The charts were released by the ISNA news agency, as well as Tasnim, which is believed to be close to the Guard. They showed a large circle marked “danger zone” in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme, which was the route ships take through the strait, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

The chart suggested ships travel further north through waters closer to Iran’s mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war.

The charts were dated from Feb. 28 until Thursday, April 9, and it was unclear if the Guard had cleared any mining on the route since then.

Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over the ceasefire. Brent crude, the international standard, was up 2.9% to $97.46 per barrel. It had fallen briefly to below $92 following the temporary ceasefire announcement. Benchmark U.S. crude was 3.7% higher Thursday at $97.94 per barrel.

Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed only four vessels with their Automatic Identification System trackers on passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day of the ceasefire. However, that does not include so-called “dark fleet” vessels, which travel with their AIS trackers turned off. Many of those “dark fleet” ships carry sanctioned Iranian crude oil out to the open market.

Trump says US forces will remain in the area

U.S. President Donald Trump posted a statement insisting that his surge of warships and troops will remain around Iran “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”

Trump’s comments on his Truth Social platform appeared to be a way to pressure Iran.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” Trump wrote.

He also insisted Iran would not be able to build nuclear weapons and “the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.”

The U.S. and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the ceasefire agreement, and world leaders expressed relief. But more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries after the deal was announced.

Israel also intensified its attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting commercial and residential areas in Beirut. At least 182 people were killed in the deadliest day of fighting there. First responders searched overnight for missing people still under the rubble after the deadly Israeli strikes.

A fragile ceasefire

The violence threatened to scuttle what U.S. Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.

Iran's parliament speaker said Wednesday that planned talks were “unreasonable” because Washington had broken three of Tehran’s 10 conditions for an end to the fighting. In a social media post, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf objected to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace after the ceasefire took effect and U.S. refusal to accept any Iranian enrichment capabilities in a final agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon. When the deal was announced, the prime minister of Pakistan, which served as a mediator, said in a social media post that it applied to “everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.”

A New York-based think tank warned the ceasefire “hovers on the verge of collapse.”

The Soufan Center said Israel's strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday added to the risk the deal would fall apart.

“Even if Lebanon was formally outside the deal, the scale of Israel’s strikes was likely to be viewed as escalatory, nonetheless,” it wrote in an analysis published Thursday. “Israel’s strikes can be understood both as an effort to drive a wedge between Iran and its proxies and as a response to being allegedly sidelined in the original ceasefire discussions.”

Peace talks expected in Pakistan

The White House said that Vice President JD Vance would lead the U.S. delegation to talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the war, which are set to start Saturday.

Iran’s negotiating team will arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night, the Iranian ambassador there said.

Reza Amiri Moghadam wrote on X that the “Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran,” without identifying who was on the Iranian team.

Those points include Iran enriching uranium, maintaining its control of the Strait of Hormuz and other issues that have been nonstarters in the past for Trump. The White House has repeatedly described the 10 points issued by Iran as false.

Moghadam wrote that the Iranians would come to Islamabad despite “skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative,” likely referring to Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, which Israel and the U.S. have said wasn’t included in the shaky ceasefire.

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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Chan Ho-him in Hong Kong, Zeke Miller in Washington and Kareem Chehayeb and Hussein Malla contributed to this report.

Meanwhile, in unusually strong language, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres “unequivocally” condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon that killed and injured hundreds Wednesday after the ceasefire was announced, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.

Israel has said the ceasefire agreement does not extend to its war in Lebanon with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, although Iran and mediator Pakistan said it does. Sirens sounded in northern Israel early Thursday as Hezbollah claimed it was attacking with rocket fire.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Here is the latest:

First responders in Beirut search for people under the rubble after deadly Israeli strikes

The widespread Israeli strikes Wednesday killed at least 182 people and wounded 890 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

Civil Defense spokesperson Elie Khairallah told The Associated Press that a wounded woman was found alive under the rubble overnight in the seaside Beirut neighborhood of Ain Mreisseh.

A man whose building collapsed after strikes in the capital’s southern suburbs was also found alive in rubble.

“The others so far have been killed,” Khairallah said.

Meanwhile, others like Mohammad Chehab, a Syrian man from Deir el-Zour, are anxiously waiting.

Six of his 10 family members have been found but others are still missing. He tries to stay hopeful.

“They’ve been searching all day,” he said nervously, watching rescue workers dig through the rubble.

Fortified Islamabad awaits Pakistan-hosted U.S.-Iran peace talks with tight security

Pakistani authorities have stepped-up security in the capital, Islamabad, deploying hundreds of additional police and paramilitary forces ahead of much-awaited peace talks between the United States and Iran.

The talks, seen as a potentially significant diplomatic opening to end the war in the region, will begin later this week.

On Thursday, authorities also moved to seal off parts of the city by placing shipping containers along key roads leading to the city’s Red Zone, a heavily fortified enclave that houses the president and prime minister’s office, the Foreign Ministry, and foreign embassies.

A nearby hotel, where the delegations are expected to stay, has also been brought under tight security.

Iran has not said who will represent its delegation, which is due to arrive in Islamabad later Thursday.

The White House, however, has confirmed that Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. negotiating team in talks with Iran aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war.

Iranian negotiating team arrives Thursday in Islamabad

Iran’s negotiating team for talks with the United States will arrive Thursday night in Islamabad, the Iranian ambassador there said.

Reza Amiri Moghadam made the comment on X, without identifying who was on the Iranian team.

He wrote that the “Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran.”

Those points include Iran enriching uranium, maintaining its control of the Strait of Hormuz and other issues that have been nonstarters in the past for U.S. President Donald Trump.

The White House has repeatedly described the 10 points issued by Iran as false.

Moghadam wrote that the Iranians would come to Islamabad despite “skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative.”

That refers to Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, which Israel and the U.S. have said wasn’t included in the shaky ceasefire.

Oil rises and Asian stocks retreat on fragile Iran ceasefire

Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

Brent crude was up 2.9% to $97.46 per barrel. It previously fell briefly to below $92 following the temporary ceasefire announcement.

Benchmark U.S. crude was 3.7% higher Thursday at $97.94 per barrel.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 0.8% to 55,855.57, while South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.7% to 5,773.03.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.2% to 25,831.21. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.8% to 3,961.31.

Ship-tracking data shows only 4 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday

Ship-tracking data from trade data and analytics platform Kpler showed only four vessels with their Automatic Identification System trackers on passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day of the ceasefire.

However, this total does not include so-called “dark fleet” vessels — those with their AIS trackers turned off.

Many of those “dark fleet” ships carry sanctioned Iranian crude oil out to the open market.

Trump posts message promising combat troops will remain in region

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an online statement Thursday insisting that his surge of warships and troops will remain around Iran “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”

Trump’s comments on his Truth Social platform appear to be a way to pressure Iran as uncertainty hangs over the tentative two-week ceasefire now holding in the war.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” Trump wrote.

He also insisted Iran would not be able to build nuclear weapons and “the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.” That comes as vessels are not moving through that waterway, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

Think tank warns that Iran war ceasefire ‘hovers on the verge of collapse’

A New York-based think tank is warning that the tentative ceasefire in the Iran war “hovers on the verge of collapse.”

The Soufan Center said the Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday risked the deal falling apart.

“Even if Lebanon was formally outside the deal, the scale of Israel’s strikes was likely to be viewed as escalatory, nonetheless,” it wrote in an analysis published Thursday.

“Israel’s strikes can be understood both as an effort to drive a wedge between Iran and its proxies and as a response to being allegedly sidelined in the original ceasefire discussions.”

Worships starts again at Al-Aqsa Mosque, other Jerusalem sites closed by war

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound reopened with dawn prayer Thursday after being closed for the duration of the Iran war, according to Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound.

Jerusalem’s police said Wednesday that it would lift restrictions on all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City starting Thursday morning. It added that hundreds of officers and volunteers would be active in the city.

Access had been prohibited altogether, or restricted to a few dozen faithful, at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites during the now-paused conflict, when missile attacks from Iran often sent Jerusalem residents into shelters.

The restrictions subdued Lent, Passover and Ramadan celebrations for many in some of the holiest sites for adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

But they’re lifted just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter (Pascha) on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant observances.

The people were lodging complaints about the government's intensifying crackdown on the internet that has seen regular shutdowns of cellphone internet connections, blocked popular messaging apps and cut access to thousands of other websites and digital services.

It was the latest sign of the growing anger and frustration over the restrictions that have disrupted the daily lives of Russians, hurt businesses and drawn criticism even from Kremlin supporters.

Knowing that any unauthorized demonstrations are harshly suppressed, activists have tried to organize authorized rallies, plastered posters on walls and notice boards, and filed lawsuits. Industry leaders pleaded with authorities to repeal the measures.

Even the leader of Armenia delivered a not-so-veiled barb at Russia during a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin on April 1. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that in Armenia, “our social media, for example, is 100% free. There are no restrictions whatsoever.”

An unsmiling Putin stared at Pashinyan with slightly raised eyebrows.

The clampdown not only serves to control what websites Russians can see, but also has thrown digital life into disarray, making it difficult to order taxis and deliveries, pay for goods and services electronically, and stay in touch with friends and family.

Politician and Kremlin critic Boris Nadezhdin spoke for many Russians who are upset about the internet clampdown when he said in an interview with The Associated Press: “This infuriates a huge number of people.”

Moves toward internet control

For years, Russia has sought to take the internet under total government control and potentially cut it off from the rest of the world, blocking tens of thousands of websites, messaging apps and social media platforms that refuse to cooperate with the authorities.

Internet users have gotten used to circumventing the restrictions by using virtual private networks, or VPNs, even as the government has been actively blocking those, too.

But last year, the restrictions reached a whole new level: sweeping shutdowns of cellphone internet connections -– and sometimes broadband, too -– leaving only a handful of websites and apps on government-approved “white lists.”

Officials claimed the drastic measures were needed to thwart Ukrainian drones relying on Russian cellphone internet for navigation as Kyiv tries to strike back during Moscow's 4-year-old full-scale invasion.

But the shutdowns hit remote regions that have never been targeted by Ukraine's drones, with ordinary people and businesses decrying the measures as detrimental.

The Kremlin has gone after the country's two most popular messaging apps — WhatsApp and Telegram — while simultaneously promoting a state-backed “national” app called MAX, widely seen as a surveillance tool.

At first, voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram were blocked. Then, sending messages became effectively impossible, too, without using a VPN.

Last week, Digital and Communications Minister Maksut Shadayev said his ministry received orders to further decrease the use of VPNs. Unconfirmed media reports said his ministry proposed a flurry of new measures against VPNs. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent by AP.

Lawyer Sarkis Darbinyan, co-founder of the RKS Global digital rights group, told AP the goal of the authorities is to drive internet users into a “digital ghetto” of Russian, government-controlled apps and platforms.

“The internet is no longer this universal digital good,” he said.

Business leaders seek moderation

In recent weeks, a growing number of business leaders in Russia have voiced concern about the sweeping restrictions and urged authorities to take a more moderate approach.

Alexander Shokhin, head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, told Putin at a recent forum of the group that cellphone internet shutdowns “made life difficult for both businesses and citizens.”

“Given the high level of mobile technology penetration in our lives, we hope that a systemic, balanced solution will be found,” said Shokhin, a government minister in the 1990s and a member of the ruling United Russia party since the 2000s.

Putin was onstage with Shokhin and spoke immediately after him but didn't address the issue.

A similar plea came from CEOs of two of Russia’s four cellphone operators at a telecommunications conference last week. Sergei Anokhin of Beeline and Khachatur Pombukhchan of Megafon said that instead of cellphone internet shutdowns, operators could just identify suspicious users and restrict them, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

“This would make life significantly easier for people, for clients,” Pombukhchan said.

Prominent IT entrepreneur Natalya Kasperskaya lambasted Roskomnadzor, blaming its intensifying efforts to block VPNs for a brief outage last weekend of banking and other services.

“There’s no technical way to block VPNs without disrupting the entire internet,” she wrote in a post on Telegram. “So, comrades, take screenshots of interesting websites, withdraw as much cash as possible, and get ready to listen to radio reports about foreign enemies who have blocked our once-beloved RuNet,” — referring to the Russian internet.

Roskomnadzor denied involvement, and Kasperskaya later apologized in a separate post, but she called for dialogue between the authorities and the IT sector, stressing that “technical decisions sometimes cause downright shock and a desire to at least get an explanation.”

Cautious steps toward protest

Activists from Moscow to Vladivostok in the Far East have tried to organize rallies against internet restrictions since late February.

Knowing that unauthorized demonstrations are harshly suppressed and government critics are routinely jailed, they acted cautiously and sought authorization for the gatherings in accordance with strict protest laws. In most cases, those were rejected, and some activists were even arrested on various charges.

But people managed to hold small pickets in a few cities. In others, activists plastered flyers and banners on walls and public notice boards decrying the restrictions.

Opposition politician Nadezhdin, his supporters and other activist groups have filed for permission to hold rallies in dozens of cities on April 12, when Russia marks Cosmonautics Day, honoring the 1961 flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

“We’re filing for authorization (and saying) we’re marking Cosmonautics Day,” Nadezhdin says with a subtle smile. “Our slogans will be (about the fact that) cosmonautics is impossible without science, technology and progress, and progress, science and technology development is impossible without connectivity, without communication, without the internet.”

Nadezhdin says he is determined to increase pressure on authorities despite the crackdown. Public frustration over the restrictions is “enormous,” and people are ready to take part in protests that are authorized and safe, he added.

Moscow-based opposition politician Yulia Galyamina echoed his sentiment in a video she recorded last weekend near the presidential administration, where she and others filed their formal complaints, saying the discontent “is truly widespread.”

“The more there is public outcry over the blocking of the internet, Telegram in particular, and depriving us of the possibility to communicate with each other, interact, express our political position, the bigger the effect will be,” she said.

A Honolulu jury returned the verdict against Gerhardt Konig, 47, on Wednesday after a day of deliberations. He was convicted of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing was set for Aug. 13.

Thomas Otake, his attorney, said he planned to appeal. Nevertheless, Otake said the defense respected the jury's verdict.

“We are thankful that they did not convict him of attempted murder, which would have been life in prison,” Otake said. “We look forward to an appeal related to some of the judge's rulings throughout the case.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the national domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.

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Distraught over her relationship with a coworker, Konig planned to kill his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, prosecutors said. They said he tried to push her off a cliff and stab her with a syringe, and when that didn't work, he struck her with a rock. The attack was interrupted by two hikers who heard her cries for help.

The defendant testified that it was his wife who first hit him with a rock, and he hit her back in self-defense.

Konig stood as the jury’s foreperson announced the verdict, then closed his eyes and lowered his face. His parents declined to comment to reporters afterward. Arielle Konig was not in court.

Jurors explain conviction on lesser charge

Jury foreperson Makalapua Atkins said deliberations focused on what transpired on the trail. She said jurors examined the testimony of those who were at the scene to see where they matched up and where there were inconsistencies.

“At the end of the day when it comes down to it, she was hit in the head. And a head injury can be serious. And that’s a very deadly part of the body," Atkins told reporters after the verdict was read.

Jurors believed the relationship Arielle Konig had with a coworker was sufficient to cause “an emotional disturbance” and this affected their verdict, she said.

Under Hawaii law, if jurors believe a defendant committed attempted murder but was under the influence of an extreme mental or emotional disturbance at the time, they must reduce the charge to attempted manslaughter if they believe there was a reasonable explanation for the disturbance.

The defense's arguments

During closing arguments, the doctor’s lawyer repeatedly sought to cast doubt on Arielle Konig’s account.

If Gerhardt Konig had wanted to kill his wife and had access to a syringe in a remote area, attorney Thomas Otake suggested to jurors during closing arguments, wouldn’t he have drugged her and then thrown her from the cliff, rather than having started a scuffle before attempting to fill the syringe as he was wrestling with her?

“You would use the syringe first,” Otake said. “It makes no sense.”

The trial started last month, nearly a year after Gerhardt and Arielle Konig went on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu that ended with her bloodied and screaming that he had tried to kill her.

Their two young sons stayed home on Maui while the Konigs were on the trip.

The Pali Puka trail has long been closed by the state of Hawaii due to its danger but social media sites feature it. People trespass on state land to take in its views and snap photos. Arielle Konig described it as having “narrow ridge sections with steep drop-offs on both sides.”

Gerhardt and Arielle Konig testify

The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couple’s marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.

Gerhardt Konig testified that his wife was having an affair, which he confirmed by unlocking her phone while she slept. The relationship, which Arielle Konig characterized as an “emotional affair” involving flirty messages with a coworker, came up during the hike.

Arielle Konig testified that her husband grabbed her and moved her toward the cliff’s edge, but she threw herself on the ground in an attempt to hold on. He straddled her and had a syringe in his hand, she said, but she batted it away. She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles in an attempt to get him off her, she said.

Her husband denied pushing her toward the edge and testified that she hit him with a rock on the side of his face. He wrestled the rock away and hit her with it twice in self-defense, he said.

Gerhardt Konig also denied having any syringes on the mountain or trying to stab his wife. His defense attorney said no syringe was found at the scene because he never had one.

Otake said Gerhardt Konig was not someone who would try to commit murder, but someone who was struggling with infidelity and trying to do his best. Otake quoted from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her “the heart of our family” and saying, “The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.”

Gerhardt Konig testified that as he watched his wife crawl away, he believed his marriage and career were over, and he decided to jump to his death. But first, he called his adult son from a previous marriage. The son told authorities that his father said he “tried to kill your stepmom” — a confession Gerhardt Konig denied having made.

Konig testified that he called his son to say good-bye.

During that call, the defendant made no reference to having struck his wife in self-defense, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner said.

He spent about eight hours hiding on the mountain before deciding to come down, and even then, he tried to flee when confronted by police, Garner said.

His wife has since filed for divorce.

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Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.

The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents fired defensive shots at Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez after he tried to drive into them on Tuesday. DHS said they were conducting an enforcement stop targeting Mendoza, 36, in Patterson, a city about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco. Officials described him as a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder.

Attorney Patrick Kolasinski, who is representing Mendoza and his family, said during a news conference that his client has been stopped for minor traffic infractions but has no criminal record in the U.S. and is not the subject of an arrest warrant in El Salvador, where he was acquitted of murder.

Kolasinski said he has found no evidence his client was part of any street gang but he added he has not had the chance to talk to him to confirm that.

“If he was released after being acquitted, with no other holds on him, he cannot have a warrant,” Kolasinski said. “So that information must be either erroneous or completely made up. And only DHS knows what they’re looking at.”

According to a Oct. 25, 2019 court document from a judge in El Salvador, Mendoza, who was 29 at the time, was acquitted after being accused of murder and ordered immediately released. The document lists 10 others who were convicted of various crimes from aggravated robbery to murder, and mentions at least one of them was a member of the 18th Street Gang. But there is no mention of Mendoza belonging to a gang or being accused of carrying out gang activity in the document.

Tuesday's encounter was among a string of shootings that have happened during the Trump administration's aggressive push to detain and deport illegal immigrants in which questions have been raised about the accounts by federal immigration officials.

DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comments about the lawyer's statements.

“He’s a good guy. He’s a hardworking person,” said Mendoza’s fiancée, Cindy, who did not provide her last name out of fear for her safety because of attention of his case. She said the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is hurting families.

She said in Spanish that Mendoza was recently stopped for a cracked windshield in another town.

Dashcam footage obtained by KCRA-TV shows three officers standing around a vehicle stopped on the side of a road. One of the officers appears to be touching the driver-side window when the car begins to back up and turn, hitting a vehicle behind it. At least two of the agents have weapons drawn, pointing at the car. The driver then pulls forward toward where the men are standing and turns sharply, driving over the roadway median.

The video has no sound and it's unclear when the shots were fired and if words were said.

“He is doing everything he can to not run them over,” the attorney said of his client’s reaction during the arrest. He said he believes his client panicked and tried to flee. DHS said ICE agents were acting as trained.

Mendoza’s fiancée was able to speak with him Wednesday and learned that he was going into surgery and is stable, Kolasinski said.

Kolasinski said Mendoza, a dual citizen of El Salvador and Mexico, came to the U.S. in 2019 but he said he did not know his legal status nor how he arrived to the country and hoped to talk to him to get those details. He said federal officials haven't said if Mendoza has been arrested for a crime or if he's being held by authorities as a victim of a shooting.

Kolasinski said his client works as a laborer to repair fire damage. He has a 2-year-old daughter and is engaged to a U.S. citizen, he said.

Kolasinski said officers endangered everyone by opening the car door when Mendoza tried to flee. “That may well be ICE training, but if it is it’s horrible training," he said.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said they were not involved in the incident and the FBI is leading the investigation.

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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalist Julie Watson contributed from San Diego.

Up first was Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who warned that “everyone is less safe” because of President Donald Trump's leadership and blamed him for a nationwide surge in antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and bigotry.

“There’s more chaos, there’s more cruelty in our world,” Shapiro said. “Even if we disagree on health care policy or tax policy or whatever, we should at least, at a baseline, have an honorable president of the United States. We do not have that right now."

The Democratic governor, already considered a top-tier 2028 presidential prospect with a clear path to reelection in his battleground state this year, delivered a scathing criticism of the Republican president on the opening day of the National Action Network's four-day conference. More than a half-dozen potential candidates are speaking here to make inroads among Black leaders, one of Democrats' most powerful voting blocs.

The presidential primary is already underway

The presidential primary season won't begin in earnest until after November's midterm elections, but this week's conference is showcasing a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded primary fight.

For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite.

“Everybody's talking about who may run for president,” said Sharpton, the National Action Network's founder and president. “I want to first know what their vision is now, and what they’re doing now. So I’ve invited all of the people that could run.”

In addition to Shapiro, the speaking program features Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the last Democratic presidential nominee, is also scheduled to speak. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another likely contender, won't be in attendance because of a previously scheduled family commitment, his team said, noting that he met with Sharpton earlier in the year.

Black voters have critical influence

One doesn't have to look far to see the outsized influence that Black voters wield in Democratic nomination contests.

In 2020, Buttigieg was a top vote-getter in the Iowa caucus and scored a strong second place in New Hampshire — both overwhelmingly white states — before Joe Biden dominated South Carolina on the strength of the Black vote.

Biden's long-established relationship with the African American community, backed by his perceived electability advantage, ultimately helped him beat back a strong push by progressive favorite Sen. Bernie Sanders.

All of the 2028 prospects are quick to criticize Trump, although there is broad agreement that Democrats also need to highlight what they stand for — instead of solely what they're against.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the conference.

Khanna, a Sanders ally who also addressed activists on Wednesday, told The Associated Press that progressive candidates in 2028 could make greater inroads with Black voters “by speaking to the Civil Rights tradition and offering a vision rooted in Black history.”

“A 2028 contender needs to articulate and run on a new moral vision for America,” Khanna said. Any presidential candidate’s platform, he added, “must be as much inspired by the greats of Douglass and King” — referring to abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. — while “offering a new vision for racial justice, economic justice, peace in the world, against militarism, against racism, against wealth inequality.”

Shapiro, who was a finalist in Harris' search for a running mate in 2024, highlighted both his electability and his commitment to African American priorities while on stage.

He described Pennsylvania as “the ultimate swing state,” while defending diversity, equity and inclusion programs and insisting that police must be “held to account” if they do something wrong.

He also went after Trump again and again, suggesting that the looming midterm elections should be “a national referendum on Donald Trump and on what is happening in Washington, D.C.”

Ashley Sharpton, Rev. Sharpton’s youngest daughter, said she was surprised by the audience's enthusiasm and engagement while Shapiro and Khanna were on stage on the conference's first day. She said she's looking forward to hearing from Moore, Harris and Buttigieg.

"That’s why people come," she said. "They want to get some of that energy, that consistency, that base.”

It's been like this ever since the Department of Homeland Security bought an 825,000-square-foot (76,645-square-meter) building in Washington County as part of a plan to transform warehouses across the U.S. into detention facilities for tens of thousands of immigrants.

“This is a facility built for packages, not people,” Patrick Dattilio, the founder of an anti- Immigration and Customs Enforcement group called Hagerstown Rapid Response, said as he stood outside the county commission meeting.

The federal government has faced fierce opposition in communities where it spent a total of $1.074 billion for 11 warehouses under a plan that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing. Washington County is the most welcoming community — a place where officials said they supported ICE, albeit amid whistles and jeers. The processing center there was supposed to be one of the first to open in a facilities project hatched under Mullin’s predecessor, Kristi Noem.

But now DHS' plan for the Washington County building is paused — mired in a court battle like some of the other warehouse-to-detention projects across the U.S. Questions swirl about whether Mullin will move ahead with the facilities project or chart another course as he pursues President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

County commissioners proclaimed their ‘unwavering support’ for ICE

The sprawling blue-and-white warehouse in Washington County has been the subject of intense debate in part because of the way commissioners voiced their support for ICE.

While repeatedly insisting that their hands were tied because the federal government already bought the building, the commissioners also approved a proclamation during their Feb. 10 meeting declaring their “unwavering support” for DHS and ICE.

The proclamation, which didn’t specifically mention the warehouse purchase, was met with so much booing and yelling that the commission president cleared the room.

The county wanted something, too. It forwarded the proclamation to Noem the next day in an email identifying hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of sewer, airport and highway upgrades that it said were needed, according to a public records request received by local resident Ethan Wechtaluk, who's running for Congress in the district that includes the warehouse.

ICE, flush with cash from a massive congressional appropriation, has since signed a contract worth $113 million to renovate the building for 500 to 1,500 detainees, but a judge temporarily halted work after Maryland's attorney general sued. A hearing is scheduled for April 15.

County commissioners did not respond to email or telephone requests for comment. County administrator Michelle Gordon in a statement said the commissioners were declining all interview requests.

Many residents of the county — a place Civil War buffs come to visit the Antietam battlefield before making their way to nearby Gettysburg — are outraged both because they have moral objections to the facility and because they didn't find out about the purchase beforehand.

“We have had no voice in this,” Carroll Sager said over the din of protesters and honking cars. Behind her, the sheriff's department had cordoned off part of the county building with crime scene tape to deter protesters. Two deputies watched the demonstrators.

During the meeting, Sager sat quietly, holding a sign that read: “Disenfranchised in Washington County.”

Other communities across the US have also balked at DHS' plans

The pushback in other communities has included a New Jersey lawsuit that alleges an “utter lack of communication” and a lawsuit in Michigan questioning why DHS didn’t look at using empty state prisons. Officials in Salt Lake City and Pennsylvania have threatened to withhold or limit water. In Georgia, the town of Social Circle placed a lock on the water meter at a warehouse DHS purchased.

Meanwhile, questions also have come up about how much DHS paid for some warehouses. It paid double what the New Jersey warehouse was valued at in tax records and nearly five times more than the assessed value of the Social Circle warehouse.

Mullin was pressed during his confirmation hearing about whether he would continue Noem's policy of turning these warehouses into detention facilities. Without committing to anything, Mullin said the department wanted to “be good partners” with communities.

Days after he was sworn in, DHS paused the purchase of new warehouses intended to house immigrants. It's scrutinizing all contracts signed under Noem.

The federal government also said in a recent court filing in Maryland's lawsuit that “ICE is reconsidering the plans and scope of the warehouse.”

Asked whether any changes were afoot for the Maryland facility, DHS said in a statement: “As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals.”

Washington County residents are waiting to see what happens

The plan was to turn the Maryland warehouse into an ICE processing facility that would hold recently arrested immigrants before they go to other facilities for long-term detention.

ICE officials have said the Washington County warehouse would serve the Baltimore ICE office's needs for detention space. State lawmakers have expressed concerns about the George H. Fallon Federal Building that houses ICE detainees in downtown Baltimore in part because a bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease was found in the water.

Activists and people who live near the Washington County warehouse are watching.

For nearly three decades Nica Sutch has had a home in the rolling hills of western Maryland, where she raised children and entertained grandchildren.

When the warehouse was built a few years ago to meet the demand for distribution centers, fueled by a growth in online shopping, she rationalized that it could be an economic boon for the region.

Now that ICE has purchased the building, she's eyeing a move.

“I love the area,” she said during an interview in her backyard. “I love everything. This has been my home for 28 years.”

__

Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri.

That means the utility could miss Nevada's clean energy targets requiring 50% renewable power by 2030.

“I can’t remember a time in the history of the industry where we’ve seen as much interest in adding load, which is primarily driven by data centers,” said Shawn Elicegui, senior vice president of regulatory and resource planning for NV Energy, which provides electricity to 90% of the state.

It's one of many utilities across the country grappling with how to meet the exploding electricity demand for data centers to power artificial intelligence without sacrificing long-term plans to move away from fossil fuels in favor of renewable and zero-carbon sources.

In North Carolina, which is also seeing a surge of data centers, the largest utility is revising its long-term plans to delay the retirement of coal plants and to build more natural gas plants. Legislators removed an interim goal for utilities to cut carbon emissions, spurring concern from environmentalists that the state might miss its goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.

NextEra Energy, which serve commercial electricity in over a dozen states, completely dropped its goal to reach zero emissions by 2045 due to the “demand for all forms of power generation,” the company said in a recent business filing.

The Trump administration has encouraged states to use coal to meet the demands from manufacturing and data centers. Tech companies are also slowing down on their own climate goals to meet the consumer demands for artificial intelligence.

“It’s very alarming, and it’s probably the single largest natural resource issue of our time,” said Olivia Tanager, director of the Sierra Club’s Toiyabe chapter covering Nevada.

Nevada is one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the U.S. thanks to its lack of a corporate income tax, cheap land and tax breaks for data centers. There are dozens already with more on the way. Now lawmakers are eyeing more regulations and debating how to balance both the state's clean energy goals with the economic benefits data centers bring.

Some data centers say they want to be part of the solution; the industry was responsible for half of all corporate clean energy procurement in 2024, said Dan Diorio, vice president of state policy for the Data Center Coalition.

But renewable energy’s contribution to the power grid is not growing fast enough. Nationally, orders for gas turbines are backlogged and processing renewable energy projects take time, industry experts say.

One Vegas data center built its own solar fields

South of the Las Vegas Strip, the Switch data center stretches for nearly a square mile (kilometer). It’s the largest data center in Southern Nevada, and it runs entirely on renewable energy, according to Jason Hoffman, chief strategy officer. Unlike other data centers, Switch is licensed to build its own sources of renewable energy at the scale of a utility company. It has built 1 gigawatt of solar energy and is in the process of building more solar fields, he said. The company only uses NV Energy's grid for the delivery of electricity, and it sources its own power from third-party suppliers.

Inside of the massive buildings, hundreds of servers hum within gigantic soundproof and waterproof chambers. They contain vital information for Switch’s clients, including major banks, streaming services, online shopping websites, casinos and state and local governments.

During the summer heat, when more energy is required to keep the equipment cool, Switch can remove itself from the grid and be self-sufficient, Hoffman said. The data center is designed to require minimal air conditioning during the rest of the year.

Many other utilities and tech companies are turning to gas-fired generation to power data centers, including the controversial xAI data center near Memphis that is using mobile gas turbines strapped to semitrucks.”

Tanager, of the Sierra Club, said multiple proposed data centers in Northern Nevada would use hundreds of low-quality diesel-powered backup generators that will worsen air quality. Data centers have backup generators in case the power goes out and are not used often.

At a recent seven-hour legislative meeting, Nevadans complained to lawmakers about the noise data centers produce, and their worries about how the centers will affect water supply and energy bills. Residents of Boulder City, home of the Hoover Dam, are also opposing a proposed center for similar concerns.

State provides financial incentives for clean power

NV Energy requires data center developers to agree to fund their own infrastructure and energy needs — but it doesn't have to be renewable.

Nevada designed a volunteer funding model that allows companies to put up money for NV Energy's clean energy development then count it toward their corporate energy goals. It was the first such model of its kind in the country and led to the development of a geothermal plant in Northern Nevada with Google as a partner.

Environmental groups want the state to make that model mandatory, but still worry it wouldn't bring enough clean energy to meet demand. They also worry NV Energy could expand its reliance on fossil fuel without the guarantee that all the proposed data centers will be built.

NV Energy will require companies to sign contracts ensuring their commitment to the state before energy is built, Elicegui said. The utility's philosophy is that “growth is welcomed,” but that companies need to be responsible for power load added on their behalf “whether they show up or not.”

The public utilities commission in Nevada may impose a fine, grant an exemption or take some other action if it determines NV Energy failed to meet the state’s clean energy goals. The utility is set to publish a report with more specifics by the end of the month.

Democratic Assemblymember Howard Watts of Las Vegas said it is “unacceptable” to bring forward projects that will threaten the state's renewable energy portfolio. Watts wants to see it required that data centers take on the costs of clean energy development. While many companies are already taking those steps, putting those guardrails in statute is necessary, he said.

“Building more gas plants seems like going in the exact opposite direction of what we need to do as a state," he said, noting the state has “tremendous solar and geothermal energy potential.”

“We got our butts kicked,” said U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor.

He was referring to Democratic victories in campaigns for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the mayor's office in Waukesha, a conservative suburb outside of Milwaukee. But some Republicans were also rattled by a Georgia special election, where their candidate to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress won by a much slimmer margin than the party enjoyed in the past.

Taken together, the swings from red to blue added more data points to an increasingly clear picture of Democratic momentum heading into the November midterms, when control of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and state governments around the country are up for grabs.

“In rural, urban, red, blue, Democrats have overperformed everywhere,” said Jared Leopold, a Democratic consultant whose clients include Keisha Lance Bottoms, a candidate for Georgia governor. “That is a significant canary in the coal mine about what November of ’26 is going to look like.”

Some Republicans insisted there was no need to panic, and their fundraising remains stronger than Democrats. Stephen Lawson, a Georgia strategist, said “the sky is not falling.”

But he also said his party is running behind where it has been in the past, and Republicans need to be “looking at these results carefully.”

‘A red alarm for Republicans’

Special elections can be notoriously unreliable as political benchmarks, but Democrats have consistently demonstrated surprising strength. They flipped a Texas state Senate district. They won a Florida state House seat in a district that includes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

Then they gained ground on Tuesday in the race to replace Greene, who resigned from Congress in January after a falling out with Trump.

Clay Fuller, the Republican candidate, prevailed by 12 points. Two years ago, Greene won by 29 points and Trump carried the district by almost 37 points.

“That’s a red alarm for Republicans,” said Democratic strategist Meredith Brasher.

Fuller defeated Shawn Harris, who plans to challenge him again in November.

Jackie Harling, the district's Republican chairwoman, said she believed that Greene’s resignation energized Democrats while her party is suffering from “election fatigue.”

“Marjorie Taylor Greene was like a freight train that you couldn’t stop, and when she pulled out, it gave Democrats hope and it gave them a shot at winning something they believed was unwinnable,” Harling said.

‘Slightly bluer side of purple’

Georgia has key races this year, including an open contest for the governor's office. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, is trying to defend his seat as well.

There's reason to think that simmering discontent could boomerang back on Republicans just two years after Trump harnessed voters' anger with his comeback presidential campaign.

In November, Democrats defeated two Republican incumbents in statewide races for seats on the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities. Rising electricity rates have been a fault line in recent campaigns, especially as enormous data centers are built to power artificial intelligence.

But Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey is trying to maintain modest expectations.

“We could cement ourselves, put ourselves, on the slightly bluer side of purple,” he said. ”We’re not going to overnight turn into Colorado.”

‘A very clear sign of momentum’

Wisconsin holds statewide elections for supreme court seats, and liberals expanded their majority with a 20-point blowout victory on Tuesday.

Democrats saw gains in red, blue and purple counties when compared to another judicial race last year, which was also won by the liberal candidate.

“This to me was a very clear sign of momentum and enthusiasm for Democrats in the fall,” said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Devin Remiker.

The state has its own open race for governor this year, and Democrats are hoping to take control of the state legislature and oust Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

“It’s time for us to put this thing in overdrive,” said Mandela Barnes, a Democratic former lieutenant governor who is running for governor.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, another Democratic candidate for governor, said it’s clear that “people are really upset with the Republican Party and their brand right now.”

“But that doesn’t mean that they’re automatically going to come over to the Democrats,” Crowley said. “And that’s why we have to continue to focus on the issues and speak to the values of all the voters here in the state of Wisconsin.”

‘A lot of anxiety’

Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor in Wisconsin, cautioned against reading too much into Tuesday’s results.

He said “every election is unique,” and he wasn’t making any changes to his campaign. He said the key to winning will be to “paint that clear contrast of how we are going to help everyday Wisconsinites.”

But Democrats seemed to be making inroads, including in Waukesha. The city is located outside of Milwaukee in the Republican stronghold of Waukesha County.

Democrat Alicia Halvensleben, president of the city’s Common Council, defeated Republican Scott Allen, one of the most conservative members of the state Assembly.

She said Trump came up “a lot” when she was campaigning, although she thinks her victory came down to local issues and how the state legislature wasn't addressing them.

“There’s so much uncertainty at the national level,” Halvensleben said. “I think that level of uncertainty is causing people a lot of anxiety, all the way down to the local level.”

___

Amy reported from Atlanta and Cooper reported from Phoenix.

Although Vice President JD Vance campaigned for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this week, such a display has become the exception rather than the rule among conservatives and far-right leaders in Europe.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni refused to let the United States use an air base in Sicily to launch attacks on Iran. France’s National Rally leader Marine Le Pen described his war goals as “erratic." And the head of Germany’s Alternative for Germany party called for American troops to leave their bases in the country.

Even with a fragile ceasefire in place with Iran, Trump's support for Orbán may not work out for the autocratic Hungarian leader, who faces a tough election this weekend. He's long been an icon for the global right and many American conservatives who have hoped the Trump administration could replicate the Hungarian leader’s effort to choke off immigration and restructure government to ensure his Fidesz party stays in power.

That longstanding connection could insulate Orbán from some of the anti-Trump blowback rattling the rest of Europe, but that's not guaranteed, said Charles Kupchan, a professor of international relations at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“Getting a blessing from Donald Trump is now a mixed blessing,” he said.

Iran adds to friction over Greenland

The backlash over the war follows European broad revulsion at Trump's threats earlier this year against NATO ally Denmark over his demand that the country give Greenland to the United States.

Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didn't help more in recent weeks.

“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” he wrote on social media. "REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!"

Daniel Baer, a former ambassador and State Department official in President Barack Obama's administration, said the latest round of tension with Europe's far right shows the limits of Trump's hope of helping nationalist leaders worldwide.

“Building some sort of international coalition around national chauvinism is very difficult,” said Baer, now with the Carnegie Endowment for Peace. “It's clear the majority of people in these countries, if not anti-American, have turned anti-Trump.”

Orbán has stood out for not shifting with the anti-Trump political tide in Europe.

In an interview with conservative British broadcaster GB News last month, Orbán argued that when it came to the war with Iran, “the question is whether (Trump) has started a war or a peace.”

“It hasn’t (been) decided yet, historians will make a decision on that,” Orbán said. “I think we need some time to understand whether we are moving to the peace by these strikes, or just the opposite. It’s too early to say.”

Orbán’s caution toward raising any critical word toward Trump goes beyond shared ideology. The Hungarian leader has for years sought to convince voters that his close ties with Trump — as well as with other global figures such as Russian President Vladimir Putin — make him uniquely suited to represent Hungary’s interests abroad.

Consequently, he has played up Trump’s praise of him to his base, and campaigned for reelection by assuring Hungarians that his alliance with Trump’s administration is a guarantee of security and prosperity.

Orbán risks backlash with Trump ties

Orbán reveled in the attention from Vance this week. The vice president slammed Orbán critics in the European Union for what he called “foreign interference” in the election, even as he stumped for the Hungarian leader.

On Wednesday, Vance briefly discussed what he called a “fragile truce” in the Iran war during an appearance at an elite higher education institution in Hungary, which has received generous funding from Orbán's government and is run by the prime minister's political director.

Vance praised the school for being “an institution that tries to build up the foundations of Western civilization." The Trump administration has tried to exert more influence over elite universities in the U.S., echoing Orbán's agenda in Hungary.

Some analysts are unconvinced of Orbán's strategy, noting that perceptions of the current U.S. administration have been turning more negative even in Hungary.

“Vance’s visit could have the opposite effect on Orbán's popularity than the one intended,” said Mario Bikarsku, senior Europe analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

Kupchan said most European far-right parties have established political staying power independent of any American influence, and may not have an incentive to go along with Trump's agenda.

“Trump's effort to create a transnational movement of far-right populists may affect the margins, but the main reason you're seeing Reform U.K. and AfD and National Rally and other far-right parties prosper has little to do with Trump and more to do with national factors,” he said.

Part of that is a global backlash against any party in power. In Europe, that's mainly benefited the out-of-power far-right. But in Hungary, that's put Orbán's future in jeopardy — he's been in power for 16 years.

“We're living in an age,” Kupchan said, “where being an incumbent sucks.”

___

Riccardi reported from Denver.

Now hurtling home from the moon, the Artemis II astronauts took a poignant page from Apollo 8 earlier this week, proposing deeply personal names for a pair of lunar craters.

Commander Reid Wiseman and his crew asked permission to name one small, fresh crater after their capsule called Integrity and another after his late wife, Carroll. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen made the request right before Monday's lunar fly-around. Wiseman was too emotional to talk.

Carroll Wiseman, a neonatal nurse, died of cancer in 2020.

“Just for me personally, that was kind of the pinnacle moment of the mission for me,” Wiseman said from space Wednesday night.

During Apollo 8 in 1968, astronaut Jim Lovell bestowed his wife’s name upon a prominent lunar peak: Mount Marilyn. It was humanity's first trip to the moon and she anxiously awaited his return back home in Houston.

The three Americans and one Canadian of Artemis II are the first lunar visitors since Apollo 17 closed out that grand epoch in 1972, and their crater-naming request temporarily left ground controllers speechless.

“It was definitely a very emotional moment. I don’t think most of us knew it was coming,” NASA lunar scientist Ryan Watkins told The Associated Press on Wednesday from Johnson Space Center in Houston. “There was not a single dry eye.”

Mission Control’s lead scientist Kelsey Young worked with the Artemis II astronauts before launch, quietly helping them choose the two bright, relatively young craters, which they quickly spied once they were close enough to the moon through zoom lenses as well as their naked eyes.

Wiseman said his crewmates came up with the idea and approached him about it while they were in quarantine a few days before liftoff. His response: “Absolutely, I would love that, I think that's just the best. And I said, 'But I can't give the speech, I can't give the talk,'" he recalled during a crew news conference, saying he was too overwhelmed.

Proposed Carroll Crater is at the moon's left limb on the boundary of the moon’s near and far sides, and occasionally visible from Earth. It's rather shallow and approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) across, according to Watkins. The slightly bigger Integrity crater is completely on the lunar far side.

Their request came shortly after they broke Apollo 13’s distance record for deep-space travelers. All four astronauts wept as they embraced in a group hug.

“We lost a loved one. Her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie,” Hansen radioed, his voice breaking. “It’s a bright spot on the moon and we would like to call it Carroll.”

Mission Control fell silent for nearly a minute before replying: “Integrity and Carroll crater, loud and clear.”

The emotion-drenched scene was vastly different from the 1960s and 1970s Apollo moonshots in more ways than one. NASA's Apollo all-male test pilots were for the most part all business and tear-free.

“This is no fault of Apollo,” Watkins said. “I think we're seeing just a more human aspect."

Once back on Earth later this week, the crew will submit the two proposed names to the International Astronomical Union.

Nearly a half century passed between Apollo 8 and the union's sign-off of Mount Marilyn in 2017.

The IAU's Ramasamy Venugopal promised a decision on Carroll and Integrity in about a month, the norm “for straightforward requests.”

There already are 81 astronaut-named lunar features on the group's approved list, including Apollo 16's Baby Ray and Gator, and Apollo 17's Lara named for the lead female character in the 1965 film “Doctor Zhivago.”

Some Apollo-era nicknames didn't make the cut.

Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan, the last astronaut to walk on the moon, dubbed a split boulder “Tracy’s Rock,” after his young daughter in 1972.

And in 1969, Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad nicknamed his touchdown spot “Pete’s Parking Lot.”

___

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 government had agreed to terms with Australia’s largest suppliers Ampol and Viva Energy to underwrite contracts for gasoline and diesel bought on the spot market for prices above normal commercial rates, Albanese said.

The government would also have the power to direct how that fuel was distributed, with a focus on regional and farming areas where gas stations have run dry in recent weeks, Albanese said.

“This will have a long tail, which is why after this we will travel to Singapore,” Albanese told reporters at an Ampol refinery in Australian city of Brisbane.

“I’m looking forward to a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong tomorrow,” Albanese said.

“We don’t preempt one-on-one meetings at leaders’ levels, but the fact that we’re being welcomed at relatively short notice to Singapore speaks about the strength of the relationship,” he added.

Albanese’s visit would continue Singapore’s regional engagements to keep fuel supply flowing by strengthening fuel access for Australia, a Singaporean government statement said.

Australia was Singapore’s second-largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and Singapore was Australia’s largest supplier of refined petroleum products.

“This visit follows Australia and Singapore’s joint commitment to keep fuel flowing between both countries and to work together to strengthen energy supply chain resilience,” Singapore said.

Albanese said his government was moving quickly to increase Australia’s fuel supply.

He described the announcement this week of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East war as an important step forward.

“If the ceasefire holds, that doesn’t mean that the world global capacity comes online in a week or a month. It will take as considerable period of time. This will have a long tail. That is very, very clear,” Albanese said.

The Dodgers were informed of his death by his former wife, Lin Lopes. She told the team Lopes had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and died at a hospital in his hometown of East Providence, Rhode Island.

Lopes was a four-time All-Star during his 10 years with the Dodgers. He played in four World Series, winning the 1981 championship. He holds the franchise record for most games played at second base with 1,134. His 1,145 games batting leadoff are second in the organization's history to Maury Wills (1,279).

Lopes was 27 years old when he made his MLB debut on Sept. 22, 1972.

The next season, Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Lopes began the first of 8 1/2 consecutive years starting together in the infield.

Lopes established himself as one of the most prolific base stealers in baseball. He stole 418 bases as a Dodger, the second-highest career total in franchise history behind Wills (490). Lopes holds the franchise record with an 83.1% career success rate (minimum 100 steals).

On Aug. 4, 1974, Lopes became the first Dodger since Wills to steal four bases in a game, and 20 days later, he tied the NL record with five steals against the Cardinals. In 1975, Lopes recorded a then-MLB record 28 consecutive steals without being caught.

He led the majors in 1975 with 77 steals and the National League in 1976 with 63. In 1978, he stole 45 bases in 49 attempts.

In 1978, Lopes had the best World Series of his career, starting with two home runs in Game 1 against the New York Yankees. He also won a Gold Glove that season.

After leaving the Dodgers, he played for the Oakland Athletics (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86) and Houston Astros (1986-87). He stole 557 career bases — 26th in MLB history — while hitting .263 in 1,812 regular-season games with 155 home runs, 614 RBI, 232 doubles and 50 triples.

“He was one of the greatest competitors I had the privilege to play with in Chicago, and against when he was with the Dodgers. RIP my friend,” five-time All-Star shortstop Larry Bowa posted on X.

After his playing days, Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000-02. He coached with the Orioles, Padres, Nationals, Phillies and Dodgers.

He won a second World Series as the Phillies’ first-base coach.

Ruben Amaro Jr., an assistant general manager on that 2008 title team, posted on X: “Davey Lopes, the best base stealing coach we've ever had. And a great base stealer in his own right. So sad to hear of his passing. Thank you, Davey, for bringing joy to all of us. RIP.”

Lopes returned to the Dodgers as the baserunning and first-base coach from 2011-15. He spent his final two seasons in the majors as the Nationals first-base coach from 2016-17.

Lopes is survived by his brothers, Patrick and John, and sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.

___

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

Ashlynn Parrott was working customer service at the Kroger in Towne Lake on Good Friday when she picked up a phone call that immediately stood out.

“She said, ‘This is going to be the weirdest call you’ve ever gotten,’” Parrott said. “And then she told me, ‘I have a friend, she’s in your parking lot, and she’s in labor.’”

The caller said her friend was in the store’s parking lot — unable to reach family — with a 2-year-old child in the backseat.

Parrott didn’t hesitate.

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“My first thought was just, how can I help? How can I comfort the mother?” said Parrott.

She gathered two coworkers and headed outside to search the large parking lot. They eventually found the woman parked in an expectant mother space with her hazard lights on.

“She was very panicked,” Parrott said.

While another employee called 911, Parrott stayed by the woman’s side — talking to her, asking questions, and trying to keep her calm as they waited for help.

“I called her name and asked her how many kids she had, ” Parrott said. “I think it might have just been a shock to go into labor in a grocery store. So I was just letting her know that I was there."

Emergency crews arrived within minutes and transported the mother and her child to the hospital.

The next morning — the Saturday before Easter — the woman, Jena Harper, gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Augustus Harper born 37 weeks and four days at 7 lbs and 6 oz.

“I got a picture the next morning,” Parrott said. “We were just so glad that everything worked out.”

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Parrott says she has stayed in touch with the family friend who made that initial call, but has not met the mother or newborn in person since that day.

Still, she says knowing they’re safe is enough.

“My mom always told me, do anything that you can for somebody in any situation,” Parrott said.

Celeste Beard Johnson, who has been serving a life sentence since 2003 for orchestrating her millionaire husband’s murder, called KPRC 2 News reporter Corley Peel from prison to share her account exclusively. State rules prohibit recordings of the call, but Beard Johnson told Corley she is still not over the trauma.

“Even though we’re in here as prisoners, we should not be assaulted,” Beard Johnson said.

Johnson told Corley she was taken from the Lane Murray unit in Gatesville, Texas to Hospital Galveston for neck surgery in February. While still sedated in her cell during recovery, she says she thought she saw an arm come through a wall. She says she was punched and left bruised and bleeding from the alleged sexual assault.

• RELATED: 2 correctional officers relieved of duty after female inmate alleges sexual assault at Hospital Galveston

Despite fear of retaliation, Johnson says she reported the incident days later but felt ignored, until her mother contacted the Governor’s office.

Johnson is not alone.

Angel Cordova says her daughter, who is serving 10 years in the Hobby unit in Marlin, Texas for aggravated assault on a public servant, was allegedly sexually assaulted by two officers during a separate visit to Hospital Galveston in March for an MRI appointment.

Cordova says she was first alerted about the incident by a call from another inmate. When she tried to get information from prison officials, she says she was given the runaround and only learned the full details when she visited her daughter in person.

“I was so mad. I was furious,” Cordova said.

Cordova described what her daughter told her happened during the alleged assault, saying her daughter was forced to perform sexual acts on two officers and was penetrated by one of them.

Cordova says the officers told her daughter to stay silent, but despite fear of retaliation, the woman reported the alleged crime.

Cordova is calling for accountability and says her daughter’s past should not make her a target.

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“Just because these ladies have their pride doesn’t mean it allows you to punish them more. Their crime don’t define them,” Cordova said.

The two corrections officers with possible ties to both cases are now on unpaid administrative leave. They have not been charged with a crime. A third officer is also under investigation but was already off duty for a separate reason prior to the allegations coming to light.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is handling the administrative investigation while the Office of Inspector General is investigating the alleged crimes. Both women share the same attorney, who told KPRC 2 he is working to gather more information.

TDCJ policy states that male officers are never permitted to be alone with female inmates or conduct unclothed searches of female inmates.

The families of both women are hoping for justice.

FULL STATEMENT FROM TDCJ:

The security and safety of the incarcerated population and staff is the number of priority of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The agency takes all claims of sexual assault seriously and immediately opens investigations to any allegations. To protect the population, it is the agency’s practice that a male officer(s) are not alone with an individual female inmate. Additionally, staff cannot perform cross-gendered unclothed searches.

After a female inmate alleged she was sexually assaulted by two correctional officers at Hospital Galveston, TDCJ and the Office of Inspector General immediately opened investigations into the complaint. The two correctional officers have been relieved of duty while the investigations are ongoing. As both criminal and administrative investigations are ongoing, further details cannot be provided.

Additionally, both the agency and OIG are investigating a second incident where a different female inmate alleged she was sexually assaulted at the beginning of the year. In this incident, one officer was identified by name and two others were described. The officer identified by name and one of the officers described match those of the first incident mentioned above. These officers have been relieved of duty while the investigations are ongoing. The third officer has been off duty for a separate reason. As both criminal and administrative investigations are ongoing, further details cannot be provided.

As more information becomes available during the investigations, the agency will evaluate processes and procedures for any area of improvement to prevent heinous attacks such as those alleged.

All sides have presented vastly different versions of the terms. Iran said the deal would allow it to formalize its new practice of charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to remove buried enriched uranium, though Iran did not confirm that.

Pakistan and others said fighting would pause in Lebanon, which Israel has invaded to fight Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday that the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah. Israeli strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut Wednesday afternoon without warning, killing dozens and wounding hundreds of people.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

The ceasefire may formalize a system of charging fees in the Strait of Hormuz that Iran instituted — and give it a new source of revenue. Iranian attacks and threats deterred many commercial ships from passing through the waterway, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime.

Here is the latest:

UN chief condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon

In unusually strong language, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon that killed and injured hundreds Wednesday, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.

The statement said Guterres “condemns the loss of civilian lives and is deeply alarmed by the mounting toll on civilians,” and added the ongoing strikes pose “a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.”

Guterres called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities.

The strikes targeting central Beirut Wednesday killed more than 180 people, and wounded hundreds, making it the deadliest day in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

Australia says Lebanon must be included in Middle East ceasefire

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters Thursday that the two-week ceasefire announced this week “is an important step forward.”

“Of course it is a fragile peace, but we want it to lead to an agreement,” Albanese said.

“The Australian government also firmly believes that this has to apply to Lebanon as well. We want to see peace in this region,” Albanese added.

Hezbollah claims attacks as sirens sound in northern Israel

Sirens went off early Thursday morning in a few Israeli communities along the border with Lebanon, near the city of Kiryat Shmona, which has been targeted by Hezbollah rockets repeatedly during the war.

In a statement, Hezbollah claimed attacking Manara in northern Israel early Thursday morning with rocket fire.

“This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases,” it said.

Israeli strikes kill Al Jazeera correspondent and 2 Lebanese journalists

Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed an Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza, according to the network and health officials there, as well as two Lebanese journalists in that country, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and one of their networks.

Mohammed Wishah was targeted in a drone strike in west Gaza City. The Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said on X that Wishah was a member of Hamas, reposting a 2024 tweet that described him as a “prominent commander” in its military wing, among other positions.

In Lebanon, where Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah killed more than 180 people Wednesday, Ghada Dayekh, a presenter with Sawt Al-Farah, and Suzan Khalil, a reporter and presenter on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV and Al-Nour Radio, also died.

Newly created Polymarket accounts bet big on US-Iran ceasefire in hours before Trump’s announcement

A group of new accounts on the prediction market Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers.

These bets were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, Trump’s rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent.

An analysis of publicly available blockchain data from Polymarket, using the crypto analytics platform Dune, shows that at least 50 accounts, or wallets, placed substantial “Yes” bets Tuesday before Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post at around 6:30 p.m. ET.

▶ Read more about polymarket accounts

Israelis celebrate ceasefire and mimouna holiday

Israelis marked the Moroccan Jewish holiday of Mimouna, which celebrates the end of Passover, on Wednesday night without worrying about running for cover from of Iranian missiles for the first time in a month and a half.

In the southern resort city of Eilat, a local bar served the traditional fried foods, including the fried dough of mufleta, while wearing Moroccan inspired garb.

“I feel like I can finally go out and celebrate, it’s hard to celebrate anything during the war,” said Tair Elkaim, a 27-year-old personal trainer visiting from Netanya. “I feel more relaxed and happy, but also I’m sad about the families broken up by this war.”

Avi Zion, 30, a municipality worker from Jerusalem, said he was looking forward to returning to his routine and finally sending his kids back to school.

“I’m really happy there’s a ceasefire and we’re here to celebrate this feeling of release.”

At least 182 killed as Israel strikes central Beirut after saying Iran truce doesn’t apply there

Lebanon’s health ministry said that Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed 182 people, the highest single-day death toll in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Israel launched a barrage of strikes in central Beirut and elsewhere in the country as a shaky ceasefire took effect between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian officials have maintained that the deal was supposed to include Lebanon, while Israel and the U.S. have insisted that it does not.

Another 890 people were wounded in the strikes, the ministry said. Altogether, 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon in just over five weeks since the outbreak of the war.

▶ Read more

US moves to draw down diplomatic staff in Nigeria over security concerns related to Iran war, terrorism, crime

The State Department is moving to reduce the U.S. diplomatic footprint in Nigeria due to security concerns related to terrorism and crime even as a ceasefire in the Iran war comes into effect.

The department said Wednesday it had authorized nonessential American personnel and the families of all government staffers at the U.S. embassy in Abuja to leave the country “due to the deteriorating security situation.”

“There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Nigeria,” it said. “Terrorists continue plotting and carrying out attacks in Nigeria. Terrorists collaborate with local gangs to expand their reach. They may attack with little or no warning.”

Nigeria is just the latest in a series of U.S. diplomatic missions to draw down staff with either ordered or authorized departures since the war with Iran began at the end of February.

American offensive operations remain paused, US official says

When asked about an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island that Iranian state television said came under attack Wednesday, the U.S. official said the pause in American attacks on Iran that went into effect Tuesday with the ceasefire was still effect.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.

Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani also said Israel wasn’t involved in the Lavan Island strike.

—- Konstantin Toropin

Vance suggests the US and Iran agree on more about a peace deal than they disagree on

Speaking to reporters before leaving Hungary, the vice president said Iran questioning the workability of a ceasefire because it disagrees with the U.S. on three key points “must mean there’s a lot of points of agreement.”

Frustration on three issues “actually means that there’s a lot of agreements,” Vance said.

The vice president, who is set to participate in negotiations in Pakistan this weekend, said “ceasefires are always messy” and often feature “a little bit of choppiness.”

It wasn’t all positive, though. Vance also questioned the English skills of Iran parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and his comments on the fragile nature of the ceasefire.

“I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English,” Vance said “because there are things that he said that just didn’t make sense in the context of the negotiations that we’ve had.”

Independent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz

That’s despite claims from the White House on Wednesday there had been an uptick in the number of ships transiting the strategic waterway since a U.S.-announced ceasefire with Iran.

Windward, a maritime intelligence firm that tracks international shipping, said only 11 vessels transited the strait on Wednesday — roughly the same number from prior days.

Windward said all ships transiting the strait must still coordinate safe passage with Iranian authorities, who are requiring shippers to pay hefty tolls amounting of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, paid in cryptocurrency. For context, the largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.

Windward said radio broadcasts from Iran to tankers in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday warned that those transiting without approval would be attacked.

Israel strikes key bridge in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military has struck the last direct crossing carrying most of the traffic to the key coastal city of Tyre over Lebanon’s Litani River, the strategic demarcation line separating southern Lebanon from the rest of the country.

The attack late Wednesday on the Qasmieh bridge further isolates southern Lebanon as the Israeli army pushes ahead with its ground invasion and bombardment following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Iran war.

Israel has bombed several bridges over the Litani, accusing Hezbollah of using them to bring fighters and military equipment to the border area. But the crossings are also crucial for Lebanese civilians and for those carrying humanitarian aid.

The strike comes as Israel seeks to create a “buffer zone” that it says is necessary to protect its northern towns from Hezbollah rockets. Lebanese civilians fear long-term occupation and displacement.

House Democrats to force a war powers resolution vote over Iran

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they will demand passage of the resolution to halt further U.S. military action in Iran during Thursday’s session, seeking to force Republicans, who have been largely silent on Trump’s strategy, to speak up.

He said in a letter to colleagues that the Democrats will “unleash maximum pressure on Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping the madness.”

Congress is on recess, but the House and Senate are meeting for perfunctory sessions on Thursday.

Under the proposal, Democrats would seek to have the resolution approved by unanimous consent. But as the minority party, they may not even be recognized by the presiding officer, a Republican.

Bolivia terminates military cooperation agreement with Iran in latest geopolitical shift

The center-right government of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz said Wednesday it has terminated a military cooperation agreement signed with Iran three years ago, during the administration of leftist leader Luis Arce.

The announcement was confirmed by Defense Minister Raúl Salinas, who didn’t provide further details.

It comes on the heels of the Paz administration’s dramatic shift away from the foreign policy maintained by Bolivia throughout the administrations of the Movement Towards Socialism, or MAS, a party that held power for nearly 20 years.

It is also the latest sign of a sharp geopolitical realignment underway in the South American country that was once among the most vocal critics of Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

UN says 1.1 million Lebanese, an unprecedented number, have been displaced since early March conflict

And that number, representing nearly one-fifth of Lebanon’s population, is expected to rise following the wave of over 100 Israeli airstrikes on the country on Wednesday, the U.N. humanitarian chief in Lebanon said.

Imran Riza told U.N. correspondents in a video briefing that Israeli orders for Lebanese to leave their homes now affect 15.5% of the country’s territory.

He also pointed to rising attacks on health care facilities during the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, with over 106 incidents reported resulting in 57 deaths and 158 injuries.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator urged donations to last month’s $308 million U.N. emergency appeal for Lebanon which has only received about $95 million.

Iran accuses US of violating 3 clauses of framework for a deal, says ceasefire, negotiations with US are ‘unreasonable’

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Wednesday that a ceasefire and negotiations with the U.S. on ending the war is “unreasonable” as he accused the U.S. violating three of Tehran’s 10 conditions for an end to the fighting.

Qalibaf, a key figure in the Pakistan-brokered negotiations to end the conflict, objected in a social media post to the continuation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace after the ceasefire was in effect and the Trump administration’s assertion that it won’t accept any Iranian enrichment capabilities as part of an agreement to end the conflict.

It comes as the not yet day old ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties who each are claiming victory in the conflict. Qalibaf’s comments come an hour after the White House announced that US Vice President JD Vance would lead the U.S. delegation to talks in Islamabad starting Saturday on bringing about an end to the war.

Spain condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Spanish Prime Minster Pedro Sánchez condemned Israel’s strikes Wednesday on Lebanon, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“His contempt for life and international law is intolerable,” Sánchez wrote on X.

The Spanish leader, who has been Europe’s loudest critic of the U.S. and Israel’s military actions in the region, called on the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel.

White House says Trump is clear that ceasefire is subject to no tolls through the Strait of Hormuz

The ceasefire requires a “free” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which includes no tolls imposed by Iran, said Leavitt, describing Trump’s thinking.

A regional official had said on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations that the ceasefire plans included allowing both Iran and Oman to charge new fees to ships transiting through the strait.

Leavitt referenced Trump’s Truth Social post from Tuesday in which he said the agreement was conditional on the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING” of the strait. She added that “that’s very plain language and it should be taken at face value.”

Iranian envoy asks China, Russia and UN for security guarantees as part of ceasefire

At a press conference in Beijing early Wednesday, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iran’s ambassador to China, requested that its two closest allies and the world body help guarantee Tehran’s long-term security as part of the recent deal to end hostilities between U.S and Iran.

The Islamic Republic has made similar requests in the past but they have not come to fruition.

When asked if China would be willing to guarantee such security, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning demurred Wednesday, telling reporters: “We hope that all parties will resolve their disputes through dialogue and negotiation.”

Vance will return to US from his visit to Hungary before heading to Pakistan

The vice president’s office gave the update Wednesday as Vance was wrapping up a trip in Budapest.

His office did not offer any details about his planned trip to Islamabad to lead the U.S. negotiating team that included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump expected to raise possibility of US leaving NATO in meeting with Rutte

The president earlier this month said that he was considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO as he grumbled about the lack of support from members of the alliance in his war of choice against Iran.

The criticism from Trump follows years of complaining that the alliance’s member countries aren’t paying enough for their own defense. Trump is set to host Secretary-General Mark Rutte for talks at the White House later this afternoon.

“It’s something the president has discussed, and I think it’s something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte,” said Leavitt, when asked if Trump is still considering leaving the 32-member alliance.

Ceasefire is threatened as Israel expands Lebanon strikes and Iran closes strait again

The United States demanded Wednesday that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Republic closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Iran’s move cast doubt over whether an already precarious ceasefire to end more than a month of war would hold.

The United States and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the agreement, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries. Israel also intensified its attacks in Lebanon, hitting several commercial and residential areas in Beirut without warning. At least 112 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in one of the deadliest days in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

The fresh violence threatened to scuttle what U.S. Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.

White House defends Trump’s language threatening ‘a whole civilization’

Asked about Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended it as a “very strong threat that led to results.”

“I think it was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” Leavitt said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

She said any suggestion that Iran had the moral high ground was “insulting.”

Before a ceasefire was announced, Trump had threatened destruction in Iran if it did not reopen the strait, saying “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

White House shrugs off NATO’s pledge to ensure freedom of navigation through a reopened Strait of Hormuz

Leavitt was asked about NATO allies offering to contribute to keeping the strait open, but said the alliance hasn’t done enough to support U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran.

“They were tested and they failed,” Levitt said, reading from a past Trump quote on NATO.

She added: “NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks.”

Those comments came as Trump was meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House later Wednesday.

Israel’s airport restarts full operations

Israel’s main airport will resume full operations as of midnight on Wednesday, after the Iran war stranded tens of thousands of people, including both Israelis abroad and tourists inside Israel.

Israel’s airspace has been open but severely limited during the war, limiting flights to once an hour and just 50 people per flight. Israel joins several other countries in the region in reopening its airspace as the ceasefire with Iran appeared to hold.

The White House defends Trump’s threat that ‘a whole civilization will die tonight’

“His very tough rhetoric and his tough negotiating style is what has led to the result that you are all witnessing today,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, adding that Iran said they wanted a ceasefire because “they no longer could tolerate being bombed.”

Trump’s threats against Iran escalated over the past weeks, culminating in his Tuesday warning that a “whole civilization” could “die” in the lead up to an 8 p.m. deadline, which was later suspended after an agreement was reached.

“The world should take his word very seriously,” Leavitt said.

Not only was it the hottest March on record for the U.S., but the amount it was above normal beat any other month in history for the Lower 48 states. March’s average temperature of 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit (10.47 degrees Celsius) was 9.35 F (5.19 C) above the 20th century normal for March. That easily passed the old record of 8.9 F (4.9 C) set in March 2012 as the most abnormally hot month on record — regardless of the month of the year — according to records released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The average maximum temperature for March was especially high at 11.4 F (6.3 C) above the 20th century average and was almost a degree warmer than the average daytime high for April, NOAA said.

Six of the nation’s top 10 most abnormally hot months have been in the last 10 years. This February, which was 6.57 F (3.65 C) above 20th century normal, was the tenth highest above normal.

“What we experienced in March across the United States was unprecedented,” said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group.

“One reason that’s so concerning is just the sheer volume of records, all-time records that were set and broken during that time period,” Winkley said. “But also this is coming on the heels of what was the worst snow year. And the hottest winter of record.”

Records keep being broken

April 2025 to March 2026 was the warmest 12-month period on record in the continental United States, according to NOAA.

On March 20 and 21, about one-third of the nation felt unseasonable heat that would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, Climate Central calculated.

More than 19,800 daily temperature records were broken for heat across the country, according to meteorologist Guy Walton, who analyzes NOAA data. More than 2,000 places set monthly records for heat — harder to break than daily records — Walton calculated. That’s more March heat records set just last month than in entire decades in the past.

All those broken records “tells us that climate change is kicking our butts,” said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections.

“January through March period was the driest on record for the contiguous U.S. So not only was it hot, it was record dry as well,” Masters said. “And that’s a bad combination for water availability, for agriculture, for river levels, for navigation.”

Here comes a whopping El Nino

The European climate and weather service Copernicus and NOAA are both forecasting a “super” strong El Niño to form in a few months and intensify into the winter. Meteorologists expect that to increase already warm temperatures across the globe, likely pushing past the hottest year mark set by 2024.

An El Niño is a natural temporary and cyclical warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather across the planet. An El Niño is formed when a specific part of the ocean is 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 F) warmer than normal. It is considered moderate at 1 degree Celsius and strong at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Both NOAA and the Europeans are forecasting this one to be well above 2 degrees Celsius into an area that is informally called super sized and perhaps rivaling records set in 2015 and 2016.

An El Niño releases heat stored in the upper ocean into the air, which causes global temperatures to rise, but with a few months lag time, said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini.

“A strong El Niño could plausibly push global temperatures to new record levels in late 2026 and into 2027,” Gensini said.

El Nino could alter weather patterns for years

Super-sized El Niños often trigger a “climate regime shift,” which pushes normal conditions into a different pattern for years or decades, according to a study last December in the journal Nature Communications. The study said after the 2015-2016 El Niño, the Gulf of Mexico jumped to a new sustained level of warmth that may have contributed to stronger hurricanes along the Gulf Coast in the years after.

Growing research seems to indicate that a warming world from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas could be making El Niños stronger, but climate scientists said that’s not quite a consensus yet.

“Global warming is supercharging El Niños and the atmospheric warming they drive,” said University of Michigan environment dean and climate scientist Jonathan Overpeck. “We saw this in 2016 and more recently in 2023. We’re likely to see another jump in global temperatures if a strong El Niño develops later this year as being predicted.”

El Niños tend to tamp down hurricane activity in the Atlantic, but ramp it up in the Pacific and could help ease the southwestern drought, Masters said.

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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.

Magic and showmanship for all ages

Dylan’s first love is magic. He was recently accepted into the Magic Castle Academy junior program and got his start with easy, age‑appropriate kits that teach sleight of hand and stage presence. He recommends Fantasma Fantasia Magic Sets for beginners and budding performers.

Dylan also performed for Bicycle Playing Cards executives at a recent trade show and points to Bicycle’s new waterproof decks and the patriotic Sparkler Tribute to America set as durable, collectible options for kids and adults alike.

Toys that move, build and inspire

For active play, Dylan demoed the Zipstring rechargeable string toy — a handheld spinner that’s great for coordination and tricks across ages (and rechargeable for endless play).

For builders and decorators, he’s into GE Cync Dynamic Effects smart LED thin‑profile and shapeable light strips as a safe, creative way to personalize a bedroom or play space.

Safe games that bring everyone together

Dylan’s family favorite game is Pop Darts, a safer dart‑style game that keeps play competitive without sharp tips — a good pick for mixed‑age family nights and playdates.

He also says tools for hands‑on projects and a little parental guidance go a long way toward reducing passive screen time.

Want to shop Dylan’s picks?

Visit mrdylanemery.com and follow him on social at @MrDylanEmery.

Dylan’s message is simple: let kids lead sometimes — they’ll pick toys that teach, move and inspire.

Secure shredding that’s also sustainable

From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18, bring sensitive paper documents to Comerica’s Mangum Banking Center, 2201 Mangum Road, Houston 77092 - and Iron Mountain will securely shred them on site. All paper collected will be pulped and recycled after destruction, reducing waste while protecting personal information. There’s no set limit to how much individuals, small businesses and nonprofits may bring, though very large loads may be redirected to a nearby Iron Mountain facility.

What to bring — and what to leave at home

Bring bank statements, receipts, pre-approved credit offers, canceled checks, old tax returns, medical records and utility bills. Do not bring moldy or wet paper, 3-ring binders, clips, hanging file folders, electronic media (thumb drives, CDs), liquids, plastics or trash. Keep any original documents you cannot recreate digitally.

Shred hunger: donate while you shred

The Houston Food Bank will be on site to accept cash and credit-card donations as well as nonperishable food items. Donations collected at Shred Day Houston help stock pantries ahead of summer, when many children lose access to free school meals. Since 2013, the event has securely destroyed and recycled more than 1.1 million pounds of paper and supported the equivalent of more than 480,000 meals for Houston-area residents facing hunger.

CLICK HERE to donate today.

Bring your documents, drive through for free shredding and give back. For more information, visit Comerica.com/ShredDayHouston.

The U.S. and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the agreement, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries. At the same time, Israel intensified its attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, hitting commercial and residential areas in Beirut. At least 182 people were killed Wednesday in the deadliest day of fighting there.

The fresh violence threatened to scuttle what U.S. Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.

Parliament speaker accuses US of breaking Iran's conditions

The Iranian parliament speaker said planned talks were “unreasonable” because Washington broke three of Tehran’s 10 conditions for an end to the fighting. In a social media post, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf objected to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace after the ceasefire took effect and U.S. refusal to accept any Iranian enrichment capabilities in a final agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon. When the deal was announced, Pakistan's prime minister, whose country served as a mediator, said in a social media post that it applied to “everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.”

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes killed 182 people on Wednesday, the highest single-day death toll in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon,” Iran's Araghchi said in a post on X. “The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, reported in Iranian state media, was “completely unacceptable.” She repeated Trump’s “expectation and demand” that the channel be reopened.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American and Israeli forces had achieved a “capital V military victory” and that the Iranian military no longer posed a significant threat to U.S. forces or the region. The Iranian military said the country forced Israel and the U.S. to accept its "proposed conditions and surrender.”

Much about the agreement was unclear as the sides presented vastly different visions of the terms.

Iran said the deal would allow it to formalize its new practice of charging ships passing through the strait, a crucial transit lane for oil. The White House said Trump is opposed to tolls for ship passage through the strait.

Only 11 vessels moved through the strait Wednesday, roughly the same as in prior days, according to Windward, a maritime intelligence firm. Iran was requiring shippers to pay tolls of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, it said. The largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.

The fate of Iran's missile and nuclear programs — the elimination of which were major objectives for the U.S. and Israel in going to war — also remained unclear. Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to remove buried enriched uranium, though Iran did not confirm that.

White House looks ahead to peace talks

Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” plan that could help end the war that the U.S. and Israel launched on Feb. 28. But when a version in Farsi emerged indicating Iran would be allowed to continue enriching uranium — key to building a nuclear weapon — Trump called it fraudulent.

Leavitt said a plan that Iran presented Tuesday could “align with our own” proposal for peace.

The White House said Vance would lead American negotiators at upcoming peace talks, which could begin in Pakistan as soon as Friday.

Iran’s demands for ending the war include a withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions and the release of its frozen assets.

Meanwhile, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel will continue to “utilize every operational opportunity” to strike Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it struck more than 100 targets within 10 minutes Wednesday across Lebanon, the largest wave of strikes since March 1.

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit accused Israel of “persistently seeking to sabotage” the ceasefire deal.

Hezbollah has not confirmed if it will abide by the ceasefire, though the group has said it was open to giving mediators a chance to secure an agreement.

Early on Thursday Hezbollah said it had fired rockets at northern Israel and would continue doing so “until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases."

Iran and Oman could collect shipping fees in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian attacks and threats deterred many commercial ships from using the strait, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime. That roiled the world economy and raised the pressure on Trump both at home and abroad to find a way out of the standoff.

The ceasefire may formalize a system of charging fees in the strait that Iran instituted — and give it a new source of revenue.

That would upend decades of precedent treating the strait as an international waterway that was free to transit. Such a shift would likely be unacceptable to the Gulf Arab states, which also need to rebuild after repeated Iranian attacks targeting their oil fields.

Iran’s nuclear and missile threats survive

U.S.-Israeli strikes have battered Iran and its leadership, but they have not eliminated the threats posed by Tehran's nuclear program, its ballistic missiles or its support for regional proxies, like Hezbollah. The U.S. and Israel said addressing those threats was a key justification for going to war.

Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to “dig up and remove” enriched uranium. There was no confirmation from Iran.

Hegseth told a Pentagon briefing Wednesday that the U.S. would do “something like” last June's joint strikes with Israel on Iranian nuclear sites if Iran refuses to surrender its enriched uranium voluntarily.

Netanyahu warned in a televised address that Israel was “ready to return to fighting at any time. Our finger is on the trigger.”

Tehran has insisted for years that its nuclear program was peaceful, although it has enriched uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.

Airstrikes reported despite ceasefire announcement

Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all issued warnings about incoming missiles from Iran. That fire stopped for a time, then hostilities appeared to restart.

An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island came under attack, according to Iranian state television. A short time later, the UAE's air defenses fired at an incoming Iranian missile barrage.

More than 1,900 people had been killed in Iran as of late March, but the government has not updated the toll for days.

In Lebanon, more than 1,700 people have been killed, and 1 million people have been displaced. Twelve Israeli soldiers have died.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 23 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Magdy from Cairo and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Natalie Melzer in Jerusalem, Abby Sewell and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, Mike Catalini in Trenton, N.J., and Michelle L. Price, Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Michael Biesecker and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

——

This story corrects overall death toll in Lebanon on Wednesday to 182.

Barista-style coffee without the cafe line

If your morning routine needs an upgrade, Kathryn recommends a fully automatic espresso machine that delivers hot espresso and light-brew coffee at home. The Jura C9 (available at shopjura.com) brings café-quality drinks to your counter with easy one-touch brewing — perfect for households that want variety and speed without complicated barista skills.

Hydration, comfort and fast fixes

Hydration is trending at the sink: Kathryn points to the Brio Q60 4-stage reverse-osmosis sparkling countertop water dispenser as an elegant way to get filtered still or sparkling water on demand (briowater.com).

On the comfort front, she’s been seeing next-level bidet options from Brondell that range from non-electric seats to integrated smart-bidet toilets — a show-stopper for bathrooms that want modern convenience with a low profile.

For quick maintenance, Kathryn demoed the Drain Weasel hair clog remover with a rotating handle — a simple tool that clears clogs without harsh chemicals.

Move, refresh and keep it simple

Spring refreshes almost always include moving furniture and appliances. Kathryn’s go-to is the Rhino Cart all-terrain moving cart and dolly, made in the USA, which saves backs and speeds up projects big and small (rhinocart.com). Whether rearranging a room or hauling a new appliance, this cart makes moving easier and safer.

Shop Kathryn’s picks and learn more

To shop the products Kathryn featured and see more trade-show finds, visit BeTheBestHome.com and follow Kathryn on social media by searching @KathrynEmeryTV

Kathryn travels trade-show floors to bring Houston practical, stylish takes that help you enjoy your home.

The Texans attended his Pro Day workout and helped run the drills.

Orange, nicknamed “Big Citrus,’ is scheduled to visit the Texans at NRG Stadium, per a league source.

Orange is also set to visit the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears. He’s regarded by NFL teams as a classic, space-eating anchor in the middle of the defense.

Orange (6-foot-2, 322 pounds) was a third-team All-Big 12 Conference selection last season.

He had a 5.1 40-yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times at his Pro Day.

Orange had 18 tackles last season, starting every game.

The Kansas City native had 24 tackles, 4 1/2 for losses and a sack as a junior.

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

Stroud is not expected to receive a long-term deal at this time, per sources, following a rough postseason. The former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year recorded five interceptions and five fumbles combined in the Texans’ two playoff games.

Stroud’s 2027 fifth-year option is valued at $25.9 million.

Since the playoffs, the Texans and Stroud have taken several steps to move forward from a career-high four-interceptions in the team’s 28-16 loss in the divisional round to the New England Patriots.

The steps include adjusting his offseason approach, improving the supporting cast on offense, and making a coaching change. Jerry Schuplinski has been named quarterbacks coach, replacing Jerrod Johnson.

“C.J. is a young quarterback,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said during NFL meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. “Being early in his career, he’s gained a ton of valuable experience, including in the playoffs. It hasn’t gone as we would like it to there. You always want to win it all.

“But when you go through those difficult moments, those tough times, you learn from them. I know C.J. has learned from those moments. Now, we’ve got to go out and improve and show it on the field. The way he’s attacked the offseason, working hard, throwing every day, staying dialed in. I’m excited to see how that translates into a really great year for us.”

For Anderson, the fifth-year option is a precursor to what is expected to be a blockbuster deal this offseason. It’s regarded as a matter of when, not if a huge contract will be struck. The deal is regarded as complex and not imminent at this time, per sources, with both sides obviously motivated.

League sources predict the contract could make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, with average annual compensation approaching $50 million.

His fifth-year option carries a guaranteed price tag of $21.512 million.

“I love Will Anderson, love everything that he brings to our organization,” Ryans said. You talk about a leader and a guy who does everything the right way, everything I’ve asked of him.

“I just remember speaking with Will, he was our first 30 visit, the first guy we had in. That meeting is still the best visit I’ve ever seen. He’s just that type of guy. He’s a leader in all respects. I love having Will and what he provides our organization.”

Without getting into specifics about future plans, the McNair family made it clear how highly they value both players.

“We’ll let DeMeco and Nick [Caserio] make the football decisions there, but they’re exciting, really good young players,” Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said. “We hope to have them around for a long, long time.”

PHOENIX -- #Texans Cal McNair and Hannah McNair on potential long-term deals for Will Anderson Jr., C.J. Stroud: 'Exciting, really good players, we'll hope to have them around a long, long time. .. It's a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under… pic.twitter.com/WunQinzX0g

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

A year from now, cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Calen Bullock will be eligible for extensions. Both were named Pro Bowl alternates after the 2025 season.

“It’s a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under contract,” Hannah McNair said. “If we keep drafting the way we do, this is going to be something we talk about every year.”

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

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We’re tracking rain in our forecast on Thursday but not everyone gets rain, and since we have rain in our forecast this week ‚I thought I’d break it down below.

Here’s what that really means according to the NWS:

Isolated: Rain for a select few, but not all. NWS typically ties this to low probabilities (around 10-20%), meaning only small, scattered pockets of the area see rain — most locations stay dry.

Scattered: Rain for some, not all.

This aligns with NWS “chance” forecasts where showers or storms cover roughly 30-60% of the area. More people will see rain than with isolated activity, but plenty of spots will miss out completely.

Widespread: Rain for the majority. When coverage is high (often 80%+ of the area), NWS and local offices describe it as widespread, numerous, or simply “rain” — meaning most people in the region should expect to get wet at some point.

Thursday’s Forecast: We’re tracking a morning low of 64 with a high of 82 - so still make sure to dress your kids in layers again.

Thursday: Isolated/scattered - so rain for some not all.

Here is the timing and location (as of tonight) which could change but at least sets the tome for Thursday:

8 AM - 10 AM: Spotty to scattered isolated showers for folks on the west side like El Campo. Columbus and Sealy

1 pm - 3 pm: The pattern is still the same but just isolated cells look just a little bigger.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., rejected Anthropic's request for an order that would shield the San Francisco company from the fallout stemming from a dispute over how the Pentagon could deploy its Claude chatbot in fully autonomous weapons and potential surveillance of Americans while the panel is still collecting evidence about the case.

But the setback in Washington came after Anthropic already had prevailed in separate case focused on the same issues in San Francisco federal court. In that case, a judge forced President Donald Trump’s administration to remove a label tainting the company as a national security risk.

Anthropic filed the two separate lawsuits in San Francisco and the Washington appeals court last month, asserting the Trump administration was engaging in an “unlawful campaign of retaliation” because of its attempt to impose limits on how its AI technology can be deployed. The Trump administration blasted Anthropic as a liberal-leaning company trying to dictate U.S. military policy.

In the San Francisco case, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its bounds by labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk unqualified to work with military contractors and issuing other directives that could cripple a company locked in a race for AI supremacy against rivals such as ChatGPT maker Open AI and Google.

That decision prompted the Trump administration to remove the stigmatizing labels from Anthropic and take other steps clearing the way for government employees and contractors to continue using Claude and other chatbots, according to court filing made in San Francisco earlier this week.

The appeals court in Washington didn't see things the same way, even though it conceded the company would “likely suffer some degree of irreparable harm” if it's deemed a supply chain risk. But the appeals court didn't see sufficient reason to issue its own order revoking the Trump administration's actions, partly because “the precise amount of Anthropic’s financial harm is not fully clear.”

Further evidence in the case is scheduled to be presented before the appeals court in a hearing scheduled for May 19.

“We’re grateful the court recognized these issues need to be resolved quickly and remain confident the courts will ultimately agree that these supply chain designations were unlawful," Anthropic said in a statement.

Matt Schruers, the CEO of the technology trade group Computer & Communications Industry Association, expressed worries that the conflicting court decisions issued so far in the standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration will muddle the business landscape at a pivotal time.

“The Pentagon’s actions and the DC Circuit’s ruling create substantial business uncertainty at a time when U.S. companies are competing with global counterparts to lead in AI," Schruers said.

His next visit is Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Douglas has meetings-workouts with the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers, per a source.

Douglas is a Hightower graduate and Missouri City native who transferred to Texas Tech from Florida and is regarded as a rising draft prospect and target in the second round or third round.

At the NFL scouting combine, Douglas (6-foot-3 1/2, 206 pounds), ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds with a 10-6 broad jump and a 31 1/2 vertical.

He caught 54 passes for 846 yards and seven touchdowns last season.

In his first season for the Red Raiders, Douglas caught 60 passes for 877 yards and six scores. He finished collegiate career with 135 passes for 2,031 yards and 16 touchdowns.

At Hightower, Douglas was the district offensive Most Valuable Player after catching 51 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns as a senior.

He transferred to Texas Tech after fracturing his fibula as a sophomore at Florida, catching 21 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons for the Gators.

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

Whittaker, who also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO, died Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, according to a statement from his family.

“Whether at home, in the mountains, or at sea, he sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism with those around him,” said the statement, which was emailed by Leif Whittaker, one of his sons. “His warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together left an enduring legacy of care for our planet and for one another.”

Whittaker’s 1963 ascent of Everest alongside Nawang Gombu came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The feat helped spawn interest — and an industry — in mountaineering in the U.S., and it made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity. He was featured on magazine covers and in demand for public appearances.

Whittaker had been working for REI since 1955, when he was hired by the co-op's co-founder, Lloyd Anderson. The company's popularity surged after Whittaker's Everest climb, and Whittaker went on to lead the business from 1971 to 1979. Its membership grew from nearly 250,000 to more than 900,000 during his tenure, REI noted in a statement Wednesday.

The co-op credited his congressional testimony and other efforts with helping to establish North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in Washington, as well as and Redwood National Park in California.

“Long before outdoor advocacy was commonplace, Jim gave his voice — and his leadership — to protecting the places we love, reminding us that wild places endure only if we choose to care for them,” the statement said.

Whittaker's celebrity also brought him into the orbit of the Kennedy clan, and he became a close friend of Robert Kennedy, with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) Canadian peak. The peak was later named Mount Kennedy after the presidential contender's murder in 1968.

Whittaker was at Kennedy's bedside when he died and was devastated by the assassination.

Whittaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother Lou Whittaker in the 1940s with the Boy Scouts. At 16, they summited 7,965-foot (2,428-meter) Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle, Jim Whittaker recounted in his memoir, “A Life on the Edge.” When they reached the town of Port Angeles on their way home, they found cars honking and people celebrating: World War II had ended.

Jim Whittaker once reflected that the beauty and danger of his sport sharpened the senses: “When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther,” he once reflected.

His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books. He was shocked when Lou decided to skip the 1963 Everest expedition in favor of opening a sporting goods store in Tacoma.

But Lou Whittaker wrote in his own book, “Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Guide,” that he still got to share in some of his twin’s glory by filling in when Jim got tired of attending parades or other events in his honor.

“Only our families and closest friends ever knew the difference,” he wrote.

Lou Whittaker died in 2024 at age 95.

Jim Whittaker led many additional climbs, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb, which brought together climbers from the U.S., the Soviet Union and China “to demonstrate what could be accomplished through cooperation and goodwill,” the family statement said.

“Jim was a lifelong advocate for peace and believed deeply in the ability of shared challenges in the natural world to unite people across borders and ideologies,” it said.

Whittaker himself said one of his proudest moments came in 1981, when he led 10 handicapped climbers up 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. For them, he said later, "that was Mount Everest."

Whittaker scaled Mount Rainier more than 100 times but did not take its familiar flanks for granted. The caprices of the weather, even on a comparatively modest mountain, "can turn a good climber into a beginner" in a matter of hours, he once noted.

Former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called Whittaker’s legacy “just as impressive, and just as lasting, as Mount Rainier itself."

“He pulled many a climber up the peak,” Inslee wrote in a social media post Wednesday. "He did the same for all our spirits. He still does.”

After years of risk on the world's most dizzying pinnacles, Whittaker said in a 1980 interview that he hoped to “die in my sleep with the television on.”

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts; sons Bob, Joss and Leif Whittaker; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, is accused of violating federal law, as well as multiple nondisclosure agreements by sharing details of her work with a “special military unit” at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

"Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation’s security,” Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in a U.S. Justice Department news release.

Williams "swore an oath to safeguard our nation’s secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk,” Roman Rozhavsky, an assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said in the statement.

Williams, who is specifically charged with violating a provision of the Espionage Act, appeared Wednesday in Raleigh federal court, where a magistrate judge unsealed the case against her, initially filed late last week, according to online court records. She was ordered held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending hearings set for early next week.

Court records didn’t immediately name Williams’ lawyer. A man who answered a phone and identified himself as a family member of Williams declined to comment on the charges Wednesday.

Although the reporter and unit are not named in the court filings, dates and details match an article and book about the Army’s secretive Delta Force written by Seth Harp.

Williams was the focus of a 2025 Politico article with the headline: “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit.” It coincided with the release of Harp’s book, “The Fort Bragg Cartel,” which alleges sexual harassment and discrimination.

In a statement published by WRAL-TV, Harp called Williams “a brave whistleblower and truth-teller.”

“Former Delta Force operators disclose `national defense information’ on podcasts and YouTube shows every day, but the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit,” Harp's statement read. “This is a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.”

According to an FBI affidavit attached to the complaint, Williams was cleared as a defense contractor in April 2010 and became a Department of Defense employee in November 2010.

She performed duties within the special military unit as an operational support technician responsible for "Tactics, Techniques and Procedures" used in preparation for and during "sensitive missions,” Special Agent Jocelyn Fox wrote in the affidavit.

According to Fox, Williams’ access to classified information was suspended “based on an internal investigation.” Fox said Williams was debriefed in September 2015 and signed a nondisclosure agreement.

The government alleges that Williams had been in contact with the unnamed journalist between 2022 and 2025.

“During this period, Williams and the Journalist had over 10 hours of telephone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages,” the news release said.

Fox cited a text between the two she said occurred on or about the day the book and article were published.

“Other than a few factual errors, I would definitely have been concerned with the amount of classified information being disclosed,” Williams' text read, according to the affidavit. “I thought things I was telling you so you could have a better general understanding of how the (SMU) was set up or operated would not be published and it feels like an entire TTP (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) was sent out in my name giving them a chance to legally persecute me.”

Fox also cited an alleged exchange between Williams and her mother.

”`I might actually get arrested, and I don’t even get a free copy of the book,’” the affidavit read. “When her mother asked why she may be arrested, Williams responded `for disclosing classified information.’”

Fox wrote that the investigation so far has identified at least 10 batches of documents gathered that Williams intended to provide to the journalist.

__

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Pooh Shiesty, whose legal name is Lontrell Williams Jr., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver during a hearing in Dallas. Prosecutors have also charged eight others over the alleged January confrontation at a music studio, where the victims were allegedly robbed at gunpoint.

Prosecutors have declined to name the victims, and an FBI affidavit attached to a criminal complaint only refers to them by their initials. One victim, R.D., is described as the owner of 1017 Records, the label belonging to Gucci Mane, whose legal name is Radric Delantic Davis.

“I find that the weight of the evidence against you is strong,” Toliver told Pooh Shiesty during the hearing.

She noted that the rapper had a criminal history and had violated a home confinement order following a prior firearms conspiracy conviction in Florida.

During the hearing, Bradford Cohen, the rapper's attorney, raised questions about much of the prosecution's evidence. “The FBI doesn’t take three months to arrest someone if they believe everything that was said on the night that it occurred,” Cohen said.

Prosecutors have accused the rapper, who was arrested last week, of arranging the music studio meeting in Dallas to discuss the terms of his contract with 1017 Records.

According to an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint, Pooh Shiesty had asked to speak with the record label owner in a recording room. He then allegedly produced contract termination paperwork and pulled out what appeared to be an AK-style pistol while forcing the label owner to sign.

The rapper then took the man’s wedding ring, watch, earrings and cash, according to the affidavit.

Pooh Shiesty is from Memphis, Tennessee, but he is believed to have been recently living in a high-rise apartment in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, according to the affidavit. Several of the defendants traveled from Memphis to Dallas ahead of the meeting, according to the affidavit.

Gucci Mane is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta rappers T.I. and Jeezy. He emerged in the mid-2000s with his breakout single “Icy” and went on to build a vast catalog.

The road back to the state championship game wasn’t as easy as last year’s run, and the players told us how thankful they are to be playing for another state title.

“For me, it’s just super crazy that we’re back,” said senior forward Daniel Alexandre. “Because in the beginning of the season it was like struggle, but then we built our struggle, and we got here.”

“It’s something that I didn’t think we could do, but honestly, now that we’re here, I think that we can, and it’s an incredible opportunity,” said senior forward Parker Glenn.

The Hurricanes will face Atascocita in the 6A Division 1 State Championship game at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Georgetown High School.

Falanne Jenkins is a self-taught seamstress with a background in aerospace. She never expected to be one of the hands behind one of this century’s most historic projects.

“It has been amazing. I was the second seamstress hired, and I have been through the whole journey, all the late nights” Jenkins said.

• Inside Artemis II: The cameras capturing those stunning new close-ups of the Moon

Jenkins is helping sew the next generation of space suit for Axiom Space, a private Houston-based space developer that works closely with NASA. The suits aren’t for the current Artemis II mission, a crewed flyby of the Moon, not a landing. They’re being built for what comes next: Artemis IV in 2028 — the first American moonwalking missions since the Apollo era more than 50 years ago.

“I just see the future. The mission that they’re on now, it’s just the start of all the other things to come, and I am just really excited to see where this suit is going to go,” Jenkins said.

NASA has described the suit as a one-person spacecraft, built to hold pressure, provide air and protect against extreme conditions since these astronauts will be walking on the surface. The next lunar missions will take astronauts near the Moon’s south pole, a region no human has ever explored.

“They are going to places that are colder than they’ve ever been to. Some permanently shadowed regions that have never seen the light of the sun. So we need a suit that can get them there,” said Michelle Stein, Senior Program Manager.

• Texans exercise fifth-year club options for C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr.

The suits are designed for steep inclines, long walks and whatever the mission demands. That means rigorous testing, including setups that simulate reduced lunar gravity. During the Apollo missions, astronauts could walk on the Moon, but their suits made it harder than it needed to be. Axiom says this new suit is engineered to bend and move, replicating the real-world movements documented during Apollo to ensure astronauts spend more time doing their jobs and less time fighting their gear.

“We took what was good from Apollo....we’ve added redundancy systems and a lot of mobility,” Stein said.

What also sets this effort apart is where it’s happening. According to Stein, building a space suit in Houston is itself a first.

“We have sewers here, and we have technicians here that make it in Houston. That has never been done before for a space suit, so that’s very exciting to do it here,” Stein said.

For Jenkins, that local pride runs deep.

“To know that the suits were made right here, it’s just a point of pride,” she said.

Because when the next generation of astronauts take their first steps on the Moon, Houston won’t just be watching history. This time, it’s making it.

The opinion said Customs and Border Protection officers have limited authority to cancel visas and can't do so for suspected smuggling of biological samples. The cancellation of Kseniia Petrova 's visa was arbitrary and capricious, U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss said in her written ruling.

“The undisputed facts reveal that Ms. Petrova’s visa was impermissibly canceled because of the frog embryo samples and for no other reason,” Reiss wrote.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in an emailed statement Wednesday that Petrova was "lawfully detained after lying to federal officers about carrying substances into the country." President Donald Trump's administration was committed to “restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system,” the statement said. The department includes Customs and Border Protection.

In February last year, Petrova was returning from a vacation in France, where she had stopped at a lab specializing in splicing superfine sections of frog embryos and obtained a package of samples for research. She was questioned about the samples while passing through a customs checkpoint at Boston Logan International Airport.

After an interrogation, Petrova was told her visa was being canceled.

Petrova was briefly detained by immigration officials in Vermont, where she filed a petition seeking her release. She was later sent to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Louisiana.

She told The Associated Press in an interview last year that she did not realize the samples needed to be declared and was not trying to sneak anything into the country. Petrova has been back in her Harvard lab since January after successfully petitioning a court for the right to return to work, her attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, said.

Tuesday's ruling was an important step toward “correcting what should never have happened in the first place,” Romanovsky said in a statement.

Petrova’s case is being closely watched by the scientific community, with some fearing it could impact recruiting and retaining foreign scientists at U.S. universities.

Daniel Zavala Ramos, 42, faces a possible sentence of life in prison following his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Laredo, Texas, to a single charge of conspiring to bring migrants without documents from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. and placing lives in jeopardy and causing serious injury and deaths, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Sentencing is set for July 7.

Ramos was among six Guatemalans charged over the crash of the semitrailer truck and the first to be convicted. The other five have a final pretrial conference on June 3, according to court records. Ramos' attorney did not immediately return an email Wednesday evening seeking comment.

At least 160 migrants, many from Guatemala, were packed into the truck that hit the support base for a pedestrian bridge on Dec. 9, 2021, and overturned, authorities said. At least 53 people were killed and more than 100 were injured, officials said, and video footage at the time of the crash showed dead and injured migrants in a jumbled pile inside the truck's collapsed freight container.

The Justice Department statement said the dead included unaccompanied children.

The crash occurred on a highway leading toward the Chiapas state capital, some 160 miles (260 kilometers) from Mexico's border with Guatemala and about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) south of the Mexican border with Texas.

Authorities announced the arrests of Ramos and the five other defendants in Guatemala and Texas in 2024, on the third anniversary of the accident. Ramos was extradited in 2025 from Guatemala to face charges, the DOJ statement said.

Prosecutors said the Guatemalans conspired to smuggle migrants from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. for payment. In cases of unaccompanied children being smuggled, the defendants would provide scripts of what to say if they were apprehended, authorities said.

The smugglers would move migrants on foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks and tractor trailers and use Facebook Messenger to request and deliver identification documents to the migrants to get them into the U.S., according to authorities.

All the parties also agreed to keep the dialogue after seven days of peace talks mediated by China in the western Chinese city of Urumqi under China mediation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

“The three parties agreed to explore a comprehensive solution to the issues in the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and clarified the core and priority issues that need to be addressed,” Mao said during the daily briefing in Beijing.

She said that they acknowledged that “terrorism is the core issue affecting the relationship.”

Afghanistan and Pakistan said that they won't “take actions that would escalate or complicate the situation.”

There was no comment from Islamabad about the weeklong talks.

But Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, said on Wednesday that the talks between the Afghan and Pakistani delegations, hosted and mediated by China in Urumqi, have concluded.

In a post on X, he said that the talks were held in a “constructive atmosphere,” with discussions focusing on bilateral relations, security issues and regional stability. Balkhi thanked Beijing for hosting the talks and expressed hope that the process would help strengthen trust, deepen relations and promote effective cooperation in the region.

The talks began last week in Urumqi at the invitation of China, in an effort to stop the conflict that began between the two countries in February.

Pakistan, which declared it was in “open war” with its neighbor, has also carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including in the capital Kabul.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the talks had been constructive.

The United Nations’ office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that the conflict had displaced 94,000 people overall, while 100,000 people in two Afghan districts near the border have been completely cut off by the fighting since February.

Even during the talks, Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out shelling across its border on several occasions.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven to 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 took over Afghanistan in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge.

____

Abdul Qahar Afghan contributed to this story from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Texas Health and Human Services officials disclosed the cost in a presentation to  the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, which met to discuss how Texas curbs fraud in welfare programs. 

Federal officials announced the new rules last year during the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The rules force each state to improve the number of times officials overpay or underpay recipients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or SNAP, program. States, including Texas, have until 2027 to improve their SNAP error rate or face financial penalties. 

Almost 9% of Texas’ SNAP payments had an error, better than the national rate of 11%, putting it in the middle of the pack compared to other states. But under the new rules, the state would be penalized more, unless it can bring down that error rate to below 6%. Texas has until October 2027 to bring its error rate down or it can face $709 million in penalties. An error rate is based on unintentional mistakes by the agency or the client receiving the benefits that results in an overpayment or underpayment. Monthly changes in a SNAP recipient’s financial situation can result in an overpayment or underpayment.

Currently, SNAP assistance is 100% funded by federal tax dollars but each state agrees to pick up a percentage of the administrative costs. Under the new federal rules, Texas will also have to pay 75% of SNAP’s administrative cost — about $117 million more starting next year, according to HHS’ numbers — instead of the 50% share the state pays now. Add in the penalties from the error rate, taxpayers will have to pay a total of $826 million more in 2027.  

Because the October 2027 deadline will occur after the Legislature forms a budget, budget writers will likely have to set aside money ahead of time. 

SNAP, also known as food stamps, feeds about 3.1 million low-income residents, including about 1.5 million children in Texas, as of March. Texas households receive an average payment of nearly $400 per month that is loaded onto a debit-like Lone Star card that they can use to purchase groceries. Unused benefits from one month can be rolled over to the next month. Starting this month, SNAP recipients can no longer purchase candy or sugary drinks. Also, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for SNAP assistance.

With 24% of the state’s population receiving some type of assistance from Texas Health and Human Services, lawmakers are focusing hard on what to do to improve the state’s record on fraud control, especially now they are facing a hefty financial penalty if they do not reduce the SNAP error rate. 

Wednesday’s hearing was scheduled after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick listed fraud as an interim charge or priority. Welfare fraud has resurfaced as a conservative priority following reports from Minnesota of child care fraud in that state earlier this year. By comparison, Texas sees little fraud in its own child care assistance programs. Still, Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year has directed agencies to make fraud detection a top priority.

“We are dealing today with a health care epidemic, but not from a disease or virus,” said Sen Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the committee chair. “With scandals in place like Minnesota and California drawing national attention, we, as Texans, must examine our own system and see how we measure up to other states.”

State record on fraud and surfacing problem areas

Texas spends more money than many states to shore up its enforcement apparatus, according to health plan representatives and state agencies charged with investigating health care fraud, namely the Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and state Health and Human Services Inspector General Raymond Winter. Both agencies relayed big wins and recoupment of millions of dollars in fraudulent billing from providers. 

In fiscal year 2025, HHS OIG recouped $465 million in overpayments. The MFCU recouped another $125 million and secured 123 arrests and 180 indictments related to health care fraud. Since 2020, the attorney general’s office has brought back more than $1 billion to Texas coffers. 

“I think long before we had this federal focus on fraud, waste, and abuse, Texas has been a national leader in the proactive steps that we’ve taken,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth. “And that is largely due to the leadership from the governor, as well as the leadership from the legislative body, and creating extra protections for our taxpayer dollars.”

Even with the millions spent over several legislative sessions to better detect health care fraud, it  is like tackling an elephant one bite at a time, Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock said. 

The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association estimates that up to 10% of total health care expenditures are lost to fraud, waste and abuse each year, Winter said.

New problems are emerging, experts told the committee. Texas has seen a dramatic spike in the number of hospice providers coming to Texas since 2020, said Lisa McNair, the CEO and president of Hospice Brazos Valley, a nonprofit hospice company offering end of life care in 17 counties. She suggested not all of those companies are coming here because of increased patient demand. Some of them are coming because of the state’s looser regulations. 

“We basically doubled the number of hospices since 2020,” McNair said. “We haven’t doubled our population.” 

Fraud in personal attendant billing — where the state pays for personal attendants for disabled Texans — is another growing problem, MFCU Chief William Marlowe said. 

His unit caught one Texas jail correctional officer scamming the state by falsely recording she was making visits as a personal attendant even though she was on duty at the jail. In another case, a Texas family kept the corpse of an elderly relative in the house for three years to keep payments for personal attendant services going. 

“Never underestimate the depravity of humanity,” Perry said.

Ahead of the private meeting, Trump had suggested the U.S. may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after NATO member countries ignored his call to help as Iran effectively shut the the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping waterway, and sent gas prices soaring.

Afterward, he issued an all-caps comment on social media suggesting he remained aggrieved. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump said in his post. The White House did not immediately offer any further updates.

The Republican president has had a warm relationship with Rutte in the past, and the meeting came after the U.S. and Iran late Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the strait. The nascent ceasefire was struck after Trump said he would strike Iran's power plants and bridges, threatening that “a whole civilization will die tonight."

Earlier Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving NATO. “I think it’s something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte,” Leavitt said.

Congress in 2023 passed a law that prevents any U.S. president from pulling out of NATO without its approval. Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that NATO has shown it will not be there for the U.S. On Wednesday, he also seemed to be angry about NATO's stance on Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark. Trump had pressed for U.S. control over Greenland earlier this year before backing off after talks with Rutte.

“REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!” Trump posted Wednesday.

There is a law barring a president from pulling out of NATO

It's unclear if the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from pulling out of NATO. When the law passed, it was championed by Trump's current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the State Department ahead of the White House talks. In a statement, the State Department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and “increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO allies.”

Ahead of Trump's meeting, Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, issued a statement Tuesday night in support of the alliance, noting, “Following the September 11th attacks, NATO allies sent their young servicemembers to fight and die alongside America’s own in Afghanistan and Iraq.” McConnell, who sits on a committee overseeing defense spending, urged Trump to be “clear and consistent” and said it’s not in America’s interest to “spend more time nursing grudges with allies who share our interests than deterring adversaries who threaten us.”

The alliance was already rattled over the past year as Trump returned to power and reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine in the war against Russia and threatened to seize Greenland from ally Denmark.

But Trump's badgering of NATO intensified after the Iran war began at the end of February, with the president insisting that securing the Strait of Hormuz was not America's job but the responsibility of countries that depend on the flow of oil through it.

“Go to the strait and just take it,” Trump said last week.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the U.S. in the Iran war. They and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been a particular source of Trump's frustration, was set to travel Wednesday to the Gulf to support the ceasefire. The U.K. has been working on developing a post-conflict security plan for the strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Trump has previously threatened to leave NATO and often said that he would abandon allies who don’t spend enough on their military budgets. Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in his recent memoir, said he feared that Trump might walk away from the alliance in 2018, during his first term as president.

___

Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

Jose Borjas, a former teacher at Victory Early College High School, is charged with two counts of felony unlawful restraint.

The student told school police she was pulled from class for English proficiency help in Borjas’ office, records show.

During those sessions, she told investigators Borjas tore up a T-shirt into strips and used the fabric to tie her mouth, restrain her hands behind a chair, and bind her feet and ankles together, according to records.

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“She stated that on 2 occasions, the Defendant recorded her on video and instructed her to act as if she had been kidnapped,” court documents state.

The office lights were turned off, and it was only illuminated by LED lights, according to records.

The student reported the alleged restraint happened five times, leaving her “shocked and unable to react,” court documents show.

She told investigators she believed she was required to attend the sessions as part of her schooling and didn’t know whether Borjas would provide her instruction or restrain her each time she got pulled from class to his office.

Trauma therapist Chau Nguyen said cases like this can involve abuse of authority and grooming, and she encouraged parents and caregivers to talk with children about consent and power dynamics.

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“When you’re a student, you look up to your teachers because the teacher is an authority figure,” Nguyen said. “This guy has a position of authority. It’s inappropriate. It’s outlandish. It’s not a scandal. It’s an abuse of power.”

Months after the alleged restraint incidents, over the summer break last year, investigators say Borjas contacted the student via his personal email account and sent the student sexually suggestive messages on TikTok before she blocked him.

Nguyen said it can take time for minors to come forward and emphasized that children should be empowered to report concerns without fear of getting in trouble.

“It never happens overnight. The timeline is actually very typical of grooming,” she said. “It is never your fault. You are not going to be in trouble for speaking out. You do not have the accountability here. The teacher has 100% responsibility and accountability.”

Aldine ISD shared the following statement:

“AlSD immediately initiated an investigation into allegations against a district employee and removed him from the campus by placing him on administrative leave. The District promptly reported the matter to law enforcement, Department of Family Protective Services, and the Texas Education Agency. The employee resigned before the conclusion of the investigation, effective December 2025. The district has since been notified that the Harris County DA’s Child Crimes Division accepted charges of Unlawful Restraint of a Child under 17 against the former employee. Aldine ISD does not tolerate any employee who engages in inappropriate behavior. The safety and security of our students remains our highest priority.”

A district spokesperson said Aldine ISD has not located any additional victims.

KPRC 2 News reached out to an attorney who filed to represent Borjas but so far, no response has been received.

Court records appear to indicate Borjas is scheduled to turn himself on the two felony charges on Thursday morning, and KPRC 2 News has reached out the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for more information.

Wednesday was another beautiful day in Houston with highs in the 80s.

Thursday’s Forecast:

We’re tracking a morning low of 64 with a high of 82 - so still make sure to dress your kids in layers again.

We’re tracking isolated/scattered - so rain for some not all for Thursday:

Here is the timing and location (as of tonight) which could change but at least sets the tome for Thursday:

8 AM - 10 AM: Spotty to scattered isolated showers for folks on the west side like El Campo. Columbus and Sealy

1 pm - 3 pm: The pattern is still the same but just isolated cells look just a little more aggressive.

More rain on the way this week:

And if you don’t get rain on Thursday, we have more chances as we of isolated to scattered storms in our forecast this week.

Extended forecast:

We’re tracking temperatures in the 80s in our 10 day with rain chances increasing the next few days.

These bets were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent. Early in the day Trump had issued a warning on social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his demand to open the Strait of Hormuz by his 8 p.m. ET deadline.

An analysis of publicly available blockchain data from Polymarket, using the crypto analytics platform Dune, shows that at least 50 accounts, or wallets, placed substantial “Yes” bets Tuesday before Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post at around 6:30 pm ET. These were the first bets made by these particular wallets.

One of these wallets, created Tuesday around 10 am ET, placed roughly $72,000 in bets at an average price of 8.8 cents. The buy-in for each betting event ranges from $0 to $1 each, reflecting a 0% to 100% chance of what users think could happen. This Polymarket user then cashed out for a profit of $200,000.

Another, which joined the platform on April 6 and traded on this exact event, shows a win of $125,500.

Another wallet, created 12 minutes before Trump’s post, made $31,908 of “Yes” bets at 33.7 cents, and is estimated to have earned a profit of $48,500. The higher price for “Yes” at that time may have reflected the efforts late Tuesday by the government of Pakistan to get Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks.

There is also the possibility that these individual Polymarket users placed their bets expecting Trump to back down, given his habit during his second term to make bold threats only to retreat — a phenomenon his critics have derided as “Trump Always Chickens Out,” or TACO.

While some users took handsome profits, others must wait for payouts because Polymarket has labeled the April 7 Iran-U.S. ceasefire contract as “disputed,” given that Iran was still placing restrictions on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and missile attacks in the region continued. That dispute could take 48 hours to resolve.

Public blockchain data cannot identify who controls the new wallets. Polymarket uses proxy smart contract wallets, meaning a single user can create multiple accounts. Only Polymarket has the internal data needed to determine whether these were new users or existing users opening additional accounts.

Polymarket did not respond to a request for comment.

Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who has introduced legislation to regulate prediction markets, released a statement Wednesday saying: “It’s highly unlikely that these are good-faith trades; it’s much more likely that these are insiders with access to information ahead of the public. Without some kind of restrictions, there is nothing stopping government or military officials from profiting from their positions.”

The trading pattern of newly created Polymarket accounts placing strategic, well-timed bets mirrors earlier episodes on the platform. Newly created accounts placed large wagers hours before the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and made hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit. Similar clusters of accounts have also repeatedly profited from well-timed bets on military actions involving Iran.

Such bets have repeatedly raised questions from the public as well as members of Congress about whether some traders are using inside information to profit in these prediction markets. Bipartisan groups of senators as well as representatives have introduced legislation that would broaden the definition of insider trading to include prediction markets.

Even the two biggest platforms in the industry, Kalshi and Polymarket, have said they see a need to broaden the definition of insider trading on their platforms.

“This is why these markets need regulation,” said Todd Philips, a professor at Georgia State University who has written on prediction markets and the industry’s regulations. “We can’t have people trading with inside information and expect other traders are going to be OK being in these markets.”

_____

Keller reported from Albuquerque, N.M.

The dramatic shift in tenor came as intermediaries led by Pakistan worked feverishly to head off a further escalation. Even China, Iran's biggest trading partner and America's most significant economic competitor, quietly pulled strings to find a path toward a ceasefire, according to two officials briefed on the matter who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” Trump said in a social media post Tuesday announcing the temporary ceasefire. It came about 90 minutes before his deadline for Tehran to open the critical Strait of Hormuz or see its power plants and other critical infrastructure obliterated.

But even as the White House was celebrating the moment as a victory, the fragile ceasefire appeared in danger of falling apart as the U.S., Iran and Israel offered differing statements on Wednesday on what was included in the deal less than 24 hours after it was brokered.

Iran insisted that an end to the Israeli war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire agreement with the U.S. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon and the Israeli operations there continued.

The U.S., meanwhile, demanded that Iran make good on reopening the strait after the Islamic Republic closed the waterway in response to Israel's intensifying attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

Vice President JD Vance, who is set to lead a U.S. delegation to Pakistan later this week for mediated talks with Iran aimed at finding a permanent agreement to end the conflict, downplayed the setbacks, saying “no ceasefire ever goes without a little bit of choppiness.”

“We’re seeing evidence that things are going in the right direction, but it’s going to take a little time,” Vance told reporters as he wrapped up a visit to Hungary.

Trump to hold talks with NATO secretary-general

The president also met at the White House with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday. Trump has been angry that NATO member countries ignored his call to help reopen the vital waterway as gas prices soared during the war.

As the Trump deadline for Iran to open the strait neared, Democratic lawmakers decried Trump's threat to wipe away an entire civilization as “a moral failure." Pope Leo XIV warned that strikes against civilian infrastructure would violate international law and said the Republican president's comments were “truly unacceptable.”

In the end, Trump may have backed down because of a simple truth: Escalation could risk involving the United States in the sort of “forever war” that had bedeviled his predecessors in the White House and that he had vowed he would keep the U.S. out of if voters elected him again.

Controlling the strait would have been long and costly

As Trump boasted about U.S. and Israeli military success over the past six weeks, he appeared to be working from the premise that he could bomb Iran into capitulation.

Starting with the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening salvos, he seemed to discount that the Iranian leadership could opt for a long and bloody war.

The Islamic Republic over the past 47 years has shown it is willing to dig in, even when it appears to America to be working against its own self-interest.

The clerical leadership held Americans hostage for 444 days, from late 1979 to early 1981, at the cost of the country’s international standing. The mullahs allowed the Iran-Iraq war to go on for years, leaving hundreds of thousands dead. Iran stood by Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ultimately defanged the Iran-backed group in Gaza as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and created the conditions that led to the collapse of Bashar Assad's government in Syria, an authoritarian rule supported by Tehran.

Iran's leadership exuded confidence that it could bog down the world's superpower in a costly and extended conflict even if it might not defeat the U.S. military.

Defense analysts largely agreed that the U.S. military could quickly take control of the narrow Persian Gulf waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly 20% of the world's oil flows on any given day. But maintaining security over the strait would require a high-risk, resource-intensive operation that could be a yearslong American commitment.

Ben Connable, executive director of the nonprofit Battle Research Group, said securing the strait would require the U.S. military to maintain control of about 600 kilometers (373 miles) of Iranian territory, from Kish Island in the west to Bandar Abbas in the east, in order to stop Iran from firing missiles at passing ships. It is a mission that Connable said would likely require three U.S. infantry divisions, roughly 30,000 to 45,000 troops.

“This would be an indefinite operation — so, you know, think: be ready to do this for 20 years,” said Connable, a retired Marine Corps intelligence officer. “We didn't think we were going to be in Afghanistan for 20 years. We didn’t think we’re going to have to be in Vietnam as long as we were, or Iraq.”

The two-week ceasefire includes allowing both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through Hormuz, a regional official said. The official said Iran would use the money it raised for reconstruction.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday noted that Trump has considered the idea of a toll for vessels passing through the strait. But in the near term, his priority “is the reopening of the strait without any limitations, whether in the form of tolls or otherwise.”

Vance played a bigger role close to the deadline

The White House confirmed that Vance will lead the U.S. negotiating team in talks with Iran aimed at finding a permanent end to war.

The delegation is also expected to include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The talks are expected to begin Friday in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

“Vice President Vance has played a very significant and a key role in this since the very beginning,” Leavitt said.

Trump’s deadline was nearing with no resolution in sight when Vance, who has long pushed for restraint in U.S. military intervention overseas, got roped into the conversation, according to an official from one of the mediating countries who was briefed on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive diplomatic discussions.

Vance expressed measured confidence that a permanent deal could reached if the Iranians act in good faith.

“I encourage the Iranians to come to the table seriously," Vance said. “We’ve seen some signs that they’re going to do that, we’ve seen some signs of bravado. Fundamentally, we're in a good spot.”

___

Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writers Collin Binkley and Michelle L. Price in Washington, Justin Spike in Budapest and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.

At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, crews trained for three years inside a mock Orion capsule, rehearsing everything from routine operations to system failures.

The training offers a rare look at how astronauts prepared for a mission that would send humans farther into space than ever before.

The Orion Mission Simulator, managed by project manager Grace Lauderdale, is designed to closely replicate the spacecraft’s systems and environment.

“The crew has been training here for the last three years,” Lauderdale said. “They come at least twice a week, sometimes three or four.”

Inside, astronauts practiced for long stretches, sometimes spending up to 30 hours in the simulator at a time, working through potential problems and mission scenarios.

“You don’t want to train them on everything going right,” Lauderdale said.

The simulator recreates key elements of spaceflight, including lighting conditions, audio cues and window views, to immerse crews as much as possible.

It also connects to mission control systems, allowing ground teams to train alongside astronauts in real time.

That coordination is critical, officials said, because much of the spacecraft can be controlled from Earth.

“The whole vehicle is controlled from Houston,” Lauderdale said.

Still, astronauts must be ready to take over manually when needed. Training includes practicing how to maneuver the spacecraft using hand controllers and understanding when to override automated systems.

NASA teams continue using the simulator even while the mission is underway.

Bill Frank, chief training officer at NASA’s Mission Training Center, said teams recently used the simulator to work through a propellant valve issue.

“Why not just take the specific procedure for today’s specific context and just run it through and make sure there’s no surprises,” Frank said.

Beyond operating the spacecraft, astronauts also trained to document the mission, capturing images that serve both scientific and public purposes.

Paul Reichert, a NASA photography specialist, said his team carefully selected camera equipment that could meet mission requirements while fitting strict size and weight limits inside the Orion capsule.

The spacecraft only allows about 15 to 20 pounds for camera gear, forcing teams to prioritize versatile equipment.

“We tried to pick equipment that could do the most with what we had,” Reichert said.

The crew used a mix of cameras, including a Nikon D5 with a telephoto lens for detailed images of the moon and Earth, a wide-angle lens for interior and star shots and additional cameras for video and live views to mission control.

Astronauts also used iPhones to capture photos and video inside the tight cabin.

Reichert said part of his role included training astronauts, many of whom have limited photography experience, to capture high-quality images during the mission.

“You take them and you kind of mold them into understanding how you get these photos,” he said.

When the images from the lunar flyby began coming in, Reichert said the results exceeded expectations.

“There were several times that I looked at a photo and said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” he said.

NASA officials said the training, from operating spacecraft systems to capturing imagery, is designed to prepare astronauts for both expected tasks and unexpected challenges.

The images and data collected during Artemis II are expected to support future missions as NASA continues its return to deep space exploration.

Johnny Marullo, a veteran fisherman says the math just hasn’t been adding up lately.

“The last three weeks or so, basically, he’s been really breaking even,” Marullo said. “By the time he pays his deck hand and his fuel, he’s been breaking even the last three, four weeks — and that’s a lot of work you’re doing to break even. Personally, I haven’t been out in probably a month. I just stay tied to the dock. If I got a break even, I just stay home.”

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When he does go out, his time on the water is short. On a normal day, Marullo said he’d be out from 6 a.m. to about 3 p.m. Now, he tries to be back at the dock by 11 a.m. — or sooner if he can manage it.

Captain Scott Hickman is in a similar boat. His Circle H Charters company works closely with Katie’s Seafood and splits his time between commercial snapper fishing and charter boat trips. His last fill-up cost him roughly $800 — and that was just for half a tank.

“We’re going to have to go to a fuel surcharge,” Hickman said.

Nicholas Gutierrez, general manager of Katie’s Seafood Market, says he’s been watching the situation closely and doing everything he can to hold prices steady for his customers.

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“So, we haven’t seen any major changes here yet,” Gutierrez said. “We have seen fluctuations in some of the seafood that we bring in from other vendors. And our shrimpers that go locally, they’re kind of hurting right now. I haven’t raised the prices on my retail to my customers, hoping that this thing will blow over soon — but it hasn’t.”

That may not last much longer. Gutierrez says he’s likely going to have to raise prices soon, so his shrimpers can make a decent living. The potential hike? A couple of dollars — enough to be felt. Those increases would eventually hit Katie’s restaurant side as well.

In the meantime, Gutierrez has a message for his customers.

“I plead that the people don’t switch to cheaper imported seafood and try to support the American shrimpers and fishermen,” he said.

Galveston’s fishing community is hopeful that a ceasefire will help calm oil markets and bring fuel costs down. But until that happens, many are left making tough decisions — cut trips short, stay tied to the dock or brace for the cost to reach the dinner table.

In the video, posted by Instagram user @Roszzemary, the women say their reservation at Cocody was not honored because their dresses were “too short” and one guest was “showing her shoulders.”

“They are not letting us in because of what we’re wearing,” one woman says.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rosemary🌹🌿 (@roszzemary)

The video shows the women’s outfits, then pans to a group of women who appear to be leaving the restaurant in similar attire.

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KPRC 2 requested comment from Cocody.

In a statement, the restaurant said it is “aware of the video circulating on social media regarding our dress code policy” and said it is committed to treating every guest “with respect and professionalism.”

The restaurant said its dress code is part of the dining experience and that it “consistently” enforces the policy. Cocody also said the video “does not reflect the full context of the interaction and is incomplete and misleading.”

One of the women featured in the video said restaurants can set dress standards, but they should be applied consistently.

“We had a reservation at nine o’clock, and for us to get there and for them to say you can’t come in because of what you’re wearing when, right in front of our eyes, we saw other people coming in and out of the restaurant wearing similar clothing that we were reprimanded over,” she said.

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KPRC 2 also received messages from other customers who said they had negative experiences at the restaurant.

One customer, Sheree K., said she and her husband were part of a party of six couples with a reservation who were initially told they could not be seated “without any explanation,” despite showing a reservation confirmation. She said the group was later seated at the bar for about 30 minutes before being taken to a table, and she described the service as disorganized.

Sheree K. also said ketchup was spilled on her back and her husband’s jacket during the meal and that staff did not assist or acknowledge the incident. She said the jacket was stained and ruined.

Other social media users defended Cocody, including one commenter who described the restaurant as “upscale” and said customers should “dress appropriately.”

“Cocody is a respected and reputable restaurant (owned by a respectful African couple) in the River Oaks areas. Very upscale if I may add. They have wonderful service and very tasty options on their menu. Make your reservations, dress appropriately and enjoy the amazing food and ambiance,” @smooveoperatorr said in a post.

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Cocody’s dress code posted online says it requires “smart wear, business casual, or professional attire.” The policy states that athletic wear, sleepwear, slippers, “excessively revealing clothing,” or exposed undergarments are not permitted. The restaurant says management reserves the right to decline entry to guests who do not meet the requirements.

Cocody said it will continue enforcing its dress code, while the women in the video say the issue is whether those rules are applied consistently to all guests.

The layoffs involve employees of Sodexo, a company that operates cafeterias and food service operations inside hospitals and other facilities.

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State records show a total of 296 workers across four locations tied to HCA Healthcare hospitals in Harris County will be affected. The layoffs are scheduled to take effect June 13, according to the WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) filings.

The impacted sites include:

• HCA Kingwood, with 81 layoffs
• HCA Clear Lake, with 86 layoffs
• HCA Women’s Hospital of Texas, with 66 layoffs
• HCA Southeast Texas Medical Center, with 63 layoffs

All locations are within the Gulf Coast Workforce Development Area.

The WARN notice does not specify a reason for the layoffs. However, filings indicate Sodexo provides food services at the hospitals, suggesting the cuts could be tied to a change in vendor contracts. It is unclear whether another company will take over operations or if workers could be rehired under a new contractor.

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Neither Sodexo nor HCA Healthcare has publicly commented on the layoffs.

Under federal law, WARN notices are required when companies plan large-scale layoffs, giving workers advance notice to prepare for job loss.

On Wednesday, officials from the Houston Rockets, Clutch City Sports and Entertainment and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority met to discuss a proposal for a $180-million renovation plan.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., the Rockets announced that the “Toyota Center Reimagined” project had been approved by the HCHSA.

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In a press release announcing the approval, the Rockets said the project is “designed to elevate the fan experience and further position downtown Houston as a premier destination for sports, entertainment, and major events.”

Construction will begin following the conclusion of the Rockets’ season and is expected to be completed by fall 2027, coinciding with the ongoing expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Key Features of Toyota Center Reimagined

The renovation focuses on fan-first experiences, premium hospitality, and modernized infrastructure.

Highlights include:

• New Atrium: Nearly 20,000 sq. ft. at Polk and La Branch streets, featuring a striking glass façade, a covered 3,000 sq. ft. gathering space, and state-of-the-art digital displays for events and pre-show activations.
• Season Ticket Members Lounge: ~5,000 sq. ft. of premium hospitality space with an open design keeping guests connected to the energy of the atrium.
• Rockets & Comets Team Store: More than double the current retail footprint with additional point-of-sale and self-checkout kiosks.
• South Entry Reconfiguration: Guests will have direct views of the arena bowl and a new hospitality space connecting them to the event atmosphere immediately.
• Suite Renovations: All existing suites fully modernized with refreshed interiors, improved sightlines, upgraded furnishings, and enhanced hospitality functionality for corporate and client use.
• Premium Hospitality Spaces: New Summit Club (6,000+ sq. ft.), Sky Bar, and HOU Market (~5,000 sq. ft.) offering downtown views and elevated dining experiences.
• Skybridge Overhaul: Improving the premium arrival experience connecting Toyota Center to the Toyota Tundra Garage.
• Technology and Infrastructure: Upgraded vertical transportation, fiber and broadcast systems, higher-capacity Wi-Fi, and a modernized command center to support large-scale productions and ensure safety.

With approval later today from the @HC_HSA , Toyota Center will get a combined $180M in needed upgrades. I was told $150M for Arena needs and additional $30M designated for the WNBA @HouComets . Tilman Fertitta will handle most of the costs with the state handling the rest .

— Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) April 8, 2026

Finances and Who’s Paying

According to details shared ahead of the meeting:

• $150 million is allocated for arena-wide upgrades and infrastructure improvements
• $30 million is designated specifically for WNBA-related enhancements tied to the Comets

The renovations are aimed at modernizing the two-decade-old venue while enhancing the fan experience and preparing for future events.

Despite the large price tag, the project is not expected to rely on new taxpayer funding.

• The State of Texas is expected to contribute approximately $95 million
• Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta will cover the remaining costs

This funding structure allows for significant upgrades without placing additional financial burden on local taxpayers.

Houston Leaders Celebrate Approval

Houston Rockets and Clutch City Sports and Entertainment owner Tilman Fertitta said the upgrades are symbolic of his corporations’ dedication to Houston area.

“This project reflects our commitment to continually invest in Houston and deliver a world-class experience for the millions of guests who visit Toyota Center and downtown each year,” Fertitta said in a statement announcing the approval.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the renovation “ensures we can continue to cheer on the Rockets and Comets and support a strong convention business for years to come.”

Ryan Walsh, CEO of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority, called it “a significant milestone for both the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston.”

Upgrades Already Underway

Some improvements are already in motion. Arena officials have begun replacing all seating inside Toyota Center — a project that will impact more than 17,000 seats and is expected to be completed by this summer.

Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents have not given a reason for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.

“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.

“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”

But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.

“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”

The AP was the first to report on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.

Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.

“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost said.

She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.

Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.

“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “Not 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.”

Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was “astonishing.”

Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.

Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.

Rothman said Wednesday he didn't know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.

“When you come in to effect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people."

Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”

The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.

Rothman said he wasn’t going to speculate on why he was cut loose.

“I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about retribution. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”

A superb free kick by Julián Álvarez and a second goal by Alexander Sorloth gave Diego Simeone his first win at Camp Nou since Atletico's long-standing coach started his stint with the club 15 years ago.

“I don’t think my Atleti had ever won at Camp Nou," said Simeone, whose Atletico had won at Barcelona when it played at the Olympic Stadium in 2024 but never at Camp Nou.

"They’re arguably the best team in Europe, along with Paris (PSG) and Bayern (Munich). Through good teamwork, we were able to capitalize on key moments in the match."

Barcelona had hemmed Atletico into its box when the hosts received a double blow that left Hansi Flick’s team down a man and behind a goal just before halftime.

The game-changing sequence started when Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone broke free to latch onto a rare long ball and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí knocked him down on the edge of the area with only goalkeeper Joan García to beat. After initially showing Cubarsí a yellow card, the referee changed it to a red following a video review.

It got worse for Barcelona seconds later when Álvarez curled the resulting free kick around the defensive barrier and past a flying García for the 45th-minute lead.

Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford tried to rally Barcelona at Camp Nou and kept the pressure on Atletico despite being undermanned.

But that fightback effort was undone when substitute Sorloth shrugged off a challenge by Gerard Martín as he moved to the near post and tapped in a cross from Matteo Ruggeri to double the lead with 20 minutes to play.

Barcelona’s hopes of ending an 11-year wait to add to its five European Cups now rests on mounting a big win in Madrid on Tuesday.

Also on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain beat Liverpool 2-0 in their quarterfinal first leg.

On Tuesday, Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Real Madrid, while Arsenal won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon.

Simeone again frustrates Barcelona in Europe

Barcelona has won five European Cups and Atletico has lost three finals, and the Catalan club has a better overall head-to-head record over Simeone's team. Yet when it comes to the Champions League, Atletico has found the edge. Simeone’s bunch got the better of a star-studded Barcelona led by Lionel Messi at the same stage in the competition in 2014 and 2016.

And another masterclass in Simeone's bend-but-don't-break soccer has stumped a Barcelona led by a Yamal who drew oohs and aahs from Barcelona's fans with his fancy dribbling but was visibly frustrated he couldn't conjure up that shooting angle or perfect pass.

Atletico remained disciplined in defense, happy even when up a man to let Barcelona maintain possession and made the utmost of its chances.

Barcelona generated 19 shots to Atletico’s five, which included just one in the second half — when Sorloth rumbled past his marker to double the lead.

A clean sheet and two goals in the bag.

And one step toward its first semifinal since 2017.

“We are heading home happy for the win, but we still have a long way to go. There are 90 minutes ahead,” Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann said.

Atletico lost central defender David Hancko — the team’s most used player this season — to what looked like a leg injury on the half-hour mark. He was replaced by Marc Pubill and the defense didn't notice the difference.

Rashford couldn’t make the most of his start in place of the injured Raphinha despite generating the most dangerous opportunities of either side with the score still 0-0. The on-loan Manchester United forward had three shots inside the area that were saved by goalkeeper Juan Musso, before Atletico went ahead, and a free kick in the second half that grazed the bar.

“We gave it our all, but it wasn’t to be,” Barcelona substitute defender Ronald Araujo said. “But this team can turn this around. I am convinced of it. It will be tough at their home, but this team had the character and talent to comeback.”

Barcelona midfielder Pedri González was replaced at halftime, Flick said, for precaution without specifying his complaint.

Amazing Álvarez

Álvarez’s goal was his 15th in his last 18 matches in Europe’s elite club competition.

It was also the Argentina striker’s ninth goal in the competition this campaign, making him the highest scoring Atletico player in a single Champions League season.

Wednesday’s game at Camp Nou was the second of three meetings between Barcelona and Atletico in an 11-day span. Barcelona won 2-1 away in the Spanish league to strengthen its league lead on Saturday. In February, Atletico also edged Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

A moment of silence was held before kickoff in memory of Romania soccer great Mircea Lucescu, who died this week at age 80.

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

The Georgia star cut in from the left flank midway through the second half and, with typically quick feet, skipped past a defender and the goalkeeper before stroking in his team-leading eighth goal of the competition.

“We had chances to score more,” Kvaratskhelia said. “But I think it’s OK, 2-0 is good but we have to stay concentrated.”

Désiré Doué put the defending champions ahead in the 11th minute with a deflected effort. The Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé then spurned three chances at Parc des Princes. PSG coach Luis Enrique said his side should have scored more.

“It’s a pity, clearly, we played very well and deserved more goals,” he said, adding that he was surprised that Liverpool played so defensively. “It’s the first time under Arne Slot that they have played with five defenders this season.”

Accepting his team was outplayed, Slot explained his decision to be so cautious.

“They have pace from everywhere all over the pitch, no matter where you look,” he said. "They have so many weapons (and) the times when we tried to play high and aggressive they ripped us apart."

When the two teams met last season in the round of 16, PSG advanced on penalties after losing 1-0 at home and winning 1-0 at Anfield.

The task seems less difficult this time around for PSG with Liverpool facing a trophyless season. However, six-time champion Liverpool overcame a 3-0 first-leg loss against Barcelona in the 2019 semifinals before winning 4-0 at home.

The second leg is next Tuesday at Anfield.

“I’ve been through many special evenings at Anfield,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports. "Our fans are the backbone of the club, and hopefully they can be there for us again.”

It could be another busy night for Liverpool, even at home.

“We’re not going there to defend, that’s not in our mentality,” Luis Enrique said. “But we know there will be moments when we will suffer at Anfield. I know that, having been there many times as a player and a coach.”

Slot's team was reeling from a crushing 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City but was better led in defense. With Allison still injured, Giorgi Mamardashvili — Kvaratskhelia's teammate on the Georgia national team — continued in goal for Liverpool.

Dembélé showed great technique on the edge of the penalty area before flicking the ball left to Doué, whose deflected shot looped over Mamardashvili and under the crossbar.

Mamardashvili atoned with a fine close-range save late in the first half from Doué, again set up by Dembélé.

Another flowing PSG move moments later ended with Dembélé fluffing his shot. But a worse finish followed, and Dembélé held his head in his hands after blazing over from close range in the 53rd following a cut back by Nuno Mendes.

Dembélé hit the post late on.

In Wednesday's other quarterfinal game, Atletico Madrid won 2-0 at Barcelona.

Salah stays on bench

Slot made five substitutions but kept Mohamed Salah on the bench the whole game.

“In the last part of the game it was about surviving for us,” Slot said, explaining why Salah did not come on. “Mo has so much qualities, but to be defending 25 minutes inside his own box, it’s better for Mo to save energy for matches to come.”

Hugo Ekitiké lead the attack against his old club and shot wide early in the second half.

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak — the British-record signing for 125 million pounds ($170 million) — came on in the 78th on his comeback from a broken ankle.

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

The requirement that the camps install fiber optic internet does not make their properties safer, violates the state constitution and state law and could prevent them from opening, the lawsuit said.

The group of camps, which includes Camp Champions, Camp Longhorn and Tejas Ministries, said in the suit that companies advised them that the service either could not be supplied, could not be confirmed as “end-to-end” — a term the lawsuit said isn’t defined — or would cost an amount “that greatly exceeded their resources.”

The suit, filed in a Travis County state district court, offered examples: Camp Liberty, in one extreme, received a quote of $1 million in upfront costs plus a $3,500 monthly service fee over five years. Camp Longhorn received a quote of more than $1.2 million

State legislators passed the new requirement, in addition to mandating a second kind of broadband connection, after the July 4 flood last year in the Texas Hill Country. That flood killed 25 campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic — information that emergency responders struggled to confirm as one official that afternoon noted phone lines were down and there was no cell service at the camp.

Cell service is known to be spotty in the area even on normal days.

The requirement makes no exception for rural camps where fiber optic internet might not be available or “is so costly as to make it economically infeasible or unreasonably burdensome,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday against the Department of State Health Services and its commissioner, the state Health and Human Services Commission and its executive commissioner, and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said they do not comment on pending litigation. Lawyers for the camps could not immediately be reached.

The camps serve more than 40,000 children each year, according to the lawsuit.

Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations, also announced that the players received undisclosed fines. The suspensions were scheduled to begin with Wednesday's game but were put on hold pending appeals from each player.

MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association reached an agreement to have López's suspension reduced to five games, effective immediately. With an off day, López will be able to keep his scheduled next start for Atlanta.

Soler started in right field and batted fourth in Wednesday's finale of the three-game series.

Soler homered off López in the first inning of Tuesday night's game. In his next at-bat, Soler was hit by a 96 mph fastball from López. In the fifth, Soler charged the mound after López threw a high-and-inside wild pitch that tipped off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt.

As Soler began walking toward the mound, López held up his hands and the two glared at each other before both started throwing punches.

“I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn’t like it,” Soler said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “That’s why I went out there.”

The right-handed López held the baseball in his right hand as he used it to throw a punch at Soler's batting helmet.

Players and coaches stormed out of the dugouts and bullpens, and Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP with Atlanta.

“I love Soler. We were teammates here,” Weiss said. “But that’s a big man, and so I just felt I’ve gotta get him off his feet because he’s gonna hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath.”

López and Soler were Braves teammates during the second half of the 2024 season.

“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” López said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So, again, it’s just a shame.”

Atlanta, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, went on to a 7-2 victory.

Soler’s two-run shot in the first made him 14 for 23 with five homers and three doubles against López.

“Obviously, I have good numbers against him,” Soler said. “After the home run and getting hit by a pitch after that, and then he missed way too high and close to my head. At this level, you can’t miss like that.”

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

The Department of Homeland Security last year rescinded longstanding nationwide restrictions on immigration enforcement in or near “sensitive locations” such as schools and school bus stops, churches and hospitals that effectively made them off limits except in rare circumstances.

The Fridley and Duluth school districts, and the Education Minnesota union, sued to block the new policy in February, at a time when the Department of Homeland Security had sent around 3,000 federal officers into the state for Operation Metro Surge. Federal agents involved in the crackdown killed two citizens in Minneapolis in January.

The plaintiffs asked the court Wednesday for either a stay or preliminary injunction that would restore the previous restraints.

Attorney Amanda Cialkowski, who represents the district and union, told reporters afterward that it was unclear if a ruling in their favor would apply outside of Minnesota, or to other “sensitive locations” like churches and hospitals.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the judge does,” she said.

Teachers across the country have detailed the ways Trump’s immigration crackdown has shaped their work and the lives of their students. In court filings in an ongoing case filed by national teachers unions in federal court in Oregon, educators described rumors of raids that scared away students, immigrant parents who stopped sending their children to school altogether, and stories of parents and students being arrested at bus stops.

And a demand by Democrats that federal authorities refrain from enforcement operations around schools, churches and hospitals is one of the unresolved disputes in the standoff between Congress and the administration over funding for Homeland Security.

The arguments before U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino on Wednesday hinged mostly on complicated legal issues of whether the districts and union had legal standing to sue, and could show they had been directly harmed by the policy change, and whether the new guidance counted as the kind of final agency decision that a court would have the legal authority to review.

Justice Department attorney Jessica Lundberg said “swapping out” last year's policy guidance for the previous guidance, as the plaintiffs want, wouldn't really have a meaningful impact. Even under the old rules, she said, enforcement action in and around schools was always a possibility.

Provinzino said she would rule “as quickly as I can ... but also making sure I get it right.”

The superintendents of both the Fridley district, in suburban Minneapolis, and the Duluth district, in northern Minnesota, were in the courtroom for the arguments.

Fridley Superintendent Brenda Lewis said that the change “deeply impacted" attendance because families did not feel safe in sending their children to school. She said her schools had to pivot to virtual learning for many students, which put an additional strain on resources.

The superintendent also said her district has lost 72 students since December, which has hurt funding that was dependent on the numbers of pupils and meals served. Some enrolled in districts they considered safer, while others have left the country, and some are in detention centers, she said.

While the official end of Operation Metro Surge means Fridley hasn't seen ICE officers on school property in eight weeks, Lewis said the impacts will last for many years.

Duluth Superintendent John Magas pointed out that his district — which is about 150 miles north of Minneapolis — is well outside the Twin Cities metro area but started feeling the effects of the policy change long before the surge.

School districts across the Twin Cities area saw absenteeism spike during the crackdown. In St. Paul, over 9,000 students were absent in mid-January, more than a quarter of the district, according to attendance data obtained by The Associated Press.

Minneapolis Public Schools had over 8,000 students stay home on the last school day in January, close to 30% of students. And Fridley saw attendance drop by nearly a third, according to court filings.

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Sharon Lurye, data reporter for The Associated Press’ Education Reporting Network, contributed to this story from Philadelphia.

The S&P 500 leaped 2.5% after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than 90 minutes before a deadline Trump had set for it to open the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 1,325 points, or 2.8%, and the Nasdaq composite soared 2.8% following even bigger gains in European and Asian stock markets.

To be sure, stock prices are still below where they were before the war. And oil prices are still higher because of the threat of a resumption to the war. The ceasefire already looks precarious, and Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

Such uncertainty caused some of the euphoria that fueled financial markets in the morning to fade as Wednesday’s trading progressed, and financial markets have been prone to sharp and sudden reversals since the war began.

“There is a reason to be optimistic, but it is still too early to tell, because, as you know, after all, it is Trump,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at MONEX.

So far in the war, Trump has set several deadlines for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, a main thoroughfare for oil to reach customers worldwide from the Persian Gulf, and has threatened big repercussions if Iran doesn’t, only to delay them.

It’s similar to a year ago, when Trump threatened stiff tariffs on imports from other countries on “Liberation Day.” After a couple delays, his administration eventually negotiated lower tariffs with many countries, though still higher than from before his second term. That led some investors to allege Trump “always chickens out,” or “TACO,” if financial markets show enough pain.

“Is it just kicking of the can down the road, moving the goalposts, TACO Tuesday, or whatever metaphor we’d like, to only to have tempers flare and bombs drop again?” Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, asked about the two-week ceasefire with Iran. “Who knows? But it’s good enough for now to elicit a positive response from the markets.”

The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil plunged 16.4% to settle at $94.41 after almost dropping to $91 earlier in the morning.

Brent crude, the international standard, tumbled 13.3% to $94.75 per barrel. It had briefly topped $119 when worries about the war with Iran were at their highest, but it’s still above its roughly $70 price from before the war.

The next moves for oil prices will depend on how many oil tankers can start exiting the Strait of Hormuz and how easy their passage is. Despite claims from the White House on Wednesday about an uptick in ships transiting the strait, independent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through it.

Windward, a maritime intelligence firm that tracks international shipping, said all ships transiting the strait must still coordinate safe passage with Iranian authorities, who are requiring hefty tolls of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, paid in cryptocurrency. The largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the closing of the strait reported in Iranian state media was “completely unacceptable.” She repeated Trump’s “expectation and demand” that the channel be reopened.

In Asia, where countries are more reliant on oil from the Middle East, South Korea’s Kospi stock index surged 6.9%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 leaped 5.4%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 3.1%.

European stock indexes rose nearly as much. Germany’s DAX returned 5.1%, and France’s CAC 40 rallied 4.5%.

On Wall Street, companies with big fuel bills rallied to trim some of the sharp losses taken on worries about oil prices staying high.

United Airlines soared 7.9% and cut into its loss for the year, which came into the day at 20.1%. Cruise ship operator Carnival climbed 11.2%.

Delta Air Lines rose 3.7% after it reported stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Ed Bastian said demand for flights remains strong, and it’s making moves to make up for higher fuel bills. Delta on Tuesday became the latest airline to raise its fees for checking bags.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 165.96 points to 6,782.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1,325.46 to 47,909.92, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 617.15 to 22,635.00.

In the bond market, Treasury yields dropped as hopes built that easing oil prices could let the Federal Reserve resume its cuts to interest rates later this year.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.29% from 4.33% late Tuesday. Lower Treasury yields give a boost to prices for stocks, bonds and all kinds of other investments. They should also ease some of the recent rise in rates for mortgages and other loans taken out by U.S. households and businesses.

When oil prices were screaming higher because of the war, some traders were betting on the possibility that the Fed would have to raise interest rates to keep a lid on inflation. Now, they’re seeing a nearly 25% chance that the Fed could resume its cuts to rates in 2026, according to data from CME Group.

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AP journalists Yuri Kageyama, Matt Ott, Mayuko Ono, Jon Gambrell and Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.

The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates early Wednesday, less than a week after the former first-round pick made his major league debut.

The deal, the largest in club history, includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

Griffin's Pittsburgh teammates attended Wednesday's news conference to announce the deal hours before the team lost to the San Diego Padres 8-2.

“This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. ... But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.”

In Wednesday's game, Griffin entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh and hit a sacrifice fly to score Nick Yorke for the Pirates' first run.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team's commitment in winning this season and in the future.

“This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously this is a long-term commitment,” Nutting said. “It’s a long-term statement of where we’re headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. ... This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So I’m excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.”

When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization.

“I’m pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse,” Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. “A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Y’all made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And I’m just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we've got a great clubhouse to go do that. I’m pump to be part of it.”

The agreement comes less than 24 hours after general manager Ben Cherington said the “ingredients” were in place for a long-term pact.

The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team's farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief.

Pittsburgh called Griffin to the majors after just a week, and he has played well through his first handful of games. Griffin laced an RBI-double in his first big-league at bat against Baltimore last Friday, and added a pair of hits, including a two-run single, in a 7-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday night that helped the Pirates to their sixth win in seven games.

Griffin, who has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for as long as possible, has impressed teammates with his maturity and his unique skillset.

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes called Griffin “a big leaguer through and through,” though Griffin is doing his best to ignore the attention that has surrounded his arrival for a team that is trying to return to relevance and end a playoff drought that's now over a decade old.

“Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much,” Griffin said Tuesday night. "Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.”

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

The NHL’s career goal-scoring leader announced his intentions in a clip of a pretaped interview with Capitals radio broadcaster John Walton that aired Wednesday.

"We're going to make a decision in the summer," Ovechkin said, adding he needed to talk with his family, owner Ted Leonsis, president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick.

Ovechkin said health would be the biggest factor: “I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.”

He has been peppered with questions for several months about whether he’ll retire or play a 22nd season in the league. Ovechkin's current contract expires June 30.

“I still enjoy it, I still have fun,” Ovechkin said in Toronto. “I’m still happy to be with the boys in the locker room.”

Washington will have just three games left after playing at Toronto on Wednesday night and faces an uphill climb to make the playoffs. Coach Spencer Carbery said Ovechkin has the organization's full support.

“He’s earned that right,” Carbery said. “He’ll be welcomed with open arms (or) if this is it, we’ll support him that way, and I’ll celebrate him and give him a big hug and have a cold beer.”

Monday was the one-year anniversary of the Russian superstar scoring his 895th goal at the New York Islanders, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record that seemed unapproachable until Ovechkin came along.

Ovechkin has since scored 33 more goals, 31 this season, to get to 928 in the regular season. On March 22, he scored No. 1,000 total in the NHL, counting goals in the playoffs.

He also holds records for the most power-play goals with 331, game-winning goals with 141 and shots with 7,091 — and counting. Not just an offensive powerhouse, the 6-foot-3 winger has been a physical force and ranks third on the career hits list with 3,871.

The Capitals visit longtime Ovechkin rival and fellow face of the sport Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, then host them Sunday. The home finale in the nation's capital is sold out, with tickets going for way above face value in anticipation of it being the captain and franchise cornerstone's final game there.

They visit Columbus on Tuesday in what could be Ovechkin's final game in North America. He played his first career game in Washington against the Blue Jackets on Oct. 5, 2005.

“The game’s changed almost every year,” Ovechkin said. “More faces come into the league, and you can see how fast they are, how skilled they are. And obviously you have to adjust yourself, your body, your mind. … It’s life.”

Ovechkin, who is from Moscow, could opt to play one more season in the KHL, where he started as a professional when it was called the Russian Superleague. He played from 2001-05 and during the 2012-13 NHL lockout with Dynamo Moscow.

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The Canadian Press contributed to this report.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Wine and travel contributor Daniela Garrido is showing how easy it can be to sip more sustainably, without sacrificing flavor. Here are her picks!

1. J. Lohr, a winery that has been committed to sustainability for more than a decade. Their Riverstone Chardonnay and Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon both carry the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing seal, meaning they meet strict environmental and production standards. Even better, they are easy to find and budget-friendly.

1. Chamisal Vineyards brings a deeper sustainability story. As one of the first vineyards in California’s Edna Valley, they have gone beyond traditional practices by incorporating biodynamic farming and regenerative agriculture, even planting a dense mini forest on-site to support biodiversity.

1. Pine Ridge Vineyards is one to watch. Their Chenin Blanc and Viognier blend not only delivers bright, fruit-forward flavor, it also comes in a lighter-weight bottle designed to reduce carbon emissions. It is a small change that makes a big impact.
2. Grgich Hills Estate offers a Napa Valley Chardonnay that reflects the future of farming. Their vineyards are fully regenerative organic certified, focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability. It is a wine that truly tells a story from vine to glass.

The show, titled “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast,” will launch next week and feature Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine crusader who has reshaped the country’s health policy, in conversation with doctors, scientists and agency staff, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials told the AP ahead of the launch. In the teaser video, in a slick HHS-branded studio with ominous music playing in the background, Kennedy bills it as a new way to expose corruption and lies that have made Americans sick.

“We’re going to name the names of the forces that obstruct the paths to public health,” Kennedy says in the nearly 90-second clip.

Joining the Trump administration last year gave Kennedy a new platform for his views, some of which contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientists. A podcast could further elevate those ideas, and further remove HHS agencies from their long-held reputation as a “safe harbor for information,” said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University.

Administration officials say the show will help spread an important message about chronic disease and improving health to a wider audience.

“This is part of our larger strategy to bring the Make America Healthy Again message to as wide an audience as we can,” said Liam Nahill, HHS digital director.

The new communication effort from HHS comes as the department has faced a bevy of recent setbacks, including widespread criticism of its vaccine policy changes, a federal ruling last month blocking several of those moves, and resistance from key Republican senators that has kept President Donald Trump’s surgeon general pick from taking office. In that way, it could be seen as part of a rebranding strategy as the agency focuses less on vaccine efforts and more on a less contentious healthy food agenda ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The show, which has been in the works since early in the second Trump administration, also reflects Kennedy returning to a format where he has long felt at ease. He hosted his own podcast before entering office, and has appeared on dozens to share his perspectives in longform interviews.

Tyler Burger, HHS digital communications manager and the producer of the new podcast, said while Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary has a podcast, officials believe Kennedy's will be the first to be hosted by a sitting cabinet secretary.

“We’re kind of bringing podcasting into the government as an official form and arm of our messaging,” Burger said. He said the set for the show was pieced together largely with items the agency already had, and has the capacity for a total of four people to sit in conversation together.

Because podcasts are now commonly made not only on audio but video, they are regularly clipped and shared across social media platforms, giving them “massive” reach, according to Melina Much, a postdoctoral fellow for New York University's Center for Social Media and Politics.

Much said podcasts also tend to be more intimate, conversational and friendly than a traditional interview, allowing administration officials to promote themselves without facing as much pushback.

Critics suggested the show would be used to spread falsehoods. It's "just another official channel to spread misinformation that will inject more dangerous conspiracy theories into the mainstream,” said Grace Silva, spokesperson for 314 Action, a left-leaning political action committee aimed at electing scientists in Congress.

New episodes are expected to drop every other week, Burger said. Though officials wouldn't share a list of upcoming guests, Kennedy let one slip when he appeared as a guest on a recent episode of “The Bossticks.” He said he recorded an episode with Robert Irvine, the celebrity chef who has been tasked with revamping U.S. Army meals.

While Kennedy's teaser focuses on uncovering lies, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the show will aim to cover affordability and other topics that polls show are salient for voters.

“Americans are united on the need to urgently address chronic disease, improve nutrition, strengthen food quality, and lower health costs," he said. "The Secretary Kennedy Podcast will cover all those issues.”

“You’re going to have to show some epic resilience,” Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said to Jasveen Sangha, echoing the defendant's words earlier in the hearing about her self-improvement.

Citing the unique role Sangha admitted to playing in Perry’s death and her broader drug-dealing business, the judge gave the 42-year-old a sentence that will almost certainly be more than all four of her co-defendants combined.

The hearing Wednesday in a Los Angeles courtroom was in many ways the pinnacle of the 2 1/2-year investigation and prosecution that followed the overdose death of the 54-year-old actor, whose role as Chandler Bing on NBC’s “Friends” in the 1990s and 2000s made him one of the biggest television stars of the era.

Keith Morrison, Perry’s stepfather and correspondent for NBC’s “Dateline,” told the judge that he and Perry’s mother, Suzanne, feel a “daily, grinding sadness and sorrow.”

“There was a spark to that man I have never seen anywhere else,” Morrison said. “He should have had another act. Two more acts.”

Just before she was sentenced, Sangha told the judge she wears her shame “like a jacket.”

“These were not mistakes. They were horrible decisions,” Sangha said, which “shattered people’s lives and the lives of their family and friends.”

Prosecutors secured the exact sentence they asked for after casting Sangha as a “Ketamine Queen” who had an elaborate drug operation catering to high-end clients to give herself a jet-setting lifestyle.

Sangha’s attorneys argued the time she has spent in jail since her August 2024 indictment should be sufficient, pointing to her good behavior behind bars and lack of prior arrests.

Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death — and drowning was a secondary cause.

Mark Geragos, Sangha’s attorney, said “pernicious” addiction was truly responsible for Perry’s death, not his client.

“There was nobody who was going to stop Mr. Perry from doing what he was going to do,” Geragos said.

In September, Sangha became the last of five co-defendants to plead guilty, admitting to one count of using her home for drug distribution, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.

Geragos denounced the prosecution's use of the moniker “Ketamine Queen,” blaming it on E. Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney when the case was filed.

"That was not her name, that was his very clever name to draw media attention this case," Geragos said.

Perry had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal off-label treatment for depression. But he sought more than the doctor would give him. That at first led him to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling Perry ketamine and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. And, days before his death, it led Perry to Sangha, and a $6,000 cash buy that included the lethal dose.

Another doctor, who admitted to providing Plasencia the ketamine he sold to Perry, was sentenced to eight months of home detention. Perry’s assistant and his friend, who admitted acting as the actor’s middlemen, are awaiting sentencing.

The judge said she was trying to carefully calibrate the sentences for the five defendants. She expressed concern about the balance during the hearing, asking lawyers why Sangha deserved so much more time than Plasencia or Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who obtained and injected the drugs at Perry's request and injected them into him.

Geragos seized on this and said the disparity was outrageous.

“The person who supplies the ammunition, they're more culpable than the person who pulls the trigger?” he asked.

But before sentencing, Garnett said the size of Sangha's drug business, the years she spent dealing and her long list of clients clearly made her more culpable. And she said she believed Sangha's lack of a criminal history was underrepresented.

The judge also cited Sangha's continued dealing after learning through a text message from his sister that one of her customers, 33-year-old Cody McLaury, had died in 2019.

The sister, Kimberly McLaury, spoke in court.

“Had you stopped selling ketamine when I texted you, we wouldn't be here today,” she said.

Perry’s stepmother Debbie Perry told Sangha she had caused pain for “hundreds, maybe thousands” of people.

The judge commended Sangha for the “countless” letters of support she got from family and friends touting her decency and loving nature. Many of them were there in court, sitting on the opposite side from Perry's family.

“There's no joy in this process,” Garnett told the victim's family members. “Maybe at the end of the day you will feel a sense of justice.”

Rex Heuermann, 62, entered the pleas in a courtroom packed with reporters, police and victims’ relatives, some of whom wept as he detailed his murders. He will be sentenced in June to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Heuermann's guilty pleas — to three counts of first-degree murder and four of intentional murder — bring finality to a case that bedeviled investigators, tormented victims’ families and tantalized a true-crime obsessed public for years. Although he wasn't charged in her death, he also admitted that he killed Karen Vergata in 1996.

“This has been a long journey of hope — hope that one day we would stand here and say her name with justice beside it," Melissa Cann, the sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, said at a news conference hours after the hearing as she fought back tears. "Today, that long, painful journey brings us to this moment.”

In court, Heuermann admitted that he strangled all eight victims and dismembered some of them before dumping their bodies.

Wearing a black suit coat and white button-down shirt, Heuermann appeared matter-of-fact and unemotional as he answered questions from Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and the judge. He never looked back at the packed courtroom gallery.

The women, many of them sex workers, were killed over a 17-year span.

Prosecutor credits the victims' families and investigators

“This defendant walked among us play-acting as a normal suburban dad when in reality, all along, he was obsessively targeting innocent women for death,” Tierney said at the post-hearing news conference.

He thanked the victims' relatives, including some standing alongside him, for helping bring their loved ones’ stories to life. And he praised members of the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force, which cracked the case with the help of clues that included DNA lifted from a discarded pizza crust.

Gloria Allred, an attorney for some of the victims' families, described several of the women as young mothers who were just trying to earn extra money to support their children.

“Little did they know that the defendant, Rex Heuermann, did not care about their hopes and dreams, or that they had families and friends who loved them,” Allred said at the news conference.

Elizabeth Baczkiel, whose daughter Jessica Taylor was murdered by Heuermann, said: “I am glad that this is over as far as him pleading guilty. It took a big chunk of stress off of me and my family.”

Killer's ex-wife calls it a ‘difficult time’

Heuermann's ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter attended the hearing and were mobbed by reporters as they entered and left the courthouse. Ellerup said her thoughts and prayers were with the victims' families and she asked for privacy for her own family during what she called a “very difficult time.”

Ellerup and her daughter, Victoria, had no knowledge of or involvement in the killings, said their lawyer, Robert Macedonio.

Heuermann's attorney, Michael Brown, said it was Heuermann's decision to plead guilty, in part because he wanted to spare victims' relatives and his family from the ordeal of a trial.

Asked by a reporter whether Heuermann was sorry, Brown responded, “I would hope so. ... I would expect at sentencing he would have something to say.”

As part of his guilty plea, Heuermann agreed to cooperate fully with the FBI's behavioral analysis unit as part of an academic and scientific exercise.

A shocking find

The discovery of numerous sets of human remains along Long Island's South Shore beginning in late 2010 set off a search for a potential serial killer that attracted global interest and spawned a Hollywood movie.

Remains of six victims — Melissa Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Valerie Mack, Taylor and Megan Waterman — were found in the scrub along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. The remains of another, Sandra Costilla, were found more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) away in the Hamptons.

Police also identified the remains of Vergata, which were found on Fire Island, more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) west, in 1996, and near Gilgo Beach in 2011.

But despite the attention, including a documentary series and the 2020 Netflix film, “Lost Girls,” the investigation dragged on for more than a decade, punctuated by fleeting leads and dashed hopes.

A fresh look yields results

In 2022, six weeks after a new police commissioner formed the Gilgo Beach task force, detectives identified Heuermann as a suspect by using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.

Heuermann lived for decades in Massapequa Park, about a 25-minute drive from where the women’s remains were found. Some of the victims were believed to have disappeared from that community and their cellphones were found to have pinged towers in the area, authorities said.

After the truck discovery, a grand jury authorized more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants, allowing the task force to dig in to Heuermann’s life.

Detectives collected billing records for burner phones he used to arrange meetings with the victims, retested DNA found with the bodies and scoured Heuermann’s internet search history, which showed that he had viewed violent torture pornography and exhibited an intense interest in the Gilgo Beach killings and the renewed investigation. Cellphone data showed Heuermann was in contact with some victims just before they disappeared, investigators said.

To obtain Heuermann’s DNA, a task force surveillance team tailed him in Manhattan, where he worked, and watched as he threw the remnants of his lunch — a box of partially eaten pizza crusts — into a sidewalk garbage can.

Investigators rushed in, grabbed the box, and sent it to the crime lab, which matched DNA from the crust to a male hair found on burlap used to restrain one of the victims. He was arrested in July 2023.

On his computer, investigators said, they found what they described as a “blueprint” for the killings, including a series of checklists with reminders to limit noise, clean the bodies and destroy evidence.

___

Associated Press writers Julie Walker, Philip Marcelo in New York City and Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

U.S. President Donald Trump told PBS News Hour that Lebanon was not included in the deal because of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group. When asked about Israel’s latest strikes, he said, “That’s a separate skirmish.” Israel had said the agreement does not extend to its war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah, although Iran and mediator Pakistan said it does.

The fleeting sense of relief among Lebanese after the ceasefire announcement turned into panic with what Israel’s military called its largest coordinated strike in the current war, saying it had hit more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes in Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Black smoke towered over several parts of the seaside capital, where a huge number of people displaced by war have taken shelter. Explosions interrupted the honking of traffic on what had been a bustling, blue-sky afternoon. Ambulances raced toward open flames. Apartment buildings were struck.

Associated Press journalists saw charred bodies in vehicles and on the ground at one of Beirut’s busiest intersections in the central Corniche al Mazraa neighborhood, a mixed commercial and residential area. Using forklifts, rescue workers removed smoldering debris and sifted through ruins for survivors.

There was no sign of Hezbollah launching strikes against Israel in the first couple of hours after the attacks.

In response to the attacks on Lebanon, Iran later Wednesday said it was again halting the movement of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the country's state-run media reported.

A deadly midday barrage

Central Beirut has been targeted before, but not by so many strikes at once and in the middle of the day. Israel had rarely struck central Beirut since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2 but has regularly struck southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Lebanon's Minister of Social Affairs, Haneed Sayed, in an interview with The Associated Press condemned Israel’s wide range of strikes, calling it a “very dangerous turning point.”

“These hits are now at the heart of Beirut … Half of the sheltered (internally displaced people) are in Beirut in this area,” she said, adding that she had just driven by areas hit.

She said Lebanon's government is ready to enter into negotiations with Israel for an end to hostilities, an offer that the Lebanese president previously made. Israel has not responded. “There are calls and efforts being made as we speak," Sayed said.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in a statement accused Israel of escalating at a moment when Lebanese officials were seeking to negotiate a solution, and of hitting civilian areas in “utter disregard for the principles of international law and international humanitarian law — principles it has, in any case, never respected.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the Israeli attacks “barbaric.” Lebanon's health ministry said that along with the 182 killed, at least 890 people were wounded in the strikes. Altogether, 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon in just over five weeks since the outbreak of the war.

Israel's military said it had targeted missile launchers, command centers and intelligence infrastructure. It accused Hezbollah fighters of trying to “blend into” non-Shiite Muslim areas beyond their traditional strongholds.

Residents and local officials denied that the buildings hit were military sites.

“Look at these crimes,” said Mohammed Balouza, a member of Beirut’s municipal council, at the scene of a strike in Corniche al Mazraa. An apartment building behind a popular shop selling nuts and dried fruit had been hit. “This is a residential area. There is nothing (military) here.”

An Israeli warning and a defiant Hezbollah

As the smoke rose Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem that “his turn will come.” In 2024, Israel killed Hezbollah's previous leader, Hassan Nasrallah, with an airstrike.

Katz called Wednesday's strikes the largest blow against Hezbollah since the attack that caused pagers used by hundreds of its members to explode almost simultaneously in September 2024.

Before the new strikes, a Hezbollah official told the AP that the group was giving a chance for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon, but “we have not announced our adherence to the ceasefire since the Israelis are not adhering to it.” He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The Hezbollah official said the group will not accept a return to the pre-March 2 status quo, when Israel carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire being nominally in place since the last full-blown Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November 2024.

“We will not accept for the Israelis to continue behaving as they did before this war with regards to attacks,” he said.

Hezbollah had fired missiles across the border days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, sparking a regional war. Israel responded with widespread bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion.

The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir, said the attacks are to protect Israel’s northern residents, who have come under heavy fire.

The Israeli military has said it has killed hundreds of Hezbollah fighters. More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon.

Early Wednesday, after the Iran ceasefire was announced and before Israel struck, many displaced people sleeping in tents on the streets of Beirut and the coastal city of Sidon had begun packing their belongings in preparation to return home.

Families at a sprawling displacement camp on Beirut’s waterfront later expressed confusion and despair.

“We can’t take this anymore, sleeping in a tent, not showering, the uncertainty,” said Fadi Zaydan, 35. He and his parents had prepared to head back to the southern city of Nabatieh. Instead, they decided to wait things out in Sidon, a bit closer to home.

___

Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre and AP journalists Hussein Mallah and Fadi Tawil in Beirut, Michelle Price in Washington and Melanie Lidman in Eilat, Israel, contributed to this report.

Speaking at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s annual conference in Austin, Patrick said it is imperative for the loser of Republicans’ rancorous Senate primary runoff — whether it’s U.S. Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton — to support the winner against Democratic candidate James Talarico. The Austin state representative locked up his party’s nomination in March and will face whoever emerges from the May 26 GOP election, which has already seen both candidates resume their mudslinging after a vicious first round.

Without a unifying endorsement from the runoff loser, Patrick cautioned, Republicans could lose the Senate seat, an outcome he said would guarantee Democratic control of the upper chamber in Washington. A divided GOP also could imperil down-ballot candidates, he added, pointing to the 2018 midterms when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz narrowly defeated former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke and a recent special election for a ruby red Texas Senate seat won by a Democrat in a district President Donald Trump had carried by 17 points in 2024.

“Get over it and come together as one,” Patrick said, aiming his comments at Cornyn and Paxton. “We’re going to have a tough time holding the Texas House.”

Patrick, the presiding officer of the Texas Senate, said he thinks his own chamber ”is in good shape,” then repeated his point that Cornyn and Paxton are “going to have to help House members.”

In 2018, when Trump was first in office, Texas Democrats flipped 12 seats in the state House. Republicans have controlled the lower chamber since 2003 and currently hold 88 of its 150 seats. Democrats would need to flip at least 14 seats to win a majority.

In the state Senate, the GOP has a 20-11 advantage.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, responded to Patrick’s remark on social media without mentioning his counterpart by name.

“We will not lose the Texas House. We will fight to retain every Republican seat,” Burrows said. “I look forward to the fall campaign where we get to talk about Texas’ prosperity under Republican leadership; and, I trust the voters of Texas to continue to vote for conservative government up and down the ballot!”

The warning from Patrick, the state’s second-ranking elected official, is the latest to suggest Republicans are worried about backlash to President Donald Trump’s policies. No Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994, and Republicans are coming off a 2024 cycle in which Trump carried Texas by nearly 14 points.

Patrick is up for reelection himself, seeking a fourth four-year term. He won his March primary, easily fending off three lesser-known opponents, and will face the winner of the Democratic runoff between state Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin and union leader Marcos Vélez.

Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

In a letter provided to The Texas Tribune, Democrats raised concerns about a 2024 tax filing showing that the Texas Public Policy Foundation awarded $70,000 to the Texas Center at Schreiner University in Kerrville for the purposes of developing state learning standards, which outline what students should know before they graduate.

Donald Frazier, a Texas historian, is director of the Texas Center. Last year, State Board of Education members appointed him as one of nine expert advisers responsible for helping guide the state as it rewrites how public schools will teach social studies for years to come.

In the letter signed by all five Democrats on the board, members called for “a comprehensive and independent investigation” into the conditions of the $70,000 grant, agreements between Frazier and the conservative think tank and actions taken by Frazier during Texas’ social studies rewrite that may have influenced decisions.

“Given the scope and significance of this work, which impacts more than 5.5 million public school students across Texas, it is essential that the process remain transparent, objective, and free from undue influence,” the letter states.

“Board members have devoted significant time to hearing public testimony and reviewing extensive input from Texans across the state, many of whom have already expressed concern about the pace and transparency of this process,” the letter continues. “Proceeding without resolving these issues risks undermining public trust and calls into question the validity of any final decisions.

In emails to the Tribune, Frazier defended the grant, saying his private university works with organizations from across the state. Frazier noted that as an adviser to the State Board of Education, he provides recommendations but that the board maintains final say on what students will be required to learn.

“Texas Public Policy hired us to discuss Texas ideas, which is what we do,” Frazier said. “Apparently, we are good enough at it that our time is valuable. The idea that I am some Great Oz figure with huge influence on this state board process, while flattering, is wishful thinking.”

“Clearly someone doesn’t like what I have to say, which is lamentable, but not surprising in today’s environment,” he added. “I’d love to visit with the aggravated folks one-on-one, or even face-to-face, but these accusers and insinuators have not reached out.”

Asked what he produced for the conservative organization, Frazier directed the Tribune to his department’s website, saying his passion is “demonstrating the connections between the world, US, and national story.”

The Texas Public Policy Foundation said in a statement, “This is obviously a delaying tactic by certain members of the SBOE.”

“They should focus on the quality and merits of the curriculum and ensure that Texas students are getting the best possible education,” said Brian Phillips, a spokesperson for the Austin-based conservative think tank.

Phillips did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about what Frazier’s team produced under the agreement.

The State Board of Education began last year to redesign Texas’ social studies standards. The board plans to vote on the standards this summer, with classroom implementation expected in 2030.

Up to this point, a Republican majority of the group has approved plans to center Texas and U.S. history in social studies while deemphasizing world cultures, world history and geography. The panel of nine advisers has helped guide the process, almost all of whom have no K-12 classroom experience in Texas and several of whom have ties to conservative activism.

Critics say the panel has assumed full control of Texas’ social studies rewrite and undermined teacher expertise, when in previous years, teachers have normally guided the process. Draft proposals of the social studies changes, critics argue, prioritize memorization over critical thinking and simplification over accuracy. They also say the current plan focuses heavily on Western civilization at the expense of other cultures, lacks historical perspective of people of color and prioritizes Christianity over other major world religions.

Frazier previously served as chair of Texas’ 1836 Project advisory committee — the state’s counter to The 1619 Project, a collection of essays from the New York Times that examined the foundational role slavery played in the forming of the U.S.

He was appointed a social studies adviser to the State Board of Education last year. Since then, he has become a vocal leader of the group, often one of the first to provide his thoughts and perspective in public meetings.

“I am pleased by the move toward a narrative approach to history, and an emphasis on Western

Civilization as shaping the bedrock principles of our nation. I am glad to see an open discussion

of Christianity as an influential force in shaping the American character,” Frazier recently wrote. “Other world religions are treated with respect in most cases, yet the single most important shaper of American culture is sometimes treated with trepidation. Mentioning Christianity is not proselytizing, but rather an admission of the reality of the history of the United States.”

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, meanwhile, holds significant influence in state politics, often hosting events with top Republican leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, and leading conservative policy debates at the Legislature. In the past year, the organization has been a strong advocate for a Texas-centric approach to social studies instruction.

During a September board meeting, Matthew McCormick, the organization’s education director, was asked directly by a board member if the group had any involvement in the development of the current social studies framework.

“TPPF was not involved,” McCormick responded.

On Tuesday, Democratic board member Marisa B. Pérez-Díaz asked Republican board chair Aaron Kinsey when the board could discuss the working relationship between Frazier and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Several Republican board members objected to Pérez-Díaz asking questions about the connection, saying the board needed to instead focus on social studies content.

“One of the challenges with the question is she made an assertion that it was for a certain purpose — whatever she was talking about — some payment. I haven’t seen that,” Kinsey said of Pérez-Díaz’s inquiry. “I don’t know anything about any private contracts. I know about SBOE contracts; I know about my business contracts. I don’t know anything else, so I can’t tell you when I can advise on that, because I don’t have information on that. Nor do I anticipate giving information.”

Tom Maynard, one of two Republicans who appointed Frazier as an adviser on social studies standards — referred to as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS — called insinuations that Frazier engaged in wrongdoing “troubling.”

“I think the implication is that there’s some sort of quid pro quo,” Maynard said. “There’s no evidence, and it’s just a smear tactic, and I think it’s not productive. And I think we need to stay focused on what we’re doing here and move forward and get TEKS done and not play political games with this thing.”

Democrats, however, said they consider the process “too important to continue under a cloud of uncertainty.”

“We must ensure that any standards adopted by this board reflect the highest level of integrity,” their statement said, “and serve the best interests of all Texas students.”

Disclosure: New York Times, Schreiner University and Texas Public Policy Foundation 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.

Wednesday, April 8

• Houston Underwater Film Festival returns this weekend with stunning ocean films 🌊🌊
• • School, college and scuba students: claim a free ticket by emailing huff@hups.org
  • Houston Underwater Film Festival Tickets
• Celebrate Earth Month by sipping sustainably!
• • Wine and Travel Contributor Daniela Garrido
• Comerica Shred Day Houston
• Kathryn Emery Home Improvement & Lifestyle Expert
• Kid-trepreneur Dylan Emery

Tuesday, April 7

• Grand Marshals Kam Franklin & Brian Ching preview the 39th annual Art Car Parade
• • Houston Art Car Parade
• This Texas artist is turning Titanic artifacts into art
• • Souls of the Titanic
• In Houston, Your Windows May Not Last as Long—Here’s What to Know (and What to Do About It)
• • Pella Windows and Doors
• Houston’s Trillest Chef bringing bold flavors of H-Town the national stage
• • Follow Chef Machete on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 6

• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Sysco’s World Cup-themed food show is a preview of how Houston plans to feed the world
• • Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
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• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
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• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • "Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again"
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• How Autism Moms of Houston became a lifeline for families raising children who are neurodivergent
• • Autism Moms of Houston
  • Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
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• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

SEEN ON HL 2025 ARCHIVE

SEEN ON HL 2024 ARCHIVE

SEEN ON HL 2023 ARCHIVE

What makes this series unique? Authentic Titanic artifacts aren’t just inspiration for Strangely, they are the art itself. He incorporates real coal recovered from the Titanic wreck and mounts it on 1912-era paper to create mixed-media portraits of real passengers, including notable figures like Captain Edward John Smith and Ida and Isidor Straus. The series transforms historical objects into tangible art, creating a deep, emotional connection to the lives behind one of history’s most unforgettable tragedies.

“The concept of Artifactism™ is to let history become the work itself,” Strangely explains. “I wanted to give people something tangible they could connect with, to feel the humanity behind the story of the Titanic.”

The experience goes beyond the gallery. On April 14, 2026, Guadalaharry’s Bar & Grill in Conroe will host an anniversary dinner inspired by Titanic’s final first-class meal. Guests will enjoy a multi-course menu, surrounded by original music played by a live string quartet performing Titanic bandleader Wallace Hartley’s repertoire. What started as an intimate event for family and friends has grown into a one-night opportunity for the public to engage with history through art, food, and music.

Tickets are available for themed First, Second, and Third Class experiences, all including access to the exhibition. To reserve your passage aboard this unforgettable journey, visit his the website, here.

The event gives shoppers a rare chance to browse women’s designer clothing, shoes and purses donated by some of Houston’s best dressed. Brands on the racks include Prada, Jimmy Choo, Chanel and Betsy Johnson, among others.

All year long, the Women’s Auxiliary sets aside the best donations to the Salvation Army specifically for this sale.

We also found racks of clothing with the tags still on!

Every dollar raised stays in Houston, going directly toward Salvation Army programs including after-school programs, homeless shelters, housing assistance and veteran outreach.

MORE: Programs supported by The Salvation Army

Chic Boutique hours

Wednesday, April 8

Hours: 3 to 7 p.m.

A $20 donation at the door is required for Wednesday’s preview event.

Thursday, April 9, through Saturday, April 11

admission is free

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Chic Boutique is located at 3403 Richmond Ave., at the corner of Richmond and Buffalo Speedway in Houston.

Let us know what deals you find!

Because of their love of diving, the husband and wife duo Craig and Betsy Beasley founded the festival six years ago to show the beautiful diversity of marine life and connect underwater cinematographers with their audience.

Founded six years ago by husband-and-wife duo Craig and Betsy Beasley, the festival grew out of their shared passion for diving and a desire to showcase the beauty and diversity of marine life. What started as a niche idea has evolved into a global platform connecting underwater filmmakers with audiences right here in Houston.

Dive Deeper

• Dive into the 4th Annual Houston Underwater Film Festival
• 🌊🌊 From sea to screen: Celebrate five years of underwater filmmaking in Houston

This year’s lineup features 58 films from 22 countries, highlighting a wide range of storytelling styles and perspectives. A special “Made in Texas” category also spotlights local creators bringing their own underwater experiences to the screen.e in Texas.”

But what does it take to capture life beneath the waves? Today on “Houston Life” the Beasley’s were joined by a cinematographer specializing in ocean videography and photography. Watch the video above to hear about his experience in the deep.

The festival runs April 11 and 12, offering a one-of-a-kind experience for film lovers, ocean enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike.

Guests attending Saturday’s screenings can stick around for a raffle and an informal “Meet the Filmmakers” event. On Sunday, the festival wraps with a reception and awards ceremony. Entry to the reception is free, with an optional buffet available for $10.

Event details

• April 11 – 12
• 3 p.m. showtime on both days
• Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston
• Tickets start at $15
• For info and tickets, visit huff.hups.org

But wait! Thanks to a generous donation by the American Charitable Watersports Association (ACWA) students can attend the tow-day festival at no cost. If you’re enrolled in a K-12 school system, college or in a scuba certification program, email huff@hups.org to claim your ticket before they’re gone.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the breathtaking beauty of the ocean on the big screen!

The par-3 16th is famous for Woods hitting that pitch that made a U-turn at the top of the slope, hung on the edge of the cup and dropped during his 2005 victory. No eyes were on the beautiful Redbud shrub with its vibrant pink blooms.

The par-3 12th hole is associated with its name on the scorecard, “Golden Bell,” a yellow bloom native to Asia. Ask just about any player at the Masters if they've ever seen a Golden Bell and it's doubtful. It blooms in late winter. The Masters is golf's rite of spring.

“I’ve played the 12th enough. I’m sure I’ve seen one somewhere,” Rory McIlroy said.

Pebble Beach is the felicitous meeting of land and sea. Augusta National is the greatest garden in golf, because that's what it was before Bobby Jones went looking for land to build his golf course and found the 365-acre Fruitland Nurseries.

“Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it,” Jones said when he first laid eyes on the property.

He took out an option for $70,000.

Augusta National doesn't speak in numbers — from the size of the gallery to how fast the greens are running on the Stimpmeter — but the course is believed to have some 80,000 flowering plants and trees on its immaculate landscape.

The flora is such an integral part of Augusta National that each hole is named for a tree or a shrub that can be found on that hole.

“I know azalea is one of them,” Dustin Johnson said.

Good guess. It took him a few seconds to associate “Azalea” with the iconic par-5 13th, which has approximately 1,600 azalea bushes, many of them surrounding the back of the green.

Remarkably, Johnson knew the seventh hole was named, “Pampas,” a grass bush native to Argentina that grows about 12 feet high and blooms in late summer. The hole used to be 340 yards with no bunkers. Now it's 450 yards, straight and narrow and tough.

“Perfect name,” Johnson said, “because it is an ass of a hole.”

Johnson also knew there was a dogwood or two on the scorecard without knowing exactly where (Pink Dogwood for No. 2, White Dogwood for No. 11). And there's no shame in that.

Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler — the No. 1 player in the world, and with a degree from Texas in finance, not horticulture — paused under the live oak next to the clubhouse when asked how many plants he could name associated with each hole.

“Magnolia for 5?” he asked. He hit one of his purest shots on the fifth hole when he won in 2022. He didn't have to venture into the magnolia trees behind the tree.

He also named Azalea and Golden Bell — “I got more than I thought,” he said — but whiffed on Holly, the red-berry bushes found on both sides of the 18th tee.

McIlroy, the defending champion, has a greater appreciation of history and heritage than most golfers. He didn't think he could get the names on all 18 holes before rattling off Firethorn (15), Azalea, Golden Bell, Pink Dogwood ... and then he stumbled.

“White Dogwood, 10?” he said.

No. The 10th hole is Camelia, another one that typically blooms well before the Masters.

The beauty of Augusta National cannot be overstated, and its history of flora is rich. Fruitland Nurseries dates to 1858, a partnership between a Belgian baron named Louis Berckmans and his son, Prosper. They imported trees and plants from all over the world. The nursery ceased operations in 1918 after they died. What remained were a long row of magnolias that had been planted before the Civil War, and the azalea bush that Prosper Berckmans popularized.

A word about the famous azaleas at Augusta National.

No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters. There have been the occasional “green” Masters without many blooms, and that almost was the case this year. The blooms are fading but still colorful.

The staff will get to work two days after the Masters is over, fertilizing and pruning. And it takes great care — the azalea bushes are pruned by hand, a project that can take three months.

There is one palm tree at Augusta National, just to the right of the green on the par-3 fourth. The name of the hole later was changed from Palm to Flowering Crabapple with its red, pink and white blooms (they usually pop right after the Masters).

That tripped up Chris Gotterup, one of the 22 newcomers to the Masters this year.

“Is every hole named after a flower?" Gotterup said Monday. “Because we were playing 4 today. Is palm a flower?”

It all weaves together in a magnificent landscape, a deceptive beauty as the backdrop to intense pressure trying to win one of golf's grandest prizes. Jones might have summed it up best.

"Never was the iron gauntlet of challenge more skillfully concealed in velvet.”

___

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

The arrests follow a coordinated multi-agency raid on multiple locations throughout the east Houston community.

OUR FIRST REPORT: 10 suspects arrested for gun, drug charges as Houston FBI leads raids across Clinton Park neighborhood

Federal prosecutors released the identities of the suspects arrested on April 7. The suspects have also begun making their initial appearances in federal court.

The arrests come after indictments returned in March were unsealed during the court proceedings.

Two additional suspects are already in custody on related charges.

Individuals Arrested in the Raid

The eight individuals arrested on April 7 are:

• Anthony Means, 51
• Corre Deandre Plater, 36
• Damian Ray Broussard, 39
• Emanuel Walker, 30
• Johnnie Lee Chatmon, 51
• Leroy Lumpkin, 55
• Quentin Mayes, 51
• Stacy Lawton, 46

Two others involved in the operation include:

• Ronald Maddox, 42: Previously arrested and still in custody pending additional proceedings
• Justin Leonard, 39: Charged in a separate but related complaint, expected to make his federal court appearance soon

Suspects’ Criminal Backgrounds

Nine of the 10 suspects have criminal records and convictions in Harris County.

The lone outlier is Emanuel Walker, who had one misdemeanor case that was dismissed.

Many of the suspects had lengthy criminal records, including multiple felony convictions.

Six of the 10 were defendants in between 14 and 18 criminal cases in the Harris County, with charges including cocaine and firearm possession, unauthorized use of vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a public servant, and assault of a family member.

Alleged Criminal Activity

According to federal court documents, the group allegedly trafficked fentanyl, crystal meth, cocaine, crack cocaine, counterfeit prescription pills, and firearms within the Clinton Park neighborhood.

Walker and Leonard are accused of selling cocaine, crystal meth, and approximately 3,000 meth-containing pills.

Leonard also allegedly sold a significant quantity of crack cocaine from a Clinton Park residence.

Authorities reportedly seized over 30 firearms, along with cocaine, crack cocaine, pills containing meth or fentanyl, crystal meth, heroin, marijuana, prescription pills, and cash.

The indictments show that the operation targeted an organized network involved in both drug distribution and firearms trafficking.

Potential Penalties

Penalties vary depending on the charges and defendants:

• Mayes, Chatmon, and Walker face up to 40 years in federal prison for drug offenses.
• The remaining defendants could face life imprisonment for combined drug and firearms charges.
• Each defendant may also be subject to fines of up to $250,000 per count.

Multi-Agency Operation

The raids were part of a federal investigation led by FBI Houston as part of “Operation Spring Cleaning,” with assistance from:

• Houston Police Department investigators and SWAT units
• FBI San Antonio SWAT
• U.S. Marshals Service
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Texas Department of Public Safety troopers
• Houston Fire Department

Such a swift collapse may not entirely come as a surprise, however, because neither side had seemed able to agree on even the basic contours of the key issues being discussed.

Would Iran using its military to regulate the flow of ships on the Strait of Hormuz mean it still effectively controls the waterway? What about Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium?

Might the two-week ceasefire extend to Israel's attacks on Lebanon? Could Iran possibly press for a huge financial windfall, a lifting of international sanctions and even a drawdown of U.S. forces in the Middle East just to keep things on track?

From the beginning the answers depended on whom you talk to.

Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump posted Tuesday night on his social media site that the ceasefire was subject to Iran agreeing to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz,” the waterway leading out of the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported during peacetime.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday during a media briefing at the Pentagon that the strait was open and that the U.S. military was “hanging around” the region to make sure. Hours later, however, Iran announced that the strait was closing again in response to Israel's strikes in Lebanon.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later at a briefing with reporters that Iran had to reopen the waterway “immediately, quickly and safely.”

Even if that happens, Iran says shipping traffic can resume only under the management of its military. That means Tehran can still make the case it is controlling the strait, and therefore retaining crucial global political and economic leverage, and could also charge ships stiff levies to use it, quickly generating billions in new revenue.

Leavitt said Trump is opposed to charging tolls for ship to pass through the strait.

Uranium enrichment

Iran says its peace plan includes Washington’s “acceptance of enrichment” of uranium for Tehran’s nuclear program. But that would undermine a key Trump objective since the start of the war that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

Trump offered a different assessment, posting on Wednesday that a peace agreement would entail the U.S. working with Iran to “dig up” enriched uranium. The Trump administration says that material was buried as a result of joint U.S-Israeli strikes in June.

But what the Republican president said was different from what Hegseth said. The Pentagon chief said Tehran will either "give it to us voluntarily” or the U.S. might do “something like” its strikes last summer, when the U.S. and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear sites.

Leavitt said ending all Iranian uranium enrichment remains a “red line” for Trump and that Tehran had given indications it would be willing to turn over such materials.

Lebanon

Iran also says that ceasing hostilities in Lebanon, where Israel has dramatically stepped up attacks in recent weeks, will be part of larger peace negotiations.

That was consistent with what Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country is a key moderator in the peace process, said in announcing the ceasefire between Iran ​and the United States on X — that it would extend to Lebanon.

But Trump indicated that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire. Leavitt said the same.

That aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which said in a statement that the two-week suspension of strikes in Iran does not include the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Other key points of possible peace plans

When Iran first offered a 10-point peace plan to halt the war on Monday, Trump called it “not good enough.”

But then, about 90 minutes before his Tuesday night deadline to begin wide-scale U.S. attacks on Iran's bridges and power grid, the president announced a two-week ceasefire and described Iran's proposal as a “workable basis on which to negotiate.”

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran,” Trump wrote, explaining why he was backing off his threats for massive attacks on nonmilitary targets.

Iran appeared to reject that on Wednesday, saying negotiations with the U.S. were “unreasonable."

What the two sides might have been discussing was not clear.

Leavitt said only that the Iranians “originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded” and that it was “literally thrown in the garbage” by Trump.

But, she said, Iran later “acknowledged reality” and “put forward a more reasonable and entirely different” plan that Trump and U.S. negotiators can align with their own 15-point proposal.

Leavitt did not provide details about what Iran offered to change, and American officials are not saying much about their plan for fear that doing so could jeopardize talks with Iran.

Complicating matters is the fact that Iran has released a series of 10-point plans to guide negotiations, with many of the versions differing slightly, often seemingly depending on whether they were written in English or Farsi.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says “the United States has, in principle, ⁠committed to" a series of key points — many of which seem to be nonstarters, considering long-standing U.S. positions.

It says the U.S. is ready to guarantee a lasting peace and no new attacks, a continuation of Iran's control over the strait, acceptance that Iran can enrich uranium and removal of all U.S. economic and other sanctions from Iran. That would include, it says, restrictions on international entities doing business in that country, as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions against the government in Tehran.

The council also says the U.S. has agreed in principle to ending international oversight of Iran's nuclear program, to compensate Iran for war damages, a ceasefire extending to Lebanon and a withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces from the region.

That last one would be nothing short of extraordinary, given that the U.S. has maintained a network of military bases through the Persian Gulf for decades — since the conclusion of the 1991 Gulf War with Iraq. The lifting of all sanctions also seems like an unlikely prospect for the U.S. to agree to.

Details are scarce about the US peace proposal

Trump rejected many of those points as “a FRAUD.” Leavitt dismissed it as an “Iranian wish list."

In an online post, he said there is “only one group of meaningful ‘POINTS’ that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations.”

The Mother Road, as author John Steinbeck dubbed it, has evolved over the years from an escape for poor farmers fleeing the devastating dust storms of the 1930s to perhaps the quintessential American road trip that’s still delivering kicks.

Although there have been faster and more direct routes between the nation’s second- and third-largest cities for some time, Route 66’s neon still burns brightly and its vintage signs beckon travelers to restored motor lodges, classic diners and roadside attractions.

Each stop turns the wheels of the imagination, leaving travelers to contemplate what life was like for the people and communities that have made the road hum over the years.

Illinois

Chicago has long been one of the country’s economic engines, with access to international waters and railroads that linked all corners of the country. In the 1920s, Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known as the Father of Route 66, knew it wouldn’t be long before automobiles would dominate the transportation landscape, and the Windy City would be the perfect place to start the journey he envisioned.

A member of the federal highway board appointed to map the U.S. highway system, Avery opted to go with the number 66. He knew those double digits were ripe for marketing and could be seared into the minds of motorists.

For some travelers, the journey is fueled more by the food than the scenery, and there’s plenty to choose from — slices of homemade pie, thick shakes, cheeseburgers and an assortment of fried delights.

The Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, the Illinois capital, is one of the many diners that sprang up along Route 66, and its breaded hot dogs on a stick have stood the test of time. Third-generation owner Josh Waldmire says the recipe is a secret.

Waldmire’s grandfather, Ed, saw the concoction’s potential as fast and convenient road food and developed a system for frying the dogs vertically.

Missouri

Route 66 has its share of twists and turns, and it’s no surprise that a highway famous for its quirky roadside attractions would cross the nation’s most famous river on one of the more peculiar bridges known to modern engineering.

As the road nears St. Louis, the mile-long (1.6-kilometer-long) Chain of Rocks Bridge hovers more than 60 feet (18 meters) above the Mississippi River.

Engineers eventually built a straighter, higher-speed option, and a poor resale market spared the original bridge from the scrap heap. Today it’s reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.

A median in Missouri is home to St. Robert Route 66 Neon Park, which features orphaned neon signs that once beckoned travelers to stop at certain sites and businesses along the highway. Often handcrafted, they weren’t only markers for motels, cafes and gas stations, but were also folk art and symbols of local culture.

Kansas

The Sunflower State hosts only a short stretch of Route 66, but it packs a punch with the Kan-O-Tex Service Station in Galena. A classic example of roadside fare, the station served as inspiration for the animated 2006 Pixar film “Cars.”

Director John Lasseter and his crew took road trips along the route, digging into history and looking for elements that could bring the project to life. It was in Galena where they spotted the old boom truck that served as the basis for the character Tow Mater. The plot wasn’t far off, as so many once bustling towns — like the fictional Radiator Springs — nearly faded away after being bypassed by an interstate.

Kansas also is home to the Brush Creek Bridge, otherwise known as the Rainbow Bridge. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of few remaining examples of the concrete arched bridges designed by James Barney Marsh.

Oklahoma

There was a real danger for some who traveled the road, particularly Black motorists passing through inhospitable and segregated areas during the Jim Crow era. The Green Book — a guide first published in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green — listed hotels, restaurants and gas stations that would serve Black customers.

The Threatt Filling Station near Luther wasn’t listed in The Green Book, but it was a safe haven — not only for getting fuel, but for barbecue and baseball. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was the only known Black-owned and operated gas station along Route 66.

Route 66 is littered with abandoned buildings and faded signs, but one example of the highway’s resilient spirit stands tall in Sapulpa, near Tulsa. The restored Tee Pee Drive-In Theater offers a step back into the 1950s, when the booming car culture helped spawn thousands of drive-in theaters nationwide.

Built in 1949, the drive-in officially opened in the spring of 1950 with a screening of John Wayne’s “Tycoon.” It was one of the few drive-ins at the time to have paved pathways. Over the years, it survived a tornado, a fire that destroyed the concession stand and break-ins before being shuttered for more than 20 years. It reopened in 2023.

Texas

Blink and you might miss it, but a stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo is a must for any Route 66 journey. For decades, visitors have been spray-painting the 10 vintage Cadillacs at the site and mulling the transitory nature of time as Bruce Springsteen did in his 1980 song of the same name.

It’s not a ranch, but rather a public art installation created in 1974 by the art and architecture collective Ant Farm. At first, the cars — which were half-buried front-down at a 60-degree angle — were used for target practice. Others would scratch their initials into the metal. The spray painting started later.

Arrive in Adrian and you’re halfway through your trip. Steps from a white line marking the midpoint of Route 66 is the Midway Cafe, where the “ugly pies” are anything but.

If you’re still hungry, head back to Amarillo for a 72-ounce (2 kilogram) steak and all the sides at The Big Texan. If you can finish the meal in an hour or less, it's free.

New Mexico

More than half of Route 66 cuts through sovereign Native American lands, often tracing routes used by tribes long before settlers arrived. Much like the railroad in the 1800s, the highway opened the door to a new era of commerce, but it also fueled stereotypes about cultures along the way.

There are still faded and crumbling references to tipis and feathered headdresses at some stops along the historic highway. The symbols were easily appropriated for marketing by roadside vendors but weren't indicative of the separate and distinct Native American cultures in the area.

Today, tribes are telling their own stories and showcasing their creations, whether it be pottery, fruit pies or poems.

Albuquerque boasts the longest intact urban stretch of Route 66. Those 18 miles (29 kilometers) pass through several neighborhoods and business districts, from historic Old Town to Nob Hill.

Some of the old motor lodges and neon signs along what is now Central Avenue have been restored. Other signs are being reimagined using hubcaps, elaborate lowrider-inspired paint jobs and New Mexico’s classic yellow and red license plates in a nod to the car culture that is very much still alive in the city.

Arizona

Musician Jackson Browne was taking his own road trip in the early 1970s when his car left him stranded in Winslow. The experience inspired the lyrics to the Eagles’ hit “Take it Easy.” But it’s certainly not the only song that is a must-have for a Route 66 playlist.

Bobby Troup created a classic American road anthem in the 1940s with “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and Depeche Mode carried it through the decades, each covering the song with their own flair.

While standing on a corner in Winslow, don’t be surprised if someone saunters up with a guitar and starts strumming favorites from their own road trip playlist.

Before leaving the state, the one-time gold mining town of Oatman features a Wild West atmosphere, daily staged shootouts and beloved burros. Oatman was a destination along one of the original alignments of Route 66 via a treacherous path through the Black Mountains, but it was later bypassed as part of improvements made in the 1950s.

California

Once a desert oasis, Roy’s Motel & Café in Amboy is a quintessential Route 66 landmark. The towering neon sign is one of the most photographed spots along the road. Inside, foreign currency left by international visitors lines one wall. Across the street, a clothing post decorated with shoes, shirts and other items juts up from the desert floor.

This stretch of the highway through the Mojave Desert offers a special kind of solitude. The pavement gets rough in spots and the landscape takes charge, showing off Joshua trees, wide-open spaces and the remnants of ancient volcanic activity.

Much of the area is undeveloped, meaning it looks a lot like it would have when Route 66 was commissioned in 1926.

After making it through oft-congested Los Angeles, the iconic Santa Monica Pier marks the end of the line, and it’s nothing short of a perpetual party with a steady stream of spectators and performers. Although many stretches of Route 66 have lapsed into decay, the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean are a reminder of the pursuits made possible by the road over the last century.

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Associated Press writers John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois, and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

The four-time WNBA champion will be a studio analyst and also host a series of feature stories on NBC and Peacock throughout the league's 30th season which begins on May 8.

“I’ve been circling broadcasting for a long time now,” Bird told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday. “Given NBC’s history and legacy and where the WNBA is now, I am excited to be part of it.

"It needed to be the right fit, the right people, the right network."

The NBC broadcasts will also feature a version of “Roundball Rock” — John Tesh’s iconic theme song that was the soundtrack of the network’s coverage of the WNBA from 1997 until 2002. It had been used on NBA broadcasts on the network from 1990-2002 before being brought back this year when NBC took over broadcasting games again.

NBC Sports has more than 20 games across the regular season, playoffs and WNBA Finals this year.

“Anytime anyone hears it, whether you're a basketball fan or not, it's really recognizable,” Bird said. “Turn the TV on as a spectator or fan on the couch, if that’s the first thing you hear there’s an excitement that comes with it.”

Bird’s rookie season in Seattle in 2002 was NBC’s last with the WNBA until now.

“There is no more accomplished player in the history of the WNBA and arguably in all of women’s sports than Sue Bird,” said Betsy Riley, Senior Vice President and WNBA Coordinating Producer of NBC Sports. “Sue’s knowledge of the game is unmatched and will bring fans closer to the sport they love, both through analysis and storytelling.”

Portions of Bird's features, which will be a behind-the-scenes- look at the league that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season, will air on TV with the extended versions available digitally.

Bird has hosted podcasts for the past few years and also was on ESPN for six years providing an alt-cast with Diana Taurasi for the women's Final Four and championship games.

“I really enjoy telling stories as it’s something that comes naturally to me,” Bird said. “I cut my teeth on the podcasts I’m involved in — ‘Bird’s Eye View.’ My goal was to tell the stories of these players. Those are the features I’m doing with NBC as well.”

Bird won four WNBA championships in Seattle, where she played her entire 19-year career. She earned 13 All-Star selections and was the league's all-time leader in assists (3,234), starts (580) and minutes played (18,080). Bird was the No. 1 pick by Seattle in 2002 after leading UConn to two national championships in her time at the school.

She was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. Bird also had a decorated international career, winning five Olympic gold medals.

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

At Johnson Space Center, Paul Reichert, a photography and video specialist in flight operations, said capturing imagery during the lunar flyby was one of several key objectives for the mission.

“There’s a whole science team at NASA that is interested in the imagery that comes from the lunar flyby,” Reichert said. “We had to figure out what equipment would satisfy those requirements.”

The crew aboard the Orion spacecraft is using a mix of professional-grade cameras and consumer technology to document the mission. That includes a Nikon D5 equipped with an 80–400-millimeter lens for detailed shots of the moon’s surface, including craters, as well as wide-angle lenses for capturing stars and broader views.

A Nikon Z9 camera with a 35 millimeter lens was used to capture events such as a solar eclipse, while GoPro cameras provide live views to mission control, allowing teams on the ground to follow along and share imagery more broadly.

Reichert said the selection process was shaped by strict limitations inside the Orion capsule, where only about 15 to 20 pounds of camera equipment can be carried, along with tight storage constraints.

“We tried to pick equipment that could do the most with what we had,” he said.

That meant choosing versatile gear capable of handling multiple scenarios, from wide interior shots of the crew inside the capsule to zoomed-in images of the moon. Reichert said the spacecraft flies about 5,000 miles from the moon, requiring longer lenses to capture detailed images.

The result is a blend of old and new technology. Some cameras are used straight out of the box, while others required software and hardware modifications to function in space, particularly to withstand radiation.

Even smartphones are part of the toolkit. Each astronaut carries an iPhone, allowing for quick photos and video inside the tight cabin, where larger cameras can be difficult to maneuver.

“All of these cameras are tools,” Reichert said. “Across all of them, they’ve created some really great imagery.”

Reichert said he was impressed while reviewing the images as they were transmitted back to Earth.

“There were several times I looked at a photo and said, ‘Are you kidding me? Wow,’” he said.

He said the images also reflect the training astronauts receive before flight, including learning how to capture photos in space.

“You take these astronauts … and you kind of mold them into understanding how you get these photos,” Reichert said. “And to really see them nail it … made me feel great.”

Todd Edwards, the former head of the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, will be sentenced on June 9, 2026, at 10 a.m.

He is facing 5-20 years in prison.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston public official accused of misusing millions in public funds

Edwards was previously accused of improperly diverting millions of dollars connected to housing developments in Houston’s Third Ward.

Authorities allege the money was meant to support public housing initiatives.

• RELATED: ‘That’s classic public corruption’: Felony charges filed after ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into shady contracts

The case stems from a broader investigation into the use of public funds tied to housing and redevelopment efforts in the Houston area.

• RELATED: Former Houston water department manager now in custody after felony charges in shady waterline repair contracts

“(His wife Meredith) got this great picture of me and Bennett walking into the clubhouse with me with my green jacket and holding his hand. But, I mean, he has no idea what it means,” Scheffler said. "This place signifies so much for me in my golf journey, and that’s something I’d love to be able to share with my kids. We’ll see how that goes as they age.

“Right now I just — if I’m wearing it near him, I’m just hoping he doesn’t ruin it or anything like that.”

Scheffler has two kids — one for each of his Masters titles. He's the favorite in this week's tournament, as he tends to be for all majors these days, but his family life has been more exciting than his golf recently. The Scheffler who tore through the 2025 season, winning six times in a 4 1/2-month span, hasn't arrived yet this year.

It was business as usual when Scheffler won his first tournament of the year at The American Express in January. He followed that up by closing strong for top-five finishes at Phoenix and Pebble Beach, but since then he's been outside the top 10 in three straight events — and outside the top 20 in the last two of those.

A slump by his standards? Well, it's hard to call it that because Scheffler hasn't played at all since The Players Championship in the middle of last month. He withdrew from the Houston Open because his wife was expecting their second child, and little Remy was born March 27.

The word “rested” isn't often used by parents of newborns, but being away from the course may leave Scheffler refreshed.

“I’m getting plenty of sleep. My wife’s a trouper,” Scheffler said. “Remy is so young right now, they sleep a lot of the day. I think he’s used to being in the womb at this point. Yeah, I’ve been able to get a decent amount of sleep.”

It was hard to tell which of the kids was more of a hit at Wednesday's family friendly Par 3 Contest — Remy being carried by Meredith in a baby wrap or Bennett knocking the ball around with a blue toy club.

Bennett was born just before the PGA Championship in 2024. That major proved to be a wild experience for Scheffler at Valhalla. He was arrested before the second round for not following police instruction — a felony charge and three misdemeanors were later dropped — but made it back from jail in time to shoot 66 that day on his way to finishing tied for eighth.

His obstacles this week are likely to be on the course. Scheffler will try to become the first player since Adam Scott in 2013 to win at Augusta National after having three weeks off.

If there's been a problem for Scheffler this year, it's been his starts. In his past five tournaments, he's played the first round in a combined 3 over par while shooting 56 under the rest of the way.

Of course, all that might feel like ancient history to Scheffler after he's been otherwise occupied in recent weeks. A major like the Masters doesn't offer much of a chance to ease back into competition mode, but it does have its advantages.

“Augusta keeps going above and beyond to make things special and easy for us as players. Especially the practice rounds,” Scheffler said. “The practice rounds are very peaceful. There’s no phones. There’s no people asking for selfies in the middle of the round. It’s very calm out there, and people follow the rules here.”

Scheffler will play with Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland in the first two rounds. He was a 6-1 favorite per BetMGM Sportsbook on Wednesday morning. That's similar to his +550 odds before the previous major — the British Open in July, which he won — but not as short at the +275 price on him leading up to last year's U.S. Open.

“Game feels like it’s in a good spot,” Scheffler said. “I got some rest the last few weeks at home. So I feel rested and ready to go this week.”

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

In a deep red district that Greene won by 29 points and Trump carried by almost 37 points two years ago, Fuller was on track to prevail by about 12 points with almost all votes counted. The result added to a string of special elections where Democrats performed better than expected, a track record that the party hopes will create momentum toward November's midterm elections when control of Congress hangs in the balance.

In another election held Tuesday, a Democratic-backed candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court won by double-digit margins, growing the liberal majority there.

Fuller insisted that his victory over Democratic candidate Shawn Harris in Georgia was a testimony to Trump's staying power.

“They couldn’t beat Donald Trump and they never will,” he told supporters in Ringgold, near the border with Tennessee. “And I will be on Capitol Hill as a warrior to have his back each and every day.”

However, Trump’s escalating rhetoric had some Republicans concerned, even in this deep red district. The president had set a deadline for Tuesday at 8 p.m. — one hour after polls closed in Georgia — for Iran to reach a deal with the United States, saying that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” However, he later announced a two-week ceasefire to allow negotiations to continue.

Acworth resident Jason McGinty said he was worried Trump was “about to go too far" and "may be committing a war crime” if he followed through on threats to bomb power plants and other infrastructure in Iran. He voted for Fuller to “make sure the America First party is still in place.”

Retiree Judy McDonald agreed with the president’s decision to go to war but was “very anxiety-ridden” over the conflict.

“Eventually we will have peace and the Iranians will kind of come to a conclusion that they won’t have a country if they don’t stop the terrorism,” she said.

Some Democrats hoped the election would send a message to Trump

Fuller will serve out the remaining months of Greene’s term, bolstering the party’s slim majority in the House, where Republicans control 217 seats to Democrats’ 214, with one independent.

He’ll have to face another Republican primary on May 19 to win a full two-year term, and could face a June 16 party runoff. Harris is already the Democratic nominee for November.

Retiree Melinda Dorl supported Harris “so it sends a message to Trump and his cronies that people aren’t happy," she said.

“This war was totally uncalled for. Trump is a liar. Everything he says is a lie,” Dorl said, adding that Trump was wrecking relationships with countries that have traditionally been American allies.

Harris, a cattle farmer and retired general who describes himself as a “dirt-road Democrat,” stirred enthusiasm even among supporters who expected him to lose.

“I voted for the Democrat even though this is a very red district and the Democrat has almost no chance of winning,” said Michael Robards, a software engineer from Kennesaw who calls himself a center-right independent. He said he wants to see Trump’s policies rolled back and the president again impeached.

Georgia's 14th District stretches across 10 counties from suburban Atlanta to Tennessee. After losing to Greene two years ago, Harris said his strong showing this time would be a stepping stone to November.

“We’re going to beat him next time,” Harris said on Tuesday in Rome, Georgia.

Fuller said he had withstood Democrats’ best punch.

“The left did their best. They poured in millions upon millions of dollars,” Fuller told reporters. “And what you’re seeing is the best that they can accomplish.”

Fuller had presidential support

Trump endorsed Fuller, a district attorney who prosecuted crimes in four counties, to succeed Greene in February, boosting him over other Republican candidates in a crowded field.

Greene, once among Trump’s most ardent supporters, had split with the president by criticizing his foreign policy and his reluctance to release documents involving the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president eventually had enough, saying he would support a primary challenge against her. Greene announced a week later that she would resign.

Outside of Congress, Greene has continued to assail Trump.

“Trump was elected to go to war against America’s deep state and to end America’s involvement in foreign wars,” she wrote on social media on Tuesday. “Not to kill an entire civilization while waging a foreign war on behalf of Israel, another foreign country.”

However, Fuller has backed Trump to the hilt — including the war — and has identified no issue on which he disagreed with the president.

Trump reiterated his support for Fuller on Monday night and then again on Tuesday.

“To the Great Patriots in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District: GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY for a fantastic Candidate, Clay Fuller, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the president wrote on social media.

Orlando can take a big step toward assuring it'll stay out of the 9 vs. 10 play-in game in the Eastern Conference when it takes on Minnesota. Denver can move closer to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference when it plays host to Memphis.

And the West play-in standings might get a bit more clear.

The Los Angeles Clippers take on Oklahoma City, while Portland meets San Antonio. The Clippers enter Wednesday with a one-game edge on the Trail Blazers in the race for the No. 8 spot out West.

Stories of note

— Doc Rivers hints at retirement

— The playoffs, thankfully, are coming

— Miami returning to the play-in tournament

— JJ Redick gets a bit feisty in Lakers' loss

— Jayson Tatum set for return to New York

— The Bulls want to keep Billy Donovan

Who's in and who's out?

Here's what we know so far regarding the NBA playoff field for this season.

— Eastern Conference playoff teams: Detroit has locked up the No. 1 seed and will open the postseason on April 19. Boston, New York, Cleveland are in. At this point, Atlanta and Toronto would get the other two guaranteed spots, but those are not clinched.

— East play-in teams: Miami is locked into the play-in for the fourth consecutive year. Entering Wednesday, the other three teams headed there would be Philadelphia, Orlando and Charlotte.

— East eliminated teams: Milwaukee, Chicago, Indiana, Brooklyn and Washington.

— Western Conference playoff teams: Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston and Minnesota are in.

— West play-in teams: Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland and Golden State are in. The Warriors will be the No. 10 seed.

— West eliminated teams: Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah and Sacramento.

Tuesday recap

— Timberwolves 124, Pacers 104: Wolves clinch playoff spot, despite 20 turnovers.

— Raptors 121, Heat 95: Miami locked into fourth consecutive play-in tournament.

— Celtics 113, Hornets 102: Jaylen Brown scores 35, Boston gave up 41 in second half.

— Warriors 110, Kings 105: Stephen Curry kept making plays late, saved Golden State.

— Thunder 123, Lakers 87: Banged-up Lakers may lose home-court edge for Round 1.

— Clippers 116, Mavericks 103: Kawhi Leonard scores 34, Clippers hang on to 8th spot.

— Rockets 119, Suns 105: Houston wins 50th, 7th straight, rallies from 21-point deficit.

— Bulls 129, Wizards 98: Washington now an NBA-worst 3-23 since the All-Star break.

— Nets 96, Bucks 90: Milwaukee's Doc Rivers dropped retirement hint before the game.

— Pelicans 156, Jazz 134: Bez Mbeng 3rd Jazz player to play all 48 minutes this season.

Wednesday's schedule

— Atlanta at Cleveland: A very possible East first-round preview.

— Minnesota at Orlando: Wolves are in, now can focus on health.

— Milwaukee at Detroit: Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) may return.

— Memphis at Denver: Nuggets chasing No. 3 seed, need a win here.

— Portland at San Antonio: Blazers have work to do to avoid 9-10 game.

— Oklahoma City at LA Clippers: Clippers have work to do to avoid 9-10 game.

— Dallas at Phoenix: Suns almost certainly will be No. 7 seed for play-in.

Thursday's schedule

— Miami at Toronto: Raptors looking to sweep teams' four-game season series.

— Chicago at Washington: Bulls led the Wizards by as many as 37 on Tuesday.

— Indiana at Brooklyn: Pacers' Rick Carlisle (family reasons) out next two games.

— Boston at New York: Jayson Tatum returns to MSG, where he got hurt last spring.

— Philadelphia at Houston: Rockets charging toward home-court edge for Round 1.

— LA Lakers at Golden State: Injuries crushing Lakers, who have lost three straight.

National TV schedule

Wednesday on ESPN: Atlanta-Cleveland (7 p.m. Eastern) and Portland-San Antonio (9:30 p.m.).

Thursday on Prime Video: Boston-New York (7:30 p.m. Eastern) and LA Lakers-Golden State (10 p.m.)

Betting odds

Oklahoma City (+130) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by San Antonio (+450), Boston (+550), Denver (+1200), Cleveland (+1200) and New York (+2000). Detroit, the No. 1 seed in the East, is +2200. The Los Angeles Lakers were +2500 before Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got hurt; they're +30000 now.

Key dates

— Friday: All 30 teams play their 81st games of the season.

— Sunday: All 30 teams play their regular-season finales.

— April 14, 15 and 17: NBA play-in tournament dates.

— April 18 and 19: NBA playoff series openers.

— May 2, 3 or 4: Conference semifinals begin.

— May 10: NBA draft lottery.

— May 10-17: NBA draft combine.

— May 17 or 19: Eastern Conference finals begin on ESPN and ABC.

— May 18 or 20: Western Conference finals begin on NBC and Peacock.

— June 3: Game 1, NBA Finals on ABC. (Other finals dates: June 5, June 8, June 10, June 13, June 16 and June 19).

Numbers watch

— MVP, defensive player of the year and All-NBA hopeful Victor Wembanyama (bruised ribs) is out for San Antonio's game Wednesday against Portland. He still needs one more game (and at least 20 minutes played) to be eligible for those individual awards.

— The Wizards have been outscored by 935 points this season. If they lose their final three games by an average of 21.7 points, they'd become the third team in NBA history to get outscored by 1,000 points. The others? Dallas in 1992-93 ... and the Wizards, last season.

Stats of the day

— Think the game has changed a little? In 2015-16, there were four instances of teams scoring 130 points in a game and losing. In 2025-26, that’s happened 48 times.

— There are 10 teams with 15 or more losses since this season's All-Star break. Oklahoma City has lost 14 games after the All-Star break — in the last three seasons combined.

___

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

After a blast of guitar feedback, 22-year-old Kurt Cobain politely announced to the crowd at the small club called Dreamerz: “Hello, we're Nirvana. We're from Seattle.” With that, the band, then a quartet, launched into the riff-heavy first song, “School.”

Jacobs surreptitiously recorded the performance, documenting the fledgling band in raw, fiery form more than two years before Nirvana's global breakthrough with the album “Nevermind.”

Jacobs went on to record more than 10,000 concerts, with increasingly sophisticated equipment, over four decades in Chicago and other cities. Now a group of devoted volunteers in the U.S. and Europe is methodically cataloging, digitizing and uploading them one by one.

The growing Aadam Jacobs Collection is an internet treasure trove for music lovers, especially for fans of indie and punk rock during the 1980s through the early 2000s, when the scene blossomed and became mainstream. The collection features early-in-their-career performances from alternative and experimental artists like R.E.M., The Cure, The Pixies, The Replacements, Depeche Mode, Stereolab, Sonic Youth and Björk.

There's also a smattering of hip-hop, including a 1988 concert by rap pioneers Boogie Down Productions. Devotees of Phish were thrilled to discover that a previously uncirculated 1990 show by the jam band is included. And there are hundreds of sets by smaller artists who are unlikely to be known to even fans with the most obscure tastes.

All of it is slowly becoming available for streaming and free download at the nonprofit online repository Internet Archive, including that nascent Nirvana show recording, with the audio from Jacobs' cassette recorder cleaned up.

Jacobs' first recording was in 1984

By the time Jacobs sneaked his tape recorder into that Nirvana gig, he had been recording concerts for five years already. As a teen discovering music, Jacobs began taping songs off the radio.

“And I eventually met a fellow who said, ‘You can just take a tape recorder into a show with you, just sneak it in, record the show.’ And I thought, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ So I got started,” Jacobs, now 59, recalled.

He doesn't remember offhand what that first concert was in 1984, but he taped it with a tiny Dictaphone-type device that he borrowed from his grandmother. A short time later, he bought the Sony Walkman-style tape recorder. When that broke, he briefly used his home console cassette machine stuffed in a backpack that a generous soundman let him plug in.

“I was using, at times, pretty lackluster equipment, simply because I had no money to buy anything better,” he said. Later, he moved on to digital audio tape, or DAT, and, as technology progressed, to solid-state digital recorders.

Jacobs doesn't consider himself obsessive or, as many call him, an archivist. He says he's just a music fan. He figured if he was going to attend a few concerts a week anyway, why not document them? In the early years, he contended with contentious club owners who tried to prevent him from taping. But they eventually relented as he became a fixture in the music scene, and many began letting the “taper guy” in for free.

Author Bob Mehr, who wrote about Jacobs in 2004 for the Chicago Reader, calls him one of the city's cultural institutions.

“He's a character. I think you have to be, to do what he does,” Mehr said. “But I think he proved over time that his intentions were really pure.”

After filmmaker Katlin Schneider made a documentary about Jacobs in 2023, a volunteer with the Internet Archive reached out to suggest his collection be preserved. “Before all the tapes started not working because of time, just disintegrating, I finally said yes,” he said.

Boxes stuffed with tapes

Once a month, Brian Emerick makes the trip from the Chicago suburbs to Jacobs' house in the city to pick up 10 or 20 boxes each stuffed with 50 or 100 tapes. Emerick's job is to transfer — in real time — the analog recordings to digital files that can be sent to other volunteers who mix and master the shows for upload to the archive. Emerick has a room devoted to his setup of outdated cassette and DAT decks.

“So many of the machines I find are broken. They’re trashed. And so I learned how to fix those, get them running again,” said Emerick. “Currently, I have 10 working cassette decks, and I run those all simultaneously.”

Emerick estimates he's digitized at least 5,500 tapes since late 2024 and that it will take another few years to complete the project. The digital files are claimed by a dozen or so volunteer-engineers in the U.S, U.K. and Germany who provide the metadata and clean up the audio. Among them is Neil deMause in Brooklyn, who said he's constantly impressed by the audio fidelity of the original tapes, especially considering Jacobs was using “weird RadioShack mics” and other primitive equipment.

“Especially after the first couple years, he's got it so dialed in that some of these recordings, on, like, crappy little cassette tapes from the early 90s, sound incredible,” deMause said.

Emerick pointed to a 1984 James Brown concert as a gem he discovered in the stacks.

Often, the hardest job is figuring out song titles. Occasionally, Jacobs kept helpful notes, but the volunteers frequently spend days consulting each other, searching and even reaching out to artists to make sure the setlists are accurately documented.

Jacobs said the majority of the artists he recorded are pleased to have their work preserved. As for copyright concerns, he's happy to remove recordings if requested, but added that only one or two musicians so far have asked that their material be taken down.

“I think that the general consensus is, it’s easier to say I’m sorry than to ask for permission,” he said. The Internet Archive declined to comment for this story. David Nimmer, a longtime copyright attorney who also teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that under anti-bootlegging laws, the artists technically own the original compositions and live recordings. But since neither Jacobs nor the archive is profiting from the endeavor, lawsuits seem unlikely.

The Replacements, a foundational punk-alternative band, were so happy with Jacobs’ tape of a 1986 show that they mixed some of it in with a soundboard recording. They released it in 2023 as a live album as part of a box set produced by Mehr.

Jacobs stopped recording a few years ago as worsening health problems sapped his desire to go out and see concerts. But he still enjoys experiencing live music he finds online, much of it recorded by a new generation of fans.

“Since everybody’s got a cellphone, anybody can record a concert,” he said.

___

This story was updated to correct the spelling of Jacobs in one instance.

The Texas Hemp Business Council, Hemp Industry & Farmers of America, and several Texas-based dispensaries and manufacturers filed for a temporary restraining order in state district court in Travis County against the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on Tuesday. They argue that the agencies have overstepped their constitutional authority by rewriting the statutory definitions of hemp established by lawmakers in 2019. 

“Under current Texas law, hemp is defined by its delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3%,” said David Sergi, an attorney for the hemp coalition, in a press release. “These Texas officials and state agencies are clearly attempting to create new law in direct contradiction to what the Texas legislature intended.”

The background: Even though Texas law bans marijuana, lawmakers legalized hemp in 2019. State law defines hemp as containing less than 0.3% levels of intoxicating Delta-9 THC.

To get around the law’s Delta-9 THC restrictions, manufacturers started cultivating hemp plants with another type of THC, called THCA, that, when ignited in a joint or smokeable product, can produce a high. Many lawmakers have said this legal loophole has allowed a recreational THC market to appear overnight without direct approval from the state.

Last year, the Texas Legislature voted to ban the products out of fear that these intoxicating products were consistently getting into the hands of children. But, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the decision last summer, before asking the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and DSHS to increase regulations on the industry instead.

The Texas Department of State Health Services released regulations on consumable hemp-derived THC products that went into effect on March 31. These new regulations include child-resistant packaging, a significant increase in licensing fees, new labeling, testing, and bookkeeping requirements. The rules also codify the legal purchasing age to 21, which went into effect last year as an emergency directive.

Why the hemp industry sued: Also under the new rules, laboratories tests now measure the total amount of any THC in a product. If the THC levels exceed the 0.3% threshold, even if it’s only activated upon being smoked, the product will be noncompliant under state regulations. As a result, some of the most popular hemp products, like THCA flower and pre-rolled joints, have been banned.

Hemp businesses caught selling noncompliant products face a range of penalties and fines, including license revocation and up to $10,000 in violation fees for each day these products were sold in stores.

“An administrative agency may not substitute its own policy judgment for the outcome produced by the constitutional lawmaking process,” the lawsuit states. “The Texas Constitution vests legislative power in the Legislature, not administrative agencies.”

Retailers cannot sell hemp to out-of-state customers either.

The rules also increase licensing fees for manufacturers of hemp-derived THC from $258 to $10,000 per facility and retail registrations from $155 to $5,000, which industry leaders say will fulfill the ban by forcing businesses to close. The hemp business community’s lawsuit is not challenging the other new regulations, including the age verification or ones they say protect consumers. 

“Texas hemp businesses wholeheartedly support those regulations, as they fall within the agency’s authority,” said Sergi. “We are seeking to halt rules that would effectively end the in-state production of hemp and the sale of hemp products—items the Legislature chose not to ban during recent legislative and special sessions.” 

What the state says: Concerns about the safety of these high-THC products among youth led lawmakers to attempt to ban hemp-derived THC products outright last year. While the overall ban didn’t succeed, lawmakers successfully banned vape pens containing THC and other hemp-derived intoxicating chemicals.

Data provided from the Texas Poison Center Network confirms a sharp increase in cannabis-related poisoning calls starting in 2019, a year after hemp-derived THC was legalized by the federal government, from 923 to a 10-year high of 2,592 in 2024. Calls climbed to 2,669 last year. The majority of these calls involve suspected poisoning of children under the age of five and teenagers.

Drug policy experts said these numbers seem alarming, but it is natural for poisoning calls to increase when a drug has become legalized, and the data needs additional context before making conclusions from it.

Jennifer Ruffcorn, spokesperson for HHSC, directed questions about the lawsuit and what it means for the new hemp regulations to DSHS. 

Lara Anton, spokesperson for DSHS, declined to comment on pending litigation.

What’s next: The hemp industry’s battle to stay alive in Texas started back in 2021 when the state health agency classified any amount of a natural intoxicating hemp compound called delta-8 THC as illegal. The hemp industry sued the state over its ban on delta-8 and the Texas Supreme Court is expected to consider the case this year.

The delta-8 lawsuit will have an impact on the outcome of the most recent lawsuit over the smokeable hemp ban because both lawsuits challenge the authority of a state health agency to make changes to the market without approval from lawmakers or the public. 

• PAST COVERAGE: Train derailment near Richmond, Rosenberg leaks ethanol, cleanup could take days, officials say

According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a Union Pacific mixed-freight train was traveling about 35 mph on March 18 when it experienced an “undesired emergency braking application,” meaning the crew did not initiate the emergency brakes.

The report states the train’s positive train control system and energy management system were both engaged at the time of the derailment.

More than two dozen cars went off the tracks near Richmond, about 30 miles southwest of Houston, leading to ethanol leaks from some railcars.

Officials said at the time the leaks were contained and did not pose a threat to the public, and no injuries were reported.

The derailment caused widespread traffic issues, with multiple railroad crossings blocked for hours as crews worked to clear the scene.

The NTSB emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and a probable cause has not yet been determined.

Preliminary reports typically outline factual findings gathered early in an investigation but do not include final conclusions.

According to dispatch information, officers were called to the scene around 11:05 a.m. after reports of a roadway shooting in the 5400 block of the Gulf Freeway.

Our Sky 2 Chopper is over the scene, capturing a large police presence.

Two white pickup trucks are parked near the intersection with their doors open, and a METRO bus is parked behind them. It remains unclear what role each of these vehicles played in the incident.

Preliminary details indicate that a man and a woman were involved in a verbal argument that escalated.

During the confrontation, a firearm was discharged, and a man was struck.

Authorities confirmed the man was transported from the scene for medical treatment. The condition of the victim has not yet been released.

Houston Police Department officers remain on scene as the investigation continues.

We’re working to find out what led up to the argument or whether anyone is in custody.

Minutes of the Fed's March 17-18 meeting, released Wednesday, showed that “some” of the central bank's 19 policymakers on its rate-setting committee supported changing their post-meeting statement to reflect the potential for a future rate hike. That is an an increase from “several” in January. The Fed doesn't disclose precise numbers of how many officials supported each position, but in Fed jargon, ‘some’ is considered more than ‘several.’

And “many” of the officials pointed to the risk that higher oil and gas prices could keep inflation elevated for “longer than expected, which could call for rate increases" to push inflation back down.

For about 18 months, the Fed has leaned toward cutting rates, and in its meetings has alternated between cuts and no change to rates. The slow shift toward considering potential hikes marks a major change from that trend. At the beginning of this year, financial markets expected several rate reductions. Now investors don’t expect a cut until late 2027, future prices show.

Ultimately, the Fed kept its key rate unchanged at its March meeting at about 3.6%. It has stood pat in its first two meetings this year after cutting its rate three times at the end of 2025. Chair Jerome Powell, at a news conference after the meeting, downplayed projections by officials that the Fed could reduce its rate once this year.

Another reduction depended on underlying inflation cooling steadily this year, Powell said. "If we don’t see that progress then you won’t see the rate cut,” he said then.

The minutes, released three weeks after the meeting, underscore the Fed's dilemma as it seeks to fill its congressional mandates of low inflation and maximum employment. Fed officials acknowledged that the Iran conflict could also force households to cut back spending to offset higher gas prices, according to the minutes, which would slow growth and raise unemployment.

The central bank typically raises rates to cool the economy and combat inflation, while it would cut them to bolster growth and hiring. Navigating this “two-sided” risk of higher unemployment and higher inflation poses a difficult challenge for the Fed.

On Friday, the first signs of the impact the gas price spike is having on inflation will emerge, as the government is scheduled to release the March inflation report. Economists forecast it will show a huge 0.9% increase in March from February, with prices rising 3.4% compared to a year earlier. In February, inflation was just 2.4%. The Fed targets a 2% inflation rate, and officials will likely be unnerved by a steady increase.

Earlier this week, Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said that estimates by her bank show inflation will likely rise even higher this month. “Inflation has been running above our target for more than five years now,” she added in an interview, voicing a common concern among many policymakers, and a further increase would mean it is “moving in the wrong direction.”

The excitement is building as the entertainment lineup was just unveiled this week. Rodeo spokesperson Barbara Magana Robertson joined KPRC 2 News in studio Saturday to share more on what people can expect this year and how to get tickets.

The Galveston County Fair & Rodeo returns April 17-25 at 10 Jack Brooks Road, Hitchcock, Texas.

Find more information, including tickets, here.

Music Entertainment Lineup

• Cameron Sacky Band with Payton Howie | Thursday, April 16
• Randall King with Wynn Williams | Friday, April 17 (update)
• • William Beckmann with Wynn Williams | Friday, April 17
• Casey Donahew Band with The Junior Gordon Band | Saturday, April 18
• Control; Gary Hobbs; Ricky Naranjo Y Los Gamblers | Sunday, April 19
• Blue Edmondson with Rex Griffith | Thursday, April 23
• Kevin Fowler with Brandon McDermott Band | Friday, April 24
• Cody Canada & The Departed with Jon Stork | Saturday, April 25

Customers checking one bag will pay $45 starting on Thursday, while a second will now cost $55, according to Southwest. Some travelers will still receive a free first checked bag, including certain loyalty-tier members, eligible co-branded credit card holders and active-duty military members.

The move was made “as part of an ongoing analysis of the business and against the evolving global backdrop,” the Texas-based carrier said in a statement.

Southwest ended its generous, decades-old policy of allowing passengers to check two bags for free in May 2025, a move that marked a major shift for the carrier after years of marketing the perk as a key differentiator.

The airline now joins a growing list of U.S. carriers that have increased fees since the war in the Middle East began Feb. 28, sending oil prices swinging as fighting near the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global supplies. Threats to the narrow waterway, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically passes, have pushed up prices for jet fuel, which are refined from crude.

Delta Air Lines' higher baggage fees took effect Wednesday. JetBlue and United Airlines also raised their bag fees last week.

Oil prices on Wednesday were plunging toward $95 per barrel after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran just before a deadline he had set for Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf. But prices remain well above pre-war levels amid ongoing risks that the conflict could continue.

Adding to the uncertainty, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, casting doubt on whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.

The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York was $4.81 on Tuesday, up from $2.50 the day before the war started, according to Argus Media. The energy market intelligence company’s U.S. Jet Fuel Index tracks average prices across those major hubs.

Outside of the U.S., a number of carriers are responding by adding or increasing fuel surcharges, a tool that U.S. airlines don't typically rely on.

💇‍♀️20% Off Beauty Services at Blushington River Oaks

Blushington—the modern beauty destination known for expert artistry and an all-in-one approach to getting ready—is expanding to Texas with the grand opening of Blushington River Oaks on Thursday, April 9. The beauty lounge offers signature services including professional blowouts and styling, makeup applications, skincare treatments, and brow and lash services—all under one roof.

• Offer: 20% off beauty services
• Booking window: April 9, 2026, through May 9, 2026
• How to redeem: Book your appointment and apply your code at checkout
• Hours: Mon–Wed 7 a.m. –7 p.m.; Thu–Sat 7 a.m.– 8 p.m.; Sun 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. (hours may vary depending on bookings)

Don’t wait! Book your appointment early—this limited-time grand opening offer is a great reason to refresh your look and indulge in self-care.

💄 CalmCaressASMR: 25% Off Select Self‑Care Favorites

Experience beauty that soothes the senses. For a limited time, Houston Life viewers can enjoy an exclusive CalmCaressASMR offer on select self-care and beauty products.

• Offer: 25% off select items
• Included products:
• • LumiCircle WhisperGloss™
  • Lip Elixirs #13 SereniGloss™
  • Nourishing Lip Oil #11
• How to redeem: Apply your code at checkout

Try these bestsellers as an easy way to stock up on feel-good favorites for less!

⛳BOGO Game at Puttshack Houston

If you’re looking for a fun night out with friends (or a midweek date idea), Puttshack Houston puts a high-tech twist on mini golf—complete with interactive courses, automatic scoring, and a lively atmosphere downtown.

• Offer: Buy one 9-hole game, get the second game free
• Valid: Monday–Thursday
• Limit: One redemption per guest
• Expires: June 16, 2026
• Restrictions: Cannot be combined with other offers
• How to redeem: Reserve your tee time and apply your code at checkout

It’s perfect for planning a weeknight outing—play a round, grab a bite, and enjoy a second round on the house.

🍗Big City Wings: $10 Off $40

Feeding the family doesn’t have to blow the budget—this Houston Life exclusive makes a dine-in meal at Big City Wings even more affordable.

• Offer: $10 off any purchase of $40 or more
• Details: Valid for dine-in only
• Restrictions: Not valid with other offers; excludes alcohol where prohibited
• Limit: One offer per table, per visit

Whether you’re grabbing dinner with the family or meeting friends for a casual meal, this deal helps make feeding the crew more affordable.

Are you ready to start saving?

All these offers are available now at HoustonLifeDeals.com.

Visit the site to:

• Browse current deals and sign-up to redeem them
• Unlock exclusive savings you can’t find anywhere else
• Discover new offers added regularly across dining, entertainment, beauty, fitness family fun, and more

Turn your next outing into a savings win in your wallet with Houston Life Deals.

Mayor Veeda Williams says the city if installing a new water tank and the outage is temporary.

Water service is expected to be back up Wednesday.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reviewing what it said were hundreds of complaints filed about the care of children at Camp Mystic, a historic youth camp on the Guadalupe River where 27 girls and counselors died along with the camp’s owner when the river flooded on July 4 last year.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick cited the investigation Tuesday in a public letter to the health agency, urging it for the second time not to renew the camp’s license.

“With many questions remaining unanswered surrounding the deaths of 27 young girls, parents and Texans deserve to have all issues resolved prior to Camp Mystic and/or their operators being allowed to welcome children back into their care this summer,” Patrick wrote to DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford.

Camp Mystic submitted its application to renew its license to operate at the end of March. The camp has sought to reopen a newer portion of its property this summer that is on higher ground and had no fatalities during the flood, called Camp Mystic Cypress Lake.

The camp said it has been cooperating with a joint committee of legislators from the state House and Senate that has been tasked with investigating issues surrounding the flood, and that it looked forward to working with the Rangers.

“We are pleased the Texas Rangers are getting involved,” said Mikal Watts, attorney for Camp Mystic and the Eastland family that runs it. “They are an independent, honorable investigatory body that we were hoping, like past mass disasters including Uvalde, would get involved and do an in-depth report not merely on 27 deaths but 119 deaths that happened that day.”

Meanwhile, separate battles that could determine whether the camp continues operating are playing out in courtrooms.

The parents of Cile Steward — the only camper whose body hasn’t been found — asked a judge overseeing their lawsuit against Camp Mystic to keep the camp closed as a way to preserve evidence in the case. The judge in early March directed Camp Mystic not to repair the older portion of the camp where the girls died, but the order doesn’t affect Camp Mystic Cypress Creek.

Another group of Camp Mystic parents sued DSHS in federal court, alleging the state failed to follow the law by licensing the camp without making sure it had an evacuation plan. The same day, Patrick posted his first letter to X calling on Shuford not to renew the camp’s license.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made the remarks in the keynote address at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that rejects mainstream climate science and what it calls “climate alarmism.” Zeldin told the gathering that repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding” reversed decades of unthinking adherence to liberal politicians and environmental groups about the dangers of climate change.

“Today is a moment to celebrate. It is a day to celebrate vindication,″ said Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York who is widely believed to be under consideration for a possible promotion to attorney general, following Pam Bondi’s forced departure last week.

The EPA earlier this year revoked the endangerment finding, a scientific conclusion that for 16 years was the central basis for regulating planet-warming emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources. The Trump administration argued the finding hurts industry and the economy and claimed the Obama and Biden administrations twisted science to determine that greenhouse gases are a public health risk.

Heartland on ‘front lines’ against endangerment finding

Zeldin's prominent appearance at a conference hosted by a group deeply skeptical of the established science around climate change reflected the vast reversal that President Donald Trump's administration has carried out of traditional policies meant to protect the environment. The EPA has rolled back dozens of air and water protections and has said it does not have legal authority to regulate climate change.

“You were right there on the front lines against there being an endangerment finding in 2009,” Zeldin told the Heartland conference.

Environmentalists denounced Zeldin's appearance before the conservative group, accusing him of “rallying climate deniers” at a time when climate change is creating greater risks of extreme weather, including stronger hurricanes, more dangerous floods and more intense wildfires.

Zeldin’s speech “promotes disinformation” and amounts to doing the bidding of Heartland’s secretive donors, said Joe Bonfiglio, U.S. director of the Environmental Defense Fund.

“The Heartland Institute is not a serious scientific organization. It’s a disinformation factory,” Bonfiglio said. Having the EPA administrator serve as their opening act isn’t just embarrassing — it’s a signal of how completely the Trump administration has abandoned its obligation to protect the public from pollution.”

An EPA spokeswoman brushed off the criticism, saying “the era of EPA as a vehicle for radical ideology is over.”

Zeldin speaks before a “wide variety of ideologically different groups and individuals to promote the agenda of the Trump EPA,” spokesman Carolyn Holran said.

Zeldin has returned the agency’s focus to fulfill its statutory obligations to protect human health and the environment, “backed by gold standard science, not doomsday models designed to scare the public into compliance,” she said in an email.

Heartland, based in Illinois, describes itself as a “free-market think tank” and says a key goal is to “challenge the narrative that the world faces a climate crisis” driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The organization does not disclose its funder list but has received financial support from oil and gas interests.

James Taylor, the group's president, hailed Zeldin’s speech and called Zeldin “the greatest EPA administrator ever.”

The 2009 endangerment finding determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The Obama-era finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet.

The repeal eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks and could unleash a broader undoing of climate regulations on stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, experts say. Legal challenges have been filed by nearly two dozen states, along with cities and public health and environmental groups.

Critic calls Zeldin speech ‘surreal’

Bonfiglio, of EDF, called it “surreal” that the head of the EPA would appear before a “fringe of the conservative right” and “ask for his flowers.” He called the speech tone-deaf and even insulting to Americans, given the rising costs of gasoline and other energy and more frequent occurrences of extreme weather such as a gigantic heat dome that baked the Southwest last month and smashed March heat records in 14 states.

The Heartland Institute and its supporters “don't want you to look out the window,” Bonfiglio said in an interview. “They actually need you to not look out the window in order to defend their positions. A core to their belief is that climate change is not a threat.”

USPS officials say they are actively recruiting workers and will host a free online job fair on April 10 at 11 a.m., giving job seekers a chance to learn about immediate openings and long-term career paths within the agency.

The hiring push comes at a time when many people are searching for stable work, with USPS highlighting benefits like steady pay, health coverage, and retirement options.

During the virtual event, USPS representatives will walk attendees through current and future job openings, along with details about:

• Pay and hourly wages
• Health and retirement benefits
• Training opportunities
• Career advancement within the organization

Officials say the Postal Service is seeking “committed and motivated individuals” to support operations ranging from mail delivery to logistics and customer service.

Areas hiring around Houston

The hiring effort spans multiple communities across the greater Houston region, including Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress, Richmond, Humble, and Waller, along with several smaller surrounding cities.

USPS says the goal is to strengthen its workforce locally while continuing to modernize operations nationwide.

How to attend

The event will be held virtually through Zoom, allowing people to join from home using a computer or mobile device.

Registration is required ahead of time:

Rio state military fire department said the blaze was under control and largely confined to the venue’s fabric roof. There have been no reported injuries, and the interior of the building — including the Olympic Museum — remained untouched.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere told journalists that a small portion of the city's 1,000-item Olympic museum, which lies inside the velodrome, was affected but that it could be fixed with only minor repairs.

“The structure of the velodrome itself is preserved and the track has not been hit at all,” Cavaliere said.

While the cause of this latest incident is currently under investigation, the facility has a history of roof fires. Two similar blazes occurred in 2017, both caused by falling paper sky lanterns.

Since hosting track cycling during the 2016 Summer Games, the Velodrome has served as a primary training base for Brazil’s national cycling and weightlifting teams.

___

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

The National Park Service has determined the Astrodome meets the criteria for consideration as a National Historic Landmark, the highest level of historic designation in the United States.

• Astrodome’s legacy lives on: Houston couple reflects on owning piece of memorabilia from iconic landmark

The milestone comes after a joint effort by Preservation Houston and the Astrodome Conservancy, which have been working to secure the designation for the iconic Houston structure.

Opened in 1965, the Astrodome was the world’s first domed, air-conditioned stadium and quickly earned the nickname “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Its design revolutionized how stadiums and large entertainment venues were built across the globe.

Fewer than 2,700 sites nationwide have been designated as National Historic Landmarks.

The designation recognizes places that hold exceptional value in American history, architecture, engineering, and culture.

• 20 Years after Katrina: How Houston’s Astrodome became a beacon of hope

Officials say the Astrodome’s engineering innovation and cultural significance place it among some of the country’s most recognized landmarks, including structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.

“This determination affirms what Houstonians have long known, the Astrodome is not only a local treasure but a site of national importance,” leaders with the Astrodome Conservancy said in a statement.

The recognition does not mean the Astrodome is officially a National Historic Landmark yet.

• Future of the Astrodome: Harris County receives cost estimates for two potential paths

Instead, it marks an important step in a multi-year nomination process that would ultimately require approval from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Advocates say the announcement is a chance to renew conversations about the future of the long-closed stadium, which has remained largely unused for years despite multiple redevelopment proposals.

Preservation leaders hope the milestone will bring renewed attention, funding, and ideas to reimagine the Astrodome as a space that can once again serve the public.

“Cities tell their stories through their buildings,” Preservation Houston leaders said. “The Astrodome is one of Houston’s greatest.”

Rodrigo will do double duty as host and musical guest on May 2, marking her hosting debut and third time as musical guest, ahead of her new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.”

Damon, promoting Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey,” will host the following week for the third time on May 9. Noah Kahan will perform as that show's musical guest, for the second time.

Ferrell, who leads Netflix's upcoming “The Hawk,” will host the 51st season finale on May 16 — his sixth time hosting. His musical guest will be McCartney, who will take the stage as musical guest for the fifth time.

Colman Domingo and musical guest Anitta are on tap this Saturday.

The NBC sketch comedy show airs at 11:30 p.m. Eastern and streams live on Peacock.

These thunderstorms are called “diurnal storms,” which is a fancy way to say they thrive during the daytime. Diurnal is the opposite of nocturnal.

• What to expect with the 2026 Hurricane Forecast

Typically the best chance to see storms will be between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on most days. That means if you’ve got after-school pickups, commutes, or late afternoon plans, it’s likely you’ll want to keep an umbrella handy. While not every corner of Houston will see a storm every day, most areas will notice at least a passing rain shower or thunderstorm at some point during the week.

How do these storms form?

Warm air rises from the Earth’s surface, lifting moisture high into the atmosphere. As this moist air climbs, it cools and condenses to create clouds. Those clouds then grow into the classic cumulus shape before maturing into thunderheads, which can bring quick downpours and dramatic lightning displays.

Once storms reach their mature stage, bursts of rain and thunder are likely, though most activity will fade as evening approaches.

This is why we usually see quiet conditions by sunset!

Wondering how these storms look in your neighborhood? Share your photos and videos with Click2Pins at https://www.click2houston.com/pins/.

The coordinated effort is being led by FBI Houston’s Violent Crime Task Force, with agents working across several locations as part of an ongoing federal investigation.

Hours after the raids were first confirmed, a law enforcement source told KPRC 2 that multiple suspects have been arrested on charges involving guns and drugs.

Wednesday morning, the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed to KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry that at least 10 suspects were arrested on “various gun and drug charges” resulting from the raid.

Some of the suspects have reportedly begun to make appearances in federal court.

BREAKING: A major law enforcement operation led by the FBI is currently underway at multiple addresses in the east Houston neighborhood of Clinton Park.
Several agencies are assisting including FBI San Antonio SWAT, Houston Police & HPD SWAT, the U.S. Marshals Service, Texas… pic.twitter.com/vLba0iOJmu

— KPRC 2 Bryce Newberry (@KPRC2Bryce) April 7, 2026

Alongside FBI Houston, the operation includes assistance from FBI San Antonio investigators, U.S. Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents, the Houston Fire Department, and multiple SWAT teams.

Investigators are actively working at four separate locations, with confirmed activity along Delaware Street, Calloway Street, and Fidelity Street.

MORE FROM TUESDAY: Pearland Walmart evacuated after bomb threat

Our Sky 2 chopper flew over the scenes of the active raids, capturing the heavy law enforcement presence throughout the area.

At the locations, officials were observed carrying boxes filled with labeled evidence bags and other items to patrol vehicles.

Authorities have not yet released additional details about the suspects or the broader scope of the case.

One resident on Delaware Street told KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry she first noticed a helicopter circling the neighborhood around 9:30 a.m. When she looked outside, she saw several unmarked vehicles moving into the area.

Another resident—who lives near one of the homes targeted—said she feels safer knowing arrests have been made, based on the activity she has seen. She expressed a sense of relief for the law enforcement activity.

Officials continue to stress that the operation is court-authorized and that there is no threat to public safety, though residents should expect a significant law enforcement presence for several hours.

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

It starts with a few simple questions:

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

Those questions guide the work behind ENOUGH.

How accountability reporting works

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

Our reporting often begins with:

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

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

The kinds of questions we’re asking

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

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

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

What questions should be answered?

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

Is there a decision you think deserves a closer look?

Our team is always listening.

Young also has visits with the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and his hometown Atlanta Falcons.

An All-Southeastern Conference selection, Young dominated the Senior Bowl all-star game drills with his combination of power and athleticism.

He was named the Senior Bowl Player of the game. He returned a fumble recovery eight yards to set up a touchdown and recorded two tackles.

Young was a two-year starter for Missouri, joining the Tigers after transferring from Michigan State. In those two seasons, he recorded 83 total tackles, nine sacks and three forced fumbles.

Young (6-foot-6, 262 pounds) recorded 42 tackles, 9 1/2 for losses, 6 1/2 sacks and two pass breakups last season with one interception. As a junior, after transferring from Michigan State, Young had 42 tackles, 5 1/2 for losses, 2 1/2 sacks and one forced fumble.

He had 37 quarterback hurries and nine quarterback hits last season.

The Atlanta native had 26 tackles, 4 1/2 for losses and 1 1/2 sacks in his final season at Michigan State where he was an academic All-Big Ten selection.

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

Back to football.

The state of the Texans, after three consecutive playoff appearances and AFC divisional round losses, is a positive one. The Texans are a contender with a talented roster that appears to be on the cusp of breaking through on the heels of an offseason spending spree.

The Texans didn’t just run it back after losing to the New England Patriots in a snowy playoff game at Gillette Stadium. They added multiple new players and made some expensive financial investments.

The primary roster-boosting agenda: upgrade the offensive line and running game with proven, hard-nosed veterans to complement quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Basically, the goal was to improve the offense to go with the top-ranked defense in the league.

Between retaining offensive guard Ed Ingram on a three-year, $37.5 million contract and bolstering the line with right tackle Braden Smith on a two-year, $25 million deal and former All-Pro guard Wyatt Teller for two years, $23 million and trading with the Detroit Lions to acquire running back David Montgomery and signing him to a two-year, $16.5 million contract and adding former Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship on a three-year, $24.75 million deal and former University of Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall on a two-year, $13.75 million deal with $9 million guaranteed, it’s been a whirlwind of additions.

“This was been a fun part with the free agency and getting a few of our guys signed back, I think was important, and then bringing in some guys with some toughness and attitudes, what they were looking for,” Texans principal owner, chairman and CEO Cal McNair said as the NFL meetings wrapped up. “Hopefully, they did that. I think they did. Adding the running back, the safety, and some of those key areas are really going to help us moving forward.

“We’re excited that the holes are filled with where they think we are. And you go into the draft and pick the very best player. And that’s how you build the best team is picking the best player in the draft. And so that’s where we should be. And then we’ll continue through the spring and summer and try to get better all, like you said, all year round.”

And the Texans made Ka’imi Fairbairn the highest paid kicker in the NFL on a deal averaging $6.5 million annually a long with a fully guaranteed $40.1 million extension for Pro Bowl edge Danielle Hunter and a one-year, $12.6 million deal for tight end Dalton Schultz and a two-year, $17 million deal for defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.

The Texans spent a lot of time evaluating where they stood after a difficult ending to the season. The conclusion: try to maintain the bulk of the roster while adding key chess pieces to the equation.

“It was hard because you really felt like we were there,” Texans chief community officer Hannah McNair said. “And you had all the opportunities. It was hard to come up short. I think our defense, they played incredible. I think our offense really tried to go out and give their best, came up short. I think everybody has taken that and taken it into the offseason and are working really hard. DeMeco likes a certain type of player, and I think you see that on the roster.

PHOENIX -- #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans excited about new running back David Montgomery acquisition: 'I'm excited to work with him. First meeting him, he's all football. He's serious. He's locked in. He's eager for that opportunity to really be that guy, to really carry the load… pic.twitter.com/gwQRUBquEA

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

“They work hard. They have the swarm mentality. When you look at our roster and even the offseason, the ones we’ve added, I think you’re seeing it’s those type of guys that he likes on this team. I think they’ve been working hard in the offseason. I think we’ll get better.”

PHOENIX -- #Texans chairman, CEO, principal owner Cal McNair and chief community officer Hannah McNair on state of team pic.twitter.com/TxYHGprhpg

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

The Texans finished 12-5 in the regular season, including a nine-game winning streak, after an 0-3 start. They became the seventh team in the Super Bowl era to make the playoffs after going winless in the first three games. They won seven of those nine games in one-possession games and earned the wild-card spot. They won their first road playoff game in franchise history.

“We won a lot of games in a row, which were awesome,” Cal McNair said. “We came back against Jacksonville in that game to start us on that streak. So, there were a lot of good things, too. That shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle.

“We made the playoffs and went through the first round and had a chance, really, to go past that second game. No telling how far we would have gone. And that’s what we want to keep putting ourselves in position to do, get in the playoffs and have a chance to move forward.”

PHOENIX -- #Texans chief community officer Hannah McNair on state of team: 'DeMeco likes a certain sort of player, and I think you see that on the roster. They work hard. They have this swarm mentality. The ones we've added, you're seeing those types of guys that he likes on his… pic.twitter.com/XZIS1O4jjK

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

For several years, there was a recurring lament within the Texans organization accompanied by a growing vision.

The Texans wanted their own state-of-the-art training facility and a team headquarters that could house players, coaches and all of their staff under the same roof.

The AFC South franchise shares NRG Stadium, the site of their games, with the rodeo along with concerts and other events held there throughout the year. And that has created frequent spacing and scheduling conflicts as they conducted practices during the season along with training camp and offseason activities.

The Texans long wanted something modern for the team they could both call their own, and something they could share with the community.

They are planning a cutting-edge training facility, and team headquarters building across 22 acres as the centerpiece of an 83-acre sports and entertainment complex development set for Bridgeland in Northwest Harris County.

It will be called Toro District.

The Texans, in a collaboration with Harris County and Howard Hughes Holdings, the developers of Bridgeland, The Woodlands and Summerlin in the Las Vegas area, plan to break ground this year and move into their new digs during the summer of 2029.

The Texans had clearly outgrown NRG Stadium and needed more space to operate.

“It’s exciting, but we’ve been looking at this for quite some time,” Hannah McNair said. “And when we thought about a headquarters, we knew what we needed to do. We knew what we needed, first of all. We’re in the stadium.

“We’ve been there a long time. We ran into a lot of roadblocks while we’re there because we are the tenant. And then how do we connect all of that with the community and make this really just state-of-the-art, world-class that connects football with the community.”

In an expanded leadership role, the Texans recently named Hannah McNair their chief community officer.

That’s in addition to her Texans foundation vice president role. She has been instrumental to the Texans’ growth, including the planned development of Toro District.

McNair has been pushing for girls flag football to become a sanctioned sport in the state of Texans.

The Texans girls flag football program launched in 2023 has more than 150 high schools and over 3,750 female athletes across the state.

She is a member of the NFL Flag Football working group started last year to guide the sport’s global growth and inclusion in the 2028 Olympics.

McNair has been a consistent and dedicated supporter of the greater Houston community, including leading disaster relief efforts.

“It doesn’t change my motivation or why I do what I do,” said Hannah McNair, who cited the example of Cal McNair’s mother and Texans co-founder Janice McNair as inspirational. “I’ve been involved with the foundation since 2009 and with Janice’s mentorship and just how she’s taught me just so much how the community is why we do this, I think my growth in that area, I’m just so grateful for her and her leadership.”

PHOENIX -- #Texans Hannah McNair on her role as chief community officer, and what she has learned from Janice McNair's example. And more from Cal McNair @KPRC2 https://t.co/n60BFmxz5T pic.twitter.com/uPMKBHlHHo

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

Added Cal McNair: “I don’t know that it will change what she does because she does so much. But it’s more of a reflection that the outside folks can look and see how much we value her and how much that function means to us in outreach. Naming someone of Hannah’s caliber as an executive to lead that function kind of lets the outside people know that’s really important to us. So, that was a lot of our motivation as well.”

This year, the Texans will celebrate their 25th season since joining the NFL as an expansion franchise under the direction of the late owner Bob McNair, Cal McNair’s father.

Cal McNair said they plan to have a commemorative patch on their jerseys.

The Texans will debut a new Nike Rivalries uniform as part of an announced NFL initiative featuring designs rooted in local community, history and competition. They will be worn for a home game against an AFC South division rival.

“I think there will be a lot of things just honoring our past that you’ll see that are exciting,” Hannah McNair said. “We’ve got a great department that goes through and combs through all the history to make sure we really highlight what matters.”

The Texans have displayed a willingness and capability to draft and develop homegrown players and reward them with lucrative contract extensions to keep them in place for several years. That includes a three-year, $90 million extension last year for All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr.

Now, Texans All-Pro defensive end and NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalist Will Anderson Jr. and Stroud, a former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, are eligible for contract extensions under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

Discussions for a potential blockbuster contract extensions expected to make Anderson the highest paid defensive player in the league are already afoot, led by Texans general manager Nick Caserio, with no deal imminent at this time, per league sources. It’s regarded as a matter of when, not if, that Anderson will land a huge new deal.

Stroud is expected to not get a new deal this year and the team is expected to exercise its fifth-year club option to keep him under contract through the 2027 season with a $25.9 million guaranteed salary. Heading into a pivotal year, if Stroud regains his rookie form, the Texans would be happy to commit to him on a long-term basis.

Without getting into any specifics about their plans, the McNair’s declared strongly how they feel about both players.

“We’ll let DeMeco and Nick make the football decisions there, but they’re exciting, really good young players,” Cal McNair said. “We’ll hope to have them around for a long, long time.”

PHOENIX -- #Texans Cal McNair and Hannah McNair on potential long-term deals for Will Anderson Jr., C.J. Stroud: 'Exciting, really good players, we'll hope to have them around a long, long time. .. It's a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under… pic.twitter.com/WunQinzX0g

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026

A year from now, cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Calen Bullock will be eligible for extensions. Both were named to the Pro Bowl games as alternates this year.

“It’s a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under contract,” Hannah McNair said. “So, if we keep drafting the way we do, this is just going to be something we talk about every year.”

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

The Texas Rangers are also helping look into allegations of neglect, according to the Texas Department of Safety, although the scope of the state’s elite investigations unit was not immediately clear.

The investigations underscore the hurdles facing Camp Mystic as it pushes ahead with reopening plans over the outrage of the families of the 25 girls and two teenage counselors who died in the July 4 floods. More than 850 families have signed up to return to the Christian, all-girls camp this summer if it is allowed to reopen a portion of the camp that did not flood.

The Department of State Health Services said that since February, the agency has received “hundreds of complaints regarding Camp Mystic’s operations in the summer of 2025” alleging violations of state laws governing youth camps. The agency said it asked for help from state police.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said the Texas Rangers joined an “investigation regarding complaints of neglect” during the flood. Neither agency released details. The camp did not evacuate and was hit hard when the river rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within 60 minutes before dawn.

A letter sent Tuesday from the health agency to the camp owners informed them of the agency’s investigation, but made no mention of the Texas Rangers being involved.

Lawyers for the families of the girls who were killed and the Camp Mystic owners did not immediately respond to email messages requesting comment.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the Texas Rangers’ involvement a “criminal investigation” and said the state should not grant the camp a license to reopen until that probe and another one by state lawmakers are complete.

“I urge you to prioritize safety and do everything in your power to ensure Camp Mystic and/or their operators are not allowed to operate until the facts are in,” Patrick wrote in a letter Tuesday to the head of the health agency.

In a statement Wednesday, Camp Mystic said it has cooperated with “every investigative request we have received," including with lawmakers. The camp said it worked closely with the Texas Rangers immediately after the floods and would continue to do so.

“We look forward to cooperating with the Texas Rangers and supporting them in their efforts to gain a thorough and accurate understanding of what happened on the South Fork of the Guadalupe River during the early hours of July 4,” the camp said.

Lawyers for the families of the victims did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment.

Families of several of the girls who died have sued the camp’s operators, arguing that camp officials failed to take necessary steps to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached. A district judge last month ordered the camp owners to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds in the flooded area as the lawsuits proceed.

The body of one of the campers killed, 8-year-old Cile Steward, has not yet been recovered. DPS officials said the search for the girl continues.

Richard Eastland, one of the camp owners, was also killed. All told, the destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Richard Eastland, not Edward Eastland, was killed in the flooding.

The ordinance passed in a 12-5 vote.

Councilmember Mary Nan Huffman, District G, Coulcilmember Fred Flickinger, District E, and Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck, District A, released the following statement saying they voted against the ordinance. Councilmember

The proposal focuses on drawing a clearer line between the responsibilities of the Houston Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, particularly during routine traffic stops and investigations.

• ‘MAKE THE SWITCH’: Houston Police Officers’ Union encourages TSA employees to join HPD amid shutdown

City leaders say the measure is intended to address growing concerns from residents who may be hesitant to call police for help out of fear they could be detained by ICE.

Supporters argue that fear could lead to fewer people reporting crimes or cooperating as witnesses, ultimately impacting public safety.

Under the new ordinance, officers would only be allowed to detain someone for as long as reasonably necessary to complete the original purpose of a stop or investigation.

The ordinance makes clear that an ICE administrative warrant alone, a civil document that does not allege a criminal offense, would not justify a stop, arrest, or continued detention by HPD.

If no crime is suspected, the individual must be released.

Previously, when officers encountered an immigration warrant, they were required to call a supervisor to the scene.

That supervisor then verified the warrant before contacting ICE, whose agents were then given a limited window to respond.

• RELATED: HPD gives ICE 30-minute window to respond to warrants, mayor and police chief explain policy

The updated ordinance now requires HPD to provide quarterly reports to city council members detailing its interactions with ICE, adding a layer of transparency to how often and in what situations those encounters occur.

The new ordinance is a revised version of the proposal introduced in recent weeks, after earlier language raised legal concerns about potential conflicts with state law.

Inside your home, that same heat is quietly taking a toll.

While windows in other parts of the country can last up to 40 years, Houston’s intense climate can cut that lifespan nearly in half. Many homeowners here begin to see windows aging prematurely in as little as 15 to 20 years, as heat, UV exposure, humidity, and storms gradually break down seals, frames, and overall performance.

Which is why choosing windows that are built for Houston isn’t just a design decision—it’s an investment that can save homeowners thousands over time.

A Showroom That Feels Like a Design Destination

Step inside the Pella Windows & Doors of Houston showroom, and it feels less like a retail space—and more like a curated design experience.

From expansive sliding glass doors that blur the line between indoors and out, to classic architectural window styles that elevate a home’s character, the showroom is designed to inspire. Every display is intentional, giving homeowners, designers, and builders the chance to see—and feel—the difference between product lines.

It’s not just about replacing a window. It’s about reimagining how your home looks, feels, and functions.

Built for Houston Living

Of course, in Houston, performance matters just as much as aesthetics.

That’s where modern glass technology comes in. Many of today’s windows are designed with advanced, energy-efficient glass—like Low-E (low-emissivity) glass—which helps reflect heat away from your home while still allowing natural light to pour in.

The result?

A brighter space that stays cooler—and potentially lower energy bills in a climate where air conditioning does a lot of heavy lifting.

A Family Business with Deep Roots

Behind Pella Windows & Doors of Houston is a story that’s just as compelling as the products themselves.

The business is led by Eric Smithey, Vice President and General Manager, and Agnes Smithey, President and CEO and principal owner. Agnes holds a notable distinction—she is the first female owner of a Pella business, a milestone that reflects both leadership and legacy within the company.

And for the Smithey family, this isn’t just a business—it’s personal.

Both Agnes and Eric met while working at Pella’s corporate headquarters, building not only careers, but a shared vision for the future. Agnes comes from a true “Pella family”—her father was a Pella installer, and her brother continues to work with the company today.

As they like to joke, “You should hear our Thanksgiving conversations—it’s all about windows.”

Why Houston? A Bigger Vision for Family and Community

After years with the company, the Smithey family made the decision to move to Houston—not just for business opportunity, but for life.

They were drawn to the city’s size, diversity, and energy—a place where their children could grow up exposed to different cultures, perspectives, and possibilities. Houston offered something they valued deeply: a broader, more worldly environment to raise a family.

And they saw an opportunity to bring high-quality window and door solutions to a market where they’re truly needed.

More Than an Upgrade—An Investment in Your Home

For homeowners, replacing windows might start as a necessity—but it often becomes something more.

Better insulation.

Lower energy costs.

More natural light.

A completely refreshed look and feel.

In a city where the climate puts homes to the test, investing in the right windows isn’t just about maintenance—it’s about creating a space that works with Houston, not against it.

See It for Yourself

Whether you’re building, renovating, or simply exploring your options, stepping into a showroom can change the way you think about your home.

Because sometimes, the right window doesn’t just improve your view—

it transforms the entire experience of living there.

For more information, visit: www.pellahouston.com

Or call: 281-807-4222 and ask for Ghia!

Special Offer: 50% off qualified installations and no interest, no payments for 12 months.

The Doha event had been set to open the season for track's elite series on May 8, as it typically has in recent years, but the postponement means Shanghai's meet on May 16 starts the series instead.

“In recent weeks, the Diamond League has been monitoring the situation in Doha, working in close coordination with meeting organizers, Qatari authorities and other stakeholders,” the Diamond League said in a statement on Wednesday, hours after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel.

“In the interests of athlete and spectator safety, a decision has now been taken to postpone the meeting. Should conditions allow, it will now be held on June 19.”

The change of date also means a change of venue. Temperatures in Qatar in June are typically higher, so the event moves to the Khalifa International Stadium, which is fitted with large cooling systems around the arena that were used when it hosted the 2019 world track and field championships.

Qatar has become a key host nation for global sports events in recent years and has had to postpone or cancel high-profile competitions since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran in February.

The “Finalissima” soccer game between Argentina and Spain, which was due to be played in Qatar, was canceled last month and Qatar's motorcycle Grand Prix was rescheduled to November. Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off.

___

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

The fundraiser is scheduled for Friday, April 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gus George Academy, located at 1521 Eugene Heimann Circle in Richmond.

Plates are $15 and include a chopped beef brisket sandwich, chips, and a drink.

Organizers say all proceeds will go directly to support Deputy Lewis’ family.

Community members who are unable to attend but would like to help are encouraged to donate. Additional details, including donation information, are available on the event flyer.

• Suspect in hit-and-run that killed Fort Bend County Deputy Kenneth Lewis taken into custody