Jakorian Mouton, 19, has been charged with capital murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the Dec. 14, 2024, shooting.

Officials confirmed that Mouton is being held in the Jefferson County Jail following his arrest Tuesday by officers with the Beaumont Police Department and members of the Southeast Texas Violent Crime Task Force.

OUR FIRST REPORT: 2 teens dead, 4 others hurt in mass shooting at ‘pop-up’ party in North Houston

The shooting happened at The Curfew Club, a makeshift party venue operating inside a commercial building at 10126 Jensen Drive at the time, according to the Houston Police Department.

Shots rang out at around 11:20 p.m. during an event advertised on social media as a teen club. When officers arrived, they found hundreds of juveniles and young adults fleeing the venue.

Six people were struck by gunfire.

16-year-old Randle King was pronounced dead at the scene. Fourteen-year-old A’Ziria Bankhead was transported to Texas Children’s Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

Four additional female victims were hospitalized with gunshot wounds. One of the injured victims was reported to be just 13 years old.

According to investigators, multiple witnesses reported seeing a tall, thin male dressed in all black clothing, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and face mask, firing a handgun into the crowd before fleeing.

Detectives later identified Mouton as the suspected gunman. The investigation remains ongoing.

Investigation into ‘Teen Club’

At the time of the shooting, Houston police described The Curfew Club as a “pop-up club” operating out of a vacant commercial building on Houston’s north side.

The case drew widespread attention after city officials revealed the venue was operating without a valid certificate of occupancy.

According to Houston Public Works, inspectors visited the building days after the shooting and determined the club was operating illegally.

City records showed the last application for a certificate of occupancy was filed in October 2023. An inspection conducted in February 2024 identified deficiencies that needed to be corrected, but the project became inactive after the issues were not addressed.

MORE INFO: Unlicensed Houston teen club should never have opened, city officials say after deadly shooting

Officials posted a notice on the building shortly after the shooting and gave operators seven days to respond.

Witnesses told KPRC 2 that attendees were charged a cover fee to enter the event and an additional fee for guests who brought their own alcohol. Because the venue did not sell alcohol, it was not required to have a permit from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Investigators said the event had been organized through social media, making the investigation more challenging.

“Since they’re not under any regulations, which is what causes the problems with these types of events with no regulations, there’s nothing guarding it,” HPD Assistant Chief Luis Menendez said in the days following the shooting.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire also responded to the scene and called the shooting a preventable tragedy.

“It’s a tragedy. I feel for the families. We ought to keep them in our prayers. We lost some young people tonight that was very preventable, if they didn’t come to locations such as this,” Whitmire said.

Victims’ Family Speak Out

The shooting devastated the families of the victims.

King’s mother previously told KPRC 2 that her son, an aspiring singer and rap artist, had attended the event to perform live.

“He just always loved music, so he decided to make that his career,” she said.

According to his mother, King never got the opportunity to take the stage before gunfire erupted.

“Nothing that I add or say is going to bring my son back. He is my only son. My baby,” she said.

READ MORE: ‘He was my only son’: Mother of 16-year-old artist killed during teen club shooting before taking stage

Axelrad Beer Garden general manager Whitney Grant said they first tried motion sensors and cameras. “But didn’t last very long, which is why now we have the actual security, which is really what’s been effective for us. It’s the security plus the parking,” said Grant.

Grant said the number of reported car break-ins to them has gone down. Houston police crime statistics reported 5,540 of cases of theft from vehicles from January through April 2026.

Mike Morrison is a regular customer at Axelrad and said he doesn’t mind paying for parking. “You go to any place in Houston, any venue at all, valet and your car is safer. You park and pay, It’s better than leaving it on the street and having something happen to it,” said Morrison.

The lot at Alabama street and Almeda street have a scan to pay option, like similar lots around the city. There are also similar signs on the lot shared by Axelrad Beer Garden and two nearby businesses — Luigi’s and Retrospect.

“We are really happy with the results that we are seeing with less break-ins,” said Grant. “It is definitely effective. I think that most of the feedback we got from that post is that people feel better having their stuff be secure in their cars,” said Grant after receiving feedback on this new policy online.

Grant said paid parking revenue helps cover the cost of patrols that now run daily. Managers say the moves are intended to protect customers’ belongings while venue crowds increase for events such as FIFA watch parties and Pride celebrations.

Axelrad is also offering a 5% to those choosing an alternative transportation method like bike, on foot or by ride‑share. All they have to do is tell the bartender before they close to get that 5% off their tab.

Trump would not say if he planned to follow through on threats he made earlier in the war to attack bridges and utility plants. He urged Iran to sign a deal with the U.S.

Also Wednesday, the president signed a $70 billion immigration enforcement bill that aims to ensure uninterrupted funding for the administration’s deportation agenda through the end of his term.

The Latest:

Administration plans intensive, year-round construction schedule for Trump’s triumphal arch

Construction of the 250-foot-high triumphal arch that the president wants built near the Lincoln Memorial could occur 20 hours per day, year-round, as officials push to complete the project within three years, according to a preliminary assessment by the National Park Service.

Tower cranes up to 320 feet tall, forklifts, concrete pump systems and other equipment would be needed to build the arch, which would be more than twice as high as the Lincoln Memorial. Work would occur year-round in two 10-hour shifts per day, the Park Service report said.

The 24-page assessment by NPS staff was released last week as a part of a fast-tracked historic preservation review that began Friday. The park service oversees the land where the administration wants to build the arch.

▶ Read more

Judge rejects watchdog bid to block administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

A federal judge has rejected a government watchdog’s request for a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from forging ahead with a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.

But the judge ended a hearing Wednesday by warning President Donald Trump’s administration not to “play possum” with the court.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled from the bench in favor of the administration, which argued that the watchdog’s lawsuit is moot because acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress last month that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund.

▶ Read more

US military says it is striking ‘multiple targets’ in Iran in latest escalation of tensions

U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that the military is striking “multiple targets in Iran” and it is happening “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

The strikes come just a day after the U.S. hit Iran following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that Trump blamed on Tehran.

US Embassy in Baghdad issues new warning to citizens

In a statement it advised U.S. citizens in Iraq “to maintain heightened readiness and stay alert to local news sources” as “travel disruptions and airspace closures could occur on short notice.”

Washington previously issued a warning for U.S. citizens not to travel to Iraq and advised those there to leave. The statement reiterated that warning.

The advisory comes amid rising tensions and renewed exchanges of strikes between the U.S. and Iran. After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, sparking the war in the Middle East, Iran-backed Iraqi militias launched regular attacks on U.S. bases and diplomatic facilities in Iraq.

Hegseth says US has ‘options’ when asked about possible operation in Cuba

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the military has various options for the president if he greenlights military intervention there.

Asked about the possibility of a capture-or-kill operation, the defense secretary said: “All I would say is options, options, options. Our job is to present options at different scales depending on where the commander in chief and president the United States wants to go.”

Trump has warned that Cuba is next following a U.S. military raid in January that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump has also ordered a punishing oil embargo on the island nation, while former Cuban president Raúl Castro, 95, faces federal murder charges if ever brought to the U.S.

Hegseth says US will strike Iran tonight

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military will strike Iran “hard” Wednesday night following threats for more strikes from Trump earlier in the day.

While Trump said the strikes are further retaliation for what he said is Iran’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter, Hegseth said they are happening “not because we want to restart anything” but because the Pentagon “is prepared to set the terms to ensure that we get the kind of deal President Trump expects.”

“Those strikes that will happen tonight will be strong; they will be clear,” Hegseth said. “If they have to happen tomorrow night, they will be strong and they will be clear.”

Iran’s UN envoy says Trump should refrain from threats of force if he wants a deal

Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stressed to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that “no sustainable deal can be reached through terrorists, intimidation, or the use of force.”

“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” he said.

Iravani said the United States has repeatedly pursued this policy and should have learned by now “that threats and military intimidation are counterproductive.”

“If Washington is genuinely interested in a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of terrorism and engage with Iran on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality, and full adherence to international law,” the Iranian ambassador said.

Israeli defense minister says Israel is prepared to strike Iran ‘with great force’

Speaking at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, Israel Katz said the campaign against Iran was “far from over” and warned that if Iran attacks Israel again, “it will suffer a severe blow.”

The comments came shortly after Trump said the United States would be striking Iran again on Wednesday, after a day of escalating attacks in the region.

Israel and Iran traded fire earlier this week for the first time in two months.

Trump says he ordered US military mission to help oil tankers navigate Strait of Hormuz

The president said on social media that he ordered the U.S. military last month to execute “a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships” through the strait. He claimed the effort helped get more than 100 million barrels of oil through the strait, though there was no immediate confirmation of that figure.

It was not immediately clear what role the military played. When asked about the secret mission, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said, “U.S. forces continue to communicate and coordinate with commercial vessels seeking to freely and safely transit.” He did not offer details on the specific military support being offered to vessels.

Hegseth warns Cuba over buying certain weapons, saying it will invite confrontation

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued his tough talk against Cuba’s government while visiting the U.S. base on the island, warning Cuba against the purchase of weapons that could strike the Guantanamo Bay Navy base or the U.S. mainland 90 miles (145 kilometers) away.

“They would be inviting the kind of confrontation, not only do they not want, but they could not stand,” Hegseth said, adding that the U.S. military “will give the commander in chief every single option he needs inside that contingency.”

Trump has been threatening Cuba with military intervention as he tries to pressure its government’s leadership into stepping down.

Rubio to attend World Cup opening ceremony and US-Paraguay match in LA

The State Department says the secretary of state will travel to Los Angeles for Friday’s U.S. opening ceremony of the World Cup 2026 soccer tournament and Team USA’s first match against Paraguay that night.

The department said in a statement that Rubio would lead the U.S. delegation to the opening and be accompanied by Secretaries of Transportation and Homeland Security Sean Duffy and Markwayne Mullin.

In addition to attending the World Cup events, Rubio will also meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña in Los Angeles.

US says it has boosted Ebola response funding by another $20 million

The State Department says that the Trump administration has contributed another $20 million toward efforts to counter the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa, bringing the total U.S. contribution to more than $220 million since the outbreak began last month.

The department said the new funds would go to assist the most affected countries — Congo and Uganda — as well as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, to help them prepare for an outbreak and prevent its spread. That will cover support for national emergency operations centers, surveillance, testing and border screening, and infection prevention and control, as well as assistance in managing potential victims of the virus.

The announcement came a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Europe needed to step up its response to Ebola.

Hegseth tells US troops in Cuba: ‘We are taking back our hemisphere’

Speaking to American troops in Cuba on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is “defending the homeland. And we are taking back our hemisphere.”

Hegseth cited the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which is often invoked to justify U.S. intervention in the Western Hemisphere. He also mentioned the “Donroe Doctrine” to reference Trump’s aggressive focus on Latin America and drug cartels.

Trump has been trying to bring about regime change in Cuba with a punishing oil blockade on the island nation and federal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Trump has also threatened military intervention while pointing to the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.

UN chief warns escalating attacks and rhetoric risk ‘full war’ in Iran and Gulf region

Secretary-General António Guterres told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the ceasefire in the Gulf region “is more like a lesser fire,” as the world has witnessed in the last 48 hours, with the downing of a U.S. helicopter, U.S. retaliatory attacks on Iranian targets, and the Iranians firing at U.S. bases and facilities in the Gulf.

“The world needs to see a complete ceasefire, with navigational rights and freedoms restored … and serious negotiations on the nuclear issues — ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,” he said.

Guterres also called for full implementation of the ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza and an end to settler violence in the West Bank, now averaging six attacks a day.

He said, “It’s time to get serious about the only credible way forward” — moving toward a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace.

GCC condemns Iranian strikes on Gulf states and Jordan

The Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, condemned Iranian air attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan on Wednesday, saying the “new heinous Iranian aggression” doesn’t create stability or build relations.

“The Council affirms that these hostile acts do not serve any understanding or rapprochement, but rather distance people from one another, undermine the foundations of trust, sow discord, and close the doors of dialogue to which the GCC states have always called,” the GCC said in a statement on the sidelines of a meeting it held in Bahrain’s capital of Manama.

The GCC blamed Iran for destabilizing the region and impacting international navigation and energy supplies through these “hostile acts.”

The ministerial council said GCC states remain committed to diplomacy and good-neighborly relations, but questioned how future ties could be built while the attacks continue.

Treasury sanctions Chinese and Hong Kong-based people and companies for supporting Iran

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on nine people and firms allegedly associated with supporting Iran’s weapons procurement program.

Among those hit with sanctions is Hong Kong‑based firm Mustad and its leadership, who are accused of acting as an intermediary to facilitate transactions that would help Iran procure weapons.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that his agency is “disrupting the foreign procurement networks that support the Iranian military’s efforts to acquire weapons.”

Speaker Mike Johnson says Pulte is coming ‘short term’ to renovate and downsize intelligence office

The Republican leader spent another morning with Trump at the White House and said the president is “working very hard” to name a more permanent pick to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – perhaps even by the time Pulte takes over June 19.

Johnson called it a “good faith gesture” from Trump that Democrats should accept as part of an agreement for a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. The spy tool expires on Friday if Congress fails to act, but lawmakers object to Pulte in the role, saying he is unqualified.

Trump made it very clear, Johnson said, that Pulte will serve a “very short term – a sort of renovation role” to help the Office of the Director of National Intelligence be “renovated and downsized.”

US military disables merchant vessel trying to transport oil from Iran

The U.S. military disabled an eighth merchant vessel in the waters off Iran on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command announced in a social media post on Wednesday.

According to U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces disabled Palau-flagged M/T Settebello, which they say was trying to transport oil from Iran, after their crew failed to comply with their directions. “A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room,” the statement said.

In a black-and-white video accompanying the statement, a small object can be seen slamming into the back of the ship before a large explosion erupts. Afterward, the video zooms out, and the ship is seen floating, but with smoke billowing from the back.

Trump seems to suggest the US is ferrying oil out of the Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. president seemed to say that “millions of barrels of oil” have been secreted past Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, helping to ease energy price pressures.

“Do you know, we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil?” Trump said. “Nobody knows it. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran. Until right now. We took out the other night, 22 ships late at night with no lights, because they don’t have any radar, because we blasted the crap out of it.”

The president said that U.S. forces have been removing millions of barrels of oil on a nightly basis, and he had previously “wanted to say it so badly.”

Inflation just climbed to 4.2% annually, and Trump calls those numbers ‘great’

As affordability concerns hurt his popularity, the U.S. president declared that he loves the figures in the latest consumer price index report, which showed inflation hitting 4.2%, the highest level since April 2023.

“I love it,” Trump said without irony. “The numbers were great.”

The president said that he thought the numbers were good because he believes that they’ve been driven by higher energy costs tied to the Iran war, suggesting that inflation would ease “as soon as this war is over.”

Inflation has worsened under Trump’s watch, initially because of last year’s tariffs and now because of a conflict that has blocked oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump piles on about Platner, saying ‘he’s just an outright pig’

The president continued his sharp criticism of Platner in subsequent comments, saying, “He’s like a pig.”

“I watched him a couple of times,” the president said. “He’s like a pig. That’s what he reminds me of.”

Trump added, “You know, I come up with good names for people. I don’t want to stick him with that one, although I think pigs would be very upset,” drawing laughter from Republican lawmakers in the Oval Office with him.

Trump has used “pig” or variations of it as insults before against reporters and political opponents.

Trump signs $70 billion immigration enforcement bill

Trump has signed a bill into law that gives his immigration and deportation agenda a nearly $70 billion boost for the rest of his time in the White House.

The bill provides $38 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion for the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs, according to the White House.

Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office on Wednesday, a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote over the objections of Democrats. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in January during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

Trump says he does not want to renew trade pact with Canada and Mexico

The U.S. president told reporters that he’s “not looking to renew” the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade deal that, without a commitment by July 1, would face annual reviews of its status and possibly expire in 2036.

“I’m not looking to renew it,” Trump said, even though he originally negotiated the pact to replace an earlier trade deal for North America.

Trump said that the earlier agreement was worse than the USMCA. Still, he was displeased with the results.

“You know, with Mexico and Canada, we have trade deficits,” Trump said. “We should have surpluses with them. We don’t need their cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything that they have.”

Trump says Maine’s Collins is ‘not my best friend’ but he’s backing her

Trump said that Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has his backing in her reelection campaign this year, even though she voted in 2021 to convict him of impeachment for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

After repeatedly insulting Collins’ Democratic opponent, Graham Platner, Trump said he was backing Collins “because she’s a sane woman.”

“She’s not my best friend at all,” the president added.

Trump said that Collins has “maybe a little different ideology than me,” but she’s “a respected person” and a better choice than Platner.

Iran says the US bombed 2 of its water reservoirs

Water supply to thousands of residents was cut off on Wednesday after two reservoirs in the city of Sirik were damaged by a U.S. strike, according to Hashem Amini, the head of the state-owned National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, and the head of the local water company.

Iran’s state media published a video of what it said was a damaged water reservoir in southern Iran. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage or the claims.

U.S. Central Command had no immediate comment. Central Command said earlier Wednesday that it had “struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.” Sirik is at the eastern end of the strait.

Trump announces more strikes against Iran

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the U.S. would be striking Iran again on Wednesday after a helicopter collision with an Iranian drone.

“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump said. He wouldn’t say if he planned to follow through on threats he made earlier in the war to attack bridges and utility plants in Iran.

He urged Iran to sign a deal with the U.S., saying “we were really close to a deal but they keep tapping us along.”

Trump on Platner: ‘He’s worse than any human being that’s run for office probably’

The president spoke at length about Democrat Graham Platner, who clinched Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination on Tuesday.

Trump said Platner “is a thug. He’s a cheap, no-good person.” He also called him “fake” and “phony.”

The president mentioned the numerous accusations against Platner and wondered what would happen if Republicans had a candidate like that.

Trump himself has faced numerous accusations about his past treatment of women, including being found liable for sexual abuse. The president also has endorsed Senate hopeful Ken Paxton, a Texas Republican with a checkered public past.

Trump also, unprompted, mentioned Jeffrey Epstein, faulting Democrats for fixating on Epstein while still backing Platner.

Trump to sign immigration funding bill

Reporters were allowed into the Oval Office shortly before 11:20 a.m. to accompany Trump for his signing of a bill to fund immigration agencies through the end of his presidency.

Several Republican lawmakers are in attendance, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. A frequent Trump nemesis, he chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is one of the panels with jurisdiction over immigration.

“Boy oh boy, it’s nice to have Rand,” Trump remarked Wednesday as he kicked off the event.

Trump asks Congress for short-term FISA extension

As reauthorization of a critical national security law remains snarled in Congress, the president is asking lawmakers to send him a short-term extension to avoid a lapse in surveillance authorities.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires this Friday. Democrats are now balking at an extension because of the president’s surprise appointment of Bill Pulte as his director of national intelligence.

Pulte has no apparent background in national security and is seen primarily as a Trump loyalist. Yet Trump has not backed down from temporarily appointing Pulte.

“FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations,” Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday. A short-term extension will “provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency,” he wrote.

But as the team hosts its first NBA Finals games in 27 years, the city is restricting spontaneous gatherings outside the famed arena.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his police department have cited a range of reasons for the ban, including President Donald Trump’s attendance at Monday’s game.

Ahead of Game 4 on Wednesday, the NYPD announced it would again prevent fans from gathering around MSG, unless they were going to the game or had “business specific to that area.”

Instead, the city said it had approved a permit to allow 1,000 fans access to a watch party outside the Garden — a scaled-down version of previous viewing parties, which the NYPD had sought to have canceled for rowdiness, before later reversing course.

Otherwise, fans need an “authorized reason” to be inside a security perimeter that stretches for several blocks around the arena. While bars and restaurants will stay open, they were subject to “strict capacity limits,” police said.

Hours before the game on Wednesday, Knicks owner James Dolan indicated the watch party wouldn’t go forward, saying that he had never agreed to the city’s restrictions.

A statement released by the Madison Square Garden Co. also accused Mamdani of transforming the streets around the arena into a “police state” in order to “freeze out fans from celebrating.”

The measures have also enraged nearby restaurants and bars, as well as civil liberties groups.

“It’s ruining my business,” said Angela Reilly, the owner of Molly Wee, an Irish pub near the arena. “I haven’t seen anything like this level of security in 46 years.”

Molly Biklen, the legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, agreed the tactics seemed heavy-handed. “Crowd control for major events is reasonable, but historic moments are not carte blanche for overpolicing or excessive NYPD responses,” Biklen said.

The conflict has also focused attention once again on the shaky alliance between the mayor and his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch. To some, the security restrictions appeared at odds with Mamdani's broader agenda, which included improving access to public spaces and limiting how the NYPD polices major events.

“The NYPD is historically extremely risk-averse to disorderly behavior by crowds, whether they be celebratory or protesting,” said Jeffrey Fagan, a law professor at Columbia University who studies policing. “The mayor now faces a difficult calculus between the strong emotions of Knicks fans and the political risks if crowd control isn’t airtight.”

In recent days, members of Mamdani’s administration have pressed Tisch to allow some version of the watch parties to go forward outside Madison Square Garden, according to two people familiar with the meetings, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the meetings.

Tisch, meanwhile, has advocated for the security perimeter, citing the need to control against crowds that have at times become violent and unruly. Some recent fan gatherings in Manhattan have led to dozens of arrests and several injuries to police officers.

Following the Knicks′ loss Monday, at least 21 people were taken into custody. The NYPD also said it is currently searching for members of a group that ripped a San Antonio Spurs jersey off a man while punching and kicking him.

Shaun Geddes, a Knicks fan who runs a popular podcast about the team, said he had celebrated multiple series-clinching victories outside the arena and found the vast majority of fans were respectful.

“Then there’s a small group of people out there cosplaying as Knicks fans and doing performative things to go viral on TikTok,” Geddes added. “But being passionate as a Knicks fan doesn’t mean assaulting anyone.”

In response to criticism about the closure, city officials have noted there isn’t a recent precedent for the position in which they now find themselves. The Knicks have not been to an NBA Finals since 1999. Most of the city’s other major sports teams play in the less-crowded outer boroughs or in New Jersey.

But when the New York Rangers — who also play in the Garden— last won the Stanley Cup, in 1994, the NYPD took another approach to managing elated fans.

Ahead of the game, police announced they would clear the area around the arena of potential projectiles, like metal trash cans or debris, but would allow fans to move freely.

“We expect the fans to be extremely vocal,” Allen Hoehl, an NYPD chief at the time, said at a 1994 news conference. “If they want to go from here to there, we’ll escort them in any direction.”

U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that the military was striking “multiple targets in Iran,” attacks that were “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

The second day of American strikes came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire. It was the third time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire. They also came a day after the U.S. struck Iran following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic.

Trump has urged Iran to sign a deal to end the war and suggested earlier this week that an agreement could be reached in a matter of days.

Iranian media reported that explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Minab in the south of the country.

Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for oil and natural gas — gives it a strong bargaining chip.

Iran’s United Nations envoy said the U.S. should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.

“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing goals that make compromise harder: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.

Trump says US is sneaking oil past the Strait of Hormuz

Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with Feb. 28 attacks on Iran, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices worldwide, and made food and other basics more expensive.

The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war.

Trump said Wednesday the U.S. military has since last month undertaken a “secret mission” to sneak oil shipments past Iran’s forces in the Strait of Hormuz. He said ships were slipping through at night, aided by the destruction of Iranian radar equipment.

Trump said as a result more than 100 million barrels of oil have evaded Iran’s chokehold on the strait. There was no immediate confirmation of that figure, which roughly equals five days of oil shipments through the waterway before the war began.

The military’s role was not immediately clear. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesman, said U.S. forces “communicate and coordinate” with commercial ships in the area, but gave no details on military support being offered.

US and Iranian strikes shake the Mideast

Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. military said an American aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M/T Settebello as it attempted to breach the naval blockade with a shipment of Iranian oil. It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled by U.S. forces in waters off Iran.

India’s foreign ministry said three Indian sailors were missing after the Settebello was struck, while 21 others were rescued. Its statement did not mention the U.S. military or the blockade.

Hawkins of U.S. Central Command said American forces warned the crew before firing on the ship.

The U.S. military said strikes earlier Wednesday targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites."

Iran said U.S. strikes hit two water reservoirs in the southern city of Sirik, temporarily cutting off water to thousands of people. U.S. Central Command had no immediate comment.

Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted an air base hosting American military aircraft.

Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in televised comments that, following the new attacks, Iran would review its stance on negotiations to end the war.

Efforts to mediate a deal continued. Following consultations with the U.S., a delegation from Qatar arrived in Tehran for talks on Wednesday, according to an official with knowledge of the visit who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

The exchanges of fire came a day after a U.S. Army attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. The helicopter collided with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. It wasn’t clear whether the collision was intentional.

A drone boat rescued the helicopter’s two crew. Trump said they were uninjured.

Big disagreements stand in the way of a quick peace deal

Wary of high gas prices in the run-up to congressional elections in November, Trump seems to be looking for a quick win. But he is also making demands that will be tough for Iran to swallow.

The U.S. wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, that uranium is a short technical step from weapons-grade levels.

Iran is refusing to give up the uranium and demanding relief from sanctions. It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something Trump rejected.

It's not clear how those differences can be bridged. In a Truth Social post Wednesday, Trump said Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal" and "now they will have to pay the price!!!”

Iran has insisted that any deal to end the war must also end fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel. Israel has instead intensified its military campaign against the Lebanon-based militant group.

An airstrike on a village east of Tyre killed at least six people, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported. It said two others were killed by an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern city of Sidon.

___

Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert in Washington; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; Natalie Melzer in Nahariya, Israel; David Rising in Bangkok; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Michelle L. Price in New York; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

Attorneys for voters who sued had argued that the new congressional districts violate a state constitutional prohibition on partisan gerrymandering, and that the court should order the state to continue using the same districts as in the previous election. The Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision, denied their request for a temporary injunction without ruling on the merits of the case. The judges said they lacked jurisdiction to intervene while the lawsuit gradually plays out in the lower courts.

Republicans already hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. The new voting districts signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after a swift two-day special legislative session could improve the GOP’s chances to win four additional seats this year.

The court's decision provides some certainty for prospective congressional candidates, who face a Friday deadline to qualify for the state's Aug. 18 primaries.

Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier, who defended the new districts in court, declared “complete and total victory” in a social media post.

Opponents expressed outrage while vowing to continue the court fight, even though it may stretch into the 2028 election cycle.

“The Florida Supreme Court's failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida,” said Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, a community organizing group that sued.

The new districts are “a pretty clear partisan gerrymander,” said Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida. “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent this map from impacting further, future elections.”

Florida's map is part of a national GOP effort

Voting districts typically are redrawn after a census near the beginning of each decade. Florida is one of several Republican-led states that have undertaken mid-decade redistricting as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to try to hold on to a slim House majority in November by reshaping district boundaries to the GOP’s advantage.

Florida’s legislature approved the new House map on April 29 — the same day the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities while striking down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana. Since then, several Southern states have taken steps to try to eliminate minority districts that have elected Democrats.

DeSantis had called lawmakers into a special session before the high court’s ruling, but he had anticipated the eventual outcome. DeSantis’ office asserted that no racial data was used for the map he presented to the Legislature. The new map, among other things, redraws a southeastern Florida district that DeSantis’ office said was created to help elect a Black representative in an attempt to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.

In addition to barring partisan gerrymandering, a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2010 also prohibits districts from being drawn to deny or diminish the ability of racial or language minorities to elect the representatives of their choice. It further requires districts to be compact and, where feasible, use existing political and geographic boundaries.

Republicans assert that redistricting restrictions are invalid

In a memo to lawmakers, DeSantis’ General Counsel David Axelman asserted that the racial redistricting provision of Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment violates the U.S. Constitution. If one element is invalid, Axelman wrote, then the entire 2010 amendment is void, including provisions barring partisan gerrymandering.

Attorneys representing state officials made similar arguments to the Florida Supreme Court, after a lower court judge last month declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the new map. They also argued it was too late in the election season to revert to the previous maps.

In a filing with the Florida Supreme Court, attorneys representing state officials said the new map was “cause for celebration” during America’s 250th anniversary. “Perhaps for the first time in Florida’s history, the State has a truly colorblind map; a map that refuses to assault the dignity of men and women by color-coding them,” their court filing said.

Attorneys who sued on behalf of voters argued the new districts were crafted with political favoritism. They argued in documents filed with the state Supreme Court that the new congressional districts are “among the most extreme partisan gerrymanders enacted in any state over the past half-century.”

Under the new House map, 82% of voters in districts represented by Republicans remain in the same districts as under the previous map, said attorney Chris Shenton, who represented Common Cause and other groups challenging the map. Just 41% of voters in districts represented by Democrats are kept in their same districts, he said.

Justices differed on urgency of Florida case

The Supreme Court's majority issued only a brief written opinion, but two of its members elaborated about the importance of the case. In a concurring opinion, Justice Adam Tanenbaum said the judicial system follows a deliberative process, and “there is no need for special treatment in this case.”

In a dissent, Justice Jorge Labarga expressed frustration that an appellate court hadn't sent the case straight to the Supreme Court. He said the state constitution “anticipates that some matters may be so urgent as to require an expedited path to this Court.”

“Surely, the upcoming 2026 congressional elections affecting the representation of millions of Floridians meet that threshold,” Labarga wrote.

It means AI agents can not only recommend products but complete the purchase on the user’s behalf at potentially any merchant that accepts Visa. The payment network's previous attempts at this technological leap were confined to a single retailer or a small set of enrolled merchants.

It is not OpenAI’s first attempt at e-commerce. The company late last year announced Instant Checkout, which allowed ChatGPT to scour the internet for a specific item like a digital personal shopper. But the process was prone to errors and was not widely adopted by merchants due to the fee that OpenAI was charging merchants. The company retired Instant Checkout in March.

Visa’s collaboration is different from OpenAI’s previous attempts, as it will allow users to link their Visa cards to ChatGPT to shop and make it easier for merchants to accept transactions initiated by agents.

OpenAI will provide the technology to allow agents to interact, make decisions and initiate purchases through ChatGPT. Visa, the world’s largest payment network outside of China, will provide the payment authorization and fraud monitoring needed to do this at scale.

“As AI agents become active participants in the economy, Visa’s focus is to ensure transactions are trusted, secure and seamless,” said Jack Forestell, chief product and strategy officer at Visa.

ChatGPT as a personal shopper

Speaking at a company event Wednesday in San Francisco, Forestell gave an example of a customer telling ChatGPT they're looking for a pair of wireless headphones under $150. The chatbot would find a pair for sale under those parameters and buy it on behalf of the customer.

“I think we're generally at a place where most people are very comfortable with the shopping aspects of it and have discovered this as a superior discovery experience,” Forestell said in an interview. But, he added, making the leap from having AI agents recommend what to buy to doing the purchasing “just requires a whole different level of trust.”

“But that all comes from the underlying infrastructure, the process, the security that we build into it and the rules,” he said.

Visa and OpenAI did not disclose the financial terms of the collaboration and did not give details on the fees merchants or customers would have to pay.

Instant Checkout charged merchants 4% of the transaction's value, which merchants saw as being too expensive.

Guardrails include spending limits, approvals

Allowing AI agents to buy products on behalf of a consumer raises concerns for both banks and retailers. A customer could overspend, or the agent buys the wrong item, or the customer claims they did not authorize that transaction. Banks have been concerned about potential fraud claims that could occur when an agent uses a bank customer’s credit or debit card.

Visa says the feature will have guardrails like spending limits, required approval steps and approved merchants for shopping in order to protect consumers and minimize fraud.

Forestell said Visa will handle disputes with the same essential rules it uses for any other transaction: Did the consumer really intend to make the purchase and did the merchant process it the correct way? Where it might change, he added, is if both the consumer intent and the merchant processing were done the right way, but “something happened in the middle that caused a problem.”

“And that’s why we’re modifying our whole token framework and data capture process with Visa Intelligent Commerce to make sure that problem doesn’t happen,” Forestell said.

Retailers have introduced shopping assistants powered by AI that can recommend products and personalize the customer's shopping experience, with the earliest iterations of those experiments being Amazon’s Alexa. But Alexa could only shop on Amazon, and OpenAI's Instant Checkout feature was limited to select merchants.

Visa’s biggest competitor, Mastercard, has also been introducing its own AI-shopping features to its payment network on a smaller scale.

Mastercard announced that AI agents will have the capability to procure services on behalf of a business. For example, a coffee shop wants to start an advertising campaign as part of a launch, so it gives an AI agent the authorization to purchase services from web and ad providers in order for the coffee shop to build out its campaign.

It will take time for people to fully trust AI agents to do their shopping, Forestell acknowledged. At first, Visa expects the majority of transactions to still loop in humans, with AI agents sending a notification for consumers to approve the actual purchase.

“Now, imagine you do that a thousand times over the course of some period of time,” he said. “And then your agent says, ‘Do you want me to just not check?’”

___

Sweet reported from New York.

The defendant, Vance Boelter, was scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing Thursday morning in federal court in Minneapolis.

“The Attorney General has authorized and directed the government not to seek the death penalty against Defendant Vance Luther Boelter in accordance with the terms delineated in a proposed plea agreement,” assistant U.S. attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Matthew D. Forbes wrote in a letter to the court Wednesday.

Boelter’s attorneys did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot by a man who came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car.

Boelter, 58, was captured near his home in rural Green Isle late the next day after what prosecutors have called the largest search for a suspect in Minnesota history. He faces federal and state murder, attempted murder and other charges.

Trump has doubled down on his temporary pick for director of national intelligence, federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, even though he has little experience for the job. Democrats say they won't support the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA, unless he withdraws Pulte's appointment and nominates a permanent replacement.

The impasse could soon result in limitations on what intelligence the U.S. government can collect abroad just as World Cup games begin in cities around the country and ahead of celebrations for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The law expires on Friday at midnight.

Trump on Wednesday asked Congress for a short-term extension of the law to “provide time for the selection and confirmation" of a permanent director.” But he stuck with Pulte as the acting head and said he wants to begin downsizing intelligence agencies.

“We can't let them extort us,” Trump said of Democrats.

Senate Republicans floated an short-term extension of the law after Trump's request, but it was immediately rejected by Democrats who argued that it's up to the president to replace Pulte.

As the bill stalled in the Senate, Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House would hold a vote Thursday on a stopgap to keep the program running through July 2 even as the chances of passage appeared slim.

“We’re going to ask every member here to do the right thing,” Johnson said. “We cannot allow that to go dark.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said if Trump wants a shot at a short-term extension, he needs to pull the Pulte appointment. Pulte is a “disgraceful individual” and a “partisan political hack" who is deeply unqualified for the job, Jeffries said.

GOP leaders lobby the White House, to no avail

Congressional Republicans have lobbied Trump all week to quickly nominate a permanent replacement. But he said he needs more time to do so.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Wednesday that Republican leaders have “made our views known” to the White House about the easiest way to get the bill passed, and “we’re just doing what we can here to ensure that the White House understands what will be necessary in order to make that happen.”

Trump said on Friday that he is interviewing five candidates for his pick to lead the agency permanently and that all have a national security background.

“It’s an important position and one that I think will be filled by a highly qualified person,” said Johnson, who met with Trump twice this week to talk about the FISA impasse.

Trump made it very clear, Johnson said, that Pulte will serve a “very short term — a sort of renovation role” to help the Office of the Director of National Intelligence be “renovated and downsized.”

To unlock votes for FISA, the pick would have to be soon — and Trump's choice would have to satisfy both Republicans and Democrats.

One of several possible replacements could be Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s ambassador to Canada and a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. The White House has reached out to Hoekstra about the job and conversations are ongoing, according to a person familiar with the outreach who requested anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

FISA will lapse at midnight Friday

Section 702 of FISA allows agencies such as the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to collect communications from foreign targets overseas without a warrant.

While members of both parties who cite privacy issues have long wanted to limit the authority, there was broad bipartisan support to renew it, especially after Republicans and Democrats recently worked out a compromise bill.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, has worked with Republicans on the compromise legislation to renew the authority. But he called Pulte’s appointment to replace outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard “a live hand grenade” as they were trying to pass it. Republican leaders tried to start the process last week, but seven Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in blocking a long-term extension after Pulte was appointed. (

Warner said Wednesday that the only way he’ll support a short-term extension of the surveillance law is if the principal deputy director of national intelligence, Aaron Lukas, is the acting leader during the duration of that extension.

Sen. Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have warned the administration that the spy tool is likely to lapse.

The administration should prepare “for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection,” they wrote in a letter.

Trump doesn't back down on Pulte

After bipartisan pushback to Pulte’s temporary appointment, Trump said last week that he would not permanently nominate him to the position. But Democrats, and some Republicans, want his appointment pulled immediately and for Trump to nominate a replacement that can be confirmed by the Senate.

On Tuesday, though, Trump announced that Pulte would not only take over as acting director — he'd also start earlier than expected, on June 19.

And he stuck with Pulte on Wednesday, posting that he needed more time to find a permanent replacement and telling reporters that the agencies need to be downsized.

Both Republican and Democratic senators skeptical of Pulte have pointed to his lack of intelligence experience and also his record at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. In the position, the Trump loyalist has been linked with criminal referrals over allegations of mortgage fraud by public officials Trump sought to punish, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Lisa Cook, a board member of the Federal Reserve.

___

Associated Press reporters Joey Cappelletti and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

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Tuesday afternoon's act sent shock waves through a city where more than one in four people are Black. Some people drove or walked by, staring, and a video of the cross-burning gained traction online.

The video, taken by a motorist, shows the wooden cross engulfed in bright orange flames as it leans against a tree in Grant Park, located in the core of the city's downtown and near Lake Michigan.

Chicago police urged the public on Wednesday to come forward with any information. A community alert issued by police included an image of a person walking away from the area.

Police said the person was seen “fleeing from the scene” where an object was constructed and burned in the park. The alert provided no update on the arson investigation.

The Chicago Fire Department confirmed the flaming object was a cross and said officials put out the fire.

Officials with a local Catholic church, The Faith Community of Saint Sabina, posted on social media a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who was involved. The Rev. Michael Pfleger, senior pastor, called the cross burning an act of hate.

“It cannot be tolerated,” Pfleger told TV station FOX 32. “I really believe it should be treated as a hate crime just like a swastika is.”

Cross burnings have historically been symbols of hate

Keinika Carlton, 43, was driving home from running errands with her daughter and mother-in-law when they saw the cross on fire. She said she felt a combination of shock, sadness and disgust, as well as curiosity.

“Is this a racial thing? Is this a religious thing?” she said. “As Black women, of course, our first thought is racial, because burning crosses are known to be used as a tactic, an act of violence toward Black Americans in the South.”

Carlton estimated the cross was at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. As they slowed down to shoot a video of the flames, she saw other cars also slowing down and people walking nearby, staring at the cross burning.

While the motive behind the burning cross was not immediately clear, cross burnings in the U.S. have historically been seen as “symbols of hate” that are “inextricably intertwined with the history of the Ku Klux Klan,” according to a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision written by the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The justices ruled that the First Amendment allows bans on cross burnings only when they are intended to intimidate because the action “is a particularly virulent form of intimidation.”

Alyna Carlton, 22, said she never thought she would see something like that in her lifetime.

“It kind of really opened my eyes, had me realize that I’m not that far removed from the past.”

Some attribute the act to divisive political times

Gina Miranda Samuels, faculty director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago, said the burning of crosses may no longer create the degree of fear it did decades ago — but there's sadness at the reminder of the level of hate that still exists.

“The burning a cross in Grant Park, personally, does not instill terror,” she said. “If it was on my personal lawn, that would concern me. This doesn’t cause me to want to flee Chicago.”

Miranda Samuels laid some of the blame on the current political climate.

“I do think we’re living in a time when we have a president that stokes this kind of thing and invites this type of stuff,” she said. "People feel emboldened and are invited to see how far they can go.”

Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and a Chicago resident, agreed. He pointed to how people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were ultimately not punished. President Donald Trump pardoned, commuted prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of cases for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in the attack.

“The same kind of people got the same white supremacist mentality as a cross-burning,” Chapman said. "So, they figured like they got a license now ... with people pardoned and more or less shaking hands with the devil.”

Next week, Obama will be joined by other former presidents and dignitaries to dedicate his presidential library, named the Obama Center, on a sprawling complex less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Grant Park. The center opens to the public on Juneteenth, the federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the U.S.

___ Associated Press writers Terry Tang in Phoenix and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed to this report.

The ambitious double bill reimagines two literary classics—Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus—through movement, transforming familiar stories into emotionally charged and visually striking performances.

ISHIDA Dance Company brings together exceptional dancers from across Texas and around the world, including artists affiliated with renowned organizations such as Houston Ballet, Ballet BC, Nederlands Dans Theater, English National Ballet, Staatsoper Wien, and others.

The production offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience a world premiere work that blends literature, movement, and emotion into a compelling contemporary dance event. Get more info --> HERE.

Performance Schedule

Thursday, June 11 – Saturday, June 13, 2026

• Performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 14, 2026

• Performance begins at 3 p.m.
• Post-show talkback with Artistic Director Brett Ishida and the dancers

Watch as Mel Camp brings us a preview of this weekend’s big performances.

Speaking to fans and boosters at the Houston Touchdown Club, coach Joey McGuire acknowledged the “rage” surrounding the situation, with athletic directors across college football saying that the NCAA ban on players who gamble should remain sacrosanct and a court order won this week by Sorsby to restore his eligibility crossed a line that should never be crossed.

“For some reason, as a society, we’ve been OK with other things that happen and allowing players to play, and this has been the one thing that has united people, that they were against,” McGuire said. “It’s crazy because it’s not murder, it’s not beating somebody -- so there’s a lot of things that we’re working through. None of this is OK.”

Texas Tech officials canceled a news conference that was scheduled for before the luncheon. After his speech, McGuire said he'd only take questions from “Red Raider fans” and answered them for about 10 minutes.

According to court filingss earlier this year, Sorsby made thousands of impermissible bets on college and pro sports that were worth at least $90,000 while at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. Those bets include the ones he made while a freshman with the Hoosiers in 2022, though none were on games in which he played. Sorsby sought the injunction against the NCAA in a lawsuit filed May 18, the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible, a necessary step before the school could pursue his reinstatement — an effort twice denied by the NCAA.

Three top Texas Tech leaders go on the offensive

Cody Campbell, the billionaire Texas Tech booster and chairman of its board of regents, issued a statement and so did athletic director Kirby Hocutt, who said he wanted to “offer a few facts that seem to be getting lost in the noise" and noting the school is not part of Sorsby's lawsuit against the NCAA.

“A young man in treatment for a clinically diagnosed addiction exercised his legal right to seek a remedy in court and a judge agreed with him,” Hocutt said. “Our role has been to support his recovery, not to engineer his eligibility.”

Under the court order, Sorsby will be suspended for the first two games of the season. The NCAA plans to appeal the ruling, with President Charlie Baker telling reporters in Las Vegas that the case illustrated “a new low” in college sports.

McGuire likened Sorsby recovering from his addiction to fellow Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond’s recovery from knee surgery. Both he and Hocutt said Sorsby would be evaluated — “his recovery, compliance and readiness," the athletic director said — before he would be cleared to play in Week 3 against Houston on Sept. 18 in the team's Big 12 opener.

“I’ve sat down with this young man multiple times and the things that he is going through and what he’s been through, it’s serious," McGuire said. “And I have a number of people in my family that were addicted to different stuff and so I’ve seen what addiction does to people.”

Billionaire booster says boycotting Texas Tech could lead to legal action

Campbell, a key figure in helping Texas Tech land top players over the past two years, took a far more aggressive and defiant stance on a podcast appearance with Dan Dakich.

“As it stands right now, the kid is eligible, so we don’t have a whole lot of choice but to play him," he said. "Not only on a legal grounds, but ethically and morally. We told him we were going to back him up and support him, and Texas Tech does what it says it’s going to do and keeps the promises it makes.”

He also addressed reports that schools have been talking about boycotting Texas Tech in light of the ruling, suggesting that could lead to legal action.

“I love when the Big Ten or the K-State AD comes out and says we’ve all gotten together and we’ve talked about how we’re not going to play Tech, because guess what? That’s collusion,” he said. "That’s an antitrust violation. So have fun with that one, guys. You can’t do that.”

Hocutt also struck back at those who questioned what this does to the integrity of college football.

“The integrity of sport matters,” he said, “So does the integrity of how we treat a 22-year-old who sought help, entered residential treatment, and is working every day toward recovery. Those two things don’t have to be in conflict.”

McGuire was adamant that the most important thing in this story is supporting Sorsby in his “darkest times.”

“He’s the first person to tell you it was his fault,” McGuire said. “He chose to do this, but when you know anything about addiction, there’s a point that you choose it and then all of a sudden you don’t choose it anymore. There’s not something that you can do by yourself to get past where you’re at. So I wasn’t going to turn my back on him.”

McGuire added that Sorsby was “back in the building” after spending some time away from the facilities while he was dealing with his issues.

“Do I see a different person? I know it sounds crazy, but I do,” McGuire said. “I see a kid that feels like he’s got 1,000 pounds of weight lifted off of him. He’s made the statement that he feels like this is a moment that can actually change his life.”

Sorsby may soon explain himself to fans, critics

The coach also said that Sorsby wants to address fans of his new school.

“At some point soon, I would expect Red Raiders will hear from Brendan Sorsby because I think it’s really important,” McGuire said. “And I will tell you, he thinks it’s really important for him to get everybody to understand exactly where he’s at.”

The injunction comes with conditions that Sorsby must continue counseling for his gambling and to participate in peer support through Gamblers Anonymous or a similar group. He also must continue treatment to address “the underlying anxiety that served as the primary driver of (his) gambling behavior.”

McGuire said Sorsby is working through many things right now and provided more details on restrictions that will be put in place for the quarterback in his return. He said that there will be technology on any device he has “for us to know everything that’s going on.” Sorsby, who reportedly signed a multimillion-dollar deal to join the Red Raiders after two years at Cincinnati and two years at Indiana, will have a person that will account for “every single penny that he has.”

“The proper steps are in place to get for him to get to the point where we can get him playing,” McGuire said. “There’s a lot of stuff to go through.”

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

But the judge ended a hearing by issuing a “fair warning” to President Donald Trump's administration: “Don’t play possum with this court,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon told a government attorney.

Leon ruled from the bench in favor of the administration, which argued that the watchdog's lawsuit is moot because acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress last month that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund. Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, said he accepts Blanche's representation for now.

The judge's refusal to issue a temporary restraining order isn't the final word on the fate of the government’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund." Leon said he will consider a separate request by the plaintiffs — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — for a preliminary injunction that would block payouts from the fund on a more permanent basis.

A different federal judge, sitting in Alexandria, Virginia, already has temporarily blocked the fund's operations. However, that order by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema is due to expire Friday unless she extends it after a hearing on the same day.

The administration created the fund last month to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. The Justice Department hasn’t formed the five-member commission that will decide on payout criteria, so there has been no money paid out nor claims accepted.

The fund has generated a fierce bipartisan backlash. Even many of the Republican president's allies are opposed to compensating rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. During his congressional testimony, Blanche wouldn’t rule out the possibility that rioters who assaulted police at the Capitol could be eligible for fund payouts.

“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche said at the House hearing.

“Not moving forward ever?” asked Rep. Grace Meng, a New York Democrat.

“Correct,” Blanche answered.

Leon asked Justice Department attorney Andrew Block why Blanche doesn't formally rescind his May 18 order establishing the fund.

“I don't know the reason for that,” Block said.

Block said Blanche's statements to Congress are sufficient to moot the watchdog's claims. He also argued that the group doesn't have the legal standing to bring them.

Plaintiffs' attorney Nikhel Sus noted that Trump himself contradicted Blanche's testimony. During an interview on June 3, a day after Blanche testified before Congress, Trump expressed support for continuing with the fund despite the Virginia judge's ruling against it.

“On paper, the fund is still a legally operating entity," Sus said. “Nothing has changed.”

A federal judge in Florida overseeing Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS ordered Trump’s attorneys to respond to “grievous allegations” by settlement critics that the president abandoned his claims to avoid the court’s scrutiny of an illegal deal. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams gave them until Friday to respond in writing to allegations of collusion and whether the case should be reopened because the court was the “victim of a fraud.”

In Virginia, attorneys from the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward are seeking a court order halting the fund’s implementation and preventing the Trump administration from disbursing any payouts from it. The plaintiffs in the Virginia case include a fired prosecutor and a college professor acquitted of assaulting federal agents at a protest.

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In an opening statement provided to The Associated Press, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” but that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.”

The tech billionaire became the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door deposition. The committee chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify after he appeared multiple times in a trove of documents released by the Justice Department as part of its Epstein probe.

As Gates arrived at the Capitol, he noted that his appearance was voluntary and said he hoped his testimony would help lawmakers “find justice for the victims.” Gates did not take questions from reporters at the conclusion of the interview late Wednesday afternoon.

Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused in connection with Epstein's crimes and has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of girls. He has said the two met only to discuss philanthropy and previously described the relationship as “a huge mistake.”

Most Democratic members who participated in Wednesday's questioning described Gates as cooperative. They said some of the most useful information he provided involved other influential people in Epstein’s orbit. Lawmakers also said they pressed Gates on why he continued interacting with Epstein after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Gates was aware that Epstein had been convicted of “a horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for his foundation,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top-ranking Democrat on the committee, who described Gates' actions as “a horrific judgment call.”

Before the interview began, Comer told reporters that the committee's effort was “about trying to figure out how the government failed.”

Lawmakers scrutinize Gates’ relationship with Epstein

Gates said he was introduced to Epstein through people involved in his professional and philanthropic work and was drawn in by Epstein’s claims that he could help raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives.

Their relationship began in 2011, three years after Epstein’s guilty plea in Florida, according to the Justice Department files. Gates said he cut ties in 2014 after concluding Epstein could not deliver on those promises.

Included in the files are calendar entries for meetings between Gates and Epstein, email correspondence between the two about philanthropic projects and photos of Gates at events that Epstein also attended.

Gates added that he never went to Epstein's island or his other infamous properties.

“I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated,” Gates said.

Lawmakers offered differing accounts of the interview as they exited the room throughout the day.

GOP Rep. Tim Burchett described the questioning as “intense,” while Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said Gates was “combative” and “not terribly forthcoming or candid.” Garcia, by contrast, said that while Gates pushed back on some inquiries, “he’s answering the questions.”

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury said Gates acknowledged maintaining contact with Epstein because he believed the “narrow relationship” was “an acceptable means to access wealthy donors.”

The Gates Foundation said in February that a small number of employees had met with Epstein based on his “claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources" for global health. They never created a charitable fund together, and the foundation made no payments to Epstein.

Both Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, have said his association with Epstein created tension in their marriage.

Broader Epstein investigation continues

Epstein was federally indicted in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. The Justice Department alleged that Epstein formed a vast network of girls, some as young as 14, for him to sexually abuse between 2002 and 2005. He died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

The files released by the Justice Department read like a who’s who of powerful men across tech, finance, politics and other industries. All have denied involvement in Epstein’s crimes, but some maintained or formed friendships with him even after his history of sexual abuse came to light.

At another closed-door deposition in February, former President Bill Clinton faced more than six hours of questioning from lawmakers about his association with Epstein more than two decades ago. Epstein visited the White House several times during Clinton’s presidency, and Clinton flew occasionally on Epstein's private jet.

The former Democratic president said he saw no signs of Epstein’s sexual abuse and stopped associating with him long before Epstein's 2008 guilty plea. Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Democrats on the House committee have pushed for testimony from President Donald Trump, a Republican who had his own relationship with Epstein. Republicans have said they have not come across any evidence that Trump did anything wrong during his well-documented friendship with Epstein.

Comer said Wednesday that he's planning to ask attorney Alan Dershowitz to appear and that he's been in communication with the Justice Department about acting Attorney General Todd Blanche coming in for questioning as well.

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Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.

Asked about the new report that the consumer price index in May had jumped 4.2% over the last year, the president took a surprisingly optimistic tack with the challenging news. Trump didn't dismiss the affordability issue as a “hoax” that was started by Democrats, as he has done previously. Nor did he claim that he was bringing down the cost of living.

Instead, after the government said that inflation spiked to the highest level since April 2023, Trump praised the numbers.

“You know what I really love?" Trump said. "I love the inflation.”

It was an unexpected take given that voters ahead of the November midterm elections have ranked the economy as a top concern — and have given Trump low marks on that issue. Within minutes of his on-camera comment, Democrats quickly rushed to promote it on social media.

Trump had pledged in his 2024 campaign to quickly vanquish inflation, but his argument now is that higher prices are solely a function of the Iran war raising energy costs. On Wednesday, he claimed that relief is already on its way because of a secret military operation that had ferried what he said was 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, the primary shipping channel for 20% of the world’s global oil supply that has been effectively closed by the war since late February.

“Trump really said, ‘I love the inflation.’ On camera. For all of America to hear,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer quickly posted on X. “His contempt for you knows no bounds.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on X that with Trump's stated love of inflation, "We finally found something that Donald Trump loves as much as he loves himself."

Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, quickly pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright at a hearing about whether he, too, loved inflation.

“Do you love inflation?” Sykes asked.

“I love ending Iran’s ability to have a nuclear weapon,” Wright answered. He only conceded after being pressed: “No, I would prefer lower inflation.”

When asked about Trump's specific comments, Wright said, “He's an entertaining, hyperbolic guy who's done tremendous leadership.”

Trump claimed the secretive shipments were why oil prices had fallen below $90 a barrel, after surpassing $110 at the start of April.

“I'm just announcing today for the first time, but we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil, millions of barrels every night,” Trump said.

On social media, the president said the mission began last month and had “resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market. More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait.” There was no immediate data available to back up that total, and it was not immediately clear what role the U.S. military had played.

To put that figure into context, a daily average of 20 million barrels of oil had gone through the strait before the war, which would mean that Trump's mission had resulted in the equivalent of five days' worth of normal oil shipments.

Responding to the new inflation report, the White House pointed out that some expenses had dropped in May relative to the previous month: the price of new vehicles, prescription drugs and auto insurance, for example. But when the overall inflation number is paired with the change in hourly wages, there is a bleak sign that people's spending power relative to their earnings has declined.

“President Trump has consistently maintained that oil and gas prices — and thus overall inflation — will plummet once the Iran situation is resolved, and the administration will continue pushing our affordability agenda to enable Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in an email.

But the financial markets were cautious about Trump's claims that he was lowering prices by getting oil tankers through the strait — claims that came as the United States also launched airstrikes against Iran, and as Tehran fired back at countries in the region.

U.S. crude oil futures climbed roughly 4% on Wednesday, closing at nearly $92 a barrel.

Infantino spoke with reporters during a rare question-and-answer session on the eve of the opening match of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game World Cup tournament. He defended record ticket prices, said FIFA was powerless to get the U.S. government to admit a Somali referee, and praised his ability to get Iran's national soccer team into the United States.

FIFA priced tickets starting at $140 for group-stage games, but regular seats for the July 19 final outside New York were listed at up to $8,680 and hospitality seats at up to $73,200. It raised prices for the final to $10,990 and then $32,970.

After much criticism, FIFA offered $60 tickets to national federations for their regular supporters. Infantino said 130,000 tickets were offered in that category.

Four years ago at the tournament in Qatar, prices ranged from $69 to $1,607.

“If you sell it at a lower price point,” he said, “in this particular market it would have gone — which is perfectly legal in this country ... in secondary markets at much, much, much higher prices and where would the money go then? Well, to those who organize secondary markets or black market activities and not to football.”

Infantino said the average ticket price was below $500 for the tournament and was comparable to other U.S. sports during their playoffs, a claim that while true for resale prices does not appear to be accurate for list prices. Major League Baseball's average World Series ticket price has been $350 to $400 in recent years and NFL prices last season averaged $230 for the wild-card round, $320 for divisional games, $450 for conference championships and $3,300 for the Super Bowl.

Infantino said he was unconcerned about ticket probes by attorneys general in California, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

“When it comes to these legal investigations or complaints that were made in some states in the U.S.,” he said, "we are very relaxed about it because before starting to sell 6 and a half or 7 million tickets we check what we do with the best lawyers, with the best experts. If we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong, as well.”

Infantino pointed to the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs as an example of how other major American sporting events are experiencing a similar surge in prices.

The get-in price on FIFA's resale site for the World Cup final is $9,805. The NBA Finals have had wildly varied get-in prices, ranging from a minimum of about $500 for the first two games in San Antonio to about $10,000 for Game 3 in New York. Game 4 in New York was much less, dropping to about $4,000 on Wednesday.

The Stanley Cup Final this year between teams in Las Vegas and Raleigh, North Carolina, has included a get-in price of at least $600 for each of the first four games of the best-of-seven series.

“We welcome every investigation,” Infantino said. “We are happy to present everything, and we are happy to make our case.”

Infantino says FIFA is powerless to get US entry for denied Somali referee

Infantino said it was unfortunate Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the U.S.

“We don’t control everything. We try. We’ll discuss, we will speak, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just chill, relax,” he said. “We try to solve everything. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution. Believe me when I tell you, or don’t believe me if you don’t want, but we try always to find solutions, always. But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces.”

Set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup, Artan was denied entry to the U.S. at Miami International Airport on Saturday over unspecified “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement, without giving details of the concerns.

“Our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything and you need to respect the decisions which are taken," Infantino said. “We are working behind the scenes.”

Infantino thinks FIFA deserves credit for ensuring Iran’s participation

Infantino praised FIFA for working through details that allow Iran to play in the tournament at a time the U.S. is at war with that country. The Iranian team moved its training camp from the U.S. to Mexico and will fly to the United States just before matches.

“I think it has already been successful to bring Iran to play in America," he said. “I don’t know who would have managed to do that. And of course everyone here believes it’s the right thing to do. But, again, we don’t live on the moon. We live on planet Earth and you have to deal with different situations.”

Infantino claimed the tournament will be “the biggest event probably in the history of mankind.”

Infantino claims tournament could not have taken place without Donald Trump

“Without his engagement and his involvement I think it would have been impossible — as simple as that, it would’ve been impossible to organize a World Cup in the United States,” Infantino said. “He understood immediately the magnitude of the World Cup, the impact of the World Cup.”

Infantino says FIFA could make far more money with more broadcast sales to pay services

FIFA is projecting $11 billion in revenue for the tournament, and Infantino said the governing body could have generated far more.

“We could put everything on pay. We would generate $30 billion revenues, probably," he said. "But then you have billions of people in the world who would not be able to watch the World Cup.”

This news conference went smoother than Infantino’s opening comments in Qatar

Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opening match in Qatar. He lectured Europeans for criticizing Qatar’s human rights record during a bizarre appearance in which he claimed to feel gay, like a woman and a migrant worker, among other odd claims.

Now 56, Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and intends to seek another term next year that runs through 2031.

Infantino kept an empty seat at the news conference for Christophe Gleizes, a French freelance reporter given a seven-year prison sentence in Algeria last year over an interview with a soccer official accused of ties to a banned separatist movement.

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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Alongside new policy proposals from the maker of the Claude chatbot, Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei published an essay on his personal website that expanded on his position that the government should promise economic support for those financially impacted by AI. The technology could produce much larger disruptions to the labor market than previous technological advancements, Amodei wrote, and those disruptions could last longer.

“The key challenge in such a world won’t be incentivizing growth, but finding a way for everyone to share in the benefits,” Amodei wrote.

The announcement comes on the heels of Anthropic rival OpenAI on Monday outlining goals that included ensuring gains from the technology are “widely shared.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently met with Sen. Bernie Sanders to discuss a plan for the public to take an ownership stake in artificial intelligence companies like OpenAI, using their stock to create a public wealth fund that would spread the fortune generated by AI behemoths.

In the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Donald Trump told reporters that he will soon meet with executives from several leading AI companies to discuss “giving back” to the public.

"We’re talking about giving back ​something to the public, and if we do that, the ⁠public will become very rich,” Trump said. “I think they’ll do that, and I think it’ll make ​it very popular.”

In his essay, Amodei said he has warned of job displacement not because he is “trying to be a ‘prophet of doom’” but because he wants “both policymakers and the private sector to have the best chance to adapt and respond.” He proposed better data collection to track AI job displacement, pro-employment policy incentives to slow or reduce displacement and “mechanisms such as universal basic income” if job displacement more permanently drives down labor demand.

That universal basic income could be financed through taxes on "relevant companies” or by raising the capital gains tax, Amodei wrote.

Scant details were available Wednesday about the $200 million commitment from Anthropic, but the company said it will go to what it calls an Economic Futures Research Fund that will back research trials and “program evaluation” on public policies it deems promising. The company is also establishing a $150 million national fellowship program it says will help early-career professionals “extend the benefits of AI to communities across America.”

Anthropic and OpenAI each recently announced they were moving toward initial public offerings of shares, following Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, which is pitching itself as an AI-focused space company as it prepares to go public.

The economic policy framework Anthropic proposed Wednesday set recommendations for how the U.S. government could respond to three levels of economic disruption caused by AI: one in which the national unemployment rate reaches 5%, 10% and an unspecified, “unprecedented” level. The latest unemployment rate, reported last week, was 4.3%.

In the “unprecedented” scenario, the company wrote that more permanent support will be necessary, and it listed several ways to generate and share revenue broadly, including basic income, sovereign wealth models and equity-sharing mechanisms. This would be “novel economic territory,” the company wrote.

The company's proposals also outlined several suggestions for mitigating safety and security risks. Anthropic is known for its emphasis on safety and building reliable, “steerable” AI systems, with Amodei and its co-founders splitting off from OpenAI to form the new company in 2021.

The proposals add that the government should be able to “block or deter” the rollout of AI models that “pose a significant risk of catastrophic harms.”

Amodei wrote that AI regulations should match the rigor of Federal Aviation Administration regulations in that AI models would be required to go through technical testing and auditing like airplanes. They wouldn’t be released if they didn’t meet high safety standards.

Last week, Trump signed an executive order on AI oversight that established a framework for the government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release.

Amodei added existing regulations for aircraft, automobiles and drugs should serve as models for regulating AI. They are all “powerful technologies essential to the modern economy,” he wrote, “but capable of killing large numbers of people if designed or operated poorly.”

Fresch, a former Rice standout who has 4.40 speed and a 41-inch vertical leap,led the UFL with 333 punt return yards and averaged 10.4 yards per punt return.

He recorded 29 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and four passes defended.

Fresch participated in the Texans’ local prospect day last year before going undrafted and signing with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL.

The Austin native and former All-Conference USA freshman selection started 42 games for the Owls. He had 52 tackles, nine passes defensed and one interception as a senior. He also caught a 40-yard pass.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.

The vote was 6,028 to 2,026 — a 3-to-1 margin — which easily exceeded the required two-thirds majority. It will require a similar two-thirds vote at next year's meeting to become part of the constitution.

The two-day meeting concluded Wednesday after bringing more than 11,000 delegates, or messengers, to a cavernous convention center in Orlando, Florida.

Typical of the SBC’s annual meetings, the gathering carries the feel of a town hall with a cast of thousands. It mixes worship and sermons with numerous motions and resolutions governed by parliamentary procedure, where the sacred and the arcane are debated with equal fervor. A debate Wednesday over the location of a future SBC annual meeting took longer than the debate over women pastors.

Albert Mohler, who sponsored the amendment on women pastors, said it addressed a defining issue.

“This is an opportunity for Southern Baptists to speak in truth, in unity, in conviction,” said Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

“There’s a great line that divides liberal and biblical evangelicalism, and you can see it on this very issue,” he said. “The trajectory of liberal denominations is clear.”

There was only brief debate — and none of it contained support for women pastors.

The sole opposition came from South Carolina pastor Doug Mize. He said the measure wasn’t necessary because the denomination already has a mechanism to expel churches with women in senior pastoral positions, and it’s done so multiple times.

“What we have already works,” he said.

Southern Baptist leaders cite biblical passages that limit pastors to men. Advocates for women’s ministry cite biblical passages that proclaim men and women as equal under God and where women are called to proclaim the gospel.

Southern Baptists can expel churches

While the SBC can't tell its self-governing churches what to do, it does have the power to expel churches from convention membership, declaring them not in “friendly cooperation.”

There’s already wide agreement within the denomination that its belief statement — the Baptist Faith and Message — rejects the appointment of women as senior pastors who lead churches. Debate has persisted regarding churches with women serving in assistant pastoral or preaching roles.

“We need constitutional clarity on this issue,” Mohler said. He had a lead role in drafting the Baptist Faith and Message, which passed in 2000.

The amendment's language requires the exclusion of any church that acts “to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.”

Churches were removed in recent years for having women pastors

In the previous three annual meetings, a majority of representatives voted to amend the SBC constitution to ban churches with women in any pastoral role. But only in one of those years did the measure get the needed two-thirds supermajority, so the matter languished.

The denomination has expelled churches with women in senior pastoral roles, including the large Saddleback Church of California, on the grounds of an existing clause in the constitution barring churches whose “faith and practice” was out of harmony with the denomination’s.

The SBC debate stands in stark contrast to the practices of numerous historic, more liberal Protestant denominations, which ordain women and have opened their highest offices to them. Practices vary widely in conservative, evangelical denominations — particularly in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, where prominent women pastors include Paula White-Cain, head of President Donald Trump’s White House Faith Office.

But other, more conservative Protestant groups do not ordain women as clergy. And the Catholic and Orthodox churches — the world’s two largest Christian communions — ordain only men to the priesthood.

Some Baptists disagree on women's roles

The organization Baptist Women in Ministry, which works with female ministers in various Baptist denominations, issued a statement lamenting the vote.

“We express our solidarity with the women in ministry who have been harmed by this vote, the hateful rhetoric and propaganda leading up to the vote, and the damaging theology the vote represents,” it said. “Women in ministry deserve affirmation, respect, and the opportunity to follow God’s call. We are heartbroken that they have been denied those fundamental freedoms in the process of this vote.”

Baptists say the Bible places high value on both men and women as created in the image of God while assigning them different roles in churches and homes. The Baptist Faith and Message not only asserts a male-only office of pastor but also the “servant leadership” of husbands over wives.

“I realize that in our egalitarian society, that runs against the grain,” Mohler said afterward. But he said Southern Baptists have a “pricelessly high view of the role of women and even the necessity of the gifts and contribution and work of women in every sphere of life.”

Resolutions passed on immigration and political violence

Later Wednesday, SBC messengers approved a resolutions denouncing political violence and hateful speech. They approved another that called for humane treatment of immigrants while affirming the legitimacy of immigration enforcement and rejecting nativistic and dehumanizing rhetoric.

They also approved a resolution denouncing antisemitic violence and conspiracy theories, notably those arising during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

At the same time, the resolution affirms Southern Baptists’ hope for Jews’ conversion to Christianity. In 1996, an SBC resolution called for the evangelization of Jews, prompting major Jewish leaders to call it a setback for interfaith relations.

On Tuesday, delegates elected Florida pastor Willy Rice to be its next president. He won 58% of the votes over South Carolina pastor Josh Powell.

Rice supported the amendment barring churches with women pastors, as did Powell and the SBC's departing president, Clint Pressley.

Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, drew support from advocacy groups such as the Center for Baptist Leadership, which have argued SBC leadership has gone “woke” on issues ranging from race to gender to immigration.

___

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.

Tonight is mild, muggy and buggy! Temperatures will struggle to cool down only dropping into the upper-70s.

Thursday’s Forecast:

Expect a mix of sunshine and cloud cover, with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s and lower 90s. Factor in the humidity, and we’ll feel closer to the triple digits.

There is a 20% chance for showers and storms in the afternoon. If you do see a downpour it can bring a quick inch or so of rain and frequent lightning strikes.

Three-Day Forecast

We are back in a typical June pattern! We’re hot and humid with afternoon highs feeling like 100 degrees. Every day there will be a chance for a quick afternoon downpour, but we aren’t expecting anything widespread like last week.

Tracking The Tropics:

The National Hurricane Center has marked an area in the Bay of Campeche for a 10% chance of development over the next week or so. A broad area of low pressure could form, but conditions are not expected to be favorable for significant development as it’ll move inland over eastern Mexico late this weekend totally squashing any chance of formation.

This means impacts to Texas will be indirect. Instead of a named storm, we’ll likely see an increase in tropical moisture, which could boost our rain chances starting Sunday and lasting into early next week.

This won’t lead to a washout, but it could mean periods of heavy downpours around the Houston area, including during some of the World Cup festivities this weekend.

We’re watching tropical moisture building up in the Gulf. Depending on its movement, it could reach southeast Texas by Saturday. That would bring back the risk of downpours and flooding if it lifts in our area.

There is a risk for flooding on Sunday, which is when Houston hosts its first World Cup game. This does not mean it will be a washout, but it does mean any shower or storm that we see before, during or after the game can lead to street flooding. Stay weather aware Sunday!

Your extended forecast:

We are back to a more typical weather pattern, but there is an increasing chance for rainfall into the end of the weekend and into next week.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Chiefs do not disclose financial terms of their contracts.

Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract in 2020 that set a benchmark not only for the quarterback position but for any football player. The latest extension ties the two-time MVP to the Chiefs through the 2033 season, when Mahomes will be 38, and it comes in at $504.75 million, with incentives and escalators that could push the value $522.25 million.

“The magic continues,” his agency, Equity Sports, and its chief executive Chris Cabott wrote on social media Wednesday.

The Chiefs and Mahomes regularly rework his contract in the offseason, giving the team the financial flexibility to surround him with enough talent to compete for championships. The latest deal, though, includes a massive pay increase after recent deals done for other quarterbacks — among them Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen — had reset the QB market.

Prescott's four-year deal included a league-leading average of $60 million per year. Mahomes will now average $63.1 million.

Mahomes underwent season-ending surgery last December after tearing ligaments in his left knee in the waning minutes of a loss to the Chargers. He has spent the entire offseason rehabbing the injury in Kansas City, and he has been on the field for the entirety of the Chiefs' offseason program, which concludes Thursday with the final day of their mandatory three-day minicamp.

“I like what I've seen. He's working hard,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier in offseason workouts. “This is good for him, I mean getting out there and throwing. It’s good rehab as he continues to rehab, so he keeps the feel with the wide receivers. Or he’s doing partial practice and — but it’s important that he keeps his timing up. He’s busting his tail to put himself in this position.”

Mahomes has insisted ever since his injury that his goal was to be ready for Week 1 of the coming season.

The Chiefs play their preseason opener against the Rams on Aug. 15, but their regular-season opener is not until Sept. 14, when they face defending AFC West champion Denver in a marquee Monday night matchup at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I want to be out there with my guys,” Mahomes said recently, "but I know that’s still a long ways away, and so all I can do is execute the day and do whatever I can do to be better that day. We’ve done that up until now, and we’ve set these checkpoints and these goals of where I want to be at, and I’ve gotten to those. So now I just have to continue to do that at the right pace.”

Mahomes has been shattering records ever since the Chiefs made him their starter for the 2018 season. He has thrown for nearly 36,000 yards, earned six Pro Bowl nods and won three Super Bowl titles in five trips to the championship game.

The Chiefs had been to three straight Super Bowls before finishing a disappointing 6-11 last season. Mahomes was on injured reserve for the final three games, all of them losses, while the Chiefs turned their attention toward the coming season.

“As a competitor and as a football player, I want to be there,” Mahomes said. “I can’t predict the future. All I can do is be great today and then continue to be great tomorrow, but I’ve gotten to where I’ve gotten to because of that mindset and the goal at the end — the very far end — is to be ready and to be able to go out there and play with the guys Week 1.”

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

Consumer prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.8% in April and the third straight monthly increase. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.5% last month, after big gains of 0.6% in April and 0.9% in March.

Prices have now risen faster than wages for several months, pressuring many Americans' finances and causing consumers to take a decidedly dim view of the economy. Families are dipping into savings to maintain their spending, and more people are falling behind on their credit card bills. Large retailers say they have also noticed changes in customer behavior, like buying smaller amounts of gas during visits to the pump.

Inflation is now well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, which it has surpassed for more than five years. New Fed chair Kevin Warsh will preside over his first policy meeting next week, when the central bank is expected to keep its key interest rate unchanged. But the Fed is also likely to change the statement it issues after each meeting to remove a suggestion that its next move could be to lower rates. With inflation proving stubborn, financial markets expect the Fed could instead raise rates by the end of the year.

When the Fed lifts rates, over time it can make mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing more expensive.

Outside energy costs, price increases last month were not as dramatic, a sign that sharply higher inflation hasn't yet spread throughout the economy. Should the Iran war end and oil and gas prices decline, headline inflation could begin to cool. Gas prices have fallen this month, though they remain elevated.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose at a more modest pace. On a monthly basis, they climbed just 0.2%, down from a 0.4% gain in April. Compared with a year ago, they have rise 2.9%, up from 2.8% in April.

President Donald Trump praised the inflation report in comments to reporters Wednesday, saying, “the numbers were great" and “I love it.”

He said the inflation data was good because it showed energy prices were a huge driver of rising costs — the government said they accounted for more than 60% of the monthly increase — and he suggested inflation would ease “as soon as this war is over.”

However, the U.S. launched more airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday, and Trump said more were coming, as Tehran fired back at countries in the region.

Crude prices shot back above $90 a barrel on the violent exchange of fire.

Still, many goods and services rose in price last month: Clothing costs increased 0.3% and are 4.8% more expensive than a year ago. Airline fares, pushed higher by pricier jet fuel, jumped 2.7% just in May and are nearly 27% higher than a year ago. Electricity prices rose 0.6% in May and are up 5.9% in the past year.

Grocery prices were tamer in May compared with previous months, rising just 0.1% from April. Still, they are up 2.7% from a year ago and have risen sharply since the pandemic.

“I don't think we're anywhere near out of the woods yet,” Omair Sharif, chief economist at Inflation Insights, said. Price increases “were stronger under the hood.”

Sharif and other economists point out that the cost of services, including child care, home health care, and dental services are still rising much more quickly than is consistent with the Fed's 2% inflation target.

Bill Adams, chief U.S. economist at Fifth Third Commercial Bank, attributed some of the gain to a crackdown on immigration, which has likely forced many employers in those industries to raise wages.

Inflation had been cooling before Trump imposed sweeping tariffs in April 2025, which lifted the costs of many goods. Prices have since surged after the Iran war made oil and gas more expensive, making affordability a key political issue.

Small businesses are struggling with higher costs, some of which they are passing on in the form of higher prices. Others have slowed hiring or even cut jobs.

Beth Benike, the founder of Oronoco, Minnesota-based Busy Baby, said her small company was hit hard by tariffs last year and is now struggling with higher shipping costs stemming from more expensive fuel. The company sells silicon placemats and toys that attach to high chairs and strollers.

Sales have declined as inflation has worsened, and Benike recently reduced one full-time employee to part-time hours. She said that more of her customers are now grandparents of newborns, rather than the parents.

“Grandparents have a little more disposable income than the generation that’s having babies,” she said.

Gas prices rose in May because of Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has choked off about a fifth of the world's oil supply. Prices at the pump rose, on average, from about $4.04 in mid-April to $4.49 in mid-May, according to the Energy Information Administration.

They have since fallen back to $4.16 on average nationwide, according to AAA, which could lead to a cooler inflation reading in June. That doesn't mean gas prices are not prominent in the minds of most Americans. A gallon of gas has hovered above $4 a gallon since March.

Major retail chains have discounted prices to accommodate customers who are watching their spending more closely.

Dollar General is expanding the number of items that cost $1 or less, including frozen food. The shift has come with shoppers swapping out favored retailers for dollar stores.

“When that (gas) price hits that $4 mark and then crosses it and then sustains for a while, you start to see that trade-in come in and you start to see that our core customer needs us most,” Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said this month.

Amber Greenwell, executive director of the America First Credit Union’s charitable foundation, based in Ogden, Utah, says the cost of gas, housing and groceries have risen sharply in her state and much of the west in the past year. Her organization organizes food and diaper drives in the six states where the credit union operates.

“There is substantial growth in families who need more food resources as well as diaper resources,” she said.

Stubbornly high inflation has shifted the debate among Fed policymakers, who had signaled at the start of the year that they were inclined to cut their key rate twice more this year. Now, more officials are saying they expect the Fed's next move will likely be a hike rather than a cut.

Despite higher inflation, the job market appears to be improving, with hiring increasing to a healthy level in May, and the economy is still growing. These positive signs suggest the Fed doesn't need to cut rates to stimulate growth and hiring. They also signal that the Fed's rate isn't so high that it is weighing on the economy. Yet some officials want rates to cool growth a bit, because that can bring down inflation.

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AP Writers Josh Boak and Anne D'Innocenzio contributed to this report. D'Innocenzio contributed from New York.

The S&P 500 dropped 1.6% for its first back-to-back drop in three weeks and is back to where it was in early May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 953 points, or 1.9%, and the Nasdaq composite led the market lower with a 2% slide.

Wall Street has been shaky since last week, when AI stocks went from roaring to records to suddenly turning lower. Among the worries is that their prices have simply shot too high, too fast because of AI mania. The question now is whether the break lower has cleared out excessive optimism that may have built into their stock prices, or if it’s the start of a longer downturn.

Super Micro Computer, which sells AI servers, tumbled 28% after saying late Tuesday that it plans to raise $7 billion in cash by selling shares of stock and convertible preferred stock. Such moves raise the most money for companies when their stock prices are high, and they can dilute the ownership stakes of existing shareholders.

Micron Technology swung from an early loss of nearly 4% to a modest gain and back to a loss of 4.7%. It’s coming off a wild stretch where it sank 7.7% last Thursday, then plunged another 13.3% Friday and rallied 9.9% Monday. Despite all the swings, the computer memory maker’s stock is still up 212.5% for the year so far.

Nvidia, the chip company that’s grown into a nearly $4.9 trillion behemoth because of the AI boom, was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after falling 3.7%. The second-heaviest was another AI winner, Broadcom, which fell 5.1%.

Some of the pressure on AI stocks could also be coming from investors pulling cash out to prepare for high-profile debuts on the U.S. stock market for several AI giants. SpaceX’s initial public offering could come later this week, for example.

Weakening stocks for companies with big fuel bills also pulled the market lower. United Airlines sank 6.2%, and cruise-operator Carnival fell 6.3% after oil prices rose due to the latest fighting in the war with Iran.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 1.8% to $93.10 after President Donald Trump warned Iran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations between the two on their war. The war has been keeping the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut to oil tankers, which has prevented the delivery of crude from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.

High oil prices have sent inflation higher, and a report on Wednesday showed that prices for U.S. consumers jumped in May at the highest speed in three years.

But Treasury yields nonetheless held relatively steady in the bond market because the figures were pretty much exactly what economists had forecast. The rise in an important underlying measure of inflation, meanwhile, was not as bad from April through May as economists expected.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.54% from 4.53% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with its overnight interest rates, held at 4.13%.

Traders have been building bets recently that the Fed will have to hike its main interest rate at least once this year, given how high inflation is and how strong the U.S. job market remains. Wednesday’s inflation update didn’t sway them much, according to data from CME Group.

High yields can slow entire economies and undercut prices for all kinds of investments, including stocks and cryptocurrencies. They hit investments seen as the most expensive in particular, and some critics are calling AI a bubble where investment inflated too far.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 119.66 points to 7,266.99. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 953.33 to 49,918.78, and the Nasdaq composite sank 509.32 to 25,169.50.

In stock markets abroad, indexes in Europe were mixed following sharper drops in Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 4.5%, hurt by losses for tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 sank 1.9% after data showed Japan’s producer price index, a measure for prices at the wholesale level, rose in May at the fastest pace in more than three years. Shares of technology and telecommunications giant SoftBank Group, which has a strong AI focus, lost 8.3%.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

The indictment describes threats and vandalism at officials' homes, some businesses and the Jewish Federation of Detroit.

“In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation are anti-American. We will counter intimidation with justice," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said.

The document highlights several incidents that made headlines in the past few years, including fake bloody corpses that were placed in an elected university board member's yard and the spray-painting of anti-Israel messages at the home of the school's president at the time, Santa Ono.

Two glass jars filled with a blue substance were thrown through a window at the home of the university provost, the government said.

“They marked their victims with threatening symbols used by Hamas, including red inverted triangles and red handprints,” the indictment states. “They used the internet and social media to broadcast their message to ensure their threats and commitment to continuing criminal activity were heard by their victims and others who support Israel.”

All eight are charged with conspiracy to transmit threats through interstate commerce, but some face more charges than others.

Five people made an initial appearance in federal court in Detroit; four of them were ordered to remain in custody at least until another hearing Friday.

About two dozen supporters appeared at the courthouse. Some carried Palestinian flags outside, and one had a sign that read, “Drop The Charges.”

“Everything that happened today is a shock,” said Eaman Ali, an organizer with the TAHRIR Coalition, a group of students and Ann Arbor community members that calls for divestment from Israel. “When one of us is targeted, we want to make sure we show up for them.”

Ali declined to comment about the specific allegations.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began, pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded that the University of Michigan’s endowment stop investing in companies with ties to Israel. But the university has insisted it has no direct investments and less than $15 million placed with funds that might include companies in Israel. That’s less than 0.1% of the total endowment.

In 2024, a pro-Palestinian camp on campus was cleared by police after a month. The university said it was a threat to public safety.

Sarah Hubbard, a member of the university's Board of Regents who found phony corpses on her lawn in 2024, welcomed the indictment, saying she was “very appreciative of the tireless work” of law enforcement.

Another board member, Jordan Acker, said his home, car and law office were vandalized with paint.

These big coastal floods happen when high tides and storm surges — the amount above normal tide level — combine with seas that are already rising. Those pile on top of natural climate patterns and other human influence.

Climate change has strengthened storms like Hurricane Ian, which caused significant flooding in 2022, scientists say. Flooding threatens hundreds of millions of people each year in low-lying coastal areas across the globe. It also causes billions of dollars in damage and can be deadly.

Floods that historically had a 1% chance of striking a coastline in a year are now about 12 times more likely, on average, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on Wednesday. Those events have become about four times more likely due to human-driven climate change, the research shows.

Researchers looked at how often extreme sea level events — which cause coastal flooding — happen by considering long-term records from tide gauges at more than 100 sites, as well as using climate modeling. The study looked at the increase from 1900 to 2005. It was limited through 2005 because after that, there weren't enough models that could point to instances of human-driven climate change. The researchers said their findings likely understate today's risk, because human contributions to changes in coastal extremes have only increased since then.

Researchers looked at which changes were caused by human activity, natural forces or shifts in the landscape. Although sea level changes earlier in the 20th century could mostly be chalked up to natural forces, the scientists found that since the 1960s, human-caused warming was the main reason sea levels are going up.

A separate study published in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday also supports the idea that extreme ocean heights come from climate change, specifically around 58% of the days with big floods from 2000 to 2018. Climate change has also, on average, nearly tripled the number of days where the sea tops extreme flood levels since the 1970s, according to that study.

“Essentially every coastal flood today has human fingerprints on it through climate change,” said Ben Strauss, chief scientist at Climate Central and a co-author of the Science Advances study. “Without the extra bit of sea level rise caused by global heating, most of these events would not have reached the status of flood.”

The research in Nature Climate Change didn't fully examine individual human factors, said Sönke Dangendorf, the lead author, but he noted greenhouse gases — the result of burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal — are the most significant.

“Since the 1970s, it’s by far the dominating factor, and this is of course not good news,” said Dangendorf, also an associate professor at Tulane University. He said the threat is growing, and communities need to do more to prepare.

Jeff Williams, a retired United States Geological Survey oceanographer who wasn’t part of either study, said the research shows that planners need to take the growing threats into account. They should also think about how much money they'll need to increase coastal protection, he said, and figure out who pays for it.

The current protections for New Orleans, for instance, “will likely not be adequate beyond the next couple decades,” Williams said.

Nations across the globe are increasingly using renewable energies like solar and wind. Last year, clean power generation exceeded overall global electricity demand growth, and the share of renewables hit more than one-third of the world’s electricity mix for the first time.

Even in the United States, where the Trump administration has boosted fossil fuels, solar is growing as coal power declines. As such, scientists have recently said the world is no longer on track for the worst case scenario for warming — but it's also not on track to the best case, either.

“The impacts, even of a relatively little sea level rise, can be pretty impactful on our coasts,” Dangendorf, the Tulane author, said.

“There is a silver lining because we have control about how much we emit, right?” he said. “So we can stop that development, at least to some degree.”

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Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

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Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

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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.

Unveiled by Ian McKellen, the plaque at 22 Lupus Street in Pimlico marks the place where Olivier began acting as a child.

“For those of us who were lucky enough to have seen him in the theater, it’s of course quite right that, because he was the leader of our profession for so many years, it’s appropriate that this should be put up," McKellen told The Associated Press after the event. “Actors go out of fashion very quickly, but I've a feeling that this man's name will never be forgotten, and perhaps because of this plaque."

Olivier lived at Lupus Street between the ages of 6 and 11. While there, he reportedly transformed a wooden box and blue curtains into a makeshift stage where he sang, danced, and acted for hours at a time.

Olivier was venerated as a Shakespearean actor, playing many iconic protagonists in London including Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth and, controversially, Othello. For his role as Hamlet, Olivier won his only Academy Award for best actor in 1949. Other famous screen roles include ones in “Rebecca," "Wuthering Heights"," "Marathon Man" and "Sleuth."

London owes much to Olivier, who died at age 82 in 1989.

He campaigned for the establishment of the National Theatre. The building that now houses the theatre officially opened in 1976 and its largest auditorium is named after Olivier.

“Laurence Olivier transformed British theater and film through the brilliance, range and intensity of his performances," said English Heritage senior historian Howard Spencer. "The plaque celebrates the formative home where one of Britain’s greatest cultural figures first found his voice as an actor.”

The Olivier Awards, which celebrate London's theater scene, were named in his honor.

The London blue plaque program began more than 150 years ago. The plaques commemorate notable people who made London their home at some point. There are more than 900 official plaques in the capital.

The first plaque commemorated the poet Lord Byron in 1867 but the house was later demolished. The oldest surviving plaque commemorates France’s final emperor, Napoleon III.

Ladislav Petro, 51, escaped from the Houston Contract Detention Facility on March 15, prompting about a 24-hour manhunt.

After his escape, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson would not provide specifics on how Petro got out of the facility.

In April, a federal grand jury indicted Petro on charges including willfully preventing or hampering departure after a final order of removal and escape, records show.

Petro had multiple criminal arrests and an Interpol Red Notice for production and distribution of child pornography, according to an ICE spokesperson.

MORE ON ICE: Largest ICE detention facility wasted millions and put detainees at risk, report finds

How the escape happened

According to the newly unsealed federal criminal complaint, ICE learned about the escape from the facility on Export Plaza Drive on Sunday, March 15, around 4:22 p.m.

Detention officers from Core Civic, the contractor responsible for the detention of ICE detainees, allegedly told ICE staff the escape happened sometime between 9:20 a.m. and 2 p.m.

It was not discovered until around 4 p.m. during a facility headcount, according to records.

Surveillance video showed Petro on the recreation yard, and when investigators searched the yard, they found a yoga mat, according to records.

“Further investigation revealed the defendant used that yoga mat to scale the recreation yard wall to the roof of the building and then subsequently jumped from the roof to an area outside of the facility,” and ICE officer wrote in the complaint.

Petro had been ordered removed from the U.S. in May of 2024, according to records, and his case was pending with the Board of Immigration Appeals.

The escape prompted a multi-agency manhunt.

“Following the escape, detention staff immediately notified local, state, and federal authorities, and a coordinated, multi-agency search was immediately launched to quickly locate Petro. Thanks to the efforts of all agencies involved, Petro was safely apprehended in just over 24 hours not far from the Houston Contract Detention Facility,” an ICE spokesperson told KPRC 2 News three days after the escape.

Obtaining the documents

The criminal complaint detailing exactly how Petro escaped was filed under seal on March 15.

Even though Petro was arrested and in custody, the document remained sealed.

In late April, KPRC 2 News asked the U.S. Department of Justice why the document remained sealed, and without any reasoning but within hours, federal prosecutors filed a motion to unseal the criminal complaint.

Records show U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo signed an order to finally unseal the records last week.

Petro remains in federal custody with a trial date scheduled in June.

KPRC 2 News has reached out to ICE to find out if any procedures have changed, and if any tools like yoga mats have been removed or restricted for use or access by detainees.

An ICE spokesperson provided KPRC 2 with the following statement:

Immediately following an escape at an ICE detention facility, a Corrective Action Team is deployed to conduct an exhaustive review of the circumstances that led to the escape to identify any deficiencies or vulnerabilities and to make recommendations regarding potential enhancements to current policies, procedures, and training to prevent future escapes. In the event human error is discovered to have contributed to the escape, ICE leadership counsels the individual(s) at fault and takes further corrective or disciplinary action, if warranted.

For operational security reasons, ICE is unable to comment on any potential deficiencies or vulnerabilities that were identified, or any remedial actions that were implemented, following the escape at the Houston Contract Detention Facility.

Leo called Gaudí’s unfinished temple, one of the world’s most visited monuments, a “sign of unity and harmony for all of Spain,” an ongoing building project like the lifelong journey all Christians make to find God.

“We are all the living stones of this edifice,” Leo said from the altar of the basilica, with Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia sitting to his side and a hundreds-strong choir filling the basilica with song.

The service marked the highlight of Leo’s weeklong visit to Spain, the first by a pope in 15 years to the once staunchly Catholic European country that, like many others, has experienced secularizing trends.

The trip, though, has underscored how the country of 50 million people, which experienced a religious crisis after its 20th century dictatorship ended, still has plenty of faithful Catholics who have turned out in droves to welcome the American pope.

An estimated 120,000 people lined the streets around Sagrada Familia for the event, with streets closed to traffic and a heavy police presence, given the attendance of the royal couple and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The crowds remained after Mass to watch as Leo inaugurated the basilica's final Tower of Jesus Christ that has made it the world's tallest church.

Speaking in Catalan and Spanish, Leo blessed the tower and its illuminated ceramic cross from outside the basilica, surrounded by bishops craning their mitre-capped heads to look up. An angelic boy's choir sang as a spectacular light show lit up the basilica's stained glass windows from the inside and fireworks shot off its facade.

Honoring Catalonia's Christian traditions

Earlier Wednesday, Leo celebrated a more ancient sacred monument, traveling to Montserrat, a mountain complex outside the city that is dear to many Catalans. The complex, which includes an 11th-century Benedictine abbey and a 16th-century basilica, is revered for its Black Madonna statue and is home to a boy's choir that has existed since the 13th century and is Europe's oldest.

Thousands of faithful arrived early at the monastery, with groups of nuns and schoolchildren singing and waving signs and photographs of the pope outside the basilica. Bells rang out over the spire-like rock formations that top Montserrat and the valley below as Leo arrived in a golf cart.

In recent years, the Montserrat abbey has faced numerous accusations from survivors of clergy sexual abuse and was included in the Spanish ombudsman’s 800-page report on the crisis in 2023. The report found 15 victims and three alleged perpetrators linked to the abbey.

“It’s very painful because there are members of the church who committed errors,” said the Rev. Cesario Escarda, a Toledo priest, as he waited for Leo at the abbey. “What the pope wants to do is shine a light on the truth and ask forgiveness and bring in the victims and listen to them and accompany them.”

The Bible carved in stone

The highlight of Leo’s visit, though, was his Mass at Sagrada Familia to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of its famed Catalan designer, Gaudí, who died at age 73, three days after he was hit by a tram.

A century after construction began during the pontificate of Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, the basilica has become one of the world’s most visited but unfinished monuments, annually drawing upward of 5 million visitors a year.

Commemorating Gaudí's death, Leo said he wanted to give thanks to all the supporters, artists and workers who “cooperated in the construction of an architectural masterpiece, which is also an eloquent catechesis made of stones, colors and light.”

Gaudí, who is on the path to possible sainthood, spent four decades designing and building the temple as the summary of the Christian faith carved in stone. The most important stories of Jesus’ life, the Nativity and Passion, are etched into the basilica’s east and west facades. A third facade facing south, the Glory, will serve as the basilica’s main entrance when finished.

The temple is an architectural and geometrical masterpiece inside and out, an art nouveau celebration in form and symbol of Christianity and God’s creation through stone and light.

“Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia remains a work in progress today, reminding us that the Christian life is always a journey, because it is a project that God is carrying out,” Leo said in his homily.

A total of 18 sandcastle spires rise up from the top and pierce Barcelona’s skyline: 12 to symbolize Christ’s 12 apostles, four for each of the four Evangelists who recorded Christ’s life in the Gospels, one topped with a star over the apse honoring the Virgin Mary and, tallest among them, the Tower of Jesus Christ.

When the final Christ tower was finished last year at a height of 172½ meters (564 feet), it made Sagrada Familia the world’s tallest church.

“The entire structure of the Sagrada Familia is striking,” said Laura Rincón, who was on hand outside along with two friends for the Mass, after she finished work in a nearby shop. She said that she was sure the pope would be impressed by the church she marvels at every time she passes by.

“If you look at it just for its architecture, it is amazing,” she said. “Inside, its columns make you feel like you are inside a forest.”

An interior that looks like a forest

The cross-shaped interior, with the altar at the apse, is an homage to light and nature. Treelike columns soar to the sky, colored by constantly changing light filtered through stained glass windows like the sun poking through leaves in a forest.

“Nature is my teacher,” Gaudí once said. “Everything comes from the great book of nature, always open that we must read.”

The colors of the window glass have meaning: The blues and greens of the eastern portal windows, where the facade depicts Christ’s birth, look more joyful and are most brilliant when the sun rises and light passes through. The coarser shades of red and orange, illuminated by the setting sun on the western portals, color the side of the basilica that depicts Christ’s Passion. Behind the altar and above the cross are yellows and gold that glimmer in the noonday sun.

Historian Mònica Santín, who leads tours of the basilica, said that in designing Sagrada Familia, Gaudí was guided by two books: the Gospels and nature.

“The way he lets in the natural light is also an invitation to the Christian mystery,” she said, citing the three facades depicting Christ’s birth, death and glory.

“And when you enter inside, it is all light,” Santín said. “What is that the symbol of? We can’t see God, but we perceive his light all around us. I think that is how you can read this message, and it is fascinating.”

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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.

Demonstrators wearing masks tore bricks from the walls outside homes and smashed sidewalks with sledgehammers to toss at riot police. In one place, the unruly crowd used sections of a dismantled a picket fence to take cover on the street.

The clashes with police came several hours after a 30-year-old man from Sudan appeared in a Belfast court charged with attempted murder in a stabbing attack that left a man seriously injured and triggered anti-immigrant violence.

Hadi Alodid, 30, was ordered held in jail after appearing by video in Belfast Magistrates’ Court, where a detective said he blinded Stephen Ogilvie in the left eye during the knife attack. He was also charged with possessing a knife and threatening to kill a radiographer while being treated for a hand injury after the assault.

When police arrived at the crime scene, they found Alodid on the man, armed with a kitchen knife, the detective said. Alodid later told hospital staff: “I’ve killed someone, I don’t know if they are dead,” and said, “I will kill you."

He refused legal representation through an Arabic interpreter and did not enter a plea.

Police were prepared for more violence after masked men on Tuesday set fire to several homes they believed to house immigrants, burned trash bins, torched a Belfast bus and pelted police with objects.

Firefighters rescued several people from burning houses and more than two dozen people were left homeless.

Anselme Shima, a Belfast resident originally from Congo, said he saw smoke from burning vehicles near his home.

“I’ve lived on my street for almost 10 years, I have a good relationship with my neighbors, but last night was a horrific one,” he said. “We don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Seeing this, I’m wondering if I’m next.”

Families, one with a baby, were rescued and taken to police stations for safety, Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said.

“These weren’t just families from ethnic minority communities, these were families from across communities that were caught up in this vile behavior last night," Boutcher told the BBC. “There is absolutely no excuse for it.”

Boutcher said 200 more officers would be on the streets Wednesday and the PSNI was calling in support from other forces. Bus and train operators in Belfast said they would stop services early because of expected protests.

Ogilvie’s family appealed for an end to the violence and said migrants “make a deeply valuable contribution to our country.”

“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility,” the family said in a statement.

Politicians from both parts of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government condemned the violence. First Minister Michelle O’Neill of Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein said it was “thuggery.”

“Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” she said.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, said that “taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong.”

The attack was caught on video

Monday’s attack, caught in video footage that quickly spread on social media, was seized on by anti-immigration activists. Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with deep cuts to his head, face and back.

Police said Alodid entered Northern Ireland from the neighboring Republic of Ireland in 2023, applied for asylum and was given a 5-year permit to remain.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said there is no information to suggest the attack was terrorism-related.

Protests were encouraged online by far-right activists, and the street violence erupted despite politicians' calls for calm.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the stabbing attack as “sickening,” but said violence against people based on their background would not be tolerated.

“The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable," Starmer said on X. “There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.”

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long said social media agitators who “yesterday would have struggled to find Belfast on a map” were “weaponizing” the fears of local people.

“If you’re driving people from their homes based on nothing but the color of their skin, you can’t dress that up any other way, it’s racism, and those bad faith actors need to take a step back,” she told the BBC.

Some raise questions about the Irish border

Some politicians said the stabbing should spark a review of the open border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., and the Republic of Ireland.

The border is a highly sensitive issue. Allowing the free flow of people is a major pillar of the peace process that largely ended decades of violence known as “The Troubles.” The conflict involving Irish Republican and British Loyalist militants and U.K. security forces left almost 3,600 people dead before a 1998 peace accord.

Much of Tuesday’s violence took place in working-class areas where former paramilitary groups still hold considerable sway over the streets.

Last week a separate case of a university student who was stabbed to death in Southampton, England, in December was seized on by activists and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who blamed immigration for the violence, an idea rejected by Starmer and other British politicians.

Henry Nowak, who was white, was killed by Vickrum Digwa, a Sikh who falsely claimed to police that he was the victim of a racist assault by Nowak. When police officers arrived, they initially treated the wounded Nowak as a suspect before noticing his injury and trying to resuscitate him.

Digwa was convicted of murder and sentenced last week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term. A protest over Nowak’s death turned violent, with some attacking police with chairs and rocks. Several people were charged with violent disorder.

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Lawless reported from London. Brian Melley contributed to this story.

The warrant signed by a federal judge last week approved the seizure of documents and records related to the “storage, use, or disposal” of methyl methacrylate, the chemical inside the affected tank.

“Samples of the substance within any tank, tote, drum, vat, vessel, or container suspected of containing or having previously contained methyl methacrylate and/or any hazardous substance” were also sought, according to the warrant.

The warrant also orders agents to seize records related to “any cooling equipment or other equipment used to control or regulate the temperature of methyl methacrylate.”

The FBI confirmed its agents were searching GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems in the Orange County city of Garden Grove. Multiple vehicles and several federal agents were seen outside the facility Wednesday morning.

Company says it's cooperating with authorities

GKN Aerospace makes cockpit windows, canopies and windshields. The tank that overheated contained 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,700 to 26,500 liters) of methyl methacrylate, which is highly flammable. The liquid is used in the manufacturing of plastics and coatings, such as Plexiglas and dental prosthetics.

Exposure to the chemical can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological issues and irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The chemical that overheated is still in the holding tank, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency, which is leading the site cleanup and waste removal efforts.

The agency had planned to pump the neutralized methyl methacrylate from the storage tanks into sealed trucks for transport and disposal starting at the end of last week, according to a press release on the agency’s website. But on Friday, they said the removal didn’t happen “due to unavailable resources.”

Once a new date is confirmed, they will provide advance notice to the community.

Responding to a request for comment on the FBI investigation, a GKN spokesperson told the AP on Wednesday morning: “We are cooperating with authorities at our Garden Grove facility and will continue to do so.”

GKN Aerospace’s Steve Carlin spoke at a community meeting Tuesday evening. He thanked the firefighters and local leaders who responded to the incident at the plant that employs more than 500 people, and apologized to the community.

“On behalf of GKN and the Garden Grove plant I want to say that I’m sorry that this event and this incident occurred. I understand and I realized sitting here tonight what a disruptive event it was and how unsettling it is to the greater community. Particularly unsettling to us at GKN because of the long history that we have with Garden Grove and how connected we are to this community.”

Garden Grove city leaders and residents urged GKN Aerospace to consider moving these tanks of methyl methacrylate off of the Garden Grove plant, so the chemical would be far away from residents and businesses. But Carlin said it is very early in the investigation into what happened, so it is too soon to decide what the company might do in response to the incident. He promised to be transparent with the community about the investigation.

Overheating tank risked a catastrophic explosion

The incident was reported on May 21 and evacuations began the next day. The tank overheated because a valve on the cooling system that kept it at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) failed, officials said.

Crews sprayed water on the tank until the interior temperature stabilized to 92 F (33.3 C), down from 100 F (37.7 C). A sprinkler system was used to douse the tank, and the company said its technical specialists and firefighters removed insulation from the tank to help cool it.

A crack that formed by chance on the tank relieved pressure and helped avert a catastrophic explosion, allowing most evacuees to return home over the Memorial Day weekend. Authorities announced they were lifting the final orders after the temperature on the tank remained stable for four hours without intervention from sprinklers.

Separately, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office also is conducting a criminal investigation into the GKN Aerospace plant, according to DA spokesperson Kimberly Edds.

“We have sent a preservation letter to GKN directing them not to modify or destroy any evidence, which the company’s outside counsel confirmed receipt,” Edds told The Associated Press in an email.

Lawyers in federal lawsuits welcome the FBI's involvement

About a dozen people and businesses that were among the 50,000 evacuated during the chemical emergency have filed lawsuits against the company. Some residents reported strong odors, respiratory irritation, headaches and dizziness. They question why the chemical plant was allowed to operate so close to homes.

Lawyer Rickard McCune represents Big Rob’s Pizzeria and Fruit Caboose Concessions in a federal lawsuit claiming GKN Aerospace and parent company Melrose Industries were negligent and put the surrounding communities at risk. He said they’re pleased the federal government is investigating. The FBI’s involvement will help bring justice to those who were harmed, he said.

Another lawyer, Alex Wheeler, represents Dinh Tran and Drippys Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches and said they’re relieved that the FBI is using its resources to investigate potential criminal acts.

“As more information becomes public, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the risk to our community posed by GKN’s operation of the Garden Grove facility may require a long term and lasting solution,” Wheeler said.

GKN did not immediately respond to the allegations in the lawsuits.

Orange County health officials assured residents that no contamination or fumes were released, and that they would keep monitoring the air for several months and checking the sewer and storm drains.

The California incident was the first of two major hazardous chemical emergencies on the West Coast within a week of each other. Five days after the GKN Aerospace situation began, a large tank containing a corrosive chemical at a Longview, Washington paper mill ruptured and imploded, killing 11 people.

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Bellisle reported from Seattle. Associated Press journalist Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed.

Attorneys presented opening statements in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. Whether prosecutors can prove to jurors that Rinderknecht, 29, started a fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2025, and that it then turned into the Palisades Fire will be at the center of the trial.

Prosecutors say the Jan. 1 fire burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up on Jan. 7. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt O'Brien told jurors that security camera footage shows where and when the fire ignited atop a hill, and investigators were able to place Rinderknecht nearby because he called 911 for help 16 times in quick succession on the evening of Jan. 1.

O'Brien said that Rinderknecht was the only person there that evening. He said that after firefighters arrived, Rinderknecht followed them up the hill to take videos of them putting out the blaze. Investigators later seized a barbecue lighter from his car that he admitted to having with him on the trail.

Defense attorney Steve Haney said Rinderknecht was on the hilltop near the fire's ignition that night, but only to watch the fireworks after dropping off Uber passengers nearby. Haney said multiple witnesses as well as first responders will testify that they heard fireworks in the area around the time the fire ignited.

“When all the evidence is in, there will be one thing missing: proof that Jonathan Rinderknecht started that fire on Jan. 1,” Haney told jurors.

The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rinderknecht faces at least five years in prison if convicted of charges that also include malicious destruction by means of a fire.

O'Brien, in his opening, painted a picture for the jury of a troubled young man who was lonely and angry at the world after a recent breakup.

“He wanted revenge — revenge against society because he blamed society for all his troubles,” he said.

O'Brien also showed jurors a prompt that Rinderknecht had entered into ChatGPT six months earlier. “So on the far left, we're going to have a burning forest and then you have a bunch of people running away from that,” the prompt began.

Haney reminded jurors it didn't matter if they liked his client or “approve of the way Jonathan uses his computer.” He said Rinderknecht’s behavior after the fire, from calling 911 to cooperating with investigators, demonstrated his innocence.

Haney played an audio recording of Rinderknecht’s conversation with a 911 operator during which he reported a fire in the Pacific Palisades.

When federal investigators knocked on Rinderknecht's door, he didn’t hide or refuse to answer, Haney said. Rinderknecht even agreed to drive back to the Palisades to help investigators pinpoint the start of the fire.

“It’s the voice and actions of a man who was trying to stop the fire,” Haney said.

Leading up to the trial, Haney has argued that Rinderknecht is being made as a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s failure to fully extinguish the Jan. 1 blaze.

Judge Anne Hwang has ruled that the defense can’t introduce evidence or arguments about alleged negligence by the Fire Department, saying it was irrelevant and could confuse the jury. Defense attorneys had planned to include testimony from a firefighter that the fire was visibly smoldering when first responders left before it reignited days later.

Prosecutors began presenting their case by calling witnesses with California State Parks and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to establish that the fire affected areas with federal jurisdiction.

Sean O'Malley earned American style points for dressing in red — his hair and suit — and blue — dress shirt, tie and, well, hair again — and Michael Chandler visualized accessorizing his fight night walk-out before he dished out a patriotic pounding draped in an American flag.

“For me to walk from the White House to the octagon to represent America, to represent myself, to represent just who I am and what this country means to me,” Chandler said, “it’s just a dream come true.”

The usual foul-mouthed fight hype from UFC's American fighters ahead of their prime-time debut Sunday on the White House grounds largely yielded to bursts of national pride Wednesday.

O'Malley, known as much for his cornucopia of colors that turn his locks into rainbows or cotton candy tops as his fight skills, tried to downplay the week and called it business as usual. In the next breath, O'Malley confessed fighting on a UFC card on the South Lawn was indeed “epic.”

Hokit, meanwhile, wasn't about to modify his style on the microphone just because he will fight in the mixed martial arts show timed to coincide with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

"You'll never see me apologize for anything I do,” Hokit said.

Well, the heavyweight is in the right city for that declaration. He was one of several fighters who added a dash of brashness and boldness in the nation's capital just four days before the surreal juxtaposition of pummeling and patriotism set for Trump and UFC boss Dana White's big-fight vision of UFC Freedom 250.

Forget the Washington Monument. The claw, the temporary arena structure that houses the eight-sided cage, is the buzziest landmark this week in DC.

Weather is a slight concern for fight night

Umbrellas were a necessary accessory around Washington early Wednesday and the threat of heavier rain later in the week, which could dampen both a scheduled press conference at the Lincoln Memorial as well as fight night, was the only true concern ahead of the fight card.

White, who helped launch UFC into a global sports empire, insisted inclement weather will not keep the spectacle from proceeding as scheduled.

“We're going to be good on Sunday,” White said this week. “I don't care if it snows, rains, we're going. Even lightning. You guys all played sports when you were growing up. Whenever there was lightning, you'd sit the lightning out. When it was over, you played. That's what we'll do.”

Two titles at stake on the South Lawn

While the South Lawn setting normally reserved for low-contact events like the annual Easter Egg Roll is the real star of the show, there are two championship fights set for the Paramount+ show.

In a card that has been panned by fans online as underwhelming, Brazil’s Alex Pereira will meet France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title. Then Spanish-Georgian lightweight champion Ilia Topuria takes on interim champ Justin Gaethje, one of just two Americans who currently hold even a share of the UFC’s 11 championship belts.

Middleweight Bo Nickal was a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Penn State who was awed when he met Trump in 2019 at the White House during a ceremony for collegiate national champions.

"The president said hello to all the teams,” Nickal said Wednesday. “When he got to us, he was all excited because he likes wrestlers. He talked to us for maybe 10, 15 minutes because he likes chatting.”

Nickal is set to fight on the main card Sunday against Philadelphia fighter Kyle Daukaus. Nickal called fighting on the show a “massive opportunity,” and one he may have manifested back in that 2019 meeting.

“I told him at that time in 2019 that I was going to fight at UFC,” Nickal said. “He asked if I needed an agent. He’s put in a good word for me, obviously, getting on this card.”

The bulk of UFC's roster seemingly threw their names on the ballot and hoped to get the call they would fight in front of the president.

Chandler, the 40-year-old Missouri native, laughed when he said he would feel “as high as kite in the best way possible” on his way to the cage. He was thrilled when he earned a lightweight bout against Mauricio Ruffy.

“Even if you're not watching, you've heard about this card, whether you like to admit it or not,” Chandler said.

White not fazed by federal lawsuit

Not everyone is on board with fighters commandeering the same South Lawn where Dwight D. Eisenhower once put in a putting green.

A federal lawsuit filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration’s authorization of the event was unlawful. The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.

White, a long-time friend and former business associate of Trump's from the days when Boardwalk cards at Trump Taj Mahal lifted UFC into relevancy, brushed off the idea the lawsuit could halt the fight card.

“We were expecting a lawsuit,” White said. “We expected everything coming into this event. We thought it would be sooner. We knew it was going to come. We didn't know who or how, but we knew it was going to come.”

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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

Long considered among the best actors to never win one, the eight-time nominee will get an honorary Academy Award along with director Ridley Scott and animator Floyd Norman at the annual Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday.

“Throughout her extraordinary body of work, Glenn Close’s unparalleled emotional range has brought to life some of the most complex characters in cinema,” the academy said in a statement. “Floyd Norman is the legendary animator who has broken barriers and inspired generations of artists over his remarkable career. Sir Ridley Scott is a true visionary whose decades-long legacy has left an immeasurable impact on global cinema and culture.”

Nominations for the 79-year-old Close date back to 1983, when she got her first nod for “The World According to Garp.” She was also nominated for her blockbuster turn as a rabbit-slaying stalker in 1987's “Fatal Attraction” and was most recently up for a statuette for 2020's “Hillbilly Elegy.”

Her eight nominations tie her with Peter O'Toole for the most for an actor without a win.

She has won virtually every other major award within reach, including three Emmys, three Tonys, three Grammys and three Golden Globes.

The Governors Awards often go to artists with extraordinary careers, but no competitive Oscar. Tom Cruise, a recipient last year, is a case in point.

Scott, the 88-year-old director of “Alien,” “Blade Runner” and “Gladiator” whose epic decades of work have blended popular success and prestige like few others, has also never won despite four nominations, including best director nods for “Thelma & Louise” and “Black Hawk Down.”

Norman’s 65-year career began in 1956 when he became the first Black animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios, contributing to “Sleeping Beauty,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book” and Robin Hood.” Decades later, he would work on “Mulan,” “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.”

Producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will get the academy's Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, presented to “a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production,” the academy said.

Vachon and Koffler co-founded the New York-based indie production hub Killer Films in 1995. Their credits as producers include “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” One Hour Photo” and “May December.” Both were nominated for best picture Oscars for “Past Lives” in 2024. Killer Films' output includes “Velvet Goldmine,” “Happiness,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Far from Heaven” and “Carol.”

The academy statement says the two “play a central role in American independent cinema, championing bold, ambitious and distinctive storytelling.”

All the winners will be honored at a ceremony on Nov. 15 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood, the same complex that hosts the main Oscars ceremony. Along with luminaries who worked with the honorees, the event has been increasingly packed with young stars as it has become the unofficial kickoff to Hollywood's award season campaigning.

The Governors Awards, named for the academy's board of governors and not the leader of the state, honor “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Collins has proved to be a hard target for Democrats, even for candidates without the baggage of Platner, who has faced criticism for his relationships with women, for his inflammatory online posts and for a previous tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol.

Collins is also the rare Republican these days who can sometimes boost her own popularity back home by keeping her distance from President Donald Trump. She has perfected that delicate dance over the years even as Trump has sharply criticized her and tightened his grip on the party, costing two of Collins' colleagues their chance of reelection.

On Wednesday, however, Trump made clear he is in Collins' corner.

Although the president told reporters Wednesday that “she's not my best friend at all,” he also said “she's a sane person and she's a person that never missed a vote in many years.” Collins recently set a record by casting her 10,000th Senate vote in a row.

Trump suggested Platner is "worse than any human being that’s run for office probably" and went on to insult the Democratic nominee. "He’s a cheap, no-good person," the president said, adding, “He's like a pig.”

With the November general election months away, it is uncertain whether Trump's support for Collins will help or hurt as she seeks a sixth term. Years of practice have made her adept at staying close — but not too close — to the president when it is politically advantageous, and moving away when showing an independent streak is helpful.

“She’s shown time and time again where her state’s electorate is. She understands what’s too far, she understands where she needs to be,” said Republican political consultant Matt Mackowiak.

The road to Senate control goes through Maine

The Democrats need to flip four seats to take control of the Senate. They hope Trump's falling approval ratings and the war with Iran, as well as the fallout on oil prices and the economy, could buoy their chances. Maine is among the top targets, along with Alaska, Ohio and North Carolina.

Platner wants to make the case that Collins is not as independent of Trump as her reputation suggests. He often notes that she allowed his Supreme Court nominees to go through, which in 2022 led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that had legalized abortion.

"Susan Collins may have started her career decades ago in Washington with good intentions, but she has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves," Platner said at a party Tuesday celebrating his primary victory.

Platner supporters are ready for change, said John Keenan of Sullivan, Maine.

“I think Maine has grown tired of the same old system,” he said. “And putting youth into the campaign, with new instead of a rubber stamp, is very refreshing.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee posted a pro-Collins video on X that resembled a 1980s video game. It said Collins “has brought more than $1.5 billion back to Maine" and Platner “spent time as a kid at a $70,000 a year prep school in Connecticut.”

Trump has often criticized Collins, but not lately

Collins may still have to stay wary of Trump, who has singled her out for daring to occasionally defy him on some issues. For example, she voted last week with Democrats to block the nearly $1.8 billion fund the president wanted to create to benefit allies that he claims were unfairly targeted by law enforcement.

Nonetheless, he has refrained from criticizing lately, especially as the senator failed to draw a credible GOP challenger and cruised in the primary.

Political advisers close to Trump said the president understands how critical it is that Republicans maintain control of Congress, and that requires accommodating Collins. Trump understands the need to avoid a Republican wipeout like the 2018 midterms when Democrats flipped the House and derailed much of the final two years of his first-term plans.

Collins " represents the people of Maine first and foremost and has proven herself to be a dedicated public servant," said Republican National Committee spokesperson Kristen Cianci in a statement.

Collins spokesperson Blake Kernen said the senator “has worked with five different Presidents throughout her Senate tenure, and has never agreed with any of them on every issue.”

“When she agrees with an effort, she will support it; when she disagrees, she does not hesitate to speak up for what she believes is the right outcome for Maine and for America,” Kernen said in a statement.

Other Republicans ran into trouble with Trump

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas was among his party's top voices, but Trump viewed him as insufficiently loyal. State Attorney General Ken Paxton trounced Cornyn in a runoff race on May 26, just days after receiving Trump's endorsement.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial after the Capitol siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Cassidy lost his primary when Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming advanced to a runoff later this month.

“She’s always down in the polls and she survives,” Trump said when asked about Collins in an interview with the New York Post last week.

Collins defeated Gideon, the Maine House speaker, by almost 9 percentage points in 2020, the same year that Democrat Joe Biden beat Trump by a similar margin in the state.

Mackowiak said “there’s just no pathway to a MAGA senator from Maine,” referring to Trump's ”Make America Great Again" movement.

“It does appear that the Trump political operation is soberly analyzing the electoral environment in Maine and really kind of follows her lead as it relates to that state and that race, particularly this cycle,” he said.

Maine Republicans are ‘a bit more pragmatic’

Chuck Ellis, a Republican from Westbrook, Maine, who runs a digital marketing company, said Collins' reluctance to move in lockstep with Trump can be a plus.

Although there are some “hard-line” voters who may disapprove, Ellis said, "ultimately a lot of your conservatives, your Republicans, are people who are a bit more pragmatic.”

After Collins opposed the White House’s signature tax cut and spending package last year and voted against a proposal to claw back $9 billion in foreign aid and public media funding, the president complained about her on social media.

“Republicans, when in doubt, vote the exact opposite of Senator Susan Collins," he wrote.

Then, in January, Trump lashed out at the “stupidity” of Collins and four other Senate Republicans who joined Democrats to start a debate over restricting the president’s use of force in Venezuela.

White House may keep a further distance

Trump is unlikely to travel to Maine before November despite visiting other states with key Senate races such as Iowa and Michigan.

Vice President JD Vance has been to Maine, where he promoted his anti-fraud task force. Collins did not attend Vance’s speech in Bangor last month where he acknowledged the senator's distance from the Trump administration.

“If she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was,” Vance said, "she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine.”

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This story has been corrected to show the spelling of Collins’ spokesperson’s surname is Kernen, not Kernan.

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Whittle reported from Portland, Maine.

This year's tournament — which is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.

Mexico gets the World Cup started Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A.

Canada and the United States will host their first games Friday. The Canadians will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto while the Americans face Paraguay in Inglewood, California.

What to watch June 11

Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.

1. Mexico’s opening ceremony, 1:30 p.m. ET in Mexico City (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

2. Mexico vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. ET in Mexico City (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

3. South Korea vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. ET in Guadalajara, Mexico (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

Mexico is a heavy favorite against South Africa

Boosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony with performances that include Andrea Bocelli and homegrown talent like Alejandro Fernández and Maná, Mexico hopes to play better in this World Cup than in 2022, when it failed to advance out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup and first since it hosted the tournament in 2010.

The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation. The Azteca stadium in Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude.

South Korea hopes to build on '22 World Cup success vs. Czechia

South Korea is one of the best teams in Asia and has qualified for 11 tournaments in a row since 1986. The Koreans made it to the round of 16 in 2022 before losing to Brazil. Son Hueng-min, 33, is the captain and might be playing in his last World Cup. The Czech Republic is back in soccer's biggest showcase for the first time in 20 years.

World Cup sticker shock with sky-high prices

FIFA has faced pressure for sky-high World Cup ticket prices and sales tactics that fans say left them with worse deals than they wanted.

The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey, which is hosting eight World Cup matches including the final, announced last month that they are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.

Some seats for the July 19 final are going for nearly $33,000.

In the U.S., bipartisan skepticism of Infantino, FIFA

In the deeply polarized U.S., few things unite elected leaders outside the White House quite like skepticism of Gianni Infantino and FIFA, the governing body for the world’s most popular sport.

It’s a sentiment that cuts across the divide and spans from Washington to state capitals and city halls.

There are mayors like Zohran Mamdani of New York and Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Democrats who’ve balked at ticket prices. Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who played Division 1 soccer at the U.S. Naval Academy, said FIFA has been “detached from regular people around the world.”

More World Cup news

4. World Cup by the numbers: 104 matches, 48 teams and 3 countries make this the largest ever

5. Iran’s World Cup players wear pins for victims of deadly strike on school as they arrive in Mexico

6. Somali soccer referee denied entry to US for World Cup is welcomed home as a hero

7. Celebrations clash with social tensions in Mexico on the eve of the World Cup

8. Bettors taking a chance on the longshot US in World Cup, though France and Spain remain favorites

9. Pochettino says no Americans among top 100 players yet US can win World Cup

Stats of the day

10. Only eight countries have won the World Cup, with six of those teams winning multiple titles led by Brazil’s five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998 when France won the first of its two titles and in 2010 with Spain.

11. There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022 but Italy (2010), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) all get eliminated before the knockout rounds.

12. South Korea's Son is one of the most accomplished players in the national team's history. His 144 caps rank first while he needs just two goals to match Cha Bum-kun's career record of 58.

13. At just 17 years old, Mexico's Gilberto Mora is the youngest player among the rosters of the 48 teams playing at the tournament. He could become the second-youngest player to score a goal in World Cup history behind Brazil legend Pelé, who was 17 years, 239 days old when he scored in 1958. Here's a look at some of the up-and-coming teenagers in this year's tournament.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Initial public offering, or IPO

A company's first offering of stock to the public. It is the first time a company's value will be determined by a public market.

Prospectus

A formal offer to sell shares in the company. It also includes a business plan with details about the company's finances and operations. Also known as an S-1, after the Securities and Exchange Commission form.

Listing

This describes the ticker symbol for the stock and the public exchange where it is being traded. For example, Apple is traded as “AAPL” on the Nasdaq and Macy's is traded as “M” on the New York Stock Exchange. SpaceX plans to list on the Nasdaq under the symbol “SPCX.”

Underwriter

An underwriter is a bank or other financial institution that acts as the intermediary between the company and investors. They purchase the stock being issued by the company in the IPO and sell it to the public. There are often several underwriters involved to share the risk. The lead underwriters for the SpaceX IPO are Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.

Roadshow

The name for the presentations given by company executives and underwriters to potential investors, typically institutional investors, before the company issues its shares.

Lockup

This is the period of time when executives, insiders and early investors are legally prohibited from selling their shares. It is typically 90 or 180 days and is meant to prevent insiders from quickly cashing out or dumping their shares. Elon Musk and other SpaceX executives have agreed to a lockup period of 366 days.

Over-allotment

This is a provision that allows underwriters of an IPO to sell more shares than initially planned. It is meant to meet unexpectedly high demand or to help stabilize the stock price.

Price range

This is an estimated range for the price of the shares the company is offering provided before the stock is publicly traded. Investors place bids within that range before the listing price is determined. SpaceX went against convention and set a price of $135 for shares in the offering.

Price discovery

This describes the broader process undertaken by the company and underwriters to determine the listing price for the stock. It attempts to balance demand for the stock with the potential supply of shares. The process typically takes longer when an IPO has high interest from potential investors.

The shooting happened around 1 p.m. in the 10000 block of Belknap Road, according to the Houston Police Department.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The victim was identified as Sean Bree, 39.

Fort Bend County authorities have filed murder charges against Iddris Umaru, 23, and Axzey Mojica, 22, HPD said. Police said both suspects remain out of custody as of this writing.

• Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office fires deputy involved in fatal shooting of Texas State student in Lake Jackson

HPD Homicide Division detectives said investigators quickly identified Umaru and Mojica as persons of interest, and further investigation led to both being named as suspects.

Charges were filed Tuesday, June 9.

Anyone with information about the suspects’ whereabouts or the case is asked to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Garson recently joined Houston Life’s Derrick Shore and Lauren Kelly to talk about his new book, Five Thousand Years of Controversies: A Family’s Journey Through World History, a wide-ranging look at some of history’s biggest debates and why they still matter today.

If his name sounds familiar, it may be because Garson has worn a lot of hats over the years. He’s a former provost at the University of Virginia, a former dean of the UVA School of Medicine, and has taught or lectured on all seven continents. At the University of Houston and UTMB, he’s known as a respected professor and a recognizable figure in the medical community, often spotted in his fun bowties.

How does a cardiologist end up writing a 750-page history book?

Garson says the idea started with a conversation about education. While serving as provost at UVA, he gathered academic leaders and asked a simple question: What should every educated person know? One answer kept coming up: world history.

After returning to Houston, Garson decided to write the book he wished more people had access to. A book that makes history approachable, conversational, and connected to modern life.

Instead of a textbook-like format, ‘Five Thousand Years of Controversies’ unfolds through family dinner conversations. A mother and her two children debate major moments in history, from ancient Egypt and Julius Caesar to Hiroshima and artificial intelligence. The goal, Garson says, isn’t to tell readers what to think, but to show how people across time wrestled with difficult questions.

One of the themes that stood out during the interview was the idea of learning how to disagree well.

Garson pointed out that people today spend less time having real conversations, especially with those who see the world differently. Through the book’s family-centered format, he hopes readers will feel encouraged to ask questions, listen, and debate respectfully.

He also shared one of his favorite historical controversies from the book: the collapse of ancient Egypt after the pyramid era. Some historians blamed politics or economics, while others pointed to drought and climate shifts. For Garson, it’s a reminder that even 5,000 years ago, people were trying to make sense of complicated problems with limited information not unlike we do today.

Five Thousand Years of Controversies: A Family’s Journey Through World History is available now.

A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are set to scrutinize wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.

Measles, one of the most contagious diseases, is among the top concerns, sparking a warning this week from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO. With a nearly six-week stretch of packed stadiums, bars and tourist sites in 16 cities, officials are on the lookout for a long list of infections, from the stomach bug norovirus to mosquito-borne dengue fever.

“This is truly a marathon,” said Palak Raval-Nelson, Philadelphia's health commissioner.

The mass gatherings come at a tense moment for budget-strapped health agencies in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hit hard by Trump administration staffing cuts, already was grappling with a growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa and a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak. While CDC officials have advised state and local health departments behind the scenes, its expected World Cup disease surveillance dashboard still was “in final development” days before games began, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Our public health professionals are pretty stretched,” said global health specialist Rebecca Katz of Georgetown University, who is leading an unusual new hub to help.

At the Health Security Operations Center, a joint effort between Georgetown and MedStar Health, workers are analyzing data from around the country so they can alert health authorities, even emergency rooms, to any early signs of trouble. The center is issuing daily “situation reports” about disease trends around World Cup host cities and team base camps to several hundred local and federal public health groups, emergency management and hospital officials and others who’ve signed up.

“It's important that we don't become alarmist,” said MedStar emergency medicine specialist Dr. Shane Kappler. “We're trying to be the insurance policy.”

Measles is a top concern for potential World Cup spread

Already more than 2,000 people in the U.S. have come down with measles this year, nearly as many as during all of last year, according to the CDC. Patients can spread measles before the rash appears and they realize they're sick. Not too long ago, the U.S. seldom saw measles except from international travel by unvaccinated people.

Now with frequent U.S. outbreaks, "actually a lot of our international partners are worried about measles being exported to them after the games,” said Georgetown’s Katz.

Measles is spreading in Canada, too, and has exceeded 11,000 cases in Mexico, according to PAHO. It’s urging soccer fans to be sure they’re vaccinated, with a health campaign saying a single measles patient can spread the virus to up to 18 unprotected people.

Is Ebola a concern at the World Cup?

Brown University’s Dr. Craig Spencer, who survived Ebola while working in the West Africa outbreak over a decade ago, said he’s repeatedly asked about the risk of Ebola during the World Cup — but “for me, Ebola is not the No. 1 or No. 2 or even No. 3 threat.”

“I am concerned about importation of measles, I am much more concerned about the importation of other infectious threats that may not seem as scary to us as Ebola,” Spencer said.

Many health experts agree that the risk of Ebola spreading in the U.S. is very low. That’s partly because of government travel screenings and restrictions on people recently in outbreak-affected areas. Moreover, Ebola spreads by contact with bodily fluids from someone showing symptoms, not through the air like measles or respiratory viruses.

“One fortunate thing about this virus is you’re most contagious when you’re really quite ill. It’s not like COVID, where you could be sitting next to someone who doesn’t even know they’re infected and perhaps contract the virus,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown’s Pandemic Center.

How to spot brewing diseases

There’s precedent for germs invading major sporting events. Canadian scientists linked a community measles outbreak to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and clusters of norovirus had to be contained during the Olympics this year in Milan and in 2018 in South Korea.

One way to detect signs of trouble: People with certain viral or bacterial infections shed genetic material that sophisticated testing of wastewater can spot. For example, measles can appear in wastewater days before an emergency room sees its first patients.

This week's surveillance reports from Katz's center note that wastewater testing recently found diarrhea-causing rotavirus, hepatitis A and norovirus in some parts of the U.S., something to watch as soccer crowds arrive.

In Dallas, officials ramped up wastewater screening including at the international airport, casting a wide net rather than looking for specific illnesses, said Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

His team also is enhancing the usual mosquito testing, checking not just for West Nile virus that regularly spreads in the U.S. but for viruses more common in other countries like dengue and chikungunya.

Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia’s Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.

“I don’t want to send a message that there’s one key thing," she said. “We have the frameworks in place to carry out what we need to.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

A safety officer blew his whistle and others screamed to warn about 30 firefighters and coast guard personnel to dash to safety as concrete debris crashed down from the leaning three-story building in General Santos city in a frantic scene witnessed by an AP video journalist.

The coastal city, a bustling commercial hub and the country’s tuna capital, was devastated by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Monday and left a trail of destruction across southern Mindanao, the Philippines' second-most populous region.

“It was a strong aftershock and an alarm was immediately sounded so those inside and under the damaged building can run out for a headcount,” said Ressa Mia Tactaquin-Betoya, who speaks for the firefighters searching for the last employee missing in the ruined grocery, where two upper floors collapsed during the initial quake.

“It was scary because we don’t want our rescuers to be harmed so the area must be secured before they can go back in,” she told The Associated Press.

The earthquake has been followed by more than 2,100 aftershocks including a few that ranged up to 6.4 magnitude, which is strong enough to cause more casualties and damage, according to Teresito Bacolcol, who heads the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

More than 25,000 people remain displaced, many of them staying in 45 government-run emergency shelters and still too traumatized to return home, officials said.

Monday's quake was one of the most powerful to hit the Philippines in a half century. It injured at least 630 people and damaged more than 3,100 houses, 29 roads, 11 bridges and more than 100 government buildings.

It also damaged the international airport in General Santos, forcing it to shut down indefinitely except for government and military flights transporting aid and disaster-response personnel, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesperson Eric Apolonio said.

About 6,000 public school buildings in quake-hit provinces must be assessed before classes can resume. The quake struck on the first day of classes nationwide after a two-month summer break, and many who sustained injuries were young students who had gathered with excitement for morning flag-raising ceremonies.

Most of the deaths were caused by falling debris from collapsed buildings and landslides in General Santos and the nearby provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato and Davao Occidental.

At least one person died after being swept out to sea following the quake, as waves up to 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) above tide level were measured in the southern Philippines. Smaller waves washed ashore in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan before tsunami warnings were lifted.

Seven swimmers near General Santos were swept away by strong currents in the minutes after the quake. Three were rescued by the coast guard, one managed to swim back to shore, one drowned and two remain missing, the Philippine coast guard said.

The strong currents that swept away the victims were most likely set off by the earthquake, Bacolcol said.

The earthquake was set off by movement in the Cotabato Trench and was one of the strongest to hit the country since the same undersea depression triggered an 8.1-magnitude quake that whipped up tsunami waves on Aug. 17, 1976 and killed about 8,000 people.

The Philippines, one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.

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Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines and Haruka Nuga in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Briscoe died Sunday at an assisted living facility in Kapolei, Hawaii, said his wife, Leonor Briscoe. He was diagnosed in April with amyloidosis, a disorder in which protein buildup can lead to organ damage.

In a career spanning decades and continents, Briscoe brought a reporter’s curiosity to his native Utah, to Washington and to Hawaii. But it was his perch in Manila that put him at the center of his biggest story.

Taking the helm as bureau chief in 1980, Briscoe charted the waning years of Ferdinand Marcos’ authoritarian regime and the turmoil unleashed by the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. He and his staff fanned out across the country in chartered planes, rented jeeps and, at least once, a horse-drawn cart. They covered a relentless stretch of investigations, hearings and a presidential campaign so improbable it seemed scripted, with a reluctant widow thrust by tragedy to the forefront of a democratic movement.

That thrilling conclusion, with Corazon Aquino ascending to the presidency and Marcos dramatically driven into exile, would stay with Briscoe forever. He recalled searing images “of nuns kneeling in front of military tanks” and “soldiers and civilians crying in each other’s arms.”

“I expect to witness or cover no greater event in my life,” he wrote in AP World, an in-house magazine, in 1986, recounting his coverage of the upheaval.

A love affair with the Philippines

David Chesley Briscoe was born July 30, 1943, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to a union steward father and a homemaker mother who raised her two sons in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He grew interested in journalism at the University of Utah, writing for the student paper and eventually getting hired at the Deseret News, where editors handed him obituary assignments and pieces on standout local students.

After two years there, Briscoe signed up for the Peace Corps and was assigned to Paracale, and then Naga City, in the Philippines, where he taught English. For a young man who had scarcely left Utah in his youth, every corner seemed to be a revelation, of water buffalo shimmering from mud baths and children running down dirt roads.

He was smitten with his new home. When his Peace Corps tour ended, Briscoe bristled at the idea of leaving. He found work at a local newspaper, and while staffing an event in which Marcos was to speak, he met the former Leonor Aureus, editor of a rival paper. The two were soon walking down an aisle they lined with copies of The Naga Times and the Bicol Mail.

A dramatic revolution unfolds

Briscoe was hired by the AP in Manila in 1970, covering a deadly earthquake that rocked the capital, an assassination attempt on Pope Paul VI and the hijacking of a plane. By the next year, though, AP said he’d have to spend some time working in the U.S. He returned to Salt Lake, hoping fate might someday bring him back to the Philippines.

In his hometown, he found ties with his faith were fraying. His wife says he was disciplined by the church after discussing its exclusion of Black men from its priesthood in a class he taught. Briscoe opposed the ban. The church later lifted the restriction.

He also found himself at odds with the church over a three-part series he wrote with a colleague, Bill Beecham, examining its intricate web of business interests and tithing by its members that the reporters estimated brought in more than $1 billion a year. No Utah newspaper dared to run the stories, the pair said.

Briscoe spent nine years in Salt Lake before his bosses dangled a chance to return to Manila as bureau chief. He rushed to phone his wife with the news.

“Noree, are you sitting down?” she remembered him asking.

From Washington back to the Pacific

After his six-year stint running the AP’s office in the Philippines, Briscoe moved in 1986 to Washington, where he focused on international affairs. He was bureau chief in Honolulu from 2001 until retiring in 2009.

There, dressed in aloha shirts and bathed in a tropical sun, Briscoe could again call a Pacific island home. He spoke of being “halfway back.”

To his final days, he cherished his time in the Philippines. As the end neared, his family gathered around him and prayed. He grabbed his wife's hand, told her he loved her, and asked her to let him go.

The family plans to hire a boat and scatter Briscoe’s ashes in the waters of the Pacific, hoping the currents take his remains back to his adopted home.

“The land that David learned to love,” his wife said, “and where he met the love of his life.”

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Matt Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://x.com/sedensky

Elon Musk’s rocket company, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is steering some of its initial public offering of stock directly to what are called “retail” investors. These are people who buy stocks in a brokerage account on their phone, not pension funds or other big “institutional” investors routing orders to their professional trading desks.

Here are some things to keep in mind as the IPO approaches:

A chunk of SpaceX stock will go to regular investors

Most IPOs offer only 5% to 10% of the total offering to retail investors, according to Fidelity. In this case, though, it could be up to 30%. SpaceX expects retail investors to participate in its IPO through Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, SoFi and E-Trade by Morgan Stanley.

At Fidelity, investors with as little as $2,000 in their accounts could potentially snag SpaceX shares in the IPO. That’s down from account minimums of $100,000 or even $500,000 that Fidelity has for other equity offerings.

Demand from investors may be so high in this IPO that not everyone indicating interest will actually get a share.

Trying for a short-term flip has risks

Given all the hype around SpaceX, temptation could be high to grab shares in the IPO and sell them quickly if a frenzy sends its price spiking. But brokerages have policies to block investors from future offerings if they dump shares bought in an IPO quickly, like within a couple weeks.

Big swings in price may be possible

Potentially high interest from retail investors following the IPO is one reason SpaceX is warning that its stock price could be volatile. These investors aren’t known for moving as meticulously as a pension fund, which is trying to build money for payments it must make years or decades in the future.

It’s retail investors, after all, who helped drive GameStop and other “meme stocks” to market-bending heights in 2021 that professional investors called irrational.

IPOs can see a big first-day bounce, but that may not last

The typical IPO has seen a 7% jump in its first day of trading, from 1980 through 2025, according to Jay Ritter, an IPO expert and a professor at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

But IPOs tend to lag similar-sized peers in the ensuing five years, not including their first day of trading. They do so by an average of 3.6% per year, according to Ritter.

SpaceX has debt and has been losing money

It’s very expensive to launch things out of the earth’s atmosphere and to construct huge AI data centers, and SpaceX has built up $29.1 billion in debt, as of the end of March.

The company also lost $4.9 billion last year and another $4.3 billion through the first three months of 2026. It acknowledges that it “may not achieve profitability in the future.”

Over the long term, a stock’s price tends to track with how much profit the company is making.

You don’t have to buy SpaceX to own it

You could end up owning some of SpaceX even if you never intended to. Consider the many people who own shares of the popular QQQ exchange-traded fund, which tracks the Nasdaq 100 index and has roughly $460 billion in total assets.

Historically, the Nasdaq 100 index would wait until each December to add new members in an annual reconstitution to make sure it includes the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq. But Nasdaq recently made changes to allow some big companies to enter the Nasdaq 100 index after just 15 trading days.

That means if SpaceX’s IPO is as successful as expected, it could quickly join both the Nasdaq 100 and QQQ fund, all while QQQ holders do nothing on their own.

The company behind the more popular S&P 500 index, though, is not making changes that would allow SpaceX faster entry.

Any shares bought would take a back seat to Musk’s in influence

In its IPO, SpaceX is offering 555.6 million shares of its “Class A” stock. Each of these shares gives an investor one vote on matters that shareholders decide. That includes such weighty things as who is on the board of directors overseeing the CEO.

This IPO is not offering what are called “Class B” shares, each of which give its holder 10 votes. Musk, meanwhile, owns so many of those shares that he by himself could control more than 82% of all the stock’s voting power following the IPO.

In filings with U.S. securities regulators, SpaceX acknowledges the potential for conflicts of interest between it and Musk, along with other companies he owns, such as Tesla.

Some big investors really disagree with the ownership structure

Officials from pension funds for firefighters, teachers and other workers in California and New York sent a letter to SpaceX last month decrying some of the provisions in its IPO, including “super voting shares,” mandatory arbitration of shareholder claims instead of the possibility of lawsuits and how much power Musk will hold over the company.

They said they could become owners of SpaceX stock because they hold index funds, which automatically buy stocks after they get included in certain indexes.

If Musk is able to control so much of the voting power on the board of directors, it would make him tremendously powerful atop SpaceX, “essentially making him unfireable without his own consent,” the CEO of California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the New York state comptroller and the New York City comptroller wrote in their letter.

“This level of insulation from accountability is virtually unheard of among any other large U.S. issuer whose governing documents foreclose accountability to public owners on these terms.”

Don’t confuse SpaceX with other companies with similar names

SpaceX plans to trade under the ticker symbol “SPCX.” That’s very close to “SPCE,” which is the symbol for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holdings.

Most Latter-day Saints do see themselves as Christians. But there are many prominent Christian clergy and scholars who disagree, citing core differences in how they view God and the Trinity and revere a scripture that is not part of the two-testament Christian Bible.

Utah U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, both Republicans and Latter-day Saints, challenged the Pentagon’s exclusion of their faith from its list of Christian religions. It was part of the Department of Defense’s recent effort to significantly pare down a list of more than 200 religious affiliations that troops could choose from, deleting categories such as atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.

“Latter-day Saints are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country,” Curtis posted on X in defense of his faith. “They are also unequivocally Christian — just look at who is in the name of the Church.”

He also said in his post that it is “unacceptable” for the government to characterize a faith in a way that contradicts how the religion identifies itself — a sentiment echoed widely in the social media blowback.

The Pentagon responded on Monday by removing the Christian label from 20 other traditions, including Catholic, Lutheran and Pentecostal, and stayed away from labeling Latter-day Saints as Christian. The department also issued a statement saying that the new rubric is not intended to “make any claims on the legitimacy of any faith or religion’s belief,” but to help chaplains do their jobs and structure resources quickly and efficiently.

Latter-day Saints identify as Christians

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church, has nearly 18 million members worldwide, with the highest concentration in Utah. The church has a long history of military service; it emphasizes patriotism and chaplaincy support.

In a social media post, Lee said: “My church membership is inextricably intertwined with my Christianity, as it is for 17 million other Latter-day Saints. Regardless of what the Pentagon thinks.”

The church’s website states that it is a “Christian Church, but is neither Catholic nor Protestant.”

“Rather, it is a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ as originally established by the Savior in the New Testament of the Bible,” the site further explains. “Jesus Christ is central to the lives of Church members. They seek to follow his example by being baptized, praying in His holy name, partaking of the sacrament, doing good to others and bearing witness of Him through both word and deed. The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Yet the debate about whether Latter-day Saints are Christians goes back nearly 200 years to the days of the church’s founding.

Definitions of God and the Holy Trinity vary

Matthew Bowman, chair of Mormon studies at Claremont Graduate University in Southern California, said the primary difference between major Christian denominations and Latter-day Saints lies in how the nature of God is defined, and their view of the Trinity, the spiritual relationship between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Most Christian faiths believe God is spirit, while founders of the Latter-day Saints believed that God was a human being who achieved Godhood, he said.

Latter-day Saints also reject the Nicene Creed, which emphasizes the doctrine of the Trinity as one divine being.

“They believe that while the three have a relationship, they are distinct beings,” Bowman said.

The Catholic Church has long held that Latter-day Saints are not Christian. Most recently in 2012, the Vatican stated that even if the Latter-day Saint baptismal rite refers to the Trinity, the church’s beliefs about the identities of the three are so different from Catholic and mainline Christian beliefs that the rite cannot be regarded as a Christian baptism.

Tension over religious beliefs spilled over to politics

This debate has raged on in U.S. politics over the decades, resulting in tensions between evangelical Christians and Latter-day Saints who have long considered themselves members of the religious right. Like evangelicals, most Latter-day Saints hold conservative views on topics such as abortion and LGBTQ+ issues.

Bowman said the question of Latter-day Saints' Christian identity exploded during Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign.

“At the time — and often after that — there continues to be a sense of surprise among Latter-day Saints that the evangelicals didn’t consider them Christian and among evangelicals when they learn that the Latter-day Saints in fact consider themselves Christian,” he said.

The rise of Donald Trump has created a feeling among Latter-day Saints that their old alliance with evangelical Christians is shakier than ever, especially with younger Latter-day Saints viewing evangelicals as a hostile group, Bowman said.

“In the past five years or so, there is a growing push among evangelicals to create a muscular, masculine Christianity, more vocal on doctrine, with some calling (Mormons) heretics,” he said.

LDS chaplains in the military were viewed with suspicion

Philip McLemore, who served as a Latter-day Saint chaplain in the Air Force from 1984 to 2005, said he and others felt discriminated against then, and he was passed up for promotions because of his faith.

“That mostly came from other Christian chaplains and supervisors who believed Mormon chaplains were not Christian,” he said. “They also felt the same way about Christian Scientists.”

McLemore said some of the other Christian chaplains told him they feared that Latter-day Saint chaplains were using the military to proselytize and convert. But he said he could see why other Christians were suspicious of Latter-day Saints.

“Mormonism doesn’t fit comfortably into most classic Christianity mostly because of the founders’ claims of exclusive truth and authority that can be offensive to some,” he said. “Joseph Smith’s first vision — a foundational event for the church — was one of Jesus telling him that all the other churches are false and their creeds are abominations.”

Overall, McLemore does not believe denomination matters much in the military.

“In my experience, service members would not know what your denomination was, and they didn’t care,” he said. “They didn’t consult chaplains on matters of religion. They needed chaplains for personal problems and issues with work, mental health and marriage.”

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AP reporters Konstantin Toropin and Tiffany Stanley contributed to this report.

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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 simple combination of pineapple and Kool-Aid is taking over the internet, with millions of views across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook as users put their own spin on the colorful snack trend.

The viral craze involves coating fresh pineapple chunks in Kool-Aid powder and, in many cases, added sugar. The resulting mixture is a sweet-and-tangy treat that many users describe as tasting like candy.

It’s unclear where the trend originated, but multiple influencers have cited a video posted on X on May 29 as inspiration for the idea.

The post was captioned, “One jar can change your life.”

one jar can change your life pic.twitter.com/cSd4JfKfad

— bruski🦎 (@cookerbruski) May 29, 2026

Videos showcasing the recipe have exploded online in the weeks since, with creators experimenting with different Kool-Aid flavors and sharing taste tests with friends and family.

The concept is straightforward: Cut fresh pineapple into spears or bite-sized chunks, coat the fruit with flavored Kool-Aid powder, and let it sit before serving. Some users refrigerate the mixture for several hours to allow the flavors to absorb, while others enjoy it immediately.

The result is brightly colored pineapple slices that make for a photogenic treat — if you can stomach the sugar content.

Popular flavors include Cherry, Blue Raspberry, and Grape, though social media users continue to experiment with new combinations. Spice lovers have even added Tajín to the mix for a sweet-and-spicy flavor profile reminiscent of a fruity margarita.

Part of the trend’s appeal stems from its simplicity. Unlike many viral recipes that require multiple ingredients or special equipment, the pineapple Kool-Aid snack can be made in minutes using items commonly found in grocery stores.

The trend has also sparked debate online, with some users questioning whether the drink mix overpowers the fruit’s natural taste.

Critics have also pointed to the snack’s nutritional drawbacks. While pineapple naturally contains vitamins and antioxidants, adding sugar or sweetened drink mixes can significantly increase the overall sugar content.

According to entertainment and culture website Dexerto, one jar of pineapple spears prepared with the viral recipe could contain roughly the same amount of sugar as nine standard cans of Coca-Cola.

Kool-Aid Pineapples are taking over TikTok as creators soak pineapple spears in Kool-Aid and sugar to turn them neon red, pink, or blue

A full jar of spears can contain roughly the same amount of sugar as nine cans of Coke pic.twitter.com/nQBcCA22Pq

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) May 30, 2026

Whether it’s a passing fad or a snack with staying power, one thing is clear: Pineapple and Kool-Aid have become one of the internet’s most talked-about flavor combinations of the season. And, as with many viral food trends, moderation is key.

MORE PINEAPPLE KOOL-AID JAR VIDEOS TRENDING ONLINE:

Her campaign mirrored her whipsaw career. Mace courted the support of President Donald Trump after harshly criticizing him over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. She emphasized her fights with other Republicans to release files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

In the final days before Tuesday's primary, she called for a law to prevent anyone not born in the U.S. from holding political office or serving as a judge. She suggested that Rom Reddy, another candidate for governor, wasn't qualified because he was a naturalized citizen whose mother was from India and father from Italy.

“I didn’t come out of a slum in India,” Mace said during an appearance in Greenville County this month. “I am born and made here in America.”

By the end of her campaign, she was only making sporadic public appearances. She struggled to raise money and had no presence on television. Mace mostly communicated through social media — a place she has used to her advantage since first being elected to the South Carolina House in 2017.

Mace didn't give an indication of her next plans in her concession speech Tuesday night, although she posted Wednesday on social media that she was “headed back to the private sector” at the end of her current House term. She is backing Alan Wilson in the runoff for governor, even though just last year she accused Wilson of protecting child sex abuse defendants.

“When children needed him to act, Wilson looked the other way," she said.

Wilson will face Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the runoff on June 23. Evette received Trump's endorsement, spurring Mace to lash out on social media.

“Pamela Evette is NOT ENDORSED by DONALD TRUMP,” Mace wrote, incorrectly. “Do not believe her LIES.” Mace posted an AI-generated image of herself posing with Trump.

Where does Mace stand with Trump?

Mace’s history with Trump goes back a decade, and, like many Republicans, it’s had its ups and downs.

She worked as a field director on Trump's 2016 campaign, and he endorsed her first congressional run in 2020, albeit after she won the Republican nomination.

But their rapport fractured as soon as Mace got to Washington. After the freshman House member sought to hold Trump accountable for Jan. 6 and said his “entire legacy” had been “wiped out,” he labeled Mace as “crazy” and solicited primary challengers to take her on. Trump endorsed and campaigned for one of them, but Mace — with future Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita as her media consultant — won anyway, and Trump went on to support her general election bid.

As Trump sought to return to the White House in 2024, Mace didn’t endorse him over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley until a day before the New Hampshire primary.

Mace lauded Trump during a primetime Republican National Convention speech and, after winning her own reelection, branded herself as “Trump in high heels” during the early days of her gubernatorial campaign.

But another fracture was on the horizon. This spring, while angling for Trump’s endorsement, Mace was among several Republicans who joined congressional Democrats to force the Justice Department to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump went on to back Evette, saying she had “never wavered” in her support of him. Evette had endorsed Trump early in the 2024 campaign.

Four congressional Republicans were part of the initial group pushing for a discharge petition forcing the files’ release. Mace and Rep. Thomas Massie lost their races, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned in January.

In a lengthy statement posted after her Tuesday loss, Mace said she had “taken on the rich and powerful in both parties” and “voted to release the Epstein files and lost some support for that.”

From Waffle House to The Citadel to Congress

Mace dropped out of high school and worked as a server at the Waffle House before getting her diploma. She later attended The Citadel and became the first woman to graduate from the state’s military academy. And in recent years, she talked about the importance of defending victims of sexual assault and shared stories of being raped as a teen.

After her political career began in the South Carolina House, Mace got wide praise from Republicans in 2020 for winning back a U.S. House seat around Charleston that had flipped to Democrats for one term.

“For those folks that are out there today that maybe weren’t with us yesterday, I’m asking for a chance — a chance to prove to you that I will be a compassionate leader, a good listener, an independent thinker,” Mace said then.

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Kinnard reported from Washington. Bill Barrow contributed from Atlanta.

The budget, which takes effect July 1, includes a new $5 monthly solid waste administrative fee and a right-of-way charge on Houston Water and Wastewater operations. Supporters say the measures help close budget gaps and maintain city services, while opponents contend the plan lacks transparency and fails to address deeper financial concerns.

Among the most vocal critics was Controller Chris Hollins, who sharply condemned both the budget and the council’s decision to approve it.

“I’m genuinely disappointed in both what’s in this budget, the lack of transparency, the lack of honesty, and city council’s willingness to take the city further down this path of financial mismanagement,” Hollins said to KPRC 2 News.

Hollins argued the budget relies on accounting maneuvers rather than sustainable financial reforms.

“There’s so many gimmicks in here, so many hidden costs, and so much dishonesty about the burden that’s going to be placed on regular Houstonians,” he said.

The controller gave the spending plan a failing grade.

“If I were grading this budget, this budget would get an F. On transparency, on accountability, and on the financial ground that it’s putting the city on, but we move forward,” Hollins said.

A major point of contention remains the new trash fee, which city leaders say is necessary as solid waste operations transition toward a utility model. Hollins argued the charge unfairly impacts lower-income residents.

“But this $5 fee, which doesn’t even start to pay for the actual cost of trash, this $5 fee is going to be paid by poor people while we’re subsidizing rich people,” Hollins said. “This $5 is going cost the average Houstonian three times more than a basic property tax increase that would have raised the same amount of money.”

While several council members ultimately voted in favor of the budget, some expressed reservations, particularly regarding the new solid waste fee.

Council member Amy Peck supported the budget but made clear she has concerns about the city’s handling of trash collection services.

“I remain convinced that the city should seriously consider getting out of the trash business because for too long we have demonstrated an inability to consistently provide the level of service our residents deserve,” Peck said.

Still, Peck said she was willing to support the administration’s approach for now.

“I am willing to give the mayor’s new approach an opportunity because the status quo isn’t working, and I trust that the mayor will get this right,” she said. “But let me be clear about this. If residents are asked to pay more, they deserve better service in return.”

Peck also issued a warning that her support could be short-lived if services don’t improve.

“If I do not see a measurable, meaningful improvement in the performance of the new solid waste division, I will personally author a Prop A ordinance to repeal this fee,” she said.

Council Member Edward Pollard voted against the budget, arguing the city continues to spend more without delivering better results for residents.

“There’s no denying that we have a spending problem in the city of Houston,” Pollard said. “Over the last two fiscal years, our city has faced the largest budget deficits in the city’s history.”

Pollard questioned whether increased spending has translated into improved city services.

“Are we getting better streets? Are we more affordable housing? Are we less homelessness? Are we better trash collection? Stronger infrastructure? The answer is no,” he said.

Like Hollins, Pollard criticized the proposed trash fee, saying residents have not been given enough information about how the money will be used.

“Now this budget proposes to impact the solid waste department by adding a $5 admin fee. But at the moment, there are no real specifics on what that admin fee is actually going to do,” Pollard said. “What are we actually getting for the $5? Will we get on-time trash pickup? Because if we are going to get that, then I think people would be in favor of it. But that $5 is a patchwork job.”

Other council members voiced concerns but ultimately backed the budget. Council Member Alejandra Salinas expressed reservations about drawing funds from Houston Water but said she was willing to trust the administration’s assurances. Council Member Joe Panzarella emphasized that his support should not be viewed as unconditional.

“My yes vote is not a blanket support of this fund,” Panzarella said, adding that his vote came with expectations for accountability and results.

Council Member Sallie Alcorn defended the budget, describing it as a practical step toward improving city services.

“I see this budget as a positive step towards better service,” Alcorn said. “This budget is smart. It does provide a new revenue, in terms of a fee.”

The approved budget represents the culmination of weeks of hearings and debate over how Houston should address mounting fiscal pressures while maintaining public services. While city leaders say the plan puts Houston on firmer financial footing, critics warn the debate over fees, spending priorities, and long-term sustainability is far from over.

For one month this summer, Houston will be among the cities hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 with seven matches at Houston Stadium (also known as NRG Stadium) and welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe.

Whether you’re planning to attend a match, visit the FIFA Fan Festival, host out-of-town guests or simply navigate the city during the tournament, here’s what Houstonians need to know.

RELATED: Will Houston’s power grid hold up during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

When is the World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins June 11 and concludes July 19.

It will be the largest World Cup in history, featuring 48 international teams competing across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Houston is one of 16 host cities selected for the tournament.

How many matches will Houston host?

Houston will host seven World Cup matches at Houston Stadium.

The schedule includes:

Group Stage Matches

• Sunday, June 14: Germany vs. Curaçao (Group E)
• Wednesday, June 17: Portugal vs. Congo DR (Group K)
• Saturday, June 20: Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group F)
• Tuesday, June 23: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
• Friday, June 26: Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)

Knockout Round Matches

• Monday, June 29: Round of 32 (Group C winners vs. Group F runners-up)
• Saturday, July 4: Round of 16 (Winner match 73 vs. Winner match 75)

The July 4 match will be among the highest-profile events held in Houston during the tournament.

• SEE THE FULL WORLD CUP MATCH SCHEDULE HERE

Where will the matches be played?

All Houston matches will be played at Houston Stadium (AKA, NRG Stadium — home of the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo).

The stadium, which seats more than 70,000 spectators, has hosted Super Bowls, Final Fours, international soccer matches and major concerts.

LAST-MINUTE TICKETS: The Ticket Queen’s guide to avoiding scams buying FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets in Houston

During the World Cup, FIFA will temporarily refer to the venue as “Houston Stadium” due to tournament sponsorship rules.

Fans should expect enhanced security procedures, digital ticketing requirements and restrictions on bags and outside items.

What’s the best way to get to the stadium?

For many fans, METRORail will likely be the easiest option.

Houston’s Red Line provides direct service to NRG Park and connects the stadium to downtown, Midtown, the Museum District and the Texas Medical Center.

Stations serving NRG include:

• Stadium Park/Astrodome Station
• NRG Park Station

Using rail service can help fans avoid parking fees and some of the area’s notorious post-event traffic.

Rideshare: Convenient, But Expect Higher Prices

For fans who don’t want to deal with parking or public transportation, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft will be among the most popular ways to get to and from Houston Stadium.

The convenience comes with a catch: surge pricing.

Transportation analysts expect fares around Houston Stadium to spike dramatically in the hour following matches as tens of thousands of fans leave the venue at the same time. During peak demand periods, fares could increase several times above normal rates.

A ride that might normally cost $40 to $80 could climb well into triple digits following a sellout match.

Ways to Save on Uber and Lyft

Experts recommend walking a half mile to a mile away from the stadium before requesting a ride. Moving outside the immediate pickup zone can significantly reduce fares and shorten wait times.

Traveling with a group can also help offset costs. Splitting an UberXL or Lyft XL among four to six people can make rideshare pricing much more manageable, especially after high-demand matches.

Fans should also consider requesting rides before crowds begin exiting the stadium. Waiting even 30 to 60 minutes after the final whistle can sometimes lead to lower fares as demand subsides.

For budget-conscious fans, METRORail remains the most affordable alternative. The Red Line stops directly at NRG Park and can help riders avoid the post-match surge pricing that typically affects rideshare services around major events.

What should fans know about parking?

If you’re planning to drive, expect parking to be in high demand.

World Cup parking will likely require advance reservations, and many lots are expected to sell out before match day.

Fans should plan for:

• Prepaid parking permits
• Security screenings before entering lots
• Increased traffic enforcement
• Temporary road closures near the stadium

Officials are expected to release detailed parking maps and traffic plans closer to the tournament.

How will traffic be affected?

Officials are warning residents to prepare for significant traffic around NRG Park on match days.

The areas expected to experience the heaviest congestion, include:

• Loop 610 South
• Kirby Drive
• Fannin Street
• Main Street
• Old Spanish Trail
• The Texas Medical Center area

Drivers should anticipate delays before and after matches, particularly during evening kickoffs.

READ MORE: 2026 FIFA World Cup: Houston Traffic Guide

Transportation experts recommend arriving at least three hours before kickoff.

What should Houstonians expect?

For local residents, the World Cup will likely bring changes that extend well beyond match days.

Expect:

• Increased traffic in key corridors
• Crowded hotels
• Higher demand at restaurants and bars
• International media presence
• Large crowds downtown and around NRG Park
• Expanded public transportation use

At the same time, city leaders expect the tournament to provide a significant economic boost and a rare opportunity to showcase Houston to a global audience.

WORLD CUP SAFETY: FBI officials taking steps to prevent ‘lone offender’ threats ahead of FIFA World Cup matches in Houston

What is the FIFA Fan Festival?

Even if you don’t have match tickets, Houston’s FIFA Fan Festival will give fans a chance to experience the World Cup atmosphere.

Fan Festival is located at 2301 Dallas Street.

The festival will be open on 34 days total between June 11 and July 19.

Fan Fest will not be open on the following Rest Days:

• July 8
• July 12
• July 13
• July 16
• July 17

The free event will operate throughout the tournament and feature:

• Live match broadcasts on giant screens
• Music performances
• Food vendors
• Interactive soccer activities
• Cultural programming
• Family-friendly entertainment
• Official merchandise

The Fan Festival is expected to become one of Houston’s largest public gatherings of 2026.

Here’s a statement from the official FIFA website:

“Fans can expect the largest and coolest celebration in North America at the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston – an all-day experience of soccer, culture, and community with live matches on massive screens, surrounded by fans from around the globe. Each day is uniquely themed to celebrate the beautiful game’s diverse cultures, reflecting Houston’s rich diversity, with live performances, interactive games, and global food and drinks throughout."

How hot will it be?

Very.

For visitors unfamiliar with Houston summers, the weather may be one of the biggest adjustments.

Fans attending outdoor events should bring:

• Sunscreen
• Water bottles
• Hats
• Sunglasses
• Portable phone chargers
• Cooling towels

Average June and July temperatures routinely reach the mid-to-upper 90s, while humidity can push heat index values above 100 degrees.

RELATED: As World Cup fans head to Texas, here’s how to spot heat stroke and heat exhaustion

Residents may already be accustomed to Houston’s climate, but visitors from Europe, South America and other regions may find conditions challenging.

FIFA also confirmed that fans will be allowed to bring one water bottle per person to World Cup matches. The bottle must be soft, plastic, 20 ounces, factory sealed and disposable.

The decision followed previous reports that FIFA would not be allowing outside water bottles.

All fans will be permitted to bring in one, soft, plastic, 20 ounces (590ml), factory sealed disposable water bottle into any FIFA World Cup 2026 match in the USA and Canada. ✅

As FIFA World Cup 2026 Chief Operating Officer, Heimo Schirgi, explains, fans will not be permitted… pic.twitter.com/ePEHq9oalJ

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) June 5, 2026

Hydration stations and cooling areas are expected throughout official World Cup venues.

Where should you go?

Several areas are expected to serve as World Cup hubs.

Downtown Houston: Ideal for fans who want access to restaurants, nightlife, hotels and public transportation.

Midtown: Offers walkability, bars, restaurants and convenient access to both downtown and NRG Stadium.

Museum District: A good option for families and visitors interested in Houston’s cultural attractions.

Texas Medical Center Area: The closest concentration of hotels to NRG Stadium.

What should visitors do between matches?

The World Cup is expected to bring many first-time visitors to Houston.

Some of the city’s most popular attractions include:

Space Center Houston: One of Texas’ most visited attractions and the official visitor center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Buffalo Bayou Park: Offers skyline views, trails and outdoor recreation near downtown.

The Museum District: Home to museums, galleries and cultural institutions.

Discovery Green: A popular downtown gathering space that will likely host World Cup-related activities.

The Galleria: The enormous mall and event center serves as Houston’s premier shopping destination. There’s a reason it comes up in multiple Drake songs!

Where should visitors eat?

Houston’s food scene may be one of its greatest strengths during the World Cup.

The city is widely recognized for its cultural diversity and international cuisine.

Visitors should consider trying:

Texas Barbecue

• Truth BBQ
• Pinkerton’s Barbecue

Tex-Mex

• Ninfa’s on Navigation
• El Tiempo Cantina

Vietnamese Cuisine

Houston is home to one of the nation’s largest Vietnamese communities, with standout restaurants throughout Midtown and southwest Houston.

International Cuisine

The city offers acclaimed Nigerian, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Salvadoran restaurants, among many others.

What apps should fans download?

Before the tournament begins, fans should have:

• FIFA World Cup App
• METRO Q Ticketing App
• Uber or Lyft
• Google Maps
• A weather app
• Airline apps if traveling

ALSO DOWNLOAD: Millions expected in Houston for FIFA World Cup, DPS urges fans to download this app for emergencies

History for Houston

Houston has hosted major events before, from Super Bowls to World Series games, but the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be unlike anything the city has experienced.

For nearly six weeks, Houston will become an international destination for soccer fans from every corner of the world. Whether you’re attending a match, visiting the Fan Festival or simply navigating the city during the tournament, planning ahead will be key.

The world is coming to Houston. The countdown is officially underway.

• Houston leaders preparing for ‘multiple Super Bowls at once’ during FIFA World Cup

Key Dates to Remember

June 11: World Cup begins

June 14: Houston’s first match

June 29: Houston knockout-round match

July 4: Houston Round of 16 match

July 19: World Cup final

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, will host four World Cup matches including South Korea against Czech Republic on the opening day Thursday. Mexico is co-hosting the tournament with the United States and Canada.

Local officials say visitors have nothing to worry about despite the outbreak in violence in February following the Mexican military’s killing of the country’s most powerful cartel boss. The operation and waves of violence killed 70 people as cartel gunmen set fire to cars to block streets and fought with Mexican forces.

“It’s important to remember that normalcy returned to the state in less than 48 hours after what happened in February,” Alfonso Briseño, the security coordinator in Jalisco told The Associated Press in the run-up to the World Cup. “I invite all tourists, all citizens of other countries, especially those who will be playing here in Guadalajara... They will be welcome. The Mexican government and the state of Jalisco guarantee their safety.”

Briseño stressed that Jalisco has not faced any security issues recently and that a resurgence of trouble was not expected. He said local authorities were prepared to react quickly if anything happened again.

Nearly 15,000 security personnel have been deployed in the region, including National Guard officers with assault rifles and vehicle-mounted machine guns near the stadium where the games will be played.

“We are feeling very safe. We are not concerned about the same issues that we had a few months ago,” said Rodolfo Valencia, a 22-year-old resident of Guadalajara. “You can see a lot more police on the streets and there is a sense that there won’t be any problems around here. Having the World Cup here has helped because the authorities had to take action and make sure that everything goes well.”

Jalisco state is the central hub of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or “El Mencho,” was killed in a capture attempt by the military in February.

Security in Guadalajara will be a special concern for the June 26 match between Spain and Uruguay, when Spain's King Felipe VI is expected to attend.

Mexico has stepped up security countrywide

More than 100,000 soldiers, marines, National Guard and police officers were expected to be deployed across the three Mexican host cities — Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey — as well as in major tourist destinations during the World Cup.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday the “the opening ceremony is guaranteed” and “the World Cup will be enjoyed.”

Anti-drone teams, surveillance-camera networks, special crowd management units and military and police patrols will operate during the duration of the tournament at Mexican stadiums, fan fests, airports, national-team camps and other strategic facilities in coordination with FIFA.

Cartel violence may be less of an issue than street protests by groups trying to capitalize on the World Cup spotlight to cause unrest, traffic disruptions and bringing central parts of the city to a standstill.

Demonstrators recently knocked down figures of World Cup soccer players, broke into a government building and even played a soccer match on a blockaded street.

Teachers, families of Mexico’s 130,000 missing people, animal rights groups and a range of other social movements in Mexico were trying to put pressure on authorities and make demands.

The U.S. Embassy on Tuesday reiterated its travel advisory for Americans to reconsider going to Jalisco. It also advised visitors to exercise extreme caution in Mexico City and Nuevo León, where Monterrey is located.

Briseño dismissed concerns about security in the region.

“We are prepared for any contingency,” he said in Guadalajara. “We are going to be the best venue, the most Mexican, the most hospitable, and the safest.”

___

Associated Press writer María Verza in Mexico City contributed to this report.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

The five firms represented or performed work involving 98 former players who in recent years sought six- to seven-figure payouts from the settlement for Parkinson’s disease claims, the special masters appointed to help oversee the settlement wrote in a report filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

Of those, 37 remained pending and will now be denied, with a chance for the players to restart the claims process. But 57 were approved — totaling more than $95 million — before tips about suspicious activity prompted an audit. The attorneys' share of that came out to about $20 million, the report said, and additional firms may have been involved in similar actions.

The report called it “an organized scheme ... in which these law firms — and potentially others — circumvented the Settlement’s anti-fraud safeguards and laundered questionable Parkinson’s Disease diagnoses into payable claims.”

According to the report, the attorneys involved included Bart Oates, a former three-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers who earned his law degree while still playing in the NFL. Oates did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press on his law firm voicemail seeking comment.

NFL fund meant to last for 65 years

The NFL in 2013 agreed to establish the fund, meant to last for 65 years, to settle class-action allegations that it long hid what it knew about the neurological risks of playing after concussions. The plan offers retired players baseline testing and compensation of up to $5 million for the most serious illnesses linked to football concussions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and deaths involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

The fund is uncapped; so far it has awarded more than $1.6 billion on about 2,100 claims.

The league has previously expressed concerns about doctor-shopping or other fraud in the disbursement of the money, while some attorneys representing players have accused the league of throwing up roadblocks for players seeking payment.

A judge in 2019 terminated three of the four lawyers serving as class counsel after they objected to restrictions on geographical restrictions on the doctors who can evaluate retired players for dementia and other brain injuries.

A 2020 lawsuit uncovered racial bias in dementia testing that prevented some Black players from being awarded payouts. Hundreds more qualified after they were reassessed using race-neutral tests.

“The NFL remains committed to ensuring that players and their families receive the benefits they deserve, and any misconduct threatens the integrity of the Settlement and the prompt payment of legitimate claims," league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to the AP. “We are pleased with the Special Masters’ Decision, which sends a clear message that fraud in the NFL Concussion Settlement Program will not be tolerated.”

Under the settlement, only doctors contracted with the claims program are allowed to render qualifying diagnoses; those doctors must be board-certified, have expertise in neurology, and comply with anti-influence rules designed to prevent fraud or kickbacks.

Law firms recruited retired players

The report said that the law firms circumvented that requirement by recruiting retired players as clients and sending them to unapproved doctors who diagnosed them with Parkinson's and prescribed them a drug that suppresses the symptoms.

At one point, retired players waited in a hotel lobby in Dallas to meet with a traveling doctor who had rented a suite for the purpose of examining them for Parkinson’s, the report said. Another unapproved doctor used by the firms was neither board-certified nor known to be a movement disorders specialist, but even if he were, he would have been ineligible due to past bankruptcy, tax liens and civil judgments, it said.

After the diagnosis and prescription from an unapproved doctor, the law firms sent the clients to approved ones — who were hamstrung in making a decision about whether the former player had the disease, because the player was already on medication to suppress the symptoms, the report said. The approved doctors typically could rely only on the past medical history: the prior diagnosis and current prescription.

The report identified the law firms involved as Douglas Grossinger, Attorney at Law; Feder Law, LLC; Pro Athlete Law Firm, P.A.; Syme Law, PLLC; and Reppert Oates & Vytell, LLC. It said the practice began with Grossinger, who then recruited other attorneys to submit claims for him so as to avoid raising suspicion for submitting so many Parkinson's claims.

Oates did not farm out claims to other attorneys, but he engaged in a similar practice with diagnoses, the report said, with informants telling auditors that he “cold-called Retired NFL Players, promising a Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease” if the players switched from another law firm to his.

“By structuring their clients’ evaluations in this way, Mr. Grossinger and ROV deliberately put (approved) Physicians in a position where they had little choice but to defer to manufactured outside records,” the report said.

Grossinger, a New York-licensed attorney, declined to comment on the record when contacted by the AP. Pennsylvania-based Fred Feder said in a text message he would not make any statement without first consulting his lawyer. The AP could not immediately confirm contact information for Syme Law or Pro Athlete Law Firm.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle. AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

And when it comes to traffic in Houston, it’s one of those things where if you forget what day it is, you’ll quickly remember when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic wondering when the endless jam is finally going to blow the final whistle. Or maybe you’re a little more optimistic and excited to push through the traffic—so you can take part in the net gains of the big games.

The FIFA Fan Festival in EaDo runs June 11–July 19:

It’s FREE to the public, with viewing parties dubbed “The Soul of Football” right in the heart of Houston. It’s open every match day of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff for the first match of the day.21

FIFA Fan Festival Road Closures:

Red areas: Portions of Hutchins and Polk Streets are under Public Safety Road Closures from June 6–July 23.

Blue areas: Portions of Polk St, Dallas St, Lamar St, McKinney St, Walker St, and St. Emanuel St will close one hour before the Fan Festival starts.

Good news: Texas Ave and Emancipation will stay open throughout to help you dodge the closures, but you might still run into some delays.

Rideshare: Head to the corner of Leeland St and St. Emanuel St (about a 7-minute walk to the south entrance on Polk Street).

Just search “FIFA Fan Festival Rideshare Lot” for a faster way to get the address when using your rideshare app.

What’s the difference between Fan Festival Traffic and NRG Match Days Traffic?

Fan Festival traffic stays focused on select neighborhoods, and crowd management isn’t as intense as NRG with its massive entrances and exits. It might be slightly annoying for some, but it won’t be a total red-card headache compared to game days at the stadium.

Now let’s talk NRG Stadium:

Because on those 7 match days, 70,000+ fans are expected to flood the pitch (and the roads), and that’s going to cause some serious traffic congestion… or should we say, congestion in the box?

Expect 20-50% more traffic. And according to over very own Joy Addison some commutes could double on match days—like NRG to the Galleria—with congestion building 3–5 hours before kickoff.

FIFA World Cup could double some Houston commutes, transportation leaders warn

Pro tip for beating traffic: METRO dropped nearly $10 million in transit upgrades, including a 14-mile “Green Corridor” that connects EaDo Fan Festival, downtown, and NRG Stadium—delivering you from downtown to the stadium doors for just $1.25 in about 21 minutes.

Here’s a snapshot on how much time and money it will take you using the Green Corridor:

You can read the full article here: Houston World Cup 2026 Transportation | METRORail & Parking

Slow spots to watch: west/south Loop 610 (especially near the stadium), I-45 South from downtown toward NRG, US-59, and Texas 288. Secondary roads near NRG like Bellaire, West University, South Main, Fannin, and Richmond Ave will also feel the heat.

Plan ahead, use METRO when you can, and get ready to score some unforgettable memories—traffic and all.

Houston will host seven World Cup matches between June 14 and July 4, prompting concerns from some residents about whether the electric grid can handle the increased demand during one of the hottest times of the year.

• 2026 FIFA World Cup: Houston Traffic Guide

CenterPoint officials say they have completed nearly 700 electric resiliency projects across more than 100 miles of power lines serving key World Cup-related locations, including NRG Park, Shell Energy Stadium, airports, hotels, transit corridors and fan zones.

The company also inspected nearly 250 miles of natural gas pipeline surrounding major event venues.

“Preparing for seven World Cup matches is like preparing for seven Super Bowls,” said Jesus Soto, CenterPoint Energy’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “For over a year, our teams have worked to strengthen the electric and gas systems around all critical venues and to closely coordinate with all our emergency management partners.”

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton investigates FIFA over World Cup ticket seat complaints

According to CenterPoint, crews conducted inspections of primary and backup electrical circuits serving World Cup priority locations, repaired or replaced equipment where needed and developed a specialized response plan for the event.

The utility also plans to activate its Emergency Operations Center before, during and after each match to coordinate response efforts if issues arise.

While some Houstonians are worried about potential strain on the power grid, energy experts say the overall impact on ERCOT’s statewide system is expected to be manageable.

“It’s not large on the scale of Texas itself,” said Sam Luna with BKV Energy. “Really, the impact we foresee is going to be on the local infrastructure and what CenterPoint has done to be prepared.”

• As World Cup fans head to Texas, here’s how to spot heat stroke and heat exhaustion

Luna said NRG Park alone could see an increase of 13 to 15 megawatts of electricity demand during World Cup events, roughly equivalent to the power used by 3,000 to 5,000 homes.

However, he said concerns are focused more on localized infrastructure around hotels, entertainment districts, watch parties and fan events than on ERCOT’s ability to supply power statewide.

The World Cup arrives during a period when Texas typically experiences peak electricity demand driven by extreme heat.

ERCOT has projected that statewide demand could reach as high as 90,000 megawatts this summer.

In addition to infrastructure upgrades, CenterPoint says it has coordinated with the City of Houston, emergency management agencies and federal partners, participated in emergency response exercises and pre-staged additional crews and equipment near key event locations.

The utility says those efforts are designed to improve reliability and speed restoration efforts if outages occur during the tournament.

Houston’s seven-match schedule is expected to make the city one of the busiest World Cup host locations in the United States, bringing international visitors, watch parties and fan events throughout the region.

With the World Cup about to kick off, security is heightened and there’s a zero-tolerance policy for drones over or near stadiums during the 78 matches in 11 U.S. cities.

Authorities have ratcheted up counter-drone measures used at the Super Bowl and other major events, while Congress has given law enforcement broader authority to electronically disable drones or shoot them down.

“The war in Ukraine has become a real-world testing ground for drone technology, and if there is one threat that keeps me up at night, it is from drones,” New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Taking the threat seriously

Congress just gave state and local law enforcement the green light to take control of a threatening drone or even shoot them down if needed in December, though the first option will be to disable them electronically and land them safely. Key federal agencies already had that power.

The Federal Aviation Administration will restrict the airspace around and over crowded stadiums for World Cup games and fan events — much like it has done for years around NFL and Major League Baseball games. Violators can face fines up to $100,000, see their drones confiscated and even face criminal charges for flying within three miles of one of the games. But those penalties likely wouldn’t deter a determined terrorist.

The FBI has spent the last seven years building up its capability to deal with drones by investing in the technology needed to quickly identify drones and take control of them, and authorities have been using that already at major events. The bureau also provided counter drone technology training this year to law enforcement in all World Cup host cities that taught them how to recognize dangerous drones and respond.

The military has also developed counter drone lasers like the ones used along the Mexican border earlier this year and other systems to shoot down drones, but the FBI is not planning to do that during the World Cup because of the dangers involved with the wreckage of a drone falling over a major city.

“If the drone is intercepted and it no longer flies, it’s going to fall. And as we say, no matter what you do, you can’t change the law of gravity,” said national security expert Hal Kempfer, who estimates that he has trained more than 30,000 law enforcement officers on counter-terrorism techniques.

‘Everybody’s a little behind’

The government has invested heavily in systems that should allow officers to take control of suspicious drones and land them safely or jam their signals, including handing out $250 million to help states prepare to protect World Cup matches and the big public events planned this summer to honor America's 250th birthday.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Congress at a recent hearing that federal officers have successfully dealt with drones over several recent events, including bringing down eight drones over a Formula 1 race in Miami and 12 that entered the no fly zone over the Masters golf tournament, but “everybody's a little behind” the rapidly evolving technology.

“Biggest concern I have is honestly with drones,” Mullin said. “I wouldn’t say a vulnerability, but it is, it is one of the areas that we are struggling with every single day.”

Drones are scary in the wrong hands

The FBI is taking a “zero-tolerance” approach to protecting the airspace around World Cup events. Devin Kowalski, an FBI assistant director in charge of the bureau’s Critical Incident Response Group, said the agency plans to treat all drones “like they could be a real-deal threat.” Other federal agencies, including Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard, will take the lead at several stadiums while the FBI protects three of them.

“When that drone comes into the TFR (Temporary Flight Restricted area), we’re handling it as if it’s something that could hurt people, and we’re aggressively locating its operator and conducting the logical investigation to determine the nature of the situation as well as to hold that person accountable,” Kowalksi said in an interview with The Associated Press.

ATF Director Rob Cekada said in an interview that the focus now is on protecting the World Cup, but the America 250 events, World Series, Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympics aren’t far behind. “Then think about all the events in every community in the country — high school and college games — that are a concern for our state and local partners. So we want to do what we can to help them as best as possible,” he said.

Derek Reisfield, who is the former president of one of the companies providing counter-drone technology to the host cities, said “this technology in the wrong hands is very scary,” and there are many around the globe who want to harm America.

“We have to assume that there’s somebody in Iran who’s spending every day thinking about how they can attack the United States on our home turf,” said Reisfield, who used to lead Ondas and now serves on the board of a Ukrainian company called Swarmer that makes software that allows one person to control hundreds of drones.

Early detection could be key to stopping drones

Some of the technology could allow authorities to detect drones up to 25 miles (40 kilometers) out, which would provide more time to mitigate the threat, according to Matt Sloane, the co-founder of SkyfireAI. But it's possible that someone could sneak a drone up close to a stadium and launch it from less than a mile away (less than 1.6 kilometers), which would leave little time to act.

And the systems designed to jam the signal from an operator or take control of a drone might not be effective if it is preprogrammed to crash into a stadium full of fans while carrying an explosive payload or if it is controlled over a fiber optic line.

The battlefield tactic that might pose the greatest threat would be sending a swarm of multiple drones to attack at the same time. Even with the best defenses, a few drones might sneak through to the target as Iran has been able to do with large numbers of its Shaheed drones. The U.S. military has an assortment of weapons to knock drones out of the sky, but Iran has still be able to hit targets across the Middle East.

But Sloane he feels like the government is doing what it can to be ready.

“The threat is real, certainly. But I do think that there’s a lot being done to prepare for it. To educate about it,” said Sloane, whose company has helped protect Super Bowls in the past. “And then we just need to tell everybody who’s just trying to take pretty pictures ‘Hey this is not the time. Keep your drone in the box.’”

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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.

The Fort Bend County Hazmat Response Team has been called in to help the Rosenberg Fire Department at the scene near Reese Road and FM 2218, according to the Fort Bend County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Officials said part of Reese Road has been closed starting at FM 2218 while crews work to control the leak. Authorities added that there are no other known threats to the public at this time.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible and follow instructions from emergency personnel. Updates are expected as more information is released.

More than 2 weeks after Joshua Lahai drowned at Surfside Beach, his family sat down with KPRC 2 to talk about Joshua — and the hole his absence has already carved into their home.

PREVIOUS STORY: Surfside Beach residents, leaders push for safer waters after 11-year-old boy’s drowning death

“Joshua was the fourth born. He was so loving, very smart, liked to ask questions. When he was growing up, he was going to be greater than me,” said Peter Lahai, Joshua’s father.

His mother, Esther Lahai, struggled to find words big enough to describe him.

“He was very helpful, he was kind, he was very smart. He loved me so much. He loved us,” Esther said.

Joshua was about to start sixth grade. He played football with the Southwest Broncos and was still figuring out who he was and what he loved — a life, his family says, that was just beginning to take shape.

On May 24, Joshua’s football team took a trip to Surfside Beach. Police say Joshua was in the water with a friend when he went under. His parents were on the beach but say they looked away for a moment to check on their other children — and when they looked back, Joshua was gone.

“When you were on the beach and you did see Joshua before he drowned, how far do you think he was?” he was asked.

“He was not 150 yards, no. Just around where the other kids were. I always see him with one identical boy,” Peter said. “And this boy, his father rescued him — but could not rescue Joshua.”

Joshua’s body was recovered almost 48 hours later, with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies and Texas EquuSearch.

In the days since, the family has been asking questions. They tell KPRC 2 they had never been to Surfside Beach before.

“We don’t know about that beach, and if you check the history of that beach, people drown every year. We only knew that after this incident,” Peter said.

Now, the family is leaning on each other and on their faith as they try to find a way forward.

“We’ll miss Joshua. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for us,” Peter said.

Joshua’s family will hold a vigil Friday and lay him to rest Saturday.

As the Lahai family prepares to say goodbye, Surfside Beach is taking steps to prevent another tragedy. Police are launching a life jacket donation program in the coming days, and city council members are set to discuss an agreement with TEXSAR — a volunteer first responder group — to provide additional support during busy beach weekends and large events.

Elsewhere, users will get to see parts of matches live on YouTube and TikTok for the first time.

Forget about the exclusivity of traditional over-the-air networks: The World Cup will be watched differently this time.

As FIFA pushes to engage a new generation of fans, younger audiences will have more options to access soccer’s showcase event thanks to what soccer's governing body describes as a record number of deals with broadcast partners that carry digital-only platforms. Creators’ perspectives will be brought to the forefront and user experiences worldwide will be enhanced thanks to what FIFA is calling “game-changing” partnerships.

The goal is to grab viewers' attention, effectively giving them an appetizer that will encourage them to go back and watch the games on traditional channels.

Co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, this year's World Cup — the biggest ever, with 48 teams — begins Thursday and will run through July 19.

Brazil’s CazéTV has the rights to all games

Brazil historically has been one of the countries with the most engagement on social media and digital platforms.

FIFA took notice, and four years ago did a type of a test run with popular streamer Casimiro Miguel, now 32, who had shown success engaging with younger sports fans on his Twitch channel. For the 2022 Qatar World Cup, FIFA reached a deal with him — and his partner LiveMode — to broadcast 22 matches on the CazéTV YouTube channel.

With a more informal and conversational approach to the broadcast, along with increased fan engagement and the participation of content creators as commentators, the trial was considered a resounding success. It led to an expanded deal for the tournament this year, with CazéTV becoming the only channel — digital or traditional — with rights to all 104 games in Brazil. The network Globo, the home of soccer in Brazil for decades, will show 55 games.

“FIFA is always looking at innovative ways about how to enhance the broadcast coverage of our flagship competitions and the deal with CazéTV is an example of such, which will ensure football fans in Brazil will be able to watch all 104 games, while also helping to reach new audiences and demographics,” the governing body told The Associated Press in a statement.

A Cristiano Ronaldo connection

LiveMode, the Brazilian company that has CazéTV under its umbrella and broadcasts matches with content creators, announced last month that it had launched an international broadcast arm of the company and that Cristiano Ronaldo was one of its shareholders.

LiveMode's channel in Portugal will broadcast one game per day during the World Cup, including all of Portugal's matches and the final. The 41-year-old Ronaldo, one of soccer's all-time greats, is making his sixth World Cup appearance with the national team.

“There is an audience that connects with digital first, and digital allows us to bring this new audience to follow major sporting events,” LiveMode co-founder Sergio Lopes told the AP. “Generally, this audience is younger and doesn’t just want to watch a match. They want to participate in the conversation, interact in real time, and feel like they are part of a community.”

YouTube and TikTok deals

FIFA earlier this year picked TikTok as the first “preferred platform” for video content on social media at the World Cup, giving creators access to content. World Cup broadcast rights holders can livestream parts of the 104 games at a dedicated hub on the TikTok app. Then in March, FIFA reached a deal with YouTube to also allow rights-holding broadcasters to stream game action live on the video platform. Rights holders will be allowed to broadcast the first 10 minutes of games.

“YouTube is where global sports fans tune in before, during, and after the game. That is what makes our preferred partnership with FIFA for World Cup 2026 so unique,” said Angela Courtin, YouTube's vice president of entertainment and sports marketing. “Between the incredible reach of our creator cohort and providing FIFA’s media partners with a pathway to upload more premium content to their YouTube channels, plus our live YouTube FIFA Creator Cup in New York City this July, we are ushering in the next generation of soccer fans for years to come.”

Taking aim at world records

With the new deals, FIFA expects the 2026 World Cup to break all records related to digital and streaming audiences.

In 2022, FIFA reported 5 billion total engagements during the tournament in Qatar, with 2.7 billion coming through digital and streaming services, and 2.9 from linear television. Nearly 1.5 billion people watched the final won by Argentina, with 237 million of them being digital-only viewers, according to FIFA.

In the U.S., Fox holds the rights for the 2026 World Cup, and there were no exclusive deals by FIFA with digital platforms, though the network will have every match streaming live and on-demand within its apps. Streaming giant Netflix has secured the U.S. broadcasting rights to the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031, in the most significant deal FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a major tournament.

“We are seeing that sport needs to occupy all screens, engage with all audiences to grow,” LiveModeTV co-founder Lopes said. “New audiences expect authenticity, interaction and different ways to follow an event. The World Cup continues to be the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet, but the way to experience it is also becoming more social, more participatory, more accessible, and more connected to the digital habits of each generation.”

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Mexico jointly hosts the soccer tournament with the U.S. and Canada and kicks off festivities Thursday with a star-studded event, even as some critics say the government has spent too much time and money catering to international visitors at residents' expense.

The games begin as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum walks a political tightrope, navigating a deteriorating relationship with the U.S. ahead of July trade negotiations, along with political scandals and security concerns following a burst of violence in a World Cup host city in February.

Pressure has mounted as guests flood into Mexico City. Residents say authorities have prioritized the competition over pressing social needs.

On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said it was unclear whether Mexico City could host its free fan festival on opening night because a teachers' union protest camp has blocked access to the plaza.

“Mexico wants to project an image to the world that doesn’t exactly square with reality,” said Carlos Pérez Ricart, a political analyst at the Mexican Center for Research and Economic Education. “The World Cup is putting the president in a vulnerable situation … The government is under extreme pressure.”

World Cup is a showcase for the country

FIFA's logo, orange Mexican marigold flowers, giant soccer balls and other decorations line streets across Mexico’s capital and the two other host cities, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Fans buzzed with excitement as they strolled through Mexico City's streets.

The competition is expected to bring in $3 billion for hotels, restaurants and sports venues, according to the Mexican Soccer Federation.

Thursday's fan festival and opening match, where Mexico will face off against South Africa, are expected to draw more viewers than much of the competition, with Colombian superstar Shakira and others scheduled to perform.

If all goes off without a hitch, it will be a feather in Sheinbaum's cap, said Pérez Ricart, showing the world that Mexico is “modern and capable of organizing high impact events.”

‘Everything is under control’

Mexican authorities have fortified security following violence that paralyzed host city Guadalajara in February. More than 100,000 soldiers, sailors, National Guard members and police officers are expected to be deployed across the three host cities, yet social tensions have posed the greatest obstacle, particularly in Mexico City.

For more than a week, the country’s teachers' union has toppled World Cup statues and blocked roads in an annual push for better working conditions. Families of Mexico’s more than 130,000 missing people have hung flyers of their loved ones and said authorities should focus on addressing humanitarian crises in Mexico.

"We’re not against the ball game,” said Luis Antonio Rosales Narváez, a protest organizer. But “they should be investing in education ... not giving the city a makeover.”

Sheinbaum had denied there was any social unrest ahead of the tournament, but on Wednesday she acknowledged that “if for some reason the Zócalo cannot be used for the opening, there are 18 venues where people can watch it free of charge.”

“Everything is under control,” she added.

‘The prices are sky-high’

Airports across the Americas were filled with fans. Panama City's airport — one of the main gateways between North and South America — was a sea of multicolored jerseys from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Germany and elsewhere.

“This year we’re defending the title, and we’ll follow Argentina to the ends of the earth,” shouted Emilio Sosa, a 29-year-old from Buenos Aires on his way to Los Angeles.

David Botero, a 43-year-old Colombian, was traveling to Mexico City with his family to watch Colombia’s opening match on June 17 against Uzbekistan.

“What matters is that we’ll get to see our team up close," Botero said.

Others, like 66-year-old Dr. Jose Luis Muñoz, struck a more skeptical tone as he read and smoked a cigarette next to a park in downtown Mexico City that once teemed with street vendors. It has since been cleared out by authorities in an effort to clean up the streets. Muñoz said some of his fondest memories were taking his children to games during Mexico’s 1986 World Cup and celebrating their home team's winning streak.

“I was so excited, and that joy I passed on to my children,” he said.

This year, though, he was priced out from attending games. Tickets cost hundreds of dollars.

“The prices are sky-high. Many people aren’t going to be able to go unless they’re foreigners with a lot of money,” Muñoz said. “It feels very discriminatory."

Still, he added, he will root for Mexico's team from home with his children and grandchildren.

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Associated Press journalists Nayara Batschke and María Verza contributed to this report from Mexico City.

Afghanistan said the strikes hit the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika, and government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said 13 people were killed — 11 children, one woman and an older man — with 14 other civilians wounded.

Pakistan confirmed it carried out strikes, saying it targeted militant hideouts and infrastructure linked to recent attacks inside Pakistan and that 26 militants were killed. The two sides often give widely differing casualty figures.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan since February, when Afghanistan attacked Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Several rounds of internationally mediated peace talks have failed to produce a lasting truce.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, especially the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. The group is separate from, but allied with, the Afghan Taliban, which has ruled Afghanistan since it seized power in the country in 2021 amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge.

Seven children killed in the strikes are buried

In Khost, hundreds of mourners attended the funerals of nine people killed — seven children ranging in age from 3 to 15, a woman and a man. All were from the same family, killed when their house collapsed from the airstrike, relatives said.

Residents knelt to mourn at the open casket of a small child.

One mourner, Talib Gul, said those killed were his uncle and aunt along with their four daughters and three sons.

“In my uncle’s family, only two of his daughters survived. The rest of his entire family was martyred,” Gul said.

He said a second strike hit his brother's house, causing significant damage and killing many livestock that are central to livelihoods there.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul to protest ”the violation of Afghan airspace and the bombing of the homes of innocent civilians,” deputy spokesperson and public relations director Zia Ahmad Takal said in a statement, adding that Pakistan should “find a fundamental solution to its internal problems.”

Pakistan says it targeted militant hideouts

In a post on X, Pakistan's information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said strikes were carried out in border areas on "hideouts and safe havens of masterminds and planners" of attacks carried out by the Pakistani Taliban and insurgents in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

Tarar said four targets were destroyed: a training center, a hideout, an ammunition cache and a facility belonging to militant commanders.

Pakistan’s counter-terrorism campaign will continue “at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism,” he said.

Pakistan’s information ministry on X dismissed Afghanistan's reports of civilian casualties, asserting that “Afghan Taliban accounts are peddling propaganda.”

Wednesday's strikes came a day after suspected Pakistani Taliban militants attacked a security post in Pakistan's Hasan Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, triggering a gunfight in which six members of the Federal Constabulary were killed and several others wounded, according to Pakistan’s interior ministry.

Local authorities in Pakistan said Tuesday that security forces killed eight of the attackers and thwarted an attempt to overrun the checkpoint.

The situation along the border was calm hours after Wednesday's strikes. Kabul has previously responded to strikes by targeting Pakistani posts along the frontier hours or days later.

Fighting has closed the border since October

Pakistan in February declared it was in open war with Afghanistan, following a surge in militant attacks on its civilians and security forces.

Afghanistan has said a Pakistani airstrike in March hit a drug treatment center in Kabul, killing more than 400 people. Pakistan has disputed the toll and denied targeting civilians, saying it struck an ammunition depot.

Wednesday's strikes come months after China hosted peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Beijing later said they had agreed not to escalate their conflict and to explore a solution.

Authorities in Pakistan have said China and some other friendly countries were still encouraging both sides to reach an agreement for durable peace.

Masood Khan, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said the solution to the tensions lies in enforcing a decree by Afghanistan's Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada ordering the TTP to stop attacks on Pakistan.

“That decree must be implemented sincerely and faithfully,” Khan said.

The border has been closed since October, disrupting trade and transportation and stranding thousands of people.

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Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.

Omar Artan, who was named as Africa's best male referee in 2025., said he plans to be at the next World Cup and urged Somali youth to be proud of their country.

Artan was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament.

He was denied entry to the U.S. at Miami International Airport on Saturday over unspecified “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement, without giving details of the concerns. FIFA subsequently cut him from the tournament's referee list.

Artan was issued a visa to travel to the U.S. last week, according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, which processed it. The U.S. is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada, and Artan was due to meet up with other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami.

Arriving in the capital, Mogadishu, he thanked the Somali government and public as well as FIFA for their support.

“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved Somali flags. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”

Later on Wednesday, thousands of soccer fans packed the stadium in Mogadishu for a welcome ceremony for Artan, with patriotic songs echoing through the arena as supporters waved the nation's flag and cheered him on.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre also hosted Artan, writing in a post on X that the referee had “already won the hearts of millions and secured his place in history.”

“He devoted himself to ensuring that football was decided by merit, yet fate denied him the stage he so richly deserved,” Barre said.

The U.S.'s highly unusual move to deny a FIFA-appointed match official permission to enter a World Cup host country drew outrage across the world and raised questions among some fans about America's capacity to host the competition.

Somalia is one of nearly 40 countries subject to new travel restrictions under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

On Wednesday, the United Nations’ top human rights official called for a “massive rethink” of immigration policies especially in the United States around the World Cup.

Hundreds of supporters, government officials and members of Somalia’s football community gathered hours before Artan arrived at Aden Adde International Airport.

As he disembarked, supporters waving Somali flags crowded around him before draping him in the flag.

He was then escorted by police officers to the airport’s VIP terminal, where he was welcomed by Somalia’s sports minister and other dignitaries, and spoke to journalists.

“It is up to all of us to defend the Somali name,” Artan said. “Somalia belongs to us, whether it is in a bad state or a good state. That flag belongs to us, and that passport belongs to us.”

In a country where decades of war and the rise of the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group have limited the potential of many in Somalia, Artan's denial brought disappointment but reminded people what is possible if they chase their dreams.

Artan's expected milestone at this year's World Cup “stands no matter what,” the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus — from neighboring Ethiopia — wrote Tuesday on X. “You reached the summit of your profession and inspired a generation back home just by getting there, and being kept off the pitch you earned doesn’t change that.”

FAN FEST: EaDo (East Downtown)

We kick off the ... kickoff to World Cup on Thursday at the official Fan Fest in EaDo. As you might expect, in early June, most fans will be hit with two of Houston’s best defenders: Heat and humidity.

Fans should be ready for the humidity to dominate as soon as you get into the gates.

The actual air temperature may only be in the low to mid 90s, but once you factor in Houston’s tropical humidity, it can feel much hotter. That “feels-like” temperature is known as the heat index, and it’s one of the best indicators of how stressful conditions can become on the human body.

Your body naturally cools itself by sweating. But when humidity levels are high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as efficiently. That means your body struggles to cool down, causing your internal temperature to rise faster.

First Match at Houston Stadium: Sunday

Once we head into the weekend, the humidity will remain but we’ll start to keep an eye to the sky for downpours to start drenching fans at times.

We have a large swath of heavy tropical moisture coming in from the southern Gulf as we head into the weekend.

The brighter the color, the more moisture that it can hold. Remember back to last Saturday and how heavy the downpours were? The picture above looks very similar to the conditions that we were under last weekend.

So, as we get closer to the weekend, expect to see more thunderstorm coverage earlier in the day and a possibility for heavy downpours in the afternoons. Especially on Sunday, when fans of Germany and Curacao will spill into NRG for the kick off match here in Houston.

We’ll keep a watch on the forecast but if you’re heading into town for the match Sunday or even Saturday, plan for some indoor time and/or getting chased out of the open sky quickly if storms develop.

The bill provides $38 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion for the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs, according to the White House.

Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote over the objections of Democrats. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with shooting deaths of deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in January during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

Democrats began demanding changes to immigration enforcement after the shootings, creating an impasse — and resulting in the longest agency in history — that ultimately led Republicans to go it alone on the funding.

The agencies will be funded through the next three years. The new law front-loads routine annual funding, ensuring a virtually uninterrupted flow of money as the Trump administration seeks to deport some 1 million people per year.

The legislation had become sidetracked over $1 billion for White House security, including for Trump’s new ballroom, and a $1.8 billion fund to compensate his allies who claim to be victims of political prosecution. Both proposals became politically toxic and were scrapped.

The bill as passed focused exclusively on immigration enforcement, a topic that Republicans have treated as a defining issue between the two major political parties and one the GOP hopes will carry it to victory in November's midterm elections.

Ka Nye Taylor is wanted on 11 counts of felonious assault, the Toledo Police Department said Wednesday, four days after the shooting in a park filled with event tents, a music stage and food trucks.

Police on Wednesday released a photo of a second male suspect dressed in all black at the festival. Phone numbers for Taylor or his family members were not immediately available or found in online directories.

The shooting erupted after someone was tackled and assaulted at the festival, leading one person to open fire and a second to respond with more gunshots, Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said at a news conference Tuesday.

Three of the 12 people shot were involved in the altercation, authorities said, while the rest were bystanders. The wounded ranged in age from teenagers to one person in their 60s. All but three had been released from the hospital by Tuesday.

The police chief and other city officials praised officers and good Samaritans who quickly helped the victims.

“We saw strangers who were shocked and frightened by the violence they just saw, they jumped into action,” said Chief of Fire and Rescue Allison Armstrong. “They helped others by placing tourniquets, dressing wounds, applying pressure and comforting those victims until additional help could arrive.”

Half the victims arrived at hospitals with tourniquets applied by either police or bystanders, Armstrong said.

Hundreds of people were at the Old West End Festival, an annual two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district that covers several city blocks and features live music, vendors and home tours. Toledo is located in northwest Ohio near the western edge of Lake Erie, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Detroit.

The remainder of the festival was canceled Sunday. Organizers said it would not have been "compassionate, responsible or possible” to continue through he weekend.

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Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

The mass shooting unfolded late Tuesday night in an informal settlement in Johannesburg's Cleveland suburb, police said. At least 10 attackers participated in the killings.

Organized crime gangs have long vied for control of illegal mining and other activities in Johannesburg. Police did not provide a motive, saying the shooting is under investigation.

Police said in a statement that the shooters “moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene.”

Nine men and three women were killed, according to police. Eleven died at the scene and one died in a hospital.

Police say the shooting was insane and barbaric

Police are searching for the suspects and their vehicle but no arrests have been made.

The provincial police commissioner, Tommy Mthombeni, called the killings “insane, heartless and, to a certain extent, barbaric.” Mthombeni said it was too early to link the violence to illegal mining gangs but that police were investigating. He said police confiscated illegal firearms, including assault rifles, in a recent operation in the area and that illegal miners were known to operate there.

Ambulances were on the scene on Wednesday morning to carry away the victims' bodies while community members huddled in groups on the streets. Some of them said their homes had been struck by bullets.

Resident Nkosinathi Phatha said his uncle was among those who were killed.

“I was sleeping at home with my daughter, but we all woke up when the gunshots started going off," Phatha said. “I’m still shaking even now, my young girl is still traumatized.”

Informal settlements are common in and around big cities in South Africa, where people looking for permanent housing live in shacks and other makeshift structures. Illegal miners sometimes operate in the same areas.

Residents said the settlement had a problem with illegal miners and that police rarely help.

“This area is not safe ... The police are not doing anything about it, and we will get into trouble if we start taking the law into our own hands,” said Phatha.

‘This was basically a massacre’

The government of Africa’s biggest economy deployed the army to high-risk areas — including in and around Johannesburg — in March to clamp down on illegal mines run by criminal syndicates and other organized crime. The yearlong operation has been decried by opposition lawmakers and crime analysts as an admission that police are losing the battle against organized crime.

South Africa has extremely high violent crime rates, with the country recording more than 23,000 killings in the last financial year, according to official crime statistics, an average of more than 60 a day.

Jack Bloom, a local politician, said there had been crime and murders in the area before, but this shooting was different and appeared to be related to criminal gangs.

“This was basically a massacre. It’s horrifying,” Bloom said.

Illegal gold mining is rampant in the area

South Africa has been hit by several recent high-profile mass shootings, including two in December that left more than 20 people dead. One of those attacks also involved multiple shooters.

Violent gangs are involved in illicit mining in and around Johannesburg, which has large gold reserves and many abandoned mines. The gangs search the abandoned mines for leftover gold deposits, which they sometimes store in hideouts in the informal settlements. Rival gangs also fight turf wars or use violence against communities to establish control in those areas.

Local council member Neuren Pietersen confirmed that illegal mining gangs have ties to Cleveland but said other problems exist in the suburb, such as tension over land, and that he is not sure those gangs were responsible for the latest killings.

“There are a lot of moving parts here so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is driving the issues,” Pietersen said in an interview with eNCA TV station.

Acting national police commissioner Puleng Dimpane said in a statement that forensic investigators and tactical response teams have been deployed to the scene. Tracing the white minibus is a priority, Dimpane said.

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Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa. Associated Press writer Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg contributed.

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

Data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%, Ember said. Coal supplied 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever.

“For years solar power has risen in the U.S. electricity mix," said Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember. "At the same time, coal power has lost its status, first as the largest source in the U.S. mix, and then gradually over the years has fallen even further.”

Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the U.S. in May, behind natural gas and nuclear, Fulghum said. Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low in April and rebounded only modestly in May, allowing increasing solar generation to overtake coal, he added.

Electricity is produced by converting sources of energy — fossil fuels, renewable resources and nuclear — into electrical power. Burning coal, oil and natural gas for electricity emits carbon dioxide, trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet. By contrast, solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and nuclear are carbon-free.

After about two decades of essentially flat electricity consumption in the U.S., electricity demand is increasing to power artificial intelligence, grow domestic manufacturing and electrify transportation and heating. Fulghum said he expects to see more months when solar exceeds coal generation, before overtaking it on an annual basis in a few years.

These milestones signify that solar “has staying power” at a time when there's less support for renewable energy at the federal level, he added.

Wind and solar combined have overtaken coal in the past, and wind power alone has outpaced coal during spring months when wind speeds pick up. Ember gets its hourly and monthly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Globally, electricity generation from renewables is growing rapidly. Renewables will become the largest global energy source, used for almost 45% of electricity generation by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.

Trump helps the struggling US coal industry while curtailing solar and wind

Last week, Trump, a Republican, announced a plan to boost the struggling U.S. coal industry by spending nearly $700 million to support coal-fired power plants and coal exports. Trump said at a White House event that “coal’s a great business” and that "in terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.”

Martin Pochtaruk, CEO and founder of Canadian-based solar panel manufacturer Heliene, said Trump can say that coal is coming back but investors will invest their money in whatever brings the best return. And for power generation that is solar, making it the fastest-growing fuel, he added.

A White House spokeswoman defended the Trump administration's overall energy policies, saying they were geared toward strengthening the country's security.

“The President has reversed the Left’s devastating policies, saved the American coal industry, prevented the retirement of more than 17 gigawatts of power, and saved lives during heightened demand periods," Taylor Rogers said in a statement.

While Trump is trying to reverse the coal industry's decline, solar has been the top source for new power for five years, SEIA said. SEIA and Wood Mackenzie said solar and battery storage were practically the only energy resources being built in the first quarter, making up 91% of all new generating capacity.

The Trump administration has canceled solar and wind projects, implemented policies that slowed clean energy permitting and development and terminated $7 billion in funding intended for affordable solar energy projects across the U.S.

“As power demand skyrockets, political and regulatory attacks are slowing down the exact resources we rely on,” Darren Van’t Hof, interim president and CEO of SEIA, said in a statement. “Impeding the only sector that is actively building new power is a reckless gamble that will only drive electricity bills higher.”

Several groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency over canceling the Solar for All program. A district court dismissed the case last week citing lack of jurisdiction. The plaintiffs have another filing pending in the Court of Federal Claims.

In a ruling Saturday, a federal judge struck down guidance from the Internal Revenue Service restricting tax credits for wind and solar projects.

Trump has blamed renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power for skyrocketing energy costs. But energy analysts say recent price hikes are based on growing demand, aging infrastructure and increasingly extreme weather events that are exacerbated by climate change. Most recently, the war in Iran that Trump launched has also led to a spike in energy costs.

Blaming clean energy is “nonsensical,” said U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman. The California Democrat said that “not even lighting $700 million of taxpayer money on fire” can save the dying coal industry.

“The rest of the world will move ahead toward a clean energy future with countries other than the United States leading the charge, unfortunately,” he said Wednesday. "Trump will fail in this agenda. But, he will do enormous damage to our global leadership on clean energy and to the cost of living for struggling Americans.”

Top states for solar voted for Trump

States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona and Mississippi ranking among the top 10 states for new solar additions, SEIA said. The U.S. now exceeds a total of 6 million installations nationwide across all solar sectors, which includes large-scale solar arrays, commercial, community solar and residential or rooftop solar.

Johanna Neumann, at the Environment America Research and Policy Center, said it's “good news for our health and our planet that solar continues to grow,” and also, not surprising.

“Today we can harness solar more affordably than any other energy source. It’s scalable. And it’s also our most abundant renewable energy source,” said Neumann, senior director of the center's campaign for 100% renewable energy. “So I think it’s hard to keep the lid on a good idea, especially if the economics are tilting in your favor as well, which they are in the case of solar.”

Environment America's renewable energy dashboard shows that 32 U.S. states generated at least 10% of their retail electricity sales from solar, wind and geothermal energy last year, compared to 18 states in 2016. Clean energy in the South is booming, particularly in Florida, Arkansas and Mississippi, Neumann said.

“I think there is a misconception in the United States that clean energy is something for the coasts and liberal cities,” she said. “The true story of renewable energy is a 50-state story.”

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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 results were never in question. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins nor Democratic challenger Graham Platner faced serious opposition for their party's nomination. And yet Tuesday marked an especially significant moment for Platner, the embattled veteran and oyster farmer, who is fighting to rebuild his credibility in a campaign rocked by controversy.

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump's clout within his party was tested anew in states like South Carolina and Nevada, where he endorsed his favored candidates. Democrats hoped to build momentum in Nevada as part of a broader push to reclaim key governor's seats.

Here's some of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday's primaries.

Platner tries to shift the conversation

There is no question that Platner has repair work to do.

The Maine Democrat openly acknowledged as much Tuesday night, telling a room packed with cheering supporters that “people can change.”

“Any of those who feel let down or disappointed or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith and support,” Platner said. He later added, “I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from.”

It was hardly a defiant message for a man who sits at the very center of the Democratic Party's fight to reclaim the Senate majority. Although he spent the closing minutes of his election-night speech attacking Collins, much of the night was choreographed to address other controversies.

It was barely a week ago when revelations surfaced that Platner had engaged in sexually explicit messages with multiple women while married. Allies wondered if more baggage would emerge, and then The New York Times reported new allegations about his behavior during previous relationships.

Platner's mother took the stage before he spoke. She declared: "I am very, very proud of my son. I’m proud of who he is." And then Platner's wife appeared at his side before and after his speech. They held hands, touched foreheads and kissed.

Platner's rival for the Democratic nomination, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign in April after it became clear Platner was in a commanding position.

A much more difficult challenge lies ahead: earning his own party's trust as he tries to defeat Collins, who is running for her sixth term.

Maine race tests Democrats’ standards

As the controversies surrounding Platner have mounted, his support among Democrats has remained intact.

His victory — and his party's response — underscores how much the party has changed in the Trump era. Democrats who once embraced a near-zero-tolerance approach to serious allegations of personal misconduct are increasingly prioritizing electability in their quest to return to power in Washington.

Jim Messina, who led former President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, said “a star is born” after Platner's speech Tuesday night.

Few lawmakers illustrated the Democratic Party's evolution more clearly than Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. On Monday night, Smith offered an unequivocal endorsement of Platner, saying that if she lived in Maine, “he’d have my support, no question.”

Smith arrived in the Senate in 2018 after replacing Sen. Al Franken, who resigned amid allegations of inappropriate touching and kissing during the height of the #MeToo movement.

She is joined by other Democrats who once derided Republicans’ acceptance of Trump and other controversial nominees, but now back Platner. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have been — and continue to be — key supporters of Platner.

But not all Democrats appear comfortable. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania had pushed Maine voters to support Mills, even though she dropped out. Mills issued a statement Tuesday night that did not mention Platner's name. Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey pushed Platner to “get off” the ballot in a CNN interview.

Expect Democratic leaders to face a new round of difficult questions about their own standards in the days and weeks ahead.

Trump's endorsement doesn't deliver clean win in South Carolina

The president was looking to rebound Tuesday from an embarrassing loss in Iowa last week, where his preferred candidate for governor was defeated in a rare rebuke from Republican primary voters.

But South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary offered only an incomplete victory.

Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was unable to secure a majority of the vote in the five-candidate field needed to avoid a runoff. She will face state Attorney General Alan Wilson on June 23.

As the results came in, Trump called Evette and pledged to help her over the next two weeks, according to a person familiar with the private conversation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The night produced a more decisive result for one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress. Sen. Lindsey Graham avoided a runoff and secured the Republican Senate nomination over businessman Mark Lynch. Trump had warned that it would be a “DISASTER for the Republican Party” if Lynch won.

Meanwhile in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, Trump-backed retired Lt. Col. David Flippo defeated former state Sen. James Settelmeyer. Republican Rep. Mark Amodei, who announced his retirement from the seat, had endorsed Settelmeyer, as had the state’s governor, Republican Joe Lombardo.

Clyburn cruises to primary win after South Carolina redistricting scare

Longtime South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, who holds significant national political clout as the state’s lone Democratic House member, easily fended off a little-known primary challenger Tuesday.

Just weeks ago, it was unclear if Clyburn would make it to a 18th term in office. Republican lawmakers, backed by Trump, considered a congressional map that would have significantly altered Clyburn’s majority-Black district and made it harder for him to hold onto the seat. But the Republican-led state Senate rejected the effort, leaving his district largely intact.

Two Republicans are still competing for the chance to face Clyburn in November, but he is expected to be the overwhelming favorite in the general election. A win would likely ensure he plays a significant role in the lead-up to the 2028 presidential race.

The US election system can be slow

It took a full week for California's general election matchup for governor to become clear. The final results for Maine could take even longer. And key primary contests in South Carolina are headed to a June 23 runoff.

Despite what you may be reading on the internet, this is how U.S. democracy works. These differences in how votes are counted — and how long it takes — exist because the Constitution sets out broad principles for electing a national government, but leaves the details to the states.

Tallying votes collected by local officials in individual precincts can take a long time — especially in states like Maine that offer ranked choice voting, or South Carolina, which requires a runoff if none of the candidates earn more than 50% of the vote.

In California, which held its primary elections last week, Republican Steve Hilton joined Democrat Xavier Becerra in qualifying for the November ballot for governor on Tuesday. Elections often take a long time to sort in the state, the nation's most populous, largely because officials designed their system to prioritize accessibility over speed.

In Maine's crowded primary for governor, five Democrats were in the running and the state will move to its ranked choice system to determine the winner. Historically, the process has taken more than a week to resolve. And in South Carolina, the Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson emerged from the crowded primary on Tuesday and will compete in a runoff election in two weeks.

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Peoples reported from New York.

In a letter to state regulators, Abbott outlined a series of proposals designed to ensure data centers shoulder the costs of their growth rather than Texas ratepayers.

Among his legislative priorities:

• requiring new facilities to add power generation to the state’s power grid
• requiring data centers pay for their own grid interconnection and infrastructure costs
• mandating the use of “closed-loop” water systems, which draw a large amount of water at the start but reuse it over some period of years
• require annual reporting by all data centers on electricity and water use
• establishing best-practice standards to address community concerns like noise
• repealing data center sales tax exemptions and “other outdated or unnecessary incentives for data centers”

The Texas Tribune reported earlier this year that the state is poised to lose $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years because of a sales tax exemption.

“The rapid scale of data center development requires oversight to ensure everyday Texans are not burdened with the costs of infrastructure driven by data center expansion, and to ensure that as data centers interconnect to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, residential electric bills are not negatively affected,” Abbott wrote in the letter first obtained by the Texas Bullpen.

It’s a striking call for industry regulation by the Republican governor in a state that has long prided itself on being a favorable environment for business. In recent months, Abbott has toed the line of championing the industry, declaring Texas the “epicenter” of AI development, and issuing statements about how his office was sensitive to the concerns about strain on resources and quality of life.

The Data Center Coalition welcomed the governor’s proposals saying the industry already follows many of the recommended practices and is committed to working with agencies to support “responsible infrastructure growth.” 

“It’s important to recognize that data centers are a diverse industry serving a wide range of needs, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to facility design, cooling technology, or regulation. The right approach in one community may not be the right approach in another, which is why siting and operational decisions are made in close coordination with local utilities, water providers, and management districts,” said Dan Diorio, the organization’s vice president of state policy.

In the immediate, the governor directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to “initiate action to reduce residential transmission costs” by July 31 and start requiring data centers to pay for all of their costs associated with building power infrastructure for their operations, to ensure residential ratepayers bear none of it.

He’s also asked the PUC and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s main grid operator, to submit a joint memorandum by July 17 summarizing what they’ve done to prevent that data center development have caused risks and added costs onto Texans.

The move comes as opposition to large-scale data center projects grows across Texas. Community groups have organized against proposed developments over concerns about water use, noise, land impacts, and strain on local infrastructure. A March Quinnipiac poll found that 65% of Americans oppose the building of an AI data center in their community.

A Texas Tribune analysis found that nearly 60% of data centers that are planned or under construction would be in red state House districts that voted for President Donald Trump.

As of May, ERCOT reported that large projects requesting to connect to the grid totaled 439 gigawatts of power capacity — five times larger than the all-time peak demand on the state’s grid. Of those projects, about 89% are data centers, though energy experts say it’s unlikely that all of them will be built.

ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas previously described the influx of requests as “an unprecedented change in the pace of growth.”

A Tribune analysis found the state has 335 existing data centers, with more than 248 in the works. Only Texas and Virginia, which has been the top state for data centers for the past few years, had more than 100 active projects under way as of March, according to Aterio, a company that tracks industrial development.

Notably absent from Abbott’s priorities was any proposal to expand local control over data center development. That omission comes as counties across Texas argue they lack the authority to regulate projects increasingly locating in rural, unincorporated areas where zoning restrictions do not exist. Some state officials have expressed interest in expanding counties’ regulatory authority over data centers.

Last week, the Tribune reported that in rural Hood County, eight projects have been proposed over 10 months and local officials had no authority to reject them. Efforts by lawmakers to slow development have been met with threats from state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and from lawsuits from data center developers.

Abbott’s recommendations follow interim charges in both chambers. Lawmakers have been charged with studying the development of data centers and examining the total water usage of data centers in the state.

These graveyards form when whale carcasses fall to the sea floor, becoming a sustaining snack for nearby critters. This one, located up to 23,000 feet (7 kilometers) below the surface of the southeastern Indian Ocean, spans the largest area and is so far the deepest and oldest found.

A whale's sheer size and the unique chemistry of its bones are the keys to forming these unique underwater neighborhoods, said Xikun Song, a biologist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering.

“At the same time, the very nature of the deep ocean makes these sites exceptionally difficult for scientists to locate,” Song, who was involved with the latest find, wrote in an email.

Researchers explored the remains during multiple deep-sea submersible trips in 2023, collecting samples and mapping the extent of the necropolis. They found five carcass sites and fossils, including skulls belonging to beaked and baleen whales. The oldest bones date back 5.3 million years.

Feeding and living on the carcasses were myriad creatures, large and small, including sea cucumbers, squat lobsters and saltwater clams. Many of them are likely species that have never been documented, according to findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

“The potential number of specimens is just astounding,” said paleontologist Stephen Godfrey with the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland, who wasn't involved in the research.

Many factors likely conspired to preserve the bones for millions of years, according to the study authors. They’re dense enough to outlast attacks from bone-eating worms, and located deep enough in the ocean to avoid getting buried by dust and loose particles. The bones also were coated with a light layer of minerals from the surrounding seawater, which may have prevented them from degrading.

Why did so many whales die here? Maybe they were already living in the area and died of natural causes. A few could have perished from exhaustion or illness caused by deep-sea diving. The area's shape, akin to the letter V, could also have funneled the remains to their resting spot, the authors wrote.

Such discoveries are important because they clue scientists into the vibrant communities that find a way even in remote, hard-to-reach environments.

Studying the whale graveyards “is important for understanding how life can adapt to such extreme conditions, not only due to the lack of light and oxygen but also to the incredibly high pressure,” said study co-author and paleontologist Giovanni Bianucci with the University of Pisa in Italy in an email.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory in China started collecting data in August with the goal of understanding neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles that date back to the Big Bang and whiz harmlessly through our bodies by the trillions every second. Yet they weigh almost nothing, making them difficult to sniff out.

In a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the JUNO team unveiled its initial findings from two months of data collection — including some of the most precise measurements to date of how neutrinos switch between three varieties, or flavors, as they zip through space.

“It really makes me look forward to more exciting results in the future,” said physicist Kate Scholberg with Duke University, who had no role in the new research.

The spherical JUNO detector is located 2,297 feet (700 meters) underground. It examines antineutrinos that come from collisions inside two nearby nuclear power plants. Antineutrinos are equally mysterious, opposite versions of neutrinos that scientists can study to understand their behavior and how neutrinos work.

When the antineutrinos meet particles within the detector, they produce a flash of light.

Scientists are hoping the detector will help resolve the longstanding mystery of how heavy each neutrino flavor is. They think two are similar in weight and that the third is an oddball, but they aren't sure whether two are heavy and the other is light or vice versa.

The initial results haven't answered that question just yet, but they show what the detector is capable of — and that it “will be able to test the finer ripples” that separate the neutrino flavors and their masses, said study co-author Liangjian Wen, a member of the JUNO collaboration.

Two similar neutrino detectors — Japan’s Hyper-Kamiokande and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment based in the United States — are set to begin data collection within the next decade, cross-checking the China detector’s results using different approaches.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The STAAR end-of-course exams tested students in Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II and U.S. History this spring – and measured whether they are ready for college, a career or the military.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath credited the gains to focused instruction and high expectations.

“These results may also be reflective of the Legislature’s ban of cell phone use in classrooms, so that students are better able to stay focused on their schoolwork while at school,” he said in a statement.

The partial release of STAAR results showed about 54% of students who tested in Algebra I demonstrated they had the skills appropriate for their grade level, up from 47% last year. Even so, students have yet to recover from math learning losses during the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, biology rebounded to pre-pandemic levels with 71% of students meeting grade level this spring — a 9 percentage-point increase from the previous year.

Performance in English saw smaller wins. The share of students meeting grade level rose from 51% to 55% in English I and from 56% to 60% in English II.

Among English language learners, students with disabilities and children from low-income families, the percentage of those meeting grade level also increased in every end-of-course test subject area.

Students must pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness’ end-of-course tests to graduate from a Texas high school. Some middle schoolers taking the upper-level classes must also take the end-of-course exams.

As part of a phasing out of STAAR, students will no longer take the English II end-of-year test starting in the 2027-28 school year. State lawmakers overhauled Texas’ exams as a response to widespread complaints from teachers and families about overtesting.

American officials in Thailand and the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar referred questions on the case to the State Department, which confirmed the “death of a U.S. government employee” assigned to the embassy in Yangon but gave no other details.

“Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones, we have no further information to provide at this time,” the State Department said in an emailed reply to questions from The Associated Press.

According to three people in the diplomatic community in Myanmar, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, the man was found dead about two weeks ago at the Sakura Residence & Hotel. The facility, with long-term rentals, is popular with diplomats, business people and other international visitors, and is located about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the American Embassy.

They said police are treating the case as a possible homicide and have a Thai woman in custody.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said it has provided consular assistance to the woman in custody and notified her family, but would not comment further.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is embroiled in fighting between the country's military-led government, which ousted democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, and a disparate group of militias organized by the country's ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy forces.

Authorities typically give little information to the media, and the duty officer answering the phone at the police station responsible for the area where the Sakura hotel is located refused to comment and hung up on an AP reporter.

The manager of the Sakura hotel also declined to comment.

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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

The deal struck between the Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers came four weeks after talks began.

The talks were the first under new DGA President Christopher Nolan, who took the job in September.

Along with similar four-year deals — longer than the industry three — ratified in recent weeks by unions representing writers and actors, the DGA agreement adds to the likelihood of long-term labor peace despite many other industry upheavals.

The collective bargaining agreement must still be approved by the guild’s national board, and no details on the terms will be released until then, the DGA said in a statement. It then must be ratified by the guild membership. But tentative agreements generally win approval at both stages.

The directors' previous contract had been set to expire June 30.

The AMPTP said in a statement that it was pleased to help achieve “a fair deal that helps advance a stable and successful entertainment industry.”

If the New York Knicks do it Wednesday night, they will be on the doorstep of a championship.

The Knicks can take a 3-1 lead over the San Antonio Spurs, who hope the long arms of 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama already have started swinging the series in their favor.

The Spurs won Game 3 on Monday powered by Wembanyama's 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots. That was the third straight victory by the road team in the series, only the second time that has happened in the NBA Finals.

The other was the series between Chicago and Phoenix in 1993. Michael Jordan eventually put a stop to that by scoring 55 points in Game 4 to lead the eventual champion Bulls to the victory on their home floor.

Time will tell if Wembanyama can reach Jordan's level, but he's now proved he can deliver just the same in big games in New York. He angered the Knicks and their fans with a shot to Jalen Brunson's head during the game. The NBA decided not to later assess Wembanyama a flagrant foul, and the 22-year-old figures to hear even louder boos as a new villain at Madison Square Garden.

“If you get hit, you hit back. That’s life. If life hits you, you need to figure out a way to get on your feet and hit it back,” teammate De'Aaron Fox said. "Every time he rolls, he gets tagged, he gets hit. If he’s trying to go set a screen, box out, whatever it may be, he’s getting grabbed, he’s getting held. It would be crazy for him to think he’s going to get open by not hitting somebody.

“But that’s basketball. It’s going to be physical. No one expects anyone to come out here and not have bumps and bruises or injuries or all these things. I don’t think it’s trying to be a villain.”

Game 5 is Saturday in San Antonio, and if the road success continues Wednesday, the series would return to New York for Game 6 on Tuesday.

The Knicks, seeking their first championship since 1973, will be trying to bounce back after the Spurs snapped their 13-game winning streak on Monday.

“The Spurs have done a great job starting in the game, dictating the pace and dictating how the game is going,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We have to try to be the first ones to throw the first punch.”

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

Fresh off scheduled drydock maintenance — which included a new jibboom, a new sail for the fore topmast, and a new John Deere PowerTech™ 6135SFM85 diesel engine — ELISSA is now underway on an approximately 2,500-mile voyage, her longest extended journey in decades.

“ELISSA is not simply traveling to commemorate a milestone, she is doing what she was built to do — connect communities through maritime history,” said Will Wright, chief creative officer for the Galveston Historical Foundation. “This project reflects decades of stewardship and investment, and it reinforces our commitment to ensuring that Galveston’s history continues to be told on a national stage.”

• Can your dog or cat get screwworm? Here’s what experts say about the risk to pets and people

Leading the fleet into New York Harbor

ELISSA, a National Historic Landmark, will be in New York July 3–7 and will lead fellow Class A tall ships into New York Harbor on July 4, joining one of the largest flotillas of historic vessels and sailing ships assembled from around the world. She is among the oldest vessels expected at the New York tall ship gathering.

The voyage marks ELISSA’s first return to New York since 1986, when she visited for OpSail, held in honor of the Statue of Liberty’s centennial and the 210th anniversary of American independence.

Built in 1877 by Alexander Hall & Co. in Aberdeen, Scotland, ELISSA is a three-masted, iron-hulled barque — square sails on the fore and main masts, fore-and-aft sails on the mizzen — and one of the few authentic 19th-century tall ships still actively sailing today. She measures 205 feet from stern to jibboom, stands 99 feet, 9 inches at the main mast, and carries 19 sails covering approximately 11,500 square feet — more than one-quarter of an acre.

Unlike many vessels seen at waterfront festivals, ELISSA is not a replica. She is a surviving merchant ship whose nearly 90-year commercial career took her to ports around the world before Galveston preservationists rescued her from a scrapyard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece.

A revised voyage across America’s coastline

Following updated routing, ELISSA’s itinerary has been adjusted to reflect strategic port calls along the East Coast and Gulf Coast. ELISSA will join a fleet of international tall ships for a massive peacetime gathering in Boston Harbor. Stops in Yorktown, Virginia and Portsmouth, Virginia have been removed from the schedule. In their place, Savannah, Georgia and Pensacola, Florida have been added as key ports as the ship begins her return journey to Galveston.

The current confirmed public route includes:

• New York, New York | July 3–7
• Boston, Massachusetts | July 11–15
• Savannah, Georgia | July 23-26
• Pensacola, Florida | August 6–9

After completing her participation in Sail250 events in the Northeast, ELISSA will begin her return voyage south, with the newly added port calls in Savannah and Pensacola marking major celebratory stops before she completes her journey back to Galveston.

At each stop, the Galveston Historical Foundation will activate ELISSA as a traveling classroom and cultural ambassador through public deck tours, Salute to Sunset receptions, sailing experiences, and appearances at waterfront celebrations and tall ship gatherings.

“For Galveston, the America250 voyage is both a national showcase and a statement of identity,” said Dwayne Jones, executive director and chief executive officer for GHF. “As a historic port city whose story is deeply tied to maritime commerce, immigration, and coastal life, Galveston will be represented on a global stage by a vessel that has become one of its most visible and meaningful ambassadors.”

A living ambassador, not a museum piece

Today, ELISSA is a fully functional sailing vessel operated by the Galveston Historical Foundation at the Galveston Historic Seaport. For nearly 50 years, GHF has led the ship’s rescue, restoration, and ongoing management, investing in the preservation, maintenance, and crew training required to keep the vessel seaworthy and under sail.

The ship’s sailing crew includes eight paid officers and staff and approximately 34 trained volunteers when underway. ELISSA carries approximately two miles of rope across her running rigging and lines, and navigation is conducted using both paper and electronic charts. Onboard satellite internet supports operational needs while underway.

GHF credits its volunteer program and ongoing investment in training and maritime preservation as the reason ELISSA remains a working ship rather than a static museum exhibit — preserving both the vessel and the skills needed to sail her for future generations.

ELISSA continues to sail annually during Gulf Coast sea trials and welcomes thousands of visitors each year for tours, education programs, and special events interpreting Galveston’s role in maritime trade, immigration, and U.S. history.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Port of Galveston served as a major immigration gateway to the United States, particularly for arrivals from Europe and Latin America. Before Ellis Island opened in 1892, large numbers of immigrants disembarked in Galveston and continued inland by rail to Texas and other regions of the country. ELISSA’s interpretive programs help connect that history to contemporary audiences.

Tickets, tours, sailing experiences

Tickets for deck tours, Salute to Sunset events, and onboard sailing experiences along ELISSA’s America250 route are available at Galveston250.com . Dates and times are subject to change based on weather and port conditions.

The crash occurred near Muzaffarabad, the regional capital, during an ongoing protest and strike called by the Joint Awami Action Committee, a recently banned alliance of various groups.

The military didn't suggest any link between the protest and the crash.

Witnesses said that the helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from a helipad. Ambulances arrived at the scene and transported the victims to a nearby hospital.

“Rescue and recovery teams immediately reached the crash site,” the military said, adding that a board of inquiry had been ordered to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Residents in Muzaffarabad said that the helicopter was carrying an unspecified number of paramilitary Rangers deployed by the government for security duties in the region, where tensions have been high since the weekend, when members of an outlawed group attacked police and security forces, killing four personnel.

Witnesses said they saw smoke billowing from the crash site, and several ambulances were seen transporting the victims.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the crash, paying tribute to those killed. In separate statements, they conveyed sympathies to the victims' families.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and extended condolences to the families of those killed, according to the statement.

Such crashes aren't uncommon in Pakistan. In September, an army helicopter on a routine flight crashed in northern Pakistan, killing two pilots and three technicians on board.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country's forces struck several military and energy infrastructure sites, including a military factory that he said supplied components for Russian drones and missiles.

In a post on social media, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo long-range missiles had hit the facility in Cheboksary, located in the Chuvashiya region more than 900 kilometers (over 560 miles) from the front line.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 326 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Oleg Nikolayev, the head of Chuvashiya, confirmed the missile attack but didn't give details. The Astra online news outlet reported that the Ukrainian strike hit the VNIIR-Progress plant that produces antennas for drones.

Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces struck a refinery in Russia’s Samara region, where Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said that several industrial plants were damaged by drone strikes and three people were injured.

Fedorishchev didn’t name the facilities that were damaged, but Astra carried images of a large fire at the Samara refinery.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) had also targeted two oil infrastructure facilities in Russia’s Vladimir region, about 700 kilometers (about 440 miles) from the front line.

In Russia-occupied Crimea, a Ukrainian drone hit the building housing a huge panorama painting depicting the defense of the city during the 19th century Crimean War. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Kremlin-appointed head of Sevastopol, said the painting by artist Franz Rubo was effectively destroyed.

The more than 1,000-kilometer front line in the four-year war has remained largely static as swarms of drones hinder advances, and both sides have increasingly relied on long-range strikes.

The increasingly deep and audacious Ukrainian strikes have defied Russia's President Vladimir Putin's claim that Moscow is winning the war, now in its fifth year.

Last week, Putin vowed to strengthen Russia's air defenses after Ukrainian attacks set ablaze an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and also hit a nearby naval base, casting a cloud over a showcase economic forum in his hometown.

The attacks on St. Petersburg came as another embarrassment for the Russian leader, weeks after he pruned back an annual Victory Day parade in Moscow because of fears of Ukrainian drone attacks.

Ukraine’s Air Force says air defenses downed 181 of 207 Russian drones.

A barrage of 26 drones struck Kharkiv early Wednesday, injuring at least four people, according to regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov. He said one person was killed and 15 others were injured in the region over the past 24 hours.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, 10 people were injured overnight in a series of Russian aerial attacks, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov.

In Odesa, a mother and two children, aged 8 and 10, required medical attention after Russian drones damaged two residential buildings, according to regional administration head Oleh Kiper.

Ukraine has secured commitments for additional air defense systems and ammunition following Zelenskyy’s recent visits to London and Tallinn, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi.

Speaking at a briefing, Tykhyi said Ukraine had “found” a number of additional air defense systems and munitions but declined to identify the countries that had agreed to provide them.

He said Kyiv also was working to secure financing to purchase the equipment and that part of the necessary funding had already been allocated.

Tykhyi added that Ukraine was in talks to obtain interceptor missiles nearing the end of their shelf life, arguing that they could still be provided to Ukraine instead of being disposed of after expiring.

Houston TranStar listed the incident as a heavy-truck stall around 6:15 a.m., with multiple lanes affected. The left shoulder, left lane and center lane are blocked as crews work to clear the scene.

Expect heavy delays.

Nine-year-olds rebounded to pre-pandemic reading scores and saw some recovery in math, according to data from a test taken regularly in the United States since the 1970s. The same recovery has not emerged for 13-year-olds, whose average scores in math and reading remain below pre-pandemic averages. In fact, the latest reading scores, from teenagers who took the test in 2024, are essentially the same level as they were when the test started in 1971.

Since the pandemic, schools and state policymakers have focused on overhauling instruction for elementary students, especially in implementing the “science of reading,” which teaches kids to read by understanding how letters form sounds. But recent test scores show educators should also focus more intensely on adolescent learners and turning around academic outcomes in middle school, said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board.

Indeed, the 13-year-olds who took the national test experienced the pandemic's disruption during formative elementary years of schooling. In a few years, they will have graduated — and they may still be behind.

“The 13-year-olds who took this assessment last year are headed to high school now or are already enrolled," she said. "Schools won’t have them much longer. We can’t hesitate or wait if we’re going to turn these trends around.”

What the test measures

Typically given every four years, the long-term trends assessment offers a snapshot into the academic skills of American students at ages 9 and 13. Roughly 31,000 students in public and private schools sat for the test in the 2024-2025 school year. Unlike the main Nation's Report Card test for fourth and eighth graders, which is updated regularly with new skills to reflect changing curricula, the long-term test has stayed largely the same since the 1970s.

American students' academic achievement was already declining when the pandemic hit. Test scores peaked around 2012, then started to fall, said Matthew Soldner, acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics.

“We can clearly see that this isn’t just a pandemic story,” Soldner said.

The test results show younger kids are improving foundational skills, such as identifying facts in a simple news article or understanding basic multiplication and division. Seventy-one percent of 9-year-olds reached the benchmark in reading, and 84% reached that level in math, a few percentage points higher than in 2022.

Teenagers are tested on more advanced skills, such as making generalizations from a reading passage and comparing information from charts and graphs. Only 58% met the benchmark skill level in reading and 70% in math, with no statistically significant improvement from 2023.

Fewer students are reading for fun

Compounding the issue of stagnant literacy rates: Fewer students than ever are reading for fun.

Students who took the test also completed a survey. Only 14% of 13-year-olds said they read for fun every day, down from 27% in 2012 and a peak of 37% in 1992. Among 9-year-olds, 37% said they read for fun every day, a significant decline from 53% in 2012. Researchers have noted the decline in time spent reading corresponds with the rise of social media use on cellphones.

Still, younger children have shown an “incredibly encouraging” recovery academically in recent years, Soldner said. “Almost 50 years of progress has been eliminated” for 13-year-olds, he said.

The 13-year-olds who took the most recent test would have been in second or third grade during the first year of the pandemic. They would have returned to in-person learning in fourth or fifth grade and taken this national test in their last year or two of middle school.

In contrast, the 9-year-old group would have been entering kindergarten or first grade as the pandemic's most acute phase ended and schools reopened. Their second and third grade years would have been more reflective of typical in-person teaching.

Those experiences are dramatically different, Soldner said, as the older group would have missed foundational years in building literacy and computational skills in school.

While more recent declines in student outcomes are alarming, decades of test data show it's possible to change children's trajectories over time, said Mark Miller, an eighth grade math teacher and former member of the National Assessment Governing Board.

“We have made progress in the past, from the early '70s to 2012,” Miller said. "Can it be done again? Absolutely."

___

The Associated Press’ education 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.

A jury rejected Karmelo Anthony’s claims of self-defense during a confrontation with Austin Metcalf in stadium bleachers last year. Most people who testified were students who described a heated exchange over Anthony’s refusal on a rainy spring day to leave a tent that belonged to Metcalf’s team.

Anthony, now 19, did not testify at trial and only his mother took the stand during the sentencing phase, telling jurors her son was sorry.

Notoriety about the case spread, in part, because of a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Lawyers on both sides, however, told jurors the tragedy had nothing to do with race.

Jeff Metcalf, Austin's father, had also denounced those who sought to stoke racial divisions after his son was killed. A year later, he said again in a Collin County courtroom that it was never about race while his voice swelled with anger over the death of his son.

“You failed your parents, you failed yourself and you failed society,” said Metcalf, looking at Anthony after the teenager was sentenced.

Jurors, who deliberated for less than three hours, had the option of a lesser charge, manslaughter, but didn’t choose it.

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye had asked for a lengthy prison term.

“Mercy to the guilty,” he said, “is cruelty to the innocent.”

Earlier Tuesday, during the trial's closing arguments, the jury heard dueling narratives from Wirskye and defense attorney Mike Howard about what happened in April 2025.

Several schools were competing when Anthony sat under the Memorial High School tent that was perched in the bleachers. Austin Metcalf and others had repeatedly told Anthony to leave, witnesses testified, leading to an escalating confrontation.

Howard told jurors that Metcalf had “no legal right to put his hands on Karmelo.”

“Texas law does not require that you wait until you get hit,” Howard said. “In that split second of chaos, you must put yourself in his shoes.”

During the nearly weeklong trial, prosecutors said Anthony provoked Metcalf, and witnesses testified that Anthony was the aggressor.

“This is not self-defense, folks. It’s murder plain and simple,” Wirskye said.

Anthony at one point reached inside a bag and replied: “Touch me and see what happens,” according to a police report.

Metcalf pushed Anthony, according to witnesses, who said Anthony then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest.

“You don’t get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove,” Wirskye said.

The teens, both from Frisco, didn't know each other.

“He’s very sorry for what he did. Please, have mercy on my son,” Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, pleaded to jurors shortly after the verdict.

The trial drew lines of spectators hoping to find seats in the gallery and unfolded amid heavy security at the Collin County courthouse. As police officers watched Tuesday, dozens of people stood outside the courthouse in 90 degree Fahrenheit heat (32 degrees Celsius) to await the verdict. There were wails of grief from one woman — “This isn’t real!” — when the result became known.

Frisco is one of Texas’ fastest-growing cities and is dotted with dozens of modern school campuses and gleaming athletic facilities. The parents of Anthony and Metcalf have said they were good students who planned to go to college.

Several students testified that Metcalf, after ordering Anthony to leave his team’s tent, scoffed before Anthony reached into a bag and pulled out a knife.

One teen recalled Metcalf telling Anthony, “You don’t have anything in that backpack. It’s Frisco.”

___

Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.

The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po.

In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts including money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion.

The two companies charged are consultancy firm Will Power Architects Company, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the main contractor involved in a major renovation project at Wang Fuk Court that was taking place when the blaze happened.

The seven defendants played different roles in the renovation works, authorities said. They included the directors of the two companies and a registered inspector of Will Power.

The defendants told the court they understood the charges, and most appeared calm. Lists of victims’ names were read out from the charge sheets in court — the first such disclosure to the public. The hearing will resume in September.

Multiple alleged wrongdoings

Senior police superintendent Basil Tang told reporters that they found the people in charge of the renovation project and the relevant companies were seriously negligent in monitoring the materials used in the project and the procedures involved. Tang pointed to issues such as the use of non-fire-retardant scaffolding netting and foam boards.

“The above work arrangements are suspected of seriously affecting the building’s fire safety, causing the fire to spread rapidly, and also obstructing escape routes, resulting in massive casualties,” he said.

Hazel Law, principal investigator of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, said they would not rule out further law enforcement operations.

“We suspect that some people, for their own personal gain, not only failed to fulfill their professional responsibilities, but even used suspected corrupt practices, fraud and other illegal acts to achieve their purposes,” Law said.

Tang said Will Power directors Ng Yeuk and Wong Hap-yin, Prestige director Ho Kin-yip, alongside the two companies, were charged with manslaughter.

The companies and some of the defendants were also charged with conspiracy to defraud.

Authorities allege the conspiracy goes beyond the fire site

In one of the fraud allegations, authorities alleged that the two companies and some defendants conspired together to defraud the apartment owners of Wang Fuk Court by concealing previous litigation records of Prestige and inflating the score given to the firm in a tender analysis report.

That eventually led to Prestige being awarded the renovation project at a contract worth more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars (over $38 million), they said.

Their alleged wrongdoings went beyond the Wang Fuk Court. Authorities also alleged some of the accused conspired together to defraud the government by falsely claiming that the registered inspector of Will Power had carried out his duties in inspecting and supervising 86 building maintenance projects.

Tang on Wednesday said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption arrested 35 people when they looked into the cause of the fire and potential corruption issues involving the renovation project.

Medical experts believe the incidents may be connected to the resurfacing of the so-called “Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous social media trend that encourages participants to take excessive amounts of the allergy medication in an attempt to experience hallucinations or get high.

• Warning for parents about children overdosing in ‘Benadryl challenge’

The challenge gained attention several years ago and involves taking doses far beyond the recommended amount. Health experts warn that doing so can have serious and potentially deadly consequences.

“You can get a lot of things, seizures, and cardiovascular effects; those sorts of things can cause death in patients overdosing on Benadryl,” said Dr. Gary Soffer, a pediatric allergist with Yale Medicine.

Benadryl contains diphenhydramine, an antihistamine commonly used to treat allergy symptoms. While the medication is available over the counter, doctors say taking too much can lead to dangerous side effects, including heart problems, seizures, confusion and loss of consciousness.

Experts say parents should talk to their children about the risks of participating in online challenges and remind them never to take medication unless directed by a parent, guardian or healthcare provider.

Doctors also note that Benadryl is no longer the first choice for treating most everyday allergy symptoms. Instead, they recommend newer, second-generation antihistamines such as Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin because they are less likely to cause drowsiness and other side effects.

Health professionals recommend storing all medications, including over-the-counter drugs, in a secure location that is out of reach of children.

“If you do keep Benadryl at home, store it up high and locked,” experts advise.

Parents who suspect a child has taken too much medication should seek emergency medical care immediately or contact Poison Control.

Geoffrey Wall, of Barrie, Ontario, is alleged to have operated as an airline captain between 2009 and 2025 without a license to fly large commercial passenger planes, according to Peel Regional Police.

• 2 injured in drive-by shooting in north Houston

Police said he piloted more than 900 flights domestically and internationally without the required license. Air Canada confirmed that one of its pilots held a valid commercial pilot license, but was promoted to captain without the required airline transport pilot license.

Deputy police chief Nick Milinovich alleged that 59-year-old Wall “has been flying for years misrepresenting himself and his credentials to his employer and regulatory officials using fraudulent licensing documents.”

“This is similar to a doctor that is licensed to practice family medicine but is doing brain surgery in their office,” Milinovich added.

The airline said a pilot was removed from active duty once it was discovered that he did not have the correct license, which was voluntarily reported to Transport Canada, the regulator. The pilot is no longer employed by the airline.

• Will Houston’s power grid hold up during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Police said anomalies were detected in a documentation check. Transport Canada contacted police earlier this year.

Air Canada claimed safety was not compromised and an audit of its pilots found no other instances of non-compliance.

“Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency, including a flight check with a certified Transport Canada check-pilot every 12 months,” the airline said in a statement.

“However, appropriate licensing is an essential layer of the airline industry’s multilayered approach to safety, so Air Canada takes this matter with utmost seriousness.”

The airline declined to comment further due to privacy law and an active criminal investigation.

The airline, which did not name the pilot, said he has been fined by Transport Canada for not having the correct license to be an aircraft captain.

Police also say the accused filed a false report to police about allegedly stolen pilot documentation.

Wall made about $2.9 million Canadian ($2.1 million) during his time as captain, police said.

A lawyer for Wall couldn’t be reached immediately.

Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon said the federal government would review the case and ensure improvements, “if there are any,” would be made. Despite the lengthy alleged fraud, he said the system to detect such issues had worked.

“I am gratified that we were able to detect this issue and get it dealt with,” he said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has approved bemotrizinol, marking the first new active ingredient added to over-the-counter sunscreens since the late 1990s. The ingredient has been widely used in Europe and other countries for decades.

• How sitting in front of a computer or phone screen may lead to skin damage similar to being in the sun

According to the FDA, bemotrizinol provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, which can contribute to sunburn, premature skin aging and skin cancer. The agency also said the ingredient has low levels of absorption through the skin into the body and is considered safe and effective for adults and children 6 months of age and older.

Dermatologists and skin care experts have long pushed for the ingredient’s approval, noting that it is more stable in sunlight than some sunscreen ingredients currently available in the United States. Experts say that stability helps provide longer-lasting protection from ultraviolet radiation.

The FDA said bemotrizinol is the first new sunscreen active ingredient added through a streamlined review process established under the CARES Act. The approval is expected to expand sunscreen options for consumers and increase competition in the U.S. sunscreen market.

Health experts continue to recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, seeking shade during peak sunlight hours and wearing protective clothing to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

A Black teenager was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of stabbing a white teenager to death at a track meet near Dallas, Texas.

This verdict comes after a heavily watched trial, where race and other factors played a huge role in its heightened interest.

The jury rejected now 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony’s claims of self-defense during a confrontation with Austin Metcalf in stadium bleachers last year. Most of the people who testified were students who described a heated exchange on a rainy spring day over Anthony’s refusal to leave a tent that belonged to Metcalf’s team.

Notoriety about the case spread, in part, because of a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Lawyers on both sides, however, told jurors that the tragedy had nothing to do with race.

To read more, click here.

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YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY:90° TONIGHT: 82°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“Wednesday will be very similar to Monday and Tuesday! Expect a mix of sunshine and cloud cover, with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s and lower 90s. Factor in the humidity, and we’ll feel closer to the triple digits.”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

Will Houston’s power grid hold up during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Houston this summer, CenterPoint Energy says it has spent more than a year preparing the region’s electric and natural gas infrastructure for the global event.

Houston will host seven World Cup matches between June 14 and July 4, prompting concerns from some residents about whether the electric grid can handle the increased demand during one of the hottest times of the year.

Contaminated Circle K fuel claims spread to Baytown as some customers begin seeing reimbursements

Reports of contaminated fuel damaging vehicles at Circle K gas stations in the Greater Houston area have now reached Baytown, while some affected customers are beginning to see reimbursements.

KPRC 2 News reporter Corley Peel has been following the story for the past week after first reporting on customers in Spring Branch and Bellaire who had their vehicles damaged by water-contaminated gas. A young mother in Baytown is the latest to come forward.

Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office fires deputy involved in fatal shooting of Texas State student in Lake Jackson

Kevin Tippit, the deputy involved in the fatal shooting of John Mendoza Jr. in Lake Jackson has been fired from the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman made the announcement in a video statement posted on YouTube Tuesday. “Based on the ongoing investigations and the information available to me at this time, I have determined that due to the policy violations related to the handling and discharge of his firearm, the employment of the deputy involved in the shooting on June 1st, Kevin Tippit, has been terminated effective today,” Stallman said in the video.

ARE YOU A KPRC 2 INSIDER? HERE’S SOME EXCLUSIVES

Get 2 know Bombón: The music collective behind the Houston remix for FIFA World Cup 2026™ 🎵🎵⚽

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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!

If you’re in Texas, I’m sure you’ve heard of the screwworm. Well, if you haven’t, it’s a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. If left untreated, infestations can cause severe injury or death in livestock and wildlife.

After spending millions to keep this parasitic fly out of the United States, it is back and has become a problem in Texas as more cases are being uncovered.

On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbot activated the State of Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 to help prevent the spreading on the New World screwworm.

To read more, click here.

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

YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY:92° TONIGHT: 78°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“Tuesday will be very similar to Monday! Expect a mix of sunshine and cloud cover with temperatures climbing into the upper-80s and lower-90s. Factor in the humidity and we’ll feel closer to the triple digits.”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

Could beef prices rise? Texas ramps up response to growing screwworm threat

One question many Texans have is whether the outbreak could affect beef supplies or lead to higher prices at the grocery store.

Texas A&M agriculture economist Dr. David Anderson says consumers should not expect any immediate impact.

Three new cases of screwworm confirmed in Texas; A&M leader tasked as federal adviser

Three more cases of the New World screwworm were confirmed in Texas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to five.

One new case is in Andrews County, nearly 400 miles north of Zavala County, where the first case was reported last week.

The two new cases are in different animals. In La Salle County, about 80 miles northwest of Zavala, a calf has been infected. In Andrews County, a veterinarian submitted the samples from an infested dog. According to the Andrews Veterinary Clinic, the case was seen on Saturday, and neither the dog nor its owner is local to Andrews. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a USDA service, said the dog is from a household in Lea County, New Mexico, making it the state’s first screwworm case.

What to know about screwworm in Texas

An infestation of the flesh-eating flies hasbeen confirmed in South Texas, setting off alarm bells for the state’s cattle industry.

A sample from a 3-week-old calf from La Pryor in Zavala County tested positive for the country’s first case of New World screwworm, the U.S Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a June 3 news conference about the case.

ARE YOU A KPRC 2 INSIDER? HERE’S SOME EXCLUSIVES

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Josep Turull, the Catalan rector of the Sagrada Familia and the priest in charge of its parish activities, recently granted The Associated Press a private tour to show off his favorite gems ahead of Pope Leo XIV's highly anticipated Mass on Wednesday night.

“We say that one of the elements of the Sagrada Familia Basilica is that you never exhaust it,” Turull said. “I have spent the last eight years as its rector, and each day I discover something new.”

1. Enigmas are engraved in the façades

Each morning, Turull approaches the basilica's elaborately decorated façades. They are packed with an abundance of religious scenes and symbols, some easy to interpret for anyone with a basic understanding of Christianity, while others are mysterious and even shocking to see in a church.

The westward-looking Façade of the Passion is stark, its figures tormented, their bodies strained in angular poses. That was how architect Antoni Gaudí wanted it — “harsh and cruel, as if made of bones,” to show the pain and torment of Christ’s final days.

Decades after Gaudí's own death, sculptor Josep Subirachs tempered the façade's misery with some playful elements. There's Gaudí himself, above the central door, staring across at Jesus carrying his cross to Calvary. And what's that suduko-like numbered grid next to Judas kissing Jesus before his betrayal?

The “magic square” symbolizes the inevitability of Christ's death; adding the numbers in any direction always produces 33, Jesus's age at his crucifixion.

Another puzzle awaits the patient eye that drifts across to the scene of Peter denying Christ: a small, square-shaped labyrinth. Turull said that it alludes to the need to keep faith in God when we feel lost.

2. The tower tops hold cornucopias and real birds of prey

After celebrating Mass, Leo will step outside to offer a blessing for the Tower of Jesus Christ that made the Sagrada Familia the world’s tallest church when it was raised in October.

The basilica's heights are bursting with nature, from the rooster who crowed while Peter denied Christ to reptiles doing the job of gargoyles, and piles of fruit that crown its spires.

There are also flesh-and-blood beasts; a family of peregrine falcons nest in the tower dedicated to St. James, keeping away pigeons and, more importantly, their excrement.

Gaudí's masterpiece was chosen as one of the ideal spots to reintroduce the species, as it was one of the last locations in town where these birds nested before disappearing during the 1970s. The falcons have been breeding successfully at the basilica for over two decades.

Turull said that these lightning-fast birds of prey “recover the cycle of natural life.”

3. The tour goes underground to find Gaudí's crypt

For the millions of annual visitors who admire the colored light filtering through the basilica's stained-glass windows, jostle for position to snap selfies and huddle around tour guides, it is easy to overlook what Turull calls its “spiritual heart." That requires going through a modest side entrance and descending a staircase.

Underground is a much smaller, more intimate chapel, where dozens of worshippers silently attend Mass and faith manages to keep sightseeing at bay.

Fittingly, it is here where Gaudí, a fervent Catholic, rests in a discreet tomb set inside a nook. He died exactly 100 years ago after being hit by a streetcar.

“People come to ask for his intercession,” Turull said, gesturing to the tomb interred in the floor. “That’s why there are so many candles. Because people place their trust in him. Many people have received favors for having prayed at the tomb of Gaudí.”

The Vatican is in the midst of a decades-long process that could eventually make Gaudí a saint. After Pope Francis named Gaudí “venerable” in 2025, the Vatican must now confirm a miracle attributed to his intercession for him to be beatified, then a second miracle for him to be canonized.

The basilica has proposed that the pope pray at Gaudí’s tomb during his visit, but whether he does remains to be seen.

4. A seashell for holy water

Before ascending, Turull pauses at an enormous seashell — a real one, not made of stone — that serves as a basin for holy water. He said that Gaudí had the seashell from the Philippines set in wrought iron and fixed to the column.

“Gaudí always takes nature as an example,” Turull said, referencing the way the natural world inspired his designs and decorations.

5. A changing room fit for a pope

Up a twisting staircase, a private room bathed in sunlight houses two freestanding oak cabinets laced with intricate ironwork. Designed by Gaudí, they hold the basilica’s most precious relics and most important clerical clothing. Among them is Pope Benedict XVI's chasuble — a cloak that clergy wear when celebrating Mass — from when he consecrated the Sagrada Familia in 2010.

This is where Pope Leo will change into a chasuble that is being sewn at a workshop just for this occasion.

Turull said the vestment will feature details symbolizing the day’s importance and a design related to the basilica's recently raised Cross of Jesus Christ. But he won't say anything more for now; some things need to stay secret.

___

AP videojournalist Hernán Muñoz contributed to this report.

While the U.S.-supplied system known as HIMARS has been tested before, the latest live-fire exercise was the first time its rockets were fired into the waters of the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the self-governing island from China.

“Due to the current enemy threat, we will continue HIMARS training with unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation’s strongest force,” army Sgt. Wang Ming-hui said.

The military said it used reduced-range practice rockets that don't fly very far from the coast before falling into the water.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province and says it must come under its control at some point in the future. It sends warships and planes into the skies and waters near the island almost every day and has held major military exercises in its vicinity in recent years. The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but it opposes any change to its status by force and is its main supplier of weaponry for its defense.

The HIMARS, which stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, is part of a U.S.-encouraged shift in strategy, toward an asymmetric approach designed to keep China at bay rather than trying to go head-to-head with big-ticket weapons purchases. The truck-mounted pod of rockets can be driven out from a hidden position to fire its missiles, then quickly taken to a new hiding place in what are called shoot-and-scoot tactics.

They were fired on the second day of exercises on Taiwan's west coast, which faces China. The drills, which also included 155 mm howitzers, simulated a response to a Chinese invasion and were designed to test rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities.

The HIMARS was the centerpiece of the drill. After receiving a firing order, the vehicles maneuvered into position and launched their rockets with bright flashes within three minutes, demonstrating their mobility.

The U.S. announced plans in December to sell 82 more HIMARS systems to Taiwan as part of a major arms deal, but that package appears to have been put on hold after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.

The shooting happened in front of a home in the 800 block of Fair Street.

According to Houston Police Department Lt. Willkens, a black Ford Bronco drove up to the residence and several suspects got out. One of the victims was pistol-whipped before shots were fired.

• Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office fires deputy involved in fatal shooting of Texas State student in Lake Jackson

Two men were hit during the shooting. One person suffered gunshot wounds to the arm and leg, while another was grazed in the neck, police said.

One of the men later arrived at Houston Fire Department Station 67, located at 1616 W. Little York Road, where firefighters transported him to a hospital.

• Contaminated Circle K fuel claims spread to Baytown as some customers begin seeing reimbursements

Authorities said both men are expected to survive.

Investigators have not released a description of the suspects, and police said those involved have not been cooperative or forthcoming with information about what led to the shooting.

The victim, a man in his 40s, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries to his eyes, face and back after he was attacked late Monday in north Belfast in Northern Ireland, police said.

The suspect, 30, who was not named, was held in custody and charged with attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place and making threats to kill. A kitchen knife was found at the scene.

Police were trying to determine the motive, but there was no information to suggest the attack caught on video was terrorism-related, said Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. He added that police were not seeking other suspects.

“This brutal attack will have sent shock waves through the community, causing real concern,” he said.

Northern Ireland’s leaders and chief constable urged people not to incite hate and fear or target particular communities after reports that protests were planned.

Protesters in black hoodies, some wearing masks, torched a bus in east Belfast, and cars and trash bins were set ablaze as groups gathered in other parts of the city.

At the other end of the U.K., demonstrators marched in Southampton, England, where the recent sentencing of a man who killed a university student with a knife led to violent clashes with police last week.

Although the victim and convicted killer were both British, protesters stood outside a Southampton hotel that had housed asylum seekers, holding signs that said “Illegal Migration Is Destroying Our Civilisation."

The Belfast attack sparked immediate questions about the suspect's immigration status, including from some politicians. Gavin Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, urged authorities to curb “uncontrolled immigration.”

Northern Ireland's chief constable Jon Boutcher told reporters that the suspect was living in the U.K. under a five-year visa granted in September 2023. Boutcher said he was believed to have traveled from Sudan to Paris and Dublin before claiming asylum in Belfast.

The suspect was not known to Northern Irish police, he added.

When pressed on the question in Parliament, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he could not confirm whether the alleged attacker came to the U.K. illegally.

Starmer condemned the attack as “sickening" and said that he had “no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.”

His office said “it is time for calm," adding “it’s important that police have the time and space to investigate appropriately."

Police and senior politicians urged people not to share the graphic images of the attack that were circulating online, or to spread disinformation about the situation.

Last week a separate case of a university student who was stabbed to death in Southampton, England in December was seized on by activists and U.S. Vice President JD Vance who blamed immigration for the violence.

Henry Nowak, who was white, was killed by Vickrum Digwa, a Sikh who falsely claimed to police that he was the victim of a racist assault by Nowak. When police officers arrived, they initially treated the wounded Nowak as a suspect before noticing his injury and trying to resuscitate him.

Digwa was convicted of murder for stabbing Nowak with a Sikh dagger and sentenced last week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term. But the case has spurred heated debates about policing and race, and a protest over Nowak's death turned violent with some attacking police with chairs and rocks. Several people were charged with violent disorder over the protest.

—-

Brian Melley contributed.

Students have enrolled in charters at significant rates since they launched in the state three decades ago — even as traditional public school enrollment started to fall. But with birth rates going down, new schooling options popping up and fears regarding immigration enforcement spreading, experts say that growth may soon reverse.

“They’re headed to a cliff, for sure,” said Bob Templeton, a senior consultant with an Austin-based public policy firm called STRIVE. He has studied Texas school demographics since the 1990s. “And I don’t know if it’s going to be next year, but it could definitely be within five years.”

This year, Texas public schools experienced their first non-pandemic enrollment decline in nearly 40 years. The drop of more than 76,000 students, mostly Hispanic children, occurred primarily in traditional neighborhood campuses.

But charters — public schools managed independently by nonprofits and private companies — continued growing their enrollment. The number of students in state-approved charters increased every year since the Legislature authorized them in 1995.

Charters now educate roughly 446,600 — or 8% — of Texas’ nearly 5.5 million public school students.

Texas’ 178 charter operators oversee 935 campuses, according to a recent report from the state education agency — up from 629 campuses about a decade ago. Significant growth in the number of charters, coupled with families searching for schools tailored to their children’s educational needs, largely contributed to the enrollment uptick over the last 30 years.

Parents, for example, have grown tired of schools’ emphasis on standardized testing, the overuse of technology and the time kids spend indoors, said Inga Cotton, founder and executive director of the School Discovery Network, a San Antonio-based group helping parents access improved educational options for their children.

“Families feel under pressure from the world changing so fast,” Cotton added. “If humans are looking for alternatives, then what systems are going to best be able to present those options for families? And charters have been really good at that.”

But the uptick has slowed. State data shows that year-to-year growth in charter enrollment over the past three decades ranged from 3.1% to a high of 217%. However, that growth dropped to 2.4% this year, according to nonprofit group Texas 2036.

That in turn affects every component of education because Texas funds schools based on how many kids show up to class.

“It is an adult-centered issue that adults really need to figure out. It shouldn’t have to impact the students. Sadly, it does,” said Axinia Zepeda, principal of the Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success Early Childhood Academy, a Houston-based charter school. “Just knowing that enrollment is going to impact funding, funding is going to impact resources, resources are going to impact the instruction that’s being given.”

To stay ahead of enrollment shortfalls, Zepeda’s campus recently expanded from offering only pre-K and kindergarten to adding first grade. The school plans to teach second grade in the near future, she said. It also started offering child care services to families willing to pay tuition.

“It’s a lot of us having to hit the streets and do a lot of recruitment, setting up tables at fairs — at school choice fairs — going to neighborhood libraries or local restaurants and asking if they can put our flyers out,” Zepeda said. “We’re having to hit the streets and try to figure out how we can get kids in.”

Although Texas’ population continues to grow, families are having fewer children. That means fewer kids entering school. The state’s growing immigrant population that helped schools overcome the birth rate decline has decelerated too. Educators have said some of their students stopped showing up to classes out of fear that immigration officers will show up to arrest them.

“It was the changes in immigration enforcement that caused the enrollment to turn the way that it turned this year, especially as it relates to the Hispanic community,” said Templeton, the education demographics expert.

Expanded school choice options also played a significant part in enrollment decline, Templeton said, more than factors like birth rates.

Public education advocates have long criticized charters for flooding urban communities with new schooling options that already exist on traditional neighborhood campuses, contributing to districts’ enrollment drops. But now both school districts and charters are seeing families choose another part of the education ecosystem: home schooling.

The Texas Home School Coalition estimates that more than 750,000 students receive instruction in their households, far outpacing enrollment in charter schools. Home-school enrollment has skyrocketed in the years since the pandemic, a nod to families’ frustration with public schools and desire to personalize their children’s learning experience.

Meanwhile, the state is launching a voucher program that allows families to use public funding for private schools and home schools, which could mean more students leaving public options.

The overwhelming majority of students will continue with public education. Still, if families opt in to the new education savings accounts, that means less money for every child absent — a challenge that educators say will only grow worse without consistent and reliable funding increases from the Legislature.

At Por Vida Academy at Corpus Christi, 28 students just earned their high school diploma from the college prep charter campus. Principal Sandra Valencia hopes that the school’s recruiting phone calls, TV advertisements and meetings with parents will help the campus recoup the more than two dozen kids who graduated.

“The thing that affects me the most is trying to stay competitive,” Valencia said. “That’s important, because if they can’t get from you what they can get at the ISD, well then what’s the reason really for them to come to you?”

The state exempts the privately run charters from many of the laws and policies districts must follow, with charters’ approval contingent upon whether such campuses offer specialized instruction — from project-based learning to STEM programs — that families cannot easily access at a traditional neighborhood school.

Texas charter schools reported late last year having nearly 70,000 students on a waitlist, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Brian Whitley, vice president of communications for the Texas Public Charter Schools Association, notes that campuses have slightly fewer students on the waitlist than in recent years. Still, he views the current data as an indicator of “strong parent demand.”

Some public education advocates hope traditional neighborhood campuses and charters work together to identify solutions to the enrollment challenges — either through convening to share ideas or partnering to provide innovative academic programming for kids.

“Institutions need to be able to be willing to innovate and grow,” said Marisa B. Pérez-Díaz, a San Antonio Democrat who serves on the Texas State Board of Education, which votes on whether to approve charter applications.

“Because if not,” she added, “we’re gonna get left behind.”

Disclosure: Texas 2036 and Texas Public Charter Schools Association have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Flores was sentenced to death in 1999 for the robbery and murder of 64-year-old Betty Black. She and her dog were shot dead in her Dallas County home that was torn apart in search of a large sum of money her son, a drug dealer, kept in the house.

At trial, prosecutors leaned on the testimony of Jill Barganier, a neighbor who identified Flores “100 percent” as one of two men she saw enter Black’s home the morning of the murder.

Now Flores is before the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that Barganier’s recollection was improperly influenced when she was hypnotized by investigators after providing suspect descriptions that didn’t match Flores’ appearance.

Barganier testified at trial that she asked police to put her under hypnosis to provide a better description of the men she saw. She was hypnotized by Farmers Branch police officer Alfredo Roen Serna, who had never done so before, according to Flores’ petition to the Supreme Court.

Initially, Barganier told police she saw two white men with long hair enter the home. Flores is a Hispanic man who at the time had short hair, the petition said.

During the hypnosis session, Serna twice asked whether one of the suspects had short, trimmed hair, even as Barganier repeated that both men had shoulder-length hair.

Immediately after the hypnosis session, Barganier did not identify Flores out of a photo lineup. It wasn’t until Barganier was on the witness stand that she identified Flores as one of the men she had seen outside Black’s home, the petition said.

The judge noted that Flores was the only Hispanic person in the courtroom but dismissed concerns from Flores’ trial attorney, who complained that hypnosis and media reports about Flores’ trial had influenced her recollection. The petition said no material evidence tying Flores to the crime, such as DNA or fingerprints, was presented at trial.

Flores’ petition argues that Serna’s questions about trimmed hair during the hypnosis session and investigators’ preference for Flores as a suspect ultimately led Barganier to believe she had seen Flores.

Flores wants the Supreme Court to order the nine judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to determine if police hypnosis ran afoul of the state’s “junk science” law, which allows inmates to challenge convictions that relied on now-debunked science or procedures. To meet the law’s requirements, defendants must present scientific evidence that was not available at trial that would have prevented their conviction.

The Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected three of Flores’ appeals under the junk science law, most recently for failing to meet the law’s requirement for evidence that was not previously available or indicates a constitutional violation.

“[In] these narrow circumstances, where a state has created a liberty interest specifically to avoid executing the innocent, due process demands more than unexplained summary dismissal in response to a substantial threshold showing of actual innocence,” Flores attorney Gretchen Sween wrote.

Flores was scheduled to be executed in 2016 before it was halted by the Texas court to consider scientific evidence related to Barganier’s hypnosis. It later declined to overturn his conviction based on junk science.

The Dallas County district attorney’s office has defended the conviction, telling the Supreme Court that Flores has not presented enough new information to satisfy the law’s requirements.

“Simply because Flores did not prevail does not mean he was not given the opportunity to be heard,” state attorneys wrote in its opposition brief.

Barganier’s initial descriptions of the suspects outside Black’s home matched Robert Childs, a Flores associate whose photo Barganier picked out of two separate lineups prior to the hypnosis session. Childs pleaded guilty to killing Black in 2000, after Flores’ trial, and was released on parole in 2016.

The Supreme Court will consider Flores’ petition at its Thursday conference. A decision on whether to act on his request could come as early as Monday.

Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman made the announcement in a video statement posted on YouTube Tuesday.

“Based on the ongoing investigations and the information available to me at this time, I have determined that due to the policy violations related to the handling and discharge of his firearm, the employment of the deputy involved in the shooting on June 1st, Kevin Tippit, has been terminated effective today,” Stallman said in the video.

The shooting happened just after midnight on June 1, when a deputy, identified as Tippit, followed Mendoza Jr. into his father’s garage after an attempted traffic stop led to a pursuit.

After Mendoza Jr. pulled into his father’s garage and an approximately two-minute pursuit came to an end with the sirens going off, surveillance video appears to capture Tippit’s gun firing within about eight seconds, despite no audible commands.

The sheriff’s office still hasn’t said what prompted the traffic stop that led to the brief pursuit.

The deputy fired a single shot, which struck Mendoza Jr. through his rolled-up driver side window, that dispatch communications later described as an accidental discharge.

• RELATED: Identity of deputy revealed in fatal Lake Jackson shooting of 18-year-old Texas State student

Family attorney Charles Adams told KPRC 2 News Tuesday the firing is one step toward transparency, but he said it doesn’t go far enough.

Adams is calling for body and dash camera of the incident to be released, and for Tippit to be arrested and charge for murder in Mendoza Jr.’s death.

Tippit’s firing comes several days after demonstrators marched on the Brazoria County Courthouse demanding accountability in the shooting death of 18-year-old John Mendoza Jr., a Texas State University student.

• RELATED: Dozens march on Brazoria County Courthouse demanding murder charge in deputy shooting death of Texas student

The case is being investigated by the Texas Rangers and the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office.

Brazoria County District Attorney Tom Selleck said the findings of the investigation will be presented to a grand jury for review.

According to prosecutors, investigators are conducting a “thorough and comprehensive investigation” that will include forensic testing and other evidence analysis.

Officials said those investigative steps could take several months to complete.

Once finished, investigators will present the case “in its entirety” to a grand jury for review and possible action.

Sheriff Stallman’s full statement on June 9:

“Over the past week, our community has experienced a tragedy that has affected the Mendoza family, the members of the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office and people throughout Brazoria County.

And before I say anything else, I want to acknowledge the Mendoza family and speak directly to you.

John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. lost his life.

Your family lost a son. Friends lost someone they loved.

Regardless of any outcome of any investigation, your family’s loss is permanent and your grief is real.

I cannot begin to understand the pain your family is experiencing.

But I want you to know that your loss is seen and that John Mendoza Jr. will not be forgotten.

My prayers remain with you as your family continues to navigate this unimaginable tragedy.

I also want to speak directly to the people of Brazoria County.

I recognize that many members of our community are hurting, frustrated, angry, and searching for answers.

Those reactions are understandable.

At moments like this, you deserve confidence that the truth will be pursued wherever it leads.

And as your sheriff, I have responsibilities in this process, though I do not control every part of the process.

The Texas Rangers are conducting an independent investigation into those events surrounding John Mendoza Jr.’s death.

The district attorney’s office and the grand jury will ultimately determine what legal actions are appropriate based on the facts and the evidence developed through the investigation.

So those responsibilities belong to them.

But my responsibility in this case is different.

My responsibility is to take action where I can and to allow independent processes to proceed where I cannot.

So the authority that is entrusted to law enforcement officers is extraordinary.

And with that authority comes a responsibility to exercise sound judgment, follow policy, and uphold the standards expected by this profession.

Based on the ongoing investigations and the information available to me at this time, I have determined that due to policy violations related to the handling and discharge of his firearm, the employment of the deputy involved in the shooting on June 1st, Kevin Tippit, has been terminated effective today.

My decision is entirely independent of the ongoing criminal investigation and should not be interpreted as a conclusion regarding criminal liability.

Now, I know there will be some who believe this decision goes too far and others believe it does not go far enough.

And I understand my role is not to satisfy every opinion.

My role as sheriff is to make informed decisions based on the information available to me and while respecting the integrity of the investigative and legal process.

So this past week I have heard concerns regarding transparency and I want you to know that I remain committed to providing information whenever it can be made available as I am doing today without compromising the investigation.

There are legal and investigative limitations on what can be released today.

And as those limitations change, additional information will be shared with the community.

Now, I understand that waiting is difficult and that people want immediate answers.

And I do, too.

But we must all realize answers that are rushed are not the same as answers that are right.

The people of Brazoria County deserve a thorough and credible investigation, and that is exactly what is underway.

As sheriff, I will continue to cooperate fully with the Texas Rangers, support the work of the district attorney’s office, and fulfill every responsibility that belongs to me.

John Mendoza Jr.’s death has affected this entire community.

It has affected the Mendoza family, John Junior’s friends, the men and women of law enforcement, and many others throughout Brazoria County.

And while we cannot change what has happened, we can ensure that the truth is pursued, that accountability follows the facts, and that we move forward with integrity and transparency.

That is my commitment to the Mendoza family, to this community, and to every resident of Brazoria County.

And that is my commitment as your sheriff.

Thank you for your time.”

He and his wife now live among shards of memory: a bicycle where his bedroom stood; the garden where he planted tomatoes as a boy; a portrait of his late mother painted on a wall, based on a photograph lost in the demolition. Their mobile home, set up amid the rubble, is also marked for removal.

They are “trying to erase my memories, my childhood, my history,” he said, wiping away tears.

For decades, Israel has worked to expand the Jewish presence in annexed east Jerusalem — the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and home to major Jewish, Christian and Muslim sites. Settlers have exploited discriminatory policies and archaeological claims to evict Palestinians far from the region's war zones.

Activists say those efforts have gone into overdrive in recent years, as Israel is no longer constrained by U.S. pressure and attention has shifted to Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Over 260 homes and other structures were demolished in 2025, a 70% increase from three years earlier, with some neighborhoods seeing the most evictions in decades, according to Ir Amim, an Israeli anti-settlement group that closely tracks such policies. There have been at least 116 demolitions so far this year, it said.

It’s “an intensity and scope that we have never seen,” said Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim. “Israel can decide, yes, this neighborhood, we want to erase it … No one is going to stop us.”

Israeli government supports settlement growth

Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state, and the U.N. and much of the international community consider them to be illegally occupied.

Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its unified capital and says residents are treated equally by law.

Palestinians in annexed east Jerusalem are eligible for Israeli citizenship, but unlike Jews, they must apply for it — a long, uncertain process. Most choose not to because it would recognize Israel’s claims to the city. That leaves them with few ways to challenge housing policy, largely set by Israel’s Parliament.

Rights activists say that in addition to supporting the development of major Jewish settlements — which many Israelis view as ordinary neighborhoods — authorities have severely limited the growth of Palestinian neighborhoods, making it virtually impossible to obtain housing permits.

Last year, nearly 9,000 permits were approved for Jerusalem’s Jewish residents and fewer than 700 for Palestinians, according to Bimkom, an Israeli rights group. Palestinians make up some 40% of Jerusalem's population and are concentrated in the east.

Israeli officials say the discrepancy exists because Palestinians rarely apply for permits. Many Palestinians say it’s futile.

When Palestinians build without permits, they face the threat of demolition. Settler groups meanwhile exploit an array of laws to purchase or take over Palestinian properties.

Previous U.S. administrations have pressed Israel to slow or suspend settlement projects, viewing them as an obstacle to resolving the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump broke with that tradition in his first term, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it's up to Israeli authorities to set policy in Jerusalem, and that it expects them to respect due process and the rule of law.

The neighborhood is near major religious sites

Abu Diab's neighborhood, al-Bustan, extends through a valley just outside the Old City, with the dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque visible above the towering walls. Named for the orchards that once grew there, the neighborhood is now a crowded jumble of low concrete blocks and demolition sites.

It's part of the larger district of Silwan, home to some 20,000 Palestinians and coveted by settlers because it is near major religious and archaeological sites. The mosque is the third holiest in Islam, and the hilltop where it stands is the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount because it was where the two Jewish temples stood in antiquity.

The Jerusalem municipality said the homes in al-Bustan are being demolished because they were built without permits in areas not zoned for housing. A park and public parking lot will be established there for the benefit of all residents, it said in a statement.

The municipality said it put forward plans for alternative housing in the neighborhood but that residents did not show “serious intentions” to reach an agreement.

Abu Diab has been battling demolition orders in court since 2004. Part of his home was built before 1967, but his growing family expanded it without permits because it was impossible to get them, he said.

In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home. Since then, they have lived in the mobile home, their suitcases packed.

They are among some 1,500 Palestinians in al-Bustan whose homes could be demolished at any time.

Settlers move in as Palestinians are evicted

A short distance away, in the congested Batan al-Hawah neighborhood, settlers are moving in as Palestinians are evicted.

Zuhair al-Rajabi and dozens of his extended family were ordered out in January, when Israel's Supreme Court ruled against them after more than a decade of legal action.

Thumbing through papers in his living room, he pulled out a document from 1966 saying the property is his. He says he has to leave by July but has nowhere to go, as rents are high in Jerusalem. “The problem, in short, is that they don’t want us here,” he said.

March marked the highest rate of state-led evictions in the neighborhood in decades, with 15 families forced out and hundreds more people at risk, according to B'Tselem, an Israeli rights group.

Israeli laws allow settlers to reclaim properties that were owned by other Jews before the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes in what is now Israel during that conflict are barred from returning. Authorities have also transferred state-held land to settler groups.

The Batan al-Hawah evictions show “the cooperation between settler organizations and state institutions, based on discriminatory laws, toward a shared goal — the Judaization of east Jerusalem and the replacement of Palestinian residents with Israeli settlers,” said Yair Dvir, a spokesperson for B’Tselem.

The Israeli judiciary, in a statement, said courts rule on the merits of each case based on the circumstances, applicable law and established precedent, and denied colluding with private organizations.

Daniel Luria, the executive director of Ateret Cohanim, one of the main settler organizations in east Jerusalem, said it was working to correct a “monumental historical injustice” by helping Jews to return to what had been a Yemenite and Sephardic Jewish neighborhood up until the early 20th century, when he says they were expelled by Arabs and then again by the British.

Since 2004, around 50 Jewish families have moved into the neighborhood and more are eager to join them, he said. “There's never going to be a Palestinian state,” he added.

An Israeli flag waves above the home where Khalil Basbous was evicted in January. The 68-year-old moved into a relative's house around the corner but walks past his former home every day.

“It’s mine,” he said, wiping tears from his face and softly touching an olive tree he had planted by the door. “I have no doubt that I will return.”

The secondary was a constant threat to intercept passes.

And middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair provided a thumping, intimidating presence for the top-ranked defense in the NFL.

Since last season, an elite defense has signed Anderson to a three-year, $150 million extension to make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history, extended Hunter on a one-year, $40.1 million deal and Al-Shaair on a three-year, $54 million contract, added former Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship along with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Logan Hall. They drafted Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, the Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year.

What do the Texans do for an encore defensively for a group headlined by two All-Pros in Anderson, a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.?

For the first time this defense during a full-team minicamp, the entire star-studded group was assembled on the field for a practice. Hunter and veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, back on a two-year, $17 million contract, joined their teammates for the mandatory workouts after opting to train on their own during voluntary organized team activities.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, the primary architect of the defense along with defensive coordinator Matt Burke, couldn’t help but smile when asked what he thought about seeing the defense at full strength Tuesday.

“Offenses are going to struggle," Ryans said.

#Texans DeMeco Ryans on outlook for top-ranked returning defense: 'Offenses are going to struggle' @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/znOWfkPNXx

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 9, 2026

One area the Texans haven’t done as much with his defensive end depth behind Anderson and Hunter.

They didn’t re-sign former defensive end Derek Barnett, who had five sacks last season. Barnett has multiple options across the league, per a league source.

The Texans have been leaning on former Chicago Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson and former fourth-round draft pick Dylan Horton as they compete for the third edge spot.

“We’re excited about the D-line that we have,” Ryans said. “We’ll continue to roll our guys as much as possible. That’s how we operate. We really want eight, nine guys who can go out there and play in a rotation. We’re still figuring out who that eight or nine guys will be.

“It’ll be really tough competition in training camp that I’m excited to see, excited to really see our young guys in the interior to see how they perform in camp.”

Having Rankins in place to mentor McDonald, who was regarded as the top run-stopping defensive tackle in the draft could further bolster the chemistry.

“Sheldon brings a calming presence to the defense,” Ryans said. “When you have a guy of Sheldon’s caliber who’s seen it all, done it all, very smart guy, very aware of formations, he can ID things that a lot of young guys can’t do and we don’t ask them to do.

“Having him there with Kayden is going to be significant for Kayden and his development. Kayden should grab a hold of Sheldon and not let him leave without gaining some type of insight, some type of knowledge every day on what it’s like to play in one of the toughest positions in football: interior defensive line.”

Since Ryans’ arrival, the Texans have won two AFC South division titles and three playoff games. The former Pro Bowl linebacker and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is 32-19 in the regular season.

Now, the Texans want to take the next step after going 0-3 in the AFC divisional round the past three seasons.

Ryans feels confident in the Texans’ culture and style of play.

“When I first came here in 2023, it was really to establish a mindset and an identity of who I wanted the Texans to be,” Ryans said. “As you’ve seen over the past three years, we have that identity. We play ball aggressive. We play physical. We do it the right way. We’re going to be the toughest team to suit up every time we suit up. That’s the culture that we’ve built. Now I don’t have to go back and reestablish our identity and how we play.

“As we grow as a team, as I’ve grown as a head coach, for me, it’s more so now about how much smarter can we play as a team? How can we be more elite on our execution? Our communication, can it be louder? Can we echo it more? Can we truly be tied together every time we line up? That’s what I’ve seen when I talk about the process of us this year being better. I’ve seen better communication. I’ve seen guys just being able to absorb more defense, absorb more offense, formations, emotions. Guys are just able to handle more.”

NOTES: Several players didn’t practice, or were limited during the opening day of minicamp.

Wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) was limited in practice, not taking part until the end of practice.

Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, who has been paced throughout the spring without any apparent injury, had a similar day of activity.

Offensive tackle Braden Smith was limited due to a neck injury from last season with the Indianapolis Colts.

Not practicing: rookie tight end Marlin Klein (strained hamstring), tight end Lane Pryor (quadriceps), Hall (leg, soft-tissue) safety M.J. Stewart (torn quadriceps tendon last season), and linebacker E.J. Speed (out for season with torn quardriceps tendon, per league sources).

The first-team offensive line was comprised of left tackle Aireontae Ersery, left guard Wyatt Teller, center Jake Andrews, right guard Ed Ingram and right tackle Trent Brown.

Keylan ‘Big Red’ Rutledge has operated with the first-team offense extensively this spring since being drafted in the first round out of Georgia Tech. He worked with the second-team offense Tuesday morning.

The Texans are excited about Rutledge from an athleticism, aggressiveness and technique standpoint. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key told KPRC 2 that Rutledge has the potential to be an All-Pro center.

“Keylan has done a great job,” Ryans said. “Keylan’s moved around from guard to center. He’s done a great job with both. Really great communicator as a young player, aggressive, intense, just like the tape you saw at Georgia Tech, so it’s looked great so far.”

The defense won most of the matchups overall.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson during a red-zone drill.

Among the top performers: wide receiver Jaylin Noel. Noel has shown an ability to create separation throughout the spring. His timing with Stroud has improved. He caught a touchdown pass from the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Texas State coach G.J. Kinne visited practice as Ryans’ guest. They were teammates with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It was fun seeing G.J. come out to practice today, just congratulating him on the growth that he’s had in his career as a head coach,” Ryans said. “He’s done a great job of establishing a culture there in Texas State, and I’m proud of the success that he had.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

The multidimensional cover skills of Texans All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr. are constantly on display.

During a recent organized team activity, Stingley snatched away a pass from C.J. Stroud intended for wide receiver Jayden Higgins and returned the errant throw for a touchdown.

Stingley, the Texans’ $113 million man, operates like a haunting shadow for opposing receivers.

Stingley is a huge chess piece for the Texans’ returning top-ranked defense, erasing opposing receivers as a downfield threat.

A scary thought for NFL quarterbacks? Stingley is even getting better heading into his fifth NFL season and just shy of his 25th birthday.

“I feel like I’m a little bit quicker right now,” Stingley said. “I’ve just still got to work on my feet, hands, eyes. Whether that’s beginning of the route, the end of the route, I got to make sure I catch all the ones that come my way.”

Stingley, a shutdown corner in rare air financially with an annual average of $30 million annually as part of a $113 million contract, just keeps on rolling.

The former LSU star and first-round draft pick has intercepted 15 career passes, returning one for a touchdown on an acrobatic pick of Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith last season. He has 51 passes defensed and is generally avoided by quarterbacks. At least the smart ones.

For his career, Stingley has allowed just 126 completions on 254 targets for a 49.6 completion percentage on throws in his direction and a 55.1 passer rating.

“What I’ve seen from Stingley this year is, he comes out and he’s as consistent as ever,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s in mid-year form already here in May and June.

“He’s making big-time plays, as we’ve all seen him make. He’s doing a great job in coverage, being sticky, being exactly where he needs to be.”

As is the Texans’ defense.

One year after allowing the fewest yards in the NFL and ranking second in scoring defense, the Texans have added former Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship to an absolutely loaded secondary that includes Stingley, Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter, Pro Bowl safety Calen Bullock and hard-hitting nickel Jalen Pitre.

“As soon as he stepped out there, he meshed well with everybody,” Stingley said of Blankenship, a former Eagles team captain for a Super Bowl champion. “He’s out there communicating, he knows how to converse with everybody off the field, nothing’s forced, he’s being himself, and I think he going to make a lot of plays just like he’s been doing everywhere else he’s been. ..

“As a team, I feel like we just got to keep stacking on defense, make sure we got communication. I know we got a couple of new pieces, but they just stepped up since we’ve been out here on the field, they just stepped up, kept doing work to the level that they should be at.”

Stingley is the only cornerback in franchise history to earn Associated Press first team All-Pro honors.

“I know a lot of people haven’t done it,” Stingley said. “So, it’s cool to be one of those people.”

Stingley attributed his growth as a player to the coaching and example established by his father and namesake.

“Without my pops, none of this, I wouldn’t have nothing,” Stingley said.

Now, Stingley is a father, too. Stingley and his fiancee celebrated the birth of a boy. His name is Derek Stingley III.

“I know I’m playing for my son,” Stingley said. “It’s crazy, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just crazy.”

And how would he want to be thought of one day in terms of fatherhood.

“That I’m somewhat as good as my dad, like, in a sense of being a dad,” Stingley said. “That’s it.”

On the field, Stingley is avoided for the most part because of his rare coverage skills and penchant for intercepting passes.

He recorded 36 tackles, 15 passes defensed and four interceptions last season for a defense that finished the season ranked first in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (277.2), second in points allowed per game (17.4) and allowed the league’s third-lowest passer rating (76.2). He is the only cornerback in the NFL to record at least four interceptions in each of the previous three seasons.

Stingley returned his first interception for a touchdown against the Raiders and forced a fumble. He led all cornerback ballots with 130 votes in the All-Pro selection process.

“He can do anything he wants to do,” Pitre said. “He’s the best cornerback in the league. He could play receiver. I don’t know if y’all have seen him on a juke, but he could play running back. And I know y’all haven’t seen him at practice, but he also could play quarterback. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

During the off-season, the Texans executed a simple conversion of his originally scheduled $21.595 million base salary into a $20.38 million signing bonus.

His new salary-cap figure is down to $10.791 million from $27.095 million. The total savings is $16.304 million. A voidable year in 2030 was added. His salary cap figure for 2027 is $29.576 million, $30.576 million in 2028, and $31.576 million in 2029.

#Texans All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr., on his continued annual improvement, and his goal of more interceptions @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/8f8OdV5U1s

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 9, 2026

Stingley’s financial cooperation helped boost the roster during free agency.

And his willingness to assist the team falls in line with the vibe of the entire secondary.

“One thing I’m most proud of, and this is our entire group, when you see a young guy make a play, one of our young corners, they make a play, bat a ball down, like to see the excitement from Sting, Kamari on the sideline of them encouraging the young guys with the plays they’re making,” Ryans said. “That’s what I’m most excited to see.”

And the defense could rise to even greater heights this season.

A lot of it has to do with camaraderie. Some of it has to do with scheme.

A lot of it has to do with cohesiveness.

“The simple fact that we want to see each other make plays and win every single rep,” Stingley said. “We know how to talk to each other, so if something’s going wrong, we’re not going to get on each other. If something happens out there, we know how to fix it, or we know what happened.”

No, they aren’t worried about complacency. This is a hungry football team.

“No, I don’t think [anybody] thinks about last year,” Stingley said. “You’re trying to go out there and be the best every single snap in practice, in the game. Nah, I am not worried about that.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

Both won their party's nominations Tuesday as Nevada held primaries for several key offices, including a swing congressional seat in the Las Vegas area where the GOP nominated Marty O'Donnell, a composer known for writing the soundtrack to the video game “Halo,” to face Democratic Rep. Susie Lee in November.

The voting came as Nevada grapples with an affordable housing shortage, exploding energy demand from data centers and federal cuts to key state programs.

The state has a closed primary, meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans voted in party contests after an effort to open them failed in 2024.

Several primaries featured matchups between candidates backed by party leaders and political outsiders promising change. Come November, the governor's race is considered one of the most competitive in the country, and holding on to the 3rd Congressional District is considered crucial for Democrats' hope of retaking the U.S. House.

Here is a look at the most prominent races:

Economy, rising prices set to dominate governor’s race

Lomardo is considered one of the most vulnerable governors in the country this fall as both parties expect Democrats to do well nationwide.

Ford, who had the backing of the Democratic congressional delegation and former Vice President Kamala Harris, beat Alexis Hill, a county commissioner in northern Nevada, in his party's primary.

Ford and Hill focused their campaigns on affordability, as the state continues to see a shortage of affordable housing, some of the highest gas prices in the country and cuts to federal healthcare and food assistance programs.

Ford argued that both the governor and President Donald Trump are responsible for Nevadans' economic woes. At his victory party, he promised to lower costs for families.

“This is all about strengthening the working class,” he said. “And we will once again be a state where you can afford to live your own version of the American dream.”

Lombardo did not comment after the race was called, and his campaign referred inquiries to a political action committee supporting him. John Burke, a spokesman for the Better Nevada PAC, said Ford has “never shown up for Nevadans, and he wouldn’t be any different if he wins this election.”

At a polling location earlier in the day, Lombardo vowed to focus on housing affordability during a second term.

“We’re running again because we still got a lot of work to do in that space,” he said as he thanked campaign volunteers outside a polling place in Las Vegas, where they huddled under a canopy in the 94 F (34 C) heat.

Joshua Garcia of Las Vegas backed Lombardo, saying, “He just seems like a really good guy. He gets things done, he cares about the local community and that’s what’s important.”

Blake Howard, a Las Vegas Democrat, supported Ford, hoping his experience will help him lower prices. Of Lombardo, Howard said: “Everything just seems pretty much the same if not even worse with what he’s done.”

Democrats hope to put northern Nevada US House district in play

In the Republican contest to replace longtime Rep. Mark Amodei, who is retiring, Trump endorsed David Flippo, a loyalist of the president who has never held elected office. Amodei and Lombardo backed James Settelmeyer, a former state senator with a long political track record. The race was too early to call Tuesday night.

The district covers northern Nevada and includes Reno and Carson City, the capital, along with an immense rural expanse.

Trump-endorsed candidates have seen success in primaries elsewhere, underscoring his unrivaled power over the Republican Party as he enters the last years of his presidency. He easily won the district in the 2024 election.

The GOP nominee has a good chance of winning in November, as registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 70,000 in the 2nd District. A Republican has held the seat since the district was created in the 1980s.

Still, Democrats hope to entice the large number of nonpartisan voters in the district this fall. They nominated Ford's chief of staff, former majority floor leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson.

Both parties gear up for fight over swing district in southern Nevada

Nevada’s other three members of Congress, all Democrats, were expected to win their primaries easily.

In southern Nevada's 3rd District, Republicans battled to determine who will face Lee in what is considered the most competitive congressional district in Nevada because of its narrow Democratic registration advantage, its high number of nonpartisan voters and a history of razor-thin election margins. Both Lee and Trump won there narrowly in 2024.

Candidates included the Trump-backed O'Donnell, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2024. He defeated Jeff Gunter, a dermatologist and former ambassador to Iceland; neurosurgeon Aury Nagy; and businessperson Tera Anderson.

The candidates ran on border security, energy independence and decreasing the federal debt. O'Donnell thanked Trump in his statement and turned his attention to the incumbent, saying, “Susie Lee has lost touch with Southern Nevada, and come November, she will lose her job.”

Lee said Nevadans need someone who will stand up to what she called a corrupt administration and not “more rubber stamp Republicans.”

GOP attorney general, secretary of state candidates question elections

With Ford term-limited and running for governor, the opening has prompted competitive primaries for the state's top law enforcement post.

Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro won the Democratic nomination, defeating Treasurer Zach Conine. Both campaigned on promises to take on the Trump administration, following in the footsteps of Ford, who filed numerous lawsuits against the federal government.

For the Republicans, Trump-backed attorney Adriana Guzmán Fralick won the nomination over Douglas County commissioner Danny Tarkanian. Tarkanian, son of legendary University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, previously ran unsuccessfully in multiple congressional races.

Both candidates campaigned on “election integrity,” casting doubt on voting security. Nevada is one of the swing states where Trump falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen, despite no evidence of widespread fraud.

Several Republicans also ran for secretary of state, the office that oversees elections, including some who falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. The winner of the primary will take on Democratic incumbent Cisco Aguilar, who also won Tuesday.

The GOP candidates included Jim Marchant, a former state lawmaker and perennial candidate who has said the 2020 election “was probably stolen”; Sharron Angle, a former state lawmaker who was part of an effort to block the certification of Nevada's 2020 election results; and Shirley Folkins-Roberts, an attorney who received Lombardo's endorsement and has denied there is widespread voting fraud in Nevada.

All the candidates supported implementing voter ID, which will be on the ballot for the second time in November after the question passed by a wide margin in 2024.

Yeah, that isn't this.

Another two-goal lead went the way of the landline on Tuesday night, the go-ahead shot came from a 37-year-old on his stomach on one of the great runs in Cup final history, and the winning goalie made his first start in two months and doesn't know if that will be his last one this postseason.

None of it makes sense and yet it all somehow does in this series that is now even after four games — probably aptly so — because of Jordan Staal's second goal at 6:32 of the third period that came while sprawled on the ice in what became a 5-3 Hurricanes victory over for the Golden Knights.

“It's a wild ride, isn't it?” Staal said. “There's a lot of emotion, lots of ups and downs.”

Now the series heads back to Carolina for Game 5 on Thursday night. The Hurricanes will potentially have two games on home ice to win their first Cup in two decades. Coach Rod Brind'Amour captained that 2006 team, and though he's not ready to look at the big picture, he recognizes this is a unique final.

“I know I need to (appreciate it) because this doesn’t come across very often," Brind'Amour said. "But it is pretty stressful.”

The same applies at the other end, where the 9-year-old Golden Knights chase their second championship in four years. Their position isn't all that different from when the day started — two more wins and they're there — but now they need to win at least once more on the road.

“We need to flush it and get ready for our next game," Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “I don’t think we should be looking any farther than just the next game.”

Whichever team winds up losing can point to a number of moments that could have changed the outcome.

Each game until this one was decided by one goal. It appeared this one would as well until Nikolaj Ehlers deposited an empty-net goal from 187 feet.

A two-goal lead has disappeared in all four games in what has been a remarkable series in which momentum often changes at a moment's notice. Each team has led by at least that many twice.

The 33 combined goals are tied for the third highest in a Cup final with the Islanders-Flyers series in 1980.

Staal became the first player in 44 years to score at least one goal in each of the first four games of the final and the ninth overall. Mike Bossy in 1982 with the New York Islanders against the Vancouver Canucks was the last player to score in the first four games of a final.

Ehlers' goal was part of a three-point night for him, Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist and Logan Stankoven scored a goal.

Brandon Bussi started in place of Frederik Andersen in goal and made 18 saves, and including his work in relief in Game 2, Bussi has 36 saves on 40 shots. Brind'Amour said that Andersen, who did not dress, needed the rest. Pyotr Kochetkov was the backup goalie with Andersen serving as the emergency goaltender.

“If you're going to give him a break, you need to give him a break," Brind'Amour said. “So to me, him dressing and going through all that does not really give him a night off.”

Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored goals for the Golden Knights, and Carter Hart made 23 saves. Karlsson also had an assist.

The Hurricanes came out blazing, taking a 3-1 lead in the first period. Vegas nearly cut it to one, but Brayden McNabb's goal came right after the period ended and didn't count.

Vegas scored twice in the second to tie the game, and the Golden Knights have now outscored Carolina 9-1 in that period.

But the Golden Knights failed to add to that total, shifting home-ice advantage back to the Hurricanes.

“We knew it was going to be a tight series,” Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson said. “We’re playing a really good team and 2-2, best out of three and fly out to Carolina (Wednesday) and take care of business in Game 5.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The results in Maine's marquee race weren't in question even before voting was complete. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins nor Democratic challenger Graham Platner faced serious opposition for their party’s nomination. And yet Tuesday's primary victory marked an especially significant moment for Platner, the embattled veteran and oyster farmer, who's fighting to rebuild his credibility in a campaign rocked by controversy.

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump’s clout within his party was tested anew in states like South Carolina and Nevada, where he endorsed his favored candidates. Democrats hope to build momentum in Nevada, where they nominated state Attorney General Aaron Ford, in their broader push to reclaim key governor’s seats.

And in California, Republican Steve Hilton advanced to the general election for California governor, The Associated Press determined on Tuesday, one week after the state’s primary. Hilton argues that the state needs new leadership after years of Democratic dominance, and he will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration health secretary, in November.

Here's the latest:

Tuesday’s takeaways: Platner’s big night, Clyburn carries on and Trump’s support gets mixed results

After another round of voting, here are some of the highlights from South Carolina, Nevada, North Dakota and, most of all, Maine.

▶ Read more about Tuesday’s results.

Ford focuses on poverty, including his own in childhood

“Nevadans are feeling more pain at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at the businesses that are closing in front of our eyes,” Ford said, blaming the dire image on Lombardo’s tenure.

“I know what its like to struggle. I got goosebumps when I said that,” he said, speaking to his and his brother’s childhood. “It was Medicaid that kept him and me healthy. It was food stamps that kept us fed. It was Section 8 housing that kept a roof over our heads.”

“This is all about strengthening the working class,” Ford said. “And we will once again be a state where you can afford to live your own version of the American Dream.”

Aaron Ford speaks to supporters after winning Democratic primary for Nevada governor

“To God be the glory,” Ford, the state attorney general, said as he opened his speech, before turning his attention to his new opponent, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.

“Tonight, my fellow Nevadans, tonight is the beginning of the end of this failed Lombardo-Trump economy,” he said. “Tonight we say: No más.”

“Tonight we offer a fresh start for Nevada,” he told the cheering crowd.

Teresa Benitez-Thompson wins Democratic primary in Nevada’s 2nd District

Benitez-Thompson, a former Assembly leader, faces an uphill battle even as Democrats see the seat as one they could possibly flip for the first time in years. Republicans outnumber Democrats by 70,000 in the district that covers Reno and rural northern Nevada.

The seat is open for the first time in 15 years after longtime Republican Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement.

Benitez-Thompson serves as chief of staff to Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is running for governor. She previously served in the Nevada Assembly for 12 years, including as the majority leader.

She has focused her campaign on the economy, aiming to restore tax dollars stripped from Nevada, developing artificial intelligence regulations to prevent job layoffs and building workforce housing.

PAC supporting Joe Lombardo urges voters to reelect the Republican

Better Nevada PAC spokesperson John Burke highlighted the governor’s record in expanding school choice and promoting job growth.

“We must re-elect him for another four-year term,” he said in a statement.

Lombardo’s campaign declined to comment and referred inquiries to the political action committee.

Adriana Guzmán Fralick wins GOP nomination for Nevada attorney general

The attorney defeated perennial candidate Danny Tarkanian, the son of the legendary University of Nevada Las Vegas basketball coach.

Guzmán Fralick, who has experience serving on several state boards, promised to work with the Legislature to pass a state version of the SAVE Act that Trump has championed in Congress as a way to require voters to provide documents proving their citizenship.

The Nevada version would require all of the state’s ballots to be counted on Election Day, end universal mail ballots and eliminate automatic voter registration. There has been no evidence of widespread fraud in Nevada elections, and the state Legislature is unlikely to pass such a bill if Democrats remain in control.

Guzmán Fralick also promised to prosecute people who abuse children to the fullest extent of the law and to help victims of domestic violence.

Campaign manager calls Aaron Ford’s Nevada primary win a ‘mandate’

Zoë Kleinfeld highlighted Ford’s record as attorney general and his work to lower costs for working families.

“We’re going to win this general election by building a multiracial working-class coalition united around the promise of a better future for Nevada’s working families,” she said in a statement.

Ford will take on Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in the fall.

Nicole Cannizzaro wins Democratic nomination for Nevada attorney general

She beat out state Treasurer Zach Conine for a spot on the November ballot.

Cannizzaro will go up against Republican Danny Tarkanian or Adriana Guzmán Fralick.

Marty O’Donnell wins GOP primary in Nevada’s 3rd District

O’Donnell goes on to the general election in the state’s most competitive district, one considered crucial for Democrats’ hope of retaking the U.S. House.

O’Donnell’s win marks another victory for Trump, who has seen his endorsed candidates win primaries across the country.

O’Donnell, a composer, will go up against Democratic Rep. Susie Lee, who has held the seat since 2019.

Nevada’s 3rd District is the state’s most competitive because of its narrow Democratic registration advantage and high number of nonpartisan voters. It has a history of razor-thin margins in elections that frequently draw a lot of out-of-state spending. In 2024, both Lee and Trump narrowly won the district.

O’Donnell ran for the seat in 2024 and lost in the primary. This time, he defeated Jeff Gunter, a former U.S. ambassador.

O’Donnell campaigned on regulating and investing in artificial intelligence, building upon Trump’s border security policies and reducing the national debt.

Aaron Ford wins the Democratic primary for Nevada governor

He will challenge Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive governor’s races this fall.

Ford defeated Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill after focusing his primary campaign squarely on Lombardo, even refusing to participate in a primary debate.

Ford has served as the state’s attorney general since 2019, often teaming up with other Democratic attorneys general in filing lawsuits against the Trump administration. He has challenged Trump’s tariffs and funding cuts to higher education. He’s also gone after social media companies, accusing them of intentionally making their platforms addictive for children.

Ford would be the state’s first Black governor if elected in November.

Lombardo, a former sheriff, has spent his first term focused on jobs, education and public safety while walking a policy tightrope with the Democratic-majority Legislature.

Nevada Democrat wants next state attorney general to combat Trump ‘corruption’

“Trump’s gotten away with so much,” Austin Wand of Las Vegas said. “Democrats are really motivated to get out and vote.”

Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine are competing for the party’s nomination for the post. Wand said he wished they weren’t both running because he likes them both.

The Republican primary for Maine governor will be decided by ranked choice voting

No candidate won the majority of votes Tuesday, so the race will go to a ranked runoff.

Republicans were choosing between former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Bobby Charles; healthcare executive Jonathan Bush; former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason; University of Maine System trustee Owen McCarthy; former Paris, Maine, selectman Robert Wessels; and businessmen David Jones and Ben Midgley.

Maine uses ranked choice voting in some races. The ranked votes come into play when no candidate breaks 50% of the total vote, and the counting frequently takes several days.

Platner supporter: ‘Do I care more about texts that he sent or the war in Iran?’

“Pretty clearly the latter,” said Elizabeth Massie, who stood in the emptying room where the candidate just spoke.

“As a woman who believes women who say they’ve been violated, I was concerned about those attacks, and I am concerned about his past,” said Massie, sporting a big campaign pin stamped with Platner’s name. “I think what’s so refreshing about Graham is that accountability, is the fact that he apologizes.”

“Have we ever heard our president be accountable for anything?” she said.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills doesn’t mention Platner’s win in statement on campaign

Mills suspended her own Senate campaign weeks ago, clearing a path to the nomination for Platner.

She released a statement Tuesday night about “the outcome of the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.”

In it, Mills said she is “grateful to Maine people and incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together.”

Collins campaign promotes her independence after Platner win

The veteran Republican senator’s campaign said she is a proven bipartisan leader. The statement used Collins’ work on the paycheck protection program as an example.

“Her ability to work across the aisle is what allowed her to pass this important program, as is the case with many of her other legislative accomplishments,” Collins spokesperson Shawn Roderick said in a statement.

The statement came after a speech in which Platner characterized Collins as loyal to Trump.

Collins “will run on her own record of delivering results for Maine,” Roderick said.

Trump congratulates Sen. Lindsey Graham on primary victory

That was on Truth Social, where Trump celebrated Graham’s “BIG WIN tonight” in a field “of very capable candidates.”

Trump had endorsed Graham early in the race, and the South Carolina senator paid the compliments back in his victory speech.

Directly addressing Trump to the cameras, Graham said “I’m going to be your strongest ally in the United States Senate” and then added that Trump is on track to be one of the “most consequential presidents in American history.”

Democrats start to rally behind Platner, while Republicans tout Collins

Senate Democratic leaders said they’re confident in Platner’s ability to defeat Collins in November.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement that Collins “has never been more vulnerable” and “Maine voters will elect Graham Platner.”

On the Republican side, Senate Leadership Fund executive director Alex Latcham released a statement calling Platner “a dangerous deviant” and saying Collins “has demonstrated strong character, steady leadership, and unmatched effectiveness.”

Polls are closing in Nevada

In-person Election Day voting is scheduled to conclude at 7 p.m. PT, which is 10 p.m. ET, but state law requires polls to stay open until all voters in line by poll closing time have cast their ballots.

Comparable primaries from past elections can offer clues about when to expect the first vote results and how long the vote count might take.

In the 2024 state primaries, the AP first reported results at 11:04 p.m. ET. This was more than an hour after the scheduled poll closing time, but the state doesn’t release any votes until it confirms that voting has concluded in every county. The last vote update of the night was at 11:55 p.m. ET in the Republican primary, with about 94% of total votes counted, and at 2:28 a.m. ET in the Democratic primary, with about 85% of total votes counted.

Platner makes big promises in victory speech

He said he would work to pass Medicare for all and codify Roe v. Wade into law.

Platner has run a progressive campaign focusing heavily on affordability issues. Tuesday he also outlined other priorities that included stopping prescription drug price gouging and stopping foreign wars.

“Together, we will win back this Senate seat,” he said. “And together, we’re going to take back our power.”

Maine’s 2nd District Democratic primary will be decided by ranked choice voting

No candidate won the majority of votes Tuesday, so the race will go to a ranked runoff.

Democrats were choosing between former Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, state Sen. Joe Baldacci, former U.S. Senate candidate Jordan Wood and social worker Paige Loud. The Republicans’ presumptive nominee is former Gov. Paul LePage.

Maine uses ranked choice voting in some races. The ranked votes come into play when no candidate breaks 50% of the total vote, and the counting frequently takes several days.

Incumbent 2nd District Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection.

The Democratic primary for Maine governor will be decided by ranked choice voting

No candidate won the majority of votes Tuesday, so the race will go to a ranked runoff.

Democrats were choosing between Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Hannah Pingree; energy executive Angus King III; and former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.

Maine uses ranked choice voting in some races. The ranked votes come into play when no candidate breaks 50% of the total vote, and the counting frequently takes several days.

Platner turns his ire to Collins

“Susan Collins,” said Platner, which prompted immediate boos from the audience, “She has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves.”

Platner launched into a diatribe against the senator he’ll now be facing in the general election, saying she’s “getting rich while we’re getting screwed,” and attacking her for voting alongside Trump and to put conservative judges on the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Susan Collins has never met a war she didn’t like, she’s been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager, and I know, I had to fight in two of them,” he said. “You and your friends profited, and my friends died.”

Platner nods to his personal journey in victory speech

“If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change,” said Platner to a cheering, campaign sign wielding crowd. “And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it.”

“Every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before,” said Platner.

He thanked his supporters and promised to fight for them.

In a rising voice, Platner declared “I will be the champion for your dreams as if they were my own!”

Platner tells supporters that ‘people can change’ and Collins can be defeated

Platner told cheering supporters that they have built a formidable political movement that can defeat the longtime Republican senator.

“And when we finally defeat Susan Collins,” Platner said, “that will be because of you, too.”

Platner’s campaign has been rocked by a series of controversies over the last several months. Tuesday, he said he can “be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator” and stand up to billionaires and corporations.

“I will fight for you,” Platner said.

Platner thanks Gov. Janet Mills in victory speech

The Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine has taken the stage at his election night watch party and thanked his supporters and opponent Mills.

“It is an honor, and I will not let you down,” Platner told the crowd. “Until recently I thought that harbormaster would be the height of my political career.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he wants to return to the US Senate to help Trump

“President Trump,” said Graham in a victory speech after winning the Republican nomination in South Carolina. “I’m coming back to the Senate in ’27. I’m going to win in November and I’m going to help you change this world and change this country.”

After thanking a slew of people for his primary victory, he said he’s going to repay them by “helping President Trump put as many conservative judges on the Court as we can.”

Graham Platner wins Maine Democratic primary, will face GOP Sen. Susan Collins

It’s a high-stakes Senate campaign that pits the veteran Collins, the only Republican senator from New England, against a progressive with no experience in high office. Platner, a brash political newcomer who has energized crowds, has faced a series of controversies that the GOP will focus on throughout the campaign.

An oyster farmer and former chair of the planning board in the small town of Sullivan, Platner has drawn hundreds of people to rallies around the state.

He was endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who campaigned with him in the run-up to the primary. He has said he plans to focus on economic issues such as housing and healthcare.

Platner’s mom tells Maine crowd her son represents ‘real change’

The mother of the Maine Senate candidate told those gathered at his election night watch party that she’s proud of her son and hopeful for a big win.

“Graham has always been very passionate about serving others and making life better for the people around him,” Leslie Harlow said at the event in the small town of Blue Hill.

Harlow, who has been a fixture at Platner’s campaign events, told the cheering crowd that her son has been a dedicated worker since his younger days as a blueberry raker and supermarket grocery bagger. She said he’ll bring that dedication to the Senate.

Trump calls South Carolina’s Evette, says he’ll help her in coming gubernatorial runoff

The president called Evette as she advanced to a runoff to congratulate her.

A person with knowledge of Evette’s primary night activities but not authorized to publicly speak about them said Trump also told his chosen pick in the governor’s race he would lend his support over the next two weeks.

Trump endorsed Evette less than two weeks before Tuesday’s votes in South Carolina’s five-way GOP gubernatorial primary. He is also a close supporter of current Gov. Henry McMaster.

— By Meg Kinnard

Alan Wilson advances to GOP runoff for South Carolina governor

Wilson moved forward despite not securing Trump’s endorsement in a race in which the top contenders vied for the president’s support.

Wilson has served as the state’s attorney general since 2011, taking actions to support Trump’s political and personal moves. In 2024, Wilson traveled to New York to support Trump as he stood trial in a hush money case.

He is the son of longtime U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson.

Pamela Evette advances to GOP runoff for South Carolina governor

Evette’s achievement came about a week after securing Trump’s backing.

The Ohio native has for eight years served as lieutenant governor to current Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term-limited and was among Trump’s earliest supporters in his first presidential campaign.

All polls have closed in North Dakota

In-person Election Day voting concluded in North Dakota at 9 p.m. ET. Some polls located in Central time closed an hour earlier, at 8 p.m. ET.

Comparable primaries from past elections can offer clues about when to expect the first vote results and how long the vote count might take.

In the 2024 state primary, the AP first reported results at 9 p.m. ET, just as the last polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 11:56 p.m. ET, with about 99% of total votes counted.

Lindsey Graham wins South Carolina GOP primary as he seeks 5th Senate term

The key Trump ally defeated challengers including businessman Mark Lynch, who said Graham wasn’t conservative enough for the state.

Trump early on endorsed Graham, his political confidant and regular golfing partner, despite their on-again-off-again relationship.

In announcing he would seek a fifth term in the Senate, Graham also secured the state’s leading Republicans, Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster, to chair his 2026 run.

No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double-digit margins. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin.

Lindsey Graham’s ability to navigate Trump stood out for one of his primary supporters

A number of Republican challengers are vying against Graham, but one voter said he’s not worried about arguments the incumbent isn’t conservative enough.

“I think he’s perfectly fine,” said Jimmy Hunt, a Spartanburg businessman, as he watched returns come in at Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s election night headquarters in Greenville.

“He navigates pretty well with President Trump,” Hunt said. He’s kind of always on the edge of being in trouble, but that’s a tough game — really tough.”

Jermaine Johnson wins Democratic primary for South Carolina governor

The state lawmaker who has represented a district in the Columbia area for three terms defeated businessman Billy Webster and attorney Mullins McLeod.

Seen as a rising star in the state party, Johnson was tapped to give this year’s Democratic response to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster’s state of the state address.

The winner of the November general election will succeed McMaster, who has been in office since Nikki Haley left her term early to join the first Trump administration.

Democrats have not won a general election for governor in South Carolina since 1998, and Republicans have controlled all statewide elected offices for more than a decade.

Annie Andrews wins Democratic primary for US Senate in South Carolina

The Charleston pediatrician secured the nomination in her campaign to keep Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham from a fifth term.

Andrews, who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022, has challenged what she’s characterized as Graham’s waffling positions over the course of his political career.

No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double-digit margins.

When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin.

Supporters filling up Platner watch party in Maine

Platner is holding his event at Blue Hill YMCA in the town of Blue Hill, about 30 miles from his hometown of Sullivan. Supporters were gathering to hear a speech from Platner, which is expected after results come in.

Platner is expected to win the primary because his main competition, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign weeks ago. The winner will face longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

The mood at his event is high, with the crowd expecting a victory and beginning to assemble in front of a podium where Platner will speak.

But, the 20-year veteran’s winning goal on Tuesday night was anything but simple. Then again, considering how he has played against the Vegas Golden Knights in this series, perhaps it was.

With the game tied at 3 in the third period, Staal’s sprawling backhand shot while in the air with 13:29 left beat Vegas' Carter Hart and found the back of the net for his second score of the game, and it held up as the winner in the 5-3 victory.

“For a second, I wasn’t sure if it exactly went in, and I heard everyone go quiet,” said Staal, who lay face down on the ice after his acrobatic goal. “I heard some guys yelling. I was in my own world. It was an incredible moment, obviously, and just let a big yell go and then celebrated with the guys.”

It was yet another big moment that Staal found a way to spark his team when it needed it most.

The 37-year-old, who has five goals in the series, said as long as the wild and zany series that has been defined by “no lead is safe,” the Hurricanes have to pounce on every opportunity.

“There are fine lines of making plays, and we have to make big plays, there’s no question,” Staal said. “But it’s a simple game that we can run, and when you know when they maybe call uncle, and you jump on it. And that’s what they’ve done to us very well, as well. It’s just kind of a back-and-forth kind of stress game, and who can do it better."

Tuesday, that was Carolina.

The Hurricanes came out with a sense of urgency by taking a 2-0 lead early to set the tone, and dominated the shots on goal, 23-12 after two periods, and then withstood Vegas' late surge before Staal's heroics.

The series is tied at 2 and returns to Carolina for Game 5 on Thursday.

That's how long the Golden Knights have to figure out how to stop Staal from adding to his scoring tally.

“He’s killing us in front of the net, Staal,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “So, we have got to do a better job around the blue.”

Staal became the first player since Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders in 1982 to score a goal in each of the first four games of the final.

Staal also tied the second-longest playoff goal streak in franchise history, behind teammate Logan Stankoven, who set the record at five earlier this postseason.

He said he isn't concerned with milestones, though, or the fact that he has 11 points in these playoffs, including seven goals.

“I don’t think big picture right now, it’s too hard to think like that," Staal said. "It’s just like, my goodness, it’s the next shift, next play, next game, next everything. And that’s all that’s running through my brain, is how do we get two more wins.

"And that’s it.”

___

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

After recovering from a muscle injury, the captain of the reigning world champions played 20 minutes and scored a penalty in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Iceland on Tuesday in its final tune-up match before the World Cup.

Messi, recovered from muscle fatigue and a slight strain in his left hamstring that he suffered in his last appearance with Inter Miami on May 24, started the game from the bench.

Just days before his 39th birthday and his sixth World Cup, Messi came on in the 70th minute and he scored a penalty kick after Lautaro Martínez was fouled inside the area.

Messi, the all-time top scorer for the Argentine national team with 117 goals, converted the penalty with a high left-footed shot in the 72nd minute.

Argentina, seeking its fourth World Cup title after those won in 1978, 1986, and 2022, will open its tournament against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City in Group J, which also includes Austria and Jordan.

It was the second match between the two nations. The first one was at the 2018 World Cup, when the European side managed a 1-1 draw in which Messi missed a penalty.

___ AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup