According to the poll, Paxton has the support of 48% of likely GOP runoff voters, compared to 45% for Cornyn. With only 7% of voters still undecided, researchers say turnout could ultimately determine the winner.

“Just 7% of people who plan to vote haven’t decided, suggesting the candidate who is able to turn out his voters will determine the winner,” said Renée Cross with the Hobby School.

Key differences among voters

The survey highlights clear divides between supporters of the two candidates:

Paxton voters are more focused on immigration and border security, with 40% naming it their top issue.

Cornyn voters are more concerned about inflation and cost of living, with 36% selecting it as their priority.

Despite those differences, both camps overwhelmingly believe their candidate is the strongest Republican to face Democrat James Talarico in the general election. About 86% of supporters on each side said their candidate is more electable.

Education and voter trends

Researchers also found a strong link between education levels and candidate preference. Cornyn leads by 10 points among voters with a four-year college degree, while Paxton holds a 17-point advantage among those without one.

Paxton also appears to be benefiting more from voters who previously supported Wesley Hunt in the March primary. Among those voters, 53% now back Paxton, compared to 34% for Cornyn.

Other statewide races

The survey also examined other Republican runoff contests:

In the attorney general race, state Sen. Mayes Middleton leads U.S. Rep. Chip Roy 48% to 39%, with 13% undecided.

For the Texas Railroad Commission, incumbent Jim Wright leads challenger Bo French 35% to 28%, though 37% of voters remain unsure.

Favorability of GOP leaders

Among top Republican figures, Vice President JD Vance received the highest favorability rating at 81%, followed by Donald Trump (77%), Ted Cruz (76%), and Greg Abbott (75%).

The Republican primary runoff is set for May 26, with early voting beginning May 18.

The survey was conducted between April 28 and May 1 among 1,200 likely runoff voters and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83%.

The search at Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas’s district office in Portsmouth comes after the Democrat helped lead the state’s recent redistricting effort.

The FBI said only that it was conducting a court-authorized search warrant in Portsmouth. The person who confirmed the FBI’s search was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A message seeking comment was left on a cellphone for Lucas, who has has been a state senator for 34 years. She is the first woman and first African American to serve as the body’s president pro tempore.

State House Speaker Don Scott said he was deeply concerned by the FBI search.

“Right now, there is far more theatrics and speculation than actual information available to the public,” Scott, a Democrat, said in a statement, adding that more facts were needed “before anyone rushes to political conclusions.”

Though the specifics of the investigation were unclear, the search comes as the FBI and Justice Department have opened a spate of politically charged investigations into perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump.

Last week, for instance, the Justice Department charged former FBI Director James Comey with making a threatening Instagram post against Trump, an accusation that Comey -- who for nearly a decade has drawn the president’s ire -- has denied. A separate mortgage fraud case, ultimately dismissed by a court, targeted Democratic New York state Attorney General Letitia James, who had brought a major civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his business.

The FBI and Justice Department have also provoked concerns among Democrats regarding ongoing election-related investigations, including the seizure by agents of ballots and other information from Fulton County, Georgia.

Amid a national, state-by-state partisan redistricting fight kicked off by Trump’s desire to aid his fellow Republicans, Virginia voters in April approved a Democrat-backed constitutional amendment authorizing new U.S. House districts. The plan could help the party win up to four additional seats.

Lucas has been a vocal leader of the effort.

“We are not going to let anyone tilt the system without a response,” she said after voters approved the map in April. Trump, meanwhile, denounced the results.

The state Supreme Court let the referendum proceed but has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a lower court judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.

Voting districts typically are redrawn once a decade, after each census. But Trump last year urged Texas Republicans to redraw House districts to give the GOP an edge in the midterms. California Democrats reciprocated, and redistricting efforts soon cascaded across states.

Lucas, 82, has been a figure in local and state politics since the 1980s, when she became the first Black woman elected to a city council seat in her native Portsmouth.

Earlier in life, she was the Norfolk Naval Shipyard's first female shipfitter, according to her bio in the state library. The job entails making, installing and repairing sometimes enormous metal assemblies for vessels.

In recent years, she has been the CEO of a Portsmouth business that runs residences, day programs and transportation for intellectually disabled adults.

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Associated Press writer Dylan Lovan contributed from Louisville, Ky.

The results will likely bolster Trump’s confidence heading into upcoming Republican primaries where he wants to help oust more incumbents, including U.S Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Indiana's primary also ratchets up the pressure on Republican lawmakers in other states to move aggressively to redraw congressional district boundaries before the November elections. Alabama and Tennessee have already begun special sessions that could limit Black voters’ strength in Democratic-leaning districts, and some of Trump’s allies in South Carolina want to follow suit.

The results were a clear signal that despite Trump's lame duck status, sagging poll numbers and difficult prospects in the November elections, his decade-long dominance over the Republican Party remains unrivaled.

State Sen. Linda Rogers, one of the Indiana lawmakers who voted against redistricting and lost her seat Tuesday, said the outcome “will probably discourage others in other states."

“If someone is going to ask you to take a tough vote, you may think twice about your conscience and what’s best for your community and instead what’s best for you and your career," she said.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, who sided with Trump, said it was a “historic night” and he thanked Republican voters who “stood with me and President Trump to nominate some great America First conservatives.”

Trump started the redistricting competition

Redistricting efforts began last year when Trump saw an opportunity to give Republicans an additional edge. Indiana stood out as a Republican-run state that declined to give Trump what he wanted, even as GOP- and Democratic-led states traded gerrymandering maneuvers in a national competition.

After the Indiana Senate rejected the redistricting plan in December, Trump pledged to punish defiant lawmakers. His allies spent more than $8.3 million on races that usually see very little spending.

Andy Zay, a state senator who voted for redistricting, resigned in January to become chair of a state utility commission. He was a target of harassment and threats in the months leading up to the vote, and he said Trump's influence and heavy spending made it tough for incumbents to hang on in the primaries.

“Trump matters and money matters,” he said.

Five of Trump's targets lost their races. One won. One race was too close to call.

Trump allies celebrated the results and warned other Republicans who might be thinking of opposing the president

“Redistrict ASAP for the November election or you face a real risk of losing your seat. No excuses,” Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist, wrote on social media. “Reschedule primaries if you must but redraw the map. Voters demand action NOW, not weakness.”

Redistricting efforts were supercharged last week when the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a provision of the Voting Rights Act that influenced how political lines are drawn in areas with large nonwhite populations.

James Blair, one of Trump’s top political advisers, was more direct, posting an image from the movie “Gladiator” depicting Russell Crowe’s ancient Roman character Maximus exulting after a combat victory.

In Congress, Massie and Cassidy have stood up to Trump

Trump was relatively restrained on social media. He shared a series of photos celebrating the victories of candidates he endorsed in Indiana and Ohio, which also held primaries Tuesday. But he otherwise passed on boasting or renewing his attacks on Massie or Cassidy.

Massie has been among the members of Congress who frustrated the president by pressing for release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files, challenging Trump for taking military action in Iran without congressional approval and voting against the party's sweeping tax-and-budget bill last year.

“I vote with the Republican Party and this president 90% of the time, and the 10% of the time that I’m not voting with the party or the president, I’m keeping the promises that the president and I campaigned on,” Massie recently told Kentucky's PBS affiliate.

Explaining his vote against Trump's signature domestic achievement, Massie called it “a big spending bill” and said he has voted consistently “not to bankrupt this country.”

Trump has endorsed Massie's challenger, retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, and campaigned for him before the May 19 primary. In Louisiana, Trump backs Rep. Julie Letlow over Cassidy in their May 16 primary, which includes other candidates.

Cassidy was among the Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on 2021 impeachment charges after the Jan. 6 riot. But he also has given Trump consistent support. Most notably, the Baton Rouge physician advanced Robert Kennedy Jr.'s controversial nomination as Trump's health secretary.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., noted Wednesday that Trump has gone after Massie before, only for the congressman to win reelection.

“Thomas Massie has been very popular in his district,” McCarthy said during a “Fox & Friends” interview. Still, he warned, it is not an ideal situation for any Republican to run without Trump's backing.

“I would not want President Trump against me in any election,” McCarthy said, calling Trump's influence with Republican primary voters unprecedented.

Indiana shows how far Trump will go to purge GOP

It is unusual for a sitting president to be focused on attacking and defeating his own party members this deep into a midterm election year.

Rogers, the Indiana state senator, faced almost $670,000 in television advertising against her, funded by political action committees associated with Braun and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind.

She said she does not regret her vote against redistricting.

"It would have been easy for me to hit that ‘yes’ button,” she said. “To hear the number of people who asked me not to, then the number of people who thanked me, would mean I wasn’t representing them.”

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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa, and Barrow from Atlanta.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Andy Zay, while in the Indiana state Senate, had voted for redistricting.

The attack occurred as Iran and the U.S. are officially in a ceasefire and as the two countries appear to be moving closer to an initial agreement to end the war. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to pressure Tehran with threats of a new wave of bombing if a deal is not reached.

American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the ship it was violating the blockade, U.S. Central Command said in its post.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Iran appeared to be moving closer Wednesday to an initial agreement to end the war, as U.S. President Trump sought to pressure Tehran with threats of a new wave of bombing if a deal is not reached.

Trump posted on social media that the two-month war could soon end and that oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict could restart. But he said that depends on Iran accepting a reported agreement that the president did not detail.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote.

Trump made his latest comments after he suspended a short-lived U.S. effort to force open a safe passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which major oil and gas supplies, fertilizer and other petroleum products passed before the war.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries, including major powers such as China.

China's foreign minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire Wednesday after meeting in Beijing with Iran's top envoy. Wang Yi said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict, which began Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship to urge the Islamic Republic to open the strait.

Report says Washington closer to a deal with Tehran

The White House believes it is near an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to end the war, according to reporting by Axios. There is not an agreement yet, but the provisions include a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, lifting of U.S. sanctions, distribution of frozen Iranian funds and opening the strait for ships.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the possible agreement.

Trump said in his social media post that it was “perhaps a big assumption” that Iran would agree to the terms being offered by the United States.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said.

A shaky ceasefire between the U.S. and Tehran has largely held since it began April 8. Pakistan hosted in-person talks last month between Iran and a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, but the talks failed to result in a deal.

Trump also due to visit China

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit to China was his first since the war began.

His arrival came ahead of a planned visit by Trump to Beijing for a high-profile summit on May 14 and 15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trip would be Trump’s first to China during his second term and the first by a U.S. president since Trump visited in 2017.

“We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,” Wang said in a video of the meeting.

The Chinese foreign minister said the conflict “has not only caused serious losses to the Iranian people, but also had a severe impact on regional and global peace.”

In a televised interview with Iran’s state media from Beijing, Araghchi said his visit included discussions of the Strait of Hormuz as well as Iran's nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Iran has attained “an elevated international standing” after the war, having proven its capabilities and strength, Araghchi said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the strait, its main source of leverage, as Trump demands a major rollback of its disputed nuclear program.

A statement published on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's website said China values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons while affirming its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Shipper says strait shutdown costing $60M per week

Hundreds of merchant ships remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. said it had opened a safe shipping lane through the strait Monday and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships. But Trump announced Tuesday he was pausing the effort, dubbed Project Freedom, to see whether an agreement with Tehran on ending the war could be reached.

A cargo container ship operated by the CMA GGM Group was damaged, and multiple crew members were wounded when it came under attack while transiting the strait Tuesday, the French shipping company said without providing details. It said the injured crew members were taken off the ship and are receiving medical treatment.

Oil prices and shipping will not likely return to normal until the risk of attacks in the strait has receded, said Kaho Yu, head of energy and resources at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“Refiners, shippers and commodity traders will remain cautious until there is clearer evidence that Hormuz disruptions will not re-escalate,” he said.

Among them is Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world's largest shipping companies. It said in a statement that the strait's shutdown is costing it around $60 million per week, with rising fuel and insurance costs hitting particularly hard. The company said alternate routes to other harbors or over land are limited.

Only two American-flagged merchant ships are known to have passed through the U.S.-guarded route.

An oil and chemical tanker operated by Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions safely exited the Persian Gulf on Monday, the company confirmed. Shipping company Maersk earlier said one of its vehicle carriers had also transited the strait “accompanied by U.S. military assets.”

The spot price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell to around $100 per barrel Wednesday, easing significantly from big price jumps earlier in the week. The prices are still well above the roughly $70 a barrel that crude was selling for before the war began.

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Castillo reported from Beijing and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Associated Press writers Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece; Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo; David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany; and Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Associated Press footage showed health workers in protective gear evacuating three passengers, including the ship's British doctor, who Spain's health ministry said had been in “serious condition” but has improved. An air ambulance later departed.

Three people have died, and one body remained on the ship, the World Health Organization said. Of the eight cases recorded, five were confirmed by laboratory testing.

Hantavirus usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings and can spread person-to-person, though that is rare, according to the WHO, whose top epidemic expert said the risk to the public is low.

Health officials in Europe and Africa are trying to identify people who may have had contact with people who earlier left the ship, which departed April 1 from South America for stops in Antarctica and several remote Atlantic islands.

Two Argentine officials investigating the origins of the outbreak said the government's leading hypothesis is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus while bird-watching in the city of Ushuaia before boarding.

They said the couple visited a landfill during the tour and may have been exposed to rodents. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, with the investigation ongoing. Authorities previously said Ushuaia and surrounding Tierra del Fuego province had never recorded a hantavirus case.

Officials say those still on board show no symptoms

The Dutch foreign ministry said the three people evacuated were a 41-year-old Dutch national, a 56-year-old British national and a 65-year-old German national who would be transferred to specialized hospitals in Europe. WHO said Wednesday that testing in Senegal confirmed that two of the evacuees were infected with hantavirus.

Two of the evacuees remain in "serious condition," Dutch ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions said, and the third had no symptoms but was “closely associated” with a German passenger who died on the MV Hondius ship on May 2.

Health officials said passengers and crew members still on the ship are without symptoms and isolating in their cabins. Their journey to the Canary Islands will take three or four days, Spain’s health ministry said, adding that the arrival “won´t represent any risk for the public."

Still, the Canary Islands regional president , Fernando Clavijo, said he worried about the risk to the population and demanded a meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

WHO expert says this is ‘not the next COVID’

Authorities said passengers tested positive for the Andes virus, a species of hantavirus found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile. The virus can spread between people, though that’s rare and only through close contact, according to the WHO. The health agency has never seen a hantavirus outbreak on a ship.

“This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” the WHO's top epidemic expert, Maria Van Kerkhove, said. “Most people will never be exposed to this.”

Two Dutch infectious diseases experts were joining the ship, Van Kerkhove said. Access to clinical care is important, she said, because infected people can develop severe acute respiratory distress and need oxygen or mechanical ventilation. The hantavirus incubation period can be one to six weeks, or more, she said.

The ship's itinerary included stops across the South Atlantic, including mainland Antarctica and the remote islands of South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Ascension.

Officials rush to determine passenger's travel after leaving ship

Authorities in Switzerland said a former passenger who tested positive was being treated at a Zurich hospital. South African authorities earlier said two passengers who were transferred there tested positive. One, a British man, was in intensive care; the other collapsed and died in South Africa.

Swiss health office spokesperson Simon Ming said the patient there had left the ship during its St. Helena stop. It was not clear when or how he traveled to Switzerland and how many other countries he might have passed through.

The patient’s wife hasn’t shown symptoms but is self-isolating as a precaution, a statement by the office said.

“There is currently no risk to the Swiss public," the office said, while looking into whether the patient had come into contact with others.

South Africa looks for people who had possible contact

At St. Helena, the body of the Dutch man suspected to be the first hantavirus case on board was taken off the ship. His wife flew to South Africa, where she collapsed at the Johannesburg airport and died.

Later, a British man was evacuated at Ascension Island and taken to South Africa.

The ship's operator has not said if other people left at those or other locations.

The South African health ministry says officials have traced 42 out of 62 people, including health workers, they believe had contact with the two infected passengers who traveled there. The 42 tested negative for hantavirus.

But 20 people still need to be traced, including five people who may have been on flights to South Africa with some of the passengers as well as flight crew members.

Some may have now traveled overseas, the ministry said.

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DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Keaten from Geneva. Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria; Mark Banchereau in Dakar, Senegal; Joseph Wilson in Barcelona; Geir Moulson in Berlin; Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, and Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, contributed to this report.

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This version corrects to say the evacuated doctor is British.

The health emergency aboard the ship that's moored across the ocean comes as Argentina sees a surge of hantavirus cases that many local public health researchers attribute to the recently accelerating effects of climate change. Argentina, where the cruise to Antarctica departed, is consistently ranked by the World Health Organization as having the highest incidence of the rare, rodent-borne disease in Latin America.

Higher temperatures expand the virus’ range because, in part, as it gets warmer and ecosystems change, rodents that carry the hantavirus can thrive in more places, experts say. People typically contract the virus from exposure to rodent droppings, urine or saliva.

“Argentina has become more tropical because of climate change, and that has brought disruptions, like dengue and yellow fever, but also new tropical plants that produce seeds for mice to proliferate,” said Hugo Pizzi, a prominent Argentine infectious disease specialist. “There is no doubt that as time goes by, the hantavirus is spreading more and more.”

The Argentine Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 101 hantavirus infections since June 2025, roughly double the caseload recorded over the same period the previous year.

A hantavirus found in South America, called the Andes virus, can cause a severe and often fatal lung disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease led to death in nearly a third of cases in the last year, Argentina’s Health Ministry said, up from an average mortality rate of 15 in the five years before that.

Authorities said passengers on the MV Hondius ship tested positive for the Andes virus.

The cause of infection remains under investigation

Argentine officials say they’re trying to pin down where infected passengers traveled in the country before boarding the Dutch-flagged cruise liner in Ushuaia, a city in southern Argentina known as the end of the world. Once they know the itineraries, they say they will trace contacts, isolate close contacts and actively monitor to prevent further spread.

The U.N. health agency, or WHO, says that the first death on board, a 70-year-old Dutch man, happened on April 11. His 69-year-old wife, also Dutch, died on April 26. The third passenger, a German woman, died on May 2.

The virus can incubate for between one and eight weeks. That makes it hard to know whether the passengers contracted the virus before leaving Argentina for Antarctica on April 1; during a scheduled stop to a remote South Atlantic island; or aboard the ship.

The province of Tierra del Fuego, where the vessel docked for weeks before departing, has never seen a case of hantavirus. Before boarding, the Dutch couple went sightseeing in Ushuaia, and traveled elsewhere in Argentina and Chile, WHO said.

The Argentine government’s leading hypothesis is that the couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing in Ushuaia, according to two investigators who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media as they sifted through still-fragmentary evidence. Authorities are also tracing the Dutch tourists' footsteps through the forested hillsides of Patagonia in southern Argentina where some infections are clustered.

Because early symptoms resemble the fever and chills of a flu, “tourists might think they just have a cold and not take it seriously. That makes it particularly dangerous,” Raul González Ittig, genetics professor at the National University of Córdoba and a researcher at state science body CONICET, said.

On Tuesday, the mountain resort town of Bariloche, Patagonia’s most common northern entry point, recorded its first human hantavirus case of 2026, the government of Río Negro Province said. He was hospitalized on Wednesday.

Climate change sends rodents to new frontiers

Argentina in recent years endured a historic drought. But it also had bouts of unexpectedly intense rainfall, part of a broader pattern of wild weather that scientists attribute to climate change.

Some of this variability has created conditions that have allowed hantavirus to flourish, experts say. Dry spells drive animals out of their usual habitats in search of food and water. Huge amounts of rain lead to vegetation growth, scattering seeds that attract leaf-munching rodents.

“When precipitation increases, food availability increases, rodent populations grow, and if there are infected rodents, the chance of transmission between rodents — and eventually to humans — also increases,” Ittig said.

Although hantavirus cases once were limited to the southern reaches of Patagonia, now 83% of cases are found in Argentina’s far north, according to the Health Ministry. In January, the ministry issued an alert on several fatal hantavirus outbreaks, including in the most populous province of Buenos Aires.

“With the climate changing, the epidemiological picture has completely changed,” said Pizzi. “The ship may be an isolated case. But this virus isn’t going anywhere.”

The system swept over the Rocky Mountains and into the High Plains a day earlier and was expected to wind down Wednesday afternoon. Several towns at higher elevations received about 2 feet (nearly 61 centimeters) of snow.

A winter storm warning remained in place, with another 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of snow expected in Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver and Castle Rock, the National Weather Service said.

Commuters in Denver were dealing with slick roads. A few crashes were reported by the State Patrol but there was no word of serious injuries. Forecasters warned that snow-loaded tree limbs could snap. “Avoid parking under trees,” the weather service's Denver office posted.

Mountain towns dig out from feet of snow

The town of Estes Park, near Rocky Mountain National Park, saw 22 to nearly 28 inches of snow (56 to 71 centimeters), the weather service said.

In Boulder, some spots got a foot of snow (30 centimeters), and officials warned of downed trees and branches.

Denver might see its biggest snowfall of the season. The city's international airport recorded 5.5 inches (nearly 14 centimeters) of snow after early flight delays and cancellations, the weather service said.

Temperatures dropped into the low 30s Fahrenheit on Wednesday morning (0 degrees Celsius), prompting Denver to activate its cold-weather shelter plan. Denver Public Schools and other districts and colleges canceled classes. Warmer weather is expected Thursday.

The storm didn't stop thousands of people from showing up for an outdoor David Guetta concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Tuesday night, although organizers moved the start time up an hour. Fans bundled up in furry winter coats and beanies while lining up to enter.

The Colorado Rockies postponed two games against the New York Mets, but that happens more often than not during Denver's spring baseball season, including four times in 2015, according to the MLB.

Snow in May isn't unheard of in Colorado and is even more common in Wyoming's capital of Cheyenne, which sits almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Denver and is cooler and windier, often piling snow into drifts.

The storm is welcome during a drought

April was warmer and dryer than usual, with Denver missing an inch of rain (2.5 centimeters) and 2.8 inches of snow (7 centimeters) last month.

For some farmers, who have felt the pressure from Colorado's ongoing drought, the snow was an opportunity.

Adam Jones of Unsung Family Farms in Longmont planted carrot seeds just days earlier to take advantage of the precipitation.

“You can’t get as even distribution with driplines or sprinklers,” he told KMGH-TV. “There’s nothing like starting seeds with snow or water.”

Jones moved more delicate crops inside, and used a heater to keep them warm.

Storms elsewhere, too

The unsettled weather stretched beyond the Rockies. Severe thunderstorms, some capable of producing tornadoes, were possible across the Southeast on Wednesday, with the strongest storms expected from Arkansas through Georgia.

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McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Jaimie Ding contributed from Los Angeles.

Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, was shot multiple times during Monday’s confrontation and was in the back of an ambulance on his way to a hospital when he said, “'F(asterisk)(asterisk)k the White House' and “Kill me, kill me, kill me,'” a Secret Service agent said in an affidavit.

The sworn statement does not specify whether investigators believe Marx had a particular target.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that her office "will pursue the most serious charges available against anyone who brings gun violence to our streets, particularly when that violence unfolds steps from the seat of our government and the path of the Vice President of the United States.”

Marx was walking along the path of Vance's motorcade when officers spotted him near the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue. The officers were responding to a Secret Service agent's report that Marx was seen near with White House complex with a firearm concealed on the right side of his body, the affidavit says.

Marx pulled a firearm from his waistband as he ran away from Secret Service officers and fired at one of them, but a bystander behind the officer was shot in the leg, the affidavit says. Officers returned fire and struck Marx in his abdomen, a hand and his left arm, according to the filing. It says Marx spit at officers as they provided him with aid after the shooting.

The teenage bystander was not seriously injured and has been released from a hospital, ABC News reported. ABC was first to report what the suspect allegedly said after the shooting.

Marx was charged in a complaint with assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm during a violent crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The shooting came just over a week after a California man tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives. Cole Tomas Allen has been charged in that incident with attempting to assassinate the president and firing a gun at a Secret Service officer.

Around the time of Monday's shooting, President Donald Trump was holding a small business event at the White House, which was briefly locked down as authorities investigated.

Online court records did not immediately list the name of a lawyer representing Marx.

Marx has used aliases, including Michael Patrick and Michael Zavici, according to the affidavit. It says Marx had a 2011 drug trafficking conviction in Florida that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

He died surrounded by his family, according to Turner Enterprises, the company that oversees his vast businesses and investments.

Turner was the force behind Cartoon Network, TNT and Turner Classic Movies. But his interests expanded far beyond media — owning professional sports teams in Atlanta and huge chunks of the American West, fueling conservation efforts through habitat restoration and endangered species work.

He donated a stunning $1 billion to United Nations charities and raced yachts too, winning the America’s Cup in 1977.

Turner married actor Jane Fonda in 1991, when he was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year. By then, he was a celebrity in his own right, earning the nicknames “Captain Outrageous” and “The Mouth of the South.”

He once bragged: “If only I had a little humility, I’d be perfect.”

He was slowed in later years by Lewy body dementia. Long since out of the television business, he concentrated on philanthropy and his more than 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of property, including the nation’s largest bison herd.

His garrulous personality sometimes overshadowed a driven, risk-taking business acumen. By the time he sold his Turner Broadcasting System to Time Warner Inc. in a 1996 media megadeal, Turner had turned his late father’s billboard company into a global conglomerate that included seven major cable networks, three professional sports teams and a pair of hit movie studios.

President Donald Trump, reacting to Turner's death, called him “one of the Greats of All Time.”

“Whenever I needed him, he was there, always willing to fight for a good cause!” Trump posted on social media.

The creation of CNN

Turner’s signature achievement was creating CNN, the first 24-hour, all-news television network in 1980. At a time when news is instantly available, it’s hard to recall that the idea of letting consumers decide when they choose to learn what’s going on in the world was once revolutionary.

In part, Turner’s own frustration with television news was the instigator. He often worked late after the network newscasts had gone off the air, and was in bed by the time his local stations did their own news.

He took a chance by starting the operation sometimes derided as the “chicken noodle network” in the early days of cable television, living in an apartment above its Atlanta office.

“I was going to have to hit hard and move incredibly fast and that’s what we did — move so fast that the (broadcast) networks wouldn’t have the time to respond, because they should have done this, not me,” Turner recalled in a 2016 interview with the Academy of Achievement. “But they didn’t have the imagination.”

CNN’s breakthrough came during the Gulf War with Iraq in 1991. Most television journalists had fled Baghdad. CNN stayed, capturing images of a war’s outbreak, with anti-aircraft tracers streaking across the sky and correspondents flinching from the concussion of bombs.

“His first love was family and he had five children. But very close behind, he’s always told me that his greatest achievement was CNN, but he had so many over the years,” Tom Johnson, CNN's president from 1990 to 2001, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Turner was promised a continued role in CNN after his company’s sale to Time Warner for $7.3 billion in stock but was gradually pushed out, much to his regret.

“I made a mistake,” he later said. “The mistake I made was losing control of the company.”

That same year — 1996 — saw the birth of Fox News Channel and arrival of a new dominant mogul in cable news, Rupert Murdoch. Turner once compared Murdoch to Adolf Hitler, but the bitter rivals later reconciled over their concern for the environment.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav called Turner a visionary and a trailblazer.

“Ted’s entrepreneurial spirit, creative ambition and willingness to take risks changed the media industry forever,” Zaslav said in a note to employees Wednesday.

Building TBS SuperStation

Robert Edward Turner III was born Nov. 19, 1938, in Cincinnati. When he was 9, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia. After being expelled from Brown University for sneaking a female student into his room, Turner came to Atlanta to work for his father’s billboard company.

After his father’s 1963 suicide, Turner took over the company. In 1970, he bought an independent UHF station with a weak signal that didn’t even cover Atlanta.

On Dec. 17, 1976, he began transmitting the station to cable systems across the country via satellite. It became the TBS SuperStation. “It was the start of something bigger than we ever imagined,” Turner said in 1996.

TBS’ collection of old movies and “The Andy Griffith Show” reruns was augmented by Turner’s acquisition of baseball’s Atlanta Braves, which slowly attracted fans across the nation and declared themselves “America’s team.”

In the 1980s, Turner went deeply into debt to buy MGM, a move again greeted with skepticism.

But the acquisition gave his company a huge library of vintage movies that eventually launched the TNT and Turner Classic Movies networks. His devotion to older movies earned Turner a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. He was also criticized for adding color to classic movies like “Casablanca,” which he said he did to appeal to a younger audience.

TBS also acquired the Hanna-Barbera animation library, which led to the Cartoon Network.

“He sees the obvious before most people do,” Bob Wright, former president and CEO of NBC, told The New Yorker in 2001. “We all look at the same picture, but Ted sees what you don’t see. And after he sees it, it becomes obvious to everybody.”

He revealed his ambitions as a younger man: “I used to tell people I wanted to become the world’s greatest sailor, businessman and lover all at the same time.”

Asked to share the secret to his success, he said: “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.”

Acquiring sports teams and land

For much of his life a partying roustabout who wooed beautiful women with a roguish charm, the mustachioed sportsman married three times. He was married to Fonda from 1991 to 2001. She quit acting while married to Turner, but tired of his philandering and divorced him, although they remained friends.

“He was sexy. He was brilliant. He had 2 million acres by the time I left. It would have been easy to stay,” Fonda once said of her relationship with Turner.

He struck up friendships with world leaders, bonding with Cuban leader Fidel Castro over hunting and arguments about politics.

Turner built a sports empire, at one point owning professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams in Atlanta. He was best remembered at the helm of the Atlanta Braves, turning the perennial doormats into champions in the 1990s. Their former stadium, built for the 1996 Olympics, was named Ted Turner Field.

He acquired millions of acres in ranches complete with roaming buffalo and was Nebraska’s largest private landholder. He spoke often of reviving the West’s bison herds, and in 2002 started a restaurant chain serving bison burgers, Ted’s Montana Grill.

Forbes estimated his net worth at $2.8 billion at the time of his death.

He had enough time, and money, to devote to such lofty goals as promoting world peace and protecting the environment.

“See, my life is more an adventure than a quest to make money. Adventure is going out and doing something for the pure hell of it,” Turner once said. “You just want to see if you can do it, period. There’s no thought of gain other than your own satisfaction.”

‘The Mouth of the South’

Through the years, Turner’s antics occasionally overshadowed his business activities.

Fresh from skippering his boat “Courageous” to the 1977 America’s Cup title, a very inebriated Turner was captured by TV cameras stretched out on the floor at the victory celebration.

Turner managed to insult many with his shoot-from-the-lip style. An atheist since his only sister died of lupus at age 17, he called Christians “losers” and “Jesus freaks,” later apologizing.

He once suggested in a speech that unemployed Black people be used to haul mobile missiles with ropes “like the Egyptians building the pyramids.” After civil rights leaders demanded an apology, he said he was just joking.

Other times, his humor saved him from potentially awkward situations, like when he talked to an audience in Berlin in 1999. “You know, you Germans had a bad century,” Turner said, according to The New Yorker. “You were on the wrong side of two wars. You were the losers. I know what that’s like. When I bought the Atlanta Braves, we couldn’t win, either. You guys can turn it around. You can start making the right choices. If the Atlanta Braves could do it, then Germany can do it.”

Dedication to various causes

Turner grabbed a leadership role in American philanthropy with his 1997 pledge to give $1 billion, or $100 million a year for 10 years, to United Nations charities. Even as Turner’s fortune shrank after the AOL Time Warner merger, he continued giving money to the U.N., calling it the best hope for peace.

He promoted a range of humanitarian causes. Turner joined former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn to start the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing the threat of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

“If I had to predict, the way things are going, I’d say the chances are about 50-50 that humanity will be extinct in 50 years,” Turner said in 2003. “Weapons of mass destruction, disease, I mean this global warming is scaring the living daylights out of me.”

As he poured millions into nonprofits, Turner was also fond of spreading his wealth in small ways. He once gave $500 to a volunteer fire department that helped extinguish a blaze on one of his ranches. Another time he lent personal paintings for an exhibit at a Bozeman, Montana, museum.

___

Bauder, a longtime media writer, retired from The Associated Press in 2026. Former Associated Press correspondent Ryan Nakashima and AP writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, R.J. Rico in Atlanta and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed.

Weather bullet points:

• We’re keeping a close eye on the storms to our west and how they develop. That will play a role in what happens in our area as well. We’re tracking the chance for rain and thunderstorms to pick up this afternoon, pushing off the coast by this evening.
• Right now, we’re tracking a 5% chance for hail for areas to our north, the potential for damaging winds for the entire area with a focus to the north and very low, 2% chance for tornados for a select few areas to the north.

It’s really going to depend on the timing of the front itself, which at times can be tricky.

However, thanks to our weather app, we can send you updates and articles in real-time when it’s happening, because Mother Nature doesn’t exactly ask our permission to roll into town. She just does.

You can track radar here before you leave your house:

TIMING: Here’s a look at Futuretrack to help plan your day.

Right now, we’re tracking the chance for rain and thunderstorms to pick up this afternoon, pushing off the coast by this evening.

Severe Weather Threats:

Thunderstorms, Rain, hail and a 2% tornado risk for select areas to the north.

Right now, areas to the north, like College Station, Crockett, and Livingston, are under a 2 out of 5 severe weather threat, while areas near I-10 in Houston are a 1 out of 5.

The most popular question we get when a severe weather threat is split into two categories is: What’s the difference between the two?

YELLOW: Slight Risk (2 out of 5): An area of organized severe storms, which is not widespread in coverage but has varying levels of intensity.

In plain terms: Scattered severe thunderstorms are possible (more than just isolated), with better organization and structure — meaning storms are more dependable at producing severe weather where they form, though still not widespread or outbreak-level.

So what’s the difference between a Slight and Marginal severe weather threat for Wednesday?

The green (Marginal) areas indicate isolated, iffy potential: severe weather could happen in a few spots, but most storms will likely remain disorganized and spotty.

However, neither is a “major outbreak” scenario (that would be a 4 or 5/High risk).

Weather Threats for Wednesday:

We’re keeping a close eye on storms to the west of us and how they develop and that will play a role in what happens in our area as well. Right now, we’re tracking a 5% chance for hail for areas to our north, the potential for damaging winds for the entire area with a focus to the north and very low, 2% chance for tornados for a select few areas to the north.

Hail: A slight downgrade in our hail risk since Tuesday — we went from 15% to 5% for the areas shown in brown. The majority of the storms are trending farther north, but that doesn’t mean we’re fully out of the woods for hail.

Tornado: The areas shown in green have a 2% chance of tornadoes. As we always say, this is a very low but real risk for a tornado to develop.

Wind: We’ll be watching the majority of the area for the potential for damaging winds. Areas in brown are at 5%, while areas in yellow are at 15%. This means locations to the north are more likely to see gustier conditions compared to the areas in brown.

About 150 passengers are trapped isolating in their cabins aboard the Dutch ship at the center of the outbreak. The MV Hondius is near the Cape Verde islands off West Africa, waiting to sail to Spain’s Canary Islands. Officials say those on board show no symptoms.

The WHO says the risk to the global population from this outbreak is low, with the organization’s top epidemic expert telling The Associated Press, “This is not the next COVID.”

Hantavirus is a rare, rodent-borne illness that usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. The Argentine government’s leading hypothesis is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing at a garbage dump before boarding, according to two officials. The cruise ship departed Argentina on April 1.

Here’s the latest:

After evacuating 3 patients, Cape Verde says its duties under international regulations are complete

The cruise ship has been cleared to continue its voyage and the three patients were evacuated from the country “with maximum safety,” National Director of Health Angela Gomes said in a statement Wednesday.

Cape Verde is a group of islands about 450 miles (725 kilometers) off the west coast of Africa.

WHO says the body of a dead passenger will remain on the ship

A German passenger’s body will be taken to Spain’s Canary Islands, where the cruise ship is set to be received, a World Health Organization official told the AP on Wednesday.

“The Cape Verdean authorities here could not take care of the body to cremate it. So it’s kept in a cold room and it’s going with the boat,” Ann Lindstrand, the WHO representative in Cape Verde, said.

The WHO has not yet verified if that passenger was a confirmed case of hantavirus.

WHO says confirmed cases rise to 5, including 2 passengers evacuated Wednesday

The World Health Organization had previously confirmed three cases and five suspected ones.

Ann Lindstrand, the WHO representative in Cape Verde, said in a phone interview that a sample from the third patient evacuated from the ship is still being checked.

“So far of all the cases related to this boat, the eight cases, we now have five confirmed with laboratory testing for Andes virus,” she said. “So it’s quite a lot.”

Health officials are tracking down dozens of people in South Africa who might’ve been near infected passengers

Two passengers left the cruise ship at different islands in the South Atlantic and traveled to South Africa. One has died and the other remains hospitalized.

Health officials in that country have identified 62 people — airplane passengers, airport workers, health workers, hospital cleaners, port of entry officials and others — who likely had contact with those two patients.

So far, officials have tracked down 42 of them, and none tested positive for hantavirus. However, some of the 20 people still being traced may have traveled to other countries, the health ministry said in a report.

Evacuation plane will stop to refuel in the Canary Islands

A plane evacuating two of the patients with suspected hantavirus infections from the cruise ship off Cape Verde is stopping at an airport in the Canary Islands to refuel, the Spanish health ministry said.

A flight tracker showed the small plane circling near the island of Gran Canaria where it is expected to make its short stop before continuing on to the Netherlands.

WHO confirms it’s the Andes type of hantavirus

Samples taken earlier from the patients now evacuated from the ship were examined and also confirmed to be the Andes type, the World Health Organization said at a briefing Wednesday.

The WHO says the Andes virus is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile, and can spread between people, though that’s rare and only through close contact.

The cruise ship will be leaving Cape Verde in around two hours and has gotten medical reinforcement after its doctor became sick and was evacuated, Ann Lindstrand, WHO representative in Cape Verde, said at the briefing.

“One medical doctor from WHO ... will be taking care of patients if there will be more cases on board,” Lindstrand said.

‘This is not the next Covid’

The World Health Organization’s top epidemic expert told the AP that the risk to the public is low, and the Andes type of the hantavirus is known — even if the WHO has never seen a hantavirus outbreak on a ship.

“This is not the next Covid, but it is a serious infectious disease,” Maria Van Kerkhove said. “Most people will never be exposed to this.”

For those on the ship, access to clinical care is important, she said, because infected people can develop severe acute respiratory distress and need oxygen or mechanical ventilation. The hantavirus incubation period can be one to six weeks, or more, she added.

Investigators say a couple on cruise ship possibly got hantavirus while bird-watching in Argentina

Two Argentine officials investigating the origins of the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship that sailed from southern Argentina say the government’s leading hypothesis is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing in the city of Ushuaia before boarding.

They said the couple visited a landfill during the bird-watching tour where they may have been exposed to rodents carrying the infection.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, with the investigation ongoing. Previously authorities said that Ushuaia and the surrounding province of Tierra del Fuego had never recorded a case of the hantavirus.

— By Isabel DeBre

Hondius cruise company confirms 3 patients have left the ship

Oceanwide Expeditions says they are being taken by specially equipped planes to “locations able to provide specialized care and appropriate medical screening.”

A Dutch hospital has confirmed it will take one of the people, and German authorities say they are preparing to pick up a second from the Netherlands.

The Dutch company says two of the people medically evacuated “remain in a serious condition.” The third has no symptoms but was “closely associated” with a passenger who died May 2.

The company also says that it is “expanding medical care on board with two infectious disease physicians, arriving today by plane from the Netherlands.”

A Dutch hospital is preparing to take one patient from Hondius

The Leiden University Medical Center says the department where the patient will be seen is well prepared.

In a statement posted on its website, the hospital said, “In addition to isolation rooms for patients, all protective equipment for our staff is available. Treatment takes place in strict isolation, following the applicable protocols. The LUMC has specialized isolation facilities."

It also seeks to reassure other visitors to the hospital, saying patients or visitors “run no risk of infection. You do not need to take any special measures. You can continue to visit as usual.”

Düsseldorf University Clinic to test person who came in contact with a hantavirus case on board

In Germany, the Düsseldorf University Clinic said that one of the three passengers who was evacuated from the ship and is being flown to the Netherlands, who was in contact with one of the hantavirus cases on board the ship, would be brought to the hospital for testing later Wednesday.

It said in a statement that the person would be brought to Düsseldorf from an unspecified Dutch airport with the help of specialists from the city’s fire service.

The hospital stressed that the patient is asymptomatic and that the testing is a precaution.

Spanish officials say the remaining passengers and crew members are all without symptoms

The arrival of the boat “won’t represent any risk for the public,” Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said.

She said that the boat will arrive at a secondary port on the island of Tenerife, which is located 10 minutes from an airport. From there, the roughly 140 passengers will be repatriated to their home countries.

García said that the operation to send the passengers and crew home will be overseen by the European Union’s civil protection program.

The 14 Spaniards who are on board will be flown by military plane to the mainland, where, if necessary, they will be kept in quarantine.

Canary Islands regional president warns of lack of protocol for receiving ship passengers

The regional president of Spain’s Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, said Wednesday that the Hondius had requested permission for the ship to dock on the island of Tenerife on May 9.

Clavijo, however, expressed his surprise that the passengers were being forced “to travel for three days” instead of flying to their homes from the airport in Praia.

He also complained that central authorities in Madrid had not informed him of the details of the circumstances on board the vessel, a situation that limited local health officials’ ability to prepare for its arrival.

“We still don’t know the status of all the passengers,” he said. “There is no protocol for this.”

Evacuation plans are still unclear

Oceanwide Expeditions said Tuesday evening that two specialized aircraft were flying to Cape Verde to evacuate two people who need urgent medical care and one person who was traveling with a German woman who died on board Saturday. They were to be taken to the Netherlands, though exactly when that would happen was not immediately clear.

Once the medical evacuation happens, the ship plans to sail to the Canary Islands, either Gran Canaria or Tenerife, a voyage of some three days, the company said in its statement, adding that “discussions are ongoing with relevant authorities.”

Spanish health officials had said in an earlier statement that they were monitoring and that “the most appropriate port of call will be decided. Until then, the Ministry of Health will not adopt any decision, as we have informed the World Health Organization.”

An altered journey

The World Health Organization has said the ship had an itinerary that included stops across the South Atlantic Ocean, including mainland Antarctica and the remote islands of South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Ascension.

The cruise company has only announced some details of two stops: at St. Helena, where the body of the Dutch man suspected to be the first hantavirus case on board was taken off the ship. His wife also left the ship at St. Helena and flew to South Africa, where she died.

The company said a British man was later evacuated from the ship at Ascension Island and taken to South Africa, where he is in an intensive care unit.

The company has not said if other people left the cruise ship at those or other locations.

The cruise ship is waiting to sail to Spain

The cruise ship will be welcomed to Spain’s Canary Islands, according to Spanish authorities, as the vessel waited off the coast of West Africa for a third day Wednesday for sick passengers to be evacuated.

The regional president of Spain’s Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, said Wednesday that he was worried the arrival of the ship could put the local population at risk and demanded an urgent meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

“Neither the populace nor the government of the Canary Islands can rest assured because it is clear that the danger to the population is real,” Clavijo told Onda Cero radio.

South African tests first confirm the Andes virus

South African health authorities said they identified the Andes strain of hantavirus in two passengers who were on the ship, and Swiss authorities said they identified the same virus in their affected patient.

The World Health Organization says the Andes virus, a specific species of hantavirus, is found in South America, primarily in Argentina and Chile.

The Andes virus can be spread between people, though this is rare and the spread of the disease is typically contained because it would spread only through close contact, such as by sharing a bed or sharing food, experts say.

The South African Department of Health said its results came from tests performed on the passengers after they were removed from the ship and flown to South Africa.

One of the passengers, a British man, is in intensive care in a South African hospital. Tests were performed on the other passenger posthumously after she died in South Africa.

3 patients evacuated from cruise ship with hantavirus outbreak, new case confirmed in Switzerland

The cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak and which is stuck off the coast of Cape Verde with nearly 150 people on board was waiting Wednesday to head to Spain’s Canary Islands. Meanwhile, health authorities in South Africa and Switzerland identified a strain of the virus that can be transmitted between humans in rare cases.

Three passengers have died and several others have been sickened by hantavirus on board the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius cruise ship. Hantavirus usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings.

The ship left Argentina on April 1 on an Atlantic cruise and was scheduled to include stops in Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and other locations. However, the itinerary appears to have changed because of the situation on board.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said three patients with suspected hantavirus cases have been evacuated from the ship and are on their way to the Netherlands.

According to reporting by Axios, the U.S. has sent for Iran's review a one-page memorandum to end the war, with provisions including a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, a lifting of U.S. sanctions, the distribution of frozen Iranian funds and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Also Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is appearing before a House committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as lawmakers seek answers for Lutnick’s contact with him in the years after 2008. Lutnick has given contradictory statements about his relationship with Epstein but said he has done nothing wrong and welcomed the closed-door interview with lawmakers.

And elections in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan on Tuesday reinforced a picture that’s becoming increasingly clear — while Trump still dominates the Republican Party, ousting lawmakers who Democrats seem to have the momentum ahead of November’s midterm elections. In Indiana, five of the president’s candidates won with the help of an avalanche of cash.

And Trump has renewed his criticism of Pope Leo XIV, potentially complicating a fence-mending visit that Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to make this week to the Vatican. In an interview, Trump said the first American-born pontiff is helping Iran and also making the world less safe with his comments about the importance of not treating immigrants with disrespect.

The Latest:

Trump says question is whether Iran can make a deal ‘that’s satisfactory to us’

The president insisted that Iranian officials want an agreement to end the war, suggesting as he did previously over social media that U.S. actions could ultimately force a settlement.

“We’re dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we’ll see whether or not they can make a deal that’s satisfactory to us,” Trump said at a Mother’s Day lunch at the White House.

The president added: “And if they don’t agree, they’ll end up agreeing shortly thereafter.”

Trump called the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz a “wall of steel,” as both countries jockey to use the stoppage in oil and natural gas shipments as a way to pressure the other side.

AP source: Office of Virginia Senate leader searched by FBI as part of corruption probe

The FBI searched the Virginia state Senate leader’s office on Wednesday as part of a corruption investigation, a person familiar with the matter said.

The search at Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas’s district office in Portsmouth comes after the Democrat helped lead the state’s recent redistricting effort.

The FBI said only that it was conducting a court-authorized search warrant in Portsmouth. The person who confirmed the FBI’s search was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A message seeking comment was left on a cellphone for Lucas.

Amid a national, state-by-state partisan redistricting fight, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment on April 21 authorizing new U.S. House districts. Backed by Democrats, the plan could help the party win up to four additional seats.

Lucas has been a vocal leader of the effort.

The state Supreme Court let the referendum proceed but has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a lower court judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.

—By Eric Tucker and Jennifer Peltz

UAE urges UN to take action against Iran if it keeps blocking shipping and attacking neighbors

Mohamed Abushahab, the United Arab Emirates’ U.N. ambassador, said the Security Council must “compel Iran’s compliance” with its March resolution demanding that Tehran stop attacking its Gulf neighbors and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He told reporters Wednesday that Iran attacked the UAE on May 4 -- while a ceasefire is in place -- with 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones which resulted in a fire on critical energy infrastructure in the Fujairah oil industry zone.

The United States and its Gulf allies including the UAE have circulated a new Security Council resolution threatening Iran with sanctions or other measures if it doesn’t stop attacks and open the critically important strait, where about 20% of the world’s crude oil had transited.

The proposed resolution was drafted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter which can be enforced militarily. A watered-down resolution aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, which was stripped of Chapter 7 language, was vetoed by Russia and China hours before Washington and Tehran announced a temporary ceasefire in early April.

The UAE’s Abushahab was asked whether he thought Russia and China would agree to the new draft under Chapter 7. “Not only is it possible, but it’s necessary,” he replied.

GOP chair of oversight panel says Lutnick was not ‘truthful’ about Epstein ties

Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters as he entered the closed-door interview that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had in the past not been “100% truthful” about whether he had ever visited Epstein’s infamous private island.

Lutnick said on a podcast last year that he had decided to “never be in the room” with Epstein following a 2005 tour of Epstein’s home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife. But the release of case files on Epstein showed that Lutnick had kept in contact with Epstein and met up with him a couple of times in 2011 and 2012.

Under questioning from Democrats during an unrelated hearing earlier this year, Lutnick said he had visited Epstein’s private island with his family in 2012 for lunch.

AP-NORC poll: Many Americans have conflicting views on birthright citizenship

This poll comes as the Supreme Court weighs President Trump’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.

The AP-NORC poll finds about two-thirds of U.S. adults say automatic citizenship should be granted to all children born in the country. Most Democrats and independents back that view, but Republicans are more doubtful: just 44% support birthright citizenship.

The poll also shows that some people are conflicted, saying in general that they support birthright citizenship but also that they oppose it in some specific circumstances.

For instance, the poll found about three-quarters of U.S. adults say they support automatic citizenship for children born to parents who are in the country legally on work visas, while only about half support it for those born to parents who are in the country illegally.

Trump’s commerce secretary arrives for interview in congressional Epstein investigation

Howard Lutnick is answering questions from House lawmakers today about his relationship with his former neighbor, Jeffrey Epstein.

The commerce secretary is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration, besides Trump himself, to appear in the Epstein case files.

Lutnick has said he barely knew Epstein and has welcomed the closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, but his story on his interactions with Epstein has changed. He met with Epstein a couple times and exchanged emails with the financier, even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.

French navy moving to support shipping through the strait

France’s aircraft carrier strike group is moving south of the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea in preparation for a potential future mission as part of a French-British plan for the Strait of Hormuz, a senior French military spokesman told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The repositioning of the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle puts France’s only carrier closer to the Persian Gulf chokepoint where Iran has effectively halted commercial traffic since early March. The French effort is distinct from the U.S. “Project Freedom” mission launched Sunday and paused by Trump on Tuesday evening.

“Going south of Suez is new for us,” said Col. Guillaume Vernet, spokesman for the French armed forces chief of staff.

The wider Hormuz coalition — drawn up by France, Britain and more than 50 nations — will not begin operating until the threat to shipping eases and the maritime industry is reassured enough to use the strait, Vernet said, adding that any operation would also require the agreement of neighboring countries.

An attack damaged a French-operated cargo ship and injured its crew, company says

A cargo container ship operated by the CMA GGM Group was damaged when it came under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the French shipping company said Wednesday.

Multiple crew members were injured in the attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio, the company said without providing details. The injured crew were taken off the ship and are receiving medical treatment.

Trump is going to Beijing. Iran’s foreign minister got there ahead of him

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit comes ahead of Trump’s planned high-profile summit on May 14 and 15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first such trip by a U.S. president since Trump visited in 2017.

In a televised interview Wednesday with Iran’s state media from Beijing, Araghchi said his discussions with Chinese officials included the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran. And he said Iran has attained “an elevated international standing,” having proven its capabilities and strength.

China’s Foreign Ministry said after the meeting that it values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons while affirming its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed hope on Tuesday Beijing would reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the strait, its main source of leverage, as Trump demands a major rollback of its disputed nuclear program.

Trump’s Indiana wins show his power over GOP with more primaries and redistricting debates ahead

Five months ago, Trump was stinging from a political defeat as Republican state senators defied him on redistricting in Indiana. Now he has proved he can still punish wayward party members after the slate of challengers he endorsed defeated almost every one of those lawmakers.

The results will likely bolster Trump’s confidence heading into upcoming Republican primaries where he wants more incumbents ousted, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Indiana’s primary results also ratchet up pressure on Republican lawmakers in other states to move aggressively to redraw congressional district boundaries in time for the November elections.

▶ Read more

Shipper either loses millions or risks sanctions for paying Iranians for safe passage

Hamburg-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is costing it around $60 million a week, in particular in costs for fuel and insurance, as it remains too risky to permit its ships to try getting through.

Insurance costs have shot up due to the risk of attack from Iranian drones and small boats. Alternate routes to safe harbors or overland are “limited in capacity and cannot completely replace the regular maritime routes through the region,” a company statement said.

The number of ships passing the strait has dwindled to a trickle. Iran has demanded that vessels go through a vetting process run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp that involves passing to the north near the Iranian cost, submitting information on crew and cargo, and in some cases paying. But paying the IRGC risks running afoul of sanctions from the US and the EU, which have designated it a terrorist organization.

Shipping industry and oil traders see no quick return to normal

Oil prices and shipping are unlikely to return to normal until it’s clear the risk of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have receded, cautions Kaho Yu, head of energy and resources resources at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“Even with diplomatic engagement continuing, energy markets are unlikely to return quickly to pre-crisis assumptions,” he said. “Refiners, shippers, and commodity traders will remain cautious until there is clearer evidence that Hormuz disruptions will not re-escalate.”

Despite the Iran-China meeting’s emphasis on de-escalation, “Hormuz remains the real metric that will be watched,” he added. “Tanker traffic and energy flows over the coming weeks and months are likely to matter more than diplomatic language in assessing whether Beijing can translate influence with Tehran into practical stability.”

Poll: Most believe the US is no longer a great place for immigrants

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say the United States is no longer a great place for immigrants, according to the AP-NORC poll.

Roughly 3 in 10 say the U.S. is a great place for immigrants, while about 1 in 10 say it never was. The belief that America is no longer great for immigrants is more common among Democrats and independents.

Nick Grivas, a 40-year-old Democrat from Massachusetts, said he worries that federal immigration policies could discourage new arrivals from investing in their communities, especially if they don’t believe they will be allowed to remain.

“You’re less willing to commit to the project if you don’t think that you’re gonna be able to stay,” he said.

White House says it believes an agreement with Iran is near

The White House believes it is nearing an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to end the war, according to reporting by Axios.

There is not an agreement yet, but the provisions include a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, a lifting of U.S. sanctions and the distribution of frozen Iranian funds and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for ships.

The White House did not respond to questions about the possible agreement.

Trump threatens Iran with bombing if it doesn’t reopen Strait of Hormuz

Trump posted on social media that the war with Iran could soon end and oil and natural gas shipments could restart. But that all depends on Iran accepting a reported agreement that the U.S. president did not detail.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said.

Trump said that it was “perhaps a big assumption” that Iran would agree to the terms being offered by the United States.

AP-NORC poll: For many Americans, Trump’s immigration crackdown is personal

Many U.S. adults say they or someone they know has made life changes because of immigration enforcement over the last year, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

About one-third of Americans say they know someone who has started carrying proof of their immigration status or U.S. citizenship, been detained or deported, changed their travel plans, or significantly changed their routines – such as avoiding work, school or leaving the house – because of their immigration status.

This is especially true among Hispanic adults, with more than half knowing someone affected. Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say they have a personal connection to someone impacted by immigration enforcement.

China’s top envoy calls for a ‘comprehensive ceasefire’ in the Iran war

Wang Yi said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict. He spoke after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was visiting Beijing for the first time since the war with the U.S. and Israel started Feb. 28.

China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship to urge the Islamic Republic to open the Strait of Hormuz.

The Chinese minister’s comments followed an earlier statement by Trump that he was pausing his short-lived U.S. effort to guide stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz in hopes that a deal could be finalized. A shaky ceasefire has been largely holding, despite exchanges of fire during the U.S. push to reopen the strait on Monday.

Michigan Democrats keep their majority in the state Senate

The seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in Congress.

Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections and off-year contests across the country, winning races in unexpected places and significantly narrowing the gap, even when they fall short.

There’s no guarantee the trend will continue through the midterms, when turnout will be much higher, but it has nonetheless energized Democrats and spooked Republicans worried about keeping their congressional majorities.

Trump’s influence on the Republican Party remains strong

Trump took aim at seven Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his plan to redraw congressional district boundaries to help the party gain seats in the U.S. House. His intervention mostly paid off.

Groups allied with the president spent more than $8.3 million on advertising, an extraordinary surge of money into races that are typically low-profile.

Five Trump-backed challengers won. One incumbent won. A seventh contest was too close to call on Tuesday night.

The races were a test of Trump’s enduring grip over his party as Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the midterm elections.

By winning most of them, Trump sent a signal to Republicans everywhere that they can still get thrown out of office if they distance themselves from him even as his popularity fades. And they show the president that he can still credibly threaten consequences for Republicans who cross him.

The Trump-targeted state senators all represent districts he carried in 2024, mostly by 20 percentage points or more.

Takeaways from Indiana, Ohio and Michigan: Trump’s flex pays off and Democrats win special election

Elections in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan on Tuesday reinforced a picture that’s becoming increasingly clear — while President Donald Trump still dominates the Republican Party, Democrats seem to have the momentum ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The biggest test of Trump’s power came in Indiana, where he backed primary challenges against seven Republican state senators who rejected his redistricting plan in December. Five of the president’s candidates won with the help of an avalanche of cash.

Meanwhile in Michigan, a Democrat comfortably won a state Senate race in a bellwether district, the latest in a string of special election victories.

Over in Ohio, primaries locked in candidates for two major races with national implications.

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Correa was injured Tuesday while taking swings in the batting cage before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I was hitting in the cage, normal day, feeling great,” he said. “I went through my whole routine, took a swing and just felt a pop. It just completely snapped on me and then I fell to the ground and couldn’t put weight on it.”

Correa was on crutches and in a walking boot Wednesday morning at the ballpark after seeing a foot specialist. He said he would seek some other opinions before scheduling the surgery.

Correa, 31, said the injury was a complete tear and his recovery is expected to take six to eight months.

“Tough, really tough,” he said. “Not what I was expecting, but now it’s time to deal with it, face it head on and and focus on the rehab.”

Correa has had ankle problems in the past. In 2023, he had huge free agent deals with the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets fall through over concerns with his right ankle that was operated on in 2014. He ended up remaining with the Minnesota Twins after the deals collapsed.

His latest injury is yet another blow to an Astros team that has dealt with scores of injuries this season, including an oblique injury to Yainer Diaz that landed the catcher on the injured list Tuesday.

Correa, who is back with the Astros after last summer’s blockbuster trade from the Twins, played third base for Houston last season with Jeremy Peña at shortstop. But Correa has been playing shortstop recently with Peña out with a hamstring injury.

Manager Joe Espada said this week that Peña is close to a return and could begin a rehabilitation assignment soon.

But it's still a huge blow to lose Correa, who is one of the leaders of the team.

“It’s a gut punch,” general manager Dana Brown said. “But it’s not the end of the world. We still have a very competitive team. Thank God we have the depth still in the infield particularly when Jeremy comes back. And so, the team is still built to win, no doubt about it."

Espada said the Astros will miss all that Correa brings to the team.

“It’s just really hard,” Espada said. “Talking to Carlos this morning it was really, really hard. What he means to this team, to this organization, personally to me as his manager, as a friend. I’ve known him for a very long time. It sucks, but we have to move on.”

The Astros had Isaac Paredes playing third base and Braden Shewmake at shortstop for the finale of a series against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Correa is batting .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs. The No. 1 pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa spent his first seven seasons with the Astros before signing with the Twins where he spent 3 1/2 seasons before last summer's trade.

___

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

On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced “Project Freedom,” a way for the U.S. to “guide” ships to exit the strait. Two ships made the transit, but by Tuesday Trump abruptly paused the effort to allow time for a deal to end the war.

Meanwhile, the risks for ships and crew haven't faded. A cargo container ship operated by the CMA GGM Group was damaged when it came under attack while attempting to transit the strait, the French shipping company said Wednesday, and concerns about Iranian speedboats and drones are leading major ship owners and operators to say the strait remains too dangerous.

“Ultimately, it’s still going to come back to the primary issues of risk and safety," that shippers have to evaluate, said Sean Pribyl, a maritime attorney at Holland & Knight in Washington, D.C. ”It seems as though we’re not anywhere near to returning to a free flow of traffic and navigation through the strait," he added.

Costs pile up as goods, oil and ship workers remain stranded

Before the Iran war, 100 to 135 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, according to research firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, but that has slowed to a trickle as Iran has demanded that vessels go through a vetting process run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that involves passing to the north near the Iranian cost, submitting information on crew and cargo, and in at least some cases paying. Meanwhile, paying the IRGC risks running afoul of sanctions from the U.S. and the EU, which have designated it a terrorist organization.

Goods stranded in the strait include oil and oil products such as fertilizer, not to mention thousands of ship workers. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday there are more than 1,550 vessels with about 22,500 mariners on them inside the Persian Gulf.

To pressure Iran, the U.S. Navy is blockading Iran's ports, enforcing the blockade outside the strait in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Holland & Knight’s Pribyl said shippers and ship insurers are likely still assessing the scenario in the strait. Ships carry two main types of insurance: protection and indemnity, which covers property and third party liabilities, and — during a conflict — war risk insurance that covers damage and losses due to war.

Insurance costs have shot up for vessels in the region due to the risk of attack, jumping from less than 1% of the value of goods on a ship to anywhere from 3% to 10% during the conflict, said Ed Anderson, a professor of supply chain and operations management for the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. But even with insurance, most shippers have deemed the crossing too unsafe.

“Ferrying out a couple of ships has not really affected the shipping industry in any way whatsoever,” he said.

Companies weigh costs and risks

Hapag-Lloyd AG, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, says the Hormuz situation is costing it $60 million a week, particularly in skyrocketing prices of fuel and insurance. It has a fleet of 301 ships, including four stranded in the Persian Gulf. The company has also had to suspend some of its transport services and find alternate routes either to safe harbors or over land. “These options are however limited in capacity and cannot completely replace the regular maritime routes through the region,” the company said in a statement.

The Maersk shipping company said its U.S.-flagged Alliance Fairfax vehicle carrier exited the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz “accompanied by U.S. military assets” on Monday. “The transit was completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed,” the company said in a statement.

A long return to normal

Oil prices and shipping are unlikely to return to normal until it’s clear the risk of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have receded, cautioned Kaho Yu, head of energy and resources resources at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“Even with diplomatic engagement continuing, energy markets are unlikely to return quickly to pre-crisis assumptions,” he said. “Refiners, shippers, and commodity traders will remain cautious until there is clearer evidence that Hormuz disruptions will not re-escalate.”

A meeting on Wednesday between Iranian and Chinese diplomats emphasized de-escalation. But “Hormuz remains the real metric that will be watched,” Yu added. “Tanker traffic and energy flows over the coming weeks and months are likely to matter more than diplomatic language in assessing whether Beijing can translate influence with Tehran into practical stability.”

If the ceasefire holds and ships gradually begin transiting the Strait of Hormuz again, shipping won't “snap back overnight,” warned Razat Gaurav, CEO of Kinaxis, a supply chain management company.

“Even when conditions improve, carriers, insurers, and shippers need confidence that stability will hold before capacity and routes fully normalize," he said. “Air cargo can recover relatively quickly, but ocean shipping typically takes weeks or months because of longer lead times and contractual constraints.”

He said shipments of certain categories like liquid natural gas and sulphur, where the Middle East is a major source of supply, are likely to move more quickly as backlogs clear, but “most shippers will remain cautious until stability proves durable,” he said.

__

McHugh reported from Frankfurt, Germany.

“I recently had a bill that was $683,” said Brandon Citizen, a Houston water customer.

Another customer described the shock of opening his bill.

“One day I got a bill and I was like, ‘Woah! This is, you know — this is a huge spike,’” said Charles Anyichie.

Wrong meters, wrong bills

Bottom line: During a major push in 2024 to replace approximately 125,000 aging water meters and install remote-reading devices, Houston Public Works accidentally installed the wrong meters at hundreds of homes. The faulty equipment led to inaccurate water bills for multiple years — and most of the more than 600 affected customers had no idea why their bills were so high.

Heather Laureles was among those customers.

“Getting up to $300, $500, $700...” Laureles said. “We have noticed water bills that were unusually high, and sometimes it doesn’t make any sense compared to what water you’re used to using.”

A tipster provided a list of all the addresses where the wrong meters were installed. The source was concerned the city was quietly swapping out the bad equipment without notifying customers — some of whom had been complaining about high bills for years.

“For sure, they should have sent some type of letter or email or something to let us know what’s going on or what’s causing this,” Brandon Citizen said.

A years-long timeline

Brandon Citizen lives on Real Street in the Gulfgate area. Public Works installed the wrong meters at these homes in September 2024.

Emails KPRC received through a public records request show the city discovered the error in January 2026.

Crews replaced the meters in March 2026.

Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi acknowledged the lapse in an April 15th KPRC interview.

“To this day, no one from the city has said, ‘Hey — it was the wrong equipment,’” KPRC’s Amy Davis said.

“Yeah, yeah... that’s a failure on our part in customer service,” Macchi said.

Macchi explained the error originated when a meter manufacturer shipped the wrong equipment in a large order at the end of 2022.

“They actually installed the wrong register on those water meters. The register they had was not compatible. And so that means the meter itself was registering either faster or slower than what actually took place,” Macchi said.

“Regardless, what it means is the wrong equipment was in the ground. Wrong in terms of broken,” he added.

The bad meters were distributed across the city — from Kingwood to downtown Houston, near the airport, and on the southwest side.

One customer’s experience

Charles Anyichie lives alone. His typical water usage runs about 2,000 gallons a month. But two months after the city installed the wrong meter at his home, his meter showed he used 7,000 gallons. Months later, it registered 11,000 gallons. Then, in February, his meter showed 15,000 gallons.

Anyichie eventually stopped paying his bill — and that’s when the water department called.

“It wasn’t calling me to say, ‘Hey, we’ve noticed your bill’s getting high.’ They were calling me to see exactly how was I going to make a payment?” Anyichie said.

When Amy Davis told Anyichie the city had already swapped out his faulty meter — without notifying him — he decided to call water customer service about his $1,900 balance with Amy listening in.

The customer service representative suggested Anyichie check his toilet for a silent leak or fill out an adjustment form. After 14 minutes on the call, Anyichie asked a pointed question.

“Do you know if the city has made any changes to the water equipment recently?” Anyichie asked.

“Umm... no, I’m not sure of that. I wouldn’t be able to answer that,” the water department representative responded.

Anyichie later reflected on the exchange.

“She had no recollection on if they installed something new or not. She couldn’t give me any information on if anything was faulty,” he said.

The situation raised a key question: Should call center agents have been armed with the list of 637 addresses where faulty meters were installed — so they could immediately flag the issue when affected customers called?

Macchi acknowledged the city’s technology is a barrier.

“The city is, from a technology standpoint, really still in the Stone Age when it comes to our customer database. Most of the time, when a customer calls in, the technology doesn’t even allow our agents to have good information in front of them about what this customer’s got going on, down to their billing history, down to the infrastructure in the ground, down to technician requests and service visits,” Macchi said.

Credits, closed accounts, what customers should do now

The city is now calculating how much each of the 637 affected customers may have overpaid by comparing their average usage before the faulty meters were installed against what the broken equipment recorded — and crediting customers the difference.

Anyichie received a credit of $825.05.

Laureles will receive a credit of $623.09.

“That is not insignificant. Wow,” Laureles said.

However, there is a complication. During door-knocking to notify residents of the meter mix-up, Amy Davis noticed many of the 637 homes are now listed for sale.

“So those customers, how would they ever get their money back?” Davis asked Macchi.

“If a customer closes their account, it’s going to be near impossible to do that. There won’t be anything for us to give a credit back towards because the account’s not open anymore,” Macchi said.

Macchi’s advice: Do not close your water account until you have resolved any potential overpayment with the city.

How to check if the wrong water meter was installed at your home

The KPRC 2 Investigates team made an interactive map featuring all 637 addresses with the wrong equipment.

You can also check addresses on this database.

If your address is on the list and you have not received a notice from the city, contact the water department directly.

Laureles said the situation is frustrating — especially for those who may never know they are owed money.

“I feel disappointed that that could happen to a lot of people who don’t know that they’re owed money by the city, or that their water bills have been inaccurate,” she said.

Macchi said the city is working to do better.

“We’re doing the best we can to make sure that all of our agents have the information necessary to resolve your complaint. But if you feel like you’re not being heard, it’s not getting there — you can always escalate that. My contact information, in fact, is very public and accessible. Customers reach out to me and I’m always happy to make sure that our team takes care of those customers’ problems as quickly as we receive them,” Macchi said.

Macchi’s email is randy.macchi@houstontx.gov.

‘DRAINED’ Houston water department Investigation

Led by KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis, our investigation spent years shedding light on overbilling, faulty water meters, and mismanagement of city contracts. These discoveries led to the arrest and charges for seven people and an overhaul of how the entire water billing system works.

SEE MORE: Everything you need to know about the ‘DRAINED’ KPRC Investigation

But expectations of a rush of international visitors and an accompanying economic boon — an estimated $3.5 billion in Texas  — are being tempered in Houston and Dallas, where 16 games will be played in June and July.

FIFA, the governing body for international soccer, canceled hotel block reservations in Dallas and Arlington earlier this year and a recent survey of hoteliers in Houston and the Dallas area found anticipated demand is not translating into strong hotel bookings less than 40 days from the start of the tournament. 

Expensive ticket prices, trouble getting travel visas and anti-American sentiment amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty may all be contributing to the underwhelming demand for stays during the tournament, said Brent DeRaad, president and CEO of the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

“There certainly are not only economic headwinds but certainly … sentiments toward the U.S. by some countries out there internationally, it’s potentially an issue in terms of people being able and willing to travel to the United States for these matches,” DeRaad said. 

While Dallas is considered the host city by FIFA, Arlington’s AT&T Stadium will be the venue for nine matches and Houston’s NRG Stadium will host a further seven. Local officials say ticket sales remain strong and they expect each of the matches to be sold out. 

That demand for tickets, however, may be largely domestic, according to a report published Monday by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, a trade association that represents more than 30,000 properties across the U.S. Ticket prices for the matches are significantly more expensive than the 2022 and 2018 iterations of the tournament, played in Qatar and Russia, respectively, pricing out international tourists.

Bob Heere, professor of sports management at the University of North Texas, said FIFA’s economic impact estimates are likely inflated if the wave of international visitors does not materialize as originally anticipated. 

“Any good economic impact study does not include locals because, indeed, they are, regardless, spending their money here, aside from the fact that they’re not booking hotels, they’re less likely to go out for dinner three times,” Heere said. “So their spending is a lot less, but any spending locally does not contribute to economic impact.”

The U.S. was the only major nation to register a decline in tourism in 2025, and officials are worried that trend could carry through to the World Cup. 

Research firm Tourism Economics projects that more than 1.2 million international visitors will travel to the United States for the World Cup, but in April, the firm also tempered its expectations for the rate of recovery from last year’s dip in tourism. 

In Dallas and Houston, 70% of respondents reported booking pace below World Cup expectations and largely in line with a typical June and July, “pointing to a limited incremental lift from the tournament,” according to the report. 

FIFA expects to generate $11 billion in profits from the 39-day tournament, being played across 16 host cities — 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada. Those host cities and their local organizing committees, however, are footing much of the bill to retrofit their stadiums for soccer games, provide security, organize fan festivals and improve local infrastructure to accommodate the fans. 

While FIFA is paying to rent AT&T and NRG stadiums for the matches, the cities otherwise receive little revenue directly from the tournament. They do not get a piece of ticket sales, concessions, merchandise or parking. 

FIFA points to the economic benefits each city is expected to receive from hosting matches as justification for the costs. A March 2025 study by FIFA claimed the tournament will generate $17.2 billion in gross domestic product in the U.S. and $3.4 billion in government revenue from direct and indirect taxes. 

The American Hotel & Lodging Association study found that domestic travelers are outpacing international travelers. The study noted that international travel barriers, like lengthy visa wait times, increased visa fees and uncertainty around entry and processing, are contributing to international travel not meeting expectations. The cancellation of hotel blocks in Dallas, Arlington and other host cities has exposed a “softer underlying traveler demand,” according to the report.

Across the country, about 70% of FIFA’s group blocks have been released, according to the report, which did not provide city-level data. 

“Hotels across host markets have spent years preparing for the World Cup, and while there is real excitement, the data points to a more nuanced outlook,” Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO of AHLA, said in a statement. 

In Houston, organizers remain optimistic that the city will see a significant increase in visitors from previous years.

“We expect that World Cup will help deliver a better than normal June and early July in the Houston hotel market,” Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First Corporation, wrote in a statement. “Bookings are up year over year and we anticipate they will continue to climb as we get closer to the tournament.”

Houston First Corporation, Houston’s official destination marketing organization, published its own tracker of domestic and international travel tied to the tournament that found booking pace in the city up 17% in June and 14% in July when compared to the same months last year. International air bookings through Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport are up 33% in June but down 5% in July, according to Houston First.

The local host committees in Dallas and Houston also note that low hotel bookings could be offset by short-term rentals. 

Short-term rental bookings are up 53% in the Houston area from last year for June and July, according to Houston First. 

Heere said factors like the popularity of national teams playing, things for tourists to do outside of match days and ease of navigating the city could explain why Houston might expect a higher turnout than Dallas’ games in Arlington.

In Arlington, DeRaad said he still expects to see hotel revenue be up 10% to 15% from last year but noted that comes with tradeoffs. Convention activity that would typically be occurring during the tournament is being crowded out and leisure travelers that may otherwise have visited could skip out this year amid the tournament, DeRaad said. 

“You’re trading some of that business for the FIFA impacts, but we still feel like, even with that being the case, that hotel revenue should be up,” DeRaad said. 

Heere, who hails from the Netherlands, has experienced firsthand the depressed international interest in traveling to the U.S. for the tournament. The UNT professor pointed to a building anti-American sentiment in Europe due to efforts under President Donald Trump to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance, efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark and rising energy costs due to the U.S. war with Iran. 

Heere was given a larger allocation of tickets for AT&T Stadium’s June 14 group stage game between the Netherlands and Japan with the goal of inviting a group of Dutch companies to come along for a VIP trip. 

“To my surprise, we have not been able to sell those tickets yet in the Netherlands because people are not excited about the United States right now, nor are they excited about the prices,” Heere said.

Disclosure: Houston First and University of North Texas 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 Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Guido Reichstadter, a Florida-based activist, was seen coming down from one of the arches of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge where he had been camped since May 1. His presence caused periodic traffic jams as Washington police closed lanes and negotiated with him.

Reichstadter’s X account showed photos from atop one of the arches where he had pitched a tent. He announced on the site Tuesday that he would be coming down and expected to be arrested.

“I hope that this action has offered something to motivate and inspire you, and that it can serve as fuel for greater commitment and action in the cause of peace and in the fight for our future,” he wrote.

Washington police charged Reichstadter with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding, unlawful entry and failure to obey an officer.

He staged a similar protest atop the same bridge in 2022 against a Supreme Court decision.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine hadn’t abided by its own ceasefire, saying that air defenses shot down 53 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea between Tuesday evening and dawn Wednesday.

Five people were killed by a Ukrainian drone strike on the city of Dzhankoi in Crimea, according to Russia-installed Gov. Sergei Aksyonov. He reported the casualties just after midnight, but posted about the attack itself more than 90 minutes earlier.

There had been no official sign from Moscow that it would heed Kyiv’s ceasefire, and there was little hope for a pause in hostilities as the war stretches into its fifth year following Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the war over the past year have come to nothing.

On Tuesday, Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine killed 27 people and wounded 120 others, all of them civilians, according to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. On Wednesday, two Russian drones hit a kindergarten in the downtown area of Sumy city in northeastern Ukraine, killing a security guard and wounding two others, officials said. No children were there at the time.

Russian attacks since last Friday have killed at least 70 civilians and wounded more than 500, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said Wednesday, as the strikes hit 14 regions.

“What is particularly alarming is both the scale of civilian casualties and the extent of territory affected in only a few days,” said Danielle Bell, the mission’s head.

The war has killed more than 15,000 civilians, according to the United Nations.

Despite Kyiv's open-ended suspension of hostilities, Russia has continued shelling, with aerial strikes using drones and powerful glide bombs, and has attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses on the front line, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday on X.

“Russia’s choice is an obvious spurning of a ceasefire and of saving lives," Zelenskyy said.

“Russia must end the war it is currently waging,” he said, urging Moscow to call off its invasion. “The Russian side has our diplomatic proposals, and the only thing needed is Russia’s willingness to move toward real peace.”

Both sides have kept up long-range strike campaigns. On the roughly 1,250-kilometer (800-mile) front line, meanwhile, Russia's bigger army remains engaged in a slow-moving and costly slog against Ukraine's drone-heavy defenses.

Zelenskyy had announced the unilateral ceasefire after Russia said it would hold its own pause of hostilities on Friday and Saturday while it marks the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The Ukrainian leader said any breach of the ceasefire would trigger a military response.

European officials had welcomed Ukraine's unilateral move as a goodwill gesture illustrating its readiness for a peace settlement.

Russian forces launched 108 drones and three missiles overnight, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, with attacks continuing throughout the night and into Wednesday morning.

“Moscow once again ignored a realistic and fair call to end hostilities, supported by other states and international organizations,” Sybiha said in a post on X.

Moscow’s proposal to stop fighting later this week follows a pattern of Russia declaring short unilateral ceasefires during the war timed to coincide with various holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter.

Those suspensions of combat don’t produce any tangible results amid deep mistrust between the warring sides.

Sybiha said Russia’s actions exposed its calls for a separate ceasefire around May 9 as insincere. “Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives,” he said.

The diplomat called for increased international pressure on Moscow, including new sanctions, diplomatic isolation, accountability measures for war crimes and expanded military and civilian support for Ukraine.

___

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

Higher-income households, meanwhile, ratcheted up their spending on gas while barely reducing their consumption, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Middle-income households fell in-between.

The gaps between how each group reacted were larger than in 2022, when a similar gas-price shock occurred after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the report found. Higher-income households cut back more on their gas consumption four years ago than in March, while poorer households likely benefited more from government stimulus programs in 2022. Wealthier households have seen significant increases in the value of their stock and real estate holdings since then as well.

The figures suggest the gas-price surge has worsened what many economists call the “K-shaped economy." The K-shape label refers to upper-income Americans continuing to do well while lower-income households fall behind. The disparate outcomes can help explain the generally gloomy attitude most Americans have toward the economy even as headline figures, such as the unemployment rate and economic growth, remain mostly solid.

“We find that households had very different experiences with gasoline spending,” researchers at the New York Fed wrote. “With the sharp increases in gasoline prices in March, a K-shaped pattern in gasoline consumption emerged—showing faster consumption growth for high income households relative to low-income households.”

The Iran war began Feb. 28, and by the end of March gas prices had risen about 25%, according to government consumer price data. Overall gas consumption, according to the New York Fed, fell 3% that month. As of Tuesday, gas prices have leapt 50% since the war began.

Poorer households, defined as those earning less than $40,000, cut their gas consumption by 7%, the report found, but still spent 12% more on gas in March. Higher-income households, defined as those earning $125,000 a year or above, lifted their spending on gas 19% in March, while reducing their overall consumption of gas just 1%. The report didn't specify the middle-income figures.

The figures suggest lower-income Americans have cut back on driving, perhaps by carpooling, taking public transportation, or combining errands into fewer trips, while richer Americans have had to make few, if any, changes.

The New York Fed report estimates that total spending at gas stations jumped 15% in March from the previous month. If sustained, that extra spending on gas will siphon money away from other areas, reducing overall inflation-adjusted spending and slowing the economy. So far, there are only limited signs that is happening. Americans do spend less on gas than in previous decades as cars have become more efficient.

Consumer spending, adjusted for price changes, ticked up 0.2% in March, slightly below February's 0.3% gain, the government said last week.

Still, there is evidence that for many lower-income people, the spike in gas prices is a big drag on their finances. A separate report from the Bank of America Institute, released last week, found that among the poorest one-third of households, one-tenth now spend 10% of their incomes on gas. The figure is far above the average for higher-income households, who spend just 2.7% of their incomes on gas.

Data from the Institute, which compiles reports from the anonymous accounts of its customers, also showed that more expensive gas has pulled some spending away from discretionary items, defined as those outside groceries, gas, and utilities. The annual growth in poorer households' discretionary spending slowed in March from February, while it rose for middle- and upper-income households.

Wednesday morning, it was announced that star shortstop Carlos Correa will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after tearing a tendon in his left ankle.

The news was first reported by MLB.com Astros beat reporter Brian McTaggart. He added that Correa was seen in the Astros’ clubhouse walking with crutches.

Astros SS Carlos Correa has a significant injury to his left ankle that will keep him out of action for weeks, or maybe even months, dealing Houston another massive injury blow, sources told MLB. com late Tuesday.https://t.co/8BxxuTXOf5

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) May 6, 2026

Correa last appeared as Houston’s leadoff hitter on Monday, when the Astros fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers at home, 8-3.

The 12th-year player from Puerto Rico was on pace for another strong season, appearing in 32 of the Astros’ 37 games so far and batting .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

As a team, the Astros have fallen short of expectations early this season, sitting at 15-22. They are currently in fourth place in the AL West and 14th overall in the American League.

After taking down Los Angeles—with Shohei Ohtani on the mound—last night, the Astros will have a chance to take the series at 1:10 p.m. today. Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2) will start for Houston against Tyler Glasnow.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, sank 7.3% to $101.90, down from more than $115 early this week. It dropped as President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz could be “OPEN TO ALL” if Iran accepts a reported agreement that the U.S. president did not detail.

The small strait has caused big trouble for the global economy because the war with Iran has blocked oil tankers from using it to exit the Persian Gulf. A reopening could allow oil to flow freely again and remove upward pressure on inflation that’s driven prices up for all kinds of products worldwide.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 climbed 1.1% and was heading for another record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 520 points, or 1.1%, as of 12:36 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.5% higher.

Stock markets abroad had even bigger gains, and indexes jumped 6.5% in Seoul, 2.1% in London and 2.9% in Paris.

Of course, hopes have risen several times already on Wall Street about a possible end to the war with Iran, only to get dashed each time. That could happen again, and oil prices pared some of their steepest losses from Wednesday morning. The price for a barrel of Brent briefly dove below $97 before returning above $100 after Trump threatened to start bombing “at a much higher level and intensity” if Iran does not accept the agreement.

But Wall Street nevertheless latched onto potentially encouraging signals. Trump said Tuesday he was pausing his effort to forcefully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships. And China’s foreign minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire following a meeting with Iran’s foreign minister. That could be influential because of how closely tied Iran is to China economically and politically.

Plus, in the meantime, big U.S. companies continue to turn in much stronger profits for the start of 2026 than analysts expected. That’s helping to support the stock market despite all the uncertainties about the war.

AMD helped lead the market with a surge of 16.3% after it joined the list of big-name companies topping expectations for both profit and revenue. CEO Lisa Su said the chip company benefited from continued growth from artificial-intelligence technology, which is demanding tremendous amounts of computing power from data centers.

AMD also said its revenue growth could accelerate in the current quarter to roughly 46% from a year earlier.

Another company enmeshed in the AI industry, Super Micro Computer, rallied 15.4% after likewise delivering stronger earnings than analysts expected. Nvidia, the chip company that became the poster child of the AI boom, rose 4.5% and was the single strongest force lifting the S&P 500 because of its immense size.

CVS Health climbed 7.2% after delivering better results for the first quarter than analysts expected and raising its financial forecasts for the full year. The Walt Disney Co. gained 6.7% after saying its “Zootopia 2” movie helped draw people to its streaming business, parks and cruise ships and delivering a better-than-expected profit. Uber Technologies drove 8% higher after giving a bookings forecast for the spring that was higher than analysts expected.

Outside of earnings reports, companies with big fuel bills jumped on hopes that oil prices will continue to ease. That included gains of 5% for United Airlines, 5.7% for Carnival and 7% for Royal Caribbean.

In the bond market, Treasury yields sank as falling oil prices took pressure off inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury dropped to 4.35% from 4.43% late Tuesday. That’s a notable move for the bond market.

Lower yields can bring down rates for mortgages and other kinds of loans going to U.S. households and businesses, which in turn could give the economy a boost. Lower yields also tend to push upward on prices for stocks and other kinds of investments. The 10-year yield, though, remains well above its 3.97% level from just before the war.

In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi jumped above the 7,000 level for the first time to a record thanks to big gains for AI winners, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

The document was released months after his administration published an updated national security strategy that called for the hemisphere to be the top U.S. focus.

“We will not let cartels, Jihadists, or the governments who support them plot against our citizens with impunity. Terrorists of any kind will not be allowed to find safe harbor here at home or attack us from abroad,” Trump wrote in the 16-page document.

Trump's administration has moved aggressively to reshape the region with the ouster of Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela's president, dozens of U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats operated by cartels and new pressure on the communist government of Cuba.

Sebastian Gorka, the White House counterterrorism czar who spearheaded the new strategy, said the shift in priorities acknowledges some simple math: Far more Americans have been killed by cartels pushing illicit drugs into U.S. communities than American service members lost in conflicts around the globe since World War II, he said.

“Whether it is strangling their illicit funds, whether it is tracking their drug boats, we will not permit them to kill Americans on a massive scale,” Gorka said in a telephone call with reporters to announce the strategy.

It is the latest example of the administration's efforts to demonstrate it remains committed to sharpening U.S. foreign policy focus on the Western Hemisphere even while dealing with worldwide crises.

The Republican administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 191 people in total.

At the same time, Trump has sought to press regional leaders to work more closely with the U.S. to target cartels and take military action themselves against drug traffickers and transnational gangs that he says pose an “unacceptable threat” to the hemisphere’s national security.

Gorka said the administration's other counterterrorism priorities include targeting and destroying Islamic military groups that have capabilities to execute operations against the United States; identifying and neutralizing violent secular political groups with ideology that are anti-American, "radically pro-gender," or anarchist; and boosting efforts to prevent nonstate actors from obtaining weapons of mass destruction.

Gorka said administration officials would meet with allies later this week to discuss how they can bolster their counterterrorism strategies.

“As the president made very clear, we will measure your seriousness as a partner and ally by how much you bring to the table,” he said. “So we expect more — from our partners in the Middle East, as well as elsewhere.”

Turner died surrounded by his family, according to Turner Enterprises, the company that oversees his vast business interests.

Turner owned professional sports teams in Atlanta, defended the America’s Cup in yachting in 1977 and donated a stunning $1 billion to United Nations charities. He married three women — most famously actor Jane Fonda — and earned the nicknames “Captain Outrageous” and “The Mouth of the South.”

He once bragged: “If only I had a little humility, I’d be perfect.”

He was slowed in later years by Lewy body dementia. Long out of the television business, he concentrated on philanthropy.

His garrulous personality sometimes overshadowed a risk-taking business acumen. By the time he sold his Turner Broadcasting System to Time Warner Inc. in 1996, Turner had turned his late father’s billboard company into a global conglomerate that included seven major cable networks, three professional sports teams and a pair of hit movie studios.

President Donald Trump, reacting to Turner's death, called him “one of the Greats of All Time.”

The creation of CNN

Turner’s signature achievement was creating the Cable News Network, the first 24-hour, all-news television network in 1980. In part, Turner’s own frustration with television news was the instigator. He often worked past 8 p.m., after the ABC, CBS and NBC nightly newscasts had already gone off the air.

He took a chance by starting the operation in the early days of cable television, living in an apartment above its Atlanta office.

CNN’s breakthrough moment came during the Gulf War with Iraq in 1991. Most television journalists had fled Baghdad but CNN stayed, capturing arresting images of a war’s outbreak.

Turner was promised a continued role in CNN after his company’s sale to Time Warner but was gradually pushed out, much to his regret.

“The mistake I made was losing control of the company," he later said.

Building TBS SuperStation

Robert Edward Turner III was born Nov. 19, 1938, in Cincinnati. When he was 9, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he grew up. After being expelled from Brown University, Turner came to Atlanta to work for his domineering father’s billboard company, Turner Advertising.

After his father’s 1963 suicide, Turner took over the company. In 1970, he bought an independent UHF station with a weak signal that didn’t even cover Atlanta.

On Dec. 17, 1976, he began transmitting the station to cable systems across the country via satellite. It became the TBS SuperStation.

TBS’ motley collection of old movies and sitcom reruns was augmented by Turner’s acquisition of baseball’s Atlanta Braves. Perennial doormats, the Braves slowly attracted fans nationwide through their superstation exposure.

In the 1980s, Turner went deeply into debt to buy MGM, a move again greeted with skepticism. But the acquisition gave his company a library of vintage movies that eventually were parlayed into the TNT and Turner Classic Movies networks.

He revealed his ambitions as a younger man: “I used to tell people I wanted to become the world’s greatest sailor, businessman and lover all at the same time.”

Acquiring sports teams and land

For much of his life a partying roustabout who wooed beautiful women, the lean, mustachioed sportsman married three times. He was married to Fonda from 1991 to 2001. She tired of his philandering and divorced him, although they remained friends.

Perhaps Turner’s greatest love was for the land. He acquired millions of acres in ranches complete with roaming buffalo and was Nebraska’s largest private landholder. Researchers at Texas A&M University credited his donation of a few bulls in 2005 with helping increase the genetic diversity of the last herd of southern Plains bison.

He had a net worth of $2.5 billion in 2023 but had dropped off Forbes magazine’s ranking of the 400 richest Americans in 2021.

“See, my life is more an adventure than a quest to make money,” Turner once said.

Turner managed to insult many with his shoot-from-the-lip style. An atheist since his only sister died of lupus at age 17, he called Christians “losers” and “Jesus freaks,” later apologizing for both remarks.

Dedication to various causes

Turner, the father of five children, grabbed a leadership role in American philanthropy with his Sept. 18, 1997, pledge to give $1 billion to United Nations charities.

He promoted a range of humanitarian causes. Turner joined former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn to start the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing the threat of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

As he poured millions into nonprofits on a global scale, Turner was also fond of spreading his wealth in small ways. He once gave $500 to a volunteer fire department that helped extinguish a blaze on one of his ranches.

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Bauder, a longtime media writer, retired from The Associated Press in 2026. Former Associated Press correspondent Ryan Nakashima contributed to this report.

Detroit’s selection is the result of the tight relationship the PWHL has with the city’s Ilitch family, whose holdings include the Red Wings. And it reflects the success the league has enjoyed in playing four neutral-site games at the NHL team’s home.

“I think from the get-go, we have really felt the passion that this city and state have for hockey and the PWHL,” executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer told The Associated Press. “I think it’s the perfect place for us to grow.”

Detroit hosted the PWHL’s first neutral-site game during its inaugural season in 2024, which Scheer credited for inspiring the league launching its multicity “Takeover Tour” the past two years. The four games at Little Caesars Arena, which will serve as the team’s home, attracted a combined attendance of 53,626, including 15,938 in March in the PWHL’s first game broadcast to a U.S. national TV audience.

A half-hour news conference took place inside Little Caesars Arena, and featured a video with a car revving over video of downtown Detroit and scenes from past Takeover Tour games.

“The PWHL didn’t have to guess whether Detroit was ready. Detroit made it obvious,” said Chris Ilitch, CEO of Ilitch Companies, which also owns baseball’s Detroit Tigers. “The wait is over. Detroit has a team. Let’s go.”

Ilitch addressed a crowd that included his mother, Marian, one of only a handful of women to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

The PWHL also announced Detroit will host the league’s draft and awards ceremony in mid-June. The draft on June 17 will feature a highly anticipated class of prospects brimming with U.S. talent, including gold medal-winning Olympians in Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards, the first Black female player to represent Team USA.

Plans to add up to four teams

Detroit’s addition grows the PWHL to nine teams, and comes a year after adding franchises in Seattle and Vancouver. And there’s more to come, with the PWHL previously saying it plans to expand by between two and four markets.

Scheer would not reveal how more teams will be added, though the expectation remains four to be announced in the coming weeks.

Denver is considered a front-runner, with the PWHL targeting the city since a Takeover Tour game in January 2025 attracted 14,018 fans, who chanted “We want a team!” Another contender is Las Vegas, with the NHL’s Golden Knights having spent the past two years lobbying for a franchise.

And then there’s Hamilton, Ontario, whose potential addition would give the PWHL three teams in Ontario, rounded out by Toronto and Ottawa. Hamilton is an hour west of Toronto, and the PWHL is confident the region’s population of 570,000 is large enough to not draw fans away from the Sceptres.

The league has also expressed interest in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Chicago, the Alberta cities of Calgary and Edmonton, Quebec City and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Washington and Calgary have issues regarding arena availability and space, making it difficult to fit in an extra team.

Motor City meets PWHL criteria

Detroit meets several key PWHL expansion criteria, with the arena having a training facility attached to it, while the city’s location helps fill the travel gap between Toronto and Minnesota.

The Motor City is home to a large corporate base, including current league partners Ally Financial and the Meijer grocery store chain.

Detroit also has a rich history of girls developmental hockey programs. Among U.S. states, Michigan ranks second behind Minnesota in producing PWHL talent.

The PWHL can boast beating the state’s colleges in adding women’s hockey. The state does not have a Division I women’s hockey team, though the University of Michigan is in discussions to establish one.

“I hope it follows, right? I hope we can be a catalyst to continue to grow the game here,” PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said. “We’re excited about the impact we’re going to be able to have here in Detroit on hockey in general, but certainly on women’s hockey.”

The yet-to-be named team’s primary colors will be black and silver, with a red accent in a nod to the Red Wings. The jerseys will also feature an Ally Financial patch.

Post-Olympic surge

The latest round of expansion comes during the Walter Cup playoffs and the league enjoying a major boost following the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The PWHL’s 120-game regular-season schedule attracted more than 1.1 million fans, representing a 28% jump over last year and marked the first time the league topped 1 million in one season. Online merchandise sales surged by more than 50% over last season, including a 190% jump following the Olympics as compared to the same period a year ago.

The league’s YouTube channel’s viewership increased by 77% this year, and now reaches 154 countries.

Adding three U.S. markets to its four existing American cities — rounded out by Newark, New Jersey, and Boston — would better position the PWHL to land a U.S. national broadcast partnership.

This season, Scripps Sports agreed to broadcast various games, including the playoffs, on ION, which is accessible to 126 million American households. League and Scripps officials have expressed interest in establishing a more permanent partnership for next season.

The PWHL is centrally controlled and privately backed by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and wife Kimbra, who have invested hundreds of millions of dollars.

Scheer said this round of expansion before Season 4 meets the Walters’ vision in building a sustainable league.

“While it might be fast in terms of the way other leagues have done things, for us it’s measured and calculated,” Scheer said. “So we feel good at the pace that we’re moving, and feel confident in the way we’re growing. We’ll be here for a while.”

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

The ADL tallied 1,694 antisemitic incidents on U.S. college campuses in 2024, after pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist student protests proliferated due mostly to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. That figure fell by 66% in 2025, to 583, as many colleges and universities — under pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration — took steps to curb such protests.

With the drop in on-campus incidents a major factor, the ADL’s latest annual audit — released Wednesday — says there were 6,274 incidents of antisemitic assaults, harassment and vandalism overall in 2025. That’s down 33% from the record-high 9,354 incidents counted for 2024.

The states with the most antisemitic incidents in 2025 were New York (1,160), California (817) and New Jersey (687), the ADL says.

The ADL’s methodology in tallying such incidents has added grist to an intense and divisive debate among American Jews and others over the extent to which vehement criticism of Israeli policies and of Zionism should be considered antisemitic. Some critics say the ADL’s criteria is too broad.

2025 incidents included 3 killings, record number of assaults

Despite the decrease in total incidents, the ADL’s national director and CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, said 2025 “was one of the most violent years for American Jews,” with a record-high 203 incidents of physical assault tallied in the audit.

“Numbers that would have shocked us five years ago are now our floor,” Greenblatt said. “People are being murdered because of antisemitism on American soil, and thousands more are threatened.”

Greenblatt was referring to the two Jewish people killed in a May 21 shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and the 82-year-old Jewish woman who died from injuries sustained in a June 1 firebombing attack at an event in Boulder, Colorado, aimed at raising awareness of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

Campuses are under scrutiny from groups with varying views

In the ADL's report for 2024, antisemitic incidents related to Israel or Zionism accounted for 58% of the total, marking the first time since the annual audit began in 1979 that more than half the incidents fit this category. The change arose from widespread opposition to Israel's intensive military operation in Gaza that was launched after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

In 2025, 45% of all antisemitic incidents were related to Israel or Zionism. The ADL said anti-Israel rallies featuring “extreme anti-Israel rhetoric that crossed the line into antisemitism” decreased significantly — by 67% overall and by 83% on college campuses.

Starting in 2024, the ADL launched a Campus Antisemitism Report Card, assigning grades reflecting its assessment of how colleges address antisemitism and whether they adopt ADL-recommended policies. Seeking to raise pressure on colleges, the ADL filed several lawsuits and — in cooperation with two other Jewish organizations — reached a settlement in a complaint against Pomona College.

“We welcome any decrease in antisemitic incidents on college campuses or in other settings. It is indisputably a good thing, and we hope this is just the beginning of a downward trend,” Greenblatt told The Associated Press via email.

“Yet, let me be very clear: this is not a moment for relief or complacency. Yes, ADL recorded a 66% decline of antisemitic incidents on college campuses in 2025. But here is the critical context: campus incidents in 2025 are still nearly four times higher than they were in 2021.”

In its new report, the ADL says it is “careful to not conflate general criticism of Israel or anti-Israel activism with antisemitism.” But there are gray areas. For example, the ADL contends that vilification of Zionism — the movement to establish and protect a Jewish state in Israel — is a form of antisemitism, yet some Jews are among the critics of Zionism and of the ADL itself.

The ADL's approach “emerges from their genuine concern that anti-Zionism is a genuine threat to the safety and security of American Jews,” said antisemitism expert Aryeh Tuchman. “There are a lot of people who would disagree with that. ... It's important that there be room for multiple approaches.”

Tuchman formerly led the ADL’s Center on Extremism, the group behind the annual audit, and now is director of the Nexus Center for Antisemitism at the Nexus Project, a watchdog group that promotes a more nuanced definition of antisemitism than the ADL uses.

Responding to the pressure on colleges from the ADL and Trump administration, the Council on American-Islamic Relations launched an “Unhostile Campus Campaign” aimed at ensuring that pro-Palestinian students, faculty, and staff enjoy free speech and academic freedom and are not penalized for their viewpoints.

Schools rated “most hostile” in CAIR's latest report were Columbia University, the City University of New York, and the University of Michigan.

Worries about antisemitism deepen in Britain and Australia

The new ADL report surfaces amid growing concern about antisemitism elsewhere in the world.

In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said tougher action is needed against people chanting certain phrases at pro-Palestinian protests, as concerns grew over the safety of British Jews after the stabbings of two Jewish men in London.

The stabbings were the latest in a string of incidents, including recent arson attacks on synagogues and other Jewish sites in London. The U.K.’s senior police officer said British Jews are facing their greatest ever threat, and blamed social media for making antisemitism more mainstream.

— In Australia, a wide-ranging inquiry commission examining antisemitism after a massacre at a Hanukkah celebration heard this week from Jews who said escalating hatred has left them fearful and vulnerable. Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at the celebration on Bondi Beach in December. The Commission says there has been a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023.

— According to a recent study by Tel Aviv University, the total of 20 deaths in Australia, Britain and the United States made 2025 the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks since 1994. That's when the bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina killed 85 people.

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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.

A new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research of more than 2,500 U.S. adults finds about 6 in 10 say the country used to be a great place for immigrants but is not anymore. About one-third of U.S. adults — and more than half of Hispanic adults — say that over the last year they, or someone they know, have started carrying proof of their immigration status or U.S. citizenship, been detained or deported, changed travel plans, or significantly changed routines, such as avoiding work, school or leaving the house, because of their immigration status.

The poll comes as the Supreme Court is considering whether the Trump administration should be allowed to restrict birthright citizenship, as well as following months of sweeping immigration enforcement and mass deportations of immigrants.

Missouri retiree Reid Gibson, an independent, is furious about the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants. He hopes America eventually becomes more welcoming to immigrants again, but he worries “it may take many years to reverse the damage that the Trump administration has inflicted” with its policies.

The poll finds that many Americans know someone who has been affected by Trump's approach. That includes Gibson’s stepdaughter, who he says started carrying her passport because of concerns that her darker skin would make her a target in immigration crackdowns.

“It’s just plain wrong,” Gibson, 72, added. “This is not a good country for immigrants anymore.”

Americans’ personal connections to immigration enforcement

Many U.S. adults have adapted their lives to heightened immigration enforcement over the last year, as Trump increased detentions and sought to conduct the largest deportation operation in American history.

Democrats are more likely than independents or Republicans to know someone affected, and those with a personal connection are more likely to say the U.S. is no longer a great place for immigrants.

Kathy Bailey, a 79-year-old Illinois Democrat, has seen the administration’s immigration policies seep into the small-town swim class she regularly attends. She said two women in the class — both naturalized U.S. citizens — have begun carrying their passports when they leave home. Bailey says one of the women, who is from Latin America, has been especially worried about sticking out in an overwhelmingly white community.

“She’s an American citizen now, but she’s so scared that she has to carry her passport,” said Bailey. “She’s just another sweet old grandmother swimming at 5 in the morning.”

About 6 in 10 Hispanic adults say they or someone they know has been impacted by immigration enforcement in this way, much higher than among Black or white adults.

“This is terrible for these women!” Bailey said. “I’m just stunned at what we are coming to.”

Most believe the US used to be a great place for immigrants

Nick Grivas, a 40-year-old from Massachusetts, said his own grandfather’s immigration to the U.S. from Greece has made him feel the impact of the president’s policies. It’s part of why he believes the U.S. stopped being a promising place for people seeking a new life.

“We can see how we’re treating children and the children of the immigrants, and we’re not viewing them as potential future Americans,” Grivas said.

Roughly 3 in 10 U.S. adults say the U.S. is a great place for immigrants, according to the poll, while about 1 in 10 say it never was. The belief that America is no longer great for immigrants is more common among Democrats and independents, as well as among those born outside the U.S.

Grivas, a Democrat, worries that federal policies against immigration could stunt the country by discouraging new arrivals from investing in their local communities, especially if they don’t believe they will be allowed to remain.

“You’re less willing to commit to the project if you don’t think that you’re gonna be able to stay,” he said.

Most support birthright citizenship, but also hold nuanced views

The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship by declaring that children born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

About two-thirds of U.S. adults in the poll say automatic citizenship should be granted to all children born in the country, a view that most Democrats and independents back. Republicans are more doubtful: just 44% support birthright citizenship. The poll also shows that some people are conflicted, saying in general that they support birthright citizenship but also that they oppose it in some specific circumstances.

Among those who object to automatic citizenship is Linda Steele, a 70-year-old from Florida, who believes that only children born to American citizens should be granted citizenship. Steele, a Republican, does not believe foreigners living legally in the U.S. — whether for work or other reasons — should be able to have a child who automatically becomes a U.S. citizen.

“That shouldn’t be allowed,” she said. “They’re just here visiting or going to school.”

When asked about some specific circumstances, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults say they support birthright citizenship for children born to parents on legal U.S. tourist visas, while only about half support it for those born to parents who are in the country illegally. An even higher share, 75%, support automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country legally on work visas, with much of that increased support coming from Republicans saying this was an acceptable situation.

Kevin Craig, a 57-year-old from Wilmington, North Carolina, does not believe citizenship should be automatically granted. Craig, who leans conservative, believes there should be “at least some opportunity for intervention by a human being who can make some sort of a judgment.”

But he added: “I think my personal opinion is that I can’t think of a situation where it would not be granted.”

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Sullivan reported from Minneapolis. Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania.

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The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

In a message addressed to the community, the Traveler’s team confirmed both Montrose establishments will remain open as staff continue operations during an extraordinarily difficult time.

READ MORE: Montrose restaurant owners linked to suspected murder-suicide in River Oaks that killed 4; deceased male named suspect

“As Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart remain open for business, we want to thank our loyal staff, who have shown up and worked through these difficult circumstances, ensuring that we continue to serve our community,” the statement read.

The team also asked for privacy as they navigate the loss.

“We are asking for unity and respect for our privacy as we navigate this immense loss. Hospitality comes from within, and to honor the Traveler’s legacy, we will continue to welcome you into our restaurants.”

The statement comes as Houston police continue investigating the deaths of four family members in a shooting at a River Oaks home earlier this week.

The deceased individuals were identified as a 52-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, an 8-year-old girl, and a 4-year-old boy, officials reported.

Harris County investigators have not formally named the Mitchells as the deceased individuals in the case, but family members and associates have released statements confirming their passing.

Authorities have said the case is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide.

RELATED: Houston’s restaurant community grapples with loss after River Oaks murder-suicide leaves 4 dead

No motive has been released, but officials said the adult male is being investigated as the suspected shooter.

Traveler’s Table, a globally inspired restaurant in Montrose, gained national recognition after being featured on Food Network programs, including Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The concept, along with Traveler’s Cart, became a staple in Houston’s dining scene.

Anyone with information related to the ongoing investigation is urged to contact the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

If you feel like you might be in danger of a domestic violence situation, you can call the Domestic Violence support hotline at 1-800-799-7233. The suicide and crisis hotline is 988.

Earlier Tuesday, the band confirmed that they will release a new record, titled “Foreign Tongues,” this summer, and dropped a new single called “In The Stars.”

Journalists, VIPs and celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Odessa A’zion and Lindsey Vonn waited in the echoing hall to witness Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood's first conversation about the new album.

To celebrate, they invited comedian Conan O’Brien to host the exclusive announcement event. It was a hilarious choice. “I think this is the one, after years of toiling in obscurity,” he joked about “Foreign Tongues,” minutes before the band joined him on stage. “This is their time.”

What we know about ‘Foreign Tongues’ so far

“Foreign Tongues,” recorded over the course of a month in London, will be released July 10.

The Stones' last album was 2023's “Hackney Diamonds.” It was their first album of original material in 18 years — since 2005’s “A Bigger Bang.” It was also their first full-length release since the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. He appeared posthumously on two of that album's 12 tracks.

“Foreign Tongues” will also include a special appearance from Watts, lifted from one of his final recording sessions before his death. “We did that in L.A. with Charlie,” said Jagger of the song. “It's real fast, a punk-rocker.”

The album will also feature contributions from Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, the Cure’s Robert Smith and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith.

“I think Paul (McCartney) really wanted to jump in there,” Jagger said at the event. “There was no intimidation. He wanted to play with the band.”

The Stones also worked with their close collaborators Matt Clifford, drummer Steve Jordan and bassist Darryl Jones as well as Oscar-winning pop producer Andrew Watt (known for his work with Post Malone and Justin Bieber, and the Stones' “Hackney Diamonds,” to name a few).

When something isn’t working in studio, the band said Watt is the one who kicks them in to gear. The room erupted into cheers for him — including his parents, who were seated directly behind him — and O’Brien compared the “immediacy” of the new album to “Exile on Main Street.”

The band also spent time detailing the record’s artwork. “Let’s reveal the album cover, I call him Mr. Ugly,” said Jagger, before the cover appeared on the screen above their heads. “He’s pained by a famous new artist called Nathaniel Quinn.”

Quinn, who was seated in the front row, said it was an amalgamation of the band members’ faces and a depiction of their journey.

A taste of 'Foreign Tongues'

Speculation surrounding a new Stones album has been going around for weeks. First, posters appeared around London with the band name “The Cockroaches,” a pseudonym the Stones' have used in the past, along with a QR code. The code led to ‘thecockroaches.com’ and a sign-up page. Once a user had signed up, they received a confirmation message from Universal Music — the Stones' label. Representatives did not provide The Associated Press with comment or confirmation at the time.

Eventually it led to a white label, vinyl-only release of the track “Rough and Twisted” using The Cockroaches name — the first true tease of “Foreign Tongues,” decipherable only by their most dedicated fans.

Then, in the week leading up to their announcement, billboards with the band’s iconic mouth and tongue logo began appearing in major cities around the world with the words “Foreign Tongues” in various languages: “Fremmede Sprog,” “Vreemde Tongen,” “Dayuhang Dila,” “외국어,” and “Langues Étrangères” among them. Around the same time, the Rolling Stones’ official website was updated to feature video clips stylized to look like surveillance footage of them in the studio.

On Sunday, the band shared a slide puzzle graphic fans believed to be the album artwork, depicting a cartoonish collage of the members’ faces. (They were correct; it was the official album cover.) There was also a short video clip, just 10-seconds long, that appeared to tease a new song.

The story behind ‘Rough and Twisted’

“It's a fantasy about a woman that promises a lot of things and then what happens to you in life, you get involved in these terrible places that she takes you to,” Jagger told The Associated Press. “It's a Blues fantasy, really... it's fairly amorphous. It's very much just my unconscious ramblings."

Wood jumped in and said he used the same guitar he used on Faces' 1971 track “Stay With Me” — his project with Rod Stewart — on “Rough and Twisted.” “It was so spontaneous,” he said. “We even surprised ourselves with it.”

“When you get in the studio, and the guys get together, and you lay out a track, an idea, and you let it take off from there — you can't plan all of this stuff,” Richards said of their new material. “You kind of just have to follow it and hope you come out the other end.”

The Stones' ‘Tonight Show’ takeover and what comes next

“The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” will host the surviving members of the Stones across three nights this month, NBC announced Tuesday.

Jagger will appear on Wednesday's show and Fallon will host Richards on Thursday. Wood will appear on May 13.

No additional details on whether the band will perform together on the show were immediately released.

But will fans get to see them perform “Foreign Tongues” on a new tour? Maybe. “I would love to tour the album,” Jagger told AP. “I absolutely would love to. I hope to do it as soon as that's possible.”

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Associated Press Writer John Carucci contributed to this report.

“They’re just so angry,” Gosling once sighed.

And yet, marking its upcoming 10th anniversary this month, “The Nice Guys” has established itself as one of the most beloved comedies of the last decade — a decade in which Hollywood studios largely left the genre for dead. A 1970s-set comic noir directed and co-written by Shane Black, “The Nice Guys” paired Gosling and Russell Crowe as private eyes in a Los Angeles crime caper that, a decade later, keeps getting better.

“There’s a lot of interest in ‘The Nice Guys’ today that wasn’t there when it opened. And the box office will attest to that,” Black deadpanned in a recent interview. “But people find these things. I think there’s kind of a joy of finding a movie on streaming or rental and then suddenly kind of realizing: How did I miss this? And ‘The Nice Guys’ was easy to miss.”

Now, “The Nice Guys” is almost always on, in reruns on cable or streaming services. Whenever it’s on Netflix, it ranks among the most viewed on the platform. As more have become familiar with the comic talents of Gosling, in “Barbie” or “Project Hail Mary,” fans inevitably ask: “But have you seen ‘The Nice Guys?’”

Black has known box-office smashes; he originated the “Lethal Weapon” movies. But he’s come to view films of his that didn’t make money as his favorites. In 2005, he made another cult favorite in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” which helped revive Robert Downey Jr.’s career. (Downey makes a cameo as a corpse in “The Nice Guys.”)

“There’s something to being the king of the midnight movie,” says Black. “It’s not the most lucrative thing in the world.”

Comedies go dark

Earlier in the 2000s, comedy was a moviegoing staple. The films of Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow and Melissa McCarthy were some of Hollywood’s most lucrative. Movies like “The Hangover,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Bridesmaids” helped define the era.

But as the franchise film grew, and international ticket sales took on greater importance, the big-screen comedy began falling out of favor right around the time Warner Bros.’ “The Nice Guys” (with a $50 million budget) reached theaters, earning about $71 million worldwide at the time. Tastes were also changing. Horror took comedy’s place as the genre of the day.

There are signs that trends may be shifting. This year, “Project Hail Mary” and the just-launched “The Devil Wears Prada 2” have put comedies in front at the multiplex. But over the last decade, funny movies have largely migrated to streaming (Netflix’s pact with Adam Sandler was an early coup) or turned into the stuff of easy-to-miss cult.

Black's initial germ for the film, writing with Anthony Bagarozzi, was inspired by detective stories like those of William Campbell Gault and Brett Halliday. He’s read so many of them, he says, that “it’s almost a superpower.”

“I thought: There’s so much joy here,” Black says. “There’s so much fun in plot and twists and capers. You light a fuse and these guys go on this wild caper, and in the end, it’s just these two guys that are important. You can’t really remember the caper but it was there to service the idea, the shape of: These guys are at it again.”

If “Chinatown” is a detective tale about a Los Angeles private eye without a car, “The Nice Guys” is about a gumshoe who can’t smell. Gosling’s Holland March reluctantly joins with Crowe’s Jackson Healy, an enforcer, on a missing girl case. The movie is bright and colorful but set against a seedy LA and the adult film industry. With Holland also is his young but wise daughter, Holly (a preternaturally good Angourie Rice).

An heir to ‘Midnight Run’

“The Nice Guys” had an expansive cast, including Kim Basinger, Keith David and, in one of her first big roles, Margaret Qualley. But the heart of the movie is Gosling and Crowe. Neither was especially known for their comic skills at that point. Crowe was coming off the not-exactly-hysterical biblical epic “Noah.” But Black, a believer in the Lowell Ganz-Babaloo Mandel school of comedy (“Splash,” “Parenthood”), had an instinct they’d work well together.

“The thing is, Ryan is just a good actor,” says Black. “He’s funny in everything he does. But he didn’t do a lot of outright comedies. For this, the character was not like a ‘Talladega Nights’ or ‘Step Brothers.’ It’s not that kind of comedy where everything is pushed. It was a story that an actor could do and basically play a real character.”

They key for Black is centering the comedy on grounded characters, like the classic buddy movie “Midnight Run,” which paired Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. That approach may have gone missing in a decade where most of the few studio comedies that got made went for high-concept laughs. (See “Tag,” a 2018 comedy about adult friends playing tag.)

But “The Nice Guys,” sleazy and silly, gave Gosling a jumping-off point for some of the most sublime pratfalls in recent memory. Gosling had shown a knack for comedy before, but “The Nice Guys” is his coming-out party. No one has ever had his arm broken, or reached the same high-pitched squeal of pain, like Gosling does in the film. In another scene, on a toilet, he tries to balance a pointed gun and a lit cigarette while lifting his pants and repeatedly kicking the stall door open. It's a ballet worthy of Buster Keaton.

“My favorite that he walked in with one day was where he said, ‘I saw this movie last night with Abbott and Costello where they meet Frankenstein,’” Black recalls. “He said, ‘I’d like to maybe give that type of energy a try.’ When he said that, what he really meant was: I’m going to do a pitch-perfect Lou Costello impression sitting next to a tree for 60 seconds.”

What about a sequel?

Black is most proud of how much Gosling and Crowe were anxious to do anything that made them look cowardly or stupid or inept. “They wanted to be antiheroes,” says Black. Crowe has spoken fondly of his experience on the film, crediting Gosling as his only co-star to ever regularly get him to break character.

Thus the inevitable question: So why not a sequel?

“It’s one of the most common questions I get,” says Black. “The answer, unfortunately, is nebulous.”

“You’re saying to a studio: Hey, we want to get these two big stars. It’s going to cost even more this time. You’re going to spend maybe twice the money on a sequel to a movie that didn’t get you what you wanted back,” says Black. “It’s a tough sell to take a movie that bombed and make a sequel.”

But would he do it, if he could?

“Of course,” replies Black. “This was designed for that. Like I said, it’s a caper. There’s these two and they get in a bunch of trouble and here they go again. You want to see them do it again. There’s a whole bunch of mystery capers you could throw at these guys. You could make a grounded, potentially very interesting, touching movie set not in the ’70s but perhaps in the ’80s.”

In 2016, Gosling called the London premiere of “The Nice Guys” a momentous occasion.

“I wasn't at the premiere of ‘The Godfather’ or ‘Apocalypse Now,’ but I got a feeling it felt pretty much the same as it does today,” Gosling said. “You're looking down the barrel of cinematic history.”

Gosling, of course, was kidding. But cinematic history? Maybe.

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This story has been updated to correct the release year of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.” It released in 2005.

Urged on by President Donald Trump, South Carolina Republicans are attempting to redraw a district long held by a Black Democratic lawmaker in their quest for a clean sweep of the state's seven congressional seats.

Lawmakers already are meeting in special sessions in Alabama and Tennessee in a bid to change their U.S. House districts. And Louisiana lawmakers are making plans for new congressional districts after the Supreme Court last week struck down the state’s current map.

The stakes are high for minority voters who stand to lose their preferred representatives and for any Republican lawmakers reluctant to follow Trump's wishes. In Republican primary elections Tuesday, Trump-endorsed challengers defeated at least five of the seven Indiana state lawmakers targeted by Trump's allies for refusing to support a congressional redistricting effort last year.

The Supreme Court's recent ruling said Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority House district as it attempted to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The ruling significantly altered a decades-old understanding of the law, giving Republicans grounds to try to eliminate majority-Black districts that have elected Democrats.

The ruling revved up an already intense national redistricting battle ahead of a November midterm election that will determine control of the closely divided House.

Since Trump prodded Texas to redraw its U.S. House districts last year, a total of eight states have adopted new congressional districts. From that, Republicans think they could gain as many as 13 seats while Democrats think they could gain up to 10 seats. But some of the new districts could be competitive in November, meaning the parties may not get all they sought.

South Carolina to test its will for redistricting

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn has represented South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District since it was redrawn to favor minority voters in 1992. He’s running for an 18th term. But it could get harder for him to win reelection if Republicans redraw his district.

A committee on Wednesday easily passed a proposal that could allow South Carolina lawmakers to consider drawing new congressional districts, setting up a showdown on the state House floor later in the day.

The resolution would require a two-thirds vote to pass. Republicans have a supermajority, but some are concerned that an attempt to redraw the map to get rid of the state's lone Democratic representative could backfire and create up to two districts where Democrats are competitive.

Democratic state Rep. Spencer Wetmore said the redistricting effort reveals cynical politics focused more on winning for a narrow group than on helping all people.

“Daddy Trump calls and needs to grasp at some power, and once again we jump,” she said.

The state’s primaries are June 9 and early voting starts in three weeks.

Tennessee plan targets Memphis district

Republicans on Wednesday proposed a new U.S. House map that would split Memphis’ home of Shelby County among three districts, instead of the current two. The map would break up the state’s lone Democratic-held U.S. House district, centered on the majority-Black city of Memphis, creating a ripple effect of alterations to districts throughout the western and central parts of the state.

“Tennessee is a conservative state and our congressional delegation should reflect that. This bill ensures it does,” said Republican state Sen. John Stevens, who is spearheading the legislation.

To adopt new House districts, Tennessee lawmakers also are seeking to repeal a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting.

Democrats and civil rights activists denounced the efforts during legislative committee hearings Wednesday.

The proposed plan “is Black vote dilution at an industrial scale,” said Sekou Franklin, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University who is part of the Tennessee branch of the NAACP

The state House and Senate could vote on the redistricting legislation as soon as Thursday.

The candidate qualifying period in Tennessee ended in March, but legislation would reopen it to allow new candidates to join the races and existing candidates to switch districts. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 6.

Alabama looks at setting a new primary

The state House on Wednesday began debating legislation to enable special congressional primaries in case the federal courts give Alabama permission to switch U.S. House maps before the November midterms.

Alabama is seeking to lift a federal court injunction that ordered it to have two districts where Black voters are the majority, or close to it, and instead use a map that only has one such district. It would substantially alter the district now represented by Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black Democrat who was elected in 2024 under the court-ordered map.

The proposal stirred fiery debate as Black legislators said the moment is a callback to the state’s shameful Jim Crow-era history.

“It’s a tragic step backward for Black Alabama voters. But we’ve been here before, and we will not give us this fight,” said state Rep. Adline Clarke, a Democrat from Mobile.

The Alabama proposal hinges on the U.S. Supreme Court or a federal district court agreeing to lift the injunction.

“We’re going to be ready if the court hands down a favorable ruling,” said Republican state Rep. Chris Pringle, who sponsored the bill.

Alabama’s primaries are scheduled for May 19. If a court grants the state’s request, the legislation would ignore the results of that primary and direct the governor to schedule a new primary under the revised districts.

Thousands had already voted in Louisiana

After last week’s Supreme Court decision, Republican Gov. Mike Landry postponed the state’s May 16 congressional primary to allow time for lawmakers to approve new U.S. House districts. State Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, a Republican, said a redistricting committee he leads plans to hold a public hearing Friday.

Louisiana voters had already sent in more than 41,000 absentee ballots by last Thursday, when Landry suspended the House primaries, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. That’s about a third of all the absentee ballots sent out to voters. Around 19,000 were from registered Democrats, 17,000 from registered Republicans and the remainder belonged to neither party.

Democrats and civil rights groups have filed several lawsuits challenging the suspension of Louisiana’s congressional primary.

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Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama, Loller from Nashville and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed from New Orleans.

Lutnick, a member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, is the latest powerful political figure to appear before the House Oversight Committee. He has previously given contradictory statements about his relationship with Epstein, but he said he has done nothing wrong and welcomed the closed-door interview with lawmakers.

The transcribed interview is a test of how much scrutiny lawmakers will apply to powerful men who kept company with Epstein even after his conviction. Trump's administration has tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to move past the issue.

“I’ve been on the Oversight Committee 10 years, and there’s never been a chairman bring in Cabinet secretaries of their own party,” said the committee head, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, before the interview. “Our goal is to provide justice for the victims and hopefully today will be helpful."

Lutnick is the highest-ranked administration official, besides Trump, to be named in the Epstein case files. The Republican president has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has said he ended their relationship years ago.

Several Democrats have called for Lutnick to resign. A few Republicans, including Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, have said he should at least testify before the committee.

Lutnick has played down his ties to Epstein, who was once his neighbor in New York City. Under questioning from Democrats during an unrelated hearing earlier this year, Lutnick described their contact as a handful of emails and a pair of meetings in 2011 and 2012.

But that admission came after he had previously claimed on a podcast last year that he had decided to “never be in the room” with Epstein after a 2005 tour of Epstein’s home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to state sex offense charges in Florida, including soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.

“I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with him,” Lutnick told senators in February when he was asked about Epstein during a subcommittee hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

But Lutnick, who was previously the head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald, actually had an hourlong engagement at Epstein’s home in 2011. His family then visited Epstein’s private island in 2012 for lunch.

The federal release of case files on Epstein also showed that the two had kept in contact through email. Lutnick in 2018 emailed Epstein about a proposed expansion of a museum in their neighborhood that would have blocked the view from their homes. Epstein also gave $50,000 to a 2017 dinner honoring Lutnick, while Lutnick invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. In 2013, they both invested in the same business venture.

“I haven't seen wrongdoing in the email correspondence, but he wasn't 100% truthful with whether or not he had been on the island,” Comer said. He added that the committee planned to later release the transcript of the interview and “let the American people judge whether the credibility was damaged or not.”

The interview was not being recorded on video, as the committee has done with depositions for others, including former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state. Comer said the decision not to video the interview, for which Lutnick volunteered, was keeping with the committee's practice.

The White House has continued to express support for Lutnick, who is one of the biggest boosters of Trump's tariff strategy. He has been close to Trump for years and helped raise money for his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.

The committee is also scheduled to hear testimony on May 29 from Pam Bondi, who was pushed out as attorney general last month.

Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

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Follow the AP's coverage of Jeffrey Epstein at https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein.

Starmer’s center-left Labour Party is expected to take a battering in elections for local authorities across England and for semiautonomous legislatures in Scotland and Wales.

With the prime minister’s popularity in the doldrums from a weak economy and repeated questions about his judgment, rival parties are framing Thursday’s votes as a referendum on Starmer and his 2-year-old government. “Vote Reform, Get Starmer Out” is the campaign slogan of the hard-right party Reform UK.

The next national election does not have to be held until 2029, but a wipeout on Thursday could tip a restive Labour Party into revolt against its unpopular leader.

Less than two years after winning a landslide election victory, “Keir Starmer has become a vessel for people’s disappointment (and) disillusionment,” said Luke Tryl of pollster More in Common.

Polling day could be Starmer's judgment day

Starmer's popularity has plunged after repeated missteps since he became prime minister in July 2024. His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living — tasks made harder by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

The prime minister has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.

Forecasters suggest Labour will lose well over half of the 2,500 seats it is defending on English local councils. It is expected to lose votes to parties on both left and right — especially to the Green Party in London and Reform UK in working-class, former Labour strongholds in England’s north.

“These elections are a perilous, perilous moment for Keir Starmer,” said Tony Travers, professor in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics. He said that after a series of policy U-turns and in an economy where “there isn’t much money to spend on anything … his opponents are lining up.”

Starmer has already survived one crisis in February, when some Labour lawmakers, including the party’s leader in Scotland, urged him to quit over the Mandelson appointment.

An election rout could trigger a snap leadership challenge from a high-profile rival such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner or Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Any challenger would need the support of 80 lawmakers, one-fifth of the party in the House of Commons, to trigger a contest. In Burnham’s case he would have to win election to Parliament before he could take over.

Alternately, Starmer could face pressure from the party to set a timetable for his departure after an orderly leadership contest.

“His parliamentary party are unsure as to whether now is the right time to unseat him,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. “So there might be a stay of execution.”

But, Bale added, “it’s a case of when rather than if he goes.”

Polls point to fragmented politics and a fractured country

For decades, Labour losses would have been good news for its main rival, the right-of-center Conservative Party. But the Conservatives are tarnished by 14 tumultuous years in power that ended in 2024. In these elections, it’s Nigel Farage-led Reform UK, the left-leaning Greens and nationalist Welsh and Scottish parties that will likely be the main beneficiaries.

Opponents have heightened their scrutiny of Reform and the Greens in an effort to stop their rise. Farage is facing questions over a 5 million pound ($6.8 million) donation from a cryptocurrency billionaire that he accepted in 2024 but did not declare. He says it was a personal gift.

The environmentalist Greens, who have stressed their pro-Palestinian credentials under self-described “eco-populist” leader Zack Polanski, have fired several candidates for antisemitic social media posts.

Travers said Britain is moving from being a “two-and-a-half party system” — with the Liberal Democrats as the usual third party — “to something more like a five-party one.”

That is excellent news for Rhun ap Iorwerth, who leads Plaid Cymru (the Party of Wales) and stands a strong chance of leading that country’s semiautonomous government.

“The old politics is gone,” he said. “Labour is not going to win this election.”

A possible seismic shift on the horizon

Labour has dominated Welsh politics for a century and has held power in Cardiff since the Welsh government was established in 1999. Polls suggest Labour will be pushed into third place behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, who are running neck-and-neck.

A Plaid victory would give three of the four parts of the U.K. pro-independence leaders. Northern Ireland is governed by Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein in a power-sharing arrangement with the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party.

The Scottish National Party, which has governed in Edinburgh since 2007, says it will push for a new referendum on independence if it wins a majority on Thursday. Scottish voters rejected leaving the U.K. in a 2014 vote.

Plaid Cymru says a secession vote isn’t on the agenda in the next few years, though independence remains the party’s ultimate goal. In the short term, it wants more power to raise taxes and more control over how money is spent.

“We need a fundamental redesign of Britain,” ap Iowerth said. “This is an unequal union.”

Apple trumpeted new AI features for its virtual assistant Siri when it rolled out the iPhone 16 in 2024, part of new software updates that the company billed as “Apple Intelligence.”

The company has been scrambling to keep up with tech rivals amid the AI boom but still hasn't delivered on the Siri revamp two years later.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of U.S. consumers in the San Francisco federal court for the Northern District of California, alleged that Apple deceived consumers with a marketing campaign that promoted features that did not yet exist and misled them into buying the devices.

Lawyers for the iPhone buyers asked a court for preliminary approval of the proposed $250 million settlement, according to a court filling. If approved by a judge, it would be one of the biggest ever for Apple.

The settlement covers about 37 million devices bought in the United States between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025, including all iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Owners are eligible for a payment of at least $25 for each device, and that amount could go up to $95 depending on how many claims are filed “and other factors,” the filing said.

Customers will be notified by email or mail that they can file a claim on a settlement website, it said.

“Apple has reached a settlement to resolve claims related to the availability of two additional features,” the company said in a statement. "We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.”

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, was caught off-guard by the intense consumer interest in the Siri AI features. Buyers were angered after finding out that the new features would be released later than expected, the filing said.

They “would not have purchased the Eligible Devices or would have paid significantly less, had they known Enhanced Siri features were not available,” the filling said.

Apple's AI features remain in development even as rivals Google and Samsung have been rolling out more of the technology on their own devices. The company is expected to unveil its Siri upgrade this year, most likely at its annual developer conference next month.

Apple said in its statement that it has “introduced dozens of features” since it launched Apple Intelligence, such as Visual Intelligence and Live Translations.

Elghandour, the CEO of biotech company Arcellx and an alumnus of the New Jersey university, had been set to give the May 15 convocation address at the Rutgers School of Engineering.

That invitation was rescinded after the university learned that "some graduating students would not attend their graduation ceremony due to concerns about the invited speaker’s social media posts,” a Rutgers spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson declined to specify the offending posts, but confirmed they were focused on Israel. Elghandour did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Elghandour frequently shares news articles and footage of violence in Gaza and the West Bank, along with his own commentary accusing Israel of committing war crimes and upholding a system of apartheid.

He also served as the executive producer of the “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a documentary about a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli Defense Forces.

The cancellation comes as the springtime commencement season ignites yet another round of debate about student protests against the war in Gaza, which have roiled U.S. campuses in recent years and led to canceled speeches and disruptions during graduations.

Earlier this week, the University of Michigan publicly disavowed a commencement speech delivered by Derek R. Peterson, a history professor, that briefly lauded pro-Palestinian student activists.

That speech sparked threats to strip the university of funding from Republican officials and donors, who said the comments created a hostile environment for Jewish students. The university president’s subsequent apology has drawn condemnation from academic and free-speech groups.

On Tuesday, Elghandour shared a clip on X of Peterson’s speech at the University of Michigan, along with his own caption: “Most people choose convenience. Professor Peterson chose principle. True leadership. Much respect.”

A study released Tuesday by the nongovernmental organization Amazon Conservation, in partnership with Brazilian nonprofit Instituto Socioambiental, found illegal mining sites drove clear-cutting inside three conservation areas in the Xingu region, one of the world’s largest expanses of protected forest, spanning the states of Para and Mato Grosso. The analysis combined satellite imagery with ground research.

The Terra do Meio Ecological Station recorded its first cases of illegal mining in September 2024. By the end of 2025, mining-related deforestation there had spread to 30 hectares (74 acres). At the Altamira National Forest, illegal mining accumulated 832 hectares (2,056 acres) of deforestation between 2016 and September 2025. A new mining front that opened in 2024 expanded to 36 hectares (89 acres) by October 2025, accounting for nearly half the mining-related deforestation recorded in the unit during that year.

Satellite monitoring also detected a clandestine airstrip used by illegal miners at the Nascentes da Serra do Cachimbo Biological Reserve last year. Illegal mining in the reserve grew from 2 hectares (5 acres) to at least 26.8 hectares (66 acres) in 2025.

Most deforestation from mining is illegal, group says

In 2023, Amazon Conservation teamed up with Earth Genome and the Pulitzer Center to develop the Amazon Mining Watch, a platform that uses satellite imagery to track mining across the Amazon since 2018. About 496,000 hectares (1,225,640 acres) of rainforest have been cleared for mining since then, including approximately 223,000 hectares (551,045 acres) in the Brazilian Amazon. Amazon Conservation estimates that 80% of mining-related deforestation in Brazil carries a high risk of taking place illegally.

Mining remains a relatively small driver of deforestation in Brazil, where forest loss is largely linked to agribusiness expansion. In 2025, for example, some 579,600 hectares (1.432 million acres) of the Brazilian Amazon were cleared, according to official data. About 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) were related to mining, according to the Mining Watch.

“What makes mining particularly problematic is that it targets protected areas and Indigenous territories,” said Matt Finer, director of Amazon Conservation’s Monitoring of the Andes Amazon program.

Protecting Indigenous territories is widely seen as an effective way to curb deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest and a key regulator of global climate. Researchers warn that continued forest loss could accelerate global warming.

Enforcement is often a ‘cat-and-mouse’ game

In 2023, Brazilian authorities launched a major crackdown on illegal gold mining in the Yanomami Indigenous territory in Roraima state, along the border with Venezuela, after a surge led to a humanitarian and health crisis. Annual growth in newly mined areas there fell sharply after that year, according to Amazon Conservation data. Although mining has not been fully eliminated, nearly all deforestation inside the Yanomami territory — about 5,500 hectares (13,590 acres) — had taken place by 2023.

Still, localized enforcement has not curbed illegal mining across the Amazon. When authorities destroy dredges and equipment in one region, miners often relocate or resume operations once officials leave. Federal prosecutor André Luiz Porreca, who investigates illegal mining in the western Brazilian Amazon, described enforcement as a “cat-and-mouse game.”

“Last year, I took part in an operation that destroyed more than 500 dredges on an Indigenous land,” Porreca said. “The following week, Indigenous people showed me photos proving the miners had already returned.”

Porreca said illegal gold mining is financed by Brazil’s largest criminal organizations, including the Red Command and the First Capital Command, or PCC, which operate in about a third of the cities in the Brazilian Amazon. “They have the money to bankroll these operations. Some dredges cost as much as 15 million reais."

While enforcement eased pressure in Yanomami territory, illegal mining has intensified elsewhere, particularly across Indigenous lands in the Xingu River basin. The most critical situation is on the Kayapo Indigenous land, where roughly 7,940 hectares (19,620 acres) of rainforest have been cleared by illegal mining, the largest such area in the Brazilian Amazon.

Gold has driven mercury contamination

Record-breaking gold prices, driven largely by investor demand for safe assets amid rising global risks, have provided a strong incentive for illegal mining.

“It’s basic market logic. With more buyers, there are more people exploiting gold,” Porreca said. He said Brazil’s mineral export control system remains weak, allowing laundering schemes that give illicit gold the appearance of legality.

Environmental damage extends beyond deforestation. Illegal mining operations dump mercury into rivers, contaminating waterways and accumulating in fish consumed by riverine and Indigenous communities.

In April, Porreca submitted a report to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights describing widespread mercury contamination in the Amazon. The report cited a study by Fiocruz, a state-run research institution, which found that 21.3% of fish sold in public markets across the Amazon exceeded mercury limits set by the World Health Organization. Children ages 2 to 4 were consuming mercury at levels up to 31 times higher than the recommended maximum.

Mining an increasing concern among environmentalists and Indigenous

Under Brazilian law, mining is prohibited on Indigenous lands. The Ministry of Indigenous peoples said in a statement that combating illegal mining on Indigenous lands is a priority of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration. The ministry said mining invasions are sustained by criminal networks and confronting them requires dismantling those economic and logistics chains.

The Ministry of Environment said mercury contamination from illegal gold mining remains a persistent problem in the Amazon, adding that it is expanding scientific monitoring while supporting enforcement efforts.

Brazil’s Federal Police did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

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

The June 6-12 visit will first bring Leo to Madrid for meetings with the government, parliament and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. He will also preside over a prayer vigil with young people that will recall the last time a pope visited Spain: 2011, when Madrid hosted World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI.

In Barcelona, Leo will be on hand to mark the 100th anniversary, on June 10, of the death of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who designed Sagrada Familia, the world’s tallest church. Leo will celebrate an evening Mass in the basilica and inaugurate its Tower of Jesus Christ, the soaring central piece that was moved into place in February.

The tower brought Sagrada Familia to its maximum height, 172½ meters (around 566 feet) above Barcelona, but the building is still far from complete. When Benedict visited in 2010, he consecrated the basilica, and there will still be unfinished related business when Leo visits: Gaudí is on the path to possible sainthood, but he won't be canonized during the pope's trip, Spain's bishops said Wednesday.

The head of the Spanish Catholic bishops conference, Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid, highlighted Leo’s planned address to parliament while in Spain as particularly significant. Only on rare occasions do popes address foreign legislatures, and the speeches often end up among the most noteworthy of a pontificate.

“I believe it’s of great importance,” said Argüello, because parliament “as the embodiment of national sovereignty, needs to reflect on what an ethical and spiritual reference means at a time of the undoubtedly necessary renewal of our democratic life.”

Fulfilling Pope Francis' wish

Leo is in many ways carrying out an intention of his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis, by visiting the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off northwest Africa which is the main gateway for migrants from Africa to enter Spain.

Francis had made reaching out to migrants and refugees a hallmark of his papacy, and Leo has followed suit by demanding dignified treatment of migrants, especially in his native United States. Francis had planned to visit the Canary Islands, even while staying away from the Spanish mainland for his entire 12-year pontificate, as he prioritized smaller destinations far from the centers of traditional Catholicism.

Spain’s government under Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has championed legal immigration at a time when many governments in Europe are trying to decrease migrant arrivals and step up deportations.

Underway in the Iberian nation of 50 million is a migrant amnesty measure that aims to legalize the status of an estimated 500,000 people the government says are living in Spain without authorization.

Conservative opposition parties have criticized the approach, especially Vox, which has described the legalization push as an “attack on our identity.”

But Spain’s leftist government has said that the measure has the support of a broad coalition that includes the Catholic Church and many Spanish business leaders. Spain's population is aging, and Sánchez has repeatedly said that the country needs more workers to maintain its growing economy and contribute to social security.

Spain’s population now includes around 10 million foreign-born residents — or one in every five people. Many are from Latin America and Africa.

Two days in the Canary Islands

Leo will meet with organizations working with migrants in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. The following day he will meet with migrants at a reception center in Tenerife and separately with Spanish groups that work with them.

The Canary Islands are roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the closest point in Africa, but to avoid security forces, many migrants attempt longer journeys that can take days or weeks.

The islands have been a steppingstone for migrants trying to reach Europe from West Africa and Morocco for decades. Arrivals peaked in 2024 with nearly 47,000 arrivals, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry statistics. Following pressure and deals between the European Union, Spain and the governments of Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, arrivals have fallen dramatically, with just over 2,000 migrants landing in the Canaries in the first four months of 2026.

A few weeks after Leo visits the Canary Islands, history's first U.S.-born pope will travel to the main migrant entry point to Europe, the Italian island of Lampedusa, Sicily, on July 4, to meet with migrants there. That's the same day the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence.

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Suman Naishadham reported from Madrid, and Renata Brito from Barcelona, Spain.

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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.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with Precinct 4 responded around 5:45 a.m. to a home in the 16900 block of Spring Creek Oaks.

When they arrived, they found an unidentified man on a walking trail behind the home. Investigators say he had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

What investigators say happened

Authorities say the homeowner told deputies he woke up and discovered a man inside his house wearing a mask and gloves.

Investigators say the two got into a physical fight inside the home that moved outside.

At some point, the homeowner went back inside, but officials say the suspect returned to the property, leading to a second confrontation in the backyard.

That’s when, according to investigators, the homeowner got a handgun and shot the man.

The suspect then ran, jumped over a fence, and was later found on a nearby walking trail.

Officials say there were three adults and two children, ages 12 and 13, inside the home at the time of the incident.

No one else was injured.

As part of the investigation, detectives are speaking with everyone who was inside the house to better understand what happened.

The suspect has not yet been identified.

Investigators say there were no signs of forced entry, but they believe the man got into the home through a back door.

Authorities are still working to determine exactly what led up to the encounter and why the suspect returned to the home after the first altercation.

No arrests have been made at this time.

The case will be reviewed by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether any charges will be filed.

The Walt Disney Co. warned early this year that its theme parks division would likely see modest growth due in part to declining tourism from abroad.

International tourism in the U.S. has waned for a number of reasons after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, including tariffs, a crackdown on immigrants, and repeated jabs at alliednations.

In the Experiences division, which includes Disney’s six global theme parks, its cruise line, merchandise and video game licensing, operating income climbed 5% to $2.62 billion and revenue hit $9.49 billion in the quarter. Operating income rose 5% at domestic parks, while operating income edged up 1% for international parks and Experiences.

However, overall attendance at U.S. parks declined 1% from the same time last year due to declining international tourism.

Disney said Wednesday that domestic parks and resorts are doing well, but that the company is aware that customers are facing heightened inflation and soaring energy prices. Disney expects year-over-year attendance at its U.S. parks to improve in the current quarter.

Shares jumped 8% Wednesday.

Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said during Disney’s conference call that the company is not seeing any change in consumer behavior from elevated gas prices so far, but that the business remains mindful of economic conditions and can make adjustments if needed.

For the period ended March 28, Disney earned $2.25 billion, or $1.27 per share. A year earlier it earned $3.28 billion, or $1.81 per share.

Stripping out one-time gains and losses, earnings were $1.57 per share, easily beating the $1.49 that Wall Street expected, according to analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research.

The Burbank, California, company reported revenue of $25.17 billion, which was slightly above expectations.

Revenue for Disney Entertainment, which includes the company’s movie studios and streaming service, climbed 10%, while revenue for the Experiences division, rose 7%.

Disney is preparing for the release of several films, including “The Mandalorian & Grogu,”“Toy Story 5” and the live-action “Moana.”

“Franchise films like these strengthen our most strategic asset – our intellectual property – and help fuel our streaming, consumer products, experiences, and games businesses over years and generations,” CEO Josh D'Amaro and Johnston said in a joint statement.

D’Amaro succeeded Bob Iger as Disney’s CEO in March to become the 9th CEO of the 100 plus-year-old company after overseeing its theme parks, cruises and resorts since 2020.

Just over a month into the job he was facing a challenge that had tested Iger's later years with Disney: Clashes with Donald Trump.

Last week, Donald and Melania Trump both called for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel after he described the first lady as having “the glow of an expectant widow.” Disney owns ABC.

Kimmel made the comment before a man with a gun stormed the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and Trump was spirited out of the room by the Secret Service.

Last year, Kimmel was suspended by ABC following a comment made by the late night talk show host about assassinated conservative leader Charlie Kirk, a decision encouraged by Trump’s FCC chairman, Brendan Carr. ABC later brought Kimmel back.

Disney still anticipates double-digit growth for fiscal 2027 adjusted earnings per share, excluding the impact of an extra week in the period.

From U.S. state capitols and tribal community spaces to the streets of major cities, hundreds of marches, rallies, talking circles, self-defense classes and candlelight vigils are planned for the week of May 5, which is observed as a national day of awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement.

The day reflects both the collective grief and the resilience of Indigenous communities, where the federal government has a legal responsibility to ensure public safety. All too often, resources to prevent and respond to violence are in short supply.

Many events call for participants to wear red, a color that has become synonymous with honoring Indigenous victims of violence in the U.S. and Canada.

A hidden crisis

Native Americans face disproportionate rates of violence in the U.S., a crisis that advocates say is rooted in the systematic removal of Native people from their land and the federal government's efforts to rid them of their cultures.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Native Americans and Alaska Natives are more than twice as likely than the general population to be victims of a violent crime, and Native women are twice as likely to be victims of homicide. At the end of 2025, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center recorded just under 1,500 active federal cases involving missing Native Americans.

Experts say that's likely an undercount because of jurisdictional confusion, racial misclassification and inconsistent data collection.

Abigail Echo-Hawk, director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, said that there's been progress in accounting for the true scope of the crisis but that law enforcement resources have been slow to follow.

“Don’t look at the numbers and feel sorry for us,” Echo-Hawk said, a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. “Look at the numbers and say, ‘How do we ensure that this doesn’t continue?’”

Federal action

In 2020, President Donald Trump signed Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act into law, both aimed at solving and preventing cases of violent crime in Indian Country with improved data collection and law enforcement reforms.

But implementation of those laws has been slow and erratic. Under the Biden administration in 2022, a federal commission to study the crisis convened two years behind schedule. Its extensive recommendations — ranging from expanding authority for tribal law enforcement to improving communication with the victims’ families — were made public in 2023.

The recommendations were removed from government websites last year amid the Trump administration's purge of initiatives it associates with diversity, equity and inclusion.

Federally recognized tribes are sovereign nations within the U.S.

Meanwhile, Trump’s Department of Justice has continued its Operation Not Forgotten initiative, surging dozens of FBI agents, analysts and other personnel to field offices near tribal lands on a rotating, temporary basis. The FBI says those assignments have yielded more than 200 arrests and convictions in homicide, domestic abuse and sexual assault cases since 2023.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Interior Department announced the creation of a task force to prevent violent crime in Indian Country. Among other things, officials say the effort aligns investigative resources to improve case management and prosecution outcomes, while refocusing efforts on solving missing persons and homicide cases.

Michael Henderson, director of public safety for the Navajo Nation, said there are “pros and cons” to a bigger FBI footprint in Indian Country. Federal officers can bring fresh eyes and high-tech forensic tools to cold cases. But Henderson said many of these agents arrive with little experience working in tribal communities or investigating violent crime.

“More manpower from the FBI on reservations, that’s not a good solution in my mind,” Henderson said, adding that federal funds could be better spent staffing and funding tribal police departments.

Families advocate for their relatives

At a Saturday prayer walk in Colorado Springs, Colorado, marchers chanted, “No more stolen lives on stolen land” and carried signs with the photos and stories of dozens of Indigenous people who have been killed or have disappeared.

Among the marchers was Denise Porambo. Her daughter, Destiny Jeriann Whiteman, was killed last August where she lived on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation in southwest Colorado. She was 24 and had an infant son.

“It hurts every day,” Porambo said, her voice breaking.

Crowds gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, and in Duluth, Minnesota, to raise awareness. Outside City Hall in Duluth, trees were decorated with red dresses.

In Oklahoma, family members and supporters donned red shirts and ribbon skirts to mark the day, and carried photographs of their loved ones. Some painted red hands over their mouths — a symbol of solidarity.

At a prayer walk in Albuquerque, marchers shouted the names of Emily Pike, Ella Mae Begay, Zachariah Shorty and others who have gone missing or been killed.

Jessica Montoya drove three hours from the Jicarilla Apache Nation to highlight her son Jamian Reval’s 2023 killing. He was 16 when family members say he was robbed and shot by a classmate on the first day of his junior year of high school.

“He had a lot of goals. He had a lot to look forward to,” Montoya said, carrying a sign calling for an end to gun violence.

Navigating a maze of tribal and federal law enforcement agencies has left Montoya and her family feeling ignored and left out, compounding their grief.

In the absence of a nationwide strategy for handling these cases, advocates in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement say the burden of searching for loved ones and investigating their disappearances often falls to family members.

Grace Bulltail's 18-year-old niece, Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, was found dead several days after she disappeared from her home on the Crow Reservation in Montana in August 2019. Her family organizes marches, vigils and courthouse demonstrations and tirelessly pesters law enforcement for action and answers.

No arrests have been made, and the cause of death was ruled inconclusive.

“We have had to advocate for ourselves and for Kaysera every step of the way,” Bulltail said.

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This story has been updated to correct the day of the event in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Saturday.

___ Spears reported from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Leah Lemm with MPR News in Duluth, Minnesota; Sarah Liese with KOSU in Oklahoma City; Erica Ayisi with ICT in Madison, Wisconsin; and AP writer Susan Montoya Bryan contributed to this report.

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This story is published through the Global Indigenous Reporting Network at The Associated Press.

The good news for the Oklahoma City Thunder: They won Game 1 against the Lakers by 18 points.

For the first time this season, Gilgeous-Alexander was held under 20 points. And it didn't matter, with the Thunder easing past the Lakers 108-90 to open their Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA-record streak of 140 consecutive 20-point games won't be affected; that only takes regular-season games into account. He was held under 20 points three times in last season's playoffs as well.

Also Tuesday, Detroit took a 1-0 Eastern Conference semifinal series lead over Cleveland with a 111-101 win behind 23 points from Cade Cunningham.

A pair of Game 2s are on tap Wednesday: New York, at home, will aim for a 2-0 lead on Philadelphia in the East and Minnesota, on the road, will aim for a 2-0 lead on San Antonio in the West.

Wednesday's schedule

— Game 2, Philadelphia at New York, 7 p.m. EDT (ESPN)

Odds: New York by 6.5.

Jalen Brunson scored 35 points in the opener as the Knicks rolled in Game 1. The 76ers — who are used to bouncebacks, after overcoming a 3-1 series hole against Boston in Round 1 — expect to have coach Nick Nurse back with the team on Wednesday. Nurse stepped away from the team after Game 1 to attend his brother's funeral.

— Game 2, Minnesota at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m. EDT (ESPN)

Odds: San Antonio by 9.5.

Anthony Edwards made a somewhat earlier-than-expected return from a knee injury for the Timberwolves and helped the team to a Game 1 win. The Spurs wasted a 12-block effort from Victor Wembanyama in Game 1.

Thursday's schedule

— Game 2, Cleveland at Detroit, 7 p.m. EDT (Prime)

Series: Detroit leads 1-0.

Odds: Detroit by 3.5.

The Pistons shot 35 free throws in Game 1, the Cavaliers shot only 16. Expect Cleveland to try and touch the paint more in Game 2.

— Game 2, LA Lakers at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m. EDT (Prime)

Series: Oklahoma City leads 1-0.

Odds: Oklahoma City by 15.5.

LeBron James was great in Game 1, but the Thunder forced the Lakers' starting backcourt of Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves into a 7-for-31 shooting effort. OKC also had a 34-15 edge in bench scoring.

Tuesday recap

— Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101 for 1-0 series lead. Jalen Duren had a strong Game 1.

— Thunder 108, Lakers 90 for 1-0 series lead.

Awards watch

A breakdown of this season's NBA awards:

— Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans.

— Hustle Award: Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte.

— Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio.

— Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City.

— Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.

— Sportsmanship Award: Derrick White, Boston.

— Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta.

— Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg, Dallas.

— Executive of the Year: Brad Stevens, Boston.

Among the announcements still to come:

— Most Valuable Player: Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama or Denver's Nikola Jokic.

— Coach of the Year: Detroit's J.B. Bickerstaff, San Antonio's Mitch Johnson or Boston's Joe Mazzulla.

Betting odds

Defending champion Oklahoma City (-175) is favored to win the NBA title, according to oddsmakers.

The Thunder were followed by San Antonio (+450), New York (+850), Detroit (+1500), Minnesota (+2200), Cleveland (+4000), the Los Angeles Lakers (+4000) and Philadelphia (+6600).

Minnesota's odds were +10000 before Game 1 of the series against the Spurs.

Another LeBron milestone awaits

Game 2 of Lakers-Thunder will be LeBron James' 300th postseason game. That's more than 17 of the league's current 30 franchises have ever played.

Since James entered the league:

— No team has played 300 playoff games; Boston has the most with 269.

— No other player even has 200 appearances in that span; Al Horford has played in 197 playoff games. Udonis Haslem — now an analyst for Prime Video and a member of the Heat front office — was on Miami's roster for 231 playoff games since James entered the league, but played in 149 of them.

Key dates

— Sunday: NBA draft lottery.

— May 10-17: NBA draft combine.

— May 17 or 19: Eastern Conference finals begin on ESPN and ABC.

— May 18 or 20: Western Conference finals begin on NBC and Peacock.

— June 3: Game 1, NBA Finals on ABC. (Other finals dates: June 5, June 8, June 10, June 13, June 16 and June 19).

— June 23: Round 1, NBA draft

— June 24: Round 2, NBA draft

Quote of the day

“I’m pretty comfortable playing that role. I’ve played it much of my life — definitely, all of my NBA career. It’s just part of what comes with the territory. But this is what you live for, this time of year. This is what all the work’s for. This is what we’re building towards all year.” — Detroit's Duncan Robinson, on the pressure of being a 3-point shooter.

Stats of the day

— The Knicks have won their last three games by a combined 119 points, the most in any three-game span in NBA playoff history. And the 135-point combined margin in their last four games is another playoff record.

— The Thunder have won six consecutive playoff games, tying their longest playoff winning streak in the Oklahoma City era. Seattle won eight in a row in 1996.

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

We’re kicking off the day a little warmer with temps generally in the low to mid-70s. Expect to see more humidity throughout the day, along with some scattered showers through parts of the afternoon.

Mid-Week Cold Front:

A mid-week cold front will bring another chance for rain Wednesday night through Friday. Depending on how fast or slow the front moves, we determine how much rain Houston can pick up. The highest chance for rainfall will be on Thursday.

There is now a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms developing on Wednesday night as the front moves into southeast Texas. The threat is highest north and east of Houston.

Timing can change, so we will continue to watch and track the front Wednesday and Thursday.

• We’ll watch for more isolated rain Wednesday morning, building slightly by afternoon with a few isolated cells to the north, a somewhat stronger line north of College Station with isolated showers Thursday morning. Depending again on the timing of the front. This will depend on the timing of the front.
• Thunderstorms, hail and gusty winds are possible. The majority of the low but real severe weather activity - including hail and a 2% tornado risk - is expected north of our area, while damaging winds look more consistent across the entire area but still low for Houston - 5% and slightly higher for areas to the north -15%.

10 Day Forecast:

Even though we are tracking a late week cold front, it will not impact or temperatures dramatically like last weekend. We will still likely see highs in the lower-80s this weekend.

Have you captured a dramatic rain photo or video? Share your weather moments with the KPRC 2 community through Click2Pins at Click2Houston.com/pins.

Vladimir Sklarov, 63, also known as Gregory Mitchell and Mark Simon Bentley, set up a sham company, Astor Asset Group, that purported to be a legitimate and experienced loan provider that was connected to the Astors, federal prosecutors said. The storied New York family included John Jacob Astor, one of the wealthiest men in America in the mid-19th century.

Although the indictment unsealed on Monday does not name the victim, court records in litigation in England show it was Ricardo Salinas Pliego, the Mexican TV, retail and banking magnate. Salinas also confirmed he was ripped off by Astor Asset Group in an interview with The Wall Street Journal last year.

“I feel like an absolute idiot. How could I fall for this?” Salinas Pliego told the newspaper.

Sklarov was arrested in Chicago on Saturday on the indictment by a federal grand jury in New York City, prosecutors said. A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday in federal court in Chicago, according to court records.

A public defender representing Sklarov in Chicago did not immediately return phone and email messages Tuesday.

“As alleged, Vladimir Sklarov represented his company to be affiliated with, and have the financial backing of the famed New York Astor family in order to burnish his brand,” Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement. “That was a complete lie. Sklarov used false prestige to gain control of hundreds of millions of dollars in stock and then liquidated those shares for his own benefit."

In 2021, Salinas was seeking a $100 million loan that he intended to secure with shares of a company he owned, according to the indictment. Sklarov — using the name Gregory Mitchell and claiming he was “managing director” of Astor — and other, unnamed co-conspirators convinced Salinas that Astor was willing and able to provide the loan, prosecutors said. The other conspirators included a man who also used an alias, Thomas Mellon, whose last name is also that of a prominent and wealthy American family.

Sklarov and other conspirators told Salinas that Astor was originally established from the wealth of John Jacob Astor and that the company had high-profile clients including universities and investment funds, prosecutors said.

Under a deal signed around July 2021, Sklarov agreed to lend Salinas at least $115 million, claiming the money would come from the Astor family, the indictment says. Salinas secured the loan with company shares worth at least $450 million that were supposed to be held but not sold.

Sklarov then sold the company shares, used some of the proceeds to fund the loan to Salinas and kept the remaining hundreds of millions of dollars for himself and other conspirators, federal prosecutors said.

It wasn't until July 2024 that Salinas learned the company shares had been liquidated, the indictment says. A day later, Salinas received a letter from Astor falsely claiming that Salinas had defaulted on the loan, according to the document. A month earlier, Astor wrongly informed Salinas that it had the right to sell the shares, prosecutors said.

Authorities listed Sklarov's hometown as Athens, Greece. The Wall Street Journal reported that Sklarov is a Ukrainian-born American who had been convicted of fraud in the past.

Houston police confirm units responded after receiving multiple calls about a suspicious person at the HEB at 5895 San Felipe Street. The first call came in at 5:41 p.m.

• Lee Gilley used fake travel documents to flee the US ahead of murder trial, prosecutors say

We are told that employees moved shoppers to the back of the store. Reality with Raya Podcaster, Raya Hensler, documented the moments.

“Was coming to get a few snacks for me and my friend. We were gonna do a girls night and Rachel and Franklin, the amazing managers of HEB, were like shutting the doors and I was like, oh, are you closing early? Like what’s going on? And they were like, no, get in. There’s a gunman in the parking lot. You’re in or you’re out. And I was, okay,” Hensler said.

Houston police provided more details on the incident and said the suspect is a former employee who was fired about five years ago. Police said he comes up to the store every week or two and bothers the employees. He has also been trespassed upon by the store before.

“What happens is this is a private establishment. So if the management doesn’t want somebody on their property, they can do a trespass affidavit. Of course, HPD can enforce that. So if we come out here and we trespass on somebody and tell them, hey, you cannot come back to the property, and they do come back, that’s when they get charged,” a HPD Sergeant at the scene said.

HPD said Tuesday that he walked up to the store and pointed a gun at the security guard before leaving the store. Shortly before 9 p.m., HPD told KPRC 2 the suspect had been taken into custody.

Police said no one was hurt in the incident.

A spokesperson for HEB says they have decided to temporarily close the store.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we closed the store to make sure that it was safe. The store has now reopened,” the statement from the spokesperson said.

Hensler praised the quick actions of the HEB employees.

“Really grateful for the action that they took quickly, didn’t skip a beat,” she said.

Visitors came from France, China, Ivory Coast and Italy, including France’s ambassador to Tunisia, a symbolic gesture after two French citizens were among those killed in the 2023 attack. A national guardsman shot and killed five people at the El-Ghriba synagogue soon after the festival that year, spreading fear among the local Jewish population and international pilgrims.

Participants said about 500 people have attended this year’s pilgrimage, held on the Mediterranean island of Djerba from April 30 to May 6 to celebrate the Lag B’Omer Jewish holiday. Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times, and the pilgrimage remains central to the country’s small but long-standing Jewish community.

Inside the synagogue, the atmosphere was calm and devotional, while also buzzing with conversations and social exchanges. Worshippers lit candles, read sacred texts and wrote wishes on eggs later placed in a sacred cave within the complex, a tradition believed to bring blessings.

Among them was Redj Cahen, a Tunisian-Italian pilgrim who returned after missing last year’s gathering. “We are back, and we are proud to be Tunisian Jews,” he said. “It is a feeling you cannot explain. Only those who come here understand.”

The gathering draws both local worshippers and members of the diaspora returning to their ancestral roots and has long been seen as a symbol of coexistence, attracting Muslim visitors alongside Jewish pilgrims.

A visible but contained security presence surrounded the synagogue, while heavier measures were deployed at access points to the island, where police checkpoints and barricades controlled entry. Vehicles were searched and identification documents carefully inspected. Within Djerba, security was especially concentrated in Hara Seghira and Hara Kebira, the island’s main Jewish quarters.

Despite security worries, the traditional “Minara” procession took place for the first time since the 2023 attack, signaling a cautious easing of restrictions.

The Minara, a pyramid-shaped tower of gold and silver, is placed at the center of the synagogue. Women drape it with colorful scarves in a gesture associated with good fortune, fertility and marriage. A symbolic auction of paintings and Jewish religious items follows as part of a traditional fundraiser for the synagogue’s maintenance, after which the scarf-laden Minara is placed on a cart and paraded outside to the sounds of the traditional darbuka drum, singing and throwing of candy. It is later brought back into the synagogue, concluding one of the event’s pillar traditions.

The pilgrimage, one of the oldest in Africa, has historically drawn thousands from around the world. Attendance dropped sharply after the 2023 shooting outside the synagogue that killed two pilgrims and three security officers. The synagogue was also targeted by a 2002 truck bombing by al-Qaida that killed about 20 people.

“This year’s Ghriba pilgrimage marks a gradual return,” said former Tourism Minister René Trabelsi. “We are returning little by little.''

Trabelsi said Tunisian authorities had pushed to maintain the pilgrimage despite the challenges. The event plays an important role in supporting the local economy.

Khedir Hnaia, who has worked at the synagogue for more than three decades, welcomed the return of longtime visitors. “We would like to reflect a good image to the world, to bring back the glory of Ghriba and make it even better than how it used to be,” he said.

“We need to stand up for our country, we love Tunisia very much and in the same way our country stood up for us we will always stand up for it,” said Haim Haddad, a member of the pilgrimage organizing committee from Zarzis.

___

Ben Mbarek reported from Tunis, Tunisia.

After a lengthy stalemate, negotiations have reached a point where the NFL Referees Association is planning to have a ratification vote this week, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private. ESPN first reported the development.

Last month, the league began the onboarding process for replacement officials because negotiations weren’t progressing.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association is set to expire on May 31.

The league and the union have been negotiating a new CBA since the summer of 2024.

“The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFLRA but will be prepared in the event the NFLRA permits the current agreement to expire,” NFL senior vice president of officiating Perry Fewell said in a memo sent to teams in April.

The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth rate in compensation over a six-year labor deal, but the NFLRA wants 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees, two AP sources said in March.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green told the AP “those numbers are not accurate.” At the time, he said negotiations with the league were similar to 2012 when a stalemate resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used.

“We’re taking the appropriate steps to be ready, but we’re also keenly focused on negotiations,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on March 31.

___

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

While the AFCA has no authority within the NCAA or CFP governance structures, FBS coaches are part of the group's board and membership. The AFCA publicly revealed its positions Tuesday, after they were discussed and adopted by board members at an annual meeting last week.

“The American Football Coaches Association has identified the length of the college football season as a critical issue that needs to be addressed,” the group said in a statement. “As we modernize our game to better serve student-athletes, we have fallen short in structuring a season that concludes in a timely and sustainable way.”

As for the size of the playoff field, currently 12 teams and expected to expand, the AFCA didn't publicly endorse a certain number, but said “future playoff models should maximize the number of participants while honoring the proposed completion date.”

Other proposals

Along with eliminating conference title games, the AFCA proposals for finishing on the second Monday in January are to reduce scheduled bye weeks from two to one and reduce the minimum number of days between games to no fewer than six.

The AFCA also calls to preserve a dedicated window for the Army-Navy game, while allowing flexibility for other games, such as playoff games, to be played on that same day outside that window.

“Structuring the season in this way will better support student-athletes by more closely matching the academic calendar and aligning with the single transfer portal window,” the AFCA said. “It also elevates the quality of play during the most meaningful stretch of the season by removing unnecessary breaks and preserving competitive rhythm.”

An NCAA committee last month recommended that Football Bowl Subdivision teams play a 12-game schedule over 14 weeks beginning in 2027. The regular season would start on the Thursday of what is now designated Week Zero and end the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Same playoff format for now

The 12-team playoff format is unchanged for next season. The opening round of games, featuring the fifth through 12th seeds, will be played on campus Dec. 18-19. Traditional bowl sites will host quarterfinal games Dec. 30-Jan. 1, and semifinal games Jan. 14-15. The championship game will be played in Las Vegas on Jan. 25, 2027, which is the fourth Monday of that month.

Conference championship games are set for the first weekend in December, with the Army-Navy game scheduled Dec. 12.

Last season's national championship game was played on Jan. 19, when undefeated Indiana beat Miami 27-21.

___

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He still could face discipline from the NFL.

“We have been monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday.

Diggs was found not guilty Tuesday of assaulting his personal chef. The charges stemmed from a Dec. 2 incident at his house in Massachusetts where Jamila Adams, a former live-in personal chef, testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during an argument. He had pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before clearing Diggs of all charges.

"The evidence has shown what we’ve maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field,” Diggs’ attorney, Mitch Schuster, said in a statement.

Diggs spent last season with the New England Patriots, helping them reach the Super Bowl, where they lost to Seattle. He was released in March and remains a unsigned.

That could change in the coming weeks, though league discipline is still a possibility.

Several NFL players, including Ben Roethlisberger, Jameis Winston and Ezekiel Elliott, have been suspended for violating the personal-conduct policy despite not being arrested or charged with a crime.

Roethlisberger, the former Steelers quarterback was suspended six games — it was later reduced to four after an appeal — in 2010 following sexual assault accusations.

Winston was in his fourth season with the Buccaneers when he was suspended three games in 2018 following a sexual assault allegation.

Elliott, a three-time Pro Bowl running back, was in his second season with the Cowboys when he was suspended six games in 2017 following a league investigation into domestic violence allegations. An arbitrator upheld the six games following an appeal.

Diggs led New England with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the team. He was the go-to option for Drake Maye, who finished runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the AP NFL MVP award.

Diggs, who turns 33 on Nov. 29, has played for three teams in the last three seasons. He began his career in Minnesota in 2015 and went from fifth-round pick to No. 1 receiver in five seasons with the Vikings.

He was traded to Buffalo for a first-round pick in 2020 and had an All-Pro season that year. Diggs spent four seasons with the Bills before he wore out his welcome. He played for the Texans in 2024.

Here are five potential landing spots for Diggs going forward:

Baltimore Ravens

Despite drafting Ja’Kobi Lane in the third round and Elijah Sarratt in the fourth, Baltimore could use another veteran receiver to pair with Zay Flowers and give Lamar Jackson more options.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers acquired Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade to join DK Metcalf and tried to select Makai Lemon in the first round before the Eagles swooped in and took him instead. The Steelers ended up taking wideout Germie Bernard in the second round but Aaron Rodgers, if he returns, prefers veterans and Diggs would be a fit.

Los Angeles Chargers

Fourth-round pick Brenen Thompson joins a group that’s led by Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston and includes Tre’ Harris. Diggs would give Justin Herbert a dependable target.

Los Angeles Rams

After exploring the possibility of a trade for A.J. Brown earlier in the offseason, the Rams could still be in the market for another veteran to add to a formidable unit led by All-Pro Puka Nacua and six-time Pro Bowl pick Davante Adams.

New England Patriots

They’re likely going to acquire Brown from the Eagles after June 1. However, bringing Diggs back if the price is right could be an option. He knows the offense and didn’t hold any grudges after being informed he was going to be released. Diggs posted his appreciation for the organization, saying: “We family forever.”

___

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

We’ve made it to the halfway mark; give yourselves a pat on the back. Now, let’s get into some overnight stories and some news from yesterday.

If you’re in the Houston area, I’m sure you’ve heard this story buzzing. It’s a tragedy that happened right in our backyards.

A couple and the owners of a popular Montrose restaurant, including their two children, were found dead in their River Oaks home in what police are calling a murder-suicide.

The couple and their two children were found on Monday after police say they responded to a welfare check. The couple has since been identified as a 52-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, an 8-year-old girl, and a 4-year-old boy.

To read more, click here.

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YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY: 87° TONIGHT: 75°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“A mid-week cold front will bring another chance for rain Wednesday night through Friday. Depending on how fast or slow the front moves, we determine how much rain Houston can pick up. The highest chance for rainfall will be on Thursday.”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

HEB in Uptown temporarily shut down after former employee shows up and points gun at security guard; suspect in custody

A HEB store in Houston’s Uptown area temporarily closed Tuesday after a man showed up at the store and pointed a gun at a security guard. Police say the suspect is now in custody.

Houston police confirm units responded after getting multiple calls of a suspicious person at the HEB located at 5895 San Felipe Street. The first call came in at 5:41 p.m.

Lee Gilley used fake travel documents to flee the US ahead of murder trial, prosecutors say

The 39-year-old man accused of murdering his pregnant wife in October 2024 in the Houston Heights neighborhood was supposed to be in court downtown Houston Tuesday morning, but after a bailiff called his name three times in the hallway, prosecutors detailed what broke in the news last night: Gilley cut off his ankle monitor and fled to Italy.

Texas lawmakers repeatedly failed to pass flood protections. Some could have saved lives.

The sound of construction machinery filled the air as Kylie Nidever walked past properties ravaged months earlier by floodwaters.

Nidever’s home was among those in her Bumble Bee Hills neighborhood untouched by last year’s July 4 flood, one of the deadliest disasters in Texas history. The 35-year-old understood the draw of the tranquil Kerr County subdivision, where she played as a child in a nearby creek that fed the Guadalupe River. But she was taken aback by how enthusiastic most of her neighbors were to rebuild.

Nidever wondered why the government had let people build in any areas long known to be dangerous and whether leaders would intervene now.

“Is somebody going to come in and stop us?” said Nidever, who has considered moving. “If it happens again and it’s worse next time, people will die in this neighborhood.”

ARE YOU A KPRC 2 INSIDER? HERE’S SOME EXCLUSIVES

Cedric The Entertainer brings the laughs in new Netflix animated film ‘Swapped’

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Beijing's profile in international diplomacy has risen in recent years. Long reluctant to get involved in conflicts far from its borders, it has nevertheless emerged as a major player with attempts to mediate conflicts from Southeast Asia to Europe.

Beijing is not an official mediator in the Iran war, but all parties — including Washington and Tehran — say it has played an important role in efforts to de-escalate the conflict. The Trump administration is pressing China to use its influence with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

During Wednesday's meeting with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a “comprehensive ceasefire," saying his country is deeply distressed by the war.

“The international community shares a common concern for restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait, and China hopes the relevant parties will respond as quickly as possible to the strong calls from the international community,” China's official news agency Xinhua quoted him as saying.

The timing of Araghchi’s visit matters

Trump and Xi are set to meet in Beijing next week, with the conflict expected to be on their agenda. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Chinese officials to use Araghchi’s visit to China to urge Tehran to release its chokehold on the critical waterway.

Wang's renewed call for reopening the strait could provide fresh momentum to help push for an agreement between the U.S. and Iran to end the war.

“Currently, it is possible to resolve the issue of reopening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible," Xinhua quoted Araghchi, who's in Beijing for the first time since the war started on Feb. 28, as saying.

Wang also said China appreciates Iran’s pledge to not develop nuclear weapons, while acknowledging Iran's legitimate right to peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Tuvia Gering, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, said the timing of Araghchi's visit is important, saying the meeting showed coordinated messaging between Beijing and Tehran and reinforces China's desire to have a seat in any future regional agreement.

“However, unless China implements a concrete initiative, I would not consider this a significant shift in China’s role,” he said.

Some noted that the Iranian foreign minister visited at Beijing’s initiative. “It’s China exercising their leverage ... to summon the Iranian foreign minister,” said Hoo Tiang Boon, a professor of Chinese foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University.

“By holding the talks with the Iranians, you can’t fault for them not putting in any effort," Hoo said.

China leans on its role as an economic power

Some analysts say China occupies a unique position as an important economic partner for many countries involved in mediating the war, including Pakistan and key Arab Gulf states. It can promise investment in postwar reconstruction and commercial reliefs in ways few others can.

George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group consultancy, said China’s role in the Iran situation is irreplaceable. As Tehran’s biggest oil buyer, its advice carries weight. China is also one of the few countries that has showed sympathy for Iran at the United Nations, he said.

In addition, Iran’s ballistic missile program was built with Chinese technology, and China sells dual-use industrial components that can be used for missile production, according to the U.S. government.

China’s role as a global mediator is growing

One of China’s biggest diplomatic wins in recent years came in 2023, when it was among the parties bringing Saudi Arabia and Iran together to restart official engagement.

It was widely seen as a major geopolitical breakthrough that reduced the risk of direct and proxy conflict, said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies in Indonesia.

But China is choosing when to play a role cautiously, he said, noting that Saudi Arabia and Iran had preexisting incentives to reengage diplomatically. “Its mediation tends to be opportunistic and low-risk, often occurring when conditions are already conducive to agreement,” he said.

Beijing also was active during the recent conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, hosting multiple meetings between them and attending initial ceasefire talks alongside the U.S. in Malaysia. When fighting started again in December, China and the U.S. helped broker another ceasefire.

Beijing also has issued peace proposals for the war in Ukraine, hosting the Ukrainian foreign minister at one point, even though it maintains what it calls a “no-limits” friendship with Russia.

Beijing’s role remains carefully worded

China’s diplomatic efforts tend to follow a pattern, experts say, with Beijing reiterating calls to respect the U.N. charter and national sovereignty.

With the Iran war, Xi last month called for “upholding the principles of peaceful coexistence, upholding national sovereignty, upholding the rule of international law, and coordinating development and security.”

“A lot of the points are remarkably consistent,” said Hoo.

In conflicts further afield, the stakes for Beijing can be low but benefits can be high as the world tries to come to terms with the Trump administration’s approach to negotiating, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of international relations at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University.

“What the U.S. is doing is deeply damaging, and everyone suffers from it ... and China is displaying global leadership and exerting its global role by speaking to the rules-based international system,” he said. “It’s an inescapable contrast.”

___

Wu reported from Bangkok.

Happy Tuesday! I hope all is well. Let’s jump straight into the news of the day.

There were two fires overnight. In one of the fires, a Houston firefighter fell through a collapsed roof while battling the fire in southeast Houston. Fortunately, he was not injured in the incident.

In a second fire in southwest Houston, multiple families have been displaced after a fire ripped through an apartment complex. Fire investigators believe the fire started in one of the units due to food being left on the stove.

To read more, click here.

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YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY: 86° TONIGHT: 75°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“We’re kicking off the day a little warmer with temps generally in the low to mid-70s. Expect higher humidity throughout the day. It will be warm and humid. Winds are from the south at 10-15mph, which will increase the moisture content in the air. Because of this, the mid-80s will feel more like the lower-90s”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

Man accused of murdering pregnant wife in Houston Heights in 2024 flees to Italy ahead of trial

Lee Gilley, the 39-year-old man accused of murdering his pregnant wife Christa in October 2024, has cut off his ankle monitor and “fled the jurisdiction,” according to court records and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Gilley was scheduled to be in court this week and begin his murder trial later this month, according to court records.

Gilley’s defense attorney, Dick DeGuerin, on Monday night told KPRC 2 News that his client has been captured in Italy, based on information he received from prosecutors.

2 adults, 2 children found dead in believed murder-suicide in River Oaks

Houston police say two adults and two children were found dead after a shooting in what is believed to be a murder-suicide in River Oaks.

The discovery was made at a home in the 2100 block of Kingston Street.

Decomposing body found by passerby in wooded area of N. Harris County

Investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office say a passerby discovered a man’s body in a wooded area of north Harris County Monday.

The discovery happened in the 1200 block of Spears Road. Officials say the man was fully clothed and his body was in the late stages of decomposition when he was found.

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

Now, city leaders are considering a new ordinance that could crack down on the highest-risk apartment complexes across Houston.

At an apartment complex in the Braeburn area, tenants say problems persisted for years before new management stepped in.

Ade Adewinke has lived at the complex near South Gessner and Braeswood for about six years. He says conditions under the previous management were difficult to endure.

“No hot water, no AC, roaches, maintenance problems, gang violence, shooting every night,” Adewinke said.

Adewinke said the issues became so severe that he tried to move out—but couldn’t afford to.

• Lee Gilley used fake travel documents to flee the US ahead of murder trial, prosecutors say

“What I’m making is not enough for me to move,” he said.

He says many residents felt stuck, forced to deal with ongoing issues because they had limited housing options.

City data shows there have been more than 130 calls to Houston’s 311 system tied to the complex since May 2024—an average of about one complaint every five days.

According to city leaders, complaints made through 311 can sometimes be misrouted to different departments, causing delays in response and resolution.

That concern is part of what’s driving a proposed ordinance backed by several council members, including Letitia Plummer.

• Montrose restaurant owners linked to suspected murder-suicide in River Oaks that killed 4; deceased male named suspect

If approved, the ordinance would create a High-Risk Apartment Inspection Program aimed at identifying and improving the city’s most troubled complexes.

Under the proposal:

• Multifamily apartment complexes with three or more units could be flagged as “high-risk.”
• Properties would be identified based on high volumes of 3-1-1 complaints and verified safety or health violations
• Once labeled high-risk, complexes would be required to:
• • Register with the city
  • Undergo an inspection within 30 days
  • Fix violations within a set timeframe

Failure to comply could result in fines ranging from $250 to $2,000 per violation, per day.

Supporters say the ordinance would shift Houston away from relying solely on tenant complaints—and toward a more proactive system that forces accountability.

Adewinke says conditions at his complex have improved since new management took over last year, with upgrades and better maintenance.

Still, he believes the ordinance could help protect renters across the city, especially those who may not have the ability to move elsewhere.

“That will really help us as renters. You want to come home and relax and not worry about anything,” he said.

He added that renters who consistently pay their rent deserve safe living conditions.

“If you pay your rent all the time, you have the right to live. You don’t have to worry about it,” said Adewinke.

Houston City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance on Wednesday.

According to the city, inspectors receive about 3,300 to 3,600 311 complaints each year.

Trauma therapist Chau Nguyen says the assumption that tragedy could never happen close to home can be dangerous.

• Montrose restaurant owners linked to suspected murder-suicide in River Oaks that killed 4; deceased male named suspect

“You’re going to be like, we didn’t expect this. Nobody expected this,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen says family violence is not always predictable, but warning signs, many tied to mental health struggles, should never be ignored.

“Financial stress, domestic violence, distorted thoughts...they can all stack up,” she said.

She also points to access to a firearm in the home as a significant risk factor.

• OUR FIRST REPORT: 2 adults, 2 children found dead in believed murder-suicide in River Oaks

“Add a gun to those stressors, and the risk goes up,” Nguyen said.

Scope of intimate partner violence in Texas

Data from the Texas Council on Family Violence shows more than 200 people were killed by an intimate partner across Texas in 2023. Of those victims, 179 were female. Firearms are consistently the most common means of death in intimate partner homicides involving women.

Nguyen says murder-suicides, while rare, follow a troubling pattern.

“We do know that murder-suicides are rare, but they’re often always committed by a man against his intimate partner or family members,” she said.

• Man accused of murdering pregnant wife in Houston Heights in 2024 flees to Italy ahead of trial

If something at home doesn’t feel right, Nguyen says there are steps you can take: pay close attention, listen without judgment, remove weapons from the home and reach out for help.

Nguyen adds that counseling and therapy can help families access support before a situation escalates.

“It doesn’t have to end this way,” she said.

Resources:

EMERGENCY: 9-1-1

Suicide, Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 9-8-8

Houston Area Women’s Center Hotline: 713-528-2121

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233)

His capital murder trial remains scheduled to begin on June 5, but the date could change depending on when he returns and if either side decides they need more time, Judge Peyton Peebles said.

• PREVIOUS: Man accused of murdering pregnant wife in Houston Heights in 2024 flees to Italy ahead of trial

Prosecutor Lauren Bard told the court she got a call from the FBI around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, alerting her that Gilley was in the custody of Italian authorities after arriving at an airport in Milan through Toronto, Canada.

When and how Gilley got to Canada isn’t clear, but Bard said Italian officials became suspicious after he presented fake travel documents. Italian authorities tried to send him back to Canada, but he eventually identified himself as Gilley, she said, adding that he told them he was wanted for capital murder in Texas and was seeking asylum.

After Gilley accurately identified himself, the FBI in Rome got involved to verify his claims, Bard said.

“Everyone is shocked,” Gilley’s defense attorney Dick DeGuerin, while claiming to speak on behalf of the prosecution and defense, told Judge Peebles.

The DA’s office confirmed Gilley surrendered his passport as a condition of his $1 million bond.

Bard told the court the state now intends to use this incident as evidence of consciousness of guilt against Gilley, which DeGuerin had said he was concerned about in a phone call Monday night.

• RELATED: Trial date set for Houston man accused of killing pregnant wife in The Heights

“I’m concerned that the prosecution will try to say that it’s evidence of consciousness of guilt that he’s running from it, but I think he’s just scared,” DeGuerin said.

“Obviously this is a shock. It’s been a difficult 24 hours since we found out,” said Tim Ballengee, the attorney who represents Christa Gilley’s family.

Concerns over notification time

Judge Peebles, appointed to the 497th District Court by Gov. Greg Abbott, said he has been clear with Harris County’s Pretrial Services department about alerting him “immediately” and by cell phone if there was any reason to believe Gilley violated his GPS monitor conditions.

He said that sentiment remained in place, although it had been communicated at a previous time, especially since it’s a capital murder case.

Judge Peebles indicated he didn’t initially find out about Gilley fleeing the country from Pretrial Services, but immediately revoked his bond when he did.

• RELATED: Houston man accused of killing pregnant wife released on $1 million bond

A representative from Pretrial Services testified it is the department’s policy to notify the court within 24 to 48 hours, but since a “strap tamper” alert started generating on Gilley’s device around 9 p.m. on Friday, the department wouldn’t notify until the next business day, which would have been Monday.

Judge Peebles suggested Pretrial Services rethink whether that policy be changed when considering concern and risk level may be higher for certain offenses.

“I wish I could say it was an anomaly, but it’s par for the course,” said Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers of Houston. “That information should be accessible when you snap your fingers. And particularly when a defendant is on a $1 million bond for capital murder with an ankle monitor and the ankle monitor gets removed. No, that needs to be done ASAP.”

Pretrial Services shared the following response with KPRC 2 News:

“Although Pretrial Services followed our current notification protocols in this instance, we recognize existing guidelines can be improved. We are committed to refining these protocols to ensure that our procedures evolve alongside with the needs of the Court and community,” executive director Natalie Michailides said.

Will bond be forfeited?

DeGuerin urged Judge Peebles not to forfeit Gilley’s $1 million bond, which means the court would seize the bail money or collateral, because the people who have guaranteed the bond are Gilley’s family members.

“It would be a terrible hardship on them if the bond was actually forfeited,” DeGuerin said, noting that the bondsman has said the insurance company that posted the bond will be “very aggressive” in seeking the family property that was posted as security.

Judge Peebles did not make a decision on forfeiting the bond on Tuesday, although he said it “looks like, feels like, and smells like” a bond forfeiture. He said he could make a decision on that by the end of the week.

He called Tuesday’s hearing a “180-degree departure” from why they initially planned to be in court, which was for the defense’s motion to suppress certain evidence from the trial.

What happens next

The trial date remains scheduled for June 5, but no one seemed to know how long the process will take to get Gilley back from Italy.

DeGuerin said Texas prosecutors may have to prove to Italian authorities they aren’t seeking the death penalty for Gilley, as the country’s treaty agreement with the U.S. generally means Italy would not extradite people who are subject to the death penalty.

But whether Italy actually admitted Gilley to the country using the fake documents, in which case he may not be subject to their jurisdiction, is still unknown, DeGuerin said.

DeGuerin added that he hasn’t been able to contact Gilley, who sent him an email on Sunday, but if he’s able to, his advice will be to waive extradition and get back to Houston for the trial.

Prior to this, DeGuerin said all preparations for the trial had been going very well.

Three weeks ago, prosecutors filed paperwork revealing that Gilley had communicated with a woman last year around this time about a detailed plan to cut off his ankle monitor, flee to Mexico or another country, and discussed the possibility of marriage to obtain a new identity.

Parents can help minimize the risks by providing professional driving instruction, modeling safe driving behavior, and putting their teen in the safest vehicle possible. But how can you know which models are safest, especially if you’re on a budget? Edmunds has done the research for you and compiled a list of the five best used SUVs for teen drivers under $20,000.

Each of our picks below earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, you can find clean examples with less than 60,000 miles for under $20,000. We’ve included a variety of SUV sizes and types, but these five crossovers all have one thing in common: favorable crash test ratings. They’re listed below in alphabetical order.

2021-2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Chevy’s latest Trailblazer is small in size but big on personality. It is surprisingly roomy and practical, and its engine is reasonably fuel-efficient. The model years we picked for the Trailblazer did not come standard with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. This is a driver assist feature we think is beneficial for teens, so be sure to find a used Trailblazer that came with it as an optional add-on. However, every Trailblazer includes Teen Driver technology, which lets parents monitor their child’s driving habits while they’re away from home.

2019-2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai redesigned its midsize SUV for the 2019 model year, infusing it with a long list of standard driver assist features that can help keep a teen driver safe on the road. Not only that, but an active subscription to Hyundai’s Bluelink communication service also gives parents the ability to program alerts for vehicle speed, a teen’s curfew time, and when the SUV travels beyond a geo-fenced boundary. There is no need to upgrade to the Santa Fe’s optional turbocharged engine; the standard four-cylinder offers enough power without encouraging dangerous driving.

2018-2023 Mazda CX-5

Mazda redesigned the CX-5 small crossover SUV for the 2017 model year, but in 2018, it added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard equipment. That was also the first year the CX-5 earned top ratings from both the IIHS and the NHTSA. No matter which model year you choose, make sure the CX-5 has the i-Activsense package (it became standard in 2020), which fully equips the vehicle with all available driver assist features. Parents can also rest easy knowing that the infotainment system includes automatic 911 emergency assistance technology that contacts first responders in the event of a collision.

2019-2023 Subaru Forester

If you think your teen driver needs a small SUV that is very easy to see out of and comes with standard all-wheel drive and a raised ride height to help with outdoor recreational use, look no further than the Subaru Forester. This small crossover received a redesign in 2019 and added many standard driver assist features, including one that alerts the driver when traffic ahead is moving again. Just keep in mind that blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were unavailable on the base trim level, so find a used Forester with those features and within your budget.

2021-2023 Volkswagen ID.4

Going electric? The Volkswagen ID.4 is a safe choice for a teen driver. This compact crossover is available with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and can travel an EPA-estimated 209-275 miles on a full battery charge depending on the version you pick. An active subscription to Car-Net Safe & Secure equips the ID.4 with emergency assistance and automatic crash notification systems, and this electric VW includes an impressive list of standard safety features. It even has Emergency Assist, which can bring the ID.4 to a safe stop if it detects the driver has become unresponsive.

Edmunds says

With a budget of $20,000, you can find a safe and clean used SUV for your teenager to drive. The models listed above can protect your child in a collision, but they’re also equipped with modern technologies that can help to prevent one from occurring in the first place. However, these are just a sampling of potentially suitable choices. We encourage you to prioritize crash test ratings when conducting your own research, as well as standard and available driver assist features.

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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.

Christian Wardlaw is a contributor at Edmunds.

A KPRC 2 News photographer captured video of the pursuit as the motorcyclist sped along the North Freeway near Cottage Street, weaving through traffic while being chased by deputy constables.

Authorities say the chase began in Montgomery County and continued south into Houston.

It ended when the rider drove into an apartment complex parking garage on Edwards Street, just off Washington Avenue.

It is unclear whether the motorcyclist was taken into custody.

Officials have not released details about what led up to the chase or whether anyone was injured.

This is a developing story. We’re working to gather more information and will provide updates as they become available.

When averaged out over all the world’s cities, tree cover — by giving shade and releasing water vapor — cools an average of 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit (0.15 degrees Celsius), according to a study in Wednesday’s Nature Communications.

Without those trees, the world cities would warm on average by 0.56 degrees Fahrenheit (0.31 degrees Celsius) due to the urban heat island effect, where dark roofs and pavement absorb heat. The human-caused warming mechanism is distinct from climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

Researchers built their analysis of Earth’s nearly 9,000 large cities by measuring temperatures for segments of about 150 city blocks each. That allowed them to capture cooling effects for cities and neighborhoods so that trees in New York’s Central Park, for example, weren’t credited for cooling more built-up areas miles away in the Bronx.

About 185 million people living in 31 of the larger cities already feel an average cooling from tree cover of at least half a degree Fahrenheit (0.3 degrees Celsius). But study lead author Rob McDonald, a scientist at the Nature Conservancy, said poorer and hotter large urban centers that need it the most aren’t getting as much relief from higher heat, which can kill by confusing the brain, shutting down organs and overworking the heart.

Meteorologists measure the temperature difference between a city center and nearby rural area to find the urban heat island effect. Scientists in this study used a combination of weather station measurements, satellite data and computer models to see the cooling trees provided.

Little tree relief in hot, dry poor places

In 20 cities with at least 3 million people, residents feel less a tenth of a degree Fahrenheit (0.05 degrees Celsius) from cooling trees. In four cities — Dakar, Senegal; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait City and Amman, Jordan — there's such minimal tree cover that the more than 15 million people who live there get essentially no cooling from trees.

On the other end of the spectrum, McDonald looked at cities where tree cover cools at least 0.45 degrees Fahrenheit (0.25 degrees Celsius). Nearly 40% of cities in wealthy nations get that much cooling, but just under 9% in the poorest countries have that amount of tree relief, the study said.

The list of places that cool the most is topped by Berlin and includes Atlanta, Moscow, Washington, Seattle and Sydney, which have more trees. For example, Atlanta has 64% of its land area under tree canopy, McDonald said. Wealthy areas in North America have larger lot sizes, individual ownership and residents with more political clout, all of which contribute to more trees growing and providing larger cover, said Chris Greene of the University of Dalhousie in Canada, who wasn't part of the study.

“There’s this inequality,” McDonald said. “When you look at cities globally, there are many, many cities, especially in developing countries, that have very low tree cover, and so I think the air temperature cooling number was a little less than we expected.”

Thomas Crowther, an ecologist at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, said every little bit helps. He's in a region where cities have nearly no cooling from tree cover, often because water is at a premium.

“As up to 75% of the human population shifts towards living in urban environments, these buffering effects of urban vegetation are going to be vital,” said Crowther, who wasn't part of the research. “But we have to overturn the devastating inequities in the distribution of urban trees, so that their benefits can be experienced by the low- and middle-income communities that are often most vulnerable to the effects of extreme temperatures.”

Planting trees won't save us from climate change

The study's authors said that cities, especially poorer and hotter ones, can and should do more to increase tree cover. But because of limitations in availability of water, land and proper species, combined with worsening climate change, at most they'd reduce future urban heating by 20%, McDonald said.

“Trees won’t save us from climate change,” McDonald said. “The climate scenarios are showing a much warmer world and there’s only so much of that that tree cover can help with.”

Still, planting trees has benefits beyond lowering heat. In 2019, Crowther and Jean-Francois Bastin in a study in the journal Science suggested planting a trillion new trees — on top of the 3 trillion trees already growing on the planet — to suck up carbon dioxide, not so much for their cooling.

“Planting trees does help fight climate change in multiple ways, but this strategy is not nearly enough to slow climate change to a significant degree,” said University of Michigan environment dean Jonathan Overpeck, who wasn’t part of the study. “Only by transitioning away from fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy and battery storage can we hope to halt the climate change that is wreaking havoc around the planet.”

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

McALLEN — Laredo city officials unveiled designs for a proposed border wall in the city’s downtown riverfront area that has been among the areas targeted for border wall construction under the Trump administration. However, unlike a border wall that is planned or under construction, the barriers in the Laredo downtown area would not include the steel bollards that have been a staple of border wall construction. Instead, following months of negotiations, federal officials designed fencing that would be shorter, would be more aesthetically pleasing and would incorporate a green space for residents.

Renderings of the designs, which were provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, show three different proposed designs for a riverfront border barrier — a guardrail, a steel fence and a chain-link fence. The barrier would be positioned just a few yards from the river on one side with a public recreational space on the other. The fencing would stretch from the Texas Mexican Railway International Bridge to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge.

The unveiling comes after city officials began engaging in discussions with federal officials in November. The city had received notice that President Donald Trump’s administration intended to move forward with plans to install barriers along the southern U.S.-Mexico border, which was a pillar of his immigration agenda during his first term in office.

Laredo Mayor Victor D. Treviño said the steel-bollard border barriers that have been constructed along the U.S.-Mexico border are intrusive and visually unappealing, so he and city officials worked with CBP and the Department of Homeland Security to develop a design that was more visually appealing while still serving the purpose of border security.

“We’ve had conversations with the Border Patrol and dialogue and presenting them with what would be best for our city and the community,” Treviño said.

Conversations between the city and the federal government remain ongoing, Treviño said, and a CBP spokesperson confirmed the agency is still finalizing the design for the border barrier, which will sit adjacent to Laredo’s downtown business district.

The Trump administration has been ramping up efforts to construct border barriers through funding secured under Trump’s signature spending bill, the One Big, Beautiful Bill. The funds directed CBP to construct a border barrier system, or a “Smart Wall,” that would consist of floating buoys placed in the Rio Grande, surveillance technology, patrol roads and bollard walls.

Those plans have faced strong resistance in places like West Texas where advocates have sued the Trump administration, accusing the government of bypassing environmental laws to build a border barrier in the Big Bend area.

In January, the Trump administration announced plans to install more than 500 miles of buoys along the river, starting in the southeast corner of Texas in Brownsville.

CBP did not respond to questions about why the agency opted to design barriers without steel bollards in the Laredo downtown area. However, Laredo officials have long tried to ensure that any border wall construction in the downtown area could double as a recreational space.

During Trump’s first term, city leaders pushed for a riverfront development project that incorporated green space, a promenade and flood protection while also fulfilling the federal government’s border security efforts.

The risk of flooding with steel bollards was a particular concern for city officials because the vertical steel posts could become clogged with debris and obstruct the movement of water. The border fencing, as proposed in the three new renderings, do not pose that risk, the city said.

As part of the city’s negotiations with CBP, the border wall will no longer cut through a city-owned golf course, the riverside Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course, nor impact the city’s wastewater treatment plant as originally proposed.

The federal government has awarded multiple contracts for the construction of its “Smart Wall” in Laredo. CBP and DHS awarded a $440 million contract to Fisher Sand & Gavel, an Arizona-based company, to build approximately 15 miles of primary border wall and about 16 miles of waterborne barrier. The company also received a second $300 million contract for an additional 50 miles of waterborne barrier system in the Laredo sector.

Texas-based SLSCO Ltd. received a $665 million contract to construct approximately 41 miles of border wall in the Laredo sector. The company, which has also been contracted to build the Florida detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” came under scrutiny after two of the company’s security contractors sued the company in 2020. The contractors accused the company of hiring armed Mexican nationals as security guards who were later involved in a shootout. The contractors voluntarily dropped the lawsuit.

Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

The at times contentious competition will be decided in a May 26 runoff, after Allred and Johnson finished first and second, respectively, but failed to clear 50% in the initial round of voting.  

Allred, a former NFL player and civil rights lawyer, represented Texas’ 32nd Congressional District until he vacated the seat to run for U.S. Senate in 2024. Johnson, a former state representative, replaced him.

However, Texas Republicans last year edited that district to heavily favor the GOP, in part by moving about a third of its residents — including some of the most Democratic areas — into the neighboring 33rd Congressional District. The new TX-33, where Allred and Johnson are now running, would have gone to Kamala Harris in 2024 by almost 33 points, meaning the runoff winner will be overwhelmingly favored to win in November.

Allred initially launched a second bid for U.S. Senate last year, eyeing GOP Sen. John Cornyn’s seat. But just as Dallas Rep. Jasmine Crockett was preparing to enter the race, Allred stopped his campaign and pivoted to challenging Johnson for the redrawn 33rd District.

The contest quickly grew heated. Johnson has cast Allred as an ineffective member during his three-term stint in Congress, arguing she has been more productive, including in combating the White House’s immigration policies from her perch on the House Homeland Security Committee. Meanwhile, Allred has knocked Johnson for her investments in a federal government contractor, Palantir Technologies, that has been integral to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. 

He finished nearly 11 points ahead of Johnson in the March 3 primary and has outspent her over the course of the race.

• Population race/ethnicity: 55% Hispanic, 22.5% white, 15.8% Black, 6.3% Asian
  
• 2024 presidential results in district: Harris +33 (Harris 65.2%, Trump 32.6%)

• Counties in district: Dallas

• Cities in district: Dallas, Grand Prairie, Irving, Balch Springs, Cockrell Hill

Campaign site

Collin Allred

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Total raised: $6.4 million
• Total spent: $5.8 million
• Cash on hand: $679,000

💰 Notable donors and outside spending support this cycle:

• New Leadership PAC , a super PAC funded in part by Allred donors that says it supports “fighters”: $166,000
• Jobs and Democracy PAC , super PAC focused on AI safety and regulation: $150,000
• Steve Mandel, founder of the prominent hedge fund Lone Pine Capital

Experience:

• Played linebacker for Baylor University and Tennessee Titans
• Civil rights lawyer (worked on voter protection for 2014 gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis and voting rights litigation for Perkins Coie)
• Special assistant at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• In 2018, unseated Republican Pete Sessions to become the first Democrat to represent the 32nd Congressional District, which he served until 2025.
• Unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 and 2026, ending the second campaign to run for Congress.
• Served on the following House committees: Foreign Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Veterans’ Affairs.

Endorsements: 

• U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas
• Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, TX-30 Democratic nominee
• Former State Senator Wendy Davis
• Texas AFT, a statewide teachers union
• Texas AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE)

Policy stances:

• Healthcare: Supports expanding Medicaid and lowering the costs of prescription drugs by requiring Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate prices on all drugs.
• Immigration: Supports the creation of a pathway to citizenship and preserving legal status for undocumented people who entered the country as children.
• Economy: Wants to repeal President Donald Trump’s tariffs and lower utility bills by reversing the Trump administration’s cuts to renewable energy and ensuring Texas continues to lead in energy production. 

In the news:

• In North Texas, game of musical chairs culminates in primary between Democrats Colin Allred and Julie Johnson 
• Democrat Colin Allred drops out of Senate race, announces run for 33rd Congressional District
• Colin Allred blasts James Talarico over disputed TikTok allegation that he called him a “mediocre Black man”
• How a career-ending injury as an NFL linebacker paved the way for Colin Allred’s underdog Senate bid 

How to contact or learn more:
info@colinallred.com
Link to campaign site

Campaign site

Julie Johnson

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Total raised: $2.1 million
• Total spent: $1.8 million
• Cash on hand: $487,000

💰 Notable donors and outside spending support this cycle:

• Equality PAC , the political arm of the Congressional Equality Caucus: $484,000
• Nuestro PAC : $220,000
• American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) PAC: $55,000
• State Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood
• Mikal Watts, Texas trial lawyer and Democratic donor

Experience:

• Longtime trial lawyer who handles personal injury and family law cases, and mediation. 
• Currently in first term representing the 32nd Congressional District.
• Previously served in the Texas House, winning her seat by defeating a Republican incumbent in 2018.
• In Congress, serves on Committees on Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs and House Administration. 
• Served on House Appropriations, Insurance and Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committees in the state House.

Endorsements: 

• House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats in House leadership
• State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin
• EMILYs List, a group that boosts Democratic women who support abortion rights, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, among other groups
• Rep. Gene Wu of Houston, chair of Texas House Democratic Caucus

Policy stances:

• Economy: Supports workers’ right to organize and measures to narrow pay gaps for women, working parents and federal workers in relation to their private-sector counterparts.
• Healthcare: Supports reducing prescription drug costs by giving people with private insurance access to the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare. 
• Immigration: Supports securing the border — by deploying “emerging border technologies responsibly,” for example — while preserving immigrants’ due process rights and not politicizing immigration enforcement.

In the news:

• 2024: Democratic State Rep. Julie Johnson wins congressional primary race for North Texas seat
• Nearly 50 House Dems back Julie Johnson (Punchbowl News) 
• Rep. Julie Johnson traded stocks from company that helps Trump’s deportation efforts despite anti-ICE comments 
• 2 high-profile Texas Democrats try to keep their careers alive after GOP gerrymander (Politico)

How to contact or learn more:
julie.johnson@mail.house.gov
Link to campaign site

Disclosure: Baylor University, Politico and Texas AFT 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 Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

KERR COUNTY — The sound of construction machinery filled the air as Kylie Nidever walked past properties ravaged months earlier by floodwaters.

Nidever’s home was among those in her Bumble Bee Hills neighborhood untouched by last year’s July 4 flood, one of the deadliest disasters in Texas history. The 35-year-old understood the draw of the tranquil Kerr County subdivision, where she played as a child in a nearby creek that fed the Guadalupe River. But she was taken aback by how enthusiastic most of her neighbors were to rebuild.

Nidever wondered why the government had let people build in any areas long known to be dangerous and whether leaders would intervene now.

“Is somebody going to come in and stop us?” said Nidever, who has considered moving. “If it happens again and it’s worse next time, people will die in this neighborhood.”

After last summer’s disaster, some Texas legislators scolded local officials for their decision not to invest in flood warning sirens and for the chaotic emergency response. Other elected leaders excused the storm as so massive that no one could have prepared for it.

But lawmakers failed to address the underlying problem: They have repeatedly rejected bills that could protect residents in the state’s most dangerous, flood-prone areas, an investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found.

The majority of the 137 people confirmed to have died across five counties in the July 4 tragedy were staying in places identified by the federal government as being at risk for flooding, the newsrooms found. These were places where state lawmakers had a chance to curb development, but didn’t.

The newsrooms reviewed nearly 60 years of legislation and identified over five dozen flood safety bills rejected by lawmakers.

The most consequential measures, experts said, could have saved lives by stopping construction in the areas at greatest risk for flooding, including where people later died on July 4.

“Had the state enacted any of that legislation, we might not have had the excruciating loss,” Char Miller, a Texas environmental historian who now teaches at Pomona College in California, said after learning of the newsrooms’ findings. “The continued inability of the state to pass legislation to protect its citizens means it’s not doing the one thing it’s supposed to do, which is defend the health and safety of those who call Texas home.”

Lawmakers also didn’t pass measures that would have forced buildings in flood-prone areas to be elevated; blocked certain types of structures, such as solid waste facilities, from being built close to bodies of water; or granted local leaders additional authority to curb potentially unsafe development.

Texas has more buildings in flood-prone areas — at least 650,000 structures — than any other state besides Florida, according to a ProPublica and Tribune analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency data. The analysis shows that only eight other states have a higher share of structures in flood-prone spots than Texas.

More people have died from floods in Texas, and more national flood insurance claims have been paid out here since 1980, than in nearly any state with the exception of Florida and Louisiana. Yet Texas trails at least 29 other states, including Florida, that have passed development standards that force structures to be built higher in flood-prone areas, according to a 2020 FEMA report.

“We need to resist this narrative that this disaster was unpreventable,” said Michael Slattery, director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at Texas Christian University. “The disaster is just shaped by policy choices made over what I thought were just years.” Instead, Slattery said, it was decades.

The need for stronger flood protections only grows more urgent, scientists say, as climate change makes heavy storms previously considered once in a lifetime more likely.

After this latest catastrophe, Gov. Greg Abbott called Texas politicians back for two special legislative sessions and tasked them with addressing aspects of the disaster. The only buildings legislators banned from flood-prone areas were youth camps, and only after intense lobbying by the grieving parents of 25 children and two counselors who died on July 4 at Camp Mystic. (Its executive director also died.)

Some Texas lawmakers over the years have pointed to protecting landowners’ rights to evaluate their own property risk as a reason not to pass additional regulations. At a hearing more than a month after the flood, Republican Rep. Wes Virdell, who represents Kerr County, said rural areas “enjoy the freedom to take our risk and build as we would like to.”

None of the top state leaders — Abbott, Lt. Gov Dan Patrick or House Speaker Dustin Burrows — responded to the newsrooms’ questions about whether legislators should enact stricter statewide building rules. Abbott’s office said he has addressed flooding issues by funding mitigation projects to lessen the storms’ impact.

Burrows’ office declined multiple interview requests, and Patrick’s office didn’t answer the newsrooms’ emails.

Without major changes, the same federal, state and local rules that permitted residents to construct their homes so close to the Guadalupe River in the first place are allowing many to build there again.

That includes 82-year-old Joan Connor and her husband, David Stearns, who live near Nidever in Bumble Bee Hills.

The couple had recently returned from an RV trip when last summer’s flood hit.

Water rose to Connor’s chest as she hollered to her 98-year-old husband. They needed to get out of their house. Connor and Stearns survived by wading and swimming out to their front yard, where the river transported them onto their pergola ledge and they clutched the wood structure’s roof supports.

The river’s muck filled the house. But they’d paid off the home. They didn’t fear another storm.

“It never crossed our mind to not rebuild,” Connor said.

A critical juncture

The homes that now belong to Connor and Nidever didn’t exist in the 1960s.

Back then, Kerr County was a small community nestled in the rolling hills of Central Texas, 65 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio. Youth camps operated on the river. Family homes passed through generations. Then, the expansion of Interstate 10 in the following decade helped unlock a wave of development in the area, known as the Hill Country. Homes went up along the Guadalupe River, though longtime residents knew it could flood viciously and with little warning.

A national initiative to address the effects of floods was also just beginning. In 1968, Congress launched the National Flood Insurance Program, which offered federally backed insurance to residents in cities or counties that voluntarily joined. In exchange, the program would require local governments to use federal maps that identified regions at risk of floods. Joining also ultimately meant that cities and counties had to enforce specific development rules in those areas, such as requiring buildings to be high enough to withstand a certain level of flooding.

In Texas, the program triggered skepticism from some state lawmakers, local leaders and landowners. They viewed the flood regulations as an infringement of their property rights and worried flood risk maps would cause their property values to plummet.

Amid this resistance, two Democrats put forward what flood experts characterized as a radical proposal in 1973, after a deadly flood struck the Hill Country. The measure would have prohibited all construction of structures “for use by humans” in the floodway, including the area flanking the river where the most dangerous flooding often occurs. That would not only mean houses but also hospitals, schools and nursing homes. The state proposal would go further than the federal rules, which still allowed people to build in the floodway in some instances.

But when the day arrived to discuss the proposal in its first public hearing, one of the bill’s authors handed out a revised version that removed the strict floodway regulations.

Under the updated measure, the state would still have to create its own flood maps to define what areas were most at risk during a deluge, rather than wait for the federal government to draw them.

State lawmakers scoffed at the price tag, at least $16 million.

“I don’t think there’s a chance in the world that you’re going to get this kind of money and tax all people in the state of Texas to do this kind of work, at least not right now,” said state Rep. John Wilson, a Democrat on the committee considering the bill, which did not pass.

And so homes continued to be built in the floodway.

Today, Kerr is one of the Texas counties with the highest share of buildings in that dangerous zone, according to the newsrooms’ analysis, which ranks it eighth in the state.

Roughly half of those who died during last year’s floods were staying in the floodway, according to the latest FEMA map. Many buildings went up after legislators filed the 1973 bills that could have prevented their construction, a review of county appraisal data found.

“This is the biggest shame, that we weren’t able to pass those back then,” said Rachel Hanes, policy director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, a nonprofit representing parts of the Hill Country that has pushed for stringent statewide standards. “It would have just made a drastic difference in lives saved and billions of dollars in damage avoided over the past 50 years.”

On one idyllic half-mile stretch that winds along the Guadalupe, at least 27 people died. Sixteen of them were staying in homes in the floodway, the ProPublica and Tribune analysis found.

That part of the river became one of the deadliest spots across the Hill Country that weekend.

It included a home belonging to Beth and Hutch Bryan’s family.

Dan and Martha Crawford, longtime friends of the Bryans, slept in the property’s guesthouse the morning of July 4. The Crawfords loved to spend weekends here, enjoying the peaceful setting away from their Houston home. Martha Crawford considered it her “happy place.” Their daughter and son grew up going to camp down the road, like the Bryans’ kids.

Around 3:30 a.m., the Crawfords were trying to get to safety as the water rushed around their bodies, roaring like an airplane engine. Dan Crawford, a 63-year-old landman, reached for the lattice on a second-floor deck, but his wife of nearly 30 years got swept away.

The lattice broke. Crawford grabbed a bush that gave way and then climbed a neighbor’s tree, which eventually broke on top of him. He fell into the river. He emerged only for the water to rush him toward a nearby home, where he used the gutters to heave himself onto a slick metal roof.

Later, he would have to tell his grown children: “I can’t tell you where Mom is.”

Martha Crawford and the Bryans died. Concrete slabs now line the roadway where homes once stood. Three white crosses mark the spot where the Bryans stayed. When Crawford went back to see the property months later, he drew hearts on each one of the crosses and wrote their names.

“I’m never going to understand this,” said Crawford, who has leaned on his faith in God. “I’ve got to try to just move forward, but it’s still been hard.”

Still, Crawford believes the government shouldn’t stop people from rebuilding altogether.

Behind the nation

As the turn of the century neared, Texas lawmakers passed up two other major opportunities to strengthen protections in flood-prone areas.

In 1989, after 10 campers died in a flood in the Hill Country, state Sen. Ted Lyon proposed banning youth camps with buildings or tents within 150 feet of a body of water or in areas designated as flood-prone

Lyon believes that had his bill passed, at least some children and staff staying at youth camps on July 4 could have survived. FEMA identified areas of Camp Mystic and Heart O’ the Hills, a camp where one person died, as flood-prone in a 2011 map, its most recent countywide assessment.

“That’s so haunting to me,” the former lawmaker said. He later added, “They should have implemented these rules to protect those kids.”

Former Heart O’ The Hills owner Kathy Ragsdale said the building where the camp’s director — her daughter, Jane Ragsdale — died had never flooded in the more than 50 years that the family owned it. The camp’s new owners plan to relocate to a new site outside the flood plain. 

Camp Mystic declined to comment but pointed reporters to previous statements in which it disputes being in a designated flood-prone area, because it successfully petitioned FEMA to exclude it in 2013. The change meant Lyon’s proposed ban may not have applied to the camp  at the time of the flood. Camp Mystic will not reopen this summer, according to its leaders.

Catastrophic flooding that swept across the eastern half of the state spurred another measure in 1993. Longtime Democratic state Sen. Carl Parker of Port Arthur offered a bill that would have forced all cities and counties to enroll in the federal flood insurance program.

Participating in the federal program meant that all new residential construction in the so-called 100-year flood plain, areas with a 1% chance of flooding in any given year, must be elevated to a certain height above ground. Parker’s bill, however, would have gone even further than the federal standard by requiring buildings to be a foot higher than that.

The bill was quickly tabled in its first public hearing after one county official testified that the decision to raise the height standard should be left to local leaders.

Only in 1999 did Texas legislators pass a law requiring all cities and counties to adopt the federal flood insurance program’s elevation requirement and other minimum standards.

But they didn’t assign a state agency to enforce it. Roughly 1 in 10 Texas cities and counties reported to the state that they still had not adopted those minimum standards or any other related regulations as of 2024.

Lawmakers never passed the higher elevation requirements that Parker’s bill proposed. (Parker died in 2024.)

After Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area in 2017, the Legislature, again, chose other solutions. That included a measure requiring Texas to create a statewide plan to study how to better prepare for floods. The plan recommended that buildings be constructed to a higher elevation, as Parker attempted decades prior. To date, state lawmakers have not required it.

“The legislature is very reactionary, not visionary,” said Robert Puente, a former state representative who served until 2008. “We react and try to resolve it, and invariably, we don’t.”

Without a state mandate in Texas, counties and cities must individually decide whether they should require new construction to be built at higher elevations.

Some local governments waited years after Parker’s proposal to pass higher standards. Kerr County, for example, passed its rule by 2011. Most Texas cities and counties have not strengthened their regulations, the 2024 state flood plan found.

“A lot of local communities just don’t have the capacity to undertake all these huge code changes, or the political willpower,” said Joel Scata, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit that has pushed to raise standards at the federal level.

That’s why, experts say, Texas needs statewide requirements.

Most states have implemented additional elevation requirements for buildings in flood-prone areas.

New Jersey passed two major provisions that Texas didn’t: It has blocked development of new homes in floodways since 1975 and required extra building elevation starting in 2007. It also started drawing its own expanded flood maps in the 1980s, long before Texas. Nebraska and Wisconsin banned building habitable structures in floodways and required an extra foot or two of height for homes by 1986.

Sarah Galster, the National Flood Insurance Program coordinator for Wisconsin, said Texas lawmakers should push for stricter regulations in the aftermath of last year’s flood. If they don’t, Galster said, then communities should.

“Now is the time before everybody forgets, while people are still having this conversation,” Galster said.

In the months since July 4, the Texas Legislature formed two new committees to continue investigating the disaster. But at the first joint two-day hearing last week, they only focused on what happened at Camp Mystic.

Some flood experts argue that no regulation short of preventing construction in flood-prone areas would truly guarantee safety. One engineer’s model estimates that the Guadalupe River in Kerr reached more than 30 feet in some places, flowing up to twice the strength of Niagara Falls.

But the flood experts also stress the importance of reducing risk through stronger building standards. The American Society of Civil Engineers has pushed for builders to construct homes more than 2 feet higher than the national standard and design for more ferocious rainstorms.

“The obvious thing is that we shouldn’t be developing in flood plains, but that’s not the answer that anybody wants to accept,” said Kimberly Meitzen, a geography and environmental studies professor at Texas State University.

“Looking back, any legislation we could have passed that could provide at least minimal protection would be helpful,” she later added. “And looking towards the future, this is something a lot of folks are working towards, trying to get this into the next legislative session, but it’s an uphill battle.”

“Not going anywhere”

In the absence of stricter state rules after last summer’s devastating floods, some local governments adopted their own, including limiting RV use in flood-prone areas. At least 48 people died in RV campgrounds last July. 

Kerr County, however, has not changed its rules in any significant way.

The county has already allowed more than 100 residents to start rebuilding or renovating in flood-prone areas.

County commissioners and Kerr’s top county executive did not respond to the newsrooms’ interview requests and questions.

Katharine Deely and her husband, Pat, sold their Kerr County home after last summer’s storm. They bought the funky vacation house with hand-me-down furniture and maroon linoleum floors from his father and stepmother, not far from where the Crawfords and Bryans fought the river’s current. Usually, Pat Deely spent July 4 there, but instead, he went fishing with a former law firm colleague — a decision his wife believes saved his life.

The damaged house withstood the flood, but the couple, in their late 70s, didn’t have the heart to fix it up. Katharine Deely said it was as if her husband’s fond memories of the many visits there with family washed away with the disaster.

“I’m amazed people are rebuilding there,” Deely said. “Seems like it’d be like living in the graveyard.”

For many, those memories are part of what makes it hard to leave behind properties — places they’ve invested in, where they’ve delighted in watching the sun rise over the river and cherished time swimming and playing with family.

Joan Connor and her husband moved back into their home in Bumble Bee Hills before Christmas.

Connor only managed to save a few items: her loom, chairs her father made, her mother’s granite table. She left many of the rebuilding decisions to her daughter, like what light fixture to install. Volunteers filled the cupboards with dishes, draped towels in the bathroom and hung pictures on the wall.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Connor said. “We don’t think a thing like that will happen again in our lifetime.”

But if it does, Connor said, they will do what they did before.

They’ll face the flood.

How we reported this story

To identify buildings in flood-prone areas, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune analyzed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Hazard Layer and the most recent version of a national dataset of about 140 million structures. The dataset, developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory — a Department of Energy lab — along with FEMA and the U.S. Geological Survey, maps every building in the U.S. with a footprint larger than 450 square feet.

We considered a structure as flood-prone if any part of its footprint was within an area designated by FEMA as part of the 100-year flood plain. These are areas with at least a 1% annual chance of flooding. We also counted structures inside a regulatory floodway, including the area flanking a river where the most dangerous flooding often occurs. We then calculated the share of structures in each state that overlap with the 100-year flood plain and floodway.

To examine the July 4 floods, we obtained the locations of flood-related deaths in Kerr County from the Texas Department of Public Safety and in Travis, Tom Green, Burnet and Williamson counties from county officials or law enforcement through public records requests. Using the same method, we determined how many victims died within a regulatory floodway. The newsrooms confirmed the locations of most people who died through interviews with families, witnesses, 911 calls and eyewitness accounts provided to other news organizations. We excluded people known to be driving.

FEMA continually updates the National Flood Hazard data. Our analysis uses data published by FEMA as of April 16. It may not reflect certain local-level revisions. Those may include some landowners’ appeals, called a letter of map amendment, to exclude their properties from the 100-year flood plain. Further, our analysis includes the 7% of structures that were in areas not mapped by FEMA.

To conduct the Texas legislative research, we compiled a list of 20 search terms in consultation with state lawmakers and flood experts to identify bills that could have made construction in flood-prone areas safer. We began our research in 1969, the first Texas legislative session after the National Flood Insurance Program was implemented. We sifted through thousands of bills to identify ones that would go beyond the minimum federal requirements. Such measures would have banned the construction of all or certain buildings in flood-prone areas or required developments to be built to a higher elevation. We also accounted for bills that granted local governments greater control over construction through zoning, land use authority or other methods.

Misty Harris of ProPublica contributed research. Ruth Talbot of ProPublica contributed data reporting. Louis Amestoy of The Kerr County Lead contributed reporting.

Disclosure: Texas Christian University has been a financial supporter 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 Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The attack came a day after U.S. forces struck an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea, killing two people.

The Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 191 people in total.

Despite the Iran war, the strikes have ramped up again in recent weeks, showing that the administration’s aggressive measures to stop what it calls “narcoterrorism” in the Western Hemisphere are not letting up. The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.

The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.

In the attack Tuesday, U.S. Southern Command once again said it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat cruising along the water before a huge explosion left the vessel in flames.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.

While visitor numbers are still small — in part due to the high costs and time it can take — they are growing so fast that scientists and environmentalists are sounding alarms.

A deadly outbreak of the rare hantavirus aboard a Dutch ship on a weekslong polar cruise has brought attention to the growing tourism trend.

Most expeditions head to the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming places in the world. From 2002 to 2020, roughly 149 billion metric tons (164 billion tons) of Antarctic ice melted per year, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

A common route is to voyage south from Argentina toward Antarctica before heading north up the coast of Africa — the same route taken by the cruise ship MV Hondius.

“The sites you will see in Antarctica are extremely unique and not replicable anywhere else on the planet — the whales, the seals, the penguins, the icebergs — it’s all really stunning and it makes a huge impression on people,” said Claire Christian, executive director of the environmental group Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition.

Explosive growth of trips to the southern continent

In 2024, more than 80,000 tourists touched down on the vast ice-cloaked continent and 36,000 viewed from the safety of ships, according to data collected by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

The International Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that tourism to Antarctica has grown tenfold in the past 30 years.

That number could rise further in the next decade as costs fall with more ice-capable hulls hitting the water and technological advances, said Hanne Nielsen, a senior lecturer of Antarctic law at the University of Tasmania. Her colleagues at the university estimate the annual figure could triple or quadruple to over 400,000 visits in that time.

Some tourists come to Antarctica for “last chance tourism,” knowing the melting landscape is rapidly changing, Nielsen said.

Risks of contamination

Officials have not indicated any evidence of contamination from the MV Hondius.

However, flocks of migratory birds brought avian flu from South America to Antarctica in recent years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That outbreak prompted the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and others to harden rules for tourists’ conduct and hygiene to protect visitors from being contaminated. To protect the fragile ecosystem from invasive species large and microscopic, visitors are told to stay away from animals and to avoid touching the ground with anything but their feet.

“There are rules that people are bound by when they’re heading south,” Nielsen said, describing her five voyages as a former guide. Crews and passengers use vacuums, disinfectants and brushes to scrub shoes and equipment clear of bugs, feathers, seeds and microbe-carrying dirt.

“Between the tongues and the laces of the boots you can find a lot of things,” she said.

Cruise ships have been struck by outbreaks of diseases like norovirus, which can spread quickly in a ship's close quarters. In 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak on the Diamond Princess turned the cruise ship into an incubator for the then-mysterious virus.

Hantavirus usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings.

The Hondius' island hopping cruise

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that MV Hondius left Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and visited Antarctica and several isolated islands.

WHO is investigating possible human-to-human transmission on the cruise ship, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness. Officials suspect the first infected person likely contracted the virus before boarding, she said, and officials have been told there are no rats on board.

Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which in 1959 enshrined the territory as a scientific preserve used only for peaceful purposes. A series of rules that followed “aim to ensure that all visits, regardless of location, do not adversely impact the Antarctic environment or its scientific and aesthetic values,” according to the treaty’s secretariat.

Companies and scientific ventures voluntarily comply with biosecurity guidelines and submit environmental impact assessments for Antarctic operations.

The treaty was written when tourism numbers were much lower, Christian said.

“Activity needs to be regulated appropriately, as you would with any of the world’s sensitive and precious ecological sites,” Christian said from Hiroshima, Japan, where she was preparing for an Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. There she'll join calls to strengthen protections for Antarctica's penguins, whales, seabirds, seals and krill — tiny creatures at the base of the food chain.

For now, the lure of the frozen frontier continues to draw visitors.

“You can put a footprint in Antarctica and it’s still there 50 years later,” Christian said.

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Associated Press writer Mike Corder contributed from The Hague, Netherlands.

Tensions were evident as Ukrainian artists stood by a truck that had brought a statue of an origami deer from the war-ravaged eastern front to the Biennale's storied Giardini. Just meters (yards) away, a handful of participants in the Russian Pavilion danced to house music played by an Argentine DJ.

At the same time, a group of Palestinians marched through the Giardini wearing the names of artists who have been killed in Gaza. More protests were expected as the preview week continued.

Chaos puts national pavilions in the spotlight

Few inside the Biennale were surprised that global politics were spilling over into the international art exhibition, putting new pressure on its structure of national pavilions alongside a curated exhibition and raising old questions: Is the representation of nations outmoded in a globalized system where artists often operate internationally, and does it give states an undue platform for propaganda?

“I think what has been contested very much is the existence of the nation state within the space of the exhibition,” said Marie Helene Pereira, one of the five curators of the main exhibition “In Minor Keys,” who have taken up the mantle of the late curator Koyo Kouoh.

“We can see how much that can bring tension, especially in the midst of the political chaos (in which) we find ourselves,” Pereira said.

“It's important to be able to rethink structure, rethink institutions, in a way that allows for them to cater more to artists and artmaking," Pereira said, adding that didn’t mean that art should be devoid of politics.

Ahead of its resignation, the jury had said it would not award prizes to countries whose leaders were under investigation by the International Court of Justice. The move isolated Russia and Israel.

Israeli artist Belu-Simion Fainaru said he thought the jury's decision was “a fair one.”

“I should be treated as an equal artist, and I should not be discriminated because of my race, that I am a Jew, and not because of my nationality or passport. I have to be seen as I am. I am an artist that wants to show my art, and I have the right to be evaluated,” he said standing in front of his installation rooted in the Kabbalah.

The Biennale, he said, should be “a place where you can feel safe to create and do whatever you believe in.”

Giardini on the front lines

Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadryova created “The Origami Deer” to take the place of a nuclear-capable Soviet fighter jet that had long stood in a park in Pokrovsk, in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

Curators of the Ukrainian Pavilion — its third since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion — evacuated the statue from the park in 2024, with the front line just 5 kilometers (3 miles) away.

Co-curator Ksenia Malykh fiercely opposed the Biennale’s decision to allow Russia to open its pavilion, calling it “a false attempt to stay neutral.”

“You can’t stay neutral in these times. You can’t be neutral when people are dying every day because of Russians,’’ Malykh said. “They say that art is beyond politics, but they are using art as a weapon in a hybrid war in Europe.''

Instead of talking about Russian art, Malykh said, the focus is on the statement of their participation. "I am absolutely sure this was their goal,'' she said.

The Russian Pavilion will only be open to visitors during previews that run through Friday and will not be open to the public after the Biennale opens for its 6 ½-month run on Saturday. The pavilion has organized a series of performers for this week, and had an open bar upstairs near a flowering tree. Curators were not available for interviews.

Russia’s opening cost the Venice Biennale 2 million euros ($2.3 million) in EU funding over three years. The Biennale has defended the decision, saying that any country with relations with Italy was free to open a pavilion, a position that has put it at odds with the government in Rome.

Still, the official catalog had a place-saving entry where the Russian text should have been, noting that Russia’s participation was “under review” at the time of publication.

No jury, no Golden Lions

Without a jury of peers, there will be no Golden Lion for best national pavilion or best participant in the main curated exhibition — a highly prestigious prize has led some to liken the Biennale to the Olympics of art.

Instead, visitors to both the Giardini and Arsenale sites will choose two winners, for best national participant and best main show participant, to be awarded Nov. 22, the closing day of the Biennale.

The Ukrainian artist Malykh said that lack of professionally awarded prizes damaged the Biennale.

“It’s an important moment. If the prize is given by the public, it’s as if the Biennale came to Eurovision. It’s not a professional institution after that,” Malykh said.

Three passengers have died and at least four people have been sick in what health officials say is an outbreak of hantavirus, which usually spreads by inhaling contaminated rodent droppings. The World Health Organization said passengers are isolating in their cabins.

The company that operates the vessel — currently anchored in the Atlantic off Cape Verde — said it plans to move to Spain’s Canary Islands once three people have been medically evacuated and put on specially equipped planes to the Netherlands. Earlier Tuesday, Spanish officials said that they were monitoring the situation and hadn't made a decision.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch ship on a weekslong polar cruise, departed April 1 from Argentina for Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

“Our days have been close to normal, just waiting for authorities to find a solution,” passenger Qasem Elhato, 31 — who sent AP the video footage — said via WhatsApp. “But morale on the ship is high and we’re keeping ourselves busy with reading, watching movies, having hot drinks and that kind of things.”

Helene Goessaert, another passenger, told Belgian broadcaster VRT that everyone on board is “in the same boat, literally.”

“You don’t embark on a trip with the idea that one of your fellow passengers won’t make it,” she said.

“We receive information at regular intervals. It is accurate. For the rest, it is a waiting game,” she added. “Today we received fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. That was very important to us.”

Evacuation plans are still unclear

Authorities in Cape Verde have said they sent teams of doctors, surgeons, nurses and laboratory specialists to the Hondius. They were seen in Elhato's video footage — wearing white overalls, boots and face masks as they disembarked to a smaller vessel.

Officials in Cape Verde’s capital of Praia, a city of less than 200,000 people, said they have stepped up safety protocols, particularly near the port, as a precautionary measure against the rodent-borne illness — which doesn't usually spread person to person, though health authorities say it might be possible.

Elhato said passengers were wearing masks and social distancing — practices that became hallmarks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions said it had implemented its highest level of response, with isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring.

Oceanwide Expeditions said Tuesday evening that two specialized aircraft were flying to Cape Verde to evacuate two people who need urgent medical care and one person who was traveling with a German woman who died on board Saturday. They were to be taken to the Netherlands, though exactly when that would happen was not immediately clear.

Once the medical evacuation happens, the ship plans to sail to the Canary Islands, either Gran Canaria or Tenerife, a voyage of some three days, the company said in its statement, adding that “discussions are ongoing with relevant authorities.”

Spanish health officials had said in an earlier statement that they were monitoring and that "the most appropriate port of call will be decided. Until then, the Ministry of Health will not adopt any decision, as we have informed the World Health Organization.”

WHO notes 7 cases in all in its latest update

WHO said Tuesday that it's looking at seven cases in all — three people who have died, one critically ill passenger who was previously taken off the ship, and three on board reporting mild symptoms.

Two of the cases — a woman who died and the evacuated man — tested positive for hantavirus.

A Dutch man was the first death, on April 11. His body was taken off the vessel nearly two weeks later, on the British territory of St. Helena, some 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) off the African coast, according to South Africa’s Department of Health.

His wife traveled by plane from St. Helena to South Africa; she collapsed at a Johannesburg airport and died at a hospital on April 26, according to WHO and the South African Department of Health.

The ship sailed on to Ascension Island, an isolated Atlantic outpost about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the north, where a sick British man was taken off the ship and evacuated first to Ascension Island and then to South Africa by plane. He is in intensive care in a South African hospital, according to WHO.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, said the organization is investigating possible human-to-human transmission on the ship, and that officials suspect the first infected person likely contracted the virus before boarding. She said officials have been told there are no rats on board.

Officials in Argentina — where hantavirus led to 28 deaths nationwide last year, according to the health ministry — said they confirmed no passengers had symptoms when the Hondius departed. Symptoms can appear up to eight weeks after exposure, officials have said.

In South Africa, authorities said they have started contact tracing — another practice used extensively in the coronavirus pandemic. But officials have emphasized that the chance of a major public health threat is low.

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the passenger who died on board Saturday as a German man; it has been corrected to reflect that a German woman died.

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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. AP journalists Suman Naishadham in Madrid; Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, South Africa; Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.

Duncan Robinson added 19 points for the top-seeded Pistons, who ended an NBA record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against a single opponent, a drought that dated to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.

Game 2 is Thursday night in Detroit.

The Pistons forced 20 turnovers that led to 31 points in a strong performance against Cleveland's potent backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

“That's what this series presents, but we're up for a challenge," Harris said. "I thought tonight we did a great job of that.”

Mitchell scored 23 points, ending his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers.

Harden had 22 points and Max Strus scored 19 for the No. 4-seeded Cavs, who pulled into a tie midway through the fourth quarter after trailing for most of the night and by as much as 18 points.

Harden committed seven turnovers and pointed the blame at himself.

“You look within first,” he said. “Look at my turnovers and a lot of them are just on me and nothing they did.”

Cleveland center Jarrett Allen was limited to two points and three rebounds, coming off a 22-point, 19-rebound performance in an elimination game against Toronto.

Two days after both teams won a Game 7, the Pistons started strong and led 37-31 after a quarter. Detroit took a 59-46 lead into the second half, when the cushion was no longer comfortable.

Cleveland pulled within three points late in the third and Ron Holland hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the quarter and put the Pistons up 83-76.

After the Cavs cut their deficit to three again early in the fourth, the Pistons responded with eight consecutive points to restore a double-digit lead.

Cleveland, though, wouldn’t go away.

Harden, playing the Pistons for the first time since Cleveland acquired him, scored seven straight points to pull the Cavs into a 93-all tie with 5:28 left.

Jalen Duren blocked Harden’s next shot and dunked on Detroit’s next three possessions — each off Cunningham assists.

The Pistons won the Central Division this year by eight games ahead of the defending champion Cavs, splitting four games during the regular season.

Detroit earned 60 victories and the top seed in the East just two years after losing 68 games and setting a single-season NBA record with 28 straight losses.

The Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the first round against Orlando to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Cleveland outlasted Toronto in seven games to reach the second round for the third straight year, a run that started with Bickerstaff, who was fired by the Cavs and hired a month later by the Pistons.

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

Another stunningly expensive Senate race — the state's third in four years — is expected as Republicans try to hold their majority during a difficult midterm cycle. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown easily defeated a challenger in the Democratic primary and will now attempt to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

Democrats are counting on Brown’s previous popularity with voters to flip the seat, even as the Senate Leadership Fund — a top GOP super PAC — has pledged $79 million to defend Husted.

Brown, who served three Senate terms before losing a bitter reelection bid in 2024, pledged at his victory party to fight for working-class Ohioans.

“No one in the Senate is standing up to these corporations who raise your prices and who game the system,” Brown said as attendees booed. He continued, “Ohioans don’t have anyone fighting for you, until November.”

Husted, who did not hold an election night party, was unopposed in his primary, a special election to fill the remainder of the six-year Senate term that Vice President JD Vance won in 2022.

In a statement earlier in the day, Husted said Brown has no room to talk about failures in Washington.

“Over the next six months, Ohioans will hear a lot from Sherrod Brown about his so-called solutions,” Husted said. “The truth is, after 32 years in Washington, he created the very problems he now blames others for. His record is indefensible.”

In the governor's race, biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy clinched the Republican nomination over internet personality Casey Putsch to face Dr. Amy Acton, the COVID-era health director, this fall. Acton was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Both candidates for governor are widely known across the state

A newcomer to state politics, Ramaswamy aggressively positioned himself for the job early with the help of an endorsement from President Donald Trump — who praised him on social media Tuesday as “Young, Strong, and Smart!”

“We have an historic opportunity to lead Ohio to be the top state in the country — to raise a young family, to give our kids a world-class education and to be the state where we will revive this quaint idea that we call the American Dream,” Ramaswamy told supporters in Columbus.

Acton, speaking at her victory party, said she is running because people are struggling, working harder than ever and still not getting ahead.

“I refuse to look the other way,” she said.

Trump’s endorsement continues to carry weight in Ohio, which favored him three times for president, but Ramaswamy could face headwinds amid the president’s lagging popularity over the war in Iran and the rising cost of living.

Acton's high public profile and robust early fundraising have made Democrats hopeful of winning back the governor’s office for the first time since 2006.

Ramaswamy, a 2024 GOP primary presidential candidate, swept onto the state's political scene early last year as a mad shuffle left an opening at the top of Republicans' statewide ticket. Then-Sen. Vance was ascending to the vice presidency and Husted — then the front-running candidate for governor — was being appointed to replace him in Washington.

With his national profile, tech industry connections and proximity to Trump, he quickly cleared a prospective field that included the sitting state attorney general, state treasurer and lieutenant governor.

National economy, COVID-19 pandemic set early tone for governor's race

But Democrats saw opportunity with the open governors seat, even as the state, a former bellwether, has tipped convincingly toward Republicans during the Trump era.

Acton became a household name across Ohio in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as she stood alongside Republican Gov. Mike DeWine during daily coronavirus broadcasts. Her comforting presence during the crisis made her a beloved figure with many Ohioans.

Her campaign also has highlighted her rough childhood, overcoming poverty, homelessness and sexual abuse while growing up in Youngstown.

“I just think she’s real,” said Aaron Weiner, a Cincinnati real estate agent who voted for Acton. “She has had struggles, so I think she can empathize with people who are struggling to get ahead.”

But the administration's aggressive pandemic actions — including shuttering businesses, closing schools and canceling an election — also earned Acton plenty of enemies and made her the occasional target of people upset about the policies, with some armed protesters showing up outside her home.

Ramaswamy's campaign sought to capitalize on lingering anger over the restrictions with attacks on Acton's role early in the crisis, but he also has connections to the government's response. Ramaswamy was advising the lieutenant governor at the time — Husted — on virus-related economic issues and founded a company that profited off its role developing vaccines.

Cincinnati voter Paul Mussman, who backed Ramaswamy, said he considers it an asset that he is a relative newcomer to politics.

Ramaswamy would look at issues “in a fresh way and not based on what their party affiliation is,” Mussman said.

Republicans see some Democratic-held House seats as vulnerable

In the wake of a new round of redistricting that slightly favored Republicans, the state also had numerous partisan congressional primaries.

The most heated GOP primary was in the Toledo area’s 9th District for the chance to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in Congress.

Former state Rep. Derek Merrin, whom Kaptur defeated by less than a percentage point in 2024, bested an Air National Guard veteran, a healthcare industry worker, a sitting state representative and the former deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Madison Sheahan.

In Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman’s Cincinnati-area 1st Congressional District, which his party considers a “must-hold,” the three-way Republican primary went to Eric Conroy, a CIA and Air Force veteran who was endorsed by Trump, Vance and Moreno.

Landsman beat back a primary challenge of his own Tuesday from Damon Lynch IV, the grandson of a prominent civil rights leader. Lynch had criticized Landsman for his initial vote against a war powers resolution on the war in Iran, which Landsman later followed up with a favorable vote.

In the Akron area’s 13th District, Republican Carey Coleman defeated four others for the opportunity to face Democratic U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes.

Democrats think new House maps give them a shot to regain seats

As a Trump-backed national effort to remake congressional maps in Republicans' favor was underway, Ohio Democrats took a could-have-been-worse approach and passed the map they were given unanimously.

Now party candidates crowded congressional primaries across the state for the chance to take on sitting Republican representatives, who hold 10 of Ohio's 15 seats.

The newly redrawn 7th District in the Cleveland area attracted five Democrats hoping to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller, a former senior Trump adviser, in November. Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker and city councilman endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, emerged as the winner in a race that also included former Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, the Democratic nominee for governor in 2014.

In northeast Ohio’s 14th District, PR professional and former Euclid City Council member Maria Jukic won the Democratic primary over former Ohio Supreme Court Justice William O’Neill and others and will face Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce.

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Associated Press writer Dylan Lovan in Cincinnati contributed.

Greene, a firefighter and Marine veteran, defeated Republican Jason Tunney, a former prosecutor, in the race for Michigan’s 35th Senate District, which includes Saginaw and Bay City and is surrounded by more conservative rural areas. Democrats had held a one-seat majority in the chamber, putting control at stake.

“I just want you to know who’s had your back for 31 years and you can be sure I’ll still have your backs in Lansing,” Greene told cheering supporters at a watch party, referring to the state’s capital city.

Libertarian candidate Ali Sledz lagged far back in third for the seat left vacant since January 2025. Tunney conceded the 35th state Senate district race, saying he “fell short” but vowing to run again in November. The term at play in Tuesday’s election runs only through the end of the year, leaving the seat up for reelection again in the fall.

The race was closely watched as a potential indicator for the upcoming midterms in this battleground state. The district is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Detroit and includes Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. It is seen as reflective of the entire state and includes part of Saginaw County, the only Michigan county to back the winning presidential candidate in each of the last five elections.

“It’s really this microcosm of the Midwest, frankly,” said Democratic U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet of the seat she left upon entering Congress. “Given how much it resembles so many other places across the country, we have to look at it and say, this is an indicator of how things are going to go in November.”

Maintains Democratic majority in state Senate

Whitmer, a Democrat, is term-limited, setting up a competitive race in November to succeed her. With Democrats currently controlling the state Senate 19-18, Tuesday's outcome was crucial for deciding the state's legislative agenda in the months before she leaves office in January.

Republicans had made the timing of the special election a central issue, arguing Whitmer, a Democrat, waited too long to call it — leaving the district without representation in the state Senate for nearly 500 days.

Greene's victory keeps Democrats in the majority. Had Tunney prevailed, the Senate would have been tied, making it tougher for Democrats to advance their agenda.

The Michigan House is controlled by Republicans.

A temperature check on the electorate

The race is being watched as a test of voter sentiment ahead of the midterm elections, when Democrats are looking to regain power in Congress.

John Hall, a 69-year-old self-described independent, said Tuesday that he voted for Greene with the economy the pressing issue for him. He said he spent $58 at the gas station before driving to the public library in Bay City to vote.

“It’s taking a bite out of a lot of people’s budgets right now,” Hall said, adding it would have cost between $35 and $40 to fill up his car’s tank two months ago.

Some strategists caution against overinterpreting the results, noting heavy Democratic spending and high-profile visits by such figures as former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee said in February that the special election would “set the tone for midterms" while announcing a $250,000 investment to help Michigan Democrats retain their Senate majority in May and November.

“This is a tough race to win in any environment, but they’ve stacked the deck with the spending. And you layer the overall political environment on top of it, it’s going to be tough,” said Jason Roe, a Republican strategist in the state.

Although Republican Donald Trump carried all three counties in the 2024 presidential race, the portions of the counties that fall within District 35 are more competitive. McDonald Rivet won the seat in 2022 with 53% of the vote. Democrat Kamala Harris barely edged Trump in the district in 2024, 49.7% to 48.9%, on the strength of her 17-percentage-point lead in the Saginaw portion of the district.

Once a hub of the auto industry, the region includes a large share of union-affiliated voters and a sizable Black population, surrounded by more conservative rural areas.

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Associated Press reporter Robert Yoon contributed from Washington.

The New York Times called the lawsuit politically motivated and said it would defend itself “vigorously.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of a New York Times editor who lodged a complaint after he didn't get the role of deputy real estate editor in 2025, alleging gender and racial discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin or religion.

The EEOC claimed the news organization's publicly stated goals of increasing the number of women and people of color in its leadership ranks influenced the decision to exclude the white male applicant for a final round of interviews, while advancing three women and a Black man.

EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has been a staunch champion of the Trump administration's campaign against corporate diversity policies that she argues veer into discrimination against white men and others. In December, Lucas posted a social media call urging white men to come forward with complaints if they believe they have faced discrimination because of their employer's diversity policies.

“No one is above the law — including ‘elite’ institutions. There is no such thing as ‘reverse discrimination;’ all race or sex discrimination is equally unlawful, according to long-established civil rights principles," Lucas said in a statement. "No matter the size or power of the employer, the EEOC under my leadership will not pull punches in ensuring evenhanded, colorblind enforcement of Title VII to protect America’s workers, including white males.”

The New York Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha said the EEOC “deviated from standard practices in highly unusual ways. The allegation centers on a single personnel decision for one of over 100 deputy positions across the newsroom, yet the EEOC’s filing makes sweeping claims that ignore the facts to fit a predetermined narrative.”

“Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision – we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor,” Rhoades Ha added.

In the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York, the EEOC complaint said the complainant, who was not identified, has worked as an editor for the New York Times since 2014, mostly as a senior staff editor on the international desk with previous experience working on real estate stories.

The lawsuit claims that the woman ultimately appointed deputy real estate editor “did not have experience with real estate journalism" but “as a multiracial female, this candidate matched the race and/or sex characteristics NYT sought to increase in its leadership.” The EEOC said one final panel interviewer described her as “a bit green overall."

The EEOC's lawsuit extensively cited The New York Times diversity and inclusion policies as evidence for its alleged discriminatory policies.

In particularly, the lawsuit cites the organizations “Call to Action” plan published in February 2021 in which it set a goal of increasing the number of Black and Latino employees in leadership by 50% by 2025. The EEOC said the New York Times met that goal in 2022 but continued its commitment to diversity policies. According to reports cited in the lawsuit, white employees composed 68% of its leadership in 2024, compared to 29% people of color.

Lucas has been particularly critical of representation goals that many companies have publicly announced, particularly in the wake of of the 2020 racial protests following the police killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd.

In almost all cases, it is illegal under Title VII for employers to take race or gender into account when making hiring, promotion and other decisions. Lucas has taken aim at practices she claims pressure hiring managers to do just that, from certain forms of anti-bias training to ensuring a diverse slate of candidates for roles. Critics say the EEOC is attacking long held practices designed to level the playing field for workers who have traditionally faced discrimination in U.S. workplaces.

In February, the EEOC revealed that it was investigating sportswear giant Nike for racial discrimination against white employees. Unlike the New York Times lawsuit, the Nike investigation stemmed not from a worker complaint but by Lucas herself, who filed what is known as “commissioner's charge” to investigate an array of diversity policies at the sneaker company.

The biggest test of Trump's power came in Indiana, where he backed primary challenges against seven Republican state senators who rejected his redistricting plan in December. Five of the president's candidates won with the help of an avalanche of cash.

Meanwhile in Michigan, a Democrat comfortably won a state Senate race in a bellwether district, the latest in a string of special election victories.

Over in Ohio, primaries locked in candidates for two major races with national implications.

Here are some takeaways from Tuesday night.

Trump's influence on the Republican Party remains strong

Trump took aim at seven Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his plan to redraw congressional district boundaries to help the party gain seats in the U.S. House. His intervention mostly paid off.

Groups allied with the president spent more than $8.3 million on advertising, an extraordinary surge of money into races that are typically low-profile.

Five Trump-backed challengers won. One incumbent won. A seventh contest was too close to call on Tuesday night.

The races were a test of Trump's enduring grip over his party as Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the midterm elections.

By winning most of them, Trump sent a signal to Republicans everywhere that they can still get thrown out of office if they distance themselves from him even as his popularity fades. And they show the president that he can still credibly threaten consequences for Republicans who cross him.

The Trump-targeted state senators all represent districts he carried in 2024, mostly by 20 percentage points or more.

“Historic night for Indiana as Republicans stood with me and President Trump to nominate some great America First conservatives,” Republican Gov. Mike Braun, who backed Trump's challengers, wrote on social media.

Ohio races now get started in earnest

The state's primary was the wind-up to the big show. Although Ohio has become increasingly conservative, Democrats believe their path back to a U.S. Senate majority runs through the state.

They're putting their hopes behind former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost Ohio's other Senate seat to Bernie Moreno in 2024. Brown easily won the Democratic nomination Tuesday and will face off with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became vice president.

The race is a special election to fill the last two years of Vance's term.

Brown has consistently done better in Ohio than Democratic presidential candidates as the state has shifted to the right. Even in 2024, when Democrat Kamala Harris lost Ohio to Trump by 11 points, Brown lost by less than 4 points.

In the campaign for governor, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with Trump into a record fundraising haul. He largely ignored Republican rival Casey Putsch, focusing his rallies and television ads on the general election, and won the primary decisively.

An engineer and vehicle designer who calls himself “The Car Guy,” Putsch attracted fans with provocative YouTube videos that trolled Ramaswamy and criticized national Republicans over their handling of the Epstein files, positions on energy-guzzling data centers and support for Israel.

Ramaswamy will face Amy Acton, Ohio's former public health director, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She played a key role in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another special election, another big swing toward Democrats

Special elections have swung almost universally toward Democrats since Trump returned to the White House, and the trend continued Tuesday in central Michigan.

Democrat Chedrick Greene won a state Senate seat in a closely matched district where Harris bested Trump by less than 1 point in 2024.

It's just one special election months out from the midterms, but in a preeminent battleground like Michigan, all political tea leaves are carefully analyzed. The state has one of the top U.S. Senate contests this November and is crucial in deciding presidential elections.

The race carries outsized importance for another reason, too. Greene's victory gives Democrats a firm majority in the state Senate, while a Republican win would have deadlocked the chamber in a 19-19 tie.

The seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in Congress.

Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections and off-year contests across the country, winning races in unexpected places and significantly narrowing the gap, even when they fall short.

There's no guarantee the trend will continue through the midterms, when turnout will be much higher, but it has nonetheless energized Democrats and spooked Republicans worried about keeping their congressional majorities.

A late snowstorm swept over the Rocky Mountains and into the High Plains on Tuesday, bringing heavy, wet accumulation north of Denver into southeastern Wyoming.

In Fort Collins, Colorado, heavy snow fell throughout the day on ground that was still too warm for significant accumulation. Slushy snow clung to leaves, grass and flowers, and homeowners shut off yard sprinklers lest sub-freezing temperatures damage their plumbing.

Boulder, nestled against the mountains, could get upward of a foot (30 centimeters) of snow. While the Denver area experienced mostly rain on Tuesday, that turned into snow by early evening. Forecasts predict up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow is possible into Wednesday.

Even as Denver imposed lawn-watering restrictions to address what have been low mountain snows, the city was facing what may be its biggest snowfall of the season.

“We just had our driest winter on record,” Kenley Bonner, a meteorologist in the weather service’s Denver office, said. “We were kind of joking earlier in the season that winter’s not going to come until spring, and it did exactly that.”

Big snow and a fast drop in temperature

More accumulation was expected with temperatures plunging overnight and the heaviest snow continuing into Wednesday morning. Warmer temperatures are expected to return Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

The state's largest school district, Denver Public Schools, and other major districts and colleges in the region canceled Wednesday classes due to severe weather.

Accumulated snow could snap tree branches and knock out power, Bonner said. Utilities were preparing, with Xcel Energy putting 165 employees on standby across the state.

Highways remained open Tuesday for the time being. Interstate 80 across southern Wyoming, including a high-elevation stretch between Cheyenne and Laramie that closes often, was open but webcams showed heavy snowfall.

Others along northern Colorado mountain highways also showed deteriorating conditions.

The ominous forecast did not deter thousands from attending the David Guetta show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, though organizers moved the start time up by an hour in hopes of getting fans home before the worst of the storm.

Concertgoers bundled up in furry winter coats and beanies while waiting in line to enter the outdoor venue.

Wait, snow in May?

The forecast is somewhat unusual but not unheard of.

Denver typically sees its last snowfall around April 28, although May storms do happen. The “Mile High City” recorded half an inch of snow (1.2 centimeters) on May 21, 2022, while nearby Boulder got 4.5 inches (11.4 centimeters).

Historically, Denver has seen at least five May storms with snowfall over 10 inches (25 centimeters). The biggest, in 1893, dropped 15.5 inches (39.3 centimeters). The city's most recent double-digit snow was May 25-26, 1950, with 10.7 inches (27 centimeters).

A light dusting on June 2, 1951, was the latest time in the year it snowed.

The worsening storm caused the Colorado Rockies to reschedule two games against the New York Mets. But that happens more often than not during Denver's spring baseball season, including four times in 2015, according to MLB.

May snows are even more common in the Wyoming capital of Cheyenne, which is almost 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Denver and cooler year-round. Wyoming is also windier than Colorado, pushing snow into drifts that must be re-plowed if gusts persist.

The storm is welcome during a drought, but not a fix

April was warmer than usual and short on precipitation, with Denver missing an inch of rain (2.5 centimeters) and 2.8 inches of snow (7 centimeters) last month compared to normal.

For some farmers, who have felt the pressure from Colorado's ongoing drought, the snow was an opportunity.

Adam Jones, who runs Unsung Family Farms in Longmont, told KMGH-TV that he had planted carrot seeds days before to take advantage of the precipitation.

“You can’t get as even distribution with driplines or sprinklers,” he said. “There’s nothing like starting seeds with snow or water.”

Jones had to move the more weather-sensitive crops inside, however, with a heater to keep them warm.

But one storm won't solve the West's water problems.

A report from the National Drought Mitigation Center said recent precipitation helped boost topsoil moisture and reduced irrigation demands, but hasn't changed a “mostly bleak” water outlook heading into the summer.

Wildfires also thrive in the dry conditions. Firefighters across the West have been turning to artificial intelligence and other technology to catch small fires before they expand.

Storms elsewhere, too

The unsettled weather isn’t limited to the Rockies.

Thunderstorms are expected from northeast Texas into western Tennessee, with Arkansas facing the greatest risk of large hail, damaging winds and possible tornadoes, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Isolated strong storms could also reach parts of the Northeast.

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McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. AP reporter Jaimie Ding contributed from Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Wednesday morning, the official Xinhua news agency reported, without providing further details.

It was the first time since the start of the war that Araghchi has traveled to China, whose close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence.

Earlier in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the need to release its chokehold on the strait, which is a vital waterway for global energy.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, along with fertilizer and other petroleum products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy. Breaking Iran’s grip would deny its main source of leverage as Trump demands a major rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

US to pause latest efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Trump announced the decision in a social media post, saying the latest effort — which started Monday — would pause for a short period to see whether an agreement with Tehran on ending the war in the Middle East could be finalized.

Trump said the move was based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment or further detail on the progress in negotiations that Trump mentioned. They had appeared to have largely stalled in the conflict that started Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

US officials say ceasefire is holding, despite attacks on UAE

The United Arab Emirates, a key U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf, said it came under attack from Iranian drones and missiles for a second day Tuesday.

But U.S. military leaders and Rubio insisted the nearly month-old ceasefire was still holding and that — while the conflict is not resolved — the initial major U.S. military operation against Iran has concluded.

Before the Trump announcement, Rubio told a White House press briefing that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to Trump’s demands on its nuclear program and also agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“We would prefer the path of peace,” Rubio said.

Rubio also described the day-old U.S. push to reopen the strait to maritime traffic as a defensive operation, aimed at helping thousands of civilian sailors stranded there by the war.

“They’re sitting ducks, they’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable,” Rubio said. “At least 10 sailors have already died as a result.”

On Monday, the U.S. said it had opened a lane and sunk six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships. So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the new U.S.-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Persian Gulf.

Iran says the new US effort violates ceasefire

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the U.S. military’s top officer, told a news conference that Iran’s renewed attacks had not reached the threshold of what Caine called “major combat operations.” He said Tuesday was a “quieter” day in the strait.

At the White House, Rubio said clashes with Iran related to American efforts to reopen the straight were “defensive in nature.”

“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first, OK?” Rubio said. “We’re not attacking them.”

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway.

“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet,” he said in a post on X. His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.

Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six Iranian boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.

Caine, the top U.S. general who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling the skies over the strait. The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, depriving Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.

The Trump administration has cited the April 8 ceasefire in asserting that the president does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidents to seek formal approval from Congress for war activities 60 days after beginning military action.

Shippers remain wary

So far, just two civilian vessels, both U.S.-flagged merchant ships, are known to have passed through the strait as part of the lane the U.S. says it has created. Shipping company Maersk said one of them, a vehicle carrier that it operates, exited the strait safely Monday with U.S. military assistance.

Former military officers who have served on the strait have said opening the waterway that is just 21 miles (34 kilometers) wide would be dangerous and highly challenging, even with military escorts, which the U.S. is not providing now.

Hapag-Lloyd AG, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, said in a statement that its risk assessment “remains unchanged” and that transits through the strait “are for the moment not possible for our ships.”

Iran has attacked ships that try to transit without going through its own route in the northern part of the strait along the Iranian coastline. That involves being vetted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and in some cases making a payment.

The U.S.-approved route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.

The UAE bore the brunt of Iran’s retaliation

The UAE’s Defense Ministry said it was responding to another Iranian drone and missile attack on Tuesday, though there were no reports of damage or casualties. A day earlier, it said Emirati air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones from Iran, one of which sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals.

The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, also on Monday. On Tuesday, it reported that a cargo vessel in the strait had been struck by an “unknown projectile,” without further details.

Iran denied striking the UAE “in recent days,” according to a statement by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for Iran’s joint military command, that was read Tuesday on state TV.

___

Madhani and Finley reported from Washington, and Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writers E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing; Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations; Collin Binkley and Matthew Lee in Washington; Giovanna Dell'Orto in Minneapolis; Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut; Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Bill Barrow in Atlanta; David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.

His trial lasted two days and the jury deliberated for less than two hours.

The charges stemmed from a Dec. 2 incident at his house in Dedham, where Jamila Adams, a former live-in personal chef known as Mila, testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during an argument. He had pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

Diggs’ attorneys said the alleged assault never happened and challenged Adams’ credibility, arguing the dispute was about money or relationship tensions — including a disagreement over a planned trip to Miami — rather than a violent attack.

They pointed to financial demands she made and testimony from friends and employees who said she did not appear injured in the days after the encounter, while prosecutors argued the case rests on her account of what happened inside the home.

Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell told jurors during closing arguments that prosecutors had not presented “a single shred of credible evidence” that an assault occurred. He said Adams made the accusation to “leverage and humiliate and to punish” Diggs.

“There was no assault, no strangulation, no incident at all on that day or any other day,” he said.

Assistant District Attorney Drew Virtue said Adams’ behavior should be viewed in the context of her relationship with Diggs, whom he described as “a sometimes lover, a boss, landlord,” pointing to the imbalance in that relationship as a factor in how she responded afterward.

“He was an athlete, a celebrity, financially powerful, surrounded by people that were all on his payroll that liked him,” Virtue said. “And when you put that all in consideration, her behavior does make sense.”

He urged jurors not to dismiss Adams’ testimony because she was not “a perfect witness.”

“She was argumentative, avoidant, difficult. But does that mean you should throw away everything she said? No,” he said, adding that jurors should give her testimony “the attention, the scrutiny, the weight it deserves.”

Money vs. motive

Earlier in the trial, Adams became emotional on the stand while describing an alleged encounter with Diggs on in which she said he entered her room following an argument over text.

Adams, who said she lived in the NFL star’s home and prepared all of his meals, testified that Diggs “smacked me with an open hand” before wrapping his arm around her neck and choking her, leaving her struggling to breathe. She described what she called a “complicated” relationship, saying it had previously been sexual but was not at the time of the alleged assault.

Adams said she met Diggs in 2022 on Instagram and that the two became friends — at times “friends with benefits,” as one of his attorneys described it — before she was later hired to live in his home and prepare his meals during the football season.

Defense attorneys pressed Adams about money she said she was owed after working as a live-in chef. She testified she was paid about $2,000 a week and believed she had not been fully compensated after being sent home. They pointed to a $19,000 demand and said the amount increased over time, with her attorney later seeking $5.5 million.

When asked about the $5.5 million claim, Adams said, “I can’t speak on that,” and at other points told jurors, “I don’t understand the question” and “I don’t know how to answer the question.”

At one point, Adams said Diggs had offered her $100,000 to recant her statement to the police, but that remark was struck from the record after the judge called the attorneys to a sidebar.

At times during her second day on the stand, Adams was instructed by the judge to answer questions directly and not include additional details beyond what was asked. Portions of her responses were struck from the record as nonresponsive, with jurors told to disregard them.

“This is not an opportunity for you to interject your own narrative and evade answering questions,” Judge Jeanmarie Carroll told her at one point, warning that continued nonresponsive answers could result in her testimony being stricken.

Witnesses describe accuser’s appearance after alleged attack

Kenneth Ellis, the Dedham police officer who took Adams’ initial report, testified that she arrived at the station visibly upset, telling jurors she “sat down on the bench and she was crying.” He said Adams initially asked to speak with a female officer before later agreeing to give a statement and identifying Diggs as the person involved.

Under cross-examination, Ellis said he did not observe visible injuries, collect photographs or speak with other witnesses, and that his investigation relied largely on Adams’ account and text messages she provided.

Defense attorneys also sought to challenge Adams’ account through testimony from people in Diggs’ orbit and evidence they said reflected her demeanor in the days after the alleged incident.

His chief of staff, massage therapist, a nurse who provided IV treatments and his hairstylist all testified that they saw her around the time of the attack and that she said nothing about being assaulted.

His hairstylist, Xia Charles, testified that she spent time with Adams in New York in the days after the alleged incident and did not notice any injuries. She said Adams appeared normal and that she did not see marks on her neck or elsewhere.

Defense attorneys also showed jurors cellphone videos of Adams socializing, including clips of her in a car listening to music and dancing, which they suggested showed her demeanor in the days following the incident.

Jeanelle Sales, Diggs’ chief of staff, who also goes by “Sunni,” testified she saw Adams at the home on the day she alleged she was assaulted and did not see visible marks, redness or swelling on her neck or face. She said Adams appeared to be in normal spirits.

“She was walking around looking for a piece of paper and a pen to write a card — I guess, write a note to him for his birthday gift,” Sales said.

Prosecutors pushed back on that testimony, suggesting the witnesses’ livelihoods were tied to Diggs and that they had a financial interest in the outcome of the case.

In a written statement after the verdict was read, Diggs' attorney Mitch Schuster said “fame and financial success shouldn’t strip someone of their presumption of innocence, but too often, it does exactly that."

“Professional athletes have a target on their back. When someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage; they see a settlement,” he said. “And they’re counting on that pressure in the court of public opinion to drive a default decision to settle— regardless of the facts of the matter.”

__

Associated Press journalist Michael Casey contributed to this report.

In what promises to be one of November’s most high-profile races, former Sen. Sherrod Brown easily defeated a challenger in the Ohio Democratic primary and will now attempt to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

And in primary elections in Indiana, a majority of the incumbent GOP state senators who opposed a plan backed by President Donald Trump to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts effort have lost their primaries to Trump-backed candidates. The redistricting effort hit a snag last year in Indiana when half of the state’s Republican senators sided with Democrats to defeat the plan. That set up a bellwether primary season that was seen as a test of the president’s sway with Republican voters.

And in Michigan, Chedrick Greene won a special election, ensuring Democrats will maintain control of the state Senate through the remainder of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s term at year’s end. The race has been closely watched as a potential indicator for November’s midterms in this battleground state. A Republican victory would have deadlocked the state Senate.

Here is the latest:

Greene thanks supporters after Michigan special election victory

Green made the remarks in a speech after Republican Jason Tunney conceded the race, which ensures Democrats maintain control of the state Senate through the end of the year.

“I just want you to know who’s had your back for 31 years and you can be sure I’ll still have your backs in Lansing,” Greene said, referring to the state’s capital city.

Indiana state Senate race too close to call

An Indiana state Senate Republican primary where Trump has endorsed a challenger is too close to call.

The Associated Press has not called the race between incumbent state Sen. Spencer Deery and Paula Copenhaver, who had Trump’s support. Deery held a lead of three votes, or 0.02 percentage points, late Tuesday.

Deery was one of the state lawmakers who opposed the president’s call to redistrict Indiana’s congressional seats to boost GOP chances in the midterms.

Chedrick Greene wins Michigan special election

His victory ensures Democrats maintain control of the state Senate through the remainder of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s term at year’s end.

The firefighter and former Marine defeated Republican Jason Tunney in the race for Michigan’s 35th Senate District, which includes Saginaw and Bay City and is surrounded by more rural areas. Democrats had held a one-seat majority in the chamber, putting control at stake.

The race has been closely watched as a potential indicator for November’s midterms in this battleground state. The district is seen as reflective of the entire state and includes part of Saginaw County, the only county in Michigan to back the winning presidential candidate in each of the last five elections.

Brown touts his economic populist message in victory speech

The three-term U.S. senator from Ohio who lost his seat in the 2024 election thanked supporters at an election night party before pivoting to his longtime economic message.

“No one in the Senate is standing up to these corporations who raise your prices and who game the system,” Brown said to boos from the crowd. “Instead, the people who are supposed to be representing you in Washington, they play the stock market, they cycle through the revolving door, they lobby for special interests the moment they leave the United States Congress.”

He denounced major banks, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, as well as “big corporations” that build data centers in Ohio. He also took aim at Husted, his rival in the general election.

“Ohioans don’t have anyone fighting for you, until November,” Brown told the crowd.

Acton says it’s time to make Ohio affordable again

Amy Acton, who won the uncontested Democratic primary in the Ohio governor’s race, said during a victory speech that she was running to make the state more affordable again.

She cited rising costs for gas, electricity and child care as hurdles for families in the state. She said people were doing the right things but still struggling.

“It shouldn’t be this hard,” she said. “It is time to put working families first.”

Indiana Republican US Rep. Jim Baird survives primary challenge

Baird, who was endorsed by Trump, won his primary in Indiana’s 4th Congressional District, overcoming a tough challenge from a state lawmaker.

Baird defeated state Rep. Craig Haggard, who was endorsed by state Attorney General Todd Rokita, a vocal Trump supporter. Political newcomer John Piper also ran.

Baird is seeking a fifth term in the west-central Indiana district that has been under Republican control for more than 30 years. Baird was hospitalized in January after another vehicle struck his SUV, severely injuring his wife, who died three months later.

Indiana US senator, Turning Point USA leader tout Trump-endorsed candidate wins in Indiana

GOP U.S. Sen. Jim Banks declared it was a “Big night for MAGA in Indiana” after multiple Trump-backed challengers won their party’s nomination for state senate over incumbent lawmakers who crossed the president.

Conservative activists also touted the election results.

“It’s clear the Trump Team delivered,” Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, wrote on social media. Kolvet was a confidant of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and producer for his podcast.

Kolvet also congratulated activists from the conservative youth group, who he said “worked so hard mobilizing on the ground in Indiana.”

Holdman says ‘it’s OK’ that opposing redistricting cost him his job

ndiana Sen. Travis Holdman, an 18-year senator from the Fort Wayne area, attributes his loss not to his vote against state redistricting in December but the more than $1.3 million in attack advertising that was bankrolled by super PACs organized by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and Sen. Jim Banks.

“Welcome to D.C. politics in Indiana because this means that’s what’s coming,” he said. “I did what my constituents asked me to do and it cost me my job,” he said. “But that’s OK”

Indiana Democratic US Rep. André Carson survives primary

Carson survived his toughest primary challenge in nearly two decades in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District.

Carson won the four-person primary for the Indianapolis-area district. Carson has been in Congress since winning a special election in 2008 triggered by the death of his grandmother, former Rep. Julia Carson. He is one of four Muslims in Congress.

André Carson on Tuesday defeated George Hornedo, an attorney and Democratic Party strategist who served in the Obama administration and Destiny Wells, a U.S. Army Reserve member who previously lost races for secretary of state and attorney general.

Denise Paul Hatch, who cast herself as an anti-establishment outsider, also ran. Hatch pleaded guilty to felony misconduct in office in 2024, leading to her removal as a constable for Center Township.

Indiana’s Holdman told AP he was ‘at peace’ ahead of poll close

Late Tuesday afternoon, before he’d lost the race to hold onto his state Senate seat, Indiana’s Travis Holdman said the last few months had been “a roller coaster.”

He was cold and wet from the 47-degree rain outside the polling place he had visited, though a voter had just thanked him for having “a spine.”

Holdman’s Trump-back challenger Blake Fiechter had entered the race, quit the race and reentered, all while super PACs backed by Gov. Mike Braun and Sen. Jim Banks unloaded more than $1.3 million in his Fort Wayne area district attacking Holdman after he voted against the White House redistricting plan.

“It’s the emotions of not knowing which way it’s going to go,” he explained, before finishing, “I’m at peace with however it goes.”

Ramaswamy to face Acton for Ohio governor

Billionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has clinched the Republican nomination for Ohio governor and will face off this fall against the state’s COVID-era health director, Democrat Amy Acton.

A newcomer to state politics, Ramaswamy aggressively positioned himself for the job early with the help of endorsements from President Donald Trump and the state Republican Party.

Trump’s endorsement continues to carry weight in Ohio, which favored him three times for president, but Ramaswamy could face headwinds amid the president’s lagging popularity over the war in Iran and the rising cost of living.

Acton, a physician who was unopposed in her primary, has a well-known public profile and robust fundraising.

Husted secures GOP Senate nomination and Acton Democratic governor nomination

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted has secured the Republican Senate nomination in Ohio, as the incumbent braces for what is expected to be an expensive fight to hold his seat.

On the Democrats’ side, Dr. Amy Acton won the party’s nomination for governor. The state’s COVID-era state health director moves on to a likely matchup against Republican billionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who was facing a challenger in the GOP primary.

Husted and Acton were both unopposed in their primaries.

Polls have closed in Ohio

Today’s vote will decide candidates for the marquee Senate and governor’s races this fall. Anyone in line at 7:30 p.m. has the right to vote.

Challengers in Indiana who haven’t kept up fundraising pace are getting help

Outside groups have spent more than $8 million targeting incumbents in Indiana, in some cases outspending the money those candidates raised on their own.

In state Senate District 23, Trump endorsed Paula Copenhaver against state Sen. Spencer Deery. Deery raised $500,000, according to the latest state filings, while Copenhaver raised about $15,000. However, outside groups spent more than $2 million in ad reservations boosting Copenhaver, according to AdImpact.

In state Senate District 1, Trevor de Vries -- a challenger endorsed by Trump -- raised just over $30,000 as of latest filings, while incumbent Dan Dernulc has raised over $200,000. But AdImpact shows outside groups spending more than $200,000 to help defeat Dernulc.

Polls are now closed in most of Indiana

Polls remain open in 12 counties in northwestern and southwestern Indiana that are in the central time zone.

Trump is watching outcome of state Senate race, Michigan voter says

“I think it might have some bearing on the country, because I know Trump is obviously looking to hold onto the House and Senate and maintain his advantage there, which is pretty razor-thin I think at this point,” said John Hall, a 69-year-old self-described independent who voted for Democrat Chedrick Greene. “So, I’m sure he’s going to be paying close attention to this particular race.”

Hall, a retiree who worked for years at an area radio station, said the economy is a key issue for him. He spent $58 at the gas station before driving to the public library in Bay City to vote.

“It’s taking a bite out of a lot of people’s budgets right now,” Hall said, adding it would have cost between $35 and $40 to fill up his car’s tank two months ago.

Trump goes after Indiana Republicans who voted against redistricting

In a social media post while voters were headed to the polls, Trump said Republican state senators who voted against redistricting “couldn’t care less about our Country, or about keeping the Majority in Congress.”

Trump described the senators who crossed him as RINOs, which means “Republican in name only.” And he hailed “Great Patriots” that he’s endorsed to oust them.

Big spending in Indiana state Senate primary

Groups allied to defeat Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery will have spent $2 million in ads attacking him by the time polls close. That’s more than any other district where incumbents are trying to fend off Trump-backed challengers.

Deery is completing his first term and was the first Republican senator to publicly oppose redistricting.

Paula Copenhaver is challenging him. She’s a close ally of Republican Lieutenant Gov. Micah Beckwith and is Fountain County GOP chair in rural, western Indiana. Deery beat Copenhaver in a four-way Republican primary for the seat four years ago.

The super PAC run by Indiana U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, Hoosier Leadership PAC, will have spent more than $1.1 million on ads attacking Deery through Election Day, according to the ad-tracking service AdImpact. Gov. Mike Braun’s American Leadership PAC will have spent more than $900,000 doing the same, according to the group.

Deery is on track to have spent more than $745,000 on this year’s primary, far more than last time.

YouTube provocateur Casey Putsch hopes he’s a spoiler in Ohio governor contest

An engineer and vehicle designer who calls himself “The Car Guy,” Putsch is making a long-shot bid for Ohio governor against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.

After the last-minute disqualification of another candidate’s ticket, the 44-year-old from northwest Ohio ended up as Ramaswamy’s only primary opponent.

Putsch has attracted fans and critics with his provocative YouTube videos, which often — subtly or overtly — take aim at Ramaswamy’s Indian heritage or Hindu faith.

On the campaign trail, he’s also been critical of President Donald Trump, energy guzzling data centers and national Republicans’ support for Israel and handling of the Epstein files.

How Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is helping Trump go after Republicans

Trump is throwing his name behind Republican challengers to GOP senators who opposed redistricting. But Braun is carrying out much of the work.

After Trump’s pledge last year to rally against GOP senators who blocked the effort and are seeking reelection, Braun picked the candidates.

Frustrated by Rodrick Bray, the Senate GOP leader who opposed redistricting, Braun recruited the seven Republicans challengers on the pledge that they oppose Bray for leader.

In his break with party orthodoxy, Braun has also committed $3 million to advertising from his American Leadership PAC attacking those incumbents on the wishes of the president, according statistics collected by the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.

That includes almost $900,000 alone in ads attacking Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery of West Lafayette, the first Republican senator to oppose redistricting and a protege of former GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is an opponent of the redistricting measure.

What happened after Indiana said no to redistricting

The Republican-controlled Indiana Senate in December rejected the measure that would have shaded all nine of the states congressional districts as favorable to the party, and halted progress on the party’s effort nationally.

The move defied months of urging by the White House led by Vice President JD Vance, who traveled twice to Indianapolis and hosted many in the caucus in Washington, where Trump phoned in to address the group.

While Indiana was considering the measure, voters in Democratic-leaning California approved Proposition 50, which allowed the state Legislature to bypass the independent commission to redraw districts for the next three biennial elections.

Republicans think they could win up to nine more seats under revised districts in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. But Democrats think they could win as many as 10 additional seats under new districts in California, Utah and Virginia, though legal challenges remain in both Missouri and Virginia.

Trump’s involvement turned off some voters in Indiana

Emily Bohall Board, 37, an occupational therapist in Columbus, Indiana, said she had never voted in a Republican primary before Tuesday. But the issue of redistricting compelled her to cast a ballot for Sen. Greg Walker.

“Greg Walker is the only option not supported by Donald Trump, and I have been very upset about everything Trump has done,” Board said.

Madison Long, 28, an attorney, who also voted for Walker, criticized Michelle Davis, Walker’s opponent, for her ties to Trump.

“She doesn’t have any promises of her own or any agenda of her own. Her goal is to just follow Trump,” Long said. “I find that extremely concerning given the nature of the nationwide politics.”

What's at stake in the Michigan special election

The race will determine whether Democrats maintain a majority in the state Senate for the final months of the year.

Democrats currently control the state Senate 19-18. If Democrat Chedrick Greene wins, Democrats keep their majority.

If Republican Jason Tunney wins, the Senate would be tied, making it tougher for Democrats to advance Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s agenda. While Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II would serve as the tie-breaking vote, Republicans could effectively block any measure from passing by not having all members vote.

There’s another reason people are watching the race: The swing district in a battleground state could give clues to what will happen in November’s midterms..

Of the seven challengers endorsed by Trump, at least five won. One incumbent prevailed and the seventh race was too close to call.

“Big night for MAGA in Indiana,” U.S. Sen. Jim Banks wrote on social media, adding that he was “proud to have helped elect more conservative Republicans to the Indiana State Senate.”

The president’s allies spent at least $8.3 million on races that rarely get much attention from Washington. It’s been a costly and unprecedented intraparty battle that has exacerbated tensions among Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

State Sen. Travis Holdman, one of the incumbents to lose his primary, said he was at peace with his defeat. He voted against redistricting and faced more than $1.3 million in attack advertising funded by organizations tied to Banks and Gov. Mike Braun.

“I did what my constituents asked me to do and it cost me my job,” he says. “But that’s OK.”

Holdman warned that a more aggressive style of campaigning was arriving in his state.

“Welcome to D.C. politics in Indiana because this means that’s what’s coming,” he said.

The race that was too close to call was the most expensive of the seven primaries.

The superpacs led by Banks and Braun combined to spend more than $2.2 million on advertising attacking Sen. Spencer Deery, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Deery spent roughly $815,000 on advertising, according to AdImpact, having only spent a combined $142,000 on the 2022 primary and general election when he was first elected.

Indiana rejected Trump on redistricting

Trump began leaning on Republican-led states last year to redraw their congressional maps to make it easier for his party to hold its thin majority in the U.S. House. Although redistricting is normally done once a decade, after a new census, Trump wanted to abandon tradition to gain a political edge.

Texas was the first to follow through, and the White House pressured Indiana to go along too. Vice President JD Vance met with state politicians in Washington and Indianapolis, and Trump weighed in by conference call.

However, Indiana senators rebuffed the effort, one of the president’s first significant political defeats of his second term.

The redistricting fight divided Republicans in Indiana, a state Trump won three times by no less than 16 points. Braun, Banks and organizations such as Turning Point Action have worked alongside Trump to unseat the incumbents.

Jim Bopp, a prominent Indiana attorney who leads a political action committee aligned with Braun, predicted that Trump’s support would carry the day for the challengers.

“Republican voters overwhelmingly support Trump and when they find out Trump has endorsed a particular Senate candidate, they swing their support behind them,” he said.

Voters had mixed views on Trump’s involvement

In Columbus, Ronda Millig voted for Trump-backed Michelle Davis over redistricting opponent Sen. Greg Walker. Davis won.

“I really believed some of the things I had heard about him,” said Millig, a retiree. “It didn’t seem like he was someone I wanted in office.”

But Milling did not say that Trump’s endorsement was the deciding factor.

“That doesn’t always mean anything,” she said.

Madison Long, who is 28 and a lawyer, who also voted for Walker, criticizing Davis for her ties to Trump.

“She doesn’t have any promises of her own or any agenda of her own. Her goal is to just follow Trump,” Long said. “I find that extremely concerning given the nature of the nationwide politics.”

Indiana opposition came from constituents, former governor

Former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who had stepped away from politics after leaving the governorship in 2015, reemerged to help raise money for targeted incumbents.

The state senators who broke with Trump said they were listening to their constituents who were overwhelmingly against his redistricting proposal. Some said they didn’t like Trump’s aggressive tone in pushing the plan.

“We hate to be told what to do,” said Mike Murphy, a former Republican state representative. “We’re very independent thinking people. So when Donald Trump and his goons come in and try to tell us that we need to redistrict to help his political future, that’s the worst thing you can do.”

Bopp, who supported the Trump-backed challengers, said the primary was a chance for Indiana Republicans to express how important it is to redraw the congressional lines there.

“It’s not a matter of Trump’s power,” Bopp said. “It’s about Republican primary voters who support his agenda and don’t want a Democratic House that will be hugely destructive to the Trump presidency and the country.”

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An earlier version of this story was corrected to show a candidate’s last name is Fiechter, not Fletcher.

The artwork itself faced an unknown future in 1942, when it was acquired in Paris for Adolf Hitler, one of countless works swept up in the Nazi plunder of European Jews.

On Tuesday, it went on permanent display in a new room at the city's Musée d’Orsay as part of France’s long-delayed reckoning with Nazi-era looting. The gallery is the first in the museum's history given over to the orphaned masterpieces of the Nazi era.

It is also the first such display in France where the paintings are hung so visitors can read the backs. The stamps, labels and inventory marks map how each piece of art moved from private homes into Nazi hands.

The painting by Belgian artist Alfred Stevens was originally earmarked for the Führer’s planned museum in Linz, Austria. But by 1943, it was reassigned to Hitler’s mountain home in the Bavaria region of Germany. The museum was never built following Germany's defeat.

Allied recovery teams — the Monuments Men made famous by the 2014 George Clooney film — finally found the painting after the war.

No heir came forward, and no one knows who owned it before 1942.

A collection of unclaimed art

The 1891 Stevens painting is not unique. It is one of 2,200 such artistic orphans in France — known as MNR, short for Musées Nationaux Récupération, or National Museums Recovery. These artworks were retrieved from Germany and Austria after 1945 and entrusted to French national museums in the early 1950s.

They were never claimed. The state does not own them but holds them in trust for heirs who may yet appear. The Musée d’Orsay holds 225 such pieces.

Marie Duboisse, a retired schoolteacher from Lyon, paused Tuesday in front of the Stevens painting.

“I have seen those three letters — M, N, R — at the Louvre. I never knew what they meant. I thought it was a donor,” she said.

Last month, the museum launched its first research unit dedicated to tracing the orphans’ rightful heirs, file by file. The effort involves six Franco-German researchers led by Ines Rotermund-Reynard, the Orsay’s head of provenance research.

The new gallery displays 13 such works.

France’s long-delayed reckoning

France is reckoning, in plain sight, with one of the longest silences in its postwar memory: the looted, sold and lost art of the Nazi era — and the French hands that helped move it.

Starting in the late 1960s, documentaries and historians began naming what France had done under the Vichy government that cooperated with the Nazis, including helping to send 80,000 Jews from France to their deaths and presiding over a Paris art market that grew rich on the property of the dead.

In July 1995, President Jacques Chirac stood at the site of the Vél d’Hiv roundup — the 1942 mass arrest in Paris of Jews who were then deported to Nazi camps — and said, for the first time, that the French state itself bore responsibility. In 1997, France launched a national inquiry into the plundering of artwork from Jews.

About 100,000 cultural objects were declared looted from France during the war. Some 60,000 were recovered. About 45,000 went home.

Roughly 15,000 had no identified owner. The 2,200 MNR artworks were chosen from that remainder.

For four decades, they were largely a dormant file. Between 1954 and 1993, France returned only four.

Chirac’s mea culpa, and the country’s slow reckoning with its own role, changed that.

The Orsay has returned 15 since 1994.

The market that fed the plunder

The most recent pieces of art to be returned — by Alfred Sisley and Auguste Renoir, given to the heirs of Grégoire Schusterman — went home in 2024.

Inside the new gallery, the histories hang on the wall.

There is a piece by Edgar Degas, a copy he made of a Berlin ballroom scene around 1879. The Jewish collector Fernand Ochsé bought it in 1919. Ochsé was deported to Auschwitz and killed.

There is another Renoir, a portrait of the writer Alphonse Daudet’s wife, sold to a Cologne museum in November 1941. No record names the seller.

There is also a painting by Paul Cézanne that was dismissed as a fake by a Louvre curator in the 1950s. Recent study suggests it may be real.

Daniel Lévy, a software engineer visiting from Strasbourg, stood at the Cézanne, looking at its back.

“You walk past these labels your whole life and you do not read them. Now I will read them," he said. "My grandmother lost some of her family in the camps. Some of these paintings were probably hanging in homes like hers.”

Paris was Western Europe's richest art hub in the early 20th century.

The Hôtel Drouot, the city’s main auction house, reopened in autumn 1940 and ran briskly through the Nazi occupation.

French dealers were among the conduits. German museums sent buyers, and Hitler’s agents took the best.

“The most important art market in Europe was concentrated in Paris,” Rotermund-Reynard said. “The moment the Nazis arrived in occupied territory, they had enormous buying power. They threw themselves at the market.”

Germans were eager buyers

Almost every museum in Nazi Germany, Rotermund-Reynard said, sent buyers to Paris to expand its collections. Those buyers drew on a market thick with looted and forced-sale property.

“Hitler himself wanted to build the world’s largest museum, in Linz, the city in Austria where he grew up,” she said.

Hermann Göring, Hitler’s deputy, traveled 21 times to Paris during the occupation to help himself to works taken from Jewish collectors.

“There was an enormous thirst,” Rotermund-Reynard said, “both for the possessions of Jewish collectors, and for acquisitions to expand the German museums.”

For Rotermund-Reynard, the works cannot be separated from the genocide.

“All of this is part of the history of the Shoah,” she said, using the Hebrew word for the Holocaust. “When you try to understand this drive to take from Jewish families, it is part of the terrifying Nazi ideology to erase Jewish life.”

Antisemitic acts in France — home to Europe’s largest Jewish community — hit 1,320 in 2025, according to the French Interior Ministry. Those near-record levels followed a sharp surge after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

The gallery was not built to fight antisemitism, said François Blanchetière, the Orsay’s chief sculpture curator and co-curator of the gallery. But the consequences of the Holocaust must be repaired, he said.

“There is no statute of limitations on these crimes," he said.

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This story has corrected the first name of Degas to Edgar, not Edward.

In an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, Trump said the first American-born pontiff is helping Iran and also making the world less safe with his comments about the importance of not treating immigrants with disrespect.

“The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in the interview on Monday. “And I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”

The pope, however, has not said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons. He’s called for more peace talks, and criticized war with Iran generally and Trump’s specific threats of mass civilian strikes. The pope also has emphasized that he’s reflecting biblical and church teachings, not speaking as a political rival to Trump.

Leo responded to Trump's latest criticism by calling out the U.S. president's misrepresentation of his views. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, the pope said the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there.”

He also doubled down on his insistence that his call for peace and dialogue in the U.S-Israeli war in Iran is biblically inspired.

“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Leo said.

Rubio downplays the rift over Iran

For his part, Rubio, a practicing Catholic, said Trump's recent criticisms were rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians. Rubio said the whole world should be opposed to that.

Trump “doesn’t understand why anybody — leave aside the pope — the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio told reporters at the White House.

Still, Trump’s latest comments may make Rubio’s task more difficult when he sees the pontiff on Thursday. Rubio has often been called on to tone down or explain Trump’s harsh rhetoric as it relates to Europe, NATO and the Middle East, but the president’s dispute with the pope has domestic political implications in the U.S. with midterm congressional elections approaching.

Trump lashed out at Leo on social media last month, saying the pope was soft on crime and terrorism for comments about the administration’s immigration policies and deportations as well as the Iran war. Leo then said God doesn’t listen to the prayers of those who wage war.

Later, Trump posted a social media image likening himself to Jesus Christ, which he then deleted after backlash. He has refused to apologize to Leo and has sought to explain away the social media post by saying he thought the image was of him as a doctor.

The tension spills over into Italian politics

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a long-time Trump ally, has taken exception to Trump’s comments about the pope.

Trump in return criticized her as his ire against NATO allies expands over what he sees as a lack of support for the Iran war — most recently with the Pentagon planning to pull thousands of troops out of Germany in the coming months.

In response to Trump's latest comments criticizing the pope, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a social media post that they were “neither acceptable nor helpful to the cause of peace.”

“I reaffirm my support for every action and word of Pope Leo; his words are a testament to dialogue, the value of human life, and freedom. This is a vision shared by our government, which is committed through diplomacy to ensuring stability and peace in all areas where conflicts exist,” Tajani wrote.

Rubio, who after this trip will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times in the past year, is expected to meet with Meloni and Tajani on Friday.

___ Winfield reported from Rome. Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Chinese officials to use Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit to China to urge Tehran to release its chokehold on the critical waterway. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Araghchi on Wednesday, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,” Rubio said during a White House briefing Tuesday. “And that is that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”

The secretary went on to argue that China has been hit harder than the U.S. by Iran’s effective shuttering of the strait during the two-month old war. Beijing's export-driven economy depends on shipments going through the strait. China also imports about half of its crude oil and almost one-third of its liquefied natural gas from the Middle East, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.

“It is in China’s interest that Iran stop closing the strait,” Rubio said.

A diplomat familiar with the matter also told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the U.S. has been engaging in serious efforts to persuade China to abstain from vetoing the most recent U.S.-backed resolution at the U.N. Security Council aimed at opening up the strait and condemning Iran’s actions. The diplomat spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the deliberations.

China and Russia — Tehran’s two allies on the council — last month vetoed an earlier Hormuz resolution, saying it went too far and did not condemn the U.S. and Israel for strikes that started the war.

Trump's Treasury secretary has also urged China to do more

Rubio's push on China to get more involved came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that Iran would be high on the agenda when Trump meets with Xi for the first visit by a U.S. president to China since Trump visited in 2017.

The effective shuttering of the strait is having an enormous impact on Asia broadly, a factor that seems to have informed the Chinese government’s efforts to consult with Pakistan to help mediate a two-week ceasefire.

To be certain, Trump has said he believes China played a part in encouraging Iran to agree to a fragile ceasefire that was forged last month. Three diplomats who were familiar with China’s behind-the-scenes efforts also confirmed that Beijing, the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil, used its leverage to get the Iranians back to the negotiating table as talks wobbled.

But the Republican administration believes China can still do more to get involved in reopening the critical waterway.

“The threat of attacks from Iran has closed the strait — we are reopening it,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview. “So I would urge the Chinese to join us in supporting this international operation.”

Trump himself spoke in more measured tones about China’s involvement with Iran, telling reporters in the Oval Office earlier Tuesday that China hasn’t “challenged” him even as he continues to press Iran to give up its nuclear weapons program and open the strait. China, however, has been critical of the U.S. military action against its long-isolated economic partner in the Middle East.

“You know, in all fairness, he gets, like, 60% of his oil from Hormuz,” said Trump, slightly exaggerating Xi and China's dependence on Middle East oil.

China has faced suspicions of assisting Tehran

China has long supported Iran’s ballistic missile program and backed it with dual-use industrial components that can be used for missile production, according to the U.S. government.

But Trump said last month that Xi had agreed to not provide weapons to Iran as reports circulated that Beijing had considered transferring arms.

Days after Trump said he received a letter of assurance from Xi, he claimed in an interview with CNBC that the U.S. forces had intercepted a boat containing a “gift” from China bound for Iran. Trump did not offer further details.

The administration has also sought to step up economic pressure on China, Tehran's biggest trade partner, for its ties to the Islamic Republic.

The Treasury Department announced on April 24 it was levying sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil. The sanctions cut off the companies from the U.S. financial system and penalize anyone who does business with them.

Rubio says Taiwan will be on Trump-Xi agenda

Meanwhile, the Chinese have signaled they will look to press the U.S. to dial back weapons sales to the self-ruled island of Taiwan that China views as its own breakaway province.

Rubio confirmed Taiwan would likely be part of the conversation between the leaders. “I think both countries understand that it is neither one of our interests to see anything destabilizing happen in that part of the world,” Rubio said. “We don’t need any destabilizing events to occur with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific. And I think that’s to the mutual benefit of both the United States and the Chinese.”

Trump in December announced a record-setting $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan. Trump later suggested he would discuss the arms sales with Xi — a move that has alarmed officials in Taipei.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a call with Rubio urged the United States to “make the right choices” on Taiwan in order to safeguard “stability” between the two nations, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

___

Amiri reported from New York.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies found a 4-year-old child around midnight near Highway 6 and Via Del Norte.

Officials say the child was alone when they were discovered.

The sheriff’s office says the child’s parents called 911 around 9:30 a.m. to report the child missing.

The child was getting checked out at a hospital when the parents called and he has since been reunited with his parents.

The sheriff’s office said the child snuck out of the house overnight and no charges will be filed.

The first shooting happened just before 10 a.m. at a shopping center in a Koreatown neighborhood in a suburb north of Dallas, the Carrollton Police Department said. When police arrived, they found four adults who had been shot. While they were investigating, another shooting was reported at an apartment complex roughly 4 miles away, and responding officers found a dead man inside one of the apartments.

Investigators determined the suspect, 69-year-old Seung Ho Han, carried out both of the shootings, police said. He was arrested at a nearby grocery store after a short chase on foot. Police say Ho Han acknowledged he was the shooter in an interview with detectives and said he was angry at the people he shot because of financial disagreements over their business dealings.

It was not a random act of violence and the attacker knew both of the people who were fatally shot, Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo said.

“It was a known business relationship. We’re still trying to work to identify what caused his actions,” Arredondo said.

The three people injured in the shooting were in stable condition, Arredondo said. The names of the victims were not released.

Shortly after the shooting, officers with their guns drawn walked past doors at K Towne Plaza in an area of Carrollton known as Koreatown. Agents from the FBI were among law enforcement collecting evidence in the parking lot.

Carrollton — population 130,000 — is 20 miles north of Dallas. More than 4,000 residents are of Korean descent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We’re shocked,” said John Jun, who’s active in the Korean American community. “We’re not immune to something like this happening, but we are very generally a peaceful community that works hard.”

In the last 20 years, it has grown into a thriving Koreatown for the metro Dallas area, thanks to Korean investors. It’s anchored by big-box businesses like H Mart as well as dozens of restaurants serving everything from Korean fried chicken to shaved ice desserts.

The city is also home to multiple Korean churches from Baptist to Presbyterian congregations.

AP reporters Terry Tang in Phoenix, Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.

The Maple Leafs got some lottery luck a little more than 48 hours after hiring John Chayka as general manager and bringing back franchise legend Mats Sundin to serve as a hockey operations adviser. Chayka and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley got some harsh questions at the introductory news conference, but it was all smiles at Toronto's facility after getting the No. 1 pick.

“I’m extremely happy for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase, of course," Sundin said. "Certainly this is really going to help when you’re looking into the future and try to help this team and what we’re looking for the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it’s great to get the first pick.”

Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg are rated as the top North American and European prospects by NHL Central Scouting. McKenna has been considered the prospective top choice for quite some time.

“I’ve kept track of him for a number of years now, and the skill level, the creativity, obviously the puck ability and then his shot and release is all pretty special,” Chayka said. “A good package, and it’ll be good to get with the scouts and talk through it all, but I know there’s a lot of passion for a lot of players, including Gavin.”

The most immediate question for the Leafs under new management is the future of captain and best player Auston Matthews after they missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. It's the first time they've won the lottery since taking Matthews with the No. 1 pick in 2016, and the draft is back in Buffalo where they made that selection.

Toronto had the fifth-highest odds of winning it at 8.5%. Vancouver had the highest at 18.5%, has never had the first pick and dropped to third. Chayka called moving up a fortuitous bounce.

“Long road ahead, of course: Lots of work to do still, but when you get a first overall pick, it’s a monumental type of opportunity,” Chayka said. “You don’t know what’s going to occur in these types of situations, but you do know you need some luck and it happened. I don’t think it changes the vision or the strategy, but certainly when these things happen it can change course and timelines, etc. But it’s not something that we’re going to change how we think about things.”

The Leafs get to keep the pick this year but lose their first-rounder in 2027 and '28 to Philadelphia and Boston. There is some uncertainty as to which order for the Flyers and Bruins, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly called it a complicated situation that would need to be worked out.

The San Jose Sharks won the lottery for the second pick. With yet another top-five pick, GM Mike Grier and his staff can augment a young group already led by Macklin Celebrini and including Will Smith and Michael Misa.

“There’s lots of options there,” Grier said. “There’s centers, there’s ‘D,’ there’s wingers, so to have the opportunity to add another very talented player to our young core is very exciting.”

Chicago has the No. 4 pick and the New York Rangers No. 5.

“We're going to get a great player,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. “It's all about accumulating talent.”

This was the second live draft conducted at the NHL Network studio, after the draw in previous years was conducted in a conference room and those inside were sequestered until the results aired on television. Commissioner Gary Bettman credited president of content and events Steve Mayer for the change.

“He goes, ‘This is an exciting moment,’ when we would do it in the room before Bill would do the reveal,” Bettman said. "He said, ‘Let’s do it live.’ And I gave him 10 reasons that we should be concerned, including, what if the machine breaks. And he said, ‘No, no we’re going to be fine.’ He’s the one who figured out how to make it an interesting and compelling show.”

After the first three numbers were drawn, the Canucks had a 27.3% chance of winning and the Rangers 18.2%, while the Leafs were among six teams with 9.1%. When the No. 12 ball popped out, completing the 7-2-11-12 sequence, Toronto won, changing the entire mood around the Original Six organization that has not hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1967.

“Just really excited for the organization, for the fan base," Chayka said. "I think it's a meaningful step and just elated.”

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AP Sports Writer Jay Cohen in Chicago contributed to this report.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Jurors in a Fort Worth courtroom decided on Tanner Horner's punishment after hearing about a month of testimony and evidence that included audio of Athena Strand's last moments from inside his delivery van. Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder last month in the 2022 killing just as his trial began. Athena's body was found two days after she was reported missing from her home in the rural town of Paradise, near Fort Worth.

Horner didn't visibly react when the judge read the sentence, according to a livestream of the court proceedings.

Jurors found there was a probability Horner would commit criminal violence and be a continuing threat to society. They said there was nothing in the commission of the crime or in Horner's background to warrant life without parole instead of death.

Prosecutor James Stainton told jurors in opening statements that Horner had told, “lie upon lie upon lie upon lie” in the case, including telling authorities that he accidentally struck Athena with his van while making the delivery and then killed her in a fit of panic.

Several jurors cried as they were shown video and heard audio from inside the van after Athena was taken. He could be seen lifting her into the van, and then driving away, telling her not to scream or he’d hurt her.

Horner then covered the camera, but the audio continued recording. Horner asks Athena questions, including how old she is and where she goes to school, before stopping the van and telling her they are going to “hang out.” Horner tells her to take off her shirt and she begins crying, and asks whether he’s a kidnapper.

She asks him: “Why are you doing this?” He replies, “Because you are pretty.”

“My mom says I can’t do that to somebody,” she tells him. “And you can’t do that to me either.”

As the recording, which lasts over an hour, continues, Athena’s screams can be heard. At one point he tells her: “If you don’t shut up, I will hurt you worse.”

A medical examiner testified that Athena died of blunt force injuries with smothering and strangulation.

While acknowledging during opening statements that the evidence against Horner was “overwhelming” and “terrible,” Horner’s attorney, Steven Goble, told jurors that Horner’s mother drank while she was pregnant, that he has autism and suffered from “various mental illnesses throughout his life” in addition to being exposed to a “massive amount of lead.”

Goble had asked jurors to sentence Horner to life in prison.

Athena’s family has said that the package Horner had dropped off was a Christmas present for her — a box of “You Can Be Anything” Barbies.

The trial was moved from rural Wise County to Fort Worth after Horner’s attorneys argued that he would not have received a fair trial. ____

Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu.

Police in Edmond, Oklahoma, said in a post on the social media platform X that an 18-year-old woman died from injuries sustained in the shooting that started after a fight erupted at the party on Sunday night.

So far, no one has been arrested, but investigators have information that leads them to believe there's no ongoing danger to the public, said Edmonds Police spokesperson, Sgt. James Hamm.

The shooting broke out at a picnic pavilion alongside Arcadia Lake, a popular boating, fishing and swimming spot just north of Oklahoma City. The shooting began just as officers were responding to a noise complaint about the party, Hamm said.

The party had been promoted across social media, drawing a large crowd of mostly young adults, police said.

Three hospitals in the Oklahoma City area said Monday that they had treated 18 people from the party. One healthcare system said the victims ranged in age from 16 to 30.

Some of the victims suffered graze wounds and many were treated and released, he said. It's possible that more people were hit but didn't seek treatment, Hamm said.

Many of those shot were not involved in the fight and were “simply attending the party,” he said.

Police declined to release any information about potential suspects, how many people may have fired shots or what types of weapons were used. Hamm said the department wanted to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

Edmond Mayor Mark Nash said Monday that the shooting took place at a public park where spaces can be reserved for large gatherings, but no reservation had been made.

Jeremiah Braxton, who was at the party, said two of his friends were among those shot. He said everyone was eating, dancing and having a good time until a group of girls started arguing over boyfriends.

“It just started a whole bunch of chaos,” he said Monday.

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Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporter Rebecca Boone contributed from Boise, Idaho.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows released a statement Tuesday supporting the removal of the requirement for fiber-optic internet infrastructure at all Texas camps, citing the difficulty of meeting this requirement

“We also recognize that there may be means other than fiber to provide reliable, redundant internet access, which would satisfy the purpose and spirit of the law,” Patrick and Burrows said in the statement.

Summer camps in Texas can qualify for licensure through the Department of State Health Services. To obtain a license, among the steps they must fulfill is submit a sufficient emergency action plan, meet all other safety requirements, and maintain a reliable communication system capable of operating during an emergency, lawmakers said on social media and in statements.

Attempts to reach DSHS for comment about whether it supports the lawmakers’ request to override the new rules and regulations weren’t returned by publication.

Lawmakers are expected to revisit the camp safety standards in the 90th Legislative session in 2027 while ensuring that camps operate in good faith under these new regulations.

State legislators passed the fiber optic requirement, in addition to mandating a second type of broadband connection, after the July 4 flood in the Texas Hill Country. That flood killed 25 campers, two counselors at Camp Mystic and the camp’s executive director Dick Eastland — information that emergency responders struggled to confirm as one official noted phone lines were down and there was no cell service at the camp.

In April, 19 camps in Texas filed a lawsuit saying the requirement to install fiber optic internet does not make their properties safer, violates the state Constitution and state law regarding property rights, and could prevent them from opening.

The group of camps, which includes Camp Champions, Camp Longhorn and Tejas Ministries, said in the suit that companies advised them that the service either could not be supplied, could not be confirmed as “end-to-end” — a term the lawsuit said isn’t defined — or would cost an amount “that greatly exceeded their resources.”

The suit, filed in a Travis County state district court, offered examples: Camp Liberty, in one extreme, received a quote of $1 million in upfront costs plus a $3,500 monthly service fee over five years. Camp Longhorn received a quote of more than $1.2 million.

The original requirement made no exception for rural camps, where fiber optic internet might not be available or “is so costly as to make it economically infeasible or unreasonably burdensome,” the lawsuit states.

Whether this lawsuit will continue should the fiber-optic internet requirement be lifted remains unknown.

The no-confidence vote was a blow to Bolojan, who came to power with the aim of ending one of Romania’s worst political crises in its post-communist history.

The Social Democratic Party, or PSD, and the nationalist opposition Alliance for the Unity of Romanians party, or AUR, jointly submitted the motion to Parliament on April 28. PSD withdrew from the coalition last month. On Tuesday, 281 lawmakers voted in favor and four voted against.

Lawmakers from Bolojan’s National Liberal Party, or PNL, and coalition partners, Save Romania Union party and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party, abstained.

Romanian President Nicusor Dan called for calm on Tuesday, saying that while it is “not a happy moment … it is a democratic decision by Parliament,” and that negotiations and informal consultations to form a new government are underway.

“We will have a new government within a reasonable time,” Dan said. “I exclude the scenario of early elections. And I emphasize: at the end of these procedures, we will have a pro-Western government — we will calmly get through this.”

Unrest grips the EU member country

Romania has faced a long period of instability after the annulment of a presidential election in December 2024. The country has also grappled with one of the highest budget deficits in the European Union, rampant inflation, and a technical recession. In June, when the coalition was voted in, it pledged to reduce the budget deficit, marking it a top priority.

The PSD had often found itself at loggerheads with Bolojan over austerity measures, including tax hikes, public-sector wage and pension freezes, and cuts to state spending and public administration jobs.

Last week, the party accused Bolojan of “failing to implement any genuine reform” in his 10 months leading the government, and said Romania needs a leader who is “capable of collaboration.” Bolojan said that he took tough but necessary fiscal measures that effectively “regained the trust of the markets in the Romanian government.”

Bolojan also called the no-confidence motion “cynical and artificial” and said before the vote that it “seems to be written by people who were not in government every day and did not participate in all the decisions.”

“It is cynical, because it does not take into account the context in which we find ourselves,” he said. “I assumed the position of prime minister, being aware that it comes with enormous pressure and that I would not receive applause from the citizens. But I chose to do what was urgent and necessary for our country.”

PSD calls for an interim president

The PSD party's president, Sorin Grindeanu, said Bolojan should appoint an interim prime minister until one is voted into office by lawmakers. He also said he expected Romanian President Nicusor Dan to consult PSD.

“I would like us to quickly find a solution … together with the other parties and move forward,” Grindeanu said. “All options are open.”

The secretary-general of Bolojan's party, Dan Motreanu, posted on social media, saying PSD and AUR “have a duty to take over the government, to come up with a prime minister candidate and a clear program,” accusing the two parties of “playing political theater.”

“You cannot overthrow a government and then run away from accountability,” Motreanu wrote, adding that “any signal of political chaos” negatively affects the country's economy and people.

The PSD would be needed to form a pro-European parliamentary majority. The party has previously ruled out forming a government with AUR, whose leader, George Simion, said Tuesday that voters had “supported and wanted water, food, energy,” but had “received taxes, war and poverty.”

Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, said the crisis will likely lead to a stalemate, since “no one has a majority, or a coalition, and it will take the president ... weeks to find such a majority and name a new prime minister, prolonging the indecision.”

“At this moment, there are two tentative options for a new Cabinet, both difficult to achieve; either a reshuffled coalition, without Bolojan, in the same formation ... or a minority Cabinet, rather led by PSD and satellites from populist parties, like AUR, or other small groups,” he said. “A PSD-AUR official Cabinet is not a possibility today because the president will not endorse it.”

The prime ministerial position was set to be rotated in 2027 from Bolojan to a PSD premier as part of a power-sharing agreement. A general election is scheduled for 2028.

___

McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.

On Tuesday afternoon, powerful Russian glide bombs smashed into the eastern city of Kramatorsk, the southern city of Zaporizhzhia and the northern city of Chernihiv, killing at least 17 civilians and wounding 45 others, officials said.

Attacks the previous night killed five people and wounded 39, according to authorities.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rebuked Moscow for what he said was its “utter cynicism” in launching the attacks after Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire over two days later this week while it marks the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

“Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Peace is needed, and real steps are needed to achieve it. Ukraine will act in kind.”

The Russian Defense Ministry declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, but said that it would strike back at the country, if it tries to disrupt the festivities on Victory Day, which Russia marks annually on May 9.

Zelenskyy replied that Ukraine would observe a ceasefire beginning at the end of Tuesday and would respond in kind to Russia’s actions from that moment on. He didn’t put an end date on the move.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the unilateral ceasefires and “looks forward to their successful implementation,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The U.N. chief reiterated his call for "a full, immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire, leading to a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace, in line with the U.N. Charter, international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.”

Moscow's proposal to stop fighting follows a familiar pattern of Russia declaring short unilateral ceasefires during the war timed to various holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter. Those suspensions of combat don't produce any tangible results amid deep mistrust between Moscow and Kyiv more than four years after Russia launched an all-out invasion of its neighbor. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the war have come to nothing.

Ukrainian leader expands Gulf cooperation

Zelenskyy was in Bahrain on Tuesday where he met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, proposing a bilateral drone defense partnership amid the Iran war.

The Ukrainian leader said that he offered to share Ukraine’s air defense expertise with Bahrain, drawing a parallel between Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Russia’s daily aerial strikes on Ukrainian territory, which often use Shahed drones initially developed by Iran.

Zelenskyy said last month that Ukrainian officials are helping Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan with drone expertise and air defense.

Ukraine's power grid targeted again

Russian forces fired 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 164 strike drones at Ukraine overnight from Monday to Tuesday, including a jet-powered Shahed drone variant, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Air defense units stopped 149 drones and one missile, but others got through, it said. Two ballistic missiles failed to reach their targets, the air force said without elaborating.

Russia has repeatedly hammered Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. It hit natural gas production facilities in Ukraine’s central Poltava and northeastern Kharkiv regions, state energy company Naftogaz Group said.

Since the start of the year, Naftogaz facilities have come under attack 107 times, the company said.

Zelenskyy said that the Poltava attack was “especially vile,” because Russia launched a second missile at the same target when emergency rescuers were working at the scene.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that Russia’s main targets were energy facilities, oil and gas infrastructure, railways and industrial sites, although the attacks also damaged homes, businesses and the transportation network.

Russia’s ceasefire proposals “remain only statements,” Svyrydenko said.

Russian territory hit by Ukrainian cruise missiles

Ukraine also kept up the pace of its long-range attacks on Russian rear areas, apparently aiming at more oil facilities in an effort to further disrupt Moscow's war economy.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones overnight in 18 Russian regions. Drones were also intercepted over the occupied Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and over the Azov Sea, it said.

During the night, Ukraine launched its F-5 Flamingo cruise missiles at targets, including military-industrial complex facilities in Cheboksary, located more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) away, Zelenskyy said.

The plant supplied navigation components for the Russian navy, the missile industry, aviation and armored vehicles, he said.

The regional health ministry said that a Ukrainian drone attack wounded three people in the city of Cheboksary.

Ukrainian drones also attacked the Kirishi oil refinery in the Leningrad region close to St. Petersburg, sparking a blaze in the town’s industrial zone, regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said.

Drozdenko said on social media that 29 Ukrainian drones had been shot down during the attack. No casualties were reported.

Ground robot operations

Ukraine doubled its midrange strikes on Russia in April compared with March and quadrupled them compared with February, according to a monthly battlefield report from Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov published Tuesday.

The midrange attacks were focused on enemy warehouses, command posts, air defense systems and supply lines up to about 100 miles (160 kilometers) behind the front line.

Also, Ukrainian ground robots completed 10,281 resupply and evacuation missions in April, an average of almost 343 per day, according to Fedorov.

It wasn't possible to independently confirm the claims.

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

The first shooting happened just before 10 a.m. at a shopping center in a Koreatown neighborhood in a suburb north of Dallas, the Carrollton Police Department said. When police arrived, they found four adults who had been shot. While they were investigating, another shooting was reported at an apartment complex roughly 4 miles (6 kilometers) away, and responding officers found a dead man inside one of the apartments.

Investigators determined the suspect, 69-year-old Seung Ho Han, carried out both of the shootings, police said. He was arrested at a nearby grocery store after a short chase on foot. Police say Ho Han acknowledged he was the shooter in an interview with detectives and said he was angry at the people he shot because of financial disagreements over their business dealings.

It was not a random act of violence and the attacker knew both of the people who were fatally shot, Carrollton Police Chief Roberto Arredondo said.

“It was a known business relationship. We’re still trying to work to identify what caused his actions,” Arredondo said.

The three people injured in the shooting were in stable condition, Arredondo said. The names of the victims were not released.

Shortly after the shooting, officers with their guns drawn walked past doors at K Towne Plaza in an area of Carrollton known as Koreatown. Agents from the FBI were among law enforcement collecting evidence in the parking lot.

Carrollton — population 130,000 — is 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Dallas. More than 4,000 residents are of Korean descent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We’re shocked,” said John Jun, who’s active in the Korean American community. “We’re not immune to something like this happening, but we are very generally a peaceful community that works hard.”

In the last 20 years, it has grown into a thriving Koreatown for the metro Dallas area, thanks to Korean investors. It’s anchored by big-box businesses like H Mart as well as dozens of restaurants serving everything from Korean fried chicken to shaved ice desserts.

The city is also home to multiple Korean churches from Baptist to Presbyterian congregations.

___

AP reporters Terry Tang in Phoenix, Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.

___

This version corrects the spelling of the suspect’s name. The correct spelling is Seung Ho Han, not Seung Han Ho.

Protesters marched up to Tennessee's Capitol on Tuesday as a special legislative session began that could carve up a majority-Black district in Memphis. In Alabama, meanwhile, Republican lawmakers pressed ahead with a plan that could upend the state's congressional primaries. And Republican leaders in South Carolina announced Tuesday that would try to eliminate a House district held by a longtime Black Democratic lawmaker.

Louisiana lawmakers also are making plans for new U.S. House districts after the Supreme Court last week struck down the state's current map. The high court’s ruling said Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority House district as it attempted to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The ruling significantly altered a decades-old understanding of the law, giving Republicans in various states grounds to try to eliminate majority-Black districts that have elected Democrats.

It could lessen congressional representation for Black Americans and other minorities, reversing decades of gains in minority voting rights.

President Donald Trump has been encouraging more states to join in redistricting as Republicans seek to hold on to their narrow House majority in this year’s elections.

Eight states already have adopted new U.S. districts ahead of the midterms. From that, Republicans think they could gain as many as 13 seats in five states, while Democrats think they could gain up to 10 seats from new districts in three other states. But some of the new districts could be competitive in November, meaning the parties may not get all they sought.

The newly proposed redistricting in Southern states could add to the Republicans’ tally.

South Carolina to test its will for redistricting

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn has represented South Carolina's 6th Congressional District since it was redrawn to favor minority voters in 1992. He's running for an 18th term. But that could get harder if Republicans redraw his district.

Leaders in the state House and Senate said a redistricting effort needs to start with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. The issue could come up as soon as Wednesday. But if only a few Republicans aren’t on board, it can’t succeed.

“We don’t know if we have the votes in the House,” Republican Speaker Murrell Smith said.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey has warned that redistricting could backfire because of thin political margins, resulting in a second Democrat in the U.S. House. Massey told reporters Tuesday that he had a cordial conversation with Trump about redistricting, each laying out their concerns.

The state’s primaries are June 9 and early voting starts in three weeks.

Tennessee plan targets Memphis district

Republican Gov. Bill Lee called Tennessee lawmakers into a special session to consider a plan urged by Trump that could break up the state’s lone Democratic-held U.S. House district, centered on the majority-Black city of Memphis. Republican lawmakers said little about the plan Tuesday.

As the Senate began work, shouts of “shame, shame, shame” could be heard inside the chamber from protesters gathered in the hallways. On the chamber floor, Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Black Democrat from Memphis, called the redistricting “an act of hate.”

At a rally earlier Tuesday, state Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis, who is running for Congress, denounced the Republican plan as a “racist redistricting.”

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who is white, said the Memphis-based district he represents predates the Voting Rights Act.

“Memphis has been a majority black district historically, because that is where the population is,” he said. “It’s a district that is compact, and it has community purpose.”

Martin Luther King III sent a letter to Tennessee legislative leaders expressing “grave concern” about the plan to divide Memphis’ congressional representation.

“This decision undermines the work that my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., carried out to help secure passage of the Voting Rights Act,” he wrote, noting that his father was assassinated in Memphis.

The candidate qualifying period in Tennessee ended in March, and the primary election is scheduled for Aug. 6.

Alabama looks at setting a new primary

Alabama legislative committees swiftly advanced legislation Tuesday that would allow a special congressional primary, if the Supreme Court clears the way for the state to change its U.S. House districts.

In light of the court's ruling on Louisiana's districts, Alabama officials have asked the high court to set aside a judicial order to use a U.S. House map that includes two districts with a substantial number of Black voters and instead let the state revert to a map passed in 2023 by Republican lawmakers. That map could help the GOP win at least one of those two seats currently held by Democrats.

Alabama's primaries are scheduled for May 19. If the Supreme Court grants the state's request after or too close to the primary, the legislation under consideration would ignore the results of that primary and direct the governor to schedule a new primary under the revised districts.

“This is an opportunity for the voters to vote in the districts drawn by legislators in 2023,” said Republican state Rep. Chris Pringle, the bill's sponsor.

During a House committee hearing, several Black residents urged lawmakers not to change the current congressional districts.

“Representation matters — not just politically but in access, in power and in who gets to be heard,” said Eliza Jane Franklin, of rural Barbour County.

Democrats denounced legislation as a Republican power grab that harkens back to the state’s shameful history of denying Black residents equal rights and representation.

Republicans are “working to secure an electoral victory by taking Alabama back to the Jim Crow era, and we won’t go back,” Democratic U.S. Rep Terri Sewell told a crowd gathered outside the Alabama Statehouse.

Thousands had already voted in Louisiana

After last week’s Supreme Court decision, Republican Gov. Mike Landry postponed the state's May 16 congressional primary to allow time for lawmakers to approve new U.S. House districts. State Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, a Republican, said a redistricting committee he leads plans to hold a public hearing Friday.

Louisiana voters had already sent in more than 41,000 completed absentee ballots by last Thursday, when Landry suspended the House primaries, according to the Secretary of State's Office. That’s about one third of all the absentee ballots sent out to voters. Around 19,000 were from registered Democrats, 17,000 from registered Republicans and the remainder belonged to neither party.

Democrats and civil rights groups have filed several lawsuits challenging the suspension of Louisiana’s congressional primary.

___

Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama, Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri, and Collins from Columbia, South Carolina. Associated Press writers Jack Brook in New Orleans, and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.

With finalists in categories for directing, choreography, lighting design, set design, costume design, singing, dancing and many other roles both on and off the stage, the Tommy Tune Awards highlight the future creatives who will shape the future of theatre, not just in Houston but around the world.

Inspired by the career and legacy of Houston native and Broadway legend Tommy Tune, the awards show began in 2002 and has become what many consider Houston’s biggest night for high school musical theatre.

Watch the full Houston Life interview to learn more about this annual tradition and meet one of the high school students who credits the awards for paving the way for his next steps in life.

Tickets are on sale now.

The leftist Lula and Trump have had an up-and-down relationship since the U.S. leader’s return to the White House last year.

Trump hit Brazil with steep tariffs and has pressed Brazilian authorities over their prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro for his involvement in a coup plot.

The Trump administration imposed a 40% tariff on Brazilian products in July on top of a 10% tariff hike earlier. The U.S. president justified the tariffs by saying that Brazil’s policies and criminal prosecution of Bolsonaro constituted an economic emergency.

But Trump later loosened tariffs on Brazil as part of his effort to lower consumer costs for Americans.

Trump and Lula started mending fences at the United Nations’ General Assembly in September, which was followed by their first private meeting in Malaysia in October and subsequent phone conversations.

Bolsonaro was accused of masterminding a plot to stay in power despite his 2022 election loss to Lula — similar charges to what Trump faced after a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in 2021 to stop Democrat Joe Biden from taking the White House.

Last month, Lula came to the defense of Pope Leo XIV during a tense exchange of attacks between the pontiff and Trump over the war in Iran.

The 80-year-old Lula is running for reelection in October.

The Brazilian paper O Globo first reported the planned trip by the Brazilian leader.

The main reason drivers are paying more at the pump is because of the global energy crisis caused by the Iran war. The price of crude oil, which is the main ingredient in gasoline, has been climbing for most of the past two months because the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil normally passes, has effectively been shut, and oil tankers have been stranded there unable to deliver crude.

Many drivers were hopeful in mid-April, amid signs that the conflict could be winding down, and gasoline prices fell daily for almost two weeks.

“After the announcement of the initial ceasefire, there was kind of optimism that this really could be the beginning of the end of the conflict,” said Rob Smith, director of global fuel retail at S&P Global Energy. “And so crude prices came down correspondingly, gasoline spot prices followed, and so on and ... the retailers lowered prices as well.”

But as the war continued, gasoline prices reversed course and began increasing again.

“There’s a fundamental shortfall that will exist globally or fundamental struggle to meet that demand that will drive up price,” Smith said. “No matter what a government says or what any market person thinks, there is a true kind of upward pressure that’s being exerted on prices every day the Strait of Hormuz is constrained. And it is still severely constrained.”

Who sets gasoline prices

Gas station owners set prices at the pump, but a lot of factors go into what they decide to charge.

The main ingredient in gasoline cost is the price of a barrel of crude oil. In the U.S., oil prices represented about 51% of the price of a gallon of gasoline in 2025, according to the Energy Information Administration.

That means when crude oil prices rise, gasoline prices generally follow. Less oil on the market means higher prices for oil and gasoline. And the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered the largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets, according to the The International Energy Agency, pushing oil prices as high as $112 a barrel in early April.

Bob Kleinberg, adjunct senior research scholar at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy, compared the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. with the price for a barrel of WTI, the U.S. benchmark oil, over the past few weeks, and said their price changes generally matched up.

“Not much of a mystery here,” Kleinberg said. “It's not exactly proportional but the shape of the curves follows the same pattern, and really with very little delay.”

Federal and state taxes contributed about 17% of the oil price, refining costs and profits contributed 14% and distribution and marketing contributed 17%, the EIA said. In some states, such as California, higher taxes and refining costs push the price of gasoline well above the national average.

What caused renewed march in gasoline prices

One event that could have changed the trajectory of gasoline prices occurred in April, when the U.S. blocked Iranian ports to stop the country from exporting oil.

“Iran had been moving an unusually high amount of oil to global markets, so that was helping moderate prices," said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute. "The Trump administration decides they’re going to punish Iran, and try to put more pressure on Iran by blocking their exports, so of course that does put pressure on Iran, but also puts pressure on global oil prices and forces them up. That was probably a big factor.”

What refineries and traders are willing to pay for oil swings wildly after news breaks about attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf or diplomacy talks stalling. “The oil market is exquisitely sensitive to what’s coming out of the White House,” Kleinberg said.

Back in early March, at the beginning of the Iran war, the price of gasoline jumped 48 cents in a week. The highest weekly jump was in March 2022, when the price jumped 60 cents in a week after Russia invaded Ukraine, AAA said.

No quick fix

No one can predict how high gasoline prices will climb. A gallon of regular in the U.S. costs more now than it did in early May of 2022, and back then, the price kept climbing through Memorial Day, AAA said.

The longer the flow of oil is constrained through the Strait of Hormuz, the higher prices will go, and the longer it will take to get back to normal, Smith said.

“Even if there was a true and lasting resolution of the conflict, both sides agree to play nice and truly do commit to keeping Hormuz open, it will still take months to get back to what it was pre-war, if not even longer,” Smith said. “There will still be within the industry a risk premium associated with going through that region. Not that it was ever a perfectly safe journey, but the past few months have shown that it’ll be hard to convince shippers and insurance companies that the risk level will be similar to what it was in February. It’ll be a long time before anyone can be convinced of that.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier that major U.S. military operations against Iran are over. He said Iran must agree to U.S. demands on its nuclear program and reopen the strait, a waterway vital to global oil and gas supplies.

Rubio said recent clashes with Iran related to U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz were “defensive in nature.” U.S. forces had launched an effort to guide commercial ships through the strait, but so far only two vessels are known to have passed through.

Here is the latest:

Trump says effort to guide vessels out of Strait of Hormuz is paused while US aims to finalize Iran deal

Trump announced the decision in a social media post on Tuesday evening, saying he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for U.S. efforts to final a settlement with Iran to end the war.

Trump said he was making the move based “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”

He added that the U.S. blockade of vessels leaving Iranian ports would remain in place.

Clashes continue between Hezbollah and Israel

Israel’s military said late Tuesday that Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon had launched “several rockets” toward Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.

No injuries were reported.

Israel’s military also says it intercepted drones and what it calls “aerial targets” launched by Hezbollah before they crossed into Israeli territory.

Hezbollah started firing at Israel shortly after the beginning of the Iran war, and Israel responded with airstrikes and launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced along the border.

The attacks have continued despite a ceasefire in place since April 17.

Rubio says war with Iran is over, peace is still elusive

Rubio says the major U.S. military operation against Iran is over but is stopping short of saying the conflict is over or cannot be restarted.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Rubio said that “Operation Epic Fury” — the attack the U.S. and Israel mounted on Iran on Feb. 28 — “is concluded” because the objectives of the mission were all successfully concluded.

“We’re not cheering for an additional situation to occur,” he said. “We would prefer the path of peace.”

In order for that to happen, Iran must agree to Trump’s demands on its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he said.

Rubio says he hopes Chinese officials talk to Iran about the strait

As Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepares to visit China on Wednesday, Rubio says that he hopes Tehran’s allies in Beijing reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the critical waterway as the fragile ceasefire continues.

“I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told,” Rubio said. “And that is that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.”

The secretary went on to argue that China, more than the U.S., is suffering from Iran’s actions in the strait, saying that China's export-driven economy depends on shipments going through Hormuz.

“It is in China’s interest that Iran stop closing the strait,” he added.

Rubio says many countries want to help open Hormuz but some lack the ability to do so

Asked what the global appetite is for the U.S. effort to reopen the strait, Rubio says the issue has not been a lack of interest but that not many are able to provide the assets and resources needed.

“The capabilities is the issue. A lot of countries would love to do something about it. But they don’t have a navy, right? Or they can’t get there in time. ...” he said.

He said the onus is on the U.S.

“The primary responsibility for this Project Freedom is on the United States, because we’re the only country that can project power in that part of the world,” he said. “This is a favor to the world because it’s their ships that are stranded.”

Rubio downplays rift between Trump and Pope Leo ahead of visit to Vatican

Rubio is downplaying the rift between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV over Iran ahead of a key visit the top U.S. diplomat will make to Vatican City this week.

Rubio told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump’s recent criticism of the first American pontiff was rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians around the world.

Trump “doesn’t understand why anybody — leave aside the pope — the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said.

Rubio says Iran claims of not wanting a nuke are not backed up by actions

Rubio says Iranian claims of not wanting to develop nuclear weapons are belied by its actions.

Rubio said Tuesday that Iran must make a choice between war and peace but that peace will require a convincing demonstration that the Iranian government won’t attempt to pursue nuclear arms.

Rubio told reporters at the White House that Iran’s development of advanced centrifuge technology, its enrichment of uranium and construction of underground bunkers made clear the government was not serious about its no-nukes pledge.

‘We’re not attacking them’: Rubio echoes message that Strait of Hormuz operation is defensive only

Rubio on Tuesday reiterated that U.S. efforts to reopen the strait is not an offensive operation despite clashes with Iran in the last several days.

“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first, OK? We’re not attacking them. We’re not,” Rubio told reporters. “If they pose a threat to our forces, we’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature.”

So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the new U.S.-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Persian Gulf. Shippers are still wary, and it’s unclear whether U.S. military action can reassure them without reigniting the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

US coming to aid of civilian sailors ‘left for dead,’ Rubio says

Rubio said about 23,000 civilian sailors are stranded in the Persian Gulf and “left for dead” as Iran chokes the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at a White House press briefing on Tuesday, he said the U.S. military effort to guide ships through the strait aims to help those sailors.

“They’re sitting ducks, they’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable,” Rubio said. “At least 10 sailors have already died as a result.”

He the sailors come from 87 countries and are innocent bystanders.

“It’s criminal for sure, but it’s desperate and destructive to block the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Pope Leo calls out Trump’s misrepresentation of his views on Iran and nuclear weapons

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Leo said the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there.”

Trump again accused Leo in an interview Tuesday of being “OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Leo has said no such thing and Catholic Church teaching says the mere possession of nuclear weapons is “immoral.”

Leo doubled down on his insistence that his call for peace and dialogue in the U.S-Israeli war in Iran is Biblically inspired.

“I’ve spoken from the first moment of being elected, and we’re near the anniversary: I said ‘Peace be with you,’” Leo said as he left his country house in Castel Gandolfo.

“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Leo said. “And so I hope simply to be listened to about the value of the Word of God.”

Italy defends Pope Leo XIV against Trump criticism

Italy is again defending Pope Leo XIV and his call for peace and dialogue in the Iran war against President Donald Trump’s latest criticism.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a social media post Thursday that

President Donald Trump’s attacks “are neither acceptable nor helpful to the cause of peace.”

“I reaffirm my support for every action and word of Pope Leo; his words are a testament to dialogue, the value of human life, and freedom. This is a vision shared by our government, which is committed through diplomacy to ensuring stability and peace in all areas where conflicts exist,” Tajani wrote.

Trump on Tuesday renewed his criticism of Leo’s peace message over the Iran war and warned Leo was “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”

Trump’s criticism, in an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, came even as his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, prepares to visit Italy and the Vatican ostensibly to ease tensions with Washington.

Rubio is due to meet with Leo on Thursday and is due to see Tajani and Premier Giorgia Meloni on Friday.

Trump offers an optimistic take on China’s position on Iran

The president in an exchange with reporters said that China hasn’t “challenged” him as he continues to press Iran even as Beijing has repeatedly criticized the U.S. and Israel military action against Iran.

“You know, in all fairness, he gets, like, 60% of his oil from (the Strait of) Hormuz,” Trump said of President Xi Jinping.

China, in fact, imported about half its crude oil and almost one-third of its liquefied natural gas from the Middle East, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.

Trump offered a more measured take than Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who a day earlier said the administration wants to see Beijing “step up” and pressure Iran to open the strait. Bessent in an interview with Fox News said Iran would be high on Trump’s agenda when he travels to Beijing next week for a summit with Xi.

Pakistan military urges restraint as US-Iran tensions rise

Pakistan’s top military leadership on Tuesday urged restraint to help ease rising tensions between the United States and Iran.

The call came during a Corps Commanders Conference chaired by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Munir since last month has been in contact between the U.S. and Iranian officials as part of Pakistan’s efforts to end the conflict.

In a statement, the military said participants reviewed the evolving security environment amid Pakistan’s outreach to Washington and Tehran, adding that lasting peace depends on collective restraint, responsibility and respect for sovereignty.

JD Vance woos Republican voters, including farmers who want the war to end

Vice President JD Vance heads to Iowa on Tuesday, his first visit since taking office to the state where Republicans in less than two years will cast the initial votes to pick their party’s next presidential nominee.

Seen as one of the GOP’s strongest potential candidates for president in 2028, Vance stopped first in Cincinnati to vote in the primary, saying he picked Vivek Ramaswamy for governor. He’s also holding a fundraiser in Oklahoma City as finance chair of the Republican National Committee.

Higher prices for gas and fertilizer and Trump’s tariffs have been hitting voters hard, and Vance’s political prospects are complicated by the war in Iran. Vance has seemed a reluctant defender of the 9-week-old war, for which Trump has struggled to find an off-ramp.

Iowa’s farmers have steadfastly supported the president, but they’ve been looking for assurances that the troubles won’t last.

Rubio to brief at White House with press secretary on maternity leave

The secretary of state is putting on yet another Trump administration hat — White House spokesperson.

Rubio is scheduled to fill in Tuesday for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on leave awaiting the birth of her second child. His briefing is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT.

The nation’s top diplomat already doubles as Trump’s national security adviser and for a while was the acting archivist of the United States and the acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

His last formal briefing for reporters was at the State Department briefing room in December.

Scuttlebutt around the White House has been that Rubio will be among a handful of high-level administration officials leading the press briefings while Leavitt is away.

Proposed UN resolution demands Iran halt attacks on ships in Strait of Hormuz and stop `illegal tolls’

The proposed Security Council resolution, co-sponsored by the United States and Gulf nations, threatens Iran with sanctions or other measures if it doesn’t restore freedom of navigation and immediately disclose where sea mines have been placed in and around the vital waterway.

The draft, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, also demands that Iran “immediately participate in and enable the United Nations efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor in the strait” to enable vital aid, fertilizer and other goods to transit.

The proposed resolution was drafted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which can be enforced militarily. It threatens “effective measures that are commensurate with the gravity of the situation, including sanctions” if Iran doesn’t comply.

A previous resolution aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, where about 20% of the world’s crude oil had transited, was vetoed by Russia and China.

Former military officers say reopening the strait remains a daunting task

Former military officers who have served on the Strait of Hormuz have said opening it would be dangerous and highly challenging, even with military escorts, which the U.S. isn’t providing now.

There’s little room to maneuver in the narrow waterway, and Iran can reach all of the strait and its approaches with anti-ship cruise missiles. It also can target vessels with longer-range missiles, drones, fast attack craft and naval mines.

Experts say reducing the threat would involve targeting offensive installations on the ground inside Iran and having constant surveillance and patrols.

▶ Read more

Insurance broker says it’s too early to know how US military effort will affect shipping through the strait

Marcus Baker, global head of marine, cargo and logistics for insurance broker and risk adviser Marsh Risk, said it would take a few days to see how the insurance market reacts.

“We just have to see what happens, whether the Iranians keep the peace, whether the Americans keep the peace, and exactly what that’s going mean for shipping,” he said.

“There’s rhetoric from both sides on this, and we’ve just got to be mindful of that,” he added. But he said “anything that starts to increase certainty around safety has got to be a good thing.”

One of the world’s largest container shipping companies says Hormuz transits not yet possible

“At this point in time our risk assessment remains unchanged,” the Hamburg, Germany-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd AG said in a statement. “Transits through the Strait of Hormuz are for the moment not possible for our ships.”

UAE is under Iranian attack again, defense ministry says

The United Arab Emirates is “actively engaging” with missile and drone attack from Iran, the country’s defense ministry said on X Tuesday evening.

It said sounds heard in parts of the Gulf federation are related to the interception of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

Death toll in Lebanon reaches 2,702 since Israel-Hezbollah war began

The Health Ministry in Beirut said Tuesday that 8,311 people were wounded during the same period.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel following the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran.

A ceasefire has been in place since April 17 but both Israel and Hezbollah have been carrying out daily attacks since then.

Standing before hundreds of supporters at a steel manufacturing facility, Vance repeatedly drew a contrast between Iowa Republican Rep. Zach Nunn and his Democratic challenger, telling the crowd that Nunn and the Trump administration were “fighting for you instead of fighting against you” as he attacked Democrats on issues of immigration and fraud.

“This is not a normal election. This is not a normal political environment,” said Vance, who is seen as one of the GOP’s strongest potential candidates for president in 2028. “This is a contest between a party that wants to take all of your money and give it to illegal aliens and a contest between gentlemen like Zach Nunn who fight every single day for you.”

Nunn faces a competitive race to keep his Des Moines-area seat in the November midterms. Vance frequently heaped praise on Nunn, calling him “one of those guys who does the right thing, not just when the cameras are on, but when the cameras are off, too.”

The visit to Iowa offered Vance an opportunity to test his reception before Iowa’s voters, whose leadoff caucuses give them an outsize role in determining the next presidential nominee. Campaigning for a local congressman in his role as vice president provided him with a chance to make an impression on Iowa Republicans, seasoned evaluators of those who seek the nation’s highest office, before the campaign begins in earnest.

Vance’s appearance comes days after Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is also considered a possible 2028 candidate, spoke to a group of evangelical Christians who are influential in Iowa’s GOP contest.

Jimmy Centers, a Des Moines-based Republican political consultant, said that the 2028 contest is “light-years away” but that the Republicans who hear Vance speak on Tuesday will be evaluating how he might measure up in an election for the White House.

“I certainly think, as of right now, Vice President Vance would probably be a straw-poll winner of Iowa Republicans for 2028. But I don’t think anyone is saying, ‘We won’t consider anybody else,’” Centers said.

Vance's visit comes as higher prices for gas and fertilizer hit Iowans

Vance, who has not said whether he will run for president in 2028, appeared with Nunn at Ex-Guard Industries in Des Moines.

The vice president’s visit follows a trip Trump made in January to tout the administration’s tax cuts, part of a string of stops they’re making this year on economic issues before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

But Vance’s visit comes when his own political prospects — and the message he delivered on the economy — have been complicated by the war in Iran.

The vice president, who has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions, has seemed a reluctant defender of the 9-week-old war, for which Trump has struggled to find an off-ramp. Iowans, like much of the rest of the country, are grappling with higher gas prices because of the conflict. But the state’s farmers are also feeling the pinch of high fertilizer costs from the war and have been hurt by tariffs Trump has imposed.

Vance made a nod to those cost struggles in his remarks, saying that he's aware of the rising price of fertilizer and noted: “We got a little blip.” Nonetheless, he said the administration is “working on it.”

While Iowa’s farmers have steadfastly supported the president, they have been looking to the White House for assurances that the current troubles won’t last.

Vance, who met with Iowa Gold Star families just before his public remarks, also became emotional as he discussed the sacrifices made by fallen U.S. soldiers and their families. He talked about wondering how he would react if his 6-year-old son, Vivek, who accompanied him Tuesday, told him later in life that he wanted to enlist, saying he would be “so proud of him” but also “so terrified.”

“Every time that a person gives the ultimate sacrifice to the United States of America ... there’s a whole crew of people who love them the same way that we all love every single member of our family,” he said, adding that “part of how we earn that incredible sacrifice” is “by making this country’s politics and government worthy of the people who put on the uniform and will never see their loved ones again.”

Earlier Tuesday, Vance, who represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate before becoming vice president, stopped first in Cincinnati to vote in Ohio’s primary elections and told reporters he was voting for Vivek Ramaswamy in the governor’s race. Asked about U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who’s running in a special election to serve out the remainder of Vance’s term, Vance said he thinks Husted’s “going to do a great job” and has been “good for Ohio.”

His 6-year-old son, meanwhile, filled out a ballot for children, which the vice president showed to the poll workers when he cast his own ballot. “He voted for the Easter bunny over the tooth fairy,” he said of his son.

Before arriving in Iowa, Vance also appeared in Oklahoma City to hold a fundraiser in his role as finance chair of the Republican National Committee.

It's ‘awfully, awfully early’ in the road to 2028

Kim Schmett, a longtime Iowa GOP activist, said the presidential cycle starts “deceptively slow.”

He said Trump’s Make America Great Again political movement “is very alive and going here” in Iowa, which would benefit Vance — as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also thought to be a potential candidate.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of MAGA support,” he said. “And Vice President Vance and Marco Rubio seem to be the recipients of where that is going at the moment.”

But Schmett cautioned, “It’s awfully, awfully early in the process.”

On the Democratic side, at least half a dozen presidential prospects have been making visits to the states with the earliest presidential primary contests, including recent visits to Iowa by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

Meanwhile, potential Republican presidential candidates “are treading very lightly,” said GOP strategist Alex Conant, who worked on Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign.

“I think Republicans are going to be very reluctant to get in Trump’s way until Trump gives the green light for the campaign to start,” Conant said.

That means much of the groundwork to meet with donors or activists or recruit political staffers might happen slowly and subtly – for now.

After the midterms? Conant said: “It’ll be irresistible.”

___

Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report from Washington.

AXE H20, a 2-month-old private company based in Houston, is seeking to build a plant that could produce 150 million gallons of drinking water a day. According to a presentation Tuesday, the city could pay $6.50 per 1,000 gallons — about 30% cheaper than a controversial plan to revive a city-built desalination plant known as the Inner Harbor Project.

John Olson, the company’s chairman, said using natural gas rather than electricity enables it to offer a cheaper rate than other proposals. He said the company would need two years to build the facility.

“It involves no public funds, no debt, no bond rating issues,” he told council members. “No taxpayer risks, no operating expenses. This is absolutely a private venture.”

This is the second privately owned plant the city is considering. In March, the council greenlit the water department’s recommendation to consider purchasing water from a desalination plant that’s under construction by plastic manufacturer Corpus Christi Polymers.

Before AXE H20 breaks ground on what it calls an “American-led megaproject,” the city would have to agree to buy between 50 million to 150 million gallons a day from the plant for at least 30 years.

Plans are still in the early stages. The company doesn’t yet have a location for the proposed plant, which led several council members to express skepticism about the proposal.

The two council members who voted against moving forward with AXE H2O talks — Roland Barrera and Sylvia Campos — said they were hesitant about proceeding without a thorough plan.

“I just would have liked to have heard more or had a little more time to prepare,” Campos said. “It sounds wonderful, but it’s sort of like too good to be true.”

“We’re in a very precarious situation where we need water, but we also need to be vigilant as to what projects are coming up and are we doing our proper vetting,” Campos said.

On Tuesday, the council also voted to move forward with hearing a proposal from water provider Seven Seas Water Group to build a groundwater project that could daily produce up to 20 million gallons of drinking water from brackish water, a mix of freshwater and seawater.

Corpus Christi is facing down an unforgiving drought that has caused two of its main reservoirs to drop below 8% capacity. Leaders estimate that by September, the city could be forced into a Level 1 emergency, the point when its water supply is projected to be 180 days from falling short of demand.

The stakes are high because Corpus Christi is the largest water supplier in the region, serving not only its 300,000 residents but 200,000 others across seven counties. It also provides water for one of the nation’s largest petrochemical corridors and is the country’s top port for crude oil exports. For now, it’s relying on temporary water sources to stave off a crisis.

Barrera said AXE H20’s presentation was given “prematurely” and warned the city’s looming emergency has pushed city leaders to “just buying anything. It’s a fire sale and it’s very irresponsible. It’s not good governance.”

Mayor Paulette Guajardo, who abstained from voting, said she wished the company discussed its plans with her directly before presenting to the City Council.

City Manager Peter Zanoni agreed, saying that “the proposal we received so far lacks detail, right? There’s no business data to make a recommendation to council.” He said the question before the council was whether to move forward with the company to create a more comprehensive plan.

Although other council members were hesitant about AXE H2O, they agreed that it’s not the time to be close minded.

Council Member Kaylynn Paxson said she understood that some council members wanted to hear a more fleshed out proposal, but “it should not be dragged down into this political maneuvering — it’s water, we need water,” she said.

Council Member Eric Cantu said he “bets on underdogs all the time and you guys are the underdogs right now,” later emphasizing that he has “100% faith” that they’ll come back to council with a thorough plan.

He added that he’s not surprised that the city is being sought out by desalination companies: “Everybody wants to come to Corpus Christi because water is the new gold, right?” he said.

AXE H2O projects it would cost about $1.3 billion to build the desalination plant. Cantu said he expects it to cost more than that, “but that’s your problem, not my problem.”

The cost of desalination plants is a sensitive topic for the City Council because it recently killed plans to build one after the proposed price nearly doubled to more than $1.2 billion. Facing the looming crisis, the City Council is slated to revisit that plan during its June 2 meeting.

Opponents have voiced concern about the project’s potential impact on the environment, including super salty discharge into Corpus Christi Bay they fear could form “dead zones” in the enclosed coastal ecosystem.

That’s what makes AXE H2O’s proposal different — instead of the bay, it plans to discharge offshore into the Gulf.

For that reason, Corpus Christi resident Robin Cox said she would support the newly proposed desalination plant despite her opposition to the Inner Harbor project.

“I am for desal, just not in the Inner Harbor where it’s going to pollute the bay,” she said.

The City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for May 12 at 11:30 a.m.

• Houston’s proposed trash fee wouldn’t be a new line. Here’s where you’d see it

“Thank you everyone for being here. This is a special day,” Whitmire said as he introduced the proposal.

The budget includes a $5 monthly trash administrative fee, along with a new right-of-way charge for water and wastewater utilities. City leaders say the changes are part of a broader effort to stabilize Houston’s finances and modernize how services are funded.

But Houston Controller Chris Hollins is pushing back strongly, calling the proposal financially risky and warning it shifts costs onto residents.

• Why Houston’s mayor says a new trash fee is key to fixing waste issues

“This budget shifts costs onto working families. It hides the price tag of city services, and it puts Houston on a dangerous financial path,” Hollins said.

At the center of the debate is the trash fee, which the mayor’s office says is required as solid waste services transition into a utility model under state law. Officials say the fee is intended to start at five dollars per month, generating roughly $24 to $25 million annually.

“First of all, state law says you cannot provide a utility, which solid waste is becoming, without a charge. It could have been $2. We did the very minimum of 5,” Whitmire said.

• Why Houston trash pickup is falling behind

City officials emphasize the fee would remain at five dollars for the first two years, with any future increases requiring City Council approval.

“It would create a $24M revenue the first year. We keep it at five the next two years and then council, and future budgets will determine where we go from there,” Whitmire added.

The proposal also includes funding for five police cadet classes and eleven firefighter cadet classes, along with overtime allocations for public safety departments.

“The overtime in this budget reflects the demands on the department. We’re in different times than we were just a few short years ago,” Whitmire said. “Pop-up protests are very frequent. Large protests, like ‘No King.’ We must have overtime for our fire and police.”

City leaders also say $31 million is earmarked for drainage improvements as part of broader infrastructure investments.

“We’re listening to the public,” Whitmire said. “We listen to the Northeast residents.”

• RELATED: Houston mayor proposes new $5 monthly ‘administrative fee’ tied to trash service starting next year

Meanwhile, the right-of-way fee would apply to Houston Water and Wastewater operations, aligning them with other utilities already paying to use city rights-of-way.

Finance officials say the change is about consistency and modernization.

“Electricity, natural gas, cable TV utilities, all of those are paying the right-of-way fee already,” said Finance Director Melissa Dubowski. “This is really just bringing in that last utility to modernize how we charge that fee.”

Dubowski added that the changes are part of a broader effort to stabilize Houston’s long-term finances, projecting a reduced, but still significant, deficit in future years.

“This budget really resets the baseline for what that five-year forecast looks like,” she said.

City projections still show a potential hundreds of millions dollar gap in future fiscal years, but officials say the proposal helps make that shortfall more manageable.

Despite the mayor’s confidence, Hollins remains unconvinced. Hollins says key financial assumptions have not been fully shared and warned the city is being asked to “trust” projections without enough transparency.

“We don’t pass budgets on trust,” he said. “This morning he said that he balanced last year’s budget with efficiencies. When Stevie Wonder can see that our savings account has hundreds of millions of dollars fewer right now than it did at this time last year.”

The budget now moves into a lengthy review process. Department heads will present their funding requests throughout May, followed by committee hearings and possible amendments. A final City Council vote is scheduled for June 3, with the new budget taking effect July 1 if approved.

Houston City Council Budget and Fiscal Affairs - FY2027 Budget Workshops

Details on how to sign up to comment

Wednesday, May 6

• Special Called BFA: Five-Year Forecast & Budget Overview

Tuesday, May 12

• Finance Dept
• Fleet Management Dept
• General Services Dept

Wednesday, May 13

• Planning and Development Dept
• Housing and Community Development Dept
• Houston Airport System

Thursday, May 14

• Houston Health Dept
• Municipal Courts Dept
• Houston Information Technology Services
• Adminstration & Regulatory Affairs Dept
• Human Resources Dept

Friday, May 15

• Parks and Recreation Dept
• Dept of Neighborhoods
• Legal Dept

Monday, May 18

• Mayor’s Office
• City Council
• Office of Business Opportunity
• Solid Waste Dept
• Houston Public Works Department
• Houston Fire Department

Tuesday, May 19

• Controller’s Trends Report & Controller’s Office Budget
• Houston Public Library
• Houston Police Dept

Spirit Airlines, which abruptly canceled all its future flights over the weekend, secured court approval Tuesday to begin dismantling the once-busy budget carrier and to convert its parts into cash for creditors.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane authorized the airline's plan for a rapid wind down of its remaining business activities, clearing the way for Spirit to move forward with liquidation.

“Today is a very challenging day. It’s not a day that anybody hoped would ever come,” Lane said as he ruled from the bench following an hourslong hearing in New York. The judge extended his “sympathy to the Spirit employees and their families.”

The company needed the judge’s green light to proceed because shutting down an airline is far from straightforward, with creditors, regulators, airport authorities and employees all tied into a process that has to be carefully unwound. More than 100 people tuned in to Tuesday’s hearing virtually, reflecting the broad interest in the case.

Spirit's plan centers on selling off every possible asset — from its airplanes, engines and spare parts to gates and landing slots at airports — while also limiting additional payroll, leasing and other costs.

The liquidation marks a dramatic turn for Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2025 hoping to escape financial ruin. The airline's parent company was attempting to restructure the business for the second time since November 2024 when it abruptly stopped operating flights early Saturday.

The shutdown itself was tightly choreographed. The company, Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc., said it made its going-out-of-business announcement in the middle of the night to ensure the jetliners making their final runs for the airline were safely on the ground and their crews accounted for.

Three days later, that sense of urgency carried into the courtroom, where the company's lawyers asked the judge for expedited approval of their wind-down plan, arguing that speed would benefit Spirit's creditors and customers.

“Any delay will cause chaos, confusion and cost the estate significant time and money,” the company said in a motion filed with the court, noting the airline was “not generating any revenue.”

Spirit attorney Marshall Huebner said Tuesday in court that rising jet fuel costs since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran “engulfed Spirit entirely.” The airline's fuel expenses grew by roughly $100 million “in March and April alone,” he said, and rapidly drained Spirit’s liquidity and derailed its restructuring efforts.

He also apologized directly to Spirit’s employees and customers, especially passengers who he said may now be completely “priced out” of certain routes without the ultra low-cost carrier known for its unbundled “no frills” service.

Huebner described a swift effort by other airlines and other segments of the aviation industry to assist Spirit's employees and customers once the airline's end looked inevitable.

“The entire industry sprang into action to get our people home,” Huebner said. Spirit employed about 17,000 people and carried about 50,000 passengers on its final day of operations. The final flight, which traveled from Detroit to Dallas, landed after midnight Saturday.

According to court filings, Spirit’s assets include its fleet of 114 Airbus A320-family planes. Most of them — 66 aircraft — were leased, but the company owns 28 that will be part of the liquidation process. Another 20 of the planes it owns outright were already set to be sold under a separate, previously approved court deal. Spirit also owns 18 spare engines.

Spirit says it plans to initially keep a skeleton crew of 130 to 150 employees who will help oversee the liquidation process, including securing aircraft and coordinating logistics. The team, expected to include some corporate officers, will eventually shrink to roughly 40.

In the last two weeks, Spirit was in discussions with the Trump administration about a hoped-for rescue deal that fell through, eliminating what the company described as its last viable path forward. Of the potential bailout, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday, “We oftentimes don’t have half a billion dollars laying around.”

Duffy said other U.S. airlines, including United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest, were offering $200 one-way fares for a limited time to travelers holding Spirit confirmation numbers and proof of purchase.

Airlines also stepped in to assist stranded Spirit crew members, he said, with some offering a preferential hiring process for former Spirit employees looking for work.

Police say a 52-year-old man is believed to have shot and killed his 39-year-old wife and their two children — an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy — before taking his own life.

MORE INFO: Montrose restaurant owners linked to suspected murder-suicide in River Oaks that killed 4; deceased male named suspect

Officers discovered the family inside the home. Authorities have not released a possible motive as the investigation continues.

Property records link the couple to Traveler’s Table in Montrose. A worker at the restaurant confirmed to KPRC 2 that the couple was connected to the business, but a manager declined to comment and asked a reporter to leave.

The restaurant’s menu is inspired by dishes from around the world, reflecting the couple’s travels.

For customers, the news has been difficult to process.

“It’s shocking, absolutely shocking. It’s tragic — it really, really is just tragic and shouldn’t happen,” said Christopher Dean, a patron at the restaurant.

Eric Sandler, editor of CultureMap Houston, said he had known the couple since the restaurant opened.

OUR FIRST REPORT:2 adults, 2 children found dead in believed murder-suicide in River Oaks

“I’ve been with them to celebrate all kinds of occasions and seen them expand into a second concept,” Sandler said.

He described the couple as deeply involved in both their business and their staff.

“They loved celebrating with people, creating memories, and nurturing their staff — promoting from within,” he said.

Sandler also pointed to the broader challenges facing restaurant owners.

“There’s the economic reality — rising costs for labor and goods, insurance, rent,” he said.

He emphasized there is no indication those pressures played a role in this case.

“I can’t predict the future. I don’t know if these restaurants will stay open, but for now they are, and they have employees who need our support,” Sandler said.

The couple also owned another concept, Traveler’s Cart. The investigation remains ongoing.

If your home’s appraised value seems too high, Texas homeowners have until May 15, or 30 days after their appraisal notice is mailed, to file a protest. Depending on the property, a successful challenge could save hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

Paul Bettencourt, CEO of Bettencourt Tax Advisors and a Republican state senator, says the process is worth it for most homeowners, and the key is knowing what evidence to bring to the table.

“Well, the first thing is if you’ve closed on your property, if you bought it, that’s really an important document. If you know the market comps of the area, if you’ve got some from a realtor or you did your own research, if you got documentation about how much the home needs in repairs, it’s called deferred maintenance, if you have bids from contractors, roofers, etc. Use those,” Bettencourt said.

He broke down what the savings can actually look like on a typical home.

“When you look at savings, say an average home of roughly $400,000, just saving $20,000 on your appraised value can give you a substantial cut of approximately $350,” Bettencourt said. “And the other thing is once you do it, that helps you keep your basis low so that next year” the savings continue to compound.

His advice on how often to protest may surprise some homeowners.

“I would say that you should look at doing it every year,” Bettencourt said.

The long-term impact of filing annually adds up fast, he says.

“If you keep your value lower and lower and lower each year, then that means you pay less and less property taxes over time. And if you protest for, you know, five years in a row, it makes a substantial difference,” Bettencourt said.

For homeowners weighing whether to handle the process themselves or hire a professional, Bettencourt says both approaches can work, with some trade-offs.

“Professional firms probably get slightly more off, but for a larger amount of people than a knowledgeable homeowner that really knows what’s going on with his home, especially if there’s maintenance or repair items,” Bettencourt said.

Some homeowners are also turning to artificial intelligence to help build their protest cases. AI tools can collect and analyze comparable sales data, reduce the time needed to prepare a protest and generate arguments specific to a property, making the process more accessible for homeowners who want to go it alone.

Whether you hire a pro, use AI or do it yourself, Bettencourt says the most important thing is to act before the deadline.

According to the Houston Police Department, officers responded to a welfare check at a home located at 2113 Kingston Street around 5:25 p.m. on May 4.

The deceased individuals were identified as a 52-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, an 8-year-old girl, and a 4-year-old boy, officials reported.

OUR FIRST REPORT: 2 adults, 2 children found dead in believed murder-suicide in River Oaks

Preliminary evidence indicates the incident was a murder-suicide. Investigators believe the man shot the three victims before turning the weapon on himself.

The official identities of all four individuals have not yet been released, pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

However, property records linked the residence where the bodies were found to Matthew and Thy Mitchell.

Thy Mitchell’s sister, Ly Mai, released a post on Facebook Tuesday, confirming that Thy and her two children had passed away yesterday.

Investigators said the family’s babysitter and a family relative alerted authorities after they had not heard from the family since the previous evening.

When officers entered the residence, they discovered four individuals unresponsive, each suffering from gunshot wounds.

The Mitchells are prominent restaurant owners in the Houston area, known for two Montrose establishments, Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart.

The couple’s restaurants have been featured on multiple Food Network programs, including Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In 2023, one of the restaurant’s chefs appeared on Beat Bobby Flay, defeating the celebrity chef.

Officials have not yet released additional details regarding a possible motive.

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

If you feel like you might be in danger of a domestic violence situation, you can call the Domestic Violence support hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

The suicide and crisis hotline is 988.

Those results for 2025 were released Tuesday by Lifeway Research, the denomination's research affiliate.

Membership fell by 3% to 12.3 million, continuing a nearly two-decade decline. At the same time, weekly worship attendance was up by nearly 4% to 4.5 million.

The number of baptisms increased 5% to 263,075. It was the second consecutive year in which the number of baptisms exceeded those before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The denomination often uses baptism as a key spiritual vital sign, a measure of how many people are being brought into the faith.

“We are grateful Southern Baptists continue to show growth in key metrics like baptisms, worship attendance and Bible study participation,” Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said in a statement.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, attributed the membership dip in part to church closures and to congregations cleaning up their membership rolls.

The SBC numbers are based on self-reporting by congregations. Most members are in the denomination's traditional base of the South, where it was founded by a pro-slavery faction before the Civil War, though it has since developed a presence throughout North America.

The numbers are closely watched by scholars because the SBC has long represented the single-largest body of evangelical Christians and keeps meticulous records.

The SBC remains by far the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. in part because many other large denominations have been declining even more. The ranks of nondenominational churches — many of them with evangelical beliefs and independent governance similar to Baptists — have been growing. So have the ranks of the “ nones,” people with no religious affiliation, although that decades-long growth has stalled in recent years, according to a survey released last year by the Pew Research Center.

Political scientist Ryan Burge, who studies religious demographics, said that despite the baptism and attendance statistics, the SBC faces a likely future of continued declines The 3% membership decline amounts to nearly 400,000 people — the size of some small denominations.

"We’ve got to put that in perspective. Losing that many people is still losing a lot of people," said Burge, a professor at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis.

He said the SBC is probably losing members to a combination of factors, including people joining nondenominational churches or leaving the faith. And it’s losing members to deaths, something that will accelerate in a church with many older members.

“The SBC has a baby boomer problem,” he said. “Structurally speaking, it’s hard to outrun that demographic cliff. I just don’t think there's anything structurally in the data that says the SBC is going to go back to where it was 20 years ago.”

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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.

Legislative voting districts typically are redrawn based on census data after the start of each decade. But an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting broke out after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans last year to reshape U.S. House districts to give the party an edge in the midterm elections. Democrats in California countered with their own political gerrymandering. More states followed.

Eight states have already adopted new House maps, and several more are considering it. So far, Republicans believe they could win up to 13 additional seats from new districts in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain up to 10 seats from new districts in California, Utah and Virginia.

But those tallies presume past voting patterns hold in November. Historically, the president's party tends to lose seats in the midterms. Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to wrest control of the House from Republicans, which would give them greater power to oppose Trump.

Where new House districts are proposed

Lawmakers in at least four states are meeting to consider plans for new U.S. House maps.

Louisiana

Current map: two Democrats, four Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has postponed the May 16 congressional primary to allow lawmakers to revise U.S. House districts in response to an April 29 Supreme Court ruling striking down a majority Black congressional district.

Challenges: Several lawsuits have been filed in federal and state court asserting that Landry lacked authority to suspend the primary elections.

Alabama

Current map: two Democrats, five Republicans

New map: Republican state officials hope to revert to a U.S. House map passed in 2023 — but not previously used — that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: The current map was imposed under a court order and is supposed to be used until after the 2030 census. State officials have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to set aside that order in light of its ruling in the Louisiana redistricting case.

Tennessee

Current map: one Democrat, eight Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Bill Lee has called lawmakers into special session to consider a new U.S. House map that could carve up a Black-majority district in Memphis and improve Republican chances of winning an additional seat.

Challenges: The candidate qualifying period already has ended for the primaries, which are scheduled for Aug. 6.

South Carolina

Current map: one Democrat, six Republicans

New map: Republican legislative leaders said they will pursue a congressional redistricting effort that could improve Republican chances of winning an additional seat.

Challenges: The redistricting effort first needs a two-thirds vote in both the state House and Senate, which leaves little room for Republican dissenters.

Where new House districts were approved

New U.S. House districts have passed in eight states since last summer. Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.

Texas

Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a revised House map into law last August that could help Republicans win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in December cleared the way for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It has since overturned a lower-court ruling that blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”

California

Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans

New map: Voters in November approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in February allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It denied an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, which claimed the districts impermissibly favor Hispanic voters.

Missouri

Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law last September that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A Cole County judge ruled the new map is in effect as election officials work to determine whether a referendum petition seeking a statewide vote complies with constitutional criteria and contains enough valid petition signatures. The Missouri Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit claiming mid-decade redistricting is illegal. It’s scheduled to hear arguments in May on claims the new districts violate compactness requirements and should be placed on hold pending the potential referendum.

North Carolina

Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A federal court panel in November denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.

Ohio

Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted in October to approve revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: None. The state constitution required new districts before the 2026 election, because Republicans had approved the prior map without sufficient Democratic support after the last census.

Utah

Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans

New map: A judge in November imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat. The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.

Challenges: A federal court panel and the state Supreme Court, in February, each rejected Republican challenges to the judicial map selection.

Virginia

Current map: six Democrats, five Republicans

New map: Voters approved a constitutional amendment on April 21 authorizing new U.S. House districts backed by Democrats that could help the party win up to four additional seats.

Challenges: The state Supreme Court allowed the referendum to proceed, but it has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a Tazewell County judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.

Florida

Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on May 4 that he had signed revised U.S. House districts that improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats.

Challenges: A court challenge contends the new map violates a state constitution provision prohibiting districts from being drawn with intent to favor or disfavor a political party.

Now Saka, the winger who first signed for Arsenal at age 8, has put his club back onto the biggest stage.

Saka scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to put Arsenal into its first Champions League final since 2006 — and only its second ever.

No wonder he was reluctant to stop celebrating with the crowd and his teammates after the final whistle and do a TV interview on the field instead.

“You’re taking me away from the celebrations, man," Saka told Amazon Prime with a laugh. “It is so beautiful. You see what it means to us and what it means to the fans. We're so happy.”

The 24-year-old Saka was on hand to slot in the rebound after Leandro Trossard’s shot was saved by Jan Oblak in the 45th minute to put Arsenal up 2-1 on aggregate in the second leg of their semifinal.

The Gunners’ stingy defense did the rest.

Arsenal has now kept a clean sheet at home in all three knockout rounds after conceding a competition-low four goals in winning all eight of its matches in the league phase.

It will be Arsenal's second final in Europe’s premier competition, having lost the 2006 title match to Barcelona. This time it will face either defending champion Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30. PSG won the pulsating first leg of their semifinal 5-4, and the second leg is in Munich on Wednesday.

It could prove a special season for the London cub, which is now one game away from its first European Cup title and three games away from a first Premier League crown in 22 years.

The Gunners are guaranteed the domestic league title if they win their remaining three matches, after closest rival Manchester City was held to a 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday.

“Now we are in the final of the Champions League and we’re fighting for the Premier League,” Saka said. “It’s a beautiful a story and I hope it ends well in Budapest.”

Fellow academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly hadn't been born yet when Arsenal was last in the final, but the 19-year-old again looked assured in midfield after being handed a surprise start by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Atletico had a chance to equalize in the 51st when Giuliano Simeone chased down a poor backward header from William Saliba to round goalkeeper David Raya, but center back Gabriel did just enough to make him put his effort wide.

“Unbelievable,” Arteta said about Gabriel's challenge. “That's probably the only action that (Atletico) had. But in the Champions League there are moments, and in those moments someone has to deliver a magic moment. And Gabriel again, he delivered that.”

Atletico was then denied a possible penalty when Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori stepped on the foot of Antoine Griezmann in the area, as referee Daniel Siebert awarded a free kick to the hosts for an earlier incident instead.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone, clad in his customary all-black attire, grew increasingly agitated on the sidelines as the decisions went against his club and the search for an equalizer proved fruitless. He was eventually booked in injury time after pushing Andrea Berta — his former sporting director at Atletico who is now in the same role at Arsenal.

Afterward, though, Simeone refused to blame the referee and said Arsenal deserved to advance.

“I’m not going to get into something as simple as the action involving Griezmann," Simeone said through a translator — although perhaps with a hint of sarcasm. "Of course we all know that it was a foul by (Atletico defender) Marc Pubill on one of their players beforehand. We all thought the referee had got it right. I don’t want to get involved in that because I don’t want to make excuses.”

Simeone led his team to the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to Real Madrid, but will have to wait for a third chance to deliver the club’s first European Cup.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres had a great chance to double the lead on a counterattack in the 66th when Piero Hincapie picked him out with a cross but he side footed his effort over the bar.

As expected, though, this matchup never looked likely to descend into the kind of free-flowing back-and-forth attacking play of the PSG-Bayern game, as Arsenal's defense held firm.

Whichever team wins that second semifinal, the final in Budapest promises to be a contrast in styles.

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