second game against Tampa Bay.

Mahomes has said he's looking forward to taking his first real hit to feel fully back to football.

The Chiefs have no shortage of quarterbacks in need of preseason work. They traded with the Jets for veteran Justin Fields to serve as their primary backup, and he could use some game experience in the new offense. So could Garrett Nussmeier, the once-heralded LSU quarterback, whom they chose in the seventh round of the draft as a project.

“We've got new people ... behind (Mahomes) that need some work,” Reid said. “The more reps they get, the better.”

The Chiefs, who have another practice Saturday before taking Sunday off, have a number of players missing due to injuries.

The latest to join the list was two-time Pro Bowl offensive guard Trey Smith, who was examined by a hip specialist as a precaution after it started to bother him this week. Reid downplayed the severity of the injury, saying “he's going to be OK.”

In fact, none of the other injuries appear to be long-term problems. Defensive end Ashton Gillotte has a hamstring strain, linebacker Jeffrey Bassa a groin injury, linebacker Drue Tranquill some back pain and wide receiver Xavier Worthy a shoulder issue, while defensive back L'Jarius Sneed continues to manage a knee problem and cornerback Mansoor Delane a shoulder injury.

Wide receiver Cyrus Allen, the Chiefs' fifth-round pick who had been turning some heads, was back at practice for the first time since bruising his shin during Monday's workout. But he was held out of drills that involved contact with the defense.

“He did a good job when he was back in there, so that's a positive,” Reid said. “He's at all the meetings. He's focused in. He wants to get out there. He doesn't want to miss. He's been working hard. We'll just ease him back in, like I said.”

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

Friday, August 7

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

Thursday, August 6

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

Wednesday, August 5

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

Tuesday, August 4

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

Monday, August 3

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

Friday, July 31

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

Thursday, July 30

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

Wednesday, July 29

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

Monday, July 27

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

Friday, July 24

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

Thursday, July 23

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

Wednesday, July 22

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

Tuesday, July 21

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

Monday, July 20

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

Friday, July 17

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

Thursday, July 16

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

Wednesday, July 15

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

Tuesday, July 14

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

Monday, July 13

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

Friday, July 10

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

Thursday, July 9

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

Wednesday, July 8

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

Tuesday, July 7

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

Monday, July 6

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

Thursday, July 2

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

Wednesday, July 1

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

Tuesday, June 30

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

Monday, June 29

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

Friday, June 26

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

Thursday, June 25

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

Wednesday, June 24

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

Tuesday, June 23

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

Monday, June 22

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

Thursday, June 18

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

Wednesday, June 17

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

Tuesday, June 16

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

Monday, June 15

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

Friday, June 12

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

Thursday, June 11

• FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston

Wednesday, June 10

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

Tuesday, June 9

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

Monday, June 8

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

Friday, June 5

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

Thursday, June 4

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

Wednesday, June 3

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

Tuesday, June 2

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

Monday, June 1

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

Friday, May 29

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

Thursday, May 28

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

Wednesday, May 27

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

Tuesday, May 26

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

Friday, May 22

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

Thursday, May 21

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

Wednesday, May 20

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

Tuesday, May 19

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

Monday, May 18

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

Friday, May 15

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

Thursday, May 14

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

Wednesday, May 13

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

Tuesday, May 12

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

Monday, May 11

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

Friday, May 8

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

Thursday, May 7

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

Wednesday, May 6

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

Tuesday, May 5

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

Monday, May 4

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

Friday, May 1

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

Thursday, April 30

• St‑Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• National Pet Month is here! Houston SPCA offers tips for responsible pet ownership
• • Houston SPCA
• From Knee Replacement to the Boston Marathon: A Story of Movement, Medicine, and Meaning
• • Dr. Richard A. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery
• Tyler Henry “The Hollywood Medium” heading to Houston for unforgettable live show
• • Tyler Henry Live at Smart Financial Center
  • Connect with Tyler Henry

Wednesday, April 29

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Kroger, the world’s largest florist
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Sail into Alaska with Princess Cruises - tips from The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• How wearing denim became an international symbol of supporting assault survivors and victims
• • National Denim Day
  • Fort Bend Women’s Center
• Country superstar Parker McCollum surprises nurses ahead of National Nurses Week

Tuesday, April 28

• Inside Golden Roastery: A popular Middle Eastern shop serving traditional desserts and coffee
• How to make a popular Arab dessert Kunafa
• • Golden Roastery (Walk-in offer only; get 20% off Kunafa items from now to May 10)
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Community Blood Drive at KPRC 2
• Cedric The Entertainer brings the laughs in new Netflix animated film ‘Swapped’
• • Netflix’s ‘Swapped’

Monday, April 27

• Summer safety for kids: what parents need to know
• • Bivona Law Firm
• From Blueprint to Backyard Oasis: A Missouri City Transformation Designed for Real Life
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• First annual AAPI Fest coming to Alief
• • AAPI Fest
  • Kaminari Taiko of Houston,
• The story behind Agnes and Sherman where Asian flavors meet American comfort food
• • Agnes and Sherman
  • AAPI Restaurant Weeks
• Hosts Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Rocsi Diaz chat reboot of ‘American Gladiators’
• • American Gladiators

Friday, April 24

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Step inside August Wilson’s “Fences” at Houston’s Alley Theatre - A timeless story of love, legacy, and second chances
• • August Wilson’s “Fences” at Alley Theatre
• Prime Video’s ‘Cocaine Quarterback’ Owen Hanson visits Houston, shares incredible comeback story
• • “Cocaine Quarterback” on Prime Video
• National Bucket List Day: A Trafalgar River Cruise with The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom
  • Trafalgar

Thursday, April 23

• Silambam Houston highlights the beauty of Indian classical dance at the Hobby Center
• • Silambam Houston
• A preview of Great Age on the Green, Houston’s new festival celebrating aging boldly
• • Great Age on the Green
• Kids learn money the fun way with Financial Fortunes card game
• • Financial Fortunes Card Game
• Teeing off for the LPGA’s first major of the season - The Chevron Championship
• • The Chevron Championship

Wednesday, April 22

• Houston is driving the Biotech future - starting with students
• • Texas Medical Center BioPath Program
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Follow Nia Sioux on Instagram
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Nia Sioux’s Memoir “Bottom of the Pyramid”
• Wildflowers, western heritage, and a Mother’s Day to remember at The George Ranch
• The George Ranch

Tuesday, April 21

• Orchid care 101: Simple tricks to keep your orchids blooming longer
• • Ace Berry
  • Flora & More
• Affordable luxury: New upholstered bed collection unveiled at Texas Mattress Makers
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• Music, food and rodeo fun for all at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 20

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 17

• ‘Houston Life’ is live today at the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market Spring
• • Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® SPRING
  • Dog Collar World
  • Linked by Stevi
  • The Hive
  • Big Creek Farms
  • EK The Boutique
  • House of Cottonwood
  • ParkerJoe

Thursday, April 16

• TUTS presents ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ rides into the Hobby Center
• • Monty Python’s Spamalot at TUTS Tickets
• One ticket, endless fun at the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• Carpet Giant celebrates 50 years of proudly serving generations of Houstonians
• • Carpet Giant Website (mention Houston Life to get $150 off your purchase of $1,000)
• Faith ‘One Arm Wonder’ Malton and Zack ‘Pitbull’ Ruhl rappel 30 stories for non-profit Camp For All
• • Camp For All
  • Faith Malton

Wednesday, April 15

• Brush up on your makeup routine at Blushington River Oaks
• • Houston Life Deals (Get 20% off beauty services at Blushington River Oaks)
  • Blushington River Oaks
• The King himself shares how to save 20% on tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• Ethan’s Ohana
• Cube Against Cancer 2026 Houston
• Cube Against Cancer
• Fortis College

Tuesday, April 14

• Former Texans WR Steven Sims Jr. to host FREE youth football camp
• • Must See Foundation
• Why it’s not just the generator - it’s the company behind it
• • Gen Pro
• How the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helps local companies grow
• • Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Step Onward Foundation uses music to fight homelessness in Texas
• • Step Onward Foundation
  • Sunday Funday Community Celebration

Monday, April 13

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 10

• Your guide to the Houston Barbecue Festival this weekend: Top pitmasters, unlimited BBQ samples, and more
• • Houston BBQ Festival
• Texas CASA’s partner agencies train volunteers to be a voice and a lifeline for children in the foster care system
• • Become a CASA
• ‘Grow the Game’ Initiative expands soccer access in Houston ahead of the World Cup with Guinness World Records attempt
• • Airbnb GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™
• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Thursday, April 9

• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary kicks off 22nd annual ‘Chic Boutique’
• • Chic Boutique
• Aramie Payton brings Broadway pedigree to Alley Theatre’s revival of “Fences”
• • Alley Theatre
• Layoff leads Houston creator to viral small business mission
• • Follow David on Instagram
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Wednesday, April 8

• Houston Underwater Film Festival returns this weekend with stunning ocean films 🌊🌊
• • School, college and scuba students: claim a free ticket by emailing huff@hups.org
  • Houston Underwater Film Festival Tickets
• Celebrate Earth Month by sipping sustainably!
• • Wine and Travel Contributor Daniela Garrido
• Shred Day Houston: Safely destroy documents and fight hunger on April 18
• • Comerica Shred Day Houston
• Trade-show-tested home picks: Coffee, Water, Bidets and Moving Gear
• • Kathryn Emery Home Improvement & Lifestyle Expert
• A kid’s guide to top play picks to cut screen time and spark creativity
• • Kid-trepreneur Dylan Emery

Tuesday, April 7

• Grand Marshals Kam Franklin & Brian Ching preview the 39th annual Art Car Parade
• • Houston Art Car Parade
• This Texas artist is turning Titanic artifacts into art
• • Souls of the Titanic
• In Houston, Your Windows May Not Last as Long—Here’s What to Know (and What to Do About It)
• • Pella Windows and Doors
• Houston’s Trillest Chef bringing bold flavors of H-Town the national stage
• • Follow Chef Machete on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 6

• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Sysco’s World Cup-themed food show is a preview of how Houston plans to feed the world
• • Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• WWE Wrestler Je’Von Evans
• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
• The Chevron Championship
• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • “Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again”
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• How Autism Moms of Houston became a lifeline for families raising children who are neurodivergent
• • Autism Moms of Houston
  • Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
  • Houston Life Deals
• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

SEEN ON HL 2025 ARCHIVE

SEEN ON HL 2024 ARCHIVE

SEEN ON HL 2023 ARCHIVE

A homeschooled student through Acellus Academy, Villarreal has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments, including a Texas State Championship title, a spot as a Drive, Chip & Putt National Finalist and the 2025 Drive Championship title. She was also a finalist at the 2025 Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship and competed in the TGR Jr. Invitational.

This year, Villarreal joined Stephen Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour, which works to expand equity, access and opportunity in golf while connecting talented young athletes with college coaches and industry leaders. She is currently the youngest player on the Tour.

For Villarreal, golf started as a way to spend time with her dad, Jason. What began with pink golf balls and a fun introduction to the game quickly grew into a passion — and now, a dream of playing college golf at a Division I school.

Villarreal recently joined Houston Life to talk about her golf journey, her experience on the UNDERRATED Tour and what she hopes to accomplish next.

Watch the full conversation above.

Follow her journey at alaina-villarreal.com.

After years of delays, ICE said its field officers nationwide will have body-worn cameras by the end of September. The rollout comes after recent fatal shootings by officers enforcing President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown have intensified pressure for accountability that the cameras could provide.

But the agency's body-worn camera policy could mean taxpayers who are pitching in tens of millions of dollars to pay for the cameras may be kept in the dark about some high-profile confrontations, at least in their immediate aftermath.

The policy says ICE will promptly release video of shootings and other encounters in which its agents cause death or serious injury only after determining “it is in the best interests of the agency” to do so. That gives its director discretion to release recordings that reflect well on the agency’s image while working to keep others secret, experts on body camera policies said.

Such selective releases are routine in some law enforcement agencies but usually not so clearly contemplated in policy, according to professor Christopher Schneider of Brandon University in Canada, a co-author of the book “Police Body-Worn Cameras: Media and the New Discourse of Police Reform.”

“In some ways, ICE is saying the quiet part out loud,” he said. “Body-worn cameras are being used as contemporary image-work tools to present the police to the public in the most favorable way possible.”

Body camera policy allows withholding some video

ICE's policy requires officers to activate cameras during routine enforcement activities, including while making arrests, executing search warrants and responding to emergencies.

After shootings or other serious confrontations, a committee that includes top ICE officials and lawyers will review footage and recommend whether to release it promptly, according to the policy issued in February 2025.

If the answer is yes, the recording could be released within 72 hours. But if ICE's director finds “specific and compelling circumstances” justify withholding the video, they have the authority to block or indefinitely delay the release, the policy says.

The policy does not elaborate on such circumstances, and ICE did not respond to a question from The Associated Press about how it would make such decisions.

Practices vary widely in the U.S. In Chicago, a police watchdog agency routinely releases video of shootings and other serious use-of-force incidents within 60 days. In Philadelphia, the police department very rarely uses its discretion to release video and has no policy for when to do so.

Even when footage is released, ICE’s policy will require redacting all officers’ identifying features such as faces, names and badge numbers to preserve their privacy.

Schneider, who has studied body cameras since their use began spreading a decade ago, said he does not expect ICE to release footage of fatal shootings like those last month.

He noted ICE’s sister agency, Customs and Border Protection, has not released footage of the January shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis even though it was captured on agents’ cameras. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott told lawmakers in February that the video and other materials were under investigation and would be made public “when it’s appropriate.”

Katherine Hawkins, senior legal analyst at the nonprofit Project On Government Oversight, said that while it’s better to have body-worn camera footage than not — because courts could demand it for review — ICE's policy makes such recordings “virtually useless.”

“Without any clear way for the public to get access to it, it doesn’t do much good,” she said Friday. “It’s not unheard of for agencies to delay or withhold or selectively edit footage at all, but to say that explicitly just really gives the game away.”

ICE says all officers are getting cameras

ICE spent $30.9 million in July to purchase body camera equipment from Axon, the Arizona-based company that also manufactures Tasers, federal records show.

The spending began one day after the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old motorist in Maine by an ICE officer with a history of violent behavior. Days earlier, another ICE officer shot and killed a Houston homebuilder driving to work.

Neither shooting was recorded with body cameras. That angered members of Congress, who had given ICE $20 million to purchase body cameras in a bill passed to end a partial government shutdown on April 30.

ICE said body cameras have been sent to more than half its field officers and the rest will receive them by the end of September. That timeline pushes back estimates from earlier public statements.

ICE officers working in the Houston area, where the agency sent more than 800 cameras, are among those who have started training, said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat and member of the House Appropriations Committee.

At least one member of every arrest team will be required to have a camera, the agency said.

“I think the American people need to see what that officer sees and hears,” White House border czar Tom Homan said July 19 on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “And if you look at the data, body cameras actually exonerate agents more than they, you know, provide evidence of wrongdoing.”

Releasing body-worn camera footage is in the interest of both officers and the community because it can provide context for officers’ actions, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank.

“The community has a right to know, and very often it helps put the actions of the agents in some perspective,” he said Friday, adding that ICE could "go a long way in building credibility with the larger community by being more transparent.”

Schneider said he expects ICE to release recordings that promote the agency’s mass deportation program by portraying officers as brave and immigrants as criminals.

“Much of what law enforcement does is convince the public that we need them and feel safe and they do all this good stuff for us,” he said. “The more bad stuff the public sees, the more angry the public gets.”

ICE has taken years to adopt cameras

ICE began testing body cameras in 2021 during President Joe Biden's administration and distributed 1,400 devices three years later, saying use would expand as funding became available.

After returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump rescinded a Biden order requiring federal law enforcement agencies to use body cameras.

ICE did not buy body cameras even after it received a historic $75 billion infusion in 2025 and began hiring thousands of new officers. The July purchases from Axon were made through an existing government contract that began in 2023, records show.

“This is not hard to deploy, but they’ve slow-rolled it,” said Jason Houser, who was ICE chief of staff under Biden and helped implement the agency’s pilot program.

Houser said the Trump administration should have equipped officers with body cameras when it expanded mass arrests and traffic stops. Doing so only after several shootings and pressure from Congress “is clearly a political response” that will not make officers or the public safer, he said.

“This doesn’t fix the problem of putting officers in a place where they’re not trained or equipped to carry out the style of operations that the administration is asking them to do,” he said.

___

AP reporter Valerie Gonzalez contributed to this report.

But safety experts say one of the most important back-to-school conversations has nothing to do with homework.

It is about making sure children know when — and how — to speak up if something does not feel right.

Experts say building a culture of school safety does not start after a crisis. It starts with everyday conversations at home.

• Supply list sticker shock: I took my son’s Pre-K supply list to 3 top retailers, prices couldn’t be more different

Why speaking up matters

On any given school day, classrooms and campuses are places where students learn, make friends, and build relationships.

But sometimes, a friend or classmate may be the first person to notice when something changes.

Safety experts say when students feel comfortable saying, “Something doesn’t seem right,” that moment of speaking up can make a difference.

The goal is to help children understand that reporting a concern is not about getting someone in trouble. It is about keeping people safe.

Start with the school handbook

One of the first steps families can take each school year is reviewing their school’s safety information.

Experts recommend parents understand campus expectations, learn how students can report concerns, and know whether anonymous reporting options are available.

Families should:

• Know school safety policies
• Learn how to report concerns
• Review anonymous reporting options

Understanding those resources can help children feel more prepared if they ever see or hear something concerning.

• Experts warn of OTC medication risks after 3 children’s deaths

Threat reporting can help schools respond earlier

The Texas Education Agency says schools across the state received more than 77,000 reports of potential threats last school year.

Fewer than 6% required law enforcement action, while nearly 30% resulted in mental health or counseling referrals.

Texas school safety data:

• More than 77,000 threat reports
• Fewer than 6% required law enforcement action
• Nearly 30% resulted in counseling or mental health referrals
• Source: Texas Education Agency

Experts say those numbers show why early reporting matters. A concern that is shared early may allow schools to connect students with support, address problems, and prevent situations from escalating.

• Houston launches high-risk apartment inspection program to target repeat safety violations

Parents can ask more than “How was school?”

Safety experts encourage families to ask questions that go beyond grades and homework.

Simple conversations can help parents better understand what is happening in their child’s daily life.

Questions to consider:

• Who did you sit with at lunch?
• How was everyone’s mood today?
• Did anyone seem left out or upset?
• What’s happening in your group chats?

These conversations help children feel comfortable talking about their experiences — and the experiences of their classmates.

• New report highlights Houston pedestrian safety concerns as advocates push for safer street design

What to do if a child reports a threat

If a child shares a threatening text message, social media post, or other concerning information, experts recommend parents take immediate steps.

Families should:

• Thank the child for speaking up
• Save evidence by taking screenshots
• Avoid deleting messages or posts
• Report concerns to school officials
• Contact law enforcement if there is an immediate danger

Rania Mankarious, CEO of Crime Stoppers of Houston, says students often have information before adults do.

“Students are the first line of intelligence,” Mankarious said. “By the time other people know, usually something’s happened.”

She says empowering students to share concerns is one of the most important ways communities can work together to keep schools safe.

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

Keep the conversation going all year

Before the first day of school, experts recommend families also understand their district’s cell phone policies and know how communication works during the school day.

Parents should:

• Identify trusted adults at school
• Review reporting options
• Know the school’s cell phone policy
• Keep safety conversations going

School safety is not just about cameras, locked doors, or emergency plans.

Experts say it also comes down to relationships — between students, families, educators, and the people responsible for protecting school communities.

A simple question like, “Who do you trust at school?” can open the door to a conversation that helps students feel supported and reminds them that speaking up can help keep themselves and their classmates safe.

The blaze originally broke out along Galveston’s waterfront Wednesday night, just before 8:45 p.m.

Galveston Fire Department officials confirmed that three workers and a dog inside the building Wednesday night made it out alive. One firefighter was transported to the hospital for dehydration but was reported to be okay.

Galveston Fire Chief Mike Varela said the sheer size of the fire required an immediate, large-scale response.

“You’re looking at probably one square block of fire. So we immediately called for all of our crews in the city, as well as a lot of our partnering crews in the county,” Varela said.

To combat the flames, Chief Varela said crews set up drafting areas — where firefighters pump water directly from a natural water source — pulling from the bay rather than relying on fire hydrants.

Varela also emphasized the importance of keeping his personnel safe during the grueling effort.

“As I made my way around the scene, the one thing I wanted to express to every individual on the scene was to make sure to rehab, take care of yourself, know your limits. We have plenty of personnel now to relieve you and for you to sit and rest and relax,” Varela said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also on scene Thursday. Their specific role has not been confirmed.

‘My life is in here’

For Crystal Truong, who has managed Texas Gulf Seafood for nearly 30 years, the facility is far more than a warehouse that distributes shrimp across the country.

“My life is in here. I hardly go home,” Truong said.

Truong, who oversees a staff of 10 employees, expressed heartbreak over the loss.

“I’m very depressed and I’m very sad of everything. We work, and we lost everything,” she said.

Neighboring businesses feel the impact

Nearby businesses are also feeling the weight of the fire. Nicholas Gutierrez, manager of Katie’s Seafood Market, which purchases shrimp from Texas Gulf Seafood from time to time, expressed sympathy for Truong and her staff.

“But it is gonna affect jobs. Those people that work there are loading the shrimp. They don’t have a job today,” Gutierrez said.

Investigation pending

Once crews fully extinguish all hot spots, the fire marshal will be able to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire. Varela said officials may request state assistance, given the magnitude of the event.

The shot, named mFlusiva, is intended for adults age 50 or older. Other brands of flu shots already have begun arriving in pharmacies ahead of fall vaccination season, and Moderna said late Wednesday that it expects some of its new version to be available soon at select retailers.

While there already are multiple flu vaccine options in the U.S., including three specifically recommended for people age 65 or older, tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza every year and older adults are among the most vulnerable.

Flu vaccines must be updated annually to best match circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacturer than other types, and experts say this additional option might help if the shape-shifting flu virus mutates in a way that requires suddenly brewing new doses.

Moderna said the FDA granted full approval for mFlusiva’s use in people ages 50 to 64, based on a study of 40,000 people that found 27% fewer flu cases among people who got the new shot compared with those who got a different common flu vaccine brand. For people 65 or older, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based manufacturer said the FDA granted what’s called accelerated approval for the shot -- based on a smaller study showing it generated a strong immune response compared with an existing high-dose vaccine for seniors – while it conducts an additional study.

Moderna’s data showed no major safety issues although the shot did cause some temporary reactions including injection site pain, fever, headache, tiredness and aches that occurred somewhat more than with today’s flu shots.

The FDA action comes after a highly unusual public dispute over mFlusiva earlier this year. A then-top FDA official blocked the company’s application, a sign of the agency’s heightened vaccine scrutiny under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Days later, the agency changed course after Moderna publicly challenged the ruling — and in June a panel of independent advisers to the FDA unanimously recommended the vaccine’s approval.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration.

___

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.

Annelise Camp “is now with Jesus,” her parents Johnston and Joy Camp said in a statement, weeks after a judge granted a temporary injunction in their favor. “While our hearts are broken, we trust in His perfect love, His faithfulness, and His promises.”

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The family had long said she still showed signs of life and wanted more time for her to recover and explore treatment.

Breathing tubes were removed from Annelise on Monday, her grandfather Steve Camp posted online. “When this procedure was done, she passed very quickly.”

A church service for Annelise is scheduled for next Wednesday in Houston.

The Texas Right to Life organization supported the family’s case.

“This victory gave the Camp family two extra months with Annelise and provided her a chance to recover from her injury,” the organization posted online.

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Annelise was discovered unconscious in the hotel pool and was brought to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Several days later, her parents petitioned the judge, requesting that she not be tested for brain death as advised by doctors.

Court documents said Annelise’s heart was beating, although she was dependent on a ventilator, The Texas Tribune reported.

The Camps also asked that Annelise be transferred to another hospital to explore other treatment options. However, Texas Children’s stated it wanted to conduct testing to determine next steps in her medical care and that it had no imminent plans to end care for Annelise.

Texas Children’s officials said in court documents they had contacted medical facilities to ask about accepting Annelise, but 35 of the 36 have declined and the one pending hospital said it needed her to undergo brain death testing to consider transfer, the Tribune reported.

The Camps eventually were able to transfer Annelise to a hospital in Louisiana.

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A state legislator, Rep. Steve Toth, told The New York Times that Annelise was brought back to Texas about a week ago and had been treated at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. Messages seeking comment were sent to Roth and the hospital.

The Camps did not say why Annelise was removed from life support. Messages seeking comment were sent to the family.

Texas law defines brain death as the irreversible cessation of brain function. Under the law, once a patient is declared brain-dead, a hospital can withdraw life-sustaining measures.

“The big common denominator is time,” Johnston Camp told KRIV-TV in June. “And so when you have time, I know scientifically you can see a certain reading, but she is showing progressive results from her body or complexions, her vitals.”

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also supported the family.

“Annelise Camp is fighting for her life and deserves a medical team that will fight just as hard,” he posted on X in June.

In July, the Camps had posted on a GoFundMe site that Annelise continued to show “encouraging signs” at the Louisiana hospital.

“We are pursuing every available option, including specialized and exploratory treatments that show promise,” they added.

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Bernard Ukbu says he and his wife bought two homes in the Sunterra master-planned community as investment properties after reviewing the community’s governing documents, which permitted homeowners to lease their homes under certain conditions.

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Now, he says a new HOA policy announced in an email to homeowners is changing the financial equation.

According to the email, homeowners who lease their properties will be required to pay a $1,000 annual leasing fee. The policy also includes new leasing requirements, including minimum 12-month lease terms, tenant registration and lease documentation.

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Ukbu says the new fee comes in addition to the community’s $1,200 annual assessment and a required internet fee.

“If this were already in place before we purchase the house, then I would make the decision whether I want to move forward or not,” Ukbu said. “But this is new. So to me, it’s really distressful.”

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Homeowner says he followed existing HOA rules

Ukbu said he purchased the homes with the understanding that rentals were permitted as long as owners complied with the HOA’s governing documents.

He says he uses written leases, requires tenants to follow the community’s rules and pays for professional lawn maintenance to ensure the property complies with HOA standards.

“Everything they are saying here, I’m already doing,” Ukbu said. “So the question is, why would I pay $1,000 to do what I’m already doing?”

According to the HOA’s email, the annual leasing fee is intended to cover administrative costs associated with the community’s leasing program, including tenant registration, amenity access and HOA compliance. The email also states the fee may be adjusted over time as administrative requirements change.

Ukbu says he understands the HOA’s goal of addressing rental-related concerns but believes responsible landlords should not bear additional costs because of violations committed by others.

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Attorney says governing documents are key

Houston real estate attorney David Kahne, who is not involved in the dispute, says whether an HOA can impose a fee like this depends on the community’s governing documents, commonly known as deed restrictions or CC&Rs.

“The primary way to control HOA fees comes from your deed restrictions,” Kahne said.

Kahne also noted that charging rental property owners differently than owner-occupied homes is not something he commonly encounters.

“I’ve never actually seen a subdivision where the charges are different between people who own their homes or who rent their homes,” Kahne said. “I would want to look very carefully at the deed restrictions to see if that unequal treatment is authorized.”

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He says homeowners concerned about HOA assessments should carefully review those governing documents, which may explain how assessments are approved and whether homeowners have voting rights on certain increases.

If homeowners disagree with decisions made by an HOA board, Kahne says they can organize with neighbors, participate in board elections or consult an attorney if they believe the association exceeded its authority.

HOA response

KPRC 2’s Joy Addison reached out to the Sunterra Homeowners Association to ask about the new leasing fee, how the amount was determined and whether homeowners had an opportunity to weigh in before the policy was adopted.

As of publication, the HOA had not responded.

What homeowners should know before buying into an HOA

Real estate attorney David Kahne says homeowners should carefully review an HOA’s governing documents before purchasing a home because they outline:

• Whether rentals are allowed
• How HOA assessments are determined
• Whether assessment increases require a homeowner vote
• The authority granted to the HOA board
• Any limits on assessment increases

Those documents can help homeowners understand how future policy changes and fees may affect their property.

People want upgrades, not replacements

New consumer research commissioned by SunRice found that 78 percent of Americans regularly wonder whether they’re getting enough protein. 65 percent say protein-enhanced staple foods are appealing as long as taste and texture aren’t compromised, and 35 percent would rather upgrade foods they already love than replace them altogether. That shift shows people want convenience and nutrition in the familiar dishes they make every week.

Simple ideas for everyday meals

Board-certified sports dietitian and fitness coach Umo Callins joined Houston Life to talk about the protein trend and share easy meal ideas using SunRice Protein+. Her message: small, consistent upgrades add up.

Add SunRice Protein+ into stir-fries, use it as a base for a protein-rich burrito bowl, or mix it with beans, veggies and a squeeze of lime for an easy weeknight meal. Each serving adds meaningful protein without changing the way you cook.

Where to find it

SunRice Protein+ is available at grocery stores near you and online. For more info and recipe ideas, visit www.sunriceusa.com.

“We can win here, and we're going to,” said Colom, the Democratic nominee who's trying to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as she seeks her second full term.

That could be typical candidate bravado, and Republicans say he has little chance. But Colom is drawing attention for a potentially competitive campaign, a reflection of a wider Senate map than either party envisioned at the midpoint of Donald Trump's second presidency.

That means the list of notable races now goes beyond obvious battlegrounds like Maine, New Hampshire, Michigan and Georgia and even the once-surprising contests like Ohio and Texas.

Democrats must pick up at least four new seats to win the majority — and more than that if they lose any they currently hold. That includes Michigan, where Republicans are feeling more confident since progressive Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination this week.

“We can’t spare a single seat,” Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said in an interview while she was in Mississippi on Colom's behalf.

She said Democrats have an opportunity to be competitive in more places because of voter angst over an uneven, inflationary economy.

“They cannot afford their groceries," she said. "They cannot afford the cost of gas. They cannot afford housing. It’s all over the country.”

Republicans remain confident they can hold power, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune even said in a recent fundraising email that an expanded map could backfire on Democrats.

“By scrambling the Democrats, we’ll spread their resources thin, making it nearly impossible for them to flip the seats they need to take the majority,” he wrote to donors.

Here's a look at four wildcard contests could make headlines in November and help flip Senate control.

Mississippi

Colom would be his state's first Black senator since Reconstruction — the 12-year period after the U.S. Civil War when the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were adopted. He'd also be Mississippi's first new Democratic senator since the 1940s. (Those lawmakers were Jim Crow segregationists who were first elected before white Southerners shifted to the Republican Party.)

Now a district attorney, Colom needs a fundraising uptick to introduce himself to voters and attack Hyde-Smith on the airwaves. Mississippi remains small enough that retail campaigning still matters, while television ads remain much less expensive than in places like Texas, where James Talarico is running against Ken Paxton.

The Mississippi governor’s 2023 race was decided by 3 percentage points. To close the gap, Colom would need to increase Mississippi's usual Black turnout by a few percentage points and get a larger share of the white vote than Democrats typically do. He insists he can do both in part because of Hyde-Smith's unfailing loyalty to Trump and policies that have saddled Mississippi farmers with tariffs, consumers with higher gas prices and made it harder for Mississippians to have health insurance.

Hyde-Smith, first appointed and then elected in 2018, is using a familiar playbook of portraying her Democratic opponent as too liberal for Mississippi.

Notably, Mississippi requires a majority to win a statewide election. With minor candidates on the ballot, there's a scenario where Colom pulls an upset or at least forces a runoff.

Iowa

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst opted against a reelection bid, and it's always easier to flip an open seat than defeat an incumbent.

Democrats nominated state lawmaker and wheelchair basketball star Josh Turek, 47, while Republicans opted for U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, 43, who has Trump's endorsement.

Iowa has moved rightward in the Trump era, especially in small towns and rural areas. But it wasn't that long ago that voters here sent Barack Obama on his way to the presidency and elected a bipartisan congressional delegation that included liberal stalwart Tom Harkin in the Senate. Even in the 2018 midterms, during Trump's first presidency, Democrats won three out of four U.S. House seats.

They've since flipped to Republicans. But now the most conservative areas in Iowa — those centered around the agricultural economy — feel the pinch of the president's tariff rollercoaster. Combined with Trump's unpopularity with college-educated voters and the liberal tilt of urban places like Des Moines and Iowa City, the electoral math could look more like 2008 or 2018 than 2024.

And Obama, who's been sparing in his endorsements so far this year, has endorsed Turek — on the basketball court.

Kansas

This is a famously Republican state in federal elections. It hasn't had a Democratic senator since the New Deal era of the 1930s. But the state has elected a Democratic governor four times since 2002.

Democratic Senate nominee Adam Hamilton hopes that voters' struggles during Trump's presidency will be enough to help him unseat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. Hamilton has a notable biography: He's a high-profile United Methodist megachurch minister and author who has avoided partisan politics and is running for office for the first time.

“I didn’t plan to run for office. I’ve spent my life as a pastor, and I try to care for people,” the 62-year-old said in his primary victory speech.

Marshall has the state's fundamentals on his side. But the 65-year-old also is seeking reelection for the first time after winning in 2020 with Trump at the top of the ticket.

Nebraska

There is no Democrat in this race, at least officially. But national Democrats back independent Dan Osborn, a former labor union chief, as their choice to unseat Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts.

It's the second time Osborn and Democrats have tried this approach. Osborn lost to Republican Sen. Deb Fischer by 7 points in 2024. She won all 89 Nebraska counties. But she also finished well short of Trump's 21-point gap in the presidential contest.

The thinking is that voters have experienced enough of Trump and the Capitol Hill Republicans who’ve mostly facilitated his agenda. Osborn’s labor background also stands in stark contrast to that of the megamillionaire Ricketts, whose billionaire father founded TD Ameritrade and whose family owns Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

To be sure, Osborn has not said he’d caucus with Senate Democrats. But he could at least deny Republicans a seat. And like other middle America states that have moved rightward, plenty of Nebraskans remember electing moderate senators: Democrat Ben Nelson retired in 2013.

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Every major index notched a second straight week of gains, which included several fresh records. It marks a strong start to August following several weak months.

The S&P 500 rose 47.68 points, or 0.6%, to 7,757.64. That topped the all-time high it set on Tuesday. The benchmark index has been on a record run throughout the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 151.83 points, or 0.3%, to 54,036.93. That put it just short of the record it set on Wednesday. The Nasdaq composite rose 342.26 points, or 1.3%, to 26,690.62.

Technology stocks, with their big market values, did much of the heavy lifting for the broader market. They are often the heaviest weights determining the market’s direction. Nvidia jumped 2.3% and Broadcom rose 1.7%.

The bond market reacted more strongly to the weaker signal on the jobs market, which can be seen as allowing the Federal Reserve more time before raising interest rates to fight inflation.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.64% from 4.67% just prior to the jobs update. It was as low as 4.60% before recovering a bit.

The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action on interest rates, fell to 4.20% from 4.22% prior to the report's release. It was as low as 4.15% before edging back up.

“Although the stock market is likely to welcome the dovish implications of the report, investors should be wary of the future growth potential of an economy where fewer people are working,” said Peter Graf, chief investment officer at Amova Asset Management Americas, in a research note.

Overall, the report paints a dimmer picture of the jobs market, which has been one of the brighter areas of the economy amid rising inflation and worries about household spending. It included a revision to the figures for June and May that involved slashing a combined 103,000 jobs from payrolls for those months.

Eyes on the Fed's next move

The Fed has been holding interest rates steady amid worries about hotter inflation, fueled by a rise in oil prices because of the U.S. war with Iran. Wall Street expects at least one rate increase by the end of the year, with forecasts shifting for the next meeting. Expectations for a rate cut in September are down to 42%, from 55% on Thursday and from 67% a week ago, according to CME FedWatch.

A weakening jobs market could make matters more complicated for the Fed, which has to balance supporting job growth with fighting inflation. Raising interest rates can help tame inflation by slowing economic growth. A weaker jobs market, though, could become even shakier under higher interest rates as businesses find it more difficult to expand under increased borrowing rates.

Businesses, and Wall Street, prefer lower interest rates because it can help boost investments. That might bolster a weakened jobs market, but it could worsen already stubborn inflation.

Wall Street will get several important inflation updates next week. The most closely watched will be the consumer price index, or CPI, which measures costs for consumers. Wall Street expects it to show that inflation in July rose at a 3.4% rate, which would be a slight easing from the 3.5% rise in June. Inflation has held stubbornly above 3% for most of the year.

“Today’s weak payrolls print may ease the pressure on the Fed to raise rates at its September meeting, but next week’s inflation data will still likely be the deciding factor,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, in a research note.

The earnings picture

The jobs report caps a week dominated mostly by corporate earnings and concerns about the ongoing U.S. war with Iran.

Corporate earnings for the second quarter are on track for the strongest growth since 2021. Nearly 90% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their results and analysts expect profit growth of 50% overall. That has helped allay some concerns on Wall Street about whether big gains for stocks in 2026 are justified. Strong profits help support those gains in stock values.

It was a light day for earnings as companies near the close of the latest round of reports.

Airbnb jumped 17.4% following the vacation-rental company's report late Thursday that showed stronger profit and revenue for its most recent quarter than analysts expected.

Oil prices gained ground. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1.3% to $83.55 a barrel.

Rising oil prices have been behind hotter inflation. Prices were as high as $113 per barrel at one point during the now five-month U.S. war with Iran. That raised prices for gasoline and shipping for a wide range of products. The U.S. and Iran have both said they are working on deals that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed through.

___

Associated Press Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

It was Shavuot, the Jewish holiday commemorating God giving the Torah to Moses. Hallegua reached the 458-year-old Paradesi Synagogue where he knew he would pray alone — without a minyan, the quorum of 10 males required for a communal service there.

Hallegua is the synagogue's last local congregant — the only Jew left in Jew Town.

Across the city at the centuries-old Kadavumbagam Synagogue, Elias “Babu” Josephai remembered the “chukkunda" — fried dough balls his grandmother used to make for Shavuot.

“It wasn’t much,” he said, wiping away tears. “But at that time, it was everything."

They ache for what’s already gone and work to preserve what's left.

In the 1950s, much of the Jewish community in Kochi (historically known as Cochin), a seaport on India’s southwestern coast, immigrated to Israel. They left behind their homes, synagogues and cemeteries, including those in Jew Town, which has long-been the official name of the neighborhood.

The burden of being the last Jews

Hallegua and Josephai stayed. Now they represent the final chapter for the Cochin Jews who have lived peacefully — and without fear of antisemitism — for centuries alongside Hindu, Muslim and Christian neighbors. There are now fewer than 5,000 Jews in all of India, the world's most populous country.

But the Cochin Jewish community's complex history includes both religious freedom and internal divisions over class and colorism. Hallegua is a Paradesi Jew, the once-dominant group whose fair-skinned, Sephardic ancestors from Spain and Portugal fled the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. They brought enslaved people with them, and their freed descendants, known as the Meshuchrarim Jews, were relegated to a lower social status and had to fight for religious equality.

Josephai is a Malabari Jew. The group's darker-skinned ancestors trace their roots back more than 2,000 years, to King Solomon’s time. They also faced past discrimination from the Paradesi community. While these divisions didn't survive after the Cochin Jews migrated to Israel and elsewhere, the bitter remnants still haunt the community's legacy.

Though Hallegua and Josephai rarely meet, both are intensely proud of their ancient heritage.

Josephai spent years resurrecting Kadavumbagam Synagogue, the last functioning Malabari house of worship. Services are rare; it's up to Josephai to light the lamps and keep the prayers going, often alone. He weeps for the past, when the synagogue was filled with people, prayers and songs.

“That will never come back,” he said.

Hallegua is the last local member of Paradesi Synagogue, which now relies on tourists and visitors to have a quorum for services.

“Quite often, I walk to the synagogue and I ask HaShem (God), why have you done this?” Hallegua said. “I never hear a response.”

Locals and global community strive to preserve history

On a recent morning, tourists crowded the Paradesi Synagogue and Synagogue Lane, the street it anchors. Former homes are now occupied by spice warehouses and stores selling antiques and handicrafts. Historically, the Jewish community played a major role in the spice trade in Kochi, a hub for black pepper, cardamom and nutmeg.

The synagogue’s entryway leads to a main hall with blue and white Chinese porcelain tile floors. Nineteenth century Belgian crystal chandeliers and colorful glass lanterns adorn the sanctuary. A carved teakwood Torah ark stands at the western wall facing Jerusalem. As in other Kochi synagogues, the women’s section is upstairs. Visitors slip off their shoes, in keeping with regional etiquette.

Synagogue trustee M.C. Praveen says his life's mission is protecting Cochin Jewish history. Praveen, a Hindu, spent his childhood in Jew Town, attending school with Hallegua's family members, eating Shabbat dinners, playing cricket near the synagogue.

“I want to make sure future generations know the history of this town and the people who lived here,” said Praveen, who seeks guidance from the community's former residents and their far-flung children.

The connections transcend geography. Trustee Shulamit Kotzer, 55, was born in Jew Town and spent vacations there after moving to Israel at age 2. She dreams of opening a hotel in the neighborhood.

“I consider Cochin not a second home, but my home,” she said.

Earlier this year, synagogue leaders opened a museum showcasing Kochi's Jewish history. It features the settlement's original deed: two copper plates bearing a Hindu king's charter from 1000 CE granting the community religious freedom.

Preservation efforts transcend religious ties

Praveen is not the only non-Jew trying to ensure the community's culture survives.

Thaha Ibrahim, a Muslim, forged a profound connection with the late Sarah Cohen, one of the neighborhood's Jewish matriarchs. He now runs her embroidery shop on Synagogue Lane. Cohen, or “Sarah aunty” as he calls her, taught him how to do Cochin Jewish embroidery.

“I'm teaching my son to do this embroidery so he can continue Sarah aunty's legacy,” he said.

Ibrahim lights Shabbat candles on Fridays and closes his shop on Saturdays. Muslim-Jewish tensions elsewhere in the world are not a deterrent, he says.

“This is not about religion, it's about human connection."

Across the city in Ernakulam, Josephai shoulders the preservation of Malabari Jewish heritage. The 12th century Kadavumbagam Synagogue, which he saved after vandals destroyed it, is tucked behind the store where he sells aquarium fish and plants. The renovated interior features hand-crafted tile and a red-and-gold Torah ark.

Josephai is proud that people of different faiths helped him rebuild. A Muslim donated the lamps, a Christian gave a Ten Commandments plaque, a Hindu foundation paid for the chandeliers.

An oil lamp hangs in front of the ark, its flame kept burning by Josephai. He also keeps the synagogue prayers going, a promise made to his grandmother after his siblings moved to Israel in 1972.

“Every Jew has a dream that his last breath should be in Israel," he said. “I believe my last breath should be inside this synagogue.”

Josephai, 70, hopes a Jewish organization will take over the synagogue, along with the library and museum he is building.

“Once I’m gone, there is no one who can tell these stories,” he said. “But this is our fate and that’s how it is.”

Thapan Dubayehudi, a Malabari Jew who moved to Vienna in 2022, called Josephai “a one-man army” keeping the history alive. He remembers sitting with Josephai as they assembled and lit hundreds of lamps in the sanctuary during Hanukkah.

“I’d carry that memory with me if God gives me 90 years of life,” he said.

A strong identity that is both Indian and Jewish

Keith Hallegua also stayed to fulfill family responsibilities.

“Never did I ever think that I would be the last Jew in Jew Town,” said Hallegua, who remained to care for his brother and mother.

His mind teems with memories. Singing the Paradesi Jewish tunes that blended Sephardic chants with local folk elements. The aroma of his mother's chili chicken. His grandmother's frantic cleaning ahead of Passover, Hallegua’s favorite season. The new clothes for Rosh Hashanah.

“That’s never going to come back,” Hallegua said.

He realizes his memories will vanish with him. It's deeply painful, and some days he wants to leave Jew Town. But he is grounded by his homeland and its history.

As he once explained, “I was born a Jew in India and I shall die in India, a Jew.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Happy Monday — and welcome to another little “what’s happening behind the scenes” brain dump! Ha! First of all, you guys are keeping me busy!

The number of tips, questions, and “hey, have you seen this?” messages I’m getting is honestly amazing. But I’ve noticed a shift lately: more and more of your tips are turning into the kind of stories that require some serious digging. And I love that.

The only catch? Those stories take time. Actually understanding the history, the context, the players involved, and why this issue matters in the first place. I find myself posting less, but hopefully giving you better information.

A perfect example? Norhill. I knew diving into the design guidelines would be opening a can of worms. And yeah… I was right. I’ve heard from residents with VERY different opinions, but what’s interesting is that so many of those conversations circle back to the same big questions: Who makes the rules? Who has authority? And how do we balance protecting what makes the Heights special while still allowing neighborhoods to grow and change? I’ve got my first story out, but don’t worry... this one is not done. Look for a Part 2 this week as I keep digging and work on getting more answers from the city and neighborhood leaders.

Meanwhile…

🚗 Car thefts in the Heights: I know. I hear about this ALL the time. I’m currently waiting on an open records request from HPD so we can see the data and answer the bigger question: is this crime actually increasing, or does it just feel that way because we’re all talking more about it online?

And speaking of things we’re seeing online…

🐺 Coyotes?! Yep. That was another fun DM I got last week. 😂 I’m curious — are y’all seeing more of them, or are we just noticing and posting about them more, too? I posted a screen grab from Nextdoor about three coyotes at Beall St. @ W. 14th above (posted by Charla Allen, sent to me by one of you!) Sometimes that’s the tricky part of reporting: social media is an incredible way to spot trends, but it’s also my job to ask, “What does the actual data show?” Bottom line, we all know wildlife is all around us, but is several sitings in a week normal for this area? I’ve been sent a few different posts. Otherwise, the tip came with some great questions: “Does COH address inner-city coyotes? If yes, do they re-home them outside of residential neighborhoods or what happens next?” That’s something I don’t know the answer to..but I would love to find out.

🏫 HISD starts this week?!
How is it already August?!

I also got a great question about construction around Harvard Elementary, specifically whether students can safely walk along the sidewalks with some areas blocked off. I’m looking into that this week too.

And trust me… there are SO many more stories happening behind the scenes right now. One thing I’m always trying to remind myself (and explain along the way): not every message automatically becomes a news story. Sometimes the best reporting starts with a tip, but the question becomes: “What can journalism actually help answer here?”

Is there a bigger issue? A pattern? Data we can look at? Someone who needs answers. That’s the fun part.

I hope you’re enjoying following along with this account as much as I’m enjoying building it. Keep sending me your tips, questions, and random Heights observations. Make it a great week!❤️

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., introduced a resolution during a meeting Thursday recognizing the Tigers for a claim to the national title. The measure was passed with no objections; resolutions don’t have the force of law and by the chamber’s definition reflect the Senate’s “sentiments,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Still, it adds another odd wrinkle to college football history for a sport decided by polls and rankings decades ago before the arrival of the Bowl Championship Series or today’s College Football Playoff. Missouri hadn’t previously claimed the 1960 team as a national champion.

In an email to The Associated Press on Friday, Missouri team spokesman Dave Matter said the school is “aware" of the resolution but offered no additional comment.

Missouri went 10-1 on the field after beating Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino in the Orange Bowl. The lone loss had come to “Border War” rival Kansas in a game to decide the then-Big Eight Conference title, though the league ordered the Jayhawks to forfeit for using an ineligible player because of recruiting violations.

In a past interview with the The Post-Dispatch, author Brendon Steenbergen — who wrote a book detailing that season — said: “I’ve been beating the drum to try to get the university to recognize it because I think they have as much a right as anyone in the country to be national champions in 1960.”

Minnesota was crowed champion by the AP and United Press International polls, though that took place before the Gophers lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl. The Football Writers Association of America voted Mississippi its post-bowl champion.

The Helms Athletic Foundation, created in 1936 to promote amateur athletics until dissolving in 1983, recognized Washington as its champion. Meanwhile, the Litkenhous Rating system chose Iowa with its mathematical formula utilizing scoring margins and opponent strength, according to The Athletic.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Will Rosenzweig was two weeks away from trying a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud case when a blog he had written years earlier covering a broad range of topics was publicized online by a conservative political commentator who also included a screenshot of Rosenzweig's LinkedIn account and tagged senior Justice Department officials for their awareness.

Less than three hours after the post, the lawsuit says, Rosenzweig received an email signed by then- Attorney General Pam Bondi informing him that he had been fired. The news came as Rosenzweig was out of town with his family observing the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana.

The September 2025 termination was part of a sweeping personnel purge over the last year and a half inside the Justice Department, which has fired prosecutors who worked on investigations into Trump and others seen as being against the administration's efforts.

A lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami, where Rosenzweig worked as a federal prosecutor for five years, seeks reinstatement to the job as well as backpay and a court order declaring his firing unlawful. The complaint says Rosenzweig was a highly respected prosecutor who received “consistent praise and awards" and was so highly valued in his office that he was told just weeks before his firing that he would be getting a special parking spot due to his performance.

“Will Rosenzweig was an excellent prosecutor who returned millions of dollars to the taxpayers by prosecuting healthcare fraud cases,” said a statement from his lawyers, Margaret Donovan, Daniel Fridman and Adam Fels. “Yet the Department of Justice fired him on the eve of trial because, years ago as a private citizen, he published criticisms of President Trump. Since the current Department of Justice will not stand up for the First Amendment and the American people, we will. We look forward to vindicating Will’s rights in court.”

The blog Rosenzweig had maintained had been defunct for over six years at the time of his firing and included his thoughts on travel, sports and other “apolitical, anodyne topics,” in addition to critical observations about Trump and other political candidates, the lawsuit says. The conservative commentator, Natalie Winters, who has a large online following, characterized Rosenzweig as “a rogue Trump hater” as she posted screenshots of some of his political musings, according to the complaint, which characterizes the firing as a direct assault on Rosenzweig's free speech rights.

“The Department’s conduct rests on a single premise: a citizen must forever refrain from criticizing the government and its leaders to remain eligible to serve it,” the lawsuit says. “That rule would force every American who might one day serve to choose between speaking freely now and working for the government later. Conditioning public employment on political loyalty, where a party card rather than merit opens the door to a government job, is a way of life in Havana and Caracas. It has no place here.”

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

The story of heroism told by police for the first time adds to the list of at least three more people who confronted the gunman with their own weapons as well as numerous others who rushed to comfort victims.

“What happened here was violent, frightening and deeply traumatic,” Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said during a news conference.

The video revealed more details of the chaotic scene last weekend. The gunman walked up to the drive-thru window four times and opened fire, killing an In-N-Out employee, police said.

Ten people were shot — inside the restaurant, directly outside, on an adjacent busy road and at a car charging station in a Twin Falls visitors center lot, Hicks said.

He said investigators still don’t have a motive for the shooting. The gunman, Chad Williams, 24, killed himself.

It should have been a “normal Saturday afternoon,” Hicks said. “Employees showing up for work. Visitors coming to see our beautiful city. Instead they were confronted with chaos, fear and now loss.”

A man who encountered the gunman is a ‘hero’

As the shooting unfolded, employees from nearby stores fled to a walking trail. When the gunman headed to the trail, he came across two people, including one with his hands in the air talking to him, according to the video.

That man distracted the gunman from possibly pursuing others on the trail. Williams subsequently killed himself as police closed in. His body was found near a canyon.

“To that young man, you are a hero,” Hicks said. “Your courage, your composure, your selflessness in that moment likely gave others the time they needed to escape harm. This community is grateful for you, and we will never forget what you did that day.”

Hicks also praised the work of an off-duty state trooper, who shot at Williams from inside the restaurant, and former police officer A.J. James, who was wounded while confronting him. Authorities previously credited an armed civilian who fired back and diverted Williams from the restaurant.

An off-duty officer helps the wounded

James ran toward the sound of gunfire from the drive-thru window, while the off-duty officer inside the In-N-Out exchanged gunfire with Williams through the window and directed workers out of the building, Hicks said.

He acted “heroically and unbelievably” to try to slow down the shooter, the police chief said, declining to release the off-duty officer's name.

Braxton Steube said he was the person who encountered Williams on the trail after fleeing a Dick's Sporting Good store.

“I said, ‘I have a family.’ I said, ‘You don’t have to do this. I’ll tell you whatever you want. I’ll do anything,'” Steube told KMVT-TV. “He started to like tear up a bit, it seemed. And he said to me, ‘Just get away from me, man.’”

Steube said the gunman shot at him and missed.

The Twin Falls In-N-Out, 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of Boise, the state capital, had opened in July as part of the chain’s expansion into Idaho.

Police identified those killed as Ashley Garibay, 23, of Stockton, California; Dale Schultz, 66, of Salt Lake City; and Christopher Claunch, 59, of Hagerman, Idaho.

Williams had briefly attended the College of Southern Idaho and previously lived in Arizona.

The bipartisan legislation, which passed 86-11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol last week following Graham’s funeral, met with senators from both parties and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes.

“Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine — and Putin is watching from Moscow,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who had worked with the late South Carolina senator on the package.

“I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too,” he said. “Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine.”

The sweeping show of force from the Senate is the most substantial move yet during President Donald Trump’s second term to shift the dynamic of the four-year war, which has now churned longer than World War I. Congress has struggled to ensure the flow of U.S. funding and munitions to Ukraine, but Trump has given a nod to the package, which includes his push for sanctions on Iran, pressuring the House to pass and send it for his signature.

Graham and Blumenthal had announced a deal with the White House on the sanctions legislation on July 10 after more than a year of negotiations with the White House. Graham, who had just returned from Ukraine, died suddenly the next day, likely from an aortic tear.

The bipartisan package allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. It provides exceptions for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce those imports.

The legislation also includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and Russian energy projects. It would expand U.S. sanctions to target older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues. The bill also allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that it's in the national interest.

Democrats and some Republicans have been wary of giving Trump broad authority to slap tariffs on imports that have spiked prices for goods, worried about inflationary costs for Americans. Those voting against the final package were mostly progressive Democrats.

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed by the state’s governor to fill her brother’s seat, said she was honored to carry on his work. “This legislation hits Putin where it hurts,” she said.

Bill sends ‘a moral signal’ to Ukraine and its allies

Zelenskyy told senators during last week’s private meeting at the Capitol that Ukraine is making gains in the war, but still needs more help from the U.S. He publicly thanked them for the sanctions package.

Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who attended the meeting, said the sanctions legislation “is important as a moral signal to a country that is weary and tired, though holding its own.”

New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said advancing the legislation now, ahead of Russia’s own elections, will put pressure on Putin to seriously revisit prospects for a peace deal. And she warned that every time the U.S. backs away from tough actions, Russia ramps up its attacks.

“If we can’t shut down the funding for the war machine that Russia is using against Ukraine, then they’re going to keep at it,” she said.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude to the Senate in a post, and said that with U.S. support, "Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer.”

Some say the bill would give Trump too much tariff power

The Senate defeated an amendment by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon that would have removed the new tariff authority for Trump. Paul says it would be too costly for taxpayers, while Wyden and other Democrats say they don’t want to give Trump any new authority to impose tariffs.

“We’ve got folks who are walking an economic tightrope here in America,” Wyden said.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who had held up passage of the package over the tariff authority, said he received a written commitment from the Trump administration through U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that ensures guardrails. The tariffs would be lifted once the countries are no longer on the lists of those purchasing Russian oil and gas, or helping to evade sanctions, he said.

“We should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s aggression and putting a check on this president’s tariffs regime,” Warnock said. If Trump “oversteps his power, we will see him in court.”

Package next goes to the House

While the Senate momentum puts pressure on the House to act as soon as lawmakers return to session at the end of August, top Democrats still warn against handing Trump too much power in the Russia sanctions package.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the bill as is gives Trump too much authority to “weaponize” tariffs in ways that do little to deter Russia, but hurt Americans back home.

“It would allow President Trump to dodge holding Russia accountable and impose yet more tariffs in his destructive trade wars, leaving Americans to foot the bill," Meeks said.

He said the tally on the Paul-Wyden amendment, 32-64, demonstrates the demand among lawmakers to make changes to the package.

The House had already passed a separate measure in June that would provide aid to Ukraine and sanction key segments of the Russian economy. That Meeks-led package from Democrats drew bipartisan support from Republicans, overriding objections from GOP leaders.

Employers cut 23,000 jobs in July. And Labor Department revisions slashed 103,000 jobs from May and June payrolls.

The unemployment rate fell but for the wrong reason: Thousands of people dropped out of the labor market so fewer people were competing for work.

The July jobs numbers from the Labor Department Friday marked a sharp setback for the American labor market and for Trump less than three months before his Republican party seeks to keep full control of Congress in the midterm election.

Forecasters had expected job creation to approach 100,000 last month.

Local public schools cut 50,000 jobs in July, restaurants and bars 26,000, retailers 19,000.

The 4.1% unemployment rate was the lowest since June 2025 – but it only fell because 264,000 people dropped out of the labor market last month. The share of those working or looking for work fell to 61.4%, the lowest since February 2021.

“We can't really put lipstick on a pig here,'' said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at the jobs website Glassdoor. ”This is not a great report for July.''

Manufacturing up, but public schools down

The Trump administration, which has imposed massive tariffs in an attempt to protect American industry and create manufacturing jobs, noted that jobs were up 22,000 at construction companies and 5,000 at factories.

“The Trump industrial resurgence is on schedule," said White House spokesman Kush Desai. "Manufacturing and factory construction jobs grew again in July even as government payrolls continued to significantly shrink.’’

Trump has long bragged that jobs have been increasing for native-born citizens in his economy, but that talking point was undermined by the July numbers. The White House declined to comment on why Friday's report showed that employment for native-born Americans dropped by 720,000 over the past 12 months. Those numbers can be quirky. They’re not adjusted for seasonal changes and are not seen as a reliable measure of total native-born employment. But the administration had latched onto them as evidence that Trump's immigration crackdown was benefiting people born in the United States.

To raise or not to raise

Policymakers at the Federal Reserve have been divided over whether to start raising interest to combat inflation that has exceeded their 2% target for more than five years. The Fed kept rates unchanged at its meeting last week — but three officials dissented from that decision in favor of a rate hike. Wall Street traders were expecting rate hikes later this year. Friday’s report may at least delay higher rates.

“The Fed has to consider the health of the job market as they debate whether a hike is justified,″ said Glassdoor’s Zhao. ”The softness in today’s report is going to have to give the Fed a little bit of pause.″

July wage gains were modest. Average hourly pay was up 3.2% last month from July 2025, the smallest year-over-year increase since May 2021. The smaller wage gains are coming at a time when American families are squeezed by the high cost of living.

“This is a bleak jobs report," said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "The U.S. labor market is stalling again and that is going to make the Federal Reserve’s job harder and life for job seekers rough.''

Women lost 32,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reports, accounting for all the job losses in July. But that marked a reversal in women’s fortunes: They still gained 321,000 jobs over the past 12 months; men lost 5,000 over that period.

Economists noted that private payrolls continued to grow in July and that the big drop in public school payrolls might have been a statistical glitch caused by seasonal adjustments.

Rebounding from a miserable 2025

Hiring had rebounded this year from a lackluster 2025 in the face of the conflict in the Persian Gulf that has sent energy prices surging and put a strain on family budgets. Job growth had been solid, if unspectacular. Some businesses are having trouble filling vacancies. Others are using technology to do the work humans used to do.

Americans who have jobs are enjoying unusual job security. Layoffs are low by historical standards. Companies, scarred by the surprise labor shortages that followed COVID-19 lockdowns a few years ago, don’t want to risk giving up the staff they have.

One week in July the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years. The jobless rate tumbled to 4.2% in June, the lowest in a year, and is expected to have stayed there last month, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

But Americans who have lost their jobs – or are seeking to bust into the job market for the first time – are struggling to catch a break.

Economists have used the term "no hire, no fire'' to describe the unusual job market conditions.

Hiring in the year to date remains weak

So far this year, employers are adding 61,000 jobs a month, up from 9,700 in 2025, the weakest hiring outside a recession since 2002. But job creation this year is well below the 2023-2024 average of 166,000 jobs a month — and it had been even higher during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed the end of COVID-19 lockdowns.

At least the United States doesn’t need as many jobs as it used to to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Trump’s immigration crackdown and the ongoing retirement of baby boomers mean fewer people are competing for work. So the “break-even’’ rate of monthly hiring, 155,000 in 2023-2024, has dropped, perhaps to nearly zero, according to a Federal Reserve study.

The jobs outlook is clouded by the ongoing fighting in the Persian Gulf, which has pushed up energy prices and squeezed family budgets, and by the rise of artificial intelligence, which could either make workers more efficient and better-paid -- or take their jobs.

In a report out this week, researchers Ingrid Chen, Marianna Kudlyak and Riva Mikhlin of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that landing a job has gotten tougher in the past couple of years – surprisingly so.

Normally, this deep into an economic expansion – it's been more than six years since the last recession – employers would need workers so badly that they’d be taking chances on young people and on those with less education. Not this time. “Instead of being pulled in, the pipeline into employment is shrinking such that the recovery is no longer reaching workers at the margins,’’ Chen, Kudlyak and Mikhlin write.

Moreover, the unemployed people who normally get back to work the fastest – those in their prime working years (25 to 54) and with college educations – are struggling to find new jobs. The San Francisco Fed researchers aren’t sure what’s making the job search so tough. They suspect it might have to do with the immigration crackdown, hiring slowdowns specifically at tech companies and government contractors, uncertainty over the direction of government policy or “early signals of broader labor market deterioration.’’

____

AP Business Writer Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this story.

The Houston Police Department said they got the call around 8:55 a.m. Friday in the 10400 block of Deerwood Road.

Law enforcement later confirmed with KPRC 2 the case is being investigated as a suicide.

The Plastics are taking over Queensbury Theatre as Mean Girls The Musical comes to Houston August 6^th–16^th.

Queensbury Theatre is presenting Houston’s regional premiere of the newly revised West End production, giving theatergoers a chance to experience a fresh take on the hit musical.

This London-inspired version includes updated scenes, new songs and creative changes that local audiences haven’t seen before.

Based on the hit 2004 film, the musical follows Cady Heron, a teenager who spent her childhood growing up on the African savanna before moving to suburban Illinois. As she navigates the complicated social hierarchy of high school, she finds herself caught in the orbit of The Plastics—the popular clique led by the confident and calculating Regina George.

Packed with sharp humor, catchy songs and heartfelt moments, Mean Girls The Musical reminds audiences that being yourself never goes out of style.

Get tickets and info --> HERE.

Tune into Houston Life at 1 p.m. as Derrick Shore and Lauren Kelly chat with cast members Abigail Bensman and Teresa Zimmerman, along with dancers Kahlil Cabble and Collins Rush, for a behind-the-scenes look at the production.

The Bills announced the signing, while a person with knowledge of the deal provided the monetary terms of the contract to The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal the contract's value.

For Beane, the agreement represented his latest major investment in keeping much of Buffalo's offensive line intact for the long term.

“We want to protect No. 17 and that’s where it all starts,” Beane said, referring to Allen’s jersey number. “Obviously there is going to be turnover, but we’ve tried to keep a stable group. I think that’s helped our offense be as successful as it has.”

Torrence’s new contract follows the the Bills re-signing center Connor McGovern to a four-year, $52 million contract to prevent him from entering free agency in March.

Buffalo’s line has stayed mostly intact since 2024. And the unit’s four returning starters from last season, including left tackle Dion Dawkins, are now under contract through at least 2027.

The 26-year-old Torrence was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft out of the University of Florida, and was entering the final season of his rookie contract.

He has 57 career starts, including playoffs, and was part of a line that allowed the NFL’s fewest sacks in both 2023 and 2024, and last season played a role in James Cook leading the league in yards rushing.

“He deserves every penny,” Allen said, of the player nicknamed ‘CyBo.’ “He’s been so steady for us the last few years. He’s going to continue to get better. CyBo’s just that guy on the team where you ask anybody, I don’t think anybody could say a bad thing about O’Cyrus Torrence. He’s the ultimate teammate.”

The only change along Buffalo's line entering this season is at left guard, with Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett competing for the starting job left open following David Edwards’ free-agent departure to New Orleans in March.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

According to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, the incident began around 8:20 p.m. when the child’s parents drove to an Exxon gas station at 25819 Cypresswood Drive, where deputies were already on scene.

• Erik Arceneaux sentenced to life in prison for murder of Houston mother Maria Jimenez-Rodriguez

Officials said the child was unconscious and not breathing when the family arrived. Deputies immediately began rendering aid and performed life-saving measures until EMS arrived.

The child was transported to a nearby hospital, where the child is being treated. Officials have not released the child’s condition.

Following the incident, detectives responded to the hospital and launched an investigation into the possibility of foul play.

• Woman charged with making bomb threat at Bush Airport

Investigators also secured a second scene at the family’s home in the 3000 block of Rendezvous Court in Spring. Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Harris County Precinct 4 investigators remained at the home Friday morning, collecting evidence as part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not said what led to the child’s medical emergency or why detectives are investigating the case as possible foul play. No arrests have been announced.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has taken over the investigation.

Karlos Butler, 49, was pronounced dead at 4:11 p.m. Aug. 5, at St. Joseph Hospital, authorities said.

Officials said Butler collapsed for unknown reasons at about 2:55 p.m. inside the processing center. He received medical attention at the facility before being transported by ambulance to the hospital.

• Houston police investigating reports of a body found in wooded area near Buffalo Bayou, Beltway 8

Butler had been in custody since Aug. 4, when he was booked by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 12:55 p.m. on a charge of possession of a controlled substance, officials said. He had been in custody for two days.

The death was reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, according to officials.

The Houston Police Department is investigating. The sheriff’s office Internal Affairs Division is also conducting a review, which officials said is standard after a death in custody, to determine whether policies and procedures were followed.

An autopsy is pending, and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will determine Butler’s cause of death.

“I saw Texas the other day sort of is against data centers,” Trump said in a nearly hourlong sit-down interview with Punchbowl News released Friday. “I think it’s a mistake. And I’m not taking positions, I just think it’s a mistake, because there are other communities that want it. When a community wants it, it means a lot of money is going to come into that community.”

Abbott’s spokesperson in a statement Friday defended the policy move as necessary because less than 10% of data centers responded to the state’s requests for them to report their power and water usage.

“Many are unaware that [the Electric Reliability Council of Texas] is tracking a more than 500% increase in peak electricity demand. This unprecedented growth could endanger the reliability and stability of the Texas electric grid,” Andrew Mahaleris said. “The Governor’s pause requires data centers to provide [Public Utility Commission of Texas] and ERCOT with the required information for them to make fully informed decisions. Simply put, Texans must come first.”

The moratorium, which Abbott announced Monday, will require state regulatory agencies to audit proposed data centers seeking connection to the state’s electric grid and find out whether they’re receiving tax breaks, how much power and water they will use, what kind of cooling they will use, what efforts they’ve made to reduce community impacts, and who owns the facilities.

Any projects that fail Abbott’s ordered “comprehensive verification and audit” should be denied connection to the grid, the governor said.

The move was in contrast to the Republican’s typical pro-business stature, underlining how the data center debate has put Texas conservatives between Trump and angry constituents in rural, unincorporated areas where The Texas Tribune has reported most planned data centers are set to be located. Texans have mobilized across the state to oppose the new developments, airing concerns that the facilities will drain local water supplies, drive up electric bills and cause noise, light and air pollution.

Abbott’s announcement came after he had previously been bullish about the industry, calling Texas “epicenter of AI development” in November when he unveiled Google’s $40 billion investment in the state that included data center facility development.

The three-term governor’s Democratic opponent, Gina Hinojosa, has made greater oversight of data centers a key piece of her campaign.

“Abbott’s call for a ‘pause’ could be for one day – and no one buys it,” she said in a statement this week. “He’s taken millions from data center CEOs while giving Texans lip service to non-existent restrictions.”

Trump went on to say that data centers are “tremendously important for the economics.”

“For Texas to say no to data centers is a mistake in the sense that it could be bigger than oil,” he added. enters are set to be located. Texans have mobilized across the state to oppose the new developments, airing concerns that the facilities will drain local water supplies, drive up electric bills and cause noise, light and air pollution.

Abbott’s announcement came after he had previously been bullish about the industry, calling Texas “epicenter of AI development” in November when he unveiled Google’s $40 billion investment in the state that included data center facility development.

The three-term governor’s Democratic opponent, Gina Hinojosa, has made greater oversight of data centers a key piece of her campaign.

“Abbott’s call for a ‘pause’ could be for one day – and no one buys it,” she said in a statement this week. “He’s taken millions from data center CEOs while giving Texans lip service to non-existent restrictions.”

Trump went on to say that data centers are “tremendously important for the economics.”

“For Texas to say no to data centers is a mistake in the sense that it could be bigger than oil,” he added.

Disclosure: Google and Punchbowl News 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.

The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to statements from all three countries.

The so-called “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” between the three Sunni Muslim-majority states brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. It would increase cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war in Iran.

Commitment to joint deterrence

"The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all," the statements read.

“It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three States,” the statements said.

Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.

In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that also defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both.

The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon.

The deal highlights how far relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey have shifted toward alignment and partnership, after being highly strained just a few years ago, including over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul by Saudi operatives.

Iran criticizes the deal

In Iran, Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, criticized the deal on X, saying it would not bring security to Saudi Arabia.

“The Saudis should know that a paper agreement with Turkey and Pakistan will not bring them security, just as years of one-sided ‘milking’ by the Americans did not bring them security. Change your policies so that you do not have to #BegForSecurity from others,” he wrote.

Saudi Arabia says deal is not a military axis or religious bloc

A statement from Saudi Arabia insisted that the agreement does not amount to a military pact and would not affect the kingdom's existing partnerships.

“The agreement does not represent any orientation toward building a military axis or sectarian/religious bloc, and it is not linked to nuclear endeavors or an arms race, but rather to building sustainable self-reliant capabilities,” the statement read. "The agreement does not come at the expense of the Kingdom’s strategic and strong relations at the Gulf, Arab, and international levels."

Erdogan said the agreement was based on “collective deterrence” and would deepen cooperation in defense, support joint defense industry projects and bolster efforts to combat terrorism.

“The agreement, which also reaffirms the right of defense as defined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, targets no country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries that aim for the peace, prosperity, and stability of our region,” the Turkish president said on X.

A Turkish government official described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature” and “not against any specific actor.” The deal does not annul or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements between these states or with other states and organizations, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

Long‑standing security ties

Sharif described the agreement as a “historic pact” that would serve as a “shield of peace” for the three countries and the wider Muslim community.

In a post on X, he also praised Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying his “untiring efforts and utmost dedication” had contributed significantly to the agreement.

In Islamabad, defense analyst Abdullah Khan described the agreement as a natural evolution and formalization of decades of strategic ties among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, saying a changing regional security environment and the evolving nature of warfare had increased the need for closer cooperation.

Khan said the pact was “purely defensive” and not directed against any country, with collective deterrence intended to raise the cost of aggression and prevent conflict.

The analyst said the three countries bring complementary strengths to the arrangement: Pakistan’s military experience and expertise in managing escalation, Saudi Arabia’s economic strength and regional influence, and Turkey’s advanced defense technology and industrial capabilities.

Abdolreza Davari, an Iranian analyst and former politician, downplayed the risks the new defense pact poses to Tehran as it seeks to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has already shown it can stand up to two of the world’s leading military powers – the U.S. and its ally Israel, he said.

“What difference does it make? Will it be more difficult than the pressure the U.S. and Israel have created on Iran? Is the power of the U.S. and Israel greater or these three countries?” he said in a phone call from Tehran.

Turkey and Pakistan unlikely to engage in large troop deployment

Hamish Kinnear, a Middle East analyst for the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said Turkey and Pakistan were unlikely to send large numbers of troops to assist Saudi Arabia. The deal was expected to allow deeper coordination in diplomacy, defense production, and technology transfer.

“Token deployments are possible, but it is doubtful that Ankara and Islamabad want to become heavily involved in an anti-Houthi military operation. Pakistan, which already held a bilateral collective defense pact with Saudi Arabia, has not been a significant partner in anti-Houthi operations so far,” Kinnear said in an emailed note.

“More likely is increased Ankara-Islamabad-Riyadh coordination on diplomacy, weapons development and technological transfer, with Saudi capital boosting the defense sectors of Turkey and Pakistan,” he added.

Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, director of the Ankara office for The German Marshall Fund think tank, said the agreement was the culmination of the countries’ shared concerns over regional fragmentation, civil conflict, and armed non-state groups.

“This is a reflection of their growing desire for greater regional stability,” Unluhisarcikli said.

__

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Amir-Hussein Radjy contributed from Washington.

Harris County Criminal Court Judge Alex Salgado in Houston dismissed the criminal charge Thursday at the request of the Harris County district attorney's office following Harden's completion of an alternative resolution program. Such programs allow defendants to avoid a criminal conviction by doing community service. Court documents don't detail the terms of Harden's agreement.

Harden was arrested June 13 in Houston after police found that he had a handgun in his vehicle. Texas law makes it a misdemeanor to have a gun “in plain view” in a vehicle without a license, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

Neither the district attorney's office nor Harden's attorney in Houston immediately responded to email and phone messages Friday seeking comment. The Cavaliers also did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Harden, 36, finished his 17th NBA season in May when the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks swept the Cavs in four games in the Eastern Conference finals. He averaged 23.6 points per game during the regular season, playing in 70 of 82 games.

He has said he'd like to remain with the Cavaliers, but he declined to exercise a $42.3 million option to return next season in favor of a longer contract. A deal has not been finalized.

Harden is an 11-time All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA selection. He earned MVP honors in the 2017-18 season while playing for the Houston Rockets, averaging 30.4 points per game. Harden led the Rockets to the Western Conference finals where they lost to the Golden State Warriors.

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This story has been corrected to show that the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals in the 2017-18 season, and didn’t win the Eastern Conference.

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

John Gannon said he and his fiancée, Yasmin Carolina Suarez Reyes, arrived at the airport July 24 for a trip to Las Vegas, where they planned to attend a furniture convention.

Because the security lines were long, Gannon said the couple decided to enroll in CLEAR. They passed through security and went to the United Club while waiting for their flight.

“As we came out of the United Club, there were eight officers there that swarmed her,” Gannon said. “Nobody told us anything about any charges. They didn’t even identify themselves.”

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The officers were with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Gannon and Suarez Reyes’ attorney. Suarez Reyes never made it to her gate and is now being held at the Montgomery Processing Center.

“I couldn’t believe it was happening,” Gannon said.

Who is Yasmin Suarez Reyes?

Suarez Reyes is a citizen of Venezuela and Spain.

According to a federal habeas corpus petition filed by her attorney, Anne Kennedy, Suarez Reyes entered the United States legally on Oct. 24, 2023, using her Spanish passport through the Visa Waiver Program. She was authorized to remain in the country until Jan. 21, 2024.

The petition states Suarez Reyes filed an affirmative asylum application on Jan. 19, 2024, two days before her authorized stay expired. That application remains pending.

A pending asylum application does not by itself grant lawful immigration status. However, Kennedy argues Suarez Reyes was permitted to remain in the country while the government considered her application. She also had a valid employment authorization document and Texas driver’s license, according to the federal filing.

Kennedy said Suarez Reyes has no criminal history and was not restricted from traveling domestically.

“She had the legal right to travel in the United States as she was doing,” Kennedy said. “This is an extreme deviation in immigration policy, and it’s really unprecedented.”

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U-visa application connected to domestic violence case

Suarez Reyes is also pursuing a U-visa after the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office certified her as the victim of a crime.

U-visas are available to certain crime victims who suffered substantial physical or mental abuse and assisted law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting the crime. Certification from a law enforcement agency is required, but it does not guarantee that a U-visa will be approved.

A July 28 parole request from Kennedy said Suarez Reyes was waiting for the Fort Bend County certification before completing the formal U-visa application. The federal habeas petition, filed three days later, states that the application had been filed.

Kennedy argued that Suarez Reyes’ asylum case, U-visa claim, lack of criminal history and ties to the Houston area made her a strong candidate for release.

The attorney asked ICE to release Suarez Reyes through its Alternatives to Detention program and said she would agree to wear an ankle monitor and comply with all reporting requirements.

In a July 31 email responding to a second parole request, an ICE deportation officer wrote that Enforcement and Removal Operations had not received an order requiring Suarez Reyes’ release.

“Without an order of release, ERO is unable to release the Subject,” the officer wrote.

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Federal lawsuit seeks her release

Kennedy filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Southern District of Texas on July 31, arguing Suarez Reyes was arrested and detained without proper legal authority and in violation of her constitutional right to due process.

The petition also argues that ICE failed to follow its own policies when it detained Suarez Reyes before she received an asylum interview.

An immigration judge has since declined to set a bond, according to Kennedy, after determining the immigration court did not have the authority to do so. Kennedy is now asking a federal district judge to hold an emergency hearing and order Suarez Reyes’ release.

The petition also points to Suarez Reyes’ relationship with Gannon. The couple has undergone premarital counseling through the Catholic Church and was preparing to pursue a marriage-based green card, according to Kennedy.

The filing argues Suarez Reyes’ continued detention is interfering with the couple’s ability to marry.

“She is physically in jail, in prison conditions,” Kennedy said. “ICE itself, as an agency, has the ability to release her on parole. They can put her on an ankle monitor. They can release her from actual jail. ICE has said no to that.”

Gannon said Suarez Reyes is being held with dozens of other women and has limited access to phones or tablets.

“It’s starting to really wear on her. She wants out badly,” said Gannon.

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Trump voter: ‘I didn’t vote for that’

Gannon described himself as a staunch Republican and confirmed that he voted for Trump.

He said he supported the administration’s promise to remove dangerous criminals but did not expect immigration enforcement to target people such as Suarez Reyes, who has no criminal record.

“I didn’t vote for that,” Gannon said. “I had voted for, you know, get the criminals out.”

Kennedy also described herself as a lifelong registered Republican and a board-certified immigration attorney. She said the case does not fit neatly into partisan politics.

“This is not a right or a left problem. It’s an American problem,” Kennedy said. “These are our friends and neighbors.”

Gannon said the detention has consumed his life as he contacts attorneys and elected officials and considers different ways to secure Suarez Reyes’ release.

“It’s taken quite a toll,” Gannon said. “That’s all we talk about. I’m getting constant emails. We’re coming up with different strategies. We’re trying to call people for their help.”

• ICE will release body camera video only when seen in the agency’s ‘best interests’

New asylum directive took effect after her arrest

Three days after Suarez Reyes was detained, the Department of Homeland Security announced an immediate change to how some pending asylum applications may be processed.

Under the interim final rule announced July 27, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may refer an asylum application directly to an immigration judge without first interviewing the applicant.

Previously, USCIS generally interviewed people who submitted affirmative asylum applications outside removal proceedings. If USCIS did not approve the application, the case could then be referred to an immigration judge for another review.

DHS said the change is intended to reduce the asylum backlog and prevent people from using asylum applications to delay immigration enforcement or obtain work authorization.

“For far too long the asylum system has been exploited for purposes of delay and work authorization, not legitimate claims of protection,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in the announcement.

The rule took effect immediately, although USCIS said it would accept public comments before issuing a final rule.

The directive was issued after Suarez Reyes’ July 24 arrest and does not specifically address airport enforcement, information sharing with TSA or the circumstances under which ICE may detain a traveler.

Kennedy argues Suarez Reyes should have received an initial interview with the USCIS asylum office under the procedures in effect when she was detained. Instead, according to the federal petition, ICE referred her case to an immigration judge.

The petition states a credible-fear interview was scheduled for July 30, but no hearing took place. It also states the immigration case was dismissed after the government failed to prosecute it.

“At the time of her arrest by ICE, she was a proper affirmative asylum applicant and entitled to an initial interview by the U.S. Asylum Office,” Kennedy argued in the petition.

Airport arrests increasing nationwide

A Department of Homeland Security official told NBC News that ICE is now making between 20 and 40 arrests at airports nationwide each day, compared with fewer than 10 per day in May 2025.

Gannon believes the couple’s enrollment in CLEAR may have alerted federal authorities to Suarez Reyes’ presence. Kennedy also questioned whether information shared among CLEAR, the Transportation Security Administration and ICE led to the arrest.

When asked about the increase in immigration arrests at airports, ICE provided the following statement:

“For years, the media sat silently while the prior administration allowed illegal aliens from countries across the globe – including countries that have been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism – to travel domestically by air without proper identification endangering national security and public safety. Immediately upon re-taking office, the current administration brought an end to those reckless practices and restored the commonsense immigration policies that have been on the books for decades. ICE will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws without apology regardless of these attempts to sensationalize routine immigration enforcement activities.

“Information sharing between law enforcement agencies is routine. Attempts by the media to characterize it as improper will not deter ICE from enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.”

The statement did not address Suarez Reyes’ case specifically, explain the legal basis for her detention or confirm whether her enrollment in CLEAR led to her arrest.

DHS released the following statement:

“On July 24, ICE arrested Yasmin Suarez Reyes, an illegal alien from Venezuela. On October 24, 2023, she lawfully entered the U.S. and illegally overstayed her lawful admission which expired on January 19, 2024. Pending applications do NOT confer legal status. All of her claims will be heard by a Justice Department immigration judge, and she will receive full due process. This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.

We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."

Cassandra Barksdale and her attorneys filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Kaiser Permanente alleging the mix-up led to the surgery and months of physical and emotional pain.

According to the lawsuit, another patient's tissue sample was mistakenly labeled as belonging to Barksdale, who at age 43 then underwent a full hysterectomy on May 15, 2025, and was told she would get instructions about chemotherapy.

It's unclear how the mix-up occurred. In September, Barksdale was informed that a DNA analysis found the tissue sample showing an aggressive form of endometrial uterine cancer belonged to a different patient and not to her, the lawsuit says.

“She came into Kaiser Permanente looking for answers, and she left with a diagnosis that did not belong to her. And every step that was taken after that was based off of misinformation,” her attorney Shannan Young said.

Barksdale went to Kaiser Permanente Southwood Medical Center in Jonesboro, Georgia, in early 2025 to seek treatment for heavy bleeding and fibroids, which are noncancerous growths in and around the uterus. She underwent a biopsy on March 10, 2025.

Barksdale said that after she got the biopsy results on March 17, 2025, she lived for months believing she had an aggressive type of cancer, sending her and her sons into a deep depression.

“I even started making funeral plans with them to let them know, you know, if I don’t make it out, this is what I want done,” Barksdale said.

Representatives for Kaiser Permanente wrote in a statement that, “Ms. Barksdale should not have experienced this.”

“We have highly trained staff and very thorough processes in place to prevent errors like this from taking place. After this occurred last year, we took immediate steps to ensure it could not happen again. We realize the impact of this incident and are committed to working with Ms. Barksdale and her counsel to resolve this in the most fair and accountable way we can.”

Because of privacy laws, information about the other patient — including what happened to her and whether cancer treatment was delayed — isn’t publicly available.

It is not clear just how often pathology samples are mislabeled or mixed-up during medical testing. An Ohio woman filed a similar lawsuit saying a 2019 error on a biopsy led to a misdiagnosis of lung cancer and unneeded surgery. Researchers studying prostate cancer discovered three cases of biopsy sample misidentification over two years, according to a 2011 research paper.

Labs have turned to a number of best practices to try and prevent errors, including barcode systems for specimen labeling and point-of-care testing.

The Georgia lawsuit asks for unspecified damages.

“There’s no amount of money that’s going to return back to her, her healthy organs, or erase the experiences and the pain that she’s had. But our justice system recognizes that when somebody’s negligence harms another person, accountability requires more than ‘I’m sorry,'” Young said.

___

Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters at a military testing range in Michigan that the effort will cut months and sometimes years of the red tape that typically stifles military contractors. He pledged to grant companies access to ranges in the U.S. or those belonging to allies abroad within 30 days of them making a request through an online marketplace that went live Friday.

“It can take 12 to 18 months for a company that wants to go test the thing that can make a soldier’s life better, that can increase their lethality and that can keep them safer," Driscoll said. "That is not sufficient.”

The announcement comes as warfare rapidly changes around the globe, from the swarms of Shahed drones that Iran launched against American forces in the Middle East to Ukraine's innovations in drone technology while defending against Russia's invasion. But the Army is also opening its ranges as the Pentagon grapples with the costs of the Iran war, which has diminished the nation's stockpiles of advanced weapons that sometimes cost millions of dollars for a single missile or interceptor.

Driscoll told The Associated Press that policy changes such as making test ranges more accessible were driven in part by his observations of the war in Ukraine and how quickly that country has moved to produce new weapon systems. The Army secretary had been a key interlocutor during talks between Russia and Ukraine last year before those negotiations stalled.

Pentagon leaders have been trying to increase the tempo of production by incentivizing smaller companies to enter the market to build cheap and effective weapons. Driscoll told reporters that the Army aims to “break down every single barrier that we have put up over the last 20 or 30 years.”

“We are inviting industry to get in the mud with our soldiers, to innovate, to invest behind them,” Driscoll said in a roundtable call. “And then our commitment as an Army is we will purchase the things that will make our soldiers more lethal, more safe, and keep our country safer.”

The first company to take advantage of the new program has tested a new cruise missile at the Army’s missile test range in Morocco.

Abby Denburg, an executive with Covenant Industries, said the company “demonstrated not only the performance of the Anthem missile but also a repeatable pathway now available to every company.”

The program allows drone and missile companies to use five Army ranges to test new rockets, drones and anti-drone weapons even if that company does not have a military contract.

The effort to get weapons faster to the battlefield comes as a recent think tank analysis found that the conflict with Iran has used up more of the U.S. military’s already diminished stockpiles of advanced interceptors such as Patriot and THAAD missiles that are used to defend against air threats such as missiles and drones.

The analysis, conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also noted that this shortfall could force the U.S. and its Middle Eastern allies to take more risks to conserve those air defenses.

President Donald Trump has pushed back on media coverage about the issue, telling reporters Thursday that “we need more all the time.” He claimed that certain kinds of munitions are in “virtually unlimited supply” and others are “a little bit tighter.” He didn’t offer more specifics.

Driscoll deflected questions about the nation's munitions stockpiles. He said that “we have a larger arsenal than any nation in the history of the world, and we will have an even larger arsenal with new and different and layered defenses.”

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Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

The now-finalized rule, which was unveiled Thursday and kicks in Sept. 10, applies to certain aircraft under three Boeing 737 Max models: the 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200. The FAA estimates this covers 471 planes — and said it is using this directive to address “the unsafe condition" tied to prior reports.

So far, no cracks have been found in these specific Max models. But when proposing the rule back in November, the FAA noted it had received reports of cracks in a forward bear strap for several older, “Next-Generation” 737 planes. Bear straps are metal sheets that reinforce areas on planes like doorways and emergency exits.

The Max jets have “a similar design and build process” to the older models, “making those airplanes susceptible to the same crack condition,” the FAA wrote in November. The agency warned that the issue could “adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane" if not addressed.

In a statement, Boeing said that it previously identified and reported this issue — and “has been working with operators on it over the past six years.”

The Virginia-based aircraft maker said it sent operators inspection instructions for the affected Next Generation 737s back in 2019, and the FAA later mandated those checks in 2021. The company added that it had already expanded those inspections to Max jets — and the FAA's latest directive now similarly mandates that process.

“We support both directives and continue to support our airline customers,” Boeing said in a statement.

The FAA noted Thursday that its directive also requires inspections of the fuselage skin of planes with existing repairs.

Boeing has been battered by years of safety, quality and production challenges — notably in the aftermath of two deadly crashes involving the larger Max 8 that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, as well as a 2024 incident in which a panel flew off one its Max 9 planes operated by Alaska Airlines midflight.

Just last month, the FAA said Boeing would again be allowed to take responsibility for certifying all of its 737 Max and 787 planes.

Judges in the northern Moroccan city of Tetouan found the taxi drivers guilty of “facilitating the illegal exit of Moroccans and foreigners through unauthorized border points” and “transporting passengers without a license,” after they drove clients to the Moroccan border town of Fnideq, according to excerpts of the ruling on the Justice Ministry website.

The drivers were sentenced Monday after appearing before prosecutors without defense representation due to a nationwide lawyers’ strike. They retain the right to appeal. One vehicle was confiscated by authorities.

Dozens in pre-trial detention

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights said on Friday that 111 people are in pretrial detention following the recent Ceuta events. Charges include mass rebellion, assaulting public officials and obstruction of traffic, it said.

Morocco’s Justice Ministry and the public prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Labor unions, including the national taxi union, condemned the sentences as “shocking and harsh,” noting in a statement that “no official decision was issued imposing restrictions on passenger transport.”

“Taxi drivers cannot be held responsible for what happened,” Ali Younes, secretary general of the Tetouan branch of the national taxi union told The Associated Press. “They were punished simply for providing a public service.”

Fueled by false social media rumors that the border was open and economic hardship, tens of thousands of Moroccans crossed or swam into Ceuta, a Spanish city that sits on the North African coast, triggering a crisis resonating across Europe.

More than 80 people died on both sides of the border. Nearly all of the migrants who survived were expelled by Spanish authorities or returned voluntarily after seeing they were unwelcome. An estimated 1,000 minors remain, their future uncertain.

Officials in Spain take apart a major trafficking network

Meanwhile, European Union police agency Europol on Friday announced that an international police operation led by Spanish authorities dismantled a major criminal network involved in trafficking migrants, drugs and weapons across the Western Mediterranean. The operation resulted in 78 arrests in Spain and Algeria in June, weeks before the migrant surge into Ceuta.

The change comes a year ahead of schedule. Kellogg said last August that it would remove synthetic dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.

But the company said Thursday it has identified fruit- and vegetable-based juices that will give cereals like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks their distinctive colors. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company said it has also invested in equipment that will allow it to transition to natural colors.

The company said it is also removing BHT, an artificial preservative, from the small number of cereals that still contain it.

“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations even sooner than planned,” Kellogg’s Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.

Kellogg has faced pressure for years to remove artificial ingredients from its cereals, which it has already done in other countries like Canada. In 2024, dozens of people rallied outside Kellogg's headquarters and delivered petitions with 400,000 signatures asking the company to remove artificial dyes and BHT.

That pressure has grown under President Donald Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to phase out petroleum-based artificial dyes. Last August, Kellogg also signed an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying it would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027.

Retailers are also forcing companies to act. Earlier this year, Target said it would stop selling cereals that contain artificial colors by the end of May. Walmart has also said it will remove artificial colors from its store brands by January 2027.

The incident was verified at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

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Authorities say the crash involves a heavy truck and a hazardous materials spill, blocking the:

• Left shoulder
• Right shoulder
• Left lane
• Center lane
• Right lane

Only one westbound lane remained open Friday morning as crews work to respond to the incident and clean up the spill. As of 10:50 a.m., all lanes have been reopened.

The defense attorneys filed a motion for release in Miami federal court, where a judge will next week determine if the brothers should stay in jail or be released during what could be a monthslong extradition process.

The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors must file a response to the motion by Monday.

The detention hearing is likely to be the first time the Tates leave the Federal Detention Center in Miami since making a brief court appearance two days after their July 18 arrest. The Tates have become among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities with their promotion of wealth, male dominance and misogyny through their social media empire. The new allegations are the latest in the Tates' long-running international legal saga spanning the U.S., Britain and Romania.

The brothers claim special circumstances for their release

The defense motion acknowledges there is a presumption against bond in extradition proceedings but argues that release can be granted in special circumstances. It says the Tates’ high profile makes it nearly impossible for them to flee, and that they regularly post updates about their locations on social media.

Prosecutors call the brothers a flight risk but their attorneys said they have proved they are not, by complying with all pretrial restrictions in Romania, where they are accused of luring women for sexual exploitation.

“Every prediction the government now asks this Court to make about the brothers’ future conduct — that they will flee if released — has already been made and answered by three years of data showing that they do not flee,” the motion says.

The U.K. has until mid-September to provide evidence to the State Department to support extradition, meaning the brothers could spend months in FDC Miami before the proceedings are resolved, the motion says. No date has been set for an extradition hearing. They are being held in a special unit for their own protection.

“The Tates have limited contact with their families, no television, no radio, and no commissary access,” the motion says. “They sleep without pillows, on bunks shorter than they are tall.”

It says holding a detainee who hasn't been convicted of a crime under such conditions violates due process.

They have a history of legal troubles

The brothers have long claimed that their violent and misogynistic statements have been taken out of context or were intended as jokes.

The former professional kickboxers, who have dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship, have millions of social media followers and are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump. The White House has said the brothers shouldn't expect any help from the president.

British prosecutors said the new charges relate to four new accusers and were brought after authorities received evidence from police in Bedfordshire, in southeastern England. The allegations, which span from 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.”

The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other accusers in the U.K. between 2012 and 2015.

The brothers moved to Romania in 2016 and were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations, and the Romanian case hasn't moved forward due to legal and procedural problems.

The Tates' attorneys have said the Romanian court has granted a U.K. request for extradition that will take effect after Romanian proceedings conclude.

“What the United Kingdom seeks now is to shop for a second forum and a second judge in order to jump ahead of the Romanian proceedings and bypass the Romanian order that deferred surrender of the brothers,” the motion said. “The Court should decline and release the brothers on conditions.”

Andrew Tate, 39, became famous a decade ago when he was a contestant on the U.K. reality television show “Big Brother.” He was ejected from the show when a video appeared to show him assaulting a woman.

He has amassed over 10 million followers on X but has been banned from other platforms, including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, for violating hate speech guidelines. He has made widely condemned comments, such as saying women who are sexually assaulted should bear some responsibility for the attacks and sharing graphic descriptions of how he might attack women.

Tristan Tate, 38, has worked with his brother on multiple businesses, including the production of online webcam pornography.

Zendaya’s angelic strapless gown with feathered white wings was the work of Matières Fécales — yes, in English, Fecal Matter — the Paris-based, high-end fashion house founded in Montreal over a decade ago that’s, seemingly suddenly, everywhere.

Why Matières Fécales is called ... that

The design duo behind Matières Fécales, Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose Dalton, have aimed to subvert beauty with their own alien-like personal style, including dramatic white makeup, shaved heads and eyebrows, and skin boots made to look like realistic feet.

Bhaskaran and Dalton started the brand as students at Collège LaSalle Montréal, going from selling designs on the secondhand shopping platform Depop to showcasing collections at Paris Fashion Week. The designers have said the name reflects their view of the fashion industry, a perspective they initially summed up with a more vulgar word.

“There’s no other word for it, but how can we say it in a glamorous way? So we’re like, ‘fecal matter’ is the scientific word for it,” Dalton recalled to Vogue last year, adding they translated it into French, which “sounds way more glamorous.” Bhaskaran told the “Fashion Neurosis” podcast in March that the name was also intended to “challenge the wasteful side of fashion.”

A representative for Matières Fécales said the designers were not available for comment.

Despite the visceral name, tastemakers from Lady Gaga to Kylie Jenner are embracing their designs.

“There is this beautiful tension in their work between the finesse and the decaying, and the strong and the soft,” celebrity stylist Brad Goreski told The Associated Press.

And after years of building a cult following, they were taken under the wings of Dover Street Market in 2024, after first meeting its president, Adrian Joffe, backstage at a Madonna show. The global retail and concept stores offer emerging brands development support, from production and distribution to sales.

Kristen Bateman, a longtime fashion and culture writer who has attended all three of the designers’ Paris Fashion Week shows, said their rise is driven by the industry’s desire to see something new.

“If you’re looking at the high-fashion brands like Chanel and Dior, it all sort of starts to blend together,” she said. “And this feels like it’s in its own category. ... You can’t replicate it.”

From cult status to Paris Fashion Week

Milan Tanedjikov, a Collège LaSalle Montréal design teacher, had a front-row seat to Dalton and Bhaskaran's rise and says they have finally found the balance between their art and fashion.

“They have created this, like, very interesting organism together,” he said.

The designers were invited onto the official calendar for Paris Fashion Week last year, debuting “The Other,” a collection they described as an ode to being fearless with identity. It featured a collaboration pairing their striking curved-heel design with Christian Louboutin’s signature red sole.

“At their very core, what drives them is absolute freedom of expression, and they want to push the boundaries of what is human,” Tanedjikov said.

In March, during Paris Fashion Week, the duo unveiled “The One Percent,” with models theatrically strutting with red paint on white opera gloves and wearing eye masks made of dollar bills. The collection showcased how “power affects us all,” they wrote on Instagram.

“What they were able to build in such a small amount of time is really insane in terms of world building and creating their world,” Augustin Maunier, Dover Street Market's director of brand development, said. “There’s real storytelling behind it.”

The show's theme was a stark contrast to the billionaires who had been sitting front row at other fashion week shows. At this year’s Met Gala, where Jeff Bezos was an honorary chair, actor Sarah Paulson wore a voluminous, gray, distressed ball gown from the collection, paired with the eye-covering money mask.

Goreski pulled from “The One Percent” for Demi Moore's wardrobe as a Cannes Film Festival jury member, telling the AP he wanted something new for Moore. Moore's frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks. In 20 years of dressing Moore, Goreski said she hardly ever chooses a full-skirt “cupcake” shape, but that she fell for the designers’ artistic vision and storytelling.

“They’re designing clothes for themselves,” he said. “That’s authentically them, but they’re bringing it to like a whole other audience.”

Find their clothes on Lady Gaga and a Dunkin’ ad

Early supporters of the brand fittingly included boundary-breaking performers Madonna and Lady Gaga. Madonna even invited them to DJ on her tour in 2023 and they've designed custom looks for Gaga’s live performances, including Coachella. At this year's Grammys, Gaga wore a high-neck, feathered, black gown from the designers, a dark angel to Zendaya’s heavenly “Odyssey” look.

Now, though, their bold designs are going beyond red carpets. In a television ad for Dunkin’, Kylie Jenner wore a blush-pink, satin, structured blazer with over-the-top shoulder pads, a designer choice that generated some amusement online from those previously unfamiliar with the brand's name.

The designers created a distressed Victorian-style dress for model Gabbriette Bechtel's wedding to musician Matty Healy, a first for the brand. With their next Paris Fashion Week show set for September, fashion connoisseurs are eagerly waiting to see what’s next.

“We’re rooting for them because they’re younger designers who have something to say,” fashion commentator Hanan Besovic, who posts online as @Ideservecouture, said.

Infantino is facing a revolt after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

The Norwegian federation held a meeting on Thursday and president Lise Klaveness said the decision had been made to ask Infantino to resign.

“When trust is gone, leadership must also be assessed. We therefore believe that Gianni Infantino’s time as FIFA President should be over, and ask him to resign," Klaveness said via translation.

The announcement is the latest blow for Infantino as the fallout continues over his controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

European soccer's governing body UEFA said Thursday its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions remained in place despite FIFA abandoning and apologizing for its failed plan.

It reiterated its stance that it had lost confidence in Infantino.

Earlier this week Infantino appeared to have held off the potential of an internal revolt during a summit meeting with top staff in Rabat, Morocco.

FIFA said the president had been given the full support of those in attendance.

But UEFA's response, followed by Norway's direct call for him to resign shows the sense of anger from Europe, in particular, remains strong.

The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election next March.

He did, however, receive backing from Mexico’s federation.

The Norwegian federation said it would raise concerns with FIFA regarding FFE, the peace prize awarded to Donald Trump and the suspension of Folarin Balogun's one-match ban at the World Cup.

“FIFA needs new leadership to rebuild trust, strengthen good governance and ensure that the organization’s own reforms are actually implemented," Klaveness said.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

That background sounds ideal for a U.S. Senate hopeful in a Deep South state run for generations by white conservatives.

Except Colom is a Democrat. And a Black man.

So, he's an underdog in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a white Donald Trump acolyte seeking her second full term. Yet several variables — Colom’s biography, Mississippi’s demographics, lingering inflation and Hyde-Smith's understated profile — make for a wildcard matchup as Republicans defend their 53-47 Senate majority at the midpoint of Trump's second presidency.

“Mississippi matters,” Colom insisted throughout a recent day of campaigning.

He told The Associated Press he has a rare opportunity to flip the state's usual script by casting Hyde-Smith as a rubber stamp while deflecting broadsides that he's a liberal misfit.

“I’m going to fight the corruption that we’re seeing in D.C. that’s making everything less affordable,” he said, zeroing in on Trump’s tariffs, the Iran war and the Republican-controlled Congress’ capitulation on both. “Our junior senator has totally given away our voice. She’s not worried about us at all.”

Through aides, Hyde-Smith declined an interview. But her campaign manager projected confidence.

“No one believes in Scott Colom except for Scott Colom,” said Jake Monssen, tagging the challenger as a stooge of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and billionaire donor George Soros, whose family backed Colom's district attorney races.

Schumer recently held a fundraiser for Colom, and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland's first Black senator, traveled to Mississippi to support him as Democrats look for every path to Senate control. She predicted more senators will follow.

“I can guarantee you one thing,” Alsobrooks said, "I’m not the last.”

As they campaigned together, Colom cited a famous biblical long shot while alluding to his state's history at the vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement.

“We know a little something about David and Goliath in Mississippi," he said.

The outcome hinges on ‘simple math’

Mississippi’s fraught history with racism is never far below the surface.

Colom’s weekend featured a voting rights discussion at Jackson’s Farish Street Baptist Church, where Medgar Evers, the NAACP leader killed by white supremacists in 1963, held organizing meetings. One of Evers’ successors embraced Colom's candidacy as the next step in a long struggle.

“Mississippi is not just a moral argument,” said state NAACP Executive Director Charles Taylor. “It is simple math.”

Black voters make up a larger share of Mississippi's 2.95 million residents (about 37%) and typical November electorate (about a third) than in any other state. More than 9 out of 10 of them typically vote Democratic but turn out at a lower rate than white voters, especially young generations, according to strategists in both major political parties. White voters opt by a 4-1 ratio or more for Republicans. Younger white voters trend slightly less Republican, but they're also less likely to vote.

That makes most Mississippi elections closer than in neighboring Alabama and Louisiana. In 2018, Hyde-Smith won a special election runoff over Mike Espy, Mississippi's first Black congressman since Reconstruction and a former U.S. agriculture secretary, by 7 percentage points. She notched a 10-percentage-point rematch win in 2020 but trailed Trump’s 16-percentage-point margin over Democrat Joe Biden.

Three years later, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves managed just a 3-percentage-point reelection margin and finished less than 1 percentage point over the majority threshold that Mississippi law requires to avoid a runoff in statewide general elections.

Taylor said registration and turnout efforts by the NAACP and other groups could draw 75,000 more Black voters, enough to close recent gaps.

Wilbur Colom, who once lost a state treasurer’s race as a Republican, enjoys gaming out turnout scenarios for his son.

Scott Colom can hit a winning sweet spot, his father said, by increasing Black share of the electorate to 35% and get closer to one out of four white votes rather than the typical 20% or less.

“That’s hard,” Wilbur Colom said. “But demographics are our friend here.”

Scott Colom leans on contrasting records

Colom mostly sidesteps Mississippi history or electoral math unless asked.

“We’ve made a lot more progress than we get credit for,” he said.

“A lot of Mississippians,” he added, “want somebody that’s going to look out for them,” regardless of race.

On Republican gerrymandering after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a last key Voting Rights Act provision protecting minority voting strength, Colom steers the conversation to economics. Republicans, Colom said, “don't want to be held accountable” for how things are going.

Asked about Biden tapping him for a federal judgeship only for Hyde-Smith to block the nomination, Colom says the campaign isn't about that. He avoids personal shots at Trump, instead emphasizing Mississippi farmers harmed by the Republican president’s tariffs and “400,000 Mississippians that don’t have health insurance” because the state hasn’t expanded Medicaid and Republicans, Hyde-Smith included, let expanded insurance premium subsidies expire.

Colom mentions crime victims and their families in his jurisdiction, promising voters will see them vouch for him. And he criticizes Hyde-Smith for using campaign funds at Las Vegas hotels.

“Voters in Mississippi were promised America first. They were promised lower grocery prices, no more endless wars, concepts of a healthcare plan,” he said. “We’ve been betrayed on all three fronts, and Cindy Hyde-Smith won’t even do a town hall to justify any of it.”

Hyde-Smith's team targets Colom as too liberal

The senator's aides note that she travels regularly to community events around Mississippi — and only annually to Las Vegas for a national campaign fundraiser the onetime state agriculture commissioner plans around a professional rodeo event.

Hyde-Smith, in turn, frames Colom as beholden to extremes beyond Mississippi. Monssen said voters will see a challenger trying “to transition kids’ genders,” raise taxes and give “healthcare to illegal immigrants” to please his “socialist supporters” from the coasts.

It’s a play-it-safe strategy that presumes Republicans like Steve Rogers, a 73-year-old from Brandon, still make up Mississippi's majority.

“I like how she votes, and I think any Democrat’s wasting their time,” Rogers said. He still gives Trump high marks and hasn't even heard of Colom. Trump’s slide “may give her some trouble,” he allows, “but I think she coasts.”

Colom acknowledged financial support from the Soros family but said no candidate controls outside political action committees. He pointed to his prosecution of a Democratic sheriff for sexual abuse of a prisoner as proof that partisanship doesn’t guide him. Voters, including many who've backed Trump and Hyde-Smith, “are smart enough,” he said, to “see through the lies.”

Democrat Judy Weiner, a 72-year-old poll worker in Hinds County, added that Hyde-Smith distinguishes herself only by her fealty to Trump, while not establishing a reputation for securing appropriations and helping rank-and-file Mississippians, as did her predecessor Cochran.

“He made his decisions based on what was good for all the people in Mississippi, not because the president whispered in his ear,” she said, noting Cochran attracted votes from Black and white Democrats.

A little cash could go a long way

The candidates' campaign accounts and Mississippi's inexpensive media markets intensify the unknowns.

Through June, Hyde-Smith had raised $3.8 million this cycle, with $2.5 million left. Colom pulled in $2.8 million and had $850,000 remaining. But Colom outpaced Hyde-Smith among individual contributors, $1.9 million to $1.8 million, from the start of 2025. More of his money ($536,000) came from Mississippi than any other state, despite Monssen's broadsides.

There is no statewide TV advertising yet, but Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Lauren French said the group is “watching closely.” And it doesn't take seven figures per ad buy to penetrate the electorate, unlike in more populous states like Texas, Georgia and North Carolina. That means that either national party or super PACs could make late investments that matter.

“We need to be working for every single seat,” said Alsobrooks, the Maryland visitor, “and you know what, it always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Ukraine has regularly hit targets in the distant Urals this year and has even struck a Russian oil refinery in western Siberia, nearly 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from the border. The attacks are examples of how Kyiv has used drone innovation as a key part of its response to the invasion by its much bigger enemy more than four years ago.

Its successes have drawn international interest and drone cooperation agreements with nine countries, with further deals being negotiated with 15 other countries, according to Kyiv officials.

Wildberries said its warehouse in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city, was set ablaze by the attack. Most merchandise wasn’t damaged, the company said, unlike at some of the more than a dozen other Wildberries depots struck by Ukraine in recent weeks that have burned down.

The regional governor, Denis Pasler, said three drones hit the warehouse’s roof. Artyom Zhoga, the Kremlin’s representative in the region, said that 800 people were evacuated from the warehouse and nobody was hurt.

Kyiv is trying to rattle the Russian public and the Kremlin with the attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting Friday of the country’s Security Council. He said in televised opening remarks that the meeting would focus on additional measures to “strengthen … protection of infrastructure facilities” but gave no further details.

Ukraine presses on with plans for new weapons

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for his country to keep up the pace of technological development, especially in air defense systems to help stop Russian ballistic missiles that are exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of American-made Patriot interceptor missiles and battering civilian areas.

A joint European anti-ballistic development program is already underway, Zelenskyy said late Thursday, with 10 countries engaged in developing an anti-ballistic shield. Europe is concerned about Moscow’s ambitions on the continent beyond Ukraine.

“Ukraine is capable of producing its (anti-ballistic) missile and launcher, while our partners will provide the necessary components and critical elements — radars, sensors, and everything else required,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “An anti-ballistic program of our own — one that is truly large-scale — will greatly benefit everyone in Europe.”

At the same time, Ukraine is working on manufacturing its own ballistic missiles to use against Russia. “The tests have shown strong potential. We need to turn this into a real weapon,” Zelenskyy said.

Defenders are under pressure in eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian front-line defenses in eastern regions, meanwhile, remain under strain as Russia’s bigger army looks for a breakthrough after months of minimal advances that Western analysts and officials say have had a high cost for Moscow in troop casualties.

Ukraine has been evacuating children from Kramatorsk, one of the four eastern Donetsk region cities that make up the Ukrainian so-called Fortress Belt. The line of four large and heavily defended cities, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) long, has been key to denying Moscow its goal of seizing Ukraine's industrial heartland.

The head of the Donetsk region’s regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said Friday that more than 800 people, including 91 children, were evacuated over the previous 24 hours.

Ukraine has been deploying midrange strike drones to disrupt Russia’s supply lines and slow its advance.

Zelenskyy said that the recently appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, reported to him Friday about the military situation in Donetsk.

He said in a social media post that they reached “an understanding of how to strengthen” Ukraine’s defenses there but gave no details.

Russia and Ukraine sustain nightly drone attacks

Russia’s air defenses downed 203 Ukrainian drones from late Thursday through early Friday, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.

Over the past week, the Russian military struck 31 bulk cargo vessels and three tugboats that operated “in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces,” it said.

It added that late Thursday two ships were hit by Geran-4 drones in the Black Sea east and southeast of Odesa and one was struck in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk.

In other attacks, the ministry said that the military hit a facility assembling long-range drones in Okhtyrka in the Sumy region on Thursday. It also released a video of a train purportedly carrying military equipment struck by a Geran drone and then an Iskander ballistic missile near Vyshneve in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukraine with 147 long-range strike drones overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force.

In Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, a Russian drone struck a busy market Friday morning, wounding 10 people, authorities said.

Russia also launched glide bombs and drones of various types at the regional capital, according to the head of regional administration, Oleh Hryhorov.

The attack targeted residential buildings, transport and infrastructure, wounding two people, he said.

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

And tell you. And tell you.

Trump has spoken repeatedly of his prowess with green lawns since returning to the White House — at some events even spending more time talking about it than the war in Iran, the economy or November's midterm elections.

It was on the president's mind just five weeks after his second inauguration, when he pointed out the Oval Office window during an interview with The Spectator. “You see the grass outside, right?” he asked before detailing his plans to pave over much of it. “Some people would like to leave it. But the problem is, you can’t."

Trump has kept on the topic constantly ever since, saying as recently as Monday at a White House event with military spouses: “Grass is like humans. It has a life.”

All told, he's mentioned grass in at least 45 public events or interviews over the past 18 months — or at least once every 12 days. That doesn't include the numerous social media posts that he has also made on the topic.

Trump's gravitation toward grass speaks to his decades as a New York real estate developer and personal love of building things and overseeing construction projects. But it is also an indication of how much time he spends on the golf course and his extensive, second-term efforts to revamp the White House and greater Washington in his own image. The president has already far outpaced the 26 times he mentioned grass during the entirety of his first four-year term.

The White House didn't answer questions for this story. But the Republican president has made clear where his interest in — and knowledge of — grass comes from.

“I know a lot about grass because I own a lot of golf courses," he said while announcing the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors last August. "And, if you don’t have good grass, you’re not in business very long.”

A week later, while visiting park police officers in Washington, the president declared, “I know more about grass than any human being, I think, anywhere in the world.”

Trump frequently touts his Washington overhaul and Rose Garden patio

Matt Koch, the lawns research fellow for gardening giant Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, met recently with the president to discuss planting new grass on the White House’s South Lawn. He proudly considers himself a “grass nerd” and came away convinced Trump is an honorary one.

“An amazing dialogue, talking grass for half an hour,” Koch said of the Oval Office discussion. “Going back and forth about grass.”

Trump has managed to bring up grass at events as varied as the signing of an executive order on TikTok and the 2025 White House celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. He mentioned it while pardoning turkeys last Thanksgiving, while addressing the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, and while signing a directive on quantum technology.

Last September, while hosting Republican lawmakers for dinner, he pledged of green spaces around Washington, “We’re gonna re-grass them with the best guys in the country.” That same month, during an event announcing the intended renaming of the Department of Defense, Trump assured attendees, “I’m very good at grass.”

Trump most frequently mentions grass while promoting his Washington beautification efforts. In May, he spent 10 minutes of a Cabinet meeting detailing his efforts to fix fountains and give D.C.'s parks and monuments a face-lift — sometimes sounding more like a small-town mayor than the leader of the free world.

Ironically, the president brings up the topic while defending his decisions to remove grass for new construction — like when he covered the lawn near the White House's Rose Garden with a stone patio.

“Problem with the grass, you couldn’t do anything with it,” he said during a 2025 Oval Office tour for hosts of the “All-In” podcast.

The president also frequently recounts that hordes of women, including journalists, Cabinet members and administration officials, used to complain to him about their high heels getting stuck in the mud in the old, grassy Rose Garden.

“The women would be lifting up their shoes, saying, ‘You’ve destroyed my shoes,'” he said during a luncheon last fall. When hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers in July, he relayed that women in heels “would go down like quicksand.”

Trump's helipad is wiping out even more grass

Erecting a UFC octagon to mark his 80th birthday in June reduced large swaths of the South Lawn to dusty dirt. In the weeks since, crews have been building a sprawling helicopter landing pad, meaning even more grass has been removed from the lawn.

Trump said the helipad was needed because the new, more powerful fleet of helicopters now being used as Marine One tore up the previous sod.

“When you land on the grass, it’s not that the grass gets discolored — it gets ripped out,” he said in June. Trump even described tufts of turf going “all over” and said, “Half of the grass was sitting in front of the Oval Office front door.”

Scotts Miracle-Gro donated $1 million in monetary and product support to the National Park Service to restore the South Lawn after the UFC fight, and Trump used the meeting with Koch in June to select a custom turfgrass blend of four kinds of tall fescues and four Kentucky bluegrasses. The company's former CEO, James Hagedorn, is a Trump supporter.

Trump, Koch said, asked good, detailed questions as he was shown carpet sample-like swaths of each grass variety.

“You can tell he spends a lot of time on golf courses," Koch said. “He obviously owns courses, and he knows grass from being around it.”

Koch returned to the White House last week as crews began resodding some areas of the White House lawn outside the helipad construction area. There are plans next spring to plant seeds from the grass blend Trump selected. By then, growth will be optimal, and the helipad work should be complete, making the lawn restoration easier.

Many golfers are obsessed with grass

Also key to the president's grass fixation is his love of golf.

Bert McCarty, a Clemson University professor of turfgrass science and management, said golfers like how top courses are so different — from incorporating the ocean in places near beaches to relying on inclines in the mountains.

Trump, McCarty said, is “like most golfers. He likes the challenge of the course and the differences of the course to add variety."

Last August, Trump pledged that, after his administration's various improvements, parks in Washington will “look like Augusta" — a reference to the home of the iconic Masters tournament, where aesthetics are so important that bags from the pro shop and food wrappers are green so that any possible litter blends in with the grass during TV broadcasts.

McCarty said most people “look at the beautiful flowers and the striped-up fairways, and they just think it’s heaven." But “Augusta basically spares no expense to achieve the look they're after," he added, and municipalities “can't compete with that.”

Cost aside, though, Trump may be thinking even bigger than Augusta, pointing to his own golf course in Northern Virginia.

“It’ll look like, more importantly, Trump National Golf Club,” he said. “That’s even better.”

Knox, now 39, said Thursday in a post on Instagram that her show “honors Meredith Kercher’s memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.”

The show is called “Cartwheel,” a reference to a story that claimed Knox did cartwheels in the police station after Kercher's death. The show debuts Friday evening and is due to run for 11 straight nights at the annual mish-mash of stand-up, theater and musical offerings in the Scottish capital.

The show is being marketed as a woman “approaching forty, juggling motherhood and finally getting around to being furious about the whole wrongful-imprisonment thing. Especially when half the world is telling her to get over it, while the other half still thinks she’s guilty.”

Knox was a 20-year-old student in Perugia when Kercher was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007, in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women.

The case made global headlines as suspicion quickly fell on Knox and her boyfriend of just days, Raffaele Sollecito. She served nearly four years in prison during the investigation, initial murder trial and when she was freed by an appeals court in Perugia. The couple were acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015.

Another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was eventually convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. He was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence.

Knox returned to the United States in 2011, after being freed by the appeals court in Perugia, and has since established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a podcast with her husband and last year published a memoir titled, “Free: My Search for Meaning.”

Knox's post follows an interview that Meredith Kercher's sister, Stephanie Kercher, gave to the BBC during which she said the show “normalizes and trivializes violence against women.”

While insisting that Knox is “naturally free to continue with her life as she wishes,” she said “the problem with this particular project is that it is comedy.”

“It’s not about whether people think she’s guilty or innocent, if someone else was doing the show specifically against Meredith, I would still feel the same, it is obviously an added wound that it’s coming from her at the same time, but I do feel very strongly that it should be something that’s not given a platform,” she said.

An online petition calling for the show to be canceled has been launched and so far has more than 4,400 signatories. It states that the show “mocks the horrific events surrounding Meredith’s murder and aims to somehow turn this tragedy into entertainment.”

Knox said “a petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against Cartwheel.”

The Edinburgh Fringe, she added, “is the perfect place for a show like this.”

Investigations are ongoing into how cyanide found its way into an ecosystem where wild and domestic animals coexist. Growers have disputed claims that cyanide from their tomatoes killed the elephants.

The elephant deaths and disputes about the cause have intensified concerns over growing human-wildlife conflict in the region due to expanding agricultural activities near Amboseli park. Kenya has until recently been widely recognized for rebuilding its elephant population from historic lows to more than 36,000 individuals by reducing poaching.

Sixteen elephants died in one month

Kenya's Wildlife Service said last month that 15 elephants had died in the Amboseli ecosystem in a span of a month. The service updated the numbers to 16 on Friday. Preliminary laboratory tests detected cyanide, while postmortem examinations found tomatoes in the animals’ stomachs.

The wildlife service on Friday said it requested the Pest Control Products Board to establish a team to investigate whether the chemical “may have been improperly used, stored, or disposed, and whether water, soil, or grass may have been contaminated.”

The head of veterinary services at Kenya's wildlife agency, Dr. Isaac Lekolool, said the elephants had shown signs of “paralysis and difficulty breathing” before they died. Initial tests pointed to cyanide poisoning, although further laboratory tests are being done to determine the concentration of cyanide.

“We are yet to find out where this cyanide came from,” Lekolool said, adding that the elephants had also consumed watermelons. He urged caution over the handling and use of pesticides on farms.

Farmers skeptical that cyanide from their farms was to blame

Elvis Muchai has farmed on the edge of Amboseli for two decades. In all that time, he said, he has never heard of farmers poisoning wildlife, and he was skeptical that farmed tomatoes believed to have been contaminated with the chemical were to blame for the elephants' death.

Muchai, who farms tomatoes in Kimana area, said local communities have long coexisted with elephants despite suffering repeated crop losses when the animals cross the park’s electric fence and raid farms, particularly during the dry season.

“We are used to the animals eating from our farms,” he said.

One of Kenya's most productive farming regions

Kimana, which borders Amboseli, is one of Kenya’s most productive agricultural areas, growing tomatoes, onions and French beans that are transported to markets to the capital, Nairobi.

The samples tested for toxic chemicals were obtained from the elephants' stomach contents and the analysis of blood samples is ongoing, Lekolool said. He disputed earlier claims that cyanide, which is regulated by the government for use in mining, may have been present in the park due to illegal mining.

Farms have expanded near the park and conflict between people and elephants remains the second leading cause of deaths after poaching, according to Kenya’s National Elephant Plan. Between 2000 and 2020, at least 1,160 elephants died in incidents linked to self-defense or retaliatory killings as communities sought to protect their crops, property and lives, the Plan notes.

But Duncan Juma, communications director of Kenya’s wildlife service, ruled out human-wildlife conflict in the death of the elephants, saying “the community loves these animals.”

Urgent need to tackle human-wildlife contact

The International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, said the recent suspected cyanide poisoning highlights the urgent need to tackle the underlying causes of human-wildlife conflict.

“As people and elephants increasingly share space, protecting wildlife and safeguarding communities’ livelihoods must go hand in hand,” IFAW wrote in a statement.

IFAW’S East Africa director Ben Wandago said the reported cyanide poisoning must be “urgently and thoroughly investigated” and recommended that coexistence solutions to protect communities living near the park be implemented.

“This tragedy also underscores the urgent need for the strict control and responsible handling of highly toxic substances to prevent them from entering the natural environment,” he said.

Farmers are doubtful that the cyanide could have originated from commonly used agricultural inputs.

Muchai said he has never encountered cyanide among the pesticides or chemicals sold to farmers in the area and insisted that products available on the market are regulated by the Kenyan government.

“The chemical they are talking about, we’ve never seen it or heard of it here,” he said.

Last season alone, Muchai said elephants destroyed about half an acre of his tomato crop, costing him an estimated 500,000 Kenya shillings ($3,800).

“We have lived with these animals for years. They eat our crops, and many of us have never received compensation,” he said.

Another farmer, Rymondy Mrosso, also questioned whether pesticides used by local farmers could explain the deaths and wondered why only elephants appeared to have been affected.

“We have goats, cows and other wildlife such as gazelles that also feed in these areas,” he said. “If the crops were poisoned, why were only the elephants affected?”

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

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